The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • C2

RLIFE1021OC2FLIFE1021OC2 4 Star 2C 2C RR RR BlueRedYellowBlack BlueRedYellowBlack C2 Monday, Oct. 21, 2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 4 creator lowers the bar By JILL VEJNOSKA The most telling moment so far in this latest series from creator David E. Kelley comes in next episode, when dedicated young lawyer Sarah (Chyler Leigh) approaches an ex-congressman for help on a case litigating. happen to be a huge fan of your 1978 amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Sarah informs the congressman (guest star Stacey Keach), who glares at her and bellows, you a Sarah pulls herself up into an even more dignified posture in her demure beige pantsuit. not a she says indignantly.

a lawyer with deep concerns over happening to our submerged neither of the above, but I have a few deep concerns of my own when it comes to They all point to the same conclusion: Kelley must be stopped. Stopped from making any more shows that purport to be about women but are really a male fantasy of what goes on in the lives and minds of the other sex. a lot to complain about here, beginning with the cutesy, lowercase title that ends up seeming sexist despite claims that meant as an ironic reference to the atmosphere prevalent at so many law firms. premiere also has Jeannie (Kathleen Robertson) handling a lawsuit arising from a gynecological exam incident that impossible to imagine occurring in the real world but will have viewers muttering nonetheless. Kelley has lamented that women superior receive inferior treatment as lawyers.

This series, which follows a trio of babelicious 27-year-old lawyers (Gretchen Mol rounds out the group as Lynne), is meant to be his resounding But talk is cheap. And so is which takes what is undoubtedly a difficult situation for many women (men dominating the partnership ranks at top law firms) and makes it so much worse by reducing it to a single word: sex. the underlying cause for everything that happens on Except for when the overlying cause. Besides the congressman confusing his torts and tarts, an older male partner keeps touching Jeannie in inappropriate ways. And the handsomest accused murderer is sexually obsessed with his lawyer, Lynne.

much more, but as they say in court, I believe made my case. not that is so horrible (I love the clothes and the San Francisco setting), just that Kelley has run out of creative gas. repeating himself now in bad ways, even resurrecting a tired fantasy seen on and in which all the hot young women lawyers share one apartment. Right. Me, be renting a cozy little efficiency the moment I put down my No.

2 pencil from taking the bar exam. But worry not: Expect this to be evicted real soon and for that judgment not to be appealed. TV REVIEW 9 tonight on Fox (84060). Grade: C- Family killing nephew with kindness DEAR ABBY: I read your column faithfully, and I trust your advice. My concern is for a nephew in another state.

is 19. He lives at home, rarely leaves the house and spends his days in front of the television or at the computer. His weight currently tops 300 pounds. about 5-foot-10.) Bret dropped out of school at 16 and eventually earned his GED. He cannot or will not get a job and refuses to go to classes or counseling.

His mother, her boyfriend and two brothers are classic enablers. They provide him with everything he needs. They are literally killing him with kindness. I am very worried about Bret and at a loss as to what I can do, if anything. FRUSTRATED ON THE WEST COAST DEAR FRUSTRATED: right; family is doing him no favor by enabling him.

Your nephew needs a friend. Make an effort to get closer to him, one-on-one. If difficult to visit him in person, start talking to him online and invite him to come to visit you. If he accepts, try, without being pushy, to show him some of the possibilities that are available to him outside his home environment and away from the computer. If you know people his age, introduce him.

a start in the right direction. DEAR ABBY: I am a 20- year-old college student. I have been dating a wonderful man call Cyrus for two years. He is sweet, good to me, and I am deeply in love with him. Cyrus has seizures that prevent him from driving a car or working full time.

He lives with his mother and stepfather and receives a monthly disability check. When I tell people about my relationship with Cyrus, the first thing out of their mouths is, does he do for a When I explain the situation, some of them turn up their noses and say, that sound like a very good Abby, I want to marry Cyrus someday. However, these comments have made me wonder if he is the right person for me. Should I ask Cyrus to consider finding a part-time job? Should I tell everyone to mind their own business? What should I do? WILLING IN WHEELING, W.VA. DEAR WILLING: Make it your business to research all the information you can about your condition and how it may impact your future emotionally and financially.

Love can conquer all; however, best to understand fully what to expect before making a lifetime commitment. DEAR ABBY: I am 11 years old. Almost every time I go to the store to buy something, someone bugs me because a kid. A couple of weeks ago I was in a store and a rude lady decided to get in front of me. She pushed me right out of line.

After waiting 15 minutes, I left. If it happens again, what should I do? A.J.M. IN AUBURN, N.Y. DEAR A.J.M.: You have two choices. One, you can defer to the rude adult and chalk it up to the lack of manners, or two, speak up and in a loud voice proclaim, me! I was here in line Sometimes asserting oneself can shame the offender into backing off.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.dearabby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. DEAR ABBY JEANNE PHILLIPS Tokyo quartet shows promise By PIERRE RUHE At its best, a great string quartet can reveal secrets from music the way a brilliant psychiatrist can open a mind. The patient, in this case, would be the string quartet repertoire, the most searching, most profound body of literature in the Western world.

And to properly understand and communicate this music, the four musicians two violins, viola, cello must spend their careers in a tightly fused partnership dedicated to intensive performing and constant refinement. Thus it was a special treat to hear the celebrated Tokyo String Quartet on Saturday night at Emory Glenn Memorial Auditorium. First, however, it must be noted that the Tokyo, which originally came together in 1969 in New York, has endured several personnel changes over the years. one founding mem- ber left, violist Kasuhide Isomura; second violinist Kikuei Ikeda joined in 1974; cellist Clive Greensmith began recently, in 1999; first violinist Martin Beaver is the new guy, having joined this year. With each member change, effectively a new ensemble, although the famous name remains.

So how does the very cosmopolitan Tokyo Quartet, circa 2002, stack up against earlier incarnations? Perhaps too soon to tell, as the evening held refined moments and rough spots. In early String Quartet in E-flat, D. 87, they went for safe, genteel interpretations and a silken smoothness of tone, blending their sound into a seamless whole. They cut a sharper profile for heart- wrenching, bitter and won- derful String Quartet No. 1.

They each, in turn, raced through their opening statements. By the jittery second movement, with eerie episodes that sound like glass being pulverized, they all came together and began to speak with one robust voice: exciting while it lasted. Yet even here the Tokyo penetrate much into the moody score, reveal its psychological secrets. Perhaps understandably, given their time together, they did not take many interpretive risks. After intermission, the quartet was joined by Max Levinson, an agile young American pianist, for minor Piano Quintet, Op.

34. It took a while for everyone onstage to really listen to one another. Undeniably, some world-class talent in the Tokyo. Unlocking its potential will take several seasons of hard work. Stay tuned.

ON THE WEB: For more on the concert: ajc.com/living Tokyo String Quartet Saturday night in Emory Glenn Memorial Auditorium. CONCERT REVIEW DOONESBURY By Garry Trudeau THE BOONDOCKS By Aaron McGruder PEACH BUZZ RICHARD L. ELDREDGE, Actress Sela Ward wants you to know that Buckhead resident Sally Holst is not the evil gal portrayed as in new memoir, (ReganBooks, Before her Atlanta book-signing Sunday, Ward spent some time with Buzz at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead chatting about her latest project, and her childhood associate was sitting right with her. The pair met as teenagers in Meridian, when Ward was being initiated into a sorority at their private school. In Ward painfully describes the humiliation of at the hands of her nemesis, Sally (including walking around for a week with a sign around her neck proclaiming Beautiful and I Know are now the best of friends, I Ward told us, laughing.

was a lesson in forgiveness for memoir of being raised in the South and her continuing ties to it involves several Atlanta connections. Just out of school, the future thespian was hired to help hawk Pepsi. drank Coca-Cola for breakfast, she says. to like Pepsi was probably my first acting Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, dashed her dreams of becoming a flight attendant. said I forceful And be surprised if evokes a tear or two at its conclusion as the and star describes watching her mother die in Mississippi early this year and then flying back to Los Angeles to act scenes as a woman watching her mother descend into the throes of disease.

been able to watch those Ward says quietly. Part of the proceeds from will go to Hope Village, a home Ward founded in Meridian. Adding authenticity After reading about the Garage Theatre Company production of Plays for 43 in the AJC, Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn turned up in the audience over the weekend. received a call from his office saying he had heard about the show and would love to come see says Artistic Director Sean Daniels. told them that was fantastic, hung up the phone and had to run around the The former president greeted fans before the show and at intermission.

At the conclusion of the Carter segment in the play, the show was put on hold briefly until the applause died down. Afterward, Carter met with each cast member and offered congratulations. Soap actor walks against AIDS Before lending his feet in support of AIDS Walk, actor Aiden Turner of My made a beeline for the Chick-fil-A counter. have them in New the English actor told us Sunday. grilled chicken with Polynesian sauce is just inclined to take word for it, because his previous profession was as a European chef.

On he plays the nephew of legendary daytime character Anna Devane, portrayed by fellow Brit Finola Hughes. been wonderful and has helped me quite a bit as I get acquainted with Turner said. In return, whenever he gets back across the pond, he remembers to snag a box of favorite tea, PG Tips. And Atlantans should get used to seeing attractive mug around these parts as well. He visits Atlanta about every six weeks with his girlfriend, whose family lives here.

been to the Atlanta Fish Market, BluePointe and Eleven50 he says. quite good there. It reminds of the DJs at As for soap character getting in between recently reunited supercouple Edmund and Maria, he jokes, think the kissing bit is done, I think decided to move on, but you never know. Some fans tell me they like it and others say, stay the hell away from A mob shakedown? A significant faction of cast is demanding a big salary bump. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Robert Iler, Jamie- Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico and Drea de Matteo have banded together to request a raise from HBO.

Iler and Sigler play the children of mob boss Tony Soprano. Sirico plays lieutenant, Paulie Walnuts, and de Matteo plays Adriana, the Jersey doll recently flipped by the FBI. Each earns between $20,000 and $30,000 per episode. They want $100,000 for each show. Celebrity birthdays Keyboardist Manfred Mann is 62.

Guitarist Charlotte Caffey of the is 49. Actress Carrie Fisher is 46. Actor Will Estes is 24. Contributing: News services. If you have a tip, call 404526-2749.

Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: and star forgives Atlantan Ward.