A Little of the Old In and Out

In: James Wolcott. In his noteworthy blog under the title "Immoderation," Wolcott the curmudgeon works himself into a lather over Jim Cramer's CNBC post-Bush bullishness, culminating in the following interesting diatribe of his own:

"I think this euphoria, like the Nasdaq euphoria of the dotcom boom, is going to end badly. John Maudlin, the author of Bullseye Investing, has a weekly post about the return of the bubble mentality, in which he points out, among other things, that yes Google has earnings, but that it isn't about earnings it's about skyhigh valuations. Google at 222 times earnings is a ludicrous investment, no matter how pumped Cramer gets.

"What's happening in the investment community is what's happening in our political culture, and it's not healthy. As fund manager John Hussman writes in his excellent weekly statement, 'An absence of moderates is often the prelude to seismic events.'"

Out: Anna Nicole Smith Peta Ad:

Above: Does PETA really need to use a provocative "Anna Nicole goldigger" campaign to call attention to the abuses of animals in relation to the fur trade (Averted Gaze; exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)? Is PETA becoming as gaudy as the fur industry itself? Has PETA Jumped the shark?

In: Wanna Be on TV? Are you "a telegenic college guy who is ok with being on tv"? Do you also "have a girlfriend ok with being on tv"? (Okay, we still have a ways to go in this society, if The Corsair were writing that copy, it would have read, "(Do you) have a girlfriend/boyfriend ok with being on tv") If so, then go here (link via Ultragrrrl), get all the info, call up Mario from Dan Klores Communications (and tell them Ron said "hi y'all") and you might be part of an Esquire Magazine fashion 'before and after' story with some face time on some network, or cable channel, or, whatever.

Out: Landon Lueck, Real World Philadelphia. The Corsair hasn't watched MTV's Real World since that hot bisexual Hawaiian alcoholic Ruthie got sent to Substance Abuse counseling, but, according to TheSmokingGun, the members are keeping the police forces of America busy (as usual):

"For our money, the breakout star of the current season of MTV's 'Real World' is Landon Lueck. The 25-year-old is one of the reality show's seven 'stars,' and shares a sprawling Philadelphia crib with his fellow telegenic castmates. Lueck seems like a swell guy--until he starts hitting the bottle. Then it's a scary Jekyll and Hyde scene, which must please Bunim/Murray (Ed Note: Bunim is pushing daisies, The Corsair doesn't think she'd mind), the chaos-lovin' producers of the show, now in its fifteenth season. Lueck's erratic 'Real World' behavior could have been expected, though, since he actually pleaded guilty last year to assaulting a police horse following a drunken outing at a college football game in Wisconsin. According to a misdemeanor criminal complaint, an intoxicated and 'extremely belligerent' Lueck was told that he would have to leave a University of Wisconsin-Penn State game. When he refused to leave, a mounted cop 'attempted to guide Mr. Lueck away from the area.' Lueck responded by grabbing the animal's neck and trying to push it away. When the cop tried to again nudge him along, Lueck 'continued to push back at the horse and refused to leave.' He was then arrested and charged with 'harassment of police animal.'"

Crazy like Swayze.

In: Jay Z. Hott. Paper Magazine's Raquel Cepeda chronicles the recently retired-from-tha-game rapper, saying:

"Now 34 years old, the ferociously gifted rap artist took part in cementing hip-hop culture's place on a national scale, making it as American as apple pie and the ethos of Republicans. What could possibly be more American than the social values and political apathy hip-hop has come to embrace in the last few years? And, ironically, what youth movement in this country's short history has been able to have an impact on pop culture globally in the same way as this product of the Reagan administration? Hip-hop is a force that has evolved into a big business, often producing one corny product after another. But Shawn Carter's American dream comes in a package wrapped unlike any other luminary's in the field -- with street credibility and a proven multimillion-dollar track record."

Out: Lola Ogunnaike. I generally love the writing of Ms. ogunnaike, but her piece in the New York Times today sounds an awful lot like the Complex Magazine interview for Brett Ratner.