Hello, everybody. A lot to get to this Memorial Day weekend, so first up...

On Friday, the sudden death of former child star Gary Coleman at 42, who was best known as Arnold on "Diff'rent Strokes" where he coined the show's catchphrase "Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis?" Coleman died after suffering from a brain hemorrhage for a couple days at his home outside Salt Lake City and was taken off life support at a nearby hospital.

Besides "Diff'rent Strokes", which lasted a total of eight seasons on NBC and later ABC, Coleman also had his own Saturday morning cartoon show that ran for one season. But after his hit show left the air, Gary fell into the same doldrums of other child stars: going from the A-list to D-list with guest roles on other shows while attempting to reclaim the luster he lost. He even worked as a security guard and in 2003, he tried to follow in the footsteps of Jesse Ventura by running for California governor; that didn't work.

And just like his fellow co-stars Todd Bridges and Dana Plato (the latter died in 1999), Coleman was also plagued with a series of other problems including filing for bankruptcy in 1999 and even suicide attempts. He wed Shannon Price in 2007, but that marriage was kept a secret until the two went on "Divorce Court" the following year.

Now I definitely remember "Diff'rent Strokes", and let me tell you...that show had "troubled youth" written all over it. But if it wasn't for Gary Coleman's character, we wouldn't have had Jaleel White's Steve Urkel cementing its place in pop culture lore. At least the two will live on as long as we're still living.

And on Saturday, we've also learned that actor Dennis Hopper ("Easy Rider", "Hoosiers", "Colors", "Speed") has died from complications of prostate cancer; he was 74.

By the way...hours after the sad news of Coleman's passing came the happy news that Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag splitting up. But let's move on to more serious news, like...

The latest on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as President Obama made his second visit to the Louisiana coast on Friday; it has now eclipsed the Exxon Valdez in 1989 as the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

For over 40 days now, BP has been doing everything in their power to end the spill as hurricane season is about to be underway. But the aftereffects are already being felt, with the seafood industry the hardest hit as costs are expected to be its highest ever and fishing season up and down the coasts canceled.

This week was finale week for two of television's top-rated shows: "Dancing With The Stars" and "American Idol." First, "Idol" as 24 million viewers cared less about Lee DeWyze taking the crown (in an upset over favorite Crystal Bowersox, who broke up with her boyfriend before the finale) and more about saying farewell to Simon Cowell after being part of the show since day one. Among those who helped in the goodbye: Paula Abdul -- who's returning to television this fall fronting a new dance competition show for CBS -- and almost all the past "Idol" winners including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Kris Allen; David Cook was doing a charity event in Kansas City. By the way, 24 million viewers was the lowest-rated finale in the show's history, a tell-tale sign that we don't care anymore. Despite that, "American Idol" for the sixth season in a row now remains television's #1 program.

Meanwhile, it was Doll domination as Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough took the mirror ball trophy on "Dancing With The Stars." That finale also brought back all of this season's contestants including the most talked about of all, Kate Gosselin. Around 18 million viewers tuned in for all that, and next season, it and "NCIS" may be one of the two shows out for "Idol's" blood now that Simon's gone.

And last but not least: The two hosts of those shows, Ryan Seacrest and Tom Bergeron, have been watched by more viewers than ever before, though they are already broadcasting veterans. But there are times we hate one show and prefer the other, so who's really the host with the most? Let's settle the score right now with my fourth...

Yes, after doing the ladies three times before (Kirsten Dunst vs. Natalie Portman in 2002, Amanda Bynes vs. Hilary Duff in 2004, and Megan Fox vs. Angelina Jolie last year) it's the guys' turn now!

Where they got their starts:
Tom Bergeron: WHAV in Haverhill, Mass.
Ryan Seacrest: WSTR in Atlanta, Ga.
Advantage: Draw; it all began for them at their hometowns

First television gigs:
Bergeron: WBZ-TV in Boston where he hosted "Lottery Live" and "People Are Talking"
Seacrest: "Radical Outdoor Challenge" on ESPN and the syndicated "Gladiators 2000"
Advantage: Bergeron

Biggest national break:
Bergeron: The FX cable channel with "Breakfast Time" (it later moved to the main Fox network and became "Fox After Breakfast")
Seacrest: The game show "Click" created and produced by the late Merv Griffin
Advantage: Bergeron, because he had a show on Fox before Seacrest!

Accolades:
Bergeron: An Outstanding Game Show Host Emmy for "Hollywood Squares" in 2000 (tying with Bob Barker), though he was nominated five times
Seacrest: None, though he hosted the 2007 Primetime Emmys (which became a fast-forward fest)
Advantage: Bergeron

When they're not doing their prime jobs:
Bergeron: "America's Funniest Home Videos" (now on five times a week), the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, and kicking back at his East Coast home in Connecticut
Seacrest: "American Top 40", "E! News", "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest", and "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" on the radio (the television version was short-lived. Oh, he's also a television producer.
Advantage: Seacrest, though he has yet to pen a book like Bergeron did

Sign-off phrases:
Bergeron: None, though he always begins "Dancing With The Stars" with "LIIIIIIVVVEE!!! This is Dancing...With The STARS!!!!"
Seacrest: "Seacrest...out!"
Advantage: Draw

Shameless self-promotion:
Bergeron: None
Seacrest: Scope mouthwash commercials
Advantage: Bergeron, he would never stoop low to pushing dental hygiene products!

In the end, I have my score: Tom Bergeron 6, Ryan Seacrest 1.

It's the decades of experience that makes you the true king of all media (sorry, Howard Stern), and Tom Bergeron has triumphed Ryan Seacrest over that. I am too old for "American Idol", and I have a feeling that with Simon Cowell now gone, it won't be the #1 TV show for long. And besides, Bergeron's suaveness is more tolerable and camera-friendly than Seacrest's smugness, which explains why he's been at the game longer than him. But then again, Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli are "Dancing With The Stars'" answer to Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson respectively, and as they remain one of the top-rated shows, it will prove to a point that judging always comes in threes...though Carrie Ann is quite a looker, and I would give her a "10!" And yes, guys, she's single.

So long, stay strong, and enjoy the rest of your Memorial Day Weekend.

Hello, everybody.

We begin first up with a change in power, as Gordon Brown's resignation as British Prime Minister has led to David Cameron taking the top job as of Tuesday. This comes in the wake of last Thursday's general elections that resulted in a hung parliament, meaning neither of the three main parties (Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats) received 326 seats for a majority government. 326 seats is sort of like Canada's equivalent to 155 seats for a party to claim majority in a federal election, or here in the States, 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. By the way, the Conservatives won 306 seats; Labour, 258; Liberal Democrats, 57.

What we experienced across the waters is reminiscent of 2000 and Florida right here. Remember that? The drama lingered for weeks until it was in the hands of the Supreme Court, and speaking of which...also on Monday, President Obama named solicitor general Elena Kagan as nominee. If confirmed by the Senate, she would succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens; that would be sometime later this summer.

Over the weekend, we've lost two political and entertainment icons; first, Walter Hickel. The former Alaska governor and Interior Secretary died Friday night from natural causes; he was 90.

As one of the architects for statehood, Hickel served as our governor from 1966 to 1969 when he became Secretary of the Interior under President Richard Nixon, before a showdown over his Vietnam War policy stemming from the Kent State shootings had him fired 22 months later. In 1990, he switched party affiliations from Republican to the Alaskan Independence Party and ran for governor one more time in hopes of picking up where he left off 20 years earlier; he won, defeating Democrat Tony Knowles with 39% of the vote to Knowles's 31%.

However, Wally switched back to Republican in April 1994, and decided not to run for re-election. Last year, he had some harsh words to say about then-governor Sarah Palin; a year prior to that, he called for Sen. Ted Stevens's resignation over the VECO scandal.

On a personal note...I remember meeting Hickel in Juneau in 1994; he was my second acting governor following Bill Sheffield, who I shook his hand with when he visited what is now Barnette Magnet School in 1986. Tony Knowles, Frank Murkowski, and of course Sarah Palin would all come over the last 20 years, but no Steve Cowper. Counting former governors, the late Jay Hammond has to be included.

Wally Hickel will now be joining Hammond in heaven, as he was the last of the old-school Alaska politicians who knew how to run this state with class.

Another legend who passed away was entertainer Lena Horne on Sunday at 92. During the 1940's, it was Horne who set the standards for African-American entertainment, breaking racial barriers during segregation thanks to her signature role in "Stormy Weather." She even received the ultimate shout-out from Halle Berry when she claimed her Oscar in 2002 while mentioning Diahann Carroll and Dorothy Dandridge as well in her acceptance speech.

Even till the end, she and Hickel were true trailblazers in their fields, and their legacies will continue for generations to come.

And last but not least: Live from New York, it's Betty White! In what was the most anticipated television event of the year, the TV legend hosted "Saturday Night Live" on Saturday to the show's highest ratings in 18 months.

Now it was revealed that "SNL" tried to get Betty to host for years but she said no, until a Facebook campaign that was launched thanks to her Snickers commercial proved otherwise. But at the age of 88, Betty has been in hot demand these days. Last year, she starred in "The Proposal" opposite Sandra Bullock last year; this fall, it's "You Again" with Kristen Bell. And earlier this summer, she returns to television in TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland."

While Milton Berle will forever be known as "Mr. Television", Betty is Mrs. Television, being in the game for over 70 years. It's true; she got her start in 1939 in Los Angeles doing an experimental broadcast in an automobile showroom before the New York World's Fair a few months would introduce the medium to the world. Over the decades, her resume has included "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Life With Elizabeth", "Mama's Family", and "The Golden Girls" among others.

Betty has had years of game show experience both professionally and personally; her one and only husband was "Password" host Allen Ludden. White even hosted her own game show, the short-lived "Just Men!", in 1983 (two years after Ludden's death) and became the first female to win an Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host.

Let's face it, folks: Even if she's just 12 years away from hitting 100, Betty White isn't slowing down anytime soon depending on her health (which I think is very good for her age). She's not really red hot again these days; White hot is more like it! So long and stay strong.

Hello, everybody. As always, there's so much to get to on this Cinco de Mayo, so first up...

We have been learning new developments into the Times Square bomb plot from last weekend as Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan, was arrested on charges of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction for rigging an SUV with explosives and trying to blow it up at the famed New York tourist attraction.

Shahzad was in custody after being taken off a plane bound for Dubai at John F. Kennedy Airport Monday night despite being on the "no-fly" list. Shazad had been in constant watch for some time at his Connecticut home, but authorities lost track of him. The criminal complaint recorded that Shazad confessed to buying the SUV, a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder, and rigged it with bombs before driving it to Times Square. President Obama said that "hundreds of lives" may have been saved thanks to the quick action of citizens and law enforcement who X-rayed the parked vehicle.

Now in an ironic twist of fate, "The Simpsons'" newest episode last Sunday was about hundreds of surveillance cameras rigged up all over Springfield in light of a bomb scare. Cameras on every block sound like an invasion of privacy to me (except for that "Big Brother" show), but most high-end homes have beefed-up home security which includes cameras. Me? I'm fine with the original home security device there is: my dog.

Another huge story we're following is the oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico that is threatening the Mississippi and Alabama coastlines, as they've been trying to do everything it takes to not become another Prince William Sound.

Yes, Prince William Sound...ground zero for until now, what was the most costliest oil spill in U.S. history with the Exxon Valdez in 1989. The current one is bringing back to us memories of over 20 years ago, and I remember it being on the front pages of all our papers for weeks.

This time, BP is responsible for the almost one million gallons that have exploded off an oil rig outside Louisiana so far, and that's more than the Exxon Valdez. I hope all this gets cleaned up in time for summer to begin.

Now two stories have been making news for the last few days here in the United States...but 24 hours from now, the attention will shift across the waters to Britain as we find out who'll gain tenancy at 10 Downing Street in their general election. Gordon Brown as Labour Party leader may be in his last few moments as incumbent Prime Minister, while David Cameron (Conservatives) and Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrats) have been making their moves since the election was called a few weeks ago. With all 650 seats up for grabs, all bets are off as the forecast may call for the same kind of change we experienced in 2008: a Conservative majority with Cameron in charge.

This campaign was unique in more ways than one, as for the first time ever, the party leaders debated each other in primetime in U.S. style debates for three weeks; first on ITV, then Sky News, and finally the BBC. But unlike us, there are no 30-second "(insert party) approves this message" ads aired on the main networks. Instead, five-minute paid political broadcasts by each of the three parties are aired nightly before the news.

Also, the polls on Thursday close at 10:00pm British Time (all other time zones, you do the math) and the counting by hand lasts into the middle of the night, meaning it would be the crack of dawn before 100% of the numbers are in. In most U.S. elections, most polls close at 8:00pm their time; and with today's modern voting methods like Accu-Vote here in Alaska, we'd have 100% of the count within three to four hours! In other words, by the time we hit to bed we'd know who won, and that will be the very same case in the gubernatorial primaries this summer followed by the big general election (and the mid-terms) on November 2 when we find out whether or not Sean Parnell will be given an additional four years of residency at the Governor's Mansion in Juneau!

But no matter what the outcome will be on Thursday night, it could mean an advantage to either the Democrats or Republicans on this side of the Atlantic in November. May the best party win. So long and stay strong.