'Best of TBH Politoons'
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Howard Zinn: A Power Governments Cannot Suppress (City Lights; Posted on Alternet.org)
An excerpt from Howard Zinn's new book -- a collection of essays on history, class and the strength of ordinary citizens -- explores the unfair trial of Sacco and Vanzetti and the flawed justice system that still haunts us today.
Poor Elijah (Peter Berger): The Assessment Sting (irascibleprofessor.com)
Please note: Any resemblance between modern standardized test scores and actual achievement is purely coincidental.
New DCCC Web Vid Spoofs "Law And Order" To Highlight GOP Corruption
Check out this new Web video just released by the DCCC that parodies the show "Law and Order" with a spoof called "Law and Disorder." As you can probably guess, it contrasts the law-abiding Dems with the corrupt GOP -- and features a whole cast of lawless Republicans.
Michael Feingold: Kitty Carlisle Hart (1910-2007) (villagevoice.com)
There is an aristocracy in the arts, and Kitty Carlisle Hart was of it. It is not an aristocracy of birth, of marriage, of talent, or of wealth, though Mrs. Hart, who died on April 17 of heart failure, at age 96, had some distinction in all those realms.
Ebertfest 2007 in pictures
A splendid time was guaranteed for all as Roger Ebert emerged at last from months of recuperation and into the public spotlight for Ebertfest 2007. Ebert is still recovering from surgical complications that beset him last summer, but his infectious energy and enthusiasm remain undiminished. Meanwhile, the audience greeted Ebert's film choices with relish, but reserved their greatest affection for the man himself.
"This is where he wanted to be..."
"This is my happening and it freaks me out!" exclaimed Chaz Ebert on behalf of her husband, Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert, on stage at opening night of the ninth Roger Ebert Overlooked Film Festival in Champaign-Urbana. ... As he announced in a message featured in the Sun-Times and on his web site (rogerebert.com) Tuesday, Ebert is not able to speak now, pending further surgery, so Chaz had to do the talking for him.
New from Ebert: "Your Movie Sucks"
From the introduction to Roger Ebert's new book of reviews, "Your Movie Sucks": Some of these reviews were written in joyous zeal. Others with glee. Some in sorrow, some in anger, and a precious few with venom, of which I have a closely guarded supply. When I am asked, all to frequently, if I really sit all the way through these movies, my answer is inevitably: Yes, because I want to write the review.
ROGER EBERT: Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (ZERO Stars)
"Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo" makes a living cleaning fish tanks and occasionally prostituting himself. How much he charges I'm not sure, but the price is worth it if it keeps him off the streets and out of another movie. "Deuce Bigalow" is aggressively bad, as if it wants to cause suffering to the audience. The best thing about it is that it runs for only 75 minutes. ... Speaking in my official capacity as a Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Schneider, your movie sucks.
Commentoon: Supreme Court View (womensenews.org)
Tom Tomorrow : If Only Pat Tillman's Family Didn't Believe In Worm Dirt (Cartoon)
Ward Sutton: What Happened to Ward Sutton and his Sutton Impact Comic Strip? (Cartoon)
The Funniest People in Movies: 250 Anecdotes by David Bruce
This book contains 250 anecdotes about movies, including this one: While attending Yale University, movie actress Jodie Foster got a role in an off-campus student play-her first role on the stage. On opening night, she warned reporters that they had better write about more than just her-because if they wrote about just her, the other actors "will kill me." I would like a few reviews posted on my Lulu.com web site. This book has a free download if you are interested in looking at it. - David Bruce
Reader Comment
Gordon Scott
Once again, I have to thank you for an In Memory piece--I got word from Celebrity Death Beeper that Gordon Scott had died, but I've not seen anyone else cover it. Thank you for the information in your write up.
He may not have been the most famous Tarzan, but he was Tarzan when I was young, and I loved him.
Linda >^..^<
You're welcome, Linda!
Purple Gene Reviews
The Hoff Down
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny, breezy and dry.
New Film Available Free Online
Spinal Tap
Director Rob Reiner has created a 15-minute sequel to his mockumentary classic This Is Spinal Tap, a portrait of rock's most famous semifictional heavy metal band. While Reiner's short film was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, it won't be released in theaters any time soon.
It is available, however, online.
The short is in part a promotion for Live Earth, environmental charity concerts scheduled for July 7 at locations across the globe. Proceeds from the concerts will help fund a worldwide environmental program led by Al Gore. The original "members" of the band--guitarist Nigel Tufnel (played by Christopher Guest), singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer)--are scheduled to play the London venue.
MSN, one of the sponsors of Live Earth, is hosting the Spinal Tap short on its site.
Spinal Tap
Replacing Celine Dion At Caesars
Bette Midler
Bette Midler will replace Celine Dion as the headliner at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, officials announced Thursday, answering the lingering question of who would be chosen to step into some big shoes and the 4,100-seat Colosseum, which Dion virtually sold out for what will be a nearly five-year run by December.
Dion's show, "A New Day," has grossed more than $500 million since it began in March 2003, producers said. The Grammy award-winning singer announced in January that she would end her run at the end of the year in the $95 million theater.
Midler, 61, said she agreed to a two-year contract to work 100 shows a year, performing five nights a week for 20 weeks beginning Feb. 20.
Bette Midler
Honored At San Francisco Film Festival
George Lucas
The San Francisco Film Society honored George Lucas, creator of the "Star Wars" films, with an award on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the San Francisco International Film Festival.
Lucas ushered in a new era of special-effects and visual wizardry with his "Star Wars" films and launched the Indiana Jones film franchise with director Steven Spielberg.
At a black-tie dinner in San Francisco, Lucas received the Irving "Bud" Levin Award, named after the founder of the film festival who 50 years ago sought to create an event to compete with the European festivals in Venice, Cannes, and Berlin.
George Lucas
Unveils Ad Calling For Iraq Withdrawal
Oliver Stone
Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone, whose movies voiced the frustration of the Vietnam War generation, on Thursday unveiled a political ad calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
The 30-second television spot, sponsored by the MoveOn.org political action group and VoteVets.org, features a simple but impassioned plea by John Bruhns, a former infantry sergeant who fought in Iraq during the 2003 invasion and its aftermath.
"We were told to liberate these people. They were shooting at us," Bruhns says to camera. "To keep American soldiers in Iraq for an indefinite period of time, being attacked by an unidentifiable enemy, is wrong, immoral and irresponsible."
Ron Kovic, the author of "Born on the Fourth of July" who was shot and paralyzed in Vietnam, supplies a brief voice-over, saying "Support our troops. Bring them home."
Oliver Stone
Canadian Book Fair
Stephen King
Stephen King is set to be feted in the city next month at a new readers' festival, an event organizers are billing as the horror-meister's first-ever Canadian public appearance.
The Booked festival, also set to feature Naomi Klein, Ami McKay, Christopher Hitchens and Jeannette Walls, will take place from June 7 to 9. King will receive a lifetime award from the Canadian Booksellers Association and participate in an onstage conversation on June 8. Tickets for the event went on sale Thursday.
The "Booked" event evolved out of a publishing trade fair that is held in Toronto each year. It will run simultaneously with that fair.
Stephen King
Memorabilia Auction
Grateful Dead
Guitars played by The Grateful Dead's legendary front man and gold records from the psychedelic-era band will be up for auction to the group's famously cultish followers beginning Tuesday.
Rudson Shurtliff, an heir of a longtime Grateful Dead road manager Lawrence "Ram Rod" Shurtliff, hauled the band mementos to Bonhams Butterfields in San Francisco for an auction expected to attract bidders worldwide.
One of the guitars even has a broken string from the last time that lead singer Jerry Garcia, whose death in 1995 caused the band to dissolve, plugged it in and played.
Shurtliff, 35, said that while he is sad to see these things go, it is what his father wanted before he passed away less than a year ago.
Grateful Dead
eMusic Revolt
Indie Labels
A handful of independent record labels are poised to launch what they are calling a "revolt" against digital subscription service eMusic, citing unhappiness with the company's pricing model as their core concern.
Billboard has learned of at least six eMusic partners -- three of whom were listed among eMusic's top 60 labels this week -- that plan either to pull their catalog from the service entirely or to limit content to back-catalog tracks when their current licensing deals expire.
Several representatives of these labels, attending the recent NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) annual convention in Chicago, told Billboard they feel eMusic is trying to pad its subscriber base to make itself a more attractive acquisition target. Unless the service raises prices and, in turn, the compensation provided to labels, they intend to withdraw their music in protest.
After factoring in distribution costs and other expenses, some labels receive as little as 12 cents per song in profit, sources say -- far less than the 60 cents to 65 cents per track received from iTunes.
Indie Labels
Heirs Lose Fight Over Photos
Marilyn Monroe
The children of a photographer who took famous pictures of Marilyn Monroe did not violate the star's rights by selling pictures without her heirs' consent, a federal judge has ruled.
U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon said in a decision dated Wednesday and made public Friday that a company led by three children of the late photographer, Sam Shaw, did not violate the rights of Monroe's estate by using pictures of her on T-shirts marketed and sold in Indiana.
The Shaw Family Archives Ltd. had asked the court to rule that a 1994 law did not create post-mortem publicity rights for Marilyn Monroe LLC. The latter company is led by Anna Strasberg, the wife of Monroe's producer, Lee Strasberg, who received the bulk of the star's estate. He died in 1982.
Marilyn Monroe
`Idol' Producers Bail
Emmy Awards
Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick, executive producers for Fox's hit talent contest, have backed out of producing the prime-time Emmy ceremony in September, the TV academy and network said Friday.
The pair cited their upcoming commitments and current demanding schedule, including last week's "American Idol" charity special and the show's finale later this month.
They will be replaced by Ken Ehrlich, an Emmy and Grammy awards telecast veteran.
When their hiring was announced in February, Fox Entertainment President Peter Liguori said the pair have raised "the creative bar with their innovative work" on top-rated "American Idol" and would do the same for the Emmy broadcast.
Emmy Awards
Coach Karl
Turdblossom
A senior Justice Department official who testified about performance shortcomings of several fired U.S. attorneys has told congressional investigators he was coached the day before at a White House meeting attended by political adviser Karl Rove.
The witness, Associate Deputy Attorney General William Moschella, said he was urged during the dinner hour meeting on March 5 to publicly specify reasons for the dismissals, according to a transcript of the investigators' April 24 interview with him.
Until the March 6 hearing before a House Judiciary subcommittee, Justice Department officials had said publicly only that some of the firings were based on performance, offering no specifics. At the hearing, Moschella laid out detailed criticism of each of five fired prosecutors' specific performance.
Moschella's detailed description of the performance flaws was a striking departure from the administration's oft-stated refusal to discuss personnel issues. Six weeks earlier, Gonzales himself refused to reveal the reasons for the firings during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Jan. 18.
Turdblossom
Skeleton Found In Pyramid
Bolivia
Archaeologists have uncovered the 1,300-year-old skeleton of a ruler or priest of the ancient Tiwanaku civilisation together with precious jewels inside a much-looted pyramid in western Bolivia.
The bones are "in very good condition" and belong to either "a ruler or a priest," Roger Angel Cossio, the Bolivian archaeologist who made the discovery, told Reuters on Wednesday.
He said the tomb -- containing a diadem and fist-sized carved pendant of solid gold -- survived centuries of looting by Spanish invaders and unscrupulous raiders who depleted Tiwanaku of many precious treasures.
Bolivia
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