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

PEOPLE

Lawsuit Targets

Actor Steven Seagal

Less than three months after being found guilty of slandering a co-worker, action movie star Steven Seagal is being sued for $60 million by a former business partner for allegedly backing out of a contract to perform in four motion pictures.

The lawsuit, filed by producer Julius R. Nasso, accuses Seagal of breaching a contract to star in the movies, which had a combined budget of more than $125 million.

Nasso accuses Seagal of backing out on the advice of a Buddhist spiritual advisor known as Mukara, who persuaded Seagal to detach himself from his associates, his children from two previous marriages and his movie production companies.

A spokesman for Seagal said the actor did not owe any money to Nasso. “To the contrary, substantial monies are owed to Steven by Mr. Nasso,” the spokesman told Reuters on Thursday.

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FILM

Rosie O’Donnell Wants Her Name Off Film

Rosie O’Donnell is asking to have her name and voice removed from an Oscar-nominated documentary after learning that the filmmakers are involved in a group described as a homophobic cult.

The talk show host, who recently came out as a lesbian, narrated “Artists and Orphans: A True Drama,” about a New York theater group that travels to the former Soviet republic of Georgia to help orphaned and abandoned children. The film is competing for an Academy Award on Sunday.

O’Donnell, who has three adopted children and has been a vocal proponent of gays adopting children, volunteered to narrate the short film. Her spokeswoman said Wednesday that O’Donnell found out this week that the filmmakers are involved with the Fourth Way School, a group that bans homosexuals.

“If Rosie had known the truth about this organization, she never would have consented to lend her name and voice,” said O’Donnell’s publicist, Cindi Berger.

David Goldstein, a lawyer representing the film, said that suggesting that “Artists and Orphans” is the “the work of some kind of nefarious cult is completely baseless.” The filmmakers and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not immediately return calls.

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POP

Keys Collects Three

Soul Train Awards

After taking home five Grammy Awards last month, Alicia Keys continues to garner awards for her best-selling album, “Songs in A Minor.” She took home three trophies from the 16th annual Soul Train Music Awards, taped Wednesday night, including best R&B;/soul or rap new artist for her hit “Fallin,” and best R&B;/soul female album for “Songs in A Minor.” She also was named female entertainer of the year.

The Isley Brothers also won three awards, including best R&B;/soul single and album by a group, band or duo. The group, which made a comeback more than 42 years after its first hit single, “Shout,” was named entertainer of the year among male artists.

Other winners included Aaliyah’s “Rock the Boat” for best female R&B;/soul single and Musiq Soulchild’s “Love” for the best male counterpart. Best male R&B;/soul album went to Usher for “8701.”

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New ‘Rage’ Lineup to Debut at Ozzfest

The new band featuring former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell and Rage Against the Machine members Tim Commerford, Tom Morello and Brad Wilk will make its long-awaited live debut on this summer’s Ozzfest tour, which kicks off July 6 in Bristow, Va., and closes Sept. 8 in Dallas.

The tour, whose main stage will also feature System of a Down, P.O.D. and festival namesake Ozzy Osbourne, will stop locally Aug. 31 at the Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion in Devore.

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TELEVISION

Leno Is Still King of Late-Night Ratings

Final late-night ratings for the week of March 11 show “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” averaging 5.5 million viewers, compared with 4.6 million watching “Late Show With David Letterman,” whose host revealed his plans to remain at CBS that week.

ABC’s “Nightline” and “Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher” averaged 4.3 million and 2.5 million viewers, respectively.

Letterman did edge “The Tonight Show” on March 11, the night of his on-air announcement, and his audience was up 20% compared with the corresponding week in 2001. Still, NBC noted that Leno has been first among adults ages 18 to 49, the key demographic to advertisers, for all but one of the last 103 weeks.

QUICK TAKES

Louis Rukeyser is being replaced as host of “Wall $treet Week With Louis Rukeyser” after more than 30 years with the program. The new version, a joint venture of Maryland Public Television and Fortune magazine, will be titled “Wall $treet Week With Fortune” and begins in the fall.... UPN has pulled the comedies “As If” and “Random Years” .... Mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung and tenor Michael Schade will replace Marlena Ernman and Jon Villars in the Los Angeles Philharmonic production of Mahler’s “Das klagende Lied” this weekend. The artists, who were scheduled to sing today through Sunday, have canceled due to illness.... “VIP” actress Pamela Anderson says she has hepatitis C and has undergone treatment for the liver-destroying blood virus.... CBS is holding an open casting call for people over the age of 21 for “Big Brother 3” on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. The auditions will take place at CBS Television City, 7800 Beverly Blvd., L.A. Applicants should bring two color photos each, a copy of their valid driver’s license and a copy of their Social Security card or passport.