Pop Culture Potpourri: A Dying Boy's Last Wish, "The Simpsons" Rap, and More

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

19 May 2007 03:55 PM

A DYING BOY'S LAST WISH

It was a dream come true for 7-year-old Ronald Sterling when thousands gathered at Shea Stadium last week for a special surprise. The crowd of more than 15,000 children and Bob McGrath from "Sesame Street" weren't there for a New York Mets game. Rather, the group was there to sing a song for the little boy who suffers from a rare immune system disorder called Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

The performance was held at the stadium because Ronald loves baseball but is too sick to attend a game, and according to news reports, the children were at the stadium for a field trip anyway.

"Ronald Sterling, you're a grand-slam home run, you're our champion," McGrath sang.

The song was created by a nonprofit organization called Songs of Love, which writes and records one-of-a-kind tunes for sick children.

When the mini-concert was over, McGrath, who plays the human character Bob on "Sesame Street," presented a CD of the recording to Ronald at a New York hospital.

"THE SIMPSONS" RAP

Ludacris, the 29-year-old rapper-actor, whose real name is Chris Bridges, has always loved "The Simpsons" so when he found out he was going to appear on the cartoon's 400th episode he was thrilled. Until he found out what his cameo would be.

According to the rapper's publicist, Ludacris will appear as a tube of toothpaste that raps. That's right; Ludacris will portray "Luda-Crest" in an informational video that Lisa watches during the Simpsons' annual dental checkup. The episode airs Sunday night on Fox.

I doubt the rapper was too disappointed. After all, he is a budding actor... and a good one at that. He generated strong buzz for his performances in the films "Crash" and "Hustle & Flow," and recently guest starred on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

DOLPHIN SURPRISE

Okay, you are not going to believe this one... According to press reports, Nick Carter from Backstreet Boys fame has just been appointed as a U.N. special ambassador of the Year of the Dolphin.

"I was shocked. And happy at the exact same time because I really felt like it was an honor," he told news reporters last week.

I was shocked too. Especially since Carter told reporters he had no prior knowledge about the plight of dolphins.

"The issues involved with the dolphins are things that I am learning," the 27-year-old singer said. "I don't want to be this person to come across and say, 'Why, I know what's going on' and shove it down people's throats. (Because) I don't know everything."

Okay, that should you get some of you scratching your heads. It did me.

For the record, according to the U.N., the Year of the Dolphin campaign is aimed at "raising awareness of dolphins in the wild, the threats they face to their survival and actions that could help their wild conservation."

Carter says now that he has been named ambassador of the campaign he knows little about he plans to write a new anthem in honor of the dolphins' plight.

Good luck to him.

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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