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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Dec 10, 2013
December 10, 2013
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Pushing up daisies:
Actress ELEANOR PARKER, the actress best known for her role as the Baroness in the original "Sound of Music," --the woman Captain Von Trapp dumps for Maria-- died yesterday at age 91.
It's tempting, of course, to say she saw the "live" version and it killed her off, but there's no word in any of the obits to indicate that.
Eleanor was a pretty talented actress --she was nominated for a best actress Oscar three times during her career-- although the majority of her on-screen roles were in the 40s and 50s.Guilty Pleasures:
No winner in Friday night's drawing for the Mega Millions Lottery. That means tonight's drawing is valued at $344 million ($184 million cash value). Mega Millions is played in 42 states and Washington DC. Chances of winning the big prize are 1 in 175.7 million.
The Airlines:
The TSA strikes again.
A TSA agent in St. Louis confiscated a tiny toy gun that belonged to a passenger's sock monkey.
PHYLLIS MAY of Redmond, WA, was on her way back home with her husband when she was stopped at airport security over a suspicious bag.
May, who makes and sells custom sock monkey dolls modeled after pop culture icons, says the brouhaha was over a two-inch toy pistol belonging to "Rooster Monkburn" --a cowboy sock monkey inspired by "True Grit" protagonist Rooster Cogburn (as played by JOHN WAYNE).
May later told reporters the TSA agent said, "This is a gun."
"I said no, it's not a gun it's a prop for my monkey."
But the unidentified TSA agent insisted. "If I held it up to your neck, you wouldn't know if it was real or not."
The agent then told May she was required to confiscate the "gun" and call the police.
The gun was subsequently seized by the agent, who ultimately agreed not to involve the authorities.
May said. "I understand she was doing her job but at some point doesn't common sense prevail?"
Editor's note: Man, this one would be a tough call for Charlton Heston. On the one hand, gun rights. On the other hand, damned dirty apes.
--Great, now we have toy monkeys arming themselves? The Second Amendment said nothing about rights for toy monkeys! (You can take away that monkey's gun but you are powerless to stop it from throwing its feces!)
--Weapons of minor destruction. (Maiman)Trash talk and satellite dish:
There's still one day to go before Time magazine's editor reveal their Person of the Year on the "Today" show tomorrow, but we do know the top-10.
MILEY CYRUS was rumored to be the ultimate winner --and she still may be-- but the top-10 finalists were announced yesterday. Miley is on the list, which also includes (in no particular order):
--Syrian dictator BASHAR al-ASSAD,
--Amazon CEO JEFF BEZOS,
--TX Sen TED CRUZ,
--POPE FRANCIS,
--President BARACK OBAMA (who also won last year),
--Iranian president HASSAN ROUHANI,
--Health and Human Services Secretary KATHLEEN SEBELIUS,
--NSA leaker EDWARD SNOWDEN,
--gay rights activist EDITH WINDSOR,
--and that twerker, Miley.On, off and way-off Broadway:
Can you imagine FRAN DRESCHER singing on Broadway? Well, faster than you can say, "Bippity Boppity Boo," it's happening. Fran will take over the role of the wicked stepmother in the musical, "Cinderella" for 10 weeks. Fran takes the stage from February 4th through April 13th. (Marino)
ANNIE POTTS will put some more pip in "Pippin." She'll play Berthe, Pippin's grandmother, the role ANDREA MARTIN won the Tony for. Annie replaces TOVAH FELDSHUH who took over for Andrea when she left the show for a TV project. Annie gets into the act starting January 21st. (Marino)
New CD releases today (Dec 10):
--Childish Gambino, "Because The Internet"
--E-40, "The Black Brochure: Welcome To The Soil, Vol. 4, 5, & 6"
--Eric Clapton, "Give Me Strength: The '74/'75 Recordings" (box set)
--Neil Young, "Live At The Cellar Door"
--R. Kelly, "Black Panties"
--Scorpions, "MTV Unplugged"
--Shelby Lynne, "Thanks"
--Velvet Underground, "White Light/White Heat: 45th Anniversary" (box set)
--o--
Music DVDs out today:
--"Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream"
--"One Direction: Reaching For The Stars"
--"Scorpions: MTV Unplugged" -
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