Riddle Me This

Former MTV reality stars Spencer and Heidi Pratt (left), Tareq and Michaele Salahi (right)

WaPo's Reliable Source reports that Tareq and Michaele Salahi, Washington's version of Spencer and Heidi Pratt attended last night's State Dinner.

It remains a mystery as to how or why the fame-seeking couple, slated to appear in the "Real Housewives of DC," made it into the White House (they weren't on the official list) but Michaele's "public figure" profile on Facebook had this to say:

Honored to have attended the state dinner at the White House in honor of India with President Obama and our First Lady. INDIA & the USA will challenege each other for the first time on the DC National Mall in June 2010 in what will be another proud and historic moment. XO MICHAELE

While I remain totally puzzled by their attendance, I am certain of one thing - they need a combined name a la Spencer and Heidi's "Speidi" ASAP. Please submit your ideas!

It's got something for everyone...

Shotgun-wielding man Tasered after manure dispute

"Police said the 45-year-old fired his shotgun and then aimed the gun at the couple as they approached the fence in their tractor. Authorities said the disagreement over the placement of the manure had been ongoing."

Want the full story? Click here.

Exactly 15 years ago on this very day, Justice Stephen Breyer was sworn in to SCOTUS. Seeing as Justice Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed less than 100 hours ago to serve on the bench ... we must know ...

Maybe it's related to the Real Housewives of DC or because a group of perfect strangers is being forced to live together in a house only blocks from my office...Whatever the cause, I'm beginning to feel a little like Jim Carey in the Truman Show.

Even political journos are referencing reality TV. In an article earlier this month, Politics' Karen Nussle called President Obama the "first "American Idol president." Nussle went on to say, "the reality TV phenomenon has changed the way we "judge" those whom we see in public."

Yesterday morning on MSNBC, NYT's Maureen Dowd told Willie Geist "Sarah Palin is the first person to fuse politics with reality TV."

A clip from Nussle's piece and Dowd's MSNBC spot (minute 3) from yesterday morning, below.

Backstage pass from Lilith Fair? No, WaPo Style writer Hank Stuever's 1989 intern badge-- just one of many smile-worthy posts from Stuever's blog:

Believe it or not, I'm only slightly embarrassed to dig this up and show you: It's been 20 years this summer since I was an intern at the Washington Post. This was the summer between my junior and senior years of college, the same summer I turned 21.

Yes, the hair: More Belinda Carlisle than Bono, right? The glasses don't help either. And the only reason I'm not smiling is because it's my first day at work and I am scared sh*tless.

Stuever's intern badge explains a lot about Post "style." Now I know why Dan Zak insists that hypercolor sweatpants are all the rage or why Amy Argetsinger won't leave home without a full can of Aquanet... clearly Stuever's influence.

Fill your hankering for Hank by clicking here.

From the drink menu at the opening of Chef Geoff's in Tyson's Corner...

Perched above "Subconscious Desires," and made from X-RATED Liqueur is "Norah's French Kiss." Who is this kissing bandit?

We're not sure if it's songbird Norah Jones, playwright Norah Richards or Chef Geoff's wife and MSNBC anchor Norah O'Donnell. Anyone?

More importantly, how much to lock lips w/ Norah?

photo credit: twitpic from @lizglover

Following the RTCA Dinner on Friday evening, Amy Argetsinger of WaPo's Reliable Source received some kind words from former colleagues and family. One "enjoyed seeing her on YouTube" and a few extended family members thought she looked "fantastic sitting next to the president."

Argetsinger (left) Dahl (right)

Only prob? Amy didn't attend the Friday fete. Argetsinger's admirers were actually admiring RTCA chair Heather Dahl.

So Heather, if you read this...Amy's family thought you looked fantastic sitting next to President Obama.

Riddle Me This? How did The Hill manage to get a story about The Hill wrong... er, incomplete?

The Hill receives nine journalism awards By The Hill Staff Posted: 06/10/09

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) presented The Hill newspaper with nine journalism awards at the National Press Club on Tuesday night.

The Hill's Roxana Tiron received first place in the weekly category of business/financial reporting with her article on how Boeing and its congressional supporters used a classified CIA briefing on questionable business practices to discredit a rival.

The Hill's Kevin Bogardus, who received three awards, nabbed first place in the spot news category for his article on the indictment of former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). Bogardus and Business and Lobbying Editor Jim Snyder won first place in the general news category for their report titled, "Bailout Hurts Charities."

Others at The Hill who were honored for their 2008 articles included Alexander Bolton, Bob Cusack, Jeffrey Young and Sam Youngman.

In 2008, The Hill also received nine SPJ awards.

Okay, let's tally.

Tiron - 1 award
Bogardus - 2 awards
Bogardus/Snyder - 1 award
Cusack - 1 award
Bolton - 1 award
Young - 1 award
Youngman - 1 award
____________________
Total = 8

The headline claiming "nine awards" is accurate however, The Hill managed to overlook their own Jared Allen in the coverage.

That's why today, FishbowlDC salutes Jared Allen! Jared, you may not be feelin' the love at work but there's always a place for you in the fishbowl. We suggest that Hugo and Bob begin planning a cupcake party in your honor.

Remember the battle between ABCNews.com and WaPo.com for "The Fix?" In March of this year, ABCNews.com launched a new feature under the title already claimed by Chris Cillizza's blog.

Now it seems that WaPo is guilty of similar crimes against The Washington Times with the launch "Political Theater" - the bi-weekly video feature starring Dana Milbank and Chris Cillizza that was announced today. You see, the name "Political Theater" is already hard at work at TWT as the brand for Joe Curl's column.

When FishbowlDC spoke with TWT's Jeff Birnbaum this afternoon, he said "although we are flattered by the imitation, Milbank and Cillizza are certainly creative enough to come up with an original name for their video series. We certainly hope that they will."

So riddle me this: is it hypocritical for Cillizza to use "Political Theater" after his scuffle with ABCNews.com for "The Fix?"

If you woke up feeling uncomfortable and maybe even a tad violated, then you might have witnessed Jeff Zeleny's four-part question for President Obama during last night's press conference. Surprisingly, the NYT's reporter asked Obama a set of questions more fit for a FishbowlDC interview than a nationally-televised presser.

Zeleny's "surprised, humbled, enchanted, troubled" inquiry successfully threw the President off of his talking points, but at what price?

Weigh in. Brilliant or BS...what do you think?

UPDATE: FishbowlDC had the opportunity to chat about Zeleny's question with another WH correspondent this afternoon. This was the response:

Zeleny's question is exactly what's wrong with the White House press corps: Instead of thinking on his feet, asking follow-ups to the intriguing answers by President Obama on torture, abortion, etc., he stuck with a question he wrote down in a vacuum hours earlier. It was an overwritten, overly cute and so ethereal as to be pointless (did viewers really care about what "enchants" Obama?).

In addition, the president clearly mocked him, and enjoyed every second of it. "And what was the last one, humbled?" Obama said. "Humbled. Thank you, sir," said a relieved Zeleny before finally getting to sit down again. Humbled indeed. But also pathetic. Expect Zeleny to ask Obama at the next presser just what kind of tree he would be, would he -- could he -- be a tree.