Reader Response
Marty,
Recently, on BartCop E!, you posted a list of the Top 32 Worst Toys This Holiday Season, and
number one was ''My First Time'' Britney Spears Life-Size Anatomically Correct Action Figure. I
found that to be in appalling taste. How can you slander America's Sweetheart like that???
Wait! Wait! I was only kidding. I'm sending you this email because that reminded me of this Web
site: www.realdoll.com
I think you and the readers of BartCop E! will get a kick out of it.
Sincerely,
~~ Greg
Thanks, Greg, that was a good one! Here's another 'adult' doll, but with a bit of a twist.
www.transformation.co.uk/living-doll.html
'Saturday Night Live'
Weekend Update
New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is flanked by Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" co-anchors Tina Fey, left,
and Jimmy Fallon as they celebrate Giuliani's final SNL appearance as mayor of New York by singing "Will
You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" during the show's dress rehearsal Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, in New York.
Giuliani hosted the show November 22, 1997, and appeared on the emotional Sept. 29, 2001, season premiere
with Paul Simon alongside firefighters, police and rescue workers.
Photo by Norman Ng
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Network TV was so grim tonight, ended up watching the local UPN station's airing
of 'White Christmas'.
The resident 9-year old had a run in with the flu, so the evening had an extra layer of
technicolor, and it wasn't the pretty kind.
Tonight, Sunday starts off promisingly with '60 Minutes' doing a piece on
the new book about the fbi-spy, robert hanssen (see below). It's followed by a fresh
'Touched By An Angel', and then a new tv-movie, 'A Town Without Christmas'
NBC has a double-bill of 'Antz' and 'Titantic'...Beware -
Titanic starts at 8:50/7:50 pm (EST/CST).
ABC has 'Winnnie the Pooh & Christmas, Too', followed by 'Charlie Brown
Christmas'. Then, the adult programming begins with fresh episodes of 'Alias'
and 'The Practice'.
Faux has all fresh episodes of 'Futurama', 'King Of The Hill',
'Simpsons', 'Malcolm In The Middle', and 'X-Files'.
TCM (Turner Classic Movies) has a bunch of great stuff today. 'Singing In The
Rain', followed by one of my all-time favorite movies, 'The 5000 Fingers Of Dr. T'. And, later
in the night, 'The Graduate'
Now, back to 'The 5000 Fingers Of Dr. T'...It was written by Dr. Seuss, who not only
designed the sets and costumes, but also wrote the lyrics for the music.
The young hero, Bart Collins (Tommy Rettig), has only one enemy in the world, his piano teacher Dr. Terwilliker. Dr. T has a mad plan to
force 500 young boys to practice at his magnificent piano 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Bart is
the only hope to save these boys from enslavery.
Koresh! Another BC!
To check out a great fan site, 'The 5000 Fingers Of Dr. T'
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Saturday Press Conference
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, speaks at a news conference Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, in New York. Families
who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks deserve tax breaks, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said
Saturday as she urged Congress to pass tax relief legislation before Christmas. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-NY,
looks on at left.
Photo by Robert Spencer
New! Updated!
(10 Dec., 2001)
The official BartCop Astrologer, Geneva, has done good, again!
Currently, look at the charts of George Harrison.
Very interesting reading!
Sort Of 'Lord Of The Rings' Related
Gandalf & Gimli
Ian McKellen is singling out the Rev. Jerry Falwell as America's biggest post-9/11 buffoon.
"I think Falwell is lying low right now in reaction to the fool he made of himself after Sept. 11," McKellen
told PAGE SIX at the "Lord of the Rings" premiere Thursday night at the Rihga Royal Hotel.
Three days after the terror attacks, Falwell said liberal civil liberties groups, feminists, homosexuals and
abortion rights activists bore responsibility, and huffed: "God continues to lift the curtain and allow the
enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve."
McKellen, after his Falwell rant, said that the message of "Lord of the Rings" - of good conquering evil - may
not apply today: "This movie is about the different races of the world banding together to destroy all the evil
in the world. It is a myth - not a true reflection of the world."
But McKellen's co-star Jonathan Rhys Davis disagreed. "I am humbled by the movie which is about people banding
together to wipe out evil," he told us. "This is a great to time [to be alive] and evaluate our own civilization
and get rid of the nastier aspects.
Davis, who had never read J.R.R. Tolkien's classic trilogy before making the movie, said he wasn't going to take the part at first.
"My son Ben made me," he explained. "But had I known I would be standing on my knees for hours [as the dwarf Gimli]
with silicone all over my face, I might not have agreed to it."
Gandalf & Gimli
Tonight, On ''60 Minutes''
robert hanssen
Robert Hanssen had two secret lives, according to a new book that says he not only spied for the Russians
on FBI time but dabbled in sexual fantasy while maintaining the image of a churchgoing family man.
Publicly a pious Roman Catholic, Hanssen posted sexually explicit stories about his wife on the Internet,
says the book, "The Spy Next Door," and he invited a friend to watch over a secret home video system as
Hanssen and his wife had sex.
Hanssen, a 25-year FBI veteran and senior counterintelligence agent, pleaded guilty in July to 15 counts
of espionage and will serve life in prison without parole. He was accused of giving U.S. secrets, including
information about satellites and early-warning systems, to the Soviet Union and later to Russia in return
for payments totaling $1.4 million.
According to the book, Hanssen posted a message on an adult Internet site on March 7, 1999, explaining how
he bought minivideo cameras designed for surveillance so that his friend could watch him having sex with
his wife, Bernadette "Bonnie" Hanssen.
The book, written by Time magazine correspondent Elaine Shannon and Ann Blackman, a former correspondent
for the magazine, also reprints sex stories Hanssen apparently wrote about his wife and e-mailed to an Internet site.
The robert hanssen story on ''60 Minutes'' Tonight
''Live in Concert''
Eddie Griffin
Comedian Eddie Griffin (``Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo'') will star in his own feature, mixing his standup
act with a cinema verite look at his personal life.
``Eddie Griffin -- Live in Concert'' will start shooting next month in Kansas City. The footage will surround
and inform the standup sequences.
Gold Circle executive Paul Brooks said he thought the Griffin film could find a theatrical audience in much
the same way ``Kings of Comedy'' did.
``As a kid, 'Richard Pryor Live' was a seminal experience for me, and when this opportunity came up and I
watched Eddie's HBO special 'Voodoo Child,' I felt he had the same vibe Richard did,'' said Brooks. ``He
is hysterically funny, he's got massive crossover potential and he's ready to pop.''
Griffin has several breakout opportunities coming up. He will be seen in ``John Q,'' opposite Denzel
Washington, and the comedies ``The New Guy'' and ``Undercover Brother,'' all due for release next year.
``Eddie Griffin -- Live in Concert''
New!
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Getting Snarky At The Post
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder claimed her five-finger discount at a posh Beverly Hills department store was really just
research for an upcoming movie role, sources told The Post yesterday.
"She said a director [of an upcoming movie] suggested she do this for research," a source close to the
investigation told The Post yesterday.
Security guards turned Ryder, 30, over to Beverly Hills cops, who booked her on suspicion of grand theft and
possession of painkillers without a prescription. Ryder was also carrying Zoloft, a popular anti-depressant,
when she was arrested, sources said.
Los Angeles County prosecutors have yet to formally charge Ryder, who is due to appear before a judge in
Beverly Hills on Jan. 11. Until then, Ryder will remain free on $20,000 bail.
Ryder, whose real name is Winona Laura Horowitz, has won two Oscar nominations, for "The Age of Innocence"
and "Little Women." She's often played complex or troubled characters, such as the mentally disturbed teen in "Girl, Interrupted."
Ryder joins the ranks of shoplifting celebs - a dubious list headed by tennis sensation Jennifer Capriati
and former Miss America Bess Myerson. Capriati was busted for stealing a $15 silver ring from a Florida
jewelry store in 1993, and Myerson was nabbed for walking off with $44 in merchandise from a
Pennsylvania department store in 1988.
Winona Ryder
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College Course Offered On 'The Simpsons'
''Animated Philosophy and Religion''
It won't be taught by the Simpsons' evangelical neighbor, Ned Flanders, but a philosophy class being
added to Siena Heights University's curriculum will be based on the popular animated TV series.
This winter, the university is offering a two-credit class on how religion and philosophy are part of
popular culture, including "The Simpsons."
Readings will include "The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer" by William Irwin, and "The Gospel
According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the Most Animated Family."
"Animated Philosophy and Religion," taught by Kimberly Blessing and Anthony Sciglitano, is
already proving popular with students.
For 12 seasons, "The Simpsons" has mined religious subjects for laughs. The staple of the Fox network has
sometimes been called sacrilegious - rather than satirical - for its jabs at clergy and the faithful.
For example, Homer regularly displays his religious ignorance (he calls God "omnivorous" instead of
"omnipresent"), snoozes in church and prays largely in desperation. "God, if you really are God, you'll
get me tickets to that game. Why do you mock me O Lord?" he moans in one show.
Next-door neighbor Flanders has his boys play Bible Bombardment board games and vacations at "America's
Most Judgmental Religious Theme Park." His piety irritates people, but he's also one of the kindest characters in the series.
''Animated Philosophy and Religion''
thesimpsons.com
Siena Heights University
Updated!
BartCop TV!
Visit the site at BC TV
The 'Vidiot' never seems to rest - and doesn't let little things like laundry or
housekeeping get in the way!
Damn near every show on TV must is listed - days & days worth of great reading.
If you have any questions about nearly any tv program, check out
BC TV!
Refunds For 'Disappointing' Concert
Tanya Tucker
The arena that hosted a ``Tanya Tucker Christmas'' said it will give discount certificates to attendees
because the performance was a disappointment.
The country music singer sang only five Christmas songs using lyric sheets during an hourlong concert for
an audience of 1,459 on Nov. 30. Tucker, 43, has released 30 albums.
Those who attended the show at the Weidner Center will receive a gift certificate that's equal to half
the price of their ticket. The top price for tickets was $36.
In a letter to ticketholders, Weidner executive director Tom Gabbard apologized for a performance that ``was a disappointment to us.''
Tucker's personal management, Cherry Miller Kane Entertainment of Nashville, has not answered Weidner Center
requests for a response. Calls to their Los Angeles and Nashville offices by The Associated Press were not
immediately returned Saturday.
Refunds For Concert
John Singleton To Direct
'Sinbad'
``Sinbad'' is ready to set sail again at Columbia Pictures, with director John Singleton at the helm.
The special effects epic about the good-hearted pirate is targeted for either 2003 or 2004, and will mix
the spectacle of period actioners like ``The Mummy'' and ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.'' Sinbad has
been a movie staple over the years, appearing in such films as 1974's ``The Golden Voyage of Sinbad''
and 1958's ``The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.''
The film marks a departure for Singleton, best known for politically charged films like ``Boy 'N the
Hood'' and ``Higher Learning.'' Turns out that Singleton, whose last pictures were ``Shaft'' and ``Baby
Boy,'' is a big fan of the popcorn event film and has long wanted to make one.
``We look at 'Sinbad' as an eighth century 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' on steroids, and John is charged
up to do a big visual effects movie,'' said screenwriter Tedi Sarafian. ``After watching John's enthusiasm
for the film and his strong sense of the character of Sinbad, I feel that he's a lot like where the
Wachowski brothers were when they were known for the movie 'Bound' and made 'The Matrix.'''
John Singleton To Direct 'Sinbad' (The Movie)
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Liberal Radio !
Erin Hart
Liberal radio - what a concept!
Saturday and Sunday 9 p. to 1 a. Pacific Standard at www.710kiro.com or www.kiro710.com (It's
a browser thing).
For more details, visit Erin's homepage, http://www.erinistas.com/.
Say 'Hi' to Brian, the Webmaster, and, while you're there, check out his computer tips!
Quincy Jones' Regret
Marvin Gaye
It seems as if Quincy Jones has worked with everyone in the recording business - Michael Jackson, Frank
Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles represent a tiny fraction of his collaborators.
Still, Jones laments the one great he never got a chance to work with: Marvin Gaye.
``Marvin and I talked about doing an album a long time ago,'' Jones told The Associated Press in a recent
interview. ``He always thought he had plenty of time, I always thought he had plenty of time. The last
thing I thought was that he would go before me.''
Gaye's father shot him to death in 1984. Jones said one reason they didn't work together sooner was
because Gaye feared the pressures of recording might strain their friendship. But the two were always
very close, he said.
Quincy & Marvin
BC Entertainment Favorite Link
Moose & Squirrel Information One-Stop
http://geocities.com/mooseandsquirrel1
What a great site! Information and reference materials of the first order!
Between 'Moose & Squirrel' and 'Google', who needs 'refdesk'!
Last Friday, In Los Angeles
Ray Bradbury Day
Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn proclaimed Friday ``Ray Bradbury Day'' in honor of the science fiction writer.
Hahn praised the 81-year-old author for his work and for moving to Los Angeles in 1936.
``Mr. Bradbury is truly a Los Angeles treasure,'' the mayor said.
Bradbury and Hahn struck up a friendship earlier this year after the mayor revealed his favorite book was
Bradbury's ``Fahrenheit 451.''
After the ceremony, the two had lunch at Clifton's Cafeteria, a downtown eatery where Bradbury has been
dining at since the Depression Era.
Ray Bradbury Day In LA
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In Memory
Rufus Thomas
Musician Rufus Thomas, whose ``Bear Cat'' helped Sun Records get its start and whose ``Funky Chicken'' gave a boost to the Stax Label, died Saturday. He was 84.
Thomas' son, Marvell Thomas, said his father died in St. Francis Hospital. He had been hospitalized since Thanksgiving for a short illness.
Rufus Thomas was best known for novelty dance recordings like ``Walking the Dog,'' ``Do the Funky Chicken'' and ``Push and Pull.''
He began tap dancing on the streets of Memphis for tips and performed in amateur shows in high school.
In the 1940s, Thomas ran his own Beale Street amateur show that attracted B.B. King, Bobby ``Blue'' Bland and many other performers who went on to become famous.
In his declining years, Thomas took on the title of ``Beale Street ambassador'' and liked to refer to himself as the world's oldest teen-ager.
In 1998, he underwent open-heart surgery at a Memphis hospital.
Thomas was born in Cayce, Miss., in 1917 and grew up in Memphis. In high school, he met Nat D. Williams, a history teacher who organized annual variety shows.
In the late 1940s, Williams became one of the first black radio personalities in the South.
``Then, a black man on the radio had always been taboo,'' Thomas once told The Associated Press. ``When they heard that black voice advertising their products, most of the advertisers pulled their ads.''
In 1953, Thomas recorded ``Bear Cat,'' an answer to Big Mama Thornton's ``Hound Dog,'' and it became Sun Record's first hit.
That was before Elvis Presley arrived on the scene to become Sun's undisputed star. Thomas complained in later years that Sun's black artists were pushed aside after Presley became a hit.
In the 1960s, Thomas became one of the founding performers for Stax Records, which created what came to be known as ``the Memphis sound,'' with performers like Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding and Sam and Dave.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Rufus Thomas
"Boondocks" (9 Oct 01)
Still MISSING
Marc Chagall's "Study for 'Over Vitebsk'"