Anderson can’t bear helmets

London — Pamela Anderson has sent a petition to Queen Elizabeth II urging Britain’s monarch to stop the use of bear pelts in making the tall black helmets worn by palace guards.

The charity People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, said the former Baywatch star collected 200 signatures from fans in Britain and mailed the petition to Buckingham Palace on Friday. A palace spokeswoman refused to comment.

In her petition, the 37-year-old actress argued that synthetic materials should be used to make the hats worn by guards who patrol the palace gate.

The towering black hat, or busby, dates back almost 200 years to the Battle of Waterloo.

‘Sopranos’ actor branching out

New York — Another cast member of “The Sopranos” is headed to a prime-time comedy.

Steve Schirripa, who plays Bobby “Bacala” Bacallieri on the HBO series, has signed a deal with Disney’s Touchstone TV to star in a comedy based on his book, “A Goomba’s Guide to Life.”

The production company is currently searching for a writer to adapt the book for television. The book is about stereotypes of Italian-Americans, or ‘goombas.’

“The Sopranos” is scheduled to end its run after its next season.

Earlier this year, actress Drea de Matteo left the mob drama to star opposite Matt LeBlanc in his “Friends” spin-off, “Joey.”

Madonna to voice ‘Arthur’ part

Los Angeles — Madonna will head the voice cast of the big-budget animated film “Arthur,” directed by Luc Besson, sources close to the movie told the Hollywood Reporter.

“Arthur” is adapted from a series of children’s books written by Besson, who also wrote the screenplay for the movie.

Ten-year-old Arthur, in a bid to save his grandfather’s house from developers, goes in search of treasure hidden in the land of the Minimoys, a tiny people living in harmony with nature.

Madonna was said to be voicing the part of Princess Selenia, a character who travels with Arthur to a mysterious forbidden city where an evil being dwells.

The film is scheduled for a 2006 release.

Toilet troubles follow Kravitz

New York — An insurance company has sued Lenny Kravitz, saying it had to pay for more than $300,000 worth of water damage in a neighbor’s apartment after one of Kravitz’s toilets overflowed two months ago.

Amica Mutual Insurance Co. says in court papers that the apartment of retired executive Joel M. Disend “sustained catastrophic water damage” on Aug. 1 because of Kravitz’s “allowing a commode to become blocked, clogged and congested with various materials.”

No description of Disend’s apartment was available, but Kravitz’s 6,000-square-foot duplex, which he bought in October 2000 for $8 million, reportedly has five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a billiards room and a 3,000 square-foot terrace.