Entertainment picks: Pammy, you must be kidding

TV

Pamela Anderson has been many things in her life. An adult movie star with ex-hubbie Tommy Lee, a beach babe in Baywatch, Playboy's most prolific cover girl, the Tool Time girl in Home Improvement, a mother, and even a cartoon character.

But what was she thinking dating Kid Rock?

And now - for the girl who was discovered when her face was beamed onto the big screen at a football game, making the crowd go wild - she's a bookshop assistant.

In her new show, Stacked (TV3, 7.30pm, Wednesday), she is a beautiful, blonde and buxom bookshop assistant, like only Pammy can be.

She plays Skyler, a party girl sick of going out with bad boys, who stumbles into Stacked (that's the name of the bookshop) looking for self-help books. While there she scores a job.

Without giving too much away, this is the sort of action you can expect from Stacked: Charles Mesure (you might recognise him from local cop show Street Legal, and Xena) plays Skyler's rock'n'roll boyfriend Eddie, whom she caught in bed with a redhead and a blonde. Her response: "If you're going to be in bed with two women then one of them better be me."

Then there's the instance where Skyler helps shop owner Gavin by posing as his girlfriend when his ex-wife and two kids arrive. Owen, Gavin's young son, is certainly impressed with Skyler and says: "Hey dad, we should take your new girlfriend swimming some time."

Silly Owen, we all know Pammy can't swim. Remember, she just runs along the beach.

Music

If you went to the Blood Brothers show and are into a bit of squally noise crossed with some punk and a bit of free jazz, then get along to see San Diego band, Plot To Blow Up the Eiffel Tower, at the Kings Arms in Auckland on Friday, and Ward Lane in Hamilton on Saturday.

If you want to check them out before you go, their new album, Love In the Fascist Brothel, is out now.

This Saturday night is a busy one, so here are the highlights.

If you're thinking drum'n'bass dons Concord Dawn are going to release another album, you'd be right. But it's a little way away so you'll have to be content with a gig at the Fu Bar.

And to celebrate the release of their new album Trouble In Paradise, out last week, Elemeno P play the Studio on K Rd.

Two other good gigs on Saturday are the Bleeders (whose debut album will be out early next year) at the Masonic Tavern in Devonport and LA-based songwriter-singer Greg Johnson appears with the Auckland Philharmonia at the Aotea Centre.

More on drum'n'bass: Mampi Swift and IC3 come to Auckland for one night at the Fu Bar on Thursday for the Music Forever Tour. Mampi, once known as plain old Swift, is renowned as a bit of a bad boy of the British drum'n'bass scene and his new album, Music Forever, is proof of that.

Movies

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has the perfect combination for a movie - a gorgeous broad, a private detective, and a thief who wants to be an actor. Harry Lockhart (played by Robert Downey jun) finds himself involved in a murder investigation after arriving in LA for an audition. As Lockhart is being trained for his upcoming role by tough guy investigator Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer), into his world steps Harmony Faith Lane (Michelle Monaghan), an aspiring actress who needs his help. What's a guy to do?

For something a little more heartwrenching go for Elizabethtown, starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. Bloom is Drew Baylor who costs the shoe company he works for hundreds of millions of dollars, is fired, and then dumped by his girlfriend. In despair, he heads back to his hometown of Elizabethtown.

On the way home, he meets flight attendant, Claire Colburn (Dunst).

Meanwhile, if you liked the first instalment of psychotic horror flick Saw, then you'll like the sequel, Saw II, because there's not just two, but eight people locked up together for serial killer Jigsaw to play with.

Social circuit

The classic New Zealand rock'n'roll book Stranded In Paradise, first published in 1998, is being reissued this week and the launch is on at Real Groovy on Thursday at 6.30pm. There'll be performances from some of the country's top musicians. Although this edition is a little light on coverage from 1988 until now, it remains a great document of our rock'n'roll history.

Sport

I've never placed a bet in my life. Although I do buy the occasional Lotto ticket. But tomorrow is Melbourne Cup day, perhaps one of the few times many of us will have a flutter. So go on, it'll be Xcellent.

And if you can't sleep or you're just getting home, turn the telly on because the Black Caps are playing South Africa.

The first innings of the fourth one-dayer starts on Sky Sport at 1.25am on Friday night (or Saturday morning, depending on what state you're in).