Lots going on this morning at the "Today" Show. Bono played politics brilliantly, using the word "frustrated" instead of angry to describe how he feels about the billions promised to Africa to fight AIDS and how it's being held up by the U.S. political machine. He said it was like a house was burning, a fire truck finally showed up but the water hadn't been turned on. But he played nice, saying the president didn't have to listen to an Irish rock guy, but did. Bono's mix of passion and diplomacy is amazing. He could definitely run for office and win.
Then the luminous Meryl Streep chatted about her roles in this weekend's HBO mega production of "Angels in America." But, in a slightly inappropriate aside she said she was paid for three of the four roles she plays in the Mike Nichols-directed production and not the fourth. TMI, Meryl.
Should be worth getting up early this Sunday to see Hillary Clinton and George Stephanopoulos together again after so much water under the bridge. Hill is going to make the rounds -- visiting not only ABC but CBS and NBC political talk shows the same day. Watch the sparks fly, folks! (NY Daily News)
Jayson Blair's book is now available for pre-ordering on Amazon (it's out in March) and the cover and title are nothing if not incendiary. "Burning Down My Master's House: My Life at the New York Times" will -- one hopes -- languish right about where it is now on the bookseller's list: down around 1 millionth. (Editor & Publisher via Drudge)
And in nicer book news, rapacious "Lord of the Rings" fans will have another item to collect soon: an unauthorized bio of the trilogy's director Peter Jackson. (New Zealand Herald) Meanwhile, the film's Dec. 17 opening is the catalyst for tons of parties, such as the one Wednesday night in Los Angeles that was a Spago-catered affair filled with quail, VIPs and the film's stars waxing philosophical. Viggo Mortensen was heard to say, "All life is sorrowful. You can't change that. But you can change your attitude toward it. That's what this film is about ..." (USA Today)
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