Re: Avery’s Abode For Sale

Here’s the official Ebby listing, with pics. You know what? Ugly pad. (Link props to DallasBasketball.com.)

Oh, Is There A Wedding Tonight?

A FrontBurnervian is aghast at the News’, er, coverage:

Maybe it’s just me, but it’s kind of incredible that the daughter of the President of the United States, a former Texas governor, is getting married today just down the road from Dallas (where the bride was born and lived until she was 13) — and it was not on the front page of the DMN today. Not only was it not on the front page, I couldn’t find much of anything about it in the paper. I went to the website, and found an AP story, and a wedding-oriented blog written by Michael Granberry and Alan Peppard. Who the hell wants to have to search a blog for information about this wedding? Little old ladies love these kinds of stories. Does Belo expect them to navigate to a blog for their Jenna wedding updates? It’s nuts.

I know the newsroom has got to be pressed for resources, but it’s embarrassing not to have something written locally about the Jenna Bush wedding. How hard would it have been to have tracked down people in Dallas who knew her when she went to Preston Hollow and Hockaday? Nobody expects Woodward and Bernstein, for cripes sake, but isn’t it a no-brainer that you do a colorful, light-as-cotton-candy wedding feature on the day the president’s DALLAS-BORN daughter gets married WITHIN YOUR CIRCULATION AREA?! Don’t you think that there might be a few people who read the DALLAS Morning News who are interested in this story? I’m not a reporter, and I don’t really care about Jenna Bush or her wedding, but it’s a slow Saturday, and I was interested in what unique take the local press would have on a north Texas social event the likes of which we haven’t seen … ever. Are they that hard-pressed for warm bodies down there at the Belo cave, or do you think they just aren’t going to lift a finger to give press to the daughter of a Republican president? I await your analysis.

Me, I have no analysis. I just continue to shake my head. Did any FrontBurnervians see how the S-T covered it in its print edition this morning?

Footballer Joe Montana Takes On Dallas Auction House

Oops. Dallas’ Heritage Auction Galleries is in legal hot water again, this time over some items from football great Joe Montana.

Entertainment Weekly’s First Look at Oliver Stone’s W

I admit: when I first heard about Oliver Stone’s biopic about the famous former (and future) Dallas resident and amateur librarian, I thought they casted the roles too young. But after looking at the cover, and the closeup of Josh Brolin here, I have to say, I’m intrigued.

I am, however, still holding out hope that the always-awesome Elizabeth Banks’ take on Laura Bush is somewhere in the ballpark of her character from The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Because that would be great.

Georg Schaeffler’s Complicated Love Life

Over the weekend, a fair number of people around town received an e-mail from Erika Nazem, owner of a Plano gym, saying that she’ll soon begin shooting a reality show about her life. Our friends at People Newspapers posted the e-mail. Who cares, right? Well, the thing is, Nazem has been romantically linked to Georg Schaeffler, a man who prefers to keep a low profile, and Nazem hinted in the e-mail that he might appear on this supposed show. I profiled Schaeffler in March 2007, in a story titled “The Billionaire Next Door.” At the time, I was told that Schaeffler and Nazem were breaking up. So I called Schaeffler’s D.C.-based lawyer to find out whether Dallas’ most under-the-radar billionaire was ready for his close-up.

Says Christopher Smith: “He did end his relationship with her about a year ago. It stays mostly off but it goes back on every once in a while. Georg is incredibly disappointed and frustrated with her shenanigans. He would never be on such a show. He won’t participate. If he were on a show like this, he’d be the laughing stock of Germany.”

So the question is, why would you send out an e-mail blast that would clearly anger your on-again, off-again reclusive billionaire boyfriend? My guess is that hell hath no fury.

Eh, Nazem?

Vanity Fair Does the Hunt Story

Ever since we published our story in March about the fight inside Dallas’ wealthiest family, I’ve been waiting to read Vanity Fair’s version, written by Alan Peppard. Yes, that Alan Peppard. Sources tell FrontBurner that Peppard got permission to write for the glossy because he has compromising photos of Bob Mong doing a beer bong with Matt Leinart. Anyway, the wait is over — at least for me. An advance copy of the article from the upcoming June issue found its way to me (hi, Lizzie!). I can’t post the PDF, but I took a picture of the printout for you. You might be able to make out a red box I drew there in that second column of the opening page. That’s my favorite sentence in the whole story:

She disassociated herself from the controversies over her father’s polygamous propensities and his right-wing political views — in a self-published 1960 novel, Alpaca, H.L. proposed a Utopia where extra votes were apportioned to those who paid higher taxes — by pouring her energies into domestic life with her husband, the handsome and athletic Al G. Hill Sr., and their three children.

I’m still trying to diagram it. Wonky editing concerns aside, though, the story’s strongest point is the detailing of Al III’s financial straits. Peppard has some good numbers we weren’t able to get. But, then, our story had more sex. Which magazine did the story better? You’ll have to wait a few days to read for yourself. Hang in there, Hunt family.

Boxing, Politics And Cigars … All For A Good Cause

The testosterone-laden, Dallas commercial-real-estate bacchannal called FightNight marked its 20th year last night, more restrained than it once was, thanks in part to Laura Miller’s anti-smoking jihad. Ironically, Miller was spotted near the VIP pre-party at the Ritz-Carlton Fearing’s–she may have been eating there–while, a stone’s throw away, her old nemesis Ron Kirk worked the bash like a world-champion boxer. There were a couple of those on hand, too, and one of them–Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini–had some choice words about today’s crop of fighters. Jump for more. (more…)

Avery Johnson Eats Lunch

Spotted: Avery Johnson at Al Biernat’s having lunch with an unidentified guy in a tan suit. Says one person who was close enough to eavesdrop a little bit, “They were talking about something business-related. They’d both talk on their cellphones, then go back to talking to each other about business.” Developing?

Charley Pride Turns 70

Everyone made a big deal about Willie Nelson turning 75 yesterday. But you know who else just had a birthday? Dallas’ own Charley Pride. Did anyone notice? Zac did. Here’s the lead of a wonderful profile of Pride that Zac wrote for the June issue of the “print product”:

Charley Pride turned 70 on March 18. You should know this. Everyone should know this. When Johnny Cash hit that milestone in 2002, his record labels past and present staged a yearlong celebration. Virtually every album Cash had recorded up until that point was reissued, with previously unreleased songs included on the discs and glowing essays tucked into the CD booklets. Willie Nelson got the same treatment as he approached his 70th the next year. It was the proper way to celebrate the lives and legacies of two country music icons.

Charley Pride should have been treated to a similar celebration. He’s a country music icon, too. But RCA Records, his home for two decades, let March 18 pass without comment. No bonus tracks were unearthed. No appreciative treatises about his long and illustrious career were written. Nothing.

I don’t see any point in making folks wait till June. So we’re putting up the whole story now. Go read it.

photo by Allison V. Smith

Wishing Willie A Happy Birthday–And A Lot More

OK, Willie Nelson’s 75 today, which is wonderful. But, really, isn’t today’s DMN editorial and the Texas Monthly May extravaganza all bordering on some serious overkill? Willie’s been responsible for some great songs and he’s a Texas “icon” and all, but come on. The TM oral history is thousands and thousands and thousands (and thousands) of words about Nelson from people like Jimmy Carter and Robert Redford. Evan Smith even tells us he “reacts emotionally” when he hears the first notes of “Whiskey River.” When I hear them I think: “Oh crap; not that one again.” Happy Birthday anyway, Willie. Hold one in for me.

Blake Andrews Is Now Dating Jessica Simpson

That’s according to People magazine. Alan Peppard caught their boner.

Tony Romo Takes His Gunslinging Attitude to the Blackjack Tables in Vegas and Drops $2.5 Million

Allegedly. The source on this is Robin Leach, so you might want to take that with a handful of sea salt.

Celebrity Sighting: Mark Cuban at Jason’s Deli

A cello-playing FBvian just ran into Cubes at the Jason’s Deli on Mockingbird. Said he was rocking a sly smile, so maybe he finally convinced Avery to move Josh Howard to shooting guard and start Brandon Bass. Come on! It’ll work.

Zac Crain Is the Burger King

Zac is working on a profile of one of Dallas’ most famous residents (coming in your June “print product”). Said celebrity made the observation that Zac resembles the King, of burger fame. And you know what? Yeah, I can see it.

Jessica Pics Make DMagazine.com Super Crazy Visited

You know what celebrity magazines like? Pictures of celebrities. Preferably eating cake. This morning’s post has led to calls and Web linkage from People, USWeekly, Star magazine, and more. My only hope is that somehow, someway, Joel McHale mentions the event. Then I can pretend like he and I know each other and we hang out all the time and I make him laugh, but not in an obvious “I’m trying hard to make you laugh” kind of way. And he makes me laugh, too. Obviously. But nothing weird. Just friends, hanging out … laughing. Sigh.

Mayor Tom Leppert Has a Stalker

As far as stalkers go, he’s a pretty good one. David Hopkins writes the semi-regular comic strip called Souvenir of Dallas that appears in the “print product” (Paul Milligan makes the pretty pictures that go with the words). David is working on a strip about Mayor Leppert’s freakishly large hands. Toward that end, he spent some time this weekend trailing Leppert and making him feel self-conscious about his hands (check em out). Jump for David’s report:

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Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson Celebrate Cake

Yes, Sarah. Today’s Tony Romo’s birthday (27th 28th), but he and Jessica celebrated it at Suite on Saturday night. Perez Hilton has a few cellphone pics. D Magazine has much better. Check them out, if so inclined.

Playboy’s Dallas Search

Are we still talking about Playboy’s 55th Anniversary Playmate Search? Yes. Yes, we are. Or rather, I am. In particular, I’d like to point out that we have photos of the casting call, including notable attendees Bridget Marquardt, Amber Campisi, and Holly Madison. Plus, the multitalented online producer Kyle Kearbey is editing a video of the event as well. Stay tuned.

Ben Stein, Others Party For New Flick Like It’s 1999

Belo8 film critic Gary Cogill was among hundreds partying at the Palomar Hotel Wednesday night after the world premiere here of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, a controversial new documentary about the Establishment jihad to suppress proponents of “intelligent design.” The flick stars Ben Stein, a prolific writer but probably best known as the boring teacher in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. “I’ve always admired Ben Stein,” Cogill said at the party. “He’s one of the few intellectual conservatives who have a sense of humor–something that’s rare among conservatives and intellectuals.” Jump to find out how Ben Stein reacted to that.

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Holly Madison Does Dallas, Buys Candy

As Stacey mentioned last week, Hugh Hefner’s main squeeze Holly Madison is on a mission to find the next Playmate. Her odyssey apparently includes the Albertsons on Lemmon because that’s where my friend spotted her. I assume she doesn’t dress up like Little Bo Peep when she shops for groceries, but had to ask. From the source:

She looked like somebody who gets naked for a living. She was buying Harry Potter jelly beans with a bunch of other chicks and security.

There you have it. Hot chicks are dumb enough to eat candy that tastes like dirt and sardines.

Bruce Springsteen Rocks Dallas

He had me, once again, at “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.” It was the opening song played last night by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the AAC. Sad to say that the show was not a sell-out, but the geezers like us who showed up to rock, did so. Despite the kick-sass opening number, the Boss had to kick-start the geriatric crowd. It took him about 45 minutes to get people to loosen up. Hell, the once raucous sax man, Clarence Clemons, was a dreadlocked shadow of his former self. He stayed put in his front stage-right position all night. It was like somebody tied him to a post to hold him up. Mrs. Boss, singer Patti Scialfa, was a no-show. She had to fly back to New Jersey to take care of “a situation” with the couple’s teenage kids. Bruce said something about the neighbors reporting that the Springsteen kids were rolling kegs of beer down the driveway of their mansion. He shook his head and said that when you have teenage kids “it gives a whole new meaning to homeland security.”

Guess who showed up to sing “Glory Days”? One overly coiffed Jon Bon Jovi, who looked extremely nervous as he shared the microphone with his idol. As usual, the band shuffled the set list and played a mix of old (”American Land”) and new (”Radio Nowhere”). (Here is a copy of the handwritten set list.) He also brought “Dancing in the Dark” out of retirement when he spied a group of teenage girls from Fort Worth jumping around in the general admission area on the floor. I think some dancing teacher was pushing to get them onstage before the show (speculation here, it was loud) and it obviously worked. He pulled the whole group up for the dance number made famous by Courtney Cox back in the ’80s. It was cute — a fact that left Bruce shaking his head like “WTF am I turning into here? I have teenagers, not hot chicks, dancing in my show. Maybe I should just go home and count my money.” But I doubt he is capable of that. He will rock — and politicize — until he falls over.

Oh, today I feel so old. Yet so young and restless. And tired.

Troy Aikman, Al Biernat And A Bunch Of Crazy Eights

As Associate Publisher Chris Kent Phelps and I were cooking up big plans for our business magazine, D CEO, over lunch today at Al Biernat’s restaurant, the great Al stopped by, ready as usual with an upbeat, offbeat tidbit. The latest: that former Dallas Cowboys QB Troy Aikman had picked Biernat’s to celebrate his eighth wedding anniversary earlier this week — and that everything about the bash involved an eight. Eight was Troy’s playing number; he was married to his wife, Rhonda, on the eighth of the month; and the couple sat Tuesday night in Al’s booth No. 8. Superstitious athletes, and all that.

Calling All Potential Playmates

Folks from Playboy will be in Dallas April 15 and 16 searching for the mag’s 55th anniversary Playmate. If that’s not enough to pique your interest, The Girls Next Door star Holly Madison is leading the charge and filming for the show’s next season will coincide with the auditions. (BTW, D gents, the PR contact is “more than happy” to set up a time for someone to talk to Amber Campisi, Holly Madison, or Bryleigh Rayne, a local girl who is currently gracing the cover of Playboy NUDES, whatever that is.) I’ll still have a B cup and my modesty next week, but those not so hindered should check it out and then pretty please write us and tell us all about it. Jump for audition details.

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Gloria Campos Is in the Market for a New Mattress

An alert FrontBurnervian points us to the video of Campos asking for your mattress recommendations. She says, “I don’t have to tell you women you don’t want to be hot — at least not in that way — in bed.” Yes, true. Let’s get this woman a comfortable mattress!

Kristin Campbell Talks About Fingers

It’s times like these when I remember why I decided to become a journalist: to make a difference in the world. I just interviewed Kristin Campbell, co-host of the DaFoWo Show, for a ditty we’re doing in the “print product” next month. You’ll have to wait for the full-on. But here’s a little taste.

David Mamet F - - - - - - Rocked Last Night

Last night, the Hiett Prize was given to David Greenberg at the Dallas Museum of Art. David Mamet was the keynote speaker, and he did a pre-prandial interview with Gary Cogill (pictured). The iPhone was in attendance. As was yrs trly. I have several observations for Those Who Care to Jump:

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AFI: The Closing Night

I promise you: that’s Charlize Theron in the photo. On the right is Michael Cain. I was told by one AFI volunteer that Theron awoke Saturday morning with a 102-degree temperature. But that didn’t stop her from making her appointed rounds and accepting her AFI Dallas Star Award at the NorthPark screening of Battle in Seattle. I found the movie a disorganized mess. I didn’t care about the characters. I didn’t care about the outcome. At the after party at the House of Blues, Big Bob Wilsonky described the movie to me as Crash with tear gas. I think that’s generous. Speaking of the after party, after the jump you’ll find photos of the Polyphonic Spree concert. The highlight for me was their encore rendition of Nirvana’s “Lithium.” Good stuff.

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AFI Pictures for Your Eyes

Adrienne Gruben writes, and she takes pictures. On your left, you’ve got Bobby De Niro and Michael Cain. On your right, Bary Levinson, with the specs (and another dude).

Separated at Birth: Justin Nichols and Ross the Intern

Justin Nichols is the Plano City Council candidate who says his job as coordinator of the county’s teen court is at risk because he is openly gay. Ross the Intern is Leno’s fun boy. (Thanks to the ponying-up FrontBurnervian who spotted the resemblance.)

AFI Review: Before the Rains

Doug Mankoff — a St. Mark’s graduate — is in town for the screening tonight at the Magnolia (7:30 p.m.) for Before the Rains, for which he’s one of the producers. Sorry about Tracing Cowboys, alter-Glenn. It might be one of those cases when sentiment overwhelmed judgment. But this one won’t be a disappointment. Linus Roache plays an Englishman in 1930s India, when opposition to the Raj was growing. He has big plans to build a road over the mountain using hordes of native labor before monsoon season, but his affair with his housekeeper — casual to him but not to her — leads to tragedy when he rejects her after his wife and son arrive.

This one sticks with you for its fine performances and moral complexities. It’s definitely one to see — if you can get in.

Josh Brolin And A Beautiful Heroine At The Magnolia

The West Village parking garage was so jammed, the only place left to park at 9 was a spot on the very top floor. Actor Josh Brolin titillated folks as he bustled into one of the screenings at the Village’s Magnolia theater complex. Meantime, a line or two away, a subtitled German movie called Silent Resident lured a group of about 50 arty types with its U.S. premiere. It was all part of the action Friday surrounding the AFI Dallas International Film Festival, which truly was international with several “world cinema” screenings at the Magnolia. Resident proved to be a vintage-style European art flick, complete with a beautiful, often-nude heroine living in a futuristic, super-secure residential compound whose residents may or may not be plotting against her. After the screening the film’s director Christian Frosch, a film-noir fan who’s been compared to David Lynch, turned up for a brief Q&A. His Silent Resident will be shown again on Monday at NorthPark 2 at 10 p.m., and it’s well worth seeing if you’re into paranoia, sociopolitical commentary of the European sort or beautiful often-nude heroines.

RE: AFI Dallas

It’s not nice of AFI to schedule gala events on nights when I’m teaching Moby-Dick — “‘The whale! The ship!’ cried the cringing oarsmen” — but what do you do?

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Tony Romo Ain’t Hitched to Jessica Simpson

Several FrontBurnervians have asked me about this story, wherein Jessica Simpson’s mom apparently tells a reporter that her daughter is married to Romo. A friend of Romo’s tells FrontBurner that is definitely not the truth. So there you have it.

Ron Chapman Returns, Subbing For Broadcast Hero

Listeners to WBAP-AM News/Talk 820 heard a familiar but unexpected voice this morning: that of legendary local DJ Ron Chapman. Chapman’s pinch-hitting today and tomorrow for the “dean” of radio news, Paul Harvey, whose ABC Radio Network program, “The Rest of the Story,” is heard by 23 million people on more than 1,200 stations, including WBAP. The venerable Harvey’s been a lifelong inspiration for Chapman–formerly the a.m. jock on KVIL-FM and KLUV-FM, recently absent from local airwaves–and, this morning, Ron sounded an awful lot like his broadcast hero, right down to Harvey’s trademark long, dramatic pauses. You can check out “The Rest of the Story” again today on 820 at 10:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Mavs Defeated In Front Of Jessica’s Eyes, And Her Presence

Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson’s attendance at the Mavs game last night was a big deal. So big, that news of it spread to Croatia. The translated version of last night’s events adds a little in the way of facts (says Jessica is his fiancée) but adds a lot in the way of poetry:

The first time her love played one of the work games in the season and lost against Philadelphia, and now the basketball players were defeated in front of her eyes, and presence.

Dirk on the Move

Real Estate Maven Candy Evans hints very, very strongly that Dirk Nowitzki is moving to Strait Lane. Here’s the listing. It doesn’t look very MTV Cribs-y. Yet.

Beck and Call

A gossip-scanning FrontBurnervian passed along a Perez Hilton item that was basically just a link to David Beckham’s updated blog. Looks like Becks is excited to visit. Why? Because…

Dallas has such a rich sporting history with the Cowboys of the NFL and the Mavericks in the NBA, so it’ll be great to go there and play their soccer team.

Ms. Navratilova Speaks Out

As many of you already know, Martina Navratilova and I have been friends since 1980. When I met her, she was technically still in the closet. When she was “outed” by her lover, Rita Mae Brown, Martina, who was living in Dallas at the time, hid out at my parent’s house in North Dallas. Besides winning tennis championships, Martina has dealt with tremendous personal controversies on and off the court and has emerged, at 51, as a gentle well-rounded soul. Yesterday when I was flying back from Holland, I flipped open a British newspaper that proclaimed Martina, who defected from Czechoslovakia in 1975, was “ashamed” of the United States and was taking back her Czech citizenship. The British media dug up one of Martina’s anti-Bush comments from last year and paired it with the news that, on January 9^th, Martina was recognized by the Czech government which restored her citizenship. What should have been a real feel-good story—one that Martina never even made light of—has been painted into a political picture. I reached Martina in Tokyo this morning. She says this exclusively, via e-mail, to the FrontBurner Nation: “Of course they are saying that I got the Czech citizenship because of Bush. What a load of crock. As if I was not controversial enough, they need to create controversy where there is none.”

Owen Wilson: On Mend, Prowl

Says here that there’s a relationship blossoming between Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. It’s not the most convincing evidence, but at least we can officially spend company time thinking of how to meld their names when their couple status becomes official. (JJ I’m looking at you.)

Mrs. Modano Makes a Movie

In case you hadn’t heard, Willa Ford portrays Anna Nicole Smith in the upcoming biopic Anna Nicole. And in case you couldn’t guess, the flick looks awfully trashy or trashily awful. Here’s a trailer.

Randy Travis Eats Mexican Food

Spotted: Neo-traditional country crooner Randy Travis and his wife, Lib, chowing down with another couple today at Pappasito’s Cantina on Lombardy Lane. Lib was looking to be wearing a platinum-blonde Cleopatra wig. No word on whether Randy was “Diggin’ Up Bones” in his combo platter.

Jessica Simpson News That, Surprisingly, Doesn’t Involve Tony Romo

Daisy Duke herself is appearing at Stonebriar Centre starting…now 11 AM tomorrow. She’ll be there til 1:00 promoting her new line of handbags. Want to meet her? You’ve got to fork out $75 or more.

Greetings From Maastricht!

MAASTRICHT, HOLLAND — Ahoy, FrontBurnervians. I’m coming to you live from TEFAF, the world-renowned art and antiques fair held in Holland. I arrived here at the showcase early this morning before the doors opened for a VIP reception and had free reign of this huge exhibition/sale and watched the dealers as they set up. Miro, Henry Moore, Rembrandt are on the wall; Martha Stewart and Camilla Parker Bowles are in the Hall. I hear through the chardonnayvine that the Howard Rachofskys from Dallas are somewhere close by. I’ve just finished feasting my eyes on a $30 million Van Gough (The Child with an Orange) that has not been on the market for almost a century, a watch designed by Andy Warhol, and Vincent van Gogh sur son lit de mort, a rare etching made from the drawing of VG on his deathbed by Dr. Paul Fedinand Gachet. Spooky and intense, and a bargain at $25,000 euros. Or, as the dealer said to me, “the price of the greatest rarity.” Overheard before the doors opened: “I’ve been trying to work a million dollar deal with him and I can’t reach him on the phone” and “For the next two hours I am only interested in making money…the rest of the art world can f***k off.” But my favorite came from some dandy British collector in yellow silk pants, purple blazer, and neon green eyeglasses. He took a platter of Dover sole from a server, pushed a hair off his forehead and said, “Dear, how many Warhols do we have? Perhaps today we can pick up one or two more.” Hmm, they’re playing my tune. Gotta zoeken.

What Willa Ford’s Been Working On

No. 9’s no. 1 girl will portray the late Anna Nicole Smith in an upcoming biopic, set for release (on TV, far as I can tell) later this year. A preview has hit the Web. Does she pull it off? Judge for yourself.

Charlize Theron Coming to Dallas

Esquire’s reigning Sexiest Woman Alive will attend this year’s AFI Dallas International Film Festival, being held March 27-April 6. She’s just one of several big names who will be in attendance (including Robert De Niro, Mickey Rooney, Helen Hunt, and Woody Harrelson), but I know who you guys really care about. Not so fast though, fellas, her boyfriend—who directed her in the set-to-be-screened, rhymingly titled Battle in Seattle—will be there, too.

Brooke Burns Makes Her Way to Your Television Soon

I’m falling way behind the cultural curve. That’s the only way to explain why I’m just now finding out about Miss Guided, a new sitcom ABC will air in a couple of weeks. It looks different from most other sitcoms in that a) it’s shot with a single-cam, and b) it looks like it might actually be funny. The Dallas connection, if you must know, is that it costars Dallas native Brooke Burns. Check out the trailer and decide for yourself. (Photo from here.)

RE: Ashley Olsen Visits Dallas

See an unblurred (and smiling) photo of the stylish star in WWD’s report on her visit last week.

Gary Busey Practiced His Weirdo Act in Dallas

Hollywood’s accustomed to Gary Busey acting weird–happened again Sunday–but Dallas has experienced it, too. In fact, according to hosts Tim Ryan and Megan Henderson (at left), the actor is an all-time least-favorite guest on Fox4’s Good Day morning program. (Others with that dubious distinction: Lauren Bacall, Peter Fonda, Loretta Swit.) During an interview with TV critic Ed Bark at Stratos Greek Taverna Saturday, Ryan and Henderson recalled how Busey was supposed to sing one Elvis song on Good Day before the show broke for a commercial. Instead, the out-there thespian plunged into a second song right after the first … and then a third after the second. Finally, the director simply faded to black. “Afterwards,” Ryan recalled, “Busey was so swacked, he said, ‘Listen, I know what you were trying to do, but I think what I did was much better television.’ “

I Am Shocked, Shocked That The Hottie and the Nottie Had a Poor Opening Weekend

Paris Hilton’s movie, co-starring Dallas’ Christine Lakin, had an average of about 10 people per theater seeing the thing. That’s based on $76 in tickets per location. Or maybe, every showing sold-out and then all but 10 people per audience demanded their money back. That could happen.

How Ashlee Simpson Will Spend Her Valentine’s Day

A friend of mine just passed along this info:

I was in the Walmart next to the office this morning buying baby formula. … Featured in handbills all over the store was the news that at 4.30pm on Valentine’s Day this year, at the Montfort Walmart, will be Ashlee Simpson, signing copies of her CD. More shocking, I can’t tell if that’s a step down. For either party.

My friend and I went on to wonder if she’ll actually be signing autographs. More likely, the cds will be pre-stamped with her signature and on the day of the event, she’ll just squiggle a pen about an inch above the cd.