By Mark Shanahan and Paysha Rhone, Globe Staff | December 30, 2008
Morrissey's March 29 show in Boston was supposed to be a big deal for Eli "Paperboy" Reed and his band, the True Loves. Word was Moz had chosen the Brookline-based combo to open several of his US dates, including his gig at the new and improved House of Blues. (The misanthrope's hitting the road in support of his new disc, "Years of Refusal," which drops Feb. 17.) But it's apparently not to be. Without so much as an explanation, the fickle former Smiths frontman summarily dumped Reed after seeing the soul man's show in London a few weeks back. Reed didn't respond to our call or e-mail yesterday, but he did dish to the message board Lemmingtrail. "It's alright, now at least we can do all the other stuff we couldn't do because of how long the tour was," Reed wrote. "We just played for 1,300 people headlining in Madrid so at least I have that going for me. I really just wanted to play Carnegie Hall."
Ellis signs off
Tom Ellis treated viewers to an emotional goodbye during his final NECN broadcast Saturday night. "For 14 and a half years, I've had the honor of working with the best and brightest professionals. . . . The whole crew, absolutely terrific. They are like my second family," he said. The 76-year-old broadcaster, who lives in Sandwich, was recently laid off from the cost-cutting station. Ellis anchored the weekend evening newscasts for the regional network since 1994, and he's been an anchor at each of the three major affiliated Boston stations during his 40 years as a local broadcaster. Last week, he vented to the Globe about how "disappointed" he was to lose his job. But Saturday, he appeared smiling and relaxed throughout the 5, 6, and 10 p.m. newscasts. Signing off, he said, "To my viewers, without you, we anchors wouldn't have a job, so I certainly appreciate your support. Until then, good luck, Happy New Year, and God bless you and America. . . . I love you."
Let's go to the video
WBZ's Kate Merrill is becoming a YouTube star - and we all know that's not good. Earlier this month, the Channel 4 reporter got her video uploaded for calling the embattled Chicago governor "Lavoyabitch." (In her defense, Blagojevich is a mouthful.) Next, Merrill was cussed out live, on the air, by an f-bomb-dropping pedestrian after she yelled at him for crossing in front of her news van during a snowstorm. "Back to you," she chirped brightly afterward, trying not to laugh. But anchor Jack Williams addressed the blooper head-on. "Another happy person in Boston, full of God's love," he boomed. So far, about 40,000 YouTubers have checked it out.
Family time with Conan
Late-night guy Conan O'Brien was spotted with family members at the Boston Children's Museum yesterday. We bet the Brookline native is looking forward to the new year; he'll take over "The Tonight Show" from Jay Leno in June.
