by Vera H-C Chan
Leaks stayed a theme in July, as the Gulf of Mexico oil spill passed the 100 day mark and a whistleblowing website posted secret war papers. The revelations kept coming in the Russian spy network, with one more potential Mata Hari surfacing...from Texas? Turns out the month's best kept secret may have been where one not-so-small forward would establish his new basketball reign. Below, the buzz that would not stay quiet on Yahoo! searches and beyond.
Stemming the leaks
A cap finally clamped down on the gushing flow of crude into the Gulf of Mexico, the real hero of the mission may ultimately be oil-eating bacteria. But, as China suffered its own catastrophic oil spill, U.S. attention shifted to a very different kind of leak: Whistleblowing site Wikileaks (+1,187% rise in searches) posted 92,000 classified documents on the Afghanistan war. The information—the U.S and its allies caused civilian casualties and some Pakistani agents helped the Taliban—turned out to be nothing new and yet everything new, and many sought to put the documents in context. A war of words is now erupting between founder Julian Assange and press secretary Robert Gates, among others. More leaks on "military abuses" are planned, as the government figures out both damage control and what damage might've been done to exposed sources.
Welcome to the Federation
As Angelina Jolie brought the sexy back in Cold War relations with her action flick "Salt," Rossiyskaya Federatsiya welcomed back some of its emigrant workers, who had been sleepers on the job in America. While lusty journalists lavished attention on comely divorcee Anna Chapman (+1,554%), she had competition with one Anna Fermanova (search term breakout). The Texas cosmetologist and English resident was stopped on her way to Russia packing night vision scopes worth a few thousand (apparently not the usual makeover tool), then arrested four months later on the return leg to the U.S. Meanwhile, outgoing BP CEO Tony Hayward and his successor Bob Dudley swapped countries—a Russian post for a US job. But, who really got the better deal? According to the Business Insider, Dudley didn't do right with TNK-BP, "the single most valuable oil producer in the BP group," and got "ousted from the country." Now he's running BP in America — um, thanks?
The Courting of King James
The frenzied speculation over where basketball great LeBron James (+228%) would go ended up in a disappointed fizzle: not so much that he chose the Miami Heat, but more about ESPN's one-hour capitulation to James and his media handlers. Before the announcement, searches on Yahoo! imploded wondering "where lebron will land," "lebron james news," "lebron james rumors," "lebron james new team," "lebron james chicago bulls," and of course the very vital pursuit of "lebron james shoes" and what would happen to "lebron james house ohio." Suspicion over how much James controls ESPN continued when an article about a lavish Lebron Las Vegas party got yanked. Of course, this being the Web, a good story never dies.
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by Claudine Zap
This week, whether it was heading across the country or across town, travel stories got the Buzz filled with wanderlust: An airline asks its customers to board themselves, a journey in jeans makes for a buzzy viral video, and New York subway riders will get Wi-Fi. All these stories and more in your Buzz Week in Review.
What's next — we serve ourselves drinks?
Just in time for the summer airport onslaught, Continental Airlines has decided to test what they call self-boarding, and what we call DIY air travel. Once travelers at Houston Intercontinental Airport swipe their ticket, a turnstile door will open to allow the passenger entry into the airplane. While automated boarding does not require the human touch, an attendant will be on hand to deal with the usual customer service problems.
And we can imagine plenty of problems. Does anarchy rule in this experiment? No longer will passengers be called by row or color-coded boarding pass. Instead, they'll be expected to make a dash through a turnstile. Amazingly, the TSA is onboard, as it were, with self-boarding. The practice is already in place at many international airlines, like Air France and Air New Zealand. You'll be glad to know that human pilots are still required to fly the plane. For now.
Go west, young man in Levi's
There's nothing more American than putting life on hold for a trip — on foot — across the country. Just you and your perfectly faded, worn-in pair of Levi's, that is. A viral video made by the denim company has started a fad on the Web. OK, truth in advertising: The young man who stars in this journey in jeans didn't really walk the whole way. But a crew did drive him across the country, and over 14 days, took countless photos to create the cool, photo-montage look of the video. The stop-motion photography takes us from the Brooklyn Bridge in New York to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, with many stops in between.
It certainly held viewers' attention: Searches on "journey in jeans" saw a rapid rise this week. The Daily Mail has a behind-the-scene look at the making of the video, which took 2,770 images to create. All that work appears to have paid off: The Levi's ad has been viewed over 600,000 times on Yahoo!. See it again here.
Calling all New York subway riders
The New York underground will no longer be a place to get away from it all — if it ever was. In between stops and on station platforms, riders will have a chance to keep their thumbs texting and their jaws moving. Where tunnels are wider and stations are closer together, stronger phone signals may even provide strap hangers with cell service for the entire trip. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority struck a deal with the company Transit Wireless to wire 6 test stations within two years — and in eight years to wire all 277 stations. So hey, if your iPad is stolen on the train, you'll be able to call the police to report the crime right away. That's a relief.
Also buzzing this week...
• The president of Iran has it in for Paul the Octopus.
• This guy is running for governor of Tennessee. The heck?
• Could J.Lo be the next "AI" judge?
by Mike Krumboltz
Some art is just OK. You know, stuff like Van Gogh's "Starry Night" or the "Mona Lisa" by ol' whatshisface. They're cool if you're into that whole "masterpiece" thing. Then there are paintings that open up a worm hole through space and time by shear power of their awesomeness. These are very rare indeed. The best example we can think of: The highly acclaimed (by us) "Chewbacca riding a Giant Squirrel while fighting Nazis."
We're not sure if that really is the painting's name, but it should be. For in the painting, the Star Wars character is howling atop a giant (and bemused) rodent, while Nazi soldiers fall by the wayside. It's over-the-top ridiculous that manages to be bring a smile to just about everyone who looks at it.
The painting has been making the rounds on the Web for several days, but nobody seemed to know anything about the mad genius behind the image. Fortunately, the maniacs at StarWars.com tracked down the artist, a chap named Tyler Edlin. As it turns out, the story of how (and why) the painting came into existence is nearly as cool as the painting itself.
In the interview, Mr. Edlin explains that he created the painting for a friend who was getting married. The friend, who we one day would love to meet, apparently requested a painting of Chewbacca riding a squirrel for his wedding gift (no word on what his future wife thought of the idea). Later, he added that he would like Chewbacca to also be fighting Nazi soldiers. Ask and ye shall receive, amigo, for that's exactly what Mr. Edlin delivered.
The painting has been all the rage online over the past week, inspiring massive Web searches for "chewbacca riding squirrel" and "chewbacca art." If you want to own a copy of your own to hang above the ol' fireplace, Mr. Edlin is now selling them. Come on, you know you want it.
by Mike Krumboltz
You know the saying "there's someone for everyone"? Well, it's true. Butch Patrick, 57, who played young Eddie Munster on "The Munsters" TV show in the '60s, is getting married. And not to just anybody. He'll tie the knot with his self-described "biggest fan," with whom he used to correspond when they were kids.
News of the impending nuptials sent Web searches on the groom sky high. But not even the surge of interest in all things Butch Patrick (his signature widow's-peak hairdo is particularly popular in the Search box) could match the level of lookups for his betrothed, Donna McCall.
Here's the story: When Mr. Patrick starred on "The Munsters," he and Ms. McCall would write back and forth to each other. Donna, it turns out, was a big fan and had a massive crush on the youngest Munster.
According to My Fox Philly, years passed and the two fell out of touch. Then, Ms. McCall, now 55, tracked him down on the Internet. The two exchanged phone numbers, talked, and agreed to meet for the first time at "Dracula Con II" in Philadelphia. Next thing you know, they're engaged.
Ms. McCall is a former cheerleader with the Philadelphia Eagles, a fact that helped contribute to the booming searches on "donna mccall eagles" and "donna mccall cheerleader." In an article for Philly.com, Mr. Patrick joked that while he does hear from female fans fairly often, not many are cheerleaders.
Says the future Mrs. Munster: "My first crush was Butch Patrick. I met him for the first time, but I feel like I've known him forever."
McCall accepted Patrick's proposal (of course), and now the two are set to tie the knot. "It's a great love story," says Ms. McCall, a retired pharmacist. "We're very happy together." Congratulations, guys!
by Vera H-C Chan
After the ratings drop and critical pile-on that was Season 9, "American Idol" is bound and determined to make its 10th anniversary one to remember. (Or at least, not one to forget — a subtle but important distinction.)
News and rumors about who's out and who's in are in high boil, and searches are breaking out on Yahoo! for "american idol judge" and "new american idol judge." Lots of viewers blamed contestants for a snoozer season, but the "Idol" powers-that-be know that the judges and people behind the scenes really steer the show.
Official news of the final "American Idol" judge slate likely comes August 2 at the 2010 Television Critics Association Press Tour, according to Entertainment Weekly. Meanwhile, here's the best guess of who's out, who's in, who never wanted in, and who still wants a chance.
Who's Out
- Ellen DeGeneres: Quit, and self-confirmed. She tweeted "Dim the lights..I've voted myself off American Idol." On her talk show site, DeGeneres explained she told FOX and the producers back in May. The longtime fan, occasional host, and one-season judge said "this didn't feel like the right fit for me."
- Simon Cowell: Retired, and confirmed old news. He retired because he had better things to do for "X-Factor." The American version debuts in fall 2011: MTV did a nice breakdown of what's the difference between "X-Factor" and "American Idol."
- Kara DioGuardi: Fired, and still in the rumor stage. TMZ reported the reality show wants to return to the three-judge format, with mega-star filling in the female slot. That makes the songwriter's the unwanted fourth wheel. Her buzz popped when she did things like pose for Maxim and Allure magazine, but otherwise was lukewarm.
Who's (Maybe) In
- Nigel Lythgoe: rumored, but pretty close to confirmation. No not a judge—Lythgoe was "Idol"'s executive editor until Season 8, when he left to focus on "Dancing with the Stars." He plans to crack whips, but viewers were already starting to tune out under his watch.
- Randy Jackson: confirmed — or at least, his firing isn't rumored. With a year left in his contract, only a wrecking crane could pry the producer and former Journey guitarist from that table...although Lythgoe reportedly had wanted to swing that ax wide.
- Jennifer Lopez: rumored, but almost all but confirmed. Deadline.com says her old manager has been meeting with producers for about a month now. Lopez needs a career resuscitation, but is she slumming it for "Idol"? She still has plenty of buzz left in her (and searches spiked big when she guest-starred on "SNL" and shimmied on the MTV Movie Awards with Tom Cruise as Les Grossman), and some of us still want her in an "Out of Sight" sequel.
- Steve Tyler: rumored, but all but confirmed. Having a second performer seems redundant, although recent "Idol" winners and successes have belonged more to the rocker realm. Only six months ago, he checked into rehab again, so that could add that unpredictable element.
- Jessica Simpson: rumor, and the (blonde) dark horse. Both TMZ and EW have reported on her meetings, which are among the most recent of contenders.
Who Was Never In
- Elton John: squelched rumor. The singer's publicist points to other commitments. Lythgoe was hot on keeping up the Brit slot after Cowell's exit way back in March, but the rumors have been that John had also wanted "too much money"—he allegedly passed on a $33 million contract.
- Justin Timberlake: squelched rumor. He was on the the wish lists of producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, along with Harry Connick Jr., Chris Isaak and Donald Trump (???), but it never progressed beyond that—in fact, an update on Hollywood Reporter said the singer/actor was "100% not interested." Talk about not giving your all.
Who Still Wants In
- Sean Combs: self-generated rumor. Among many, like Bret Michaels, who wanted the gig. Combs wasn't interested, until he found out what Cowell got paid. His self-promoting rally's little late, but considering his bad-boy background and how he pulled off mean on "Get Him to the Greek," he would actually be a spot-on Cowell replacement, even if he would have to sit next his ex. Awkward...or great TV?
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Allison Adler (Searches increased by 1,061%). The "Roseanne" actress Sara Gilbert came out and named the TV producer as her long-time partner.
- Cheesecake Factory (+1,582%). The eatery is offering its namesake dessert half off today, in celebration of National Cheesecake Day.
- Mark Wahlberg (+745%). Marky-Mark has come a long way: The ex-underwear model, actor, and "Entourage" producer received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
- iPads (+477%). Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says the company is hard at work on a rival product.
- Obama on "The View" (+469%). Not everyone was thrilled with the president appearing on a daytime talk show. Sarah Palin, for one.
by Claudine Zap
This weekend, you can choose movies about men acting like frat boys, or pets acting like people. Or just feast your eyes on a teen heartthrob acting serious. The critics are less than thrilled with this trio of summer stinkers. Maybe the best advice is to see "Inception" again. Here's a roundup of critical — highly critical — reviews …
Charlie St. Cloud
This
drama starring hearththrob Zac Efron ("High School Musical") and
directed by Burr Steers ("17 Again") is about a college-age sailing
champ dealing with the death of his younger brother.
The Boston Globe's Wesley Morris gives the movie a scant 1½-star rating and writes that the movie is "very much dead already." Although that may not bother the teen fans of Efron, Morris is unmoved by the young actor: "The camera watches him and appears to nod off. That's understandable. Every medium close-up of him squinting in a snug T-shirt at dusk is a Jockey ad."
Sean O'Connell from Filmcritic.com gave the movie just 1 star and calls it "a melodramatic and hopelessly disorganized feature-length episode of CBS's 'The Ghost Whisperer' that trots out an exhausted 'Sixth Sense' escape clause after painting itself into one too many narrative corners."
Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman grades the film a weak C- and says its young star "demonstrates that looks will get you only so far."
Kirk Honeycutt from The Hollywood Reports puts the nail in this movie's coffin: "The film doesn't just fail, it actually gets sillier by the minute."
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
The
sequel of domesticated animals turned super-spies stars Diggs (James
Marsden) as a German shepherd owned by Chris O'Donnell (played by the
actual Chris O'Donnell). He is recruited to team up with special agent
Butch (voiced by, yes, Nick Nolte) to stop the big, bad Kitty Galore
(voiced by Bette Midler). Christina Applegate voices a feline super-spy.
Ty Burr from the Boston Globe finds something to like with his 2-star rating: the 3D "Road Runner" cartoon that precedes the movie. He calls the "Cats & Dogs'' main feature "the Lolcats of movies and I'm afraid it's the future."
Bill Gibron from Filmcritic.com affixes 1½ stars to the flick, dismissing it as "irritating as a case of fleas" for a sequel "nobody asked for."
Adam Markovitz of Entertainment Weekly gives the movie a D, and complains that no movie "has the right to be as tiresome and unoriginal as this action-comedy mutt."
Dinner for Schmucks
Directed by Jay Roach ("Meet the Parents"), the comedy stars Paul Rudd, an eager-to-please employee whose boss invites him over to a dinner where each person is tasked with finding a bizarre guest for the amusement of the host. Enter Steve Carell and Zach Galifianakis as invited twits.
Ty Burr from the Boston Globe gave the comedy a modest 2½ stars and notes that the trailers sell the movie on the dopiest jokes: "Far from a classic of precision farce, but it's funnier than the trailers make it seem."
Roger Ebert awarded the movie 3 out of 4 stars and called out Steve Carell's performance as a "transcendent idiot."
Rolling Stone's Peter Travers agrees, calling Carell "a comic wonder as the film's No. 1 schmuck." In this movie, that's a compliment.
Filmcritic.com's Bill Gibron gives the film it's best review yet, 4 out of 5 stars. Steve Carrell wins again, as he is credited with "single-handedly saving the movie from its many failings — and there are indeed quite a few."
by Mike Krumboltz
On July 31, Chelsea Clinton will marry longtime sweetheart Marc Mezvinksy. As the nuptials draw nearer and the wedding bells grow louder, the interest in Bill and Hillary's future son-in-law grows larger.
Over the past week, online lookups for "marc mezvinksy" soared nearly 80%. Those who don't know his name (but are aware of the impending event) pushed Web searches for "chelsea clinton fiancé" up 132%.
And the Mezvinsky-mania doesn't stop there. Related lookups on "marc mezvinsky photos" and "marc mezvinsky job" are also popular. (By the way, he's an investment banker and does very well for himself, thank you very much.)
Usually, the pre-wedding searches are all about the bride. However, in this case, searchers are most interested in learning about the groom's mom and dad. Indeed, theirs is an interesting story.
Edward Mezvinksy
We don't know much about Chelsea and Marc's relationship — what they like to do, whether they engage in baby-talk, etc. But we do know they have at least one thing in common: Politically connected parents.
Marc's father, Edward Mezvinsky, was a congressman from Iowa for two terms during the 1970s. That's the good part of his resumé. The bad part: He's also a convicted felon. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to defrauding investors out of $10 million, and served several years in prison.
What exactly did he do? You know those Nigerian email schemes that clog your spam folder? Well, Ed Mezvinksy got caught up in one. He didn't start it, but he did attempt to scam people into giving him money. The ruse did not end well.
People magazine reports that he is "remorseful for what happened," adding, "It was a terrible time, and I was punished for that. And I respect that and accept responsibility for what happened."
Chelsea throughout the years: Her adorable toddler photos with dad
Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinksy
Like Marc's father, Marc's mom served as a United States representative. From 1993–1995, she was a congressperson from the great state of Pennsylvania.
Ironically, she lost her footing after she changed her stance and began supporting then President Clinton's budget, "after months of publicly voicing her opposition to the bill because it did not contain enough spending cuts." That last-minute change was "political suicide" (her words).
According to Politics Daily, she attempted a comeback with a run for the Senate, but her husband's legal problems forced her to drop the bid. Prior to her stint in Congress, Ms. Margolies-Mezvinksy was a television reporter for NBC.
The siblings
Chelsea Clinton isn't just getting a husband. She's getting a whole bunch of brothers and sisters in the bargain. Marc Mezvinsky has 10 siblings, several of whom are adopted.
An article from House.gov explains that while a reporter in 1970, Ms. Margolies-Mezvinksy was covering a story on Korean orphans. She was apparently "so moved by the experience that she became the first single woman in the United States to adopt a foreign child, a Korean girl."
Again, according to House.gov, the family consists of "Margolies’s two children, Mezvinsky’s four children from a previous marriage, two sons born to them, and three Vietnamese boys whom they adopted together."
Other popular Yahoo! stories:
• Congressman's microphone-throwing outburst
• After oil spill tragedy, CEO steps down out of 'love'
• High-profile star to be new ‘American Idol’ judge
by Mike Krumboltz
The universe is an unceasingly beautiful place. Photographer Michael Benson's exhibit, "Beyond: Visions of our Solar System," now at the National Air and Space Museum, captures that beauty in ways never before seen. In a series of 148 photographs, Benson shows off Earth, the moon, and our neighboring planets in ways humankind might see them, if only we were close enough.
The images, though taken by unmanned space probes and satellites, were, in various ways, manipulated by Mr. Benson. For example, some of the photos were originally taken in black and white. Others had to be patched together from fragments. Regardless of any tinkering, viewers can rest assured that the images weren't altered to the point of making them artificial. According to Mr. Benson, "The solar system is already spectacular enough without pumping artificial colors into it."
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Brittany Murphy (Searches increased by 2,666%). A Los Angeles County coroner ruled that the actress and her husband died of the same cause, even though their deaths came months apart.
- Homemade ice cream recipes (+1,582%). Work up a sweat with a really sweet payoff.
- Healthcare.gov (+370%). The government site, which offers help choosing a helath care provider, now has a website tutorial, starring President Obama.
- Jessica Simpson (+225%). The pop star is being mentioned as a replacement for Simon Cowell on "American Idol."
- Winn Dixie stores (+147%). The Florida grocer will close 30 stores and lay off 120 people.
by Claudine Zap
Paul the Octopus may have predicted the World Cup winner. But he never could have seen this coming: Being denounced by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The president of Iran blasted the cephalopod for spreading "western propaganda and superstition."
If anyone should get the blame for spreading the word to the world about the sea creature's mad skills, it should be Paul's PR team from the German Oberhausen Sea Life Center, where Paul resides. Paul simply predicted the winner of the German games correctly.
The octopus did this by pointing to the flag of the winning country when both teams were presented to him. He became the beloved mascot for Spain when one of his arms accurately predicted that country as the winner of the World Cup.
Paul made a splash with football fans and the Web. A wave of Yahoo! searches for "paul the octopus" surged over 60,000% in the month of June. Still, all the cheers for the soccer-loving sea creature seem to have left the head of Iran cold.
We're not sure what led the Iranian leader to finger the 8-armed mollusk as enemy number one, but the sea animal better not have plans to travel to Iran anytime soon. According to the Telegraph, Ahmadinejad mentioned Paul "on various occasions during a speech in Tehran" over the weekend. He called the soccer soothsayer a symbol of "decadence and decay."
The octopus oracle has yet to comment — or predict the future of the Iranian president. Outlook: Not so good.
by Mike Krumboltz
Napoleon Dynamite made ligers famous. Your yuppie neighbors helped turn labradoodles into the gotta have dog breed. But a zedonk? That's a new one.
ABC News reports that an animal preserve in Georgia is home to a newly born (and very rare) zebra-donkey hybrid. The zedonk's legs are striped like a zebra's, but its body resembles a brown-furred donkey. So far, it doesn't have a name, but officials have reported that "Pippi," after Pippi Longstocking, who loved to wear stripped socks, is a frontrunner.
Following news of the zedonk's existence, Web searches on "zedonk" and "zedonk pictures" both roared. We were a bit surprised to see a 1,300% search surge on "zedonk for sale." For some, pictures just ain't enough.
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Gwyneth Paltrow (Searches increased by 7,166%). The Oscar-winning actress has gone country for her upcoming movie — and sings the title song to prove it.
- Dennis Hopper (+5,292%). The late actor left behind a Venice compound going for $6 million.
- Guns N' Roses (+1,945%). Steven Adler, the band's former drummer, has a memoir called, what else: "Sex & Drugs & Guns N' Roses."
- Rachel Zoe (+325%). Gearing up for her reality show's upcoming season 3, stylist Zoe admitted to wanting to style "Mad Men."
- Snooki (+304%). Here's "the Situation": The TV show "Jersey Shore" lets you enjoy Snooki and friends with a new online game.
by Claudine Zap
Everyone knows the image: Celebrating V-J Day in Times Square back in 1945, a sailor dips a nurse into a passionate kiss and is snapped into icon status by Life Magazine. But the identity of the sailor has remained a mystery.
Over the years, several men have claimed the mantle of the man in question. Now, there's one more who says he's the one.
The vet is one Glenn McDuffie. The 88-year-old has photos of himself in his sailor suit, can ID the other people in the famed photo, and has even submitted to multiple lie-detector tests. One woman who believes him told his story to CNN.
Whether he's the real deal or not, he sure is one adorable guy. Check out pictures of him here.
by Mike Krumboltz
Walk a mile in these jeans, baby. Actually, make that around 3,000 miles. A viral video of a guy "walking" across America has become the Web's latest must-see clip.
The video, which was sponsored by Levi's and combines stop-motion with time-lapse photography, features a man (wearing denim, natch) walking from New York to San Francisco. ABC News explains that "the video is not conventional moving pictures. It pieces together still photos taken on an actual, 14-day cross country trip — no green screens involved." When all was said and done, it took over 2,700 images to complete.
Of course, the man isn't really walking the entire way. Such feats are best left to Forrest Gump. Instead, the crew, which consisted of director, producer, photographer, and actor, traveled via RV for two weeks. Every so often, they'd hop out and capture some footage.
In the video, the camera follows actor Michael Johnson as he passes through different American landmarks like Washington, D.C., Chicago, Mt. Rushmore, and Las Vegas. The camera had to always remain the same distance from Mr. Johnson in order to give the video its seamless feel. You can watch the crew discuss the creative process on this video from ABC.
Though uploaded to the Web just a few days ago, the clip has already generated hundreds of thousands of views. And it's not hard to see why. The video is amazingly polished, the result of hard work and careful planning on the part of the filmmakers. Take a look at some behind the scene footage here.
By the way, that catchy tune that plays over the video is called "Home," by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros.
