McGraw, Hill blast Hurricane Katrina cleanup efforts

Nashville, Tenn. – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill met with reporters to talk about their upcoming tour, but ended up venting their frustration with the cleanup efforts along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Hill, who grew up in Jackson, Miss., and McGraw, a native of Delhi, La., have spent time in the devastated areas helping with relief efforts and raising money for victims.

When asked during Wednesday’s round table about the government’s slow progress, Hill, 38, said: “It’s wrong. It’s embarrassing. It really gets us fired up. That’s our homeland.”

McGraw blamed state and federal politics for hampering efforts to get adequate shelter, food and supplies to victims.

The 38-year-old country singer also criticized President Bush, who visited the devastated Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans on Wednesday.

“There’s no reason why someone can’t go down there – who’s supposed to be the leader of the free world – and say, ‘I’m giving you a job to do and I’m not leaving here until it’s done. And you’re held accountable,”‘ he said.

Later in the news conference, McGraw let out a stream of frustration, saying, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.”

Rather discusses replacing Rooney with Stewart

Cambridge, Mass. – Could Jon Stewart, host of a satirical cable news show, ever replace CBS’ “60 Minutes” commentator Andy Rooney? That was the hypothetical scenario presented to former anchorman Dan Rather at a Harvard University forum.

Rather, 74, is a correspondent for “60 Minutes.” He stepped down as the anchor of “CBS Evening News” last year, after 24 years.

“Satire is particularly valuable in a country like ours,” said Rather, in response to a question Thursday from moderator Alex S. Jones, director of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.

“One can imagine a national news editor saying, ‘We are losing money during this time period,”‘ and bringing in Stewart to boost demographics, said Rather, adding that he had no knowledge of actual discussions to lure Stewart, host of “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, to CBS.

Surveys have shown that as many as 20 percent of young people get their news from Stewart’s show.

Rather said that regardless of Stewart’s popularity and potential, the market for substantive journalism still exists.

“I think there is going to be a place for serious news – real news – and somebody is going to do it and make money at it,” he said. “My core belief is it isn’t over. It’s in danger, but it isn’t over.”

Rooney, 87, has given his wry commentaries at the end of “60 Minutes” broadcasts since 1978.

The 43-year-old Stewart hosted the Oscars on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Burberry gets a Londoner to be the face of London

New York – The public has seen a lot of mama-to-be Rachel Weisz lately – first at the Golden Globes in a gold Donna Karan gown and then at the Oscars in a sleek black Narciso Rodriguez gown.

Now Weisz, who is seven months pregnant, is the face of Burberry’s ad campaign for the new fragrance London. The ads were shot last fall.

The 35-year-old actress, who won an Oscar on Sunday for her role in “The Constant Gardener,” is a fashion-industry favorite.

“I love beautiful things and beautiful fashion,” Weisz told The Associated Press in a recent telephone interview. “I like clothes that are beautifully cut that aren’t too fussy.”

She often attends Rodriguez’s show during New York Fashion Week, but it was Burberry, which shares Weisz’s British heritage, that approached her about modeling.

“I’m British. I grew up with Burberry being the ultimate brand in chic, elegance and history. My granny, the chicest lady I ever knew, had a Burberry raincoat. Now it’s a cool and edgy fashion house, too,” Weisz said. “I was thrilled to be asked (to model). There was no hesitation.”

The fragrance is light and floral with a rich undertone. Weisz said she’s particularly fond of perfumes with a sandalwood base.