Stars' feet of clay sticky issue for parents
(8/27/04) Steve Hummer Atlanta Journal-Constitution

...It has been 11 years since (Charles) Barkley, one of the NBA's 50 all-time greatest players, looked up from a famous Nike commercial and announced, "I am not a role model."

It was a simple six-word statement that set off eruptions over the declaration that athletes shouldn't be asked to raise the nation's children.

"[It's] because people didn't listen to the commercial correctly," Barkley said last week. "They didn't pick up the tag line that parents are supposed to be the role models."

Trying to set a moral compass by the deeds of rich and famous athletes is risky. "I don't want my daughter looking up to people she never met," Barkley said.

No matter the best intentions of the parents who raise them, kids seek out role models in popular culture. And they need such figures, experts say.

...At the same time, a parent can try to grasp the attraction between their children and the stars.

"A parent needs to learn about who it is up there on his child's wall, whether it's Tony Hawk, Bob Marley or Peyton Manning," said Pat McInally, a former NFL punter, and author of the book "Moms and Dads, Kids and Sports." "You need to understand why your child feels a closeness to that person."

But reality is very stubborn opponent: Children are going to go where their fantasies take them.

Even Barkley's 15-year-old daughter is not immune. "I knew it was time to retire," he said, "when she took down my poster in her room and put up Justin Timberlake's..."

 

New Balance Hits Awards
(8/27/04) Boston.com

Brighton-based sneaker pros New Balance has ponied up a pair of the buzzed-about 579 (the NB Classics shoe that is launching later this year) to each of the nominees for the MTV Video Music Awards this weekend in Miami. The men's version of the 579 is gray and navy, and the women's is white with bright red. Nominees will receive their New Balance kicks along with a goody bag of other fun swag at a cocktail function tomorrow hosted byP. Diddy. The guest list includes Usher, Justin Timberlake, Denzel Washington, Donald Trump, Jessica Simpson, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and Gwen Stefani.

 

Moonmen over Miami: 5 juicy ideas for the MTV awards
(8/27/04) Cary Darling Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

The mature thing to do this month is to talk politics and tune in to the Republican National Convention. But there's still time for some immaturity this weekend, thanks to the MTV Video Music Awards.

Forced to flee its New York home because of all the tumult over the convention, the awards, airing at 7 Sunday night, have found refuge in Miami, which seems like a perfect fit: The shallowest awards (these are the ones where Britney and Madonna, oops, Esther swapped spit) in America's shallowest city (Esther used to have a home there; J.Lo still does).

It's a match made in marketing heaven.

In that spirit, and since nobody really cares who walks away with the moonmen-shaped awards, we've come up with the five things that could liven up the ceremony. (Keep in mind Esther's not scheduled to be there this year):

...5. Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson re-stage their infamous Super Bowl performance, except it's MTV and it's Miami, so the sole complaint is why there's only one wardrobe malfunction.

MTV Video Music Awards

• 7 p.m. Sunday, MTV