Good Morning: ABBA, "Knowing Me, Knowing You"

For the Cannibal Debutante, who starts an exciting new chapter today

It's Not 'America's Next Top Best Friend'

Rich at fourfour just posted a great montage of a ton of reality TV contestants repeating the biggest cliché of the genre: "I'm not here to make friends."



I'm glad he saved Jade's infamous moment from Cycle 6 of America's Next Top Model (see title of this post) until near the end. Also, I'm a little appalled at myself for knowing off the top of my head that Jade was in Cycle 6.

Around Town: Riverfront Casinos...Maybe Not and the NYT Takes a Belated Interest in Penn Gossip

As Philebrity pointed out this morning, it seems that our governor has finally come around with respect to the riverfront casinos. The Daily News reported on Saturday that Gov. Rendell has said he'll meet with SugarHouse and Foxwoods to ask them to relocate the casinos they've been trying to build on the Delaware for a while now. Why they would actually agree to such a thing when the State Gaming Board approved those sites back in December 2006 - thanks in large part to the Guv'ner's aggressive support - is beyond me. But it's nice to see this story coming on the heels of Mayor Nutter's recent announcement that he fully supports and intends to follow the Penn Praxis plan for the riverfront. Maybe the casinos won't totally screw up Philly's eastern edge - or maybe they won't be there at all. We can hope, though that's always a dangerous thing to do in Philadelphia.

Across the river - the Schuylkill, that is - a more gossipy story. Back in March, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported that the University of Pennsylvania was renaming a campus landmark. (Full disclosure: I am employed by said institution.) Logan Hall, which had been known by that name for about a century, would become Claudia Cohen Hall. Cohen, who graduated from Penn in 1972 and died of ovarian cancer in 2007, was known for being a former editor of Page Six, the popular (and highly recommended by JAWNNY) gossip column in The New York Post. She was also known for having married and divorced wealthy businessman (and frequent Page Six topic, natch) Ronald Perelman, also a Penn alum, who contributed funds to renovate the building back in the 1990s and decided to finally exercise his naming rights. The general reaction on campus and among alumni to the renaming of one of Penn's most historic buildings was best summed up by this DP commenter: "Is this the April Fool [sic] issue already?" By now, it seems to have mostly blown over, and it's definitely old - if still intriguing - news, yet The New York Times seems to have only now discovered the story and covers it as though it just broke. A sign of the waning relevance of traditional media, or of the NYT's general disregard for Philadelphia? You decide. At any rate, there are some choice quotes in the NYT story - "totally idiotic," says one professor - and Ivy League intrigue is always good for readership, I guess.

Good Morning: Pet Shop Boys, "Go West"

Even when they're covering someone else's song, the Pet Shop Boys always manage to work in extra layers of meaning.

Jesse Helms Dies, America Rejoices

So y'all probably know by now that Jesse Helms died yesterday at the age of 86, leaving behind a legacy of hate and bigotry. I think our nation's 232nd birthday deserves better than to be sullied by the coincidence of being the deathday of a man who, quite honestly, was a horrible enemy of freedom and tolerance, two virtues upon which the United States of America was founded. But at least we're rid of a horrible man.

My good friend and firebrand of a Southern woman, the Hungry Photographer, posted the following remembrance on her blog yesterday, which I am pleased to share with you.

It’s about time.

I've been getting phone calls all morning to tell me that Jesse Helms is dead. I was wondering how long that pig valve was gonna hold up. But also, since it's the 4th of July, I can pretend that all the hoopla and fireworks is in celebration of his demise.

And I hope that whoever it was I went to GSE with, who worked with him and claimed I never saw his "sensitive side", bawls her little plastic eyes out today in remembrance of her old boss. I also hope she realises that it's people like him who have spread incendiary lies for so long that have led to stalled social equality and justice. Actually, I doubt she'd realise that, being as brainwashed as she appeared.

At any rate, wherever you are - in whatever corner of the globe - hoist a big fat one for the death of Jesse Helms, big ol' racist homophobe that he was; soon he'll be eaten by the same worms who are eating others that he denigrated. Ah, equality at last.

Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition. Here's to a world without Jesse Helms.

P.S.: The Hungry Photographer and I also recommend the Apostropher's post on this topic.

Happy Independence Day

Elton John singing "Philadelphia Freedom" on Soul Train, probably not too far removed from the year of our nation's bicentennial. Happy Fourth, everyone!

Things I Love About Philly

It hasn't been the best week for Philadelphia. We just found out we're the bike-stealingest and third-most-obscene city in the country. And that's before we talk about about the hordes who have descended, like so many fannypack-wearing locusts, on our city for the Fourth of July OMG WTF WELCOME AMERICA PRESENTED BY SUNOCO!

So I want to take a moment to remember why this city is great. This is a totally off-the-top-of-my-head list of Things I Love About Philly.

The Comcast Center lobby:



Walt Wit...

...and in the interest of keeping things fair and balanced, Philly Pale Ale.

The Rodin Museum:



Overheard in Philly.

And Philebrity, of course.

Santa's trolley:

Philly Skyline.

And on a related note, Inga Saffron.

Mayor Nutter:



The Italian Market.

Old churches with a sense of humor:



Thrifting and furniture-hunting in Germantown.

The Pink Rose.

Guerrilla street art:



Reading I Love You, I Hate You on Saturday mornings.

Being in Rittenhouse on the first day of truly nice spring weather.

The Westbury.

Views like this:



It's not an exhaustive list, by any means, but I'm feeling better about Philly now. How 'bout youse guys? What's on your Philly favorites list?

nod to Philebrity for the bike-stealing and dirty-Internet-searching stories

Bush to Survey Damage Caused by His Presidency

Which means he has to tour the entire country:


Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

If we didn't laugh about it, we'd have to cry. And crying is no fun.

via Andrew Sullivan

Good Morning: Maroon 5 feat. Rihanna, "If I Never See Your Face Again"

If you don't like the song, just turn the volume down and watch Rihanna and Adam Levine be hot at each other.



UPDATE: As my esteemed colleague J.Ro has pointed out in the comments, YouTube has removed the video, but you can view it on Maroon 5's website here.

Bai Ling Has A Blog

Bai Ling has a blog. That's right: the professional party girl, frequent TV show guest-appearer, and favorite target of Go Fug Yourself puts her fingers to keyboard and produces written language for distribution over the internets. A lot, actually. I haven't had a chance to read through all of her erudite musings on parties, being semi-famous, clubs, and more parties, but I must say she has quite a way with words:

So tired after shooting, because I did not sleep for a few nights jet-legged and vegas faver, its hard to relaxing here in Vegas just stay in, but only when you are totally out of your mind and body can not think strait anymore then you will stay in and just watch the city breath in the heat of the evening sea of colored lights and the heat waves almost knocked me to the ground, heat waves can become wind? Wow......

Heat waves can become wind? What? Bai continues:

Magic, even the heated nature shows you the magic just like this if you pay attention to peek in, I stayed out of my hotel in the middle of the empty street when my car dropped me from the set, I just frosen there in the middle, all the cars frosen in front of me too, maybe to them I am some kind of strange magic dropped from the sky and made the fire and waves that burns Vegas, my skin burns in the shining sunlight with the changing color reflects thousends of butterflies...... Just like the reflection you see right now from up close and distance.......

She really is deft with the double ellipses......as it were. I think my favorite part is, "maybe to them I am some kind of strange magic dropped from the sky and made the fire and waves that burns Vegas, my skin burns in the shining sunlight with the changing color reflects thousends of butterflies". Fire and waves and thousands of butterflies, all in the middle of Las Vegas? She must really have a...straaaaaaange ma-a-a-gic! I don't know what substance causes such thoughts, but I'll have what she's having.

UPDATE: Those of you unfamiliar with Bai Ling may not fully appreciate her...erm, talent, so here's a clip of her performing on VH1's But Can They Sing? (t/y Kolajo)



Source: OMG blog
Image: from Flickr user hurricanepoontang, used under a Creative Commons license