In an effort to give her husband Bard a memorable 40th birthday gift, Charla Muller made a pact: the two of them agreed to have sex every day for a year, an experiment which both agree has transformed their marriage.

Their project, which is documented in 365 Nights: A Memoir Of Intimacy, surprised them both with the level of daily kindness it required. As Charla noted, “incorporating intimacy into real life” is important, and can contribute to a lasting and satisfying relationship.

Barbara Walters will be signing copies of her memoir, Audition, at the Forum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from 1pm until 3pm today.

The book has topped several bestseller lists; fans in the area will have the opportunity to meet the media mogul.

Barbara Walters will sign her memoir, Audition, tonight at the Summerlin, Nevada Barnes & Noble store from 6pm to 7pm.

As guests of the Caesars Palace hotel have been notified, Ms. Walters will also sign the book from 1pm to 3pm.

Audition also got some publicity on the Emmy stage last Friday, as Sherri’s purse was made from a copy of the book.

Mark Ukra, also known as Dr. Tea, enlightened viewers about different aspects of tea in promotion of his book, The Ultimate Tea Diet.

Ukra implores consumers to opt for tea over coffee, as coffee raises insulin levels, traps body fat, and dehydrates, while tea promotes weight loss and provides antioxidants that are critical for overall health.

Despite the rainbow of names, white tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, and red tea are all from the same plant, and all provide the same weight-loss benefits; the differences lie in various levels of processing and caffeine content.

Dr. Tea recommends pyramid bags, which allow the plant to bloom, rather than shredded tea in paper bags; he also produces a line of “craving teas,” which are flavored and can satisfy desires for less healthy snack foods.

Journalist Tina Brown has written what many consider to be the most comprehensive story about the life of Princess Diana in her book, The Diana Chronicles. Brown’s time at Kensington Palace supplied her with insider knowledge and information that allowed her to portray an image of the Princess unseen by many.

When asked about current affairs within the Royal Family, Brown says that although Camilla has finally married Prince Charles, the two now fight more than ever. She also discussed Prince Harry’s desire to return to Afghanistan in a military capacity, but agrees that his involvement endangers his colleagues because of the constant publicity surrounding him.

Brown plans to write The Clinton Chronicles about the political lives of Bill and Hillary Clinton over the past 16 years in the spotlight.

Chevy Chase, one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live has has an illustrious career in comedic films. Although he left the long-running show to pursue a romantic relationship in Los Angeles, Chase has enjoyed success in other projects. The star of Caddyshack and Fletch limited his work to family-friendly roles during his daughters’ childhood years, many of which propelled him to fame through his signature physical comedy.

Chase is now the subject of the book I’m Chevy Chase…and You’re Not, which reveals some previously undisclosed details about the star’s family, childhood, and early career.

]]> http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/13/guest-chevy-chase/feed/ http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/13/the-mommie-returns/ http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/13/the-mommie-returns/#comments Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:22:04 +0000 judith http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/?p=426

Mommie Dearest, the classic tell-all book about the child abuse allegedly perpetrated by actress Joan Crawford, has been reissued by her daughter, Christina Crawford.

Christina, one of four adopted children, recounts several incidents of trauma in the book; she and her brother, Chris, were not named in Joan Crawford’s will, which many suspect is due to the book’s publication. Joan Crawford’s other daughters, Cindy and Cathy, insist that none of the events are true, and have distanced themselves from their older sister because of the accusations.

The book has been reissued for the 30th anniversary of the original 1978 publication.

]]> http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/13/the-mommie-returns/feed/ http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/12/married-lovers-hits-the-shelves/ http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/2008/06/12/married-lovers-hits-the-shelves/#comments Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:02:44 +0000 judith http://www.livebloggingtheview.com/?p=404

Viewers who are in the mood for a steamy summer read need look no further than Married Lovers, the latest novel from writer Jackie Collins.

Collins, who has written extensively about relationships and the dynamics that sustain them, found the topic of unfaithful married couples fascinating. The novel’s themes do not deal solely with lust and desire, but also tackle the tricky question of how to proceed if one meets the perfect mate, despite already being married.

Jim Nantz’s book, Always By My Side, has been recommended as a Father’s Day gift. In it, Nantz contrasts the experiences of reaching the pinnacle of his career and watching his father succumb to Alzheimer’s disease.

Ann and Denis Leary spoke about life as a lopsided celebrity couple; while Denis has found fame as an actor and comedian, Ann generally stays out of the spotlight. Their adventures together have formed the basis of Outtakes From A Marriage, written by Ann Leary.

The two met at Emerson College, where Denis was teaching a writing class in which Ann was enrolled. After the course, Denis pursued the woman with whom he fell in love. Though Ann says she sometimes finds herself looking less-than-glamorous next to Denis, he experiences his share of the ordinary as well. In fact, he calls himself an ATM and chauffeur to his children.

Barbara returned from her month-long book signing tour, which took her to 11 cities to promote her memoir, Audition.

Ms. Walters relayed messages from fans to all of the other co-hosts; she said that one of the most enjoyable aspects of touring was meeting all of the people who tune in daily to watch The View.

Independent journalist David Cay Johnston spoke to the studio audience about taxation and its relationship to individual finances.

Where is all of our tax money going? Not to the government, according to Johnston; it winds up in the pocket of individuals and companies, which are permitted to keep the tax revenue in order to maintain buildings, shopping centers, and other related expenditures.

Johnston’s solution to this form of corporate welfare is outlined in his book, Free Lunch: How The Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves At Government Expense (And Stick You With The Bill).

Noted author Salman Rushdie visited The View to speak about his latest work, The Enchantress of Florence. Like his other novels, Rushdie’s Enchantress takes readers on a historical journey, using real-life events that are bolstered by contemporary characters.

After writing The Satanic Verses, Rushdie was forced into hiding because of a fatwa issued by the Iranian state in the late 1980s. He got married while in hiding, and has been married a total of 4 times, with two sons.

Rushdie’s other projects include playing a gynecologist in Then She Found Me, a recent film starring Helen Hunt.

Tell-all publications are no longer Hollywood’s domain; the revelation genre has spread to Washington as well.

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has written his insider’s view of events in his book, What Happened: Inside The Bush White House And Washington’s Culture Of Deception. In it, McClellan writes about Bush’s policies of evasion and masking the truth regarding the war in Iraq, half-hearted recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, and other cases of incompetence within the administration.

The ladies of The View discussed McClellan’s possible reasons for waiting until now, when the country is embroiled in war and economic downturn, to reveal what he claims he knew. Whoopi and Joy remarked that McClellan’s comments would have been much more beneficial to the country had he spoken up earlier, while Elisabeth points out the fact that the book deal is likely much more lucrative now than it would have been earlier in the term.

Fans of The View undoubtedly have noticed Barbara Walters‘ absence from the show, though she is expected to return next Tuesday.

Ms. Walters is in Chicago promoting her memoir, Audition, and will be signing and meeting fans at the Borders store on Michigan Avenue. Her book tour will continue to take her around the country, but will ultimately lead back to a seat at the table on The View.

Lidia Bastianich, author of the Italian cookbook Lidia’s Italy, joined Joy and Whoopi in demonstrating how to make easy, affordable, and nutritious Italian meals. The three cooks prepared meatballs and rigatoni, sautéed escarole, and pasta fagioli.

The recipes make some substitutions, such as using ground turkey instead of ground beef in the meatballs, that make the dishes healthier and less expensive. The aforementioned meal was designed to serve twelve people, at a cost of $25-30.

Today, Barbara’s daughter Jackie, joined her on the set to talk about growing up with Barbara Walters as a mother. Perhaps the biggest revelation came when talking about her adolescence, which Barbara described as “tumultuous.” Jackie has established New Horizons for Young Women, a camp that reaches out to troubled teens.