Underdog Hopes to Share Victory

--L. Douglas Wilder, who defied predictions when he was elected Virginia lieutenant governor, will raise money for an Underdog Fund to help other candidates confound conventional wisdom. “Doug was given the gift of political life by the people of Virginia. He wants to give something back in a tangible way,” said Paul Goldman, the architect of Wilder’s victory. The fund will “provide professional campaign expertise to selected ‘underdog’ candidates seeking non-federal office in Virginia and the other 49 states,” said the statement of organization that Wilder filed with the State Board of Elections. Goldman said Wilder will decide who rates as an underdog with a chance. After becoming the first black candidate of a major party for statewide office since Reconstruction, Wilder was given a mere 100-to-1 chance at victory. In November, he won with 52% of the vote.

--The Mexican Foreign Ministry confirmed that President Miguel de la Madrid and President Reagan will meet Jan. 3 in the border city of Mexicali, the government news agency Notimex reported. It said the meeting would be about various bilateral issues as well as regional and international questions. Reagan and De la Madrid last met in Washington in May, 1984. The Mexicali meeting will be their third as chiefs of state.

--Lord Laurence Olivier will make his music video debut in a clip for a Paul Hardcastle single “Just for Money.” Hardcastle, who wrote and produced “19,” a controversial synthesizer record about the Vietnam War that became an unlikely dance-club hit, has kept his focus on violence for his follow-up single. “Just for Money” has as its subjects the St. Valentine’s Day massacre and the great train robbery. Olivier was joined by actor Bob Hoskins in recording spoken parts for Hardcastle’s musical script. Hardcastle reached the legendary British actor through a network of friends, according to Chrysalis records. The video is filled with newsreel-style footage and sepia-tinted cameo shots of Olivier and Hoskins acting as commentators.

--Petros the Pelican is dead, Greek islanders of Mikonos reported. Petros, whose face clicked a thousand shutters, stopped on this popular resort island by chance in 1952 and stayed to become its mascot. “I don’t think there’s a bird in the world that has been photographed as much as Petros,” said Mayor Mathaios Apostolou of Mikonos. He said Petros was run over by a car and taken to the animal hospital on the mainland city of Salonika, where he died. Petros will be buried on Mikonos.