NewscomaGot A Two-Pack Habit And A Motel Tan

Well there’s this.

And then this.

And then this.

Rudy Giuliani and Bernard Kerik’s evolution. The presidential candidate sure did promote him a lot back in the day. You know, before Kerik got in hot water.

You can thank me later or never.

I’m cool with that.

Go here and read about Aliens.
Seriously.

And yeah, Squirrel Queen is friggin’ awesome.

Funniest spam I’ve ever read here.

So “Man Vs. Wild” is coming back on this week and Alan Sepinwall has a really good write-up on it in The Star Ledger.

Discovery’s “Man Vs. Wild” trades on believability more than most unscripted series. The basic premise – ex-British special forces soldier Bear Grylls is deposited in a harsh environment with minimal supplies and forced to survive on his wits and nerve – depends on the notion that Grylls is really doing all of this on his own. Otherwise, it’s a cheap action movie without any fight scenes.

So when news reports were published earlier this year claiming that Grylls occasionally dined and slept with the camera crew, and that the crew sometimes helped him out – say, by helping to build a shelter or a raft – it was a lot more damaging than it is whenever the latest “Bachelor” couple breaks up two days after the finale airs. It seemed a rare scandal that might actually bring down a reality show.

Here’s my thing. I love this crap and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a lot of “Man Vs. Wild” is staged, staged, staged. (Incidentally, I refuse to watch any reality television that involves dating although I did watch that Mystery guy give bad advice to geeks on “The Pick-up Artist” but I had to drink mass quantities before hand to balance the whole experience out.I must say WTF, to that whole train wreck.)

Now that they’ve reedited “Man Vs. Wild”, it makes me laugh even more. Bear took some hits and although I much prefer “Survivorman” or “Deadliest Catch” it still makes me howl.

Why? Because 20 years ago, imagine people sitting in the world of Reagan, yuppies and Bag Phones talking this out in a brainstorming meeting in Hollywood. It wouldn’t have happened.

“See, there is this cute former British Army guy” said Executive # One with a Comb-Over. “And, get this, he drinks his own pee and throws sticks at tame rabbits.”

“Get out of here,” Executive #2 with the Armani Suit replied. “That’s stupid.”

“Yeah,” Comb-Over admits sheepishly. “Who’d watch that? Just an idea.”

“Hey, let’s blow up Pam Ewing on Dallas,” Comb-Over said. “And, I’m really thinking that cartoon with the bald guy on the Tracey Ullman show needs to go.”

Armani looked thoughtful. “Should we give Mr. Belvedere another go?”

“Naa,” Comb-Over said.

Armani added, “Let’s keep the Homer guy for awhile and Victoria Principal needs to die on the show.”

And then it was decided and everyone went to a private showing of 3 Men and a Baby and thought Steve Guttenberg would be the next Hollywood superstar.

So, I’ll watch Bear if I think about it. Wonder what body substance he’ll gnaw on this season. And long live “Deadliest Catch”. Mike Rowe is the best narrator ever.

Damen Lindelof of Lost and Marc Cherry of Desperate Housewives break down the writer’s strike.

[youtube=[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1W-HHK6SS4&rel=1&border=0]

They have a point. Things are changing rabidly rapidly. If you told me three years ago about social media and that the reporters that work for me would be taking video for news, I would have looked at you like you were a nutcase.

World’s a changing.

You know, I’ve never really perceived Fabio as a real person. I remember the days of him being on every romance novel to be sold at the local Wal-Marks but, you know, he just didn’t seem real.

And, then when you compound the fact that he called George Clooney a diva, well it just about made me choke on my early morning toast.

So, let’s return to Fabio getting hit in the face with a Goose where he calls his survival a miracle.

[youtube=[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7w4dpxgSWA&rel=1]

I know, I’m mean.

The House on Wednesday approved a bill granting broad protections against discrimination in the workplace for gay men, lesbians and bisexuals, a measure that supporters praised as the most important civil rights legislation since the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 but that opponents said would result in unnecessary lawsuits.

Story from today’s New York Times.

President George Bush initially said he would veto it (he’s become the veto king lately, hasn’t he?) It’s watered down from the original and the White House says they will take another look at it, but Democrats don’t think he will change their minds.  And they cut some passages about the rights of transgendered and transsexual Americans.

The House bill would make it illegal for an employer “to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to the compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment of the individual, because of such individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation.”

While 19 states and Washington, D.C., have laws barring discrimination based on sexual orientation, and many cities offer similar protections, federal law offers no such shield, though it does bar discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, sex, age, disability and pregnancy.

In the House on Wednesday, 35 Republicans joined 200 Democrats voting for the bill, which was approved 235 to 184, perhaps reflecting polls showing that a plurality of Americans believe homosexuality should be accepted as an alternative lifestyle, though a majority still oppose same-sex marriage. Voting against the bill were 25 Democrats and 159 Republicans.

If it will make it remains to be seen.

Certain gay rights organizations aren’t too happy with the new version and there was a lot of talk on the floor of the House about an amendment.

Go take a gander at it.