People and Events

A parrot named Jezebel is back on the ground and so is Earl Mallet, who was trying to retrieve his errant bird from atop a 90-foot eucalyptus tree in Altadena when he got stuck for more than four hours and had to be rescued himself.

Jezebel (who happens to be a boy parrot) took off for the trees when a back yard trash barrel on which he was perched toppled early Tuesday afternoon. Unable to lure his pet of seven years back to earth, Mallet finally borrowed boots and climbing spikes, then started his ascent about 6 p.m.

“I broke off a limb and held it up to him,” Mallet related. “He climbed down and I attached a leash to the ring around his leg. Then I started back down with him on my shoulder.”

Halfway down, however, the spikes caught in the wood, trapping Mallet. Daylight began to fade. Jezebel sat contentedly on his shoulder while frantic relatives and neighbors sent for help. County firefighters managed to get man and parrot down shortly after 10 p.m.--just as the Altadena Search and Rescue Team was arriving to handle the job.

“I would have slept up there and waited till daylight,” the 30-year-old diesel mechanic said Wednesday, “but everybody was worried about me.”

The Water Buffaloes, a convivial group of creative types and working stiffs who in the words of one member “act like the Kiwanis Club if they were 50 years younger,” has selected Miss Water Buffalo of 1988.

She is Kat Cassano, who already had the honor of being Miss Vista.

Cassano won over 10 other entries in North Hollywood a couple of nights ago. In the talent category, she offered to spell any word on request. Writer Dave Anderson said he is not certain she got them all right, but neither were the rest of the judges, “so nobody worried about it.”

The fourth annual competition was tough. There was, for instance, the young lady who called herself a human food processor and, in Anderson’s words, “demonstrated her talents at mastication with carrots and zucchinis. . . .”

Anderson said she was named “Miss Congeniality” for that display, “but you didn’t want to see it.”

In addition to Anderson, the judges included guitar player Robin Crosby from the heavy metal band Ratt, Grand Exalted Poobah Chris Bailey (manager of a car rental agency) and actor George Wendt, who portrays the beer-guzzling Norm on the TV show “Cheers.”

Anderson said writer-comedian Buck Henry was supposed to be on the panel but threw his back out--apparently while getting into his car to drive to the pageant.

Al Tuckman, 74, who came to this country from Poland in 1921, plans to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife, Sylvia, on July 3.

Last September, it didn’t look like the former Westwood dry cleaner would make it. That was when it was discovered that he had acute leukemia. One doctor said he had perhaps 30 days to live.

Tuckman underwent chemotherapy, however, and “as the days rolled by, I thought I was going to live.” He began inviting doctors to the party. Seven of them accepted--apparently thinking there wasn’t going to be any party.

Eventually, Tuckman emerged from the hospital. “I didn’t have any hair left,” he says. “The doctors can’t believe I survived.”

Seven doctors are now committed to attend the July 3 affair at the Marine City Club.

Mayor Edward Vincent of Inglewood (where the Lakers play) can now collect on his bet with Mayor Walter Moore of Pontiac, Mich. (where the Pistons play). Moore owes Vincent enough light bulbs to light up the Inglewood Civic Center. Also, Moore has promised to let Vincent drive a new Pontiac Grand Prix for two weeks.

And Rep. Mel Levine (D-Santa Monica), whose district includes the Forum, won his bet with Rep. Bob Carr (D-Mich.), whose district includes Pontiac. Carr owes Levine a basket of Michigan cherries and wine.

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and Detroit Mayor Coleman Young either had no bet or didn’t tell anyone about it.

Some local firefighters have won bets, too. The people assigned to Los Angeles City Fire Station 11 at 7th and Alvarado streets made their bet with Truck Co. 11 in Detroit.

The Detroit firefighters said the “sky’s the limit,” said Capt. Steve Ruda here, but the locals settled for some Detroit Fire Department T-shirts and hats. “Just a camaraderie wager,” Ruda said.