Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Aug 4, 2011

The President at play:

PRESIDENT OBAMA blew off a little steam yesterday with some senior staff members as he took them out for some fast food at the Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill. The president clearly enjoyed himself, chowing down on about 17-hundred calories worth of comfort food that included an "Obama Burger,"a toasted marshmallow shake and an order of fries.
After that chowdown, the president headed off to Chicago last night for a concert fundraiser to celebrate his 50th birthday. He told those on hand, "Over the next several months, I hope Congress is focused on what the American people are focused on... We knew the road ahead was going to be difficult... You did not elect me president to duck the tough issues. You elected me president to do the big things. It doesn't matter how tough a week I've had in Washington. I know you’ve got me; you've got my back." (Pacelli)

Ways Obama celebrated his 50th birthday (Maiman):

--Went to Wall Street, bent over in front of bankers
--John Boehner Pinata
--While holding wrapped present, exclaimed, "It feels like a birth certificate!"
--Played his favorite party game, "Stab the Liberals in the Back"
--Enjoyed big steak dinner, drank beer and watched wrestling 'til he fell asleep
--Admired his FTD "Can't Wait for you to Lose in 2012" bouquet from the tea party
--He got bombed

Sucking the life out of the wire services:

You've seen JERRY LEWIS host the MDA Labor Day Telethon for the last time.
He's been the figurehead for MDA and the telethon since 1966.
But yesterday in a press release, MDA chairman R-RODNEY HOWELL said he will not be appearing at all on this year's telethon. He added, "Jerry Lewis is a world-class humanitarian and we're forever grateful to him for his more than half century of generous service to MDA. We will not be replacing him as MDA national chairman."
The announcement could have come as a surprise to Jerry, since as recently as last Friday when he was plugging a movie on his life at the Television Critics Association Tour, he said he was going to hold a worldwide press conference after the telethon to announce his plans with MDA.
Yesterday's announcement kind of puts a stop to those plans.

Idle gossip & unconfirmed rumors:

Is JANET JACKSON planning a trip to the altar? Sources tell the National Enquirer the very private singer is engaged to Qatari businessman WISSAM AL MANA, who popped the question with a 15-carat diamond ring. Word is they'll make an official announcement by the end of summer, are set to tie the knot by the end of the year and are already thinking about the pitter-patter of little feet. (Lee)

Fashion:

You know how some guys like to wear those baggy pants... and they hang so low that it leaves their underwear hanging out?
Well, now there’s a new line of pants called Sagz. They sell jeans with the boxer shorts actually built in. The NY Daily News says the boxers are attached to the jeans’ waistband with three levels of snaps. That way, the pants sag “naturally.” And people can let their jeans sag a little, or a lot. Without all that pesky belt-adjusting or constantly pulling up their pants.
Some cities in Florida, Missouri, Kentucky and elsewhere have laws against the saggy jeans look. It can result in a disorderly-conduct or an indecent-exposure charge. (Bartha)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

KIRSTIE ALLEY has a new sitcom. Following her stint on "Dancing With the Stars," Deadline.com says Kirstie will star in a new fall sitcom for ABC called "The Manzanis." She'd play a wife and mom on the new show, which has been described by network execs as "a new take on 'Roseanne'."