WEDNESDAY NIGHT, "IDOL" OUTDID ITSELF!

I'm not sure. Is "outdid" a word? Well, for our purposes it is today. Because outdid (itself) is what "American Idol" did Wednesday night.

Because of an acting class that night and my having to get up early to write what I'm writing now, I didn't see that show until yesterday afternoon.

The show opened up with Earth Wind & Fire and when they were finished, I said, "Wow!"

After that, there were more reasons to say, "Wow!"

The idea of this show was to raise money for disadvantaged children in Africa and America. So far, the amount raised has exceeded 60 MILLION dollars.

In order to do something like this, the producers couldn't afford to lose sight of why most people tune into this juggernaut known as American Idol. And that's to be entertained. And then there's the issue of "drama" which we get while waiting to see which poor contestant will be told that their dreams of BEING the next American Idol have ended. Just when it looked like Jordin Sparks was going to be that person, Ryan Seacrest announced that because this was a "charity" night, no one would be eliminated. Two contestants will be eliminated NEXT Wednesday night. Because many of us are cynics, the thought immediately occurs that the contestants might have known about this ahead of time, but that is a thought that should be eliminated. Immediately! If Jordin Sparks could fake the fear and then the relief she expressed, she wouldn't NEED American Idol, because she would already be a world class actress.

And how about that "If I Can Dream" duet? With Celine Dion and Elvis Presley? Wow and double Wow!

American Idol, take a bow! You done good, kids! REAL good!!!!

Speakin' of doin' good and this is for our Los Angeles readers...How 'bout dem Lakers? Nice goin', guys! After falling behind by 17 and looking pathetic, the Lakers rallied, won and now will try to tie their series with Phoenix this Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday....This Sunday night on CBS, "60 Minutes" will feature an interview with former CIA boss George Tenet who will (in essence) claim that he's been made a "scapegoat" for the Iraq mess and he seems to be pointing his finger of blame at Vice President Dick Cheney, while having kind words to say about President Bush. It sounds like that after we finish watching this interview or reading Tenet's new book, we might again be wondering just who IS calling the shots in this dysfunctional White House.

Speaking of bad ideas (like Iraq), we call your attention to the latest idiotic money generated idea this state (California) is about to get in bed with.

Proposed legislation that would allow Indian tribes to install almost four TIMES the amount of slot machines they now have in return for giving the state up to 25% of the additional money these slot machines will generate. First of all, is that 25% of the gross or 25% of the profits and who will determine EITHER number? I mean, this Indian gambling business is a business that doesn't allow "outsiders" to meddle in or with. "Outsiders" being anyone who isn't some kind of Indian boss or Vegas guy who's been installed to run some (if not most or all) of these casinos.

I'M a gambler, but I think this is a HORRIBLE idea! I think that the Lottery was a horrible idea which was followed by other versions of the Lottery which was followed by Indian casinos which has been followed by more Indian casinos, etc., etc.

Read my lips! The people who do most of the gambling are people who can LEAST afford it and one day we're all going to have to open our eyes to a problem that already (silently) exists when it becomes a (loud) problem that is OUT OF CONTROL! And that'll be all the California citizens who will need assistance from the state because of all the money they've lost FROM all this "legal" gambling. Gambling that will have been authorized by elected idiots who can't come up with a better idea and who get into bed with greedy creeps who (in essence) say, "Come to papa. I'll take care of you because I love you!"

Yo, Terminator! Terminate THIS! Before it's too late!

Monday:

Attention actors! May 14, the Post Office has a bad surprise for you!