We learned two things about last night’s Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Lance Armstrong. One is that Armstrong is not a very nice person and the second is that Oprah is not as smart as we all thought.
Let’s start with the first point. We all knew (or at least suspected) that Lance cheated and threw anyone and everyone under the bus (including filing a lawsuit against his former masseuse Emily O’Reilly for outing him). Armstrong came across as a very cold and calculating human being who would stop at nothing to win for fame and glory (what the hell did Sheryl Crow see in him). Look up “Control Freak” in the dictionary and you’ll see his picture next to it. That part of last night’s interview was actually not that shocking.
What was surprising is how Oprah handled the broadcast. Many blogs and pundits are heaping praise on the former Queen of daytime talk, and while she did create a lot of buzz for OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network), there were several places where she dropped the ball.
The actual interview took place earlier in the week. Trying to keep what was said secret was like trying to keep Lindsey Lohan from getting in trouble; it wasn’t going to happen. Even Oprah appeared on the CBS Morning Show to promote the interview and all but said he admitted to cheating. So what was left to watch? There is no denying she did her homework and delivered what she promised (a no-hold bars interview), but unfortunately the news cycle had already moved on.
Sports fans had already turned their attention to the captivating drama surrounding Notre Dame super star Manit Te’o and his mystery girlfriend. The window of public interest closes quickly, and Oprah did herself no favors by pushing the interview back. She also could have saved the mea culpa for later in the broadcast. The broadcast opened with her asking yes and no questions and we knew immediately that Armstrong doped in all seven Tour de France victories.
What was left after that? Now we’re going to show what a real asshole you are? No thanks, I get it. It reminds one of a public flogging where crowds got to watch someone get punished in a public arena, but did you really feel Armstrong was getting beaten up by her questions? If you didn’t get enough you’re in luck; the whipping continues tonight with Part Two.
That idiom has long been said to help children everywhere fall asleep (or have psychopathic nightmares). The good folks at Orkin help us figure out where not to live by providing the top 15 cities with the worst bed bug infestations. According to the masters of bug-busting, America saw a nearly 33 percent increase in bed bug influx in 2012 compared to 2011.
The bed bug is no “Johnny Come Lately” to the bedroom. Their presence was first noted in ancient Greece around 400 BC. Bed bug infestations have resurged in recent years for reasons unknown, but people who study such things suggest it could be caused by complacency (I mean really, who wants to do laundry) and increased international travel (Here I totally blame the French).
The Top 15 cities in 2012 were…
Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville
San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
Seattle/Tacoma
Richmond/Petersburg
Dayton
New York
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Cleveland/Akron/Canton
Washington, D.C
Columbus
Cincinnati
Denver
Los Angeles
Detroit
Chicago
Dallas was the only Texas city to make the list at #9 (Houston finished at a disappointing 18th). While Chicago is the #1 city, I’m also thinking that one should avoid the entire state of Ohio. Perhaps we need to install bed bug pesticide booths at IAH and Hobby to spray down passengers and hose off their luggage when coming in from the Buckeye state.
The music in heaven got a little sweeter with the passing of some amazing talent in 2012. From folk, to soul, rock and disco, some brilliant artists left us, but fortunately also left us something to remember them by.
Here are a few of the voices that have been quieted in the past year. This list is not meant to be all-inclusive, so let me know if I missed somebody you think needs to be remembered.
Scott McKenzie
Best known for his hippie anthem; “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)”. The one-hit wonder song was written and produced by longtime friend John Phillips who went on to form the Mama’s and the Pappas. The song became an instant hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a #1 in the UK. McKenzie passed away on August 18, 2012, after battling Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disease that affects the nervous system.
Whitney Houston
With a voice that resonated with the angels, Houston has been compared with the greatest voices of her generation and who can argue? She was able to move between the pop and R&B genres as smoothly as her voice. Sadly, her untimely death on February 11, 2012 at age 48 left all of us wondering what more she had to offer.
Levon Helm
An iconic band requires an iconic voice and Levon Helm was such a singer. Known for his distinct Southern voice; his ability to add heartfelt soul to songs like “The Weight” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down made The Band a musical force for many years. Levon found a place to lay his head after battling cancer on April 19, 2012.
Adam Yauch
Better known as MCA and founding member of the Bestie Boys, Yauch was respected for maintaining his artistic control while working for a major label. Defiant to the end, Yauch was not only a trailblazer in Rap, but also produced many highly acclaimed films as well. Yauch passed away on May 4, 2012 after an almost three year fight with cancer.
Donna Summer
The undisputed “Queen of Disco”, Summer sang her way to the top of the pop charts with hits like “Last Dance”, MacArthur Park” and the legendary “Hot Stuff”. Summer began singing with church choir groups before joining a number of bands influenced by the Motown Sound and never looked back. She lost her battle with cancer on May 17, 2012.
Robin Gibb
Co-founder of The Bee Gees, his career spanned over five decades and brought us such great songs as “I’ve Got To Get Message To You” and “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”. The bands popularity started to fall when they found a way of “Stayin Alive” providing the soundtrack that continues to have people dancing today. Gibb was 62 when he succumbed to colon cancer on May 20, 2012.
Dick Clark & Don Cornelius
While neither Clark nor Cornelius made music, but it would be impossible to ignore their contributions to the music industry. They introduced countless musicians to America who, without their exposure on American Band Stand and Soul Train, would remain unknown. Their greatness lay in knowing talent and making sure we got to see it.
Etta James
The smoky soulful singer was best known for “At Last”, but is also known for blending Jazz, Blues, Doo-Wop and R&B into a seamless sound that still sounds timeless 50 years later. James passed away on January 20, 2012 due to complications from leukemia.
Davey Jones
You can argue that The Monkees were not a real band, but what you cannot argue is the incredible impact Jones had singing such signature hits as “Day Dream Believer” and “I Wanna Be Free”. Jones died on February 29, 2012 at the age of 66 after suffering a heart attack.
Bob Welch
A gifted songwriter, Welch was a former member of Fleetwood Mac and then went on to have a very successful solo career featuring songs like “Sentimental Lady”. He was snubbed by the Rock n Hall of Fame when they inducted all the former and current members of Fleetwood Mac except for him. Welch died in June 7, 2012 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Kitty Wells
The first female superstar of country music, Wells was the ultimate trailblazer leading the way for women like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and others. Her 1952 hit recording, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”, made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts. Wells died at the age of 92 on July 16, 2012 following complications from a stroke.
Jon Lord
A composer, pianist and organ player, Lord is best known for his groundbreaking work in combining rock with classical music as a founding member of Deep Purple. Lord also composed many classical music pieces before joining Whitesnake. He died on 16 July 2012 after suffering from a pulmonary embolism.
We learned two things about last night’s Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Lance Armstrong. One is that Armstrong is not a very nice person and the second is that Oprah is not as smart as we all thought.
