PEOPLE

Supermodel Campbell

is taking

a powder

Naomi Campbell has decided New York and London are way too stressful at least, the catwalks are so the supermodel has decided to take a break from the fashion plank.

“Doing 16 shows and then having to do fittings and dress rehearsals I’m not saying poor me,’ I just find it very stressful, and I want to chill out a bit more, so maybe it’s about doing less,” she said.

Campbell made her announcement in Sydney on Wednesday, about the same time her lawyer, Brian Greenspan, was entering her guilty plea to an assault charge in Toronto. In the plea Campbell admitted she beat her assistant Georgina Galanis during the filming of “Prisoner of Love” in Toronto. According to Galanis’ lawsuit, in the nine days they worked together, Campbell hit her twice in the head with a telephone, punched her shoulder twice, grabbed her neck and violently shook her head.

Under an agreement with the prosecution, Campbell expressed remorse for the attack and was released without punishment or criminal record. She also reportedly attended an anger-management clinic in Tucson, Ariz. As for her walkway retirement, while she declined some Parisian shows, the 29-year-old has held open the option of doing Milan. “I’ll wait to see what happens.”

AT LAST, A CHILD ACTOR WITH A GOOD ARREST RECORD: Drugs, abuse, beating up transvestites in closets that’s the way grown child actors come back into the public eye. Not so, however, for child actor Pamelyn Ferdin. To answer the big “Pamela Who?” question, Ferdin not only played Tony Randall’s daughter in “The Odd Couple,” she also was the voice of Lucy in the animated “Peanuts” specials. Okay, so she’s no Danny Bonaduce, but at least she was arrested for her principles. Apparently Ferdin, 39, was at an animal rights protest at a Woodland Hills circus carrying a “bull hook,” a wooden rod topped by a metal hook used by elephant trainers. A city ordinance bars protesters from carrying large wooden sticks. Maybe she wouldn’t have been arrested if she’d decorated the hook with an elephant piata.

Ferdin was sentenced to 30 days, but San Fernando Municipal Court Judge John C. Gunn stayed the sentence minutes after handing it down Tuesday, pending an appeal by her lawyer. “I have no fear of going to jail if it helps to inform people about how cruel elephants are treated at circuses,” she said.

POST-PARTUM WEIGHT LOSS: Posh Spice Victoria Adams, who has fended off rumors of an eating disorder, said she consulted a doctor over concerns that she’s losing too many pounds (or grams) after husband David Beckham “freaked out” at media attention to her weight.

“I started to get paranoid,” she said, “so I went to the doctor’s and said, Look, is there anything wrong with me?’ I was eating exactly as I always have done, and I was losing weight. They said it’s just something that happens when you have children. My mum lost (40 pounds) after she had my brother. I think I could do with putting on weight, but I just eat what I eat and this is the way I am.”

The 24-year-old, who gave birth 10 months ago, said she hesitated to go the restroom while dining out one time. “It’s quite sad to think you can’t even go to the toilet because if you do people are going to think you’re throwing up.”

POPE II TO AGENT 007: How does Pope John Paul II invite celebrities to parties? Does he mail out glitzy “We’re Throwing A Bash!” invitations? Does his cardinal call their agents? Among those getting the invite to a papal party were Pierce Brosnan, Mel Gibson, Andy Garcia, Gregory Peck and Maria Grazia Cucinotta (from “The World Is Not Enough”). The event is the 2,000th birthday party of Jesus Christ. The Vatican event is specifically for the movie industry.

Today’s People Column was compiled by Vera H-C Chan from staff and wire reports. Comments? Write to us c/o the Times, P.O. Box 8099, Walnut Creek, CA 94596-8099. Or call 925-943-8262, fax 925-943-8362, or e-mail spin@cctimes.com.

Milestones

Ambassador position granted: To Ronaldo. The 23-year-old Brazilian soccer star accepted the United Nations goodwill ambassadorship Tuesday and promised to use his popularity to spotlight the plight of the poor. “I accepted this important appointment in my life because I have seen poverty firsthand,” said Ronaldo at the U.N. European headquarters. “I know what it is to experience hardship, and unfortunately hardship is the common lot in many countries.” Other U.N. goodwill ambassadors include actor Danny Glover and South African novelist Nadine Gordimer.

Hospital discharge made: For Lisa Nicole Carson. The “Ally McBeal” co-star is recovering at home following a two-week hospital stay for treatment of an undisclosed medical condition, a publicist for the show’s producer said Tuesday. Details were being kept private by request of her family. Carson will return to the show soon.

Birthdays: Comedian Joey Bishop (82), actor John Fiedler (75), comedian Shelley Berman (74), senator Paul Sarbanes, D-Md. (67), football Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton (60), singer Dennis Edwards (57), football Hall-of-Famer Bob Griese (55), singer-guitarist Dave Davies of the Kinks (53), singer Melanie (53), actress Morgan Fairchild (50), actor Nathan Lane (44), rock musician Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth (44), actor Thomas Calabro (41), actor-director Keith Gordon (39), actress Michele Greene (38), country singer Matraca Berg (36), actress Maura Tierney (35), rock musician Nick Hawkins of Big Audio (35), musician Grant Barry of Reel Big Fish (23).