People in the News for August 26, 1997

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997 | 9:38 a.m.

Can't we all just get along? Can't we all just stop the name-calling, feelings hurting, allegation-making, litigation filing? God, let's hope not -- People in the News would be a rectangle of blank newsprint instead of the smirking rundown of human unpleasantry that is it. For instance, in the nicest of all possible worlds, no one would have to file libel lawsuits against syndicated radio guy Don Imus. But here in the wretched world we actually live in, Imus said some things on the air about New York Supreme Court Judge Harold Rothwax that Rothwax somehow construed as unpleasant. "Senile old dirtbag," for instance. "Judge Scuzwax" and "embittered old fool enjoying the fruits of a failed and not-all-too-distinguished judicial career." Why the Imus over-bite? Rothwax had refused to let Imus' wife off jury duty. The harangue resulted in what Rothwax's lawsuit terms "embarrassment, ridicule and disgrace." He's seeking $50,000. Imus' response: It was all in fun! "(Rothwax) seems like a nice old guy," Imus says. "I don't know what the problem is."

Kennedy bashing

Kennedys, please! Act like the uncrowned American royalty you are! Cousins Joseph Kennedy (a Democratic congressman) and John F. Kennedy Jr. (figureheadish publisher of George magazine) have been tiffing lately over something Junior wrote in his magazine that Joe somehow construed as unpleasant. "Poster boys for bad behavior," Junior said, referring to Joseph (who secured a questionable annulment from his first wife) and brother Michael (who allegedly did more than drive the baby sitter home). That sort of candor has Joe stomping his tassel-loafered feet in anger. In fact, he had predicted things might get rough prior to the family football game last weekend at the Kennedy Hyannis Port, Mass., compound. And they did -- Joe sprained his foot. "They were on the same team," a spokeswoman said, downplaying the rivalry. "It was all in fun." At least Joe can claim he was fighting through the tackle of some beefy Kennedy in-law, apparatchik or hanger-on, right? Wrong. The Kennedys play touch football, of course.

Tom talks turkey

Tom Selleck: Call him a dirtbag, call him an embittered fool enjoying the fruits of a not-all-too-distinguished acting career -- just don't call him a Republican candidate. It seems New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd (who is reprinted in the SUN) wrote something that Selleck managed to construe as unpleasant. "Republicans are longing for another Ronald Reagan," she scribed, reporting that GOP gurus were recruiting Selleck to run for Congress. "If Mr. Reagan could make it after being upstaged on screen by a chimp ... why couldn't Mr. Selleck make it after being upstaged on screen by a baby ('Three Men and a Baby')?" Not true. "I have never seriously considered running for elective office," he says, "nor have I ever participated in meetings to that end." Well, he sure sounds like a politician. He compared Dowd's column to a supermarket tabloid, full of "half-truths and fabrications." Can't we all just get along? No, and thank goodness!

Compiled by Scott Dickensheets