'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Reader Comment
Re: Sex and the City
Hey Marty,
About Sex and the City being syndicated...right, and will they take out
all nudity, or blur it, and fill in with commercials?
mark
"The US: the most hypocritical country in all of history"
--
The government accordingly spends more and more of our tax money
financing "faith-based organizations." Without faith we might relapse into
scientific or rational thinking, which leads by a slippery slope toward
constitutional democracy. - Guns & Dope Party, California recall
Thanks, Mark.
You betcha the shows will be heavily edited - but, probably more for time (the better to slam in more commercials) than content.
The Tribune station here in LA, KTLA, is also the local WB outlet. Coincidentally, HBO is also an aol/time/warner property.
from Mark
Another Bumpersticker
'The World's Worst Leaders'
New Horizons In Violence
Melbourne's media outlets were on their guard today when two men dressed as U.S. resident George W. Bush and deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein personally delivered a CD of media-sampling songs critical of Bush's War On Terror. The men, representatives of the band New Horizons In Violence, wore masks of Bush and Hussein, and handed envelopes to bemused receptionists Melbourne-wide.
Fears of any sort of terrorist activity on the anniversary of September 11 was short-lived as the packages turned out to contain just a copy of the audio/video CD "The World's Worst Leaders" and a
press release (labelled as a "Red Alert"). The CD comes with a text file encouraging users to burn and distribute the music further, claiming that 'The information contained on this CD has now been "liberated"'.
"The World's Worst Leaders" features a cut-and-paste of some of resident Bush's most notable verbal gaffes and blunders, in particular the phrases "The world's worst leaders with the world's worst weapons" and "I can't see because I can't hear - I mean I can't hear because I can't see". The video clip includes the Bush and Hussein figures miming to the song and notably has the Bush character carrying and riding a missile labelled "WMD".
New Horizons In Violence have already developed a worldwide cult following thanks to the video clip, which is now receiving thousands of downloads a week from the NHIV web site (www.clintflicks.com/nhiv), and is particularly attracting accolades in US-based weblogs.
The single is not for sale, but all the audio and video tracks, along with the CD artwork, have been made available for free at the NHIV web site.
The band can only be contacted via the email address nhiv@clintflicks.com.
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Weather is still quite pleasant.
Seems all the e-mail problems are straightened out. Well, until the next flaw in Windows is exploited.
So, Shelob, the tarantula, was lop-sided up against a wall of her terrarium around lunchtime, in a position we'd never seen before. She didn't move at all when I blew on her. As soon as the kid got home from school,
we took a drive to the reptile shop, looking to consult with their spider-pro. Had a very sad 10-year-old, dropping giant tears, who was convinced his pet was dead.
Turned out it was the spider-pro's day off, but the new guy
behind the counter said 'go home & wait a week - it'll either molt or start smelling and you'll know its dead.'
We came home, put Shelob back on the top of the piano, and hoped for the best. I started rustling up supper & about an hour later, the kid ran into the kitchen - Shelob molted. Damn - looked like there were 2 spiders in there.
All is well in spider-land and the kid is happy.
Tonight, Friday, CBS opens the night with a RERUN 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation', followed by a RERUN 'JAG', then a
RERUN 'CSI: Miami'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Dave are Cuba Gooding Jr and Simon & Garfunkel. (RERUNs all next week)
Scheduled on a FRESH Craiggers it's TBA.
NBC begins the evening with a 2-hour 'Dateline' that appears to be an infomercial for Dr. Phil, followed by a RERUN 'Boomtown'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jay are Pamela Anderson, Jerry Springer, and Steve Miller Band.
On a RERUN Conan are Harrison Ford, Kelly Clarkson, and John Pizzarelli.
Scheduled on a FRESH Carson Daly are Conan O'Brien, Jessica Simpson, Danica Patrick, Mark Cuban, and Hurry-Up Offense.
ABC starts the night with a RERUN 'America's Funniest Home Videos', followed by a RERUN 'Whose Line?', then another RERUN
'Whose Line?', followed by '20/20' where Baba Walters plugs the Osbournes.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jimmy Kimmel are Ali Landry and Jim Florentine with this week's guest co-host Adam Carolla.
The WB offers the Season Premiere of 'Reba', followed by a RERUN 'Grounded For Life', then the
Series Premiere of 'All About The Andersons'.
Faux has a RERUN 'Bernie Mac', followed by a RERUN 'Wanda', then a RERUN 'Boston Pubic'.
UPN has 'The 2003 Essence Music Festival'.
Check local PBS listings for 'NOW With Bill Moyers'.
A&E has 'Poirot', and 'Meet The Royals'.
AMC offers the movie 'Hurricane', followed by the movie 'The Usual Suspects', then the movie 'Trespass'.
BBC -
[6pm] 'BBC World News';
[6:30pm] 'Parkinson' - Russell Crowe;
[7pm] 'Ground Force' - Bournemouth;
[7:30pm] 'Changing Rooms' - Disney;
[8pm] 'At Home With The Braithwaites' - Episode 2;
[9pm] 'Coupling' - The Freckle, the Key, and the Couple Who Weren't;
[9:40pm] '3 Non-Blondes' - Episode 1;
[10:20pm] 'Manchild' - Episode 2;
[11pm] 'So Graham Norton' - Jennifer Love-Hewitt;
[11:30pm] 'So Graham Norton' - Jerry Hall;
[12am] 'Coupling' - The Freckle, the Key, and the Couple Who Weren't;
[12:40am] '3 Non-Blondes' - Episode 1;
[1:20am] 'Manchild' - Episode 2;
[2am] 'At Home With The Braithwaites' - Episode 2;
[3am] 'So Graham Norton' - Jennifer Love-Hewitt;
[3:30am] 'So Graham Norton' - Jerry Hall;
[4am] 'Coupling' - The Freckle, the Key, and the Couple Who Weren't;
[4:40am] '3 Non-Blondes' - Episode 1;
[5:20am] 'Manchild' - Episode 2; and
[6am] 'BBC World News'. (ALL TIMES EDT)
Bravo has 'Inside The Actor's Studio' (Laurence Fishburne), 'Reality Of Reality', another 'Reality of Reality', then the movie 'The Two Jakes'.
HBO offers 'Real Time With Bill Maher'.
History has 'Modern Marvels', 'Battle History Of The Air Force', another 'Battle History Of The Air Force', and 'Modern Marvels'.
SciFi has 'Tremors: The Series', 'Stargate SG-1', and a couple of 'Scare Tactic's.
TCM celebrates 'the Fretful Frog,' Claudette Colbert all day, and silly spies at night.
[6am] 'The Secret Fury' (1950);
[7:30am] 'Tomorrow Is Forever' (1945);
[9:30am] 'Since You Went Away' (1944);
[12:30pm] 'It's A Wonderful World' (1939);
[2pm] 'Tovarich' (1937);
[4pm] 'It Happened One Night' (1934);
[6pm] 'Without Reservations' (1946);
[8pm] 'Casino Royale' (1967);
[10:15pm] 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery' (1997);
[12am] 'The Fearless Vampire Killers or: Pardon Me, but Your Teeth are in my Neck' (1967);
[2am] 'La Terra Trema' (1947); and
[5am] 'The Widow From Monte Carlo' (1936). (ALL TIMES EDT)
Police technicians examine the damage to the famed statue of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid after the bronze was pushed off her perch at the entrance of Copenhagen's Harbour late Wednesday night, Sept. 10, 2003. The statue has been watching from her rock by the harbor for 90 years, and has been the subject of several attempts at vandalism.
Photo by Kristian Linnemann
The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
Sound Off On Ahnold
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks have voiced another political opinion--this time, on the California race for governor. And let's just say they're not big fans of Republican candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger.
While overseas on their Top Of The World tour, Emily Robison told German newspaper Abendzeitung that the movie star does not have her support. She stated, "He is a great film star, but I find his idea to run for governor absolutely insane. America should be governed by people who have a clue. I hope he doesn't win."
The group will return to the States for a Recording Artists Coalition concert in Washington, DC on October 12.
Dixie Chicks
Nine Months in Jail!
Tommy Chong
Tommy Chong of the comedy duo "Cheech & Chong" was sentenced to nine months in prison and fined $20,000 on Thursday for distributing marijuana pipes over the Internet.
The 65-year-old Canadian-born entertainer, wearing a dark business suit and shoulder-length hair, asked U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab for a sentence of community service, saying in a statement read by his lawyer that he was not the perpetually stoned loser he portrays in Hollywood films.
Chong, who has no criminal record, is best known as the bearded and bespectacled member of "Cheech & Chong," who along with partner Cheech Marin became synonymous with the drug humor of the 1970s through comedy skits such as "Dave's Not Here" and movies like "Up In Smoke."
Prosecutors said Chong entered the distribution business in September 2001 and raised nearly $1.6 million in sales before federal agents raided his Gardena, California-based company, Nice Dreams Enterprises, in February.
On Thursday, Schwab put the family-run company on three years' probation and ordered Chong to abandon his Web site domain names. The judge also instructed Chong to forfeit $103,000 in sales proceeds.
Tommy Chong
'Congress' Bans Filming
'K Street'
The US Congress has banned the filming of a new television series billed as a raw look at the backroom wheeling and dealing of US politics from the grounds of US legislature.
The new HBO series "K Street," produced by Hollywood celebrity George Clooney and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, has been promoted by the channel as a "groundbreaking" look at the underbelly of US government -- particularly the sometimes unsavory world of political lobbying.
The series, which intends to fuse reality and fiction by using Hollywood actors alongside real-life Washington players, plans to film on location in and around the corridors of power.
"Use of Senate and Capitol space for the filming of 'K Street' is strictly prohibited," read the letter signed by Senator Trent Lott, chairman of the Senate Rule Committee, and several other lawmakers.
'K Street'
A young Uygur acrobat uses her mouth to balance herself on a pole as she spins rugs during a performance for tourists in Urumqi, the capital city of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, September 11, 2003. The ancient city of Urumqi, which was on the Silk Road trade route, is now a major financial and industrial centre in northwest China.
Photo by Andrew Wong
Set To Open On Broadway In 2005
'Spamalot'
A stage version of the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" will open in New York in the spring of 2005. Its tentative title is "Spamalot" but don't hold the troupe to that moniker.
"I like the title `Spamalot,'" Python member Eric Idle said Thursday in a statement. `'But I was thinking it might be smart to ask audiences on my upcoming U.S. tour if they liked it as much as I do. After all, they are the ones who will be paying Broadway prices to see the show."
Idle wrote the book for "Spamalot," which is based on material from the film created by Idle, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The stage version will also have music and lyrics by Idle and John Du Prez.
'Spamalot'
On Paris Stage For Peace
Yoko Ono
John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, will take to the stage in Paris next week for a single performance of her one-woman art show "Cut Piece", a project for peace she first performed in Japan nearly 40 years ago.
Alone on stage at the Ranelagh theater in Paris on September 15, Ono will ask spectators to cut up her clothes with scissors. She has asked that each participant dedicate their scrap of fabric to the person they love.
"'Cut Piece' expresses my wish for peace in the world. I was completely overwhelmed and angry when I performed this work for the first time in 1964. This time, I am doing it out of love for you, me and the world," the 70-year-old Ono said in a statement.
Yoko Ono
Confides Problems To Mandela
Naomi Campbell
Supermodel Naomi Campbell confides in former South African president Nelson Mandela, whom she sees as an inspirational figure, about her personal problems and love life, according to a report.
"He always wants to know how how I'm doing. My personal life, my love life, my problems, I just tell him," Campbell told the Straits Times newspaper Thursday.
The London-born supermodel, one of the most famous women to grace the catwalks, said Mandela was the inspirational force behind her new-found love for charity.
She remains a close friendship with Mandela whom she first met 12 years ago through her former lover, American actor Robert de Niro.
Naomi Campbell
Recalls Entwistle's Death, Tour
Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey says getting back on stage so shortly after John Entwistle's death was good pain management.
Entwistle, the band's bassist, died in June of last year in Las Vegas, a day before The Who was to start a three-month nationwide tour. Daltrey says the day they heard Entwistle died, he and Pete Townshend made the decision to play the Hollywood Bowl three days later.
Daltrey says it was a difficult decision to continue the tour, but once they got on stage and started playing, he says "it helped with the grief, because John was alive, just like Keith Moon has been alive every time we play our music."
Roger Daltrey
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Court Frees 'Lost Songs'
Hank Williams
A Nashville court has freed for release 150 "lost songs" recorded by country star Hank Williams.
The catalog was ruled to be the exclusive property of the singer's heirs — son Hank Williams Jr. and daughter Jett Williams.
Since the late 1980s, Jett Williams has had transcription discs of pre-produced segments that Williams recorded in 1951 for "Mother's Best Flour Show," a 15-minute show that once aired on WSM-AM 650.
The discs contain live versions of some of his greatest hits, plus 40 songs that were never commercially released, such as "On Top of Old Smokey" and "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain."
Hank Williams
www.hankwilliams.com
Signs with Sanctuary
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne has signed a multi-album recording contract with Sanctuary Records Group.
The label will on Sept. 30 re-release her 2002 Epic debut "Shut Up" under the name "Changes," featuring a duet with her father, Ozzy Osbourne, on the title track. The repackaged album will also contain four bonus live cuts.
The title track is a reworking of the Black Sabbath song of the same name, which appeared on the group's 1972 album, "Black Sabbath, Vol. 4" (Warner Bros.). "Changes" will be released as single, and will contain new lyrics written by Ozzy and Kelly, according to Sanctuary.
Kelly Osbourne
A young woman from the famous Dani tribe in Indonesia's rebellious Papua province shows off a mixture of pig oil and ash she coats on herself, partly to stay warm but which is also a tradition in her culture in the Baliem Valley of the central highlands, August 24, 2003. Larger in area than Japan, Papua has had a largely unhappy history since Indonesia wrested control from former colonial ruler the Netherlands in 1963.
Photo by Beawiharta
Re-Issues Set to Hit Stores
Willie Nelson
The last stage of the Willie Nelson birthday year re-issues hit stores next month.
Columbia/Legacy and Epic/Legacy have been putting out classic Nelson albums as part of the celebration of his 70th birthday year.
The labels will re-issue "Greatest Hits (And Some That Will Be)," "Always On My Mind," "Tougher Than Leather" and "Pancho and Lefty," which is Nelson's album of duets with Merle Haggard. The extended editions of the early 1980s albums include previously unreleased material, plus newly commissioned liner notes.
All four titles arrive in stores Oct. 14.
Willie Nelson
The Newest Batman
Christian Bale
Christian Bale has been cast as Bruce Wayne, the millionaire crimefighter also known as the Caped Crusader, in Warner Bros. Pictures' upcoming Batman movie, to be directed by Christopher Nolan ("Memento").
Bale first garnered critical attention for his starring role in Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun." He also starred in 2000's controversial "American Psycho." Other credits include "Little Women," "Velvet Goldmine" and "Laurel Canyon."
The search for the new Bruce Wayne/Batman role has been a priority for Warners, which is determined to breathe new life into the franchise in the wake of 1997's critically drubbed "Batman and Robin." The new Batman movie, written by Nolan and David Goyer, follows the early years of Batman, as he is embarking on his crime-fighting career. Principal photography is expected to start in February.
Christian Bale
Gives $1,000 to Schwarzenegger
TV Anchor
A television station's business editor contributed $1,000 to Arnold Schwarzenegger, breaking an old industry taboo against reporters supporting political campaigns.
Brian Banmiller, business editor for KTVU, asked the Schwarzenegger campaign to return the money Tuesday after inquiries from The Associated Press, said Ed Chapuis, news director at the Oakland station.
Banmiller's wife wanted to meet the actor, Chapuis said, so Banmiller bought a ticket to a private campaign fund-raising event near his hometown.
The contribution violated no station policy, though the station is developing guidelines for its employees, Chapuis said.
Banmiller reports on economic issues and is co-anchor and managing editor of the station's globally syndicated weekly "Silicon Valley Business" program, according to the station's Web site.
TV Anchor
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Judge Tosses Lawsuit
Sean Penn
Superior Court Judge Irving S. Feffer on Tuesday dismissed some claims by movie producer Steve Bing that Sean Penn tried to extort $10 million.
Bing has alleged the actor threatened to embarrass him by saying a political disagreement kept them from making a movie together.
Penn's lawsuit claims his questioning of U.S. moves toward war against Iraq prompted Bing to renege on a $10 million "play or pay" oral agreement they'd reached.
Bing's lawsuit denies there was a deal to pay Penn $10 million whether or not the movie was filmed. He sought $15 million from the actor.
Sean Penn
Gets Reality Show
Ted Nugent
Rocker Ted Nugent is getting into the reality show craze with his own reality show called "Surviving Nugent."
Seven daring souls will try to survive Nugent's all-terrain universe for cash and prizes. The seven include a vegan, a gay man, a New Yorker and a sex kitten. The two-hour reality event will premiere Oct. 5 on VH1.
Ted Nugent
Padma, the daughter of an Indian farmer, inspects silk cocoons in Maddur in the Chanapatna district some 90 kms south-west of Bangalore where she works to supplement her family income. As world trade ministers meet in Cancun, Mexico, a newly-formed and steadily growing group of 21 developing nations led by Brazil, India and China has insisted on its demands for deep cuts in agricultural subsidies by wealthy nations.
Photo by Indranil Mukherjee
'Mussolini Never Killed Anyone'
Silvio Berlusconi
Italy's outspoken Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi unleashed new controversy, declaring that the former fascist dictator Benito Mussolini did not kill anyone, just sent them on holiday.
"Mussolini never killed anyone. Mussolini used to send people on holiday within the borders (of the country)," Berlusconi was quoted as telling the Voce di Rimini newspaper.
The premier's latest controversial comment came as he explained his support of the US-led war to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The idea was "to put an end to a dictatorship," Berlusconi said, before elaborating about his feelings on Mussolini at the prodding of interviewers.
Silvio Berlusconi
'Imperial Death March'
Ashcroft Booed
With fists and middle fingers upraised, a booing, hissing and chanting crowd of about 1,200 people awaited United States Attorney General John Ashcroft when he arrived at Faneuil Hall at Boston University Tuesday morning, decrying his support of what some protesters called government policies undermining civil rights.
Ashcroft was bombarded by cries of "Shame!" and the sound of the "Imperial Death March" from the movie "Star Wars" as he entered a meeting with law enforcement officials in Faneuil Hall.
The meeting, which was closed to the general public, was billed as a briefing on the particulars of the USA PATRIOT Act, a federal anti-terrorism initiative, according to The Boston Globe.
Though the crowd swarmed around the metal fences which had been set up around three sides of the building and protesters often joined together in angry jeers, Boston Police reported no arrests.
For more details, Ashcroft Booed
People Magazine List
Best/Worst Dressed
Actresses Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, and Halle Berry took top honors in People magazine's best dressed of 2003 special issue on Thursday, with singers Britney Spears, Lil' Kim and Mariah Carey getting a thumbs down for fashion disasters.
People magazine's style editor Steven Cojocaru called in the fashion police to sort out XXX-rated outfits sported during the year by Lil' Kim and Britney Spears, and awarded actresses Winona Ryder, Cynthia Nixon and singer Da Brat his "Sag" awards for their revealing tops.
Best/Worst Dressed
Ex-'Blue's Clues' Host Takes Up Music
Steve Burns
Fans of "Blue's Clues," take heart: Departed host Steve Burns is still using his Thinking Chair. Only now, it makes music.
For the uninitiated, the Thinking Chair is the plush maroon throne that Burns sat in during six years as the floppy-haired host of Nick Jr.'s "Blue's Clues." He used it to ruminate on hints provided each episode by Blue, an animated puppy.
Producers of the show gave Burns a replica of the chair for his 25th birthday, and it doubles as a drum kit on his new album, "Songs for Dustmites."
His followers might be surprised by what they hear on "Dustmites": dense, string-laden tunes that David Bowie might have written in his "Ziggy Stardust" period. Sample song titles include "Troposphere" and "Superstrings."
For the rest, Steve Burns
www.steveswebpage.com
All Welcome
Climate Experiment
A climate prediction experiment which is expected to involve two million people around the world and produce a probable forecast for the 21st century will be launched on Friday
Anyone with a personal computer can join the project and will be expected to conduct their own unique version of Britain's Met Office climate model, simulating several decades of the Earth's climate at a time.
The program, which can be downloaded from www.climateprediction.net, can run on an ordinary desktop or laptop computer. It is easy to operate and does not slow down other tasks on the computer.
Climate Experiment
Basic Cable Networks
Ratings
By The Associated Press Rankings for the top 15 programs on basic cable networks as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of Sept. 1-7. Each ratings point represents 1,067,000 households. Day and start time (EDT) are in parentheses.
1. NFL Football: Oakland vs. Tennessee (Sunday, 8:39 p.m.), ESPN, 7.2, 7.77 million homes.
2. "NFL Prime Time" (Sunday, 7:30 p.m.), ESPN, 4.0, 4.31 million homes.
3. "WWE Raw Zone" (Monday, 10 p.m.), Spike, 3.6, 3.85 million homes.
4. "Law & Order" (Monday, 8 p.m.), TNT, 3.5, 3.75 million homes.
5. "Law & Order" (Monday, 9 p.m.), TNT, 3.4, 3.69 million homes.
6. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 9 p.m.), Spike, 3.4, 3.63 million homes.
7. "Fairly Odd Parents" (Sunday, 10 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.1, 3.37 million homes.
8. Auto Racing: Chevy Rock 'n' Roll 400 (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.), TNT, 3.0, 3.3 million homes.
9. "Law & Order" (Monday, 10 p.m.), TNT, 3.0, 3.29 million homes.
10. "Law & Order" (Monday, 7 p.m.), TNT, 3.0, 3.27 million homes.
11. "Law & Order" (Tuesday, 9 p.m.), TNT, 3.0, 3.2 million homes.
12. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.9, 3.18 million homes.
13. "Fairly Odd Parents" (Saturday, 10 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.9, 3.16 million homes.
14. "Fairly Odd Parents" (Sunday, 10:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.8, 3.01 million homes.
15. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Sunday, 9:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.7, 2.93 million homes.
Ratings
Meg Sutherland-Smith, senior veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo, applies a stethoscope to the zoo's three-week-old panda during a routine examination on Wednesday, September 10, 2003 at the SBC Giant Panda Research Station. The zoo's veterinary staff conducted its second exam on the cub and confirmed that it is a male, saying the panda now weighs 19 ounces, measures 10 inches long and is in very good health.
Photo by Ken Bohn
'The Osbournes'
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