Celebrity's Seduction And The Outing Of Fauci

Dr. Anthony Fauci has been outed.

Outed as a shameless glitterati wannabe. Outed as a relentless attention seeker. Outed as a star-crossed celebrity worshiper.

It would all be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic. After all, Fauci is not some preteen little girl at a Taylor Swift concert. He's an 85-year-old man, a supposedly renowned medical doctor and self-proclaimed scientist who vaulted himself into the highest reaches of power and notoriety during one of the darkest periods in our nation's history. 

During that time, Fauci became enamored with himself -- seeing himself as the bright star, the luminous guiding light, the incandescent, all powerful Oz who would show us the way. But in truth, there was no one behind the curtain -- just a tiny gray haired man with beady eyes who was busy admiring himself in an endless hall of mirrors.

And it was in that hall of mirrors that Fauci lost his way, much as one would in a cheap, gaudy, touring carnival attraction. 

At the congressional hearing the other day Fauci pleaded the Fifth. But before he did so, he complained about efforts to embarrass him with the release of his diary entries. But it was Fauci who embarrassed himself. Because it was Fauci who, in his haste to sing his own praises, foolishly tapped out those daily diary entries on a government computer. Imagine! 

But no one should be surprised by all this. A friend of mine recently noted that there are countless Faucis everywhere -- forgotten bureaucrats, mid-level paper pushers, anonymous bean counters, faceless clerks, managers, mechanics and functionaries. They want to be Somebody. They want to sit at the Cool Kids Table. 

Every so often, for one in a gazillion of 'em, lightening strikes. It happened to Little Tony Fauci, a kid from Brooklyn who worked in his father's pharmacy tending the cash register, stocking shelves, and delivering prescription medicines to neighbors on his blue Schwinn bicycle. 

Somewhere within Anthony Fauci lived an insatiable desire to be recognized, to be validated. And soon enough he was recognized, and even honored and then revered. But it didn't ever seem to be enough. It must not have been glamorous enough, shiny enough or ego-fulfilling enough. And let's not forget that even a small dose of fame can be a dangerous thing.

So before long, Fauci was seeking more and more and more, gleefully cataloguing all his Big Time attention-grabbing moments, clutching his press clippings and fan mail like some Hollywood divo who kept everyone on the set waiting while he fussed and preened in his dressing room.

In his autobiography, published in 1868, Horace Greeley got it right: "Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident . . . Only one thing endures and that is character."

 

From FDR To Trump: Making Celebrity Tenable

The Emergence of the Age of Celebrity . . . 

It's 2025 and in the most recent battle for the presidency we had a certified celebrity (and former president) running against a wannabe celebrity who launched a pop up campaign built around imagery, sloganeering and cosmetic promises.

And we also witnessed the routing of a sitting president, triggered in part by an op-ed penned by the celebrity pal of the victim's former running mate. And the running mate was apparently part of the scheme.

How did we get to this point? How did the Presidency of the United States become celebritized?  Because, make no mistake, that's where we're at -- and perhaps now more than ever. Because, love or hate him, President Trump, has shown that he uses the mass media with all the star quality, shock value, and stagecraft of the most seasoned celebrities.

Back to the beginning.

In the modern era of mass communication this all started with Franklin D. Roosevelt and the emergence of radio. In Roosevelt's day, radio was the most powerful medium imaginable. For the first time, the president could enter your living room and speak directly to you. You could hear his voice, live on the radio. His cadence, his tone, his feelings and his emotion became reachable, touchable, real. And FDR mastered the power of radio with his legendary fireside chats.

Radio is what they call a "hot" medium. It's intimate and engaging because it requires the listener to imagine the appearance, the movements and the mannerisms of the person whose voice comes through the speaker. FDR understood this and he tailored his messages warmly and informally as if he were having a conversation with one person, sitting right beside him.

Roosevelt also surrounded himself with famous friends. He welcomed the support of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, the most popular young movie stars of the era and he made sure to be seen not just with them but with the then reigning "King of Hollywood" Clark Gable as well as other stars of the 1930s and 40s. Roosevelt often colluded with the big Hollywood studio bosses and was regularly featured on the silver screen in the filmed Movietone News that was the in-theater precursor to television. FDR's face, his distinctive profile, his voice and his moving image were everywhere. He was the first celebrity president of the electronic age.

In the years that followed Roosevelt's death it was hard for any leader to match let alone eclipse his celebrity.  True, Harry Truman played the piano while Lauren Becall sat atop the spinet and swooned. And Ike brought an iconic smile and the first Madison Avenue produced TV spots to the presidency. But it wasn't until John F. Kennedy in 1960 that celebrity reached a new zenith in the oval office.

Few people recall that among his many other endeavors, Kennedy's millionaire dad, Joseph P. Kennedy was a Hollywood producer. The old man was determined that his strikingly handsome young son would become the leader of the free world. So John Fitzgerald  "Jack" Kennedy was given the moniker JFK and presented to the public via the best image-makers money could buy. He was dressed by the finest tailors, photographed by world renowned photographers, depicted in the most eye-appealing settings, seen with all the right people and armed with the words and witticisms of America's top speechwriters and wordsmiths. 

Just as FDR mastered radio, JFK was the first president to master  the world of television, a "cool" medium which perfectly suited Kennedy's magnetic presence. Of course, it helped that Jack Kennedy was also smart, charming and married to a beautiful, classy, worldly woman who gave birth to two adorable children. And it also helped that he hobnobbed with the likes of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack while she brought artists such as Pablo Casals into the White House to perform. They probably single handedly popularized the word glitterati. And all of this reached a dazzling crescendo on May 19. 1962 when Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" before a captivated crowd at Madison Square Garden. That was the night that celebrity and the presidency were as tightly bound as Marilyn and her dress. America was sumptuously seduced -- and that included the mainstream media which went so gaga over Kennedy that, even those who knew otherwise, fed the mammoth myth of JFK.

After that, it took another 20 years for America to crown its first genuine celebrity president by bringing an actual, verified, rock-solid Hollywood star into the White House. And, as the late producer, director and actor John Houseman would say, Ronald Reagan "did it the old-fashioned way, he earned it." Reagan served eight tumultuous years as Governor of California and didn't win the White House until his second try when he was nearly 70 years-old.

By the time he became president Reagan had been a celebrity for nearly four decades. He was comfortable with fame and all its trappings. Indeed, for the better part of his life, that's all he knew. On top of that, he had already mastered radio (he was an announcer and a sportscaster) the movies (he appeared in more than 50 films and helmed the Screen Actors Guild) and television (he hosted and appeared in a top-rated TV series). This made Reagan a triple threat and established him as The Great Communicator. 

And let's not forget that First Lady Nancy Reagan had herself been an actress and had appeared on stage and in the movies. So, this pair needed little or no media training, that's for sure. And while Hollywood stars and other celebrities remained within their galaxy, the Reagans were mostly unfazed by Tinseltown's glitz and glamour. They'd been there, done that. And this is precisely what set them apart.

As they sat in front of the tube each evening and ate their dinner off of TV trays, Ronald and Nancy Reagan wore celebrity like a set of snuggly jammies. In the process, they gave celebrity the one thing it most sorely lacked -- credibility! Knowingly or not, they opened the door to the possibility of a President Donald J. Trump.

Like Reagan, Trump was a celebrity for many years before he sought the presidency. And like Reagan, he was (and is) comfortable with his own fame. Like Reagan he was successful in several other endeavors before he sought the White House. Like Reagan, Trump had also been a TV host and star of a top-rated show. And like Reagan, Trump had sought the presidency more than once. Beyond all that, both men have been the target of an assassin's bullet and both men survived.

The difference is this: Reagan's incandescent star quality and charisma made him always somewhat distant. Now, Donald Trump has taken the credibility that the Reagans gave celebrity and he's made it familiar and accessible.  He's the everyman "star" who speaks in terms that everyone can understand. He's not celluloid; he real. Trump's authenticity is on display 24/7 for everyone to see. And Trump has weaved all this into a powerful movement based on the sort of bedrock faith that creates an army of true believers. 

Not since FDR has America seen this sort of trust in a singular, vivid, distinctive personality. Not since JFK have we seen this sort of affection for an imperfect but nonetheless compelling public figure. And not since Reagan have we seen have this sort of adulation. 

Of course, between Reagan's departure from office in 1989 and the emergence of Trump in 2016 we did have the era of Barack Obama. But for all its flash and graphic messaging, Obama's presidency lacked the depth of Roosevelt, the panache of JFK, the comfort of Reagan or the daring of Trump. Indeed, while Obama wrote about audacity, President Trump continues to define it.

Where does all this leave us? Well, we now know that celebrity, embodied by the right personality, is more than skin deep. It's more than surface celebrity. It's powered by ideas, aspirations and character. It reaches us on a visceral level. And all this is part of its allure.

Now combine this with power -- real power, as in the Presidency of the United States -- and you have something that's transformative.

OMG! . . . Whatever Possessed Her?

 

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! Soon To A Theater Near You . . .

In September, from director Ron Howard.

In The Best Sense, She Was 'A Piece Of Work'

Here, we repeat our August 2010 review of the documentary Joan Rivers - A Piece of Work. You can find it now on Netflix or on DVD.
We highly recommend it.

All summer long we've been busy trying to track down the widely-heralded documentary, Joan Rivers - A Piece of Work.
We finally caught up with it over the weekend at a local movie house and all we can say is "Whew!"
Joan Rivers is exhausting. She never stands still. Never. Not for a moment
Honored at various film festivals and lauded by fans of cinema verite, Joan Rivers –A Piece Of Work claims to expose the private dramas of irreverent, legendary comedienne and pop icon as she "fights tooth and nail to remain the queen of comedy."
The film reveals a rare glimpse of the comedic process and the toxic mixture of self-doubt and anger that often fuels it. It is often raw and downright brutal, laced with profanity and blue humor.
In the course of the film, Joan Rivers "celebrates" her 75th birthday (she's now 77).
She's not happy about it. She doesn't like getting old. She hates watching the years go buy and she doesn't want to quit working or cede the spotlight. Not now and not ever, if she can help it.
The story is both a searingly funny personal journey and an starkly honest look at the ruthless entertainment industry.
Joan didn't want to be a comedienne. She wanted to be an actress.
But it is as a comedienne that she is able to support herself and live in the grand style to which she has become accustomed. So, a comedienne she is.
We see not only Rivers' elegant trappings of success but also the ultimate vulnerability of the life of a performer. Like most stand up comics, she's hopelessly insecure.
With unguarded access, the film cuts between intimate scenes of Joan’s personal life and her life on stage and in front of cameras and audiences.
Over the course of the year, Joan fights to reinvent herself and put herself back on top. She reveals in private that the years of exposure have taken a toll on her, leaving her raw and alone. In a dressing room before a show, she exposes a much-guarded vulnerability revealing all she has left is her performing.
And so we realize that it is possible to be hugely successful (Rivers is a smart businesswoman and a shrewd, demanding boss) and yet very much alone.
I didn't know very mush about Joan Rivers before I saw this film.
In fact, I had never seen her perform in person.
And I was left with mixed feelings about a woman who I've always admired.
You might call Joan Rivers a realist. You might even call her a pessimist. She knows that the entertainment business takes no prisoners. And she also knows that time is not on her side.
But you also wonder why she hasn't carved out other interests in her life.
Why is performing the only thing?
And why can't she turn the corner and open a new chapter?
After all, she still has a very successful jewelry business. But that's barely mentioned in this documentary.
And she also has her daughter Melissa and her grandson, both of whom she seems to genuinely love very much.
But in this film Joan Rivers often comes off as one-dimensional and almost ruthlessly driven: work, work, work; keep performing; keep entertaining; keep demanding big venues and full houses.
As you watch this, you wanna shout: "Hey Joan, nobody stays on top forever. Nobody."
And yet, few true artists ever seem to want to let go of their art.
In one of the final scenes of the film, Rivers jokes about how this documentary would be an instant hit if she expired right in front of the camera.
But you just know that's not about to happen.
Because Joan Rivers is too busy preserving and updating and burnishing every ounce of who she is.
For better or worse, this is a woman who will not go quietly into that good night.

Joan Rivers Very Best Jokes - Here They Are!

Here are some of the best from the late Joan Rivers:

I wish I had a twin so I could know what I'd look like without plastic surgery.

I blame my mother for my poor sex life. All she told me was, "The man goes on top and the woman underneath." For three years my husband and I slept in bunk beds.

I was so flat, I used to put Xs on my chest and write, "You are here." I wore angora sweaters just so the guys would have something to pet.

Want to know why women don't blink during foreplay? Not enough time.

I saw my first porno film recently. It was a Jewish porno film — one minute of sex and nine minutes of guilt.

The first time I see a jogger smiling, I’ll consider it.

California is druggy, druggy, druggy. If it is white and it is on the table, they are gonna sniff it. I have a friend who O.D.ed in the beauty shop on dandruff.

The whole Michael Jackson thing was my fault. I told him to date only 28-year-olds. Who knew he would find 20 of them?

Not all plastic surgeons are good. My cousin went to one and told him she wanted to turn back the hands of time. Now she has a face that could stop a clock.

My sex life is so bad, my G-spot has been declared a historical landmark.

The women in California, they get scared. A guy flashes you, they go to the police, "He's flashing! He's flashing!" In New York, a guy flashes you, you took your embroidery hoop and played ring toss.

I hate housework. You make the beds, you do the dishes, and six months later, you have to start all over again.

I've had so much plastic surgery, when I die, they will donate my body to Tupperware.

Joan Rivers' Secret To Success . . .

"If there is a secret to being a comedian, it’s just loving what you do. It is my drug of choice. I don’t need real drugs. I don’t need liquor. It’s the joy that I get performing. That is my rush. I get it nowhere else.
"What pleasure you feel when you’ve kept people happy for an hour and a half. They’ve forgotten their troubles. It’s great. There’s nothing like it in the world. When everybody’s laughing, it’s a party. And then you get a check at the end. That’s very nice."

Stars React To Death Of Joan Rivers

Here are some of the reactions from notables that are pouring in on the death of Joan Rivers:

Katie Couric:
So sorry to hear the news about Joan Rivers. She was one of a kind. My heart goes out to Melissa and Cooper.

Katy Perry:

What's the point of wearing all these dumb costumes if Joan's not here to rip them apart RIP Joan Rivers. You are a one of a one.

Samuel L. Jackson:

Love Her or Hate Her, we're gonna Miss JOAN RIVERS! I always Respected her go for broke humor. One of a kind.R.I.P.

Bette Midler:

Joan Rivers has died. What a sad ending to a brilliant and tragi-comic life; one of the bravest, and funniest of all.

Donald Trump:

Joan Rivers was an amazing woman and a great friend. Her energy and talent were boundless. She will be greatly missed.

Gilbert Godfried:

First Robin. Now Joan. The world just became a less funny place. RIP Joan Rivers.

Mike Birbiglia:

So sad about Joan Rivers. Felt lucky to see her live once at the West Bank Cafe. So funny. So gracious. Just funny in her bones.

Bret Michaels:

My deepest condolences to the family of Joan Rivers. She was a very funny lady and will be missed.

Ryan Seacrest:

Joan was a trailblazer in so many ways, and I greatly admired her talent and humor. She was a colleague and friend, as we worked together on E!, and she was also a treasured guest on my radio show many times. Regardless of the forum, Joan was full of funny, witty surprises and she had so much spirit. She will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to Melissa and her family.

Amy Poehler:

What a full life. Every woman in comedy is indebted to her. She was there at the beginning and funny to the end. RIP Joan.

David Letterman:

Here’s a woman, a real pioneer for other women looking for careers in stand-up comedy. And talk about guts – she would come out here and sit in this chair and say some things that were unbelievable, just where you would have to swallow pretty hard… but it was hilarious… the force of her comedy was overpowering.

Barbara Walters:

No one loved life, laughter, and a good time more than Joan. We would have dinner and laugh and gossip and I always left the table smiling. She was a brassy, often outrageous, and hilarious performer who made millions laugh. In private, she was the picture of elegance and class. I will miss her.

Lous C. K.:

I feel very lucky that I knew Joan Rivers and I feel very sad that she’s gone. She was a great comedian and a wonderful person. I never saw someone attack a stage with so much energy. She was a controlled lightning bolt. She was a prolific and unpredictable, joyful joke writer. She loved comedy. She loved the audience. She was a great actress and should have done that more. She loved living and working. She was kind. She was real. She was brave. She was funny and you just wanted to be around her. I looked up to her. I learned from her. I loved her. I liked her. And I already miss her very much. It really fucking sucks that she had to die all of a sudden.

Kelly Ripa:

Joan Rivers was a pioneer in the entertainment industry. Fearless, tireless, and brilliantly funny. I will forever look up to Joan. She was a true friend. My thoughts and prayers are with her family.

Sarah Silverman:

My heart is torn in half. She wasn't done.

Israel Has Lost A Very Dear Friend

Remembering Joan Rivers - An American Trailblazer

Joan Rivers started as a phenomenon - a woman standup comic in a business which was almost exclusively male.
Yes, she made fun of herself, like Phyllis Diller. But she did dress outrageously or clownish as Diller often did.
Yes, she was searingly frank,  like Totie Fields. But she was much younger than Fields, and more attractive.
Joan Rivers started almost as a curiosity and became a trailblazer and then a legend.
We had the opportunity to see both Phyllis Diller and Totie Fields live and they were both laugh-out-loud funny. They helped to open the door for Joan Rivers but once Rivers got through the door nothing was ever the same again. Joan Rivers invented modern day distaff standup.
After watching the extraordinary documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, we decided to see Joan Rivers. And right now we are holding tickets to what was to be her performance at the Borgata in Atlantic City on November 22. How sad that we won't be able to enjoy a woman who became one of America's greatest comics and social commentators.
Joan Rivers worked hard - very hard. And she was constantly (almost neurotically) refining her craft. She kept a file of thousands of jokes and one-liners and she was up-to-the-minute on every aspect of the popular culture. She was razor sharp.
On top of all that, she was a shrewd businesswoman. No one should have been surprised when her costume jewelry business broke every conceivable record for sales at the QVC Network. She understood her audience and her market from the very beginning. That's how she created her persona in the first place. To stand apart from other comics she knew she would need what marketers called a USP - a unique selling proposition. So, she created Joan - the somewhat homely, non-glamorous Jewish gal who was smart and probably savvy but still never got the guy. She was the gal who had to be craftier than the other gals but most of the time even that didn't help. Instead, it was just another thing that drove guys away.
And, as Joan related it to her audiences, it was all so clumsy and luckless and ultimately familiar that it was funny - very, very funny.
Over the years Joan Rivers just kept reinventing herself. She understood that this is what she needed to do to survive in the grueling world of show business. The death of her husband, rejection by the King of Late Night, Johnny Carson, the loss of her own talk show -- all of these took their toll on her. But what didn't kill her simply made her stronger. She absolutely would not give up, would not be defeated. She kept coming back. Renewed, strengthened and empowered by her own brand, Joan was now able to make fun of everyone, not just herself.
And so in recent months Joan Rivers had been riding a sort of crest.
She was back again -- fresher and bolder than ever and playing the nicest rooms in the biggest casinos. Plus, her Fashion Police and reality TV programs continued to make news along with her hugely successful business.
This woman was a true American success story and she rose by the sweat of her brow and by sheer force of will. Indeed, she earned every penny and every bit of success and fame that came her way.
Despite being constantly in motion, Joan continued to work tirelessly on behalf of charities that were close to her heart: God’s Love We Deliver, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Guide Dogs for the Blind. She also dedicated her time to the National Osteoporosis Foundation and Wounded Warriors, among other remarkable organizations.
From her trademark question, “Can we talk?,” to her red-carpet creation, “Who are you wearing?,” this woman asked all the right questions and got the answers America – and the world – wanted to hear.

She will be sorely missed.

Joan Rivers Dead At 81 After Cardiac Arrest

Joan Rivers has died.

The iconic comedian died today at the age of 81.
Rivers went into cardiac arrest on Aug. 28 after a minor throat procedure and had been on life support at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital.
From Melissa Rivers:
"It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends.

"My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother."

Don't miss our tribute to Joan Rivers later this evening here at the Dan Cirucci Blog.

14 People To Watch In 2014

With the new year just days away, we want to take a look at the people you need to be watching next year.
These include both established figures who may be at a turning point or a critical phase in their lives and newcomers who seem destined to break away from the pack.
This will be a particularly important year for these 14:

1) Jeremy Jordan - This hugely talented, upcoming Broadway standout is a triple threat. He can sing, dance and act. And he's showing his worth on TV and in the movies as well. He's got what it takes to be a Very Big Star.

2) Nick Foles - Regardless of what happens during the rest of the year, this Eagles quarterback is a winner all the way. He's the sort of potential QB superstar that Philly fans have been dreaming about.

3) Chris Christie - After his sensational victory in November Christie is the one politico who's clearly captured the public's imagination from coast to coast. 2014 could be the year when he begins to make his moves toward the presidency.

4) Matt Dusk - This smooth, stylish singer of the great American songbook is already a popular crooner in Canada but in the new year he deserves America's undivided attention. He's got the goods.

5) Susana Martinez - The Governor of New Mexico is a rising GOP star and just the right person to lead the Grand Old Party into a new era of diversity and relevancy. Keep your eye on her!

6) Evan Feinberg - The young, savvy President of Generation Opportunity is on the cutting edge. He's leading the next generation of Americans away from blind allegiance to Obama and toward a new, informed sensible, no-nonsense political culture.


7) Jon Bernthal - One of the most exciting young actors on the scene today. Check him out in The Wolf of Wall Street and Grudge Match, both in theaters now. He's a winner!

8) Laura Osnes - Now starring in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderalla on Broadway, this absolutely radiant actress and singer has proven her mettle in a variety of roles. She's already been nominated for a Tony Award and we're certain that this will be the first of many honors that will follow in coming years.

9) Hillary Clinton - Like it or not, Hillary Clinton must be watched -- if only to be ready for any scheme she might hatch. If she's gonna go for the Top Spot, 2014 will be the year when she will show her cards. Hold on tight, America. You may be in for a bumpy ride.

10) Coach Jay Wright and the Villanova Wildcats. Ranked in eighth place nationally, this is destined to be a big year for the Wildcats. Can they be Big East champs? Will the make the Final Four? Anything can happen. Stay tuned!

11) Megyn Kelly - She's already the single most exciting person in TV news. Megyn Kelly hit 2013 like a comet and the future looks nothing less than incandescent. She's smart, savvy, sexy and insightful. There is no limit to how far she can go.

12) Elizabeth Warren - This uber-liberal Massachusetts senator may be just the person to challenge Hillary Clinton within the Democrat Party. She's already collected a slew of admirers and is a darling of   self-proclaimed progressives.

13) Michael Carter-Williams - The most exciting thing to happen to the Philadelphia 76ers in a long, long time. This young hoops star is off to a great start and has proven to be a real asset to the team.

14) Pope Francis - The honeymoon has been great and the world is smitten with His Holiness. But in 2014, the real work begins and Pope Francis will have to tackle some big issues. Now we'll find out if he's really ready for his closeup.

And, just for good measure here's an added, bonus Person To Watch: Ronan Farrow - Who cares if he's Frank Sinatra's son or not? He's still Mia Farrow's son and an impressive talent in his own right as well as someone who seems thoughtful and engaged well beyond his years. With a new CNN show on the way and opportunities popping up everywhere, 2014 seems destined to be his year.

Photos above: Ronan Farrow, Laura Osnes, Michael Carter-Williams.

Ten Biggest Celebrity 'Has- Beens' Of 2013

There's nothing sadder than over-the-hill celebrities, politicos, sports stars and other once-famous people who still try to hog the spotlights.
They just don't know when enough is enough.
They can't give it up.
Many of them have serious problems and troubling ancillary issues.
Here are our ten top has-beens of 2013:

1) Dennis Rodman. This washed-up hoops-player and trashy celebrity tried to get back into the picture by befriending the sick thugs who run North Korea. The whole scene was bizarre.

2) Katie Couric. Turns out this former Today show host and former news anchor discovered the third time wasn't the charm as her daily talk show went up in flames amidst renewed charges that she's an out-of-touch prima donna.

3) Paris Hilton. She used to be famous just for being FAMOUS! But now that she can't sustain even an iota of fame, what's left?

4) Lindsay Lohan. It's sad to be all washed up at such a young age. But how much addiction, recovery and strange (if not downright criminal) behavior can the public take?

5) Madonna. Not only is she not well preserved but age has certainly taken more than its toll. We can't understand why she's still touring. What's the point?

6) Alec Baldwin. Forget anger management. We may be well beyond that. We're talking the arrival of the tottering and doddering faze.

7) Charlie Sheen. Remember "winnnning?" Seems that was a long, long time ago.

8) Barbara Walters. Like an I Love Lucy rerun, she looked so much better in the original black and white version.

9) Adam Sandler. We hear he's just made a new movie. Yawn . . . . . . .

10) Carrot Top. Did you know he's now a permanent attraction in Vegas? Next stop: Branson.

11) And just for good measure, we'll add one more: Rachel Ray. Two words: "Shut up!"

Surprising List Of Celebrities Who Are Republicans

A significant number of well-known people are conservative and/or Republican.
You may not know that these people lean to the right because the dominant liberal media don't want you to know this.
But all of these famous people are or have been, in one way of another on the GOP team. Many of them are registered Republicans. And this is just a partial list. Still, we thought you'd like to know.
Here they are:
Gloria Estefan
Jack Nicklaus
Heather Locklear
Ronan Tynan
Jessica Simpson
Kim Alexis
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Cheryl Ladd
Robert Duvall
Kid Rock
Ben Stein
Dennis Franz
Rick Schroeder
James Earl Jones
Tom Selleck
Loretta Lynn
James Woods
Mary Lou Retton
Don King
Rachel Hunter
Dean Cain
Dennis Miller
MeatLoaf
Marie Osmond
Tony Danza
Mike Ditka
Pat Sajak
Patricia Heaton
Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Chris Evert
Bill Bellchick
Drew Carey
Vincent Gallo
Sylvester Stallone
Adam Sandler
Jamie Farr
Ted Nugent
Wayne Newton
Robert Conrad
Shirley Jones
LeAnn Rimes
Janine Turner
Andy Garcia
LL Cool J
Alice Cooper
Sammy Hager
Robert Davi
Clint Eastwood
Britney Spears
Kelsey Grammer
Angie Harmon
Chuck Norris
Tom Clancy
Naomi Judd
Danny Aiello
John Elway
Sara Evans
LeeAnn Womack
Richard Petty
Mel Gibson
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Jackie Mason
Joan Rivers
Trace Adkins
Kathy Ireland
Jon Voight
Curt Shilling
Bruce Willis
Scott Baio
Dr. Phil
Bo Derek
Nick Lachey
Stephen Baldwin
Karl Malone
Susan Lucci
Sarah Michelle Geller
Kirk Cameron
Martina McBride

The Sudden Celebrity of "Snowmageddon"

Here in the Mid-Atlantic all anyone can talk about is the slickest new celebrity on the scene. It has a temper, goes out all night long, it’s hard to predict and even harder to control. And usually it wrecks more havoc than Russell Crowe in a luxury hotel room. When it comes to fame, none are cooler right now than Snowmageddon! Or in this case Snowmageddon 2.0.

Who says LA attracts all the celebrities? Not Snowmageddon. This fame seeker caused a splash (or more aptly a snowdrift) by skipping New York City entirely in its debut late last week. Forget Vegas, ditch Miami. The first time around Snowmageddon brought attention (and loads of white stuff) from Washington to Philadelphia stopping in between for high profile love affairs with smaller towns like Colesville, Maryland.

You’d have to imagine that the traditional, flesh and blood celebrities are pissed. “Brangelina” sounds pretty wimpy compared to “The Snowpocalypse.” Not even the Super Bowl, the Saints improbable win, or Ellen DeGeneres’s first night on Idol could detract from the near constant media attention on “SNOWtorious B.I.G.” or as some are now calling it “Snowverkill” as we prepared for round two. And it hasn’t disappointed. Snowmaggedon is already more entertaining than every movie Madonna has been in… combined.

Those of us living in the affected areas are captivated. Instead of discussing the Oscars we’re focused on the Dopplers. Meteorologists are hip and snow photos fill Facebook with each of us vying for a more intimate encounter with the winter beast. As I look out my window the white stuff continues to fall, local news crew high on endorphins and armed with rulers enjoy their importance, schoolchildren delight, and we’re forced inside, sometimes without power, sometimes without satellite TV, sometimes without our patience but always with each other. Finally a celebrity that reminds us of what we do have. Maybe Snowmageddon isn’t so bad after all.