People

By Joel Stein

POOR PAPARAZZO: DID PEST BECOME VICTIM?

It was another bad week to be a paparazzo. After taking in a movie one night in Manhattan with fiance Barbra Streisand, actor JAMES BROLIN got up close and physical with a photographer for the New York Daily News, who later filed an assault complaint. Through his manager and publicist, Brolin said he had been "set up" and claimed that any contact was "accidental," at least on his part. Whatever the case, another paparazzo was conveniently on hand to capture the action on film. In Washington, meanwhile, a Hollywood-friendly Senate seems to be taking the stars' side in this ongoing battle. Senators Dianne Feinstein of California and Orrin Hatch of Utah are introducing a personal-privacy-protection act to limit the liberties that photographers take in pursuit of the great shot.

FOR THE RECORD

The New York Rangers' new coach, John Muckler, 63, is an old NHL hand, yet, when reporters asked him about one of his more enigmatic young stars, his reply--"I don't know Alexei Kovalev from a bale of hay"--seemed cockamamie. So, to be helpful, we hereby offer the following guidance to the Stanley Cup-winning coach:

Kovalev Hay

Yes Likely to be traded Yes Yes Consistently underperforms No No Plays solid defense Maybe No Much like grass, but dryer Yes Yes Limited English Yes Yes Looks up when you yell, "Hey" No

FEUD OF THE WEEK

DONALD "DON" IMUS AGE: 57 OCCUPATION: Self-promotion through insulting and annoying others BEST PUNCH: Taking a break from high-minded discussion with Senators and pundits, the I-Man slagged the Donald, first mocking his new book and then referring to him as "a Howard Stern butt boy."

DONALD "DON" TRUMP AGE: 51 OCCUPATION: Self-promotion through buying and selling others BEST PUNCH: Never too busy to return schoolyard taunts or discuss radio ratings, Trump penned a letter to Imus: "If your ratings were as good as my book sales, you would not be mired in 13th-or-so place."

THE WINNER Trump. The Donald is no one's butt boy but his own

Q & A

BUSTA RHYMES has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. The awards will be presented on Feb. 25.

Q: What the dilly, yo?

A: The dilly is everything has been so wonderful for Busta Rhymes since the release of this new album except it's so crazy workwise that I'm tired.

Q: What's a typical day like for Busta Rhymes?

A: From when I wake up until like 7 o'clock I'm handling numerous amounts of business calls. Nighttime hours is more creative work. Throughout all of that I'm trying to weave my way solid through the big-screen arena.

Q: Huh?

A: I'm trying to secure my ground on a movie-level.

Q: Oh. I heard Busta Rhymes is doing a cartoon.

A: I've got that in the works. It's not too far from the South Park kind of vibe.

Q: What three words best describe Busta Rhymes?

A: Dominant, aggressive and moody.

Q: Is the pressure of being Busta Rhymes sometimes too much?

A: Yeah. Definitely.

Q: Does Busta Rhymes scare people?

A: Yeah. I've seen little kids scared of Busta Rhymes.

Q: What does Busta Rhymes do when that happens?

A: I try to relax them. I want them to love Busta Rhymes.

Q: Martha Stewart was a co-presenter with Busta Rhymes at the MTV Music Awards. What do you think of her work?

A: How she presented herself to be as a person when we was chillin' together was real cool.

Q: Why is Busta Rhymes goshdarn funky?

A: Why am I so gosh-darn funky? I don't know.