Pop Culture Hot List

SI Staff | Mar 17, 2009

Pop Culture Hot List /

Pop Culture Hot List

Owen Benjamin and Christina Ricci

Congratulations are in order to our favorite couple, who just got engaged. Nifty. It's a good time to be Owen Benjamin. Not only does he get to marry the girl of his dreams, but also his new show, ''Heckle U,'' about a professional heckler at college basketball games, is set to debut this week during the NCAA Tournament. Check it out at: http://www.cbs.com/heckleu/

Dwight Howard

So the fake phone booth Howard briefly used in his unsuccessful bid to repeat as the NBA Slam Dunk champion is being auctioned for $1,500 by the NBA. Not surprisingly, there has been no bids. By the way, if you're in the market for a phone booth with a pay phone that actually works, you can get one for less than $500 on eBay.

Alex Rodriguez

How much does Alex Rodriguez love himself? Enough to make out with a reflection of himself in a mirror during a Details photo shoot. Can't this guy afford an advisor that would save him from himself?

Hulk Hogan

Anything the Hulkster does is entertaining. Even leaving the courtroom is a perfect opportunity to cut a WWE-worthy promo with his wife's attorney. We can only hope that Hogan will find a way to make it to WrestleMania in a couple weeks and save us from having to watch Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper get back in the ring and face Chris Jericho.

Barack Obama and Dan Rooney

Now we can see why President Obama took the politically incorrect route and said he was rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl. Obama recently selected Steelers owner Dan Rooney to be the U.S. ambassador to Ireland. Maybe he could offer up similar roles in his administration to sports owners as an incentive for them to win championships.

The Rock

Now that he's a movie star, Dwyane "The Rock" Johnson doesn't mind admitting that he took steroids in his younger days. Then again, anyone who's surprised that a former Miami football player and professional wrestler dabbled in steroids at one point also probably thinks "The U" never broke any rules and that WWE matches aren't staged.

Jonathan Papelbon

Some people just can't let bygones be bygones. Papelbon is still referring to Manny Ramirez as a cancer that had to be removed, despite the fact that the Red Sox won two World Series titles in Manny's last four years. It's amazing how Boston can crucify Ramirez for "quitting" on his team but embrace former "quitters" Randy Moss and Stephon Marbury as soon as they come to Bean Town.

Tito Ortiz and Jenna Jameson

The porn star and the MMA star welcomed twin boys this week, although Jameson and Ortiz don't plan to get married any time soon. "I think I'm gonna stay unmarried and just go for the babies!" Jameson said recently. "I'm following in Angelina's footsteps."

Smush Parker and Kobe Bryant

So Smush Parker, who is out of the NBA at 27, says "playing with the Lakers was an overrated experience." Parker is best known for his two-year stint as the Lakers starting point guard (back when they were bad), so it's safe to say he was the overrated one in the equation. "The reason I say overrated is because everyone thinks that playing with Kobe Bryant is the best thing since sliced bread, when it's not," Parker said. "The problems with that team start with him, and end with him." Considering the Lakers have the best record in the NBA and Bryant is up for the MVP again, it looks like they already got rid of the biggest problem with the team.

Lawrence Taylor

It looks like L.T. might actually have a chance to win "Dancing with the Stars" after all. He was much improved over his embarrassing first-week performance, and the competition around him keeps falling. Jewel and Nancy O'Dell dropped out because of injuries, Steve-O was a no-show this week after falling on his mike pack in dress rehearsal and Steve Wozniak sustained a foot fracture. If L.T. can just stand up, he's got to be considered a favorite.

Published Mar 17, 2009

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