SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

THE NERVE – FROM AFP:   Paris (AFP) – The French government on Sunday urged Donald Trump not to interfere in French politics after the US president posted tweets about the protests rocking the country and attacked the Paris climate agreement.  “We do not take domestic American politics into account and we want that to be reciprocated,” Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told LCI television.  “I say this to Donald Trump and the French president says it too: leave our nation be.”  Trump had on Saturday posted two tweets referring to the “yellow vest” anti-government protests that have swept France since mid-November and sparked rioting in Paris.  “Very sad day & night in Paris. Maybe it’s time to end the ridiculous and extremely expensive Paris Agreement and return money back to the people in the form of lower taxes?” he suggested.  Trump had earlier posted: “The Paris Agreement isn’t working out so well for Paris. Protests and riots all over France. Okay, Trump went a little over the line in criticizing the French government.  But two weeks ago Macron went way over the line in slamming Trump.  All's fair.

I COULDN'T HAVE LIVED WITHOUT HIS OPINION – FROM FOX:   He's been known to take long-distance shots, but this one might be the farthest out there.  NBA superstar Stephen Curry said he does not believe the U.S. landed on the moon, according to a podcast Monday.  The Golden State Warriors guard made the comments when he was a guest on the "Winging It" podcast, according to The New York Times.  Curry asked one of the hosts if he believed that the U.S. landed on the moon. When the host said no, Curry agreed, but said he didn't want to "start conspiracies."  Despite insurmountable evidence to the contrary, conspiracy theorists have claimed for years that man did not walk on the moon, that the landings were fake. Conspiracy theories have continued to pop up since man first walked on the moon on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to ever set foot on the lunar surface.   They ought to send Curry up there to collect the old Coke bottles.

PATHETIC – THE OSCARS HAVE HAD IT – FROM FOX:   Following Kevin Hart’s announcement that he was bowing out of as host of the 2019 Academy Awards, a report on Monday suggested that organizers behind the annual event are considering airing next year’s telecast without a host.  The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences is exploring all options, sources with knowledge of the situation told Variety.  The show may go sans host, an insider told the outlet, and instead would feature “a bunch of huge celebs, something ‘SNL’ style, and buzzy people to throw to commercial.”  Organizers reportedly are leery of booking a host considered too controversial or “off the cuff,” the report claimed.  There was a time when hosting the Oscars was one of the greatest honors in the industry.  Now look at it.

December 10,  2018