HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (09-22-11)

Is Ryan Reynolds Dating Olivia Wilde . . . or Planning a Wedding with Sandra Bullock?

There are conflicting reports about just who RYAN REYNOLDS is nailing right now . . . and chances are, they're ALL wrong. -Ryan was seen in New York City last weekend with OLIVIA WILDE . . . so of course, people claim he's hittin' that. (--Here's a pic of them together.) (Radar Online) --Reps for both of them say they're JUST FRIENDS . . . and have been since they filmed the so-called comedy "The Change Up". --Meanwhile, the "Star" tabloid says Ryan is actually about to marry SANDRA BULLOCK. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "Ryan told her he was ready to tie the knot whenever she wants. And after seeing how quickly he's bonded with baby Louis, she decided she's ready to pull the trigger, too. --"So they started discussing the logistics of pulling off a low-key, barefoot wedding that would reflect their laid-back lifestyle."


Is Scarlett Johansson Dating Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake or Kieran Culkin?

If SCARLETT JOHANSSON appears a little worn out these days, it's because she's nailing THREE DIFFERENT GUYS. Or at least that's what the tabloids would have you believe. --First off, there's BRADLEY COOPER. "Life & Style" magazine says they were flirting and holding hands during a night out with friends in New York City. --But Scarlett's rep says they're just friends, and have been since making "He's Just Not That Into You" together. --Meanwhile, "Us Weekly" claims that JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE spent the night at Scarlett's apartment earlier this month . . . after a night of, quote, "hardcore flirting" at a club in New York. --A source says, quote, "They've hooked up several times over the years." (--Scarlett was in Justin's "What Goes Around Comes Around" video, which you can see here.) --Justin is, of course, back with JESSICA BIEL after a short break. --And finally, Scarlett was seen hanging around with MACAULAY CULKIN'S little brother KIERAN in Paris earlier this month. But it turns out they've been friends since high school . . . so that one was probably no big deal. (--Check out a picture of them in France, plus high school photos of each of them, here.) (People)


Tony Bennett Has Apologized for Saying 9/11 Was Our Fault:

TONY BENNETT has apologized for saying that we brought the 9/11 terrorist attacks on ourselves. --He issued the following apology on Facebook . . . quote, "I am so grateful to be an American and as a World War 2 veteran, I was proud to fight to protect our values, which have made America the greatest country on the planet. --"There is simply no excuse for terrorism and the murder of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks on our country. --"My life experiences . . . ranging from the Battle of the Bulge to marching with Martin Luther King . . . made me a life-long humanist and pacifist, and reinforced my belief that violence begets violence and that war is the lowest form of human behavior. --"I am sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an expression of my love for my country, my hope for humanity and my desire for peace throughout the world." (--If you read the comments posted underneath the apology on his Facebook page, a lot of people aren't buying it. Check it out here.)


Brad Pitt Doesn't Want Jennifer Aniston to be Dragged Into it Every Time He Talks About Angelina Jolie:

This whole thing about BRAD PITT saying his life was "uninteresting" when he was married to JENNIFER ANISTON got blown WAY out of proportion. --Brad is STILL dealing with it in an interview he shot for this morning's "Today" show. But he wants it to stop. --He says, quote, "I don't know what was pieced together or put together. All I know is that my point was, the best thing I'd done as a father is be sure that my kids have a good mother. --"That's all I was, or am, trying to say. It has no reference to the past. And I think it's a shame that I can't say something nice about Angie without Jen being drug in. You know, she doesn't deserve it." --He added, quote, "I don't want them to say anything bad like that about Jen. She's a dear friend of mine." --Meanwhile, sources say that the reason Brad is being so contrite and apologetic about this is because Jennifer's people went BALLISTIC on him. --A source says Jennifer was ANNOYED by what Brad said . . . and thought it was, quote, "rude and inappropriate." --Supposedly, Jen's people, quote, "read him the riot act" . . . and within 24 hours, he was on his apology tour. --But another source adds, quote, "No one believes his words were taken out of context . . . he said what he said. I do hear that he's remorseful. We think he's jealous she's in love." (--You can't go anywhere online these days without stumbling over paparazzi pics of Jen and her new boyfriend JUSTIN THEROUX. Is that bothering Brad? Discuss.)


Will Brad Pitt Fall Victim to the "Sports Illustrated" Cover Jinx?

Because of his role in the new baseball flick "Moneyball", BRAD PITT graces the cover of the new issue of "Sports Illustrated". Bad move. Because it turns out there's a CURSE on people who appear on the "SI" cover. Well, a third of them anyway. --In 2001, the magazine itself estimated that 37.2% of people who'd appeared on the cover over the past 50 years went on to suffer, quote, "a demonstrable misfortune or decline in performance." (--Learn more about the jinx here. And check out Brad's cover here.) (E! Online)


A "Charlie's Angels" Crew Member was Fired for Slapping Minka Kelly on the Butt:

A "Charlie's Angels" crew member was FIRED for slapping MINKA KELLY on the butt. --A source says, quote, "It seems like it was meant to be a joke, but clearly it was inappropriate. Minka was shocked and absolutely irate. She was still fuming about it hours later." --The "Star" tabloid claims the guy was holding a $100 bill when he did it . . . and that when he tried to apologize later, Minka slapped HIM . . . in the face. --TMZ says both of those details are untrue. But they say that when the guy smacked her, she told him, quote, "Please don't ever disrespect me or any other woman like that again." --They also say Minka had nothing to do with getting the guy fired, and she actually feels kind of bad, because she had been friendly with him up to that point. (--In other "Charlie's Angels" news, VICTOR GARBER . . . formerly of "Alias" . . . has been hired as the voice of Charlie . . . the Angels' boss.) (--ROBERT WAGNER originally had the gig, but he bowed out earlier this summer due to scheduling conflicts.)


Remember the WWE Superstar Hugh Jackman Punched? Well, He Has a Fractured Jaw:

HUGH JACKMAN was the guest host of the WWE's "Monday Night Raw" this week . . . and like a good guest host, he actually got INVOLVED in the action. --He was the corner man for ZACK RYDER in a match with a wrestler named DOLPH ZIGGLER. And he ended up jumping on the ring apron and delivering a shot to Dolph's chops to help Zack win. (--You can watch the whole thing unfold here.) --Well, according to Dolph, he's now nursing a FRACTURED JAW. He Tweeted, quote, "Hairline mandibular fracture . . . it's not ballet . . . getting a special mouth guard tomorrow so I will NOT miss any WWE live events!!!" (--We should point something out here: Hugh Jackman's BOXING MOVIE comes out October 7th. So Ziggler's injury could be what wrestlers call a WORK.) (--In other words, it's not real . . . they're just CLAIMING Jackman's got a solid right to hype his movie.) (--Still, MEGA props to Hugh for getting down and dirty. The only better guest hosts were JEREMY PIVEN from "Entourage" and KEN JEONG from "The Hangover".) (--When they co-hosted two years ago, they TURNED BAD and tried to attack JOHN CENA. Of course, they got beat down for their troubles. Check it out here. The chaos ensues at about the 4:20 mark. Extra props to Ken for probably getting a concussion.)


Halle Berry Injured Her Foot in Spain:

HALLE BERRY injured her foot while filming a movie in Spain. It's not clear if she actually broke it, but she hurt it enough to need a cast. (--Here are some pics.) (TMZ)


Ashton Kutcher and Charlie Sheen Were Mistakenly Identified as Two People Who Were Gunned Down in a Florida Church:

If you can divorce yourself from the tragedy, this is actually kind of funny: --On "Good Morning America" yesterday, a picture of ASHTON KUTCHER and CHARLIE SHEEN together after the Emmys was mistakenly shown during a story about two Florida preachers who were gunned down in a church. (--Check out the video here.)


Sarah Michelle Gellar Hates Her Body:

You can be rich, famous and beautiful . . . and STILL hate yourself. Like SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR. --In the new issue of "Health" magazine, she says, quote, "I totally have body dysmorphic disorder. I think most women do. I just have to remember that I'm human, and I'm a mom. Being a parent changes the vanity at least a little bit."
"Star" is Reporting That Britney Spears Gave Her Sons Seafood, Even Though They're Allergic . . . Then Denied Them Medical Treatment:

This comes from the not-always-reliable"Star" tabloid . . . and from that lawsuit filed by BRITNEY SPEARS'S ex-bodyguard Fernando Flores that has all KINDS of insane claims about her . . . so take this for what it's worth. --According to Flores, early last year, Spears fed her six-year-old son Sean and five-year-old son Jayden crab meat . . . even though they were allergic. --And then, she denied them medical attention once they started vomiting. She told Flores and the boys' nanny not to take them to the hospital. --Flores is seeking $10 MILLION in the lawsuit. He also claims Britney sexually harassed him and repeatedly forced herself on him while he was her bodyguard.


A Family Group is Boycotting Ben and Jerry's Because of Their Schweddy Balls Flavor:

If you haven't heard, Ben and Jerry's is making a flavor of ice cream called SCHWEDDY BALLS, named after a famous ALEC BALDWIN sketch on "Saturday Night Live". --The American Family Association is a conservative watchdog group. And they think that flavor is HORRIBLE. Won't somebody please think of the children! --So they're calling for an all-out boycott of Ben and Jerry's until they stop distributing the Schweddy Balls flavor.


NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

What do Taylor Lautner, Brad Pitt, and a Dolphin Have in Common? They All Have New Movies This Weekend:

#1.) "Abduction" (PG-13)

"Twilight" stud Taylor Lautner gets to show off his real-life black belt karate skills after learning he was abducted as a child and that his dad's some kind of spy. People try to kill him after he learns the truth . . . with Sigourney Weaver and Alfred Molina each offering to help, while claiming he can't trust the other one. (Trailer) --Jason Isaacs and Maria Bello play his fake parents, and Lily Collins plays the sexy neighbor who goes on the run with him. (--Lily is the daughter of Phil Collins. Before this she was Sandra Bullock's daughter in "The Blind Side" and Paul Bettany's kidnapped niece in "Priest". She's also starring role in one of next year's "Snow White" movies.)


#2.) "Dolphin Tale" (PG)

A boy rescues a dolphin caught in a trap, then helps it learn to swim with a prosthetic tail. The kid is played by 13-year-old Nathan Gamble. --Ashley Judd plays his mom, Harry Connick Jr. runs the aquarium hospital, and Morgan Freeman is the doctor who figures out how to make the prosthetic tail. --It's based on a true story, but the boy's character was actually a girl named Katrina, who was born with a leg deficiency and needs a prosthetic leg to walk. (--You can read more on her story and how she was cut out of the movie here.) (Trailer1) (Trailer2)


#3.) "Moneyball" (PG-13)

The true story of how the Oakland A's built a winning team with a small budget, using players the scouts rejected. Brad Pitt plays the general manager, Philip Seymour Hoffman is his co-manager, and Jonah Hill is the nerdy statistics expert. (Trailer)

#4.) "Killer Elite" (R)

Jason Statham is a former special ops agent who takes on a military organization after his mentor . . . Robert De Niro . . . is captured by Clive Owen. (Trailer)


"Scarface" Is Getting a Semi-Remake:

Universal is developing a semi-remake of "Scarface" . . . which you probably know as that 1983 movie where AL PACINO has a Spanish accent and does tons of coke and mows a million people down with a machine gun in Miami. --Of course, THAT movie was a remake itself. The original "Scarface" was a 1932 gangster flick set in Chicago and starring PAUL MUNI and GEORGE RAFT. (--Not to mention BORIS KARLOFF, fresh off 1931's "Frankenstein".) --The new movie won't be a straight remake or sequel to either flick. It'll basically just do what the first two movies did: Present a crime story that's set in the modern world and offers a, quote, "dark look at the American dream."


Check Out a Behind-The-Scenes Video of Ron and Hermione's First Kiss:

For "Harry Potter" fans, Ron and Hermione's first kiss in "Deathly Hallows Part 2" was a big deal. For EMMA WATSON and RUPERT GRINT, it was WEIRD . . . because they'd been friends so long. --According to director DAVID YATES, Emma really committed to it, because she wanted to get it over with in one take. --He says, quote, "They're like brother and sister; they were both very nervous. Emma's very smart; she decided if she was going to avoid 27 takes. She was going to get it right the first time. I see that conviction that she's got . . . This is it. --"Rupert hadn't quite reached that same point. I think Rupert wasn't quite expecting it, and then she just went for it." (--This comes from a behind-the-scenes video that we assume is going to be on the DVD. You can watch a clip here.)


Ashton Kutcher's Coworkers on "Two and a Half Men" Don't Think He's as Funny as Charlie Sheen?

When CHARLIE SHEEN had his meltdown earlier this year and "Two and a Half Men" shut down production, it cost every single person on the staff a TON of money. Like, some of them couldn't pay their mortgages. --So clearly, they all HATE . . . or at least deeply RESENT . . . him. But, apparently, at least some of them still RESPECT his work. --According to E! News, the word around "Two and a Half Men" is that Sheen was actually FUNNIER than ASHTON KUTCHER. --They have anonymous quotes from staff members on the show . . . although we're guessing these aren't from the big name actors, it's MUCH more likely they're from "below the line" talent. --Quote, "[Ashton's] just not as funny as Charlie. Not that we'd want Charlie back if you doubled our salaries." --Quote, "[Ashton] is a really nice guy. Just a nice guy. And he's OK on set. He gets the job done, that's what we all want." --Monday night's season premiere of "Two and a Half Men" was Ashton's first episode . . . and it got the highest ratings in the show's history.


Denise Richards Turned Down $100,000 to Make a Cameo on the Season Premiere of "Two and a Half Men":

The season premiere of "Two and a Half Men" opened with a funeral for CHARLIE SHEEN'S character and they had several of the actresses who played his girlfriends throughout the series in attendance, including Jeri Ryan and Jenny McCarthy. --But, apparently the people behind the show had an idea for one cameo that didn't happen . . . they wanted Charlie Sheen's REAL-LIFE ex, DENISE RICHARDS, to make an appearance at the funeral too. --They offered her $100,000 to do it. And she turned it down. --Charlie currently pays Denise $50,000-a-month in child support for their two daughters. A source says that if Denise had made the cameo, quote, "Charlie would've gone crazy, and Denise knows where her bread is buttered."


"Homer Simpson" Just Sold His House to "Moe the Bartender":

This is some shady "Simpsons" insider real estate dealing right here. --DAN CASTELLANETA does the voice of Homer Simpson on "The Simpsons". HANK AZARIA does voices for several characters including Moe the Bartender, Apu, Chief Wiggum, and Comic Book Guy. --And Hank just BOUGHT Dan's house in the Pacific Palisades part of L.A. . . . for $5.5 MILLION. It's a 4,414 square-foot house with four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths. Dan knocked $200,000 off the asking price for Hank.
FOX Just Gave Gordon Ramsay His Fourth Reality Show:

FOX already has THREE GORDON RAMSAY reality shows . . . "Hell's Kitchen", "Kitchen Nightmares", "MasterChef" . . . so you might think they'd want to scale back to avoid becoming the Gordon Ramsay channel. --You would be thinking WRONG. --FOX just picked up a FOURTH Gordon Ramsay reality show. This one's called "Hotel Hell", and it's like "Kitchen Nightmares" for hotels . . . Gordon and a team travel to a struggling hotel and turn it around. --FOX didn't say when this show might air but, based on how production goes, it could be a midseason replacement or a show for summer of next year.


17-Year-Old Courtney Stodden and 51-year-old Doug Hutchison Get that Reality Show They've Been Dying For:

Ever since 17-year-old COURTNEY STODDEN married 51-year-old DOUG HUTCHISON from "Lost" and "The Green Mile", it was clear they were pathetically desperate for . . . err, I mean they were hoping for . . . a reality show. --Well, good job, idiots and enablers in the television business. You just validated everything they've done by making that dream come true. Merv Griffin Entertainment has signed on to produce a reality show about their lives. -- They don't have a deal with any network to air it, but don't worry . . . Courtney's mom says they'll find one easily because, quote, "Courtney is number one in ratings for whatever she does."


Gary Busey and Ted Haggard Will Trade Wives on "Celebrity Wife Swap":

ABC is importing the show "Celebrity Wife Swap" from the U.K . . . and if this swap doesn't make you intrigued to watch, then nothing will. --Word has leaked out that GARY BUSEY is going to swap wives with TED HAGGARD. Haggard was the founder of the gigantic evangelical New Life Church who was caught in a gay sex and drugs scandal five years ago. --His wife, Gayle, actually stuck with him through that. She'll be headed over to Busey's house. --Busey's girlfriend, Steffanie Sampson, will go to Haggard's. (--Not actually his WIFE, but ABC certainly wasn't about to turn down Gary Busey . . . and all the potential reality TV gold he could bring . . . on a technicality.) --Last year, Haggard founded a new church, saying he repented for his sins. Busey is also now a minister after having his massive drug run-ins. No gay sex that we know of for him, though. --There's no word on when "Celebrity Wife Swap" could premiere. --Like the non-celebrity version, these guys aren't swapping wives '70s-style . . . there's no sex involved or anything like that. At least there's not supposed to be. Mainly the wives switch houses, clash with their "new" family, and drama ensues.


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


--"The X Factor" [Auditions Show] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.


--"The Big Bang Theory" [5th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.


--"Charlie's Angels" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor and Annie Ilonzeh are your new angels, but in this version they're all ex-cons instead of former cops.)


--"Community" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on NBC. (--John Goodman joins the cast as Vice Dean Laybourne.)


--"Parks & Recreation" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC.


--"The Office" [8th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on NBC. (--James Spader begins his reign as the new CEO of Dunder Mifflin Sabre.)


--"Whitney" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Comedienne Whitney Cummings gets her own sitcom based on her stand-up. She plays a woman who wants a 'marriage-like' relationship without putting a ring on her finger.)


--"Grey's Anatomy" [8th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Meredith faces the professional and personal consequences of tampering with Derek's clinical trial, while Christina and Owen deal with an unexpected pregnancy.)

--"Person of Interest" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS. (--"Lost's" Michael Emerson plays a software developer who partners with a CIA agent played by Jim Caviezel to stop crime.)


--"Project Runway" . . . 9:00 to 10:30 P.M. on Lifetime. (--The contestants make outfits for the band The Sheepdogs.)


--"The Ultimate Merger" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TV One.


--"The Mentalist" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS.


--"Prime Suspect" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Maria Bello stars as a New York City homicide detective coping with the sexism and harassment of her colleagues.)


--"Prison Diaries" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC. (--This series focuses on female inmates. Or as I like to call them . . . CAGED HEAT!!!)


R.E.M. Has Decided to "Call It a Day" as a Band:

Two pieces of breaking news. One, R.E.M. just announced that they're BREAKING UP. Two, apparently until today, R.E.M. was still together. --R.E.M. got together 31 YEARS AGO in Athens, Georgia. And the four core members have basically all been together for the entire run: with Michael Stipe on vocals, Peter Buck on guitar, Mike Mills on bass, and Bill Berry on drums. (--Berry quit temporarily in 1997 with health problems and came back in 2006. They never replaced him with a permanent drummer, they just used guests.) --Yesterday morning on their website, they posted a statement reading, quote, "To our fans and friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to 'call it a day' as a band. --"We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." --After R.E.M. formed in 1980 they quickly started building a fan base around the South, and then around the country. They had their first platinum album with "Document" in 1987. --They achieved their biggest success in the early '90s. Their album "Out of Time" came out in 1991. It featured "Losing My Religion", sold 12 million copies, and earned seven Grammys. --They followed up in 1992 with another huge hit album, "Automatic for the People", which had "Drive", "Everybody Hurts", and "Man on the Moon". It went four-times platinum. Overall they've sold 25 million albums.


The Lead Singer of Kings of Leon Crashes His Car Through His Neighbor's Garage . . . But Won't Have to Pay Because He Now Owns the House:

On Tuesday, JARED FOLLOWILL from the KINGS OF LEON tweeted, quote, "Ran my SUV through my neighbor's garage door at 2:00 A.M." And he wasn't drunk . . . quote, "It was a dare." --Now here's the twist. He won't have to pay his neighbor for destroying the garage door . . . because a few weeks ago he actually BOUGHT THE HOUSE from the guy. --He was planning on knocking the entire house down anyway . . . so apparently he decided to get started on the garage. (--How ROCK-AND-ROLL is it to destroy your OWN property? Answer: As rock-and-roll as Kings of Leon.)


A Keyboard Store Has Banned People From Trying to Play Adele . . . Because It's "Become the Piano Equivalent of 'Stairway to Heaven'":

You know how guitar stores . . . including the one they visit in "Wayne's World" . . . sometimes ban people from playing "Stairway to Heaven" on the guitars? Well, a keyboard store in Dublin, Ireland has ITS version of "Stairway". --The Opus Two store in Dublin has put up a sign banning people from playing ADELE'S song "Someone Like You" as they test out the merchandise. --An employee says, quote, "It's become the piano equivalent of 'Stairway', everyone thinks they can play it. The sign was a bit of a joke, but the song can drive you mad."


Lady Antebellum Has Scored Their Second #1 Album:

LADY ANTEBELLUM tops the "Billboard" chart this week, as their album "Own the Night" moved 347,000 copies in its first week of release. The group's breakthrough second album "Need You Now" topped the chart in February of last year with 481,000. --"Own the Night" is one of five new albums in the Top 10 this week. The best-selling one also comes from a country act. BRANTLEY GILBERT sold 51,000 copies of his 2010 album "Halfway to Heaven", which was remixed and re-released last week.

1.) (NEW) "Own the Night", Lady Antebellum (347,000 copies)

2.) "21", Adele (119,000 copies)

3.) "Tha Carter IV", Lil Wayne (117,000 copies)


Taylor Swift is Releasing a Live Concert DVD . . . And She'll Be on "60 Minutes":

Now we know why TAYLOR SWIFT has been dragging a video crew around on her "Speak Now" tour. She's releasing a live CD and DVD capturing all the magic of the trek. It's going to drop November 21st. (--Here's a cool promo about it. It's Taylor talking about the DVD as she makes her way to her grand entrance to start a show. Check it out. And you can pre-order the CD / DVD here.) --Speaking of Taylor Swift. LESLEY STAHL and the "60 Minutes" crew have been following her around for a segment that's going to air . . . eventually. We don't know when. But an educated guess would be in November, around when the DVD drops.


THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


JUSTIN BIEBER and SELENA GOMEZ took a picture of themselves with six kids. There's no word where they were or who the kids are. (Photo)


A man is suing MEL GIBSON for allegedly screwing him out of $200,000 on a bad investment. He also claims that Mel tried to RUN HIM OVER outside a bakery in Costa Rica back in July. (Full Story)


In case you missed it, PAULA ABDUL was on "Letterman" Tuesday night . . . and she got kind of upset with Dave for pointing out how "X-Factor" is pretty much exactly like "American Idol". (Video) (--Did you watch "X-Factor" last night? What did you think? I think Dave's SPOT ON. There are tiny little cosmetic differences, but overall, it's THE SAME DAMN SHOW.)


And now . . . a photo gallery of celebrity sweat stains. (Gallery)


JAMIE LEE CURTIS has one of those awesome, old-school handsets for her cell phone. (Photos)


Some fool put together a list of the 10 best movie trilogies . . . and he ranked "The Matrix" ahead of the original "Star Wars" flicks. (???) (Full Story)


Lifetime has decided not to pick up a second season of ROSEANNE BARR'S reality show, "Roseanne's Nuts". (Full Story)


GUNS N' ROSES has announced more locations for their upcoming tour . . . their first U.S. tour in five years. (Full Story)


USHER is denying he stole his old hit "Burn" from a songwriter. (Full Story)


RANDOM STUFF

THE FORBES RICHEST AMERICANS LIST

Bill Gates Takes His Traditional Spot at the Top of the "Forbes" List of the 400 Richest Americans . . . Mark Zuckerberg is Up to 14th:

Yesterday, "Forbes" released their 30th annual list of the 400 richest Americans. And for the 30th year in a row, somehow, neither you nor I was on it. -To make the list, it took a net worth of $1.05 BILLION . . . just a feeble $1 BILLION won't land you on the list anymore. --The combined net worth of the 400 on the list is $1.53 TRILLION, and collectively they're up 12% this year. For what it's worth, 70% are "self-made" . . . in 1997, only 55% earned their way onto the list.

--Here are some of the most notable names . . .

#1.) Bill Gates, $59 billion.


#2.) Warren Buffett, $39 billion.


#14.) Mark Zuckerberg, $17.5 billion. That's right, Zuckerberg keeps FLYING up the list. He's now in the top 15 richest people in the country at age 27.


#15.) Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google, both at $16.7 billion.


#39.) Steve Jobs, $7 billion.


#107.) George Lucas, $3.2 billion.


#117.) Steven Spielberg, $3 billion.


#128.) Donald Trump, $2.9 billion.


#139.) Oprah Winfrey, $2.7 billion.


#171.) Mark Cuban, $2.3 billion.


#212.) Eduardo Saverin, $2 billion. You'd know him as the Facebook co-founder guy who got screwed in "The Social Network". He's doing just fine.


#293.) Reid Hoffman of LinkedIn and Eric Lefkofsky of Groupon tied with $1.5 billion. Both of them are on the list for the first time.


(Forbes)


Want to Lose Weight With One Tiny Change? Eat With Your Other Hand:

Now THIS is my kind of diet. I don't have to eat anything different or, God forbid, exercise. All I have to do is PICK UP FOOD DIFFERENTLY. --According to a new study out of the University of Southern California, people eat 30% less when they eat with their non-dominant hand. In other words, if you're right handed, put the fork or the piece of pizza in your left hand. --David Neal is a psychologist who led the study. He says that a lot of our eating is by HABIT . . . we're not even aware of how much food we're shoveling into our mouths. --By switching to your non-dominant hand, quote, "[you] disrupt the physical sequence of action that is automatic eating [and] that's one way to gain some control." (CNN)


Word of the Day: Lunchblocking:

lunchblocking (verb) /luhnch blah king/ - the act of preventing or postponing someone from going to lunch by scheduling a meeting, starting a discussion, or dumping work on them. --Example: I can't believe my boss lunchblocked me today. He scheduled a conference call at 11:55 and it lasted until 2:00. And I was finally supposed to meet by biological father at that Chili's.


Only 20% of People Say Physical Attraction is the Most Important Part of Chemistry on a Date:

In a new survey, only 20% of people say that PHYSICAL ATTRACTION is the MOST important element for establishing chemistry on a date. In a related survey, I believe that 80% of people lie. --The survey was by a dating service called It's Just Lunch. Here's how it broke down . . . --44% of people said "feeling comfortable" is most important for establishing chemistry on a date. --28% said it's great conversation. --20% said physical attractiveness. --And 7% said it's flirtatious and sexy banter. (PR Newswire)


Old People are More Likely to Click on Internet Ads . . . but Young People are More Likely to Actually Buy the Product Being Advertised:

Anyone who has parents will have NO trouble believing the results of this survey. --A study by the Crowd Science research company found that older Internet users are more likely to click on Internet ads . . . but young users are more likely to actually buy the product being advertised. --Three out of four Internet users over the age of 55 have clicked on ads in the last six months. (--And then called their adult kids to ask how to get back to The Facebook.) That's 18% more than 15-to-24-year-old users. --But the younger users were more likely to research or buy the product being advertised. --College graduates were more likely to click on ads than people with just a high-school education, by a 71% to 59% margin. --Four in five people who clicked on ads said it was either because the ad made them consider buying the item, or they were already considering buying the item when they saw the ad. 14% of people said they clicked because the ad was funny. --One in five people who DON'T click on ads say it's because they worry about getting a virus. One in six don't trust the ad. Men were more likely than women to not click ads because they don't want to leave the page they're on. --One in four people say they ignore all online ads. (PR Newswire)
You Have a Better Chance Getting Into College if You Can Pay the Entire Bill Without Any Financial Aid:

Here's a tip to make sure your kids get into their first-choice college . . . just be rich. --That's because college admissions directors are making decisions on who's in or out based on who can pay the most. --The online newspaper "Inside Higher Ed" conducted a survey of admissions directors from colleges and universities about their recruiting strategies. --And a lot of directors said that it was more important to recruit "full-pay" students, who can pay the entire bill without any financial aid, than to provide educational opportunities for low-income students. --10% of them admitted that "full-pay" students are so important, their school would accept them over applicants who need financial aid, even if the students who need aid have better grades and test scores. --Even at community colleges, where anyone is welcome, one in three admission directors say they're pushing to attract more "full pays". --Schools are also chasing money by recruiting people from farther away. Public schools are pushing to add more out-of-state students, who usually have to pay significantly higher tuition than students who live in the state. --Colleges are also looking for more international students for the same reason. (Inside Higher Ed)


A Guy Served the Starting Pitcher for the Red Sox with Child Support Papers Right Before a Game . . . Wearing a Yankees Jersey:

Regardless of where your baseball loyalties lie, this seems kind of low-rent. --Erik Bedard was the starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, in a game against the Baltimore Orioles. --A few hours before the game, a process server named Tom Cabral served him with court papers from the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court. It was for a child-support case filed by Erik's ex-girlfriend, Courtney Roberts. --The Red Sox asked if Tom could wait a day, since Erik was getting ready to pitch in an important game. (--The Red Sox are in a fight for a playoff spot.) --Tom said, quote, "My client wants it served today, and that's what I have to do." --And it would be easier to believe Tom's honorable intentions . . . if he hadn't worn a Yankees jersey into the Red Sox locker room to serv e the papers. --Tom introduced himself to Erik as a Yankees fan, then served the papers. Erik gave up four runs, didn't make it through the third inning, and the Red Sox lost by a score of 5-to-7. (NY Post)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Woman Was Stalked Online for Three Years . . . Before Figuring Out the Stalker Was Her Boyfriend:

Ruth Jeffrey is a student at Loughborough University in Nottingham, England. (--We're not sure how old she is.) --And for the past three years, she was harassed by a stalker who impersonated her online, and sent embarrassing photos to her friends and family. --The guy hacked into her Facebook and instant message accounts, and created email accounts similar to hers. Then he would pretend to be Ruth, talk to strangers online, and say he was attracted to them. --A stranger even showed up at Ruth's apartment once, after the stalker gave out her address. --The final straw was when he hacked into Ruth's email, and used her account to send naked photos of her to her entire contact list . . . including her father. --Since Ruth regularly received detailed messages from her stalker, she assumed he was spying on her all day long. --He wasn't . . . he was DATING her. Police tracked the IP address that sent out the nude photos to a computer owned by . . . her boyfriend, 22-year-old Shane Webber.--Shane had known Ruth since they were kids, they'd been friends for ten years, and they'd dated for the past several years. And everything seemed fine.--The trouble began when Shane dropped out of college and Ruth kept going. He became jealous and created the fake stalker to try to get her to quit school. Shane was arrested in June, and he pled guilty to harassment on Monday. (The Guardian)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

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


More people trust newspaper websites than Google News or Yahoo! And no one trusts news on Facebook or Twitter. (Full Story)


45% of parents say their kids would rather watch TV than play outside. One in three say their kids would rather play on the computer than outside. And the percentage of kids who'd rather text or talk on the phone doubles between the ages of nine and 12. (Full Story)


The two most used phrases on TV in the last year were "Royal Wedding" and "Winning". (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) Baldwin Hilarity Part One: Alec Baldwin Told His Censored Emmys Joke in a Promo for the Season Premiere of "Saturday Night Live":

The 37th season of "Saturday Night Live" premieres this weekend. And ALEC BALDWIN is hosting for a record-breaking 16th time. (--Right now he's tied with STEVE MARTIN at 15.) --"SNL" released the first promos yesterday, and all three are pretty funny. But in the second one, Baldwin talks about the rumor that he skipped the Emmys because Fox edited out his Rubert Murdoch joke from the intro. --Then he tells a joke . . . which involves dry-humping BILL HADER . . . except they bleep out everything but the beginning and the end. (--Search for "Alec Baldwin SNL Radiohead Promo." The second promo starts at :15.)


#2.) Baldwin Hilarity Part Two: Alec Baldwin Wets His Pants in the Latest Yankees-Red Sox Ad with John Krasinski:

Yankees fan ALEC BALDWIN and die-hard Red Sox fan JOHN KRASINSKI have been doing that series of ads for New Era baseball hats. --And in the newest one, they're sitting on a couch with a line of tape dividing the room. And after Alec threatens to have John's wife, Emily Blunt, DEPORTED, John threatens to tell the other Baldwin brothers where Alec lives. --Then Alec wets his pants so he doesn't miss the end of a game. (--Search for "Extra Exclusive Preview Baldwin and Krasinski New Era Commercial.")


#3.) Batman Beats the Crap Out of the Wrong Clown in a New Parody:

There's a new "Dark Knight" parody on CollegeHumor.com where two cops walk into a holding cell expecting to interview a clown named 'Wiggles', who got drunk at a kids birthday party. --But instead, they walk in and find THE JOKER . . . and realize Batman must be in another room, interrogating the wrong guy. --Then it cuts to Batman in the other holding cell, where he starts beating the crap out of Wiggles the clown. It's just stupid fun . . . except the Batman and Joker voices are PERFECT. (--Search for "Batman Interrogation." It cuts to Batman at :25.)


#4.) And Now . . . Two White-Haired Old Ladies Shotgun Beers at a Football Game:

Someone posted a video on YouTube of two white-haired old ladies tailgating at the University of Michigan football game last weekend. And they race to see who can SHOTGUN A BEER the fastest. --One of them did it in SIX SECONDS. The other did it in about eight. Could you do better? (--Search for "Grandma Shotgunning Beer at Michigan Football Game.")



Three Secrets Food Manufacturers Don't Want You to Know:

Cracked.com has a list called "The Most Horrifying Lies the Food Industry Is Feeding You". And some of these might surprise you. -For example, when you see the ingredient "cellulose" in food, it's really just a fancy word for "wood pulp" . . . a.k.a. SAWDUST. --A while back, the food companies figured out that sawdust adds texture to processed foods. And it's 30% cheaper than flour. It's also organic, so it won't kill you . . . which is a plus. --And if you look for it, it's in EVERYTHING . . . from Eggo waffles to the Fish Filet at McDonald's. Here are three more secrets the food industry doesn't want you to know.

#1.) Some Orange Juice Is More Than a Year Old by the Time You Drink It. It normally wouldn't keep that long, but right after they squeeze the oranges, they start removing oxygen from the juice, which helps preserve it. --The only problem is, it loses all its flavor. So they add in ARTIFICIAL flavors before they bottle it. It's gross, but it's also why we never run out of orange juice, even in the winter.

#2.) The Meat Used in Frozen Hamburger Patties Is Sprayed with Ammonia. Most of them are made with the cheapest meat they can find, which is more likely to be contaminated with E. coli and salmonella. --But instead of not using it, they kill any and all pathogens by passing the meat through a pipe FILLED WITH AMMONIA GAS. --A company in South Dakota called Beef Products Incorporated does it. And their meat ends up in up to 70% of frozen burger patties in the U.S.

#3.) The Blueberry Muffin You Had This Morning Probably Didn't Have Any Blueberries in It. It's much cheaper for companies to make FAKE blueberries using corn syrup, food coloring, and artificial flavors. --But it's not just with blueberry muffins. You have to be suspicious of ANY product that claims to have blueberries in it. -For example, General Mills has a type of cereal called "Total Blueberry Pomegranate." But it doesn't contain any real blueberries OR pomegranates. (Cracked.com)