Breakfast w/Greg: George Clooney gets hit on in Venice by a naked man; Tennis’ new star is born; President Obama’s speech

Good Morning Everyone! Hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend.

All kinds of things going on in the world but we start today with this bizarre little incident at the Venice Film Festival. George Clooney and Ewan McGregor arrived, looking oh-so-dapper, to promote their film The Men Who Stare at Goats.

At a press conference ior the film, a gay male fan decided to make a public spectacle of himself by not only declaring his love for the handsome George, but by taking off his pants and shirt while doing so.

George, known for his excellent sense of humor, said to the guy: “It’s always embarrassing when you take one real swing for the fences and it just falls flat. You know, the tie looks good – and it’s just long enough.”

When the next reporter, from the Daily Mail, stepped up, George cracked that he should take his clothes off before asking his question.

Here is some video of the scene in Venice:

A STAR IS BORN: Big chunks of my Labor Day were spent watching the US Open. Suffered through the loss of my fave Andy Roddick and watched two powerful wins by the great Roger Federer and an inspiring comeback win by a recently un-retired Kim Clisters over Venus Williams.

But the real story of the weekend and of the tournament so far is the success of 17-year-old American Melanie Oudin who has come out of nowhere to reach the quarterfinals. She is ranked 7oth but looked like a top-tenner as she beat Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova in succession.

It’s a Cinderella story made all the more appealing because Melanie is very expressive on the court, showing her emotion and working the crowd up into a frenzy. She’s a joy to watch. It would really be something if she and Serena Williams won their next two matches and met in the finals!

EVERYONE’S PRESIDENT: So President Barack Obama has given his speech to schoolkids and after hearing it, you have to wonder if a number of people in this country are INSANE. Watching news reports over the weekend and seeing all these parents expressing their concern over what Obama might say to further his “agenda” seemed downright stupid to me. If you’re going to be extreme right wing about everything then at least pick your spots.

Here are some excerpts from this “controversial” speech that urges students to take responsibility:

(At) the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying. Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future …

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country …

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals …

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.