I never thought I'd feel sorry for MJ

This video shows Michael Jackson on a Japanese TV show. I expected it to be prime mocking material, but I ended up just feeling sorry for him. The hosts are obviously in awe of being in the same room with him, but the language barrier, and the translating back and forth, leaves long pauses and everyone just ends up looking awkward and uncomfortable.

This pic makes me laugh

(left to right) A.J. Calloway, Mariah, Diddy, L.A. Reid

A.J. is horrified to discover that he missed the part on the invitation that said, "Dress code: Sunglasses mandatory."

Grey's news

The "Grey's Anatomy" principal cast reportedly each received a $200,000 bonus as a thank you for high ratings this season. I'm sure the cast appreciates cold, hard cash over something like new Porsches (Will and Grace). But this probably also forestalls the cast banding together to ask for pay raises, a la the "Seinfeld" and "Friends" casts.

If you've read the Grey's writer's blog, you know that creator Shonda Rhimes was in LOVE with Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), even calling him her TV husband. Now the legions of fangirls who posted "don't kill Denny" comments can be excited about another Shonda project starring Jeffrey. The yet untitled show is a drama about female journalists. I would assume that Jeffrey will be a boyfriend character or co-worker romantic foil, but who knows? I just hope this project doesn't take away from her work on Grey's, because she's somewhat notorious for taking a long time to write episodes.

Picture post

Hold that blonde: Christina channeled Veronica Lake at the MTV awards this weekend.

I can't believe how thin Mariah Carey is getting. She still is dressing too young for her age, but it looks like she's almost down to her early '90s fighting weight.

Deciphering blind items

From Page Six:

June 5, 2006 -- WHICH super-skinny celeb says she wants to gain weight but can't? Seems that when she was not so thin, she had her stomach stapled and is stuck with her skeletal look . . . WHICH Hollywood starlet, who's earned a rep for sleeping with almost anyone, is now into threesomes? She likes to get it on with two guys at once in club bathrooms . . . WHICH young, divorced celebrity left her man because she thought she had found true love with someone else? Sadly, the guy she had an affair with freaked out when she left her husband for him and hasn't called her since . . . WHICH actress is so desperate for male attention, she's been known to turn into a "psycho-stalker?'' After her last one-night stand, her conquest, whom many assumed to be gay, said he couldn't get rid of her.

Most of these are obvious. My guesses:

Nicole Richie
Lindsey Lohan
Jessica Simpson
Teri Hatcher

Fix that boob, already!

Vivica Fox still hasn't fixed the capsular contraction in her right breast, as shown at the Chris Aire Jewelry party at Pure this weekend. Honey, I know you haven't had a decent project in a while, but your boob is almost as spooky as Star Jones'.

Whitney says get those puppies fixed.

The hoopleheads win ... sort of

It seems like the fan outrage over the effective cancellation of "Deadwood" has helped HBO and David Milch come to an agreement about the future of the show. Although there will be no fourth season, as HBO promised this spring, there will be a couple two-hour episodes that will conclude the series.

Personally, I don't understand why four hours is preferable to the six-episode season 4 that HBO originally offered. But I am glad that Milch and the cast will have a chance to wrap up the show the way it should be. Of course, HBO still has to renegotiate contracts for all the actors, including Timothy Olyphant (Seth Bullock), Ian McShane (Al Swearengen), Molly Parker (Alma Garret), and Powers Booth (Cy Tolliver). So we'll keep an eye on how that goes.

There's was a rumor that the Gem Saloon set was trashed, confirmed by W. Earl Brown (Dan Dority) on the HBO-Deadwood board, but it was apparently saved at the last minute. That set should be going to the Smithsonian, as representative of the greatest drama on TV, instead of the dumpster.

And lots of fans are still planning on canceling HBO the day after the third season finale. I'm planning on doing this as well. I'll catch the series wrap-up on DVD.