HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (06-28-11)
Does Charlie Sheen Have a New Sitcom Deal in the Works?
We laughed every time CHARLIE SHEEN talked about having a new TV deal in the works. But maybe he wasn't delusional after all. --RadarOnline.com says that Charlie has inked a deal with Lionsgate Television to create and star in a new show about a guy who's very similar to the bad-boy character he played on "Two and a Half Men", but even raunchier. --There's already supposedly a bidding war going on, and TBS is the frontrunner . . . which makes sense, given the fact that they want to ramp up the adult content. They'd have a lot more creative freedom on cable. --The word is that Charlie could end up making more money off this show than he did from "Two and a Half Men". --He wouldn't get paid as much upfront, but he'd have a better back-end deal . . . meaning that in the long run, he could bank even more than the $2 million-per-episode he was pocketing when Warner Brothers kicked him to the curb. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "It's still a risk but the risk is worth it because so many people are interested in Charlie and his wacky life . . . they are bound to watch the show." --Lionsgate's TV division has a strong track record. Their shows include "Mad Men", "Weeds", "Nurse Jackie", "Blue Mountain State" and "Tyler Perry's House of Payne". --And now, here are the denials: --A spokesperson for TBS says, quote, "We are not in discussions for a possible project with Charlie Sheen." --A Lionsgate rep said she was, quote, "unable to confirm the story" when contacted about it. --And Charlie's own rep remains ambiguous, saying, quote, "[Charlie is] receiving several opportunities but can't comment on anything at this time."
Charlie Sheen's "Two and a Half Men" Character May Be Killed Off After All:
A while back we heard that CHARLIE SHEEN'S "Two and a Half Men" character, Charlie Harper, would NOT be killed off. Mainly because it's a comedy, and there's really no reason to lay anything that heavy on the fans. --But also because it leaves the door open for Charlie to make appearances if he and creator CHUCK LORRE were to ever bury the hatchet. --But now, TMZ claims that Chuck IS going to kill Charlie off, just to ensure that he can NEVER return to the show. --Supposedly, the producers are kicking around several death scenarios, including having Charlie drive his car off a cliff. (--Which would be interesting, since two of Charlie's cars have been "mysteriously stolen" and driven off cliffs right near his home.) --Then ASHTON KUTCHER'S character would join the show by purchasing the house . . . which belonged to Charlie. (--If Chuck Lorre were to actually do this, I think it would make a lot of people start to re-think who the REAL pain in the butt was on the set.) (--You already got him off the show, dude. Killing him off permanently just seems childish and vindictive at this point.)
Charlie Sheen Is Down to Zero Goddesses:
CHARLIE SHEEN officially has NO GODDESSES. NATALIE KENLEY has left the building . . . two months after mattress actress BREE OLSON also struck out on her own. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "He's not in one of the best places right now, things are very tense. It has nothing to do with her, [the relationship] just ran its course." --Still, TMZ says Charlie demanded that Natalie return a Mercedes of his that she'd been using. Not out of spite, though . . . just because it's an expensive car, and he never meant to actually give it to her. (--I guess we're a far cry from the days when Charlie just showered cash and expensive gifts on women.) --They also claim that the night Natalie left, Charlie had sex with THREE different women: One from Mexico, one from Australia and one from Colombia. --Meanwhile, a source says Charlie was looking for some new ladies anyway . . . quote, "Charlie won't be single for long. Let's just say there are a lot of irons in the fire if you know what I mean."
Hugh Hefner Officially Announces Girlfriend #2:
HUGH HEFNER crowned Girlfriend #2 yesterday. It's no big surprise. We already knew he moved 27-year-old SHERA BECHARD into the lineup. But he made it official yesterday on Twitter. --He said, quote, "Shera is both our November 2011 Playmate & my new girlfriend." (--Here's a photo of Shera.) (People) --Hef's #1 is still ANNA SOPHIA BERGLUND. It's not clear how the SHANNON TWINS fit into the equation, but they did move back in with Hef this month.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Have Set a Wedding Date:
KIM KARDASHIAN and KRIS HUMPHRIES have set a wedding date. We just don't know when it is. --KATHIE LEE GIFFORD knows it, because she and husband FRANK GIFFORD are invited. But she's been sworn to secrecy. But she says, quote, "Darn right we're going to that wedding." --A so-called "insider" claims it's sometime in early August.
Did Jim Carrey Try Desperately to Get Into Kristen Wiig's Pants?
If you think JIM CARREY can have any woman he wants, you're wrong. The last time Jim hosted "Saturday Night Live", he developed a major crush on KRISTEN WIIG. And he did everything he could to land that action. --But he FAILED. --According to the "National Enquirer", Jim sent her flowers and notes . . . and fell all over himself to congratulate her on the success of her movie "Bridesmaids". He even showed up backstage at "SNL" to ask her out. --But Kristen is spoken for . . . so Jim got nowhere. A source says, quote, "Kristen thinks Jim is a funny and talented guy, but she's made it clear she's in a longtime serious relationship. --"So she finally told him, 'Stop asking me out . . . the answer is no!'"
Kristen Wiig and Russell Brand Are PETA's Sexiest Vegetarians:
KRISTEN WIIG and RUSSELL BRAND have been named PETA's sexiest vegetarians for 2011. (--For more info hit up this website, where you can see some of the celebs they beat out by clicking on "Past Sexiest Vegetarian Winners".)
Bristol Palin Would Like to Clarify that Levi Johnston Did Not Rape Her:
In her new book "Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far", BRISTOL PALIN says that LEVI JOHNSTON, quote, "stole" her virginity when she was drunk on wine coolers. --And when you say it like that, it sounds almost like RAPE . . . date rape at the very least. --But that's not what she meant. Yesterday on "Good Morning America" she said she used the word "stolen" because, quote, "that's what it felt like." --But she added, quote, "I'm not accusing Levi of date rape, or rape at all. But I am just looking back with the adult eyes I have now, and just thinking, that was a foolish decision. --"I should have never been underage drinking and I should have never gotten myself in a situation like that." (--Here's video. Bristol also talks about how Levi told her another girl might be pregnant with his baby on the very day they announced their engagement to the entire world.) (--She also talks about the McCain campaign throwing her family under the bus, her "corrective" jaw surgery and why she decided to do "Dancing With the Stars".)
The Roof of Rose McGowan's Car Flew Off . . . While She Was Driving . . . And It's Not a Convertible:
ROSE MCGOWAN was driving yesterday when the roof of her car flew off. Oh, and we should probably add that the car is NOT a convertible. (!!!) --Rose Tweeted a picture of the car roof sitting on the sidewalk with the caption, "Kind of ruined a perfectly good afternoon." (--Check it out here.)
Tom Hanks Says "Toy Story 4" Will Happen:
We were told that "Toy Story 3" would be the last full-length "Toy Story" adventure. That's probably not true. --During a British TV interview, TOM HANKS was asked if there will be a fourth movie. He said, quote, "I think there will be, yeah . . . I think they're working on it now. There you go." (--A "Toy Story" short called "Hawaiian Vacation" is playing in theaters now, before "Cars 2".)
Check Out A Teaser for Pixar's New Movie, "Brave":
There's a teaser trailer online for Pixar's new movie "Brave". It's about a Scottish warrior princess named Merida . . . which makes it the first Pixar flick with a female lead. It's due out next June. (--Here's the teaser.)
Stephenie Meyer's "The Host" Will Hit Theaters in March of 2013:
The next hot movie property from "Twilight" author STEPHENIE MEYER has a release date. "The Host" will hit theaters on March 29th, 2013. --The book came out in 2008. It's about alien parasites that take over people's minds. The movie stars SAOIRSE RONAN from "The Lovely Bones". (--The last installment in the "Twilight" series, "Breaking Dawn", is being split into two movies. Part 1 comes out this November. Part 2 follows in November of 2012.)
"Survivor" Host Jeff Probst Has Scored His Own Daytime Talk Show:
"Survivor" host JEFF PROBST has landed his own syndicated daytime talk show. --Here's what we know: The hour-long show is expected to debut in the fall of 2012, and will cover "topics ranging from newsmakers of the day to families and individuals facing challenges." --There's no word on a title yet, and it's also too early to say what timeslot it'll get. --This basically takes Jeff's name out of the running to replace REGIS PHILBIN on "Live with Regis and Kelly". Jeff was mentioned as a possible replacement early on, because he's been a regular guest-host. --Jeff will continue to host "Survivor", which launches its 23rd season this fall. -By the way, Jeff's deal is with CBS Television Distribution, but it's unclear if it'll actually air on CBS, although "Entertainment Weekly" suggests that it will. (--These things get a little complicated . . .) (--For example, CBS distributed "Oprah", and it aired on ABC in most markets. But a lot of their other shows, like "Dr. Phil", "Judge Judy", "The Doctors" and "Rachael Ray", air predominantly on CBS stations.)
"Law & Order: SVU" Has Two New Cast Members:
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" has added two new cast members, and they both come with experience on police dramas. --The new detectives are: Former "Cold Case" star DANNY PINO and KELLI GIDDISH, who starred on the NBC drama "Chase", which was canceled last month after just one season. (--Here are pictures of the new blood.) --They'll play new characters . . . but they're basically replacing longtime stars CHRISTOPHER MELONI and MARISKA HARGITAY. --Christopher decided not to renew his contract, and Mariska wanted a decreased workload . . . so she'll transition into a smaller role halfway through next season when her character gets promoted. --RICHARD BELZER and ICE-T are returning in their usual roles. (--"SVU" will enter its 13th season as the sole remaining "Law & Order" show. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" just ended its run this past Sunday. It's been airing on the USA Network for the past four seasons.)
The Finalists from "The Voice" Will Tour This Summer:
Guess what? NBC's "The Voice" is getting its own tour. (--So yeah, this show continues to be absolutely nothing like "American Idol".) --According to the "Hollywood Reporter", the tour will feature the eight finalists . . . Beverly McClellan, Vicci Martinez, Dia Frampton, Javier Colon, Nakia, Xenia, Casey Weston and Frenchie Davis. --The celebrity "coaches" are not coming along, which isn't all that surprising . . . although it would've made the tour a whole lot more interesting. --No dates have been announced yet.
Tuesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"America's Got Talent" [Auditions] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC.
--"I Kid With Brad Garrett" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on TLC. (--Brad Garrett is the host and he questions kids on a variety of random topics including aliens, blind dates, imaginary friends and the best hot dog in L.A.)
--"The Voice" [The Finals] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Pitbull and Ne-Yo perform "Give Me Everything", Brad Paisley sings "Don't Drink the Water" with Blake Shelton, and the four coaches do "You Can't Always Get What You Want".)
--"Gene Simmons Family Jewels" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on A&E. (--Gene takes Shannon Tweed and their son Nick to Haifa, Israel to see where Gene was born.)
--"Hawthorne" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT. (--Blue Collar Comedy comedian Bill Engvall plays an internal-affairs investigator sent to examine recent events at James River Hospital.)
THIS WEEK'S NEW VIDEO GAMES
UFC Training Workouts Hit All Three Consoles This Week . . . And There's Also a New "Resident Evil" Game for the Nintendo 3DS:
REMINDER: The new map pack for "Call of Duty: Black Ops" came out today for the Xbox. The third set of multiplayer maps is called Ascension, and it will set you back 1200 Microsoft Points . . . which is equal to $15 of your mom's cash.
--"Resident Evil: The Mercenaries" (M) . . . on the Nintendo 3DS. This collection of mini games and levels from the last two "Resident Evil" games features characters like Chris Redfield, Albert Wesker, and Jill Valentine. The top screen of the 3DS will display the game play and players can manage their inventory on the touch screen. (Trailer)
--"UFC Personal Trainer" (E) . . . on Xbox360, PS3, and Wii. This is a motion controlled workout game for the Kinect, PS Move, and Wii. You train with popular UFC fighters to unlock drills as you progress onto harder and more challenging exercises.
In addition to going through the same workout routines professional MMA fighters use, there's also a multiplayer option that lets you compete against your friends. (Trailer)
--"Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3" (T) . . . on Xbox360 and PS3. You control the giant battle suits from the "Gundam" anime TV series. It supports up to four players. (Trailer)
--"Sniper: Ghost Warrior" (M) . . . on the PS3. This came out last year for the Xbox and the PC, but the PS3 release is barely hitting stores this week. This PS3 version features exclusive missions, multiplayer maps, and two new sniper rifles. (Trailer)
--"Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition" (T) . . . on the Xbox360 and PS3. This version of the game features four additional characters: a new character named Oni, plus Evil Ryu, as well as Yun and Yang from "Street Fighter III". (Trailer)
--"Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident" (E) . . . on Wii. A detective game where you're trying to find a mysterious substance to prevent a woman from dying. (Trailer)
NEW ON VIDEO TODAY
--"Season of the Witch" - Nicolas Cage and "Hellboy's" Ron Perlman play medieval knights escorting a suspected witch to a remote monastery. She claims she's innocent . . . and proceeds to manipulate the men escorting her.
--"The Warrior's Way" - A martial arts flick about a guy protecting a baby from an army of ninja swordsmen. They catch up to him in an Old West town, where he makes a stand with the help of Kate Bosworth and the town drunk, played by Geoffrey Rush.
--"Sucker Punch" - Emily Browning plays a girl in a mental institution who escapes to a fantasy world, where she fights everything from samurais and robots, to Nazis and a dragon. Vanessa Hudgens is one of four girls who agrees to help her escape.
--"Beastly" - A modern version of "Beauty and the Beast", starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer from "I Am Number Four". Mary-Kate Olsen is the witch who curses him and Neil Patrick Harris is his blind tutor.
--"Immigration Tango" - A romantic comedy starring Madonna's baby-daddy, Carlos Leon. He and his Russian girlfriend swap partners with their American friends so they both can stay in the U.S. in their fake green card marriages.
--"Barney's Version" - Paul Giamatti's life story is told through distorted memories of his failed marriages. Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, and Rachelle Lefevre play his three wives, Dustin Hoffman's his dad, and Scott Speedman is his best friend . . . who he may have killed.
TV Series On DVD:
--"Law & Order: Criminal Intent - Season Six" . . . a five-disc DVD set.
--"Rizzoli & Isles: The Complete First Season" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"Warehouse 13: Season Two" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"Dog The Bounty Hunter: This Family Means Business" . . . a single-disc DVD set.
NEW MUSIC OUT TODAY
This Week's CD Releases:
--"4", Beyoncé (--Andre 3000 of Outkast appears on a track called "Party". Meanwhile, Beyoncé's said she named the album "4" as a "tribute" to her fans . . . who started calling it "4" online because it's her fourth album.) (--Here's the story.)
--"Gold Cobra", Limp Bizkit (--Their first album with their original line-up since "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" came out in 2000. Fred Durst recently said no one in the band is a fan of their genre.) (--Here's the story.)
--"When the Sun Goes Down", Selena Gomez & The Scene (--It includes the song "Bang Bang Bang", in which she seems to be telling off her ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas, and bragging about her new love Justin Bieber.)
--"This Loud Morning", David Cook . . . a.k.a. the winner of the seventh season of "American Idol" (--It includes the single "The Last Goodbye".)
--"Old School: 1964-1974", Alice Cooper (--A box set containing four CDs covering those 10 years, a 64-page booklet, and both a DVD and vinyl album of his 1971 "Killer" tour in St. Louis.)
--"I'm American", Billy Ray Cyrus (--This disc features appearances by Jamey Johnson, Craig Morgan, Darryl Worley, and Amy Grant.)
Justin Bieber Says His Voice Isn't Meant for Any Particular Style of Music:
JUSTIN BIEBER is in the beginning stages of creating his next album . . . and he says it won't fit one specific style of music. --He explains, quote, "I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's going to have that vibe. But I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music . . . I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is . . . different. --"My voice . . . it's not meant for any style. I just want to make music." --And just to be clear, when Justin says he's "doing a lot on his acoustic guitar," he does mean writing his own songs. --He says, quote, "[I want to] write a lot myself. I will be working with a lot of other producers and stuff like that, but I'm just writing a lot, writing on tour. --"[I'm] writing about how I feel, and . . . I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer. I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge." --It doesn't sound like there's a timetable for his next album yet. (--Here's video of Justin's comments.)
Roger Daltrey Is in the "Last Bits" of His Career, But He Isn't Ready to Retire:
WHO singer ROGER DALTREY is 67 years old. And while he admits that he and PETE TOWNSHEND are in the, quote, "last bits of our career" . . . he says he has no plans to retire. --He tells "Rolling Stone", quote, "I feel that we owe it to the public that supported us all these years to go down with us. --"I had a real scare with my voice a couple of years ago, but now I'm singing better than ever . . . it made me just want to use it till the day I can't. --"Look, I'm realistic about my age and realistic about the fact that there's an awful lot less in front of me than there is behind me. I've always felt that music is an art form that deserves to live the life of the artist." --Roger is inspired by old musicians like CHUCK BERRY, who's 84, and PETE SEEGER, who's 92 . . . because they're still out there performing. --He says, quote, "Isn't it wonderful to see them? A lot of people may not agree . . . but to me, this is like the last time you're going to get to see any of these people. --"Imagine if you could go watch Mozart today . . . even if it's the last, crappiest show he ever played. What a thrill that would be." --Roger, who's been touring solo, doesn't know if he'll be able to reunite with Pete for another Who tour. Pete is currently finishing up his memoir, and has been struggling with tinnitus, a serious hearing problem.
Johnny Depp Jammed with Alice Cooper in the U.K.:
JOHNNY DEPP joined ALICE COOPER onstage during a club gig in London on Sunday night. --Before the show, Alice posted a picture on Facebook of Johnny holding a guitar backstage . . . with the caption: "Johnny Depp!! Waiting to jump on stage with Alice for '18' and 'School's Out'!" --Johnny played "18" with the band, and then they did a cover of PINK FLOYD'S "Another Brick in the Wall", which led into "School's Out". (--Luckily, there are videos on YouTube of both "18" and "School's Out", which you can watch here and here. The quality isn't great, but it's not the worst, either.) (--Then we have a video with pretty poor audio quality, in which Alice tells Johnny, quote, "I think we could use another guitar player, right? Johnny, this whole movie thing . . . if it doesn't pan out, join us, okay?") (--Johnny and Alice have never officially worked together before . . . but they both had cameos in the 1991 horror movie "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare".) (--Alice played Freddy's dad, while Johnny appeared on a TV set doing one of those "This is your brain on drugs" public service announcements . . . and took a frying pan to the face from Freddy. Here's that clip.) (--Johnny Depp was also in the first "Nightmare on Elm Street", as Nancy's boyfriend. You can watch an eight and a half minute montage of Johnny's scenes from the original movie here.)
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
"Saturday Night Live" clown-ass and "Horrible Bosses" star JASON SUDEIKIS has been on two dates recently with EVA MENDES. (Full Story)
MIKE TYSON and his wife renewed their vows in Vegas. (Full Story)
TOM HANKS' son, white rapper CHET HAZE, had his first club gig over the weekend in Chicago. Tom and wife RITA WILSON were there. (--Here's the underwhelming review and video.)
When "Jackass" jackass RYAN DUNN died last week, G4 took his new show, "Proving Ground", off the air. Well, they're going to run all the unaired episodes, beginning July 19th. (Full Story)
"90210" star SHENAE GRIMES got a Peter Pan tattoo behind her ear. (Full Story)
CLINT EASTWOOD reportedly wants LEONARDO DICAPRIO and BEYONCÉ as the leads for his remake of "A Star Is Born". (Full Story)
Former "Saturday Night Live" star DARRELL HAMMOND had to cancel a live performance in New York Saturday after being injured in a car accident. He got bruised up, but he's okay. (Full Story)
SHIA LABEOUF calls it a "blessing" that MEGAN FOX isn't in the new "Transformers" movie . . . but only because it allows his character to develop more clearly. (Full Story)
BRET MICHAELS was on Biography's "Celebrity Ghost Stories" last Friday . . . and he told a story about how he "saw" his dead grandmother when he was a teenager. (Video, fast-forward to the 1:40 mark. It's about 11 minutes long.)
"Celebrity Rehab" star TOM SIZEMORE will guest star on "multiple" episodes of "Hawaii Five-0" next season. He'll play the head of Internal Affairs. It's unclear how many episodes he's doing, and when they're airing. (Full Story)
(--Before becoming a celebrity addict, Tom had a string of roles in big movies like: "Saving Private Ryan", "Heat", "Pearl Harbor" and "Black Hawk Down".)
RANDOM STUFF
Here's How Many Gallons of Soda, Bottled Water, Beer, Milk, and Coffee the Average American Drinks:
Sure, Americans like Starbucks and Red Bull and Bud Light. But at the end of the day, we're a soda-drinking country. And that's not changing any time soon. --The Beverage Marketing Corporation just released the numbers on drink consumption in 2010. And our soda drinking DOMINATED everything else. Here are our top 12 most popular drinks, in order.
#1.) Soda. The average American drinks 44.7 gallons, which is the equivalent of 1.3 twelve-ounce cans every day.
#2.) Bottled water. 28.3 gallons, or one 20-ounce bottle every two days.
#3.) Beer. 20.8 gallons, or about 222 12-ounce cans, which is one every 1.6 days or four to five a week.
#4.) Milk. 20.4 gallons, or about 326 eight-ounce glasses.
#5.) Coffee. 18.5 gallons, or about 1.2 cups every work day.
#6.) Fruit beverages and juices. 11.5 gallons, or one 12-ounce glass or bottle every other day.
#7.) Tea. 10.3 gallons, or 165 eight-ounce cups. That's about three per week.
#8.) Sports drinks. 4 gallons, or about 25 20-ounce bottles. That's one every other week.
#9.) Wine. 2.3 gallons, or 98 three-ounce glasses. That's just under two per week.
#10.) Value-added water. 1.5 gallons, or one 16-ounce bottle every month. This includes sparkling, caffeinated, and flavored waters.
#11.) Distilled spirits. 1.5 gallons, or 128 shots. That's about 2.5 shots every weekend.
#12.) Energy drinks. 1.2 gallons, or about 20 eight-ounce cans. (Ad Age)
A Study Finds that Fathers Who Cheat are More Likely to Have Sons Who Cheat:
This is one of those things you really wish your father WOULDN'T pass down to you . . . sort of like heart disease and ear hair. --A new study out of Charles University in Prague, in the Czech Republic, found fathers who cheat on their wives are more likely to have sons who cheat on their wives. There was no connection between fathers or mothers cheating and their daughters cheating. --The researchers believe there are two reasons for it: One, good-looking fathers tend to have good-looking sons, and those men have more opportunities to cheat. --And two, boys get their cues for what they can get away with in the world from their fathers . . . so when they see their fathers cheating, it gives them an indication that's okay. (Daily Mail)
Is Your Car's Voice Command System Sexist?
So . . . turns out your car just might be sexist. Hope that doesn't bum you out too much. --According to a study, the majority of voice command and navigation systems have more trouble understanding a woman's voice than a man's . . . so they tend to screw up for women more than men. --While that's frustrating, there's another bad side effect. Women tend to give up on using voice commands quicker . . . which can lead them to dangerous distractions like manually dialing on their cell phones or punching in GPS directions. (AOL)
Shoplifting is Up . . . Which is a Good Sign For the Economy?
This is one of the stranger signs of economic recovery we've heard about. Apparently, the latest indication that things might be getting better is . . . people are SHOPLIFTING again? --The National Retail Federation just announced that in 2010, there was $37.1 BILLION in retail theft. That's up from $33.5 BILLION in 2009. --Why is that a good thing? The majority of shoplifting is done by EMPLOYEES, not customers. When the economy's bad, employees are less likely to shoplift . . . because they're too worried about getting caught and losing their jobs. --Now that they feel like there are more jobs out there if they get caught and fired, they're more willing to steal stuff. So . . . yay? (The Consumerist)
People 75 and Older Just Won't Retire . . . 7.4% of Them are Still In the Workforce:
When you hit 75, your career options aren't just to retire or wave to people at the front door of Walmart anymore. You can just keep on working at your old job, all the way through the autumn years of your life. And a lot of people are doing just that. --According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 7.4% of Americans ages 75 and up are still employed. --The number has been going up since 2000. Back then, 5.5% of people over 75 were working. By 2007 it was up to 6.8%. In 2010, it hit 7.4%. And by 2020, it's expected to be over 13%. --Experts say this rise isn't a recession thing . . . remember, people who retire today actually CAN get Social Security. --The main cause of the increase is simply that people kinda like working. By staying in the workforce instead of retiring, people find themselves feeling more social, connected, and young. (Miami Herald)
Lexington, Kentucky Has Been Named America's Laziest City . . . Check Out the Full List of 100:
I would tell the people of Lexington, Kentucky to give themselves a big round of applause . . . but lifting their arms and moving their hands back and forth might qualify as aerobic exercise. And that might cost them this honor. --"Men's Health" just ranked the 100 largest cities in the U.S. by LAZINESS . . . and Lexington was named THE laziest city in the country. --The rankings are based on exercise rates, the percentage of households that watch more than 15 hours of TV a week and buy more than 11 video games a year, and the death rates from sitting-related diseases like deep-vein thrombosis. --Lexington finished in last place. It's just lazier than Indianapolis in 99th place . . . Jackson, Mississippi in 98th . . . Charleston, West Virginia in 97th . . . and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 96th. --On the other end of the list, Seattle was named the least lazy city in the U.S. It just beat out San Francisco . . . Oakland . . . Washington, D.C. . . . and Salt Lake City. (Men's Health) (--Check out the full list of 100 cities here.)
Only About 15% of Us Still Send Postcards:
I wouldn't check the mail this summer looking for classy postcards from your friends . . . you know, the ones that show half-naked women on beaches with the slogan "Wish you were her." --Postcards are about to join the ever-growing list of old institutions that have been murdered by modern technology. According to a new survey, only about 15% of people still sometimes send postcards from vacations. --35% of people prefer to send photos immediately from their smartphones when they're on vacation. --And as you'd expect, people 18 to 24 are least likely to send a postcard, and most likely to send texts. People 35 to 54 are most likely to send postcards. (PR Newswire)
Random Fact: Two-Thirds of the World's Surgical Tools are Made in One City in Pakistan:
Next time you have surgery, believe it or not, your doctor isn't the only thing from Asia in the room. Odds are, the scalpel he's using to cut you comes from Asia too. --Apparently, two-thirds of the surgical tools in the world are manufactured in one city in Pakistan, called Sialkot (--see-AHL-cote). Over 100 million tools are made there every year, and the U.S. is the biggest importer of those tools. --Sialkot has a population of around 800,000 and is only 16.2 square miles, making it around the same size as Atlantic City, New Jersey. (BBC)
A 99-Year-Old Man in New York Finally Got Married For the First Time:
No matter how picky you think you are when it comes to dating, you can't possibly compare to this guy. --Gilbert Herrick of Rochester, New York has spent his entire life searching for the right woman to lock him down, and he's finally discovered her . . . at AGE 99. --Gilbert lives in a nursing home, where he spotted some hand-painted china and asked who made it. The staff introduced him to the artist, an 86-year-old resident named Virginia Hartman. --They started talking. And after almost ten decades, Virginia was finally the one who tamed Gilbert. --Of course, he still resisted getting married . . . he just wanted to shack up with Virginia. But when they asked the nursing home if they could share a room, they were told only married couples can do that. --Virginia ended up proposing to Gilbert . . . that's right . . . and he accepted. While Gilbert has never been married, this is Virginia's second time. Her previous husband died 25 years ago. --They were married earlier this month in front of family, friends, and the staff. (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Follow-Up: The TSA Never Told the 95-Year-Old Woman She Had to Take Off Her Adult Diaper:
Yesterday, everyone was OUTRAGED over the story about a 95-year-old woman with leukemia being forced to remove her ADULT DIAPER so TSA agents could examine it at an airport in Florida. --WELL . . . now more information from the story is, pardon the expression, leaking out. And the details aren't QUITE what they seemed. --The TSA is now saying its agents at Northwest Florida Regional Airport never forced the woman to remove her adult diaper. --The woman's daughter, Jean Weber, sort of agrees. --She says that while the TSA agents didn't tell her mother to remove the diaper, they DID make it clear that her mother couldn't board the plane until they inspected the diaper. But it was Jean's idea to head to the bathroom and remove it. --After she suggested that, the agents agreed and had Jean take her mother out of the screening area and into the bathroom. (CNN)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A Woman in Ohio Resists Arrest by . . . Spraying Breast Milk at the Cops:
Resisting arrest doesn't get much more ODD than this. --Around 1:00 A.M. on Saturday, sheriff's deputies in Delaware County, Ohio got a domestic violence call from outside a banquet hall. --When they got there, they found a man standing by his car. His name wasn't released. He told them he'd just gotten into an argument with his wife, 30-year-old Stephanie Robinette. --She was drunk, and ended up hitting him and locking herself in the car. --When the deputies tried to get her out of the car, she told them she was a breastfeeding mother. --And when that didn't stop the deputies, Stephanie proved it by whipping out her right breast . . . and SPRAYING THEM with her breast milk. --Once the stream stopped they removed her from the car and arrested her for domestic violence, assault, obstructing official business, disorderly conduct, and, of course, resisting arrest. (Columbus Dispatch)
RANDOM News Extras . . . Random inks to Additional Stories:
We're not sure if this is why we had that whole stem cell 'research' debate, but Dutch scientists say they've found a way to create a test-tube hamburger from beef stem cells. It's called 'in vitro meat.' (Full Story)
A woman in Raleigh, North Carolina died at age 78 last January. And a year later, police discovered that she'd buried her husband in her flowerbed . . . 14 years ago. (Full Story)
Firefighters and police in North Dakota had to rescue a woman with equipment from the National Guard on Sunday, after she drove into the floodwaters while trying to get to a bingo game . . . at a bar . . . while she was drunk. (Full Story)
A top female Australian beach volleyball player is selling advertisers tattoo space on her body to raise money for the Olympics: $10,500 gets you a one-inch-by-one-inch square on her left arm. $52,500 gets you four-square-inches on her right shoulder. And yeah . . . she's okay looking. (Full Story)
A 13-year-old in Australia suffered a broken collarbone and was knocked unconscious on Sunday . . . when a humpback whale swept its tail across his family's boat and smacked him down. (Full Story)
L.A. schools say homework can only count for up to 10% of a student's grade. It's to help low-income and minority students, because, quote, "Varying degrees of access to academic support at home, for whatever reason, should not penalize a student so severely that it prevents the student from passing a class, nor should it inflate the grade." Huh? It's freakin' HOMEWORK! If this isn't giving up, what is? (Full Story)
The first 'zero-packaging' grocery store is going to open in Austin, Texas. They'll sell cleaning products, produce, spices, dairy, wine . . . everything. But shoppers need to bring their own containers. It's meant to cut down on wasteful packaging that people throw out or forget to recycle . . . which accounts for 40% of the 1.4 billion pounds of waste that Americans throw away EVERY DAY. (Full Story)
The Supreme Court has struck down a California law that attempted to ban the sale of violent video games to kids. (Full Story)
That penguin that ended up on a New Zealand beach is in critical condition . . . because penguins eat snow to stay hydrated, and he tried to eat sand. He needed two surgeries, and is on an IV drip awaiting a third. (Full Story)
What's killing the environment now? You and your cable box. The average DVR and high definition cable box uses 10% more energy than an energy efficient refrigerator. They consume $3 billion in electricity each year . . . more than the entire state of Maryland . . . and 66% of it is wasted, because the drives are running when no one is watching and shows aren't even being recorded. (Full Story)
80% of the cocaine supply in the U.S. is supposedly contaminated with a flesh eating veterinary drug called levamisole. It's used to de-worm cattle, pigs, and sheep . . . and can rot the skin off noses, ears, and cheeks. Not everyone is vulnerable to the effects, and once the drug is cleared from the body, the wounds heal, leaving behind a shiny scar. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) Check Out the Worst Christopher Walken Impressions on YouTube:
The most common impression people do BADLY has gotta be CHRISTOPHER WALKEN. And there's an article online on how NOT to impersonate him that features six of the worst impressions from YouTube. (--Just Search for "How Not to Impersonate Christopher Walken.")
#2.) Michele Bachmann Talked About John Wayne Being From Her Home Town, But He Wasn't . . . Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy Was:
MICHELE BACHMANN was in Waterloo, Iowa to officially launch her presidential run, and Fox interviewed her in front of her childhood home. She said, quote: --"Just like JOHN WAYNE was from Waterloo, Iowa, that's the kind of spirit that I have too." The problem is, John Wayne WASN'T from Waterloo, Iowa . . . serial killer JOHN WAYNE GACY was. --He's the guy who dressed up like a clown and killed 33 boys and young men between 1972 and 1978. (--Although John Wayne's parents met in Waterloo, and moved to a nearby town before he was born.) (--Search YouTube for "Michele Bachmann on John Wayne Gacy." To watch the full report, search for "Carl Cameron in Iowa with Michele Bachmann." She makes the comment at 1:35.)
#3.) 8,000 Paper Lanterns Were Released Into the Sky in Poland to Mark the Shortest Night of the Year:
In America, we like to celebrate major events by blowing stuff up. But people in Poland celebrated the shortest night of the year last week by floating 8,000 paper lanterns into the air. --It happened the city of Poznan, and the lanterns filled the whole sky. And actually, it looked pretty cool. --And according to the "Daily Mail", it smashed a Polish record. But the WORLD record is 10,318. It was set in Indonesia in 2009. (--Search for "Paper Lanterns Poland Pabieda1981.")
#4.) A Veteran Who Lost His Arm in Afghanistan Caught a Foul Ball at a Yankees Game:
A National Guard vet named Michael Kacer lost his left arm in Afghanistan in 2008. But it didn't stop him from snagging a foul ball with his hat at a Yankees game on Friday. And it wasn't an easy catch either: He had to lean over a railing to get it. -- In an interview afterwards he said, quote, "Either I was going to catch the ball, I was going to catch the ball AND go over the railing, or I was going to miss the ball COMPLETELY and go over the railing." --After the catch, he immediately gave the ball to his nephew. (--Search LiveLeak.com for "One-Armed War Veteran Catches Foul Ball at Yankee Stadium." It shows the replay at :30.)
Eight Signs Your Child Might Be Gifted:
Most parents think their children are special, which might be true in one way or another . . . but here are eight signs your child is ACTUALLY gifted.
#1.) They Retain Information. The term "in one ear and out the other" applies for most kids. But gifted children can usually retain a diverse range of information, and remember it later. --Here's an example given by the National Association of Gifted Children. They say, quote, "One six-year-old returned from a trip to the space museum and reproduced an accurate drawing of a space rocket he had seen."
#2.) They're Interested in Different Topics. Gifted kids tend to be fascinated by a variety of things. They might like dinosaurs one month, space the next, and so on.
#3.) They Read and Write Early. Some gifted kids start learning to read and write before they've had any formal teaching from their parents or teachers.
#4.) They Show Musical or Artistic Talent. Young kids who seem bizarrely talented at music or art are usually considered gifted. For example, having perfect pitch or being able draw realistic pictures at a young age are two signs.
#5.) They Show Periods of Intense Concentration. Most kids have short attention spans. But gifted kids can zone in on things for hours . . . and watching TV doesn't count.
#6.) They Have a Good Memory. A gifted two-year-old might be able to remember things from when he was 18 months old, and bring them up without being prompted.
#7.) They Have an Advanced Vocabulary. If a child starts speaking early, it's not necessarily a sign they're gifted. But if they start forming full sentences at an early age, it is. For example, the average two-year-old might say, "There's a doggie." --And a gifted two-year-old might say, "There's a brown doggie in the backyard, and he's sniffing our flower." (???)
#8.) They Pay Close Attention to Details. If it's a young child, he might be able to put toys away exactly where he got them. If it's an older child, you might notice him asking specific questions about how certain things work. (LilSugar.com)
We laughed every time CHARLIE SHEEN talked about having a new TV deal in the works. But maybe he wasn't delusional after all. --RadarOnline.com says that Charlie has inked a deal with Lionsgate Television to create and star in a new show about a guy who's very similar to the bad-boy character he played on "Two and a Half Men", but even raunchier. --There's already supposedly a bidding war going on, and TBS is the frontrunner . . . which makes sense, given the fact that they want to ramp up the adult content. They'd have a lot more creative freedom on cable. --The word is that Charlie could end up making more money off this show than he did from "Two and a Half Men". --He wouldn't get paid as much upfront, but he'd have a better back-end deal . . . meaning that in the long run, he could bank even more than the $2 million-per-episode he was pocketing when Warner Brothers kicked him to the curb. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "It's still a risk but the risk is worth it because so many people are interested in Charlie and his wacky life . . . they are bound to watch the show." --Lionsgate's TV division has a strong track record. Their shows include "Mad Men", "Weeds", "Nurse Jackie", "Blue Mountain State" and "Tyler Perry's House of Payne". --And now, here are the denials: --A spokesperson for TBS says, quote, "We are not in discussions for a possible project with Charlie Sheen." --A Lionsgate rep said she was, quote, "unable to confirm the story" when contacted about it. --And Charlie's own rep remains ambiguous, saying, quote, "[Charlie is] receiving several opportunities but can't comment on anything at this time."
Charlie Sheen's "Two and a Half Men" Character May Be Killed Off After All:
A while back we heard that CHARLIE SHEEN'S "Two and a Half Men" character, Charlie Harper, would NOT be killed off. Mainly because it's a comedy, and there's really no reason to lay anything that heavy on the fans. --But also because it leaves the door open for Charlie to make appearances if he and creator CHUCK LORRE were to ever bury the hatchet. --But now, TMZ claims that Chuck IS going to kill Charlie off, just to ensure that he can NEVER return to the show. --Supposedly, the producers are kicking around several death scenarios, including having Charlie drive his car off a cliff. (--Which would be interesting, since two of Charlie's cars have been "mysteriously stolen" and driven off cliffs right near his home.) --Then ASHTON KUTCHER'S character would join the show by purchasing the house . . . which belonged to Charlie. (--If Chuck Lorre were to actually do this, I think it would make a lot of people start to re-think who the REAL pain in the butt was on the set.) (--You already got him off the show, dude. Killing him off permanently just seems childish and vindictive at this point.)
Charlie Sheen Is Down to Zero Goddesses:
CHARLIE SHEEN officially has NO GODDESSES. NATALIE KENLEY has left the building . . . two months after mattress actress BREE OLSON also struck out on her own. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "He's not in one of the best places right now, things are very tense. It has nothing to do with her, [the relationship] just ran its course." --Still, TMZ says Charlie demanded that Natalie return a Mercedes of his that she'd been using. Not out of spite, though . . . just because it's an expensive car, and he never meant to actually give it to her. (--I guess we're a far cry from the days when Charlie just showered cash and expensive gifts on women.) --They also claim that the night Natalie left, Charlie had sex with THREE different women: One from Mexico, one from Australia and one from Colombia. --Meanwhile, a source says Charlie was looking for some new ladies anyway . . . quote, "Charlie won't be single for long. Let's just say there are a lot of irons in the fire if you know what I mean."
Hugh Hefner Officially Announces Girlfriend #2:
HUGH HEFNER crowned Girlfriend #2 yesterday. It's no big surprise. We already knew he moved 27-year-old SHERA BECHARD into the lineup. But he made it official yesterday on Twitter. --He said, quote, "Shera is both our November 2011 Playmate & my new girlfriend." (--Here's a photo of Shera.) (People) --Hef's #1 is still ANNA SOPHIA BERGLUND. It's not clear how the SHANNON TWINS fit into the equation, but they did move back in with Hef this month.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Have Set a Wedding Date:
KIM KARDASHIAN and KRIS HUMPHRIES have set a wedding date. We just don't know when it is. --KATHIE LEE GIFFORD knows it, because she and husband FRANK GIFFORD are invited. But she's been sworn to secrecy. But she says, quote, "Darn right we're going to that wedding." --A so-called "insider" claims it's sometime in early August.
Did Jim Carrey Try Desperately to Get Into Kristen Wiig's Pants?
If you think JIM CARREY can have any woman he wants, you're wrong. The last time Jim hosted "Saturday Night Live", he developed a major crush on KRISTEN WIIG. And he did everything he could to land that action. --But he FAILED. --According to the "National Enquirer", Jim sent her flowers and notes . . . and fell all over himself to congratulate her on the success of her movie "Bridesmaids". He even showed up backstage at "SNL" to ask her out. --But Kristen is spoken for . . . so Jim got nowhere. A source says, quote, "Kristen thinks Jim is a funny and talented guy, but she's made it clear she's in a longtime serious relationship. --"So she finally told him, 'Stop asking me out . . . the answer is no!'"
Kristen Wiig and Russell Brand Are PETA's Sexiest Vegetarians:
KRISTEN WIIG and RUSSELL BRAND have been named PETA's sexiest vegetarians for 2011. (--For more info hit up this website, where you can see some of the celebs they beat out by clicking on "Past Sexiest Vegetarian Winners".)
Bristol Palin Would Like to Clarify that Levi Johnston Did Not Rape Her:
In her new book "Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far", BRISTOL PALIN says that LEVI JOHNSTON, quote, "stole" her virginity when she was drunk on wine coolers. --And when you say it like that, it sounds almost like RAPE . . . date rape at the very least. --But that's not what she meant. Yesterday on "Good Morning America" she said she used the word "stolen" because, quote, "that's what it felt like." --But she added, quote, "I'm not accusing Levi of date rape, or rape at all. But I am just looking back with the adult eyes I have now, and just thinking, that was a foolish decision. --"I should have never been underage drinking and I should have never gotten myself in a situation like that." (--Here's video. Bristol also talks about how Levi told her another girl might be pregnant with his baby on the very day they announced their engagement to the entire world.) (--She also talks about the McCain campaign throwing her family under the bus, her "corrective" jaw surgery and why she decided to do "Dancing With the Stars".)
The Roof of Rose McGowan's Car Flew Off . . . While She Was Driving . . . And It's Not a Convertible:
ROSE MCGOWAN was driving yesterday when the roof of her car flew off. Oh, and we should probably add that the car is NOT a convertible. (!!!) --Rose Tweeted a picture of the car roof sitting on the sidewalk with the caption, "Kind of ruined a perfectly good afternoon." (--Check it out here.)
Tom Hanks Says "Toy Story 4" Will Happen:
We were told that "Toy Story 3" would be the last full-length "Toy Story" adventure. That's probably not true. --During a British TV interview, TOM HANKS was asked if there will be a fourth movie. He said, quote, "I think there will be, yeah . . . I think they're working on it now. There you go." (--A "Toy Story" short called "Hawaiian Vacation" is playing in theaters now, before "Cars 2".)
Check Out A Teaser for Pixar's New Movie, "Brave":
There's a teaser trailer online for Pixar's new movie "Brave". It's about a Scottish warrior princess named Merida . . . which makes it the first Pixar flick with a female lead. It's due out next June. (--Here's the teaser.)
Stephenie Meyer's "The Host" Will Hit Theaters in March of 2013:
The next hot movie property from "Twilight" author STEPHENIE MEYER has a release date. "The Host" will hit theaters on March 29th, 2013. --The book came out in 2008. It's about alien parasites that take over people's minds. The movie stars SAOIRSE RONAN from "The Lovely Bones". (--The last installment in the "Twilight" series, "Breaking Dawn", is being split into two movies. Part 1 comes out this November. Part 2 follows in November of 2012.)
"Survivor" Host Jeff Probst Has Scored His Own Daytime Talk Show:
"Survivor" host JEFF PROBST has landed his own syndicated daytime talk show. --Here's what we know: The hour-long show is expected to debut in the fall of 2012, and will cover "topics ranging from newsmakers of the day to families and individuals facing challenges." --There's no word on a title yet, and it's also too early to say what timeslot it'll get. --This basically takes Jeff's name out of the running to replace REGIS PHILBIN on "Live with Regis and Kelly". Jeff was mentioned as a possible replacement early on, because he's been a regular guest-host. --Jeff will continue to host "Survivor", which launches its 23rd season this fall. -By the way, Jeff's deal is with CBS Television Distribution, but it's unclear if it'll actually air on CBS, although "Entertainment Weekly" suggests that it will. (--These things get a little complicated . . .) (--For example, CBS distributed "Oprah", and it aired on ABC in most markets. But a lot of their other shows, like "Dr. Phil", "Judge Judy", "The Doctors" and "Rachael Ray", air predominantly on CBS stations.)
"Law & Order: SVU" Has Two New Cast Members:
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" has added two new cast members, and they both come with experience on police dramas. --The new detectives are: Former "Cold Case" star DANNY PINO and KELLI GIDDISH, who starred on the NBC drama "Chase", which was canceled last month after just one season. (--Here are pictures of the new blood.) --They'll play new characters . . . but they're basically replacing longtime stars CHRISTOPHER MELONI and MARISKA HARGITAY. --Christopher decided not to renew his contract, and Mariska wanted a decreased workload . . . so she'll transition into a smaller role halfway through next season when her character gets promoted. --RICHARD BELZER and ICE-T are returning in their usual roles. (--"SVU" will enter its 13th season as the sole remaining "Law & Order" show. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" just ended its run this past Sunday. It's been airing on the USA Network for the past four seasons.)
The Finalists from "The Voice" Will Tour This Summer:
Guess what? NBC's "The Voice" is getting its own tour. (--So yeah, this show continues to be absolutely nothing like "American Idol".) --According to the "Hollywood Reporter", the tour will feature the eight finalists . . . Beverly McClellan, Vicci Martinez, Dia Frampton, Javier Colon, Nakia, Xenia, Casey Weston and Frenchie Davis. --The celebrity "coaches" are not coming along, which isn't all that surprising . . . although it would've made the tour a whole lot more interesting. --No dates have been announced yet.
Tuesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"America's Got Talent" [Auditions] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC.
--"I Kid With Brad Garrett" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on TLC. (--Brad Garrett is the host and he questions kids on a variety of random topics including aliens, blind dates, imaginary friends and the best hot dog in L.A.)
--"The Voice" [The Finals] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Pitbull and Ne-Yo perform "Give Me Everything", Brad Paisley sings "Don't Drink the Water" with Blake Shelton, and the four coaches do "You Can't Always Get What You Want".)
--"Gene Simmons Family Jewels" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on A&E. (--Gene takes Shannon Tweed and their son Nick to Haifa, Israel to see where Gene was born.)
--"Hawthorne" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT. (--Blue Collar Comedy comedian Bill Engvall plays an internal-affairs investigator sent to examine recent events at James River Hospital.)
THIS WEEK'S NEW VIDEO GAMES
UFC Training Workouts Hit All Three Consoles This Week . . . And There's Also a New "Resident Evil" Game for the Nintendo 3DS:
REMINDER: The new map pack for "Call of Duty: Black Ops" came out today for the Xbox. The third set of multiplayer maps is called Ascension, and it will set you back 1200 Microsoft Points . . . which is equal to $15 of your mom's cash.
--"Resident Evil: The Mercenaries" (M) . . . on the Nintendo 3DS. This collection of mini games and levels from the last two "Resident Evil" games features characters like Chris Redfield, Albert Wesker, and Jill Valentine. The top screen of the 3DS will display the game play and players can manage their inventory on the touch screen. (Trailer)
--"UFC Personal Trainer" (E) . . . on Xbox360, PS3, and Wii. This is a motion controlled workout game for the Kinect, PS Move, and Wii. You train with popular UFC fighters to unlock drills as you progress onto harder and more challenging exercises.
In addition to going through the same workout routines professional MMA fighters use, there's also a multiplayer option that lets you compete against your friends. (Trailer)
--"Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3" (T) . . . on Xbox360 and PS3. You control the giant battle suits from the "Gundam" anime TV series. It supports up to four players. (Trailer)
--"Sniper: Ghost Warrior" (M) . . . on the PS3. This came out last year for the Xbox and the PC, but the PS3 release is barely hitting stores this week. This PS3 version features exclusive missions, multiplayer maps, and two new sniper rifles. (Trailer)
--"Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition" (T) . . . on the Xbox360 and PS3. This version of the game features four additional characters: a new character named Oni, plus Evil Ryu, as well as Yun and Yang from "Street Fighter III". (Trailer)
--"Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident" (E) . . . on Wii. A detective game where you're trying to find a mysterious substance to prevent a woman from dying. (Trailer)
NEW ON VIDEO TODAY
--"Season of the Witch" - Nicolas Cage and "Hellboy's" Ron Perlman play medieval knights escorting a suspected witch to a remote monastery. She claims she's innocent . . . and proceeds to manipulate the men escorting her.
--"The Warrior's Way" - A martial arts flick about a guy protecting a baby from an army of ninja swordsmen. They catch up to him in an Old West town, where he makes a stand with the help of Kate Bosworth and the town drunk, played by Geoffrey Rush.
--"Sucker Punch" - Emily Browning plays a girl in a mental institution who escapes to a fantasy world, where she fights everything from samurais and robots, to Nazis and a dragon. Vanessa Hudgens is one of four girls who agrees to help her escape.
--"Beastly" - A modern version of "Beauty and the Beast", starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer from "I Am Number Four". Mary-Kate Olsen is the witch who curses him and Neil Patrick Harris is his blind tutor.
--"Immigration Tango" - A romantic comedy starring Madonna's baby-daddy, Carlos Leon. He and his Russian girlfriend swap partners with their American friends so they both can stay in the U.S. in their fake green card marriages.
--"Barney's Version" - Paul Giamatti's life story is told through distorted memories of his failed marriages. Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, and Rachelle Lefevre play his three wives, Dustin Hoffman's his dad, and Scott Speedman is his best friend . . . who he may have killed.
TV Series On DVD:
--"Law & Order: Criminal Intent - Season Six" . . . a five-disc DVD set.
--"Rizzoli & Isles: The Complete First Season" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"Warehouse 13: Season Two" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"Dog The Bounty Hunter: This Family Means Business" . . . a single-disc DVD set.
NEW MUSIC OUT TODAY
This Week's CD Releases:
--"4", Beyoncé (--Andre 3000 of Outkast appears on a track called "Party". Meanwhile, Beyoncé's said she named the album "4" as a "tribute" to her fans . . . who started calling it "4" online because it's her fourth album.) (--Here's the story.)
--"Gold Cobra", Limp Bizkit (--Their first album with their original line-up since "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" came out in 2000. Fred Durst recently said no one in the band is a fan of their genre.) (--Here's the story.)
--"When the Sun Goes Down", Selena Gomez & The Scene (--It includes the song "Bang Bang Bang", in which she seems to be telling off her ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas, and bragging about her new love Justin Bieber.)
--"This Loud Morning", David Cook . . . a.k.a. the winner of the seventh season of "American Idol" (--It includes the single "The Last Goodbye".)
--"Old School: 1964-1974", Alice Cooper (--A box set containing four CDs covering those 10 years, a 64-page booklet, and both a DVD and vinyl album of his 1971 "Killer" tour in St. Louis.)
--"I'm American", Billy Ray Cyrus (--This disc features appearances by Jamey Johnson, Craig Morgan, Darryl Worley, and Amy Grant.)
Justin Bieber Says His Voice Isn't Meant for Any Particular Style of Music:
JUSTIN BIEBER is in the beginning stages of creating his next album . . . and he says it won't fit one specific style of music. --He explains, quote, "I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's going to have that vibe. But I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music . . . I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is . . . different. --"My voice . . . it's not meant for any style. I just want to make music." --And just to be clear, when Justin says he's "doing a lot on his acoustic guitar," he does mean writing his own songs. --He says, quote, "[I want to] write a lot myself. I will be working with a lot of other producers and stuff like that, but I'm just writing a lot, writing on tour. --"[I'm] writing about how I feel, and . . . I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer. I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge." --It doesn't sound like there's a timetable for his next album yet. (--Here's video of Justin's comments.)
Roger Daltrey Is in the "Last Bits" of His Career, But He Isn't Ready to Retire:
WHO singer ROGER DALTREY is 67 years old. And while he admits that he and PETE TOWNSHEND are in the, quote, "last bits of our career" . . . he says he has no plans to retire. --He tells "Rolling Stone", quote, "I feel that we owe it to the public that supported us all these years to go down with us. --"I had a real scare with my voice a couple of years ago, but now I'm singing better than ever . . . it made me just want to use it till the day I can't. --"Look, I'm realistic about my age and realistic about the fact that there's an awful lot less in front of me than there is behind me. I've always felt that music is an art form that deserves to live the life of the artist." --Roger is inspired by old musicians like CHUCK BERRY, who's 84, and PETE SEEGER, who's 92 . . . because they're still out there performing. --He says, quote, "Isn't it wonderful to see them? A lot of people may not agree . . . but to me, this is like the last time you're going to get to see any of these people. --"Imagine if you could go watch Mozart today . . . even if it's the last, crappiest show he ever played. What a thrill that would be." --Roger, who's been touring solo, doesn't know if he'll be able to reunite with Pete for another Who tour. Pete is currently finishing up his memoir, and has been struggling with tinnitus, a serious hearing problem.
Johnny Depp Jammed with Alice Cooper in the U.K.:
JOHNNY DEPP joined ALICE COOPER onstage during a club gig in London on Sunday night. --Before the show, Alice posted a picture on Facebook of Johnny holding a guitar backstage . . . with the caption: "Johnny Depp!! Waiting to jump on stage with Alice for '18' and 'School's Out'!" --Johnny played "18" with the band, and then they did a cover of PINK FLOYD'S "Another Brick in the Wall", which led into "School's Out". (--Luckily, there are videos on YouTube of both "18" and "School's Out", which you can watch here and here. The quality isn't great, but it's not the worst, either.) (--Then we have a video with pretty poor audio quality, in which Alice tells Johnny, quote, "I think we could use another guitar player, right? Johnny, this whole movie thing . . . if it doesn't pan out, join us, okay?") (--Johnny and Alice have never officially worked together before . . . but they both had cameos in the 1991 horror movie "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare".) (--Alice played Freddy's dad, while Johnny appeared on a TV set doing one of those "This is your brain on drugs" public service announcements . . . and took a frying pan to the face from Freddy. Here's that clip.) (--Johnny Depp was also in the first "Nightmare on Elm Street", as Nancy's boyfriend. You can watch an eight and a half minute montage of Johnny's scenes from the original movie here.)
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
"Saturday Night Live" clown-ass and "Horrible Bosses" star JASON SUDEIKIS has been on two dates recently with EVA MENDES. (Full Story)
MIKE TYSON and his wife renewed their vows in Vegas. (Full Story)
TOM HANKS' son, white rapper CHET HAZE, had his first club gig over the weekend in Chicago. Tom and wife RITA WILSON were there. (--Here's the underwhelming review and video.)
When "Jackass" jackass RYAN DUNN died last week, G4 took his new show, "Proving Ground", off the air. Well, they're going to run all the unaired episodes, beginning July 19th. (Full Story)
"90210" star SHENAE GRIMES got a Peter Pan tattoo behind her ear. (Full Story)
CLINT EASTWOOD reportedly wants LEONARDO DICAPRIO and BEYONCÉ as the leads for his remake of "A Star Is Born". (Full Story)
Former "Saturday Night Live" star DARRELL HAMMOND had to cancel a live performance in New York Saturday after being injured in a car accident. He got bruised up, but he's okay. (Full Story)
SHIA LABEOUF calls it a "blessing" that MEGAN FOX isn't in the new "Transformers" movie . . . but only because it allows his character to develop more clearly. (Full Story)
BRET MICHAELS was on Biography's "Celebrity Ghost Stories" last Friday . . . and he told a story about how he "saw" his dead grandmother when he was a teenager. (Video, fast-forward to the 1:40 mark. It's about 11 minutes long.)
"Celebrity Rehab" star TOM SIZEMORE will guest star on "multiple" episodes of "Hawaii Five-0" next season. He'll play the head of Internal Affairs. It's unclear how many episodes he's doing, and when they're airing. (Full Story)
(--Before becoming a celebrity addict, Tom had a string of roles in big movies like: "Saving Private Ryan", "Heat", "Pearl Harbor" and "Black Hawk Down".)
RANDOM STUFF
Here's How Many Gallons of Soda, Bottled Water, Beer, Milk, and Coffee the Average American Drinks:
Sure, Americans like Starbucks and Red Bull and Bud Light. But at the end of the day, we're a soda-drinking country. And that's not changing any time soon. --The Beverage Marketing Corporation just released the numbers on drink consumption in 2010. And our soda drinking DOMINATED everything else. Here are our top 12 most popular drinks, in order.
#1.) Soda. The average American drinks 44.7 gallons, which is the equivalent of 1.3 twelve-ounce cans every day.
#2.) Bottled water. 28.3 gallons, or one 20-ounce bottle every two days.
#3.) Beer. 20.8 gallons, or about 222 12-ounce cans, which is one every 1.6 days or four to five a week.
#4.) Milk. 20.4 gallons, or about 326 eight-ounce glasses.
#5.) Coffee. 18.5 gallons, or about 1.2 cups every work day.
#6.) Fruit beverages and juices. 11.5 gallons, or one 12-ounce glass or bottle every other day.
#7.) Tea. 10.3 gallons, or 165 eight-ounce cups. That's about three per week.
#8.) Sports drinks. 4 gallons, or about 25 20-ounce bottles. That's one every other week.
#9.) Wine. 2.3 gallons, or 98 three-ounce glasses. That's just under two per week.
#10.) Value-added water. 1.5 gallons, or one 16-ounce bottle every month. This includes sparkling, caffeinated, and flavored waters.
#11.) Distilled spirits. 1.5 gallons, or 128 shots. That's about 2.5 shots every weekend.
#12.) Energy drinks. 1.2 gallons, or about 20 eight-ounce cans. (Ad Age)
A Study Finds that Fathers Who Cheat are More Likely to Have Sons Who Cheat:
This is one of those things you really wish your father WOULDN'T pass down to you . . . sort of like heart disease and ear hair. --A new study out of Charles University in Prague, in the Czech Republic, found fathers who cheat on their wives are more likely to have sons who cheat on their wives. There was no connection between fathers or mothers cheating and their daughters cheating. --The researchers believe there are two reasons for it: One, good-looking fathers tend to have good-looking sons, and those men have more opportunities to cheat. --And two, boys get their cues for what they can get away with in the world from their fathers . . . so when they see their fathers cheating, it gives them an indication that's okay. (Daily Mail)
Is Your Car's Voice Command System Sexist?
So . . . turns out your car just might be sexist. Hope that doesn't bum you out too much. --According to a study, the majority of voice command and navigation systems have more trouble understanding a woman's voice than a man's . . . so they tend to screw up for women more than men. --While that's frustrating, there's another bad side effect. Women tend to give up on using voice commands quicker . . . which can lead them to dangerous distractions like manually dialing on their cell phones or punching in GPS directions. (AOL)
Shoplifting is Up . . . Which is a Good Sign For the Economy?
This is one of the stranger signs of economic recovery we've heard about. Apparently, the latest indication that things might be getting better is . . . people are SHOPLIFTING again? --The National Retail Federation just announced that in 2010, there was $37.1 BILLION in retail theft. That's up from $33.5 BILLION in 2009. --Why is that a good thing? The majority of shoplifting is done by EMPLOYEES, not customers. When the economy's bad, employees are less likely to shoplift . . . because they're too worried about getting caught and losing their jobs. --Now that they feel like there are more jobs out there if they get caught and fired, they're more willing to steal stuff. So . . . yay? (The Consumerist)
People 75 and Older Just Won't Retire . . . 7.4% of Them are Still In the Workforce:
When you hit 75, your career options aren't just to retire or wave to people at the front door of Walmart anymore. You can just keep on working at your old job, all the way through the autumn years of your life. And a lot of people are doing just that. --According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 7.4% of Americans ages 75 and up are still employed. --The number has been going up since 2000. Back then, 5.5% of people over 75 were working. By 2007 it was up to 6.8%. In 2010, it hit 7.4%. And by 2020, it's expected to be over 13%. --Experts say this rise isn't a recession thing . . . remember, people who retire today actually CAN get Social Security. --The main cause of the increase is simply that people kinda like working. By staying in the workforce instead of retiring, people find themselves feeling more social, connected, and young. (Miami Herald)
Lexington, Kentucky Has Been Named America's Laziest City . . . Check Out the Full List of 100:
I would tell the people of Lexington, Kentucky to give themselves a big round of applause . . . but lifting their arms and moving their hands back and forth might qualify as aerobic exercise. And that might cost them this honor. --"Men's Health" just ranked the 100 largest cities in the U.S. by LAZINESS . . . and Lexington was named THE laziest city in the country. --The rankings are based on exercise rates, the percentage of households that watch more than 15 hours of TV a week and buy more than 11 video games a year, and the death rates from sitting-related diseases like deep-vein thrombosis. --Lexington finished in last place. It's just lazier than Indianapolis in 99th place . . . Jackson, Mississippi in 98th . . . Charleston, West Virginia in 97th . . . and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 96th. --On the other end of the list, Seattle was named the least lazy city in the U.S. It just beat out San Francisco . . . Oakland . . . Washington, D.C. . . . and Salt Lake City. (Men's Health) (--Check out the full list of 100 cities here.)
Only About 15% of Us Still Send Postcards:
I wouldn't check the mail this summer looking for classy postcards from your friends . . . you know, the ones that show half-naked women on beaches with the slogan "Wish you were her." --Postcards are about to join the ever-growing list of old institutions that have been murdered by modern technology. According to a new survey, only about 15% of people still sometimes send postcards from vacations. --35% of people prefer to send photos immediately from their smartphones when they're on vacation. --And as you'd expect, people 18 to 24 are least likely to send a postcard, and most likely to send texts. People 35 to 54 are most likely to send postcards. (PR Newswire)
Random Fact: Two-Thirds of the World's Surgical Tools are Made in One City in Pakistan:
Next time you have surgery, believe it or not, your doctor isn't the only thing from Asia in the room. Odds are, the scalpel he's using to cut you comes from Asia too. --Apparently, two-thirds of the surgical tools in the world are manufactured in one city in Pakistan, called Sialkot (--see-AHL-cote). Over 100 million tools are made there every year, and the U.S. is the biggest importer of those tools. --Sialkot has a population of around 800,000 and is only 16.2 square miles, making it around the same size as Atlantic City, New Jersey. (BBC)
A 99-Year-Old Man in New York Finally Got Married For the First Time:
No matter how picky you think you are when it comes to dating, you can't possibly compare to this guy. --Gilbert Herrick of Rochester, New York has spent his entire life searching for the right woman to lock him down, and he's finally discovered her . . . at AGE 99. --Gilbert lives in a nursing home, where he spotted some hand-painted china and asked who made it. The staff introduced him to the artist, an 86-year-old resident named Virginia Hartman. --They started talking. And after almost ten decades, Virginia was finally the one who tamed Gilbert. --Of course, he still resisted getting married . . . he just wanted to shack up with Virginia. But when they asked the nursing home if they could share a room, they were told only married couples can do that. --Virginia ended up proposing to Gilbert . . . that's right . . . and he accepted. While Gilbert has never been married, this is Virginia's second time. Her previous husband died 25 years ago. --They were married earlier this month in front of family, friends, and the staff. (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Follow-Up: The TSA Never Told the 95-Year-Old Woman She Had to Take Off Her Adult Diaper:
Yesterday, everyone was OUTRAGED over the story about a 95-year-old woman with leukemia being forced to remove her ADULT DIAPER so TSA agents could examine it at an airport in Florida. --WELL . . . now more information from the story is, pardon the expression, leaking out. And the details aren't QUITE what they seemed. --The TSA is now saying its agents at Northwest Florida Regional Airport never forced the woman to remove her adult diaper. --The woman's daughter, Jean Weber, sort of agrees. --She says that while the TSA agents didn't tell her mother to remove the diaper, they DID make it clear that her mother couldn't board the plane until they inspected the diaper. But it was Jean's idea to head to the bathroom and remove it. --After she suggested that, the agents agreed and had Jean take her mother out of the screening area and into the bathroom. (CNN)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A Woman in Ohio Resists Arrest by . . . Spraying Breast Milk at the Cops:
Resisting arrest doesn't get much more ODD than this. --Around 1:00 A.M. on Saturday, sheriff's deputies in Delaware County, Ohio got a domestic violence call from outside a banquet hall. --When they got there, they found a man standing by his car. His name wasn't released. He told them he'd just gotten into an argument with his wife, 30-year-old Stephanie Robinette. --She was drunk, and ended up hitting him and locking herself in the car. --When the deputies tried to get her out of the car, she told them she was a breastfeeding mother. --And when that didn't stop the deputies, Stephanie proved it by whipping out her right breast . . . and SPRAYING THEM with her breast milk. --Once the stream stopped they removed her from the car and arrested her for domestic violence, assault, obstructing official business, disorderly conduct, and, of course, resisting arrest. (Columbus Dispatch)
RANDOM News Extras . . . Random inks to Additional Stories:
We're not sure if this is why we had that whole stem cell 'research' debate, but Dutch scientists say they've found a way to create a test-tube hamburger from beef stem cells. It's called 'in vitro meat.' (Full Story)
A woman in Raleigh, North Carolina died at age 78 last January. And a year later, police discovered that she'd buried her husband in her flowerbed . . . 14 years ago. (Full Story)
Firefighters and police in North Dakota had to rescue a woman with equipment from the National Guard on Sunday, after she drove into the floodwaters while trying to get to a bingo game . . . at a bar . . . while she was drunk. (Full Story)
A top female Australian beach volleyball player is selling advertisers tattoo space on her body to raise money for the Olympics: $10,500 gets you a one-inch-by-one-inch square on her left arm. $52,500 gets you four-square-inches on her right shoulder. And yeah . . . she's okay looking. (Full Story)
A 13-year-old in Australia suffered a broken collarbone and was knocked unconscious on Sunday . . . when a humpback whale swept its tail across his family's boat and smacked him down. (Full Story)
L.A. schools say homework can only count for up to 10% of a student's grade. It's to help low-income and minority students, because, quote, "Varying degrees of access to academic support at home, for whatever reason, should not penalize a student so severely that it prevents the student from passing a class, nor should it inflate the grade." Huh? It's freakin' HOMEWORK! If this isn't giving up, what is? (Full Story)
The first 'zero-packaging' grocery store is going to open in Austin, Texas. They'll sell cleaning products, produce, spices, dairy, wine . . . everything. But shoppers need to bring their own containers. It's meant to cut down on wasteful packaging that people throw out or forget to recycle . . . which accounts for 40% of the 1.4 billion pounds of waste that Americans throw away EVERY DAY. (Full Story)
The Supreme Court has struck down a California law that attempted to ban the sale of violent video games to kids. (Full Story)
That penguin that ended up on a New Zealand beach is in critical condition . . . because penguins eat snow to stay hydrated, and he tried to eat sand. He needed two surgeries, and is on an IV drip awaiting a third. (Full Story)
What's killing the environment now? You and your cable box. The average DVR and high definition cable box uses 10% more energy than an energy efficient refrigerator. They consume $3 billion in electricity each year . . . more than the entire state of Maryland . . . and 66% of it is wasted, because the drives are running when no one is watching and shows aren't even being recorded. (Full Story)
80% of the cocaine supply in the U.S. is supposedly contaminated with a flesh eating veterinary drug called levamisole. It's used to de-worm cattle, pigs, and sheep . . . and can rot the skin off noses, ears, and cheeks. Not everyone is vulnerable to the effects, and once the drug is cleared from the body, the wounds heal, leaving behind a shiny scar. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) Check Out the Worst Christopher Walken Impressions on YouTube:
The most common impression people do BADLY has gotta be CHRISTOPHER WALKEN. And there's an article online on how NOT to impersonate him that features six of the worst impressions from YouTube. (--Just Search for "How Not to Impersonate Christopher Walken.")
#2.) Michele Bachmann Talked About John Wayne Being From Her Home Town, But He Wasn't . . . Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy Was:
MICHELE BACHMANN was in Waterloo, Iowa to officially launch her presidential run, and Fox interviewed her in front of her childhood home. She said, quote: --"Just like JOHN WAYNE was from Waterloo, Iowa, that's the kind of spirit that I have too." The problem is, John Wayne WASN'T from Waterloo, Iowa . . . serial killer JOHN WAYNE GACY was. --He's the guy who dressed up like a clown and killed 33 boys and young men between 1972 and 1978. (--Although John Wayne's parents met in Waterloo, and moved to a nearby town before he was born.) (--Search YouTube for "Michele Bachmann on John Wayne Gacy." To watch the full report, search for "Carl Cameron in Iowa with Michele Bachmann." She makes the comment at 1:35.)
#3.) 8,000 Paper Lanterns Were Released Into the Sky in Poland to Mark the Shortest Night of the Year:
In America, we like to celebrate major events by blowing stuff up. But people in Poland celebrated the shortest night of the year last week by floating 8,000 paper lanterns into the air. --It happened the city of Poznan, and the lanterns filled the whole sky. And actually, it looked pretty cool. --And according to the "Daily Mail", it smashed a Polish record. But the WORLD record is 10,318. It was set in Indonesia in 2009. (--Search for "Paper Lanterns Poland Pabieda1981.")
#4.) A Veteran Who Lost His Arm in Afghanistan Caught a Foul Ball at a Yankees Game:
A National Guard vet named Michael Kacer lost his left arm in Afghanistan in 2008. But it didn't stop him from snagging a foul ball with his hat at a Yankees game on Friday. And it wasn't an easy catch either: He had to lean over a railing to get it. -- In an interview afterwards he said, quote, "Either I was going to catch the ball, I was going to catch the ball AND go over the railing, or I was going to miss the ball COMPLETELY and go over the railing." --After the catch, he immediately gave the ball to his nephew. (--Search LiveLeak.com for "One-Armed War Veteran Catches Foul Ball at Yankee Stadium." It shows the replay at :30.)
Eight Signs Your Child Might Be Gifted:
Most parents think their children are special, which might be true in one way or another . . . but here are eight signs your child is ACTUALLY gifted.
#1.) They Retain Information. The term "in one ear and out the other" applies for most kids. But gifted children can usually retain a diverse range of information, and remember it later. --Here's an example given by the National Association of Gifted Children. They say, quote, "One six-year-old returned from a trip to the space museum and reproduced an accurate drawing of a space rocket he had seen."
#2.) They're Interested in Different Topics. Gifted kids tend to be fascinated by a variety of things. They might like dinosaurs one month, space the next, and so on.
#3.) They Read and Write Early. Some gifted kids start learning to read and write before they've had any formal teaching from their parents or teachers.
#4.) They Show Musical or Artistic Talent. Young kids who seem bizarrely talented at music or art are usually considered gifted. For example, having perfect pitch or being able draw realistic pictures at a young age are two signs.
#5.) They Show Periods of Intense Concentration. Most kids have short attention spans. But gifted kids can zone in on things for hours . . . and watching TV doesn't count.
#6.) They Have a Good Memory. A gifted two-year-old might be able to remember things from when he was 18 months old, and bring them up without being prompted.
#7.) They Have an Advanced Vocabulary. If a child starts speaking early, it's not necessarily a sign they're gifted. But if they start forming full sentences at an early age, it is. For example, the average two-year-old might say, "There's a doggie." --And a gifted two-year-old might say, "There's a brown doggie in the backyard, and he's sniffing our flower." (???)
#8.) They Pay Close Attention to Details. If it's a young child, he might be able to put toys away exactly where he got them. If it's an older child, you might notice him asking specific questions about how certain things work. (LilSugar.com)
posted by Nazzy @ 5:51 AM
0 Comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home