Barry’s Fabulous, First Kodak Moment

“Copa! Copacabana!� It’s not a chant you normally hear from construction workers, but Barry Manilow was in the house Tuesday morning to perform the first sound check at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, which opens its doors in two weeks.

Wearing a black Windbreaker, black pants and a white dress shirt, the 58-year-old singer-songwriter said the sound was good, and the crowd of a few dozen construction workers and a handful of fans agreed. After he obliged them by playing the opening bars of his 1978 hit song, they rewarded him with an impromptu, undulating wave.

Manilow, accompanying himself on piano, sang a 20-minute medley to promote “Here at the Mayflower,� his new disc. The pop heartthrob, who’s made 30 records, said of the new material, “I’ve gone to the well, and it’s not dry yet.�

Although Manilow was the first performer to strike a note at the 3,600-seat concert venue in the Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue complex, British opera singer Russell Watson will perform the first public show there on Nov. 9.

But Manilow fans can look forward to Dec. 27 when he returns with the first of four shows, at which, he promised, audiences will “feel better leaving than coming in.�

During his set Tuesday, two women in the audience certainly felt something, as they pleaded loudly to have him join them at their front-row seats.

He waved, and, with a shrug, acknowledged the obvious: “I’m fabulous.�

Hackman the Avenger

At 71, Gene Hackman still packs a punch. After a fender-bender Monday afternoon, the former U.S. Marine stood his ground against two men and a woman who, witnesses said, attacked him for hitting their Volvo with his Volvo.

The fisticuffs erupted about 2 p.m. at the corner of Crescent Heights and Sunset Boulevard near West Hollywood. Hackman, who lives in New Mexico, admitted he was at fault and attempted to exchange information with the other driver; the other driver shoved him and Hackman responded with several punches, according to a news report.

“It was a free-for-all,� Hackman’s publicist, Dick Guttman, told us. The driver’s two passengers jumped in and started kicking Hackman. Ultimately, police had to pull them apart, an officer said. No charges were filed and neither car suffered major damage. The officer on the scene determined the incident was a “mutual battery,� according to an LAPD spokeswoman.

Hackman, who ended up with a few bruises, was in L.A. to see his new film, “The Royal Tannenbaums,� which opens in December.

The Return of Heidi Fleiss--Again

Ever wonder what happened to Hollywood’s most famous former madam, Heidi Fleiss? Turns out she recently moved in with actor Tom Sizemore after dating him for nearly a year. She’s also been pitching an unrated DVD/video, “How to Be a First-Class Madam,� and working on a one-woman show and new book that profiles former call girls, tentatively titled “A Hooker Book.�

Her show will start on the East Coast in February. “If it goes well,� she said, “I’ll hit every college.�

And what about Sizemore? “So far, so good,� she reports. “Relationships are more difficult than dieting.�

The Dream Team

While actor Orlando Jones and rap star Coolio practiced their lay-up shots on the basketball court of Crossroads School in Santa Monica, two teenage girls in a nearby bathroom reapplied eyeliner and debated which man was cuter. Jones, they decided. His team later spanked Coolio’s team in a charity match, organized by the WNBA to raise money for the fight against breast cancer .

Before the game Monday night, Coolio bragged, “I’ve been working out,� and his teammate, actor Don Cheadle, mocked the opposition, pointing across the court: “I don’t see any challenges out there.�

Coolio and Cheadle were backed by teammates Frankie Muniz of “Malcolm in the Middle� and MTV veejay Bill Bellamy. They were coached by “American Pie� star Jason Biggs, who was kept off the court by minor injuries. Jones’ teammates were David Arquette, “Inside Schwartz� star Breckin Meyer and “Blind Date� host Roger Lodge.

Once the game began, the players put on a good show, often substituting enthusiasm for prowess. So, maybe Arquette was no Shaquille O’Neal. But at least he ran as fast as his tattooed legs could carry him, sometimes flying headfirst into the spectators.

In the end, Lodge hit several three-point shots, leading his team to a 69-53 victory. Figures the “Blind Date� guy scores.