An Honest Answer, but Not Exactly Full Disclosure

Bill Nesbitt told Don Barrett’s laradio.com Web site that he recently received a random call from an Arbitron rep who asked him his favorite radio station. Nesbitt told her KLAC-AM (570). After all, he’s a disc jockey there. In fact, Nesbitt was in the middle of his shift when the Arbitron rep phoned.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The passing of the fifth anniversary of Orange County’s bankruptcy declaration brought to mind a flier that Merrill Lynch sent out a few years ago (see accompanying).

Certainly there was no free lunch from Merrill, which was sued by the county for some allegedly reckless investment strategy and wound up paying more than $450 million to settle the investigation.

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ON THE ROAD: James Vallone of Marina del Rey couldn’t help but notice the proximity of a Pennsylvania taxidermist to a diner (see accompanying). Wonder if the eatery serves bear or moose?

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EVEN UNDER THE MISTLETOE: Lorilyn Hart sent along a warning against smooching with turtles, though it’s not clear whether it also applies to stuffed ones (see accompanying).

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TEN YEARS AGO: In the 1989 UPI American Editors Poll, First Lady Barbara Bush finished in a tie for No. 1 female news figure with . . .

Zsa Zsa Gabor.

It was in 1989, you may recall, that Gabor slapped a Beverly Hills cop who had pulled over her car--a scene she reenacted in the movie, “Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear” (1991).

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A DATING CONTRACT WITH TEETH? As one who was single the first 42 years of my life, I’ve noticed a lot of dating service ads. But I’ve never quite run across one with a name like that of one Anaheim Hills firm. Its ad says its “service is so personalized, it’s like being introduced by mutual friends.” Very cuddly. But I’m not sure how many shy types would be interested in a dating service called . . .

Coyote Connections.

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HEY, THE FORUM’S STILL AVAILABLE! Spectators and some performers at Staples Center have remarked that the cavernous arena mutes crowd noise. Imagine how Democratic leaders must feel about that news, inasmuch as the party’s presidential convention will be held there in August. And a presidential convention is, of course, supposed to have an air of pandemonium as delegates deliriously embrace their candidate.

On the other hand, maybe the Democrats want the chilly atmosphere of Staples. A quiet arena would be more in keeping with Al Gore’s bland personality.

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OH, GO KISS A TURTLE: Daniel Dayton of Hollywood was in San Francisco recently to see the Macy’s Christmas tree lighting and one of the guest speakers was actress Joely Fisher, who is performing in “Cabaret” there. Fisher quipped that if the ceremony were in L.A. they would be lighting a big palm tree.

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ORANGE COUNTY MOVIE MOMENTS (CONT.): In “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), those rascally Disney animators sneaked in a single frame in which Belle’s lost father, crazy old Maurice, encounters a directional sign that says:

Newhall

Valencia

Anaheim

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IT ONLY THINKS IT’S GOING TO KILL THOSE TERMITES: Gary Gray of West L.A. noticed an exterminator’s truck that was carrying a liquid that was described as “deluded.”

miscelLAny:

You may recall that El Segundo-based Mattel declined to have Barbie appear in “Toy Story”--no one knew what a smash hit the movie would become. Now, Mattel’s profits are down, and so the sometimes overprotective company allowed the perky blond to have a part in “Toy Story 2.”

And Barbie has to take some kidding. In fact, the finale has the movies’ villainous toy, Stinky Pete, screaming in horror when he finds himself attached to a child’s backpack alongside Barbie.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053 and by e-mail at [email protected].