Just a gigolo cinema
POSTED August 19, 6:22 PM
Young men with ulterior motives pursue older or unattractive (by Hollywood standards) women in these acclaimed films.

  • The Heiress (1949) -- Montgomery Clift (earning a Christopher Walken Creepy Factor of 7) woos emotionally abused Olivia de Havilland in her Oscar-winning role, but Father (Ralph Richardson) knows a fortune hunter when he sees one.
  • The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) -- Professional boy toy Warren Beatty (who later perfected the aging lothario) callously uses Vivien Leigh, playing yet another Tennessee Williams tragically fading beauty.  Procurer Lotta Lenya got the Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.
  • Sunset Boulevard (1950) -- Film buffs revere Gloria Swanson's diva performance, but William Holden as the screenwriter/kept man shouldn't be ignored for subtlety.  The screenplay won the Oscar.
  • Pal Joey (1954) -- Bad boy Frank Sinatra won a Golden Globe loving and leaving Rita Hayworth.  Okay, she wasn't older or unattractive, but he was still gold-digging for his own nightclub and true love Kim Novak was younger.
  • Sweet Bird of Youth (1963) -- Paul Newman hopes for a professional boost from crazy drunk Geraldine Page.  At the same time, he chases his former hometown sweetheart, whose vengeful dad Ed Begley won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.  Tennessee Williams (arguably a man with an Oedipal complex) again, although the play was cinematically emasculated instead of the main character.  

 

For more info: Lonely people of both genders and all ages are vulnerable to Romance Scams.
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Monsters coming out of the closet
POSTED August 16, 9:11 PM
With Gawker's recent fascination with the likely viral movie campaign Montauk Monster, the Bigfoot press conference by admitted hoaxsters, and the Chupacabra video, one has to wonder:  What cultural trends (besides a slow news day) coincide with... Read More
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RNC repudiated delegate terrorist tactics -- in 1920
POSTED August 13, 6:19 AM
 Politics has always been a caustic business and political conventions are no exception.  The same recriminations resurface over the years.Unfair delegate manipulation?  Check.Voter fraud?  Check.Last minute procedural scams? ... Read More
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RNC protests already?
POSTED August 12, 5:44 AM
Evidence that some feeling scammed by the Man began culture jams in Minneapolis/St. Paul.Chris Steller of the Minnesota Independent reported this as the first large example of RNC graffito.  (Note the letters emphasized in red.)This is the Minneapolis... Read More
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Olympic doping
POSTED August 10, 9:58 PM
On August 10, Bob Costas asked President Bush a long, convoluted question about performance-enhancing drugs in the Olympics and baseball, ending with "How do you, as an American, trust the integrity of the sports you watch?" President... Read More
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The Big Beijing Ticket Scam
POSTED August 7, 11:45 PM
Beijing ticket scalping may be small potatoes compared to the worldwide fraud allegedly conducted by Beijingticketing.com and other websites operated by XL&H, Ltd. linked to Terance Shephard, reportedly hiding in Barbados.  At least... Read More
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Back to school trouble
POSTED August 5, 6:33 PM
 In St. Joseph, Missouri, a shady operator stating affiliation with the local school went door-to-door selling school calendars and uniforms.  Trouble is, the school never heard of him.A similar scenario happened in the Scam... Read More
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Losing weight in a chair and other dreams
POSTED August 3, 8:59 PM
Just like get-rich-quick schemes demanding minimal work, people will probably always dream of airbrushed beauty, instant good health, passive exercise and effortless weight loss.  How else do you explain infomercials?MSNBC's health blog "Does... Read More
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Identifying the good guys and the bad guys
POSTED August 1, 8:57 PM
The FBI is one hundred years old in 2008, so its website currently offers notorious crime recaps, highlight videos, and top ten lists celebrating its history.  Here's a recent Famous Faces quiz:   Do you know who these people are and how... Read More
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Promoting Denver's image through the DNC
POSTED July 30, 9:27 AM
As Denver busies itself preparing for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, including giving homeless residents free zoo, museum and movie passes so delegates, protesters and media won't bother them (and the reverse), the city nostalgically looks... Read More
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Karin Malchow
Gullible suburban mother of four regularly duped in her half-century life. Exploring hoaxes and schemes as the ExSCAMiner, she attempts answering the nagging question: Should I have fallen for that? Got scam tips, email Karin at ScamExaminer@gmail.com.



 
 

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