Amid The Airwaves, An Island Of Nostalgia
So what is everybody’s little buddy, Bob Denver, up to these days?
The former “Gilligan’s Island” and “Dobie Gillis” star is teaming with wife Dreama for a weekly two-hour radio show featuring music from the ‘50s, ‘60s and early ‘70s, as well as Hollywood reminiscences.
It began airing this week in their home state of West Virginia, but they hope to take it national soon.
“We chose oldies because - I hate to admit my age - that’s my favorite music,” says Dreama, 47 to her husband’s 62. “That was really my era. Bob was in Hollywood working.”
The program also will feature segments from former “Gilligan” stars Dawn Wells (Mary Ann), who’s now the L.A. correspondent for an Australian television station, and Russell Johnson (the Professor).
Loose talk
Actor Nick Scotti, on his thing with Madonna (in People magazine): “When I think of Madonna, I don’t think of oinky-boinky. I would just call it a close relationship.”
Guess she’s not such a punk kid anymore
Soleil Moon Frye turns 21 today.
It wasn’t too hard for him to drop out of sight
Former child star Gary Coleman (“Diff’rent Strokes”) has been making a comeback of sorts, with a cameo in the “Austin Powers” flick and appearances in commercials for Klondike ice cream bars and ESPN. “It’s like a volcano,” the diminuitive Coleman, who’s also writing TV scripts, says of his career. “It explodes. Then it’s dormant and then it wells up again. Pretty soon, I’m gonna explode.”
She’ll still never eat lunch in this town again
Actress/writer Carrie Fisher, best known for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” movies (not to mention a controversial speech at this year’s Women Helping Women luncheon in Spokane), has signed with Universal Studios to develop and write comedy projects.
Actually, Ted Koppel keeps cracking us up
So which television celebrities make people smile the most? According to a survey by Pepperidge Farm, Rosie O’Donnell tops the list (named by 26 percent), followed by David Letterman (22 percent), Oprah Winfrey (16 percent) and Jay Leno (15 percent). Among the also-rans: Kathie Lee Gifford (4 percent) and Martha Stewart (2 percent).
Besides, he’s always got a pen in his hand
Bob Dole rattled off a series of one-liners on Letterman’s “Late Show” Monday, prompting the host to ask: “Have you just been sitting around writing jokes? It seems like your stuff is getting funnier and funnier.” Replied Dole: “Well, I don’t have anything else to do.”
But is it really Madonna, or just a mirage?
In the new tradition of big American stars not cheapening their images by doing U.S. ads but wallowing in commercial money away from Western eyes, Madonna is reported to have shot a 30-second Mitsubishi spot for Japanese TV that will earn her $11 million.
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The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by staff writer Rick Bonino