Friday Stuff

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A federal judge has temporarily barred a producer from selling songs recorded by "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks when he was still just a gray-haired bar crooner from Alabama. A sworn statement by Hicks' attorney, Michael J. Douglas, said the recordings were poor-quality demos. Distributing them could damage Hicks' reputation in the music industry and cause him "immense irreparable financial harm," the statement said.

They should have thought of that before they recorded that lame Ford commercial - which I notice is still using the same music, sans the scratchy voice and lame twitchy-spinning dancing.

Hicks' suit says the songs were recorded in 1997, but Smith said Hicks recorded them in June 2001.

Hmmmm ... is that because we might find out that he is 4 years older than he says he is, and as such, not eligible for the "American Idol" crown?

...but the good news

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Milwaukee has been ranked by Forbes.com as "America's Drunkest City" on a list of 35 major metropolitan areas ranked for their drinking habits.

Minneapolis-St. Paul was ranked second overall; followed by Columbus, Ohio; Boston; Austin, Texas; Chicago; Cleveland; Pittsburgh and then Philadelphia and Providence, R.I., in a tie for ninth.

C'mon ... ninth? We can do better if we apply ourselves. Although Austin will be tough to beat!

And what's up with Columbus? Where's my peeps from Ohio with an explanation?

...and

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Pluto, beloved by some as a cosmic underdog but scorned by astronomers who considered it too dinky and distant, was unceremoniously stripped of its status as a planet Thursday.

Poor little Pluto. I'm scrapping my vacation plans. I wouldn't be caught dead in no half-assed dinky dwarf world. It's bad enough I'm in New Jersey.

All I can say is ... keep your eye on Uranus.