Elmo

Rozzell Sykes, founder of St. Elmo's Village, an eruption of rainbow-colored bungalows, sheds and garages set amid what was once the squalor of a decaying neighborhood, has died. A spokesman for the village said Saturday that Sykes was believed to have been in his 60s. The cause of his death Dec. 18 is unknown, pending an autopsy. Sykes was an artist with a self-developed style of craftsmanship when he came upon the area, along St. Elmo Drive near Venice Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, in 1961.

The glittering eyes of a child cuddling a Tickle Me Elmo doll on Christmas morning was the last thing on Jesse Carrasco's mind. For him and many others in a crazed crowd of 250 outside the Puzzle Zoo toy store in Santa Monica on Friday morning, this was a mission of conquest. Elmo is the toy this holiday season, after all, and they were determined to claim their prize in this ultra-hyped episode of American commercialism.

How did Elmo become the hottest property of the holiday season? Television was a huge catalyst, says Frank Reysen, editor of the New York City-based toy trade publication Playthings. Tyco provided daytime chat show host Rosie O'Donnell with hundreds of the fuzzy orange guys to give away to her studio audience back in October when the toy was still in plentiful supply. That and subsequent appearances on the show boosted its popularity, according to the manufacturer.

Above the fishpond inside the art oasis of St. Elmo Village is a sign bearing the creed: "If it is to be, it is up to me." As residents and supporters of the village plan its renovation, it's clear they have taken that message to heart.

"Kids Guide to Life," a new series from the Children's Television Workshop on the Sony Wonder label, offers humorous, educational help for preschoolers facing developmental hurdles. The series kicks off with "Learning to Share," starring Elmo, Big Bird, Grover, Oscar and other Sesame Street Muppet faves.

The man who brought life to an eclectic little complex of 10 bungalows called St. Elmo Village was mourned last week by more than 200 of his friends, relatives, students and members of the art community in a memorial service at First AME Church. Rozzell Sykes, who died Dec. 18, a week before his 64th birthday, was remembered as a man who believed that by working with what one has, anything can be accomplished.

"Did you see the billboard? It was so spooky--I mean, there was my face!" Demi (pronounced with the emphasis on mi) Moore involuntarily shivered. Few could miss the Sunset Strip billboard for "St. Elmo's Fire" that loomed outside the restaurant. Unlike many of her hipper-veneered peers, Moore made no attempt to mask her enthusiasm for "Elmo's," which features the 22-year-old actress in her largest role.

Days before Black Friday is a less than ideal time for Elmo, the inspiration for some of the most popular toys ever created, to have his name associated with allegations of sexual misconduct. Depending on who's being asked, the resignation of Elmo voice and puppeteer Kevin Clash over accusations of sexual relationships with teenage boys may put a damper on holiday sales of products based on the fuzzy red Sesame Street character. On Twitter, some consumers vented their distaste for Clash on such preschooler fare as Elmo toy planes, plush stuffed Elmos and Elmo puzzles.

Demi Moore has filed divorce papers in response to those filed by Ashton Kutcher in December. Moore is seeking spousal support from Kutcher, reportedly the highest-paid man in television, and wants him to pay her legal fees, according to a document obtained by TMZ. The reason for the split is the old standby, irreconcilable differences, which might also describe what arose during settlement negotiations the couple had been attempting over...

"My agent would like me to be working on a big movie for a major studio," Andie MacDowell said, the hint of an ironic smile on her lips. "But here I am instead." "Here" is Ealing Studios, which emphatically does not qualify as major, and where big movies are simply not made. The lot tells its own story; offices and corridors are painted in drab, institutional colors which recall the decor of Victorian English schools.