FLASH LITES: RIP ‘N’ READ POP CULTURE RECAP

FLASH LITES: RIP ‘N’ READ POP CULTURE RECAP



CANBERRA, Australia – An Australian substitute grammar school teacher has been fired after she told her class of six year olds Santa Claus isn’t real. Children arrived home in tears after the teacher told them their parents buy them their Christmas presents.

TAIPEI – One of Taiwan’s politicians won a parliamentary election despite being in prison on charges of corruption, attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms. The man can serve his term in office if allowed out on bail, but will have to give up his position and return to prison if convicted.

FUJI YOSHIDA, Japan – The world’s fastest rollercoaster is set to open in Japan later this month. The “Dodonpa” will reach speeds of almost 107 m.p.h. in two seconds and is located at the base of Mt. Fuji.

LOS ANGELES – Tom Cruise has recently dropped his $100 million lawsuit against a magazine publisher, who claimed he had a videotape of Cruise and a man having sex. The publisher ’fessed up saying he did not have a videotape and, according to Cruise’s lawyer, “He’s not gay, and the judge so ruled.”

ATLANTA – R&B singer Toni Braxton is a proud mother of a 5-pound, 12-ounce baby boy. Denim Cole Braxton Lewis was born over the weekend and is Braxton’s first child.

BURBANK – The Tim Allen movie Big Trouble has been rescheduled for release on April 5. The film had been set for release in September but was postponed for fear that moviegoers wouldn’t find a comedy that includes an airplane hijacking funny.

LOS ANGELES – From infamous infants to tinseltown tycoons, the Olsen Twins have made The Hollywood Reporter’s “Women in Entertainment Power 100” list. The Twins hit number 100 behind Martha Stewart (No.57), Madonna (No.42) and Julia Roberts (No.3).

NEW YORK – KISS bassplayer Gene Simmons may say his band is breaking up but his KISS-related activity is still in full swing. Simmons recently began work on Gene Simmons’ Tongue, a Broadway musical about the band’s early days.

LOS ANGELES – Coolio is currently on a one-man USO tour of Europe and Asia. And while he’s going to be visiting sketchy places like Bosnia, he doesn’t consider Afghanistan to be a “Gangsta’s Paradise.” Coolio’s publicist says the rapper “won’t be going anywhere near the Mideast.”

NEW YORK – The Simpsons have left quite a mark on Americans. According to a survey by Ultimate TV, nearly one out of ten Americans wants a complete collection of the series for posterity. Less than 4 percent want to own every single Star Trek episode.