Raking in the D'oh!

Hello, everybody. The 18-year wait for a feature film version of a still-running television show was definitely worth it as "The Simpsons Movie" opened at #1 with an incredible $71.8 million haul. And the only catch? It was made with a $65 million budget!

Now I saw the film on Friday afternoon and let me say, it was a laugh riot from the beginning and Ralph Wiggum trying to sing along to the 20th Century Fox fanfare to the end credits with that pimple-faced teen "cleaning up" the theater. I won't give much away, but the sub-plot involves the Simpsons starting a new life in Alaska until they found out what would happen to Springfield next (the New Grand Canyon).

And speaking of Alaska...two former Fairbanksans who work as animators on the "Simpsons" series -- Charles Ragins and Eddie Rosas also had a hand at the movie as well. That could explain the nearly $72 million take. Not since the 1966 "Batman" (which came out after its first season and was also released by Fox) have we ever seen a movie based on a show still on the air after all these years make so much money in its first weekend.

While "The Simpsons Movie" had audiences flocking to the theaters in droves, Lindsay Lohan's "I Know Who Killed Me"? Well, it had NOBODY flocking to the theaters in droves. In her fifth straight flop (thanks to other than her DUI arrest), the film bombed in 9th place with $3.4 million. Forget Oscar; it's a Razzie that Lindsay and that film could be smelling next year! Perhaps a good name for this should be "I Know What Movie Will Be DVD- or Pay-Per-View-Bound in a Few Weeks."

No wonder why I replaced Lohan with Brittany Snow as far as Sexiest Woman of 2007 is concerned, and we're at Round 2 in which the top 20 votegetters from the field of 43 advance to Round 3. If you haven't cast your vote yet, then there's still all the time in the world to do so. We're going to be in the dog days of summer, and things won't really go into high gear until late October when the polling resumes with Round 3.

We've got three Jennifers (Aniston, Garner, Love Hewitt), two Jessicas (Alba and Biel), two Marias (Menounos and Sharapova), two "High School Musical" girls (Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens), two "Hairspray" co-stars (Snow and Amanda Bynes), two "Idols" (Katharine McPhee and Carrie Underwood), two Oscar winners (Halle Berry and Angelina Jolie), and 28 other ladies who all want a stab at taking on last year's winner Sarah Michelle Gellar in the final round for the Sexiest Woman of 2007 title.

So if you're a fan of any of the remaining gals, then it's never too early or too late to cast your vote for them and see if they'll earn enough to head to the third round. And like I've said time and time again...ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN!!!!! An underdog or two can come from behind and could pretty much pull off an upset, especially in the final round. It happened with Lauren Graham in 2005 when she won, and it may do so again.

And with that in mind...so long and stay strong.

Drew Carey, come on down!!!

Hello, everybody. When Bob Barker announced to the world last fall that he's calling it a career after 35 years of doing "The Price Is Right" (and 50 years in television), the cattle call for a successor would begin as to who would inherit the famous microphone. From Mario Lopez to "Entertainment Tonight's" Mark Steines to even Todd Newton, it was a tough decision to make. Even Rosie O'Donnell seemed interested, but thankfully she backed down.

Well, the search came to an end when Drew Carey on "Late Show with David Letterman" made it official on Monday: He's going to pick up where Barker left off! Yes, he may be hosting "The Power of 10", but now Carey's going to helm the granddaddy of game shows as well. And hopefully, there could be some changes around "Price Is Right" that could suit him, like bringing back foreign vehicles, Clock Game finally going digital, and maybe using the set, opening graphics, and jazzy theme music from the 1994 nighttime version with Doug Davidson (which was also used on "Bruce's (Forsyth) Price Is Right" in Britain).

But the big question now is this: Will he make it work?! "Price" has gained a following among college students since that Barker-Adam Sandler (whose "I Now Pronounce Chuck & Larry" is the #1 movie) fight scene in "Happy Gilmore", and many of them can relate to Carey; after all, he has come a long way from starting his career as a stand-up comedian in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, not to mention his own show and the U.S. version of "Whose Line Is It Anyway." And now, Drew Carey is about to make his mark by continuing the "Price is Right" legacy post-Bob Barker, and you can bet he's going to do quite swell. Just give him time to learn the ropes, and he'll be raring to go. Oh yeah...since Drew's way younger than Bob, you can say goodbye to Wilford Brimley and Scooter Store during the breaks, and hello to...well, it's a daytime show, so maybe more food ads.

By the way: Is it just me or has "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" seem to be heavy on the drug ads? Sure, they may be the #1 and #2 top-rated syndicated shows, but leave the advertising of them to the network newscasts!

How will Drew Carey really do when he says "COME ON DOWN!" for the first time? Come "The Price Is Right's" 36th season this fall, we'll find out for ourselves.

Now the last time I had a cholesterol count some years ago, it was 79. And 79 was an extremely good number. Last week after taking my first physical in years, I've found out that my current count is 93, i.e., very normal because the range is 50 to 200.

I guess less fatty foods as well as eating less portions at those "all-you-can-eat" buffets -- not to mention commuting to work on my bike as well as running the Midnight Sun Run last year -- have contributed a lot to my cholesterol being 93, even though it's been up from the 79. As you get older, your cholesterol gets higher, and very high cholesterol may lead to heart attacks. I do have other secrets of keeping me healthy, but I don't want to share them with you.

Like I said last blog, so long, stay strong...and REALLY stay fit!

Turning up the...coolness

Hello everybody as America gets its last slices of our birthday cake from last week...and trying to find the nicest shade possible while at it!

Before I begin...usually around the Fourth of July, I would do my annual "Fill In The Blank" quiz which has been a staple since 1995 (and 2000 online). Because I couldn't think up of any questions, I've decided to save FITB for the "Year In Review" in December. I apologize for the inconvience.

Now then...as we blew out the candles for the 231st time last Wednesday, the Western part of the country has had natural fireworks of their own. Temperatures have hovered between 100 and 110 degrees, and there's still no end in sight as the heatwave will now be heading East.

But over the weekend, millions have found the best way to stay cool by going to the movies. "Transformers" may have opened at the top with $67 million ($152 million if you count the preview screenings since Monday), but I decided to go see a far real film: "Sicko", the new documentary by Michael Moore.

Yes, the guy behind "Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9/11" is at it again; the target this time? The health care system in the United States and its corruption that led to many of us heading to Canada or even Europe for better services.

The film started with the story of a man who accidentally sawed the tops of his middle and ring fingers while working in his garage. With no insurance, the hospital gave him two options: Reattach his middle finger for $60,000, or the ring finger for a measly $12,000. He chose the ring finger, while the middle end is now at a landfill.

But let's flash forward to the differences between the American and Canadian health care systems. The waiting lines on some larger hospitals, particularly in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver may last for hours, while drugs are somewhat cheaper because of the Canadian Dollar.

And then there's Europe, mostly in Great Britain and France. Britain's universal health care system is the National Health Service, or NHS; while France has a 24-hour house-call service. That latter is kinda like a throwback to the old days when you're bed-ridden and had to call your doctor to come by your house.

The last scene takes us to Cuba, where a few 9/11 rescue workers got better treatment after our government denied to pay for their care. And best of all: IT WAS FREE!!! Yeah, take a 90-minute boat ride from Miami to Communist Cuba for free health care!

I can't imagine why Britain has a universal health care system like the NHS and the United States don't. Possibly because providers like Aetna, CIGNA, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield have all been in bed with the politicians for years, and that's making a lot of us sick.

What we need right now is a complete, head-to-toe overhaul of the U.S. health care system. That may mean some free services, especially for those in Rural Alaska communities where they can't have access to our hospitals in Fairbanks and Anchorage. Oh yeah, not to mention bi-annual physicals.

Speaking of which...the last time I got my physical years ago, my cholesterol count was 79. I wouldn't be surprised if it has doubled since then. And with everything out of the way, so long and stay strong...and healthy!