Meow House Theatre

Kind of a surreal article on the cover of Parade Magazine today:

Is Benazir Bhutto America’s best hope against al-Qaeda?

‘I Am What The Terrorists Most Fear’

An interview from Pakistan by Gail Sheehy

I saw it and thought I must have accidentally gotten an old edition of the paper. But no, it’s dated Jan. 6.

There’s no mention in the article or anywhere else that Bhutto was assassinated. And it happened “a long time ago” in the media cycle.

The online edition does say “Editor’s note: The assassination of Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto on Dec. 27 occurred after PARADE’s Jan. 6 issue went to press.”

Geez, how long in advance does Parade print?! I’m pretty shocked by their enormous lead time. I know they’re a magazine and not a newspaper (which often make changes only a few hours before delivery) but sheesh, Time Magazine seems to be able to print breaking news every week with only a few days’ notice. It’s just kind of disconcerting to see a front-page article on someone, written in the present tense and in which the subject talks about her future political plans, when she’s been dead for 10 days.

Parade, maybe you want to get some updated technology over there in your layout and pre-press.

UPDATE: hundreds of comments have been posted re the publication of the article at Parade’s Web site.

Dr. Phil–last name McGraw although few people know or care–who I thought could not possibly be any more of a sanctimonious windbag than he already is, says that Britney Spears “is in dire need of both medical and psychological intervention.” And he will reveal all the details on his show next week.

My god that repulsive blob of pus just got more disgusting. I didn’t think it could happen. He actually issued a press release about it!

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Television’s “Dr. Phil” McGraw said Britney Spears was released from a hospital Saturday but still needs psychological help, the syndicated programs “Entertainment Tonight” and “The Insider” reported in a press release.

“My meeting with Britney and some family members this morning in her room at Cedars leaves me convinced more than ever that she is in dire need of both medical and psychological intervention,” McGraw told the programs.

“She was released moments before my arrival and was packing when I entered the room. We visited for about an hour before I walked with her to her car. I am very concerned for her,” he said.

Responding to an e-mail request for further comment from McGraw, a “Dr. Phil” publicist referred The Associated Press to his statement posted on the etonline.com Web site.

I saw the snippet on CNN Headline News and read the full story here.

Sometimes Oprah really fucks up. She should have let this leech stay in Podunk, Ohio, or wherever he was drawling his “compassionate advice” with his highly annoying 45-on-33-rpm voice before she came across him. I hope she’s embarrassed at her part in making him represent everything that is disgusting about opportunistic nobodies attaining so-called celebrity status. He visited a sick woman (I wonder if he was even invited?) and tells trash TV show Entertainment Tonight all about it. He’s supposed to be a DOCTOR.

I thought his show of non-help (he never actually helps people: he tells them what’s wrong with them, which any brain-dead audience member without an M.D. can see quite easily) was the lowest he could go, but he has topped himself. I’d rather rot in the Bridgewater State Hospital than ever demean myself by listening to any “advice” given by that conceited git.