Elvis preferred grilled peanut butter sandwiches

Searching the Web can be a full-time job. Too bad you can’t get paid for it. For example, if some asked me, “Hey, Dan, where can I find something about Steve McQueen?” I’d have to reply, just go to Chris Lambos’ The First Steve McQueen Site . (Note to Chris: It’s spelled “collectible.”) You’ll find pretty much everything you want there, from quotes to photos, trivia questions to Steve McQueen wallpaper.

I’d like to say that I discovered the site on my own. But I didn’t. Instead, I found it courtesy of The Smoking Gun Web site, which is run by a bunch of former journalists (and is now owned by Court TV) and specializes in providing both news articles and photos of the famous and infamous in, uh, awkward situations, usually involving the law. But that’s not all. My favorite section is called “Backstage Pass,” which prints backstage “riders” from 134 performers or groups.

For example, you remember the famous requirement by Van Halen that required their dressing room have a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones removed? Well, Christina Aguilera tops that. Among the things that she requires: one (small) bottle of “Flintstones” vitamins with extra vitamin C; four (4) votive candles with matches; no less than six (6) bottles of water (NOT EVIAN); chocolate chip or Oreo cookies ; one (1) small veggie tray with carrots, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, and jhicama (all must be organic) and two (2) chicken or turkey club sandwiches (white bread with bacon, lettuce and tomato).

The M&Ms , apparently, are optional.