HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (02-18-11)

66-Year-Old Rod Stewart Is a Dad Again:

At 66 years of age, ROD STEWART is a father again. His 39-year-old wife PENNY LANCASTER gave birth to a baby boy on Wednesday. They named him Aiden. --This is their second child . . . they also have a 5-year-old son named Alistair. And Rod has six other children from previous relationships. Rod's oldest kid is a daughter who's 47 years old . . . which is eight years older than his current wife.


George Clooney's Girlfriend Doesn't Want to Have Kids:

GEORGE CLOONEY doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'll ever want to give up his free and easy lifestyle. And this should help: His sexy Italian girlfriend isn't interested in having kids. --32-year-old ELISABETTA CANALIS says, quote, "[Getting pregnant has] never been an objective for me. My maternal desires are fully satisfied with my dogs." --Elisabetta is also not in a rush to get married, or to take the spotlight away from George. She says, quote, "I am happy to participate at events as the 'girlfriend of.'"


Justin Bieber Is Cool with Gay People:

We've already learned a lot about JUSTIN BIEBER from his new "Rolling Stone" interview. He hates our healthcare system . . . he doesn't believe in sex before LOVE . . . and he's anti-abortion, but not necessarily in cases of rape. --And thanks to another excerpt from the interview, here's something else we know about Justin: He's cool with gay people. --He says, quote, "It's everyone's own decision to do that. It doesn't affect me and shouldn't affect anyone else."


Ryan Phillippe and Amanda Seyfried Are No Longer Dating:

RYAN PHILLIPPE and AMANDA SEYFRIED are no longer dating. Apparently, it wasn't that serious to begin with. A source says, quote, "It's not a big deal for either of them." --Ryan and Amanda swapped fluids for about three months. He's 36, she's 25. (--Ryan was reportedly seen trying to hit on RIHANNA at a brunch in Hollywood last weekend . . . but she blew him off.)



Christian Slater Is Reaching Out to Lindsay Lohan:

CHARLIE SHEEN isn't the only person reaching out to LINDSAY LOHAN. He's not even the only person with the initials "C.S." reaching out to Lindsay. --CHRISTIAN SLATER has put the word out that he's there if Lindsay needs him. He tells "Details" magazine, quote, "I appreciated the people who reached out to me. It's a brutal position to be in. --"You feel alone and confused over where your life went and how you got yourself in this situation . . . Addiction is a killer. And it takes so much to recognize the problem." --Slater is 41 years old and five years sober. He adds, quote, "Addiction is not pretty, and you don't fully understand it unless you're dealing with it head-on. --"That's why when I see other kids struggling, I will sometimes reach out to them . . . a call or an e-mail." (--One more, quick note: Some guy who's trying to promote his fashion website sent Lindsay Lohan a $2,500 necklace . . . presumably to replace the $2,500 necklace she allegedly stole, and had to return to police.) (--You can check out his press release here.)


Leighton Meester's Mother Is Accused of Making Death Threats Against a Woman and Her Child:

"Gossip Girl" minx LEIGHTON MEESTER didn't grow up in the most stable household. In fact, when she was born, her mother Constance was serving a 10-year sentence for marijuana smuggling. --Constance was moved to the hospital for the birth, then got to nurse Leighton in a halfway house for three months. Then she went back to the joint, and Leighton's grandmother took over the parenting until she got out. --Anyway, Constance Meester is in trouble again . . . this time for allegedly making DEATH THREATS against a woman and her minor child. --The victim, Laurel Wigg, was granted a restraining order keeping Constance away from her and her kid for a full year. --She told the court that Constance threatened to, quote, "hunt down and kill" her and her son . . . and also said she was going to, quote, "(Eff) us up." She also described Leighton's mom as an ADDICT. --We don't know the root of the problem between Laurel Wigg and Constance Meester . . . but Laurel told the court that Constance has a child who goes to school with her kid.
Some Guy Claims He Stole Paris Hilton's $2,000 Birthday Cake:

Some guy named Paz went on Facebook, claiming that he stole PARIS HILTON'S birthday cake. He said, quote, "I woke up this morning with a $2000 birthday cake in my living room." --"Paz" claims he got into Paris' recent 30th birthday party through a friend who was invited. He saw that there were two cakes . . . one of which was mostly for show. --He asked a waiter what was going to happen to it, and was told it would probably be thrown out. --He says, quote, "It was at this inebriated moment I decided no one was going to waste $2000 worth of anything on my watch." --So he picked it up and just walked out of the party with it. (--"Paz" posted two pictures of the cake. The first one is at Paris' actual party. It shows Paris blowing out the candles on the OTHER cake . . . the one everybody was eating.) (--You can see the fancy, $2,000 cake in the bottom-left corner of the shot. The second pic shows the cake in what we assume is Paz's living room.) (--Paris officially turned 30 yesterday.)


Denise Richards Uses Books to Help Her Daughters Deal with Their Dad Charlie Sheen's Crazy Lifestyle:

I'm starting to believe that the hardest job in the world is being a mother to CHARLIE SHEEN'S kids. At least the ones who are old enough to understand how unhinged their dad is. --DENISE RICHARDS has been dealing with that now. She and Charlie have two daughters, who are 5 and 6 years old. And on "The View" today, she talks about how she does it. --She says, quote, "This has been something I have dealt with for years. This is not a new situation. There are times where his life is more colorful than others, more public than others, and as the kids get older it's a difficult thing. --"I'm learning as I go too. I have never had to deal with this and this was a subject I had hoped to talk with my children about as they got older. But it's hard." -One thing Denise does is use books that teach kids about addiction. She says, quote, "There are images and pictures that a child can understand. I don't know what they fully comprehend from these conversations. --"They don't know what some of these things are. So I do the best I can and it's not easy." --And how sad is this: Denise has pretty much ACCEPTED that this is the way things are going to be for her and her daughters . . . quote, "I mean, you know this is Charlie's lifestyle. He makes no bones about it. And it is what it is."


NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

The Hot Blonde from "Glee" Goes Up Against Liam Neeson This Weekend . . . and Martin Lawrence is Back with Yet Another "Big Momma's House":

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

When Liam Neeson comes out of a four-day coma, his wife acts like she doesn't know him and introduces him to some other dude who's pretending to be him. The cops don't believe him, and even he starts to think he's crazy . . . until someone tries to kill him. --"National Treasure" minx Diane Kruger plays a taxi driver who helps him run around Berlin trying to figure out what's happening, and "Mad Men's" January Jones plays his treacherous wife. (Trailer)

#2.) "I Am Number Four" (PG-13)

British model Alex Pettyfer (--Pet-if-er) is one of nine alien teens hiding on Earth after their planet is attacked. For some reason they can only be killed in sequence, and they're being hunted down by other aliens before they can develop their powers. "Glee's" Dianna Agron plays the human chick he falls for, and they've been hooking up off camera since they met on the set. But she's not the only hot blonde in it: Teresa Palmer from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" plays Number Four's ally Number Six. (Trailer 1) (Trailer 2)

(--Alex has another movie called "Beastly" coming out in two weeks. It's a new version of "Beauty & the Beast", where he plays the beast opposite Vanessa Hudgens. He uses an American accent in both movies, but you can listen to his real accent here.)

#3.) "Big Mommas: Like Father Like Son" (PG-13)

In Martin Lawrence's third Big Momma movie, his son witnesses a murder so the two of them put on matching fat suits and go into hiding at an all girls school. (Trailer) --His son is played by comedian Brandon T. Jackson, who was rapper Alpa Chino in "Tropic Thunder" and the horny half-goat dude in that "Percy Jackson" movie. (--He also has an amusing rap video for the film called "Imma Do It Big". Enjoy.)



#4.) "The Chaperone" (PG-13) (Limited)

WWE rassler Triple H volunteers to chaperone a field trip so he can reconnect with his daughter, who's played by 13-year-old "Modern Family" star Ariel Winter. Chaos ensues once his old bank robbing buddies catch up with them at the museum. (Trailer) (--This isn't the first time Triple H has tried acting. He was also in "Blade Trinity", but this is his first time in a starring role . . . AND his first family comedy. I can only hope this rises to the level of The Rock's "The Game Plan". No one wants to see another farce like Hulk Hogan's "Mr. Nanny" or "Suburban Commando".)


Sarah Jessica Parker Wants to Do Another "Sex and the City" Movie . . . But She Doesn't Like the Idea of a Prequel:

Is anyone actually interested in a "Sex and the City 3"? Well, SARAH JESSICA PARKER is. She wants to bring Carrie Bradshaw and her slutty friends back for another round. But maybe not right away. --She says, quote, "I think there's one more story to tell. I know there is. I'd definitely tell that [third] story . . . But maybe not now. Maybe in five years, you know?" --One thing Sarah would NOT like to see is a "Sex and the City" prequel. There's been talk of doing one with the girls in their 20s . . . and with BLAKE LIVELY as Carrie Bradshaw. --Sarah says, quote, "There are a lot of important and interesting stories that 21-year-olds can tell. I don't begrudge any 21-year-old the opportunity to tell their stories. --"But I don't think we can pretend to go back. It's creating two histories. It's like, 'Oh I didn't know that about Carrie Bradshaw.'"


Will Detroit Get a Robocop Statue Or Not?

There are SOOO many things the city of Detroit needs. And yet one of the biggest debates going on there right now is whether or not a ROBOCOP STATUE will be built. --Yes, the classic 1987 sci-fi flick "Robocop" was set in Detroit. But it was a Detroit of the near future . . . in which the government is corrupt and the city is in social and financial ruin. (--Good thing that didn't happen in real life, huh?) --Well, some fan recently asked Detroit Mayor Dave Bing if the city could erect a statue honoring Robocop. Bing responded, quote, "There are not any plans to erect a statue to Robocop. Thank you for the suggestion." --But then, supporters set up a website seeking donations for the statue. (--You can see it here.) And the government said it MIGHT consider the statue if the funding was raised. --Guess what? The money is all in. Supporters were looking for $50,000, and one guy ponied up 25-grand on his own. They're now up over $58,000. --There's no official word yet whether the Robocop statue will actually be built.


Andrea Anders Talks About Being with One Former "Friends" Star on TV . . . and Another in Real Life:

ANDREA ANDERS' life is a little like an episode of "Friends" . . . because she's involved with both "Friends" stars MATT LEBLANC and MATTHEW PERRY. --Andrea has been dating Matt in real life, ever since meeting him on the "Friends" spin-off "Joey". They even live together. --Meanwhile, Andrea is now on Matthew Perry's new sitcom, "Mr. Sunshine". She's playing Alice, who has a sexual relationship with Matthew's character. --That's pretty crazy, right? Andrea thinks so. --She tells PopEater.com, quote, "It was actually pretty funny. I would come home from work and tell Matt about things we'd done on the set and things Matthew Perry had done, and he'd say, 'Oh, yeah. I remember him doing that on our show.' --"They're both always giving each other credit for doing funny things: 'Oh, that was straight from LeBlanc.' 'Perry came up with that.' Then there's this big gray area where they can't remember which one originated something because they both did."


"Survivor" Had Its Smallest Premiere Ever:

"Survivor" premiered opposite "American Idol" for the first time EVER on Wednesday . . . and, well, it didn't work out for "Survivor". --"Idol" owned the night, averaging 22.9 million viewers. "Survivor: Redemption Island" only attracted 11.2 million viewers, which is an all-time low for a "Survivor" premiere. It's in its 22nd season, so it's had 21 higher-rated premieres. --The last season premiered to 12.2 million people this past fall . . . and the season before that, which aired last spring, began with 14.2 million viewers. (--The previous premiere low came in the fall of 2009. That season kicked off with 11.7 million viewers.)

KCBS Reporter Serene Branson Suffered a Migraine, Not a Stroke:

We're finally starting to get some medical explanations for KCBS reporter SERENE BRANSON'S descent into gibberish, while reporting "live" after the Grammys on Sunday night. (--You can revisit the video, here.) --Despite all the speculation that Serene suffered some kind of stroke, her doctors suspect that she suffered a MIGRAINE. A neurologist who examined her says, quote, "A migraine is not just a headache. It's a complicated brain event." --He added that Serene felt numbness on the right side of her face that affected her speech. She said she's had migraines since she was little, but she's never had it affect her like it did during her report. (--As far as we know, she's still doing OK.)


Ken Jennings Is Cool with Losing to a Computer on "Jeopardy":

KEN JENNINGS didn't mind losing to Watson . . . the IBM supercomputer . . . on "Jeopardy" earlier this week, mostly because he's HUMAN. (--Sort of. Ken is the SUPER HUMAN who had the incredible 74-game winning streak back in 2004. His reign stretched from June 2nd to November 30th. In all, he's won nearly $3.2 million on "Jeopardy".) --He says, quote, "There's no shame in losing to silicon. After all, I don't have 2,880 processor cores and 15 terabytes of reference works at my disposal . . . nor can I buzz in with perfect timing whenever I know an answer. --"My puny human brain . . . just a few bucks worth of water, salts, and proteins . . . hung in there just fine against a jillion-dollar supercomputer." --Ken also pointed out that this wasn't a failure for humankind . . . instead it was a showcase of SUCCESS. Or at least it is for the people at IBM. --He says, quote, "To them, I wasn't the good guy, playing for the human race. That was Watson's role, as a symbol and product of human innovation and ingenuity. So my defeat at the hands of a machine has a happy ending, after all." (--These comments were drawn from an article Ken wrote for Salon.com.)


WEEKEND TV REMINDERS

Friday TV Reminders:

--"NBA Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. ET on TNT.

--"Who Do You Think You Are?" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Rosie O'Donnell explores her Irish family lineage on her late mother's side.)

--"Primetime: What Would You Do?" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. (--The scenarios include AIDS discrimination and teens asking people to buy alcohol.)

--"Your Own Show" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:30 P.M. on OWN.

--"20/20" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman talks about being attacked by diaper-wearing astronaut Lisa Nowak four years ago because of that NASA love triangle between Colleen, Lisa, and astronaut William Oefelein.)

--"Gold Rush: Alaska" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Discovery.

Saturday TV Reminders:

--"NBA All-Star Saturday Night" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on TNT. (--Events include the Slam Dunk contest, Three-Point Shootout and Skills Challenge with Blake Griffin, DeMar DeRozan, Serge Ibaka and JaVale McGee.)

--"Patrice O'Neal: Elephant in the Room" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Comedy Central. (--Comedian Patrice O'Neal performs stand-up.)

--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. (--Paul Rudd guest hosts and Paul McCartney is the musical guest.) (REPEAT)

Sunday TV Reminders:

--"Daytona 500" . . . 12:00 to 2:00 P.M. Eastern on Fox.

--"NBA All-Star Game" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on TNT.

--"The Simpsons" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on Fox. (--Halle Berry guests as herself when Bart becomes a filmmaker for an animated short.)

--"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Comedian Dane Cook, ventriloquist Terry Fator, and "Ace of Cakes" chef Duff Goldman help Ty and his crew build a new home for a soldier and his fiancée.)

--"Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" [18th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. (--11 former teams return for another chance at a million dollars.)

--"The Cleveland Show" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. (--Justin Timberlake guest stars as Terry's same-sex lover Paul.)

--"Desperate Housewives" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Lynette's twins Porter and Preston are moving out and Gaby returns to her hometown for a visit.)

--"Saturday Night Live Backstage" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--A behind-the-scenes look at the show with fan favorite clips, interviews and audition stories.)

--"Episodes" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on Showtime.


Lady Gaga Wore a "Condom-Inspired Outfit" on "Good Morning America":

Good Morning America! Here's LADY GAGA wrapped in a giant condom! --That's what happened yesterday, when Lady Gaga showed up on "Good Morning America" wearing what she described as, quote, "a latex condom-inspired outfit." She did it to raise awareness for AIDS . . . and herself, clearly. (--That's INSPIRED by a condom. It doesn't look exactly like she's wearing a condom. It's actually more of a hybrid between a condom and SALLY FIELD'S "Flying Nun" get-up.) --She explained, quote, "Today I really wanted to, head-to-toe, be representative of what we women and people all over the world need to be concerned about, which is the leading cause of death in women all around the world, which is HIV. --"Most importantly, I want to get people started at home, at a younger age with their children, talking about HIV, talking about AIDS, talking about safe sex." --Lady Gaga added that she hopes to raise $50 million or AIDS awareness this year. (--Check out the interview, here. You can catch a glimpse of Lady Gaga's costume early on, but the interview doesn't start until the 2:00 mark . . . after they're finished celebrating her as a pop culture Jesus.)


Nick Jonas Says the Jonas Brothers Will "Step It Up" on Their Next Album:

One thing has been lost in the midst of the JUSTIN BIEBER tsunami . . . and no, I'm not talking about tsunami tsurviving tsupermodel PETRA NEMCOVA, she's still fine . . . I mean the JONAS BROTHERS. --NICK, JOE and KEVIN JONAS were the biggest reason for your teenage girl's existence . . . until USHER plucked Justin out of YouTube and used his undeniable cuteness (and debatable talent) to brew up the Bieber Fever tidal wave. --But the Jonas Brothers aren't done. They're ready to start their next album, and they're going to give it some extra time and love to make sure they raise the bar. --Nick tells MTV News, quote, "I'd say that with all the projects we've released so far musically, we're very proud of them, and each one has been a step for us and has been a step of growth. --"Like anybody, with the next one, you have to step it up and make it great, and I think that we don't necessarily know what the sound is right now. And we're all kind of in different areas musically. I think that we don't have the same influences." --And he adds, quote, "Whether it's pop, rock, dance, whatever . . . it's going to be right, and we're taking our time on that." (--The Jonas Brothers released albums in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. There's no timeline for the next one yet.)
Bret Michaels Is Excited to Get Back to Performing:

BRET MICHAELS is whole-heartedly excited about getting back up on stage, and I mean that literally. Bret has been recovering from a surgery he had last month to replace a hole in his heart. --He says, quote, "I am pumped to get back on the road . . . and start rocking out on stage for all my awesome fans." --For now, his first performance back is scheduled for March 27th in Dallas. It's actually the first in a short, four-city tour called the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, which is benefiting breast cancer. Bret is headlining the tour.


Ozzy Osbourne Is Warning People About the Dangers of LSD:

In a column in the new issue of "Rolling Stone", OZZY OSBOURNE shares the dangers of doing LSD . . . saying that if you're not careful, quote, "it's gonna bite you on the balls." Ozzy explains, quote, "LSD is a great time, until it isn't. --"One minute you're running down Miami Beach with a foam finger on your head . . . the next you're sticking a gun in your best friend's face." (--Seriousness aside, it's kind of fun to picture Ozzy running around with a foam finger on his head.) --He adds, quote, "I still get the after-effects of LSD . . . I call them my 'wobblers.' In a flash, every little problem freaks me out and becomes the end of the world."


FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE are seconds away from breaking up, for about the 700th time. This time it's about money. They're spending more than they make, and Brad is tired of it. (Full Story)


This could be epic: "Donnie Darko" mastermind RICHARD KELLY is teaming up with ELI ROTH . . . who directed "Cabin Fever" and the "Hostel" movies . . . on a horror flick. (Full Story)


MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD will play Mary Todd . . . Abraham Lincoln's wife . . . in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter". (Full Story)


JENNIFER BEALS may have starred in "Flashdance" in the '80s, but she turned down "Dancing With the Stars" because, quote, "I am not a dancer." (Full Story)


Remember we heard that MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY from "Dancing With the Stars" was doing the Ukranian version of "The Bachelor"? Well, here's an ad for it. (Video)


Since MICHAEL VICK backed out of his interview with OPRAH, she's replacing him on next Thursday's show with DAVID ARQUETTE. (Full Story)


The new video for BRITNEY SPEARS' "Hold It Against Me" hit the web yesterday. For some reason, it features some sweet martial arts fighting. (Video)
NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF


More Than Half of Women Say They'd Give Up Sex for a Year To Be Skinny:

If you've ever wondered whether women compulsively diet so they can have more sexual relations, this should go ahead and answer that. No. They do not. --In a new survey by "Fitness" magazine, 51% of women say they'd happily give up sex for an ENTIRE YEAR if it meant they could be skinny. --The rest said they'd be willing to be 30 pounds overweight if it meant great sex.

--Here are some more findings from the survey . . .

--25% of women have untagged Facebook photos because they think they look too chubby.
--30% say they've tried some CRAZY diet, like only eating baby food or doing a 10-day cleanse where the only thing they put in their body is water with lemon and cayenne pepper.
--43% of women say they regularly skip meals to try to lose weight.
--20% exercise daily for at least two hours.
--27% of women say they've dieted so often they can't keep track anymore.
--44% said they were on a diet when they were surveyed. (New York Post)


And Now, A Scientific Explanation for Why We Groan During Sex:

A group of scientists have figured out why we GROAN during sex. --Researchers in Hanover, Germany say that people let out uncontrollable grunts, groans, and moans during sex because of what it's doing to your brain. --When you have relations, the feelings are so intense in your brain that they temporarily ALTER YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS . . . and as you slip in and out, you let out your most primitive sounds. Now you know. (Discover Magazine)


Facebook Has Added Two Gay-Friendly Options To Its Relationship Status Menu:

Facebook got a lot more FABULOUS yesterday. They've added two new gay-friendly options to their relationship status menu: "In a civil union" and "In a domestic partnership." --Those join the classics like single, in a relationship, engaged, married, and everyone's favorite, "it's complicated." (Gawker)


Bill Clinton Sent Exactly Two Emails During His Presidency . . . Here's Who He Wrote To:

The Internet really took off during BILL CLINTON'S presidency. But he was a little too . . . uhh, 'busy' . . . to learn how to use it. --This week, Clinton was speaking at a conference and told the crowd he sent exactly TWO emails during his presidency. Quote, "One to our troops in the Adriatic, and one to JOHN GLENN when he was 77 years old in outer space." --GEORGE W. BUSH also rarely sent email when he was president . . . but PRESIDENT OBAMA is all about email. Any email that the president sends can be subpoenaed and considered part of the public record. (Fast Company)


Shocking News! Over the Past 20 Years, The Rich Have Gotten Way Richer and the Rest of Us Have Gotten Poorer:

You're never going to believe this . . . but the past few decades have been really, really good to rich people and really, really crappy for the rest of us. I know. Inconceivable! --According to a new study by CNNMoney.com, if you adjust for inflation, over the past 20 years, the richest 1% of Americans . . . people making $380,000-a-year or more . . . have seen their incomes go up an average of 33%. --Meanwhile, the average American has gone from making $33,400-a-year two decades ago to making $33,000 today. That's about a 1% drop. Have a great weekend! (CNNMoney)
How Much Is Your Life Worth? Different Government Agencies Have Different Estimates:

Ever wondered how much your life is worth in dollars? Spoiler alert: No matter what your mother told you, the answer isn't "priceless." --Different government agencies have tried to estimate the value of an individual life, usually as a justification for the amount they spend on programs designed to keep you alive. --Here are the various numbers that different parts of the government have thrown around in their attempts to translate humans into dollars.

--Environmental Protection Agency. They value a life at $9.1 MILLION, which they cited when they were proposing more pollution restrictions. That's way up from their previous estimates a few years back, of $6.8 MILLION.

--Food and Drug Administration. They say a life is worth $7.9 MILLION, and cited that when they proposed warning labels on packs of cigarettes that show shocking photos of cancer victims. --That's higher than they used to estimate too . . . in 2008, they estimated a life at $5 MILLION.

--Transportation Department. They estimate a life at $6.1 MILLION, which they used to justify tighter vehicle safety regulations. --So . . . right now, the government thinks you're worth somewhere between $6.1 MILLION and $9.1 MILLION. And, unfortunately, that's for knowledge's sake only . . . you can't go ahead and cash that out like a 401(k). (New York Times)


The U.S. Drinks a Lot of Alcohol . . . But Nowhere Close To Most Europeans or Russians:

Hey, raise up your glass of water, fruit juice, or Diet Coke and let's toast . . . we're NOT the drunkest country in the world! In fact, we're not even close. --According to a map put together by "The Economist", the average American drinks between 7.5 and 10 liters of pure alcohol every year. That's a lot . . . but it's not even CLOSE to Europeans or Russians. --Russia and almost every European country has an average of AT LEAST 12.5 liters of alcohol per person every year. People in Moldova drink the most, at 18.2 liters per person per year . . . and a lot of it is moonshine. --In between are Australians, Nigerians, and Argentineans, who drink between 10 liters and 12.5 liters per year. --Northern African and Middle Eastern countries usually drink the least alcohol, at less than 2.5 liters per person. --Our 7.5 to 10 liters of pure alcohol means the average American drinks 254 to 338 ounces of alcohol every year. --That seems a little high . . . it means the average person has at least 500 drinks a year . . . but maybe the heavy drinkers are REALLY making up for the sober people. (The Economist) (--You can see the full world map of drinking and breakdown here.)


The 67-Year-Old President of Uganda Wants To Put Out a Rap Album?

There's a presidential election today in Uganda. Since 1986, their president has been a man named Yoweri Museveni. He's popular, even though he's brought Uganda corruption, unemployment, and health care problems. --So for this election, he's stepped up his game. At age 67, Museveni has announced that if he's reelected . . . he's going to release a RAP ALBUM. Seriously. --Over the last few months, Museveni has started rapping the words to two Ugandan children's folk songs at his rallies. And those rap performances have resonated with some younger Ugandans. --Museveni says, quote, "These young people taught me about this 'rap'. After the election, you may get quite a big album of the classics." His raps have even been mixed together over a beat and become a big hit in Uganda. --The two folk songs that Museveni has been rapping are called "Naatema akati", which translates to "I cut a stick" . . . and "Mp'enkoni", which translates to "Give me the stick." --There's no word what raps would be on his "big album of classics" . . . or if Uganda has any folk songs that aren't somehow stick related. (Reuters U.K.) (--Here's a video featuring Museveni rapping at a rally. And by rapping, it's more like "sort of talking in rhythm." But whatever. He's 67, and at least as competent as the Rappin' Granny. Or Master P.)


A Man In China Goes To the Doctor with a Chronic Headache . . . And a Doctor Finds a Four-Inch Knife Has Been Stuck In His Head for Four Years:

In 2006, 33-year-old Li Fu of the Yunnan Province of China was stabbed in the HEAD during a robbery. --Ever since then, he's had pretty bad headaches. Finally, last month, he decided to go to a doctor to see if they could help. --And when they X-rayed him, the doctors IMMEDIATELY figured out what was wrong. When Li was stabbed, the robber didn't take the knife with him. No . . . the entire four-inch blade was left stuck in Li's head. --It was poking into his BRAIN for more than four years . . . which caused the headaches. And, the doctors say, it absolutely should've KILLED HIM. They have no idea how he's survived. --They performed surgery on Li and removed the blade. --He's now in stable condition. (Daily Mail)


A Legendary MMA Fighter's Coach Blames a Recent Loss On . . . Secret Mind Control:

FEDOR EMELIANENKO is a legend in Mixed Martial Arts. But on Saturday, he lost his second straight MMA fight, to an opponent named ANTONIO SILVA. And Fedor's coach has a theory about what went wrong. --Vladimir Voronov is the coach. And he told a Russian website that Fedor lost the fight because . . . someone used SECRET MIND CONTROL on him. -Quote, "We believe that forbidden psychological technology was used. Not ones that could be seen by the naked eye, but psychological technologies that worked on both fighters at a distance. --"That is why during the fight Fedor was just not like himself. He stepped into the ring and did everything exactly the opposite of what we practiced before the fight. We were all shocked! Fedor had never previously done such a thing." --The fight was put on by a federation called Strikeforce. There's no word on whether or not they're going to investigate whether mind control was a factor in Fedor's loss. --The fight was stopped in the second round when the ringside doctor ruled that Fedor had too much damage to his right eye to keep fighting. (Fightline)


Pipe Workers In El Paso Bust Into a Wall . . . And Find Almost $1 Million Inside:

Two weeks ago, some pipe workers in El Paso, Texas were fixing pipes in a condo that had broken because of the cold weather. To get to the pipes, they had to bust into one of the condo walls. --And when they did . . . they found cash inside. Not just a little cash. Just under $1 MILLION worth of cash. --Apparently there's a lot of ethics in the El Paso pipe worker universe . . . because instead of splitting the money up, the workers told the police. --They're investigating where the money came from. Since it's El Paso . . . which is a major drug hub because of its location right across the border from Juarez, Mexico . . . the first instinct here is "well that's clearly drug money." --And an El Paso police spokesman says that generally when huge sums of cash turn up in El Paso, they've been linked to drugs. For now, they're trying to track down the person who was living in the condo. (El Paso Times)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Man Leads a "Mission: Impossible" Style Heist To Steal $7.4 Million Worth Of Laptops . . . But Gets Busted Because He Wanted McDonald's Afterward:

Nothing quite tops off a masterful, multimillion-dollar heist like a Double Quarter Pounder, fries, and maybe a Reese's McFlurry. --Last March, 55-year-old Rolando Coca of Hillsborough, Florida led 10 thieves in a crazy, "Mission: Impossible" style heist, where they stole $7.4 MILLION worth of military laptops from a government contractor's warehouse. --They cut a hole in the roof, rappelled 20 feet down, disabled the security cameras, then started loading the laptops into trucks. Rolando only made two mistakes. --One, he and his crew forgot to disable a camera, which caught a glimpse of a red Lincoln Navigator. And two . . . Rolando was driving that Navigator after the heist, and decided to swing through a MCDONALD'S DRIVE THRU down the street. --During the FBI's investigation of the theft, they gathered footage from every business near the warehouse, to see if any other camera picked up a shot of the SUV. And they hit the jackpot when they got the McDonald's drive-thru footage. --The FBI recognized Rolando instantly as someone they'd already suspected for the thefts. Unfortunately, they didn't release what he ordered at the drive-thru. --Their investigation took almost a year . . . but now, finally, they busted Rolando and the other thieves. They've recovered about half of the laptops, and say no classified information was compromised. (St. Petersburg Times)


A Man Is Busted for Reefer Possession When His Dog Throws His Stash Out the Car Window In Front of a Cop:

On February 9th, 32-year-old Joel Dobrin of San Diego, California was driving his pickup truck in Oregon when a sheriff's deputy decided to pull him over. --Joel had a sock full of REEFER and hashish sitting on the front seat. So before he pulled over, he decided he'd stash the sock. --There was only one problem. His pit bull mix was also in the car, and saw Joel pick up the sock. The dog thought it was a toy and Joel wanted to play. So he bit the other end of the sock and wouldn't let go. --They played a brief game of tug-of-war . . . the pit bull won . . . and YANKED the sock out of Joel's hand. In the process, the dog flung the sock and it went flying . . . right out the window. --Joel pulled over and the deputy recovered the sock. --Joel was arrested and cited for possession of marijuana and hashish. (NBC 8 - Portland)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

The average restaurant worker makes less than $15,000 a year, and 80% of them don't get sick days. It gets worse. Minorities make $4 an hour less than white restaurant workers. (Full Story)

Immigrants live longer than native-born Americans . . . because of smoking?
(Full Story)


An Amish village has been rocked by a Bernie Madoff-type fraud ring, where a 77-year-old Amish dude took $33 million from other Amish people. (Full Story)


A guy in Texas spent 18 years in prison . . . 14 years if it on death row . . . before his conviction was finally overturned. And he should have been awarded $1.4 million in compensation. But since the judge never used the phrase "actual innocence" . . . he gets nothing? (Full Story)


NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY


#1.) A 10-Year-Old Girl's Cover "Born This Way" Is a Hit on YouTube . . . And Lady Gaga Said It Made Her Cry:

A kid named GREYSON CHANCE covered the LADY GAGA song "Paparazzi" last year, and the YouTube video racked up nearly 40 million views. Then the kid got his own record deal. --And now the same thing could happen to a 10-year-old girl in Winnipeg named MARIA ARAGON. On Wednesday, she posted a cover version of Gaga's new song, "Born This Way". --Then Gaga Tweeted about it, saying, quote, "[I] can't stop crying watching this. This is why I make music." After just two days, the video is approaching one million views. (--Search YouTube for "Born This Way Maria Aragon")


#2.) A Group of Guys Played "Flight of the Bumblebee" Using 101 Beer Bottles:

--Behind every third video online is a group of brosephs with WAY too much time on their hands. --In this case, they lined up 101 bottles in their kitchen, filled them with different amounts of liquid, and ran around hitting them with knives so they could play "Flight of the Bumblebee". (--Search CollegeHumor.com for "Flight of the Bumblebee on 101 Bottles")


#3.) Check Out a 60-Second Version of "The Exorcist" . . . in Claymation:

Some guy on YouTube does 60-second versions of movies using claymation, and his newest one is for "The Exorcist". And yes, it has the pea soup scene. (--Search for "The Exorcist in 60 Seconds with Clay")


#4.) Want to Change the Interior Design of an Entire Room With the Flick of a Button?

--Some artsy group in the Netherlands set up a living room with all-white walls and furniture, then used two video projectors to project images on it. Basically, it changes how the entire room looks with the flick of a button. --It's called "3-D projection mapping", and it looks so real it seems fake. (--Search for "Mr. Beam Living Room Projection")
Five Foods That Improve Your Looks:

If you feel like you look five years older than you should, and it's making you self-conscious, here are five foods that can improve your looks.

#1.) Spinach. It contains carotenoids, which make the whites of your eyes whiter. Visine can damage your eyes if you use it too much, because it works by constricting their blood vessels. -So after you go on a bender this weekend, eat spinach instead.

#2.) Eggs. They're high in iron, which helps prevent hair loss . . . so your head won't LOOK like an egg. (--HI-YO!) And the sulfur in eggs naturally makes your hair softer.

#3.) Bananas. Smoking and getting too much sun are two of the worst things you can do for your skin, because both of them make your skin less elastic . . . which makes you look older than you are. --But the potassium in bananas does the opposite. And having enough of it in your diet can do more for your skin than a lot of lotions and anti-aging products.

#4.) Beets. Beetroot contains something called betaine (--BEE-tah-een), which helps your body break down fat. So eating beets can improve your looks by helping you lose weight. --But if you start eating A LOT of beets, be prepared for one significant side effect: Dwight on "The Office" lives on a beet farm and always talks about how many he eats. And if he's telling the truth . . . his urine is bright red.

#5.) Guava. They're high in antioxidants, which counteract the free radicals in your body that cause skin damage. And they also have five times more vitamin C than an orange, which helps your body create collagen. --Collagen is the same stuff women have injected into their lips to make them look fuller, but it's also in your skin. And adding more makes your skin look younger. --If you don't like the taste of guava, you don't have to eat it: Just squish it up, rub it on your skin, and wait a few minutes. Then take a shower . . . because you'll be covered in fruit, you nasty freak. (AskMen.com)


Five Tips for Meeting Someone New:

If Valentine's Day made you realize you're TIRED of being single, we've got five tips that should help you meet someone new. So listen up, you lonely S.O.B.

#1.) Host Some Informal Get-Togethers. Try to get a group of your friends together every few weeks for an informal hang out. Start out small, with just your close friends, and then slowly expand to co-workers, friends of friends, etc.

#2.) Be a Nerd. This doesn't mean sit around and play "World of Warcraft" for hours on end. Being a nerd means knowing a ton about a specific subject. --So find something you're passionate about . . . travel, cooking, whatever . . . and immerse yourself in it. You're more likely to find someone with similar interests when you start doing stuff you love, AND you've got an instant conversation starter.

#3.) Smile. Seriously. It might sound stupid, but there's no easier way to be more approachable than . . . smiling and looking approachable.

#4.) Don't Make Things Goal-Oriented. Don't approach dating and meeting someone new as a game, where you'll ONLY be satisfied if you get a phone number or nail down a first date. --You'll set yourself up for disappointment, and you might come off as pushy or insincere.

#5.) Take Care of Yourself. If you eat right, go to the gym, and care about how you look . . . you're going to LOOK better. Shocker. But more importantly, you'll FEEL better too. (Happen Magazine)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (02-17-11)

BIEBER FEVER

Justin Bieber Says the U.S. Is "Evil" For Not Offering Universal Healthcare:

Get ready for a tidal wave of fake outrage from Fox News and conservative talk radio: JUSTIN BIEBER says the U.S. is, quote, "EVIL" for not offering universal healthcare. --As you may know, Justin is Canadian. And in the new issue of "Rolling Stone", they asked him about becoming a U.S. citizen. He says he doesn't plan to, because, quote, "You guys are evil." --Obviously, he wasn't being totally serious. But he DOES prefer the healthcare system in his native land. --He says, quote, "Canada's the best country in the world. We go to the doctor and we don't need to worry about paying him, but here, your whole life, you're broke because of medical bills. --"My [American] bodyguard's baby was premature, and now he has to pay for it. In Canada, if your baby's premature, he stays in the hospital as long as he needs to, and then you go home." --Asked what political party he'd consider joining, Justin said, quote, "I'm not sure about the parties. But whatever they have in Korea, that's bad." --You want more politics from Justin Bieber this morning? Because he also gave his take on abortion. He said, quote, "I really don't believe in abortion. It's like killing a baby?" --Asked if abortion would be okay in cases of rape, Justin pretty much admitted that the question was above his pay grade, so to speak. --He said, quote, "Um. Well, I think that's really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge that." --"Rolling Stone" also got Justin Bieber to open up a little bit about sex. He said, quote, "I don't think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them. I think you should just wait for the person you're . . . in love with." --Justin didn't open up about his own sex life . . . if he even has one at this point . . . but it doesn't sound like he's promising to wait until marriage. --Justin may not have admitted to a romance with SELENA GOMEZ, but the writer who did the piece for "Rolling Stone" did notice that the wallpaper on his laptop was a picture of the two of them together against an orange sunset.


Charlie Sheen Has Advice for Lindsay Lohan:

CHARLIE SHEEN called in to "The Dan Patrick Show" again yesterday. And this time, he had advice for LINDSAY LOHAN. (???) --"I dare you to get Lindsay on the show. You get Lindsay on the show, I'll call in. Because I've got some advice for her. I've got some things I'd recommend she consider because I don't tell anybody what to do." --One thing he would recommend is, quote, "Work on your impulse control. Just try to think things through a little bit before you do them." --He also gave Lindsay a little support in her theft case . . . quote, "Now, check it, I was not there in the store. The necklace, the thing, some bracelet . . . who cares? I mean, they're so desperate to vilify without fact." --Charlie also made it clear that he didn't mean to be flip about his situation when he was on the show earlier this week. In fact, he's grateful to his bosses on "Two and a Half Men" for shutting the show down and telling him to shape up. --He said, quote, "People need to understand how supremely grateful I am that someone stepped in here. --"I don't want to say who, but you know, basically, Viacom showed up at my house and said 'Dude, it's getting really obvious and we're really worried about you. We don't give a rat's tooey about the show, we care about your health.' --"So, they came in and just man to man said, 'We have to shut it down.'" --Charlie said he has NEVER shown up to the set drunk or high. But he has shown up feeling the after-effects of his lifestyle, so to speak. --He said, quote, "The shape I was showing up in was epic, was beyond comprehension. [I've] never been drunk, never been high on the set once. But, I would show up not having slept much. --"Doing a network run through and asking the director, Jamie Widdoes, to move my mark a little bit so I could be next to a piece of furniture or a table so I wouldn't fall over. --"That is an expert move by a seasoned professional. I'm sorry, an amateur stays on his mark and then falls over during the run through."


Lindsay Lohan is NOT Doing "Letterman" Tonight . . . And It May Have Been Her Dad Who Started the Rumor:

LINDSAY LOHAN will NOT be doing the Top 10 List on "The Late Show with David Letterman" tonight. In fact, she was never planning on it. Dave's production company THOUGHT she was going to. But they got duped. --The company issued a statement yesterday saying, quote, "We made a mistake. Someone purporting to be a friend of Lindsay's reached out to the show yesterday, allegedly on her behalf, and booked her to appear. --"Clearly, this person was not authorized to make commitments on her behalf. We wish Lindsay well, and look forward to having her on the show in the future." --And Lindsay Tweeted, quote, "I am NOT going to be doing David Letterman, I'm not sure how this happened, but I am sorry for the confusion..." --Lindsay's dad, MICHAEL LOHAN, claims that HE'S the one who set the whole thing up . . . but Lindsay's handlers vetoed the idea. He says, quote, "Anything positive that I bring into her life . . . they try to nix it." --Despite Lindsay's Tweet about not knowing how this happened, Michael claims Lindsay was on board with the idea before her people shut it down. (--On last night's show, Letterman apologized to Lindsay. Although he probably wasn't being completely serious. Check out the video here.)
Jessica Alba is Pregnant Again:

JESSICA ALBA is having another kid. There's no word on the due date or the sex of the baby. --It'll be the second child for Jessica and husband Cash Warren. They have a daughter named Honor who's 2 and a half. (--Jessica is 29.) --Jessica made the announcement on Facebook yesterday morning. She said, quote, "It's been a while since I've been on FB & I thought I'd drop by to let you all in on some exciting news. Honor is going to be a Big Sister! --"Cash and I are thrilled and wanted to share the news directly with you so you didn't hear about it somewhere else. --"I appreciated all of the love and support you all gave me during my first pregnancy and will definitely appreciate it again this time around. Have a great day!"


J-Woww from "Jersey Shore" Turned Down "Playboy" Because of an 8-Year-Old Girl Who Looks Up To Her . . . But She Still Plans on Doing It Eventually:

JENNI "J-WOWW" FARLEY from "Jersey Shore" has turned down "Playboy" before. But that doesn't mean she doesn't want to pose for them. In fact, she plans to . . . eventually. --She says, quote, "I do feel like it's a strong thing for women to do. And as long as they cover up certain parts, I'm good. We have to cover up the vajajay cooka. And then it's like, Why not? You see my boobs out half the time anyway." --There's a reason J-Woww turned "Playboy" down before: An 8-year-old girl who approached her at Starbucks. --She says, quote, "[The girl] goes, 'I look up to you. I want to be a graphic designer just like you.' --"She goes, 'I want to make cartoon characters like you do.' So I was like, There's my answer! I want kids to look up to me for college rather than 'Playboy'."


Do Actresses Just Pretend to Eat During Interviews So That We Won't Know They Have Eating Disorders?

Whenever you read a magazine profile of some skinny actress, she's always chowing down on something. Usually it's not particularly healthy. --And the writer of the piece always makes sure to mention that the chick is scarfing it down, as if to say, "See? They eat just like we do." --Well, it might just be a scam the actresses perpetrate so we won't know they're totally obsessed with their weight and have eating disorders. --According to the "New York Times", actresses purposely stuff their faces when they're being interviewed for just that purpose. -One Hollywood publicist calls it DIPE . . . or, Documented Instance of Public Eating. --Another publicist adds, quote, "They're so sure that people assume they have an eating disorder that they're forced to wolf down caveman-like portions of 'comfort food' in order to appear normal. --"And worse, they feel they have to comment on how much they're enjoying themselves." (--Think about that the next time "Vanity Fair" mentions how much Sandra Bullock is enjoying her pasta primavera.)


CBS Reporter Lara Logan Is Out of the Hospital:

CBS News correspondent LARA LOGAN was released from the hospital Tuesday evening . . . less than a week after suffering a, quote, "brutal and sustained sexual assault" by a mob in Cairo last Friday. --There's been no word from Logan or CBS, but so-called "sources" say she's in, quote, "remarkably good spirits" and vowing to get back to work as soon as possible.


Gabriel Aubry Is Ending His Custody Battle with Halle Berry:

GABRIEL AUBRY has dropped his custody case against HALLE BERRY. He's still seeking legal paternity of their daughter Nahla . . . but sources say things are getting better between them. --Whether relations improve or not, Halle was given permission yesterday to take Nahla to New York with her to film "New Year's Eve". --Halle had dropped out of the film . . . which is director Garry Marshall's follow-up to his romantic comedy "Valentine's Day" . . . because she thought she'd be busy brawling with her ex in court. --Halle can't have the role she was originally cast in, though, because it's already been given to KATHERINE HEIGL. She'll take a smaller part instead.
There Are a Record Number of Sequels Coming Out This Year:

A lot of people complain about the number of sequels that hog all the screens at movie theaters these days. And if you're one of them, then I hate to tell you . . . it's going to be a bad year for you. --That's because there are 27 sequels flooding the marketplace. And that's an all-time record. (--The previous record was 23 in 2003.) It also represents about ONE-FIFTH of all wide releases for the year. --Broken down even further, there are five "Part Fours" coming out this year . . . the fourth installments in the "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Scream", "Mission: Impossible", "Twilight" and "Spy Kids" franchises. That's a record. --And there will be five "Part Fives", which is another record. Franchises getting a fifth installment are "The Fast and the Furious", "Final Destination", "X-Men", "Winnie the Pooh" and "Shrek". (--For "Shrek" we're talking about the "Puss In Boots" stand-alone movie. So maybe it's more of a spin-off than a sequel. But they're still counting it.) --This year will also see the release of the SEVENTH "Muppets" and "Planet of the Apes" flicks and the EIGHTH "Harry Potter". --Apparently, there's no record on THIRD installments this year . . . although July will see the release of the third "Transformers" . . . which could be the biggest sequel of them all. --Other sequels out this year include "Paranormal Activity 3", "The Hangover Part 2", and "Sherlock Holmes 2" . . . not to mention "Cars 2", "Kung Fu Panda 2", "Happy Feet 2", and the sequels to "Hoodwinked" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks".


Now That Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Getting Back Into Acting, There's Interest in Another "Terminator" Movie:

When "Terminator Salvation" failed to perform up to expectations, interest in the franchise kind of went cold. But now that ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER has announced he's back in the acting game, that interest has heated up again. --At this point, there's nothing solid to talk about. And even if there is another "Terminator" flick, Arnold's involvement is nowhere near guaranteed. --But that's not going to stop months . . . if not years . . . of speculation from starting right . . . NOW.


25 Things You Don't Know About "Bachelor" Brad Womack:

"Us" magazine's latest "25 Things You Don't Know About Me" feature serves up a few interesting facts about the current "Bachelor", BRAD WOMACK. Here are the highlights . . .

--"I watch a different movie almost every night."
--"I realize how many times I say 'amazing,' 'connection' and 'journey.' No one finds me more cheesy than I do."
--"I eat very bland food. No salt, sugar, et cetera."
--"Most nights, I only sleep four hours."
--"I have a crush on Snooki."
--By the way, some of the things Brad said could be fun to revisit when he inevitably breaks up with the woman he chooses on "The Bachelor" . . . that is, assuming he actually DOES choose a woman this time.
--Those things are: "I believe in brutal honesty" . . . "I'm loyal to a fault" . . . and "the feature I look for in a woman is her smile." (--Well if that's the case, why go through the whole dog and pony show on "The Bachelor"?) (--You can check out Brad's complete list, here.)


"American Idol's" Chris Medina Has Raised $27,000 for His Fiancée:

When "American Idol" contestant CHRIS MEDINA first auditioned, he talked about how he was taking care of his fiancée, who suffered brain damage in a bad accident just two months before they were supposed to get married. --And he said he was struggling to take care of her medical bills. --Well, TMZ reports that he's received over $27,000 in donations from "Idol" fans. And a Chicago-area company called King Heating and Air-Conditioning donated a $4,000 heater. They even installed it for free. (--TMZ has some pictures of that.)


Michael Vick "Postponed" His "Oprah" Appearance:

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback MICHAEL VICK . . . an outspoken dog-lover for almost two years now . . . was supposed to tape an interview with OPRAH WINFREY next week. It was going to be his first major interview since getting out of prison. --But Vick suddenly canceled it yesterday without giving a reason, at least publicly. --In a statement, Vick said he was open to rescheduling it, if that was cool with Oprah. He said, quote, "After careful consideration, I will need to postpone the taping of the Oprah interview scheduled for February 22nd. --"I admire and respect Oprah and hope to be able to participate in an interview in the future." (--So was there a scheduling conflict, or is Vick just blowing smoke?)
It's Over: Machine Clobbered Man on "Jeopardy":

Watson . . . the IBM super computer . . . destroyed its human competitors on "Jeopardy" this week. --And the humans weren't slouches. They were: KEN JENNINGS, who holds "Jeopardy's" longest winning streak . . . and BRAD RUTTER, who holds the record for most winnings. --The final score over the two games they played was: Watson at $77,147 . . . Jennings at $24,000 and Rutter at $21,600. On his answer screen, Jennings wrote, quote, "I for one welcome our new computer overlords." --Watson did make a few amusing mistakes . . . --The best one came during Final Jeopardy on Tuesday's show. The category was "US Cities" and the "answer" was, quote, "Its largest airport is named for a World War Two hero. Its second largest, for a World War Two battle." --Watson said, quote, "What is Toronto?"


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

--"American Idol" [Hollywood Rounds] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox.

--"(Bleep) My Dad Says" [1st Season Finale] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. (--Camille Grammer guest stars as a recent divorcée who goes house hunting with Bonnie and Vince.)

--"CSI" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS. (--Justin Bieber returns as troubled teen Jason McCann, who warns Nick Stokes of an impending danger.) (SPOILER)

--"The Office" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on NBC. (--After 11 years in the making, Michael finally presents his action flick "Threat Level Midnight" to his co-workers. The film also includes his former coworkers Melora Hardin and Rashida Jones.)

--"Grey's Anatomy" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Meredith sets out to prove she has what it takes to be the chief resident when she takes charge of the ER.)

--"Man vs. Wild" [6th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. (--Bear Grylls travels to the Arizona desert to demonstrate his survival skills during the heat of the day and the freezing night temperatures.)

--"Out Of the Wild" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Discovery.

--"Fairly Legal" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on USA. (--"MacGyver" and "Stargate" superstar Richard Dean Anderson joins the cast.)


The Cast Of "Glee" Has Broken Elvis Presley's Hot 100 Record:

These aren't good times to be a music industry purist . . . what with the whole thing dying a slow, agonizing, public death over the past decade. And today, the digital era circus has claimed another piece of history. --The cast of "Glee" has smashed ELVIS PRESLEY'S long-standing record for the most appearances on "Billboard's" Hot 100 chart. The Hot 100 began in 1958 . . . so that record dates back 52 YEARS. --From 1958 through 2003, Elvis amassed 108 entries on the Hot 100. (--Elvis died in 1977.) But now, with SIX new entries on the most recent chart, the "Glee" cast has surpassed that mark, with 113. --Elvis' career began before 1958, so his total is smaller than it could have been. Not that it would have mattered. --It took 45 years for Elvis to get 108, which would seem unbeatable for a "legitimate" band. But legitimacy aside, it took "Glee" just one year and eight months to crush it. (--As you may know, "Glee" is achieving all this by releasing digital singles the day after the songs debut on the show. However, unlike the more "legitimate" acts, "Glee's" songs rarely remain on the chart for more than a week.) (--James Brown is now third on the list of Hot 100 entries with 91. Then Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin follow with 74 and 73, respectively. The Beatles are next with 67, although they are now tied with Lil Wayne. We live in strange times.)


Did Lady Gaga Lie About Getting Madonna's Blessing for "Born This Way"?

LADY GAGA cooled the debate on whether or not "Born This Way" ripped off MADONNA'S "Express Yourself" by telling JAY LENO earlier this week that she'd received Madonna's blessing for the song. --She said, quote, "I got an e-mail from [Madonna's] people and her, sending me their love and complete support on behalf of the single . . . and if the queen says it shall be, then it shall be." --But yesterday, Madonna's rep told CNN she was not aware of any email. (--Of course, that doesn't mean it didn't exist . . . only that it wasn't sent through the rep. Although, Lady Gaga did say she also heard from "Madonna's people.")

It's Official: Bruno Mars Got Off Easy for His Cocaine Bust:

As expected, BRUNO MARS plead guilty to felony cocaine possession yesterday. He'll have to pay a $2,000 fine, and will have to do 200 hours of community service. Bruno will be on probation for a year, but he won't have to go to jail.


The New "Now That's What I Call Music" Album Tops the Charts:

The latest "Now That's What I Call Music!" disc, sold 151,000 copies to debut at #1 on the Billboard album chart. No other serious contenders came out last week, but JUSTIN BIEBER has two albums back in the Top 10 --Whether it's a boost from his new movie . . . or sympathy for his Best New Artist Grammy loss . . . The Bieb sold a total of 83,000 copies between his "My World 2.0" and "My Worlds Acoustic" albums. Here's the rest. . .

1.) (NEW) "Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 37" (151,000 copies)
2.) "Sigh No More", Mumford & Sons (49,000 copies)
3.) "My World 2.0", Justin Bieber (48,000 copies)
4.) "Pink Friday", Nicki Minaj (47,000 copies)
5.) Pink's "Greatest Hits ... So Far!!!" (41,000 copies)


Aretha Franklin's Comeback Performance Is Set for May . . . and She's Currently Pimping a Whole Foods-Type Diet:

ARETHA FRANLKIN has scheduled her comeback performance for May 28th. It'll happen at the Seneca Niagara Casino in Buffalo. -Aretha's next album, "Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love", will also be released sometime in May. It'll only be available through Wal-Mart, at least initially. (--Aretha's last non-holiday studio album was "So Damn Happy", which was released in 2003. In 2008, Borders put out her "This Christmas, Aretha" CD. No other details on "Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love" have been given.) --By the way, Aretha is a woman falling out of love with eating pig scraps. --She tells the Associated Press that she's cleaned up her diet . . . replacing chitterlings (pig intestines), pigs' feet and ham hocks with a Whole Foods diet. --She says, quote, "They're off my diet. They just really don't fit with Whole Foods. I had [that stuff] for enough years that I don't miss it. You can't continue to eat things that are not good for you." --Aretha adds that she'll have to figure out something for when she starts performing again, because, quote, "When you come off [a high-energy concert], a carrot or some celery just isn't going to work." (--And then there's the status of her magnificent winter hat. I hope it's cold enough in Buffalo for her to wear that hat in May. According to Weather.com, the average temperature for Buffalo in May is a high of 66 and a low of 48.) (--I assume she'll perform inside . . . but maybe she'll duck out at intermission to scarf down some healthy eats. I pray it's cold enough at that time for her hat . . . and that someone in Buffalo is able to sneak a new picture of her in it.) --All in all: Aretha says she's feeling "150%" healthy. That's significantly more than merely being back to 100%, or even 110%, but it's far short of feeling 200%. (???)


Lenny Kravitz's Next Album Is "Black and White" . . . Just Like He Is:

LENNY KRAVITZ'S next album "Black and White America" was named for the country's multiracial community, which includes him. Lenny's is the son of a white, Jewish man and ROXIE ROKER, the black actress who played Helen Willis on "The Jeffersons". (--The disc will be out sometime this summer.) --He explains, quote, "It's my life. I grew up in an environment where I was in between a so-called black and white world. My life has always been about contrasts. --"It reflects on not only my life and what I've gone through with my parents and what I saw growing up, but also where we are now as far as this country, and accepting these kind of changes where we now have an African-American president."


Waka Flocka Flame Was Questioned After a Shoot-Out in North Carolina:

WAKA FLOCKA FLAME was questioned after a shootout in Charlotte, North Carolina, yesterday. (--You may know him from his "No Hands" track.) --Here's what we know: --Waka was at a place called the Car Stereo Warehouse getting the sound system in his tour bus pimped out. --The local authorities told the "Charlotte Observer" that two vehicles rolled up to the parking lot at around 4:00 P.M. . . . and at least one of them opened fire on the tour bus. Waka's entourage retaliated by returning fire. --One person was shot in the shoulder, and was taken to the hospital with "non-life-threatening injuries." That person's identity was not released, but it wasn't Waka. --Waka's publicist told RadarOnline, quote, "[His] bus was shot four times, [and] security followed appropriate protocol and returned fire. Random cars apparently pulled up and began shooting, so I am told. Waka is fine and so is his team." --No charges have been filed yet, and police aren't sure WHY all this went down.


THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS - 1 of 2

LEN LESSER . . . who played Uncle Leo on "Seinfeld" . . . has died. He was 88. (Full Story)


ADRIANNE PALICKI from "Friday Night Lights" will star in NBC's new "Wonder Woman" series. (Full Story)


Former "Bachelor" and "Dancing With the Stars" minx MELISSA RYCROFT had a baby girl yesterday. (Full Story)


"Partridge Family" superstar DAVID CASSIDY copped a plea in his DUI case. He won't go to jail, but he'll lose his license for six months. (Full Story)


BILLY RAY and TISH CYRUS were spotted together yesterday . . . at a PET CEMETERY in the Los Angeles area. There's no word what they were doing there. (Full Story)


The KARDASHIAN girls made $65 MILLION last year. (Full Story)


When "Beavis and Butt-Head" return to MTV, they won't just be making fun of music vidoes. They'll also goof on, quote, "'Jersey Shore', UFC matches and user-generated videos from YouTube." (Full Story)



LAURA PREPON from "That '70s Show" will play CHELSEA HANDLER in the NBC comedy "Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea". It's based on Chelsea's book of the same name. (Full Story)


JAMES VAN DER BEEK is going to play a satirical version of himself in the ABC pilot "Don't Trust the (B-Word) In Apt. 23". (Full Story)


CEE-LO will open for RIHANNA on her summer tour. (Full Story)


LIL WAYNE has broken the world record for most "likes" on a single Facebook post in a 24-hour period. The previous record-holder was . . . OREO COOKIES. (Full Story)
Four Popular Ways to Relieve Stress . . . And Four New Methods That Work Better:

According to the health magazine "Prevention", some of the things people do to relieve stress don't work as well as we think they do. Here are four old methods that don't always work, and four NEW methods that work better.

#1.) If You Like Yoga, Keep Doing It . . . But You Don't Have To. In a recent study, 54% of people said they felt anxious while they were doing yoga, which means it's actually STRESSFUL for a lot of people. --Doctors say you're better off doing basically any repetitive activity you enjoy, including jogging, swimming, painting, walking, knitting, and even praying.

#2.) Talking About Your Problems Isn't Always Helpful. Researchers at Kent State University studied people who'd recently suffered a stressful event, or lost someone they cared about. -And a lot of them were better off if they avoided thinking or talking about it. Psychologists call it "repressive coping", and for a lot of people, it works better than therapy. --In another study, people who talked about their stressful event ALL THE TIME were more likely to develop depression and anxiety.

#3.) You Shouldn't Eat Away Your Stress, But Dark Chocolate Is Okay. Some people eat throughout the day to relieve stress. But if you start gaining weight, it can mess with your self-esteem and make you even more stressed out. --But the one food you SHOULD eat is dark chocolate. In one study, stressed-out volunteers who ate one-and-a-half ounces of dark chocolate a day for two weeks had fewer stress hormones. --But if you like MILK chocolate, you're out of luck. Researchers think Vitamin P is what reduces stress, and even though milk chocolate has some, they think the milk prevents it from absorbing into your body.

#4.) People Used to Say You Should Control Your Temper. But throwing a temper tantrum every now and then is actually better. --According to at least one study, occasionally showing how angry you are causes your brain to release less of the stress hormone cortisol.
-But you can't go overboard because obviously, if you constantly yell at people, you'll get more stressed out, and everyone will start hating you. Just ask Mel Gibson. (Prevention)


NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF

The Key To Having Lots of Friends Is . . . A Large Brain?

Apparently the key to being popular ISN'T being really good at football or really generous with the tongue. Nope . . . you just have to have a LARGE HEAD. --An evolutionary anthropologist at Oxford University just finished a study that found a person's number of friends was connected to the size of their BRAIN. --The theory here is that people with a larger orbitomedial prefrontal cortex in their brain are better at being able to step outside of themselves and figure out what other people are thinking. That makes them better at meeting and keeping friends. --The study also found that the average person has about 148 friends . . . at least, that's the average amount they could list off, and the average amount that the brain can handle. (Time)


One Out of 50 Teenagers Would Be More Willing To Go Without Food Than Without Their Phone:

With the way that teenagers' cell phones seem to FUSE with their skin and become an actual extension of their body, this isn't surprising. It's almost surprising this number isn't higher. --According to a new survey, 2% of teenagers, or one out of 50, say they'd be more willing to give up ALL FOOD than their phone. And 91% of teenagers said it would be almost IMPOSSIBLE to go a day without their phones. (Health Canal)
Coca-Cola's Archivist Confirms That Their Secret Recipe Has Not Been Leaked:

Yesterday, we told you about how the top-secret recipe for Coca-Cola might have finally been leaked out into the wild. --John Pemberton is the inventor of Coca-Cola, and back in 1979, a few pages of his journal were printed in the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution". And one of them seemed to list all the ingredients in the recipe for Coke. --We also told you that a spokeswoman from Coca-Cola announced that no, that ISN'T the secret recipe. --She wouldn't say if it was an early attempt at the recipe, or if ingredients were missing, or if it was something else entirely . . . just that it's not the recipe, and the real recipe is hand-written and kept in a bank vault. (--Of course, my cynical side thinks it USED to be the recipe, but all the ingredients like lemon oil, caramel, and real sugar were replaced by chemicals a long time ago.) --Phil Mooney has been the archivist for Coca-Cola since 1977, and yesterday he said that the recipe floating around isn't just wrong . . . it's the same old wrong list that everyone always shows him when they think they've cracked Coke's secret. --He says that over the past 34 years, three or four dozen people have approached him, allegedly with the secret formula, and it's always the same, incorrect list as the one that's making the rounds this week. (Time)


Tragic News! Carrying a Man-Purse Could Cause Long-Term Back Problems:

Terrible news here for all of my fellow MAN PURSE aficionados. We may look totally cool and sophisticated and manly carrying our man purses . . . but we could be causing ourselves health problems. ALMOST makes you question if it's worth it. --According to the British Chiropractic Association, carrying a man purse can cause long-term back problems. --They say that the average amount of weight in a man's purse is 13 POUNDS, between a smartphone, laptop or tablet, and other miscellaneous crap. --Having a man purse that heavy on your shoulder can cause subtle changes in your posture, which can eventually screw up your back's alignment. --They suggest that if you still want to carry a man purse, keep the strap short and regularly alternate which shoulder you use to carry it. (News.com.au)


Is the Station Wagon Officially Dead?

Another part of your childhood is going to die today. It looks like the station wagon is about to disappear. --Volvo was the last company carrying the torch for the station wagon. Sure, other manufacturers might throw one token one out there, but Volvo has been leading the station wagon movement for at least 20 or 30 years. --And now they're done. And the entire station wagon genre looks like it'll be done with them. --Volvo has announced that they are going to stop selling station wagons in the U.S. because there's no market for them anymore. Last year, they only sold 480 V50 station wagons. Total. In the entire country. --The website Edmunds.com still lists 31 station wagons, but the classification they use is pretty fuzzy . . . very few of the wagons on their list remotely resemble the classic station wagon from "National Lampoon's Vacation". --Most of them are more like minivans that are sort of shaped like the older wagons, or family vehicles like the Dodge Caliber that are in between a car and a van. --Volvo says that between minivans, crossovers, and SUVs, families just aren't interested in the more old-fashioned station wagons anymore. (CNN Money)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

Police Arrest a Man for Impersonating a Cop . . . Then Arrest His Brother For Pulling Up To the Scene In a Fake Cop Car:

I feel like when you go around impersonating a cop, you might as well just count down the minutes until you get caught. If there's one skill that EVERY cop is good at, it's being able to tell who's a real cop and who's just biting their style. --Today's fake cops are 49-year-old Glenn Hooper of Orange County, Florida and his older brother, Gregory Hooper. (--Gregory's exact age wasn't released.) And they took their fake copping seriously. --Both of them owned Ford Crown Victorias outfitted with lights and sirens. They also had spotlights, handcuffs dangling inside, and microphones to talk to other drivers. They would go around, pulling people over, acting like cops. --It all blew up in their faces this week when Glenn tried to pull someone over . . . the driver got suspicious . . . and called the real police. --When they showed up, Glenn tried to tell them he worked for the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. No, the cops said, WE work for the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, and we know that you do not. --Then he confessed he considers himself a "crime watch liaison" . . . whatever that is . . . and he's actually just a security guard at a STRIP CLUB called Rachel's. --It gets better. While they were arresting him, his brother Gregory pulled up in HIS fake cop car with the siren blaring. Apparently Gregory was planning to pretend he was a cop and help out . . . he didn't realize his brother was the one being arrested. --So Gregory was arrested too. Both are facing third-degree felony charges. (ABC 9 - Orlando)
A Man Stabs a Woman He'd Been Dating From Match.com After She Decides To End Things. And He's Done This Before:

Internet dating may be getting more and more mainstream by the day . . . but just because the normals now outnumber the crazies doesn't mean it's anywhere CLOSE to lunatic-free. --49-year-old Mary Kay Beckman of Las Vegas, Nevada is a single mother. She met a 53-year-old man named Wade Mitchell Ridley last month on Match.com. --They went on a few dates, and Mary decided she wasn't really into it. So she broke things off with Ridley. --And he lost it. He went to her house, knocked her down, and repeatedly STABBED her for breaking up with him. --She survived, but she's still in critical condition. --After Ridley was arrested for the stabbing, police started linking him to an unsolved murder in Phoenix, Arizona. --Earlier this month, 62-year-old Anne Simenson of Phoenix was stabbed to death in her home. Ridley also dated her. Police believe they met on Match.com too, but it hasn't been confirmed. --Ridley is facing attempted murder charges in Nevada, and is considered a main suspect in the stabbing in Arizona. (New York Daily News)


A Woman Stabbed Her Husband Because He Didn't Want To Go Out . . . And He Covered For Her By Saying He Cut Himself "Sleep Eating":

No matter how exciting your marriage starts out, at some point you realize you're just another boring married couple. And this is the worst possible way to react . . . --On Friday night, 40-year-old Kristin Renee-Walz of Lincoln, Nebraska wanted to leave the house and have a big night out. Her husband, 49-year-old Timothy Walz, just wanted to stay home on the couch. --So . . . she STABBED him. --He suffered pretty deep cuts on his forearm, right knee, and right elbow. During the fight, Kristin also gave him a serious bite on the chest. --Timothy didn't go to the hospital until the next day. And when he did, he tried to cover for his wife . . . by telling the staff that he's a SLEEP EATER, and must've cut himself while he was gorging on cake in the middle of the night. --The cops unraveled the story pretty quickly, since the fresh bite mark wasn't compatible with the sleep eater story. Unless Timothy is a sleep eater who sometimes tries to eat himself, suicidal cannibal style. Which he isn't. --Kristen was arrested for second-degree domestic assault, and use of a weapon to commit a felony. (Lincoln Journal Star)


Follow-Up: The Woman Who Posted a Facebook Photo of Her Baby with a Bong Says It Wasn't a Bong . . . Even Though It's Clearly a Bong:

Last June, we told you about 19-year-old Rachel Stieringer of Keystone Heights, Florida. But since I don't remember things I talked about an hour ago, let's start from scratch. --Back in June, Rachel posted some Facebook photos of her 11-month-old son sitting on the floor, with a large green BONG between his legs. And his mouth was on the bong, like he's hitting it. --Rachel was arrested. Since there was no proof the boy had actually smoked marijuana . . . thank God . . . the cops just ended up charging Rachel with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. --Now, she's trying to FIGHT that charge. According to her lawyer, the bong in the photo wasn't a bong and, quote, "no bong was ever seized or ever seen by law enforcement." --Prosecutors countered that every sign points to Rachel owning the bong . . . including the fact that her name on both Facebook and MySpace is "RachelXReefer." --Rachel still has custody of her son. (CBS 10 - Tampa)


STUPID NEWS EXTRAS


A guy proposed to his girlfriend in downtown Denver on Valentine's Day . . . and dropped the ring down into the sewer by accident. He had to call the fire department, and they were able to retrieve it after about 45 minutes. (Full Story)


Now you can get 'The Mommy Card' . . . a business card for moms who aren't 'working.' (Full Story)


A health care worker in England has been fined for leaving a bottle of toilet cleaner in the bathroom of a blind dementia patient . . . who then drank it and died. (Full Story)


The NFL has upped its offer to the fans that didn't get their seats at the Super Bowl. In addition to future tickets, they're now offering $5,000 to cover people's travel expenses to Dallas. (Full Story)


A 70-year-old guy in Florida collapsed with chest pains, and was pronounced dead by EMTs . . . but woke up when the mortician arrived. Unfortunately he only lived another four days, before dying for real. (Full Story)


NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) A Model With a Great Butt Sewed a Camera Into the Back of Her Jeans . . . To See How Many Guys Checked Her Out:

A hot New Zealand model named Jessie Gurunathan sewed a camera into the back of her jeans, so she could record people checking out her butt while she around Los Angeles. Not surprisingly, a lot of guys stared . . . and so did a lot of WOMEN. --The YouTube video is called "Rear View Girls: Los Angeles". (--Don't miss the girl on the escalator at :49, and the guy dressed as Jesus at 1:53.) (--WARNING: This video includes the word "ass-cam".)


#2.) Dwyane Wade Threw a Full Court Alley Oop Pass to LeBron James, and Some People Think It's the Best Pass Ever . . . Including LeBron:

If you haven't seen the pass DWYANE WADE made to LEBRON JAMES on Tuesday night, check it out as soon as you're near a computer. He threw a full court alley-oop that looked more like a football pass. Then LeBron caught it in mid-air and laid it in. --After the game, LeBron said it was probably the best pass in NBA history, and a lot of people agree. (--Search YouTube for "Wade Throws Full Court Alley Oop to LeBron") --If you want something to compare it to, check out the "Top Ten All-Time NBA Assists" on YouTube.


#3.) Here's James Earl Jones Reading the Justin Bieber Song "Baby":

OPRAH'S best friend GAYLE KING has her own talk show on the Oprah Winfrey Network now, and yesterday she had JAMES EARL JONES read a verse from the JUSTIN BIEBER song "Baby". --Apparently Gayle doesn't have a studio audience, because the reading was pretty good, and there was almost no reaction in the studio. (--Search for "James Earl Jones Justin Bieber." He starts reading at :21.)


#4.) An Extremely Short, Extremely Chubby Guy Did "The Urkel Dance" While Wearing a Chippendales Outfit:

Remember the episode of "Family Matters" where Urkel won over a bunch of kids at a party by teaching them his signature move . . . "The Urkel Dance"? --Well, there's a new video on Break.com of an extremely short, extremely chubby guy doing "The Urkel" . . . shirtless and wearing a Chippendales bow tie. Check it out, and it'll change your life. (--Search Break.com for "Do Da Urkel Dance." And don't miss the guy's crazy laugh at :44. )


#5.) It Turns Out the "Shaving Helmet" Was a Hoax . . . And There's a New Video That Shows How It Was Done:

It turns out the "Shaving Helmet" video that went viral last week was just a hoax. It was a marketing scheme for a company called HeadBlade. And the guys who posted it on YouTube have posted a new video showing how it was done. (--They used twins.) (--Search for "The Making of the Shaving Helmet." They show the trick at :42.)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (02-16-11)

MILEY MANIA

Billy Ray Cyrus Says "Hannah Montana" Destroyed His Family . . . And If He Had It To Do Over Again, He Wouldn't:

It is ON between BILLY RAY CYRUS and the show that made him a household name again. In an interview with "GQ" magazine, Billy Ray comes down HARD on "Hannah Montana". --He says, quote, "I'll tell you right now . . . the damn show destroyed my family." --With his marriage in the crapper and MILEY going off the rails, Billy Ray has nothing but regret about doing the show. --He says, quote, "I hate to say it, but yes . . . I'd take it back in a second. For my family to be here and just be everybody OK, safe and sound and happy and normal, would have been fantastic. --"Heck, yeah. I'd erase it all in a second if I could." --Because he chose to do the show with Miley in order to stay close to her, Billy Ray says he was unfairly blamed for every scandal she got involved in . . . from her too-sexy "Vanity Fair" photo shoot to her pole-dancing escapades. --He even claims Miley's handlers set him up to take the fall . . . quote, "All those people around, they used me every time. It became so obvious that, man, no matter what happens, they're going to put you up there and let you take the bullet." --But he let it happen because, quote, "That's what daddies do . . . Okay, nail me to the cross. I'll take it."
--But last year, Billy Ray had enough of being Miley's garbage boy. Her 18th birthday party was being held in a 21-and-over club . . . and her people wanted Billy Ray there so that if any bad press came out of it, they could say he endorsed it. --Billy Ray refused to show up. He says, quote, "I started realizing I'm being used. If I would have went out there I would have been right in the middle of all this stuff that's going on right now with the bong. --''They'd be hanging my ass. I had the common sense . . . I said, 'This whole thing's falling apart up there and they just want to blame all this stuff on you again.' I'm staying out of it."
As For That Bong Scandal . . .
One thing Miley's people told Billy Ray to stay out of was the bong scandal. He says, quote, "I didn't know what the footage was. They told me, it was none of my business. --"I'm dealing with somebody that had only known my daughter for possibly four years, and I'm her daddy. I was pretty damn insulted. And I took that as the ultimate alarm. --"'It's none of your business'! None of my business that you're out running around L.A. trying to buy kids' computers and phones because there's something about my daughter?"
Billy Ray's More Worried About Miley Than Himself:
Obviously, Billy Ray isn't really worried about himself. He's worried about Miley. He says, quote, "I'm scared for her. She's got a lot of people around her that's putting her in a great deal of danger. --"I know she's 18, but I still feel like as her daddy I'd like to try to help. Take care of her just a little bit, to at least get her out of danger." --He adds, quote, "I want to get her sheltered from the storm. Stop the insanity just for a minute. When you go through what she's been through, it takes a beating on you. And there comes a point where you just got to step back."
Is Miley Just Like Cobain, Anna Nicole and MJ?
Billy Ray even draws parallels between Miley and certain celebrities who died too soon. --He says, quote, "I'm concerned about Miley. I think that [KURT COBAIN'S] world was just spinning so fast and he had so many people around him that didn't help him. --"Like ANNA NICOLE SMITH . . . you could see that train wreck coming . . . MICHAEL JACKSON . . . I was trying to reach out to Michael Jackson." --One of the reasons things have gotten to where they are is because Billy Ray tried to be more of a FRIEND to Miley than a PARENT. --He says, quote, "I should have been a better parent. I should have said, 'Enough is enough . . . it's getting dangerous and somebody's going to get hurt.' --"I should have, but I didn't . . . Honestly, I didn't know the ball was out of bounds until it was way up in the stands somewhere."
Is Satan At Work to Destroy the Cyrus Family?
Disney owns "Hannah Montana", and "Hannah Montana" destroyed the Cyrus family. So it's Disney's fault, right? Not necessarily. Billy Ray has his eye on another possible culprit: SATAN HIMSELF. --Billy Ray says his soon-to-be ex-wife TISH made the whole family get baptized before they moved to Hollywood to keep them strong. But it didn't work. --He says, quote, "Driving to work each day in the City of Angels, was this sign. A physical sign. It could have easily said 'You will now be attacked by Satan. Entering this industry, you are now on the highway to darkness.' --"It's the way it is. There has always been a battle between good and evil. Always will be. You think, 'This is a chance to make family entertainment, bring families together . . .' and look what it's turned into."
Billy Ray Never Made A Dime Off Miley:
Even though Billy Ray was on "Hannah Montana" with Miley, he's not her manager, and has no say in her professional career. He says he did the show for PEANUTS just to be near her, and he's never taken advantage of her success. --He says, quote, "For the record, to set it straight, I want to tell you: I've never made a dime off of Miley. You got a lot of people have made percentages off of her. --"I'm proud to say to this day I've never made one commissioned dollar, or dime, off of my daughter."

"Two and a Half Men" Creator Chuck Lorre Made Fun of Charlie Sheen At the End of His Two Shows Monday Night:

"Two and a Half Men" co-creator CHUCK LORRE took shots at CHARLIE SHEEN Monday night, at the end of both "Men" and his other comedy, "Mike & Molly". --But before we can explain HOW he did it, we have to drop a little TV industry lingo on you. --You've probably never heard the term "VANITY CARD" before, but you've seen tons of them. --They're those quick little stills . . . or sometimes there's actual motion in them . . . that come at the very end of a show, to say who the executive producer was. --For example, J.J. ABRAMS' vanity card is that "Bad Robot" clip. TINA FEY'S is the baby in the peacock costume. --Perhaps the most famous vanity card of them all is the one used by producer Gary David Goldberg for his Ubu Productions. It features a picture of a black lab holding a frisbee in its mouth. --A voice says, quote, "Sit, Ubu, sit. Good dog" . . . followed by a single bark. (--You can see it here.) --Anyway, Chuck Lorre very often puts little messages or jokes on his vanity cards. And on Monday, they both appeared to be aimed at Charlie. --The "Two and a Half Men" card DEFINITELY was. It said, quote, "I exercise regularly. I eat moderate amounts of healthy food. I make sure to get plenty of rest. I see my doctor once a year and my dentist twice a year. I floss every night. --"I've had chest x–rays, cardio stress tests, EKG's and colonoscopies. I see a psychologist and have a variety of hobbies to reduce stress. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't do drugs. I don't have crazy, reckless sex with strangers. --"If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I'm gonna be really pissed." --The card that ran after "Mike & Molly" was more veiled. It didn't mention Charlie by name, but it talked about someone who partied in order to stop feeling, quote, "dead inside" . . . and then died. (--Check out those vanity cards here and here.) --TMZ caught up with Charlie last night and got his response. He said, quote, "Chuck I will outlive you. I will piss you off. I miss you, man." (--Here's video.)


Did Frankie Muniz Assault His Girlfriend and Threaten to Kill Himself?

Former "Malcolm in the Middle" star FRANKIE MUNIZ got into a little trouble over the weekend. --On Friday, Frankie and his girlfriend Elycia Turnbow got into a heated argument over, quote, "prior relationships." Turnbow told police that Frankie held a gun to his head, possibly with the intent of committing suicide. --She made a member of Frankie's band take him to the hospital. (--Frankie is the drummer for a band called YOU HANG UP. He hasn't done much acting since he put his showbiz career on hold to become a racecar driver a few years ago.) --When Frankie returned from the hospital later that night, they started fighting again. Turnbow says Frankie, quote, "punched her in the back of the head, and threw her into a wall." --At this point, Turnbow called the cops. --When they showed up, Frankie denied putting the gun to his head. He told them, quote, "I grabbed the case, but not the gun . . . it isn't even loaded." But police did find the gun, and it WAS loaded. They took it. --Frankie also told them that the only reason he went to the hospital was because he fell and hit his head while Turnbow was yelling at him. --As for the assault, Frankie said he was only defending himself because SHE had attacked HIM . . . and that she fell down during the chaos. He said he wouldn't assault her because, quote, "I love her too much. She is the woman I want to marry." --Police didn't arrest anyone, but they said someone might get locked up if they had to come back. --Yesterday, Frankie's rep issued a statement denying Turnbow's allegations . . . quote, "Frankie and Elycia had an argument a few days ago. The police were called to the residence. --"A gun played no part in the argument and was voluntarily given to the police for safekeeping. There were no bruises and neither left the residence. He was not suicidal. She was not assaulted." --The rep added that Frankie and Elycia are still together and, quote, "moving forward with their lives and with their relationship."


Is "Selleck Waterfall Sandwich" the Strangest Website of All Time?

There are some pretty weird websites out there, but we've found one that might be among the weirdest . . . if not THE weirdest. --It's called Selleck Waterfall Sandwich . . . and the name describes quite literally what you'll find there. --It's just Photoshopped pictures that contain three key elements: A sandwich or sandwiches . . . a waterfall . . . and TOM SELLECK. (--Describing the pictures won't do them justice. This is one of those things you have to see for yourself. Check it out here.) (--And don't forget to scroll all the way down and play the official Selleck Waterfall Sandwich THEME SONG.)


Elizabeth Taylor's Health Is Improving:

ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S health is improving, a week after she was hospitalized for symptoms of congestive heart failure. --Her rep says, quote, "Since being admitted, there has been steady improvement in her condition, and over the weekend she has had visits from family and close friends. --"Her medical team is gratified by her progress to date, and it is hoped and expected that this will continue over the next few days. For now, she will remain under their care in the hospital for continued monitoring." --Liz . . . who's 78 . . . has been suffering from congestive heart failure for several years.

Check Out Pictures of Several of This Year's "Sports Illustrated" Swimsuit woman:

Wanna see a motherload of pictures of this year's "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit minxes . . . including cover girl IRINA SHAYK and naturally busty BROOKLYN DECKER? Thanks to the power of the Internet, you don't have to buy the magazine. (--Here they are. You're welcome.)


Eduardo Cruz's "Eva" Tattoo Is Old . . . And It Has Nothing to Do With Eva Longoria:

PENELOPE CRUZ'S brother EDUARDO may have the word "Eva" tattooed on his arm. But it apparently has nothing to do with his alleged girlfriend, EVA LONGORIA. --Eva's rep says it's an old tattoo that Eduardo's had since before he met Eva . . . and it has, quote, "nothing to do with her."

WHEN EGYPTIANS ATTACK JOURNALISTS

CBS News Correspondent Lara Logan Was Beaten and Sexually Assaulted in Egypt:

Remember when CBS News correspondent LARA LOGAN was detained by Egyptian police on February 3rd? Well, that's not the worst thing that happened to her over there. --This past Friday . . . after President Hosni Mubarak stepped down . . . Lara was covering the celebrations in Cairo's Tahrir Square when she was beaten and sexually assaulted. --CBS released the following statement yesterday . . . quote, "[Lara] and her team and their security were surrounded by a dangerous element amidst the celebration. It was a mob of more than 200 people whipped into frenzy.--"In the crush of the mob, she was separated from her crew. She was surrounded and suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating before being saved by a group of women and an estimated 20 Egyptian soldiers. --"She reconnected with the CBS team, returned to her hotel and returned to the United States on the first flight the next morning. She is currently in the hospital recovering. --"There will be no further comment from CBS News and correspondent Logan and her family respectfully request privacy at this time." (--Obviously, that's all we know about the attack at this time.)


Matt Damon Could Have Starred in "Avatar":

Would "Avatar" have been as good with MATT DAMON in the lead role instead of SAM WORTHINGTON? Because that almost happened. --Matt says, quote, "I had to pass on 'Avatar'. I was desperate to work with [James] Cameron. It didn't work out because of scheduling. But it didn't work out too badly for 'Avatar'."


Should KCBS Reporter Serene Branson Return to Work "Very Soon"?

Yesterday, KCBS-TV released another update on reporter SERENE BRANSON . . . saying that she, quote, "wants us to know she followed-up with a visit to the doctor for some medical tests . . . and hopes to be back on the air very soon." (--Serene is the reporter who suddenly began talking gibberish during a live, post-Grammys report last Sunday night. You can revisit the video, here.) --There were no new updates on her health. In fact, everyone seems to be talking as if they're ready to move on . . . and ignore what happened. (--Maybe I'm off-point here, but the more I watch that video, the more I can't believe that there wasn't something medically wrong with Serene.) (--There's "being tripped up," and there's "being tongue-twisted," and there's times when you can't grasp and spit out the words that you're trying to say. But what happened to her is way beyond that . . . at least in my experience.) --Some experts are concerned . . . and don't think all this should just be swept under the rug. Neurologist Dr. Jesse Eisenberger told "Good Morning America" that she could have a condition called Aphasia. --He described it as, quote, "a symptom that can be related to a stroke, or it could be other things, such as a partial seizure." (--Some have pointed to this video of Wisconsin anchor SARAH CARLSON apparently having a mild seizure on the air last month. She has epilepsy, and had a brain tumor removed four months ago. She's OK.) --And a neuro-interventional radiologist tells E! Online, quote, "If [Serene] isn't getting herself to a hospital, that's crazy. I would start with an MRI . . . I would not let this go." (--The point is: Serene should not rush back to work until she's exhausted EVERY attempt to figure out what caused this. Maybe it just happened . . . but to me, it seems far more likely that something's wrong.)

The Nominees for the First "Comedy Awards" Have Been Announced:

The nominees for the first "Comedy Awards" have been announced, and "30 Rock" led the way with seven nominations. (--Browse the full list of nominees, here.) --The "Comedy Awards" are being hyped as "the Oscars of the comedy business." Comedy Central will air the ceremony on April 10th. No host has been named yet.


"Live to Dance" May Be Canceled:

Nothing is official yet, but RadarOnline.com claims CBS will NOT be bringing back PAULA ABDUL'S reality show, "Live to Dance". --A so-called "source" says Paula was given the bad news last Friday, and she was floored . . . quote, "she spent the weekend at her home, surrounded by friends, rehashing CBS's devastating decision and wondering what she would do next." (--But there's a decent chance this turns out to be a blessing in disguise . . . because it would clear Paula's schedule to join SIMON COWELL on the American "X Factor".)


Nearly 27 Million People Watched Sunday Night's Grammys:

Sunday night's Grammy Awards notched their best ratings in a decade. 26.7 million people tuned in to watch LADY GAGA hatch from an egg and JUSTIN BIEBER learn that maybe it's not his world after all. --Last week's "American Idol" broadcasts round out the top 3.

1.) "The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards", CBS, 26.7 million viewers
2.) Wednesday's "American Idol", Fox, 24.1 million viewers
3.) Thursday's "American Idol", Fox, 21.9 million viewers


TV REMINDERS

--"Survivor: Redemption Island" [22nd Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. (--This season's twist is that players are given a chance to reenter the game by defeating other banished players in head-to-head competitions. "Survivor" rivals Rob Mariano and Russell Hantz also return to the game, and join a tribe of nobodies.)

--"American Idol" [Performance Show] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.

--"The Middle" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on ABC. (--"The Hills" minx Kristin Cavallari guest stars as Axl's biology teacher.)

--"Better with You" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. (--JoAnna Garcia's real life husband New York Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher guest stars as himself when Ben accidentally throws off his game with the help of an unlucky leather jacket.)

--"Modern Family" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on ABC. (--Shelley Long returns as Mitchell's mom shows up for Lily's second birthday with her new boyfriend, Matt Dillon.)

--"Mr. Sunshine" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Nick Jonas guest stars.)

--"Ghost Hunters International" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Syfy.

--"My Strange Addiction" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC.

--"Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS. (--Forest Whitaker and Janeane Garofalo star in this "Criminal Minds" spin-off.)

--"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--"Will & Grace" minx Debra Messing guest stars.)

--"Face Off" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Syfy. (--The contestants must create an original horror-movie villain with an accompanying movie poster, title and tagline, which will be judged by "Friday the 13th" director Sean Cunningham.)
Did Lady Gaga Spend 72 Hours In the Egg Before Hatching at the Grammys?

In LADY GAGA'S recent interviews . . . on "The Tonight Show" Monday and on RYAN SEACREST'S radio show yesterday . . . she's been claiming that she spent THREE DAYS in the egg thing she was in when she arrived at the Grammys. --She told Seacrest, quote, "I was in there for about 72 hours. It was a very creative experience. It was time for me to really prepare and think about the meaning of ['Born This Way'] and get prepared for the performance. --"I really wanted to be born on stage. The creative vessel was helpful for me to stay focused. We had it backstage so that I was able to really stay in this sort of creative, embryonic incubation. --"I'm so passionate about this record and the meaning of the album." --She also said that the "vessel" was "temperature controlled." (--C'mon, let's be real here. Regardless of what Lady Gaga says, there's no way she spent the three days leading up to the Grammys inside that little thing. She would've needed to eat, drink, bathe and use the restroom.) (--I'm willing to believe that she spent an hour or two straight inside it before hatching, but that's it. This is Lady Gaga, not DAVID BLAINE.)


Lady Gaga Explains Her Random Whitney Houston Shout Out:

LADY GAGA told RYAN SEACREST yesterday that she'd been meaning to thank WHITNEY HOUSTON for AGES . . . --So, when she abruptly announced that Whitney was her inspiration for "Born This Way" at the Grammys, it was NOT just a conveniently-timed response to all the talk about the song ripping-off MADONNA'S "Express Yourself". --Lady Gaga said, "I can't tell you how much I listened to [Whitney] growing up. She was my vocal idol for so many years. I sort of planned to thank her a long time ago, at some point. I said, 'If I ever win a Grammy I'm gonna thank Whitney' . . . so I did." (--On Monday night, she told JAY LENO that she has heard from Madonna recently . . . and Madonna said she approved of "Born This Way".) --By the way, Lady Gaga has also announced that her shows at Madison Square Garden next week will be taped for an upcoming HBO special. --It'll air on May 7th . . . a few weeks before Lady Gaga's new disc "Born This Way" hits stores on May 23rd. (--The shows are happening on Monday and Tuesday.)


Was Justin Bieber Photographed With His Fly Down at the Grammys?

Was JUSTIN BIEBER'S worst case scenario on Sunday that he wouldn't win a Grammy . . . or that he wouldn't win a Grammy AND that he'd be photographed with his fly down? --Because the latter may have happened. --E! Online claims he was caught with his fly down while posing for pictures backstage. It does appear that there is SOME sort of "wardrobe malfunction" happening . . . but from the picture, we can't say for sure that it's his zipper. (--Check out the picture, here.) --By the way, Billboard.com reports that an EXPANDED version of Justin's movie, "Never Say Never", will hit theaters on March 4th. It'll include "20 pieces of music not in the current edition." The new version will be called "Never Say Never 2.0". --Some of the new edits were supposedly made after fan test screenings back in December. Both versions will likely make the DVD, which will be out in August.


Did Justin Bieber Buy Something for Selena Gomez at Victoria's Secret?

JUSTIN BIEBER and his dad were supposedly spotted at a Victoria's Secret in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day. An employee said they left with "multiple large bags" . . . but wouldn't reveal the specific purchases.


Justin Bieber Received a Best New Artist Award . . . in Britain:

If it weren't for the American Revolution, there's a chance JUSTIN BIEBER would've secured this year's Grammy for Best New Artist. --Last night, Justin took home the Best International Breakthrough Act award at the Brit Awards, the U.K. version of the Grammys. He beat out Bruno Mars, the cast of "Glee", The National, and the Australian rock band The Temper Trap. (--Sadly, it's kind of a hollow victory since ESPERANZA SPALDING wasn't among the nominees. We'll never know if she could have beaten him again.)
Fantasia Boycotted the Grammys Because She Wasn't a Part of the Aretha Franklin Tribute:

FANTASIA won her first Grammy on Sunday, but she wasn't there to accept it. And that was an intentional decision. (--She won Best Female Vocal Performance for her song "Bittersweet".) --Fantasia told BET's "106 & Park" that she was BOYCOTTING the Grammys, because she wasn't included in the ARETHA FRANKLIN tribute. --She said, quote, "I'm going to be very honest with you. You know I wasn't at the Grammys last night. I'm kind of going through my own little thing . . . --"There is no way I could've sat there and not got the happy feet and wanted to jump on the mic, because [Aretha] is my favorite . . . so I felt like, you know, at the end of the day I should have been on that stage so, I kind of did my own little thing." --The tribute DID feature: Christina Aguilera, Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Hudson, Florence from Florence and the Machine and Martina McBride. (--As pouty as all this sounds, Fantasia's love of Aretha Franklin is well documented. She was featured on Aretha's song "Put You Up on Game", has referenced her in interviews, and has participated in other Aretha tributes.) (--Interestingly enough, word has it that Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson are competing for the opportunity to play Aretha in a movie about her life.) --By the way, the Aretha tribute led an MTV.com poll, which asked viewers for their favorite Grammy performance. It had 39% of the vote . . . and was followed by LADY GAGA'S "Born This Way" performance, which got 27%.


Slayer Guitarist Jeff Hanneman Has Been Dropped from Their Tour to Get Treated for a Nasty Spider Bite:

SLAYER will tour without guitarist JEFF HANNEMAN . . . after he suffered a nasty spider bite that gave him a flesh-eating disease called necrotizing fasciitis. It's a rare infection in which a bacterial virus attacks skin, fat and body tissue. (--If you REALLY want to be grossed out, you should Google "necrotizing fasciitis" . . . the pictures are very hard to stomach. So I guess this is an appropriately gruesome disease for a death metal god.) --Slayer has decided to continue without him, mostly because of all the dates they've had to cancel over the past year or so because of singer TOM ARAYA'S illnesses. (--There's no word when Jeff could be back.)


WEDNESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

The "National Enquirer" claims that O.J. SIMPSON was severely beaten in prison a few months ago by a racist skinhead. (Full Story) But prison officials say it's a phony story that circulated once before, in 2009. (Full Story)


LINDSAY LOHAN will do the Top 10 List on "The Late Show with David Letterman" tomorrow night. (Full Story)


SEAN PENN and WYCLEF JEAN have squashed their beef . . . and even appeared at the same Haiti benefit show Friday night. (Full Story)


90-year-old showbiz legend MICKEY ROONEY is afraid that his stepson is after his money . . . and might even try to kidnap him. (Full Story)


MEGAN FOX and BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN were spotted on Valentine's Day . . . picking up a vacuum cleaner head at Best Buy. (???) (Full Story)


Actor KENNETH MARS died of pancreatic cancer Saturday, at the age of 74. He played the Nazi playwright in the original movie version of "The Producers" in 1968 . . . and the police inspector with the fake arm in "Young Frankenstein". He was also the voice of King Triton in "The Little Mermaid". (Full Story)


Not surprisingly, several artists featured on Sunday night's "Grammys" saw their music sales increase. (Full Story)


MOTLEY CRUE singer VINCE NEIL began serving his two-week sentence for DUI yesterday. (Mugshot)


Eminem, Lil Wayne, the Arcade Fire, the Strokes, Florence & the Machine, the Sword, Robert Plant & Band of Joy, the reunited Buffalo Springfield, Dr. John, Gregg Allman and Loretta Lynn are just a few of the acts lined up for this year's Bonnaroo. (Full Story)


Some guy who was tripping on acid broke into MOBY'S house and just sat in his living room. Moby discovered the guy at 7:00 in the morning. Instead of calling the cops, he gave the guy 20 bucks and a sweatshirt and sent him on his way. (Full Story)


CEE-LO has released his new video, "Bodies". It's over five minutes long, and includes cameos by Janelle Monae, Kerry Washington, Common and designer Karl Lagerfeld. (Video)


NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF

Has the Secret Formula For Coca-Cola Finally Been Discovered?

The secret formula for Coca-Cola has always been one of the most heavily-guarded secrets in the world. It's up there with the secret recipe for KFC, where the government is keeping the aliens, and what happened to Tony Soprano. --So this is pretty big news: Over the weekend, producers from the public radio show "This American Life" said they stumbled across the formula when they were digging through 32-year-old archives of the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution". --On February 18th, 1979, there's an article about Coca-Cola founder John Pemberton, with some photos of his hand-written journal. And one of them shows what they BELIEVE is the secret formula for Coke. It's been right there, all along. --The recipe contains everything from sugar, vanilla, and caramel, to lime juice, alcohol and cinnamon. (--You can see the full recipe on the next page.) --The researchers reproduced the recipe, and some people said they couldn't tell the difference. But it never tasted quite right. --Yesterday, Coca-Cola spokeswoman Kerry Tressler said a company historian tested the recipe, and that it wasn't quote, "the real thing . . . our formulation is our company's most valued trade secret, and we will not be coming forward with that formula." --She also addressed some famous rumors about the recipe: Yes, it exists, hand-written on a piece of paper, and it's kept in a bank vault. But no, it's not true that only two people in the company know the recipe at any given time. --Kerry says that one's false, and that, quote, "We cannot confirm the number of people who are familiar with the formulation, but it is only a small handful." (Time / LA Times)


Here's the Secret Recipe For Coca-Cola . . . Supposedly:

The main syrup:

--Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP. (--'USP' stands for United States Pharmacopeia . . . they set standards for the preparation of medicine.)

--Citric acid: 3 ounces

--Caffeine: 1 ounce

--Sugar: 30 (--30 what? The quantity on that one remains a mystery.)

--Water: 2.5 gallons

--Lime juice: 2 pints, one quart

--Vanilla: 1 ounce

--Caramel: 1.5 ounce or more, for color

The secret "7X" flavor . . . Every five gallons of syrup gets two ounces of flavor.

--Alcohol: 8 ounces

--Orange oil: 20 drops

--Lemon oil: 30 drops

--Nutmeg oil: 10 drops

--Coriander: 5 drops

--Neroli: 10 drops

--Cinnamon: 10 drops


Both Men and Women Stalk Their Partners Online, But They Do It Differently . . . Women Break Into Email, and Men Use Hidden Cameras and GPS:

If you have a feeling you're being stalked online . . . like someone's been digging in your email or logging onto your Facebook . . . we have bad news. It's probably true. --These days, there's a whole lotta stalking going on. At least according to a new study out of East Carolina University in North Carolina. --The study found that PLENTY of men and women are cyberstalking their partners. Only they do it in different ways. Women are more likely to bust into someone's email or Facebook. Men are more likely to take a higher-tech route. --34% of women admitted to breaking into their partner's email more than once, versus 14% of men. --Women were also more likely than men to intensely monitor their partner's Facebook activity and cell phone records. --But men were more likely to take things a step further. 3% of men said they've HIDDEN A CAMERA in their partner's room, and 5% have used a secret GPS device or software to monitor their partner's location. --No women in the study reported using a hidden camera or GPS device. --A very small number of men also reported installing a spy program on their partner's computer to monitor all of their behavior online. A few women reported that they'd done that too. (New Scientist)


A New Survey Finds Black Women Have Way, Way More Body Confidence Than Everyone Else:

Let's hear it for all my gorgeous Nubian sisters out there. You KNOW you look good. So who cares if you weigh a delicious 250 and that dress is a size eight. It's not how it fits, it's how you wear it, baby. -"Allure" magazine just released the results of its annual survey on beauty, and the big takeaway is . . . black women have SO much more body confidence than anyone else, it's outstanding. Check out these findings . . . --Black women and Hispanic women are twice as likely as white women to say they don't want to change their bodies in any way. --Black women and Hispanic women are more likely than white women to feel like they're more attractive than their significant other. --One out of three black women think of themselves as THE most attractive person in the room. And black women are the least likely of any group to be on a diet. --And black men are MORE than happy to agree that black women are the most attractive women out there . . . --Black men were the most likely to embrace CURVINESS . . . they say they want curvier hips and a rounder or larger butt on a woman. --Black men and Hispanic men were almost twice as likely as white men to say the BUTT is the most attractive part of a woman --The survey also found that the race that women find most attractive is . . . no race. 64% of women said that mixed race people are the epitome of beauty. --86% of people surveyed said that middle-aged women today are perceived as more attractive than they were 20 years ago. --And finally . . . of the males surveyed, the younger a guy was, the more likely he was to agree with the statement "Cougars are hot." (PR Newswire)


As the Economy Has Gone Down, the Mail-Order Bride Business Has Gone Way Up:

Here's a VERY strange side effect of the economy sputtering out. While it's had a negative effect on the majority of businesses, it's led to an absolute boom in the MAIL-ORDER BRIDE industry. --John Adams runs a company called A Foreign Affair, which matches up American men with women from all over the world. He says as the economy gets worse, they get busier and busier. --The reason? Quote, "When times get tough, single men tend to re-evaluate their priorities, and love moves to the top of the list. --"They start looking at what's important, they understand that relationships and people are much more important than materialistic things. And that's when they start looking for ways to find that right person." --And, for some men, when they strike out with all the women over here, their answer is to reach out to women overseas who'll marry a stranger for American citizenship and a better life . . . at least in theory. --It costs several thousand dollars, minimum, to get a mail-order bride . . . and then, of course, you take on the role of the sole provider for the family. (My Fox DC)

The Women Who Holds the Record for World's Largest Breasts Is In a Coma After Trying To Commit Suicide:

See. Having UNTHINKABLY ENORMOUS BREASTS just might NOT be the one and only key to eternal happiness. --30-year-old Sheyla Hershey of Houston, Texas is in the "Guinness Book of World Records" for having the WORLD'S LARGEST BREASTS. And now she's in the hospital, in a coma, after trying to commit suicide. --Sheyla set the record when she got implants to take her to a triple-K cup size. Then she pressed her luck and tried to get them blown up even more, to a triple-M cup. But those got infected and she had to have them removed altogether. --Yesterday, she was scheduled to have surgery to get her triple-Ks put back in. But the night before, she OD'd on pills to try to kill herself. --Sheyla has bipolar disorder and has been in therapy over her breast obsession. -Before her suicide attempt, she said, quote, "Once I reclaim my identity as the World's Biggest Boobs I can be a better role model for my daughter. I feel so ugly without my breasts. Without them, I don't know who I am." --Her husband Derek says doctors don't know when she'll get out of the coma. (London Sun) (--On Shelya's website, there are some barely, barely safe-for-work photos of her back when she had her giant breasts.)


NASA May Have Found a New Planet . . . One That's Even Bigger Than Jupiter:

If you haven't been the same since a bunch of a-hole nerds decided to ruin your childhood by deciding PLUTO wasn't a planet anymore . . . we might have your fix right here. --Scientists believe that a NASA telescope has picked up a NEW ninth planet. A bigger planet. A better planet. --The planet is named Tyche (--pronounced TY-KEE). And it's huge. It could be up to four times bigger than Jupiter, which is currently the largest planet. --Tyche is more than 15,000 times farther from the Sun than the Earth is. That's making some astrophysicists think that Tyche actually used to revolve around a different star, but the Sun was so powerful it pulled Tyche in. --After more data is collected, the International Astronomical Union will decide whether Tyche should be considered the ninth planet . . . or if it needs its own special classification. --They'll also get the final say on the name. (The Independent)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Strip Club Customer Says He Was Robbed By . . . Two Nerds:

In this economy, even the nerds sometimes have to take to a life of crime. "Battlestar Galactica" fan fiction websites just don't generate the ad revenue they used to. --Yesterday, around 3:00 A.M., a 26-year-old man was robbed inside a strip club in Indianapolis called Club Paradise. And he told the police the robbers were, quote, "two nerdy looking guys." --They hit him on the head and stole $400 from him. They didn't leave behind any clues, like an inhaler or a retainer, so the police are still looking for them. (Indianapolis Star)


A 75-Year-Old Man Is Accused of Assaulting His Ex-Wife with Grapes . . . After She Refused To Meet His New Girlfriend:

There are a lot of layers to this story, but the strangest one is . . . you can go to jail for throwing a grape at someone? I thought this was America. --75-year-old Sebastiano Russo of Orange City, Florida still lives in a house with his 71-year-old ex-wife, Claire Russo. They've been divorced since 2003. --But since Sebastiano began DATING again, his living situation with Claire became a powder keg waiting to explode. --The explosion finally happened last week. --Sebastiano came home drunk and announced that he wanted to bring his new girlfriend to their home. There's no word on how OLD his new girlfriend is. --Claire said no way. They argued, he threatened to kill her and burn the house down . . . and then grabbed a GRAPE off the table and threw it at her. One single grape. It hit her in the face. --She wasn't injured . . . but Sebastiano was still arrested for two domestic violence charges: felony aggravated battery on a person age 65 or older, AND misdemeanor assault. (Orlando Sentinel)


A Man Is Arrested After a Fight Breaks Out with His Girlfriend . . . Because He Changed His Facebook Status To "Single":

There's no slap in the face quite like a public Facebook slap in the face. Apparently. --Last week, 21-year-old Eric Wilson of Palm Bay, Florida changed his Facebook relationship status from "In a Relationship" to "Single." --And that change was news to his girlfriend. Or at least to the woman who THOUGHT she was his girlfriend. --She saw the status change and flipped out. They argued . . . and Eric ended up breaking her TV, pushing her against a wall, and threatening to shoot her. --The police reported to the scene and Eric was arrested and charged with battery. --We tracked down Eric's Facebook page and, for what it's worth, he's STILL listing himself as single. (Florida Today)

A Drunk Driver Is Arrested After Claiming He Was Just "Mowing the Sidewalk":

This is a fairly creative excuse for drunk driving. I mean . . . it's completely illogical and you'd have to be drunk to think of something like this . . . but still fairly creative. --On Sunday, 46-year-old Steve Urbansky of Lorain, Ohio was driving drunk and got his car stuck in a snow bank along the side of the road. When the police got there he was trying to dislodge the car. --And he gave them an excuse for why he'd crashed. --He told them, quote, "[I was] just trying to mow the sidewalk." --Instead of thanking him for doing such a noble but mostly unnecessary bit of community service, Steve was arrested for DUI. He has two prior DUI convictions. (FOX 8 - Cleveland)


STUPID NEWS EXTRAS

A guy in Ohio paid $300 to propose to his girlfriend during a Valentine's Day lunch . . . using a public bus ad. He bought the ad for a week, and arranged for the bus to be stopped outside the restaurant. (Full Story)


A 16-month-old girl in Myanmar was born with 12 fingers and 14 toes . . . setting the world record for most "digitally enhanced." (Full Story)


Check out the least and most expensive places to own a car. Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus were in the top ten cheapest . . . and San Jose, San Diego, LA, and San Francisco were among the most expensive. (Full Story)


Photo of the Day: A full-sized Optimus Prime tractor trailer is currently in New York City for the 108th annual Toy Fair. And it received a bunch of parking tickets from the NYPD.


Watch out for a popular identity theft scam that's been gathering steam: The scammers tell you that you missed jury duty, and ask for your Social Security number to verify that you never received your summons. (Full Story)


Stupid Criminals: A 27-year-old in Michigan tried to blow up his girlfriend's apartment by severing the natural gas line in her kitchen . . . but it turned out she had an electric stove. So he stabbed her, punched her TV, cut up her coat, and took off. (Full Story)


Stupid Criminals: A women in Pennsylvania has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct . . . after entering a grocery store's walk-in freezer and peeing on $508 worth of baked goods. (Full Story)


The Dalai Lama's nephew had been walking across Florida to draw attention to Tibet's struggle for independence . . . but 25 miles in he was run over by an SUV and killed. (Full Story)


NAZZY’S RANDOM VIDEOS OF THE DAY


#1.) Check out a 7-Year-Old Crying Because Justin Bieber Lost the Grammy for Best New Artist:

Well, the Best New Artist Grammy winner ESPERANZA SPALDING has ruined at least one kid's year. Someone posted a video on YouTube of their 7-year-old son crying because JUSTIN BIEBER got robbed. But the kid kinda seems like he's forcing it. (--Search for "Jonah Cries for Justin Bieber at the Grammys")


#2.) George H.W. Bush Started Crying While Reading a Love Letter He Sent to Barbara In 1994 . . . Then Barbara Told Him He Could Be Speaker of the House:

In case you missed it, GEORGE BUSH SR. and BARBARA BUSH were on the "Today" show on Valentine's Day, and George had to hold back tears while reading a love letter he sent Barbara in 1994. --Then when he was done, Barbara put her hand on his knee and told him he could be Speaker of the House . . . which was an obvious knock on current Speaker, JOHN BOEHNER. (--Search for "George Bush Cries on the Today Show." He starts getting emotional at 1:07.)


#3.) Someone Made an All-Snow Replica of Castle Grayskull From "He-Man":

Maybe you were a fan of the He-Man cartoon in the '80s, or played with the toys. Or maybe you just love the 1987 Dolph Lundgren version, "Masters of the Universe" . . . also featuring Courteney Cox. Either way, you're familiar with Castle Grayskull. --That's where He-Man chilled out when he wasn't taking on Skeletor. And a sculptor in Brooklyn made a cool replica using snow from the last big storm. You can check out video of the finished product on YouTube. (--Search for "Snowmageddon's Castle Grayskull") (--Interesting side note: In the 1987 movie, Skeletor was played by Frank Langella, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2008 for playing Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon".)


Do You Have Bad Breath and Not Know It? Here's How to Tell . . . And How to Get Rid of It:

According to an article on CNN.com, 90 million Americans have bad breath. And you might be one of them but not even realize it. That's because you smell your own breath every single day, so your brain gets used to it, and you stop noticing --But there are also a lot of people who THINK they have bad breath, and don't. So here's how to figure out if you do. --The most common thing people do is breathe into their hand and smell it. But that doesn't really work. Instead, you should LICK the back of your hand, wait a few seconds, then smell the back of your hand. Seriously. --Because contrary to popular belief, bad breath doesn't have anything to do with dental hygiene. Unless you have a rotting tooth or something else nasty going on. It's all about your TONGUE. --So if you're not down with licking the back of your own hand, just look at your tongue in a mirror. If it's pink and smooth, your breath is probably fine. --If it looks white and scaly, your breath might smell like Charlie Sheen after a three-day bender. --If that's that case, here's what to do: First of all, drink more water. If your mouth is dry, it's easier for bacteria to grow on your tongue. --And chewing sugar-free gum is better than using mouthwash or a mint, because it forces you to produce more saliva, which stops bacteria from growing. Mouthwash and mints DO work, but not for very long. --If your breath really stinks, you should also start watching what you eat. Obviously garlic, onions, and curry can cause bad breath. But so can beer, wine, coffee, and soda. And anything with a lot of sugar promotes the growth of bacteria. --Two things that are GOOD for your breath are cinnamon . . . which has essential oils that help KILL bacteria . . . and green tea, which does the same thing. --And even though they contain sugar, fruits that are high in vitamin C . . . like berries, melons, and oranges . . . can help freshen your breath naturally. --If you try all that, and you STILL have bad breath, see your doctor. It can also be a sign you have a chronic sinus infection, acid-reflux disease, a liver or kidney disorder, diabetes, or even cancer. (CNN.com)