Ten Greatest Pop Culture Moments of 2007 So Far

Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez threw a double feature, two-movies-for the-price-of-one homage to drive-in exploitation extravaganza and dumb ass moviegoers did not show up for the party. Planet Terror is fast paced and brutal, yet has well-developed (for a horror movie) characters about whom the viewer actually cares. Grindhouse makes you wait for the gruesome scene while you get to know the characters, and has a great soundtrack. The movies have "missing reels," pops and clicks and "cigarette burns" in the film, antiqued trailers filmed by the likes of Eli Roth and Rob Zombie and of course, snack bar commercials. It is believed that the movies will have legs on DVD and that a new B-movie revival will grow out of the supposed failure of Grindhouse.

9. Elvis impersonators set new record

Almost one hundred fifty Elvises tried to take the stage on January 14 at the Elvis festival in Parkes, NSW, Australia, but all of them couldn't fit. Regardless, all 147 sang Love Me Tender, setting the record for the largest number of Elvii singing together. Other events at the four day annual festival included weddings officiated by Elvis, a gospel service and an Elvis in the Park concert. Even the mayor dressed as Elvis as the town of 10,500 enjoyed 6,000 visitors. Previously the record was 78 impersonators singing at once at Canada's Collingwood Elvis Festival.

8. Lost dog returned after four years

Mickey, a very lucky Boston terrier, went missing from his Kansas backyard four years ago. He was found in April in Billings, Montana, 1100 miles away. Because Mickey has an identification microchip from the Avid Company, the Billings Animal Shelter was able to trace him to a Lee's Summit, Missouri veterinarian's office where his owner Kari Mitchell used to work. Although Mickey is said to look different, with signs of wear on his teeth, and he doesn't remember his name, his owners are happy to have him home. Only Mickey knows how he got to Montana.

7. The tweaker vs the snorkeler

In Eugene, Oregon in February, William Roderick decided it would be a good idea to smoke some pot, do some speed and go out and fire a gun. Specifically, he thought he would shoot a nutria, an unfortunate rodent which migrated from South America. Although nutrias are considered pests, Roderick was so high that he mistook snorkeler John Cheesman as a nutria and shot him in the head. Too bad he wasn't high enough to miss his target! To Roderick's dubious credit, he also rescued Cheesman from the water. Cheesman lived but underwent eight hours of surgery.

6. Eddie Murphy is Former Scary Spice's Baby's Daddy

The baby was born April 3 and E! Online says the name on the birth certificate is Murphy's. Although this is only the second most interesting DNA drama of the year, at least no one involved in the situation is dead. Yet.

5. Kid gets smacked by Tigger

A New Hampshire family got a surprise in early January when they posed with Tigger at Disney World. The cast member in the Tigger suit punched teenager Jerry Monaco Jr, who claimed the act was unprovoked. Disney officials apologized to the Monacos and suspended the cast member but Tigger never apologized. Because Disney did not require Tigger to apologize many people believe the attack was actually self defense.

4. Carlos Mencia exposed as a fraud

Mencia has been stealing jokes and Rogan is not going to take it anymore. Click here to watch it happen on You Tube. News reports of this incident are not at the top of online searches although it was well covered by the blogosphere. The Comedy Store took Mencia's side and banned Rogan. It is well known that Mencia also is not Mexican although he insults them as if he was.

3. Britney's Breakdown

If I was followed by that many cameramen for that many years, I would have long since broken down, shaved my head and gotten "Leave Me Alone" tattooed on my forehead. Britney has been in the news every day since at least 1999 for reasons of which I am still unsure. Maybe now she will not be on the news all the time.

2. Vince McMahon versus Donald Trump: Hair vs. Hair

Trump's hair has been too horrible for too long for him to agree to have it shaved. So you just knew that Umaga, representing Vince, was going to lose to Bobby Lashley, representing Trump. Not to mention that a loss by Umaga to Lashley had been hinted at for months. So Vince is now bald and Trump can move on to fighting with someone else. As a special bonus for those who'd like to see Trump fired, he did get punched by Stone Cold Steve Austin. A professional wrestling angle involving a rich businessman/arguably failed reality TV star is a pop culture omelet. And wrestling fans ate it up.

1. Anna Nicole's passing

Best known to many as a reality TV star, her death was televised in as much detail as her life had been; she got more press than President Ford, James Brown and Saddam Hussein combined. Not bad for a single mother from a small town in Texas. Now that we know Larry Burkhead is the baby's father, it remains to be seen whether publicity will continue for the release of Anna Nicole's movie about aliens. Maybe now she will be left alone to rest in peace.