Volume 2
Kevin Pollak, the San Jose-bred actor/standup comic/impressionist, ... is doing a lot. Apart from appearing nightly on Comedy Break ... he is a regular at L.A. comedy club The Improv and still manages to take his standup act on the road. And when he's not doing that, he finds that some of his time is taken up by casting directors who have recognized a comedian who can act.
He looks suspiciously ordinary and normal, which makes it all the more disorienting when, with windshield-wiper eyes, he turns into Peter Falk: It's eerily accurate impressions like this that have garnered him a loyal following. ...
Pollak says San Jose is still where his real friends and support system are. ... It was the promise of that support that led him to L.A. a couple years ago. ... And New York? He played New York for the first time last year and received a standing ovation. As he relates this triumph, the guard momentarily drops and he almost mists up. For the one and only time, I get a glimpse of well-deserved pride as I hear of the San Jose kid who went East and cleaned up.
--Christopher Monger, "Life in the Laugh Lane," March 27, 1986
Pollak now creates characters instead of impersonations. This year in particular is a watershed, with roles in The Usual Suspects, Miami Rhapsody, Canadian Bacon and Martin Scorsese's upcoming Casino. Despite his crowded schedule, he still finds time for the occasional benefit in his home town, such as his appearance on behalf of Castlemont School last January.
Advance Planner
The gay political action committee, BAYMEC, reports that it's out in force registering voters in bars frequented by the homosexual community. ... Treasurer Ken Yeager reports that 200 people have signed up already. "We don't ask their sexual persuasion," Yeager adds.
--Public Eye, April 17, 1986
Yeager, now a community college district trustee and candidate for the state Assembly, is undoubtedly hoping some of those folks are still registered to vote.
Political Pen Pal
The ever popular Norm Mineta shouldn't have much trouble keeping his seat, and is perhaps the only local office holder who could draw a crowd that overflowed into the parking lot for a simple headquarters opening, as Mineta did Sunday. His secret: The personable congressman stayed up for three nights signing 1,500 letters, adding handwritten notes to many of them.
--Public Eye, May 22, 1986
Hey, maybe that is why he quit: too many damn notes!
Spamming It Up
In the beginning there was Spam. It was developed during World War II, probably by the Germans. ... [Spam was] new in those days. It was an exciting time, the careless adolescence of technology. ... White coated lab technicians unlocked the secret of Cheese Whiz. ... There was a Nobel Prize for Preservatives. ... And if [Mom] decided to forgo convenience and cook from scratch, it was not necessarily a treat, for this was the era before the introduction of spices into the New World. No one in America had heard of a hot red pepper flake. ... Try as we might, we're still the children of our parents. We struggle through the spinach fettuccine with goat cheese and redwood bark when we'd really rather be eating chili mac.
--David Arenson, "Just Like Mom Used to Make," in Metro's first Taste, May 22, 1986
This meat still gets no respect. The latest Lollapalooza show at Shoreline featured a Spam-eating contest, and just last month Hormel Foods Corp., manufacturer of Spam, lost a court bid to prevent the newest Muppet--wild boar Spa'am--from making his movie debut.
Presenting Bill Graham
When it comes to promoting concerts, there's Bill Graham and then there are the rest. He's the Big Blue of rock. He's managed tours for the Rolling Stones, organized the most successful musical benefit show of all time, created legends and managed superstars. ... Graham, however, is no stranger to adversity. He grew up in orphanages after losing his father in a construction accident and his mother and most of his family in Hitler's death camps. ... The experiences have left Graham street wise, survival conscious and tough. ... It's easy to see why no other rock promoter has achieved the stature, respect--and occasionally contempt--that Graham commands.
What follows is an edited transcript of a conversation that took place [in June of 1986] on the Shoreline grounds.
[Bill Graham:] When you get into the world of high finance, they say greed, power and sex are the dominating factors of man turning on man and doing evil. Money is one of them. And I've seen it through the years ... I don't have many possessions, material possessions, but I live very well. I don't own a yacht, but I have two very good cars and a very nice home. ...
We're in a highly competitive business. ... Who wouldn't want to be in that business? It's action, women, drugs and flying ... I work by choice. I wish it wasn't as strenuous and as mentally pulling on the nerves ...
I have no need for another show, for another gig, for more work. If there's anything I'd like more of, it's what I'm taking more of, which is time for the private side of life.
--Dan Pulcrano, "Bill Graham: The Metro Interview," June 26, 1986
Bill Graham died five years later in a helicopter crash. Franklin Avery's cover portrait of Graham in front of the Shoreline tent has been transformed into a huge, colorful mural that hangs behind the bar at the amphitheater's entrance.
Daily Trouble
A number of local newsmakers are angry, hurt and growing ever more vocal in their criticisms of the news reporting in the San Jose Mercury News. ... Last week, former San Jose Councilman Claude Fletcher won a libel suit against the paper. The jury awarded him $1 million in damages--the largest judgment ever against a South Bay newspaper. ...
The valley's most powerful news organ, while winning praise for overall excellence, has grown arrogant, [critics] say, and is out of touch with the community it serves.
--Craig Carter, "Daily Defends Its Coverage," July 10, 1986
The Fletcher verdict against the Merc was overturned, and the newspaper's attorneys at one point slapped a lien on the former councilman's home, which might have gone unreported by the daily had not Metro reported it first. This early poke at the massive daily was a harbinger of things to come.
Yeah, Right
Shoreline Amphitheatre confirms that Grateful Dead shows scheduled for this weekend have been canceled, following the hospitalization of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia last week. Garcia collapsed at his Marin County home last Thursday. Publicist Denis McNally blames the sudden onset of diabetes on an infection from an abscessed tooth and general exhaustion following a tour.
--Public Eye, July 17, 1986
Some toothache. We should have known better. (We'd heard the rumors that his health problems were drug-induced, but didn't report the unconfirmed information.)
Done and Dirty Deal
Senate Democratic Whip Alan Cranston warns that the Reagan administration is positioning itself to take control of the war in Nicaragua after Congress approves a $100 million aid package for the contras. "I wonder how many members of the House who voted for contra aid knew at the time that the Reagan administration is preparing to take over management of the war once the bill becomes law."
--Public Eye, July 24, 1986
Right again, Alan. What he didn't know: Lt. Col. Oliver North and crew were already selling missiles to Iran and stashing the cash in Swiss bank accounts, in part to finance contra operations.
Belly Up to the Bars
Bars have always faced stiff competition from churches; the rise of fundamentalism can be attributed to the fact that many bars across the country have become fetid pits of noise, egomania and testosterone poisoning. It's up to all of us to ... return our neighborhood taverns to the temples of secular humanism they were meant to be.
--Richard von Busack, "Stalking the Perfect Bar," Aug. 14, 1986
In its first annual guide to bars, titled "Bars, Pubs and Better Drinking Establishments," Metro surprised many readers by locating 50 bars and pubs worthy of write-ups, including the now-defunct Acapulco Inn, Upstairs at Eulipia (nee Ajax) and Manny's Cellar. In '86, we wrote: "Everyone and anyone stops by. The place has been there for 25 years." The city since forced its closure and spent $5 million converting it into a historical site commemorating San Jose's first mayor, Thomas Fallon.
In 1995, we filled 15 pages with pithy descriptions of 275 establishments. Some that made it through 10 years of hard South Bay drinking and economics are the British Bankers Club, The Bank ("We're still open despite the cobwebs," jokes co-owner Jim Sullivan) and--though it's recovering from fire damage--Original Joe's.
Access Code
"Plainly, when people help somebody get into office, they have a greater likelihood of having some impact on their behavior than the people that did not help them get there. And that boils down to something that people in politics call access.'...
"When you have to make a decision suddenly on some issue ... if half a dozen people are seeking an appointment with you and one of them helped you get in office ... you're more apt to see the one that helped you get there. ...
"That's the least that campaign contributions should produce, and it's the most they should produce. There are people who sell their votes, but that's rather rare in public life. It's certainly quite rare in the Senate and is, of course, immoral and unethical and illegal."
--Alan Cranston, "The Metro Interview," Aug. 7, 1986
Apparently, he did more than grant access. Sen. Cranston chose not to seek re-election in 1992 after being reprimanded by the Senate Ethics Committee for intervening with federal banking regulators on behalf of savings and loan crook Charles Keating, a Cranston campaign contributor.
Off and Running
Former American Electronic Association executive Chuck Quackenbush, who's running for the state Assembly in the West Valley, was working the crowd and smiling over the fact that Gov. George Deukmejian and a 1988 presidential candidate, Nixon-era defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, will soon host fundraisers for his candidacy.
--Public Eye, Sept. 18, 1986
Armed with generous donations from insurance industry coffers, Quackenbush became state insurance commissioner last year.
Beat Reporter
Now it's time for the big question: What is the meaning of life? Or, more precisely, what is the meaning of this new column? The latter inquiry I can answer. ... [T]his section will follow the trials and tribulations of Bay Area bands and their struggles toward rock stardom.
--Rebecca Smith, first "Neighborhood Noise" column, Oct. 23, 1986
In the nine years since Metro's first local music column began, the words remain the same but the tune has changed. Not all bands are shooting for rock stardom; some favor jazz, hip hop, grunge or postpunk glory. Making it into local music history were the Kingpins (now defunct , despite a Star Search appearance and opening for Jerry Lee Lewis in L.A.) and Grey Matter (which sowed the seeds for Cottonhead).
Smith, then 17, has since earned a journalism degree, worked for the business section of an Austin, Texas, daily and today serves as managing editor of Metro's community newspapers.
Lockheed's Lockhold
Lockheed Missiles and Space Corp.--by far the biggest defense contractor in Northern California and the sixth largest nationally--has taken top billing in the Center for Economic Conversion's most recent edition of "Prime Military Contracts and the Bay Area." Lockheed's share was $1.9 billion, with FMC Corp. a distant second at $589 million.
--Public Eye, Nov. 20, 1986
Do you suppose Norm Mineta sent them a handwritten note of congratulations?
Remote Possibility
Eyes will be on Las Vegas on Friday where Steve Wozniak will be giving the first public demonstration of his first major invention since the Apple II computer. A multi-purpose hand-held remote control device ... the Woz widget promises to be much more than an instrument to turn on your VCR and stereo. Remember, this is the ultimate gadget by the ultimate gadget freak, and it has been two years in development.
--Public Eye, Jan. 8, 1987
Turns out Woz was too far ahead of his time. A number of universal remote control systems are manufactured but none has had much success in the consumer market.
Spreading Intelligence
Paul Cutter is talking again. He's telling stories of multimillion-dollar rip-offs, international intrigue, widespread corruption in high military ranks and murder. Last week, in several phone conversations from his current residence--the Federal Correctional Institute at Stafford, Ariz.--Cutter, formerly a San Jose-based journalist and intelligence operative who is now serving a five-year prison term for selling TOW missiles to Iran, repeated and elaborated on his claims that billions of dollars in arms were being sold to Iran in 1984.
--Jim Wake, "Irangate's Newest Twist," Jan. 22, 1987
After getting out of the clink, Cutter called from the Caribbean to invite Wake for a visit, where Cutter was enjoying the fruits of his apparently U.S.-sanctioned illegal arms sales. Wake declined.
On to March 1987-February 1988
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March 1986-February 1987
Laugh Trek
From the October 5-11, 1995 issue of Metro
Copyright © 1995 Metro Publishing and Virtual Valley, Inc.