Tap This: What You Need To Know About Wiretapping

PLUS: Note to self: don’t go to a teen bootcamp...More on the latest contractor shootings in Iraq...The U.S. embassy in Baghdad is scheduled to be complete in the year two-thousand-never...We campaign for the Martian vote...and finally, move over. You’re sitting on Bullwinkle’s chair. Today is October 11th, and this is Mic Check. We’re nothing without you.

Celebration Excuse

It’s a space geek’s holiday...

1958

NASA launches the lunar probe Pioneer 1… which falls back to Earth and burns up in the atmosphere. Oops

1968

NASA launches the first successful manned Apollo mission, Apollo “Lucky Number” 7

1975

Saturday Night Live debuts. George Carlin hosts and Janis Ian and Billy Preston perform. What’s your favorite planet? Ours is the sun. It’s like the king of all planets.

1984

The Space Shuttle Challenger carries astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan into orbit, making her the first American woman to perform a space walk. That’s one small step for women, and it feels more like a giant leap when you’re suspended weightless in a vacuum.

1987

The March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights brings over 200,000 people together to protest the US government’s handling of the AIDS epidemic.

2000

The 100th Space Shuttle mission is flown. See, we told you it was like a space geek’s holy day.

Birthday shout outs...

  • 1961: Steve Young, three time Super Bowl champion quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers
  • 1962: Joan Cusack, academy Award-nominated actress, who stars with her brother John in a number of ‘80s classics
  • 1965: Sean Patrick Flanery: American actor and Boondock Saint
  • 1966: Luke Perry: actor of Beverly Hills, 90210 fame, Dylan Michael McKay himself
  • 1985: Michelle Trachtenberg: television and film star, all grown up child-actress
  • 1989: Michelle Wie Young, controversial professional golfer

Daybook

STUMPIN’

The candidates take a breather.

CONGRESS

HOUSE

10:00

House Financial Services: Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee hearing on “Reauthorization of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.”

TBA

House Homeland Security Committee: Full committee hearing on the “SAFE (Security and Accountability For Every) Port Act,” focusing on the Homeland Security Department’s failure to implement the mandated Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC).

SENATE

Seriously, what do we have to do to get on this vacation schedule? The Senate’s on Columbus Day recess.

TV

TIVO…

Oprah: Babyface: His High Profile Split

The View: Actress Anne Heche and former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan

Regis and Kelly: Actor Josh Hartnett, musician Jill Scott, and All My Children star Ryan Lavery

Ellen: Comedian Dana Carvey, Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus and her father, musician Billy Ray Cyrus

STAY UP FOR…

Letterman: Actress Anne Heche and musical guest Mariza

Leno: We Own the Night star Joaquin Phoenix, Hell’s Kitchen star Gordon Ramsay, with musical guest Vanessa Carlton

Late Late Show: Actor Tom Arnold and musical guest Tori Amos

Conan: Musical guest Klaxons

Last Call: Comedian Tig Notaro

Kimmel: Star of Wes Anderson’s new movie the Darjeeling Limited, Jason Schwartzman

Daily Show: Howard Kurtz

Colbert Report: Chris Jordan

 

Eavesdrop

BOOK THIS, BABY

Booking. It’s a never-ending cycle; no sooner do you get your show booked then, bam! It’s the next day and you have a whole new show and need whole new fantastic, interesting guests! Whew!

Here’s the thing: You don’t have to go it alone. We think you’re kind of cute and your show totally rocks, so let us help! Our guys at CAP have Blackberries bulging with numbers and they’re not afraid to use them. And while we do the work, go grab yourself a coffee and maybe even a pumpkin muffin (you know, the kind with cream cheese icing.) You deserve it.

Popularity Contest

Read these. They do a body good.

NYT: Picky Eaters? They Get It From You

WP: Dragonfly or insect spy?

USAT: 5 injured as gunfire erupts at Cleveland high school

LAT: Verbs have a ‘half-life,’ researchers find

CBS: Preschooler Killed In Grand Canyon Fall

ABC: Devlin Pleads to Kidnapping, Sodomy

NBC: French court tries woman for kissing painting

CNN; Singer Bobby Brown has heart attack

FOX: 4-Year-Old Girl Dies After Falling Into Grand Canyon

Masthead

Questions? Comments? Send us e-mail.

Problems logging in? Reset/reactivate your password.

Mic Check is produced every weekday by Christy Harvey, Sara Langhinrichs and Nicole Murphy, and is a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Read more about Mic Check.

RSS icon RSS headlines feed