People in the News for December 4, 1997

Thursday, Dec. 4, 1997 | 10:19 a.m.

Let's talk about the Clinton White House. Let's talk about "donations" at the Clinton White House. Let's talk about people granted serious access to the Clinton White House. Yes, and while we're at it, let's talk hard numbers at the Clinton White House: 224 wreaths, 1,464 bows and 47,950 lights. That's what it took to do up the joint for Christmas this week. You didn't think we were talking about ... well, anyway, the independent counsel on White House Christmas decorations went out on a limb and chose as this year's theme: Santa! "We wanted to see Christmas through the eyes of a child," Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday. And not just those children who happen to represent Asian business consortia, but all children! Sixty volunteers wandered the White House, decking halls and lighting the 36 trees. The tree in the Blue Room -- traditionally the fanciest -- sports ornaments donated by fashion designers, who were asked to create mini-outfits for Mr. or Mrs. Santa. Some participants: Oscar de la Renta, Isaac Mizrahi, Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger. The ensembles are "quite imaginative," Hillary sez. "Some even a little over the top."

Briefly

It was meant to be lighthearted, but in the end, the Minneapolis radio station fared no better than a clumsy London tabloid when it comes to propagating fake interviews. The station KQRS this week aired a tape suggesting Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre was staying in the hotel room of a woman not his wife. The morning disc jockey, posing as a room-service geek in the hotel where the visiting Packers were staying, supposedly talked to the woman, who admitted she wasn't Mrs. Favre and said the star QB was in the shower. Favre complained about the broadcast and the deejay admitted it was all a hoax. Quite imaginative but a little over the top -- he was promptly fired. Well! That's the last time we trust a morning radio show.

Compiled by Scott Dickensheets