HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (12-17-10) LAST POST OF THE YEAR

Mariah Carey Is Having Twins:

MARIAH CAREY is having twins. NICK CANNON announced it yesterday on his radio show. But we're not the first to know. That honor went to BARACK and MICHELLE OBAMA. --Cannon said he and Mariah ran into the Obamas backstage at the taping of TNT's "Christmas in Washington" on Sunday night, and they actually ASKED if they were having twins. --He said, quote, "At this point she hadn't told anybody anything because doctors advised us to keep it to ourselves until we get further along. --"And because of the excitement, because of the emotion, she was overwhelmed [and] she shared with the President and First Lady that we are having twins."

(--"Christmas in Washington" airs TONIGHT. Here's the audio of Nick's announcement . . .)

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/12/audio-its-official-mariah-carey-expecting-twins

 

Julia Stiles Says She Didn't Break Up Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter's Marriage:

JULIA STILES is denying that she broke up the marriage of her "Dexter" co-stars, MICHAEL C. HALL and JENNIFER CARPENTER. --She says, quote, "I have absolutely nothing to do with the split between Michael and Jennifer. We are good friends and enjoyed working together. This is a personal matter between them, and we should respect their privacy. --"Although I too prefer to keep my private life private, I felt compelled to dispel the rumors I was somehow the cause for this matter."

 

Billy Bob Thornton Says He Still Talks to Angelina Jolie:

BILLY BOB THORNTON says he and ex-wife ANGELINA JOLIE still talk . . . but there's nothing inappropriate about it. --He says, quote, "We talk every now and then. She seems to be doing very well directing her own movie, which I am so proud of her for. --"I always thought she should do that, writing and directing. She's real smart, and very creative, and I think it's a great job for her." --Billy Bob and Angelina were married for three years. They divorced in 2003.

 

Winona Ryder Knew Mel Gibson Was an Anti-Semitic Homophobe 15 Years Ago:

There's at least one person who probably hasn't been fazed by any of the homophobic or anti-Semitic things MEL GIBSON has said over the past few years. And that person is WINONA RYDER. --Winona says she witnessed Mel's bigotry at a party 15 years ago . . . but nobody believed her at the time. --She tells the new issue of "GQ" magazine, quote, "I was at one of those big Hollywood parties. And [Gibson] was really drunk. I was with my friend, who's gay. [Gibson] made a really horrible gay joke. --"And somehow it came up that I was Jewish. He said something about 'oven dodgers,' but I didn't get it. --"I'd never heard that before. It was just this weird, weird moment. I was like, 'He's anti-Semitic and he's homophobic.' No one believed me!" --Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League wasn't surprised to hear this . . . but admitted that "oven dodgers" was a new one for him . . . quote, "In all my years at ADL, I have never heard of anyone using the term 'oven dodgers'. --"This may be a new contribution to the anti-Semitic lexicon . . . I guess nobody should be surprised that it is coming from Mel Gibson." (--To be fair, we don't know that Mel actually said this stuff. But obviously, it's not hard to believe.)

 

Mel Gibson is Not One of the Top 10 Anti-Semites of 2010:

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is the premiere Jewish organization in America. And every year, they put out a list of the Top 10 Anti-Semitic Slurs. And believe it or not, MEL GIBSON didn't make it. --Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic tirade during his 2006 DUI arrest is LEGENDARY. But he wisely refrained from targeting Jews this year, when he completely melted down in those phone conversations with girlfriend OKSANA GRIGORIEVA. --Now . . . Oksana did claim that Mel told her, quote, "I want Jew blood on my hands" . . . an alleged reference to sleazy TMZ boss Harvey Levin. But nobody . . . including Harvey . . . believed it. --Honors for the most anti-Semitic comment of the year went to former White House correspondent HELEN THOMAS, who said, quote, "Jews should get the hell out of Palestine. They should go home to Germany, Poland, America and everywhere else." --OLIVER STONE came in second, with a pair of comments he made about Adolf Hitler.

(--You can see the complete list here . . .)

http://www.wiesenthal.com/atf/cf/%7B54d385e6-f1b9-4e9f-8e94-890c3e6dd277%7D/TTASS.PDF

 

Aretha Franklin Will Talk More About Her Health Later:

ARETHA FRANKLIN still won't say what's wrong with her. But in an interview with "Jet" magazine, she says she'll fill us in soon. She told the magazine, quote, "I am putting Aretha together first. I will talk more later." --Aretha says things are going well . . . quote, "I feel great. The doctors say I can do whatever I feel like I am up to do. Of course, that doesn't mean any concerts or anything like that. --"But I can do things around the house, and today I am just piddling around the house."

 

Morgan Freeman Is Not Dead:

There's apparently a rumor going around that MORGAN FREEMAN is dead. He's not. That is all you need to know. (???)

 

Shelley Malil from "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" Has Been Sentenced to Life in Prison for Stabbing His Girlfriend:

SHELLEY MALIL . . . who played the younger of STEVE CARELL'S two Indian co-workers in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" . . . was sentenced to LIFE in prison for repeatedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend. --Malil was convicted of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon back in September. He'll be eligible for parole in 12 years . . . although he could be out in NINE with good behavior.

 

Amy Locane Will Face Manslaughter Charges for Causing a Fatal Car Crash:

AMY LOCANE . . . who played Sandy Harling on the original "Melrose Place" . . . has been indicted on charges of aggravated manslaughter and assault by auto. She faces up to 40 years in prison. --Back in June, Amy killed a woman when she slammed into another car in Montgomery, New Jersey. She told police she'd had several glasses of wine. (--Amy's movie credits include "Cry Baby", "Secretary", "School Ties" and "Airheads".)

 

The Top Celebrity Feuds of 2010:

E! Online keeps spitting out end-of-the-year lists. Their latest is the Top 10 Celebrity Feuds of the Year. Here they are . . .

 

#1.) Kanye West vs. George W. Bush --On his book tour, Bush said the most "disgusting" moment of his presidency was when Kanye said he didn't care about black people. Kanye apologized, but still found a way to paint himself as the victim. --Oh, and he also segued into a feud with Matt Lauer over this same issue.

 

#2.) Rick Sanchez vs. Jon Stewart --CNN host Sanchez got tired of being ribbed on "The Daily Show". But in fighting back, he launched into one of those "Jews run the media" complaints. CNN fired him.

 

#3.) Chelsea Handler vs. Angelina Jolie --During a recent standup gig, Chelsea called Angelina the B-word, the C-word and a homewrecker. No response yet from Angelina.

 

#4.) Bill O'Reilly vs. Kim Kardashian --Bill went after Kim for doing a mildly seductive photo shoot with 16-year-old Justin Bieber. Kim said it was all in good fun, but that Bill was entitled to his opinion.

 

#5.) Kathy Griffin vs. Bristol Palin. --Kathy called Bristol, quote, "The white Precious" . . . because she GAINED weight during "Dancing with the Stars". Bristol responded, quote, "I hope people didn't have to pay money to hear her negativity and criticisms."

 

#6.) John Mayer vs. Jessica Simpson --John offered up a little too much information when he described ex-girlfriend Jessica as, quote, "sexual napalm". Jessica wasn't happy about it . . . but she did admit her phone was blowing up because of it.

 

#7.) Zach Galifianakis vs. Robert Downey Jr. --Zach and Robert . . . who co-starred in the movie "Due Date" . . . apparently didn't agree on whether Mel Gibson deserved a second chance.
--Downey thought he did . . . but Zack was one of the reasons Mel's "Hangover 2" cameo didn't happen.

#8.) Jennifer Aniston vs. Joan Collins. --Joan said that Angelina Jolie is the only really beautiful actress out there today . . . and that Jennifer is only "cute". Jennifer DECLINED to respond.

 

#9.) Kid Rock vs. Steven Tyler. -Kid was pretty disappointed when one of his rock heroes became an "American Idol" judge. He called it the stupidest thing Tyler's ever done. Tyler responded, quote, "He's just jealous."

 

#10.) Hilary Duff vs. Faye Dunaway. --Faye got upset that Hilary had been cast as Bonnie in a new "Bonnie & Clyde" movie . . . a role Faye is famous for. She said they should have hired, quote, "a real actress. --Hilary replied, quote, "I might be mad if I looked like that now, too."

 

"Pink Panther" Director Blake Edwards Has Died:

BLAKE EDWARDS . . . who directed "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and the "Pink Panther" movies . . . died yesterday of complications from pneumonia. He was 88 years old. (--We're talking about the OLD-SCHOOL "Panther" movies with the AMAZING PETER SELLERS. Not those toothless new versions with STEVE MARTIN.)
(--Of course, Blake's last two "Pink Panther" movies didn't include Sellers, either, because he died in 1980.)
(--"Trail of the Pink Panther" in 1982 used archive footage. And Sellers wasn't in 1983's "Curse of the Pink Panther" or 1993's "Son of the Pink Panther" at all.) --Edwards is survived by wife JULIE ANDREWS and their five children. Two came from Blake's first marriage . . . one was from Julie's first marriage . . . and they adopted two together. Julie is 75. --Blake and Julie married in 1969, after he directed her in the movie "Darling Lili". Blake would also direct Julie in "S.O.B." in 1981. (--That movie was infamous for a scene in which Julie rips open her top and exposes her breasts.) --In addition to "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and the eight "Pink Panther" movies, Blakes other films included "The Great Race", "10", "Victor / Victoria" and "Mickey and Maude". --And, lest we forget, there's the underrated 1989 comedy "Skin Deep", about the sexual misadventures of an alcoholic author played by JOHN RITTER. That one included the infamous "glow-in-the-dark condom" scene.

(--Which you can watch here. WARNING!!! There's some PG-13 language in this clip . . .)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5u6vm44ak

--Believe it or not, Blake Edwards never won a competitive Oscar, Emmy or Golden Globe. He was only nominated for the Oscar ONCE, for the "Victor / Victoria" screenplay. --Blake did receive an honorary Academy Award in 2004 . . . and he turned his entrance into a slapstick comedy bit. (--Check it out here . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29WRP92X7Mg

 

HERE'S A BRIEF RUNDOWN OF CELEBRITY DEATHS IN 2010:

January 4th . . . Tila Tequila's "fiancée", Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson, died at the age of 30 . . . because she wasn't taking care of her diabetes.

 

January 13th . . . Paralyzed R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass died of respiratory failure at the age of 59. He was a member of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, which scored a hit with "If You Don't Know Me By Now", and was a big solo artist in the '70s and '80s.

 

January 24th . . . "Bonanza" star Pernell Roberts died at 81. He played Adam Cartwright. He also starred on his own show in the '80s as "Trapper John M.D."

 

January 27th . . . "Catcher in the Rye" author J.D. Salinger died three weeks after his 91st birthday. Mark David Chapman had it with him when he killed John Lennon.

 

January 27th . . . Zelda Rubinstein . . . the short chick from "Poltergeist" . . . died of natural causes. She was 76 and towered over the rest of the world at 4'3".

 

February 9th . . . "Deadliest Catch" star Phil Harris died at 53, 11 days after having a stroke while unloading crab in Alaska. He was the captain of the Cornelia Marie.

 

February 14th . . . Knack singer Doug Fieger died at 57 after years of battling cancer. The Knack's biggest hit was "My Sharona", which he co-wrote with the band's guitarist.

 

March 10th . . . Corey Haim died unexpectedly after collapsing at his mother's apartment. He was only 38. Listen to her heart-breaking 911 call again here . . . http://da.wisebrother.com/Popups/DA_Play.aspx?i=68011

 

March 14th . . . Peter Graves, star of the old "Mission: Impossible" TV series, died of a heart attack four days before his 84th birthday. He was also the pilot in "Airplane!"

 

March 18th . . . Fess Parker died of natural causes at 85. Fess played Davy Crockett in several Disney TV specials in the 1950s, played Daniel Boone on a series that ran from 1964 to 1970 . . . and starred as Travis's dad in the classic 1957 film "Old Yeller".

 

March 24th . . . Robert Culp died at 79, after he fell and hit his head. He starred on the '60s TV series "I Spy", the '80s superhero show, "The Greatest American Hero", and also played Ray's father-in-law on "Everybody Loves Raymond".

 

April 1st . . . John Forsythe, the voice of Charlie on the "Charlie's Angels" TV show and in both of the Drew Barrymore movies . . . died from pneumonia at the age of 92. Forsythe also played oil tycoon Blake Carrington on "Dynasty" from 1981 to 1989.

 

April 10th . . . "Designing Women" star Dixie Carter died of complications from endometrial cancer. She was 70 years old. Dixie also played Gary Coleman's new stepmom on "Diff'rent Strokes" from 1984 to 1985. Gary died a month after her, in May.

 

May 16th . . . Ronnie James Dio died at 67 after a battle with stomach cancer. He was one of the greatest voices in the history of rock and roll, and sang for Heaven and Hell, Dio, Rainbow and early '80s Black Sabbath, after Ozzy got the boot.

 

May 24th . . . Slipknot bassist Paul Gray died of an accidental morphine overdose. He was 38. The band recently announced they've already begun work on a new album. Drummer Joey Jordison says, quote, "It's gonna be a healing process for all of us. Slipknot is not going anywhere. We're a family, and losing a family member sucks. You can't help that, but you need to move on."

 

May28th . . . "Diff'rent Strokes" star Gary Coleman died after falling and hitting his head at his Utah home. He was only 42, but he'd been having seizures throughout the year.

 

May 29th . . . "Easy Rider" superstar Dennis Hopper died at his home in Venice, California, after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 74. At the time of his death, he was desperately trying to divorce his fifth wife.

 

June 3rd . . . "Golden Girls" star Rue McLanahan died of a stroke at the age of 76. That means Betty White is now the last surviving Golden Girl. Bea Arthur died last year and Estelle Getty died in 2008.

 

June 13th . . . Country music and breakfast sausage legend Jimmy Dean died at 81.

 

June 19th . . . Manute Bol died at a hospital in Virginia, where he was being treated for severe kidney problems and a painful skin condition. Manute was the 7-foot-7 shot-blocking machine who played 10 seasons in the NBA. He was 47.

 

July 1st . . . The woman who was the voice of "Cinderella" died of Alzheimer's at 81. Her name was Ilene Woods and it was pretty much the only major role of her career.

 

July 13th . . . Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died of a heart attack. He was 80.

 

July 15th . . . The guy who was the voice of "Speed Racer" died of lung cancer at 83. His name was Peter Fernandez, and he had a cameo as a race commentator in the live-action movie that starred Emile Hirsch as Speed and Matthew Fox as Racer X.

 

September 8th . . . Rich Cronin of the band LFO . . . a.k.a. the Lyte Funkie Ones . . . died of a stroke. He was only 36.

 

September 20th . . . Leonard Skinner, the science teacher whose name inspired the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, died from Alzheimer's at 77.

 

September 26th . . . Gloria Stuart, the old lady who played the older version of Kate Winslet's character (Rose) in "Titanic", died at 100. I'm not sure, but I think it's safe to assume it was from natural causes.

September 29th . . . Tony Curtis died of a heart attack at 85. His films included "Spartacus" and the cross-dressing comedy "Some Like It Hot". But his greatest accomplishment was nailing "Psycho's"
Janet Leigh . . . and siring Jamie Lee Curtis.

 

September 29th . . . Comedian Greg Giraldo died after accidentally overdosing on prescription pills at the age of 44. He was best known for picking on D-list celebrities at those Comedy Central roasts, and for being a judge on "Last Comic Standing".

 

October 16th . . . "Leave it to Beaver" mom Barbara Billingsley died at the age of 94. It's because of June Cleaver that we've been able to reap countless "Ward, don't you think you were too hard on the Beaver?" jokes.

 

October 19th . . . "Happy Days" dad Tom Bosley died of heart failure at the age of 83. He played Richie and Joanie's chubby dad, Howard Cunningham.

 

October 20th . . . "Penthouse" publisher Bob Guccione died of lung cancer at 79. He founded the magazine in England back in 1965 and brought it to American in 1969.

 

October 28th . . . James McArthur, who played Danno on the original "Hawaii Five-0", died at the age of 72. Scott Caan plays his role on the new "Hawaii Five-O".

 

November 28th . . . Leslie Nielsen died after almost two weeks of battling pneumonia. He was 84. Long before he become a comedy legend in the "Airplane!" and "Naked Gun" movies, Leslie Nielsen was a serious actor in such films as "Forbidden Planet" and "The Poseidon Adventure".

 

December 5th . . . NFL legend Don Meredith died at the age of 72. He was one of the original hosts of "Monday Night Football", along with Howard Cosell and Keith Jackson. Before that, Don was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the '60s.

 

December 7th . . . Elizabeth Edwards died at 61. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. They stopped treatment this month after the cancer spread to her liver.

 

December 16th . . . "Pink Panther" director Blake Edwards died of pneumonia at 88. He's survived by his wife Julie Andrews, who he directed in "Victor / Victoria", "10", and "S.O.B.", the one in which she rips off her top and exposes her beautiful breasts.

 

UPCOMING NEW MOVIES

The New "Tron" Is Up Against "Yogi Bear" This Weekend:

#1.) "TRON: Legacy"
(PG)

In the first "TRON", Jeff Bridges played a hacker who's digitized into an electronic world where all the programs look like their users. Then he has to fight his way back to the real world with the help of the security program, Tron, played by Bruce Boxleitner. --In the sequel, Garrett Hedlund plays his son, who gets sucked into the virtual world while trying to figure out why his dad's been missing for the past 20 years. Olivia Wilde is the sexy program who guides him once he follows in his dad's footsteps. --Garrett Hedlund isn't too famous yet, but he'll also be co-starring with Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw in her new movie "Country Strong". You might also remember him as Tim McGraw's son in the movie version of "Friday Night Lights". --Jeff Bridges actually plays two versions of himself in this movie. He appears at his natural age as the dad, but they also de-aged him by 20 years to play "Clu", the hacking program he wrote for the first movie . . . which is now the villain of this film.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Jg-i00t5Q

Official Site: http://disney.go.com/tron/

And let's not forget Jay Maynard . . . a.k.a. Tron Guy . . . whose unwavering love of "Tron" . . . long before it was cool again . . . may very well have helped get this movie made. Or not: http://www.tronguy.net/

 

#2.) "Yogi Bear"
(PG)

This is a mix of live-action and CGI animation, with Dan Aykroyd as the voice of Yogi, Justin Timberlake as the voice of Boo Boo, and Tom Cavanagh as Ranger Smith. --Speaking as someone who grew up with Yogi, I'm having a tough time with this one. Maybe it's the change in the animation or the voice of Yogi himself, but there's something very wrong here that eats at the nostalgia I have for such classic cartoons. --The guy who originally played Yogi (Daws Butler) did the voices for MANY other characters, including Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quickdraw McGraw, and Elroy Jetson. Compared to him, Dan Aykroyd quite simply sounds like a hack. And hearing his voice instills none of the natural affection I associate with the character. --The original voice of Boo Boo was a talented voice actor too. His name was Don Messick, and he also played Scooby Doo, the Jetsons' dog Astro, Papa Smurf and Bamm-Bamm Rubble. Yet Justin Timberlake doesn't really bother me as Boo Boo. --Is that because I have more affection for Justin and feel like he is more talented, entertaining and relatable than an over-the-hill ghostbuster? Maybe. And maybe Dan Aykroyd's Yogi will prove me wrong. But for me, that answer will have to wait until it comes out on DVD.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q4acgHmYus

Official Site: http://yogibear.warnerbros.com/

#3.) "How Do You Know"
(PG-13)

A romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as a woman torn between two men: Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd. Jack Nicholson is also in it as Paul Rudd's father.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAZfBVGWimM

Official Site: http://www.howdoyouknow-movie.com/

#4.) "Rabbit Hole"
(PG-13) (Limited)

Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart play a couple mourning the loss of their son. He considers an affair with Sandra Oh; and she bonds with the teenager who killed him.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq73A-tkJLw

Official Site: http://rabbitholefilm.com/

#5.) "Casino Jack"
(R) (Limited)

Kevin Spacey plays lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who scammed Indian tribes out of millions in "fees" to represent their interests in Washington D.C. Kelly Preston plays his wife.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxVJXomfsHo

Official Site: http://casinojack-movie.com/

 

#6.) "And Soon the Darkness"
(R) (L.A. only. It hits DVD on December 28th)

 

Amber Heard and Odette Yustman are vacationing in Argentina when one of them disappears. Karl Urban, a.k.a. Bones in the new "Star Trek" movies, is an American helping in the search . . . but he could also be the one responsible for the kidnapping.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO8BZF_yNBA

Official Site: http://www.andsoonthedarkness.com/

 

Upcoming New Movies . . . Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, and "Little Fockers" Will Be in Theaters For Christmas:

#1.) "Gulliver's Travels"
(PG) (In theaters December 25th)

Jack Black plays a mailroom clerk at a newspaper who bluffs his way into covering a story on the Bermuda Triangle . . . and then gets shipwrecked on an island surrounded by tiny little people. Jason Segel, Emily Blunt and Billy Connolly are also in it.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhoktf7X0aQ

Official Site: http://www.gulliverstravelsthemovie.com/

 

#2.) "True Grit"
(PG-13) (In theaters December 22nd)

Jeff Bridges plays an aging U.S. Marshal hired by a young girl to track down the man who murdered her father. Matt Damon plays a young Texas Ranger who joins the hunt, and Josh Brolin is the guy they're after. --It's a remake of a 1969 western that starred John Wayne and Glen Campbell. Jeff Bridges has the Duke's role and Matt Damon is playing Glen Campbell's part.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8QLMWN0yNs

Official Site: http://www.truegritmovie.com/

 

#3.) "Country Strong"
(PG-13) (Limited December 22nd. Nationwide January 7th.)

Gwyneth Paltrow plays a country singer trying to revive her career after a stint in rehab. Garrett Hedlund from "TRON: Legacy" is the young stud she turns to on the road, Tim McGraw plays her husband/manager, and "Gossip Girl's"
Leighton Meester is the pretty little singer who steals her thunder on their tour.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi-T8_2kt-8

Official Site: http://www.countrystrong-movie.com/

#4.) "Little Fockers"
(PG-13) (In theaters December 22nd)

The third "Meet the Parents" flick adds Jessica Alba to the mix as a sexy pharmaceutical rep working with Ben Stiller. In this one, Robert de Niro gets suspicious of Greg Focker all over again while visiting for the twins' birthday. -All the original cast is back. Owen Wilson also returns as Teri Polo's former fiancé, who thinks he has another shot with her after it seems like Jessica Alba's after Greg.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y27IueXA8-E

Official Site: http://www.littlefockers.net/

#5.) "Somewhere"
(R) (Limited: December 22nd)

Stephen Dorff plays an actor who has to give up his wild Hollywood lifestyle when his 11-year-old daughter unexpectedly shows up. She's played by Elle Fanning, a.k.a. Dakota's little sister. It's written and directed by Sofia Coppola.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3cPbxCBGVo

Official Site: http://www.somewherethemovie.com/

 

#6.) "Blue Valentine"
(R) (In theaters December 31st)

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams play a married couple spending one night away from their daughter in order to try to save their failing marriage. Much of the story is told through flashbacks to happier times when they first started dating.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtXzcQfgg_Y

Official Site: http://www.bluevalentinemovie.com/

 

The Best Christmas Movies of All Time:

The website PopEater.com has put together a list of the 25 Best Christmas Movies of All Time. Here's the Top 10 . . .

1.) "A Christmas Story", 1983

2.) "It's a Wonderful Life", 1946

3.) "Miracle on 34th Street", 1947

4.) "Scrooged", 1988

5.) "White Christmas", 1954

6.) "Elf", 2003

7.) "Christmas in Connecticut", 1945

8.) "Home Alone", 1990

9.) "Babes in Toyland", 1934

10.) "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", 1989

(--Check out the complete list here . . .)

http://www.popeater.com/2010/12/16/best-christmas-movies-of-all-time/

 

Sam Jones the 3rd Has Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Sell Drugs:

27-year-old SAM JONES THE 3RD . . . who had a recurring role on "Smallville" as Clark Kent's friend Pete Ross . . . has pleaded guilty to "conspiracy to sell more than 10,000 oxycodone pills." --Sam was actually called a "co-conspirator" in a drug ring, which was apparently moving oxycodone. He was busted last year. He'll be sentenced in June . . . and he's looking at up to 20 years in prison. (--Sam was also involved in a sex tape "scandal" with his girlfriend, Playboy Playmate KARISSA SHANNON. A sex tape surfaced a few months ago. At first they tried to block it, but they later cut a deal to let Vivid release it.)

 

Comedy Central Will Roast Donald Trump:

DONALD TRUMP will be the next target of the Comedy Central Roast series. The special will be taped on March 9th . . . and will air soon after that. (--There's no word on a host yet.) --Donald released a statement saying, quote, "I'll show up to the Roast because Comedy Central is paying me a lot of money, but I'm confused as to how anybody could make fun of me."

 

WEEKEND TV REMINDERS

(--Check your local listing for times in your area.)

FRIDAY TV REMINDERS:

--"Yes Virginia" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on CBS. (--Jennifer Love Hewitt and Neil Patrick Harris star in this holiday cartoon that's based on a classic 1897 editorial about a little girl who searches for Santa Claus.)

--"Christmas in Washington" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on TNT. (--Mariah Carey, Miranda Cosgrove, Annie Lennox, Andrea Bocelli, Maxwell and Matthew Morrison perform. Ellen DeGeneres is your host.)

--"Frosty the Snowman" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.

--"Frosty Returns" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on CBS.

--"Top 40 Videos of 2010" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1. (--The best videos of 2010 are highlighted.)

--"I Get That a Lot" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS. (--Highlights from the hidden camera show that has celebrities working normal jobs and pretending to just be ordinary people when any of their fans recognize them.)

--"World's Strictest Parents" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CMT.

--"Sanctuary" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Syfy.

--"Friday Night Alright" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on VH1. (--Shinedown performs.)

--"Benson Interruption" [1st Season Finale] . . . Midnight to 12:30 A.M. on Comedy Central.

SATURDAY TV REMINDERS:

--"I Want a Dog for Christmas Charlie Brown" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.

--"Guy's Big Bite" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on the Food Network. (--Matthew McConaughey helps prepare herb-rubbed pork and roasted oysters.)

--"WWE Tribute to the Troops" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Rasslers and divas entertain the troops in Fort Hood, Texas, with special guest appearances by "The View's"
Sherri Shepherd and Miss USA Rima Fakih.)

--"Austin City Limits" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. (--Andrew Bird and St. Vincent perform.) (REPEAT)

--"Celebrity Ghost Stories" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Bio. (--Sugar Ray Leonard, Aida Turturro, Larry Manetti and Johnathon Schaech share their encounters with ghosts.)

--"Battle of the Bulbs" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on the Hallmark Channel. (--"Eureka's"
Matt Frewer and Daniel Stern are old high school nemeses who wind up neighbors and decide to settle their differences via holiday light displays.)

--"The Dish Salutes 2010's Craziest Moments" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Style. (--2010's most outrageous pop culture moments in television and fashion.)

--"Ricky Gervais: Out Of England 2" . . . 10:00 to 11:15 P.M. on HBO. (--Comedian Ricky Gervais performs at the Chicago Theatre in Chicago.)

--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. (--Jeff Bridges guest hosts and Eminem is the musical guest.)

SUNDAY TV REMINDERS:

--"Sunday Night Football" . . . 8:15 to 11:15 P.M. Eastern on NBC. (--The New England Patriots host the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.)

--"Running Wilde" . . . 7:00 to 7:30 P.M. on Fox. (--Rob Corddry guest stars as one of Steve's old fraternity brothers who charms Emmy.)

--"The Santa Clause 2" . . . 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.

--"Survivor: Nicaragua" [21st Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS.

--"The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC.

--"Leverage" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT. (--Former "ER" stud Goran Visnjic guest stars.)

--"Football Wives" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on VH1.

--"Bama Belles" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC.

--"Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode 3" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 12:30 A.M. on Adult Swim. (--Creator Seth Green tackles the entire "Star Wars" saga in one hour through the eyes of key characters like Anakin Skywalker, voiced by Zac Efron. The other voices include Rachael Leigh Cook and Seth MacFarlane.)

UPCOMING TV REMINDERS

--On Monday, December 20th . . . "Monday Night Football" . . . 8:30 to 11:30 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. (--The Minnesota Vikings host the Chicago Bears in Minneapolis.)

--On Monday, December 20th . . . "Martha and the Christmas Tree" . . . 7:00 to 7:30 P.M. on the Hallmark Channel. (--Martha Stewart gets an animation makeover as a 10-year-old version of herself, preparing for a tree decorating contest.)

--On Monday, December 20th . . . "Skating with the Stars" [Performance/Results Show] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.

-On Monday, December 20th . . . "Million Dollar Money Drop" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. (--A new game show where contestants are given a million dollars, but it drops through a chute with every wrong answer they give.)

--On Monday, December 20th . . . "The Sing-Off" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC.

--On Monday, December 20th . . . "American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. (--Paul Sr. seeks help from a therapist as the OCC team continues building a bike for the Chicago Blackhawks.)

--On Monday, December 20th . . . "Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1.

--On Tuesday, December 21st . . . "Skating with the Stars" [1st Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.

--On Tuesday, December 21st . . . "SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--A look back at some of the best holiday-themed sketches with appearances by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.) (REPEAT)

--On Wednesday, December 22nd . . . "The 12th Annual A Home for the Holidays with Faith Hill" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. (--Katy Perry, Melissa Etheridge, Maroon 5, Ricky Martin and Nelly perform to raise awareness for foster-care.)

--On Wednesday, December 22nd . . . "CMA Country Christmas" . . . 9:30 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Performers are Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Sugarland, Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Kellie Pickler, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, and Rascal Flatts. It's hosted by Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles.) (REPEAT)

--On Wednesday, December 22nd . . . "Psych" [5th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on USA.

--On Wednesday, December 22nd . . . "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" [4th Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on TBS.

--On Thursday, December 23rd . . . "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" [Animated Version] . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on ABC.

--On Thursday, December 23rd . . . "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" [Live Action Version] . . . 8:30 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC.

--On Christmas Eve . . . "A Christmas Story" . . . 7:00 P.M. marathon on TBS.

--On Christmas Eve . . . "It's a Wonderful Life" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC.

--On Christmas Eve . . . "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC Family.

--On Christmas Eve . . . "The Year Without A Santa Claus" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC Family. (--This is the CLASSIC one with Heat Miser and Snow Miser.)

--On Christmas Eve . . . "Prep & Landing" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on ABC (--About an elite team of elves dedicated to making sure Santa meets his December 25th deadline.)

--On Christmas Eve . . . "Friday Night Alright" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on VH1. (--Pink performs.)

--On Christmas Day . . . "Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade" . . . 10:00 A.M. on ABC. (--Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Mariah Carey and Darius Rucker perform. Nick Cannon, Maria Menounos and Ryan Seacrest are your hosts.)

--On Christmas Day . . . "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" [Animated Version] . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on ABC.

--On Christmas Day . . . "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" [Live Action Version] . . . 8:30 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC.

--On Sunday, December 26th . . . "Sunday Night Football" . . . 8:20 to 11:20 P.M. Eastern on NBC. (--The Philadelphia Eagles host the Minnesota Vikings.)

--On Monday, December 27th . . . "Monday Night Football" [41st Season Finale] . . . 8:30 to 11:30 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. (--The Atlanta Falcons host the New Orleans Saints in Atlanta.)

--On Monday, December 27th . . . "American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. (--The PJD team continues building a bike for the Carolina Carports.)

--On Tuesday, December 28th . . . "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.

--On Tuesday, December 28th . . . "The 33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS. (--Merle Haggard, Jerry Herman, Bill T. Jones, Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey are this year's honorees.)

--On Wednesday, December 29th . . . "I Used To Be Fat" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV.

--On Thursday, December 30th . . . "Burn Notice" . . . 6:00 A.M. marathon on USA.

--On Thursday, December 30th . . . "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.

NEW YEAR'S EVE COUNTDOWNS:

--"Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2011" . . . 10:00 P.M. to 2:05 A.M. Eastern on ABC. (--Dick Clark, Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy host from one coast and Fergie hosts from Los Angeles.)

(--The L.A. line-up includes Jennifer Hudson, Willow Smith, Ne-Yo, Avril Lavigne, Drake, Jason Derulo, Natasha Bedingfield, Far East Movement and Train. Meanwhile Kesha, Taio Cruz, the New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys will be performing in New York.)

--"New Year's Eve With Carson Daly 2011" . . . 10:00 P.M. to 12:30 A.M. on NBC.

--"MTV's New Year's Bash 2011" . . . 11:00 P.M. to 12:30 A.M. on MTV. (--Comedienne Whitney Cummings hosts.)

--"Shake it Up New Year's" . . . 6:00 P.M. to 12:00 A.M. on Disney Channel. (--Viewers favorite episodes and music videos are counted down.)

--"All American New Year" . . . 11:00 P.M. to 12:30 A.M. on Fox News. (--Rick Springfield and Katharine McPhee perform.)

--"New Year's Eve Live!" . . . 11:00 P.M. to 12:30 A.M. on Fox. (--Nancy O'Dell hosts with performances by Travie McCoy and David Archuleta.)

--On Saturday, January 1st . . . "The Tournament of Roses Parade" . . . 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Eastern on all major networks.

--On Saturday, January 1st . . . "Oprah's Guide to OWN, the New Oprah Winfrey Network" [Launch] . . . 12:00 P.M. on OWN. (--Oprah launches her new network and reveals some of her its programming.)

--On Saturday, January 1st . . . "Austin City Limits" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. (--Cheap Trick performs.)

--On Sunday, January 2nd . . . "Sunday Night Football" [24th Season Finale] . . . 8:15 to 11:15 P.M. Eastern on NBC. (--The teams are yet to be announced.)

--On Sunday, January 2nd . . . "Football Night In America" [5th Season Finale]
. . . 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. on NBC.

--On Sunday, January 2nd . . . "Ask Oprah's All Stars" [Part 1 of 4] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on OWN. (--Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz and Suze Orman offer advice on mental and physical health as well as wealth.)

--On Sunday, January 2nd . . . "Desperate Housewives" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Susan's life still hangs in the balance after the riot on Wisteria Lane.)

--On Sunday, January 2nd . . . "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" [5th Season Finale] . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on A&E.

--On Sunday, January 2nd . . . "What Chilli Wants" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on VH1.

--On Sunday, January 2nd . . . "Oprah Presents Master Class" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on OWN. (--A new biography series, with guest Diane Sawyer.)

 

Dave Grohl Will Have a Cameo in the Upcoming "Muppets" Movie:

This is pretty cool: DAVE GROHL of the FOO FIGHTERS will have a cameo in the upcoming "Muppets" movie, which is supposed to hit theaters NEXT Christmas. --He'll be the replacement drummer for the Muppets' house band, Electric Mayhem, when their usual drummer, ANIMAL, has to leave to go to anger management. (--Dave's last movie gig was in 2006, when he played Satan in "Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny".)

 

Justin Bieber Surprises a Fan with Some Awesome Christmas Love:

A JUSTIN BIEBER fan named Parker Powell wrote a song called "A Very Bieber Christmas" . . . and Justin surprised her by making everything in the song come true. --The song was a variation on "The Twelve Days of Christmas" . . . so Justin got her the things listed in it, which included shirts, shoes, scarves and "hair-flips. (--We've said it before . . . and we'll say it again . . . this kid knows how to embrace his fan base. What little girl could not love him even MORE for doing this? Here's video . . .)

http://perezhilton.com/2010-12-16-justin-bieber-makes-dreams-come-true

 

A Model's Hair Caught Fire at Diddy's Album Release Party:

DIDDY was celebrating the release of his new album, "Last Train to Paris", at the penthouse of The London Hotel in New York City on Tuesday night. --Portions of the party were recorded on a Ustream video feed . . . including the HIGHLIGHT of the night, which was when a model had her hair CATCH FIRE. --The model, a woman named Miyoki Jones, was sitting in a bathtub, surrounded by candles. When her hair caught fire, she freaked . . . and dunked her hair into the tub. --Comedian KEVIN HART was in the room at the time. He obviously wasn't too concerned about Jones being hurt . . . because he immediately yelled, quote, "Did the camera catch that? Did the camera catch that?!" --It did. Although it would've caught a lot MORE of it if Hart wasn't standing RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE LENS when he was screaming "Did the camera catch that?" You can watch the video below.)

http://www.tmz.com/2010/12/16/models-hair-catches-fire-diddy-dirty-money-party-video/ -Jones is fine. Yesterday she told th

paparazzi, quote, "I'm good . . . the candle just lit my hair on fire, I have a lot of hair." (--Here's video of her explanation . . .)

http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=a6ed56d0-f29c-4e83-bb91-d022d0086b5e

--TMZ claims the hotel wasn't aware that this happened until the video popped up online, and they're not thrilled about it. Supposedly, they're thinking about banning Diddy . . . but it's hard to believe they'd turn down his money over this minor incident.

 

SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

GARY BUSEY wants to donate his brain to science.

http://www.nerve.com/news/movies/actor-gary-busey-i-want-to-donate-my-brain-to-science

 

Last night was the final edition of "Larry King Live".

http://tv.gawker.com/5714422/the-best-moments-from-the-larry-king-live-finale

 

TIGER WOODS' return to the public eye . . . and his so-far-unsuccessful return to golf . . . tops the Associated Press list of the Top Sports Stories of 2010.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101216/ap_on_sp_ot/ye_sports_story_of_the_year

 

Former "Baywatch" babe DONNA D'ERRICO contracted a pretty serious staph infection . . . but she's going to be okay.

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b216630_hospitalized_playmate_now_doing_fine.html

 

BILLY BOB THORNTON has obviously invested in some hair plugs.

http://www.tmz.com/2010/12/16/billy-bob-thornton-hair-weave-wig-angelina-jolie/

 

The Parents Television Council has released a report on the "over-sexualization" of teenage girls on primetime TV. Their study finds that underage female characters are shown in MORE "sexual depictions" than adult women.

http://www.parentstv.org/FemaleSexualization/Study.htm

 

Syfy has decided not to give "Stargate Universe" a third season. Instead, the remaining 10 episodes of the second season will air in the spring, and that will be it.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/live-feed/syfy-cancels-stargate-universe-60908

 

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK and the BACKSTREET BOYS will perform together on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest". So at least that part will have a "look forward to the future by laughing at the past" theme.

http://www.billboard.com/news#/events/new-kids-on-the-block-backstreet-boys-added-1004134753.story

 

"Glee" star CORY MONTEITH . . . he plays Finn . . . has joined an "alternative indie rock" group called Bonnie Dune. He'll be their drummer. On Twitter, Cory said that the band would be playing in L.A. on January 6th.

http://www.facebook.com/bonniedune

 

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

What's More Dangerous, Your Spouse or a Serial Killer? Showers or Baths? Dogs or Snakes? Take This Quiz and Find Out:

Human beings are great at exaggerating some risks and completely ignoring others. One example: More people are afraid of flying than driving, but it would take a WEEKLY plane crash to equal the amount of deaths from car accidents every year. --The website Insure.com put together this quiz, based on insurance data, where you try to guess which of two things is more dangerous . . . and it's almost never the one that we're more afraid of. Check it out . . .

#1.) Your spouse or a serial killer? The answer is spouses, by a TON. About 2,700 people a year are killed by their spouses, versus fewer than 1,000 killed by serial killers.

#2.) Your parent or your young child? It's EASILY your parent. There's about a one in one million chance your child will kill you. But when a young child is killed, there's more than a 50-50 chance he was killed by his parent.

#3.) A dog bite or a snake bite? More people die in the U.S. every year from dog bites than snake bites . . . about 20 die from dog bites, 10 from snake bites.

--But there are a LOT more TOTAL dog bites than snake bites . . . about four million versus 45,000. Which means that even though more people die from dog bites, a snake bite is 50 times more likely to be fatal.

#4.) Being a man or being a woman? At every age, in every country, it's more dangerous to be a male. It wasn't that way 100 years ago because of childbirth deaths . . . but now that medical science is so much better, that's not a huge factor.

#5.) Showers or baths? It's baths, by a lot. Even though people slip in the shower, between drowning and electrocution, far more people die and get injured in bathtubs. (Insure)

 

Triple-A Plans On Helping 1.4 Million Stranded Drivers In the Next Two Weeks:

If your car breaks down on the way to Christmas and you call Triple-A to come help you . . . I hope you're ready to be patient. Because it looks like they're going to be BUSY. --According to Triple-A, they plan on helping 1.4 MILLION stranded drivers in the U.S. in the next few weeks. --They're predicting about 320,000 dead batteries, 200,000 sets of keys locked in cars, 175,000 flat tires, 60,000 cars stuck in snow . . . plus hundreds of thousands of random other problems. (PR Newswire)

 

Houston and Dallas America's Best Cities for Shopping:

If you want to do some hardcore shopping, you might as well go to a state where they laugh at you if you build a mall that's any smaller than 15 football fields. --"Forbes" just put out a list of America's top 10 cities for shopping, and Houston and Dallas were picked as number one and two. --The list isn't based on how fancy or stylish or hip a city's stores are . . . it's based on options, ease, and price. --More than one-quarter of all the retail space in this country is in Texas . . . and the prices are reasonable at the stores, too. Here's the full top 10 . . .

#1.) Houston, Texas

#2.) Dallas, Texas

#3.) Baltimore, Maryland

#4.) Columbus, Ohio

#5.) Indianapolis, Indiana

#6.) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

#7.) Phoenix, Arizona

#8.) San Antonio, Texas

#9.) Jacksonville, Florida

#10.) San Diego, California (Forbes)

The Majority of People Who Own a Pet Will Give It a Christmas Present:

My dog gives me presents all year long . . . mainly in small piles in the living room when I leave him home alone for too long. So it's only fair to give something back. --According to a poll by the Associated Press, the majority of pet owners, 53%, plan to give their animal or animals a gift for the holidays. And with the way Americans love their pets, that's no surprise. In fact, we're surprised it's that LOW. --Dogs are more likely to get presents than cats, 56% to 48%. Women are also more likely to buy gifts for their pets than men. (WWL.com)

 

Word of the Day: Degifting:

degifting (verb) /dee gift ing/ - based off "regifting," which is taking a gift someone gave you and giving it to someone else, degifting is a mutual agreement not to exchange presents for at least one Christmas, usually as a way to save money. --Example: I set up degifting arrangements with my entire family this year. I think it's going to seriously keep my credit card debt down these holidays. And if they break it and get me something anyway, I won't feel guilty.

 

Facebook Is About To Launch Facial Recognition To Help You Automatically Tag People In Photos:

Every time Facebook launches a new feature on its site, it ALWAYS walks the line between "Wow, that's really cool" and "Oh my God, that kind of freaks me out." Their newest product is yet another example. --Facebook has announced that it's about to roll out facial recognition on your photos. -So when you upload a photo, instead of having to manually tag your friends, Facebook will analyze the faces in the photo, compare them to their billions of other photos, figure out who's in your photo, and automatically tag them. --On the plus side, that will save you a ton of time . . . tagging people takes a while. And it's also pretty badass that something like facial recognition technology is now available to regular, non-CIA or -FBI types like you and me. --On the negative side . . . it's pretty scary that Facebook knows what we all look like . . . and this, naturally, raises privacy issues. --Plus, as someone at CNBC said . . . you won't love this when the cops upload a photo of you breaking the law . . . and have it auto-tagged to lead them right to you. --Of course, the people at Facebook don't see it that way. Their VP of Product, Chris Cox, says this is actually GOOD for privacy. Quote, "Every time a tag is created, it means that [you know about] a photo of you on the Internet." --There's no word exactly when this is going to go live on Facebook . . . for now, they're just saying "soon." (CNet)

 

More People Than Ever Are Using Social Networking Sites, Watching Video, and Listening To Music Online . . . And No One Wants To Blog Anymore:

The Pew Internet and American Life Project just released the results of a massive survey to figure out what people from different age groups are doing online. Here are four of their most interesting findings.

#1.) Social media is growing. People 18 to 33 are most likely to use social networking sites . . . but their popularity is growing the fastest with people 74 and older. In the past two years, social networking is up 400% for people 74-plus.

#2.) Blogging is dying. Almost every online activity just keeps getting more popular . . . EXCEPT blogging. Only half as many teenagers have a blog as they did in 2006. And it's falling for all other age groups, too. --Blogging is mostly being replaced by social networking . . . instead of having a blog, people post status updates and photos on Facebook and Twitter now.

#3.) Online video and music are going way up. The number of people watching video online has gone up from 52% in 2008 to 66% today. For music, it's up to 51% today . . . back in 2004, it was 34%.

#4.) The top three activities online are the same across all age groups. For everyone 18 years and up, email is the most common activity . . . searching is second-most common . . . and looking for health info is third. (Pew Internet)

 

It's Not Your Imagination . . . Your Cubicle Really Is Getting Smaller:

If you're at work and feel like the walls of your cubicle keep getting closer and closer to you every day, until the day when they're finally going to crush you and put you out of your misery . . . it's mostly your imagination, but NOT 100%. --According to a study of workplace trends, the amount of space per American worker is getting much smaller. In the 1970s, the average employee got about 500 to 700 square feet. Today, it's closer to 200 square feet. --There are a few reasons for this. Companies have been scaling back office size . . . today's computers don't need as much space . . . and, with more emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, employees are sitting closer to each other than before. --And this shrinking trend isn't stopping . . . according to experts, by 2015, we could be in tiny workspaces that are only 50 square feet . . . that's just a little more than six feet-by-eight feet. (Los Angeles Times)

 

Dannon Has To Pay a $21 Million Settlement . . . Because It Turns Out Yogurt That Moves Your Bowels *Isn't* as Healthy as They Said:

Remember a few years ago, when all of those new yogurts came out . . . and promised to make you healthier by MOVING YOUR BOWELS? Dannon's Activia was the biggest one. -They hired JAMIE LEE CURTIS as a spokeswoman and, basically, told us that if we ate this yogurt, besides getting our poopin' regulated, our digestion would be smoother and we'd be less likely to get sick. --WELL . . . it turns out that wasn't really true. The Federal Trade Commission has been looking into it and determined that Dannon was seriously exaggerating what the "probiotic" bacteria in Activia could do. --Under both state and federal law, products can only advertise themselves as health cures if they're actual drugs . . . you can't advertise a food as a cure. The FTC also couldn't find legitimate scientific research or proof of Dannon's claims. --SO . . . they sued Dannon. Dannon settled, and will pay $21 MILLION to 39 states. --They're also banned from claiming that any yogurt or any other product can keep you from getting sick, cure digestive problems, or give you any other health benefits. (WalletPop)

 

An Inventor Creates a Hybrid of Suspenders and a Garter Belt . . . To Help You Regulate the Sagging of Your Pants:

We don't really think of sagging your pants as an ART FORM . . . but if you do, and getting the perfect level of sagging is important to you, then maybe you'll want this invention. --43-year-old Andrew Lewis, who lives in Harlem, New York, has invented a device that lets you perfectly regulate your amount of sagging. He calls it "Subs." --It straps around your waist and is like a mix between suspenders and a garter belt. You can adjust the straps to determine just how low your pants will hang. --Andrew says he came up with the invention when he was watching some guys try to walk up the stairs from a subway station, but were having problems because of how low their pants were drooping.--Quote, "Sagging is a huge issue in my community. I spent a lot of time and noticed that even for saggers, there's a point which even they're not comfortable with how their jeans were falling. --The only catch here is that Andrew's invention isn't cheap . . . he's selling it for $30. (New York Daily News)

(--You can place an order . . . and see a model wearing them . . . here . . .)

http://www.hatchventures.com/Subs.html

 

MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Woman Carjacks a Taxi Driver . . . But He's Able To Lead the Cops Right To Her Since She Had Him Pick Her Up At Home:

It doesn't get easier to track down criminals than this. --On Tuesday, 22-year-old Lacharion Butler of St. Petersburg, Florida carjacked a taxi driver. She used a sharp object to cut him in the neck, then forced him out of the cab and took off. --The cab driver was able to easily, and instantly, lead the cops to Lacharion . . . because, instead of carjacking a cab she flagged down on the street, she'd actually CALLED, given her address to the dispatcher, and had a cab sent to her house. --The driver remembered her address, and the cops went to her house. --She denied carjacking him at first . . . then changed her story and said a man in the cab with her had carjacked him . . . then changed AGAIN and admitted she was in the cab, but just couldn't afford the fare. --She was arrested and charged with carjacking with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The cab was found abandoned. --The cuts on the driver's neck were non-life-threatening. (TBO.com)

 

Police Catch a Group of Bank Robbers By Following a Trail of Money Blowing Out the Window of the Getaway Car:

This is a pretty textbook example of how to get caught after robbing a bank. --On Tuesday morning, five men in Gadsden, Alabama robbed a bank. Around 11:00 A.M. they went into Union State Bank with two real guns and one toy gun and demanded that the manager open the vault and fill their bag with money. --When they got into their getaway car, which was a stolen gold Chevy Malibu, they opened the bag . . . and a red dye pack EXPLODED.--So they ditched the Malibu, quickly stole a red Nissan Maxima and drove off. BUT . . . in the process, they forgot to close up the money bag. And, apparently, they also forgot to close the windows. --As they drove, dollar bills started flying out of the bag and out the window. Some cops spotted the floating money . . . and just started following the trail of money until they caught up with the getaway car. --The robbers eventually ended up ditching the car and running. The cops quickly tracked them down . . . including one who decided to hide inside of a random family's GARBAGE CAN. --They've all been charged with bank robbery. (Gadsden Times)

 

Two Brothers Get Into a Crowbar-Versus-Snow Shovel Fight . . . After They Both Think the Other One Took a Bite Out of a Piece of Fried Chicken:

This sounds like it started as a perfectly typical argument between two brothers who were at home, bored, and hungry . . . but it escalated to a WHOLE different level. --On Sunday, 37-year-old Tony Morris and his brother, 41-year-old Thomas Morris, were in Akron, Ohio visiting their mother. They were both watching TV. --Tony went into the kitchen because he wanted a piece of the fried chicken that his mom was cooking. But when he got there, he noticed someone had taken a BITE out of the chicken and put it back in the pan. And he was FURIOUS. --He THREW the chicken at Thomas. Thomas denied taking the bite . . . he believed that Tony was the one who bit the chicken. They argued, and finally decided to take things outside to, quote, "handle [this] like men." --On the way out, Thomas slipped. And Tony used that opportunity to hit his brother in the head with a CROWBAR. Repeatedly. Thomas finally managed to run away and grab a shovel to defend himself. --The police arrived. Tony was arrested for felonious assault, domestic violence, and menacing. Thomas was taken to the hospital to get stitches on a three-inch gash in his forehead. --As for the chicken . . . as the boys were being taken away, their mom came outside and told them that SHE'D taken the bite. (Akron Beacon Journal)

 

RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

Wal-Mart raised the prices on 1,800 different toys for last minute holiday shoppers:

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/at-walmart-this-holiday-season-higher-toy-prices/19763845/

 

So, our Muslim friends in the Middle East DO know how to do Christmas: A hotel in Abu Dhabi erected an $11 million Christmas tree. The ornaments include 181 diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and sapphires:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101215/od_afp/uaehotelchristmasoffbeat_20101215180612

 

An anti-gay marriage group is fighting for the sanctity of . . . rainbows. According to them, quote, "The rainbow is a sign of God's covenant with man . . . the gay lobby does not own the rainbow":

 

http://gawker.com/5714176/anti+gay-group-wants-its-rainbow-back

 

NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) CollegeHumor.com Did a Stop-Motion Parody of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" . . . And Rudolph Has His Red Nose Surgically Removed at Birth: ollegeHumor.com just posted a new parody of the stop-motion animated special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" . . . but in THIS version, Rudolph has his bright red nose surgically removed shortly after he's born. --In the end, it ruins Christmas and inspires a new version of the famous Rudolph song. (--Search for "CollegeHumor.com Rudolph the Regular Reindeer.")

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1944698

 

#2.) A Children's Choir Sang the Trololo Song at Their Christmas Concert:

For their Christmas concert this year, an elementary school choir in Racine, Wisconsin did a Christmas version of the Trololo video that was a hit on YouTube earlier this year. --The only thing Christmassy about the performance was that they put on Santa hats about halfway through, then Santa came on stage. --In fact, it looked more like a HALLOWEEN concert, because for some reason, all the kids wore scary masks. But at its core, the video is still a bunch of little kids singing "Trololo". So it's worth a watch.

(--Search for "Gifford Children's Choir Trololo.")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl_J5RsiyHQ

 

#3.) Ron Jeremy Stars In a New Parody of the "Tron: Legacy" Trailer . . . And It's Called "Tron Jeremy":

The new "Tron" movie was released today, and Break.com has a new parody of the trailer. But in this one, RON JEREMY is the one who gets sucked into the video game. --Don't worry. There's some sexual innuendo, but that's it. It's called "Tron Jeremy". (--Search for "Tron Jeremy Break.com.")
http://www.break.com/break-originals/other-funny-stuff/tron-jeremy-1969596

 

#4.) Someone Taught Their Parrot to Sing "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor":

This is ridiculous, but apparently it's real: Someone played way too much heavy metal in front of their pet parrot, and now it sings "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" by DROWNING POOL. (--Search for "parrot sings Let the Bodies Hit the Floor.") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uguXNL93fWg

 

#5.) A Group of Soccer Fans in Europe Chanted, Waved Flags, and Lit Flares . . . at a Match Between 11-Year-Olds:

Here's how seriously Europeans take soccer: At a recent five-on-five match between kids aged eleven and under, the fans for one of the teams did chants, waved flags, and lit bright flares like they were at a World Cup game. (--Search for "Lech Cup U-11 supporters." They all light up their flares at 1:48.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuwVi8dSQWk

 

Six Christmas Gifts Your Parents Don't Want:

Buying Christmas presents for your parents is a pain, because at least one of them is always IMPOSSIBLE to buy for. This list might not make shopping for them any EASIER, but it might help make sure you buy something they actually LIKE. --Here are six gifts your parents DON'T want: First, the three things your DAD doesn't want . . .

#1.) Clothing. Kids always buy their dad things THEY think he'd look good in. But chances are, your ideas on fashion differ by about 20 to 30 years. --And things like ties, gloves, pajamas, and slippers are boring because they're like default gifts.

#2.) Gifts to Improve His Appearance. Obviously, don't give your dad an electric nose hair trimmer . . . unless he's in on the joke. But don't get him fitness equipment either. --It's like saying, "Merry Christmas . . . We all know you're fat."

#3.) Tools. If you know about tools, and know something he specifically wants or needs, by all means get it. But don't buy him a random wrench set at Home Depot just because it's on sale. He might not need it, or he might already have one.

--Now, here are three gifts your MOM doesn't want . . .

#1.) A Big Bottle of Perfume. If anything, give her a small bottle of her favorite kind. Don't buy the biggest bottle you find on sale. --She'll pretend to love it, then store it under the bathroom sink until next Christmas . . . when she'll wear it, and you won't notice.

#2.) Something From an Infomercial. Even if it's something she ends up using, she probably won't LOVE it, because it's not sentimental. Remember, your mom watches TV too. So if she wants the Slap Chop, let HER buy it.

#3.) A Complicated Gadget. If she's still figuring out the cell phone she got LAST year, don't add to the confusion. That's not to say your mom CAN'T figure out how to use electronics. She just doesn't have the time or desire to. --So unless your mom is somewhat tech-savvy, shy away from cutting-edge electronics. She might prefer a book instead of a Kindle . . . and it costs a lot less. (CBS MoneyWatch.com)

 

How To Meet Someone When You're Stuck at the Airport Over the Holidays:

The next two weeks are going to be some of the busiest days of the year at the airport. An excess of holiday travelers combined with all the new security regulations means you could be spending more time than you'd like at the airport over the holidays. --But that doesn't mean you can't MEET someone while you're there. So today, from Match.com, we've got four tips on how to meet someone when you're traveling this holiday season.

#1.) Prepare In Advance. Bring some business cards with you so that if your conversation is cut short by your flight's boarding call or a tight connection you can easily exchange contact information.

#2.)
Survey the Scene. You can usually tell a lot about a person by what they're doing to pass the time waiting for their flight. And it gives you a great opportunity to break the ice. Like if they're reading a newspaper, it's a good segue into talking about some current event.

#3.) Make Yourself Available. Don't bury your face in your BlackBerry while you're waiting for your flight, and don't immediately zone out to the in-flight entertainment once you take off. When you're aware of your surroundings, you're more likely to notice someone who might be interested.

#4.) Enjoy the Ride. Most importantly, keep a good attitude throughout the process. There's a decent chance you're going to be delayed by SOMETHING . . . whether it's security, weather, or a mechanical issue. But if you keep a positive attitude, you'll be infinitely more approachable. (Match.com)

 

Five Holiday Date Ideas:

Christmas is a week from tomorrow, which means there's just eight more days of dealing with all this holiday B.S. But just in case you feel like living it up Christmas-style for the next week, here are five holiday date ideas you can do as a couple . . .

#1.)
Go For A Walk Around Your Neighborhood. Bundle up, hold hands, and take a walk through your neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights and decorations.

#2.) Go Shopping.
Sure, the mall's going to be a zoo . . . but having another person with you will make it way more bearable. Plus, if you haven't found a gift for your boyfriend or girlfriend yet, this is a perfect opportunity to find out exactly what they want.

#3.) Go To the Theater.
There are always a ton of holiday concerts, movies, and plays around this time of year, so change it up a little and enjoy an evening of culture together. I recommend the "Nutcracker". (???)

#4.) Decorate the Tree.
This is your last chance to finish decorating your tree before Christmas, so heat up some hot cocoa and bust out the holiday decorations.

#5.) Go Ice Skating. Even if neither one of you knows how to ice skate, it's still a fun thing to do as a couple. You can grab onto each other and hold hands as you skate around the rink. (Ask Men)