CELEBRITIES Laying it all online for fans

By MICHELLE MEGNA
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
hen Russell Crowe recently became too stressed to tour with his band, 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, he informed his fans by posting a message on the group's Web site.
"All I can do is apologize," he wrote on www.gruntland.com. "The band and the crew were looking forward to being on the road across America and seeing your smiling, crazed faces again."
For many celebrities, the personal Web site has become the conduit of choice for communicating with fans.
Britney Spears' official site gets a whopping 14 million hits a month from more than 1 million people. Only Eminem.com is getting as much traffic on a regular basis -- around 1.6 million, according to comScore Media Metrix.
Web sites can be a window onto a star's personal feelings. Barbra Streisand's highly political postings recently included this: "Protections of people and of our environment are already being gutted by the Bush administration in favor of corporations and profit."
Leonardo DiCaprio lobbies for animals at www.leonardo-dicaprio.org
Kevin Spacey recently launched a site for aspiring filmmakers, www.Trigger-Street.com. "The Internet is perfect for communication and for providing information; maybe not so great for making money, but that's not our goal," says Spacey. "The site is mainly a tool for [giving] new talent exposure, getting their foot in the door."
The sites of the famous are as quirky as the personalities behind them. Not all are intimate, but no two are alike. Here we deconstruct some of the hotties and the hunks, the divas and devils as they exist in the digital world.
THE BEST
www.britneyspears.com: Spears' site combines slick photos with interactive elements, such as screensavers and polls, with current news. For instance, her Dec. 2 birthday is acknowledged with a special front page that shows family photos of the former Mouseketeer as a youngster and a gallery of birthday cards from fans. The blonde babe may not talk much about her failed restaurant, but you will get a diary from mom Lynne, who provides details of the Spears' family life, such as how the clan spent Thanksgiving.
www.eminem.com: Marshall Mathers' site is comprehensive -- even die-hard fans likely will learn something new about the "8 Mile" man. In addition to the usual discography, biography, pictures and latest news, Eminem doesn't disappoint with creative use of the Web. A radio show is "coming soon"; meanwhile, you can download a utility, "Eminem Keys." Once installed, if you're connected to the Internet, you can punch the F1 to F12 keys and get Eminem-related content, such as music clips and a registration site where you can sign up to get e-mail from Mathers himself.
www.lennykravitz.com: The design is slick, but singer-guitarist Lenny Kravitz's message board is the center of the action. Kravitz writes: "It seems that everyone is wondering if I am really here. So I am going to start answering everyone publicly so y'all know I am here. Peace, Lenny. P.S. I am new at this but I am gonna get it right." He already has.
www.moby.com: Moby's site recently won the MTV Europe Best Web Site Award. Even while on tour, he logs on daily. In one message, he apologized for forgetting to thank his Web fans, talked about "trying to make peace with Eminem" and suggested passing his Web award around to fans so they could be photographed with it. Now, that's giving back.
www.jamielynnsigler.com: Perhaps the best-known principessa to hit television, as Meadow on "The Sopranos," Jamie-Lynn Sigler has a site with the usual updates, biographical info and scrapbook. In addition to the diary, which clearly is written by her, she responds in the Q & amp;A's. Sigler told one fan that New York City is her favorite place in the world. Spoken like a true Jersey girl.
www.michaeldouglas.com: Find out the latest marital news under "Michael and Catherine" (as in Douglas and Zeta-Jones). Here, you get a full screen of the actor's thoughts on his latest projects at "Michael's Words." In "Ask Michael," you learn that the power couple is developing a movie together, but that it might not be a romance.
www.alroker.com: Sure, Al told his weight-loss tale to People magazine, but if you want the story behind the story, check out his Web site. True to his character, the site reflects his gregarious tone, thanks to the use of cartoons. The weatherman's journal is genuine, forthright and personal. "I must admit, I'm of two minds about People magazine," writes the cover boy.
www.tigerwoods.com: Tiger isn't cagey about keeping in touch with his fans. Not only do you get tips from the pro, but Club Tiger provides you with live chats, a bulletin board and Q & amp;A.
THE REST
www.michaeljackson.com: This site, while well-designed, is just a vehicle to promote albums. There is no updated news section or forum in which the pop star might -- for example -- post an apology for hanging his baby son out a window.
www.melaniegriffith.com: Not much more than a set of links to a charity foundation and a site that assaults you with ads for "carb blockers." The perky star deserves better.
www.jenniferaniston.com: Like her character on "Friends," Jennifer Aniston's Web site is high-maintenance and contradictory. You have to install Macromedia Flash before entering, and the privacy policy states the site shares "personal information you provide with companies not owned or affiliated with JenniferAniston.com who want to market products to you."
www.kournikova.com: You can analyze Anna's, uh, game or read her journal entries, updated every other month or so, with headers such as "Anna on the U.S. Open" and "Checking in from Paris." Problem is that she reveals less of herself here than she does on the court. You won't find anything about what she thinks of reports that her main squeeze, Enrique Iglesias, was seen smooching model Emma Jones.
www.barbrastreisand.com: You can buy "Duets" here, of course, but Streisand's site is overwhelmed by her politics. There are links to essays, speeches, books and lengthy laments about the recent elections. The Truth Alerts contain Streisand's counterpoints to what she says are errors made by the press. Unless you are extremely interested in why Streisand is a Democrat, this is a site only a true fan could love.
www.alecbaldwin.com: This site could be a textbook case of an abandoned Web venture. In its day, it probably was a snazzy place for fans to get the latest news and even chat live with the eldest Baldwin brother. Under Press & amp; Recent appearances, however, there's nothing post-2000. Hello! It's 2003, already!