NEWS LITE : POVICH, CHUNG'S MENAGE A TV.

Maury Povich wouldn't miss ``NYPD Blue'' for the world. The Emmy-winning cop drama is known for its penchant for showing bare skin, all in the context of gritty realism, of course, which makes Povich one happy guy. The TV talker, who's married to newsie Connie Chung, told Fox's ``After Breakfast'' that ``NYPD Blue'' actress Sharon Lawrence ``did me one of the great favors of all time.'' No, he's ``never met the woman,'' Povich said, but there was a semi-nude scene, and, well, you know what a powerful influence TV can be. ``Connie and I were in bed and the shot comes on,'' Povich continued. ``I got very lucky. I really did. Thank you, Sharon Lawrence, until my dying day. One of the great nights of all time.''

Offbeat 

Woman's ashes spread at stadium

It took six years, Eddie Ellner says, before he finally carried out his grandmother's dying wish by scattering her ashes at Yankee Stadium.

At first, Yankees spokesman John Thursby denied that Ellner could have gotten into the stadium where the Bronx Bombers just won the World Series. But later he said: ``As of right now, the Yankees just recognized this gentleman was in the stadium.''

Ellner, a writer from California, was quoted in Friday's N.Y. Daily News as saying that he sneaked into the stadium and onto the field Thursday, then sprinkled his grandmother's ashes from a marble urn along the first-base line, beside the Yankee dugout and on home plate.

``I was a little nervous about security,'' Ellner told the Associated Press on Friday. ``I imagine there are people all over the stadium who are watching us, from somewhere. But through all the insanity there was a few moments of real, kind of, dignity.''

``Betty was just a really unbelievable die-hard, live-and-die Yankee fan, and this is what she wanted, and this is what she got,'' he added.

Daily News reporter Gene Mustain said Friday that he was with Ellner on the field, and that the newspaper has photographs to prove what happened.

Hothead takes a swing at horse

Avery Fernando Gray Jr. was so angry over the arrest of a teen-age drug suspect that he allegedly slugged the nearest law-enforcement figure - Otis the police horse.

Gray, 21, was charged in Charlottesville, Va., with assaulting a police animal and obstructing justice. The teen-ager was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. His name was not released because of his age.

Police said a mounted patrol officer spotted the 16-year-old and another person approaching cars and suspected they were selling drugs. The officer and Otis went after the pair, who fled. The boy was captured after a brief chase.

While the teen-ager was being arrested Tuesday night, Gray arrived and began yelling and swearing at officers, police Sgt. Gary Pleasants said. Then he ``balled his fist up and hit (Otis) in the side of the head.''

Police said Thursday they didn't know if Gray knew the teen-ager.

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Photo: (1-2) Maury Povitch says Sharon Lawrence of ``NYPD Blue'' put him in the mood.