HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (12-16-11)

END OF THE YEAR LIST-O-MANIA

Google Names Justin Bieber the Most Popular Person of 2011 . . . While Rebecca Black Topped the List of Fastest Rising Searches:

Google has released all its end-of-the-year information . . . and there's a lot. Here's the meat of it: --JUSTIN BIEBER has been named the Most Popular Person of the Year. he was followed, in this order, by Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and Casey Anthony. (--When they say "popular", they mean it in terms of the number of searches. It has nothing to do with likeability . . . which explains Casey Anthony.) --But the Fastest-Rising Search this year was for . . . wait for it . . . REBECCA BLACK. (!!!) Other celebrities in the Top 10 were Ryan Dunn from "Jackass", Casey Anthony, Adele and Steve Jobs. (--"Google Plus" came in second, though.) --Rebecca also topped the Fastest-Rising People . . . beating out Ryan Dunn, Pippa Middleton, Casey Anthony and Adele. --That's a GLOBAL list. If you go by just North America, Rebecca STILL tops the list, but she's followed by "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery, "teen bride" Courtney Stodden, model Kate Upton and Kreayshawn. (--You can check out all of Google's end-of-the-year chaos here. But be warned: It's kind of a mess.) (--Your best bet is to click on "Top 10 Lists" in the gray bar near the top. Then use the menu at the left to select "North America", then "United States". Those are the lists you're going to care about the most.)


The "People" Magazine Best of 2011:


"People" magazine has released the results of its Best of 2011 readers' poll. Here's a quick rundown:


--Star You're Most Into: Kate Middleton


--Best Star Engagement Ring: Reese Witherspoon


--Cutest Old-School Baby Name: Harper Beckham (--Daughter of David and Victoria.)


--2011 Was the Year of: The Royals


--Best Second Act: Christina Applegate


--So Over Them: The Kardashians


--Ruled the Red Carpet: Mila Kunis


--Most-Wanted Twitter Reply: Oprah Winfrey (--Apparently, she gives good, personal answers to her followers.)


--Hollywood's Hottest Date: Ryan Reynolds


--TV Won't Be the Same Without: Oprah


(--Check out all of "People's" Best of 2011 coverage here.)
MTV's Artist of the Year Is: Katy Perry:

MTV has announced that KATY PERRY is their Artist of the Year. (--And they appear to be serious about that . . . so there won't be a recount or anything. This conclusion was based on input from MTV's "internal panel of experts.")


--Not only that, but MTV also ranked the nine artists who fell just short of the high standards that Katy Perry apparently set. Here's the complete Top 10:


1.) Katy Perry

2.) Nicki Minaj

3.) Adele

4.) The Throne

5.) Lady Gaga

6.) Rihanna

7.) Beyoncé

8.) Lil Wayne

9.) Drake

10.) Justin Bieber

(--For more info on The Top 10 Artists That Annoyed Me This Year . . . I mean, The Top 10 Artists of the Year . . . check out the write-up at MTV.com.)


Billboard.com's End of the Year Readers Poll:


Billboard.com has released the results of its 2011 Readers Poll.


--They didn't reveal how many "readers" voted . . . but one thing is for sure, the BRITNEY SPEARS fan club definitely showed up.


--Here are the Top Three from each category, along with the percentage of the vote each one received:


2011 MVP: Britney Spears (43%)

--Lady Gaga (22%), Adele (17%)


Best Newcomer: Nicki Minaj (63%)

--Foster the People (13%), Scotty McCreery (10%)


Favorite Hot 100 #1: Adele, "Rolling in the Deep" (32%)

--Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me" (31%), Lady Gaga, "Born This Way" (16%)


Favorite Billboard 200 #1: Adele, "21" (35%)

--Britney Spears, "Femme Fatale" (33%), Lady Gaga, "Born This Way" (17%)


Best Music Video: Britney Spears, "Til The World Ends" (45%)

--Lady Gaga, "Born This Way" (23%), Rihanna, "We Found Love" (11%)


Best Tour: Britney Spears' Femme Fatale Tour (58%)

--U2's 360 Tour (11%), Taylor Swift's Speak Now Tour (10%)


Best Awards Show Performance: Rihanna & Britney Spears, Billboard Music Awards (47%)

--Adele, MTV Video Music Awards (17%), Beyoncé, Billboard Music Awards (13%)


Most Overrated: Lady Gaga (30%)

--Britney Spears (29%), Justin Bieber (21%)


Best Fashion: Lady Gaga (31%)

--Rihanna (25%), Nicki Minaj (13%)


Best Festival Performance: Coldplay at Glastonbury (36%)

--Kanye West at Austin City Limits (15%), Robyn at Bonnaroo (12%)


Hottest Couple: Jay-Z and Beyoncé (51%)

--Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez (27%), Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose (7%)


Best Bromance: Jay-Z and Kanye West (36%)

--Justin Bieber and Usher (22%), Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" (14%)


Best Comeback: Jennifer Lopez (47%)

--Kelly Clarkson (17%), Evanescence (12%)


Biggest Controversy: Amy Winehouse's death (59%)

--Conrad Murray on trial (19%), Justin Bieber's baby drama (11%)


Saddest Band Break Up: R.E.M. (47%)

--The White Stripes (31%), LCD Soundsystem (13%)


Most Anticipated 2012 Album: Madonna (42%)

--Nicki Minaj (18%) and No Doubt (11%)


"A Christmas Story" is Our Favorite Holiday Movie . . . and "The Grinch" is Our Favorite Holiday Special:

Harris Interactive just conducted a huge holiday poll. Here are some of the results:

--Favorite Christmas Movie: "A Christmas Story" . . . but not by much. 20% of people chose that one . . . while 19% went with "It's A Wonderful Life", which NBC is airing on Christmas Eve this year. TBS will have your hookup for "A Christmas Story".


--Favorite Christmas Special: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". This is the animated version, not the JIM CARREY movie. It was chosen by 23% of respondents.


--This was another close one. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" got 22%.


(--Sadly, I must report that there was very little love for my personal favorite, "The Year Without a Santa Claus". It finished in 5th place with only 3% of the vote. Have you no love for Heat Miser and Snow Miser? You people are too much.) (???)


--The Holiday Song People Most Look Forward to Hearing is "White Christmas" . . . followed by "Silent Night" and "Oh Holy Night".


--And the Holiday Song People Want to Go Away is "Jingle Bells" . . . followed by "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". (--No percentages were given for the songs.)

(--Check out the complete lists here.)


People Keep Saying Katy Perry is Pregnant . . . And Katy Keeps Saying She's Not:

People keep trying to make KATY PERRY pregnant. Wait, that didn't quite come out right. People keep trying to SUGGEST that Katy is pregnant. --But Katy keeps denying it. There may be a little paunch there, but Katy swears it's all down to JUNK FOOD. On the BARBARA WALTERS special the other night, she specifically called out Taco Bell. --Katy wore a tight dress Wednesday while pimping her new perfume . . . and when the pictures hit the web yesterday, the chatter ignited yet again. (--Check out the photos here. I don't think these prove anything. Yeah, that COULD be a pregnancy belly. But she could also be chubbing up a little. Totally inconclusive.) (The Superficial)
Jennifer Aniston Says She Was a "Dumpy" Teenager:

"Men's Health" magazine recently named JENNIFER ANISTON the Sexiest Woman of All Time. But there was a time when she REBELLED against beauty. --She tells "InStyle" magazine, quote, "I was a dumpy teenager. My mom was a model and was all about looks, so I rebelled by going goth. --"It took me years of peeling back the onion to finally stop using makeup as a mask and feel comfortable in my skin." --Jennifer also admits she may have TRIED some cosmetic procedures . . . but she's not a fan . . . quote, "People think that I do a lot of injections, but I don't. I'm not saying that I haven't tried it. --"But I see how it's a slippery slope . . . [and] all that cosmetic stuff looks ridiculous on me." --One thing Jennifer has been doing lately for both her looks and her health is getting a little less sun. She says, quote, "I've started getting those little sun spots. Things are beginning to pop out. Even the texture [of my skin] is changing. --"So I've recently started zapping the spots and getting spray tans whenever I can. And I've graduated to using SPF 60 sun block when I'm on the beach. (--One last note: Jennifer is STILL not pregnant . . . despite a fresh batch of rumors that popped up this week . . . some of which even have her carrying TWINS.)


The Guy Who Played Sams in "Lean On Me" Was Busted for Buying 200 Pounds of Pot:

Remember "Lean On Me" . . . the 1989 movie starring MORGAN FREEMAN as real-life inner-city high school principal Joe Clark? --If you remember that movie, then you probably remember Sams . . . the chubby, dumpy kid Morgan whips into shape. Well, apparently those lessons didn't take. --The kid who played Sams . . . JERMAINE "HUGGY" HOPKINS . . . was BUSTED on Tuesday for allegedly buying 200 pounds of pot from an undercover cop in Arizona. --Hopkins traveled from his home in North Carolina to Maricopa County, Arizona to make the buy. After the transaction, police found an additional $100,000 in his SUV . . . and another hundred pounds of dope in a nearby apartment he was using. --Hopkins . . . who's 38 . . . has been charged with two felony counts of possessing, transporting and trying to sell marijuana. He told police he was just trying to provide a nice Christmas for his family. --He faces up to five years in prison if convicted. (--Check out Hopkins' mugshots . . . and a picture from the movie of him being lectured by Morgan Freeman . . . here.) (TMZ, Source 2)


Scarlett Johansson is Afraid of Birds and Cockroaches:

SCARLETT JOHANSSON appears with MATT DAMON in "We Bought a Zoo" . . . which hits theaters next weekend. And filming it wasn't too bad, because there are only a few animals she's actually afraid of. --She says, quote, "I'm only scared of birds. Something about wings and beaks and the flapping. I'm terrified of them. If they'd asked me to put a bird on my shoulder I would've done it, but it would've been hard." --Scarlett had to work with peacocks on the movie, and it wasn't easy for her . . . quote, "I was terrified of them. Like, 'Ahh, don't get too close.' They're like, mean." --She adds, quote, "I cannot stand cockroaches. That's one thing I absolutely couldn't do. But that's not really an animal, is it? It's an insect."


"Time" Magazine Names Ryan Gosling the Coolest Person of the Year:

RYAN GOSLING has been named the Coolest Person of the Year by "Time" magazine. --"Time" says, quote, "We defined cool in the classic Marlon Brando way . . . an unshakable calm mixed with a confidence that comes from not needing others. Cool is more how than what; we considered world leaders, singers [and] hackers."


Does Kris Humphries Want a Raise from E!?

The not-always-reliable "Star" tabloid says that KRIS HUMPHRIES is demanding a pay raise for "Kourtney & Kim Take New York" . . . and threatening to sue E! if he doesn't get one. --Obviously, Kris isn't part of the family anymore . . . but the episodes he shot before his marriage to KIM KARDASHIAN imploded are airing as we speak. Kris makes $28,500 per episode, but he wants that almost doubled, to $50,000. --So what could Kris sue E! for? Emotional distress, of course. Kim has a lot of editorial control over the show. Kris has NONE. And he feels that Kim and the network are making it look like he's the villain and she's the victim. --A source says, quote, "Kris was nothing more than a disposable groom, used for ratings. He feels he deserves some type of compensation. After all, it's his storyline that is making the show a success this season!"Christian Bale Got Roughed Up by Chinese Police While Trying to Visit a Political Dissident:

Hey, check this out: Somebody else roughed up CHRISTIAN BALE for a change. --Christian is in China promoting a movie he did there called "The Flowers of War". And he decided to visit Chen Ghuangcheng . . . a blind attorney and activist who's been under house arrest since his release from prison last year. (--He was locked up for several years for damaging property and disrupting traffic during a protest.) --Bale and a CNN crew went to the guy's house but it was guarded by police, who told him to leave. So he took out a camera and started filming the scene, while asking the cops, quote, "Why can I not visit this free man?" --At that point, police shoved him and tried to grab his camera. So Bale and his group left . . . and some of the police got into their own car and followed them. --Bale said, quote, "What I really wanted to do was to meet the man, shake his hand and say what an inspiration he is." --"I'm not brave doing this. The local people who are standing up to the authorities, who are visiting Chen and his family and getting beaten or detained, I want to support them." (--You can check out video here.)


NEW AND UPCOMING MOVIES


Opening This Friday, December 16th:


#1.) "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (PG-13) (Trailer) (Trailer 2)

In the fourth "Mission: Impossible", a terrorist hits the Kremlin, Ethan Hunt gets blamed, and the President shuts down the agency. So Tom Cruise has to clear his name and prevent the next attack, with the help of Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg.

--If you see it in IMAX, you can also catch a special seven-minute prologue for "The Dark Knight Rises".


#2.) "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" (PG-13) (Trailer)

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are back as Holmes and Watson, and they're after Professor Moriarty, who's played by Jared Harris . . . a.k.a. Lane Pryce on "Mad Men". Rachel McAdams has a cameo, but the leading lady is Noomi Rapace, the chick who starred in the original "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".

#3.) "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" (G) (Trailer)

For the third "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movie, the boys are vacationing on a cruise ship when they're accidentally marooned on a remote island with the Chippettes.

--Justin Long is Alvin, Jesse McCartney plays Theodore, and Matthew Gray Gubler from "Criminal Minds" is Simon. And the Chippettes are played by Christina Applegate, Anna Faris, and "SNL's" Amy Poehler.

RELATED COMEDY: Jokes: Alvin & the Chipmunks


Opening Next Wednesday, December 21st:


#1.) In theaters December 21st . . . "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (R) (Trailer)


Rooney Mara plays tattooed hacker Lisbeth Salander, and she's partnered with Daniel Craig to investigate an unsolved murder on a remote island. The rest of the cast includes Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, and Robin Wright.



#2.) In theaters December 21st . . . "We Bought a Zoo" (PG) (Trailer)


Matt Damon buys a house in a struggling wild animal park, and dedicates himself to renovating the zoo. Elle Fanning and Patrick Fugit from "Almost Famous" play his kids, Scarlett Johansson is his head zookeeper, and Thomas Haden Church is his best friend. It's directed by "Jerry Maguire's" Cameron Crowe.



#3.) In theaters December 21st . . . "The Adventures of Tintin" (PG) (Trailer)


In the classic comics, Tintin was a young reporter who investigated mysteries with the help of his dog Snowy, and his best friend Captain Haddock. It was huge in Europe, and ran as an animated TV series in the '60s and '90s.


--This new adaptation is directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by Peter Jackson, and is sort of a cross between "Indiana Jones" and the "Pirates" movies. "Billy Elliott's" Jamie Bell is Tintin, Andy Serkis is the captain, and Daniel Craig is the villain.



#4.) In theaters December 21st . . . "Albert Nobbs" (R) (Trailer) Limited. It opens nationwide on January 27th.


Glenn Close plays a woman in 19th century Ireland who's spent 30 years passing herself off as a MAN named Albert in order to survive. She works as a hotel waiter, and Mia Wasikowska from "Alice in Wonderland" is the coworker "he" wants to marry.

Opening Christmas Day:


#1.) In theaters December 25th . . . "War Horse" (PG-13) (Trailer)


Steven Spielberg adapted this from the Broadway play about a boy who raises a horse only to have it sent to the frontline during World War One.


--British actor Jeremy Irvine plays the boy, but the horse is the real star of the movie. He changes owners several times, starting with the British cavalry, then German soldiers, and finally a young French girl.


--Tom Hiddleston is the British officer who takes the horse to war. He was Loki in "Thor" and the upcoming "Avengers" movie. You might also recognize David Thewlis in the cast, he was the werewolf Remus Lupin in the "Harry Potter" movies.



#2.) In theaters December 25th . . . "The Darkest Hour" (PG-13) (Trailer)


Five tourists are stranded in Moscow after invisible aliens take over the world. It's got Emile Hirsch from "Speed Racer", Olivia Thirlby from "Juno", and blonde Australian actress Rachael Taylor from the failed "Charlie's Angels" reboot.



#3.) In theaters December 25th . . . "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" (PG-13) (Trailer) Limited. It opens nationwide on January 20th.


Based on the best-selling book, a nine-year-old boy finds a key his dad left for him before he died on September 11th, and searches all over New York for the lock it opens. Tom Hanks is the dad, Sandra Bullock is the mom, and the kid is "Teen Jeopardy" winner Thomas Horn.
Opening on December 30th:


#1.) In theaters December 30th . . . "Angels Crest" (R) (Trailer)


Thomas Dekker, from "The Secret Circle" and "The Sarah Connor Chronicles", plays a father whose neglect results in the loss of his three-year-old son. The whole town turns against him, and Jeremy Piven is the district attorney hell bent on prosecuting him.


--The rest of the cast includes Mira Sorvino, Kate Walsh, and Lynn Collins as the boy's angry mom. She's the chick who played Kayla Silverfox in "Wolverine".



#2.) In theaters December 30th . . . "The Iron Lady" (PG-13) (Trailer) L.A. and New York only. It opens nationwide on January 13th.


Meryl Streep stars as Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first and only female Prime Minister. The movie focuses on the price she paid for her power as she struggled with the male-dominated Parliament, and includes her role in the invasion of the Falkland Islands. Jim Broadbent plays her husband.


Trailer-Rama: "The Expendables 2" and "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance":

#1.) There's a new teaser trailer for "The Expendables 2", and it's pretty bad-ass. It's got everybody in it . . . including the new guys like Chuck Norris, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. (--The movie comes out next August. Check out the trailer here.)

#2.) The original "Ghost Rider" was kind of mediocre. But the upcoming sequel, "Spirit of Vengeance", looks seriously TOUGH. (--Check out a new trailer here. The movie hits theaters in February.) (--And here's the trailer they released over the summer, where Ghost Rider PEES FIRE.)


David Cross Is Happy to Be Through with the "Chipmunks" Movies:

DAVID CROSS played the evil record exec Ian in the "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movies. And now that the third flick, "Chip-Wrecked", is in the can, his obligation has been met. And he's happy about that. --He says, quote, "This last film was literally, without question, the most unpleasant experience I've ever had in my professional life. --"It's safe to say I won't be working with some of those people ever again. Not the actors. And the director [Mike Mitchell] was great. We got along. It was just a really awful, unpleasant experience." --There's one good thing about being attached to the franchise, though: Global recognition. --He says, quote, "I got recognized in China. I got recognized in a teeny tiny town in Mozambique. In Zimbabwe. Botswana. It's crazy." (--As your kids probably know, "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked" hits theaters TODAY.)


THE GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES


George Clooney and Ryan Gosling Have Multiple Golden Globe Nominations:

Nominations for the Golden Globe Awards were handed out yesterday . . . and it was a good day for GEORGE CLOONEY and RYAN GOSLING. --George was nominated three times . . . and in three different aspects of film. He's up for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for "The Ides of March" . . . and Best Actor in a Drama for "The Descendants". --Gosling . . . who was Clooney's co-star in "The Ides of March" . . . will go against Clooney for Best Actor in a Drama. He's also up for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for "Crazy Stupid Love". --"The Descendants" and "The Ides of March" are up for Best Drama, along with "The Help", "Hugo", "Moneyball" and "War Horse". --The nominees for Best Musical or Comedy are "50/50", "The Artist", "Bridesmaids", "Midnight in Paris" and "My Week with Marilyn". --MADONNA and ANGELINA JOLIE both directed movies this year . . . but only Madonna is personally up for an award. She's up for Best Original Song for a track she contributed to her movie, "W.E.". The movie is also up for Best Original Score. --Angelina's movie, "In the Land of Blood and Honey", is up for Best Foreign-Language Film. It's in Serbian. --On the TV side, JESSICA LANGE returns to award season with a nod for her work on the FX series "American Horror Story". The show is also up for Best Drama. --It's going up against "Boardwalk Empire", "Boss", "Game of Thrones" and "Homeland". --Meanwhile . . . did you know that MATT LEBLANC is still on TV? He is. He does a series called "Episodes" on Showtime . . . and it's up for Best Musical or Comedy Series. --Its competition is "Enlightened", "Glee", "Modern Family" and "The New Girl". --LeBlanc is also up for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. --If there's one snub that really sticks out, I would have to say it's MELISSA MCCARTHY . . . one of the breakout stars of 2011, not being nominated. --And she had two chances, thanks to her work on TV's "Mike and Molly", and in the hit movie "Bridesmaids". (--KRISTEN WIIG got a Best Actress nomination for "Bridesmaids".) --The "69th Annual Golden Globes" air live January 15th on NBC. RICKY GERVAIS will once again tell stale, quasi-funny jokes that will be labeled "controversial" and "scandalous" the following day.

MOVIE AWARDS


Best Drama:

--"The Descendants"
--"The Help"
--"Hugo"
--"The Ides of March"
--"Moneyball"
--"War Horse"



Best Actress in a Drama:

--Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
--Viola Davis, "The Help"
--Rooney Mara, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
--Meryl Steep, "Iron Lady"
--Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin"



Best Actor in a Drama:

--George Clooney, "The Descendants"
--Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar"
--Michael Fassbender, "Shame"
--Ryan Gosling, "The Ides of March"
--Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

MOVIE AWARDS


Best Musical or Comedy:

--"50/50"
--"The Artist"
--"Bridesmaids"
--"Midnight in Paris"
--"My Week with Marilyn"

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy:

--Jodie Foster, "Carnage"
--Charlize Theron, "Young Adult"
--Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids"
--Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"
--Kate Winslet, "Carnage"

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy:

--Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
--Brendan Gleeson, "The Guard"
--Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "50/50"
--Ryan Gosling, "Crazy, Stupid, Love"
--Owen Wilson, "Midnight in Paris"

Best Animated Feature Film:

--"The Adventures of Tintin"
--"Arthur Christmas"
--"Cars 2"
--"Puss in Boots"
--"Rango"
MOVIE AWARDS


Best Supporting Actress:

--Bernice Bejo, "The Artist"
--Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
--Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
--Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
--Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"



Best Supporting Actor:

--Kenneth Branagh, "My Week with Marilyn"
--Albert Brooks, "Drive"
--Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
--Viggo Mortensen, "A Dangerous Mind"
--Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"



Best Director:

--Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
--George Clooney, "The Ides of March"
--Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
--Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
--Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
MOVIE AWARDS


Best Original Song:

--Elton John's "Hello Hello" from "Gnomeo & Juliet"
--Chris Cornell's "The Keeper" from "Machine Gun Preacher"
--"Lay Your Head Down" from "Albert Nobbs"
--"The Living Proof" from "The Help"
--Madonna's "Masterpiece" from "W.E."

Best Original Score:

--"The Artist", Ludovic Bource
--"W.E.", Abel Korzeniowski
--"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
--"Hugo", Howard Shore
--"War Horse", John Williams

Best Screenplay:

--"The Artist" (Written by Michel Hazanavicius)
--"The Descendants" (Written by Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne and Jim Rash)
--"The Ides of March" (Written by George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Williamson)
--"Midnight in Paris" (Written by Woody Allen)
--"Moneyball" (Written by Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian)

Best Foreign-Language Film:

--"The Flowers of War", China
--"In the Land of Blood and Honey", U.S.
--"The Kid with a Bike", Belgium
--"A Separation", Iran
--"The Skin I Live In", Spain

TV AWARDS


Best Drama Series:

--"American Horror Story" (FX)
--"Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
--"Boss" (Starz)
--"Game of Thrones" (HBO)
--"Homeland" (Showtime)

Best Actress in a Drama:

--Claire Danes, "Homeland"
--Mireille Enos, "The Killing"
--Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
--Madeleine Stowe, "Revenge"
--Callie Thorne, "Necessary Roughness"

Best Actor in a Drama:

--Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
--Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
--Kelsey Grammer, "Boss"
--Jeremy Irons, "The Borgias"
--Damian Lewis, "Homeland"

Best Musical or Comedy Series:

--"Enlightened" (HBO)
--"Episodes" (Showtime)
--"Glee" (Fox)
--"Modern Family" (ABC)
--"New Girl" (Fox)

TV AWARDS


Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Series:

--Laura Dern, "Enlightened"
--Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"
--Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
--Laura Linney, "The Big C"
--Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Series:

--Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
--David Duchovny, "Californication"
--Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory"
--Thomas Jane, "Hung"
--Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"

Best Miniseries or TV Movie:

--"Cinema Verite" (HBO)
--"Downton Abbey" (PBS)
--"The Hour" (BBC America)
--"Mildred Pierce" (HBO)
--"Too Big to Fail" (HBO)

Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie:

--Romola Garai, "The Hour"
--Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite"
--Elizabeth McGovern, "Downton Abbey"
--Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult"
--Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"
TV AWARDS


Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie:

--Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
--Idris Elba, "Luther""
--William Hurt, "Too Big to Fail"
--Bill Nighy, "Page Eight"
--Dominic West, "The Hour"


Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or TV Movie:

--Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"
--Kelly MacDonald, "Boardwalk Empire"
--Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
--Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
--Evan Rachel Wood, "Mildred Pierce"


Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or TV Movie:

--Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
--Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail"
--Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce"
--Tim Robbins, "Cinema Verite"
--Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"

--Also, Morgan Freeman will be presented with The Cecil B. DeMille Award for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment."


It's Official: Howard Stern Will Be a Judge on "America's Got Talent":

HOWARD STERN will be a judge on "America's Got Talent" next season. He's taking over for PIERS MORGAN, who recently announced that he was quitting the show to focus on his work at CNN. --Naturally, this won't affect Stern's radio show. In fact, "America's Got Talent" will move their live shows from Los Angeles to New York City to accommodate him. --Stern says he'll be much tougher on the contestants than returning judges SHARON OSBOURNE and HOWIE MANDEL. On his radio show yesterday, he said he made this clear to the producers beforehand. --Stern said, quote, "I told them that the show has a little too much nonsense. First of all, when these very young children come on, I'm going to want to talk to these mothers who march them out there. --"You know, they've got to be prepared to lose and they've got to be prepared to hear the truth. Don't call me a scumbag because I'm going to tell your kid he has no talent. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but feelings are going to get hurt." --He added, quote, "I'm going to be Piers [Morgan] on steroids." -By the way, Piers is happy that Stern is taking his seat. He Tweeted, quote, "Congrats to Howard Stern on landing my 'America's Got Talent' judging gig. He'll be outrageous, hilarious, dangerous and brilliant. Can't wait." (--It's interesting that Piers chose to call Howard "dangerous." Earlier this year, LARRY KING accused Piers of NOT BEING DANGEROUS ENOUGH when he was taking over his CNN timeslot.) (--Larry was mocking the hype that CNN put into the show. Larry said, quote, "They [oversold] it . . . he was going to be dangerous, he was going to be water-cooler talk, it was 'wait till you see me, I'm different.') (--"Well, he's good, but he's not that dangerous . . . he's certainly not bad. He's certainly an acceptable host.") (--Here's video of Howard announcing the news on his show yesterday. He actually signed the contract on the air.)


The PTC Is Already Upset About NBC Hiring Howard Stern:

Not everyone is happy about HOWARD STERN coming to "America's Got Talent". --The Parents Television Council immediately fired off a press release to announce that this was going to destroy your children, and totally ruin humanity. --That's a slight exaggeration, but they did go off on NBC and Stern. --The PTC called the move, quote, "an act of desperation for a failing network," and called Stern a "performer who's synonymous with shock, profanity, and obscenity." --They added, quote, "The once-proud broadcast network has lost its way and has made it clear it holds no concern whatsoever for children and families . . . whatever principles NBC had in the past, have clearly gone out the window."

--HOWIE MANDEL called the PTC's comments, quote, "ignorant."

--SIMON COWELL also came to Stern's defense. He said, quote, "He's not stupid . . . if he goes too far on the show and he does something, he can't be on the rest of the series because people will boycott it. He understands how far you can and can't go."


Nicole Scherzinger Was Recently Held Up at Gunpoint in Mexico:

NICOLE SCHERZINGER is lucky to be alive. Seriously. (--And I'm not talking about crazy "X Factor" fans threatening to kill her because she didn't save Rachel Crow from elimination.) --The "Star" tabloid reports that Nicole was recently held up at GUNPOINT in Mexico, while she was driving to the set of a music video shoot. --Her choreographer, who was with her at the time, says that local gang members stopped their SUV. He adds, quote, "We were held at gunpoint. People next to our cars . . . there were M16s and Berettas!" --Fortunately, the gang members eventually released them. (--It's unclear exactly when this happened, but let's assume that it was AFTER Nicole filled out her 25 Things You Don't Know About Me list for "Us" magazine.) (--This is a MUCH, MUCH bigger deal than her love for "all things coconut.")




ABC Has Canceled "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition":

ABC has decided not to bring "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" back next season. The show will end its run as a regular series on January 13th. That's the ninth season finale, and the show's 200th episode. --However, ABC will do periodic "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" specials in the future. The network plans to do at least four of those, but that's all we know for now.


"Bachelor" Ben Flajnik Wasn't Interested in Jennifer Love Hewitt:

After BEN FLAJNIK came in second on "The Bachelorette" this past summer, there was talk that he had a little something going on with JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT. (--Flajnik is pronounced "Flannick," although every time I see his name I think "Ben Flapjack". Apparently, I occasionally have the mind of Michelle Tanner.) --Well, Ben is clearing the air about that. He says Jennifer contacted him, but that he wasn't interested in getting involved with a celebrity. --That being said, Ben did have an incentive to stay single. ABC had already offered him the next season of "The Bachelor". --He says, quote, "[Jennifer] had reached out to me and wanted to come up to the winery so she did with some friends.-"It was right in the middle of the time when I was deciding to be the 'Bachelor'. She's a nice girl . . . [but] when this is all said and done, ending up with a Hollywood celebrity is not something that I want."


WEEKEND TV REMINDERS

Friday TV Reminders:


--"Chuck" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. Rebecca Romijn guest stars.


--"Christmas in Washington 2011" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on TNT. Cee Lo Green, Justin Bieber, Victoria Justice, Jennifer Hudson and The Band Perry perform. Conan O'Brien is your host.


--"Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox.


--"Ice Age: Mammoth Christmas" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on Fox.


--"The Life & Times of Tim" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on HBO.


--"Fatal Attractions" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Animal Planet.


--"Great Performances" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on PBS. The San Francisco Ballet performs an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Mermaid".


--"20/20: Million Moms Challenge" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. A report on maternal mortality around the world and its low-cost, low-tech solutions.


--"Brides of Beverly Hills" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC.


Saturday TV Reminders:


--"Grand Ole Opry Live" . . . 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. on GAC. Emmylou Harris, The Civil Wars, The Grascals and Ella Mae Bowen perform.


--"Frosty the Snowman" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on CBS.


--"Frosty Returns" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.


--"America's Most Wanted" . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. John Walsh showcases 15 of the U.S. Marshall Service's most wanted suspects.


--"Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis" . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Encore. Jerry Lewis is profiled with interviews from Carol Burnett and Jerry Seinfeld.


--"Christmas Comes Home to Canaan" . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on the Hallmark. Billy Ray Cyrus stars as a father who falls in love with his son's physical therapist, but his daughter does not approve. It's a sequel to 2009's "Christmas in Canaan".


--"CMA Country Christmas" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. Performers include Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Sugarland, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Kellie Pickler, Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, and Rascal Flatts. It's hosted by Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles. (--You'll find a video preview here.) (REPEAT)


--"The Story of Santa Claus" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS. Ed Asner, Betty White and Tim Curry are among the voices for this animated musical.


--"WWE Tribute to the Troops" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. Rasslers entertain the troops at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Nickelback and Mary J. Blige also perform.


--"Austin City Limits" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. Esperanza Spalding and Madeleine Peyroux perform. (REPEAT)


--"Metal Evolution" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1 Classic. The heavy-metal glam attitudes and influences of Bon Jovi, Cinderella and Quiet Riot.


--"That Metal Show" . . . 11:00 P.M. to Midnight on VH1 Classic. This week's guests are Godsmack singer Sully Erna and Jackyl singer Jesse James Dupree.


--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. Jimmy Fallon guest hosts and Michael Bublé is the musical guest.


Sunday TV Reminders:


--"Sunday Night Football" . . . 8:20 to 11:20 P.M. Eastern on NBC. The San Diego Chargers host the Baltimore Ravens at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.


--"Z100's Jingle Ball Live From Madison Square Garden" . . . 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fuse. Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Foster the People and Demi Lovato perform.


--"Survivor: South Pacific" [23nd Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS. The two-hour finale, following by the typical one-hour reunion show.


--"Allen Gregory" [1st Season Finale] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox.


--"Dexter" [6th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Showtime.


--"Hollywood Icons and Innovators" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TV Guide. "Cosby Show" stars Phylicia Rashad and Keshia Knight Pulliam are reunited.


--"The Next Iron Chef" [4th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Food Network.


--"Homeland" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Showtime.


--"IRT: Deadliest Roads" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on History Channel.


--"I Do Over" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on WE.


--"Why Am I Still Single?!" [1st Season Finale] . . . 11:00 P.M. to Midnight on VH1.


--On Monday, December 19th . . . "Monday Night Football" . . . 8:30 to 11:30 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. The San Francisco 49ers host the Pittsburgh Steelers.


--On Monday, December 19th . . . "Who's Still Standing?" [Series Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. "Cash Cab's" Ben Bailey hosts this game show where, if you answer incorrectly, you'll fall through a trap door. The prize is a million bucks.


--On Monday, December 19th . . . "Terra Nova" [1st Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on the Fox.


--On December 19th . . . "A Chipmunk Christmas" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.


--On Monday, December 19th . . . "VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1. Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Florence and the Machine, Anita Baker, Jessie J and Jill Scott pay tribute to top cities of soul music.


--On Tuesday, December 20th . . . "SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. A look back at some of the best holiday-themed sketches with appearances by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. (REPEAT)


--On Tuesday, December 20th . . . "Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Bravo. Comedienne Kathy Griffin performs.


--On Tuesday, December 20th . . . "Bomb Patrol: Afghanistan" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on G4. Josh Duhamel narrates a look at the Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit as team members defuse and deactivate enemy bombs and booby traps.


--On Wednesday, December 21st . . . "The 13th Annual A Home for the Holidays with Martina McBride" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige, Katherine Heigl and Denise Richards along with host Martina McBride help raise awareness for adoption.


--On Wednesday, December 21st . . . "Hot in Cleveland" . . . 10:00 to 11:30 P.M. on TV Land. "Frasier's" John Mahoney guest stars as the younger man Elka is dating.


--On Wednesday, December 21st . . . "American Horror Story" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:30 P.M. on FX.


--On Wednesday, December 21st . . . "A Game of Honor" . . . 10:00 P.M. to Midnight on Showtime. The football programs of West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy are examined in this documentary which also looks at their annual gridiron battle.


--On Wednesday, December 21st . . . "The X Factor" . . . 8:00 to 9:30 P.M. on Fox. This is the final performance show before a winner is announced.


--On Thursday, December 22nd . . . "The X Factor" [1st Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.


--On Thursday, December 22nd . . . "The League" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on FX.


--On Friday, December 23rd . . . "Chuck" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. Stan Lee guest stars as himself.


--On Friday, December 23rd . . . "Top 10 Weddings of 2011" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC. An examination of the year's most spectacular nuptials.


--On Friday, December 23rd . . . "Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on TBS.


--On Christmas Eve . . . "The Sound of Music" . . . 7:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC.

--On Christmas Eve . . . "A Christmas Story" . . . 8:00 P.M. marathon on TBS.

--On Christmas Eve . . . "It's a Wonderful Life" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC.


--On Christmas Eve . . . "Austin City Limits" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. Tom Waits performs.

--On Christmas Day . . . "Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade" . . . 9:00 A.M. on ABC. Justin Bieber, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, OneRepublic and Scotty McCreery perform. Nick Cannon, Maria Menounos and Mario Lopez are your hosts.


--On Christmas Day . . . "Sunday Night Football" . . . 8:20 to 11:20 P.M. Eastern on NBC. The Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears in Wisconsin.


--On Monday, December 26th . . . "Monday Night Football" [42nd Season Finale] . . . 8:30 to 11:30 P.M. ET on ESPN. The New Orleans Saints host the Atlanta Falcons.


--On Monday, December 26th . . . "The Mortified Sessions" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on Sundance. "Back to the Future's" Lea Thompson and "The Breakfast Club's" Anthony Michael Hall share embarrassing moments from their youths.


--On Monday, December 26th . . . "Rizzoli & Isles" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT. Billy Burke and Jacqueline Bisset guest star.


--On Tuesday, December 27th . . . "Texas Multi Mamas" [Series Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on WE. Six mothers of multiple children are the focus of this reality series.


--On Tuesday, December 27th . . . "The 34th Annual Kennedy Center Honors" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS. Neil Diamond, Sonny Rollins, Barbara Cook, Yo-Yo Ma and Meryl Streep are this year's honorees.


--On Wednesday, December 28th . . . "Hot in Cleveland" . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on TV Land. Sean Hayes guest stars as Victoria's hand-model boyfriend.


--On Thursday, December 29th . . . "NY Ink" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC.


--On Thursday, December 29th . . . "Hook, Line & Sisters" [Series Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC. Two fisher-women make a living by deep-sea fishing in Alaska.


--On Friday, December 30th . . . "Sanctuary" [4th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Syfy.


--On New Year's Eve . . . "Austin City Limits" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. Coldplay performs.


NEW YEAR'S EVE COUNTDOWNS:


--"Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2012" . . . 11:00 P.M. Eastern on ABC. Jenny McCarthy helps report from Times Square and the New York lineup has Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Pitbull and Hot Chelle Rae.

. . . Fergie hosts the L.A. party, which will include performances by The Band Perry, blink-182, Christina Perri, Florence + The Machine, Gym Class Heroes, LMFAO, OneRepublic, Nicki Minaj, Taio Cruz and Will.I.Am.


--"American Country New Year's Eve Live" . . . 11:00 P.M. Eastern on Fox. Rodney Atkins and "American Idol's" Lauren Alaina will lead the performers.


--"New Year's Eve With Carson Daly 2012" . . . 11:00 P.M. Eastern on NBC.


--"NYE in NYC 2012" . . . 11:00 P.M. Eastern on MTV. Demi Lovato and "Teen Wolf" star Tyler Posey are your hosts. The performers include Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo, and Mac Miller.


--On Sunday, January 1st . . . "Sunday Night Football" [25th Season Finale] . . . 8:15 to 11:15 P.M. Eastern on NBC. The teams are yet to be announced.


--On Sunday, January 1st . . . "Football Night In America" [6th Season Finale] . . . 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. on NBC.


--On Sunday, January 1st . . . "Mob Wives" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on VH1.


--On Sunday, January 1st . . . "Oprah's Next Chapter" [Series Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on OWN. Oprah returns with her new interview show.


--On Monday, January 2nd . . . "The Tournament of Roses Parade" . . . 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Eastern on all major networks.


The Earth Was Totally Rockin' Out to a Foo Fighters Show in New Zealand:

Did the FOO FIGHTERS totally ROCK THE WORLD during a show in New Zealand Tuesday? Science says: Yes! --There's allegedly scientific proof that the Foos were rocking SO hard that they were actually causing the Earth to shake . . . as if a volcano was erupting. --A blog called GeoNet: Shaken Not Stirred reports, quote, "The biggest shakes started at 8:20 P.M. when the Foo Fighters took the stage, and then it all went quiet at 11:00 P.M. when the gig ended. --"The concert vibrations were recorded as a semi continuous harmonic signal . . . the ground was shaking three times per second in a nice rhythmic motion. There were lulls in the signal between the songs, and peaks in signal intensity during the songs." -The blog claims this was most likely caused by "the weight of the 50,000 fans dancing." And the sound system may have contributed as well. --As cool as that sounds, a Geophysics professor from CalTech tells E! Online that tremors like these are common at mass gatherings like concerts and sporting events. (--You can see the full "report" at GeoNet-ShakenNotStirred.Blogspot.com. Yes, it's a Blogspot page. Not to judge, but it does feel like you're looking at a college student's field journal or something.)


FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS


Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


HUGH HEFNER says LINDSAY LOHAN'S mother and her people were pushing for less nudity in her "Playboy" pictorial . . . but Hugh convinced them she had to go all-the-way naked. (Full Story)



Is Texas Governor and Republican presidential candidate RICK PERRY gay? Some guy published an e-book claiming it's true. (Full Story)



BRITNEY SPEARS bought her boyfriend Jason Trawick a $45,000 motorcycle for his 40th birthday. (Full Story)



ZAC EFRON has a new tattoo on his right hand. It says "YOLO", which stands for "You Only Live Once". (Full Story)



CHARLIZE THERON doesn't understand why women in their 30s wear Hello Kitty stuff. (Full Story)

Calloway Golf has hired JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE as their new creative director in an effort to attract younger customers. (Full Story)



LAUREN SCRUGGS . . . the model who walked into a spinning airplane propeller earlier this month . . . had to have her left eye removed on Wednesday. Her mother says, quote, "Lauren is recovering remarkably well, given the circumstances." (Full Story)



RUSSELL BRAND has inked a deal with FX to do a series of half-hour specials featuring, quote, "his unvarnished, unfiltered take on current events, politics and pop culture." (Full Story)



BARBARA WALTERS was supposedly overheard telling PRESIDENT OBAMA that she's retiring next year. ABC News says it's not true. (Full Story)


The Huffington Post says MADONNA'S Super Bowl halftime set list will be: "Give Me All Your Love", "Ray of Light", "Vogue", "Music" and "Holiday". (Full Story)



ADAM LAMBERT'S next album, "Trespassing", will drop on March 20th. The first single, "Better Than I Know Myself", hits next week. (Press Release)



RANDOM STUFF

Only 2% of People Say the Thing They're Most Looking Forward to This Christmas is Getting Presents:

Remember when we were kids and it was okay NOT to be politically correct . . . so we could go crazy over Christmas presents? Now, as adults, we have to lie and say that gifts DON'T really matter. --Harris Interactive just released their annual poll asking people what they're MOST looking forward to this holiday season. And only 2% of people said "getting presents" is most important. --Not that we like GIVING presents either. Only 7% said that finding and giving gifts is their favorite part of the holidays. Here's the full top eight . . .


#1.) Spending time with family and friends, 58%.

#2.) Holiday dinners and parties, 8%.

#3.) Finding and giving presents, 7%.

#4.) Putting up decorations, 4%.

#5.) Watching TV specials and hearing holiday songs on the radio, 4%.

#6.) Getting presents, 2%.

#7.) "I don't celebrate any upcoming holidays," 2%.

#8.) "I don't look forward to the upcoming holidays," 11%.

(Harris Interactive)
One in Five People Would Quit If They Did Something Embarrassing Enough at the Company Christmas Party:

Here's your absolute FINAL reminder for the year on this. In this economy, it's not worth messing up your entire professional career over one bad decision at the company Christmas party. --In a new survey by the social dating site Zoosk.com, at least one in five people say they could actually see themselves QUITTING THEIR JOB if they did something incredibly embarrassing at the Christmas party. –

-What qualifies as a career-ending embarrassment? Here's the list . . .


--19% say they'd quit if they threw up at the party from drinking too much.


--18% would quit if they MADE OUT WITH THEIR BOSS.


--10% would quit if they embarrassed themselves SINGING at the party.


--And finally, 4% said they'd quit if they did some horrible dancing.


--The survey also found that about 33% have kissed a coworker at a company party . . . and 25% plan to flirt with a coworker at this year's party. (Vancouver Sun)


The Average Person is Drunk in 76% of Their Tagged Facebook Photos?

This story comes from England and the number seems REALLY high . . . but it's possible it's true over here, too. --According to a new survey, the average person is DRUNK in 76% of their tagged Facebook photos. That's three out of every four. --Here's why. Generally you're tagged in photos from nights out with friends . . . and that's when you're most likely to be drinking. No one tags photos of you sitting in your cubicle or reading the Bible. --So even though you're not drunk three-quarters of the time . . . you just might be when your friends are taking your picture. --Here are some more results from the survey . . . --Only 12% of people have strict privacy settings on who can and can't see their photos. 26% let everyone in the world see their photos. --56% say they wouldn't want their coworkers to see their drunk photos. --And 8% say drunk photos might cause serious issues at work. (Mashable)


Americans Skipped Work Less This Year Than Any Other Year In History:

The old stereotype that Americans are lazy just isn't true. And here's another nail in the coffin. Not only do we take less vacation time than any other developed country . . . we don't take sick days or emergency personal days either. --According to a study by the business information company BNA, Americans skipped work less this year than any other year IN HISTORY. --During the third quarter of the year, the median rate of unscheduled absences was 0.6%. --Here's what that means. On any given day, there was less than a one in 167 chance that the average employee was going to be out with a sick day, an unscheduled emergency day off, or just playing hooky. --That doesn't take into account planned vacations, sabbaticals, or medical absences. Just spontaneous days off. --And during the first and second quarter of the year, the median rate was only 0.7%. --Before the recession, there was never a quarter that came in under 1%. --In BNA's press release, they say, quote, "When the economy is as volatile as it has been, people are much more apt to make an effort to come to work when they aren't feeling well. --"There's always been a correlation between high unemployment and low absenteeism, and this survey bears that out." (PR Newswire)
A Survey of 2,000 Women Didn't Find Anyone Who Thought Their Man Was Perfect:

This survey is from the U.K., but we have no doubt it's just as true here. --2,000 women were asked about their husbands and boyfriends . . . and NONE of them said their man was perfect. Not ONE. --The average woman rated her man as being about 69% perfect, which meant that they had a long list of things that needed to be fixed. Here are the five biggest complaints.

#1.) Not getting along with her family.


#2.) Using her toothbrush.


#3.) Leaving the bathroom dirty.


#4.) Hating her friends.


#5.) Not being good with children.


Some of the classic complaints about men finished lower than expected. Driving complaints were #10. Being a momma's boy was #11. Burping and passing gas was #16. And watching too much sports was #19. (Daily Mail)


Business Travelers Say the Worst Part of Flying Is Getting the Middle Seat . . . Here are the Five Worst People To Sit Next To:

An Internet company called ON24 Inc. did a survey on how bad business travel is.

--Half of the business people surveyed said that traveling for work has gotten worse. Only 8% said it's getting better. --The biggest complaint business travelers had about flying was . . . having to sit in the middle seat. More people complained about that than flight delays or lines at airport security. --Middle seats mean that you're sitting next to TWO people, of course . . . and business travelers listed the worst people to be stuck next to for a long flight:

#1.) A sick person: 74.2% complained about them. (--People could list more than one.)


#2.) A tie between people who hog the arm rest, and babies or annoying children: 42.9% each.


#3.) Someone who snores: 35%.


#4.) A couple who can't keep their hands off each other: 26.4%.


(Market Watch)

Pittsburgh Is the Most Secure City in America . . . and Ithaca, New York Is the Most Secure Small Town:

Farmers Insurance released their annual list of the most secure communities in the United States. --It's based on just about everything that could hurt you, including crime, extreme weather, natural disasters, car crashes, cancer rates, terrorist threats, and environmental hazards. --The lists are broken down by the size of the community. The most-secure small town in America is Ithaca, New York. State College, Pennsylvania finished second. That's the home of Penn State. So, yeah . . . REALLY poorly timed survey. --Among mid-sized cities, Kennewick, Washington is first, then Boulder, Colorado.

--Here are the most secure large cities in the country:

#1.) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

#2.) Rochester, New York.

#3.) El Paso, Texas.

#4.) Syracuse, New York.

#5.) The combined area of Bethesda, Gaithersburg, and Frederick, Maryland.

(--You can see the top 20 in each community size, here.) (PR Newswire)


Three 8th Grade Football Coaches Had Their Players Burn Their Third Place Trophies:

These guys are getting a ton of heat from the PC Police, but to a lot of people they're HEROES. Here's what happened . . . --Rod Fox, David Jahns, and Jay Pirrone are the coaches of an eighth grade football team New Canaan, Connecticut. In early November, their team lost in the semifinals of the playoffs. --And because in America these days, EVERYBODY gets a trophy so no one's feelings get hurt, the players all got third-place trophies. --The coaches wanted to teach their players the EXACT value of a third-place trophy. So they took the players to a park, and as a team, they SET THE TROPHIES ON FIRE. --Last week, the burning incident became public. And parents were OUTRAGED. --One woman named Elieen Boehme said she doesn't like the message, quote, "If you don't get first or second place it doesn't count. A trophy's a trophy, a win's a win, and it makes no sense." --And . . . the coaches DIDN'T stand up for themselves and say they were teaching kids you have to push yourself to achieve your absolute best. Instead, they bowed to the public pressure and all three resigned. (Daily Weston)


A Woman Swallows Her Breast Implant During Pilates?

I know pilates does incredible things for your flexibility . . . so even though this story is pretty messed up, maybe they should put it on the marketing posters: A 59-year-old woman in Baltimore SWALLOWED HER BREAST IMPLANT during pilates. --The woman's name wasn't released. Her case was just published in the "New England Journal of Medicine". --Now . . . to clarify, the doctors say she didn't swallow it in the traditional way, like down her throat. But it was the same basic principle. --The woman was doing a technique called the Valsalva maneuver. That's an exercise where you take a deep breath, hold it, and simulate the act of breathing out heavily. So, breathing out aggressively without releasing breath.--And it increases the pressure in your chest a LOT. So the woman built up enough pressure for her body to SWALLOW her right implant out of its socket, through the tissue between her ribs, and into the space between her lungs. (!!!)--Experts say it's a freak occurrence . . . the woman had recently had surgery to repair the mitral valve in her heart, which involves separating the muscles between the ribs. So she was primed to have her body swallow her implant. --Amazingly, when she went to the hospital and told them her implant had disappeared, she didn't have ANY side effects. No shortness of breath, no chest pain, nothing. --Surgeons tracked down the implant and put it back in her breast. (MSNBC)


If You Want to Avoid Getting Bit by Bedbugs, Let Your Body Hair Grow:

We ALWAYS advocate letting your body hair grow wild . . . forget the modern trend of both genders waxing it off. --And here's a NEW reason to let your body hair grow. A study out of the University of Sheffield in England found that the hairier you are, the less likely you are to get bitten by BEDBUGS. --Researchers found that the bedbugs had a tougher time navigating through thick body hair to get to skin. And as another bonus, the hair acts like an antenna, which helps hairier people feel the bedbugs on their skin quicker and brush them off.
(BBC)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

Two Men Robbed a Target . . . But Got Busted After Pocket Dialing 911:

This was an early Christmas present to the police, gift-wrapped and hand delivered. --On Tuesday, 29-year-old Jason Hamielec and 28-year-old Brian Johnson, both of Madison, Wisconsin, stole a bunch of DVDs and video games from a Target store. --As they were driving away, they bragged and joked about everything they'd stolen. But they didn't realize one of them had accidentally POCKET DIALED 911. So the police got to hear them describe their crime in full detail. For 54 MINUTES. --Eventually, Jason and Brian decided to sell everything at a video store. The cops got there first . . . and when Jason and Brian pulled into the parking lot, they were arrested for retail theft. (CBS News) (--Here are their mugshots. Jason's the blond one.)


A Man is Busted Trying to Smuggle 16 People Into the U.S. . . . by Having Them Pose as a Cheerleading Squad:

Regardless of your feelings on illegal immigrants, you've GOTTA love this creativity. --28-year-old Duastin Salazar is a Colombian man living in Miami, Florida. And yesterday, he was busted for trying to smuggle 16 PEOPLE into the U.S. on September 30th. And he did that by . . . having them pose as a CHEERLEADING SQUAD. --Customs agents quickly figured out they WEREN'T actually a cheerleading squad . . . maybe they couldn't "bring it" on cue? . . . and Salazar and six others were arrested. All of them were sentenced to time served and two years of suspended release. --Several of the fake cheerleaders were minors . . . and they were sent back to Colombia. (Miami Herald)


A Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $166,000 from a Law Group . . . To Spend on Facebook Games Like "Mafia Wars":

54-year-old Bettysue Higgins of Gardiner, Maine used to work as an administrative assistant for the Maine Trial Lawyers Association. Between May 22nd, 2006 and September 9th of last year, she forged checks to embezzle $166,000 from the group. --And a good chunk of that money went toward . . . purchases in FACEBOOK GAMES. Bettysue was apparently obsessed with "Mafia Wars" and "YoVille" . . . which is like a city version of "FarmVille" . . . and stole all that money to buy upgrades in the games. --On Wednesday, she pleaded guilty to theft by forgery. She could get up to six years in prison at her sentencing on January 3rd. (Kennebec Journal)


A Man is Busted for Attacking Shoppers at a Toys 'R' Us With a Plastic Light Saber . . . Then Using It to Fight Off a Police Taser:

It's sad to see someone go over to the dark side like this, when The Force was so strong in them. It happened to Darth Vader . . . and now it's happened to 33-year-old David Canterbury of Hillsboro, Oregon. --On Wednesday night, around 9:50 P.M., police in Portland, Oregon got a call from a Toys 'R' Us. David was inside the store, he had a plastic "Star Wars" LIGHT SABER in his hand . . . and he was ATTACKING PEOPLE with it. --When the police got there, David kept on swinging the light saber at them to keep them away. --They tried to Tase him . . . and that's where The Force came in: David used the light saber to swat one of the wires away and keep himself from getting shocked. --Finally, they just charged in and tackled him. I guess they realized it wasn't a real light saber and it was made of plastic. --David will be facing three assault charges, a theft charge, and a resisting arrest charge . . . but only after he undergoes a mental health evaluation. --Fortunately, none of the people he attacked with the light saber needed medical attention. (The Oregonian)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

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


Want to accomplish more by doing less? Studies show that people supposedly work most effectively in 90 minute increments, followed by breaks. (Full Story)


Do the six members of the Walton family who founded Walmart have more wealth than the bottom 30% of Americans? (Full Story)


According to a new study, people drink more alcohol and say it tastes better when they're listening to loud music. (Full Story)


One in four girls have sex before 16, way higher than previous generations. 4% of 55-year-olds say they had sex before 16 . . . 10% of 45- to 54-year-olds . . . and 16% of 35- to 44-year-olds. (Full Story)


16% of the species represented by characters in "Finding Nemo" now face extinction. (Full Story)


NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY


#1.) Matt Damon Dressed as Santa and Tried to Convince Kids to Ask for Reusable Water Bottles for Christmas:

MATT DAMON dresses up as Santa Claus in a new promotional video for the nonprofit, Water.org. And he tries to convince little kids to ask for a reusable water bottle for Christmas. Obviously, they're not into the idea. --It's pretty funny, even though it seems pretty scripted. A few of the kids say they've never HEARD of Matt Damon. But one of them DOES know who BEN AFFLECK is. (--Search for "Damon Claus for a Cause - Water.org.")


#2.) At a High School Pep Rally in Minnesota, Students Were Blindfolded . . . Then Tricked Into Making Out With Their Own Parents:

Someone in Rosemount, Minnesota is responsible for the most-twisted pep rally idea EVER. First, you line up all the captains of the sports teams and blindfold them. Then you have them kiss someone without telling them who it is. --So far, not too bad. But then you take off the blindfolds and reveal they were just kissing their PARENTS. And when I say kissing, I don't mean a peck. The parents basically MADE OUT with their own kids. And the video of it is online. (--Search for "Pep Fest Kissing." The kissing starts at :16, then one of the guys takes off his blindfold at :47. And don't miss the woman putting her son's hand on her butt at :28.)


#3.) Jeff Tweedy from Wilco Did the Seven-Day Weather Forecast on WGN:

WILCO is on tour and back in their hometown of Chicago this week. And when they performed yesterday on WGN's morning news show, singer JEFF TWEEDY also played the role of WEATHERMAN. --Tweedy presented the seven-day weather forecast for the station, even though he joked that a seven-day forecast was, quote, "kind of optimistic." (--Search for "Wilco's Jeff Tweedy Does Weather.")


#4.) A Little Kid Wouldn't Admit He Just Ate a Doughnut . . . Even Though He Had Crumbs All Over His Face:

There's a funny new video on YouTube of a little kid trying to convince his mom of two things: That he desperately needs another doughnut. And that he DID NOT just eat one while she wasn't looking. The problem is . . . he has crumbs all over his face. (--Search for "Kid Wants Doughnuts.")
The Five Strangest Christmas Traditions:

The best thing about the holidays are the traditions. But not all traditions are created equal. Here are five of the STRANGEST Christmas traditions from around the world.


#1.) The Christmas Pickle. If you know anyone of German or Spanish descent, check their Christmas tree. There's an old tradition of hanging up one Christmas ornament that's shaped like a PICKLE.


--You're supposed to hide it among all the other ornaments on the tree. Then the person who finds it gets an extra gift on Christmas Day.


#2.) Roller Skating to Church. This one actually starts TODAY. From December 16th through December 24th, cars aren't allowed on the streets in Venezuela's capital of Caracas until 8:00 a.m.


--And instead of walking to early-morning Mass, the custom is for everyone to roller skate there.


#3.) Putting Spider Webs on Your Christmas Tree. There's an old folk tale in the Ukraine about a poor family that didn't have enough money to decorate their Christmas tree.

--Then they woke up on Christmas morning and found it covered with silver and gold spider webs.

--So in the Ukraine during the holidays, it's not unusual to see Christmas trees with fake spider webs on them. Or even REAL spider webs if the person's hardcore. Apparently it's supposed to be good luck.


#4.) Hiding Every Broom in Your House. In Norway, everyone's supposed to hide their brooms on Christmas Eve. According to legend, evil spirits will rise from the dead and ride around on the brooms like witches if people don't do it.


--So for us, it would make more sense as a HALLOWEEN tradition.


#5.) Eating Kentucky Fried Chicken. In Japan, less than 1% of the population is Christian. But for some reason, it's become a tradition to eat fried chicken on Christmas Eve . . . especially Kentucky Fried Chicken.


--Then it's usually followed by strawberry shortcake for dessert. Apparently it all started with a Christmas ad campaign by KFC in the 1970s.

(Discovery.com)


Should You Wait to Break Up with Someone Until After the Holidays?

Here's a fun question: If you've basically checked out of your relationship, is it better to dump the person NOW . . . or wait until the New Year? Here are a few reasons why it might be better to wait.

#1.) It's Depressing. Meaning, for YOU. Breaking up is always depressing. But can you imagine get-togethers and celebrating the holidays when you just walked out on someone you've been dating?

#2.) It Could Get Awkward. You might be invited to parties by mutual friends. You probably already have your holiday plans figured out, so bailing now would make things painful.

#3.) Having to Explain the Situation. It's going to be a pain to explain why your boyfriend or girlfriend isn't with you when you go to parties and family get-togethers.

#4.) It'll Make You Look Bad. Do you really want to be seen as the heartless person who broke up with their boyfriend or girlfriend during the holidays? --But, on the other hand, it could be just as awkward doing the whole holiday thing KNOWING you're going to dump someone right afterwards.

(Dating-and-Relationship Advice)