To print this page, select "Print" from the File menu of your browser salon.com > People April 23, 1999 URL: http://www.salon.com/people/log/1999/04/23/celebsites Cindy Crawford for $29.95: Stars realize there's gold in them thar "authorized" Web sites Sick of fans and porn sites getting all the clicks and profits, image-conscious celebs are creating their own Net presence. Plug the name of any music or movie star into a search engine and you'll come up with a baffling array of useless links -- everything from slapped-together fan sites to Penthouse knockoffs. A simple AltaVista search of former "Melrose Place" diva Alyssa Milano, for example, yields everything from "Deutsches Fan-sehen mit Alyssa Milano" to a multitude of XXX sites. Although image-conscious stars (a redundancy if there ever was one) are quick to phone their attorneys over every unflattering tabloid story or illegal use of their likeness on a T-shirt, as a whole Hollywood's been slow in recognizing the incredible power of the Web. Hence the Web's bounty of unauthorized celebrity sites has been able to thrive virtually unthreatened by copyright infringement lawsuits. But some big names are shedding their Luddite skin and entering the already crowded online entertainment market. Some do it for fun, others for profit, but all hope to put their best face forward on the World Wide Web. Here's the lowdown on a few of the celebrity-run or celebrity-authorized sites: PamelaAndersonLee.com: Although the "Wall Street Journal" recently dubbed the now deflated sexpot the "hottest name on the Internet," Pamela Anderson Lee has made little actual cash from her online presence. (She was even frozen out of proceeds from her bestselling honeymoon sex video with erstwhile husband Tommy). Lee's personal site, managed by her brother, sells memberships for $33.50 a year (that includes an autographed picture). Unfortunately, the site has been beset by technical problems for the last few weeks, making it impossible to join or place orders for merchandise. Alyssa.com: The former star of "Who's the Boss" and "Melrose Place" is on an online crusade. After her little brother discovered nude pictures of her (some doctored, some not) floating around in cyberspace, Milano decided to take legal action, successfully suing several sites offering bare-to-there pics of her. For her own site, Milano offers horny preteens of the Web heaping doses of innocence. You half expect teddy bears and frilly hearts to appear (beware the cupid with flaming arrow). For those not interested in picking up some "free 'angel' wallpaper," there are still thousands of unofficial sites yet to be put out of business. KelseyGrammer.com: Kelsey Grammer's personal Web page is doing well traffic-wise thanks to some repeated on-air ribbing from Howard Stern. In response, the "Frasier" star decided to devote one of his online essays (previous editions have included his deep thoughts on the impeachment of President Clinton and the bombing of Iraq) to thank the shock jock for driving up his numbers. Grammer says he went online to "set the record straight" on all those rumors about him and his very dewy, very busty and very blond wife, Camille. His site charges a fee (a steep $4.95 a month; $11.95 for three months), but profits are donated to charity. ViewAskew.com: Director Kevin Smith ("Clerks," "Chasing Amy") has more than made up for inflicting "Mallrats" on an unsuspecting public with a fantastic site that is the first and best destination for his fans. As he puts it, the site gives you "the power of communication, as you can actually interact with the losers who hit it big with their movies of smut and conscience!" Interested in the controversy surrounding Smith's upcoming Matt Damon-Ben Affleck flick "Dogma"? Click over to the "Dogma: Rumor Control" section, in which the filmmaker gives his take on the brouhaha and offers the curious a bushel of info on the pic. View Askew also offers one of the better collections of celebrity merchandise, including signed editions of the Smith-penned "Daredevil" comic book series and Jay and Silent Bob action figures. And let's be honest: How many directors would go to the trouble to explain how to play drinking games to their films? Spielberg? Scorsese? Not a chance. The site even gives you the option of printing the rules out in an easy-to-read format, perfect after you've had one too many. Finally, a celebrity who cares about the little people. Cindy.com: For $29.95 a year -- the site proudly proclaims, it's really "a $39.95 value" -- Cindy Crawford offers users a chance to get to know the "real me" and "discover something surprising." Yeah right. What you really get is an exclusive CD-ROM and a photo with "an imprinted signature in the corner." There's also a personal message from Cindy that's updated every so often and e-mail responses for a lucky few. This month, we were happy to hear that the recently married and now expectant Crawford is "feeling great" and doing pre-natal yoga. Jackie-Chan.com: One of the more commercial celebrity sites, Jackie Chan's official homepage pulls no punches when it comes to hawking the action star's name and image: from $30 autographed copies of his autobiography to a large collection of autographed stills ($10-$15). Of course, to purchase merchandise, you must join Jackie's fan club, which will set you back $20 a year. But hey, if Jackie is willing to break every bone in his body for your amusement, the least you can do is snap up his DVD collection. LeonardoDiCaprio.com, ElijahWood.com, Affleck.com, AdamSandler.com: These authorized sites are pretty much hands-off and therefore have no trouble openly worshipping their subject. On Leo's site, for example, you'll learn that "Art has always been very important" to the "Titanic" heartthrob (but is it as important as the VIP room of Moomba? Only time will tell). Wood offers "Elijah Up Close," while Affleck's official page gives, well, lots and lots (and LOTS) of positive Ben-oriented info. Sandler's site was set up by two of his college cronies, who promise to "go through his stuff and find cool things for the page" when he's out of town. -- -- Kat Giantis salon.com | April 23, 1999