SUMMER'S NOT OVER YET

1. . . . Although many would say it is. Not official until Sept. 21. But geesh, where did it go?
2. . . . They're already selling Halloween cards, for crissakes.
3. SPARE CHANGE? Instead of a nickel I got back a Cinco Centesimo de Balboa coin made in the Republica de Panama (1993) from one of Metro's fare card machines. How'd that make it in there? I want my money back.
4. During the Republican National Convention CNN anchor Aaron Brown asked New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd what it was about George Bush that makes her keep writing about him and his administration so critically and she said, "I always like to tweak power."
5. Last Friday night on the Fox cable network, right out of non-stop coverage of Hurricane Frances in Florida, they showed an American Airlines vacation package commercial for a trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. What a time to advertise for something like that when the whole area was reeling from Frances's effects. Somebody ought to screen those things before they air.
6. The new Morris the Cat doesn't look grumpy enough for me. And they have him doing back flips after eating a bowl of 9Lives with that high tech animation they use now. I don't need to see special effects in a cat food commercial. Just show the finicky cat and have some funny narration.
7. Remember That's Incredible? Whatever happened to John Davidson?
8. Some said Bush got close to tearing up at one point during his speech last Thursday night but Mr. Big Stuff said he was crying crocodile tears.
9. The Around Town Best Bets are airing on PBS affiliate WETA in Washington. They dumped the much liked local arts and entertainment program and now are making interstitials out of it - little minute or so briefs to tell viewers about things to see, hear and do around the nation's capital. They're scattered throughout the program schedule and feature some of the panelists from the original full program. I'd rather see a full show than an interstitial.
10. One decent song I heard played at the Republican National Convention was Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now. That was a huge hit in 1979 for McFadden & Whitehead, a producing-songwriting team who worked for Philadelphia International Records.
11. Dennis Farina, the new guy on Law & Order replacing Jerry Orbach, needs a haircut. Too much up there.
12. "RABBIT, RABBIT." Yes, Good Morning America's Robin Roberts said it again on Sept. 1. She says it on the first of every month. Good luck or something
13. Former Sen. Bob Kerrey sports a Caesar-like short haircut. He's no Marlin Brando but it looks okay. But sometimes it doesn't look as good as other times. During the 9/11 Commission hearings it didn't look so good.
14. They have Pet Taxis in New York. Saw one in a news report.
15. WICKER PARK. Overly long movie of romantic obsession starring Josh Hartnett as a girlie- man (misty-eyed a lot) in search of Lisa (Diane Kruger) , a long-lost love. She disappeared two years ago and now he's supposed to marry the boss's daughter and make a trip to China. But he thinks he sees his first love and takes off on the search and finds someone he thinks is Lisa but it's not the right one. It's full of arty flashbacks and near-miss encounters. And it's confusing. Some parts are laughable and not meant to be. But it is directed imaginatively. Not the right role for Josh though. Seems too young in this one.
16. John Kerry says the W in George Bush stands for WRONG but at the Republican Convention, many were holding signs that said, "W is for WOMEN." George Women Bush? That doesn't sound right.
17. A friend of mine went to see the movie, We Don't Live Here Anymore, and kept thinking, "I don't want to be sitting here anymore." Ha Ha Ha.
18. WAITING FOR . . . Anita Baker's new album. She's been away 10 years and is finally coming back. My Everything comes out Tuesday, Sept. 7. It's just like her previous work and her longtime producer, Barry Eastmond, told The New York Times, "Her attitude was, if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Good for her.
19. UNFORGETTABLE PICTURE. Of a terrified young boy, standing in his underwear among his bloodied schoomates after the siege was over with Chechen hostage-takers in the southern Russian town of Beslan. Reminded me of the famous picture of the woman burned by napalm, running away from an explosion during the Vietnam War.
20. STUPID. The man who dragged an unconsious woman through a casino in Las Vegas was called "not the brightest bulb in the chandelier" by an investigator. The whole incident was recorded on security cameras.
21. Saw Father of the Pride, the new NBC series that's got Shrek-like animation. It's okay, but who needs all that in a TV show? I go to the movies for all that elaborateness. And it's really sitcom-ish, the way the lines are delivered by the characters. Stilted.
22. Dick Ebersol, executive producer of the Olympics, said this about ESPN commentators on the network's Sports Reporters show who accused him of airing "all-the-time gymnastics and swimming. " Said Ebersol, "Our audience is the American family, not some bitter old American sportswriters who have been to too many events. I've always looked at that show as the Sunday morning clown show of guys interested in sound bites to get hired by ESPN." Okay Dick.
23. JUST ONCE. I'd like to see Gwen Ifill in Beyonce hair.
24. TAKE HIM OUT . . . Of the promo. Craig Kilborn's still seen in a CBS/Channel 9 promo for the fall lineup. He's outta there baby. Won't be doing the show anymore.
25. Many reporters and anchors were standing out in the wind and rain in Florida last weekend. Yes, they were there LIVE. NBC's Brian Williams was and said , "We have correspondents fanned out all along the hurricane path." He big-footed normal anchor John Seigenthaler on Sunday's Nightly News, who was left in the New York studio, away from all the action. (I don't know what studio number it was. I wish I did. I know that's an important thing to NBC.)
26. "We're looking at the outside of Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital where Bill Clinton is ...," said one early comer TV reporter on Sunday. Yeah, let's have the cameraman zoom up to the window where we think he is and maybe we'll see the former president standing there in a hospital gown with his butt hanging out. Let's put that on TV.
27. . . . Fox's Todd Connor, covering the Clinton story in New York, looks a lot like George Clooney. He played a doctor on TV.
28. Electric-haired boxing promoter Don King provided a lively guest shot on CNN's Crossfire one day last week. He was wild and full of it, rattling off all kinds of stuff. Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala had a hard time going to a commercial break because they couldn't get him to shut up.
29. A friend of mine wondered if Monica Lewinsky was going to send Bill Clinton a get well card. If Hillary's screening his mail, he'll never know if she does.
30. BROOCHES ARE IN NOW. Celebs like Jennifer Lopez (people aren't calling her J. Lo much anymore), Ashlee Simpson (that black hair looks Munster-ish) and Lil' Kim (who busts out of everything she ever wears) are wearing them. They say they're not just for grandma anymore.
31. Democrat turned Republican actor Ron Silver needs to cut off that flip in his long hair. Doesn't look Republican enough to me.
32. The topic of Jane Pauley's show on Monday was housecleaning and featured two sisters - one neat and tidy and the other a slob. She's in Oprah country now, with shows like this. I hate to see Pauley spiral down like this. From the Today show to Dateline to ... God knows what's next.
33. A side-shot photo of Tom Brokaw in the NBC convention anchor booth interviewing Karl Rove of the White House made him look exactly like Johnny Carson.
34. Hanalie, dog in the neighborhood, got pecked on the nose by Gidget, the bare-eyed cockatoo. She didn't bite back and ran to owner Sally for consolation.
35. Every time John Kerry makes a speech I imagine him saying, "Thy will be done." He seems biblical character-ish to me, sorta like Moses on the mount or something.
36. UH . . . This Will Be - Natalie Cole on Capitol. 1975. Her first hit but oh so shrill.

rocci@roccifisch.com

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