Issue #49
Disinfotainment Today
By Michael Dare
'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Weekly Review
HARPER'S WEEKLY REVIEW
April 8, 2003
The World Health Organization warned travelers to avoid Hong
Kong and the Guangdong province in China because of the SARS
outbreak; it was the first such travel alert in the
organization's history.
China finally permitted
international health inspectors to visit Guangdong, where
the disease originated, and inspectors discovered that the
outbreak began in November, although China failed to report
it to the WHO until February 9, by which time it was already
being spread around the world by travelers.
Officials in Toronto said they were
beginning to get the outbreak there under control, though
more than 3,000 people who were possibly exposed have been
asked to isolate themselves at home. Experts said that the
disease was evidently a natural phenomenon and not a case of
bioterrorism.
Pentagon officials and Army commanders were
complaining that Donald Rumsfeld, the secretary of defense,
had prevented them from deploying enough ground troops to
carry out the invasion of Iraq.
Some Republicans, who were
afraid of being named for fear of retribution from the White
House, were also grumbling about the way the war was going.
"I don't understand what is floating [the president's] ship
except patriotism and terrorism concerns," said one. "If the
tide turns, there's nothing else that keeps his boat
afloat."
American troops opened fire on a civilian van at a
checkpoint and killed seven women and children. Military
officials said that the van had failed to stop when ordered
to do so and that the shooting was justified.
The next day
Marines shot and killed an unarmed civilian at a roadblock
near Baghdad and wounded his passenger.
Ari Fleischer, the
White House spokesman, said that "slowly but surely the
hearts and minds of the Iraqi people are being won over as
they see security increase in their areas, as humanitarian
deliveries are stepped up."
American officers said they had
been studying the Israeli occupation of Palestine for
pointers.
Continued at www.harpers.org/weekly-review
-- Roger D. Hodge
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Hot, sunny day.
Had to go talk to the kid's teacher. Seems the teacher has been calling the kid a 'space alien' and encouraging the kids in the class to join in. Every morning the kid has found pictures of space ships & UFO's on his
desk & messages about returning to his home planet - it's been going on for a few weeks now. It's no longer amusing to the kid & I feel badly because I had no idea. There are dozens of pieces of evidence - er, artwork. Teacher said he didn't see any harm in it, but, if it
was enough to get my blood pressure up, it will stop.
Talked to dear old Dad tonight. It snowed again today, and the first day of fishing season is Saturday. He said he'll blow off the first day if it snows again - cripes, he's 78, and barring time spent in WWII, I'll bet he hasn't missed a first day since he was 7 or 8.
Tonight, Wednesday, CBS is supposed to open the evening with a FRESH 'Star Search', followed by
'60 Minutes II', then '48 Hours'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Dave are Lisa Marie Presley and Jamie Kennedy.
Scheduled on a FRESH Craiggers is Jeff Van Gundy.
NBC is supposed to offer 'Dateline', followed by a RERUN 'West Wing', then a
RERUN 'Law & Order'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jay are Seann William Scott and Foo Fighters.
Scheduled on a FRESH Conan are Dennis Miller and Adam Glasser.
Scheduled on a FRESH Carson Daly are Eddie Griffin and Cory Branan.
ABC is supposed to have a FRESH 'My Wife & Kids', followed by a RERUN 'George Lopez', then
a FRESH 'The Bachelor', followed by a FRESH 'All American Girl'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jimmy Kimmel are Shannen Doherty, Charles Nelson Reilly, and this week's guest co-host David Alan Grier.
The WB has a FRESH 'Dawson's Creek', and a FRESH 'Angel'.
Faux starts with a FRESH 'That 70's Show', followed by a FRESH 'American Idol', then a
FRESH 'Bernie Mac', followed by a FRESH 'Wanda At Large'.
UPN starts with a FRESH 'Enterprise', then follows with a RERUN 'Twilight Zone'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Big Dog Watch Continues
Bill Clinton
Former President Clinton, left, and Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide pose for photographers, surrounded by Haitian National Palace staff and U.S. secret servicemen in a hall at the Palace, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti,Tuesday, April 8, 2003. Clinton said Tuesday there should be humanitarian exceptions to international agencies withholding aid from impoverished Haiti, which has the highest rate of HIV /AIDS infection in the Caribbean. Haiti was Clinton's last stop in a five-day regional tour focused on efforts against the virus.
Photo by Daniel Morel
Postpones Toronto
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley postponed the Toronto leg of her promotional tour due to the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
"Due to the recent travel warnings issued by the World Health Organization, Lisa Marie Presley has decided to suspend her international travel," Presley's representatives said in a statement to the local MuchMoreMusic television station.
Presley, 35, who was touring to promote her bluesy rock disc titled "To Whom it May Concern," was scheduled to make a live appearance on the television station on April 10. No date has been set to reschedule the Toronto leg of her tour.
Lisa Marie Presley
The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
Team Up for Concert
Pavarotti & Bono
Nearly a decade ago, Luciano Pavarotti and Bono teamed up in a benefit concert for children in Bosnia after the war there. Now, the singers plan to perform together to help Iraqi war refugees.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Tuesday that Pavarotti and Bono will share the stage in a May 27 benefit concert in Modena, northern Italy, the Italian tenor's home town.
Pavarotti has given an annual benefit concert for the past 10 years. This year, the concert's funds will help the United Nations deal with the humanitarian emergency created by the Iraq war.
Pavarotti & Bono
Singers Tony Bennett and k.d. lang perform during the 14th Annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards in New York, Monday, April 7, 2003. Bennett and lang won an award for Outstanding Music Album.
Photo by Shawn Baldwin
Passed Confidential Details To Tabloids
Officer Kelly Chrisman
A Los Angeles police officer for years allegedly sold confidential information about celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Sean Penn and Halle Berry to the tabloid press, local media reported.
Officer Kelly Chrisman, 34, a six-year veteran, illegally consulted computerized files of well-known personalities, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Chrisman said he was acting on orders from his superiors but a lawsuit the city of Los Angeles recently paid almost 400,000 dollars to settle says Chrisman used the information to sell it to the tabloids.
According to internal police documents, between 1994-2000 the agent was believed to have consulted police files of actresses Farrah Fawcett and Meg Ryan, basketball star Kobe Bryant, O.J. Simpson, talk-show host Larry King and models Cindy Crawford and Elle Macpherson, among others.
The Times reported that after the case was debated privately by the city council March 19, it decided to pay 387,500 dollars to settle a suit against Chrisman and the police department.
The suit was filed by Cyndy Truhan, ex-wife of a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star and ex-girlfriend of the agent in question.
She charged that after they broke off their relationship he used his police access to obtain phone numbers and addresses to harrass her.
Officer Kelly Chrisman
NOTE: Cyndy Truhan was Cyndy Garvey - she is the ex-wife of former Dogger, Steve Garvey.
Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Beau Bridges
It was a family affair Monday when Beau Bridges' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled — right next to stars for his younger brother, Jeff, and his father, Lloyd Bridges.
Several members of the Bridges family came out to Hollywood Boulevard for the unveiling, including Bridges' mother, Dorothy Bridges. His brother was out of town on location. His father died in 1998.
The 61-year-old actor-director-producer got into the business as a child actor, appearing in the movie "The Pony" in 1949 and the hit 1950s TV show "Sea Hunt," which starred his father.
A three-time Emmy winner, he currently portrays CIA director Tom Gage in the CBS TV show "The Agency."
Beau Bridges
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
Party boy
Brandon Davis
Hollywood party boy Brandon Davis was arrested for drunk driving last weekend. The grandson of Beverly Hills billionaire Marvin Davis was busted in the early hours of Saturday morning after two motorcycle cops stopped his swerving Mercedes GL 500 near Hollywood's hip White Lotus club. Witnesses say Davis spent the night in jail after he fell down during his roadside sobriety test. It had been quite a night for the 21-year-old bon vivant - he had five young ladies in his car when he was pulled over, and was spotted earlier chatting up Christina Aguilera at another club, Deluxe. "I can't talk about it," Davis said. "I have no comment." An LAPD spokeswoman said Davis was released on $15,000 bail.
Brandon Davis
Charity Auction
'Bra Art'
Rocker Sheryl Crow covered hers with hot-pink guitar picks, Pamela Anderson went for a fluffy white Playboy look, and Dustin Hoffman used his to send the political message "War Sucks."
All three were among 49 celebrities who agreed to design one-off bras that are currently being auctioned by Sotheby's to benefit breast cancer research.
Other contributors included Bette Midler, Cindy Crawford, Rod Stewart, Goldie Hawn, Susan Sarandon and Melanie Griffith.
Glamour couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston had reproductions of their own hands plastered onto each cup of their offering, while comedian Gary Shandling incorporated two Jewish skullcaps, or yarmulkes, into what he called his "bramulke."
The auction was the brainchild of actress Tea Leoni, who cajoled her Hollywood friends and acquaintances into taking part.
The celebrities were given several weeks to submit their designs, which were then worked into actual models by the up-market lingerie company Frederick's of Hollywood.
In a limited live auction held last week, a bra designed by Julianne Moore went for 9,000 dollars.
'Bra Art'
Had Brain Surgery
Rodney Dangerfield
Comedian Rodney Dangerfield underwent arterial brain surgery Tuesday to improve his body's blood flow in preparation for an upcoming heart valve replacement, his publicist said.
The procedure, known as an extracranial-intracranial brain bypass, involves inserting the superficial temporal artery near the ear into the middle cerebral artery of the brain, according to Dangerfield publicist Kevin Sasaki.
"It's all being done because he does have to have heart valve replacement surgery. He needs to have his blood flow going for that," Sasaki said.
Rodney Dangerfield
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Changing Its Name To 'Fuse'
MuchMusic USA
The television network MuchMusic USA, seeking to distinguish itself in a market dominated by MTV and its related networks, will take the name Fuse.
It also has built a $12 million studio with windows open to the street across from Madison Square Garden, about a dozen blocks south of MTV's Times Square studios.
Fuse's executives noted that many music fans don't realize one company — Viacom — owns MTV, MTV2, VH1, VH1 Classic, BET and Country Music Television.
The changeover to Fuse, announced Tuesday, will take effect on May 19.
MuchMusic USA
Actor Kirk Douglas, left, and his son Michael Douglas, stars of the new film 'It Runs in the Family,' pose together before a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, Monday, April 7, 2003.
Photo by Chris Pizzello
First Tour in Three Years
Steely Dan
Steely Dan has unveiled details for its first tour since the summer of 2000, kicking off July 23 in Costa Mesa, Calif., and wrapping Aug. 31 in Syracuse, N.Y.
The veteran jazz/rock outfit will be touring in support of its upcoming Reprise album, "Everything Must Go," which has been bumped to June 10 from its original May 6 release date. As the band explained in its online newsletter, "the reason, we understand, has to do with something called 'a schedule' for some entity called 'the record company."'
Here are Steely Dan's tour dates:
July 23: Costa Mesa, Calif. (Orange County Fair)
July 24: Paso Robles, Calif. (Mid-State Fair)
July 26: Kelseyville, Calif. (Konocti Harbor)
July 27: Tahoe, Nev. (Harvey's Outdoors)
Aug. 1: Portland, Ore. (Coliseum)
Aug. 2: George, Wash. (Gorge Amphitheater)
Aug. 4: Denver (Fiddler's Green)
Aug. 7: St. Paul, Minn. (X-Cel Energy Center)
Aug. 8: Chicago (United Center)
Aug. 9: Columbus, Ohio (Schottenstein Center)
Aug. 11: Clarkston, Mich. (Pine Knob)
Aug. 12: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (Blossom Music Center)
Aug. 14: Toronto (Molson Ampitheater)
Aug. 16: Mansfield, Mass. (Tweeter Center)
Aug. 17: Holmdel, N.J. (PNC Bank Arts Center)
Aug. 19: Manchester, N.H. (Verizon Wireless Arena)
Aug. 20: Hershey, Pa. (Hershey Park)
Aug. 22: Wantagh, N.Y. (Jones Beach)
Aug. 23: Camden, N.J. (Tweeter Center)
Aug. 25: Uncasville, Conn. (Mohegan Sun)
Aug. 27: Bristow, Va. (Nissan Pavilion)
Aug. 29: Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Saratoga PAC)
Aug. 30: Atlantic City, N.J. (Etess Arena at the Taj Mahal)
Aug. 31: Syracuse, N.Y. (New York State Fair)
Steely Dan
Mayor's Appearance Cut
'Hack'
Mayor John F. Street's appearance on the CBS drama "Hack" has wound up on the cutting room floor.
"Hack," starring David Morse, is filmed in Philadelphia. Morse plays Mike Olshansky, a former police officer who's forced to drive a cab to make ends meet. The show airs on Friday nights.
CBS said it decided to cut the spot because Street is involved in a mayoral race and his appearance might violate the Federal Communications Commission's "equal time" rule for political candidates.
'Hack'
Hack at CBS
Probation Over
Heidi Fleiss
Notorious Hollywood madam to the stars, Heidi Fleiss, arrested in 1995 for running a high-class prostitution ring for rich and famous clients, ends her probation Tuesday, a judge ruled.
Fleiss, who grabbed world headlines with her dramatic arrest and subsequent refusal to reveal which Hollywood stars featured in her "black book" of clients, appeared in court here Monday to hear the news.
US District Judge Consuelo Marshall congratulated Fleiss for making it through the final two years of supervised release with no violations.
Fleiss, who appeared in court wearing an olive green suit and gold sandals, said it was a "happy day" for her.
Although the names in her "black book" were never revealed, actor Charlie Sheen acknowledged in video testimony to paying her thousands of dollars for the services of prostitutes.
Heidi Fleiss
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
British Army Major Guilty
Charles Ingram
A British army major was found guilty on Monday of an elaborate swindle to win the jackpot on the worldwide hit TV quiz show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"
Major Charles Ingram and his wife Diana hatched a plot with college lecturer Tecwen Whittock to con their way to the $1.58 million top prize in front of TV cameras by using a series of coughs to indicate the correct answers.
The Ingrams were fined about $23,500 each and given 18-month jail terms, suspended for two years. Whittock was fined $15,500 and given a 12-month suspended jail sentence.
The sound staff on the show, which has spawned catchphrases such as "phone a friend" and "ask the audience," became suspicious when they noticed the unusual amount of coughing.
They detected that 19 coughs came from the direction of Whittock -- another contestant, sitting just 10 feet behind him waiting for the chance to play.
Program makers Celador Productions called in police, suspecting that Ingram had been helped, and canceled his one million pound check. The show on which Ingram "won," recorded in September 2001, was never broadcast and he began legal action to recoup his lost winnings.
Charles Ingram
Visitors look at paintings exhibited at Drouot Gallery in Paris, France Wednesday April 2, 2003. Hundreds of art pieces, part of late French surrealist writer Andre Breton's art collection is being auctioned. At right stands an aerograph painting by American artist Man Ray 'Impossibilite Dancer/Danger' made in 1920.
Photo by Francois Mori
Sues Aussie Magazine
Penelope Cruz
Actress Penelope Cruz is suing an Australian women's magazine for "substantial damages" over an article it published about her relationship with Tom Cruise, her lawyers said.
Cruz, 28, filed defamation proceedings against New Idea magazine on Friday in the New South Wales state supreme court, the lawyers said.
The action relates to an article about the relationship between Cruz and Cruise.
Penelope Cruz
Pleads No Contest
Vince Neil
A lawyer for Motley Crue singer Vince Neil entered a no contest plea to misdemeanor battery in an assault involving a record producer outside a Sunset Strip nightclub last year.
Neil, whose given name is Vincent Neil Wharton, was not at Monday's hearing.
A Superior Court judge ordered the 42-year-old singer to complete 100 hours of community service, pay restitution and go through a booking process, which would place his fingerprints on file with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The charge came from a fight on April 28, 2002, at the Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood with record producer Michael Schuman. The two men had never met before that night.
Vince Neil
Police Recover Two Frescoes
House of the Chaste Lovers
Carabinieri police have recovered two frescoes stolen last week in the ancient city of Pompei near Naples and found they were ready to be shipped abroad.
Informers led a special police unit protecting Italy's cultural heritage to the frescoes on Tuesday, which they found all wrapped up and ready to go on an abandoned building site near Pompei, said Colonel Vincenzo Giuliani.
The two panels were stolen overnight Friday from the "House of the Chaste Lovers", one of hundreds of Roman villas that make up the Pompei archaeological site.
One panel was slightly damaged, while but the other was practically intact. A large portion of the remaining fresco, however, was found in pieces on the ground.
House of the Chaste Lovers
Jury Selection Begins
Tommy Lee
Jury selection began for the trial of bad boy rocker Tommy Lee who is being sued for the wrongful death of a four-year-old who drowned during a children's birthday party at his home.
Prosecution and defence lawyers began the task of picking 12 suitable jurors to hear the case in which German actress Ursula Karven and her husband James Veres accuse Lee of negligence in the death of their son in July 2001.
The parents are reportedly seeking at least one million dollars in damages as well as reimbursement for medical care, funeral expenses and additional damages to make up for their pain and suffering.
Daniel Karven-Veres was found at the bottom of the pool of the rocker's home in Los Angeles' plush Malibu neighbourhood during a pool party for Brandon Lee, one of Lee's two sons with ex-wife Pamela Anderson.
Tommy Lee
Tulips force their way through a blanket of ice and snow at Hershey Gardens, Tuesday, April 8, 2003, in Hershey, Pa.. Temperatures hovered around 35 degrees today as Hershey Gardens' 30,000 tulips tried to bloom.
Photo by Carolyn Kaster
'The Osbournes'
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