The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page 72

Page2E Wednesday, September 22, 1999 The Sun Today Radio and Television People And Places WBAL hires new morning host Radiojrom Page 1e rwwff i.mi MM rev tii! mar mtinawiT" i fwr--'-- Sweatshop allegations hit Gifford again Sweatshops in Central America produce garments for U.S. TV personality Kathle Lee Gilford's clothing label, a labor rights group charged yesterday, eliciting a swift offer from Gifford's representatives to help put a halt to the alleged abuses. The National Labor Committee said two workers were fired this month and a union organizer received death threats after questioning working conditions in the Caribbean Apparel factory in the American Park free trade zone in Santa Ana, El Salvador. The workers told a news conference in New York that women in the factory were subjected to pregnancy tests and worked 12-15 hour days at 60 cents an hour in poorly ventilated buildings surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. Broadway, Locci wants in Now that Susan Lucci has nabbed a win as best actress in a daytime program for her role in "All My Children," she's heading over to Broadway.

At least she hopes to be. The popular daytime actress, who finally overcame years of Emmy losses for her work last season, says she is in negotiations to join the cast of "Annie Get Your Gun" as a Christmas vacation replacement for show star Bernadette Peters. The 52-year-old Lucci has never appeared on Broadway. Stallone eats his words Sylvester Stallone is asking for forgiveness from Miramax studio head Harvey Welnstein after whining about him to Susan Falu-di in her new book. The actor had accused the mogul of reneging on a promise to cast him in another ensemble film after "Copland" but now says he goofed.

ing a recording session 10 p.m.) and Greg morphs into that teen-age singing idol, Johnny Bravo Johnny Bravo," 11:30 p.m.). As if that weren't enough, Barry Williams, whose talents were only hinted at in the role of Greg Brady, will be on-hand between shows to perform songs from his new CD, "The Return of Johnny Bravo." Set those VCR timers now. Aldo's featured on show The people responsible far "The Best Of," The Food Network's continuing look at the country's finest restaurants, were in Baltimore yesterday, filming segments of a Christmas show at Aldo's Ristorante Italiano in Little Italy. The show, which will feature Chef Aldo Vitale preparing more than a dozen different dishes, is scheduled to air on "The Best Of Dec. 9 (9 p.m.), Dec.

10 (12:30 a.m.), Dec. 11 (2 p.m.) and Dec. 19 (10:30 p.m.). Another local connection: The hosts for "The Best Of are Marc Silverstein, formerly a reporter for WMAR, Channel 2, and Jill Cordes. TV's top shows Here are last week's top TV shows, according to A.

C. Nielsen Co. figures: Rating 1 NFL Monday Night Football: Miami at Denver ABC 16.1 2 Judging Amy Preview CBS 13.5 3 NFL Monday Showcase ABC 13.1 4 Frasier NBC 13.0' 5 NFL National: Various Teams and Times CBS 12.9 8 60 Minutes CBS 12.4 7 Friends NBC 11.3. 8 ER NBC 10.9 9 Sunday Movie "Sealed with a Kiss" CBS 10.2 10 Miss America Pageant ABC 10.1 11 Everybody Loves Raymond CBS 9.6 12 DateUne, Tuesday NBC 9.3' 13 Everybody Loves Raymond CBS 9.2 13 tie Everybody Loves Raymond CBS 9.2 15 Dateline, Wednesday NBC 8.7 16 Law Order NBC 8.3 17 Everybody Loves Raymond CBS 8.2 18 60 Minutes II CBS 8.0 18 (tie) Grace NBC 8.0' 20 2020-Wednesday ABC 7.9 20 (tie) 48 Hours CBS 7.9. 22 48 Hours-Monday CBS 7.6 23 2020-Friday ABC 7.6 23 (tie) 2020-Monday ABC 7.5 23 (tie) Prime College Football: Tenn at FloridaMichigan at Syracuse CBS 7.5 23 (tie) JAG CBS 7.5 23 (tie) Sunday Night Movie "Fools Rush In" NBC 7.5 The ratingis the percentage of homes equipped with a TV in use.

he says, "but from the moment we heard Chip's audition tape, we knew this was the guy. "He's a really funny guy, but he's also a cerebral guy," Franklin's new boss says. "He's not going to do three hours a day of stand-up comedy, that's not what we're looking for. But he does bring an unusual twist to certain things." Beauchamp believes listeners will notice some key differences between Prell's show and Franklin's. Although Franklin will continue to rely heavily on call-ins, "the show will be consistently inconsistent," Beauchamp predicts.

"Some days, he's going to talk about something light some days his subjects will be heavier. I think every day will be something unexpected. "We're going to have some fun," he continues. "It's not going to be an issue-oriented political talk show. It'll concentrate on issues when the host think it's warranted, when we think it's warranted, but not all the time." The new guy agrees.

"When there's a big news event in Baltimore, we'll definitely cover that," Franklin says. "Hopefully, I'll be out in front of all that stuff. But I also want to talk about things like, is there an inverse relationship between the number of keys you have and the Darwinian ladder, that kind of stuff. "I plan to interview the fringe news-makers, people we don't always have time to cover on a five-minute newscast," he says. Maher in Charm City Bill Maher and "Politically Incorrect," the ABC show that delights at pricking politicians' pomposities, will be coming to Baltimore next month in search of local talent.

Maher and his staff will be at the York Road studios of WMAR, Channel 2, on Oct. 15 to audition for a "citizen panelist" from Baltimore. Since the beginning of the year, "Politically Incorrect" has been choosing panelists selected cities to share the stage with the celebrities, journalists and political pundits who have-at each other during a typical broadcast. Baltimore is the 19th of 30 cities chosen to be represented on the program. Anyone interested in auditioning should send a postcard with his or her name, address and day and evening phone numbers to Politically Incorrect Citizen Panel-' 1st Auditions, 7800 Beverly Suite Los Angeles, 90036.

ASSOCIATED PRESS What a sparkling smile Dirk Stutzki brushes the tusks oAntje, afemale walrus, in the Hagen-beck Zoo in Hamburg, yesterday as part of Germany 's "Dental Health Day." 'Oh Grow Up' is dumber than dumb; Jesse L. Martin walks beat "In fact, Harvey did offer me another ensemble film," Stallone says. "I'm completely at fault in this matter. I attribute it to an unfortunate lapse of memory. I completely apologize to my friend, Harvey Weinstein, who is a great producer and a credit to his industry." Weinstein calls Sly a "great friend" and says he looks forward to working with him again.

Stars line up for Bridge Pearl Jam, Brian Wilson, Green Day, Sheryl Crow and Lu-cinda Williams are among the acts expected to perform at the 13th annual Bridge School Concert, to be held Oct. 30-31 at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, Calif. The benefit, organized by Neil Young, raises funds for the San Francisco-based Bridge School, a learning facility for physically challenged and severely speech-impaired children. The show is also supposed to feature Crosby, Stills Nash, but there's no word on whether Graham Nash will be performance-ready after the Sept. 13 boating accident that broke both his legs.

He likes a strong woman The irrepressible Cuba Gooding Jr. says Hollywood appears tolerant of his interracial marriage. "If anything, Hollywood is like, 'What are you doing married? I don't care what color she is man, come on! The clubs on Sunset Strip are says the actor, who won an Oscar for his supporting role as a football star in "Jerry Maguire." Gooding, 31, and wife Sara, 29, have two children 5-year-old Spencer and 2-year-old Mason. The couple met at a party when Gooding was in high school. GENERAL CINEMA coiumma cm tWOS Wlncofi C.

(410) WtUMt'U OENIRAl CINEMA SECURItY SQUARE I W17otruiRd (4110) 4M(M71 OENE6AL CINEMA TOWtON COMMONS I fort fw IWytjrN Am. (410) 4444IMtSI HOYTS HUNT VAUIY 12 IIJIl McCwrr(M. (4I0))WQ HOYTS WEST NURSERY 14 IHIwsjm. MO (410)I9W LOEWS QLEN tURNffi 7 MO fkTwvAnpo MM (40)710100 LOfWt VAIUV Wit (410) JAW LOEWS WHITE Wh Moth (4IO)MMOJ4 REQAL EL AIR 7 Contort (4Ki) ASSOCIATED PRESS Ask him anything: Maryland Gov. Parris N.

Glendening will be the guest on Comcast cable's phone-in show, "It's Your Call. You must be 18 or older and be available to fly to tos Angeles Nov. 2 (the show will pay to get you there, however): From postcards received, 50 people will be selected to audition Oct. 15. Give him a call Gov.

Parris Glendening will be the guest on today's edition of Comcast cable's phone-in show, "It's Your Call." The hour-long show, with host Lynn Doyle, will be broadcast live from Comcast's White Marsh studios beginning at 8 p.m. Viewers will be able to ask questions of the governor via a toll-free number to be shown on-screen. "It's Your Call" is available to Comcast customers on Channel 25 in Baltimore County, Channel 54 in Howard County and Channel 69 in Harford County. Bradys, 30 years later Now here's an anniversary worth celebrating: TV's happiest clan, "The Brady Bunch," first hit the airwaves 30 years ago Sept. 26, 1969.

We've come a long way since then (as have Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy), but not so far that we can't recognize a milestone anniversary when we see one. Sunday on Nickelodeon, three decades of Bradymania will be commemorated with a three-hour block of the show's best. From 9 p.m. to midnight, viewers will be able to watch again as Marcia gets her nose broken by Peter's football Subject was Noses," 11 p.m.), Peter's voice changes dur Spencer is mesmerizing as Bartlet's long-time' friend and chief of staff. From the second he appears on screen, you're drawn into his energy field with a force that's impossible to resist.

With the slippage in talent at "ER," this is the best cast in prime time. There are too many fine performances to list them all. But several must be mentioned: Allison Janney as tightly wrapped press secretary C.J. Gregg, Moira Kelly as hard-nosed super-strategist Madeline Hampton, and Richard Schiff as communications director Toby Ziegler. And let's not overlook the direction by Thomas Schlamme, who won an Emmy last week for his work on "Sports Night." Schlamme provides a swirling, in-the-eye-of-the-action visual style that perfectly captures the energy and muscle of Sorkin's writing.

Sorkin and Schlamme marry word and image as well as anyone has ever done in series television. Given the demands of also writing and producing "Sports Night," it remains to be seen whether the two will be able to hold "The West Wing" to this high a standard week after week. In fact, I suspect they won't. So, carpe diem. Let's just revel in tonight's bounty and worry later about the rest of the season backstage at the Bartlet White House.

Other series starting their new seasons tonight: 'Oh Grow Up' "Oh Grow Up," a new sitcom about three male college roommates now living together as adults, opens with 30 seconds of a woman in the throes of sex, articulating what she is feeling through a series of screams. Her shouts are the very first sounds we hear. Do I have to tell you anything more about this stupid sitcom? OK, how about this? ABC thinks "Oh Grow Up" is a perfect partner for Norm Macdotald's "She was the strongest girl I'd ever met, so I said, 'Oh my God, your arms are so So I hit her, and she hit me back," he tells Cosmopolitan. Bening finds stage tiring Annette Bening says her return to the stage was hard work after a decade away from the theater. She starred last spring in Henrik Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" in Los Ange1 les.

"I was in the middle of rehearsals and I was in probably the third act, and I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I've been acting for I don't know, an hour and a Bening said. "'I can't stand up anymore, I can't On movie sets, the work comes in fits and starts, Bening said during a recent tour to promote her new movie, "American Beauty." Today's birthdays Actress Martha Scott is 85. Baseball Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda is 72. Actor Eugene Roche is 71. Musician King Sunny Ade is 53.

Captain Mark Phillips is 51. Rock singer David Coverdale (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) is 50. Actor Paul Le Mat is 47. Actress Shari Belafonte is 45. Singer Debby Boone is 43.

Country singer June Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 43. Rock singer Johnette Napoli-tano is 42. Singer-musician Joan Jett is 39. Actress Catherine Oxenberg is 38. Actor Scott Baio is 38.

Actor Rob Stone is 37. Actress Bonnie Hunt is 35. Rhythm-and-blues singer Big Rube (Society of Soul) is 28. From staff and wire reports RC I Hi A flitt fASTPOINT MOVIES 10 itvd. (410)714-1100 UNITED ARTISTS GOLDEN RING MALI 4400 fhn4( tU.il 410) MtitMUt UMttO ARTISTS MARLfV STATION Woo Co fftcna ttir.

(410) UMVMm (410)4444LMI7II UNITED ARTISTS WESTVIEW MALL 6t24lotnujn Nofeondl (4I0)444JUM7M 26 CjM An MM Must Htmrt Net Byte du Jour Radio and TV show host Dr. Drew Pinsky of "Loveline" fame has his own Web site (www.drdrew.com), which addresses health and relationship issues. Friday Saturday Sunday SEPT. 24-25-26, 1999 Noir historic Htnpm Ferry, WV Over 200 pre-judged craft persons demonstrating and selling their wares Shop now for that unique Christmas gift Nationally known Biuegrass musicians Delicious food Free Parking Located off US Rt. 340 near Harpers Ferry on the Sam Michaels Park Admission $5 for adults, $3 for ages 6-17 (Save $1 off admission with this ad) Dairy 10 to 6.

No Pets, Please. West Virginia Vildaruiwlerfid BS GENERAL CINEMA UNITED ARTISTS SECURITY SQUARE HARBOR PARK 410444-FILM 751 410-837-3500 HOYTS UNITED ARTISTS WEST NURSERY MARLEY STATION 410-850-8999 410-760-3300 LOEWS WHITE MARSH 410-933-9034 RC THEATRES EASTPOINT 410-284-3100 SONY THEATRES COLUMBIA PALACE 1(10-730-4600 tONV THEATRES GLEN BURNIE 1 0-761 -0300 SONY THEATRES I YORKRIDGE 410-952-S256 UNITED ARTISTS GOLDEN RING 410-574-3333 UNITED ARTISTS SNOWDEN SQUARE 410-872-0670 UNITED ARTISTS WESTVIEW MALL 410-719-9000 HOYTS HUNT VALLEY CINEMA 12 410-329-9800 GENERAL CINEMA OWINGS MILLS 17 410-444-FILM 787 NO PASSES OR DISCOUNT COUPONS ACCEPTED FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT. I CHECK DIRECTORIES OR CALL THEATRES FOB SHQWTlMES. I.HI.P.;l,J.j.'" jryi'T'Ti'i-iiijutf 11 www.Jeffersoncounty.cofnmhaicf CENTRE ItatiwMgwn BrJ IM MARSH ihit ft (rH CINEMAS 14 New seasonjrom Page 1e winningly in "The American President," a romance starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening. He scores tonight's dramatic knock-, out punch with an uplifting, old-fashioned, perfectly crafted, Ca-pra-esque moment.

Like the opening described above, most of the pilot is cynical, sawy, in-the-know Washington at its worst. During it, we meet the series' family of White House staffers in the administration of President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen), as well as the lobbyists, politicos and media members with whom they eat, sleep, work and scheme. You wonder how this world of deal-making is going to be redeemed or, for that matter, if any of the souls are worth saving. Then, near the end of the hour, with a playwright's perfect timing, Sorkin has Bartlet arrive onscreen to make a speech about helping a flotilla of refugees from Cuba that is headed toward Miami. Until then, the refugees had been discussed by the aides only as a political time bomb, not human beings.

But Bartlet is speaking to their better angels as he talks about the higher calling of what they are supposed to be doing in their White House jobs. And, while his words are as old and familiar as those inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, the way Sorkin strings them together makes you believe in this White House and the fundamental decency of the American character to the point where you almost want to stand up and salute. In the end, it is not just great writing that makes "The West Wing" a delight. There's Rob Lowe's performance as Sam Seaborn, deputy communications director. He's the aide at the bar in the opening.

Lowe is terrific, and his character has two great scenes tonight one with the prostitute, and the other, a splendid comic moment with the daughter of his boss, Leo McGarry (John "Norm" and Drew Carey's "The Drew Carey Show," which it will follow in the network's regular Wednesday lineup. I think it's even too male-knucklehead-dumb for "Norm," which is a standard of TV idiocy almost too bleak to contemplate. Tonight, one of the characters the guy who inspired the audio fireworks is confronted by the 18-year-old daughter he didn't know he had. You might think there would be a moral here about sexual responsibility. If there is, it's lost on the producers.

"Oh Grow Up" is a great admonition, a lousy sitcom. I hope ABC will remember it next time it considers making another show as silly and juvenile. 'Law Order' Jesse L. Martin takes over for the departed Benjamin Bratt on the season premiere of "Law Order" tonight, and I think he's going to be all right. Producer Dick Wolf errs in asking Martin to do way too much in his first appearance, as his character, Detective Ed Green, and partner Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) investigate the mass shooting of a group of medical students in Central Park.

A routine investigation would be enough for Martin on his first night, but Wolf has him going from one scene in which he loses his temper to another in which he is asked to do a full-blown Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher), seducing, coaxing and ultimately sweating a confession out of the killer. Martin is no Braugher, and even setting up the comparison by sending him into the box is a bad call by Wolf. But more important than how Martin fares in that comparison is the fact that overall, he has a strong presence. From almost the moment he appears on screen, you believe in the existence of Green, and you forget about him as Ally McBeal's boyfriend. Long-term, I think Martin's presence is more important than big-sfjene-razzle-dazile.

3SESAME STREET LIVER Vee Corporation Production Vee Corporation Production swum A SEPTEMBER 23 Baltimore Arena IS CS VMp -qTOJ To charge tickets by phone, call 41 0-481 -SEAT. For accessible seating, call 41 0-727-781 1 Cim CIW Jhn Hiram Stun Sinn MM CluntW! OIW HNSOU Hi SESMf Stlifl Ut tm 1.1 lto lie Irldtiwtl it CI tiMMf SIHil UK ft prtsanltd vtE Corporalton hi coonerstn aim CIW- t.v mi.