Pethouse Pet of the Week
Wanda the dog riffs on Casey Curry, America's Got Talent, kids football, rock trivia, and Charlie Pallilo
This week's Pethouse Pet of the Week has a lot to say about Casey Curry, America's Got Talent fudging, kids football, rock trivia, and Charlie Pallio's big move.
Pethouse Pet of the Week:
Name: Wanda, as in a fish named ... , and Wanda Sykes, comedienne who makes frequent guest shots on Curb Your Enthusiasm, which returns to HBO on October 1. I can't wait.
Birthdate: September 10, 2011 ... or 9/10/11.
Ethnicity: I'm a chubster Chihuahua girl, tipping the scales at 19 pounds. Calling Jenny Craig! But with a little self-control from YOU, I should be back in tip-top shape, a lean, mean, couch-sleeping machine in no time. I'm spayed, checked-out, and spiffed up, good to go.
Come and get me: I'm available for adoption at 11 am Friday at Citizens for Animal Protection (17555 Katy Freeway; 281-497-0591). Tell them, "Ken sent me."
Wanda's wondering:
- Good for Casey Curry. She left Channel 13 last week, and already she's hosted Houston Life on Channel 2 and guested the weather on Channel 26. She clearly will have her choice of jobs in Houston. She's a hot property. Best advice I ever got — go where they want you.
- How's this for coincidence or irony or something? The same week that Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing was suspended for performance enhancing drugs, my dog Lilly was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease. No, Lilly isn't juicing, her endocrine gland is going bonkers. Both Cushings will be back, bright eyed and bushy tailed. In about two months.
- In case you haven't heard, radio station SB Nation 1560 AM is packing its microphones and moving to 94.1 FM on October 1. It's a good move — clearer signal, bigger potential audience. The on-air lineup includes familiar voices Sean Salisbury, Barry Warner, Charlie Pallilo, Nate Griffin, and Patrick Creighton. The station will have a new name, SportsMap 94.1, to coincide with the arrival of SportsMap.com, a Houston-based, sports-oriented website by CultureMap.com and ESPN 97.5.
- Nerd pop music factoid: Logic's song, "1-800-273-8255," jumps to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, making it the highest-ranked song that includes a phone number in its title in modern music history. Logic passes Tommy Tutone's song, "867-5309/Jenny," which peaked at No. 4 in 1982. In case you're wondering, 1-800-273-8255 in the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
- Parents take note: According to a new study, children who play tackle football before the age of 12 are twice as likely to develop brain damage and "behavioral and cognitive problems later in life" than kids who wait to play tackle. The study's bottom line: playing tackle football too early may make a child an emotional wreck, which of course is the job of parents. Here's an idea, instead of having leagues for 10-year-old football, let the dads play, which is really what youth football is all about.
- The winner of America's Got Talentthis season is Darci Lynne Farmer, a 12-year-old ventriloquist in high-top sneakers. She won $1 million and a contract to play Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Two things: first, the $1 million prize isn't actually a check for $1 million. It's an annuity that pays $25,000 a year for 40 years. Still good, nothing to sneeze at, but not what I'd call a $1 million prize. Or the winner can take a lump sum, which is roughly half a million. So we're calling b.s. on the show for saying "$1 million prize" every 10 minutes.
And the contract to play Vegas? Yeah, I can imagine a group of hardcore gamblers, after a 3-day poker and booze binge, saying, "Let's go see a 12-year-old ventriloquist." Nothing on America's Got Talent this season was 1/100th as entertaining as the details of Mel B's divorce. Google that and stand back.