I've worked with Paris Hilton. Anderson Cooper is no Paris Hilton.

Fox News has called Anderson Cooper "the Paris Hilton of TV News." Now you can see the FNC clips regarding the full page ad on YouTube.

It all started when CNN debunked a false report on Barak Obama last week. Reports from Insight magazine were picked up by several Fox News shows, and CNN sent reporter John Vause in Jakarta, Indonesia to investigate. Vause even posted on the Anderson Cooper 360 blog how he found that the Obama's elementary school was not a fundamentalist Muslim madrassa.
"I spoke with the bosses back in New York and Atlanta and outlined the facts, not entirely sure what they would want me to do next," he writes. "The response was pretty simple: Do the story, report what you find, nothing more, nothing less. So that's what I did."

Vause appeared on both The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (YouTube video clip) and Anderson Cooper 360 that night (Monday, January 22nd). Both called Fox out on the carpet regarding their journalistic integrity.

Blitzer said, "CNN did what any serious news organization should do in a case like this. We conducted a first-hand investigation and we went right to Indonesia to check out the school that Obama attended as a little boy." (from The Situation Room transcripts.)

Cooper said, "Well, that's the difference between talking about news and reporting it. You send a reporter, checks the facts and you decide at home." (from Anderson Cooper 360 transcripts.)

That's when a Fox News spokeswoman, Irena Briganti, was quoted in the New York Times on Wednesday January 24th. Briganti said CNN was mainly looking for publicity in attacking its higher-rated rival. Of Mr. Cooper’s comment, she said, “Yet another cry for attention by the Paris Hilton of television news, Anderson Cooper.” (per the New York Times article by Bill Carter "Rivals CNN and Fox News Spar Over Obama Report.")

And then on Monday, the Fox News ad appeared "Meet the Paris Hilton of Television News".

CNN responded with it's own ratings findings. According the that mediabistro article, CNN Responds To Cooper: "Roger Is Apparently Spinning Out Of Control", "CNN says Anderson beat Greta 40 times in the demo last year, and three times in January.

CNN also points to awards -- A Peabody, DuPont, and three Emmys for 360 in 2006. Greta Van Susteren? Zero."

In addition, CNN released more ratings numbers in this mediabistro article, Jan #s: CNN says Cooper is Closing Gap with accompanying graph "Anderson Cooper at 10pm Has Radically Altered P25-54 Viewing vs. Fox News."

There's also a brief overview article available on tvsquad all about this latest spat between Fox News and CNN.

Seems that Fox News has the same problem Stephen Colbert has with CNN, in that they (CNN) report the NEWS.

And what is Paris Hilton's response to this whole mess?

Sadly, yes, I have worked with Paris Hilton. I loathe to admit it, but I did one day of background work on The Simple Life where I was paid to ride on a Greyhound bus with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. Though I've never had the pleasure of working with Anderson Cooper (yet), I can say that at least the folks at Fox got one thing right with their analogy - Cooper is HOT. Not just good looks, but ratings too.

State of the Oscars

Tonight, Bush will deliver the State of the Union address. I will not be watching.

Instead, I will post my Oscar predictions (despite the fact that I have seen none of the nominated performaces). It's still early for the Vegas odds to be posted for many of the categories, though it appears The Departed is the front runner for Best Picture. I predict, however, that the Oscar for director will go to Scorcese for The Departed, but the Best Picture will go to Letters from Iwo Jima.

For those of you who want to play along, join Miranda Lane's Minions on OSCAR.com.

Best Picture LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
Actor in a Leading Role Forest Whitaker|THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
Actor in a Supporting Role Mark Wahlberg|THE DEPARTED
Actress in a Leading Role Helen Mirren|THE QUEEN
Actress in a Supporting Role Jennifer Hudson|DREAMGIRLS
Animated Feature Film HAPPY FEET
Art Direction PAN´S LABYRINTH
Cinematography THE ILLUSIONIST
Costume Design THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Directing THE DEPARTED
Documentary Feature AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Documentary Short Subject TWO HANDS
Film Editing BABEL
Foreign Language Film PAN´S LABYRINTH
Makeup APOCALYPTO
Music (Original Score) THE GOOD GERMAN
Music (Original Song) "Our Town" - CARS
Short Film (Animated) MAESTRO
Short Film (Live Action) HELMER & SON
Sound Editing LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
Sound Mixing FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
Visual Effects SUPERMAN RETURNS
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) CHILDREN OF MEN
Writing (Original Screenplay) LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

Too much of a good thing

I heard a news story that a woman died from drinking too much water. To me, this was scary because I drink A LOT of water - somewhere between a gallon and a gallon and a half a day. I've been doing it every day for over two decades. How much did this woman drink?!

According to reports, Jennifer Strange of Rancho Cordova, CA died after competing in a radio contest requiring contestants to drink copious amounts of water without relieving themselves. The competition was designed as a winner-take-all elimination style battle of the bladder. The contest was sponsored by KDND 107.9 The End based in Sacramento called "Hold your wee for a Wii." The prize: none other than the coveted Nintendo Wii game station console.

Perhaps this is the saddest part. Ms. Strange was the mother of three. One of the other contestants who participated in the contest with her, James Ybarra of Woodland was quoted as saying she "was doing it for her kids." Mothers are extraordinary people and there's not much they won't do for their children, but is a video game worth dying for? Then again, who would have thought that drinking lots of water would be so hazardous to one's health?

It stands to reason that an excess of anything could be dangerous, but water?! Turns out there is such a thing as water intoxication. From a biological standpoint, it all makes sense. If you pump enough water into your body, you effectively dilute your body's fluids so much that your systems can no longer support your own life functions. The AP news story says "It was not immediately known how much water Strange consumed." All that is known, I suppose, is that it was enough to kill her. It had to be a quite a large amount indeed.

The more disturbing conclusion about this story is that people will die to get a video game. We all thought it was funny on South Park this season when Cartman froze himself so he didn't have to wait to obtain the same coveted Nintendo Wii system Ms. Strange was competing for. But Ms. Strange isn't going to wake up 500 years in the future. She's gone, her children are left motherless and all for the want of a video game.

What kind of a world do we live in where the demand for the latest and greatest new technical wonder-boxes is so high and frenzied that people are willing to do themselves bodily harm at the chance to get them? Perhaps Ms. Strange, the contestants and the radio station didn't realize how dangerous the contest would be, but the contestants weren't forced to drink. Some blame should fall on the video game manufacturers who artificially increase demand by limiting supply. If the Nitendo Wii's were easier to get, it stands to reason that people wouldn't be dying to get them.

TV women are just too skinny

Two weeks ago I was flipping thru and I caught a bit of Desperate Housewives on ABC and I was just so surprised at how ill the principal actresses appeared on screen. And then yesterday I was on the set of Cold Case, those actresses are a little on the too skinny side, too (they were also shorter than I thought they would be in person, but I digress). Then I see Kirstie Alley on the Jenny Craig commercials talking about how much weight she's lost and I don't think she looks all that wonderful. Sure she looks better than she did, but remember when she was skinny?

And I wonder, why am I so hypersensitive to this? I don't think it's simply because a few years ago an indie casting director told me I reminded him of Kirstie Alley and I looked all insulted. It was when she was doing Fat Actress.

It's no secret I used to be fat. Though I am by no means thin now, I am in thinnER, and most importantly, I FEEL HEALTHIER.

I am also an actress, and though I am talented a great deal of my success has to do with my image. I've had success with particular acting roles on-camera and live as well as some modeling, but it's always had to be - to some extent - qualified as "plus-sized". The sad fact is, I'd likely get more work if I were skinnier.

However, I am not going to starve myself to work. Even though my annual income as an actress could easily make me a "starving artist." I have always insisted that any exercise / diet plan would have to be for me to feel and look healthier simply because I wanted to do it for myself. Not for a career, not for a guy... as soon as I insist that others' approval hinges on how I look, I am defeated before I even begin.

I don't really know where I was going with this post. When I started I didn't think that was where I'd end up. Well, that's part of the fun of blogging, I suppose.

But don't be surprised if I get all caddy and comment on the red-carpet happenings at tonight's Golden Globes.

(cross-posted to miranda_lane on LiveJournal)

Until I either figure out feeds or start blogging in two places

I usually post on LiveJournal.