Does Newport council need a bad boy?

Noaki Schwartz

Is West Newport really ready for Councilman Worm?

While Councilwoman Jan Debay scrambled to find a potential candidate

to run for her West Newport seat this fall, rumors started flying like

elbows in a NBA game that Dennis Rodman was ready to play ball.

Rodman couldn’t be reached for comment -- a skill that takes most

council members a year or two to master. Rodman’s attorney, Paul Meyer,

said he hadn’t heard his client was considering running but would get

back to us. Right.

Even without a comment from Rodman, we can imagine his political

strengths.

He knows the ins and outs of the Newport Beach Police Department

better than anyone. He could swap makeup and clothing tips with Norma

Glover, who could be the council’s only woman by next year. And his new

rodmantv.com Web site means that you could catch Councilman Rodman not

just on Monday nights on Channel 3, but 24 hours a day.

And think of the inauguration ball at his Seashore home, nicknamed

Club 4809.

The idea has city officials intrigued.

“He should be good at dealing with issues on the rebound,” City

Manager Homer Bludau said. “His height should give him a different

perspective than any other council member. And hopefully he’ll invite

staff to some of his parties.”

Planning Commissioner Mike Kranzley even sees some leadership

qualities in the colorful local character.

“He could show real leadership in noise,” Kranzley said. “His insight

into noise would be helpful in our planning process.”

Former Mayor Evelyn Hart said she’d consider running his campaign --

if Rodman supports the Greenlight initiative.

“Minnesota has their Jessie [Ventura],” she said. “They would have

nothing on Newport if Rodman was on our council. What’s his number?

Carmen Electra could be his campaign manager, if not perhaps I would be.”

Rodman has a number of natural constituencies.

“He would get the basketball, the over 6-foot-5 vote, cross-dresser

vote, exotic car vote, people with dyed hair and piercings vote,” former

Mayor Tom Edwards said. “He’d probably be a shining light up there.”

Planning Chairman Ed Selich added that Rodman would probably get the

youth vote.

“Maybe that’s the way to deal with apathy and younger voters,” he

said.

The folks at some of Rodman’s hangouts -- Mutt Lynch’s and Cappy’s --

agreed to stand behind one of their best clients.

“Why not?,” Mutt Lynch’s manager, Mike Vayner, said. “He’s a good

customer. He could have his City Council meetings here.”

Surprisingly, local tattoo parlors were less than enthusiastic.

“Oh God, no!” said Melinda Kepner of Balboa Tattoo.

There are other problems. According to the city clerk, Rodman would

need to become a registered voter before he was eligible to run.

And Ridgeway pointed out perhaps an even more important question that

needs to be explored: “Would he run in drag or as a man?”

*

NOAKI SCHWARTZ covers Newport Beach.