Morning Report / ART AND ENTERTAIMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS

THE ARTS

Charges Filed: A complaint against the head of American Ballet Theatre has been filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New York Post reports. The complaint accuses ABT executive director Louis G. Spisto of making “inappropriate” sexual remarks to male employees, favoring gay workers and purging the ballet company of its older employees. Since he joined ABT in 1999, nearly 30 employees have left the company, many because they felt “uncomfortable” under his directorship, says the complaint, which was filed this week by Elena Gordon, a 25-year ABT veteran who was fired last month after a dispute with Spisto about the requirements of her job. Gordon, 50, who declined to be interviewed, charges she was a victim of age and sex discrimination. Spisto was unavailable for comment, but ABT board Chairman Tony James said in a statement: “ABT regrets that this employee has chosen to air her feelings in the press, but we will not comment further on her allegations, other than to say they are totally without merit.” From 1987 to ‘97, Spisto was executive director of the Pacific Symphony in Orange County, where he was hailed for putting the orchestra on firm financial and artistic footing, doubling its $3-million budget, hiring current conductor Carl St.Clair and creating the orchestra’s first endowment.

New Carnegie Hall Chief: Robert J. Harth, who for the past 12 years has been chief executive of the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado, has been chosen to head Carnegie Hall. Harth, 44, will take over the 110-year-old concert hall after the end of the Aspen season in September, the New York Times reported Thursday. Carnegie Hall’s current director, Franz Xaver Ohnesorg, plans to step down Monday to take over the Berlin Philharmonic. Klaus Jacobs, vice chairman and treasurer of the Carnegie Hall board, will serve as acting director until Harth starts. Ohnesorg, 52, had been in charge of Carnegie Hall since September 1999.

TV & RADIO

Good Starts: Two new midseason series had promising openings Wednesday. Back-to-back episodes of ABC’s comedy “My Wife and Kids,” with Damon Wayans, averaged 13.7 million viewers, winning their time slot from 8 to 9 p.m. As a result of that showing, ABC will run two new episodes of the sitcom next Wednesday in that slot. Meanwhile, Fox’s “Boot Camp,” which aired at 9 p.m., also won its time slot with an average of 15.8 million viewers.

Leykis Staying: After months of negotiations and several days of publicly airing his discontent with KLSX-FM (97.1), talk show host Tom Leykis has reached an agreement to continue his afternoon drive-time program. The station and its parent, Westwood One, signed Leykis to a six-year contract Thursday. Leykis has been with the station since 1997, focusing on topics dealing with relationships and the battle of the sexes. Quipped Leykis, “This means I will be staying in L.A. for the rest of my life.”

Reagan Recalled: Tonight’s “Larry King Live” at 6 p.m. on CNN focuses on the 20th anniversary of the assassination attempt against then-President Ronald Reagan. Former staff members James Baker, Don Regan and Ed Meese will be among the guests. And the conclusion of a two-part interview with former Reagan press secretary Jim Brady and his wife, Sarah, will air on “Wolf Blitzer Reports” at 5 p.m. today on CNN. Meanwhile, “The Day Reagan Was Shot,” a Showtime movie with Richard Crenna as the chief executive and Richard Dreyfuss as Secretary of State Alexander Haig, is scheduled to premiere in August.

Smiley Protest: Several prominent African American leaders today are expected to demonstrate in front of BET’s Washington, D.C., headquarters to protest remarks made Wednesday by Viacom chief operating officer Mel Karmazin regarding the recent firing of “BET Tonight” talk-show host Tavis Smiley. Karmazin made the remarks Wednesday during a Hollywood Radio and Television Society luncheon, where several protesters were marching in support of Smiley, who was terminated by Robert Johnson, chairman of the Viacom-owned BET. Under questioning by ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, Karmazin said the protesters were “absolutely” playing “the race card” in blaming Viacom for the dismissal. Johnson has said the decision to remove Smiley was his alone. The leaders today are expected to demand an apology and a meeting with Karmazin to discuss the issue.

QUICK TAKES

Pop star Madonna will embark on an extensive international tour this summer, her first in eight years. It is scheduled to begin in Europe, then move to the United States in late July. . . . Talk-show host Rosie O’Donnell reiterated her intention to end her daytime series in June 2002 and told Associated Press she is “very angry that Warner Bros. won’t make an official announcement” about the decision. . . . “Puffy” no more: Rap mogul Sean Combs will have the new nickname of P. Diddy when he comes out with a new album.