Side show

UNDERCOVER BRIDE: Details are trickling in about Julia Roberts' July Fourth wedding to Danny Moder:

Roberts had a chapel built on her estate near Taos, N.M., six weeks ago and a large marquee erected early last week, London's Daily Mirror says.

An invitation obtained by reporters said only that the event was for Roberts' annual barbecue, Reuters and Eonline.com relay, and it requested that all guests wear typical barbecue attire: white linen.

The midnight starting time was Roberts' idea, to make it hard for the paparazzi to do their thing, Eonline.com reports. And it appears to have worked.

The Independence Day ceremony was Moder's idea, Eonline.com says, to symbolize his divorce from makeup artist Vera Steinberg, whom he left for Roberts, and that he was free to marry Roberts.

The guests were fed barbecue, the Daily Mirror says, and had Champagne and beer to drink. Presumably, they also were provided with a change of clothes for when their barbecue-stained white linen became unwearable.

HELLO, HE MUST BE GOING. FAST: David Bowie says he returned to his '70s sound on his newest album, Heathen, because of an epiphany he had while performing over the past few years.

"When I performed, I was thinking (about the audience), "You all look like you should be seeing Phil Collins.' Then I thought, "Hang on, I sound like Phil Collins,"' he says in a British TV special, according to London's Sun. "So I've changed. I'm not comfortable with the mainstream thing."

EVERYBODY LOVES NICOLE: The Romanian village of Potigrafu, in remote Dracula country, was overrun by Hollywood people last week and, fortunately for residents, not because it's the latest hip, chic and trendy vacation spot.

The town where few residents own modern appliances and most have never been to the movies was turned into a movie set. Battle scenes for the film of Cold Mountain, a Civil War novel, were filmed there, and the villagers got free TVs and money for renting out their fields, according to Australia's Herald Sun.

Potigrafu Mayor Georgie Voicu says the residents don't understand the idea of Hollywood (as most of us don't), but the presence of one of the movie's stars, Nicole Kidman, helped.

"They know that Nicole Kidman is a famous actress, and that's all," he says. "And they like her because she has brought them all this money for the use of their land."

DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH: The Academy Awards people say they know their product needs help.

They say they realize voting campaigns are getting nastier and more expensive. The awards show is too long and too dull. And with more awards shows of all kinds hitting TV every year, they need to make bold moves to keep the Oscars No.1.

So, in an effort to fix things, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' board of governors has voted to 1) keep the Oscar telecast at 3 1/2 hours or less 2) reduce the number of honorary awards it gives and 3) consider moving the show to February from March.

In theory, the first two moves go into effect for next year's show, scheduled for March 23. As for changing the month, the academy says it's too late to move up next year's show but something could happen in 2004, the Los Angeles Times reports.

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