The New York Post's Page Six is reporting that Lance Armstrong has hooked up with none other than an OLSEN TWIN. Ashley, to be specific. The report says they were "making out all night." And you thought you had heard it all.
My house's previous occupants never filled out a change-of-address form at the local post office, so I still get mail for them -- five years later. Last night, one piece of mail meant for these people provided me with a most surreal experience.
Perhaps it had something to with my state of mind. I was terribly fatigued, since my toddler woke up at 3 yesterday morning and refused to go back to sleep. Then I went through a mind-numbing shift at work, the kind that makes you feel like a cog in a machine.
So it was the perfect time for me to open the mailbox and find a catalog from Despair Inc., an Austin-based company that offers posters and T-shirts with faux motivational messages such as "Dreams are like rainbows. Only idiots chase them." and "Planning: Much work remains to be done before we can announce our total failure to make any progress."
Britney Spears (with a little help from her friends) spoke to Ryan Seacrest on his radio show this morning. If this is her attempt to improve her public image, she better keep trying.
It's appropriate that Deidre Hall's birthday is today, because she's the best demon-possessed diva to ever grace daytime television. Keep it wicked, Dr. Marlena.
Eddie Kaye Thomas, here's hoping that there's a new American Pie script waiting in the mailbox on your 27th. American Pie: Grown-Ass Men, perhaps?
And there are no words to express how we feel about Rob Van Winkle (aka Vanilla Ice, above), who turns either 39 or 40 today depending on what sources you believe. It makes no difference, though, because that fool is old. Too old to rock a fade in a video. Too old to get jacked by Suge Knight. Too old to rip [expletive] up on an MTV set. And too old to turn down the (very kind and generous, in my opinion) sexual advances of Treshelle on a VH1 reality show. Yep, all the good times are over for Mr. Van Winkle. He'd best just relive the old days by putting in an old CD of his and checking out the hook while the DJ revolves it. Kick it one time boyyeeeeee!
Here's another fun list: the 100 living geniuses, as published by Telegraph.co.uk. Determining factors were creativity and innovation.
Some notables of note:
4. Matt Groening (above)
20. Rupert Murdoch
26. The Dalai Lama
32. Prince (props to prince.org for spotting this list)
43. Osama Bin Laden
49. Stevie Wonder
58. Paul McCartney
67. Aretha Franklin
72. George Lucas
83. J.K. Rowling
94. Dolly Parton
100. Quentin Tarantino
Justice Society of America #10: In 1996, Alex Ross made a splash with Kingdom Come, a painted series about an alternate future of the DC Universe. Now that the DC Universe has been splintered into a 52-universe multiverse (don't ask), Ross has an opportunity to revisit that story.
Dynamo 5 #8: During my interview with writer Jay Faerber, he discusses how his family life informed this series about the five illegitimate children of a philandering superhero.
The Lost Books of Eve #3: I interviewed Arlington's Josh Howard when this series debuted in January. He told me then that it was supposed to be on a bimonthly schedule. And we're only on the third issue?
Immortal Iron Fist: The Last Iron Fist Story: Although I interviewed writer Ed Brubaker when this series debuted last year, I'll admit I never picked it up. But I've heard good things about it. Perhaps I'll buy this collection of the first six issues.
X-Men: Messiah Complex: Speaking of Brubaker, he wrote this one-shot that kicks off the next major crossover between all of Marvel's mutant books.
Special Forces #1 (of 6): I thought Rick Veitch was the only person in comics with the stones to parody the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in his Army@Love series. But it turns out Kyle Baker has something to say on the subject.
I can't tell you a whole helluva lot about him, but I will fondly remember his appearance in Beetlejuice, and his performance in Bart's treehouse on The Simpsons.
So Jennifer Lopez STILL is not confirming her pregnancy, but clothing designer Roberto Cavalli is. Cavalli talked to People about designing clothes for J.Lo's expanding belly. It is so complicated because every week she is getting bigger," he told People. Why can't J.Lo be a little more like Britney (gasp) and run around in a tank top that says "I have the Golden Ticket" with an arrow pointing to her baby bump?
Last Thursday, 34 hostesses (above) whose lives have been affected by breast cancer gathered at Bettina England's home on Turtle Creek Boulevard for a girls' night out that raised over $40,000 for the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Centers. The second annual event was founded by Heather Underwood, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. Funds raised from ticket sales and a percentage from vendors went to the centers, one of which is in Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. For more information, visit www.marycrowley.org.
Apparently, you can enter a contest to have Thanksgiving dinner with Ozzy Osbourne. Call me crazy, but that's something I would have never thought of. Wonder how that conversation would go? "So, Ozzy, could you pass the sweet potatoes?"
DFW runners are all abuzz about The Half, which takes place Sunday at White Rock at 8 a.m. It's the Dallas Running Club's premier event. Online registration closes in, oh, about an hour and 45 minutes, so if you haven't gotten your act together, head to the Dallas Run On! Wednesday through Saturday to register in person. There is no race-day registration. The Half is $60 for non-DRC members and the 5K is $25.
The race promises to be fun, fast and flat, so even if you're not running, get out there to cheer on the runners. They can always use your support!
Tim MacMahon over on the Cowboys blog says it isn't so, putting my mind at ease.
Says the Boys' QB: "We were at the same place. I wasn't partying with her, though. That's for sure."
I love that emphasis -- while we might hang out in the same place, I certainly wouldn't party with that train wreck. Poor Britney: Misses out on another chance to reclaim her credibility. (And by the way....what's she doing out at a club anyway? Isn't she in trouble for partying to excess already?)
How pumped was I to pick up today’s Quick and find my favorite television surgeons on the cover? Well, not nearly as pumped as I am about the fact that FX’s genius Nip/Tuck finally returns tomorrow night.
The show picks up two months after Christian and Sean move their plastic surgery practice from Miami (where the show was set for its first four seasons) to Hollywood. And yes, the kick-ass Liz moves with them. And while moving from one coast to another is usually the jumping-of-the-shark moment that ends most shows, critics are saying the switch reinvigorates an already top-notch show.
If you’ve never caught Nip/Tuck, you’re missing out. Just as an idea of how much hilarious drama they pack into their storylines, here’s a glimpse of the e-mail my boyfriend sent out inviting folks over to watch the premiere:
I am planning on getting the stuff to make Mojitos and we will probably just do chips and salsa so we can have a few cocktails and snacks with our favorite sex, money, lies, murder, tranny lovin, dwarf doing, scientology psychotic, ex porn-star, new to HollyWood show. I do hope Christian is as horny in HollyWood as he was in Miami.
Of course, this was sent to a bunch of people’s work e-mail addresses so I’m sure all sorts of bells went off in deep, dark IT rooms as the mother load of filter buzz words hit some workplace servers. So far, only two friends got called into their respective HR departments. What other show on television can cause that?
Wire reports say that Tony Romo was hanging out with Britney over the weekend.
Some advice for you, Tony: Steer clear of that one. Britney's bad news. And don't do things like hanging out "for a friendly low-key night upstairs," whatever that's supposed to mean.
It's Halloween time, so it's appropriate that the bizarre holidays surrounding it get morbid and weird. So today, forget Devil's Night, let's tip our hat to Create a Great Funeral Day. But it's a troublesome holiday -- after all, what kind of gift does one give on this day? A gift certificate for a casket? Donations toward a cemetery plot?? An advanced "I'm So Sorry You've Died" greeting card??? I suppose like the state of death itself, the possibilities are endless.
Only a handful of the new TV shows have been picked up for a full season. MSNBC picked five "shows that should go away now," including:
* Cavemen, ABC
* Big Shots, ABC
* Life, NBC
* The Big Bang Theory, CBS
* Kid Nation, CBS
What do you think?
Thanks to Red Sox rookie Jacoby Ellsbury, who stole a base last night in Game 2 of the World Series, you can get a free taco from Taco Bell on Tuesday afternoon, between 2 and 5.
Don't miss the Halloween special section in today's Quick, and our Party Like a Rock Star feature. Watch local bands transform into music icons for Halloween. Here's the lineup:
* Sarah Jaffe as Willie Nelson
* Black Tie Dynasty as Guns N' Roses
* PPT as Run-DMC
* Smile Smile as The White Stripes
* Johnny Lloyd Rollins as Elvis Presley
* Amy Curnow and Reid Robinson of Shanghai 5 as Madonna and David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust
Paris Hilton's trip to Rwanda to do something good with her celebrity power has been postponed. She was scheduled to fly to the African country next month, but the organization that planned the trip, the Playing for Good Foundation, said it's postponed "due to restructuring."
Maybe she can stay home and do some good, like helping LiLo and Britney with their ratty hair.
You know that girl who always ends up standing in front of you at a concert, wearing a too-small dress and moving her hips suggestively no matter what the music sounds like, to the point that she becomes the opposite of sexy? Britney's new album is the musical equivalent of that girl.
Well, the Mavericks won't win the NBA title this season. Sports Illustrated made sure of that by picking them to take the crown in this week's NBA preview issue. SI has the Mavs beating the Spurs in the Western Conference finals and the Pistons in the NBA Finals.
Even though Mavs owner Mark Cuban was voted off Dancing With the Stars, he still considers the overall experience a win. Check out his blog to see why.
Mariah Carey has a new fragrance, which she says was based on some of her favorite things. One is a Moroccan incense; another is a flower called the Living Tahitian Tiare. The third? Why, toasted marshmallows of course. Because nothing says Mariah Carey like camping, right?
Diddy signed a deal to develop the Ciroc vodka brand, in other product hawking news. Oh wait, he doesn't want to be known as a celebrity endorser. He says, "I’m a luxury brand builder.” Gotcha.
On Monday, Spider-Man will be in Times Square saving the world, one slice at a time. To coincide with the release of the Spider-Man 3 DVD, Papa John's and Spidey will introduce the Super-Hero XL3 pizza.
As for saving the world, Papa John's restaurants nationwide will deliver a total of 78,000 the Super-Hero pizzas to local police, fire and rescue workers. We love happy endings.
Happy 24th, Adrienne Bailon. In case you don't recognize your own name, you may know yourself as a member of The Cheetah Girls. You are the one who isn't on Dancing With the Stars. That girl makes me "ooh" and "ahh" with her fast feet and sparkly outfits. And the teeth on her partner! So white! But I digress. Have a good one.
Monica, you're 27! Did you and Brandy ever settle your little argument about who owned that boy? I'd hate to see you guys still sing-fighting over something so trivial. You need to give it up.
And as for you, Kevin Kline, may your 60th year be studded by movie roles with which I'm more familiar, so that I have more to say about you next year. I know people who enjoyed Dave and A Fish Called Wanda. Does that count?
Comic book fans: local talent David Hopkins (and past guest on my dating podcast Girl Talk) will be signing copies of his hot-off-the-press graphic novel Karma Incorporated. He says the boxes just arrived from the printer this afternoon and that even he hasn't seen it yet. Start your engines and catch David today from 4-8 p.m. at Zeus Toys & Comics, 3878 Oak Lawn Ave. #100E.
Dan Koller wrote a piece about him in today's Quick-read more about David and the signing tour here. Money raised goes to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Red Menace: Actor Adam Brody, star of The O.C., co-wrote the Cold War-era series collected here.
She-Hulk #22:Peter David, who wrote The Incredible Hulk for more than 10 years, picks up the reins on his cousin's series.
She-Hulk: Planet Without a Hulk: In a nice piece of serendipity, you can also pick up this collection of the final eight issues by She-Hulk's previous writer, Dan Slott.
Ah, the State Fair is gone until next year, but us Quicksters had a great time while it lasted. Check out what the Quick staff indulged in during our little lunchtime trip last week. But don't think this was just an idle excuse for us to escape the office and scarf down all manner of fried food. OK, it was a little. But we were also celebrating myriad holidays while stuffing our faces. Read all about it, chickadees ...
I read a story today suggesting that MySpace's ubiquitous Tom Anderson has been lying about his age. The profile for everybody's best friend says he's 32, but apparently a muck-raking reporter has uncovered evidence that he may be -- gasp! -- 40. Does any of this really matter? Not to me. But I'm still getting over the shock of learning today that Robert Redford is in his 70s.
Juliette Fowler Homes is looking for volunteers to assist with registration, set up and teardown of temporary structures and other parts of the Walk, Wag and Run event this Saturday at White Rock Lake. There's a 5K and a 10K in addition to a dog walk and a kids' fair. Online registration closes today, but you can register at any Run On! location. The races start at 9 a.m., and the event runs till 2 p.m. You're welcome to run in Halloween costumes and with your dogs. Contact Cindy Wabner at 214-827-0813 or cindyw@fowlerhomes.org about volunteering.
Looking for the perfect present for the Harry Potter fan that has everything? The folks at dumbledorepride.com have you covered. Fast on the heels of author J.K. Rowling’s admission that good old Albus Dumbledore is gay, this site is offering T-shirts celebrating the fictional guy’s queer status.
The Dallas Angelika is serving up a free premiere screening of Jeff Bolton's documentary, America's Marine Aviators at 7:15 tonight. It's the story of a small band of heroic Marine pilots and their families. You're asked to consider making a donation at the door to help local wounded Marines. To reserve your seat, submit your name to USMCSupport@KLIF.com.
Columnist Rick Reilly has announced that he's leaving Sports Illustrated to fatten the Worldwide Leader's empire. Sports blog The Big Lead interviewed Reilly about the move. Warning - This interview contains the word "ridonkulous."
Oprah Winfrey has run a marathon. Oprah Winney prefers six furlongs. They'll meet Tuesday when the talk-show host features the horse on her program. The horse, which has won $577,800 to Winfrey's $1.5 billion (doesn't that seem low?) will run in Friday's Filly and Mare Sprint at the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
According to owner Michael Dubb, who owns Oprah Winney, the woman who named the horse has a debilitating immune-system disease and was inspired by Winfrey. The horse has its own Web site, too.
The Dallas Museum of Art announced today that it will host the record-breaking exhibition "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" starting next year. The show, which has drawn almost 4 million visitors in a four-city tour of the U.S., will open Oct. 3, 2008, and stay until May 17, 2009.
The Dallas showing will mark the first time that artifacts from King Tut's tomb will be seen in the Southwest.
Marie Osmond collapsed after her routine on Dancing with the Stars tonight, but she recovered enough to get her scores and apologize.
"This happens sometimes when I get winded," she said. "I'm so sorry."
Will this scary moment help Mark Cuban survive to dance another day? Personally, I couldn't bring myself to vote for someone who might drop dead on stage at any time, no matter how annoying a celebrity she might be. Then again, I couldn't bring myself to vote, period.
Happy 17th to Jerry Maguire's Jonathan Lipnicki, who, if you recall, was voted Most Annoying Kid In A Movie Ever by me and the voices in my head. Shaggy (who turns 39) was recognized by us as Rapper Most Likely To Have Multiple Hits With The Same Basic Song Structure. Complicated award, I know.
Additional shout-outs to birthday peeps Jeff Goldblum (be sure and throw up on that cake before you eat it, you fly, you) and Christopher Lloyd (Great Scott!).
So I finally saw the news: Dumbledore's gay. Which, some people say, gives added depth to a bunch of the wizard headmaster's dialog. (Either that, or J.K. Rowling needs to prop up Harry Potter sales by generating headlines.)
So tell us: What author is going to be the next to out one of his/her characters?
The Web site Snarkerati has ranked the best 70 vampire movies of all time. Let me be the first to say I had no idea there were 70 vampire movies to rank. Dracula would be proud.
I went to see a movie at the Angelika at Mockingbird Station this weekend (Elizabeth: The Golden Age -- fascinating AND beautiful), and not that I need to say parking was a bitch, but what added to the frenzy were the tiny cars zipping in and out of the parking lot.
We had a story last week in Quick about a national tour of Smart Cars coming through Dallas, and people were given a chance to test-drive the European micro-cars, which are still getting final certification for U.S. roads. Getting to and departing from the theater, I could see lines for the test-drive were long.
The two-seat coupes -- which measure only 8.8 feet long -- look somewhat comical on the road; still most of the drivers and passengers I saw looked like giddy schoolchildren trying out something new.
It did look like fun. But put these cars next to a Hummer and see how safe you'd feel ... The words "cute deathtrap" come to mind.
Thomas Snyder, the 27-year-old current world sudoku champ from Palo Alto, Calif., won the National Sudoku Championship this weekend. He gets $10,000 and a spot on the U.S. team.
I always get a kick out of comic actor David Koechner, ever since his SNL days ("don't go chasin' them there waterfalls"). His crooked-chin scenes in Anchorman, The 40-Year Old Virgin and Thank You For Smoking are consistently funny.
Their staff also likes to rag on ESPN analyst Emmitt Smith's fumbling mouth. Some examples:
* He said (in reference to the New England Patriots) that "the Paints" have an "arrow of invincibility."
* Later, Emmitt stammered through this one: "Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who rushed for over 300 ya-- over 100 yards in three of his last games."
* On the Jets' quarterback situation, Emmitt said: "Until they change quarterbacks for the Jets, I am not believing in Chad Pennington." So, Emmitt, once Pennington is benched, he's your guy?
* Emmitt says that the Cowboys "are not that deep in depth" on defense.
I try to include a photo with these Day of the Day posts, so I thought today I'd send out a happy Get Smart About Credit Day greeting. It was either a photo of that or a photo for World Menopause Day. And I don't even wanna think about what that picture might look like.
Good news for X-Men fans: Everyone's favorite hairy Canadian, Wolverine, is getting his own movie.
Fox announced today that X-Men Origins: Wolverine will be released on May 1, 2009. Hugh Jackman will reprise his role as the tough-talking, razor-clawed superhero.
The studio is also working on a movie about X-Men antagonist Magneto.
One of the most popular 5Ks in Dallas takes place Saturday at NorthPark - the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. You can register for $35 at the Oak Lawn Luke's Locker today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or at the mall from to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Race-day registration ($40) begins at 6:30 a.m. near Nordstrom, and the 1K starts at 7:40, followed by the 5K at 8.
The 5K is chip timed, and chip pickup closes at 7:30. A chip costs an extra $5, which surprised me because I've run some pretty low-maintenance races that don't charge for chips. Still, it's for a good cause, so go ahead and add that $5 - and there's a blank spot on the registration form to toss a little more their way, if you choose.
Someone e-mailed me a link to this Halloween Hangman game, and I figured it was for little kids...but I don't think "necromancy" would show up in a kids' game. It was kind of fun, if you're looking for a diversion and you want to get excited about Halloween.
Apparently Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? is a real tear-jerker, because it jerked a whole mess of tears out of our reviewing rappers Pikahsso and Tahiti.
Apparently the producers of Monday Night Football weren't too happy with Jimmy Kimmel's performance Monday night, calling his comments, meant to liven up a Giants-Falcons snoozer, "classless" and "cheap."
In a move not quite as ballyhooed as Fred Thompson's entry into the race but perhaps ultimately more important -- at least in the eyes of a certain TV host -- Stephen Colbert is running for president. The fake political pundit threw his satirical hat into the ring last night. "I have heard the call," Colbert said. "Nation: I shall seek the office of the president of the United States."
So I'm discovering that not only is every day a holiday, but every week and every month are part of some kind of celebration or observance, too! Isn't America great??
America also happens to be both very detailed and entirely random, as this week's holidays show. For example, did you know it's Getting The World To Beat a Path To Your Door Week? But of course you didn't! As a single gal, I'd love the world to beat a path to my door. Part of it. The male, intelligent, handsome, sane and available part. And -- shouting out to this week's I Love New York -- available does not mean separated. Hmmm, where was I? Oh, yeah, it's also National Veterinary Technician Week and World Rainforest Week. I said random, didn't I?? Anyway, go out there and celebrate by hugging a door, a rainforest and/or your veterinary technician. Or maybe just shake the vet tech's hands -- they might not want you beating a path to their door.
For those in need of a caffeine fix, get thee to 7-Eleven today. They're offering free 12-ounce cups-o-coffee to promote its "Exclusive Bold" new brew.
The Dallas Mavericks owner and Dancing With the Stars twinkletoes can now be yours forever.
I spotted this on the Mavericks Web site: a dancing Cuban doll (there's also a dancing Dirk). He gyrates while barking cheers and rants at the refs. ("That's a walk!" "What? No foul? You gotta be kidding me?!?")
They're taking preorders now, all for the low, low price of $29.95. At that price, you can't afford not to buy it.
And it makes a great gift! No stocking is properly stuffed if it's not shaking from Cuban's writhing boo-tay.
Our cover story today is on Deep Ellum murals that depict musicians. It's definitely worth a look, especially at the cool slideshow of the artists' work.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban and dance partner Kym Johnson made it through another week of Dancing With the Stars without being shown the door.
But Johnson had this advice for Cubes: "He's a super intelligent man and he writes everything down," she said. "That's the way his mind works. ... With dancing, you need to feel everything and he has to let himself go."
In other words, think of the dance floor as an NBA official.
Apple announced today that it had dropped the price of music downloads that are not protected by copy restrictions from $1.29 to 99 cents per song on iTunes.
The company introduced iTunes Plus in April, offering the "premium" songs from EMI with better sound quality and no copy protection. But Amazon.com's entry into the MP3 market, with cheaper songs, was enough to make Apple relent.
I doubt the copy protection is much of an issue for most consumers anyway -- if they want to sell bootleg copies in China, they can probably find a way to do it.
I know National Boss Day should take precedence today, since it is a big event to some people. But as a word nerd, I just couldn't resist wallowing in the silly fun that is -- National Dictionary Day!! Originally meant to celebrate dictionary man Noah Webster, the day is mostly observed in schools with Scrabble games and dictionary-related activities (like Find-The-Longest-Word-opoly). While we're celebratin', may as well find Merriam-Webster's word of the day: It's FERVID, which means "very hot : burning. Also means marked by often extreme intensity of feeling." Aha, so fervid is how the tummy feels after certain Taco Bell menu items. What a valuable word!
I stumbled across The Price is Right this morning, not realizing it was Drew Carey's first day as the new host. So I got suckered in for a few minutes.
Basically, my mini-review goes like this: A woman matching convenience items with prices has the opportunity to win $16,000 if she gets them all right. First, she does a cartwheel for Drew, who just keeps smiling. Then she takes what seems like an eternity to make a decision. When she finally wins the cash, she flops on the floor like a flounder. I can't take it anymore and change the channel, realizing this is why I never watched the show to begin with.
I thought it was just the dark, stormy weather that made me feel like being left alone today -- but, no, it's National Grouch Day. That explains everything! Now leave me alone!!
An update on Australian triathlete Emma Snowsill, who was profiled in Quick last Friday: She finished fourth at the U.S. Open Triathlon in Dallas but still atop the points standings in the Life Time Fitness Series Championship. She also had fans from Dallas' Jimmie Tyler Brashear Elementary, where she talked to kids about leading a healthy lifestyle. Sixty students and 25 teachers and administrators came out to support her, clad in red t-shirts and cheering loudly.
“This is my first time in Texas, and to feel that you have your own set of fans is pretty fun and pretty unique,” Snowsill told the DMN. “I usually only get that kind of support in Australia.”
Big Moe, a Houston rapper whose 2002 album Purple World reached No. 3 on Billboard’s hip-hop charts, has died, the Associated Press reports. Numerous reports say the 33-year-old, whose real name was Kenneth Moore, suffered a heart attack.
Calm down, Cowboys fans. Your No. 1 team didn't drop your No. 1 quarterback. But Carrie Underwood did. The American Idol allegedly has moved on from football players to actors. OK! magazine reports Underwood was seen canoodling with Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford in NYC over the weekend.
As for No. 9, Underwood told Seventeen magazine they are "very good friends, and I talk to him pretty much every day. ... But we were never, like, dating." Sure, tell that to the Cowboy with the broken heart.
I took the wife to see The Darjeeling Limited this afternoon. She loved it, but I still can't decide whether I even liked it.
There should have been no question. It was co-written and directed by Wes Anderson, and his first three movies -- Bottle Rocket, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums -- are three of my favorites.
Another thing working in his latest film's favor is that it's about three brothers trying to bond. I'm the oldest of three brothers.
While I snickered a few times at some of Darjeeling's quirks, I was mostly bored. I kept waiting for something to happen that made me go, "Ah, this is a great film." I kept waiting and waiting, and then the credits started rolling.
So, has anyone out there seen this flick yet? And do any of you want to defend it or condemn it?
As you know by now, the much-hyped game between unbeatens at Texas Stadium went to the Patriots, 48-27. With that, receiver Randy Moss improved to 7-0 against the Cowboys in his career, with six TDs in three games at Texas Stadium.
Plenty of people were taking shots at Vinny Testaverde starting an NFL game for Carolina yesterday at age 43.
"Defying believability, logic, probability and perhaps sanity,” The Miami Herald's Greg Cote wrote.
"Just how thin is the National Football League as far as quality quarterbacks are concerned, that we have to go and get a guy out of a wheelchair?” Fox's Terry Bradshaw asked.
But Testaverde did his job, leading the Panthers to a 25-10 win at Arizona yesterday, throwing a touchdown pass for the 21st consecutive season.
I finally got around to watching the new show Cavemen over the weekend (OK, five minutes of it), and I was a little confused. Wasn't it supposed to be a comedy?
OK! magazine reports that Mrs. Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, is training for the New York City Marathon. The magazine confirmed that "the couple's security experts have been investigating what would be required if Katie did choose to run this year" on Nov. 4.
Hope y'all had a splendid Saturday, aka International Newspaper Carrier Day. Working in a newsroom, I carry newspapers all the time, so I treated my hard-working self to a mango martini Saturday night. As for today, I'd like to wish everyone a happy Be Bald and Be Free Day. If you're sportin' the look, wear it well!! Don't know what the "Be Free" part of the holiday means ... maybe you can whip off your fedora and finagle your way to a box of free chicken McNuggets or something ...? Hey, Bruce Willis could prolly do it ...
The first BCS rankings of this weird college football season were released today. Ohio State is on top, but given the fates of highly ranked teams so far this year, I figure the Buckeyes have a tenuous hold at best on No. 1. Battling for the No. 2 spot are South Florida (which looks like a pretty good team, despite the lack of name recognition) and third-ranked Boston College (whose signature win came against three-loss Georgia Tech -- ugh). LSU and Oklahoma round out the Top 5.
You can get her on the phone, but not for a conversation.Samsung introduces the 'B'Phone. Buy the phone get a Beyoncé track when she was 10. Sound like a win-win?
It's good to see him back. Quest is one of rap's all-time greatest groups, and no one has a voice like Q-Tip.
He's been pretty low-key since his Amplified album in 1999, and his Kamaal the Abstract CD was sadly never released. But he did make a memorable Chappelle's Show cameo, singing about STDs with some Muppets (warning: link isn't safe for the workplace).
And Tip's the man on the vocals on the Chemical Brothers' "Galvanize," a.k.a. the Budweiser Select commercial song ("Don't hold back, cuz there's a party over here so you might as well be here...").
Happy International Moment of Frustration Scream Day, y'all!! Today's the day where the world is supposed to join together at 12 hundred hours Greenwich Mean Time and let out a primal yelp of annoyance for 30 seconds. So that put Dallas' scream time at 7 a.m. Don't know about y'all, but the only thing I'm doing at that hour is turning over in bed for more shut-eye. Maybe I screamed in my dream, though ...?
Oh, well. If I happen to get caught in any type of Metroplex rush hour traffic today, I'm sure I'll more than make up for missing the earlier howl time.
Britney Spears made a surprise appearance in court today, asking a judge to grant her overnight visits with her two sons. And for those of you who thought she was going crazy ... this doesn't help the argument against that.
When the judge was swearing her in and asked her name, she replied "Britney."
“Britney Spears,” she added when he asked her to give her full name.
This week, take it easy and run a little 5K/1M run at White Rock that starts at Winfrey Point. The Whataburger Dash for Dignity benefits Citizens Development Center, which helps adults with mental, physical and developmental disabilities find work. Online registration is closed, but you can register at Run On! or on race day.
However, the real Race of the Week is one you would have been training for - the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon at Joe Pool Lake and Reunion Arena. I had the chance to talk with Emma Snowsill (right), one of the world's top triathletes. Here's what she had to say about her sport:
Above, Smile Smile performs one of its brand new songs for the Quick staff after a photo shoot. No, this is not a normal thing for us. Yes, we absolutely loved it. Any other bands wanna come and entertain us?
It’s been six years and one month since the tragedy of 9/11. And while it’s not something I think about on a regular basis, a documentary I saw this morning on HBO served to remind me.
The film is called Telling Nicholas. It was came out in 2002 and revolves around a documentary filmmaker following a family who lost a loved one in the World Trade Center collapse. In particular, it focuses on 7-year-old Nicholas Lanza, who’s mother died in the terrorist event, and his father who can’t find the words to tell his son his mother won’t be coming home.
Although the concept of the movie sickens me a bit — it’s sort of capitalizing on other’s misery — it also has a purpose: putting a face to the tragedy.
And boy does it. Watching as Robert Lanza sits down on the edge of the sidewalk one night and tells Nicholas his mom has died — 10 days after 9/11 — is utterly heartbreaking. I haven’t cried like that in I don’t know how long. It is the 10 most emotional minutes you will ever watch on a TV screen.
That being said, the filmmakers, who won an Emmy for Outstanding Informational Programming — Long Form, have not released a DVD yet. And it’s not scheduled to be back on HBO any time in the near future. But, it’s definitely a must see if you get the opportunity.
Today's holiday is an important one: National Coming Out Day, a day that's about communicating who you really are to the world. To that end, the Human Rights Campaign has teamed up with Bravo's Outzonetv.com to produce videos of gay TV personalities -- such as Project Runway's Tim Gunn and Daniel Vosovic and Top Chef's Dale Levitski -- sharing their coming out stories and answering the question, "What inspires you about living openly and honestly?" The HRC and Bravo encourage others to post their own videos on YouTube -- find out how and check out even more personal tales of men and women bustin' out of that closet.
Nine issues after Steve Rogers was assassinated in Captain America #25, someone will assume his title. Marvel Comics revealed today that a new Cap will debut in Captain America #34, which is due to arrive in stores in January. We don't know who he is, but we do know what he'll be wearing. Feast your eyes upon this redesigned costume, courtesy of painter extraordinaire Alex Ross. Nice gun. For more on all this craziness, read this.
Everyone loves a Jack in the Box commercial, and the latest one advertising the fast-food chain's chipotle chicken ciabatta sandwiches falls into the so-stupid-it's-kinda-funny category. Also known as at-least-more-entertaining-than-that-Kia-car-salesman-guy. But ANYWAY, Jack is playing racquetball with an employee and deems him his new Chicken Man, in charge of the new chicken sandwiches. Then he hits a ball that ricochets into Chicken Man's back, causing him to moan/squawk in pain like a chicken. Jack tells him to cool it because he's already got the job. Things also got kind of hairy over here when we told an editor he was in charge of all monkey-related news and associated zoo content. Wish we had a video of that.
Just the other day, Annie wished me a very happy Customer Service Week. After asking her if it's possible to bake a cake in the shape of customer service, and after receiving a letter touting the upcoming International Credit Union Week, I thought, "damn, every day in America is a holiday!" So why not celebrate 'em?! So before this day is out, I wish you a happy Bring Teddy Bear to Work & School Day. Rats, if I'd been prepared, I would've dolled up my Build-a-Bear sweetie Ryne in his Chicago Cubs uniform and brought him in to meet the Quick staff!! Perhaps next year ...
Madonna, showing that she's still in high demand as one of the top performers of this generation (and the one before it, come to think of it), will sign a $120 million recording and touring deal with promoter Live Nation and leave Warner Music Group, sources said yesterday. The 49-year-old star is reported to receive a signing bonus of about $18 million and an advance of about $17 million for each of three albums.
Sigh. And I still remember when she looked like she does at left.
The general obsession with celebrity baby bumps in magazines like US Weekly and OK! means I'm never surprised to see pictures of totally skinny women with blazing headlines about possible future babies. Case in point: the month-by-month J.Lo watch. Give that woman a rest!
The photo above is that trend taken to the opposite extreme. Recently, we saw Salma Hayak looking like she was around four years pregnant and here's one of Isla Fisher looking similarly inflated. Is this normal or does the camera add girth? I know that babydaddy Sacha Baron Cohen is a big dude, but lordy. That picture on the right looks painful.
Thousands of tweens swarmed to the State Fair on Monday for a free Jonas Brothers concert. I guess I've been living under a rock, because I hadn't heard of these boys until this week. These three N.J. siblings are all the rage, as made apparent in this video from the Washington State Fair. Those girls could definitely compete with the crowd at Neyland Stadium during a Vols' home game.
AP reports that Esquire has selected Charlize Theron (not pictured above) as its sexiest woman alive. Past winners include Jessica Biel, Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson.
Captain Carrot and the Final Ark #1 (of 3): Last week, Marvel revived its funny-animal book, Howard the Duck. This week, DC does the same.
Simon Dark #1: The horror movie 30 Days of Night arrives in theaters next week. The writer of the comic that inspired it, Steve Niles, is launching this new series set in Gotham City.
Dynamo 5: The Post-Nuclear Family: You can't beat the price on this collection. For $9.99, you get the first seven issues of the acclaimed series about the five illegitimate children of a philandering superhero.
Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America: This is a collection of five issues that each spotlighted a different hero dealing with one of the five stages of grief following Cap's assassination.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24: This is Part 2 of "One More Day," the story that will supposedly change Spider-Man's life forever.
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four: Silver Rage: This lighthearted tale has nothing to do with civil wars, assassinations or final days -- except for the fact that it collects the final Marvel art by the late Mike Wieringo.
It seems numerous hospital workers at Palisades Medical Center in New Jersey were suspended last week.
The reason? Leaking information to the media about the extent of George Clooney and his companion's injuries after a motorcycle accident on Sept. 21.
According to WCBS Channel 2 in New York, as many as 40 employees are being investigated with more than two dozen already suspended without pay after being accused of accessing Clooney's medical records and giving that information to the press -- which is a violation of federal law.
R. Kelly announced today that he'll open a new U.S. tour next month, provided a court gives him approval to leave Illinois. Will concertgoers get to see the creative mastermind and accused child pornographer act out all 800 parts of his "Trapped in the Closet" epic on stage? We can only hope. But the tour is tentatively scheduled to stop in Dallas.
John O'Hurley, you've gone from Seinfeld to Dancing With the Stars to Family Feud. If you don't make better career choices, you might end up selling crap on QVC. Happy 53rd.
Speaking of people who are 53 today: Scott Bakula, even though that Journeyman star is more handsome and more British than you, we still like your time-travel show better.
Speaking of formulaic TV, happy 54th, guy who plays Monk! But if you win one more Emmy, we're totally throwing a living-room tantrum.
One last shout-out: Best &*@%^ wishes, Sharon Osbourne!
MTV's been running nonstop promos of its newest reality show, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila. The concept is simple - a bisexual woman famous solely for having a lot of MySpace friends invites 16 men and 16 women to vie for her affection because she's "tired of being alone." Within an episode or two, contestants profess, "I think I'm falling in love with Tila." Naturally. The series premieres tonight at 9, and you can preview the cast at MTV's Web site.
The Harlem Globetrotters played a "dress rehearsal" game against the Washington Generals today in New York. It marked the first time the Globetrotters had competed in Harlem in 20 years.
The Globetrotters put lots of smiles on middle-school students after the game. That's Eugene "Wildcat" Edgerson (above) signing a shirt for 9-year-old Janay Salter. The Globetrotters begin their "Magic as Ever" national tour Nov. 15 in Sacramento. They visit Dallas on Feb. 1-2. Go to Ticketmaster for pricing info.
One of our favorite stories of the day involves "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. According to the Associated Press, Flair, 58, is suing a Columbia, S.C., Suzuki dealer for imitating him and his likeness in radio and TV ads to sell its cars.
Freedom Suzuki has used a blond-haired "Captain Freedom" shouting “Whoeee” and “To be the man, you got to beat the man!” The “Whoeee” is similar to Flair's famous “Wooo!” that he's shouted for decades in the ring.
Hot-to-trot New York is back for the second round of her love-connection reality show, which premiered last night on VH1. Let the hot mess begin again!!
I saw Eastern Promises over the weekend. It's a really good movie about a woman in London who accidentally gets mixed up with the Russian mafia, and Viggo Mortensen shows what a great actor he is. He's the anti-Josh Hartnett. Plus, it's the only time I've ever been in a theater and heard a woman, after a particularly intense and gory fight scene, yell "Eeewwww!"
I guess if there can be a show called The Two Coreys, there's still room in reality TV land for beauty queens. This week, MTV debuts its new series Pageant Place, which follows Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe, all roommates in a NYC apartment. There's plenty of drama, including Donald Trump bringing in former Miss USA Tara Conner "the one who went to rehab" to live with the girls. Pageant Place premieres Wednesday at 9:30 on MTV.
I'm drooling over the November issue of Out, which happens about once every couple of years or so. (I call it my 15-minute magazine -- if it takes me any longer to read, I've been REALLY distracted by something.)
Over on Out.com, you can get a preview of their photo shoot with Tom Ford, including the one that made me a little nervous to be looking at work, with him flicking a couple of models with a towel as the three of them shower.
While I haven't been to an Arby's since the Christmas Shopping With Grandma Mall Marathon of '94, I must say the fast food chain's new advertising strategy is entertaining and -- possibly -- effective for getting them back in the game. The theme of its latest ad spots: People who are so enamored with Arby's that they are pretty forgetful or unimpressed with other things around them. They are 'Thinkin' Arby's,' if you will. Silly, yes, but when chimps begin channeling Michael Flatley, it keeps my attention, sometimes gets a giggle, and even has me thinking of making a trip to the drive-through. Do monkeys ever get old?
It wasn't until I noticed Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford wearing a yellow bracelet on his left hand during the Texas-OU game that I realized the rubber-bracelet-for-charity trend has largely faded away. When exactly did this happen? For a while there, it seemed 90 percent of Americans were rocking one of those things.
Reese Dunklin's front-page story Sunday about James R. "Bill" Fisher, the whistle-blower in the Dallas City Hall corruption scandal, answered a lot of questions, but it did not address why his nickname is Bill. Nor did it address why this inexplicable nickname seems to be a trend in Dallas news. Previous examples include former Dallas Cowboys coach Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells and fired DISD Superintendent Waldemar "Bill" Rojas.
What it is: A site where you can report people in your city illegally using handicapped parking spaces. Reports come complete with the license plates and handicapped-permit numbers of vehicles suspected of abusing the parking spaces — whether the vehicles display no handicapped-permit tag or the driver is seemingly too healthy to be using such a space. Webmaster Maureen Birdsall then sends the reports to motor vehicle departments. Busted!
Also: You can even order free sticky notes printed with "You’ve been reported at handicappedfraud.org" to let someone know they’ve been busted.
Texas A&M has booked hip-hop artist Soulja Boy for Maroon Madness at Reed Arena on Oct. 12. The men's and women's basketball showcase introduces this season's teams to fans. Admission is free but requires a ticket from the 12th Man Foundation or the arena's box office.
Before he was wooing Bree on Desperate Housewives or Charlotte on Sex and the City, Kyle McLachlan was investigating the murder of Laura Palmer as Special Agent Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks.
On Oct. 30, the Twin Peaks "definitive gold box edition" will be released. You can pre-order it now at various stores. Amazon looks to have the best price, at $64.99 plus shipping. The set includes Seasons 1 and 2, and the pilot.
A group of apparently drunken intruders broke into Paris' Musee d'Orsay and punched a hole into a renowned work by Impressionist painter Claude Monet, French officials say.
An alarm sounded and the group left the museum, but not before damaging “Le Pont d’Argenteuil,” Culture Minister Christine Albanel said.
“It’s always a heartbreak when an art object that is our memory, our heritage, that we love and that we are proud of is victim of a purely criminal act,” she said.
Competitive eater Joey Chestnut failed to defend his title at the Waffle House World Waffle Eating Championship at the State Fair of Texas, losing to Pat Bertoletti by half a waffle. Bertoletti set a record in his second straight win by eating 29 waffles in 10 minutes. He won $3,500 and the new Waffle House Belt. Eater X finished third. Read about Joey and his eating technique here.
You've heard the track, you've seen the video (and if you haven't, getcho ass over here now). Now you can see Mr. Pookie, Mr. Lucci and Picnictyme perform it live tonight -- twice.
They're scheduled to appear on the special Texas-OU preview on Channel 8 (WFAA) today at 6:30 p.m., and they'll perform the Quick Rap Battle at the big Victory Park Texas-OU festivities tonight around 9:30. That's hosted by our dear Quick pal Gordon Keith.
Now that Kevin Federline has custody of his and Britney's kids, PETA wants him to take the dogs next. TMZ has obtained a copy of a letter from the animal-rights group to Federline, pleading with him to keep the dogs with the boys.
Joey Chestnut was kind enough to participate in our football picks last week (and smoked us all, as posted by Keith), and this week we're running an interview with the champion eater, who consumed 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes, defeating six-time world champion Takeru Kobayashi at this year's July 4th contest. This Sunday at 1 p.m., you can catch Chestnut (6-1, 225) at the State Fair's Chevrolet Main Stage, where he'll defend his world waffle-eating title, which he's held for three years.
Here's what Chestnut had to say about his life as a competitive eater:
Hey Charlton Heston, now that you're 84, we'll totally let you slide on that "cold, dead hands" thing. Why hold a gun for the rest of your days when you can chillax and have a cocktail? Just don't drink green-colored ones. They're people.
Alicia Silverstone and Rachael Leigh Cook, hope they throw you a bitchin' double party at the Home for Retired Teen Movie Stars.
And Susan Sarandon, we thought about making you a Thelma and Louise-themed cake for your 61st, but we couldn't get that Matchbox car to stay suspended in mid air. Oh wells.
Let's all dance a li'l jig to mark the 23rd birthday of one Ashlee Simpson. We tried to look up the birthday of her current nose, but it wasn't on Wikipedia.
Seann William Scott, at 31, looks forward to another year of people yelling out "HEY STIFLER!" in public places. Tommy Lee, who is also all about embarrassing situations in public places, turns 45.
The fact that Gwen Stefani will be 40 in two years is, wait for it, b-a-n-a-n-a-s. But at least she still has a career, unlike Neve Campbell, who'll be 34.
Fort Worth-based Fanboy Radio, which is notoriously late in announcing its guests, let me know this morning that their episode that airs at 1 p.m. today will feature Tony Harris, artist of two of my favorite comics, Starman and Ex Machina.
The Question: Zen and Violence: This is a collection of the first six issues of one of the seminal comic books of my youth. For more on all that, see this.
The Vinyl Underground #1: Yet another television writer, EastEnders' Si Spencer, tries his hand at comics.
Beowulf #1 (of 4): Have you heard there's a big budget Beowulf movie coming to theaters next month? Let the hype begin.
Howard the Duck #1 (of 4): Marvel is giving one of its most infamous properties another shot.
Omega the Unknown #1 (of 10): Check that. Marvel is giving two of its most infamous properties another shot.
On Sunday at 7:30 a.m., Thruston Racing presents the 14th annual Lost Dog 20K and 5K Run/Walk. You can register here. It starts at the Bath House at White Rock Lake and heads south to Garland Road, then turns around at the 10K mark and goes back to the Bath House. This is the first of several Thruston events geared to prepare you for the White Rock Marathon, so get running!
Big news from the Dancing With the Stars results show: Mark Cuban managed to stay out of the bottom two. So, we all have to keep watching. Great. Also:
-- Jane Seymour wasn’t there because her mother passed away. Tom Bergeron announced that she would continue with the show.
-- The bottom two were Wayne Newton and Albert Reed (a.k.a. cheesy male model dude). Reed was eliminated, leaving Newton to crap all over the dance floor once again. Cheryl Burke deserves a better partner.
Nintendo's Wii created quite a stir when it was released last year, not only because it's so darn fun, but also because of the destruction wrought by overly enthusiastic gamers who hurled their controllers through TV screens and windows. Nintendo responded with stronger wrist straps, among other fixes. Now, the company is offering free "jackets" for the controllers -- to fight sweaty palms and cushion the impact should you accidentally let one fly.
The jackets will be shipped with new Wii controllers, and they're also available for people with older systems. To request a free jacket, visit this site.
Mr. Lucci (rapping for the Sooners) had the early lead in our Texas-Oklahoma battle, but Mr. Pookie has come back strong for the Longhorns faithful. Get in on it here, and make sure you watch the video (just scroll over the white box and it'll give you the "play" function option).
Today's birthday-having celebrities have done so much for mankind. Tears are seriously forming.
Sting, you've taught us about the transformative powers of tantric sex*.
Kelly Ripa, you've provided the perfect blueprint for breaking out of daytime TV to dominate morning TV. And yes, there's a subtle difference.
Lorraine Bracco, what haven't we learned from you?**
And Tiffany, thanks for making sixth grade so friggin' magical. "Could've been so beautiful/could've been so right/could've been my looooverrrr/every day of myyyyyy liiiiife."
*Personally, this isn't true, but any opportunity to mention tantric sex shouldn't be passed up.
**And by "you," I mean your character, Dr. Jennifer Melfi.
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony kicked off their tour in Atlantic City over the weekend, and J.Lo's loose-fitting wardrobe has refueled pregnancy rumors. Concert goers noted the normally active Lopez didn't do too much high-energy dancing. Another sign: Hubby Anthony told the crowd "This is such a special evening on so many levels. You are the first people to witness this new part of our lives."
Evander Holyfield once beat George Foreman for the heavyweight title. But consider him a longshot in his latest effort: topping Foreman in the grilling world.
Holyfield is planning to unveil the "Evander Holyfield Real Deal Grill," a direct competitor to Foreman's "Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine," which has reportedly earned $100 million in sales since 1995.
I can't wait for another ex-champ to jump into the ring with his "Mike Tyson's 'I Want to Eat Children' Grill."
You could see the heartache on Mark Cuban’s goatee-less face as the judges gave him his scores on tonight’s Dancing With the Stars: 6, 6, 6. The mark of the beast, folks. But the crowd booed those mean judges, showing their appreciation for Cuban’s winning personality. Or they might have been impressed with his slimmed-down frame — he did manage to look aiight in a sleeveless shirt. In fact, the worst part of Cubes’ mambo had nothing to do with him. The house band changed a Nelly lyric from “get high with me” to “get happy with me.” Oy. Go here to find out how to vote for our homey.
Britney's done it. Made K-Fed look good enough for a judge to grant him custody of Sean Preston and Jayden James "until further order of the court," according to the AP.
Julie Andrews, I really enjoyed you in the first half of The Sound of Music. Never change. Happy 72nd.
Christopher Titus, I just hope you get a few days to celebrate being 43 before Big Shots is canceled.
Speaking of TV, Randy Quaid, you're not getting any younger, so it's about time you pitched a Cousin Eddie sitcom that could air right after My Name Is Earl.
And Kevin Griffin, I realize that people don't instantly recognize your name as the lead singer of Better than Ezra, but do you remember when I drunkenly addressed you as "Juicy" minutes after you'd performed the song "Juicy" at a show? Good times. May your 39th be filled with more awkward post-concert moments.
So Texas and Oklahoma fans are bummed that they lost on Saturday. Here's an entertaining feature to get their minds off all that. Our third-annual rap battle for Texas-OU week.
Two of Dallas' best rappers, Mr. Pookie (rapping for Texas) and Mr. Lucci (rapping for Oklahoma) face off in a song produced by Picnictyme, and a fully produced video. It's good stuff.
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