THE ZAPPER

John Walters

June 29, 1998

When we heard that gonzo rock star Ted Nugent was stalking whitetail, our first thought was, Uh-oh, backstage party run amok. Instead, the one they call Motor City Madman is the host of Spirit of the Wild (Outdoor Channel, Sunday, 5 p.m., and syndicated), a hunting series that promises to score well with the demographically viable heavy metal-heavy artillery crowd. In the premiere, Nugent, who comes off as a hybrid of Charlton Heston and Charles Manson, uses bow and arrow to bag a 10-point elk and a wild boar, the latter of which, come to think of it, might be a better title for the show.... Cuba as Cuban: Variety reports that Cuba Gooding Jr. (1997 Best Supporting Actor Oscar as wide receiver Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire) is slated to play Yankees pitcher and Cuban defector Orlando Hernandez in an upcoming film.