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Morning News

Los Angeles: City of Cliches

Aired August 14, 2000 - 9:10 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Also today, we are about the city that is -- this is where the convention is being held -- we're talking about Los Angeles. Beyond all the delegation parties and posh Hollywood bashes beats the heart of Los Angeles.

Now our Anne Mcdermott takes an affectionate look at some of the city's lesser-known history and better-known cliches.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNE MCDERMOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Think L.A.'s a pretty wild place? Well, you should have seen it in 98,000 B.C. But eventually, all those sabertooth cats and immense mammoths that used to roam the area got themselves stuck in tar pits, while L.A. endured, as it has through fire and flood and an occasional great shake -- and ugly air. The Native Americans noticed it first, then Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo did.

They called L.A. the Valley of Smoke. But that didn't stop anyone from coming here. There was space here, and freedom, and fortunes to be made. Tons of money could be made in movies. And by 1914, with the success of "Birth of a Nation," movies were mostly made in L.A. And it wasn't long before the city became a character in its own films, usually playing the role of victim.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THEM")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: The city of Los Angeles is, in the interest of public safety, hereby proclaimed to be under martial law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCDERMOTT: This movie is "Them." The problem: ants. This movie is "The War of the Colossal Beast." The problem: a colossal beast. Audiences seemed to love seeing L. A. get its you-know-what kicked, probably because they get so sick and tired of seeing the city flaunt its gorgeous January sunshine during all those Rose Parades. But people who write about L.A. tend to ignore the sunshine. Raymond Chandler did. So does Walter Mosley, who says L.A. has a dark side of sorts.

WALTER MOSLEY, AUTHOR: It's a place where something occurs out of nothing. And there's a magnificence there, but there is a desert right under the surface. MCDERMOTT: Magnificent nothingness? Well, he could only be talking about Angelyne. You've seen her. Her billboards have been around since the '80s. Remember seeing one of them on TV's "Moonlighting," back when Bruce had hair? Well, cynics say the bounteous beauty is the perfect L.A. icon because Angelyne is famous for nothing.

ANGELYNE: I just love attention.

MCDERMOTT: So, are there lots of whackos in L.A.? We asked a writer and observer of the city scene.

PLEASANT GEHMAN, WRITER/PERFORMER: Yes, definitely, but they're usually fun whackos.

MCDERMOTT: The writer at her other job. You got to love it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love L.A.

RANDY NEWMAN, SINGER/SONGWRITER (singing): I love L.A.!

MCDERMOTT: Singer/songwriter Randy Newman sardonically celebrated a perky paradise of sun and surf. And that is part of L.A. So is its art: good statues, and statues. And don't forget the cool architecture here. Why, there's acres of culture. Yes, Disneyland is just down the road. And 45 years ago, it celebrated its grand opening with a once and future star.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD REAGAN, ACTOR: Ready for the official opening ceremonies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCDERMOTT: But never underestimate the power of sunshine to cause folks to overlook a little mayhem, or traffic. OK, no one overlooks the traffic, overlooks those 527 miles of car-crushing freeways. But once in a while, the traffic does seem to melt away and the lanes are clear and that old Bronco just zips along, but it doesn't happen very often. Anyway, there are worse things, like volcanoes in the middle of Wilshire Boulevard. Watch out, Angelyne!

But don't worry, L.A. survived. Somehow, it always does.

Anne McDermott, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: That's the Big Boy.

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