Sideswipe

Husband material?

Shrinking violet Naomi Watts offers contactmusic.com a clunky analogy about King Kong being the "ultimate man" because, although he loses his rag once in a while, he offers protection. Naomi says, "I mean, perhaps he's lacking in social graces but so much of their relationship is like any other relationship. He's ferocious and angry but he's also loving and protective. There's a point in the story where she chooses him. She [Fay Wray] says, 'Take me,' because she's in this environment that's completely wild and dangerous. It's not opportunistic or manipulative, it's 'I feel safe with you'."

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Original Emmy moment? The queenlike Sean Hayes from television comedy Will & Grace pretended to be asleep when his nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series was read out. The US film pundits are applauding it as hilarious and original. But those of us in Middle Earth know a copycat gag when we see one. The original was executed by Kiwi film-maker Taika Waititi, who was up for an Oscar this year for his short film Two Cars, One Night. FYI: This year's Emmys are unlikely to screen here. Although TV3 bought the rights it is rumoured they decided not to screen them because too many TVNZ shows were winning the gongs.

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Television networks are turning publicity stunts into litter. This from the LA Times: "To lure women to Desperate Housewives, the TV network supplied dry cleaners around the country with thousands of bags that carried the show's catchphrase: 'Everyone has a little dirty laundry'. To spark interest in the trapped-on-an-island drama Lost, ABC arranged for tiny bottles to wash ashore on beaches. Inside was a message: 'Lost could be found on Wednesdays' ... To hype Commander-in-Chief, a drama starring Geena Davis as the first woman President, ABC got the US Treasury to okay the circulation of an undisclosed number of dollar bills with stickers of Davis' face covering George Washington's." (Source: Defamer.com)

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Real quotes which nosy big-ears have overheard in their offices:

Attorney: Jesus, why do they keep hiring from the Gnome and Troll temp agency?
Co-worker: I love my boss; she's the stick I use to hit other people with.
Marketing manager: Do we have any more blue bins?
Summer minion: Oh my God, no! Those bins are disappearing like a fat kid on cake.
Guy: Dude, that's stupid. That attachment went out to, like, the whole office, you totally can't do that ... Yeah, the girl was pretty hot, though.
Paralegal #1: When there's a hurricane, do you know why they tell you to fill up your bathtubs?
Paralegal #2: I think it's because the water in the bathtub will hold down the floor. (Source: overheardintheoffice.com)

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A study by the UN's Crime Research Institute has good news and bad. The good news is that Scotland tops the list of the world's most violent countries. Times Online says 3 per cent of Scots had been victims of assault compared with 1.2 per cent in the US and just 0.1 per cent in Japan, 0.2 per cent in Italy and 0.8 per cent in Austria. Scotland was eighth for total crime, 13th for property crime, 12th for robbery and 14th for sexual assault. And here is the bad news ... New Zealand was number one for property crimes and sexual assaults.