HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (April 21, 2011)

Emma Roberts . . . Is Chord Overstreet Dattin' That?

 

Witnesses say EMMA ROBERTS and "Glee" stud CHORD OVERSTREET were making out in front of everyone at the Coachella music festival over the weekend. --A source adds, quote, "They couldn't keep their hands off each other!" After a late-night party, they were even seen heading off toward his hotel room. --But maybe Chord got everything he wanted that night, because the next day at the festival, he was giving her a bit of a cold shoulder. A witness says, quote, "She was leaning into him, but he seemed way more interested in his food." (--Chord . . . who plays Sam Evans . . . has been linked to his "Glee" co-star NAYA RIVERA and TAYLOR SWIFT. He's 22. Emma Roberts is 20.)

 

 

Catherine Zeta-Jones Says People with Bipolar 2 Shouldn't Suffer Silently:

 

CATHERINE ZETA-JONES is back on the set of her new movie in Louisiana . . . after announcing last week that she's being treated for Bipolar 2 disorder. --In the new issue of "People" magazine, Catherine says, quote, "This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them. If my revelation of having Bipolar 2 has encouraged one person to seek help, then it is worth it. --"There is no need to suffer silently and there is no shame in seeking help." --Catherine is currently filming a movie called "Playing the Field" with JESSICA BIEL and GERARD BUTLER. (--Here's a picture of her back on the set.) (People) --Catherine has also joined the cast of the "Rock of Ages" movie. She'll play a villain who was not in the Broadway version. --The character is described as a, quote, "hardcore, moral majority, arch-conservative who wants to shut down rock 'n' roll in the great city of Los Angeles." --The movie also stars Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Julianne Hough and Paul Giamatti. (--This won't be Catherine's first musical, by the way. She actually won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Chicago".)

 

 

Demi Lovato Says She's Bipolar:

 

Hot on the heels of CATHERINE ZETA-JONES' diagnosis, DEMI LOVATO is now revealing that SHE'S bipolar, too. --She says, quote, "I never found out until I went into treatment that I was bipolar. --"Looking back it makes sense. There were times when I was so manic, I was writing seven songs in one night and I'd be up until 5:30 in the morning. --"I feel like I am in control now where my whole life I wasn't in control. What's important for me now is to help others."

 

 

Is Justin Timberlake Losing His Hair?

 

Do you miss JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE'S sweet, white-boy afro? Well, there's a reason Justin keeps his head well-shorn these days: HE'S LOSING HIS HAIR. --"In Touch Weekly" says Justin keeps his hair short so people won't notice he's going bald. In the meantime, he's using, quote, "specially formulated shampoo to promote hair growth."

 

 

Billy Ray Cyrus Just Wants Miley to Be Happy:

 

There have been a lot of problems within the CYRUS clan this year . . . especially between BILLY RAY and MILEY. But things are back on the right track, and Billy Ray says all he wants is for Miley to be happy. --He says, quote, "My wish for [Miley] is to be happy. To love what she's doing . . . As long as she's happy and loving making music, and I know she loves acting, that's all that matters. --"I pray the same for Miley as I pray for my other kids; that they live their life with purpose knowing that it's about giving back and finding out what you can do in this world to hopefully make it a better place." --He adds, quote, "I try to focus on the positive. I think it's important to stay focused on where you wanna go . . . And there will be a lot of distractions out there. That's why it's all the more important to stay focused on what you believe in." --Billy Ray also says he still follows advice he got from fellow country singers JOHNNY CASH, WAYLON JENNINGS and CARL PERKINS, which was, quote, "Cyrus, keep it real. Be who you are and do what you do because you love it."

Starsky from "Starsky & Hutch" Needs Protection from a Female Stalker:

 

The Detective David Starsky I remember from the classic '70s cop show "Starsky & Hutch" would NEVER need a court order to protect him from a WOMAN. --But this is real life . . . and actor PAUL MICHAEL GLASER filed for a restraining order against the woman who used to run his official website. --Glaser says he lives IN FEAR of this woman, because she's been lurking around his apartment, e-mailing him incessantly and showing, quote, "both a rational and very irrational side." --Glaser also says that when he went to England three years ago to do a play, she followed him all the way there . . . and went to the play 23 TIMES. --In his petition, Glaser is asking that the woman be ordered to stay at least 200 yard away from him and his family. He adds, quote, "I am about to start a tour with my book, and given [the woman's] behavior, I fear for my safety."

 

 

Check Out Pictures of Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's Nursery:

 

Not surprisingly, MARIAH CAREY and NICK CANNON went a little over the top putting together a nursery for their unborn twins . . . spending $100,000 in the process. --She says, quote, "I wanted to create a beautiful, tranquil, cozy environment for the babies. Everything matches, but pieces are individualized to celebrate the twins as separate entities." --Mariah's favorite part of the nursery is the ceiling, which is painted to look like the sky. Mariah says, quote, "It's based on two songs I wrote that are fan favorites: 'Underneath the Stars' and 'Close My Eyes'. --"Sometimes I just sit in the nursery and stare at the ceiling because I love it so much. To me, it symbolizes wanting my children to dream as big as possible and to let their imaginations be unbridled." (--Here are a couple pics of the nursery.) (Celebitchy)

 

 

Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller Now Have to Have Drug Tests Once a Week:

 

The judge in the CHARLIE SHEEN / BROOKE MUELLER custody case made one change to their agreement: Charlie and Brooke must now undergo drug tests ONCE A WEEK. (--During his show in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday night, Charlie told the crowd that he was late for the gig because he waited to take a drug test at the AIRPORT. You can listen to him tell that story here.)
(--WARNING!!! There's bleeped profanity in this clip.) --Meanwhile, Brooke is said to be doing her outpatient rehab by day, and taking care of the twins at night.

 

 

Justin Bieber Thinks Charlie Sheen is the Most Influential Man in the World:

 

Given his age, you can forgive JUSTIN BIEBER for having a slightly skewed view of how the world works. Justin tells "Time" magazine that he thinks CHARLIE SHEEN is the most influential man in the world. (???) --Here's his reasoning . . . quote, "He's got a million followers in one day on Twitter. And . . . I've never seen that happen before. Plus, he's got tiger blood, and he's always winning." (--Bieber is on "Time's" list of the 100 Most Influential People, which is being released sometime today at this link.)

 

 

The Lakers Have Released a New Pro-Tolerance Video:

 

The L.A. Lakers have released a new video preaching tolerance. The message is delivered by teammates Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Shannon Brown, Ron Artest . . . and, of course, KOBE BRYANT. --The message is aimed at ALL haters . . . not just homophobes. Kobe says, quote, "There are all kinds of different people in the world. That's what makes the world special." --Then he and his teammates continue, quote, "So whether someone is different than you in race, ethnicity, political beliefs, religion or sexual orientation, words could be hurtful. --"Replace them with understanding, compassion and acceptance. Let's make this a better world for all of us, because we're all in this together." (--Watch the video here. It's actually within a TV news report.)
(--Kobe was fined $100,000 by the NBA for hurling the gay slur that starts with the letter "F" at a referee during a game last week.)

NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

 

Here's a Sneak Preview of This Weekend's New Movies:

 

#1.) "Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family"
(PG-13)

 

Tyler Perry once again plays Madea. In this one, he/she helps a niece knock some sense into her children, whose lives are all out of control. (Trailer) --One of them is played by Bow Wow . . . and the incredibly sexy Lauren London plays Bow Wow's hot girlfriend. The Old Spice guy Isaiah Mustafa is in it too. --I first fell in love with Lauren when she played T.I.'s girlfriend, "New New", in "ATL", but she's also been in a lot of hip hop videos, including Pharrell's "That Girl", Snoop's "Drop It Like It's Hot", and Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent". (--By the way, if you haven't seen Tyler Perry's teaser poster, it's pretty amusing. It's a picture of Madea that's a parody of Natalie Portman's ballet flick . . . and the caption reads "Madea is the REAL Black Swan." Check it out again here.)

 

#2.) "Water for Elephants"
(PG-13)

 

Robert Pattinson joins the circus and falls in love with Reese Witherspoon. She rides horses, he cares for the elephants. Too bad she's married to somebody else. The story is told in flashbacks by an old man reminiscing about his youth. (Trailer)

 

#3.) "African Cats"
(G)

 

Samuel L. Jackson narrates the latest Disney Nature movie. The stories include a lion with a broken tooth trying to defend his pride against a rival . . . a cheetah raising five newborn cubs . . . and a lion cub's loyalty to her injured mother. (Trailer) --The release coincides with Earth Day, which is tomorrow. You may also be interested in the song "Idol" winner Jordin Sparks did for the film. It's called "The World I Knew".

 

(--Click here for a look at this week's limited releases.)

 

 

Tyler Perry May Kill Off Madea When People Stop Going to Her Movies:

 

Whether SPIKE LEE likes it or not, TYLER PERRY is going to keep putting on dresses and playing Madea. Until audiences lose interest. Then he's ready to KILL HER OFF. --Perry says, quote, "The people, they won't let it go. They won't let it go. I got about a million messages on my message board of people saying how much they love it, so as long as people want to see it, I'll keep doing it. --"The minute they stop coming, that old broad is going to jump, and she'll be gone, I'm telling you." (--The latest "Madea" flick, "Madea's Big Happy Family", hits theaters tomorrow.)

 

 

Check Out a Trailer for "X-Men: First Class":

 

The trailer for the "X-Men" prequel, "X-Men: First Class", hit the Internet yesterday. It's about the early days of the X-Men . . . back when Professor X and Magneto were actually friends. (--SPOILER ALERT: I'm pretty sure they're not friends anymore by the end of the movie.) --"X-Men: First Class" hits theaters June 3rd. (--Here's the trailer.)

 

 

After Some Confusion, Lindsay Lohan is Doing the Gotti Movie After All:

 

LINDSAY LOHAN is going to do that movie about the GOTTI crime family after all. But she won't be playing JOHN GOTTI'S daughter VICTORIA. Instead, she'll play JOHN GOTTI JR.'S wife, Kimberly Albanese. --Yesterday was kind of a strange day, as far as Lindsay and this movie are concerned. As we heard not long ago, Lindsay WAS in talks to play Victoria. But Lindsay's people messed up the deal by making ridiculous demands. --Early yesterday, producer Marc Fiore announced that he was THROUGH trying to negotiate with Lindsay's people and the deal was off. He said, quote, "Talks have stopped and we are done. I will only ride a merry-go-round with my kids." --But he added, quote, "Maybe if Lindsay calls me up, we can talk about it." --Apparently, that's what happened. Sources say Lindsay called Fiore personally and patched things up, and he gave her the role of Kimberly. --Things went so well that Lindsay will do a SECOND movie for Fiore. It's another crime flick called "Mob Street", with CHAZZ PALMINTERI. --The Gotti movie is called "Gotti: Three Generations". It stars JOHN TRAVOLTA as John Gotti Sr., the late head of the Gambino crime family . . . and JOE PESCI as his right-hand man.

"AMERICAN IDOL" INSANITY

 

Another "Idol" Producer Says They'll Consider "Tweaking" the Voting Procedure in the Wake of Pia Toscano's Early Exit:

 

After PIA TOSCANO'S shocking elimination from "American Idol" two weeks ago, executive producer NIGEL LYTHGOE suggested that they may change the rules next season to give the judges the final say in who exits the show. --And now, another executive producer, KEN WARWICK, seems to be backing that. --Yesterday, he said, quote, "The texting, the tweeting, the social glue we strive for . . . we were aware that voting would be skewed. Young girls and [mothers] are a driving force [in the voting]. So how can we keep it fair? --"We're not going to start fiddling with the voting now . . . but there are many ideas on the table [for next season]." --Warwick's point that FEMALE fans are a "driving force" in the voting has been apparent for several seasons now. --Even PAUL MCDONALD, who was eliminated last week, admitted that the guys "definitely have an advantage" because of all the rabid young girl fans. -Here's some stuff to chew on: Paul was the first dude from this year's Top 13 to be dropped by the fans. Of course, America TRIED to cut CASEY ABRAMS . . . but he was given a pass thanks to a fairly dramatic "judges' save." --Aside from that, five straight girls were shown the door: Ashthon Jones, Karen Rodriguez, Thia Megia, Naima Adedapo and my beautiful Pia. Before Paul's exit, there were six guys remaining, and just two girls. --The last female "Idol" winner was JORDIN SPARKS in Season Six, four years ago. Since then, 11 of the 15 Top Five finalists were male . . . and five of the six Top Two contestants were guys.

 

 

When Did the "Idol" Voting System Jump the Shark? A Theory:

 

(--The following is an officially baseless, but thought-out theory on when the "American Idol" voting system jumped the shark, from my perspective.) Can we blame SANJAYA MALAKAR? He was notoriously and tragically dragged through the competition during Jordin Sparks' season . . . by teenage girls and all kinds of jokers who wanted to upend the "American Idol" process.
--Remember the girl in the "Idol" audience who was CRYING HER SOUL OUT during one of Sanjaya's unfortunate performances? (--You do. Here it is again.) --The female vote picked up steam the following season . . . the Year of the Davids. DAVID ARCHULETA was a focus of teenage girl affection, and DAVID COOK was a heartthrob for the more mature female voters.
--Not that The Davids didn't deserve it . . . they were good . . . but any guy could've lost interest in the midst of that sappy love fest. --Then there was the KRIS ALLEN / ADAM LAMBERT season, which added the gay vote to the female vote to forge an unstoppable, MAN-loving force. Adam deserved his spot in the finals. I don't think Kris deserved to beat out that blind guy. --That brings us to last season, when that LEE DEWYZE guy inexplicably beat out CRYSTAL BOWERSOX in the finale. And there was also that weird CASEY JAMES fascination, while SIOBHAN MAGNUS couldn't even crack the Top Five.

 

 

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

 

--"NBA Playoffs: 76ers vs. Heat" . . . 8:00 to 10:30 P.M. Eastern on TNT. (--The Philadelphia 76ers host the Miami Heat.)

 

--"NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers vs. Mavericks" . . . 10:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. Eastern on TNT. (--The Portland Trail Blazers host the Dallas Mavericks.)

 

--"American Idol" [Results Show] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox. (--David Cook and Katy Perry perform.)

 

--"The Office" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on NBC. (--Michael gives his successor Deangelo Vickers (Will Ferrell) his very first assignment, which is to host the branch's annual awards party known as the Dundies.)

 

--"Call Me Fitz" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on DirecTV. (--Jason Priestley stars as a used car salesman who suddenly develops a conscience.)

 

--"30 Rock" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--The show celebrates its 100th episode with cameos by Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa, Matt Lauer and Rachael Ray. Plus: Michael Keaton guest stars as a janitor.)

 

--"Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV. (--The Black Eyed Peas assign each crew to a different Black Eyed Peas song which they will have to choreograph routines to.)

 

--"Archer" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on FX.

 

--"Bear Whisperer" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Animal Planet.

 

--"Eagleheart" [1st Season Finale] . . . Midnight to 12:30 A.M. on Adult Swim.

 

 

LADY GAGA FAUX PAS

 

Lady Gaga Dropped the Word "Retarded" in an Angry Rant:

 

In "Born This Way", LADY GAGA sings, quote, "Whether life's disabilities / left you outcast, bullied, or teased / rejoice and love yourself today / 'cause baby you were born this way." --But in an interview in the new issue of "NME" magazine, she proved that she can be just as insensitive as the rest of us by dropping the "R-word." (--Specifically, "retarded.") --Here's the story: The interviewer pointed out that Gaga's "Born This Way" is very similar to MADONNA'S
"Express Yourself" . . . and suggested that it was intentional. --That prompted Lady Gaga to unleash an EPIC rant. --She said, quote, "I'm not stupid enough to put out a record and be that moronic . . . No. Listen to me. What the [eff]? I'm a songwriter. I've written loads of music. --"Why would I try to put out a [copied] song and think I'm getting one over on everybody? (CAREFUL)
That's retarded. What a completely ridiculous thing to even question me about. --She went on, quote, "I will look you in your eyes and tell you that I am NOT dumb enough or moronic enough to think that YOU are dumb enough or moronic enough not to see that I would have stolen a melody. --"If you put the songs next to each other, side by side, the only similarities are the chord progression. It's the same one that's been in disco music for the last 50 years. --"Just because I'm the first [effing] artist in 25 years to think of putting it on Top 40 radio, it doesn't mean I'm a plagiarist, it means I'm [effing] smart. Sorry." --Last night, Lady Gaga apologized for dropping the R-word . . . chalking it up to a "mistake." --She sent a message to PerezHilton.com saying, quote, "I consider it part of my life's work and music to push the boundaries of love and acceptance. --"My apologies for not speaking thoughtfully. To anyone that was hurt, please know that it was furiously unintentional. An honest mistake requires honesty to make. --"'Whether life's disabilities, left you outcast bullied or teased, rejoice and love yourself today.' --Lady Gaga. --Speaking of Lady Gaga, Madonna, and slips of the tongue . . . Lady Gaga has reportedly been tapped to be the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live's" season finale on May 21st. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE will host. --Lady Gaga's last "SNL" appearance came in October of 2009. That time, she dropped the S-word in one of her performances . . . and she appeared in a skit with Madonna, in which they engaged in a catfight and ALMOST kissed.

 

 

Weird Al Yankovic Claims Lady Gaga Rejected His "Born This Way" Parody, But Lady Gaga's People Say It Was a Misunderstanding:

 

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC unleashed an angry anti-LADY GAGA tirade on his blog yesterday, because he claims she rejected his "Born This Way" parody . . . but only after stringing him along and wasting his time. --But it may have been a misunderstanding. Here's the story . . . Weird Al wrote a Lady Gaga parody called "Perform This Way". He sent the concept and lyrics to her to see if she'd be cool with it --Weird Al says Lady Gaga's people told him to go ahead and record the track, because she'd need to "hear it" to approve it. --So Weird Al cut his vacation short . . . rushed back home . . . and recorded and mixed the track. He sent it to Lady Gaga, and then he got a response. NO . . . they wouldn't sign off on it. --Technically, Weird Al doesn't NEED her approval to release the track, because his parodies fall under "fair use." But it's always been his policy to only release songs in which he's received an OK from the original artist. --But he DID upload the song on YouTube. (--You can check it out, here . . . and you can read Weird Al's entire rant, here.) --Late last night, Weird Al updated his blog . . . saying that Lady Gaga has signed off on the parody, and loves his song. He added that her people admitted that they hadn't given the track to her in the first place. (--You can read his update, here.)

 

 

The Foo Fighters Just Scored Their First #1 Album:

 

After seven studio albums, the FOO FIGHTERS have finally landed their first #1. "Wasting Light" sold 235,000 copies to top this week's "Billboard" chart. (--FYFFI . . . For Your Foo Fighter Information: Even though it's their first #1 disc, it's not the biggest sales week they've ever notched. That came from 2005's "In Your Honor", which debuted at #2 with 311,000 copies.)

 

 

Guitarist K.K. Downing Has Quit Judas Priest:

 

Guitarist K.K. DOWNING has announced that he's retiring from JUDAS PRIEST. --K.K. has been around since the band formed in 1969 . . . and has spent all of the last 42 YEARS in Priest, except for the band's three-year hiatus in the mid-'90s. He's 59 years old. --In a statement on the Judas Priest website, the band says they, quote, "respect his decision, and naturally wish him well." A 31-year-old guitarist named Richie Faulkner will replace him on their upcoming European tour.

 

TV on the Radio Bassist Gerard Smith Has Died of Lung Cancer:

 

TV ON THE RADIO bassist GERARD SMITH has died of lung cancer. He was 34. Gerard was diagnosed around the time the band finished recording their new album, "Nine Types of Light", which came out last week. --A message was posted on the band's site saying, quote, "We are very sad to announce the death of our beloved friend and bandmate, Gerard Smith, following a courageous fight against lung cancer . . . we will miss him terribly." --TV on the Radio has canceled five shows over the next week, including last night's gig in Detroit and another one tomorrow night in Chicago.

 

 

Snoop Dogg Celebrated 4/20 By Posting a Picture of Himself Holding a Giant Pipe:

 

Believe it or not, SNOOP DOGG found the time to celebrate 4/20 yesterday. --He posted a picture of himself holding a GIGANTIC marijuana pipe on Twitter. The pipe, which had his name on it, was empty . . . but that probably wasn't the case for the whole day. --It came with the caption: "This what we do on 420!!" (--You can see it, here.)

 

THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

 

 

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:

 

 

SERENA WILLIAMS posted a picture of herself on Twitter recently, practicing tennis in a hot pink, full body suit. She explained that since her hematoma, she has to wear something that keeps her stomach warm. (Full Story)

 

 

 

TIM HETHERINGTON was nominated for Best Documentary Oscar this year for his Afghanistan War movie "Restrepo". Yesterday, he was killed by mortar fire while covering the conflict in Libya. (Full Story)

 

 

 

"Saturday Night Live" star ANDY SAMBERG will host this year's SHARK WEEK on the Discovery Channel. CRAIG FERGUSON did it last year. (Full Story)

 

 

 

KHLOE KARDASHIAN will play herself on Monday's episode of "Law & Order: L.A." Sadly, she will not be the victim. (Full Story)

 

 

 

If you care about "Survivor", both MIKE and MATT survived their challenge and DAVE is now out of the game. (Delicious Audio) They'll be joined on Redemption Island by JULIE, who's the latest tribal council victim. (Delicious Audio)

 

 

 

When LAUREN BUSH . . . the granddaughter of one former president and the niece of another . . . marries fashion heir DAVID LAUREN, what will she call herself? She says, quote, "I think it will be Lauren Bush-Lauren. That's not final, but I think it's nice to have the same name as your husband. I am sort of old-fashioned in that way." (Full Story)

 

 

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:

 

 

As if he wasn't having enough financial troubles already . . . NICOLAS CAGE has sold his Rhode Island mansion for $6.5 million . . . after paying $15.9 million for it in 2007. (Full Story)

 

 

 

SNOOKI is losing weight . . . and Tweeting pictures of her trimmer figure. (Full Story)

 

 

 

JENNIFER LOPEZ and MARC ANTHONY are working on a new reality series with "American Idol" producer Simon Fuller. It would take them to Latin America to look for undiscovered musical talent. (Full Story)

 

 

 

CHRIS COLFER from "Glee" is writing a pilot for the Disney Channel called "The Little Leftover Witch". It's based on a children's book of the same name about a witch who is taken in by a new family after her broom breaks and she falls out of the sky. (Full Story)

 

 

 

Seven years after her last talk show bit the dust, RICKI LAKE has announced a deal for a new daytime show that'll launch in the fall of 2012. She'll cover topics like marriage, divorce, parenting and weight loss. (Full Story)

 

 

 

Remember AFROMAN . . . who had a hit with that song "Because I Got High" a few years back? Well, he got sued yesterday for not showing up to a gig in Ohio earlier this month. An attorney for the plaintiffs noted the irony of suing Afroman on 4/20 . . . but he claims he didn't choose the date on purpose. (Full Story)

 

 

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

 

Most People Would Rather Go to the Dentist or Visit Their In-Laws than Shop for a Bathing Suit Right Now:

 

It's getting dangerously close to swimsuit season . . . which is a problem, because it seems most of us are still solidly in "gorging on donuts and Cheetos" season.--According to a new survey, 60% of women and 46% of men say they feel like they're not ready to go out in public in a bathing suit. --More than 30% of women say they plan on wearing a full-body cover up at the beach or pool . . . and 20% of both men and women say they plan on avoiding the beach ENTIRELY this summer. --67% of women said they'd rather go to the dentist, do taxes, sit in the middle seat on a plane, or visit in-laws than go bathing suit shopping right now. 75% of men said those options sounded better than going bathing suit shopping. --So . . . is anyone actually planning to TRY to get into better shape before the summer? --More than half of women said they're about to step up their workouts to try to get into bathing suit shape by summer. Only 34% of men have that plan. (PR Newswire)

 

 

Ghost In A Bottle.

 

Item number: 250808058449

 

 

Bidding ends: April 27th

With no bids at press time, starting bid: $99.99

Item location: Humble, TX

 

Seller says: "so i live in this crazy apartment, it is very dark and the lights flicker all the time, so i felt as if there was a spirit around me all the time. come to find out there was a young girl who lived in my apartment like 3 months before i lived there, and she ended up killing herself in my apartment. so what i did to get rid of the spirit is i hired a medium to come trap the spirit, and she said she ended up catching this ghost in this bottle/jar. its is just a jar nothing special. but you will hold the power and control over whether or not to set the spirit free or keep it locked up 4ever. if u send me an email with ur best price i may lower it if u r close to my offer."

 

 

 

What Do You Get When You Pay $6,390 For a Toilet?

 

Kohler is about to start rolling out a new toilet called the Numi. It'll cost you $6,390 to have one in your house. So, what do you get when you pay that much for a toilet? Here's a list of what it does and doesn't feature.

 

--A lid that opens automatically when it senses your presence and adjusts the seat to your height? YES.

 

--A bidet that cleans you and has options for pulsating and oscillating sprays? YES.

 

--A charcoal-filter deodorizer to kill any nasty smells? YES.

 

--A built-in TV? NO.

 

--A sleek, minimalist look that makes the toilet look almost like a work of art? YES.

 

--A nightlight to guide you right onto the bowl in the dark? YES.

 

--A foot warmer? YES.

 

--A subscription to different magazines so you'll always have reading material? NO.

 

--A built-in FM radio, a spot to dock your iPod, and a touch-screen remote? YES.

 

--A flush that changes from 0.6 gallons to 1.28 gallons depending on what you produce? YES.

 

(Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

 

(--Here's the official Numi website where you can see photos and learn more.)

 

 

Having a Desk Job Increases Your Chances of Bowel Cancer By 94%:

 

Yeah, it's true . . . your job really IS trying to KILL YOU. --According to a horrifying new study out of the University of Western Australia, if you work a desk job for more than a decade, it makes you 94% more likely to develop bowel cancer. NINETY-FOUR PERCENT. -And it gets worse. Even if you exercise every day, that doesn't overcome the negative effect of sitting at a desk all day, every day for work. --If there's any good news in this, it's that bowel cancer is extremely beatable. And, of course, this is just one study, so it's not necessarily definitive. (The Telegraph)

 

 

Everybody Panic! Your iPhone is Secretly Tracking Every Move You Make:

 

Here's something new for conspiracy theorists to freak out about. Your iPhone
is tracking YOUR EVERY MOVE. --A team of iPhone app developers recently figured out that your iPhone is actually tracking and logging every step that you take. And when you sync your phone to your computer, that log is transferred. --Now . . . here are the reasons why you shouldn't freak out about this.

 

#1.) There's no evidence that your travel log is being transmitted back to Apple. And even if it was, I'm not sure that they'd care how often you go to Arby's.

 

#2.) This feature is actually one that people ASKED FOR . . . it's what you use to track down your iPhone when it gets lost or stolen.

 

#3.) As long as you're not cheating on your wife or a serial killer by night, who REALLY cares?

 

#4.) Because this is about Apple, it's getting a lot of coverage, but at this point, basically every smartphone has some kind of GPS tracking and logging in place. -If you want to see how much of your travel history is being stored on your iPhone, there's a new free app called iPhone Tracker you can use. (CNN)

 

 

MEATBALL CRIMINALS

 

A Man Pulls Off the Crime Pentathlon: Drunk Driving a Stolen Car Through a Crime Scene While Naked and Looking At Porno:

 

Kevin Signalness of Portland, Oregon pulled off a rare feat on Monday . . . he pulled off what we're calling a CRIME PENTATHLON. That's five different, unique crimes all done simultaneously . . . and you rarely see that happen. Let's break it down . . .

 

#1.) Kevin stole a car . . .

 

#2.) Drove the car drunk . . .

 

#3.) Plowed it through some police tape and into a crime scene where the police were investigating a murder . . .

 

#4.) Had his JUNK EXPOSED . . .

 

#5.) And was looking at a PORNO MAGAZINE on the seat next to him at the time. --The police from the crime scene took a quick break to arrest him. He was hit with a ton of charges ranging from car theft and driving under the influence, to reckless driving and public indecency. (FOX 12 - Portland)

 

Four People Were Injured After a Woman Ran Them Down With Her Car at One of Those McDonald's 'Hiring Day' Events:

 

This is NOT how you get a job at McDonald's. In fact, this is so bad, this woman probably couldn't even get a job at DENNY'S. --On Tuesday, McDonald's was holding a Hiring Day event in Cleveland, Ohio . . . they held nationwide events on Tuesday to get 50,000 new employees in 24 hours. --Two women showed up in a silver Infiniti, and ended up getting into a fight with a group of women who were waiting in line in the parking lot to try to get jobs. --After a little hand-to-hand fighting, the two women got back in the Infiniti. The driver tried to pull forward to leave the parking lot, but it was so crowded that she couldn't. So, she gunned the car in reverse. --She ran over FOUR PEOPLE. Thankfully, she didn't actually roll the car over them . . . as she went in reverse, her door was open, and it looked like the door knocked the people down. The four people were injured but nothing too severe. --The police tracked down the car but the driver ran . . . and got away. Police are still looking for her. They arrested her passenger, a 22-year-old named Natasha Grayer. (ABC 5 - Cleveland) (--Here's a video of the whole incident. Skip to 1:00 to see the moment where she runs the people over.) (--Warning: There's unedited profanity and the scene is HORRIFIC . . . if you didn't know that no one was seriously injured, you'd think she killed someone.)

 

 

A Man Is Arrested After He Can't Remember Which Strip Club He's Banned From:

 

Here's a hint your life is going down the wrong path: You're 25, and you're so incapable of handling yourself at strip clubs, you can't remember which ones have banned you. --In Okaloosa County, Florida, a 25-year-old man, whose name wasn't released, went to a strip club called the Club 51 Gentlemen's Club. They called the police, because they'd given the guy a LIFETIME BAN after he caused a scene there in February. --When the police arrested him for trespassing, he told them he was confused: He thought a different strip club in the area had banned him. That club is called Sammy's. There's no word if they have him blacklisted too. (Northwest Florida Daily News)

 

 

A Guy Grabbed a TV Off the Shelf at Walmart . . . Then Walked Straight To the Returns Counter To Get Money For It:

 

If you've ever wondered whether you could shoplift something . . . cash it in as a return . . . and get away with a robbery without ever leaving the store . . . we have your answer: That strategy is just spectacularly stupid. --Last week, 23-year-old Philemon Ofosu of Watervliet, New York went into a Walmart to execute his plan. --First, Philemon went to the electronics department. He walked over to the TVs, and, when he thought no one was looking, he lifted a $1,900 55-inch Samsung flat-screen off the shelf. --Then, he walked straight to the RETURNS COUNTER . . . and tried to return the TV for a cash refund. --And sure, he didn't have the box, or all the cords, or a receipt . . . and yeah, he caught security's attention carrying a GIANT TV through the store . . . but he still went for it. --The store was on to him from beginning to end. The returns clerk gave him $1,995.84 in cash . . . and once he took it, security detained him until the police arrived. --Philemon was charged with grand larceny. (Albany Times Union)

 

 

In Florida, a Man Realizes His Lawyer Might Not Be Legit When He Spots Him Drunk At a Bus Stop:

 

There are only so many red flags you can get from your lawyer before you've GOT to realize he's shady. Shady for a lawyer, that is. Which is extra, extra shady. --60-year-old Michael Brown of North Lauderdale, Florida wanted to hire a lawyer. He found 50-year-old Clifford Gene Fleetwood, also of North Lauderdale, and they had a meeting at Clifford's home. --Clifford gave Michael his business card that read, quote, "Dr. Clifford G. Fleetwood, Ph.D., E. J.D. Attorney at Law." Somehow, that wasn't enough of a red flag for Michael and he paid $1,200 for Clifford's legal services. --What finally tipped him off was when he was headed past a bus stop in North Lauderdale and spotted Clifford waiting for the bus . . . DRUNK. --He called the police. --They investigated Clifford and found out that he'd been pulling this lawyer scam for years. He's even listed in "Who's Who In American Law" . . . because, like any "Who's Who" book, the only requirement for entry is that you PAY THEM a fee. --Clifford was charged with grand theft and unlicensed practice of law, both of which are felonies. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

 

 

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

 

Photo of the Day: Police suspect a guy arrested in a shooting MAY be linked to a gang called Compton Varrio 155th . . . because he has a huge tattoo of "155th" on his forehead, and "Compton" tattooed across his upper lip. (Full Story)

 

 

A new line of "abstinence underwear" for girls is available, featuring sayings like "zip it" and "dream on." (Full Story)

 

 

Reason #7,593 not to mess with crazy people on public transportation: Yesterday morning, a 35-year-old woman on the New York subway took a lighter from a homeless guy who was trying to smoke . . . so he stabbed her in the head with a pen. She's in stable condition, and he was arrested for felony assault. (Full Story)

 

 

Homeland Security has released its new terrorist warning system, which replaces those annoying colors, with two levels: Elevated and Imminent. (Full Story)

 

 

A high school baseball team in L.A. just had their season cancelled, and the coach and three assistants fired. It's because last month on a trip to Arizona, an assistant coach gave 11 players beer. Oh yeah, and the team's name is the "Indians". (Full Story)

 

 

NAZZY'S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

 

#1.) Helen Mirren Said the S-Word on Live TV in England:

 

HELEN MIRREN was on a morning show in England on Tuesday called "BBC Breakfast", talking about the late actor John Gielgud (--pronounced GEEL-good).
They were talking about how he swore a lot, and she accidentally said the S-word. --Then she immediately threw her hand over her mouth, and one of the hosts jokingly said, "That never happened." (--Search YouTube for "Helen Mirren Drops the S-Bomb on BBC News." She says it at :13.) (--WARNING: Obviously, this video includes the S-word.)

 

 

#2.) A Robot Threw Out the First Pitch at a Baseball Game . . . And It Was So Lame, the Crowd Started Booing:

 

The Philadelphia Phillies celebrated "Science Day" on Wednesday by having a robot made by engineers at the University of Pennsylvania throw out the first pitch. But the pitch bounced well in front of home plate, and the crowd started booing. (--Search YouTube for "Robot Gives First Pitch at a Phillies Game." The pitch is at 1:07.)

 

 

#3.) Embarrassing Commercials Actors Did Before They Were Famous:

 

There's a new video montage online of celebrities doing embarrassing commercials before they were famous. Some of them are pretty well-known, like MATT LEBLANC'S 1987 Heinz ketchup ad. --But there are probably a few you've never seen, like BRAD PITT'S Pringles ad, BEN AFFLECK'S Burger King ad, and COURTENEY COX'S Tampax ad. (--It's at WouldJessie.com, under "My Girlfriend Thinks She'll Make It as an Actress.")

 

 

#4.) A High School Baseball Player Slid Into Home, Stopped, Then Jumped Over the Catcher and Scored:

 

A high school baseball player in Tupelo, Mississippi pulled off a ridiculous slide to score the tying run in a game last Thursday. He started sliding, then popped up on his feet in front of the catcher, jumped OVER him, and landed on home plate. -After the game, he told the local news it was, quote, "one of the greatest moments of [his] life." Check out the video on Deadspin.com. (--Search for "High School Baseball Player Gets Awesomely Creative With His Slide.")

Ten Things That Suddenly Cost Way More:

 

There were some new numbers last Friday about the Consumer Price Index . . . that's a measurement of the overall price of household goods. According to the new stats, it's gone up 2.7% in the last year. -And the price of gas . . . which has gone up 28% in the last year . . . is just the tip of the iceberg. Here are ten other things that either ALREADY cost more, or are ABOUT to cost more.

 

#1.) Plane Tickets. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, domestic fares went up 22% between August and February, mostly because of gas prices.

 

#2.) Insurance. State Farm just announced an average rate hike of 18.8% for homeowners in Florida, so we can assume they'll do the same thing everywhere else soon. And Allstate has been raising rates for auto insurance too.

 

#3.) Chocolate. Late last month, Hersey's raised its wholesale prices by almost 10%. The prices in most stores haven't gone up yet, but they will in May or June.

 

#4.) Coffee. The price of coffee jumped 27% between December and March, and companies like Starbucks, Folgers, and Dunkin' Donuts have all started charging more.

 

#5.) Fast Food. McDonald's is raising prices this year because the cost of ingredients is going up. And Wendy's says they expect to pay 15% more for beef in 2011. So expect the price of a burger to go up at basically EVERY restaurant.

 

#6.) Produce. Even when you take the growing season into account, the price of fruit and vegetables has gone up an astounding 23% in the last three months. Bananas are up 10%, and potatoes are up 39%.

 

#7.) Furniture. Companies like Ethan Allen and La-Z-Boy are charging up to 7% more because the prices of cotton, yarn, leather, and steel have gone up.

 

#8.) Juice. Last month, Tropicana announced they'll be charging 4 to 8% more for some types of juice, because cold weather damaged citrus crops in Florida. And Minute Maid is doing the exact same thing.

 

#9.) Soft Drinks. The price of carbonated drinks went up by 14% between December and March, mainly because of higher costs for ingredients, packaging, and transportation.

 

#10.) Tires. Between September and March, U.S. tire prices climbed 6%, and last month Cooper Tires raised their prices for the second time this year. --When they announced the price hike, the company said the price for rubber had gone up 75% in just a few months. (MSNBC.com)