Opinions are like...

Lately, I have noticed Pat editorializing a couple of times outside of "In the Papers," to rather amusing effect. This morning, when reporting on McDonald's decision to include apples in its Happy Meals, he noted that the company is "dropping that ridiculous caramel dipping sauce" that added additional fat and calories. Ha. Yesterday, when reporting on the NY Daily News' findings that fare jumpers can actually pay less than paying riders (since the fines are so low and not all that frequently enforced), he added that viewers should not be encouraged to take this approach "since we live in a civilized society." Amen to anyone who encourages civility in this crazy city!

Of course, these opinions are not remotely tied to anything controversial, like politics, city budget proposals or any other hard news stories, which

Interestingly, I have noticed that some of the reporters I follow on Twitter have openly expressed support for gay marriage. That's a little more of a gray area. I personally don't consider it controversial--it's a civil rights issue in my book, and the station has reported on the (ridiculous) opposition to the bill from anti same-sex marriage groups, making sure to get both sides of the story. But it was a little surprising to see, nonetheless.

Speaking of same-sex marriage, I was sadly out of town this Sunday and missed Roger Clark sitting behind the anchor desk (this was the first day same-sex marriages could take place in New York). Hopefully I won't miss it next time!

Come on, NY Post!

Kudos to Pat for his takedown of the New York Post's pathetic coverage of the Rupert & James Murdoch testimony/News Corp. scandal in today's paper. As Pat noted, it was the biggest news story on two continents yesterday, and even the Wall Street Journal (another Murdoch-owned paper) put it on the front page!

Here's the video clip of Pat opening a can of whup-ass on the Post, if you missed it this morning:

http://www.ny1.com/content/features/in_the_papers/143276/in-the-papers-7-20-11

How Bloomie annoyed me today

I just got back from a week in sunny—make that oven-like—Florida. I did miss NY1.

My vacation coincided with one of the biggest New York stories of the year, the horrific child murder in Brooklyn. NY1 reported this morning that Mayor Bloomberg sat shiva with the boy’s grieving family. It was a nice gesture, but something he said to the media about it really irritated me.

I can’t remember the full quote, but it was something along the lines of, sometimes God does things that are not so great, blah blah blah, and then he punctuated it with “It is what it is.”

I would like to call a global moratorium on that hackneyed, meaningless, UTTERLY idiotic phrase. I know it’s not how he meant to sound, but it just struck me as an extremely thoughtless and trivial thing to say about a child’s murder. Also, I just hate that turn of phrase.

I also enjoyed In the Papers this morning. Kudos to Pat for ribbing the Journal about its under-coverage of the News Corp. scandal. I also enjoyed ITP yesterday, when he pointed out that a new film that’s being adapted from a crime novel featuring a 6’5” hero will star—Tom Cruise, at 5 ‘7”. Hilar.

Hope y’all are having a good summer. Stay cool (and classy) New York!

One last Weiner joke

I am 14 years old, because I just overheard Errol Louis say on Inside City Hall, "Let's talk about Weiner's withdrawal" and I laughed out loud. That is all.

Trivia Fun at the Bell House

So last night I attended the VH1 Trivia Night with Pat at the Bell House, hosted by none other than Pat Kiernan. It was a blast. The Bell House is a great place to have a party (which is why I got married there last summer!), and the event raised money for VH1’s Save the Music Foundation, a cause I also have a personal attachment to as a musician myself (I, like NY1’s own Roger Clark, play the drums). To that end, the evening kicked off with an excellent performance by a group of cute and talented kids.

And the event also confirmed something I already knew: Pat has a deeply rabid fan base! Lots of people lined up to get their pictures taken with the congenial Canadian—myself included. I did not introduce myself as New York Two, because it was already getting pretty late at that point and I’m pretty sure he wanted to get out of there so he could get some sleep before doing the news that morning.

While my team, the High Falutin’ Hussies, did not win (other names we considered: Phat Kiernan and New York Won), we still had fun. However, I learned a couple of disturbing facts: First, the team that did end up winning actually won the World Series of Pop Culture TV show in 2007. Pat graciously included the runner-up team in the grand prize because of this; he’s taking everyone out for beers and poutine. I’m so jealous!

The other disturbing thing I learned? Pat has Daughtry in his iPod. Why, Pat, why?

Anyway, if they do it again, you should go. It was a blast and in support of a great cause.

Pat + Trivia =fun

So tonight I'll be attending this event. Maybe I'll even meet Pat! I doubt it, though. While I am obviously a big fan, I'll probably be too shy to approach him. A few years ago, he stood just a few feet away from me at the annual Financial Follies event, and I didn't approach him then, either. But in any case, I'm looking forward to a fun event that will be raising money for a worthy cause (VH1's Save the Music foundation).

I have been too busy to post this week, but I have been enjoying In the Papers this week. I got a big kick out of two things yesterday, neither of which were Weiner-related. One was Pat's amusement at one Tony award-winning actress's acceptance speech; I'm paraphrasing his paraphrasing, but it had something to do with how nobody told bees they couldn't fly...it sounded like incoherent gobbledeygook, which Pat captured well. The other was how he picked on the Times for running such a tiny photo of Gabrielle Giffords. He notes that the Post ran with a nice, large front-page photo, whereas the Times ran a teeny thumbnail. I guess you had to have seen it to understand why it was funny, but the mockery was pretty entertaining.

I realize my last several posts have been about In the Papers. That's because I've rarely been home long enough in the last few weeks to watch NY1 in the evenings. I hope this changes soon!

The gift that keeps on giving

Obviously I was away most of last week, otherwise I would have been ALL OVER the Anthony Weiner story.

Seriously? Seriously?! What person RUNS FOR OFFICE and then WINS and then lets someone take a PHOTO of them that emphasizes their JUNK when their name is WEINER?

I think we all know the answer. Also, this is the best story ever. What a welcome home gift to get upon my return from vacation.

And my love for Pat Kiernan has, ahem, swelled to new highs given his coverage of this saga on "In the Papers." Last week he noted that one local paper had "grabbed hold of this story and will not let go"; this morning he told viewers to take note of the preponderance of Weiner jokes.

Elsewhere in this morning's ITP, he laid on the sarcasm, pointing out a story on how the “normally shy Donald trump to give us a glimpse of how rich and successful he is." (I forget the point of the story; I think he's offering tours of his private jet or something.)

Anyway, I am happy to be home. I missed you, Pat and NY1!