Side show

TRAVERSING THE CULTURAL DIVIDES: In the debut of Thailand's version of Weakest Link, a teacher who was voted off cried and begged her pupils not to think she was stupid.

This set off a torrent of complaints about the show that has led the Thai government to ask for changes in it, saying it's not setting a good example for young people.

"The show is promoting fierce competition and selfishness among participants. This contravenes Thai generosity," the Thai National Youth Bureau said in a letter to the TV station that airs the show.

The youth bureau said it wanted the station to broadcast more positive shows to set a good example for young people, BBC News Online says. And preferably nothing else imported from the West.

"The prime minister has expressed his concern about the flow of Western culture which could affect Thai lifestyle." it said.

The Hong Kong version of Weakest Link also has been criticized for its tone. Host Carol "Dodo" Cheng was forced to tone down her approach and adopt a style she calls "sarcasm, but with a smile."

Australia has no such concerns about its national psyche. Host Cornelia Frances tells the Sydney Morning Herald she needs to be nastier.

THE REAL WOMAN OF THE YEAR: A one-person biographical play about Katharine Hepburn has been grossly miscast.

Kate Mulgrew (Capt. Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager, the original Mary Ryan in the defunct soap opera Ryan's Hope, for those who can remember -- or watch SoapNet) stars in Tea at Five at the Hartford Stage Company.

Only one person can do Hepburn justice: Martin Short.

MONEY CAN BUY HAPPINESS: The Vaseline Petroleum Jelly people want to save all you spa-goers hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. They have developed what they are calling a Spa in a Jar kit. Along with the petroleum jelly, the kit has three recipes, three vials of essential oils, a pack of sea salt, mixing tray and a spoon. So you can make your own spa treatments. At home.

A bunch of people got paid a lot of money to miss the whole point of going to a spa.

YUCK: One thing I cannot endorse as a chocolate lover: Ore-Ida's new chocolate french fries.

THE MARKET REPORT: Enrique Iglesias refused to kiss tennis pinup Anna Kournikova during a video shoot two months ago because of acne on her lips. He must have liked the makeup job. Or she found a good dermatologist. Reports have the two now romantically involved. . . . Kevin Costner has broken up with his girlfriend of a year and a half, Entertainment Tonight says. . . . Harrison Ford and Minnie Driver's short time as a couple is over. He dumped her because she wanted too much too soon, MSNBC.com says, relaying reports from Europe.

FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED: The group that unleashed Who Let the Dogs Out on an unsuspecting United States in 2000 is ready to release its first album since then. Baha Men have Move It Like This coming out March 26.

To prepare the country for this onslaught, the group is reissuing the Who Let the Dogs Out album two weeks before, Billboard says. The reissue will include a CD-ROM video and new remixes.

It's good to see they have such faith in the new album.

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