Still a Growth Business

The art of television punditry reached an art form during the O.J. Simpson trial, with everyone from defense lawyer Gerry Spence to author Dominick Dunne churning out opinions each night for the airwaves.

Now with the trial over, there are still plenty of pundits looking for exposure. Witness the just-published 1996 edition of the “Yearbook of Experts, Authorities & Spokespersons,” an 864-page encyclopedia of people willing to offer opinions on virtually any topic. Among the subjects:

* Joseph Weinberg, described as “the Abbie Hoffman of the pro-feminist men’s movement.”

* Patrick (The Kid) Collard, a Wisconsin private investigator who says he worked for the late actress Ginger Rogers.

* Norman Bergrun of Los Altos, who advances the theory that Saturn’s rings are “a huge polluted parking lot for extra-terrestrial spacecraft.”

* Rhode Island radio talk show host Duffy Dwyer, who calls himself “America’s Nuttiest Sports Nut.”

* “Professional practical joker” Tom Antion of Maryland.

* Timothy Travis in Orange County, part of “an enlightened millennium movement’ that urges such things as adopting phonetic spellings, such as changing “said” to “sed.”

It’s Not Just a Line

Daiwa Corp. wants people to know that there is something fishy going on with the company, but nothing to be alarmed about.

The Garden Grove-based sports fishing tackle maker, fearing that its name is being tarnished by the extensive media coverage about the billion-dollar-plus bond trading scandal at Daiwa Bank, put out a statement saying that the two firms are unrelated.

Daiwa Corp. is the U.S. operation of one of the world’s biggest tackle makers, and also has a golf division.

Still Thriving

There is life after the 1970s for doomsday economic authors after all.

One of the leading authors in the decade that produced scores of pessimistic financial tomes was Harry Browne, author of such best-sellers as “You Can Profit From a Monetary Crisis” and “How You Can Profit From the Coming Devaluation.”

Now Browne is seeking a new occupation--president of the United States. He’s a Libertarian Party candidate with a very 1990s World Wide Web page.

The Browne page outlines a biography (which notes he charges $500 an hour for consulting) along with a statement of support from David Bergland, 1984 Libertarian presidential nominee, lauding Browne’s progress. Said Bergland: “This isn’t an episode of ‘The X-Files.’ Not a re-run of ‘The Twilight Zone.’ Not a broadcast of ‘The Outer Limits.’ ”

Briefly . . .

Good news for long-suffering fans: Chicago-based Team Marketing Report reports that the cost of four average-priced tickets, two small beers, four small soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking for one car, two programs and two caps at a Los Angeles Kings game this year is 0.4% lower than it was a year ago. . . . UCLA Extension is organizing its “1995 Annual Tax Controversy Institute” this month.