Midler, Goldberg object to spoof

GOOD MORNING: There'll be a blank space where Bette Midler's caricatured likeness used to appear in ads for "Forbidden Hollywood." Whoopi Goldberg, via the same attorney, has also notified the show to cease and desist from using her likeness in any way associated with the show. "Forbidden" has had the same cartoonist, Ken Fallin, for years. (His drawings are Hirschfeld-esque.) It's the first time in the 12 years "Forbidden Broadway" and its successor "Forbidden Hollywood" have been running that real stars have forbidden use of their images. The list of those who've been caricatured includes Barbra Streisand, Glenn Close , Liza, Madonna, Michael Crawford, etc. The plays' author-director Gerard Alessandrini told me he was shocked. "We've never had any objections. I would have thought that Bette Midler and Whoopi Goldberg would have a good sense of humor to be spoofed, since they do it themselves. We have no intention of hurting their feelings. We say nothing mean about them. They come off scot-free. I'd like to invite them to see the show." John Freedson, who produces the show with Harriet Yellin, adds, "We consider it a loving tribute. Bette is one of our icons, and we love Whoopi." Christine Pedi plays Midler, Gerry McIntyre is Goldberg in the "Forbidden" revue. "Whoopi" hosts an "Academy de Whoopi" sequence and "Midler" sings "Who's Gay in Hollywood?" to the tune of "Hooray for Hollywood." Despite the desist order, the onstage comedy characterizations and spoofs will positively continue, the show's producers promise. Mebbe now the spoofs won't be quite so loving?

IT'S BYE-BYE TO "HOMICIDE" for Daniel Baldwin, who says after three years on the NBC series, he believes his character has gone as far as it can go. "I think the series is the best written, but I don't see my character going in any direction. Besides, with a cast that large, you don't know how much you're involved. I'm not one of those people who likes to sit around. Besides, I've always wanted to do features." He recently completed "Mulholland Falls" with Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, John Malkovich and Bruce Dern, preceded by two other features last year, and next stars in Showtime's futuristic "Yesterday's Target." One feature he'd like to see happen is a Western with his brothers, Alec, Billy and Stephen --"especially if I get to knock off one of them," he laughed. While Daniel B. bolts "Homicide," his fiancee, Isabella Hofmann, goes back as a regular in the Baltimore-based series. Baldwin says he'll move to N.Y. to be nearer to her. They just visited her folks' farm in East Troy, Wis., for her dad's birthday ... After a painful year back East undergoing major surgeries , Cubby Broccoli is now recuping at home after his most recent eye surgery. Despite it all, he and wife Dana have been viewing the dailies of "Goldeneye," their latest James Bond outing, which is completing principal photography this week. Cubby is exec producer, Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson are producers of the Pierce Brosnan Bond opus, which shot in St. Petersburg, Puerto Rico, etc. "Now you've got the time," Cubby said to wife Dana -- who is president of James Bond Enterprises -- so she's producing a legit musical version of "Florinda," the book she wrote 15 years ago! They're doing a workshop at the Broccoli BevHills home in advance of opening at UCLA's Freud Theatre July 1 for three weeks. "If it's worthwhile," she says hopefully, "we'll take (the Broccoli-backed) the show to Broadway." Music and lyrics are by Laurence O'Keefe and John Claflin. David Galligan directs, Daniel Ezralow choreos the cast of 20 and Stephen Cahill is musical director.

HOLD THE PRESSES: The planned (Dove) book "In Praise of Justice: Letters to Mark Fuhrman and Responses," written by former L.A. detective Fuhrman and his lawyer Bob Tourtelot, based on the 8,000-plus letters he (Fuhrman) received after his testimony, is on hold until after the trial. It was skedded to be on the stalls in August. Dove's Michael Viner says all proceeds from the book were to go to a Fuhrman Justice Fund to defend other police who are accused of inappropriate action. It's possible Fuhrman could be called back to the stand ... Budd Friedman points out the mail room at the William Morris agency isn't the only step up the ladder of success in Hollywood: Leslie Moonves, new CBS topper, was a bartender at the Improv on Melrose 19 years ago. And Chris Albrecht, an HBO prez, was a manager of the club in N.Y., as well as in Hollywood ... No Tonys, but Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller will receive Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degrees Sunday at commencement exercises of the College of Staten Island ... Actor Basil Hoffman delivers the closing remarks at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts' 20th graduation ceremony Saturday (10) at the Pasadena Playhouse. Hoffman's an alumnus ... We were saddened to learn of the death of press agent Mike Mamakos Wednesday night. He was a gentle gentleman whose allegiance to his clients and the truth made him respected by all of us. Services are private.