Ah, That New-Car Smell
Concept: “California Dreamin’ 2000,” the VIP Preview Night for the L.A. Auto Show, with a special appearance by William Shatner, to benefit Homeless Health Care L.A.
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Road Test: Besides offering a sneak peek at the hundreds of sleek rides making their Southern California debut, this $75-a-head benefit also presents a restored turn-of-the-19th century carousel. Students from New York’s School of Visual Arts replaced the horses with the likes of Madonna in torpedo bra pushing a stroller, Andy Warhol popping out of a soup can and a latter-day Elvis serenading a “King”-sized TV dinner. William Shatner unveils the Kirk and Spock icon and utters what sounds like a joke about Kirk’s full head of hair, though, like most of the speechifying, it’s lost in the muffle and hiss of the low-octane PA system. “A friend of mine asked if I could help with this charitable event, and it was my pleasure to do so,” Shatner says afterward, making straight for the exit. Any cars catch his eye? “There was a spokeswoman that looked very good,” he replies, quick as a warp drive. “Looked like she could go 0 to 60 in five seconds.”
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Along for the Ride: Dustin Hoffman gets a stealth tour before even the VIP Preview guests are allowed in, then leaves, and the immensity of the L.A. Convention Center can only dilute what little star juice is left. (Not that the crowd’s fame threshold is very high--one guy kisses his program after it’s autographed by KCBS entertainment reporter David Sheehan.) Mixed among the glad-handing automotive marketing types is a smattering of local politicos, a few recognizable-from-somewhere-on-TV faces and a trio of visiting Pacers (Indiana, not AMC). “I consider myself real lucky that I happen to be in town for this,” says center Rik Smits, who’ll play the Clippers the following evening at . . . that place next door. Smits owns 30 cars, many of them vintage. “Still,” he says, “I like that Charger prototype.” And, as usual, L.A.’s most ardent autophile, Jay Leno, drops by. Another classicist--”I liked some of the concept vehicles, but I’m not much for modern cars,” he says--Leno nevertheless hasn’t missed an auto show in, how long? “I’m 49,” he explains. “So 47 years.”
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CELEB QUOTIENT: A barely audible Kirk, a barely glimpsed Dustin and Jay Leno. Better pickins’ at the Beverly Hills Car Wash.
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WOW FACTOR: Swing band, artsy carousel and first glimpse of the 21st century’s latest four-wheeled wonders. For car nuts, paradise by the dashboard lights.
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CHOW LINE: Self-serve islands of unremarkable pork lo mein, ribs, pasta and salad came standard. No-host bar gave cocktail-drinkers sticker shock. Cristi Ellen Harris and James Avery.
