Morning Links: Shocking video shows Balloon Boy dad pushing cigar, beer on infant son
Just when you thought you couldn't have a lower opinion of Balloon Boy Dad Richard Heene, a video surfaces from 10 years ago in which he puts a cigar in the mouth of his infant son, Bradford, and lets the kid mouth an open bottle of beer. Even worse, he tickles and torments the placid baby the entire time, talking in an ultra-annoying cartoon-character screechy voice. Hapless wife Mayumi can be heard saying "No!" at the beginning of the tape, but you'll see how much attention Heene pays to her.
"This Is It" was a worldwide sensation, opening simultaneously across the world, making the premiere happen in the evening in Los Angeles, late at night on the East Coast, before dawn in Europe and during the day in Asia. The Associated Press called the opening in 99 countries Tuesday and Wednesday "the biggest cinematic blowout ever for a music film." The 15,000 prints of "This is It," which documents Michael Jackson's preparations for his final European concerts, will expand to 110 territories by the weekend. A star-studded premiere at the Nokia Theatre, across the street from Staples Center, site of many of Jackson's rehearsals, as well as his public memorial, drew about 5,500 people. Guests included longtime Jackson collaborator Kenny Ortega, who directed and produced "This Is It,"as well as Snoop Dogg, Smokey Robinson and Zac Efron. The film will run for just two weeks.
Michael Jackson's three children, Prince, Paris and "Blanket," were given a private screening last night of the documentary that chronicles their father's rehearsals for his final European concert tour. The three children had been suffering from the flu, but were brought to the Sony lot for the screening. Michael's friend, Liz Taylor, who attended an advance screening of the film, posted 19 comments on her Twitter page, calling the movie "the single most brilliant piece of filmmaking I have ever seen." She added, "I truly believe this film should be nominated in every category conceivable."
Sony called "pure garbage" a comment made last month by dad Joe Jackson that the media would "tear this movie apart," because Michael's dancing was "mostly body doubles." Sony, co-producers of the film, issued a statement to TMZ that said, "There are no body doubles ... every time [audiences] see The King of Pop they will know that every frame is unquestionably Michael as he rehearses and prepares for the London concerts that were to have begun this past summer."
A former writer on the David Letterman show says she left her job because of the "sexual politics" in the workplace. Nell Scovell, who worked for the show for five months in 1990, says in the article, published on the Vanity Fair web site, "I walked away from my dream job," she says. "I'd seen enough to know that I was not going to thrive professionally in that workplace. ... sexual politics did play a major part." Scovell says Letterman was not the only high-level man on the show who had sexual relationships with women workers. "Did these female staffers have access to information and wield power disproportionate to their job titles? Yes. Did that create a hostile work environment? Yes. Did I believe these female staffers were benefiting professionally from their personal relationships? Yes. Did that make me feel demeaned? Completely."
Tennis star Andre Agassi admits in his new memoir that he regularly used crystal meth during the late 1990s."I can't speak to addiction, but a lot of people would say that if you're using anything as an escape, you have a problem," he told People. When he thought about fans' reactions to the drug use he details in the book, "Open," Agassi says: "I was worried for a moment, but not for long. ... I was actually excited about telling the world the whole story."
On the "Maury" show, Lindsay Lohan's father, Michael, says she's now just a "hollow person" and he "couldn't even look at her, I had to go outside and cry" presumably because of what he has said is her drug abuse. "I hate to speak out publicly like this about Lindsay," said Dad Lohan, which has never been a concern before, but, he said, "I'm not going to bury you. .. I will do everything and anything I have to, to save your life."
TMZ.com has posted a tape of the 911 call made by Rachael Kneeland, the estranged wife of "Terminator" actor Edward Furlong, in which she said the star has threatened to kill himself. Kneeland told the fire dispatcher during her call on Sept. 23 that Furlong said he was "had already started" cutting his wrists, and it was all her fault. The dispatcher then called Furlong, but he did not answer. One week after the incident, she filed for a restraining order against Furlong.
Sounds like Hulk Hogan is still carrying a torch for ex-wife Linda, who has replaced him with a tanned, blond boy toy. Hulk dedicates his new tell-all autobiography to his wife, ""To Linda, I pray that you find peace and joy in life. I love you." In "My Life Outside the Ring," he writes that after the two separated, he came close to suicide, chasing Xanex with rum while holding a gun. "I could feel the life draining out of me," he writes. "It had me curling my index finger on the trigger of a loaded handgun and putting it in my mouth." He adds: "Obviously I didn't kill myself, but I came damn close." He writes that an unexpected phone call from his "American Gladiators" co-host, Laila Ali, snapped him out of it.
Susanah Feldman has filed for divorce from Corey Feldman, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple, left, who appeared on a reality show with Corey Haim, have a five-year-old son, Zen Scott Feldman. Susie is seeking full custody and wants Corey to pay for her attorney's fees as well as spousal support. Corey's web site says the pair celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary this month.
-- Anne Neville
Oh, please! Enough of worshiping that sick freak of nature already! Anyone who thinks getting into bed with little boys is, to quote Michael Jackson, "beautiful" is not worthy of the kinds of accolades you, the media and so many others have been heaping. The man is to be pitied, not worshiped.
Regarding Richard Heene you wrote: "lets the kid mouth an open bottle of beer."
Yeah, so what? I have a picture where I was a five year-old sitting on my dad's lap mouthing an open bottle of beer. You should be more concerned about the helicopter parents who are ruining the lives of their children.
Posted by: Buffalo Libertarian | October 28, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Uh, what are "helicopter parents"? Enlighten us oh wise Libertarian, we kneel to your all-encompassing intellect. LMAO
Posted by: Matt | October 28, 2009 at 02:43 PM
Matt, you're unfamiliar with the term "helicopter parents"? From dictionary.reference.com: a mother or father that hovers over a child; an overprotective parent.
Some tidbits on helicopter parents:
http://www.mun.ca/cdel/career_parents/helicopter.php
http://www.annaivey.com/iveyfiles/2007/06/helicopter-pare.html
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/culture-clash.html
Posted by: Buffalo Libertarian | October 28, 2009 at 02:52 PM