Rhythm Nations

TUBE NEWS Expect to see a lot of big-screen talent crossing over to the small screen in the next year. NBC has just signed a deal with Rupert Everett, agreeing to create an American sitcom for the British star. Called ''Mr. Ambassador,'' the series would feature Everett as a British diplomat in Washington and would be scripted in part by the actor/novelist himself.

NBC has also signed a sitcom development deal with Jeanne Tripplehorn. Dennis Hopper recently finished shooting ''Flatland,'' a 22-episode sci-fi/action series for China's Hweilai Studios that has yet to be picked up in the U.S. Scott Glenn will star in ''Diamondhead,'' a Hawaiian detective series that is the latest CBS project for Jerry Bruckheimer, the movie producer (''Pearl Harbor'') behind such CBS shows as ''C.S.I.'' and ''The Amazing Race.'' Sylvester Stallone also has a new CBS deal, but as a producer. He has an idea for a show called ''The Priest,'' a series about an unconventional man of the cloth that sounds like ABC's controversial, short-lived ''Nothing Sacred.''...

Remember a couple years ago, when Fox and NBC lavishly competed for the affections of Jenny McCarthy? Remember how NBC won and created a sitcom for her? Remember that show? No? Apparently, neither does ABC, which just signed her to a sitcom development deal after her guest appearance last week on the season premiere of the network's ''Drew Carey Show.''...

Chuck Norris is urging CBS to air a made-for-TV movie he shot months ago that bears unexpectedly striking resemblance to recent events. In the film, he plays a federal agent faced with a plot by an Osama bin Laden-like terrorist to detonate a nuclear bomb in the U.S. Norris' character travels to Afghanistan, kidnaps the terrorist, and brings him to trial. The film has a positive message,'' Norris tells Variety. ''What's good about this movie is it doesn't blame all Arabs for the actions of a few, which is exactly what we're hearing on TV... It was originally planned for January.... But I'm concerned that if it waits until then or later, people will think that we just made it and that we were trying to capitalize on the tragedy.'' He believes audiences want action-hero payback right now, in movies like his or Arnold Schwarzenegger's indefinitely postponed ''Collateral Damage.'' Says Norris, ''If they release my movie, audiences would say, yeah, let's get back at them. These movies are all about retribution.'' Of course, CBS would have to change the title; it's called, ''The President's Man: Ground Zero.''

REEL DEAL Kate Winslet may star opposite Kevin Spacey in ''The Life of David Gale.'' Spacey will play an college professor who opposes capital punishment but who finds himself on death row when he's falsely convicted of killing a colleague (Laura Linney). Winslet would play the reporter who uncovers the story. Alan Parker (''Angela's Ashes'') is directing.