'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Weekly Review
HARPER'S WEEKLY REVIEW
June 3, 2003
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, in response to
complaints that weapons of mass destruction still have not
been found in Iraq, speculated that Iraq might have
destroyed its illegal weapons before the war began.
Paul Wolfowitz, the deputy defense secretary, admitted that the
administration's focus on Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons
of mass destruction was simply politically convenient. "For
bureaucratic reasons we settled on one issue, weapons of
mass destruction," he said, "because it was the one reason
everyone could agree on." Wolfowitz pointed with pride to
the "huge prize" that resulted from the invasion, an
alternative to Saudi Arabia as a base for American forces.
A senior British official claimed that his government had
"transformed" an intelligence report on Iraq's purported
weapons of mass destruction to make it "sexier." "The
classic example," he said, "was the statement that weapons
of mass destruction were ready for use within 45 minutes."
Prime Minister Tony Blair denied fabricating the report but
Labour MPs were threatening to report him to the Speaker of
the Commons for misleading parliament. "No weapons means no
threat," said one MP. "Without WMD, the case for war falls
apart." "I believe the prime minister lied to us and lied to
us and lied to us," said another. "The whole war was built
upon falsehood and I think the long-term damage will be to
democracy in Britain." "The time has come when the British
government needs to concede that we did not go to war
because Saddam was a threat to our national interests," said
Robin Cook, the former British foreign secretary who
resigned over the Iraq war. "We went to war for reasons of
U.S. foreign policy and Republican domestic politics."
Neoconservatives both in and out of the Bush Administration
were pressing for a policy of "regime change" in Iran, and
the Defense Department was said to be in favor of a massive
covert operation to overthrow the Iranian government. Iran
announced the arrest of several suspected Al Qaeda members;
the White House said that the arrests were "insufficient,"
and resident George W. Bush did not quite deny reports of a
possible American attack on Iran: "We've had all kinds of
reports that we're going to use force in Syria and now some
are, I guess, saying force in Iran, force here and force
there. This is pure speculation. We used force in Iraq after
a long, long period of diplomacy."
Resident Bush went on a tour of Europe and visited the Nazi
death camp at Auschwitz, where he wrote "never forget" in
the guest book; a few hours later he made a speech at a
castle and used the occasion to congratulate himself for
invading Iraq, where it was estimated that 10,000 cluster
bombs were lying around unexploded.
Maj. Gen. Geoffery Miller, the commander of Camp
Delta, the Guantanamo Bay concentration camp for suspected
terrorists, announced plans to build a death row and an
execution chamber at the camp.
The Supreme Court ruled that
police can question suspects who are in great pain without
reading them their rights; Justice John Paul Stevens called
the interrogation at issue in the case "the functional
equivalent of an attempt to obtain an involuntary confession
from a prisoner by torturous methods."
Continued at www.harpers.org/weekly-review
--Roger D. Hodge
50 Cent, Lil Kim & Nelly
from Alex
Marty. . .
I had tickets for this concert last night. . . had a great time, a blast! Stayed all the way to the end.
The person who wrote this article seems to be a big fan of 50 Cent. That is true that people started leaving after 50 Cent, but they failed to mention that it was almost midnight, and the show has been going on since 7pm, and it was downpouring in open Giants Stadium.
Also, I didnt hear any booing of Lil Kim, but Nelly was booed off stage.
Anyways, great show.
Alex
"When 50 Cents album debuted to record-breaking sales earlier this year, the rapper joked that mentor Eminem - raps reigning sales king - was getting a little worried about his own status....
For the rest, ** 50 Cent grab raps throne from Eminem at massive hip-hop concert **
Thanks, Alex!
Reader Comment
HULK!...H-U-L-K!!
Hi Marty,
David here. Have you been looking at the previews for the coming attractions for summer? I think the movie that stands out(preview-wise) is the Hulk. Everything cliicks for a really good movie. I know that you have your secret preview perceptive powers too. In my best deep Clark Kent voice,"Those of us that have them don't like to brag about them!".
I don't expect much from the Terminator 3 movie. The Hulk movie though has everything that clicks. Good actors and actresses. Good director. Good effects.
The CGI category was overlooked at the Acadamy Awards for special effects. Gollum from the Two Towers was THE best actor of 2002. I think Hulk is going to push this dimension. I raised the question on the backroom forum last year about CGI and wether it deserved special status. I think Hulk will push that question further.
I get the feeling about Hulk the same way I had a feeling about the Iron Giant. I think liberal principals will be esposed. I kinda think there might be a tearful ending also. Anyway, I will be the first guy in line and give a prompt report to my good friend Marty, minutes after the curtain has closed.
I always like being first to a really good movie.(I used to have a button that said "The Force will be with you!" From the opening day of Star Wars) I'm sure you feel the same.
Your friend in the field,
David L
P.S. I lost the Star Wars button a long time ago. If only we could hang on to those things.
Thanks, David!
I can remember the first 'Fantastic Four' comic, but at the time, Dr. David Banner/Hulk was my least favorite character. With age, I have come to appreciate Hulk as having more depth, as well as being a great vehicle for an underdog prevailing.
(Local rumor has it that 'Hulk' will be the B-I-G picture this summer).
So far as holding on to stuff - well, I'm fairly anal retentive, and this little house is pretty much a museum of cultural kitsch. Snow domes, kaleidoscopes, movie posters (1-sheets), buttons, produce stickers, swizzle sticks,
rocks, coasters, old toys, games, puzzles, the history of phonography (from Edison tubes), books, globes, musical instruments, recipes, and 'Lovely Lucy', a Gottlieb pinball machine (from 1954). Or as my mother referred to it - 'those damned dust collectors'. ; )
Readings For A Thursday
from that Mad Cat, JD
More from Mark
Dr. Paul's Words of Wisdom
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Another day celebrating 'June Gloom' (& I'm not complaining!).
Bummer in the mail today - have a birthday in September. AARP sent me a note saying not only saying 'howdy', but also 'gooble, gobble; gooble, gobble; one of us, one of us'.
Wonder why this new, consolidated media thinks it's so acceptable to beat up on women.
First it was Janeane Garofalo, then the Dixie Chicks, now Martha Stewart.
My 401K is worth one-fourth what it was 3 years ago - Janeane, Natalie & Martha had nothing to do with that.
Flying has become an exercise in inanity as safety - Janeane, Natalie & Martha had nothing to do with that.
Tourism is dying, and so is the local economy - Janeane, Natalie & Martha had nothing to do with that.
Every vhf-station in LA was operating illegally until the rules changed on Monday, but there were no fines - Janeane, Natalie & Martha had nothing to do with that.
And my local news over-expands to cover 'poor Laci', 'gasping for air Hillary' & 'where-is-Monica-today' pseudo-stories.
Janeane, Natalie & Martha have nothing to do with any of it. Jeez.
< br>
But, where the fuck is basic accountability, the SEC, Arthur Anderson, or 'Kenny-Boy' Lay? And where did my freaking 401K go?
CBS starts the night with a FRESH 'Amazing Race 4', followed by a RERUN 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation', and
then a RERUN 'Without A Trace'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Dave are Barbara Walters and world champion freediver Tanya Streeter.
Scheduled on a FRESH Craiggers are Poppy Montgomery, Martin Mull, and Boomkat.
NBC opens the evening with a RERUN 'Friends', followed by a RERUN 'Scrubs', then a RERUN
'Will & Grace', followed by a RERUN 'Frasier', and then a RERUN 'ER'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jay are Terry Bradshaw, Eva Mendes, and the Eels.
Scheduled on a FRESH Conan are Jamie Kennedy and David Feherty.
On a RERUN Carson Daly (from 2/19/03), are Tiffani Thiessen and Supergrass.
ABC has 'NHL's Stanley Cup'. All prime time programming on the left coast will be local filler.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jimmy Kimmel are Model Josie Maran, Toronto Raptor Vince Carter, and Finch, with this week's guest co-host Method Man.
The WB offers a RERUN 'Sabrina', followed by a FRESH 'The O'Keefes', then an hour-long RERUN 'Jamie Kennedy'.
Faux has a FRESH 'Stupid Behavior Caught On Tape', followed by a FRESH '30 Seconds To Fame', and then 'The Pulse'.
UPN fills the night with 'WWE Smackdown!'.
A&E offers 'Biography' (Gene Tierney), then 'Columbo: Sex & The Married Detective'.
AMC has the movie 'Shane', followed by the movie 'Five Card Stud'.
BBC America offers 'Ground Force - Luton' (7pm), 'Changing Rooms - Nunhead' (7:30pm), 'Father Ted - Think Fast, Father' (8pm),
'Father Ted - Tentacles of Doom' (8:30pm), 'Faking It - Ballet Dancer to Wrestler' (9pm), 'Faking It - Ballet Dancer to Wrestler' (10pm),
and 'So Graham Norton - Natalie Imbruglia, Simon Cowell' (11pm). ALL TIMES ET.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jon Stewart is Tyrese.
Scheduled on a FRESH Colin Quinn are Nick DiPaolo, Keith Robinson, and Louis C.K.
History has 'Secrets of the Ancient World', followed by 'The XY Factor', and then 'Modern Marvels'.
MTV has '2003 MTV Movie Awards'.
SciFi offers the movie 'Street Fighter', followed by the movie 'Futuresport'.
TCM visits Bollywood with 'Dilwale Dulhania le Jayenge', 'Bombay', and 'Amar Akbar Anthony'.
TNN offers 'Star Trek: Next Generation', followed by the movie 'Death Wish', with Charles Bronson.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Actor and comedian Will Ferrell pretends to cry over his own supposed rejection by the Harvard University admissions office as he delivers the 'Class Day' address to graduating Harvard University seniors assembled in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 4, 2003. Ferrell imitated President George W. Bush for the seniors and completed the address despite telling the students at the start 'I can't relate to you at all and I have no idea what you have been through.'
Photo by Jim Bourg
BuzzFlash.Com and BartCop.Com
Take Back the Media.Com
Take Back the Media.Com Gets the Savage Treatment: Wife of Website Co-Founder Slapped with Lawsuit - A BuzzFlash Interview
In an exclusive first interview with BuzzFlash.Com and
BartCop.Com, Mike Stinson, co-founder of the watchdog website,
Take Back the Media.Com, reveals why his wife and other websites are being sued by Michael Savage.
Becoming '04 Campaign Issue
Media Ownership
When the Senate Commerce Committee grills members of the FCC on Wednesday, they will be testing political waters as much as the commissioners' reasoning behind their vote this week to ease media ownership limits.
Aides to committee Republicans and Democrats and commission sources say the issues raised in the media ownership debate are becoming an issue in the campaign for the White House.
Already, three Democratic contenders -- Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina and Vermont Gov. Howard Dean -- have criticized Monday's action by the Federal Communications Commission.
"If there was an issue that generated 750,000 letters from the (National Rifle Assn.) and the Christian right like this one has, then I'd be pretty worried if I was the president," one commission staffer said.
Kerry and Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., are trying to persuade other senators to agree to a "resolution of disapproval." The little-used tactic was cooked up by Republicans as a way to roll back regulations approved by Democratic administrations.
The tactic was used once before to overturn regulations designed to combat carpal-tunnel syndrome. It narrowly won approval in March 2001 and was signed by resident Bush.
Media Ownership
Reach Royalty Deal
Industry, Webcasters
The recording industry and operators of educational and noncommercial Web sites have settled on royalty rates for broadcasting music over the Internet, circumventing a looming arbitration battle, the recording industry said Tuesday.
The agreement was reached over the weekend and spares the industry and webcasters a costly arbitration with the U.S. Copyright Office, which was scheduled to start at the end of the month, the Recording Industry Association of America said in a statement.
The deal covers six years, 1998 to 2004, and sets the range of annual minimum fees webcasters must pay to broadcast copyright music over the Internet.
Industry, Webcasters
The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
Visiting Palestinian Territories
Richard Gere
Richard Gere has became the latest US celebrity to meet with officials involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Gere, who arrived Sunday night in Israel, crossed into the Palestinian territories Tuesday and held a brief meeting with Palestinian culture minister Zyad Abu Amr.
Gere himself refused to talk to the press but is expected to return to the region in November for more public events.
The actor also met with several prominent members of the Palestinian arts scene, including film-maker George Khalife, whose movie theatre, the largest in Ramallah, is currently screening Gere's award-winning musical "Chicago".
Richard Gere
Hollywood star Liza Minnelli mimes a dance step as she walks with crutches after leaving Bologna's Orthopedics Hospital Rizzoli, northern Italy, Wednesday, June 4, 2003. Minnelli broke her right kneecap Sunday, May 25, when she tripped over a step at a hotel. She was expected to take part on Tuesday, May 27, in the yearly charity concert ' Pavarotti & Friends' organized by Italian Tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Photo by Renato Ferrini
Breaks His Nose
Barry Manilow
Veteran singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, recently waking up disoriented in the middle of the night, walked into a wall and broke his nose, knocking himself unconscious, the entertainer disclosed on Tuesday. The accident occurred at his home in the desert resort of Palm Springs, California, just after Manilow had returned from a two-week stay in the seaside town of Malibu, where he was producing an upcoming album for his old boss, Bette Midler.
Roused from a sound sleep thinking he was still in Malibu, Manilow got up and "veered to the left instead of the right and slammed right into the wall," he said in a statement released by his management company, Stiletto Entertainment.
He passed out for four hours, and though he was not seriously hurt, the 56-year-old performer said the mishap left his nose quiet swollen.
Manilow said he intends to finish work on the Midler album -- a tribute to the late Rosemary Clooney -- as well as on his own two-disc live collection, "Two Nights Live."
Barry Manilow
Expecting a Baby Boy
Jennifer Connelly
Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Connelly and "A Beautiful Mind" co-star Paul Bettany are having a boy. Bettany says their baby is due in August.
Connelly, who won a best supporting actress Oscar last year for playing the wife of schizophrenic math genius John Forbes Nash in the film, was supposed to do interviews to promote her new film "The Hulk." But, a publicist for Universal Pictures says she's "on bed rest right now."
Connelly and Bettany were married at the beginning of January. Bettany, who has also appeared as 14th century writer Geoffrey Chaucer in "A Knight's Tale," played a mysterious classmate of Nash's in "A Beautiful Mind."
Jennifer Connelly
Benefactor of New Scholarship
Flip Wilson
Flip Wilson, most famous for dressing in drag as Geraldine, is the benefactor of a new scholarship for black journalism majors at Rutgers University.
John Pavlik, chairman of the journalism and media studies department on Rutger's New Brunswick campus, said the first recipient of the annual $23,500 Flip Wilson scholarship will be selected next spring.
The decision will be based in part on a 500-word essay that focuses on some aspect of Wilson's work and its impact on television or comedy, Pavlik said.
Wilson died of liver cancer in 1998. He didn't have a journalism background, but his friend and former publicist Kathleen Fearn-Banks helped persuade him that it was a field where his money could make an impact on the black community after his death.
Wilson, whose given name was Clerow, was born in Jersey City in 1933. He earned his nickname during a stint in the Air Force because of his flippant sense of humor that he used to entertain his fellow troops.
Flip Wilson
Drawing Fans To Concerts
Dixie Chicks
When it comes to The Dixie Chicks, the grumblers may be vocal, but they apparently are not in the majority.
The magazine Pollstar ranks the top-grossing concerts each month, and six of the current top ten earners were Chick-fests. The highest-grossing concert was Atlanta's Music Midtown Festival, with Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, Godsmack, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Sheryl Crow, L.L. Cool J, Def Leppard, India.Arie and others. The second-highest-grossing concert was Elton John and Billy Joel in St. Louis on May 5. But the Chicks, who were recently criticized for comments singer Natalie Maines made about resident Bush, had shows ranked third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth, in St. Louis; Kansas City; Tampa, Sunrise and Orlando, Florida; and Ames, Iowa. Cher's concert in Cleveland kept them from getting a clean sweep, by placing fifth in top-dollars taken in.
Dixie Chicks
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Dispute With TV Production Co.
The Apollo Theater
Over the years, it's been home to many comedians and singers. But lately, the Apollo Theater has been home to a lot of behind-the-scenes drama.
In the latest episode, the Apollo Theater Foundation has gone to court to take on a television production company. It is trying to keep Western International Syndication and Inner City Theater Group from using the names "Best of It's Showtime at the Apollo," "Showtime" and "Showtime in Harlem" as titles for television programs to be distributed for broadcast starting with the fall television season.
The Apollo Foundation say the names are too similar to "Showtime at the Apollo," a show which has a new distributor for next season. The Apollo Foundation is seeking a preliminary injunction at a federal court in New York.
The Apollo Theater
Publisher of many books about marijuana Ed Rosenthal (C) is flanked by his wife Jane Klein (L) and his daughter Justine, after he was sentenced in Federal Court in San Francisco June 4, 2003. Showing unexpected leniency, a judge sentanced 'ganja guru' Ed Rosenthal on Wednesday to a day in jail for growing the marijuana in violation of federal law. Rosenthal believed its cultivation was allowed under California law.
Photo by Tim Wimborne
Grant for Teachers
Jim Nabors
Jim Nabors thought he was attending a ceremony at Sylacauga High School to honor a popular area resident. But a surprise was waiting.
Nabors' high-school buddy, Jim Pursell, announced a $25,000 grant Monday to the Sylacauga City Schools Foundation in Nabors' honor. The foundation awards grants to teachers every year.
A look of amazement crossed Nabors' face as his friend, who is chairman of Pursell Technologies, recognized him with the grant.
Nabors graduated from Sylacauga High School in 1947, then majored in business at the University of Alabama.
Jim Nabors
Hollywood Walk of Fame Next Week
Dwight Yoakam
Don't look for Dwight Yoakam at Fan Fair. He'll be several time zones away. Yoakam will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next Thursday, before the opening of his movie "Hollywood Homicide" on June 13. Friends of his who are confirmed to be there include actor Dennis Hopper and Earl Scruggs.
Yoakam has a new album, titled "Population Me," on his own imprint, Electrodisc Records, with KOCH/Audium Records. His current song is "The Back Of Your Hand," the CD is scheduled release on June 24.
Dwight Yoakam
New Episodes To Air
'The Osbournes'
Ten new episodes of the MTV reality series will air throughout the summer, starting at 10:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday.
The episodes were shot before Jack, the heavy metal star's 17-year-old son, entered rehab in late April for alcohol and marijuana abuse. Jack Osbourne, a part-time talent scout for Epic records, said at the time, "I got caught up in my new lifestyle and got carried away with drugs and alcohol."
"The Osbournes" won an Emmy last year for best reality series.
'The Osbournes'
'The Osbournes' at MTV
Linkin Park Singer Hospitalized
Chester Bennington
Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington was admitted to a hospital with what the group's label described as an attack of severe back and stomach pains.
"Doctors are still trying to determine the cause of the ailments," band manager Robert McDermott said.
"All touring and video shoot plans in Europe have been put on hold this month as we wait for him to get better," he said. "We wish him the best and will keep everyone posted as to his condition."
Chester Bennington
Linkin Park Web site
'24' Producer Signs 2-Year Pact
Howard Gordon
"24" executive producer Howard Gordon has inked a new two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, which co-produces the series with Imagine TV.
The new seven-figure pact extends Gordon's current deal with 20th, which was set to expire at the end of next season, keeping the writer-producer at the studio for a total of three more years.
Under the new contract, Gordon will continue as a hands-on executive producer on "24," which has been picked up for a third season, alongside the show's creators/executive producers Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow, while also developing other projects for the studio.
Howard Gordon
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Free Music (!)
Metallica
Metallica, the most vocal of the recording artists against Napster, is giving away hours of music to its fans.
That's just one in a package of initiatives that include a video game from Vivendi Universal Games, a new album, an international tour and a broadband destination for all things Metallica.
Metallica Vault (www.metallicavault.com) was created in partnership with the independent Internet service provider Speakeasy. Fans who own "St. Anger" or the future video game will be able to access exclusive content after registering with a unique identifying number found on a package insert.
All of the tracks will be downloadable MP3 files, burnable to disc and completely portable.
Metallica
Sues Viacom
Spike Lee
Filmmaker Spike Lee has sued Viacom Inc. over plans to rename its TNN cable channel Spike TV as part of its campaign to attract male viewers.
In court papers filed Tuesday, Lee asked for an injunction against Viacom's use of the name, saying he had never given his consent for it to be used.
"The media description of this change of name, as well as comments made to me and my wife, confirmed what was obvious — that Spike TV referred to Spike Lee," Lee said in court papers.
TNN, which bills Spike TV as "the first network for men," said it was "confident that the court will reject any legal claims by Mr. Lee to the popular word and name Spike."
Spike Lee
TNN
Fined for Naked Jaunt
Max Collins
The lead singer of the rock band Eve 6 has found there's a price to pay for taking a naked jaunt around a hotel lobby: $514.
Max Collins, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct under a deal reached Tuesday before a district justice. Collins was fined $400 and ordered to pay court costs.
Police initially charged the singer with indecent exposure for walking around with nothing but shaving cream on his genitals at the Crowne Plaza hotel outside Pittsburgh on May 27.
Hotel workers told police that a naked Collins walked to the front desk asking for shaving cream. He later was seen walking around with nothing but shaving cream on his genitals.
Max Collins
Publisher Pulls After Plagarism Charges
'Pandora's Keepers'
The publisher of "Pandora's Keepers: Nine Men and the Atomic Bomb," a new book about the creation of the atom age, withdrew it from sale on Tuesday, a day after its publication, amid allegations that its bestselling author plagiarized more than 30 passages.
A spokeswoman for Little, Brown and Co., which is owned by AOL Time Warner Inc., said it was withdrawing the first edition of the book from stores to allow author Brian VanDeMark, an associate professor of history at the U.S. Naval Academy, time to "make appropriate revisions and credits."
The spokeswoman said that when that was done, the publishing house would consider reissuing the book as "a paperback."
VanDeMark, the coauthor with former Vietnam War Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara of the 1995 bestseller, "The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam," was not immediately available for comment and his Web site appeared not to be in service.
The New York Times, which broke the story on Saturday, said the book contained more than 30 uncredited passages "that are identical, or nearly identical" to works by at least four authors, including the scholar to whom the paper had given the book for review.
'Pandora's Keepers'
Pleads No Contest
Shelley Morrison
Actress Shelley Morrison, who plays wisecracking maid Rosario on the hit NBC sitcom "Will and Grace," pleaded no contest on Wednesday to shoplifting about $450 worth of jewelry from a Los Angeles store.
Morrison, 66, was sentenced to one year's probation and was fined $300 for misdemeanor petty theft from a Robinsons-May department store in April.
The actress, who has no prior record, thanked her family and friends for their support during her ordeal saying in a statement read by her lawyer that they had been "a vital piece of my healing process." She added that she was looking forward to resuming work on the next season of "Will and Grace."
Shelley Morrison
Would Let FCC Reimpose Media Limits (Ha Ha Ha)
John McCain
U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain said on Wednesday he wants to let regulators reimpose strict media ownership limits as criticism grows of new rules letting big media conglomerates expand even further.
The Arizona Republican said he would offer the measure in a bill reauthorizing the operations of the Federal Communications Commission which narrowly approved new rules Monday making it easier for media giants to buy more television stations and own broadcast outlets and newspapers in the same market.
"I intend to include specific language in a forthcoming FCC reauthorization bill to clarify that the commission may, and should, reimpose ownership restrictions as part of its biennial review where it finds such action would be in the public interest," McCain said told a committee hearing.
Both McCain and Rep. Billy Tauzin, chairman of the House Commerce Committee, oppose measures circulating in both chambers to roll back the national audience cap to 35 percent.
John McCain
Says Actress Shot Herself
Phil Spector
In his first public accounting of what led to the death of the B-movie actress and nightclub hostess, Phil Spector told Esquire Magazine, "She kissed the gun. I have no idea why -- (I) never knew her, I never even saw her before that night ... I have no idea who she was, or what her agenda was."
"She killed herself," Spector added in the interview with Esquire contributing editor Scott Raab. "If they had a case, I'd be sitting in jail right now."
"She was loud and drunk before we even left the House of Blues. She grabbed a bottle of tequila from the bar to take with her. I was not dunk. ... There is no case. She killed herself."
In the interview, Spector complained that his high-powered attorney Robert Shapiro charged him about a million dollars for defending him so far and said he should have extended him professional courtesies because of their friendship.
"When Robert came in, as a courtesy, as a favor, he should gotten me outta jail. As a courtesy -- not for seven figures," Spector told Esquire.
"I've taken him for $300,000 worth of gifts and rides and plane trips. I wasn't a referral -- I was his best friend," Spector said of Shapiro, who helped put together O.J. Simpson's successful "Dream Team" defense against murder charges.
Phil Spector
Can't Film Video
R. Kelly
R. Kelly, free on bond since he was indicted on 21 child pornography charges, cannot go to Los Angeles to film a music video, but can travel to attend the BET Awards and perform at an upcoming concert, a judge ruled Wednesday.
The 36-year-old R&B singer hasn't been allowed to leave the Chicago area without a judge's permission since he was indicted June 5, 2002. The charges stem from a videotape purportedly showing him having sex with an underage girl. Kelly has denied the charges.
Gaughan did allow Kelly, whose first name is Robert, to travel to Los Angeles for Black Entertainment Television's awards show on June 24; he is nominated in two categories. He was also given permission to go to Dallas for a charity concert for the families of soldiers injured or killed in the Iraq war.
A Kelly trip request last month prompted complaints by prosecutors, who have consistenly opposed his travel. Kelly was granted his request to travel to New York to perform a concert, but prosecutors later discovered he was never listed as a performer.
R. Kelly
Commercial-Free Next Year
Masters
Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson thought the commercial-free broadcast of the Masters turned out so well he plans to do it again.
Johnson, who dropped his television sponsors last year to keep them out of the controversy over the club's all-male membership, said Tuesday the 2004 Masters again would have no sponsors or commercial interruptions.
The club lost an undisclosed amount of money because there was no advertising revenue. It was believed Augusta National also helped CBS Sports pay for the production costs.
Masters
A ten-day-old male baby gorilla named 'Fataki' is carried by his mother at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, June 4, 2003. The tiny infant is the second baby gorilla to be born at the zoo in less than three months, and is only the fourth to be born at the zoo after many years of work as part of the world breeding program for this endangered species.
Photo by David Gray
'Ark of Darkness'
"The Ark of Darkness", a Political/Science-Fiction work, in tidy, weekly installments (and updated every Friday).
'The Osbournes'
Freshly Updated - 'The Osbournes' ~ Page 4
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
