MICHAEL JACKSON - (1958 - 2009)

THE KING OF POP HAS PASSED AWAY

As you've SURELY heard by now, MICHAEL JACKSON passed away yesterday, after suffering an apparent HEART ATTACK at his home. He was 50 years old.

Michael collapsed at the rented mansion where he was living. Paramedics were called at about 12:30 P.M. They arrived within minutes . . . and found him unresponsive and in CARDIAC ARREST.

They spent the next 42 minutes or so trying to revive Michael . . . both at his home and en route to the hospital. Their attempts were unsuccessful. Michael was pronounced dead at about 2:30 P.M. at UCLA Medical Center. (--Here's video of the ambulance leaving Michael's home . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuXRaJFdmKU

An autopsy will be performed today . . . and results could be in by as early as THIS AFTERNOON. There's no word who was with Michael at the time of his collapse. But we're hearing that his three children may have been present. Either way, they're now in the care of Michael's mother, KATHERINE JACKSON.

As for the kids' futures, there's a good chance they'll remain in the care of the Jackson family.--DEBBIE ROWE . . . the mother of Michael's two oldest kids gave up her parental rights a few years back.

In addition to his children, Michael is survived by his parents, JOE and KATHERINE JACKSON . . . and his eight siblings . . . --Brothers Jermaine, Jackie, Tito, Marlon, and Randy . . . and sisters Janet, LaToya, and Rebbie.

(--Michael's brother Jermaine issued an official statement from the family. You can watch it here . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=971e244a-b5db-4185-bafd-b0aca379496c

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MICHAEL JACKSON: THE BIOGRAPHY:

Here's MICHAEL JACKSON'S life in a nutshell . . . --Michael was the seventh of NINE children born to JOE and KATHERINE JACKSON in Gary, Indiana. Joe pushed his kids to be entertainers from early on. Michael and four of his brothers debuted as the JACKSON 5 in 1964 when Michael was just six years old. They recorded numerous chart-topping hits over the next several years, including "ABC", "Dancing Machine", "I Want You Back" and "I'll Be There".

In 1978, Michael played the Scarecrow in "The Wiz" . . . a quote-unquote "urban" remake of "The Wizard of Oz" that starred DIANA ROSS as Dorothy and Michael as the Scarecrow. One of Michael's bosses on that film was legendary music producer QUINCY JONES. They ended up forming a partnership that led to Michael's HUGE solo success in the 1980s.

Quincy produced Michael's 1979 solo album, "Off the Wall" . . . then "Thriller" in 1982 . . . and "Bad" in 1987.--"Thriller", as you probably know, is likely the best-selling album of all time. (--Some sources actually give that title to the EAGLES' "Greatest Hits" album.)

In March of 1983 . . . riding the success of "Thriller" . . . Michael performed "Billie Jean" on a TV special celebrating the 25th anniversary of Motown. That's where he first unleashed the MOONWALK upon the world. The following year, his hair caught on fire while he was filming a Pepsi commercial.

In 1984, he threw his older brothers a bone by doing one last JACKSONS album, "Victory" . . . followed by a world tour.

In 1985, Michael co-wrote the charity single, "We Are the World", with LIONEL RICHIE on behalf of USA For Africa. Just about every major pop star at the time contributed vocals and showed up for the video shoot.

In 1993, Michael sat down with OPRAH WINFREY, and denied rumors that he bleached his skin. From that moment until his death, he blamed his pale skin on a dermatological condition called VITILIGO.

He also revealed that his father had beaten him and his siblings when they were young. --Also that year, Michael was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland Ranch. He settled that case out of court for an undisclosed sum . . . which was said to be at least $15 million.

Before settling, though, Michael made a statement in which he denied the allegations . . . claimed he would be vindicated in a court of law . . . and complained about how his penis was photographed during the police investigation. (--He also admitted to having been treated for a dependency on painkillers. That dependency allegedly continued right up until Michael's death . . . and many people are speculating that it CONTRIBUTED to his demise.)

(--Here's video of that statement . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpL4QRzRZOA--

Despite settling the case, the specter of those allegations would continue to haunt him for the rest of his life.

In 1994, Michael married his first wife, LISA MARIE PRESLEY. They divorced in 1996 . . . but not before shocking millions by KISSING for the cameras at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. Several months after divorcing Lisa Marie, Michael married DEBBIE ROWE . . . a nurse at his dermatologist's office. Debbie bore Michael his first two children . . . son Michael Joseph Jackson Jr . . . (--a.k.a. Prince Michael Jackson Jr.) . . . and daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson.

Michael and Debbie divorced in 1999 . . . and Debbie subsequently signed all parental rights over to Michael.

In 2001, Michael released his 10th and final album, "Invincible". But by then, Michael was seen as more of a freak show than a bankable artist. Even though it sold something like 10 million copies worldwide, it wasn't really seen as a success when measured against his past achievements.

In 2002, Michael produced a THIRD child, Prince Michael Jackson the Second . . . also known as BLANKET. The mother's identity was never revealed . . . but Michael claimed the child was conceived via artificial insemination . . . using HIS sperm. --Michael introduced the kid to the world by dangling him from the balcony of a fourth-floor hotel room in Germany.(--Here's video of that craziness . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aiAqR5jF2s

2003 saw the release of journalist MARTIN BASHIR'S documentary, "Living With Michael Jackson". In the video, Michael discussed sharing his bed with children.--Shortly thereafter, one of the kids featured in that documentary accused Michael of sexual harassment. --Michael was hit with seven counts of child sexual abuse and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in order to commit abuse.

In May of 2005, Michael was acquitted of all charges.--With his finances allegedly in ruins, Michael sold off the Neverland Ranch in November of last year. Michael hadn't lived there since the place was searched by police as part of the investigation into the child molestation allegations years earlier. Michael retained an undisclosed ownership stake in the property . . . which had fallen into pretty serious disrepair from years of neglect.

Michael was scheduled to kick off a 50-date run at London's O2 arena, beginning July 13th. All 50 shows were sold out. Despite being dogged by the usual rumors of failing health . . . including talk of skin cancer . . . Michael was getting in shape for the gigs right up until the end. --He'd hired "Incredible Hulk" star LOU FERRIGNO as his personal trainer, and even held a rehearsal gig the night before his death at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

There has never, is not now & will never ever be an entertainer like Michael! You will be missed!! -- Nazzy

YOU SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHUNK!

Remember Chunk from the movie "The Goonies"? Well, his real name is Jeff Cohen and he is 35 today. Do you remember the Truffle Shuffle??? I do!!!

Check it out!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5whaRkuipU.)

HUNGRY?

WOULD YOU EAT SOMETHING CALLED A "POPCORNSICLE"???

It never ceases to amaze me the GARBAGE some people will eat.

For example, the "Taste of Chicago" food festival starts tomorrow, and a vendor called Garrett Popcorn has set up a booth in order to sell its latest creation . . . the POPCORNSICLE.

What's a popcornsicle? --Basically, it's a ball of popcorn on the end of a stick . . . that's been flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen. (Chicago Sun-Times)

You can get more information on Taste of Chicago 2009 here . . http://www.chicagotraveler.com/attractions/taste-of-chicago.html

NOTHING CAN STOP THIS GIRL

A HOMELESS GIRL JUST GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL . . . AND THIS FALL SHE'S GOING TO HARVARD ON A FULL SCHOLARSHIP:

Parents . . . the next time your teens start whining about how school is too hard and they're too busy to study . . . tell them about THIS girl . . 18-year-old Khadijah Williams has been HOMELESS for almost her entire life . . . and in the last 12 years, she's attended 12 different schools.

But . . . in spite of all that . . . last weekend, Khadijah graduated with HONORS . . . with nearly a 4.0 GPA . . . from Jefferson High School in Los Angeles. And this fall she'll be attending Harvard University . . . on a FULL SCHOLARSHIP.

That's right . . . a homeless girl earned herself a full scholarship to Harvard. (--How cool is that?) (Los Angeles Times)

(--Check out some photos of Khadijah . . .)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-25-09)

ARE TWO OF THE ROBOTS IN THE NEW "TRANSFORMERS" MOVIE RACIST???

Remember back in 1999, when the world went DOG NUTS over Jar Jar Binks in "Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace"???

It wasn't because he was one of the most annoying movie characters of all time . . . even though that was pretty much true . . . but because he supposedly embodied negative black stereotypes.

Well, a similar controversy is beginning to grow over two robots in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen".

The robots are named Skids and Mudflap. They transform into compact Chevys, and they basically spend all their screen time fighting with each other, and bickering in "jive" or "ebonics", if you will. --They also can't read . . . and one of them has a gold tooth.

Not surprisingly, some people say these robots are reinforcing negative African-American stereotypes . . . and they're not happy about it. "New York Times" film critic Manohla Dargis says the characters were given, quote, "conspicuously cartoonish, so-called black voices that indicate that minstrelsy remains as much in fashion in Hollywood as when Jar Jar Binks was set loose by George Lucas."

And Tasha Robinson, associate entertainment editor of "The Onion", adds, quote, "They don't really have any positive effect on the film. They only exist to talk in bad ebonics, beat each other up and talk about how stupid each other is."

Like Lucas before him, Michael Bay is defending his jive robots. He says, quote, "We're just putting more personality in. --"I don't know if it's stereotypes . . . they are robots, by the way. These are the voice actors. This is kind of the direction they were taking the characters and we went with it. -"I purely did it for kids. Young kids love these robots, because it makes it more accessible to them."

He adds, quote, "Listen, you're going to have your naysayers on anything. It's like is everything going to be melba toast? It takes all forms and shapes and sizes."

Controversy or not, "Transformers" opened huge on Wednesday. It grossed $16 million from midnight screenings alone. Theaters around the country added extra early-morning shows to meet the demand . . . and those figures haven't even been counted yet. -That puts "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" third on the list of all-time highest-grossing midnight screeners. "The Dark Knight", not surprisingly, holds the record, with a midnight take of $18.5 million. --In second place is "Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith", with $16.5 million.

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A LOOK AT SOME NEW SHOWS IN DEVELOPMENT AT MTV:

If you're a fan of MTV's non-music-related programming . . . or in other words, if you're a fan of MTV . . . here's a look at some new shows they're currently developing:

There's a half-hour animated series called "The Awesomes" . . . about a group of lazy superheroes. It's being written by "Saturday Night Live" star SETH MEYERS.

MTV is also putting together a series based on the MICHAEL J. FOX classic, "Teen Wolf". (--The movie . . . if you can believe it . . . was released 19 years ago.) There aren't a lot of details on it yet . . . but MTV says it'll be a, "reinvention of the classic '80s movie for today's audience."

There's also a sketch comedy show in the works, starring JAMIE FOXX. There isn't a title for that yet. (--It sounds like it may end up being similar to the old show, "In Living Color", which Jamie did for three seasons back in the early '90s.)

Also, you know that new HBO show, "Hung" . . . (--which debuts Sunday) . . . about a guy who's, uh, WELL-ENDOWED??? Well MTV is working on a similar show called "Hard Times", about an unpopular 15-year-old kid . . . with a gift.

And if you haven't heard, MTV is producing a spin-off of "The Hills" starring AUDRINA PATRIDGE. Great. (--None of these shows have premiere dates yet.)

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LINDSAY LOHAN AND SAMANTHA RONSON APPEAR TO BE BACK TOGETHER:

Their status changes from week-to-week, but this week, it appears that LINDSAY LOHAN and SAMANTHA RONSON are a couple. Here's an uninteresting paparazzi video of them together on Tuesday night . . .http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=f07614e2-ff0b-4c01-b367-8da32658e11d

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CARMEN ELECTRA SHAVED PART OF HER HEAD . . . AND SHE STILL LOOKS HOT:

CARMEN ELECTRA is so hot, almost nothing she does to herself can change that. She even shaved part of her head and she makes THAT look sexy.

(--Check out some pics . . .)

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DINNER IS RUINED!!

MEGAN FOX and SHIA LABEOUF were having dinner together after the "Transformers" premiere in Hollywood Monday night, when a paparazzo ran into the restaurant and took their picture. -Check out this video of their bodyguard catching the guy BY THE WAISTBAND as he tried to get away . . . http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=59c9859f-7108-421b-beae-d5bc911aa44e

(--By the way . . . Kodak is offering $5,000 to anyone who can find that kid who tried to give Megan a rose. If you've got the hook-up, e-mail them at yellowroseboy@gmail.com.)

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THE JONAS BROTHERS SAY THEY LAUGH WHEN PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF THEM:

The JONAS BROTHERS have the #1 album in America . . . and they're also on the cover of the new issue of "Rolling Stone", which is on newsstands now. So it's not surprising that they're not really bothered when people make fun of them. In fact, they get a kick out of it.

JOE JONAS says, "I think people don't realize that when they're making fun of us, we're laughing too. Every 'South Park' or whatever, it's like, 'That's hilarious.'" --"South Park" . . . (--if you didn't catch it) . . . mocked the Jonas Brothers' purity rings . . . and painted them as mindless puppets of Disney and Mickey Mouse.

Speaking of Disney, KEVIN JONAS says that they're not ashamed of their roots with Disney . . . and would be foolish to reject a relationship with them. He says, "I think we are working to make that trade [from being teen stars to a legitimate rock band] without having to give anything up. But I think it will take time, because of where we came from. -"I would honestly say to anybody, if you were in a band like us, you would take advantage of those platforms too. It's easy for people to say, 'No, I'm a real rock 'n' roller,' but I think you do what you've got to do."

But Kevin would like you to know that they are NOT just Disney's puppets. He says, "We have an operation around us that we run. It's not run for us, or dictated to us. Everything that we do, we sign off on."

One last thing: Joe is essentially admitting that their song, "Much Better", takes a shot at his ex-girlfriend, TAYLOR SWIFT. He explains, "Relationships give you ideas of what to write about . . . but sometimes it's hard to be honest. -"I mean, you have to be, but it's like, 'I don't really want to say anything bad about this person, but I'm going to write it.' That's just how it goes."

***CAN WATCHING TV HELP YOUR MARRIAGE?***

What you watch on TV says a lot about you. And paying attention to the types of shows your SPOUSE watches can even help your marriage.
Here are five types of TV shows and what it means if you watch them . . .

#1.) COMEDY. People who watch a lot of sitcoms and other comedy shows are ultimately trying to stay positive. They'll respond to humor in almost any situation, so try disarming them with a joke the next time you're in the middle of a heated argument.

#2.) SPORTS. People who mainly watch sports are usually goal-oriented. And they'll respond better if you talk to them about important issues while they're doing something physical . . . like jogging, biking, or painting a room.

#3.) REALITY SHOWS. People who love reality shows don't just love observing other people . . . they also tend to be competitive, they crave validation, and they probably enjoy special rituals that involve just the two of you.

#4.) NEWS. Avid news-watchers are straightforward, and like to read the fine print. They appreciate directness, so say what you MEAN when you're talking to a news-watcher. And while they might not like surprises, they DO enjoy spontaneity.

#5.) DRAMAS. People who watch TV dramas are romantics at heart, but they sometimes have trouble controlling their emotions. You don't have to be as direct with them to get your point across . . . and actually, they prefer it that way. (HitchedMag.com)

WATCH OUT BELOW

A PREGNANT LADY ACCIDENTALLY DROVE OFF THE FOURTH FLOOR OF A PARKING GARAGE . . . AND SURVIVED:

With all the bad drivers out there . . . (--you know who you are) . . . I'm surprised THIS sort of thing doesn't happen more often . . .

On Monday, an unidentified 31-year-old pregnant woman from Springfield, Massachusetts accidentally mistook the GAS pedal for the BRAKE pedal . . and drove off the FOURTH FLOOR of a parking garage.

The car landed UPSIDE DOWN, but . . . amazingly . . . the woman was wearing her seatbelt and both she and her baby are expected to be OK. (WWLP News 22 - Springfield)

(--Check out a photo of the woman's destroyed car . . .)

LOOK GOOD AT WORK

HERE ARE FIVE TIPS TO AVOID LOOKING LIKE AN IDIOT AT WORK:

Admit it . . . there's at least one guy in your office who EVERYBODY HATES. With that in mind, here are five tips . . . to make sure that person isn't you.

#1.) Don't be late: There's no better way to prove just how unreliable, indifferent and incompetent you are . . . than to show up late for work.

#2.) Be organized and prepared: If you show up to a meeting completely unprepared, you're going to come across as a total moron. Is that really how you want to look?

#3.) Don't bring your laptop to meetings: Even if you prefer taking notes on your laptop, you're going to look like an knucklehead if everyone else is jotting notes down on paper.

-Plus, your co-workers are going to start cracking jokes about how you're checking your email or updating your Facebook status. Is that really something you want to deal with?

#4.) Don't have a "fun" cell phone ringtone: Please . . . I'm begging you . . . don't be the guy with the BEYONCÉ ringtone. In fact, do everyone a favor and just put your cell phone on vibrate.

#5.) Don't try to manipulate the boss: Let's face it . . . there's probably a pretty good reason your boss is in his position . . . and you're in your position. Trying to manipulate your boss will only make you look like a brown-noser or a weasel, and even if your boss doesn't pick up on it . . . your co-workers definitely will. (Ask Men)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-24-09)

ED MCMAHON HAS DIED:

Entertainment GIANT ED MCMAHON passed away just after midnight yesterday morning. He was 86 years old.

Ed's rep said he died at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, surrounded by his wife and other loved ones. (--Ed and his third wife, Pamela, had been married for 17 years. Ed had five children from his previous two marriages.)

There's no word on the cause of death, but Ed's rep cited, "a multitude of health problems the last few months." Back in March, McMahon was hospitalized for several weeks with a serious case of pneumonia . . . as well as other, unspecified ailments. (--There were reports at the time that he was battling bone cancer. Those were never confirmed.)

McMahon is probably best known for his 35-year association with JOHNNY CARSON. It began when Ed served as the announcer on Johnny's daytime game show, "Who Do You Trust?", from 1958 to 1962.

When Johnny took over as host of the "Tonight Show" in '62, Ed went with him . . . and stayed on until Johnny retired in 1992. (--Carson died in 2005, at the age of 79.)

He also hosted "Star Search" for 12 years, beginning in 1983. That show helped launch the careers of Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Rosie O'Donnell, just to name a few.

Sadly, Ed was best known toward the end of his life for battling the foreclosure of his Beverly Hills home. He spoofed his financial troubles in a series of ads for FreeCreditReport.com. (--Check 'em out here . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhVxy6XlsAMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl4gh60WJWY

He also did a Cash4Gold.com commercial with MC HAMMER, that ran during this year's Super Bowl. (--Watch that one here . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrNipeP4HvQ

He will be missed!

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POTTY BREAK

Here's a semi-amusing video of BRITNEY SPEARS making a mad dash for the bathroom . . .http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=6031bed2-a02b-466f-9087-5ed0cafe364a

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WIPE OUT!!

"Twilight" actress KRISTEN STEWART wiped out BIG-TIME during the filming of her new movie, "The Runaways". (--Check out the video . . .) http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=d30cb30d-8956-4db9-9170-e0413b141ddf

(--"The Runaways" is about the '70s all-girl rock band of the same name. Kristen is playing JOAN JETT. LITA FORD was also in the band.)

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FACEBOOK - THE MOVIE???

Facebook: You love the website . . . now watch the MOVIE. Seriously . . . there's a movie in the works called "The Social Network". It's about the evolution of Facebook from its creation in 2004 to the present.

DAVID FINCHER is in talks to direct it. (--His credits include "Seven", "Fight Club" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" . . . all starring Brad Pitt.)

The script was written by "West Wing" creator AARON SORKIN.

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"JON AND KATE PLUS EIGHT" SCORED *HUGE* RATINGS ON MONDAY NIGHT . . . BUT NOW THE SHOW IS GOING ON HIATUS:

The TLC reality SENSATION "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" scored HUGE ratings on Monday night . . . for the episode where JON and KATE GOSSELIN announced their, quote, "separation." (--In actuality, they've begun divorce proceedings.)

An estimated 10.6 million viewers tuned in . . . (--which is remarkable for a lot of reasons, including the fact that EVERYONE knew the divorce thing was coming.) That's the biggest audience in TLC's history, and it also beat out every show on the networks on Monday night.

Obviously, that means it outdrew the "Jon & Kate" season premiere, which scored (a then-record) 9.8 million viewers last month. "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" is riding some serious ratings momentum right now, and TLC has announced that it'll respond by . . . putting the show on HIATUS. --For real.

Production on the show has been halted. Next Monday's episode will be a clip show, which will reflect on Jon and Kate's 10-year marriage. The next NEW episode is tentatively scheduled to air on August 3rd.

Right now, the show is only six episodes into a planned 40-episode, fifth season. In a statement, the network said, "TLC continues to support the Gosselin family and will work closely with them to determine the best way to continue to tell their story as they navigate through this difficult time. -"The show will be on hiatus until August 3rd. During this time the family will take some time off to regroup and then a modified schedule will be in place to support the family's transition."

According to the "Los Angeles Times", it was TLC's call to take a break . . . not the Gosselins'. Supposedly, all this divorce insanity caught the producers without enough current footage for new episodes. (--I guess this means they're going to SCRAP most of the material that they had prior to the divorce announcement. We'd heard they had a few episodes worth of footage from before all that went down. But a lot of it is probably irrelevant now.)

By the way, the "Hollywood Reporter" says all this "Jon and Kate" hysteria has boosted the ratings of the series that airs after it, a reality show called "Cake Boss". That show observes the daily happenings at a New Jersey bakery.

WHAT IF...

NOW YOU CAN USE THE "FACE TRANSFORMER" . . . TO SEE HOW YOUR FACE WOULD LOOK IF YOU WERE A DIFFERENT RACE:

Would you like to know how your face would look if you were a member of another race?

Just head on over to the "Face Transformer", a website from the Perception Laboratory at the University of St. Andrews, in Scotland.

(--Here's the link . . .)http://morph.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Transformer/index.html

-Just upload a picture of your face, follow the directions, and "transform" your face to see what your face would look like as: a member of another race . . . a baby . . . or an elderly person. (University of St. Andrews)

BEFORE YOU COMMIT

***FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU COMMIT***

To lay the foundation for a healthy long-term relationship, you need to know what you want, and what you need. Does YOUR current boyfriend or girlfriend qualify? Here are five questions you should ask before committing yourself to a relationship . . .

#1.) WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM THE RELATIONSHIP? Make sure you're getting involved with someone for the right reasons. Your reasons and their reasons don't HAVE to be the same . . . but some of the big ones probably should be.

#2.) DO YOU HAVE THE SAME VALUES? Religion can be a major issue, but it's not the only issue. If you DO have the same values, great. If not, are you open to each other's differences?

#3.) DO YOU WANT KIDS? If you do, then how many do you want? And what kind of parent do you want to be . . . hands-on, or hands-off? Make sure you know what the other person expects before things get too serious.

#4.) HOW ARE YOUR FINANCES? Love is important, but so is money. If you or the person you're with is in debt, you need to talk about it. If one person plans on buying a house in the next few years, but the other has bad credit, then it should be discussed.

#5.) HOW'S YOUR SEX LIFE? Let's face it: an important part of any long-term relationship . . . is sex. You have to be really honest about what you want. Are both of your needs being met? If not, will you do what's necessary to fulfill those needs? (BVOnLove.com)

WHAT A SHOT

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!!

An eighth grader named Aaron Shutway made this amazing basketball shot in gym class. He does a front flip, then launches the ball the length of the court and through the hoop.

(--He does the flip at :15, and you can watch it in slow motion at :50.)
(Search Terms: Aaron Shutway basketball flip video)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-23-09)

SHE'S ON FIRE!!

LADY GAGA wore some kind of a PYROTECHNIC BRA during her performance at the 20th Annual MuchMusic Video Awards on Sunday night. At the end of her performance of "Poker Face", SPARKS started shooting out of something that was rigged onto her breasts.

(--Here are a few pictures . . .)

(--And here's a video of Lady Gaga's entire performance. The PYROTECHNIC LACTATION . . . . . . doesn't happen until the very end of the video, so unless you REALLY want to see the whole thing, you can skip ahead to the 6:10 mark.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yJW9tqpyUs

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MEGAN FOX IS "FHM" MAGAZINE'S SEXIEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW:

"FHM" has released its annual Sexiest Women in the World list . . . and MEGAN FOX is on top for the second straight year. That makes her only the second woman to win the honor back-to-back. JENNIFER LOPEZ did it in 2001 and 2002.

-BRITNEY SPEARS failed to make the Top 10, but she did make the biggest jump this year. She went from #100 last year to #12 this year.

Meanwhile, ANGELINA JOLIE was knocked out of the Top 10 for the first time in FIVE YEARS. She's 15th this year.

--Here's the Top 10 . . .
#1.) MEGAN FOX
#2.) JESSICA ALBA
#3.) SCARLETT JOHANSSON
#4.) JESSICA BIEL
#5.) MADELINE ZIMA . . . (--She's on that Showtime series "Californication".)
#6.) ADRIANA LIMA
#7.) ELISHA CUTHBERT
#8.) HEIDI MONTAG
#9.) ANNE HATHAWAY
#10.) KATY PERRY

(--You can check out all 100 Sexiest Women in the World, here . . .)http://www.fhmonline.com/Site/customPage/DefaultPlain.aspx?ID=40514

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CHRIS BROWN COPPED A PLEA AND WON'T GO TO JAIL:

There were no fireworks at CHRIS BROWN'S preliminary hearing yesterday. In fact, there was no preliminary hearing. Chris copped a plea yesterday that will spare him any jail time for beating up RIHANNA.

Chris pleaded guilty to felony assault and was given five years probation. He was also ordered to enroll in an anti-domestic violence program and perform 180 days of community service. (--Which he'll probably do in his home state of Virginia.)

Also, any traveling he does will have to be approved by his probation officer. Perhaps most importantly, Chris was ordered to stay 50 yards from Rihanna, except at industry functions . . . where the distance is shortened to 10 yards. (--Chris was originally charged with TWO felonies . . . the second being criminal threats.)

If he violates any of these terms, he's looking at FOUR YEARS in prison. Oh, and so much for there being no cameras in the courtroom. Here's video of both Chris and Rihanna IN THE COURTROOM yesterday . . .
http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=2c19ae42-feb7-41c9-a632-c53965255b96

(--Chris and Rihanna were never in the room together. After Chris entered his plea, received his sentence and left, Rihanna was called in and informed of the terms of the sentence.)

After the proceedings, Chris' attorney issued the following statement, "He's very thankful to all the people who've been very supportive. -"This is a kid who's never been in trouble before, who wants to move past this and make sure that the message gets out that these kinds of things, of domestic violence, are not acceptable. -"And that he has accepted responsibility and continues to do so and embraces this as an opportunity for him to get his life back on track and his career back on track."

Rihanna's attorney also spoke outside the courthouse. He said Rihanna didn't want the judge to order Chris to stay away from her . . . because it prevents Chris and Rihanna from having even a, quote, "distant, cordial relationship."

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WHAT IF.....

If Edward Cullen from "Twilight" went to high school with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", would they be lovers . . . or enemies??? Here's a very well-done video mash-up that tries to answer that question . . .http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/06/twilight-buffy.html

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JON AND KATE GOSSELIN *ARE* DIVORCING:

It's happening: JON and KATE GOSSELIN . . . the "stars" of the TLC reality show "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" . . . ARE divorcing. They made it official on last night's episode . . . (--and if you've been following this, it did not come as a surprise.) (--On the season premiere, Jon and Kate admitted that their marriage was in trouble . . . and last week, a promo clip for the episode aired, where Kate said they'd made "life-changing decisions . . . that we hope will bring each of us some peace.")

Last night, both Jon and Kate said that they were, quote, "separating" . . . but at the end of the episode, an onscreen graphic announced, quote, "Legal proceedings were initiated in Pennsylvania to dissolve the ten-year marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin."

As for the future of the show, Jon said, "I'm still on the show, but we'll interview separately. We'll film different things, me and the kids, her and the kids." -Kate added, "The show must go on." Kate said she's planning on living at their home in Pennsylvania with their eight kids . . . but it's unclear what Jon will do. (--There's speculation about him possibly moving to New York.)

TLC has not commented on the state of the show . . . but for now, there's no reason to think that it won't continue as it has been going so far this season. (--TLC had planned on doing AT LEAST 40 episodes this season, which just started four weeks ago. Also, they have a few episodes in the can from BEFORE the announcement. It's unclear how they're going to handle those.)

Jon said, quote, "Kate and I have decided to separate. It's just not good for us to be arguing in front of our kids . . . we can't be cordial with one another." Kate said she was, "not fond of the idea," but knows it is, quote, "necessary."

(--Here's a video of Jon and Kate announcing their "separation" . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=5cdc71bd-bfb1-454a-9f3b-74d01d8fcfae

Kate also said she didn't believe that being on a reality show had anything to do with the split. She said, quote, "It's the next chapter. It was not brought on by our show or caused by our career choices at all. -"We've always done the show for the kids, to be able to provide for them, to collect the memories for ourselves."

-Jon said, "I do have feelings as well and I'm hurt by all of this. I'm excited and hurt at the same time. I have a new chapter in my life. I'm only 32 years old." (--Jon and Kate were married for 10 years and have eight kids together, obviously.)

Officially, it was Kate who filed for divorce. In a statement earlier yesterday, she said, "Over the course of this weekend, Jon's activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children.

-"While there are reasons why it was appropriate and necessary for me to initiate this proceeding, I do not wish to discuss those reasons at this time, in the hope that all issues will be resolved amicably between Jon and myself. --"As always, my first priority remains our children." (--She didn't elaborate further.)

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AND NOW . . . STEPHEN BALDWIN HAS QUIT "I'M A CELEBRITY . . . GET ME OUT OF HERE!", BECAUSE OF BUG BITES:

On last night's episode of "I'm a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here!", STEPHEN BALDWIN announced that he was QUITTING the show . . . basically, because he was tired of it and didn't want to be there anymore.

-He didn't give much more of an explanation than that on the show . . . but in an interview with "Access Hollywood", Stephen said he was FORCED to quit due to bug bites and the medical issues they caused. He said, "I had been at an insect bite count number of over 125, which induced an allergic reaction that I've never had before, and it was quite severe. --"[It had gotten] to a point where one of the evenings I almost stopped breathing and they almost had to hit me with an EpiPen." (--An EpiPen is an auto-injector of epinephrine . . . or adrenaline . . . which is used to treat severe allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock.)

-He added, quote, "Once I had done what I needed to do medically, to try to get that under control, it had just weakened me so much." -"That, coupled with the lack of sleep and the weight loss from not eating as much as normal, it just got me to a place where I just didn't feel like I was at the place and the performance level that I needed to be to finish and really win it all. --"I could have hung around, but . . .I just thought it was in my best interest to take the remaining five days and back away as humbly and respectively as I could, and get myself healthy again. It was really more for health reasons than anything else."

-Stephen took a lot of heat from the other "celebrities" for leaving . . . but he's now revealing that two of the bugs that bit him actually LAID EGGS under his skin. --He said, quote, "I have two insect bites . . . [I have a] patch on my arm . . . that will suffocate the fly larva that is under my flesh, where some baby flies are incubating right now." (--Stephen IS expected to return for the live finale, which will air Thursday night.)

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JESSICA SIMPSON HAS LANDED A NEW REALITY SHOW:

It's official: JESSICA SIMPSON will star in a new reality show . . . (--or "documentary series" as it's being called) . . . titled "The Price of Beauty". -The show will follow Jessica as she travels around the world . . . asking people what they find "beautiful" and why.

-Not interested? Well, Jessica has issued a statement trying to sell you on the show. Here it is: Quote, "I have always believed that beauty comes from within and confidence will always make a woman beautiful, but I know how much pressure some women put on themselves to look perfect. --"I am really looking forward to discovering how beauty is perceived in different cultures and participating in some of the crazy things people do to feel beautiful. -"I know we will all learn a lot on this journey and I am so excited that VH1 is coming along on what I'm sure will be a wild ride."

Production will begin next month, but the show isn't expected to premiere on VH1 until sometime next year.

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"AMERICAN IDOL" FINALISTS ADAM LAMBERT AND DANNY GOKEY SAY THERE IS NO "DRAMA" BETWEEN THEM:

You may not know this, but an all out WAR has erupted between the insanely rabid fans of "American Idol" finalists ADAM LAMBERT and DANNY GOKEY. The basis for all this nonsense is . . . apparently . . . a PERCEIVED beef between the two. But despite what anyone may be saying, Adam and Danny would like everyone to know that there's NO DRAMA between them. -

Over the weekend, Danny Tweeted, "Hey u all, there has never been any drama between [me and Adam]. We have always fully respected each other. Relax!!"

Adam then responded . . . (--also via Twitter) . . . , "[Danny] and I have not ever, and do not have any drama. We are friends. Chill out w/ all the gossip kiddies!"

Perhaps not surprisingly, the alleged issues between them . . . and their fan bases . . . involve their different personalities: Adam is a so-called "wild," gay, rock star in the making . . . and Danny is a much more reserved, Christian, wannabe balladeer.

In his infamous "Rolling Stone" interview, Adam talked about how cool he was with KRIS ALLEN, whom he had a little crush on. (--They were also roommates.) --But here's what he said about Danny: "Danny is by the book, and the book is The Word. And I respect that. Just don't try to push it on me and we're cool."

-Then . . . in an online interview with Comcast last week . . . Danny said, quote, "Yes. I accept gay people, but people have to accept my beliefs. We have to accept their beliefs, but they have to accept my beliefs. We agree to disagree. -"I don't judge people, but at the same time, if they believe in what they believe, they have to accept me and what I believe. But I accept anybody as they come. That's my character and my personality."

Also, there's talk about a so-called "prank" that Danny played on Adam at a dinner party, which was attended by a few contestants and members of Danny's family. --It's unclear when it happened, but it was sometime BEFORE April 14th. So it was a while ago.

Danny produced one of those crazy "glam" pictures of Adam that were making the rounds on the Internet . . . (--The one in which he was wearing green body paint, glitter and blue lipstick.) . . . and asked Adam to sign it. Adam . . . perhaps embarrassed . . . didn't seem all that amused, but he signed it anyway. He then posed for several pictures with Danny's family. We know all this because someone . . . supposedly one of Danny's cousins . . . posted the pictures to their Facebook page, where they were discovered last week. (--Some people say the account was hacked, others say it was a PUBLIC profile at the time.)

The "prank" isn't that big of a deal, but under the comments, Danny's cousin's friends and family members posted a series of comments bashing Adam . . . and some of them were a little homophobic.--You can check out a full rundown of this Facebook freak-out at the link below. It includes the pictures from the dinner party, the comments from Danny's cousin, the "glam" picture that Adam signed, and all the comments left on the page by the cousin's friends and family.)http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/36343258.html

CAFFEINE INFO

***SEVEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT CAFFEINE***

For most people, caffeine is a part of daily life . . . and for some, it's a REQUIREMENT. Whether you get your caffeine fix from coffee, tea, soda, or chocolate, you probably don't know much about it.

So here are seven things you probably didn't know about caffeine . . .

#1.) CAFFEINE IS THE MOST POPULAR DRUG IN THE WORLD. Americans alone drink 450 MILLION cups of coffee a day, and 90 percent of us get it in one form or another.

-Caffeine is found in 60 different plants, and experts think it might have been used way back in the Stone Age.

#2.) ITS NOT THE COLOR YOU THINK IT IS. Most caffeinated beverages are dark, but caffeine is actually a white, bitter-tasting substance that looks like baking soda. And dark roasted coffee actually has LESS caffeine than light roasted coffee.

#3.) HOW IT WORKS. Caffeine makes you more alert and increases the level of dopamine in your brain, which makes you happier. Plus, it's fast. In liquid form, caffeine only takes about FIVE MINUTES to start working.

#4.) SIDE-EFFECTS. Just one to two cups of coffee increases your metabolism, makes you breath faster, and makes you have to use the bathroom more often. Larger doses can cause headaches, jitters, rapid heartbeat, convulsions, and delirium.

-And HUGE amounts of caffeine . . . meaning more than EIGHT cups of coffee a day . . . can cause long-term side-effects like anxiety, depression, and chronic insomnia.

#5.) IT'S A COMMON INGREDIENT IN MEDICATION. Caffeine is used in pain relievers, and it's the main ingredient in non-prescription "anti-sleeping" pills like No-Doz. It's also used to help newborn babies breath.

#6.) IT'S NOT THAT ADDICTIVE. Unless you have around FIVE CUPS of coffee or TEN CANS of soda every single day, then you probably aren't addicted to caffeine.

-But if you DO drink that much, and you suddenly STOP drinking it, you'll go through caffeine withdrawal, which includes severe headaches, fatigue, and irritability.

#7.) CAFFEINE CAN KILL YOU. But it takes A LOT to do it. 5,000 MILIGRAMS of caffeine is considered a lethal dose if it's taken orally. To get that much in your system, you'd have to drink 40 strong cups of coffee as fast as possible. (Yahoo.com)

NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEO'S OF THE DAY

AMAZING SKILLS

Here's a cool trick by a minor league baseball player: He swings a bat, lets go of it mid-swing, spins it around 360 degrees, then catches it again to complete the swing.

(--He does it once at :07, then does it five more times between :35 and :55.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YngyMco72QA(Search Terms: large dog humps old woman video)

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MR BEAN IS THA MAN!

In the world of live comedy performances, this qualifies as a stone-cold classic. It's ROWAN ATKINSON . . . a.k.a. "Mr. Bean" . . . playing an invisible drum kit. Mimes are lame, but this is genius.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sf_pogZ8jE(Search Terms: Rowan Atkinson - Invisible Drum Kit)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-22-09)

JOE JONAS CONFIRMED THAT HIS BROTHER NICK IS BACK WITH MILEY CYRUS:

The NICK JONAS / MILEY CYRUS reunion was basically confirmed the other night on "Larry King Live". --Larry . . . (--Who is apparently as much of a pervert as David Letterman) . . . was trying to get the JONAS BROTHERS to talk about their love lives.--He asked JOE if his girlfriend, CAMILLA BELLE, is more famous than Nick's girlfriend. To which Joe replied, quote, "I don't think anybody is as famous as Miley Cyrus." (--Here's video if this HISTORIC . . . you know, if you're 12 . . . moment . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=4011761f-9919-4d7a-8ee9-523f926fa103(--And here's a clip of Miley and Nick singing "Before The Storm" at the Jonas Brothers show in Arlington, Texas on Saturday night . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZp2Sdsyr2c

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RIPIN' IT UP AT THE WHITE HOUSE

If you're one of those people who think that PRESIDENT OBAMA and his family are NOT maintaining the integrity of the White House, these pictures of TONY HAWK skateboarding through one of its hallways probably won't make you happy . . .

(--Tony was at the White House for a Father's Day event. He DID have permission from White House officials to do it. There's no word if President Obama himself had any idea it occurred, though.)

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IT'S OFFICIAL: T.R. KNIGHT *IS* LEAVING "GREY'S ANATOMY":

All the AGONIZING speculation is over: T.R. KNIGHT has FINALLY issued a statement announcing that he IS leaving "Grey's Anatomy".

He says, "Leaving 'Grey's Anatomy' was not an easy decision for me to make. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play this character and will miss my fellow cast and crew very much. -"I continue to wish them the very best, and wholeheartedly thank all of the fans who have supported me and the show with such passion and enthusiasm."

The show's creator, SHONDA RHIMES, also released a statement . . . saying, "I think I speak for the entire 'Grey's Anatomy' family when I say we wish T.R. Knight the best in his future endeavors. -"He is an incredibly talented actor and a person whose strength of character is admired by all of us."

Not surprisingly, Rhimes did not provide any details on what will happen to T.R.'s character, George O'Malley . . . not that it's all that much of a mystery. On the season finale, George was left on the BRINK of death . . . so he probably isn't surviving.

There's also no mention of WHY T.R. wanted to leave . . . (--assuming he DID want to leave) . . . but there's been speculation that he hasn't been happy with his character's storyline and his limited role on the show. (--There's also been talk of a rift between T.R. and the show's producers . . . specifically Shonda Rhimes . . . since October of 2006, during the fallout from that whole ISAIAH WASHINGTON / gay slur situation.)

By the way, it still looks like KATHERINE HEIGL WILL be returning to "Grey's". (--Like George, Katherine's character, Dr. Izzie Stevens, was also teetering on the brink of death at the end of the season finale last month.)

"People" magazine is reporting that a rep from ABC has confirmed that Katherine will be back . . . along with JESSICA CAPSHAW, who plays Dr. Arizona Robbins.

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A LITTLE GIRL'S DYING WISH WAS TO WATCH THE MOVIE "UP" . . . SO PIXAR SENT HER A DVD OF THE MOVIE:

In 2005, a 6-year-old girl named Colby Curtin from Huntington Beach, California was diagnosed with vascular cancer, and over the past few years, her condition kept getting worse. But before she died, Colby's final wish was to watch that new Pixar movie "Up". Unfortunately, by the time the movie was released, Colby was too sick to go to the theater.

So a family friend contacted Pixar . . . and on Friday, a Pixar employee delivered a DVD copy of "Up" to Colby's house. Later that night, after watching the movie . . . Colby (--who was 10 years old) passed away.

Colby's mother, Lisa, says, "When I watched it, I had really no idea about the theme of the movie. I just know that word 'Up' and all of the balloons and I swear to you, for me it meant that [Colby] was going to go up. Up to heaven." (--Wow. Way to go, Pixar. Seriously. Very cool move. I'm impressed.)(Good News Now)

STORY OF SURVIVAL

A MAN CRAWLED FOR 16 HOURS WITH A BROKEN BACK . . . TO CALL 911:

Three weeks ago, 57-year-old Mike Donigan was doing some work on the roof of his vacation home in Pine Mountain, Georgia when he was attacked by a swarm of hornets.

Get this . . . Mike fell off the roof and tumbled down a 100-foot hill, suffering . . .
--A sprained ankle

--A dislocated collar bone

--A broken right wrist

--A broken pelvis

--And at least FOUR broken vertebrae in his back

Since Mike's house is pretty isolated, he realized his only chance for survival was to get to the house and call 911 . . . which he did . . . by CRAWLING up the hill for the next 16 HOURS!!!

On Saturday, Mike was finally released from the hospital. He says, "I thought about my wife and kids, my mom and dad . . . [I] asked for a little help from my higher power to press on, and I did. I crawled over rocks, sticks, whatever was lying in my way . . . "You can do almost anything if you put your mind to it." (Northwest Florida Daily News)

How right you are Mike!!

HOW BIZARRE NEWS (06/22/09)

DIGGING TO CHINA

A Chinese farmer dug a 50ft hole inside his house to go fishing. Li Huiyan hired 30 villagers for six months to dig the hole in his kitchen. He wanted to reach an underground river which he suspected was full of fish. The river had been over ground but had disappeared 30 years ago when the local authorities bombed part of a mountain to pave a road. After digging his pit down to the river, Li installed a fishing net across it and regularly hauls out fish, so far earning his family nearly $10,000!! Talk about a short commute to work!

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GOOGLE TO THE RESCUE

Dutch police have arrested twin brothers on suspicion of robbery after their alleged victim spotted a picture of them following him on Google's Street View. Police believe this was the first time this technology had been used in a Dutch criminal investigation. A 14-year-old boy told police he had been robbed of some cash and his cell phone after two men dragged him off his bicycle. The victim called again after seeing an image of himself and two men he believed were his attackers on Street View. The police decided to look into it, and wouldn’t you know they immediately recognized one of the twins. Prosecutors will now decide whether to charge the suspects, whose identities were not released.

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NEVER TOO OLD TO SPELLL

And finally, kids, here is even more proof that you should NEVER give up on your dreams . . . On Saturday, 64-year-old Michael Petrina of Arlington, Virginia won the AARP National Spelling Bee . . . 51 years after he LOST the Scripps National Spelling Bee as a kid. Michael's winning word was "woad" . . . which is a type of plant that produces a blue dye. He was awarded $500, a trophy and a dictionary kit. Good for him! Now he can give it to his grand kids, who were in the spelling be with him!

GIVE ME A HUG

***FIVE REASONS MEN AREN'T AFFECTIONATE***

Guys usually prefer the HIGH-FIVE to the HUG, and in general, women are more affectionate than men. Most women wish their husbands and boyfriends would be MORE touchy-feely. Here are five reasons they AREN'T . . .

#1.) HE'S NOT SURE HOW HE FEELS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP. Don't jump to any conclusions, but some men find it hard to talk about relationship problems, and they end up expressing it physically.

-In other words, they're not showing more affection because they're not sure they WANT to.

#2.) HE'S WORRIED ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK. Men don't like things that make them look weak, and for whatever reason, a lot of guys think that public displays of affection do exactly that.

#3.) HE JUST LIKES HIS SPACE. Some guys just feel claustrophobic when they're touched too much or too often. Here's a test: if he can't sleep while you're touching him, he might just need a little more space than most people.

#4.) HE FEELS PRESSURED TO BE AFFECTIONATE. Guys can be VERY stubborn, and sometimes, women put SO much pressure on them that guys simply feel the need to stand their ground.

#5.) HIS FAMILY WASN'T AFFECTIONATE. It really does make a difference. Before jumping to conclusions and assuming he doesn't like being affectionate with YOU, take a look at how much he hugs his mother, father, siblings, and friends. (Glamour Magazine)