LOS ANGELES (AP) – Jessica Alba is demanding that Playboy pull its March issue, saying she didn’t agree to be on the cover and that the image may mislead readers into thinking she appears nude or partially nude in the magazine.

The cover shows the 24-year-old actress in a bikini, next to the headline “25 Sexiest Celebrities.” Besides demanding that Playboy stop distributing the March issue, Alba is asking for “monetary settlement” for damages to her reputation and career.

In a Feb. 23 letter obtained by The Smoking Gun Web site, Alba’s lawyers told Playboy the magazine used a photo of Alba meant to promote the movie “Into the Blue” without her consent. Sony Pictures, which owns the image, sent a separate letter alleging that Playboy initially offered to pay Alba to pose for the cover of the issue. When her publicist refused, Playboy resorted to using “false pretenses” to obtain the promotional shot, according to the letter.

“Playboy has violated my personal rights and blatantly misled the public who might think I had given them permission to put me on the cover when I didn’t,” Alba said in a statement.

A Playboy spokeswoman said Alba was placed on the cover after being chosen “sexiest star of the year” by its readers.

“Our editors assembled photographs of the top 25 vote getters for our annual ‘25 Sexiest Celebrity’ feature, and we put her on the cover based on the poll results,” spokeswoman Lauren Malone said.

Scarlett: Groping ‘poor taste’

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Scarlett Johansson wasn’t amused when fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi groped her on the red carpet at January’s Golden Globe Awards, but she’s willing to forgive him.

“It was definitely in poor taste,” Johansson said in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times. “I’d been prepping for two hours with hair and makeup and getting dressed. And the first interview I do, someone who I have never met before fondles me for his own satisfaction.”

Mizrahi, who was doing pre-show interviews for the E! cable channel, created a flap when he groped Johansson’s breast, asked Eva Longoria about her pubic hair and peeked down Teri Hatcher’s dress.

“Mostly, I was thinking, ‘Oh, my God. This is happening on live TV,”‘ Johansson recalled, adding she didn’t buy the openly gay designer’s explanation that he was trying to determine how her dress was put together.

“Like he doesn’t know how a dress works,” the 21-year-old actress said.

But the star of such films as “Match Point” and “Lost in Translation” said she isn’t holding a grudge.

“I’m not mad at him,” Johansson said. “I think he’s a guy that’s starting his TV career and he’s making a bit of an exciting moment for himself. I can’t be angry at him.”

Mizrahi, who is scheduled to be on the red carpet at Sunday’s Academy Awards, told The Associated Press last month he has no plans to tone down his act.

Johansson, who doesn’t plan to attend the Oscar show, said she won’t go out of her way to avoid him at future red carpet events.

“I can take care of myself,” she said. “I’m from New York.”

Coachella gets Madonna

NEW YORK (AP) – Madonna will take the stage next month at the seventh annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif.

Her appearance is scheduled April 30 in the Sahara dance tent, the Southern California desert festival announced Wednesday.

“I’ve never performed at a festival,” the 47-year-old pop star said in a statement, “and I’m especially excited about playing at Coachella before I start my own tour.”

The Coachella festival, which opens April 29, will also include performances by Depeche Mode, Tool, Daft Punk and Massive Attack.

Boston director recovering

BOSTON (AP) – James Levine, music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is still recovering after taking a tumble as he left the stage at the end of a concert.

Symphony officials earlier announced that Levine’s doctors told him he didn’t break anything during Wednesday’s fall.

On Friday, BSO managing director Mark Volpe said that Levine is “experiencing considerable soreness and discomfort in his shoulder” and may need to continue resting through the weekend.

Jens Georg Bachmann, the BSO’s assistant conductor who filled in for Levine on Thursday, was also to lead Friday’s concert.

Volpe added that Levine “is extremely disappointed about his continuing absence from the BSO podium, and sincerely hopes to return as soon as possible.”