NEWS LITE : CHER GETS CREDIT, BUT NOT HER AIDE.

There was something a little funny about the attempted credit-card purchase at the Mr. Charles boutique in State College, Pa.

The buyer couldn't produce a photo ID - and for good reason: The credit card belonged to Cher.

It turned out the singer was in town for a show and had sent her personal assistant to do a little shopping.

Charlene Rosen, owner of Mr. Charles, said the assistant returned with cash for the purchases, then came back a few more times.

Cher herself visited the store Tuesday. She bought blouses and sweaters and gave the staff three concert tickets.

MTV's Met awards scores top ratings

MTV's Video Awards held at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York drew the highest rating ever for an entertainment program on cable television, the music channel said Friday.

An estimated 12 million people watched Thursday night's awards.

``Coming to the Met had such a great buzz,'' said Van Toffler, MTV's general manager. ``We've never been to such a wonderful, classy TV's general manager. ``We've never been to such a wonderful, classy environment. The expectations were high that we might trash it.''

They didn't, but the Met hosted performances by Kid Rock and Snoop Dogg, a dozen male Madonna impersonators and a lip-sync song by teen dream Britney Spears. Hip-hop star Lauryn Hill was the big winner.

Toffler credited a strong year in music, particularly with rap, teen-age pop and hard rock, and stars who were accessible to the audience. Before Thursday, the highest-rated entertainment show on cable was USA's airing of ``Moby Dick'' two years ago, MTV said. The most-watched MTV Video Awards show came in 1990. This was its 16th year.

Distributor picks up U.S. `Dogma' rights

Independent film distributor Lions Gate Entertainment says it has bought rights to director Kevin Smith's controversial film ``Dogma'' for release in North America.

The movie by Smith, whose films include ``Chasing Amy,'' stars Hollywood heartthrobs Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as two fallen angels who believe some religious laws are fallible and who try to exploit a legal loophole to re-enter heaven.

In their way are a woman having a crisis of faith, a winged messenger of God, and a 13th Apostle, among others.

Smith has repeatedly said the film was ``pro-faith,'' but groups such as the Catholic League, with its 350,000 members, have voiced outrage about its content. The controversy grew so loud that in April, Harvey and Bob Weinstein, the brothers who run Miramax Films, which backed the movie's production, bought ``Dogma'' from Miramax, a unit of The Walt Disney Co.

TALK OF THE TOWN IN TEXAS; School sued after `disrespect' is punished

Casey Riggan knew that he and his friends had a keeper when they photographed the principal's car parked in front of the home of an attractive high school teacher on a Saturday afternoon.

But the Midland, Texas, teen-ager never imagined that school officials would bar him from attending his graduation last spring once word about the picture got around town and rumors circulated about the married principal's love life.

Now Riggan, 18, is suing the school district in federal court, accusing it of violating his right to free speech.

The photo shows only the car, and no people.

Riggan's mother said Midland High principal Neil Richmond and the school board trampled on her son's rights.

``My personal opinion is that they needed a scapegoat to blame because word got out about the principal's affair,'' Gail Riggan said.

``This picture was never even taken to school and wasn't taken on school property or during school hours. They have absolutely no right under the law to say he can't photograph a car in front of a house.''

The principal said Riggan was disciplined for being disrespectful toward an adult by fostering rumors. Richmond did not address the rumors of an affair and declined to comment further.

Riggan said he didn't even snap the picture in question that afternoon in January - a friend in the car took the photo. Riggan said he just kept the picture in his closet.

But the boys did talk about the photo. In Midland - population 117,034 - that talk quickly evolved from classroom snickering into water cooler gossip.

When Riggan refused to write the apology that Richmond requested, Riggan was suspended for three days and placed in a school for students with behavior problems. He was also not allowed to attend his graduation ceremony.

Thirty-five students wrote letters to the school board saying that folks all over town were already gabbing about the principal's relationship with the woman teacher even before the picture was taken.

Liz reveals fear, remembers Hilton

Elizabeth Taylor says her relationship with Rod Steiger blossomed around her fear of open spaces, which hit after she developed a brain tumor. ``I was agoraphobic for about two years,'' she said in October's Talk magazine. ``Didn't leave the house, hardly got out of bed.''

Taylor said Steiger has been taking her out to counter the fear. She also revealed that she left first husband Nicky Hilton after he kicked her in the stomach, causing a miscarriage. She said he started drinking and beating her two weeks after their wedding.

News Lite is compiled by Karen Duffy from Daily News staff and wire reports.

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1--2) Casey Riggan, 18, left, was barred from graduation after photographing a car belonging to Midland (Texas) High School principal Neil Richmond, above.

Associated Press

(3) CHER

(4) DAMON