Back Talk 

MINNOW MAN: The next best thing to reruns of Gilligans Island? The first mate — in the flesh — smoking butts in your office. Bob Denver was in town last week for the launch of WWINTV. But he was also promoting his very own docudrama, Treasure Search. Sort of a "Rescue 911" approach to nationwide metal detection. Denver had not been briefed on the buried treasures in Lake Champlain. But he was happy enough to chat about almost everything else — life in West Virginia, the famous "lion" episode, Mary Ann, Ginger. Local talk show hosts had already grilled Gilligan on the relative sex appeal of his former female passengers. Without a trace of irritation, Denver rattled off the stats. Mary Ann: 75 percent, Ginger: 15 percent, Other: 10 percent. The Professor? judging from the requests for autographs, the little buddy has all diree babes beat. "It resurges like every four years," Denver says of his popularity. More than most flash-in-the-pan celebs can say. Maybe he should try running for office

THIRTYSOMETHING: The annual meeting of the Vermont Council on the Arts was held in the Vermont Statehouse this year — perhaps to acknowledge its historic creation there 30 years ago. Or to ponder the perfect juxtaposition of Bernie Sanders ranting about the bomber budgets under a prissy portrait of George Washington. But the proceedings were poignant. Even without reports on federal cutbacks, lifetime achievement awards tend to be. Bennington composer Vivian Fine was acknowledged for her musical contributions. Arthur Williams, for so many administrative acts of kindness — he actually hand- • delivered sculptures to our interstate rest areas. And poet Ruth Stone was honored for her exemplary verse and offspring. The wise and witty matriarch of the prolific Family Stone had two of three daughters in tow: painter Phoebe and writer Abigail. The cultural kudos were not limited to artists. The Burlington law firm of Paul, Frank & Collins got a prize for corporate philanthropy — for seven years, the firm has underwritten the Lane Series presentation of the New York City Opera. Four guys in suits came forward to receive the plaque, then fumbled around a bit trying to decide who should give the speech. At which point singer-songwriter Jon Gailmor leaned over and whispered, "Reminds me a little bit of the Academy Awards."

IN BRIEF: It was freaky enough going through old police records to investigate the murder of Mae Labelle — the Johnson Hotel worker who was shot five times by a stalker on the train platform in Essex Junction. Her untimely death in 1911 was the subject of a one-night art installation by 21-year-old art student Amanda Keeley, whose interpretation of the killing was designed to coincide with the arrival of a train last Tuesday night. The other coincidence was not planned. The event was originally scheduled for the empty lot where 18-year-old Timothy Ring was found dead last weekend. "It was eerie, I'll tell you that," Keeley says... It takes a quick wit to keep up widi Louis Manno and Jim Condon. Especially on live talk radio at six o'clock in the morning on WTKDR. Joy Hopkins holds her own. And will continue to at WZBZ-AM, now owned and operated by radio veteran Barry Lunderville. "I'm a big ham and now I get a little more air time," says Hopkins, who will host the "Joy Hopkins Show" every morning at 10 a.m. on 1070. Lunderville started out talking to Jack Barry. But the deal fell through, says Lunderville, because "Jack wanted to negotiate with someone else." Now Rush Limbaugh finally has some competition. From Gordon "aim for the head" Liddy... Sometimes it pays to be unknown. The Utrecht Blues Festival seeks out low-profile, cutting-edge acts for its annual musical extravaganza. The Unknown Blues . Band fits the bill, which translates into an all-expenses paid trip to Holland for Big Joe and the boys. Next week the band is off to Europe to recreate the sound on their latest album, Every Time I Hear that Mellow Saxophone. Check out the rehearsal Saturday at Club Metronome.