Morning Report - News from Oct. 24, 2001

A small group of fans crowded against the metal railings outside a theater, chanting, “Ke-vin, Ke-vin.” And after a couple of hours in the cold, their wish came true.

Kevin Spacey strolled down the carpet, taking time to sign autographs and shake hands before the premiere of “K-PAX” at the Mann Village Westwood on Monday.

A TV camerawoman noted that the atmosphere was “eerie, like quiet before the storm.” Jeff Bridges, who also stars in the movie, agreed. “It’s a little strange,” he said. “It feels like a David Lynch movie.”

“K-PAX” isn’t a Lynch movie, but it does feature Spacey as a mental patient who might or might not be an extraterrestrial.

“I always thought it was possible,” Spacey said of life on other planets. “There’s a certain arrogance in thinking you’re the only intelligent life.”

Bridges, who received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of an alien in the 1984 film “Starman,” didn’t seem convinced. “Maybe we’re the only game in town,” he said.

Charlize Theron, who doesn’t appear in the film, marched away from the ogling press in her tight leather skirt with Larry King hot on her heels. King also opted for leather. Fortunately, he chose a jacket, not a skirt.

Publishing Troubles

As Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams would know, geography is destiny. A leading British publisher won’t publish his book, “Hope and History: Making Peace in Ireland.”

But publishers in Ireland and the U.S. say Adams’ work, which is about the 1998 Good Friday peace accords, has never been more relevant.

The U.K. cancellation also came amid reports in the New York media that Adams had been dropped by beragent Andrew Wylie. Reached by phone Monday, Wylie, who also counts Salman Rushdie among his clients, dismissed rumors that he’d dropped Adams. “It’s simply not true,” he said.

A spokesman for Random House said the book will be published in the U.S. in fall 2002. U.K. readers may have to wait a little longer.

London-based publisher Hodder Headline released a statement last week confirming that it had dropped Adams’ book. A spokeswoman reached Tuesday would not comment further.

Steve MacDonogh, managing director of Brandon Publishing, which is releasing the book in Ireland, told the BBC that the Hodder Headline cancellation was “extraordinary and unprofessional.”

“The reasons they gave are bizarre,” MacDonogh said. “They cited Sept. 11 and [the] worldwide reaction to Sept. 11. But my view is that ... this book is more relevant than ever because it is a story of a move from a period of conflict to a search for peace.”

Outside publishing, Adams has had a busy week. The Sinn Fein leader called on the Irish Republican Army on Monday to give up its guns to save the peace process. The IRA announced Tuesday that it had begun to disarm.

Minimalist Vegas

Rande Gerber’s latest frontier is the desert. The trendy-bar mogul is opening “Whiskey Sky,” a new nightclub at the $300-million Green Valley Ranch hotel and casino in Las Vegas, slated to open in December.

Gerber, whose minimalist bars dot L.A. and New York cityscapes, wants to avoid the “gaudy Vegas feel,” opting instead for a “modern version of old Las Vegas.” For Gerber, that means private poolside cabanas, equipped with individual sound systems as well as day beds with built-in flat screen TVs. (Does sound much more subtle than the glitz of the strip.... )

Gerber, who’s married to supermodel Cindy Crawford, said he’s been busier than ever, jetting between coasts to oversee his ventures. In New York, he is closing his 12-year-old Whiskey Bar at the Paramount Hotel, only to open a bigger version at the new W Hotel on Times Square, one block away.

And Gerber doesn’t worry that recent events will hurt the project. “When times are good, people drink,” Gerber said. “When times are bad, people drink.”

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