So Who Did You Expect, Monica Lewinsky?
Sooner or later, you would think they’d run out of real celebrities to slap milk mustaches on in that annoying advertising campaign.
Well, we’re not necessarily saying that day has come, but the latest white-lipped pitchperson - joining the likes of Larry King, Christie Brinkley and Bart Simpson - is none other than Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala.
“It’s just a great way to reach a target audience with an important public health message,” her spokesman said, adding that Shalala wasn’t paid for the appearance.
Not everyone was quite so enthused.
“We have no dispute with the message, but there’s certainly a slippery slope here,” said Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Cabinet secretaries should not be used in ads.”
Loose talk
Author Steven Stark, on the Bill Clinton sex scandal: “This is the president, after all, who … revealed on MTV whether he wore boxers or briefs. Once you’ve answered that question, it’s only a small step to people inquiring what he does when he takes those boxers off.”
She’s one of the more platonic Friends of Bill
Mary Steenburgen turns 45 today.
With the president, you have to bend the rules
Declaring Monica Lewinsky “absolutely not a ‘Rules’ girl,” Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider - authors of “The Rules” dating guides - have come up with 15 commandments for prospective presidential paramours, including “Let him introduce you to the Vice President before you introduce him to your college roommate,” “Date others in the administration unless he brings up exclusivity” and “Don’t tell him what to do - even if you majored in political science.”
No sex scandals, please, they’re British
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has hired three interns, the first such assistants to ever work at No. 10 Downing St. According to the British magazine The Economist, Hillary Rodham Clinton “persuaded the Blairs of the glories of the White House intern program on a recent visit.” (No word on what further discussions ensued during Blair’s trip to Washington, D.C., last week.)
He’ll stick to the snow jobs in Washington
The Clinton brouhaha, not to mention that messy business in Iraq, has prevented CBS anchorman Dan Rather from covering his first-ever Olympics. “I was really up about it, and I’m very disappointed,” Rather told the New York Times. “But I understand and have no argument with the call whatsoever.”
At least he was able to keep his lust in his heart
Former president Jimmy Carter kept busy working on his 14th book, tentatively titled “The Virtues of Aging” - and just plain working out - while he was hospitalized in Georgia recently to treat a mysterious rash. “They brought in a Stairmaster, computer and fax machine,” said his wife, Rosalynn.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 photos
The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by staff writer Rick Bonino