Reading…

Wonder why/how Britney Spears got herself a star on the walk of fame in Hollywood? Check out slate.com, the on-line magazine, for the answer. The “Explainer” explains it…

The newspapers reporting the Arnold Schwarzenegger’s inauguration – Maria Shriver with the 192-year old Kennedy family Bible; the Hollywood stars (Jamie Lee Curtis, aka Schwarzenegger’s “True Lies” wife; Rob Lowe (who I thought was a Democrat, in real life and on “West Wing”; etc.). It looks like an alternate universe, only it’s not. Meanwhile, it’s the week of the 40th anniversary JFK assaination and television networks (PBS being no exception) are showing Kennedy things. It’s the same stories about Jack, Jackie, Bobby, Teddy, etc. And, now, it’s Schwarzenegger – he is placed into context, in a way.

Of course, then there’s the picture of Andrew Cuomo in today’s NY Daily News; let’s not forget that he was a Kennedy-in-law who couldn’t be governor. Was that coincidental that his picture gets in, on the same day as the pictures for the inauguration of a victorious Kennedy-in-law was also published?

Cooking shows, clowns, and candy…

I’m watching the Colameco cooking show on Channel 13 (PBS) right now. Ah, when will I ever learn – just watching these things doesn’t mean I’ll know how to cook. But, Colameco’s show has a nice flavor to it, so to speak. He gives you a presentation of some really nice restaurant (usually a NYC one) and tries to cook variations on the restaurant’s stuff in his own home kitchen so that you, oh silly layperson/TV viewer, may be so inspired to try to cook in your own kitchen. Colameco’s not some stuffy chef (even if he has the background or training to be one) and he’s a good watch.

No “Alias” tonight – some kind of video music awards. Oh, well. Secret Agent Sydney’s fate will have to wait another week.

Crazy commercials – notice the Saturn Ion commercial with the scary-looking clowns, who get stalked and captured and dragged away by a Saturn Ion? Apparently, they’re meant to demonstrate how we can “put the fun” back into compact cars. Okay, sure. But, those are still scary looking clowns, not since the old “It” mini-series based on Stephen King’s book “It” had its own scary psycho clown.

Check out the M&M’s current commercial promotion. I’ve gotten a kick out of the commercial with the stoner dudes who recreate the M&M’s Christmas commercial (the one where they catch Santa; all scream, “They’re real!” “He’s real!” and the Yellow Peanut M tries to poke the fainted Santa into waking up – “Santa? Santa?”). Stoner Dude A plays with the plastic M&M’s and a hatless Santa doll. Stoner Dude B observes, “Yeah, like who defines what’s real?” Yeah. Good question, dude. All fun and laughs. Head over to the M&M’s website vote on your favorite M&M’s commercial, or watch your favorite commercial in streaming video. Enjoy “the milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand.” www.mms.com