Issue #3
Disinfotainment Today
By Michael Dare
From 'TBH Politoons'
Great Site!
Thanks, again, Tim!
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
It rained! Damn near out-of-season rain! Yaaaa-hooo! Here, rain is a good thing.
The big story locally was Kobe Bryant and food poisoning...local media claims he had a hotel bacon-cheese burger &
cheesecake for dessert at the hotel where the Lakers are staying in Sac.....hmmmmmm.
Was kind of fun to see Ben Stiller guest on 'King Of Queens', playing his father's father.
Tonight, Tuesday, it's another night of 'season finales'. CBS has 3 fresh shows tonight, and
they're all 'season finales'. First, 'JAG', then 'The Guardian' and 'Judging Amy'.
Scheduled on a fresh Dave are Diane Sawyer and Jesse Martin (Adventurer).
Scheduled on a fresh Craiggers are Jim Belushi, Vendela, and Travis Tritt.
NBC starts the night with an hour of reruns of 'Frasier', followed by fresh 'season finales' of both
'Frasier' and 'Scrubs'. 'Dateline' follows.
Scheduled on a fresh Jay are Hugh Grant and Celine Dion.
Scheduled on a fresh Conan are Juliette Lewis and the Breeders.
Scheduled on a fresh Carson Daly are David Blaine and Coal Chamber.
ABC has a fresh 'That's Incredible: The Reunion', and then the fresh 2-hour 'season finale' of 'NYPD Blue'.
Scheduled on a fresh Bill Maher are David Horowitz (Center for the Study of Popular Culture), Nadine Strossen (ACLU President), Paul Rodriguez (Comedian), and a TBA.
The WB has fresh 'season finales' of 'Gilmore Girls' and 'Smallville'.
Faux starts the night with a fresh 'season finale' of 'That 70's Show', followed by a rerun of 'That 70's Show', and then the fresh 'season finale'
of '24'.
UPN has a fresh 2-hour 'season finale' of 'Buffy'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Sharon As Mrs. Robinson?
The Osbournes
Ozzy Osbourne spawn Jack says his mother, Sharon, started playing Mrs. Robinson to his friends when they were at the tender age of 13.
"I think it was my friend Ryan," he remembers. "We were sitting in the kitchen eating dinner, and my mom comes in, lifts up her shirt and goes, 'Ryan, do
you think I'm sexy?' And I was like, 'Oh my [bleeping] God.'"
The Osbourne clan insists in the new Interview magazine that reality as they know it on MTV hasn't changed them. But sister Kelly admits to a new empathy
with Britney Spears. "I used to think, 'Why the [bleep] is she complaining? She has everything she wants! What a brat!'" she says. "But I do think it's one
of the hardest jobs in the world."
For darling Kelly, who sings on the show's soundtrack and might strike a record deal with Epic, success seems even sweeter since it's still eluding her older
sister, Aimee, who had the dignity to remain off-camera.
Singing "is what Aimee really wants to do, and it kind of fell in my lap," says Kelly. "If I was her, I would feel like [bleep]."
Sharon As Mrs. Robinson?
Strong Lead-Ins For Last 3 Episodes
'The Shield'
Swiping a page out of ABC's original winning strategy for "NYPD Blue," cable's FX has engineered three weeks of stunt scheduling to propel the ratings of its hit series "The Shield" even higher.
Like "Shield," "NYPD Blue" in its first season (1993-94) faced boycotts by advertisers who were put off by the show's racy content. But when "Blue" racked up big ratings
week after week, many advertisers caved in and bought time in order to reach "Blue's" upscale fans.
"Shield," which revolves around a thuggish cop played by Michael Chiklis, is already averaging slightly more than a 3 rating since it kicked off 10 weeks ago, making it
one of the highest-rated original series in basic cable. FX's plan is to push those numbers even higher by leading into the last three "Shield" hours of the season with a
trio of the strongest movie titles in the network's arsenal.
On May 21, the world TV premiere of "The X-Files Movie" provides the lead-in. A week later, "Die Hard III" will precede "Shield." The season finale of "Shield" on June 4
gets "Independence Day," in its basic-cable premiere, as lead-in.
'The Shield'
Spin, Spin, Spin
Bush Twins
The fun-loving Bush daughters can't catch a break with FirstTwins.com
tracking their every movement. The Web site reports Jenna Bush and her new frat-boy beau, Cooper, went to dinner in Austin last weekend with
Cooper's accommodating parents, who ordered drinks for the kids. The site also reports the National Enquirer tried and failed to buy "scandalous"
photos of sister Barbara Bush on a beach in Cancun last year, as well as shots of Jenna dancing at a sorority party wearing Mickey Mouse ears.
Bush Twins
The Chelsea Flower Show In London
Chelsea Clinton
Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, poses for photographs at the Chelsea Flower Show in London, May 20, 2002. The annual show, set in
elegant surroundings beside London's River Thames is famous for its vast displays which attract 170,000 gardening enthusiasts every year.
Penthouse Settles Lawsuit
Judith Soltesz-Benetton
The daughter-in-law of Italian fashion designer Luciano Benetton, who is shown sunbathing topless in Penthouse but misidentified as Russian tennis player
Anna Kournikova, agreed on Monday to settle her high-profile suit against the men's magazine.
Judith Soltesz-Benetton had sued Penthouse's parent company, financially troubled General Media Communications, for more than $10 million for running the
unauthorized photographs. She alleged the publication of the pictures violated her privacy and that the photos were used for advertising purposes without her consent.
The settlement was announced the same day that U.S. District Judge Denny Chin had been expected to rule on whether to take the unusual step of ordering the
magazine to recall the June issue carrying a dozen photographs of Soltesz-Benetton.
Financial terms of the settlement were not made public however the plaintiff's lawyer did release a letter of apology Penthouse had sent to Soltesz-Benetton
agreeing to destroy some 18,000 copies of the magazine that are in the possession of the printer or distributor.
The letter, dated Monday and signed by the magazine's founder Robert Guccione, also said no further copies of the June issue or the plaintiff's pictures will
ever be printed or distributed again. It is unknown how many issues have already been sold.
Judith Soltesz-Benetton
Useful Link
World Database of Happiness
World Database of Happiness
Big Dog Watch Continues
Bill Clinton In East Timor
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, left, pledges allegiance during a flag raising ceremony at the opening of the U.S. Embassy, Monday, May 20, 2002, in Dili, East Timor.
Photo by Wally Santana
Gets Another Chance in Top Markets
'The Other Half'
"The Other Half," media maven Dick Clark's low-rated male spin on "The View," has been picked up for a second season in nine of the top 10 markets, including New York and Los Angeles.
In its regularly scheduled time periods during February sweeps, "Other Half" did track 13% better than what those time slots were averaging in February 2001.
'The Other Half'
Husband Redecorated
Liza's Furniture
Someone appreciated Liza Minnelli's tossed-out Halston furniture - even if her hubby, David Gest, did not. Gest threw out the pricey pieces while she was
away. "Right before the wedding, I was at the Chelsea flea market, and I stopped at one of my favorite dealers," publicist David Granoff says. "He had
all this low, white furniture that was pretty nice. I asked the guy about it, and he said, 'Oh, yeah, that's Liza Minnelli's stuff. We delivered some things
to her apartment, and her husband said, 'Take this junk outta here, it's yours.' I'm gonna call the dealer and see if he's still got it."
Liza's Furniture
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Gives $100,000 To Myanmar Refugees
Angelina Jolie
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, shooting in Thailand for her latest film, has donated $100,000 to help train refugees from Myanmar for new jobs, the U.N. refugee agency said Monday.
Jolie, who is goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, visited the Tham Hin refugee camp on Thailand's border with Myanmar, 112 miles
west of Bangkok, Sunday.
Most inmates of the camp are Myanmar ethnic minorities who have fled fighting and oppression by the country's military government.
Thailand is home to more than 120,000 refugees in camps, mainly from Myanmar's ethnic Karen minority.
Jolie said she was impressed by how the refugees coped with the cramped conditions.
Angelina Jolie
Pooty-Poot, Bunnypants & Big Dog
Russian Matryoshka Doll
A street vendor holds a traditional Russian wooden matryoshka doll, or nesting doll, depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin, top left, U.S. President
George Bush, top right, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, in downtown St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, May 20, 2002. Putin and Bush are scheduled to
meet in Moscow and in St. Petersburg May 23-26.
Photo by Maxim Marmur
Her 'Living Nightmare'
Britney Spears
Britney Spears has broken her silence about her devastating bust-up and joyous reunion with Justin Timberlake, calling their time apart "a living nightmare."
When the the pop tart and her *NSYNC hunk split two months ago, "I didn't want it to be over," she told London's News of the World. "It was a tough time.
We both did the single thing and didn't like it." Two weeks ago, Britney got a call from Justin. "We spoke about a lot of things and the more we were on the
phone, the more we realized we wanted to be together."
Britney Spears
North Carolina Considering
James Taylor Bridge
James Taylor's got a friend who wants to put his name on a bridge near a creek where he grew up.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners will vote Tuesday night on a resolution asking the North Carolina Board of Transportation to name a bridge after the singer. The bridge on U.S.
15-501 south spans Morgan Creek in Chapel Hill where Taylor grew up in a home overlooking the waterway.
Taylor even refers to a day spent "half a mile down Morgan Creek" in his song "Copperline" on his "New Moon Shine" album.
The DOT must agree to the name change because the bridge, part of a widening project, is on state property.
Chapel Hill resident Alan E. Rimer initiated the request to name the bridge after the man whose hit "Carolina in My Mind" has become the state's unofficial anthem.
Rimer made the request on behalf of the Chapel Hill Museum board of directors, on which he serves. The museum plans an exhibition about the 54-year-old singer and hopes to
coordinate it with a bridge-naming ceremony.
"It would be nice to have that as a parallel to the exhibit," museum director Morgan Kinney said. "Everybody loves him and loves his music. Its appeal cuts across generations."
Kinney said the exhibit also will focus on Taylor's boyhood in Chapel Hill, where his mother was an active volunteer and his father was dean of the UNC School of Medicine.
James Taylor Bridge
Got A Light?
Life Ball
Participants of the tenth Life Ball pose for photographers in Vienna May 19, 2002. The Life Ball is one of the largest AIDS charity galas throughout Europe and has been
taking place at Vienna's City Hall once a year since 1993.
Photo by Benedikt Loebell
Blasts British Prime Minister on AIDS Prevention
Elton John
In an interview with Sky News broadcast Monday, Elton John said he was "disgusted" with what he saw as a failure by Blair and the government
to do more in the fight against AIDS.
"They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. I hate to say that, because I did vote for them, but I'm disgusted with the way the health service
in England is operating," said John whose own AIDS foundation has funneled 24 million pounds into treatment and prevention over the past decade.
"We (in Britain) had a great record on AIDS when we started but that record is now not as good as it was under the Thatcher government. You should be
ashamed of yourselves -- you're socialists or supposed to be," he said referring to Blair and his Labor government.
"For God's sake, we live in the 21st century -- the trains don't work, the health service doesn't work, people are dying from AIDS, what are you doing?
Get your act together, it's a disgrace," he said on the sidelines of the Vienna Life Ball, one of Europe's biggest AIDS charity galas.
Elton John
BartCop TV!
Recycling Retro-TV For Film
'Greatest American Hero'
Look out Spidey. Disney has hired Paul Hernandez to adapt the early 1980s TV series about an every man superhero, "The Greatest American Hero," for the big screen.
The story concerns a nebbishy teacher who becomes a reluctant superhero after extraterrestrials give him a special suit with powers he can barely understand or control
when he loses its instruction manual. The picture will reference the old series, but in the update there is more than one suit floating around the world.
Hernandez won over producer Stephen J. Cannell by bringing the original "alien" suit worn by thesp William Katt on the 1981 show to his pitch meeting. The scribe tracked
it down by contacting the show's original costume designer Judy Corbett, who sent it to him along with its patterns, which he's framed.
'Greatest American Hero'
oink, oink, oink
bob guccione
If Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione can just keep a few hundred copies of his disputed Penthouse issue from being seized, he could make enough money to pay any
awards made to tennis minx Anna Kournikova and the topless woman misidentified as her. A diner at Zocalo restaurant the other night was showing around a mint
condition Penthouse from September 1984, featuring those notorious S&M pictures of then-Miss America Vanessa Williams. (The spread got her fired.) The issue that
caused all the fuss now sells among collectors of the exotic/erotic for a cool $3,500 a copy.
oink, oink, oink
Nothing To Pluck
Chicken
Scientists at Agriculture department of the Hebrew University in Rehovot have genetically engineered a chicken that has no feathers.
In Memory
Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay Gould, one of the world's best-known scientists and a witty, prolific author who influenced the national debate on evolution and science standards in schools, died Monday. He was 60.
Gould died of cancer at his home in New York City, according to his assistant, Stephanie Schur.
Gould, a Harvard University professor, joined the faculty in 1967 as a professor of geology. He advanced to associate professor in 1971 and to professor in 1973.
Gould was a best-selling author who was enamored of the mysteries of evolution. He was known for his engaging, often witty style evident in his collections of essays, which included "Ever Since Darwin", "The Panda's Thumb", and "The Mismeasure of Man," a study of intelligence testing and winner of the National Book Critics Award in 1982.
Much of Gould's work focused on the land snails of the West Indies, which he occasionally used to support a point in his articles for general readers.
One of America's best-known scientists, Gould wrote books that sought to make complex debates about geology, paleontology and evolutionary biology accessible to the public.
He analyzed evolutionary theory — criticizing elements of it at points — with comparisons to a range of disciplines, including popular culture and sports.
One of his most-championed causes was the idea of "punctuated equilibria" in which he emphasized that evolution consisted of relatively rapid spurts of species evolution rather than gradual, continuous transformations.
He also emphasized the importance of statistics in studying evolutionary variation, comparing the demise of the .400 hitter in baseball to the process by which evolutionary "outliers" disappeared.
Gould received his bachelor's degree from Antioch College in 1963 and enrolled in Columbia University. For his doctoral dissertation, Gould investigated fossil land snails of Bermuda. Gould also did work toward his doctorate at the American Museum of Natural History.
In one of his essays about evolution, "Darwin's Middle Road," which he wrote for his monthly column in Natural History magazine, Gould once said, "If genius has any common denominator, I would propose breadth of interest and the ability to construct fruitful analogies between fields."
Gould was also the recipient of several other awards including the National Magazine Award for Essays and Criticism for his column in Natural History in 1980 and the American Book Award in science for "Panda's Thumb" in 1981.
In 1975, Gould received the Schuchert Award, given each year by the Paleontological Society for excellence in research to a paleontologist under 40.
Stephen Jay Gould
Still Seeking Volunteers
'The Osbournes'
Page 2 !
Put up a page devoted to 'The Osbournes'
C'mon....send your thoughts, your impressions, your views, your favorite quotes...
Scroll down for lots of addys to pick from (or 'from which to pick', for the truly anal retentive).
