Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

TV/RADIO

Murphy Faces Protest: Gay activists, including San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano, the Harvey Milk Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Democratic Club and members of the anti-AIDS group ACT UP, were demanding Thursday that actor Eddie Murphy be removed from that night’s broadcast of CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman,� because he never properly apologized for a 1984 comedy video in which he allegedly ridiculed people with AIDS. Saying that Murphy had spread misinformation about the disease, a group of protesters gathered outside San Francisco’s temporary City Hall and promised to picket later outside the city’s Palace of Fine Arts theater, where Letterman’s show is taping all this week. A Letterman spokeswoman had no comment on the protest but said that Murphy was still scheduled to appear on the show, which taped after Calendar’s deadline. Sources said that Murphy was expected to issue an apology to the activist groups during his “Late Show� appearance.

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A Not-So-Fond Farewell: Wednesday was syndicated talk host Tom Leykis’ last afternoon drive program (3-7 p.m.) on KMPC-AM (710). However, at “6:17 or so,� said Leykis, the station “pulled� the plug on a special hour for his Los Angeles audience of live farewells. “All I wanted to do was have the opportunity to let people calling in from Los Angeles say goodbye,� Leykis said Thursday from Seattle. Suddenly, after the commercial break, listeners heard a portion of last Friday’s open-phone program where a Seattle listener was talking about the earthquake there the night before. The cut-off came after a Melinda from North Hollywood complained that “a liberal voice [was] cut off by a conservative station.� KMPC officials were not immediately available for comment.

LEGAL FILE

Latifah Carjacker Convicted: Ricardo Rodriguez, 19, was convicted in New York this week of carjacking actress-rapper Queen Latifah’s $67,000 BMW but was acquitted of attempted murder in the shooting of her companion, Sean Moon, 23. Rodriguez faces up to 25 years in prison; his sentencing is May 22. An accomplice, Rashien Fortune, 19, admitted he shot Moon and pleaded guilty in exchange for a seven-to-21-year sentence.

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Def Leppard Drummer Charged: Criminal charges were filed Thursday against Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen for allegedly slamming his wife Stacy’s head against a wall and trying to choke her during an argument at Los Angeles International Airport last June. Allen, 32, is scheduled to be arraigned May 22 in West L.A. Municipal Court on one count each of spousal battery and false imprisonment, a prosecutor said. Each charge is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Prosecutors are expected to decide by May 30 whether to file domestic assault charges against another Def Leppard band member, lead singer Joe Elliott, 36, who was arrested along with his girlfriend, Bobbie Tolsma, 27, at West Hollywood’s La Reve Hotel Sunday night. Tolsma had called the front desk claiming she was being beaten; investigating deputies found injuries on both parties.

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Managers Versus Clients: Singer Mary J. Blige’s former managers, JDW Entertainment, have filed a $1-million breach of contract lawsuit against her, claiming she has denied the company royalties and advance money collected from her smash second album, “My Life.� Blige was discovered by the company in 1988, four years before her debut album, “What’s the 411?,� sold more than 2 million copies, the New York suit says, adding that they parted ways in 1994, with an agreement that JDW would be entitled to a portion of the profits from her next album. Blige’s agent was unavailable for comment Thursday. . . . Action star Sylvester Stallone has filed a counter-suit against Anthony Filiti, his ex-stepfather and former business manager, claiming that Filiti cost him nearly $10 million by making high-risk, self-serving investments, misappropriating funds and doctoring records. Filiti, who worked for Stallone from 1991 until being fired last year, filed a $50-million suit against Stallone in March, claiming that he was defamed and wrongfully fired.

QUICK TAKES

Despite one of the best Contemporary art auctions in years at Christie’s Tuesday night, Sotheby’s Contemporary sale Wednesday brought in a disappointing take of only $13.4 million, well below the New York auction house’s pre-sale low estimate of $22 million. Several important works, including a Willem de Kooning painting owned by actor Steve Martin and expected to bring upward of $6 million, failed to sell. . . . Bluegrass star Bill Monroe is recuperating from a mild stroke he suffered while hospitalized for circulatory disorders. Monroe, 84, was in stable condition Thursday at Tennessee Christian Medical Center in suburban Madison. He has been hospitalized since early April. Monroe’s manager said that the stroke had not affected Monroe’s walking or speech.