People

By Michele Orecklin

TOMMY OUT OF TUNE? During his years as head of Sony Music, Tommy Mottola had some relationships sour in very public ways. After launching the career of Mariah Carey, he married her; after a bitter divorce, she left the label. And when Michael Jackson decided that the label hadn't publicized his album enough, he drove a bus around Manhattan holding a poster of Mottola with horns. Now Mottola is facing another breakup. He announced last week that he wanted to start his own label and was leaving Sony, where since 1989 he has guided singers like Jennifer Lopez. Whether he jumped or was pushed remains unclear. Sony is suffering from a slump affecting the entire music industry. Taking his place will be NBC president Andrew Lack, who years ago worked at CBS with Sony's current U.S. chief, Howard Stringer.

GET SET TO ABSTAIN HBO announced last week that Sex and the City will air for only one more season. But fans have a long time before they can roll over and go to sleep. The final season will consist of 20 episodes, with 12 to begin airing in June and the rest next January. Of the show's stars--from left, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kristin Davis--the middle two recently had babies and presumably now need sleep more than sex.

THE JUSTICE FINALLY SPEAKS Clarence Thomas is not the most loquacious of judges. Since ascending to the Supreme Court in 1991, he has asked few questions and has rarely offered opinions during arguments before the court. But now he's ready to spill all. Thomas has signed a reported $1.5 million deal with HarperCollins to write his autobiography. The book will cover his impoverished childhood in Georgia and his punishing confirmation battle, in which he faced charges of sexual harassment. The advance is the largest ever offered to a sitting judge. That is surely due in some part to the fact that few other judges have starred in a national imbroglio involving frequent references to pornographic actors. If Antonin Scalia is hoping for a big payday, he may want to think about spicing up his personal life.

JUST A FEW MEMORIES FOR SALE The statute OF limitations for exploiting Princess Diana has apparently not yet expired. Last week her former lover James Hewitt said on Larry King Live that he was prepared to sell intimate letters she had written him. The couple's romance (they are seen below in 1991) took place during Diana's marriage and lasted from 1986 to 1991. Lest one think he's merely looking for quick cash, Hewitt said he believed that the letters were an "important historical document" and that "a lot of good" could come from the money he would earn from them. He is reportedly seeking $16 million. Also on Larry King last week, Sarah Ferguson, Diana's former sister-in-law, revealed that Hewitt recently rang to ask her out for a drink. She declined. Odd, since he seems like such a decent chap.