NEWS LITE : CHELSEA PASSES HARVARD MUSTER.

Will Chelsea Clinton be part of the Harvard Class of 2001?

President Clinton's daughter was accepted for early admission to the university out of about 4,000 candidates, it was reported Thursday.

Harvard spokesman Alex Huppe refused to confirm or deny the report about Chelsea's acceptance, citing the school's policy of not discussing such matters.

At the White House, the president also declined to confirm or deny the report. But he did say his daughter doesn't know yet where she will be attending school.

``She has literally made no decision,'' Clinton told reporters.

Chelsea could ask Vice President Al Gore and some of his kids for advice. Gore was a member of Harvard's Class of 1969. His daughter, Karenna, graduated in 1995. Another daughter, Kristin, is a sophomore at the Ivy League school.

Chelsea was among the 902 applicants reportedly accepted for early admission. The university bases admission on academic, personal and extracurricular achievement.

Those admitted to the Harvard Class of 2001 have until May 1 to enroll, the same deadline set by many other private universities and colleges.

Besides Harvard, Chelsea visited Amherst, Brown, Yale, Princeton and Wellesley with her mother during the summer. Hillary Rodham Clinton is a Wellesley College graduate, and both she and her husband went to Yale Law School.

A senior at the private Sidwell Friends School in Washington, Chelsea Clinton was one of only 15,000 students nationwide to qualify as a semifinalist for a National Merit Scholarship.

Parker shifts focus to south for `Evita'

``Evita'' director Alan Parker, snubbed in this year's Oscar nominations, says the movie's reception in Argentina is what really matters.

``This is the most important country for me,'' he told reporters Thursday. ``I hope everybody likes it.''

``Evita'' premieres in Argentina next week.

During last year's filming in Buenos Aires, Parker and his cast were given a frosty reception by some who opposed Madonna playing the part of Argentina's beloved former first lady.

Madonna, who proclaimed herself Academy Award-worthy for her starring role, was denied a nomination Tuesday. The film also was passed over in the Best Picture and Best Director categories, but won nominations for art direction, cinematography, sound, original song and film editing.

``It's a strange organization and it's not the first time this has happened to me,'' Parker said. ``You've got to be philosophical about these things.''

Pasadena center books `Shine' star

Looks like the Southland can't praise David Helfgott enough.

Earlier this week, Hollywood nominated ``Shine'' for a Best Picture Oscar. Now the Australian piano prodigy, whose mercurial life story ``Shine'' recounts, has added a third L.A. concert performance as part of his comeback tour.

Helfgott will perform at 8 p.m. April 30 at the Pasadena Civic. Two March concerts at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion already are sold out.

Tickets for the Pasadena concert are on sale at the Civic box office, 300 E. Green St.; at all Ticketmaster outlets; and by Ticketmaster phone charge at [phone].

`Boyfriend' is packed

Creation gives impression of

attachment

No muss, no fuss, no dirty shorts in the wash. And he even sends flowers.

The perfect man? That's what Kansas homemaker Cathy Hamilton and California marketing wizard George Coakley think.

The pair have whipped up the perfect Valentine's Day date - Boyfriend-In-A-Box.

For just $14.95, say goodbye to singles bars, blind dates and those prying questions from the relatives about why there's no man in your life.

You can fool them with one of six hunky models, encased in a stunning keepsake box. The kit contains a 5-by-7 glossy photo for your desk or mantle with a matching headshot for the wallet, love notes signed with his name and one of those little cards that come with flowers. Also enclosed are a packet of pink ``while-you-were-out'' slips proving he never forgets to call. There's even a note saying, ``I'm sorry.''

And, for the relatives who don't give up until they know every juicy detail, there's a full bio sheet, listing all his stats, from hobbies to height and weight.

Meet Dr. Dave - ``You'll love his bedside manner.'' The 6-foot, 170-pound dream-boat graduated from Yale Medical School and loves tennis, photography, dogs and rainy days. He drives a black Mazda Miata and earns $170,000 per year.

Then, there's Firefighter Frank - billed as ``One Hot Hunk'' - who has a bushy red mustache and does a great fireman's carry.

Musical Miles is a long-hair who promises to hit all the right notes. ``Play him again and again,'' Hamilton says. And Athletic Al, the only minority, has brawns, brain and great biceps. He looks dynamite without a shirt.

If those men don't fill the bill, try Corporate Craig, who ``keeps his eye on the bottom line!'' or Cowboy Clint, who ``will lasso your heart,'' Hamilton says.

Albright gives e-mail address

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is inviting citizens to send electronic mail messages to her - and the State Department is guaranteeing a response.

A personal e-mail address, secretarystate.gov, was created Thursday as a supplement to the existing State Department Web site, http://www.state.gov.

``I cannot guarantee she's going to personally sit at home every night and answer every e-mail message,'' said State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns.

``But I can guarantee people who do send messages to her, they will get a response from the State Department.''

Burns said she will be given a weekly compilation of all messages. ``In some cases I think she will be responding,'' he said.

Burns said it was unfair that access to Albright is limited to the relatively small number of correspondents who cover the State Department.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

PHOTO (1)Cathy Hamilton of Lawrence, Kan., shows off her creation, Boyfriend-In-A-Box, with six varieties, from fireman through physician.

Associated Press

(2) Prized pudding

Harvard's theater group honors Julia Roberts with a Woman of the Year award.

Associated Press

(3) Chelsea