Side show

By SHARON FINK

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 1, 2001

DON'T PASS THE BLAME, JACKO:

Among the outrageous, bizarre, eyebrow-raising, head-shaking and weird things Michael Jackson said in a Web chat Friday was this gem: "I feel guilty having to put my name on the songs sometimes because I write them, compose them, score them, and it's all really the work of God."

Let's review some of "the work of God":

"I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin' (Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' from the album Thriller)

"Your butt is mine

Gonna take you right

Just show your face . . .

Because I'm bad, I'm bad, come on" (Bad, from Bad)

"Touch me and I feel on fire

Ain't nothin' like a love desire

I'm melting

like hot candle wax sensation" (Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, from Off the Wall)

And from Jackson's latest album, Invincible:

"I don't want the sun to shine

I wanna make looooove" (Break of Dawn)

STAY HOME, SEE IF WE CARE:

Movie and marketing executives aren't quaking in their trendy shoes over a recent survey that found 60 percent of people older than 35 don't want to go to the movies, especially men who watch a lot of TV news.

Their response to the National Research Group poll is to point to healthy box office grosses since Sept. 11, Variety says. And, the trade paper says, they don't really care what people over 35 do anyway, because teenage boys remain the key movie demographic.

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH 'TEMPTATION ISLAND.' OR 'SURVIVOR' ON A JUICY WEEK:

You didn't really believe reality TV was on its deathbed, did you?

NBC is producing a pilot for a "reality" version of Fantasy Island, likely with a Mr. Rourke and a Tattoo, who should be contractually required to shout, "Da plane! Da plane!"

Just like in the old ABC show, people will be put on an island resort where one of their wishes will be fulfilled, Variety says. But the outcome won't always be happy, just like in the show.

"What we want to do with this format is try to use the idea of "Be careful what you wish for,' " said NBC reality/specials chief Jeff Gaspin.

AHHHH, THAT'S THE LIFE:

"We go tubing on this river in northern Michigan, just floating down the river in a tube, drinking some Cristal (expensive wine) and a Budweiser." Kid Rock, telling Spin magazine that no one will understand the love he shares with Pamela Anderson. And thankfully so.

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