the buzz log
March 2009 Buzz
Dialing back the clock back meant more sunny days—if you weren't buried under late-winter snows and rains. People were laying low anyhow, trying to survive a bitter economy. A spring approach made a few feel feisty enough to engage in spats. Here are the stories and the searches that set the March lions roaring.
Are We Depressed Enough?
Tough times are spurring people to compare their lot to the 1930s,
when people saved string and families traveled to the Dust Bowl in
search of work. As Americans look for salvation (and details) in a
stimulus, especially after President Obama's press conference, economy-related queries percolated over the difference between "recession vs. depression." Money-minded individuals also researched the merits of bartering, frugality, and making fast money. Fast money—isn't that how we got into this mess?
How to Handle a Dispute
Tight finances aside, the peanut gallery had enough change in their pocket to throw in their two cents about ongoing disputes. Singer Chris Brown got charged for felony assault, reportedly days after he and Rihanna—also known as the victim—made up. The renewed attention unleashed celebrathon of advice, from Donald Trump calling forgiveness "crazy" to Oprah saying counseling was needed. Meanwhile, an apology by GOP chairman Michael Steele to talk show host Rush Limbaugh prompted gleeful Democrats to launch a site where anyone can do mea culpas on behalf of Republican offenders. Then, the manufactured media feud between Jim "Mad Money" Cramer sat with Jon "The Daily Show" Stewart had pundits declaring Stewart a winner but too serious, and Cramer apolgetic but "absurdly" so. No wonder it's tough to say you're sorry.
A Heartbreaking Farewell
Natasha Richardson hailed from an elite stage family—her grandfather Sir Michael Redgrave owned the English stage, her mother Vanessa Redgrave vanquished the mediums of stage and screen, and her husband Liam Neeson established himself as an actor of merit in two continents. The Tony award-winning Richardson was lesser known but no less talented, but her death—a head injury after falling on a beginner's ski slope—unnerved people about their own fragility. Her accident spurred lookups into her biography, filmography (including "Parent Trap" with Lindsay Lohan), and family connections, and also revived the issue of ski helmets.
And more...
|
Search Terms with the Biggest Percentage Changes
|
Biggest Search Terms |
Filed under: Politics, Finance, Celebrity Couples, Monthly Wrapup, Recaps, Death, Celebrity Arrests, Rush Limbaugh, Barack Obama, Wrap Up, Economics
Buzz Week in Review
Below the purple haze of American politics, beyond the sheer historicity of Election Day, were events of passing significance. In other words, other things happened besides the U.S. elections. Take a breather from gloried events and muse over monsters from Mexico, excessive palimony payments, and literary figures who said goodbye.
The Creature From the Lake Resort
The axolotl: so elusive, so slimy, so near extinction. USA Today examined the possible fate of Mexico City's water monster, aka the Mexican walking fish. Scientists aim to save the creature, which has so far survived conquistadors, fishing, pollution, tourism, and singing gondoliers. The salamander has been the stuff of Aztec legend and Ogden Nash poetry, but may survive only another five years without help. People need way more time than that to practice pronouncing ACK-suh-LAH-tuhl.
The Realities of Romance
Reality TV pseudo-celebrities decided this week "yes we can" and "no we can't" when it came to matrimonial alliances. "The Bachelorette" DeAnna Pappas, once publicly rejected, did the spurning this time when she ended her engagement to Jesse Csincsak. The move also resulted in Pappas (metaphorically) shoving aside Rahm Emanuel as the fastest moving search term in the last seven days (+136,990%). "Girls Next Door" star Kendra Wilkinson, obviously so on the rebound from Hugh Hefner, announced her engagement to NFL wide receiver Hank Baskett. Lastly, Simon Cowell's longtime gal pal Terri Seymour dumped the "American Idol" judge last week, but she burst into Buzz for getting a nearly $10 million parting gift. This should re-inflate Simon's ego: The New Republic suggests Cowell "saved American democracy." Now that's surreal.
Epilogue: Literary Farewells
Michael Crichton was the latest literary figure to pass on in the past few weeks. Cinematical honors the thriller author's best seven onscreen translations. The author, who died of cancer at age 66, follows the departures of oral historian Studs Terkel, mystery writer Tony Hillerman, and New Age instigator Marilyn Ferguson.
Also buzzing...
• Soap star Lisa Rinna admits to plastic surgery overload.
• New Hampshire wants kids out of high school and into college by their sweet sixteen.
• OK, for the political junkies: Election Day search by search, John McCain's elegant concession, and a linguist's take on Barack Obama's speech.
Filed under: Celebrities, Celebrity Couples, Authors, Science, Fish
Celebrity Campaign Promises
• Akon. The Senegalese will keep his American citizenship and have no excuse to duck a Lionel Ritchie comeback.
• Stephen Baldwin. The Baldwin family reunions may be a little tougher now, since baby brother vowed to Fox News to head out of Dodge if his McCain-Palin ticket didn't come through.
• Seal and Heidi Klum. Seal was a British citizen anyhow and couldn't vote, but now wife Klum can enjoy her American rights to be embroiled in a lawsuit.
• Tina Fey. The Sarah Palin impersonator told TV Guide she would check out of this planet. Now she can go back to reminding people that her real show is "30 Rock," not "Saturday Night Live."
• Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. Notorious liberal Sarandon had her eye on Italy or Canada if the Union went red. Now she can be around when her 1971 nudie flick debuts on DVD ... unless she and her partner feel slighted about allegedly being disinvited to the presidential rally.
• Michael Stipe. The REM singer eyed England as his escape route if Obama didn't take the Oval Office. Now the band can stop blogging about the election and focus on its album tour.
However, past celebrity oaths haven't always followed through, according to Snopes. So there may yet still be a chance of a Baldwin brothers HBO miniseries/reality show. Fingers crossed.
Filed under: Politics, Celebrities, Celebrity Couples, Elections, Presidents
Let's Get (Trial) Married!
Three months may not seem like a long time, but then again, things always move quicker in Hollywood. This may help explain the recent announcement that Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer are planning a "trial marriage."
Translation: no wedding, but plenty of time to decide who gets control of the remote and takes out the trash. After three months together, Mayer and Aniston are playing house. And hey, in another three months, if things go well, then they can talk wedding. If not, they can always get trial divorced.
Speaking of not-so-happy endings, after their three-month romance, Kate Hudson and Lance Armstrong decided to end it. According to Us Magazine, "There was no drama or ugliness - they just decided to end things...There is no hatred, just sadness."
No ugliness or drama? No, that only happens in six-month relationships.
Jamie Lynn Spears clearly believes in trials. First beau, then baby, and now the former "Zoey 101" star is reportedly planning a wedding by year's end to her finace and baby daddy, Casey Aldridge, according to OK Magazine.
The magazine also reports that, despite pesky tabloid rumors that Sarah Jessica Parker's husband Matthew Broderick, cheated on her, the two are said to have an "unconventional but successful union." Maybe they should have had a trial first.
Filed under: Celebrity Couples, Jennifer Aniston
Attention, Boys: Miley's Lookin'
Miley Cyrus is on the market, and anyone who doubts it can see for themselves in this hard-hitting interview from MSNBC. The "Hannah Montana" star is officially "lookin'." Let the jostling begin.
Of course, if you're really hoping to be noticed by the 15-year-old phenom, you might put your money where you mouth is and make a bid. The Cyrus' foundation, which benefits underprivileged kids, is auctioning off a date with the Disney darling. All you have to do is beat the current highest bid of $2,000. No sweat.
All of this could account for why "miley cyrus boyfriend" has been spiking in Search. Or the reason could be simply that Nick Jonas, who once had the honor of dating Miss Cyrus, has been spotted out and about with a new young starlet, Selena Gomez. Nonetheless, both "miley cyrus nick jonas" and "miley cyrus boyfriend nick jonas" have picked up traction in Search over the past seven days. Some searchers, at least, have remained faithful.
Single or not, the teen princess's romantic life has dominated Buzz and will surely continue to do so. While fans eagerly seek out other celebs' love lives, it's all-Miley, all-the-time at the top of the week's most popular "boyfriend" queries. Keep on lookin', Miley...
Filed under: Celebrity Couples, Hannah Montana
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford 400 | Breakout! |
| 2 | Indonesia Ferry | Breakout! |
| 3 | Jordan Chandler | 3481% |
| 4 | Evan Chandler | 2322% |
| 5 | American Music Awards | 1841% |
| 6 | John F. Kennedy | 1529% |
| 7 | Turkey Stuffing Recipes | 1361% |
| 8 | Liam Hemsworth | 1172% |
| 9 | Lou Dobbs | 1142% |
| 10 | Hendrick Motorsports | 888% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Friday | +340 | 1290 |
| 2 | NFL | +489 | 670 |
| 3 | Jennifer Lopez | +451 | 515 |
| 4 | New Moon | -67 | 250 |
| 5 | American Music Awards | +236 | 249 |
| 6 | UFC | -36 | 239 |
| 7 | Miley Cyrus | +66 | 169 |
| 8 | Hulu | -11 | 154 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
For more detailed information, visit our FAQ.