1960s television host Lloyd Thaxton passed away this week at the age of 81. Check out this classic clip of him lip-synching “Getaway” by Georgie Fame (the song is kind of awesome, too).
So very cool. So very charming. So very Hollywood.
You can take a look at the piece the LA Times did, if you’re in the mood for a little more nostalgia.
RIP, Mr. Thaxton.
Esquire mag named its “sexiest woman alive” and the big, bad Halle Berry made the cut. No surprise there. And yes—I know, I know—the whole “sexiest woman” thing is a bit objectifying, but let’s keep in mind that Berry is over 40 and just had a baby. Her making the top of the list is progress, no?
“To the left, to the left”? More like—to the altar, to the altar. It’s official: Beyoncé and Jay-Z tied the knot last Saturday in a hush-hush ceremony. Only forty guests attended, but the couple didn’t skimp on the frills—70,000 white orchids were reportedly flown in from Thailand for the affair. Wait, what economic crisis?
Hugh Hef’s main squeeze (or one of them) called it quits this week. Holly Madison reported that she and Hef are no longer ooh-la-la. And it’s about damn time! According to the Playboy mogul, Holly wants to settle down and have kids and, uh, well, . . . Hef’s not up to the challenge. So to speak.
Quote of the Week: “Sarah Palin can’t come to my party. Sarah Palin can’t come to my show. It’s nothing personal.” Got any idea which music icon put the punch to the Palin during a concert this week?
The Connecticut Supreme Court’s 4-3 decision Friday to legalize same-sex marriage reinserts a topic that brought conservatives to the polls in 2004 back into the political spotlight. The news from the Connecticut court comes on the heels of new polls that show support for California’s ballot measure to oppose same-sex marriage is growing.
The presidential campaign has been focused almost exclusively on the economy over the past month. How will the marriage issue play out come November 4?
In Friday’s marriage ruling, the court overturned a lower court’s decision that civil unions provided the same benefits and rights as marriage. Connecticut joins California and Massachusetts as states that allow same-sex marriage.
But gay Californians may not be allowed to marry much longer. Proposition 8, which if passed would amend the California Constitution to only allow marriage between a man and a woman, is the highest profile ballot initiative in California this election season. The opposing sides have raised more than $41 million total, more than all previous marriage initiatives combined. Prop 8 proponents have approximately $10 million more to spend, and a new television advertising campaign appears to be working. In the most recent poll released by SurveyUSA, 47 percent of respondents supported the measure, while 42 percent opposed it. The previous poll, conducted before the advertising campaign began, showed 49 percent of those surveyed planned to oppose the measure, with 44 percent supporting it.
October 10th is “World Anti-Death Penalty Day”—an annual event supported by world organizations, including Amnesty International, the European Union, and the Council of Europe. They hope that a certain few countries will mark the day on their calendars.
The U.S., of course, still uses the death penalty, along with China, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, and Sudan. According to the European Union, this is a major violation of human rights. The EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights identifies “the right to life” as a basic human right and the entity has frequently renewed its vow to abolish the death penalty across the world. Many countries have ceded in the last decade, but according to EU officials, America continues to ignore the subject in their regular meetings with Europe on the topic of human rights.
European Commission Spokesperson Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen told journalists in Brussels today that “Europe has created a de facto death penalty-free zone, which stretches from Iceland to Norway to Turkey. This is indeed one of Europe’s greatest achievements,” he said. “The EU has the leading role in the international efforts to abolish the death penalty.”
Today, a joint declaration was signed by the president of the European Parliament and top officials from the European Council, European Commission and representatives from the ministry that represents the 27 European countries in the EU. “The declaration confirms their joint commitment to continue to work toward the universal abolition of this punishment,” said Hansen.
It’s got all the elements:
Tom Brokaw’s deep, booming voice.
Tom Brokaw’s scolding of the candidates.
My Friends!
McCain’s references to Obama as anything but his name.
McCain’s absentminded walking around the stage.
Obama’s inability to speak faster. than. a few. words. at a. time.
