When It Comes to the Sheriff, You Can’t Believe Everything You See on TV

Edward Dorado of La Puente was channel surfing when an image of a startling newspaper headline suddenly appeared on his TV screen: “Sheriff Baca Resigns.” If you haven’t heard the news, it’s because the headline had nothing to do with the L.A. County sheriff. Rather, Dorado had tuned into a 1950s Disney series that starred Robert Loggia as a Western lawman named Elfego Baca.

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Make your reservations early: How feverishly are overseas destinations working to lure back American travelers? Writer Norm Sklarewitz of Hollywood received a news release touting a tour of the public restrooms of Seoul, South Korea. Cost is $24 for the two-plus-hour walking expedition, says the Korean National Tourism Organization.

Highlights include the opportunity to enjoy the “best night view [of Seoul] from a restroom,” a restroom that offers “unique paintings” and a third where guests may sample “Turkish Hakka cigarettes.”

Quipped Sklarewitz: “Why can’t the L.A. Convention and Visitors Bureau come up with ideas like that?”

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Places to go (cont.): Actually, several months ago I did find a private Web site that gave out tips on noteworthy restrooms in L.A.

Among those lauded were the facilities of the Hotel W in Westwood, which were described this way: “The black marble is exquisite and the porcelain could not be whiter. The most impressive thing, however, is the fine quality of the disposable towels.”

Alas, the Web site address seems to be defunct. I guess it went the way of a lot of other Internet businesses--down the toilet.

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Speaking of unusual tourist stops: Norm Laufe of Laguna Woods was traveling through Canon City, Colo., when he chanced upon a business operated by a husband and wife (see photo). “She has a beauty salon,” Laufe said, “and he details cars and is a taxidermist.”

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You think Beverly Hills stylists are expensive ... Maxine Young of Rancho Palos Verdes noticed a salon in Torrance with some eyebrow-raising rates (see accompanying).Wonder if the workers expect tips, as well?

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A little privacy, please! Carrie Beem and Lenny Langevin forwarded an ad for a house that sounds nice, except for the nosy neighbors (see accompanying).

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Stupid Criminal Tricks: An intruder who used a torch in an attempt to cut through the side of an ATM machine was arrested after he started a fire.

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Was a business student responsible for the goof? USC’s Daily Trojan reported that officers of the Student Senate “were bewildered to find that an extra $95,000 had been accumulating in the contingency fund for the last two years.” You know, I thought I heard cries of “Party time!” as I drove down the nearby Harbor Freeway.

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miscelLAny: The latest in memorable movie marquees comes from Frank Mulvey of West Hollywood, who offers this oldie from the 1950s in New York’s Times Square: THE MAN IN THE GRAY FLANNEL SUIT & ASSORTED SHORTS.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A 90012 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.