The Slug

"Veronica Mars" Does it Again

(AP Photo/HO/General Motors)

The Slug is in Chicago on our way to Florida, but we just had to take a sec during our layover to chat about our favoritest sleuth show since "Murder, She Wrote." Another huge "Veronica Mars" mystery came to a close last night. Did you guess the killer correctly? Turns out creepy-TA-with-bad-hair Tim not only murdered Dean O'Dell but also set up his beloved Professor Landry, who inadvertently killed the dean's wife! We can't say we saw all that coming (although many of you pegged him as the rapist).

Remember our original theory? We pinned the phony suicide on Karen, the pot-smoking den mother — and she hasn't even reprised her role. Boy, we were wrong. (But not as wrong as Logan. Parker?! What is he thinking?!) For the remander of this season, "Veronica Mars" will be moving away from multi-episode arcs and toward self-contained episodes. However, The Slug thinks there's one big mystery left: Will this excellent show be renewed for another season?

What's Inside the Black Box?

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

Sorry The Slug hasn't posted about a thing today! We've been far too busy working on some fabulous asap stories. (Don't worry your pretty little head off. We'll link to 'em as soon as we're done.) We were, however, able to make like "Veronica Mars" and spare a minute to open a mysterious package we received this afternoon. After we removed it from the FedEx packaging, that's what it looked like up there. Black. Velvety. Fancy. Curious. Click here if you want to see what's inside.

No Cure for This Oscar Hangover

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Slug knows that you know that last night was the 79th Annual Academy Awards. Sorry we didn't liveblog it for you. Actually, no, we're not sorry. Liveblogging is as painful as watching Joan Rivers mispronouncing the nominees' names on the red carpet. Instead, here are five things we're still talking about the morning after. What did you love and hate about this year's mammoth ceremony? Tell us at theslug@ap.org.

The Ellen DeGeneres show. Ellen, you know we love you, but we weren't gaga for your hosting job. As soon as you popped up on screen, you were gone. We wanted more of you. Your monologue? Ehhh. But that vacuuming bit? High-larious! Who invited Chris Connelly, anyway? That should've been you traipsing through backstage, not him.

iPhone commercial. At first we wondered, "Why are they doing yet another montage? And why is it just everyone saying hello?" That's a bizarre thing to pay tribute to at the Oscars and then — blam! — it's the first-ever iPhone commercial! You got us again, Apple. You got us again.

Clint Eastwood as translator. The actor-director-Dirty Harry couldn't read a TelePrompTered introduction for honorary Oscar winner Ennio Morricone ("I should have worn my glasses," he told the crowd), but he could apparently translate the Italian composer's acceptance speech. Made our night!

Leave Al Gore alone, Leo. What was the deal with Leonardo Dicaprio goading Al Gore to announce his run for presidency? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know it was in the script, merely a setup for the drowned-out-by-the-music punchline. It just left The Slug a little queasy. Guess we just don't like politics in our Oscars.   

Dance, dance revolution. That 12-member modern-dance troupe Pilobolus was a shapeshifting sorbet between Oscars' main courses. The way they formed that Oscar statuette and "The Devil Wears Prada" logo was so inventive and unexpected. Quite possibly our favoritest part of the show!

Surfing New York Comic Con

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

Oscars schmascars. New York Comic Con is in full swing here in the Big Apple. The Slug stopped by the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to check out all the geekiness. Stan Lee was auditioning people for the second season of his "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" Sci-Fi channel reality show. Stephen Colbert was signing copies of his "Tek Jansen" comic book. And the Fantastic Four were showing off their video game based on their upcoming sequel, which will introduce the Silver Surfer on the big screen.

The Slug was privy to a special look at the Wii and Xbox 360 versions of the game, which featured  superpowered and superfun-looking combative co-op play of all four heroes. Our biggest prob? Although "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is just in alpha — that's what comes before beta — the developers said it wasn't likely that players would actually be able to assume the role of the Silver Surfer. Boo. Hopefully, that's something Dr. Richards can add before the game is finished.

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Domino Effect

(AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Time for our Favoriest Photo of the Week! If you're just now joining The Slug, every Friday we select an AP image from that week that stimulates our eyeballs more than any other. We love a good party, and there's probably none as colorful as carnival in Rio de Janeiro. We couldn't make it this year (or any other year), but this vibrant photo by AP photographer Jorge Saenz makes us feel like we did — or at least like we're giants playing a game of dominoes. We're not sure. The original subtítulo:

Dancers perform during 'Viradouro' samba school carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 19, 2007. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Feeling Lukewarm for "Ghost Rider"

(AP Photo/HO/2K)

Well, we finally got around to playing that "Ghost Rider" game last night. However, The Slug didn't check out the movie last weekend. (But that's probably for the best.) As originally suspected, trotting around as Johnny Blaze in the PS2 game is basically the same as in "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" although there's some "God of War"-like moves thrown in for good measure. And the driving sequences are unfortunately terrible. Think: "Mario Kart" but with hellfire, brimstone and not as much fun. We have much higher expectations for another gothic comic book adaptation called "The Darkness," which we'll be checking out at New York Comic Con

What's Your Sign? And Yours? And Yours?

(AP Photo/HO/Paramount)

The Slug caught a preview screening of "Zodiac," that movie about a publicity whore serial killer who terrorized California in the late 1960s. It was good albeit unsettling because it's based on real events. Scaary. And although puppy-eyed Jake Gyllenhaal is billed as the star of" Zodiac," he seemingly shares the movie, which opens March 2, with everyone in Hollywood. To name a few:

Mark Ruffalo. Chloe Sevigny. Brian Cox. Anthony Edwards from "ER." Robert Downey Jr. Dermot Mulroney. Donal Logue from "Knights of Prosperity." Clea DuVall from "Heroes." Charles Fleischer, the voice of Roger Rabbit. (No, we're not kidding.) Even Pong — you know, the video game — makes a cameo. And if you're not familiar with the real-life Zodiac case, you'll probably suspect all of them as the killer in the film. Pong, we're lookin' at you.

We're Not Giving Up on "Lost"

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

After last week's craptastic episode and last night's not-really-that-interesting reveal of what Jack's tattoo means, The Slug can say with certainty that next week's "Lost" is back to its old self. ABC sent The Slug a preview of the Hurleycentric episode. Whee. While it ain't an island shattering entry in "Lost" canon — darn you, previews, quit saying that every episode is! — there's plenty of humorous and human moments that will remind fans of the fantastic first season.

Just about everyone but Jack, Rose and Bernard make an appearance and have something to say during the episode, which reminds us a lil' bit of "Little Miss Sunshine." Rewatch the preview. You'll see what we mean. Speaking of the preview, since they mess with our minds and expectations, here's three things not to expect next week:

1.) Don't expect a raid on The Others. This next episode merely begins to lay that foundation. 2.) Don't expect Vincent to be an apparition. He's really still on the island. Guess Michael and Walt left him behind. 3.) Don't except to even see The Others. Sure, there was a quick flash of them in the preview, but they weren't in the episode The Slug witnessed.

Lamb Slaughtered on "Veronica Mars"

(AP Photo/HO/The CW)

Another February sweeps slaying happened last night on "Veronica Mars." When will the prime-time killing end?! Sarcastic dolt Sheriff Don Lamb was whacked in the head with a bat. That means Veronica's pops is the new sheriff in town. Well, not new. He was sheriff before Lamb. Sigh. The Slug is sad to see the curmudgeon go. While he was an unworthy adversary for the Mars clan — was he ever right about anything? — Lamb was at least fun to watch. The worst part? He was killed by guest star Richard Grieco.

Prepare for Glory (and Violence)

(AP Photo/Berlinale)

The Slug just caught a previewing screening of "300." Boy, this Frank Miller graphic novel adaption about King Leonidas and his 300 bodyguards is bloody, violent, nasty, gory and gorgeous! Do not let the hot menz in Spartan undies fool you. This movie contains lots of swordplay and spearplay, numerous decapitations (both in slow motion and regular motion) and evil animals including but not limited to elephants and rhinos. Over the top? Oh yeah.

To Have and To Hold This Press Kit

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

It's been a while since we've let you inside The Slug's mailbox. (Amazon.com purchases, Entertainment Weeklies and W-2 forms ain't all that interesting.) But we thought the press kit for Court TV's first scripted show "'Til Death Do Us Part" was just too neat to keep to ourselves. The show, which premieres March 19, is an anthology series sorta like "Tales from the Crypt." Instead of the Crypt Keeper, cult director (and mixmaster) John Waters narrates the tales about married couples involved with murder.

The press kit contains the usual suspects: press release, DVD screener, etc. The most interesting thing is that the package is split into two sides. One flap contains congratulations cards; the other has sympathy cards. There's even some custom "'Til Death Do Us Part" stamps. Cool. We sent one of the sympathy cards to our aunt. She's not married, but her dog recently died.

Sucks Not Being One of the "Heroes"

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

Last night was not a good night to be without superpowers on "Heroes." Claire's mother blacked out. Claire's father was at the center of a hostage situation. Monhinder was tricked by the evil Sylar. Ando got ditched at a bus station. And Simone was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend who can paint the future. Guess his brush didn't see that one coming! The Slug thinks "Unexpected" was definitely one of the most compelling chapters in the continuing "Heroes" saga — and it didn't feature Jessica or Niki. We wish we could make like Hiro and teleport to next Monday, pal.

Hair Today, Gone Friday Night

  (AP Photo/HO/KABC-TV)

Well, shucks, y'all. We were gonna spend our President's Day — love those guys, thanks for everything! — at our neighborhood salon drinking a cappuccino and getting a lil' trim trim followed by some intense high-definition video gaming back at the homestead. (Come on. It's still cold outside. We don't wanna go out there.) But then ol' Britney Spears had to go and one-up The Slug once again by popping up at a tattoo parlor completely bald on Friday night. There's no way we can top Brit Brit's latest look now!   

Q*bert Hops Onto the PlayStation 3

(AP Photo/HO/Sony)

PlayStation 3 is finally taking a cue from Wii and going retro. Sony announced today that "Q*bert" will be available for the PS3 from the PlayStation Network beginning Feb. 22. (Still no announcement what species Q*bert is, though.) For the first time, the frenetic hopping puzzle game will be available in high-def, supporting resolutions up to 720p. And we thought that screen inside the orange box down at the local 7-Eleven looked good!

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Pucker Up

(AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)

We know what you're saying right now: "Awwwww!" That's exactly what The Slug said when we came across this photo in the AP Archive of a new male polar bear getting randy at the Cincinnati Zoo. And since we celebrated Valentine's Day this week with that low-rated episode of "Lost" — a show that, for some reason, loves polar bears — we decided to make this photo our Favoritest Photo of the Week. Smooch the original caption:

The Cincinnati Zoo's new male polar bear, Little One, right, from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, gets to know one of his potential mates, Berit, as they swim in their exhibit in Cincinnati, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)

Little Miss Movie Quote

(AP Photo/Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Poll results usually make The Slug yawn — who cares what a bunch of people think, anyway? — but we thought this survey's findings were just too adorable not to let you know about. Netflix asked nearly 5,000 subscribers over the age of 18 — who cares what America's youth thinks, anyway? — what was the best movie quote of 2006. The winner? "Everyone just pretend to be normal!" which was said by the father, played by Greg Kinnear, in "Little Miss Sunshine." See the other results after the jump. Suspiciously absent? Samuel L. Jackson's expletive-laden exclamation in "Snakes on a Plane."

Another Day, Another Pussycat Doll

(AP Photo/HO/The CW)

Reality television has been helping fill musical voids for years. INXS. TLC. Supernova. Well, those are the only ones we can think of. Now, the Pussycat Dolls are turning to reality TV to find a new member with The CW's  “Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for The Next Doll,” premiering March 6. Pussycat Dolls Present? What? Are they like CNN now? Nine finalists will sing, dance and otherwise contort themselves (see above) in order to become the next Doll. Hope they like slots!

Time Travel is On His Side

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

Hated it. The latest episode of "Lost" could have been super-duper. Instead it was just mind-numbingly disjointed. OK. So it was kinda cool that Desmond actually traveled to the past for his longer-than-it-needed-to-be flashback, but what purpose did it serve? We didn't learn why he was in prison or anything more about the mysterious Charles Widmore (other than he's a whore for good scotch) or why Penelope is the love o' his life.

Most frustrating of all, Des didn't change his destiny when we had the opportunity. Why? Because some freaky antique dealer that reminded The Slug of an Angela Lansbury version of The Oracle from "The Matrix" told him not to? That's just so ... lame. "Lost" sure better course correct next week or we're going to team up with the universe and make sure Charlie gets it.

Put Down the Cookie Dough

(AP Photo/Pat Roque)

Happy Valentine's Day! Even though we're sitting under a mound of snow, we hope you have the most red, pink, chocolate-filled, heart-covered Valentine's Day ever. In case you're not having sex or going to a fancy dinner or both tonight, here are four suggestions for really fun things that you can do that won't leave you depressed about not having a Valentine.

Let Brit tell you a story. In a promotion for her new fragrance, Midnight Fantasy, Britney Spears has created one of those kooky interactive Internet audio tools where you can enter some simple information — name, hobbies, etc. — and then e-mail a clip narrated by Spears to a friend, unless your friend has a weird name like Paris or Xena.

Play "Myst Online: Uru." Remember that beautifully detailed game series with the pain-in-the-neck puzzles called "Myst" from years past? The totally nonviolent franchise is now a massively multiplayer online game, which fittingly launches on the lovingest day of the year on the GapTap broadband entertainment network. You can sign up at a special introductory rate of 99 cents.

Watch old commercials on YouTube. Feel the nostalgia of commercials from the '80s by scouring YouTube for your favorites. The Slug's No. 1 is this one for International Coffees featuring a group of horny ladies sitting around describing the new Dutch chocolate flavor. "It's an after-dinner mint but hot," one squeals. Oh la la.

Torture yourself with another episode of "Lost." Tonight is that Desmondcentric episode we've all been waiting for since he gained psychic powers and we witnessed his lover Penelope enlisting the help of some dudes in an arctic station to find him at the end of last season.

Sylar Melts Our Hearts on "Heroes"

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

It's official. After last night's "Heroes," Sylar has become our favorite character on the show. The Slug is a sucker for a good villain. (Watch us rave about him — but not the lame-o episode — in this AP video.) But we're a little confused about what powers he's gained. We know he has telekinesis and supersmarts, which he absorbed from that waitress in Texas. His original ability seemed to be understanding how things work. And last night he obtained Zane Taylor's awesome melting power.

But does Sylar have the ability to freeze things? Remember the second episode with the bizarre crime scene featuring that frozen corpse and the little girl hidden under the stairs? Hmmm. Maybe the little girl was the one with the icy power and not her father? And what about all the time in-between? According to the NBC.com graphic novels, Sylar's been on an off-camera killing spree. Surely, he's harnessed other powers, right? Next week it looks like his hearing will improve. Maybe he'll be able to listen to our prayers and kill off that Niki/Jessica storyline.

Sweatin' to the Oldie

(AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)

We don't know whether to be flattered or creeped out by what happened to us. As soon as The Slug stepped out of the elevator at the Mattel showroom for this asap Toy Fair report, we came face-to-face with Richard Simmons — yes, Mr. Deal-a-Meal himself — who said, and we quote: "Well, aren't you cute!" Uhhh, thanks? Later, after Simmons was finished hosting the launch event for Fisher-Price's new stationary bike for preschoolers, the 58-year-old fitness guru told us we looked younger than we actually are — and we've never aerobicised a day in our life! 

Toy Fair 2007: Christmas Comes Early

(AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh)

Yippee! The 2007 American International Toy Fair is in full swing, and The Slug will be reporting on — fine, playing with — all the new bizarre/silly/awesome dolls, robots, gadgets and games. We hear the Rubik's Cube will be showing off a new makeover and the "Desperate Housewives" will be in attendance, well, in doll form, anyway. Check back this afternoon for our take on the toy madness — unless we decide to never come back!

Island Time

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

Whoops! We totally forgot to dish about our two favorite shows inspired by "Gilligan's Island" — "Survivor" and "Lost" — which both returned last week. Well, we did hypothesize with quotation fingers about the latter in this AP video. But let's dig a little deeper here on The Slug, shall we?

As we originally suspected in this asap podcast, the "Survivor: Fiji" twist, much like last year's tribal split, just might be the most ehhh aspect of the edition. Who wants to watch half the castaways live in the lap of luxury? Exile Island even has that awesome crow's nest (and snakes). The Slug hopes the sweet "Survivor" suite will only last as long as the awkward Cook Island's racial divide: two episodes.

So what did you think of that redonkulous video The Others were forcing Karl to watch on "Lost"? Kooky! This week's Entertainment Weekly has a cover story all about the frustrations of the show. Executive producers/puppetmasters Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse also reveal which mysteries will be solved this season (Penelope, smoke monster) and which will be dealt with in the future (Michael, Walt and Libby).

The next "Lost" episode is Desmondcentric, and the one after that is a Jack flashback where we'll learn what his tattoo means. However, The Slug is more curious about a new character named Isabel, played by actress Diana Scarwid. (Remember her? She was the hilarious WASPy mother on the canceled-too-soon "Wonderfalls.") Isabel's the one on the right watching television in the above photo. Hmmm. Another Other?! Sigh.

Favoritest Photo of (Last) Week: Not in Kansas

(AP Photo/Louis Lanzano)

Our schedule was crazy last week so The Slug didn't get a chance to pick our Favoritest Photo of the Week on Friday. Since it was New York Fashion Week, and we sorta ignored it because we were sooo over fashion after attending the World Shoe Association show in Las Vegas, we thought it'd be fitting — fitting, fashion, get it? — to choose a Favoritest Photo from the catwalk. So here's an insane knitkini from Heatherette's Wizard of Oz-themed fashion show. The original caption doesn't reveal much info, but here it is, anyway:

A model walks the runway at the showing of the Heatherette Fall 2007 collection during Fashion Week in Bryant Park, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007, in New York. (AP Photo/Louis Lanzano)

Anna Nicole Smith, 1967-2007

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

As you may have heard, Anna Nicole Smith has died. When we started this blog in May of last year, we chose a photo by AP photographer Manuel Balce Ceneta of Anna shielding herself from photographers as she arrived at the U.S. Supreme Court as The Slug's banner. We thought she represented a deeply interesting intersection of pop culture, celebrity, news and entertainment, a dynamic topic we wanted to and will continue to explore within this blog. While Anna Nicole may be gone, we will always remember her truly American legacy.

Home Improvement

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

OK. We watched what happened. And maybe "Top Design" isn't that bad. We're not sure if it's because the latest episode featured an individual challenge, showcasing creativity vs. reality TV show drama, or because the judges injected some sassiness into their otherwise bone-white critiques. Toothy head judge Jonathan Adler's exaggerated facial expression while he was touring the rooms was particularly amusing. We can't help but wonder if Elle Decor editor-in-chief Margaret Russell said "You just can't design a room around a cat" because the designers actually will later on in the series.

The Slug loved Matt's vanity inspired room and Eric's pirate ship room. And while it was cute how the contestants didn't know they were creating rooms for children, "Top Design" sprung a similar surprise last week only with transgendered Alexis Arquette in place of tots. If this show wants to be as good as its predecessors, it needs to do something other than the ol' design-and-switch every week. Look, we're only being this critical because we want to like you, "Top Design." You just can't design a reality TV show for a cat. Actually, you can.

I See Streaming Video

(AP Photo/HO/CBS)

No lover this Valentine's Day? Here's something different you can do while eating raw cookie dough at home on the most kissy holiday of the year. The Slug just received an e-mail informing us that James Van Praagh, mustached medium and co-executive producer of Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Ghost Whisperer," is broacasting a live seance on CBS.com next Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET. Van Praagh will be granting callers the opportunity to "bridge the gap between life and death." Maybe romance is dead?

It's a Cheerleader!

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

Did we call it or did we call it? Last night on "Heroes," we learned Claire Bennet's biological father is none other than Nathan Petrelli, giving further credibility to The Slug's theory that becoming a hero is hereditary. Too bad we didn't see Hiro's father display a special power. In other good news, Jessica locked Niki up in the closet after tasering her shrink into Swiss cheese. This means we can now reference her character without having to type a backslash. The much ballyhooed sweeps slaying is just around the corner! Who do you think is going to get knocked off? Hey, Matt Parkman, can you read our mind?

Cry Me a River of Slime

(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Justin Timberlake is bringing sexy back to the Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards. The singer/actor/two-time Best Burp award winner will serve as host of the slimefest on March 31 live from the University of California, Los Angeles. (Please, please, please no wardrobe malfunctions.) The for-kids, by-kids awards ceremony celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. That milestone should make you, Clarissa, Marc Summers and the Bar None Dude Ranch staff feel old. The Slug does.

While We Were Out

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

When we were in Las Vegas last week, The Slug was just too busy eating at buffets and playing the slots to keep up with some of our favorite prime-time shows. So we've spent the past few hours avoiding spoilers and catching up on what went down on "Heroes," "24," "Veronica Mars," the "Road Rules" premiere and "Top Chef" finale. Seriously, how did we live before networks streamed their shows online? How!?

"Heroes." Wowie zowie. We finally got a peak at Claire's biological mama and she's a firestarter, baby. So now The Slug is hypothesizing that the "Heroes" gene must run in the family. Think about it. Nathan and Peter Petrelli both have powers. And Niki/Jessica and D.L. have their hacker kid. Hmmm. This would mean Hiro's pop, played by George Takei, and the Petrelli brothers' shoplifting mommy would have to be superparents. We know at least one of them can travel at warp speed. Har har. Oh, and our money is on Nathan Petrelli as Claire's biological father.

"Road Rules." This old MTV reality show returned — and it's complicated. The full title is "Road Rules 2007: Viewer's Revenge." (What did "Road Rules" ever do to you!?) Instead of a simple road trip from Point A to Point B with a group of five to six strangers, this RV is filled with veteran cast members who are just driving around Los Angeles completing missions. And then there's some other people who haven't been on a reality show before that can be voted into the RV. Color us confused. The Slug yearns for the simpler days when "Road Rules" featured interstate flirtations, roadies playing pranks on "The Real World" cast and, you know, a destination. This feels like it's going nowhere.

"24." We thought our family was jacked up! The last two episodes have shown us that the Bauer clan is dysfunctional with a capital 'dys.' And did anyone else notice that Rena Sofer, the actress that plays Graem Bauer's wife on "24" also plays Nathan Petrelli's wife on "Heroes"? Jeez. She sure has a taste for bad boys. We're slightly ticked at Karen Hayes for resigning as National Security Advisor but it's also kinda cool she's headed to CTU in Los Angeles now. Does this mean we'll see her in five episodes?

"Veronica Mars." Veronica, girl, we need to talk. Sit down. Why do you need to know if your man, who's so totally obviously into you even though you keep breaking up and getting back together repeatedly, has ever been with a prostitute? You asked him like four times in this episode. Drop it. Focus on your school work. Help your daddy figure out who killed Dean O'Dell. And go find your friends Wallace and Mac. Those characters' recurring disappearances are becoming the biggest mystery this season.

"Top Chef." While we were dining on Elia's waffle in Vegas, she was busy helping Ilan Hall become the "Top Chef." Honestly, we think it could've gone either way. Personality-wise, they were both brats. Food-wise, Ilan made more decadent Spanish food, and Marcel's meal was innovative but way too light. After eating at buffets on The Strip for a week, Marcel's dainty little radish salad and hearts of palm with mushrooms would've left us hungry for something more. Sorta like the first episode of "Top Design."

Let's Go Crazier

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

We got back from Vegas just in time to watch the drippy Super Bowl halftime show starring Prince. Usually, The Slug thinks these halftime shows are total trainwrecks, but Prince's outing was quite entertaining if subdued. (Prince's backup dancers, the Twinz, totally brought it.) We were shocked there weren't more technical glitches considering the rainy weather. Deep down inside, we were hoping friends o' Prince such as Chaka Kahn, Cee-Lo, The Roots or Sheila E. would have popped up out of The Artist's stage — but no — it was just the Prince show.

Don't Cha Wish Your Casino Was Hot Like This?

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

Here's a sneak peek at the new Pussycat Dolls Casino that opens this week. It's not really a casino but a separate sexy gaming area inside Caesars Palace across from the Pure nightclub and Pussycat Dolls Lounge. (Those gals sure do get around.) As you can see, the "casino" features a huge PCD neon sign, leopard-laden poker tables and slot machines featuring lip print icons. Of course, the most out-there elements are the two dancing cages at the center of the themed gaming area and the fishnet-clad table legs. You can see a photo of that "Hot Stuff" after the jump.

Soled Out

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Boo. Where are all the celebrity shoe designers? Although their footwear has been on display in full force at the World Shoe Show in Las Vegas this week, The Game, Gwen Stefani, Kimora Lee Simmons, Beyonce and Jessica Simpson (pictured above from last year's show) are absentees. And we brought our autograph books and everything!

Two of the divas — Stefani and Beyonce — have shoes on preview that launch this year. Both Stefani and Beyonce (along with her mama Tina Knowles) are extending their clothing lines (Stefani's L.A.M.B. and the Knowles ladies' House of Deron) to shoe lines featuring heels and flats with embellishments. Beyonce's comes in a more subdued color palette with purples and roses while Stefani's has some over-the-top glam fabrics. Make your feet "Bootylicious" or "Luxurious." The choice is yours!

Blue Light Special

(AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)

If you're ever in Vegas and want to see a show on the cheap without having to gamble your life savings away for some comp tickets, we suggest stopping by Tix 4 Tonight or Tickets 2 Nite. Unlike some touristy discounted ticket booths —  that's right, timeshare hawkers, we're looking at you —  these two establishments are legit. When we stopped by yesterday, we saw tickets for "Crazy Girls" for $19 (retail price: $34) and "Folies Bergere" for $32 (retail price: $64). Unfortch, these places don't sell discounted Cirque du Soleil admission. You may get "Mystere" if you show up early, one attendant told us, but definitely no "O" or "Ka." Looks like we're headed back to the craps table. 

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Pots Shot

Just because The Slug is in Vegas doesn't mean we're not selecting a Favoritest Photo of the Week. We are! Since last week's winner came from Sin City, we went to the other side of the planet to peep the AP image we thought was the most visually stunning. We loved the colorful pots teetering off the motorcycle. But what sent this photo over the edge for us was the little boy perched in the front just chillin'. Adorable! Here's the original caption:   

A motorbike rider carries plastic pots, used to store water, for sale in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Feb. 2, 2007. Hyderabad suffers water scarcity during the summer season. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A)

Viva Gwen Stefani

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Forget Frank. Enough Elvis. Sorry, Celine. We think Gwen Stefani must be the new official artist of Las Vegas. We cannot escape the L.A.M.B herder. Since we've been here, The Slug caught the former No Doubt singer pumping from the speakers at the Bellagio fountains, during that shoe fashion show we attended earlier, inside three different casinos (Venetian, Luxor, Casino Royale), at a daiquiri bar on The Strip and all over the floor of the World Shoe Show. If we hear "Wind it Up" one more time, we're going to jump off the Eiffel Tower, you know, the fake one. 

Waiter, You Don't Serve Foam?

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

We didn't see the "Top Chef" finale last night so don't you dare tell us who won, but we did eat at Elia's restaurant THEcafe at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay for OURbreakfast this morning. (Yes, we broke our buffet rule in the name of reality television.) Elia wasn't there (unless you count that sign above) so instead of poke or tamales, we had a walnut waffle with blueberry compote served alongside the freshest, most delicious whipped cream ever. It was a top meal even though she's not "Top Chef."

Where There's Smoke, There's Shoes

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

The World Shoe Show kicked off last night in Vegas at the Fashion Show Mall with an, um, fashion show titled StyleWalk. Footwear from such labels as Diesel, Asics, Sugar and Dr. Martens were on display. The runway was unlike anything we're ever seen before. The steel mass arose from the floor and models just started pouring out of it. And the shoes — expect lots of flashy colors and comfort next season, darlings — were so hot that, at one point, smoke started billowing out of the runway (for drama, of course). Thankfully, the haze dissipated and shoe visibility was only momentarily interrupted.

The World Shoe Show continues for the next three days with vendors from all over the world showing off their trendiest treads. The Slug will hit the convention floor running in search of wacky heels, bizarre boots, super sneaks and celebrity sightings. (You know Jessica Simpson is a shoe designer, right?!) And look for our asap video on all the shoe show madness in the near future.

Not Until You Eat Your Vegetables

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

When The Slug found out we were coming to Vegas, we told ourselves we would exclusively take our meals at The Strip's buffets. If we wanted to dine at the likes of Le Cirque, Mesa Grill or Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, then we didn't have to leave the Big Apple. Thus far, they've all been similar smorgesboards starring piles of crab legs and cocktail shrimps.

All that changed when we feasted our eyes on the Bellagio buffet's dessert bar with its mini carrot cakes, creme brulees, chocolate-dipped strawberries, cheesecakes, pastries and much, much more. Intricate. Cute. Flavorful. Yummy. If Willy Wonka had a dessert bar in his chocolate factory, we think it would look and taste something like this. Daddy, I want a dessert bar now!