His and Obama’s day has come?
Dennis Haysbert likes to believe his role as the first African American U.S. president on Fox’s “24” may have helped pave the way for Barack Obama.
“If anything, my portrayal of David Palmer, I think, may have helped open the eyes of the American people,” says Haysbert, who has contributed $2,300 to the Illinois Democrat’s presidential campaign.
“And I mean the American people from across the board – from the poorest to the richest, every color and creed, every religious base – to prove the possibility there could be an African-American president, a female president, any type of president that puts the people first.”
Haysbert, who played Nelson Mandela in the 2007 film “Goodbye Bafana,” said his role as President Palmer seemed to “confuse people” who would approach him on the street “every day, almost every hour, and ask me to run.”
That still continues, says Haysbert, who now stars in CBS’ “The Unit.”
“I don’t know if it is a joke or that people just like to say those things,” he says. “But to me, for them to say it out loud means they are thinking about it.”
Band of sisters
Tears flowed freely when two of TV’s “Army Wives” met their real-life counterparts.
Sally Pressman, who plays Roxy, and Brigid Brannagh, who plays Pamela, watched Sunday’s upcoming episode of the Lifetime series with Army wives at Walter Reed Medical Center outside Washington.
Pressman said one woman whose husband was killed in battle came up to her crying and told her: “The only thing that has made me happy since then is your show.”
The episode includes scenes about Roxy’s husband returning home after being wounded.
Save our stallions
Sheryl Crow is urging people to get involved in saving America’s wild horses.
“We’re starting to get really, really far away from our heritage and what this country is based on,” the Grammy winner says in “Saving the American Wild Horse,” airing Monday on the Documentary Channel.
Crow, who lives in Tennessee, owns a wild mustang named Colorado.
Swagging their tails
The late Leona Helmsley reportedly directed that her fortune – up to $8 billion – be used for the care and welfare of dogs.
However, that “mission statement” wasn’t formally incorporated into Helmsley’s will.
In April, a Manhattan judge reduced the trust fund for her 9-year-old pooch, Trouble, from $12 million to $2 million.
Prophet and loss
Madam Marie Castello, who told fortunes on New Jersey’s Asbury Park Boardwalk – immortalized in Bruce Springsteen‘s “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” – has died at age 93.
“She always told me mine looked pretty good – she was right,” says Springsteen.
The birthday bunch
Actress Katherine Helmond (“Who’s The Boss,” “Soap”) is 79. Actress Shirley Knight is 72. Musician Robbie Robertson is 65. Singer Huey Lewis is 58. Singer Marc Cohn is 49. Actress Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”) is 45. Actres Kathryn Erbe (“Law and Order: Criminal Intent”) is 43. Rapper RZA is 39.