Carrie Prejean image from Flickr.

Carrie Prejean, who is famous for several semi-scandalous things I’ll list off later, appeared on “Larry King Live” last night. During the brief interview, she showed the world that she is a naive, condescending prima donna. Of course, I could be just another member of the “liberal media” she speaks of, the people who think it’s OK to attack conservative women.

Or I could just be someone who calls a spade a spade. You can decide for yourself, and you can say whatever you want, thanks to the fact that this is the United States. That means I can write about Carrie Prejean on Larry King for a payday lending site, and it also means Carrie Prejean has the right to make a sex tape, discriminate against gays and act like a complete jerk on “Larry King Live.” However, I’m allowed to say whatever I want about it.

Carrie Prejean background

Before we get to the Carrie Prejean on Larry King video, here’s a little Carrie Prejean 101. Keep in mind that I am under no obligation to be objective. Carrie Prejean first made a splash on the national scene when she said, during the Miss USA pageant, that same-sex couples should not be allowed to marry. She was named runner-up for Miss USA and went back to being Miss California — but not for long.

She was fired from her post as Miss California after missing publicity appearances (aka not doing her job) and, according to Donald Trump, treating people like, um, crap. Carrie Prejean sued the pageant for religious discrimination, saying she was really fired from being Miss California because of what she said about gay marriage. The suit was settle out of court and Prejean walked away penniless after the prosecution revealed that they had a copy of a sex tape featuring her, a self-proclaimed conservative Christian.

Who is being inappropriate?

That brings us to Carrie Prejean’s appearance on Larry King, where she apparently believed she’d be doing nothing besides promoting her book, “Still Standing.” (Reader poll: Would you read her book? Leave comments below.) Something tells me she’s never watched “Larry King Live” before.

So, now to back up my original points, it was incredibly naive of Carrie Prejean to think she could go on Larry King and not talk about the lawsuit. It was condescending of her to pull the “I’m not allowed to talk about it” card. Anyone with half a brain knows that after a lawsuit is already settled, there is absolutely no legal reason a person can’t explain their motive for keeping a case out of court. Did she have to tell him? No. Was it an insult to his intelligence to pretend that she was legally obligated to withhold her motive for settling? Yes. Was it even more condescending for her to repeatedly say “You’re being inappropriate” to Larry King for asking questions, which is his job? Yes.

As far as the prima donna part, she threw a temper tantrum and took off her microphone even after Larry King agreed to move on. Enough said. Oh, wait, I’d like to add “childish” to the list of adjectives before “prima donna.”

Addressing more ridiculousness

At the beginning of the interview, King asks Prejean to explain what she means when she says she’s been “Palinized.” She explains that “the liberal media” thinks “conservative women are fair game to be attacked.” First of all, they are fair game, according to the Constitution. Also, public figures are not protected under the same libel or slander laws as the rest of us non-celebrities.

She also says media can “get away with” attacking conservative women but not liberal public figures. Sigh. I think this falls under the “naive” category.  However, to her credit, she appears to be learning from her mistakes. TMZ reports that she pulled out of  a speaking gig today five minutes before she was supposed to talk. Thought the speech was to be given to an exclusive club for Republicans in Washington, D.C., a source at Capitol Hill said she wanted to avoid a repeat of last night’s fiasco. I think this is a smart choice for her. If you don’t want public scrutiny, don’t thrust yourself into the public eye.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/ / CC BY 2.0

Child cruelty is something I do not take too kindly to. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, placing a child in any type of danger is absolutely intolerable.

Being a responsible parent requires time and mass amounts of love and effort. Of course, things can get tough and struggles are inevitable when it comes to parenthood. Being a parent can be hard – physically, emotionally, and financially. Some have had to rely on installment loans every so often just to meet the needs of the little ones who depend on them for nurturing, protection, and love. It’s not always a joy-ride when reality demands that you adapt to change and make grand sacrifices. However, no matter how difficult parenting can be, it gives no grounds, no right to pose harm on a helpless child.

Seven month-old Baby Found Under Bed

The 7-month-old baby that was reported missing over the weekend has been found and in good condition. Seven-month-old Shannon Lee Dedrick was found hidden under a bed in a 2-by-3 foot cedar chest.

According to CNN, authorities believe the baby’s mother, Crystina Lynn Mercer, gave her daughter to the child’s paternal aunt, Susan Baker, sometime around Oct. 31, 2009. The next day, they reported the child missing and some 75 volunteers scoured a kilometer radius around the home for evidence. The baby, who was missing for a total of five days, was hidden for 12 hours with no food or water, except for a little blanket that was found in the box with her. Police found baby Shannon Dedrick Wednesday night alive and well.

Justice for Shannon Lee Dedrick

Both Mercer and Baker have been taken into custody and are being charged with a third-degree felony on interference of child custody. They were also charged with several misdemeanor charges for making a false report of a missing child, a false report of a crime, and contributing to the delinquency of a child. The child’s father, James Russell Dedrick Jr., was also taken in for questioning, but was later released without any charges.

Image from TC Project.

Southern California’s hot, dry climate is a perfect support system for fires, so it is understandable that the state spares no expense when it comes to fighting them. Today when it was reported that several small brush fires were started along a highway in Diamond Bar, the Los Angeles County Fire Department sent out more than 250 firefighters, and dispatched trucks as well as aircraft to battle the blazes.

A member of the L.A. County Fire Department reports that there were eight brush fires, and about 50 acres were consumed. Firefighters worked swiftly and aggressively, as the fires threatened to spread to homes if they weren’t contained.

How the Diamond Bar fire started

The driver and passenger of a pickup truck might want to think of getting some quick loans so they can get a lawyer. Police are reporting that the fires were caused when a fire started in the bed of a pickup truck and the occupants didn’t realize it.

Reports say flames and sparks flew out of the pickup truck bed as the vehicle traveled on the freeway. The police have detained the driver and passenger from the vehicle, but no other information is available about the suspects right now.

More details on Diamond Bar fire

Not only did the fire department spend a lot of money putting out these fires, classes were evacuated at Diamond Ranch High School. The students stayed in the gym and waited for word on whether they had to evacuate the premises, but the flames never got close enough to the school to warrant concern.

Final word is that several small brush fires were put out using water drops from helicopters and the aid of 23 fire trucks. The people who were in the truck that is suspected of starting the fires are being questioned. So far, no property has been reported damaged besides government-owned land covered in brush.

Image from every-passing-moment.blogspot.com.

Avid Michael Jackson fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of documentary film “This Is It” for quite sometime. Now, the day has finally come, as “This Is It” hits theaters tomorrow.

People will go to great lengths for Michael Jackson. After his death, people scraped together money and got unsecured loans to go visit Neverland Ranch or the Staples Center during the funeral. Michael Jackson’s undeniable — and possibly unparalleled — popularity will no doubt have fans flocking to theaters. However, that’s not the only reason I predict “This Is It” will be a box office smash.

Can’t compete with Michael Jackson

Besides having a built-in and enthusiastic fan base, “This Is It” also happens to be the only new film coming out this week. That is pretty surprising to me, considering that Friday is Halloween. It seems to me that releasing a big horror film on Halloween weekend would be a good idea.

So that leads us to the question of cause and effect. When “This Is It” makes tons of money at the box office, will it be because of Michael Jackson fans? Or will it be because there’s nothing else new in the theaters? Also, did all the other filmmakers decide not to release movies on the same weekend as “This Is It” because they were afraid they couldn’t compete? If that’s not the reason, what is? Why isn’t anyone releasing films over Halloween weekend?

Can’t compete with Halloween

Of course, another logical conclusion is that filmmakers and theaters assume that no one wants to go to the movies on Halloween. With trick-or-treating for parents and kids and so many parties going on, it’s understandable that people might assume opening a movie on Halloween would guarantee it a bad opening weekend.

However, I am sure that horror movie fanatics would love nothing more than to catch a scary, gory film on Halloween night. I’m sure if “Saw VI” came out on Halloween, plenty of the film series’ fans would make sure to include it in their plans. Obviously, the film has a huge fan base, as it’s currently second place for box office earnings. The only film making more money than “Saw VI” right now is “Paranormal Activity,” another scary movie.

About ‘This Is It’

I have seen trailers for “This Is It” that feature Michael Jackson dancing on stage just like the good old days. I am sure a lot of fans will be happy and comforted to see footage of the King of Pop in the days before he passed. Mostly, I think fans will be glad to have new images in their heads to replace the photos that came out following Jackson’s death.

The Official web site for “This Is It” says the documentary film is compiled from more than 100 hours a video. ” ‘This Is It’ will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place starting this summer.”

You can get tickets and see showtimes directly through the “This Is It” web site…

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tryburn/ / CC BY 2.0

I’ve never seen a bear on ice skates before, but the thought of an ice-skating bear looks pretty hilarious. Imagine all the trouble you would have to go through to get the bear in skates, let alone teaching it how to use them. This story, however, is not as amusing as the thought I had in mind. And it’s definitely not your typical payday loan story.

Bear Attacks and Kills a Circus Director

In Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, a circus bear on skates killed one person and injured another, according to CNN. Dmitri Potapov, a visiting circus director, was killed during rehearsals for an ice-skating show on Thursday. Potapov was dragged across the ice by the neck, nearly severing one of his legs. Another circus employee was injured as he tried to stop the attack. The man suffered bruising to the brain and lacerations to his scalp.

According to the report, it is not clear at this time why the bear attacked Potapov. The 5-year-old bear was later taken down by police officials and examined by experts. The Russian state circus has a long reputation of training bears to do tricks on skates, motorcycles, and even to play sports like hockey. Fatal deaths from bears are unusual. However, this brings back to mind the real danger behind wild animals.

Kelly Ann Walz and her Pet Bear

Let’s consider Kelly Ann Walz for a moment. Kelly had a pet black bear which she kept in a steel and concrete cage near her home in Pennsylvania. A pet bear! That’s enough to leave you in need of a payday loan every so often. One day, however, while cleaning out the animal’s cage, Kelly Ann Walz was attacked by the 350-pound bear. Both the owner and her 350-pound black bear are now dead.

Wild Animals – Born to be Wild

Sure, you can seize them and train them to perform tricks, but how long will it take before their natural instincts kick in? In truth, circus animals are deprived of their basic needs. They want to socialize and roam with their kind, in the wild where they belong. It will only be a matter of time before they break the chains and run.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/denharsh/ / CC BY 2.0

First it was Letterman, now ESPN MLB analyst Steve Phillips is in the spotlight for the same mischievous deed. Steve Phillips has been suspended for a week by ESPN after reports of an affair he had with a 22-year-old production assistant named Brooke Hundley. Things are looking pretty rough for the former Met General Manager. He could possibly lose his family and career over this sex scandal, something not even a personal loan can save.

Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater

Have you ever heard the saying, “Once a cheater, always a cheater”? Well, that definitely seems to be the case with Steve Phillips. This is not the first time Steve Phillips has been accused of sleeping with other women. As a matter of fact, in 1998, Phillips confessed to having multiple love affairs including an affair with a female team employee, Rosa Rodriguez, who filed a sexual harassment suit against Phillips. The case was later settled out of court.

New ‘Fatal Attraction’ Edition Starring Steve Phillips

According to the New York Post, Steve Phillips confessed to having three sexual encounters with the young ESPN assistant before dumping her in July. According to an exclusive police report, things got pretty nasty after the break-up. Brooke Hundley began harassing Phillips’ wife, Marni, with pestering phone calls and leaving inappropriate voice and text messages. She even began stalking Phillips’ 16-year-old son on Facebook while posing as a high school classmate, only to grill him with personal questions about the family later.

Marni Phillips also told police that she spotted a woman walking down the driveway to a parked car as she drove home with her 7-year-old son. Instinctively, she knew it was the woman her husband was involved with and immediately called the police. The woman got into her car, threw it on reverse, and smashed the rear end of her vehicle into a pole before driving off.

Stuck in the door of her house was a letter addressed to Marni. In the letter, Hundley wrote in details about the intimate relationship she had with Steve. For further proof, Hundley even provided a graphic description of Steve’s birthmark located on his crotch and inner thigh. Talk about obsessed! You can read the full original letter here.

Fatal Attraction Ending – No Bullets, Just Another Lawsuit

Through it all, for whatever his reasons are, Steve Phillips has decided not to pursue criminal charges against Brooke Hundley. Nonetheless, Phillips is suspended for at least one week and his beautiful wife has filed for divorce. This sounds like the perfect time for a personal loan.

Smithsonian American Art Museum. Image from Flickr.

Some teenagers want to skip school when they get an acne breakout. Some women refuse to leave the house without makeup. However, Richard Yarosh — who is missing the tip of his nose and his ears and has a face completely covered in scar tissue — says “I’m proud of the way I look. I’m proud of the reason for the way I look.”

He isn’t the only one. Painter Matthew Mitchell has turned Richard Yarosh’s head and shoulders into a work of art — one that will be on display at the Smithsonian. The Associated Press reports that Mitchell’s portrait “is a finalist in the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, which recognizes modern portraiture at the gallery known for its collection of notable Americans.”

If Mitchell wins the competition, he won’t need to worry about finding a money lender before he can start his next series. First prize is $25,000.

What happened to Richard Yarosh?

A bit more than three years ago, Sept. 1, 2006, Richard Yarosh was in Iraq “manning the turret of a Bradley assault vehicle,” says the Associated Press. The vehicle hit an explosive device, and the fuel tank, the vehicle and Richard Yarosh went up in flames. At the time, Yarosh was 24.

Richard Yarosh miraculously survived, though he suffered third-degree burns to 60 percent of his body and had his lower right leg amputated. “His fingers are permanently bent and rigid,” says the Associated Press. To read a full account of Richard Yarosh’s accident, check out the AP story, where you can view a photo of Richard Yarosh.

Smithsonian portrait competition

The winner of the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition also will have a chance to do commissioned work for the Smithsonian’s permanent collection. The winner will be announced Thursday.

Mitchell’s painting of Richard Yarosh is part of a series of paintings that honor 100 military personnel. Mitchell chose to paint his subjects in the classic, head-and-shoulders style usually reserved for honoring nobility or the president. Museum curator Brandon Fortune says this style adds to the strength of the Richard Yarosh painting.

See a copy of the painting at Zimbio. Regarding Mitchell’s painting of him, Yarosh said:

“It was perfect. I couldn’t believe that he captured me. It captures my pride. I’m proud of the way I look. I’m proud of the reason for the way I look.”

Rush Limbaugh won't get a chance to buy the Rams. Image from Picasa.

About a week ago, Rush Limbaugh and St. Louis Blues hockey team owner Dave Checketts announced they were part of a group who would submit a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams. They didn’t say who else was in the group, only that they had an agreement with Goldman Sachs. I don’t know whether they were seeking hard money loans from Goldman Sachs or just more investors.

However, now Checketts, the man who first joined Limbaugh in publicly announcing their intention to buy the team, has announced Limbaugh has been kicked out of the group. Despite the short time period that elapsed between these two announcements, it’s no surprise.

All opposed, raise your voices

The NFL Players Association publicly announced that they were opposed to Limbaugh buying the team. Prominent public figures including the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton urged the NFL not to accept a bid from Rush Limbaugh. The NFL commissioner said he probably wouldn’t.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said in a House floor speech that the NFL should “show some integrity” by not allowing him to own a team. A host of other NFL team owners said they wouldn’t vote to accept his bid. An online petition, housed at rushisracist.com, circulated asking people sign it if they didn’t want Rush Limbaugh involved in the NFL.

Business is business

Clearly, Checketts and the other anonymous partners in the group seeking to buy the Rams are serious about doing business, because after all the controversy, they did the most logical thing. Clearly they just wanted to make a business deal, not get swept up in the polical firestorm that follows Rush Limbaugh everywhere he goes.

Most people who opposed selling to Limbaugh said it was because they believe he is racist. They cited quotes he’d said on his own show about the merits of slavery and Obama reminding him of a monkey. Rush Limbaugh’s relationship with the NFL first went sour when he left a job as a commentator on ESPN after he said Donovan McNabb was only hailed as a good quarterback because he is black, and outrage ensued.

On  his show today, Rush Limbaugh said “This is about the ongoing effort by the left in this country, wherever you find them, in the media, the Democratic party, or wherever, to destroy conservatism.”

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/damselfly58/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

How far will some women go to get the luxurious materials in life? Would they go through great sacrifice just to get dazzling diamonds and fancy cars? In this tale of love and money, a woman shares her story after living the past eight years of her life with one of the most notorious drug lords in Columbia, Wilber Varela.

The Beauty and the Beast

Yovanna Guzman, a former beauty queen and model, says she was only 19 when she met Wilber Varela, who she says claimed to be a wealthy cattle rancher at the time. It was not until she saw a Wanted poster with a mug shot of Varela that she found out the truth about her lover. He wooed her with expensive gifts, luxurious apartments, and multiple vacation trips around the world. Guzman was given nothing but the finest things drug money or any amount of personal loans can buy.

Wilber Varela, a former police agent who went and sought a life in the drug trafficking world, became one of the most brutal cocaine traffickers. He was head of the North Valle Cartel, one of the most powerful drug cartels in the industry.

“He had two faces. I saw him so tender with the ones he loved, then you see the cartel killings. He always said he was the best of friends and the worst of enemies,” Guzman said in a recent interview with CNN.

Police authorities accused Varela of distributing large supplies of cocaine to the United States using speedboats and employed jet planes to send business to Europe. According to a RICO indictment issued in the District Court of the District of Columbia, Varela and his thugs exported approximately 500 metric tons of cocaine worth in excess of $10 billion from Colombia to the US between 1990 and 2004, according to Wikipedia.

The Real Wilber Varela

Yovanna Guzman had all the finest things drug money can buy. (Photo: Wikimedia.org)

Young and beautiful, Yovanna Guzman was “dazzled” by all the fancy gifts Varela showered her with. Who needs personal loans when you are the prized jewel of a wealthy mobster? Materially, she had everything she needed, thanks to her infamous drug king lover. But after the party was over and reality settled in, the perfect dream come true turned into a living nightmare.

“Of course, the luxuries don’t make you fall in love, but they do dazzle you. When you get dazzled, you get carried away, but then you ask yourself where is the love and my principles?”

It was not long before Wilber Varela decided to lock his beautiful possession away from the world. According to the CNN news report, Yovanna Guzman was no longer allowed to model and associate with any male friends, despite the fact he catered to a number of female companions throughout their relationship. She belonged to him and no one else. Guzman said that Varela’s jealousy became so bitter and strong to the point he even ordered one of his lieutenants to shoot her in the leg.

“When I got shot, I was supposedly never going to walk properly again. The bullet could easily have hit me somewhere else and killed me. But I pulled myself together and I said I’m not going to be crippled,” she said.

A Fallen Villain – Rise of a New Story

Wilber Varela aka Jabón (”Soap”) died last year, slain by the hands of an inside man who hungered for the same power and riches.

“[When I heard the news], I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. Varela had his good side, but my freedom doesn’t have a price,” she said. “I felt the golden cage had been flung open, and I could fly again.”

Yovanna Guzman is currently writing a book detailing the events that took place in the dangerous love affair that is now capitalizing headlines. She hopes to share her experience with other young women in search of easy money. Whether or not her new life will require personal loans is another story.

Related Video:

(Viewer discretion is advised)

Image from Flikr.

After more than 10 years of silence, Susan Klebold has written an essay about being the mother of Dylan Klebold, one of the boys responsible for the Columbine High School killings. The Susan Klebold essay came out yesterday in O Magazine, and for now it seems that’s where it will stay.

It might seem tacky to talk about capitalizing on this tragedy, but clearly the editors of Oprah’s magazine knew they were sitting on a goldmine. The magazine released excerpts of the essay last week, but the full text of the Susan Klebold essay is noticeably absent from the O Magazine web site, and it can’t be found anywhere online.

Survivors praise Susan Klebold essay

Who knows why Susan Klebold wrote this essay after 10 years of not publicly speaking about the incident. Maybe she needed emergency money, but I think the real reason is that she is still trying to figure out a way to process what happened.

In her essay, Susan Klebold writes she had no idea that her son was suicidal or depressed. Reaction from survivors of the Columbine shootings and parents of survivors has been positive. Connie Michalik, mother of a student who was injured, said “I applaud her for the courage to talk about this,” according to the Associated Press.

Excerpts from the Susan Klebold essay

The Susan Klebold essay in O Magazine talks about the day of the shooting, when she feared that her son had been one of the victims of the Columbine High School shootings. It didn’t occur to her that he could be one of the perpetrators. From what I’ve read, it appears that even after Susan Klebold found out what had happened, she and his other relatives reacted with denial.

“We didn’t know that he and Eric had assembled an arsenal of explosives and guns,” Susan Klebold wrote. “We believed his participation in the massacre was accidental or that he had been coerced. We believed that he did not intend to hurt anyone.”

The grieving process can be a long one, and perhaps after 10 years Susan Klebold has finally reached the acceptance stage, though she admits she is forever changed.

“For the rest of my life, I will be haunted by the horror and anguish Dylan caused,” she wrote. “I cannot look at a child in a grocery store or on the street without thinking about how my son’s schoolmates spent the last moments of their lives. Dylan changed everything I believed about myself, about God, about family, and about love.”

Kanye West wasn't nominated for any American Music Awards. I wonder if he'll be allowed to attend the ceremony. Image from wikimedia.

I wonder if Kanye West will have anything to say at the American Music Awards if Beyonce doesn’t beat out Keyshia Cole and Keri Hilson for Favorite Female Artist in the soul/R&B category. Perhaps he’ll wait to see whether she wins Favorite Female Artist in the pop/rock category before he voices his dismay if someone else wins.

Now that all of the American Music Awards nominees have been announced, there’s not much to do but wait until Nov. 22, when the awards ceremony will air on ABC. However, if you have opinions about who should win, you can vote at ABC.com. You won’t need an easy loan to vote, but you might need one if you want to buy tickets to the ceremony, which will be at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. Tickets start at $70 and range up to $1,000 for a VIP package.

Categorically speaking

I am sure Kanye is displeased that neither he nor Beyonce were nominated for Artist of the Year. However, Taylor Swift was. If you’re a Swift fan, though, don’t get your hopes up. For that matter, don’t get your hopes up if you are a big fan of Kings of Leon, Lady Gaga or Eminem, the other nominees for artist of the year.

Why do I say such things? The other nominee for Artist of the Year is Michael Jackson, and I think it is going to be tough for any musical artist to win against the deceased King of Pop.

More American Music Awards nominees

Taylor Swift also was nominated for Favorite Female Artist in the country category, along with Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood. On the other end of the spectrum, nominees for Favorite Male Artist in the rap/hip-hop category are Eminem, T.I. and Jay-Z. Strangely, there is no category for rap/hip-hop female artists.

You can learn all about the American Music Awards and read through a list of the rest of the nominees at the 2009 American Music Awards site at ABC.com.

Image from Wikimedia.

Often people try to make a long story short, but David Letterman made a short story long last night on his show when he talked about the David Letterman extortion. Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau identified today the man who tried to blackmail David Letterman.

The alleged extortionist is CBS producer Robert “Joe” Halderman, and I am guessing now that he’s been named in People magazine and the entire David-Letterman-watching public heard the whole story last night, it’ll be a short trial.

David Letterman on David Letterman

David Letterman makes a lot of money and probably gets the best personal loan rates available, but when he got a package with a letter detailing the secrets someone would share if he didn’t get $2 million, David Letterman was none too pleased. Well, clearly keeping his secrets was not worth $2 million to David Letterman because he told those secrets on national television.

I watched the video from last night’s show in which the David Letterman extortion is covered by none other than David Letterman on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Clearly, the audience was enthralled and entertained by his story, which was punctuated by plenty of laughter, but there is something about turning a story about having sex with women he works with into a 10-minute comedic monologue that really rubs me the wrong way.

When did infidelity become funny?

You see, if it weren’t for the fact that David Letterman has been in a relationship with Regina Lasko, his wife and the  mother of his son, since 1989, I think I would have found it a lot more funny. Clearly these sexual relationships with his coworkers happened while he and Regina were together, otherwise why would this revelation be blackmail worthy?

So what I want to know is what is funny about cheating on your partner? And in general, when did infidelity become a huge component of the entertainment industry in general? I feel like I can’t watch a television show or movie anymore that doesn’t have some kind of infidelity going on it it, and I feel like the subject is taken very lightly on the big and small screen nowadays. Am I a prude for thinking this is wrong?

I’m not judging David Letterman. Perhaps he and Regina had some kind of open relationship or they were “on a break” or something. But it bugs me that he turned the subject into a big joke.

Khloe Kardashian is a married woman. Image from wikimedia.

Khloe Kardashian’s wedding pictures have earned a pretty penny for the pair. In a ceremony that was thrown together in a week and occurred about a month after Khloe started dating NBA player Lamar Odom, the two were married Sunday, and the Khloe Kardashian wedding pictures are in high demand.

Though it was Khloe’s mother Kris Jenner who sealed the deal with OK! Magazine to sell Khloe Kardashian’s wedding pictures for $300,000, the family says all of the money will go to Khloe. I guess Khloe and Lamar won’t need to put their honeymoon on a credit card.

Khloe Kardashian wedding fit for a celebrity

Even though reality TV star Khloe Kardashian and L.A. Lakers’ player Lamar Odom were engaged only a week before the wedding, descriptions of the ceremony show the couple spared no expense and still held a ceremony fit for celebrities despite the rush.

The wedding was held at the home of music industry legend Irving Azoff, who has been manager for Journey, The Eagles, Jewel and Seal among many others. Khloe, of course, wore a Vera Wang dress, and hundreds of balloons were released after the couple said “I do.”

Where are Khloe Kardashian’s wedding pictures?

You can scour the Internet all day for Khloe Kardashian’s wedding pictures, but my guess is that you won’t find them. Now that OK! Magazine has paid $300,000 for them, they will no doubt keep them under lock and key until the next issue of the magazine comes out.

After all, they’re going to have to sell enough copies of that magazine to make their $300,000 back. Blackberrys and other multimedia devices were banned from the ceremony, although a few Lamar Odom-Khloe Kardashian photos taken from outside the house have surfaced.

More about Lamar Odom

I haven’t yet come across an explanation for why Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom were in such a hurry to get married. Lamar Odom previously was with Liza Morales, the mother of his three children, for eight years, but the couple never married.

Lamar Odom’s children include 11-year-old Destiny and 7-year-old Lamar Jr. His son Jayden died of SIDS at age 6-and-a-half months in 2005. Odom is 30 and Khloe is 25. Odom grew up in New York and played for the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers. He has signed a contract with the L.A. Lakers for four more years.

Outside interests

Though Lamar Odom’s main job is his position on the Lakers, he is also planning to invest in a restaurant with professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek.

Khloe Kardashian’s reality show career began on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” and now she and the oldest Kardashian sister star on reality show “Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami.” Khloe also hosts a radio show and is part owner with Kim and Kourney of D-A-S-H clothing stores.

Now what?

TMZ has a photo of Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom after their wedding Sunday, reporting they were still in L.A. A few different sources, including X17online, say that the couple is wating until after basketball season to go on their honeymoon.

Don't worry, the cats who were at the Montgomery Animal Shelter are safe. Image from Flikr.com.

Everyone knows the Internet is a powerful thing. Through massive social networking sites, you can get a message to numerous people instantly. However, the Montgomery Animal Shelter closing story is an example of the fact that if you’re going to disseminate a message to the masses, you’d better make sure it’s true.

First, let’s get one thing straight. The Montgomery Animal Shelter is actually the Montgomery County Texas Humane Society. The Montgomery Animal Shelter closing is not in New Jersey, Tennessee or Pennsylvania. The Montgomery County animal shelter in Pennsylvania has been swamped with calls about people concerned for the animals’ lives, according to Philly.com.

More rumors go viral

Social networking can be a great way to inform people about getting a short term personal loan, promote your business and even make money. But it can also be a way of spreading lies and needlessly getting people all riled up.

The other huge misconception out there, which has run rampant on Facebook and Twitter, is that because of the Montgomery Animal Shelter closing, all of the animals will be put to sleep. Several sources, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Humane Society of Montgomery and the Montgomery County News confirm that all of the animals have been adopted.

Who comes up with this stuff?

The News PK wrote that the Montgomery County Animal Shelter was closing after animal control officers found decomposing dogs in the building. However, the reason for the Montgomery County Animal Shelter closing is that the organization’s lease was up, and their request for funding to maintain the facility was denied.

So there were no dead dogs, there will be no dead dogs, all the animals are safe and the Montgomery Animal Shelter closing was simply a money matter. Oh yeah, and it’s the Montgomery Animal Shelter in Texas. So that should just about clear everything up.

More about the Montgomery Animal Shelter

It really is a shame that the Montgomery County Texas Humane Society is vacating its building. The shelter’s web site reports that the Humane Society of Montgomery will now direct its efforts toward starting a spay and neuter campaign and program, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll be getting a new building to house strays and unwanted pets anytime soon.

The Montgomery County Animal Shelter opened its doors in 1972. It’s disappointing to see a shelter that has been housing animals for 37 years get shut down. State budgets just aren’t what they used to be.

Focus on reality

Animal shelters in Tennessee, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, all having “Montgomery” in their monikers, were swamped with calls all weekend from people worried that their local shelters were closing. Apparently the Tennessee rumor started because of a typo in a newspaper in which “TN” was printed in a headline instead of “TX.”

In the old days, when there were mistakes in a newspaper headline, the locals would see it, usually read the correction about it the next day, and that’s as far as it went. Maybe a few people would spread something false to a few other people by phone. The spreading of all of the false rumors about the Montgomery Animal Shelter closing didn’t really do too much harm to anyone, besides inconveniencing the other shelters. But let this be a lesson that tales spread on the internet elicit big responses, so be careful what you put out there.

Image from CoverBrowser.com.

Today marked the start of Kate Gosselin’s new two-day temp job: Kate Gosselin on “The View” today and tomorrow is filling in for Barbara Walters. She shared some insight this morning into why she still is doing the show with all of the turmoil in her life.

This question, “Why is Kate Gosselin doing this?” is a very popular one, and one that is seldom addressed. Kate Gossselin on “The View” said if she just quit doing the show, she’d still get all the flack but no paycheck. She also talked about the fact that everyone chooses their jobs and careers for different reasons, and every career and job has its downsides.

More ‘Jon & Kate Plus 8′ to come

In case you haven’t yet heard, Jon and Kate Gosselin have signed a contract to do 20 more episodes of “Jon & Kate Plus 8.” If you add up their paychecks per episode, that means they have $1.5 million headed their way. One of the other hosts on “The View,” Joy Behar, said she could understand Kate Gosselin doing it for the money.

Granted, she can’t just get a personal loan for each of her eight children when it comes time for them to go to college. She needs to make a lot more money than someone with the average two to three children in order to support her kids. But a lot of people look down on her for the decision to support her kids by letting their lives be recorded and televised.

How did Kate Gosselin do on ‘The View’?

I have read several blog posts analyzing Kate Gosselin’s performance on “The View” as a guest co-host. Lifeline Live said Kate seemed “shy and nervous,” but also acknowledged that it seems like it’d be hard to get a word in edgewise with other hosts on “The View.”

Kate Gosselin has never struck me as shy or nervous, so I definitely think she just applied a lesson we all learned from Kanye West at the VMAs last night, which is that it’s rude to interrupt. Kate Gosselin on “The View” also took part with the other ladies in mocking Madonna a bit for her speech before Janet Jackson’s performance and tribute to Michael Jackson. In comparing her own life to Michael Jackson’s, Madonna did indeed come across as a bit self-centered. I guess when you are making a speech that opens a tribute to someone you shouldn’t talk just as much about yourself as you do about the person you are honoring.

Kate Gosselin talks kids

I thought it was interesting that Kate Gosselin on “The View” talked about the other “we have a bunch of kids” show on TLC, the show that focuses on The Duggars, who are expecting their 19th child and first grandchild simultaneously.

Kate Gosselin said she is worried for Mrs. Duggar’s health, that it was “scary for her.” However, anyone who has read or seen anything about the Duggars knows that Michelle Duggar is more dedicated to having as many children as the Lord wants to give her than she is to her own health. Kate Gosselin also talked about the Serena Williams meltdown. You can watch the full episode of Kate Gosselin on “The View” at ABC.com.

Image from Wikimedia.

Last night, the MTV Video Music Awards was a festival of shared spotlights. Taylor Swift’s spotlight was stolen by a Kanye West temper tantrum.  Beyonce then gave her spotlight to Taylor Swift, giving her another chance to make her first VMA acceptance speech for her Best Female Video award.

Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance was all about her late brother, Michael Jackson. In a nearly 6-minute Michael Jackson tribute, the most famous remaining Jackson and a troupe of other dancers did their best to imitate the King of Pop’s moves as footage from some of his most memorable music videos played on a gigantic screen behind them.

Michael Jackson still making headlines

The story of Michael Jackson has been portrayed from many different points of view since his death. VH1 has been running a special about where his money went and how much debt he had because of personal loans to add rides at Neverland Ranch. Many tribute specials have been created, and last night another was made: Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance.

The Michael Jackson tribute started off with, of course, “Thriller,” and the medley that followed contained pieces of of “Bad,” “Smooth Criminal” and “Scream.” From the costumes the dancers wore to the dance moves, the performers did their best to embody Michael Jackson in their tribute.

Before Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance

Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance followed a speech by Madonna, which opened the MTV Awards, and also was part of the Michael Jackson tribute. Madonna spoke about the things she and Michael Jackson had in common, but mostly she said she regretted not being closer to him.

“He was so unique, so original, so rare. And there will never be anyone like him again. He was a king,” Madonna said. Then Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance started as renowned dance choreographers took the stage to re-create “Thriller.”

Then things went downhill

Opening the 2009 MTV VMAs with Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance and Michael Jackson Tribute was a good decision that got a wide audience to tune in to the MTV Awards. Another attention-getting performance was the arguable bizarre and bloody number by the always-attention-grabbing Lady Gaga.

Later in the evening Kanye West made the very bad decision to interrupt Taylor Swifts speech with his proclamation that Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. Beyonce was obviously embarrassed; Taylor Swift was stunned and speechless. But the evening ended on a high note when Beyonce won Best Video of the Year, but called Taylor Swift up on stage to finish her acceptance speech rather than making her own. Very classy.

Staged versus spontaneous

While Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance was clearly planned out very carefully, right down to the virtual duet at the end, where she matched movements with a video of her brother, I don’t think the Kanye West, Taylor Swift incident was planned or staged.

Even though the incident has gotten the artists all kinds of media attention, it just doesn’t make sense as a publicity stunt. I am glad to see, though, that Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance — a positive, loving Michael Jackson tribute — is getting just as much attention as Kanye West’s little hissy fit.

Watch Janet Jackson’s 2009 VMA performance

In Kanye West vs. Taylor Swift, the winner is ... Beyonce!

Judging by the buzz on Twitter and Facebook this morning, this weekend was all about the outbursts. The Serena Williams outburst video is the most-watched clip around right now, but it’s followed closely by Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift’s speech at the MTV Video Music Awards.

When Taylor Swift won Best Female Video, she was in the middle of her acceptance speech when Kanye West appeared on stage. He took the microphone from her and said “Taylor, I’m really happy for you. I’ll let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!”

Just another Kanye West tantrum

A few people out there have predicted that Kanye West will be left needing payday loans after this little stunt ruins his career, but most people assume that this will all blow over shortly. Bloggers and journalists are quick to point out that this isn’t Kanye West’s first awards show tantrum.

Of course, most of his previous awards show tantrums have revolved around the fact that someone else won an award he believed he should have won. This time, he had a tantrum over an award he wasn’t even eligible for on someone else’s behalf. It was apparent that Beyonce was not happy about Kanye West, and she gave Taylor Swift her moment in the spotlight when “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” won Best Video of the Year.

Beyonce gives Taylor Swift her moment

When Beyonce went up on stage to accept the biggest award of the night, she said a quick thank you followed by “I remember being 17 years old, up for my first MTV award with Destiny’s Child and it was one of the most exciting moments in my life. So, I’d like for Taylor to come out and have her moment.”

Taylor Swift came up and said her thank yous, and meanwhile Kanye West was already blogging an apology to her. Yes, blogging. My how times have changed. The L.A. Times posted a screen shot of Kanye West’s blog apology in which he says “I will apologize to Taylor 2mrw.”

Set-up speculation

After all of the various stunts that have been pulled at the MTV Awards, it’s only logical for people to wonder whether this whole thing, which has indeed garnered a lot of media attention, was planned and staged.

However, I don’t think it makes sense for the MTV Awards, Kanye West, Taylor Swift and Beyonce to set this up. Kanye West has had outbursts before that weren’t set up. And why would MTV Awards producers think it was a good idea for a veteran award-winner to interrupt a 19-year-old’s first VMA acceptance speech?

Where is the publicity going?

It is true that Kanye West, Taylor Swift and Beyonce are all getting a lot of attention because of this incident, but that alone isn’t enough evidence to support the theory that the Kanye West, Taylor Swift incident was staged. The one who came out looking the best at the end of it all was Beyonce when she gave Taylor Swift the microphone during her stage time.

It’s tough to believe that Kanye West, after years in the business and putting up with the flack from his previous tantrums, would do something so stupid, but I think that’s exactly what happened. Usually when there’s some kind of setup on the MTV Awards or some other awards show, it’s funny or shocking, but this whole Kanye West, Taylor Swift thing was just awkward. See for yourself.

Kate and Jon Gosselin's first book. Image from Amazon.com.

You may have read about or seen video clips featuring Jon Gosselin on “Good Morning America,” but that three-minute segment only scratched the surface of Jon Gosselin’s interview with ABC News’ Chris Cuomo.

“ABC News Primetime,” in its new limited series “Family Secrets,” focused on the Gosselin family last night in an extended interview with Jon Gosselin. On Primetime, Jon Gosselin talked about when the marriage went bad, Kate’s refusal to go to therapy, his “party boy” image and the verbal “abuse” he put up with for 10 years.

Dad of the year or dirt-bag of the year?

Chris Cuomo reports at the end of Jon Gosselin’s Primetime interview that Jon makes about $75,000 per episode for “Jon & Kate Plus 8.” He has signed a contract for 20 more episodes, which means another$1.5 million is headed his way. So while Jon Gosselin may not need to worry about ever needing a pay day loan, he probably is already worried that his reputation will never be saved. Chris Cuomo reminded Jon Gosselin exactly what that reputation is when he held up a tabloid with a photo of Jon on the cover that said “HE’S A DIRT-BAG.”

The clip of Jon Gosselin on “Good Morning America” in which he said he “despises” Kate made all kinds of tabloid headlines yesterday, and the Jon Gosselin “Primetime” interview included that part as well. Chris Cuomo warns him “you gotta be careful how you talk about Kate, as the mother of your kids.” When Cuomo continues on to say that perhaps it isn’t fair, but if the mother of his children can’t be criticized, Jon says “neither can the father.”

Is it really all about the money?

Jon Gosselin said on “Primetime” that he’s not forcing his kids to film, despite the huge paycheck he gets for each episode. He also says that he tried to get Kate to go to therapy and marriage counseling, but she refused.

However, Kate did ask Jon to fly to California to meet with her and the famous Dr. Phil, but Jon says the whole counseling session focused on the reputation of the show and fixing that, rather than fixing the marriage. So was Kate the one who was only focused on how much money she could make from “Jon & Kate Plus 8.” She has, after all, gotten two book deals that made her a lot of money.

Watch Jon Gosselin on ‘Primetime’ videos

John Gosselin’s “Primetime” interview ended with Cuomo asking him what he wanted for his kids. Of course, safety, health and happiness were first. Jon also said “I want them to be educated and have the best opportunities that they can have, and if we have to provide it through finances, let it be.”

These videos show the Jon Gosselin Primetime special:

The end isn’t posted on Youtube, but you can watch the final part of Jon Gosselin’s Primetime interview at ABC’s web site, where he talks about his feelings for his new girlfriend Hailey Glassman and his thoughts on the rumor that Kate was having an affair with her married bodyguard.

OMG, It's Elisabetta Canalis' boyfriend! Image from Wikimedia.

Part of what I do on a daily basis is keep track of what people are Googling. I always find the mixture of hot topics interesting and usually amusing, and I’ve always kind of wanted to write a “Google Trends roundup” type thing. So instead of writing a whole bunch about one popular topic, I’ll just write a little bit about a few topics and see how people like it. I would very much appreciate comments with your feedback.

I’m sad to report that “military payday loans” and “no fax loans” never appear among the most popular search terms, otherwise I’d probably make more money. The most popular topic on the Internet today, by far, is Obama’s school speech. The most-searched term at the moment is “Obama school speech video,” which I happen to have right here for your viewing pleasure:

Elisabetta Canalis photos

Whenever the president gives a big speech, it’s always very popular on Google. Otherwise, there are sometimes political search terms that sporadically pop up here and there. One thing you can always — always — count on, though, is that people will be looking for pictures of women.

Specifically, people will search for pictures of the newest, hottest, most scantily clad female celebrity who is a celebrity specifically because she is hot and scantily clad in photos. Today, Elisabetta Canalis photos are right up there with Obama’s school speech as far as popularity goes. Elisabetta Canalis was a D or maybe E list celebrity until she started dating George Clooney. For Elisabetta Canalis photos, you’ll have to go elsewhere. Hey, I recognized that people are always searching for scantily clad ladies. That doesn’t mean I have to aid them.

AP Poll college football

Season opening games are fresh in the minds of college football fans, and everyone is checking out the AP Poll college football rankings to see how their teams fared in the eyes of the professional sports analyzers.

Sports are always all over the popular search terms list, so this is no surprise. I always imagined that if I started a blog called “Celebrities, death and sports” or something along those lines, it’d be very popular. Want to see how your team did on the AP Poll college football rankings? I can do better than that ESPN College Football has the AP, USA Today and ESPN polls.

King brothers Wiki

Sometimes even we mere mortals can confuse and befuddle the Great Google Robot. A popular search term right now is “King brothers wiki,” which will lead you right to Wikipedia entries about The King Brothers, a popular ’50s Brit pop trio as well as a modern-day American rock duo.

Of course, people are actually searching for the King brothers who were featured on Dateline last night. The 21 and 22-year-old boys killed their father when they were 12 and 13 years old. At the time, they were the youngest suspects ever to be tried for murder as adults. Get details and a video on the King brothers on Good Morning America at The Huffington Post.

To read up on another popular trend, check out my earlier post on Jon Gosselin on “Good Morning America.”

ABC News building. Image from Flikr.com.

Jon Gosselin’s attempt on “Good Morning America” to show the world that he is “a real person with feelings” appears to have possibly backfired. “ABC News” reporter Chris Cuomo said during Jon Gosselin’s interview that Kate has been painted as a victim in the tabloids while Jon Gosselin has been portrayed as the enemy or even “the evil empire.”

Cuomo held up magazine covers calling Jon a “dirt-bag” and saying Kate “strikes back” as evidence. Jon Gosselin on “Good Morning America” says that Kate was abusive, that he’s trying to move on with life and that he wants everyone to see that he has feelings. Unfortunately, he also said — twice — that he “despises” Kate. Oops. That, of course, is the quote that made all of the headlines today.

Maintaining dirt-bag status

Alarm bells obviously went off in Cuomo’s head when Jon Gosselin on “Good Morning America” said he and Kate have separate film crews because Jon can’t sit on a couch with someone he despises. Cuomo said “you gotta be careful about how you talk about Kate, as the mother of your kids.” But the damage was already done.

Pay day loans have gotten bad publicity in the past because of a few bad comments, and now it’s Jon Gosselin’s turn. Only in Jon Gosselin’s case, it’s his own comments that might earn him bad press. True to her more polished public persona, Kate said there are aspects of their divorce that should remain private and wouldn’t comment any further. If Jon Gosselin’s interview on “Good Morning America” was a cry for attention, it certainly worked. But is this really the type of attention Jon Gosselin was aiming for? Some people, particularly Richard Huff from the Daily News, believe it’s all about the money.

Coincidences or publicity stunts

In his article, Huff points out that both Jon and Kate have fed into and capitalized on the paparazzi and tabloid frenzy that has been following them around for months. He even goes so far as to imply that Jon and Kate timed their divorce announcement on “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ for when it would get the most publicity. Huff writes:

Since their marriage fell apart on TV, which coincidentally and sadly happened at a time when the rest of the celebrity world was in hibernation, the couple have generated more online clicks and sold more magazines than anyone.

That’s a pretty harsh accusation, but one that is tough to argue with. I have been following the Jon and Kate saga since rumors began flying that the two were having affairs, and the big breaks in their story do seem to be so perfectly timed that it’s hard not to think they might be publicity stunts.

More suspicious activity

A strange part of the Jon Gosselin on “Good Morning America” interview was the part near the end where he says Kate took his wedding ring. It’s clear from the interview that he doesn’t know for sure that she took it, he is assuming she took it.

Airing your assumptions on “Good Morning America,” one of the most-watched shows in the country? Not a great idea. Especially not if you want people to see you as a good guy.

Watch Jon Gosselin on ‘Good Morning America’ video

Watch the Jon Gosselin on “Good Morning America” segment: