President Bush is not the only member of the first family interested in tracking the personal communication of U.S. citizens. President George H.W. Bush has been reading the e-mail of select celebrities - specifically Reba McEntire.
But Bush the Elder has permission.
In the fun feature Stupid Questions in the most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine, McEntire said she and the 41th president frequently exchange lively banter via e-mail.
"Senior President Bush is my joke buddy," said McEntire, currently headlining a fan-friendly show at the Las Vegas Hilton and who for a record eighth time hosts the "Academy of Country Music Awards" telecast Tuesday from the MGM Grand Garden Arena (show is at 5 p.m. and will air tape-delayed at 8 p.m. on CBS).
"Matter of fact," McEntire continued, "I was in New York one time during the World Series watching the game, and I saw President Bush and Barbara sittin' behind home plate. I get on my Treo, and I e-mail him, 'Hey, I see you on TV. Have a hot dog for me.'
"I see him elbowing Barbara, and pointin' down to his Treo. Then he's just workin' on it. Pretty soon I get a message back from him: 'Wait 'til so-and-so gets up to bat, and I'll wave at ya."
McEntire was also asked: Who's a bigger redneck woman: You, Gretchen Wilson or Britney Spears. Her response: "I'm gonna vote Britney Spears. Bless her heart. All the tabloid stuff I've been reading ..."
NoteMart
Fine and Andy: The KKLZ 96.7-FM morning crew of Kahuna, Jim Tofte and Dennis Mitchell interviewed acclaimed thespian Andy Garcia on Thursday. Garcia's latest film is "The Lost City," a labor of love for Garcia, who directed and stars in the film about the upheaval Havana suffered when Fidel Castro rose to power in 1959. Members of Garcia's family are Cuban exiles from the early '60s, and it took him 17 years to bring the story to the big screen.
The film also stars Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray; the latter is a golfing buddy of Garcia who, says Garcia, is known to tackle women on the golf course and kiss them ("I've seen him do worse," Garcia added). Garcia is currently working on "Ocean's 13," where he is reprising his role as casino owner Terry Benedict ...
Elvis, Elvis, everywhere: Elvis Presley Enterprises is making all sorts of news lately, thanks to Robert F.X. Sillerman, chief executive officer of parent corporation CKX Inc. The latest is that the company has entered a long-term agreement with Cirque du Soleil, a deal that calls for Cirque to produce touring productions based on the King's life and music.
According to the Associated Press, Sillerman said concepts for the productions are still being designed, but the shows would be suited for large concert halls or even stadiums. Cirque is expected to produce multimedia museums called "Elvis Experiences" is said to be looking at up to five cities as sites for a permanent Elvis-Cirque shows, though Cirque officials in Las Vegas said they have been told nothing about such a production here.
In still more Elvis news, psychic Uri Geller wound up as the top bidder on eBay for Presley's first home in Memphis. Geller, who purchased the 3,000-square-foot ranch-style home for $905,000 (or, about $640,000 more than its appraised value, minus the Elvis Factor), met Presley in Vegas in the early '70s and performed a spoon-bending trick for the bedazzled rock icon ...
Reappearing act: Ambitious illusionist Steve Wyrick has left Vegas, temporarily, but he has not vanished. He has been receiving strong reviews at Harrah's in Atlantic City and doing "good numbers," as they say, in the hotel's 1,200-seat showroom. Wyrick should be back in Vegas this summer, operating a new venue (which will include a restaurant and ultralounge) at Desert Passage mall at the Aladdin ...
"Prairie" fire: The CineVegas Film Festival (which runs from June 9 to June 17 at the Palms) held a VIP reception and outdoor screening of "Prairie Home Companion" at Bistro Zinc at Lake Las Vegas on Saturday night. I'm as surprised as anyone to be saying this, but Lindsay Lohan - who plays opposite Lily Tomlin and Meryl Streep in almost all of her many scenes - is very impressive in that film ...
Molly on the trolley found a seat, by golly: On Friday, The District at Green Valley Ranch started free trolley service between "Main Street" and "The Green," which sits next to Whole Foods Market in the retail project's recent expansion. The District Trolley Company is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, from noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays ...
For the Raider fan in your life: Believing that black is the new white, a Portuguese paper company is testing a new bathroom accessory, black toilet paper, at the Double Seven club in New York. The company's president came up with the idea at a trade show in (where else?) Las Vegas. I thought of just one Vegas business that might consider installing black toilet paper in its restrooms, and on Saturday I reached a spokesman at Double Down Saloon on Paradise Road, just south of the Hard Rock Hotel.
The spokesman (who I sense was pierced) agreed that black toilet paper it might be a good idea for the musty alternative club, saying, "Anything goes here." ...
That's all, folks: Power couple Ira David Sternberg and Gina Polovina - he an executive of high rank at the LV Hilton, she a person of authority at Boyd Gaming - report the license plate LUNI2NS spotted recently on a white Lexus.
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