ALWAYS PLAYING L.A.'S MAGIC: TURNING LOSERS INTO WINNERS FROM DEFEATS TO ARRESTS, DREAMS REINVENTED IN LAND OF SECOND CHANCES.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer Los Angeles' junk bond junk bond, a bond that involves greater than usual risk as an investment and pays a relatively high rate of interest, typically issued by a company lacking an established earnings history or having a questionable credit history. king goes to jail for insider trading and pays a billion in fines, then re-emerges as a math teacher of inner-city minds and leading philanthropist. His name: Michael Milken Michael Milken As an executive at Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc. during the 1980s, Milken used high-yield junk bonds for financing and corporate takeovers. While his personal wealth was enormous, he spent two years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of securities fraud. . An assistant L.A. district attorney blows the Trial of the Century, then returns as a bestselling author and radio talk-show celebrity. Her name: Marcia Clark Marcia Rachel Clark (born 31 August 1953) was a prosecutor for the State of California, County of Los Angeles in the O.J. Simpson murder case along with Christopher Darden. . A struggling, twice-divorced L.A. mom fast talks her way into a job as a legal secretary, then spearheads a $333 million environmental settlement which leads to a smash-hit movie bearing her name: Erin Brockovich. Listen up Al Gore or George W. Bush - whoever loses this dimple-by-chad fight for the White House: ``Loser'' is just a state of mind. Ignore the obvious and reinvent yourself as a winner L.A.-style. Take that ultimate loser - Whittier native Richard M. Nixon, who may have been robbed of one presidential election victory, got kicked around in a bid to be California governor and was driven from the White House in disgrace. No shame, he died an honored man, Watergate just water over the dam. Or former Los Angeles Dodgers "Dodgers" and "Brooklyn Dodgers" redirect here. For the American football team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (football). For the Eastern Basketball Association team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (basketball). manager Tommy Lasorda, whose heart troubles forced him to retire after years of managing losing teams, only to re-emerge as manager of this year's Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. baseball team. Or actor Charlie Sheen, who tumbled over drug problems repeatedly and is a star again on TV, no questions asked. ``Only in L.A.,'' Brockovich, 40, of Agoura Hills, said. ``Hey, we're all winners.'' Brockovich should know. Twenty years TWENTY YEARS. The lapse of twenty years raises a presumption of certain facts, and after such a time, the party against whom the presumption has been raised, will be required to prove a negative to establish his rights. 2. ago, she moved from Kansas to L.A., only to bounce from sales jobs to electrical designer before becoming the indefatigable force behind the multimillion-dollar case against Pacific Gas & Electric. ``I was always behind the eight ball,'' said the dyslexic dys·lex·ic or dys·lec·tic adj. Of or relating to dyslexia. n. A person affected by dyslexia. legal researcher for the Thousand Oaks law firm of Masry and Vititoe, who now speaks coast-to-coast on family, health and motivation. ``I certainly love L.A. I think it's a great place to be and has many opportunities for anybody who wants to grab it.'' Politicians take note. L.A. is the second-chance saloon. L.A. is the perennial face-lift. The constant tuck, the inflatable chest. L.A. is Viagra. L.A. is where manifest destiny ended on the beach of manifest desire. ``Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing,'' Henry ``Red'' Sanders, coach of the 1955 UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX football team, once said in a quote that became immortalized as the wisdom of Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. There are more phoenixes flying over Los Angeles than seagulls. Even those of the 9-to-5 workaday world think they'll crawl out from the grind on top. Just ask Steve Whitmore, 50, of Simi Valley - son of actor James Whitmore and master of the L.A. remake. Twenty-five years ago he was a Hollywood bum who'd pawned a Straticaster guitar for a bottle of Old Grandadd. Since then, he's been a newspaper reporter and publisher and now handles public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most for Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca. ``L.A. is the best city in the world 'cause everything happens here,'' he said. ``I started out a loser, became a winner, became a loser, and now I've been winning ever since.'' Somehow, Angelenos always seem to come out on top. ``(Movie) executives lead a golden life: It's harder to kill them off than vampires in an Anne Rice novel,'' said Harry Shearer, the syndicated host of ``Le Show'' for public radio station KCRW-FM (89.9). ``You can redefine yourself by a nose job, a boob job boob job A popular term for breast augmentation, see there , or a new hair piece, or a series of Priceline commercials, and call yourself a winner,'' he said. ``The only exception to the rule that you can turn it around is the (L.A.) Clippers.'' Remember Michael Ovitz, the Hollywood power agent who got dumped as president of Disney? After a settlement package of cash and stock reportedly worth $100 million, he continues to remake Hollywood with production and management companies. How about Danny Bonaduce, the 1970s ``Partridge Family'' star infamous for his cocaine busts and assault on a transvestite trans·ves·tite n. One who practices transvestism. transvestite Sexology A person with a compulsion to dress as a member of the other sex, which may be essential to maintaining an erection and achieving orgasm. See Transsexual. prostitute? He now entertains listeners on morning radio on KYSR-FM (98.7). Then there's Rob Lowe, the Hollywood bratpacker shamed filming sex with a minor during the 1988 Democratic Convention. He now stars as a White House flak in ``The West Wing.'' Robert Downey Jr., who tumbled from ``Less than Zero'' to druggie drug·gie also drug·gy n. pl. drug·gies Slang One that takes or is addicted to drugs: "They're like druggies, but without drugs; they're drugged on their own apathy" inmate No. 5478610, then rocketed back to stardom on ``Ally McBeal,'' still shoots shows despite being arrested last week for alleged cocaine possession. No shame goes unforgiven in Los Angeles. Take Milken, now considered one of the world's leading philanthropists. His Milken Family Foundation Milken Family Foundation is a charity trust established by Lowell Milken and Michael Milken in 1982. External links
``His image went from ruthless to someone aware of his social responsibilities,'' said Mari Womack, an anthropologist at the UCLA Center for the Study of Women who specializes in media and popular culture. ``He managed to turn his image around.'' Remember Alan Robbins, the high-flying state senator from the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. driven to prison in 1991 as an admitted racketeer? He's now a real estate agent in Newport Beach. Heidi Fleiss, the Hollywood madam imprisoned im·pris·on tr.v. im·pris·oned, im·pris·on·ing, im·pris·ons To put in or as if in prison; confine. [Middle English emprisonen, from Old French emprisoner : en- for pandering, opened a HeidiWear fashion line, including handmade mugs and ``our original safe sex boxer shorts!'' Those who don't win in L.A. simply move on. ``If you can't win in L.A., you can always win in Las Vegas,'' said Sandra Tsing Loh, the commentator of ``The Loh Life'' on KCRW KCRW Kansas City Roller Warriors (women's roller derby league; Kansas City, Missouri) who lived in Van Nuys for many years. ``And if you can't win in Las Vegas, you can win in Reno.'' CAPTION(S): 7 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Charlie Sheen (2 -- color) Erin Brockovich (3 -- color) Marcia Clark (4 -- color) Michael Milken (5 -- color) Tommy Lasorda (6 -- color) Michael Ovitz (7) Richard M. Nixon |
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