HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (06-29-11)
Shia LeBeouf Admits that He Hooked Up With Megan Fox During the "Transformers" Movies:
If there's one question SHIA LABEOUF has been asked more than any other, it's probably this: Why are you such a giant D-bag? --Running a close second, though, would be this question: Did you ever have sex with MEGAN FOX during the making of the "Transformers" movies? --And finally, after all these years, Shia has answered that question: And the answer is YES. He dropped the bomb in an interview with "Details" magazine. --Asked if he hit that, Shia NODDED, then said, quote, "Look, you're on the set for six months, with someone who's rooting to be attracted to you, and you're rooting to be attracted to them." --He added, quote, "I never understood the separation of work and life in that situation. But the time I spent with Megan was our own thing, and I think you can see the chemistry onscreen." --Shia didn't say WHEN it happened, but "Details" asked him what Megan's status with her longtime boyfriend, BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN was at the time. And that got him pretty flustered. --He replied, quote, "I don't know, man, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know." He then said "I don't know" EIGHT more times, for a grand total of 12, before adding, quote, "It was what it was." --There's been no word yet from Megan or Brian. Megan's rep simply says, quote, "We have no comment." --But to be fair, her roll with Shia could have happened during a "break". She and Brian have been together for a long time, but there have supposedly been some "off" periods. --Meanwhile, Shia also admits to, quote, "philandering around" with ISABEL LUCAS from the second "Transformers" movie . . . even though she was in a relationship with "Entourage" star ADRIAN GRENIER. --And he says he once went out with HILARY DUFF, on what he calls, quote, "probably the worst date either of us have ever had." (--Elsewhere in the interview, Shia talks about his crappy childhood, how he got his first big break on the Disney Channel show "Even Stevens", his movie career, why he's an easy target for dudes who want to pick fights and a whole lot more.) (--You can read the whole thing here.)
Hugh Hefner Says, "A New Girlfriend Is the Only Logical Response to Heartbreak":
HUGH HEFNER has at least two . . . and possibly FOUR . . . new girlfriends just WEEKS after his breakup with fiancée CRYSTAL HARRIS. And even some of his followers on Twitter think that's kind of sleazy. But Hugh is sticking to his guns. --He responded to one angry Tweeter by saying, quote, "A new girlfriend is the only logical response to heartbreak." --Hef just recently christened his newest girlfriend, SHERA BECHARD. And one of Hugh's Twitter followers asked if Crystal left because of his relationship with Shera. --He said, quote, "You have it backwards. The interest in Shera came after the stunner from Crystal." --One follower took a pretty hard shot at Hef, saying, quote, "It kind of shows you really treat women as nothing when you get a new girlfriend just days after you and Crystal broke up." --But Hef replied, quote, "What's your remedy for a broken heart?" --Then he added, quote, "How can I feel badly about dealing with what has been a truly devastating experience? I'm grateful for the support."
America Ferrera Is Married:
Former "Ugly Betty" star AMERICA FERRERA got married to her longtime boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams over the weekend. (--Here's a wedding photo.) (People) --Two of America's former cast mates made big contributions to the wedding: It took place at VANESSA WILLIAMS' home in New York, and JUDITH LIGHT officiated the ceremony. --Other celebrities in attendance included another "Ugly Betty" star, REBECCA ROMIJN, along with her husband JERRY O'CONNELL. --Also on hand were her co-stars from "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", ALEXIS BLEDEL, AMBER TAMBLYN and BLAKE LIVELY. (--No, Blake didn't bring Leonardo DiCaprio.)
David Duchovny and Tea Leoni Are Separated:
TEA LEONI and DAVID DUCHOVNY have separated again. Sources say they have not decided whether to make the split permanent. --Tea and David also split back in 2008, after David admitted he's a SEX ADDICT. They've been married for 14 years and have two kids . . . a 12-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.
Linda Hogan Says Hulk Physically Abused Her:
LINDA HOGAN has a new biography called "Wrestling the Hulk: My Life Against the Ropes". And she uses that book to reveal, for the first time, that HULK HOGAN physically abused her. --She writes, quote, "He tore my shirt. He threw lamps. He held me down on the bed with his hands around my throat during arguments, slamming doors, pounding walls. I was always afraid he would kill me in one of his rages." --On yesterday's "Today" show, Linda said she was worried Hulk would go all O.J. SIMPSON on her. She said, quote, "He did not feel remorse, and to this day he's never apologized for any of actions. --"That is something that scared me. I did not want to be a statistic like NICOLE SIMPSON." (--It's funny she'd use that analogy, because in 2009, Hulk got some bad press for saying he could "totally understand" how O.J. flipped out and killed his wife. --Linda says she kept quiet about the abuse because she didn't want to sabotage Hulk's career . . . quote, "I don't know what my kids would have done. They were little at the time." --Linda thinks drugs could have had something to do with Hulk's rages . . . quote, "Drugs were always around . . . prescribed. [Wrestlers have] always got injuries. --"There was a constant flow of pain pills, anti-inflammatories, steroids . . . a lot of them did take steroids. Combined? It makes somebody . . . you don't know what you're dealing with." (--Here's video.) --Meanwhile, Hulk called onto a radio show yesterday . . . (--"The Bubba the Love Sponge Show") . . . calling Linda, quote, "delusional." --He said he's never laid a hand on her, and called her allegations, quote, "a cold, blatant lie." --He also compared her to the ULTIMATE WARRIOR and the IRON SHEIK . . . two former wrestlers who he claims are trying to get publicity by slamming him. (--Here's audio of Hulk's interview.)
Thomas Jane Says He Was Fired from a Sylvester Stallone Movie Because He's White:
"Punisher" star THOMAS JANE was all set to co-star with SYLVESTER STALLONE in an upcoming action flick called "Headshot" . . . until he got fired for being WHITE. --At least that's his side of the story. He says, quote, "Well, Joel Silver came onboard [as a producer] and said that he has a quote-unquote 'formula' for these quote-unquote 'buddy movies' and it has to be a white guy and a quote-unquote 'ethnic guy.' --"And they relieved me of duty and basically paid me off, which I was really upset about, you know?" -Jane was replaced by Asian-American actor SUNG KANG . . . who was in "Fast Five" and some of the other "Fast and the Furious" movies. --Jane is also upset that Stallone didn't go to bat for him. So upset that he insults the size of his manhood. --He says, quote, "I didn't get a call from Stallone. I was a little upset about that. Maybe they didn't want anybody on the movie with a bigger [penis] than him." (--Joel Silver is a BIG TIME Hollywood producer. Some of his titles that exploit the white guy / ethnic guy dynamic include "48 Hours", "Exit Wounds", "The Last Boy Scout" and the "Lethal Weapon" movies.)
Check Out "Newsweek's" Bizarre New Cover with a Digitally-Aged Princess Diana Walking with Kate Middleton:
The new issue of "Newsweek" magazine sports a rather bizarre cover featuring a digitally-aged PRINCESS DIANA walking with her new daughter-in-law, KATE MIDDLETON. (--Check it out here.) (D-Listed) --This coming Friday would have been Diana's 50th birthday, so that's how old she's supposed to look. --They also imagined what Diana's FACEBOOK PAGE might look like if she were still with us. (--I kid you not. You'll find it here.) --Her friends include J.K. ROWLING, BONO, and CHELSEA CLINTON, and one of her posts reads, quote, "Sitting with Beckhams front-row at Burberry. Love the shoes!" --There's also a notification that Diana has become friends with CAMILLA PARKER BOWLES . . . and PRINCE CHARLES "liked" it. --"Newsweek" Editor TINA BROWN wrote the cover story, in which she predicts that Diana would have moved to New York, stayed young-looking with Botox and had 10 million Twitter followers. --As for the cover, Brown says, quote, "We wanted to bring the memory of Diana alive in a vivid image that transcends time and reflects my piece."
Haley Joel Osment Will Star in a New Take on "Frankenstein":
HALEY JOEL OSMENT will star in a new take on "Frankenstein". It's called "Wake the Dead", and it's based on a series of graphic novels. (--For the uninitiated, "graphic novel" is what people who don't want to admit they read comic books call comic books.) --Osment will play Victor Franklin, a college student whose experiments in life and death go horribly wrong. (--We haven't seen Haley in a while, but he's 23 now and he recently filmed two comedies: "Sassy Pants" and "Montana Amazon". There's no word yet on a release date for either.)
Check Out a Trailer for the New "Mission: Impossible":
A new trailer for "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" hit the web yesterday, and it's every bit as action-packed as you'd expect. For those who've lost track, it's the fourth movie in the series. It comes out in December. (--Here's the trailer. And keep in mind, some of those clips of Tom climbing that building are REAL. That's the world's tallest building: The Burj Khalifa in Dubai. And Tom did some of his own stunts.)
Larry King Returns to CNN For a One-Hour "Harry Potter" Special:
LARRY KING returns to CNN on Sunday, July 10th for a one-hour "Harry Potter" special. --Larry will interview several cast members, including DANIEL RADCLIFFE, RUPERT GRINT and EMMA WATSON . . . along with Tom Felton, Helena Bonham Carter and Robbie Coltrane. --They'll also show never-before-seen footage from "Deathly Hallows: Part 2" and behind-the-scenes stuff from the making of the movie. (--The movie opens five days after the special airs . . . on Friday, July 15th.)
Emma Watson's Very First Crush Was: Draco Malfoy:
In the new issue of "Seventeen" magazine, "Harry Potter" minx EMMA WATSON reveals her very first crush. It was TOM FELTON . . . who plays Draco Malfoy. --She says, quote, "For the first two movies, I had a huge crush on Tom Felton. He was my first crush. --"He totally knows. We talked about it . . . we still laugh about it. We are really good friends now, and that's cool."
Martin Short Will Appear in Multiple Episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" Next Season:
"New York" magazine reports that comedian MARTIN SHORT will guest star in "multiple" episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" next season. --He'll play "the boss of an environmental law firm where Jason Segel's character Marshall Eriksen works." --It's similar to the role DAVE FOLEY played on the season finale. In fact, the producers initially wanted Dave to continue, but he couldn't because he's starring in a new CBS sitcom this fall called "How to Be a Gentleman". --It's unclear if Martin will take over Dave's role, or if he's playing a different character.
Wednesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"The Voice" [1st Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Tonight's winner gets $100,000 and a recording contract. Your final four are . . . Dia Frampton, Javier Colon, Vicci Martinez and Beverly McClellan.)
--"So You Think You Can Dance" [Performance] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.
--"State of Georgia" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC Family. (--Raven-Symoné plays Georgia, a chick who moves to New York with her best friend to become an actress. The friend is played by Majandra Delfino from "Roswell".)
--"America's Got Talent" [Auditions] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC.
--"Royal Pains" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on USA.
--"Mythbusters" [9th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery.
--"Hot in Cleveland" . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on TV Land. (--The ladies all play matchmaker for each other with hit-and-miss date nights.)
--"Love in the Wild" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Twenty singles go on dates in the jungles of Costa Rica, while competing in random challenges like raft-building and navigating crocodile-infested waters.)
--"Behind the Music" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1. (--Missy Elliott is the first artist to be profiled this season.)
--"Necessary Roughness" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:15 P.M. on USA. (--A psychotherapist takes a new job counseling a local football team's players.)
--"Cee-Lo Green: Talking to Strangers" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on Fuse. (--Keri Hilson performs and is interviewed by Cee-Lo Green.)
Tom Petty Has Warned Michele Bachmann Not to Use "American Girl":
Now that the 2012 Presidential Campaign has begun, it's once again time for Republican candidates to tick off liberal musicians by using their songs at their rallies and in their campaign ads. --First up is Republican Tea Party candidate MICHELE BACHMANN, who tossed her hat into the ring on Monday in her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. --Michele blared the TOM PETTY song "American Girl" after her announcement . . . and less than 24 hours later, Tom's people sent her a cease-and-desist letter. --Neither Tom nor Michele have commented . . . but the usual protocol is for the campaign to issue an empty apology, the artist to make some sort of agitated political statement, and for Michele to find another musician to annoy. (--Check out video of Michele Bachman walking off to "American Girl", here.) --Obviously, Tom's issue is all about POLITICS. --Tom allowed HILLARY CLINTON to use "American Girl" during her presidential campaign in 2008 . . . but back in 2000, he stopped GEORGE W. BUSH from using "I Won't Back Down".
New Republican Candidates: You Might Not Want to Play Rock Songs:
You can't really blame MICHELE BACHMANN for ticking off TOM PETTY, because she's new to this, and hasn't learned the rule that JOHN MCCAIN and SARAH PALIN learned. (--Assuming they did eventually GET IT.) --It's this: Republicans, you may not want to play rock songs. At all. --Why? Because every rocker except TED NUGENT is a liberal . . . or at least, doesn't want to be connected to the Republican Party or politics in general. And that's no exaggeration. --The quick list of musicians that kindly asked the Republicans to stop using their songs in the 2008 election includes: Heart, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi, Survivor, Don Henley, Rush, the Foo Fighters, Boston and Van Halen. -If you're a Republican just stick with the Ted Nugent catalog . . . or go country. You should be fine with most everyone except the DIXIE CHICKS.
Can an Artist Really Sue a Candidate for Using Their Songs in a Campaign?
Since this question is bound to come up again and again throughout the 2012 campaign, I thought I'd go ahead and address it from the get-go: --When candidates use an artist or group's songs without permission, the artist threatens to SUE if they don't stop. But can they really sue? The short answer is: Yes. And the longer answer is: Maybe. --There's actually no real legal precedent on the books because these cases never make it to court. They're usually resolved with an apology . . . or a settlement. --Technically, a candidate would be able to purchase a license from the publisher in order to play the song at their event. Anyone can do that . . . that's how songs are able to be played at sports stadiums and arenas. --The licenses are non-discriminatory, so the artist would not have to sign off on each one. If the candidate does that, they're probably clear to use what they want. --Conservative politicians are probably trying to operate under this idea, because they know that if they ask a rock act to use a song, they'll probably be rejected. --However, the artist COULD argue that by playing the song, it's implied that they're ENDORSING the candidate, and that notion could open a whole new can of worms. --There is one no-no though. Candidates seem to get in more hot water if they use songs, without an artist's permission in a political ad on TV.
Total Mental Breakdown Watch: Counting Crows Singer Adam Duritz Is Aggressively Weening Himself Off His Meds:
If COUNTING CROWS singer ADAM DURITZ has a crazy BRITNEY SPEARS-like mental breakdown sometime in the near future, here's why: --Adam was diagnosed with a mental disorder a few years back, and now he's cutting back on the mood stabilizing medications he's taking . . . and he admits that he's doing it more AGGRESSIVELY than he should. --In a borderline CRAZY rant on the Counting Crows Facebook page, Adam says, quote, "I was [effing] crazy. I needed meds. I took meds. Now I'm less crazy. I need less meds. I'm stopping meds. That's it. --"These meds just happen to have some freaking vicious withdrawal symptoms when you stop so u can't do it all at once." --Adam said his doctors have cleared him to cut his Lithium dosage in half, but apparently, he's not handling that very well. He continues, quote, "[Eff] me . . . not so good now. Gotta keep pushing / get off this [crap]. --"Going faster than I should but it still takes too long. All my friends say how clear & present I am. 'Clear & present.' Horror. Not mutually exclusive." -Adam is NOT doing this to lead a "sober life." He explains, quote, "These are not drug addiction problems . . . I like drinking. A lot. Sober = not for me." --Instead, he's doing it so he can work. He explains, quote, "I stopped dropping the meds dosages for recording. Couldn't shake uncontrollably & sing at the same time. Forgivable." --In 2008, Adam told "Men's Health" magazine, quote, "I have a form of dissociative disorder that makes the world seem like it's not real, as if things aren't taking place. It's hard to explain, but you feel un-tethered." (--If Adam can safely cut down on his medications, it might be a PLUS if he can record a little crazy. Maybe we'll get another album like "August and Everything After". Remember "Mr. Jones"?)
And Now, Lady Gaga Is a Panda:
LADY GAGA has worn a lot of ridiculous costumes . . . and now she can take "dressing up like a panda" off her bucket list. --Lady Gaga did the panda thing on a Japanese TV show recently. She called it, quote, "GagaPanda," and said she's been "eating a lot of bamboo this week." --In addition to black and white clothing, she had her hair done up in Princess Leia side-buns, and had black circles painted around both of her eyes. (--Here's video. She appears 20 seconds in, and shows off her painted eyes 51 seconds in.)
Video of Linkin Park Covering Adele's "Rolling in the Deep":
CHESTER BENNINGTON and MIKE SHINODA from LINKIN PARK recently did an impromptu, unplugged version of ADELE'S "Rolling in the Deep". It's actually pretty awesome. (--You can check it out, here.)
Check Out Patrick Stump's New Single, Which Features Lupe Fiasco:
Former FALL OUT BOY singer PATRICK STUMP has released a solo single called "This City", which features rapper LUPE FIASCO. The "city" it's about is Chicago . . . the hometown of both Patrick and Lupe. --It'll be on Patrick's upcoming album, "Soul Punk", which will be out later this year. There's no release date yet. (--You can listen to "This City", here.)
The Son of Green Day Singer Billie Joe Armstrong Is in a Band . . . and Here's What They Sound Like:
16-year-old JOEY ARMSTRONG . . . the son of GREEN DAY singer BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG . . . plays drums in a punk band called EMILY'S ARMY, and their first album came out two weeks ago. (CAREFUL!) It's called "Don't Be a D**k". --Billie Joe produced the disc, and they sound pretty good. You can listen to their single "Broadcast This" at RollingStone.com. (--The entire band looks pretty young. It's cute . . . although I doubt that's what they're going for.)
A Picture of Justin Bieber Holding a Gigantic Spider:
If you're a 14-year-old girl who LOVES JUSTIN BIEBER . . . but lives in SHEER TERROR of gigantic spiders, you should check out this picture. (--And let us know which one of your emotions comes out on top. This should be amusing.) --It's Justin . . . carrying a tarantula . . . while walking out of a doctor's office in L.A. (???) The spider is probably fake . . . but either way, we don't know what he's doing with it. (--Here are a couple pictures.)
WEDNESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
BAM MARGERA spoke with E! News about RYAN DUNN'S death. Obviously, he's still nowhere near over it. (Full Story)
JOSH DUHAMEL'S childhood home in Minot, North Dakota is almost completely underwater due to all the flooding. (Full Story)
CHARLIE SHEEN still gets money every month from Warner Brothers for "Two and a Half Men" . . . but he's about to start getting a little less. A judge yesterday ordered Charlie's wages to be garnished to cover his monthly, $55,000 child support payment to ex-wife BROOKE MUELLER. (Full Story)
KATE and PIPPA MIDDLETON are distant relatives of JANE AUSTEN. For those of you who don't know, Jane Austen is the co-author of the best-selling book "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies". (???) (Full Story)
MEL GIBSON and his ex-wife Robyn have reached a divorce settlement. There's no word on the terms. (Full Story)
HALLE BERRY was back in court yesterday trying to prove that GABRIEL AUBRY is a bad dad, and that their daughter isn't safe when she's with him. (Full Story)
Former "Sister, Sister" actress TIA MOWRY had her baby yesterday. (Full Story)
The "National Enquirer" says MARIA SHRIVER has vowed to "completely destroy" ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER in divorce court. (Full Story)
Earlier this month, an NBC affiliate in Utah refused to air NBC's new drama "The Playboy Club", because they thought it would be too racy for their audience. But Utah will not be deprived of the show, because another local channel has stepped in and agreed to air it. (Full Story)
U2 will sell the giant "claw" structure that they used on their 360 Tour, with the hope that someone will recycle it and create a permanent venue out of it. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
A New Study Proves that Radio Makes People Happier Than TV or the Internet:
Occasionally I forget that I am a GOD OF HAPPINESS, making the world a better place every day with merely the power of my voice. So it's nice when a study like this reminds me. --According to a scientific study, listening to the radio makes people happier than watching TV or surfing the Internet. YOU'RE WELCOME. --In the study, people felt a 100% boost in their happiness and a 300% boost in their energy levels when they were listening to the radio versus not consuming any type of media. --TV and the Internet also boosted people's happiness, but only about HALF as much as radio. --Mark Barber of Britain's Radio Advertising Bureau explained the results. Quote, "Radio plays an important emotional role in people's lives. People use radio as a lifestyle support system." --Damn straight. (The Telegraph)
About One in Eight Men Wears Underwear at Least Twice Before Washing It:
Just checking and . . . yep. Men, in general, are still wallowing in their own filth as much as ever. --Clorox Bleach just released the results of a nationwide survey which found that about one out of eight men wear their underwear AT LEAST TWICE before they wash it. And that's just the number who ADMIT to doing that. --Here are some more of their findings . . . --About half of men use the "sniff test" to figure out if their clothes are fresh enough to wear again without washing. --An average man wears jeans at least four or five times before washing them. --About a quarter of men age 18 to 29 only wash their sheets once a month . . . the majority of women in that age range wash their sheets at least once a week. --Single women are more than twice as likely as married women to BUY CLOTHES to avoid laundry. --More than one-third of single women own more than 20 pairs of underwear. --Only 29% of married women say their husband helps out equally with the laundry. (PR Newswire)
The Average Woman Says 13 Negative Things About Her Body Every Day:
Ladies, no matter how many bad things people say about you, there's NO WAY they're harsher on you than you are on yourself. -According to a study of more than 2,000 women, 97% of women say THIRTEEN negative things about their body every single day. --Only 3% of women say that a day sometimes goes by when they don't have a negative feeling about their body. --The survey also found that 90% of women 15 to 64 want to change at least one thing about their appearance. And their weight was number one. (DNA)
Um . . . Whoever Left Four Pairs of Shoes Containing $107,000 Worth of Cocaine at JFK Airport, Please Go Pick Them Up:
According to airport officials at JFK International Airport in New York, they were recently going through some abandoned luggage and found a hell of a score: Four pairs of shoes STUFFED with cocaine. --All together, the four pairs of shoes contained five pounds of cocaine . . . that's a street value of about $107,000. The shoes were in a suitcase that arrived from the Dominican Republic, and so far, they haven't tracked down the owner. (Gizmodo) (--Here's a photo of the shoes.)
How High Would the Vet Bill Have to Be For You to Stop Treatment on Your Pet?
All pet owners know that vet bills are no joke. But we love our pets, so we cough it up . . . no matter what. Theoretically though: How high would they have to get for you to say, "I love Rusty and all, but I can't fix his knee if it costs more than my Kia"? --According to the Veterinary Pet Insurance Company, the average tipping point where people decide to stop treatment is . . . $1,451. --The thing is . . . while that's a lot of money, it's not THAT high. Some pretty common pet injuries and illnesses cost at least that much to treat. --When a dog or cat tears cartilage in its knee, the surgery is more than $1,500. A foreign object in the intestine or stomach can cost $1,500 to $2,000 to remove. --Treating tumors costs more than $1,600. And treatment for disc injuries can cost around $3,200. So you might need to reevaluate. (PR Newswire)
And Now, Three New Things to Worry About:
#1.) Diet Coke Makes You Chubby. Just because Diet Coke doesn't have any calories, it's still screwing with you. Two new studies have found the artificial sweetener still messes with your insulin levels and makes you put on weight. --In the studies, people who drank diet soda had a 70% greater increase in their waist sizes over 10 years, versus people who didn't drink soda. And people who drank two or more diet sodas a day had a 500% greater increase. (ScienceDaily)
#2.) Your Teenager Has Almost Been in a Horrible Car Accident. In a new study, 68% of teenage drivers admitted that they've narrowly avoided a car accident. And more than half have had more than one close call in the past year. --55% of the teenagers who just missed having horrible wrecks blamed other drivers or the weather . . . even though 30% were speeding at the time, 21% were texting, and 20% were talking to their passengers. (USA Today)
#3.) Lightning Hates Men. Between 1995 and 2008, there were 648 people who were killed by lightning. And 82% of those were MEN. --An expert from the National Weather Service says it isn't because lightning hates men and seeks them out . . . but that men take WAY more risks during massive storms than women. (Orlando Sentinel)
Here are Seven Random Facts About Vanity License Plates:
Since clearly you woke up today saying, "Hey! I'm so curious about vanity license plates. I sure hope someone tells me all about them" . . . your dream has come true. Here are seven random facts about vanity plates.
#1.) About 9.3 million vehicles in the U.S. have customized vanity license plates.
#2.) The 46 states that offer vanity license plates only made $177 MILLION off the fees . . . or an average of about $19 per plate.
#3.) Texas is the first state to start auctioning off the best one-word vanity plates. The plate reading "FERRARI" recently sold for $15,000, "PORSCHE" went for $7,500, and "AMERICA" went for $3,000.
#4.) The most expensive vanity plate ever sold was in Abu Dhabi in 2008 . . . someone paid $14.3 MILLION for a plate with the number "1" only.
#5.) Virginia has the most drivers with vanity plates, at 16%. It's followed by New Hampshire and Illinois.
#6.) Texas has the fewest vanity plates at 0.56%.
#7.) Studies have found that people with vanity plates and bumper stickers have more of a "territory marker" mentality . . . and are more likely to honk at other drivers, tailgate, and experience ROAD RAGE. (Yahoo Finance)
Harlingen, Texas is Named the Cheapest City in the U.S.:
"BusinessWeek" just released a list of the CHEAPEST CITIES in the U.S. Cheapest to live in, that is. Not the home of the cheapest people. Although there probably is some overlap. --And the cheapest city in the U.S. is . . . Harlingen, in south Texas. It's 18% cheaper than the U.S. average. The average house payment is $847, a loaf of bread is 90 cents, and a gallon of gas averages $2.65. --Compared to Manhattan, New York, which is the most expensive area in the country, house payments are five times higher at $4,686 . . . bread is 150% more at $2.23 for a loaf . . . and gas is 19% more at $3.15 a gallon. --But . . . wages are also much lower in Harlingen. The average household income is $31,797 and 30.4% of residents are below the poverty line. --Pueblo, Colorado was named the second-cheapest city in the U.S. . . . Pryor Creek, Oklahoma is third . . . McAllen, Texas is fourth . . . Cookeville, Tennessee is fifth . . . Commerce, Texas is sixth . . --Brownsville, Texas is seventh . . . Fort Smith, Arkansas is eighth . . . Muskogee, Oklahoma is ninth . . . and Springfield, Illinois is tenth. (BusinessWeek)
A New Survey Determines That We're All Rude at the Pool and the Beach . . . and These are the Worst Things We Do:
As you may've noticed, everyone at the pool and beach is rude except you. You're perfect. It's so rude how they talk so loudly that you can't hear the music you're blasting, which ruins your drunken good time, you know? --According to a new survey of about 1,100 Americans by TripAdvisor, 74% of us think that other people are rude at the pool and the beach. --They didn't ask how many people felt that they THEMSELVES were rude . . . but I'd venture a guess that it's closer to 1% than 74%. --People rated blasting music as the rudest beach behavior, followed by public drunkenness and littering. Blasting music was also the rudest pool behavior, followed by hogging the chairs and smoking. --New Yorkers were named the worst behaved people at the pool and beach, followed by people from New Jersey and Florida. Miami Beach got ranked as the site of the worst beach etiquette overall in the country. --79% of people said it's not acceptable for a stranger to ask for your help putting on lotion. --31% felt their personal space ALWAYS gets invaded on the beach by other people. --And finally, 78% say that it's okay for women to go topless at a nude beach . . . and 6% think it's okay for a woman to go topless at ANY beach. (TripAdvisor)
The Pope Has Sent His Very First Tweet:
You know how trends stop being cool when parents latch on to them? How uncool does something become when the Holy Father latches on? --Yesterday afternoon, THE POPE sent his very first TWEET. It's on the Vatican's account, @news_va_en. Quote, "Dear Friends, I just launched News.va. Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI." (???) --And just to push his technological savvy even more, he sent it from an iPad. So far, the account only has about 23,000 followers. But now that the Pope's involved, it'll probably go up. (Time)
The North Korean Women's World Cup Team Loses to the Evil U.S. and Blames It On . . . Lightning?
Yesterday, the North Korean women's World Cup soccer team lost to the U.S. two-to-nothing. That always happens with North Korean teams . . . they're just not as athletic as the other evil countries. --And as you'd expect, their coach went for a CRAZY EXCUSE to save face . . . and quite possibly, his life. He blamed the loss on LIGHTNING. --It wasn't raining in the stadium or anything. No . . . he says that when they were practicing a few weeks back, lightning struck and made five of his players too injured to properly train, practice, or perform. Possibly ever again. --While that's fairly unlikely, at least it's more likely than KIM JONG-IL'S claim back in 2004, that in his first-ever round of golf he had five holes-in-one and shot a 38 under par. (--True story, he really said that.) (FOX Sports)
A Couple Got Married in the Hospital After the Groom Fell Down a Flight of Stairs the Morning of Their Wedding:
On Saturday, 26-year-old Derek and 21-year-old Cassy McBride of Erie, Pennsylvania, were set to be married on the beach. Instead they got married at the hospital. Here's why . . . --On Friday night, Derek and some members of the wedding party were at the reception hall preparing until about 2:30 A.M. When Derek got home, he was walking up the stairs of his house in the dark, like he always does. --Only this time, he slipped and fell down about 15 stairs. --Fortunately, one of his friends was staying at the house and heard the fall. He rushed Derek to the hospital. Turns out Derek broke THREE RIBS and punctured his right lung . . . which made it collapse. --Cassy didn't find out that Derek was in the hospital until about 5:00 A.M. First, she says she freaked out. Then, the family started making contingency plans. --With the help of the nurses and hospital staff, they decorated the hospital room . . . they brought in flowers . . . and Derek even put on his tuxedo over his hospital gown. And in front of all their guests, Derek and Cassy were married in the hospital room. --Derek is still in the hospital recovering . . . and Cassy has been spending her nights there. They hadn't planned a honeymoon so . . . uh . . . guess this counts? (Erie Times-News)
Don’t Burn The House Down This 4th Of July
While Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day see the most cooking related smoke and fire claims for State Farm, the Fourth of July isn’t far behind. According to State Farm claims data, nearly 3,000 fire and smoke related claims happen in the month of July. To help ensure your grilling plans don’t go up in flames, State Farm offers these tips:
Location, Location, Location: Move your grill away from flammable objects, including the house. Nearly 30% of home grilling fires start on a balcony or open patio.
Flame On: Only use charcoal starter fluid to start a charcoal grill. Never use lighter fluid or any other fire accelerant on an open flame. Gasoline or lighter fluid is a factor in almost one-quarter of the charcoal grill burns seen in emergency rooms.
Adult Supervision Required: Never leave the grill unattended when cooking. Radiating heat from the grill and grease flare-ups can lead to a home fire very quickly if a grill is left unsupervised.
In the Zone: Keep kids and pets away from a hot grill. Maintain a safe zone of at least three feet around the grilling area to prevent children or pets from touching a hot grill.
Keep It Clean: Clean and maintain your grill. Check the valves and hoses for cracks or leaks. Leaks or hose breaks are the leading factor contributing to gas-fueled grill fires.
Put It Out: Properly extinguish a charcoal grill by closing the grill lid. This will smother the fire by depriving it of oxygen. When the briquettes have cooled down, transfer them into a metal container with long tongs or immerse them in water. Warm charcoal can easily re-ignite and start a fire while your family is away or asleep.
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
You know how kids love to see who can hold their breath underwater the longest? Yeah . . . that's now forbidden at most public pools. It's because kids might suffer "shallow water blackout" and drown. (Full Story)
Over 20 states are proposing laws that would make it illegal for people under age 18 to go to tanning beds, even with parental permission. Obviously the tanning industry isn't happy. They say they'll lose 10% of their business. (Full Story)
So, yeah . . . remember the woman in Rochester, New York who was arrested for videotaping the police from her front lawn, while they were making a traffic stop? And then when there was a rally to support her, the cops ticketed all the cars? If you've been following this . . . the case has been dismissed. (Full Story)
An anthropologist wants to open Shakespeare's grave . . . to see if he used marijuana? (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) There's a Parody of "The Exorcist" in a Recent Dirt Devil Commercial:
If you haven't seen it, there's a pretty good ad online that parodies the "Exorcist" . . . but you'd never guess what it's for: An old priest visits a scary house and finds a girl crawling on the ceiling . . . all because the neighbor above is using a Dirt Devil vaccum. (--Search for "Exorcist Haunts Commercial for Devilish Product." The product is revealed at 1:13.)
#2.) A Performer from Cirque du Soleil Did a Crazy Flip When He Threw Out the First Pitch at a Baseball Game:
In case you missed it, a guy from Cirque du Soleil threw out the first pitch at a game between the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Royals on Monday. He did a crazy spinning flip on the pitcher's mound, then landed and threw a strike. (--Search MLB.com for "Cirque du Soleil First Pitch.")
#3.) Some Idiot Filled a Balloon With Flammable Gas and Tried to Use It Like a Flame-Thrower . . . And It Exploded:
There's a video online of some moron who thought it was a fun idea to fill a balloon with flammable gas, then try to use it like a flame-thrower. As you can probably guess, it exploded. Luckily, it was pretty small, and it doesn't look like he got hurt. (--Search YouTube for "Balloon of Fire KingToke01.") (--WARNING: This video includes the F-word.)
Four Common Health Myths People Still Believe:
Okay, you're probably seen a bunch of these, but The Oprah Magazine "O" has a list of health myths you shouldn't believe. And there are a couple you might not know about.
Myth #1.) Hand Dryers in Public Bathrooms Are More Sanitary Than Paper Towels. It makes sense, because you can dry your hands without touching anything. --But it's a myth, because a study found that jet dryers make your hands dirtier because of bacteria INSIDE the machine. And they make the entire bathroom dirtier too, because the air can blow germs more than six feet.
Myth #2.) Sitting Too Close to the TV Will Hurt Your Eyes. You probably know this one's not true. But what you might NOT know is that it USED to be true . . . kind of. --When TVs started getting popular in the 1950's, they gave off 100,000 times more radiation than modern TVs do. So sitting too close to the television WAS bad for your health. But not specifically for your eyes.
Myth #3.) Warm Milk Will Help You Sleep. It could in theory, because it has tryptophan, the same stuff that's in turkey, and every other meat. --But milk only has trace amounts of it, and eggs and cheese even have more. Still, you'd have to eat about seven egg-and-cheese sandwiches before you'd start feeling tired. So if warm milk DOES help you sleep, it's only because of the placebo effect.
Myth #4.) Hydrogen Peroxide Is Good for Cleaning Cuts. If your mom used it when you were a kid, you probably hated it because it stung. And it turns out you didn't need to go through all that pain. --Because according to a study in "The Journal of Trauma", hydrogen peroxide slows down the healing process, because it inhibits the growth of new tissue. Instead, you're supposed to wash cuts with soap and water, then use an antibiotic like Neosporin. (Oprah.com)
If there's one question SHIA LABEOUF has been asked more than any other, it's probably this: Why are you such a giant D-bag? --Running a close second, though, would be this question: Did you ever have sex with MEGAN FOX during the making of the "Transformers" movies? --And finally, after all these years, Shia has answered that question: And the answer is YES. He dropped the bomb in an interview with "Details" magazine. --Asked if he hit that, Shia NODDED, then said, quote, "Look, you're on the set for six months, with someone who's rooting to be attracted to you, and you're rooting to be attracted to them." --He added, quote, "I never understood the separation of work and life in that situation. But the time I spent with Megan was our own thing, and I think you can see the chemistry onscreen." --Shia didn't say WHEN it happened, but "Details" asked him what Megan's status with her longtime boyfriend, BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN was at the time. And that got him pretty flustered. --He replied, quote, "I don't know, man, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know." He then said "I don't know" EIGHT more times, for a grand total of 12, before adding, quote, "It was what it was." --There's been no word yet from Megan or Brian. Megan's rep simply says, quote, "We have no comment." --But to be fair, her roll with Shia could have happened during a "break". She and Brian have been together for a long time, but there have supposedly been some "off" periods. --Meanwhile, Shia also admits to, quote, "philandering around" with ISABEL LUCAS from the second "Transformers" movie . . . even though she was in a relationship with "Entourage" star ADRIAN GRENIER. --And he says he once went out with HILARY DUFF, on what he calls, quote, "probably the worst date either of us have ever had." (--Elsewhere in the interview, Shia talks about his crappy childhood, how he got his first big break on the Disney Channel show "Even Stevens", his movie career, why he's an easy target for dudes who want to pick fights and a whole lot more.) (--You can read the whole thing here.)
Hugh Hefner Says, "A New Girlfriend Is the Only Logical Response to Heartbreak":
HUGH HEFNER has at least two . . . and possibly FOUR . . . new girlfriends just WEEKS after his breakup with fiancée CRYSTAL HARRIS. And even some of his followers on Twitter think that's kind of sleazy. But Hugh is sticking to his guns. --He responded to one angry Tweeter by saying, quote, "A new girlfriend is the only logical response to heartbreak." --Hef just recently christened his newest girlfriend, SHERA BECHARD. And one of Hugh's Twitter followers asked if Crystal left because of his relationship with Shera. --He said, quote, "You have it backwards. The interest in Shera came after the stunner from Crystal." --One follower took a pretty hard shot at Hef, saying, quote, "It kind of shows you really treat women as nothing when you get a new girlfriend just days after you and Crystal broke up." --But Hef replied, quote, "What's your remedy for a broken heart?" --Then he added, quote, "How can I feel badly about dealing with what has been a truly devastating experience? I'm grateful for the support."
America Ferrera Is Married:
Former "Ugly Betty" star AMERICA FERRERA got married to her longtime boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams over the weekend. (--Here's a wedding photo.) (People) --Two of America's former cast mates made big contributions to the wedding: It took place at VANESSA WILLIAMS' home in New York, and JUDITH LIGHT officiated the ceremony. --Other celebrities in attendance included another "Ugly Betty" star, REBECCA ROMIJN, along with her husband JERRY O'CONNELL. --Also on hand were her co-stars from "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", ALEXIS BLEDEL, AMBER TAMBLYN and BLAKE LIVELY. (--No, Blake didn't bring Leonardo DiCaprio.)
David Duchovny and Tea Leoni Are Separated:
TEA LEONI and DAVID DUCHOVNY have separated again. Sources say they have not decided whether to make the split permanent. --Tea and David also split back in 2008, after David admitted he's a SEX ADDICT. They've been married for 14 years and have two kids . . . a 12-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.
Linda Hogan Says Hulk Physically Abused Her:
LINDA HOGAN has a new biography called "Wrestling the Hulk: My Life Against the Ropes". And she uses that book to reveal, for the first time, that HULK HOGAN physically abused her. --She writes, quote, "He tore my shirt. He threw lamps. He held me down on the bed with his hands around my throat during arguments, slamming doors, pounding walls. I was always afraid he would kill me in one of his rages." --On yesterday's "Today" show, Linda said she was worried Hulk would go all O.J. SIMPSON on her. She said, quote, "He did not feel remorse, and to this day he's never apologized for any of actions. --"That is something that scared me. I did not want to be a statistic like NICOLE SIMPSON." (--It's funny she'd use that analogy, because in 2009, Hulk got some bad press for saying he could "totally understand" how O.J. flipped out and killed his wife. --Linda says she kept quiet about the abuse because she didn't want to sabotage Hulk's career . . . quote, "I don't know what my kids would have done. They were little at the time." --Linda thinks drugs could have had something to do with Hulk's rages . . . quote, "Drugs were always around . . . prescribed. [Wrestlers have] always got injuries. --"There was a constant flow of pain pills, anti-inflammatories, steroids . . . a lot of them did take steroids. Combined? It makes somebody . . . you don't know what you're dealing with." (--Here's video.) --Meanwhile, Hulk called onto a radio show yesterday . . . (--"The Bubba the Love Sponge Show") . . . calling Linda, quote, "delusional." --He said he's never laid a hand on her, and called her allegations, quote, "a cold, blatant lie." --He also compared her to the ULTIMATE WARRIOR and the IRON SHEIK . . . two former wrestlers who he claims are trying to get publicity by slamming him. (--Here's audio of Hulk's interview.)
Thomas Jane Says He Was Fired from a Sylvester Stallone Movie Because He's White:
"Punisher" star THOMAS JANE was all set to co-star with SYLVESTER STALLONE in an upcoming action flick called "Headshot" . . . until he got fired for being WHITE. --At least that's his side of the story. He says, quote, "Well, Joel Silver came onboard [as a producer] and said that he has a quote-unquote 'formula' for these quote-unquote 'buddy movies' and it has to be a white guy and a quote-unquote 'ethnic guy.' --"And they relieved me of duty and basically paid me off, which I was really upset about, you know?" -Jane was replaced by Asian-American actor SUNG KANG . . . who was in "Fast Five" and some of the other "Fast and the Furious" movies. --Jane is also upset that Stallone didn't go to bat for him. So upset that he insults the size of his manhood. --He says, quote, "I didn't get a call from Stallone. I was a little upset about that. Maybe they didn't want anybody on the movie with a bigger [penis] than him." (--Joel Silver is a BIG TIME Hollywood producer. Some of his titles that exploit the white guy / ethnic guy dynamic include "48 Hours", "Exit Wounds", "The Last Boy Scout" and the "Lethal Weapon" movies.)
Check Out "Newsweek's" Bizarre New Cover with a Digitally-Aged Princess Diana Walking with Kate Middleton:
The new issue of "Newsweek" magazine sports a rather bizarre cover featuring a digitally-aged PRINCESS DIANA walking with her new daughter-in-law, KATE MIDDLETON. (--Check it out here.) (D-Listed) --This coming Friday would have been Diana's 50th birthday, so that's how old she's supposed to look. --They also imagined what Diana's FACEBOOK PAGE might look like if she were still with us. (--I kid you not. You'll find it here.) --Her friends include J.K. ROWLING, BONO, and CHELSEA CLINTON, and one of her posts reads, quote, "Sitting with Beckhams front-row at Burberry. Love the shoes!" --There's also a notification that Diana has become friends with CAMILLA PARKER BOWLES . . . and PRINCE CHARLES "liked" it. --"Newsweek" Editor TINA BROWN wrote the cover story, in which she predicts that Diana would have moved to New York, stayed young-looking with Botox and had 10 million Twitter followers. --As for the cover, Brown says, quote, "We wanted to bring the memory of Diana alive in a vivid image that transcends time and reflects my piece."
Haley Joel Osment Will Star in a New Take on "Frankenstein":
HALEY JOEL OSMENT will star in a new take on "Frankenstein". It's called "Wake the Dead", and it's based on a series of graphic novels. (--For the uninitiated, "graphic novel" is what people who don't want to admit they read comic books call comic books.) --Osment will play Victor Franklin, a college student whose experiments in life and death go horribly wrong. (--We haven't seen Haley in a while, but he's 23 now and he recently filmed two comedies: "Sassy Pants" and "Montana Amazon". There's no word yet on a release date for either.)
Check Out a Trailer for the New "Mission: Impossible":
A new trailer for "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" hit the web yesterday, and it's every bit as action-packed as you'd expect. For those who've lost track, it's the fourth movie in the series. It comes out in December. (--Here's the trailer. And keep in mind, some of those clips of Tom climbing that building are REAL. That's the world's tallest building: The Burj Khalifa in Dubai. And Tom did some of his own stunts.)
Larry King Returns to CNN For a One-Hour "Harry Potter" Special:
LARRY KING returns to CNN on Sunday, July 10th for a one-hour "Harry Potter" special. --Larry will interview several cast members, including DANIEL RADCLIFFE, RUPERT GRINT and EMMA WATSON . . . along with Tom Felton, Helena Bonham Carter and Robbie Coltrane. --They'll also show never-before-seen footage from "Deathly Hallows: Part 2" and behind-the-scenes stuff from the making of the movie. (--The movie opens five days after the special airs . . . on Friday, July 15th.)
Emma Watson's Very First Crush Was: Draco Malfoy:
In the new issue of "Seventeen" magazine, "Harry Potter" minx EMMA WATSON reveals her very first crush. It was TOM FELTON . . . who plays Draco Malfoy. --She says, quote, "For the first two movies, I had a huge crush on Tom Felton. He was my first crush. --"He totally knows. We talked about it . . . we still laugh about it. We are really good friends now, and that's cool."
Martin Short Will Appear in Multiple Episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" Next Season:
"New York" magazine reports that comedian MARTIN SHORT will guest star in "multiple" episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" next season. --He'll play "the boss of an environmental law firm where Jason Segel's character Marshall Eriksen works." --It's similar to the role DAVE FOLEY played on the season finale. In fact, the producers initially wanted Dave to continue, but he couldn't because he's starring in a new CBS sitcom this fall called "How to Be a Gentleman". --It's unclear if Martin will take over Dave's role, or if he's playing a different character.
Wednesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"The Voice" [1st Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Tonight's winner gets $100,000 and a recording contract. Your final four are . . . Dia Frampton, Javier Colon, Vicci Martinez and Beverly McClellan.)
--"So You Think You Can Dance" [Performance] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.
--"State of Georgia" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC Family. (--Raven-Symoné plays Georgia, a chick who moves to New York with her best friend to become an actress. The friend is played by Majandra Delfino from "Roswell".)
--"America's Got Talent" [Auditions] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC.
--"Royal Pains" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on USA.
--"Mythbusters" [9th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery.
--"Hot in Cleveland" . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on TV Land. (--The ladies all play matchmaker for each other with hit-and-miss date nights.)
--"Love in the Wild" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Twenty singles go on dates in the jungles of Costa Rica, while competing in random challenges like raft-building and navigating crocodile-infested waters.)
--"Behind the Music" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1. (--Missy Elliott is the first artist to be profiled this season.)
--"Necessary Roughness" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:15 P.M. on USA. (--A psychotherapist takes a new job counseling a local football team's players.)
--"Cee-Lo Green: Talking to Strangers" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on Fuse. (--Keri Hilson performs and is interviewed by Cee-Lo Green.)
Tom Petty Has Warned Michele Bachmann Not to Use "American Girl":
Now that the 2012 Presidential Campaign has begun, it's once again time for Republican candidates to tick off liberal musicians by using their songs at their rallies and in their campaign ads. --First up is Republican Tea Party candidate MICHELE BACHMANN, who tossed her hat into the ring on Monday in her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. --Michele blared the TOM PETTY song "American Girl" after her announcement . . . and less than 24 hours later, Tom's people sent her a cease-and-desist letter. --Neither Tom nor Michele have commented . . . but the usual protocol is for the campaign to issue an empty apology, the artist to make some sort of agitated political statement, and for Michele to find another musician to annoy. (--Check out video of Michele Bachman walking off to "American Girl", here.) --Obviously, Tom's issue is all about POLITICS. --Tom allowed HILLARY CLINTON to use "American Girl" during her presidential campaign in 2008 . . . but back in 2000, he stopped GEORGE W. BUSH from using "I Won't Back Down".
New Republican Candidates: You Might Not Want to Play Rock Songs:
You can't really blame MICHELE BACHMANN for ticking off TOM PETTY, because she's new to this, and hasn't learned the rule that JOHN MCCAIN and SARAH PALIN learned. (--Assuming they did eventually GET IT.) --It's this: Republicans, you may not want to play rock songs. At all. --Why? Because every rocker except TED NUGENT is a liberal . . . or at least, doesn't want to be connected to the Republican Party or politics in general. And that's no exaggeration. --The quick list of musicians that kindly asked the Republicans to stop using their songs in the 2008 election includes: Heart, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi, Survivor, Don Henley, Rush, the Foo Fighters, Boston and Van Halen. -If you're a Republican just stick with the Ted Nugent catalog . . . or go country. You should be fine with most everyone except the DIXIE CHICKS.
Can an Artist Really Sue a Candidate for Using Their Songs in a Campaign?
Since this question is bound to come up again and again throughout the 2012 campaign, I thought I'd go ahead and address it from the get-go: --When candidates use an artist or group's songs without permission, the artist threatens to SUE if they don't stop. But can they really sue? The short answer is: Yes. And the longer answer is: Maybe. --There's actually no real legal precedent on the books because these cases never make it to court. They're usually resolved with an apology . . . or a settlement. --Technically, a candidate would be able to purchase a license from the publisher in order to play the song at their event. Anyone can do that . . . that's how songs are able to be played at sports stadiums and arenas. --The licenses are non-discriminatory, so the artist would not have to sign off on each one. If the candidate does that, they're probably clear to use what they want. --Conservative politicians are probably trying to operate under this idea, because they know that if they ask a rock act to use a song, they'll probably be rejected. --However, the artist COULD argue that by playing the song, it's implied that they're ENDORSING the candidate, and that notion could open a whole new can of worms. --There is one no-no though. Candidates seem to get in more hot water if they use songs, without an artist's permission in a political ad on TV.
Total Mental Breakdown Watch: Counting Crows Singer Adam Duritz Is Aggressively Weening Himself Off His Meds:
If COUNTING CROWS singer ADAM DURITZ has a crazy BRITNEY SPEARS-like mental breakdown sometime in the near future, here's why: --Adam was diagnosed with a mental disorder a few years back, and now he's cutting back on the mood stabilizing medications he's taking . . . and he admits that he's doing it more AGGRESSIVELY than he should. --In a borderline CRAZY rant on the Counting Crows Facebook page, Adam says, quote, "I was [effing] crazy. I needed meds. I took meds. Now I'm less crazy. I need less meds. I'm stopping meds. That's it. --"These meds just happen to have some freaking vicious withdrawal symptoms when you stop so u can't do it all at once." --Adam said his doctors have cleared him to cut his Lithium dosage in half, but apparently, he's not handling that very well. He continues, quote, "[Eff] me . . . not so good now. Gotta keep pushing / get off this [crap]. --"Going faster than I should but it still takes too long. All my friends say how clear & present I am. 'Clear & present.' Horror. Not mutually exclusive." -Adam is NOT doing this to lead a "sober life." He explains, quote, "These are not drug addiction problems . . . I like drinking. A lot. Sober = not for me." --Instead, he's doing it so he can work. He explains, quote, "I stopped dropping the meds dosages for recording. Couldn't shake uncontrollably & sing at the same time. Forgivable." --In 2008, Adam told "Men's Health" magazine, quote, "I have a form of dissociative disorder that makes the world seem like it's not real, as if things aren't taking place. It's hard to explain, but you feel un-tethered." (--If Adam can safely cut down on his medications, it might be a PLUS if he can record a little crazy. Maybe we'll get another album like "August and Everything After". Remember "Mr. Jones"?)
And Now, Lady Gaga Is a Panda:
LADY GAGA has worn a lot of ridiculous costumes . . . and now she can take "dressing up like a panda" off her bucket list. --Lady Gaga did the panda thing on a Japanese TV show recently. She called it, quote, "GagaPanda," and said she's been "eating a lot of bamboo this week." --In addition to black and white clothing, she had her hair done up in Princess Leia side-buns, and had black circles painted around both of her eyes. (--Here's video. She appears 20 seconds in, and shows off her painted eyes 51 seconds in.)
Video of Linkin Park Covering Adele's "Rolling in the Deep":
CHESTER BENNINGTON and MIKE SHINODA from LINKIN PARK recently did an impromptu, unplugged version of ADELE'S "Rolling in the Deep". It's actually pretty awesome. (--You can check it out, here.)
Check Out Patrick Stump's New Single, Which Features Lupe Fiasco:
Former FALL OUT BOY singer PATRICK STUMP has released a solo single called "This City", which features rapper LUPE FIASCO. The "city" it's about is Chicago . . . the hometown of both Patrick and Lupe. --It'll be on Patrick's upcoming album, "Soul Punk", which will be out later this year. There's no release date yet. (--You can listen to "This City", here.)
The Son of Green Day Singer Billie Joe Armstrong Is in a Band . . . and Here's What They Sound Like:
16-year-old JOEY ARMSTRONG . . . the son of GREEN DAY singer BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG . . . plays drums in a punk band called EMILY'S ARMY, and their first album came out two weeks ago. (CAREFUL!) It's called "Don't Be a D**k". --Billie Joe produced the disc, and they sound pretty good. You can listen to their single "Broadcast This" at RollingStone.com. (--The entire band looks pretty young. It's cute . . . although I doubt that's what they're going for.)
A Picture of Justin Bieber Holding a Gigantic Spider:
If you're a 14-year-old girl who LOVES JUSTIN BIEBER . . . but lives in SHEER TERROR of gigantic spiders, you should check out this picture. (--And let us know which one of your emotions comes out on top. This should be amusing.) --It's Justin . . . carrying a tarantula . . . while walking out of a doctor's office in L.A. (???) The spider is probably fake . . . but either way, we don't know what he's doing with it. (--Here are a couple pictures.)
WEDNESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
BAM MARGERA spoke with E! News about RYAN DUNN'S death. Obviously, he's still nowhere near over it. (Full Story)
JOSH DUHAMEL'S childhood home in Minot, North Dakota is almost completely underwater due to all the flooding. (Full Story)
CHARLIE SHEEN still gets money every month from Warner Brothers for "Two and a Half Men" . . . but he's about to start getting a little less. A judge yesterday ordered Charlie's wages to be garnished to cover his monthly, $55,000 child support payment to ex-wife BROOKE MUELLER. (Full Story)
KATE and PIPPA MIDDLETON are distant relatives of JANE AUSTEN. For those of you who don't know, Jane Austen is the co-author of the best-selling book "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies". (???) (Full Story)
MEL GIBSON and his ex-wife Robyn have reached a divorce settlement. There's no word on the terms. (Full Story)
HALLE BERRY was back in court yesterday trying to prove that GABRIEL AUBRY is a bad dad, and that their daughter isn't safe when she's with him. (Full Story)
Former "Sister, Sister" actress TIA MOWRY had her baby yesterday. (Full Story)
The "National Enquirer" says MARIA SHRIVER has vowed to "completely destroy" ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER in divorce court. (Full Story)
Earlier this month, an NBC affiliate in Utah refused to air NBC's new drama "The Playboy Club", because they thought it would be too racy for their audience. But Utah will not be deprived of the show, because another local channel has stepped in and agreed to air it. (Full Story)
U2 will sell the giant "claw" structure that they used on their 360 Tour, with the hope that someone will recycle it and create a permanent venue out of it. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
A New Study Proves that Radio Makes People Happier Than TV or the Internet:
Occasionally I forget that I am a GOD OF HAPPINESS, making the world a better place every day with merely the power of my voice. So it's nice when a study like this reminds me. --According to a scientific study, listening to the radio makes people happier than watching TV or surfing the Internet. YOU'RE WELCOME. --In the study, people felt a 100% boost in their happiness and a 300% boost in their energy levels when they were listening to the radio versus not consuming any type of media. --TV and the Internet also boosted people's happiness, but only about HALF as much as radio. --Mark Barber of Britain's Radio Advertising Bureau explained the results. Quote, "Radio plays an important emotional role in people's lives. People use radio as a lifestyle support system." --Damn straight. (The Telegraph)
About One in Eight Men Wears Underwear at Least Twice Before Washing It:
Just checking and . . . yep. Men, in general, are still wallowing in their own filth as much as ever. --Clorox Bleach just released the results of a nationwide survey which found that about one out of eight men wear their underwear AT LEAST TWICE before they wash it. And that's just the number who ADMIT to doing that. --Here are some more of their findings . . . --About half of men use the "sniff test" to figure out if their clothes are fresh enough to wear again without washing. --An average man wears jeans at least four or five times before washing them. --About a quarter of men age 18 to 29 only wash their sheets once a month . . . the majority of women in that age range wash their sheets at least once a week. --Single women are more than twice as likely as married women to BUY CLOTHES to avoid laundry. --More than one-third of single women own more than 20 pairs of underwear. --Only 29% of married women say their husband helps out equally with the laundry. (PR Newswire)
The Average Woman Says 13 Negative Things About Her Body Every Day:
Ladies, no matter how many bad things people say about you, there's NO WAY they're harsher on you than you are on yourself. -According to a study of more than 2,000 women, 97% of women say THIRTEEN negative things about their body every single day. --Only 3% of women say that a day sometimes goes by when they don't have a negative feeling about their body. --The survey also found that 90% of women 15 to 64 want to change at least one thing about their appearance. And their weight was number one. (DNA)
Um . . . Whoever Left Four Pairs of Shoes Containing $107,000 Worth of Cocaine at JFK Airport, Please Go Pick Them Up:
According to airport officials at JFK International Airport in New York, they were recently going through some abandoned luggage and found a hell of a score: Four pairs of shoes STUFFED with cocaine. --All together, the four pairs of shoes contained five pounds of cocaine . . . that's a street value of about $107,000. The shoes were in a suitcase that arrived from the Dominican Republic, and so far, they haven't tracked down the owner. (Gizmodo) (--Here's a photo of the shoes.)
How High Would the Vet Bill Have to Be For You to Stop Treatment on Your Pet?
All pet owners know that vet bills are no joke. But we love our pets, so we cough it up . . . no matter what. Theoretically though: How high would they have to get for you to say, "I love Rusty and all, but I can't fix his knee if it costs more than my Kia"? --According to the Veterinary Pet Insurance Company, the average tipping point where people decide to stop treatment is . . . $1,451. --The thing is . . . while that's a lot of money, it's not THAT high. Some pretty common pet injuries and illnesses cost at least that much to treat. --When a dog or cat tears cartilage in its knee, the surgery is more than $1,500. A foreign object in the intestine or stomach can cost $1,500 to $2,000 to remove. --Treating tumors costs more than $1,600. And treatment for disc injuries can cost around $3,200. So you might need to reevaluate. (PR Newswire)
And Now, Three New Things to Worry About:
#1.) Diet Coke Makes You Chubby. Just because Diet Coke doesn't have any calories, it's still screwing with you. Two new studies have found the artificial sweetener still messes with your insulin levels and makes you put on weight. --In the studies, people who drank diet soda had a 70% greater increase in their waist sizes over 10 years, versus people who didn't drink soda. And people who drank two or more diet sodas a day had a 500% greater increase. (ScienceDaily)
#2.) Your Teenager Has Almost Been in a Horrible Car Accident. In a new study, 68% of teenage drivers admitted that they've narrowly avoided a car accident. And more than half have had more than one close call in the past year. --55% of the teenagers who just missed having horrible wrecks blamed other drivers or the weather . . . even though 30% were speeding at the time, 21% were texting, and 20% were talking to their passengers. (USA Today)
#3.) Lightning Hates Men. Between 1995 and 2008, there were 648 people who were killed by lightning. And 82% of those were MEN. --An expert from the National Weather Service says it isn't because lightning hates men and seeks them out . . . but that men take WAY more risks during massive storms than women. (Orlando Sentinel)
Here are Seven Random Facts About Vanity License Plates:
Since clearly you woke up today saying, "Hey! I'm so curious about vanity license plates. I sure hope someone tells me all about them" . . . your dream has come true. Here are seven random facts about vanity plates.
#1.) About 9.3 million vehicles in the U.S. have customized vanity license plates.
#2.) The 46 states that offer vanity license plates only made $177 MILLION off the fees . . . or an average of about $19 per plate.
#3.) Texas is the first state to start auctioning off the best one-word vanity plates. The plate reading "FERRARI" recently sold for $15,000, "PORSCHE" went for $7,500, and "AMERICA" went for $3,000.
#4.) The most expensive vanity plate ever sold was in Abu Dhabi in 2008 . . . someone paid $14.3 MILLION for a plate with the number "1" only.
#5.) Virginia has the most drivers with vanity plates, at 16%. It's followed by New Hampshire and Illinois.
#6.) Texas has the fewest vanity plates at 0.56%.
#7.) Studies have found that people with vanity plates and bumper stickers have more of a "territory marker" mentality . . . and are more likely to honk at other drivers, tailgate, and experience ROAD RAGE. (Yahoo Finance)
Harlingen, Texas is Named the Cheapest City in the U.S.:
"BusinessWeek" just released a list of the CHEAPEST CITIES in the U.S. Cheapest to live in, that is. Not the home of the cheapest people. Although there probably is some overlap. --And the cheapest city in the U.S. is . . . Harlingen, in south Texas. It's 18% cheaper than the U.S. average. The average house payment is $847, a loaf of bread is 90 cents, and a gallon of gas averages $2.65. --Compared to Manhattan, New York, which is the most expensive area in the country, house payments are five times higher at $4,686 . . . bread is 150% more at $2.23 for a loaf . . . and gas is 19% more at $3.15 a gallon. --But . . . wages are also much lower in Harlingen. The average household income is $31,797 and 30.4% of residents are below the poverty line. --Pueblo, Colorado was named the second-cheapest city in the U.S. . . . Pryor Creek, Oklahoma is third . . . McAllen, Texas is fourth . . . Cookeville, Tennessee is fifth . . . Commerce, Texas is sixth . . --Brownsville, Texas is seventh . . . Fort Smith, Arkansas is eighth . . . Muskogee, Oklahoma is ninth . . . and Springfield, Illinois is tenth. (BusinessWeek)
A New Survey Determines That We're All Rude at the Pool and the Beach . . . and These are the Worst Things We Do:
As you may've noticed, everyone at the pool and beach is rude except you. You're perfect. It's so rude how they talk so loudly that you can't hear the music you're blasting, which ruins your drunken good time, you know? --According to a new survey of about 1,100 Americans by TripAdvisor, 74% of us think that other people are rude at the pool and the beach. --They didn't ask how many people felt that they THEMSELVES were rude . . . but I'd venture a guess that it's closer to 1% than 74%. --People rated blasting music as the rudest beach behavior, followed by public drunkenness and littering. Blasting music was also the rudest pool behavior, followed by hogging the chairs and smoking. --New Yorkers were named the worst behaved people at the pool and beach, followed by people from New Jersey and Florida. Miami Beach got ranked as the site of the worst beach etiquette overall in the country. --79% of people said it's not acceptable for a stranger to ask for your help putting on lotion. --31% felt their personal space ALWAYS gets invaded on the beach by other people. --And finally, 78% say that it's okay for women to go topless at a nude beach . . . and 6% think it's okay for a woman to go topless at ANY beach. (TripAdvisor)
The Pope Has Sent His Very First Tweet:
You know how trends stop being cool when parents latch on to them? How uncool does something become when the Holy Father latches on? --Yesterday afternoon, THE POPE sent his very first TWEET. It's on the Vatican's account, @news_va_en. Quote, "Dear Friends, I just launched News.va. Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI." (???) --And just to push his technological savvy even more, he sent it from an iPad. So far, the account only has about 23,000 followers. But now that the Pope's involved, it'll probably go up. (Time)
The North Korean Women's World Cup Team Loses to the Evil U.S. and Blames It On . . . Lightning?
Yesterday, the North Korean women's World Cup soccer team lost to the U.S. two-to-nothing. That always happens with North Korean teams . . . they're just not as athletic as the other evil countries. --And as you'd expect, their coach went for a CRAZY EXCUSE to save face . . . and quite possibly, his life. He blamed the loss on LIGHTNING. --It wasn't raining in the stadium or anything. No . . . he says that when they were practicing a few weeks back, lightning struck and made five of his players too injured to properly train, practice, or perform. Possibly ever again. --While that's fairly unlikely, at least it's more likely than KIM JONG-IL'S claim back in 2004, that in his first-ever round of golf he had five holes-in-one and shot a 38 under par. (--True story, he really said that.) (FOX Sports)
A Couple Got Married in the Hospital After the Groom Fell Down a Flight of Stairs the Morning of Their Wedding:
On Saturday, 26-year-old Derek and 21-year-old Cassy McBride of Erie, Pennsylvania, were set to be married on the beach. Instead they got married at the hospital. Here's why . . . --On Friday night, Derek and some members of the wedding party were at the reception hall preparing until about 2:30 A.M. When Derek got home, he was walking up the stairs of his house in the dark, like he always does. --Only this time, he slipped and fell down about 15 stairs. --Fortunately, one of his friends was staying at the house and heard the fall. He rushed Derek to the hospital. Turns out Derek broke THREE RIBS and punctured his right lung . . . which made it collapse. --Cassy didn't find out that Derek was in the hospital until about 5:00 A.M. First, she says she freaked out. Then, the family started making contingency plans. --With the help of the nurses and hospital staff, they decorated the hospital room . . . they brought in flowers . . . and Derek even put on his tuxedo over his hospital gown. And in front of all their guests, Derek and Cassy were married in the hospital room. --Derek is still in the hospital recovering . . . and Cassy has been spending her nights there. They hadn't planned a honeymoon so . . . uh . . . guess this counts? (Erie Times-News)
Don’t Burn The House Down This 4th Of July
While Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day see the most cooking related smoke and fire claims for State Farm, the Fourth of July isn’t far behind. According to State Farm claims data, nearly 3,000 fire and smoke related claims happen in the month of July. To help ensure your grilling plans don’t go up in flames, State Farm offers these tips:
Location, Location, Location: Move your grill away from flammable objects, including the house. Nearly 30% of home grilling fires start on a balcony or open patio.
Flame On: Only use charcoal starter fluid to start a charcoal grill. Never use lighter fluid or any other fire accelerant on an open flame. Gasoline or lighter fluid is a factor in almost one-quarter of the charcoal grill burns seen in emergency rooms.
Adult Supervision Required: Never leave the grill unattended when cooking. Radiating heat from the grill and grease flare-ups can lead to a home fire very quickly if a grill is left unsupervised.
In the Zone: Keep kids and pets away from a hot grill. Maintain a safe zone of at least three feet around the grilling area to prevent children or pets from touching a hot grill.
Keep It Clean: Clean and maintain your grill. Check the valves and hoses for cracks or leaks. Leaks or hose breaks are the leading factor contributing to gas-fueled grill fires.
Put It Out: Properly extinguish a charcoal grill by closing the grill lid. This will smother the fire by depriving it of oxygen. When the briquettes have cooled down, transfer them into a metal container with long tongs or immerse them in water. Warm charcoal can easily re-ignite and start a fire while your family is away or asleep.
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
You know how kids love to see who can hold their breath underwater the longest? Yeah . . . that's now forbidden at most public pools. It's because kids might suffer "shallow water blackout" and drown. (Full Story)
Over 20 states are proposing laws that would make it illegal for people under age 18 to go to tanning beds, even with parental permission. Obviously the tanning industry isn't happy. They say they'll lose 10% of their business. (Full Story)
So, yeah . . . remember the woman in Rochester, New York who was arrested for videotaping the police from her front lawn, while they were making a traffic stop? And then when there was a rally to support her, the cops ticketed all the cars? If you've been following this . . . the case has been dismissed. (Full Story)
An anthropologist wants to open Shakespeare's grave . . . to see if he used marijuana? (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) There's a Parody of "The Exorcist" in a Recent Dirt Devil Commercial:
If you haven't seen it, there's a pretty good ad online that parodies the "Exorcist" . . . but you'd never guess what it's for: An old priest visits a scary house and finds a girl crawling on the ceiling . . . all because the neighbor above is using a Dirt Devil vaccum. (--Search for "Exorcist Haunts Commercial for Devilish Product." The product is revealed at 1:13.)
#2.) A Performer from Cirque du Soleil Did a Crazy Flip When He Threw Out the First Pitch at a Baseball Game:
In case you missed it, a guy from Cirque du Soleil threw out the first pitch at a game between the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Royals on Monday. He did a crazy spinning flip on the pitcher's mound, then landed and threw a strike. (--Search MLB.com for "Cirque du Soleil First Pitch.")
#3.) Some Idiot Filled a Balloon With Flammable Gas and Tried to Use It Like a Flame-Thrower . . . And It Exploded:
There's a video online of some moron who thought it was a fun idea to fill a balloon with flammable gas, then try to use it like a flame-thrower. As you can probably guess, it exploded. Luckily, it was pretty small, and it doesn't look like he got hurt. (--Search YouTube for "Balloon of Fire KingToke01.") (--WARNING: This video includes the F-word.)
Four Common Health Myths People Still Believe:
Okay, you're probably seen a bunch of these, but The Oprah Magazine "O" has a list of health myths you shouldn't believe. And there are a couple you might not know about.
Myth #1.) Hand Dryers in Public Bathrooms Are More Sanitary Than Paper Towels. It makes sense, because you can dry your hands without touching anything. --But it's a myth, because a study found that jet dryers make your hands dirtier because of bacteria INSIDE the machine. And they make the entire bathroom dirtier too, because the air can blow germs more than six feet.
Myth #2.) Sitting Too Close to the TV Will Hurt Your Eyes. You probably know this one's not true. But what you might NOT know is that it USED to be true . . . kind of. --When TVs started getting popular in the 1950's, they gave off 100,000 times more radiation than modern TVs do. So sitting too close to the television WAS bad for your health. But not specifically for your eyes.
Myth #3.) Warm Milk Will Help You Sleep. It could in theory, because it has tryptophan, the same stuff that's in turkey, and every other meat. --But milk only has trace amounts of it, and eggs and cheese even have more. Still, you'd have to eat about seven egg-and-cheese sandwiches before you'd start feeling tired. So if warm milk DOES help you sleep, it's only because of the placebo effect.
Myth #4.) Hydrogen Peroxide Is Good for Cleaning Cuts. If your mom used it when you were a kid, you probably hated it because it stung. And it turns out you didn't need to go through all that pain. --Because according to a study in "The Journal of Trauma", hydrogen peroxide slows down the healing process, because it inhibits the growth of new tissue. Instead, you're supposed to wash cuts with soap and water, then use an antibiotic like Neosporin. (Oprah.com)
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