People

By Joel Stein

THE GEL OF HUMAN KINDNESS

A Macbeth with slicked-back hair, a suave tan and a really self-important political ambition? Maybe yes. While Alec Baldwin prepares to play the lead in New York City's Joseph Papp Public Theater's production of Macbeth, ANGELA BASSETT is working on the female lead. Feeding nickels into a pay phone in a very un-Lady Macbeth manner, Bassett says Baldwin is losing the Brylcreem for the part. "He's going to shave it down. He's playing with it today," she says. "The guys have been joking that he looks like Kevin Bacon." The show has already sold out its run, because "stars and Shakespeare sell." Plus, "it's about a man and woman wanting to be King and Queen and making some poor choices. And that's today."

LANI'S REVENGE

As others gained access to the Oval Office, LANI GUINIER, former Assistant Attorney General nominee and old law-school pal of Bill Clinton's, lost hers. Now the woman dubbed "the quota queen" by Republicans lashes out at the Clintons in her upcoming book, Lift Every Voice. Guinier writes, "I have not had any communication with President Clinton or the First Lady, although I did get identical, machine-signed White House Christmas cards in December 1993, December 1994, December 1995 and December 1996."

FEUD OF THE WEEK

WHITNEY "WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM" HOUSTON AGE: 34 OCCUPATION: Prima donna BEST PUNCH: Upset that her soundtrack for The Preacher's Wife was nominated for the rhythm-and-blues category and not the gospel one, Houston is boycotting the awards.

GRAMMY "YET ANOTHER POINTLESS" AWARDS AGE: 40 OCCUPATION: Kissing up to artists BEST PUNCH: As if mislabeling Houston weren't bad enough, the awards nominated the album Welcome to the Freak Show: dc Talk Live in Concert in the gospel category.

THE WINNER The Grammys. Hanson is still coming to the ceremony

Q&A

USHER, the 19-year-old singer, has the No. 1 single, Nice & Slow.

Q: What's Nice & Slow about?

A: It's somewhat of an intimate story between a man and a woman.

Q: Do you know the Frank Sinatra song Nice 'n' Easy?

A: It's somewhat like Nice 'n' Easy. And my album is called My Way. I know who Frank Sinatra is, daddy.

Q: You dated Moesha. Wow.

A: There's another episode coming up where we have a battle because I want to take it not so nice and slow.

Q: And Moesha's not that kind of girl.

A: Moesha puts it back into perspective. Like, hey, we're going to take it nice and slow.

Q: What names were you thinking about besides Usher?

A: Usher is my real name.

Q: Your parents named you Usher?

A: Yes. My father is Usher Raymond III. I'm Usher Raymond IV.

Q: When you're in concert you're always half-naked. Are you worried about alienating guys like me?

A: When you look at a magazine and you see a guy with his shirt off, do you get grossed out?

Q: No.

A: When you look at the television and see a guy with his shirt off, you don't get grossed out, do you?

Q: No. I guess not.

A: When you buy underwear and there's a picture of Tyson with his shirt off, do you get grossed out?

Q: I guess I overreacted a little bit.

A: O.K., then.