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Friday, February 26, 1999 3:25:16 PM EST

• Blaze burns up movie costumes
• Pilot charged with disturbing peace at Streisand wedding
• R&B artist to return $20,000 award
• Falwell says he never outed Tinky Winky
• Plus-size Tyler fed up with weight obsession

Fire engulfs the Studio Wardrobe Department retail store in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- A quick-burning fire tore through a well-known Los Angeles retail store Friday morning, damaging the store and destroying a warehouse full of movie costumes.

The fire at the Studio Wardrobe Department broke out around 6 a.m. PST. Steve Ruda, the public information officer for the Los Angeles City Fire Department, said this fire hit an emotional chord with some of the firefighters.

"We know our buildings, but we know this one a little bit better because of the nostalgia," he said. Studio Wardrobe Department is known for hanging its secondhand movie costumes and vintage clothing from the wrought-iron fence that surrounds the building.

Ruda said firefighters were able to save all of the clothes in the store's retail section, but the contents of the warehouse were destroyed.

The fire took 175 firefighters from 20 different companies to contain, but there were no reported injuries and the buildings on either side of the store were not damaged. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Streisand

MALIBU, California (CNN) -- A helicopter pilot who flew a cameraman over Barbra Streisand's wedding last July has been charged with reckless flying and disturbing the peace for swooping too low over guests, according to prosecutors.

Robert Butler, a pilot for Torrance-based Bravo Helicopter and Wing, flew one of the more than 15 helicopters that hovered over Streisand's wedding to actor James Brolin. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Butler was the only one to drop below the legal 500-foot level.

The 37-year-old Butler could face up to 270 days in jail and a $1,400 fine if convicted.

Hooker at the Rhythm & Blues Foundation awards ceremony

CULVER CITY, California (CNN) -- Guitarist John Lee Hooker said Thursday he is returning $20,000 he received from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation as part of his Lifetime Achievement Award.

The foundation provides emergency assistance to artists in need. The award is sponsored by Northwest Airlines, which contributes the money.

"I'm very honored to receive this award and I'm glad to be part of helping out by returning the funds from this award to help those who need the help right now," the 81-year-old said.

Falwell

LYNCHBURG, Virginia (CNN) - Rev. Jerry Falwell says he is not guilty of "outing" Tinky Winky, a character on the children's TV show "Teletubbies," as gay. However, the conservative Christian leader does defend a warning his newspaper printed telling parents to be cautious about the show.

"Until the recent media explosion accusing me of 'outing' Tinky Winky as being gay, I had never heard of this sweet- looking character. I certainly have never criticized Tinky Winky in any way," Falwell says in March issue of his National Liberty Journal.

An article warning parents that Tinky Winky was a homosexual role model appeared in the February edition of the paper.

Falwell says Tinky Winky's supposed sexual orientation has been written about by several publications, including the Washington Post and TIME and People magazines.

"As a Christian, I believe that role-modeling the gay lifestyle is damaging to children," Falwell said.

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, father of plus-size model Mia Tyler

(CNN) -- Plus-size model Mia Tyler is happy with her 145-pound, 5'7" frame, and is fed up with America's obsession with weight, according to a recent interview with USA Weekend.

"When I was a kid, there weren't plump models. I didn't think, 'Why aren't there women in magazine who look like me?' But some people need role models. I understand that," Tyler said.

Tyler also talked about her father, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, who she describes as a rocker, but a family man.

"He's got two little kids," she said. "He's a family man. Then he puts on his tights and makeup and goes on stage. He's totally cute, like a little boy in old man's skin. I can see him rocking out when he's 80, with scarves tied around his walker. I hope that's what I'll be like when I'm older."

Reuters contributed to this report.