New York Rangers forward Sean Avery likes to have a pretty girl on his arm. He has reportedly dated Rachel Hunter and Elisha Cuthbert in the past. A report in the New York Daily News has linked him -- specifically his name and phone number -- to the little black book of Manhattan madam Kristin Davis, who was allegedly connected to former New York governor Eliot Spitzer.
Avery insists it was all a practical joke. Hmm ...
Jessica Simpson says she's feeling "much better" after being hospitalized with a kidney infection. Simpson was released Monday after three nights in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, her rep told the Associated Press. In Touch magazine reported that Simpson's boyfriend, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, wanted to be by Simpson's side but had prior commitments in Dallas.
Former NFL offensive lineman Kenyatta Jones was arrested this weekend on charges of assaulting a police officer after he reportedly peed on a dance floor. Ew. He's currently playing in the AFL for the Tampa Bay Storm. Read more about his past run-ins with the law here.
The DMN's Lawson Taitte reports that Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q will be among Casa Manana's offerings this season at Bass Hall in Fort Worth. It opens July 8. I saw the show on Broadway a few years ago, and it was really funny. Think Sesame Street-style characters singing songs like "It Sucks To Be Me" and "The Internet Is For Porn."
Now this I might actually get up early for. People reports that the New Kids on the Blockwill be performing on Today this Friday on NBC. I wonder what they'll sing. Probably something new, but maybe they'll toss in a little "Step By Step."
Floyd Mayweather took his act to the wrestling ring tonight and beat Big Show during WrestleMania 24, watched by 74,635 fans at the Citrus Bowl in Florida. Here's how he did it.
[Sigh.] Ric Flair's career came to an emotional close. Say it ain't so, Nature Boy.
This Kodiak brown bear named Barbucha has the right idea; This muggy weather has us ready for a swim. But this bear is actually in a zoo enclosure in Germany, after moving recently from a zoo in Czech Republic. Kodiak bears are originally from the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago off the coast of Alaska. Learn more about these bears and how to view them in person here.
A court has ruled that media giant Time Warner has to share the rights for Superman with the heirs of Jerome Siegel, who sold the rights to the superhero character 70 years ago to Detective Comics for $130. That has to be one of the most lopsided deals since the Louisiana purchase. But thankfully for the family, the 1938 contract through which Siegel and partner Joseph Shuster sold the rights to DC expired in 1999.
Time Warner made about $200 million at the domestic box office with the film Superman Returns in 2006, and there are reports that the ruling could prompt the company to stop making movies featuring the superhero.
The Final Four is set in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and for the first time ever, all the top seeds have advanced. No. 1s Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina and UCLA will compete for the national championship next weekend.
That's bad news for those who, aware of tournament history, tried to outsmart their bracket. Like me.
Michael Jordan may not be soaring around NBA arenas any longer, but he's still the king.
Jordan's famous No. 23 is still the best-selling jersey in the history of the NBA Store, the league said. Jordan is followed by Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal. Rounding out the top 10: Tracy McGrady, Dwyane Wade, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Tim Duncan.
The NBA Store opened Sept. 18, 1998, in New York, and is preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Not sure if this is a step up or a step down, but E! is reporting that Lindsay Lohan will star in a movie called Manson Girls about Charles Manson. Lohan will play Nancy Pitman, also known as Brenda, who left her Malibu home at 16 and joined the Manson Family.
I'm always amazed by the lengths people go to to look beautiful, such as plastic surgery, and then they end up looking like this. How is that better?! I'm warning you, some of these faces are hard to look at.
A Righteous Kill has to be a good movie. It has Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and our good friend Curtis Jackson. It's a story of two veteran NYPD detectives and a vigilante serial killer. Should I say more. Just check out the trailer.
The Incredible Hulk trailer is pretty cool. I don't know if I'm sold with Edward Norton as Bruce Banner. But it appears to be a must-see for me. Check it out.
There's some sad news tonight in this fast-food nation of ours: Herb Peterson, inventor of the Egg McMuffin, has died. The 89-year-old former advertising exec wrote McDonald's' first national advertising slogan, "Where Quality Starts Fresh Every Day," before becoming a franchisee with six stores. He came up with the idea for the Egg McMuffin's perfectly cylindrical egg in 1972 as a way to introduce breakfast to the chain.
Britney Spears made it through a guest spot on How I Met Your Motherthis week (see a clip above). Now OK! Magazine is reporting that Britney will make an appearance at the Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday. Hmmm... is this just a ploy to get on the judge's good side so she can have more time with her sons?
Baby steps, Britney, baby steps.
It's spring, and race season is in full swing. Take advantage of the beautiful weather (or even the not-so; there's a chance of a shower Saturday) and run the Butterfly Boogie to benefit the World Craniofacial Foundation. Register this week at Luke's Locker or on race day. The race has a 1K, a 5K and a 10K, all which start at Lee Park and incorporate part of the Katy Trail.
Any other upcoming races people are looking forward to?
Tiger Woods is one of the best golfer's the world has ever seen.
But I've got a bone to pick with him. Woods was seen last weekend cursing and threatening a photographer after the photog snapped Woods' picture during his backswing at the WGC-CA Championship in Doral, Fla.
Come on! I know golf is a serene game -- with little distraction from the crowd tolerated -- but I question the mental makeup of some of these guys when the shutter of a camera lense can lead to threats of physical harm.
Give me a player shooting a free throw with one second left in a tied game in front 20,000 fans screaming and waving things at him over these golf prima donnas any day.
So the great Eddie Izzard is performing his comedy at the Majestic in June, but tickets sold out too fast for me to nab them. And I was seriously pissed about that.
But he's added another show, and holy crap, it's Monday night. Tickets still available here.
More people may know him now as the star of The Riches (great show), but his standup comedy is unbelievably smart and funny.
Pasted above is one of my favorite moments from his Dress to Kill special, maybe the funniest thing I've ever seen.
[Foul-language alert, might not be safe for work, depending on where you work.]
Did y'all watch The Hills on Monday?? The drama was worldwide: From Speidi break-up issues in Crested Butte, Colo., to romantic ickiness with LC in Par-ee, shizz was hittin' the fan in multiple time zones. Which means I loved it!
Anyway, remember that bearded Parisian cutie, Matthias, the rocker who immediately homed in on Lauren at their meeting at a hotel bar? The cutie who fawned over her and helped her culminate her Paris visit with an intimate Vespa ride through the city? That very guy, according to his own MySpace profile, is MARRIED!! Not that anything more than French cheek-kissing occurred between the two of them, but still! He told his bandmates he thought Lauren was mignonne (cute), and then he set her in his sights the rest of the episode. I suppose the semblance of an eventual hookup was all courtesy of MTV editing. Damn you, show! You'd think this might cure my addiction to The Hills, but, nah, I'll still be freebasing the show next Monday. See ya then!
Power Pack: Day One #1 (of 4): When I was just a little fanboy, I loved reading about this team of sibling superheroes. Now their origin and continuity is being updated for my son's generation.
Return of the Gremlins #1 (of 3): No, this has nothing to do with Gizmo and Stripe. This series is based on Disney characters created by Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
Apocalypse Nerd: This collects Peter Bagge's series about a Seattle software engineer who happens to be on a camping trip when his hometown gets nuked.
Star Trek: New Frontier #1: Longtime comics writer Peter David has authored several best-selling Star Trek novels, including some about the Excalibur, a ship never spotlighted on the TV shows or in the movies. Now, he's bringing that ship and its crew into the world of comics.
Fox News' Greta Van Susteren recently interviewed (video here) Meat Loaf, and she asked him an age-old question about his 1993 song "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)."
"What wouldn't you do for love?" she asked. "Everyone wants to know that."
Meat Loaf went on to explain the following: "I am in the studio with Jim Steinman, and he wrote the song. ... And he turns to me and he says, 'Meat, do you think that people will know what 'that' is?' And I said, 'Jim, audiences are not stupid. People are not stupid. Of course they're going to know what 'that' is. It is obvious. It's in black and white.' OK, 3 million questions later, what is 'that'? Either I blew it when I sang the song, or Jim blew it when he wrote it, but it is a line before every chorus. I think there are seven of them. One of them is, 'I will never stop dreaming of you every night of my life.' And so on and so on."
To which the eternally confused Van Susteren replied: "So what is 'that'?"
1. David Cook: Holy rocker!!! When I read the rocker was doing "Billie Jean," I was hoping it was a joke. And it actually started off kind of lame, but once his voice soared and the music built, he won me over. Terrific! And I've pretty much disliked him from Day 1, so that's high praise.
2. Syesha Mercado: Her "If I Was Your Woman" was warm, smooth and so emotion-filled. This was my favorite performance from her so far.
3. David Archuleta: Oh, man, what was that song? That whole performance was weird: not really in his key, with some odd facial expressions. Kind of all over the place. Still love you, though!!
4. Brooke White: She turned "Every Breath You Take" into a happy-go-lucky singalong -- huh?! It was bad enough when it was just her on the piano, but when the band chimed in, it turned into an upbeat Tide commercial. Good vocals, though.
5. Michael Johns: It was just OK. Don't get a big head about oversinging and underperforming "We Are The Champions" just because the judges (wrongly) fawned over it.
6. Carly Smithson: She got the ego-lashing from the judges that Michael should've gotten: "You weren't as great as you thought you were." It was lacking that special something.
7. Chikezie: Haha, cheesy Chikezie -- that's what Simon called him. I have to agree. Although the vocals were solid, his performance was boring. He didn't bring it tonight.
8. Ramiele Malubay: Super-pitchy, dawg! Sadly, when she -- finally -- belted for us, her voice turned out to be shot. Too bad. Another downside is that Heart's "Alone" was kind of branded as a Carrie Underwood classic several seasons ago.
9. Jason Castro: Ay, yo, Snoozy McSnooze, what up? That was like taking a sleeping pill and sitting in a cushy easy chair. One-way ticket to Snoozeville, and singing part of that Sting song in Spanish didn't help.
10. Kristy Lee Cook: Ahh, Kristy, Jason Castro occupied the No. 10 spot for most of the night, but your suckitude won over. Not only was it pitchy and lackluster, but Kristy managed to pick what must be one of my most abhorred songs.
Who's going home? Kristy Lee Cook. Only because people who suck usually get sent home the week they get praise from the judges.
2. David Cook: By all accounts, an amazing performance. But I still can't decide if the smoky ballad arrangement of "Billie Jean" was effective or just weird.
3. Brooke White: The sweet version of "Every Breath You Take" worked surprisingly well for her, especially with her piano skillz.
4. Carly Smithson: OK, we get it. You have a big voice. A curveball song choice would be nice every once in a while.
5. David Archuleta: Paula said, "I think all of us were trying to figure that one out." Yeah, she's right. A little too Disney for this stage of the competition.
6. Michael Johns: His Queen cover(s) will definitely keep him around, but this performance was far from his best.
7. Chikezie: If Ruben Studdard is a velvet teddy bear, Chikezie is a velvet beanie baby. I have no idea what I just said.
8. Jason Castro: He picked the right kind of song for his abilities. Sting's "Fragile" is a low-key world beat number. Big improvement over last week.
9. Kristy Lee Cook: "God Bless the U.S.A." is beyond played out. Ugh.
10. Ramiele Malubay: She tried Heart's "Alone," and succeeded in making me wince. Too big for you, girl.
Jamie gave you the scoop while ago about what the theme for tonight is -- songs from the contestants' birth years. Going into tonight, Michael Johns is my fave because he was only born a year after me. The rest are mere children. Children who can't choose a song to save their lives.
David Cook, you'd better do something against-type on "Billie Jean," because anything slightly Creed-like will unleash my inner beast. Ramiele Malubay, you could have picked anything but "Alone," a song Carrie Underwood already killed it on a few seasons ago. And Kristy Lee Cook, you've decided shamelessly to become Kristy Lee Greenwood. Sigh.
Live blogging to commence in this post as soon as the show starts.
7:04 -- I think they give the audience drugs that turn them into hand-waving zombies no matter what's happening on stage.
7:05 -- Farah "Aw, Ramiele's so cute!! But that was pitchy, dawg!"
7:12 -- Ahgahd, they are having another songwriting contest this year.
7:13 -- Happy birthday Jason Castro, from me and all the readers who hated on me for saying you sucked last week!
7:16 -- The point at which Randy says "Don't know if that did anything for you for me." He says that a lot.
TMZ has found out what songs the 10 remaining Idol contestants will be singing tonight, and I was somewhat depressed to find that only one of them is older than me. Michael Johns is completely dominating the others in the age category. He was born in 1978, and the next-closest birth year is 1983.
Here's the song list. The most gag-inducing? Kristy Lee Cook singing 1984's "God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood.
Pacman Jones is going to get an opportunity to tell you why he should be playing for the Cowboys once his suspension is lifted by the NFL. The Titans cornerback will be a guest on Michael Irvin's radio show on ESPN-FM (103.3) Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"Certainly he wants to play here in Dallas," Irvin told the DMN on Monday night. "I think it's smart what he's trying to do: Get out, talk to people and try to humanize himself. One thing I've learned from doing this radio show every day is you try to get an understanding of people and people's perspective of athletes and ballplayers and all of that stuff."
I'm sure most women have stories about the jackasses they've dated. Well now there's a real "Jackass" on the market. Johnny Knoxville is officially single after 13 years of marriage. The star of MTV's Jackass filed for divorce on July 3 from Melanie Clapp, citing irreconcilable differences.
Fred Thompson, whose heart never really seemed to be in his failed GOP presidential run earlier this year, is reportedly ready to return to acting. EOnline.com reports that the one-time Law & Order prosecutor has signed with Hollywood's William Morris Agency to acquire future film and television roles on his behalf. So he may someday be president after all -- on the big screen.
Get ready for it -- the greatest reality show OF ALL TIME!!!! Animal Planet premieres Groomer Has It at 8 p.m. April 12. It's hosted by the most useless of the Queer Eye guys (Jai), and features 12 dog groomers battling it out for the title of Groomer of the Year. Oh yeah, it's gonna get ugly. Just watch this preview video here. "Ugly people do not deserve good things just because they can cut a dog." Do we feel sorry for the dogs yet?
Some people thought VH1 might have crossed the line with Celebrity Rehab, which showed us celebrities' sad struggles with addiction. The network has followed that with I Know My Kid's a Star, where we can see pathetic stage moms (and dads) push their kids into the show business world they failed to enter.
That's not the case with all the parents, but some of them are so obnoxious that I feel bad for the kids who have to deal with them. Some of the wannabe child stars genuinely seem like they want to be there, and their parents are helping them, and that's fine. But with others, you can tell the parents want it more so they can live vicariously through their children, and they're pressuring them to practice. The season preview at the end of the first episode showed catfighting moms, screaming matches and crying kids. I hate to wonder what follows this show.
Celebs such as Katherine Heigl and Siena Miller are reportedly going crazy for Smart Glass recycled jewelry, which is made from old wine and beer bottles. They come in multiple colors, ranging from lime to cobalt to amber. These are my favorite, in amber, the color of a bottle of Bud Light. So if I get a pair, it further justifies my consumption of the product. Right?
Reading about these babies also led me to the greatness that is delight.com, a shopping site where I found the same earrings for $16 less.
This quote from Mavericks coach Avery Johnson talking about Jason Kidd makes me wish I had hair ... so I could pull it out.
"There are opportunities where we think [Kidd] can push it even more, and we see windows of opportunity that he sometimes passes up. He has the freedom to take those opportunities, but I just think he's been a little hesitant because he's always trying to make the pass."
WHICH DO YOU WANT, Avery?!?!?
Do you want a point guard who looks to pass first -- such as Jason Kidd? Or do you want a point guard who can push the ball up court and get to the basket -- such as Devin Harris. Or, would you rather be the point guard yourself?
I think it's the latter, because that's the only person that will ever please the Little General.
During a mindless TV-channel-surfing episode the other night, I came upon dance show Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crewon MTV and decided to check it out. Once you get past host Mario Lopez (gag), crazy judge Lil Mama (what the hell did she just say?), and cheesy dance crew names like BreakSk8 and Fysh n Chicks, the dancing is actually mesmerizing. The finale is this Thursday at 9 p.m. on MTV, and the battle is between Boston group Status Quo and masked men the JabbaWockeeZ (my faves). Watch some videos and vote for your pick here.
What's that, Rover? You enjoy blogging? Apparently a lack of opposable thumbs or the inability to speak don't keep pets from sharing their thoughts on a blog. This recent story on CNN tells us all about how pet owners are trying to "capture" their pet's "energy" by setting up a blog for them and helping them communicate their "thoughts" online, including how much they miss their tennis ball or what their poo smells like. A German shepherd or cockatiel might be up for this, but I just asked my cat if she wanted a blog, and this is what she said: "[Expletive] you, I'm going back to bed. Now fill up my food bowl, woman, before I give you another scar." Me-ow.
So how is your NCAA Tournament bracket faring after the first two rounds? Is it this ugly?ESPN.com reports that 30 (out of 32) first-round games were correctly picked on 51 of the more than 3.65 million entries on its site. There also was one entry that guessed zero winners. That's some nifty guessing.
Grammy-winning Tejano singer Emilio Navaira is in critical condition after his band bus crashed in Houston this morning. The 45-year-old Navaira and his band, Rio, have released more than a dozen albums, including Acuerdate, which won the 2002 Grammy for best Tejano album.
This weekend I caught an episode of Pop Fiction on E!. It's produced by Ashton Kutcher. Celebrities (in this episode it was Paris Hilton, Avril Lavigne and Eva Longoria-Parker) set tabloids and paparazzi up in pranks and then laugh about how rumors fly. Avril Lavigne addressed pregnancy rumors by wearing a pregnancy pillow under her shirt and going shopping for baby stuff. It's hilarious how the paparazzi feed off celebrities. New episodes air Sunday nights on E!.
Here are some cute bunnies for your Easter enjoyment. I have to admit I haven't seen an actual rabbit in years, so I forgot how cute they are when they hop around to bossa-nova-type music. Other than that, they don't do a whole helluva lot.
Katy Trail visitors have wondering about those giant cement cylinders had their questions answered today, when workers started installing lights along the trail. Friends of the Katy Trail has started a fundraising drive to light the trail the rest of the trail from Knox to Airline Road, and they need all the help they can get. It's $50 a foot, but click here to donate whatever you can.
Ooops, how could I have forgotten about getting a snap of yet another Hollywood personality I saw at South by Southwest (in addition to Moby and Rachael Ray -- scroll down)??! Then again, I was on my fourth free mojito at Rachael's day party when I finally took a photo of DJ Efren Ramirez -- Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite!
The pleasant surprise? He was really good! Boy loves his '80s music, and kept the party peeps tapping their toes.
The Raconteurs have a new album coming out Tuesday -- just weeks after finishing recording.
The rock group, whose members include Jack White of the White Stripes, is bypassing the standard months-long wait between finishing an album and releasing it with Consolers of the Lonely.
"The purpose: to get the album to the fans as soon as possible and as we promised," the band says. "We wanted to get this record to fans, the press, radio, etc., all at the EXACT SAME TIME so that no one has an upper hand on anyone else regarding it's availability, reception or perception."
It makes perfect sense to me, although some question whether the rushed release is a way to limit the impact of negative reviews.
Ooh, I got this in just under the wire. It's still Wednesday, right?
Batman: The Killing Joke -- Special Edition: DC has reissued the seminal graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland, whose beautiful art is usually limited to covers. Thanks to a dastardly act by the Joker, Barbara Gordon hasn't worn the Batgirl costume since this story was published in 1988.
Ghost Whisperer #1: Many superheroines are drawn with the same proportions as Jennifer Love Hewitt, so it's only appropriate that her show be adapted into comics.
Voltron Omnibus: This massive hardcover includes a never-before-seen 12th issue of the series based on the Japanese cartoon.
Spider-Man: Reign: I haven't read the series collected here -- set in a futuristic police state, when Spidey's an old man -- but I've heard nothing but good things about it.
We realize a whole bunch of you will be skipping work tomorrow for a certain basketball tournament. (We won't tell.) With that, here are SI.com's 65 reasons why March Madness is simply great.
The Office is back with a new episode on Thursday, April 10th.
FINALLY!
I can't even remember where it left off before the writers' strike, but the word is that this upcoming episode is one of the funniest yet. I can't even remember where I heard that.
Anyway, to get you in the spirit of NBC's hit show, take The Office Personality Test to see which character you're most like. And I swear, if it says I'm most like Phyllis...
HeroBuilders, makers of creepy-looking political action figures such as the Larry Craig "I am not Gay" doll, have come out with a plush figure to accompany you through election season. The Plush Obamakinz can be yours to cuddle through the Democratic National Convention, and who knows, possibly for the next four and a half years. That is, If you're not too creeped out by its outstretched arms, ready to give you a squeeze, and its giant grin.
It's well known that Erica Kane has expensive tastes, but richest man in the world tastes?
Warren Buffett is set to appear on All My Children as himself, his second cameo on the ABC soap. (His first was in 1992.) According to the New York Post, Buffett is called in to help broker a deal to get Erica out of jail. The episode will air during May sweeps.
And by the way, when did jail attire become so flattering?
Ever since I first laid ears on it, I've been dying to learn who sings that twangy, ethereal song that plays in JcPenney's ad for its American Living apparel line. I was surprised to learn that "Killing The Blues" is by Robert Plant (!!) and Alison Krauss from their well-received album, Raising Sand. I'd been curious about this unusual musical collabo before I discovered the commercial -- now I must buy this CD!
We all get unwanted critters on our doorstep sometimes -- snakes, raccoons, dead rats lovingly offered by our cat -- but this guy in San Diego (click here for video) found something much cuter. A 6-month-old sea lion pup managed to wander onto his front porch in Ocean Beach, Calif. It drew a lot of attention from local residents until Sea World showed up to rescue it. Aww. Anybody experience a similar incident here in N. Texas? No?
Today's Fanboy column is about the series FX, specifically about how it began life as a John Byrne commission. After the jump, I've posted my entire Q&A with the series' writer and creator, Wayne Osborne.
It's a dog. No, it's a panda. No, wait, it's a dog. This poor poodle-Maltese mix from Japan looks like it should be chewing on some bamboo. I found this on YouTube and thought it was for real at first, but it's actually a dye job. (Please do not attempt on your own animals.) Read more about this disturbing trend here. Let's hope this little joke doesn't spread farther than Japan.
I've heard of a commemorative stamp. Anyone ever come across a commemorative envelope before?
According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Postal Service is making such a thing for former Marshall University and current Patriots receiver Randy Moss. A formal presentation will be made in West Virginia on Friday.
Each envelope will include a canceled first-class stamp featuring a Patriots helmet.
1. David Archuleta: He took us down an aurally sensational "Long and Winding Road." And he remembered all the words this week!
2. David Cook: Wow, a performance I actually really liked from him! That is, until he hit the vocal-effects thing. Still, he gets high marks for finally impressing me.
3. Amanda Overmyer: Her voice's growly quality didn't work with "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away." Still love her confidence, though.
4. Carly Smithson: Her version of "Blackbird" was just OK for me. While her voice was in good form, she kind of sped through the beginning, as if just waiting to get to the part where she gets all screamy.
5. Brooke White: I was hoping that she'd shine on "Here Comes the Sun," but it was kind of a bleary-eyed, drunken mess. Did she borrow some of Paula's pills?
6. Syesha Mercado: Her "Yesterday" was only meh for me. She hit a batch of bum notes and went all Screamy McScreamy when she didn't need to. Sometimes less is more.
7. Jason Castro: Although his French wasn't that bad, the performance wasn't that good. Paula was right -- the sped-up tempo made it too weird.
8. Chikezie: Whoa, my boy busted out the harmonica, even though he'd never played it before! Crazy -- but somehow quite entertaining.
9. Ramiele Malubay: Aw, I was excited when I heard the music for "I Should've Known Better" -- I love that song! It's supposed to be fun, but Ramiele put zero pep and energy into it. Too bad.
10. Michael Johns: I'm still not feeling this guy. When, oh, when will he sing a song that resonates?!
11. Kristy Lee Cook: Randy called her arrangement "interesting" but the real deal is that the song fell flat. Kristy looked bored singing it. She must be getting the sympathy vote.
Who's going home? I fear Ramiele. Though it should totally be Kristy Lee.
1. David Archuleta: His "Long and Winding Road" was absolutely flawless. I don't buy the complaint that he's too young to feel the songs he's singing -- you don't perform like that unless you feel something.
2. Syesha Mercado: She put a glamourous girl spin on "Yesterday," and it worked like a charm.
3. David Cook: He redeemed himself. With a song, and a vocoder.
4. Carly Smithson: "Blackbird" sounded great, but why'd she have to hover around the mic like that? Cah-reepy.
5. Michael Johns: Even if he is a destitute man's Eddie Vedder, I can't help but like him.
6. Chikezie: He ain't all that, but I liked the harmonica.
7. Ramiele Malubay: She was already too pageant-y, and then she put on that outfit.
8. Kristy Lee Cook: Country gal came out strong on "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," but the chorus fell flat.
9. Brooke White: If Kristy fell, Brooke never really got up to begin with.
10. Amanda Overmyer: She's got talent, yes, but I'm kinda over her. Too predictable?
11. Jason Castro: In his case, French was the official language of suck.
Who's going home? Not sure why I even try to predict anymore, but I'll say Amanda.
Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis has rescinded a $1 million offer for the call girl linked to former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to appear in a non-nude spread in his company's new magazine. The reason? Francis said that a check of his company's video archives showed that Ashley Alexandra Dupre, now 22, spent a week on the GGW bus shortly after her 18th birthday in 2003, filming seven full-length tapes that included nudity. "It's kind of like finding a winning lottery ticket in the cushions of your couch," Francis said.
Farah and I will try something different tonight and post our rankings with contestant comments at the end. I'll add any other comments during the show into this post. Blogging 101!
7 p.m. -- DAMMIT! Another night of skewering Beatles classics?
7:04 -- Is it wrong that I like when Simon winks creepily?
7:11 -- I like how Simon used the words "boring" and "predictable" after Overmyer. Her response to him was pretty classy, though.
7:23 -- From Farah: "Kristy's totally getting the sympathy vote, and I'm sick of it!!"
7:24 -- Farah again: "And what did Kristy mean by "I can blow you out of your socks"?? This is a family show, and that's not how you should try to stick around, yo!!"
Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry have named their baby girl Nahla Ariela Aubry. According to MSN, "Nahla is an Arabic-based name that means, 'drink of water,' which is fitting given that her model-father has often been described as a tall one of those."
In preparation for our Rangers preview section, which hits the racks on March 31, we came across an interesting tidbit.
In each of our team preview sections we run a feature called 10 Burning Questions. The title is a bit tough-in-check, because it's usually a light-hearted, fun interview ... unless of course you are the interviewee.
You see, the last four players we interviewed in our team preview sections haven't exactly excelled on the DFW sports landscape since our talk.
We talked to Mavericks guard Devin Harris in October, he was traded in February. The Stars' Jussi Jokinen answered questions for us in September, he also was traded in February.
Our two college interviews in August, North Texas quarterback Daniel Meager and SMU signal caller Justin Willis, may never take another snap for their respective schools. Meager lost his starting job last year and seems to be destined to fall further down the depth chart with the arrival of Riley Dodge. And, although Willis had a productive season last year, he was suspended from spring practice by new Mustangs coach June Jones, who coincidentally brought one of his Hawaii QB recruits with him to Dallas.
So I guess the really question is: Is there anyone on the Rangers that you want to see sent packing? Let's us know. Maybe the Quick jinx can help you out with that.
Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French has recorded a song to show his support for Sen. Barack Obama. French rerecorded the tune "I Wanna Rock" as "I Want Barack." French plays guitar on the track, which features Paulie Z., singer for the band Z02, on vocals and lead guitar, according to the Associated Press. They call the band Jay Jay French and Friends and stress this isn't a Twisted Sister project because that band's members are split on the presidential candidates.
Anthony Minghella, the highly acclaimed director of The English Patient and Cold Mountain, has died at age 54, his agent has announced.
What a loss to moviemaking -- Minghella was an enormously talented Oscar-nominated writer (The Talented Mr. Ripley), director and executive producer (Michael Clayton) who helmed what is hands-down my favorite film, The English Patient. I have seen the film at least a dozen times, and I am repeatedly awed by the movie's pacing, its quiet power and, of course, its sad yet brilliant ending.
At the time of his death, Minghella was working on yet another book adaptation I was getting rather excited about: the film adaptation of the popular book The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, starring Jill Scott as a feisty Botswanian sleuth. I thought the film was set to be a Hollywood release, but the wire story on Minghella's death says it's a BBC movie, set to air this week. If so, I hope the film makes it to our shores; it would be a treat to witness Minghella's behind-the-scenes talent one last time.
Tonight, the second season of The Riches begins on FX. When we last saw the Malloys, their American dream (that entailed living the life of another family) was falling apart. But I don't think Wayne (Eddie Izzard), Dahlia (Minnie Driver) and the kids are going to get escape from Eden Falls that easy.
Catch the second-season premier at 9 tonight on FX. Unfortunately, because of the writers' strike, there will only be seven new episodes.
My friend Dorothy and I checked out Rachael Ray's Feedback day party at South by Southwest on Saturday, and -- who'd a thunk it? -- we got to meet her up-close! After introducing her husband John Cusimano's band, The Cringe, she slid into a corner of the tent and danced up a storm. Eventually, audience members started making their way over to her for snaps, and the congenial cooking guru was kind enough to oblige. Sadly, her beloved's band has the right name, because cringe we did. Yikes.
Another SXSW star-sighting we had was the previous night at Moby's set, when the DJ raced right past Dorothy on his way to the dressing room. She froze and the moment -- as well as the celeb -- passed ... ah well!!
Yes, billiards. Germany's national champion, Axel Buescher, was stripped of his title today and suspended for a year after he tested positive for an "EPO masking agent," according to Fox Sports. "EPO is a blood booster most closely associated with endurance sports, such as cycling, where it has played a central role in several Tour de France scandals."
What's the next sport to be affected by doping? My vote's on croquet.
The NCAA Tournament selections are in, so be sure to pick up a copy of Monday's Quick so you can fill out a bracket. You could fill out a bracket here, but nobody likes having ink on their monitor.
According to the New York Post, Ashley Dupre (also known as the alleged call girl of NY Governor Eliot Spitzer) has made an estimated $200,000 in music downloads. What a way to boost your music career. You can hear (or purchase, if you'd like) her two songs at Amiestreet.com.
We're still three months from the release of The Incredible Hulk, but Marvel has released a trailer that offers a glimpse of the not-so-jolly green giant just in time for St. Patrick's Day.
No, this isn't a circus bear. It's a bear hanging out on the Great Wall of China near Beijing. He's watched by San Diego Padres pitcher Trevor Hoffman (top right), who was paying a visit to China with his team yesterday. The Padres will play two exhibition games with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the country this weekend, which will be Major League Baseball's first games there. Click here for more info. Maybe the bear will catch a home-run ball.
It's not all bad for Eliot Spitzer. OK, it really is. Anyway, the Macon (Ga.) Music minor league baseball team still wants the New York governor to throw out the first pitch June 13.
Any fan with the name Eliot, Spitzer or Kristen (the moniker of the call girl Spitzer allegedly spent thousands on at the swanky Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.) gets $1 off admission to that night's game.
Spitzer has not yet replied to the invitation. And we're guessing he never will.
Hey, it's hard to find anything for free these days.
But HBO and the U.S. Postal Service are offering to mail a card for free to promote the cable network's miniseries John Adams, which premieres Sunday. Get a free card, postage included, at poweroftheletter.com.
A satirical look at the difference between what a person said and what they "really" meant:
Responding to a question Wednesday at the World Congress of Sports, Liverpool co-owner George Gillett said he once had heard good advice, which he repeated: "Choose your partner wisely."
Gillett shares ownership of the English Premier League soccer club with Tom Hicks, who owns the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars. The co-owners have been much-maligned by the team's fans, who would like to see them sell the club.
The New York Times today said that it had identified the high-priced call girl whose Feb. 13 tryst with New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer led to his resignation. The woman, identified as "Kristen" in court documents, is reportedly a 22-year-old aspiring musician named Ashley Alexandra Dupre. "I just don't want to be thought of as a monster," Dupre told the Times. "This has been a very difficult time. It's complicated."
Billy Crystal (right) may be turning 60, but he is having the time of his life at Yankees camp in Tampa, Fla. The comedian will play in the Bronx Bombers' exhibition game against the Pirates on Thursday. Question is, what's going on in this photo between Crystal and shortstop Derek Jeter? Perhaps they are trying out for a Broadway show.
Let's get some good photo captions started. That means you.
Hulu.com is offering television shows and movies on there newly launched site. Go check out Daylight starring Sylvester Stallone for free. But it has limited commercial interruption.
An eighth-grade honors student at a school in New Haven, Conn., was busted for buying a bag of Skittles from some secretive, Skittles-pushing classmate.
You'd think "Skittles" was some crazy new slang for heroin or some other illicit drug, but indeed, it was the famous candy. So why the punishment? Cuz the school has a zero-candy policy as part of its effort to make kids more healthy.
The student, Michael Sheridan, was class vice president, but not anymore. His title was stripped, he was suspended one day and now he's probably suffering from hypoglycemia.
C'mon, everybody! Eat a bag of Skittles for Michael! Woooooo!
Dave Stevens, the creator of The Rocketeer, died this week. This was one of the more obscure comic books to be made into a big-budget movie. Comics writer Mark Evanier has posted a fine obituary.
Justice League International: The first seven issues of one of my favorite 1980s series have been reissued in a hardcover collection. In 1987, DC recovered from the Justice League's much-maligned "Detroit Era" by giving the team a global scope along with a sense of humor.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto #1: I haven't checked out the wildly popular Lone Ranger series, but this one-shot is being billed a great jumping-on point for new readers.
A satirical look at the difference between what a person said and what they "really" meant:
Colorado men's basketball coach Jeff Bzdelik offered some advice to collegiate superstars and Big 12 opposition Michael Beasley and D.J. Augustin on whether they should leave school early for the pros.
"You go to college to make a living for yourself," Bzdelik said. "Where the majority of the normal students need to get a degree, if you're talented enough to play basketball, why wait if you're going to get a healthy paycheck?
"So to have a player who is not going to stay for four years, you might as well leave and learn the NBA game and make another year's worth of money."
As you might imagine, the joke is on New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (above). Here is a sampling, compiled by the Associated Press:
Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert: "I sat next to the guy three times, and I didn't pick up on any of this. And I usually have excellent whore-dar."
New York comic Lisa Landry: "It's just mind-blowing that he spent $4,300 on a hooker. It just shows how high the cost of living is in New York. That same hooker would cost $50 in Newark."
David Letterman: "They're talking about impeaching Eliot Spitzer if he doesn't step down. And I'm thinking, 'Whoa, a Democrat being impeached for extramarital sex. Well, happy days are here again!' "
Jay Leno: "The real ironic thing about this case? Today, the hooker said that Spitzer was done in a New York minute."
Actress Dawn Wells, better known as Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island, is serving six months' probation after she was caught with marijuana in her vehicle, according to news reports. And the 69-year-old isn't the only cast member of the sitcom to have such a run-in with the law. Bob Denver, Gilligan himself, was busted for having pot delivered to his home back in 1998. His excuse at the time? It belonged to Wells.
Now we know how the castaways passed the time on the island.
1. Amanda Overmyer: Her growly rendition of "You Can't Do That" was tough to understand at times, but this part came through crystal-clear: Amanda had fun with it. As usual, she showed a lot of sass and soul and just has flair out the wazzoo. Love her weekly assortment of scarves, too.
2. Chikezie: That was hot, dawg! Where did all that come from! I loved the build from a laid-back, folksy opening to a rocking, rollicking climax that had him boppin' all over the stage. Nice energy, great rendition.
3. Jason Castro: I don't know why his performance of "If I Fell" touched me so much. After all, he hit quite a few sour notes there. But the song was so emotion-filled and tender, it won me over.
4. Syesha Mercado: Although her song started to sound like an ad jingle, she's still a vocal powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with.
5. David Hernandez: Still love his vocal prowess, even though his perf was only meh.
6. Carly Smithson: She's only ranked this high because the suckdom accelerates rapidly after this midway point ... her "Come Together" was as screamy as I feared it'd be.
7. Ramiele Malubay: Her "In My Life" was more like dead on arrival. I wish she'd do something to wow us with what seems to be an incredible voice waiting to show off!
8. Brooke White: Sweet, emotional rendition of "Let It Be," but the vocal shakiness devolved into utter pitchiness.
9. David Cook: This guy seems to be a fan and judge favorite, and I can't figure out why for the life of me. His "Eleanor Rigby" was indulgent and dull.
10. David Archuleta: He's got golden pipes, but they turned "We Can Work It Out" to rust, sadly. He seemed ill at ease performing it, so it was pretty awkward to watch ... but I hope this doesn't scare him off from up-tempo stuff in the future.
11. Michael Johns: His "Across The Universe" made me want to throw him there.
12. Kristy Lee Cook: After that wretched, countrified "Eight Days A Week," does America need any more of a sign that this chick needs to go? She needs to go.
Who's going home?: Based on quality of performance, it's gotta be Kristy, but since America likes these perky, talentless blondes, I'm afraid Ramiele Malubay might be thrown under the bus before we see what she can really do ... still, I'm going with Kristy Lee.
1. Michael Johns: The male judges are on crack. He let himself go, Simon. It wasn't boring, Randy. His "Across the Universe" did the Beatles proud.
2. Syesha Mercado: She sang "Got To Get You Into My Life" well, but the arrangement and the whole presentation was rather vanilla.
3. Jason Castro: Randy may have been bored by his "If I Fell," but I thought it was effective. And those piercing blue eyes - the ladies are gonna be speed-dialing.
4. Brooke White: She sang "Let It Be" and made herself cry. I liked it, but I didn't shed tears or anything.
5. Carly Smithson: Not a thing wrong with her singing, but again, she just doesn't connect with me. Can't help it.
6. David Archuleta: Not his best week, dawg.
7. Chikezie: Maybe I'm the only one, but I didn't really get it.
8. Ramiele Malubay: Her version of "In My Life" was beauty pageant city. She tried to jerk tears with her emotive singing, but I've always preferred straightforward renditions like the original.
9. Kristy Lee Cook: I give her points for being smart. She could be voted out this week (probably should, actually) and still end up making a hit country CD.
10. David Hernandez: The judges were right (for once), he overdid it big time.
11. David Cook: You don't smile douche-ily during "Eleanor Rigby." You just don't.
12. Amanda Overmyer: It sounded like a dying animal. Maybe it was the skunk on top of her head.
Who's going home? Gah, I have no idea. But just for giggles I'll say ... Ramiele Malubay.
Did I just see an Archuleta misstep? Not that his singing wasn't sensational, but this song ("We Can Work It Out") seemed completely wrong for him. He should've gone for one of the Beatles' poppier songs. "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" would have been age-appropriate. But no point in shoulda-coulda-wouldas. Little Davey's not in danger of getting voted out, so here's hoping he has a better song choice next week.
Why does it feel like I always get Kristy to critique?! That. Sucked. 'Nuff said. I feel so let down, 'cause I actually felt hopeful for her and like a country spin on "Eight Days a Week" might work out. Maybe, possibly. But all this performance did was throw Asia'h's early dismissal back in America's face ... Asia'h definitely would've done better than this ...
YAY, finally, a performance I can get behind!! Like Simon, I could barely understand most of what Amanda sang, but it was growly good times. Easily my favorite performance tonight ... and she seemed to have a great time up there, too.
Love the clothes, love the moves (where'd he learn those? Tee-hee), but didn't really love the souled-out version of "I Saw Her Standing There." It reeked of trying too hard. The judges agreed with me. That means they've come to their senses after mucking up their last few critiques.
OK, that's it, I need to get my ears checked. While she imbued "Let It Be" with a lot of heart and humanity, Brooke kind of drowned in the pool of pitchiness by the end ... technically, the performance wasn't on point. Emotionally, it was terrific. Will that be enough?
OK, "Eleanor Rigby" is a song about loneliness, and this guy kept smiling during the verses. And then he totally Nickelbacked the chorus. I understand why others don't like him now. I admit that I was temporarily distracted by his fab feathered 'do.
Before she even inhaled to start the song, I thought, "please don't scream this song." And then she promptly started to shout it. It improved toward the end, but it was way too Celine-Dion-at-karaoke for me ...
Paula wanted her to get into the Top 12 to start showing her personality?? Homegirl should've been doing that from the get-go. Judges, clean out your ears. Hunter, am I alone in this??
In non-performance news, Carly had a major record deal AND was a model, yet she needs to waitress seven days a week?! Good thing this ain't Financial Planning Idol.
I'm starting to warm up to this guy. His "If I Fell" was sweet and heartfelt, even if his high notes make me a little nervous. The only thing I don't like about the whole Castro experience are his intro interviews. Stoner McStonerface.
We might be saying Malub-bye-bye to this little sweet-face. Cuz, dawg, that version of "In My Life" was dreadfully boring. Oh, and audience? Quit with the hand-waving - it's the Beatles, not "Kumbaya."
Well, I didn't expect that. Mr. Eze twang-ed up the beginning of "She's a Woman" like it was country night, and then he inexplicably moved it into rock territory. The judges loved it, but I'm afraid Chikezie tried to do way too much with this one. Sometimes these contestants challenge themselves for no reason.
I wasn't feeling this performance. While her voice shined late after a shaky start, the performance felt like something out of a detergent commercial. Didn't warm my heart ... maybe it was her nerves.
Finally, we've reached this Idol skeptic's favorite part of the season -- the Top 12! Compared with seasons past, I wouldn't say this group of Idolistas is the cream of the crop -- hell, some of 'em are cream of the crap (I'm lookin' at you, David Cook) -- but at least the competition is entering its hottest point. Bring it on!
Love the snappy new beginning, although those weird electronic people are scurry, but I thought there was gonna be new music, too?! At least the new set is snazzzzy! Oooh, bright lights ....
Best part -- Idol's got the rights to plumb John Lennon and Paul McCartney's songbook. Hmmm, this should be interesting ...
In her new video for "Break the Ice," Britney Spears is animated. Check out some screen shots. I'll go ahead and state the obvious: She looks a lot better than she does in real-life with her dollar store extensions.
I came across a cool story today on how troops in Iraq -- even some of the Iraqi ones -- see Chuck Norris as a cult hero. You may have seen some of the "Chuck Norris Facts" online. Now there's word of a small cardboard shrine to the action star in Baghdad, where troops pay homage to the man whose tears would cure cancer -- if only he ever shed any. Soldiers laud the actor's manliness and virility in comments left on bathroom walls across Iraq and even in neighboring Kuwait, troops say.
"The fastest way to a man's heart is with Chuck Norris's fist," reads one message at the shrine, which consists of similar statements and a signed photo of the actor, who has visited Iraq several times. "Chuck Norris puts the laughter in manslaughter," reads another.
Meet Patches, the horse who thinks he's a dog. He likes to hop in the car for a cruise, eat cheeseburgers, watch Westerns, fetch beer, and sleep under the covers. It looks like he probably did the paint job on that car, too.
It's been a rough a year for television ... and about to get worse.
First, one of HBO's flagship shows, The Sopranos, wrapped up its series last June. Then the writers' strike basically wiped out anything and everything on TV this winter. "The show which I cannot mention again" ended its run on HBO last night. And later this year, The Shield will come to an end after seven seasons on FX.
High School Condifentialpremieres tonight at 9 on WE. A production team followed 12 girls through their four years of high school. The girls include a party girl, an overachiever, an art geek and a girl who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Probably won't be as big of a hit as High School Musical, but looks interesting.
AOL.com recently conducted a taste test of several frozen pizza brands to rate them on categories like crust, cheese, flavor and overall appeal. Would anyone actually confuse DiGiorno with delivery? Does Red Baron really fly high? All the answers are there -- at least in the snarky opinions of AOL's panel. Click here to see how your favorite pie stacks up.
Yee-haw: Actor John Schneider, a.k.a. Bo Duke, took the General Lee for a spin (above) before Sunday's NASCAR race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. They were also rolling over replica cop cars from The Dukes of Hazzard. Does prerace entertainment get better than that? Is Eddie Gossage reading?
Star power: Saturday night's North Carolina-Duke game was attended by Peyton and Eli Manning and Matthew McConaughey.
What are other people in your office thinking? Well, who knows ... it could be one of these exact things -- as posted anonymously on trueofficeconfessions.com:
"People wearing spandex in 2008 should be shot."
"You are getting creepier the longer I know you."
"For 30 minutes, my manager went off about her Saturday night, which consisted of her going home late, her family not waiting for her to eat dinner, throwing a plate of steaks in the living room at her husband's head, going on a rage-induced spending spree ($500) ..." [It gets even better. Or worse, depending on your outlook.]
"Will I ever have fun again?"
But it's not all doom and gloom down on the ol' cubicle farm. I did find this ONE glimmer of hope:
"I just ate a big piece of chocolate cake and now I feel sick ..."
Heath Ledger's family said this weekend that the late actor's daughter will be taken care of, even though Ledger made no mention of her in his will. The Brokeback Mountain star, who died earlier this year at age 28, wrote the will in 2003, before the birth of daughter Matilda Rose. Ledger left everything he owned to his parents and sister.
A follow-up to my earlier post about the crossover between The Wire and Homicide actors:
Another actor who has been on each show is Richard Belzer. Belzer made a cameo appearance as Detective John Munch on a February episode of The Wire. Belzer also played that character on Homicide, and currently is Munch on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
In fact, according to imdb.com, Munch is currently the longest-running character on U.S. prime time drama television. Belzer has played Munch since 1993, and is the only actor ever to play the same character on nine different TV shows, beating George Wendt (Norm Peterson) and John Ratzenberger (Cliff Clavin).
Tonight's series finale of The Wire is not only the last episode of a great television series, but it also is the end of an era for the city of Baltimore.
Writer and creator David Simon has a long relationship with Charm City. The former Baltimore Sun crime reporter not only based The Wire in Baltimore, but his previous television show on NBC, Homicide: Life on the Streets, also shot all seven seasons (1993-1999) there.
The two shows not only share the same streets, but often the same actors as well.
Got in the mail this morning a reminder for all you polka lovers: The National Accordion Association's convention starts March 13 at the Richardson Hotel (now the Hyatt) in Richardson.
Topics to be covered include:
Playing the accordion with feeling
A primer on hand anatomy, function and disorders
Building a successful accordion club
There will also be some seriously good music, with a performance by Brave Combo March 14.
But be warned. This from the convention brochure: "This will be an 'action-packed' convention. Do your resting BEFORE and AFTER the convention."
The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, a huge Lakers fan, can't contain his excitement over L.A.'s surge in the Western Conference. "If they win a championship, I might do something crazy," he wrote in his NBA blog. "I am a vegetarian, but if they win I'm gonna get a bunch of those free taco coupons and eat 100 tacos like Paul Newman eats eggs in Cool Hand Luke."
Brash Golden State Warriors guard Baron Davis, a.k.a. Boom Dizzle, has a beard -- one that he's very proud of. Davis, who knows how to be a thorn in the side of your Mavericks, announced on his blog that he has created a beard-growing contest on the Web site ibeatyou.com. "Grow out a beard and join the comp," Davis says at yardbarker.com. "See if y'all can top mine!"
I would not want to live in South Pasadena, Calif.
This week, the city council issued a proclamation against cussing in an attempt to -- according to the mayor -- "raise the level of discourse" ... and effectively take out all the fun out of growing up.
Perhaps fortunately, the cuss-free zone is not an everyday thing -- the proclamation lasts only until tomorrow, and will start up again every first week of every March.
But still. Doesn't anyone remember what it was like when you first learned to cuss? It was glorious (although definitely not to your parents).
There is a site, RecordMyCalls.com that offers to record your calls. Talk about Big Brother, I don't need the third party. But, do what makes you happy.
While researching some Seinfeld quotes for tomorrow's weather (see Quick's Page 3 so you'll know EXACTLY what to wear), I came across a site where people are encouraged to let it all hang out. It's advertising a product "built for speed, comfort
and the free spirit in all of us!" Check it out and you, too, can be like Kramer: "I'm out there, Jerry, and I'm lovin' every minute of it!"
Have you ever wondered what animals do when humans aren't around? No, they don't speak with a Brooklyn accent or throw keg parties. Apparently they just wander around and sniff things, as the World Wildlife Fund has discovered with its new "Camera Traps," which are set up with infrared triggers in forested areas. The Fund also gathers important information for research, of course. Go here for a gallery of what animals do in the privacy of their own habitats. Let us know if you find anything naughty.
Sorry for the delay. I was caught up in a post voting-caucusing-canvassing-polling fog all day Wednesday. Which is a shame, because some fine comics went on sale:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #12:Cloverfield screenwriter Drew Goddard begins a four-issue arc in the series billed as the eighth season of the Buffy TV show. According to The New York Times, this issue shows Buffy doing something that Sarah Michelle Gellar might not have agreed to.
Logan #1 (of 3): Writer Brian K. Vaughan has gone on record as saying the last thing the world needs is another Wolverine story. But fanboys are always happy to have another Vaughan story.
Echo #1: Houston's Terry Moore, who made his name writing and drawing Strangers in Paradise for 14 years, launches a new series about a young woman who gains mysterious new abilities after witnessing an explosion in the sky.
Young Liars #1:David Lapham, who made his name writing and drawing the crime epic Stray Bullets, launches a new series about a young heiress from Austin who falls in with the wrong crowd.
The Highwaymen: One of my favorite series of 2007 is being reissued as a paperback collection. In 2021, a delayed message from the late President Clinton brings two secret agents out of retirement. In their comics debut, writers Adam Freeman and Marc Benardin manage to end almost every page on a cliffhanger.
1. Amanda Overmyer: My little biker chick did me proud with her growly, confident performance. But smile some, chica!
2. Syesha Mercado: She had an assured, if predictable performance of a Whitney classic. She can do no wrong in my book.
3. Asia'h Epperson: The night's other Whitney performance was bubbly and energetic, with powerful vocals by Asia'h.
4. Ramiele Malubay: I've loved her restraint in the past few weeks, but sometimes, a gal's gotta belt! Let it out, Ramiele!
5. Brooke White: She toned down Pat Benatar's "Love Is a Battlefield" maybe a bit too much. Still love her folksy charm, though.
6. Kristy Lee Cook: She countrified the joint with a twangy take on Journey's "Open Arms," which I didn't care for. She was in good voice tonight, however.
7. Carly Smithson: Her "I Drove All Night" was just a howlingly bad song choice.
8. Kady Malloy: Her performance barely registered with me. And I thought she was Alaina Whitaker.
Who's going home?: Kristy Lee Cook, Kady Malloy, Luke Menard and Danny Noriega
1. Syesha Mercado: She didn't change up "Saving All My Love For You" any, but her rendition was pitch-perfect. And (all together now), it is a singing competition.
2. Brooke White: Sure, her "Love Is A Battlefield" was slowed down more than it should've been, but at least she interpreted an '80s classic in a way that fits her style.
3. Amanda Overmyer: Hellz yeah, that was the perfect song for her. And she took the hair down a notch. I love it when they listen to me.
4. Asia'h Epperson: She didn't out-Whitney Whitney on "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," but her performance was fun and carefree. I'd like to see her try "How Will I Know," just for kicks.
5. Kristy Lee Cook: Not terrible, but Journey cover bands generally sing "Faithfully" better. And I hate Journey cover bands.
6. Ramiele Malubay: What. A. Snoozer. She knows better.
7. Carly Smithson: So robotic, so soulless. Even Celine Dion would be freaked out by this girl's lack of a personality.
8. Kady Malloy: She performed above my expectations, even if my expectations were low.
Who's going home? Carly Smithson, Ramiele Malubay, Luke Menard and Chikezie.
Simon said her version of Whit-Whit's "Savin' All My Love" was "predictable, but good." I said it was "predictable, but great." Really, I didn't hear one bad note. That's probably the reason she performed last, in what Farah just called "the pimp spot."
I liked her voice on this, but she turned a dynamic song into a flat, emotionless pancake of a tune. She stripped it musically, but sadly stripped it emotionally a bit, too. And now all this stripping has me thinking of David Hernandez.
Like Carly did Celine doing Cyndi, Ramiele did Mariah doing Phil Collins. CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE SING A FREAKING PAT BENATAR SONG OR SOMETHING? THIS IS '80s NIGHT!
Boy, she took a Journey classic and chicken-fried it. Randy said he liked the country spin to it, but it was too twangy for me, dawg. Although like Kady she hasn't shown much personality, I gotta say her voice was pretty good, so props to Kristy.
I'm so glad Simon called her out on the song choice. I could tell she was just copying Celine's version of a song that was conveniently recorded by Cyndi Lauper in the '80s. This girl wants so badly to be Celine that she forgets she's an Irish chick with tattoos who should be delving into real soul music. But oh well ... she's just another Idol contestant with loads of potential and not an ounce of knowledge about how to use it to her advantage.
Yay, Amanda got some love from the judges! Her rendition of a Joan Jett classic was cool, assured and powerful, just what we love to see from her. Rock on, chica!
On another note, have you noticed that she's really wholesome-looking if you look closely at her face? Without the raccoon eyes, she almost looks like the (biker) girl next door!
She broke my personal rule against singing Freddie Mercury songs, but at least she picked one that was fairly uncomplicated. And "Who Wants to Live Forever" came off as a more serious choice than some people's '80s selections (looking at you, Menard). Yeah, I'm so-so on this one.
Asia'h keeps picking these big-voiced divas and not really knocking 'em out of the park. While I liked her enthusiastic Whitney song, I wouldn't say it was a home-run. Still love her, though.
Meanwhile, Paula, seeming as high on magic pills goofy as ever, just raved, as usual.
OMG, The Hills is finally coming back!! And MTV has prepared this slick little trailer offering super-tasty nuggets of what's to come -- and I can't wait! Among the juicy tidbits of spoilerism: a cute and lusty French gentleman appears to woo Lauren during her swing through Paris, but she's still hung up on Brody -- even though she learns he's apparently moved on in the girlfriend department. Also: Whitney seems to be contemplating life beyond Teen Vogue, Speidi are on the outs and Audrina keeps going back to Justin Bobby. Seems like no one is savin' the drama for their mama -- they're too busy living knee-deep in it!!
Release date: March 24.
Chance of TV success: Strong -- it's The Hills, after all, back after an agonizing hiatus and in Paris!!
Should you see it?: Yes! What's the harm, besides the withering away of a few brain cells? And unlike the movies, it's free!!
According to the Page Six at the New York Post, Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and the prognosis is not good for the star of Ghost and Dirty Dancing. From the Page Six story:
The 55-year-old star's publicist confirmed to Page Six that he's suffering from pancreatic cancer. ...
Patrick was diagnosed with the cancer more than a month ago.
The average life expectancy is six to nine months, with only 4 percent of patients living more than five years.
I guess I should start calling this feature The Daily Dose of Unbearable Cuteness. Cuz that's what this video clip is. It shows two cats having a completely verbose conversation. Most people wouldn't know what they were saying, but some genius guy figured it out. Check out the "translation" below.
1. David Archuleta: I thought the Phil Collins song would be his undoing this week, but he brought the emotion. But the judges were right -- lighten up, kid, have some fun!! I would've been delighted to see him do something as fun as "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." Just not as abysmally as Luke (see No. 8). 2. David Hernandez: I couldn't help but envision him singing "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" while delivering a lap dance. His phrasing was odd, as if he were trying to imitate Celine's accent, but he was in good voice tonight. 3. Jason Castro: I'd never heard his song before, but Mr. Dreadlocks made me a believer -- he brought such heartfelt vulnerability. A beaut! 4. Chikezie: Charming rendition of a modern-day R&B classic. 5. David Cook: I found his guitar-heavy take on Lionel Richie's "Hello" to be weird and not very entertaining. His voice was actually quite good, but I'm just not really selling what he's buying ... 6. Danny Noriega: Speaking of weird. I didn't even recognize his effed-up version of "Tainted Love" until, like, 40 seconds in! Tainted, indeed. Love his personality, but he needs to rein himself in and concentrate on the actual singing part of this contest. 7. Michael Johns: Joining David Cook in the You're Not Selling Me Department is this guy. He has yet to blow me away. And his cocky, I'm-a-rock-god performance of the Simple Minds classic just seemed to show that he's believing his own hype. Please, sell it to me ! 8. Luke Menard: Please, America, if you have any sense at all, let this turkey go!! This was laughably bad. You foyne, baybee, but you can't sing!
I had to tape the show tonight, but I just watched. Here are the rankings...
1. David Cook: The electric guitar made me nervous when he launched into a Lionel Richie song, but he worked it out. The hair is growing on me.
2. David Archuleta: The piano was a nice touch, but he really captivated the audience when he left it behind and got into the singing. And "Another Day In Paradise" - great song choice.
3. Michael Johns: Great song. Ahh, 'Breakfast Club' memories. His confidence impresses me more than his vocals do, but I'll take the total package for now.
4. Chikezie: His reworking of a Whitney Houston ballad sounded OK, but it was neither young nor modern.
5. David Hernandez: His Celine Dion cover was a bit shaky, but I'll give him a break. He'd had a bad day. It's just fortunate he didn't do "Private Dancer."
6. Danny Noriega: That funked up version of "Tainted Love" just didn't work for me. It was, as Danny would say, "TMTH."
7. Jason Castro: I don't care what the judges say. 'American Idol' contestants shouldn't try to cover Jeff Buckley. It just ain't right.
8. Luke Menard: What's this guy still doing in the competition? His voice is like nails across a chalkboard.
It's being reported that David Hernandez from American Idol's current season was a male dancer at a Phoenix strip club before he sang his way to Hollywood.
Infamous anti-Idol Web site, VoteForTheWorst.com, has been all over this story, and now it's been apparently firmed up by the Associated Press. David is the guy who turned in a pretty kickin' version of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" last week.
So, all of this news leads to questions: Will it even matter? Will this information excite or disappoint American Idol fans? Has he ever given a lap dance to this song? If so, how much did he get for it? Farah, Hunter? Comments?
In other interesting bits, VFTW this week is pushing America to cast its collective thumbs down for Danny Noriega and Amanda Overmyer. (I wouldn't mind either one of them gone myself, but let's not forget Luke Menard. If his teeth weren't so white, people would catch onto his awful singing voice. You know this is truth.)
Well, looks like it's time for me to find a new favorite NFL player. After 17 years, Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre is hanging it up.
Favre replaced John Elway as my favorite player years ago, even before Elway beat Favre in Super XXXII -- let's just say that was a confusing and ironic game for me to watch. And, while Elway remains my all-time favorite football player and second favorite athlete ever (behind Michael Jordan), Favre has given me a lot of joy -- and frustration over the years. He'll be missed.
Sometimes I get the feeling I'm being watched. What about you all? You ever get that feeling? No? This sled dog peeks out of his pen before the start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska, on Sunday. Maybe he's hoping his owner can't see him so he can stay inside and watch Snow Dogs.
According to the Los Angeles Times, a "small-time gambler" in England last week bet 50 pence (about $1), and correctly picked eight winning horses at different tracks. At combined odds of nearly 2.8 million to one, the unidentified man won 1 million pounds ($1.98 million).
One winning horse was named Isn't That Lucky. Another: A Dream Come True.
Check out this video about the trail construction at White Rock Lake. (Side note...I think it's from the day of the Texas Half, Feb. 9). I've visited several Lake-related Web sites (such as For the Love of the Lake) to find out more about the construction, but I haven't had any luck finding out when it's going to be finished or how wide the trail is going to be and what it's going to look like when it's done. Anyone have any info?
In keeping with the popularity of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, which starts a new season March 17, members of the Red Sox decided to show off their moves to support Mike Lowell's charity. Check out Jonathan Papelbon's lacy garment.
Papelbon, known for the Irish jigs he did during the postseason, was reportedly asked to join the show, but he had some little baseball season to attend to. Maybe if they start their next season in November?
With the series finale of The Wire just six days away, I have one question: How will they ever wrap everything up in only 90 minutes?
Listening to a recent radio interview, I heard that the writers promise Sunday's episode won't have a Hollywood (happy) ending. But, they did say there will be a couple of silver linings.
I wouldn't bet on McNulty worming his way off the hook though.
The American Airlines Center box office hotline says tonight's Van Halen concert is postponed until 8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, and that tickets from tonight's show will be honored.
The new season of High School Reunion premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m. on TV Land. This season, the show features 15 graduates from J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, "your typical Texas high school." It's been 20 years since the Class of 1987 saw each other. Check out a sneak peek.
As much as I hate to admit -- and I really hate to -- Will Ferrell's newest sports comedy, Semi-Pro, was an air ball.
Sure it earned its share of chuckles, but there wasn't a lot that will stick with me from this movie. In fact, if I was forced to go the movies tomorrow and was given the choice between seeing Semi-Pro again or Anchorman -- which I've seen about 20 times -- I'd have to pick Anchorman.
While it's been noted JLo has given her twins normal-sounding names (Max and Emme) -- and the whole wide world stood up and did the wave -- what about the not-so-normal, WTF names celebs have given their offspring?
Moxie CrimeFighter (Magician Penn Jillette) Hopper (Sean Penn and Robin Wright) Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf) Bluebell Madonna (Spice Girl Geri Halliwell) Audio Science (Actress Shannyn Sossamon) Kyd (David Duchovny and Tea Leoni)
And what would happen if two of the children listed above ended up getting married? Would the wedding announcement instantly explode at the weird combination of names?
TMZ.com is reporting that Van Halen has canceled because Eddie is having "issues." Hmm... they are scheduled to play at American Airlines Center tomorrow. No official word on whether or not the AAC show, or the entire tour, is canceled. They did postpone a concert in Charlottesville, Va., last month, and one in January, but this may just be a rumor.
A nuzzle from a baby giraffe is enough to make anyone's day. This animal keeper at the Los Angeles Zoo gets the young female ready for her public debut last Friday. The as-yet-unnamed Masai giraffe, born on Feb. 6, drinks nine quarts of whole cow's milk per day. All I have to say about that is I'm glad I don't have to clean her toilet. QUICK STAT: Masai giraffes live on the African savannahs of Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa.
I'm late in checking this out, since the trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull apparently has become a viral video since its online debut. I can see why! Although there's not much in the way of actual plot details, is that really what will have us all flocking, sheeplike, to the cineplex on opening day?! Um, no. As in all Indy flicks, Harrison Ford gets himself out of one bind after the next in spectacular fashion and fights the bad guys, all for the greater good. And although there's not nearly enough Shia LeBeouf in the trailer to satisfy this fan, I like the acknowledgment from Indy that each escapade is "not as easy as it used to be." Now can we get over his age and just enjoy the movie?!
Release date: May 22.
Chance of box office success: Hmmm, it's a Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Ford collabo. Box office smashdom is a given.
Should you see it?: Yes! For the sheer opening-day spectacle and '80s nostalgia factor, why not join half of America at the theater?
Someone linked me to an interview with the kids who play Kenard and Bug on The Wire. They're so articulate for 12-year-olds. Don't watch this if you haven't seen episode 58!
In my continuing effort to call out retail store music programmers, a trip to my neighborhood drug store this morning produced "Lady" by Kenny Rogers and "Key Largo" by Bertie Higgins.
I don't get it. Can we at least get something current? Did the research suggest customers buy more eyedrops or hair products when listening to Kenny Rogers hits?
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