Eddie Munster, played by Butch Patrick

I was always a big fan of The Addams Family, more so than The Munsters, but this is a good story … read all about it in today’s High 5:

MAY THEY LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER: This was too good to pass up. Remember Eddie Munster? Yeah, that Eddie Munster from the 1960s sitcom The Munsters. His real name is Butch Patrick and it was announced this weekend Little Eddie — errr, Butch … — is now 57 and marrying Donna McCall, 55, who was his “biggest fan” when the show aired. They used to correspond then they were kids, but eventually lost contact. She recently tracked him down via the Internet and … voila! They eventually exchanegd phone numbers, began to talk, then met, they hit it off, he asked her to marry him and she said yes. Now, that is a Hollywood ending.

FOUND ON FACEBOOK: “So it’s 150-160 degrees outside right now and I am mowing the yard. Next I get to go camping in this heat.  (My mom) raised one idiot, and that would be me.”

OVERRATED: Wednesday Addams.

UNDERRATED: Pugsley Addams.

IDOL ANNOUNCEMENT: It appears American Idol producers will announce the lineup of judges for the coming season sometime on Monday. Hot rumors are that Jennifer Lopez will be one of the critics, but nothing is cast in stone — yet. And don’t rule out the possibility for an entire new cast of judges, meaning both Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi could get dumped.

Ellen DeGeneres

American Idol news is coming fast and furious this week … catch up with the latest in today’s High 5:

HERE WE GO … : The announcement that Ellen DeGeneres will not return as a judge to America’s longstanding No. 1-rated television how, American Idol, is simply great news. She was horrible and added absolutely nothing to the program. At first, I was hopeful she could provide a needed spark from the fourth judge’s chair, but it became painfully obvious as the season progressed she was not a good — or comfortable — fit for the position. It will be interesting to see in the coming weeks how the show’s powers-to-be handle this situation. With icon Simon Cowell’s  judge’s chair also empty — remember, he left to pursue interests in his new X Factor show — will Idol revert back to the three-judge format, or find two replacements in rather rapid fashion. The show is scheduled to begin filming for the 2010 season in mid-September. There are also published reports that former producer Nygel Lythgoe, who left two years ago in a dispute with Cowell, may return as part of the show’s reinvention. While holding on to the No. 1 rating a sixth straight year, Idol saw its Nielsen numbers take a serious nosedive in the second half of last season. A lackluster cast of finalists, coupled with the “Ellen problem” on the judges’ panel, all played into the woeful showing for the one-time juggernaut. Among the latest names surfacing as replacements for DeGeneres and/or Cowell are Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx, Chris Isaak, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and Bret Michaels.

FOUND ON FACEBOOK: “Does anyone know the magic trick for getting gum off of my daughter’s head, face, eyelids, sheets and PJ’s?” (I remember those days … )

OVERRATED: Spider-Man.

UNDERRATED: James Bond.

MILESTONE: The Black Eyed Peas’ hit “I Gotta Feeling” has become the first song to reach the 6 million mark in digital downloads. Earlier this year, the song was No. 1 on the charts for 14 straight weeks. (And on a personal note, my daughter, Kaysi, had that song played at her wedding reception in June as the bridal party entered the hall.)

It’s easy tell football is right around the corner. It’s almost time for the new Madden football game … all that and more in today’s High 5:

GAME ON: One of the true giants in gaming history, the EA Sports Madden NFL football franchise, will release its latest edition Aug. 10. Before Madden NFL 11 hits store shelves, EA Sports released some interesting numbers about last year’s game. Here are some online gaming statistics that do not include the gazillions of hours of home play or the time spent by players trying to perfect their teams:

– More than 120 million games have been played online in Madden NFL 10. “That means that Madden fans logged approximately 2 billion minutes of online gameplay since the game was released last August, ” according to writer Robert Klemko.

Here are some other interesting tidbits for all you Maddenheads out there:

– Most popular team: Dallas Cowboys
– Least popular team: St. Louis Rams
– Quarterback with the most passing touchdowns: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
– Quarterback with the most interceptions: Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings
– Number of stiff-arms attempted: 300 million
– Percentage of successful stiff-arms: 23%
– Running back with the most touchdowns: Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans
– Running back with the most fumbles: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings.

FOUND ON FACEBOOK: “Had an awesome workout!!!!! It feels good to sweat!!!” (No it doesn’t.)

OVERRATED: Queen, with or without Freddie Mercury.

UNDERRATED: Miss Adams County Fair Queen.

NEW LOOK: Comedian and television host Drew Carey has lost 70 pounds since April. So how did he do it? He is reportedly using a “custom-made appetite suppressant administered by a Hollywood nutritionist,” according to The National Enquirer. (Hmmm …. is anyone else suspicious?)

I named my son Geoff and later wanted to name my daughter Steoff (short for Steoffanie), but my wife said no way (but not quite that politely) … with that in mind, here’s today’s High 5:

NAME GAME: The “Most Unusual Names of the Decade” list, compiled by Bounty Parenting Club, a parenting organization, uncovered some truly bizarre names after combing through through the millions of recorded names given to newborns over the past decade. The poll of more than 3,000 parents also found more than one in 10 parents regretted their decision to veer from the norm. Bounty spokeswoman Faye Mingo said, “It’s great to see parents being creative and wanting their children to  stand out from the crowd with more unusual names, but there are a few names … that children may find hard to live up to. The majority of parents polled said their unusual choice was because they didn’t want their child to share anyone else’s name.” But she added: “Parents do need to think very carefully about everything  that comes attached to an unusual moniker as it can definitely shape a child’s experiences from how they are treated at school and beyond.” With that in mind, enjoy:

A future, Shy, Puppy, Porsche, Victory or Bean?

TOP 20 MOST UNUSUAL NAMES

1. Shy
2. Unity
3. Bean
4. Zowie
5. Puppy
6. Ice
7. Victory
8. Porsche
9. D’Andre
10. Denim
11. Diesel
12. Armani
13. Rooney
14. Bowie
15. Cobain
16. Stone
17. Gift
18. Echo
19. Heaven
20. Maroon

FOUND ON FACEBOOK: “Remember this weather people when it’s minus-5 and windy in January.”

OVERRATED: French fries.

UNDERRATED: Buffalo chips at Wild Wings.

TOP CHOICES: Earlier this week I made the comment here about how good the cable shows were these days, especially the dramas on TNT, USA and A&E. I had a few inquiries asking how I would rank my faves, so here you go:

1. White Collar: I love the back-and-forth between lead characters Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) and Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). Supporting actor Willie Garson (Mazzi) is also excellent. (USA)
2. Leverage: A great ensemble. The weakest link may be the gang’s ringleader, played by Timothy Hutton, who overacts in almost every scene. Otherwise, it would be my No. 1 cable show. (TNT)
3. Burn Notice: This semi-action thriller continues to move up the list. I’m a sucker for a little espionage. (USA)
4. Rizzoli and Isles: Could be the sleeper of the summer. It is attracting fans like crazy. Angie Harmon, who plays detective Jane Rizzoli of the Boston police force, could be Emmy material.
5. Covert Affairs: Piper Perabo gets better with each episode in what is another espionage-tinged effort.
Honorable mention: The Glades (A&E).

Angie Harmon, left, and Sasha Alexander of "Rizzoli and Isles."

Google or Yahoo? Yahoo or Google? It’s a Coke-Pepsi thing, I think … anyway, here’s the latest edition of the High 5:

THE GOOGLE 10: Another look at the 10 most-seached items on Google:

1. Wikileaks: I love corporate whistleblowers.
2. Oil spill: I think this will be in the top 10 for the rest of our lives.
3. Tony Hayward: Mr. BP, what a guy.
4. Terrell Owens: He’s kind of the NFL’s version of Lindsay Lohan.
5. Mel Gibson: Remember when he was relevant?
6. BP: OK, three out of the top six is a bit much.
7. Illegal immigration: I’m betting a lot of these log-ins were from Arizona.
8. iPhone: Despite the problems, I still wish I had one.
9. IMAC: Wouldn’t mind one of these eithers.
10. Barack Obama: Might be having a worse year than the Cubs.

GOOD VIEWING: I’m really getting hooked on Rizzoli and Isles, the new Boston police drama with Angie Harmon and Sasha Alesxander. The show follows detective Jane Rizzoli (Harmon) and medical examiner Maura Isles (Alexander), complete opposites and good friends who solve crimes and bust some of Boston’s most notorious criminals. They also bust some great one-liners. It’s on Mondays at 9 p.m. (CT) on TNT. More and more, I’m convinced the best shows are on cable — and it’s not even close anymore.

FOUND ON FACEBOOK: “Just realized white pants are see thru in rain. Great! Here’s my sign.”

OVERRATED: Kramer vs. Kramer.

UNDERRATED: Kramer.

It’s one of my favorite nights of the year . Tuesday marks the return of World Series of Poker to ESPN. This should be a national holiday … all that and more in today’s High 5:

ALL IN: The World Series of Poker returns Tuesday night to ESPN. I can’t play Texas Hold ‘Em worth a lick, but I love this event. I will see just about each and every minute of every telecast between now and the final table in November. More than anything else, it’s the personalities who draw me to watch. The Great Dane. Mike the Mouth. The Poker Brat. The Orient Express. Lady Luck. If you have to ask who those people are, you have not watched enough TV poker. Tonight’s opening episode hits the air at 7, with  Lon McEachern and Norman Chad back to make the calls. Lon is the straight man for Norman’s humor, which is so bad it’s hilarious. Opening night kicks off with two hours dedicated to the $50,000 buy-in Poker Player’s Championship. One hundred and sixteen of the most decorated players in the game generated a prize pool of $5.6 million in a mixed game event which tests players in eight different disciplines. I can’t wait. 

FOUND ON FACEBOOK: “Tired of these damn cigarettes. I did the math. I’m spending $400 a year on a slow death. Good day to quit.”

OVERRATED: Nicolas Cage.

UNDERRATED: Cage fighting.

THIS IS A NEW ONE: Heavy storms and scorching temperatures have failed to deter rock bands from performing at an outdoor stadium in St. Louis, but a bombardment of pigeon droppings proved too much for the Kings of Leon. The band halted the Friday night concert at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre after three songs when the infestation of birds in the arena’s rafters dropped their onslaught of feces. A statement from the band’s management company said bassist Jared Followill seemed to be a particular target of the pigeons, whose droppings were a potential health hazard. “I’m surprised they stayed on for as many songs as they did,” a spokesman said. “Jared was hit several times during the first two songs. On the third song, when he was hit in the cheek and some of it landed near his mouth, they couldn’t take it any longer. It’s not only disgusting — it’s a toxic health hazard. They really tried to hang in there. We want to apologize to our fans in St. Louis and will be back as soon as we can.” The crowd grew restless after the band walked off, then an announcement was made that the show was over for “safety reasons.” The concert promoter did not respond to interview requests on Monday but said fans will get a full refund. (What can you say? Feces happens.)

This is a strange, strange world that we’re living in these days … and in New Jersey it just got a little stranger. See what we mean in today’s High 5:

YIKES: New Jersey has often been the butt of many jokes, and this will probably add to that list. “Every single contract that does not go to the core function of our city in providing safe streets, providing fire protection or other things to keep our city afloat will now be cut,” said Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, N.J., who announced drastic cuts in the city’s budget, including no longer providing toilet paper for city workers. (I guess that gives new meaning to the term “running home for lunch.”)

OVERRATED: Timothy Hutton, Leverage. 

UNDERRATED: Kiele Sanchez, The Glades.

THE GOOGLE 10: The 10 most-searched items at this writing:

1. Pakistan: So are they our friends or not?
2. BP: So are they our friends or not?
3. Stress tests: I probably need one.
4. Dan Haren: Now an Angel, but is it enough to allow them to catch the Rangers in the A.L. West?
5. Juan Pablo Montoya: And somehow he manages to blow another Brickyard 400 victory.
6. New York Mets: Jose Reyes is their coolest player.
7. Iowa: May be the second-best football team in the Big Ten behind Ohio State.
8. Tropical Storm Bonnie: Glad I live in Illinois.
9. India: So are they our friends or not?
10. Afghanistan: So are they our friends or not?

Dee Snider during his "Twisted Sister" days.

Just what the world needs, another new reality TV show … read all about it in today’s High 5:

TWISTED: A&E is introducing a new reality show at 9 p.m. (CT) Tuesday, Growing Up Twisted, about the life and times of veteran rocker Dee Snider and his family. Snider, 55, was/is the frontman for Twisted Sister, the “We’re Not Gonna Take It” crew from the 1980s. Snider, now a grandfather, is no rookie when it comes to reality TV. Hee was on CMT’s Gone Country and his rocker son Jesse Blaze, 27, was the 2008 runner-up in MTV’s Rock the Cradle. The rest of the children include comedic actor/writer Shane, 22, filmmaker/writer/director Cody Blue, 20, and singer Cheyenne, 13. Snider told USA Today is aware they’re not the first rock star family to have a reality show, but he’s not worried about any comparisons. “There’s a huge difference between The Osbournes and the Sniders,” he says. “I love Ozzy and Sharon and they’re great but we wouldn’t survive two seconds in their household and they wouldn’t survive two seconds in ours.” Snider’s wife of 34 years, Suzette, will also be a key figure in the program. (I’m keeping an open mind on this one. It could be interesting.”

FOUND ON FACEBOOK: “Idiots are fun, no wonder every village wants one.”

OVERRATED: Dog Day Afternoon.

UNDERRATED: Reservoir Dogs.

SOUND FAMILIAR?: The No. 1 song in the country two years ago on this day was “I Kissed A Girl,” by Katy Perry. These were the No. 1 songs on this day in:

1993: “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” by UB40.
1989: “Toy Soldiers,” by Martika.
1978: “Shadow Dancing,” by Andy Gibb (I hated this song).
1977: “I Just Wanna Be Your Everything,” by Andy Gibb (I hated this song even more).
1976: “Kiss and Say Good-bye,” by the Manhattans.
1965: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” Rolling Stones.

Natalie Portman

Why Natalie Portman hasn’t won an Oscar yet, and other great mysteries of the universe in today’s High 5:

TODAY’S TOP-10 SEARCHED ITEMS ON YAHOO: This looks like a list to have some fun with:

1. Natalie Portman: I’ve always been a big fan of hers, back to her days in The Professional and Beautiful Girls, but I don’t feel Portman, now 29, has ever quite reached the max of her potential. Maybe it’s been the roles she has been saddled with, I’m not sure, but it seems like there is an Oscar winner inside all of that talent and beauty we have yet to see.
2. Zsa Zsa Gabor: She is 93 years old. Ninety-three!
3. Michael C. Hall: I have no idea why this B-list actor would be the No. 3-searched item.
4. Kate Gosselin: Aren’t her 15 minutes up … YET?
5. Babystitting: I’ve got three grandsons. I know all about this.
6. Al Jarreau: Smooth, smooth voice.
7. Healthy Dinners: Don’t know what they are.
8. Giant jellyfish: Never plan on seeing one.
9. World War Z: The next great flesh-eating zombie movie.
10. Ford: Another profitable quarter for the U.S. automaker. U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

FOUND ON FACEBOOOK: “Am having an Extreme Blonde day… Worse than usual, you should probably be concerned.” (I am. Believe me, I am.)

OVERRATED: e.e. cummings.

UNDERRATED: C.C. Sabathia.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT (pun intended, of course): I saw this somewhere online the other day: “I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.”

One of the all-time great movie franchises will be ending its run later this year … Saw will truly be missed. Read all about it in today’s High 5:

THE END: Say it ain’t so. Please, say it ain’t so. After seven movies, more than $730 million in worldwide box office and 30 million DVDs sold, the grisly horror franchise Saw is hanging it up after the final film, Saw 3D, out Oct. 29. Producers and star Tobin Bell will make the announcement Friday. “It’s time to stop,” says Oren Koules, a producer on all the Saw movies. “We have told the story we wanted to tell, and this is going to be a great farewell.” That’s probably code for “gruesome,” reports USA Today. The franchise, about a booby-trap-building psycho, became the titan of horror films with its intricate, deadly devices: a dirty needle pit; a razor box that peels skin like onions; a reverse bear trap that rips open the jaw. But that’s child’s play compared with the final film, reports the newspaper,which was shot in 3-D and will feature 11 booby traps, nearly double the average for previous films. The film was re-edited and submitted six times to the Motion Picture Association of America to bring it from an NC-17 to an R rating. “I’m surprised we got it,” says producer Mark Burg. “It’s more violent than any of them. But it’s in 3-D, it answers all the questions, it comes full circle. We have the goods on this one.” (What will Halloween be without the Saw movies. It’s a family tradition in our home to go see the new Saw each October. This is truly a sad, sad day.) 

FOUND ON FACEBOOK: “I need to wash my car. Hopefully it’ll rain soon.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger

OVERRATED: Colby Lewis.

UNDERRATED: Colbie Caillat.

PLAY NICE, ARNOLD: The Associated Press reports, “The Terminator is taking a few shots at the Road Warrior. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wise-cracked about Mel Gibson, comparing him to the Gulf of Mexico oil leak. Schwarzenegger told a group of utility commissioners in Sacramento that while BP appears to have contained its well, “no one has figured out how to contain Mel Gibson.” A celebrity website has posted audio recordings of what it says are Gibson’s profanity-laced tirades against his ex-girlfriend. Schwarzenegger also told participants to turn off their cellphones “because we are expecting a call from him.” Gibson spokesman Alan Nierob says he is happy to hear that Schwarzenegger is maintaining a sense of humor, adding, “He’s obviously paving the way for a return to showbiz.”