OK, that was a wacky one two punch during game two of the Western Conference Semis on VS: my mind didn't know how to respond to the stimulus generated by the commercial for Penn and Teller's new TV show Bullshit! in which they say "bullshit!" repeatedly on regular cable TV or the profound hotness radiated by the commercial for Showtime's upcoming Secret Diary of a Call Girl... starring Doctor Who's Billie Piper (sweet wholesome Billie Piper)?!? My brain seized up. Seriously.

The Doomed Files

Because it's become such a prominent theme it's practically made itself a new category...

Anyway.

Just finished Buffalo native Jake Halpern's Fame Junkies: The Hidden Truths Behind America's Favorite Addiction, and boy was that scary. And I'm not even referring to the thoroughly deluded stage parents, child star wannabees, celebrity personal assistants, and celebrity worshippers (and I'm talking serious worship here, the kind that triggers faith and false idol worship issues) discussed and interviewed by the shrewd yet not unkind Halpern. Those people are out to lunch, and there's nothing that can be done for them. What freaked me out was the bits about the history and outrageous recent growth of our nation's obsessions with fame and becoming famous and the various explanations for this national nightmare. I daresay Halpern is right about all of it; there's a shitload of reasons why we're all totally obsessed with this shit (and obsessed about hating this shit, which of course sometimes leads to thinking about said shit), but that's not what really got me. It's a statistical fact that our teenagers and youngsters spectacularly narcissistic and prone to prima donna-ism... hell people, you see it. You see it in adults. You see it when they drive.

But that's not the point, the point is these poor deluded children are heading for a HUGE LET DOWN. And what happens then? Generation B? As in BITTER AS HELL? That's not good. And what's worse- they're inheriting a country on the down slide. Yikes. Our society is not in the best spot as it is... and now we've got a generation destined for a big old kick in the teeth when reality sets in. Or doesn't. Which is worse. Far worse.


Needless to say it, we are doomed. Man is Canada is looking better and better.


And a minor quibble for local boy author (and City Honors alumni) Jake Halpern. Must you harp on our down on our luck Rest Belt downtrodden? Was that absolutely necessary?

Ah well.

Still dude, I credit you for your honesty and for not even trying to pretend that you're above your subject matter. That's your good old fashioned Buffalo non pretentiousness at work there, my friend. It is indeed in our bones (except for the pretentious WNYers that do exist in our community- you know... the poofy shirt crowd). Kudos.

Ah well.

The House of Pain

• The Campbell saga is over at last. Do I like the deal? Dude got too big for his britches and he had to go- and that's that. We got another big garbageman (in hockey garbageman = good) to park his ass in front of the net and snag goals and a first round pick so it's all good. At least we can't get on with the rest of the season, which is totally hanging in the balance.
• "Hanging in the balance" is right. These playoff quests can be a total bitch, with every game a must win game. Believe you men, I've totally stocked up on Tums and Prilosec.
• Tonight we shall have some primo political theater when Zeppelin Hillary crashes into the field in NJ that is Barack Obama. Will we get AAAANGRY Hillary? Junkyard Dog Hillary? Or Hillary the Great Concilliator? It will be interesting.
• Speaking of interesting, how cool was it that the Oscars were a total TV ratings dud? Not even celebs joyously gussied up for the first time in ages could save the old boy without the full on Hollywood hype machine running in front of it. Oh well.

Hollywood Babylon 2

Oh, and that Rolling Stone cover feature on THE TRAGEDY OF BRITNEY SPEARS did not disappoint. Future generations pondering when and how America went to the dogs will find this article extremely useful indeed...

Hollywood Babylon

At last. Lindsay Lohan gets topless for us. Of course that usually means that the career is lagging, but I'm not going to quibble because it's always a happy day when a child star goes starkers for us. And as Marilyn near the end of her life no less. Very tasteful. Of course discriminating people will note how the years haven't been as kind to Lindsay as they were to Marilyn, but again, ya really can't quibble. Marilyn was Marilyn and always will be, whereas Lindsay Lohan is another child star upended by life in the fastlane- bless her soul. I guess that's why they call it life in the fastlane.