MagiQuiz has a quiz that guesses what will cause your death. For Keith Richards the answer was 1997. 

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The sexual assault allegations against Matt Lauer are amazing. The hardest part for Lauer having a desk-button-door-lock installed? Convincing the installer he worked at a bank.

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Today is National Mutt Day. Or as Mutts prefer to call it: National Blended Pedigrees Day. 

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A giant San Francisco porn company, Kink.com, went bankrupt. And here I did not even know Donald Trump owned it.

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Monday was Cyber Monday. So that makes today, “I will never buy crap online drunk again” Delivery Saturday. 

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Two businesses not doing well featuring Trump’s name will drop Trump’s name. No word on what the Trump Custom Glove Co. and the Trump Hair Salon will be called. 

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The allegations against Matt Lauer are crazy. He had a button under his desk that locked the door of his office behind women. And if the woman turned him down, the floor opened up to a pool full of piranhas.  

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Dominoes now offers Carryout Insurance that will replace a pizza ruined on the trip home. Here’s some free advice: if you can’t get a pizza home without insurance? Maybe do not have any kids.  

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Guess it turns out Bryant Gumbel, with all of his unbearable pomposity, was the nice one. 

Since you asked:

These shocking sexual harassment allegations are reminding me of a woman I knew in New York circa 1985. I’ll call her Leslie. 

Leslie was quite a memorable friend. As my Boston friends would say, she was a wicked pissah. She took no crap. She gave plenty. 

Leslie had long, thick black hair in a widow’s peak, lily white skin, a prominent nose and a professional dancer’s body, which she had recently been for the New York Ballet. (She still got the occasional dance job in music videos, but when I knew her, she was going to NYU for grad school in design)   

Think Marisa Tomei in “My Cousin Vinny” with longer hair and a more pronounced proboscis.  

Leslie and I were a study in how different people can be friends. Never asked her if she had a boyfriend. She never asked if I had a girlfriend. We just cracked each other up. No strings. Not until way later would I find out she was from an old-school wealthy New York Jewish family. She gave no hint of old money at all. 

Leslie’s clothes tended to Springsteen-esque to punk. Torn t-shirts, leather jackets and frayed jeans and high top sneakers. Leslie just commanded attention wherever she went. And she was a classic New York born and bred girl. Big, huge, warm heart, but a mouth that could send sailors screaming from a bar and even offend New York Jets fans.

To go places with Leslie was a lesson in how utterly filthy and disgusting many, many men in New York are to women. Even with me with her, almost 6.2 and then in good shape at 200 pounds, guys smaller than me would still openly verbally assault her. And sometimes physically. And Leslie would hammer them with a quick “Go eff yourself, needle dick.” But not with eff. The real thing.  

One time in a bar I did have to throw a drunk, coked-up yuppie in a suit against the bar who grabbed Leslie’s butt. 

To be candid, I have not seen this same thing in Chicago, Los Angeles or San Francisco, but I am sure it exists.

Side note. Not sure if they got some sort of city-wide memo, but I never once heard a New York construction worker say something to a woman. They looked and looked hard, but I never head a thing. 

It was amazing how much verbal abuse Leslie took on a trip on the subway or in a bar. Every single time, at least one dickhead would make a crack. And these same guys, no matter how scrawny, would look me up and down as if it say, “I could take you no problem if I  wanted to, I just don’t want to.” 

Never in human history has a woman responded to a vulgar cat-call with “Wow, that was nasty, but, you bet, let’s have some real wild sex.”  

But the guys keep doing it over and over and over again. Genuine definition of insanity. 

During the entire time I lived as a fit and presentable suited-up straight young man in the epicenter of gayness, Greenwich Village, I never once felt threatened by a gay man. Hit on a few times, yes.

Absolutely nothing like what Leslie went through each time she went outside. 

Leslie had a lot to do with teaching me how to be a savvy New Yorker. Savvy New Yorkers are pretty great. They love to go to take full advantage of all the best things in New York: food fairs, museum openings, art galleries, small bar concerts, off-Broadway plays, street festivals. 

Leslie would comb the “New York Times” and “Village Voice” and find the coolest and funkiest thing happening almost by instinct. Twice we were at a thing with a Rolling Stone in attendance. Ron Wood at an art gallery and Bill Wyman at a coffee shop concert.  

But I digress. 

Maybe because Leslie dressed like a rebel and her body and hair flowed like a slinky when she walked. She appeared to have no bones. Whatever it was, guys could not contain themselves. And Leslie was not a flirt with them at all, she was just being herself. 

Leslie never gave the unwanted attention a second thought. She took the subway by herself late at night. New Yorkers pride themselves on their survival skills. 

Truth be told, the reason I stopped hanging with Leslie was she scared me. She had a hot temper and more than once, especially after she had a few drinks, I had to keep her from punching some idiot who said something to her. There was no question I would eventually end up in a brawl if we kept going. 

You know how some people have a thing? Everyone has quirks, eccentricities, but some people have a full-blown thing. 

Being a Rastafarian with dread-locks is a thing. Being a rock musician with wild clothes and long hair is a thing. Being a drag queen is a thing. For some, being a writer is a thing. Being a bouncer is a thing. Being a biker is a thing. Being a Hasidic Jew is a real big thing. Being a business man or woman is a little thing. Bike messenger. Cop. Judge. All things.  

The weather in the East is a thing. Traffic jams are a thing. Pollution is a thing. 

In New York City, being a woman is a full-time, big-time, not-going-away thing. From the time they walk outside until they go to bed at night, it is as if there is a sign on women’s necks that says, 

“Shout whatever dumb-ass nastiness pops into your horny, stupid head.”  

And it starts with scary, down-and-out types in the subway and obviously continues to the halls of NBC at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. 

And we men have no idea how bad it is. And we never will.

Black Dog Alison Krauss Robert Plant

Tam, Tam, Tam, Torn Slatterns and Nugget Ranchers

Several buildings have had to lose their name Trump due to a severe drop in business. Especially the Trump Think Tank.

Donald Trump is going to fire Sec. of State, Rex Tillerson, who called Trump a moron. Reportedly, when Tillerson called Trump a moron, Trump was furious. After they explained to Trump what a moron was.

Researchers have found people who live near the Three Mile Island nuclear plant show no significant increase in cancer more than 38 years after the accident. The locals were so delighted by the news, they exchanged high sixes. 

A study claims men with big biceps live longer. As a result, I would like to extend my condolences on the inevitably soon passing of Eric Trump and Anderson Cooper. 

Researchers have found people who live near the Three Mile Island nuclear plant show no significant increase in cancer more than 38 years after the accident. The locals were so delighted by the good news, they cried their three eyes out.

Bette Midler tweeted that Geraldo Rivera sexually assaulted her in the early 70’s. Geraldo claims he was just trying to see what was in Bette’s vault.

This just in: The NBA has filed a class-action sexual harassment suit against Khloe Kardashian.

Dominoes now offers Carryout Insurance that will replace a pizza ruined on the trip home. Here’s some free advice: if you can’t get a pizza home without insurance? Maybe do not have any kids.  

Since you asked:

As an admitted non-genius in math and business, you don’t have to be a genius to understand TV economics. Basically, if I offer you two dollars if you give me one, that is a good deal, right? 

Essentially that is how TV shows work. They either get ratings or they don’t. If they don’t, they’re cancelled and the networks write-off the costs. If they do get ratings, the networks make two dollars in advertising for every one dollar they invest in the production of the show.

In some cases, more. NBC made over $300 million on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” by giving them a budget of around $100 million. But in most cases, it is a two-for-one deal. 

So this applies to star’s salaries. The fact that NBC was paying Matt Lauer $25 million meant he was earning them $50 million. At least. Probably more. NBC canned a $50 mil. entity for a sexual harassment accusation.

In case you did not know how serious this sexual harassment epidemic is.

  

How would John F. Kennedy have used Twitter? 

There is absolutely no questioning the Kennedy family savvy when it came to understanding using the media for public persuasion and creating great images. Joe Kennedy, JFK’s father, was the first and arguably one of the greatest spin doctors. 

Joe took his son getting drunk and passed out in his PT boat and getting rammed by a Japanese freighter ship (Kennedy’s boat drifted into a known shipping lane) into a saga of being attacked by a Japanese destroyer and JFK’s acts of heroism. Which, after he got drunk, passed out and rammed, were true. JFK did save his surviving men. 

JFK would have recognized the importance of social media. But I doubt he would have written one word on it. Like Trump’s “The Art if the Deal” Kennedy did not write one word of his bestseller, “Profiles In Courage.” Kennedy’s speechwriter, Ted Sorenson, did. (Even “Trivial Pursuit” acknowledges this) 

But, unlike Trump, Kennedy could have written a book. And unlike Trump, Kennedy would not have insisted on airing every thought he had when he had it on Twitter. He would have asked Sorenson to employ his genius in small bite-sized amounts.

My feeling is Kennedy would not have liked Twitter. He would have thought it intrusive. His life was intruded upon by the public enough. But he would have used it carefully and sparingly. 

Kudos to “Modern Family”  on bringing it after mailing in a few episodes. Classic riff on the use of the word sanguine.

As a comedy writer, it is hard to be sanguine when you don’t know where your unhappiness ends and your depression begins. 


The epidemic of sexual harassment in politics and entertainment is easy to figure out. 

Both professions attract people who can’t get along with others. In the entertainment world, if you’re talented, it does not matter how difficult you are. In politics, if you’re unlikeable, it does not matter if you get enough votes. (See: Richard Nixon, Barbra Streisand) 

Most other professions teach people they not only have to get along with customers, they also have to get along with coworkers. But most of all, in most other professions, getting along with people goes hand-in-hand with making money. If you cannot make customers happy you cannot close a deal and you’re gone.

People in politics and entertainment - or in Al Franken’s case, both - do not learn that lesson. How many interviews of entertainers have you heard say they could not last a week at McDonalds? 

Lawyers who are so contrary they cannot get along with their fellow lawyers end up in politics. They find some elected official who is almost utterly inept, but keeps getting re-elected, and they run against them on a campaign of being a little less inept. 

Most people who are successful in the private sector have a rich balance of talents: Punctuality. Public speaking. Organization. Persuasion. Sense of humor. Management skills. Computer savvy. Budget keeping. 

Politicians and entertainers just have to have one talent each. Politicians have to get votes, and entertainers have to be entertaining. 

So when entertainers and politician’s lack of people skills in the office include offending women, nobody cared. 

Until now.


The pendulum of correcting injustice in this country swings late and it swings too far. 

Researchers have found people who live near the Three Mile Island nuclear plant show no significant increase in cancer more than 38 years after the accident. The locals were so delighted by the news, they exchanged high fins. 

A study claims men with big biceps live longer. As a result, I would like to extend my condolences on the inevitably soon passing of Eric Trump and Ryan Seacrest. 

Two properties with the Trump name have removed his name. Even worse for Trump, they are replacing it with the name Hillary.

Announce your presence with authority, Ebby Calvin "Nuke" Laloosh, Torn Slatterns and Nugget Ranchers

Remember the woman cyclist who got fired for flipping-off Donald Trump’s motorcade? The good news is she got hired. The bad news? She is Matt Lauer’s publicist.

Matt Lauer and Garrison Keillor fired for sexual harassment. Now I am wondering about Mr. Rogers always changing into something more comfortable.

Have you seen the video of the guys jumping off a mountain in the Alps in wing suits and landing inside a plane? They got the idea from watching a Spirit Airlines customer service video in reverse.

Many at “Today” show not surprised by the firing of Matt Lauer for sexual harassment. For years they thought Lauer thought NBC stood for “Nice boobs, Couric.” 

“Today” host, Matt Lauer, fired for sexual harassment. Matt learned the hard way that when Al Roker says no, he means no.

(Thanks O'Snake)

First Matt Lauer, now Garrison Keillor fired for sexual harassment. Makes you wonder, if Mr. Rogers was still around, would it still be a wonderful day in the neighborhood?

First Matt Lauer, now Garrison Keillor fired for inappropriate behavior. If he can keep it in his pants, Ryan Seacrest will have all the jobs.

Matt Lauer was fired from the “Today” show for sexual harassment. Now I’m wondering about all those “Good Morning, America” rumors of George Stephanopoulos biting Robin Roberts’s knee caps.

“Today” host, Matt Lauer, fired for sexual harassment. In a related story, a memo circulated NBC that jokes about Al Roker’s man-boobs are officially off-limits. 

The top gifts this year for kids are legos, nurf guns and cell phones. The least popular gift? NBC Human Resources Barbie.

An Indiana teacher was arrested for snorting cocaine in the classroom. In her case the Indiana word Hoosier is a combination of Hoover and User. 

An Indiana English teacher was fired for snorting cocaine in the classroom. On the bright side, she did set the world record for teaching “War and Peace” in 15 minutes.

The cast of “The Jersey Shore” is being reunited on MTV. That is if Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino can clear his busy schedule, wha, hah, ha, shoot, I thought If could say it without laughing. 

Arby’s bought Buffalo Wild Wings for $2.4 bil. This story again, the company that makes sandwiches that taste like tissue paper bought the company that makes chicken wings that taste like battered and fried Q-tips.

An Indiana teacher was arrested for snorting cocaine in the classroom. They suspected there was a problem when she kept showing the movie “Scarface” in class. And she teaches geometry.

The cast of “The Jersey Shore” is being reunited on MTV. Because what we really need is more half-moron, loud orange people on TV.

The cast of “The Jersey Shore” is being reunited on MTV. That is if Mike “The Situation” Serrentino, can get someone to cover his shifts at the Trenton Olive Garden.

The cast of “The Jersey Shore” is being reunited on MTV. This will harken back to a simpler time when the worst thing a moron with a spray tan could do was get in a bar fight, not start a nuclear war.

Since you asked:

Lex's Four Steps To a Good Day

Step One: A, make and, B, drink coffee. You do not have to do A if you’re independently wealthy and go to coffee shops. But B is crucial. Studies for the health benefits of a few cups of coffee are more gushing than the studies on wine. And the wine health studies basically say if you do not drink wine, you will die.

Step Two: Work out your brain. Either with work, on the phone, or dealing with co-workers, get the bean bouncing. My favorite way is to write jokes. This involves reading many stories and writing about 20 to 30 jokes. To get to 20 you have to write 40 and ditch the bad ones. And that means, for each joke, you have to read about five news stories. 

You can even work the noodle by playing games. Two of my favorites are Words with Friends and Connect Four. This also works the grey matter. Poker is a good noodle burner. 

One time I was playing poker and somebody announced a game where it was seven card stud, deuces and suicide kings wild, your down spade was wild, the card after the first up-dealt 5 was wild unless you had a four card down. At one point I asked,

“Can you smell my brain burning?” 

That is how you want to feel by about 4:00 PM, you want to feel that your brain is slightly smoking-burnt. It is a good kind of brain tired. And the only cure is . . . 

Step Three: Work out. The NFL’s play 60 is a great idea. Just be active for an hour. Or a solid half-an-hour of cardio. Currently I am combining jogging down hill, walking up hill and skipping on some flats with my dog*, Wally. (He just walks) This cures brain burn like a swim in the ocean cures a hangover. 

Now that the exercise has cleared the smoke out of your brain, your body and brain are tired and need sustenance. You can relieve stress and provide sustenance at the same time by . . .  

Step Four: Grilling a nice, healthy, fun dinner on the Weber or gas grill. And in the sauce pan. Lately I am on a marinate-chicken-in-olive-oil-and-lemon-juice jag. Lots of salt, pepper, garlic powder for a crust. 

My newest favorite vegetable is brussel sprouts. Par boil for a few minutes, slice in half, drizzle with olive oil, salt pepper and grill until they have marks.


And play a good song list while you grill. Dancing badly to a great tune while grilling and watching the sunset is a must for me. Good sample of my songs are the Stones' "All Down the Line," Emmy Lou's "Pancho and Lefty," and Led's "Bring It On Home." 

And if some wine goes along with that, or a drink or two, that is fine as long as you do not cause undue brain burning the bad way with a hangover. The hangover is god’s way of telling you that you were a self-indulgent, gluttonous slob. (Only known effective cure for hangovers, again, a dip in the ocean, besides Gatorade or Sprite) 

Now, on special days you can combine steps one and two with a great day of stand up paddle board surfing or swimming at the beach or boarding down a snowy hill.

And after exercise, a really good day I get in 30 minutes of meditation. For those lucky enough, a nap can do. 

And relaxing can also be achieved quite nicely by substituting #4 with playing harmonica with a band. 

Either way, announce your presence with authority. 

* For me, a good day has to include playing with and walking your dog. My dog. Not your dog. 

"Do these balloons blow up into funny shapes?"

"Not unless round is funny."

Torn Slatterns and Nugget Ranchers

Prince Harry is engaged to American actress, Meghan Markle. For those upset you missed your chance with Harry or Meghan, you can log-on to: www.YouHadNoChance.com. 

Tiger Woods played well at Trump’s National golf course. Donald Trump was so impressed with one of Tiger’s drives, Trump almost missed kicking his ball back into the fairway.





Eight years ago, Tiger Woods crashed his car, and his wife, Elin, hit him in the mouth with a golf club for cheating. Since then, Tiger’s career trajectory can only be described as Cleveland Brown-esque.



In a White House ceremony honoring Navaho code talkers, Donald Trump called  Elizabeth Warren Pocahontas. Here is an interesting fact: Pocahontas is a Native American word for Covfefe.



The largest spa company, Message Envy, has been charged by 180 women with sexual harassment. Next to be sued for sexual harassment: the employees of the Moonlight Bunny Ranch brothel in Nevada.



The largest spa company, Massage Envy, has been charged by 180 women with sexual harassment. Some of the shocking charges include being asked to get naked and being rubbed on their body.




In a White House ceremony honoring Navaho code talkers, Donald Trump called  Elizabeth Warren Pocahontas. Trump then mislead a two-car funeral procession to a creamery instead of the cemetery.




Dominoes Pizza is now offering Carryout Insurance to cover pizzas that get ruined on the way home. Initially it was called the “Please Hold the Box with Both Hands, Eric Trump” policy.



You know what I love about re-seeing holiday movies? It’s noticing things you missed before. Like in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” when Bert-the-cop and Ernie-the-cabbie took all those “fishing trips” up to Mount "Brokeback" Bedford.