NoTORIous yard sale draws crowds, media

LOS ANGELES – Only in Hollywood can a yard sale for a minor celebrity escalate into a hyperventilated national entertainment event.

That’s what happened at the rented home of actors Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott off Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles’ Studio City area. Blowing out the past to make a fresh start, the newlyweds opened their house to all comers and offered their possessions for sale on Friday and Saturday.

The everything-must-go “Tory Spelling Dazzling Studio City Estate Sale” quickly reached feverish proportions that, even by Hollywood standards, teetered on the surreal. Ten TV news helicopters hovered overhead, camera crew trucks blocked the road resulting in traffic jams resulting in angry neighbors resulting in a police response. The paparazzi prowled Dona Lisa Drive angling for a glimpse of the couple inside.

Outside, legions of die-hard fans and publicity seekers converged, as well as ordinary people eager to possess a sliver of fame. Three fans of the television show “90210” took a flight from Boston to shop at the sale.

“We were the top news story all day in the entertainment capital of the world,” McDermott said on Saturday.

Not that the couple objects to publicity. The entire event was videotaped for Spelling’s VH1 show, “So NoTORIous,” a reality show loosely based on Tori’s life, except the program is scripted, in which the main character’s mom is portrayed as having an out-of-control shopping addiction.

Tori is the daughter of the late Aaron Spelling, creator of “90210,” “Dynasty,” “Melrose Place” and “Charlie’s Angels.” He left his wife, Candy, about $300 million, while Tori reportedly received less than $1 million.

The official reason given for the sale was McDermott and Spelling plan to open a bed and breakfast inn and raise their child outside Los Angeles (Spelling is pregnant). They have been looking at sites in California, including Ojai, Temecula and Idyllwild.

Inside the house, everything was offered for sale: wine glasses, jewelry, dresses, cabinets, lingerie, China and a dominatrix whip.

There were memorabilia from “90210” – they sold fast – as well as items from the “So NoTORIous” show – they barely sold at all.

One person paid $25 for Spelling’s plastic Starbucks mug – evidently a fair exchange considering the cup retained a smear of Spelling’s lipstick and came with her autograph. An antiques dealer paid $1,600 for a set of vintage Louis Vuitton luggage, figuring he can sell it for more.

By garage-sale standards, prices were largely haggle-proof, though people could pay with Visa and leave with their loot packed in Tori Spelling Estate Sale bags.

As many as 300 buyers stood in line for up to three hours; security personnel allowed only 20 shoppers in the house at a time.