In medieval times, gargoyles were often placed...

In medieval times, gargoyles were often placed on buildings in the belief that they would ward off evil spirits.

But Building and Safety inspectors, as well?

That was the question at Hollywood’s Institute of Studio Makeup after a city worker ruled that the five grotesque figures on the company’s roof constituted signage and would have to be dismantled by March 2.

Damon Charles, president of the makeup artists school, protested that the leering creatures on Cahuenga Boulevard West are popular among local business people as well as camera-toting tourists.

“The rest of the building’s ugly,” said Charles, “but the gargoyles add a bit of beauty--and after all, this is Hollywood.”

As it turns out, the gargoyles may have reason to keep grinning.

Contacted by The Times, chief inspector Jim Carney said Friday that he plans to review the case, but his preliminary judgment is that the creatures are “merely architectural projections, not signs,” meaning they can stay put.

Carney pointed out that a similar ruling saved another company’s “moving mechanical statue.” He ruled the apparatus wasn’t a sign, though there was some question of what it was.

“It was described to us,” he said, “as a ‘transvestite clown wearing a tutu.’ ”

It’s in Venice, naturally.

Gone are the days when construction workers had only to remember to wear hard hats. This reminder was posted at one building site in Mar Vista:

“No Dogs, No Drugs, No Radios.”

Even if the dogs are wearing hard hats.

Give these educators a tardy slip:

Garfield High calculus instructor Jaime Escalante is slated to receive the 1990 American Education Award in San Francisco tonight, three days after he announced he is resigning from the school because of the “ingratitude” of fellow teachers and the disinterest of parents.

Radio personalities Joe Crummey and Phil Henry were alternating as hosts of a nightly talk show on KFI radio until recently, when the station decided to go with Crummey full-time.

For his last show, Henry chose the topic “kissing up,” though he used a more anatomically precise phrase. Whenever Henry or a listener related an instance of such behavior, a tape of a loud kissing sound played.

A KFI spokesman admitted that the station received “a few calls” from listeners who wondered whether Henry had chosen the subject of “promotions depending on your approach to the boss because this was his last show. But it was just a coincidence.”

Why was that trampoline on sale at a 50% discount in the Westside Pavilion the other day? Perhaps it had something to do with the message on the box:

“Sport of the ‘80s!”

Comedian Redd Foxx was paid $500,000 for his role in the movie “Harlem Nights” and spent $373,000 of it on “wine, women, song and gambling,” the Internal Revenue Service said. And what did you do on your vacation?