Are we the only ones who think this celebrity baseball thing has gotten a little out of hand? First there was Michael Jordan's ill-conceived, ill-fated turn on the diamond during his first retirement from the NBA (it brought a whole new meaning to the term "Nike swoosh"). Then Garth Brooks took a swing at a batting career with the San Diego Padres (Friday's news that he was hanging up his cleats for the season was music to his fans' ears). And on Sunday Kevin Costner tried to show he'd learned a few moves from his baseball films "Bull Durham," "Field of Dreams" and the upcoming "For the Love of the Game" in an exhibition game. Playing for his alma mater, Cal State Fullerton, Costner committed an error at shortstop as the Titans lost to the Anaheim Angels, 2-1.

The only actor who seems in any way reluctant to leave the bench these days, as the baseball season kicks off, is Gene Hackman. When Mark McGwire, at the invitation of the New York Times, asked his favorite actor if he thought he could manage a baseball team as well as he coached a basketball team in the film "Hoosiers," a baffled Hackman replied, "I wouldn't want people to think I actually know how to coach a basketball team. I'm just an actor who plays a part."

Give that man a contract!

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Big screen bits

Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne are likely doing the bunny hop of joy after their cyber-action hit "The Matrix" smashed Easter weekend records (and set a new weekend record for the year) with its $27.2 million Friday-Sunday take at the box office. Reeves' first verifiable hit since 1994's runaway success "Speed," the movie may well put the stone-faced-yet-sinewy actor back in Hollywood's fast lane. Let's hope those brakes don't give out.

Attention: Woody Allen fans. (There must be at least a few of you left after that box-office bomb "Celebrity.") A casting detail about the famously neurotic comedian's next film has leaked out. The as-yet-untitled comedy will star Allen himself and Michael Rapaport, who plays Phoebe's cop boyfriend on "Friends" and starred opposite Mira Sorvino in Allen's "Mighty Aphrodite." No word yet about the plot of the film, but we're guessing it'll somehow involve a nebbishy older man having an affair with a beautiful young woman. (Go ahead, call us clairvoyant if you must.)

Yeah, baby! Some shagedelic news ... When that randy International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers, and his arch-nemesis, Dr. Evil, return to find out whose bag it really is this summer in "The Spy Who Shagged Me," Frau Farbissina will be standing by (and screaming). Comedian Mindy Sterling will rejoin Mike Myers and the militant wing of the Salvation Army to reprise her role as Dr. Evil's sidekick. Smashing, baby!
salon.com | April 6, 1999

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