Making a Name for Himself

In an era where virtually everyone has a personal publicist, it probably comes as no surprise that America’s best-known house guest has hired one as well.

Brian (Kato) Kaelin, the O.J. Simpson house guest who is expected to testify soon in Simpson’s murder trial, has hired veteran Hollywood publicist Lee Solters to help him promote his career as an aspiring actor.

Solters’ clients over the years have included Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and Michael Jackson. Solters says he hooked up with Kaelin through lawyer Michael Plotkin and agent Raphael Berko.

“I told him I was interested in only one thing--career publicity--and not using O.J. Simpson as a device,” Solters said. He added that Kaelin has had to turn down some potential movie roles because he has to be available to testify.

As might be fitting for an instant celebrity, one of Kaelin’s projects is a part in a movie called “The 16th Minute.”

The title stems from the well-known Andy Warhol quip about how everyone in the future will be famous for 15 minutes.

Pulling the Plug

HBO is checking out of the hotel room network business.

Less than two years after a much-hyped debut, the company is shutting down effective April 30 its Visitor Information Network that provided hotel rooms a channel of tourist information.

HBO touted the service in letters to clients as providing “valuable information on attractions, shopping, dining, sports and recreation, night life, history, arts, current events and much, much more!”

Although the operation was in more than 250 hotels in 10 markets, industry executives said HBO’s venture never gained a meaningful foothold and has been a drag on the company.

One reason is an aggressive, crowded field of competitors, such as the Los Angeles-based Welcome Channel.

An internal memo to HBO staffers said the company had failed to “build a foundation” and was “faced with unanticipated competition from a wide variety of companies.”

Missing Persons

Fresh off the press is the first-ever “Who’s Who in Century City,” a guide to important people who work there sans a couple of prominent names.

Billed as something for “When you have no idea Who’s Who in Century City,” the publication comes from the Century City Chamber of Commerce.

Conspicuously missing are such office tenants as former President Ronald Reagan and billionaire Marvin Davis.

A spokesman for the chamber said that surveys requesting information were not returned by their respective offices, so the directory was printed without them.

Still, there are some well-known names in the booklet. One is singer Paul Anka, listed as president/treasurer of Paul Anka Productions.

Another is Century City lawyer Robert L. Shapiro, who might need the help of a Who’s Who listing himself, given the much lower profile he’s taken the past few weeks in the O.J. Simpson case with defense lawyers Johnnie Cochran and F. Lee Bailey getting most of the attention.