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TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2011

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Daredevil’s final act

‘Jackass’ star Ryan Dunn killed in wreck after night out in Pa.

“Jackass” star Ryan Dunn was killed in a fiery car wreck early yesterday morning when his Porsche smashed through a guard rail on a Pennsylvannia road and burst into flames.

A male friend of his, 34 and thus far unidentified, was also killed in the crash, which happened only a few hours after Dunn tweeted a photo of himself carousing at a bar with two buddies.

“Today I lost my brother Ryan Dunn,” tweeted “Jackass” leader Johnny Knoxville after the news broke yesterday. “RIP Ryan, I love you buddy.”

Patrons at Barnaby’s bar in West Chester, Pa., gave conflicting reports about Dunn’s state when he drove off in his Porsche 911 GT3 just before the 2:30 a.m. crash in nearby West Goshen.

“He was drinking Coronas,” Jim O’Brien, manager of Barnaby’s, told The Daily. “I don’t know the exact number, but he wasn’t pounding beers. More like just hanging out with some friends. He was in here once or twice a month and was just a real laid-back and peaceful guy.”

TMZ reported, however, that Dunn was “wasted” and knocking back shots.

Dunn’s body was burned so badly he had to be identified through his numerous tattoos, and yesterday West Goshen police were still attempting to identify the dead passenger.

The burly, bearded daredevil first shot to fame along with his good friend Bam Margera on the Knoxville-hosted MTV show, which premiered in 2000 and spawned three hit movies.

“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of a member of the MTV family, Ryan Dunn,” the network said in a statement. “Our hearts and thoughts are with his friends and family.”

One not so tactful message on Dunn’s death came from famed film critic Roger Ebert, who took to Twitter to write: “Friends don’t let Jackasses drink and drive.”

That led to a heated response from Margera, who lashed back in two bursts of 140 characters:

“I just lost my best friend, I have been crying hysterical for a full day and piece of s*** roger ebert has the gall to put in his 2 cents.”

Then, “About a jackass drunk driving and his is one, f*** you! Millions of people are crying right now, shut your fat f***ing mouth!”

Dunn, although best known for early “Jackass” antics such as inserting a toy car up his rectum and diving into a lake of sewage, had been trying his hand at serious acting roles. But he found his “Jackass” persona to be more hindrance than help.

“When I said Ryan Dunn was coming on set, none of the crew took him seriously,” film director Jose Cruz told The Daily. “But he knew his lines, offered suggestions, and people were just so impressed by how professional he was.”

Dunn played a heroin dealer in “Close-Up,” an indie movie directed by Cruz last year.

He had also started co-hosting a new G4 show called “Proving Ground,” in which he tried to recreate famous stunts from film, TV and video games.

The show premiered last week, but after news of his death, G4 yanked this week’s episode off the schedule.

Fans, however, were quick to post tribute videos yesterday, and for many hours his name trended high on Twitter. Dunn himself explained his appeal as an anti-hero in a recent video about “Proving Ground.”

“Basically, you get to pretend to be a kid when you’re an adult,” he said. “It’s the best thing ever.”

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Sarah Palin™: The backlash

It looks like Alaska's most famous politician will get her name trademarked after all. Cue the mockery

Sarah Palin and her daughter Bristol are expected to have trademarks on their names approved within three months. Photo: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Best Opinion: Daily Mail, Atlantic, Buzzfeed...

Sarah Palin took some ribbing earlier this year for failing to sign an application to trademark her name. But now, after she and daughter Bristol resubmitted their paperwork, and nobody challenged it, the names Sarah Palin and Bristol Palin will be trademarked within three months. Sarah Palin is claiming a trademark for both references to "political issues" online and "educational and entertainment services," including "motivational speaking." Entertainment and politics? Bloggers and the Twitterati couldn't resist such a big target:

Only in America!

"Sarah Palin will soon be making people pay for trying to cash in on her name"? says David Gardner in Britain's Daily Mail. "Unflippingbelievable!"

Totally reasonable

I guess "every great vice presidential candidate-turned-professional public speaker needs a registered trademark attached to their name," says Alistair Murray at his blog. "Such normal people," the Palins.

How was this so easy?

Given how contentious everything about Palin is, "amazingly, nobody seems to have challenged" the trademark application, says Joshua Green at The Atlantic. Regardless, "better hold off on those bootleg Palin T-shirts you were thinking about printing up."

Poor Tina Fey!

Forget merchandise. "I wonder how this will impact Sarah Palin impersonators?" says Chris Menning at Buzzfeed.

At least we know her 2012 plans

Because "you know people who trademark their names for commerce are serious about running for president," tweets The Nation's Ari Melber.

Nice try, haters

Actually, "if Palin is running she just bought herself one powerful weapon against those who want to smear her," says Clifton B. at Another Black Conservative. People who want to write "nasty things" about Palin now have a choice: "Either pay up or they shut down."

Thank goodness she can't trademark nicknames

I get that the Palins are trying to censor their critics, says Gryphen at The Immoral Minority. But "unless Sarah also plans on trademarking 'Granny Grifter,' 'Snowdrift Snooki,' 'The Grizzled Mama,' and 'Klondike Kardashian,'" her war on snark is doomed.

We protest!

And here we were thinking this was just "another dumb-fool thing the Palins would do," says Honolulu Notes. Well, if they think "this means we have to put ™ after their name each time we use it," let us be the first to say, "that ain’t happening in the blog-o-sphere, we promise."

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Miss USA 2011 - 51 Delegates Interview (Q2 - Evolution taught in school)

Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, will be held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 19, 2011. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih of Michigan will crown her successor at the end of this event. Miss USA 2011 will represent the United States at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. For the first time ever, one of the fifteen semifinalists will be selected exclusively by fans via online voting and SMS messaging.

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