MR. MONK GOES TO THE FIREHOUSE by Lee Goldberg

I don't read many TV or movie tie-in novels, preferring to stick to source material. Give me the 70s Star Wars trilogy and the Star Trek TV and movie series over the endless tangents that have sprouted from them.

There are exceptions. I would read books based on Firefly or Vengeance Unlimited, in part because I miss the characters from those short-lived series. Another exception is Lee Goldberg's book based on USA's Monk.

The dramatization of Adrian Monk's personality and problem-solving habits is some of the freshest television I've seen. When Goldberg (who's written some episodes of the show) announced he'd been tapped to write original Monk novels, I knew the characters were in good hands.

In Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse, Julie Teeger, 12-year-old daughter of Monk's assistant Natalie, asks him to investigate the murder of firehouse dog Sparky. As often happens on the show, a seemingly unimportant event covers more insidious schemes.

Goldberg writes in first-person from Natalie's perspective. She's the practical partner doing her best to explain her eccentric genius friend, ala Archie Goodwin to Nero Wolfe or Chip Harrison to Leo Haig. She sheds some light on Monk's need for order while the inner workings of Monk's mind remain unknown until his trademark summation.

If Monk's hiatuses drive you crazy, Lee Goldberg's books are here to help.

A follow-up to Firehouse, Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii, is coming in June '06.

"Have I got an act for you..."

Got together with friends from Hofstra's literary magazine, their significant others, and baby Emma Francine Ricotta in Queens last night. We watched Ghostbusters (endlessly watchable) on cable and played three closely-contested games of the DVD movie trivia game Scene It.

After a dinner of homemade tacos, followed by chocolate cheesecake and brownies for dessert, we watched the comedy documentary The Aristocrats (as grossly funny as it intends, but perhaps a tad long), then rounded out the night with Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (Eh.) on cable.

A wide selection of DVDs didn't get played, but these nights are about the company and seeing what happens.

AP: Prolific Actor Darren McGavin Dies at 83

By GREG RISLING, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - Darren McGavin, the husky, tough-talking actor who starred in several TV series, played a grouchy dad in the holiday classic "A Christmas Story" and had other strong roles in such films as "The Man with the Golden Arm" and "The Natural," died Saturday. He was 83.

McGavin died of natural causes at a Los Angeles-area hospital with his family at his side, said his son Bogart McGavin.

McGavin made his film debut in 1945 when he switched from painter of movie sets to bit actor in "A Song to Remember." After a decade of learning his craft in New York, he returned to Hollywood and became one of the busiest actors in television and films.

He starred in five series, including "Mike Hammer" and cult favorite "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," and became a prolific actor in TV movies. Among his memorable portrayals was Gen. George Patton in the 1979 TV biography "Ike."

AP: Sheryl Crow Has Surgery for Breast Cancer

Sheryl Crow underwent surgery for breast cancer earlier this week and the prognosis for a full recovery is excellent, her publicist reported Friday. The singer-songwriter had the surgery in Los Angeles on Wednesday and is recovering without complications, said Dave Tomberlin, her publicist.

Spot the Typo

The welcome page of www.kathyreichs.com bills Bones as "[t]he exiting new series from 20th Century Fox Television."

Based on the TV series based on the novels by Kathy Reichs

When Bones premiered on FOX, I looked into Kathy Reichs's books and commented, "I have no great urge to seek out her books, but I may be able to take the shorthand TV version."

Today, Lee Goldberg pondered The Bones TV tie-in novel written by Max Allan Collins:

...What I don't get is why Kathy Reichs a) allowed the studio to shop tie-in novels based on the series based on her books while she's still writing books in the series herself (and her old titles are still in print) and b) why, if the tie-in books were going to be done, she didn't do them herself. Isn't the whole idea behind selling your book to TV to boost sales of the books? It would seem to me that authorizing original tie-in novels would actually work against Reichs' best interests. On the other hand, the format of TV series and the tie-in novel, while featuring the central character from Reichs' books, differs substantially from the books from which they are derived...

I agree the situation seems odd, but my hunch is that Reichs fans will continue to read her books. Fans of the show, meanwhile, will have Collins's books to read, and Reichs no doubt gets a share of the profits.

Synchronicity

JAG is back on USA Network and today I caught the episode "Silent Service" (Harm and Mac investigate a rash of illnesses aboard a US submarine) that originally aired February 23, 1999.

Zap2it.com: CW Throws Back Its 'Aquaman' Star

Not that I care, but Justin Hartley has replaced Will Toale as Millar/Gough's Aquaman. Also cast are Ving Rhames as the lighthouse keeper who raises Arthur Curry, and Denise Quinones as Curry's love interest.

IMDb: Anti-Craig Bond Fans Call for 'Casino Royale' Boycott

Daniel Craig

Disgruntled James Bond fans have set up a website campaigning for new 007 Daniel Craig to be stripped of the iconic movie role. Craig was announced as the successor to Pierce Brosnan's superspy last October and shooting began on new film Casino Royale last month. But die-hard fans of the franchise still hope to oust the British actor and replace him with a more worthy Bond - by urging cinema-goers to boycott the film when it is released. A statement on craignotbond.com reads, "Eon Productions angered fans around the world when they fired Pierce Brosnan at the height of his popularity as Bond. To add insult to injury, Eon cast a short, blond, odd-looking Daniel Craig in the role of Bond. Craig, described by The New York Times as having a 'pale, flattened face and large, fleshy ears' is a terrible choice for Bond. If Eon Productions and Sony Pictures will not accept they've made a big mistake, then Bond fans promise to boycott Casino Royale!"

Why the pre-performance hate? I didn't particularly like Roger Moore or George Lazenby as Bond, but if the movies are to continue—I'm not sure they should, but it has nothing to do with the lead actor—someone has to play the part.

My cousin, a bigger Bond fan than I, found Brosnan unconvincing in physical and fight scenes. Much as I liked Pierce—my third favorite Bond behind Connery and Dalton—it was time for a change. I'll admit Craig strikes me as physically thin, but the only thing that counts is how well he gets into character. Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman are both short and have played some larger-than-life roles.

Quote: David Terrenoire

"Awards are like pissing yourself in a blue serge suit. It feels nice and warm but nobody notices."

Wealth and fame, he's ignored. Action is his reward.

IMDb: New York Names Street for Peter Jennings

New York City today (Tuesday) renamed the street where ABC News is located Peter Jennings Way in honor of the ABC newscaster who died last August at age 67. The street was previously part of 66th Street and is located between Central Park West and Columbus Ave.

Zap2it.com: USA All 'Psych'-ed Up

USA Network has picked up 11 episodes of a crime drama called "Psych," about a guy who convinces police he's a psychic to avoid being charged with a crime, then ends up working for the department. The network sees it as a companion piece to "Monk," which like "Psych" mixes comedy in with its crime.

...When he's accused of a crime that he actually solved by calling in a tip, Shawn Spencer (James Roday, "Miss Match," "The Dukes of Hazzard") convinces the cops that he's a psychic. Fortunately for him, Shawn is well-equipped to carry out the illusion because his police-officer dad (Corbin Bernsen, "L.A. Law") has instilled in his son the ability to notice every little detail of his surroundings.

New Glasses

Despite my current blog photo, I've worn glasses since age 5. I couldn't wait to get home from school each day and whip them off ala Superman dropping his mild-mannered guise. Then in college, Lois & Clark premiered, and I was excited to emulate Dean Cain's cool Clark Kent.

My most recent previous pair of glasses began to strain my eyes after two years of wear, so I took them off and went a long stretch without the opportunity for an eye checkup, finally rectifying that two weeks ago with a visit to Dr. Kiran Amesur of Tenafly Eye Associates (New Jersey). Kiran is a family friend and a fan of my writing. Her first question was, "Did you bring me anything to read?"

Unfortunately I hadn't, and it was tough admitting I didn't know how long it had been since my last checkup, but the increase in my reading time—a key resource to writing—has been invaluable. Thank you, Kiran.

THE MAN WITH THE IRON-ON BADGE by Lee Goldberg

Harvey Mapes is an avid fan of PI fiction, TV, and movies. On the night shift as a gate guard at Bel Vista Estates, he dreams of what it would be like to be a hardboiled hero in the mold of Travis McGee, Spenser, Jim Rockford, et al. He sees a chance to live the dream when Cyril Parkus, one of Bel Vista's residents, asks him to shadow his wife Lauren.

Winging his way through the job, Mapes manages to learn Lauren has been secretly meeting with a blackmailer. He proudly reports this to Cyril, who thanks him and tells him the job is done. Once sparked, however, Mapes's curiosity must be satisfied. He sets off to fill in the details of the case with the help of his neighbor Carol.

Goldberg's clever premise allows him to present a refreshingly un-macho hero to whom any fan of the P.I. mystique can relate. Facing the hard realities behind private eye genre cliches, Harvey believably discovers truths about the case and about himself.

Recommended.

What's up with that?

NBA All-Star Saturday night isn't the appointment television it used to be. New York Knicks rookie Nate Robinson (5'9") needed a dozen chances to complete an admittedly spectacular through-the-legs, off-the-backboard catch-and-dunk.

The rules for the dunk contest have changed often in the past few years, but it's hard to believe Robinson's dozen chances were stipulated. A dozen dunk attempts? Part of any contest is coming through in a limited number of tries. If today's stars can't do that, they need to get back in the gym.

Gone, Baby, Gone Cast

Lee Goldberg passes on Variety's report that Ben Affleck's adaptation of Dennis Lehane's Gone, Baby, Gone has begun production with Casey Affleck as Kenzie and Michelle Monaghan as Gennaro.


Casey Affleck


Michelle Monaghan

More detail from Zap2it.com, including:

"Lehane fans may also question if Casey Affleck, best known for his bit parts in "Ocean's Eleven" and its sequel, is ideal casting as Kenzie, a gruff Alpha male."

Hmm. As I recall, Kenzie was not an Alpha male. On the contrary, he routinely got his clock cleaned and never signed up for a self-defense class.

Bond Opinion: M-istaken Identity?

Perhaps the oddest James Bond casting decision is that which leaves Dame Judi Dench in the role of M. Apparently the new movie, a prequel, will explore M's origins.

The problem: Judi Dench's M, debuting in Goldeneye, was clearly not the first for whom James Bond had worked. The only way she can be in this prequel story is if she plays another female M preceding those seen in Doctor No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger...

Wright as Leiter

Jeffrey Wright (above from Syriana)

The Casino Royale cast rounds out as the AP's report of Eva Green also mentions American actor Jeffrey Wright will play CIA agent Felix Leiter.

"At guard, 6'6" from North Carolina..."

Sometimes I dream

That he is me

You've got to see that's how I dream to be

I dream I move, I dream I groove

Like Mike

If I could Be Like Mike

Like Mike

Oh, if I could Be Like Mike

Be Like Mike, Be Like Mike

Again I try

Just need to fly

For just one day if I could

Be that way

I dream I move

I dream I groove

Like Mike

If I could Be Like Mike

I wanna be, I wanna be

Like Mike

Oh, if I could Be Like Mike

Bond Joins Forces with Eva

Graham Powell's wish has come true.


Eva Green

E! Online reports an official press release by Bond producers confirming French actress EVa Green has been cast as Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale.

Moving the Furniture

I've filed my online credits under Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry headings so you can read my work more readily.

AP: McEnroe Makes Triumphant Return to ATP

By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer

SAN JOSE, Calif. - John McEnroe's hair is grayer, his temper tamer and his opponents more powerful than they were when he dominated tennis more than two decades ago. But one of the game's greatest doubles players showed he still has some of the skills that helped him win so many tournaments when he made a triumphant return to the ATP Tour.

McEnroe teamed with Jonas Bjorkman to win his first match in 12 years, 6-3, 6-3 over Wayne Arthurs and Stephen Huss on Wednesday night in a match that ended 19 minutes before McEnroe's 47th birthday (Feb. 16. -ed).

As with Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, I grew to admire McEnroe. His temper was as much a bane as a boon to him, but tempers are almost to be expected of perfectionists. Even now, there is no one in tennis with better touch or court vision. Happy birthday, Johnny Mac.

IMDb: Willis Defends Frey

Bruce Willis has jumped to the defense of controversial author James Frey, declaring he was unfairly attacked on Oprah Winfrey's TV show last month. Frey has been criticized for embellishing parts of his best-selling book, A Million Little Pieces, which was originally billed as a memoir. The Die Hard star says on TV show Access Hollywood, "Look at what happened to James Frey in the last two weeks. That's a great book and so is the follow-up book. And just because his publisher chose to say that these were memoirs, it took it out of being a great work of fiction... to this guy having to go be sucker punched on Oprah by one of the most powerful women in television, just to grind her own axe about it. Hey, Oprah. You had President (Bill Clinton) on your show and if this prick didn't lie about a couple of things, I'm going to set myself on fire right now. James Frey is a writer, OK? He can write about whatever he wants. It's fiction. It's just shameful how he was treated in some of these things."

While I agree with Willis that Oprah sandbagged Frey, I don't need to remind you that Frey himself marketed the book as a memoir when he couldn't sell it as a work of fiction. To compare Frey's occupation to any others is unfair. The act of reading applies our thinking like no other. Frey used a pretense to gain access, nothing short of betrayal,

On another note, I wonder how Willis's other favorite writers feel after this defense.

Zap2it.com: Casino Royale Finally Finds Its Villain

Mads Mikkelsen

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- Mads Mikkelsen would be a fantastic name for a villain in a James Bond film. Before that happens, though, the Danish actor of that name will play Le Chiffre, 007's main adversary in the upcoming "Casino Royale."

...While the casting announcement on Mikkelsen ends one endlessly speculated "Casino Royale" question, James Bond remains without a love interest. Director Martin Campbell made no effort to put a stop to the suspense about which actress will play the mysterious Vesper Lynde. The most recent buzz has centered on Eva Green ("The Dreamers") and Olivia Wilde ("The O.C.").

Stay tuned, as we like to say. They've just got to cast somebody eventually.

Good Deal

Amazon.com is running a 4-books-for-the-price-of-3 promotion, and I picked up

Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse by Lee Goldberg

The Deep Blue Alibi by Paul Levine

Rain Dogs by Sean Doolittle

A Touch of Death by Charles Williams

Second verse, same as the first

I've just made Thrilling Detective's nominations for this year's storySouth Million Writers Award for Fiction, the same stories we picked for this year's Derringers: "Acquainted with the Night" by David White, "Consider It Lit" by Stephen D. Rogers, and "Dirty Barry" by Ray Banks.

Love is in the air, so I'm staying indoors.

Here's one of many memories explaining the attitude above:

During my time as an adjunct at Hofstra, I'd run into a cartain female colleague in the halls and each year when it came time to grade Hofstra's Writing Proficiency Exam. We got to talking, sharing innocuous life details, and one Monday morning I decide it's time to ask her out.

Meeting at the department office, I start with, "Do anything good this weekend?"

"Nothing much," she says. "I got engaged."

"Oh," I say and flee next door to the writing lab.

Composure regained, I realize I haven't congratulated my friend.

How does that look?

Luckily, I find her at her office, congratulate her and get details. High school sweethearts who found each other again. What are the odds?

Never tell me the odds.

SOLOMON VS. LORD by Paul Levine

I'd heard a good deal of buzz about the chemistry between veteran defense lawyer Steve Solomon and rookie prosecutor Victoria Lord, but would I believe it when I read it?

In a recent post, I wrote that newness for me is a matter of characters. To make the classic tale of adversaries falling for each other seem new, the execution had to be spot on. Not only did their verbal jousts have to ring true, but their personalities had to clash in just the right way to let readers know they needed each other.

Paul Levine scored every point in 546 expertly-paced pages delivering a deceptive high-stakes murder case as the backdrop for the partners' first dance.

UPDATE: All four books in the Solomon vs. Lord series are now available for Amazon Kindle.

Fascinating Falcon News

Sarah Weinman relays Mark Coggins's correspondence with Hammett author Joe Gores, in which Gores reveals that after threading through the logistics, he's signed a contract with Knopf for a prequel to The Maltese Falcon, tentatively titled Spade and Archer.

I'm intrigued by this as I was by the first prospects of learning about Anakin Skywalker's Jedi past.

AP: Kellogg Marks 100th Year in Business

By JAMES PRICHARD, AP Business Writer

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - It was 1894, and the chief physician at the Battle Creek Sanatorium and his younger brother were experimenting in the hospital's kitchen, trying to create a better-tasting replacement for the nutritious but bland bread served to patients.

Instead, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and William Keith Kellogg ended up accidentally inventing flaked cereal. The discovery eventually led the business-savvy "W.K." Kellogg to establish what is now the Kellogg Co., which marks its 100th anniversary on Feb. 19.

Whiteout

Just to remind us it is in fact winter, it's snowing in New York. Luckily it's Sunday and I have nowhere to go, so I'll probably read Paul Levine's romantic-comedy legal thriller, Solomon vs. Lord.

Reading Up

In my review of J.D. Rhoades's The Devil's Right Hand, I mentioned once-upon-a-time reading two or three books a week. I haven't quite returned to that level, but this week I finished reading three books that had to wait as I pursued various inspirations to write.

In addition to The Fallen, there was The President's Assassin by Brian Haig, featuring irrepressible Army JAG lawyer Sean Drummond. On loan to CIA this time out, Drummond's wit was in fine form. The stakes—involving the deaths of various fictional officials—will be difficult to top.

And I finished Laura Lippman's Charm City today. Tess Monaghan's first novel as a full-fledged PI has her infiltrating the ranks of a newspaper staff, uncovering unethical practices such as murder. As usual, Lippman's writing is sharp and engaging.

"Someday the mountain might get 'em, and the law might as well."

NYPD Adds Dodge Muscle Car to Its Fleet

By TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - The New York Police Department is adding some muscle to its car fleet: the 2006 Dodge Charger, whose 1969 model is best remembered for outrunning a hapless sheriff in "The Dukes of Hazzard."

The department plans to buy 15 police versions of the car for a pilot program that will begin this summer, officials said Thursday.

Internal Radio Replays

Yesterday two songs played on my internal radio, and I don't know why. They were "Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vandellas and "Make Me Lose Control" by Eric Carmen.

Odd

In last night's episode of Smallville, intrepid Chloe Sullivan and Clark discover the skeleton of murdered girl Gretchen Winters sealed behind a wall at the Talon. The skeleton is wearing a Kryptonite bracelet that knocks out Clark and transmits Gretchen's spirit into Chloe (Poor girl, always getting possessed.).

Of course the culprit is Gretchen's psycho boyfriend who, though apparently not a meteor-freak, can get back on his feet minutes after being tasered and pull a knife out of his chest Rambo-style. Clark is knocked out for the climax, but somehow Chloe/Gretchen manages to distract the boyfriend from killing him. She then tranfers her spirit into the boyfriend, it overwhelms him, and he disappears in a flash of light.

Huh?

This would've made a fine Halloween episode, except it's February. I suppose the boyfriend-girlfriend angle can be seen as a twisted Valentine's tribute, but I say the season should have ended with the death of Jonathan Kent. The past two episodes have been ridiculous.

This may change next week, when Clark Kent meets Cyborg.

Newness

Pondering Hollywood's lack of originality, Graham Powell blogged:

"...Has it been done before? Why is my version different? If it's not, I put it aside until I can come up with something new. Apparently Hollywood doesn't bother."

I commented:

I try to write stuff that hasn't been done before, all while knowing it probably has been done.

The key to newness for me is in the characters. By virtue of their different life experiences and outlooks, no two authors will approach similar characters exactly the same way. No two characters will respond to similar situations exactly the same way. The deeper I get into character, the more unique my story seems.

Space.com: The Origins Of The Man In The Moon

Ker Than
Staff Writer

The "Man in the Moon" illusion, familiar to various cultures around the world, was created by powerful asteroid impacts that rocked the satellite billions of years ago, a new study suggests.

Pardon the interruption, but are you ready for some football?

ESPN has announced Joe Theismann, Mike Tirico, and Tony Kornheiser will call the games when Monday Night Football moves to cable next season. I've never been a fan of MNF, but I'm even less a fan of Theismann's voice, and Kornheiser is just an odd choice.

THE FALLEN by T. Jefferson Parker

Ever since being pushed out a sixth-floor hotel window, San Diego homicide detective Robbie Brownlaw has experienced synesthesia. Specifically, he sees the emotion in people's voices as colored geometric shapes—a kind of "primitive lie detector".

Still adjusting to life and work after the fall, Brownlaw is assigned to investigate the death of ex-cop Garrett Asplundh, who had been coping with a shock to his own system, the drowning death of his three-year-old daughter.

To Parker's credit, Brownlaw's special ability never overshadows his character or his case. Instead, his genuine values and voice highlight a larger story of well-drawn characters responding to sudden life changes. Recommended.

Zygote in My Coffee #58

...is now live, featuring my poem "Does This Mean I'm Old?" Thanks as always to editor Brian Fugett.

Same Bat Movies?

From IMDb:

Gyllenhaal and Bettany to Join Batman?

Brokeback Mountain star Jake Gyllenhaal is being touted as Gotham City district attorney Harvey Dent in the next Batman sequel, along with Paul Bettany, who may play the Joker. Gyllenhaal would play Gotham City's good-guy lawyer, who mutates into his alter-ego, Two-Face, in the third film. In the sequel, Batman would team with Harvey Dent to destroy the Joker, according to moviehole.net. Tommy Lee Jones formerly played Dent/Two-Face on the big screen in Batman & Robin. Star Christian Bale is set to return, as well as Michael Caine as butler Alfred.

The Joker is iconic, but stay away from Two-Face this time around, please.

Zap2it.com: Cromwell Cops 'Spidey 3' Character

James Cromwell, who played Capt. Dudley Smith in L.A. Confidential and warp drive inventor Zephrem Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact, will reportedly play Capt. Stacy, father of Gwen, in Spider-Man 3.

Derringers, Ho

I just sent off Thrilling Detective's three Derringer Award story picks as well as two of my own. Good luck to all.

Reuters: Amanda Peet Joining Matthew Perry in 'Studio 60'

Reuters reports the Whole Nine Yards co-stars will reunite for an NBC pilot based behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show. Peet has been cast as network president Jordan McDeere. Steven Weber and D.L. Hughley were previously considered for the role.

Steeling Victory from the Jaws of Defeat

I have a few years' old tradition of sleeping through the Super Bowl, but I actually watched last night (and kept watching) more for the game than the commercials.

Both teams had their share of miscues. The refs made their share of questionable calls, but in the last two minutes of each half, Pittsburgh held together while Seattle fell apart.

Congratulations to coach's coach Bill Cowher, Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, and the Rooney family.

The First Question Meme

I actually think I've originated this one, but I could be wrong.

The question you ask first or most often is:

A) Who?

B) What?

C) Where?

D) When?

E) Why?

F) How?

My answer is D.

Her Favorite Mistake?

Sheryl Crow and Lance Armstrong have called off their engagement and split. On the bright side, at least this was nipped in the bud, before becoming a messy celebrity divorce.

DVD Review

My review of Veronica Mars: The Complete First Season appears in the current issue of Crime Spree Magazine. Thanks to Jon Jordan and Dave White for the encouragement.

AP: Pizza Makers Prepare for Super Bowl Blitz

By BRUCE SCHREINER, Associated Press Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Forget about which Super Bowl XL team to root for. The biggest game-day decision for many armchair quarterbacks is deep dish or thin crust.

On a day when pigskin partying hits its peak, Super Bowl Sunday has become a bonanza for the $37 billion pizza industry. Competition is intense, the pace frantic, both among the large chains and the neighborhood pizza joints that still make up a large part of the market.

AP: Rizzuto Selling Much of His Memorabilia

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK - Holy Cow! Phil Rizzuto is selling much of his memorabilia. Hey, you huckleberries, the Scooter even brought some of the stuff along to a Thursday news conference to announce the auction, which will take place this summer. Among the items are several World Series rings, a Christmas card from Mickey Mantle and a 56-year-old Yankees cap that is worn, dusty and has a piece of gum still stuck to the top.

Looking elegant but slightly frail, the 88-year-old former shortstop and broadcaster used the phrases that became his trademark during a 40-year broadcasting career with the New York Yankees that ended in 1996. Rizzuto is downsizing in preparation for a move from the family's longtime house in Hillside, N.J., to a smaller home, and is selling the goods through Geppi's Memorabilia Road Show.

IMDb: Madsen Favorite To Play Indiana Jones' Girl

Sideways star Virginia Madsen so impressed co-star Harrison Ford in new thriller Firewall, she's now the frontrunner to play his love interest in the fourth Indiana Jones adventure. Madsen plays Ford's wife in the new movie and admits they both found an unusual chemistry on set - after the aging action man handpicked her for the role. And now Madsen is a clear favorite to play the leading lady in Indiana Jones 4. Ford tells movieline.net, "She was an absolute delight - professional, very talented and simply, very sweet. She also took what could have been a fairly one-dimensional damsel in distress role and added so many layers to it - there isn't many who could do that. I'd work with her again in a heartbeat. I'm actually hoping she'll come over for Indiana Jones. We've talked about it."

I approve and now hope Indy returns.

LiveScience.com: Greek Shipwreck from 350 BC Revealed

Ker Than
LiveScience Staff Writer
LiveScience.com

The remains of an ancient Greek cargo ship that sank more than 2,300 years ago have been uncovered with a deep-sea robot, archaeologists announced today.

Let's call the whole thing off.

Entertainment Tonight has confirmed Heather Locklear filed for divorce from Richie Sambora. There are no words.

"I'm not the kind to kiss and tell, but I've been seen with Farrah."

...who turns 59 today.

Hold your horses

Received a rejection early this morning on "The Seed" and am in the process of rethinking it: As it stands, where is the story likely to fit? Should I try to lengthen it? I'm fighting the impulse to submit it right away.

Hail (and Farewell) to 'Chief'?

E! Online's Joal Ryan reports on Commander in Chief's steady loss of viewers to House and American Idol along with other TV ratings hits and misses of the week that ended Sunday.

Of interest to me:

CBS' NCIS, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. opposite Idol, doesn't scare. The military-forensic hybrid's holding steady--10th place, 17 million.

One reason the WB is folding: One Tree Hill (125th place, 2.7 million) is what once passed as a hot show.

One reason UPN is folding: Veronica Mars (143rd place, 1.6 million) is what currently passes as a buzz show.

The WB (3.3 million) exercised bragging rights over UPN (2.6 million).

Hollywood Reporter: 'Buffy' star channeling Elton John in ABC comedy

British actor Anthony Stewart Head, formerly of WB series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has landed the lead in "Him & Us," ABC's comedy pilot inspired by the life of Elton John.

The project revolves around an over-the-hill gay rock star and his relationship with his long-time manager and the rest of his colorful entourage.

Head, who played Rupert Giles on "Buffy," also co-starred in the HBO film "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself."

The Seed

Just submitted my above-titled sci-fi flash fiction piece to Raven Electrick.