The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: TV's last watchdog??

Jon Stewart has never been one to hide his opinion, and has never been shy about holding people accountable. Stewart's 'Daily Show' delivers the news into America's living rooms with a heavy dose of humor combined with Stewart's frankness. The result, in my opinion is a highly informative and very entertaining broadcast.

Stewart has picked his latest fight with CNBC, and its slew of financial savants whom Stewart claims have been irresponsible throughout the course of the financial crisis. In Stewart's opinion, CNBC has been misinforming Americans on investing and the truth behind the financial meltdown.  

Jim Cramer, host of 'Mad Money' on CNBC is one of the more prominent talking heads on the network. Cramer's show focuses on the stock market; analysis of the days events, and a segment of the show that deals with good and back stocks/investments. 

Stewart went after Cramer earlier this week, and Cramer appeared on the show last night to face the music. Props to Jon Stewart for keeping the pressure on people to do the right thing.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes

Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor

Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes

Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor

Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Is Joaquin Phoneix off his rocker??

More weird behavior from movie star turned rapper, Joaquin Phoenix. 

In his latest stunt, at a performance in Miami last night, Phoenix jumped off stage and confronted a fan:

Prior to that, Phoenix appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman last month and raised many questions about his mental state as well as the validity of his new rap career:

Many believe that this all part of a grand hoax, and Phoenix's on-stage antics are fodder for Ben Affleck's brother, Casey, who is filming a documentary on Joaquin's transition from the silver screen to the recording booth. Casey Affleck is also Phoenix's brother-in-law.

Something tells me there is more to this story. Hopefully it will all become known soon. Until then, more craziness from Joaquin Phoenix as he keeps us guessing.

Wedding bells placed on hold for Bristol Palin and fiance

Bristol Palin, daughter of Gov. Sarah Palin and her fiance Levi have called off their engagement. 

The couple agreed  "a while ago" to call things off according to reports. Interesting. It appears as if Levi knew long before Bristol gave birth that he didn't want to stick around. 

Sounds like Levi, the self-proclaimed "redneck" has gotten more than he bargained for...

Bristol gave birth to her son, Tripp on December 27.   

Diddy defends opening up his home to Chris Brown & Rihanna

Sean "P.Diddy" Combs appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show yesterday to answer questions as to why he would open up his home to Chris Brown, who by many accounts beat his girlfriend Rihanna.

Yesterday, I wrote about the Brown/Rihanna saga, and all of the interesting twists it has taken in the last few days. One of those twists included photos of Chris Brown jet skiing at Diddy's estate in Miami. For more on all of that see the post below.

The catalyst behind behind the Chris Brown/Rihanna saga revealed..

Get a load of this...That 3 page text message that Rihanna read on Chris Brown's phone the night of the Grammy's came from: HIS 40 YEAR-OLD MANAGER!!! Whoa. 

I just read the report on TMZ.com which claims that Brown's manager, Tina Davis was the sender of that infamous text message that Rihanna called Breezy out on and initiated Brown's furious rampage inside the car.  

It has also been reported that Brown and manager Davis have been romantically involved since Chris was 16...Both Brown and Davis deny the accusations.

As if this story couldn't take any more twisted drama...there are also rumors that Brown swept Rihanna away to P.Diddy's $14.5 million estate on Star Island in Miami. There are photos of Brown on jetskis. Rihanna was not seen at the estate.  

One more curveball for you: there are also rumors that the two got married at Diddy's house!! Are you serious? 

Recap: Breezy gets text. Rihanna reads text. Rihanna gets mad. Breezy get madder. Breezy beats Rihanna. Breezy and Rihanna get back together. Breezy and Rihanna spend a weekend at Diddy's estate. Breezy and Rihanna then get married (reported but not yet confirmed).

If this wedding actually happened, words will not be able to express my disgust at this situation, its outcome, and the message that it sends.  

Performance-enhancers found on paraphernalia linked to Roger Clemens

Uh oh Roger. New information reported by the New York Times says that performance-enhancing substances were found on syringes that Clemens' ex-trainer Brian McNamee said he used to inject the pitcher.

Last month, The Times reported that Clemens' DNA was found on some of the syringes and other material that McNamee turned over to federal investigators.

First there was the DNA, and now the drugs, found on the same evidence...

If you'll remember, Clemens appeared on '60 Minutes' in January, 2008, and then in front of a congressional committee in February, 2008 to set the record straight and deny any allegations of his usage of performance-enhancers.

We all remember the interview A-Rod did with Katie Couric in 2007 for '60 Minutes' that we all know now was a bold faced lie. I can't help but wonder if Clemens' '60 Minutes' interview will eventually be viewed in the same light if it isn't already. 

The difference between A-Rod and Clemens is that A-Rod never took an oath and swore to be truthful in a formal setting. Lying to Mike Wallace and lying under oath are two entirely different things. This is why Barry Bonds is on trial for perjury..Once you take that oath, if evidence becomes available that can contradict your testimony, you could find yourself in some hot water. 

A federal grand jury has already convened to determine if Clemens perjured himself when he told Congress that he never used performance-enhancers. If indicted and taken to trial, Clemens' lawyers will try to argue that McNamee somehow doctored the evidence in the seven years between the time he injected Clemens (2001) and the time he turned the evidence over to the feds (2008).

This saga just took an interesting new twist, and I am curious to see how it all plays out. Clemens, who has achieved every imaginable benchmark and been awarded every imaginable accolade as a pitcher placed all of that in jeopardy when he testified in front of Congress. If it is found that Clemens did indeed perjur himself, an asterisk in the record books would be the least of his concerns...

North Korea flexes its muscle again

North Korea has placed its military on standby and has threatened war if anyone attempts to shoot down what appears to be a test firing of a long range missile.

The North Korean government also cut off a military hotline that it uses to communicate with the South Korean government. This move has stranded hundreds of S. Korean workers who cross the border regularly to work in Kaesong, an industrial city near the DMZ.

The North Korean govt. has also announced plans to launch a communications satellite, which many believe is a front for a long-range missile of reaching Alaska...Uh oh Sarah Palin. 

The missile test firing and the 'communications' satellite launch both violate U.N. Security council regulations that bar North Korea from any kind of ballistic activity.

President Obama's special envoy to N. Korea has already encouraged the N. Korean government to not fire the missile, and has called the launch an "extremely ill-advised move."

PS. The United States currently has 28,500 troops in S. Korea, and 26,000 of those troops along with S. Korean soldiers & a U.S. aircraft carrier began a series of war games today. The military claims these games are not tied in any way to any political or real world event...

Something to keep an eye out on.

Ex-Syracuse star Demetris Nichols signs with Knicks

The New York Knicks signed Demetris Nichols to a 10-day contract Friday. Nichols, who was a star at Syracuse, has had a rocky experience thus far in the NBA.

Nichols was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers and immediately traded to New York. In NY, he played in 5 exhibition games and was cut.

After the Knicks let him go, he spent brief periods in Cleveland and Chicago averaging 1.1 points in 16 games. Not necessarily lighting it up like he did in the Carrier Dome.

Chicago sent him to the NBDL to sharpen his game, and there he averaged 20.3 points while playing for the Iowa Energy.

Let's hope this new stint will lead to some longevity in the league.

Has anyone heard from Gerry McNamara, btw??

Charles Barkley..NBA star, celebrated analyst, INMATE

Charles Barkley has been in the slammer all weekend. An Arizona judge sentenced Sir Charles to a 36 hour sentence for a drunken driving violation that occurred New Years Eve.

Barkley also took a leave of absence from his analyst job at TNT following the arrest. 

A few interesting things about this situation:

- inmates at the jail where Barkley is serving his sentence are housed in tents, not traditional cells. 

- Barkley's sentence breaks down like this: 24 hours on Saturday, work release from 8a-8p on Sunday, and then back in the slammer from 8p-8a Sunday Night. Work release at 8a Monday, and then he's done.

Now, I don't know much about the penal code and I do my best to avoid Johnny Law, but sleeping in outdoor tents, not jail cells, and getting released for 12 hours for "work release" sounds like a sweet deal to me. I wonder, is this the situation for everyone who gets a DUI in that county or is Chuck Barkley receiving a little preferential treatment?

Michael Jackson retiring??

The King of Pop is stepping down from his throne. "Wacko Jacko" announced Thursday that he will tour one last time as part of his "This is it" tour, beginning in London and possibly making other stops around the globe.

Jackson made the announcement in front of a throng of adoring fans and journalists in London. 

He also announced plans to release a 3D film entitled "Thriller 3D." In my opinion, they should just use his grossly deformed face for all of the frightening scences.

I found a hilarious site that documents Jackson's facial transformation..Thanks Kate for reminding me of how crazy this man is for cosmetic surgery.

I decided not to blog about this when I first heard the news last week, but it appears as if Mikey is having a case of stage fright about making his big return. MJ had to be escorted back to his hotel room after he wandered out drunk and bewildered. The pop star even called his mom for reassurance during his spell.

I'm with you Mike...nothing like the kind words of ma dukes when you're doubting yourself. Still though, are you serious? Stage fright? What? This guy has been on stage since he was in grade school, and he's 50 now. Get it together Mike.

Between the concert series and the 3D movie release, Jackson could make up to $400 million. I think those numbers may help him get his act together.

Swag Award of the Week March 1-March 7

Kurt Warner is the 'Swag Award' winner for this week, and he earned it. His story may have gone under a lot of your radars this week with the likes of T.O., A-Rod, and Manny all vying for the lion's share of media coverage.

Warner announced this week that he would in fact be staying with the Arizona Cardinals instead of leaving for another team via free agency.

The Cardinals signed the 38-year old Warner to a two year, $23 million deal. Of that $23 million, $19 mil is guaranteed; $4 million a year salary and a $15 million signing bonus. Not bad Kurt.

Warner, the three time league MVP is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro throwing for nearly 5,000 yds and 30 touchdowns. Warner was about two and a half minutes from winning his second Super Bowl as well, but an impressive drive by the Steelers capped off by an impressive catch by Santonio Holmes sealed Arizona's fate.

Now, I'm not giving Kurt the Swag Award simply because he signed a contract this week. Manny Ramirez signed an even bigger deal for $45 million. Kurt Warner earns the Swag Award because of the way he handled the situation.

After stating that he wanted to retire as a Cardinal, Warner and the organization could not reach an agreement over contract negotiations. Warner went so far as to test the free agent waters by making a visit to Arizona's NFC West rival, San Francisco 49ers.

After the visit, Warner and his agent Mark Bartelstein did the right thing and resumed negotiations with the team. Warner even offered to take LESS money in order for the team to have more funds to keep talented WR Anquan Boldin on the squad. Boldin along with Larry Fitzgerald formed one of the most prolific wide receiver tandems in the league last year.

Talk about a company man. After losing the Super Bowl and many key coaches and players from last year's team this offseason, Kurt Warner remained loyal to the franchise, overcame his ego, and even offered to accept less money to remain with the team. How's that for swag?

That's what I'm talking about Kurt. Everyone in the league is paid, and the AZ Cardinals have a good thing going right now. There's no doubt in my mind that with Warner back under center, the Cards can't make another run at the postseason. It would have been a shame to see him finish his career with another team. 

It is for those reasons that Kurt Warner earns this weeks Swag Award.

Watchmen opens in theaters this weekend

Watchmen is coming to the big screen this weekend. It's is the newest comic book/graphic novel to be made into a movie.  

Based off of The DC Comics series from the 80's, the story takes place in an alternate history in the U.S., and America and the Soviet Union are moving closer to nuclear war. All of the old superheroes are either retired or working for the government. Freelance vigilantes step on the scene and save America from nuclear war. 

Sounds pretty cool, and the film has been getting solid reviews.

If you liked 300 and Sin City, then I think you'll enjoy Watchmen. Zac Snyder, director of 300 also took the reigns on this project. Check out the trailer. Click on the 'HD' button in the lower right corner for the Hi-res version.

TTYL T.O. : Cowboys Cut Terrell Owens

Getcha moving vans ready!! Terrell Owens, one of the NFL's premiere receivers was released yesterday by the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys will take a $9 million salary cap hit, but that mattered not to the team because they wanted him gone. 

Owens is coming off of a season where he caught 69 passes for over 1,000 yds and 10 touchdowns. Impressive numbers, but not his best season by far.

While he was putting up those numbers, Owens was also criticizing his offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, QB Tony Romo and Cowboys tight end Jason Witten for conspiring to exclude him from the offensive scheme.  

That criticism helped to lower locker room morale, and keep the Cowboys out of the playoffs with a 9-7 record. 

Owens wasn't the lone culprit responsible Cowboys' collapse. Tony Romo was lackluster at the end of the season as well.

T.O. will now be seeking employment with his fourth team. He burned the Golden Gate bridge in San Fran, he burned the Ben Franklin bridge in Philly. Dallas doesn't even have bridges and he somehow messed up there too. 

It's a shame that at age 35, and with so much talent, T.O. can't just keep his mouth shut and catch the ball. 

The Return of the Boss..new single from Rick Ross

Ricky Ross is back on the scene. His new album 'Deeper than Rap' is set to drop March 24th, and I'm looking forward to it. With guest appearances by NaS, Kanye, Mary J. Blige, & Lil' Wayne, this new release should be another solid album from Rick. I just heard the first single the other day;  'Magnificent' featuring John Legend.  

'Cigar Music' is another nice track off the album that might be making a lot of noise in the near future.  

ENJOY!

Rick Pitino: Dapper Don Award winner

Every so often, something or someone is so fashionable that I get compelled to blog about it. When these times occur, I will award what is called the 'Dapper Don Award.'  This award won't be a on a weekly basis like the 'Swag Award', but occasionally when someone or something goes above and beyond to make a fashion statement.

The first recipient of the Dapper Don Award goes to Rick Pitino, Louisville men's basketball head coach.

Pitino broke out the white suit for the first time this year last weekend as his sixth ranked Cardinals hosted tenth ranked Marquette.

Louisville won 62-58.

College basketball fans will remember that Pitino pulled this stunt last year when Louisville, then ranked #13 hosted the eighth ranked Georgetown Hoyas. The Cardinals won that contest 59-51.

Whatever you think about the white suit, you can't argue the results...wins over Big East teams ranked in the top 10 two years in a row.

Congrats coach Pitino for being so clean. Don't wear that suit in the Big East tournament though...You might get some ORANGE spilled on it...Let's go Cuse!