January 29, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW

GISELE BUNDCHEN HAD A "WATER BIRTH":

GISELE BUNDCHEN didn't go to the hospital to birth TOM BRADY'S baby. --She says, quote, "I gave birth in the bathtub." Specifically, she did it in the tub at their Boston penthouse. Obviously, it wasn't by accident. Gisele chose to have a water birth. We assume there were midwives or other qualified professionals present. (--The baby, a boy named Benjamin, was born on December 8th.)

DID MADONNA SPEND A WHOLE WEEKEND WITH A-ROD???

As far as we know, MADONNA still has JESUS LUZ snowed into thinking he's got it good by nailing her. But that hasn't stopped her from sleeping with other men whose moms she's old enough to be. -"Us Weekly" says Madonna spent the weekend of January 16th with ALEX RODRIGUEZ, at his home in Westchester County, New York. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "She's never been a one-man woman. When she's with a guy like Jesus, whom she takes care of, she doesn't really respect him."


Last year, RIHANNA didn't make it to the Grammys because, as you may recall, she was ASSAULTED by CHRIS BROWN the night before. Rihanna IS going to the ceremony this Sunday. But she's going alone. --She says, quote, "I'm going to the Grammys alone, as always! Even when I was in a relationship, I always have gone alone." --Then she added, quote, "I'm still single, if that's what you really want to ask!"


JOHN MAYER TAKES AIM AT CELEBRITIES WHO HAVE THEIR OWN FRAGRANCES:

If you are a celebrity with your own fragrance . . . or fragrances . . . you are about to receive a serious verbal beat-down. --JOHN MAYER is taking aim at the whole celebrity fragrance phenomenon . . . and he really hits the bullseye. --Check out what he has to say about it . . . quote, "I'm not diversifying in terms of selling anything. I'm not selling 'John Mayer: the cologne'. If I did it would just smell like sausage and sleep. --"I don't look at my fans and think, 'Wow, they really like what I do musically. Imagine if I could get 60 more dollars out of them!' --"Who out there really goes, 'You know what, I just (effing) love perfumes. I always have since I was a kid. If I weren't a pop singer, I'd be a perfumier . . .'? --"At some point I may turn into an (A-hole), but right now I just peddle a CD for $15 dollars every two years." --I don't know why so many people think John Mayer is a jerk. I happen to think he's funny. And a lot of his little commentaries on life . . . this one included . . . are SPOT-ON.)


WARNER BROTHERS SAYS IT DID *NOT* KILL BRITTANY MURPHY:

Warner Brothers would like you to know that it did NOT kill BRITTANY MURPHY. --As you know, Brittany's husband, Simon Monjack, has been talking about filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Warner Brothers . . . claiming that they caused Brittany's heart attack by, quote, "canceling her role" in "Happy Feet 2". (--She did a voice in the original.) --But the WB issued a statement yesterday saying, quote, "Any claim that Warner Brothers Pictures was somehow responsible for Brittany Murphy's tragic death is demonstrably false, reprehensible and defamatory. --"Despite press reports to the contrary, Warner Brothers Pictures and Ms. Murphy never entered into any deal for 'Happy Feet 2', and thus, there was no contract to cancel."


#1.) Some things make absolutely NO SENSE . . . and you love them even MORE because of it. Here's a video of VAL KILMER talking to New Mexico Representative Luciano Varela. --What is Val talking about? How great 50 CENT is. (???) (--For real. Check it out here . . http://www.bestweekever.tv/2010-01-28/val-kilmer-talks-to-new-mexico-congressman-about-50-cent-in-new-candidate-for-sense-making-story-of-the-year/ (--Val and 50 were in a movie together last year called "Streets of Blood" . . . and they've got another one called "Gun" coming out next year.)

#2.) A hearing has been set for May 26th regarding JOE JACKSON'S attempt to get an allowance from MICHAEL'S estate. --Joe wants more than $15,000 a month. The executors of Michael's estate want him to get NOTHING. (--Michael didn't leave Joe anything in his will.)

#3.) Those of you who don't think MARIAH CAREY has a sense of humor might want to check this out. Mariah called in to her husband NICK CANNON'S radio show the other day pretending to be "Debbie" . . . a Long Island housewife who loves pornography. --It's not clear whether Nick had it figured out from the beginning . . . but toward the end, he announced that the caller was actually Mariah. (--Listen to the call here . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCSz8WVlqJE

#4.) SANDRA BULLOCK and JESSE JAMES are using Find Toto to locate their pit bull, Cinnabun. --Find Toto is that company Jessica Simpson used when her dog, Daisy, was snatched by a coyote. They basically power-call your neighbors with a pre-recorded message about your missing dog. --Cinnabun has been missing since Monday. (--You can listen to the call here . . .)http://tmz.vo.llnwd.net/o28/newsdesk/tmz_audio/012810_jesse_james_audio.mp3

SUPER BOWL INSANITY

SOME PEOPLE IN FLORIDA DON'T WANT THE WHO TO DO THE SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW . . . BECAUSE PETE TOWNSHEND WAS A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER:

THE WHO are scheduled to do this year's Super Bowl halftime show. But not everyone is cool with that . . . because guitarist and songwriter PETE TOWNSHEND is a former REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER in his native England. --As you may recall, Pete was busted in 2003 for using his credit card to access a website that dealt in CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. --Police searched Pete's computers and didn't find any illegal images. But they still cautioned him and placed him on a sex offender list for FIVE YEARS. --To this day, Pete maintains that he's NOT a deviant. He says he's actually a staunch opponent of child pornography . . . and he was just doing RESEARCH when he got caught. --Anyway, this year's Super Bowl goes down in Miami a week from Sunday. And some activist groups in Florida are trying to freeze the band out because of the controversy. --They're even sending out flyers warning residents that a SEX OFFENDER is coming to their state. -One group, Protect Our Children, lobbied both immigration and the Florida attorney general, asking them to deny Townshend's visa. --That didn't work . . . so another group, Child Abuse Watch, asked the NFL to drop The Who from the show. They said, quote, "Inviting Townsend to play is a blatant disregard to the values of American families and a slap in the face to victims of child sexual abuse." --They added, quote, "Even someone looking for a job as a groundskeeper at Land Shark Stadium . . . (--where the game is being played) . . . wouldn't get hired with a sex offender status in his past. Why then does Townshend?" --But the NFL is buying Townshend's alibi. Spokesman Brian McCarthy says, quote, "UK police cleared him since he was doing research for a project on child abuse."


IS CBS WAFFLING OVER AIRING A SUPER BOWL AD FOR A GAY DATING SITE???


The owners of a gay dating site called ManCrunch.com say that CBS is giving them the runaround over an ad they wanted to run during the Super Bowl. --The site says it submitted the ad last week and never heard back from CBS. So they contacted the network last Friday, and were told that while the ad was still under review, all advertising spots had been sold. --The ManCrunch people asked CBS to review it anyway, just in case an advertiser dropped out and a spot became available . . . which is a common occurrence. --The people at ManCrunch say they don't believe CBS has any intention of running their ad. But at the same time, the network doesn't want to reject it, because they're afraid of backlash from gay groups. --CBS, meanwhile, says the ad is one of many that are still under review. They also say there are still ad spots available . . . and they're not sure who told ManCrunch that there weren't. (--You can watch the ad at the following link. It features two guys totally making out while watching a football game. I'm not saying it's right, but I can totally understand why a network might be hesitant to air it during the manliest TV event of the year . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxgdPaCJUcI (--Whether the ad airs during the Super Bowl or not, ManCrunch already got its publicity. Which was probably their goal all along.)


TAYLOR SWIFT WILL NOT BE PART OF THE NEW "WE ARE THE WORLD":

TAYLOR SWIFT will NOT be part of the new version of "We Are the World" that's being recorded for earthquake relief in Haiti. --Producer QUINCY JONES is rounding up artists to record their parts in Los Angeles on Monday . . . taking advantage of the fact that they'll all be in town for Sunday night's Grammys anyway. --But Taylor is leaving for an Australian tour right after the ceremony, so you can count her out. --Quincy won't release a list of performers until he has everybody locked in. But some names that have been mentioned so far include Will Smith, Jennifer Hudson, Miley Cyrus, Jason Mraz, Sheryl Crow, Mya, Sugarland and Justin Bieber. --MICHAEL JACKSON'S vocals from the original "We Are the World" will be used. And LIONEL RICHIE . . . who co-wrote the song with Michael back in the day . . . will also take part.


BET IS DOING ITS OWN HAITI SHOW:

BET will air a benefit concert for Haiti next Friday, called "SOS Saving Ourselves: Help for Haiti". --QUEEN LATIFAH, DIDDY, PHARRELL WILLIAMS and WYCLEF JEAN are among the performers. The show will also air on MTV and VH1.

#1.) The first trailer for OLIVER STONE'S "Wall Street" sequel, "Money Never Sleeps", is online. The movie stars MICHAEL DOUGLAS and SHIA LABEOUF, and it comes out April 23rd. (--Here's the clip . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV5hEBqYfTE

#2.) DEMI MOORE and MILEY CYRUS are in talks to play mother and daughter in the remake of a French movie called "L.O.L.: Laughing Out Loud". --It's a movie about a 15-year-old girl dealing with the usual boy problems, plus a strained relationship with her 40-year-old divorced mom.

#3.) Miramax Films is officially dead. Disney, which bought the studio in 1993, officially closed its doors yesterday. Founders BOB and HARVEY WEINSTEIN left in 2005. --A ton of classic independent movies came out of Miramax over the years, including "Sex, Lies and Videotape", "Clerks", "The Piano", "Reservoir Dogs", "The Crying Game", "The English Patient" . . . --. . . "Pulp Fiction", "Trainspotting", "Good Will Hunting", "Life Is Beautiful", "Shakespeare in Love", "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Gangs of New York" . . . just to name a few.

JAY LENO TOLD HIS SIDE OF THE STORY ON "OPRAH":

JAY LENO was on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" yesterday . . . and as expected, he talked at-length about NBC's Late-Night Mess. --The talk was candid and pretty interesting . . . but as usual, Jay played the victim, and didn't take any responsibility for what happened to CONAN O'BRIEN. Here are some highlights: --First off, Jay would like Team Conan to know that he didn't steal Conan's job . . . instead, a, quote, "perfect storm" came and gave him the "Tonight Show" back. --He said, quote, "I wasn't the reason. The reason was the ratings. --"It all comes down to numbers in show business. This is almost the perfect storm of bad things happening. You have two hit shows: 'The Tonight Show' [ranked] Number One, and ['Late Night with Conan O'Brien' ranked] Number One. -"You move them both to another situation. And what are the odds that both would do extremely poorly? If Conan's numbers had been a little bit higher, it wouldn't even be an issue. But in show business, there's always somebody waiting in the wings . . . being me." --Jay bashed the way NBC handled everything . . . and said he wasn't comfortable discussing the situation with Conan as it was all coming down. --He said, quote, "It wasn't my place to call Conan. They made this offer to me. And I said, 'Do you think Conan will go for this?' And they said, 'We'll ask him tomorrow.' [I said] 'OK, let me know what happens.' --"And then . . . I guess Conan had his article in the paper and that was that." (--Jay also told Oprah that he hadn't talked with Conan since everything hit the fan . . . but that he hoped to, once things, quote, "cool down.") --He added, quote, "Anything [that NBC could have done] would have been better than this. If they had come in and shot everybody, it would have been, 'Oh, people were murdered,' but at least it would have been a two-day story. --"NBC could not have handled it worse. From 2004 onward, this whole thing was a huge mess." --Jay also took a little shot at Conan's claim that moving the "Tonight Show" to 12:05 A.M. would be, quote, "destructive to the franchise." --Jay said, quote, "Well, if you look at where [Conan's 'Tonight Show'] ratings were . . . it was already destructive to the franchise." (--Ooh . . . SNAP!!!) --He does admit that he was also struggling . . . quote, "'The Jay Leno Show' failed because it was basically doing a late-night talk show at 10 o'clock. I was given enough time, [but] I got fired this time because my show did not perform."

JAY LENO FEELS VILIFIED:

JAY LENO told OPRAH that he feels he's been unfairly treated as a VILLAIN in NBC's Late-Night Mess. He said, quote, "I think [I am]. But I think you have to look for a bad guy. --"I mean, I think it's funny that they have a picture of me and ROMAN POLANSKI. Somehow these are quite similar. You have a TV show; he had sex with a 13-year old girl with Quaaludes. Yeah, that's about equal. --"I always felt I was doing the right thing. How can you do the right thing and have it go so wrong? Maybe I'm doing something wrong if this many people are angry and upset over a television show. I had a show. My show got canceled. --"Who wouldn't take that job? To me, [retiring] seemed like the selfish thing to do. I think I'm a good guy. Am I not a good guy? I fight for the people who work here." --Oddly enough, Jay said he sympathizes with Conan. He said, quote, "I felt really bad for Conan. I thought it was unfair." He also called Conan a, quote, "good guy" and a "good performer." --He also said he'd love to have Conan as a guest on "The Tonight Show" when he returns on March 1st. (--For some reason, I don't see that happening.) --He added, quote, "I hope Conan gets a job somewhere else and we all compete together. And the best man wins."


JAY LENO ADMITTED HE WASN'T PLANNING ON RETIRING WHEN HE AGREED TO HAND OVER "THE TONIGHT SHOW":

As you probably know by now, NBC's Late-Night Mess began back in 2004, when NBC talked JAY LENO into agreeing to give CONAN O'BRIEN "The Tonight Show" in 2009 . . . so they could keep Conan from leaving NBC. --Well, on "Oprah" yesterday, Jay said he felt, quote, "disrespected" when NBC initially asked him to step down. He said, quote, "That was pretty shocking. It broke my heart. It really did . . . I was devastated. --"This was the job that I had always wanted and this was the only job that ever mattered in show business . . . to me. It's the job every comic aspires to. --"It was just like, why? I'm not a person who carries my emotions on my sleeve. But you know something, I'm happy with what I had. ['The Tonight Show'] was a tremendous success up to that point." --He also copped to telling a, quote, "little white lie on the air" when he said he was going to retire in 2009. He said, quote, "It made it easier that way" . . . but he was always planning on leaving the network and continuing his career elsewhere. --He did ask NBC to let him out of his contract in 2008, but they wouldn't . . . and that's when they hatched their idea to create a "new" talk show for Jay in primetime.


JAY LENO-RELATED RANDOMS:

#1.) Here's what JAY LENO said about being ambushed by JIMMY KIMMEL on HIS OWN SHOW . . . quote, "I got sucker-punched." --Jay said he could have edited the segment or cut it out, but, quote, "I said, 'No. Put it out there. I walked into it.' [When you get hit,] you get right up again. You don't whine and complain."

#2.) Here are some videos with clips from JAY LENO'S "Oprah" interview . . .http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=98c97932-9f97-446d-8c61-4b0c18623e40http://www.eonline.com/videos/v49669_jay-leno-opens-up-to-oprah-pt-.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/28/oprah-tells-leno-letterma_n_441004.html

#3.) CONAN O'BRIEN went out with a bang. About 10.3 million people watched his final episode of "The Tonight Show" last Friday. --That was Conan's biggest "Tonight Show" audience. It beat his first episode, which was seen by around 9.2 million people last June. In addition, Conan also averaged 5.3 million viewers across all last week. "Letterman" averaged 3.9 million viewers. (--Conan averaged more viewers during his first week . . . but the 5.3 million last week was a huge bump from his overall average, which was just 2.8 million viewers.)


THE UPDATED GRAMMY PERFORMERS LIST:

The Grammys have announced that EMINEM, LIL WAYNE, DRAKE and BLINK-182 drummer TRAVIS BARKER will team-up for a, quote, "special performance" at this year's ceremony, which will air this Sunday night on CBS. --It's unclear what they will be performing . . . but the lineup of rappers is close to the all-star group that did Drake's "Forever" track . . . only minus KANYE WEST. (--There's nothing to suggest Grammy producers intentionally kept Kanye off-stage. We don't even know if Kanye will be there. He is up for a few awards.) --LADY GAGA will also perform. She'll open the show with a surprise guest. The "New York Post" thinks it'll be ELTON JOHN, but we don't know that for sure. --Previously announced performers include: Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli, Beyoncé, the Black Eyed Peas, Dave Matthews Band and Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Green Day, Lady Antebellum, Maxwell, Pink and the Zac Brown Band. --Plus, there will be a MICHAEL JACKSON tribute . . . featuring Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood and Usher.


#1.) SAMANTHA HARRIS is leaving "Dancing with the Stars" . . . (--but unlike everyone else, she hasn't suffered a broken collarbone or any other serious injury.) --She said she quit to devote more time to her other gigs, at "The Insider" and "Entertainment Tonight". The search to find her replacement has already begun. (--Samantha co-hosted the show with TOM BERGERON for the past eight seasons.)


#2.) TMZ reports that two "Jersey Shore" stars . . . RONNIE and J-WOWW . . . have signed new contracts with MTV to do a second season. As we'd heard, they'll get $10,000 per episode. Supposedly, everyone else is still "holding out." --But in a radio interview yesterday . .. . J-Woww said that the cast is still, quote, "playing the wait game." She said she didn't expect to know what's going to happen until next week.


#3.) The CW is developing two new shows for next season. One will be another take on "La Femme Nikita", a French movie about a female assassin. It's being produced by MCG, the director behind "Charlie's Angels" and "Terminator Salvation". (--The USA Network already did "La Femme Nikita" as a series starring PETA WILSON. It ran from 1997 to 2001. The 1993 flick "Point of No Return", starring BRIDGET FONDA, was also a remake.) --The other new show is a family drama set on a horse farm in Wyoming. (???) If it makes it any more interesting, it's being done by Amy Sherman-Palladino . . . the same woman who created "Gilmore Girls".


FRIDAY TV REMINDERS:

--"Dollhouse" [SERIES Finale] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox.
--"Kitchen Nightmares" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.

SATURDAY TV REMINDERS:
--"Miss America 2010" . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC. (--Vivica A. Fox, Shawn Johnson, Dave Koz and Rush Limbaugh are the judges . . . and Mario Lopez and hosts with "What Not To Wear's" Clinton Kelly.)
--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. (--Jon Hamm guest hosts and Michael Bublé is the musical guest.)

SUNDAY TV REMINDERS:
--"2010 Pro Bowl Game" [All-Star Game] . . . 7:20 to 10:30 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. (--The AFC battles the NFC at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.) --"The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS. (--Performers include . . . Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Green Day, Lady Antebellum, Maxwell, Pink, Dave Matthews Band and Lady Gaga.)http://www.grammy.com/nominees/
--"The Simpsons" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on Fox. (--Coldplay singer Chris Martin plays himself when Homer buys a lottery ticket that may be worth a million-dollars.)
--"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Jewel and her rodeo husband Ty Murray help build a house for a woman battling cancer.)
--"Saturday Night Live: Sports Extra" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--A compilation of sports-themed skits from the past three decades.)
--"Little Chocolatiers" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC. (--A reality series about the owners of Hatch Family Chocolates . . . a Salt Lake City business run by Steve and Katie Hatch, who also happen to be little people.)
--"Las Vegas Jailhouse" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TruTV.


HAS OZZY OSBOURNE DONE SO MANY DRUGS THAT ANESTHETICS DON'T WORK ON HIM???

In an interview with the "Boston Phoenix", OZZY OSBOURNE suggested that anesthetics don't work too well on him, because he's done too many drugs in his life. --He said, quote, "I went for a colonoscopy and the guy puts a syringe full of white stuff in me, and he goes, 'So how long you been doing rock and roll?' --"And I'm talking to him, and he's talking to me, and he goes, 'Why aren't you asleep yet?'" Ozzy laughed and added, quote, "Well, no, I'm not bragging about it, because, you know what? I'm so (effing) lucky I woke up every morning."


JOE JONAS SAYS THE JONAS BROTHERS ARE NOT SPLITTING UP:

For the last time, NICK JONAS' side project NICK JONAS & THE ADMINISTRATION is NOT a sign that the JONAS BROTHERS are breaking up. --JOE JONAS tells "People" magazine, quote, "We are happy being a band, and it's what we've always wanted to do. We are not breaking up. There's no reason for us to do that."


MARIAH CAREY HAS RELEASED TWO NEW VIDEOS:

MARIAH CAREY released two new videos yesterday. The first one is for a song called "Up Out My Face" . . . (???) . . . featuring NICKI MINAJ. (--Here's the link to that one . . .)http://www.vevo.com/watch/mariah-carey/up-out-my-face/USUV71000091--And the second one is for "Angels Cry", which features NE-YO. http://www.vevo.com/watch/mariah-carey/angels-cry/USUV71000065--Both videos were co-directed by NICK CANNON . . . who landed the gig solely based on an impressive directing portfolio, which features various episodes of "Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out" and "Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz".(--"Up Out My Face" and "Angels Cry" will appear on Mariah's upcoming remix album, "Angels Advocate". It's scheduled to drop on March 30th.)


NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

YOU CAN HELP THE HAITIAN RELIEF EFFORT BY DONATING YOUR BREAST MILK:

Just because money's tight right now, that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do to help the Haitian relief effort. Listen to this . . . --Last week, Navy doctors on the USNS Comfort . . . a floating hospital docked off the coast of Haiti . . . put out a call requesting BREAST MILK donations to feed Haitian infants orphaned by the earthquake. --Officials say it's better to feed babies breast milk than formula for two reasons:

#1.) Intestinal and respiratory infections are common after natural disasters, and breast milk contains antibodies that will help babies fight off infection.

#2.) And unlike formula, breast milk doesn't need to be mixed with water. Which is good since clean drinking water is in short supply in Haiti. --So far, breast milk banks around the country have sent about 500 ounces of breast milk to aid the Haitian relief effort . . . but that's still not enough. -According to a donor in Ohio, quote, "I would be very proud to know that my milk would be used to help orphaned infants or infants who are hospitalized." (Columbus Dispatch / Parent Dish)(--You can get more information about donating your breast milk to Haiti here . . .)http://www.hmbana.org/index/haiti

THE LABRADOR RETRIEVER IS THE MOST POPULAR DOG BREED FOR THE 19TH STRAIGHT YEAR:

This week, the American Kennel Club released its annual list of the ten most popular DOG BREEDS, based on pet registration statistics from last year. Check it out:

#1.) Labrador Retriever (--This is the 19th straight year the Labrador Retriever has taken the top spot on the list.)
#2.) German Shepherd
#3.) Yorkshire Terrier
#4.) Golden Retriever
#5.) Beagle
#6.) Boxer
#7.) Bulldog
#8.) Dachshund
#9.) Poodle
#10.) Shih Tzu
(Paw Nation)


A BUNCH OF METAL-HEADS IN THE UK ARE TRYING TO GET "HEAVY METAL" RECOGNIZED AS AN OFFICIAL RELIGION:

During Britain's last census in 2001, a bunch of sci-fi dorks started a write-in campaign to make being a Jedi from "Star Wars" an officially recognized religion. --When all was said and done, 390,000 people listed Jedi as their religious affiliation, making it the fourth largest religion in the UK after Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. That's right . . . there are officially more Jedis in the UK than Jews. (???) --Anyway, now a rock magazine called "Metal Hammer" has launched a campaign to get "heavy metal" recognized as an official religion too, by starting a similar write-in campaign for the upcoming census. --A guy named Alexander Milas is the editor of "Metal Hammer". He says, quote: -"2010 is a very special year in the annals of Heavy Metal history. BLACK SABBATH came out with their debut 40 years ago next month. It did seem like a great time to celebrate how huge this thing has become." --Last week, Alexander and other heavy metal "followers" set up a Facebook page called "Heavy Metal for the 2011 Census." In just one week, it's already got 10,000 fans. (Toronto Sun / Asylum)


A WOMAN IN BALTIMORE WAS BITTEN BY A POISONOUS COBRA IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT:

I know you think you've probably "heard it all" by now, but here's the thing: You haven't. --Last Sunday night, an unidentified woman was walking through a shopping center parking lot in White Marsh, Maryland, outside Baltimore. She says she bent down to pick up a stick . . . but it turned out to be a VENOMOUS MONOCLED COBRA. --Sure enough, it bit her. Authorities think it was a pet that somehow got loose, because there's no way it could have survived outside in January weather. --And while the venom of the Monocled Cobra is poisonous enough to instantly kill rodents, lizards and birds, to fix a human bite you just need the antivenom. But that stuff's insanely toxic too, so you need to know exactly which kind of snake bit you. --Luckily, the woman stuffed the snake in a bag and took it with her to the hospital. Long story short, they choppered some antivenom in from the Philadelphia Zoo, and the woman is fine. The snake was taken to a local zoo. (WBAL Baltimore)--You can read the whole story, and check out a picture of the snake, here . . .)http://www.wbaltv.com/news/22347707/detail.html


A LAWMAKER IN PENNSYLVANIA WANTS TO MAKE THE LONG RIFLE THE STATE'S OFFICIAL GUN:

Every state has its own official state bird, state tree and state motto. And now, if a Republican State Senator named Pat Browne gets his way, Pennsylvania will have an official state GUN too. --Recently, Browne sponsored a bill that would designate the Pennsylvania Long Rifle as the state's official firearm. Here's his case:#1.) The Pennsylvania Long Rifle is made of iron and wood that is native to Pennsylvania.#2.) It was originally developed by Pennsylvanian settlers in the mid-1700s, so it has actual historic value.#3.) And it's been argued that the rifle's unique color combinations, carvings and engraved brass-work hold some artistic value as well. --If the bill passes, Pennsylvania would become the first state in the country to have an official state firearm. (--If this passes, you just know all kinds of Southerners are going to be up in arms about it. Not because they're morally opposed, but because they didn't think of it first.) (Patriot-News)


NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) This airport janitor stands on a moving walkway and cleans a glass wall without moving a muscle. He holds his squeegees in one place and lets the walkway do the work.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANCa-Y2nvOc(Search Terms: how to clean on a moving sidewalk in China)

#2.) "Mad TV" came up with the iPad in 2006. Only, their version connects from a woman to her computer, and lasts for 1,000 periods. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsjU0K8QPhs(Search Terms: "Mad TV" iPad)

#3.) A kid jumps onto the hood of his friend's moving car to scare him, and accidentally smashes in the windshield. (--Warning: This video contains profanity.)http://www.break.com/index/kid-breaks-buddies-windshield.html(Search Terms: kid breaks buddy's windshield Break.com)

#4.) A woman's cat knocks a TV on her head while she's doing sit-ups.http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1928509(Search Terms: cat attempts murder TV video)

FIVE MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN THROWING A PARTY:

If you're having people over, make sure you don't do something to ruin the vibe. Here's "Cosmo's" list of five mistakes to avoid when throwing a party . . .

#1.) INVITING PEOPLE TOO FAR AHEAD OF TIME. Don't invite people at the last minute, but don't invite them three months early either. They'll forget, and you don't want to send out a million reminders if you're calling or emailing people yourself. --Just use Evite, and they'll send people reminders. If you're sending out invitations by mail, send them two weeks ahead of time if it's casual, and a month ahead of time if it's more formal.

#2.) HAVING TOO MANY SEATS. It sounds weird, but unless it's a dinner party, you don't need seats for everyone. Parties are always better if people are walking around and mingling. Cosmo says the magic number is one chair for every two people.

#3.) NOT DEALING WITH A BAD GUEST. If somebody gets too drunk and things get awkward, it's your job to deal with it. And it's okay to call a cab. If you let the person stay, everyone else will eventually leave.

#4.) FORGETTING TO CLEAN THE BATHROOM. It's the one thing everyone will use. So at least make sure the sink and the toilet are clean. And hide the stuff in your medicine cabinet that you don't want people to see.

#5.) PAYING FOR ALL THE BOOZE. Don't pay for the whole party. There's no shame in asking your guests to bring food or alcohol. -"Cosmo" suggests making a list of all the stuff you'll need, then taking on the ones you can handle, and farming the rest out to your friends. (Cosmopolitan.com)


HOW TO TELL IF YOU'RE JUST A HOOK-UP . . . OR SOMETHING MORE:

If you're seeing someone, but you're unsure about where you stand, here are five signs that you're just a hook-up . . .

#1.) YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE DOING THE DIALING. When you're dating someone, there should be mutual calling back and forth. --So if the other person's not down with lengthy phone conversations, they're probably only interested in something casual. In fact, communicating solely through text messaging guarantees you'll never transition into a meaningful conversation.

#2.) YOU NEVER TALK ABOUT BEING EXCLUSIVE. If the other person goes out all the time without you, with no explanation, don't assume you're exclusive. Giving someone space is one thing, but turning a blind eye is another.

#3.) YOU NEVER MEET THEIR FRIENDS. It doesn't matter if you spend every night for a month cuddling on the couch . . . you're not dating until you meet the other person's friends. -If someone's not willing to show you off, they're probably still on the dating scene, and consider themselves 'available.'

#4.) YOU'VE BEEN ASKED TO WAIT UNTIL THEY'RE "IN A BETTER PLACE." When people are looking to keep things casual, they use phrases like, "I have to work on me, before I can be good to anyone else." --There's something about seeming emotionally vulnerable that gets you out of any relationship obligations. --But the truth is, this kind of excuse is just that . . . an excuse. When someone really wants to spend time with you, they will, regardless of whether they're busy at work, getting over a break-up, or unsure of what the future holds.

#5.) THE ONLY THING YOU EVER DO IS HAVE SEX. I don't think I should have to explain this one, but I will just in case: If the only thing you EVER do when you hang out with someone is BONE . . . you're just hooking up, and you're not dating. Get it? (Match.com)

January 28, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW

JOHN AND ELIZABETH EDWARDS HAVE SEPARATED:

JOHN EDWARDS and his wife ELIZABETH aren't trying to work things out anymore. They're legally separated . . . and not surprisingly, it was Elizabeth who kicked John to the curb. -Last week, John FINALLY admitted that he's the father of the child his mistress, RIELLE HUNTER, gave birth to almost two years ago. --Elizabeth's rep issued a statement saying that John admitted it to her this past summer . . . and she'll have nothing more to say about it. --John issued a statement yesterday, saying, quote, "It is an extraordinarily sad moment, but I love my children more than anything and still care deeply about Elizabeth." --One last, quick note: Here's the latest revelation from that upcoming book by former Edwards aide Andrew Young: --Young says that when Edwards found out Hunter was pregnant, he desperately wanted her to abort the baby. And he asked Young to help him talk her into it. --He even called Hunter, quote, "a crazy slut" . . . and said she'd told him it was physically impossible for her to get pregnant.


BRAD AND ANGELINA: THE RANDOMS:

Here's a quick summary of the BRAD PITT / ANGELINA JOLIE chaos of the past 24 hours. What you choose to believe is up to you . . .

#1.) "People" magazine says Brad and Angelina were actually having a quiet dinner together in Los Angeles when they first heard that story about how they'd hired divorce lawyers to sort out their breakup. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "That's how ridiculous the story is."

#2.) "Us Weekly" says Angelina is getting resentful of Brad because he's not doing enough to help her with their six kids. And she takes out her frustration by yelling at him for the smallest things, like when he, quote, "makes the eggs too runny or burns something." --A so-called "source" says, quote, "Angie felt like Brad wasn't pulling his weight. She's exhausted and overwhelmed." Brad is getting so fed up he's taken to calling her the B-WORD behind her back.

#3.) The "Star" tabloid claims that JENNIFER ANISTON is waiting in the wings, ready to step back in. A so-called "source" says, quote, "She's never had a relationship live up to what they had, and now that things with Angie are finally ending, she'll take him back. --"The moment he and Angie make it official that they've called it quits, she's ready to try again."


WILL FERRELL and his wife Viveca now have three children to look after. Viveca gave birth to Axel Ferrell (???) last Saturday morning. They have two other boys . . . 5-year-old Magnus and 3-year-old Mattias. (--By the way . . . Viveca was the pregnant hippy chick dancing around onstage while Will sang "Freebird" on CONAN O'BRIEN'S final "Tonight Show" last Friday night. Meaning she was doing that just hours before giving birth.)


"Us Weekly" says ALICIA KEYS and her boyfriend, producer SWIZZ BEATZ, are currently in Hawaii celebrating their ENGAGEMENT. (--Alicia's rep denies they're engaged.) --Alicia has been with Swizz for almost a year . . . even though Swizz is still married. (--He and his wife have been in the process of divorcing since last February.)


"HEROES" STAR ADRIAN PASDAR GOT POPPED FOR DUI:

Former "Heroes" star ADRIAN PASDAR got popped for DUI early yesterday morning on the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles. (--He played Nathan Petrelli until they killed him off earlier this season.) --Police pulled him over because he was driving over 90 miles per hour and, quote, "failing to maintain his lane." --When police approached the vehicle, they smelled alcohol . . . so they gave him a field sobriety test . . . which he failed. --He was booked on suspicion of DUI, and bail was set at $15,000. That's a lot higher than it would have been if Adrian hadn't REFUSED TO TAKE A BREATHALYZER TEST.(--Here's video of Adrian leaving jail . . . and being tailed by an annoying paparazzi scumbag . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=d9ca66ab-c8e2-4dff-9b76-ca1932fe7ca4


DID BRITTANY MURPHY DIE BECAUSE SHE LOST HER ROLE IN "HAPPY FEET 2"???

We still don't know what killed BRITTANY MURPHY. But her husband, Simon Monjack, does. It was Warner Brothers . . . and their refusal to let her be in "Happy Feet 2". --Brittany did the voice of Gloria in the original. But Monjack says the producers dumped her from the upcoming sequel because of some Internet reports regarding her alleged problems on another film. --Brittany was making a movie called "The Caller" in Puerto Rico . . . but she either left or was FIRED. There were Internet reports claiming she'd been canned because of her erratic behavior. --Monjack says, quote, "Warner Brothers relied on conjecture and hearsay about the Puerto Rico film for why they canceled Brittany's role in 'Happy Feet'." And, he claims, that led to Brittany's HEART ATTACK. --According to TMZ, he's planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the studio. --There's no word from Warner Brothers on any of this. But the producers of "The Caller" are making it clear that they didn't fire Brittany. They said, quote, "The decision for Brittany to leave the film was mutual and amicable, and was in fact related to a serious illness in Brittany's family."

THE ALLEGED JOHN TRAVOLTA EXTORTIONISTS HAVE A NEW TRIAL DATE:

A date has been set for the retrial of the two people accused of trying to extort JOHN TRAVOLTA and KELLY PRESTON over the death of their 16-year-old son, Jett, in the Bahamas last year. --Ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne and former Bahamian Senator Pleasant Bridgewater are accused of threatening to go public with a medical document Travolta signed during the tragedy . . . unless he and his wife paid them $25 million. (--The document really wasn't important. In fact, it probably wouldn't have been worth ANYTHING to the Travoltas to keep it private, let alone $25 million.) --The first trial for Bridgewater and Lightbourne ended in a mistrial last October, after a political ally of Lightbourne's publicly announced that she'd been acquitted . . . even though the jury was still in deliberations. --The new trial will begin on September 6th. (--Travolta testified in the first trial, and is expected to do so in the retrial.)

MARK KERRIGAN WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTEND HIS FATHER'S FUNERAL:

NANCY KERRIGAN'S brother MARK won't make the funeral for their father, DANIEL KERRIGAN, today . . . because the Massachusetts Department of Corrections doesn't allow prisoners to attend funerals. --Mark was arrested Sunday for assault and battery, following a scuffle between Mark and Daniel that left Daniel dead. (--It's not clear what killed Daniel, but his wife claims it was a heart attack . . . and she doesn't blame her son at all.)


#1.) MICHAEL DOUGLAS' 31-year-old son CAMERON pleaded guilty yesterday to charges related to his part in a massive meth ring. He copped to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of heroin. --He's facing up to 10 years in prison.


#2.) SUSAN BOYLE returned to her home in Scotland Tuesday night to find an INTRUDER. Whoever it was ran out past Susan when she opened the door. Her rep says she was, quote, "shocked but unharmed." --Police took one suspect into custody, but released him without any charges. (--Susan had just returned home from London, where she was recording her part in Simon Cowell's charity single for Haiti.)


Our old friend SAM GREENSPAN has put together a list of 11 Yearbook Photos That Actors Wish We'd Never Seen. (--And he gives us 11 because, quote, "Top 10 lists are for cowards.") (!!!) (--Pay special attention to GEORGE CLOONEY'S photo, which gives hope to ALL nerds . . .) http://www.11points.com/Movies/11_Yearbook_Photos_That_Actors_Wish_We'd_Never_Seen


Pro wrestler CHRIS JERICHO was arrested in Kentucky last night for being drunk in public, along with another wrestler named Greg "Hurricane" Helms. They were both released after posting a pretty measly bond of 120 bucks each.(--Here are their mug shots, where they're both still looking a little buzzed . . .)http://www.tmz.com/2010/01/28/wwe-star-chris-jericho-arrested-in-kentucky/


RANDOM NOTES ON HAITI AND HOLLYWOOD:

#1.) LADY GAGA says that she raised more than $500,000 for Haiti by donating all the proceeds from her gig this past Sunday night in New York City. (--When reached for comment, her label said it couldn't confirm that figure.)

#2.) As expected, the album of performances from the "Hope for Haiti Now" benefit has topped the "Billboard" album charts, with 171,000 copies sold in just two days. --That makes it the first download-only album to EVER top that chart. (--All told, the telethon has raised $66 million for Haitian earthquake relief so far.)

#3.) EDDIE VEDDER has released his cover of BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S "My City in Ruins" as a digital single to benefit earthquake relief efforts. (--He performed the song at last month's Kennedy Center Honors. Bruce was one of the honorees. Check out the video of his performance here . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSnJLSRAUcE

GILBERT ARENAS AND JAVARIS CRITTENTON HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON:

Washington Wizards gunslingers GILBERT ARENAS and JAVARIS CRITTENTON have both been suspended for the rest of the NBA season . . . for bringing guns into the team locker room last month and drawing on each other. --And they were suspended WITHOUT PAY. --NBA Commissioner David Stern issued a statement saying, quote, "The issue here is not about the legal ownership and possession of guns, either in one's home or elsewhere. It is about possession of guns in the NBA workplace, which will not be tolerated." --Arenas pleaded guilty on the 15th of this month to one felony count of possessing a gun without a license. He'll be sentenced March 26th. --Crittenton pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun possession charge earlier this week, and got a year of probation.

ZELDA RUBINSTEIN . . . THE SHORT WOMAN FROM "POLTERGEIST" . . . IS DEAD:

ZELDA RUBINSTEIN . . . the 4-foot, 3-inch woman who played the little psychic chick in "Poltergeist" . . . died yesterday. She was 76. Her agent said she died of natural causes at Barlow Respiratory Hospital in Los Angeles. --Zelda made her film debut in the 1981 comedy "Under the Rainbow". She followed it up with her star-making turn as the psychic Tangina Barrons in "Poltergeist" the following year. She also appeared in two sequels. --After that, she made numerous TV and film appearances . . . and was a regular on the series "Picket Fences". Her last movie was a really cool horror flick from 2006, called "Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon". (--If you dig slasher movies, you NEED to see this one. It's a "mockumentary" about a guy who's preparing his first Jason Voorhees-type killing spree.) --In addition to acting, Zelda was also an advocate for the better treatment of little people in the movie industry . . . and an early AIDS activist.


JAY LENO SAYS HE HASN'T TALKED TO CONAN O'BRIEN SINCE NBC BLEW UP THEIR LATE-NIGHT SCHEDULE:

In an interview airing today on "The Oprah Winfrey Show", JAY LENO admits that he hasn't talked to CONAN O'BRIEN since the NBC late-night mess began. --He says, quote, "I haven't talked to him since all this. No, I haven't." --When Oprah asks if he WANTED to call Conan, Jay says, quote, "Yeah, but it didn't seem appropriate. I don't know, I think . . . let things cool down and maybe we'll talk, you know?" --Oprah also asks if Jay was, quote, "hurt" by any of the things Conan said . . . Jay responds, quote, "No, they were jokes. And that's OK. --"It's what we do, you know. You can't . . . it's like being a fighter and saying, 'When you got punched in the head, did it hurt?' Well, yeah, but you're a fighter, that's what you do." (--You can watch the clip, here . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=5a0ee787-5613-40ce-bb16-9a4bb03d68f4(--In this video, which was the only preview clip available, Jay seems openly upset about the whole thing. I'm not sure what that means . . . but it'll be interesting to see if the whole interview is this candid, or if this was just a moment.)


TV RANDOMS:

#1.) ABC has cancelled "Ugly Betty". No date for the series finale has been announced yet. There are eight more unaired episodes of the show on the way. (--This was "Ugly Betty's" fourth season. It's been struggling in the ratings for a while.) --The network and show's producers released a joint statement saying, quote, "We've mutually come to the difficult decision to make this 'Ugly Betty's' final season . . . and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion."


#2.) So-called "sources" tell "Entertainment Weekly" that CALISTA FLOCKHART'S role on "Brothers & Sisters" will be "reduced" next season. ABC wouldn't comment, except to insist that she'll be remaining a series regular. (--Calista plays the wife of ROB LOWE'S character. Just last week, Rob announced that he'd be leaving the show at the end of the season. It's unclear if either of these things had anything to do with the other . . . and if so, which came first.)


#3.) MARY J. BLIGE and ANDREA BOCELLI will perform a duet of the SIMON & GARFUNKEL classic, "Bridge Over Troubled Water", at the Grammys on Sunday night. It'll take place during a special segment devoted to Haiti relief. --A recording of the duet will be available on iTunes after the show. All proceeds will benefit the Red Cross. Meanwhile, FLEETWOOD MAC minx STEVIE NICKS was also announced as a Grammy performer.



THE "HOPE FOR HAITI NOW" CHARITY CD HAS DEBUTED AT #1:

As expected, the "Hope For Haiti Now" charity album debuts at #1 on the "Billboard" album chart after moving 171,000 copies . . . in just TWO DAYS of sales. That also makes it the first download-only album to EVER top this chart. --Meanwhile, this year's "Grammy Nominees" album sold 49,000 copies to come in at #5, just behind the new disc from SPOON.

Here are your Top 10 albums . . .

1.) (NEW) "Hope For Haiti Now", Various Artists (171,000 copies)
2.) "I Dreamed A Dream", Susan Boyle (86,000 copies)
3.) "The Fame", Lady Gaga (62,000 copies)
4.) (NEW) "Transference", Spoon (53,000 copies)
5.) (NEW) "2010 Grammy Nominees", Various Artists (49,000 copies)
6.) "Contra", Vampire Weekend (43,000 copies)
7.) "The Element of Freedom", Alicia Keys (40,000 copies)
8.) "Animal", Ke$ha (35,000 copies)
9.) "The E.N.D.", Black Eyed Peas (35,000 copies)
10.) "Fearless", Taylor Swift (32,000 copies)


MUSIC RANDOMS:

#1.) Yet another musician is upset with a politician for using his music without permission. JOE WALSH of the EAGLES is ticked at a Republican congressional candidate in Illinois for using, "Walk Away" . . . which is a song by Joe's old band, THE JAMES GANG. --But get this: The politician's name is also JOE WALSH. (???) Joe the musician's lawyer fired off a letter to Joe the politician to explain the United States Copyright Act to him. (--You can download the entire letter by scrolling down, here . . .)http://www.thresq.com/2010/01/joe-walsh-republican-eagles-copyright.html


#2.) CHRISTINA AGUILERA'S next album, "Bionic", was supposed to come out in March, but yesterday she announced that it's been pushed back to April. (--There was no explanation for the delay, and no specific release date was given.) --The first single, "Glam", will be out sometime next month.


#3.) USHER has announced that his new album, "Raymond v. Raymond", will be released on March 30th. (--It'll include the singles "Papers" and "Hey Daddy".) --The album was supposed to come out in December, but a rep for Usher said they decided to push it back so they'd have more time to build the hype.


NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF

HERE ARE NINE FUN FACTS ABOUT THIS YEAR'S $1.35 TRILLION FEDERAL BUDGET DEFICIT:

This year's federal budget deficit is estimated to be about $1.35 TRILLION. To give you some idea of how insane that is, one trillion is a 13-digit number. Or look at it this way:
--1.35 TRILLION pounds is the weight equivalent of 135 MILLION elephants.--1.35 TRILLION years is more than 300 times longer than Earth has been a planet.--If you wanted to travel 1.35 TRILLION miles, you'd have to circle the globe 54 MILLION times. Or you could travel to the sun and back, and still have a few miles to go.--If you wanted to count to 1.35 TRILLION, at a rate of one number per second, it would take you more than 40,000 years.--With $1 TRILLION, you could pay ALEX RODRIGUEZ'S salary 40,000 times. And you could finance the federal government's bailout of Goldman Sachs 216 times. Or look at it this way . . .--In order to erase this year's $1.35 TRILLION budget deficit, every American would have to chip in $4,500. (!!!) (Yahoo News)


THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI IS TRYING TO COLLECT ONE BILLION PENNIES:

Right now, the University of Cincinnati is in the midst of its "Proudly Cincinnati" fundraising campaign. The idea is to raise $1 BILLION by the year 2013. So far they've scraped together $638 MILLION. --Anyway, to help raise the final $362 MILLION, the school's student government announced Tuesday they're going to start collecting PENNIES . . . ONE BILLION of them to be exact. That's the equivalent of $10 MILLION. --To put that in perspective, if you gathered all those pennies together, you'd end up with a pile roughly the size of five school buses. --If you laid them side by side, they would stretch more than 11,800 miles . . . or about the distance from Anchorage, Alaska, to Antarctica. --And if you stacked them all one on top of the other, it would reach nearly 1,000 miles high. That's about 775 miles higher than satellites orbiting Earth. (--Check out a cool visual representation of one billion pennies, here . . .)http://www.kokogiak.com/megapenny/nine.asp(Business Courier of Cincinnati / WTOL News 11 - Toledo)


IS THE ECONOMY CAUSING MORE WOMEN TO GO BRUNETTE BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER THAN GOING BLONDE?

Times are tough right now . . . we all know it. But I guess it never occurred to me that the down economy could affect a person's APPEARANCE, as well as every other aspect of their life. That is, until I heard this . . . --According to hairstylists in Jacksonville, Florida, more women are ditching their BLONDE highlights and going BRUNETTE instead. --The idea is that it's more expensive to go blonde. And while blonde hair has to be colored every four to six weeks, brunettes can wait nearly twice as long before they need to recolor their hair. (WJXT News 4 - Jacksonville)


A GUY CALLED 911 WHILE PINNED UNDERNEATH HIS CAR:

Two weeks ago, 21-year-old Brian Brown was tightening some bolts on the underside of his Chevy Camaro when the jack failed and the car came crashing down on top of him. --Fortunately, Brian's cell phone was within his reach, and he managed to call 911 while still pinned under the car. --A few minutes later, two cops, an off-duty firefighter and another unidentified man were able to lift the car off of Brian's chest, saving his life. --Brian says, quote, "I thought I was going to lose my life . . . I just want to say thank you to them for helping me out." (KRQE News 13 - New Mexico / Taos Daily)(--Check out video footage of the rescue here . . .)http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/local/northeast/men-lift-car-to-free-trapped-owner


A PEEPING TOM WAS ARRESTED FOR SPYING ON WOMEN AT A *PEEP SHOW*:

Now it's time to recognize our Meatball Criminal of the Day . . . THIS unidentified bonehead from Seattle . . . --Just before 2:00 A.M. on Saturday morning, a 27-year-old man showed up at an old-school PEEP SHOW STRIP CLUB in downtown Seattle called the Lusty Lady. --After a few minutes, he made his way into one of the peep show stalls. But instead of plunking in a few quarters and going to town on himself like any other guy, he removed a ceiling panel and climbed into the overhead crawlspace. --Apparently, the plan was to crawl into the dancers' dressing room where he was going to . . . well . . . I don't really know what he was planning to do. But before he got there, the guy slipped and his legs crashed through the glass ceiling above the dance floor. --Long story short, the cops showed up and arrested the guy for malicious mischief. But for some reason the charge was never filed, and he was released from jail on Monday night. (--Okay, am I the only one who's confused? What exactly was this guy hoping to do . . . watch women put their clothes back ON? Where's the fun in that? Or was it just the VOYEURISTIC aspect that got this perv going?.) (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)


THE CITY WITH THE MOST DEPRESSING LOCAL NEWS IS BOSTON:

Recently, a website called Asylum.com conducted an informal study to find out which major city has the most depressing local news. --Taking into account the percentage of stories about stuff like crime, terrible accidents and bad weather, they determined that the city with the most depressing local news is Boston . . . followed by Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia and Denver. (Asylum)(--Check out a breakdown of the study's results . . .)http://www.asylum.com/2010/01/27/live-at-11-which-city-has-the-most-depressing-local-news/


A 100-YEAR-OLD WOMAN GRADUATED COLLEGE JUST ONE DAY BEFORE DYING:

Meet 100-year-old Harriet Ames of Concord, New Hampshire. --In 1931, Harriet got her two-year teaching certificate from Keene Normal School, which is now called Keene State College. And over the years, she took classes part-time at the University of New Hampshire. --But Harriet stopped going to school in 1971 when she retired from teaching, and she never bothered to check if she had enough credits to get her bachelor's degree. --Well, it turns out she did. And on Friday, Harriet finally received her diploma. Then on Saturday, she died. --According to Harriet's daughter, Marjorie, quote, "She had what I call a 'bucket list,' and that was the last thing on it."(Yahoo News)


PEOPLE WITH THE LEAST EDUCATION WATCH THE MOST TV:

If you watch a lot of TV, it's probably because you're an uneducated moron. --At least that's according to a new survey from a website called Hunch.com. They found that the amount of TV you watch and your level of education are, quote, "almost perfectly inversely correlated." --But if you watch a lot of TV, you might not know what that means, so I'll explain: They're saying that people with the LEAST education watch the MOST TV, and vice versa. (--By the way, even if you don't watch TV, don't be the guy who goes around telling people you don't watch TV because there's nothing good on. There's plenty of good stuff on TV . . . that's NOT the problem. It's that you're a pretentious a-hole.) (--You can link to the full article here . . .)http://www.collisiondetection.net/mt/archives/2010/01/_how_much_tv_do.php(Collision Detection)


AND NOW . . . HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR DOG'S ORAL HEALTH:

I'll bet you didn't know this, but before they were domesticated, dogs were known to have the healthiest, most beautiful TEETH in all the animal kingdom. --Okay, so maybe I'm making that up. But that doesn't mean you should ignore your dog's oral hygiene. With that in mind, here are some tips to improve your dog's oral health:

#1.) Brush your dog's teeth at least twice a week using either a regular toothbrush or gauze wrapped around your fingertip. But you should only use toothpaste designed specifically for dogs.

#2.) Brush in a circular motion, making sure to brush especially well along your dog's gumline. And don't forget to brush the back of your dog's teeth as well.

#3.) Have your dog's teeth evaluated by a veterinarian once a year. If your dog has tartar buildup, it may need to be removed using a process called "scaling."

#4.) Feed your dog dry dog food, and give him an occasional hard biscuit or bone. Chewing on it will help dislodge plaque and other nastiness.

(--And finally, if you have time to brush your dog's teeth twice a week . . . GET A LIFE!!! I mean, really, are you kidding me? Dog's were wild animals. If they've survived this long without brushing their teeth, I think they'll be okay.) (Paw Nation)


NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) PETA released their own State of the Union address, only it's called "State of the Union Undress", and it features a woman stripping. (--She starts undressing at 1:50, and they cover the nudity at the end with text for PETA's website.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ65fBaUVQ8(Search Terms: PETA "State of the Union Undress" 2010)

#2.) According to this commercial parody, the only reason guys play "Twister" is to rub up against their hot female friends. (--Warning: This video contains profanity.)http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1928033(Search Terms: CollegeHumor.com Twister commercial)

#3.) These guys dressed up as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then ordered a pizza. When the delivery guy got there, they tried to take it without paying, but he didn't think it was funny. Then one of them stole a pizza from the back of his delivery bike.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUll5SnavOw(Search Terms: TMNT pizza prank video Remi Gillard)


TEN WAYS TO GET THE BEST DEAL ON A FLIGHT:

ABC News had the CEO of FareCompare.com do a list of the ten best ways to get a deal on a flight. And there's a lot of stuff on it you probably didn't know about. Here it is . . .

#1.) DON'T BOOK TOO LATE, BUT DON'T BOOK TOO EARLY. If you wait until the last minute, it costs a fortune. But you won't get the best price if you book too EARLY, either. Airlines keep the rates high until about four months before the flight.

#2.) BUY ON THE RIGHT DAY. Each airline announces its newest deals every Monday. And by Tuesday at lunchtime, all the other airlines have matched those prices. So Tuesday afternoon is usually the best time to buy.

#3.) FLY ON THE RIGHT DAY. The least popular flights have the cheapest tickets. So if you fly on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday, you'll almost always pay less.

#4.) FLY AT NIGHT. Red-eye flights take off at night and land the next morning. Most people don't like traveling that way, so those flights are cheaper. And flights that coincide with mealtimes are also less expensive.

#5.) COMPARE AIRPORTS. Flying out of one airport might cost twice as much as flying out of another. Generally, the biggest airports have the most flights, so they offer the best prices. Just make sure you don't have to drive too far to get there. --If it's three hours away, it won't be any cheaper, because you'll have to spend more money on gas to get there.

#6.) PAY ATTENTION TO "PEAK TRAVEL SURCHARGE DATES." Just before the holidays last year, the airlines came up with a new way to make money . . . they added a surcharge for the most-popular holiday flights. --So if you're flying somewhere for Valentine's Day or Spring Break, check FareCompare.com to see what each airline is charging. The surcharge is usually ten or twenty bucks each way.

#7.) TRAVEL DURING THE OFF-SEASON. Hawaii is nice all year, but the spring and fall are technically the off-season. And that's when flights are cheapest. The same goes for Europe too. You pay one price to fly in March, or $200 more to fly in April.

#8.) SIGN UP FOR AIRFARE ALERTS. Most of the websites let you sign up for email alerts that tell you when the new deals are posted. And you can even have them sent to your cell phone or Twitter account.

#9.) KNOW WHEN TO JUMP ON A DEAL. When you see a good deal, take it. It's the Internet, so you've got A LOT of competition. And it's not unusual for a deal to disappear while you're trying to book it.

#10.) KNOW WHEN TO GAMBLE. If you book a flight at the very last minute, you can get a great deal. When the airlines see that a flight isn't completely full, they slash the prices.--But gambling on a flight deal only makes sense if you're flexible. If you HAVE to fly that day, don't risk it. (ABC News)

January 27, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW

NOW, BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE ARE *NOT* GOING TO THE OSCARS:

Several websites are reporting that BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE will NOT be attending the Oscars together . . . but they're also not breaking up. --Supposedly, Angelina will be in France shooting a movie when the Oscars go down on March 7th. Brad actually might attend solo . . . but he hasn't decided if he's going yet. --Meanwhile, the not-always-reliable British tabloids say that Brad has purchased a MILLION-DOLLAR BACHELOR PAD in the Hollywood Hills. It has a bar. (--One last note: Angelina and her brother, James Haven, posted a tribute to their mother, Marcheline Bertrand, on YouTube. Today is the third anniversary of her death.) (--The video shows Marcheline on vacation with James and a 6-year-old Angelina in Hawaii in 1981. Check it out . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srfTiIyTo0g


IT'S ON!!! BETWEEN KIRSTIE ALLEY AND JOY BEHAR!!!

KIRSTIE ALLEY is not happy with the way JOY BEHAR has been bashing TIGER WOODS. And now . . . IT . . . IS . . . ON!!! --Kirstie went OFF on Joy last week on Twitter, calling her self-righteous and saying, quote, "Cheating is between a husband and wife. Not TMZ and Joy Bewhore . . . God, I want to bash her in the vagina with her microphone." --On her own Twitter account, Joy replied, quote, "Kirstie Alley calls me Joy Bewhore. Compliments! Compliments!" --As of last night, Kirstie seemed ready to move on, saying, quote, "Now I am done talking about certain women with red hair." (--By the way: When Kirstie called Joy self-righteous, she actually used a word you probably shouldn't say on the air.) --Specifically, she called Joy, quote, "a self righteous cooz head." If you don't know what "cooz" means, you can check out the definitions here . . .)http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cooz


BROOKE MUELLER IS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND ON HER WAY TO A SPA:

CHARLIE SHEEN'S wife BROOKE MUELLER was released from the hospital yesterday, after being admitted a week ago for pneumonia . . . but she's not going straight home. --Her mother said, quote, "Brooke is going to get some rest and relaxation. We're hoping to go to a spa, if she doesn't get scared off. We're going somewhere; I don't want to say where right now. I don't want a lot of people there." --Wherever she goes, she'll have to be driven. Brooke can't fly until the fluid in her lungs clears up. --As for Brooke's condition, her attorney said, quote, "[She's] OK, not great . . . I'm still very concerned about her." --Their twin boys will be staying with Charlie until she gets back.


DENISE RICHARDS SAYS CHARLIE SHEEN NEVER HIT HER:

Charlie's ex-wife, DENISE RICHARDS, was on "Oprah" today. And she didn't pass up the opportunity to hand out a gentle I-told-you-so. --She said, quote, "It's sad. Perhaps people can understand what I went through." --She said Charlie never hit her, but he had, quote, "a very sharp tongue." She added that she and Charlie had, quote, "heated arguments that scarred." --And while Charlie didn't hit her, he did shove her several times, so she got a restraining order. Denise said, quote, "I was in a very dark place, especially when I filed the restraining order. I was humiliated. I was scared. I was embarrassed." --But she did add that she and Charlie are now in, quote, "a great place." --Denise has two daughters with Charlie . . . 5-year-old Sam and 4-year-old Lola. And she didn't want to tell them what happened to their dad over Christmas, but she kind of had to. --See, somebody in Sam's kindergarten class told her she'd heard that her dad was in jail. (--Here are some highlights from the interview . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=b2233c6f-4079-4dc3-95d3-e03ecfb66e20


A RANDOM FAN PAID GARY COLEMAN'S BAIL:

When GARY COLEMAN was arrested on an outstanding warrant Sunday, he ended up spending 27 hours behind bars. Apparently, he couldn't foot the $1,725 bail. --So how did he get out on Monday afternoon??? By being an AWESOME ACTOR. Seriously. --A Utah man by the name of Jarrod Clarke, who owns a loan business, paid it out of the goodness of his heart . . . because he loved Gary in "Diff'rent Strokes". --He says, quote, "I grew up watching him and I know he has had a hard life. To see that sad mug shot, for only $1700, I thought it was the least I could do." --Even though he owns a business, Clarke says he didn't do this for publicity, and he doesn't want Gary to pay him back. He even tried to keep his identity a secret when he posted the bail. --He says, quote, "It would have been nice to give him a ride home and talk to him about him being a spokesperson for our company, but we posted bail, no strings attached." (--Some reports said that the producers of Gary's new movie, "Midgets vs. Mascots", paid Gary's bail, in exchange for his permission to let them leave footage of his PENIS in the film. But apparently, those reports were bogus.)


CLINT EASTWOOD IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE STAR . . . AND JOHN WAYNE IS STILL IN THE TOP 10:

Harris Interactive has revealed the results of its annual poll on our 10 FAVORITE MOVIE STARS.
--This year's top pick was CLINT EASTWOOD . . . even though he wasn't even in a movie in 2009. --Then there's JOHN WAYNE, who tied with MERYL STREEP for 7th place, even though he hasn't been in a movie since . . . 1976. (!!!)
--Here's this year's Top 10 . . .
#1.) CLINT EASTWOOD#2.) JOHNNY DEPP#3.) DENZEL WASHINGTON#4.) SANDRA BULLOCK#5.) TOM HANKS#6.) GEORGE CLOONEY#7.) (tie) JOHN WAYNE and MERYL STREEP#9.) MORGAN FREEMAN#10.) JULIA ROBERTS

HOLLYWOOD RANDOMS

#1.) KIEFER SUTHERLAND lost almost $1 million in a swindle involving cattle. A guy named Michael Wayne Carr got Kiefer to give him $869,000. In return, Carr was supposed to go to Mexico, buy cattle and then sell it for huge profits in the U.S. --He never held up his end of the bargain. Several other people got conned, too. Carr has been charged with 12 felonies, including grand theft and embezzlement.

#2.) MICHAEL JACKSON'S kids . . . Prince, Paris and "Blanket" . . . may have some kind of role in this Sunday's Grammy Awards. A so-called "source" says, quote, "They've been working on everything from them singing to just making an appearance." --As of now, their participation is just a maybe. (--The Michael Jackson tribute will be based around a 3D mini-movie set to "Earth Song" . . . which was made for Michael's "This Is It" concerts.)

#3.) CHRISTINA MILIAN'S 81-year-old neighbor claims that her dog mauled him . . . and he wants cash. He's suing Christina and her family for an undisclosed sum. --The man says the dog got loose and jumped him from behind, biting a huge chunk out of his arm that took 19 stitches and nine months of rehab to recover from. And he claims he's still getting psychiatric help for, quote, "fear and depression."

#4.) JESSICA SIMPSON is backing an effort to collect 50,000 pairs of shoes for the people of Haiti in 50 days. (--If you'd like to help, here's the website . . .) http://www.50000shoes.com/
#5.) On "The Jay Leno Show" last night, MEL GIBSON talked about how difficult it's been to quit smoking. He said, quote, "It's been 18 days. You know, it's not funny. I mean, serious, you bury some serious anger. --"Most people do it when they're five, they get their security blanket taken away. I did it at 54 and I'd been smoking 45 years. There's a lot of anger underneath it."

"AVATAR" HAS SURPASSED "TITANIC" TO BECOME THE HIGHEST-GROSSING MOVIE OF ALL TIME:

It's official: JAMES CAMERON'S "Avatar" has become the highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide. As of Monday it had taken in $1.859 BILLION. --That pushes that OTHER James Cameron flick, "Titanic", to #2, with $1.843 billion. --"Titanic" is still #1, however, at the U.S. box office, with $600.8 million. "Avatar" has "only" made $555 million in the U.S. --Here are the 10 Top-Grossing Movies of All Time, Worldwide . . . #1.) "Avatar", $1.859 billion#2.) "Titanic", $1.843 billion#3.) "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", $1.119 billion#4.) "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest", $1.066 billion#5.) "The Dark Knight", $1.002 billion#6.) "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", $974.7 million#7.) "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", $961 million#8.) "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", $938.2 million#9.) "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", $934 million#10.) "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", $925.3 million


ORLANDO BLOOM WILL *NOT* APPEAR IN THE NEXT "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN" MOVIE:

We basically already knew this, but now it's more official: ORLANDO BLOOM will NOT return for the fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. --When asked if his character, Will Turner, would be back, he told "Extra", quote, "Will's swimming with the fishes. Not this time. No, no, no."


THE "HOBBIT" MOVIES WON'T COME OUT UNTIL LATE 2012 AT THE EARLIEST:

"Variety" reports that the first of the two "Hobbit" movies won't hit theaters until late 2012 at the earliest, due to changes at New Line Cinema. --As far as we know, all the players are still in place: PETER JACKSON is producing and GUILLERMO DEL TORO is directing. --And IAN MCKELLAN and ANDY SERKIS will return as Gandalf and Gollum, respectively. (--There's no word yet who else might be returning from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.)


WILL PAULA ABDUL APPEAR ON "DANCING WITH THE STARS" THIS SEASON???

TMZ reports that PAULA ABDUL may have some work coming her way . . . finally. --The word is that ABC has offered Paula a $1 MILLION development deal . . . presumably to put together her own show . . . on the condition that she appears on the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars", which premieres March 22nd. --It's not really clear whether they're asking her to be a dancer or a judge. (--Although it's possible that they'd be cool with EITHER.) --TMZ also says the deal would allow Paula to do SIMON COWELL'S 'The X Factor', which is hitting the airwaves next year. (--Paula is allegedly in talks with Simon to judge . . . but yet again, there's been no confirmation.) --There's no comment from ABC. (--Obviously, we'll keep you posted on any new developments in Paula's job search.)


TAYLOR LAUTNER WILL PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEAR'S CELEBRITY BEACH BOWL:

"Twilight" stud TAYLOR LAUTNER has signed on to participate in DirecTV's Fourth Annual Celebrity Beach Bowl, which goes down on February 6th . . . the day before the Super Bowl. --If you haven't seen one of these, it's basically a flag football game featuring "celebrities" and various NFL personalities. It takes place on sand. --The other celebrities will include: "Gossip Girl" stars Chase Crawford and Jessica Szohr, Victoria's Secret model Marisa Miller, Christian Slater, and "Entourage" star Kevin Dillon. (--More may be announced later.) --New York Giants quarter back ELI MANNING will coach one of the teams . . . and former NFL studs TROY AIKMAN and WARREN MOON will quarterback the teams. --And the ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS will perform a post-game concert. --DirecTV will broadcast the Celebrity Beach Bowl on their 101 Network.


#1.) TYRA BANKS is looking for young, sexy and BIG girls. She's calling it Tyra's Fiercely Real Teen Model Search. To enter, you need to be between the ages of 13 and 19, have a dress size between 12 and 20, and be 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-1. --She's currently taking applications on her website. The finalists will be revealed on "The Tyra Banks Show" on March 2nd, and the winner will be announced the next day. (--For more details, hit up her website, here . . .) http://tyrashow.warnerbros.com/fun/teenmodelsearch/registration.php


#2.) MARTHA STEWART is pulling her talk show out of syndication . . . and moving it to cable. Beginning in September, "The Martha Stewart Show" will air from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. on the Hallmark Channel. --The move isn't all that surprising. Martha's show, which is in its fifth season, has struggled in the ratings. (--It averages under 1 million viewers, while shows like "Ellen" and "Dr. Phil" average over 3 million viewers.)


#3.) LARRY THE CABLE GUY is getting a show on the History Channel. --It's tentatively called "The United States of Larry", and it'll feature Larry traveling around the country talking to people with, quote, "interesting jobs, hobbies and ways of life." It's scheduled to begin filming in March. There's no premiere date yet. (--And before you ask, no . . . we're not sure why this is on the History Channel.)


#4.) "WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC is working on a live-action TV-movie for the Cartoon Network. There aren't any details on the story, but we do know it'll star a teenager. Weird Al is writing it, directing it, and will also have a cameo in it. -The movie probably won't air until next year, though. The Cartoon Network has yet to sign off on the final script, and the earliest it could start filming would be this fall.


#5.) NBC may have squeezed CONAN O'BRIEN out of "The Tonight Show", but they're still doing business . . . sort of. --NBC has picked up a legal drama called "Justice", which is produced by Conan's production company, Conaco. It's about a former Supreme Court judge, who opens his own practice. The show is in the mix for NBC's 2009-2010 TV season.


#1.) The official soundtrack to the upcoming "Iron Man 2" movie will feature 15 AC/DC classics. The album, "AC/DC: Iron Man 2", will be released on April 19th. (--The movie will hit theaters on May 7th.) --A new video for "Shoot To Thrill" . . . complete with "Iron Man" footage . . . was released yesterday. (--You can check it out, here . . .) http://www.vevo.com/watch/ACDC/Shoot-To-Thrill/USSM21000024


#2.) DAVE MATTHEWS BAND has announced the dates for a North American summer tour. It'll kick off on May 28th in Hartford, Connecticut . . . and will run through September 15th in St. Paul, Minnesota. (--Here's the full itinerary . . .) http://www.davematthewsband.com/#/tour(--Dave Matthew and Tim Reynolds will be in Washington D.C. performing a benefit concert for the Jane Goodall Institute on May 20th, the week before Dave's tour.)


NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER SAID CALIFORNIA SHOULD SEND THE ILLEGAL ALIENS IN ITS PRISON SYSTEM BACK TO MEXICO:

In case you haven't heard, the state of California is DEAD BROKE. But never fear . . . GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER has a plan to save the state $1 BILLION. --Basically, he wants to round up all the illegal aliens that are currently being held in California prisons, and ship them back to Mexico. --Schwarzenegger says, quote, "I think that we can do so much better in the prison system alone if we can go and take . . . the 20,000 inmates that are illegal immigrants that are here and get them to Mexico. --"Think about it, if California gives Mexico the money. Not 'Hey, you take care of them, these are your citizens.' No. Not at all. We pay them to build the prison down in Mexico. And then we have those undocumented immigrants down there in prison. --"It would half the costs to build the prison and run the prison. We could save a billion dollars right there that could go into higher education."(--Well, say what you will about old Arnold, but for the first time in a long time he's actually making sense. By which I mean I still can't understand what he's saying when I hear him speak . . . but I think this is a reasonably good idea.) (Yahoo News)


OFFICIALS IN INDONESIA WANT TO TEAR DOWN A STATUE OF BARACK OBAMA BECAUSE HE HASN'T DONE ANYTHING TO HELP THEM:

When he was a kid, PRESIDENT OBAMA lived in Indonesia for about four years in the late 1960s. --Anyway, last month officials in Indonesia unveiled a bronze statue of Obama as a boy in the country's capital city, Jakarta. The statue is called "Little Barry," and obviously the idea was to honor Obama. --But on Monday, Indonesian officials announced they're thinking about tearing the statue down. --That's because critics say Obama has done nothing to help Indonesia, and the site should have been used to honor a REAL Indonesian hero. --According to a government spokesman, quote, "The statue is of Obama as a child, not as the U.S. president. His relatives and friends who erected it said it's meant to motivate children to study hard and dream big . . . --"We've been discussing for the past two weeks what to do with the statue . . . whether to take it down, move it elsewhere or retain it. We're finding the best solution." (Google News)



SOME KNUCKLEHEAD TRIED TO SMUGGLE FORTY-FOUR LIZARDS OUT OF NEW ZEALAND BY HIDING THEM IN HIS UNDERWEAR:

Now it's time to recognize our Meatball Criminal of the Day . . . a 58-year-old German guy named Hans Kubus. --Last month, Hans was arrested while attempting to board an airplane in Christchurch, New Zealand (--in the southern part of the country). --Apparently, Hans is a black market REPTILE DEALER in Germany, and he was attempting to smuggle 44 geckos and skinks out of the country by hiding them in his UNDERWEAR. (!!!) --That's right . . . Hans put 44 lizards in his underwear. --Anyway, Hans was convicted and sentenced to 14 months in prison. It's thought that on the open market, the lizards would have been worth about $2,750. (Yahoo News)

HERE'S A LIST OF THE WORLD'S MANLIEST THEME PARKS:

If you ask me, the main problem with most THEME PARKS is that they're just not manly enough. I mean, really, how cool can a guy feel riding the Teacups at Disneyland? --With that in mind, we tracked down a list of the four manliest theme parks on the planet, courtesy of a website called Asylum.com. Check it out:

#1.) Diggerland: This is a chain of construction-themed parks all over England. It features rides made out of construction equipment, such as excavators and dump trucks, and they even offer lessons in operating heavy machinery. (--Here's their website: http://www.diggerland.com/.)

#2.) The Flintstones Bedrock City: This is a "Flintstones" theme park and campground in Custer, South Dakota. It's meant to keep the kids entertained, but there's just something manly about the prehistoric age, don't you think? (???) (--Check out their website at: http://www.flintstonesbedrockcity.com/.)

#3.) Texas Hogwallow Mud Park: This is an off-road theme park in Deweyville, Texas. It features miles of trails, racetracks and obstacle courses for ATVs, mud trucks, and even riding lawn mowers. There's also a paintball course, and an exotic animal farm. (--Their website is: http://www.texashogwallow.com/.)

#4.) Drive a Tank: This is a military-themed park in Kasota, Minnesota. For $499, you can operate a live tank. And for another $499, you can actually crush a car. (!!!) (Asylum) (--Visit their website at: http://www.driveatank.com/.)


A HIGH SCHOOL IN WISCONSIN BANNED "SEXUAL BENDING" AT SCHOOL DANCES:

This Saturday is the annual Winter Formal at Union Grove High School in Union Grove, Wisconsin (--about 30 miles south of Milwaukee). --School officials wanted to make sure the students didn't have any FUN, so they released a list of rules for the dance. --According to the regulations, quote, "When dancing back to front, all dancers must remain upright. No sexual bending is allowed. Examples are, no hands on knees, and no hands on the dance floor with your buttocks touching your dance partner. --"There will be no touching of the breasts, buttocks or genitals. There will be no straddling of each others' legs. BOTH feet must remain on the dance floor at all times." --It also mentions the dance will be videotaped to, quote, "insure the safety of all students attending." (Journal Times / Smoking Gun)


NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) In this parody, PRESIDENT OBAMA speaks out against corporate funding for political commercials . . . and constantly gets interrupted by ads.http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/d2dabc1c5d/don-t-sell-out-america/(Search Terms: Obama "Don't Sell Out, America" FunnyOrDie.com)

#2.) A PETA official shoved a "tofu cream pie" in the face of a Canadian politician to protest Canada's annual seal hunt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiEIX-uirGY(Search Terms: Gail Shea tofu pie PETA Canada)

#3.) Someone pranked a Christian TV show by emailing biographies of the "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" and Luke Skywalker, but passing them off as true stories. (--He realizes the "Fresh Prince" story is fake at :37, and starts reading the "Star Wars" bio at 1:07.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytwkYM7Xi3Y(Search Terms: Nigerian "Fresh Prince" prank Christian TV)

#4.) Check out what this old German guy has to do every time he parks his car in his tiny garage. (--He starts the process of exiting the vehicle at :29.)http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1928405(Search Terms: German miracle parking tiny garage)

#5.) Here's BRENDAN FRASER clapping in a weird way at the "Golden Globes" last week . . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEA5HR8BKTk(Search Terms: funny Brendan Fraser at the golden globes 2010)

--And here's a "remix" set to GWEN STEFANI'S "Hollaback Girl".(--WARNING!!! There's a ton a profanity in this clip . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q03BlD22-NQ&NR=1(Search Terms: Brendan Fraser retard-clap remix)

SIX THINGS THAT MEN THINK ARE OVERRATED:

In their never-ending quest to provide you with hard-hitting journalism, "Cosmopolitan" magazine just put out a list of Things Men Think Are Overrated. Some of them might surprise you. Here they are . . .

#1.) THE SMELL OF PERFUME. It's okay, but "Cosmo" says guys prefer the smell of a woman's HAIR.

#2.) A GIRL WHO WATCHES FOOTBALL. If a woman truly likes football, that's great. But if she's just watching it because she thinks a guy wants her to, it's a waste of time. Guys appreciate the effort . . . but they're fine watching it alone.

#3.) PICNICS. Eating outside is great, but men prefer cookouts. If you give a guy the choice between eating a sandwich out of a wicker basket, or a hamburger off a flaming grill, he'll almost ALWAYS choose the grill.

#4.) BED AND BREAKFASTS. Men prefer ANY other form of lodging. At a bed and breakfast, the rooms are "cute" . . . which means they're LAME . . . breakfast is served WAY too early, and all the other guests are old.

#5.) DOUBLE DATES. They're usually a little awkward. WOMEN are the ones who set them up, so they've at least got one friend there to talk to. But the two guys are complete strangers. And not all men can bond instantly.

#6.) MAKE-UP SEX. Guys think it's overrated because they hate fighting almost as much as they love sex, so there's really not much of a net gain with make-up sex. And guys like regular sex just as much. (Cosmopolitan.com)

January 26, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW

JOE JONAS IS NOT DATING HILARY DUFF:

Photographers got a picture of what LOOKED like JOE JONAS leaving HILARY DUFF'S house. But it turns out there's no story here. --Joe says, quote, "My parents are her next door neighbors. I was leaving my parents garage, [photographers] must have been waiting for Hilary Duff. Their garages are right next to each other. --"So as I'm walking out, they take a picture of me, saying I'm leaving Hilary Duff's house. Nick was like 'I'm going to ruin this rumor for you' and I was like 'No, no let it ride for a while.'" --Joe is a little more evasive when talking about the future of the JONAS BROTHERS, though. Asked about the group's future, he says, quote, "I think that's undecided. --"I know a tour is in the works, and we're planning one right now. So we'll have one probably by the end of summer or something. --"We didn't have this year totally mapped out like the past few years, because we wanted to have a little break time to figure it all out. I think we will do a tour, for sure, as the Jonas Brothers, but then we'll see from there."


KRISTEN STEWART SAYS KISSING DAKOTA FANNING WAS NO BIG DEAL:

KRISTEN STEWART and DAKOTA FANNING share a girl-girl kiss in their upcoming movie, "The Runaways". But Kristen says neither one of them saw it as a big deal. --She says, quote, "It's just something we did. In this story, it's so not like a romantic thing. It's just something that they just do. --"We had so many other really crazy things that we were intimidated by, like, we had a performance that day. So when that came up on the schedule we were like, 'Whoa!' But then, 'Alright, whatever.' It was sort of just like another thing."


NICK LACHEY AND VANESSA MINNILLO CAN'T AFFORD THE WEDDING THEY WANT:

The "National Enquirer" says that NICK LACHEY and VANESSA MINNILLO are finally ready to make The Big Mistake. Unfortunately, they can't afford the pricey wedding they want. --It seems that Nick has all his money tied up in a new album he's working on. As for Vanessa, she quit working for MTV to launch a movie career . . . which hasn't really materialized yet. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "He wants to give Vanessa . . . a beautiful wedding. But it's as if neither of them has the money to pay for an extravaganza."

#1.) We may have proof that BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE are staying together . . . but we're going to have to wait a little over a month for it. --A so-called "source" says they're in the process of picking out their Oscar duds, and they will indeed be attending the show together on March 7th.

NANCY KERRIGAN'S BROTHER MAY HAVE KILLED THEIR FATHER:

The father of former Olympic figure skater NANCY KERRIGAN died Sunday. And Nancy's brother apparently had something to do with it. --Police in Stoneham, Massachusetts rushed to the Kerrigan household early Sunday morning, after receiving a call about an unresponsive man. That man was Nancy's father, 70-year-old Daniel Kerrigan. --When police arrived they learned there had been some kind of dispute between Daniel and his 45-year-old son Mark . . . who also lives at the house. And they found blood in the kitchen. --Police said, quote, "Mark stated that he wanted to use the phone and his father would not let him. He struggled with his father and put his hands around his father's neck and his father fell to the floor." --But Mark told police he believed his father was FAKING IT. --They ended up arresting Mark on a charge of assault and battery on an elder person resulting in serious bodily injury. But he didn't go quietly. Mark was belligerent and possibly intoxicated, and he had to be subdued with PEPPER SPRAY. --After being booked, he was transferred to a hospital for treatment of an undisclosed medical problem. --Daniel's wife Brenda . . . a.k.a. the mother of Nancy and Mark Kerrigan . . . says her son did nothing wrong. She claims her husband simply died of a heart attack. --Police have yet to reveal the cause of death. -Mark pleaded not guilty to the charge, and his lawyer says he suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, resulting from his time in the Army. (--There's no word where he served.) --Mark had been living in his parents' basement after serving some jail time on assault and battery charges. --Nancy has yet to comment . . . but her former nemesis, TONYA HARDING, has. --Tonya's rep issued a statement saying, quote, "Tonya feels very sad for Nancy and her family and extends her deepest sympathy and condolences to them. Tonya's beloved dad, Al Harding, passed away this past April, so she understands the grief Nancy and her family are feeling at this difficult time."


PERNELL ROBERTS . . . A.K.A. "TRAPPER JOHN M.D." . . . HAS DIED:

PERNELL ROBERTS . . . who starred in the "M*A*S*H" spin-off, "Trapper John M.D." . . . died Sunday at his home in Malibu, following a battle with cancer. He was 81. --Roberts first made a name for himself as Adam, the eldest of the Cartwright brothers, on the TV series "Bonanza". --But Roberts was only on the show for its first six seasons . . . from 1959 to 1965. Then he left due to a dispute with the producers. (--"Bonanza" lasted 14 seasons in all.) --Roberts did mostly TV guest appearances until 1979, when he landed "Trapper John M.D." . . . in which he played the character made famous by WAYNE ROGERS on the "M*A*S*H" TV series. --"Trapper" ran until 1986. (--Roberts' last appearance was on a 2001 episode of "Diagnosis: Murder".)


GARY COLEMAN WAS NOT ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

To set the record straight, GARY COLEMAN was NOT arrested on a domestic violence charge over the weekend. -Police say they were called to Gary's Utah home Sunday for some kind of, quote, "civil disturbance" . . . but while they were there, they realized that there was a warrant out for Gary for failure to appear at a court hearing. --So they took him in on that warrant . . . but NOT for whatever they'd originally been called to his house for. (--We still don't know what happened on Sunday, but since no charges were filed, we assume it was a minor incident.) --Gary's attorney says, quote, "This is a lot less serious than it seems. He was not arrested for assault." --Serious or not, Gary ended up spending the night behind bars. He didn't post his $1,725 bail until yesterday afternoon at about 4:43 P.M. --After leaving jail in a WHEELCHAIR yesterday, Gary said the reason he missed the court date in question was because he was having
HEART SURGERY.


MEL GIBSON GIVES TIGER WOODS MORE LOVE:

Not surprisingly, MEL GIBSON is one of those celebrities who's come forward to offer public support to TIGER WOODS. --Yesterday on "Good Morning America", he gave Tiger even MORE love. --He said, quote, "I feel bad for the guy, I mean, they're beating the hell out of him. So, you know, I love the guy. He's full of flaws, like all the rest of us. And he's getting a rough time." --He added, quote, "Ask any human being walking on the planet, 'Have you ever done anything that you're not proud of?' And I think most people will say, 'Yes. I've done a few things I'm not too proud of.'" (--Here's video . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=baaadf7c-6a4b-4fe0-8993-f30758c49656 --Meanwhile, in an interview with "Hello!" magazine, Mel discussed his own public relations nightmare . . . his DRUNKEN, ANTI-SEMITIC RANT from 2006. --He said, quote, "It's said that I went into a rant, but I think it went on for about five words. I was drunk. It just turned into a big thing. I apologized profusely . . . not once but three times. --"So what's the problem? It's four years ago. Do I need to apologize again?"

BROOKE MUELLER MAY NEED TIME AWAY FROM CHARLIE SHEEN TO GET BETTER:

BROOKE MUELLER continues to recover from pneumonia in both lungs and a nasty infection. But her doctors don't think she's recovering quickly enough. --They're prescribing a course of action that might include TIME AWAY FROM CHARLIE SHEEN. (???) --A so-called "source" says, quote, "The doctors basically said Brooke is not going to get better without taking her health in her own hands and reducing the stress surrounding her life. She has to do it now. --"Her mom is checking out spas around the country. She wants Brooke to get away from Charlie, away from L.A., and away from all of the stresses that are hurting her immune system."


CHECK OUT THESE HILARIOUS MARY-KATE OLSEN PARODY VIDEOS:

This is random . . . but it's HI-larious. Some chick is lampooning MARY-KATE OLSEN in a web series called "Very Mary-Kate". It's a lot better than this type of thing usually is. (--Check it out here . . .) http://verymarykate.com/ RANDOM NOTES ON HAITI AND HOLLYWOOD:


#1.) The "Hope for Haiti Now" benefit album will debut at #1 on the "Billboard" album chart that comes out tomorrow. -Even though it didn't even go on sale until after Friday night's telethon, it sold close to 150,000 downloads over the next two days. (--Chart data is calculated until Sunday each week.)

#2.) MILEY CYRUS, MARIAH CAREY and JON BON JOVI have reportedly joined SIMON COWELL'S charity single . . . which will be a cover of the REM classic "Everybody Hurts". --ROD STEWART, LEONA LEWIS, MICHAEL BUBLE and the incredibly sexy SUSAN BOYLE are also on board.

#3.) RADIOHEAD played a gig Sunday night at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood to raise money for earthquake relief. They ended up raising more than $572,000 from ticket sales and donations. (--The audience included Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, Flea, Drew Barrymore and Anna Paquin.)

#4.) JENNIFER ANISTON has forked over $500,000 for the cause. (--She also participated in Friday night's telethon.)


AMERICA'S FAVORITE TV PERSONALITIES:

Last month, the market research company Harris Interactive conducted their annual online survey to determine America's Favorite TV Personality. --They polled 2,276 adults between December 7th and December 14th, and yesterday they released the results. This year, OPRAH WINFREY came out on top, followed by Fox News inciter GLENN BECK.
--Here's the Top 10:
#1.) OPRAH WINFREY. She was #4 last year.#2.) GLENN BECK. He's new to the Top 10 this year.#3.) JAY LENO. Last year he was #1. This year's survey was conducted BEFORE the late-night mess at NBC, so you have to wonder how that would have affected Leno's numbers.#4.) ELLEN DEGENERES tied with HUGH LAURIE of "House". Last year she was #3, and he was #2. #6.) JON STEWART. Same as last year.#7.) CHARLIE SHEEN. Also, same as last year.#8.) MARK HARMON from "NCIS". Last year he was tied for #9.#9.) DAVID LETTERMAN. Last year he was #5.#10.) BILL O'REILLY. Also new to the Top 10.
--Two people fell out of the Top 10 this year. Last year, STEVE CARELL was #8 . . . and STEPHEN COLBERT was tied for #9 with Mark Harmon. --Among men, Jay Leno ranked as the Favorite TV Personality . . . while women went with Oprah Winfrey. Oprah was also #1 with Democrats, while both Republicans and Independents were more likely to choose Glenn Beck. --Political parties aside, "conservatives" also went with Beck. "Moderates" went with Oprah . . . and not surprisingly, those crazy "liberals" were all about Jon Stewart. --People 64 and older chose Beck. Oprah took two age demographics: 33 to 44, and 45 to 63. And CONAN O'BRIEN . . . who didn't make the Top 10 . . . was #1 among people between 18 and 32. (--Again, this survey was done PRIOR to NBC's late-night blow-up.) (--For an even broader breakdown of the poll, hit up this link . . .)http://news.harrisinteractive.com/profiles/investor/ResLibraryView.asp?BzID=1963&ResLibraryID=35632&Category=1777


DID "AMERICAN IDOL" BOOT ONE OF THEIR TOP 24 SINGERS . . . BECAUSE HIS DAD LEAKED THAT INFO TO A NEWSPAPER???

(--The story below is unconfirmed. However, it purportedly contains "Idol" spoilers, which not everyone may want to know. Just lettin' you know.) As you may know, "American Idol" recently filmed the Hollywood Week episodes, which whittled this year's contestants down to the Top 24. And as usual, websites are already leaking the identities of the alleged finalists. But those are UNOFFICIAL. --Well, one of those sites, JoesPlaceBlog.com, claims that there was a change in the Top 24 over the weekend. Supposedly, "Idol" producers booted a finalist named Michael "Big Mike" Lynche, because his father "confirmed" it to a newspaper. --Obviously, that's a no-no . . . and likely violated a confidentiality agreement. --Big Mike auditioned in Orlando, but wasn't shown on last Wednesday's episode. AmericanIdol.com does have a video interview with him online . . . where, among other things, he talks about how he collects deodorant. (???) (--Watch it, here . . .) http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_9/golden_ticket_interviews/michael_lynche/ --Here are a few more notes about this . . . "Idol's" first SCANDAL of the season!!! --Interestingly enough, Big Mike's MOTHER is a columnist for the "St. Petersburg Times" . . . the same paper that his dad supposedly blabbed to. --The "Times" doesn't have a quote from Big Mike's dad. It merely says that he confirmed existing rumors . . . from these spoiler sites . . . that his son had cracked the Top 24. (--You can find the article here . . .) http://blogs.tampabay.com/media/2010/01/american-idol-rumor-st-pete-native-michael-lynch-is-among-the-shows-top-24-semifinalists.html--In 2004, Big Mike's brother, Marque Lynche Jr., made the semi-finals on Season Three, but he was unable to make the Final 12. (--Here's a video of him . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b96JOqXhaE--And for what it's worth, JoesPlaceBlog claims that Big Mike was, quote, "THE favorite in Hollywood this year." The site says a dude named Antwan Michael replaced him. (--If you want to check for spoiler updates, here's the link . . .)http://www.joesplaceblog.com/


WOULD MTV REPLACE THE CAST OF "JERSEY SHORE"???

Representatives for two members of the "Jersey Shore" cast say that contract negotiations with MTV are going, quote, "smoothly" . . . and are denying a rumor that MTV has threatened to replace anyone who holds out for more money. --Earlier yesterday, "sources" told TMZ that the cast was playing hardball, and attempting to negotiate as a group . . . in order to squeeze more money out of MTV. --But MTV told them that their last offer . . . of $10,000 per episode each, plus a $10,000 signing bonus . . . was their FINAL offer. And they had until last night to agree to the terms. Anyone who agreed could stay. Anyone who didn't was GONE. (--The entire cast is contractually obligated to do a second season, so MTV doesn't have to give them a raise at all. But in situations like this, when a show becomes a runaway hit, the network usually does something to reward the cast.) --DJ PAULY D'S manager says the cast is in negotiations with the network, but that he isn't aware of any deadline. --And SNOOKI'S manager says that the cast has, quote, "worked closely with each other throughout this," but he's unaware of a, quote, "all for one, one for all" situation. (--As IRREPLACEABLE as the cast of "Jersey Shore" seems . . . in TMZ's story, sources say that MTV already has replacements lined up if needed.)

#1.) The New Orleans Saints' 31-28 overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night drew an average of 54 MILLION VIEWERS. (--That's a pretty impressive audience, even for an NFL playoff game. For comparison, last Sunday night's game . . . between the New York Jets and the San Diego Chargers . . . attracted "just" 18 million viewers.) (--In fairness, last week's Sunday night game went up against the Golden Globes, and this week's game didn't have that kind of competition.)

#2.) A woman FAINTED on "The Price Is Right" yesterday. It happened when her showcase prizes were being revealed. She was pumped when she heard about a trip to Minneapolis . . . but she HIT THE GROUND when she saw the new car.(--Here's the clip . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=6a2163d0-b1ab-4ed0-9c70-ceb83ebd12e4--She was OK . . . and she later ended up WINNING.


NEW ON VIDEO TODAY

--"Little Ashes" - "Twilight" stud Robert Pattinson plays Salvador Dali and Javier Beltran plays his gay lover.
--"Surrogates" - A futuristic sci-fi thriller about people using remote-controlled robot bodies so they never have to leave the safety of their homes. Bruce Willis plays an FBI agent investigating the first murder in years, and Ving Rhames plays the main suspect.
--"Whip It" - starring "Juno's" Ellen Page as a petite chick who joins a roller derby league. It's directed by Drew Barrymore, who's also one of her teammates. "SNL's" Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis, Eve, Jimmy Fallon and "City Slickers" geek Daniel Stern are also in it.
--"Michael Jackson: This Is It" - behind-the-scenes footage of Michael Jackson rehearsing for his sold-out London concerts that never happened. It was filmed from April until his death on June 25th, and was directed by "High School Musical's" Kenny Ortega.
--"St. Trinian's: School for (Bad) Girls" - students come up with a scheme to raise some fast cash to save their school. Rupert Everett appears IN DRAG as the head mistress. The cast also includes Mischa Barton, "The Sarah Connor Chronicle's" Lena Headey and Russell Brand.
--"Tennessee" - Mariah Carey's new movie is about two brothers hitchhiking their way back to Tennessee to find their father, because one of them is dying from leukemia. She plays a waitress who gives them a lift while trying to escape her abusive husband.

TV SERIES ON DVD:
--"Southland: The Complete First Season" . . . a two-disc DVD set.--"Parker Lewis Can't Lose: The Complete Second Season" . . . a four-disc set. (--It ran for three seasons.)--"Pawn Stars: The Complete Season 1" . . . a two-disc DVD set.

NEW MUSIC OUT TODAY
--"The Sea", Corinne Bailey Rae (--This is her second album.)
--"The Greatest Love Songs of All Time", Barry Manilow
--"Essential Love Songs", Dean Martin (--Quite possibly the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your grandparents. I mean, how can you go wrong with "That's Amore"???)
--"Now That's What I Call Love", Various Artists . . . including music by Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis, Colbie Caillat, 3 Doors Down, Hoobastank, Taylor Swift, Norah Jones, David Cook, Jordin Sparks, Hinder, Daughtry, Nickelback, and Maroon 5.
--"Kidz Bop 17", Kidz Bop Kids . . . including annoying kid covers of "Party in the USA", "Use Somebody", "Fireflies", "Shine On", and "Already Gone".
BLINK-182'S ALBUM WON'T COME OUT UNTIL NEXT YEAR:
If you were hoping that BLINK-182 would release their comeback album this year . . . there's bad news. It doesn't sound like that will be happening. --In an interview with "Billboard", guitarist TOM DELONGE said that the band was talking with Interscope Records about releasing their new album NEXT year. (--No details . . . like a title or specific release date . . . have been announced.)

THE WHO IS PERFORMING A "MASH-UP" AT THE SUPER BOWL:

PETE TOWNSHEND says that THE WHO will be performing a, quote, "compact medley" during their halftime performance at the Super Bowl on February 7th. --He tells "Billboard", quote, "We're kinda doing a mash-up of stuff. A bit of 'Baba O'Riley', a bit of 'Pinball Wizard', a bit of the close of 'Tommy', a bit of 'Who Are You', and a bit of 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. --"It works . . . it's quite a saga. A lot of the stuff that we do has that kind of celebratory vibe about it . . . we've always tried to make music that allows the audience to go a bit wild if they want to. Hopefully it will hit the spot." (--The game, which will go down in Miami, will be between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints.)


NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

15% OF WOMEN SAY THEIR MAN HAS SABOTAGED THEIR BIRTH CONTROL TO "TRICK" THEM INTO GETTING PREGNANT:

Whether he admits it or not, the average single guy is a little concerned that one of the women he hooks up with might "trick" him into getting her pregnant . . . because then he'll be trapped for life. --But it turns out guys are just as guilty when it comes to shadiness in the baby-making department. Listen to this . . .--A new study from the University of California at Davis has found that ONE in FIVE women has experienced some form of "pregnancy coercion," which is when a guy uses threats or deception to try and get his girl pregnant. --And 15% of women say they've been victims of birth control sabotage, which is when a guy pokes holes in condoms or destroys contraceptives in some other way. --Overall, 53% of women say they've experienced physical or sexual violence in a relationship. And of those women, 35% say the guy tried to coerce them into getting pregnant, or sabotaged their birth control in order to "trap" them. --A woman named Elizabeth Miller led the study. She says, quote, "This study highlights an under-recognized phenomenon where male partners actively attempt to promote pregnancy against the will of their female partners. --"Not only is reproductive coercion associated with violence from male partners, but when women report experiencing both reproductive coercion and partner violence, the risk for unintended pregnancy increases significantly." (EurekAlert)


A MAILMAN GOT $3,000 FROM THE PEOPLE ON HIS ROUTE TO VISIT HIS FAMILY IN HAITI . . . BUT THE POST OFFICE WON'T LET HIM ACCEPT IT:

A few years ago, Pierre Laguerre came to the United States from Haiti, and now he works as a mail carrier in New Hope, Pennsylvania (--about 40 miles northeast of Philadelphia). --Like many Haitian natives, Pierre lost several family members in the earthquake earlier this month, including his younger brother and his uncle. And his mother is hanging on by a thread. --Anyway, Pierre wanted to visit his family members back in Haiti, and bring them medical supplies and other stuff . . . but he couldn't afford it. So the people on his mail route all got together and collected $3,000 to cover Pierre's travel expenses. --The only problem is Pierre can't accept it. --That's because the U.S. Postal Service has a policy banning its carriers from accepting cash gifts. And according to the city Postmaster, it doesn't even matter that Pierre didn't ask for the money . . . he's still not allowed to accept it. --Now, some of the people on Pierre's route have taken his case to local leaders to try and get an exception. It's not clear whether it's going to work. (WPVI News 6 - Philadelphia)


THERE'S A DATING WEBSITE THAT USES YOUR DNA TO FIND YOU A MATCH:

A few years ago, a study in Switzerland found that we're attracted to people with immune system genes that are very different from our own. In other words, we're more sexually attracted to people with very different DNA. --Anyway, after hearing about the study, a guy named Eric Holzle decided to start a new dating website called ScientificMatch.com, which pairs up daters using their DNA. --All you have to do is send in a cotton swab containing DNA from the inside of your cheek. And after analyzing the sample, Scientific Match will set you up with a list of potential dates with whom you're most genetically compatible. --There are just two catches:#1.) Eric refuses to say how many users the website has . . . which probably means there aren't that many. #2.) And in order to use the service you have to buy a lifetime membership to Scientific Match, which costs $2,000. (!!!)(--You can link to the website here . . .) http://scientificmatch.com/ (Washington Post)


GOING NAKED COULD BE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH:

If you're always looking for an excuse to get NAKED, then it's my pleasure to inform you that walking around in the nude could be good for your health. Don't believe it? Listen to this . . . --Michael Merzenich is a neuroscientist at the University of California at San Francisco, and he's a firm believer in the health benefits of nudity.

Here's why.

#1.) Research has shown that spending a little bit of "naked time" every day helps aid the brain development of infants. The idea is that the unhampered range of motion helps their brains make new connections, and it's thought the same would hold true for adults.

#2.) Walking around barefoot has been shown to help prevent Alzheimer's. Basically, the extra stimulation causes your brain to develop more neuron connections, and it also helps improve the brain's balance, posture and coordination functions.

#3.) Speaking of extra stimulation, massage has been proven to be useful in the treatment of mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. In a nutshell, rubbing the skin improves blood flow and helps to rid toxins from the lymph system. --So theoretically, going nude would create a similar type of skin stimulation, which should create the same sort of health benefits.

#4.) Public nudity has been shown to reduce stress, reduce curiosity about the human body, ease porno addiction, and help create a more "wholesome" attitude about the opposite sex. Nudists have also been shown to have higher rates of body self-acceptance.

#5.) Clothes are a breeding ground for disgusting fungi and bacteria, which can cause yeast infections and urinary tract infections. And wearing underwear that's too tight can reduce a man's swimmer count and fertility. --Plus, nudists receive an extra dose of Vitamin D from the sun, which helps them build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis. (H-Plus Magazine)


ONE IN TEN GUYS USE THEIR GIRLFRIEND'S BEAUTY PRODUCTS:

This survey took place in the UK, and we're really not sure if the results would be similar here. But we'd be interested in finding out. --According to a recent survey, ONE in TEN guys admit they sometimes use their girlfriend's beauty products, including facial cream, deodorant, makeup like foundation and concealer . . . and nail polish. And ONE in FIVE admits he sometimes uses women's lip gloss. --But more than ONE in THREE say they keep it a secret from their lady. (StyleList)


HERE ARE FOUR DIET TIPS TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT:

As an American, it's practically your patriotic duty to become an obese, self-centered loud-mouth. But if you'd rather be a self-centered loud-mouth of average size, here are four diet tips to help you shed those extra pounds:

#1.) Start walking: The American Heart Association recommends you take 10,000 steps every day. That's like walking three miles a day. Or 1,095 miles a year. --But while the average European walks about 237 miles a year, the average American walks just 87 miles a year. That's about 8% of how much you should be walking.

#2.) Eat slower: For most Americans, eating a meal involves stuffing their face with as much food as possible, as quickly as possible. But studies have shown that eating slowly can help you feel full quicker, which will prevent overeating.

#3.) Eat-in more: The average American eats more than half their meals at restaurants, while residents of the healthiest countries in the world eat out only on special occasions.

#4.) Be careful with tropical fruits: If you're trying to lose weight, eating more fruit is a good place to start. But watch out for tropical fruits like pineapple and coconut because they have the highest fat and sugar content of all fruits. (That's Fit)


THE U.S. IS ENDING ITS BAN ON HAGGIS:

I have exciting news to report this morning. The long wait is over . . . the United States is lifting its ban on HAGGIS. --If you're not familiar with haggis, it's a traditional Scottish dish, made with the heart, liver and lungs of a sheep, mixed with onions, oatmeal and fat . . . and then cooked inside a sheep stomach for a few hours. It's basically a big, round, nasty Scottish sausage. --If you HAVE heard of haggis, it's probably only because MIKE MYERS always made fun of it on "Saturday Night Live", or in the movie "So I Married an Axe Murderer". --Anyway, haggis from Scotland has been banned in the U.S. for the last 21 years because of mad cow disease. Basically, the sheep organs were considered too risky, because they might carry something called scrapie, which is a variant of mad cow disease. --And now that the risk is gone, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning to re-draft its haggis regulations. (AOL / Sphere)


HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW CARS GET THEIR NAMES?

Recently, "U.S. News & World Report" ran an article about how automakers name their car models. I wouldn't exactly say it was thrilling, but there was some stuff I didn't know. Check it out:
#1.) The reason some carmakers use a combination of letters and numbers to name their cars is so you'll think of the brand as a whole, instead of just one specific model. --By that logic, the Audi A4 should make you think more broadly about the Audi brand than if it was called, say, the Audi "Racer."
#2.) Animal names are a go-to for carmakers because they generally make a car sound fast, powerful and unique . . . like the Ford Mustang or the Chevy Impala. --But it doesn't always work . . . just ask Volkswagen. They've named cars after the Beetle, the Rabbit and the "Tiguan," which is a combination of the words tiger and iguana. (--I would have preferred the "Iguiger.") (???)
#3.) Car models don't always have the same name from one country to the next. Why? Because certain car names just don't translate that well. --For example, last year General Motors introduced the Buick LaCrosse to Canada. Then they found out "LaCrosse" is French Canadian slang for tugging on your trouser snake. --And in most other parts of the world, the Mitsubishi Montero is called the Mitsubishi Pajero. The reason it's called the Montero here is because in Spanish, it's slang for a man who chronically "LaCrosses" his genitals. (Yahoo Autos)


A MINOR LEAGUE PROSPECT WITH THE OAKLAND A'S IS QUITTING BASEBALL TO BECOME A PRIEST:

23-year-old Grant Desme is a minor league outfielder in the Oakland A's organization. It's thought he had a real shot at making the big leagues. But now we'll never know. --That's because on Friday, Grant announced he's quitting baseball to become a priest. According to a statement, quote, "I'm doing well in baseball. But I had to get down to the bottom of things, to what was good in my life, what I wanted to do with my life. --Baseball is a good thing, but that felt selfish of me when I felt that God was calling me more. It took awhile to trust that and open up to it and aim full steam toward him . . . I love the game, but I'm going to aspire to higher things." (Yahoo Sports)


NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) These high school students told their basketball coach that if he made a blindfolded shot from half court, he'd win tickets to the NCAA championship. They planned on pranking him by pretending the shot went in . . . but then it did. (--He shoots it at 1:01.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3heqhwoqVTE(Search Terms: Joel Branstrom amazing basketball shot Olathe Kansas)

--They were trying to recreate this "Half Million Dollar Shot" prank that CollegeHumor.com pulled last year.http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1902812(Search Terms: "Half Million Dollar Shot" CollegeHumor.com)

#2.) ESPN analyst DIGGER PHELPS showed off some ridiculous dance moves during a routine with a member of the Clemson dance team. (--The music starts at :25.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc9073pxyzk(Search Terms: Digger Phelps dancing Clemson official HD)

#3.) This house cat attacks a bear when it tries to steal a trash bag from the front porch. (--The cat darts into frame at :19.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pgNxgIxazU(Search Terms: "Bear vs Cat" CollegeHumor.com)

#4.) Here's a preview for the first film made entirely by chimpanzees. Scientists in Scotland built a "chimp-proof" camera, let them shoot footage, then edited it together.http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8472000/8472831.stm(Search Terms: first movie made by chimps video BBC)


TEN WAYS LOSING TEN POUNDS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE:

Most people want to lose weight so they can LOOK better. But dropping a few pounds can do a lot more than that. Here are ten ways losing ten pounds can change your life . . .

#1.) IT REDUCES YOUR RISK FOR DIABETES. Losing ten pounds makes you HALF as likely to develop type-2 diabetes.
#2.) IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR HEART. For every one percent of body weight you drop, your chance of developing heart disease decreases by 1 to 2 percent.
#3.) IT CUTS YOUR RISK OF CANCER. Excess body fat is strongly linked to breast cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, gallbladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer. And the list is getting longer. --According to some studies, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, and certain types of leukemia are also linked to obesity.
#4.) IT IMPROVES YOUR SEX LIFE. In a recent survey, 20 percent of people who were obese reported problems with their sex drive, or said they had difficulty performing in bed. That's compared to just 5 percent of other people.
#5.) IT STRENGTHENS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. In a study at Boston University, researchers infected mice with the bacteria that causes gum disease. And the fat mice were 40 percent more likely to have tooth decay.
#6.) IT PREVENTS ARTHRITIS. According to a recent study at Wake Forest University, losing one pound of weight actually translates into a FOUR-POUND reduction in the weight your knees have to lift every time you take a step. --So if you lose TEN pounds, that's a total of 48,000 pounds per mile that your knees don't have to lift.
#7.) IT GIVES YOU MORE ENERGY. Ten pounds might not sound like that much, but lugging that extra weight around all day is exhausting for your body. And studies have proven that regular exercise gives your energy level a natural boost.
#8.) IT MAKES YOU MORE CONFIDENT. You'll look better, but that's not the only reason. Losing weight isn't easy, so it's something you can feel good about and be proud of.
#9.) IT HELPS YOU SLEEP. Losing ten pounds can significantly improve your back pain. And obesity is one of the leading causes of sleep apnea.
#10.) IT COULD ADD YEARS TO YOUR LIFE. One-third of Americans are either moderately obese or severely obese. And an Oxford University study released last year found that moderate obesity reduces your life expectancy by about three years. --Severe obesity reduces it by 10 years. (Yahoo.com)