3/30/01

LC010330

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> ONE OF L.A.'S LEADERS AND POWER BROKERS IS ABOUT TO LEAVE OFFICE, BUT HE ISN'T ABANDONING HIS QUEST FOR SCHOOL REFORM.

JIM HILL>> MAYOR RICHARD RIORDAN IS ONCE AGAIN PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT A POOR SIX-YEAR-OLD IN THE L.A. SYSTEM HAD ONLY A 12 PERCENT CHANCE TO READ AND WRITE AT THE EIGHTH GRADE LEVEL, BY THE TIME THEY'RE 18, YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

VAL>> AND MADDOX & HEWITT ARE HERE TO REIN IN THE POLITICAL SPIN.

KERMAN>> CALIFORNIA'S ENERGY CRISIS BECOMES AN ISSUE IN THE MAYOR'S RACE?

HUGH>> AND AS GRAY DAVIS DRIVES ELECTRICITY PRICES SKY HIGH, HIS POLITICAL FUTURE HITS ROCK BOTTOM.

KERMAN>> ALL THAT AND MORE COMING UP ON MADDOX & HEWITT.

JESS>> RUDYARD KIPLING ONCE SAID, "IT'S CLEVER, BUT IS IT ART?"

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> YOU BE THE JUDGE. WE INTRODUCE YOU TO "THE DARK BOB" AND THE ALLSTARS OF L.A. PERFORMANCE ART.

VAL>> VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED. THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT, THE UNSEEN CANDIDATE. HIS NAME WON'T APPEAR ON A BALLOT, BUT MAYOR RICHARD RIORDAN IS A MAJOR PLAYER AGAIN IN THE RACE FOR SEATS ON THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD.

VAL>> THE MAYOR DOESN'T OFFICIALLY HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, BUT AS JIM HILL REPORTS, THERE'S NO LAW THAT SAYS HE CAN'T BACK HIS OWN SLATE OF CANDIDATES.

>> WELL, GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME BACK, MR. MAYOR. DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU AGAIN.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JIM>> MAYOR RICHARD RIORDAN IS ONCE AGAIN PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS. IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO HE THREW HIS SUPPORT AND MONEY BEHIND THREE REFORM-MINDED CANDIDATES, ALL OF WHOM WON. NOW HE'S DOING IT AGAIN, GIVING STRONG BACKING TO NEWCOMERS IN TWO RACES. ONE, A YOUNG BUSINESSMAN NAMED MATTHEW RODMAN. RODMAN IS CHALLENGING INCUMBENT, VALERIE FIELDS, WHO REPRESENTS WEST L.A. AND PART OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. SHE WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR SHE HAD LOST THE MAYOR'S SUPPORT.

VALERIE FIELDS>> WELL, WHEN THE REPORTER FROM THE L.A. TIMES CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT THE MAYOR HAD WITHDRAWN HIS SUPPORT, I SAID, WELL, YOU MUST BE WRONG BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE GRACE TO CALL ME TO TELL ME BEFORE THE PRESS KNEW ABOUT IT. BUT THE REPORTER WAS RIGHT AND I WAS WRONG, SO I WAS QUITE SURPRISED.

JIM>> THE MAYOR DEFENDS HIS CHANGE OF HEART. IT CAME AFTER FIELDS REFUSED TO OPPOSE THE NEW TEACHERS' CONTRACT.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I LIKE VALERIE FIELDS, BUT I THINK SHE HAS TO PUT CHILDREN FIRST AND I THINK SHE HASN'T BEEN STRONG ENOUGH, TOUGH ENOUGH, TO DO THAT.

VALERIE FIELDS>> FOR FOUR YEARS, HE HAD BEEN TELLING ME THAT HE THOUGHT I WAS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB AND, IN FACT, PUBLICLY CALLED ME HIS HERO AND TOLD ME TO DO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT. AND THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT I DID SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT AND HE DIDN'T AGREE WITH, HE WITHDREW HIS SUPPORT AND PUT ANOTHER CANDIDATE INTO THE RACE.

JIM>> MAYOR RIORDAN HOPES HE CAN MATCH HIS SUCCESS OF TWO YEARS AGO WHEN HIS CANDIDATES, GENETHIA HAYES, MIKE LANSING AND CAPRICE YOUNG, ALL DEFEATED INCUMBENT BOARD MEMBERS.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> THE PROUDEST AND MOST IMPORTANT THING I'VE DONE SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR WAS TO PUT CANDIDATES UP AGAINST SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT A POOR SIX-YEAR-OLD IN THE L.A. SYSTEM HAD ONLY A 12 PERCENT CHANCE TO READ AND WRITE AT THE EIGHTH GRADE LEVEL, BY THE TIME THEY'RE 18, YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THERE HAD TO BE A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE.

JIM>> THE MAYOR SEES HIS CHIEF OPPOSITION COMING FROM THE UTLA, THE POWERFUL TEACHER'S UNION. THEY CALL RICHARD RIORDAN THE "PUPPETMASTER". DAY HIGUCHI IS UTLA PRESIDENT.

DAY HIGUCHI>> HERE YOU HAVE A MAN WHO WILL NO LONGER BE MAYOR WHO WILL HAVE, IF HE IS SUCCESSFUL IN HIS EFFORT, PACKED THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY.

JIM>> ON THIS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, VICKI CASTRO, SHARES THE UNION VIEW.

VICKI CASTRO>> I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG WITH THAT, WHEN THERE'S ONE PERSON THAT CAN CONTROL AN ENTITY AS A SCHOOL BOARD.

JIM>> BOARD PRESIDENT, GENETHIA HAYES, SAYS ALTHOUGH RIORDAN BACKED HER TWO YEARS AGO, HE HAS NEVER PRESSURED HER ON ANY VOTE AND SHE DEFENDS HIS INVOLVEMENT IN BOARD RACES.

GENETHIA HAYES>> LORD KNOWS THAT HE'S RATCHETING UP THE PRICE TAG OF THE SEAT. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT IN THE LONG RUN, THIS IS A DEMOCRACY AND I THINK PEOPLE OUGHT TO BE ALLOWED TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN THINGS THAT THEY FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT. RICHARD RIORDAN IS PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION.

JIM>> LOS ANGELES POLITICAL OBSERVER, DAVID ABEL, THINKS IT'S FINE THAT RIORDAN, LIKE OTHER BIG CITY MAYORS, INVOLVES HIMSELF IN SCHOOL ISSUES. OTHERWISE, HE SAYS, THE UNIONS HAVE TOO MUCH CONTROL, BUT THERE IS AN ISSUE OF PROCESS.

DAVID ABEL>> AND THAT'S THE FAILURE OF THE MAYOR. NOT HIS DESIRE TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS, BUT HOW HE'S GONE ABOUT DOING IT.

JIM>> ABEL BELIEVES THE MAYOR SHOULD CONSULT WITH A WIDER GROUP OF PEOPLE BEFORE HE SELECTS HIS CANDIDATES. OTHER THAN GENETHIA HAYES, THE MAYOR'S CHOICES HAVE BEEN YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED. EXAMPLE? THE MAYOR BACKS 35-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSMAN, TOM RILEY. RILEY IS CHALLENGING INCUMBENT, JULIE KORENSTEIN.

JULIE KORENSTEIN>> MY OPPONENT IS A NOVICE. HE HAS NO EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION AT ALL. HE HAS NEVER ATTENDED AN L.A. UNIFIED SCHOOL, HE DOESN'T HAVE CHILDREN AT THIS TIME, SO HE'S NOT A PARENT.

JIM>> TOM RILEY SAYS HIS BUSINESS BACKGROUND SHOULD HELP THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH BUDGETING AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND HE PLANS TO HAVE CHILDREN AND SAYS HE'D LIKE TO SEND THEM TO HIS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.

TOM RILEY>> WE'VE GOT A TERRIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD, A LOT OF NEIGHBORS WITH KIDS AND NONE OF THEM SEND THEIR KIDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, AND THE CHILDREN AROUND HERE HAVE BEEN ROBBED. WE'VE BEEN ROBBED AS TAXPAYERS. WE DESERVE BETTER NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.

JIM>> KORENSTEIN SAYS THAT THE MAYOR'S SUPPORT FOR RILEY ISN'T ALL BAD FOR HER.

JULIE KORENSTEIN>> IN MANY WAYS, IT'S HELPED ME REALLY BRING MONEY AND ORGANIZE EVEN FASTER THAN I HAD ANTICIPATED BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF DOWNTOWN BUSINESS INTERESTS AND A MAYOR POURING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO BOARD OF EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS AND BUYING THE SEATS. THEY DON'T LIKE IT.

JIM>> DAY HIGUCHI SAYS THE TEACHER'S UNION IS RAISING MONEY FOR KORENSTEIN AND FIELDS, THOUGH IT WILL NEVER MATCH THE DOLLARS THE MAYOR CAN BRING TO A CAMPAIGN. BUT THE UNION CAN SUPPLY CAMPAIGN WORKERS.

DAY HIGUCHI>> WE ANTICIPATE HAVING HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE DOING THAT WORK AND DOING IT FOR FREE AND, IF YOU ACTUALLY PAID PEOPLE TO DO IT, IT WOULD BE A VERY LARGE SUM OF MONEY, BUT THAT'S HOW YOU BALANCE IT. IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOTIVATED AND HAVE FEET.

JIM>> MAYOR RIORDAN DEFENDS THE MONEY HE CAN BRING TO CANDIDATES, SUGGESTING IT HELPS LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> THE UNIONS HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF MAN AND WOMAN POWER, IN CONTROLLING THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR YEARS AND, OF COURSE, INCUMBENTS HAVE A MAJOR ADVANTAGE, SO YOU NEED A LOT OF MONEY TO GET NAME RECOGNITION FOR THE PEOPLE RUNNING AGAINST THE INCUMBENTS AND TO GET THEM ELECTED.

JIM>> AND ON THE ISSUE OF ACCOUNTABILITY, RICHARD RIORDAN SAYS HE'S HAPPY TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> WE'VE HAD NO ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR YEARS. THE UNIONS HAVE PUT THEIR PEOPLE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. NOT ONE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION OF LOS ANGELES COULD NAME MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND ESSENTIALLY THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY. AT LEAST NOW PEOPLE CAN SAY, BOY, THE MAYOR SCREWED UP BECAUSE HE PICKED THE WRONG PEOPLE OR HE IS SUPPORTING THE WRONG PEOPLE. AT LEAST THEY KNOW WHO I AM.

JESS>> JIM, ANY CONSENSUS ON WHO MIGHT WIN THESE RACES?

JIM>> NO, BUT IT CAN BE NARROWED DOWN CERTAINLY IN THE CASE OF KORENSTEIN AND RILEY. WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE, OF COURSE. WE'RE GOING TO SEE A WINNER ON APRIL 10. DON'T KNOW WHO THAT'S GOING TO BE, BUT WE'LL GET A WINNER. AS FAR AS VALERIE FIELDS AND THE RODMAN RACE, WE HAVE A THIRD CANDIDATE IN THERE. THIS IS MARLENE CANTER. SHE IS FINANCING HER OWN CAMPAIGN. SHE'S A BUSINESSWOMAN WITH AN EDUCATION BACKGROUND. SHE'S LIMITED IN HER MONEY, OF COURSE, BUT SHE HAS THE BACKING AND THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES. SO YOU COULD SEE A TIGHT RACE. YOU COULD SEE SOMETHING PUSHED INTO A RUNOFF ,THEREFORE, IN JUNE.

VAL>> NOW THERE IS A THIRD SCHOOL BOARD SEAT THAT'S OPEN THAT WE COULDN'T GET INTO THIS PARTICULAR REPORT, YES?

JIM>> THAT'S RIGHT. VICKI CASTRO, NOT RUNNING AGAIN. THE FRONT RUNNER THERE, REALLY, HAS TO BE JOSE [RIZAR]. HE'S AN ATTORNEY AND HE'S A FRONT RUNNER BECAUSE, FRANKLY, HE HAS THE BACKING OF THE MAYOR, THE BACKING OF THE UNION AND THE BACKING OF THE EAST SIDE POLITICIANS. THAT'S ABOUT ALL HE SHOULD NEED. HIS OPPONENT, RALPH COLE, IS RUNNING HARD, BUT HE REALLY HAS A TOUGH TIME EVEN GETTING ON THE RADAR AT THIS POINT.

VAL>> SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES. THANK YOU, JIM.

JIM>> YOU BET.

JESS>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES WEEKEND, ONE OF THE CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES TELLS US WHERE HE STANDS ON POLICE REFORM.

STEVE SOBOROFF>> AND IF OUR CITY ATTORNEY DOESN'T IMPLEMENT THE CHRISTOPHER COMMISSION REFORMS (SCRATCH), IF OUR CITY COUNCIL DOESN'T IMPLEMENT THE CHRISTOPHER COMMISSION REFORMS (SCRATCH), BUT WHAT THESE GUYS DO IS SAY, "NOT ME, NOT ME, LET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COME IN."

JESS>> THAT'S COMING UP TOMORROW AT 2:00 P.M. ON LIFE AND TIMES WEEKEND EDITION.

HUGH AND KERMAN, LOTS TO TALK ABOUT IN POLITICS THIS WEEK. VALLEY SECESSION, THE PUC RATE HIKES AND HOW, IF AT ALL, WILL THEY IMPACT ON THAT TOUGH MAYOR'S RACE?

HUGH>> WELL, I THINK WE GOT TO START UP NORTH IN SACRAMENTO, JESS, WITH THE PUC. LORETTA LYNCH ANNOUNCED AN UP TO 50 PERCENT RATE HIKE THIS WEEK ON TOP OF ONE IN JANUARY. THAT MEANS A LOT OF CONSUMERS' BILLS WILL BE UP BY 66 PERCENT OVER JUST THREE MONTHS. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL CALLED LORETTA LYNCH GRAY DAVIS' "SOCK PUPPET" THIS WEEK AND, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO LOS ANGELES TIMES COLUMNISTS, GEORGE SKELTON AND PETER KING, EVERYONE IN CALIFORNIA IS BLAMING GRAY DAVIS FOR A SPIRALING, OUT-OF-CONTROL WILDLY DANGEROUS THE ECONOMIC FUTURE OF CALIFORNIA'S ENERGY MELTDOWN. IN FACT, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL TODAY SAID, KERMAN, THAT THE COST OF THIS THING COULD BE MORE THAN $20 BILLION DOLLARS AS YET UNACCOUNTED FOR. IT'S A DISASTER FOR THE GOVERNOR, IT'S A DISASTER FOR THE STATE.

KERMAN>> I THINK IT'S REALLY BAD FOR THE GOVERNOR. ONE OF THE THINGS GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS, JESS AND HUGH, HAS BEEN SAYING IS THAT "I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. LORETTA LYNCH AND THE PUC MADE THE DECISION." WELL, IF ANYONE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT GRAY DAVIS, FIRST OF ALL, HE IS A TREMENDOUS MICRO-MANAGER. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. HE IS ON TOP OF EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON IN THE STATE CAPITOL AND, OF COURSE, ON TOP OF EVERYTHING THAT HIS STAFF AND APPOINTEES DO. SO THE NOTION THAT THE PUC DECIDED TO TAKE A VOTE AND RAISE RATES AS MUCH AS 40, 50, 60 PERCENT AND GRAY DAVIS DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. HE'S GOT $26 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE BANK. CLEARLY, HE'S GOT A LOT OF MONEY. DO YOU THINK THERE'S ENOUGH PUBLIC OUTRAGE TO BASICALLY CREATE A PROBLEM FOR GRAY DAVIS IN HIS EFFORT TO GET RE-ELECTED? NOW BE OBJECTIVE.

HUGH>> I AM. PRIVATE POLLING IN SACRAMENTO SHOWS THAT HIS NEGATIVES, HIS HARD NEGATIVES, DOUBLED OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS BEFORE THIS MOST RECENT PUC RATE HIKE. THE EXPECTATION IS HE WILL BE IN REVERSE TERRITORY WITH A HIGHER NEGATIVE THAN A POSITIVE WITHIN A MONTH ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AS I SAID, GEORGE SKELTON, THE COLUMNIST, IS THE ONLY GUY IN CALIFORNIA THAT THINKS HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS PUC RATE HIKE. SO AS THESE PRICES BEGIN TO HIT HOME AND BUSINESSES AND HOMES AND SCHOOLS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO GET CRIPPLED, LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO GET CRIPPLED.

HERE'S SOMETHING TO WATCH FOR. A LOT OF CITIES HAVE UTILITY TAXES WHICH ARE GOING TO GET LEVIED ON THE GROSS THAT YOU GET CHARGED. THOSE CITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE A BACKLASH AGAINST THEM AS WELL. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A REAL MELTDOWN IN GRAY DAVIS. INTERESTING COINCIDENCE, IN YESTERDAY'S WASHINGTON POST, PAGE C-1, THE FRONT STYLE SECTION, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER HAS PLANTED A STORY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE'S THINKING AGAIN ABOUT GETTING INTO THE GOVERNORSHIP. BILL JONES TOOK OUT PAPERS. YOU HEAR A LOT OF RUMBLINGS EVEN ABOUT THE MAN WE WERE JUST WATCHING, WHETHER RICHARD RIORDAN WILL GET INTO THE RACE.

KERMAN>> THE PROBLEM REPUBLICANS HAVE, JESS, IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A CANDIDATE. GRAY DAVIS CERTAINLY IS IN TROUBLE AS HE RELATES TO THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY CRISIS. MAYBE VOTERS MIGHT START TO BLAME HIM. UP TO THIS POINT, THEY HAVEN'T BLAMED HIM. THE PROBLEM --

JESS>> -- THEY BLAME HIM ONLY FOR INACTION.

KERMAN>> ONLY FOR INACTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S ENOUGH TO THROW SOMEBODY OUT OF OFFICE. THE PROBLEM REPUBLICANS HAVE, BILL JONES, YEAH, HE'S THE SECRETARY OF STATE. NO ONE KNOWS HIM. HE HAS NO MONEY. I DON'T THINK HE HAS A BROAD BASE. WILLIAM SIMON, HE'S A BUSINESSMAN, CAN'T MAKE IT HAPPEN. ARNOLD? I DON'T KNOW. THERE'S A LOT OF BAGGAGE OUT THERE AS IT RELATES TO ARNOLD. WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW. YOUR DILEMMA IS, YOU DON'T HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE RIGHT NOW.

HUGH>> YEAH, BUT JUST AS I WAS SAYING, RICHARD RIORDAN IS NOW GETTING PROPOSITIONED BY A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS WHO SAY, LOOK --

JESS>> -- BUT HE ANNOUNCED SOME TIME AGO THAT HE WASN'T INTERESTED IN --

HUGH>> -- DOESN'T MATTER. THINGS CHANGE. YOU NEED TO RIDE TO THE RESCUE OF THE GOLDEN STATE BECAUSE, TRULY, THIS IS NO SPIN, THIS STATE IS IN A WORLD OF HURT. PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE HOW BAD THIS CRISIS IS AND I DON'T MEAN JUST THE LIGHTS GOING OUT. THE FINANCIAL DOWNSIDE OF IT, THE CRIPPLING EFFECTS OF GRAY DAVIS' BAD PLAN. THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY A YEAR-AGO ACTION. HE'S GOING TO PAY A HUGE PRICE. REPUBLICANS WILL BE LINING UP AT THE DOOR WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS LIKE THEY'VE LINED FOR THE MAYOR'S RACE.

KERMAN>> WELL, LET'S SEGUE INTO THE MAYOR'S RACE BECAUSE THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY CRISIS HAS BECOME A PROBLEM IN THE MAYOR'S RACE.

JESS>> AND AN ISSUE.

KERMAN>> AND AN ISSUE. IT STARTED OFF WITH KATHLEEN CONNELL. SHE BASICALLY CRITICIZED GRAY DAVIS WHO, OF COURSE, ENDORSED FORMER SPEAKER, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, BUT SHE CAME UP WITH A PLAN WHERE SHE SAID SHE WOULD GIVE CONSUMERS REBATES IF THEY CONSERVED ENERGY AND SHE ALSO SAID SHE WOULD GIVE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES TO BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT WOULD COME AND RELOCATE IN LOS ANGELES. ON ITS FACE, ARE PRETTY GOOD ISSUES. 

BUT JIMMY HAHN BECAME THE CENTER OF CONTROVERSY. HE ATTACKED ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA AS BEING A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE WHO VOTED FOR THE DEREGULATION BILL THAT SPUN THIS WHOLE ENERGY CRISIS OUT OF CONTROL. THEN HE ACCUSED THE FORMER SPEAKER OF TAKING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE UTILITY INDUSTRY, IMPLYING THAT, BECAUSE HE GOT THAT MONEY, HE SOMEHOW VOTED FOR THIS DEREGULATION BILL. THE FORMER SPEAKER SAID IT'S NOT TRUE, EVEN THOUGH I VOTED FOR IT, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BASICALLY THE ENERGY CRISIS.

AND THEN S. DAVID FREEMAN FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER, WHO EVERYBODY VIEWS AS A POWER GURU, ATTACKED JIMMY HAHN AND BASICALLY SAID, IF JIMMY HAHN WERE MY LAWYER, I'D FIRE HIM. WHY DID HE SAY THAT? HE SAID BECAUSE JIMMY HAHN IS BASICALLY TELLING ME HOW TO DO MY JOB. JIMMY HAHN HAS SAID TO S. DAVID FREEMAN, YOU OUGHT TO DO A BETTER JOB TO MAKE SURE THE CITY OF L.A., WHICH IS OWED ABOUT $193 MILLION, DOES A BETTER JOB OF COLLECTING MONEY THAT OTHER CITIES OWE THEM FOR POWER THAT WE'VE SOLD TO THEM. SO YOU GOT A BATTLE GOING ON BETWEEN S. DAVID FREEMAN, JIMMY HAHN AND FORMER SPEAKER, VILLARAIGOSA.

JESS>> IT'S TIGHTENING THE RACE THEN?

KERMAN>> THE RACE IS REALLY TIGHTENING AND I THINK THE FACT THAT JIMMY HAHN ATTACKED ANTONIO TELLS YOU SOMETHING. ANTONIO IS MOVING IN THE POLLS ACCORDING TO ALL THE POLLS, SO YOU GOT TO GO AFTER HIM BECAUSE HE'S GOT MOMENTUM.

HUGH>> YOU KNOW, OUR GUEST TOMORROW, STEVE SOBOROFF WHOM WE JUST TAPED AN INTERVIEW WITH, IS QUITE CONFIDENT HE'S IN THE RUNOFF, BUT HE BELIEVES JIMMY HAHN HAS FALLEN LIKE A METEOR. HE THINKS THE NUMBERS ARE REALLY CATCHING UP WITH HIM, THAT HE'S PANICKED, HE'S BEGUN TO GET A LITTLE BIT WILD IN HIS ACCUSATIONS. HAVING DAVID FREEMAN THROWING THAT KIND OF A BRICK AT YOU, IT'S THE KIND OF THING YOU'LL SEE ON A MAILER NEXT WEEK. IF I WERE PAYING FOR HIM, HE WOULDN'T BE MY LAWYER. THAT'S A TOUGH THING TO SAY ABOUT A MAN. MY QUESTION IS, KERMAN, ARE WE NOW SAFE TO SAY THAT THE TWO PEOPLE IN THE RUNOFF ARE GOING TO BE AMONG SOBOROFF, HAHN AND VILLARAIGOSA? THE OTHER THREE ARE OUT OF IT?

KERMAN>> I THINK SO. I THINK WHAT HAPPENED --

JESS>> -- JOEL WACHS?

KERMAN>> I THINK JOEL WACHS REALLY HAS PEAKED, JESS, AND FOR SOME ODD REASON, HE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE MOVING. I LIKE JOEL AND I LOVE HIS STAFF BECAUSE THEY'RE SO GOOD AT CITY HALL, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, HE JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET BEYOND A CERTAIN POINT.

HUGH>> I'LL GIVE YOU ONE REASON. I'M SEEING HIS ADS IN ORANGE COUNTY. THAT'S NOT A GOOD MEDIA BUY.

KERMAN>> NOT MANY VOTERS OUT THERE?

HUGH>> NOT MANY VOTERS FOR (LAUGHTER) THE MAYOR'S RACE IN ORANGE COUNTY. SOMEONE SCREWED UP.

KERMAN>> I THINK IT'S JIMMY. JIMMY'S A LOCK. AND THE QUESTION IS, IS IT GOING TO BE STEVE SOBOROFF OR FORMER SPEAKER, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, IN THE RUNOFF?

JESS>> WE'RE ABOUT OUT OF TIME, BUT WHAT ABOUT BECERRA? IS HE GOING TO DROP OUT AND GIVE VILLARAIGOSA THE REST OF THE LATINO VOTE?

KERMAN>> I DON'T THINK SO AND I THINK IT'S TOO LATE. HIS NAME'S ON THE BALLOT RIGHT NOW AND I JUST THINK HE'S REALLY GOING TO HURT ANTONIO.

JESS>> THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.

HUGH>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> ONE PROGRAM NOTE. KMEX TV WILL BE AIRING A LIVE MAYORAL FORUM IN SPANISH THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 1, AT 9:00 A.M. THAT'S ON KMEX, CHANNEL 34, AT 9:00 A.M. AND, DON'T FORGET, THAT'LL BE 9:00 A.M. DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.

TIME NOW TO HEAR WHAT YOU, OUR VIEWERS, HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR BROADCASTS. LAST THURSDAY, WE REPORTED ON THE NEW CLIMATE OF VIOLENCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. STUDENTS ARE NOW EXPECTED TO TURN IN ANY CLASSMATES THEY OVERHEAR MAKING THREATS OR TALKING ABOUT VIOLENCE. MARSHA FRANCIS OF CULVER CITY WRITES:

"IF COPS WON'T TURN IN DIRTY COPS AND DOCTORS WON'T TURN IN INCOMPETENT DOCTORS, HOW CAN WE EXPECT KIDS TO RAT ON THEIR FRIENDS? JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ADULTS AVOIDING ADULT RESPONSIBILITY."

VAL>> AND ON TUESDAY OF THIS WEEK, WE TALKED WITH LOS ANGELES DWP CHAIRMAN, S. DAVID FREEMAN. AS YOU KNOW, DWP CUSTOMERS ESCAPED THE BLACKOUTS AND RATE HIKES THAT HIT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON USERS, BUT JOHN K. EHRETZ WANTS US TO BE CAREFUL WHO GETS THE CREDIT. HE WRITES:

"NO NEED TO GENUFLECT TO S. DAVID. L.A. STILL HAS A MUNICIPAL POWER BECAUSE THE UNIONS BALKED AT THE PROSPECT OF LOSING JOBS. TO MANY EYES, THAT COWBOY HAT SHOULD BE A DARK GRAY, IF NOT BLACK. HE IS A GOOD TALKER, BUT IF I WAS 'ADIRECTING TRAFFIC, HE'D BE HEADING THATAWAY'."

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) AS ALWAYS, WE WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS AND CRITICISM. HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE & TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

VAL>> IN TONIGHT'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS, PERFORMANCE ART IN LOS ANGELES. IT'S EXPERIENCING A REVIVAL OF SORTS, STEPPING OUT OF ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS AND PLAYING TO NEW AUDIENCES IN LOCAL NIGHTCLUBS.

JESS>> PART OF THE CREDIT GOES TO A MAN CALLED "THE DARK BOB". HE'S DEVELOPED A SERIES THAT SPOTLIGHTS SOME OF L.A.'S MOST INFLUENTIAL PERFORMANCE ARTISTS. THE WORK IS CUTTING EDGE. SOME MIGHT SAY OVER THE EDGE. YOU BE THE JUDGE. HERE'S A SAMPLE OF THE DARK BOB AND HIS ALLSTARS OF L.A. PERFORMANCE ART.

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>> PERFORMANCE ART IS A VERY UNGAINLY MONIKER TO HANG ON WHAT WE DO. IT'S REALLY BEEN GHETTOIZED FOR A LONG TIME.

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>> THERE'S BOTTLED FLUIDS AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. IT'S QUITE CREEPY.

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>> SOMEBODY SAID TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PERFORMANCE ART SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE JUST STARTED MAKING MUD PIES AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID AS A CRITICISM, AS A NEGATIVE THING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT'S TRUE. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK THAT THAT'S EXTREMELY EXCITING AND FUN FOR THE PERFORMERS AND FOR THE AUDIENCE. YOU KNOW, THERE IS THAT SENSE OF JUST ANYTHING GOES AND PEOPLE ARE JUST IN IT FOR THE PURE PLEASURE OF DOING IT.

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THE DARK BOB>> THE KNITTING FACTORY WAS A NEW CLUB AND THEY WANTED PERFORMANCE ART. YOU KNOW, THEIR HISTORY BACK IN NEW YORK IS THAT, THAT THEY DO MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE.

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THE DARK BOB>> YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ONE WAS JUST ME AND SOME FRIENDS AND IT WENT WELL AND WE DID IT AGAIN AND THEN PEOPLE KEPT WANTING US TO DO IT FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

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THE DARK BOB>> I THINK OF MYSELF AS A SINGER AND A COMEDIAN, REALLY. THAT'S ROUGHLY WHAT I'M DOING, BUT MAYBE I DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF BOUNDARIES SET ON ME THAT OTHER SINGERS AND COMEDIANS HAVE.

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THE DARK BOB>> I WAS AN ART STUDENT IN 1975, YOU KNOW, STARTING TO BE A PAINTER AND I KNEW THERE WERE LIVE THINGS GOING ON. I KNEW ABOUT THE HAPPENINGS IN NEW YORK. I KNEW ABOUT THE BEATNIKS IN THE 50'S AND THAT THERE WERE OTHER THINGS ARTISTS COULD DO. IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO EXPLORE THEIR CREATIVE SELF.

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ROCHELLE FABB>> WELL, I'M AN ACTOR AND ALSO A PERFORMANCE ARTIST AND I DO INSTALLATION ART TOO, SO PERFORMANCE ART ALLOWS ME TO DO WHATEVER I WANT. I MEAN, I CAN REALLY WRITE, CREATE, DESIGN AND STAR IN MY OWN DREAM BECAUSE I CAN EXPRESS MYSELF AS WILDLY AND AS FULLY AS I WANT TO, USING DIFFERENT MEDIUM.

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GEORGE HERMS>> I'M A SCULPTOR, I'M A JUNK SCULPTOR, BUT I DO LOVE THE THEATER AND I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN THE THEATER. I COME FROM THE 50'S WHICH IS ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM AND FREE-FORM MUSIC AND THAT'S WHAT MY ASSEMBLAGE WORK IS ABOUT, THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO MATERIALS THAT ARE NOT SACRED ENOUGH TO BE INCLUDED IN A WORK OF ART. WELL, THAT'S WORKING WITH FOUND OBJECTS. WHAT THE THEATER ALLOWS ME TO DO IS TO WORK WITH FOUND IDEAS.

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MICHAEL SAKAMOTO>> I'M A DANCER, I DO DANCE THEATER, PERFORMANCE ART, INSTALLATIONS, SUBVERSIVE GRAPHIC DESIGN. PERFORMANCE ART FOR ME IS ONE OF THOSE TERMS THAT YOU COULD DEFINE IT ANY WAY YOU WANT TO. IT'S A USEFUL TERM FOR THE ARTISTS BECAUSE THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY FEEL LIKE AS LONG AS IT'S LIVE AND THEY CAN SAY THAT THEY'RE PERFORMANCE ARTISTS AND, AT THE SAME TIME, BE VALIDATED. SO FOR ALL OF US FREAKS WHO DON'T FIT INTO THE ACADEMIC STRICTURES, PERFORMANCE IS THE WAY.

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ERIKA SCHICKEL>> I STARTED OUT AS AN ACTOR. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN ACTOR. YOU KNOW, I FEEL VERY OUT OF PLACE ON THE BILL OF PERFORMANCE ARTISTS BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF ONE. I JUST WAS SO EXCITED BY THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN JUST MAKE THEATER OUT OF WHATEVER YOU HAVE AT HAND, WHATEVER YOUR LOVES ARE AND YOUR INTERESTS ARE AND YOUR POINT OF VIEW IS AND SORT OF AN ASSEMBLAGE OF SORTS.

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ERIKA SCHICKEL>> IT'S STORYTELLING, IT'S MOVEMENT, IT'S CRACKING A JOKE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, GETTING NAKED. WHATEVER IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY BASIC TO JUST WHAT IT IS THAT ENTERTAINS US HUMAN BEINGS, YOU KNOW? WE LIKE TO GO LOOK AT EACH OTHER DO SCARY STUFF.

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ANDY DICK>> MOSTLY I'M AN ACTOR AND A LOT OF TIMES I'M A HIRED ACTOR. I CAN CALL MYSELF A PERFORMANCE ARTIST. I CAN GO ON STAGE AND DO WHATEVER I WANT. THIS ISN'T A PLAY, FOLKS. IT AIN'T STANDUP COMEDY. WE'RE NOT DOING A MUSICAL. YEAH, THERE MIGHT BE LITTLE BITS THAT I MIGHT PULL FROM ALL OF THOSE GENRES. 

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ANDY DICK>> TO ME, IT REALLY IS ABOUT PUSHING THE ENVELOPE, PUSHING THE ENVELOPE, GETTING RIGHT UP TO THAT LINE OF ACCEPTABILITY. YOU KNOW THAT STUFF THAT PEOPLE EXPECT. THE STUFF THEY EXPECT AND THEN JUST CROSSING IT JUST ENOUGH SO THAT THEY, OH, I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT. YOU KNOW, JUST TO MOVE THEM, WHETHER THEY'RE LAUGHING OR CRYING OR SHOCKED OR ANGRY. IT DOESN'T MATTER. I MEAN, IT'S PERFORMANCE ART.

VAL>> AND YOU CAN CHECK THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ALLSTARS OF L.A. PERFORMANCE ART. THEIR NEXT PERFORMANCE IS THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 1, AT THE KNITTING FACTORY IN HOLLYWOOD AND, AS THEY SAY, JESS, THOSE WHO CAN LAUGH AT THEMSELVES WILL NEVER CEASE TO BE AMUSED. (LAUGHTER)

[310-581-5369]

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