THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 4, 1994 TAG: 9411030067
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY BONKO
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
LOCAL TV NEWS and notes to consider while you wait for your decorative pillows to arrive from QVC:
Just think what the bill would be if the city had to pay for the publicity - The on-again, off-again visit to Norfolk by Vanna, Pat and the ``Wheel of Fortune'' gang is on again for early in 1995.
Robert W. Smithwick, the city's director of development, said he expects ``Wheel of Fortune'' to tape in Norfolk from March 29 through April 9 aboard a supercarrier based in Norfolk.
What aircraft carrier? Stay tuned.
``We're working now to firm up plans with the Navy,'' said Smithwick. ``Wheel'' is TV's most watched syndicated program, bigger even than ``Oprah.''
However, the eyes of the country will be on Norfolk long before Pat and Vanna spin the wheel in the old port city.
On Tuesday, election day, Spencer Christian of network TV's No. 1-rated morning news program, ``Good Morning, America,'' arrives in downtown Norfolk to beam out pictures from Nauticus, which looks sort of like an aircraft carrier.
While Virginia native Christian - he's a Charles City guy who has an English degree from Hampton U. - hangs out at the Norfolk waterfront, his comrades on the early show will be in Richmond. Charles Gibson and Joan Lunden focus on Virginia's hotly contested race for Charles Robb's U.S. Senate seat.
That will be a big day for Virginia on ABC, with famous filmmaker Ken Burns reporting on the state's Civil War history for ``GMA.'' Tyler Mathisen visits Charlottesville. Just in time for the November ratings sweeps, ``GMA'' takes to the road Monday on ``The Great Chesapeake Bay Bus Tour.''
Lunden and Gibson give up their limos for a bus. No sacrifice is to great during the sweeps. On Nov. 9, ``GMA'' completes its travelogue of Virginia with a visit to Mount Vernon. Is Virginia a picturesque state or what?
This time, we'll have Hugh Downs all to ourselves - Hugh Downs, who hosts ABC's ``20/20'' with Barbara Walters, will be in our midst Wednesday when he visits Virginia Beach to appear on ``The 700 Club'' and to do a book signing at the Wordworth Bookstore in the Founders Inn and Conference Center.
Downs will break out his pen for 90 minutes starting at 11:30 a.m.
His book ``Fifty to Forever'' springs from Downs' commitment to help make life easier for the aging and their families. Downs has done more live TV than anybody else. He started with Jack Paar in 1957.
You'll have a hard time finding a cabbie who will take you there - Beth D., a reader in Suffolk, asks if I know the address of Jerry Seinfeld's West Side apartment on ``Seinfeld.'' Yes, I do. Seinfeld on ``Seinfeld'' lives at 129 W. 81st Street. But I doubt if you'll find him staying there. The show is all made up, Beth. MEMO: (Call in your questions or comments about local TV to me on Infoline at
640-5555, press 2486 _ 3333 if you want to hear the TV tidbit of the
day).#SLC1VBONK04#SXlay#PG02E#PEVP #PD1104#BYLAYOUT ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Hugh Downs will appear on ``The 700 Club'' Wednesday.
by CNB