NEWS LITE : BRITISH SCIENTIST MAY REGAIN ACCENT.

British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who has to communicate through a computerized synthetic voice, is considering changing his U.S.-built equipment for a new model that would give him back his native British accent.

Hawking, best known for his work ``A Brief History of Time,'' is paralyzed and has been unable to speak naturally since 1985. His synthesizer uses now-obsolete technology, and he has begun to test a new system developed by scientists of British Telecom.

The new system is much smaller and reproduces a voice based on that of an English scientist.

Hawking was quoted as saying he is still undecided whether to make the change. ``It will bring a real identity crisis, especially with my wife who won't recognize me,'' he said.

Grandpa Munster runs for governor

Gov. Grandpa Munster? Highly unlikely perhaps, but at least possible after the Green Party on Saturday nominated actor Al Lewis for New York governor.

The 88-year-old actor best known as Grandpa in the 1960s television series ``The Munsters'' is also a union and political activist. Green leaders think his TV fame could be the key to making the environmentally oriented party a force in New York politics.

While Lewis has called himself a 10,000-to-1 underdog, he proclaimed Saturday that his chances of unseating Gov. George Pataki are good. ``It's because people believe me,'' Lewis said in a fiery speech.

Gay adoptive dads get union blessed

Standing before family and friends in church Sunday, Jon and Michael Galluccio did something they never thought they'd be able to do when they fell in love 16 years ago.

The gay couple, whose joint adoption of a 2-year-old boy prompted changes in New Jersey adoption laws, exchanged vows and rings in Fair Lawn, N.J., and Episcopal priests blessed their union. In a state that does not legally recognize same-sex marriages, that's as close to a wedding as the couple can get.

``When we first came out 16 years ago, first fell in love, this wasn't an option,'' said Jon Galluccio, who changed his name earlier this year from Jon Holden.

Although the national Episcopal church is divided over same-sex unions, the Diocese of Newark has long supported same-sex unions and the ordination of gay clergy.

Smoker on `X-Files' despises cigarettes

The truth is out. The ominous, all-powerful, cigarette-smoking man of ``The X-Files'' hates tobacco.

William B. Davis, 60, who plays the menacing chain-smoker on the Fox TV show and in the recently released film version, is the Canadian water-skiing champion among men 55 and older, and he also is an active runner and snow skier.

In an interview, Davis said he hasn't smoked tobacco off camera in more than 20 years.

Macho men celebrate at male festival

They flexed, grunted, swaggered and strutted. They showed off their biceps and tool belts. They drank Bud, ate Spam, smoked cigars and generally behaved in a manner befitting their gender Saturday at the annual celebration of manhood here known as the Manly Men Festival, Parade and Spam Cook-Off.

The parade circled the one block that is downtown Roslyn, Wash., a former coal mining town of about 900 people, 80 miles east of Seattle. First came the mayor in the back of a pickup truck, then a covered wagon pulled by women, then dump trucks, motorcycles, go-karts and ``Spam-mobiles.''

After that, and the Manliest Vehicle contest, contestants took part in the Manly Men Tool Belt Competition, flexing on stage while wearing tool belts - the more elaborate and laden with tools, the better.

The event, and the organization, grew out of an annual camping trip that R.M. Crane, founder and president for life of the Order of Manly Men, started taking seven years ago with a few buddies and their sons.

The event is sponsored by the Roslyn Business Association -- which had been looking for a way to boost the quaintly tiny town since the TV show that had used it for a backdrop, Northern Exposure,'' went off the air.

Offbeat 

For the price of a $100 raffle ticket, some people in Wyoming are buying a chance to start a new life waking up at 2 a.m. every day to make doughnuts.

The owners of Daylight Donuts in Jackson want out of the business after 24 years but have been unable to find a buyer at the asking price of $190,000. So they're raffling it off.

Gospel singers imported

Genevieve Brown was skeptical when she heard that some Japanese tourists would perform gospel music at Harlem's Memorial Baptist Church.

``I said to myself: Japanese people singing gospel? Now that's a good one,'' said Brown. But she was curious and asked a parishioner to take her to the church Saturday. ``I want to see these people singing gospel, you hear me?'' she said.

After listening to two thunderous numbers, it was clear to Brown that the Japanese had undergone a baptism by fire - and brimstone.

``I've never seen anything like it,'' Brown said. ``I'm just sorry I didn't bring my camera.

Nor will Akiko Namba, a 28-year-old from Osaka who is studying English. Enthralled parishioners swarmed her with hugs and handshakes after she led the 22-member choir to ``Come on in This House.''

Namba had just learned the hymn during her first-ever lesson from Terrance Kennedy, instructor of a gospel workshop at the church.

The workshop was the brainchild of Tommy Tomita, owner of Harlem Connection Inc., a company that takes Japanese tourists sightseeing in the New York City neighborhood.

Tomita, a former Tokyo jazz club impresario, often gets requests from clients to learn more about African-American music.

``The black culture is very important in Japan,'' said Tomita's business partner, Takeshi Oguda. ``Instead of Tommy's just talking to them about it, they can understand it on an emotional level if they participate in something like this.''

News Lite is compiled by Audrey Ramsay Prest from Daily News staff and wire reports

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Japanese tourists sing gospel music in a Harlem church, where they got a lesson and gave a weekend concert.

Adam Nadel/Associated Press

(2) LEWIS