Watch Big Bird in New Obama Ad (Video)

As you've no doubt heard, the Obama re-election campaign has created a TV ad featuring Big Bird that spoofs Mitt Romney's pledge to eliminate funding for PBS. You can see the ad below, but maybe not for long: Sesame Workshop, the organization that created "Sesame Street," has told the Obama campaign that it wants the ad removed.



The ad is funny, though it's anybody's guess whether it will have an impact on the election. And regardless of what one thinks about the funding of public broadcasting, the big yellow bird does look a little, um (how to gently say this?), overstuffed around the midsection. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad thing if he had a little less bird feed in his dish.

Maybe in their upcoming debates, Obama and Romney can discuss the relative merits of Cookie Monster or Oscar the Grouch?

The "Most Interesting Man in the World" Speaks!

He has to shoo his wild cat off his kitchen counter. He's met royalty and gone hiking up sheer mountain cliffs. He's "The Most Interesting Man in the World," the grizzled, world-traveling spokesman for Dos Equis beer, and you can meet the man behind the man in this radio profile.



He's Jonathan Goldsmith, and he's been urging viewers to "Stay thirsty, my friends" for several years now. In real life, he lives in Vermont. Where he can presumably wrestle bears, balance moose on top of his head, and wring maple syrup out of trees with his bare hands.

Clint Eastwood Talks to Chair; Shakes Up Republican Convention

Presidential conventions have long been micromanaged, pre-packaged infomercials, but veteran actor Clint Eastwood offered an unscripted "What the F..." moment in his speech at Thursday's final session of the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida. You can view the full Clint Eastwood speech below.



The 82-year-old actor and director seemed like the cranky grandpa at the Thanksgiving dinner, delivering an off-the-wall 11-minute talk in which he spoke to a chair next to the lectern, which represented President Barack Obama. Several times Eastwood pretended to be listening the the chair, saying "What? I can't do that to myself."

The speech's bizarre and comic moments often had the convention delegates in the hall laughing and cheering, but it's not clear how the speech played with the millions watching at home. No matter what one thinks of Eastwood or GOP nominee Mitt Romney, the actor's oddball speech was definitely one of the few semi-spontaneous moments you'll see in this year's major party conventions.

Unfortunately, Romney had the task of closing out the convention with his acceptance speech-- no easy task after Eastwood brought down the house with his Chair Whisperer routine.

"The Hunger Games" Re-Enacted by Beanie Babies (VIDEO)

Here's a way to experience "The Hunger Games" as never before: no, not in 3D, but in a re-enactment by Beanie Babies. Unless you've been living on another planet, or under a very large (and soundproof) rock, you've no doubt heard of the new movie "The Hunger Games," based on the absurdly popular book of the same name. Now you can view a version of the megahit story portrayed by the megahit stuffed toy from the 1990s. What could be better?

“The Beanie Baby Hunger Games," created by Jeff Luppino-Esposito & Jamie T. McCelland, is said to be true to the books. I have not yet read the books, but I know that they involve games, hunger, and a bunch of good-looking young people trying to kill each other. Wait, isn't that "Jersey Shore"?

OK, perhaps not. I do know that the lead character is named Katniss, which makes me think of catnip. And hearing the word "hunger" 20 times a day leaves me thinking of food constantly. I wonder what Pavlov and his famous pooch would make of that.

Even if you're not a fan of hunger, or of games, check out “The Beanie Baby Hunger Games," and leave your comments below on what you think of the video, the movie, the books, or your favorite sandwich. Oh hey, look, it's lunchtime!

Amanda Knox to Go Free: Murder Conviction Overturned

American Amanda Knox was ordered freed in a court in Perugia, Italy in an appeal of the sensational murder case of her roommate Meredith Kercher. A jury acquitted her on almost all charges.

The 24-year-old Knox had been sentenced to a 26-year sentence for the murder of her roommate, Briton Meredith Kercher. Kercher was found stabbed to death in their house in Perugia, where both she and Knox were students.

Knox's Italian boyfriend at the time, Rafaelle Sollecito, was also convicted of the murder. The two had been in prison for the last four years.

Both Knox and Sollecito spoke before the six-person jury shortly before they went into their deliberations. Knox proclaimed "I am innocent" in her statement, which she delivered in Italian. "I did not kill, I did not rape, I did not steal," Knox said in her emotional 10-minute statement to the jury.

Knox was found guilty on a charge of defamation and sentenced to three years, but since she had already served four years already, she was ordered released. CNN reported that she was to head back to prison to collect her belongings and was free to leave the country.

Amanda Knox News: Verdict Due; Acquittal Coming?

Monday, Oct. 3rd is the day that a verdict is set to be announced in the appeal by Amanda Knox. Will she be acquitted of the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher?

Here are some of the latest bits of Amanda Knox news from the world press:
* Amanda Knox proclaimed "I am innocent" in her 10-minute statement to the jury, which she delivered in Italian. The jury began meeting soon afterward
* Australia's Herald Sun talks about how Knox is preparing her final statement to the jury that will decide her fate
* CNN offers an explainer on how Knox's case will be decided;
* another CNN piece looks at the Amanda Knox case timeline
* the Italian town of Perugia has taken a hit to its reputation, with the trial showing its seamy underside of drugs and drunken foreign students

In a previous post I talked about some of the info on Amanda Knox's MySpace page (which was later taken down). You can read what she had on her MySpace page, and see a screen capture of it there.

(See a gallery of Amanda Knox personal photos.)

Knox's appeal is focused on the evidence in the case, or rather the lack of it. Her team has argued that the DNA evidence is sketchy, and that despite the bloody crime scene found around Kercher, Amanda Knox's DNA was not found at the scene. Some of Knox's DNA was found on a knife believed to be the murder weapon, but since Knox and the victim were roommates, it's possible that the DNA got on the knife by completely innocent methods.

The defense has also argued that investigators botched the case by tainting the DNA evidence.

Knox's initial defense had to contend with inconsistent statements made by Knox herself and emotional appeals based on the bloody Meredith Kercher crime scene photos.

The six-person jury is expected to deliver its verdict on Monday in Perugia; the families of both Amanda Knox and Meredith Kercher will be in attendance.