Imagine if Ryan Seacrest accidentally announced the wrong winner for American Idol on live TV, then had to take it back. The entire US would come to a stop.

That’s kind of what happened in the UK at the “Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up” song selection competition.

It was down to two: the group Scooch and the singer Cyndi. Only one could represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest. After dragging it out for as long as possible, the two hosts both yelled out (at the same time) a different winner. Oops.

Check out video of this embarrassing mistake here.

The winning performance can also be seen there. And the winning song is now available to buy on iTunes.

And yes, thanks to entertainment shows and tabloid magazines, the controversy rages on in the UK.

I have a confession to make. I have become officially obsessed with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 for PSP. I admit this freely.

I got a PSP a few months ago, started playing it, and now I realize I can’t stop. You know how some games just get into your brain; you close your eyes, and you still see the patterns going on? That’s how this is with me.

It’s a very involved game, and golfers – you’ll sympathize with my plight when I tell you the graphics are incredible (as you can see):

When I pick up the PSP, it feels like I’m really playing Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, Spyglass Hill; courses that I’ll never play in my lifetime. During 32 consecutive days below freezing here, I’m sure I was using the game to mentally escape the cold Buffalo Winter, and it worked. Now, I predict, that when I do hit the driving range for real, I’ll be really bummed that I can’t drive it 400 yards, though.

Anyway, my poor wife is very tired of the PSP now. She hasn’t hidden it from me yet, but there may be an intervention coming…

I try not to be political here, but no matter what your feelings are about the war in Iraq, the sad reality is that thousands of our best and brightest are being killed there. Whether that’s for a good reason or not is for you to decide.

The latest issue of Newsweek quotes dozens of our young soldiers, in heartbreaking letters and emails home to their friends and families. Here’s one of many entries quoted:

“Never forget that your daddy loves you more than anything and that I will be home soon.” Maj. Michael Mundell was killed by an IED while on patrol in Fallujah; the casket was closed at his funeral in Kentucky.

Ugh ugh ugh.

But instead, what are we talking about this morning? American Idol, and Sanjaya’s faux-mohawk hairstyle.

I promise a lighter mood in my next blog entry, but the Newsweek article really got to me.

–Brian

It’s interesting that with the departure of TAKEO SPIKES and KELLY HOLCOMB to the EAGLES and earlier WILLIS McGAHEE to the RAVENS the BILLS will play both PHILADELPHIA and BALTIMORE
in the upcoming season. The OFFICIAL Bills schedule will be announced in the next couple of weeks and the upcoming DRAFT
should be VERY INTERESTING with so many open positions on the team.

I love road trips and I’m so ready for the summer. But in the meantime, here’s three great mini-road trips that are perfect for this weekend…

The IX Indoor Amusement Park

It’s a gigantic indoor carnival just south of Cleveland, OH. It’s going on now through April 15th. The last time I went, there was lots of spin rides, kiddie rides, a flume, and a petting zoo.

There’s even this giant ferris wheel that took some creativity to fit in.

Playdium in Mississauga, ON

A huge arcade with all the latest games. This is easily the biggest and greatest arcade I’ve ever been to and it’s only a little over an hour from Buffalo.

On Wednesdays and Saturdays, four-hour pay-one-price options are available. Check the website for details.

And even better, afterwards, it’s close to Toronto and all the great restaurants and music stores there.

Strong Museum

About an hour away in downtown Rochester. This is not a boring museum. If you’ve got kids, this is the place to take them this weekend. Even without kids, it’s a fun place.

Surrounded by Canada, Pennsylvania & the Fingerlakes, we’re right in the heart of everything. If you know of any other great road trips, e-mail me at janthony@entercom.com.

STAR 102.5 BLUE MAN GROUP WINNERS!

Congrats and thanks to all who entered. The posted entries are just a small example of what came in. For the record, our winners were:

Carol Greco of Jamestown (5th row)
Mary Weimer of Scio (4th row)
Robyn Silver of Buffalo (3rd row)
Weny Merkel of Clarence (2nd row)
Joan Goble of Cheektowaga (Front Row)

If you get a chance, click on the entries on the previous posts to see some of the work!

First let me congratulate the Buffalo Sabres for being the FIRST (and still the only) NHL
Team to CLINCH a playoff berth! This year will certainly eclipse the 1999 Stanley Cup Final
Mania the Team enjoyed…you couldn’t drive anywhere in WNY without seeing those SABRE
FLAGS on vehicles. This year you can’t go anywhere without seeing people wearing their
NEW Sabre logo attire (a BRILLIANT job of marketing by the Team)…and just today we find out that there are no more PLAYOFF tickets available!

GO SABRES!!

A few more Blue Man Group entries. Pasting as many as possible!

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28452

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28413

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28383

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28375

Entries must be in by 10am Tuesday to be considered for Front Row Tickets.
Click on www.mystar1025.com for more!

Entercom had its managers meetings in New Orleans this year, and since my return I haven’t stopped thinking about my experience there. Outside of the conference itself, we had several planned excursions into the city itself, all of which changed the way I think about New Orleans.

From a tourist’s perspective, the French Quarter and Bourbon Street look really unchanged since Katrina. What most tourists know of New Orleans was bustling: stores, restaurants and clubs were open at all hours (which I love) and there was a vibe; a melding of art, music, alcohol, and history which I really haven’t seen anywhere else.

The first couple of nights I honestly wondered what all the fuss was about: I mean, Brad and Angelina live here now, the Superdome is rebuilt, everything is as it was, right?

Then we took a tour through the residential neighborhoods closer to Lake Ponchartrain; block after block of boarded up windows, empty schools and businesses, parks overgrown and filled with debris. Above is a home in the formerly desirable Lakeview area, showing how high the water line used to be. There were too many homes like this to count.

It’s been 18 months, and the sense I got driving through these areas was: why are there still so many homes like this? The tour guide said there are still dozens of homes that haven’t even been opened since the flood, which I found astounding.

Outside of Lakeview was row upon row of former rental housing – deserted. This is where the people working in the French Quarter used to live. I wondered where they live now, and what would possess landlords to just abandon their property? Needless to say, it was an eye-opening experience for me.

The folks at Entercom gave back to the community the Saturday we were there, clearing a city park of brush, trash, and debris. Here we see the Buffalo team, and me covered in river mud.

Without getting too political, let me just pose this question: what would my Katrina bus tour have looked like had just 10% of the money currently being drained into the sands of Iraq been spent helping New Orleans instead? I talked with so many normal, everyday Louisiana folks last week that just wanted help, and they couldn’t get it. Whatever your political persuasion, that’s a sad commentary, and shows a warped sense of priorities.

Ultimately, I liked New Orleans a lot. Don’t believe all the bad things you hear lately – I had a great time, walking around the French Quarter and along the riverfront, and I felt completely safe. During Friday night’s dinner at historic Antoine’s, the oldest continually run restaurant in the country (founded 1840), our party was nearly alone in the main dining hall. I asked Cedric, our waiter, what a Friday night would have been like pre-Katrina. He said “we probably would have still been seating people.”

That says a lot about New Orleans 2007. Check out this site if you’d like to get involved.

–Brian

A few more Blue Man Group Masterpieces. Hope you’ve enjoyed checking them out. Very creative! Get your entries in by Monday Night at the latest. You could end up with Front Row Tix! More details weekday mornings on STAR 102.5.

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28383

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28375

More BLUE MAN GROUP MASTERPIECE entries.
We’ll call you if you are a winner!!

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28323

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28328

Keep checking back for updates!

More Blue Man Group Entries!!! If you are a winner we will contact you. Listen to STAR 102.5 to win FRONT ROW TICKETS for BLUE MAN GROUP!

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28293

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28281

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28278

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28279

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28274

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28261

Over the next few days you’ll be able to check out many of the entries for our Blue Man Group contest here. Log onto mystar1025.com and click on the contests page to win FRONT ROW TIX!!!

Here is our first entry from Intern Brittany…who can’t win, but it’ll give you something to go by. http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28203

More entries below! Keeping checking back as the entries come in! We will contact you if you are a winner.

http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28210
http://art.blueman.com/message.php?id=28214

With all the BAD RAP that PAULA ABDUL gets with her American Idol
exploits many forget that Paula was probably the hottest music artist
on the planet in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Her debut FOREVER YOUR GIRL
CD produced 4 #1 hits (STRAIGHT UP, FOREVER YOUR GIRL, COLD HEARTED, and
OPPOSITES ATTRACT) and a Top 3 THE WAY THAT YOU LOVE ME. If you were a
MUSIC fan of hers get the Greatest Hits CD due out on May 8th.