Harvey’s wallbanger
General Electric has pulled a lighting ad from Paul Harvey’s syndicated radio show, heard here on WABC (770 AM), after receiving complaints from listeners over Harvey’s comment that Islam “encourages killing.”
Harvey, 84, made the comment Dec. 4 while describing cockfighting in Iraq. “Add to the thirst for blood a religion which encourages killing, and it is entirely understandable if Americans came to this bloody party unprepared,” he said.
Harvey apologized six days later through an on-air substitute – a day after GE pulled its ad (for a lamp).
“We’re considering whether to resume advertising [on the show],” a GE spokesman said yesterday. “No decision has been made yet.”
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Mary Kay Place will guest- star in an upcoming episode of “The Handler” (Jan. 16), along with ex- “One Life to Live” co- star Erin Torpey. The episode revolves around a crooked U.S. Congressman and his murdered college intern. And Kristy Swanson will appear in the Jan. 5 episode of “CSI: Miami” as the patient of a plastic surgeon who apparently committed suicide.
Meanwhile, Jenna Elfman, late of “Dharma & Greg,” will guest-star on a two-episode arc of CBS’ “Two and a Half Men” (Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer) in February. The show was created by Chuck Lorre – who also created “Dharma & Greg.”
Last, but not least:
* Oreck sent Andy Rooney a customized vacuum cleaner yesterday, complete with FM radio and headphones, after he griped on Sunday’s “60 Minutes” repeat that he’d “rather get a vacuum cleaner for Christmas than a gift certificate.”
* DJ Paul Oakenfold kept the crowd dancing last Saturday night at the Wolf Films holiday party at L.A.’s House of Blues. The bash, organized by Wolf Films president Peter Jankowski, included Mariska Hargitay, James Woods, Chris Meloni, Ice T, Ed O’Neill, Richard Belzer and many others.
* Noodlesoup Productions won the Best Animated TV Series Award at Cineme (Chicago) for “The Venture Brothers” (Cartoon Network).