Friday, November 18, 2011

Natalie Wood Case Reopened

It was shocking news yesterday when it was announced that the Los Angeles Sheriff's Dept reopened the investigation into the death of Natalie Wood. Wood died November 29, 1981, almost 30 years ago. A news conference on the subject just ended, and the man at the focus of the new investigation is the captain of the Splendour, the boat owned by Robert Wagner, Wood's husband.

This morning, I watched two interviews with Dennis Davern, the captain. On The Today Show, he was extremely evasive. On CNN, he was much more forthcoming. Also with him was the co-author of his book, Marti Rulli. What was extremely interesting to me was that Davern and Rulli both kept saying their push for this was not at all because of their book from 2009. Yet, they continually kept answering questions with "it's all in the book." Hmmm.

Davern admitted he lied to police 30 years ago. Okay, that's against the law. Let's see him get arrested for that.

Robert Wagner released a statement quickly saying he and his family support the investigation, but that they hoped the source for it was credible and not just out to cash in on the anniversary of Wood's death.

Hmmm: "It's all in the book."

I remember Wood's death vividly. I recall the news stories and the tabloid headlines. I remember well the scuttlebutt over the big fight between Wagner, Wood, and their guest on the boat, Christopher Walken. Walken has been like a zombie on the Wood death from the moment it happened. I have no clue what happened on the Splendour.

A combination of fact and conjecture says that the verbal fight was intense. Everyone had been drinking and was at the least, legally drunk. Nat was a little flirty, RJ was a little jealous. Walken was in the middle and probably enjoying the attention from the beautiful Wood. Walken went to bed and from there, who knows.

The death was ruled an accidental drowning. The debate is whether or not Wood really went to bed, was disturbed by the dingy banging against the boat, and went to tie it down and fell overboard. Or, was she attempting to leave the Splendour after all the fighting and fell in. Davern intimates that there is another 'or' in play.

I have not read his book in which all of this information is supposed to be, but in his interviews today, he asserted that it was a case of Wagner not doing all that he could. He stopped short of accusing him of murder.

No one really knows but Natalie and RJ. To me, it's just a huge tragedy. I don't know that there is anything to be gained by anything that is happening now. I have a hard time believing Wagner killed Wood, as some people do think (just read the book reviews over on Amazon). Davern insists Wood wouldn't have gone near the dingy at night because of her fear of dark water. I don't know. When people have been drinking, they aren't thinking right.

The Sheriff's Dept. says they are investigating, but that Wagner is not a suspect. They just want to talk to people to follow up on what they've learned. They may or may not go aboard the Splendour, now docked in Hawaii, and they may or may not exhume the body.

I think my biggest beef is with the uneducated media. Some of those asking questions don't even realize that Davern's book has been out for 2 years. Several of them, including some of the CNN reporters, are acting like it's a book just coming out. I noticed other discrepancies as well. It's frustrating because ten minutes on the internet could get them the real story. It's bad storytelling.

Right now, it's a tragic memory. I think they were all intoxicated, they fought, and everyone made bad choices. I firmly believe Wagner was devastated by the ordeal, and if his involvement was more than what we already know, it's a parasite that has probably eaten away at his insides for three decades.

I just want Natalie to rest in peace.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Go, Go Rosie O'Donnell!

I wasn't sure that I'd like The Rosie Show, which is Rosie O'Donnell's return to the talk show genre. It airs on Oprah Winfrey's OWN network. While I don't like some of the obligatory in-house guest appearances which are really designed to promote other OWN series, I have on the whole enjoyed watching Rosie again.

She grates a little from time to time, and I'm not fond of every guest, but I love the reality of the realism. Who else would take an audience guest who was unemployed and then hire them to be the show's announcer? Rosie did just that with a positive-thinking woman named Holly. I love that!

The reason for this post, however, is not really to promote Rosie's show, but rather her need to speak the truth as she sees it. Love her or hate her, she says what she thinks. Twice on Tuesday's show she said something like, "The legal department wants me to remind you that in this country, people are presumed innocent until proven guilty."

She did this because she then went on to discuss Jerry Sandusky's phone interview with Bob Costas on Monday evening's Rock Center news program with Brian Williams.

By the way, as an aside, I'm not fond of news shows as a rule, but I really do like the way Williams has put this show together. I'm watching it, and that surprises me.

If you watched Monday's show, you were probably as stunned as I was when Costas asked Sandusky if he was sexually attracted to young boys. You would think that a normal, innocent person would come out with a prompt and decisive 'no', but this man answered by stumbling, repeating the question, going around the bush and such. I was shocked. Any doubt about his guilt left my mind.

It left Rosie's, too. She timed it. It was a 16 second response. The point is, Rosie stated her opinion and really took issue with Sandusky's answer. She actually came right out and stated he was guilty, comparing him to a long ago situation in which a woman was raped and murdered in front of numerous witnesses.

Rosie is an opinionated woman. I don't always like how she acts. She's come a long way from when she was almost a fan herself more than a comedian and actress and things were lighter. Her opinions sometimes don't land well in my mind. However, on this issue, she and I agree.

Of course, in America, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Somewhere, I have to wonder if Joe Paterno is going to think it was worth it not to do more than he did. His career just nosedived in a heartbeat as a result of all of this. Respect has been lost. That's sad, but it's even sadder what happened to those boys. Football is just a game: a game. Young boys are our precious future: vulnerable human beings who deserve to play a game like football without being raped by their coaches.

Go Rosie! Keep stating your mind. I may not always agree, but I applaud your courage and willingness to call it as you see it.

Occupy Sacramento: Waste of Taxpayer Money

What a waste of taxpayer money. Several weeks ago, several Sacramentans were arrested for not leaving the park where the Occupy movement was set up. Quickly, the district attorney announced that they would not be trying any of these cases. Well, then the City attorney butted in and said she was going to prosecute.

Give me a break. How dumb and wasteful that sounded at the time, and guess what she announced today? Yes, you got it. None of the cases are going forward unless it's someone who has multiple arrests.

Now how much money has Sacramento wasted in these past weeks working on these dismissed cases?

Frankly, the city attorney needs to be dismissed for butting her nose in and not letting the district attorney to his job. It's such a joke.

Quite honestly, I believe that on the whole the governments of all the Occupy cities have overreacted. People just wanted to be heard. Now I do agree that with time they needed to go in and clean the parks or other Occupy areas, but that's what they do -- clean -- not threaten and arrest.

Dumb, dumb and dumber ... and the taxpayers are paying the price.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Save Thanksgiving from Brown Thursday!

Okay, enough is enough already. I groaned when Christmas wrappings were brought out into stores in August and September. I cringed when Target announced it was opening its stores at midnight, just as soon as Thanksgiving was officially a done deal. I was only slightly surprised when Wal-Mart had to one-up their competitor by opening up at 10pm on Thursday and now? Well, now Toys R Us, the family store, takes away just about the entire evening with their announcement that they will be opening up at 9pm on Thursday.

Are buyers that anxious to give up Thanksgiving evening with their family and friends? Is the day now nothing more than a reason to watch football and belch over a full meal?

This is ridiculous. I'll bet money (and I'm not a gambler) that another retailer will up the ante, vowing to open up at 5pm. The next thing you know, there won't be a Thanksgiving.

I urge all of you not to fall into the trap. Stand up for Thanksgiving while it's still a day of gratitude and appreciation and not one of getting the kids into bed quickly so you can go bargain hunting. If no one shows up at 9, 10 and midnight, next year, the stores will keep Black Friday on Friday and not turn turkey day into Brown Thursday.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Jonathan Jackson's Lucky Says Goodbye to General Hospital

I just read that the talented Jonathan Jackson is leaving General Hospital for the second time. Jackson originated the role of Lucky Spencer, son of Luke and Laura (Tony Geary and Genie Francis), in 1993 and quickly became regarded as one of the best, if not the best, youth actors in the soap opera industry.

During that time, Jackson's character teamed up with the young Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and were an instant hit with fans.

Jackson left the role, replaced in time by Jacob Young, who did an admirable job in the acclaimed role, and then Greg Vaughn, who in my opinion was just so-so. When Jackson agreed to return to the show, I cheered. He wanted to work with Geary and Herbst again. That was 2009.

I still remember his first scene back. It was a clever "Remember me?" moment as he rang the doorbell and Herbst answered the door.

Unfortunately, the writers chose not to reunited the Lucky and Liz characters for the long haul. That's a mistake. Every show needs a Lucky and Liz that may go through difficulties, but who you always know will reunite. On Days of our Lives, for example, it's Bo and Hope, and on the recently canceled All My Children, it was Jesse and Angie.

Jackson has had some remarkable scenes with Geary, but the problem is that Geary is the diva of soapdom. He works an odd schedule. In fact, he's rarely seen during the summer at all. So, Jackson's opportunities to work with Geary have been constrained by Geary himself. As for pairing with Herbst, reportedly, he's pleaded his case to the GH producers and was ignored and voted down.

What a shame, especially when GH needs ratings. Jackson is also tired of the darkness. GH is all about thugs now. That's a shame, too. It has made the mob the focus; there is never justice. We are told to love the killers and mob leaders, simply because they are anti-drugs and prostitution.

I like Maurice Benard, who plays Sonny, the head of the mob, and Steve Burton is a talented actor. He play's Sonny's #2, Jason, who once really was a nice boy, but who then had an accident and turned into a thug. That was horrid, but it's now the staple and norm for GH.

Jackson's return was a chance to give fans some romance of the long lasting variety. He moved his family back to LA just to resume the part.

I was once a regular viewer of GH. I began acting decades ago, but in the last several years, I have lost interest. Jackson says he's tired of the darkness. So am I, and that's why I tune in only on rare occasions, like I did for Jackson's return, and why I would have for the never-to-happen Lucky and Liz reunion.

Shame on GH, for turning GH into a mobfest and for losing the talents of the wonderful Jonathan Jackson.

Jackson's last taping is scheduled for November 17 with his last scenes to air sometime in December.


Monday, November 7, 2011

Conrad Murray is Guilty!

More justice at last! Dr. Conrad Murray has just been convicted of involuntary manslaughter. It is about time that one of these doctors to the stars takes responsibility for their actions. It's shameful that the doctors of Elvis Presley and Anna Nicole Smith, just to name two notables, got away with their greedy roles in giving them medications.

Regardless, physicians need to put their greed second to the welfare of their patients. Murray didn't do that. As a result, his actions contributed to the death of Michael Jackson.

Justice, in some measure, has been done.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

NASCAR parks Kyle Busch -- FINALLY!

I have been waiting for this for years. Since I returned to watching NASCAR circa 2005, I have been irritated by Kyle Busch, the younger brother of Kurt Busch. At the time, he was part of Hendrick Motorsports, and that made me cringe. The two worst teammates for my favorite, Jeff Gordon, have been Busch and Jimmie Johnson. Both are extremely self-serving and rationalize everything away. I watched Jeff help them and get the door slammed in his face over and over again.

Finally, Hendrick had an opportunity to expunge Busch from their presence. He landed at Joe Gibbs Racing where the religious Joe Gibbs has vowed to rein in the young driver, much as Roger Penske has done for the still vocal, but now more sensible, Kurt Busch.

The elder and arrogant Busch found himself in hot water after getting arrested and being rude, shall we say, to the Phoenix Police Department. His then car owner, Jack Roush, parked him. Between that and Penske's subtle guidance, and also with a nod to marriage, Kurt Busch has become much more likable. He's no saint and he's strongly vocal, not all in good ways, but his demeanor has changed significantly. He learned, and he's tried to teach Kyle, but the younger Busch is still leaning towards arrogance, even though he's now married as well.

Kyle Busch has claimed to be a different person now, but in the truck race Friday night, he and Ron Hornaday had a minor skirmish. Kyle totally blamed Hornaday. I was watching the incident as it happened. It was a 3-wide situation with Hornaday in the middle. He was a bit of a ping pong ball, and he was definitely loose when he and Kyle had contacted.

Here's the thing. Neither truck was all that damaged. A pit stop, and both could have gone on and finished well, perhaps even winning the race. However, with the yellow flag out, Kyle intentionally rammed Hornaday into the wall. Hornaday's truck bounced around in Kyle's, taking out both trucks.

NASCAR immediately parked Kyle's truck for the race and ordered him to the hauler after the race. They repeated that command for this morning and included the Gibbs' contingent. Then Mike Helton made the announcement: Kyle Busch would be parked for both the Nationwide race today and the Sprint Cup race on Sunday.

Well, it's about time! Like I said, I've been watching Busch's one-sided antics for years. No one denies he's a great driver; his record shows that. However, he lacks maturity and sensitivity. In short, he's a jerk, and what happened in the race proves that he has not changed a bit.

NASCAR's "have at it, boys" policy has been beneficial, but this time, Kyle crossed the line so much that the governing body had to act, and they did. More penalties may follow, and more bad things may occur for the still-arrogant Kyle Busch. After all, I've always wondered why child-friendly M&M's would want to sponsor someone like Kyle.

Who knows? Maybe now, they won't!

Regardless, this feels like sweet justice, long overdue. It took years, but finally, NASCAR responded.

Have a nice weekend, Kyle, as you watch the races at home!

 
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