Category: 1

Because I’m one of the lucky 3.1 million Cablevision customers who is caught in a high stakes pìššìņg match between Cablevision and ABC. The alphabet network decided they wanted Cablevision to cough up an additional $40 million in order to keep carrying their programming; Cablevision said no, if for no other reason, I’d think, then they figure that every other network will come knocking next. And ABC naturally had to wait until they had some high profile TV program to air that isn’t easily watchable on line the next day. They chose today. Which means I’m going to miss seeing the Oscars for the first time in my adult life. We tried to compensate by getting a digital antenna, but it’s useless: The only thing it picked up was two Spanish channels and an infomercial.

So for those of you who had become accustomed to watching along with this blog, well…unless something big changes in the next six hours, corporate warfare is going to be kneecapping the Oscar’s NY ratings tonight.

If anyone knows a legal way to watch them on line, I’m all ears.

PAD

Senator Roy Ashburn, Republican from Prop 8-happy California, and a staunch opponent to gay rights, was arrested on a DUI while leaving a gay bar with an unidentified male companion.

People tend to say such things are ironic, but technically it’s not. It’s being caught in a display of hypocrisy, but there’s not an actual word to cover it. Maybe we should call it “hycronic.”

PAD

…it’s our valiant webmaster’s birthday today.

So Happy Birthday, Glenn. May you live to be 103 plus five months, because we wouldn’t want you to die suddenly.

PAD

The New York Yankees, as he is now facing charges of violating ethics laws because he was given free tickets to the first game of the World Series last year.

Aw, come on.

I mean, I get it. I get that such laws are in place to discourage lobbyists from having access and sway over public officials. And it was a dumb ášš move on his part that, when buttonholed about it subsequently, he tried to cover himself by saying he was going to pay for it and then using a backdated check to try and make it convincing. I get all that.

But come on. Being the governor of New York is a thankless job on the best of days. Certainly you should get SOME perks. He didn’t get free tickets so he could take some prostitutes. He got free tickets so he could take his son and a friend. Big dámņëd deal. Instead of trying to cover his tracks, he should have said, “Yeah. They gave me tickets. I’m the governor of New York, it’s the New York Yankees, and they wanted me there. Next question.”

He’s already said he’s not running next election. Leave the guy alone to do what governing he can.

PAD

On the off chance that you’re living under a rock, here’s the new Old Spice commercial that’s getting a ton of attention.  Question below:

So–if the oyster had two tickets to that thing you love…what would that thing be?

PAD

I’ve known Walter Koenig for a whole buncha years now; last time I saw him was at George Takei’s wedding.  When I heard his son disappeared, I prayed he’d return safely.  And it’s true that God answers all prayers, but sometimes the answer is “No.”

No matter how depressed you are, no matter how bad things may be, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.  Seek help.  Seek support in the arms of friends.  Don’t go the path of Andrew, because although you may believe you’re ending your pain, the amount of pain you will be leaving behind you for your loved ones is incalculable.

My greatest sympathies to Walter and his family.

PAD

In light of recent discussions, some people might be wondering if there’s anything that I would find myself saying, “No, that’s not right; that’s not funny, that’s a bad idea for humor.”

Well, yes, as a matter of fact.  It happened just recently on an episode of a series that I absolutely adore:  “30 Rock.”  They had a storyline that I thought was not only offensive but exceptionally ill-advised, and if I’d been in any sort of creative authority on that series, I would have made sure to smother the concept before it emerged from the writer’s room.  I cannot conceive how in God’s name it made it onto air.

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