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

TELEVISION

Copycat Tragedy: A 13-year-old Connecticut boy was hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns after mimicking an MTV personality who set himself on fire during the network’s high-rated stunt show, “Jackass,” police said. Jason Lind was severely burned on his legs and hands Friday night when he and a friend poured gasoline on his feet and legs and lit them on fire. The boy remained hospitalized Monday in critical condition in the burn unit of a Boston hospital. His 14-year-old friend was arrested Saturday and charged with reckless endangerment, but another teen who watched the incident was not charged, police said. In Friday’s episode, which was a repeat, “Jackass” creator Johnny Knoxville donned a fire-resistant suit hung with steaks, then lay across a makeshift barbecue while lighter fluid was used to fan the flames. An MTV spokeswoman said Monday: “It is made extremely clear throughout the show, through the use of written and verbal warnings, that none of the stunts featured should be tried at home.” She added that the show airs with a TV-MA (mature) rating and states that those performing stunts are “professionals and/or total idiots.” The spokeswoman added: “Our thoughts are with the young man and his family and we wish him a full and speedy recovery.”

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More Vote Counting: NBC’s “The West Wing” continued its awards show hot streak on Monday by nabbing a leading six TV Guide Awards nominations, including best drama series and acting nods for Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Rob Lowe, John Spencer and Stockard Channing. NBC’s “Frasier” and CBS’ “Everybody Loves Raymond”--finalists for best comedy series along with Fox’s “Ally McBeal” and NBC’s “Friends”--had five nominations each, followed by NBC’s “ER” and “Will & Grace” with four. Joining “The West Wing” and “ER” in the best drama category are CBS’ “Judging Amy” and NBC’s “Law & Order.” Among other categories: CBS’ “Bette,” “C.S.I.” and “The District” will vie with NBC’s “Ed” for best new series of the year, while Jessica Alba of Fox’s “Dark Angel,” Frankie Muniz of Fox’s “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Ed’s” Tom Cavanagh and NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” Bush and Gore impersonators Will Ferrell and Darrell Hammond are up for breakout star of the year. The awards, determined by some 30 million voters, air March 7 on Fox.

MOVIES

Hatch Changes ‘Traffic’ Lanes: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said he regrets his cameo role in the critically lauded movie “Traffic,” which features nudity, sex, drug use and profane language. Before the film was released, Hatch defended the movie’s use of violence by saying it accurately portrayed the drug culture as degrading. But after seeing the film, Hatch said in a statement: “I was shocked and dismayed at the gratuitous amount of violence and profanity. . . . It was more than was necessary to reveal the devastation caused by drugs. I do not condone it. It detracts from [the movie’s] anti-drug message.” The senator, known for berating Hollywood violence, briefly appears as himself in a Georgetown party scene.

POP/ROCK

Concert Melee: American rap-rock band Limp Bizkit quit an Australian concert tour over the weekend, citing fears for crowd safety after a number of fans were injured--including a teenager who suffered a heart attack and nearly died at the scene--after a crowd surge during their headline performance at the tour’s Sydney stop. Band members said in a statement that they were shaken by the injuries and what they saw as “a cavalier attitude toward fan safety” by organizers at the Big Day Out alternative music festival. Big Day Out organizers rejected the criticism and said the event had an “impeccable safety record” over 10 years. In their statement, band members said they would “pray for the life of the heart attack victim,” who was hospitalized after the incident. Six other people were taken to the hospital Friday with lesser injuries.

QUICK TAKES

The cinematographers of “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” (Roger Deakins), “The Patriot” (Caleb Deschanel), “Gladiator” (John Mathieson), “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (Peter Pau) and “The Perfect Storm” (John Seale) have been nominated for outstanding achievement in feature film by the American Society of Cinematographers. The winner will be named Feb. 18. . . . Kelly Wiglesworth, runner-up on CBS’ first “Survivor,” has agreed to a plea bargain that removes a 1995 credit card fraud charge hanging over her newfound celebrity. Wiglesworth, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor of conspiring to commit credit card fraud. She will pay $455 in restitution and perform 75 hours of community service.