Hello, everybody. A lot of stuff to get to as always, so we begin first up with the slew of protests that have turned U.S. embassies throughout the Middle East into war zones.

It all started when a 14-minute trailer for the low-budget, anti-Islamic film "Innocence of Muslims", hit YouTube in July and garnered over 150 million views. But it wasn't until last weekend when an Egyptian television station broadcast excerpts of the Arabic-dubbed trailer, which sprouted into a series of attacks on U.S. embassies, including the one on Tuesday (on the 11th anniversary of 9/11, nonetheless) in Benghazi, Libya that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Other attacks happened in Egypt, Tunisia on Friday with three people killed, Yemen, and even Lebanon where a KFC restaurant was set ablaze. The Libyan attack was condemned worldwide, with President Obama ordering tighter security at U.S. diplomatic facilities.

Protests against the film were spread as far as Britain, where 200 people gathered outside the embassy in London, though there were no violent incidents.

Now, to the film in question: Believe it or not, it was produced right here in the United States and directed by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula using the pseudonym "Sam Bacille." We've also learned that it was shot with a $50,000-$60,000 budget at the Blue Cloud Movie Ranch. Sitting on 100 acres in the Santa Clarita Valley north of Los Angeles, dozens of scenes for TV shows and movies like "Iron Man" and "NCIS Los Angeles" were shot there because of its military and Middle Eastern-like settings. Its one and only screening was in June under another title, "Innocence of Bin Laden", to an audience of ten at the Vine Theater in Hollywood; one attendee gave it a very poor review about the poor acting and anti-Islamic stance.

I can't believe that one, poorly-produced, American-made movie would trigger so much turmoil against our embassies. And I know my cousin Equilla in North Carolina like -- who is Muslim herself-- like most of us is appalled at what's been going on.

Moving on now...here we go again! A few weeks ago, it was Prince Harry frolicking naked in Las Vegas; now, it's his brother's wife's turn. 
Prince William and Kate Middleton may still be touring the South Pacific right now, but back in Britain (and everywhere else in the world), they don't care about that. 

The French magazine "Closer" ran pictures of William and a topless Kate relaxing during a private getaway in the Provence region of France, and St. James's Palace is up in arms. They said in a statement, "Their Royal Highnesses have been hugely saddened to learn that a French publication and a photographer have invaded their privacy in such a grotesque and totally unjustifiable manner. The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to The Duke and Duchess for being so. Their Royal Highnesses had every expectation of privacy in the remote house. It is unthinkable that anyone should take such photographs, let alone publish them."  

The magazine has reportedly pulled the pictures from their website, while the royal couple is taking "Closer" to court; its editor and the photographers responsible for those snaps could be facing a year in prison and a maximum fine of 45,000 Euros ($58,100 U.S.). Can you say "breach of privacy"?

By the way, this comes about a week or so after 91-year-old Prince Philip accidentally exposed his royal jewels in a kilt while sitting alongside Queen Elizabeth II during an event in Scotland. With Princes Harry and Philip and now the Duchess of Cambridge, forget "Girls Gone Wild"; it's now..."Royals Gone Wild"!

In 1999, we've seen these two duke it out for teen pop diva supremacy on the charts. Smash cut to 13 years and many relationships and problems and other matters later, and now, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera are at it again...this time for control of our TVs!

New seasons of "The Voice" (with Aguilera) and "The X Factor" (with Spears and Demi Lovato now joining Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid) debuted this week, with the Emmy-nominated Voice already on a high after Season 2. NBC pulled no punches scheduling the third night opposite night one of X Factor's season premiere on Fox, which Cowell called it "mean-spirited." Well, Team Xtina triumphed over Team Britney, as The Voice won the ratings 7.1 to 6.3.

But despite the ratings loss (down 20% overall), some critics and fans are warming up to the presences of Spears and Lovato. "Entertainment Weekly's" Ken Tucker said that Britney rattled off "a variety of “No”s to the punching-bag mediocrities the producers let in for comic relief," while Lovato, according to "USA Today", "related well to the teenage contestants, complimenting them on their glitter, cuteness, lipstick and stage presence." One moment that made the night belonged to 19-year-old contestant Jillian Jensen, who was bullied in school and had the courage to sing it all away to the delight -- and tears, including Demi's -- of the audience.

"The Voice" may have drawn first blood, but wait till when "Dancing With The Stars" starts up again on September 24 with the All-Stars. As fox "X Factor"? Their competition once again will be "Survivor" when it returns next Wednesday.

As the season progresses, performances from both shows will be out on iTunes, and while we're at this...Apple this week announced the iPhone 5, which will be thinner than the iPhone 4S and with a brand spanking new design including larger display, lightning-fast wi-fi, and other features; it'll be out next weekend. At the same time, they also introduced the next generation iPod Touch, also with a new design but with colors, almost the same features as iPhone 5, and of course, Siri.

But you'll have to wait till October for that, which happens to be perfect timing because that's when a majority of Alaska Permanent Fund Dividends will be in our bank accounts. And speaking of which...this year's amount (expected to be lower yet again) will be announced this Tuesday at 11:00 am Alaska Time; I'll have it for you on my Twitter just seconds after.

And last but not least...six years ago on this very blog, I documented John Leguizamo's visit to Fairbanks, which the entire area turned out for. Two years later, Elton John came up here for those lucky enough (unlike myself) to snag a seat. And then two years after that, it was Snoop Dogg's turn to invade our turf.

Well, Jerry Seinfeld will be the fourth A-lister to carry on that tradition when he ascends to the Golden Heart City on October 26 at the Carlson Center; and making sure I wouldn't miss out just like I did with Sir Elton, I already got my tickets (which went on sale Friday morning)!

Okay, I originally said that after Bill Bellamy followed by the unexpected roasting I got from one of the BET comedians the one time, I would never see another comedian again...that is, until we heard that Seinfeld would be coming. And how could I not pass up on this golden opportunity? I could babble all I want about him having one of TV's #1 shows during the '90s and that afterwards, he returned to his roots performing stand-up -- this time at larger venues around the world -- as well as other projects including "The Marriage Ref" and the web series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee". 

To sum it up, Seinfeld will be my second big-name act here following B.B. King in 2001 (third if you count my double date with Britney Spears the previous year). I know that the man who had "the show about nothing" will always provide us more than something to laugh about next month. So long and stay strong and yadda, yadda, yadda.