2004-03-16

Ellen from last week that I had DVR’d. They’re reruns, but I hadn’t seen them, so I’m kind of catching up. Leah Remini was a guest on one of the shows, and she was funny as hell. I had no idea she was that funny. It almost – but not quite – makes me want to watch The King of Queens.

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Watching Taken has made me the tiniest bit paranoid, I think. I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a couple of bottles of salad dressing for Fred (our regular grocery store doesn’t carry this particular salad dressing – Kraft Light Done Right 3-Cheese Ranch dressing, so I had to make a special trip to another grocery store). As I walked out of the store, I saw a man bent down in front of his car, SUPPOSEDLY looking up under it. I just KNEW that he was a bad guy and was going to come grab me and push me in his car, then cart me away to the super-secret headquarters of a super-secret goverment agency, where they’d poke and prod at me and do all kinds of nasty tests to study my mind. (Bwahaha! That’d be the shortest study in the history of mankind, eh?) I made the fist with keys sticking out between my fingers, ready to punch him in the face with my key fist if he came close to me. He straightened up as I approached and looked at me. Perhaps he changed his mind about approaching me because he saw my key fist, or maybe he just knew that I could kick his ass. In any case, he got in his nondescript government-issue-type car and started the engine. As I pulled out of the parking lot I looked in my rearview mirror, and who the hell do you suppose was behind me? That’s right, the bad guy! I managed to lose him with a few quick left turns, but you better believe I’m keeping an eye on the street. I see any nondescript government-issue cars, I’m grabbing Miz Poo and the Bean and hauling ass. (Spot and Spanky can fend for themselves)
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According to a few Australian readers who emailed me overnight, there was a bit on a show called Media Watch about the whole Fred/ Frank thing. Curiosity brought me to the archives of The Australian and an article by Sally Jackson entitled “Aussie Makeover Too Extreme”, wherein is this little gem: (For the record, Australian Men’s Health editor Bruce Ritchie says that the Frank/Fred change was “a little white lie” while the local version of the column gets off the ground and that genuine Australians should feature from next month’s issue. He also says the mag’s content is predominantly local and that in some articles sourced from the US edition terminology is changed when it is deemed necessary.) “A little white lie”? I call it shoddy, lazy journalism and find Bruce Ritchie’s lack of remorse, his “Oh, we’ll just a change a few things and no one will ever know. And if they do, who cares?” attitude appalling. Asshole.
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Pet store kitty pics are hither.
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14 thoughts on “2004-03-16”

  1. OMG! Esther looks just like Dulcinea! Same markings, same face, same pretty golden eyes. You must adopt her and call her Dulci the Second!

  2. So much for journalistic integrity. “Little white lie” my ass.
    And the pictures and description of Big Mac on the pet store kitties page made me want to run out to Alabama to adopt him. (Unfortunately, I live in Washington state.)

  3. Did you pay to get that article or did you find it free somewhere? All I could find was a pay version.

  4. I paid to download it – I made an image of it that’s very readable. If anyone wants to see it, email me and I’ll forward it on!

  5. Can you please e-mail a copy of the AU-MH deal to me? I’d e-mail you, but I’m L-A-A-A-Z-Y, and I think the e-mail address I have is out of date (it’s a hiwaay addy)…
    Anyhoo… amanda@shinertalk.com
    Thanks!

  6. Seems like a copyright infringement argument could be made too–didn’t they snatch the pictures used for the book cover?
    Hey, maybe Jayson Blair should apply for a job with them!

  7. I only saw the pay version too so you’ll be getting an email from me 🙂 What struck me as ironic was that on the main page was a link to a story on plagarism….yeesh!!

  8. Last year, the Australian version of Slimming magazine admitted it did the same sort of thing. Most of their features were English stories redone. They were still obvious and the people looked “Different.” They spoke of going overseas to the beach for holidays. Doesn’t happen here, we have better beaches than the continent.
    They were not contrite about it either. Said it happened often in magazines. And whether it was Australian or not, the person still lost weight.
    Media Watch is a great 15 minute show on our national broadcaster. Not above digs at its own employer either.
    Jan

  9. I still cannot believe the whole Fred/Frank thing. It is crazy I tell ya.
    I {heart} Ellen too! I wasn’t even disappointed when her shows were re-runs.

  10. Hi Robyn. Nearly had a coronary when I visited your site tonight, for the first time in awhile, and saw my name! (I wrote the article in The Australian on the Men’s Health Fred/Frank switch.) The MH editor asked me how I’d even noticed the switch and I told him, “Actually, in certain circles, Fred’s kinda famous. And so’s his wife.” Anyway, thought this might be a good time to say “hi” at long last, after lurking on both your sites for ages.
    Cheers,
    Sally

  11. King of Queens is one of my favorite shows. Catch the old shows that are in syndication too! Great stuff. Leah is preggers now, the difference between her in the older shows compared to now is staggering! She used to be a little ole twig. Kevin James is hilarious. Since you both appear to me as smart, sassy, TV aficionados, I am frankly amazed you & Fred have missed the boat on this one!

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