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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sounds More To Us Like ‘Mild Man Blues’

Compiled By Staff Writer Rick Bo

If you thought Woody Allen’s wimpy image was an act, better think again.

A Vanity Fair story about an upcoming documentary on clarinetist Allen’s musical life, “Wild Man Blues,” calls wife Soon-Yi Previn “so assertive that she seems domineering.”

The article describes one scene from the film in which Previn forces Allen to eat an omelet that she can’t stomach, then snatches his breakfast for herself.

“In virtually every frame, she is either criticizing him or bullying him to the point where the film’s title begins to seem unintentionally funny,” the magazine says. “He plays Caspar Milquetoast to Previn’s dominatrix.”

Replies Allen’s publicist: “That’s a very harsh interpretation. People should go to the movie and see for themselves.”

Loose talk

Betty DeGeneres, on daughter Ellen’s latest lover, Ann Heche: “I claim her. I say I have two daughters. Anne calls me Momma. I call them ‘the twins.’ They look exactly alike. I took a picture of them from the back, and you can’t tell them apart.”

Hey, Layyy-dee, stop picking on Wooo-dee

Jerry Lewis turns 72 today.

Guess he’s just a chip off the old blockhead

At least we know who wears the pants in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s house. “I hate pants (on women),” he says. “This is something I have inherited from my father. He despised pants, and my mother was never allowed to wear them at home. I still feel that way, and neither my mother nor (wife) Maria (Shriver) is allowed to go out with me in pants.”

With Liz, we always prefer the uncut version

Model Kat McManamon has been charged with making death threats against actress Elizabeth Berkely (“Showgirls”) and her boyfriend, Roger Wilson - who’s McManamon’s old flame. McManamon allegedly told Berkley: “I’m going to cut you! I know where you live! I know what you look like! You stole my man away from me!”

Staying together, now, that would be news

Singer-actress-dancer Paula Abdul has filed for divorce from her sportswear manufacturer hubby, Brad Beckerman, following 17 months of wedded, er, whatever. As an Abdul spokeswoman told USA Today: “There’s no big story here.”

As we recall, she was Miss Communication

Former Playmate Kimberly Conrad Hefner filed for divorce from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, then withdrew the petition, saying it was all a mistake. Explained a spokesman: “They made up and she forgot to tell the lawyer to stop.”

The difference is, the feminists kept on growing

Speaking of odd couples, Hefner and Ms. founder Gloria Steinem will be inducted into the Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame next month. “It suggests we’ve come a long way,” Hef said. “The feminist movement that Gloria was part of grew out of the sexual revolution.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 photos

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by staff writer Rick Bonino