NEWS LITE : GRIER: O.J. CONFESSION ONLY RELIGIOUS.

Former footballer turned minister Rosie Grier finally speaks about that odd episode with O.J. Simpson during a jailhouse visit. Grier, who counseled Simpson when he was locked up after the killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman said O.J. did not confess to him. A guard had reported that he overheard Simpson yell, ``I did it!'' to Grier. But the latter announced at a prayer breakfast meeting in Pasadena: ``O.J. has never incriminated himself to me. He only confessed Jesus as his Lord.''

`X-Filers' romp in `Rolling Stone'

The truth about ``The X-Files,'' dear X-Philes, is in the current Rolling Stone, which continues its string of eye-popping covers (the ``Friends'' star Jennifer Aniston's fanny is forever etched in our minds) with a phenomenally popular shot borrowed from its Australian issue. (``The X-Files'' is big Down Under.) Stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are posed between the sheets. Inside, it gets even weirder: ``X-Files'' producer Chris Carter joins the duo for a virtual menage a trois. Tidbits about the X-Filers: Ex-Yalie Duchovny was whupped on ``Celebrity Jeopardy!'' by horror author Stephen King. And in England, Anderson's character is lovingly referred to as ``the thinking man's crumpet.''

Jackie-O auction leaves `bad taste'

Don't think the naked greed for a piece of Jackie-O displayed by the well-to-do at the auction last week left all concerned giddy with delight. John H. Davis, son of Maude Bouvier Davis, 90, Jackie's aunt, reports that many Kennedys were highly distressed at the expensive yard sale. ``John and Caroline acted as a family unto themselves, ignoring the Bouviers and the Kennedys,'' Davis said. ``It left a bad taste in our mouths.'' Joan Rivers, for one, makes no apologies for the painting she bought for $13,800 at the auction. ``The crass commercialism didn't start with me,'' she declared. ``It started when the family opened the doors of Sotheby's.''

And the Clio goes to . . . a European Levi's ad

A grainy, black-and-white Levi's commercial shown in Europe won the top television award Friday night at the 37th annual Clio awards, the ad industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards.

Seventeen countries won 221 gold and silver Clios. In all, 54 countries submitted 14,000 entries, up from 13,000 in 1995.

The Grand Clio for television advertising went to Partizan/Midi/Minuit of London for its 90-second Levi's commercial, ``Drugstore.''

The spot, which contains no spoken dialogue, depicts a young man purchasing a tin of condoms at a rural drugstore in the 1930s. A tense moment ensues when the man realizes that his date's father sold him the condoms. The scene ends happily when the father notices his daughter's date is wearing Levi's.

Condoms also were the subject of the Grand Clio print award honoring a series created by Knight Leach Delaney of London for Mates Condoms.

In the radio category, Clemenger Sydney of Australia won the Grand Clio for a spot created for Max's Cat Litter. In the ad, a man mistakes cat litter for cereal.

The London-based design firm of Coley Porter Bell won top honors in the package design category for its design of a bottle of Ten Degrees mineral water.

Winners in the music video category included Satellite Films and 525 Post Production of Hollywood for Michael and Janet Jackson's ``Scream.'' Crew Cuts and Quiet Man of New York won for ``Free as a Bird'' by the Beatles.

In the country category, Martina McBride won her second Gold Clio in two years for her video ``Wild Angels'' for The Collective of Nashville, Tenn. Spike Jonze of Satellite/Propaganda Films of Hollywood won a Gold Clio for his direction of Bjork's ``It's Oh So Quiet.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1) `Kittens' find a home

Their names are Pride a nd Joy. Both are rare, 18-day-old white lions adopted by illusionists Siegfried, left, and Roy, showing them off in Las Vegas. The entertainers are also raising five other cubs.

(2) Dynamite duo

Tina Turner and Bruce Willis perform at the ``Wildest Dream World Tour 96'' at Bercy Stadium in Paris.

Associated Press