NEWS LITE : DOG'S DAYS CONTINUE; 1997'S TOP CANINE WINS NYC SHOW.

The top dog of 1997 became the top dog of the 1998 Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night when a Norwich terrier was judged best in show at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Ch. Fairewood Frolic, known as Rocki, earned the top honor at the annual two-day show, which featured 2,500 dogs. It was her 87th career best-in-show title. The 13-pound Rocki, making her first Madison Square Garden appearance, is owned by Alexander C. Schwartz Jr. of Tuxedo Park, N.Y., and was handled by Peter Green.

Her triumph capped a second day of breed and group judging that saw three more group winners selected. In beating out a toy poodle, a standard poodle, an Alaskan malamute, a sheepdog, a dachshund and a Gordon setter, Rocki underlined her status as the top-winning dog of last year.

Earlier, a black and gold dervish of a dog, the Gordon setter Ch. Bit O Gold Titan Treasure, came up with a perfect reprise appearance by successfully defending his 1997 title as the top canine in the flashy-but-not-frilly sporting group.

The 6-year-old paraded to victory as the best of a superlative bunch of 26 sporting breeds.

The high-spirited Gordon, who goes by the name of Kirby when he's off stage, now owns 172 group victories with 81 career bests in show. He is the first Gordon to claim the sporting group. Kirby held sway a second straight year on the strength of his conditioning and attitude.

Star undertakes late-night nuptials

According to spies at the wedding of Sharon Stone and Phil Bronstein:

It was long. Guests arrived in the early evening and didn't leave until 2:30 or 3 a.m.

Ray Charles was forced to wait an hour to begin his performance.

Dinner was served at 1 a.m.

The bride picked up the tab for the wedding, including $40,000 for the invitations alone.

The groom is paying for the honeymoon, destination unknown.

Not necessarily black-white issue

Actor Samuel L. Jackson blasted Spike Lee on Tuesday at the Berlin Film Festival for the filmmaker's criticism of the movie ``Jackie Brown'' because of its use of the ``N-word.'' Jackson, who stars in the Quentin Tarantino movie, said he's had enough of Lee posing as the elected voice of African-American people.

``I didn't get a chance to vote in that election,'' said the actor. ``Black artists think they are the only ones allowed to use the word. Well, that's bull. (``Jackie Brown'') is a wonderful homage to black exploitation films (of the 1970s). This is a good film. And Spike hasn't made one of those in a few years.''

Jackson added that the word, used 38 times in the movie, ``is not offensive in the context of this film. . . . Spike Lee has a problem with it, we all agree with that. He should just move on. He uses the word himself in all his films.''

Lee has complained about the overuse of the word in ``Jackie'' and accused Tarantino of trying to become an ``honorary black man'' and being ``infatuated with that word.'' He added: ``I use it but not excessively.''

Singer denies story of presidential tryst

Lorrie Morgan has angrily denied a tabloid report that she made out with President Clinton in a limo at the Dec. 10 lighting of the national Christmas tree. Noting she's ``seeking legal recourse,'' the country star said ``the only accurate information'' in this week's Star story ``was that I joined him on stage for the . . . lighting . . . President Clinton has only been a complete gentleman in my presence.''

U.S. judge reorients Oprah case

Without explanation, a federal judge ruled Tuesday in Amarillo, Texas, that cattlemen don't have a case against Oprah Winfrey based on a state ``veggie libel'' law that protects perishable food products from false and defamatory statements.

U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson, however, did not throw the case out as defendants had requested. Jurors will return today to hear the lawsuit as a common-law business defamation case, which places a much heavier burden of proof on the cattlemen.

The case had been the first test of the state's 1995 ``veggie libel'' law. Twelve other states have similar laws, but none has been tested in court.

The judge did not declare the law unconstitutional, but merely ruled that the cattlemen do not have a case under it. Attorneys would not discuss the ruling, citing a gag order.

The judge ruled after a day of arguments outside the presence of the jury over defense motions to end the trial. Her decision was not accompanied by a written order.

It appears the cattlemen now must persuade the jury that Winfrey, her production company and a vegetarian activist guest on her April 16, 1996, show intended to hurt the beef industry.

The episode was about whether the British epidemic of mad cow disease that killed 23 people was a concern for U.S. beef consumers.

Angry rocker in red after assault case

Courtney Love says she's $27,543 in the hole after winning a case in which she was charged with slugging two fans during a 1995 concert.

Love wants Orange County, Fla., to reimburse her that amount for legal fees, but the county is offering only $1,900.

``We're trying to be nice,'' prosecutor George Dorsett said in Tuesday's Orlando Sentinel. ``I have tried to err on the side of giving her too much money.''

Two counts of battery were thrown out after a judge ruled that two teens allegedly struck by the singer at a Hole show were not exposed to any more violence than could have been expected at a rock concert.

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

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

PHOTO (1) Fairewood Frolic, a Norwich terrier, sits in the silver bowl she won as Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday.

(2) Love

(3) Jackson

(4) Stone