What Kathy Griffin wants now

Kathy Griffin, as her stand-up act would suggest, wants lots of things. She wants a Grammy for her new album to go along with her Emmy. But most of all she wants an invitation to next year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. At least that’s what she told us on a break from her current tour and promotional appearances for her Bravo series “My Life on the D-List,” which airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. EDT

Why are people so interested in celebrities?

I don’t know. Tell me why.

I don’t know. You should know _ you’re closer to that kind of stuff.

They have to hire a normal bouncer (for the Correspondents’ Dinner), and they have to bounce Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson and the Jonas Brothers. … Scott McClellan probably didn’t go because he couldn’t get in. He was probably outside going, “I’ve got some pretty big news coming out of this book I’m doing,” and people were saying, “Yeah, yeah. Move over, here comes Ashlee.”

It’s a crazy world. But it’s working out well for you.

It’s true. I am enjoying the dumbing-down of America.

And it gives you so much to plug.

To me, it’s always like tax time for an accountant. Celebrities never stop. Mariah Carey with her child bride. … I’m pretty busy.

What can you say about the new season of “The D-List”?

The episode I’m really proud of is when we went to Walter Reed Army Hospital. … It’s one of those episodes where there are moments that are tough and moments where it’s pretty wild. What I found out about my beloved war-hero amputees is that they will laugh at the sickest (stuff) that you can imagine.

You’ve done a lot of stuff for the military. Do you feel that’s important to do?

Before the show even started, I went to Afghanistan, Kuwait and Uzbekistan. … Then, by the time I get to Walter Reed, they’re like, “Get us the (expletive) out of here.” By the way, I think I’ve just made a very good pitch to get into the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. I think I should grab at least one Simpson and be fine.

[Newsday, 6.19.08]

R.E.M. kicks into gear

Now it can be told: In 2004, during the recording and release of the “Around the Sun” (Warner Bros.) album, R.E.M. was on the ropes.

“It’s really hard to make a record that’s exciting to listen to if you’re so sick of the songs that you just want to kill yourself – the way we were working, that’s the way it would be,” says R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, calling from his Seattle home. “I remember we went in one night and Bill [Rieflin, the band's drummer] said, ‘Oh my God, we’re not re-recording that again, are we?’ How can you get a good take if everyone in the band feels that way?”

Afterward, there was talk about whether the band, pioneers of indie rock and recent inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, would continue. “I think that all three of us could leave the band any day – it’s an option we have and the older we get and the longer we’ve done it, the more likely that option is,” Buck says. “We’ve already outlived all but U2 and the Rolling Stones really. We’ve never broken up. We’ve never been away.”

But the struggle with “Around the Sun” actually ended up energizing R.E.M. When it came time to work on a new album, Buck, singer Michael Stipe and bassist Mike Mills were adamant – they weren’t going to go through that kind of ordeal again. “I was very positive about it,” Buck says. “I was saying, ‘Guys, we’re a great live band and we write great songs and that’s all it takes. So let’s go into the studio and capture what we do onstage as opposed to trying to reinvent the wheel and spending eight months just working things to death.’ It’s not fun and it doesn’t work. By the time we finished the last record, believe me, everyone agreed with me.”