Say Cheese!

As if his legacy as frontman for the cotton candy band Hootie and the Blowfish wasn't enough, Darius Rucker - better known as "Hootie" - has timed the release of his solo debut album with an appearance in arguably the strangest commercial to come along since the Noid. Looking like a Liberace cowboy interpretation, Hootie dons a purple rhinestone cowboy blouse and sings his way through a psychedelic wonderland where burgers grow on trees, men wear ludicrous pastel rhinestone getups, and Brooke Burke rides a swing seemingly pushed by the creepy king in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood. Yes, Hootie and the Blowfish sucks, but you'd think even a mediocre agent could get a fad-band frontman a better gig than a fast-food commercial.

In other news that effects our lives in tangible, meaningful ways: John DeLorean has passed on at the tender age of 80. Best known by my generation as the father of the car used in Back to the Future, DeLorean apparently had a little trouble with the law when he started shipping cocaine into the country in the wheel wells of his cars. It seems Mr. DeLorean had some trouble securing operating capital to finance his car company. GM CEO and Chairman Richard Wagoner issued a statement saying DeLorean, "made a name for himself through his talent, creativity, innovation and daring." Nothing says daring like a court case for conspiring to sell $24 million worth of cocaine to finance your car company. Kudos to you, Mr. DeLorean, you daring innovator you.