chatelaine-daily, flannery-dean

Thinking of travelling to New York City for the holidays? If you're like thousands of other regular Big Apple vacationers, you may be having second thoughts, thanks to the bedbug epidemic that is reported to be sweeping the city. Reports that the critters are now infesting tourist landmarks like the Empire State Building, Bloomingdales and Lincoln Centre have apparently caused some holiday-makers to head elsewhere, and though none of these destinations have full-blown infestations, the pesky bugs have also been reported in movie theatres, hotels and clothing stores.

Sometimes it takes a Canadian icon to cut another Canadian icon down to size. Canadian film and theatre legend Gordon Pinsent did just that when he read aloud from Justin Beiber's new memoir on the most recent episode of This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Pinsent brings absurd gravitas to lines like "Singers aren't supposed to have dairy before a show, but we all know I'm a rule breaker." After reading a passage in which Beiber describes a bad haircut, Pinsent pauses to bring a hand to his furrowed brow before lamenting, "Dear God, what he must have gone through." To watch this exhibition of celebrity juxtaposition at its most jarringly hilarious, click here.

At what age should cheerleaders be required to shake their booty? It's an age-old question, and according to an elementary school coach in Nebraska, the answer is 11.

These past few days it's been impossible to turn on the television, open a newspaper, or even log on to the internet without learning about the grizzly crimes committed by Colonel Russell Williams.

Sometimes an event occurs that is so absurd, so downright outlandish that it defies mockery. Bristol Palin's appearance on Dancing with the Stars in a head-to-toe gorilla costume complete with pink tutu and heels was just such an event.