It's "Bristol" Clear...

Bristol Palin, daughter of ex-VP candidate Sarah Palin, was recently interviewed by Fox’s Greta Van Susteren. In her first post-partum interview, darling little Bristol said that having a child is not glamorous and told young people that abstinence is not realistic at all.

Bristol goes on to tell Ms. Van Susteren that, "It's just, like, I'm not living for myself anymore. It's, like, for another person, so it's different…and just you're up all night. And it's not glamorous at all…like, your whole priorities change after having a baby."

Well Bristol, I guess you should have, like, thought of that before you, like, spread your legs.

Roland Burris

Remember when you were little and you broke your mom’s favorite lamp because you were running through the house when she told you not to? Remember how your alibis progressed when confronted with the broken lamp?

“No mom, I wasn’t reeeally running.”
“Well, I was kind of running, and I think I might have bumped the lamp.”
“Ok, I was running, and I did knock the lamp over.

Now fast forward to late 2008 and early 2009. When confronted with the possibility of his nomination for Illinois senator being tainted by “pay to play” shenanigans involving ex-scumbag governor Rod Blagojevich, Burris was adamant that there was no tit for tat. Absolutely no way. He’s way too clean a guy for that, he protested, to anyone who would listen.

But over this past weekend Burris acknowledged that he had indeed spoken with members of the Blagojevich goon squad, but that he categorically rejected the advances to fundraise for the ex-governor.

Now it’s come out today that he indeed did attempt to raise funds for Blagojevich, but was unable to find any donors.

Hmmm…

So here are those child-like alibis rearing their ugly heads again.

“No, of course I didn’t engage in talks with with ex-governor.”
“Well maybe there was a phone call or two, kinda sorta. But I would never give in to that sort of pressure. I’m clean!
“Ok, I was talking to people and trying to raise money. But I couldn’t find any donors, so the means I’m still clean!”

Note to Mr. Burris: spread that crap on the lawn. I’m not buying it. I was sick to death of my state being the punchline for late night talk show host’s jokes, and you’ve only made it worse. You’re a joke and an embarassment to yourself and the state you claim to represent. It’s time to go.

Frost/Nixon

My goal for several years has been to see all the movies nominated for the best picture Oscar. As of today, I'm 2 for 5, closer than I've ever been in many years. Today's movie was "Frost/Nixon" directed by Ron Howard and starring Michael Sheen as David Frost and Frank Langella as Richard Nixon. There are several other superb performances by Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, Kevin Bacon and Jay White as Neil Diamond (don't ask, just see it for yourself...)

One of the marks of a great actor and movie for me is when I realize that at some point I've stopped watching the actor play a part, and I'm actually watching the character. This was definitely one of those cases. I found myself not watching Michael Sheen as Frost and Frank Langella as Nixon, but actually engrossed in seeing Frost and Nixon interact. I've always been a Frank Langella fan, and I became a Michael Sheen convert when I saw him in "The Queen" as Prime Minister Tony Blair. Neither actor disappointed in this film, repeating their respective roles from the stage play.

The film is tight and methodic in its buildup to the climatic interview scene on Watergate. My only beef with the film, without giving anything away, is one scene inserted into the film that is completely fictional. I understand the rationale for the scene and its use in furthering the story; however the purpose this scene was meant to serve could have been accomplished easily in some other way. It weakened one of the characters and took something away from the film as a whole.

Despite that, I still give the film four stars, and Frank Langella has my vote for best actor. For those of you who are old enough to remember the actual Frost/Nixon interviews this is a must see film. And for those of you who aren't old enough to remember them, this is your chance to peek in on a moment in history.

Proper "Etta-kett"

Earlier in the week at a concert in Seattle, Etta James let it fly. In reference to Beyonce's singing James' signature song, "At Last" for President and Mrs. Obama at one of the inaugural balls, James said she was going to "whip her ass." And to dig herself an even deeper hole, in the same tirade, James said that President Obama, "the one with the big ears...ain't my president."

Okay, on the count of three, everyone say "jealous bitch." One...two...three: "JEALOUS BITCH!"

And if that still isn't enough, to dig herself into that hole EVEN DEEPER, James later tried (albeit pretty pathetically) to retract or redefine her comments. She said later that she didn't really mean anything by her comments, and that they weren't coming from a vicious place, and that she was just trying to connect with the crowd. She added also that, "Even as a little child, I've always had that comedian kind of attitude. ... That's probably what went into it." Okaaaay....

Well, I've been thinking a lot about this, and I've come to the conclusion that Etta James is a jealous, washed-up, old snatch who couldn't carry a tune with two hands and a bucket. But I'm just kidding really. That's not coming from a vicious place. I'm just trying to connect with you, the reader. Besides, even as a child, I always had that comedian kind of attitude. That's really what went into that statement...

Quote Of The Week

Democrat Barney Frank, representative of the 4th congressional district of Massachusetts and chairman of the Financial Services Committee was on "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" today debating President Obama's economic stimulus package. When Jim DeMint, Republican Senator from South Carolina, defended the ridiculous republican notion that more of the stimulus package should go to tax cuts instead of things like infrastructure spending, Frank responded with what, in my opinion, sums it up perfectly, "I never saw a tax cut fix a bridge." You go Barney!