INSIDE SCOOP

Maybe they should have gone to Las Vegas instead.

David Emmes and Martin Benson, co-founders of South Coast Repertory,

probably didn’t realize their luck Tuesday night when they showed up at

the crowded Costa Mesa premiere of the new trailer for the Theater

District.

But when it came time to raffle off a few door prizes, both Emmes and

Benson were holding winning tickets.

As it turned out, though, their luck didn’t do them very much good.

Benson’s exciting prize was a pair of tickets to see a show at the Orange

County Performing Arts Center, South Coast Rep’s next-door neighbor.

Emmes had the dubious fortune to win tickets to his own theater. He

politely declined to claim the prize.”I don’t know what to say when he

doesn’t want to see his own show,” commented master of ceremonies Jim

Woodin.

Things go bump in the night at the Pilot

Sometimes news happens where you lease expect it -- but should.

At about 9 p.m. last Sunday, four or so Pilot staffers unlucky enough to

work Halloween night were trying to put the paper to bed. A few of them

thought they heard thumping overhead, but dismissed it. So intent was the

staff on finishing work, nobody investigated the phantom footsteps to

find out what was -- so to speak -- up.

Only when photographer Sean Hiller left for the night did the source of

the noise become known. Equipped with his cellular phone, Sean called the

newsroom. “Hey, there’s a bunch of cops and fire trucks in our parking

lot,” hey reported. “You better come out here.”

Outside, police had arrested a young man for climbing onto the roof of

the Daily Pilot building and firing paint balls at passersby. Apparently,

his partner in crime had been taken to Hoag Hospital with injuries

sustained when an angered target stormed the roof and started a fight.

The Halloween-night story wasn’t reported since the infraction and

injuries were minor, and the staff was a bit spooked.