Way back in the day, presidential candidate and sex machine Fred Thompson made a name for himself working as an investigative counsel for the Senate Watergate investigation committee.

One big problem: Fred was "dumb as hell." At least according to Richard Nixon. Recent reports based around Nixon archival tapes indicate that Fred Thompson was just like one of the moronic hired goons seen in the movies; he was willing, but not quite able. [Examples include Lex Luthor's friends or Be-Bop and Rocksteady from the Ninja Turtles.]

Those tapes show Thompson had a behind-the-scenes role very different from his public image three decades ago. He comes across as a partisan willing to cooperate with the Nixon White House to discredit the committee's star witness.

It was Thompson who tipped off the White House that the Senate committee knew about the tapes. They eventually cinched Nixon's downfall in the scandal resulting from the break-in at Democratic headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington and the subsequent White House cover-up.

Meanwhile, the New York Times is finally reporting what we've said multiple times: Fred Thompson's wife is hot. [They're also yelling aloud to many other crappy newspapers: "We want your readers!!!"]

Thompson's secret role in Watergate [Chicago Tribune]

Will Her Face Determine His Fortune? [New York Times]

The newest addition to NYC's never-ending quest to eek out public space from the margins of society (or wealthy developers trying to slap a happy face on a significant loss of NYC affordable housing), StuyTown has introduced a new series of free shows called Concerts on the Oval, every Wednesday until August 8th at 6:30pm. To get to the oval, you walk into the housing project on the First Avenue Loop, off 1st Ave. and 17th/19th Street. I will see you at Escort on July 25.

Jump...

According to the White House's Ron Burgundy Tony Snow, former President Bill Clinton has a "case" of whatever is "Arkansan is for chutzpah."

Snow's comments came in an op-ed for USA Today that responded to comments by, among others, President Clinton, criticizing the Administration's decision to commute Scooter Libby's sentence. (Sidenote: Who knew USA Today had opinions?)

In their coverage of Snow's piece, CNN.com provided readers with a definition of chutzpah: "shameless audacity; imprudence; brass." Another source, Merriam-Webster calls it "supreme self-confidence: nerve, gall".

I'm no English language expert, but I'm not sure you can have a "case" of this. Either you gots it or you don't. It ain't a disease. (Paging Bill Safire: I expect to read more on this on Sunday.)

And while I'm not going to chalk this up to nuanced anti-semitism (as one easily could), I will chalk it up to confusion on Snow's part. Newsmen have been confused about this word before. In 2005, a Canadian TV Anchor named Jim Walcott made a similar mistake:

Jim Walcott: As you know, I am converting to Judaism. Fascinating religion, with the prayer shawl and that little chutzpah you wear on the back of your head.
Jeremy: Yamulke... it's called a Yamulke.
Jim Walcott: Really? Then the shawl is a chutzpah.
Jeremy: Chutzpah is "gall," Jim. Example of chutzpah: A kid goes into his parents' bedroom, torches the place. The kid is tried for murder. He throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan. That's "chutzpah."
Jim Walcott: Fascinating language.

Coming August 2007

You just can't walk past Katz's Delicatessen today and not notice it being besieged by property development. Ladies and gentlemen, our lifeline to pastrami is in jeopardy.

More...

Here's one of four videos created by the European Commission in their push for greater synergies in the film industry. This one, which is entirely too racy for US audiences to swallow, is called "Let's Come Together."

Sly Stone in Vanity Fair, August 2007

Here for the annals of pop phenomenology is proof that Billy Corgan watches Animal Planet and loves the movie Ghostbusters 2. See, he's just like you and me!

Then watch this video:

That poor coyote! I bet he's hoping that lizard doesn't have AIDS.

Now take a look at the cover art to the new Pumpkins album:

Breaking News 5:55 PM ET:
Bush Commutes Prison Term of I. Lewis Libby Jr.

That's balls people.