HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (11-28-11)
Watch Chaz Bono Propose to His Girlfriend:
Last night, OWN aired a new special called "Being Chaz". It was a follow-up to "Becoming Chaz" . . . the special that chronicled CHAZ BONO'S transformation from woman to man. (--Above the waist anyway. The rest is still TBD.
--The highlight was Chaz proposing to his sexy girlfriend JENNIFER ELIA atop the Space Needle in Seattle. (--Check out a clip here.) --It's kind of an odd, awkward moment, because Chaz never actually asks Jennifer to marry him, and she never says yes. He just gives her the ring as a birthday present. --But she does let him put it on her finger, and she says, quote, "It's gorgeous. Thank you so much. It's stunning. It's huge." (--And who knows: Someday if Chaz has that surgery, she might say those exact words about something else.) --She adds, quote, "This is heavy [crap], man." So yeah, we assume they're now engaged. --Elsewhere on the show, Jennifer cries as Chaz prepares for "Dancing With the Stars" . . . because she's afraid someone will try to KILL him. --She says, quote, "People feel so angry that Chaz is entering their television. People who make change get shot, and I don't think that's worth it . . . This is insane. It's not worth doing a show if you're going to get shot. --"I don't want him to die for a cause." (--There's video of that at the same link.)
Kris Humphries' Idea of Flirting is Burping and Passing Gas on Girls:
It's getting harder and harder to believe that KIM KARDASHIAN let this one get away: KRIS HUMPHRIES' idea of flirting is emitting gas from two distinct parts of his anatomy. --That's according to Bianka Kamber . . . who was Kris' girlfriend before Kim. --Bianka told Britain's "Daily Mail" tabloid, quote, "Kris had no flirting skills whatsoever. Flirting to him was like burping and like blowing it in your face or farting and then throwing the covers over your head. --"Literally, as gross as it sounds, that's how he like broke the ice and that was his flirting." (--You can read Bianka's full interview, and see pictures of her, here.) --Meanwhile . . . there's been a rumor going around that Kris planned to sue Kim for $10 million, because he doesn't like how he's portrayed on her new reality show, "Kourtney and Kim Take New York". --But sources say Kris has no plans to sue because he knows he has no say in the final cut of the show. Also, his relationship with Kim is now, quote, "cordial." (--One last note: There's also a rumor that E! has canceled a Kardashian Christmas special because of all the controversy surrounding the family. But E! says no such special was ever planned.)
Check Out Some Pictures of Jennifer Lopez and Her Boyfriend in Hawaii . . . Including One Where It Looks Like Her Face is in His Lap:
42-year-old JENNIFER LOPEZ spent Thanksgiving in Hawaii with her 24-year-old backup dancer CASPER SMART. And the paparazzi were there. --They grabbed some photos of the two of them at the beach . . . including two in which it REALLY looks like J-Lo's face is buried in Casper's lap. --It was probably just an innocent moment caught at a dirty angle, though . . . because Jennifer's 3-year-old twins Max and Emme were with them. --A source says, quote, "Casper was great with the kids. He was twirling them around and doing flips with Emme and she seemed very comfortable with him. --"Jennifer got a chance to sit back and relax while Casper took over and played." --Another source says Casper seems to be in the relationship for the right reasons . . . quote, "He's not asking Jennifer to buy him this or that. He's courting her, like sending her flowers. I think his intentions are in the right place." (--Check out the pics here.) (TMZ)
Update: Cindy Crawford is Still Hot in a Bikini at 45:
CINDY CRAWFORD spent the weekend at the beach in Los Cabos, Mexico with her husband and kids. And I'm sorry to report, ladies . . . her 45-year-old body is still bangin'. (--Check out some pics here.) (Too Fab)
Madonna's Daughter Wishes She Would Date Men Closer to Her Own Age:
MADONNA'S 15-year-old daughter LOURDES has a problem a lot of teenagers have these days: She's embarrassed by her parents. At least one of them. --According to the "National Enquirer", Lourdes wishes her mom would act her age a little more. And that includes dating guys who aren't young enough to be her older brother. --A source says, quote, "Lourdes is telling pals she wishes her mother would change and be more like other moms. --"Lourdes loves her mother, and her antics are nothing new, but now that she's growing up, she doesn't want anyone to start making fun of her mom and calling her a cougar. --"Lourdes also wishes her mother would date men closer to her own age." --The source adds, quote, "Lourdes just wants their lives to be normal sometimes, but her mother never turns it off or tones it down . . . it's always 'Madonna!' [Lourdes sometimes feels] she is more of a grownup than her mother."
Miley Cyrus Called Herself a "Stoner" . . . But Was She Kidding?
MILEY CYRUS celebrated her 19th birthday last Tuesday night at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. And KELLY OSBOURNE hosted. -One of the highlights was the presentation of Miley's cake . . . which had a picture of Reggae superstar BOB MARLEY on it. --When Miley saw it, she told the crowd, quote, "You know you're a stoner when your friends make you a Bob Marley cake. You know you smoke way too much [effing] weed!" (--There's video. You can see it here.) --Kelly replied, quote, "I thought salvia was your problem." --That was obviously a reference to the video that surfaced last year of Miley getting high on salvia, which is a LEGAL herb. (--Here's that clip.) --The video of Miley and her Bob Marley cake was accompanied by a quote from a supposed friend who said, quote, "Everyone in the room knows she's a pothead." --But Kelly Osbourne says it's NOT true. She hit up Twitter to explain the situation. She said that after the salvia incident, Miley's friends started calling her "Bob Miley" as a JOKE. --She added, quote, "The cake was also a joke! It makes me sick that Miley's so-called 'friends' would sell her out and lead people to believe she is someone that she is not!" --Kelly added, quote, "If Miley isn't recording/filming/touring, she works every day. How could she possibly do all that if she was a stoner?"
Paris Hilton's Black Friday Purchase: A $300,000 Ferrari . . . For Herself:
This is how PARIS HILTON does Black Friday: She spends way too much money . . . ON HERSELF. --Paris had a $300,000 Ferrari Spyder delivered to her Los Angeles home just before noon. She Tweeted, quote, "Just drove my new car for the first time. Such a beautiful car and so much fun to drive! I love it! #YES! I [love] Fast Cars!" --According to "Us Weekly", Paris also owns two Bentleys, a Lexus LFA, a hybrid Escalade and a Range Rover. (--Here's video of the delivery.)
Charlize Theron Wasn't Popular or Attractive Before High School:
In her pre-high school days, CHARLIZE THERON wasn't popular or particularly attractive. She says, quote, "I wore really nerdy glasses because I was blind as could be and the boys didn't like [me]. I didn't have any boyfriends, but lots of crushes." --She adds, quote, "I wasn't in the popular crowd. There was a really popular girl at school and I was obsessed with her. I mean you would go to jail for that stuff today. I was in tears one day because I couldn't sit next to her." --Charlize says she got the "mean girl" treatment between the ages of 7 to 12, but became more immune to it by high school. (--That's probably because Charlize was starting to get hot in high school. Here's a picture.) (--It's from a web page that's got TONS of celebrity high school pics. Some are pretty awesome. Check it out here.)
Why Are Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter on the Cover of a Serbian 8th Grade Biology Textbook from 1998?
An 8th grade Serbian biology textbook from 1998 featured a picture of NICOLAS CAGE and HOLLY HUNTER on the cover. For real. --It's a picture of the two of them from the 1987 comedy "Raising Arizona", and Holly is holding the baby that their characters had KIDNAPPED. (--Check out a picture here.) (Huffington Post) --Apparently this was a mistake. The cover was supposed to depict a happy family. And when the publishers realized what happened, they recalled the book and replaced the cover pic. (--This is the SECOND bizarre Nicolas Cage photo story of the year. Remember back in September, when we saw that 140-year-old photo of the dude who looked exactly like him?)
Stylists Don't Want to Work with Kristen Stewart . . . Because She Doesn't Like to Look Pretty:
Let's be honest: KRISTEN STEWART does NOT like to get all girlie. And apparently, it's costing her. -According to the not-always-reliable "Star" tabloid, Kristen is a FASHION PARIAH thanks to her, quote, "grubby nails, ratty sneakers and bad attitude". Designers and stylists simply don't want to work with her because, quote, "she doesn't want to look good." (--None of which is evident in the wedding scene from "Breaking Dawn". Check out Kristen looking WAY hotter than usual in her wedding dress here.) (E! Online)
Angelina Jolie Also Wanted to Become a Funeral Director:
If acting didn't work out for ANGELINA JOLIE, she might very well have become one of the sexiest funeral directors on the planet. --In an interview airing last night on "60 Minutes", she said, quote, "It sounds like this very strange, eccentric, dark thing to do but in fact I lost my grandfather and was very upset with his funeral. --"How somebody passes and how family deals with this passing and what death is should be addressed in a different way. If this whole acting thing didn't work out that was going to be my path."
The NBA Season May Begin on Christmas Day:
NBA owners and players reached a tentative deal on Saturday, which means there will most likely be a basketball season. --It'll be 66 games long instead of the usual 82, and games will begin on Christmas Day. --The 10-year deal calls for a 50-50 split of basketball-related revenues between the owners and the players. (--You can find more details on the deal here.) --The deal still has to be officially approved by both sides. NBA Commissioner David Stern says, quote, "We want to play basketball. --"[The deal is still] subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations, but we're optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin December 25th." --Players union executive director Billy Hunter added, quote, "We thought it was in both of our interest to try to reach a resolution and save the game and to be able to provide the kind of superb entertainment the NBA historically has provided." --There will be three games on Christmas: Boston at New York, Miami at Dallas and Chicago at Los Angeles.
"Breaking Dawn" Beat "The Muppets" at the Holiday Weekend Box Office:
"Twilight: Breaking Dawn" made another $62.3 million over the long Thanksgiving weekend, and came in #1 for the second week in a row. The movie has now made $221 million in the 10 days since its release.--The "Muppets" movie came in 2nd place with a respectable $42 million. The two other new kids movies didn't do quite as well: "Arthur Christmas" made $17 million in 4th place, and "Hugo" made $15.4 million in 5th place.
Does the Birth Scene in "Breaking Dawn" Cause Seizures?
If you're being pressured by your girlfriend . . . or your suspiciously effeminate boyfriend . . . to see the new "Twilight" movie, "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" . . . I think I have a good defense for you. --Tell him or her that you can't go because you're AFRAID OF HAVING A SEIZURE. --There have been actual cases of people having seizures during the "Breaking Dawn" birth scene . . . because it contains bright flashes of black, white and red. --Those flashes trigger something called PHOTOSENSITIVE EPILEPSY . . . which is a fancy way of saying seizures brought on by flashing lights. --One woman from Sacramento says her boyfriend started, quote, "convulsing, snorting, [and] trying to breathe" during the scene. When the seizure passed, he didn't remember anything, and the rest of the screening was canceled. --A woman in Salt Lake City says her husband, quote, "started mumbling and he was blinking on and off with his eyes at that point. I was kneeling in front of him slapping his face." --She added that a girl had a seizure during that scene at the same theater the following day. (--If it weren't for the girl, I was going to suggest that guys were doing this ON PURPOSE to get out of watching the movie. It would actually make for a much better story, anyway.)
Christian Bale Says He's Definitely Done with Batman:
We've heard CHRISTIAN BALE talk about the end of his reign as Batman before . . . but over Thanksgiving weekend, he pretty much made it official. -He told some newspaper in the Philippines, quote, "I wrapped a few days ago so that will be the last time I'm taking that cowl [Batman hood] off. --"I believe that the whole production wrapped yesterday, so it's all done. Everything's finished. It's me and [director Christopher Nolan] . . . that will be the end of that Batman era." --"The Dark Knight Rises" will be the third in the Christian Bale / Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy that started with "Batman Begins" in 2005. That one took in $372 million worldwide. --The next flick, "The Dark Knight" . . . featuring HEATH LEDGER'S brilliant performance as The Joker . . . made more than $1 BILLION. (--MICHAEL KEATON brought Batman to the big screen in the TIM BURTON franchise that began with the 1989 movie "Batman". After two films together, both Keaton and Burton left.) (--Keaton was replaced first by VAL KILMER, then by GEORGE CLOONEY.) (--But of course the ONE TRUE BATMAN is ADAM WEST . . . who played the character on TV from 1966 to 1968, and in a 1966 movie version of the series. (--Nowhere is Adam's DOMINANCE among Batmen more apparent than in the classic "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb" scene . . . which you can marvel at here.)
Last Season's "American Idol" Top Two, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, Both Had Singing Mishaps on Thanksgiving:
Reigning "American Idol" champ SCOTTY MCCREERY and runner-up LAUREN ALAINA BOTH suffered very public singing mishaps on Thanksgiving. --Scotty was at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, where he was supposed to be lip-synching to his song "The Trouble with Girls". But when the cameras zoomed in, the vocal track started without him. --It wasn't even close . . . he didn't even have the microphone up to his mouth . . . but Scotty quickly jumped in, and pretended to sing the rest of the song. (--You can find video on YouTube.) --But Lauren topped that by messing up the National Anthem before the Detroit Lions / Green Bay Packers game. She was singing LIVE . . . but she tripped over the lyrics in the second line, and STOPPED for a few seconds. --She picked it back up . . . and finished without any other problems. (--You can find video on YouTube.) (--Random Fact: Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, was the six-month anniversary of this season's "American Idol" finale.)
"All My Children" and "One Life to Live" Will *Not* Continue Online:
Canceled soaps "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" will NOT continue on the Internet after all. (--So "All My Children" is completely dead . . . and "One Life to Live" will wrap up for good in January.) --Producers abandoned the idea because it was getting too expensive . . . and "mounting issues" were making it "impossible" to meet their goals and deadlines. (--For more information, hit up EOnline.com.)
TV REMINDERS
--"Monday Night Football" . . . 8:30 to 11:30 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. The New Orleans Saints host the New York Giants at the Superdome in New Orleans.
--"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on ABC.
--"Shrek the Halls" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.
--"The Sing-Off" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. The winner of the $200,000 prize and recording contract is announced.
--"Bored To Death" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on HBO.
--"American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. The best pranks are highlighted from the series.
--"Hoarders" [4th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on A&E.
--"Rizzoli & Isles" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT. Bill O'Reilly guests as himself.
--"Scouted" [Series Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on E! Modeling scouts are followed as they search for the next big supermodel.
--"Bachelorette Party: Las Vegas" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Oxygen.
--"Ridiculousness" . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on MTV. Clips of the late Ryan Dunn.
--"Ryan Dunn Tribute Special" . . . 10:30 to 11:30 P.M. on MTV. Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Rob Dyrdek, Wee Man, Chris Pontius, Jeff Tremaine and the Dunn Family remember Ryan with never-before-seen footage from his early life in Ohio.
--"Cake Boss" [4th Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC.
--"Urban Legends" [3rd Season Finale] . . . Midnight to 12:30 A.M. on Syfy.
VIDEO GAME QUICK HITS
Xbox is Getting a New Social Feature Called Beacons . . . and PS3 Users Who Bought "Battlefield 3" Are Entitled to Vouchers for A Free Game:
--The next Xbox 360 Dashboard Update is coming on December 6th. It includes cloud storage for your game saves and new social networking features like Facebook sharing. (Full Story)
--The new Xbox update includes a feature called Beacons, which let you mark games you want to play with friends. You get three active beacons at a time, which can also have custom notes. It already works on Xbox.com if you'd like a preview. (Full Story)
--PS3 users who bought "Battlefield 3" should have also gotten a free copy of "Battlefield 1943" with the game, but it was shipped without it. So, they're making it up to them with a "Battlefield 1943" voucher on December 10th. (Full Story)
--This week's new downloadable content for the PlayStation Network includes the full version of "Modern Warfare 2", the Sly Cooper trilogy, and "Voltron". (Full Story)
--Here's a list of the Seven Annoying Gamers to Avoid This Thanksgiving, but really this list could just as easily apply to anytime you have a family gathering. And remember, Christmas is right around the corner. (Full Descriptions)
• The Technological Elitist [A-hole]
• The Consoles Suck, It's Better on PC Guy
• The Wait, Hold On, Wait, One More Time, One Sec, Hold On Guy
• The Angry and Disjointed Rage Quitting Family Member
• The Incessant Customizer
• The Kamikaze Drunk Driver Hell Bent on Team Destruction
• The Filthy, Filthy Child
--Delayed Games: Here's a two-page list of 13 games that were supposed to come out in 2011, but they've been pushed back to next year. They include "Kinect Star Wars", "Mass Effect 3", "The Darkness 2", and "Silent Hill Downpour". (Full Story)
NEW ON VIDEO THIS WEEK
--"Five Days of War" - British actors Rupert Friend and Richard Coyle play American journalists who witness the cold blooded murder of innocent civilians during a Russian war that broke out in the middle of the 2008 Olympics. And "Entourage" minx Emmanuelle Chriqui plays a local woman trying to help them escape.
--"One Day" - Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess meet on the day of their college graduation and go their separate ways. Then, we watch as their friendship evolves over 20 years, with glimpses of their lives on the anniversary of the day they met.
--"The Art of Getting By" - "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's" Freddie Highmore plays a teenage slacker on academic probation who falls for Emma Roberts.
--"Our Idiot Brother" - Paul Rudd plays the pot-smoking brother of Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, and Zooey Deschanel. When his girlfriend kicks him out, they take turns letting him live with them. Rashida Jones plays Zooey's lesbian life-partner.
--"Tucker & Dale vs. Evil" - A horror comedy about two rednecks mistaken for killers by a group of paranoid college kids. They save "30 Rock's" Katrina Bowden from drowning, and her friends try to "rescue" her with hilarious but deadly results.
--"30 Minutes or Less" - Jesse Eisenberg is a pizza delivery guy forced to rob a bank after a couple guys kidnap him and strap a bomb to his chest. Aziz Ansari is his best friend, and the kidnappers are comedians Danny McBride and Nick Swardson.
--"Seven Days in Utopia" - Lucas Black plays a golfer whose game falls apart during a big tournament, and Robert Duvall is a small town rancher who helps him get his swing back after Lucas gets stranded in the small town where Duvall lives.
TV Series On DVD:
--"30 Rock: Season 5" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"Hot in Cleveland: Season 2" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"VH1 Storytellers: Dixie Chicks" . . . a single-disc DVD set.
--"The Girls Next Door: The Complete Collection" . . . a 17-disc DVD set. It ran for six seasons.
--"Smallville: The Complete 10th Season" . . . a six-disc set of the final season.
--"Smallville: The Complete Series" . . . a 62-disc DVD set. It ran ten seasons.
--"The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 1" . . . a six-disc set. It ran five seasons.
NEW MUSIC OUT THIS WEEK
This Week's Few CD Releases:
Not of lot of new music gets released during the week after Thanksgiving. Here are your limited choices for what's new in stores . . .
--"Whatever", Hot Chelle Rae (--Demi Lovato appears on a song called "Why Don't You Love Me?)
--"Inevitable", Trey Songz . . . a five-song EP that includes Fabolous on the track "What I Be On".
--"Adele Live At the Royal Albert Hall", Adele . . . (CD/DVD)
--"Aphrodite: Les Folies", Kylie Minogue
--"Beyoncé Live at Roseland: Elements of 4", Beyoncé . . . (2-Disc Deluxe Edition)
LADY GAGA LUNACY
Lady Gaga's Thanksgiving Special Bombed in the Ratings:
LADY GAGA'S 90-minute Thanksgiving special "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving" attracted 5.4 million viewers last Thursday night. That isn't very good. --It lost out to the two CBS repeats it was matched up against. An old episode of "Person of Interest" had 8 million viewers, and 7.8 million viewers watched a repeat of "The Mentalist". --Earlier in the night, another CBS repeat, "The Big Bang Theory" drew 11.2 million viewers . . . and the classic special "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" also edged Lady Gaga, with an audience of 5.8 million viewers. --By the way, the HIGHLIGHT of Lady Gaga's special was when she revealed that TONY BENNETT has seen her naked. (???) She stripped down so that Tony could draw some pictures of her for an upcoming issue of "Vanity Fair". --She said, quote, "I walked in and said, 'Well Tony, here we are' . . . I dropped my robe and I got into position. I felt shy and thought, 'It's Tony Bennett, why am I naked?'" --As strange as this sounds, it isn't completely random. "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving" began with Tony and Lady Gaga performing their duet "The Lady Is a Tramp", which is on Tony's new album, "Duets 2". (--There's video on YouTube.) (--One more thing: Lady Gaga has released a four-song EP called "A Very Gaga Holiday", featuring songs recorded live during the special. It's available digitally on iTunes and Amazon for $3.99.)
(NC-17) Lady Gaga Is Into Well-Endowed Men with Harvard Degrees:
LADY GAGA doesn't exactly seem to ooze sex appeal, but if you're someone who IS interested in her, here's what she's looking for: --According to Britain's "Sun" tabloid, Lady Gaga describes her type as, quote, "[Ranging] from a really big [manhood] to a degree at Harvard." --She adds that she's also attracted to, quote, "Talent and perseverance and pushing the boundaries of love and acceptance." --That being said, it's unclear how available she is. We've heard that Lady Gaga is hooking up with TAYLOR KINNEY from "The Vampire Diaries". (--He didn't go to Harvard, so . . . apparently he qualifies in another way?)
BIEBER FEVER
Justin Bieber's Alleged Baby Mama Wants *Another* Paternity Test:
JUSTIN BIEBER has already been swabbed once . . . but his alleged baby mama Mariah Yeater wants him to do ANOTHER DNA test. Why? --So that Mariah's people can be present to make sure everything is above board. --Her attorney says, quote, "We are trying to set up a DNA test . . . to test the mother and the child and to re-test Justin, because we have to make sure the chain of custody is properly supervised. --"I wasn't aware Justin was allegedly taking a DNA test [two weeks ago] until I read about it. I don't know if it was even his DNA. Evidence has to be properly supervised to make sure it is not corrupted." --Supposedly, Mariah WILL have her baby's DNA swabbed as long as Justin complies with her latest request. Neither Justin nor his people have commented on this. --By the way, Justin had this to say about Mariah on "Letterman" last Wednesday night: Quote, "I think I could smell a weasel, too, a little bit . . . it's pretty crazy, people make up false accusations." (--Dave referred to Mariah as a weasel first.) (--There's video on CBS.com.) (--Speaking of babies, Justin's girlfriend SELENA GOMEZ is going to be a big sister. She just announced that her mother and stepfather are expecting.)
Justin Bieber Can't Name All Seven Continents?
Last week, JUSTIN BIEBER told DAVID LETTERMAN that he'd been to "every continent." But when Dave challenged him to name all seven continents . . . he struggled. --He said, quote, "Asia . . . North America . . . South America . . . um . . . Africa . . . Antarctica . . . and . . . the North Pole?" --That was a joke, but he still had two left. Eventually, he came up with Australia and Europe, but not without some clues from Dave. (--It was random and "on the spot," but a 17-year-old should be able to name all seven continents on the spot, right?) (--Check out video here.)
Check Out Justin Bieber and Boyz II Men's "Fa La La" Video:
JUSTIN BIEBER has released a video for "Fa La La" . . . off his Christmas album, "Under the Mistletoe". The song and video feature BOYZ II MEN. (--You can find the video on VEVO.com.)
"Rolling Stone's" 100 Greatest Guitarists List:
"Rolling Stone" has put out a list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists, which was compiled with input from, quote, "a panel of top guitarists and other experts."
--Some of the voters included: Billy Corgan, Melissa Etheridge, Tom Morello, Santana, Metallica's Kirk Hammett, Motley Crue's Mick Mars, Queen's Brian May, Aerosmith's Joe Perry, Eddie Van Halen and Joe Walsh.
--In the end, JIMI HENDRIX was named THE greatest guitarist. Here's the Top 20:
1.) Jimi Hendrix
2.) Eric Clapton
3.) Jimmy Page
4.) Keith Richards
5.) Jeff Beck
6.) B.B. King
7.) Chuck Berry
8.) Eddie Van Halen
9.) Duane Allman
10.) Pete Townshend
11.) George Harrison
12.) Stevie Ray Vaughan
13.) Albert King
14.) David Gilmour
15.) Freddy King
16.) Derek Trucks
17.) Neil Young
18.) Les Paul
19.) James Burton
20.) Carlos Santana
(--You can find the complete list, along with the names of the expert voters at RollingStone.com.)
George Michael Canceled the Rest of His European Tour Because He Has Pneumonia:
GEORGE MICHAEL canceled the rest of his European tour after being hospitalized with pneumonia. It seems like he's OK though. --A very British-sounding message on his website explains, quote, "George Michael has severe community acquired pneumonia and is being treated as an inpatient. His condition has stabilized and he is responding to treatment. --"The time until recovery cannot be estimated, but he will not be able to perform the rest of the tour. Besides medical treatment, complete rest and peace and quiet are mandatory."
"More More More" Singer Andrea True Has Died:
ANDREA TRUE, who sang the 1976 disco hit "More More More (How Do You Like It)", has died of heart failure. She was 68. (--You can listen to the song, here.) --LEN sampled "More More More" for their 1999 song "Steal My Sunshine". --Before she began a singing career, Andrea was a PORNO STAR . . . and later in her life, she worked as a drug and alcohol counselor, a telemarketer and a real estate agent. (--Andrea's fine classic films included "Head Nurse", "Deep Throat Part 2", "The Wetter the Better" and "Every Inch a Lady".)
MONDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
PIERS MORGAN'S wife gave birth to a baby girl. They named her Elise. (Full Story)
PRINCE WILLIAM took part in the helicopter rescue of four Russian sailors whose boat was sinking in the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales. William is a member of the Royal Air Force. (Full Story)
Check out a video interview with NATALIE WOOD from a few years before she drowned . . . where she talks about a traumatic incident on a movie set in which a director threw her into the ocean. (Video)
LINDSAY LOHAN is actually way ahead in her community service at the L.A. County Morgue . . . and officials say she's, quote, "polite, hard-working and never complains about the work." (Full Story)
Check out a photo gallery of celebrities in the '80s . . . with big hair. (Photos)
DANIEL RADCLIFFE'S parents originally turned down "Harry Potter" . . . because they thought it was too big of a commitment for him. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
BLACK FRIDAY
A Roundup of All the Effed Up Stuff People Did On Black Friday, Including Pepper Spray, Gunshots, and Stepping Over Corpses:
This was the most successful Black Friday EVER in terms of sales. It also seems to have set the record for EFFED UP MOMENTS. --Here's a roundup of some of the things your fellow Americans did to save some money on various items . . .
#1.) The Pepper Spray Incident. At 10:10 P.M. on Thanksgiving, in Porter Ranch, California, just north of Los Angeles, a woman PEPPER SPRAYED her fellow shoppers at a Walmart . . . all to try to clear a path to a crate of Xboxes. --At least 20 people, including children, were injured. The woman surrendered to the cops on Saturday. Her name and the charges against her haven't been released. She's described as Hispanic, in her 30s, about 5-foot-3, and 140 pounds. --And she DID end up buying an Xbox. (Los Angeles Times) (--Here's a video of the pepper spray incident, although it's a little hard to see . . . mostly, this shows a REALLY FRIGHTENING MOB around a crate of Xboxes.)
#2.) The Waffle Maker Riot. Over the weekend, a video surfaced from a Walmart in Little Rock, Arkansas, where people essentially RIOTED over $2 waffle makers. You can actually see people pushing and fighting each other, all for a waffle maker. --You can also see some butt crack from one woman who's desperately fighting for a waffle maker . . . even at the expense of her pants slipping down. (Huffington Post) (--Here's the video.)
#3.) Cops Break Grandpa's Face. At a Walmart in Buckeye, Arizona, 54-year-old Jerald Newman was shopping with his wife and grandson. As a mob descended on the video game section, he wanted to protect his grandson from being trampled. --To free up his hands so he could lift his grandson, he put the video game he was holding into the waistband of his pants. The cops saw THAT, thought he was shoplifting, and SLAMMED him to the ground. His face started bleeding like crazy --He was arrested for shoplifting and resisting arrest. (FOX 10 - Phoenix) (--You can see a video here. Jerald's face is blurred but it's still pretty graphic.)
#4.) Step Over That Corpse For Savings. On Black Friday, 61-year-old Walter Vance of Chapmanville, West Virginia was shopping at Target when he collapsed. He had a history of heart problems and it's believed he had a heart attack. --As he was on the ground, dying, other shoppers stepped over him to continue going after discounts. --A few nurses who were shopping DID stop . . . Walter was taken to the hospital and died that night. (MSNBC)
#5.) Why Wait In Line? Just Shoot People and Steal Their Stuff. Outside of a Walmart in San Leandro, California, 20-year-old Tony Phillips of Oakland waited for people to come out of the store so he could rob them. --When one man wouldn't give up his purchases, Phillips SHOT HIM. Fortunately, the man survived and is being treated. Phillips was arrested for attempted homicide and attempted robbery. (San Leandro Patch)
#6.) The Manhattan Looting Incident. On Thanksgiving night, people started lining up outside of a Hollister clothing store in the SoHo area of Manhattan. They were waiting for it to open at midnight for Black Friday like so many other stores. --There was one problem. Hollister wasn't doing a midnight Black Friday opening, they were doing a 10:00 A.M. opening. And the crowd at midnight started getting angrier and angrier. --It boiled over by 1:15 A.M. and the shoppers ended up BREAKING DOWN THE DOORS . . . and LOOTING the place. The employees who were in the store setting up for the morning sale couldn't stop the gigantic mob. --The police are reviewing the security tapes . . . a source says the most frightening aspect is, quote, "people inside going through clothes as though they were leisurely shopping." (New York Post)
Black Friday Set the All-Time Sales Record:
Most stores opened earlier than ever for Black Friday. And yes, people were shot, pepper sprayed, and trampled . . . but DAMN the stores move a lot of merchandise. --According to ShopperTrak, which monitors foot traffic and sales at malls and stores, this was the most successful Black Friday ever . . . and the single biggest day of retail sales in U.S. HISTORY. --Sales were up a gargantuan 6.6% this year. At least $11.4 BILLION worth of merchandise was sold. --Compare that to last year. In 2010, there was only a 0.3% climb in sales . . . 22 times smaller than the rise this year. And there was $10.7 BILLION worth of sales last year, which was the all-time record at the time. --Online sales were up 39.3% on Thanksgiving this year and up 24.3% on Black Friday compared to last year. --As for whether people were spending that money on gifts or themselves . . . it's getting closer to 50-50. In 2010, only 33% of purchases were people getting stuff for themselves. This year that made a monster jump to 44%. (CNN Money)
A Target Employee Worked Overnight on Black Friday . . . Then Drove Her Car Into a Canal on the Way Home:
Target was one of the retail stores that decided to get a jump on Black Friday by opening at midnight. --Target employees across the nation started online petitions protesting the decision, and complained that it meant they couldn't spend Thanksgiving with their families. --But some employees put in a full day of celebrating on Thanksgiving and then headed to work afterwards for an all-night shift, leaving them DANGEROUSLY SLEEP DEPRIVED. --That could be why an unnamed 36-year-old woman who worked at a Target in Palm Beach, Florida ended up driving into a canal on her way home from work Friday morning. --She worked the overnight shift, then headed home at 7:00 A.M. Friday morning. She lost control of her Pontiac and plunged into the canal. --Police got a call from her at 7:39. She'd managed to get out of the car, but was clinging to it in the middle of the water. The car was sinking fast, and she couldn't swim. --In a panic, she nearly drowned the first police officer who swam out to rescue her, and it took three cops to fish her out of the water. (Palm Beach Post)
Hope You Liked Black Friday's Midnight Openings, Because They're Here to Stay:
Stores posted all-time record sales on Black Friday and the ones that opened at midnight or earlier . . . including Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and Macy's . . . all reported enormous sales. SO . . . expect those early openings to be back next year. --Terry Lundgren is the CEO of Macy's. He says they LOVED the midnight opening because it brought a younger crowd they usually don't get on Black Friday. Then, around 4:00 A.M., the usual, older Black Friday crowd came as a second wave. (Reuters)
A Local News Black Friday Graphic Accidentally Says "Black Holiday Shoppers" . . . In Front of a Line of Black Holiday Shoppers:
On Thanksgiving night, WBAL, the NBC affiliate in Baltimore, was doing a story on people lined up outside of Target. --And they had a graphic on the screen that was probably supposed to say "Black Friday Holiday Shoppers." --Unfortunately for them, they forgot the word "Friday." So the graphic onscreen read "Black Holiday Shoppers." And, yes, it just so happened to be onscreen while they were showing a full line of black people. (Mediaite) (--Here's a screengrab from the broadcast. You can also see the clip here.)
3% of People Admit They've Physically or Verbally Fought Someone for an Item at a Store:
When you see footage from the MOB SCENES on Black Friday, you've got to wonder, "Who ARE these lunatics?" Well . . . they're out there. And there might be more than we realize. --The website Ebates.com released the results of a new survey asking people what bad things they do when they're out Christmas shopping. And they found . . .
--6% of people admit they've cut in line while Christmas shopping.
--6% have fought over a parking spot or stolen someone else's parking spot.
--4% have parked in a handicapped spot.
--3% have actually stolen an item out of someone else's shopping cart.
--And 3% admit they've physically or verbally FOUGHT SOMEONE over an item.
--As a result of all this, the survey found that 96% of people say they're dreading some aspect of holiday shopping.
(CBS 10 - Tampa)
If Your Holidays Are Stressful, It Might Be Because of Your Decorations . . . Here Are Three Ways to Fix Them:
Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, a lot of us will be breaking out the Christmas decorations. But if you're not careful, apparently you can ruin the holiday season with poor placement. --Robyn Bentley says she's an expert on the proper placement of household items. She also calls herself the Feng Shui Diva . . . so take this with a grain of salt. --She points out that many families have more sickness over the holiday season, people argue more, and feel more depressed . . . and she blames the decorations. So here are her decorating tips:
#1.) No red lights on the East or South sides of your house: According to Robyn, there's illness energy in the East and South sections of every house. And red lights add the "fire" element to your home. --Obviously, you don't want such an intense element in areas of the house filled with illness energy. So use silver, white, and gold there instead.
#2.) Don't create clutter or obstacles: First of all, squeezing past the talking, dancing snowman to get into the kitchen is just going to increase everyone's stress level. But clutter also slows the "chi flow" in your home.
#3.) Turn the Christmas lights off at bedtime: Too much light makes your body think it's daytime, and you won't get restful sleep. So turn off the holiday light display before hitting the sack. (FengShuiDiva.com)
63% of People Plan to Send a Real Holiday Card Through the Mail:
One Christmas isn't going to save the Postal Service. But at least it looks like they'll have something to keep themselves busy. --According to a new survey, 63% of people say they plan to mail a holiday card this year, whether it's a Christmas card or letter to all of their family or friends or just a regular Hallmark card. --People also say they prefer hard-copy cards to e-cards, email, and phone calls. (San Jose Mercury News)
"Time" Magazine Uses a Cover About "Why Anxiety is Good For You" in the U.S. . . . and a Cover Featuring Real News Everywhere Else:
Man, this is embarrassing. For the new December 5th issue of "Time" magazine, here in the U.S., the cover story is about "Why Anxiety is Good For You" and features a cartoon man. -But if you look on their website at "Time" in other countries . . . EVERY SINGLE OTHER country is getting a cover featuring real, NOT self-centered, hard news about the revolution in Egypt featuring a man rioting in the street. (Gawker) (--Here's a screengrab from the "Time" site showing the cartoon U.S. cover versus the international cover.)
Do You Spend More Time Online Than In Bed?
Here's a kinda brutal way to put your Internet addiction AND your lack of sleep in perspective. --A new survey asked people if they spent more time online every day than they do in bed, asleep. And A LOT of people do. --More than one-in-four men and one-in-five women say that, yes, they spend more time on the Internet than asleep.
--Here are some more findings from the survey . . .
--5% of people check their email more than 20 times a day.
--14% check their social media accounts more than six times a day.
--And 51% say they suffer from some anxiety if they're away from their email or Facebook for too long.
(AOL Lifestyle)
You Spend One Hour a Month and 40 Days of Your Life Hugging:
HUGGING plays a way bigger role in your life than you ever quite realized. --According to a new study out of England, the average person wants a hug THIRTEEN TIMES a day. Each of those hugs averages 9.5 seconds. (--That seems like a LOT of hugging for an awful LONG time to me . . .) --And every month, we spend one hour hugging. That means you spend somewhere around 40 FULL DAYS of your life hugging. --The study also found that 69% of people turn to their significant other for a hug. (--And hopefully 100% turn to them for a 69.) --14% look to close friends when they want a hug . . . 9% look to their parents. --About 14% said that they do their hugging in private because public displays of affection are inappropriate. --33% said it's inappropriate to hug in the workplace. (Times of India)
Want a Higher Salary? Play Golf:
Everyone has always kinda known that golf is a really big part of getting ahead in business . . . now, there's actually science to prove it. --A new study out of Spain found that managers who don't golf make 17% less money than ones who do. --The reason is pretty clear. When you're out golfing for three or four hours with your boss, you're building a great bond . . . and that factors in, whether subconsciously or not, when it's time for promotions and raises. --People who golf with clients also build more loyalty, which helps their career in the long run. (Business Wings)
What's Your Dream Home? The Average Person Wants a Mix Between Rural Land and City Convenience:
A new survey asked people to describe their dream house and, basically, the average person wants something that seems pretty obscure . . . an isolated, rural house on a lot of land that's also very convenient to work and shopping. --Here's the breakdown of the average dream house . . . --In a rural area, on at least a half-acre of land. --So isolated that you can get privacy without having to close the curtains. --BUT . . . less than 10 miles from work, less than five miles from the nearest town, and less than two miles away from school, the grocery store, and the doctor. --And despite the isolation, people want good neighbors who they're on a first-name basis with. --The only things people want from the house itself are four bedrooms, a study, a dining room, and a kitchen with a breakfast nook. --As for any "fantasy" elements of the house, there was only one that made the list . . . about half of the people polled wanted an indoor swimming pool. --About 10% of people surveyed said they were already living in their dream house. 25% of people say they're saving for it. The rest don't think they'll ever achieve their fantasy. (PR Newswire)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
Frosty the Snowman Has Been Arrested in Maryland:
It's a bad start to the Christmas season for Frosty the Snowman. On Saturday, he was arrested for fighting with cops and kicking a police dog. --Now, allegedly, it wasn't the REAL Frosty the Snowman. It was actually 52-year-old Kevin Michael Walsh of Chestertown, Maryland who was dressed up as Frosty for Chestertown's annual Christmas parade. --Kevin has played Frosty in the parade for at least the past 10 years. --His account of what happened and the cops' accounts differ but, basically, they got into an argument about the police dog being at the parade. --The cops say Frosty got violent with them . . . Kevin says he only got violent after they started the arrest process. --He ended up being arrested and charged with assault and disorderly conduct. (Baltimore Sun) (--Here's a photo from the arrest. As you can see they've removed his head, featuring the top hat and carrot nose, but he's still in the bodysuit.)
A Woman Busted for Drunk Driving With Her Daughter Says She Needed to Pound Vodka to Get Through "The Smurfs" Movie:
I didn't see "The Smurfs" movie . . . I have dignity AND I respect my nostalgia too much to ruin it . . . but by all reports, it was horrible. Here's another example of just HOW horrible it was. --This happened in August, when "The Smurfs" was in theaters, but the details are just coming out now. -41-year-old Sarah Boushey of San Francisco, California agreed to take her four-year-old daughter to see "The Smurfs" . . . and Sarah knew it was going to be ROUGH. So she smuggled a BOTTLE OF VODKA into the theater with her. --The movie was even worse than expected, and she ended up putting down HALF the bottle of vodka. --Unfortunately, after the movie, she was dumb enough to get behind the wheel with her four-year-old in the car. And after she sideswiped TWO cars and hit a median, police pulled her over and the daughter told them her mom was drunk. --Sarah couldn't even remember her own name and blew a .35 on the breathalyzer . . . that's more than FOUR TIMES the legal limit and getting up into the "hospitalization" range. --Sarah was due in court last week but didn't show up. There's a warrant out for her arrest. (SF Weekly)
A Verizon Worker Uses His Job to Listen In On His Wife's Phone Calls . . . Then Tries to Strangle Her After She Talks to Another Man:
If you're cheating on someone who works for the phone company AND who's a bit of a psychotic stalker type . . . MAYBE you should think about conducting all your affair-related business on a disposable cell phone. --51-year-old Robert L. Rutledge of Lakeland, Florida works for Verizon as a repair technician. And he suspected his wife was cheating on him. --So using his knowledge and access from his job, he was able to tap into their line remotely and listen to her calls. --That confirmed his suspicions . . . he heard his wife having a conversation with an unknown man. Rutledge disconnected that call . . . then headed home to confront his wife. --When he got there, he CHOKED HER with a rope. She briefly lost consciousness, but was able to escape and run to a neighbor's house. --Rutledge was arrested and charged with attempted murder, obstruction of justice, interception of communication, and domestic violence. --Verizon confirmed he works for them as a repairman. They didn't announce it, but clearly he'll be fired. (Lakeland Ledger)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
We're not convinced that Price Grabber is the best indicator of Black Friday sales, but they say that the most popular items among shoppers this year were plasma and LCD TVs, followed by cameras, tablets and E-readers. (Full Story)
A guy in Tampa stole a 17-foot crab boat last Tuesday, then had to call 911 for help when it ran out of gas, stranding him at sea. He got rescued and arrested. (Full Story)
A candidate lost an election due to a typo on the ballot. A town in Connecticut used the wrong middle initial when they printed his name, so his adult son actually got the most votes for the finance committee position. The son doesn't want the job, but the secretary of state may swear him in anyway. (Full Story)
(NC-17) The new Free Trade Agreement with Colombia eliminates tariffs on 80 American-made products, including our high-quality sex toys. That means Colombians will have lower prices on imported lubricant, lingerie, condoms, and sex dolls. (Full Story)
Mugshot of the day: Last Tuesday, a man was arrested at a club in Atlanta for an outstanding battery warrant. For some reason, he was dressed as a clown. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) CBS Cut to a Shot of the Kicker for the San Diego Chargers . . . While He Was Peeing in a Cup on the Sideline:
If you caught the end of the Broncos-Chargers game yesterday, you may have noticed San Diego's kicker NICK NOVAK doing something strange on the sideline. --The game was tied at 13 with less than two minutes left in regulation, and the announcers were talking about how it could come down to a field goal. So they cut to a shot of Novak on the sideline . . . just as he began PEEING IN A CUP. --You couldn't see anything because Novak had his back to the camera, but it was pretty obvious. He was down on one knee, and a trainer was holding up a towel to block the view. (--Novak ended up missing a 53-yard field goal in overtime, and the Chargers lost 16-13. Search NFL.com for "Nature Calls at a Bad Time for Chargers Kicker.")
#2.) Car Rides Are Great for Dogs . . . but Check Out This Cat's Reaction:
There's a video online called "Car Ride Blows Cat's Mind". It's a black and white cat sitting in a moving car . . . and it's almost like its brain is overloaded by all the stuff whizzing by. His head keeps darting around, and 13 seconds in, his jaw drops.
Four Winter Activities That Can Burn 500 Calories in an Hour:
Chances are you gained a little weight this weekend . . . on top of what you already gained from leftover Halloween candy. So here's something to keep you motivated: Four winter activities that can burn 500 calories in one hour.
#1.) Skiing and Snowboarding. It depends on how much you weigh, and how tough the slopes are. But you can generally expect to burn between 350 and 500 calories an hour.
#2.) Ice Skating. Just skating around in a circle for 60 minutes can burn between 400 and 500 calories.
#3.) Snowshoeing. Not like anybody DOES this. But if you want to strap on snowshoes and go for an hour-long hike, you can easily burn 500 calories or more.
#4.) Sledding. Obviously the actual sledding-downhill part doesn't burn that many calories. But the rest of the time, you're just walking uphill. So one hour of sledding can burn about 400 to 500 calories for the average person. (Yahoo)
Last night, OWN aired a new special called "Being Chaz". It was a follow-up to "Becoming Chaz" . . . the special that chronicled CHAZ BONO'S transformation from woman to man. (--Above the waist anyway. The rest is still TBD.
--The highlight was Chaz proposing to his sexy girlfriend JENNIFER ELIA atop the Space Needle in Seattle. (--Check out a clip here.) --It's kind of an odd, awkward moment, because Chaz never actually asks Jennifer to marry him, and she never says yes. He just gives her the ring as a birthday present. --But she does let him put it on her finger, and she says, quote, "It's gorgeous. Thank you so much. It's stunning. It's huge." (--And who knows: Someday if Chaz has that surgery, she might say those exact words about something else.) --She adds, quote, "This is heavy [crap], man." So yeah, we assume they're now engaged. --Elsewhere on the show, Jennifer cries as Chaz prepares for "Dancing With the Stars" . . . because she's afraid someone will try to KILL him. --She says, quote, "People feel so angry that Chaz is entering their television. People who make change get shot, and I don't think that's worth it . . . This is insane. It's not worth doing a show if you're going to get shot. --"I don't want him to die for a cause." (--There's video of that at the same link.)
Kris Humphries' Idea of Flirting is Burping and Passing Gas on Girls:
It's getting harder and harder to believe that KIM KARDASHIAN let this one get away: KRIS HUMPHRIES' idea of flirting is emitting gas from two distinct parts of his anatomy. --That's according to Bianka Kamber . . . who was Kris' girlfriend before Kim. --Bianka told Britain's "Daily Mail" tabloid, quote, "Kris had no flirting skills whatsoever. Flirting to him was like burping and like blowing it in your face or farting and then throwing the covers over your head. --"Literally, as gross as it sounds, that's how he like broke the ice and that was his flirting." (--You can read Bianka's full interview, and see pictures of her, here.) --Meanwhile . . . there's been a rumor going around that Kris planned to sue Kim for $10 million, because he doesn't like how he's portrayed on her new reality show, "Kourtney and Kim Take New York". --But sources say Kris has no plans to sue because he knows he has no say in the final cut of the show. Also, his relationship with Kim is now, quote, "cordial." (--One last note: There's also a rumor that E! has canceled a Kardashian Christmas special because of all the controversy surrounding the family. But E! says no such special was ever planned.)
Check Out Some Pictures of Jennifer Lopez and Her Boyfriend in Hawaii . . . Including One Where It Looks Like Her Face is in His Lap:
42-year-old JENNIFER LOPEZ spent Thanksgiving in Hawaii with her 24-year-old backup dancer CASPER SMART. And the paparazzi were there. --They grabbed some photos of the two of them at the beach . . . including two in which it REALLY looks like J-Lo's face is buried in Casper's lap. --It was probably just an innocent moment caught at a dirty angle, though . . . because Jennifer's 3-year-old twins Max and Emme were with them. --A source says, quote, "Casper was great with the kids. He was twirling them around and doing flips with Emme and she seemed very comfortable with him. --"Jennifer got a chance to sit back and relax while Casper took over and played." --Another source says Casper seems to be in the relationship for the right reasons . . . quote, "He's not asking Jennifer to buy him this or that. He's courting her, like sending her flowers. I think his intentions are in the right place." (--Check out the pics here.) (TMZ)
Update: Cindy Crawford is Still Hot in a Bikini at 45:
CINDY CRAWFORD spent the weekend at the beach in Los Cabos, Mexico with her husband and kids. And I'm sorry to report, ladies . . . her 45-year-old body is still bangin'. (--Check out some pics here.) (Too Fab)
Madonna's Daughter Wishes She Would Date Men Closer to Her Own Age:
MADONNA'S 15-year-old daughter LOURDES has a problem a lot of teenagers have these days: She's embarrassed by her parents. At least one of them. --According to the "National Enquirer", Lourdes wishes her mom would act her age a little more. And that includes dating guys who aren't young enough to be her older brother. --A source says, quote, "Lourdes is telling pals she wishes her mother would change and be more like other moms. --"Lourdes loves her mother, and her antics are nothing new, but now that she's growing up, she doesn't want anyone to start making fun of her mom and calling her a cougar. --"Lourdes also wishes her mother would date men closer to her own age." --The source adds, quote, "Lourdes just wants their lives to be normal sometimes, but her mother never turns it off or tones it down . . . it's always 'Madonna!' [Lourdes sometimes feels] she is more of a grownup than her mother."
Miley Cyrus Called Herself a "Stoner" . . . But Was She Kidding?
MILEY CYRUS celebrated her 19th birthday last Tuesday night at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. And KELLY OSBOURNE hosted. -One of the highlights was the presentation of Miley's cake . . . which had a picture of Reggae superstar BOB MARLEY on it. --When Miley saw it, she told the crowd, quote, "You know you're a stoner when your friends make you a Bob Marley cake. You know you smoke way too much [effing] weed!" (--There's video. You can see it here.) --Kelly replied, quote, "I thought salvia was your problem." --That was obviously a reference to the video that surfaced last year of Miley getting high on salvia, which is a LEGAL herb. (--Here's that clip.) --The video of Miley and her Bob Marley cake was accompanied by a quote from a supposed friend who said, quote, "Everyone in the room knows she's a pothead." --But Kelly Osbourne says it's NOT true. She hit up Twitter to explain the situation. She said that after the salvia incident, Miley's friends started calling her "Bob Miley" as a JOKE. --She added, quote, "The cake was also a joke! It makes me sick that Miley's so-called 'friends' would sell her out and lead people to believe she is someone that she is not!" --Kelly added, quote, "If Miley isn't recording/filming/touring, she works every day. How could she possibly do all that if she was a stoner?"
Paris Hilton's Black Friday Purchase: A $300,000 Ferrari . . . For Herself:
This is how PARIS HILTON does Black Friday: She spends way too much money . . . ON HERSELF. --Paris had a $300,000 Ferrari Spyder delivered to her Los Angeles home just before noon. She Tweeted, quote, "Just drove my new car for the first time. Such a beautiful car and so much fun to drive! I love it! #YES! I [love] Fast Cars!" --According to "Us Weekly", Paris also owns two Bentleys, a Lexus LFA, a hybrid Escalade and a Range Rover. (--Here's video of the delivery.)
Charlize Theron Wasn't Popular or Attractive Before High School:
In her pre-high school days, CHARLIZE THERON wasn't popular or particularly attractive. She says, quote, "I wore really nerdy glasses because I was blind as could be and the boys didn't like [me]. I didn't have any boyfriends, but lots of crushes." --She adds, quote, "I wasn't in the popular crowd. There was a really popular girl at school and I was obsessed with her. I mean you would go to jail for that stuff today. I was in tears one day because I couldn't sit next to her." --Charlize says she got the "mean girl" treatment between the ages of 7 to 12, but became more immune to it by high school. (--That's probably because Charlize was starting to get hot in high school. Here's a picture.) (--It's from a web page that's got TONS of celebrity high school pics. Some are pretty awesome. Check it out here.)
Why Are Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter on the Cover of a Serbian 8th Grade Biology Textbook from 1998?
An 8th grade Serbian biology textbook from 1998 featured a picture of NICOLAS CAGE and HOLLY HUNTER on the cover. For real. --It's a picture of the two of them from the 1987 comedy "Raising Arizona", and Holly is holding the baby that their characters had KIDNAPPED. (--Check out a picture here.) (Huffington Post) --Apparently this was a mistake. The cover was supposed to depict a happy family. And when the publishers realized what happened, they recalled the book and replaced the cover pic. (--This is the SECOND bizarre Nicolas Cage photo story of the year. Remember back in September, when we saw that 140-year-old photo of the dude who looked exactly like him?)
Stylists Don't Want to Work with Kristen Stewart . . . Because She Doesn't Like to Look Pretty:
Let's be honest: KRISTEN STEWART does NOT like to get all girlie. And apparently, it's costing her. -According to the not-always-reliable "Star" tabloid, Kristen is a FASHION PARIAH thanks to her, quote, "grubby nails, ratty sneakers and bad attitude". Designers and stylists simply don't want to work with her because, quote, "she doesn't want to look good." (--None of which is evident in the wedding scene from "Breaking Dawn". Check out Kristen looking WAY hotter than usual in her wedding dress here.) (E! Online)
Angelina Jolie Also Wanted to Become a Funeral Director:
If acting didn't work out for ANGELINA JOLIE, she might very well have become one of the sexiest funeral directors on the planet. --In an interview airing last night on "60 Minutes", she said, quote, "It sounds like this very strange, eccentric, dark thing to do but in fact I lost my grandfather and was very upset with his funeral. --"How somebody passes and how family deals with this passing and what death is should be addressed in a different way. If this whole acting thing didn't work out that was going to be my path."
The NBA Season May Begin on Christmas Day:
NBA owners and players reached a tentative deal on Saturday, which means there will most likely be a basketball season. --It'll be 66 games long instead of the usual 82, and games will begin on Christmas Day. --The 10-year deal calls for a 50-50 split of basketball-related revenues between the owners and the players. (--You can find more details on the deal here.) --The deal still has to be officially approved by both sides. NBA Commissioner David Stern says, quote, "We want to play basketball. --"[The deal is still] subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations, but we're optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin December 25th." --Players union executive director Billy Hunter added, quote, "We thought it was in both of our interest to try to reach a resolution and save the game and to be able to provide the kind of superb entertainment the NBA historically has provided." --There will be three games on Christmas: Boston at New York, Miami at Dallas and Chicago at Los Angeles.
"Breaking Dawn" Beat "The Muppets" at the Holiday Weekend Box Office:
"Twilight: Breaking Dawn" made another $62.3 million over the long Thanksgiving weekend, and came in #1 for the second week in a row. The movie has now made $221 million in the 10 days since its release.--The "Muppets" movie came in 2nd place with a respectable $42 million. The two other new kids movies didn't do quite as well: "Arthur Christmas" made $17 million in 4th place, and "Hugo" made $15.4 million in 5th place.
Does the Birth Scene in "Breaking Dawn" Cause Seizures?
If you're being pressured by your girlfriend . . . or your suspiciously effeminate boyfriend . . . to see the new "Twilight" movie, "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" . . . I think I have a good defense for you. --Tell him or her that you can't go because you're AFRAID OF HAVING A SEIZURE. --There have been actual cases of people having seizures during the "Breaking Dawn" birth scene . . . because it contains bright flashes of black, white and red. --Those flashes trigger something called PHOTOSENSITIVE EPILEPSY . . . which is a fancy way of saying seizures brought on by flashing lights. --One woman from Sacramento says her boyfriend started, quote, "convulsing, snorting, [and] trying to breathe" during the scene. When the seizure passed, he didn't remember anything, and the rest of the screening was canceled. --A woman in Salt Lake City says her husband, quote, "started mumbling and he was blinking on and off with his eyes at that point. I was kneeling in front of him slapping his face." --She added that a girl had a seizure during that scene at the same theater the following day. (--If it weren't for the girl, I was going to suggest that guys were doing this ON PURPOSE to get out of watching the movie. It would actually make for a much better story, anyway.)
Christian Bale Says He's Definitely Done with Batman:
We've heard CHRISTIAN BALE talk about the end of his reign as Batman before . . . but over Thanksgiving weekend, he pretty much made it official. -He told some newspaper in the Philippines, quote, "I wrapped a few days ago so that will be the last time I'm taking that cowl [Batman hood] off. --"I believe that the whole production wrapped yesterday, so it's all done. Everything's finished. It's me and [director Christopher Nolan] . . . that will be the end of that Batman era." --"The Dark Knight Rises" will be the third in the Christian Bale / Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy that started with "Batman Begins" in 2005. That one took in $372 million worldwide. --The next flick, "The Dark Knight" . . . featuring HEATH LEDGER'S brilliant performance as The Joker . . . made more than $1 BILLION. (--MICHAEL KEATON brought Batman to the big screen in the TIM BURTON franchise that began with the 1989 movie "Batman". After two films together, both Keaton and Burton left.) (--Keaton was replaced first by VAL KILMER, then by GEORGE CLOONEY.) (--But of course the ONE TRUE BATMAN is ADAM WEST . . . who played the character on TV from 1966 to 1968, and in a 1966 movie version of the series. (--Nowhere is Adam's DOMINANCE among Batmen more apparent than in the classic "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb" scene . . . which you can marvel at here.)
Last Season's "American Idol" Top Two, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, Both Had Singing Mishaps on Thanksgiving:
Reigning "American Idol" champ SCOTTY MCCREERY and runner-up LAUREN ALAINA BOTH suffered very public singing mishaps on Thanksgiving. --Scotty was at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, where he was supposed to be lip-synching to his song "The Trouble with Girls". But when the cameras zoomed in, the vocal track started without him. --It wasn't even close . . . he didn't even have the microphone up to his mouth . . . but Scotty quickly jumped in, and pretended to sing the rest of the song. (--You can find video on YouTube.) --But Lauren topped that by messing up the National Anthem before the Detroit Lions / Green Bay Packers game. She was singing LIVE . . . but she tripped over the lyrics in the second line, and STOPPED for a few seconds. --She picked it back up . . . and finished without any other problems. (--You can find video on YouTube.) (--Random Fact: Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, was the six-month anniversary of this season's "American Idol" finale.)
"All My Children" and "One Life to Live" Will *Not* Continue Online:
Canceled soaps "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" will NOT continue on the Internet after all. (--So "All My Children" is completely dead . . . and "One Life to Live" will wrap up for good in January.) --Producers abandoned the idea because it was getting too expensive . . . and "mounting issues" were making it "impossible" to meet their goals and deadlines. (--For more information, hit up EOnline.com.)
TV REMINDERS
--"Monday Night Football" . . . 8:30 to 11:30 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. The New Orleans Saints host the New York Giants at the Superdome in New Orleans.
--"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on ABC.
--"Shrek the Halls" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.
--"The Sing-Off" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. The winner of the $200,000 prize and recording contract is announced.
--"Bored To Death" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on HBO.
--"American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. The best pranks are highlighted from the series.
--"Hoarders" [4th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on A&E.
--"Rizzoli & Isles" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT. Bill O'Reilly guests as himself.
--"Scouted" [Series Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on E! Modeling scouts are followed as they search for the next big supermodel.
--"Bachelorette Party: Las Vegas" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Oxygen.
--"Ridiculousness" . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on MTV. Clips of the late Ryan Dunn.
--"Ryan Dunn Tribute Special" . . . 10:30 to 11:30 P.M. on MTV. Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Rob Dyrdek, Wee Man, Chris Pontius, Jeff Tremaine and the Dunn Family remember Ryan with never-before-seen footage from his early life in Ohio.
--"Cake Boss" [4th Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC.
--"Urban Legends" [3rd Season Finale] . . . Midnight to 12:30 A.M. on Syfy.
VIDEO GAME QUICK HITS
Xbox is Getting a New Social Feature Called Beacons . . . and PS3 Users Who Bought "Battlefield 3" Are Entitled to Vouchers for A Free Game:
--The next Xbox 360 Dashboard Update is coming on December 6th. It includes cloud storage for your game saves and new social networking features like Facebook sharing. (Full Story)
--The new Xbox update includes a feature called Beacons, which let you mark games you want to play with friends. You get three active beacons at a time, which can also have custom notes. It already works on Xbox.com if you'd like a preview. (Full Story)
--PS3 users who bought "Battlefield 3" should have also gotten a free copy of "Battlefield 1943" with the game, but it was shipped without it. So, they're making it up to them with a "Battlefield 1943" voucher on December 10th. (Full Story)
--This week's new downloadable content for the PlayStation Network includes the full version of "Modern Warfare 2", the Sly Cooper trilogy, and "Voltron". (Full Story)
--Here's a list of the Seven Annoying Gamers to Avoid This Thanksgiving, but really this list could just as easily apply to anytime you have a family gathering. And remember, Christmas is right around the corner. (Full Descriptions)
• The Technological Elitist [A-hole]
• The Consoles Suck, It's Better on PC Guy
• The Wait, Hold On, Wait, One More Time, One Sec, Hold On Guy
• The Angry and Disjointed Rage Quitting Family Member
• The Incessant Customizer
• The Kamikaze Drunk Driver Hell Bent on Team Destruction
• The Filthy, Filthy Child
--Delayed Games: Here's a two-page list of 13 games that were supposed to come out in 2011, but they've been pushed back to next year. They include "Kinect Star Wars", "Mass Effect 3", "The Darkness 2", and "Silent Hill Downpour". (Full Story)
NEW ON VIDEO THIS WEEK
--"Five Days of War" - British actors Rupert Friend and Richard Coyle play American journalists who witness the cold blooded murder of innocent civilians during a Russian war that broke out in the middle of the 2008 Olympics. And "Entourage" minx Emmanuelle Chriqui plays a local woman trying to help them escape.
--"One Day" - Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess meet on the day of their college graduation and go their separate ways. Then, we watch as their friendship evolves over 20 years, with glimpses of their lives on the anniversary of the day they met.
--"The Art of Getting By" - "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's" Freddie Highmore plays a teenage slacker on academic probation who falls for Emma Roberts.
--"Our Idiot Brother" - Paul Rudd plays the pot-smoking brother of Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, and Zooey Deschanel. When his girlfriend kicks him out, they take turns letting him live with them. Rashida Jones plays Zooey's lesbian life-partner.
--"Tucker & Dale vs. Evil" - A horror comedy about two rednecks mistaken for killers by a group of paranoid college kids. They save "30 Rock's" Katrina Bowden from drowning, and her friends try to "rescue" her with hilarious but deadly results.
--"30 Minutes or Less" - Jesse Eisenberg is a pizza delivery guy forced to rob a bank after a couple guys kidnap him and strap a bomb to his chest. Aziz Ansari is his best friend, and the kidnappers are comedians Danny McBride and Nick Swardson.
--"Seven Days in Utopia" - Lucas Black plays a golfer whose game falls apart during a big tournament, and Robert Duvall is a small town rancher who helps him get his swing back after Lucas gets stranded in the small town where Duvall lives.
TV Series On DVD:
--"30 Rock: Season 5" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"Hot in Cleveland: Season 2" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"VH1 Storytellers: Dixie Chicks" . . . a single-disc DVD set.
--"The Girls Next Door: The Complete Collection" . . . a 17-disc DVD set. It ran for six seasons.
--"Smallville: The Complete 10th Season" . . . a six-disc set of the final season.
--"Smallville: The Complete Series" . . . a 62-disc DVD set. It ran ten seasons.
--"The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 1" . . . a six-disc set. It ran five seasons.
NEW MUSIC OUT THIS WEEK
This Week's Few CD Releases:
Not of lot of new music gets released during the week after Thanksgiving. Here are your limited choices for what's new in stores . . .
--"Whatever", Hot Chelle Rae (--Demi Lovato appears on a song called "Why Don't You Love Me?)
--"Inevitable", Trey Songz . . . a five-song EP that includes Fabolous on the track "What I Be On".
--"Adele Live At the Royal Albert Hall", Adele . . . (CD/DVD)
--"Aphrodite: Les Folies", Kylie Minogue
--"Beyoncé Live at Roseland: Elements of 4", Beyoncé . . . (2-Disc Deluxe Edition)
LADY GAGA LUNACY
Lady Gaga's Thanksgiving Special Bombed in the Ratings:
LADY GAGA'S 90-minute Thanksgiving special "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving" attracted 5.4 million viewers last Thursday night. That isn't very good. --It lost out to the two CBS repeats it was matched up against. An old episode of "Person of Interest" had 8 million viewers, and 7.8 million viewers watched a repeat of "The Mentalist". --Earlier in the night, another CBS repeat, "The Big Bang Theory" drew 11.2 million viewers . . . and the classic special "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" also edged Lady Gaga, with an audience of 5.8 million viewers. --By the way, the HIGHLIGHT of Lady Gaga's special was when she revealed that TONY BENNETT has seen her naked. (???) She stripped down so that Tony could draw some pictures of her for an upcoming issue of "Vanity Fair". --She said, quote, "I walked in and said, 'Well Tony, here we are' . . . I dropped my robe and I got into position. I felt shy and thought, 'It's Tony Bennett, why am I naked?'" --As strange as this sounds, it isn't completely random. "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving" began with Tony and Lady Gaga performing their duet "The Lady Is a Tramp", which is on Tony's new album, "Duets 2". (--There's video on YouTube.) (--One more thing: Lady Gaga has released a four-song EP called "A Very Gaga Holiday", featuring songs recorded live during the special. It's available digitally on iTunes and Amazon for $3.99.)
(NC-17) Lady Gaga Is Into Well-Endowed Men with Harvard Degrees:
LADY GAGA doesn't exactly seem to ooze sex appeal, but if you're someone who IS interested in her, here's what she's looking for: --According to Britain's "Sun" tabloid, Lady Gaga describes her type as, quote, "[Ranging] from a really big [manhood] to a degree at Harvard." --She adds that she's also attracted to, quote, "Talent and perseverance and pushing the boundaries of love and acceptance." --That being said, it's unclear how available she is. We've heard that Lady Gaga is hooking up with TAYLOR KINNEY from "The Vampire Diaries". (--He didn't go to Harvard, so . . . apparently he qualifies in another way?)
BIEBER FEVER
Justin Bieber's Alleged Baby Mama Wants *Another* Paternity Test:
JUSTIN BIEBER has already been swabbed once . . . but his alleged baby mama Mariah Yeater wants him to do ANOTHER DNA test. Why? --So that Mariah's people can be present to make sure everything is above board. --Her attorney says, quote, "We are trying to set up a DNA test . . . to test the mother and the child and to re-test Justin, because we have to make sure the chain of custody is properly supervised. --"I wasn't aware Justin was allegedly taking a DNA test [two weeks ago] until I read about it. I don't know if it was even his DNA. Evidence has to be properly supervised to make sure it is not corrupted." --Supposedly, Mariah WILL have her baby's DNA swabbed as long as Justin complies with her latest request. Neither Justin nor his people have commented on this. --By the way, Justin had this to say about Mariah on "Letterman" last Wednesday night: Quote, "I think I could smell a weasel, too, a little bit . . . it's pretty crazy, people make up false accusations." (--Dave referred to Mariah as a weasel first.) (--There's video on CBS.com.) (--Speaking of babies, Justin's girlfriend SELENA GOMEZ is going to be a big sister. She just announced that her mother and stepfather are expecting.)
Justin Bieber Can't Name All Seven Continents?
Last week, JUSTIN BIEBER told DAVID LETTERMAN that he'd been to "every continent." But when Dave challenged him to name all seven continents . . . he struggled. --He said, quote, "Asia . . . North America . . . South America . . . um . . . Africa . . . Antarctica . . . and . . . the North Pole?" --That was a joke, but he still had two left. Eventually, he came up with Australia and Europe, but not without some clues from Dave. (--It was random and "on the spot," but a 17-year-old should be able to name all seven continents on the spot, right?) (--Check out video here.)
Check Out Justin Bieber and Boyz II Men's "Fa La La" Video:
JUSTIN BIEBER has released a video for "Fa La La" . . . off his Christmas album, "Under the Mistletoe". The song and video feature BOYZ II MEN. (--You can find the video on VEVO.com.)
"Rolling Stone's" 100 Greatest Guitarists List:
"Rolling Stone" has put out a list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists, which was compiled with input from, quote, "a panel of top guitarists and other experts."
--Some of the voters included: Billy Corgan, Melissa Etheridge, Tom Morello, Santana, Metallica's Kirk Hammett, Motley Crue's Mick Mars, Queen's Brian May, Aerosmith's Joe Perry, Eddie Van Halen and Joe Walsh.
--In the end, JIMI HENDRIX was named THE greatest guitarist. Here's the Top 20:
1.) Jimi Hendrix
2.) Eric Clapton
3.) Jimmy Page
4.) Keith Richards
5.) Jeff Beck
6.) B.B. King
7.) Chuck Berry
8.) Eddie Van Halen
9.) Duane Allman
10.) Pete Townshend
11.) George Harrison
12.) Stevie Ray Vaughan
13.) Albert King
14.) David Gilmour
15.) Freddy King
16.) Derek Trucks
17.) Neil Young
18.) Les Paul
19.) James Burton
20.) Carlos Santana
(--You can find the complete list, along with the names of the expert voters at RollingStone.com.)
George Michael Canceled the Rest of His European Tour Because He Has Pneumonia:
GEORGE MICHAEL canceled the rest of his European tour after being hospitalized with pneumonia. It seems like he's OK though. --A very British-sounding message on his website explains, quote, "George Michael has severe community acquired pneumonia and is being treated as an inpatient. His condition has stabilized and he is responding to treatment. --"The time until recovery cannot be estimated, but he will not be able to perform the rest of the tour. Besides medical treatment, complete rest and peace and quiet are mandatory."
"More More More" Singer Andrea True Has Died:
ANDREA TRUE, who sang the 1976 disco hit "More More More (How Do You Like It)", has died of heart failure. She was 68. (--You can listen to the song, here.) --LEN sampled "More More More" for their 1999 song "Steal My Sunshine". --Before she began a singing career, Andrea was a PORNO STAR . . . and later in her life, she worked as a drug and alcohol counselor, a telemarketer and a real estate agent. (--Andrea's fine classic films included "Head Nurse", "Deep Throat Part 2", "The Wetter the Better" and "Every Inch a Lady".)
MONDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
PIERS MORGAN'S wife gave birth to a baby girl. They named her Elise. (Full Story)
PRINCE WILLIAM took part in the helicopter rescue of four Russian sailors whose boat was sinking in the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales. William is a member of the Royal Air Force. (Full Story)
Check out a video interview with NATALIE WOOD from a few years before she drowned . . . where she talks about a traumatic incident on a movie set in which a director threw her into the ocean. (Video)
LINDSAY LOHAN is actually way ahead in her community service at the L.A. County Morgue . . . and officials say she's, quote, "polite, hard-working and never complains about the work." (Full Story)
Check out a photo gallery of celebrities in the '80s . . . with big hair. (Photos)
DANIEL RADCLIFFE'S parents originally turned down "Harry Potter" . . . because they thought it was too big of a commitment for him. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
BLACK FRIDAY
A Roundup of All the Effed Up Stuff People Did On Black Friday, Including Pepper Spray, Gunshots, and Stepping Over Corpses:
This was the most successful Black Friday EVER in terms of sales. It also seems to have set the record for EFFED UP MOMENTS. --Here's a roundup of some of the things your fellow Americans did to save some money on various items . . .
#1.) The Pepper Spray Incident. At 10:10 P.M. on Thanksgiving, in Porter Ranch, California, just north of Los Angeles, a woman PEPPER SPRAYED her fellow shoppers at a Walmart . . . all to try to clear a path to a crate of Xboxes. --At least 20 people, including children, were injured. The woman surrendered to the cops on Saturday. Her name and the charges against her haven't been released. She's described as Hispanic, in her 30s, about 5-foot-3, and 140 pounds. --And she DID end up buying an Xbox. (Los Angeles Times) (--Here's a video of the pepper spray incident, although it's a little hard to see . . . mostly, this shows a REALLY FRIGHTENING MOB around a crate of Xboxes.)
#2.) The Waffle Maker Riot. Over the weekend, a video surfaced from a Walmart in Little Rock, Arkansas, where people essentially RIOTED over $2 waffle makers. You can actually see people pushing and fighting each other, all for a waffle maker. --You can also see some butt crack from one woman who's desperately fighting for a waffle maker . . . even at the expense of her pants slipping down. (Huffington Post) (--Here's the video.)
#3.) Cops Break Grandpa's Face. At a Walmart in Buckeye, Arizona, 54-year-old Jerald Newman was shopping with his wife and grandson. As a mob descended on the video game section, he wanted to protect his grandson from being trampled. --To free up his hands so he could lift his grandson, he put the video game he was holding into the waistband of his pants. The cops saw THAT, thought he was shoplifting, and SLAMMED him to the ground. His face started bleeding like crazy --He was arrested for shoplifting and resisting arrest. (FOX 10 - Phoenix) (--You can see a video here. Jerald's face is blurred but it's still pretty graphic.)
#4.) Step Over That Corpse For Savings. On Black Friday, 61-year-old Walter Vance of Chapmanville, West Virginia was shopping at Target when he collapsed. He had a history of heart problems and it's believed he had a heart attack. --As he was on the ground, dying, other shoppers stepped over him to continue going after discounts. --A few nurses who were shopping DID stop . . . Walter was taken to the hospital and died that night. (MSNBC)
#5.) Why Wait In Line? Just Shoot People and Steal Their Stuff. Outside of a Walmart in San Leandro, California, 20-year-old Tony Phillips of Oakland waited for people to come out of the store so he could rob them. --When one man wouldn't give up his purchases, Phillips SHOT HIM. Fortunately, the man survived and is being treated. Phillips was arrested for attempted homicide and attempted robbery. (San Leandro Patch)
#6.) The Manhattan Looting Incident. On Thanksgiving night, people started lining up outside of a Hollister clothing store in the SoHo area of Manhattan. They were waiting for it to open at midnight for Black Friday like so many other stores. --There was one problem. Hollister wasn't doing a midnight Black Friday opening, they were doing a 10:00 A.M. opening. And the crowd at midnight started getting angrier and angrier. --It boiled over by 1:15 A.M. and the shoppers ended up BREAKING DOWN THE DOORS . . . and LOOTING the place. The employees who were in the store setting up for the morning sale couldn't stop the gigantic mob. --The police are reviewing the security tapes . . . a source says the most frightening aspect is, quote, "people inside going through clothes as though they were leisurely shopping." (New York Post)
Black Friday Set the All-Time Sales Record:
Most stores opened earlier than ever for Black Friday. And yes, people were shot, pepper sprayed, and trampled . . . but DAMN the stores move a lot of merchandise. --According to ShopperTrak, which monitors foot traffic and sales at malls and stores, this was the most successful Black Friday ever . . . and the single biggest day of retail sales in U.S. HISTORY. --Sales were up a gargantuan 6.6% this year. At least $11.4 BILLION worth of merchandise was sold. --Compare that to last year. In 2010, there was only a 0.3% climb in sales . . . 22 times smaller than the rise this year. And there was $10.7 BILLION worth of sales last year, which was the all-time record at the time. --Online sales were up 39.3% on Thanksgiving this year and up 24.3% on Black Friday compared to last year. --As for whether people were spending that money on gifts or themselves . . . it's getting closer to 50-50. In 2010, only 33% of purchases were people getting stuff for themselves. This year that made a monster jump to 44%. (CNN Money)
A Target Employee Worked Overnight on Black Friday . . . Then Drove Her Car Into a Canal on the Way Home:
Target was one of the retail stores that decided to get a jump on Black Friday by opening at midnight. --Target employees across the nation started online petitions protesting the decision, and complained that it meant they couldn't spend Thanksgiving with their families. --But some employees put in a full day of celebrating on Thanksgiving and then headed to work afterwards for an all-night shift, leaving them DANGEROUSLY SLEEP DEPRIVED. --That could be why an unnamed 36-year-old woman who worked at a Target in Palm Beach, Florida ended up driving into a canal on her way home from work Friday morning. --She worked the overnight shift, then headed home at 7:00 A.M. Friday morning. She lost control of her Pontiac and plunged into the canal. --Police got a call from her at 7:39. She'd managed to get out of the car, but was clinging to it in the middle of the water. The car was sinking fast, and she couldn't swim. --In a panic, she nearly drowned the first police officer who swam out to rescue her, and it took three cops to fish her out of the water. (Palm Beach Post)
Hope You Liked Black Friday's Midnight Openings, Because They're Here to Stay:
Stores posted all-time record sales on Black Friday and the ones that opened at midnight or earlier . . . including Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and Macy's . . . all reported enormous sales. SO . . . expect those early openings to be back next year. --Terry Lundgren is the CEO of Macy's. He says they LOVED the midnight opening because it brought a younger crowd they usually don't get on Black Friday. Then, around 4:00 A.M., the usual, older Black Friday crowd came as a second wave. (Reuters)
A Local News Black Friday Graphic Accidentally Says "Black Holiday Shoppers" . . . In Front of a Line of Black Holiday Shoppers:
On Thanksgiving night, WBAL, the NBC affiliate in Baltimore, was doing a story on people lined up outside of Target. --And they had a graphic on the screen that was probably supposed to say "Black Friday Holiday Shoppers." --Unfortunately for them, they forgot the word "Friday." So the graphic onscreen read "Black Holiday Shoppers." And, yes, it just so happened to be onscreen while they were showing a full line of black people. (Mediaite) (--Here's a screengrab from the broadcast. You can also see the clip here.)
3% of People Admit They've Physically or Verbally Fought Someone for an Item at a Store:
When you see footage from the MOB SCENES on Black Friday, you've got to wonder, "Who ARE these lunatics?" Well . . . they're out there. And there might be more than we realize. --The website Ebates.com released the results of a new survey asking people what bad things they do when they're out Christmas shopping. And they found . . .
--6% of people admit they've cut in line while Christmas shopping.
--6% have fought over a parking spot or stolen someone else's parking spot.
--4% have parked in a handicapped spot.
--3% have actually stolen an item out of someone else's shopping cart.
--And 3% admit they've physically or verbally FOUGHT SOMEONE over an item.
--As a result of all this, the survey found that 96% of people say they're dreading some aspect of holiday shopping.
(CBS 10 - Tampa)
If Your Holidays Are Stressful, It Might Be Because of Your Decorations . . . Here Are Three Ways to Fix Them:
Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, a lot of us will be breaking out the Christmas decorations. But if you're not careful, apparently you can ruin the holiday season with poor placement. --Robyn Bentley says she's an expert on the proper placement of household items. She also calls herself the Feng Shui Diva . . . so take this with a grain of salt. --She points out that many families have more sickness over the holiday season, people argue more, and feel more depressed . . . and she blames the decorations. So here are her decorating tips:
#1.) No red lights on the East or South sides of your house: According to Robyn, there's illness energy in the East and South sections of every house. And red lights add the "fire" element to your home. --Obviously, you don't want such an intense element in areas of the house filled with illness energy. So use silver, white, and gold there instead.
#2.) Don't create clutter or obstacles: First of all, squeezing past the talking, dancing snowman to get into the kitchen is just going to increase everyone's stress level. But clutter also slows the "chi flow" in your home.
#3.) Turn the Christmas lights off at bedtime: Too much light makes your body think it's daytime, and you won't get restful sleep. So turn off the holiday light display before hitting the sack. (FengShuiDiva.com)
63% of People Plan to Send a Real Holiday Card Through the Mail:
One Christmas isn't going to save the Postal Service. But at least it looks like they'll have something to keep themselves busy. --According to a new survey, 63% of people say they plan to mail a holiday card this year, whether it's a Christmas card or letter to all of their family or friends or just a regular Hallmark card. --People also say they prefer hard-copy cards to e-cards, email, and phone calls. (San Jose Mercury News)
"Time" Magazine Uses a Cover About "Why Anxiety is Good For You" in the U.S. . . . and a Cover Featuring Real News Everywhere Else:
Man, this is embarrassing. For the new December 5th issue of "Time" magazine, here in the U.S., the cover story is about "Why Anxiety is Good For You" and features a cartoon man. -But if you look on their website at "Time" in other countries . . . EVERY SINGLE OTHER country is getting a cover featuring real, NOT self-centered, hard news about the revolution in Egypt featuring a man rioting in the street. (Gawker) (--Here's a screengrab from the "Time" site showing the cartoon U.S. cover versus the international cover.)
Do You Spend More Time Online Than In Bed?
Here's a kinda brutal way to put your Internet addiction AND your lack of sleep in perspective. --A new survey asked people if they spent more time online every day than they do in bed, asleep. And A LOT of people do. --More than one-in-four men and one-in-five women say that, yes, they spend more time on the Internet than asleep.
--Here are some more findings from the survey . . .
--5% of people check their email more than 20 times a day.
--14% check their social media accounts more than six times a day.
--And 51% say they suffer from some anxiety if they're away from their email or Facebook for too long.
(AOL Lifestyle)
You Spend One Hour a Month and 40 Days of Your Life Hugging:
HUGGING plays a way bigger role in your life than you ever quite realized. --According to a new study out of England, the average person wants a hug THIRTEEN TIMES a day. Each of those hugs averages 9.5 seconds. (--That seems like a LOT of hugging for an awful LONG time to me . . .) --And every month, we spend one hour hugging. That means you spend somewhere around 40 FULL DAYS of your life hugging. --The study also found that 69% of people turn to their significant other for a hug. (--And hopefully 100% turn to them for a 69.) --14% look to close friends when they want a hug . . . 9% look to their parents. --About 14% said that they do their hugging in private because public displays of affection are inappropriate. --33% said it's inappropriate to hug in the workplace. (Times of India)
Want a Higher Salary? Play Golf:
Everyone has always kinda known that golf is a really big part of getting ahead in business . . . now, there's actually science to prove it. --A new study out of Spain found that managers who don't golf make 17% less money than ones who do. --The reason is pretty clear. When you're out golfing for three or four hours with your boss, you're building a great bond . . . and that factors in, whether subconsciously or not, when it's time for promotions and raises. --People who golf with clients also build more loyalty, which helps their career in the long run. (Business Wings)
What's Your Dream Home? The Average Person Wants a Mix Between Rural Land and City Convenience:
A new survey asked people to describe their dream house and, basically, the average person wants something that seems pretty obscure . . . an isolated, rural house on a lot of land that's also very convenient to work and shopping. --Here's the breakdown of the average dream house . . . --In a rural area, on at least a half-acre of land. --So isolated that you can get privacy without having to close the curtains. --BUT . . . less than 10 miles from work, less than five miles from the nearest town, and less than two miles away from school, the grocery store, and the doctor. --And despite the isolation, people want good neighbors who they're on a first-name basis with. --The only things people want from the house itself are four bedrooms, a study, a dining room, and a kitchen with a breakfast nook. --As for any "fantasy" elements of the house, there was only one that made the list . . . about half of the people polled wanted an indoor swimming pool. --About 10% of people surveyed said they were already living in their dream house. 25% of people say they're saving for it. The rest don't think they'll ever achieve their fantasy. (PR Newswire)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
Frosty the Snowman Has Been Arrested in Maryland:
It's a bad start to the Christmas season for Frosty the Snowman. On Saturday, he was arrested for fighting with cops and kicking a police dog. --Now, allegedly, it wasn't the REAL Frosty the Snowman. It was actually 52-year-old Kevin Michael Walsh of Chestertown, Maryland who was dressed up as Frosty for Chestertown's annual Christmas parade. --Kevin has played Frosty in the parade for at least the past 10 years. --His account of what happened and the cops' accounts differ but, basically, they got into an argument about the police dog being at the parade. --The cops say Frosty got violent with them . . . Kevin says he only got violent after they started the arrest process. --He ended up being arrested and charged with assault and disorderly conduct. (Baltimore Sun) (--Here's a photo from the arrest. As you can see they've removed his head, featuring the top hat and carrot nose, but he's still in the bodysuit.)
A Woman Busted for Drunk Driving With Her Daughter Says She Needed to Pound Vodka to Get Through "The Smurfs" Movie:
I didn't see "The Smurfs" movie . . . I have dignity AND I respect my nostalgia too much to ruin it . . . but by all reports, it was horrible. Here's another example of just HOW horrible it was. --This happened in August, when "The Smurfs" was in theaters, but the details are just coming out now. -41-year-old Sarah Boushey of San Francisco, California agreed to take her four-year-old daughter to see "The Smurfs" . . . and Sarah knew it was going to be ROUGH. So she smuggled a BOTTLE OF VODKA into the theater with her. --The movie was even worse than expected, and she ended up putting down HALF the bottle of vodka. --Unfortunately, after the movie, she was dumb enough to get behind the wheel with her four-year-old in the car. And after she sideswiped TWO cars and hit a median, police pulled her over and the daughter told them her mom was drunk. --Sarah couldn't even remember her own name and blew a .35 on the breathalyzer . . . that's more than FOUR TIMES the legal limit and getting up into the "hospitalization" range. --Sarah was due in court last week but didn't show up. There's a warrant out for her arrest. (SF Weekly)
A Verizon Worker Uses His Job to Listen In On His Wife's Phone Calls . . . Then Tries to Strangle Her After She Talks to Another Man:
If you're cheating on someone who works for the phone company AND who's a bit of a psychotic stalker type . . . MAYBE you should think about conducting all your affair-related business on a disposable cell phone. --51-year-old Robert L. Rutledge of Lakeland, Florida works for Verizon as a repair technician. And he suspected his wife was cheating on him. --So using his knowledge and access from his job, he was able to tap into their line remotely and listen to her calls. --That confirmed his suspicions . . . he heard his wife having a conversation with an unknown man. Rutledge disconnected that call . . . then headed home to confront his wife. --When he got there, he CHOKED HER with a rope. She briefly lost consciousness, but was able to escape and run to a neighbor's house. --Rutledge was arrested and charged with attempted murder, obstruction of justice, interception of communication, and domestic violence. --Verizon confirmed he works for them as a repairman. They didn't announce it, but clearly he'll be fired. (Lakeland Ledger)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
We're not convinced that Price Grabber is the best indicator of Black Friday sales, but they say that the most popular items among shoppers this year were plasma and LCD TVs, followed by cameras, tablets and E-readers. (Full Story)
A guy in Tampa stole a 17-foot crab boat last Tuesday, then had to call 911 for help when it ran out of gas, stranding him at sea. He got rescued and arrested. (Full Story)
A candidate lost an election due to a typo on the ballot. A town in Connecticut used the wrong middle initial when they printed his name, so his adult son actually got the most votes for the finance committee position. The son doesn't want the job, but the secretary of state may swear him in anyway. (Full Story)
(NC-17) The new Free Trade Agreement with Colombia eliminates tariffs on 80 American-made products, including our high-quality sex toys. That means Colombians will have lower prices on imported lubricant, lingerie, condoms, and sex dolls. (Full Story)
Mugshot of the day: Last Tuesday, a man was arrested at a club in Atlanta for an outstanding battery warrant. For some reason, he was dressed as a clown. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) CBS Cut to a Shot of the Kicker for the San Diego Chargers . . . While He Was Peeing in a Cup on the Sideline:
If you caught the end of the Broncos-Chargers game yesterday, you may have noticed San Diego's kicker NICK NOVAK doing something strange on the sideline. --The game was tied at 13 with less than two minutes left in regulation, and the announcers were talking about how it could come down to a field goal. So they cut to a shot of Novak on the sideline . . . just as he began PEEING IN A CUP. --You couldn't see anything because Novak had his back to the camera, but it was pretty obvious. He was down on one knee, and a trainer was holding up a towel to block the view. (--Novak ended up missing a 53-yard field goal in overtime, and the Chargers lost 16-13. Search NFL.com for "Nature Calls at a Bad Time for Chargers Kicker.")
#2.) Car Rides Are Great for Dogs . . . but Check Out This Cat's Reaction:
There's a video online called "Car Ride Blows Cat's Mind". It's a black and white cat sitting in a moving car . . . and it's almost like its brain is overloaded by all the stuff whizzing by. His head keeps darting around, and 13 seconds in, his jaw drops.
Four Winter Activities That Can Burn 500 Calories in an Hour:
Chances are you gained a little weight this weekend . . . on top of what you already gained from leftover Halloween candy. So here's something to keep you motivated: Four winter activities that can burn 500 calories in one hour.
#1.) Skiing and Snowboarding. It depends on how much you weigh, and how tough the slopes are. But you can generally expect to burn between 350 and 500 calories an hour.
#2.) Ice Skating. Just skating around in a circle for 60 minutes can burn between 400 and 500 calories.
#3.) Snowshoeing. Not like anybody DOES this. But if you want to strap on snowshoes and go for an hour-long hike, you can easily burn 500 calories or more.
#4.) Sledding. Obviously the actual sledding-downhill part doesn't burn that many calories. But the rest of the time, you're just walking uphill. So one hour of sledding can burn about 400 to 500 calories for the average person. (Yahoo)
posted by Nazzy @ 6:02 AM
0 Comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home