Male Hooker, Meth Over-Repenter Ted Haggard Stars in TLC Reality Show
January 7, 2011
(ChattahBox US News)— This is just so wrong on so many levels. The Discovery Channel’s TLC network announced a new realty show to its ever-growing freak show lineup. What is it? Disgraced former televangelist and megachurch huckster Ted Haggard will headline a show, called “Ted Haggard: Scandalous,” that will chronicle the rebuilding of the ministry of the former rabidly anti-gay fundamentalist Christian, who was forced to admit to a sexual affair with his male prostitute Meth dealer. The still-married father of five, says he hopes the show will “inspire others” to overcome hardships. What about overcoming self-delusion? Haggard insists that his sexual relationship with a male prostitute is not evidence that he is gay. In fact, Haggard later said, he “over-repented” for his sins. Whatever you say Haggard. Read more
Longtime couple Macaulay Culkin and Mila Kunis split up
January 3, 2011
WireImage
(ChattahBox Entertainment News) - Beloved child star of ‘Home Alone’ Macaulay Culkin and his actress girlfriend Mila Kunis, have broken up after eight years together. Kunis rep tells the New York Post that “the split was amicable, and they remain close friends.” Apparently the pair had broken up some time ago, but kept that to themselves while Kunis promoted her Golden Globe-nominated film ‘Black Swan’. Culkin, 30, began dating Kunis, 27, who has now become quite the movie star, while she was starring in both ‘That 70′s Show’ as Jackie and ‘Family Guy,’ as Meg in May 2002.
Bristol Palin Buys Home in Arizona with University Plans in Mind?
December 27, 2010
(ChattahBox Celebrity News) – The 20-year-old daughter of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Bristol Palin, has likely use her Dancing With The Stars money to reportedly pay cash for a five-bedroom house in an Arizona suburb south of Phoenix. The Arizona Republic reports the 3,900-square-foot home in the town of Maricopa, was built in 2006, and has 2½ baths and a three-car garage. Bristol got a good deal, as the home originally sold for $329,560 and had been in foreclosure earlier this year. While it is unclear if her new Arizona home will be a permanent or seasonal residence, TMZ is reporting that Bristol is telling friends she may enroll in school once she moves in, and Arizona State University is in the vicinity.
Game Show Couple That Gave Correct Answer to 800k Question Will Get Return Chance
December 24, 2010
(ChattahBox Entertainment News) – Monday on the Fox game show Million Dollar Money Drop, a couple lost $800,000, based on the question: “which product was sold first in stores: Post-It Notes, the Macintosh, or the Walkman”. The couple, Gabe Okoye and Brittany Mayt answered Post-It Notes, which is technically correct, but were told they were wrong.
After an Internet uproar, Fox says it will give Gabe and Brittany a second chance after initially standing by their claim that 3M had confirmed to them that Post-Its were first sold in 1980, while the Walkman hit stores a year earlier, in 1979. But now they say they were wrong because 3M tested the product for sale in four cities under the name ‘Press ‘N Peel’ in 1977. The question was not posed as “sold in stores nationally,” it was simply “sold in stores,” so Fox now wants to give the couple, Gabe Okoye and Brittany Mayt, a second chance.
Executive producer Jeff Apploff explained in a statement to Gawker:
Unfortunately, the information our research department originally obtained from 3M regarding when Post-it notes were first sold was incomplete. As a result of new information we have received from 3M, we feel it is only fair to give our contestants, Gabe and Brittany, another shot to play ‘Million Dollar Money Drop’ even though this question was not the deciding question in their game. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the viewers who brought this to our attention, and we’re thrilled to give Gabe and Brittany the opportunity to return to play the game.
Stewart Mocks Michael Steele’s ‘Street’ Cred (Video)
December 16, 2010
(ChattahBox Political News)—During Wednesday’s show, Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart skewered RNC Chairman Michael Steele’s ridiculous attempt at casting himself as a hip-hop “street” guy, to explain away his embarrassing verbal gaffes and buffoonish incompetence. Surprising just about everyone, but delighting Democrats, the clownish Steele announced he was seeking reelection to another term as chairman. While referring to Steele’s gaffe-plagued term, as a “Reign of Error,” and the “Great Gaffesby,” Stewart brought on the Michael Steele “street” puppet, to explain his decision to run again. Read more
Palin/Gosselin 2012? You Know, You Never Know!
December 16, 2010
(ChattahBox Op/Ed) – I don’t laugh at loud very often, but this one was a real screamer for me. Scanning headlines yesterday I saw one for Sarah Palin and Kate Gosselin of TLC’s Kate Plus 8 Fame (formerly John and Kate Plus 8). The story was about Kate being a guest on Sarah Palin’s on TLC’s reality TV show Sarah Palin’s Alaska, well Kate and her 8 that is.
What I found funny about it is that both of these women have made a literal fortune as a result of media deals, and both seem about as bright as a ten watt light bulb, combined! I don’t watch either show and don’t plan to start now. In my life as a Media Trainer I have studied the oddity of Kate Gosselin and have followed her as she has made news and been a guest on other programs like the Today Show or Good Morning America. I have seen enough of her to realize that she is not a happy persona and I get the distinct impression she hates being a mother, especially a single mother. Read more
Obama Appoints NJ Rocker Bon Jovi to Advisory Council
December 15, 2010
(ChattahBox Political News)—The long-time New Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi, known for his hit songs, “It’s My Life” and “Always,” as well as various acting stints, can now add presidential adviser to his impressive resume. President Obama announced his appointment yesterday to the newly-created White House Council for Community Solutions. Bon Jovi was not just selected because of his support for Democratic causes and his head of good hair, the successful rock musician is also active in the community, with his Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, a non-profit devoted to “break[ing] the cycle of poverty and homelessness,” and making positive changes in the lives of Americans “ONE SOUL AT A TIME.” Read more
Actor Mark Ruffalo Lands on Terror Watch List for Promoting Documentary, Seriously!
November 30, 2010
(ChattahBox Op/Ed) – Wisconsin native and talented actor of such critically acclaimed films like Shutter Island, The Kids Are All Right, Blindness and Zodiac, Mark Ruffalo has found himself on an unwanted celebrity A-List, reminiscent of the McCarthy era. He is now on the infamous terror watch list. Why? Because the actor organized a screening of a documentary directed by Josh Fox called Gasland. The film follows the filmmaker as he visits communities in Pennsylvania where gas drilling takes place and in one dramatic scene, as tap water is run into a sink, as a match touches the water it catches fire!
Ruffalo, who wanted to bring awareness to this issue set about to do just that and when word spread the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security they placed him on the dreaded terror watch list.
What all that means for Rullafo is that as he travels he can expect to be under much higher scrutiny. He will NOT be barred from flying however.
The film was obviously not welcome by the Gas industry and when filmmaker Fox, whose family owned property in Pennsylvania, was offered $100,000 to lease their land to the Gas company for the purpose of drilling, it got Fox’s attention. Following a hunch, he began a journey that uncovered the infamous scene of flaming water and found more than a handful of people who are suffering from many diverse medical conditions that they all believe are as a direct result of contaminated water.
I do use the word paranoia from time to time in my scribbling here, and most times I do it tongue in cheek, but maybe not so much in this case. Ruffalo in GQ magazine is quoted as saying he isn’t worried about the designation and added that, “It’s pretty fu@$ing funny”.
But is it?
As the First Amendment has become the centerpiece of almost every dialogue these days, and rightfully so, the government paranoia in this case is clearly a severe over reaction to one person’s interest in bringing light to a serious issue. Documentaries are interesting communication tools and they can of course be skewed to a point of view, but in this case the truth is the truth. Flaming water is telling and medical records don’t lie, so why would Pennsylvania DHS be so paranoid? And, more telling perhaps, or more confusing, why would they place Ruffalo on a terror watch list for advocating for truth? It is odd, don’t you think?
The trailer I have attached is stunning, disturbing and terrifying, but not in the Mark Ruffalo terror kind of way, hardly. It is reminiscent of a documentary titled Food. Inc. which tells the story of the chicken you eat every day. And Gasland is deserving of a wide audience, which was of course Ruffalo’s goal, obviously.
I haven’t seen the film, but the trailer leads me to believe that the cozy partnership between corporations and politics is as intimate here as it always seems to be when the wrong thing in done in the name of profit. Not unlike almost every Michael Moore documentary, Josh Fox’s Gasland is about accountability and truth, and I realize that that can cause terror but only for those that have so much money to lose.
It’s ridiculous to believe that talented actor Mark Ruffalo is subversive and dangerous to his country because he believes in truth, but it has to make you wonder how little you have to do before you and up on a government list: maybe something as simple as writing a column about a documentary. We’ll see.
Tony Trupiano is a former national syndicated progressive radio talk show host, author, and a former candidate for Congress. He is also a nationally recognized media trainer. He can be reached at tony@mediatony.com and can read his Blog at http://www.mediatraining.me
Sarah Palin: The White House Hillbillies Reality Show? (Video)
November 26, 2010
(ChattahBox Political News)—Next Media Animation, the Taiwanese company that produces comedy gold CGI versions of news stories, is out with a new Palin feature. The animated spoof, entitled “Growing up Palin: ex governor and family become celebrities,” covers the latest escapades of Sarah Palin and her brood. The video ends with the Palins pulling up in front of the White House, with Willow brandishing a shotgun, echoing the classic 60s TV series “The Beverly Hillbillies.” Read more
Stewart Mocks ‘Glenn Beck the Manchurian Lunatic’ (Video)
November 19, 2010
(ChattahBox Political News)— Leave it to Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart to shine a comedic bright light on the conspiratorial insanity of Fox News’ Glenn Beck. This past week, Beck has taken a breather from his Nazis and race-baiting anti-Obama conspiratorial chalkboard theories to engage in blatant anti-Semitism in his attacks on progressive billionaire George Soros. Beck’s smears and attacks against Soros boiled down to kooky claims that the Jewish “puppet master” plans to destroy America with a shadow government, or something. And to further illustrate his bizarre conspiracy theory, for the benefit of his somnolent tea party viewers, Beck used actual puppets. Last night, Jon Stewart turned the tables on Beck, by concluding that Beck is a “Manchurian Lunatic,” who in reality, is George Soros’ puppet and a “fifth column Trojan horse subversive sent to destroy Rupert Murdoch’s empire…” And yes, Stewart had his own puppets. Read more