ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

TELEVISION

Fox Fumbles Handoff: A disappointing tune-in for the Super Bowl didn’t help Fox’s premiere of the animated comedy “Family Guy” on Sunday, based on estimates from Nielsen Media Research. Viewing of the game fell short of the levels reached in recent years, and Fox lost much of the Super Bowl audience during its extended post-game show. “Family Guy” and an episode of “The Simpsons” that followed drew roughly 22 million and 19 million viewers, respectively. By way of comparison, a one-hour episode of NBC’s “3rd Rock From the Sun” attracted nearly 34 million viewers after last year’s game, and Fox delivered more than 29 million for a post-Super Bowl “The X-Files” in 1997. “Family Guy” has yet to be given an official premiere date but will join Fox’s lineup in March.

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New Kids’ Fare: The Discovery Channel will double its weekend kids’ programming slate in April. Currently being seen Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon, “Discovery Kids” will also fill the same time period Saturdays, beginning April 3. The cable slate--aimed at kids 6 and older--will include three new series: “Outward Bound,” featuring teens on a wilderness challenge; “Sci Squad,” following kid detectives who solve science problems such as stopping smelly socks and figuring out the gravity of roller coasters, and “Discovery Kids Incredible Story Studio,” presenting live-action dramas based on original stories written by kids. . . . The animated series “Pokemon,” based on the hit video game of the same name, joins the WB network’s Saturday morning lineup Feb. 13, airing at 10 a.m. Plans call for the series to expand to Monday-Saturday airings in the fall. “Pokemon” currently airs in syndication, weekdays at 7 a.m. on KCOP-TV.

ART

Driving Mr. Picasso: The granddaughter of Pablo Picasso has lashed out at her uncle, Claude Picasso, for allowing French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen to name its latest minivan after the great artist. “I cannot accept that the name of my grandfather, and of my father, be used to sell a car,” Marina Picasso told France’s Le Parisien newspaper. Picasso’s son Claude heads a foundation that controls rights to the Picasso name; Marina has reportedly begun legal proceedings against Claude for negotiating the contract. “We have paid heavily for rights,” a Citroen spokeswoman said. “Our agreement is legally binding.” The Picasso minivan is due to go on sale shortly.

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Velazquez Record: A painting by Spanish master Diego de Silva y Velazquez that had been considered lost until its recent rediscovery fetched $8.9 million at Christie’s New York on Friday night, the highest price ever paid for a Spanish Old Master painting. “St. Rufina”--believed to have been painted in Madrid between 1632 and 1634--almost tripled its pre-sale estimate of $3 million. The previous Velazquez record was $5 million, set in 1970.

QUICK TAKES

President Clinton on Monday requested $150 million for the National Endowment for the Arts for fiscal 2000, a $52-million increase over the NEA’s current budget. However, the request is likely to spark debate in Congress, where both houses must approve the measure. . . . London police held actor Johnny Depp for nearly four hours Sunday after a fracas at a trendy London restaurant in which he allegedly chased off photographers with a piece of wood while shouting obscenities. Local newspapers Monday ran photos of Depp clutching the wood and being taken into police custody. No charges have been filed. In a statement, Depp’s publicist said the photographers “intentionally provoked him.” . . . “Life & Times Tonight” co-host Yolanda Nava has left the KCET-TV program to “pursue other avenues in broadcast journalism and production as well as her writing career.” Remaining hosts Pat Morrison, Kerman Maddox and Hugh Hewitt will continue with the program, and KCET said Nava will return occasionally as a contributor. . . . “Pensacola: Wings of Gold” star James Brolin does his first Internet chat today at 7 p.m. on America Online (keyword: AOL Live). Brolin’s wife, Barbra Streisand, went online in October in a pre-election get-out-the-vote effort.