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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Aug 4, 2015
August 4, 2015
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Political Racket /Dirty Tricks:
A Senate measure to defund Planned Parenthood failed on a 53-46 vote Monday, falling seven votes short of the 60 votes needed to close debate and move the bill forward for a floor vote. The move to strip Planned Parenthood of federal cash comes after secretly-recorded videos posted by an anti-abortion group showing Planned Parenthood officials talking about selling fetal tissue and organs for research.
Just two Democrats --JOE MANCHIN of West Virginia and JOE DONNELLY-- voted for the bill, while Republicans MARK KIRK of Illinois and Majority Leader MITCH McCONNELL voted against it. Kirk is facing a tough reelection race in 2016, while McConnell's "no" vote allows him to bring up the bill again. (Pacelli)Fast Food:
The Cheesecake Factory is piloting a new app to let diners split and pay the bill via their smartphones. Not only does it do all the pesky math, the MobileCommerceDaily blog says it lets customers wrap up their visit without waiting for their server to check out and leave a tip! The CakePay mobile app is only available in select markets, where you also get a complimentary slice of --what else-- cheesecake when you sign up. (Kaye)
Fashion Emergency:
The newest trend in being a mom: calling in a hairstylist for an after-labor blow-out. Because pushing a whole person out of your body isn't good enough, ladies! According to E! News, you can thank (Blame! We blame!) Duchess KATE MIDDLETON for the post-partum perfection peer pressure. Stylists say the new moms "just want to look fresh, just a better version of themselves. You've got to spruce them up because everybody's coming to see them." (Bartha)
Grace notes from Vinny Marino:
When your wife asks you to do a favor for your brother-in-law, it's usually something you don't want to do. But, if you're BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and PATTI SCIALFA is your wife, you say "Yes, Ma'am!" The Newark Star-Ledger says The Boss made his second trip in the last three weeks to the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey, on Saturday. Patti's brother, MICHAEL SCIALFA, plays keyboards for a local cover band called Timepiece and Bruce sat in for most of their set, singing lead on VAN MORRISON's "Brown Eyed Girl," and playing a wicked solo on CCR's "Born On The Bayou." (Marino)
Off the beaten path:
A Virginia man is preparing to say goodbye to his wife forever --because she's moving to Mars.
JASON STANFORD calls himself an 'astronaut wife', because his partner --SONIA VAN METER-- has been selected to travel on the Mars One Project. The project is a privately-funded one-way mission to establish a permanent human colony on Mars. Van Meter will also leave behind two stepsons when she blasts off in 2026. Stanford jokes that his wife's name should be SONIA VAN MARTIAN.
The Mars One mission will initially send four people to the red planet, then another four colonists every two years after that. The mission has been the subject of heavy criticism from scientists. (Still)Celebrity impressions:
Looking for a guy to do PRESIDENT OBAMA on your show? Since the Commander-in-Chief ain't gonna take the time to call in, check out JOE CONKLIN. Joe --whom I've known since 1985-- is a terrific impersonator and not only does the Prez, but also BILL CLINTON, DONALD TRUMP, CHRIS MATTHEWS, GEORGE W BUSH, JACK NICHOLSON, MIKE TYSON singing, "The Simpsons" cast, the folks from "Family Guy" and a raft of others. He did a hilarious, somewhat inebriated SLY STALLONE on my show last week. Get ahold of him at Joe@JoeConklin.com or just hit his website to contact him. --RB
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