Monthly Archives: May 2011

Since at least the late sixties, the actress Debbie Reynolds has been working on this idea of a Hollywood Museum — a big building somewhere that would house props and costumes from classic films. She did a great job rounding up things that you'd want in a museum like that but somehow, the museum has never happened and all those treasures of the cinema were languishing in warehouses or somewhere far from public access.

Next month, the Profiles in History auction house will sell off a pretty large chunk of the collection for her including things like Judy Garland's dress and shoes from The Wizard of Oz, Marilyn Monroe's famous dress from The Seven Year Itch and (seen above) a hat and wig that Ms. Reynolds acquired directly from Mr. Harpo Marx. I'm not sure she's said the words, "I'm giving up on ever opening the museum of my dreams" but given the important stuff she's letting go, that would be a safe assumption. If she sells off what she's selling off, the rarest item that could wind up in a museum would be something like Dustin Hoffman's arch supports from Ishtar.

I can't afford anything they're selling and neither can you…but it sure is interesting stuff to look at. They're selling the catalog for $39.50 but I know where you can download a PDF file of the whole thing. You can download it here. Happy browsing.

Economist-Pitchman Ben Stein has been oddly silent since he published that stupid article defending IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn from charges that he raped a hotel maid. If Mr. Stein had merely said, "Let's not presume the man is guilty until we know all the facts or he gets his day in court," I don't think anyone would have objected too much. But trying to argue that old men can't force themselves on women, that economists don't rape and hey, you know some maids are kinda crazy…well, if I'm ever accused of a heinous crime and you feel the urge to argue for my innocence, do me a favor. Don't get into it unless you have something a lot better than Stein had.

It's hard to decide on the most clueless part of his article but I'd vote for the whole insinuation that the N.Y.P.D. hauled Strauss-Kahn off in manacles strictly because some minimum wage employee claimed she'd been violated by him. If you were a police official and you were about to go off and cuff a very wealthy and powerful man whose arrest could have international repercussions, I think you'd want a little more evidence than one lady's word. If this thing goes to trial, the accused is going to have the best legal representation in the world…and that world will be watching.

And sure enough, New York Police are now saying they have some of that messy DNA evidence that if true would kinda prove the crime beyond any reasonable doubt…

…except that they had that in the first O.J. Simpson trial and we all know what happened there.

This whole matter is starting to intrigue me on two fronts. One is whether Ben Stein, who's supposed to be so smart, will be smart enough to write an article that apologizes for the previous article. If he does and it's a sufficient retraction, he might salvage the last smidgen of his credibility.

The other is whether Strauss-Kahn is going to plea bargain or if he's going to hire the equivalent of O.J.'s Dream Team and say, "Spare no expense but destroy my accuser and the officers who arrested me." Assuming the DNA is as reported, I don't see that he has any other alternatives.

I was just browsing a Las Vegas website and I came across the following description for an upcoming show in the comedy room at the Orleans Hotel. This is a real listing and I present it verbatim, cut and pasted for your consideration…

Kato Kaelin and The Hollywood Guest Stars — America's most well known houseguest, Kato Kaelin, hits the stage and hosts several evenings of comedy with The Hollywood Guest Stars

And thanks for all the lovely e-mail and for updating my virus checker while I was asleep.

At 2:45 AM, I was driving down Hollywood Boulevard and at the famed intersection of Hollywood and Vine, I saw a hooker chatting with a guy who'd pulled over…and he was driving an off-duty ice cream truck. You make up the joke. I'm too tired.

Good night, Internet. Sweet dreams.

Roseanne Barr writes about her hit sitcom, Roseanne. If you ever get the chance to star in a TV series, don't do any of the things she says she did and especially don't do any of the things she now wishes she did.

And once again, as I look at reports of the devastation in Missouri and Minnesota, I can't help but get angry that we waste so much time and money in this country on silly partisan battles and needless, endless wars. Think of how much the resources we squander could help people when disasters destroy their homes and lives.