Peggy Noonan: '[Male Genitals]'

Hamilton Nolan · 03/16/12 03:10PM

Breathy Reaganite Peggy Noonan dislikes the coarseness that has crept into our public dialogue. The coarseness, she dislikes it. But there it is, in our public dialogue. Peggy Noonan did not create this world. Creating this coarseness is not something which sings to Peggy Noonan's soul. But she must acknowledge it. She is a columnist, you see. The coarseness, it is a topic of our time. "All this has devolved into a political argument about who's worse, the right or the left," sighs Peggy, metaphorically, by writing a sentence in her WSJ column. "I don't think that's the most important question, but since it's on the table the answer is the left."

Ashley Judd is Freaking the Fuck Out: ABC's Missing in 30 Seconds

Matt Toder · 03/16/12 02:31PM

Last night was the premiere of ABC's new drama Missing, in which Ashley Judd plays an ex-CIA agent searching for her son in Europe, which should sound familiar because it's also the plot of the Liam Neeson movie Taken. Either way, Judd got to do a lot crying and yelling and telling people that her son is in trouble. (Acting coach: "ASHLEY! ASHLEY! Your son is missing. Look concerned. Bite your lip...harder. HARDER. NOW FUCKING FREAKOUT.") Here's the pilot in 30 seconds.

This American Life Retracts Explosive Foxconn Episode, Says It Was 'Partially Fabricated'

Adrian Chen · 03/16/12 01:29PM

In January, American Public Medial show This American Life aired a powerful episode exposing labor practices at the Foxconn factory in China which make Apple products, based on the monologuist Mike Daisey's work "The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs." The episode detailed Daisey's harrowing trip to Shenzen, where he said he met with workers who made Apple's iPad and iPhone. Now This American Life is retracting it, saying Daisey lied to them and portions of his story were fabricated.

Millennials Are Too the Best Generation!

Hamilton Nolan · 03/16/12 12:45PM

Haters: when will this "Millennial" generation get to stop dealing with them? Probably never, if a new study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (and Haterz) is any indication. Contrary to the common knowledge on Twitter that Millennials are the most special and in general best generation thus far, the study found that they are, in fact, "more civically and politically disengaged, more focused on materialistic values, and less concerned about helping the larger community than were GenX (born 1962-1981) and Baby Boomers (born 1946 to about 1961) at the same ages."

Dark Shadows: Tim Burton Ruins a Classic

Leah Beckmann · 03/16/12 11:46AM

Here's the trailer for the adaptation of the late 60's ghoulish soap opera, Dark Shadows. But alas, coated over and shellacked with Tim Burton camp and Johnny Depp shmaltz, the revival of the cult classic looks like it will be an unrecognizable homage to the original.

Tyler Clementi Webcam Spy Found Guilty of Hate Crimes

Adrian Chen · 03/16/12 11:36AM

19-year-old Dharun Ravi, the Rutgers student who spied on his gay roommate Tyler Clementi kissing a man shortly before Clementi committed suicide, was convicted of multiple charges of invasion of privacy today and bias intimidation, a hate crime. (Note: We previously wrote that Ravi had been convicted only of invasion of privacy, based on incorrect early reports.)

Prostitute's Period Saved Drug Boss from Arrest, Say Mexican Authorities

Maureen O'Connor · 03/16/12 10:50AM

The anti-heroic menstruation of a Mexican prostitute has saved fearsome Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman from arrest, Univision reports. Apparently a third party hired the prostitute without telling her she'd be servicing Guzman, a billionaire druglord who has been on the lam since escaping prison 11 years ago. According to Mexican daily Reforma, the prostitute was blindfolded and taken to a rented home in Los Cabos without being told who her client would be.

Lady Gaga's Twitter Account Is Worth $30 Million, According to Some Guy

Adrian Chen · 03/16/12 10:08AM

Is Lady Gaga's 20.7 million-follower Twitter account really worth $30 million? That's what some marketing expert quoted by the Wall Street Journal claims. He says the "publicity and direct access Twitter gives Gaga to her fans is worth around one-third of the $90 million" she earned last year. I would have this marketing expert evaluate my own Twitter account for comparison but I already know its worth: $9.78 and a bag of Kettle Chips. Any takers? [Image via Splash News]

Rich Bastard Disproves Karma With $200 Million Year

Hamilton Nolan · 03/16/12 09:47AM

Private equity kingpin and walking manifestation of bad PR for the top 1% Stephen Schwarzman had a great, great year this year. This rich, selfish bastard—who compared a plan to raise taxes on private equity firms to Hitler invading Poland, and who stated that his number one New Year's wish, in the midst of the worst recession in a century, was to create a "tax-free zone" for wealthy foreign nationals in New York—had an outstanding 2011, compensation-wise.

Rape Cop: My Rape Was Only Attempted Rape, So Chill

Hamilton Nolan · 03/16/12 08:48AM

Last summer, police say, off duty NYPD officer Michael Pena, drunk late at night, grabbed a Manhattan woman off the street, pulled her behind a building, and raped her at gunpoint. This case, which could be just another NYPD Rape Cop case, is remarkable for its wondrous levels of twisted logic.