NAMES & FACES

John Prine, above, and Ted Kooser headlined a double bill at Coolidge Auditorium on Wednesday. (Helayne Seidman For The Washington Post)

Requiem for an Old Hip-pie

We never thought we'd see the day when heavy-duty left-winger Jane Fonda would have something in common with loudmouth conservatives RobertNovakand John McLaughlin. Then again, we never thought we'd see the day when the aerobics queen would have to have hip replacement surgery. (Do you feel old?)

No date has been set for the 67-year-old star's procedure -- which we're sure includes a far shapelier hip than the two said gents -- but it'll be after publicity tours for her upcoming film, which is to be released in May, and autobiography, which comes out next month.

Fonda is starring with Jennifer Lopez in "Monster-in-Law," her first movie since "Stanley & Iris" in 1990. Her autobiography, published by Random House, is called "My Life So Far."

Lyrical Accounts

Mutual admiration society: U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser and venerable singer-songwriter John Prine. At the invitation of Kooser, who termed Prine "an American master," the two scribes sat down for a 90-minute chat about writing Wednesday night at the Library of Congress's Coolidge Auditorium, reports The Post's Peter Kaufman. Prine played half a dozen old favorites (including "Hello in There," "Sam Stone" and "Souvenirs"), gave some glimpses into his lyric-crafting process (on his avoidance of grand, sweeping declarations: "If you're looking for the big picture, you've got to get a really small frame sometimes") -- and, at one point, asked Kooser to read a poem.

The audience joined the lovefest, too, granting a standing ovation to Prine -- and perhaps to Kooser as well, for his insightful and simpatico questions. But it was a query from the crowd that drew the evening's sharpest response from Prine. Asked whether there was "a role for protest music anymore," the singer shot back: "I'd say there's a full-time job."

You were at home that night watching Dan Rather say adios? No problem -- the proceedings were recorded and can be heard beginning sometime next week at www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc.

Oh, That Junichiro Koizumi!

Returning to Jennifer Lopez . . . it might be time for Jenny From the Block to spend more time off the block. While in Japan promoting her latest tanker of a movie, "Shall We Dance," she was asked about the likeness between her co-star Richard Gere and Junichiro Koizumi, reports the New York Daily News. Apparently Mrs. Marc Anthony was silent until someone interjected and explained that the latter was in fact, Japan's prime minister. "Really, I'm sorry," she rebounded. "That's so funny . . . ."

Noted . . .

Future reality TV stars take note: That crazy rocker-reality TV dad Ozzy Osbourne wouldn't do it again, if given the chance. "Since filming started [on MTV's "The Osbournes"], my wife has had cancer, my two kids became junkies, I went back to booze and smoking pot, and then I died twice in a bike accident," he said -- or rather, mumbled -- to the London Daily Mail. "Life's not all about money."

. . . and Quoted

"Surgery, baby. Plastic surgery."

-- Sandra Bullock, joking with reporters on why she looks fabulous at 40, as reported by People mag.

-- Compiled by Anne Schroeder

from staff and wire reports