Here A Host, There A Host, Everywhere A Host Host

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change."

-John A Simone Sr.

Once Upon A Time...

was on The View.

One day...


Had a fight with .

Suddenly, stormed away in a fit of... well... a fit.

And then there were 3.

Meanwhile...

was naughty. "45 days in the Hoosegow," said the judge.

"It's not fair", said . Sniff, sniff.

And...

ate onion rings for the last time.

The Nation became infuriated... "Grrrr."

"I feel like I have wasted the last 10 years of my life!" said one angry fan.

And if all that wasn't melodramatic enough...

retires after 600 years of hosting The Price Is Right!

"Oh no," said the world.

"Who, could EVER replace?


"How about "said.

" ?" said the world in a gasp!

But wait...Who would replace on The View?

"How about ," said a caller to .

"Yes" said Barbara
"No" said Bill Gedde
"Yes" said Barbara
"No" said Bill Gedde

"I know!" said . How about...

replaces
replaces
replaces

And a new and improved gets her own reality show, "Paris Does The DMV."

All kidding aside, I could see Rosie O' Donnell hosting The Price is Right. Rosie O' Donnell is a lot of things, but mostly she is generous. She really does enjoy seeing folks happy. I think she would be a fine choice. Besides there aren't many female game show hosts, right now. I have always wondered why there haven't been, because look how good Meredith Vieira has been on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

As for Paris Hilton. Enough already. It's pretty damn easy to kick a person when they are down... isn't it? Here is the straight deal on the matter. She is indeed doing more time for that probation violation then most folks do. She is being treated differently because she is a celebrity. Shes being punished way more severe then the average person. It's the truth whether it wants to be admitted or not. I live in California, and I know this to be true. So, if her sentence for drunk driving didn't seem like enough initially, then stop whining about how unfair it is that a girl, who comes from an advantaged life is given probation, and put pressure on your political representatives to make tougher laws for drunk drivers, and demand those laws be enforced. It's my hope when she gets out of jail, folks will stop throwing those self-righteous stones her way. Remember... if you expect someone to fail, they probably won't let you down.

So tell me, what do you think about Rosie O' Donnell hosting "The Price Is Right?"

-OndineMonet

Good Day Sunshine

"Information is moving... you know, nightly news is one way, of course, but it's also moving through the blogosphere and through the Internets."

-George W Bush, May 2, 2007

I don't know... lol... this is just funny no matter who it happens to! Welcome to my first YouTube video posting. I was thinking about posting a video of one of the many cat fights that The View has brought us over the last year, but with the announcement Friday, that Rosie O' Donnell has asked for, and been granted, an early release from her contract with ABC... why go there? Although ABC World News Tonight News did feature the conflict between Rosie and Elizabeth Hasselbeck in their weekly feature, A Closer Look. They seem to feel like I do, that we are polarized in this country, and while our voices are getting louder... not much is being accomplished. We don't and sometimes can't talk amongst ourselves. Sigh. I would like to see this disturbing trend change. I would like to see the congress and the senate keep it's promise to end this war, and not bow to pressure from the Bush administration. There will be hope for this again at the end of the summer. In the mean time... there's always time to laugh. Right? :)

-OndineMonet

She Said/She Said

"One day it's going to dawn on the human race that war is a barbaric means of resolving conflict as cannibalism is as a means of coping with diet deficiencies."

-Bruce Kent

Things have gotten out of hand. Did you happen to catch Wednesday's edition of The View? I only caught the first half of the show, but what I did see left me feeling kind of sick. Not necessarily for the combatants Rosie O' Donnell, and Elizabeth Hasselbeck, but more for the way we Americans in general are responding to things. I have admitted more than once that I tune in because to a degree I like seeing the conflict. I have formed some of my strongest opinions through exchanges of passionate ideals. I told you that when I was a little girl, my father would occasionally ask my siblings and myself, how we felt about different current events, both social and political. It wasn't enough to have an opinion, my father insisted we explain why we felt the way we did about whatever topic we were discussing. If we tried to give the "I don't know why I feel the way I do," out, dad would push us until we figured it out. At times I found his inquiries daunting, because as a kid I would have rather not put a deep effort into it. LOL. It took me years to fully appreciate what he was trying to accomplish, which was to teach us to think things through, and then decided what we believed based on hard facts, not just instinct or emotion.

I was thinking about dad today as Rosie and Elizabeth engaged in what was probably their most volatile exchange of opinions to date. You could see the hurt feelings on both sides, and there was a definite low blow exchanged. And the thing is, what the original catalyst for the argument was, had to do not so much with politics, or religion, or war, or lifestyle choices, but more to do with friendship. The real question seemed to be, when do you stand up for your friends, and should you have to? I have always heard that friends should never discuss politics or religion, but it seems that this list of taboo subjects has grown, especially since 9/11. Now I don't think that those two ladies were, or have been, anything resembling true friends, but how come they can't share their respective thoughts and observations? Why have our individual opinions become so earth shatteringly important, that we are willing to dig in with both heals, and hold righteousness in one hand, and the stone prepared for casting in the other. I keep going back to 9/11 and how scared we all were and still are.

That day divided this nation, just like Osama bin laden wanted. The Bush administration has done nothing to bring us together, indeed, it seems as if at times they had encouraged the breach. It's my opinion, and feel free to disagree if you want to, that we as a nation fell into a lot of traps, because of our sorrow and fear. Who wasn't reeling after that day? How long did it take you to feel some sense of safety? Do you feel safe now? Both women want to feel safe, and both women love their country. That is what drives the strong opinions of both women, their respective views about the way they feel about the direction America is moving in, under the Bush presidency. I can see both views at times, although I will admit, most of the time I find Elzabeth Hasselbeck simplistic in her take on things. I don't understand how she can bring herself to defend the actions of the administration with such childlike admiration. There are a lot of valid questions that need to be asked, and Rosie can be, at times, extremely harsh and impatient in how she asks them.

Questions such as,why did the Bush administration stop actively pursuing Osama Bin Laden, if they knew he was still a dangerous threat? Why was the CIA task force, in charge of tracking him, disbanded?Last July, Bush denied the claims that the task force, searching for bin Laden had been closed, but he did say that funding for the search had been cut back. What? Say it's true that we are still actively searching for Bin Laden... why isn't he our number one war budget priority? Especially since Bush disclosed yesterday, that Bin Laden had some dire plans for us. Funny that Bush chose a Coast Guard commencement ceremony to share that tidbit with us. Doesn't it seem like it should have been a major announcement? Why does he always come up with these scary scenarios, when he is speaking in front of a group of military? If Bin Laden has been up to no good, why have we allowed Al Qaeda to flourish not just in Afghanistan, but now in Iraq, which prior to the U.S. invasion, according to intelligence reports prior to the war, had no ties to that country? How come we always seem to get the number 2 or 3 man in these terror groups, but not Bin Laden? I don't know that we will ever really know the true reason why we invaded Iraq, but it has been proven time and time again, that that the Bush administration has lied.

He lied to ALL of us. If lied is too strong a word, lets just say, mislead. Or how about taking it down an additional notch and say... unintentionally mislead. Or how about we just blame it on flawed intelligence both here and abroad. Maybe we could say it was an Ooooooops moment. In any case, we are supposed to be in Iraq fighting terrorism. Right? With nearly $500 billion already been spent in Iraq, fighting terrorism, why did we stop making the number one reason we are in harm's way a low priority?I know what I think about it, and if you have been reading me for any period of time you know what I think as well. So?

Rosie O' Donnell, and Elizabeth Hasselbeck know how each other feels as well. Every day when they arrive at the ABC studios they know how each other thinks and what triggers each other's hot topic button, and yet they still engage in an all out war of the words between each other. What had me coming back to watch the inevitable conflicts, was that as passionate as each could get defending their respective views, at least they knew why the felt the way they did. Yesterday, the lines blurred between healthy debate for an exchange of opinions and became a perfect example of what Osama bin Laden's goal for all of us in America was on 9/11, the implosion of our society a little painful bit at a time. And it isn't just happening on TV, it's happening all over, a little here and a little there, every single day, spreading like an incurable cancer. Sigh. So sad.

So tell me, do you feel intimidated about sharing your views regarding politics? How about religion? Is there any subject, relevant to current events, that you find yourself deliberately avoiding? Have you ever lost a friend because of a difference of opinion? And if so, why? Tell me what you think. Opinions please.

-OndineMonet
"Fire"
Half Moon Bay, California
October 22nd, 2006
Afternoon

Rosie O' Donnell Opts For A Different View

"When you are silent, it's as good as lying."

-Rosie O' Donnell

The announcement yesterday that Rosie O' Donnell will be leaving ABC's The View this coming June, probably didn't surprise most people, or did it? According to an AOL poll I read earlier today, 81% of those who responded to the question as to whether they agreed or disagreed with O' Donnell's opinions, said they did not, and 80% also said that the attention given to her sometimes controversial remarks is "excessive." It's a fact however, that when Rosie O' Donnell joined The View last September, the ratings climbed dramatically, and have consistently stayed high. So, I have to ask, who are the people that took the poll? And who are the people tuning into The View every day that represent the spike in ratings? Are they sometimes one in the same? Was Rosie, the person we loved to hate?

I know speaking for myself, she did actually draw me back to The View, after having not watched the show for a number of years. As frustrating and childish as I felt she could be at times, I found myself agreeing with her about 85% of the time. I think she had an uncanny ability to be right, and at the same time, be so completely wrong with how she chose to present her opinions. When those moments of ire came up, I also found myself putting some thought into why I felt the way I did. It challenged me. I think on some levels I appreciated that, but not always. I found her remark about Kelly Ripa, being "homophobic" to be an irresponsible assumption, that seemed to be based on one incident, in which Rosie wasn't there to see the whole story. It didn't seem fair to place that characterization on Ripa, without at least asking her side of things.

I also have to admit, I watched to see the fur fly between she and Elizabeth Hasselbeck. OK, it's not the best trait I have, but there it is in all it's honesty. I can admit it... I liked the controversies, most of the time, however, the situation with Donald Trump continues to annoy me. He is a bully. His remarks about Rosie were, and are, vile. His remarks about Rosie are actually a hit on all women. It's so strange, I found his comments about her appearance as offensive as the remarks made by Don Imus about the Rutger's team, but we don't say much about jokes regarding weight, the way we do about gender or race. I wonder why that is? It seems jokes about weight, either too fat or too skinny, are still fair game, no matter how much damage they do. Sigh. I wish Rosie could have used the incident with Donald Trump, to bring that more to the forefront. The question has been asked, "Was Rosie too fat for ABC?"

Oh well, whoever ABC chooses to replace Rosie, one thing is for sure, they will have to be ready to deal with whatever controversies remain. Of course ABC might choose to bring someone to the mix that will be willing to pick up where Rosie left off. Personally, I would like to see The View moderated by someone who is a little more like the woman Rosie replaced, Meredith Vieira. She had her opinions, they were strong and she pulled no punches, and yet she kept it all under control. She was the only woman on the panel, with the exception of Barbara Walters, with a background in journalism. That is what made a difference, and it was a difference for the better. There was a certain class to the show, when Vieira was moderator and co-host, so perhaps the powers that be will play it safe and choose a someone from the world of journalism as Rosie's successor, or maybe they will go for someone with a completely new, fresh perspective on things, who can also bring a different kind of controversy to the show.

Here are a few possible candidates...

Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter could be considered the "Anti-Rosie." Her presence, and views could be interesting!

Elizabeth Vargas

I really liked Elizabeth Vargas, as co-anchor of ABC World News Tonight. I was sorry to see her leave. She just might be the right journalist to moderate The View.

Tipper Gore

She made a snazzy vice president's wife. She worked on causes and issues and continues to support her husband, while not losing herself in the process. She is a strong lady with integrity.

Ariana Huffington

Hey, it's a woman's right to change her mind! Once a republican, Ariana saw the light and became a democrat. No matter which party she was affiliated with, she held firm, and didn't cave to the bullies of the world. Again a woman of strength, but could she practice her view in moderation, or would she bring about even more controversy?

Maria Shriver

She is the first lady of California. She comes from THE democratic family of America, and she is married to republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggar. She has certainly had practice in seeing both sides of any given social or moral issue. I think she would be a fascinating choice.

Sheryl Crow

Her recent trek into environmental activism impresses me. She is currently touring the country with Laurie David, wife of Larry David, and the Academy Award winning producer of Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth." As a Breast cancer survivor, Sheryl Crow has also worked hard to bring awareness of the disease, and it's early detection. I could see her bringing a certain perspective to things, but would she want to take a break from singing, to try a new gig?

Carly Gordon

OK, yes I know, I am not now, nor have I ever been a high profile celebrity, but I do have my opinions, and I think I can be fairly articulate when I work at it. LOL. It kind of intrigued me when The View, on a couple occasions this season, chose a member of the studio audience at random, to act as co-host for a day. I could do that. Besides, Donald Trump does not intimidate me in the slightest. PLEEZZZE!

Portia Di Rossi

It wouldn't be a bad idea, to continue to bring a lesbian perspective to the show. It's about time we were representing all kinds of opinions, and lifestyles, rather than perpetuate stereotypes and hide behind our fears and misunderstandings.

Michelle Pfeiffer

As a woman in my 40's, I like the idea of seeing someone with class, from my age group, who can convey an opinion with style. She isn't a journalist, but maybe having someone from the acting world would be a fresh change.

Anne Heche

This lady knows a thing or two about about controversy, having experienced her share over the years. When it all got rough, she didn't stay down, she got back up and reinvented herself. That takes some guts, on the other hand, she has been a bit too controversial lately. She might actually be bringing some difficult baggage to an already stressed situation.

So, there's what I think. Tell me, what do you think? Who should replace Rosie O' Donnell? I have installed a brand new quiz on my sidebar, asking that very question. Go take it. If your first thought for a replacement isn't on my list, let me know who your choice is, by leaving me a comment. Click here for the results of the previous quiz, "Which Comedian Makes Us Laugh The Most?" Come on everyone, opinions, opinions!

-OndineMonet

This That And The Other Thing...

Don't join book burners. Do not think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed."

-Dwight David Eisenhower

Bookiness...

As my dear old AOL Journals friend Slomo would say, "Happiness is a big box of books from Amazon.com." LOL. Well, it wasn't exactly a big box of books I ordered, only 4, but it was a moment of happiness for me when they came yesterday! It is going to be cold and rainy for several more days, so, I think I will be spending some time in a good book or three. These should be kinda fun, they are going to be my light spring reads this year, four little murder mysteries to take me into summer, when my energy level will be back to a more normal level. With my energy up, I know I will be out with the camera. I already have some tentative plans to visit Santa Rosa again, to photograph this year's Peanut's character sculptures that will dot the whole town. This year will feature, "Joe Cool." I am really looking forward to that, but this will be the art projects final year, so it will all be a little bittersweet.

Sidebar Tsunamis...

I finally fixed the sidebar woes I had been having. As it turns out, it wasn't that difficult, seems I have installed a wacky hit counter a few weeks ago, that didn't play nice with FireFox. It suddenly stopped working a couple days ago, so I installed a new one, after looking through about a hundred or so. Sheesh. So many of the free counters have so many ads attached. Sigh. I finally did a little blog jog about the land to get an idea of what my pals have been using, and found one I can live with over at Patrick's Place. Thanks Patrick. :) While I was fixing the sidebar woes, I also installed a few new nifty objects for my sidebar. If you take a peek you will find a Zodiac for Cancers, like myself, a New Yorker Cartoon of the Day, a Fortune Cookie, and a New York Times Crossword Puzzle. :) I hope you guys like the changes, don't be afraid to leave me some feedback. :) Go ahead... I can take it!

Media Matters...

I am having the hardest time shaking the sadness I feel over the events at Virgina Tech. I don't watch every news show airing information on it, but it seems it is everywhere, and probably will be for another couple weeks or so, at least until the next horrific event takes place. The news has certain responsibilities, they bring us the news, good, bad or otherwise, and it is my or our responsibility to turn it off once in a while. NBC is taking a lot of flack for airing the disturbing video made by that young man, the day of his rampage. I think it was news the first day, but to continue to air the tape is, at this point, just wrong on so many levels. We must stop making celebrities of the individuals that come out of every tragedy.

I Can't Remember If I Can Remember Or Not...

Come on Mr. Attorney General...the truth would be nice please. :) There, I asked nicely and all. Come on, you can do it! Alberto Gonzales claimed to have a faulty memory so often, that a spectator to the proceedings began to keep a crude tally. In all, Gonzales couldn't remember 71 times. Sigh. Suggested reading: "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Improving Your Memory." It's available at Amazon.com for the modest price of $16.10. Maybe that can be his light spring reading. :) I wish Karl Rove would step up and be a man. He needs to testify before congress, or admit his wrong doings and step down. Sigh. It's really that simple.

I Think A Restraining Order Might Be In Order...

Rosie... darlin... Barbara... darlin... I admire how you have tried to take the high road where Donald Trump is concerned, but really, you guys need to consider a restraining order against the oaf. In his latest attempt to snipe at Rosie, and further demonstrate his complete lack of class, he sent Barbara Walters a certain unmentionable, which was once worn by Rosie in a movie. Enough ladies. Show your strength present THE DONALD with a restraining order. It's just time to stop that stalker in his comb-over tracks! Rosie, I may not always agree with you, but you don't deserve to be treated this way. Don't be his victim.

One More Observation...

Life is too damn short. We have to stop obsessing on the tragic lives of celebrities, such as Anna Nicole Smith, and who her "Babydaddy," is or isn't. We have to start spending time in the real world, and get to know who we live next door to. If for no other reason, then maybe to feel safe.We need to find out why so many teenagers are currently prescribed anti-depressants, and not just be glad that it is apparently safer for them to take them than we once thought. We have to push for a national gun control law, and we have to push for mental health awareness. Common sense people.

Just my opinion about things... I could be wrong.

-OndineMonet
"Books"
Berkeley, California
April 19th, 2007
Evening