- Well, that got ugly in a hurry. The divorce papers haven’t even been signed yet and Kelsey Grammer's soon-to-be ex-wife is already hammering him publicly and trying to embarrass him as much as she possibly can before she rips half of everything he owns and goes off to get with some younger, better-looking guy. Appearing on Howard Stern’s syndicated radio show, Camille Grammer told stern that her soon-to-be ex likes to dress up in women's clothes. She explained that although he isn’t gay, Kelsey Grammer appeared in the cross-dressing "La Cage aux Folles" because he liked women's clothes. Those with low enough standards for their entertainment choices may recognize Camille Grammer as a member of the cast for the “Real Houseskanks of Beverly Hills.” Bearing that fact in mind, is anyone surprised that she would a) go on Stern’s show and b) look to publicly humiliate her estranged husband by dishing revealing personal information? Didn’t think so. Sources close to the reality show have said in the past that Camille has made the same claims to the cast after Kelsey dumped her. So how does a man respond when his ex slanders his good name by attempting to paint him as a cross-dressing, deviant weirdo? Through his agent, of course. Kelsey's rep, Stan Rosenfield, issued a statement that denied nothing but told us only that Kelsey Grammer would neither confirm nor deny any of Camille’s allegations. "While it is not clear why Camille Grammer continues making public statements about her marriage to Kelsey, it is crystal clear that Kelsey will continue not responding, regardless of content," Rosenfield stated. Well, I’m just glad to see that everyone involved is handling themselves with class and not resorting to juvenile, sophomoric and tacky measures in a quest to hurt and embarrass someone they believe treated them poorly. Stay classy, all……….
- Some groups and causes I simply support without asking questions. That’s always a dicey proposition, but there are simply certain issues and hazards in the world that I universally and unequivocally oppose and anyone who lines up to do battle against them has my full and unwavering support. That list is headed up by smoking, as evidenced by my abiding take that if you smoke, you are a loser. Period. End of story. No questions asked. What that means is I fully support the hundreds of tobacco control advocates were in Albany, N.Y. Tuesday, protesting against how they believe tobacco companies market their product to kids. While this is certainly not a new or novel claim, I don’t care. These angry citizens set up a mock convenience store as a means of demonstrating how tobacco products are routinely marketed in a way that appeals to and are readily accessible to kids. That drew the ire of a group I didn’t even know existed - the New York Association of Convenience Stores. "You're mocking us! You're smearing our industry!" fumed James Calvin of the NYACS. "We're not here to defend smoking or smokers. Tobacco is bad for you. If you're young, don't start smoking. But tobacco is still a legal product.” Legal, but legal for losers. The battle between the anti-smoking enthusiasts and NYACS supports was quite the spectacle, but members of the NYS Tobacco Control Program weren’t backing down. "We are just concerned about the way they are being displayed in convenience stores," said Susan Casanova of the NYS Tobacco Control Program. "They are influencing youth to initiate smoking.” Some local high schools students stopped by the scene of the rally and for the most part, they seemed to side with the anti-smoking position. Several pointed out that when they approach the counter in a convenience store, cigarettes are invariably right behind the clerk and directly in their line of view. Of course, there are plenty of teens already hooked on cancer sticks, so the issue isn’t clear-cut at any level or in the eyes of any one group. Having said all of that, if you smoke, you are still a loser…….
- Umm, I guess Brock Lesnar isn’t leaving UFC after all. Why one of mixed-martial arts’ biggest names would leave its most successful organization, I’ll never know, but word on the street following a first-round TKO loss to current champion Cain Velasquez last October was that Lesnar wanted out of his contract. The burly heavyweight hasn’t fought since, but UFC president Dana White has been adamant that Lesnar isn’t going anywhere and the revelation that the former NCAA heavyweight champion will be one of the trainer for the 13th season of the reality series 'The Ultimate Fighter' should end that argument once and for all. White announced Tuesday that Lesnar and fellow heavyweight Junior Dos Santos have agreed to fill the roles, helping to mold and shape the next generation of UFC fighters. As always, White had no problem with people gossiping about one of his prime attractions even if they were speculating about his departure from the promotion. In White’s mind, any publicity is welcome. "I liked all the rumors that were going around that Brock didn't want to do this anymore," said White. "None of that was true. I was in communication with Brock the whole time." But if Lesnar isn’t going anywhere, why hasn’t he received the traditional championship rematch that dispatched wrestlers, boxers and MMA fights receive once they lose their title? According to White, an injury to Velasquez had an impact on the promotion's decision about a rematch, as Velasquez is expected to be out of action for six-to-eight months due to a torn rotator cuff he suffered in the win over Lesnar. Instead, the UFC decided to allow Dos Santos (12-1) and Lesnar (5-2) battle it out for the position of No. 1 contender. No date has been set for the bout, but what better way to promote the fight than to have the two of them doing battle on 'The Ultimate Fighter' and building tension and resentment? White did say that the Lesnar-Dos Santos bout will take place some time in June. “There is no interim title," White said. "These two will coach, then fight. The winner of that fight will fight Cain Velasquez when he's healthy." If Lesnar can beat Dos Santos, he will accomplish something that no other UFC fighter has been able to acoomplish. Dos Santos is undefeated since joining the UFC in 2008 and has recorded six straight victories in that span, including four first-round finishes. Lesnar as to be itching to get back into the ring after losing for the first time in more than two years, but for now he must wait. His decision to be a coach for “Ultimate Fighter” is perplexing because Lesnar is known as a misanthrope, a man who avoids cameras and media obligations and lives out in the woods where no one can bother him. “Yeah, it was," answered White, when asked if it had been difficult to sign Lesnar on to the show. "It's going to be a tough season. I deal with Brock in very short spurts. The guy only fights two-to-three times a year and it's always tough. It's going to be a very interesting six weeks of filming." Taping on the show begins at the end of this month, but the new season won't debut until March 30 on Spike TV. The premise, as always, will be taking a field of 28 aspiring fighters and reducing it to 14 official cast members by elimination fights usually aired on the first episode. From there, it’s a matter of whittling that group of 14 down to one winner………
- Living in the United States and having our government seem like such a chaotic clusterf*ck 96 percent of the time, most Americans don’t realize that our system is actually incredibly stable when you compare it to other places around the world. Take Lebanon, for example, where 11 ministers close to Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition withdraw from the Cabinet because of a dispute over the investigation into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. In other words, the entire government collapsed over an investigation and the collapse happened while the country’s current leader met with President Obama in Washington. Withdrawing from the Cabinet is much easier when your leader is AWOL, as is upsetting a political truce that has been in place since a May 2008 agreement ended fighting between the country's pro-Western political alliance and a camp backed by Syria and Iran. Hezbollah and its Shiite and Christian allies pulled out of the government, with the powerful Shiite Muslim political organization unhappy with the result of months of negotiations brokered by Saudi Arabia and Syria. Those talks failed to produce a compromise over the tribunal examining the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri. Yes, all of this is over something that happened five years ago and still hasn’t been, in the minds of those involved, fully resolved. Hariri, the leader of the country's Sunni community and father of the country's current premier, was killed under disputed circumstances and the tribunal is expected to accuse members of Hezbollah of complicity in the killing. In response, Hezbollah has declared that it would refuse to hand over any suspects or allow its name to be tarnished. "We are in a new political and ministerial crisis," said Boutros Harb, a lawmaker allied with Hariri. "There is no room for bargaining over the tribunal and justice. We remain open to dialogue without compromising [our] general principles." With its government in turmoil, Lebanon’s populace now lives with a ginormous black cloud hanging over its head al day, every day. In expectation of possible skirmishes between young Sunni and Shiite men, the Lebanese army deployed extra troops throughout Beirut. The country’s stock market dropped noticeably, although U.S. officials found a glimmer of hope in the fact that, thus far, Hezbollah has stuck to legal, on-the-book means of contesting the issue. Hezbollah and its fellow Cabinet seceders demanded that a new government be formed even though doing so would take a long time and likely worsen the security situation. Sounds like more instability for a part of the world that already has far too much of it………
- Awesome, America. Another reason for the rest of the world to mock us as FAT and in need of a collective diet and 24/7 exercise regimen. Journey with me to Boston, where the city’s emergency medical services system is rolling out an ambulance specially outfitted for morbidly obese patients. Yes, a FAT-bulance. From the outside, you wouldn’t notice the FAT-bulance apart from any normal ambulance. The exterior is exactly the same, but the true difference lies on the inside, where the vehicle sports a hydraulic lift and a high-capacity stretcher (rated at 850 pounds) to get the heaviest of the heavy into and out of the vehicle with minimal effort. Perhaps there were too many hernias and strained backs among EMTs having to lift 400- and 500-pound fatso’s in and out of the ambulance, so from that standpoint, it’s a fairly logical move. However, being logical doesn’t mean that it’s not epically depressing, because it most definitely is. "With a 300-pound patient, it's not too bad, or even 400 pounds,'' Jose A. Archila, a Boston EMS captain, explained. "But to be honest with you, with a 500-, 600-, 700-pound patient - it's just too much for you.'' Sadly, Boston isn’t the first city in the United States with special FAT-bulances for the obese. Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Omaha also have uniquely outfitted emergency transport vehicles for those whose most pressing need is a cattle prod to keep them away from the all-you-can-eat buffet. The number of cities with FAT-bulances will likely increase going forward, as the number of overweight people in the nation grew a whopping 75 percent from 2000 to 2005. Retro-fitting the FAT-bulance cost the city $12,000 and Boston's EMS will dispatch it only when it's clear that extra carrying capacity is needed. "Is this totally, 100 percent foolproof?" Boston EMS Captain Phil McGovern asked? "Absolutely not. We've still got to get them out of the house." Or put them on a massive diet, but I suppose that’s asking too much………
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