Reel Life Episode in Long Beach

So, Long Beach was among the hip cities recently chosen by Robert Redford’s company for a new cable-TV channel that will show artsy, independent films.

A Sundance Channel rep told the Wall Street Journal that research shows Long Beachers “rent a substantial number of independent films compared with other areas.”

So what did the Journal’s smart-alecky headline over the story say? “One Explanation: There’s Little Else to Do There.”

Come on!

Long Beach is a sophisticated city these days. Gone are the days “when a chic haunt in Long Beach . . . was a place where the bartender didn’t wear a tattoo,” as a character says in John Gregory Dunne’s 1940s novel “True Confessions.”

Besides, tattoos are back in style.

THE GOOD SIDE OF BAD PARKING SPOTS: The Oakridge Athletic Club in Simi Valley posts a sign of consolation for those trudging to the club from the parking lot farthest from the entrance (see photo).

THE SUPES ARE INNOCENT! When he saw the awkward wording of the agenda for a recent Board of Supervisors meeting (see accompanying), Alan Simon quipped: “Seems like some politicians will arrange anything for attention.”

PARTLY RESTORING YOUR FAITH IN LAWYERS: A while back, this column mentioned that of the three lawyers running for a L.A. County seat on the State Bar Board of Governors, one was facing discipline charges and another had been disbarred at one time.

The third candidate, Clara Slifkin, had an unblemished record. And the winner? Slifkin, with more than 75% of the vote.

JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU WERE PAYING ATTENTION: OK, the license plate that says 2 XNTRK that my colleague spotted in Hollywood doesn’t refer to the trunk disposal of someone’s “ex’s,” as this column guessed.

R.M. Jones, Rick Shafarman and Debbie Hudson were among those who jammed the phone lines Wednesday to say it obviously stands for “Too Eccentric.”

“After all, the car was spotted in Hollywood,” Wayne Tanner added.

“No need to get the LAPD all excited!” said Dan Barron.

Not only did I misinterpret the letters but I forgot about the design of modern-day cars.

“Could you get 2 ex’s in one trunk?” asked Cathy Davis.

The owner of the plate called and confirmed the “Too Eccentric” interpretation.

Then there was reader Jim L. who said, “I understand there’s a prize for the 1,000th person who calls you.”

Sorry, Jim, you were only about the 50th caller.

READERS’ ATTACK, PART II: As for 111st Street, recently pictured here, John Anderson and Ed Coxe were among those who said it’s simple to pronounce.

“I think it’s pretty obvious that the guy who made the sign is a Tolkien fan,” Coxe said. “As anyone who has read ‘The Lord of the Rings’ can tell you, the story opens on the preparations for Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday!”

Too eccentric for me.

miscelLAny

A flier for the L.A. County Fair (Sept. 11-28) shows a photo of racehorses next to an item titled “Thundering Thoroughbreds,” a photo of flowers next to an item titled “Exotic Gardens” and a photo of the Righteous Brothers next to an item titled “Get Jurassic.” Commented Rod Gregson: “I know the Righteous Brothers are old but I didn’t think they were that old.”

Steve Harvey can be reached by phone at (213) 237-7083 (as so many of you learned Wednesday), by fax at (213) 237-4712, by e-mail at [email protected] and by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053.