Olbermann's Jacko Puppets Fetch Big Bucks

[CatWoman]

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) On his MSNBC show "Countdown," Keith Olbermann gets around the ban on cameras in the Michael Jackson trial courtroom by offering up a regular feature called "Michael Jackson Puppet Theatre."

The extremely simple puppets -- faces of key figures in the trial attached to popsicle sticks -- help Olbermann re-create the events of the trial that day with an appropriate level of seriousness and a not-entirely-accurate representation of court transcripts (unlike, say, E!'s much more elaborate re-enactments).

Monday (May 9), Olbermann and the "Countdown" staff decided to put six of the original puppets, "hand crafted" by "Countdown" staffers and autographed by the anchor, up for auction on eBay. Then things really got silly.

Within 90 minutes of the first $5 bid's submission, the price of the six puppets -- of Jackson, Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon, defense lawyer Thomas Mesereau Jr., Judge Rodney Melville, Jackson's pet chimpanzee and his early-trial crutches and pajamas -- had zoomed to $14,347. After an overnight lull, someone topped that with a bid of $14,400.02.

http://tinyurl.com/doz6b

[crispini]

1. The Q&A on the auction is great.

Q: I'm a little low on cash. Would you consider trading the puppets for the rights to a few Beatles songs?
May-10-05
A: Throw in the Elephant Man's skeleton and maybe we can talk, Mikey.

[Terre]

2. Or this one

Q: Can there be an auction to buy dinner for the intelligent, funny, and beautiful Monica Novotny?

A: Monica is not for sale, but how much would you pay to take a PUPPET of Monica out to dinner?

But I like the first exchange best.

Auction currently at: $14,700.00