Remember: these are the people who claim to set trends

How fashion editors demonstrate fresh thinking: "Now that it's a hit and moving to a new network, 'Project Runway' has lots of magazines eager to partner up with the show for the sixth season." It's funny because Elle, which benefitted from the partnership, was chosen only when other magazines declined.

So what's next for the Nina Garcia-less Elle? "CW unveiled its new show 'Stylista'...at its upfronts on Tuesday, which stars Elle fashion news director Anne Slowey and creative director Joe Zee. The network described the show as '"The Devil Wears Prada" reinvented as a reality series'....Viewers who watched early clips released on YouTube pointed out Slowey's hyperstylized appearance akin to Meryl Streep's character in the movie, and its campy take on fashion."

Remember Slowey? Last time we saw her, she was complaining about vulgarity, specifically "too much tooty." It's touching to see someone so unappealing not give up on her TV dream. And if it means copying a well-worn show format or imitating a fictional character who's based on a real-life person who just happens to be a more-famous competitor, eh, so be it.

"Architectural collectibles:" is display space a problem?

The Kaufmann house is auctioned off at Christie's. Wasn't this Tim Allen's house in GalaxyQuest? And really? People "collect" architecture? Does anyone in Dallas realize this?

Random thoughts on Camille Paglia

Her latest column seemed sad. Maybe it's all the Stevie Wonder nostalgia.

After I read it, I looked back at my movie teachers post and realized that Paglia writes the way Miss Brodie speaks. Ish.

Finally, it's a crying shame that Paglia is not, as far as I know, a Battlestar Galactica viewer. I'd pay cash money to read her reactions to each episode. War, religion, sex, Six—it's all pretty much right in the Paglia wheelhouse, isn't it? Although. If she hated it, I'd feel embarrassed and stupid.

Funny details from the Southwest Airlines cellphone user story

Maybe funny only to me. First, the guy's president of an "Austin-based environmental start-up company." Way to draw attention to the cause, Mr Jones! You are a brilliant representative of your company, city and generation.

And maybe in-flight cellphone use is a safety issue not because it interferes with the plane's navigation system but because having to listen to all those conversations would make everyone crazy: "Forrester analyst Henry Harteveldt said the use of mobile phones in the cabin raises another risk: air rage. 'No one wants to sit next to a Chatty Cathy talking about their latest conquest.'"

Maybe this is the first step to an Oprah-ESPN partnership

Hannah Storm is ESPN's newest morning SportsCenter host: "Storm wouldn't be getting that slot if the [ESPN] brass wasn't attempting to give their morning shows a little Meredith Vieira juice and tone down the highlight heavy, wise-assery of primetime SC....Consider this the latest evolution of ESPN as they continue to attract every single demographic out there. So, sports-addicted mini-van mommies, you are finally being recognized."

Well: ugh. And? Hannah Storm? She couldn't attract women viewers to a network news morning show. Morning TV is so women's issues-oriented (in an embarrassing, insulting way), isn't it worth it for ESPN -- or any cable network -- to be different?

But it's certainly a good time for cable, even amid all the upfront horror stories: "One bright spot this year seems to be cable TV. Media buyers are eyeing cable programming more closely than ever because the writers' strike has caused the broadcast networks to lose viewers to cable. Buyers said several cable networks have the chance to both raise prices and gain more market share from broadcast competitors."

ADDED: What makes the Hannah Storm hire more interesting is that, at one time, ESPN actually had a female SportsCenter host capable of drawing millions of women viewers. If I remember correctly, though, Robin Roberts was relegated to early Sunday mornings.

Important things to remember about Fox News and brunettes

This TVNewser post almost leads you to believe Channel 4's Megan Henderson will be a new weekend host for Fox & Friends. But the last line is key: "The insider also tells us Henderson's appearances 'would not be limited to weekends.'" Exactly. At Fox News, brunettes are sent off to cover tornadoes, wildfires and Mideast bomb blasts. Even the most infrequent viewer knows that the comfy studio couch is only for leggy blond girls.

It's a bad time to be a second-tier character on Battlestar Galactica

If they're not Cylons or probable Cylons, they're dropping like flies. It's getting harder to care. Or is that just me?

"I think you have to stake out a territory and deliver this really unique perspective"

I love this Greg Gutfeld interview not because I agree or disagree with anything Gutfeld says but because what he says is thoughtful, unpredictable and so concisely stated: "'Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares is awesome. He's the most hypnotic, magnetic character on television. He goes into a restaurant and he looks how things have gone wrong and he gives them three pieces of advice: Simplify the menu, fresh ingredients, affordable. These three things are integral in everything you do in life, whether it's a magazine or a meal.'"

Is that vaguely Godinesque?

And does this remind you at all of working in advertising: "Prevention was my first writing gig, and I did nothing but serious health news, generally focused on women problems: estrogen, endometriosis....And I knew that the only way I could do that, I had a picture of my mom on the desk, because you have to write for your audience. How do you write health stuff for a 70-year-old lady? So every time I'd look at her and go, 'Okay how do I explain hemoglobin? It's this stuff in your veins.' You actually have to write like that. It was an amazing way how to learn to write concisely."

Come out of your half-dreamed dream

I canNOT believe that a list of the 5 greatest movie teachers does not even mention The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

Once you watch Maggie Smith proclaim, "It is true I am a strong influence on my girls. I am proud of it! I influence them to be aware of all the possibilities of life... of beauty, honor, courage. I do not, Miss Mackay, influence them to look for slime where it does not exist! I am going. When my class convenes, my pupils will find me composed and prepared to reveal to them the succession of the Stuarts," you are changed forever. And you begin to appreciate the power of the bouffant.

One other movie teacher bizarrely overlooked: Professor Taub in The Sure Thing. Though it's a limited role, Viveca Lindsfors is unforgettable and does more for reading glasses than I can possibly say.

The Target $1 aisle restores my will to live

My midlife crisis began a few months ago when I first realized I needed reading glasses. OK, I know everyone wears them but for me, at this point, this was just too, too humiliating.

Until.

Target made all these different reading glasses and put 'em in their dollar bin. I bought 10. Plus a pair of bifocal sunglasses. And I did this not because readers are so easy to lose but because I think these glasses are awesome. And cheap. And therefore fun.

It normally doesn't work like that, right? I mean, you're only supposed to covet things when they're rare or expensive. But I went to 3 different Target stores just to be sure I had all the ones I wanted. And now I'm like, check it out, I'm wearing glasses. They're kitschy so I might be wearing them ironically. Or. I might not. It's very liberating.

How does Target do that? Is it like a super-hero power that could be used for good or for bad? Should we be frightened?

I am mesmerized by the actress in the Progressive checkout spot

Although judging from the comments on the imdb message board, not everyone's a fan.

Motherfrakker!

Cally! Nooooooo!

I loved that character. She was whiny and slouchy but her will to survive was second only to President Roslin's. I mean, when she wrench-whipped Chief Tyrol? Scary, sad and awesome.

And is Tory evil because she's a cylon or because she had sex with Gaius?

This is all so depressing.

I want to make a joke about emotional scars

If you're a mom and you're about to get cosmetic surgery, there's now a book for you and your children: My Beautiful Mommy -- a touching story that follows the journey of "a girl as she accompanies her mom on a cosmetic surgery consultation. Mom then explains she'll soon be 'prettier,' and shows where the bandages will be, and the finished product!" The book "was developed by a surgeon who wanted to help children 'feel excited rather than scared' when their mommy goes under the knife."

[Blinking. Sputtering. Harsh cussing.]

Here we are, worried that food ads make kids fat, toy ads foster materialism and Barbie images render girls insecure and now there's a for-sale book that helps parents teach children that elective surgery = beauty and fitness. I'm flummoxed. Quick. Someone sing a Crosby Stills Nash song.

One more thing: the doctor-author portrays Mommy's surgeon as "a musclebound superhero type."

"Clever" for the category maybe

Kenneth Cole steps down as CEO of his own company but that doesn't mean those ads will change: "In hiring Granoff, Cole has shown a willingness to pull back from day-to-day decision making to focus on the creative and strategic vision of the company, including his hallmark of clever advertising."

"Approaching Six Flags is like building Disney, backward"

The newer new plan for success at Six Flags. It involves story-telling. And properties in Dubai and China.

I'm thinking the story-telling won't involve any Confederacy talk, war with Mexico or any other story that explains what the Six Flags stand for, in which case: maybe they should consider a name change? Walt Disney is the thread that ties all Disney park stories together. How's it gonna work for Six Flags stories?

But oh hey look: first-quarter attendance is up probably because of the early Easter and probably because high gas prices keep people close to home. What luck! Let's celebrate! Grab a beer and let's get in line for the new Tony Hawk roller coaster which--obviously--is part of the new strategy "to 'build the characters, build the story around it, build the emotion, the drama ... as opposed to just putting rides up on cement.'"

The other Battlestar Galactica question

Did Mary McDonnell get some work done?

I mean President Roslin's brow, which should be furrowed since she is after all fighting both cylons and cancer, is suddenly as smooth as glass. Something's going on. It's distracting.

So this Mary McNamara column is awfully timely: "cosmetic surgery, well, it seems to have gotten out of hand. For a critic, this poses a dilemma -- while it is appropriate, indeed, necessary to point out technical things like disruptive camera work or shoddy set design, what exactly are you supposed to say about an older actor's strange shininess, newly bee-stung lips or eyes that seem to have changed shape and placement?"

It's a difficult topic "But television is a visual art, and if people are going to significantly alter the way they look in ways not directly connected with the roles they are playing, it can affect not only their performance but the whole tone of the show." Yes. This is hardly a time for Roslin to look smiley and well-rested.

Better than a BRC

Target's recycling ad: "you rip the newsweek cover off, tape it into a bag, and send your target plastic bags to a recycling center. in return, target will send you a coupon for a free target tote bag."

ADDED: It's a Target-Newsweek-TerraCycle effort and the tote bag is oddly cute.

I think I understand

It's OK to accept free Jamba Juice swingsets for exercising. It's not OK to accept free Happy Meals for making good grades.

The way it should be

The world's a better place today because a Texan is the new Miss USA: "Crystle Stewart, of Missouri City, Texas, runs a party-planning and motivational speaking company, as well as modeling professionally. She says she wants to dedicate her life to international philanthropy."

Miss Ohio was named Miss Congeniality which is about right.

John McCain's life in movies

Today he is Colonel Tigh. Earlier he was Luke Skywalker. But the Senator's own favorite film is Viva Zapata.

Is he taking full responsibility for blaming someone else?

Dallas Morning News on the 3000 cancelled American flights: "American Airlines chairman and chief executive officer Gerard Arpey said Thursday that he is taking 'personal responsibility'....'I run the company,' Mr. Arpey told reporters at an afternoon news conference, 'so if there's any blame to be had, it is my fault, and I take full responsibility for this.'"

Sounds so noble. So "buck stops here" ballsy. But at the same time "one of Mr. Arpey's chief lieutenants" sorta kinda subtly faults the FAA because "these audits are obviously not something that was anticipated a month ago." And two US senators helpfully chime in with their own questions about the FAA.

At this point it would be so totally cynical to note that Senator Hutchison's state is home to American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. It would be cruel to point out that in the past, "taking responsibility" meant resigning. And it's just too nit-picky to question Arpey's choice of words when he says "if there's any blame to be had." Arpey's being brave! Isn't it refreshing? Please applaud the brave executive! And please save all your questions and complaints for the FAA.

Weirdest note and (funniest mental image) from the Dallas Morning News NASCAR coverage

"Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy and actress Ruth Buzzi attended the race." Together?

Worse than chick flicks?

Movies made especially for aging baby boomers: "'You're seeing more focus on more modestly budgeted films for mature audiences,' said [Overture Films CEO Chris] McGurk, whose studio is releasing 'The Visitor' this Friday in New York and Los Angeles, a movie about a bored sixty-something academic who finds his soul through an encounter with three foreigners. 'It's about the "aging boomer fantasy," one last chance at love or doing something important.'"

I don't know. Even though studio executives talk of films that show "'how old age can be a time of joy, usefulness and community,'" I feel like there's a certain condescension, stereotyping and bleakness to the themes they latch onto: "as 'The Bucket List' proved, impending death is also fair game." Oh good. I can't wait to pay $8 to see more impending death.

Also, what's our definition of "old age" these days?

Looking on the bright side, though, I hope there's some way all of this will inspire the makers of Spider-Man movies. Rosemary Harris was way too under-utilized in Spider-Man 3 and if there's going to be a 4th installment, I want more Aunt May.

NASCAR's here and I've had a beer buzz since Thursday

NASCAR promotions are fun. C'mon. How could you not want to put your face on a car? "Ron Bernheim shouldn't be surprised if he gets recognized on the street after this weekend. There's a picture of the NASCAR fan's face on the hood of Kasey Kahne's No. 9 Hellmann's car....The financial planner won Hellmann's 'Your Face in the Race' contest by filling out a form online." Sure, it's not the instant, no-strings-attached payoff of free curly fries for all Americans. Still it's kinda hilarious. Isn't it? Although Hellmann's was probably hoping the winner would be a woman, preferably a mom.

And: "next month, a fan will get to pop the question on the back of Carl Edwards' No. 99 Office Depot Ford Fusion....It's part of a promotion with the office supply retailer and romance publisher Harlequin Enterprises Ltd." I'm not sure how office supplies and romance novels are related but I think I'll take Harlequin's word for it that this is "a Harlequin NASCAR fan fairytale come true." It's also funny!