VH1's "Best Week Ever" Gang Clueless About Howard Stern Show

Stories

Sulu Gets Married as Uhura and Chekov Look On

Stories

Toast the groom (and the other groom) with a tall mug of Romulan ale! George Takei of “Star Trek” fame tied the knot in Los Angeles on Sunday and People magazine was all over it like Captain Kirk on that green alien lady.

George Takei and his longtime partner, Brad Altman, were wed Sunday evening in a Buddhist ceremony in downtown Los Angeles.

“All I can remember is what the priest said,” Takei told People after the ceremony. “That this moment will never happen again. It’s something to savor.”

Nearly 200 of the couple’s friends attended the event, which began as a kimono-clad koto player plucked out tunes on the ancient Japanese stringed instrument. Afterward, the couple sipped sake from red lacquer cups, then said their vows to one another while standing within a circle of yellow rose petals.

A Scottish bagpiper led Takei, 71, and Altman, 54, to the reception on the grounds of the Japanese American National Museum. On the way, the couple, along with their maid of honor and best man (Takei’s former “Star Trek” costars Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig) flashed the “live long and prosper” hand sign to photographers and friends.

“I was fighting back the tears,” said Nichols, who played Uhura on the “Star Trek” series. “But they came oozing out anyway. I’m so happy that they’re both able to legally proclaim their commitment to one another after spending the past 21 years together.”

In May, Takei announced his plans to wed after California’s Supreme Court allowed gay marriage under the state’s Constitution.

Wait, does this mean Mr. Sulu is gay? Set red-state phasers on stunned!

But seriously, best wishes for Takei and Altman, and we hope didn’t get too many of these as wedding gifts.

— Geoff Boucher

LOS ANGELES TIMES BLOG

Artie Lange Checks Into "Intensive" Rehab

Artie Lange, Eric the Midget, Fred Norris, Gary Dell'Abate, Greg Fitzsimmons, Howard Stern, Nick DePaulo, Robin Quivers, Ronnie the Limo Driver, Sal Governale, Scott Baio, Tim Sabean

Page Six

Howard Stern‘s sidekick is finally in rehab. Artie Lange, who’s long overindulged with drugs and drink, was scheduled to attend close pal Bob Saget‘s Comedy Central roast on Sunday night, but never made it to LA. Instead, he checked himself into an intensive outpatient rehab program. A source said Lange “felt awful for not being there for Bob, but needed to make his health a priority.” Lange also canceled his stand-up shows this weekend, but plans to return to his regular gig on Stern’s Sirius radio show when it returns from hiatus. Lange’s rep, Lewis Kay, confirmed the news.

Get well buddy; we all love you-JT

Sirius-XM Merger Approved by Justice Department

Artie Lange, Bear Stearns, Beetlejuice, Benjy Bronk, Bloodhound Gang, Eric the Midget, Fred Norris, Gary Dell'Abate, High-Pitched Eric, Hillary, Howard Stern, J.D., J.P. Morgan, Jeff The Drunk, Jim Florentine, Justice Department, Mark The Bagger, McCain, Obama, Ralph, Richard Christie, Robin Quivers, Ronnie the Limo Driver, Sal the Stockbroker, Satellite Radio, Sirius, Sirius XM Merger, Wall Street, XM

Justice Department gives thumbs up to satellite radio merger more than one year after it was first announced.

CNN/MONEY

March 24, 2008: 4:21 PM EDT

In its decision, the Department of Justice determined that an XM-Sirius merger was not anti-competitive. The Justice Department argued that other media companies such as Clear Channel (CCU, Fortune 500), CBS (CBS, Fortune 500), or even Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) with its iTunes software and iPod music player served as alternate options for music and media customers.

The Department of Justice did not place any conditions on the merger.

“Since we determined that there was no competition between the companies, we did not need to set any conditions as such,” said Assistant Attorney General Thomas Barnett during a conference call with reporters Monday afternoon.

But the Federal Communications Commission must also approve the deal. The FCC has yet to make a decision on the merger and it could decide to place conditions on the deal. A spokesperson for the FCC was not immediately available for comment.

Since Sirius and XM are still awaiting approval from the FCC, it is unclear exactly what a merger would mean for consumers. Both companies charge their customers a $12.95 per month subscription fee for their most basic packages. Some have feared that if Sirius and XM are allowed to merge, the two companies would raise the monthly price.

However, the companies said last year that they would be willing to offer a so-called “a la carte” price plan where consumers could pick certain packages for less money.

The merger would combine the nation’s only two satellite radio companies and create a company with about 14 million subscribers. It would bring together Sirius’ most well-known content, including shock jock Stern and National Football League games with XM’s Major League Baseball as well as programming from Oprah Winfrey.

Currently, subscribers for either Sirius or XM can only receive broadcasts from one of the two services with their satellite radios. But in a statement Monday, XM reiterated that radios owned by its current subscribers would not need to be replaced in order to continue receiving programming.

Shares of XM (XMSR) and Sirius (SIRI) both rose after the announcement.