ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

TELEVISION

‘Late Night’ Reruns to Air on Comedy Central

Comedy Central will begin showing next-day reruns of NBC’s “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” in September, the cable network announced Wednesday.

Episodes of “Late Night,” which airs Mondays through Fridays on NBC at 12:35 a.m., will be seen the following evening on Comedy Central, at a time to be determined.

The deal, which is for one year plus an option on a second, continues a spate of moves in which broadcast networks look to defray costs by repeating shows on basic cable channels.

NBC is aligned with several cable networks but lacks corporate ties to a general entertainment outlet on cable like Fox, which has the FX network, and CBS, whose corporate parent Viacom also owns MTV and VH1.

Already, however, NBC has made arrangements with cable’s E! Entertainment Television to air repeats of two other late-night series, “Last Call With Carson Daly” and “Saturday Night Live.”

Academy Planning Events About Sept. 11

Television is already planning for the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and recognizing itself in the process.

Among the projects in the works: The New York-based National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is putting together a three-day event, “9/11 to 9/11: A Television Reflection.”

The academy’s project will include televised tributes by broadcasters around the world, recognition of journalists killed covering the war on terrorism and the launch of a fund to help their families, and a symposium in New York to study the role of television in covering the year’s events.

POP MUSIC

Keyboard Player Sues Backstreet Boys

A former keyboard player for the Backstreet Boys is suing the group for his cut from two of their songs on the “Black and Blue” album.

Billboard reports that Tommy Smith filed the action, claiming he co-wrote “The Answer to Our Life” with Nick Carter and “Time” with Brian Littrell and Guy Walker. Smith says they had an oral agreement. His lawyer says damages should be more than $1 million.

A lawyer for the Backstreet Boys says he’s investigating the claim and “will be responding fairly.”

QUICK TAKES

Michael Keaton and Helena Bonham Carter will star in HBO Films’ “Live From Baghdad,” a behind-the-scenes story of CNN reporters during the Gulf War. It is based on the memoir of the same name by CNN senior executive producer Robert Wiener and will begin filming this May in Los Angeles and Morocco.... Former Beatle Paul McCartney will make his Oscar debut Sunday at the 74th Academy Awards. He’ll sing “Vanilla Sky,” from the film of the same name, which is nominated in the original song category .... Artisan Entertainment announced Wednesday that it will produce the first feature-length film based on the popular VeggieTales videos, titled “Jonah--A VeggieTales Movie,” set for a fall release.... Actress Michelle Rodriguez, who played a boxer in the film “Girlfight”, has been accused of simple assault and harassment in New Jersey. The complaint was brought by a 22-year-old woman who told police that Rodriguez attacked her without provocation Saturday. Rodriguez pleaded not guilty and was released on $2,500 bail.... Aerosmith will be the honoree at MTV’s second annual mtvICON, airing April 17.