The stakes have risen in the legal battle between talk-show host Bill O’Reilly and associate… The stakes have risen in the legal battle between talk-show host Bill O’Reilly and associate producer Andrea Mackris. Mackris has made new allegations, saying Fox News fired her because she complained to bosses about her alleged sexual harassment by O’Reilly. Fox lawyers say there’s no firing and that Mackris continues to be paid her full salary.

Meanwhile, O’Reilly’s lawyers are demanding Mackris produce purported audiotapes of phone calls between the 33-year-old woman and the 55-year-old broadcaster, some of which are allegedly of phone sex. (Mackris is suing O’Reilly for sexual harassment; he’s suing her and her lawyer, Benedict Morelli, for extortion.)

Mackris and Morelli are due to appear in New York State Supreme Court on Friday to settle the audiotape issue and to show cause why the tapes should not be examined by lawyers for O’Reilly and Fox.

LOVE OWNS HER GUILT

Speaking of crime and punishment, proto-existentialist Fyodor Dostoyevsky chuckled in his grave because one Courtney Love embraced her existential responsibility by owning up to her guilt – uh, well, not her cosmic guilt at the very fact of existing, but guilt over her failed attempt to master the Olympic sport of javelin.

That happened March 18 in a New York nightclub, when Love hurled her microphone stand into the noggin of a hapless bystander, one Gregory Burgett. As part of a deal, Love pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and gets to keep her freedom – but she must not violate conditions set by Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Melissa Jackson. Those include paying $2,336 for the dude’s medical expenses; joining a drug treatment program; and the mother of them all, not committing any other crimes.

“I just wanted it to be over,” Love said, echoing the sentiment of countless readers, subjected to her bold-faced name over and over again.

`HOUSEWIVES’ IN HOT WATER?

How do we know “Desperate Housewives” is way hot, way cool, probably way too good for network TV? Besides having the everlicious Terri Hatcher on its hottie-heavy cast (she’d add steam to any show, no matter how lame), the program has drawn the ire of ABC’s sponsors, three of which have pulled out, whining that “DH” is too racy.

According to CNN, Tyson Foods, Lowe’s Cos. and Kellogg have yanked their support. Reason? CNN says reps at Tyson (which sells dead chickens) and Lowe’s (home improvement stuff) say it’s the show’s brassy, brash and, yes, brazen script that bothers ’em.

Meanwhile, ABC is holding its ground, saying the show is attracting more advertisers, not fewer.

GOLD PLEADS INNOCENT

Tracey Gold, who was cuddly cute as she experienced her “Growing Pains,” is now a grown-up. And just like one, she appeared in a Los Angeles court Tuesday to plead not guilty to charges stemming from a Sept. 3 incident during which her SUV overturned, injuring her hubby and 7-year-old son.

Gold, 35, who has been charged with DUI, causing injury while driving with a blood-alcohol level in excess of 0.08, and felony child endangerment, could face up to five years in prison. The district attorney’s office said she probably would get probation.

Meanwhile, TV Guide Online ends its report on Gold with a vision worthy of Dante Alighieri’s “Inferno”: that Gold be sentenced to a lifetime of making “Growing Pains” reunion movies. Sorry, but that is simply too cruel a fate for any human.

KUDOS TO CHEADLE

As far as we are concerned, character actor Don Cheadle is an unacknowledged national treasure. So it’s good to see that the dude who did the funniest English accent imaginable on “Ocean’s 11” will be given a Gotham Award from the Independent Film Project at its inaugural Celebrate New York Tribute Dec. 1.

`THE WOMEN’ REDUX

In 1939, George Cukor made “The Women,” a hilarious romp about a group of gossipy, high-society women who do coffee, chat at beauty salons all day, and haunt fashion shows all night.

Now Variety reports that an all-star team is being assembled for a remake: Imagine that plot inhabited by Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Sandra Bullock and Ashley Judd (producers are still negotiating with Uma Thurman). Talk about grrrl power!

Even the writer and director is a chick: Diane English. And, the only notable male, producer Mick Jagger, is so in touch with his anima (those lips; the way he struts around on stage), we can count him as an honorary woman. English said the original flick’s basic plot catalyst – one of the gals discovers her husband is having an affair – will also drive the remake. No word on a release date.

DAMON READY TO NEST?

If you’ve been sitting back, thinking Matt Damon’s casually dating this or that hottie, you’re dead wrong, pal. So prick up your ears, complacent ones: Star mag says not only have Matt and Luciana Barroso, 28, been goin’ steady for, like, nearly a year, they dig each other so much they’re looking at houses in Miami’s mandatory ghetto for the rich ‘n’ hip, South Beach.

But it gets heavier: They’re looking for digs that also would house Barroso’s mother and her daughter from her previous man. To prognosticate: Will it be ring, Vegas, annulment? Or ring … ring … ring … ring … “splat a la Damon’s bosomiest bosom buddy, Ben Affleck?

Not being a heartless cynic, we wish Plato’s trifecta of goodies (truth, beauty and goodness) on them.

(Inquirer wire services contributed to this column.)

(c) 2004, The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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