Tuesday on Today 7/11

There was a whole lot of stuff featured on Today today. For the rest of the week they'll be going to different cities to audition couples who want to get married on The Today Show. And the competition for The Today Show Wedding begins.

Today's Travel had World's Best Awards, starting with the best cities: 1) Florence, 2) Buenos Aires, 3) Bankok, 4) Rome 5) Sydney. The best islands (according to whoever compiled these lists) are: 1) Bali, 2) Maui, 3) Kauai, 4) Galapagos, 5) Santorini. They also listed some top hotels but you'll have to log onto their website for more information at TodayShow.com. They did say the number one U.S. hotel is in Oregon.

Moving onto Real Estate 101: Condos For College Students. Parents, you buy them for your college-bound kids and charge rent to their condo-mates and make a profit rather than paying for your kids to stay in a cramped dorm. Sounds like a good plan. The example they used showed you can make a profit of $325 vs. paying $300 for the dorm. This is a great idea if you have the time to go out and shop for a condo for your kid and pay a property manager (which they suggested is a must) and make sure it's within two miles of campus to make it attractive to other college students (renters). You also need to make sure those renters get their parents to co-sign the lease. College students are notoriously bad tenants. Just ask their neighbors. If you've got the time and means to make sure it all gets done right, great. Otherwise, just write that check for the dorm. Unless you like the idea of becoming a landlord to a bunch of college kids your own kids are going to party with and trash your new condo.

Outside on the plaza today was Bruce Block from "America's Got Talent," performing The Great Escape, which is getting out of a straight jacket. I know, it's been done before, but it's always interesting to see people practically yanking their shoulders out of socket on national TV just to get some attention. This guy had a pretty good act I caught on AGT with a rabbit that stands at the mic while he becomes an offstage ventriloquist. But the escape act got cut off as they went to a commercial in mid-sentence. It happens a lot on this show. Anyway, when we came back, he was still struggling (obviously not setting any time record) but he did manage to completely get it off.

From there, they went to a couple getting married in a box on 47th and 5th. Like I said, people will do almost anything to get on TV. This was a stunt arranged by iVillage.

Then they had a segment called Today's Update, featuring teenage golfer, Mackenzie (Mac) Kline, who was born with a congenital heart defect and beat the odds. Apparently, now she's an excellent golfer and has set up a children's heart foundation. There was too much noise in my house at the time to really hear what she was saying except that she feels great. But she can't go on roller coasters--no big loss there.

Trophy Wife - Is it offensive? Do we really need to answer that for them? I guess the reason they asked is because Senator Fred Thompson, rumored to be testing the waters for a presidential run, has what many political pundits call a trophy wife. She's 40 and 24 years younger than he. And she happens to look great, otherwise she wouldn't be much of a trophy. Yes, it's offensive and chauvinistic. What if the sexes were reversed? Would he be considered a trophy husband? But if you're in the public spotlight--especially for a presidential run--you'd better get used to it. So, my question is: he's a senator and still has time to play the DA on Law and Order? How does one relate to the other? And what are his credentials for president? Does he think people will vote for him just because they've seen him on TV? If any actor runs for president, it should be Martin Sheen. At least he played one on TV.

The show ended with Chrisette Michelle singing a song. No Today's Kitchen today.

Till Tomorrow.