Doc(ked) pay

”ER” producer Warner Bros. is heatedly denying published reports that George Clooney is being paid $2 million-per-episode to return for several episodes next season.

”While the producers of the show and [George] Clooney have always maintained that he would return … no deal or agreement has been discussed, nor have any negotiations begun,” the studio said in a statement released yesterday.

Cher the wealth

HBO will air an exclusive live concert featuring Cher on Sunday, Aug. 29 (9-10:30 p.m.) – part of her first tour in eight years.

”Cher: Live in Concert from Las Vegas at the MGM Grand” will feature hits from Cher’s storied career – along with six dancers! Whoo hoo!

Springer leak

Ratings for the new-and-improved ”Jerry Springer Show” – sans the fighting – are down from the rough-and-tumble version.

According to Nielsen data for the week ending June 6, ”The Jerry Springer Show” was down 9 percent from the last week that ”Springer” featured its daily menu of fisticuffs and titillation.

Express Lines:

*Bob Woodward gives his first morning TV interview on today’s ”Good Morning America.” The subject? His new book, ”Shadow.”

*John Hockenberry interviews NBA Commissioner David Stern and Charles Barkley live from the NBA Finals tonight (10 p.m.) on MSNBC’s ”Hockenberry.”

*Connie Chung’s six-part ”Vanished” series kicks off tonight (10 p.m. on Ch.7). Be there!

*”Farrah Fawcett: The E! True Hollywood Story” airs Sunday at 8 p.m.

*The History Channel’s ”Save Our History” campaign will receive the prestigious 1999 Governor’s Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

*On Sunday’s ”Leon Charney Report” (4 p.m. on WNYE): Discussions about Kosovo and newly elected South African President Thabo Mbeki.