NEW YORK - Prince burst into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Monday with some blistering funk, joined by the regional stew of Bob Seger's heartland rock, ZZ Top's Texas boogie and Jackson Browne's California smoothness.

George Harrison became the third ex-Beatle inducted for his solo work. British jam band Traffic and the '50s harmony group the Dells were also honored.

It was clearly Prince's night, though, as he opened the ceremony with a trio of 1980s hits and came out later to upstage Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Harrison's son, Dhani, on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

Dressed in a white suit and displaying nimble dance steps, Prince performed three songs that caught the breadth of his work: the rock anthem "Let's Go Crazy," the topical "Sign O' the Times" and funk groove of "Kiss."

A restless perfectionist, the Minneapolis-based singer often played every instrument on his discs. He said he was preoccupied early in his career with maintaining his freedom.

"I embarked on a journey more fascinating than I could ever imagine, but a word to the wise to the young artists — without spiritual guidance too much freedom can lead to spiritual decline," he said.

He also warned youthful musicians: "A real friend and mentor is not on your payroll."

Chart-topping rappers OutKast and soulful singer Alicia Keys both cited Prince as influences.

"There are many kings," Keys said. "King Henry VIII, King Solomon, King Tut, King James, King Kong and the three kings. But there is only one Prince."

Browne co-wrote "Take it Easy" for the Eagles, then was successful on his own with "Doctor My Eyes," "The Pretender" and "Running on Empty," chronicling the turn of the 1960s utopian dream into the cynical '70s.

The "No Nukes" concert organizer has mixed the political with the personal throughout his career.

"I want to thank you for allowing me to put my personal politics in my songs," he said. "Music is a very empowering thing. I'm thankful for having had a lifetime doing it. Thank you for this job."

Bruce Springsteen inducted Brown, noting with some jealousy that while he and his E Street Band usually drew an audience filled with men — and not particularly good-looking men — Browne was a magnet for women. Springsteen called Browne a "bona fide rock 'n' roll sex star."

"Jackson was drawing more women than an Indigo Girls show," Springsteen said.

Browne performed "The Pretender," paused to thank his manager, then sang "Running on Empty."

Seger, who still lives in the Detroit area, burst from regional to national fame with the hits "Night Moves," "Old Time Rock & Roll" and "Like a Rock," the latter a longtime Chevy commercial theme.

Fellow Michigan singer Kid Rock inducted Seger, calling him one of music's most overlooked performers. In the Detroit area, Seger is God, Rock said.

"Bob Seger's music not only influenced me, it taught me to be proud of where I come from. I still am," he said. "He set the bar for all of us who came from the Midwest."

Seger brought up his Silver Bullet Band for their first public performance in nine years. They sang "Turn the Page" and the wedding staple, "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll."

Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, two fellow members of the Traveling Wilburys, were on hand to salute Harrison. The guitarist joins John Lennon and Paul McCartney as Beatles also honored for their solo work.

Harrison's biggest hit, "My Sweet Lord," came in a burst of pent-up creativity following the Beatles' breakup. He recorded infrequently in the decade before his November 2001 cancer death, but a well-received posthumous disc came out in 2002.

"He often said he wasn't pursuing a solo career," Petty said. "He never hired a manager or an agent. He just loved playing music with his friends."

For all his solo albums, he was saluted with two group efforts, the Traveling Wilburys tune, "Handle With Care," and the Beatles song, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

Hirsute blues-rockers ZZ Top were an early MTV staple with the boogie hits, "Legs" and "Sharp-Dressed Man," helped by the presence of little-dressed women in their videos.

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards gave a semi-coherent induction speech, praising the band's consistency and longevity. Richards wore a colorful headband and what appeared to be a collection of jewelry and fishing lures hanging from his hair.

Traffic featured teen prodigy organist Steve Winwood, who later went on to solo success. The pastoral, jazzy Traffic had hits with "Glad" and "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys."

Although former Traffic member Dave Mason was inducted, he didn't perform with the band.

The Dells, a vocal harmony quintet that hit with "Oh What a Night" in 1955, were the inspiration for the film "The Five Heartbeats." With only one personnel change, a group formed in high school is still performing together more than 50 years later.

Dells member Chuck Barksdale said he hoped the hall would open its doors to other vocal groups, like the O'Jays, the Manhattans and the Whispers.

Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner also received a lifetime achievement award.

Highlights of the awards ceremony will be shown on VH1 on Sunday.

NEW YORK - Something to shout about: Bernadette Peters in "Gypsy" at the Shubert. What's that you say? It's true, the show's in its 11th month and, yes, a closing notice was posted a few weeks back, then unposted after a spurt in business.


And, again yes, in its initial prevue weeks and even on opening night, Bernadette P. was a thoroughly feisty, serviceable and intriguing Mama Rose but -- at least to my eyes and ears -- an extremely odd choice to be playing the show's famously monstrous mama. (No one has ever held a candle to B.P. as an adorable boop-oop-a-dooper, but casting her as this show's monster mother seemed akin to finding Elaine Stritch in a ballet.)

But the gratifying news is that Ms. Peters has been doing what great stars do in a long run. She's grown, and how she's grown, in polishing, perfecting and taking complete command of one of the toughest roles yet written in musical theater. She is now a knockout in the part, thoroughly convincing, dynamic, persuasive -- and while still her own woman, still thoroughly Bernadetteish. She now also sings those great Sondheim-Styne songs probably better than anyone has since Ethel Merman first belted them and makes this current "Gypsy" a musical that deserves to be a first stop for anyone looking for a great evening on Broadway. Do miracles still occur? One is happening right now on 44th Street.

Meanwhile, down the block at the St. James on Monday's night, the "Nothing Like a Dame 2004" benefit was, by leaps and bounds, the best one yet in the nine-year history of these annual fund-raisers for the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative of the Actors Fund of America.

It was lighter on star names than in years past but heavier than usual in pure talent and pacing, with especially delightful turns by Stephanie D'Abruzzo and Ann Harada of "Avenue Q"; Christine Ebersole delivering a wickedly witty song that kidded a certain former first lady in her drinking days; Julie Halston and Kate Clinton doing funny stand-up turns; Sutton Foster of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" sassily singing "You've Got Possibilities"; Chita Rivera looking sensational and reprising her original Velma role in "Chicago" as she joined Camille Saviola in socking over that show's cut-from-the-movie song "Class"; and, as a running gag, Zoe Caldwell as an overalls-clad IATSE stagehand. Liz Smith and Nathan Lane (the only male in the show) also briefly participated. Further good news: The evening raised $250,000.

Coming up on the West Coast this weekend, the 20th annual S.T.A.G.E. (Southland Theater Artists Goodwill Event) benefit will be taking place at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex on the Cal State University Los Angeles campus, with proceeds going to benefit AIDS Project L.A. and the L.A. Free Clinic.

Directed as in year's past by David Galligan, this edition will feature the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and include a cast of more than 40, including Tyne Daly, Pat Marshall, Ken Page, Ellen Greene, Carole Cook, Lee Lesseck, Rod McKuen, William Katt and many talented others.

Actor Paul Schoeffler is set to take up the role currently played by Michael Cerveris in Second Stage Theatre's presentation of Charles L. Mee's Wintertime when Cerveris leaves the show to begin rehearsals for Broadway's Assassins.

Schoeffler will perform the final week of performances March 15-21, as well as a matinee on March 10, as the French lover of Marsha Mason's character.

The co-production with New Jersey's McCarter Theatre Center began its Off-Broadway run Feb. 3 and is set to open March 2 for a run through March 21.

Wintertime follows the story of a young man who prepares to propose to his girlfriend at a secluded snowbound house when he finds that his mother and her lover already occupy the cabin. As if that was not enough, the father then shows up with his boyfriend for an evening that is filled with even more surprise guests.

Schoeffler was the standby for the lead role in the recent revival of Nine. His other Broadway credits include Cyrano - The Musical, Victor/Victoria and Peter Pan.

Marylouise Burke (Kimberly Akimbo) and Christopher Denham (Master Harold...) join the original McCarter cast - replacing Lola Pashalinski and McCaleb Burnett, respectively.

David Schweizer directs a cast that also features Tina Benko, Brienin Bryant, T. Scott Cunningham, Carmen de Lavallade, Nicholas Hormann and Danny Mastrogiorgio.

The design team for Wintertime will feature Andrew Lieberman (scenic), David Zinn (costume), Kevin Adams (lighting) and Eric Shim (sound).

SAN FRANCISCO - Rosie O'Donnell married her longtime girlfriend Thursday, taking what she called a proud stand for gay civil rights in the city where more than 3,300 other same-sex couples have tied the knot since Feb. 12.


"I want to thank the city of San Francisco for this amazing stance the mayor has taken for all the people here, not just us but all the thousands and thousands of loving, law-abiding couples," the former talk show host, holding a large bouquet, said after she and Kelli Carpenter emerged from their brief ceremony inside Mayor Gavin Newsom's office.

The couple were married by Treasurer Susan Leal, one of the city's high-profile lesbian elected officials.

The newlyweds walked hand in hand down the grand marble staircase in the rotunda to thunderous applause from hundreds of spectators who came to witness the city's first celebrity same-sex wedding.

As the San Francisco's Gay Men's Chorus serenaded the couple with a few bars of "Chapel of Love," O'Donnell smiled and said: "We really did. We got married."

O'Donnell told the crowd that she and Carpenter, who have been together six years and are raising four children, decided to dash to San Francisco after hearing President Bush endorse a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage Tuesday.

"We were both inspired to come here after the sitting president made the vile and hateful comments he made," O'Donnell said.

The couple left New York at 5 a.m in order to make their 1 p.m. appointment in San Francisco to pick up their marriage license.

"One thought ran through my mind on the plane out here — with liberty and justice for all," O'Donnell said, drawing even more cheers as she held up her hand in a peace sign. She and Carpenter then kissed for the cameras.

The couple were flying back to New York later in the day to attend parents' day at their children's school Friday, O'Donnell said. She joked that with four children under the age of 8, they hadn't planned a honeymoon.

City Hall, which has been transformed into a virtual wedding chapel since the city began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, was packed with spectators hoping to catch a glimpse of the most famous couple to be married there so far. Tourists, reporters and couples there for their own weddings vied for space on all three levels of the ornate building, while the Gay Men's Chorus serenaded the crowd with renditions of "The Star Spangled Banner" and "We Shall Overcome."

In an interview, Leal said she wished others could have seen O'Donnell and Carpenter as they took their vows to be "spouses for life."

"There was not a lot of ad-libbing even though Rosie is a comedian. They smiled a lot, they had a lot of tears in their eyes," Leal said. "It was like any people who know they are entering into a solemn commitment."

The couple brought a friend from New York to serve as one of their witnesses and recruited Joe Caruso, the mayor's director of neighborhood services, to be the other.

"It is a great pleasure and privileged to be part of history," Caruso said.

Earlier, on ABC's "Good Morning America," O'Donnell said she decided to marry Carpenter, a former dancer and marketing director at Nickelodeon, during her recent trial in New York over the now-defunct Rosie magazine. During the case, she referred to Carpenter as her wife.

"We applied for spousal privilege and were denied it by the state. As a result, everything that I said to Kelli, every letter that I wrote her, every e-mail, every correspondence and conversation was entered into the record," O'Donnell said. "After the trial, I am now and will forever be a total proponent of gay marriage."

California Attorney General Bill Lockyer will ask the state Supreme Court on Friday whether San Francisco's issuing of same-sex marriage licenses violates state law, which designates marriage as only between heterosexual couples.

Fashion Wire Daily February 15, 2004 - New York - To celebrate the launch of the 40th Anniversary edition of the famed Swimsuit Issue, Sports Illustrated hosted an all-out extravaganza with 35 of its past and present swimsuit models and athletes, including Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley, Anna Kournikova, Bridget Hall, Melissa Keller, Molly Sims, Carolyn Murphy, Vendela and the issue’s current cover model, Veronica Varekova, who marked her fifth appearance in the issue.


The launch party, held on February 10 at Deep in New York City, was the hottest ticket in town. While many models are wrapped up in the current Fashion Week frenzy, not all are consumed by the frivolities. Splendidly dressed in a turquoise gown by Ralph Lauren which perfectly matched her eyes, Sports Illustrated Hall of Fame model Christie Brinkley was keen on talking about the activist work she is involved with, speaking out against unregulated nuclear power plants in the United States. She was particularly outspoken about the Bush Administration’s concern over finding nuclear weapons in Iraq when so many nuclear power plants in the U.S. go unchecked.

With so many beautiful women at the exclusive party, it was a surreal scene to see one impeccably dressed model after another make her way down the red carpet. If there was ever an instance to call in unclaimed favors, gaining entry into the Sports Illustrated launch party was such a time. Said Boston Brahmin Brad, who received an invitation from a friend who is a writer for Sports Illustrated, “You get a privilege, and you enjoy it yourself. You can’t always spread the wealth, right?”