Palin's Not So Easy Money

The quitter's book will certainly sell and she reportedly received $7 million for it, but those $100,000.00 a pop speaking engagements may be more difficult to book than she anticipated. She signed with a top speaker's bureau, but lecture buyers aren't lining up. According to an unnamed "industry expert,"

"The big lecture buyers in the US are paralyzed with fear about booking her, basically because they think she is a blithering idiot."

She's also polarizing and, to many, just not that interesting.

Stage Door

The New York Times has a fantastic slide show on stage door snapshots like this one of a lucky fan with Judi Dench. Take a look here.

People Who Need Barbies

Presenting the Barbra Streisand Barbie. Coming soon. I can buy one, but only because I already have a boyfriend.

via Towleroad.

I Gotta Feeling

I'm obsessed with this video made by students at L'Université du Québec à Montréal. They did it in one take and it took about two hours. Amazing.



via Joe.My.God

Goin' Rogue by Thanksgiving

Just after she quit as governor of Alaska, Miss Wasilla signed a contract to write her memoirs. Today it was announced that she finished in four months and the book will be in bookstores by Thanksgiving. Her publisher says she "invested herself deeply and passionately in the project." Like she invested herself deeply and passionately in the governorship of Alaska?

How many of you believe that this former Mat-Su Community College student wrote a 400 page book in four months by herself? It turns out she "collaborated" with a writer named Lynn Vincent. By "collaborate," of course, they mean Vincent wrote every word and Sarah posed for the cover.

Barbra Live

Barbra Streisand performed live at the Village Vanguard last weekend and I wasn't there to see it. 74 tickets were given out in a lottery and God knows I signed up for it, but luck wasn't with me. One lucky guy was 49 year old Michel Filion, a photographer from Montreal. He managed to swipe a paper cup that La Streisand drank from. "I guess I'll bronze it," he said, and add it to his carpet scrap from the theater where he saw her perform in 1994. I'd fight him for it. I would have fucked him for the ticket.

I kid.

The concert coincided with the release of her new album, Love is the Answer, which I've pre-ordered.

All Through His Wild Days

He kept his promise, but I'm keeping my distance.

Beck made an appearance in his home town of Mount Vernon, WA and received the key to the city. Ugh. The good news is, protesters outnumbered batshit crazy supporters 2 to 1.

Who does his hair? That color is atrocious.

Source.

Monday's Man: Rob Lowe

Tonight was the premiere of the new season of Brothers and Sisters, featuring Rob Lowe as a United States Senator and candidate for governor who never seems to leave LA and who seems to have endless time on his hands. He looks hot while doing it, though.
Who can resist a little vintage Rob Lowe?
And a little more. He always had a certain feminity about him, don't you think? I believe he's gotten better looking with age.

Glenn Beck is a Coward

Watch Katie Couric ask Glenn Beck what he meant by "white culture." First, he tries to be goofy and funny, then he plays the victim, but Katie holds his feet to the fire and he refuses to answer the question.

Census Worker Found Dead

A field worker for the 2010 census was found dead, hanging from a tree with "FED" written across his chest. 51 year old Bill Sparkman, a substitute teacher and scout leader, was found near a cemetery in Clay County, Kentucky. Authorities have not released further details.

If this turns out to be an anti-government hate crime, add Mr. Sparkman to the Pittsburgh police officers murdered by a lunatic who thought Obama was taking away his guns, the people murdered at a Unitarian church in Tennessee by a man who wanted to kill liberals, and Dr. Tiller who was murdered by an anti-abortion fanatic in Kansas. The Republicans criticized Janet Napolitano for the Homeland Security report on the rise of right wing terrorism, but it is real and it is happening now. This has been building since Reagan preached that government is the problem, not the solution. It exploded in Oklahoma City, Atlanta and Birmingham in the 90s and it's back.

I'm sure this will cause Beck, Limbaugh, O'Reilly and all the other loud mouths to tone down their anti-government rhetoric, right? Right? Get real, they'll be louder than ever. The so-called moderates like Joe Scarborough will try to equate this with anti-war demonstrations during the Bush years, but the obvious difference between right-wing extremism and left-wing extremism is the right wing is armed and dangerous.

Quitter Criticizes America on Foreign Soil

Remember the Dixie Chicks? They were subjected to unholy hell after criticizing President Bush while on a concert tour in Europe. The right wing was incensed that they criticized the president on foreign soil. Now Quitter Governor Sarah Palin has done the same thing. In a speech in Hong Kong, for which she was reportedly paid six figures, she criticized US policy under President Obama:

"she called [President Obama's] campaign promises 'nebulous, utopian sounding... Now 10 months later, though, a lot of Americans are asking: more government? Is that the change we want?'"

Two US delegates left early and one said "it was awful, we couldn't stand it any longer."

I'm waiting for Rush Limbaugh to blast the Quitter for criticizing the President on foreign soil. Waiting...still waiting...

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/23/palin-hong-kong-speech-im_n_295812.html

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/23/palin-hong-kong-speech-im_n_295812.html

More Mad Men Madness

I don't know which was more disturbing, the lawnmower incident or the genuine, perfect, original 1963 bubble cut brunette Barbie snatched out of the box and tossed out the window.

Dawn of the Mad Men

I DVRed Mad Men and watched it last night. Oh My Freaking God! When did Mad Men become Saw 4? What's next? Will Joan bite off her husband's manhood? Actually, that wouldn't be a bad scene.

Live-Writing the Emmys!

This year, I've watched the Daytime Emmys (love Vanessa Williams), the Creative Arts Emmys (Kathy Griffin can do no wrong) and now the primetime Emmys with none other than Neil Patrick Harris. I'm either a glutton for punishment or need to find an awards show 12-step. In any case, I thought I'd live-blog the Emmys but, as usual, I didn't bother to learn how to live blog. So, I live-wrote! I sat in the living room with a pad and pencil and did it old school. Here are my random thoughts unedited. Unfortunately I missed most of the red carpet because yesterday was gay pride in Dallas and we went to the parade and had out of town guests. More about that later.

NPH is stunning in white. His opening number wasn't that memorable, but he's just effortlessly cool.

I started to scream "VANESSA WIILLIAMS WAS ROBBED AGAIN!" but realized Kristin Chenowith won instead. She's just too cute, fabulous, talented and gay-friendly for me to do anything but cheer. Besides, she totally worked that sequined mini dress.

Justin Timberlake has taken that hot nerd look to a new level.

Jon Cryer won???!!?? Are you fucking kidding me? And he kissed his wife? He has a wife??? We missed the opportunity to see truly talented NPH kiss his hot husband so we could see Jon Cryer win for 2.5 Men? Is that show even still on the air? Who the fuck watches it anyway? Was Tracy Morgan pissed or just out of it? He should have been pissed. He's actually funny.

Toni Collette's husband is seriously cute. Love, love, love her and her fucia ruffles.

Rob Lowe + traditional tux = Gorgeous.

Alex Baldwin won again. In the words of the immortal Bea Arthur, "God, I'd love to fuck him."

The reality show dance number really stalled the momentum. "Thank you Tabitha and Napoleon." Not a phrase you hear every day.

I don't really care about best reality show host, but Jeff Probst has a hot body and knows how to work it. Steer clear of Heidi for at least 3 hours.

Tracy Morgan was funnier in his 45 seconds as a presenter than Jon Cryer has been in 25 years of 2.5 Men.

Amazing Race beat Project Runway again. I call homophobia.

"Patricia Arquette and Jennifer Love Hewitt in 8 minutes!" Finally, something to live for.

Shoreh Agdashloo won for a movie I haven't seen, but she looks stunning and her husband is seriously handsome.

Ken Howard won that much-delayed Emmy for White Shadow. He got a kidney from a stunt woman? Wow. Equally wow is the redhead he's married to.

I don't understand how Ian McKellan didn't win in his category. I call homophobia.

The "Barbie's bad seat" schtick really isn't working.

Patricia Arquette looks like a linebacker in that dress. Texan Jennifer Love Hewitt looks pretty as a picture.

Nathan Fillion can put me in a headlock anytime.

It's time for Best Actress in a movie. GO DREW GO! It's Jessica Lange. Oh well, she was wonderful and Grey Gardens deserves the recognition. Nice acceptance speech. Shirley MacLaine does not look happy. Drew is still with the Mac guy? I thought they broke up.

Grey Gardens won best movie, mini-series and whatever. Well done. Loved it. I need to order the DVD.

Next is all the variety show stuff which I'm sure was good and all, but I had to put out the trash and feed the dog.

LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell together on stage. Holy shit, what I'd give to be in the middle of that sandwich.

The guy from Lost won. I haven't seen that show since the first episode. Nice speech.

Yay Cherry Jones. Maybe I don't call homophobia after all. Now, all she needs is an Oscar to go with that Tony.

I'd just like to say that Michael J. Fox looks fantastic and has a great deal of courage.

Simon Baker is a dreamboat, with or without the glasses.

It's now 9:40 and that margarita is kicking in. They're showing clips for Best Actress/Drama. Sally Field is over-acting her head off. I swear she did that exact same scene in Sybil. And Norma Rae. And Steel Magnolias. Maybe even The Girl With Something Extra. She looks good, though. That Boniva is a miracle drug.

Glenn Close wins and is the epitome of growing old gracefully. She's lovely.

Brian Cranston won again for a show I've never seen.

Two more awards to go! Keep it moving NPH.

Bob Newhart just ground the show to a screeching halt. He is never going to fucking shut up so I can go to bed. Somebody really should tell him what Halle Berry's first name is. 30 Rock won. Yay! 1 more award and I can go to bed.

Mad Men! Love it! Good night.

Picture source.

Thought for the Day

Glenn Close, Jessica Lange, Sally Field and Shirley MacLaine sounds like a Best Actress Oscar ballot for any given year in the 80s. Can you imagine Anthony Hopkins, Gene Hackman, or Daniel Day Lewis doing a series on FX?

Monday's Man: Neil Patrick Harris

Adorable Neil Patrick Harris hosted the Emmys tonight and I'll write more about that later, but right now just enjoy the cuter than cute actor who's a much bigger star now than he was before everyone knew he was gay.

He doesn't trade on his sex appeal but I think he's got it in spades.

I know I've chosen him for Monday's Man before and even used the pit pic with Britney above. Get over it, he's cute.

"Glen Beck is Such a Logical Thinker"

If you have a strong stomach, watch this video of participants in the 9/12 march on Washington. It's a circus of ignorance and stupidity.

Mary Travers: 1932-2009

Mary Travers, the powerful voice of Peter Paul and Mary, has died at the age of 72. She died of complications from chemotherapy after being diagnosed with leukemia. The trio rose from the coffee shops of Greenwich Village to the top of the charts in 1962 and had a long string of hits including Where Have All the Flowers Gone, If I Had a Hammer, Puff the Magic Dragon and Leaving on a Jet Plane. The trio were outspoken supporters of liberal causes including civil rights, anti-war and pro-labor causes. They performed at the 1963 march on Washington and at the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march.

Here they are performing Blowin' in the Wind in 1966

Patrick Swayze: 1952-2009

Patrick Swayze has lost his 20 month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57. He fought cancer like a champion for 20 months, defying the odds every step of the way. He even filmed a full season of his TV series The Beast while undergoing chemo.

Swayze was a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. He attended San Jacinto Community College before moving to New York to study dance. His dancing skills were apparent in his iconic role in Dirty Dancing, but even in his many action movies, he moved with grace. My favorite film of his was To Wan Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. I thought it was his best performance. It brought him one of his three Golden Globe nominations.

He is survived by his wife, Lisa Niemi, to whom he had been married since 1975.

Gay Pogrom in Iraq

Gays continue to be brutally executed in Iraq. Now, the murderers are using the internet to find their prey. They haunt gay chatrooms to identify gay Iraqis to torture and kill in horribly gruesome ways. Gays have had their anuses glued shut and their genitals cut off before execution. The deputy leader of one group of murderous thugs had this to say:

"Animals deserve more pity than the dirty people who practice such sexual depraved acts. We make sure they know why they are being held and give them the chance to ask God's forgiveness before they are killed."

Under Saddam Hussein, homosexuality was not criminalized and gays led relatively free lives. Now they are hunted. About 680 have died since 2004, 70 in the past five months. Read more about it here. The United States toppled Saddam and sacrificed American lives for this?

Million Moron March

The wingnuts rallied on the National Mall over the weekend in a march endlessly hyped by Glen Beck and Fox News. The organizers estimated the crowd size at 1.5 to 2 million, although ABC News estimated it at no more than 75 thousand. All these people who are suddenly concerned with deficits, government spending and the Constitution after 8 years of cheering Dubya from their Barcaloungers gathered to scream and shout and get on Tee Vee. 75 grand is an impressive number, although not even close to the Millenium March for gay rights that I attended in 2000.

Look closely at that picture above. What do you see? A sea of white people. But this has nothing to do with race.

Kanye West is a Jerk

Kanye West sealed his status as the world's biggest self-absorbed asshole when he ruined Taylor Swift's moment at the MTV Video Music Awards. Swift had just won for best video by a female, beating out Beyonce's Single Ladies. Kanye came onstage, grabbed the mike away from her and told the world that Beyonce should have won. 19 year old Swift handled it as well as anyone could, and then had to perform a song minutes later. Beyonce went on to win best video and graciously called Swift up on stage to give her acceptance speech. Kanye apologized later, but seriously, what a jerk. I know the closet is stressful, but get a grip.

Monday's Man: Jason Schwartzman

I don't know about you, but I've always had a thing for nerdy/hot guys. Don't tell my husband. He totally doesn't think he's nerdy cute, but that's another blog post.

Jason Schwartzman is starring in the new HBO series Bored to Death. I really don't think I will be.

No skin pics yet, but you just know he has a deliciously hairy chest.

GOP Rep. Joe Wilson Shames Self, Party, State

Just when you think the Republican party could not sink any lower (Mark Sanford, Andre Bauer), they just keep digging. Last night, during the President's address to a joint session of Congress, South Carolina Republican Representative Joe Wilson heckled the President. President Obama had just said (truthfully) that there's nothing in the health care bill that would extend benefits to illegal aliens and Wilson yelled out "YOU LIE!" Watch the clip.



Obama was cool under fire, of course. I particularly loved Nancy Pelosi's look of death.

Joe Wilson apologized later last night, issuing a statement saying:

“This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the president’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility.”

Not a bad apology, but an honest one would have said "I was the one lying, not the President." There actually is nothing in the bill that would extend health benefits to undocumented immigrants, but Wilson knows that fear of others gets the rednecks riled up. Like most Republicans, he counts on his constituents to be dumb. He represents the 2nd Congressional District, which stretches from Hilton Head, almost to Augusta, ending up in Columbia. It was once represented by the late Floyd Spence, for whom it was gerrymandered to ensure maximum white votes.

Joe Wilson's opponent in 2010 is Rob Miller (the good looking guy pictured to the right). You can contribute to his campaign here.

Joe Wilson's official web site is "down for maintenance." If you'd like to call his office to let him know how you feel, his number is 202-225-2452.

By the way, the speech was inspiring. It was the Obama we voted for making clear he would fight for our country.

UPDATE: In the least shocking news of the day, it turns out Joe Wilson is a member of Sons of Confederate Veterans and voted to keep the Confederate flag flying over the SC state house when he was a state rep.

Gallup: Dems Outnumber Reps in Texas

A recent Gallup poll found 40% of Texans self-identify as either Republican or lean Republican verses 42% who self-identify as Democrats or lean-Democrat. In other words, Texas is becoming a swing state and Democrats are in a position to make big gains in 2010. People who think that the home of George W. Bush and Karl Rove is the reddest of the red states need to think again. One politician who sees the writing on the wall is Kay Bailey Hutchison. She spoke to a gathering of Dallas County Republicans recently:

"For the last decade, the Republican Party in Texas has been shrinking. "We're losing elections we used to win easily. As Republicans, we can continue down the road of shrinking majorities. Or we can inspire, unite and grow our party."

Those elections they used to win easily include every single Dallas County elective office which Democrats swept in 2006. Jonathan Neerman, chairman of the Dallas County GOP said:

"Let's get back to kitchen-table issues that families care most about – schools, taxes and the growth of the federal government."


Wow, how in-touch is he? Does he really believe that when families gather around the kitchen table, one of the three issues they "care most about" is "the growth of the federal government?" Taxes and schools, sure, but I have an idea that trash pick-up, gas prices, the weather, and who's on Leno are all more important than "the growth of the federal government." Whatever. I'd rather hear Republicans whine about that than beat up on us.

President Speaks to Schoolchildren

President Obama delivered his dreaded address to America's schoolchildren today, simultaneously indoctrinating them into fascism/socialism/communism/racism/nameyourism. America's children will now march in lockstep to Americorps work camps right after they kill their parents and burn the churches.

Except the Unitarian churches. They can stay.

Monday's Man: Troy Garity

Happy Labor Day, people! The highlight of my fun-filled holiday weekend was going to the movies to see Renee Zellwegger's new film, My One and Only. It was actually pretty good and worth seeing, thanks in part to a small but memorable roll played by Troy Garrity as a larcenous solider.

He's big and handsome and sexy in the movie, and I suspect in life as well. He's also a very good actor, something he may have inherited from his mother, Jane Fonda.

The star of Soldier's Girl may also have inherited her since of social justice. I don't know were the amazing chest hair came from, but I'm very glad he doesn't shave.

It's a Carolina Bitch Fight!

Never get on the bad side of a Carolina girl. In the wake of Mike Rogers' outing of SC Lt. Gov. Andre' Bauer, state Sen. Jake Knotts, a Bauer ally and friend, has accused Gov. Mark Sanford of orchestrating a smear campaign.

"I have known Andre since he was eight years old," Knotts told CNN. "Ain't a homosexual bone in his body. That boy is a good boy. It's a just an attempt to prevent Andre from become governor."

If there "ain't a homosexual bone in his body," does that make him a top?

We were all "good boys," Sen. Knotts. Where do you think Andrew Tobias got the name for his book?

You can bet Missy Andre' is going into full power bitch mode. He's not going to address Rogers' facts directly, of course, instead he's using it to attack his enemies. There's nobody more dangerous than a closet queen backed into a corner. Watch out, Mark Sanford.

h/t, LC NY Bureau Chief Doug

Stumble Hockey Mask Johnston

Sara Palin's former future son-in-law Levi Johnston is getting the Vanity Fair treatment in the October issue. The juicy article will include lots of revealing stuff about Ex-Governor Quitter, but my favorite bit involves Bristol and Levi's son's name: Tripp Easton Johnston. I assume Tripp came from the Sara Palin baby name generator, but Easton sounds kind of classy, no? I can imagine "T. Easton Johnston" on a serious literary manuscript in about 25 years. Then I read that Easton came from Levi's favorite hockey equipment company. Now you get the point of the headline.

Watch the video to see how hard the photographer and photo stylists had to work to get something usable out of the tabula rasa from Wasilla.



h/t LC NY Bureau Chief Doug

Gay Ex Machina

"Because nothing turns tragedy into comedy like gayness."



Via Towleroad

The Donald's Heavy Hand at Miss Universe

The website Guanabee has interviewed Miss Universe choreographer (and all around hottie) Michael Schwandt and he casually dropped a bombshell. It appears that the pageant's judging process is (gasp) less than honest. Apparently Donald Trump got tired of gorgeous girls not making the top 15, so he decided to intervene. Schwandt explains:

"Then he does do something that’s a bit odd. At all the shows, he pops in the day before the telecast and we line up all the girls in alphabetical order behind microphones. And they say their name, age and country. Then we line them up in alphabetical order in one single file line across the stage. And he basically walks by and has an assistant that takes notes on all the girls. And it’s just kind of common knowledge that he picks six of the top fifteen single-handedly. So, the other nine of the top fifteen are judged in a preliminary show the week before and picked by those judges, but he picks six of the top fifteen."

Oh My God! Is nothing sacred? First Bush v. Gore and now this? What's next, we'll find out the Golden Globes are rigged?

Read the whole interesting interview for Schwandt's love for Madonna and Heidi Montag's work ethic.

Catch Them if You Can

I came across this cute clip of actors Karl Warden and Kyle Vaughn backstage at the new musical Catch Me if You Can, currently playing in Seattle. I have no idea if the show is good or not, but the K boys sure are cute and funny and who doesn't want to spend a few minutes with a couple of cute, funny guys?

Thought for the Day

I heart Carla. She's not having any more of that.