Congressman chastises Maher for troop comment

Congressman chastisesMaher for troop comment
WASHINGTON -- A congressman says comedian Bill Maher's comment that the U.S. military has already recruited all the "low-lying fruit" is possibly treasonous and at least grounds to cancel the show. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., takes issue with remarks on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, first aired May 13, in which Maher points out the Army missed its recruiting goal by 42 percent in April. "More people joined the Michael Jackson fan club," Maher said. "We've done picked all the low-lying Lynndie England fruit, and now we need warm bodies." Army Reserve Pfc. England was accused of abusing prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. "I think it borders on treason," Bachus said. "In treason, one definition is to undermine the effort or national security of our country." In a statement released Monday night, Maher defended his support for the American armed forces. "Anyone who knows anything about my views and has watched my show knows that I have nothing but the highest regard for the men and women serving this country around the world," Maher said in the statement. Bachus said he was appalled after watching a rerun of the show shortly after returning from a visit to Germany, in which he met with a paralyzed American soldier in the hospital. He has since written to Time Warner, HBO's parent company.
Russert's son offersreminder on perspective
NEW YORK -- Give Tim Russert's son, Luke, credit for recognizing value. NBC's political guru, who received the 2005 Fred Friendly Award from Quinnipiac University on Monday, said his son asked for his marker board when Russert got home from covering Election Night in 2000. The board, viewers of that cliffhanger election recall, is where Russert repeatedly scrawled electoral vote scenarios -- eventually concluding that the night all came down to the vote in Florida. The "Meet the Press" host -- whose CBS competitor Bob Schieffer was in the audience to see him accept the award -- said he was touched that his son wanted a memento of his father's career in journalism. Not so fast. Luke filled him in on his real motive. "You know what that thing is worth on eBay?" he said.
Cryer adjusts to success
RADNOR, Pa. -- Jon Cryer, who plays the uptight divorced father, Alan, on "Two and a Half Men," says he's having trouble adjusting to success after having been on four consecutive failed TV series. "I haven't really bought into the mind-set of being on a hit show," Cryer says in the May 22 issue of TV Guide. "Maybe in the ninth season, I'll finally say, 'I think this show is a hit."' Cryer says the first season of the CBS sitcom in 2003 was "brutal" because he separated from his wife a few months into production; they later divorced. "I was thrilled to have the job, but then I'd go to it and have divorce shoved in my face," says the 40-year-old Cryer, who has a 4-year-old son, Charlie. His other -- more short-lived -- TV shows include "Partners," "The Famous Teddy Z," "The Trouble With Normal" and "Getting Personal." His most famous role is as Duckie Dale in the 1986 teen flick "Pretty in Pink."
Notable death
FULLERTON, Calif. -- Thurl Ravenscroft, who provided the rumbling "They're Grrrrreeeat!" for Kellogg's Tony the Tiger ads and voiced a host of Disney characters, has died. He was 91. Ravenscroft died Sunday of prostate cancer, said Diane Challis Davy, director of Laguna Beach's Pageant of the Masters. For more than 50 years, Ravenscroft was the affable voice behind Tony the Tiger, TV's popular cartoon pitchman for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes. "I'm the only man in the world that has made a career with one word: Grrrrreeeat!" Ravenscroft told the Orange County Register in 1996.
Today's birthdays
Lyricist Hal David is 84. Former opera singer Beverly Sills is 76. Former White House news secretary Ron Nessen is 71. Country singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall is 69. Actor Sir Ian McKellen is 66. Actress Dixie Carter is 66. Country singer Jessi Colter is 62. Actress-singer Leslie Uggams is 62. Movie director and Muppeteer Frank Oz is 61. Actress Karen Valentine is 58. Rock singer Klaus Meine (The Scorpions) is 57. Actress Patti D'Arbanville is 54. Actress Connie Sellecca is 50. Rock singer-musician Paul Weller is 47. Actor-comedian Mike Myers is 42. Actor Matt Borlenghi is 38. Rock musician Glen Drover is 36. Actress Anne Heche is 36. Actresses Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush ("Little House on the Prairie") are 35. Actor Jamie Kennedy is 35. Actor Justin Henry is 34. Rapper Dat Nigga Daz is 32. Singer Lauryn Hill is 30. Rock musician Todd Whitener (Tantric) is 27. Actor Corbin Allred is 26. Actress-singer Lauren Frost is 20.