One year ago today, Danny Gans took a nap from which he did not awaken

Las Vegas superstar Danny Gans died in the early hours of May 1st, 2009.

A corrupt and lazy local news media have yet to fully examine the circumstances of his death or life.

Click here to read our comprehensive coverage.

Bullock's black baby brilliant blindside

This morning brings another example of how and why those Hollywood public relation and image-making firms make the big bucks. Facing post-Oscar® career destruction after the revelations about her Nazi-loving, white supremacist-tattooed lady-banging husband Jesse James and the subsequent false S&M sex tape rumours and darker marital speculation, Duetschland-raised actress Sandra Bullock has resurfaced with a whopper of a comeback: taking a cue from her Academy Award®-winning role and adopting a black baby, finding him in New Orleans, naming him Louis after Louis Armstrong, having the little fella circumcised in a Jewish bris and filing for divorce in one fell swoop-- which changes the headline, puts her in Nicole/Angelina/Madonna class and erases any doubts about her love for all mankind.

Danny Gans and the Larry King divorce

There is a Danny Gans connection to what could turn out to be the final year of matrimony between Larry King and his wife Shawn Southwick.

As word comes that the couple are planning to divorce, readers of this site will recall, that Shawn was scheduled to perform with Gans at his May 1st, 2009 show at the Encore Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Unfortunately, the musical impressionism superstar died in his bed sometime in the early hours of that morning (the exact time is subject to debate, because of the discrepancy between the statements of his wife and his manager).

Less than 96 hours after Gans' untimely passing, Encore owner Steve Wynn wrapped a deal to have CNN talk show host King star in a show at Gans' Encore theatre for two nights in June.

King confirmed at the time that his wife Shawn would open for him.


UPDATE: The "I mean... what!?!" blog follows up:

"...Perhaps all this went awry after Shawn Southwick’s big, planned Vegas comeback got kaboshed due to the death Danny Gans. That had to have been a major bummer for all involved, but mostly for Shawn, who was hoping for a 5 year booking so she would not have to bed down with Larry King. Brech..."

Brian Dunkleman profits from former co-host Ryan Seacrest's cheap shot on American Idol

The American Idol studio audience gasped and began to applaud when host Ryan Seacrest announced last night that Brian Dunkleman would co-host next week's Idol Gives Back charity show-- only to mutter in disappointment and distaste when Seacrest quickly said it was merely his latest misguided attempt at humour. It was a cruel, bitter joke from a guy who's profited so greatly from the starmaking Idol gig that he shared with Dunkleman on the show's first season (and which Dunkleman walked away from on moral grounds). Seacrest, who'd developed into a classy television presence in preceding seasons, has fallen apart this time around, with lame attempts to one-up professional comedian Ellen DeGeneres and uncomfortable sexual set-tos with his friend Simon Cowell. This latest display, following his dance with a male former contestant during one hopeful's performance and a reference to gay Adam Lambert's "tongue talents" made last night's episode especially unappealing.


The one who comes out on top, of course, is Dunkleman, who'd already won many new fans and was applauded for his self-deprecating hipness with his fictional comedy series American Dunkleman (produced by our pals at Frozen Pictures). In the aftermath of Seacrest's cheap shot, Andy Denhart writes:

"Brian Dunkleman is the real winner here, especially because he’s self-aware and humble in a way Seacrest will apparently never be."

Now it's up to Idol's producers to do the only right thing: book Dunkleman as a surprise co-host or guest on the Idol Gives Back show. The move will inspire goodwill and bring in the donations.

UPDATE: Click here to check out Lyndsey Parker's follow-up, "Brian Dunkleman back in the spotlight," at Yahoo music.

Wisdom from Ringo

Ringo Starr, responding to the Vatican newspaper's announcement that the Roman Catholic Church has "forgiven" The Beatles on the fortieth anniversary of their split and now regard the group as a "precious jewel":

"Didn't the Vatican say we were satanic
or possibly satanic --
and they've still forgiven us?
I think the Vatican,
they've got more to talk about
than the Beatles."

Bad idea: Idol's Kara DioGuardi poses nude

American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi has completed her transformation from savvy songwriting hitmaker to moronic deluded Paula Adbul and the stature of American Idol takes another hit with her ill-advised nude pose in the new edition of Allure magazine. This supposed mentor to young men and women has been working down to this since her skin-and-bones bikini flash last season. Then again, it could have been worse. It could have been Ellen.

National Enquirer denied its Pulitzer Prize

The Pulitzer Prizes were announced this afternoon and the National Enquirer was not among the recipients.

The Pulitzer committee was duty bound to accept the Enquirer's nomination, as the weekly's coverage of the John Edwards sex, love child and potential Constitutional scandal was exemplary, achieved against great odds and in the face of disdain from the mainstream media.


Readers of this site will not be surprised by the slight, however. Somewhat beneath the mainstream radar but fiercely debated in Internet and journalism circles was the Pulitzers' summary rejection one year ago of Tabloid Baby's nomination for its coverage of the post season travesties of the Israel Baseball League. Pulitzer gatekeeper Sig Gissler wouldn't let our nomination across the threshold.

The tabloid banner waves high, however, and we expect that Barry Levine and his colleagues at the Enquirer will one day get their due.

(And we can at least take heart in the fact the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Review-Journal, so lax and deficient in their coverage of the death of local superstar Danny Gans, also came up empty-handed.)

In the late night wars, why does the Mexican guy wind up getting screwed?

First Jay Leno pushed Conan O'Brien out of his dream job as host of the Tonight Show at NBC, after he agreed to a deal that would have forced Conan to move his show back to midnight, and now it's reported that Conan O'Brien is taking a late night gig at TBS, forcing George Lopez out of his 11 pm talk show slot and back to midnight on TBS.

Lopez reportedly agreed to the deal, but did he have a choice?

(Funny related story: Lopez was in a feud with Jay Leno a couple of years ago, when Leno was invited to a comedian's gathering at the Laugh Factory on Sunset Boulevard. Noticing Lopez in the crowd, Leno got loose from his handlers and walked over to clear things up. He offered the olive branch to his colleague, only to be met with the response:

"Jay, I'm not George Lopez. I'm Paul Rodriguez."

Escaped shaved bronzed midget sighted

Shoppers of average size and smaller towered over the tiny frontman for the corporate porn-pushing gossip site TMZ.com as he broke free from the West Hollywood aerie of his sewer operation and showed up amid the beggars, street musicians and apocalyptic preachers at the Third Street Promenade in oceanside Santa Monica to pick up pocket money as the "reporter" for the syndicated People's Court television show, pretending to elicit live reaction to verdicts that supposedly are taking place in a nearby courtroom but were actually were recorded in a studio at different location far from the place where he giddily scampered about to the delight of passersby and others who did not realize that The People's Court was still on the air and were impressed by his copious application of brown pancake makeup.

Billy Joe Shaver was on trial?

Texas country singer-songwriting legend Billy Joe Shaver was acquitted today of aggravated assault in the shooting of a man in the parking lot of Papa Joe's Texas Saloon in Lorena. It took jurors a mere two hours to decide. Shaver had testified that he acted in self-defense when he shot Billy Bryant Coker in the face with a handgun outside Waco on March 31, 2007. But prosecutors said no other witnesses had described Coker as "violent or mean." Witnesses told police they heard Shaver saying, "Where do you want it?" and then, after the shot was fired, "Tell me you are sorry" and "No one tells me to shut up." Coker told police the attack was unprovoked. Shaver's attorney declared that Shaver shot Coker after Coker threatened Shaver with a knife.

Shaver recorded more than 20 albums and wrote "Georgia on a Fast Train" and "I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)." He helped launch country's outlaw movement. He lost his wife, Brenda, and his mother to cancer in 1999, his son and longtime guitarist Eddy to a heroin overdose at 38 on December 31, 2000, and nearly died himself the following year when he had a heart attack on stage during an Independence Day show at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels.

Malcolm McLaren

Survivor producer accused of strangling wife

Talk about reality. Bruce Beresford-Redman, producer of Survivor, might be glad he picked up some survivor skills now that he's in a fix worse than any contestant: arrested in Mexico for allegedly strangling his wife, Monica Beresford-Redman, owner of the popular Zabumba Brazilian restaurant on Venice Boulevard.

Beresford-Redman told police that his wife vanished Monday from the luxurious Moon Palace resort where they were staying. He went on KCAL-TV last night to say she was missing and that he was helping in the search.

Today would have been Monica's birthday.

Developing...

(Beresford-Redman also created the MTV series Pimp My Ride. He should not be confused with Aussie Bruce Beresford, who directed Driving Miss Daisy and 'Breaker' Morant.)

AFTERNOON UPDATE: Police say Beresford-Redmond is being questioned by has not been arrested; the couple was supposedly seen arguing before Monica disappeared; her body was found in a sewer on the resort grounds with signs of "possible strangulation."

Lance Burton loses his show and his mother

Tough week for Las Vegas magician Lance Burton. First he lost his show at the Monte Carlo after 13 years over budget cuts. Now comes word from Tabloid Baby pal and top Vegas publicicist Wayne Bernath that he's lost his mother. Hilma Burton died in her sleep in Columbia, Kentucky yesterday at 73. Burton (center, with mom and Criss Angel) will cancel his show next Tuesday so he can be in Kentucky for the funeral, he'll be back onstage at the Lance Burton Theatre on Wednesday. The sleight-of-hand master and illusionist will be at the Monte Carlo through the end of the summer, leaving five years earlier than planned.

A shrine grows on Sunset Boulevard in Brentwood

After 13-year-old Julia Siegler was killed so tragically on February 26th when she was hit by two cars while running across Sunset Boulevard in Brentwood to catch a school bus, friends and stranger alike left flowers, mementos and messages in her memory at the corner of Cliffwood Avenue. The tradition is familiar to anyone who's driven along freeways or roadways where fatal accidents have taken place, but this is much bigger, and growing.

March

More than a month later, the memorial to Julia has become a living shrine, with flowers arrangements replaced by a tended nursery of live potted flowers new teddy bears, candles, messages and signs arranged, and visitors in the small triangle at that dangerous corner into the dark hours of the night.

February 27

It's gotten us thinking that maybe this unusual and unlikely garden of reflection amidst the upscale neighborhood can become a permanent shrine, with street markings to slow traffic on that stretch, giving drivers pause to think about what might be ahead as they drive a little too fast while juggling cellphones and lattes.

Paul McCartney had a booger in his nose on American Idol last night

Thanks to the clarity of hi-definition television, it was all too evident that old Beatle Paul (in his Chris Montez-inspired collarless jacket) had a little something extra in his right nostril when he recorded his brief spot that ran on American Idol last night.

He even made a move to dislodge the nose candy on camera!


But he didn't get it.


Guess the old boy didn't have an extra 20 seconds to spare for a second take.

Monty Torres owns the California elections

California's got crucial elections coming up in November, and a crucially entertaining election season already underway, with Arnold Schwarzenegger leaving the governor's office and leaving the door open to a possible return to power of Jerry Brown, along with a fight for Barbara Boxer's Senate seat and a number of other statewide races worth watching.

Now Californians have a front row seat to the action thanks to a new nightly syndicated news show that debuted last night: California Vote 2010, starring veteran television journalist, reporter and anchorman Monty Torres.

According to the producers at KMPH-TV in Fresno:

"...California Vote 2010 features political news and analysis that impacts Californians. It follows the stories that break inside the state and around the country. It tracks campaign contributions and spending. It investigates government waste, monitors campaigns, and takes a hard look at the daily handling of the state’s budget crisis. The program also features in-depth, probing interviews with candidates for state offices, ranging from US Senator, to Governor, to state Assembly seats..."

If last night's premiere is any indication, this kind of platform could be a starmaker for Monty Torres.

The show is airing around the state, Monday through Friday, usually around 11 and midnight, including San Diego (KUSI), Los Angeles (KDOC), Santa Barbara (KCOY), Monterey, San Francisco (KOFY) and KMPH/KFRE in Fresno. Here in L.A., we found it a t11 pm on KDOC. The TV listing said "Paid Programming," so surf until you find it.

Some body to share Farrah Fawcett's grave?

While controversy swirls around her legacy and Farrah Fawcett rests in the Westwood Village Memorial Park behind the towers of Wilshire Boulevard, a new question has arisen surrounding the odd placement of her name on her headstone.

More than one observer has commented that Farrah's name is placed high on the stone, with lots of space below.

The reason for all that empty space? One reader has offered fascinating speculation:

"It may be that Ryan O'Neal is planning to be buried in the same plot with his name on the same stone. This would be why there's so much room left under Farrah's name. This would also explain why Farrah was not cremated as (Farrah's college sweetheart and late-life secret lover) Greg Lott and others know was Farrah's wish."


Fascinating! In fact, O'Neal could have gotten the idea while on a somber walk through the park, where he could have bumped into the grave of Farrah's fellow Seventies television icon, Carroll O'Connor, who generously shares his plot and gravestone with not only his wife, but his troubled, drug-addicted son--

Troubled, drug addicted son? All the more poignant reason for Farrah to make room.


But Ryan O'Neal? Linked with Farrah through eternity? For now, it's only speculation, but at least Farrah gets top billing.

What do you think?

"Proof of life"? It's time to produce a photo of Patrick McDermott to prove he's alive

We've been investigating the case of missing Hollywood outcast Patrick McDermott for five years, since the day it was announced he'd vanished from a fishing boat off San Pedro and that his supposed lover of nine years, Olivia Newton-John hadn't bothered to report him missing or make a public plea to help find him in seven long weeks. The story, and subsequent revelations that he may have faked his death over finances (why would he need money if he was Newton-John's partner?), was either too challenging or not interesting enough to most journos, especially the Hollywood types who weren't about to topple the longstanding industry "beard" facade (see Jesse James), but we beat the drum loud and long enough for other tabloid outlets, including NBC's Dateline, to investigate.

And now Dateline's hired P.I. says he's tracked down McDermott in Baja Mexico, that he has "proof of life," "voice recordings," and a deal with McDermott's lawyer to back off, leave the guy alone and go write a book.

And people are taking his word for it...


Sorry, but we don't trust the folks at Dateline. It's time to back it up.

Here's the latest:

* McDermott is living in the Mexican village of Sayulita and working as a ship's mate on a tourist yacht;

* Residents of the Pacific coast town say they know the 'tranquil man' as Pat Kim;

* Shown a photograph of Mr McDermott, they confirmed he had been living in the town for several years;

* Local hotelier Mark Rubio said most folks knew his true identity but "nobody was bothered. This is a pretty relaxed place";

* The captain of Sayula 1, the ship Mr McDermott has worked on, said he had not seen him in some time;

* P.I. Klein received 'proof of life' by a representative of McDermott, including a voice recording and an instructions that McDermott "did not want to be hounded";

* Klein agreed;

* Mainstream news outlets are reporting his announcements without investigating for themselves. WTF??!

We believe Patrick McDermott is alive. We've spoken to witnesses and dug up important information. But if Philip Klein has the goods, we'd figure he'd come back with a video statement from McDermott or, at the very least, a photo.


Sayulita, Mexico: a fishing village about 25 miles north of downtown Puerto Vallarta in the state of Nayarit, Mexico, with a population of approximately 4,000. Hailed as a popular off-the-beaten-path travel destination, Sayulita offers a variety of activities such as horseback riding, hiking, jungle canopy tours, snorkeling and fishing. Still a mecca for beginner surfers of all ages, the quaint town attracts upscale tourists with its numerous art galleries and restaurants as well. The most well-established restaurant, Don Pedro's (since 1994), has attracted an international clientele for years, many of whom have vacation villas in the picturesque village. Sayulita has a curious eclectic quality, frequented by native Cora and Huichol peoples, travelling craftsmen as well as international tourists. Sayulita is the crown jewel in the newly designated "Riviera Nayarit," the coastal corridor from Litibu to San Blas. Its stunning natural beauty and easy access to Puerto Vallarta have made Sayulita real estate some of the most sought after in all of Mexico. With a growing ecological awareness and stricter zoning enforcement, development is being regulated to help safeguard the environment and quality of life of the community.

Set off, journos. Bring back some real "proof of life."

Cal Neva casino closes

They've closed the casino at the legendary, notorious Cal Neva Lodge, the Lake Tahoe resort on the California-Nevada border once owned by Frank Sinatra, visited on her final weekend by Marilyn Monroe and a key location of Rat Pack history. Sinatra owned the Cal Neva in its heyday, from 1960 to 1963. He renovated the joint, added the celebrity showroom and a helicopter pad on the roof and used the old bootlegging tunnels to shuffle mobsters and celebrities underground so they wouldn't be seen.

The Cal Neva's owner hopes to reopen the casino under a new outside contractor by the end of year, though some analysts say it's not gonna happen, as Tahoe casinos are taking a big hit from Vegas and the Indian casinos.

The rest of the property, including the restaurants and showroom named for Sinatra, are still in business.

Charlie reunited with his Angel Farrah

It's been announced that John Forsythe, who supplied the voice of Charlie, Farrah Fawcett's detective agency boss on her star-making Seventies series Charlie's Angels, died late yesterday at 92.

P.I. claims "proof" Patrick McDermott lives

A private eye searching for Patrick McDermott, Olivia Newton-John's former boyfriend who vanished five years ago, says his hunt is over after he received "conclusive proof" he's alive.

McDermott was 48 when he disappeared from a fishing boat that set off from San Pedro on June 30, 2005. He was believed to have fallen overboard but his body was never recovered, and it wasn't long before it was revealed he had financial troubles and may have faked his death and was hiding out on Mexico's Baja coast.

Texas-based P.I. Philip Klein worked on the case for NBC''s tabloid show Dateline. He said yesterday that he had "concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. McDermott is alive."

He said his team was checking documents and voice recordings of McDermott that he and his lawyer had provided in return for detectives agreeing to leave him alone.

Said Klein: "Mr. McDermott's wishes, according to his counsel, is not to be 'hounded' any longer by investigators or the media."

He alleged that McDermott faked his death to escape mounting debts and to enable his teenage son to benefit from a $100,000 US life insurance policy.

McDermott's disappearance wasn't made pubic for seven weeks, when a reporter linked his name to Newton-John. The Aussie songbird never reported him missing, despite claims they'd been involved in a nine-year romance. Newton-John later gave conflicting responses for the oversight, and finally said that she'd broken up with McDermott. The Coast Guard kept the case open. In 2008, Newton-John married someone else.


Tabloid Baby was the only news organization to remain on the story since 2005. Our reports kept the story alive, and led to reports of McDermott sightings and Klein's involvement last year.

Klein reported contact with McDermott in 2009, though he has not shown any concrete "proof of life" which he claims to have in possession. We do know he is writing a book about his search.

We'll withhold huzzahs until he produces the live McDermott.

TMZ is covering Lindsay Lohan to death

Yes, Lindsay Lohan is in bad shape. The talented, troubled, hard-partying, hardly-working actress is on a downward slide. She's in denial. Nobody's taking her father seriously. The people around her have no interest in extending her waiting period before passing on to lucrative immortality. And we must report our observation that the gleeful, spiteful reportage of her imminent demise and subsequent humiliation by the corporate porn-pushing gossip site TMZ.com is certainly adding to her embarrassment, confusion and abetting her deterioration.

First the sewer site reports that she's going to die. Then the D-team quotes unnamed law enforcement sources saying they're "worried" about her-- all the while dispatching scumbags with home video cameras to doorstep, harass and verbally assault the poor young woman until she trips and falls into the bushes.

Now they really gang up and let the world know her finances are in disarray and that she can't pay her rent.

Oh, those lowballs pretend to be concerned. But they can't help betray their true colors with titles like this one this morning:


"Have a nice trip?" You bastards. You soulless, heartless bastards. The shaved bronzed midget and his budgie budget boy bullies can't wait to have a death on their hands.

Farrah Fawcett makes it Playboy's Sexy 101

Rickety Playboy magazine took some heat last fall when it when it buried its tribute to the recently-deceased Farrah Fawcett in an October issue that featured cartoon character Marge Simpson on its cover (with Tracy Morgan getting larger typeface than the Charlie's Angels icon).


It now appears Playboy is making amends for its misstep by giving Farrah special mention in its upcoming special edition, "Playboy's Sexy 100," the annual "salute (to) 100 of the hottest women who have captured our attention over the past year -- from sexy celebrities who've graced the cover of Playboy magazine to toned athletes, reality TV babes and fresh faces you'll want to keep an eye on . . ."

And why not? Farrah's December 1995 issue sold four million copies, the best-selling of the decade.