Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Mar 29, 2011

Conspiracy Corner:

DONALD TRUMP is now either a full-on "birther," or he's doing what he does best --creating a buzz with his P-R machine. But there was also late word yesterday that his latest little stunt may have backfired.
   Trump stirred the pot again yesterday morning with an interview on Fox News, in which he said he released his own birth certificate, and called on PRESIDENT OBAMA to release his. Trump said, "Now, this guy either has a birth certificate or he doesn't... And I didn't think this was such a big deal, but I will tell you, it's turning out to be a very big deal because people now are calling me from all over saying, please don't give up on this issue."
   Well, there's a slight problem. What Trump released was not an actual birth certificate.
   Politico reports that some alert readers noticed that what Trump produced was actually a "certificate of birth," which is a piece of paper hospitals give to family members. It's usually signed by hospital officials and is not considered an actual birth certificate. (Pacelli)
   Editor's note: Forget birth certificates. What Donald Trump needs to release is his hair. Really, what IS that on his head? Does it at least keep him dry in a rain storm? (Maiman)

Fashion Emergency:

Abercrombie & Fitch is in hot water with parents for marketing padded bikini tops in its latest swimsuit line at Abercrombie Kids, the company's shop for boys and girls. That's right: padded swimsuit tops for girls who might not even be in training bras yet.
   "You should be ashamed!" from multiple commenters on the company's website. "Shame on you for sexualizing small children," another sizzles. "In a world where parents work hard to keep their children safe, you go and make little girls look like they have breasts? Perverts."
   The recently introduced "push-up triangle," is a swimsuit top targeting girls as young as seven or eight. The bikini top is padded to make the little tyke look like she has tweener boobs.
   After a public outcry, A&F renamed the top the "Stripe Triangle" online. But the padding remains, and reaction is still the same and unanimous, at least on ABC's "Good Morning America" yesterday, where no parent said they would buy the product.
   Cut to the usual clinical analysis from a child psychologist (remember, this is television!) who admonished any retailer "targeting girls as young as age four to be sexualized creatures."
   Earlier this year, Wal-Mart was criticized for its plans to introduce a line of make-up products directed at girls aged eight-to-12, and a few years ago, Abercrombie offered thongs for the 10-year-old set with the words "wink, wink" stitched on the front. The company's advertisements have also raised concerns over the years for being too revealing.
   And here's where the rubber meets the road: Tweens spend roughly $24 million on beauty products each year.
   Maybe that's why Abercrombie has no plans to pull the push-up bikini top from its store shelves.
   Editor's note: Translation: Ain't nobody sellin' nuthin' unless you buy it, so who's really the bad guy here, the seller of the buyer? Or are you smart enough to guess the free market solution to this problem that's got people "outraged"? (Maiman /Kaye)

Sucking the life out of the wire services:

Sorry, guys --chances are you missed PRINCE WILLIAM's bachelor party. People magazine reports they received a message from the young royal's office saying the shindig already took place and no one's spilling any lurid details. Rumor has it about twenty buddies gathered at a country estate and they were supposed to have some fun on the water, but that plan was scrapped after word leaked out. (Lee)

What's hot in Hollywood from Star magazine:
   --iPad 2: that's actually hot everywhere
   --JW Marriott Marquis Miami: a 10 thousand square foot NBA arena, virtual bowling alley and a golf school
   --DKNY's rain boots made for champagne maker Veuve Clicquot in their signature yellow
   --he-waxing at Bliss spas nationwide
   --girlfriendsforfolate.com: raising awareness for women to take daily folate supplements while they're young to help avoid birth defects when they have babies. (Myers)