A pizza for the homeless

A convicted murderer in Tennessee is requesting that prison officials deliver a pizza to a homeless man in lieu of his last meal. State officals are refusing on the absurd grounds that it would be a burden on taxpayers (because, you know, getting a pizza delivered to a homeless shelter would cost millions of dollars).

It doesn't stop there, though. The convict's original trial was apparently tainted by a lying witness and questionable ballistics evidence. His lawyer is saying the 1981 shooting of a Memphis police officer may have been a friendly fire incident, presumably from another cop at the scene.

And that's not all: Tennessee can't even prove to the higher courts that its procedure for lethal injections doesn' constitute cruel and unusual punishment. What a disgraceful story.

The hilarious lawsuit against "Family Guy"

Of all people who you think might understand the concept of satire, Carol Burnett seems to have forgotten just how funny parody can be. Oh, and she may have also forgotten that parody is protected as fair use under U.S. copyright law.

Comedian Carol Burnett has filed a copyright infringement suit against the makers of Fox TV's cartoon sitcom "Family Guy" over an episode poking fun at the performer and her variety show from the 1960s and '70s.

The episode in question refers to Burnett by name as working as a part-time janitor, and depicts her "charwoman" character -- complete with trademark blue bonnet and mop bucket -- cleaning the floor of a pornography shop, the suit says.

Another character then makes a vulgar reference to the signature ear tug used by Burnett at the close of her variety show each week, according to the lawsuit.

Reuters is reporting that the suit is asking for $2 million in damages from the show's producers. Meanwhile Burnett, whose own show often parodied famous people, sure has some thin skin when she's the butt of jokes:

Burnett and her company have urged Fox to reedit the "Family Guy" episode to remove any reference her, but the studio has so far refused, the suit said.