People

SLAMMIN' SAM TURNS IN FINAL SCORECARD

He was born in the backwoods. He made his first golf clubs from tree limbs and played the game in bare feet. But, over his nearly nine decades Slammin' Sam Snead rose to become one of the world's most-respected players of the game and won some 81 PGA events. In some ways his death marks the end of an era in the game. It may have been Arnold Palmer who mobilized an army of fans and brought golf out of the domain of the rich and famous into the lives of millions of Americans through television, but it was Snead who made all that possible. According to ESPN, Palmer always thought of Snead as one of the greatest athletes ... ever. Snead was lithe and limber. Even into his 80s he could approach a doorway and kick the top of the frame. The Virginia-born golfer remains the only player in the history of the game to have won major tournaments in six different decades. He was fun to watch, from his first Masters tournament in 1936 until his appearances on the Senior's tour. In recent years his health had deteriorated because of a series of strokes. He died holding the hands of his son and daughter-in-law. The gentle, soft-spoken golfer is now gone, but his contributions to the game and the memories and thrills he gave us live on. Sam Snead was 89.

MESSINA ESCAPES TICKET ON L.A. STREET

Popular country singer Jo Dee Messina had a run-in with the LAPD this week and didn't get a ticket. Consider her lucky; she was technically jaywalking while during a regular jogging regimen. CMT says that she had walked across half the street, then stood in the median. When she continued her jog a motorcycle policeman saw her and "pulled her over." It seems, though, that after examining the "lay of the land" the officer realized that a truck had been blocking the "Walk/Don't Walk" sign and he elected to only give her a verbal warning. Messina was in Los Angeles to perform "Bring on the Rain" at the annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Ironically, three members of the group McBride and the Ride -- reunited for the show -- did get jaywalking tickets while trying to negotiate another Los Angeles street.

MADONNA LESS THAN A STAGE SUCCESS

A lot of her friends thought that a stint on the legitimate stage would not only be fun for Madonna but might provide her with a way to expand her career. But when the 43-year-old diva's first night in the London play "Up for Grabs" was over, it was only her husband and close friends who rose to give her a standing ovation. People magazine says that the British critics weren't at all thrilled with her performance, said to be "wooden" and "rather nervous." One reviewer wrote that he thought that it might have been difficult for Madonna to be in a secondary role -- as just a cast member -- and not the center of attention, as she usually is.

MONROE BOOK TO SOON HIT SHELVES

In 1961 when Look magazine wanted a photo layout of Marilyn Monroe, it sent ace photographer Douglas Kirkland to the star's home to do the shoot. Now, according to columnist Liz Smith, Kirkland is about to publish a book that chronicles that memorable session and provides an interesting insight into the enigmatic sex goddess. The book, "A Night With Marilyn," details the session that produced some of Monroe's most memorable images. At one point in the shoot, according to Kirkland, Monroe suddenly surprised those in attendance by requesting that the room be emptied of everyone except herself and the photographer. She then posed in the nude, seductively masked within the folds of white satin sheets. That shoot, according to Smith, set the style for a ton of later shots of Monroe. Schirmer will handle the publication. The 40th anniversary of Monroe's death is in early August.

LOPEZ MOVIE ... SO BAD IT'S FUNNY

The new Jennifer Lopez movie, "Enough," isn't doing well in the press. Despite the movie's obvious star quality, several reviewers have been turning the film's title into fodder for a put-down, using phrases such as "Enough is enough" to pan the film. One particularly damning review comes from Eric Harrison. Writing in the Houston Chronicle, he compares the movie with "Showgirls" and the old Ed Wood films of the '50s, so bad they become funny in spite of themselves. In addition to the hapless tack of "Enough," the movie's plot borders on the preposterous. The movie has a serious scenario, though, a wife abused by her husband. In the movie Lopez learns to fight back. But, sadly, Lopez doesn't shine in the film.

GARY ALLAN ... IN THE KNICK OF TIME

Most people have never been behind the scenes at a major awards ceremony. During the years I was with the UPI Radio Network in Los Angeles I had the fun of being in the "press tent" on several occasions. On one of them I was just feet away from Dick Clark as he directed his music awards show and conducted intermission interviews. I was always amazed at the complexity of what has to go on behind the scenes and the number of "handlers" whose job it is to make sure that the right people are at the right place at the right times. It was easy to think that I was somehow in the middle of the Exodus scene in "The Ten Commandments," waiting for Cecil B. DeMille to yell instructions through a bullhorn. And, if you want further proof of just how you can get ulcers in such a situation, talk to singer Gary Allan. When rehearsals ran long for the recent country awards, producers decided the best thing to do was to send Allan home to change into his fancy duds. But when Allan was on his way back his limo was caught in traffic. Just seconds before he was to have gone on stage as a presenter, he finally arrived. A "handler" swept him toward the stage. He then walked on, with zero rehearsal, looking at ease and did his part. No one at home, according to country.com, realized that had the slot come seconds earlier, he would have been a no-show.

UPI DAILY SURVEY QUESTION NO. 340

Today's question is: "How many vitamins or supplements do you take (not prescription medications)?" Put VITAMINS in the subject line and send to [email protected] via the Internet.

RESULTS OF QUESTION NO 235 (TABLOIDS)

Last week we asked whether you often read or believe the tabloids. Here is a sampling of the replies: Melba says she believes the tabloids because "you have to believe what you see." She also says that quite often she finds out things that only show up in other papers a week later. And, you seldom find anything x-rated in them. Peggy shouldn't spend much time with Melba in an elevator. She's as anti-"tabs" as Melba is their champion. IMTU says that he loves the tabloids because "they give me the laugh of the week." DRthis says that whether you believe them or not, you have to admit they have tons of readers. Yorkie says he can't believe the way the tabloids trash gay people, witness the recent article about "no one wanting a match with an out-of-the closet wrestler." He adds that the photo of the supposed athlete is so stereotypical he nearly died laughing. Personally, it may sound odd for someone who fancies himself as a "legitimate journalist" to say this, but the tabloids have always served a purpose for many of us at the wire services. They have an uncanny knack of telling us who is about to die so we can get the obituaries ready. Of course, they have "accurately" predicted the death of Bob Hope ... more than two dozen times. NEXT: A credit card head count. GBA.