Ellen

Where: Fahey/Klein Gallery, 148 N. La Brea Ave., L.A. When: Through Nov. 26 Info: http://www.faheykleingallery.com

Top agents at International Creative Management on Wednesday completed the buyout of the agency from longtime Chairman and Chief Executive Jeff Berg and private equity firm Rizvi Traverse Management - ending a long-running management drama at one of Hollywood's leading agencies. Staff members of the 400-person firm celebrated with a champagne breakfast. Twenty-nine agents are now partners who will own and control the Century City-based firm, which has been renamed ICM Partners.

Re "TV-H: Hazardous to Your Hypocrisy," Commentary, Oct. 19: Robert Dawidoff misses the reason Disney (ABC) decided on its parental warning on "Ellen." American families aren't ready for homosexual behavior to be deemed "normal." P.S.--Disney was one of the first companies to provide "domestic partner" insurance coverage. MATT STANKUS Trabuco Canyon

It's one thing to land a celebrity as a commencement speaker upon graduation. When you're Justin Bieber, however, celebs stage the entire ceremony. This was the case on Wednesday as Ellen DeGeneres welcomed the pop star to perform his hit "Boyfriend," and threw in a last-minute surprise: a cap-and-gown rite of passage to celebrate Bieber's completion of his GED requirements. "I know you graduated two weeks ago and you really didn't have a traditional graduation ceremony.

A week has passed since the airing of "Ellen Comes Out" and I have read many pre-telecast and post-telecast editorials. The majority--regardless of how they viewed the subject--praised the program for its honesty. It wasn't. There is no Baskin-Robbins in West Hollywood! WALTER HILLER Los Angeles So Ellen came out! Whoop-dee-doo! Give it a rest and let it be already! Why don't you give visibility to some worthwhile topic? How many more articles on "Ellen"? None, I hope!

I find it outrageous that ABC feels that it has to temporarily suspend "Ellen" from its lineup rather than move the show back to 8 o'clock because it may turn out that her character is a lesbian (Morning Report, Jan. 11). Ultimately, we have a character who lives her life by high standards and morals who does her best to make her way in the world, and who is suddenly inappropriate for "family hour" viewing. Maybe ABC should rethink its decision and decide to become part of the solution, rather than perpetuate the bigotry that gay and lesbian people do not belong in the mainstream due to their orientation.

An evening of comedy, hosted by "Ellen" co-stars Arye Gross and Joely Fisher, will be held as a benefit for KidsPeace, at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood on Nov. 3. The evening will feature John Mendoza, Stephanie Hodge, Rick Overton, Wayne Cotter, Dom Irrere and surprise guests. KidsPeace is an organization that helps children in crisis. Tickets are $35. Information: (310) 535-0450.

The good folks behind FX's "Damages" have apparently never heard of the sophomore slump. Opening with a bang, literally, the third season of this gravity-defying balancing act of a show promises to be the best one yet. Jumping at the chance to fictionalize Bernie Madoff, here thinly disguised as Ponzi-architect Louis Tobin (Len Cariou), creators Todd Kessler, Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman offer us the mouth-watering opportunity to see what would happen if our gal Patty could get to the bottom of things, all in the name of the defrauded masses: murder and mayhem, of course, presented in the show's signature and still tantalizing time-warped bits and carried out by yet another killer ensemble.

Elections. Breakups. Thanksgivings from hell. Lisa Kron's new play, "The Wake," follows a woman on the edge of a nervous breakdown: Type-A journalist Ellen, whose certainty about politics and love gets blown out of the water. Opening this month at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, "The Wake" promises to generate plenty of conversation -- no matter whom you voted for in the last election. Kron's comedy of deprecation and provocative social critique is part Sedaris, part Kushner, yet utterly her own. Her Obie-winning solo show, "2.5 Minute Ride," examined Holocaust survivor guilt by way of roller coasters.

My daughter Ellen is 6 months old and I'm back in all my old clothes again--it feels great. Ellen has been a constant inspiration for me to eat healthy. I eat low-fat foods and avoid empty calories. I eat lots of whole-grain cereals and breads, vegetables, beans and legumes, and fruit. For calcium, I eat nonfat yogurt, fortified soy milk and tofu. I drink lots of water and green tea. For exercise during and after pregnancy, I have been walking every day, stretching and doing simple calisthenics.

Joining the ranks of teenage homeowners is "Hunger Games" star Josh Hutcherson, who has bought a place in the Hollywood Hills West area for $2.5 million. Called the Tree House, the 2,000-square-foot-plus house has been home at different times to talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and the late actor Heath Ledger. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom house, built in 1951, sits behind gates on nearly a half-acre filled with sycamores. Features include glass walls, polished concrete floors, an office, beamed ceilings and video security.

Cyberspace was a-twitter this week with the news that Ryan Seacrest is buying Ellen DeGeneres' Beverly Hills compound for $37 million, and that she and spouse Portia de Rossi are moving no farther than a Hal Levitt-designed midcentury — also in Beverly Hills. DeGeneres' new 8,500-square-foot house, built in 1958, features walls of glass, soaring ceilings, multiple fireplaces, a library, a black-and-stainless-steel kitchen, a sunken living room, four bedrooms and six bathrooms.

Cyberspace is a-twitter with the news that Ryan Seacrest is expected to close escrow this week on Ellen Degeneres' Beverly Hills compound, but there's been nary a peep about where she and spouse Portia de Rossi have decamped. Look no further than the Hal Levitt-designed midcentury in Beverly Hills that changed hands in April, according to area real estate agents familiar with that deal. The 8,500-square-foot house, built in 1958, features walls of glass, soaring ceilings, multiple fireplaces, a library, a black-and-stainless-steel kitchen, a sunken living room, four bedrooms and six bathrooms.

Admit it, at 45 years old, the Advocate looks good. Over those years, the LGBT magazine has seen the same challenges as any other print publication but has forged ahead with its watchdog duties in human rights as well as being a pop culture compass. The glossy will celebrate the big 4-5 at the Beverly Hilton on Thursday, welcoming a host of celebs and activists, as well as fashion and social types. Not to mention inductees to the Heroes Hall of Fame, a list of notables that includes Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie O'Donnell, Cynthia Nixon and Jake Gyllenhaal.

It doesn't take much scratching beneath the surface to find a celebrity name in a home's title history or the public record in L.A. County. Among recent listings with celebrity pedigrees are: -- An Italian-style villa in La Canada Flintridge built in 1989 by actor Kevin Costner with his then-wife, Cindy. The walled compound has 6,754 square feet of living space in the main house, 2,400 square feet of loggias and a detached 840-square-foot structure with a 1,000-bottle wine cellar, tasting room, office and bathroom.

It's a howling shame. An Ohio woman who had hoped to get her dog on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" has been ordered to remove a Cahuenga Pass billboard that pictures her pooch in a blond wig with the message, "Ellen, Denali the Dog Wants to Meet You. " Madalyn Ruggiero, a freelance photographer who dresses her golden retriever in funny costumes and sells the images as greeting cards, had rented the billboard for six weeks. But instead of getting a phone call to appear on DeGeneres' show, Ruggiero got word from the billboard company that her ad had to come down after only five days.

I was a regular viewer and fan of Dr. Phil when his program started [" 'Dr. Phil' Ratings Are Ailing," by Scott Collins, Jan. 30]. I found my interest dropping off as he became more and more self-congratulatory and the topics more tabloid. I chose not to listen to the prurient shows and sensational stories already covered ad nauseam in the regular news. I found myself switching often to "Ellen"; she made me laugh, not sick or disgusted. Why is it that these successful and talented people can't hang on to their humility?

It is reassuring to know that the Los Angeles Police Department has crime so well under control that office help can be put to work unearthing five-year-old jaywalking tickets. I only wonder if the three tickets given to President Reagan's friends are the only ones outstanding. ELLEN NOBLE Lomita

Call central casting. Actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold their Malibu beach house to talk-show host and comedian Ellen De Generes for $12 million. The 4,088-square-foot house, built in 1962, features walls of glass, dark bamboo flooring, three fireplaces, four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The ocean-view home sits on 1.26 bluff-top acres with a tennis court, a lap pool and beach access. Pitt, 48, starred last year in "Moneyball" and "The Tree of Life. " He will star in the upcoming "Cogan's Trade" and "World War Z. " Jolie, 36, won an Oscar for her supporting role in "Girl, Interrupted" (1999)

When time is tight, especially around the holidays, there's none to waste on separate cardiovascular and strength workouts. You're better off pushing play on an exercise routine that combines bursts of aerobic activity with weight-bearing exercises to maximize your caloric burn while maintaining your muscle. We combed through the year's fitness releases to come up with a list of four outstanding workouts for all levels and interests. In addition to being great gifts for the exercise aficionados on your list, these DVDs would make a worthy addition to your own fitness library.