People talk 7/31/03

Oprah saying aloha to beachfront property

Oprah Winfrey, already the owner of 100 shorefront acres in Hana, reportedly is shopping for more Maui real estate.

Winfrey and Bob Greene, her friend and former personal trainer, have made offers on several properties in Kula, the Maui News reported Wednesday.

According to the paper, the maven at the helm of a multimillion-dollar media conglomerate has had some bids accepted and others turned down.

One sale reportedly under way is of the 31-acre Thompson Ranch. Jerry Thompson, whose father started the ranch in 1901, said Tuesday he "had mixed feelings" about the sale.

Down the road, Carmen Goble of Goble's Flower Farm said she told Winfrey's agents, "No way!" when they inquired about buying her property. "We are not selling," Goble said.

Lonely Maytag man retiring from popular roleThe face may be new but the Maytag Repairman will still be lonely.

Actor Hardy Rawls will take over the part of Ol' Lonely in Maytag advertisements from Gordon Jump, who's retiring from the role, the company said Tuesday.

"I've never been so excited about something in my life," said Rawls, 50, another veteran character actor. "I feel it's truly a heartwarming and lovable character that is so much fun to play."

Rawls has appeared in television shows including "Ed," "Law and Order" and "Judging Amy" and is known for his role as the father on Nickelodeon's "The Adventures of Pete and Pete." He also has appeared in movies, the theater and more than 300 commercials.

The 71-year-old Jump has portrayed Ol' Lonely, one of the most famous advertising characters ever created, since 1988. The late Jesse White originated the role in 1967.

Heavy D drops weight to win acting roles

Heavy D isn't so heave anymore.

Rapper-turned-actor Heavy D says he's dropped 135 pounds in the last year. Although he didn't say what he previously weighed -- or how he lost the weight -- Heavy D, whose real name is Dwight Myers, said the loss wasn't prompted by health concerns.

"I went on a couple auditions and one director was kind enough to say, 'Look, you would've had this part but you're not fitting, you're stifling yourself,"' he told the Television Critics Association last week.

"He was right. I kind of always knew it in the back of my mind, and I just woke up on a Tuesday and I just kept going."

Heavy D plays a mechanic in "The Tracy Morgan Show," a proposed show starring the former "Saturday Night Live" comic. It's not yet on NBC's fall schedule. Heavy D composed and performs the show's title theme.

The 36-year-old has no plans to lose the moniker he's used since he broke into the music business. Heavy D and the Boyz earned three Grammy nominations and scored a hit with "We Got Our Own Thang."

"There's a lot of checks involved with 'Heavy D,' so that name stays," he said.

His credits include the movies "Life," "The Cider House Rules" and "Big Trouble."

-- From wire reports