ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

POP/ROCK

Orchestra Sues Label

for Anthem Royalties

The Florida Orchestra is suing Arista Records for royalties from the re-release of Whitney Houston’s rendition of the national anthem performed in 1991 during Super Bowl XXV, during which it accompanied the singer.

The lawsuit asks a judge to enforce terms of an agreement requiring Arista to pay orchestra royalties on all sales of Houston’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The orchestra learned of the alleged contract breach after the anthem was reissued following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and became a hot-selling single.

The nonprofit orchestra cut its budget by $600,000 this year to $7.6 million and forced musicians to take a pay cut, said Leonard Stone, the orchestra’s executive director. Arista officials could not be reached for comment.

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TV & MOVIES

AMA Calls NBC ‘Greedy’ for Liquor Ads

The American Medical Assn. has issued a scathing attack on NBC, calling the network’s decision to accept commercials for distilled liquor “shockingly irresponsible” and “greedy.”

In a statement reported in the Hollywood Reporter, AMA chairman-elect J. Edward Hill accused NBC of putting profit ahead of national health and the welfare of young people.

NBC has said it would restrict such ads to airing after 9 p.m. and to shows where at least 85% of the audience is over age 21, and said that only actors 30 and older will appear in them. In a statement responding to the AMA’s criticism, the network maintained: “We have taken strong actions to ensure that the advertising is not targeted toward young people.”

Hill termed the restrictions “window dressing.” “Does NBC honestly think its only viewers at that hour are of legal drinking age?” he asked. “This is the first time in several years that we have seen a rise in deaths from teenage drunken driving.... Alcohol advertising will only worsen the situation.”

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Super Bowl Challenged by Playmates in ‘Fear’

Fox took umbrage Monday at NBC’s plan to use Playboy centerfold models in an episode of the critically derided “Fear Factor” to try to steal viewers away from Fox’s telecast of the Super Bowl of Feb. 3.

NBC confirmed that it has scheduled a special edition of the unscripted series to play opposite the Super Bowl halftime show as well as after the game, when Fox plans to run an episode of the hit sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle.”

Fox issued a statement saying that with “Malcolm” and the football game, the network is “offering a night of television the whole family can watch together. NBC’s programming choice speaks for itself.”

Defending the stunt as an attempt to “have a little fun,” NBC is actually taking a page from Fox’s playbook. In 1992, Fox ran a live version of the sketch comedy “In Living Color” against the halftime show.

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Nominees Announced for First AFI Awards

Todd Field’s somber family drama “In the Bedroom,” fresh from its selection as best film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn., and Ridley Scott’s combat thriller “Black Hawk Down” each earned five nominations Monday to lead the pack contending for the first annual American Film Institute awards.

Other films up for AFI movie of the year include “A Beautiful Mind,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Man Who Wasn’t There,” “Memento,” “Monster’s Ball,” “Moulin Rouge,” “Mulholland Drive” and “Shrek.”

HBO’s “The Sopranos,” CBS’ “Everybody Loves Raymond” and ABC’s movie “Anne Frank” led the television categories with three nominations apiece.

The awards, selected by a 100-member panel of industry experts, employees and critics, will be presented Jan. 5 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and will air on CBS.

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‘Hedwig,’ ‘Ellen’ Among GLAAD Nominees

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation announced its own nominees on Monday, honoring, for the 13th year running, what it considers “fair, accurate and inclusive” representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

“Big Eden,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Nico and Dani,” “Punks” and “Songcatcher” will vie for outstanding film in limited release, while “The Mexican” stands alone in the wide-release category.

On the small screen, CBS’ “The Ellen Show,” and “Some of My Best Friends,” HBO’s “Sex and the City” and NBC’s “Will & Grace” will contend for outstanding comedy series. UPN’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” CBS’ “The Education of Max Bickford,” NBC’s “ER,” Showtime’s “Queer as Folk” and HBO’s “Six Feet Under” are up for outstanding drama series.

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QUICK TAKES

Citing a lack of evidence, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office says criminal charges will not be filed against Gary Busey, who was arrested at his Malibu home Dec. 2 in an investigation of charges that he’d abused his ex-wife. Busey has denied the allegations.... Miramax Films has pushed back the opening day of “Kate & Leopold,” a romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman, from Friday to Christmas Day.

Elaine Dutka