Many Americans take shopping down to wire

That most-asked holiday question — “Have you finished your Christmas shopping?” — is starting to wear on my nerves.

And apparently I’m not alone in my unfinished business.

According to Consumer Reports magazine, 30 percent of Americans won’t finish their holiday shopping until the evening of Dec. 24. Better yet, one third of Americans hadn’t even begun their gift-buying until Dec. 10.

Regifting, the term Jerry Seinfeld coined for giving a previously-gotten gift to an unsuspecting friend or family member, is also an attractive option for late shoppers. According to the poll, 13 percent of consumers are planning to “regift” at least one item.

The biggest problem with regifting is the lack of originality. But if I’ve learned anything from HGTV’s “Cash in the Attic” and “Design Remix,” it’s that we have so much stuff nowadays, it’s entirely possible to “go shopping” in one’s own home.

I think what all this crucial data is saying is that we’re caring less and less for the commercial trappings of Christmas. Many people I’ve talked to have opted for simple get-togethers sans presents this year. Maybe advertising blitzes and long lines have killed the true meaning behind giving gifts. And fancy “things” can only make one happy for so long.

I, on the other hand, take gifts and cash in all forms, even credit cards. What some people might see as an irrelevant gift I see as a listing on Ebay.com.

Animals in the news:

What did your pet get for Christmas? (Don’t say it aloud. Fluffy might hear you.)

Fifty two percent of pet owners are buying toys, treats and clothing for their pets this year.

I’m crazy-as-charged, and I don’t even own a dog. I spent over $20 on a package of spa treatments for one of my friend’s dogs, which coincidentally has a larger wardrobe than I do.

I can’t help that it’s a lot easier to shop for a non-human. If you think an animal will like something, they probably will. They seem to genuinely appreciate it, unlike some people.

Maybe animals don’t know about the birth of Jesus, but all dogs go to heaven, right?

Speaking of Fido:

Britney Spears has been named World’s Worst Celebrity Dog Owner in an online poll of readers of Hollywood Dog and New York Dog magazines.

How did Spears win this coveted award? She got rid of her three Chihuahuas because of her two children, Sean Preston and Jayden James.

Spears’ soon-to-be ex-husband, Kevin Federline, said the house was too hectic, and the dogs were re-homed with friends of the couple.

Sympathetic to animal rescue, I always tend to get frustrated when people don’t want to at least try to work with their animals when a new baby comes into the picture.

I’m not sure why Spears couldn’t just hire a dog nanny or maybe give the pooches a wing in her mansion. Seems like a workable solution to me.

But Britney deserves a break on this one, especially when Paris Hilton’s running around buying illegal tropical rain forest inhabitants to keep in her menagerie, then getting bitten by them.

Onstage at the 2007 Grammy Awards:

You. Ever since Time Magazine named all of us their “person of the year,” “we” have ever-increasing chances to offer our personalized entertainment and news content to the world.

The latest chance comes from Spears’ ex-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake. He’s looking for someone to sing with him at the Grammy Awards to be held in Los Angeles on Feb. 11.

Instead of going to any number of his diva contemporaries, he wants YOU to upload a 60-second video clip of yourself singing one of nine selected Grammy-winning songs. Twelve contestants will be chosen from the audition videos, and an “American Idol”-like competition will ensue, with people voting on who they want to see on the Grammy stage. Three finalists will be flown to the Grammys, and the winner will be announced during the broadcast and hop onstage to sing.

Since when did award shows become reality TV?

To enter (or have fun watching people make fools of themselves), go to www.music.yahoo.com/mygrammymoment.

Another roundup – Brad Pitt; Mute Math; Is it really 'Idol' time again?

Money ‘Pitt’ — Brad Pitt showed up in New Orleans last week. Usually this means he’s pushing some pie-in-the-sky do-gooder scheme, like “green building.” (I’m still not sure what that was all about.)

But this time Pitt was actually doing good — he was filming a movie called “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which is coincidentally the biggest-budget film ever to be shot in the Crescent City.

I agree with my readers about celebrities like Pitt and Sean Penn “acting” like they’re humanitarians when they’re really out to get publicity. But I’ll give him more credit for his chosen career. I hope he makes tons of movies in Louisiana. The more movie industry business New Orleans gets, the better. That boost to the economy will help local people more than any eco-friendly house ever could.

And Brad, I hope you didn’t forget to tip well at those nightspots you were spotted at. Oh, and throw in some of Angie’s money, too.

Look for “Benjamin Button” in 2008.

‘Muted’ mayhem – Now that I’ve gotten some great suggestions on local country artists, I’d like to throw a musical suggestion back at you: Mute Math.

The name actually has a deep, spiritual meaning that I won’t get into, but these guys are one of the best bands coming out of southern Louisiana right now. I wasn’t surprised when they popped up on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” as the musical guest Friday night. After playing at New Orleans’ Voodoo Music Festival and Tennessee’s Bonaroo Festival earlier this year, they’re on the cusp of mainstream popularity.

Here’s how I describe their sound: Reggae-ish Sting meets electronica meets experimental rock. And they’re one progressive act you don’t have to worry about your kids getting into. They’re actually veterans of the Christian music industry looking to deliver a positive message without sacrificing audience numbers.

Plus, they’re the only band I can think of that can make smashing fluorescent lights in a fit of rock star rage with the neck of a keytar seem hardcore. In fact, they’re the only band I can think of that still uses a keytar.
Check them out: www. myspace.com/mutemath.

Time’s flying by – I’m not a huge movie-watcher, but over the weekend I rented “American Dreamz,” starring Hugh Grant and Mandy Moore. It’s actually a quite disturbing film. It makes spoofing “American Idol” a satirical high art.

But what’s even more disturbing is the image of Simon Cowell on my television telling me that another season of “American Idol” is coming soon.

Is it really that time again?

But who am I kidding? “American Idol” has become like a season in my family. It’s the one just after Christmas and right before Carnival.

And for you Soul Patrollers: Taylor Hicks’ full-length album comes out on Dec. 12.

The Great Smokeout – Also coming soon: Enforcement of the Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act. Don’t expect to smoke a cigarette in a restaurant anytime soon, in Louisiana at least.

Southeastern Louisiana University is looking to reinforce its “No Smoking” areas, which were set up in 2003 and largely ignored by a student body that smokes like a bunch of mostly-20-something chimneys.

The courtyard in front of D Vickers is one of the worst offenders as far as second-hand smoke. I’m not too sure how SLU hopes to enforce the areas, especially when second-hand smoke is a moving hazard in most cases (students have mastered walking and smoking at the same time).

The best I can say is good luck to law enforcement in these trying times for tobacco users in this state of excess.