Glenn Beck Rents a House in DFW Area

He is leaving FOX but he's not leaving Politics and the story seems to be that he's moving to North Texas. Glenn Beck has often joked about moving his family to Texas when his talk show on GBTV.com starts in September. Plus one of his best friends and frequent fill in host Pat Grey lived in Houston for quite a while with regular visits from Beck.

Beck's company spokesperson at Mercury Radio Arts isn't talking this week about the rumors, but some folks in Tarrant County seem convinced that Beck will move there, maybe into a leased mansion in a Westlake neighborhood which also has been home to the Jonas Brothers.

The home he has reportedly leased it the $3,900,000 home of Jorge & Vanessa Piedra (she is a Swarovski heiress; he is a major league ballplayer who's had some issues) at 2208 Vaquero Estates Boulevard in Westlake. The Piedra home has been on the market since August 2009, and originally listed for $5,400,000. The price was lowered to $3,900,000 and then put in the rental pool for $20,000 a month, which is actually more than the original lease offer of $15,000.

So this is what Glenn and his wife, Tania will be getting: 7,904 square feet, four car garage, almost two acres of land (1.7ish), a Hill Country styled house, La Cornue stove, master retreat with a relaxation room, study, steam shower, limestone, hardwoods, travertine, seven bedrooms, both sun and exercise rooms, a guest house with living, bedroom, bath, and of course a pool. And if he decides he likes it so much he wants to buy, seller financing is even available! Bonus!

Back to business: Beck fueled the guessing by telling Gov. Rick Perry he'll move to Texas and even said Monday...

"I could run for governor," Beck said.

This is his final week of a three-year career at Fox so everything is mobile. According to Beck, Mercury has 150 employees who can live and work anywhere also has said to Texas Governor RIck Perry:

"I'll move my company to Texas, but I need you to give me zero income tax -- do you see what I'm saying?"

Perry has already named Beck an honorary Texan, grinned then responded...

"I think we can work with you," he said.

Beck, as most of us know, was a radio jock in Houston and  is well aware that Texas doesn't have an income tax.

This of course also adds fule to the fire for those who think Perry will be running for President.

Radio host-turned-state Sen. Dan Patrick and had this to say:

"Glenn could go anywhere in the country," Patrick said by phone from Austin, "but he's coming here because we are pro-business and because he loves the independent streak and conservative influence we have in Texas."

Patrick said Beck will be "proud to call Texas home and we'll be proud to have him here."

Guess we get to keep guessing for a few weeks!

Anna Nicole Loses in Court...

Four years after her death...

Before Anna Nicole Smith died in 2007, she was locked in a complicated legal battle over money supposedly left (or not left) to her by her late husband's estate.

Anna's estate had been fighting for a piece of her billionaire husband J. Howard Marshall's estate. After Marshall's death in the first year of his marriage to Smith discovered she has not been included in his will. She proceeded to accuse Marshall's heirs of conspiring to deny her the $300 million she said her husband promised her, and launched a complicated legal battle. Today, the Supreme Court ultimately sided with a Texas probate court that had sided with the Marshalls. IF you feel so inclined, the official court papers are here.

And all is right with the world again...

Born This Way

BY DISH CONTRIBUTOR MARK YZAGUIRRE:

I previously wrote about the implosion of Newt Gingrich's Presidential campaign here at Dish-Houston, and it appears that the implosion is continuing.  (How can an implosion continue for so long?  Well, maybe it's like a black hole.)  Key members of his fundraising staff resigned earlier this week, and most of his top campaign staffers quit earlier this month.  Gingrich explains the situation as follows:

"Philosophically, I am very different from normal politicians, and normal consultants found that very hard to deal with," Gingrich said in a speech to the Atlanta Press Club.  "We have big ideas. I just think that's part of how you campaign. You talk to the American people about big things."

            So, according to Gingrich, his recent campaign setbacks can be attributed to the fact that he's a very unique man that other, more strait-laced and linear-minded people can't handle.  And that's fine with him.  He was born this way, and it's up to others to deal with that.  Newt, you go, girl!

Just the Tip

As we all know, the Dallas Mavericks' won the NBA Champs title but it was the after party that seems to be getting all of ht buzz! Team owner Mark Cuban bought a bottle of champagne for his team,  but this wasn't your everyday bottle....

it was huge even for of the 7-foot Dirk Nowitzki, (this pic showed up in his twitter feed)  AND it cost $90,000. This came with your basic 22% tip...which if you"re a math person euqals to $20,000. The New York Post reports that this made up the entirety of his tab for the night, but we suspect Cuban bought more than that.

From the Post:

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban spent $110,000 in four hours celebrating at club Liv at Miami's Fontainebleau after his Mavs beat the Heat to take the NBA Championship. Cuban spent most of it on a $90,000 bottle of Ace of Spades Champagne for teammates Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry(notes), Brian Cardinal(notes) and Shawn Marion(notes). After partying with the trophy until 5 a.m. yesterday and taking in a performance by Lil Wayne, Cuban left a $20,000 tip for the wait staff. "Worth every penny," he cheerily told us via e-mail.

It's true that you can tell a lot about a person by the way they tip...if they have thought for the hard work the wait staff puts in etc...but to me...it's a sign of what's happening in the bank account, let's be real! And we all know what's happening in Mark's! He's not just a good tipper....he's a good party thrower! He's financing the official parade for Dallas sometime this week:

Cuban repeated Monday that he will personally pay for the celebration. Dallas Mayor Dwaine Caraway says the city is in a budget crunch but still plans a parade, with details to be announced later.

Don't worry for Cuban though...it will be a long time before he or his future generations will have to worry about pinching a penny...According to Forbes, Cuban is ranked 459th on the "World's Richest People" list, with a net worth of $2.5 billion.

Now that the season is over...but before the parade...he's having a small vacation with some buddies in the Cayman Islands...  Lorne Michaels and Alec Baldwin.

A Good Day for Rick Perry

By DISH Contributor Mark Yzaguirre:

The big political news on Thursday involved the en masse resignation of Newt Gingrich's Presidential campaign staff.  It goes without saying that this isn't good news for Newt Gingrich.  But it may be good news for someone else - Texas Governor Rick Perry.  A Wall Street Journal article that came out before the Gingrich news said the following regarding a possible Presidential run by Perry:

Should he run, Mr. Perry would first have to overcome an organizational hurdle. Assured that he wasn't running, his two top campaign aides, Mr. [David] Carney and former campaign manager Rob Johnson, both signed up with Mr. Gingrich, the former House speaker.

            According to this article, Carney and Johnson were among the Gingrich staffers that resigned.  So that's one organizational hurdle for Perry that may have just become easier to overcome, should he decide to run.  Once again, Rick Perry has some good fortune. 

Editor's Note:  This article (under a different title) was previously published at FrumForum on June 9, 2011.