FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, April 15, 1998

LITIGATING LEO: Leo's being sued by the producer of a low-budget indie film who claims Leo's thwarting the flick's release. Costar Tobey Maguire also named in suit.

CHARGE IT: Leo will score $4 million to star in a Japanese credit-card commercial, the New York Post says.

BAD SIGN: ABC to air Ellen only one more time this season--the show's hourlong season (series?) finale May 13.

ELLEN ADD: The comedy's being bumped by Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, which is cooking in the ratings department.

DIVORCE COURT: TV producer Steven Bochco files for the Big D from actress Barbara Bosson. They separated last May.

NURSERY NEWS: Dan Aykroyd and Donna Dixon have announced the birth of their third daughter. Stella Irene was born April 5, weighing six pounds, 14 ounces.

NURSERY NEWS II: Monaco's Princess Stephanie, 33, expecting Kid No. 3. No word on the due date--or the daddy's I.D.

FIFTEEN MINUTES NOT UP...YET: The Spice Girls launching their first U.S. tour June 15 in Miami.

DALAI AID: The Tibetan Freedom Concert keeps getting bigger. The Verve, Pulp, Luscious Jackson, Live, Patti Smith and the Dave Matthews Band have joined the bill, according to SonicNet.

SHIP SHAPE: Same old story on the pop charts--Titanic soundtrack No. 1, Celine No. 2.

ANDREA REDUX: Gabrielle Carteris returns to Beverly Hills, 90210 tonight for the TV gang's five-year class reunion.

PUSH OVER: Push has been pulled by ABC after only two prime-time airings. A summer return is possible.

THEY LIVE: Slumping 3rd Rock From the Sun renewed by NBC for a fourth season.

GOT JUICE? O.J. Simpson saga player Fred Goldman goes primetime tonight--host of the UPN special, Search for Justice.

SEINFELD MANIA! Court TV cashes in May 11--with a special about the brewery worker fired for repeating a Seinfeld punchline.

SEINFELD MANIA II! A&E cashes in May 11, too--with a new Biography, "Jerry Seinfeld: Master of his Domain."

ONE LAST JERRY THING: Jerry Seinfeld's parting gift to cast and crew: a DVD of his four favorite episodes, Variety says.

AND NOW YOU KNOW: The episodes? "The Boyfriends," "The Rye," "The Pothole" and "The Yada Yada."

RATINGS RACE: NBC wins the prime-time game, for the week ended Sunday. The top-rated program: ER.

SUDSING UP: Leeza Gibbons to host the 25th annual Daytime Emmy Awards May 15 on NBC.

END OF ERA: The law that required TV and radio stations to actively hire women and minorities has been overturned.

FOUL! ESPN hikes the fees it charges cable operators 20 percent August 1. The better to pay for its new $1 billion NFL deal.

BUT ABSOLUTELY NO TOE-SUCKING: Ex-White House advisor Dick Morris signs with Fox News Channel. To do talking-head work.

SO SORRY: A Hollywood exec was in Scotland today to apologize to the family of the Titanic crewman seen killing himself in the film. In real life, the officer went down with the ship.

SUNKEN TREASURES: The Home Shopping Network hawks real Titanic goodies--pieces of coal, etc.--tonight at 9 p.m. (ET).

CYBER WILLIE: Willie Nelson is sneaking his new album, Tales Out of Luck, via the Internet. Log on, listen, buy (if you want).

PURPLE REIGN: The erstwhile Prince returns to record stores next month with his latest CD: New Power Soul, Billboard says.

YO, LEGEND: Sylvester Stallone to be honored Friday by the Palm Beach International Film Festival.

SUNDANCE SAVES: Robert Redford donating 850 acres of land to safeguard a Utah wildlife habitat against developers.

POOR BABY: Princess Diana's brother says he feels "battered" by charges that he's cashing in on his sister's death.