An honorary degree from Cal Poly Pomona to Bill Cosby, who had been named a “doctor of humane letters” in 1992, was revoked last week over allegations of sexual assault. Cosby was never a student there, but he has one further known connection to the university — playing a fictional professor.
According to an online history of the school, scenes for a 1994 television movie, “I Spy Returns,” starring original leads Cosby and Robert Culp from the 1965-68 espionage series, “were shot on campus during the summer (of 1993), with Cosby playing a retired secret agent working as a Cal Poly Pomona language arts professor.”
Reviews called the results “tired,” “dull,” “pathetic” and “really bad.” Maybe Cosby’s humane letters doctorate should have been rescinded on aesthetic grounds alone.
Valley Vignettes
• A senior with her wits about her alerted me that she’d received a phone call advising her that the IRS would be filing a lawsuit against her if she didn’t call a certain number in Washington state. She didn’t fall for it and informed the Sheriff’s Department, which told her they’d been hearing from a lot of people about those calls. “Is it worth a mention in your column to warn others that this old humbug is back?” she asked me. “I don’t want other elders who aren’t as savvy as I am to be scammed.” The day after her email, I got one of those calls myself, making me part of the in-crowd.
• John Speidel, 83, died Oct. 24. The Pomona man became a business consultant after a stint at General Dynamics, but his legacy is two buildings downtown. At nine stories, the InterValley Health Plan headquarters, built in 1967, is the business district’s tallest building. And in 2012, he and his son, David, successfully renovated the derelict Mayfair Hotel building from 1915 into apartments, a restaurant and a bar. Also, for the record, he was a really sweet guy.
Culture Corner
• Jacqueline Chase and Grace Moremen will sign their book “Loving L.A. the Low Carbon Way,” their guidebook to Metrolink trips from the Inland Valley, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at Graber Olive House, 315 E. Fourth St. in Ontario. (I have a copy already.)
• A pill that guarantees to cure racism, but with unwelcome side effects, is the hook for “Honky,” a 2013 satire by Greg Kalleres about race relations that will be performed by the boundary-pushing Ophelia’s Jump theater company. See the play at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday, 8 p.m. Dec. 4 or 4 and 8 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Theatre Company Performing Arts Studio, 1400 N. Benson Ave. in Upland. Tickets are $22 to $25.
• Christmas movies will screen each Tuesday at the Harkins 18 in Chino Hills: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (Dec. 1), “Elf” (Dec. 8), “A Christmas Story” (Dec. 15) and “The Polar Express” (Dec. 22). All movies are shown at 7 p.m. and admission is $5.
Online only
On my blog: two Daily Bulletin on Vacation photos with yours truly in San Antonio, Texas, and two meals at Rancho Cucamonga’s Java Bistro, perhaps the valley’s only Indonesian restaurant. Find out more at insidesocal.com/davidallen.
Pithy
My column Sunday about humorist David Sedaris’ visit to Claremont noted the wacky inscriptions he was writing in people’s books. On Facebook, Kimberly Cruea wrote: “He signed my book, ‘To Kim. There would be no sKim milk without you.’ How can you not love this guy?”
David Allen, a guy you may or may not love, writes Friday, Sunday and Wednesday. Contact david.allen@langnews.com or 909-483-9339, like davidallencolumnist on Facebook and follow @davidallen909 on Twitter.
