CJ: Rusty mixes in a mea culpa for 'DWTS' dig

A few "5 Eyewitness Morning News" viewers slammed traffic reporter Rusty Gatenby for quipping that Kirstie Alley needed to eat more salads after her "Dancing With the Stars" partner fell Monday.

Professional dancer Maks Chmerkovskiy's thigh gave out while executing a bent-knee position, causing him to fall on the floor, along with Alley. They were doing the rumba to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," during a night devoted to songs with personal meaning to the dancing celebrities. A wincing Chmerkovskiy got up and hopped around a bit but ultimately finished. The embarrassed pro dancer apologized and told media that his leg cramp had nothing to do with Alley.

"Keep in mind, it's 5:15 in the morning," said Gatenby, whose early morning work schedule means not seeing much prime-time TV. "I see highlights in the morning. Upon seeing it the first thing that popped into my head is something that's been said to me before: Hey, you need to mix in a salad, buddy. Right after I said that I thought 'Humm, that's probably not very nice to say.' I always thought it was funny" when directed at him.

He probably knew for sure it wasn't funny shortly after KSTP news director Lindsay Radford's assistant took complaint calls. "He has had to apologize himself. I didn't do it for him," said Radford, who noted, "I probably need to eat a salad, too." Me, too!

Radford didn't know how many calls were received so she couldn't confirm my tip that phone lines lit up.

"Nooo. Who's telling you this stuff?" asked Gatenby, who said he was on his way to take a run as part of his new exercise plan that began April 1. "No fooling. There were seven e-mails and so far three of them have gotten back and forgiven me."

The star of "Cheers" and "Fat Actress," Alley has openly talked weight issues with Oprah and others. The tabloids have been vicious to her. Alley got into a Twitter fight with late-night TBS show host George Lopez when he made jokes comparing her to a dancing pig. After a non-apology apology, Lopez (whose home must not be decorated with mirrors that actually capture his visage) apologized for real and was eventually forgiven by Alley.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty needs some new material about his sex life.

CNN's "Reliable Sources" host Howard Kurtz is making an almost weekly feature out of media curiosity with U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann at the expense of Pawlenty, whom Kurtz calls "not the world's most exciting guy."

Explaining the situation to Kurtz most recently was Roger Simon, chief political correspondent for Politico.com: "Tim Pawlenty is not a dull person, he just plays one on TV."

They wouldn't say these things if they'd heard Pawlenty remarking in 2008 on his WCCO-AM show, "Now, if I could only get her to have sex with me," referring to his wife.

If you're among those who think this was a calculated quip, unlike gems that fall from painted lips of the Gaffenator, then T-Paw's dull act is disappointing.

Justin Long took a break from the set of the "Lumpy" movie to stroll into Jean Stephen Galleries on Nicollet Mall.

"He was looking around, looking at a few things. We'll see what happens," said Steve Danko, co-owner of the art gallery. "He's a very polite man, good man to talk to. I said, 'You remind me a lot of an actor I know, Justin Long.' He introduced himself."

Danko said Long is interesting because he gives you the sense that he's totally at ease with himself and his fame, a la Tom Hanks. Danko believes others from the movie have been in his gallery, just not as forthcoming.

Or recognizable.

Long is "Apple's Mac Guy" in the TV commercials and one of Drew Barrymore's old boyfriends.

The woman Kirstie Alley replaced on "Cheers" -- Shelley Long -- is also in the movie.

"I can't confirm members of the cast. The talent deals they have been making, they haven't been discussing with us," said Minnesota Film and TV Board exec director Lucinda Winter. She could confirm that last time we talked, as I was writing about Justin Long's Chinese food excursion, I called him Justin Long throughout the conversation. My apologies for spacing on your name once I started typing.

But I'm sure the somebody behind this movie didn't mind that. The absence of an IMDB.com page tells me that somebody affiliated with the project, written and directed by Ted Koland, who's yummier-looking than any guys in his cast, is eschewing media attention ... at this time.