It's not the anti-semitism that's worrying Israeli authorities about # Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, it's the lead character's revealing swimming costume, which has been banned from promotional material. The film will open in Israel on November 30 and audience reaction will be interesting (to say the least).
PS: The real president of Kazakhstan has laughed-off the film, saying any publicity for his country is good.

Not long ago, I received an email from EMI about the new satirical CD from The 12th Man, Boned, and I posted an item about it on my other blog. The email noted how well previous 12th Man albums had done and how well the company expected this one to do. Today comes news that EMI is threatening to sue the Australian sports supporters' club, the Fanatics, for changing the lyrics to some of its songs. Now I absolutley support an artist's right to protect his or her intellectual property, but I think it's funny how big corporations only have a sense of humour when there's money to be made.

So what is it that brings people to this site. According to my latest stats, search engines are pointing web surfers in my direction when they look for information on: Brett Debritz (as you'd expect), recently departed Channel 9 staffers Rick Burnett and John Schluter, radio funnyman Jamie Dunn, spammer emilycoolplums, Queensland Theatre Company's production of A Woman Before, singer-songwriter Bernard Fanning and, curiously, Brazilian waxing*. I don't claim to be an expert in that last category, but I'm willing to try anything once**.
* I think it referred to my item about Stav Davidson from B105 undergoing a treatment in the name of entertainment.
** On second thoughts, no I'm not.

"This is what happens when you don't mock Scientology." That's what producer The Simpsons producer Al Jean said when accepting the show's ninth Emmy award for best animated series. The Simpsons beat South Park, which was nominated for its episode parodying Tom Cruise and his religion. There's more about the "creative arts Emmys" here. The real Emmys (which, presumably, aren't for creativity or art) get handed out next week.

Having seen Keating! the opera a few days ago, I wonder whether we'll one day be treated to Beattie!. As I write Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is in fine form, "weighing up" whether he'll call an election or just a byelection for the seat of the seriously ill Nita Cunningham. Oh, the drama, the pathos, the protesting-too-much. Maybe it's more the stuff of a TV soap. I can hardly wait for the next exciting episode.