"We thought she wanted to talk about the show," Morroni said. "This is a fundraiser. We decided we wanted no part in that kind of story."

Tipped off by Entertainment Tonight's persistent inquiries, the co-chairs said they beefed up security, notified the box office and discussed a media strategy with Joe Wrinn, director of the Harvard News Office.

Apparently, their precautions were wise.

By the time the box office opened, 90 minutes before the 8 o'clock show began, Hard Copy was rolling tape.

Crews from Entertainment Tonight, People, LA Premiere and the Boston Herald paced outside the rink, some interviewing ticket holders, all insisting upon entrance to the show.

"When I went up the stairs, they were taping me and asking questions," Morroni said. "I told them to turn off the camera, that they couldn't come in without press credentials. They were being really obnoxious."

The co-chairs said press continued to haunt the front door.

"The Boston Herald guy was trying to barge through the door," Rosen said. "Finally the police came to get me to talk to him."

"The Herald reporter got kind of offensive then," Rosen added. "He said, 'It seems like pretty poor planning not to have press passes available.'"

In a telephone interview yesterday, Boston Herald editor Jack Sullivan upheld the reporter's challenge to the organizers. He said the Herald is accustomed to being admitted to local events on the sole basis of its press credentials.

"We were disappointed that, as a legitimate organization, as one of the major Boston newspapers, we didn't get access to the event," Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the Herald would have covered the event despite the Kerrigan scandal.

"In hindsight, we would have covered the event anyway," he said.

But Morroni said the Herald had never called for a press pass, despite repeated notifications and press releases, and had not covered the event previously.

As it became more apparent that they would not be permitted into the rink, the frenzied reporters became more desperate.