Yanks take up a Beautiful cause

The defending World Series champs will bring a little HOPE to an Orange County group after tomorrow's game.
As part of the New York Yankees' HOPE Week, the Yanks' players, coaches and staff will play baseball with kids from Beautiful People, a Warwick-based group that works with children with physical and developmental challenges.

Last year, the Bronx Bombers similarly helped make dreams come true for campers from Camp Sundown, located in nearby Craryville.

The Force was with Mickey & Co.

This shot, taken this past weekend, might be the most amazing photograph ever snapped! For this one picture captures in one spot two of my biggest loves in life: "Star Wars" and Walt Disney World. (If the backdrop inside Disney's Hollywood Studios looks familiar, click here and you'll see why.)

Yes, that is George Lucas, creator of the "Star Wars" saga, and R2-D2 posing alongside the Disney gang, draped out in "Star Wars" garb. Over the weekend, Jedi fans and Sith supporters alike converged on Orlando for "Star Wars" Celebration V, an annual convention for everything Lucas-like. From exhibits, autograph signings and entertainment, among other attractions, the annual Celebration gatherings offer geeks fans like me everything they could ask for. Think of it like "Star Wars" Weekends under one roof. Though I've always steered clear of comic-book conventions (although I do enjoy the occasional baseball card show), I would love — l-o-v-e — it if New York ever hosted a similar Celebration.

Anyway ... Lucas made his way to the aforementioned (and nearby) Disney's Hollywood Studios for a few photographs, including the above shot which has now overtaken this shot of Lucas as my favorite of all-time.

"Judge Judy" rules, case closed!

This is a shameless plug, I admit, but please indulge me for a few seconds...
Just in case you missed this past Sunday's "Our Turn" column, I highly recommend it. Sure, I wrote it, but more importantly, it's about one of my favorite celebrities: Judge Judy, seen here.

Afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m., her honor is appointment television at my house, as I often DVR her show and watch it later at night after work.

More than just another court show, "Judge Judy" is about common sense ... or more precisely, people who don't have it! Between some of the nonsensical cases that are brought before her to the way some litigants act in front of the judge, many times I finish watching the show thinking, Is this where we're headed? Are there really people like that out there?! Not only that, while Judge Judy might be harsh at times, she's always right! If you're an idiot in front of her 10 million daily viewers, she's going to let you know it. In four words: I love Judge Judy.

So, go ahead, check out my column but more importantly, watch her show!

It was a Steve Carrell weekend!

Having already proclaimed my affinity for "The Office," I spent a recent weekend giving one of the show's stars some of my money. Within a 48-hour span two weeks ago, I took in a pair of Steve Carrell's summer films, spanning the best and not-so-best he's got to offer.

The first was "Despicable Me," which had some good moments but kind of left me asking, Why did they make this movie? There was nothing really special about it, though the three little girls — Margo, Edith and Agnes — were totally adorable ... yes, even as CGI characters. Still, the story was sort of lacking and there was really nothing so special that, in my opinion, would have made studio heads say, "We need to make this movie!" Additionally, Steve Carrell's character could have been voiced just as well by any number of actors; there was nothing particularly good (or bad, to be fair) about his performance. I'd give the movie a solid C grade.

But what a difference just 24 hours can make!

The following night, we took in the opening night of "Dinner for Schmucks," which is easily Steve Carrell's best work since "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" back in 2005. I don't even know where to begin: Perhaps that we laughed from the opening credits all the way to the end credits! From rodent taxidermy to supposed mind control, this movie has everything. I was expecting the actual dinner, which is touted in the title, to take up the majority of the screen time, but it's actually a small portion of the movie at the end, but it's totally worth the wait. By far, this was the funniest movie I've seen all year — partially because I actually know someone eerily similar to Steve Carrell's Barry Speck character — and easily earns an A+ in my book.

Of course, these flicks just make me want the new season of "The Office," Steve Carrell's last on the show, to get here sooner!

Two "30 Rock"s down, two to go...

It happened at 1:19 this morning, but I finished watching the second season of "30 Rock."

It took just over a month since I after I finished watching the first season of the NBC hit show for me to complete Season 2. And let me tell you: The show gets better and better. In fact, it makes me regret not watching these earlier episodes the first time they were on the air. In my defense, though, you might remember when "30 Rock" debuted on NBC, a show with a similar premise, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," debuted on CBS. I remember trying to watch the latter once or twice when it came out, but it was just a horrible show. Hence, painting with a broad stroke, I lumped "30 Rock" along with the CBS flop and simply dismissed it. Big mistake! Now, I'm paying for that gaffe, as I try to catch up on the first four seasons I've missed before the fifth season starts on Sept. 23rd.

Here's the problem: It's taken me roughly a month each to get through the first two seasons. I'll have to double up my efforts, likely watching two or even three episodes per viewing to catch up before Season 5 begins.

Once more, wish me luck...

And now a word from our sponsor...

This is now my new favorite TV commercial of all-time:

Long a fan of Geico's TV ads, I sang the praises of their cavemen back in 2007 as one of my very first posts here on "Sean's Space." This lil' piggy, though, makes me literally laugh out loud every time I see him!

Maybe it's a nod to my love of animals, that Geico piggy commercial replaces my old favorite TV commercial of all-time, seen here:

Seriously, as if this lil' "pooper" wasn't cute enough, just listen to what he's saying about his dog food — and look at how proud he looks! — and try to tell me this isn't one of the best ads ever.

Marky leaves his Mark on H-wood Blvd.

Caught up in all the Chelsea-mania last week, somehow I missed this one...

Yes, that is Mark Wahlberg, accepting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on July 29; his star is located at 6259 Hollywood Boulevard. Back in early 1992, I remember seeing him — then known as Marky Mark — as he came to Poughkeepsie on tour with his Funky Bunch (that's $72 I'll never see again!) and now he's getting a star on Hollwood Blvd.?! Not only is he the brother of New Kids On The Block member Donnie Wahlberg, but Mark was also an original member of the New Kids before leaving the group because he wanted more of an urban, street sound.

Last week was a busy one in Tinseltown for the acting Wahlberg brothers.

A day before Mark's ceremony, Donnie took part in this panel discussion with co-star Tom Selleck during a press tour for "Blue Bloods," their new cop drama set to debut on CBS this fall.

Prez gives away auto before daughter

And I thought I hit the celebrity jackpot in Rhinebeck last weekend prior to Chelsea's wedding!
Well, turns out my 10-year-old buddy Andrew outdid me, hitting the mother load leading up to Chelsea Clinton's wedding. His "get?" Oh, just the father of the bride ... and a former president of the United States!

Click the video and watch Andrew being interviewed by Fox News after he got the John Hancock of Bill Clinton. Really, though, look at Andrew ... who can say "no" to that face?!

Brand gives "Arthur" one Moore try

Ever the celebrity hunter, "someone I know" came up with this latest gem earlier this week...
That's actor/comedian Russell Brand (center) on the set of the remake of the 1981 film "Arthur" outside Grand Central Terminal.

The movie, set to be released next year, also reportedly stars Jennifer Garner and Nick Nolte. Brand will star as the title character first played by Dudley Moore.

Recording tunes is fair with Mayer

It's a musical math equation. Follow me here:
John Mayer > The Doobie Brothers

If you remember this classic "What's Happening!!" episode, you'll remember the Doobies got all mad when Rerun was caught bootlegging their concert with that bulky 1978 tape recorder under his trenchcoat.

Well, Mr. Mayer takes a more fan-friendly approach to recording his performances.
Check out my ticket to last night's John Mayer/Train concert in Sullivan County. Now look two lines behind John's name: Audio OK. How cool is that?!

So, of course, I took advantage of John's generosity!

Always the quick thinker, I set my cell phone to RECORD, placed it with the microphone facing the stage and went on to record the next 90 minutes or so of the concert. Thanks, John Mayer! Between hits like "Heartbreak Warfare" and "Waiting On The World To Change" — not to mention a really good cover of Prince's "Raspberry Beret" — I got 'em all on my phone. Considering how far we were from the stage, though, and the quality of the sound reproduction, the actual music sounds like it was recorded by Rerun back in '78.

Still, it was pretty cool that when many musicians fight against file-sharing when it comes to their songs, John Mayer is good enough to let fans leave his shows with a free souvenir.