1. Life after The View isn’t simple for Barbara Walters… and it turns out she can’t always do what she wants to do. In fact, ABC officials are keeping a tight reign on her since her retirement from the show. Why read it: Are the powers of ABC right to keep Babs off TV for now? See the item in NYP‘s Page Six here.
2. What do Chuck Todd and Sen. Ted Cruz have in common? In case you missed this one late last week, it’s a must read on Washington insiders who really, really, really want to be thought of as outsiders. Why read it: A fascinating, unusual look at how people think in Washington. There’s this line: “It is not uncommon for people to compromise away their histories, to cease being regular people out of necessity, only to forget how to be regular.” See the column in The Week by Matt Lewis here.
3. F–k the White House, reporters and the regular population. National Journal’s serial tweeter Ron Fournier wants you to focus on the struggles of the latest White House fence jumper. He’s right — to a point — in his sympathies. But society must protect America’s commander-in-chief, those around him and the public as well as those with mental challenges. Why read it: Because it’s nice to read Fournier outside of the imbecilic confines of Twitter for a change. See here. Of course, now we know that the fence jumper had more than 800 rounds of ammo and a machete in his car. It’s really wonderful to sit around and feel compassion. But pardon me while I tell Fournier to stop with his preachiness on how we should all be feeling about this.
4. Politicians aren’t the only ones who can act like assholes. Movie stars can too and Perez Hilton has the exact phrases they’ve used to spell out how important they are. Why read it: Don’t you want to know who said, “I am God’s vessel”and “Do you know who the fuck I am?” See the feature here.
5. Nicolle Wallace wanted to be a weather woman? Just think…you can see this and other mind-numbing details about the new co-host of ABC’s The View. Why read it: Who doesn’t want to know a string of details about the woman who will (God willing) one day have an on-air brawl with bigmouth Rosie O’Donnell? See the Politico feature by Jonathan Topaz here.