HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (08-16-11)
Selena Gomez Admits That She Loves Justin Bieber . . . Sort Of:
We've been waiting for either JUSTIN BIEBER or SELENA GOMEZ to drop the L-word . . . and Selena finally almost sort of did it. --During a radio interview . . . (--On 94.1-FM, KQCH in Omaha) . . . the host pulled out some audio from LAST YEAR, in which Selena said, quote, "That kid's amazing. I love Bieber so I could talk all about him all day. Everyone thinks I'm a cougar!" --Of course back then, people were only starting to speculate that Selena and Justin were a couple. So the host asked her to comment on the clip. She said, quote, "Nothing's changed, apparently." --So there you kind of have it. (???) (--Not exactly an affirmation of undying love, though.)
Check Out Will Smith Doing Some Crazy, MMA-Style Kicks in the Gym:
We like to think of celebrities as pampered little pansies . . . because it makes us feel like we've got SOMETHING over them. --But the truth is, some of these pampered little pansies could SERIOUSLY KICK OUR ASSES. WILL SMITH is probably one of them. --Will became a boxing machine while training for "Ali". And now, video has surfaced of him working out with a trainer, and throwing some deadly-looking MMA-style kicks. (--Here's the video.)
Adam Carolla Is In Trouble For Insulting Transgendered People:
ADAM CAROLLA is in trouble with GLAAD for insulting transgendered people. --It happened last week on his podcast, "The Adam Carolla Show" . . . and it all started during a conversation with his co-host about that petition someone started to get the "Sesame Street" puppets Bert and Ernie married. --When his co-host mentioned the LGBT community, Adam said, quote, "When did everybody get [effin'] lumped in with the gays, you know what I mean? What percentage is transgendered?" --Then he added, quote, "When did we start giving a [crap] about these people?" --Then, discussing the abbreviation "LGBT" itself, Adam said, quote, "Shouldn't it be something that spells something, like YUCK?" (--You can listen to the audio here. WARNING!!! This clip contains a lot of BLEEPED PROFANITY.) --This isn't the first time Adam has gotten on GLAAD's bad side. A few years back on the show "Loveline", he said that all things being equal, gay parents are, quote, "not as good as" straight parents. --Adam's latest rant prompted this response from GLAAD . . . quote, "Given his history of anti-gay and racist comments, networks and advertisers should know what their money is supporting if they choose to hire Adam Carolla. --"The gross intolerance that he tries to pass off as comedy should not have a place on our airwaves." (--"Airwaves"? Does GLAAD not understand what a PODCAST is???) --Well, Adam apologized yesterday . . . saying, quote, "I'm sorry my comments were hurtful. I'm a comedian, not a politician." (--I don't know about the "I'm a comedian, not a politician" line . . . but I give Adam props for ACTUALLY APOLOGIZING.)
Jean-Claude Van Damme Says Gay People Are "Tasty":
You've gotta love JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME: He's been in this country for 30 years now, and he's still struggling with the English language. --Here's what he had to say recently while discussing his gay fans . . . quote, "Most gay people are VERY TASTY PEOPLE . . . they like beautiful stuff in their lives. --"If they like me, it means they have taste. They don't follow me for my butt shots. They like me for me." --Speaking of Van Damme, he just signed on for a British sci-fi flick called "UFO". It's about a city-sized UFO that appears in the sky, and causes fear and chaos. Van Damme will play a retired military adviser.
Dave Chappelle Blames His Bizarre Standup Gig in Florida on Rude Seminole Indians:
DAVE CHAPPELLE has explained why he basically stood in front of a crowd at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida last month, checking text messages and occasionally muttering to the crowd for 45 minutes. --He blames the Seminole Indians. Not ALL Seminole Indians. Just a rude bunch of them who were seated right in front of the stage. And apparently, because they were Seminoles, security refused to quiet them down. --In a radio interview yesterday . . . (--On WILD 94.9 in San Francisco) . . . Dave said, quote, "I didn't get a chance to do anything . . . I can hear and see everything [in the front row]. --"You can't possibly expect me to do a show here . . . there's got to be a little bit of cooperation." -He was also afraid to fight back against the hecklers, because he thought they were trying to get a, quote, "Reverse Kramer" moment out of him . . . meaning they wanted to get him to start going off on a racist rant against them. --Especially since everyone was taping him . . . quote, "I came out on stage and the YouTube extravaganza began." --But Dave said he went back to the Seminole the next night to perform, because it was a charity event, and he didn't want to put a "STINK VIBE" on it. (???) (--Here's video of the interview.)
Surprise: Justin Bieber Tops a List of the Richest Teens in Hollywood:
Here's something that will really rock your boat: JUSTIN BIEBER has topped a new list of the Richest Teenagers in Hollywood. Didn't see that one coming, right? --Justin reportedly made $53 MILLION in the year between May of last year and this past May. His closest competition came from MILEY CYRUS, who made $48 million during that same period.
--Here are a few other rich teens, and the estimated amount they raked in:
--Taylor Lautner, $16 million
--Nick Jonas, $12.5 million
--"Two and a Half Men" star Angus T. Jones, $6 million
--Selena Gomez, $5 million
--Will Smith's son Jaden Smith, $5 million
--And his sister Willow Smith, $4 million
(--Word has it that this is part of a list that "People" magazine has put together, but the whole thing isn't online yet. Unless this IS it . . . and there are only eight people on it.)
ADAM LEVINE, ON HOMOSEXUALITY
Adam Levine Is Criticizing "American Idol" for Not Featuring Openly Gay Contestants:
MAROON 5 singer ADAM LEVINE is one of the coaches on "The Voice", and he's criticizing "American Idol" for not featuring openly gay contestants. --The first season of "The Voice" featured a lot of openly gay contestants, and two of them made the finals. (--That was Beverly McClellan and Vicci Martinez.) In 10 seasons of "Idol", there have been very few openly gay singers featured, if any. (--We couldn't think of any openly gay "Idol" contestants that made it beyond the auditions. There have been a few OBVIOUSLY gay contestants who went further . . . but they didn't come out until AFTER the show.) --Adam tells "Out" magazine, quote, "What's always pissed me off about 'Idol' is wanting to mask that, for that to go unspoken. C'mon. You can't be publicly gay? At this point? On a singing competition? Give me a break. --"You can't hide basic components of these people's lives. The fact that 'The Voice' didn't have any qualms about being completely open about it is a great thing." --ADAM LAMBERT infamously came out right after competing on "Idol", and in one interview, he said that the show's producers suggested he keep his sexuality under wraps. --To be fair, there's no proof that "Idol" intentionally steers clear of homosexuality, beyond their gay-free track record. --Earlier this year, Fox had this to say: Quote, "'American Idol' is about finding the next singing superstar. While sexual orientation is irrelevant to the competition, the decision to reveal sexual orientation has always been a choice made entirely by each individual contestant." (--Regardless, props to "The Voice" for proving it's not that big a deal. You'll find the rest of Adam's interview here.)
Adam Levine Doesn't Mind If You Question His Sexuality . . . Because All the Great "Frontmen" Were a Little Ambiguous:
MAROON 5 singer ADAM LEVINE isn't gay. He's currently dating "Victoria's Secret" model Anne Vyalitsyna. But he doesn't mind if you've had your doubts . . . because that means he's a better "frontman". (???) --Adam tells "Out" magazine, quote, "There's no way to hide my straightness, but if people didn't think there was a small chance I was gay, then I wouldn't be doing my job very well. Look at the best ones, guys whose sexuality was always questioned . . . --"[DAVID] Bowie. [MICK] Jagger. Freddie Mercury. I wouldn't be the frontman of a band if that question hadn't come up at some point."
Adam Levine Knew His Brother Was Gay . . . When His Brother Was Two:
ADAM LEVINE has a gay younger brother . . . and Adam says he's PROOF that homosexuality is NOT a choice. --He tells "Out" magazine, quote, "I can single-handedly dispel any ideas that sexuality is acquired. Trust me, you're born with it. My brother is gay, and we knew when he was two. We all knew." --He adds, quote, "A lot of people don't want their kid to be gay and will fight it at all costs. But I've got news for you . . . it's a losing [effing] battle. The more you fight it, the more [effed]-up your kid's gonna be. You've just got to embrace it."
Jennifer Aniston Is *Not* Going to Be on "Days of Our Lives":
There was a rumor going around that JENNIFER ANISTON was going to appear on several episodes of "Days of Our Lives". Her father JOHN ANISTON has starred on the soap for 24 years. --But Jen's rep says it's NOT happening.
Billy Crystal Is "Itchy" to Host the Oscars Again:
BILLY CRYSTAL hosted the Oscars eight times between 1990 and 2004, and it sounds like he'd like to do it again. --He recently said, quote, "It's always fun. It's really hard, but maybe one or two more times? I don't know. They know where I am. I came out last year as a surprise. It was a last-minute decision . . . I said OK." --"I got a little itchy. So we'll see what happens. I can't promise anything."
TLC Has Canceled "Kate Plus 8":
It's the end of an era, folks. The GOSSELIN family is vanishing from your TV . . . for the most part. TLC says they're NOT renewing "Kate Plus 8" for another season. --The series finale is set to air on September 12th. However, TLC adds that they may "check in with Kate and the family periodically with specials in the future."
Tuesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"MasterChef" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.
--"America's Got Talent" [Performance] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Twelve previously eliminated acts return to perform for this wild-card round.)
--"Memphis Beat" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TNT. (--Amy Madigan and Lance Henriksen guest star as the heads of rival clans that are about to go to war over the shooting of a girl.)
--"The Nine Lives of Chloe King" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC Family.
--"What Not To Wear" [9th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC. (--Jenny McCarthy and "Dancing with the Stars'" Cheryl Burke request help for their mutual personal assistant Becky who is in need of a makeover.)
--"Downsized" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on WE.
--"Hawthorne" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT.
--"Chopped" [8th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Food Network.
--"Family Restaurant" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on WE. (--A reality show about a family-owned, high-pressure restaurant business.)
VIDEO GAME QUICK HITS
Slice Up Other Assassins or Fight Renegade Angels in This Week's New Games:
--"El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron" (T) . . . for the Xbox 360 and PS3. This is based on the Old Testament story of the Tower of Babel. Seven angels betrayed heaven by building the tower, so God sends a guy named Enoch to set things right. As Enoch, you have to fight through their seven versions of 'paradise'. (Trailer)
--"No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise" (M) . . . on PS3. You play Travis Touchdown, a laser katana wielding assassin on a quest to eliminate the competition by killing the ten best assassins in the world. It's motion-controlled with the PlayStation Move.
(Warning! It contains a few S-words!) (Trailer)
Video Game Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
#1.) There was a glitch with Microsoft's servers a few days ago that resulted in thousands of free Microsoft Points being issued to random users. Anyone who spent the free cash before the glitch was found got to keep their ill-gotten gains. (Full Story)
#2.) For everyone who's wanted to virtually race a horse using the Xbox 360's Kinect, your prayers will soon be answered. "Champion Jockey: G1 Jockey and Gallop Racer" will be out later this year. It's motion-compatible for all three major consoles. (Full Story)
#3.) Ridley Scott, the director of "Alien" and "Blade Runner", has signed on to do some "exclusive episodic entertainment" for the Call of Duty Elite web site. (Full Story)
#4.) Milla Jovovich will star in "Resident Evil: Retribution". This latest "Resident Evil" flick is the fifth movie in the series. (Full Story)
NEW ON VIDEO THIS WEEK
--"John Carpenter's The Ward" - Amber Heard plays a woman held in a remote ward of a psychiatric hospital with a group of other girls, where they're terrorized by a ghost. The other girls include Meryl Streep's daughter, Mamie Gummer.
--"Priest" - Paul Bettany plays a warrior priest trying to rescue his niece from an army of vampires. "Nikita" star Maggie Q is a priestess fighting by his side, and his niece is Phil Collins' daughter, Lily Collins, who you'd know from "The Blind Side".
--"Something Borrowed" - "Big Love's" Ginnifer Goodwin plays a chick who gets drunk and sleeps with the guy she's had a crush on since law school. Unfortunately, he's engaged to marry her best friend, played by Kate Hudson.
--"The Best and the Brightest" - Neil Patrick Harris hires a consultant to help him get his five-year-old into a private school without sitting on a two-year waiting list. She's played by Amy Sedaris. She lies on their application and says he's a poet. He then tries to sell the lie by passing off his buddy's cybersex IMs as poetry.
--"Meet Monica Velour" - Kim Cattrall plays a washed-up '80s porno star who lives in a trailer park and strips to make ends meet. A 21-year-old geek named Dustin Ingram plays a teenage fan who befriends her, even though she doesn't quite live up to his mental image.
--"The Conspirator" - James McAvoy defends a woman accused of conspiring in the Lincoln assassination. She's played by Robin Wright Penn. It's directed by Robert Redford. The rest of the cast includes Justin Long, Kevin Kline, Evan Rachel Wood, and Alexis Bledel.
--"Jane Eyre" - "Alice in Wonderland's" Mia Wasikowska plays Jane Eyre in this adaptation of the classic Charlotte Bronte novel. It also stars Michael Fassbender and Jamie Bell as the men in her life, Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers.
(--Jamie Bell IS "Billy Elliott". You may remember Fassbender from "Inglorious Basterds" and as Magneto in "X-Men: First Class".)
--"Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" - Granny, Red, Wolf and Twitchy the squirrel join a secret spy organization to ensure all fairy tales have happy endings. Red Riding Hood was Anne Hathaway in the first movie, but Hayden Panettiere does the voice in this one. Glenn Close is still Granny and Patrick Warburton is still the wolf. Other voices include Brad Garrett and Cheech & Chong.
TV Series On DVD:
--"Dexter: The Fifth Season" . . . a four-disc DVD set.
--"Spin City - Season 5" . . . a four-disc DVD set. (--This was one of the two seasons that featured Charlie Sheen. It ran for six seasons. Michael J. Fox had to leave the show at the end of Season 4 because of his Parkinson's disease.)
NEW MUSIC OUT THIS WEEK
This Week's CD Releases:
--"Any Man in America", Blue October (--This is their sixth album. It includes their hits "The Feel Again (Stay)" and "The Chills".)
--"Extended Versions", Everclear (--A live album that was recorded last year at the Columbia City Theatre in Seattle.)
--"Watch the Throne", Jay-Z & Kanye West (--This was an iTunes exclusive last week, but it hit stores on Friday. However, if you wait until the 23rd then you can grab the Deluxe Edition with four additional tracks that aren't on this one.)
--"When Fish Ride Bicycles", The Cool Kids (--Their guests include Ghostface and Bun B.)
Green Day Has Debuted an Amy Winehouse Tribute Song:
GREEN DAY has a new song called "Amy", which is a tribute to the late AMY WINEHOUSE. The band debuted the song at a show in California last week. (--You can get a feel for the song, here. But unfortunately, the audio is INCREDIBLY bad.)
--Here are the lyrics:
"Amy
Is your heart singing out of tune
Are your eyes just singing the blues
Dirty records from another time
Some blood stains on your shoes
No one really knows about your soul
And I barely even know your name
Burning rhythms and posting lies
For a bunch of fools drown in shame"
"Amy don't you go
I want you around
Singin' woah please don't go
Do you wanna be a friend of mine?
Did you tattoo a lucky charm
To keep you out of harm's way?
Warding off all evil signs
But it never really kept you safe"
"You're too young for the golden age
'Cause the record bin's been replaced
27 gone without a trace
And you walked away from your drink."
"May I have this last dance
By chance if we should meet?
Can you write me a lullaby?
So we can sing you to sleep."
KISS Will Play at the Michael Jackson Tribute, Even Though Gene Simmons Called Michael a Pedophile Last Year:
KATHERINE JACKSON has announced that KISS is performing at the MICHAEL JACKSON tribute concert in October. That's despite the fact that LAST year, singer GENE SIMMONS paid tribute to Michael . . . by calling him a PEDOPHILE. --Gene said, quote, "There is no question in my mind he molested those kids. Not a doubt. The only sexual references about Michael Jackson that were made by anyone, anywhere around the world, have always been made by kids . . . --"And specifically males usually 10 to 14 years of age. Never females, that age or older, and never grown men."
(NC-17) Anyone Interested in Seeing Gene Simmons' Naked Butt?
When you woke up this morning, you probably didn't realize that today would come with an opportunity to see GENE SIMMONS' naked backside. But it does! -A picture has popped up online, in which Gene appears to be MOONING a photographer. And yes, it shows his BUTT in all its glory. (--If this doesn't sound too disgusting for you, you can check out the picture, here. NOTE: Even though Gene seems to be acting like a kid one-third his age, his backside doesn't look too bad for being nearly 62 years old.) (Dlisted)
Eminem Is the "King of Hip-Hop" . . . According to "Rolling Stone":
This seems like more trouble than it's worth, but "Rolling Stone" recently sorted through all kinds of data to determine "The King of Hip-Hop." When everything was compiled, they gave the crown to EMINEM. LIL WAYNE came in second. -The process is too complicated to explain . . . but it did take into account mini-rankings, for things like album sales, Billboard chart success, YouTube views, tours, social networking, album reviews and awards.
1.) Eminem
2.) Lil Wayne
3.) Drake
4.) Kanye West
5.) Jay-Z
6.) Nicki Minaj
7.) Rick Ross
8.) Ludacris
9.) Gucci Mane
10.) T.I.
(--For "Rolling Stone's" full explanation on the results, hit up this link.)
TUESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
From now on, when JOHN MELLENCAMP makes sweet love to MEG RYAN, he's not cheating. John and his wife Emily are officially divorced. (Full Story)
Magician DAVID COPPERFIELD has revealed that he and his 26-year-old girlfriend have a 16-month-old daughter named Sky. (Full Story)
Not sure if this is a compliment, but New York Jets quarterback MARK SANCHEZ says he'd like to date JENNIFER ANISTON because she's, quote, "experienced". (Full Story)
There's a new trailer for the "Footloose" remake. (Video)
BRADLEY COOPER has dropped out of the new "Crow" movie due to a scheduling conflict. MARK WAHLBERG and CHANNING TATUM are possibilities to replace him.
Replicas of KRISTEN STEWART'S wedding dress from "Breaking Dawn: Part 1" will go on sale sometime after the movie hits theaters in November. (Full Story)
New "Office" cast member JAMES SPADER says no new boss will be hired to take over for STEVE CARELL. There's no word if that means someone from the cast is being promoted, or if the show is going to come up with some other way to cover the loss. (Full Story)
HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE and LEAH REMINI are probably leaving "The Talk" . . . but everyone else is staying. (Full Story)
With a new season of "Dancing With the Stars" looming, CHERYL BURKE is looking kind of heavy. (Full Story)
A former "Deal or No Deal" model is in trouble with the law . . . for sending a text to her ex-fiancé's new girlfriend, calling her the C-word. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
Your Cell Phone is Making You Rude and Stupid . . . One in Eight People Admit They've Pretended to Use Their Phone to Avoid Interacting With People:
Your cell phone is making you rude and stupid: A recent survey by Pew Research found that one in eight cell phone users admit that they sometimes pretend to use their phone to avoid interacting with people around them. --And while smartphones are great sources of information, many people now rely so heavily on them that when they have to rely on their own personal knowledge to do something, they're virtually helpless. --More than one in four cell phone owners say they've experienced a situation in the past month where they had trouble doing something because they didn't have their phone with them. (--The survey didn't say what, but I'm betting most of the problems were with driving directions and knowing people's phone numbers.) --And even though we're useless without our phones, a lot of people complain about them too. --One in five cell phone users are frustrated with how long it takes to download information. Another 16% have trouble reading their phone because the screen is too small. And one in 10 people have trouble when they have to enter a lot of text. --What's the best reason to have a phone? 42% of us say that we use our phones to entertain us when we're bored. That's two percent more than people who say they have a cell phone in case of an emergency. (Pew Internet)
More Than Half of Women are Pretty Sure That a Car Dealer Will Try to Rip Them Off:
There's over 100 years of bad blood between car salesmen and women . . . I'm sure that back in the day, a Model T dealer saw a female customer come in and jacked up the price for undercoating and a destination fee. --So this survey really isn't surprising. In a new poll, more than half of women say they believe a car dealer will try to rip them off . . . and are definitely more likely to try to rip off a woman than a man.
--Here are some more results from the survey . . .
--43% of women say dealers are patronizing when they talk to them.
--33% say they HATE car shopping because of how they're treated.
--40% would never buy a car unless they had a male friend or family member with them.
--And 10% say they feel like buying a car from a dealer is as bad as being a road rage victim.
(PR Newswire)
Nice Guys Really Do Finish Last . . . At Least When It Comes to Salaries:
Having your coworkers hate you might not be so bad. Yeah, they won't invite you to happy hour at Chili's, and they might not buy you a birthday cake . . . but it's all good. Because you'll be making WAY MORE MONEY than them. --A new study out of Cornell University has backed up the old cliché that nice guys finish last. They really do. At least when it comes to salaries. --In the study, employees were rated on agreeableness. --Men who were below average . . . in other words, men who are argumentative and harder to get along with at work . . . earned about 18% more than agreeable guys. That worked out to an average of $9,772 per year based on the people surveyed. --The same effect happened for women, although it was smaller. Less-agreeable women earned about 5% more than agreeable women . . . which worked out to an average of $1,828 per year. (--And yeah, I guess that means that, in a way, nice guys finish last . . . but still ahead of women. But this story isn't about the glass ceiling. That's another beef for another day.) --Researchers think there are two reasons why agreeable people make less money. --One, they could come off less assertive and less like leaders, which makes them less likely to get promotions. And two, they're less likely to really push for more money during salary negotiations. (Wall Street Journal)
Here are the Six Least-Funny States in the U.S.:
I'm not sure that "America's Funniest Home Videos" is necessarily THE authority on what is and isn't funny . . . but after 21 years on the air, at least they have some data they can use to try to figure it out. --"America's Funniest Home Videos" just released this list of the six LEAST-FUNNY STATES in the U.S., based on how many times those states have had a video that was voted the funniest of the week by their studio audience. --The problem is, they didn't weight it by population, so you'll notice a connection between states with small populations and a low number of wins. But did you really expect a rigorous academic study from "America's Funniest Home Videos"? --Regardless, in the past 21 years, here are the least-funny states . . .
#1.) Washington, D.C., zero wins
#2.) Rhode Island, one win
#3.) Alaska, two wins
#4.) North Dakota, two wins
#5.) Vermont, three wins
#6.) Wyoming, three wins
--They didn't announce the win totals for other states, but they did say California has had the most winners. But remember, Californians have sent in over 100,000 tapes over the show's history. People in D.C. have only sent in 404. (Time)
Nine Out of Ten Places With a Whole Foods Store Voted Democratic in the Last Election . . . and 62% of Places With a Cracker Barrel Voted Republican:
If you ask Americans what's wrong with Congress, they'll probably tell you that politicians need to learn to work together and compromise.
-That's what three out of five voters said in a recent Gallup poll. But when it comes to our personal lives, most of us would rather live close to people that agree with us, and far from people who have opposing views. --In 1976, when Jimmy Carter beat Gerald Ford, one in four Americans lived in "landslide counties", which are places where one party had at least a 20% margin in the voting results. --By 2000, when George W. Bush won the presidency over Al Gore, 45% of Americans lived in landslide counties . . . and in 2008, nearly 48% of us did. --That means close to half the country lives in areas where a large majority of their neighbors share their views. --You can probably imagine what those places look like. In 2008, nine out of every 10 counties that had a Whole Foods supermarket voted for Barack Obama, and three out of five counties with a Cracker Barrel restaurant voted for John McCain. (NY Times)
And Now, Two Things to Stop Worrying About:
#1.) You Aren't Squeezing in Enough Exercise. According to a new study, even what seems like a LITTLE bit of exercise can REALLY extend your life. --Researchers found that even doing just 15 minutes of exercise a day, six days a week, adds THREE YEARS to your life. It also makes you at least 14% less likely to die suddenly than someone who's inactive. (Bloomberg)
#2.) Being Chubby Is a Death Sentence. There's finally a study that found being chubby doesn't GUARANTEE you're less healthy or more likely to die of a heart attack than someone who's slimmer. --A professor at York University in Canada found it's impossible to generalize . . . some obese people are healthy, some skinny people are dying on the inside. She says health needs to be analyzed on an individual basis. (Toronto Sun)
An 11-Year-Old Sinks a Miracle Hockey Shot to Win $50,000 . . . But May Have to Forfeit the Prize Since His Identical Twin was Supposed to Take the Shot:
Last Thursday night, 11-year-old Nick Smith and his family were at a celebrity hockey game in Faribault, Minnesota. And Nick won a raffle that gave him one hockey shot to win a HUGE prize. --If he could shoot a puck from center ice through a three-and-a-half inch cutout 89 feet away, he'd win $50,000. The puck itself is three inches wide, so the shot is almost impossible. --But when Nick's name was announced, he was out of the arena. So his IDENTICAL TWIN brother Nate went down to the ice and took the shot. --AND HE MADE IT. The crowd went insane. --But the next day, Nick and Nate's father, Pat Smith, saw this as a teaching moment. So he called the game's organizers and told them his sons had done the twin switch. --Now, the insurance company behind the contest is going to decide whether the Smiths can get the money. (Huffington Post) (--Here's a video of the shot.)
Two Construction Workers Almost Drowned When Their Elevator Got Stuck . . . and Began Filling With Water:
Two construction workers in New York City managed to combine everything you're afraid of in one near-death experience. --Edward Tyler and Windell Admaker were helping with the renovation of the Staten Island Hotel on Sunday morning, which is being converted into assisted-living apartments for the elderly. --They were in the building alone, and decided to take an elevator to an upper floor. That was a mistake. Because while the elevator worked, the doors on the building's floors didn't. When Edward and Windell got to their floor, they realized they were STUCK in the elevator. --Instead of freaking out, they decided to systematically try each floor, until they found one where the doors would work. -That was a mistake too, because the elevator eventually made its way to the basement . . . which heavy rains on Sunday had left completely FLOODED. --The elevator car, with Edward and Windell trapped inside, plunged into the water and began to SINK. --So . . . they calmly called 911 and WAITED for help to come, while the car slowly FILLED with WATER. --By the time firefighters arrived, Edward and Windell were standing on their construction cart, with water up to their necks. (NY Times)
The Search for a Woman Who Fell Over Niagara Falls Turns Up the Body . . . of a Random Man:
Around 8:30 P.M. on Sunday night, a 19-year-old Japanese tourist was swept over Niagara Falls in Canada and was immediately presumed dead. And while that's really sad . . . it wouldn't normally be on our news radar. --But the search for her took a pretty STRANGE turn that caught our attention. --As the Canadian and American divers searched the Niagara River for her body, they found . . . A DIFFERENT BODY. --They know it's different because it's a MAN'S body. So far, they're only saying they found, quote, "unidentified human remains of a male." --They haven't said if anyone was recently reported missing, and so far they haven't ID'd the body. --The Japanese woman's body still hasn't been found. The police say she had climbed a railing to get a better look at the Falls, then lost her balance and fell over. (Breitbart)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
Most Embarrassing Crime Ever? A 23-Year-Old Guy is Caught Stealing a Life-Size Justin Bieber Cutout From a Record Store:
This guy is NEVER, EVER going to live this down. --On Saturday afternoon, 23-year-old David Dowling of Bradenton, Florida was busted trying to steal a LIFE-SIZE JUSTIN BIEBER CUTOUT from a F.Y.E. record store at the DeSoto Square Mall. --A Sears surveillance camera recorded David and a friend as they tried to run out of the mall, but an F.Y.E. assistant manager chased them down and told them to bring the cutout back to the store. She also called the police. --David told the police it was a prank . . . quote, "We were just having fun holding Justin Bieber hostage" . . . but even so, he's still forever on record now as the guy who stole the Justin Bieber cutout. --The cutout was valued at $34.99 and David was charged for misdemeanor theft. --His friend was also arrested, but . . . because it's one of the luckiest days of his life . . . his name wasn't released because he's a minor. --David wasn't able to come up with his $120 bond so he actually ended up doing a night in jail over the Justin Bieber cutout. (The Smoking Gun)
Cops Catch a Burglar When He Falls Asleep . . . and Starts Snoring Loudly:
On Sunday night, police in South Brunswick, New Jersey got a call about a break-in at a restaurant called Big Ed's. When they went to investigate, all three burglars split in different directions and took off. --The cops were able to track down two of them nearby . . . but the third one seemed to have vanished. --A few hours later, they went back to Big Ed's . . . and they got the lead they needed. --As they walked around the restaurant, they heard LOUD SNORING coming from the basement. --Turns out that instead of fleeing, the third burglar decided to hide inside the restaurant, on top of a big refrigeration unit in the basement. But while he was on top of it hiding, HE FELL ASLEEP. And he's a snorer. --The police arrested him and identified him as 35-year-old Israel Cortes of Ewing, New Jersey. The other two burglars were 39-year-old Richard Wilson of Ewing and 33-year-old Christian Cortes of Pemberton, New Jersey. --All three men were charged with burglary, theft, and possession of burglary tools. The police say they planned to steal copper pipes from the restaurant. (East Windsor Patch)
A Man Was Caught Driving 70 Miles an Hour, Talking on a Cell Phone, Texting on Another Phone With His Other Hand . . . and Steering with His Knees:
We all know at this point how dangerous it is to use a phone while you drive. This guy DOUBLED the danger. --Back in May, police in Norwich, England spotted 34-year-old David Secker talking on a cell phone while he was driving 70 miles per hour. --As they approached, they found out it was worse than that. He was talking on a phone with one hand . . . texting on ANOTHER phone with the other hand . . . and steering the car with his KNEES. --It's a miracle he didn't crash . . . and that's especially lucky for him, since it turned out he didn't have any insurance. --He was charged with using a mobile phone while driving . . . there's no law for TWO mobile phones while driving . . . and he was in court yesterday. --He avoided jail time . . . his license was suspended for a year, he was fined $250, and got points on his license. (BBC)
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Because of the crappy economy, a bunch of writers from CNN Money came up with a list of small towns with the best combination of job opportunities, fiscal strength, good schools, low crime, good healthcare, cultural and outdoor activities, and nice weather. And the winner is . . . Louisville, Colorado. Milton, Massachusetts and Solon, Ohio were next. (Full Story)
Now this is getting arrested in style: A drug addict was busted last Thursday for breaking into a home shared by three women in Pennsylvania, and then taking a shower. After he was hauled in, he told police that he was, quote, "The coolest [expletive] on Earth . . . [I] bit my own umbilical cord off when I was born." (Full Story)
And it's not even September: A 19-year-old in Florida was arrested for attacking her boyfriend in a domestic disturbance over cell phone messages . . . by slapping him, biting him, and beating him with a wooden nutcracker? (Full Story)
According to a new study, only two out of three Google searches lead users to what they were actually looking for. (Full Story)
There's a scientific reason why people get "tanorexia" . . . a.k.a. addiction to tanning. It's because exposure to UV light activates the addictive parts of people's brains. (Full Story)
According to a sociologist at North Carolina State University, networking helps you find a job . . . if you're a man. Men get a 12% benefit from "informal recruitment." Women don't improve their chances at all. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) A Guy Actually Recorded Himself Counting to 100,000 in a 78-Hour YouTube Video . . . But Accidentally Skipped One of the Last Numbers:
There are plenty of ways to waste time, but what this next guy came up with might be the most BORING WAY EVER: It's a pair of YouTube videos of a guy who recorded himself counting all the way from one . . . to 100,000. -And if you go nuts and decide to watch the whole thing without skipping, it'll take you just under 78 HOURS. --But here's what makes the guy even lamer: One, he didn't do it in one sitting. He did it over the course of three months. So it's not like he's trying to win a record or anything. --And two, he MISSED a number. Obviously I didn't watch the whole thing, but I did watch the last ten numbers . . . and he says 99,990 . . . then skips to 99,992. --So in other words, it was a COMPLETE waste of time. --In the end, he gets to 100,000 . . . then celebrates by setting off six small confetti poppers. (--Search for "Jon Counts to 100,000." He misses the number in Part 2, at 3:29:23.)
#2.) LeBron James Got Schooled by One of the Best Players . . . in Taiwan?
LEBRON JAMES is on a promotional tour for Nike in Asia right now, and he was supposed to be a celebrity coach the other day, during an all-star game between two teams in Taiwan. --But in the second half, he actually played . . . and maybe he SHOULDN'T have, because he got EMBARRASSED by one of the players. --LeBron was trying to dribble around a Taiwanese player at the top of the key, but the guy stole the ball from him, beat LeBron down the court, and DUNKED. LeBron didn't really hustle back on defense after the steal, but the crowd still went nuts for the dunk. (--Search for "Lebron James Gets Schooled by Asian Kid." The steal is at :14.)
#3.) And Now . . . The 25 Greatest Unscripted Scenes in the History of Film:
There's a video getting a bunch of plays on YouTube called the "25 Greatest Unscripted Scenes in Films." --It's a bunch of famous lines that were either improvised on set, or added at the last minute. Including the "most-annoying sound in the world" from "Dumb and Dumber" . . . Bill Murray's "It's in the hole!" line from "Caddyshack" . . . and "Here's Johnny" from "The Shining". --The funniest one is from "Being John Malkovich". According to the captions in the video, the part where someone drives by, yells, "think fast," and hits Malkovich in the head with a beer can wasn't in the script. One of the extras was drunk and just DID IT. (--WARNING: This video includes the F-word and other profanity.)
Four Cover Letter Mistakes That Could Prevent You From Getting an Interview:
People freak out about cover letters, as if one line will make or break their chance of getting a job. But they're really just a formality, and you'd have to have make blatant spelling and grammar mistakes for you cover letter to be a dealbreaker. --But in this economy, why take chances: Here are four other things that can actually ruin a good cover letter.
#1.) Don't Make It Too Short or Too Long. According to the president of one staffing firm in New York, it should be somewhere between 200 and 250 words. If it's shorter, you'll look like you didn't try. And if it's longer, they might just skip it. --He also says you should highlight one major accomplishment, like saying you increased sales by 50% in a year. He says that if he reads something concrete like that, he'll look at the resume.
#2.) Personal Stories. The major accomplishment you highlight HAS to be work-related. So if you're applying for a job in communications, don't talk about how you ran a half-marathon last year. They won't care. --Instead, save it for the interview, so you'll have a good answer if they ask what your hobbies are.
#3.) Don't Criticize the Company You're Applying To. It sounds obvious, but some people submit cover letters with lines like, "Your company looks great. But from your website, I can tell you need help with marketing." --You might think it'll make you stand out as someone who can immediately bring something to the company. But in reality, it just makes you look arrogant.
#4.) Jokes. If the person reading it doesn't know you . . . and you don't know their sense of humor . . . chances are the joke won't land. But even if it does, you'll look unprofessional. --Jokes are even risky during an interview, because the best-case scenario is, they'll think you're funny . . . which probably won't get you the job. --And the worst-case scenario is, they'll think you're an IDIOT . . . which DEFINITELY won't get you the job. (FINS.com)
We've been waiting for either JUSTIN BIEBER or SELENA GOMEZ to drop the L-word . . . and Selena finally almost sort of did it. --During a radio interview . . . (--On 94.1-FM, KQCH in Omaha) . . . the host pulled out some audio from LAST YEAR, in which Selena said, quote, "That kid's amazing. I love Bieber so I could talk all about him all day. Everyone thinks I'm a cougar!" --Of course back then, people were only starting to speculate that Selena and Justin were a couple. So the host asked her to comment on the clip. She said, quote, "Nothing's changed, apparently." --So there you kind of have it. (???) (--Not exactly an affirmation of undying love, though.)
Check Out Will Smith Doing Some Crazy, MMA-Style Kicks in the Gym:
We like to think of celebrities as pampered little pansies . . . because it makes us feel like we've got SOMETHING over them. --But the truth is, some of these pampered little pansies could SERIOUSLY KICK OUR ASSES. WILL SMITH is probably one of them. --Will became a boxing machine while training for "Ali". And now, video has surfaced of him working out with a trainer, and throwing some deadly-looking MMA-style kicks. (--Here's the video.)
Adam Carolla Is In Trouble For Insulting Transgendered People:
ADAM CAROLLA is in trouble with GLAAD for insulting transgendered people. --It happened last week on his podcast, "The Adam Carolla Show" . . . and it all started during a conversation with his co-host about that petition someone started to get the "Sesame Street" puppets Bert and Ernie married. --When his co-host mentioned the LGBT community, Adam said, quote, "When did everybody get [effin'] lumped in with the gays, you know what I mean? What percentage is transgendered?" --Then he added, quote, "When did we start giving a [crap] about these people?" --Then, discussing the abbreviation "LGBT" itself, Adam said, quote, "Shouldn't it be something that spells something, like YUCK?" (--You can listen to the audio here. WARNING!!! This clip contains a lot of BLEEPED PROFANITY.) --This isn't the first time Adam has gotten on GLAAD's bad side. A few years back on the show "Loveline", he said that all things being equal, gay parents are, quote, "not as good as" straight parents. --Adam's latest rant prompted this response from GLAAD . . . quote, "Given his history of anti-gay and racist comments, networks and advertisers should know what their money is supporting if they choose to hire Adam Carolla. --"The gross intolerance that he tries to pass off as comedy should not have a place on our airwaves." (--"Airwaves"? Does GLAAD not understand what a PODCAST is???) --Well, Adam apologized yesterday . . . saying, quote, "I'm sorry my comments were hurtful. I'm a comedian, not a politician." (--I don't know about the "I'm a comedian, not a politician" line . . . but I give Adam props for ACTUALLY APOLOGIZING.)
Jean-Claude Van Damme Says Gay People Are "Tasty":
You've gotta love JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME: He's been in this country for 30 years now, and he's still struggling with the English language. --Here's what he had to say recently while discussing his gay fans . . . quote, "Most gay people are VERY TASTY PEOPLE . . . they like beautiful stuff in their lives. --"If they like me, it means they have taste. They don't follow me for my butt shots. They like me for me." --Speaking of Van Damme, he just signed on for a British sci-fi flick called "UFO". It's about a city-sized UFO that appears in the sky, and causes fear and chaos. Van Damme will play a retired military adviser.
Dave Chappelle Blames His Bizarre Standup Gig in Florida on Rude Seminole Indians:
DAVE CHAPPELLE has explained why he basically stood in front of a crowd at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida last month, checking text messages and occasionally muttering to the crowd for 45 minutes. --He blames the Seminole Indians. Not ALL Seminole Indians. Just a rude bunch of them who were seated right in front of the stage. And apparently, because they were Seminoles, security refused to quiet them down. --In a radio interview yesterday . . . (--On WILD 94.9 in San Francisco) . . . Dave said, quote, "I didn't get a chance to do anything . . . I can hear and see everything [in the front row]. --"You can't possibly expect me to do a show here . . . there's got to be a little bit of cooperation." -He was also afraid to fight back against the hecklers, because he thought they were trying to get a, quote, "Reverse Kramer" moment out of him . . . meaning they wanted to get him to start going off on a racist rant against them. --Especially since everyone was taping him . . . quote, "I came out on stage and the YouTube extravaganza began." --But Dave said he went back to the Seminole the next night to perform, because it was a charity event, and he didn't want to put a "STINK VIBE" on it. (???) (--Here's video of the interview.)
Surprise: Justin Bieber Tops a List of the Richest Teens in Hollywood:
Here's something that will really rock your boat: JUSTIN BIEBER has topped a new list of the Richest Teenagers in Hollywood. Didn't see that one coming, right? --Justin reportedly made $53 MILLION in the year between May of last year and this past May. His closest competition came from MILEY CYRUS, who made $48 million during that same period.
--Here are a few other rich teens, and the estimated amount they raked in:
--Taylor Lautner, $16 million
--Nick Jonas, $12.5 million
--"Two and a Half Men" star Angus T. Jones, $6 million
--Selena Gomez, $5 million
--Will Smith's son Jaden Smith, $5 million
--And his sister Willow Smith, $4 million
(--Word has it that this is part of a list that "People" magazine has put together, but the whole thing isn't online yet. Unless this IS it . . . and there are only eight people on it.)
ADAM LEVINE, ON HOMOSEXUALITY
Adam Levine Is Criticizing "American Idol" for Not Featuring Openly Gay Contestants:
MAROON 5 singer ADAM LEVINE is one of the coaches on "The Voice", and he's criticizing "American Idol" for not featuring openly gay contestants. --The first season of "The Voice" featured a lot of openly gay contestants, and two of them made the finals. (--That was Beverly McClellan and Vicci Martinez.) In 10 seasons of "Idol", there have been very few openly gay singers featured, if any. (--We couldn't think of any openly gay "Idol" contestants that made it beyond the auditions. There have been a few OBVIOUSLY gay contestants who went further . . . but they didn't come out until AFTER the show.) --Adam tells "Out" magazine, quote, "What's always pissed me off about 'Idol' is wanting to mask that, for that to go unspoken. C'mon. You can't be publicly gay? At this point? On a singing competition? Give me a break. --"You can't hide basic components of these people's lives. The fact that 'The Voice' didn't have any qualms about being completely open about it is a great thing." --ADAM LAMBERT infamously came out right after competing on "Idol", and in one interview, he said that the show's producers suggested he keep his sexuality under wraps. --To be fair, there's no proof that "Idol" intentionally steers clear of homosexuality, beyond their gay-free track record. --Earlier this year, Fox had this to say: Quote, "'American Idol' is about finding the next singing superstar. While sexual orientation is irrelevant to the competition, the decision to reveal sexual orientation has always been a choice made entirely by each individual contestant." (--Regardless, props to "The Voice" for proving it's not that big a deal. You'll find the rest of Adam's interview here.)
Adam Levine Doesn't Mind If You Question His Sexuality . . . Because All the Great "Frontmen" Were a Little Ambiguous:
MAROON 5 singer ADAM LEVINE isn't gay. He's currently dating "Victoria's Secret" model Anne Vyalitsyna. But he doesn't mind if you've had your doubts . . . because that means he's a better "frontman". (???) --Adam tells "Out" magazine, quote, "There's no way to hide my straightness, but if people didn't think there was a small chance I was gay, then I wouldn't be doing my job very well. Look at the best ones, guys whose sexuality was always questioned . . . --"[DAVID] Bowie. [MICK] Jagger. Freddie Mercury. I wouldn't be the frontman of a band if that question hadn't come up at some point."
Adam Levine Knew His Brother Was Gay . . . When His Brother Was Two:
ADAM LEVINE has a gay younger brother . . . and Adam says he's PROOF that homosexuality is NOT a choice. --He tells "Out" magazine, quote, "I can single-handedly dispel any ideas that sexuality is acquired. Trust me, you're born with it. My brother is gay, and we knew when he was two. We all knew." --He adds, quote, "A lot of people don't want their kid to be gay and will fight it at all costs. But I've got news for you . . . it's a losing [effing] battle. The more you fight it, the more [effed]-up your kid's gonna be. You've just got to embrace it."
Jennifer Aniston Is *Not* Going to Be on "Days of Our Lives":
There was a rumor going around that JENNIFER ANISTON was going to appear on several episodes of "Days of Our Lives". Her father JOHN ANISTON has starred on the soap for 24 years. --But Jen's rep says it's NOT happening.
Billy Crystal Is "Itchy" to Host the Oscars Again:
BILLY CRYSTAL hosted the Oscars eight times between 1990 and 2004, and it sounds like he'd like to do it again. --He recently said, quote, "It's always fun. It's really hard, but maybe one or two more times? I don't know. They know where I am. I came out last year as a surprise. It was a last-minute decision . . . I said OK." --"I got a little itchy. So we'll see what happens. I can't promise anything."
TLC Has Canceled "Kate Plus 8":
It's the end of an era, folks. The GOSSELIN family is vanishing from your TV . . . for the most part. TLC says they're NOT renewing "Kate Plus 8" for another season. --The series finale is set to air on September 12th. However, TLC adds that they may "check in with Kate and the family periodically with specials in the future."
Tuesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"MasterChef" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.
--"America's Got Talent" [Performance] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Twelve previously eliminated acts return to perform for this wild-card round.)
--"Memphis Beat" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TNT. (--Amy Madigan and Lance Henriksen guest star as the heads of rival clans that are about to go to war over the shooting of a girl.)
--"The Nine Lives of Chloe King" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC Family.
--"What Not To Wear" [9th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC. (--Jenny McCarthy and "Dancing with the Stars'" Cheryl Burke request help for their mutual personal assistant Becky who is in need of a makeover.)
--"Downsized" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on WE.
--"Hawthorne" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT.
--"Chopped" [8th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Food Network.
--"Family Restaurant" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on WE. (--A reality show about a family-owned, high-pressure restaurant business.)
VIDEO GAME QUICK HITS
Slice Up Other Assassins or Fight Renegade Angels in This Week's New Games:
--"El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron" (T) . . . for the Xbox 360 and PS3. This is based on the Old Testament story of the Tower of Babel. Seven angels betrayed heaven by building the tower, so God sends a guy named Enoch to set things right. As Enoch, you have to fight through their seven versions of 'paradise'. (Trailer)
--"No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise" (M) . . . on PS3. You play Travis Touchdown, a laser katana wielding assassin on a quest to eliminate the competition by killing the ten best assassins in the world. It's motion-controlled with the PlayStation Move.
(Warning! It contains a few S-words!) (Trailer)
Video Game Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
#1.) There was a glitch with Microsoft's servers a few days ago that resulted in thousands of free Microsoft Points being issued to random users. Anyone who spent the free cash before the glitch was found got to keep their ill-gotten gains. (Full Story)
#2.) For everyone who's wanted to virtually race a horse using the Xbox 360's Kinect, your prayers will soon be answered. "Champion Jockey: G1 Jockey and Gallop Racer" will be out later this year. It's motion-compatible for all three major consoles. (Full Story)
#3.) Ridley Scott, the director of "Alien" and "Blade Runner", has signed on to do some "exclusive episodic entertainment" for the Call of Duty Elite web site. (Full Story)
#4.) Milla Jovovich will star in "Resident Evil: Retribution". This latest "Resident Evil" flick is the fifth movie in the series. (Full Story)
NEW ON VIDEO THIS WEEK
--"John Carpenter's The Ward" - Amber Heard plays a woman held in a remote ward of a psychiatric hospital with a group of other girls, where they're terrorized by a ghost. The other girls include Meryl Streep's daughter, Mamie Gummer.
--"Priest" - Paul Bettany plays a warrior priest trying to rescue his niece from an army of vampires. "Nikita" star Maggie Q is a priestess fighting by his side, and his niece is Phil Collins' daughter, Lily Collins, who you'd know from "The Blind Side".
--"Something Borrowed" - "Big Love's" Ginnifer Goodwin plays a chick who gets drunk and sleeps with the guy she's had a crush on since law school. Unfortunately, he's engaged to marry her best friend, played by Kate Hudson.
--"The Best and the Brightest" - Neil Patrick Harris hires a consultant to help him get his five-year-old into a private school without sitting on a two-year waiting list. She's played by Amy Sedaris. She lies on their application and says he's a poet. He then tries to sell the lie by passing off his buddy's cybersex IMs as poetry.
--"Meet Monica Velour" - Kim Cattrall plays a washed-up '80s porno star who lives in a trailer park and strips to make ends meet. A 21-year-old geek named Dustin Ingram plays a teenage fan who befriends her, even though she doesn't quite live up to his mental image.
--"The Conspirator" - James McAvoy defends a woman accused of conspiring in the Lincoln assassination. She's played by Robin Wright Penn. It's directed by Robert Redford. The rest of the cast includes Justin Long, Kevin Kline, Evan Rachel Wood, and Alexis Bledel.
--"Jane Eyre" - "Alice in Wonderland's" Mia Wasikowska plays Jane Eyre in this adaptation of the classic Charlotte Bronte novel. It also stars Michael Fassbender and Jamie Bell as the men in her life, Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers.
(--Jamie Bell IS "Billy Elliott". You may remember Fassbender from "Inglorious Basterds" and as Magneto in "X-Men: First Class".)
--"Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" - Granny, Red, Wolf and Twitchy the squirrel join a secret spy organization to ensure all fairy tales have happy endings. Red Riding Hood was Anne Hathaway in the first movie, but Hayden Panettiere does the voice in this one. Glenn Close is still Granny and Patrick Warburton is still the wolf. Other voices include Brad Garrett and Cheech & Chong.
TV Series On DVD:
--"Dexter: The Fifth Season" . . . a four-disc DVD set.
--"Spin City - Season 5" . . . a four-disc DVD set. (--This was one of the two seasons that featured Charlie Sheen. It ran for six seasons. Michael J. Fox had to leave the show at the end of Season 4 because of his Parkinson's disease.)
NEW MUSIC OUT THIS WEEK
This Week's CD Releases:
--"Any Man in America", Blue October (--This is their sixth album. It includes their hits "The Feel Again (Stay)" and "The Chills".)
--"Extended Versions", Everclear (--A live album that was recorded last year at the Columbia City Theatre in Seattle.)
--"Watch the Throne", Jay-Z & Kanye West (--This was an iTunes exclusive last week, but it hit stores on Friday. However, if you wait until the 23rd then you can grab the Deluxe Edition with four additional tracks that aren't on this one.)
--"When Fish Ride Bicycles", The Cool Kids (--Their guests include Ghostface and Bun B.)
Green Day Has Debuted an Amy Winehouse Tribute Song:
GREEN DAY has a new song called "Amy", which is a tribute to the late AMY WINEHOUSE. The band debuted the song at a show in California last week. (--You can get a feel for the song, here. But unfortunately, the audio is INCREDIBLY bad.)
--Here are the lyrics:
"Amy
Is your heart singing out of tune
Are your eyes just singing the blues
Dirty records from another time
Some blood stains on your shoes
No one really knows about your soul
And I barely even know your name
Burning rhythms and posting lies
For a bunch of fools drown in shame"
"Amy don't you go
I want you around
Singin' woah please don't go
Do you wanna be a friend of mine?
Did you tattoo a lucky charm
To keep you out of harm's way?
Warding off all evil signs
But it never really kept you safe"
"You're too young for the golden age
'Cause the record bin's been replaced
27 gone without a trace
And you walked away from your drink."
"May I have this last dance
By chance if we should meet?
Can you write me a lullaby?
So we can sing you to sleep."
KISS Will Play at the Michael Jackson Tribute, Even Though Gene Simmons Called Michael a Pedophile Last Year:
KATHERINE JACKSON has announced that KISS is performing at the MICHAEL JACKSON tribute concert in October. That's despite the fact that LAST year, singer GENE SIMMONS paid tribute to Michael . . . by calling him a PEDOPHILE. --Gene said, quote, "There is no question in my mind he molested those kids. Not a doubt. The only sexual references about Michael Jackson that were made by anyone, anywhere around the world, have always been made by kids . . . --"And specifically males usually 10 to 14 years of age. Never females, that age or older, and never grown men."
(NC-17) Anyone Interested in Seeing Gene Simmons' Naked Butt?
When you woke up this morning, you probably didn't realize that today would come with an opportunity to see GENE SIMMONS' naked backside. But it does! -A picture has popped up online, in which Gene appears to be MOONING a photographer. And yes, it shows his BUTT in all its glory. (--If this doesn't sound too disgusting for you, you can check out the picture, here. NOTE: Even though Gene seems to be acting like a kid one-third his age, his backside doesn't look too bad for being nearly 62 years old.) (Dlisted)
Eminem Is the "King of Hip-Hop" . . . According to "Rolling Stone":
This seems like more trouble than it's worth, but "Rolling Stone" recently sorted through all kinds of data to determine "The King of Hip-Hop." When everything was compiled, they gave the crown to EMINEM. LIL WAYNE came in second. -The process is too complicated to explain . . . but it did take into account mini-rankings, for things like album sales, Billboard chart success, YouTube views, tours, social networking, album reviews and awards.
1.) Eminem
2.) Lil Wayne
3.) Drake
4.) Kanye West
5.) Jay-Z
6.) Nicki Minaj
7.) Rick Ross
8.) Ludacris
9.) Gucci Mane
10.) T.I.
(--For "Rolling Stone's" full explanation on the results, hit up this link.)
TUESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
From now on, when JOHN MELLENCAMP makes sweet love to MEG RYAN, he's not cheating. John and his wife Emily are officially divorced. (Full Story)
Magician DAVID COPPERFIELD has revealed that he and his 26-year-old girlfriend have a 16-month-old daughter named Sky. (Full Story)
Not sure if this is a compliment, but New York Jets quarterback MARK SANCHEZ says he'd like to date JENNIFER ANISTON because she's, quote, "experienced". (Full Story)
There's a new trailer for the "Footloose" remake. (Video)
BRADLEY COOPER has dropped out of the new "Crow" movie due to a scheduling conflict. MARK WAHLBERG and CHANNING TATUM are possibilities to replace him.
Replicas of KRISTEN STEWART'S wedding dress from "Breaking Dawn: Part 1" will go on sale sometime after the movie hits theaters in November. (Full Story)
New "Office" cast member JAMES SPADER says no new boss will be hired to take over for STEVE CARELL. There's no word if that means someone from the cast is being promoted, or if the show is going to come up with some other way to cover the loss. (Full Story)
HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE and LEAH REMINI are probably leaving "The Talk" . . . but everyone else is staying. (Full Story)
With a new season of "Dancing With the Stars" looming, CHERYL BURKE is looking kind of heavy. (Full Story)
A former "Deal or No Deal" model is in trouble with the law . . . for sending a text to her ex-fiancé's new girlfriend, calling her the C-word. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
Your Cell Phone is Making You Rude and Stupid . . . One in Eight People Admit They've Pretended to Use Their Phone to Avoid Interacting With People:
Your cell phone is making you rude and stupid: A recent survey by Pew Research found that one in eight cell phone users admit that they sometimes pretend to use their phone to avoid interacting with people around them. --And while smartphones are great sources of information, many people now rely so heavily on them that when they have to rely on their own personal knowledge to do something, they're virtually helpless. --More than one in four cell phone owners say they've experienced a situation in the past month where they had trouble doing something because they didn't have their phone with them. (--The survey didn't say what, but I'm betting most of the problems were with driving directions and knowing people's phone numbers.) --And even though we're useless without our phones, a lot of people complain about them too. --One in five cell phone users are frustrated with how long it takes to download information. Another 16% have trouble reading their phone because the screen is too small. And one in 10 people have trouble when they have to enter a lot of text. --What's the best reason to have a phone? 42% of us say that we use our phones to entertain us when we're bored. That's two percent more than people who say they have a cell phone in case of an emergency. (Pew Internet)
More Than Half of Women are Pretty Sure That a Car Dealer Will Try to Rip Them Off:
There's over 100 years of bad blood between car salesmen and women . . . I'm sure that back in the day, a Model T dealer saw a female customer come in and jacked up the price for undercoating and a destination fee. --So this survey really isn't surprising. In a new poll, more than half of women say they believe a car dealer will try to rip them off . . . and are definitely more likely to try to rip off a woman than a man.
--Here are some more results from the survey . . .
--43% of women say dealers are patronizing when they talk to them.
--33% say they HATE car shopping because of how they're treated.
--40% would never buy a car unless they had a male friend or family member with them.
--And 10% say they feel like buying a car from a dealer is as bad as being a road rage victim.
(PR Newswire)
Nice Guys Really Do Finish Last . . . At Least When It Comes to Salaries:
Having your coworkers hate you might not be so bad. Yeah, they won't invite you to happy hour at Chili's, and they might not buy you a birthday cake . . . but it's all good. Because you'll be making WAY MORE MONEY than them. --A new study out of Cornell University has backed up the old cliché that nice guys finish last. They really do. At least when it comes to salaries. --In the study, employees were rated on agreeableness. --Men who were below average . . . in other words, men who are argumentative and harder to get along with at work . . . earned about 18% more than agreeable guys. That worked out to an average of $9,772 per year based on the people surveyed. --The same effect happened for women, although it was smaller. Less-agreeable women earned about 5% more than agreeable women . . . which worked out to an average of $1,828 per year. (--And yeah, I guess that means that, in a way, nice guys finish last . . . but still ahead of women. But this story isn't about the glass ceiling. That's another beef for another day.) --Researchers think there are two reasons why agreeable people make less money. --One, they could come off less assertive and less like leaders, which makes them less likely to get promotions. And two, they're less likely to really push for more money during salary negotiations. (Wall Street Journal)
Here are the Six Least-Funny States in the U.S.:
I'm not sure that "America's Funniest Home Videos" is necessarily THE authority on what is and isn't funny . . . but after 21 years on the air, at least they have some data they can use to try to figure it out. --"America's Funniest Home Videos" just released this list of the six LEAST-FUNNY STATES in the U.S., based on how many times those states have had a video that was voted the funniest of the week by their studio audience. --The problem is, they didn't weight it by population, so you'll notice a connection between states with small populations and a low number of wins. But did you really expect a rigorous academic study from "America's Funniest Home Videos"? --Regardless, in the past 21 years, here are the least-funny states . . .
#1.) Washington, D.C., zero wins
#2.) Rhode Island, one win
#3.) Alaska, two wins
#4.) North Dakota, two wins
#5.) Vermont, three wins
#6.) Wyoming, three wins
--They didn't announce the win totals for other states, but they did say California has had the most winners. But remember, Californians have sent in over 100,000 tapes over the show's history. People in D.C. have only sent in 404. (Time)
Nine Out of Ten Places With a Whole Foods Store Voted Democratic in the Last Election . . . and 62% of Places With a Cracker Barrel Voted Republican:
If you ask Americans what's wrong with Congress, they'll probably tell you that politicians need to learn to work together and compromise.
-That's what three out of five voters said in a recent Gallup poll. But when it comes to our personal lives, most of us would rather live close to people that agree with us, and far from people who have opposing views. --In 1976, when Jimmy Carter beat Gerald Ford, one in four Americans lived in "landslide counties", which are places where one party had at least a 20% margin in the voting results. --By 2000, when George W. Bush won the presidency over Al Gore, 45% of Americans lived in landslide counties . . . and in 2008, nearly 48% of us did. --That means close to half the country lives in areas where a large majority of their neighbors share their views. --You can probably imagine what those places look like. In 2008, nine out of every 10 counties that had a Whole Foods supermarket voted for Barack Obama, and three out of five counties with a Cracker Barrel restaurant voted for John McCain. (NY Times)
And Now, Two Things to Stop Worrying About:
#1.) You Aren't Squeezing in Enough Exercise. According to a new study, even what seems like a LITTLE bit of exercise can REALLY extend your life. --Researchers found that even doing just 15 minutes of exercise a day, six days a week, adds THREE YEARS to your life. It also makes you at least 14% less likely to die suddenly than someone who's inactive. (Bloomberg)
#2.) Being Chubby Is a Death Sentence. There's finally a study that found being chubby doesn't GUARANTEE you're less healthy or more likely to die of a heart attack than someone who's slimmer. --A professor at York University in Canada found it's impossible to generalize . . . some obese people are healthy, some skinny people are dying on the inside. She says health needs to be analyzed on an individual basis. (Toronto Sun)
An 11-Year-Old Sinks a Miracle Hockey Shot to Win $50,000 . . . But May Have to Forfeit the Prize Since His Identical Twin was Supposed to Take the Shot:
Last Thursday night, 11-year-old Nick Smith and his family were at a celebrity hockey game in Faribault, Minnesota. And Nick won a raffle that gave him one hockey shot to win a HUGE prize. --If he could shoot a puck from center ice through a three-and-a-half inch cutout 89 feet away, he'd win $50,000. The puck itself is three inches wide, so the shot is almost impossible. --But when Nick's name was announced, he was out of the arena. So his IDENTICAL TWIN brother Nate went down to the ice and took the shot. --AND HE MADE IT. The crowd went insane. --But the next day, Nick and Nate's father, Pat Smith, saw this as a teaching moment. So he called the game's organizers and told them his sons had done the twin switch. --Now, the insurance company behind the contest is going to decide whether the Smiths can get the money. (Huffington Post) (--Here's a video of the shot.)
Two Construction Workers Almost Drowned When Their Elevator Got Stuck . . . and Began Filling With Water:
Two construction workers in New York City managed to combine everything you're afraid of in one near-death experience. --Edward Tyler and Windell Admaker were helping with the renovation of the Staten Island Hotel on Sunday morning, which is being converted into assisted-living apartments for the elderly. --They were in the building alone, and decided to take an elevator to an upper floor. That was a mistake. Because while the elevator worked, the doors on the building's floors didn't. When Edward and Windell got to their floor, they realized they were STUCK in the elevator. --Instead of freaking out, they decided to systematically try each floor, until they found one where the doors would work. -That was a mistake too, because the elevator eventually made its way to the basement . . . which heavy rains on Sunday had left completely FLOODED. --The elevator car, with Edward and Windell trapped inside, plunged into the water and began to SINK. --So . . . they calmly called 911 and WAITED for help to come, while the car slowly FILLED with WATER. --By the time firefighters arrived, Edward and Windell were standing on their construction cart, with water up to their necks. (NY Times)
The Search for a Woman Who Fell Over Niagara Falls Turns Up the Body . . . of a Random Man:
Around 8:30 P.M. on Sunday night, a 19-year-old Japanese tourist was swept over Niagara Falls in Canada and was immediately presumed dead. And while that's really sad . . . it wouldn't normally be on our news radar. --But the search for her took a pretty STRANGE turn that caught our attention. --As the Canadian and American divers searched the Niagara River for her body, they found . . . A DIFFERENT BODY. --They know it's different because it's a MAN'S body. So far, they're only saying they found, quote, "unidentified human remains of a male." --They haven't said if anyone was recently reported missing, and so far they haven't ID'd the body. --The Japanese woman's body still hasn't been found. The police say she had climbed a railing to get a better look at the Falls, then lost her balance and fell over. (Breitbart)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
Most Embarrassing Crime Ever? A 23-Year-Old Guy is Caught Stealing a Life-Size Justin Bieber Cutout From a Record Store:
This guy is NEVER, EVER going to live this down. --On Saturday afternoon, 23-year-old David Dowling of Bradenton, Florida was busted trying to steal a LIFE-SIZE JUSTIN BIEBER CUTOUT from a F.Y.E. record store at the DeSoto Square Mall. --A Sears surveillance camera recorded David and a friend as they tried to run out of the mall, but an F.Y.E. assistant manager chased them down and told them to bring the cutout back to the store. She also called the police. --David told the police it was a prank . . . quote, "We were just having fun holding Justin Bieber hostage" . . . but even so, he's still forever on record now as the guy who stole the Justin Bieber cutout. --The cutout was valued at $34.99 and David was charged for misdemeanor theft. --His friend was also arrested, but . . . because it's one of the luckiest days of his life . . . his name wasn't released because he's a minor. --David wasn't able to come up with his $120 bond so he actually ended up doing a night in jail over the Justin Bieber cutout. (The Smoking Gun)
Cops Catch a Burglar When He Falls Asleep . . . and Starts Snoring Loudly:
On Sunday night, police in South Brunswick, New Jersey got a call about a break-in at a restaurant called Big Ed's. When they went to investigate, all three burglars split in different directions and took off. --The cops were able to track down two of them nearby . . . but the third one seemed to have vanished. --A few hours later, they went back to Big Ed's . . . and they got the lead they needed. --As they walked around the restaurant, they heard LOUD SNORING coming from the basement. --Turns out that instead of fleeing, the third burglar decided to hide inside the restaurant, on top of a big refrigeration unit in the basement. But while he was on top of it hiding, HE FELL ASLEEP. And he's a snorer. --The police arrested him and identified him as 35-year-old Israel Cortes of Ewing, New Jersey. The other two burglars were 39-year-old Richard Wilson of Ewing and 33-year-old Christian Cortes of Pemberton, New Jersey. --All three men were charged with burglary, theft, and possession of burglary tools. The police say they planned to steal copper pipes from the restaurant. (East Windsor Patch)
A Man Was Caught Driving 70 Miles an Hour, Talking on a Cell Phone, Texting on Another Phone With His Other Hand . . . and Steering with His Knees:
We all know at this point how dangerous it is to use a phone while you drive. This guy DOUBLED the danger. --Back in May, police in Norwich, England spotted 34-year-old David Secker talking on a cell phone while he was driving 70 miles per hour. --As they approached, they found out it was worse than that. He was talking on a phone with one hand . . . texting on ANOTHER phone with the other hand . . . and steering the car with his KNEES. --It's a miracle he didn't crash . . . and that's especially lucky for him, since it turned out he didn't have any insurance. --He was charged with using a mobile phone while driving . . . there's no law for TWO mobile phones while driving . . . and he was in court yesterday. --He avoided jail time . . . his license was suspended for a year, he was fined $250, and got points on his license. (BBC)
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Because of the crappy economy, a bunch of writers from CNN Money came up with a list of small towns with the best combination of job opportunities, fiscal strength, good schools, low crime, good healthcare, cultural and outdoor activities, and nice weather. And the winner is . . . Louisville, Colorado. Milton, Massachusetts and Solon, Ohio were next. (Full Story)
Now this is getting arrested in style: A drug addict was busted last Thursday for breaking into a home shared by three women in Pennsylvania, and then taking a shower. After he was hauled in, he told police that he was, quote, "The coolest [expletive] on Earth . . . [I] bit my own umbilical cord off when I was born." (Full Story)
And it's not even September: A 19-year-old in Florida was arrested for attacking her boyfriend in a domestic disturbance over cell phone messages . . . by slapping him, biting him, and beating him with a wooden nutcracker? (Full Story)
According to a new study, only two out of three Google searches lead users to what they were actually looking for. (Full Story)
There's a scientific reason why people get "tanorexia" . . . a.k.a. addiction to tanning. It's because exposure to UV light activates the addictive parts of people's brains. (Full Story)
According to a sociologist at North Carolina State University, networking helps you find a job . . . if you're a man. Men get a 12% benefit from "informal recruitment." Women don't improve their chances at all. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) A Guy Actually Recorded Himself Counting to 100,000 in a 78-Hour YouTube Video . . . But Accidentally Skipped One of the Last Numbers:
There are plenty of ways to waste time, but what this next guy came up with might be the most BORING WAY EVER: It's a pair of YouTube videos of a guy who recorded himself counting all the way from one . . . to 100,000. -And if you go nuts and decide to watch the whole thing without skipping, it'll take you just under 78 HOURS. --But here's what makes the guy even lamer: One, he didn't do it in one sitting. He did it over the course of three months. So it's not like he's trying to win a record or anything. --And two, he MISSED a number. Obviously I didn't watch the whole thing, but I did watch the last ten numbers . . . and he says 99,990 . . . then skips to 99,992. --So in other words, it was a COMPLETE waste of time. --In the end, he gets to 100,000 . . . then celebrates by setting off six small confetti poppers. (--Search for "Jon Counts to 100,000." He misses the number in Part 2, at 3:29:23.)
#2.) LeBron James Got Schooled by One of the Best Players . . . in Taiwan?
LEBRON JAMES is on a promotional tour for Nike in Asia right now, and he was supposed to be a celebrity coach the other day, during an all-star game between two teams in Taiwan. --But in the second half, he actually played . . . and maybe he SHOULDN'T have, because he got EMBARRASSED by one of the players. --LeBron was trying to dribble around a Taiwanese player at the top of the key, but the guy stole the ball from him, beat LeBron down the court, and DUNKED. LeBron didn't really hustle back on defense after the steal, but the crowd still went nuts for the dunk. (--Search for "Lebron James Gets Schooled by Asian Kid." The steal is at :14.)
#3.) And Now . . . The 25 Greatest Unscripted Scenes in the History of Film:
There's a video getting a bunch of plays on YouTube called the "25 Greatest Unscripted Scenes in Films." --It's a bunch of famous lines that were either improvised on set, or added at the last minute. Including the "most-annoying sound in the world" from "Dumb and Dumber" . . . Bill Murray's "It's in the hole!" line from "Caddyshack" . . . and "Here's Johnny" from "The Shining". --The funniest one is from "Being John Malkovich". According to the captions in the video, the part where someone drives by, yells, "think fast," and hits Malkovich in the head with a beer can wasn't in the script. One of the extras was drunk and just DID IT. (--WARNING: This video includes the F-word and other profanity.)
Four Cover Letter Mistakes That Could Prevent You From Getting an Interview:
People freak out about cover letters, as if one line will make or break their chance of getting a job. But they're really just a formality, and you'd have to have make blatant spelling and grammar mistakes for you cover letter to be a dealbreaker. --But in this economy, why take chances: Here are four other things that can actually ruin a good cover letter.
#1.) Don't Make It Too Short or Too Long. According to the president of one staffing firm in New York, it should be somewhere between 200 and 250 words. If it's shorter, you'll look like you didn't try. And if it's longer, they might just skip it. --He also says you should highlight one major accomplishment, like saying you increased sales by 50% in a year. He says that if he reads something concrete like that, he'll look at the resume.
#2.) Personal Stories. The major accomplishment you highlight HAS to be work-related. So if you're applying for a job in communications, don't talk about how you ran a half-marathon last year. They won't care. --Instead, save it for the interview, so you'll have a good answer if they ask what your hobbies are.
#3.) Don't Criticize the Company You're Applying To. It sounds obvious, but some people submit cover letters with lines like, "Your company looks great. But from your website, I can tell you need help with marketing." --You might think it'll make you stand out as someone who can immediately bring something to the company. But in reality, it just makes you look arrogant.
#4.) Jokes. If the person reading it doesn't know you . . . and you don't know their sense of humor . . . chances are the joke won't land. But even if it does, you'll look unprofessional. --Jokes are even risky during an interview, because the best-case scenario is, they'll think you're funny . . . which probably won't get you the job. --And the worst-case scenario is, they'll think you're an IDIOT . . . which DEFINITELY won't get you the job. (FINS.com)
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