Salt Lake Crawler

Gay rights activists are enjoying beaucoup schadenfreude over revelations that former-moral crusader and ex-Miss California Carrie Prejean made a dozen or so sexy time tapes.

Then she spread the news further, by getting all indignant with Larry King.

Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate, who claims that the National Organization for Marriage is a front for Mormon Church money, gleefully needled NOM about the departure of its family values-pin up Prejean.

What happened to "the future of our movement, and the future of America," as you referred to Carrie just two months ago?  . . .

Did you hear from a lot of your high powered Board of Directors on this?  What about your likely creator and largest backer, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church)?  They gotta be uncomfortable with the whole multiple sex tapes thing.

Warning to truth & justice seekers: Before you start Googling for evidence of Carrie's nude pictures and tapes—be aware the sites are lousy with spyware, trojan horses and viruses.

Here's a reality show guaranteed to have special appeal for that peculiar Utah demographic: Family Armor. Mormons, guns, bullet-proof cars and high explosives—your basic family values showcase. From the press release:

"When not at the factory, Trent is the father of six rowdy children and married to his live-wire of a wife, Courtney. Jason and his wife Lacy are first-time parents, working to catch up in the baby race. Trent and Jason devote their time to work, kin and religion...and along the way they get to shoot guns and blow things up."

Sounds like an average weekend at Rep. Curt Oda's house.

Beloved bloodsucker — Britain's Daily Mail offers a profile of  Stephanie Meyer, Mormon author of Twilight series of vampire books. "To date, Meyer, a 35-year-old Mormon who started writing only five years ago, is said to have amassed a fortune of more than £50million ($83 million!). Yet little is known about the slightly plump brunette." I'm guessing that's because her suburban life is so preternaturally boring.

Bob's Battle — Sen. Bob Bennett's reelection run has become emblematic of the troubles of GOP incumbents nationwide, at least according to the LA Times:  Utah has emerged as an improbable battleground in the fight for the future of the GOP, as the party's veteran U.S. senator -- with nary a whiff of personal or political scandal -- has become one of the most threatened lawmakers up for reelection next year.

That's a relief — In a lame essay on Huffington Post, Steve Marmel begrudgingly gives the LDS Church credit for supporting Salt Lake City's anti-discrimination ordinance. Marmel had called for the (ineffectual) boycott of the Sundance Film Festival after the Church supported Prop 8. The TV writer/producer says that if the Utah stops treating gays as second-class citizens, he's willing to get off his "boycott Sundance horse."

The ad apparently was timed to run with a demonstration Saturday at Matheson's Salt Lake office, where protestors lamented his voting against the Democratic health-care reform bill.

The Tribune also carried a letter to the editor slamming Matheson. Paul R. Dinan writes:

Does he truly believe that he can win re-election by abandoning the principles of his own party? I and many other Utah Democrats will see to it that Matheson will never serve another day in Congress after January 2011. Try winning an election without your base, Jim-boy . . .

Political opportunist Joe Wurzelbacker, better known as "Joe the Unlicensed Plumber," will visit Utah next week to campaign for U.S. Senate candidate Cherilyn Eagar. Eager bills herself as the "true conservative" in her challenge of incumbent Bob Bennett.

Wurzelbacher and Eagar will hold several "Clean up Washington" events in towns from Logan to St. George, including a rally at the State Capitol. Eagar says:

"We are honored that Joe is coming to Utah to meet with us and help us spread the message of this campaign: Return to the principles that built the America dream, the one Joe wanted for himself and his family."

Since Eagar is paying for Joe's time, he could at least winterize her swamp cooler while he's in town.