Pam Poses 4 PETA

I guess when you care passionately for a cause, you give it your best effort. For Pamela Anderson that means taking your clothes off. Everyone is good at something. So, on Wednesday, 6/28, Pammy and some models raised money and awareness for her cause (PETA, remember PETA?) by posing nude in the front window of Stella McCartney's Mayfair Boutique.
Thank you, PETA for making SEX the answer to your plight! If you need some attention, all you have to do is get a high profile sympathizer to take off her clothes. Classy! But not as classy as a medium rare ribeye with a couple glasses of red wine!

Tony Bennett Turns 80

On August 3rd Tony Bennett turns 80. Sinatra called him the "Greatest Saloon Singer, ever." Coming from Frankie, a man who knew much about singing and saloons, this really means something!
NBC is putting together a documentary tribute to Bennett which should air in September, '06. He has a "Duets" album which is set to come out at about that time.
Tony Bennett always seemed to be a little "different" to me. Different than other performers. Oh, he's had his personnal problems. I ran into some people who met him, briefly, and they said that he was the biggest jerk they ever met. Well, uh, OK. Let's get back to why we like him. He was a great singer, probably the best in the world for many years. Remember what Sinatra said about him? Bennett always seems to be having a good time. Maybe it's just for the cameras, but he seems to be enjoying himself a little more than other entertainers. Or maybe it's because he knows that there aren't many (any?) musical acts that charted well in 1950 that are still in the limelight! Probably what makes him a little different from today's celebs is that he was never famous for being famous. He was famous for what he did best, singing!

Po' Povichs Lose Cable Gig

According to the ratings, you probably never saw MSNBC's "Weekends with Connie & Maury." It aired four times per weekend and after 5 1/2 months it has been cancelled. I saw two minutes of one episode. It was forced and phoney to the point where my weekend time (or any time) is too important to watch two overpaid liberals tell us how our tax money should be thrown at every problem in the world. Here's another case where the show became a parody of itself as Connie Chung SANG a farewell on the final episode. If she and Maury are not embarassed, they should be. Maybe this is what bothers me about these people. They don't get embarrased when normal people would.
The reason for MSNBC dropping the show? The move comes just days after NBC News legal correspondent Dan Abrams was put in charge of MSNBC. Rick Kaplan, who was president of the cable network for two years, left last week.

A Fan Forever!

I credit Major League Baseball with thinking of yet another way to tap the fan's wallets. This is from Reuters: Eternal Image Inc., which makes customized caskets and urns, said on Friday it has signed a multiyear licensing agreement with Major League Baseball that allows the company to reproduce the names and logos of all 30 league teams on a new line of caskets and urns.

And to think, I was simply going to ask to have my Phil Rizzuto baseball card tucked in my box.

Mayor Opens Mouth To Change Feet

My wife and I attended a fund raising roast, Saturday night. This meant missing re-runs on TV. I went to the roast because I was invited and because my boss was kind enough to pay for the two tickets for wifey and me. The roastee was a well know local bank CEO, Don Smith. Everyone had some fun and some money was raised for Shriners' Hospitals.
The event was MCed by Terre Haute, Indiana Mayor Kevin Burke. The guy is in his first and most likely final term as mayor. I never met the guy but based on his poor grammar used on TV sound bytes, I'm proud to say that I do not live in T.H. where he was elected as their leader. Anyway, back to the roast, one of the roasters owns a car dealership. Burke ridiculed the guy as being a used car salesman. This struck a nerve with me. While I would NEVER consider working for this particular dealership owner, why would a Mayor ridicule a local business owner? If you ever owned a business you know that the business owner is responsible for employing local people...taxpaying people. Also, the business pays local, state and federal taxes. Every (smart)politician in the world knows that his bread is buttered by businessmen! Hizzonner crossed the line, from funny to stupid! The operative theme in the mayor's statement was that some used car salesmen are less than honest. I'd like to point out that every profession has dishonest individuals. What about mayors?

Britney, who dresses you?

Britney Spears was on network TV last night doing an interview with Matt Lauer. First, understand, I'm old. But, in my mind, you don't wear the same outfit on network TV that you'd wear on a trip to the convenience store. Spears is very rich. She can afford to wear any kind of clothing of any price. This is the "look" that she chooses? Sweetie, with the hair, the makeup and the clothes, you looked like a $5 whore. In your world, Britney, you may not know what a $5 whore looks like. Look at the video tape. The lack of articulation is another matter. Britney, you are a tabloid's dream come true. You are a parody of yourself. Did you know that it is possible to look sexy without looking trashy? It is. Figure this out and maybe you can go back to selling music instead of selling tabloids.
Like it or not, Britney, you are a role model. Little girls are watching you. Oh, and if you want privacy, Brit, stay off the TV. We'll forget about you in 6 months. But is that good if you're in the celebrity business?

Close Shave for Roethlisburger

Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle crash, monday, broke his jaw and nose and he lost some teeth. (I expect to see the teeth on E-Bay.) A team of four Pittsburgh doctors labored for 7 hours to repair all of the fractures. He was lucky.

Roethlisberger was on his black 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa, which, according to the Suzuki Web site, is the fastest production bike made.

Roethlisberger has said in the past that he prefers not to wear a helmet when riding his motorcycle. He has pointed out Pennsylvania's state law requiring helmets to be worn was repealed in September 2003.

Irony? Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback, at 23, to win the Super Bowl. He has become a multi millionaire playing a game that requires the use of a helmet. Like it or not, Ben, you're a role model for millions of kids.

Terry Bradshaw, who quarterbacked the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories during the 1970s once advised Roethlisberger, "Ride it when you retire."

King Of Beers...Dirty Water

What the hell were the Budweiser Ad people thinking? They're being sued by the Standells, a 60's rock group who had a hit record with "Dirty Water." Budweiser used the song in one of their commercials without permission, hence the $1 million lawsuit.
Here's my question: Why would a beer company, whose product is made with water, use a song called "Dirty Water?"
Maybe because it has become a classic at Fenway Park. They play it whenever the Red Sox win.
Here are the lyrics:
I'm gonna tell you a story
I'm gonna tell you about my town
I'm gonna tell you a big bad story, baby
Aww, it's all about my town

Yeah, down by the river
Down by the banks of the river Charles (aw, that's what's happenin' baby)
That's where you'll find me
Along with lovers, fuggers, and thieves (aw, but they're cool people)
Well I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, you're the Number One place)
Frustrated women (I mean they're frustrated)
Have to be in by twelve o'clock (oh, that's a shame)
But I'm wishin' and a-hopin, oh
That just once those doors weren't locked (I like to save time for
my baby to walk around)
Well I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, yeah)

Because I love that dirty water
Oh, oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, yeah)

Well, I love that dirty water (I love it, baby)
I love that dirty water (I love Baw-stun)
I love that dirty water (Have you heard about the Strangler?)
I love that dirty water (I'm the man, I'm the man)
I love that dirty water (Owww!)
I love that dirty water (Come on, come on) [fade]
The decision to use this song in their commercial was probably made in a room with many empty brown bottles on the table!

Shiloh Nouvel Joli-Pitt

T
his is what all the fuss is about. This and a few other photos cost People Magazine $4.1 million. And the magazine expects to score big! Apparently, this is what it takes to sell magazines!

The Problem With E85

Last week, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh is standing beside the only E85 gas pump in Terre Haute, Indiana urging people (on TV, of course) to use E85. He said that it helps Hoosier farmers because the fuel is made with corn. True, so far. What the good senator forgot to add is that your fuel economy will suffer if you use E-85. By how much? It varies from vehicle to vehicle. A 2006 Chevy Silverado 2WD with a 5.3 liter V8 engine gets 20 MPG on the highway using gasoline. It manages 16 MPG using E85. So, if E-85 is 4/5 or 80% as efficient as gasoline, the price should be 80% that of gasoline. IT ISN'T. To break even, when gasoline sells for $2.88 per gallon, E85 should sell for $2.30 per gallon, just to break even!
The most important thing to mention, here, is that not all motor vehicles are suited for E-85. Can your vehicle safely use E-85? Call your authorized dealer's service department and ask them. Have your 17 diget vehicle identification number (VIN) handy. They can quickly tell you if it's ok to use E85. If you use the stuff and your car is not designed to use E85, your "check engine soon" light will come on telling you that your engine, fuel line and gas tank are being damaged.
Price and potential damage, senator, is why there is only one E85 fuel pump in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Fines Fine With The Networks?

Let's see, we have the famous wardrobe malfunction, Bono using the F word at the 2003 Golden Globes on NBC, Nicole Ritchie and the F word at the 2003 Billboard Award show on Fox and a Survivor finalist saying the S word on the Early Show.
If the networks are serious about wanting to avoid those pesky FCC fines, maybe they should place a lifetime ban on the offenders.
Performers would have to expand their vocabularies to express themselves on live TV or face the consequences.
Let's face it, a $500,000 FCC fine is a drop in the bucket for a major American network. The value of the publicity far exceeds that amount....even after you pay the lawyers! The downside is that the local stations are often fined by the FCC for these incidents. This is the only way that the FCC can pressure the networls to address the situation. Networks can afford the fines, but can they afford angry affilliates?

$22 Million, Roger That!

Roger Clemens has agreed to pitch for the remainder of the year for the Houston Astros for a cool $22,000,000.

Somebody is being very stupid here and it ain't Roger.

My my.

Could $20 beers at the ball park be far away?