Web Endz

Scanning the dial:

:: Ron Fineman finds the funniest LA Times correction in a long time, from last week:

Cartoon characters — An editorial Sunday on Donald Duck and other cartoon figures described the Disney icon as a single father. Although he is the guardian of Huey, Dewey and Louie, these characters are his nephews, not his children.

:: New blogs to peruse include The FunkyJenn Gazette. FunkyJenn offers up some strong "Sad Celebrity" sightings over the weekend:

Sad, married Damon Wayans making out with three different hotties at Light at the Bellagio, Las Vegas.

Sad host Ryan Seacrest three seconds away from using the "Do You Know Who I Am" phrase as he had to wait over twenty minutes to get a table at CA BREA! People, this is like waiting for a table at Sizzler! He was last seen trying to impress his date yelling into his cell phone trying to arrange a table at A.O.C.

Sad former host Craig Kilborn stiffing the hot waitresses at Arnie Morton's in Beverly Hills. And when I say stiffing, I mean cheap tipper, not, um..... well, he's known to do THAT with the waitresses too.

:: Also, my co-worker Pat Saperstein has unveiled Eating LA, her chronicle of all things gastronomical in Los Angeles. In a bit of news, Pat relays that the old "Autobar" on Rowena (the green-shingled dive that I've long been intrigued by) is being completely reconstructed. According to one commenter, the site will soon be home to a Dean and Deluca - style market. As the building is being stripped, Pat sneaks a shot of a 60s-era window mural that has long been hidden, of two watusi/bikini dancers advertising the bar's "entertainment."

:: I don't think I've seen a weaker story on L.A. radio than last week's unfocused screed in the L.A. Alternative Press. The story promised to be a screed on why L.A. radio sucks, but started out as a profile on Indie 103.1 DJ and Sex Pistol Steve Jones... then went into a tangent on talk radio and never really addressed its actual thesis.

The story also gets the call letters for KIIS wrong (sorry, call letter faux pas are one of my pet peeves), and the story never once mentions dominant market leader KPWR "Power 106." The station, which has been No. 1 in the market for the past two years, has really been the radio story of the last several years here in L.A.

Power 106 doesn't get much respect in the press (perhaps because there aren't many whitebread reporters listening to it), but the station truly sounds more like L.A. than any other radio station on the air.

I love Indie 103.1 as much you, but remember, folks, it's still a small station with a limited signal and a very targeted audience.

Meanwhile, arguing that L.A. is a vast radio wasteland seems to be a waste of breath. Sure, radio could be a lot more adventuresome here. But L.A. nonetheless at least boasts Indie 103.1, KCRW, KKJZ, the tight Power 106 and others, not to mention a vibrant Spanish-language scene. Hell, even KROQ is stil a heritage alternative rock outlet, even if its focus has changed through the years. You won't find that kind of choice in New York or Chicago, where radio is even more predictable. Radio's a volatile and dramatically changing business -- let's just be glad a station like Indie 103.1 even exists -- and in our market, no less.

:: Why does the rest of the world hate us? Ask "The Amazing Race" contestant Colin. He single-handedly nearly caused an international incident -- and gave new meaning to the stereotypical "ugly American" -- in this week's show.

Meanwhile, I'm now looking for volunteers for this year's second annual Birthday Race. We need people stationed at different locations throughout L.A. to hand out clues and be a part of the fun. Interested? Email us.