• December 14, 1998
• Vol. 50
• No. 22

Insider

By Nancy Perry Graham

In April 1997, Dustin Hoffman sued Los Angeles Magazine for $5 million, and a trial is now set to begin Jan. 12 in L.A. Hoffman is angry because the magazine published a computer-altered photo of him in a dress with a caption that read, "Dustin Hoffman isn't a drag in a butter-colored silk gown by Richard Tyler and Ralph Lauren heels." The actor, who starred in the 1982 comedy Tootsie, claims the fake photo was used without his knowledge or permission. "He has cleared his calendar for the trial," says one of his attorneys, Charles Shephard, adding that Hoffman will testify. "It's a matter of principle. Dustin feels people should not be taking artists' names and using them for their own commercial advantage." Earlier this year, attorneys for the publishers had asked a U.S. district judge to dismiss the suit, claiming the photo was used in an editorial fashion spread and was therefore protected by the First Amendment. The judge, however, allowed the suit to go forward.

Danny Glover, Samuel L. Jackson and Alfre Woodard provided the scheduled entertainment at a November fund-raiser for the West Angeles Counseling Center. But they were upstaged by Stevie Wonder, who surprised the stars—and the audience—with an impromptu miniconcert. Although Wonder didn't appear until after midnight, no one complained, including the actors, who remained on stage as Wonder performed. "I was sitting there remembering all of his concerts that I went to," Jackson says. "I never thought I would be this close to Stevie performing! It was fantasy stuff." Wonder, a member of the center's affiliated church, the West Angeles Church of God in Christ, said he decided to sing a couple of songs for the center because "anything that will...help put families back together again and mend broken hearts through counseling is a very good thing to support."

It seems John Glenn and some of his fellow space-shuttle astronauts are interested in terrestrial as well as extraterrestrial stars. After appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to talk about Glenn's historic second space trip, the stellar group traveled to the nearby ER set, where they hung out with the likes of George Clooney and Anthony Edwards.

Warren Beatty, who plays an outrageously outspoken politician in Bulworth, isn't as free with the truth when it comes to his parenting skills. When we asked the 61-year-old father of three how often he changes diapers, he laughed and asked, "What did Annette say?" referring to his wife, actress Annette Bening, who joined him at a recent party celebrating the rerelease of Bulworth. When told that Annette wanted to know what he'd said, Beatty laughed and replied, "I change diapers more than you think, but less than Annette would like."

• Contributors:
• Hugh McCarten.