Clinton vs Obama

           

Here is my tribute to the two prominent figures at the center of the fight for the Democratic presidential nomination.  The general election is not for another year and eight months, and we don’t even know which one of them is going to do well enough in the primaries to gain the top spot on the ticket.  At this point, there is always a chance that both will fail miserably. 

Judge Larry Seidlin: Freak of the Week

HE MAY SEEM LIKE A CLOWN…JUST DON’T CALL HIS COURTROOM A CIRCUS

The Anna Nicole Smith ‘Soap Opera’ seems to be producing an endless supply of fodder for cable news audiences and tabloid lovers to savor, at least until the next distraction pops up (my money is on Britney Spears.)  We have already endured periodic updates on the condition of her dead body; absurd claims of paternity; and so-called journalists, so fraught with their own childlike giddiness, you almost forgot the horrible truths that lie at the core of this story.  

The most unique (and entertaining) character to emerge from this daily deluge of half-truths and pointless speculation, was the man saddled with the unfortunate duty of deciding the fate of Anna Nicole’s corpse.  People tuning in and expecting to see the (inescapable) drama surrounding this surreal case, unavoidably discovered a man that defied the conventional stereotypes we have long held for members of our judicial system. 

Iran Ignores Nuclear Deadline

TIME MAY BE RUNNING OUT ON A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THIS MESS

Iran took another step towards provoking World War III by ignoring a U.N. Security Council ultimatum that had ordered a stop to its uranium enrichment program.  To make matters worse, the IAEA revealed that Iran has actually stepped up its enrichment activities since the Security Council made its demands back in December.

Dancing With (Some) Stars

IF IT CAN SURVIVE THIS GROUP OF CELEBRITIES, IT CAN SURVIVE ANYTHING 

I am not embarrassed to admit that I enjoy Dancing With The Stars.  It is one of the only shows on network television an entire family can watch together and enjoy, without the risk of seeing the kind of off-color humor most sitcoms employ before 10PM. 

As the season progresses,  it can be quite exciting (and amusing) to see the professional dancers and their amateur partners mix it up from week to week.  Frankly, it’s just nice to have a competitive reality show whose contestants don’t have to rely on cut-throat tactics or snarky remarks in order to succeed. 

Dancing With The Stars has also shown that you don’t have to be a great dancer to be entertaining.  When Jerry Springer competed last season, I was floored by how well he did with what little skill he possessed.  His positive attitude and likable personality were justly rewarded by the show’s audience.  I never expected the guy to win, but I was happy to see him succeed over some of the ‘wet blankets’ they chose to fill the other spots on the show.

Has ABC ‘Lost’ It?

BAD DECISIONS TURN A TV CHAMP INTO A TV CHUMP

Leave it to the ‘Disney Network’ to take a good thing and ruin it for everybody.  Remember those halcyon sweeps periods of past in which Who Wants To Be A Millionaire ‘ruled the roost’ and saved the network for pinheads from hitting rock bottom?  It only took a few short months of Regis Philbin repeatedly asking, “Is that your final answer?” to drive the once-popular game show straight into TV land’s dumpster.  Fortunately, even as Regis faltered in the ratings, ABC proved that it was more than just an outlet for silly sitcoms and unfunny home videos.  They learned that less was more, but for a program like Lost, less may mean less. 

Well, Hello Britney!

ONE PERSON’S BREAKDOWN IS ANOTHER’S COMEDY GOLD 

 Separated at birth????

              Carol Channing                                             Britney Spears

Britney Spears Goes Bald!

WORLD’S WORST MOM SHAVES HEAD JUST LIKE HER ‘NETHER REGION’  

      

What does a washed-up Pop Princess need to do in order to compete with a dead woman for press coverage?  Apparently she has to shave off all of her hair.  I think we can safely say marrying K-Fed isn’t the dumbest thing she has ever done. 

Bravo, Britney!

At least the ‘carpet’ matches the ‘drapes!’

Here’s some video:

 

Michael Waltrip: Freak of the Week

DW’s (TALL) LITTLE BROTHER BRINGS CONTROVERSY AND A JAPANESE CAR TO THE DAYTONA 500 

(If you don’t enjoy stock car racing, you may want to avoid these pages for the next nine months.  While I won’t dedicate every story to the Nextel Cup season, I will cover important events and controversies as the year unfolds.) 

Boy, do I love NASCAR!  I got hooked on the sport (yes, it’s a sport–I want to see the doubters drive a car for an entire 400-500 mile race at 150mph and tell me how they feel the next day) twelve years ago when I worked at a radio station and had to play local commercials during the race.  Less than a year later, I was in Daytona as part of a news team (I was the cameraman) covering Speed Weeks.  We would go around the garage area and interview drivers as they prepped for the big race and the upcoming (then) Winston Cup season.  Meeting the crew chiefs, tire changers, and big-name stars of NASCAR was a privilege and it helped me appreciate the depth of the sport.

The Dismal State of Television News

POOR JUDGEMENT AND BAD BOTOX WILL GET YOU NOWHERE IN MY BOOK 

What the hell is going on in newsrooms around the broadcasting industry?  I am speaking particularly about television news.  There’s no doubt its quality has been declining for some time now (I blame O.J.!)  Local, network, and cable newscasts have all chosen to put their pocketbooks ahead of their integrity (trading credibility for flash and instant gratification.)  It only takes a few minutes of perusing the TV dial to see just how low news organizations have let themselves sink.  Are we supposed to be surprised the cable news channels dedicated over 50 percent of their air-time to covering the Anna Nicole Smith story last Thursday? 

Dixie Chicks Sweep The Grammys

THE TEXAS TRIO TRIUMPHS AFTER A TUMULTUOUS JOURNEY 

It took only four years (and the death of over 3,100 American troops) to convince members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences the Dixie Chicks were right (and Nashville was wrong) when it came to the US invasion of Iraq.  The group (consisting of members Natalie Maines, Emily Robison, and Martie Maguire) swept all-five of their categories, virtually brushing off the cold shoulder many country radio stations have given them since early 2003.  But don’t expect this victory to change any minds…

Conservative critics would like us to think these five Grammys were simply recognition of their musical talents and not meant as support for their album’s message.  As far as I know, the Grammys are more than a talent show or popularity contest (I believe that show is called American Idol.)  It serves as a venue where members of the recording industry recognize the fruits of their peers labor.