Daily Hot Flash

• Diane English's remake of the classic film "The Women" opens this weekend. The original movie, watched on a rainy day with a Diet Coke and chocolate at hand is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I must admit...the new movie's got a kickass website...the theme song's totally infectious...I'm a little bit curious about the remake...but I'm still not sure if I want to go. May the spirit of Norma Shearer and Joan Fontaine, who's still rockin' it in Carmel, California (Go girl!), forgive me if I do.

• The Republican Vice-Presidential nominee's first in-depth interview was too Palinful for me to watch last night. (Forgive me, I rolled out of the 'punny-side' of the bed this morning.) Fortunately, ABC NEWS plans to air bits and pieces of the interview for the next five days. Not that they're looking to boost their ratings or anything by spreading around all the exclusive face time they're getting with the newest American "It Girl." Palin's next appearance on the boob tube just happens to coincide with my Friday night happy hour. So once I've taken the edge off with a glass of chardonnay...I might be able to watch tonight. Or not...While I have your attention I'd like to mention that while McCain-Palin are giving a lot of lip service to how they're going to be a different Republican administration from the Bush administration, she's got a sense of executive entitlement just like George. And this story just makes me sick to my stomach.

• Saturday Night Live is adding another hot man to its new season cast this weekend. Olympic swim sensation Michael Phelps is hosting...

• A Cinderella wins an Oscar and still can't get top billing...What's up with that?

Cinderellavision

Here's Craig Ferguson. If you're woman over 40 and you're not familiar with him -- get on the choo-choo train to Clueville. He's hot. He's funny, and he's really smart. What more could any Cinderella ask for? And everything sound better in a Scots accent...

Daily Hot Flash

Today is a day to remember where you were seven years ago when so many Americans lost their lives in a senseless act of terrorism. Every person who died on 9/11 had a story to tell that was cut short. This morning I was reminded by a friend of the friend she lost who was on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center at work that day. Her friend never got the chance to have a wedding, a baby or a happily ever after. Today is the day to honor the people who had their stories end too soon by living your life as if it was happily ever after every single day. Don't argue with me. Do it now!

An intriguing opinion piece about the years since the 9/11 attacks.

Let's hear it for the boys! This morning I'm letting my friend Javier chime in on Sarah Palin.

If I looked like Diane Lane...at any age...

I am relieved to hear that Lance Armstrong wants a woman who's 'hotter than doughnut grease,' because I want a man who's not stupid enough to compare any woman with the fat we deep fry our baked goods in.

Extra Tit-Bits

• Here's where to go when you need your lady parts fixed.

• Do you pop or soda? Or sodapop?

• Is it me or does anyone else notice some sexual tension between the lovely Rachel Maddow and persistent Pat Buchanan when they argue? Hmmm...

• Seems like somebody's finally come up with a good idea.

Daily Hot Flash

It's all 'Lipstick Politics' today. I thought I mentioned here prior to the Democratic National Convention that I thought that women were a force to be reckoned with in the 2008 Presidential race -- but no one seemed to be listening. They begged for Hillary Clinton to bow out of the race with grace. Well, they're listening now -- unfortunately, women want to see a woman succeed in politics so badly that they aren't listening to Sarah Palin. Her politics are right-wing fanatical. She's James Dobson in a skirt. She scares me to death. I know she never took an economics class in college. I know it without even looking at her transcripts. And her knowledge of foreign affairs is frighteningly lacking. But it doesn't matter to white middle-aged women who feel like they haven't been heard or seen. They look at her and they see a familiar face. I don't know how Obama can combat this kind of rage once it's been unleashed. I don't know if I can survive financially during another four years of disastrous Republican economic policies, and I don't understand why people don't want someone smarter than they are leading the country. I want the best -- not the best dressed. Obviously, I'm in the minority...I'm frightened.

Forbes has put together a field guide to the modern American mom. They're not your momma's mamma.

Here's a Cinderella who's been cooking with her Prince Charming for 53 years.

My Detroit Red Wings have signed Chris Chelios to a one-year deal. It's his 25th year playing in the National Hockey League. He's the Methuselah of hockey players.

And yet another reason that I wish I had money...

Pride & Prejudice With A Twist Of Lime

In the folder of unfinished scripts that clutters up the hard drive space on my laptop is an idea for a time-traveling Jane Austen who lands a gig as a Hollywood screenwriter and orders her lattes with foamed goat milk at a coffee house she erroneously refers to as Starbuckles. Yes. I know, but it turns out it wasn't that bad of an idea. British television is currently airing the four-part series "Lost in Austen" in the United Kingdom. The time-travel costume drama revolves around a modern woman who switches places with Elizabeth Bennett, the heroine and eventual bride of Mr. Darcy (played ubiquitously by the heartbreakingly beautiful Colin Firth in the 1995 BBC adaptation) from the novel, "Pride and Prejudice." The new modern twist on Austen is garnering mixed responses from UK fans of Jane, but the clips of the film contained in this review make me very curious. I feel certain that "Lost in Austen" will be shown soon on PBS in the United States, and Jane's US fans will be able to form our own opinions.

Daily Hot Flash

• When I think of legendary journalist Bob Woodward...Robert Redford appears in my imagination. That'll happen when you get a pretty boy to play a hard-nosed newspaper guy in a film that I've seen more times than I should admit. Redford may be star of stage and screen, but Woodward usually has interesting things to say.
  
  
• For Christmas last year my boyfriend surprised me with a little bauble from Tiffany & Co. Never in my life did I think I'd get a little something from Tiffany & Co., but the surprise was doubled because the signature turquoise box was wrapped up inside an AT&T cellphone box in order to keep me guessing even longer. It was a delightfully delicious deception that pleased both the recipient and the giver. On the other hand, Sarah Palin's politics are not delightfully deceiving. Her politics are deception at its worst. It's James Dobson's far-right uptight evangelical politics gift-wrapped in such a well put together package that you almost buy that Sarah Palin is a feminist breaking new ground for women all over the world. Sarah Palin looks a lot like me -- with better clothes and professionally styled hair. So like other middle-aged women, who have been forced to swallow the bitter pill of sexism, I'm also forced to identify with her. I hate that I'm being manipulated. I hate that this deception is working, but I don't like people spreading false rumors either. I want the facts.

• Dear Sarah Palin. I spent last week at home watching the Republican National Convention. I'd like to know who to send my invoice to and when I will be reimbursed?

• Sexual politics? Let's hug it out.

• Doh! I could've pitched this idea! Instead I had a V-8.

• It's like a whole different sex!

Extra Tit-Bits

• Vote Obama...Michelle or Barack?

• "He's gonna be naked in all the sketches I write, for sure." Kristin Wiig is a woman after my own heart.

• Did he just call the President of the United States a 'retarded cowboy?'

• Turns out people want their on-camera drama on scripted television programs -- not between their egomaniacal news anchors.

• Top ten Doh! moments of the Presidential race...so far!

• Can you imagine the excuse note this kid's mom is going to have to write him? "Dear Mrs. Johnson, Please excuse my boy's absence. He was beaten up by a flying fish."

Cinderella-vision

It's Monday, which means we can all use a laugh...or two. So take a moment to watch John McCain get 'Rick-rolled' by Barack Obama. I'm so glad that there are people in the world with way, way too much time on their hands.

Morning Hot Flash September 8, 2008

• I've never been good at two things: science and mathematics. I don't understand why planes can fly and my checkbook has never been balanced. Now they tell me that the secret to happiness is science. Go figure!

• Will 'The Cupcake' be a passing fade? No. I'm not talking about Sarah Palin...

• In fact, I'm trying to put off talking about Sarah Palin for as long as possible this morning, but I guess we've reached my breaking point.

• How is Obama going to fight the rock star aura of Sarah Palin? With a little girl-on-girl action, of course!

• ABC News' Charles Gibson is going to lob a few softballs in Sarah Palin's direction. Was NBC's Ann Curry not available?

• Campbell Brown is one tough cookie...and she's smart too. Go sister!

• I'm wrapping this up today with a real-life Cinderella story.