I don’t really plug myself in this thing, but here is the link to my reviewer page on The Diet Coke of Snark, a spin-off site of Television Without Pity. I am currently the recapper for the new “Dragnet,” which would be a lot better if Ethan Embry wasn’t so damn melodramatic and if his character wasn’t so shallow and impetuous.
Jennie Finch is leading Anna Kournikova is ESPN Page 2’s “Hottest Female Athlete” Poll. The original poll didn’t include Anna, but after they got a message from her (fake) lawyers, Page 2 decided to pit the woman who only gives up singles against the woman who can’t win in singles.
And for readers of alternate persuasions, here is the Page 2 “Hottest Male Athlete” Poll. I am sorry to say that, as my never-say-die girlfriend Hillary pointed out, the men’s poll only shows faces, no bodies.
Iraq has agreed to destroy its Al Samoud 2 missiles by Saturday, the deadline imposed by Chief UN Weapons Inspector Hans Blix. Is this proof that inspections work? It’s certainly proof that Iraq doesn’t want war. The spin put on this will undoubtedly be negative (they’re not doing enough) rather than positive (Iraq is finally beginning to disarm). Certainly, Saddam could be just trying to buy time. But I don’t think that anything he does at this point will stop the pro-war juggernaut from getting the fight they want. The Onion recently had an article to the effect of “Saddam fully disarms; Bush administration tells Americans ‘he’s trying to fool you,’ angrily declares war.” (If anyone has the link, I’d be very grateful.) If Iraq continues to disarm and we still attack them, the global consequences will be even worse than we thought. So if we’re going to war, we had better go soon.
Bush is probably also keeping one eye on the polls, as support for his re-election is now below 50%.
The Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox last night, 4-2, in their first spring training game of 2003. Kyle Lohse pitched two scoreless innings and Todd Sears had a run-scoring triple as the Twins came within two batters of a shutout.
Not really. But he will be playing a gay character on an upcoming episode of “Will and Grace,” the most sexually suggestive show on broadcast television.
Yet another politician forgot where they were and uttered something they shouldn’t have. Following in the steps of Dubya’s “major league asshole” debacle and proving that life does indeed imitate art (anybody see “Speechless“? No? Am I the only one?), Liberal Canadian MP Carolyn Parrish said, “Damn Americans. I hate those bastards” after a heated discussion about the impending war in Iraq, during which she claimed Bush was “gunning for a fight.” She sent out a news release later in the day, explaining that her remarks stemmed from frustration with the Bush administration’s desire to go to war. Nonetheless, the damage has been done. And Parrish has given the US another reason to look down on Canada–the last thing Canadians need.
David Wells, rotund Yankee left-hander, claims in his soon-to-be-published (and terribly titled) autobiography “Perfect I’m Not! Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches and Baseball” that he was sufferering from a “raging, skull-rattling hangover” the day he pitched his perfect game against the Twins in May 1998. Wells had partied with the Saturday Night Live cast–despite having no part in the show–into the wee hours of the morning (did he learn nothing from John Belushi and Chris Farley?), and took the mound against the Twins on only two hours of sleep. While this is impressive, it still can’t beat Dock Ellis’ feat of pitching a no-hitter against the Padres in 1970 while high on LSD.
Among Wells’ other claims: 25 to 40 percent of Major Leaguers use steroids, amphetamines are “within 10 feet” of anyone in a major league clubhouse, and if he were Mike Piazza, he’d have shoved the bat “up Roger [Clemens]’s ass.”
Baseball’s first official spring training games start in about three minutes. Both the Twins (my hometown team) and the Red Sox (my adopted city team) seem to have good shots at the postseason–The Sporting News’ Ken Rosenthal even picked the Twins to win the World Series this year! The two clubs face off tonight at 7:05 eastern.
Fred Rogers, ordained Presbyterian minister and beloved children’s show host, died of stomach cancer early this morning. “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” was often parodied and made fun of, but it was the longest-running children’s show in public television history (soon to be eclipsed by “Sesame Street”). Rogers increased children’s self-esteem by telling them they were special without going too far and exonerating them of all misdeeds. His simple song, wardrobe, and message will be missed.
It may have taken them a few years, but Time Magazine has caught on to the wonder that is craigslist. The article describes the history of the site, from its humble beginnings to its cult following to its near mainstream current status. I have nothing but good things to say about the site; from it I have gotten a bed, a futon, a bureau with matching nightstand, and a month-long temp job (and I almost got my dream job). I just hope that all the new cooks don’t spoil the broth.