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String of Pearl's: Even though Pearl Jam continues to dominate the
Billboard charts with Vs. and Ten, the group will put out a new album
in July-a startling break with record-industry tradition. The CD was
recorded in short spurts while the band was on tour this past spring
and is likely to include the song ''Noon Appointment,'' a simple
acoustic ballad featuring Eddie Vedder that has been a highlight of
the band's recent concerts. Epic Records refused to comment on the
new album, but the impending release jibes with a remark made by
drummer Dave Abbruzzese last October: ''Pearl Jam wants to do a new
album every nine months,'' he said, ''just like Kiss used to.''
-Andy Langer
To The Fax: The filming of Maverick may be over, but Mel Gibson
and Jodie Foster have not gone their separate ways. Instead, they've
become the best of pen pals. ''We have a fax relationship,'' says
Foster, who's now filming Nell. ''We draw really sick drawings and fax
them to each other on our movie sets.'' But Gibson, who is working on
the Middle Ages drama Braveheart, won't divulge the content of their
correspondence. ''She's the more creative artist,'' says Gibson, ''but
what exactly she draws is our secret, which will die with us.''
-Cindy
Pearlman
MIA CULPA: At a recent press junket for Mia Farrow's Widows' Peak,
the press was told that questions about Woody Allen were strictly
off-limits. Nevertheless, Farrow's estranged companion was still a
key topic. For instance, one journalist asked, ''Were you excited to
be working with a different director after all those years with Woody
Allen?'' Mia calmly responded, ''Yeah. The Widows' Peak director was a
joy.'' Then another writer queried: ''Do you feel like you're back in
the Hollywood loop after all those years with Woody Allen?'' To which
Mia replied: ''I got scripts during that time. It wasn't practical to
consider them.'' But the most Woodyesque moment occurred when Farrow
described the ordeal of writing her upcoming Doubleday autobiography
much the way Allen would have. ''I had to learn to use a computer,''
she remarked. ''I'm very frightened of my computer. I got a computer
expert to come to my home and weed out all the options. Now I just
have on, off, save, and print. If I see another option come up, I'll
feel like weeping.''
-CP
MAD ABOUT SHUE: The place: a New York City benefit for Andrew
Shue's youth service foundation, Do Something. The scene: Melrose
Place fans screaming at the sight of Billy Campbell in the flesh. Big
fan No. 1: Shue's mom, Anne Harms, who confides, ''I never miss the
show. He's my favorite character. At least he doesn't play that
Mancini guy (Thomas Calabaro's evil character).'' Big fan No. 2: White
House adviser George Stephanopoulos, who arrives with his Secret
Service agents in tow. Asked if he is also hooked on Melrose Place,
the civil servant skillfully demonstrates the art of the waffle. ''I'm
usually working at that hour,'' Stephanopoulos replies, ''but I get the
tapes.''
-Jessica Shaw
