Y2K fears spread to performers

GOOD MORNING: Y2K is rearing its ugly head in yet another area -- contract negotiations of performers for New Year's Eve. What if transportation facilities fail to deliver (and return) the artists? What if power fails during/before in the venue where the artists are set to perform? What if other Y2K factors force a cancellation of the show(s)? Who is responsible for payment to the artists and other perks agreed upon? "Force majeure" doesn't seem to be a satisfactory covering/controlling paragraph for this new area of negotiations, agents and managers say. And getting insurance for Y2K, one manager admits, is "a sticky wicket." Also, "It's up to the buyers (hotels, arenas, halls, etc.) to provide Y2K insurance." And with stars booked to perform around the globe, midnight (and Y2K?) strikes in other time zones before the U.S. ... Down Australia way, the delayed "Mission: Impossible II" starring Tom Cruise is now set to start filming April 19 ... Heading to London for Sunday's BAFTA awards are Gwyneth Paltrow accompanied again, as she was at the Oscars, by her parents Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner. Roberto Benigni who was not expected to attend, is now set to be at BAFTA as well ... Jacqueline Bisset is set to star in two pix filming in England: "Britanic" for Regent Ent., which produced the Oscar-nominated "Gods & Monsters," and "New Year's Day" for Stephen Cleary and Charles Steel. The busy Bisset will also be seen in the CBS mini, "Joan of Arc," airing next month ... You can't stop Kirk Douglas. He recently wound the Miramax feature "Diamonds," skedded for release this fall when his latest book, "Kid Heroes of the Bible" (Simon & Schuster) is slated to hit the stalls. Now, Douglas and George Englund are planning an animated feature of the book, with Kirk also voicing the intros to the chapters. Douglas who is making vocal strides since his stroke, allows, "The way my voice is, it should be OK -- I now sound like a kid!"

PUT TWO TIGERS IN YOUR TANK: Exxon signed Siegfried & Roy as spokesmen for their Save the Tiger Fund. Their commercial preems May 20 and will be seen in 500-plus spots during the next 11 months. It, of course, leads up to the preem of "Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box" their 3D Imax biographical movie ... Tony Orlando is joined by audiences as he's again singing "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" as he travels the country with his act. (There are dozens of yellow ribbon-tied trees around my neighborhood!) Orlando's also en route to B'way to star in "Smokey Joe's Cafe," June 8, his first time back on those boards since "Barnum" ... "King Levine" which just closed its SRO stand at the Odyssey, moves to the Tiffany on the Strip May 1. Richard Krevolin's play, starring Sammy Shore and Bari Hochwald, is directed by Joe Bologna ... Richard Gere was to have back-to-backed "The Mothman Prophecies" with Julia Roberts and then "The Patriot." But "Prophecies" isn't ready, so Gere will first fight the U.S. Revolutionary War ("Patriots"), then move on to "Mothman" ... Fox would like Denzel Washington to also star in Antwone Fisher's "Finding Fish," which he debut-directs but Denzel doesn't dig the idea of wearing both hats on his first time out behind the camera. However, he may play a smaller role ... After a 10-year absence from soaps ("One Life to Live" and "Y&R"), Andrea Evans returns as a regular on "The Bold & the Beautiful." And "B&B's" Bobbie Eakes (Macy Alexander) sings the national anthem tonight at the Lakers vs. Timberwolves game ... Sara Rue, co-star of the WB net's (Disney) "Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane," is also in the web's pilot for (Disney), "Popular" -- which Rue obviously is ... Peter Coyote just learned he'd won an Emmy for hosting the 1992 Pacific Century PBS Series "Meiji Revolution." But the statuette had gone to the since-shuttered production company. Coyote learned about the Emmy from a fan who notified his Website. A replacement's en route. He next direct-debuts his "Crimes of Opportunity" for Lions Gate.

YOUNG FILMMAKERS: Chris Livingston, son of Alan Livingston and Nancy Olson, got word his film (he co-wrote, produced and directed) "Hit and Runway" is accepted for the Seattle fest. Young Livingston also edited, scored, wrote the songs and did the vocals. The pic's accepted for the L.A. Independent Film Festival to screen April 17 at the DGA, where distribs see it for the first time ... And Gregg Cannizzaro, cameraman on E! Entertainment produced-directed "Get A Job," which won the No Dance Film Fest in Park City, Utah, played the Santa Monica, Newport and Ohio fests and next plays the N.Y. IFF in May ... The Variety Clubs Intl. convention is in L.A. for the first time in 10 years -- April 25-29. Five hundred delegates from 14 countries including, for the first time, an Italian delegation. Legend has it that Frank Sinatra once drank a bottle of San Pelligrino water on stage at an Italy concert when the beverage maker, in exchange for the plug, promised to turn over $100,000 to Variety Clubs Intl. He did. A special tribute to Sinatra will be staged April 26 at the Century Plaza . And the Variety Clubs will donate a Sunshine Coach to Barbara Sinatra's Children's Hospital this year ... The Professional Dancers Society honors Dick Van Dyke and June Allyson at the BevHilton Sunday. Rose Marie and Carl Reiner present to Dick, and a bevy of MGM alumni presents to Allyson. Chairlady Joni Berry brings up the Tap Dogs from Australia to entertain the Hollywood terpers.