HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (12-01-11)
THE GRAMMY NOMINEES
Kanye West and Adele Lead the Grammy Nominees:
Nominees for the "54th Grammy Awards" were announced yesterday, and KANYE WEST leads the pack with SEVEN nods. And yet something tells me he'll STILL complain. --That's because his album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", is NOT up for Album of the Year. --If it's any consolation, though, he's up for Best Rap Album TWICE . . . for his solo album and the disc he did with JAY-Z, "Watch the Throne". --TAYLOR SWIFT isn't up for Album of the Year, either. These seem to be among the biggest snubs this year. --ADELE, the FOO FIGHTERS and BRUNO MARS are close behind Kanye with SIX nominations each. And all their discs ARE up for Album of the Year. --LIL WAYNE and dubstep artist SKRILLEX got FIVE nods each. --The Grammys air live on February 12th on CBS.
Album of the Year:
--"21", Adele
--"Wasting Light", Foo Fighters
--"Born This Way", Lady Gaga
--"Doo-Wops & Hooligans", Bruno Mars
--"Loud", Rihanna
Record of the Year:
--"Rolling in the Deep", Adele
--"Holocene", Bon Iver
--"Grenade", Bruno Mars
--"The Cave", Mumford & Sons
--"Firework", Katy Perry
Song of the Year:
--"All of the Lights", Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie
--"The Cave", Mumford & Sons
--"Grenade", Bruno Mars
--"Holocene", Bon Iver
--"Rolling in the Deep", Adele
Best New Artist:
--The Band Perry
--Bon Iver
--J. Cole
--Nicki Minaj
--Skrillex
Best Pop Vocal Album:
--"21", Adele
--"The Lady Killer", Cee Lo Green
--"Born This Way", Lady Gaga
--"Doo-Wops & Hooligans", Bruno Mars
--"Loud", Rihanna
Best Pop Solo Performance:
--"Someone Like You", Adele
--"You and I", Lady Gaga
--"Grenade", Bruno Mars
--"Firework", Katy Perry
--"[Effin'] Perfect", Pink
Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group:
--"Body and Soul", Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse
--"Dearest", The Black Keys
--"Paradise", Coldplay
--"Pumped Up Kicks", Foster the People
--"Moves Like Jagger", Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera
Best Dance Recording:
--"Raise Your Weapon", Deadmau5 and Greta Svabo Bech
--"Barbra Streisand", Duck Sauce
--"Sunshine", David Guetta & Avicii
--"Call Your Girlfriend ", Robyn
--"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites", Skrillex
--"Save the World", Swedish House Mafia
Best Rock Song:
--"Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall", Coldplay
--"Down By the Water", The Decemberists
--"Walk", Foo Fighters
--"The Cave", Mumford & Sons
--"Lotus Flower", Radiohead
Best Rock Album:
--"Rock 'N' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul", Jeff Beck
--"Wasting Light", Foo Fighters
--"Come Around Sundown", Kings of Leon
--"I'm with You", Red Hot Chili Peppers
--"The Whole Love", Wilco
Best Alternative Music Album:
--"Bon Iver", Bon Iver
--"Codes and Keys", Death Cab for Cutie
--"Torches", Foster the People
--"Circuital", My Morning Jacket
--"The King of Limbs", Radiohead
Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance:
--"On the Backs of Angels", Dream Theater
--"White Limo", Foo Fighters
--"Curl of the Burl", Mastodon
--"Public Enemy #1", Megadeth
--"Blood in My Eyes", Sum 41
Best R&B Song:
--"Far Away", Marsha Ambrosius
--"Fool for You", Cee Lo Green and Melanie Fiona
--"Not My Daddy", Kelly Price and Stokley
--"Pieces of Me", Ledisi
--"You Are", Charlie Wilson
Best R&B Album:
--"F.A.M.E.", Chris Brown
--"Second Chance", El DeBarge
--"Love Letter", R. Kelly
--"Pieces of Me", Ledisi
--"Kelly", Kelly Price
Best R&B Performance
--"Far Away", Marsha Ambrosius
--"Is This Love", Corinne Bailey Rae
--"Not My Daddy", Kelly Price and Stokley
--"Pieces of Me", Ledisi
--"You Are", Charlie Wilson
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance:
--"Sometimes I Cry", Eric Benét
--"Fool For You", Cee Lo Green and Melanie Fiona
--"Radio Message", R. Kelly
--"Good Man", Raphael Saadiq
--"Surrender", Betty Wright and The Roots
Best Rap Song:
--"All of the Lights", Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie
--"Black and Yellow ", Wiz Khalifa
--"I Need a Doctor", Dr. Dre, Eminem and Skylar Grey
--"Look at Me Now", Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes
--"Otis", Jay-Z and Kanye West
--"The Show Goes On", Lupe Fiasco
Best Rap Album:
--"Watch the Throne", Jay-Z and Kanye West
--"Tha Carter 4", Lil Wayne
--"Lasers", Lupe Fiasco
--"Pink Friday", Nicki Minaj
--"My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", Kanye West
Best Rap Performance:
--"Look at Me Now", Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes
--"Black and Yellow ", Wiz Khalifa
--"Moment 4 Life", Nicki Minaj featuring Drake
--"Otis", Jay-Z and Kanye West
--"The Show Goes On", Lupe Fiasco
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
--"Party", Beyoncé featuring Andre 3000
--"I'm on One", DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
--"I Need a Doctor", Dr. Dre, Eminem and Skylar Grey
--"What's My Name", Rihanna featuring Drake
--"Motivation", Kelly Rowland featuring Lil Wayne
--"All of the Lights", Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie
Best Country Song:
--"Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not", Thompson Square
--"God Gave Me You", Blake Shelton
--"Just Fishin'", Trace Adkins
--"Mean", Taylor Swift
--"Threaten Me With Heaven", Vince Gill
--"You And Tequila", Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
Best Country Album:
--"My Kinda Party", Jason Aldean
--"Chief", Eric Church
--"Own the Night", Lady Antebellum
--"Red River Blue", Blake Shelton
--"Here for a Good Time", George Strait
--"Speak Now", Taylor Swift
Best Country Solo Performance:
--"Dirt Road Anthem", Jason Aldean
--"I'm Gonna Love You Through It", Martina McBride
--"Honey Bee", Blake Shelton
--"Mean", Taylor Swift
--"Mama's Song", Carrie Underwood
Best Country Performance By a Duo or Group:
--"Don't You Wanna Stay", Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
--"You and Tequila", Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
--"Barton Hollow", The Civil Wars
--"Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not", Thompson Square
(--You can sort through ALL 78 categories at Grammy.com.)
Kris Humphries is Seeking an Annulment:
KRIS HUMPHRIES is not going to sign KIM KARDASHIAN'S divorce papers after all. Instead, he's going to try to have the marriage ANNULLED. --If he gets his way, that'll mean that legally, their 72-day marriage NEVER HAPPENED. --Can you guess what grounds Kris is citing for annulment? Of course you can: FRAUD. Sources tell TMZ, quote, "Kris wanted this to be a genuine marriage, but Kim was never really on board." --It's not clear what Kris has to gain financially from an annulment as opposed to a divorce. (--There was a prenup . . . but maybe the way it's worded, Kris has more legal leeway to stick it to Kim this way. If anybody with legal knowledge has a theory, give us a call.) (--One thing Kris could get out of this is a court siding with him that this WAS a fraudulent marriage. That's a nice MORAL victory . . . and who knows, maybe he's planning to SUE.) (--A judge saying Kim defrauded Kris would definitely help his case.) (--There are also sources that say Kim had wanted an annulment from the beginning, but her attorneys were against it. So she's actually HAPPY that Kris is going for one.)
Kourtney Kardashian is Pregnant Again:
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN and her boyfriend, SCOTT DISICK, are expecting another kid. Their son Mason turns 2 on December 14th. --Kourtney says, quote, "Now I'm nine weeks along. You're supposed to wait 12 weeks to tell people, but I feel confident." --Scott adds, quote, "It wasn't like we weren't trying. We kind of just said, 'If it's meant to be, it'll be.'" --Kourtney's sister KIM told "People" magazine, quote, "It's so exciting! They are so happy and so am I!" --And KHLOE wrote this on her blog . . . quote, "We are all so overjoyed by this wonderful news and are counting down the minutes until we get to meet the newest member of our family. --"Kourtney is the greatest mom in the world and I am so proud of the woman she has become. I can't wait to see her with a kid in each arm!"
Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler are Engaged Again:
Reality TV star KRISTIN CAVALLARI and Chicago Bears quarterback JAY CUTLER are engaged again. Yesterday, Kristin Tweeted, quote, "This time it's official. Jay and I are engaged again." (--She's 24, he's 28.) --Kristin and Jay originally got engaged back in April . . . but they split up in July. Then in the fall, he started showing up in the audience to root for her on "Dancing With the Stars". --And while they never announced anything, it was obvious at that point that they were back on. --We never found out why they called things off the first time, but the accepted story in the gossip rags was that Jay dumped Kristin . . . and it was pretty much outta nowhere.
Check Out Some Pictures of Jennifer Lopez and Casper Smart Kissing . . . And One of Casper Playing With J-Lo's Daughter:
It's time to stop speculating as to whether or not JENNIFER LOPEZ is nailing 24-year-old backup dancer CASPER SMART . . . and time to fully realize that it's on.--If you still don't believe it, maybe some pictures of them KISSING will change your mind. --As an added bonus, we also have one of Casper playing with J-Lo's 3-year-old daughter Emme at the beach. (--Check 'em out here.) (Too Fab, Us Weekly)
Lacey Schwimmer from "Dancing With the Stars" Got Her Boobs Enlarged:
If CHAZ BONO'S partner LACEY SCHWIMMER looked a little chestier during this season of "Dancing With the Stars", here's why: She got her CANS ENLARGED. --"Us Weekly" says she went under the knife pretty recently . . . we assume they mean sometime before the latest season . . . and pumped herself up from a B to a D-cup. (--Here's a before-and-after pic. We're not sure, but the "before" shot looks kind of old.) (Us Weekly)
Katy Perry and Russell Brand Are Not Divorcing:
There's a rumor going around the World Wide Web of Misinformation that KATY PERRY and RUSSELL BRAND are headed for divorce. But it sounds like it's bogus. --Most news outlets that reported it cited TMZ . . . but TMZ says it never posted such a story. The site even contacted the appropriate reps and concluded, quote, "100% no divorce."
Ashton Kutcher Went Back to His Hometown in Iowa and Was Swarmed by Girls:
The Good News: ASHTON KUTCHER returned to his hometown last week, and was swarmed by girls. The Bad News: Ashton's hometown is in Iowa. (--I kid, I kid. I LOVE the cornfed Iowa girls!) --Ashton and some friends hit a few bars in Iowa City, and a source says, quote, "He was drinking beer, and girls kept coming up to him. He loved the attention. Girls were hugging him and shaking his hand. --"He was swarmed by girls. A few tried to convince him to go to a strip club . . . but he declined!"
Gwyneth Paltrow Says Her Father Was Responsible for the First Interracial Kiss on TV . . . But He Wasn't:
In the 1970s, GWYNETH PALTROW'S father BRUCE was a writer and director for a TV drama called "The White Shadow" . . . which was about a white basketball coach at an inner-city high school. --In a recent interview, Gwyneth was talking about her dad's contribution to the bettering of race relations through that show . . . which is fine. But she made one big mistake. --Gwyneth said, quote, "He did a lot of 'firsts' on that show. He had the first interracial kiss ever. It was a good show." (--You can see video of her making the claim here. Skip to the 1:30 mark.) --But that statement is FACTUALLY INCORRECT. --TV's first interracial kiss was between WILLIAM SHATNER'S Captain Kirk and NICHELLE NICHOLS' Lieutenant Uhura on "Star Trek" in 1968. --"The White Shadow" ran from 1978 to 1981. (--Here's the kiss. And here's video of Shatner discussing it.)
Courtney Love Says She's Helping Lindsay Lohan:
COURTNEY LOVE seems like the worst person you could ask to help you straighten out your life. And LINDSAY LOHAN seems like one of the worst decision-makers EVER. So guess where I'm going with this: --Courtney has been helping Lindsay turn things around. (???) She says, quote, "I've taken up Lohan because nobody else will. She's further down the line than I was, because there was no [gossip website] TMZ then." --But Lindsay's people don't want anyone getting the wrong idea here. Her rep says, quote, "Courtney Love is not, nor has she ever been, Lindsay's sober coach. Lindsay is, however, grateful for her friendship."
Ali Lohan Says Plastic Surgery Rumors are "Stupid":
17-year-old ALI LOHAN is denying rumors that she's already had plastic surgery. She says, quote, "It's stupid. I don't listen to it. It's absolutely not true. --"I was cracking up. Because, like, when would I do that? I'm 17 years old. That's not legal! I would need my mother's signature, and do you think my mom would sign off on that? No!" (--Is anyone buying THAT?)
Charlie Sheen Was the Most-Searched Celebrity on AOL . . . Justin Bieber Came in Second:
JUSTIN BIEBER may have been the most-searched celebrity on Bing this year, but AOL was a different story. Bieber came in SECOND on their list . . . behind CHARLIE SHEEN.
--Here's the Top 10 . . .
#1.) Charlie Sheen
#2.) Justin Bieber
#3.) Kate Middleton
#4.) Jennifer Aniston
#5.) Kim Kardashian
#6.) Tiger Woods
#7.) Lindsay Lohan
#8.) Amy Winehouse
#9.) Glenn Beck
#10.) Pippa Middleton
(--You can check out all of AOL's yearly search results here.)
Kim Kardashian Can Make $75,000 for a Speech . . . And Paris Hilton Can Make $110,000:
Believe it or not, people actually want to hear what KIM KARDASHIAN and PARIS HILTON have to say. And they're willing to pay a lot of money to hear it. --According to a new list of the most overpaid celebrity public speakers, Kim can make up to $75,000 for a speech . . . while Paris can pull down $110,000. (???) (--You can see the list here. But be warned: It's not very glamorous. Most of them are actually lame political noisemakers.)
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
Two Weird Sex Films Are Out This Week . . . and Two "Twilight" Stars Date in the Movie "A Warrior's Heart":
No wide releases this week, but there are a few movies starting limited runs . . .
#1.) "Sleeping Beauty" (Unrated, but contains sex and drugs) (Trailer) (Limited) Emily Browning plays a college student who earns extra money by taking a drug that knocks her out . . . so horny old men can enjoy her sleeping body. And it's not long before she's desperate to know what happens to her in her sleep. --She spends a lot of the film completely naked, which is a pretty big shift for her: She started out as Violet in "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events", and was Baby Doll in "Sucker Punch". (--Pictures and video of Emily in ALL HER GLORY have hit the web. WARNING: Full-frontal nudity awaits you. Not to mention uncompromising views of withered, naked old johns climbing on her and feeling her up. Here's the link.)
#2.) "A Warrior's Heart" (PG) (Trailer) (L.A., New York, and Video on Demand)
"Twilight" stud Kellan Lutz turns self-destructive after his dad dies in combat. But then his dad's old Marine buddy bails him out of jail, and helps him get his head straight by hauling him off to a Native American work camp. --It's a sports movie too: "Glee's" Chord Overstreet is his rival on a lacrosse team, and his dad's friend teaches him the game's Native American roots. He's played by Adam Beach, the guy Hollywood always turns to for Native American roles. --But the most interesting choice was casting Ashley Greene as Kellan's girlfriend. They play Emmett and Alice Cullen in the "Twilight" movies, which explains this movie's nauseating tagline: "In the twilight of their youth, her love gave him the courage to win."
#3.) "Coriolanus" (R) (Trailer) (Limited)
Ralph Fiennes plays the Roman general Coriolanus, who offers his military genius to a sworn enemy . . . Gerard Butler . . . after being betrayed and banished by his people. --It's a modern retelling of a Shakespeare play that looks more like "Call of Duty". So you can immerse yourself in the action without getting bogged down in all the thee's and thou's . . . and watch a battle between Voldemort and King Leonidas.
FBI Agents Hate "J. Edgar" Because of the Implied Gayness:
FBI agents are HATING on LEONARDO DICAPRIO'S new movie "J. Edgar" . . . because it implies that former FBI head J. EDGAR HOOVER may have been gay. --Bill Branon . . . a former agent and chairman of the J. Edgar Hoover Foundation, says, quote, "I don't know anyone who's not extremely upset . . . It's not only because of our admiration for him. It's the fact it's just not true. --"If it were true, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. But don't do that to the poor guy when he's dead and gone." --Gregg Schwarz is a retired agent who joined the FBI in 1972 . . . and he was so upset about the movie that he made a YouTube video to complain about it. (--You can watch it here.) --He says, quote, "Mr. Hoover is portrayed as an individual who had homosexual tendencies and was a tyrannical monster who ran the FBI with a strong fist and had very little personal life . . . that's clearly not true." --He also says that filmmakers who interviewed people about Hoover's life were TOLD there was no evidence of Hoover's homosexuality. But they apparently ignored that information. --Not surprisingly, he hopes you DON'T go see "J. Edgar". (--You can read the complaints of these guys and a few others at the Washington Post.)
MTV Says "The Dark Knight Rises" Had the Best Trailer of 2011:
Are we really compiling lists of the best movie TRAILERS now? Really? Yes, we are. MTV has one. And the trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises" tops it.
--Here are MTV's Top Trailers of 2011:
#1.) "The Dark Knight Rises"
#2.) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
#3.) "Snow White and the Huntsman"
#4.) "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
#5.) "The Hunger Games"
#6.) "X-Men: First Class"
#7.) "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
#8.) "Like Crazy"
#9.) "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" (--Nicolas Cage PEES FIRE. You simply CAN'T argue with that.)
#10.) "American Reunion"
(--Check out MTV's list of the Top 20 Trailers of 2011 . . . along with links to all the video clips . . . here.)
Exciting News! The Bulk of Barbara Walters' "Most Fascinating People of the Year" List Has Been Revealed:
BARBARA WALTERS has announced some of the luminaries that will be featured on her annual "Most Fascinating People of the Year" special. --This is a HUGE deal. Barbara is 82 years old. She doesn't get out of bed to be fascinated by just anyone anymore . . . you have to truly be a world-changing MEGA FORCE. Seriously, these days she sets the bar for fascination. --That's why it's with great sadness that we reveal that this year's list includes THE KARDASHIANS . . . Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and their mother KRIS JENNER. (--This works sort of like Groundhog Day. If you were hoping that the Kardashians would start fading into obscurity sometime soon, this annihilates those hopes. A spot on Barbara's "Most Fascinating People" list is good for at least another year of uncompromising cultural relevance.) (???)
--Here are the other people that fascinated the hell out of Barbara this year:
--Simon Cowell
--Katy Perry
--Donald Trump
--Kate Middleton's hot sister Pippa Middleton. (--Kate was on last year's list.)
--Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet . . . they play the gay couple on "Modern Family".
--And New York Yankee Derek Jeter.
--As usual, Barbara's #1 most fascinating person won't be revealed until her ABC special airs on Wednesday, December 14th. (--This is her 19th "Most Fascinating People" special.) (--Barbara's list always includes 10 people or groups. It's unclear how many we have here. If the "Modern Family" gays count as ONE entry, then there are three more names coming. If they're separate, there are only two more.) (--If you care to speculate on this insanity, here are some rumored names that could be on the list . . .) (--Justin Bieber, who made last year's list . . . Gabrielle Giffords, the congresswoman who was shot in Arizona . . . Adele . . . Charlie Sheen . . . Casey Anthony . . . J.R. Martinez from "Dancing with the Stars" . . .) (--The late Steve Jobs . . . Beyoncé . . . and LMFAO, the dance group that's responsible for "The Party Rock Anthem".) (???) (--Last year, General David Petraeus received the top "honor.") (--In 2009, it was Michelle Obama. In 2008, it was Tina Fey. It was "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling in 2007, and Nancy Pelosi in 2006. And in 2005, Barbara was most fascinated with Camilla Parker Bowles.)
And Now . . . Gloria Estefan Is in Talks to Do "Glee":
GLORIA ESTEFAN is in talks to guest star on an episode of "Glee" in January. --Gloria would play the mother of NAYA RIVERA'S character, Santana. She's the lesbian cheerleader who just came out to her parents. (--"Glee" hasn't shown her parents . . . only her grandmother.) --The plan is to have her on the same episode as RICKY MARTIN, who's reportedly playing, quote, "the hottest Spanish teacher ever in the history of Ohio." --"Glee" also plans to use some of Gloria's music. It's unclear if Ricky's music will be used . . . although we've heard he'll perform two songs. The episode is being "devoted to Latin and bilingual music." (--I know "Glee" is not averse to controversy, but casting Gloria without also bringing the entire MIAMI SOUND MACHINE aboard is a huge mistake. They're inseparable!) (--If Gloria performs "Conga" without the Miami Sound Machine, I wouldn't be surprised if Latin music was set back at least 25 years . . . and the apocalypse was set into motion.)
The "Dancing with the Stars" Finale Got Beat by "Sunday Night Football" by Less than a Million Viewers:
Last week's final two episodes of "Dancing with the Stars" got 19.6 million viewers each. Which was good, but not good enough to take down football. --Sunday night's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs was watched by 20.3 million people to finish #1 in the ratings once again.
TV REMINDERS
Thursday TV Reminders:
--"The X Factor" [Results Show] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox.
--"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.
--"CMA Country Christmas" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. Performers are Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Sugarland, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Kellie Pickler, Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, Scotty McCreery, and Rascal Flatts. It's hosted by Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles. (--You'll find a video preview here.)
--"Keep A Child Alive With Alicia Keys" . . . 9:00 to 10:15 P.M. on Showtime. Alicia Keys narrates this documentary of her journey to South Africa with five Americans to witness the effect of the AIDS pandemic first hand.
--"The Office" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on NBC. Maura Tierney guest stars as James Spader's wife when he tries to find her a job.
--"DUI" [Series Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC. A reality series focused on people in Oklahoma bused for being under the influence of drugs and alcohol. It's a half hour show, but tonight they've got two back-to-back episodes.
--"Whitney" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. Chelsea Handler guest stars as a therapist Whitney goes to after stressing out over Lily's engagement party.
--"Weed Wars" [Series Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Discovery. A new series about Oakland's largest medicinal-marijuana dispensary. Perhaps the best part is that Snoop Dogg performs the theme song.
Hanson Is Creating Their Own Brand of Beer:
There's great news today for everyone who loves HANSON . . . and BEER. (???) --Hanson is launching their own brand of beer called . . . you're going to hate this . . . MMMHop. Obviously, that's a reference to their hit "MMM Bop", which was released when ZAC HANSON was 10 YEARS short of the legal drinking age. --MMMHop will be a "high quality" IPA. (--That's India Pale Ale.) It'll be available beginning early next year, although it's unclear WHERE you'll be able to find it. --So WHY is this happening? --Zac says, quote, "We of course make records, they are fundamental to what we do, but we wanted to create a brand so that our fans have a greater experience. --"What is vital is that Hanson merchandise is quality and not made solely with the purpose of profit. --"We have a board game and even a record player to play our last record on, but we will never make dolls, lunch boxes or toothbrushes that play our songs. It's vital our fans have trust in everything Hanson do." (--Zac is 26 now. TAYLOR is 28, and ISAAC is 31, if you can believe that. Also, they're all married, and have EIGHT KIDS between them.)
It's On! Corey Taylor Has Called Scott Weiland a "Lazy Piece of [Crap]":
SLIPKNOT singer COREY TAYLOR unleashed a rant on LAZINESS during a solo concert in Indianapolis on Monday night . . . and it included a shot at STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer SCOTT WEILAND. --This fall, Scott released an album of Christmas standards called "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" . . . and apparently Corey isn't down with it. --He said, quote, "More and more people are only interested in money than [effing] doing anything that's good . . . I'll give you [an] example: Does anyone know who Scott Weiland is? Do you know that Scott Weiland has a Christmas album now? --"Oh, it's bad. It's bad. Let me [effing] explain to you how bad it is. There is a video online of him singing, and he's very serious. 'Cause Christmas is serious. His hair is all slicked back and he's in his [crappy] tuxedo. (--Here's that video.) --"So I'm watching this . . . painfully watching this, because hey, know your enemy . . . and I'm just like, 'Why?' It's not that he's a bad singer, 'cause he's not. I love STP, I love some of the [stuff] that he did with VELVET REVOLVER. --"[But] he's a lazy piece of [crap] . . . it's all these people who'd rather cash in on the little [effing] notoriety that they have, and take your money, and give you nothing back. And that, to me, is the real . . . the real . . . sloth in this country." --Corey added, quote, "I don't know about you, [but] I work really hard for my money. I work very [effing] hard for my money . . . and when I actually spend money on something, I expect it not to suck. Is that too much to ask for anymore, man?" (--There's video of Corey's rant on YouTube. The part about Scott begins at the 7:35 mark. WARNING: It's UNCENSORED, and filled with profanity.)
Nickelback Fell Short of a New #1 Debut By Less than 1,000 Copies:
MICHAEL BUBLE'S "Christmas" topped the "Billboard" chart this week, but only by the slimmest of margins. He beat NICKELBACK'S new album "Here and Now" by less than 1,000 copies. Both albums moved about 227,000 units each. --RIHANNA rounds out the top 3 with her new album "Talk That Talk" moving 197,000 copies. Here's this week's Top 10 . . .
1.) "Christmas", Michael Buble (227,000 copies)
2.) NEW: "Here and Now", Nickelback (227,000 copies)
3.) NEW: "Talk That Talk", Rihanna (197,000 copies)
4.) "Take Care", Drake (173,000 copies)
5.) NEW: "My Life 2: The Journey Continues, Act 1", Mary J. Blige (156,000 copies)
6.) "Under the Mistletoe", Justin Bieber (142,000 copies)
7.) "21", Adele (140,000 copies)
8.) NEW: "Break the Spell", Daughtry (129,000 copies)
9.) "Clear as Day", Scotty McCreery (88,000 copies)
10.) "Mylo Xyloto", Coldplay (79,000 copies)
THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
An original copy of "Action Comics" #1 . . . featuring the first appearance of Superman . . . sold for $2.16 million at auction. (Full Story)
BRADLEY COOPER has been linked with both MELANIE LAURENT and ZOE SALDANA in recent days. But he's supposedly JUST FRIENDS with both of them. (Full Story)
If you haven't seen comedian CARLOS MENCIA in a while, this will make you do a double-take: He's lost 70 pounds. (Photo)
Could CONRAD MURRAY end up on house arrest by Christmas? (Full Story)
WILLIAM SHATNER is keeping his phony Internet "feud" going with CARRIE FISHER. (Video)
TYRESE GIBSON ended up in the hospital thanks to some bad seafood. (Full Story)
Taylor Swift, Lea Michele, Scarlett Johansson and Evan Rachel Wood are reportedly all up for the role of Eponine in the upcoming movie version of "Les Miserables". (Full Story)
A writer at Slate.com says that movie and TV titles are getting lamer and less creative . . . like "Snakes on a Plane" and "Two Broke Girls". And he blames YouTube, because the video titles on the site just describe the action, like "Baby Panda Sneezes" or "David After Dentist". (Full Story)
About 10.3 million people watched the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" on CBS Tuesday night. That was its biggest audience since 2002. (Full Story)
Former "Law & Order: SVU" star CHRISTOPHER MELONI is in talks to join the cast of "True Blood" for its fifth season. TVLine.com says it's a "major role" in which he'll be playing, quote, "an incredibly powerful vampire." (Full Story)
The number of households with TVs is expected to DECLINE next year, for the first time in HISTORY . . . or at least since Nielsen began tracking this back in 1970. There are probably two factors: The Internet, and the poor economy. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
Creative People are More Likely to Cheat on You:
You THOUGHT getting with a struggling artist meant they'd be safe and loyal . . . unlike a rich, flashy banker. But it turns out they might be sharing their creative genitalia with someone else. --According to a study out of Harvard, CREATIVE people are actually more likely to cheat on you than ANALYTICAL people. --The researchers believe it's because creative people are better at coming up with ways to rationalize their bad behavior. --They can come up with SEVERAL excuses, and pick the best one to help them sleep at night. And knowing they have that ability makes them more likely to cheat. (CBS News)
Your Horrible Boss is Also Causing Your Horrible Marriage:
Are you afraid that your horrible boss is going to berate and belittle you until you're a broken, empty shell of a person living alone? It might actually be true. --A new study out of Baylor University found that people whose bosses yell and humiliate them are more likely to fight with their spouse. The worse the boss, the worse the marriage. --The researchers say, quote, "It may be that as supervisor abuse heightens tension in the relationship, the employee is less motivated or able to engage in positive interactions with the partner and other family members." (Canoe.ca)
Brazilians Use More Vacation Than Anyone Else on Earth . . . and the Japanese Use the Least:
(--We touched on this topic earlier this month, but here's some new info . . .) Expedia released the results of their Vacation Deprivation survey . . . and it found that Americans are among the most deprived. --Brazilians get the most vacation time, with the average worker getting 30 days a year . . . and they use all of them. Europeans get 25 to 30 days, and also generally use all of them. --Americans get half as many vacation days . . . and we don't even use them all. The average worker gets 14 days . . . down one day from last year . . . and only uses 12 of them. --One in three Americans say the reason they don't use all their vacation days is that they can't AFFORD to take a vacation. Lack of planning is the next most common reason. --Japanese workers take the least vacation. They get 11 days on average, but they only use five of them. Koreans use seven out of the ten they get. --Three in four Americans say their bosses are supportive of their vacation time. Italy and Korea have the meanest bosses. Fewer than half of workers in those two countries say their bosses support their vacation plans. (PR Newswire)
The Senate is Doing a Secret Santa Exchange?
Secret Santa is about to become WAY less cool. Because one of the least trendy groups in the entire country . . . the Senate . . . is about to do one. --The Senate has decided to do a Secret Santa gift exchange this year. It's optional, but so far, 58 of the 100 senators have signed up . . . 37 Democrats and 21 Republicans. --And even though basically all of them are super-rich and sleep on piles of money, they set a $10 limit on the gifts. --It's being run by Al Franken, the former "SNL" Democrat from Minnesota, and Mike Johanns, a Republican from Nebraska. --So will this bipartisan Secret Santa bring the Senate closer, and help them actually make progress? -Paul Sracic is a political science professor at Youngstown State University. And he DOESN'T think it's a path to a new era of bipartisanship. --Quote, "The conflict between the two parties is not just a misunderstanding that can be solved by them getting to know each other a little better." (Reuters)
Most People Spend More Than $20 on Christmas Gifts for Their Pet . . . and One in Twelve Spend More Than $100:
Most pet owners consider their dog or cat part of the family, and that means buying them gifts during the holidays. --A survey by Petplan pet insurance found that nine out of ten pet owners buy their pets Christmas presents. --Two out of three people spend more than $20 . . . one in four spend at least $50 . . . and one in twelve spend $100 on their pet's Christmas gift. --Some people really push the definition of what's considered a "gift", including a house with a bigger yard, or a new car, since dogs love to go for rides. --But plenty of pet owners splurge on truly expensive presents for their dog or cat, including spa days and Swarovski crystal-encrusted collars. --Three out of four pet owners give their dog or cat a Christmas stocking, and four in five give their pet special treats while the rest of the family is enjoying holiday meals. --Five out of eight pet owners include their animals in the family Christmas-card photo . . . and nearly three in four people sign their pet's name on the Christmas card. (PR Newswire)
Two Little Kids Dial 911 and Ask For Either the Police Chief or Santa Claus:
And now, the most ADORABLE abuse of the 911 system this year. --Around 11:00 A.M. on Sunday, a six-year-old boy and his four-year-old brother in Kingston, New York called 911. When the operator picked up, they said they wanted to talk to either the POLICE CHIEF . . . or SANTA CLAUS. --There's no word why they wanted to talk to the police chief or Santa, especially in that order . . . and the 911 operator didn't ask. --Police reported to the house and gave the kids a talk on proper use of 911. (Times Herald-Record)
Horse Meat Should Be On Sale In the U.S. Within a Month:
Hope you're hungry. Earlier this month, your beloved Congress . . . the one with the lowest approval rating of all time . . . very quietly lifted a ban on slaughtering horses for human consumption. Which means . . . HORSE MEAT FOR EVERYONE! --Apparently, horse slaughterhouses could be up and producing horse meat within a month. Currently there are no slaughterhouses in the country set up to butcher horses for human consumption. --But they WILL open eventually. Even if Americans don't develop a sudden taste for sweet, delicious horse meat, businesses will be able to make good money exporting it to Europe and Asia. (Daily Astorian)
Subway is Selling Two-Dollar Subs for the Month of December:
'Two Dollar Six Inch' doesn't quite have the same ring to it as 'Five Dollar Footlong" . . . but at least the price sounds better. --For December, Subway is going to be selling two of their six-inch subs for $2. . . the meatball, and the cold-cut trio. So obviously, if you buy two, you're coming in a full dollar below a $5 footlong. --Kit Yarrow is a consumer psychologist. She says, quote, "It's a magical price point. What it communicates to consumers is that Subway is on their side." (USA Today)
Facebook Will Now Let You Post a Status Update That's 451 Times Longer Than Twitter:
Here's a great shot in the Facebook-versus-Twitter rivalry. Twitter only lets you post updates that are 140 characters. That's their signature characteristic. --Well . . . Facebook is going in the OTHER direction. Yesterday, they announced that they'll let you post a status update or wall post that's 63,206 characters. --In other words, their max is 451.5 times higher than Twitter's. -The previous max on Facebook was 5,000 characters, which they established in September. Before then, you could only post 500 characters. --The 63,206 characters basically means you'll NEVER hit the limit. --To compare, a full-length novel is about 500,000 characters . . . which means it would only take you eight Facebook posts to put up an entire novel. (Mashable)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A Woman Calls 911 to Kick Her Boyfriend Out of Her Apartment . . . and Ends Up Getting Busted for an Unsolved Hit-and-Run:
On Monday night, 33-year-old Heather Mayo of Palm Harbor, Florida called 911. --She told them her boyfriend . . . 34-year-old Robert Worden . . . was scaring her, and she wanted him out of her apartment. Worden is the father of Heather's seven-year-old daughter, and he just got out of jail for passing a bad check. --When the cops got there, they escorted Worden out. And he was FURIOUS. So as they walked through the parking lot, he pointed out Heather's 1997 black Ford Ranger . . . and told them to check it out. --They did. And they quickly connected it to a HIT-AND-RUN. --Back on February 4th, 50-year-old Jeannie Fisher of Pinellas Park, Florida was hit by a truck and the driver took off. Fisher died. The case was unsolved, and eventually went cold. --Thanks to Heather calling 911 on her boyfriend . . . it got warm again. --The damage to her truck matched what investigators had suspected . . . the truck that hit Fisher would be missing its side mirror and one turn signal. And when they questioned Heather, she confessed. --Now she's locked up and facing charges for the fatal hit-and-run. (St. Petersburg Times)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Western Union is introducing an electronic version of the singing telegram today, at wu-singingtelegram.com. You can use your own voice, or use a celebrity, like Snoop Dogg or Timbaland. (Full Story)
Ask.com released the year's most-asked search questions for news and celebrities. "How big was the Japan earthquake?" came in at number one, followed by "Was Kim Kardashian's wedding fake?" (Full Story)
A dog in Utah stepped on a shotgun resting on the bow of a boat . . . and shot a hunter in the buttocks. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) That News Reporter Who Talked Gibberish Got Heckled by a Crazy Occupy L.A. Protester:
Remember SERENE BRANSON? She's the reporter in L.A. who started talking gibberish during a report on the Grammys back in February. And now there's ANOTHER amusing video of her on YouTube. --It's Serene trying to ignore a crazy Occupy L.A. protester who's in a RIDICULOUS outfit. And he keeps mocking her for being a consumer. He's right next to her, and yells quote, "Oh my God, oh my God, I've gotta go shopping!" (--Search for "Serene Branson Trying to Ignore Crazy Occupy L.A. Protester.")
#2.) And Now . . . The Most Amazing Frisbee Catch Ever:
A Frisbee trick-shot expert named Brodie Smith pulled off what has to be the most amazing toss-and-catch EVER: He threw the frisbee off a bridge, and his friends down in the water went after it in a SPEEDBOAT. --Then one of the guys had to dive off the boat to catch it. (--Search for "Incredible Speed Boat Catch." There are three different angles at :16, :31, and :46.)
#3.) Two Rugby Teams Got Into a Fight in France . . . and a Player's Dad Ran on the Field to Defend Him:
Two rugby teams got into it during a match in France on Tuesday. And one of the players' DADS ran out on the field to defend him. He ran in, pushed one of the opposing players, then got SLAMMED on the ground by one of the guy's teammates.
(--Search for "Rugby Star's Dad Rushes Onto Pitch." You see him at :09.)
The Eight Most Germ-Filled Spots at the Mall:
You'll probably be hitting the mall at least once in the next few weeks. So here's a list to totally GROSS YOU OUT. It's the eight most germ-filled spots at the shopping mall, according to "Health" magazine.
#1.) The Bathroom Sink. It's the dirtiest place in the bathroom because it never dries out, which helps bacteria grow. And after someone uses the toilet, the first thing they touch is the faucet.
--They also say the soap dispensers are pretty disgusting. One in four contained unsafe amounts of bacteria. But since you touch the dispenser right before you wash your hands, it's not as big a deal.
#2.) The Tables in the Food Court. Even if you see an employee wipe it down, there's no way to know how clean the RAG is. If they've been using the same one all day, the rag itself can spread bacteria like E. coli.
#3.) The Escalator Handrails. If you touch one then touch your face, it's like ASKING to get the flu. One research group tested escalator handrails, and found E. coli, urine, mucus, feces, and BLOOD.
#4.) ATM Keypads. Researchers in China tested 38 ATMs in a busy city center, and found that each key contained an average of 1,200 germs. And the dirtiest key was the "Enter" button.
--The best way to avoid the germs is to use hand sanitizer afterward. And instead of hitting the buttons with your finger, use your knuckle. Germs on your fingertips are much more likely to eventually end up in your mouth.
#5.) Toy Stores. Thousands of kids touch thousands of toys, and leave behind millions of germs. Unfortunately, you can't do much about it while you're in the store . . . other than use hand sanitizer when you leave.
--But if you BUY something, you can be extra careful and wipe it down with alcohol or vinegar before you give it to your child.
#6.) Fitting Rooms. The rooms aren't actually the problem. The CLOTHING is. When people try things on, skin cells and sweat accumulate on the fabric. And both of those things help bacteria grow.
--You don't have to worry about shirts and sweaters as much. But before you try on a pair of pants or a dress, make sure you're wearing FULL-COVERAGE underwear. In other words . . . no thongs.
#7.) The Gadgets at Electronics Stores. Display items you can touch . . . like cameras and cell phones . . . are absolutely COVERED in germs.
--And a study published last year found that viruses transfer extremely easily between the glass screens on electronics, and our fingertips.
#8.) Makeup Samples. A 2005 study found that at least 67% of make-up 'testers' are contaminated with bacteria, including staph, strep, and E. coli. (Health.com)
Kanye West and Adele Lead the Grammy Nominees:
Nominees for the "54th Grammy Awards" were announced yesterday, and KANYE WEST leads the pack with SEVEN nods. And yet something tells me he'll STILL complain. --That's because his album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", is NOT up for Album of the Year. --If it's any consolation, though, he's up for Best Rap Album TWICE . . . for his solo album and the disc he did with JAY-Z, "Watch the Throne". --TAYLOR SWIFT isn't up for Album of the Year, either. These seem to be among the biggest snubs this year. --ADELE, the FOO FIGHTERS and BRUNO MARS are close behind Kanye with SIX nominations each. And all their discs ARE up for Album of the Year. --LIL WAYNE and dubstep artist SKRILLEX got FIVE nods each. --The Grammys air live on February 12th on CBS.
Album of the Year:
--"21", Adele
--"Wasting Light", Foo Fighters
--"Born This Way", Lady Gaga
--"Doo-Wops & Hooligans", Bruno Mars
--"Loud", Rihanna
Record of the Year:
--"Rolling in the Deep", Adele
--"Holocene", Bon Iver
--"Grenade", Bruno Mars
--"The Cave", Mumford & Sons
--"Firework", Katy Perry
Song of the Year:
--"All of the Lights", Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie
--"The Cave", Mumford & Sons
--"Grenade", Bruno Mars
--"Holocene", Bon Iver
--"Rolling in the Deep", Adele
Best New Artist:
--The Band Perry
--Bon Iver
--J. Cole
--Nicki Minaj
--Skrillex
Best Pop Vocal Album:
--"21", Adele
--"The Lady Killer", Cee Lo Green
--"Born This Way", Lady Gaga
--"Doo-Wops & Hooligans", Bruno Mars
--"Loud", Rihanna
Best Pop Solo Performance:
--"Someone Like You", Adele
--"You and I", Lady Gaga
--"Grenade", Bruno Mars
--"Firework", Katy Perry
--"[Effin'] Perfect", Pink
Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group:
--"Body and Soul", Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse
--"Dearest", The Black Keys
--"Paradise", Coldplay
--"Pumped Up Kicks", Foster the People
--"Moves Like Jagger", Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera
Best Dance Recording:
--"Raise Your Weapon", Deadmau5 and Greta Svabo Bech
--"Barbra Streisand", Duck Sauce
--"Sunshine", David Guetta & Avicii
--"Call Your Girlfriend ", Robyn
--"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites", Skrillex
--"Save the World", Swedish House Mafia
Best Rock Song:
--"Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall", Coldplay
--"Down By the Water", The Decemberists
--"Walk", Foo Fighters
--"The Cave", Mumford & Sons
--"Lotus Flower", Radiohead
Best Rock Album:
--"Rock 'N' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul", Jeff Beck
--"Wasting Light", Foo Fighters
--"Come Around Sundown", Kings of Leon
--"I'm with You", Red Hot Chili Peppers
--"The Whole Love", Wilco
Best Alternative Music Album:
--"Bon Iver", Bon Iver
--"Codes and Keys", Death Cab for Cutie
--"Torches", Foster the People
--"Circuital", My Morning Jacket
--"The King of Limbs", Radiohead
Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance:
--"On the Backs of Angels", Dream Theater
--"White Limo", Foo Fighters
--"Curl of the Burl", Mastodon
--"Public Enemy #1", Megadeth
--"Blood in My Eyes", Sum 41
Best R&B Song:
--"Far Away", Marsha Ambrosius
--"Fool for You", Cee Lo Green and Melanie Fiona
--"Not My Daddy", Kelly Price and Stokley
--"Pieces of Me", Ledisi
--"You Are", Charlie Wilson
Best R&B Album:
--"F.A.M.E.", Chris Brown
--"Second Chance", El DeBarge
--"Love Letter", R. Kelly
--"Pieces of Me", Ledisi
--"Kelly", Kelly Price
Best R&B Performance
--"Far Away", Marsha Ambrosius
--"Is This Love", Corinne Bailey Rae
--"Not My Daddy", Kelly Price and Stokley
--"Pieces of Me", Ledisi
--"You Are", Charlie Wilson
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance:
--"Sometimes I Cry", Eric Benét
--"Fool For You", Cee Lo Green and Melanie Fiona
--"Radio Message", R. Kelly
--"Good Man", Raphael Saadiq
--"Surrender", Betty Wright and The Roots
Best Rap Song:
--"All of the Lights", Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie
--"Black and Yellow ", Wiz Khalifa
--"I Need a Doctor", Dr. Dre, Eminem and Skylar Grey
--"Look at Me Now", Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes
--"Otis", Jay-Z and Kanye West
--"The Show Goes On", Lupe Fiasco
Best Rap Album:
--"Watch the Throne", Jay-Z and Kanye West
--"Tha Carter 4", Lil Wayne
--"Lasers", Lupe Fiasco
--"Pink Friday", Nicki Minaj
--"My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", Kanye West
Best Rap Performance:
--"Look at Me Now", Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes
--"Black and Yellow ", Wiz Khalifa
--"Moment 4 Life", Nicki Minaj featuring Drake
--"Otis", Jay-Z and Kanye West
--"The Show Goes On", Lupe Fiasco
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
--"Party", Beyoncé featuring Andre 3000
--"I'm on One", DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
--"I Need a Doctor", Dr. Dre, Eminem and Skylar Grey
--"What's My Name", Rihanna featuring Drake
--"Motivation", Kelly Rowland featuring Lil Wayne
--"All of the Lights", Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie
Best Country Song:
--"Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not", Thompson Square
--"God Gave Me You", Blake Shelton
--"Just Fishin'", Trace Adkins
--"Mean", Taylor Swift
--"Threaten Me With Heaven", Vince Gill
--"You And Tequila", Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
Best Country Album:
--"My Kinda Party", Jason Aldean
--"Chief", Eric Church
--"Own the Night", Lady Antebellum
--"Red River Blue", Blake Shelton
--"Here for a Good Time", George Strait
--"Speak Now", Taylor Swift
Best Country Solo Performance:
--"Dirt Road Anthem", Jason Aldean
--"I'm Gonna Love You Through It", Martina McBride
--"Honey Bee", Blake Shelton
--"Mean", Taylor Swift
--"Mama's Song", Carrie Underwood
Best Country Performance By a Duo or Group:
--"Don't You Wanna Stay", Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
--"You and Tequila", Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
--"Barton Hollow", The Civil Wars
--"Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not", Thompson Square
(--You can sort through ALL 78 categories at Grammy.com.)
Kris Humphries is Seeking an Annulment:
KRIS HUMPHRIES is not going to sign KIM KARDASHIAN'S divorce papers after all. Instead, he's going to try to have the marriage ANNULLED. --If he gets his way, that'll mean that legally, their 72-day marriage NEVER HAPPENED. --Can you guess what grounds Kris is citing for annulment? Of course you can: FRAUD. Sources tell TMZ, quote, "Kris wanted this to be a genuine marriage, but Kim was never really on board." --It's not clear what Kris has to gain financially from an annulment as opposed to a divorce. (--There was a prenup . . . but maybe the way it's worded, Kris has more legal leeway to stick it to Kim this way. If anybody with legal knowledge has a theory, give us a call.) (--One thing Kris could get out of this is a court siding with him that this WAS a fraudulent marriage. That's a nice MORAL victory . . . and who knows, maybe he's planning to SUE.) (--A judge saying Kim defrauded Kris would definitely help his case.) (--There are also sources that say Kim had wanted an annulment from the beginning, but her attorneys were against it. So she's actually HAPPY that Kris is going for one.)
Kourtney Kardashian is Pregnant Again:
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN and her boyfriend, SCOTT DISICK, are expecting another kid. Their son Mason turns 2 on December 14th. --Kourtney says, quote, "Now I'm nine weeks along. You're supposed to wait 12 weeks to tell people, but I feel confident." --Scott adds, quote, "It wasn't like we weren't trying. We kind of just said, 'If it's meant to be, it'll be.'" --Kourtney's sister KIM told "People" magazine, quote, "It's so exciting! They are so happy and so am I!" --And KHLOE wrote this on her blog . . . quote, "We are all so overjoyed by this wonderful news and are counting down the minutes until we get to meet the newest member of our family. --"Kourtney is the greatest mom in the world and I am so proud of the woman she has become. I can't wait to see her with a kid in each arm!"
Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler are Engaged Again:
Reality TV star KRISTIN CAVALLARI and Chicago Bears quarterback JAY CUTLER are engaged again. Yesterday, Kristin Tweeted, quote, "This time it's official. Jay and I are engaged again." (--She's 24, he's 28.) --Kristin and Jay originally got engaged back in April . . . but they split up in July. Then in the fall, he started showing up in the audience to root for her on "Dancing With the Stars". --And while they never announced anything, it was obvious at that point that they were back on. --We never found out why they called things off the first time, but the accepted story in the gossip rags was that Jay dumped Kristin . . . and it was pretty much outta nowhere.
Check Out Some Pictures of Jennifer Lopez and Casper Smart Kissing . . . And One of Casper Playing With J-Lo's Daughter:
It's time to stop speculating as to whether or not JENNIFER LOPEZ is nailing 24-year-old backup dancer CASPER SMART . . . and time to fully realize that it's on.--If you still don't believe it, maybe some pictures of them KISSING will change your mind. --As an added bonus, we also have one of Casper playing with J-Lo's 3-year-old daughter Emme at the beach. (--Check 'em out here.) (Too Fab, Us Weekly)
Lacey Schwimmer from "Dancing With the Stars" Got Her Boobs Enlarged:
If CHAZ BONO'S partner LACEY SCHWIMMER looked a little chestier during this season of "Dancing With the Stars", here's why: She got her CANS ENLARGED. --"Us Weekly" says she went under the knife pretty recently . . . we assume they mean sometime before the latest season . . . and pumped herself up from a B to a D-cup. (--Here's a before-and-after pic. We're not sure, but the "before" shot looks kind of old.) (Us Weekly)
Katy Perry and Russell Brand Are Not Divorcing:
There's a rumor going around the World Wide Web of Misinformation that KATY PERRY and RUSSELL BRAND are headed for divorce. But it sounds like it's bogus. --Most news outlets that reported it cited TMZ . . . but TMZ says it never posted such a story. The site even contacted the appropriate reps and concluded, quote, "100% no divorce."
Ashton Kutcher Went Back to His Hometown in Iowa and Was Swarmed by Girls:
The Good News: ASHTON KUTCHER returned to his hometown last week, and was swarmed by girls. The Bad News: Ashton's hometown is in Iowa. (--I kid, I kid. I LOVE the cornfed Iowa girls!) --Ashton and some friends hit a few bars in Iowa City, and a source says, quote, "He was drinking beer, and girls kept coming up to him. He loved the attention. Girls were hugging him and shaking his hand. --"He was swarmed by girls. A few tried to convince him to go to a strip club . . . but he declined!"
Gwyneth Paltrow Says Her Father Was Responsible for the First Interracial Kiss on TV . . . But He Wasn't:
In the 1970s, GWYNETH PALTROW'S father BRUCE was a writer and director for a TV drama called "The White Shadow" . . . which was about a white basketball coach at an inner-city high school. --In a recent interview, Gwyneth was talking about her dad's contribution to the bettering of race relations through that show . . . which is fine. But she made one big mistake. --Gwyneth said, quote, "He did a lot of 'firsts' on that show. He had the first interracial kiss ever. It was a good show." (--You can see video of her making the claim here. Skip to the 1:30 mark.) --But that statement is FACTUALLY INCORRECT. --TV's first interracial kiss was between WILLIAM SHATNER'S Captain Kirk and NICHELLE NICHOLS' Lieutenant Uhura on "Star Trek" in 1968. --"The White Shadow" ran from 1978 to 1981. (--Here's the kiss. And here's video of Shatner discussing it.)
Courtney Love Says She's Helping Lindsay Lohan:
COURTNEY LOVE seems like the worst person you could ask to help you straighten out your life. And LINDSAY LOHAN seems like one of the worst decision-makers EVER. So guess where I'm going with this: --Courtney has been helping Lindsay turn things around. (???) She says, quote, "I've taken up Lohan because nobody else will. She's further down the line than I was, because there was no [gossip website] TMZ then." --But Lindsay's people don't want anyone getting the wrong idea here. Her rep says, quote, "Courtney Love is not, nor has she ever been, Lindsay's sober coach. Lindsay is, however, grateful for her friendship."
Ali Lohan Says Plastic Surgery Rumors are "Stupid":
17-year-old ALI LOHAN is denying rumors that she's already had plastic surgery. She says, quote, "It's stupid. I don't listen to it. It's absolutely not true. --"I was cracking up. Because, like, when would I do that? I'm 17 years old. That's not legal! I would need my mother's signature, and do you think my mom would sign off on that? No!" (--Is anyone buying THAT?)
Charlie Sheen Was the Most-Searched Celebrity on AOL . . . Justin Bieber Came in Second:
JUSTIN BIEBER may have been the most-searched celebrity on Bing this year, but AOL was a different story. Bieber came in SECOND on their list . . . behind CHARLIE SHEEN.
--Here's the Top 10 . . .
#1.) Charlie Sheen
#2.) Justin Bieber
#3.) Kate Middleton
#4.) Jennifer Aniston
#5.) Kim Kardashian
#6.) Tiger Woods
#7.) Lindsay Lohan
#8.) Amy Winehouse
#9.) Glenn Beck
#10.) Pippa Middleton
(--You can check out all of AOL's yearly search results here.)
Kim Kardashian Can Make $75,000 for a Speech . . . And Paris Hilton Can Make $110,000:
Believe it or not, people actually want to hear what KIM KARDASHIAN and PARIS HILTON have to say. And they're willing to pay a lot of money to hear it. --According to a new list of the most overpaid celebrity public speakers, Kim can make up to $75,000 for a speech . . . while Paris can pull down $110,000. (???) (--You can see the list here. But be warned: It's not very glamorous. Most of them are actually lame political noisemakers.)
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
Two Weird Sex Films Are Out This Week . . . and Two "Twilight" Stars Date in the Movie "A Warrior's Heart":
No wide releases this week, but there are a few movies starting limited runs . . .
#1.) "Sleeping Beauty" (Unrated, but contains sex and drugs) (Trailer) (Limited) Emily Browning plays a college student who earns extra money by taking a drug that knocks her out . . . so horny old men can enjoy her sleeping body. And it's not long before she's desperate to know what happens to her in her sleep. --She spends a lot of the film completely naked, which is a pretty big shift for her: She started out as Violet in "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events", and was Baby Doll in "Sucker Punch". (--Pictures and video of Emily in ALL HER GLORY have hit the web. WARNING: Full-frontal nudity awaits you. Not to mention uncompromising views of withered, naked old johns climbing on her and feeling her up. Here's the link.)
#2.) "A Warrior's Heart" (PG) (Trailer) (L.A., New York, and Video on Demand)
"Twilight" stud Kellan Lutz turns self-destructive after his dad dies in combat. But then his dad's old Marine buddy bails him out of jail, and helps him get his head straight by hauling him off to a Native American work camp. --It's a sports movie too: "Glee's" Chord Overstreet is his rival on a lacrosse team, and his dad's friend teaches him the game's Native American roots. He's played by Adam Beach, the guy Hollywood always turns to for Native American roles. --But the most interesting choice was casting Ashley Greene as Kellan's girlfriend. They play Emmett and Alice Cullen in the "Twilight" movies, which explains this movie's nauseating tagline: "In the twilight of their youth, her love gave him the courage to win."
#3.) "Coriolanus" (R) (Trailer) (Limited)
Ralph Fiennes plays the Roman general Coriolanus, who offers his military genius to a sworn enemy . . . Gerard Butler . . . after being betrayed and banished by his people. --It's a modern retelling of a Shakespeare play that looks more like "Call of Duty". So you can immerse yourself in the action without getting bogged down in all the thee's and thou's . . . and watch a battle between Voldemort and King Leonidas.
FBI Agents Hate "J. Edgar" Because of the Implied Gayness:
FBI agents are HATING on LEONARDO DICAPRIO'S new movie "J. Edgar" . . . because it implies that former FBI head J. EDGAR HOOVER may have been gay. --Bill Branon . . . a former agent and chairman of the J. Edgar Hoover Foundation, says, quote, "I don't know anyone who's not extremely upset . . . It's not only because of our admiration for him. It's the fact it's just not true. --"If it were true, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. But don't do that to the poor guy when he's dead and gone." --Gregg Schwarz is a retired agent who joined the FBI in 1972 . . . and he was so upset about the movie that he made a YouTube video to complain about it. (--You can watch it here.) --He says, quote, "Mr. Hoover is portrayed as an individual who had homosexual tendencies and was a tyrannical monster who ran the FBI with a strong fist and had very little personal life . . . that's clearly not true." --He also says that filmmakers who interviewed people about Hoover's life were TOLD there was no evidence of Hoover's homosexuality. But they apparently ignored that information. --Not surprisingly, he hopes you DON'T go see "J. Edgar". (--You can read the complaints of these guys and a few others at the Washington Post.)
MTV Says "The Dark Knight Rises" Had the Best Trailer of 2011:
Are we really compiling lists of the best movie TRAILERS now? Really? Yes, we are. MTV has one. And the trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises" tops it.
--Here are MTV's Top Trailers of 2011:
#1.) "The Dark Knight Rises"
#2.) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
#3.) "Snow White and the Huntsman"
#4.) "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
#5.) "The Hunger Games"
#6.) "X-Men: First Class"
#7.) "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
#8.) "Like Crazy"
#9.) "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" (--Nicolas Cage PEES FIRE. You simply CAN'T argue with that.)
#10.) "American Reunion"
(--Check out MTV's list of the Top 20 Trailers of 2011 . . . along with links to all the video clips . . . here.)
Exciting News! The Bulk of Barbara Walters' "Most Fascinating People of the Year" List Has Been Revealed:
BARBARA WALTERS has announced some of the luminaries that will be featured on her annual "Most Fascinating People of the Year" special. --This is a HUGE deal. Barbara is 82 years old. She doesn't get out of bed to be fascinated by just anyone anymore . . . you have to truly be a world-changing MEGA FORCE. Seriously, these days she sets the bar for fascination. --That's why it's with great sadness that we reveal that this year's list includes THE KARDASHIANS . . . Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and their mother KRIS JENNER. (--This works sort of like Groundhog Day. If you were hoping that the Kardashians would start fading into obscurity sometime soon, this annihilates those hopes. A spot on Barbara's "Most Fascinating People" list is good for at least another year of uncompromising cultural relevance.) (???)
--Here are the other people that fascinated the hell out of Barbara this year:
--Simon Cowell
--Katy Perry
--Donald Trump
--Kate Middleton's hot sister Pippa Middleton. (--Kate was on last year's list.)
--Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet . . . they play the gay couple on "Modern Family".
--And New York Yankee Derek Jeter.
--As usual, Barbara's #1 most fascinating person won't be revealed until her ABC special airs on Wednesday, December 14th. (--This is her 19th "Most Fascinating People" special.) (--Barbara's list always includes 10 people or groups. It's unclear how many we have here. If the "Modern Family" gays count as ONE entry, then there are three more names coming. If they're separate, there are only two more.) (--If you care to speculate on this insanity, here are some rumored names that could be on the list . . .) (--Justin Bieber, who made last year's list . . . Gabrielle Giffords, the congresswoman who was shot in Arizona . . . Adele . . . Charlie Sheen . . . Casey Anthony . . . J.R. Martinez from "Dancing with the Stars" . . .) (--The late Steve Jobs . . . Beyoncé . . . and LMFAO, the dance group that's responsible for "The Party Rock Anthem".) (???) (--Last year, General David Petraeus received the top "honor.") (--In 2009, it was Michelle Obama. In 2008, it was Tina Fey. It was "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling in 2007, and Nancy Pelosi in 2006. And in 2005, Barbara was most fascinated with Camilla Parker Bowles.)
And Now . . . Gloria Estefan Is in Talks to Do "Glee":
GLORIA ESTEFAN is in talks to guest star on an episode of "Glee" in January. --Gloria would play the mother of NAYA RIVERA'S character, Santana. She's the lesbian cheerleader who just came out to her parents. (--"Glee" hasn't shown her parents . . . only her grandmother.) --The plan is to have her on the same episode as RICKY MARTIN, who's reportedly playing, quote, "the hottest Spanish teacher ever in the history of Ohio." --"Glee" also plans to use some of Gloria's music. It's unclear if Ricky's music will be used . . . although we've heard he'll perform two songs. The episode is being "devoted to Latin and bilingual music." (--I know "Glee" is not averse to controversy, but casting Gloria without also bringing the entire MIAMI SOUND MACHINE aboard is a huge mistake. They're inseparable!) (--If Gloria performs "Conga" without the Miami Sound Machine, I wouldn't be surprised if Latin music was set back at least 25 years . . . and the apocalypse was set into motion.)
The "Dancing with the Stars" Finale Got Beat by "Sunday Night Football" by Less than a Million Viewers:
Last week's final two episodes of "Dancing with the Stars" got 19.6 million viewers each. Which was good, but not good enough to take down football. --Sunday night's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs was watched by 20.3 million people to finish #1 in the ratings once again.
TV REMINDERS
Thursday TV Reminders:
--"The X Factor" [Results Show] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox.
--"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.
--"CMA Country Christmas" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. Performers are Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Sugarland, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Kellie Pickler, Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, Scotty McCreery, and Rascal Flatts. It's hosted by Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles. (--You'll find a video preview here.)
--"Keep A Child Alive With Alicia Keys" . . . 9:00 to 10:15 P.M. on Showtime. Alicia Keys narrates this documentary of her journey to South Africa with five Americans to witness the effect of the AIDS pandemic first hand.
--"The Office" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on NBC. Maura Tierney guest stars as James Spader's wife when he tries to find her a job.
--"DUI" [Series Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC. A reality series focused on people in Oklahoma bused for being under the influence of drugs and alcohol. It's a half hour show, but tonight they've got two back-to-back episodes.
--"Whitney" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. Chelsea Handler guest stars as a therapist Whitney goes to after stressing out over Lily's engagement party.
--"Weed Wars" [Series Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Discovery. A new series about Oakland's largest medicinal-marijuana dispensary. Perhaps the best part is that Snoop Dogg performs the theme song.
Hanson Is Creating Their Own Brand of Beer:
There's great news today for everyone who loves HANSON . . . and BEER. (???) --Hanson is launching their own brand of beer called . . . you're going to hate this . . . MMMHop. Obviously, that's a reference to their hit "MMM Bop", which was released when ZAC HANSON was 10 YEARS short of the legal drinking age. --MMMHop will be a "high quality" IPA. (--That's India Pale Ale.) It'll be available beginning early next year, although it's unclear WHERE you'll be able to find it. --So WHY is this happening? --Zac says, quote, "We of course make records, they are fundamental to what we do, but we wanted to create a brand so that our fans have a greater experience. --"What is vital is that Hanson merchandise is quality and not made solely with the purpose of profit. --"We have a board game and even a record player to play our last record on, but we will never make dolls, lunch boxes or toothbrushes that play our songs. It's vital our fans have trust in everything Hanson do." (--Zac is 26 now. TAYLOR is 28, and ISAAC is 31, if you can believe that. Also, they're all married, and have EIGHT KIDS between them.)
It's On! Corey Taylor Has Called Scott Weiland a "Lazy Piece of [Crap]":
SLIPKNOT singer COREY TAYLOR unleashed a rant on LAZINESS during a solo concert in Indianapolis on Monday night . . . and it included a shot at STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer SCOTT WEILAND. --This fall, Scott released an album of Christmas standards called "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" . . . and apparently Corey isn't down with it. --He said, quote, "More and more people are only interested in money than [effing] doing anything that's good . . . I'll give you [an] example: Does anyone know who Scott Weiland is? Do you know that Scott Weiland has a Christmas album now? --"Oh, it's bad. It's bad. Let me [effing] explain to you how bad it is. There is a video online of him singing, and he's very serious. 'Cause Christmas is serious. His hair is all slicked back and he's in his [crappy] tuxedo. (--Here's that video.) --"So I'm watching this . . . painfully watching this, because hey, know your enemy . . . and I'm just like, 'Why?' It's not that he's a bad singer, 'cause he's not. I love STP, I love some of the [stuff] that he did with VELVET REVOLVER. --"[But] he's a lazy piece of [crap] . . . it's all these people who'd rather cash in on the little [effing] notoriety that they have, and take your money, and give you nothing back. And that, to me, is the real . . . the real . . . sloth in this country." --Corey added, quote, "I don't know about you, [but] I work really hard for my money. I work very [effing] hard for my money . . . and when I actually spend money on something, I expect it not to suck. Is that too much to ask for anymore, man?" (--There's video of Corey's rant on YouTube. The part about Scott begins at the 7:35 mark. WARNING: It's UNCENSORED, and filled with profanity.)
Nickelback Fell Short of a New #1 Debut By Less than 1,000 Copies:
MICHAEL BUBLE'S "Christmas" topped the "Billboard" chart this week, but only by the slimmest of margins. He beat NICKELBACK'S new album "Here and Now" by less than 1,000 copies. Both albums moved about 227,000 units each. --RIHANNA rounds out the top 3 with her new album "Talk That Talk" moving 197,000 copies. Here's this week's Top 10 . . .
1.) "Christmas", Michael Buble (227,000 copies)
2.) NEW: "Here and Now", Nickelback (227,000 copies)
3.) NEW: "Talk That Talk", Rihanna (197,000 copies)
4.) "Take Care", Drake (173,000 copies)
5.) NEW: "My Life 2: The Journey Continues, Act 1", Mary J. Blige (156,000 copies)
6.) "Under the Mistletoe", Justin Bieber (142,000 copies)
7.) "21", Adele (140,000 copies)
8.) NEW: "Break the Spell", Daughtry (129,000 copies)
9.) "Clear as Day", Scotty McCreery (88,000 copies)
10.) "Mylo Xyloto", Coldplay (79,000 copies)
THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
An original copy of "Action Comics" #1 . . . featuring the first appearance of Superman . . . sold for $2.16 million at auction. (Full Story)
BRADLEY COOPER has been linked with both MELANIE LAURENT and ZOE SALDANA in recent days. But he's supposedly JUST FRIENDS with both of them. (Full Story)
If you haven't seen comedian CARLOS MENCIA in a while, this will make you do a double-take: He's lost 70 pounds. (Photo)
Could CONRAD MURRAY end up on house arrest by Christmas? (Full Story)
WILLIAM SHATNER is keeping his phony Internet "feud" going with CARRIE FISHER. (Video)
TYRESE GIBSON ended up in the hospital thanks to some bad seafood. (Full Story)
Taylor Swift, Lea Michele, Scarlett Johansson and Evan Rachel Wood are reportedly all up for the role of Eponine in the upcoming movie version of "Les Miserables". (Full Story)
A writer at Slate.com says that movie and TV titles are getting lamer and less creative . . . like "Snakes on a Plane" and "Two Broke Girls". And he blames YouTube, because the video titles on the site just describe the action, like "Baby Panda Sneezes" or "David After Dentist". (Full Story)
About 10.3 million people watched the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" on CBS Tuesday night. That was its biggest audience since 2002. (Full Story)
Former "Law & Order: SVU" star CHRISTOPHER MELONI is in talks to join the cast of "True Blood" for its fifth season. TVLine.com says it's a "major role" in which he'll be playing, quote, "an incredibly powerful vampire." (Full Story)
The number of households with TVs is expected to DECLINE next year, for the first time in HISTORY . . . or at least since Nielsen began tracking this back in 1970. There are probably two factors: The Internet, and the poor economy. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
Creative People are More Likely to Cheat on You:
You THOUGHT getting with a struggling artist meant they'd be safe and loyal . . . unlike a rich, flashy banker. But it turns out they might be sharing their creative genitalia with someone else. --According to a study out of Harvard, CREATIVE people are actually more likely to cheat on you than ANALYTICAL people. --The researchers believe it's because creative people are better at coming up with ways to rationalize their bad behavior. --They can come up with SEVERAL excuses, and pick the best one to help them sleep at night. And knowing they have that ability makes them more likely to cheat. (CBS News)
Your Horrible Boss is Also Causing Your Horrible Marriage:
Are you afraid that your horrible boss is going to berate and belittle you until you're a broken, empty shell of a person living alone? It might actually be true. --A new study out of Baylor University found that people whose bosses yell and humiliate them are more likely to fight with their spouse. The worse the boss, the worse the marriage. --The researchers say, quote, "It may be that as supervisor abuse heightens tension in the relationship, the employee is less motivated or able to engage in positive interactions with the partner and other family members." (Canoe.ca)
Brazilians Use More Vacation Than Anyone Else on Earth . . . and the Japanese Use the Least:
(--We touched on this topic earlier this month, but here's some new info . . .) Expedia released the results of their Vacation Deprivation survey . . . and it found that Americans are among the most deprived. --Brazilians get the most vacation time, with the average worker getting 30 days a year . . . and they use all of them. Europeans get 25 to 30 days, and also generally use all of them. --Americans get half as many vacation days . . . and we don't even use them all. The average worker gets 14 days . . . down one day from last year . . . and only uses 12 of them. --One in three Americans say the reason they don't use all their vacation days is that they can't AFFORD to take a vacation. Lack of planning is the next most common reason. --Japanese workers take the least vacation. They get 11 days on average, but they only use five of them. Koreans use seven out of the ten they get. --Three in four Americans say their bosses are supportive of their vacation time. Italy and Korea have the meanest bosses. Fewer than half of workers in those two countries say their bosses support their vacation plans. (PR Newswire)
The Senate is Doing a Secret Santa Exchange?
Secret Santa is about to become WAY less cool. Because one of the least trendy groups in the entire country . . . the Senate . . . is about to do one. --The Senate has decided to do a Secret Santa gift exchange this year. It's optional, but so far, 58 of the 100 senators have signed up . . . 37 Democrats and 21 Republicans. --And even though basically all of them are super-rich and sleep on piles of money, they set a $10 limit on the gifts. --It's being run by Al Franken, the former "SNL" Democrat from Minnesota, and Mike Johanns, a Republican from Nebraska. --So will this bipartisan Secret Santa bring the Senate closer, and help them actually make progress? -Paul Sracic is a political science professor at Youngstown State University. And he DOESN'T think it's a path to a new era of bipartisanship. --Quote, "The conflict between the two parties is not just a misunderstanding that can be solved by them getting to know each other a little better." (Reuters)
Most People Spend More Than $20 on Christmas Gifts for Their Pet . . . and One in Twelve Spend More Than $100:
Most pet owners consider their dog or cat part of the family, and that means buying them gifts during the holidays. --A survey by Petplan pet insurance found that nine out of ten pet owners buy their pets Christmas presents. --Two out of three people spend more than $20 . . . one in four spend at least $50 . . . and one in twelve spend $100 on their pet's Christmas gift. --Some people really push the definition of what's considered a "gift", including a house with a bigger yard, or a new car, since dogs love to go for rides. --But plenty of pet owners splurge on truly expensive presents for their dog or cat, including spa days and Swarovski crystal-encrusted collars. --Three out of four pet owners give their dog or cat a Christmas stocking, and four in five give their pet special treats while the rest of the family is enjoying holiday meals. --Five out of eight pet owners include their animals in the family Christmas-card photo . . . and nearly three in four people sign their pet's name on the Christmas card. (PR Newswire)
Two Little Kids Dial 911 and Ask For Either the Police Chief or Santa Claus:
And now, the most ADORABLE abuse of the 911 system this year. --Around 11:00 A.M. on Sunday, a six-year-old boy and his four-year-old brother in Kingston, New York called 911. When the operator picked up, they said they wanted to talk to either the POLICE CHIEF . . . or SANTA CLAUS. --There's no word why they wanted to talk to the police chief or Santa, especially in that order . . . and the 911 operator didn't ask. --Police reported to the house and gave the kids a talk on proper use of 911. (Times Herald-Record)
Horse Meat Should Be On Sale In the U.S. Within a Month:
Hope you're hungry. Earlier this month, your beloved Congress . . . the one with the lowest approval rating of all time . . . very quietly lifted a ban on slaughtering horses for human consumption. Which means . . . HORSE MEAT FOR EVERYONE! --Apparently, horse slaughterhouses could be up and producing horse meat within a month. Currently there are no slaughterhouses in the country set up to butcher horses for human consumption. --But they WILL open eventually. Even if Americans don't develop a sudden taste for sweet, delicious horse meat, businesses will be able to make good money exporting it to Europe and Asia. (Daily Astorian)
Subway is Selling Two-Dollar Subs for the Month of December:
'Two Dollar Six Inch' doesn't quite have the same ring to it as 'Five Dollar Footlong" . . . but at least the price sounds better. --For December, Subway is going to be selling two of their six-inch subs for $2. . . the meatball, and the cold-cut trio. So obviously, if you buy two, you're coming in a full dollar below a $5 footlong. --Kit Yarrow is a consumer psychologist. She says, quote, "It's a magical price point. What it communicates to consumers is that Subway is on their side." (USA Today)
Facebook Will Now Let You Post a Status Update That's 451 Times Longer Than Twitter:
Here's a great shot in the Facebook-versus-Twitter rivalry. Twitter only lets you post updates that are 140 characters. That's their signature characteristic. --Well . . . Facebook is going in the OTHER direction. Yesterday, they announced that they'll let you post a status update or wall post that's 63,206 characters. --In other words, their max is 451.5 times higher than Twitter's. -The previous max on Facebook was 5,000 characters, which they established in September. Before then, you could only post 500 characters. --The 63,206 characters basically means you'll NEVER hit the limit. --To compare, a full-length novel is about 500,000 characters . . . which means it would only take you eight Facebook posts to put up an entire novel. (Mashable)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A Woman Calls 911 to Kick Her Boyfriend Out of Her Apartment . . . and Ends Up Getting Busted for an Unsolved Hit-and-Run:
On Monday night, 33-year-old Heather Mayo of Palm Harbor, Florida called 911. --She told them her boyfriend . . . 34-year-old Robert Worden . . . was scaring her, and she wanted him out of her apartment. Worden is the father of Heather's seven-year-old daughter, and he just got out of jail for passing a bad check. --When the cops got there, they escorted Worden out. And he was FURIOUS. So as they walked through the parking lot, he pointed out Heather's 1997 black Ford Ranger . . . and told them to check it out. --They did. And they quickly connected it to a HIT-AND-RUN. --Back on February 4th, 50-year-old Jeannie Fisher of Pinellas Park, Florida was hit by a truck and the driver took off. Fisher died. The case was unsolved, and eventually went cold. --Thanks to Heather calling 911 on her boyfriend . . . it got warm again. --The damage to her truck matched what investigators had suspected . . . the truck that hit Fisher would be missing its side mirror and one turn signal. And when they questioned Heather, she confessed. --Now she's locked up and facing charges for the fatal hit-and-run. (St. Petersburg Times)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Western Union is introducing an electronic version of the singing telegram today, at wu-singingtelegram.com. You can use your own voice, or use a celebrity, like Snoop Dogg or Timbaland. (Full Story)
Ask.com released the year's most-asked search questions for news and celebrities. "How big was the Japan earthquake?" came in at number one, followed by "Was Kim Kardashian's wedding fake?" (Full Story)
A dog in Utah stepped on a shotgun resting on the bow of a boat . . . and shot a hunter in the buttocks. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) That News Reporter Who Talked Gibberish Got Heckled by a Crazy Occupy L.A. Protester:
Remember SERENE BRANSON? She's the reporter in L.A. who started talking gibberish during a report on the Grammys back in February. And now there's ANOTHER amusing video of her on YouTube. --It's Serene trying to ignore a crazy Occupy L.A. protester who's in a RIDICULOUS outfit. And he keeps mocking her for being a consumer. He's right next to her, and yells quote, "Oh my God, oh my God, I've gotta go shopping!" (--Search for "Serene Branson Trying to Ignore Crazy Occupy L.A. Protester.")
#2.) And Now . . . The Most Amazing Frisbee Catch Ever:
A Frisbee trick-shot expert named Brodie Smith pulled off what has to be the most amazing toss-and-catch EVER: He threw the frisbee off a bridge, and his friends down in the water went after it in a SPEEDBOAT. --Then one of the guys had to dive off the boat to catch it. (--Search for "Incredible Speed Boat Catch." There are three different angles at :16, :31, and :46.)
#3.) Two Rugby Teams Got Into a Fight in France . . . and a Player's Dad Ran on the Field to Defend Him:
Two rugby teams got into it during a match in France on Tuesday. And one of the players' DADS ran out on the field to defend him. He ran in, pushed one of the opposing players, then got SLAMMED on the ground by one of the guy's teammates.
(--Search for "Rugby Star's Dad Rushes Onto Pitch." You see him at :09.)
The Eight Most Germ-Filled Spots at the Mall:
You'll probably be hitting the mall at least once in the next few weeks. So here's a list to totally GROSS YOU OUT. It's the eight most germ-filled spots at the shopping mall, according to "Health" magazine.
#1.) The Bathroom Sink. It's the dirtiest place in the bathroom because it never dries out, which helps bacteria grow. And after someone uses the toilet, the first thing they touch is the faucet.
--They also say the soap dispensers are pretty disgusting. One in four contained unsafe amounts of bacteria. But since you touch the dispenser right before you wash your hands, it's not as big a deal.
#2.) The Tables in the Food Court. Even if you see an employee wipe it down, there's no way to know how clean the RAG is. If they've been using the same one all day, the rag itself can spread bacteria like E. coli.
#3.) The Escalator Handrails. If you touch one then touch your face, it's like ASKING to get the flu. One research group tested escalator handrails, and found E. coli, urine, mucus, feces, and BLOOD.
#4.) ATM Keypads. Researchers in China tested 38 ATMs in a busy city center, and found that each key contained an average of 1,200 germs. And the dirtiest key was the "Enter" button.
--The best way to avoid the germs is to use hand sanitizer afterward. And instead of hitting the buttons with your finger, use your knuckle. Germs on your fingertips are much more likely to eventually end up in your mouth.
#5.) Toy Stores. Thousands of kids touch thousands of toys, and leave behind millions of germs. Unfortunately, you can't do much about it while you're in the store . . . other than use hand sanitizer when you leave.
--But if you BUY something, you can be extra careful and wipe it down with alcohol or vinegar before you give it to your child.
#6.) Fitting Rooms. The rooms aren't actually the problem. The CLOTHING is. When people try things on, skin cells and sweat accumulate on the fabric. And both of those things help bacteria grow.
--You don't have to worry about shirts and sweaters as much. But before you try on a pair of pants or a dress, make sure you're wearing FULL-COVERAGE underwear. In other words . . . no thongs.
#7.) The Gadgets at Electronics Stores. Display items you can touch . . . like cameras and cell phones . . . are absolutely COVERED in germs.
--And a study published last year found that viruses transfer extremely easily between the glass screens on electronics, and our fingertips.
#8.) Makeup Samples. A 2005 study found that at least 67% of make-up 'testers' are contaminated with bacteria, including staph, strep, and E. coli. (Health.com)
posted by Nazzy @ 5:56 AM
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