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last straws
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last straws
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Earlier: Dooce: Proof That Not All Our Pregnancies Need To End In Abortion?
Heather "Dooce" Armstrong Makes Kathie Lee Uncomfortable
Talk about ice queens on the Today show: This morning, Heather B. Armstrong met with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford to talk about her award-winning, groundbreaking blog Dooce — is it just me or doesn't it seem a bit unfair to call it a "Mom Blog"? — and sat on the couch with her arms crossed the entire time, looking cold. (In temperature, not in spirit.) Maybe she was simply preparing herself for Kathie Lee's line of questioning. About three minutes into the interview, Kathie Lee admitted that she has "mixed emotions" about Armstrong's chosen line of work, then quickly changed the subject to tease the show's next segment about home decorating. Clip above.Earlier: Dooce: Proof That Not All Our Pregnancies Need To End In Abortion?
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Earlier: •Bikini Waxes, Highlights & 'Tramp Stamps': That's What Little Girls Are Made Of
•How Many 8-Year-Olds Have To Get Bikini Waxes Before We All Agree The Terrorists Have Won?
Some Six-Year-Olds May Have More Makeup Than Their Moms
The mainstream (morning) news is getting on the girls-getting-beauty-treatments bandwagon: This morning, Today's Janice Lieberman reported on the marketing of manicures, pedicures, cosmetics and hair treatments to little girls...and their mothers. (How long until Sephora opens a chain of "Sephora Jr." stores?) Lieberman visited a mani-pedi party at NYC's Dashing Diva salon and spoke to psychologist Dale Atkins, who cautioned that "when kids are exposed to these types of products and images...it affects their self-esteem body, image, future eating disorders and sense of who they are." Clip above.Earlier: •Bikini Waxes, Highlights & 'Tramp Stamps': That's What Little Girls Are Made Of
•How Many 8-Year-Olds Have To Get Bikini Waxes Before We All Agree The Terrorists Have Won?
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Related: Sarah Jessica Parker: Learn From Your Mistakes [NBC News]
Sarah Jessica Parker's Son Is A Tool Of The Political Patriarchy
"Smart And Sexy" Sarah Jessica Parker showed up on Today this morning to plug her new film Smart People, talk about being a onetime single-girl, and explain why her son James Wilke, is such an Obama fan. Turns out James is just loyal to people with penises! In the clip above, hear SJP relate the amusing anecdote, plug her perfume line, and respond to Meredith Vieira's predictions for the upcoming Sex and the City movie.Related: Sarah Jessica Parker: Learn From Your Mistakes [NBC News]
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Related: Would You Rather Be Fat Or Blank? [NBC News]
Fat & Smart? Or Skinny & Stupid?
The Today show had a segment this morning ostensibly about "brains and beauty" that actually concerned some internet game "Would you rather be fat or [blank]", in which people go online and pick the "disability" they would prefer over suffering from obesity. In predictable fashion, Today show producers sent their cameras out on the street and interviewed a half-dozen people (all of them women, of course), asking "Would you rather be 40 pounds overweight and smart, or skinny and stupid?" Almost every one of the respondents picked poundage and brain cells over being svelte and stupid, except for one woman, who gave an amusing, politically-incorrect answer she will no doubt get shit for. Clip above. (A more in-depth, in-studio discussion can be seen here.)Related: Would You Rather Be Fat Or Blank? [NBC News]
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Earlier: New Game Encourages Young Girls To Embrace Their Inner "Bimbo"
'Miss Bimbo' Creators: "Take Care Of Your Bimbo, Nurture Her, Love Her"
Ann Curry and company over at the Today show were just as incredulous about the internet game for burgeoning skanks, Miss Bimbo, as we were. In the clip above from this morning's broadcast, two adorable English moppets named Jasmine and Poppy enjoy Miss Bimbo's "big jugs and facelifts," and the dudes behind the game defend Miss Bimbo with straight faces. The pair of floppy haired founders say things like, "It's a morally positive, fun game..."What about loving your bimbo, taking care of your bimbo, sending her to university?"Earlier: New Game Encourages Young Girls To Embrace Their Inner "Bimbo"
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Yeah, We Know: Dr. Laura Schlessinger Is Full Of Shit
Today Show producers must have been in overdrive yesterday afternoon: The talk/news program was pretty much all Eliot Spitzer this morning, featuring an interview with former New Jersey first lady Dina Matos McGreevey (more on her later) and Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who sent Today Show viewers into fits of fury after she suggested that Eliot Spitzer's wife Silda — and other cheated-on ladies — was somehow responsible for her husband's transgressions. (Choice quote: "These days, women don't spend a lot of time thinking how they can give their men what they need."). Sure, it would be easy to rip Schlessinger a new one but honestly, does anyone really take this woman seriously? She's basically a humorless, post-menopausal Ann Coulter with a physiology degree. And she's been saying this sort of shit about women for a while now. Clip above.
Earlier: Dr. Laura Blames Whiny Women, "Defends" Her Soldier Son
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Modern Brides Can Be Real Bulldozers
Have you asked a man to marry you yet? Well so far, not very many of you say you'd do it. One woman who actually went through with it? Marina Maiuri, who appeared on the Today show this morning in post-proposal bliss with her intended, Sean Smith (Congrats, kids!). The segment was short but sweet, but the feature that followed — about the bevy of soon-to-be brides who line up for discounted wedding dresses at Filene's Basement — wasn't. Women (and a few men) stampeded over one another to get deals on gowns. One woman, unfortunately, fell on the way in. Clip above.
Related: Gal Who Proposed In Daily News Gets Big "Yes" From Her Guy [NY Daily News]
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Drew Peterson Has Some Fucked Up Notions About Family
Whether or not he's behind the disappearance (and probable murder) of his wife Stacy, there's one thing Drew Peterson is guilty of: Total and utter douchebaggery. The former cop (what is it about cops who murder their wives lately?) just can't get enough of the media's spotlight and, so, exactly one week after investigators deemed the death of his third wife a homicide, he turned up on the Today show (again!) to talk with Matt Lauer. The entire interview lasted some 10 minutes, but the most telling moment came about two-thirds of the way through, when Lauer quoted a note Stacy had sent to friends about the "controlling", "manipulative", and "somewhat abusive" nature of her marriage. See how Drew responded to that, above.
Drew Peterson: "I'm Prepared For Anything" [NBC News]
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Candice Bergen Gives Faith Ford BitchFace During Murphy Brown Reunion
Murphy Brown, which aired from 1988-1998, was one of the most popular shows on TV. In 1992, the lead character (played by Candice Bergen) became a single mom. All hell broke loose when presidential candidate Dan Quayle said, in a speech, that Murphy was "mocking the importance of a father, by bearing a child alone, and calling it just another 'lifestyle choice.'" It's been ten years, and this morning the cast reunited on the Today show and talked about the incident. The best part? When Faith Ford insists, "None of us were very political!" Bergen — who attended the University of Pennsylvania in her youth and once, as a prank, threw dollar bills on the floor of the New York Stock exchange with political activist Abbie Hoffman — totally gives Ford the stink eye. Clip above.
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The Cast Of One Day At A Time Discusses MacKenzie's Druggie Past
The Today Show had the reunited cast of late 70s sitcom One Day At A Time on this morning, and Matt Lauer made sure to ask all the hard-hitting questions. About halfway in, Lauer began questioning Mackenzie Phillips about her coke-fueled dismissal from the show, and wrapped things up by asking Pat Harrington, Jr. (aka Schneider) about how he broke his Emmy. For those born after 1980, the show is about a divorced mom (Bonnie Franklin) taking care of her two teenage daughters (Mackenzie and Valerie Bertinelli) in Indianapolis. That might not seem like much now, but a divorced mom as a role model was a revolutionary concept when the show debuted in 1975. Look out for a surprise appearance by a "special" guest in the clip above. More »
Heart Of Darkness?
A note from a reader: "Saturday morning, the Today show did a fashion segment with an editor who I think was from Lucky magazine and she was pretty insulting in one of her "recommendations" for adhering to this season's styles. [The editor] was showing a new tribal look from Old Navy, and when the Today show anchor happened to say, "So you should only wear one piece of this?" the editor said, 'Oh you shouldn't wear FACE PAINT or CARRY A SPEAR." The March issue of Lucky does have a small "how to wear" item on tribal prints, but we're looking for a video clip for confirmation (and are coming up short). Anyone? Update: It wasn't an editor from Lucky but someone from People's "Style Watch". Watch the video: Offensive? Or innocent? [MSNBC]
A note from a reader: "Saturday morning, the Today show did a fashion segment with an editor who I think was from Lucky magazine and she was pretty insulting in one of her "recommendations" for adhering to this season's styles. [The editor] was showing a new tribal look from Old Navy, and when the Today show anchor happened to say, "So you should only wear one piece of this?" the editor said, 'Oh you shouldn't wear FACE PAINT or CARRY A SPEAR." The March issue of Lucky does have a small "how to wear" item on tribal prints, but we're looking for a video clip for confirmation (and are coming up short). Anyone? Update: It wasn't an editor from Lucky but someone from People's "Style Watch". Watch the video: Offensive? Or innocent? [MSNBC]
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Do Women Grieve For Their Pets Differently Than Men?
A Today Show segment about dealing with the loss of a pet struck me as a bit curious, if only because all those interviewed were women. (Yeah, I know: morning show demographics.) I wouldn't go so far as to say that women feel the death of a companion animal more acutely than men, but I wondered: John Grogan of Marley & Me notwithstanding, are men able to let go more easily? Take one piece of news coming across the wires: Bernann McKunney, a 50-year-old California woman, is dealing with the loss of her beloved pit bull, Booger, by having him cloned. More »
Overheard on the Today show this morning: Jane Fonda uttering the word "cunt". Apparently Meredith Vieira apologized for it later (maybe Meredith didn't get Slut Machine's memo!) but we'll have a clip up of the moment — and more importantly, the reason for her appearance, i.e. the 10th anniversary of The Vagina Monologues — up later this morning.
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Tina Yothers Ate Carrot Sticks On The Set Of Family Ties
The cast of Family Ties gathered on the Today Show this morning in honor of a new book — titled Sit, Ubu, Sit — written the show's producer, Gary David Goldberg. After an interview with Matt Lauer, the TV family returned for another sitdown with co-host Al Roker, who passed on viewers' questions, one of which was directed at the females in the cast and had to do with the stay-slim standards of beauty in Hollywood. Although none of the women seemed interested in delving into the issue, Tina Yothers let it slip that she considered herself "a big kid" and that carrot sticks were provided by producers... perhaps as a subtle suggestion that she lose weight. Clip above (and listen for Tina's TV dad's undermining comment about Clydesdales).
'Family Ties' Stars Hold Family Reunion [NBCNews]
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Natalee Holloway's Mom On New Video: "Look What They've Done"
There may finally be an "end" to the long, sad saga involving the disappearance and probable murder of Alabama high school student Natalee Holloway: A Dutch journalist, PeterR. de Vries, has handed over videotape that reportedly shows murder suspect Joran van der Sloot admitting to being witness to both Natalee's murder and the disposal of her body. This morning's Today Show featured a sitdown with John Q. Kelly, an attorney representing Natalee's family, as well as exclusive video of Natalee's mother Beth Twitty's thoughts after viewing the van der Sloot video. Clip above.
Journalist Claims To Crack Holloway Case [NBC News]
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Self Defense For Women Comes In Many Shades Of Stupid
The Today Show's Jenna Wolf started off the 8:30 hour this morning with a report about the new "ladies nights" for contemporary women living in a criminal world: Taser parties. The brainchild of Dana Shafman, the parties, formally known as "ShieldHer Taser Parties", are expanding into states like California, Nevada, and Texas and feature light snacks, no booze, and tasers in colors like hot pink for sale. Shafman explains that not only has she sold over 100 tasers since starting the business last October, she's been tased herself (on video no less). As for those ladies concerned over the devices' potential for deadly injury, just remember: Leopard-print tasers don't kill people; people do! Clip above.
ZZZap! Taser Parties Surging In Popularity [NBC News]
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Teens Today Think Coats Are Tres Uncool
We're always curious as to what's hot and what's not among American adolescents, and this morning, we learned something shocking: Midwestern teens don't much like coats! In a Today Show segment titled "Leonard's Look", Mike Leonard took to the streets of suburban Chicago (high temperature yesterday: 27 degrees) and found a flurry of kids walking around in the cold without benefit of coat or jacket. It was both amusing and inexplicable (says one kid: "I think [coats] are losin' it a little bit".) Clip above.
