Jack Bauer busted by cops

I wrote a column Sunday about Rupert Murdoch's new commitment to the environment and what it could mean for "24," now set in D.C. I had Jack Bauer tooling over to the Capitol building in a Prius. Now a real-life update.
Sleaze-chasing tmz.com says actor Keifer Sutherland was booked on DUI charges after exiting the Eco-Casino Fox Party the other night benefiting Habitat for Humanity, The Nature Conservancy and Earth Share. He's shown here with Fox President Kevin Reilly, just hours before he apparently made an illegal U-turn and was breath-alyzed above .08, according to tmz.

Just because Trump is saying it doesn't mean it's not true

The Donald: Time for Bush to go into 'hiding'
Donald Trump told CNN Monday President Bush is a "huge" liability to his party.
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Donald Trump has some advice for President Bush if he wants a Republican to win the White House: Hide.
The business mogul and vocal critic of the Bush administration told CNN's Wolf Blitzer Monday that he thinks the president is a "huge liability" for any Republican seeking the White House. Trump went on to say the best thing Bush can do for his party is to go into "hiding."
"I think President Bush has to go into a corner and hide if a Republican is going to get elected," he said. "There is no way he is an asset. He is a huge liability, and he is going to have to do a big, big hiding act if a Republican is going to win."
Once a Republican nominee is determined, Trump added, Bush "should just go into a corner and say 'Okay, that's it. I am finished. I am over.'"

The Jive: Time for The Donald's Hair to Go Into Hiding

Trouble over 'K-Ville': Nothing bad happened at prison!

from an interested e-mailer who also mentions that the Good Doc has a new book out:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


PRISON MEDICAL DIRECTOR LASHES OUT AT K-VILLE DEPICTION OF DEATH AND FLOODING AT THE NEW ORLEANS PARISH PRISON
IN SEASON OPENER


New Orleans’ Dr. Demaree Inglese can’t help but agree with Robert Blanco of USA Today , whose review of Fox’s K-Ville begins with the words “Some wounds are too raw to be probed for popular entertainment.”

This is especially true, says Inglese, Medical Director of New Orleans’s prison during Katrina, of a key story point in which protagonist Trevor Cobb (Cole Hauser) confesses about his past as an OPP (Orleans Parish Prison) inmate, whose cellmate died in the prison during the flooding immediately following Katrina.

“No one died in the OPP,” says Inglese. “Fiction or not, this depiction is an affront to the medical staff and deputies who, for five harrowing days, risked their lives for the inmates and civilians in their care. They’re among the many unsung heroes of Katrina—as are many inmates—who will never receive the recognition they deserve. Minimally, however, their heroism should not be undermined. Unfortunately, since so many factual depictions make up the back story of K-Ville, viewers nationwide are left with the impression that prisoners under our care drowned.”

We need another dynasty in the White House?

From CNN: Presidential candidate Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) will appear on the Sunday, September 23, edition of CNN’s Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer (11 a.m.) for an interview.

As terrible as the GOP White House has been in the past six years, the Democrats never fail to surprise us with their ability to blow the game in the clutch. Hillary is a polarizing figure who will bring out the bumpkins, salt-of-the-Earth types and gun nuts to elect another Republican. But Dems can't see that, I guess.
Don't they realize they're dealing with power czars who skillfully painted John Kerry (the guy who did go to Vietnam) as a traitor compared to the guy (Bush) who didn't? We're in trouble in this country because in this corrupt system, the cream does not rise to the top. Not even close.

Suit vs. cable bundling of channels

The Parents Television Council has signed on in support of a lawsuit to stop cable companies from bundling their channels. This challenge strikes at the heart of cable television economics, in place since it all began in the late 1970s. With vertical integration of companies in the business (owning channels and the distribution system), we get bad channels such as E! or TV Guide or all those sports channels if you don't happen to watch sports. Proponents of the status quo argue that prices wouldn't go down because individual channels would have to cost more per slot on cable (with new economics in place). But at least we wouldn't have to put up with (0r fund) MTV or VH1 or FX if we don't plan to use them.
The suit will never go anywhere. Too much power on the other side.

Lost and found

From TV Guide:

Exclusive! Lost Resurrects Libby!
Cynthia Watros Returning to Lost for Multiple Episodes
September 20, 2007 (New York, NY) – Technically, the ABC hit isn't bringing Cynthia Watros' short-lived character back from the dead. But Lost executive producer Carlton Cuse confirms to TVGuide.com’s Michael Ausiello exclusively that the actress will be playing Hurley's sweetheart again this season for multiple episodes, presumably in more of Desmond's flashbacks.
"She'll be in enough of the show for us to fill in the missing pieces of her story," says Cuse. "We could not be more pleased. Cynthia is a smart and engaging actor, and [executive producer] Damon [Lindelof] and I have some very cool parts of her story left to tell."

Emmys: "J4" strikes out like Varitek vs. Yankees

Wow, my Emmy picks Friday in the Register were way off. (Only solace: I loathe awards shows anyway.) I thought "The Sopranos" would do well, and it did, but after that I was wrong about "30 Rock" winning over "The Office" (didn't think the Tina Fey show was ready to win) and other categories. Katherine Heigl, who was very nice to me the time I met her before "Grey's Anatomy," is a New Canaan girl and won for best supporting work in a drama. Ricky Gervais was a surprise although I like the choice because he can be brilliant.

Local connections

In "Big Shots," you have former state residents Josh Malina (Yale), Dylan McDermott and Paige Turco (UConn). It's a male version of "Desperate Housewives": fanciful music and lots sleeping around.
In the Oct. 3 episode of "Dirty Sexy Money," a soap about a filthy rich family and its lawyer, Branford's Daniel Cosgrove will guest star. (I've seen the pilot and it's just OK, but it could make it.)
In the new "Bachelor," one of the contestants is Kim, 31, a realtor who currently resides in Woodbridge, CT, says ABC.

Conan O'Brien's recent jokes; gotta love Conan

"Over the weekend, disgraced Idaho Senator Larry Craig resigned after Republicans refused to defend him. The Republicans' last words to Craig were, 'Don't let the men's room door hit you in the ass on the way out."
"In New York City, taxi drivers are planning to go on strike tomorrow and stay home. I think they're serious because when they say stay home they mean Pakistan."
"According to a new study, watching television more than two hours a day as a child can lead to attention problems later in life. When they heard this, most Americans said, 'Could you repeat that?'"
"In a recent interview, Brad Pitt said that he and Angelina Jolie would like to have another baby. Angelina Jolie denied the story and said, 'Brad must have misunderstood when I said I was in the mood for Chinese.'"
"Yesterday, Senator Larry Craig announced he's now rethinking his decision to resign from the Senate. Craig says he's going to talk the decision over with his wife and the guy in stall number 3."
"Tomorrow President Bush is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, and President Bush says he plans to deliver a message of 'concern and encouragement.' Or, as Bush calls it, 'conceragement."
"In Mississippi, a Taco Bell had to close after employees found a snake in the restaurant. Witnesses at the Taco Bell say it's the first time they've ever seen a snake with diarrhea."
"In a recent interview, Paris Hilton says she plans to catch a husband with her 'amazing lasagna.' So I guess that's what they're calling it these days."
"Britney Spears has been cleared of all allegations of child abuse in relation to her custody battle with Kevin Federline. When she got the news, Britney was so excited that she threw her kids on the roof of the car and went for a ride."
"Supporters of Larry Craig are now calling for a boycott of the Minneapolis Airport where he was arrested in a men's room. Craig's supporters say: 'We can't take a chance of that airport turning another senator gay.'"
"In a new book, President Bush says that he still remembers what a hangover feels like -- even though he hasn't had a drink in 20 years. Bush says now if he gets a headache and feels queasy -- it's because he's been thinking."
"Scientists say they have new evidence that the dinosaurs were killed off when two asteroids collided 160 million years ago. When he heard this, Larry King said, 'So that's what that racket was.'"
"Paris Hilton recently announced that she is going to appear in a play in London. Paris will be playing the lead in 'Skank on a Hot Tin Roof.'"
"Former 'Law & Order' star Fred Thompson is running for president and he just unveiled his campaign slogan -- 'United in Our Core Beliefs.' If the slogan is a hit, Thompson plans to unveil another one: 'United in Our Core Beliefs: Special Victims Unit.'"
"A new video has emerged from Osama bin Laden and it appears bin Laden is now dying his beard to look younger. At first people were unsure why he wanted to look younger, but then today he joined Match.com."
"A new novelty item is now being sold. It's a Hillary Clinton nutcracker that cracks nuts between its legs. Hillary calls the nutcracker 'silly' -- and Bill Clinton calls it 'chillingly lifelike.'"

Today's blog-worthy bit of humor

I was driving into work with WNPR on the FM radio and I was listening to an interview with Tony Kronman, former dean of the Yale Law School, who mentioned the old Woody Allen line about cheating on his metaphysics exam by looking into the soul of the kid next to him.


Very funny.

We're LIVE from Nostradamus headquarters...

Here we go again with the prophet Nostradamus, from THC:

LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS
On The History Channel®
World premiere Sunday, October 28th at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT
New York, NY, september 11, 2007 — A mysterious book of cryptic prophecies has been discovered at the National Library in Rome, and there is evidence to suggest that it is the final work of the most famous and controversial prophet in the history of the world, Nostradamus. Even more startling than the discovery of the book, though, are the warnings it contains, which were so blasphemous and frightening in their time that they may have been intentionally suppressed until now. A brand-new special examines the life’s work of Nostradamus and the evidence and contents of this startling discovery in LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS, premiering Sunday, October 28th at 9:00pm ET/PT on The History Channel®.
Nostradamus, born in 1503 in Saint Remy de Provence, France, lived most of his adult life in Salon de Provence, until his death in 1566. He began his career as a prophet relatively late in life, after he wrote the first of his almanacs, published annually beginning in 1550. Nostradamus soon became the trusted seer to the queen of France, Catherine de Medici, wife of King Henri II. It was this relationship that launched him to fame.
Nostradamus’ predictions about famous world events, from Hitler to 9/11, have drawn attention and stirred debate the world over even centuries after his death. Some see a startling pattern of connection to modern events in his words and drawings, while others see nothing but abstractions and empty words. LOST BOOK OF NOSTRADAMUS explores some of the predictions that have given Nostradamus such extraordinary influence today, all the while unveiling the cryptic and frightening drawings in the lost book that take the program to a spectacular and frightening conclusion with critical information for today’s generation.
In the Lost Book, there are images that strongly hint at future trouble for the Catholic Church, and even one image that appears to portray an assassination attempt on one of the modern era's most beloved popes. There are other images that are said to depict World War I and II, and political movements such as Communism and Fascism. Current global conflicts are also presaged, including the rise of fundamentalism, in particular the current surge of radical Islam.
Are the current headlines in the newspapers, on issues like terrorism, global warming, and a resurgence of deadly disease and natural disasters, bearing witness to the last days? And do other cultures and writings around the world, including the Holy Bible, arrive at a similar conclusion to what Nostradamus suggests?

Here's a selection from my lost book of Nostrildamus, which is how I expect the other "lost book" to go:
"And the hulking bear in the west will crouch down on the bee hive of silver spires and suck the honey of life from the bedraggled sandal-wearing sheep nation. But the crown prince of the northern tribe will steal in from the mountain pass and cause the snow of shame to fall on the bear's allies in the land of the pointed hat."

Translation: The U.S. will crack down on illegal Mexicans, and it will cause friction with the Canadians and people from Utah, who end up blaming the Pope.
Or something.

i-carly scores a rating

from Nick:
13 MILLION VIEWERS* TUNE INTO NICKELODEON’S iCARLY IN
SERIES’ PREMIERE WEEKEND
Convergent Series Pops on TV and Online with 1.1 Million Streams on TurboNick and 300,000 Visitors to iCarly.com
NEW YORK – Sept. 11, 2007 – Nickelodeon’s newest live-action series, iCarly, the first scripted series to incorporate kid-created original content, proved to be a hit on multiple platforms, drawing an accumulated 13 million viewers (source: Nielsen CUME Sept. 8-9) over the course of the weekend**, almost 300,000 unique visitors to http://www.icarly.com/, and 1.1 million streams on TurboNick for the week (9/3-9/9).

If your kid liked this show, let me know and I'll put you in the running for an instant prize: An i-Carly web cam that Nickelodeon sent me.

Joe's really late movie reviews (aka Hollywood sucks)

My daughter taped "Dangerous Minds," the mid-1990s school saga with Michelle Pfeiffer. Seen this story in other movies a dozen times (and done better), and who actually thought Pfeiffer was well-cast for this? Once again, the "kids" all look 28 years old.
Then there's "The Good Shepherd," the recent DeNiro film that was so slow and dull it could put a nation to sleep. Zap me with a Taser, it was plodding. And Matt Damon wins the prize for character with absolutely no charisma or personality. I only watched it because another offspring of mine ordered it on PPV and (no surprise) fell asleep while watching it.

See "The Office" on cable next week

Seems early but TBS will begin showing network TV's funniest show, "The Office," next week, starting with back-to-back episodes Tuesdays at 10 p.m. The show's first two episodes: “An American Workplace (Pilot)” and “Diversity Day” will kick it off. Now even those confirmed syndication devotees will discover this show (you know, the folks who finally found "Seinfeld" after it was in reruns for five years).

It's about time; soon we can watch CNN again

CNN this week launched a high definition channel, marking the company’s commitment to provide more news and information in high-def (on the production side). CNN HD, which was made available on Sept. 1, stands as a separate high-definition signal offering a programming line-up identical to the CNN/U.S. channel broadcast, which is in the standard-definition format.
Demand it today from your cable and/or satellite operator.