People

By Josh Tyrangiel

EVERYBODY IN HANDCUFFS

Attention, corporate America: do your research. Executives at the Gap offered the Pretenders' CHRISSIE HYNDE $100,000 to use her song Stop Your Sobbing in an "Everybody in Leather" ad campaign, only to learn that Hynde--a vegetarian since 1969--is an activist for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Faster than you can say publicity nightmare, Hynde and PETA went on the offensive, staging protests outside Gap stores in Chicago, Washington and New York City, where Hynde was arrested last Thursday for criminal mischief. Specifically, PETA objects to the Gap's use of leather from India and China, where, they say, slaughterhouse-bound cows are often brutalized. "I don't want anyone to think that they can't come to a Pretenders show wearing cowboy boots," says Hynde. "I'm just saying don't buy any more leather."

DR. LAURA, HEAL THYSELF

Syndicated self-help radio host DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER's motto is "Preach, Teach and Nag." The nagging really works. When Paramount announced plans for a Dr. Laura television show, gay-advocacy groups bombarded executives with phone calls and e-mails threatening a boycott. Schlessinger, 53, has told her 18 million listeners that homosexuality is a "biological error" and that gays are "sexual deviants." At first, the rigidly self-righteous Schlessinger called her nemeses "fascists" and proclaimed herself a lone voice "for Judeo-Christian ideology." But on Friday, cowed, she issued an apology. "Some of the words I've used have hurt some people, and I'm sorry for that."

WHAT MAKES THIS SAMMIE RUN?

Some performers struggle for years before making it big. SAMMIE BUSH knows that pain all too well. He's pined for pop success since kindergarten, and finally, at 13, his moment has arrived. I Like It, the first single of his debut album, From the Bottom to the Top, is the No. 1-selling R.-and-B. track in the U.S. Sammie doesn't plan on being a one-hit wonder. "I want to win Grammys," says the Miami tyke, who phoned in at noon on a school day ("I'm just missing one day," he assured). Comparisons to Michael Jackson could give Sammie a big head, but he still makes time to sign autographs for classmates. "It's kind of a weird thing. But they're fans, so I take time out for them."

DARVA AND RICK: BEFORE AND AFTER

Remember the marriage of the sorta multimillionaire and the nurse who wasn't in the Persian Gulf? It's getting annulled, but things may work out just fine

RICK ROCKWELL

BEFORE THE WEDDING Made millions (two) from real estate, but a lonely soul lurked within

AFTER THE WEDDING Hitting the comedy-club/morning-radio circuit as Kato-size curiosity

DARVA CONGER

[BEFORE THE WEDDING] Enlisted in the military, worked as a nurse, but was curious about TV

[AFTER THE WEDDING] Lost her job, but million-dollar offers to pose nude could pay the bills

UPSHOT: THEY'LL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER, SEPARATELY