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“Mr. Wizard” Dies

He was considered a miracle worker (of sorts) in our home. “Mr. Wizard” was one of the only people who could provide my parents with peace and quiet (if only for 30 minutes). His science show was riveting and when it was on all six of us would be glued to the TV trying to figure out which one of his experiments we could recreate in our own home. Now “Mr. Wizard” is gone. Don Herbert, who was known to millions of kids as science whiz “Mr. Wizard” died yesterday. He was 89. According to news reports, Herbert passed away … Continue reading →

Larry “Bud” Melman Dies

If you’re like me you probably didn’t know his real name was Calvert DeForest. But, in fact, the white-haired, black-rimmed bespectacled oddball who played Larry “Bud” Melman on David Letterman’s late night television shows, did have a real name and a real life off screen. The latter came to an end Monday after a long illness. According to news reports, the Brooklyn-born DeForest was 85 when he died at a hospital on Long Island. DeForest appeared on Letterman’s shows from 1982 through 2002. Some of his most memorable duties included dueting with Sonny Bono on “I Got You, Babe” and … Continue reading →

Hollywood Patriarch Dies

I recently blogged about the wonderful new addition Emmy-winning actress Mariska Hargitay and her husband welcomed into their home—a baby boy named August. Unfortunately, the tears of joy Hargitay shed just a few months ago have now turned to tears of sorrow. The actress’s father Mickey Hargitay, the actor and world champion bodybuilder died late last week. He was 80 years old. According to news reports, Hargitay died Thursday in Los Angeles of multiple myeloma. Hargitay was once married to 1950s sex siren Jayne Mansfield (the couple had three children together, including Mariska, before divorcing in 1964)–in that decade he … Continue reading →

Rock Star Babylon: They Did What?

I love the “Babylon” books – those named, of course, after the biblical city Babylon. These books talk about the materialistic and hedonistic pleasures of – you guessed it – celebrities and musicians. The first one I read was “Hollywood Babylon: The Legendary Underground Classic of Hollywood’s Darkest and Best Kept Secrets” by Kenneth Anger. Ah, this one dished a lot of dirt about classic Hollywood stories: Errol Flynn’s brushes with under aged girls (which lead to brushes with the law), Rudolph Valentino (was the “Latin Lover” really gay?), the Fatty Arbuckle scandal (so much for “innocent until proven guilty”), … Continue reading →

Celebrity News Week in Review for September 22, 2006

The celebrity news you may have missed! 10. Aaron Carter Engaged I just read that 18-year-old singer Aaron Carter is engaged to 22-year-old Playboy Playmate Kari Ann Peniche, who used to date his brother Nick. Oh, this seems so wrong on so many levels I cannot even begin! 9. Saturday Night Live Drops Three Regulars No more Parnell, Sanz, or Mitchell. After 32 years, you’d think I would be used to cast changes by now. Read more about it in my SNL blog. 8. Mickey Hargitay Dies Former husband of Jayne Mansfield, father of Mariska Hargitay, and body builder Mickey … Continue reading →