'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Weekly Review
HARPER'S WEEKLY REVIEW
October 8, 2002
Senator Robert Torricelli of New Jersey withdrew from the
November election after new evidence emerged that he had
accepted "improper gifts" from a contributor; Torricelli
said that he did not want to jeopardize Democratic control
of the Senate.
A new poll found that most Americans are
opposed to invading Iraq if it means significant Iraqi
civilian casualties; a majority of those polled also said
that they were more concerned about the economy than about
Saddam Hussein's putative weapons of mass destruction and
that Congress should be more critical of President Bush's
war plans. Senate majority leader Tom Daschle said that he
probably would support a Senate resolution authorizing
President Bush to attack Iraq.
Hans Blix, the head of the
United Nations' inspection commission, negotiated a deal
with Iraq to allow the return of weapons inspectors within
two weeks. After receiving pressure from America and
Britain, Blix agreed to delay inspections until the Security
Council adopts a new resolution on the issue.
President Bush
said that "all of us recognize the military option is not
the first choice," and he threatened to invade Iraq anyway
if the Security Council doesn't do as it's told.
Croatian
president Stjepan Mesic testified against Slobodan Milosevic
at the Hague and accused Milosevic of creating "rivers of
blood" in his quest for a Greater Serbia: "He subordinated
everything to his war goals; he was always working for the
war option." Biljana Plavsic, the former president of the
Bosnian Serb republic, pleaded guilty to crimes against
humanity at the Hague.
The European Union agreed to exempt
U.S. soldiers from prosecution for war crimes by the
International Criminal Court. "There is no concession,"
explained Denmark's foreign minister. "There is no
undermining of the International Criminal Court."
Enron's
former chief financial officer was charged with fraud, money
laundering, and conspiracy.
Barbra Streisand declared that
we need a "regime change" in Washington, D.C., and La
Cicciolina, a former porn star who was once a member of the
Italian parliament, offered to give herself to Saddam
Hussein in exchange for world peace.
Continued at www.harpers.org/weekly-review
-- Roger D. Hodge
Man With An Opinion - The New TV Season
Baron Dave Romm
Here are my quick comments on the new tv season. All trace of
objectivity has been removed.
The biggest pleasant surprise: 'Family Affair' is fun. Tim Curry has
a wonderful time chewing the scenery as French, the butler.
(Precisely why he's a butler and remains so hasn't been fully
explored, but never mind.) The kids are okay, Gary Cole does okay in
the Brian Keith role of the father, and so on. The plots are updated
from the original show, but not by much. Buffy still loses Mrs.
Beasley. Cissy goes to an "underwear party", but no drugs.
Biggest unpleasant surprise: 'CSI: Miami' isn't working. So far, the
three shows have been okay (the one with the airplane), awful (the
bomber) and poor (the shark). If I didn't have a VCR I'd stick to
'Crossing Jordan' and be done with it.
'Boomtown' looks good, though I only saw the first one. Not really
quite as advertised; the viewpoints overlap without necessarily being
different, as people meet and see things on their own.
Tried 'Hidden Hills' twice, couldn't sit through either viewing.
'Do Over' is okay, but hasn't grabbed me yet.
'Push, Nevada' isn't bad... but hasn't worked it's way up to being good
yet. I will pass along my suspicion of what the clue in the episode
entitled "Storybook Hero" is: Peter Pan. The song the ballerina
music box is playing is "I Won't Grow Up". If anyone reading this
uses this clue to win the prize, I get a cut!
'Life With Bonnie' is consistently enjoyable, but don't watch it to
relax. A lot of the show, apparently, is ad lib and they are having
a great time.
'8 Rules For Dating My Daughter' is okay. Sharp writing and nice comic
turns by everyone.
Couldn't take 'Presidio Med'.
'Firefly' is 'Andromeda' with more hints of sex. Has potential but not
there yet. Good, gritty, future, like on Tattooine.
'Without A Trace' is a good idea well executed but they should stick to
telling a believable story. They seem to go for the extra twist,
which gets in the way of the legwork and narrative.
'Monk' is fun. A bit cutesy on the crimes, closer to Nero Wolfe than
Hercule Poirot, but they make good use of Monk's background and
peccadillos.
'Robbery Homicide Division' is good, if too intense.
'New Outer Limits' has potential.
Quick comments on returning shows:
'Who's Line Is It Anyway' is one of my favorite programs. Improv is
harder than it looks, and GOOD improv is even harder. They
occasionally have guests that prove how hard it is. Robin Williams
wasn't very good. Whoopie Goldberg was okay. But the best of the
guests was... Florence Henderson. Utterly fearless and more than
willing to hack her Mrs. Brady reputation to tiny pieces.
I got into 'Smallville' late, but it's consistently been a great show.
Superboy learning all about his powers in modern times, with Lex
Luthor as one of his closest friends. In last week's show, his
awakening sexual energy turned on his heat vision for the first time.
Nicely handled all around.
'West Wing' lost a bit of steam last year, but not much and this season
seems to have awakened the anger. Nice to see what a good president
looks like.
'Crossing Jordan' tried to separate itself from 'Quincy' by having the
main characters mess up their lives irreparably. This failed.
Fortunately, they got over it, somehow, and this season seems to be
sticking to actual medicine and crime.
'Frasier' is losing steam as 'Will & Grace' is picking it up.
Okay, time for me to go and get a life. Anyone have a spare?
TTFN,
Baron Dave Romm
--
////
Pinky: "What if the dragon eats us?"
Brain: "That would alter our plans."
Thanks, Baron Dave!
'mr.subliminabable!'
New Komix!
new komix - mr.subliminabable!
Turtle rescue, rehab and rehoming
Reader Viewing Suggestion
Watch 'Hack'!
Have you seen the CBS crime drama 'Hack' which airs
at 9 (Eastern time) Friday nights? Although critics have been less than
kind, what's not to like about David Morse and Andre Braugher? It's
actually picking up some respectable ratings. Folks who are sick of LA
locales might enjoy seeing another city (Philadelphia) featured, although
most of the gritty sites are hardly the thing the Convention & Visitors
Bureau will be featuring in their commercials.
Do I have a vested interest in this? Why, yes I do - my SO (and JulieFest
escort) Ralph will be appearing in Episode 6, where he tries to run over
David Morse. We're hoping it get picked up so that we get to see him on
network TV. Phila. actors are PRAYING for this series to continue!
Also:
Tuesday is my new favorite day of the week because
Disinfotainment/Helen.A.Handbasket is so incredibly great!
~~ Pattie O
Isn't Michael Dare an amazing writer!
I remember David Morse from his 'St. Elsewhere' days.
Since the show is done in Philadelphia, sure hope they do one with the Mummer's Parade as a backdrop!
Reader Opinion
from Tiera
Since you seek opinions, I must say that I agree with your assessments of 'The Inlaws' and 'Life with Bonnie.' Just when I think television might
be going away from the inane, they come up with this kind of shit. I actually kind of like Bonnie Hunt, but she is capable of better than her new show.
What kills me is that ABC didn't bring back Denis Leary's 'The Job', which was hilarious. What, was the humor over the heads of the average American couch
potato? ABC needed to give it more time, because it was gaining an audience.
I am sick of the brain-pablum served up by the networks...I am a big girl now (42), and can appreciate more than the simplistic, common-denominator humor
that has been regurgitated repeatedly now for over 50 years. Give us more comedies like 'The Job', 'Bernie Mac', 'Malcolm in the Middle', 'Scrubs', etc.
~~ Tiera H
Thanks for the kind words, Tiera. I like Bonnie Hunttoo, and hope that maybe this will be the one that 'takes' for her - although if you scroll down, there's a story about
the majority of the writing team was canned today. While there are exceptions to every rule, that's usually not a good sign.
Also agree about 'The Job', 'Bernie Mac', 'Malcolm' and 'Scrubs'. Rather sad that of those 4, one is no longer in production, and 2 won't have their
season premieres til the end of the month (if not early in November)!.
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
The roofers were here bright & early. Much noisier day, but mostly due to the generators - have yet to see a hammer - it's all nail guns & custom cutting!
There is now a new wood covering on both the house & garage. They'll be back bright & early again today the next layer.
Have started to get some mail with comments on the new TV season - Please, keep it up!
Tonight, Wednesday, CBS offers a fresh '60 Minutes II', then a fresh 'The Amazing Race 3', and a fresh 'Presidio Med'.
Scheduled on a fresh Dave are Charles Barkley, director Franco Zeffirelli, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Scheduled on a fresh Craiggers are Terry Bradshaw and comic Paul Mercurio.
NBC has a fresh 'Ed', a fresh 'The West Wing', and a fresh 'Law & Order'.
Scheduled on a fresh Jay are Jamie Lee Curtis, Puppetry of the Penis, and Beck.
Scheduled on a fresh Conan are Jimmy Carr and George 'Judas' Stephanopoulos.
Scheduled on a fresh Carson Daly is James Taylor.
ABC has a fresh 'My Wife & Kids', a fresh 'George Lopez', a fresh 'The Bachelor', and a fresh 'MDs'.
The WB has a fresh 'Dawson's Creek', and then the series premiere of 'Birds Of Prey' (female superheroes fight crime - on the WB -
wonder if that means a 'nipple alert' should be issued?).
Faux has more baseball.
UPN has a fresh 'Enterprise' and a fresh 'The Twilight Zone'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
'Hollywood Movie Awards'
Katzenberg & Myers
Jeffrey Katzenberg, left, and actor Mike Myers pose for photographers at the Hollywood Film Festival's gala ceremony and 'Hollywood Movie Awards,'
Monday, Oct. 7, 2002, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Katzenberg was presented a Hollywood Movie Award for animation.
Photo by Chris Weeks
Audio Interview
Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte Interview With Ted Leitner On KFMB 760 San Diego
Cans Writing Staff
'Life with Bonnie'
The executive producers of fledgling ABC hit comedy "Life With Bonnie" have fired most of the show's scribes, opting to handle the scripts themselves.
Insiders stressed that Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake had from the beginning petitioned producer Touchstone Television against hiring a writing staff, given their desire to focus heavily
on penning the show's scripts themselves, a la Larry David with "Seinfeld" or David E. Kelley with some of his creations.
Indeed, as of now none of the scripts written by "Bonnie" staffers have even been produced. And now that the show is off to a strong start and has been given a full-season pickup,
the studio agreed to disband most of the staff.
"It wasn't personal," an insider said. "Bonnie said from the beginning that 'You guys are great, but we did not want a writing staff.' The writing was on the wall, especially now that the show is working."
'Life with Bonnie'
Jeez, I thought that the basic LA-speak translation of ''It wasn't personal'' usually means it was. Just like ''trust me'' means 'fuck you.'
KUPD Fires Deejay Over 'Prank'
Beau Duran
His call to widow of pitcher stirred ire in St. Louis
The Phoenix disc jockey who called the widow of a St. Louis Cardinals pitcher and asked her for a date as part of an on-air prank, was fired Monday by KUPD-FM radio.
Duran initially had been suspended for a week after he called Flynn Kile's hotel room, told her she was "hot" and asked her if she had a date to Thursday's playoff game against the Arizona
Diamondbacks. His termination was effective Monday.
Darryl Kile died unexpectedly of a heart attack on June 22 in Chicago.
Beau Duran
Beijing
The 'No' List
A couple walk past a sign which lists all the activities banned in a park in Beijing Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2002. Hundreds of houses were demolished to make way for the park,
which stands beside a newly rebuilt section of the Ming Dynasty wall which once surrounded the city before it was demolished in the 1960's.
Photo by Greg Baker
Fell For Pranksters
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg fell for the same pranksters who tricked Celine Dion when he took a phone call from the "Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chritien." The call was really from Marc
Audette and Sebastian Trudel, the "Masked Avengers" of radiopranks.com. Spielberg seemed amused when "Chritien" asked him about his movie "Saving Private Parts," but kept his
cool, insisting that he couldn't wait to meet him and introduce his family to him. "Chritien" signed off by howling, "E.T. phone home!"
Steven Spielberg
Marks Walden Pond Land Event
Don Henley
Rocker Don Henley helped celebrate the addition of a 26.4-acre parcel of land to the Walden Pond State Reservation.
The new acreage, known as the "Goose Pond" parcel, was obtained through a land swap with the town of Concord. The land borders the reservation, the town's former landfill and Route 2.
Henley, 55, founded the Walden Woods Project.
Don Henley
Walden Woods Project Web site
Thief Breaks Into Office
David Letterman
David Letterman had a little problem at the home office in Manhattan: A thief made off with $4,000 from a desk inside the Ed Sullivan Theater, police said.
On Monday, an employee at Letterman's "Late Show" found a desk drawer forced open and $4,000 cash missing, police spokesman Sgt. Kevin Hayes said Tuesday.
A surveillance camera reportedly caught the burglar slipping into the office on Sunday afternoon, but police had made no arrests. The thief, wearing a hooded
sweat shirt, managed to cover the camera before opening the desk.
David Letterman
#24
Donates to Former School
Mick Jagger
Rolling Stone Mick Jagger hasn't forgotten where he got his start, donating 100,000 pounds ($150,000) to help youngsters at his old school.
Dartford Grammar School in Kent county, southern England, said Monday the 59-year-old singer wants the money to be used for programs that will encourage children to study music.
"I believe we should encourage children to sing and play instruments from an early age," Jagger said from the United States, where the Rolling Stones are on tour.
The school's music center, which opened two years ago, is named Red Rooster after the Rolling Stones' No. 1 British hit "Little Red Rooster."
The money will help provide free string and wind instrument training, run in conjunction with Kent Music School and Trinity College of Music.
Mick Jagger
Says TV Was Inspiration
LeVar Burton
For LeVar Burton, books were an important part of growing up — but television showed him that he could find his place in the world.
Burton, host of public television's "Reading Rainbow" and star of the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" TV series, said it was hard for him to identify
with characters in books he read as a young boy because they weren't black.
Then he began watching the original "Star Trek" series and saw the character of communications officer Lt. Uhura, played by Nichelle Nichols.
"What it said to me was when the future comes, there'll be a place for you," Burton said. "Dreams really do come true."
He was the keynote speaker at Saturday's 50th annual William Allen White Children's Book Awards ceremony at Emporia State University, which honored
Christopher Paul Curtis ("Bud, Not Buddy") and Andrew Clements ("The Landry News").
LeVar Burton
William Allen White Children's Book Award Web site
"Reading Rainbow" Web site
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Pigs Might Fly Before Pink Floyd Reunites
David Gilmour
Pink Floyd fans hoping for a reunion of the veteran English rock band may be waiting in vain, the group's leader David Gilmour indicated on Monday.
Pink Floyd, which has not performed together since 1994, remains on hiatus while its members pursue various projects. Gilmour is preparing to release a concert video in November, and hopes to record a solo album next year.
Now 56, Gilmour said he prefers a simpler life making more spontaneous music, whereas a Pink Floyd album and tour would require "an awful lot of time and effort."
Gilmour revisits old Pink Floyd nuggets like "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," "Comfortably Numb" and "Wish You Were Here," as well as a few rarities written by Syd Barrett,
the group's first leader. Barrett, a drugs casualty, left Pink Floyd in 1969 and lives in seclusion in Cambridge, England.
Gilmour said he has not seen him since 1975, when an unrecognizable Barrett casually dropped into the London studio as the band was recording "Wish You Were Here." Gilmour is in
occasional touch with Barrett's sister, and often thinks of driving up to Barrett's place for a cup of tea and a chat.
Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in 1968 three years after it was formed, and has led the band since its bitter 1980s split from musical mastermind Roger Waters, who went to court
in an unsuccessful bid to prevent his former colleagues from touring under the Pink Floyd name.
For a lot more, David Gilmour
Western Colorado
Meteorite
A worker reaches in to pick up a piece of the meteorite that landed near Johnstown, Colo., in 1924, that was used to show what the meteorites that have passed over Colorado
the past two evenings may look like after a news conference in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2002, in Denver. Museum experts say that one meteorite
landed in western Colorado on Sunday night and another one passed through the state along the Front Range on Monday evening.
Photo by David Zalubowski
Favorite 007 Gadget
James Bond
James Bond fans have named their favorite Agent 007 gadget: the Rolex watch that unzips women's dresses.
The debonair superspy used the timepiece to strip a voluptuous Italian secret agent he found hiding in his closet in the 1973 film, "Live and Let Die."
Second in the survey was Bond's Ericsson mobile phone, which remotely-controlled Pierce Brosnan's BMW in "Tomorrow Never Dies," released in 1997.
A pager watch, which summoned Sean Connery as Bond to meet with spy chief M in 1963's "From Russia With Love," came in third.
James Bond
Coughs Up for Old Reruns
Comedy Central
Comedy Central has bought "Dilbert" (30 half-hours) from Columbia, "The Ben Stiller Show" (13 half-hours) from Warner Bros., "Clerks" (only six half-hours) from Disney and "Gary &
Mike" (13 half-hours) from Paramount. Comedy Central also bought a fifth busted network-primetime series, "Undergrads" (13 half-hours), from Decode Entertainment.
"Dilbert" is the only series of the five that lasted for more than one season on its original network, UPN. Except for "Stiller," the series are animated programs aimed at young adults.
"Gary & Mike" and "Undergrads" begin their runs on Comedy Central Nov. 3 and play every Sunday at midnight. "Dilbert" and "Clerks" will replace them in the time period starting Feb. 3.
"Clerks" will also get a one-time-only six-episode marathon, highlighted by four half-hours that never played on ABC. The marathon will take place Sunday, Dec. 22, beginning at 9 a.m.
The network will schedule "The Ben Stiller Show" initially as part of a "Holiday Relief" stunt, in which it'll run twice a day for five straight days starting Dec. 21.
Comedy Central
2-Hour Concert For NBC
Cher
NBC has sealed a deal with Cher to tape a two-hour concert special featuring the now-blonde diva for air sometime midseason.
The NBC special marks Cher's first network concert special in years; her most recent -- including 1999's "Cher -- Live in Concert" -- have aired on HBO.
Cher will tape the special during her two-night stint at the American Airlines Arena in Miami on Nov. 6 and 7. The Oscar winner ("Moonstruck") is currently in the midst of a "farewell" concert tour to promote her new album, "Living Proof."
Cher, of course, is no stranger to network television, having spent years at CBS both with Sonny Bono (1971-74's "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour," 1975-76's "Cher" and 1976-77's "The Sonny and Cher Show").
She most recently popped up on NBC, guest-starring twice as herself on "Will & Grace."
Cher
NOSBOIS
National Organization to Shoot Bill O'Reilly Into the Sun
Sees Lifelong Friend in Bono
Paul O'Neill
One wears hip sunglasses and plays huge gigs like the Super Bowl, while the other wears boring gray suits and speaks to rotary clubs in places like Oklahoma City -- two men not likely to swap Christmas cards.
But after touring poor villages together in Africa last May, U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Irish rock star Bono are becoming as close as school chums, chatting on the phone as if
they had met at summer camp in the Catskills.
"I think this may be a lifelong friendship," O'Neill said on Monday, recounting the ebullient rocker's persistent efforts to get him to discuss aid to Africa, ultimately launching the most
unlikely pairing since Richard Nixon and Elvis.
O'Neill found he had quite a lot in common with Bono, whom he described as "born-again," and said the rocker was coming around to his views on smart investment in Africa during a 15-minute
phone call the two had just last week.
Paul O'Neill
BartCop TV!
Guitars Up for Bid at Auction
Elvis, Jimi & Waylon
Elvis Presley's first guitar, Michael Jackson's first signed contract and what's being billed as the world's oldest guitar are going on the auction block this weekend.
Guernsey's auction house is taking bids on the grand piano Liberace played in concert, a piano from the Motown studios and guitars that Jimi Hendrix, Waylon Jennings and B.B. King owned.
Presley received his guitar from his parents in 1946, according to organizers of the auction. Another Presley guitar, described as one of the last he played before his 1977 death, also is up for sale.
Elvis, Jimi & Waylon
Guernsey's Web site
Monday, Oct. 7, 2002
Staute of Liberty
Grucci fireworks light the sky over the Staute of Liberty, Monday, Oct. 7, 2002, during the shooting of a video meant to boost New York City's bid to be the U.S. representative in the international
contest to play host to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. New York is vying with San Francisco.
Photo by Ron Frehm
Sets Its Own Record at Book Fair
Guinness World Records
The Guinness World Records book -- which already boasts its own entry as the best-selling copyright book ever -- is heading for a new milestone.
The reference bible of the weird, wacky and wonderful should soon top sales of 100 million, chief operating officer Alistair Richards told Reuters.
In less than half a century, Guinness World Records have sold 95 million copies. Only the Bible and the Koran have done better. And the popularity of Guinness shows no signs of waning.
Guinness delights in celebrating the bizarre, as this year's edition demonstrates. Readers can find out who discovered the world's oldest vomit, who lived longest with a bullet in his head
and who stuffed the most live rattlesnakes in his mouth.
Guinness World Records
Alabama's State Quarter
Helen Keller
Helen Keller beat out a moon rocket, a Cherokee chief and other symbols for a spot on Alabama's state quarter, which will be the first U.S. coin in circulation to include Braille.
The design unveiled Monday by Gov. Don Siegelman includes an image of Keller - an Alabama native who overcame blindness and deafness to become a writer and educator - reading a book in Braille.
The Keller coin will be the 22nd quarter issued in the Mint's state quarters program, a 10-year project to salute all 50 states. Alabama was the 22nd state admitted to the Union.
The only U.S. coin to previously include Braille was an Olympic commemorative coin produced on a limited basis in the mid-'90s, said Mint spokesman Michael White.
Helen Keller
Sand & Lamas Separate
Shauna & Lorenzo
Lorenzo Lamas and his wife, former Playboy Playmate Shauna Sand, have separated after six years of marriage.
His spokeswoman said it was too soon to say whether the couple, who live in Los Angeles, planned to file for divorce, or what will happen to
their three young daughters, Alexandra, Victoria and Isabella.
Lamas also has three teenage children from two previous marriages.
Sand & Lamas Separate
Museum To Pay Homage
'Bond, James Bond'
A famous golden gun and a razor-rimmed bowler hat emerged from their wrapping as curators at London's Science Museum began piecing together a tribute to James Bond.
The "Bond, James Bond" exhibition, which opens Oct. 16, boasts the biggest collection of Bond memorabilia ever assembled, including exploding plaster casts, laser-firing
watches, bulletproof racing cars and exotic costumes worn by "Bond girls."
"We have 100 different things from the 20 Bond films so far, including at least one from every film," Nicola Osmond Evans, a spokeswoman for the museum, said Friday.
The exhibition will run until March when it will transfer to the United States.
'Bond, James Bond'
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
Lands Rights to British Open
TNT
TNT acquired the cable TV rights to air the British Open starting next year, including new weekend coverage.
The channel signed a seven-year deal with the Royal & Ancient Club to take over for ESPN.
ABC still owns the broadcast TV rights.
ESPN had owned the cable rights to the British Open since 1982.
TNT
Stops Smoking Marijuana
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg has parted ways with Mary Jane — the drug, not the girl.
The rapper says he has stopped smoking marijuana, telling "Access Hollywood" that he "just woke up one morning" and decided he "didn't need it anymore." He says
putting down the marijuana is a way for him to "get back to being Snoop Dogg."
In recent years, smoking pot has been pretty much what Snoop was all about. He would often show up in public with a joint in his hand — and his recent concert
tours have had titles like "Up In Smoke" and "Puff, Puff, Pass."
In the Access Hollywood interview, Snoop says every minute you smoke marijuana, you're "taking a minute off your life that you could have been here doing something special."
Snoop Dogg
Berlin, Germany
Amudala & Turan
Siberian tiger baby Amudala sits on her father Turan's back, Tuesday Oct. 8, 2002, during the tiger family's first appearance in the open-air enclosure of
the Berlin, Germany zoo. Amudala and her sister Sitara were born twelve weeks ago to Siberian tiger Sindaja.
Photo by Markus Schreiber
'The Osbournes'
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
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