Punctuality counts for Bob Dylan’s gig tonight
OK, you lollygaggers and slackers. You know who you are, creeping late into concerts, stumbling into people’s picnic baskets on the lawn or elbowing folks on your way to your seat. Be warned: If you happen to have Bob Dylan tickets for tonight and you keep your untimely habits, you may miss one of the best performances of your concertgoing life.
Dylan, who has teamed up with Phil Lesh, is going on promptly at 7 p.m. No opening act, no fancy smoke machines; the troubadour plans to start warbling on the hour. So either leave early and take BART and the shuttle or carpool (the early bird program lets cars with four or more people get the sweet parking spots). You’ve been warned.
FIRST LADY OF FASHION: Jacqueline Kennedy (later Onassis) brought sartorial dignity to the White House, and now her fashion sense will be displayed as art in a museum next spring. The Metropolitan Museum of Art will showcase her attire from President John F. Kennedy’s campaign of 1960, as well as many state functions, in the Costume Institute from May 1 to Aug. 12, 2001. On hand will be the familiar fawn coat and pillbox hat.
“Jacqueline Kennedy is one of history’s great style icons,” said Hamish Bowles, a consultant for the exhibit. “Her profound influence on the way an entire generation wanted to look, dress and behave cannot be overestimated.” The exhibit marks the 40th anniversary of Jacqueline Kennedy’s becoming first lady. She died of cancer in 1994.
ARE YOU PICKING AT THAT SCAB? Some folks from the hometown, namely the Screen Actors Guild strikers, aren’t behind the winning team. After the L.A. Lakers beat Indiana on Monday, Shaquille O’Neal filmed one of those old, tired “I’m going to Disneyland” ads, and the SAGers think that stinks as much as his free throws.
Said representative Todd Amorde to Variety, “In a strike situation, there are no special circumstances. A scab is a scab.” SAG and AFTRA, by the way, are striking because they want “pay-per-play” residuals for network and cable TV commercials, while advertisers want to pay flat fees for both.
O’Neal’s agent Leonardo D’Amato justified it on the grounds that the fee went to disadvantaged children, so the commercial was more of a public service announcement. Meanwhile, advertisers are trying not to make it sound like a big deal that some athletes are getting around the strike. “Obviously, it’s something people see as symbolically important,” said Dan Jaffe, executive vice president of the Association of National Advertisers. “But far more important is the fact the advertising community has great solidarity” in the face of union demands. Did he mention slime makes a great glue?
A lawyerly type representing ANA and the American Association of Advertising Agencies pointed out that models were filming commercials on the sly, but didn’t want to provide names to avoid having the models and ad agencies picketed.
GAME OVER: The producers of “Sports Night” have called it a day. The sitcom, which was critically acclaimed (guess that’s why ABC had to kill it), said they decided not to make the big move to another network despite “intriguing offers.” There had been reports that another cable channel, perhaps HBO, was interested.
“We are tremendously proud of the two seasons’ worth of episodes that aired on ABC and felt committed to reviving the show only if this creative integrity could continue,” series creator Aaron Sorkin and executive producer Thomas Schlamme said Wednesday.
NO, THIS ISN’T HOW TO SPLIT STOCKS: One of the richest men in the world is about to go under the knife. A routine physical exam found benign polyps in Warren Buffet’s colon on Monday. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, says the multibillionaire investor will go under the knife next month. The only reason it released the information ahead of time, the company says, is because it didn’t want any nasty rumors floating around. Apparently, some circulated in Internet chat rooms in February and upset stock prices.
Today’s People Column was compiled by Vera H-C Chan from staff and wire reports. Comments? Write to us c/o the Times, P.O. Box 8099, Walnut Creek, CA 94596-8099. Or call 925-943-8262, fax 925-943-8362, or e-mail spin@cctimes.com.
Milestones
Nuptials announced: For Kevin Richardson and Kristin Willits. The 27-year-old Backstreet Boy married his longtime girlfriend Saturday. His brother Tim Richardson, who’s also the minister who performed the ceremony, confirmed Wednesday that the couple married at a church camp once managed by the brothers’ late father, Jerald. Another brother, Jerald Jr., was best man.
Medal granted: To Charles M. Schulz. After a letter-writing campaign from “Peanuts” fans, President Bill Clinton signed a bill Tuesday that grants the late cartoonist the Congressional Gold Medal, the country’s highest civilian honor and the one thing that Schulz a World War II veteran had desired. The 77-year-old cartoonist died in February of complications from colon cancer. His wife, Jeannie, is expected to accept the award.
Birthdays: Jazz musician Milt Hinton (90), former Secretary of State William P. Rogers (87), actress Irene Worth (84), singer June Carter Cash (71), musical conductor James Levine (57), actor Ted Shackelford (54), actor Bryan Brown (53), Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (52), actor Jim Metzler (45), actress Frances McDormand (43), rock musician Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth (38), singer Chico DeBarge (30), actress Selma Blair (28), R&B singer Virgo Williams of Ghostown DJs (25).