The David Letterman era coming to an end? Criticized for an endless hour of boring comedy, hackneyed material, and tired banter between David Letterman and Paul Shaffer, the era of LATE SHOW may very well be ready to give up and .. just sleep.
Once not ready for prime time, it seems like the Letterman show may not be ready for the 11:35 not ready for bed yet hour.
The LATE SHOW posts dismal ratings, according to Neilson projections. The lowest rating ever for the show since its debut in 1993..
Adults 18-49 rating seem ready to give up on Dave.
But: For the record, Letterman will be remembered for one of the most creative shows in history (minus, oh say, the past 6 or 7 years.) A few clips worth remembering, still funny after all these years:
The Madonna interviewTop ten Bush momentsClassic viewer mail from LATE NIGHT
And there's more. You Tube it. Some is worth it.
PHOTO: TIME MAGAZINE
Scientists say now that natural foods with sugar are making everyone fat!
Give me a physical break. Natural foods!? The same foods that have existed on this earth for centuries? Really.. come in.
Look to the middle section of the grocery store to products with "natural sweeteners" and other byproducts of modern life. It's not the natural food, it's the chemicals. Don't believe this one.
"It seems unthinkable, but for the first time in human history, ice is on course to disappear entirely from the North Pole this year.
The disappearance of the Arctic sea ice, making it possible to reach the Pole sailing in a boat through open water, would be one of the most dramatic – and worrying – examples of the impact of global warming on the planet. Scientists say the ice at 90 degrees north may well have melted away by the summer."
And now, the new question in the age of ice being gone: Who will get there first to drill for oil!?
New films: Wall-E (Buena Vista) / 3,992
Wanted (Universal) / 3,175
Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (Yash Raj) / 69
Finding Amanda (Magnolia) / 14
Gunnin' for That #1 Spot (Oscilloscope) / 14
Trumbo (Samuel Goldwyn) / 3
The Last Mistress (IFC) / 2
Expanding: Get Smart (Warner Bros.)
Declining: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Paramount) / 2,556 (-615) / 6
The Happening (Fox) / 2,483 (-503) / 3
You Don't Mess with the Zohan (Sony / Columbia) / 2,147 (-1131) / 4
Obamamania news of the day: ROLLING STONE with no words!
It's still running wild. Less wild than it was, but wild nonetheless.
So wild that ROLLING STONE this week featuers Barack Obama. Wordless. Nothing. Just his smiling face of the future.
A collection of some Obama related news notes from this hot summer day:
Extra! Read all about it! Obama emails Scarlett Johansson! I suspect some Obama campaign workers may want to meet Scarlett Johansson...
Obama may not be emailing Ralph Nader anytime soon. Nader, the perpetual presidential candidate, said that Obama is using white guilt to win.. Nader went on, "There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American." And he didn't stop there.. some video.
Ralph Nader comments or not, Obama is going to try for 14 Bush states.
And finally, ROLLING STONE mag talked to Obama about everything including the songs on his iPod. It's truly a brave new world.
And now for McCain news... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..
What?
The long awaited court ruling came today after a it heard a case concerning a Louisiana law that allows capital punishment for people convicted of raping children under 12..
Laws allowing executions of molesters also now struck down in five other states that allow it.
George Carlin, a fixture in comedic life and counter-culture, dead today.. Millions of emails have been sent .. stuff he never said that people think he did.. Today, I am sure they thought it again.
George Carlin was an authentic American commentator. Someone that observed the dark side of American life. .the negative, the obscure.. the inhuman. And funny. He is being mourned today .. and being remembered for his irreverence and his authentic humor ..
A Carlin YouTube from user Morrinn3, perfect for today:
With George Carlin's death, one of two things will now happen: I will 1) stop getting emails with quotes attributed to George Carlin * (that he never said)* or get MORE emails with quotes attributed to George Carlin *(that he never said)* .. Either way, the comedian is dead this morning at the age of 71.. dead of heart failure..
All the news unfit to print for Sunday, June 22, 2008
REUTERS PHOTO
STEVE CARELL THE STAR OF THE BOX OFFICE; YESTERDAY'S NEWS: MIKE MYERS
GET SMART a hit at the box office with $32.2 mil opening.. LOVE GURU, Mike Myers' new comedy, immediately nose dives into a short lived box office blunder..
This week's numbers:
1. "Get Smart," $39.2 million.
2. "Kung Fu Panda," $21.7 million.
3. "The Incredible Hulk," $21.6 million.
4. "The Love Guru," $14 million.
5. "The Happening," $10 million.
6. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," $8.4 million.
7. "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," $7.2 million.
8. "Sex and the City," $6.5 million.
9. "Iron Man," $4 million.
10. "The Strangers," $1.9 million
The ad campaign for the next Batman film continues, this time in your face.
The death of Heath Ledger apparently isn't stopping Warner Bros. from using darkly bloody images of him in their campaign .. The newest installment of posters brings us a bloody "ha" over the black-eyed smiling Ledger's face.. No other words on the poster. No other words needed..
Batman fans, including me, are eagerly anticipating July 18.. Possibly one of the greatest performances coming from Ledger .. Post-mordem.
AllPosters.com has the newest DARK KNIGHT poster..
'I believe in Harvey Dent' poster coming? I hope. But doubt it. This is the Joker's year.
Tim Russert's was laid to rest this past week.. though he is gone from earth in a physical sense, there were three interesting "miracles" that occurred during and after his memorial service..
The family requested that John McCain and Barack Obama sit together during the service. .both sides agreed to. Reporters describe the scene as one of friendship. Both McCain and Obama seemed to be involved with a conversation that lasted for about 20 minutes..The second "miracle" was Bruce Springsteen appearing during the service to blast THUNDER ROAD .. one of Russert's favorite artists and songs..
And finally, the third event wasn't about stardom or political personalities talking. It could also be considered a natural occurrence, were it not for the timing and song playing..
The Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole version of OVER THE RAINBOW played during the service.. Immediately after, a stunningly vibrant rainbow appeared over Washington D.C. .. Attendees of the memorial service were stunned as they looked to the sky.. and perhaps saw a final message from Tim Russert. From somewhere else.. over the rainbow..
Video:
"Down at a pumping station in a blazing sun -- the metal railings were too hot to touch -- things looked grim. Brent Hoerr's one remaining diesel-powered pump sounded like it was hours, maybe minutes from expiring.
If it did, flood water would seep in from the river and likely undermine his levee, spelling disaster for the 4,000 acres (1,619 hectares) of just-planted crop land it protected.
"Don't sound too good, does it?" Hoerr said, nodding at the wheezing machine and lost in despair for maybe a second.
"You do know how to swim, don't you?" he added, his eyes twinkling as he broke into a belly laugh."
Maybe grim humor.. maybe starkly dark laughter. But at certain points in life, it's the only thing you have left. The last attempt to stay human. Face crisis with a renewed sense of humanity.
And what else, besides sadness, is human? What else is there that binds us together. A common sense of plugging through crisis.
The AP told us that America's bootstrap toughness was dying. The Reuters story however reinforcing that the AP could very well be wrong. Sure, lots of bad news out there.. and yes, possessions and crops in the Midwest destroyed. But throughout, bravery, courage, love, and genuine humanity perseveres.
With bad news often comes good. The only hope is that the good will outweigh all that is wrong in the world..
..with a smile.
Reading the Associated Press won't do much to cheer you up from a slump. Those depressed may want to stay away from the latest AP news alert .. the news wire should only be viewed in small doses. With no ropes nearby.
An absolutely amazing story from the AP is crossing newswires tonight, sure to show up in many of America's newspapers Sunday morning. The AP headline reads: Everything Seemingly Is Spinning out of Control. Everything.
Spin cycle across America.
The story details levees breaking in the Midwest, polar bears dying from global warming, wars, high food and gas prices, and much much more.
An absolutely amazing section reads:
"The can-do, bootstrap approach embedded in the American psyche is under assault. Eroding it is a dour powerlessness that is chipping away at the country's sturdy conviction that destiny can be commanded with sheer courage and perseverance."
The AP concludes:
"Why the vulnerability? After all, this is the 21st century, not a more primitive past when little in life was assured. Surely people know how to fix problems now.
Maybe. And maybe this is what the 21st century will be about — a great unraveling of some things long taken for granted."
The great unraveling! The end of our days!? As the AP taken the route of TV minsters proclaiming 2012 will be doomsday?
What's true is that the news wire story was a pretty thorough reminder of pretty much every single negative piece of information that has taken place over the past few months and years... A very good reminder. So much so that going to bed this fine Saturday night is a little less happy, a little more unsure of tomorrow. If everything is this bad tonight, AP, what about tomorrow!? What will Sunday's news alerts bring......?
News
The David Letterman era coming to an end? Criticized for an endless hour of boring comedy, hackneyed material, and tired banter between David Letterman and Paul Shaffer, the era of LATE SHOW may very well be ready to give up and .. just sleep.
Once not ready for prime time, it seems like the Letterman show may not be ready for the 11:35 not ready for bed yet hour.
The 
And it continues.. The big time players keep admitting their viewing of the new BATMAN film, rating it online .. and even bragging that they were able to see the movie.
Finally, 
You didn't hear it here first, and believe me, I am fine with that.
Verne Troyer, normally up to being mocked for his miniature size in the AUSTIN POWERS movies and other films, 
It's still running wild. Less wild than it was, but wild nonetheless.
Supreme Court decided today 5-4 that 
REUTERS PHOTO
STEVE CARELL THE STAR OF THE BOX OFFICE; YESTERDAY'S NEWS: MIKE MYERS
The ad campaign for the next Batman film continues, this time in your face.
The death of Heath Ledger apparently isn't stopping Warner Bros. from using darkly bloody images of him in their campaign .. The newest installment of posters brings us a bloody "ha" over the black-eyed smiling Ledger's face.. No other words on the poster. No other words needed..
Batman fans, including me, are eagerly anticipating July 18.. Possibly one of the greatest performances coming from Ledger .. Post-mordem.
AP PHOTO
The land of make believe: 
