In order to assess their suitability for adopting a Vietnamese orphan, a Miss Taylor, who had run a Saigon orphanage, stayed with the Previn family for a weekend. At breakfast on the first morning, she asked if she might have a bowl of cereal. Eager to please, Andre Previn reached for the health-food cereal that his two small sons consumed with delight every morning and poured Miss Taylor a generous bowlful. While she ate, he held forth on the nutritional value of the cereal. Miss Taylor made no reply, however, until her bowl was empty.

"To be quite honest," she admitted, "I'm not crazy about it."

Previn's glance happened to fall on the jar from which he had served Miss Taylor. "I'm not surprised," he said slowly, "I've just made you eat a large dish of hamster food."

Richard Lewis: Actor, Writer, Comedian...

In the 2000 media guide for their men's basketball team, Ohio State University included a section on distinguished alumni, among them the comedian and actor Richard Lewis (Class of 1969). While Lewis was delighted to be included, he was less pleased with the description which accompanied his photo: "Actor, Writer, Comedian, Drunk."
University officials investigated the prank and profusely apologized to Lewis (a recoving alcoholic who had filmed several public service spots about binge drinking on college campuses). The guide's editor, Gary Emig, later explained that he had scribbled "drunk" in an early draft - and had forgotten to take it out. He was promptly fired.

Anecdote of the day



When David Niven joined the army during the last war [World War II] he became involved in one of those tedious military exercises carried out as rehearsals for the real thing. On this occasion, the general commanding our side thought it would be a good idea to try out the merits of homing pigeons as message carriers and rashly selected Niven for the task. Accordingly he found himself ensconced comfortably enough in a pub well behind the 'enemy' lines, from which he was supposed to send back information about troop movements. However, as the hours slipped past, nothing whatever happened, and the pigeons cooed away happily in their baskets. Finally, feeling he must justify himself in some way, Niven encoded a message, attached it to a bird's leg, and released it.
"Perhaps surprisingly, it duly arrived and everyone, including the general, clustered round the signals officer while he decoded the message. It read, 'I have been sent home for pissing in my basket.'"

In September 2002, Toni Braxton sent an advance copy of "Me and My Boyfriend" to Def Jam president Kevin Lilles. Shortly thereafter, according to Braxton, Jay-Z and Beyonce released a new single whose tune was almost identical to hers. Their song's title? "Bonnie & Clyde"!

One day King George stopped to have an egg at a small village inn - and was shocked to find that he had been charged a guinea. "Eggs must be very scarce around here," the king remarked as he paid the bill. "Oh, no, Sire," the innkeeper replied with a smile, "it is kings that are scarce!"