"Survivor" items seized

Customs

"Survivor" items seized

The federal tribe has spoken: A contaminated monkey skull, termite-infested statues and other African artifacts of the TV show "Survivor" will not be allowed into the United States. Officials disclosed Monday that customs inspectors in Houston seized restricted items shipped in a container belonging to the CBS reality show. Among the items: the hide from an African cat suspected of carrying a dangerous disease, a mandrill skull, civet hides, parrot, poultry and ostrich feathers, bones and cowries shells. The 17th edition of "Survivor" was set in Gabon, the country from which the container was shipped. The final episode was shown Sunday night.

People

Governor not amused

Legally blind New York Gov. David Paterson lambasted a "Saturday Night Live" skit for portraying him as an aimless bumbler. But those who have watched the sharp-witted Paterson over his two decades in public service know how he might have deadpanned in the past: I didn't see it. The skit that aired Saturday featured "SNL" cast member Fred Armisen as Paterson, who must appoint someone to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Armisen said he has three criteria for filling the job: economic experience, upstate influence and someone who is disabled and unprepared for the job — like himself. He held up a chart illustrating the state's job losses upside down. "I don't mind that they make fun of me, but I thought it was important of me to stand up for people who don't have a voice and don't have a job," he said.

Courtroom

Oscar-worthy decision

And the Oscar for best Hollywood courtroom drama goes to ... the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The golden statuette was awarded Monday by a Los Angeles Superior Court jury, which ruled that if actor Mary Pickford's heirs want to sell it, they have to offer it to Academy Awards officials for $10 instead of auctioning it off for as much as $800,000. Heirs of a woman who married Pickford's third husband, actor and band leader Buddy Rogers, wanted to sell the actress' award for the 1929 film "Coquette" and donate the money to charity.

Today in History

1773: The Boston Tea Party took place as American colonists boarded a British ship and dumped more than 300 chests of tea overboard to protest tea taxes.

1944: The World War II Battle of the Bulge began as German forces launched a surprise attack against Allied forces in Belgium (the Allies were eventually able to beat the Germans back).

1960: 134 people were killed when a United Airlines DC-8 and a TWA Super Constellation collided over New York City.

Today's Birthdays

Actress Liv Ullmann, 70. CBS News correspondent Lesley Stahl, 67. TV producer Steven Bochco, 65. Rock singer-musician Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), 59. Actor Sam Robards, 47. Actor Benjamin Bratt, 45. R&B singer Michael McCary, 37.

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