
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 29, 1995                   TAG: 9505310028
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 7   EDITION: HOLIDAY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

PEOPLE

Gary Larson, who recently retired his cast of talking animals, boggling scientists and other assorted goofballs in ``The Far Side,'' was named Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year at the 49th annual Reuben Awards Saturday in Boca Raton, Fla.

In other awards presented at a convention of more than 300 cartoonists, Garry Trudeau won the for best newspaper comic strip; Dan Jurgens took the comics category for ``The Death of Superman;'' and David Silverman edged out the creators of Walt Disney Co.'s ``The Lion King'' to win the top animation prize for TV's ``The Simpsons.''

Crime writer Robert Graysmith, whose books include ``Zodiac'' and ``The Sleeping Lady,'' has been working on a book about the Unabomber for the past two years. ``I'm always fascinated with manhunts,'' says the author.

Graysmith's agent, who doesn't want his name known because he doesn't want to play hide-and-seek with the Unabomber, is getting ready for a book auction, reports the latest Publishers Weekly. Graysmith is optimistic that the bomber will be caught soon. ``By the time we get this done,'' he told Personals, ``they're going to have him.''

Larry King says he doesn't even pretend to be a journalist.

``Hey, I'm an infotainer,'' King tells the June 3 issue of TV Guide.

King, host of CNN's ``Larry King Live'' for 10 years now, says he doesn't worry that critics say he avoids tough questions.

``I never said I was a journalist. I'm just an interviewer,'' he said. ``I'm a conduit. I'm not here to judge people.''

by CNB