Meet your hero and the intrigue might fly away

LARadio.com asked its readers, “What was it like the day you met your radio hero?”

L.A. Kings broadcaster Bob Miller remembered how he, as a kid, looked up to a Midwest announcer named Van Patrick.

Years later, Miller ran into Patrick in the press box at Milwaukee County Stadium and told him how much he enjoyed his work. Recalled Miller: “He said, ‘Thanks.’ Then, as he reached for the fly on his pants, he said, ‘Do you have a safety pin? My fly won’t close.’ ”

Commented LA Radio webmaster Don Barrett: “So much for meeting your heroes.”

Thanks for the warning

The real estate market is in decline but Doris Walden of Palm Desert came across a would-be seller who actually admitted to throwing out “high quality upgrades” on the property (see accompanying).

Adventurous dining guide

Today’s specials du column are:

* A mystery meat that may be of premium quality, if you get lucky, contributed by Thelma Broughton of Lompoc (see accompanying).

* And, for dessert, some misidentified spheroids that are somewhat the same shape as onions but quite a bit sweeter, contributed by Michael Sugar of Torrance (see photo).

Unclear on the Concept

Michael Hahn of Torrance was amused by the item of clothing shown hanging from a “nonslip” hanger in a catalog ad (see accompanying).

Blame him for reality TV

“The Farnsworth Invention,” Aaron Sorkin’s play about the largely unknown man who patented the first electronic television system, opens on Broadway this week.

After he had been muscled out of the business by RCA, that inventor -- Philo Farnsworth -- appeared on the 1950s TV show, “I’ve Got a Secret.” He was introduced as the inventor of a machine.

“Is this a machine that might be painful when used?” a panelist asked.

“Sometimes,” Farnsworth quipped.

And still, no one guessed what the invention was.

I Am Angeleno

I was disappointed to see that the disaster movie “I Am Legend,” starring Will Smith, takes place in New York City. The 1954 novel of that name, by Richard Matheson, is set in Southern California.

The lone civilized survivor of a bacterium pandemic lives in Gardena, where he is preyed upon by vampires (the novel was written before the arrival of gambling casinos in that town).

At one point, the poor chap is set upon by a gang of bloodsuckers while driving near the intersection of Western Avenue and Compton Boulevard (now Marine Avenue).

He runs them down with his car, which of course only delays, but does not kill them. At least his car insurance rates don’t go up.

miscelLAny

Maybe it’s the influence of Hollywood. I saw a sign in a downtown parking garage that had a discount rate for “Early-Bird Parking -- in by 9:30 a.m.” There are some parts of the country where 9:30 a.m. just wouldn’t qualify as early-bird time.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, 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