Irwin Family Determined To Destroy Itself

Dangerous animal wrangler Steve Irwin died in 2006 after a run-in with a sting ray. Daughter/strange cave creature Bindi has her own documentary series in which she deals with potentially dangerous animals, just like daddy. She's nine. So it's not surprising to hear that the littlest Irwin, tiny four year old Robert, has received his first snake bite, and is proud of it. Or maybe it's just his mum who's proud. Terri seems ever eager to exploit this dangerous handling of animals that killed her husband and threatens her children, saying "He picked one of them up and it bit him on the finger, and he was so proud to have copped his first hit." [Showbiz Spy] After the jump, The Soup's Joel McHale (our love) riffing on Bindi's rapping skills. More »

Saddam Execution Video: $20K for You?

In another blow to citizen journalism, social media, and the culture of You, two Iraqi guards and an "official" have now been arrested for shooting and distributing the Saddam Hussein execution video. (President Bush supposedly has not seen the video, by the way, which strikes us as charmingly preposterous.) Early rumors claimed the filmic operation was arranged by Saddam's longtime ethnic and political foes, though now it appears that $20,000 may have changed hands over the deal. Take that, Ze Frank. In other death video news, the world will likely never see the Steve Irwin demise clip. Someone else famous better die on camera quick, or else we'll all lose interest when the new TV seasons start next week. More »

Columbia Students: Put the Video Cameras Down, and Walk Away Slowly

We've already noted the video talents of Columbia undergrads, but it looks like the business school douchewaffles want to get in on the act, too. Again with the homoeroticism—this time, with a Steve Irwin-lookalike for her pleasure. More »

Bill Maher Wins 'Too Soon' Award In Local Costume Contest

Ours is not to cast judgment upon Bill Maher's choice of costume, nor, for that matter, to say what constitutes an appropriate waiting period before a freak celebrity death becomes fair game for laughs—after all, 40 years still hasn't made it possible to show up to a Hollywood Halloween soirée as a "decapitated Jayne Mansfield" without hearing at least a couple tsks of derision from offended partygoers. Still, if Maher simply had to go to the Playboy Mansion (or whatever monster bimbo bazaar he opted to attend this year) dressed as Steve Irwin with a stingray barb hanging out of his chest, one would have hoped he would have more fully embraced the "tasteless mockery of untimely, recent tabloid deaths" theme by throwing Al Franken in a short, blonde wig, giving him an oversized, prop pill-bottle marked "METHADONE," and introducing everyone to his "bunkmate in celebrity heaven, Daniel Smith." More »