Jeffrey Donovan gives us 'Notice'

Daryl Hannah says 'Woman' is 'degrading'

By LIZ SMITH

Donovan

I THINK some people are born for fame, and others can acquire it. I mean, take Julia Roberts. She came on the screen, she smiled, and that was it. People loved her, and made her a star. No matter the machinery behind it later, she was born for fame." That's "Burn Notice" star, Jeffrey Donovan, speaking. His witty, action-packed USA Network TV series had its season finale, and Jeffrey was in town doing a bit of PR, shopping with his girlfriend, and relaxing. We had gotten onto the subject of Roberts and fame because of the slow but steady trajectory of his own career. ... Donovan looks even younger than his 39 years. He's tall and buff with looks that are not easily categorized. He appeared in the 2005 Will Smith movie "Hitch" and in the 1998 Broadway production of "A View From The Bridge," which helps him appreciate what's happening to him now. He laughed, "I rise below the radar! And that's fine. You know, earlier today I was out with my girlfriend and we were sitting outdoors and people were passing by and nobody looked twice. Oh, maybe, a little 'Who is that guy?' But not enough to be interfered with. I like the work, and some attention is nice -- I'm an actor, after all! -- but I live my life a certain way. I don't want to be that guy in the tabloids or that guy on TMZ." "Burn Notice" begins filming its second season in mid-January, and won't air again until the summer. Donovan promises 16 episodes. And at least 16 shirtless scenes.

SPEAKING OF Roberts, Darryl Hannah says she turned down Julia's role in "Pretty Woman." "This was one of the things I'm most proud of. Every time I see it, I like it less and less. They sold it as a romantic fairytale when in fact it's a story about a prostitute who becomes a lady by being kept by a rich and powerful man. I think that film is degrading for the whole of womankind." Oh, well...yes. But I doubt Julia has time to ponder the political correctness of "Pretty Woman," or for that matter, the opinions of another actress.

THROUGH OCTOBER, Serendipity 3 is offering up a new ice cream sundae in honor of Broadway's famous nanny and of course, it's called "The Mary Poppins Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Sundae." Mary herself, aka actress Ashley Brown, with her cast and the popular café's Stephen Bruce, recently kicked off the cheesecake/strawberry ice cream/whipped cream/caramel sauce delight served with a chocolate chim-chimey. The "spoon full of sugar" is a white chocolate scoop.

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