Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

MOVIES

Hillary vs. Julia: Using Julia Roberts’ “My Best Friend’s Wedding” as the catalyst, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton took the movie industry to task this week for its portrayal of smoking. Saying that she had recently watched the movie, Clinton wrote in her weekly, nationally syndicated newspaper column that Roberts’ character “smokes when she’s upset. She smokes when she’s tired. She smokes when she’s happy. . . . This portrayal of a modern woman so reliant on cigarettes is particularly troubling given that more young women are taking up the deadly habit.” Clinton also called on “leaders of the motion-picture industry” to “join the campaign” to reduce smoking among young people. “Instead of hiding behind the excuse of artistic license,” the first lady wrote, “they should admit that most film scenes depicting smoking are gratuitous.” Neither Roberts’ spokeswoman nor TriStar Pictures, which released the film, had any comment.

STAGE

Musical Theater King: Disney’s big-screen hit “The Lion King” looks to have also conquered the stage. Reviewing the musical’s pre-Broadway opening this week at Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre, Mike Steel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune called the show “wonderful theater” and “an evening of pure delight” that included “soaring melodies, pulsing rhythms, humanized animals and daring stylizations.” Adapted by Julie Taymor, and including the movie’s original songs by Elton John and Tim Rice as well as some new ones, the production was said to feature “amazing” animal puppets such as antelopes maneuvered by dancers’ arms, giraffes portrayed by actors on stilts and birds propelled on wires and strings. Although finding the 160-minute show “occasionally overblown” and “a bit overlong,” Chris Hewitt of the St. Paul Pioneer Press conceded, “Even unpruned, it’s a mighty entertaining show.” Hewitt also gushed with praise for the show’s opening number, “The Circle of Life,” calling it “among the most spine-tingling, goosebump-raising, overwhelmingly beautifulcurtain-raisers in the history of Broadway musical theater.”

TV & RADIO

Staying ‘Friends’: NBC and Warner Bros. Television have agreed to extend “Friends” into the year 2000, through the hit comedy’s sixth season. The stars signed contracts covering that period after a joint salary renegotiation last year, but NBC had yet to conclude a deal with the studio. The network will pay roughly $3 million per episode for the program--about what it recently agreed to pay to renew “Frasier,” but below the high sums commanded by “Seinfeld.” Production on “Friends,” meanwhile, resumes Aug. 11 and the entire cast is expected to be on hand, including Matthew Perry (Chandler), who sought treatment in June for what was described as an addiction to prescription pain medication.

So Long, Heh-Heh: “Beavis and Butt-head” are apparently following in the footsteps of other actors who have left the small screen to pursue movie careers. The animated duo’s final new MTV episode will air Oct. 10, although they are expected to resurface in specials or a sequel to the big screen’s “Beavis and Butt-head Do America.” Their creator, Mike Judge, is busy with his Fox series “King of the Hill,” and may also create a new series for MTV. “After 220 episodes, we decided it was time to move on,” MTV said.

Around the Dial: Top 40 station KIIS-FM (102.7) gets a new afternoon drive host Monday: Gary Spears, who had been hosting the morning slot at rival station KIBB-FM (100.3). Before moving to Los Angeles, Spears, who will air weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m., was the No. 1-rated afternoon host in Chicago. He replaces deejay “Magic Matt,” whose contract with KIIS had expired. . . . “Different After Dark,” a new weekly four-hour show focusing on “today’s issues from a gay and lesbian point of view,” begins tonight at midnight on KYPA-AM (1230). Karel, a singer and comedian who has been seen locally at the L.A. Comedy Store, will host the program, joined by another comic, Amy Altshuld.

Laughing on Pay-Per-View: American Airlines has signed on as national sponsor of the Latino Laugh Festival, which returns to San Antonio for its second outing, Aug. 14-16. Because of the size and cost of the event, which aired last year on cable’s Showtime, producers Jeff Valdez and Paul Block opted to tape this year’s festival for an upcoming pay-per-view special called “Comedy Fiesta.” In keeping with the pay-per-view theme, Valdez and Block are negotiating with major Latino boxing stars to be in the special, which will be hosted by Cheech Marin. Others scheduled to appear include Edward James Olmos, Liz Torres, Culture Clash, Vikki Carr and the music group Fabulosos Cadillacs.

QUICK TAKES

Ireland’s Supreme Court on Friday overruled an earlier decision by the Irish High Court, which had blocked two sold-out U2 concerts at a Dublin rugby field, saying they violated planning laws. The Aug. 30 and 31 shows will now proceed as scheduled. . . . Los Angeles bands Weezer and That Dog will play a benefit concert Aug. 15 at the Palace in memory of three of their most loyal fans, sisters Mykel, Carli and Trysta Allan, who ran the groups’ fan clubs out of their Portland, Ore., home. They were killed in an automobile accident July 8 after attending a Weezer concert. Tickets are $16.50 and will go toward funeral costs. . . . The Virginia-based advocacy group Viewers for Quality Television has selected NBC’s “ER” and “Frasier” as TV’s best dramatic and comedy series, respectively.