West Germany: Ayatullah You, NO Panties

As 20 million West Germans watched, a solemn Ayatullah Khomeini opened his arms to address a crowd of the faithful. The aged cleric was met by a hearty * round of . . . panties and bras tossed his way by impassioned women admirers. The 14-second TV skit, part of a popular satirical review, irked at least one viewer: Mohammed Javad Salari, Iran's ambassador to Bonn, who denounced the spoof as "insulting." Within days, Tehran had expelled two West German diplomats, closed down its consulates in West Germany for 24 hours and demanded an apology from the Bonn government.

West German officials, concerned the Iranians might spurn a request to help secure the release of two West German hostages in Lebanon, tried to mollify Tehran by explaining that West German TV programming is beyond government control. That, noted Bonn officials, was met with "limited understanding." The show's host, Rudi Carrell, first reacted lightheartedly to the Iranians' fit of pique, then contritely allowed that "my intention was not to annoy anyone."