The Money Pit, and Other Movie Deals at the MTA

Is this the way the MTA is dealing with the never-ending stories about its mismanagement? A new sign at the entrance to its opulent headquarters says “Propaganda,” with a sign pointing inside.

Actually, it’s not an MTA sign (or even graffiti by an angry taxpayer). It was posted by a movie crew.

The use of the agency’s lavish temple (also known as the Taj MTAhal) as a film set is at least one heartening development. With the agency picking up a few thousand dollars each time a movie is made there, the MTA should have its $480-million building paid off in no time at all.

LANGUAGE! The Tantrum and Insurrection hair salons were pictured here earlier this year, but Steve Hoffmann noticed a Redondo Beach shop with an even more provocative name (see photo).

HEY, DON’T MOMS HAVE THEIR OWN DAY? Jay Lowy of West Hollywood found a Father’s Day brunch where fathers may or may not have been welcome (see accompanying).

THE MATERIAL GIRL’S MATERIAL: I mentioned the “Madonna Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” sign at her former residence, apparently intended to discourage tourists who have outdated star maps. Philippe Brieu of Westwood wonders if it’s also “a joke at another level.” He points out that Madonna recorded a song called “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.”

SPEAKING OF SONGBIRDS: Several readers pointed out that I was in error when I said a popular ballad was titled, “A Nightingale Sang in Pershing Square.” Actually, I was making a joke about the absence of the bird in L.A. I know the song is actually, “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.” In fact, I believe I’ve visited the park near the UC campus. Very pretty. Though I didn’t see any nightingales.

SCARY CAREER MOVE: Al Lewis, who was TV’s Grandpa Munster, is the gubernatorial candidate of the Green Party in New York. Lewis, 88, promises not to use the office as a steppingstone to the presidency (we’ve heard that one before, right?).

Some other TV characters who morphed into real-life political officeholders:

* Rowdy Yates of “Rawhide” (Clint Eastwood, Carmel mayor).

* Gopher Smith of “Love Boat” (Fred Grandy, Iowa congressman).

* Zelda Gilroy of “The Many Loves of Doby Gillis” (Sheila Kuehl, L.A. assemblywoman).

* Deputy Cooter of “The Dukes of Hazzard” (Ben Jones, Georgia congressman).

Unsuccessful candidates include:

* Pa Walton of “The Waltons” (Ralph Waite, who is again seeking a Palm Springs congressional seat against incumbent Mary Bono, Sonny’s widow).

* Mr. Sulu of “Star Trek” (George Takei, whom voters would not beam into an L.A. City Council seat in a 1973 race).

TO BOLDLY GO WHERE . . . (CONT.): A colleague visited a Star Trek attraction in Las Vegas that was open only to people at least 42 feet tall (see accompanying). You know, I think I remember the episode of that show about the 42-foot-tall creatures. Weren’t they the ones whose spaceships had sunroofs for their heads?

miscelLAny:

The “Best of L.A.” survey in the July edition of L.A. magazine begins: “You’d think the best of L.A. would be as obvious as Nomo’s fastball. . . .” Whoops! The Japanese star was traded to the New York Mets. Obviously the editors hadn’t noticed the sign at Dodger Stadium that says: “Nomo Doesn’t Pitch Here Anymore.”