The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 41

IK Inquirer SATURDAY February 29, 1992 MAG SECTION PEOPLE HOME MOVIES THE ARTS TV STYLE 1 ,4 Campaign ft comedy 4 ii Is f. Associated Preu As the subject of jokes, Bill Clinton is an early leader. Fans sit out a tornado, then sit in on the band In Florida, U2 brings them in from the rain. By Paul Davies SPECIAL TO THE INQUIRER LAKELAND, Fla. Dan Don-oghue wasn't going to let a little tornado keep him from seeing Bono.

So as a tornado ripped through this Central Florida town on Tuesday, causing more than $400,000 in damage but injuring no one, you'd have found ol' Dan outside the Lakeland Civic Center, hunkered down in his doorless red Jeep. The arena is where U2 has rehearsed since Feb. 20 in preparation for tonight's launch of the Zoo TV Tour, the Irish band's first American foray since 1987. "It was raining really hard," said Donoghue, 22, of ClearwaterThe wind was blowing and it was very cold. But I didn't care." The pay off for his stamina came when U2 took pity and ordered a security guard to escort Donoghue and about 50 other drenched fans inside to watch the rehearsal.

The gesture wasn't planned, said Bobby Melotti, Cellar Door production manager. "It had more to do with the weather than some whimsical ploy." The fans were seated to the side of the stage and told not to clap or take photographs. The four band members lead singer Bono, guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. tuned their instruments, then broke into "Zoo Station," the first song on U2's newest album, Achtung Baby. U2 played seven songs from Achtung including the first single, "Mysterious Ways" as the onlookers sat in awed silence.

Bono was having trouble with the last tune, "So Cruel," and eventually gave up and walked off stage, according to the fans. "I just sat there stunned," said Gilbert Gil, 22, of Lakeland. About midway through the 90-min-ute rehearsal, Bono jokingly asked his bandmates if they thought the fans bad received "their money's worth yet." Most thought so, considering the difficulty in getting a ticket to tonight's concert at the arena. U2 followers camped out for tickets for days, despite many outlets' ban on doing so. In Winter Haven, one U2 diehard hid in a Dumpster near the door of a ticket vendor.

Another parked his car outside a Lakeland ticket outlet and hid inside the propped-open trunk. Their anxiety was justified: The concert sold out in less than five minutes. (U2's March 10 show at the Spectrum also is a sellout.) Tonight's lucky few will apparently see a much different U2 and a stage more grandiose than that of the group's previous tours. The set is loaded with more props, lighting and videos than ever before, say those at the rehearsal. Visible through windows in the arena are about six German-made Trabant automobiles similar to the ones on the cover of Achtung dangling from the rafters.

The multi-color cars move up (See U2 on D8) Front-runners can be funny just ask Carson, Leno and Letterman. But how fair are the jokes, and what effect do they have on the voters? By Marc Gunthrr INQI'IHKK WASHINGTON HI HKA11 Bill Clinton is finally getting his message across. Unfortunately, he left it on Gennifer Flowers' answering machine. So said the noted political pundit Johnny Carson. David Letterman, meanwhile, joked that Clinton outspent the other candidates "by at least 2-1 on Valentine's Day gifts." And Jay Leno, after noting that Jerry Brown sleeps in the homes of supporters when he travels, cracked: "Big deal! So does Bill Clinton." It's no laughing matter for Clinton and it could become a big deal.

While stories about his sex life and draft record have disappeared from network newscasts and the front pages, he remains the butt of jokes from comedians who, in their own way, shape the images of candidates for national office. When it comes to presidential politics, Ted Koppel probably matters more than Carson, Letterman or Leno but not by much. Like commentators and columnists, comedians play a part in the national conversation about politics. Their humor can fix the image of a politician who is unlucky enough to become a constant target. Just ask Dan Quayle.

Long after Washington correspondents stopped picking on the Vice President, his image as a privileged, immature dolt was kept alive by the jokemeisters. His name, by itself, has become a punch line. "Dan Quayle is a classic example of a politician who became widely known through the late-night monologues, and it has not helped him one bit," said Richard Noyes, who studies campaign coverage for the Center for Media and Public Affairs, a media watchdog group. Even today, Quayle remains the politician most likely to be lampooned at comedy clubs. "Most comedians are still making fun of Dan Quayle, hoping he can stay in office." says Mark Ridley, who owns comedy clubs in the Detroit suburbs.

"It's still early to do much with the Democrats." That points up the positive side of being ridiculed before an audience of millions it means you've arrived. Of this year's candidates, George Bush, Clinton, and, recently, Paul Tsongas are the favorite targets. Jokes about Bob Kerrey and Tom Harkin are rare. And the first Larry Agran gag line is still waiting to be written. The negative side is obvious comedians aren't bound by the rules of journalism, or even fair play.

Lost in the laughter, for example, are the subtleties of Clinton's draft history or the fact that the charges of womanizing against him are unproven. 1 Associated Press President Bush's handling the economy is a source of jibes. it I Vl 'if tllg I 'J I 1 1 1 Ac, Jay Leno zings incumbents and hopefuls. David Letterman and other late-night comics jind politics a good source of material. But, in the weeks before New Hampshire's primary, it was a rare night on television when someone wasn't joking about Clinton's troubles.

As Carson said one night: "Everyday there's a new revelation about Clinton. They've got tapes, files, phone calls. Clinton could open up a presidential library before he gets elected." Repetition can transform an allegation into a fact, at least among those people who aren't paying close attention to the campaign. "If something's repeated a thousand times, no matter whether or not it was a fact to begin with, it becomes true," said Noyes, the media analyst. The only solace for Clinton may be that Tsongas and Bush have also been providing grist for the humorists.

Tsongas has mostly suffered gentle barbs about his dour demeanor. "If he were Santa Claus, Macy's would have folded years ago," quipped Mark Russell in his most recent PBS special. The Capitol Steps, whose political parodies are heard on National Public Radio, is getting laughs with a number called "The Tsounds of Tsongas," (See HUMOR on D8) Traditional style prevailed at the 4 A.A. '1', A 1 i 3j a i I a The ticket is AstKJCiDied Pru Paul Tsongas is twitted to a Simon Carfunkel tune. For '90s brides, the statement is understated cal researchers report in the British medical journal The Lancet.

The finding presents doctors with a new direction for trying to treat or prevent the cancer. The cat's meow Looking to perk up your income? Raise catnip. Leon Seidman, president of Cosmic Pet Products Inc. of Hagerstown, says he went from selling 1,500 pounds of "Cosmic Catnip" in 1973 to 70,000 pounds last year. While cats are the biggest fans of catnip, an aromatic plant that's good for feline digestion and spirits, humans have used it for years as a sleeping aid or to quiet children with colic.

Catnip tea helps settle a stomach, Seidman says. By Marc Schogol Compiled from reports from Inquirer wire services. 2LLt i W7 Th Philadelphia Inquire! CjfcHAU) S. WILLIAMS showing at Wanamakers in Center City. in 1 A day to remember If you're ever going to do it.

today's the day to go bissextile. No, it's nothing kinky bissextile year is the Latinized term for leap year, according to VS. News World Report. As you enjoy your once-every-four-years Feb. 29, consider that the chances of being born on leap day are 1 in 1,461.

The number of U.S. babies born four years ago today was 9,792. To life! Women, moderate drinking may raise estrogen levels after menopause and may explain why moderate drinkers have a reduced risk of heart attack. Alcohol may stimulate the body to produce estradiol, the same form of estrogen doctors prescribe to women after menopause to control bone loss and prevent heart disease, University of Pittsburgh researchers report in the Journal of Alcoholism. AIDS finding Good news on AIDS: Pregnant women infected with HIV pass only a single form of the deadly virus on to their children, a finding that could help in discovering a vaccine, researchers report in Science magazine.

AIDS finding II More AIDS news: Papillomavirus, a virus that causes genital warts, may be a primary cause of Kaposi's sarcoma, the most common cancer affecting patients with AIDS, medi By Mary Anne Janco SFKriALTOTHE INQl'IKER During the affluent '80s, glittering Dynasty-inspired bridal gowns, heavily beaded and luxuriously laced, with bold slits and plunging necklines, were the garments of choice for many brides. Year by year, the cry was for more sparkle, more lace and more daring, sexy details. How times have changed. With the more austere and conservative '90s has come a return to more traditional bridal gowns. Wear one of these when you walk down the aisle, and your great-aunt won't blush.

Glance through bridal magazines, peruse the bridal shops or attend one of the many bridal shows at this time of year, and you will find that the vast majority of gowns are elegant and understated. "Less is more," said New York designer Lynda Joy, whose bridal line was one of several highlighted at a recent bridal extravaganza at John Wanamaker in Center City. Bridal designers and manufacturers have toned down the glitz in deference to an era of refined taste that was ushered in with the '90s. They are also heeding the faltering economy, which has affected an industry that once was considered recession-proof. "It's a little sad for designers with the economy," said Joy.

"You can't really express yourself. You have to be realistic in this economy. Stores are buying what they know they can sell." Brides-to-be may be more price-conscious, but that does not mean bridal wear is boring. Bridal gowns of the '90s are as storybook opulent as ever but the model is Cinderella, not Madonna. Instead of minis and slits, the current gowns feature sweeping tulle skirts, off the- (See BRIDES on D8) '80s flash is gone.

Now, the is tradition. And the model Cinderella, not Madonna. Index Ann Landers D2 The Arts D3 Grandparentinn D2 Kids' talk D2 Radio highlights D6 Television D6 Music reviews: Ice-T D5 The Vienna Philharmonic D3 Teenage Fan Club D4 Television review: The Boys of Twilight D7 Theater review: WhenShe Danced D3 So ladylike: Applique and short sleeves are reminiscent of a more demure era..