'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Weekly Review
HARPER'S WEEKLY REVIEW
September 17, 2002
Federal authorities placed the United States on "orange alert" and
American embassies in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia were
closed after an Al Qaeda prisoner claimed that terror attacks were
scheduled for the September 11 anniversary. The New York Lottery's
evening number came up 9-1-1 on September 11, and President Bush shed
a tear during a speech on Ellis Island.
Police shut down a large
section of Interstate 75 after a woman named Eunice Stone thought she
heard four young Arab men "laughing about 9/11" in a Shoney's
restaurant in Calhoun, Georgia. The men, who were detained in Florida
for 17 hours, turned out to be medical students on their way back to
school.
New York City police stopped subways and roped off Battery
Park for several hours after someone saw a man wearing a turban climb
out of a subway maintenance hatch; calm was restored after it was
determined that the man was a Sikh transit worker.
An American
Airlines flight to Dallas returned to Houston and was searched after a
stewardess noticed a passenger with a suspicious object, which turned
out, upon investigation, to be a comb.
An Israeli Arab who had been
indicted but not convicted of helping a suicide bomber was stripped of
his Israeli citizenship.
A federal judge ruled that the Chicago police
have been routinely violating the rights of witnesses by locking them
up in small rooms without a lawyer for up to 24 hours.
Five Yemeni men
in Lackawanna, New York, were charged with being an Al Qaeda terrorist
cell, and American forces in Pakistan captured Ramzi bin al-Shibh, an
Al Qaeda operative who officials said was supposed to have been the
"twentieth hijacker" on September 11.
President Bush addressed the
General Assembly of the United Nations and demanded that something be
done about Iraq; he also announced that America was rejoining UNESCO.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average immediately dropped 202 points.
Continued at www.harpers.org/weekly-review
-- Roger D. Hodge
Reader Alert!
from Gare
I've just seen my first Xmas commercial!!!
No, no, no.... not again.... can't we just do this every other year?
Ebenezer Gare
Holy crap, Gare! Thanks for the warning.
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
The local NBC 'O & O' (owned & operated), KNBC, has bailed out on an hour of local news & replaced it with 'Dr. Phil'. Yuck.
'8 Rules' has cast women way too old to be playing the teenage daughters. Poor Jack Tripper is now 'doing' the Mr. Roper role.
'Push, Nevada' - just a cheesy rip-off of 'Twin Peaks', right down to the lighting.
Road trip in 9 days! Woo hoo - Viva, Las Vegas!
Tonight, Wednesday, CBS has a fresh 'Big Brother 3', then 'The 3rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards'.
On a rerun Dave the scheduled guests are Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Alicia Keys.
Scheduled on a fresh Craiggers is TBA -To Be Announced.
It's NBC's turn for the 'Trifecta' of reruns - 'Ed', 'West Wing', and 'Law & Order'.
Scheduled on a fresh Jay are Lucy Liu, Jay Mohr, Kenny G, and Chante Moore.
On a rerun Conan (from 7/17/02) are Harrison Ford, Jennifer Esposito, and Wilco.
Scheduled on a fresh Carson Daly are Ashleigh Banfield and Angie Martinez.
ABC has 2 hours of reruns of 'My Wife & Kids', then a fresh special - 'Christopher Reeve: Courageous Steps'.
The WB has the movie 'Blue Streak'.
Faux is all fresh tonight - first, the season premiere of 'Bernie Mac', then the series premiere of 'Cedric The Entertainer', and then the series premiere of 'Fast Lane'.
UPN is also all fresh with the season premiere of 'Enterprise' then the series premiere of 'The Twilight Zone'.
TNN has part 2 of 'The Godfather'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Banned Book Week Is Sept. 21-28
Banned Books
City With Compassion
Santa Cruz
Robert Anton Wilson, right, who suffers from post polio syndrome, receives marijuana from Jeremy Griffey, left, and Kathy Nicholson, second from left, both with the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana,
at City Hall in Santa Cruz, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2002. Calling Santa Cruz a "sanctuary" from federal authorities, medical marijuana advocates - joined by city leaders - passed out pot to about a dozen
sick and dying patients from City Hall Tuesday.
Photo by Mike Fiala
Draws Record Audience
'The Sopranos'
Bada-bing! The much-anticipated return episode of mob drama "The Sopranos" to HBO was the most watched program in the history of the cable channel, beating its broadcast network rivals, HBO said on Tuesday.
The premiere of the series' fourth season averaged a record 13.4 million viewers from 9 to 10 p.m. Sunday, surpassing the No. 1 show for that hour on broadcast television, NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent,"
and the most watched program of the night on the Big Four, CBS news magazine "60 Minutes."
Although both "Law & Order" and "60 Minutes" were repeats, the robust performance of "The Sopranos" was impressive given that the premium cable channel reaches only about a third of the
estimated 107 million American homes with TV sets.
A spokeswoman for HBO, controlled by AOL Time Warner Inc. , said the premiere was believed to be the first time that an HBO program topped the viewership for each of the Big Four broadcasters in a single hour.
The previous record-holder for most-watched broadcast on HBO was the 1989 championship boxing match between Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno, the spokeswoman said.
'The Sopranos'
Battle Brewing Over Licensing Fee
'West Wing'
Is NBC willing to fork over a 525% raise to keep President Bartlet's administration in office?
As the fall TV season gets under way, a battle is brewing over "The West Wing," Aaron Sorkin's Emmy-winning drama about behind-the-scenes doings in a liberal White House. Beyond its status as a Top 15 hit,
the John Wells Prods./Warner Bros. TV series draws far and away the most upscale audience in primetime, which in turn helps NBC pitch itself to advertisers as a haven for the affluent.
But there's tension in the Oval Office. NBC's contract for "West Wing," now entering its fourth season, is up for renewal at the end of this season, and one knowledgeable source says that the studio will
push the network for a license fee of more than $10 million per episode -- a more than sixfold increase over the current license fee of about $1.6 million an episode.
With its large ensemble cast and elaborate settings, industry sources peg the production cost on "West Wing" at about $3 million-$3.5 million per episode, making it one of the most expensive on television.
Warner Bros. sold the rerun rights to "West Wing" last year to the Bravo cable network for about $1.1 million per episode -- a healthy price in a depressed syndication market but shy of the $1.5 million-$1.6
million fees commanded around the same time by CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
While Warners may not get its $10 million asking price from NBC, expected rival bids from ABC (which could sorely use a ready-made hit) and CBS likely will drive the price far above its current level.
For all the details, 'West Wing'
British Columbia
Sand Mandala
Tibetan Monks, from the Gaden Jangtse Monastery in Southern India, circle their completed sand mandala during a consecration ceremony prior to its destruction, at the Surrey Art Gallery
in British Columbia, west of Vancouver, September 11, 2002. Mandala sand painting is an ancient art of worship and meditation in which millions of grains of colored sand are placed into
intricate designs and are believed to effect purification and healing. A mandala can take weeks or days to construct.
Photo by Andy Clark
Blames Church, Bush for Research Obstruction
Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve, the Hollywood star paralyzed from the neck down, said on Tuesday the Catholic church and President Bush had obstructed research which might free him from his wheelchair.
The actor, who found film fame as "Superman," told Britain's Guardian newspaper the Bush Administration had caved in on the issue of embryonic stem cell research after the Catholic
church expressed opposition to cloning.
Reeve, paralyzed seven years ago when he was thrown from his horse, said he was "angry, and disappointed," that Bush had hampered developments in stem cell research which might
have led to human trials aimed at rebuilding the nervous systems of quadriplegics.
The actor said President Bush had paid too much heed to the Catholic church.
"There are religious groups -- the Jehovah's Witness, I believe -- who think it's a sin to have a blood transfusion. Well, what if the president for some reason decided to listen
to them, instead of to the Catholics, which is the group he really listens to in making his decisions about embryonic stem cell research?" Reeve was quoted as saying.
Christopher Reeve
Writer Signs On
'Hitchhikers Guide'
Screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick has come onboard to co-adapt the screenplay of Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy."
Adams originally penned feature adaptation prior to his death last May and will have a posthumous producing credit on the picture. Jay Roach, director of the "Austin Powers" franchise, is attached
to take the helm and will serve as a producer.
"Hitchhikers," which has previously been adapted into a novel, radio series, TV series and videogame, centers on Arthur Dent, who after discovering the Earth is meant to be flattened by a hyperspace
freeway bypass, is whisked away by an undercover alien who is researching the "Hitchhikers Guide."
Kirkpatrick previously wrote "Chicken Run," "The Road to El Dorado," "James and the Giant Peach" and "Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves."
'Hitchhikers Guide'
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Honored With Statue
Otis Redding
Otis Redding, the soul singer best known for "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay," has been honored in his hometown with a 7-foot bronze statue that
shows him sitting on a dock, playing his guitar.
Redding's widow, Zelma Redding, attended the unveiling ceremony Sunday in Gateway Park on the banks of the Ocmulgee River.
"Today, he would say, `I finally got all the respect I deserved,'" she told The Macon Telegraph.
A tribute concert will be held in Macon on Dec. 7, the 35th anniversary of the song's recording.
Otis Redding
Otis Redding Web site
Big Rock
Jarek Dymek
Jarek Dymek of Poland lifts a stone weighing 264.5 pounds during the World's Strongest Man and Woman 2002 competition, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia September 17, 2002.
Photo by Bazuki Muhammad
Airs In November
Enron Movies
Enron goes prime-time this November as CBS airs what is believed to be the first of several movies inspired by the energy trading giant's corporate fall -- but this film's makers are actually hoping for a few laughs.
The film will air Nov. 3 at 9 p.m. eastern time and is satirical in its approach as it follows the memoirs of "entry-level" Brian Cruver, 30, who joined Enron in early 2001 and then witnessed the company's collapse from the ground up.
Based on Cruver's book, "Anatomy of Greed: The Unshredded Truth from an Enron Insider," the CBS movie will star Mike Farrell of "MASH" TV series fame as Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay, and veteran actor Brian Dennehy as a senior Enron executive.
The film, directed by Penelope Spheeris, who has poked fun at popular society in films like "Wayne's World," is playful with the sometimes surreal aspects of Enron's corporate culture, ranging from the display of motivational messages
on the walls to talking elevator monitors that boast of the company's successes.
By contrast, Fox Entertainment Group Inc.'s FX cable channel and Artisan Television are co-developing their own Enron movie with the help of Enron whistle-blower Sherron Watkins. Fox is a unit of News Corp. Ltd.
While Artisan and FX were the first to announce they were making an Enron movie, representatives from the studios said they are in no hurry to put it out and are still in the script-writing stages.
Enron Movies
Declining On Network TV
Gay Presence
Prime-time television is getting "straighter" this year, with far fewer gay, bisexual and transgender characters showing up on the fall schedule than appeared last season, a gay activist group said on Monday.
The number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) characters in lead, supporting or recurring roles on network TV has dropped from 20 last year to just seven this coming season, according to an analysis by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
Meanwhile, the total number of shows featuring LGBT roles has declined from 16 last season to just six this fall -- "ER," "Will & Grace," "NYPD Blue," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Dawson's Creek" and the new ABC hospital drama "MDs."
The decline, coming after three straight years in which gay and lesbian characters enjoyed a surge in visibility on network television, was disappointing to leaders of the gay community.
Much of the decline is due to the fact that 11 shows with gay and lesbian characters last season failed to make it back on the schedule this fall, including "Spin City," "Felicity," "Once and Again," "The Ellen Show" and "Dark Angel."
In addition, the only two series to feature a bisexual and a transgender character -- "That '80s Show" and "The Education of Max Bickford," respectively -- were both canceled last season.
By contrast, cable television offers a far heavier concentration of gay characters on a smaller number of shows, with a total of 22 LGBT roles counted on six shows this coming season -- "Oz," "Sex and the City," "Six Feet Under" and "The Wire" on HBO, "The Shield" on FX and "Queer as Folk" on Showtime.
Gay Presence
Drops Voight As Last Name
Angelina Jolie
It's been " Angelina Jolie" on movie billboards, but now it's official.
A Los Angeles County judge granted a petition by the actress, whose legal name was Angelina Jolie Voight, to drop her last name on Sept. 12, according to court documents.
A request filed July 3 at the Santa Monica courthouse cited a desire to have her legal name conform with her professional name.
Jolie, 27, also petitioned to legally change the name of her infant son to Maddox Chivan Thornton Jolie. The child, whose given name was Rath Vibol, was recently adopted in Cambodia.
Angelina Jolie
BartCop TV!
24-Hour MTV2 Gig
Courtney Love
You've really gotta love Courtney Love if you tune into MTV2 this weekend.
For 24 straight hours, the rock diva will be in control of the music network. She'll play the videos she likes, invite her friends over for an on-camera
jab fest and do whatever else she pleases, the network said Monday.
This is the first time the network has relinquished control to an artist for a day, representatives said.
Love won't even need to stay awake the entire 24 hours; an MTV spokesman says when she sleeps, the network will probably show snippets of her dozing.
Courtney Love
Playgirl Magazine
'Men of Enron'
Playgirl magazine's "Men of Enron" issue hit newstands on Tuesday, and five current and former male employees of the bankrupt energy trader shed all or
most of their clothes for a 14-page photo spread called "The Rise of Enron."
"If someone is going to offer me some money for the way I look, over which I have some control, then I'm all the better for it," said Ronald Williams of his decision to appear nude.
The 35-year-old Houston native, a former competitive intelligence specialist in Enron's broadband unit, told Reuters he has been working four jobs to support
himself since he was laid off when Enron filed bankruptcy last December. Williams, who is single, said the money helped him decide to pose.
Christopher Figueroa, a 34-year-old New York native who worked in the natural gas trading unit and is now a contractor helping Enron unwind its trading
book, said he was the only one of the five "who didn't do the full monty."
For a bit more, 'Men of Enron'
The Alpine Iceman
Oetzi
The discovery that the 5,000-year-old man found frozen in the Alps had venison for his last meal strengthens the case that he was a hunter, Italian researchers say.
And that adds to the evidence the man, known as Oetzi or the Iceman, may have died in a dispute with other hunters, according to the research team led by Franco Rollo
of the University of Camerino.
Oetzi had an empty stomach at the time of death, researchers reported Monday. But by analyzing the contents of his intestines, the team was able report on his last two meals.
Oetzi's body was found frozen in a mountain area and en route there he apparently ate the first of the two meals analyzed. That meal included meat from an Ibex, a type of wild goat once common
in the Alps, plus cereal grains and some type of plant food.
That was followed by a final meal including deer meat and, possibly, more grains, the Italian team reported.
While other early people included rabbit, squirrel and even packrat in their diets, Oetzi's differed.
For a lot more, Oetzi
Death Was Overdose
Dee Dee Ramone
A heroin overdose killed Dee Dee Ramone in June, the coroner's office said Tuesday.
A toxicological examination of blood samples taken during an autopsy found that Ramone had a lethal amount in his body, coroner's office spokesman David Campbell said.
Ramone, a founding member of the punk rock Ramones, was found dead June 5 on the couch of his home by his wife. An overdose was suspected because drug paraphernalia including a syringe was found nearby.
His death, at age 50, came 11 weeks after the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and 14 months after the group's 49-year-old lead singer Joey Ramone died of cancer.
Dee Dee Ramone was one of the band's major songwriters and its bassist, bringing a fast-paced sound to an era dominated by disco and corporate rock. The first album, "Ramones," was released in 1976.
Dee Dee Ramone
Third Annual
Woodstock Film Festival
The third annual Woodstock Film Festival kicks off Wednesday. Like the town hosting it, the five-day festival figures to be artsy and left-of-center with a distinct New York City accent.
Woodstock is a regional festival, not as big and powerful as showcases like Sundance and Toronto. But Matthew Ross, senior editor at indieWIRE, said the festival is raising its profile and status. Woodstock
has a leg up on other regional festivals, Ross noted, because it caters to the film community in New York City, about 90 miles south.
Actor/director Tim Robbins and Parker Posey — called an Indie Queen for playing so many idiosyncratic characters in independent films — are among big names slated to show up. And since it's Woodstock, a guy
from Phish and Arlo Guthrie are on the schedule, too.
Woodstock became an arts colony a century ago and its countercultural credentials were revived with the 1969 Woodstock festival, which was actually held 50 miles away in Bethel.
Woodstock Film Festival
www.woodstockfilmfestival.com/
In Memory
LaWanda Page
LaWanda Page, who played the fearsome, Bible-toting aunt Esther Anderson on the 1970s television comedy "Sanford & Son," has died. She was 81.
Page died Saturday at Centinela Hospital Medical Center from complications of diabetes, friend and producer Donald Welch said Monday.
After the aunt Esther role from 1973 to 1977 on "Sanford & Son," Page appeared as aunt Esther in the short-lived spinoff "The Sanford Arms" in 1977. She also starred in "Detective School" in 1979 and "B.A.D. Cats" in 1980.
Born in Cleveland on Oct. 19, 1920, Page began her show business career as a dancer and chorus girl on the club circuit where she was billed as "The Bronze Goddess of Fire" because she lit cigarettes with her fingertips, swallowed fire and touched flaming torches to her body.
Childhood friend Redd Foxx gave her the biggest break when he recommended her for the aunt Esther role.
She made guest appearances on "Family Matters," "Amen," "227," "Diff'rent Strokes," "Martin" and "In Living Color."
Her movie credits included "Friday," "Meteor Man," "My Blue Heaven" and "CB4."
On stage, she appeared in Welch's gospel musical, "Take It to the Lord ... Or Else!"
Page is survived by a daughter.
LaWanda Page
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'The Osbournes'
Freshly updated! 'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
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