:: The Daily Haggis - Don't Put That In Your Mouth! ::

:: Thursday, February 27, 2003 ::

Fred Rogers Passes @ 74
Wouldn't you like to be my neighbor?

From CNN.com:

'Mister Rogers' dies at age 74

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Television's "Mister Rogers," the cultural icon and kindly neighbor to generations of American children, died Thursday at the age of 74.

Fred Rogers died at his home in Pittsburgh after a brief battle with stomach cancer, according to a spokeswoman for his production company. He is survived by his wife Joanne Rogers, their two sons and two grandsons, according to his Web site.

Marisa Lynch, who has worked for Family Communications Inc. for nearly 20 years, said she was in shock.

"We just learned about his illness in January," she said. "Luckily, he didn't suffer."

Staff members rushed into work around 2:20 a.m. after hearing that the venerable host of the long-running PBS show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" passed away, Lynch said.

"We're very loyal and dedicated," she said of the employees.

The Web site for Family Communications Inc., the non-profit company that produces the show, issued the following statement:

"We are very sorry to deliver the sad news that Fred Rogers died on February 27, 2003 after a brief battle with stomach cancer. We are grateful for the many people, young and old, who have cared about his work over the years and who continue to appreciate Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on PBS. We hope that you'll join us in celebrating his life by reflecting on his messages and taking them into your everyday lives."

According to the program's Web site, Fred McFeely Rogers was born in 1928 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 40 miles east of Pittsburgh.

Rogers began developing his ideas for children's programming in the 1950s. He is best known for "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," which began in its early form in 1963 as a show on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Rogers took the idea to the U.S. and in 1967, the first "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" aired on Pittsburgh's WQED in 1967. A year later, PBS picked it up.

The last original "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" aired in 2001, making it PBS's longest-running program ever.

The slow-paced show offered an alternate universe to most of today's quick-edit cartoon children's programming. But on the eve of his final show, Rogers told CNN's Jeff Greenfield he looks at it as more than entertainment; it's a chance to reach young people and give them a foundation for a good life.

"I believe that those of us who are the producers and purveyors of television -- or video games or newspapers or any mass media -- I believe that we are the servants of this nation," Rogers said.

That's why he got into television in the first place.

"I got into television because I hated it so," he said. "And I thought there was some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen."

Read the full article @ CNN.com

:: muttered by Haggis @ 8:56:38 AM [+] :: comments [] ::

FARK.com's Drew Curtis Interviewed
Killing more work hours in a day than playing Tetris

Poynter Online recently posted up a short Q&A with FARK.com website owner Drew Curtis about his half-a-million visitor a day website. Personally, this is my favorite site in the whole world and I get more news sources from here than CNN or Yahoo! News. Ever heard a weird/funny news story on the radio? They got it from FARK.

Read the Q&A @ Poynter Online.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 8:46:29 AM [+] :: comments [] ::

Warwick: That's Not My Pot!
"Someone else's bag" my ass

From CNN.com:

Warwick blames others for pot

NEW YORK (AP) -- Dionne Warwick, who was arrested at an airport last year after authorities found marijuana in her bag, is blaming someone else for putting it there.

"Apparently, somebody that didn't want to get caught thought it would be better off in somebody else's bag," the pop singer recently told The Associated Press.

The 62-year-old was arrested in May and charged with a misdemeanor after baggage screeners at Miami International Airport said they found marijuana joints inside an empty lipstick container in her bag. Charges were dropped after Warwick agreed to a plea bargain deal, which included a drug treatment program.

Warwick says she's not a drug user. "Drugs of every sort, including aspirin, are not anything I even think about," she said.

The Grammy-winning singer, whose hits include "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," and "Walk On By," says she learned a lesson from the incident: "It taught me not to travel with an open bag."

"You never know what's going to end up in it," she said.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 11:51:59 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Spider-Man 3: The War of the Licensing
We're sueing you, but we don't want you to stop production or merchadise sales or..

From CNN.com:

Marvel sues Sony over 'Spider-Man'

HOLLYWOOD, California (Variety) -- Marvel Enterprises set the gears in motion Tuesday to sue Sony Pictures Entertainment over the Spider-Man character. Marvel asked that the filing be sealed from public view under the terms of a contractual provision.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Marvel said the suit in Los Angeles Superior Court involves its Spider-Man licensing agreement with Sony, whose Columbia Pictures division released last year's blockbuster film based on Marvel's web-slinging comic book hero.

The release goes on to say that the suit is not an attempt to stop production of the "Spider-Man" sequel slated for 2004 or to alter any of the merchandising or licensing deals that are in place.

Marvel's release cites contractual provisions as the reason for filing the suit under seal. In such a filing, there is no public record of the lawsuit being filed or the contents of the suit.

Filing under seal for a least a brief period -- 30 to 60 days -- in not unusual. California law, however, contains a strong presumption that court files are public, and filings under seal can be challenged.

Technically, Marvel filed a motion to file its complaint under seal; when the motion is heard, the public has an opportunity to challenge the sealing.

The stated purpose of Marvel's release is to inform investors that it does not foresee any negative impact from the litigation. Without the release, there would be no public record of the litigation.

Litigation is a way of life for Spider-Man. Sony grabbed the rights to the superhero in 1999 at the culmination of a six-year litigation.

Marvel initially licensed Spider-Man to Carolco and James Cameron wrote a treatment. After Carolco's bankruptcy, Sony, Viacom and MGM all claimed they owned a piece of Spider-Man. After a loss at trial by Viacom and a settlement with MGM, Sony made a deal with Marvel and emerged the winner of the Spider-Man wars.


:: muttered by Haggis @ 11:46:29 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Unreal II: The Awakening (PC)
This game is COOOOOOOOL

From Sci Fi Wire:

Unreal II Released

Infogrames announced that it has released a PC version of its Unreal II: The Awakening, the sequel to 1998's first-person-shooter video game Unreal. Legend Entertainment developed Unreal II: The Awakening, which promises to immerse players in an epic adventure.

In Unreal II, players take on the role of John Dalton, a former marine now serving as a Colonial Authority marshal who finds himself caught up in an interstellar war.


:: muttered by Haggis @ 11:42:40 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Mission Impossible III
Damn, I was looking forward to Fincher's MI:3

From CNN.com:

Carnahan linked to 'M:I3'

HOLLYWOOD, California (Variety) -- Paramount Pictures has tapped "Narc" director Joe Carnahan to take the helm of action franchise "Mission: Impossible 3," following the withdrawal of David Fincher from the project.

The studio is in negotiations with Carnahan over the third installment, to be produced by actor Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner via their Paramount-based production outfit, with Cruise again starring as agent Ethan Hunt.

Carnahan won strong notices for writing and directing "Narc," with Cruise and Wagner signing on as producers and helping to persuade Paramount to release the film.

In choosing Carnahan, Paramount execs continued to opt for different directing styles in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise. The first installment in 1996 was helmed by Brian DePalma and the second by John Woo.

The first "Mission" grossed $454 million worldwide; "Mission: Impossible 2" tallied $546 million worldwide in 2000.

Robert Towne remains attached to pen the script for "Mission: Impossible 3." Dean Georgaris, who penned the "Lara Croft" sequel, "Paycheck" and "The Manchurian Candidate" for Paramount, also has been mentioned as a likely scripting candidate recently.

Paramount still has a May 2004 release date for "Mission: Impossible 3," though several other tentpole films are also due out in the same month, including Universal's "Van Helsing," Sony's "Spider-Man" sequel and Warner Bros.'s "Troy."

:: muttered by Haggis @ 11:39:26 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Buffy No More?
Can you hear it? The fall of UPN?

From Sci Fi Wire:

Gellar Quitting Buffy?

TV Guide Online, citing anonymous sources, reported that Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar will quit the show at the end of the current seventh season, throwing the series' future into doubt. The sources confirmed to the site that the 25-year-old actress will leave to pursue a film career.

As if to cement the report, recent news has Gellar starting the film Romantic Comedy in August, around the time she would have been returning to work on a new season of Buffy.

Meanwhile, SCI FI Wire earlier reported that Eliza Dushku, who plays Buffy's rival slayer Faith, had been in talks to succeed Gellar in a Buffy offshoot. But the Hollywood trade papers reported that Dushku has instead signed on to star in a Fox pilot, Heroine.

But Buffy creator Joss Whedon told TV Guide Online that a Faith-based is still "one of many" possibilities he's considering.

Uncertainty about Gellar's Buffy departure has been fueling speculation about what will happen to the franchise, which also includes The WB's Angel.


:: muttered by Haggis @ 11:37:53 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Get The Lowe Down on Salem's Lot Remake
Man.. I love puns..

From Sci Fi Wire:

Lot Has Lowe

Rob Lowe is set to star in a television remake of Stephen King's Salem's Lot for TNT, Variety reported. Lowe will play Benjamin Mears, a journalist who returns to his New England hometown to find that it has become infested with vampires, the trade paper said.

TNT will lay out more than $15 million for the four-hour miniseries, which begins production in Australia in about two months. Peter Filardi (The Craft) wrote the new adaptation and Mikael Salomon will direct. Lowe previously appeared in the 1994 miniseries The Stand, which was also based on a novel by King.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 5:22:39 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

More Yellow Dye #5!
Mountain Dew, Sprite reveal new summer flavors

From MSNBC.com:

Coke, Pepsi plan new drink flavors
Beverage firms attempt to increase share in U.S. market

NEW YORK, Feb. 25 —  Beverage rivals Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. unveiled plans for new drinks Tuesday, in separate bids to grow their share of the all-important U.S. soft drink market.
       INDUSTRY LEADER COCA-COLA, which has had recent success with its line extension Vanilla Coke, said it will launch Sprite Remix, a new “tropical” version of its lemon-lime soft drink Sprite.
       PepsiCo said it will launch Mountain Dew LiveWire, a new orange-flavored Mountain Dew, to be available across the United States only through the summer.
       Starting in the late spring, Sprite Remix will initially be sold in 20-ounce bottles, with additional package sizes available later in the spring and summer, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said.
       Purchase, New York-based PepsiCo said Mountain Dew LiveWire will initially be available in 20-ounce plastic bottles, with plans to expand into two-liter plastic bottles and 12-packs of 12-ounce aluminum cans.
       Mountain Dew LiveWire will be broadly targeted to teens and young adults. PepsiCo said the new drink will be supported with a three-month marketing plan, including TV, radio, online, outdoor and point-of-sale advertising.
       Containing the same base ingredients and caffeine levels as original Mountain Dew, LiveWire is Mountain Dew’s third line extension since the introduction of Diet Mountain Dew in 1988. Mountain Dew Code Red debuted in May 2001, with Diet Mountain Dew Code Red following in May 2002.
       PepsiCo is rolling out other new products ranging from new flavors of Propel fitness water to natural versions of its Frito-Lay snacks.
       Many people familiar with the company had speculated that it would introduce another Mountain Dew extension sometime soon. Mountain Dew Code Red has been a hit, but more recently, berry-flavored Pepsi Blue has not met expectations.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 5:09:45 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Bewitched In Seattle
Let me guess, starring Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan?

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Ephron puts her spell on 'Bewitched'

Nora Ephron is in final negotiations to write and direct "Bewitched," a feature film adaptation based on the long-running television series of the same name that Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher's Red Wagon Prods. is producing for Columbia Pictures. Ephron is writing the project specifically for Nicole Kidman, who in the fall expressed an interest in starring as pretty witch Samantha, who earnestly tries to abandon her powers for the sake of her mortal husband, Darren, but temptation constantly gets in the way. However, no deals are yet in place for the actress, though one is expected to eventually be made with the hopes of going into production early next year. Penny Marshall, who at one point had been developing the feature film version, is expected to produce the project in some capacity with Red Wagon.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 9:09:40 AM [+] :: comments [] ::

Call Him Mike "Puff Daddy" Myers
Would that make Fat Bastard his "Biggy"?

From CNN.com:

Mike Myers to insert self in old films

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Actor Mike Myers, best known for appearing in multiple roles in the "Austin Powers" films, has hatched a plan to appear in old films that he was never in in the first place.

Myers and privately held DreamWorks unveiled a partnership Friday that will see the studio acquire the rights to existing movies, write new storylines and then use digital technology to insert Myers and other performers into the films.

The two sides said they have decided to call the process "film sampling," a take-off on the musical practice of sampling, where bits of old songs are used in new songs or where songs get entirely new lyrics.

The practice has been particularly popular in the world of rap music, where top producers like Sean "P. Diddy" Combs have made successful records from older songs.

"Think of me as the Puff Daddy of film or 'M. Diddy' or 'M & M' or just 'M, or maybe when you sample movies you don't need a special name?' " Myers said in a statement.

DreamWorks said Myers would work directly with two of its co-founders, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg, as well as director Jay Roach, who directed the "Austin Powers" films.

The idea of somehow redoing an original film is not a new one. In 1966 Woody Allen directed "What's Up, Tiger Lily?", a Japanese spy film where he removed the voice track and replaced it with one of his own.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 4:56:16 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Doctor Octopus vs Spider-Man
IMHO, I think Sam Neil would have been better..

From Sci Fi Wire:

Spidey 2 Doc Is In

The Coming Attractions Web site reported that actor Alfred Molina has signed on to play Doctor Octopus in the upcoming sequel The Amazing Spider-Man.

According to the site, an anonymous source confirmed an earlier report that Molina had been offered the role of the notorious villain. The film is set for release in May of 2004.


:: muttered by Haggis @ 4:37:26 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Sphinx (PS2/GameCube)
Let's look for Treasure!

From Sci Fi Wire:

THQ Unveils Sphinx

Game publisher THQ announced that it will release Eurocom's action-adventure game Sphinx in the fall of 2003. The game is currently being developed for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Gamecube systems and will feature original characters in a setting inspired by the mythology of ancient Egypt.

Players of the game will guide the character of Sphinx through magic portals to foil the evil plans of Set and find the stolen mystical crowns of Egypt, the company said.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 4:25:08 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Two Catwomen? Purrr-fect
The Misadventures of a Man in a Bat Suit and a Boy in Tights

From Sci Fi Wire:

Two Catwomen Better Than One

Former Catwoman Lee Meriwether told TV Guide Online that she will make an appearance in the upcoming CBS movie Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt, but not as Catwoman. "I was hoping that I would get to play Catwoman along with Frank Gorshin as the Riddler," Meriwether told the site. "But darn it, Julie Newmar was available. My daughter [stuntperson Lesley Aletter] got to be her double, though, so that was cool."

Meriwether will appear in a cameo role as a waitress in a Mexican restaurant. She told the site that she has no hard feelings toward Newmar and that there was no animosity on the set. "Julie and I actually get along just great," Meriwether said. "Besides, we worked on separate days." Return to the Batcave airs on CBS March 9.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 4:21:14 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

500 Visitors In Three Months!
It's only the beginning!

Today The Daily Haggis reached a milestone today, pushing over 500 visitors since December 18, 2002!

Thanks to everyone who visits the page, especially you regulars out there! (You know who you are)

The 500th Visitor came to this page searching for "Zora Andrich pictures" through MSN Search and hailed from the domain Toad.net. Thanks guy!


:: muttered by Haggis @ 10:45:49 AM [+] :: comments [] ::

Who Wants To Marry My Mom
Next season: Who Wants to Marry My Alcoholic Uncle?

From CNN.com:

New show: 'Who Wants to Marry My Mom'
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Another reality show aimed at milking romance for ratings asks the question, "Who Wants to Marry My Mom?"

Five episodes of the NBC series, which the network said was inspired by an upcoming "Meet My Folks" special, will air in late spring. No specific air date was announced.

"The idea of kids choosing which mate is best for their single mom just seemed like a fun, natural extension of 'Meet My Folks,' " NBC executive Jeff Gaspin said Thursday.

"Meet My Folks" lets parents judge suitable dates for their children. A March 10 edition, "Meet My Kids," turns the tables by giving three adult sons the chance to pick their mom's companion for a Hawaiian vacation.

In "Who Wants to Marry My Mom?" the adult offspring of a single mother will decide which of several suitors will win the chance to vacation with their parent.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 11:51:52 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

He Didn't Pick The Porn Star
Joe is a Millionaire!

From CNN.com:
Zora picked, says 'yes' on 'Millionaire' finale

NEW YORK (AP) -- Zora got the nod, and a diamond ring, from Evan Marriott when the "Joe Millionaire" finale aired Monday night.

Then the happy couple got a million dollars to split from the show -- the "shocking twist" viewers had been promised.

Zora and runner-up Sarah also got the truth: that Marriott wasn't the fabulously wealthy heir he had pretended to be while choosing from among 20 lovely rivals for his affection on the hit Fox series. In real life, he had been a $19,000-per-year construction worker.

Monday's much-awaited episode -- actually taped last Thanksgiving -- brought to a close this "Bachelor"-like mating game combined with a sly joke viewers have been in on from the first: what the show called "television's biggest con."

The outcome was revealed at the French estate that has served as the series' home base through its seven-week run.

"It's been a real roller-coaster ride," said a nervous Marriott as he finally leveled with Zora Andrich, the dark-haired, 29-year-old schoolteacher from New Jersey. "I've chosen you.

"There's been something else I'd like to say to you that's been really weighing on my nerves," he added. "I don't have $50 million. I don't have $50,000. I'm sorry I lied to you, but I wanted to find someone who loved me for who I am."

Her bright smile gone, Zora rolled her eyes, looked stricken and said nothing.

Would she show up in the ballroom later to accept his proposal?

Yes. Though confessing to regrets about Marriott's deception, "the good news is, I was really turned off by the fact that you inherited all that money.

"I would like to continue the journey to see what happens," she said.

Then Paul Hogan, the show's resident butler, stepped up with the million-dollar check, declaring "all good fairy tales must have a bit of magic."

Earlier in the show, Marriott had met with the other finalist: Sarah Kozer, 29, a Californian identified by the show as the assistant to a mortgage broker.

"I did not inherit $50 million," Marriott squirmed. "I'm a heavy-equipment operator. That's what I do."

"Did you feel that was something I was concerned with?" she asked.

"I haven't chosen you," he said, cutting to the bottom line.

"It's been an adventure. Absolutely," she smiled bravely.

They hugged good-bye. Soon she was packing her bags.

Since premiering January 6, "Joe Millionaire" has been a huge hit, given extra fuel by a bits of scandal.

Although 28-year-old Marriott has worked in California in construction, photos of him emerged on the Internet posing in skimpy underwear for a catalog. Then reports surfaced that Sarah had starred in movies such as "Novices in Knots" and "Hogtied," and a foot-fetish film "Dirty Soled Dolls."

"I had stupendous amounts of school loans, so I did some fetish modeling," Kozer explained during a taped profile that was part of the finale's ample padding. "To me, no big deal."

Befitting "Joe Millionaire's" popularity, its two-hour wrapup drew stiff competition from ABC and NBC: battling exposes on Michael Jackson.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 11:43:37 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

No Time For Love Dr. Jones
(..sigh..)

Okay, for my New Year's Resolution, I vow to write more entries in the blog.

"Wait, Haggis MacBastard, it's almost March!" you exclaim.

Ah, yes. But the Chinese New Year was at the beginning of Febuary. Haha.. Oh, where was I. Right! More blogging. I really do enjoy doing this but so many things have contributed in my lack of effort lately, along with a little lazyness on my part (but only a little part.) All that's over though; the worst of it is over: "Moving."

Moving sucks. The process of moving is awesome, however. Throwing out all the crap you've collected for no particular reason over the years, and boxing up the things you can't do without. Even though it's essentially the same furniture and belongings, it somehow looks different in a new place. But I digress.

Moving sucks. Yes, I already said that. I am speaking directly about the ACT of moving. Taking all your crap, stuffing it into a small U-Haul "Tetris Style" and unloading the crap into the new place. You will notice in the previous paragraph I lovingly referred to my them as "possesions", but when it requires me to lift it down a flight of stairs, it's crap.

Oh, did I mention that all took place on Valentine's Day? Not like I had anything else better planned. Between deadlines, overtime, moving, and the miscellaneous chaos that has sprung up around the beginning of this year, I haven't even had time to LOOK for a date. Excuses, excuses..

The Weekly Haggis 2.06 is out, a few days late. This issue features news from X-Men 2, the developing Superman film, Buffy Spin-off news, and the best news of the week, the remake of Mr. Ed... on FOX!

Click here to read the latest issue!

Want to subscribe to The Weekly Haggis? Click here!

:: muttered by Haggis @ 11:29:25 PM [+] :: comments [] ::

Rocky vs Spy Kids
Yo Adrian! There's some annoying brats trying to foil my evil plans!

From Sci Fi Wire:

Stallone Joins Kids 3

Sylvester Stallone has signed up to play the chief villain, called the Toymaker, in the upcoming Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, Variety reported. In the third installment in the popular franchise, Stallone will play the longtime nemesis of the Cortez family, who traps young Carmen (Alexa Vega) in a warped virtual-reality game, the trade paper reported.

Vega, Antonio Banderas and Daryl Sabara will be returning to the third picture, as will helmer Robert Rodriguez, the trade paper reported. Carla Gugino, who played mom Ingrid Cortez in the first two films, is said to be in advanced talks to return for 3-D.

Spy Kids 3-D is now shooting, with an eye to a July release.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 8:49:47 AM [+] :: comments [] ::

The Simpsons' 300th Episode
Zany adventures for the 300th time

From MSNBC.com:

They’re yellow, but not mellow
‘Simpsons’ hits 300 episodes

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11 —  The characters may be yellow but “The Simpsons” hasn’t mellowed as it marks its 300th episode Sunday. If anything, the Fox animated comedy born in 1989 is more boldly iconoclastic in the 21st century. Given that timidity is programmed into television’s very DNA, how does “The Simpsons” thrive?
By being very good at being naughty, so much so that Fox simply can’t afford to tinker with success. In its 14th season, the series (8 p.m. EST Sunday) can still field top 20 episodes and is the heart of a merchandising empire.
       Fox just renewed the program for two more seasons, which will carry it at least through May 2005 and make it the longest-running sitcom ever (with “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet” set to fall to second).
       The pattern of commerce trumping controversy was set early, when the show helped fledgling Fox establish itself as a brash alternative to the big three networks.
       “There were many reasons the show was successful, one of which was we were in the right place at the right time,” said series creator Matt Groening. “I don’t think ’The Simpsons’ could be on any other network, even today.” At the beginning, the clout of James L. Brooks smoothed the way. Brooks, a force in TV (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Taxi”) and movies (“Terms of Endearment”) brought “The Simpsons” to Fox. Brooks, Groening and Al Jean have been the show’s executive producers since its beginning.
       The animated format also helped the series zoom below Fox’s radar.
       The mustard-hued Simpsons, including dimwitted dad Homer, patient mom Marge, and children Bart, Lisa and Maggie, got away with cartoon murder.
       “There’s nothing glamorous about a network executive peering over the shoulders of people making goofy drawings,” said Groening. “They’d rather hang around the edges of a sitcom set and say an actress needs to have a more revealing blouse.”
       That unusual TV freedom has resulted in comedy and satire of often breathtaking proportions, especially since the show’s creators and actors pride themselves on their democratic approach to targets.
       “We go after everyone,” said Yeardley Smith, who provides the voice of brainy Lisa. “Nobody’s safe.”
       The series has mocked capitalism (through the evil empire of industrialist C. Montgomery Burns), entire cities (Rio de Janeiro threatened to sue over its depiction) and the news media (anchors may itch to sue over shallow Kent Brockman). “Welcome to Atlanta — Home of Ted Turner’s mood swings,” a sign read in one episode.
       “We haven’t figured out a way to take on George W. Bush because he’s such an obvious target,” said Groening. In a previous episode, Bart accidentally shredded the memoirs of former President Bush, and the show has toyed with bringing the current president in to avenge dad.
       “But the writers decided Homer and George W. would become really good friends. They’re so much alike,” said Groening, who delivers such zingers in the mildest of tones.

WRATH OF GOD
Religion doesn’t get a pass. In last Sunday’s episode, Homer won a personal injury lawsuit against the First Church of Springfield, was awarded the deed to the church and took up residence. Havoc ensued.
       Among the eye-popping bits involving Christianity’s most sacred symbols: An underwear-clad Homer grabs a cross for an air-guitar solo a la Tom Cruise in “Risky Business,” and the chalice is turned into a cocktail cup, complete with tiny umbrella.
       (The barbs cut across denominational lines. When the jury issued its million-dollar verdict for Homer, the stricken reverend exclaimed: “Your honor, we don’t have that kind of money. We’re not a synagogue!”)
       In the end, Homer provoked the wrath of God and was forced to repent. Faith prevailed again in “The Simpsons,” which has been praised by some religious commentators for its realistic depiction of American devotion.
       Such consistently provocative material, however, inevitably draws criticism.
       “Periodically we get in trouble,” acknowledged Groening. “We offend somebody and Fox feels intimidated by them.” Turns out the riskiest targets are closest to home: The network doesn’t like to see itself, its properties or its advertisers slammed.
       Fox howled one year when “The Simpsons” included a scene in which a bus drove by bearing an ad for “Mad About You” — the NBC sitcom airing opposite “The Simpsons” at the time.
       “They said it was Fox policy not to promote competing shows,” Groening recounted, dryly.
       
FUN WITH FOX
       Apparently, it’s also Fox policy not to denigrate a fellow corporate property.
       “We have an upcoming show in which we poke gentle fun at the Fox News Channel. It’s such an easy target the jokes write themselves,” Groening said. “There was some murmuring in the executive offices.”
       While Fox endures such barbs, it reaps impressive returns from “The Simpsons.” The show is widely syndicated and is seen in overseas markets including ones in Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.
       A marketing push has reinvigorated the multimillion-dollar “Simpsons” brand of products in the last several years, said Peter Byrne, executive vice president of Fox licensing and merchandising. About 500 companies worldwide sell an array of items including figurines, board games, apparel and snacks.
       “It’s one of the company’s biggest assets” and one of television’s biggest when counting in video, interactive, licensing and syndication, Byrne said. Fox declined to provide figures.
       Such rewards render the network mute as a censor and, presumably, contentedly so. Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of Fox parent News Corp., has been sport enough to give voice to his cartoon depiction on the series.
       Fox’s good humor could diminish if the audience dips, Groening said. (He spoke theoretically: Viewership has risen this season by 12 percent.)
       “If ratings started slipping, I think you’d see some tweaking of the show that would be awful. When Bart starts combing his hair in every episode, you’ll know we’ve succumbed to the evils of network notes.”

:: muttered by Haggis @ 8:36:06 AM [+] :: comments [] ::

Game Console Price Slashing
Xbox Platinum Series, GameCube Player's Choice

From CNN.com:

Xbox, GameCube slash prices

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Software giant Microsoft Tuesday said it would cut the price on some best-selling titles for its Xbox video game console, a week after rival Nintendo cut some game and hardware prices in a bid to spur sales.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said the "Platinum Hits" program would start with more than a dozen titles at a price of about $19.99 each. Top titles for the Xbox, which holds the No. 2 position in the U.S. market, usually retail for $49 or in some cases $39.

Among the titles to be offered at the discounted price are Xbox hits like Microsoft's "Amped Freestyle Snowboarding" and "Project Gotham Racing" and third-party titles like Electronic Arts Inc.'s "Bond: Agent Under Fire" and Activision Inc.'s "Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions."

Xbox's biggest title

Ed Bland, a senior director of sales and marketing for the Xbox, said games will have to be on the market for at least nine months to be eligible for "Platinum Hit" status, with sales of about 350,000 to 500,000 units, though Bland said that figure can vary.

"It ends up being a great sort of impulse buy for consumers," Bland said.

The Xbox's biggest hit title to date, Microsoft's own "Halo," will not immediately move to the discount program, and will continue to retail for $49, as it has since it launched with the Xbox in 2001.

"It is doing very well at $49," Bland said, noting that it will move to "Platinum Hit" status at some point later in the future.

Competition heats up

Bland also said "Platinum Hits" titles will get special packaging distinct from their previous boxes and will have additional display space at retail.

Sony launched a hits program for its PlayStation 2 console last year, and Nintendo unveiled one for its GameCube last week.

Nintendo also said it would offer one of four games for free with the $149.95 GameCube.

GameCube buyers will be able to choose from "Metroid Prime," "Star Fox Adventures," "Mario Party 4" or "Resident Evil 0" with purchase of the console.

Other Nintendo offers

Nintendo slashed the price on its bundled offering of the GameCube, "Super Mario Sunshine" and an external memory card to $159.95 from $189.95. Purchased individually, the three components of the pack would cost almost $215.

A number of games from early in the GameCube's history, like "Luigi's Mansion" and "Super Smash Bros. Melee," will be cut in price to $29.95 from $49.95 as part of a "Player's Choice" program, the company said.

Nintendo once dominated the U.S. video game market but has fallen to third place

:: muttered by Haggis @ 8:20:00 AM [+] :: comments [] ::

Dude, You're Getting a CELL
Stick THAT in your pipe and smoke it

From CNN.com:

'Dell Dude' arrested for marijuana possession

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Benjamin Curtis, better known as the "Dell Dude" from the computer company's television commercials, was arrested Sunday while he allegedly attempted to buy marijuana on Manhattan's lower east side.

Curtis is in custody while awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court Monday, said a spokesman for the Manhattan district attorney's office. The time of the arraignment has not yet been determined.

Curtis was arrested at 11:30 p.m. Sunday on the corner of Ludlow and Rivington streets and charged with criminal possession of marijuana when an officer observed him making the purchase from Queens resident Omar Mendez, said a police spokesman.

Police said he was buying "a small bag" and was not being charged with intent to distribute. Mendez faces charges of drug sale and possession.

Officers made the arrest as part of Operation Condor, a special anti-narcotics detail.

Curtis' agent, Bonnie Schumofsky, refused to comment on the arrest.

Curtis, 22, was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is enrolled at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, according to Dell's Web site.

He gained national recognition as "Steven," a hip teenager who convinces his parents, his friends' parents and random people at the mall to buy computers from Dell.

The ad campaign was hugely successful for Dell, featuring Curtis' memorable catch phrase, "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" Fan Web sites and "Dell Dude" memorabilia sprung up soon after the launch of the campaign in the fall of 2000.

Dell has moved away recently from the "Steven" campaign, although Curtis' relationship with Dell is "still in place" and he is featured in the role of Steven in other Dell commercials, according to Dell spokesman Venancio Figueroa.

Figueroa said it was "premature" to comment on Curtis' arrest or the future of Dell's relationship with the actor, but said the Steven campaign was "absolutely a success that resonated with the younger folks."

Consumer sales bring in approximately $4.8 billion a year for Dell, or 15 percent of the company's $32 billion in annual revenue.

:: muttered by Haggis @ 4:58:35 PM [+] :: comments [] ::