Pet Rock: The Pop Culture Blog

DENVER - There's quite a huge glare on my computer screen right now as I type, so if there are any typos, I blame it entirely on poor visibility rather than poor spelling.

And that's the only complaint possible as I settle into my press seat in Section 131 of Invesco Field (the end zone at the open end of the stadium).

What does this have to do with our ongoing and somewhat random ranking of reasons to love America? Let me explain it matter-of-factly.

I'm sitting in a football stadium, witnessing the most historic political moment of my lifetime with my own eyes. No press box glass to send my view askew. No indoor air to keep me from fully embracing the true atmosphere of this moment. I'm a few first downs away from history.

And I've got power and an Internet connection at the same time. From a seat in a football stadium, I can witness the majesty of this moment and still connect to my servers back home to update our DNC coverage.

To be clear, this isn't about politics or partisan journalism or experience or change or attack ads or foreign policy or anything of that nature. This is about standing on the doorstep of American history that my grandchildren will read about in their social studies books, and documenting it at the same time from a laptop. What a world we live in these days. And that's what makes this the Reason No. 4 to love America.

And Stevie Wonder is going to perform live! Holla!

There are those girls that you consider cute. Those that you consider pretty. Those that you consider hot.

And then there's the rarefied air of "I hate you, you ruined my night you're so hot" hot.

Put Amber Lee Ettinger in that last category. You know, Obama Girl.

The woman who set off the Internet world with her sultry "I Got a Crush on Obama" video on YouTube did an appearance Tuesday night at Spill on Market Street, a few minutes from the Pepsi Center.

It was part of BarelyPolitical.com's video coverage of the DNC. She interviewed a bunch of revelers. I interviewed her. Fair trade for me.

Now go peep obamagirl.com for more delightful videos from Ettinger.

DENVER - If not for the T-shirt I saw Sunday night, which I'm keeping quiet for now until I can find where to buy them for the masses, this would be No. 1.

But alas, this T-shirt spotted on Market Street after opening night at the DNC will have to settle for No. 2. Still, it's quite rich.

DENVER - I broke free from the media center for a few minutes Monday afternoon to explore the area surrounding the Pepsi Center. Everyone always says these conventions bring out the real whackadoos.

Armed with the camera and the press pass - which is necessary to cross half the streets around here this week - I stumbled upon this joker.

Turns out his cause -- Trick or Vote -- sounds interesting and (thankfully) non-partisan. Peep the quick vid below.

DENVER - I'm sitting in the media center here on Monday night watching Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi delivered her speech on the opening night of the DNC.

She's not the orator that Barack is, but then again, who is? But I can't help but stare at the television and wish Pelosi were Kristen Wiig doing her Pelosi impersonation on "Saturday Night Live."

Once I stopped laughing at that (OK, I still haven't but I've regained my composure), I went to SNL's Web site to find that clip and embed it here for, but I got sidetracked with SNL's Whack-a-Pol. It's hilarious. Click the screengrab below and enjoy.

I met this dude on the phone today, a fella by the name of Drew Lutton. He's a cartoonist and animator for the Rocky Mountain News. Don't ask me how a phone call led to this video, that appears to be the nature of politics. It really does make for some strange bedfellows. What?!? Nevermind. Watch this clip. It's hilarious.

Watch another of Lutton's DNC animations here.

DENVER - Upon first scan of brainwaves, you wouldn't think Dirty South rapper Lil Boosie could ever be related to the Democratic National Convention.

But after security checkpoints on nearly every corner just to get near the major Secret Service security checkpoint, I found myself singing the lyrics to Lil Boosie's song "Wipe Me Down."

Maybe it was the 6 a.m. wakeup call. Maybe it was the heat. Maybe it's just the way my mind works. But maybe, just maybe, it was the three bag checks followed up with another bag check, an X-ray scan, a metal detector walkthrough AND a patdown.

Seriously, it makes taking your shoes off at the airport the most reasonable thing anyone has ever asked us to do.

Oh wait, here's the best part. The final security guard doing the pat down took a pot shot at me. I guess he didn't like my Jets T-shirt (dude, it was hot and a long walk and I didn't want to sweat up my real shirt).

"The Jets?!?" he said emphatically.

"Why, what team do you like?" I asked.

"I'm a college football fan, but you're wearing a Jets shirt so I figured I'd make fun of you."

"Well, sir" I responded, quickly gauging how much I should try to get away with. "Your gun is bigger than my gun, so I have no choice but to take that from you. Have a grand day."

DENVER - Pet Rock scored the sweet deal of covering the Democratic National Convention out here. OK, so I'm really out here to run the politics page of our site (and drum up some quirky videos), but politics is pop culture, especially in this election involving Paris Hilton/Britney Spears videos and text-messaged VP nominees.

The 20 or so folks who told me "Dude, it's one crazy party" (give or take a curse word) were right. Of course, they left out the part about Monday-Thursday being one crazy work day. But on Saturday night, they threw a big media party at Elitch Gardens, a sort-of Six Flags-y kinda place.

Some pretty fun stuff. Have a look at the video me and Photographer friend Tommy whipped up. The next-to-last scene is our favorite. We'll have more fun all week, interspersed with our regular Pet Rock goodies from the rest of our of Pet Rockers that you all know and love.

- La Monica

Shock-jock Howard Stern knows exactly what he would do if he was ever elected President. Nuke Roosevelt.

On his show Tuesday on Sirius satellite radio, the Long Island native recounted one of the numerous beatings he claims to have received while growing up in Roosevelt and attending public school.

Stern shared a story of a beating he took during a class while the teacher turned the other way. The fight, Stern said, started after his mother called the school to complain about a bully who earlier had attacked his friend Jose.

The bully, Stern said, had been called to meet with the “Dean of Boys," who Stern says was like a warden.

“I would drop a bomb on it,” Stern said of his childhood town after recounting the story and his frustration with teachers who allegedly turned their back as students were terrorized in class. Stern went further, saying the community was diseased and that no good has ever come from there.

As many of our readers know, Pet Rock calls Long Island home and we know a thing or two about our towns. We know that some good has in fact come from Roosevelt including Dr. J, Flavor Flav, Charlie and Eddie Murphy and, of course, Chuck D.

It's not quite as good as being Rickrolled, but worth your time. Watch Obama sing Rick Astley's 80s hit. Well, not really sing, but close enough.

Tyra Banks has got love for the Obamas, so much so, she's been photographed as the potential First Lady for the cover of September's Harper's Bazaar magazine. The supermodel-turned-TV mogul may not be suitable to run the White House, but she certainly is qualified to be the First Lady of Fashion, according to HB.

Tyra Banks photos

"At Bazaar we're so into politics and we had this idea to cast ourselves a phenomenal new First Lady. Tyra represents so many wonderful things ... she's powerful, she's fierce, smart and what more would you want in a First Lady, said Laura Brown, articles special project director for Harper's Bazaar, at the photo shoot.

Tyra played homage to Michelle Obama by dressing the part during the magazine's photo shoot. In one shot, she sported a black sheath dress, pearls and Michelle's flippy hairstyle standing near a Barack Obama look-alike, who is seated at the presidential desk, as a little girl plays nearby. [See photos of Tyra dressed up as Michelle.]

Tyra was even moved to tears when Barack scored the Democratic nomination. "So what gives me tears is if Barack Obama wins, kids are going to say that a black man can be president, too," Tyra said in an interview with Harper's Bazaar. “I think it will give so many people -- black, Latin, Asian, even white people that feel forgotten -- hope. I did not think I would see it in my lifetime, and I’m only 34.”

"With Barack Obama, his becoming president is them becoming president because Michelle was there from the beginning," Tyra said to HB. "Without Michelle, he wouldn’t be there.”

The September issue of Harper's Bazaar featuring Tyra will be on newsstands Aug. 19. You can also tryout for cycle 12 of Tyra Bank's "America's Next Top Model" in various cities. In the meantime, check out behind-the-scenes footage of Tyra looking very presidential ...

The race for the White House just got a whole lot...hotter.

Paris Hilton photos

The two-minute video takes several jabs at McCain for his age, saying he's old enough to remember when dancing was a sin. Hilton later calls him the "wrinkly, white-haired guy."

Hilton also takes time to present her energy policy, which was clearly crafted within the confines of her head, as well as her aspirations to paint the White House pink. She even names a leading candidate for for vice president, something we've yet to see on the campaign trail.

While Paris has a fair share of public blemishes, this is pretty funny. I'm endorsing it...just not for president.

-- Adam Abramson

Q: What do Ludacris and Barack Obama have in common?

A: They're both coming for that No. 1 spot.

While Obama challenges John McCain for the title of next U.S. president, Ludacris is throwing down some rhymes to support The Barack. Of course, the shrewd politico that Obama is, his campaign has denounced the lyrics to "Politics (Obama is here!)."

You be the judge. Peep this video, but don't pay too much attention to visuals. We found it on YouTube, so just listen to the words.

(P.S. Pet Rock is betting that deep down in places he doesn't talk about at parties, Obama is loving this song. Pet Rock is parlaying that bet with future TMZ video of Obama pumping that song in downtown Chicago.)

(P.P.S. Pet Rock fully supports Obama Girl and Ludacris doing a video together. Of course, we don't care what the topic is about either, just so long as we get to see Obama Girl.)

"Swing Vote" hits theaters Friday. I know, I know, it's a Kevin Costner non-sports movie, but it could be decent. Of course, it could be awful. All depends on your point of view and whatever external things you've got running through your head when you see it.

But it is a political comedy, which in my world, is amusing. And what with the DNC coming up soon (hint: Pet Rock might be there in Denver) and that whole big November election thing, it seems like the right time for Top 5 Thursday to count down our favorite political comedy movies.

5) Dick
A pair of ditzy teenage girls, played by Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams, become Nixon's official White house dog walkers and subsequently the "Deep Throat" sources for Woodward and Bernstein in the Watergate scandal.

4) Head of State
Not the best work from Chris Rock, but still funny enough to make the cut, ya heard!

3) Election
Sure, this movie was set in a high school, but don't get confused. Reese Witherspoon manipulates the world around her to try and win the student body president election. This movie is hilarious in every direction.

2) Wag the Dog
Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman on the same screen. Bold. And they conspire to create a fictitious war against longtime archenemy Albania. Witty, smart satire throughout.

1) Spies Like Us
Let me get this straight: It's got Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd at the height of their comedic genius going into Pakistan to sneak into the Soviet Union and steal their nuclear missile at the zenith of the Cold War? Yes it does.

"The Colbert Report" had a few special visitors on Thursday night's episode on location in Philadelphia. Watch the clips and see who will get the famous "Colbert bump" in the polls.

Note: You may or may not have to sit through a commercial first. We apologize for that, but it's beyond our control

Hillary fixes Colbert's technical difficulties.

Barack Obama on the big screen.

John Edwards

Read the story from political reporter Glenn Thrush.

Obama Girl returns to ask Hillary to stop attacking her man.

Every now and again, Pet Rock gets an email that we need to share with the masses. Lucky for us, this email arrived on Friday. Even luckier for us, it's a YouTube video.

You've probably (hopefully!) heard the recent "Barack Obama is jacking for speeches" news about his public speaking being eerily similar to that of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.

Well, this enterprising YouTuber named 395v0538527 -- a Hillary alias, perhaps? -- shows the power of editing and political influence in today's world. And if you can't laugh at the usage of the second greatest interview of all time, then go away and read something else.

Props to Blastmaster friend Scurvy Scurv for doing my job for me.

- Mark La Monica

Diddy is the voice of this generation. From his music to his clothes, from his image to his business, Diddy is a daddy figure to many young people out there.

He was the voice behind Vote or Die in 2004 and was back on YouTube urging the people to vote on Super Tuesday. Like him or not, you have to at least respect him for taking a stand on something.

Watch Diddy's Message to Young America

It's Two-fer Tuesday here at Pet Rock.

And seeing how there are 22 presidential primaries across the country today, what's so bad about two videos to watch on Old School Tuesday?

Get out there and rock the vote!

(Anyone else remember what a media poop-storm this video caused when it first came out? Whoa, Lawdy, if 24-hour cable news and Internet forums existed back then!)

- Mark La Monica