Pop Kernels

Items by trendy, cheap-chic British clothier Topshop -- considered the fashion destination on the British high street -- have seen a recent surge on eBay.com since the beginning of the year. Over 6,800 Topshop items have sold with sales increasing week over week. Blending fashion forward appeal, almost on a weekly basis, without the cutting-edge prices has Topshop in tip-top shape, attracting school girls to models to women in their 40s. Now include royalty, or potential royalty, to that list. In early January, Prince William's girlfriend, Kate Middleton (pictured), was photographed wearing a Topshop dress to work and it was picked up by a number of celebrity pubs, including UsWeekly. (And yes, in case you were wondering, she still needs to work -- they aren't married yet.)

Tags: Topshop dresses, Topshop shoes, Topshop boots, Urban Outfitters (women's clothing), H&M (women's)


McFarlane Toys announced that in August it will begin selling action figures of 24's Jack Bauer, played by Keifer Sutherland. To suit Bauer's character, look for a new anti-terrorist category on eBay to go along with perennial faves Star Wars, Batman, Superman, GI Joe and sports characters. If you can't decide on any of the above, it's time to turn to Dick the Albino Bowler, complete with thick white sideburns, green bowling shirt, white bowling ball and real middle-of-the-lane action.



Here's a little water-cooler fodder: Over the past 20 years (1987 - 2006), the Super Bowl has accounted for 682 minutes of advertising, that's over 11 hours, or the time it takes to fly from San Francisco to London. Those 11 hours represent 221 different advertisers, more than 1,400 commercial announcements and translate into $1.72 billion of network advertising sales, according to TNS Media Intelligence. No mention of how many people actually bought something as a result of these ads. Check out some of the top spots on eBay Pop's Head to Head section and give us your vote.

Horse Racing Fans Mourn Barbaro

It's not unusual, upon the death of a public figure, to witness a spike in related items on eBay. Recently, memorabilia sales for Gerald Ford, James Brown and Steve Irwin all skyrocketed in the hours and days following their deaths. Surprisingly, the phenomenon has happened again -- but this time, it's for a horse.

Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner who suffered an awful injury during the Preakness, was euthanized on Monday after eight months and two dozen surgeries that ultimately couldn't heal him.

Interestingly, many felt a connection with the horse -- or at least it appeared so, based on Barbaro-item sales on eBay. After daily item sales hardly registered for months, nearly 400 Barbaro items sold on Monday alone. In fact, 110 of those sold during the 1 pm ET hour as news broke that he had been put down. Pictures, pins, t-shirts, magazines and even a "Barbaro" license plate were among the items purchased by fans of the colt.


Tags: Riding-Western, Riding-English, saddles, tack, Triple Crown

KFed in, Britney Out in Super Bowl Ad Pool

If 15 minutes of fame were a line of credit, it appears Kevin Federline has just got an extension and he's drawing against it. During the Feb. 4 Super Bowl in Miami, KFed will be the subject of a Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. spot where he goes from starring in a rap video surrounded by beauties and bling to working at a fast-food joint. See the ad spot here:



While FedEx is on tap for Super Bowl Sunday, his ex Britney Spears has found a much cooler, if not frigid, reception in her request to be a part of a spot promoting the NFL Network. The New York Daily News reported one source as saying, “She's too much of a train wreck. Besides, we already have Paris Hilton."

The NFL spot apparently features L.L. Cool J and country band Rascal Flatts and will be a celebrity cast of characters showing up for Chad Johnson's Super Bowl party.

KRZR K1m Rolls Out to Cingular/AT&T

Cingular/AT&T customers, listen up! If you are still using that “old” RAZR phone you got within the last year, it’s time for an upgrade. Motorola announced the KRZR K1m phone for Cingular/AT&T service is now available. This is a bit old hat for Verizon and AllTel users, who have had KRZRs available for awhile now. Sprint folks, be patient, its coming to you eventually. Functionally speaking, not a ton of difference between the RAZR and the KRZR (nothing like Gillette adding a lubra-smooth strip to one of its new razors). The KRZR is more thin and slim, slightly heavier and actually has some glass on the front. Apparently its super durable in case you, oh, let’s say, drop your phone. KRZR phones are averaging about $230 since Jan. 1 after a $310 price point in late October, while a RAZR on eBay is costing roughly $130.

Tags: KRZR accessories, RAZR accessories, cell phones, PDAs and Pocket PCs, phones w/o service contracts, phones w/ service contracts, prepaid phones

Bears, Colts, Manning Items Soar Within Hour of Advancing

Within the hour of both Chicago and Indianapolis locking up trips to Super Bowl XLI, sales figures show fans jumped onto eBay to purchase their respective team items. Over 850 Chicago Bears items were sold during the 6 pm ET hour, more than twice the amount of items sold during the previous three hours. Meanwhile, 400 Indianapolis Colts items sold during the 10 p.m. ET hour, nearly four times the previous three hours.

With Peyton Manning finally getting to the Super Bowl, nearly 375 Manning-related items were sold within the hour of the game’s completion, nearly equaling his team’s total. The average price of Manning items also jumped 80 percent to $72 per item, while Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman items rose 91 percent to $65, although Grossman items (56) sold far less than Mannings. Even Dan Klecko got into the act with a whopping six items sold. Who's Dan Klecko you ask? He's the former New England Patriot, now Colts offensive lineman, who caught his first-ever touchdown pass in Sunday's game.

Award Season Gift Bags: Paper or Plastic?

Celebs at Monday's Golden Globes received one extra item in their gift bags this year: a tax form. The IRS is apparently cracking down on all the swag given away at each award show, requiring the stars to claim the gifts when they file. The Golden Globes' entire audience, not just A-listers, reportedly took home loot valued at around $600 (a mere fraction of last year's $40,000 bags), although a number of pre-event gift "retreats" took place. Greg Grunberg of NBC’s Heroes told the USA Today: “Of course, the year a show I’m on is nominated, Uncle Sam decides to start handing out traffic tickets.”

This year’s Golden Globe swag included a Blackberry Pearl PDA (yes, just one), iPod air freshener (for sweet smelling music), Keurig coffee brewing system (for the morning-after party), Fendi Eyewear (classy), Christopher Fischer cashmere socks (at $54 a pair, they'd better wash and fold themselves) and a Vonage V-Phone (cuz celebs have gotta watch the monthly long distance bill).

New Season of '24' Returns; DVD Sales Ticking

We Americans sure love our drama. The top three selling “TV on DVD” programs right now on eBay – 24, Sopranos and Smallville – are all from the drama genre. In fact, 24, which started another gripping season last weekend, is the site's hottest selling DVD in its category, up 13 perfect over the last two weeks.

One new theatrical DVD available for rental is The Illusionist, a period magician drama, that got rave reviews. On the flip side, Snakes on a Plane, last year’s word of mouth, Internet-buzz sensation that wasn’t is one of the top rented DVDs right now. Other top DVD releases include The Devil Wears Prada (with Golden Globe winner Meryl Streep, pictured at right), Jackass Number Two, The Covenant and Invincible.

Beckham Sales Bending Upward

David Beckham's move from the European football, er..soccer league to greener fields in the U.S. has caused Beckham-related items on eBay to pop. He joins the L.A. Galaxy for a five-year deal, reportedly worth $250 million, starting in August. Week over week, items sales jumped over 200 percent, including 100-item sale days on Friday (1/12) – the day after the announcement – and Sunday (1/14). He may bring in the dough, but based on eBay sales, wife Victoria, formerly Posh Spice, appears to wear the popularity pants in the family -- she outsold her hubby over the last two weeks on eBay, 800 items to 660.

Tags: Major League Soccer, Spice Girls, soccer balls, soccer cleats

Bears-Chargers to Meet in Super Bowl XLI

The NFL Playoffs continue this weekend, meaning bridge and bunco boards will be getting a lot of action between now and Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 4). On the field, will the Seahawks avenge a mid-season thumping by Chicago? Will the Colts stick around for the next round, something they’ve had a hard time doing in past playoffs? Will the inspired Saints knockoff the surging Eagles? And will TD Tomlinson and the Chargers jolt the seasoned Patriots?

If memorabilia sales over the last two weeks are any forecast, the top two selling teams -- the Bears (7,500 related items sold) and Chargers (3,800) -- will face each other in Super Bowl XLI, while the Saints (3,300), Patriots (2,500), Colts (2,000) and Seahawks (2,000) will see their seasons’ end this weekend or next. Hey, this whole prognostication theory worked for American Idol; it can work for this too (we think).

iPhone Buzz Just Beginning

Look for the Apple’s newly-announced iPhone (pictured at left) to create even greater buzz when it comes available this summer – but don’t expect to be able to buy one at a reasonable price anytime soon (and maybe just on eBay, a la PS3, Wii and Elmo TMX). Similar to Motorola’s RAZR phones, rolled out Christmas 2005, they were tough to get, insanely expensive, and toted by RAZR-thin people with last names Hilton, Ritchie, Lohan, and Simpson (no, not O.J.). Today, not so much. Their average price on eBay is $134.

The current iPhone (pictured at right), the one that's VoIP and Skype-enabled, is available on eBay. The new Netgear Wi-Fi phone for Skype is also very cool. The VoIP iPhone is from Linksys, a company owned by Cisco, which owns the name "iPhone." The iPhone name is at the center of the legal brewhaha, where Cisco is claiming trademark infringement against Apple. But don’t expect Apple to rename their latest gadget "mePhone" or "myself Phone" to replace "iPhone."

Streep: Prada to Prairie to ABBA

Is there anything Meryl Streep can’t do? Egomaniac in Devil Wears Prada? Done. Great singing pipes in A Prairie Home Companion? Check. Overly protective mother in Prime. Aaand cut! Variety reports the actress will now play the lead in the film adaptation of the popular theatre production featuring the 1970s pop band ABBA. Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson will executive produce alongside the two of ABBA folks. Unfortunately for Streep, she made Mr. Black’s 2006 Worst Dressed List (see related blog post), which is certainly no reflection of her on-screen diversity and talents. In fact, another fine actress, Diane Keaton, did NOT grace Mr. Black’s dubious duds list, but should have, as she’s a regular in US Weekly’s Fashion Police.

Amateur Singers Get Their Own 'Grammy Moment' With Justin Timberlake

HOLLYWOOD (Flashnews.com) Justin Timberlake has tons of fans but come Grammy night, he could be singing their praises instead. On Grammy Awards night (Feb. 11), one of 12 aspiring fans will get to perform on stage with Timberlake during the show.

The 12 finalists are part of a contest called “My Grammy Moment,” which will allow webheads to vote to give one of them the chance to bring “sexy back” with the star. One of the finalists, Jayne Rio of Vallejo, Calif., says she’s nervous but jokes she may “swoop in” on the newly-single Timberlake if she wins, as long as her boyfriend doesn’t mind.

Another finalist, David Moore of Orlando, Fla., has less amorous ambitions. He merely wants to show off his pipes to Timberlake. Says Moore: “I’ve emulated Justin since the N’Sync days, singing ‘Bye, Bye, Bye’ on my karaoke machine. I want to show him I can jam with him.”

Moore hopes to shine on stage without any Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunctions,” but says he’s prepared to “act fast” if he has a nip-slip on the show.

Top Grammy nominees: Mary J. Blige, James Blunt, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Corinne Bailey Rae (pictured), Nickelback, John Legend, Chris Brown, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera

Britney Spears Shares ‘Worst Dressed’ Title With Paris Hilton

LOS ANGELES (Flashnews.com) Britney Spears and Paris Hilton may be hanging out together but Mr. Blackwell (pictured) hopes they’re not sharing fashion tips.

The acid-tongued fashionista has just declared Spears and Hilton the worst dressed women in the world and describes them as “two peas in an over-exposed pod” and refers to the “style-free and fashion-deprived” duo as the “ScreamGirls.”

But the two pop tarts get some stiff competition from Camilla Parker-Bowles, who Blackwell calls the “Duchess of Dowdy,” and Lindsay Lohan, who he says has gone from “adorable to deplorable.”

Meanwhile, Blackwell says Christina Aguilera’s wardrobe is “all crass, no class!” and Mariah Carey is a “fashion pariah.”

Other ladies making the dubious list include Paula Abdul, Sharon Stone, Tori Spelling, Sandra Oh and Meryl Streep.


Tags: women's shoes, dresses, skirts, tops, women's sweaters, women's jackets

Britney Spears Gets Bad Skin Dermatology Oscar

(Flashnews.com) Britney Spears had a lot of over exposure this year – including over exposure to the sun. That’s the skinny from San Francisco-based dermatologist Dr. Vail Reese, who says Spears got so much sun during 2006, that she deserves a “dermatology Oscar.”

To that end, Reese has just awarded Spears one of his annual “Skinnies Awards” for having bad skin due to over-tanning, a habit Reese says lead to skin cancer and melanoma.

Other winners that received Skinnies from Reese this year include Seal, who won “Proudest Pocked Pitchman,” for not being self-conscious about his scarred skin condition. The Ancient Mayans depicted in Mel Gibson’s flick Apocalypto get “Skinnies” for being the “Most Tattoed and Pierced Social Group.” Brittany Murphy wins a “Skinnie” for her “Surprisingly Lush Lips,” which Reese speculates are the result of too much cosmetic surgery.

However, Reese has praise for fair-skinned starlets like Rachel McAdams, Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley, who he has “actually take care of their skin.”

Tags: skin care, sun care, sunless tanning, anti-aging products, sun visors

T.D. over T.O.; Broncos Bucking After Win

LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers star running back, was named the AP NFL Player of the Year on Thursday. He's had a tremendous season both on the field and on the eBay marketplace. Over 14,600 T.D. items sold since early November and reached their top rice of $46 per item the first week mid December, the week after he broke the NFL single season record for touchdowns on Dec. 11. By comparison, 5,800 Terrell Owens-related items have sold over the same two months at $28 each. Apparently, eBay buyers can really appreciate a great on-field performance or they’re simply just sick of T.O, maybe a bit of both.

After winning one of the most exhilarating football games in recent memory, the Boise State Broncos finally saw a blip in sales on eBay. Despite going undefeated during the season, the hype hadn't carried over to eBay sales as the team made it into Fiesta Bowl. But the day after the Broncos Jan. 1 OT win over Oklahoma, over 150 BSU items sold (vs. just 3 the Tuesday before), not including tickets for the game that sold on the site.

Tags: NFL, San Diego Chargers, BCS Championship

Waist Land

Diet, diet, diet…that’s all people talk about for the first week of the year, just before they encounter a moment of weakness that finds them at the bottom of a Peanut Buster Parfait. For some, God love'em, they are sticking to their plan, their coveted New Year’s Resolution of getting in shape, eating better, dieting, blah, blah, blah.

If you find yourself on the dark side of the diet force, here are a few diet books that are popular, each differing and geared toward one’s personality, schedule and food preferences: The South Beach Diet, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss, and The Step Diet. The No. 1 selling book on Half.com’s Top 200 right now is You on a Diet: The Owner’s Manual for Waist Management. At just under $14, it’s nearly half the price of the $25 list price. Naturally, check with you physician to see which one's best for you. But don't bother checking with Doc on the Parfait.


Tags: weight-loss books, dietary supplements nutrition, yoga DVDs, self-help items