- Never thought I would see this day: the day someone asserts that there’s actually something valuable to be stolen from the set of the NBC show "Lipstick Jungle." You’d think that with a show that abysmally crappy that anything associated with the show would be worthless, no matter how high it’s value in a vacuum, away from the show. But there’s the Brooklyn district attorney's office charging Arthur Moreira a stage manager on production facilities for the show, with stealing almost $30,000 in designer fashion from the show’s wardrobe collection. What’s truly funny is that Moreira was caught as part of a sting operation. Yes, we have sting operations to catch drug dealers and terrorists, but dammit, more importantly we have sting operations to catch people stealing outfits from crappy, third-rate sitcoms and selling them out of their apartment. That’s where Moreira was apprehended, at his apartment where he sold stolen items to undercover operatives. Credit for the bust goes in large part to employees of French designer Sylvia Toledano, who spotted several items that the fashion house had lent to the show on eBay. All told, 16 items were stolen from Brooklyn-based Broadway Ventures, which owns the production and storage facilities used by "Lipstick Jungle." Included were items like sequined mosaic clutches, an Oscar de la Renta snakeskin bag and Gucci coats. So we know two things about Moreira based on this: 1) he’s a thief, and 2) he’s very, very gay. In case you’re sitting there bewildered, knowing nothing about "Lipstick Jungle" because you’ve never heard of it….well, it’s supposed to be a comedy-drama hybrid about three high-powered friends, played by Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price. Don’t worry, it’ll be canceled soon enough, so don’t worry about making any effort to watch it and see how bad it truly is……..
- Riot Watch! Riot Watch, b’otch! That’s right, the world’s favorite celebration of violent (and non-violent) social dissidence is back and wouldn’t you know it, it’s those crazy anarchists in Athens, Greece who are leading the way. Several hundreds of these advocates of the right to riot and oppose their government fought with police in central Athens Saturday after a march to demand the release of people arrested during riots last month. I suppose this is some sort of bizarre cycle of rioting, or chain-rioting as I’m choosing to call it. Just like you smoker losers light one cancer stick off of another to get your nicotine fix, these riots are sparking other riots because inevitably in any riot, some people are arrested and jailed and that makes others in their group even angrier, thus leading to more riots. Plus, nothing like the horrified looks on the faces of shoppers jamming into Athens' main shopping district for winter sales when they’re confronted with the sight of marchers covering their faces with motorcycle helmets and bandanas and carrying sticks and iron bars. Not quite worth it to risk getting smashed in the head with a lead pipe in order to get a good price on some Ugg boots, is it? What has me particularly excited about these riots is that there was property destruction and looting, with a Nike shop was smashed and looted. For one, Nike can afford it with the ridonkulous (yes, it’s a word if I want it to be) prices it charges for its sneaks and gear, and second, The Man isn’t going to take notice until things start getting broken. That preceded violent outbursts in which rioters tried to smash a security camera and riot police armed with batons charged them. At least three arrests were made, but this wasn’t the only battleground for the day. Clashes also occurred outside the main University of Athens building, with the rioters throwing stones and police firing back with pepper spray. Plus, nearly 300 rioters continued their march toward the district of Exarchia, which serves as the anarchists' base, setting fire to trash cans, smashing pavement and throwing chunks of the broken pavement at police. Just an awesome scene, one made that much better when riot police fired back with tear gas and a bum rush of the main Exarchia square, dispersing the crowd. But wait, there’s more! There was another march in the western city of Patras, where protesters attacked a newspaper building and inflicted property damage. All of this because these angry anarchists (which would be a great name for a punk rock band) claim a total of 67 people — 50 in Athens and the rest in other Greek cities — are being held for taking part in violent riots in Athens and other Greek cities in December. They want those people released immediately and honestly….I could go either way on this one. If those jailed are released, there will be that many more angry anarchists on the street, which can’t be bad. If they remain in jail, we get more rioting. It’s the quintessential win-win situation, can’t be beaten…….
- I am not a sports agent, nor do I have a lot of experience in counseling NFL free agents about maximizing their chance for a big pay day and landing a fat contract from a team. However, I feel confident in saying that the way Seattle Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill has kicked off this offseason is a bad approach. Hill, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent Feb. 27, faces a misdemeanor charge for marijuana possession after authorities found him passed out behind the wheel at an intersection in suburban Atlanta. While it’s good that he started Super Bowl XL as a rookie, has started 50 regular-season games in four NFL seasons and led the Seahawks in tackles or tied for the lead five times in seven playoff games, having teams find out that you’re a stoner who gets high and drives around town doesn’t exactly scream, “Sign me to a huge free-agent contract and put your faith in me to lead your defense for the next 4 to 5 years!” Hill was found at an intersection passed out behind the wheel and a search of his car turned up two bags of marijuana. What’s funny is that prior to this incident, Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell recently stated that the team would consider naming Hill its franchise player, which would mean he would be paid as one of the top five players at his position in the entire NFL next season. I’m just guessing here, but if the team knew that getting baked was so important to Hill before Ruskell made those comments, he might have taken a different approach. So stop taking career advice from Ricky Williams and Willie Nelson, hit up one of those sweet celebrity rehab centers and put down the bong, Leroy, before you throw away a great chance at making some nice bank……
- Boy, this is a real burden lifted off of my weary mind. The rich, snobbish people of Los Angeles can finally rest easier, knowing that the thieves who have been hitting up homes of the rich for years and stealing more than $10 million worth of valuables and cash from 150 homes in upscale neighborhoods such as Bel Air, Pacific Palisades and Beverly Hills have apparently been caught. "These guys were real good," said L.A. City Councilman Jack Weiss, who oversees Bel Air where some of the burglaries were committed. "They were professionals." And who doesn’t feel bad when Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and multimillionaires are touched up for loot? Look, I know that anyone whose home was broken into would feel violated and that losing your possessions sucks no matter who you are, but when you’ve got so much crap that your closet is crammed with expensive outfits you’ve never worn, you have a car for every day of the week and you can never actually spend all of the money you make, absorbing the hit of a burglary must be a tad easier. Plus, this band of thieves showed good taste, striking back at musicians who have foisted so much hurt on so many: country music artists. They hit up the home of country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, and to be honest, whatever amount of money and goods they stole from that home is not nearly enough payback for the hurt inflicted on anyone who has ever been unwillingly subjected to either Hill or McGraw’s sad excuses for music. For all of the above reasons, I’m just not as upset as most of you probably are with Troy Corsby Thomas and his crew, dubbed the "Hillside Burglars." Thomas was arrested near L.A. International Airport last weekend. He’s now being held on $2 million bail, having pleaded not guilty to two charges of residential burglary, one in January 2006 and another in March 2008. He’s likely to face additional charges at his next court appearance on Thursday, and the wealthy residents of SoCal couldn’t be happier. "We're delighted," said Robert René, president of Brentwood Homeowners Association, which represents about 800 homes. "We are very fortunate to have the due diligence of the Westside LAPD." Yes, amazing how rich people get that help so often. Now scurry off to your 3 p.m. tee time, driving your black Mercedes down your paved, tree-lined driveway in front of your $5 million home while talking on one of your three Blackberry devices and deciding whether to go out with your Botox-filled wife or mistress tonight and don’t bother me again. I don’t think in Watts or Compton that you’re going to have people doing things like donating $8,000 for infrared cameras that can spot burglars in the dark, as happened here. As always, kudos on looking out for your own and ensuring that the wealthy stay nice and protected, rich people of SoCal……
- Not a fan of alt-country/rock band the Silver Jews, but I did get a kick of of the band’s mastermind, David Berman, and the way he announced his plans to quit music. Dude posted messages on the Drag City Records Web site, saying that a Jan. 31 show at Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville, Tenn., will be the group's last. "I guess I am moving over to another category. Screenwriting or muckraking. I've got to move on. Can't be like all the careerists doncha know," Berman wrote. "I'm forty two and I know what to do. I'm a writer, see?" Before finishing, he also took a swipe at Michael Stipe and R.E.M., saying, “If I continue to record I might accidentally write the answer song to 'Shiny Happy People'," one of Stipe’s band’s hits. However, Berman didn’t stop there and reserved his harshest comments for dead ol’ dad, veteran Washington lobbyist Richard Berman. David Berman took shots at his father for his work with organizations that seek to freeze the minimum wage and raise blood-alcohol arrest levels. "Previously I thought, through songs and poems and drawings I could find and build a refuge away from his world," he wrote. "But there is the matter of justice. And I'll tell you it's not just a metaphor. The desire for it actually burns. It hurts. There needs to be something more. I'll see what that might be." Well, my dislike of his musical genre of choice notwithstanding, that’s one of the better retirement announcements I’ve ever heard, pot-shotting legendary bands and family members alike and holding nothing back. Well done, Dave……..
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