Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 13, 1993 TAG: 9303130269
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: C-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
PEOPLE
Imagine riding a Ferris wheel for more than a month. 'Round and 'round and 'round, tens of thousands of times, day after day.Tustin, Calif., resident Jeff Block doesn't have to imagine it. He's the Guinness Book of World Records' Ferris-wheel-riding champion.
And on June 17, Block will begin a mission to outdo his own 37-day record ride.
As part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the first Ferris wheel, Block will eat, sleep and generally conduct his life (not counting shower and rest-room breaks) aboard a 1929 antique Ferris wheel. He won't get off again for 38 days and more than 30,000 revolutions.
"I never thought I'd do it again," Block said. "The first time was boring. It was hot. I missed my waterbed."
To pass the time, Block will chat with fair-goers, who will be allowed to ride the wheel's remaining cars. He'll also bring along a portable TV, radio and telephone as well as a few mystery novels and the daily newspaper.
Those amusements kept him going during his 1978 ride as he travelled 353.95 miles in 29,744 revolutions.
Flip Wilson faded into obscurity after his TV show went off the air in 1974, but he says he's enjoying the lower profile.
"I tell fans who ask me why I'm not doing comedy anymore that I'm a different person. I've grown and I've matured," he said in an interview at his Malibu, Calif., home.
Wilson said he's enjoying the good life, which includes recreational and spiritual passions ranging from hot-air ballooning and long ocean cruises to studying the works of philosopher Kahlil Gibran, author of "The Prophet."
Wilson, 60, made a rare public appearance Friday at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for a salute to "The Flip Wilson Show," which ran on NBC from 1970 to 1974.
Country music star Vince Gill did something nice for his wife, Janis Gill, Tuesday night in Nashville, where he took the Music City News Country Songwriters trophy for best song for "I Still Believe in You."
He called her to the stage noting: "There was one glaring weakness tonight. I felt the women were not represented. I want to give this award to her. She's been at this a long time [as a member of the band Sweethearts of the Rodeo] and she never got anything."