Looks like free time isn’t the only good thing to come out of unemployment. Jay Leno announced on last night’s Tonight Show that he’ll be traveling to Michigan on April 7 to offer a free performance to anyone out of work in the Detroit area (also, refreshments and parking will be free for guests!). It’s part of his "Jay’s Comedy Stimulus Plan," and I have to say, the move is quite refreshing. Though some people might argue that it’s better to go to no show at all than watch the comedian deliver relatively tired jokes, it’s nice to see that Leno is forgoing the purchase of his 10-gagillionth car in order to give back to a sector of the masses in need of a laugh or two.
Now, I know most comedians can’t follow this move, but I would love to see more famous and successful funnymen or musical artists offer discounted shows in this time of need (especially when someone like Madonna charged fans an average of $378 for concert tickets last year).
Do you wish more folks would follow Leno’s lead? If so, who? Or do you think the citizens of Detroit would have been better served if Leno donated free money instead of a free show?
Yesterday, American Idol announced Carrie Underwood would be singing ousted season 8 contestants goodbye with a cover of Motley Crue’s "Home Sweet Home," a ballad off the band’s 1985 album Theatre of Pain. And by the sound of 
I’ll admit it: I’ll watch Candid Camera, Punk’d, Scare Tactics, or basically any other prank-centric show that airs on TV. (Sorry, Howie Mandel, but Howie Do It does not make the cut, since you make zero effort to hide your appearance while pranking unsuspecting citizens. A wig and a pair of glasses does not a disguise make!) And that’s not just because my great-grandmother was gullible enough to be pranked twice on Candid Camera back in the day. There’s just nothing quite like watching someone reach a point of hysterical rage — after a waiter serves coughed-on food, or a 10-year-old spray paints a luxury car, etc. — only to slap a smile on their face as soon as they realize they’re on television.
Think American Idol is a family-friendly program? Think again. Yesterday — less than one week after Cowell & Co., crowned a top 13 for the first time in Idol history — the show’s producers scrambled to find a new call-in number after discovering that 1-866-IDOLS-13, the intended number for the 13th contestant, was actually…(wait for it) a sex line. Sure, this would be perfect if Bikini Girl (real name: Katrina Darrell, pictured) was still in the competition, but will the special, one-time-only, inconsistent number bode well for the contestant awarded the coveted pimp spot? Or will dialing confusion hurt their chances (if we see Danny, Adam or Lil in any other slot tonight, I think we can assume that the producers are worried about the latter)? Either way, you’ve got to give it up to a phone sex company with the brains to choose a number that takes advantage of clumsy Idol fans, no?
At 3:59 p.m. ET Tuesday afternoon, the following IM exchange took place between my friend Robb (who really should’ve known better) and me: 
If you’ve seen the sneak peek of three deleted Twilight scenes from the March 21 DVD release, do you think director Catherine Hardwicke was right to trim them from the final film? I’d have to say yes, yes, and yes. While in theory, a second bedroom kiss sounds like a good idea, 
More than four decades ago, Macca wondered in "When I’m 64": Will you still be sending me a valentine / Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?" This past Feb. 14, he actually got 4,000 answers — in a record-breaking seven seconds. At a rate of nearly 600 seats per second, the former Beatle sold out his one-night stand at the Hard Rock Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, set to take place April 16. (We’re posting now because the stats were just released, to tie in with some other V-day-related record-breakers).
