The Post-Star from Glens Falls, New York • 28

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bCVt. The WU (G, 73; USA Tew, Cfr IbCVt: The fcdnapenna of the Pronl WP1X 1th, Dariorioe Ftt, Ucraai JacMon) lift pn'aff Hai HorVoc) Star Trt fctfl GWroon jm Raporun Sua Slory Friday th. 11th (Rj III U.tna 'Throb (Rj 'MOVi: Kona l1) i (D WXXA Iconspr. (R) I I -Jh I ufcktaai Gx Wyy Jors) la a LMnf IAmm a Faty 'UOVC: Tnt Fa (ft fl) UOVt LkJck.ia 76; The ScarW Claw fa) VYS8K (R) rLaj-tn Bacal. Uaaf Bre) (Wbrcaa Hemryaay.

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Tale the time to clean up tome ucunused business in your penooal life You may bave a secret benefactor or admirer and not know it Generosity brings rewards LEO (July 23-Aug 22. This caa be a red-letter day socially New fnends enliven your Life, perhaps one person in particular Money from a business partnership 11 lik tly to be forthcoming Spend ton pleasure TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Sept J). Tbe fruits of your labors start to come this month, but be patient for results Be bghtnearted in October and put your creativity to good use In November, handle your responsibilities before anything else You benefit from variety and change in December Next year free you from some of your emotional pressures. Money is less of a problem. Travel in February Harry in March.

You have more ob security. May could bring good business prospects VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept 22). You have excellent career ideas, so take one and make something of it. Do what you can to improve your relationship with your parents. Your health is improving.

LIBRA (Sept ZJ-Oct. 23). You may be feeling restless without knowing why. Your love life will improve when you develop good communication skills. Reading will satisfy your vivid imagination.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You have a better chance of finding lost objects today Secret communications may be necessary for some reason. You may bave a past-life connection with Libras.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 21). Your relationships can be better than ever. You could experience a major Breakthrough in a business deal.

Treat your friends as you would have them treat you. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Over the next few days you may get more publicity through your career.

Develop your writing skills, if only for fun. Send important letters. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18).

Take advantage of an opportunity to increase your knowledge in technical areas. Long-distance love affairs can work. Libra is your best bet for romance. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20).

Learn how to peacefully coexist with someone whose values you may not share. The evening will be great for throwing a party. Life holds limitless possibilities for you. ASTROLOGICAL MAIL Love Profile: "What kind of a man would be best for me? I was born Aug. 14, 1959.

I am interested in a man born Oct. 20, 1960. there anything in our charts that in- dicates compatibility?" You are a Leo with Venus and Mara in Virgo. You are more discriminating than the average Leo. And, because you tend to be hard-working, you would rather be without tbe interference of emotional and sexual complications.

Women with Mars in Virgo often get involved in complicated or intricate relationships. Usually there are many logistics to work out. In some cases, be may be involved with someone else, leaving you out in the cold. You don't need that, but you may give into temptation anyway. Your bojitriend is a Libra with moon in Aquarius.

Leo-Libra relationships can be wonderful if there are enough contacts bqtxeen both charts to support it. In this instance, your sun signs are compatible, but bis Mars in Sagittarius is unfriendly to your Venus and Mars in Virgo. You could become critical of him fast. Sometimes, when the man's Mars is inharmonious to the woman's Venus, he is too forward or aggressive for her tastes. Such Venus-Mars contacts also can indicate a one-sided relationship and you could end up on the wrong side! My advice is to enjoy this relationship while it lasts.

You can do better. CELEBRITY INSIGHTS: Actress Sissy Spacek, a Capricorn, was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in "Carrie. With Uranus at the top of her horoscope, she thrives on playing "TOUGH CUSTOMER," A new radio play by Oscar-winning screenwriter Patrick Shanley will air at p.m. Sept. 10 on National Public Radio's.

"All Things Considered." Sbanley, an "ATC" fan, received a "nominal fee" for his debut radio work, says an NPR spokeswoman. Tbe 12-minute play was written at tbe request of NPR director Katie Davis, who last year persuaded cartoonist Gary Larson Far to write a Halloween story for NPR. "Customer," about three misfits in a contemporary diner, stars "Moonstruck" duo Danny Aiello and Julie Bovasso. Writer-director Spike Lee Gotta Have pops up for a few lines. RENOWNED FILMMAKER MELVIN Van Peebles Sweetback's Badassss will join his son, star Mario Van Peebles, full time on tbe cast of NBC's "Sonny Spoon." Melvin will play, ub, Mel, the father of Sonny Spoon (Mario).

FAMOUS ANTI-SMOKER BROOKE Shields has to smoke like a chimney for her role as a sophisticated jewel thief in CBS's "Tbe Diamond Trap," airing Sept. 25. Before you write off young Brooke, you should know that during the flick she smokes only imported herbal cigs. Also, the producers plan to add a disclaimer noting that Miss Shields does not endorse smoking. FEISTY MEGAN GALLAGHER, who played Dabney Coleman's secretary and sometime-girlfriend on ABC's "The 'Slap' MaxweU Story," is joining the network's "China Beach." She'll play the newly created role of Way loo Marie, a wacky DJ at the Americans' Vietnam base.

Miss Gallagher replaces Cbloe Webb, who portrayed a funky USO singer. "China Beach" starts its second season Nov. 30. "THE "BOYS," STARRING Norm Crosby and Norman Fell in a sitcom pilot about a New York men's club, will air at 10 p.m. Sept.

10 on cable's Showtime network. Bernie Brillstein Days and Nights of Molly is exec producer. GailShister Kaight-Ridder 'if Dick Clark, the ever-youthful-look-Ing man behind "American Bandstand," and a veteran of such programs, since be also has produced the yearly American Music Awards and Golden Globe Awards. Clark is coming into the 1988 MTV Video Music Awards fully aware of the show's four-year history and with firm ideas on how to make some very basic improvements. "They have been known to run a little long," Clark said of tbe past award telecasts, "and one of our (company's) strong suits is bringing live events in on time.

When MTV was looking around for a production company to take over this year's event, they were looking for someone who has had experience with live music and award shows, and fortunately, we've had a hand in both of those areas. "Our purpose is not to change that a-little-off-center feel that MTV brings to all of its work, but to organize it and tighten it up a little." In regard to that "tightening" effort, host Hall added with a smirk, "Stevie Wonder will not be allowed to speak at all." In a serious vein Clark explained the timing dilemma further: "The producer's nightmare is what tbe artists might say, and bow long they'll take to do it. We've simply established a nice rapport with people (in the coarse of doing different award shows), asking them to play along with us. Whoever the performer might be a soap-opera star, a country-music star, a rap artist, whatever they're all professionals. If you say, 'Hey, we're in deep trouble, bail us they usually do.

"Most are cooperative, though you do get a few surprises. Cutting down on a few on-air award presentations (by bunching the more technical awards together) and a couple of performances should bring us in on time." It is somewhat surprising that Clark never has been asked to become involved in the MTV Awards before this year, since the marriage of two powerful music forces in TV history would seem a very natural development, especially since Clark also is a veteran in the field of producing. "The Music Awards bave gone on for a couple of years now," said MTV executive Lee Masters, "and every year, we think about what we can do differently and how we can Countless music videos appear on MTV during a given year, but for those tunes and their artists, one night stands out among all others. Made part of tbe pop-culture fabric by tbe cable network also known as "Music Television," musical clips appear regularly all over the dial now, used either as the substance of an entire show or as brief fillers to bridge the gap between programs. However, the annual MTV Video Music Awards is one of the few events that spotlight the artistry involved in executing those clips, and the fifth edition will be staged this Wednesday at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.

Naturally, MTV will carry the program live, and it will be released in national syndication to stations around the country shortly after that. Seventeen awards are scheduled to be given out during the telecast, but there will be plenty of room for live performances in between. Among those slated to offer selections are Elton John, Cher, Rod Stewart, INXS, Crowded House (the group that won last year's award for Best New Artist), recent Grammy-winner Jody Watley, Guns Roses, Depeche Mode and tbe Fat Boys. The announced lineup of award presenters is equally stellar: Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Suzanne Vega, Don Johnson, wildman comic Sam Kinison, actor Robert Pick-Up Downey actresses Ten Garr and Melanie Griffith, Justine Bateman and basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson, among others. Additionally, Michael Jackson is scheduled to receive a special award, via satellite from wherever he happens to be at the moment.

Eddie Murphy served as host of the MTV Awards in 1985, and this year that role will be filled by Murphy's co-star in tbe movie comedy hit, "Coming to Arsenio Hall, who recently signed a deal with Paramount Television to begin his own syndicated talk show this January. Producing the ceremony for the first time is a man who is also synonymous with popular music, to the extent that well before MTV became a reality, he already had provided the most enduring showcase for pop songs that television has ever had: Michovl Hutchonc and" the rst of INXS will be performing on Wednesday's telecast of the MTV Video Music Awards. The group Is nominated in several categories. (AP Laserphoto) people we called, tnougn we did talk to a number of other folks, and Dick's experience far surpassed anyone else's. It was a very obvious and clear choice to us." As in years past, MTV's presentation of the ceremony will be preceded by a 90-minute "pre-game" show, with Ken Ober and Colin Quinn of the wacky MTV game show, "Remote Control," as hosts.

cerned, Hall said that he is "just happy to be associated with" MTV and the awards show, especially since he and Clark have worked together before on several occasions (perhaps most notably on an ABC summer-replacement series called "The Half-Hour Comedy Hour" several years ago). "We go way back," said Hall. "Of course, Dick does Clearasil commercials, and I use Clearasil so we do indeed go way back." improve it. Dick was one of tbe first As far as the special's host is con- cnauienging ana fascinating roles. mmy outcome reflects 'Law' 2nd-year By Gene Seymour Knigbt-Ridder slump 7 1 111 Tbe very best thing about last season, ironically, was the one area in which tbe series showed deep, genuine warmth.

That was the introduction of Benny (Emmy-winner Larry Drake), the mentally handicapped office worker. Drake's chemistry with Bern-sen was one of the best developments of the season and, more than anything else this year, makes you look forward to what's ahead for Benny as be becomes a featured character. In general, "Law's" very best moments last year as with tbe year before were those in which moral ambiguities were thrust into the spotlight. Tbe up-and-down fortunes of both the new kid, Rollins (Blair Underwood), and the previous season's new kid, Abby (Michele Greene), showed the many gray areas involved in what you will or won't do to get ahead or even just to stay afloat. I also liked the way they bandied Michael Kuzak (Harry Hamlin) this year.

Instead of propping him up as a moral exemplar the way they did in the first season, they showed some of his darker moods; his petulance, his studied reserve, his buried past. He works better as an enigma than as a hero. Yet, once again, these are parts that are far stronger than the whole. For every solid, engrossing story line that weaved its way The very best thing about last season, ironically, was 4he one area in which the series showed deep, genuine warmth. That was the introduction of Benny, the mentally handicapped office worker.

Drake's chemistry makes you look forward to what's ahead for Benny as he becomes a featured charac-' tef. after the other and brace yourself for the punch line. When it comes, it's a fresh, if short-term, kick. If that's the kind of show "L.A. Law" is becoming, fine.

But it's not the show I expected two years ago. At its best, "L.A. Law" is to television what Steely Dan is to music: biting, chilly, incisive and unforgiving. As with Steely Dan, there's little real warmth at the core. through several episodes, there were others that were just plain silly.

One wanted to gag when Victor (Jimmy Smits) fell for the rich woman be was defending on a murder charge. For all the surging romantic energy being summoned for this development, the story seemed to trail off so abruptly that you weren't sure whether the writers were doing a riff on maudlin soap operas or seriously trying to write one. And I bave to wonder, again, why almost every criminal is a recidivist, why almost every bad decision by a judge ends up with somebody getting shot. I suppose that's the problem with, doing a series that focuses on the legal profession (as opposed to a detective series with a lawyer solving crimes). It's hard, under those circumstances, to make a profession interesting without a little gunplay.

But if stuff like this as well as the aforementioned kinkiness is the onl means the "L.A. Law" folks have to sustain viewer interest, I wonder how many more seasons it'll be before people stop looking for anything new. It usually takes a series two or three seasons before it starts coasting. "Law," like "Miami Vice" before It, has started sliding already, and tbe paltry two Emmys it won this time areproof. The dismal showing of "L.A.

Law" in Sunday night's Emmys confirmed what its viewers bad suspected throughout last season. What was once arguably the best dramatic series on television has been dogging it. "Coasting" might be a better way to characterize "Law's" second season. I suppose when your series is hailed as a classic in its freshman year, you tend to think you can get by on glossy style and soft-core kinkiness alone. Those were the things, after all, that got people's attention about "Law" and kept people watching, looking for more.

And if it was the kinky stuff you were after, there was a lot of it last year. From that business with Arnie Becker (Corbin Bern sen) being handcuffed in bed to Douglas Brackman (Alan Rachins) sleeping with his father's old lover, there was a surplus of sleaze and sex to keep those "people meters" clicking. I'd be less than truthful if I said I didn't get a kick out of this stuff too. It's fun in the same way that listening to a dirty storyteller is fun. You watch the absurdities pile on one LARRY DRAKE his Benny adds warmth.