The Way Love Goes
Janet Jackson tours the nation as her divorce case drags on

Focus

You won't see a look of concern on Janet Jackson's face as she takes the stage this summer—even though a court date will help determine whether she'll pay soon-to-be-ex-husband Rene Elizondo Jr. up to $25 million to say goodbye. "She has left the matter in the hands of her lawyer," says an acquaintance. Elizondo, 39, is seeking a nullification of their prenuptial agreement, which he signed, he now says, because he was "psychologically impaired by feelings of low self-esteem and low feelings of self-worth."

The case has made their private lives public. Court papers say Elizondo entered the marriage in 1991 with a net worth of $96,596, of which $30,000 was the value of his wardrobe; Jackson was then worth $10 million. He claims to have shaped her image, saying he "conceptualized" her famous "hands on breasts" cover photo for Rolling Stone magazine. He notes that by 1999 they were sleeping in separate bedrooms. Lance Spiegel, Jackson's attorney, has asked that the case be dismissed "based on our contention that Elizondo's case is so meritless that a full trial is not necessary." An L.A. court will rule on July 27, when Jackson, 35, is scheduled to perform in Chicago on her All for You tour. Any for him? She could know more by then.

Cuba's Star-Crossed Border

In the past three years Matt Dillon, Jack Nicholson, Alanis Morissette, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kevin Costner have all visited Cuba. Earlier this month Benicio Del Toro and director Steven Soderbergh spent a few days in Havana to show their film Traffic. Which makes one wonder: Does the American trade and tourism embargo against Cuba still exist where celebrities are concerned?

The stars aren't getting star treatment, insists Tasia Scolinos, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Treasury Department, where those wishing to travel to the island must go to apply for permission: "The law hinges not on traveling to Cuba but on the fact that you cannot spend money in Cuba." Del Toro and Soderbergh's trip was reportedly paid for by a Cuban film institute. And it may inspire a new movie. As Del Toro told Reuters, "There's the obvious Che Guevara thing," referring to Cuban President Fidel Castro's fellow revolutionary.

Rhoda, Laura Aim for the Top
Harking back to the ratings wars of the '70s, when their respective shows Little House on the Prairie and Rhoda hit the tube, Melissa Gilbert and Valerie Harper are running for the presidency of the Screen Actors Guild (as are two others). While their pet issues differ slightly—Harper, 60, hopes for a more unified SAG board; Gilbert, 37, is concerned with child actors' rights—they each insist on a clean campaign. "It's not like the presidential race," says Harper. "She's a cordial, lovely young woman. I don't intend on fighting." While Gilbert agrees, saying, "You won't hear anything negative from me," she says she's also "not averse to a debate." In typical bipartisan fashion, FOX's political pundits from Hannity & Colmes can't agree on who will win, but they take a stab based on the actresses' television personae. "Laura Ingalls," says Sean Hannity, citing the character's "kindness and dedication." Alan Colmes goes with Harper: "Rhoda's tough edginess combined with kindheartedness make her a viable candidate." Let the battle begin.

Another Lawyer
Women have been tossing their underthings at him for years, but lately Julio Iglesias has been focused on very different briefs. The singer had nearly completed college with a major in law about 35 years ago, but he turned to music instead. His father okayed the move as long as Julio finished school at some point, says Iglesias, 57. And Father never forgot, eventually telling his son, "It's about time you keep your promise." This spring, after cramming for a couple of weeks, the singer took the one outstanding test he needed to earn his degree and graduated from Complutense University in his native Madrid last month. (He won't be practicing law, though.) "My father is 84 years old," says Iglesias, who invited his examiners to a concert after his test. "And I really wanted to make him happy. He gave me a kiss and said, 'It's about time.' "

Leno: No Place Like Home
Suffering from a bout of seller's remorse, Tonight Show host Jay Leno is not hiding his feelings about the upcoming demolition of his Andover, Mass., childhood home—where his father, Angelo, planted a pine tree every Christmas and his mother Catherine, served an Italian feast every Sunday. "If I had known that was going to happen," he told the local paper, "I wouldn't have sold it." In its place, a five-bedroom $2.6 million house will be built, says Todd Wacome, the developer who bought the 1952 dwelling from Leno and his brother Patrick in 1996 after their parents died. The local preservation commission will photograph the house before the wrecking ball hits.

Flying Ford Finds Lost Boy Scout
There's no need to wait for a fourth Indiana Jones film: Harrison Ford, 59, just starred in a sequel of his own. Last July the part-time Wyoming resident flew his helicopter to rescue a dehydrated climber in the Grand Teton mountains. Now he's at it again. The rescuee this time was a lost Boy Scout, Cody Clawson, 13, who got separated from his troop at 2 p.m. on July 9 and spent a rainy night in the woods, alone except for "about four bears coming by every hour," he says. Following an extensive search, Teton County Sheriff Bob Zimmer called area volunteer Ford, who with the help of two others on board found Clawson within two hours. "I waved my arms, then I remembered I had my belt, so I used that as a reflector," says Clawson. After the rescue, Zimmer offered to cover Ford's fuel costs, "but he said 'Absolutely not,' " says Zimmer, who saved nearly $1,000 an hour by not having to rent a chopper. "He's just a nice guy."

Cher & Cher Alike
Her much-discussed duet with Madonna still hasn't been recorded, but firmer plans are under way for pop princess Britney Spears to perform with another queen of the genre: Cher. For her HBO special at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this November, Spears will invite Cher onstage for at least one song. While "The Beat Goes On" is the front-runner so far, "I think maybe that could change," says Cher's rep Liz Rosenberg. "When it gets a little closer to the date, they'll see what works for them vocally and in every other way." The bigger question—what costumes the two plan to wear (or not to wear)—has yet to be answered.

No More Lonely Late Nights
All he was looking for was a laugh, but in March of 2000, Conan O'Brien found a bride. While hiring an ad agency to put together a funny commercial as a goodwill gesture for a Houston furniture store he'd been ribbing, the 38-year-old Late Night host met copywriter Liza Powell, 30. With little fanfare, the two began dating, and earlier this month they became engaged. Again O'Brien kept a low profile, not even telling his audience the news. Those who know Powell approve of the love match. "She's bright. She's beautiful," says her former boss Laurie Fritts. "She would be drawn to his sense of humor."

POP QUIZ

with Andre Braugher

The good news: Andre Braugher received an Emmy nomination July 12 for his work on ABC's medical drama Gideon's Crossing. The bad news: The show was cancelled when ABC announced their fall lineup. Braugher, 39, won a 1998 Emmy for NBC's Homicide: Life on the Street. He spoke with Scoop about the bittersweet experience of being recognized for a series that never found its audience.

Your reaction?

I was very pleased, but I'm kind of surprised. Typically the nominations go to shows that are highly rated.

Then why the nomination?

I think it's a testament to the quality of the show, that it sort of rang out despite the fact that we never caught on with anything greater than a very loyal core audience.

Would better promotion have saved the show?

No ABC shows [that premiered last fall] survived. So I don't know if it's something deep within the DNA of ABC or just an aberration that's taken place this season.

Should the show have done anything differently?

We spent a lot of time emphasizing the gee-whiz aspects of medicine, but people tend to gravitate more towards the emotional lives of the characters. In retrospect, the gee-whiz medicine might have gotten in the way of telling the dramatic story.

Richard Belzer said you have the most beautiful bald head in the business.
That's very flattering! I left the Afro behind in 1977, and since then my hair's always been short or bald. Now my hair's merely short—'cause there came a time when every black man on TV had a bald head.

Is it true you once stopped watching television?

Yeah, in the '70s, Three's Company chased me away from TV. Oddly enough, my son [Michael, 9]—he loves watching the reruns of that show!

It's your karma coming back to bite you.

Exactly.

ON THE BLOCK

HAWAIIAN HIDEAWAY
Although Tom Selleck's Magnum, P.I. stopped filming on Hawaii in 1988, he only recently decided to say aloha to Oahu. The actor is selling his 3,288-sq.-ft. house overlooking the Kahala coast near Diamond Head for $2.7 million. (He paid $700,000 in 1981 and spent about $1 million on renovations.) Located in a gated community, the two-bedroom house, built in 1929, has a pool, hot tub, landscaped waterfall, guest cottage and projection room. So why leave paradise? Selleck's acting career, including a current run on Broadway in A Thousand Clowns, keeps him on the mainland.

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