Farewell, Michael Jackson

Cool MJ in Thriller

PERSONAL REFECTIONS ON THE KING OF POP

Long before the horrible allegations of child abuse and the sickening extremes  his plastic surgery would reach, Michael Jackson ruled my pre-teen world.  From the very first time I saw his video for “Billie Jean” (shown between movies on HBO, my only source for music videos before MTV made it to my hometown) Michael Jackson had my undying attention.

Charles Nelson Reilly 1931-2007

THERE WAS MORE TO THIS ACTOR’S LIFE THAN BLANKS AND ASCOTS

Tony Award-winning actor (and saucy game show panelist) Charles Nelson Reilly died Friday night (5/25/07) in Los Angeles due to complications stemming from pneumonia.  He was 76. 

Although I was well aware of his failing health, it was still very sad for me to hear the news of his passing. It is not easy to say goodbye to someone that made so many of us laugh through the years.  Some of the folks we grow up watching in the afternoon’s of our youth seem like they’ll be around forever. They can always be found in ‘TV land’ sitting on our screens, forever frozen in time, looking just as young and healthy as they ever did.  That’s probably why I think 76 years-old seems a bit premature for Charles to leave this world.

A Major Cat Fight Breaks Out On ‘The View’

THE ROSIE AND ELISABETH FEUD GOT UGLY THIS MORNING

Check out this video of Wednesday’s verbal sparring match between Rosie O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.  Rosie has been pissed since Monday when Elisabeth refused to come out and say she whether or not she actually believes that Rosie thinks the U.S. troops in Iraq are terrorists.  What started out as a Bush bashing segment (initiated by Joy Behar reading a list of the president’s mistakes) eventually turned into a shouting match between the co-hosts.

Enjoy…

The producers made a mistake by letting the argument go on for that long without going to a commercial.  This will either spill over to tomorrow’s show or be forgotten like most of the other arguments they have had since Rosie joined the program last September.  One thing is for sure, cable news knuckle-heads like Joey Scarborough and Bill O’Reilly are going to have a field day with this exchange.

Even better than the argument was the way Alicia Silverstone dissed Elisabeth when she came out after the commercial. 

Cheapskate NBC Drops Its Stone

NETWORK CITES ‘COST CUTTING’ AS REASON FOR DEPARTURE

NBC, America’s (barely) number four TV network, announced Tuesday that it will not renew Stone Phillips’ contract when it expires this June.  Phillips has been co-anchor of ‘Dateline NBC’ (originally with Jane Pauley, currently with Ann Curry) since the show began in 1992.  Now that NBC can barely eke out more than one hit TV series per season the purse strings have tightened, leaving a trail of bloody corpses from its news division in its wake.

NBC released a statement quoting Phillips as saying “It’s been a wonderful 15 years, I’m profoundly appreciative of the many friends and colleagues, past and present, who have been a part of the `Dateline’ family. This is a great news division with a bright future. I wish the people of NBC News all the best.”

Jerry Falwell: 1933-2007

THE LEADER OF THE MORAL MAJORITY JOINS THE MORTAL MAJORITY 

This morning, puffy evangelist Jerry Falwell was found dead in his office at Liberty University.  I am no doctor, but one look at a recent picture of the man would have told you his days on this planet were numbered.  Forgive me if I forgo the fake reverence one is expected to extend to the recently departed.  Jerry Falwell was a buffoon who claimed to be a Christian, yet he never missed an opportunity to exploit national tragedies for his own political gain.

Although he sometimes used the title “Doctor,” Falwell held no earned doctorate. He held three honorary degrees: an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Tennessee Temple Theological Seminary, an honorary Doctor of Letters from California Graduate School of Theology (an unaccredited institution), and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Central University in Seoul, South Korea (an unaccredited institution).  Those facts didn’t prevent his friends from referring to him as Doctor Falwell when they announced his death at a press conference this morning.

President Bush Winks At The Queen

HE’S JUST A GOOD OLE’ BOY, NEVER MEANIN’ NO HARM

During a ceremony on the south lawn of the White House welcoming the Queen of England, Bush made this little slip, “You’ve dined with 10 U.S. presidents. You helped our nation celebrate its bicentennial in 17….in 1976.”

Then, as only a fool could do, Bush turned to Queen Elizabeth and winked, a no-no when it comes to regal protocol, and as the laughter died down, said, “She gave me a look that only a mother could give a child.” Ouch!

Tough Love For Hasselhoff

MR. BAYWATCH’S DAUGHTER TRIES TO SHAME HIM INTO SOBRIETY

I am posting this video as a public service to those of you out there that wonder how alcohol affects families.  There is nothing funny about this footage (well….except when his hamburger falls apart.)  It is actually quite sad to see someone this famous dealing with his pain by getting extremely drunk. 

It shouldn’t be too shocking for David Hasselhoff.  He told his sixteen year old daughter to film him the next time he fell off the wagon.  This time Hasselhoff didn’t just fall off the wagon, he did a ‘Triple Lindy’ into a large pitcher of beer.  How it got into the hands of Access Hollywood is unknown (maybe Kim Basinger gave it to them.)  The good news: Hasselhoff is officially in a three-way tie for father of the year with Alec Baldwin and Ryan O’Neil.

Hopefully some good will come from this very public humiliation:

    

American Idol Season Six: Round Eight

AMERICA GETS IT RIGHT AND SENDS CHRIS AND (PHINALLY!) PHIL PACKING

Vacation and indifference have kept my Idol commentaries off of these pages for almost a month.  To date, this season has been a bit of a bore for me, offering very few of what I would consider to be stand-out performances.  I would be lying if I claimed that I did not miss Sanjaya.  That kid brought the kind of excitement one only finds watching videos on a TV show about car wrecks.  Unfortunately, by the time he butchered Bonnie Raitt’s ‘Something To Talk About’, you could tell his heart just wasn’t in it anymore and America happily put him out of his misery.  For those in need of a Sanjaya fix, don’t forget that there’s always the live tour to look forward to…

Then there was ‘Idol Gives Back’ week, which I would prefer to call ‘Idol Makes Me Nauseous’ week.  Not only did they waste my time with pointless performances (Annie Lennox butchering Simon and Garfunkel? An Elvis and Celine Dion duet?) they failed to kick someone off the show.  I cheered like a drunk boob at a baseball game when I mistakenly thought Jordin was going home. Man was I pissed when that didn’t come true.  My only hope (at that time) was that her demise was simply going to be delayed a week.  Oh well…

Happy Fourth Anniversary, King George!

HE SAID WHAT? 

I can can think of at least 3000 reasons why this picture is completely wrong. 

 

back in the days of shock and awe
we came to liberate them all
history was the cruel judge of overconfidence
back in the days of shock and awe

back in the days of “mission accomplished”
our chief was landing on the deck
the sun was setting on a golden photo op
back in the days of “mission accomplished”

Sayonara, Rosie…

DAYTIME’S QUEEN OF CONTROVERSY DECIDES NOT TO RENEW HER CONTRACT

Wednesday was the big announcement I had been expecting to hear from Rosie O’Donnell.  It was becoming increasingly apparent to me that she was not going to be able to sustain the level of commitment to The View that ABC Television wanted from her.   They tried to paint her into a corner with a three-year contract that she ultimately could not accept.  Why would anybody want to guarantee three more years of intense scrutiny from media pinheads (mostly from the right) when they know that one more year would barely be sustainable?  

I must give credit where it is due. Rosie was able to breathe a lot of life into the (now stale) format that had initially distinguished The View from its competitors.  There had always been four or five women sitting around an ugly table, chirping away on issues,  but the conversation seemed a little too safe and predictable (especially towards the end of Meredith Vieira’s tenure.)  Rosie changed all of that with her presence and ever-changing moods.  She served as the ‘true voice’ (even in her most deluded moments) of the variety of people that watch daytime television.  Without her presence, even with some sort of pale substitute occupying her seat, the show is going to suffer.