Carter, Strait Lead Nominees

Comparative newcomer Deana Carter tied with veteran George Strait to lead the pack of nominees for this year's Country Music Association awards. Carter and Strait were each nominated in five categories -- including Entertainer of the Year for Strait. Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, LeAnn Rimes and Pam Tillis each received three nominations for the awards, which will be presented on Sept. 24 at the Grand Ole Opry.

Clubbing with the Clintons

Do you think Kim Richey was feeling just a little extra pressure as she performed at a club in suburban Washington last night? Sitting right in front of the stage were President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and their wives. The two couples celebrated the signing of the balanced budget package by going to the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia to have dinner and listen to Richey, who's a friend of the vice president. The Clintons and Gores chowed down on a big meal of burgers and pizza while they enjoyed the show.

American Bandstand Remembered

The ageless Dick Clark was back in Philadelphia yesterday for ceremonies marking the 40th anniversary of American Bandstand's nationwide TV debut. He unveiled a Pennsylvania state marker outside the building that once was the studio for American Bandstand. Clark says his show helped pave the way for social change because it was one of the first to show whites and blacks together. Singer Connie Francis said the kids who danced on the show were stars in their own right because they set the trends in clothing and hair styles.

Busy Billy Bob

Billy Bob Thornton is reportedly nearing deals to star in three films. Variety says he's finalized an agreement to star with Bruce Willis in Touchstone's "Armageddon," and is in talks to star in Paramount's "A Simple Plan" and Warner Bros.' "Jack Frost." In "Armageddon," Willis flies a space ship to an Earth-bound asteroid with plans to detonate it. Thornton plays the NASA head who guides him from mission control. "A Simple Plan" is about a man who finds a windfall of cash in the wreckage of a drug trafficker's airplane. The Academy Award-winner is also in discussions to star in "Jack Frost," a holiday picture about a jazzman who neglects his kid, dies, then comes back to life.

'ER,' TV Guide Tiff

Last year, George Clooney got his "ER" cast members to boycott Entertainment Tonight. This year, Variety says the surgical staff of TV's top-rated show is backing away from TV Guide because of its treatment of actor Eriq LaSalle. Over the past 18 months, LaSalle twice sat for photo shoots for a cover story, originally expected in December 1996. It has yet to run. The editors seem to be delaying it, while running covers of other "ER" cast members such as Anthony Edwards. A TV Guide editor tells Variety, "We look for timely storylines, and last time we were under the impression he'd be more prominent (on the show) as George Clooney was de-emphasized. It turned out to be the year of Anthony Edwards."

Voight 'Once Had a Life'

Jon Voight is set to co-star with rising Irish actor Brendan Gleeson in the movie "I Once Had a Life," based on the life of a Dublin crime lord. That's according to Variety. Voight plays Inspector Kenny, arch-nemesis to Martin Cahill, a gangster known as the General, who was assassinated in August 1994. Gleeson, acclaimed for his lead role in Paddy Breathnach's crime comedy "I Went Down," plays Cahill. The picture also features Adrian Dunbar, Sean McGinley, Oscar winner Brenda Fricker and "The Commitments" stars Angeline Ball and Maria Dole Kennedy.

Black Actor Joins Brooklyn Squad

After getting critical brickbats over a lack of minority actors in the CBS drama "Brooklyn South," the producers have added Richard T. Jones to the cast. Sources tell Variety Jones will play Officer Clement Johnson in the ensemble drama about the personal and professional lives of street cops in Brooklyn. The hire follows Jones' stint in "Event Horizon," the Paramount sci-fi thriller opening Aug. 15 and starring Laurence Fishburne, Kathleen Quinlan and Sam Neill. He's also starring alongside Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd in "Kiss the Girls," set for an October release.

Rape Cases Get TV Treatment

ABC and CBS are each planning to make TV movies based on high-profile rape cases. ABC's project is about three upper-middle-class teen-agers from Glen Ridge, N.J, who were convicted of sexually assaulting a mentally retarded 17-year-old girl in 1989. CBS plans to air a two-hour movie next season about Alex Kelly, the convicted "preppie" rapist who spent eight years living the high life in Europe before turning himself in.

Own a Share in Movie History

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is proposing a public stock offering to revive the venerable studio. Formed in 1924, MGM has produced classic movies such as "Gone With the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz." Recent hits include "The Birdcage" and James Bond thriller "Goldeneye." In the early 1990's, the studio fell on hard times under the ownership of high-flying Italian financier Giancarlo Parretti and was eventually taken over by French bank Credit Lyonnais.

Sour Day for Younger Lemmon

Jack Lemmon's actor son Chris has been arrested for getting into a fight with another driver after a traffic accident in Manhattan yesterday. Police say Lemmon's sport utility vehicle rear-ended a car driven by John Nicotish. The son of the Oscar-winning actor is charged with third-degree assault and criminal mischief for kicking and denting Nicotish's car. Nicotish is charged with third-degree assault and possession of marijuana. Chris Lemmon starred in the TV series "Thunder in Paradise," "Duet" and "Open House" and has appeared in several movies.

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