HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (April 19, 2011)

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart Were Caught Kissing Sunday Night:

 

It looks like rumors of a ROBERT PATTINSON / KRISTEN STEWART breakup were greatly exaggerated. --The two of them were spotted kissing in the backseat of a car Sunday night after the New York premiere of Rob's new movie, "Water for Elephants". (--Here's a picture.) --Witnesses say Rob and Kristen were, quote, "inseparable all night" at the after-party, too. (--You can also see the picture . . . along with a short video of them together, at this link.)

 

 

Kate Hudson Says Being Pregnant Is Like Being Stoned:

 

KATE HUDSON says being pregnant is WONDERFUL . . . but it has an interesting side-effect. --She says, quote, "You do get the pregnant mush-brain . . . you know what it's like? It's like getting stoned." --Kate added that she thinks she's having a girl . . . quote, "It seems like my family female lineage . . . she's just wild in there, just dancing all over."

 

 

The 17-Year-Old Daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore Smokes and Has a Tattoo:

 

Now, I don't want to make any assumptions here about the morals of a 17-year-old girl. But TALLULAH BELLE WILLIS . . . the daughter of BRUCE WILLIS and DEMI MOORE . . . might be going through a bit of a rebellious phase. --Tallulah was photographed at the Coachella music festival in California over the weekend. And from those photos, we learned two things: First, she SMOKES. And secondly, she has a TATTOO. It's on her beltline, to the right of her belly button. --Not to mention the fact that she was running around in cut-off denim shorts and a tiny, strapless bikini top. (--Check out the pics here.)

 

 

Is This Picture of Miley Cyrus Too Sexy?

 

I know MILEY CYRUS is 18 now. But I don't think I'll ever be able to see her as an adult. That's why a picture she just posted on Twitter seems kind of shocking to me. --Miley is wearing a lacy and rather skimpy top with spaghetti straps that shows off the "dream catcher" tattoo she got recently on her ribcage. --She also has pigtails, which gives her that "naughty schoolgirl" look that Japanese businessmen love. (--Check out the picture here.)

 

 

Patrick Stewart Would Like the Right to Die When He Wants To:

 

"Star Trek"
stud PATRICK STEWART has officially joined the RIGHT TO DIE movement. --He's part of a group called Dignity in Dying . . . which campaigns for the legalization of assisted suicide in England. --He says, quote, "A lot of it has to do with my age. I had a heart procedure five years ago. I was 70 last year and there is something about achieving threescore years and 10, isn't there?" --"Then I had had a family member who had been very ill and quite recently I'd heard the story of an illness and a death." --That particular story involved a female friend. He wouldn't go into much detail, other than to say that she was, quote, "driven to an extreme situation of ending [her] life in the most ghastly way." --Patrick says, quote, "I have the strong feeling that, should the time come for me, having had no role in my birth I would like there to be a choice I might make about how I die. [It] should be a right."

 

 

Nicolas Cage Was Back on the Set Monday:

 

Sure he had a crazy weekend, but NICOLAS CAGE was back on-set yesterday morning and ready to work. (--Check out a picture here.) --Cage is filming a movie called "Medallion" in New Orleans . . . where he was arrested Saturday morning for allegedly grabbing his wife by the arm during an argument over the address of their rented apartment.
--A source on the set says, quote, "Shooting is going on as normal." (E! Online) --Meanwhile . . . a cabbie who was on the scene gave a little insight yesterday into what happened Saturday morning. --He said that Cage actually jumped into his cab, and he was about to drive off with him before the cops approached the vehicle and asked Cage to get out. --The cabbie refused to comment on whether or not Cage was drunk, but he said, quote, "It was a Friday night in New Orleans . . . I think we all have a few drinks on a Friday night." (--Check out video of the cabbie here.)

 

Fergie Got Stopped by Airport Security in L.A.:

 

It looks like celebrities don't get special treatment all the time. FERGIE was stopped by security at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday . . . and witnesses say she wasn't too happy about it. --Fergie complied with the search . . . allowing them to look through her things and check her out. --But Britain's "Daily Mail" tabloid says, quote, "[Fergie] approached the security check point at the airport with a broad smile on her face but it quickly disappeared when she wasn't given special treatment by the security staff." (--Check out some pictures of the search here.) (Daily Mail)

 

 

Brooke Mueller Is Just "Continuing With the Rehab Program She Has Always Done":

 

BROOKE MUELLER may not have checked herself back into a rehab facility after all. Her rep says, quote, "Brooke is doing fine, she is continuing with the rehab program she has always done." --But a source adds that Brooke is not going to take a drug test until CHARLIE SHEEN takes one. --The source says, quote, "Brooke will not go along with the agreement she and Charlie have in regards to testing until he stops talking about her in public. He's been violating their agreement from day one and she's had enough." --The source adds that Brooke has been, quote, "home taking care of the kids and the boys are doing great." --Meanwhile, there's a custody hearing today, and Charlie will be there personally to make a play for FULL CUSTODY of the 2-year-old twins. Sources say he'll ask for permission to take Bob and Max on tour with him. --If he wins, he'll ask the judge to cut off the $55,000 a month Charlie pays Brooke in child support . . . since she won't have the kids anymore. (--One last note on Charlie: A New York City strip joint called the Cheetah Club now has a Charlie Sheen VIP room. Check out some pictures here.)

 

 

Chris Klein Has Joined the Cast of the "American Pie" Sequel:

 

CHRIS KLEIN has joined the cast of the upcoming "American Pie" sequel, "American Reunion". Chris played jock Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the first two movies. --There's no word yet whether his on-screen girlfriend, MENA SUVARI, will return. --Cast members confirmed so far are JASON BIGGS, EUGENE LEVY, SEANN WILLIAM SCOTT and ALYSON HANNIGAN.

 

 

SINGING COMPETITION CHAOS

 

Pia Toscano Did Not Dump Her Boyfriend for Mark Ballas:

 

PIA TOSCANO may very well be dating "Dancing with the Stars" stud MARK BALLAS . . . but contrary to a "report" that's making the rounds, she did NOT dump another guy for him. --Pia was dating a caterer named Carlos Nunez before doing "Idol" . . . but TMZ says they split up at least two months before Pia came to Hollywood. (--Here are some pictures of Pia and Carlos.)

 

 

Mariah Carey *Will* Be a Part of "X Factor" . . . But Not as a Judge:

 

There's been talk that MARIAH CAREY is in the running to be an "X Factor" judge. And now, SIMON COWELL has confirmed that she WILL be a part of the show, but NOT as a judge. --In a radio interview . . .. . . Simon said, quote, "I think Mariah will have a role on the live shows. I met her recently and she was on great form." --Mariah's "form" is a little extra "great" these days because she's eight-months pregnant . . . and because of that, she couldn't commit to a full-time judging position. --But Simon said, quote, "Her idea was to be the judge of the judges, which only Mariah could come up with. She'll be involved in some form. I literally adore her. I love her to bits." --He didn't elaborate on her role, but he previously said there would be two hosts . . . one guy and one girl. There's a chance she could be one of the hosts, or maybe this "judging the judges" thing will spawn a special job.

 

 

Ali Fedotowsky Had Her Head Stapled After a Kayak Accident, But She's OK:

 

Former "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" star ALI FEDOTOWSKY was injured in a kayaking accident in La Jolla, California, on Sunday. Her kayak capsized, and she banged her head. It was pretty gnarly . . . but she's OK. --Ali was taken to the hospital . . . and had five staples put into her head. --She talked about the accident on Twitter . . . saying, quote, "Made it out of the ER with staples in my head, and a little less hair after falling out of a kayak. Scary stuff. Wearing a helmet next time. --Even though it sounds serious, Ali had a good sense of humor about it. She added, quote, "I think I freaked out more when the doctor cut my hair rather than when he put staples into my head. LOL. Very thankful to be ok :)" --She went back to work yesterday . . . doing whatever it is that she does . . . with merely a "big headache." But you'll be happy to know that she was able to hide the staples by resourcefully adjusting her "hair part." --Ali had been kayaking with her fiancé ROBERTO MARTINEZ. He's the dude she selected on the sixth season of "The Bachelorette" last summer. They're still together . . . for the time being at least . . . and are "planning their wedding."

 

 

Tuesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)

 

--"NBA Playoffs: Celtics vs. the Knicks" . . . 7:00 to 9:30 P.M. Eastern on TNT. (--The Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks.)

 

--"NBA Playoffs: Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers" . . . 9:30 P.M. to Midnight Eastern on TNT. (--The Dallas Mavericks host the Portland Trail Blazers.)

 

--"Glee" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox. (--The show returns from its one-month break with Sue gathering more allies to destroy the glee club, and the club trying to figure out how to best compete at Nationals now that they've won at Regionals.) (--Charice is back too. Here's a preview of her performing "All By Myself". "Glee" is also releasing a new CD today featuring Kurt and The Warblers, plus a DVD of nearly three dozen performances from the first season.) (DVD details) (CD details)

 

--"Dancing with the Stars" [Results Show] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC.

 

--"Raising Hope" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on Fox. (--Jerry Van Dyke stars as a potential boyfriend that Maw Maw meets at Shelley's day-care center.)

 

--"Destination Truth" [4th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Syfy.

 

--"Body of Proof" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Christina Hendricks guest stars as the identical twin of a beautiful corpse who catches Ethan's interest.)

 

--"Parenthood" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC.

 

--"16 & Pregnant" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV.

 

 

NEW ON VIDEO TODAY

 

--"The King's Speech" - Geoffrey Rush plays a vocal coach who helps the King of England overcome a severe stammer as the country is going to war with Germany in World War 2. It won Best Picture and Colin Firth won the Best Actor Oscar for playing the king. Helena Bonham Carter plays his wife, Queen Elizabeth.

 

--If you missed it, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1", hit stores on Friday. Harry, Ron and Hermione have dropped out of Hogwarts to search for the magical objects that contain the fragments of Voldemort's soul. --They split the last book into two movies. Part 2 opens on July 15th. You can see the opening scene if you buy the Blu-Ray version of Part 1. Sucker.)

 

--"Gulliver's Travels" - 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.

 

--"The Way Back" - Jim Sturgess is a Polish prisoner who organizes an escape from a Siberian Gulag during World War Two. Colin Farrell and Ed Harris escape with him, and Saoirse Ronan (a.k.a. the teenage assassin in "Hanna") joins their group during a 4,000 mile walk across the Gobi Desert and the Himalayas.

 

--"Somewhere" - 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.

 

--"Rabbit Hole" - Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart play a couple mourning the loss of their son. As he considers an affair with Sandra Oh; she bonds with the teenager who killed their son.

the kids. . .

 

--"Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure" - a direct-to-DVD Disney flick starring Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans from the "High School Musical" movies. This one is all about Sharpay as she and her dog travel to New York City to take up acting.

 

 

TV Series On DVD:

 

--"Glee: Encore"
. . . a single-disc containing three dozen of the best performances from Season 1, including one of the sexiest covers of "Say a Little Prayer" that you'll ever watch, featuring the three hot cheerleaders auditioning to be in the club. Other performances on the disc include: "Like a Virgin", "True Colors", "Faithfully", "Somebody to Love", the pilot episode's "Don't Stop Believin'", and a touching performance of "Imagine" which starts out being spoken by a deaf guy from a rival glee club, before Mercedes and the rest of the cast are moved to join in.

 

--"The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air: The Complete Sixth Season"
. . . a three-disc DVD set of the show's final season.

 

--"American Dad: Volume 6"
. . . a three-disc DVD set.

 

--"Children's Hospital: The Complete First and Second Seasons"
. . . a two-disc DVD set of the Adult Swim medical parody, starring Rob Corddry.

 

 

NEW MUSIC OUT TODAY

 

This Week's CD Releases:

 

--"Glee: The Music presents The Warblers" . . . The Dalton Academy Warblers are the rival glee club that Kurt joined when he transferred to a different school after he was bullied for being gay. If you'd like to see how they do live, they're performing on this morning's "Today" show.

 

--"Without Regret", Kimberly Caldwell (--Hot blonde from the second season of "American Idol" who put her music career on hold to host shows on the TV Guide Network and the Fox Sports Network. Believe it or not, it's taken her this long to put out her debut album. She was on "Idol" way back in 2003.) --Visit her site and watch the video for her song "Desperate Girls & Stupid Boys" to re-acquaint yourself with why you may or may not have liked her.)

 

--"The Fall", Gorillaz (--The whole album was recorded on Damon Albarn's iPad during the U.S. leg of their tour last year. Bobby Womack sings on a track called "Bobby in Phoenix", and Mick Jones of The Clash plays guitar on "HillBilly Man".)

 

--"Let Your Hair Down", The Steve Miller Band

 

 

TODAY'S NEW VIDEO GAMES

 

The New "Mortal Kombat" is Hitting Stores Today, Along with a Navy SEAL Shooter and That Addicting "Portal" Sequel:

 

--"SOCOM 4"
(M) . . . exclusively on the PS3. This is a third person shooter that emphasizes squad based combat. SOCOM is an acronym for Special Operations Command. You play a Navy SEAL and use the game's Dynamic Command system to order your squad to flank and outmaneuver the bad guys. If you have Playstation's Move motion controller you can use it to control all the action, including squad commands and melee attacks, while you're blasting the enemy with your virtual AK-47. Up to 32 players can play in the online multiplayer. (Trailer)

 

--"Mortal Kombat"
(M) . . . on Xbox360 and PS3. The 9th "Mortal Kombat" game goes old school by returning to the 2D plane used in the franchise's first three games. Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Liu Kang, Shang Tsung and Sonya Blade are among the classic characters that you'll be able to decapitate, disembowel and set aflame with fatalities. Kratos, the star of the "God of War" games, is also in the game as a guest character. Online play includes a King of the Hill mode where players can spectate and rate the fights they are watching while they wait for their match in the tournament. --This mode reminds me of going to arcade with my friends and only have to pop a single quarter into the machine to have fun. Sadly, those days are long gone.) (Trailer)

"Portal 2" (E10+) . . . on Xbox360, PS3, and PC. In this action based puzzle/platformer game you play as a robot who uses a "portal gun" (a device that can create a temporary wormhole between almost any two flat surfaces) to solve a variety of tests that the bloodthirsty artificial intelligence puts in front of them. Co-op play has been added for this sequel, along with tractor beams, laser redirection, and special paint-like gels that impart special properties to objects they touch. (Trailer) (--I know this game sounds kind of lame but once you get into the "Portal" games they are nearly impossible to put down. Plus, GLaDOS is such a passive-aggressive and witty opponent that you can't wait to eventually take her out.)

 

--"Conduit 2" (T) . . . on Wii. This game might be the only shooter worth playing on the Wii. You can use some pretty interesting weapons like wall-penetrating sniper rifles, remotely-controlled deployable turrets and some alien technology that allows you to turn the fire you're receiving from the alien baddies around and send it back at them. ultiplayer features up to 12 player online battles on expanded battlefields. (Trailer)

 

--"Section 8: Prejudice" (T) . . . downloadable on Xbox360 tomorrow. A sci-fi combat driven shooter. You play as space marine Alex Corde. Multiplayer features up 32 players and strategic items you can deploy such as tanks, assault mechs and turrets. (Trailer)

 

ESRB Game Ratings: (E) for Everyone; (T) for Teen; (M) for Mature (18+)

 

 

Steven Tyler Granted a Dying Man's Wish:

 

STEVEN TYLER recently did something really cool for a HUGE AEROSMITH fan. --A man in his 60s named Lawrence Ori suffered from a rare condition called "progressive supranuclear palsy," which is marked by brain deterioration. Lawrence could barely speak or move . . . and he was on his deathbed. --He had dreamed of meeting Steven, but never had the chance . . . until his last day. --Lawrence's family, with help from the Passages Hospice Dream Foundation, contacted Steven, who agreed to meet him through Skype on a laptop. --After it was set up, Steven said, quote, "Lawrence? This is Steven. I'm coming to you from L.A. and I'm so glad to meet you . . . You hold on, Lawrence. I love you man. [It's] great to meet you." --Lawrence couldn't respond, but he did tear-up. He died later that day. (--You can see video of this, here. Note: Unfortunately, the audio from Steven's end isn't the best, but you can hear him if you turn up your volume a little.) (--That's a really great thing to do for a fan that has supported you for decades. Sure, it isn't hard to spend five minutes talking to someone virtually. But it also isn't hard to say you're too busy to give up that time. It's cool that Steven did.)

 

 

Bret Michaels Is Recording a New Version of "Every Rose Has Its Thorns" . . . With His Daughters . . . for "Kidz Bop":

 

If BRET MICHAELS had any rock cred whatsoever left, it's officially gone now. Bret has recorded yet another new version of "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" . . . but this time, it features his two young daughters. --It's for one of those "Kidz Bop" albums. (--Which typically feature kids wildly singing watered-down versions of various pop songs.) This one is called "Kidz Bop Sings Monster Ballads" . . . and it's coming out on May 17th. --It sounds like Bret just played guitar and left the singing to the kids, including his daughters Raine, who's 10, and Jorja, who's 5. --A portion of the album's proceeds will be donated to Bret's Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. --By the way, Bret and his daughters will also be "hosting" an air guitar contest at KidzBop.com. Beginning May 2nd, kids will be able to send in videos of themselves rockin' their air guitar skills. --Among other things, the winner will get a trip to see one of Bret's concerts . . . alongside a guardian, of course. It's probably a safe bet that this would be one of his SOLO shows. I doubt they'd send an impressionable youngster to see one of the POISON / MOTLEY CRUE shows this summer.

 

 

A New Beyoncé Track Has Hit the Internet:

 

A new BEYONCÉ track called "Girls (Who Run the World)" has leaked online. Supposedly, it will be the first single off her next album. (--Check it out, here. ***WARNING***: It contains UNCENSORED N-words in audio tags.) (--Obviously, this isn't a final version . . . and it contains audio tags. But it's somewhat surprising that Beyoncé would release a single that so overtly refers to the F-word in the chorus, even if she doesn't actually say it.)

 

 

Check Out a Preview of Matthew Morrison's Duet with Elton John:

 

"Glee" star MATTHEW MORRISON has an ELTON JOHN duet on his debut solo album. (--The self-titled album comes out on May 10th.) --They do a mash-up of Elton's songs "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man". (--Check out a preview, courtesy of Ryan Seacrest's radio show, here. Note: This version contains audio tags.) --The song hit Amazon.com and iTunes TODAY. (--By the way, Elton John has announced that he'll bring his "Million Dollar Piano" show back to Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas in September. The show will run another three years.)

 

 

The Return of Velvet Revolver Is Happening . . . In a "Couple of Years":

 

SCOTT WEILAND left VELVET REVOLVER in April of 2008. And for the past three years, we've been hearing about various potential replacements . . . only to have them eventually not pan out. --The latest false alarm was SLIPKNOT singer COREY TAYLOR. --Well . . . today there's good news and bad news: --The good news is that the band IS still planning a comeback. The bad news is it won't be happening any time soon. --SLASH says, quote, "DUFF [MCKAGAN'S] got his own thing, I've got my thing, Matt [SORUM'S] got his thing . . . next year, I definitely will make another Slash record with Myles Kennedy and go on tour. --"So at least for the next couple of years, nothing is going to be happening with Velvet Revolver that I can see 'cause I'll be focused on this. --"And after that's over, if something happens . . . I'm just not really concerning myself with it right now. We had all these different guys try out, all really good singers, but nobody has fit the thing, so, you know, I have to move on."

 

 

TUESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

 

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:

 

 

LINDSAY LOHAN is reportedly considering taking a deal in her grand theft case. Sources say her attorney asked the judge last week how much jail time Lindsay will get if she pleads guilty or no contest. (Full Story)

 

 

 

The new memoir from former "American Idol" judge KARA DIOGUARDI includes revelations that she was molested as a child, date-raped by a well-known . . . but unidentified . . . music producer, and sexually harassed by a, quote, "hugely successful artist." (Full Story)

 

 

 

 

"True Blood" star STEPHEN MOYER flipped his car while practicing for the Toyota Pro Celebrity Race this weekend. So the people at the show . . . including his wife ANNA PAQUIN . . . asked him to back out of the actual race. (Full Story)

 

 

 

DR. CONRAD MURRAY . . . the man accused of causing MICHAEL JACKSON'S death . . . helped stabilize a man who got dizzy and disoriented on a plane. (Full Story)

 

 

 

UNICEF has a new fundraiser where they're selling chances to win bottled tap water from the actual homes of celebrities like SELENA GOMEZ, TAYLOR SWIFT and DWIGHT HOWARD from the Orlando Magic. (Celebrity Tap)

 

 

 

PRINCE WILLIAM'S wedding is just 10 days away . . . and if you've bought into the hype, you probably want to watch not only the ceremony itself, but hours and hours of pre- and post-wedding coverage! Fortunately for you, Deadline.com published this handy guide to what the networks are planning. (Full Story)

 

 

Some crazy "I Dream of Jeannie" fan had BARBARA EDEN, who's now 76 years old, sign his leg-tattoo of her face. And naturally, he's going to have the signature tattooed as well. (Video) (--The dude has "Wonder Woman" star LYNDA CARTER tatted on his other leg.)

 

 

 

TV Land is developing a spin-off of BETTY WHITE'S sitcom "Hot in Cleveland". The new show will star CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER as a minister. The character will first show up on "Hot in Cleveland" this summer. (Full Story)

 

 

 

The great "Glee" / KINGS OF LEON beef is officially over. The band has accepted Ryan Murphy's apology . . . and singer CALEB FOLLOWILL adds, quote, "We don't hold grudges." (Full Story)

 

 

 

JEFF BRIDGES, who played a country singer in "Crazy Heart", has locked down a deal to record an album for real. He's working with T-BONE BURNETT, who worked on "Crazy Heart". The album is expected out in "late summer." (Full Story)

 

 

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

 

President Obama Filed His Taxes . . . And While He Made a Lot Less Money Last Year, It's Still Way More Than You Made:

 

The White House released PRESIDENT OBAMA'S tax return yesterday. And he sure is lucky he hasn't convinced Congress to overturn PRESIDENT BUSH'S tax cuts for rich folks yet. Because he's making it rain. --President Obama and MICHELLE reported an income of $1.73 MILLION for 2010. As president, he made the standard salary of $400,000 . . . the rest of the money is from his book royalties. --That income is WAY down from what the Obamas made in 2009. They made $5.5 MILLION . . . since the president's books were newer and sold better that year. He also got $1.4 MILLION for winning the Nobel Peace Prize. --During 2010, the Obamas paid $453,770 in federal taxes, which was about one-quarter of their income. Based on their income after deductions, they overpaid . . . so they'll be getting a $12,334 refund. --The Obamas reported $245,075 in charitable donations in 2010. That was spread across 36 charities, with the biggest chunk going to the Fisher House Foundation, a charity that supports members of the military and their families. --The White House also released JOE and JILL BIDEN'S return. They made a much more modest amount . . . $379,178. They owe $7,180 in taxes. (Huffington Post)

 

 

Debt Collectors Have Been Going After People Who Owe Money By Harassing Their Facebook Friends . . . . But a Court Ruled It's Illegal:

 

If you're deep in debt, here's a tiny bit of relief. You know that debt collector who's been trying to hunt you down? Now he can't legally harass your long lost friends from elementary school to get you to pay up. --Apparently, debt collectors have been trying to SHAME people into paying up by tracking them down on Facebook . . . then harassing their FACEBOOK FRIENDS. --In Florida, one collection agent was trying to get car payments from a woman named Melanie Beacham, and when she kept ignoring his calls, texts, and emails . . . he went on Facebook and started sending messages to her friends and family. --Melanie sued, saying he was violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act . . . which only allows a debt collector to get in touch with a person's friends and family if he doesn't know where the person is. -The debt collectors have been using social media to dance around that policy because the FDCPA was established in 1978 . . . so it only covers things like phone calls and home visits, not a brand-new technology like Facebook. --Well . . . a judge at the Pinellas Circuit Court in Florida ruled that even though social media isn't specifically covered in the FDCPA, it's still illegal. --It's being called a landmark case, because it set a precedent that debt collectors can't harass your Facebook friends. And now you know. (The Consumerist)

 

 

People Can Only Tell the Difference Between Expensive Red Wine and Cheap Red Wine 47% of the Time:

 

Here's some great, money-saving advice. Next time you're serving wine . . . GO CHEAP. Like, really, really cheap. Because you basically have a 50-50 chance that no one will notice. --In a new study out of Hertfordshire University in England, researchers confirmed what we all kinda knew . . . people can't really tell the difference between expensive wine and cheap wine. --In the study, only 53% of people could tell the difference between a high-priced white wine and a cheap one. And for red wine, it was LESS than half . . . only 47% could pick out the expensive one. --That means, more often than not, people assume a red wine is expensive when it's really the $3 swill. --Richard Wiseman is a psychologist who led the study. He says, quote, "You fool yourself into thinking you would be able to tell the difference, but most people simply can't." --There have been several experiments in the past that have shown the main factor in whether or not we like a wine is . . . the price --In one great experiment, a researcher took a bottle of $10 wine and poured some into a bottle of a brand that goes for $50. Then he served people wine from the original $10 bottle and from the $50 bottle. -Even though it was the exact same wine, every single person said they preferred the wine from the $50 bottle. (Time)

 

Why, Grandma, Why? STD Rates Among Seniors Are Up 43% Since 2005:

 

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this . . . but your grandma has been hooking up with a bunch of dirtbags. Just 'cause a guy is good at shuffleboard and has both of his original hips doesn't mean he's going to treat her right. --According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the STD rates for SENIOR CITIZENS are going up faster than the rates for any other age group in the country. --Since 2005, the number of people over 55 who have been diagnosed with syphilis and chlamydia is up an incredible 43%. --In Florida retirement communities, it's even worse . . . seniors with STDs are up 71% over that five-year period. --The reason why people over 55 get STDs is pretty simple . . . although kind of torturous for their kids and grandkids to have to think about. --Most of them spent DECADES of having unprotected sex with one partner. Now that they're widowed or divorced, they're not about to switch back to condoms. That makes them much more susceptible to STDs. --Couple that with the fact that their immune systems are generally weaker than younger people, and they're just BEGGING to come down with an STD. --But the main reason the rates are going up now? It's not that senior citizens are having more sex . . . they're just not as afraid to talk about its consequences. --In the past, seniors might've been afraid to go to the doctor with a sexual issue. Now that society is more casual about sex and STDs, seniors aren't afraid to admit they have one. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

 

 

Match.com Has Finally Decided To Start Checking Whether Its Members are Registered Sex Offenders:

 

Hey, good news . . . it only took them 16 years, but Match.com has finally decided that maybe they SHOULDN'T let registered sex offenders sign up for their site. -Yesterday, Match announced that they're going to start cross-referencing their database of members with the national sex offender registry. --They didn't say how they'll handle it if a sex offender registers with Match under a fake name. But based on how long it took them just to take THIS step toward protecting their members, I wouldn't bet on them digging that deep. --A Match spokeswoman said that they've been considering doing these screenings for years but, quote, "their historical unreliability has always led us to conclude against it." --She also says that Match had finally decided to start running deeper background checks and banning sex offenders . . . but their timetable got sped up last week. --Last week, a woman from Los Angeles SUED Match.com . . . after she was sexually assaulted on a second date with a man she met on the site. --She said the assault could've been prevented if Match had screened the man, because he was a registered sex offender. (Washington Post)

 

 

And Now . . . A Four-Year-Old In Chicago Got Drunk At Chili's:

 

Apparently we're in the middle of an EPIDEMIC: Children nationwide are in danger of accidentally being served alcohol at chain restaurants. So on the next trip to T.G.I. Friday's or California Pizza Kitchen, you might want to test that sippy cup.

 

--First, a week and a half ago, a 15-month-old at an Applebee's in Michigan got drunk off a margarita in his sippy cup.

 

--Then, late last week, a story surfaced about a two-and-a-half-year-old at an Olive Garden in Florida who got drunk off sangria in his kid's cup in March.

 

--And now, it's happened again. On Sunday in Chicago, a four-year-old girl named Brooklyn Davis was at Chili's and got drunk when she ordered a chocolate milkshake . . . and was served a Kahlua MUDSLIDE instead. --Brooklyn drank some, then complained it didn't taste good. Her mother Tyree tried it . . . realized it was alcohol . . . and called the police. --They took Brooklyn to the hospital. Like the kids from the Applebee's and Olive Garden incidents, Brooklyn eventually sobered up and was OK. But at the hospital, Brooklyn THREW UP from the alcohol. --Another difference between this incident and the two others is Chili's response. --Both Applebee's and Olive Garden were extremely apologetic and are investigating their incidents . . . Chili's actually suggested that Tyree may not be telling the whole truth and may've ordered the Mudslide herself. (CBS 2 - Chicago)

If You Want Your Young Child To Learn How To Speak . . . Make Sure To Say "Um" A Lot?

 

According to a new study out of the University of Rochester in New York, when you're trying to teach a young child to speak, your best bet is . . . to use every bad speaking habit you can think of. --The researchers found that when parents used sentences that were naturally filled with "uh" and "um" and even "like," their children would learn better than when the parents spoke more professionally and fluidly. --If you point at a couch and say "This is a couch," it's less effective than pointing at a couch and saying, "This is, uh, a, um, couch." --Here's the reason: By the time a child is ready to learn to talk, they've already been intently listening. And their brain has noticed that people say "um" and "uh" and "like" when they're pausing to think. --So the child has associated words like "um" with the IMPORTANT parts of a conversation . . . and uses those words as a clue to pay closer attention. (Discovery)

 

 

MEATBALL CRIMINALS

 

A Woman Loses Her Disability Settlement When It's Clear She Can Work . . . Thanks To Photos of Her Belly Dancing Online:

 

Three years ago, Brian and Dorothy McGurk of Staten Island, New York, got divorced. Dorothy said Brian needed to pay alimony because she was injured in a car accident in 1997 that left her too injured to work. --The courts agreed, and Brian was ordered to pay Dorothy $850 per month, every month, for LIFE. --That sweet, sweet deal just IMPLODED on Dorothy . . . because Brian was searching online and found that Dorothy WASN'T too injured to work. In fact, she was working NIGHTLY as a BELLY DANCER. --And she was dumb enough to keep a BLOG about it, posting updates almost every day, with photos of herself dancing. --She'd even write things that totally contradicted her injury claims like, quote, "Today as I danced myself silly, I lifted my head and elongated my neck as I swirled around. And then it happened, I got really, really high." --Brian and his lawyer presented the blog to the judge. She called Dorothy in. Dorothy told her that a DOCTOR had PRESCRIBED the belly dancing as a treatment for her injuries. The judge called in the doctor. He had not. --And Dorothy was hit HARD. The judge stripped her of the $850-a-month . . . ordered her to pay all three years back . . . also ordered her to pay Brian $5,000 plus interest for lawyer's fees . . . AND awarded the couple's house back to Brian. (New York Daily News) (--Here's a photo of Dorothy. Her blog was taken down.)

 

 

Two Women Try To Smuggle Reefer Into the Airport . . . But Set Off the Metal Detectors Because They Wrapped It In Foil:

 

Something tells me these women aren't professional drug smugglers. In fact, if I had to guess, based on context clues, I'd say they're just a pair of hardcore cougars who were looking to have a good time on vacation. --Their names haven't been released, we just know their ages . . . 52 and 44 . . . and that they're from Christchurch, New Zealand. --On Sunday, they went to the Queenstown Airport in New Zealand and the 52-year-old kept setting off the metal detector. It took airport security a minute to figure out what was going on. --And then they found it. It seems the ladies had tried to smuggle REEFER into the airport and had stuffed it in their BRAS. But they wrapped it up in TINFOIL . . . and didn't realize that was going to set off the metal detector. --The report notes that the women were wearing, quote, "tight-fitting clothing." --Both women were arrested and are still in custody. Between the two of them they had more than three ounces of reefer in their bras. (Southland Times)

 

 

RANDOM EXTRAS

 

Stupid News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:

 

 

A guy won a year's supply of doughnuts at last year's Houston Astros fan appreciation day: He got 315 coupons for free doughnuts. The IRS valued them at $3 each, and said he'd have to pay $237 income tax on them. And as of last month, he'd only used eight of the coupons. (Full Story)

 

 

Gas is now over $4 a gallon in Washington, D.C. and six states . . . New York, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Illinois. (Full Story)

 

 

On the 40th anniversary of his conviction, Charles Manson has decided to speak out . . . about global warming. According to Manson, quote, "Everyone's God and if we don't wake up to that there's going to be no weather because our polar caps are melting because we're doing bad things to the atmosphere." Well said. (Full Story)

 

 

The guy who's Editor-In-Chief of "Surgery News" and president of American College of Surgeons has been forced to resign . . . after writing an Op-Ed piece in February about how contact with man-seed makes women happier. (Full Story)

 

 

On Friday, a judge in Scotland lifted a restraining order so a bride and groom could get married the next day. The couple had gotten in a violent fight over the strippers at the groom's bachelor party. (Full Story)

 

 

According to a new study from a children's hospital in Cleveland, the number of cases of 'shaken baby syndrome' have doubled during the recession. (Full Story)

 

 

A teenager in North Dakota was arrested for driving a stolen car . . . after he drove it to a local police station, and applied for a free emergency gas voucher. (Full Story)

 

 

NAZZY'S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

 

#1.) Here's What the Royal Wedding Would Look Like . . . If the Royal Family Danced Down the Aisle:

 

The Royal Wedding between PRINCE WILLIAM and KATE MIDDLETON is next Friday, and T-Mobile made a decent parody video that shows royal lookalikes dancing down the aisle to the song "House of Love" by a British boy band called East 17. --It's a spoof of the "JK Wedding Entrance Dance" video that hit YouTube in 2009 and racked up over 64 million views. That's the one where the couple in Minnesota danced into the church with their wedding party to the Chris Brown song "Forever". (--Search YouTube for "The T-Mobile Royal Wedding." The Prince Harry lookalike's dance starts at 1:10, and the Prince William lookalike shows up at 1:35.)

 

 

#2.) A Guy Filmed a Tornado Coming Straight for Him and Stayed Completely Calm:

 

Hundreds of tornadoes touched down all across the southeast this past weekend, and there are a ton of videos of them on YouTube. Most of the people in the videos freak out. --But one guy in Wilson, North Carolina filmed a tornado from a parking lot, and stayed completely calm while it was bearing down on him. Later, a local news station asked how he kept his composure, and he said, quote, "I was a Marine, and I love Jesus." (--Search for "Wilson NC Tornado as It Hits Walgreens." It starts to get tense around 1:10.)

 

 

#3.) A Chubby Guy Did Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" on "Britain's Got Talent" . . . And Now People Are Calling Him the Next Susan Boyle:

 

A contestant on "Britain's Got Talent" named MICHAEL COLLINGS is being called this season's SUSAN BOYLE. So in other words, he's overweight and has a better than average singing voice. --The video of him performing "Fast Car" by TRACY CHAPMAN already has a million views on YouTube. (--Search for "Michael Collings Britain's Got Talent." The performance starts at 2:04.)

The Three Main Ways You Might Be Sabotaging Your Children's Health:

 

In a survey by the YMCA, 89% of parents with kids aged five to ten thought they were either "good" or "excellent" at making sure their kids lived a healthy lifestyle. But one-third of U.S. kids are overweight or obese. -Which means a lot of parents are clueless when it comes to their kids' health. Here's a list from "Time" magazine of the three main ways you might be sabotaging your children's health. And yeah . . . it's the ones you're thinking of.

 

#1.) Letting Them Watch Too Much TV. Almost half of the parents surveyed said they let their kids watch more than two hours of TV a day, and 74% of parents said they spent family time doing sedentary things . . . like watching more TV. --But it's hard to bond in front of the TV, since everyone has to stay quiet the whole time. So going for a walk or a family bike ride is better anyway.

 

#2.) Letting Them Stay Inside All Day. This sort of goes hand-in-hand with watching too much TV, but 84% of the parents who were surveyed said their children don't play outside on a daily basis. --And 74% said their kids don't meet the minimum recommendation of one hour of aerobic activity a day. --But making sure your kids are active is important in more ways than one: A 2009 study of 11,000 eight and nine-year-olds found that kids behaved better in school if they got just 15 minutes of recess per day.

 

#3.) Letting Them Eat Too Much Junk Food. This is the big one: According to recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 40% of the calories consumed by 2-to-18-year-olds are "empty" calories from fat and sugar --And only 16% of parents in the YMCA poll said they make sure their kids get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, which is the recommended MINIMUM. Meanwhile, 10% of ALL their calories come from soda and fruit drinks. --So in other words, you should teach your kids to drink more water, and cut back on things like chips and candy. --It won't just affect their weight, it'll affect their brains too. A study done last year found that three-year-olds who had diets that were high in fat, sugar, and calories had lower IQs by age eight compared to kids who had healthy diets. (Time.com)