Frankly, my dear, you can find someone else. Pat Conroy, author of "The Prince of Tides," has walked away from a deal to write a second sequel to Margaret Mitchell's 1936 "Gone With the Wind" after getting into a dispute with the executors of her estate. "I went through more negotiations with this 'Gone With the Wind' than the Germans did in World War I with all the clauses at Versailles," Conroy told the New York Times.
Johnny Carson on the mend
Retired "Tonight Show" host Johnny Carson is doing well a week after quadruple bypass surgery, a hospital spokeswoman said yesterday, though he probably won't go home until after the weekend. Doctors expect the 73-year-old to recover fully. He underwent surgery March 19.
Confessions of a virgin
Lisa Kudrow, 35, recently revealed in an interview with a London paper that she was a virgin until 31. Not only that, but her first was husband ad executive Michel Stern, before they got married. "I was very uptight and really nervous about my sexuality," said the "Friends" TV star. They have a son, Julian Murray, who was born last year.
No Oscar, but a Monica
Sir Ian McKellen, who missed out on an Oscar last week for his role in "Gods and Monsters," arrived at the London premiere of his movie Thursday night with none other than Monica Lewinsky. "I was at home and didn't have a date," explained the 59-year-old actor. "She was coming to London and I thought we want to give her a good welcome." The pair met at a post-Oscars party in Los Angeles. Lewinsky is in Europe promoting the book "Monica's Story."
YOU be the judge
"Judge Judy" will expand to the Internet next month under a deal between Spelling Entertainment's Big Ticket Television and Web site developer Steeplechase Media Inc. The site, which is due to launch April 16, will offer viewers background information on Judy Sheindlin, host of the syndicated show, and her cases as well as the opportunity to vote on the case outcomes. Online participants will be able to converse with other viewers during the show via live chat sessions. Her site is currently under construction at http: //www.judgejudy.com.
Jim Carrey, times two
Jim Carrey and the Farrelly brothers, who collaborated on "Dumb and Dumber," are about to reunite on the Fox film "Me, Myself and Irene." The comedy, written by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, is a love triangle about a man with a split personality -- and both his personalities fall in love with the same woman. Carrey is shoehorning the movie into his schedule right before "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas."
Break out the hammers
Master chocolate-makers in Perugia, home to some of Italy's best-loved sweets, have made a 1,760-pound Easter egg that will be on display until Saturday (the day before Easter), when it will be broken up and distributed free as a message of peace and solidarity. With an egg that big, imagine the chicken.
Honoring a jazz legend
Nearly 45 years after his death, a bronze sculpture of jazz great Charlie Parker is to be unveiled today in the historic 18th & Vine District of Kansas City, Mo., where Parker's saxophone wailed into the wee hours as he helped develop bebop in the 1940s. Musicians, jazz scholars and family members of Parker are also gathering this week to pay tribute to Parker during a two-day symposium. Parker, who was born in bordering Kansas City, Kan., died in New York in 1955 at age 34.
Net Byte du Jour
We've seen the hamster dance and the cow dance. Now you can kill the hamsters (figuratively speaking), along with celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, at the "Assassin" site (http: //www.new grounds. com/assassin/index.html). Sick fun.
Today's birthdays
Lord Callaghan, former British prime minister, is 87.
Former Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance is 82.
Dancer-singer Harold Nicholas is 75.
Newspaper columnist Anthony Lewis is 72.
Dance company director Arthur Mitchell is 65.
Actor Julian Glover is 64.
Actor Austin Pendleton is 59.
Actor Michael York is 57.
Rock musician Tony Banks (Genesis) is 49.
Actress Maria Schneider ("Last Tango in Paris") is 47.
Rock musician Andrew Farriss (INXS) is 40.
Movie director Quentin Tarantino is 36.
Rock musician Derrick McKenzie (Jamiroquai) is 35.
Singer Mariah Carey is 29.
Rock musician Brendan Hill (Blues Traveler) is 29.
From staff and wire reports
Pub Date: 3/27/99