WINNERS & LOSERS

P.R. COUP OF THE YEAR: The Colin Powell presidential campaign/book tour. Runner-up: The Newt Gingrich presidential campaign/book tour

SECOND ACT OF THE YEAR: Court star Michael Jordan. Runner-up: Court star Monica Seles

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR: Alicia Silverstone. Runner-up: Edward Burns, ethnic auteur of The Brothers McMullen, made for $25,000 Comeback of the year: Jay Leno, with the help of dancing Itos and a CBS slump. Runner-up: Philippine Congresswoman Imelda Marcos

PLANET OF THE YEAR: Jupiter, probed by Galileo. Runner-up: GL229B, superplanet/ proto-star eyed by Hubble telescope

INESCAPABLE AD CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: Windows 95. Runner-up: The A-Beatles-C! Network

BENEFICIARY OF THE YEAR: Anna Nicole Smith, widow of oilman J. Howard Marshall. Runner-up: Yeshiva University, willed millions for women's education by a frugal IRS auditor

OCCULT INCIDENT OF THE YEAR: Numerologist Louis Farrakhan turns Million Man March into Psychic Friends Network. Runner-up: CIA spikes paranormal research

FUGITIVE OF THE YEAR: Nature lover/budding author Una-bomber. Runner-up: Ex-President Carlos Salinas of Mexico

P.R. CALAMITY OF THE YEAR: Dull San Francisco mayor Frank Jordan campaigning from a shower stall. He lost. Runner-up: White House guards wearing rubber gloves while escorting gay officials

SCAPEGOAT OF THE YEAR: Gangsta rap. Runner-up: Immigrants, legal or not

ASSORTED NUTS OF THE YEAR: U.S. "militias.'' Runner-up: Israeli settlers LADIES' MAN OF THE YEAR: Ex-Senator Bob Packwood. Runner-up: Ex-Representative Mel Reynolds

RECALL OF THE YEAR: Philip Morris cigarettes, because of a health hazard ... in the filters. Runner-up: Winnie-the-Pooh pull toys with a child- choking string

FADE-OUT OF THE YEAR: Lech Walesa, electrician-turned-ex-Polish President. Runner-up: Pete Wilson, Governor who hoped to turn U.S. President

MEDIA-MERGER WALLFLOWER OF THE YEAR: Barry Diller. 1994: Tries for Tiffany Network. 1995: Gets Home Shopping Network. Runner-up: Rupert Murdoch

THUG OF THE YEAR: Sani Abacha, leader and executioner of shell-shocked Nigerians. Runner-up: Ratko Mladic, the Serb who makes Milosevic look like a moderate

FORGOTTEN MAN OF THE YEAR: Robert Vesco, Watergate-era outlaw, whose arrest caused barely a ripple. Runner-up: ... We forget