Signing It Over to the Hounds
In a city as large as Los Angeles, one comes in contact with dozens of tiny subcultures every day. Case in point: I stopped into Book Soup in West Hollywood the other night to pick up a few magazines and saw, huddled outside the glass door, a pack of autograph hounds who were licking their chops after dining on the Duchess of York.
The svelte Sarah Ferguson was at the bookstore signing copies of her latest book, “Win the Weight Game” (Simon & Schuster, 2000). But the middle-aged hounds weren’t interested in slimming down.
“Did she sign ‘Sarah Ferguson’ on yours or just ‘Sarah’? “ asked the apparent leader of the pack, scrutinizing a fresh signature on a handout photo.
“Are you sure this isn’t blobbing,” worried a pint-sized pug, dabbing the gold ink on an 8-by-10 with his finger.
“Be careful. It’s raining!” cried the lone female, horrified that her companion was about to carry his photograph out from under the store’s protective awning.
After the hounds were done pawing at one another’s pictures, they headed west along Sunset Strip to the Viper Room, perhaps hoping to score a sig from a celeb there.
Another night for the autograph hounds in Tinseltown.
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Allen B. Schwartz, knock-off king (and hero to those of us who can’t afford to buy designer), already is busy adapting the hottest looks from Sunday’s Golden Globes. On the L.A. designer’s drawing board: Keri Russell’s raspberry jersey Armani gown, Sarah Jessica Parker’s nude-colored Richard Tyler number, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Chloe gold-chain halter top and hip-hugger pants, and Julia Roberts’ stunning red Calvin Klein.
Schwartz’s versions of the Golden Globes’ looks will retail from $275 to $350. They are being shipped to the New York showroom today (can you believe how fast this guy works?) and will be in stores under the A.B.S. label in mid-March--just in time for prom season and the Academy Awards, which no doubt will breed another crop of copycat creations.
I was disappointed that ball gowns and ball skirts were noticeably absent at the Globes and in Schwartz’s adaptations. Those poufy skirts hide everything! Maybe I better pick up a copy of the duchess’ book.
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The sock puppet of Pets.com commercial fame is being auctioned on the Internet. (You know the little guy . . . he sings “Spinning Wheel.”) Proceeds from the sale of the puppet, which will appear in a new spot on Super Bowl Sunday, will benefit animal-related charities. The auction, which ends Feb. 3, is at https://www.amazon.com.
Bids were up to $15,655 when I last checked. All those game show winners must have some serious money to burn.
Booth Moore can be reached at booth.moore@latimes.com.
