REUTERS/Mike Cassese
Friday’s links celebrate the weekend with Aretha Franklin, Joe Biden and Elvira.
Political Profile: When you think Joe Biden, you might just think of his many verbal slip-ups. But he’s actually gaining influence in the White House, and becoming essential to the Obama administration’s success. (The Atlantic)
Spooky Story: Remember Elvira, the buxom “Mistress of the Dark” who introduced your favorite horror flicks on TV? She’s back, almost 60, and sharing her entertaining stories from her life. (LA Weekly)
Overshare: Gene Weingarten combs through Facebook statuses and finds nothing of substance, but a lot of TMI. (Washington Post)
Rational Rant: One video blogger makes a compelling case against the penny. They’re actually worth less than nothing. (Kottke)
Fact Check: Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps hits theaters today. But what do people who actually work on Wall Street think of it? (The Daily Beast)
Good, Long Read: Excited for the new season of Eastbound and Down? Are you 11,000 words worth of excited? Vice magazine is here for you. And if not, TIME.com has 729 words for you. (Vice, TIME)
Life and Times: In memory of ’50s pop idol Eddie Fisher, check out photos of him through the years. (LIFE.com)
Acting Debut: Suffering from a bad case of Bieber Fever? Love to watch bad acting? Watch every appearance by The Biebs on last night’s episode of CSI. (TheDailyWh.at)
Elsewhere on TIME.com: See the best pictures of the week.
Must-See: Aretha Franklin is famous for her legendary pipes. But did you know her real passion is rambling about how much she loves PBS? (FourFour)