Amanda's New Show

The mug shot, in its current state, is as much a part of our culture as baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet.

That wasn't always the case.

The mug shot---and this isn't all that long ago---was once a found treasure, if one of a celebrity was ever unearthed. Mug shots released to the general public used to be photos of the common criminals, only released to assist in identifying possible perpetrators, or to find thugs on the lamb.

Now, the mug shot is an expected item whenever someone in the public eye is taken into custody---whether for rape, murder or a sit-in protest.

Thanks to the Internet, the mug shot travels around the globe within seconds, and back again. And again.

The celebrity mug shot is usually of the individual with a knowing twinkle in the eye, or a smirk or a look of sheepishness.

Another of those mug shots was released today. It's another of a young adult, a former child actress, booked on DUI charges.

Amanda Bynes is 26 years old now (her birthday was Tuesday). Seems like it was just yesterday when she was a nubile teen with her own hit show on Nickelodeon---an adorable waif with tender comedic skills.

Bynes abruptly "retired" from acting a few years ago, for reasons never really made clear.

Regardless, she's no less of a celebrity when it comes to the mug shot.


Amanda Bynes, according to the West Hollywood Police Dept.'s camera


Bynes's Kewpie doll face is zooming around the Internet today, after she was booked early today by West Hollywood police on suspicions of DUI.

The "suspicions" arose when Bynes struck a L.A. County Sheriff Deputy's car with her own.

That's a pretty strong suspicion.

Bynes was apprehended on the spot, and thrown into the slammer under $5,000 bail.

This isn't her first brush with the law, nor her first this year.

According to GossipCop, about a month ago Bynes was pulled over by police in L.A. for talking on her cell phone while driving, and then sped away.

That's not a constructive way to spend your retirement.

In all seriousness, these may be blips on the screen, and Bynes may not technically be an entertainer anymore, but let's hope she's not going down the Lindsay Lohan path of womanhood.

Lord knows we've seen enough mug shots of Lohan to last us a lifetime.

Maybe Amanda Bynes needs to return to acting. Seems like she may have too much idle time on her hands in her "retirement."

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