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I think you had to be there. From what I read, he showed up and they asked him to move three times, wouldn't let him talk to his daughter (of course, she had some say in that, too), and otherwise made a point of treating him badly. Then again, maybe he showed up and was a big pain, then left. The fact is that he could have manned up, sat anywhere, and or slipped out quietly --but funerals are emotional and people not at their best. So I think it's better not to call him a jerk until more facts come out.

As a graduate of the University of Virginia, I'm okay with the practice of translating those beloved terms for a general audience. What seems to us Virginia people like the proper terminology is confusing jargon to outsiders, and it's the job of journalists to make things as clear as possible to a general readership.

By the way, if you're interested in U.Va. or the tragic saga that has launched it into the news, you'll want to read the story about Boylan Heights, the bar where Yeardley Love and George Huguely's friends centered their social life.

I didn't mind it so much. After so many personal words about Whitney, I'm guessing he took on the role of preacher and guide on the larger issues her life represented. If he was the only speaker, then maybe---but Whitney got more than her due at the service.

I feel bad for Lincoln, too. We always had a little ceremony at school for Abe on Feb. 12.

I assume you mean if the same two people later decide to actually go through with the ceremony. Couples can -- and do ---anything they want: City Hall to a big blowout. The biggest issue (besides the prospects of their marriage) becomes the guests. In the case of Campbell/Montes, their friends have already shelled out a small fortune in travel and gifts for the wedding, so it would be rude to ask them to do that again. So a couple can have a wedding, but not one that requires guests to do anything more than they already have. Oh---and yes, all the shower and wedding gifts should be returned to the givers.  

Increasingly, during an election year, it seems. I think the video is in Chris Richards' story about the White House blues night.

Not fair----Jason and Jenny had dated before, were friends for five years, and got engaged after dating another year. So his ex might have been sad, but it's not like he met someone new and got married in three months. (Which has happened to some women.)

If you're reading Reliable Source and Celebritology, I think you'll see they're fairly different. Maybe you're just following the respective chats? There's probably more overlap in that regard, simply because we're both following whatever topics you chatters are throwing at us, and I know you guys take us in more of a pop-culture direction here than our columns do. 

The essential difference is that they're basically an online product, and we're basically a print product that we present online in a blog format. They're very focused on showbiz, summarizing the best entertainment news from a variety of sources in huge quantities. We're very focused on original reporting, about Washington personalities or Washington-type topics. In our print column, we include a sprinkling of Hollywood/New York news, citing other sources, and that's why you'll see a bit of overlap online.  Sometimes we're citing them, sometimes they're citing us -- a practice you'll see across all Washington Post blogs.  But they're doing a lot of pop-culture stuff (TV show recaps, movie trailers) that we don't; and we're covering a range of celebrities that they don't. . . I guess what I'm saying is that you really need to read both. Please don't slack off in that duty.

We weren't working this weekend; it was the Names and Faces column that provided that news.

Having said that, I'll make two points. (1) You might not care, but other people do. It's a big tent here, you're not expected to be fascinated by every story in the newspaper or by every news item in a column. (2) The folks doing that column this weekend didn't have a huge about of celebrity news to choose from during a quiet holiday weekend.

Am I being disloyal if I laugh at that?

You mean, who pulled the plug? And what was going on in the hearts and minds of these two people? These things are always complicated, and we only know what they choose to tell us. But read the full story -- there's a lot to chew over. When Ellen McCarthy talked to them a couple weeks ago, he clearly appeared to be under a lot of stress; and he's in a very tenuous spot with his career and future right now.

Jason Campbell and fiancee call off wedding, 2/21/12

That's what got me: He said they knew the wedding was off and decided to make a vacation of it.  But the guests weren't given that choice and were stuck with non-refundable hotel and plane reservations,  so they only had the choice of staying home and losing all the money or making the best of it -- and didn't even get that. Unless there are very good reasons, I'm against destination weddings for the time and expense they impose on all the friends. If I'm going to spend a couple thousand on a vacation, I want it to be where and when I want to go.

I think our best hope is if John Ashcroft decides to jump in the race. Let the Eagle Soar!

The New York tabloids say he's been "disfigured"! But look how pretty he was. Doesn't he look exactly like a prince of Monaco should look?

I'm not going to slam the bar owners, because they aren't responsible for what happened. There are thousands of college dives run by people who love the students and do right by them, not because of some misguided attempt to relive their youth. I think college bar owners do have an extra responsibility not to overserve kids for the reasons you cite, but there's no indication that the Bolyn Heights owners are responsible for or trying to profit from this tragedy.

Oh, I'm glad you read it, and glad you asked. After Wil's story appeared, post-Election Day, Mr. Allen was invited to sit in the VIP area for the Obama inauguration. Here's the lovely follow-up story.

White House Butler Eugene Allen Witnesses Swearing-In, 1/21/09

It probably was an lingerie shower. I was thinking more along the lines of china.

That was excellent. But I was really blown away Jay Pharoah's Jay-Z impersonation. Here's the clip.

It's part of this weird entitlement culture, which the wedding industry encourages ("It's YOUR day!") and thrives on. Weddings are two things: A ceremony followed by a big party the couple hosts for their friends. The notion that friends should spend a lot of money for the "honor" of being part of it has always struck me as selfish and shortsided.  

They made the point in that story, and it's so true: When you're a student there, you feel like these places are age-old institutions, but most of them turn over every five years or so. . . . I don't think the juror meant that the Corner is dangerous crime-wise (though I do remember a couple of horrific crimes there back in the '80s), but that it can be a bad scene in terms of drinking and fights. I don't fault any parent who wouldn't want their high school kids hanging around a college bar scene.

There are immature 40-year-old guys sleeping with 20-somethings everywhere, and they're NOT bar owners. So hate the player, not the setting. 

Exactly.

Very, very true. (And sorry I edited down your question; I couldn't immediately vouch for all the details about the other athlete called-off wedding you mentioned -- that's some complicated soap-opera stuff!)

Yes, but I'm not sure Whitney would have behaved any better at HIS funeral. We're not talking about highly functional people here.

I'm skeptical: It feels like the producers' no-commitment publicity stunt. ("There is one legal-related caveat: Lindsay needs to stay on the right side of court," says Access Hollywood. Well that's a big if.) I also don't think she's up to the task. Though, really -- what can we really expect from a made-for-Lifetime movie about Taylor and Burton? I think we can reasonably expect that whomever they cast in these roles won't really have the charismatic firepower of Taylor and Burton.  

Well, no big loss if she didn't end up coming to your wedding, then, huh?

Well, unless both the bride and groom are from the same town, it ends up being a destination for someone.

He sounded so much like him, and that's a very tricky and subtle thing to pull off. Try as I might, I can't do a credible Jay-Z imitation.

Oh, really? I've always been a big fan.

There is no perfect solution, but I vote for getting married A) in the place where most of the guests reside and B) trying to make the trip as inexpensive as possible for those who have to travel. Anything that costs $$$$ should be ruled out. And I believe (in a perfect world) that the couple should pay all the expenses for guests at an actual destination wedding.

I agree.

I think the social scene would survive regardless. None of our recent presidents or their staffs have been particularly party-hearty. So we gotta make our own fun here in Washington.

He does make the rounds. In a way, though, it's maybe similar to the role that Billy Graham played back in the day, mostly in political circles. Why was he the guy? As with Jackson, this is probably something best answered in a 600-page biography.

That's why the European tabs love them. Most of the other royals aren't nearly as pretty and live boring, stable lives.

That's a different matter. We're talking about Americans who think it's romantic to get married in some exotic locale (which it can be) and then expect all their pals to shell out big bucks to share the moment.

Thanks for the reminder on this -- I was traveling over the weekend and haven't seen it yet. Here's a clip of it.

The fake honeymoon thing is weird. I would have demanded the second ticket and gone with a girlfriend.

I don't think so -- but it's my sincere hope that all reputable news sources are taking a pass on this altogether. If an unfamous teenager (or rather, famous only by blood) is suffering difficulties in the wake of a parent's death, she's not going to be helped by having it all spilled out as gossip. The family/friends supposedly leaking this stuff aren't doing her any favors.

Aw, yeah. That would be great. We'll have to start looking around, but you'd think that by now the black-sheep sibling would have reared his head.

There's that.

Hahaha. They are awfully cute, though.

Oh, she's always fun. We haven't heard a whole lot out of her during this election, surprisingly -- except for the fact that she's planning to vote for Obama.

Awesome in November. I hope the honeymoon was someplace warm.

Here is Dan Zak's very entertaining and very controversial story about the D.C. Guardian Angels.

I'm jus trying to be fair here. Even jerks aren't jerky ALL the time.

Fair point.

Will look into it, but at this point there are so many people who are reality-TV celebrities, and so many people who grew up here but now live somewhere else (Paul Qui is based in Texas) that we need a truly local winner/near-winner to get excited about it.

God, who knows? Everytime I think she's finally got her act together, she manages to screw it up. She'll probably be great on the show -- she's funny and a good actress -- if she's sober. The more she makes fun of herself, the more people will love it. But it doesn't mean anything if she can't keep it together for more than one or two weeks---and she keeps proving she can't.

We can discuss this and any leftover Oscar buzz during next week's chat. In the meanwhile, send your tips and sightings to reliablesource@washpost.com. Next week, all.