HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (09-07-11)

THE GOOD NEWS

50 Cent's Energy Drink Could Feed "Billions" of Africans:

I've got to tip my hat to 50 CENT. It isn't every day a rapper says he wants to "feed a billion kids." Even though it IS every day that a rapper drops an insane hyperbole . . . but we can let that go for now. Because 50 is actually serious. --50 Cent recently took a trip through some of the poorest areas of Africa. He was affected by the famine he witnessed, and pledged to help. And he's kept his promise. --50 Cent had a new energy drink created called "Street King" . . . and proceeds from every sale will go to sending food to Africa. He hopes the drink is able to provide 50 BILLION MEALS to Africans over the next five years. --The drink comes in two flavors: Orange mango and grape. It'll cost somewhere between $2.50 and $3.00. You should start to see it popping up in stores soon. (--For more information, hit up the official website StreetKing.com.) --In a video announcement, 50 says, quote, "Man, I grew up without money . . . but I didn't grow up hungry. It's our responsibility to come together and do things to create a solution." (--Here's the video.)


Did Madonna Dis Lady Gaga?

MADONNA may have insulted LADY GAGA during a press conference yesterday. --Madonna was at the Venice Film Festival hyping a crappy movie she directed called "W.E." (--It's been getting bad reviews.) Someone asked her about the admiration she receives, and brought up Gaga as a fan. --Madonna SUPPOSEDLY said, quote, "As for Lady Gaga, I have no comment on her obsessions related to me, because I do not know if it is based on something profound or superficial." --This report comes from a French newspaper . . . and so far, we don't have any further proof that it's true. Madonna's rep doesn't seem to think it is. --She says, quote, "I do not remember those exact words coming from Madonna at the press conference, but I do know that she has said many supportive things about Gaga over the years." --There was controversy when Gaga's song "Born This Way" came out . . . because a lot of people think it sounds suspiciously like Madonna's "Express Yourself". --But Gaga denied copying Madonna . . . and told JAY LENO around that time, quote, "You know, there is really no one that is a more adoring and loving Madonna fan than me. I am the hugest fan personally and professionally."


Lady Gaga Did a Photo Shoot for "Harper's Bazaar" with No Makeup:

LADY GAGA has made yet another bold artistic choice by doing an entire photo shoot for "Harper's Bazaar" with NO MAKEUP. She even appears on the cover unpainted. (--Check out the pics here.) (Harper's Bazaar) --Inside the magazine, she says, quote, "I don't really view it as 'natural'. I think that artifice is the new reality. It's more about just being honest and sincere to the core of what you do. --"Whether I'm wearing lots of makeup or no makeup, I'm always the same person inside." (--Whether you like this woman or not, you do have to give her props for her bravery. She's really not afraid to look stupid or unsexy, as long as it serves her "art" . . . if you wanna call it that.) (--Like when she did the entire VMA broadcast as a man. So many people in the media turned on her for that. But they were the same ones who'd been worshipping her up to that point for being so bold and fearless.)


Did Beyoncé Have a Fake Baby Bump at the VMAs?

Remember when BEYONCÉ showed off her baby bump at the "MTV Video Music Awards"? Well, it might have been FAKE. Okay, it probably wasn't. But the rarely-reliable MediaTakeOut.com says it was. --They're not saying Beyoncé and JAY-Z aren't expecting. Just that Beyoncé wasn't showing yet, so she wore a fake baby bump to make it more dramatic (--Media Take Out offered some side-by-side comparison pics as "proof". Check 'em out here. We've also thrown in a bikini pic of Beyoncé from YESTERDAY, where you can see a little bump.) (Media Take Out, Us Weekly)


Eva Mendes . . . Is Ryan Gosling Dattin' That?

RYAN GOSLING must be serious cougar bait. Remember when he was getting smooth up in SANDRA BULLOCK several years back? Well, over the weekend, he was spotted making out with EVA MENDES at Disneyland. (!!!) --Eva is 37 . . . Ryan is 30. They're currently filming a movie together called "A Place Beyond the Pines". (--Here are some pictures of their date.) (Us Weekly) --Sandra Bullock is 47, by the way. She and Ryan dated back in 2002, when he was in his early 20s and she was in her late 30s.


Jake Gyllenhaal Spent Labor Day Weekend with Rashida Jones and Anna Kendrick . . . But Not at the Same Time:

How did you spend your Labor Day Weekend? I'm going to go out on a limb and guess it wasn't nearly as exciting as JAKE GYLLENHAAL'S . . . because he spent his with RASHIDA JONES and ANNA KENDRICK. --Not at the same time . . . although that would have been EPIC. -On Sunday, Jake and Rashida had lunch at a Los Angeles cafe. They were with a group of friends . . . but the two of them left together. --On Monday, he and Anna . . . who are filming a movie together called "End of Watch" . . . were spotted in Vegas together. Then later that night they were seen back in L.A. grabbing some Starbucks and Subway. (--Here are pictures of Jake with both of these ladies over the weekend.) (E! Online, Pop Sugar) (--You would probably know Anna Kendrick as Jessica Stanley in the "Twilight" movies . . . or as that cute little spinner who starred with GEORGE CLOONEY in "Up in the Air".)


Sherri Shepherd Went Commando on Her Wedding Day:

Yesterday's season premiere of "The View" may have been the greatest hour in the history of TV . . . because SHERRI SHEPHERD admitted that she went COMMANDO at her wedding reception. --You can blame NIECY NASH . . . who was one of Sherri's bridesmaids . . . for the idea. Since Sherri and Sal had been celibate for 11 months leading up to the wedding, Niecy told her to do it in order to, quote, "get him turned back on." --Unfortunately, the wedding was being filmed for the Style Network, and Sherri was wearing a microphone pack . . . which proceeded to fall down into the back of her dress. --Sherri said, quote, "They were lifting my dress and I was screaming, 'No, I have no panties on. And one bridesmaid thought I kept screaming, 'My pancreas! My pancreas!'" (--Here's video.) --Also on the show, fellow newlywed JOY BEHAR revealed why she and her partner Steve Janowitz waited 29 years to get married. --Basically, they finally decided to pull the trigger after gay marriage became legal in New York. (--Here's video of Joy discussing her marriage.)


Miley Cyrus is Not Trying to Be a Bad Girl . . . She's Trying to Be More Connected to the Earth:

We've made a big mistake, people. We've been seriously misjudging MILEY CYRUS. Miley may be acting like a teen slut onstage while smoking hallucinogenic drugs and collecting tattoos in her spare time . . . but she's NOT trying to be a bad girl. --Her main focus right now is BECOMING ONE WITH NATURE. --In an interview with "Prestige" magazine, she says, quote, "I think if [people] walked into where I live, they'd realize how the [public] perception of me is so different from who I really am. --"My dad is Native American, so I spend 90% of my time outside, going on hikes. That's my lifestyle right now. --"The press seems to think that I'm trying to make this big turn and become a bad girl, and really I'm trying to be more connected with the Earth, more connected with myself and figure out who I am, try to understand the world a little more. --"People would be shocked to know that I'm very thankful for what I have, but my career is not my main priority, it's not my life anymore. I really just want to enjoy life and explore nature and become who I am to the fullest." --She adds, quote, "There was this magazine article the other day, showing all the younger celebrities. I was the Girl Next Door or whatever, and I fell under the category of Good Girl Gone Bad. --"And I was like, 'What the hell, man?' I stay in the house pretty much every day. I don't go out. I've had [the] same boyfriend for two years. So I think there are two very different reviews."
--As for some of her more "adult" behavior, Miley says, quote, "I'm not some crazy lady who's gone off the deep end, because I definitely haven't. I just always try to be real. --"Every 18-year-old explores sexuality and experiments and tries things. For me there's no reason to change that. You have to be true to yourself." (--Miley did a photo shoot for "Prestige". There's nothing overtly sexual or scandalous about the pics for a change. You can see them here.) (Egotastic) --Meanwhile, in a separate interview in "V" magazine, Miley speaks with her "hero", JOAN JETT. --She tells her, quote, "When you came out people were shocked that there was a chick that wanted to rock as hard as the guys. --"I love that you never apologized for who you were. It's something I had to learn . . . I'm sick of feeling as if I owe someone an apology for being who I am."


Gwyneth Paltrow Discussed the Life She Saved on 9/11:

A few weeks ago, we heard about how GWYNETH PALTROW saved a woman's life on September 11th, 2001. --Basically, the woman tried to jaywalk in front of Gwyneth's car on a New York City street. The two of them ended up in a kind of "who goes first?" stand-off, which made the woman ONE SECOND late for her train. --And because she missed her train, she never made it to work on the 77th floor of the World Trade Center. By the time she got there, it had already been hit. If she'd made that train, she wouldn't be here today. --Yesterday, Gwyneth spoke about the incident. She said, quote, "Ten years later I got a letter from her saying that . . . had we not had that interaction she feels like her life would've taken a much different course." --She added, quote, "It was an extraordinary story and all I could think about is all of the people who had experiences like that that day, but aren't able to reach out because it wasn't a recognizable person. --"She saw it was me so she was able to get me a message, but I think a lot of fates were changed that day obviously and I am very humbly happy to be a part in her story."
A Guy Broke Into Celine Dion's House, Ate Some Pastries and Ran Himself a Bath:

A man broke into CELINE DION'S Montreal home on Monday, ate some pastries out of the fridge and ran himself a bath. (???) --36-year-old Daniel Bedard stole the keys out of Celine's husband's car and used them to enter the home. But he tripped the alarm, which alerted the cops. --A police spokesman says, quote, "He opened the water faucets, was pouring a nice warmish bath (and) he even managed to eat some pastry that was in the fridge. --"The suspect was coming down the big staircase and was asking: 'Hey, guys what are you doing here?'" --He was arrested and booked on charges of breaking and entering, auto theft, and causing property damage. --Celine and her family were out of town at the time of the break-in.


Anthony Michael Hall Was Arrested for Being a Psycho in His Condo Complex:

ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL isn't the skinny little nerd he was in "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club". He's a pretty big dude. And apparently he's crazy, too. --Anthony was arrested Monday night for threatening a neighbor in his condo complex. --According to the LAPD, it all started when Anthony had a fit and started ripping out plants in a common area. When a neighbor came out to see what was up, Anthony threatened him. --The guy went inside, but Anthony pounded on his door and challenged him to a fight. The man called police, who booked him on suspicion of disturbing the peace. --TMZ spoke to people at Anthony's condo complex, who say he's often seen acting aggressive and confrontational outside his unit. They say he cusses people who walk by, flips them off and even tries to spray them with a hose for no apparent reason. --One guy even said, quote, "I have considered buying a gun to stay safe from Hall . . . he's the scariest person I've ever encountered in my life." (--Anthony Michael Hall is 43 years old.)


It's Official: Eddie Murphy is Hosting the Oscars:

It's official: EDDIE MURPHY is hosting the 84th Annual Academy Awards in February. --He says, quote, "I am enormously honored to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts from Hope and Carson to Crystal, Martin and Goldberg, among others. --Just so you youngsters don't strain yourself too much, that's Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Dean Martin and Whoopi Goldberg.) --"I'm looking forward to working with [the producers] on creating a show that is enjoyable for both the fans at home and for the audience at the Kodak Theatre as we all come together to celebrate and recognize the great film contributions and collaborations from the past year
--Eddie has ONE Oscar nomination under his belt: For Best Supporting Actor for "Dreamgirls". He lost the Oscar to ALAN ARKIN from "Little Miss Sunshine" . . . but he did win the Golden Globe. --Here's something Eddie can brag about during the ceremony: In 2010, he was named WORST ACTOR OF THE DECADE by the Golden Raspberry Awards, for his work in such classics as . . . --"Norbit", "The Adventures of Pluto Nash", "I Spy", "Meet Dave", "Showtime" and "Imagine That". --Rumor has it that eight-time Oscar host BILLY CRYSTAL will also be used in some capacity.


Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis Will Have Substantial Roles in "The Expendables 2":

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER and BRUCE WILLIS have signed on for "The Expendables 2". But this time, they're not just making cameos. --The word is they'll have, quote, "substantial roles" in the movie . . . which probably means they'll actually get in on the action this time. Shooting begins in October. --The original crew are all coming back . . . Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Terry Crews, Randy Couture and Jet Li. --And there are still-unconfirmed rumors that CHUCK NORRIS and JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME are joining the cast as well. (--Sadly, villains ERIC ROBERTS and "STONE COLD" STEVE AUSTIN won't be back. They died in the original.)


Check Out Some Pictures of Anne Hathaway Kicking Butt in "The Dark Knight Rises":

Pictures of ANNE HATHAWAY beating some guy down on the set of the Batman flick, "The Dark Knight Rises" hit the web yesterday. (--You can check 'em out here.) (Just Jared)





It's Official: Ben Flajnik Is the Next "Bachelor":

The rumors were true: BEN FLAJNIK is the next "Bachelor". Ben made it to the finale on "The Bachelorette" this summer . . . but ASHLEY HEBERT rejected him for J.P. ROSENBAUM. --ABC describes Ben as a, quote, "rare, modern-day Renaissance man" . . . who enjoys crab fishing, sailing, fixing things, and hanging out with his family and his dog. (--So he's quite a catch, if even for a few months. You know how this goes.) --The next season of "The Bachelor" will begin in January. In the meantime, Ben will make an appearance on the season finale of "Bachelor Pad" next Monday.


Regis Philbin's Run on "Live! with Regis and Kelly" Has an End Date:

We knew that REGIS PHILBIN was leaving "Live! with Regis and Kelly" sometime this year, and now there's an official end date: It's November 18th. --Of course, the show will continue, but a replacement has yet to be named. On yesterday's show, Regis said, quote, "Kelly [Ripa] will be trying out new co-hosts, just like we did 11 years ago when we found her." --Kelly replaced KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, after she left in July of 2000. (--Check out video of Regis' announcement, here.)


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

--"Big Brother 13" [Power of Veto competition] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.

--"America's Got Talent" [Results Show] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC.

--"Inside the NFL" [33rd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Showtime.

--"Operation Repo" [8th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TruTV.

--"Rescue Me" [SERIES Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:30 P.M. on FX.

--"Paranormal Witness" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Syfy. (--A new series about paranormal experiences, including poltergeists, possessions, UFOs, and hauntings.)

--"Master Debaters with Jay Mohr" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on Fuel TV. (--Comedian Jay Mohr is the host of this new talk show that focuses on "what guys really talk about".)


Kurt Cobain Wanted to Start a Petting Zoo Like Michael Jackson's . . . and Steven Tyler Tried to Talk Him Into Sobering Up:

A new book came out yesterday called "Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge". It's about the grunge era, obviously, and features interviews with musicians, fans, and various music industry types. --Anyway, the book has some interesting insights on the late KURT COBAIN, from around the time when NIRVANA first performed on "Saturday Night Live", in January of 1992. --For starters, Kurt was apparently interested in starting up a PETTING ZOO for children . . . possibly like MICHAEL JACKSON'S Neverland. --Bruce Pavitt, the co-founder the label Sub Pop, says, quote, "[Kurt] talked about signing autographs for some young kids, and I think that made him feel really good. He was a sensitive guy who really liked kids and animals. --"I remember the first time I visited his apartment, he had like three different cages of gerbils. I got the impression he liked animals more than a lot of people. --"He talked about maybe starting a petting zoo. He was just kind of musing. The energy I was getting was kind of magical . . . in a lot of ways, Kurt reminded me of Michael Jackson. Think about it: Neverland, having a passion for kids and animals." -On a possibly related note, that's around the time when the people around Kurt started noticing that he was hitting the drugs hard. --In fact, Pavitt says he heard Kurt overdosed the same night, after that first performance on "SNL". --Janet Billig, the manager of COURTNEY LOVE'S band HOLE, says that AEROSMITH singer STEVEN TYLER told her he wanted to help Kurt get clean. --She explains, quote, "I told Kurt, 'Holy [crap], Steven Tyler called my office and he wants to help you. Can I give him your number?' And he was like, 'Steven Tyler got to be a junkie for 18 [effin] years. I've only been doing drugs for an hour." --Technically, it's not clear . . . but it's probably safe to assume that Steven Tyler's proposed intervention with Kurt never happened.
My Chemical Romance's Former Drummer Says He Didn't *Really* Steal from the Band . . . He Was Just Trying to Make a Crew Member Look Bad:

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE fired their touring drummer MICHAEL PEDICONE for stealing from them. At the time, Michael admitted that he made a, quote, "error in judgment" . . . but he didn't get into the particulars. --Well, Michael offered a little insight into his motives yesterday. Basically, he says he didn't REALLY steal anything from the band . . . he was just trying to frame a member of the band's crew and get HIM fired. --He explains, quote, "I ran into problems with a member of the band's crew who I'll not name. The problems were many, big and small, but some of them were large enough that they began to greatly impact me and, by extension, my family. --"I'd reached my wits' end, and I made what was certainly the poorest decision of my life. Rather than address the issues that I had with the crew member in an open and honest manner, I tried to make them look irresponsible. --"My intention was to make this person look incompetent . . . [I had] no intention of profiting [from the theft]." (--This is just a guess, but maybe Michael took some equipment or something . . . and hid it . . . in an effort to make it appear that this crew member had neglected to bring it along.)


Soulja Boy Has Apologized for Dissing the Military:

SOULJA BOY has apologized for dissing U.S. soldiers on his track "Let's Be Real". --Here's the offending lyric again: Quote, "[Eff] the FBI and the army troops . . . fighting for what? Be your own man . . . I'll be flying through the clouds with green like I'm Peter Pan." --And here's an excerpt from his apology: --Quote, "As an artist, I let my words get the best of me. Sometimes there are things that we feel, things that we want to express, and when we put them on paper and speak them out loud, they can come out wrong. --"When I expressed my frustration with the U.S. Army, not only did my words come out wrong, I was wrong to even speak them . . . --"As a young man who grew up in the post-9/11 era, I have watched our country fight two wars that seem like they are never going to end. I have seen thousands and thousands of our brave men and women get killed in battle . . . --"And often times, I think for what? A lot of people in this country are struggling to make ends meet and I think a lot about what if we had never gone to war . . . --"[But] in no way do I want to hurt any of our honorable soldiers who put their lives at risk, regardless of how they feel about the two wars we fight in . . . I am deeply sorry." (--You can read his full statement, here.)


The CMA Nominations Are Out . . . And They're Spread Pretty Evenly:

The CMA nominations were announced yesterday . . . and, refreshingly, there isn't any one name dominating the pack.

--Four acts did receive FIVE NOMINATIONS apiece. Those are JASON ALDEAN, BRAD PAISLEY, BLAKE SHELTON and TAYLOR SWIFT. Right behind, with four nods each, are THE BAND PERRY and the ZAC BROWN BAND.

(--Technically, Zac Brown got seven nominations. Four with his band . . . plus two as a producer on "Colder Weather" and "You Get What You Give" . . . and one as co-writer of "Colder Weather".)

--As for the big shot Entertainer of the Year award . . . it's Taylor Swift battling four dudes: Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and KEITH URBAN.

--A couple of legends are in the mix. ALABAMA (along with Brad Paisley) is up for Musical Event of the Year and Video of the Year for the song "Old Alabama".

--And LORETTA LYNN'S remake of "Coal Miner's Daughter", with MIRANDA LAMBERT and SHERYL CROW, is also a Musical Event nominee.

--"The 45th Annual CMA Awards" is going down November 9th on ABC. Brad Paisley and CARRIE UNDERWOOD are returning to host for the fourth straight year.
WEDNESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


Sources say JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and JESSICA BIEL are definitely back together. (Full Story)



TIGER WOODS' #1 ho, RACHEL UCHITEL, is planning to sue the "New York Post" for running some quotes of hers that make it sound like she's GLAD her fiancé died in the September 11th terrorist attacks. Rachel claims she was taken out of context. (Full Story)



WESLEY SNIPES just lost another appeal of his tax evasion conviction. He started serving his three-year sentence back in December. (Full Story)



ANDERSON COOPER'S talk show "Anderson" premieres next Monday . . . and his first guests will be the parents of the late AMY WINEHOUSE. Amy's brother and her boyfriend Reg Traviss will also be there. (Full Story) (--Speaking of Anderson, he's put KATE GOSSELIN on his "Ridiculist". Here's video.)



More than two decades after "Beetlejuice" hit theaters, there's a sequel in the early planning stages. (Full Story)



GILLIAN ANDERSON told some Australian TV host that she hopes a third "X-Files" movie will be out sometime next year. (Full Story)



When "All My Children" becomes an Internet series, SUSAN LUCCI won't be part of the cast. She turned down an offer to stay with the show because she wanted more money, fewer work hours and the freedom to join a primetime TV series. (Full Story)



Earlier this year, Fox canceled "America's Most Wanted" as a weekly show after 24 seasons. Well, now another network has stepped in and picked it up, and that network is: Lifetime. (???) (Full Story) (--Fox will still air occasional "America's Most Wanted" specials as planned.)



GAME is pretty good at getting people to talk about him. His latest claim is that he was kicked out of a restaurant in Santa Monica, California . . . because he's BLACK. The restaurant says they wouldn't seat Game because he was wearing a tank top, and that doesn't meet their dress code. They say he can come back when he's dressed appropriately. (Full Story)



It's official: LIL WAYNE moved 964,000 copies of "Tha Carter 4" in its first week. That's the second best debut of the year. LADY GAGA moved 1.11 million copies of "Born This Way" earlier this year. (Full Story)



CHAZ BONO was on "Good Morning America" yesterday to address the "controversy" about him doing Dancing with the Stars". Basically, he just keeps insisting that he's just dancing . . . not turning your kids transgender. (Video)

RANDOM STUFF

Fewer Americans Are Smoking, and the Ones That Do Smoke Less:

Not a lot of good news comes out of the Centers for Disease Control, but this is one of those rare occasions where they're not telling us about the next flu pandemic. --The CDC released a report yesterday saying that Americans are smoking less. Fewer people are smoking, and the ones that do are smoking less than before. --In the last five years, the percentage of Americans who smoke fell from 20.9% to 19.3%. Of course, that still means that 45.3 million Americans are smokers. And more than three out of four smokers, or 35.4 million Americans, smoke every day. --The daily smokers aren't smoking as heavily, though. 21.8% of them smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day, which is up from 16.4% in 2005. --At the same time, the percentage of daily smokers who smoke heavily has fallen. One in eight put away more than 30 cigarettes a day in 2005. Now only one in 12 do. --But it wouldn't be the CDC if they didn't give us something to worry about. The report points out that the rate of decline from 2005 to 2010 was slower than in the previous five years. (PR Newswire)


The Texas State Fair Will Introduce the World to . . . Deep-Fried Bubblegum:

Every year, state fairs across America try to find new ways to DEEP FRY FOOD. But NONE of them can touch the brilliant frying minds at the Texas State Fair. It draws the cream of the frying crop. --The Texas State Fair opens on September 30th. And this year, the deep-fried offering that's got everyone talking is . . . DEEP-FRIED BUBBLEGUM. --Now . . . they don't actually batter a stick of Big Red and drop it in the deep fryer. Apparently that doesn't work. The fried bubblegum is a deep-fried marshmallow that's flavored with pink bubblegum extract, then covered in frosting and Chiclets.

--Here are some of the other food creations that will be making their debut at the Texas State Fair . . .

--Deep-fried SALSA.

--Deep-fried sauerkraut and pork sausage ball.

--A taco served in a bag of nacho cheese-flavored Doritos.

--A buffalo chicken strip coated with pancake batter and deep-fried.

(Gawker)

(--Feast your eyes on some deep-fried bubblegum here.)


Moms Spend 1,168 More Hours Parenting Per Year Than Dads:

This study isn't particularly complimentary to the fathers out there. But Father's Day was back in June, so we have a long way to go until we have to be nice to them again. --According to a new study, mothers spend an average of 1,168 MORE HOURS parenting per year than fathers. --The average mother says she spends about 7.5 hours a day on parenting tasks. The average father spends 4.3 hours. That 3.2-hour difference calculates out to 1,168 hours per year . . . or almost 49 days. --The survey also found that 70% of working moms say they have less than an hour to themselves per day. And 20% say they have less than 15 minutes. (PR Newswire)


Reminder: Grandparents Day is This Sunday:

This Sunday, September 11th, is GRANDPARENTS DAY. And . . . um . . . not a day where people will be commemorating anything else. --So don't forget to get a gift for your grandparents, who should make you smile on a day when we're not anticipating a ton of smiling. --One quick interesting fact about grandparents in America today: 2.7 MILLION grandparents are the primary caregivers for at least one of their grandchildren . . . and 6.7 MILLION live with at least one of their grandchildren. (PR Newswire)
Lesbians Are the Most Loyal Partners, Gay Men Are the Most Promiscuous, and We're All Getting More Monogamous:

According to the results of a 25-year-long study, Americans are more monogamous than ever. --The journal "Family Process" conducted identical surveys in 1975 and 2000, compared the results, and found that we're more loyal compared to back then. --The study looked at all sexual orientations, and found that across the board, we're cheating less. --Lesbians are the most loyal partners. Only 8% of them have had extramarital sex, compared to 28% back in the mid-70s. --Only 10% of heterosexual men cheated on their wife. That's down from 28% in 1975. --But heterosexual women are slutting it up: They were the most loyal partner back in 1975, and dropped to third in the most recent survey. Although the percentage of them having affairs still dropped from 23% to 14%. --Gay men were off the charts back in the '70s, and they've gotten more loyal. But they're STILL off the charts today: 83% of them cheated on their partner in 1975, compared to 59% in 2000. --The study's authors say the reason for the increase in monogamy might be the fear of HIV and other STDs. (USA Today)


A Worldwide Poll Declares the Coolest Nation is . . . America:

Good news! Anti-American sentiment is dead, and the world is back to wishing they were us again. -A social networking site called Badoo just released the results of a worldwide poll asking people to name the coolest country in the world. And of course, the U.S. took its rightful spot as number one. --Brazil came in second, Spain was third, Italy was fourth, and France was fifth. --Lloyd Price is the marketing director for Badoo. He says, quote, "We hear a lot in the media about anti-Americanism. But we sometimes forget how many people across the world consider Americans seriously cool. --"America boasts the world's coolest leader, OBAMA; the coolest rappers, JAY-Z and SNOOP DOGG; and the coolest man in technology, STEVE JOBS of Apple, the man who even made geeks cool." --Belgium was ranked the least-cool country. -Poland was second-least cool, Turkey was third-least, Canada was fourth-least, and Germany was fifth-least cool. (Reuters)


Soon You'll Be Allowed to Keep Your Shoes on at Airport Security:

Remember the Shoe Bomber? Back on December 22nd, 2001, RICHARD REID tried to detonate a shoe bomb on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. And as a response, we all had to start taking our shoes off at airport security. --And after nearly a decade of people taking their shoes off . . . and no shoe bombs found . . . I guess shoes have been taken off the most wanted list. --Homeland Security Secretary JANET NAPOLITANO has announced that pretty soon we'll be able to keep our shoes on as we go through airport security checks. --It's part of a push to stop focusing on shoes and three-ounce liquid bottles, and to start focusing on actually finding weapons. --She says, quote, "We are moving towards an intelligence- and risk-based approach to how we screen. I think one of the first things you will see over time is the ability to keep your shoes on." --There's no word on exactly when the change will happen. --Napolitano also says that as September 11th approaches, there's no credible intelligence about any planned terrorist attacks. (Politico)


The U.S. Doesn't Set a Limit on How Many Times You Can Use a Donor's Man Seed . . . So Some Donors Might Have Hundreds of Kids:

Here's an interesting fact. In countries like Britain, France, and Sweden, they have strict regulations so that sperm banks can only use each donor's seed so many times. That way, there won't be, like, one dude with a thousand kids out there. --Here in the U.S., we don't have those regulations. --And now, some fertility experts are worried that as artificial insemination births go up, there will be BIG problems. There are already a few donors out there who've unknowingly provided the seed for HUNDREDS of kids, and that could go way up. --There's something that doesn't feel quite right about that from a moral perspective . . . but there are other potential problems too. --The donor might have a rare genetic disease that wasn't detected . . . and could now be spread around. Plus, with that many offspring, two could potentially meet and get married . . . not realizing their kids are going to be products of INCEST. --The American Society of Reproductive Medicine has recommended that one donor's seed should be restricted to 25 births in a population of 800,000 . . . but, again, there's no law governing that. --Some other experts have suggested that the number be kept even lower . . . like 10 total children per donor, max. --It's estimated that 30,000 to 60,000 children are born in the U.S. every year using spermatozoa donations. (New York Times)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS


A Man Gets the Power Company to Restore His Grandma's Electricity After the Hurricane . . . But Only Through a Felony Bomb Threat:

Um . . . this is one way to get things done. It's not the right way to get things done, but it is a way. --33-year-old Rajiv Pandey of Central Islip, Long Island, New York, spent an entire week trying to get the Long Island Power Authority to fix his grandmother's electricity after Hurricane Irene. --Quote, "My grandmother is in her 80s, lives by herself, and I am her closest relative. Every time I called, they hung up on me. My poor grandmother . . . was dying of heat, and all of her food had to be thrown out." --Finally, after a week of hang-ups, lies, and frustration, Rajiv snapped . . . and went to Plan B. He called the local news and, quote, "I told them there's a bomb in one of the [Long Island Power Authority] facilities and then I hung up." --The police traced the call and had Rajiv in custody a few hours later. He spent the night in jail, he was charged with a felony count of false reporting of an incident, and he's looking at one to four years in prison if he's convicted. --BUT . . . on the bright side, he DID get his grandmother's power turned back on. He apparently scared the power company into stepping up its game, and when he got out of jail, the crews were hard at work in his grandma's neighborhood --Quote, "I guess I have ruined my life saving my grandmother. I became a felon for doing the community a service. I don't know if it was the right thing or wrong thing, but I got my power back." --As of yesterday, the Long Island Power Authority STILL hadn't fixed everyone's power . . . about 90 homes were still dark. New York officials ripped the company for their performance after Irene. (New York Daily News)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

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


Suck it Harvard . . . Cambridge has been named the world's best university for the second year in a row. Harvard was second and MIT was third, followed by Yale and Oxford. (Full Story)


A woman in New Mexico with no criminal history was taken by police to the hospital this past July, and ordered to undergo a forcible body cavity search. The search didn't turn up any drugs, she wasn't arrested, and she was never charged . . . but the hospital still sent her a $1,122 bill for the procedure. Naturally, she's suing. (Full Story)


A 75-year-old woman in Texas spent the night trapped in a lawn chair last month, before her paper boy rescued her. She fell through the seat, and was wedged in by the aluminum frame. (Full Story)


A 20-year-old in Florida was arrested for trying to steal a pick-up truck on Monday . . . from the scene of a car crash, WHILE police were there investigating. (Full Story)


A 63-year-old Vietnam vet in Pennsylvania was upset that the local Burger King was flying a tattered old American flag. So he took it down, drove it to the local VFW hall, and retired it. Burger King executives say he'll be invited to the raising of a new flag. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) There's New Video from the Aftermath of the United Flight 93 Crash:

The tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks is this Sunday, and someone sent CNN never-before-seen footage shot minutes after United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field in southwestern Pennsylvania. --Even though it's from about 15 miles away, you can see a huge smoke cloud rising up in the sky. And the guy behind the camera says it shook his whole house. --According to CNN, the man's family decided to release the video after he passed away. And they wanted to remain anonymous. It's the only known footage of the United 93 aftermath. (--Search for "Newly Released United 93 Video.")


#2.) Check Out a Montage of Movies Showing the World Trade Center, from 1969 to 2001:

The New York skyline was featured in hundreds . . . if not THOUSANDS . . . of movies between 1969 and 2001. And for the tenth anniversary of 9/11, someone made a montage of Twin Tower cameos. --You might not realize it, but shots of the World Trade Center were featured in everything from "Serpico" and "Superman" to "Home Alone 2" and "The Usual Suspects". (--Search for "Twin Tower Cameos.")



Three Steps to Train Yourself to Become a Morning Person:

According to a new article in "Reader's Digest", you can TRAIN yourself to be a morning person. The key things you need to do are kind of obvious, but they're also pretty easy. For example, making sure you eat breakfast is one of them. --But not just ANY breakfast. You're supposed to load up on things that are high in fiber . . . like oatmeal . . . and things that are high in protein . . . like eggs. Here are three more simple things you can do to turn yourself into a morning person.

#1.) Don't Stay Up Past Your Bedtime. Obviously, you'll be tired in the morning if you don't get enough sleep. But just getting the recommended seven to eight hours won't make you a morning person. --You also have to go to bed at roughly the same time every night, so you don't mess with your body's internal clock. If you go to bed at the same time every night . . . for enough nights in a row . . . you'll start waking up feeling refreshed instead of tired.

#2.) Let More Sunlight Into Your Bedroom. A lot of people sleep with their window blinds down to keep the room dark. But when your room is pitch black, your body thinks it's still the middle of the night. --So even if you get enough sleep, you'll be groggy when your alarm clock goes off. Opening up the window blinds will let more light in the room, which will help you wake up gradually. --If you CAN'T get more sunlight in your room, they make special alarm clocks now that wake you up with ARTIFICIAL sunlight. You can get one for around $125.

#3.) Get Some Early Exercise. If you're not a morning person, then you probably won't be willing to hit the gym before work. But the good news is, you don't have to. Even a quick walk or a few push-ups can help get you going. --Just don't go nuts, because several studies have shown that you're also more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack early in the morning. (Reader's Digest)