Despite mediocre reviews, “Get Smart” landed in the No. 1 spot in the box office this weekend, with $39 million. “Kung Fu Panda” hung on to No. 2, ($27 million,) and “The Incredible Hulk” crashed into No. 3 ($21 million,) with a 61% dropoff in revenue. Mike Meyers’s critically maligned “The Love Guru” debuted at No. 4 ($14 million,) and the similarly criticized “The Happening,” (which has actually inspired a movement of anti-fans) came in at No. 5 with $10 million.
On the Billboard 200 chart, Lil Wayne debuted at No. 1, and Plies debuted at No. 2, making the only two debuts in the Top 5 this week. The group was rounded out by NOW Vol. 28, Disturbed and Usher. Disappointing debuts for N*E*R*D, Alanis Morisette, and My Morning Jacket, who came in at Nos. 6, 7, and 8, respectively.
“Sail” by James Patterson and Howard Roughan was the best-selling book on the NYT fiction list (”A sailing vacation turns into a disaster when someone attempts to destroy a family.” Running out of ideas, James?). In addition to disastrous sailing vacations, adultery (Jackie Collins, Emily Griffin), weird stuff (Dean Koontz, Stephanie Meyer), and spies and criminals (W.E.B. Griffin, Jeffery Deaver) are popular themes. As for the non-fiction list, David Sedaris is still at No. 1, as well as some political stuff, memoirs, and that damn Barbara Walters book.