Around The Arts

LA's top cop bit by showbiz bug\nLOS ANGELES -- Police Chief William J. Bratton is giving acting a try with a bit part in a Sundance Film Festival entry.\n"People I Know" premiered Friday at the Utah festival with the chief playing a tough New York City politician in a Miramax film starring Al Pacino and Kim Basinger. The movie about a famous actor considering a run as a U.S. senator is set for limited release in April.\nBratton's role was modeled on Rudolph Giuliani, whom Bratton tangled with when he was New York City's police chief and Giuliani was mayor.\n"It's an inside joke for New Yorkers that the rest of the country might not get," Bratton said of the part filmed more than a year before he came here.\nBratton says he hasn't caught the acting bug.\n"I would never want to be an actor, because they spend most of their time just hanging around," he said. "It's like being a cop at court."\nNew 'American Idol' draws record ratings\nNEW YORK -- Whether to watch Simon Cowell's withering put-downs or discover the next potential star, a record-setting 26.5 million viewers tuned in for Tuesday night's return of "American Idol" on Fox.\nEven for what is turning out to be the winter of reality TV on the broadcast networks, these were stunning numbers.\nExcluding sporting events, it was the most-watched night ever for the Fox network, which began airing prime-time shows in 1987. It eclipsed the 22.8 million people who watched Kelly Clarkson win the first "American Idol" competition in September.\n"We're having a very happy day at Fox," said Entertainment President Gail Berman. "We certainly didn't expect to come close to the finale's numbers, and to exceed them by 16 percent is a dream come true.'\nThe conventional wisdom was that "American Idol," a classic summertime diversion, would have trouble drawing an audience during the winter when faced with tougher competition.\nIts success gives Fox, which has been struggling this television season, its second big hit in a month, joining "Joe Millionaire," which was seen by more than 17 million viewers last week (as was ABC's "The Bachelorette").