page 10
daily nebraskan
monday, October 13, 1980
'WKRP' star says show tries to relate to people
By Bob Crisier and Pat Higgins
What'i it like working with Loni Ander
son? Tim Reid, alias Venus Flytrap of
WKRP in Cincinnati," finds pleasure in
going to work.
"She never looks bad, which is begin
ning to bug alfof the other women on the
set," he said.
Reid was in town Sunday to promote
the first anniversary of the Centrum Plaza.
"WKRP" is produced by people with a
genuine interest in quality, according to
Reid.
We're not progressing beyond sitcom,
but we're trying to put sitcom in a perspec
tive that relates to people."
One such episode centered around
the Cincinnati Who concert tragedy of last
year.
"It happened in Cincinnati, it involved a
radio station in Cincinnati, so we couldn't
just go through life without mentioning it,
but of course the Networks didn't like it,"
Reid said.
"WKRP" has had its difficulties in
dealing with the corporate power structure
and its stubborn views on censorship. Ac
cording to Reid, "They are like the govern
ment or any other large political entity.
They are run by people who are not aware
of what the masses are thinking.
Quality programming
"If they begin to focus on what you
and I think, millions of other people
would say 'What the heck is going on.'
We're part of Mary Tyler Moore Product
ions and as far as production companies
go, they're the new kid on the block,"
he said. "They seem to strive for more
quality in programming. Most production
companies consider quality an after
thought, and it shows when the show
comes on the tube."
"WKRP" aims at a higher intellectual
vein in its viewers than many other shows
in its prime time bracket, and Reid is dis
criminating viewer in his own right.
"I'm not really a viewer of television,
surprisingly," Reid said. "It's a shame for
someone works in TV to say that, but I
really only watch about two hours of
prime time a week-"Barney Miller" and
occasionally 'Taxi" other than our show..
I'm really not all that torn up about the
rest."
Reid began his career as a stand-up com
ic, gradually working up through the ranks
of the network bit player to his present
rolein"WKRP."
"IVe done so many pilots I ought to
have a license to fly," he said.
Reid's comedy background has carried
through well to Venus Flytrap, who "is
sometimes very close to who I am, and
sometimes I don't even know who he is,"
Reid said.
Written some episodes
Reid is currently branching out to a dif
ferent vocation as a screenwriter.
"IVe written a couple episodes (of
"WKRP") and I want to do some more.
I'm really interested in movies and I'm
working on several projects now, but I
don't have anything definate lined up yet."
Reid made his committment to visit
Lincoln before the recent actors' strike
was settled. Reid expressed regret over the
settlement of the strike.
"I don't think that we won the strike.
The networks were content with just show
ing reruns, but contracts come up again in
three years and well be ready to negotiate
then."
"WKRP" is able to promote progressive
music on television, which has become
quite rare with the syndicated nature of
the networks. Reid listens to jazz, rhythm
and blues and rock music.
"I'm not really into New Wave, and
though I don't know if it's legal to say
this, 1 do a lot of taping."
"WKRP's" forte is the character devel
opment and according to Reid, "Howard
Hessman is a very hip- guy who can relate
to the culture very well, probably better
than I do. I think our character develop
ment has been very interesting over the
episodes ."
Reid had the dubious honor of being
named an admiral in the fictitious Nebras
ka Navy during his brief stay, to which he
commented, "Damn the torpedos, full
speed ahead."
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Photo by Mitch Hrdlicka
Tim Reid, who portrays Venus Flytrap on the series, "WKRP in Cincinnati."
Bargaining 'meter-ee' promises tacos and more
By T. Mami Vos
Lovely Rita Meter Maid
Nothing can come between us
When it was dark I towed your heart away
Standing by a parking meter
When I caught a glimpse of Rita
-The Beatles
Parking meter ... an ugly word-like wisdom teeth,
hernia, broke, time expired.
The parking meter was the brain child of Carl Magee
... an ugly name-like Hitler, Judas, Matahari, Tim.
Parking meters gross $252 million a year, needless to
say a good $12.50 of that is mine. I could have my own
"Are you familiar with 'Charlette's Web?' Hey, no,
really, it's a beautiful name. Could I just call you Rita?
"Rita, you look like my favorite sister and she would
never give me a ticket. Do you really like this job? Be
cause I'm a manager at Taco Inn and I think we could find
a place for you-building tacos, taking orders, cooking
beans. Why, in 20 years you'll have retirement, a bronze
burrito and a two week paid vacation to Mexico-think
about it.
"No, seriously, Rita . . . Wilber, I've been kidding
around with you for about 20 minutes, I know I parked
humor
newspaper, new socks, two efficiencies, a taco place of my
own, buy friends, influence . . . meter maids . . . profes
sors, go to "Fantasy Island," on $252 million.
"Excuse me, ma'am? Before you write out that ticket,
do you know who's car that is?"
Nothing.
"I didn't think so. Does the name T. Marni Vos mean
anything to you? . . . How 'bout Theresa Marni Vos? . . .
How about Vos? . . . ome people call me honey. . . please
dont give me a ticket. My mother's a drug addict, my
father left before I was born, I have 16 brothers and
sisters at home (we were Catholic). My only source of in
come is a paper route. IH be arrested, sentenced, six
months in the Big House. . . marked for life. . . not a lot
of fun.
"Chariette'sWeb?"
Wait. Wait just a minute, what do they call you?
Wilber? You're kidding, seriously?
at the handicapped meter, but the fact of the matter is
I've had a crushed cherchez la femme for years. Since
1969, it was a tragic car accident. . . you're not buying
this are you? And I don't blame you-the real fact of the
matter is I have a handicapped aunt, she never gets out of
the house. She said I could use this space. Not really,
that's a lie. She has a remote control wheel chair-I'm sav
ing her this space. She should have been here 20 minutes
ago, I hope everything's all right, this 5 pjn. traffic is
something else.
Meter-ee vs. meter-er
"Listen just between meter-ee and meter-er, are those
guns really loaded? Do you know Bo Jangles? -Go ahead
give me a ticket. . . if it makes you feel more Ike a meter
maid, go ahead. Without cars, where would you guys be?
Out on the streets, that's where. . . never mind.
"Would you guys really arrest me for not paying a
parking ticket?
"The state of Nebraska vs. T. Mami Vos.
"The whole state? Get serious, I have friends outs
there. As a matter of fact, I think someone's using my
name.
"Ms. Vos asked the officer if she loved her family."
"It was a joke. It was their poodle, FiFi, I was wonder
ing about."
Lovely Peter, tan meter man
something has come between us
When it was dark you towed my car away
Outside the fence at Triple A
I looked at my car in dismay,
A love decayed. . .
Peter and I would never play.
-T. Mami Vos