TELEVISION* Jackson Reunion Details: Taking a brief...
TELEVISION
* Jackson Reunion Details: Taking a brief respite from vowing their support for their beleaguered brother and son, Michael Jackson, six Jackson family members gave details Monday about the “Jackson Family Honors,†an annual two-hour television special that will reunite the Jacksons--including Michael and Janet--while benefiting charity. Billed as the first on-stage reunion for the family--including parents Joe and Katherine--in 19 years, the show will aid Family Caring for Families, a new Jackson Family charity, which will distribute 100% of ticket proceeds to various other charities. Controversial Jackson sister LaToya is not listed as a participant, but family members told a crowded North Hollywood press conference that she has been “invited†and can choose to join in if she wishes. The show, which tapes in Atlantic City Dec. 11, airs on NBC Jan. 10. Elizabeth Taylor and Motown founder Berry Gordy will receive lifetime achievement awards.
* He’s Everywhere: In the latest wacky advertising move aimed at winning the late-night talk show war, a 500-pound fiberglass sculpture of Chevy Chase hangs precariously from a scaffold on the newly renamed Chevy Chase Theatre in Hollywood. The sculpture looks as if the comedian is painting his name on the side of the Sunset Boulevard building, where his show will be taped when it premieres next week. To create the sculpture, Chase’s face was covered for 15 minutes with a gloppy mask made from a seaweed mixture, then his features were painted on the mold. The body cast for the sculpture was the same one used for Chase’s film “Memoirs of an Invisible Man.â€
* Big ‘Brisco’: Friday’s two-hour premiere of “The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.†brought Fox-TV its highest Friday share ever in preliminary Nielsen ratings of the 29 major markets, with an estimated 15% of households watching TV at the time tuned in. Although Fox finished in second place for the night overall thanks to strong performances by ABC reruns including “Family Matters†and “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,†“Brisco†won the night outright in eight markets--Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Sacramento, Phoenix, Portland and San Diego. In all markets, the series premiere beat David Sheehan’s NBC special “Macho Men of the Movies,†CBS’ first-run comedies “The Building†and “The Boys,†and NBC’s debut of “Trade Winds.â€
LEGAL FILE
* Harassment Alleged: Actress June Allyson has sued comedian Marty Ingels, saying he has harassed and threatened her over a commission for arranging her appearance in adult diaper commercials. According to the Ventura County Superior Court lawsuit, Ingels, who allegedly made 138 calls to Allyson and her husband in a single eight-hour period, has vowed to harass the couple until they pay him the money he believes he is owed. In February, Ingels pleaded no contest to making annoying telephone calls. He was ordered to stay away from Allyson and do community service.
* Troubled ‘Vicki!’After finally resolving a much-publicized dispute with host Vicki Lawrence, the syndicated talk show “Vicki!†was dealt another blow when its “idea man†filed suit against the producer-distributor alleging he is not getting his contractual share of profits from the show. David Fein alleges in his Los Angeles Superior Court complaint that his company is entitled to half of Lawrence’s income from the show. Fein says the show’s producer-distributor, Group W, made “a six-figure†advance payment to Lawrence, who had walked off the show, to entice her back. Fein says he is entitled to half of that payment.
POP/ROCK
* Rock On: Rock ‘n’ roll will continue to be heard at the Hollywood Palladium. The building’s management team says that rock shows--whose future had been in question for months at the historic venue because of neighborhood complaints over noise, loitering and occasional violence--will play a prominent part in the Palladium’s new booking policy, which is expected to be outlined at a press conference Sept. 9. A Smashing Pumpkins concert is set for Oct. 21 and a Nirvana show is tentatively planned for later in the year. The new policy will also concentrate on scheduling more family-oriented and black-tie events.
QUICK TAKES
* Bobby Collins, best known for his series of Certs commercials, has been chosen to replace Rosie O’Donnell, who has moved on to film projects, as host of the VH-1 cable series “Stand-Up Spotlight.†The new shows premiere in December. . . . None other than accused “Hollywood madam†Heidi Fleiss was in the star-studded audience at the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s International Ballroom Sunday night for the taping of the upcoming NBC special, “Comedy Hall of Fame,†which pays tribute to such comedic legends as Carol Burnett, George Burns and Milton Berle.
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