NEWS LITE : NAMES IN THE NEWS RODMAN FROLICS WITH ROCK COMBO.

Dennis Rodman's record for bizarre behavior remains unblemished. This time he took his side show to a Pearl Jam concert.

Shirtless, shoeless and guzzling wine from a bottle, the Chicago Bulls star and Dallas native, who recently helped the Bulls win a sixth NBA crown, bounded onstage during the fourth song and began dancing and bowing down in front of his friend, lead singer Eddie Vedder.

Soon, though, it became embarrassingly apparent that Rodman wasn't interested in just making a cameo appearance. He ruined ``Corduroy'' by grabbing the mike during the song's dramatic guitar overture and chanting, ``Are you having a good time?'' He tried to sing again in ``Spin the Black Circle.''

After the stage crew finally cut off Rodman's microphone, Vedder said to Rodman: ``I'm guessing you've been drinking for about three days straight.''

Uncle Miltie's son hawks tell-all tome

A proposal for a tell-all biography that portrays Milton Berle as an absentee father, domestic tyrant, chronic gambler and a world-class womanizer is being circulated by the comic's son.

The New York Post reported Sunday that several publishers have been interested. In ``Near You,'' 36-year-old Bill Berle writes that he lost his virginity when his father hired a Las Vegas showgirl to disguise herself as a maid and seduce him.

``After that, when Berle and his son shared hotel suites, Milton would finish having sex with a woman and then shout into Billy's room, `Billy, you want her now?' '' the book's co-author, Brad Lewis, told the newspaper.

Berle is about to celebrate his 90th birthday with charity parties in Los Angeles this month and in New York this fall.

Buddy Arnold, a writer and producer for Berle, said of the disclosures: ``I don't believe any of them.''

Madonna to be cat in Williams' drama

Madonna will make her London theater debut next summer in a revival of Tennessee Williams' ``Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,'' producer Bill Kenwright said Monday.

Although contracts have yet to be signed, Sir Peter Hall's production, with Madonna as the sexually voracious Maggie the Cat, is expected to begin rehearsals after Madonna completes her role in the film version of the musical ``Chicago.''

Streisand, Brolin possibly on island

Although it's all supposed to be hush-hush, reports are that Barbra Streisand and her new hubby, James Brolin, are honeymooning in Barbados. Supposedly, the newlyweds arrived on a private jet. Of course, her representatives weren't confirming a destination.

By the way, Babs made jaws drop during the wedding at her Malibu estate by wearing a Donna Karan cream-colored wedding gown with a veil that floated back into a train.

NOT SO HAPPY

Man wants credit for smiles

Harvey Ball did not have a nice day recently when he learned a Frenchman had registered a trademark for the smiley face.

As just about everyone in Ball's hometown of Worcester, Mass., knows, it was Ball who designed the ubiquitous symbol of good cheer in 1963 as part of an in-house happiness program for an insurance company.

Franklin Loufrani, a 55-year-old entrepreneur from France, first registered the symbol in 1971 and now holds the trademark in much of the world.

Ball, 76, didn't find any of this out until a couple of months ago.

Then he got really steamed more recently when he learned that Loufrani has threatened to sue U.S. companies that manufacture or sell products with the smiley symbol in the 80 countries where Loufrani holds the trademark.

``So much for smiley and happiness,'' Ball huffs.

The joyful smiley-face icon has made its way over the years onto boxer shorts, London drug houses, Wal-Mart products and countless e-mail messages.

Loufrani, president of London-based Smiley Licensing Corp., said he made up smiley while working at a French newspaper to illustrate positive stories after the student riots in 1968. Since registering the trademark, he has made millions.

The people of Worcester - which bills itself ``The Birthplace of the Smiley Face'' - side with Ball, however.

He said he first drew the perky yellow face in 1963 as part of a ``friendship'' campaign to ease tensions between employees after State Mutual Life Insurance Co. took over a small Ohio insurer.

Ball never sought a trademark or copyright. He said he doesn't miss the millions he could have made on his creation. And he isn't planning legal action against Loufrani, who has a U.S. trademark, but only for a combination happy face and the word ``smiley.''

Ball just wants recognition as smiley's creator.

Murdoch wanted by Indian law

An Indian court has issued arrest warrants against Rupert Murdoch for refusing to appear to face charges that his STAR TV network was showing allegedly obscene movies in India, New Delhi news agencies reported Monday.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Prem Kumar said three summonses had been sent to the media tycoon at his addresses in the United States and Australia. But they had returned unserved because Murdoch refused to accept them, the United News of India reported.

The judge has ordered India's foreign ministry to serve the summonses through diplomatic channels, but there is little the courts can do if Murdoch refuses to accept them.

A spokesman for News Corp. had no comment on the reports.

News Corp.'s international media and entertainment empire includes the Fox television network and movie studio and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1) Illustrator Harvey Ball created the yellow smiley face in 1963.

(2) RODMAN

(3) MADONNA

(4) MURDOCH