It was 10 years ago this week that Phil Hartman died. We won't rehash the circumstances of his death, though, because that's not why we're here. We are here to pay tribute to the immensely talented man, who lives on through his outstanding work on Saturday Night Live, NewsRadio (40 episodes of NewsRadio are online), and The Simpsons

BOARD GAMES
5 years ago
May 30, 2003 | Chris Wright extolled the advantages of an online social life.
“The thing is, my online social life has everything I could wish for. There's tenderness: ‘My condolences to you and your family.’ There's ribbing: ‘Chris, you are one dumb mule.’ There's fighting: ‘Of course I was insulting you, dumbfuck.

CANNES, FRANCE -- Breaking news from the Cote d'Azur: Laurent Cantet's The Class, a kind of Gallic Half Nelson about boundary-pushing kids in a blackboard jungle, has taken the big Palme d'Or from Sean Penn's Cannes Film Festival Jury. Which is fine with me -- I like the movie. But I'd be remiss here not to give a l'il shout out to another deserving Cannes film, Albert Serra's El Cant Dels Ocells (Birdsong), an ultra-minimalist cross between The Gospel According to St.

NOT TO MENTION THAT FAMOUS FRENCH STENCH
5 years ago
May 23, 2003 | Steve Almond asked that Bush and Co. consider invading France.
“What the Bush regime needs to realize (and I think, deep down, it does) is that Americans are ready for a war against France. The recent squabble over Iraq is really just a symptom of a bone-deep, longstanding hatred between these two nations.

NOT TO MENTION THAT FAMOUS FRENCH STENCH
5 years ago
May 23, 2003 | Steve Almond asked that Bush and Co. consider invading France.
“What the Bush regime needs to realize (and I think, deep down, it does) is that Americans are ready for a war against France. The recent squabble over Iraq is really just a symptom of a bone-deep, longstanding hatred between these two nations.

"Exposed," the front page story of this weekend's Times magazine (already posted online) feels like one long LiveJournal entry by former Gawker editor Emily Gould, and the internets are already abuzz about it. The ten-page story details everything from Gould's experiences at Gawker, to her high-drama relationships, and it's peppered with photos of Gould lazing about, with slightly greasy hair and flower tattoos on display, trying a bit too earnestly to look seductive and nonchalant with her laptop.

CANNES, FRANCE ― The nearest that yours truly ever got to George Lucas, Harrison Ford, and Steven Spielberg was the balcony above the tent for their big photo call at their big Crystal Skull press conference in Cannes. See the back of George’s white-haired head (or crystal skull?) in the middle of my amateur snapshot above? See the arm that’s wrapped around his shoulders? That’s Harry’s arm. Now: See that little stub on the other side of Harry’s back? The thing that looks like a claw? That’s his other arm― or I’m pretty sure it’s his other arm, mostly hidden from my camera’s sight as it cradles another guy: another guy with tons and tons of cash, but with less height than the other two, a guy by the name of Steve. He’s the guy who made Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 ― and who raided Raiders thrice since, not to mention the archeological dig he pulled on our precious pocketbooks.

The critic’s thumb meanwhile ― in relation to Episode IV, a new hope for Indy fans, opening wide on Thursday ― is pointed...well, it’s pointed up, in fact. Not straight up, perhaps, but the thumb is distinctly erect ― excited, juiced, manly, action-packed, like the flick. Said thumb is the same one I used to push the “record” button on my l’il digital doohickey while the sounds of said press conference were beamed as if by magic to every TV set in the gargantuan Palais des Festivals, Ground Zero of Cannes. The fruits of that great labor are hereby presented to you below ― free of charge. Just a transcript of some loaded old dudes with crystal skulls flappin’ their lips about a movie en route to raiding your treasure chest.

― Rob Nelson 

The first question was wondering whether there was there any sort of communist pressure on Mr. Spielberg to create this movie?

Spielberg: You want me to actually try to answer that question?

Spike Lee gives reviewers a super-advance sneak peak of his upcoming Miracle at St. Anna

This is an AP photo.

There's not much more that needs to be said at this point: Paul Pierce had the game of his life at the best possible time, helping the Celtics withstand an amazing effort by LeBron James. You can read more about it here, here, here, and (at some point today, presumably) here and here.

- Ryan Stewart

BAD TIMES
5 years ago
May 16, 2003 | Dan Kennedy called for “tougher standards” in journalism in the wake of the Jayson Blair scandal.
“Yet by purging Blair, it would be wrong to think that all is now well at the Times, or in journalism. Tougher standards are needed. We all deserve better. I was struck by a comment that Alex Jones, director of the Joan Shorenstein Center.

John Edwards endorsed Obama. Barry Bonds got indicted on 15 counts of perjury and obstruction of justice. And there were a bunch of celebs at the Celtics' playoff game the other night. Care? Or who cares?!? The Sandbox guys pose the question to Phoenix editor Lance Gould, Sarah Faith Alterman, and Henry Santoro. Listen to the mp3 here.

Images via //flickr.com/photos/thomasbrand/

They invited the print-edition people but not us webkinz to the grand-opening of the most hugenormous Apple store in America; a couple of the lucky ones came back raving that it's prettier than the new ICA. Sacrilege! In any case, we're reduced to Flickring and YouTubing our way around this mammoth, green-friendly fortress of Appletude until we can get our asses down there this weekend.

TMZ reports that Rob Lowe -- yes, that Rob Lowe -- was spotted in town farting ("loudly"!) to illustrate what he thinks of the Boston Celtics. Good thing this didn't get out the other night. We shudder to think what would happen if Lowe were to make a return visit to the Garden on Sunday (if necessary, natch), and the Celtics faithful were to reply all at once.