Gang, I am SO angry over something that happened yesterday, I have to tell you! My fellow NYers should be especially cautious over this, as it's a local thing (as far as I know).

Here in NY, we have a chain of discount music and electronics stores called The Wiz (I'm not sure if they're located in other places besides NY, but you probably remember a very funny Seinfeld skit where Elaine falls in love with a guy who does really stupid commercials for them - "I'm the Wiz! I'm the Wiz! And nobody beats me!"). Yesterday, while shopping for a new phone, I stopped there to see what they had (I've graduated from a $12 piece of crap from Rite Aid to a $16 piece of crap from Circuit City, but The Wiz was one of my stops along the way). Now, among other things on my shopping list yesterday was the CD from the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" celebrity telethon concert that aired the Friday after the attacks - not the one from this past Saturday night that Paul McCartney organized on VH1 (that CD will be out Oct. 30th), but the first one, when every TV station pre-empted their regular programming to air the concert. The CD came out on Oct. 16th and most (or all) of the proceeds are going to charity, of course.

Weeeell, our buddies The Wiz are selling a knock-off version and claiming it's "The Tribute to Heroes" CD!!! It's up at the register in the "Impulse Purchase" spot (a very effective selling spot - I used to work retail years ago, and it's a sure fire spot to snag a last minute buy). The cover has an American Flag design on it, and truthfully, I'm not certain of the exact title nor the company that released it, but it was so close to the Tribute to Heroes design that I grabbed it the second I saw it! I flipped it over to look at the song list and that's when I noticed that only about two artists on there had been on the telethon - Celine Dion singing "God Bless America" and Mariah Carey singing "Hero". Bruce Springsteen WAS on the telethon, and he was listed, but with a different song. The intent is clearly to make people who may not remember exactly everyone who appeared on there think they have the right CD. Who else is on there? Bob Dylan - wasn't on the telethon. Whitney Houston singing "The Star Spangled Banner" - wasn't on the telethon. Mahalia Jackson doing "Amazing Grace"? She's been dead for 32 years - wasn't on the tethon! Mormon Tabernacle Choir? Need I say more?

Well, when I see stuff like this, my considerably big mouth gets bigger (John and I refer to this as when I go out "Crimefighting", LOL!!! Whenever I say to him, "Well, sweetie - I was out crimefighting today!", he'll go "Who'd you yell at?"). So, I tell the scum at the Wiz that this isn't the CD from the telethon, he insists it is. He points out that "all" the artists were there - I make my point that Mahalia Jackson has been pushing up daisies since I was six years old. Asshole shrugs his shoulders and walks away. I restrain myself from winging the CD at his jug-head!

After taking my telephone needs to Circuit City, on my way home, I stop at Sam Goody, where they indeed DO carry the real CD for charity, but are sold out till Wednesday. I continue "crimefighting", and tell the guy "Okay, sine you're sold out till Wednesday, if anyone else comes in here looking for that CD, DON'T let them go to The Wiz", and I tell him the story. He gives me a look that basically says "Look, lady, I'm just waiting for you to leave so I can cut this fart I'm holding in", and that was pretty much it.

Luvvies of mine, if you have any Wiz stores in your area, make SURE you warn people that these dirtbombs are selling the knock off CD and lying about it, and the proceeds will not go to the relief effort - they'll go into the pockets of the store owners!

*Down offa the soapbox* And I thank you!

• RE: SEPT. 11TH SCAM!!!!,Tinkerbell, 01:55 PM, 10-22-01

Ohh...Itzy...it's not just The Wiz. I went to my local Wal-Mart last night (I hate that store--but it's the only place where I can get the kind of moisturizer I like--UGH!) and I actually bought the CD you are talking about. I knew that I wanted that one and picked it up...saw Celine Dion as the first song and bought it. Took it home and started listening to it...I thought the Amazing Grace rendition was a little odd, but I didn't see the whole telethon so figured I'd go with it...heck...I don't know who Mahalia Jackson is! I thought maybe it was a new up and comer.
Now I'm ticked! With the little extra money I had this month I thought I would buy something I like (a CD) and do something good for people. Ohhh...You bet your buttons I'm going back to Wal-Mart tonight to yell...that is...if they don't discover anthrax there. FedEx delivered a suspicious package there this morning.
Oh...Wal-Mart is gonna be sorry that they messed with Tink!