Local aspiring actress and singer Schatar Sapphira Taylor is featured on VH1's new reality show Flavor of Love, which follows a group of women competing for the love of rapper and all-around insane person Flavor Flav. Flav was previously a star of VH1 shows The Surreal Life and Strange Love, on which he wooed statuesque and equally insane Danish actress Brigitte Nielsen. Flav and Brigitte have gone their separate ways, so he's on the prowl for a new woman. And who wouldn't want to date a man with six kids by two women, a complete set of gold teeth and a penchant for wearing giant clocks around his neck?
A press release from Taylor alleges that she's starred in "major TV series, motion pictures and theatrical productions," and her website boasts of such accomplishments as being an Ivy League graduate (from which college, it doesn't say), a descendent of royalty and a lifetime Girl Scout. Flav, who gives all his potential paramours porn-style nicknames, has dubbed Schatar "Hottie." No doubt she's on her way to becoming a superstar.
The Only Reason We're Publishing This Press Release is Because We Can Use the Headline, 'Blood Money'
Give blood and get your taxes done—now that's a twofer for ya. On Saturday, Liberty Tax Service, 3319 S. Maryland Parkway, will host a blood drive in conjunction with United Blood Services from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. According to the press release, all blood donors will receive free tax preparation certificates.
"Where else can you donate blood, and be assisted by Miss Liberty?" Randall Brody, president of Liberty Tax Service, says in the release. "We'll have free refreshments, food and T-shirts. Miss Liberty will also have crowns for any children who come."
An Ill Wind Blows No Good
It was recently reported that Whole Foods will be going greener than its produce section with its plans to start using wind energy for 100 percent of its electricity needs. It will buy 458,000 megawatt-hours of energy credits from Renewable Choice Energy in Boulder, Colorado, which will in turn ensure that amount of wind power gets put on the utility grid. It all sounds nice and crunchy on the surface, but Whole Foods might soon find itself picketed the same way Wal-Mart is, but instead of unions it'll be environmentalists. Turns out there is a national group conveniently called National Wind Watch that is against the wind "industry," citing concerns over "the potential damaging impacts to wildlife and our sensitive land areas," according to President David Roberson. In the Bay Area's Altamont Pass alone, between 1,766 and 4,721 wild and endangered birds are killed each year, according to the California Energy Commission. No word on whether those bird carcasses are then repackaged as free-range fowl and put on Whole Foods' shelves.
Observed
Paris Hilton has a reputation when it comes to going potty at nightclub openings. So it was no small matter when the hotel heiress needed a bathroom break shortly after arriving at the VIP opening of Jet at The Mirage. The main room was standing-room-only, so Paris was led to the side room that features house music, where she charged into the bathroom alcove ahead of the security guard carrying a tiny flashlight to guide her way. The bathroom, however, was to the left and Paris took a right turn and confronted a blank wall. The wall and Paris had a brief staring contest, neither having much to say, before Paris successfully figured out how to turn around.
Byron, You Can Bet on It
The Poker Player newspaper has a story comparing Las Vegas to some town up north named after past Attorney General Janet Reno, which supposedly also offers gambling. Claiming Reno was built by "hard-working folks" and Vegas "was the creation of gangsters," the unbiased Byron Liggett (whose online photo is that of a marmot wearing an oversized fedora) goes on to say that Reno's founder, Raymond "Pappy" Smith "past" (sic) away while our founder, Bugsy Siegel, was killed, and that the pace up north is "warm and friendly" while we "greet each other with the warmth and zeal of a Nor'easter." Well, that will certainly be Liggett's personal experiences from now on when he decides to visit here.
Hey, But at Least He Caught the Faux Music
A Jim Benning recently posted his Vegas experiences on World Hum's site ("Travel Dispatches From a Shrinking Planet"). Benning was swinging through town on his way home from Park City on the same weekend as CES and AVN. Understandably, he had problems hailing a cab on what must be one of our busiest weekends. But to add insult to injury, he also lost some money at the Imperial Palace.
"Losing to Little Richard was no more palatable than losing to any other dealer, and I consoled myself by listening to a faux Irish rock band play in the lounge at Barbary Coast."
Slán leat! (Faux Irish for "goodbye!")