"Call me Gary."

"Well, Gary, I respect your efforts to move up in the business. Best of luck to you."

Finally, he tried flattery. Extreme flattery. "What you've done here is just like what Woodward and Bernstein were doing with Watergate."

"Well," said the reporter, deciding that it was probably not worth the effort needed to describe to Wynn the thousands of interviews Woodward and Bernstein must have done to take down Richard Nixon's presidency. "I'll try not to let it go to my head."

Da Lost Career, Boss!

Every year, The Crimson puts out a Confidential Guide to Classes in September, complete with a famous person (or cartoon) on the cover. Thus in the waning days of every summer, the designated Guide assembler begins calling agents, attempting to persuade a star to appear. Sometimes it works, as in the cases of David Letterman, Spike Lee and Dennis Miller. But sometimes, for one reason or another, the star won't deign to pose for the cover.

Occasionally, however, persuasion isn't the hard part. A few weeks ago, the Confi Guide editor decided that Herve Villecheze, formerly Tattoo on "Fantasy Island," would be the perfect subject. While Villecheze has kept somewhat of a low profile the past few years, he does pop up occasionally--on Dunkin' Donuts commercials, for example.

A call to Creative Artists Agency, however, discouraged the reporter from seeking out Villecheze--but not because the actor was too famous to approach. "No, I'm afraid we don't represent him," said the agency's representative. "And frankly, I don't know who on earth would."