HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (09-09-11)

THE STARS ON 9/11

What Were Paul McCartney, Al Pacino, Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard and Nick Nolte Doing When the U.S. Was Attacked on 9/11?

I'm going to assume that all of us who were alive and old enough to understand things remember exactly what we were doing when the U.S. was attacked on September 11th, 2001. --Well, here's what several celebrities remember about that day . . .

--PAUL McCARTNEY: "I was on my way back to England, and we were at JFK on the tarmac, and the pilot just suddenly said, 'We can't take off. We're going to have to go back to base.' --"And out of the window on the right-hand side of the airplane, you could see the twin towers. You could see one plume of smoke, and then you could see two shortly thereafter. --"I said, 'Well, that's an optical illusion, you know.' Then one of the stewards came to me and said, 'Look, there's been something really serious happened in New York, and we've got to get you out of here.' --"I ended up in Long Island watching it on TV, watching the whole story unfold . . . like everyone else in the world . . . wanting to go into New York, but nobody was allowed back in."

--AL PACINO: "It was the most terrifying, the most heartbreaking day. I was on a plane the evening before it happened, September 10th. I was in Los Angeles, and all I wanted was to get back to my home . . . New York. --"I couldn't get back, the planes wouldn't move. It was devastating."

--MATT DAMON: "I lived in lower Manhattan at the time. So I just remember walking out of my apartment and seeing it and then going back in and watching CNN 'cause I was so hungry for information, trying to figure out what's going on. --"I just remember being glued to my television despite the fact that it was happening kind of right outside my door."

--BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD: "I was on Christopher Street, below the 14th Street line, which is kind of like the cut-off, and I heard all this noise and opened my windows. -"I remember my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, saying, 'Where's the other tower?' The first tower had already fallen and we were just looking at one tower. --"I was so used to seeing the twin towers, I couldn't even understand, really, what I was seeing. I remember it took me awhile to figure out, 'Oh my God, one of the towers is missing!' 'cause it's just unthinkable. --"And then we saw the second tower fall, and my husband was sobbing and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm going to be late to class!' I was getting ready to go outside and my husband was like, 'Are you out of your mind?! You're not going outside right now!'"

--NICK NOLTE: "I was watching TV when it happened. I didn't see the first plane. I saw the second plane. And then on the anniversary of 9/11, I was drunk and picked up for drunk driving. --"The reason that picture got on television was, all the cameras were pointing at the place where the terrorists were supposed to hit. And then there was no news, so they picked that picture up and sent it back."


Denise Richards Says She Did Not Go on a Date with Simon Cowell When She Was Eight Months Pregnant:

On Wednesday, SIMON COWELL revealed to Howard Stern that friends fixed him up with DENISE RICHARDS several years ago, but it didn't pan out because she showed up to their date EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT. --Well, according to Denise, they did NOT go on a date. She Tweeted, quote, "Unbelievable…what's wrong with people. --"I was at a group dinner 8mo pregnant not sure how thats considered a date, news to me! If I was being set up I didn't know it!" --But it doesn't sound like she's mad at Simon, because she added, quote, "[Crap], I wish I knew that it was a date!!! He's a hot piece of ass." --As far as anyone knows, Simon is still spoken for. Although he recently admitted that he's, quote, "not sure" if he's still engaged to makeup artist Mezhgan Hussainy.


Lindsay Lohan Says Her Sister Ali Has Never Had Plastic Surgery:

LINDSAY LOHAN is defending her 17-year-old sister ALI against allegations that she's had plastic surgery. Lindsay tells E! News that Ali has NEVER had anything done. And a source close to Ali says she looks so much different because she's lost a lot of weight. --Ali's modeling agency also denies she's had surgery. They issued a statement saying, quote, "As a young girl who is growing up, it's natural for her facial features to change slightly, and we see this with many of the younger models we represent. --"Aliana is a beautiful 17 year old girl who is growing into her face and body, as is the norm for someone of her age." --But RadarOnline.com spoke with plastic surgeon Gary Alter . . . who used to be on that show "Dr. 90210". And he thinks Ali had BOTOX, because her eyebrows are so much higher than they used to be. --He says, quote, "There doesn't appear to be much movement on her forehead, and she looks like she has had botox. Botox can actually raise eyebrows and get some of the wrinkles out." --He also said that she MIGHT have had a nose job, but it was hard to tell from the pictures. --Another plastic surgeon told them, quote, "She looks like she's had injectable fillers in her cheekbones as they are lot more defined now. It would be a quick and easy procedure to do especially if she wants to enhance her features as a new model." (--You can check out the pictures again here.)


Jason Biggs Joked About Reese Witherspoon's Car Accident:

JASON BIGGS Tweeted some potentially offensive jokes yesterday about REESE WITHERSPOON getting hit by a car. --First, he said, quote, "I just heard the news about Reese Witherspoon doing a voice in 'Cars 3'. Wow!" --Then later, he Tweeted this . . . quote, "Dead NASA satellite will soon fall 2 Earth; theres 1-in-3200 chance satellite part will hit someone. Reese better not leave the house." --We don't know if Jason and Reese are friends . . . and we don't know if he's trying to be mean, or just funny. But it's obvious that he thinks he's HI-larious on Twitter. Here are some of his other gems . . . --"Thank god for televised tennis, otherwise how else would we know that Fila still makes sneakers?" --"My housekeeper accidentally washed a joint I had in one of my jeans pockets. I accidentally fired her." -"Are we SURE Sanjay Gupta is ok to be at ground zero? Did he get an extra pat-down? Just making sure, in these tense times. You know." --"I'm sure a lot of guys had fantasies about banging [Michele] Bachmann tonight, but only I imagined doing it in front of her 23 foster kids." (--If you'd like to read more, here's Jason's Twitter address.) (--Meanwhile, "Us Weekly" says Reese doesn't want charges pressed against the lady who hit her. You can read more about that here.)


Peyton Manning Had More Neck Surgery Yesterday:

PEYTON MANNING had neck surgery again yesterday. It was his third procedure in just under two years. There's no word when he'll be back. --The Indianapolis Colts released a statement saying, quote, "Rehabilitation from such surgery is typically an involved process . . . -"Therefore, there will be no estimation of a return date at this time. We will keep Peyton on the active roster until we have a clear picture of his recovery process." --KERRY COLLINS will take his place on Sunday, when the Colts play the Houston Texans. That'll make him the first person besides Peyton to start at quarterback for the Colts since JIM HARBAUGH on December 21st, 1997. --Peyton's streak of consecutive starts officially ends at 227 games, including the playoffs.



Mel Gibson Is Teaming Up with the Writer of "Showgirls" to Make a Movie About a Jewish Hero:

We may soon find out if it's too late for MEL GIBSON to rehabilitate his image among the children of Israel . . . because he's producing a movie about a JEWISH HERO. --That hero is Judah Maccabee . . . who helped lead the Jewish revolt against the Greek-Syrian armies that had conquered them in the second century B.C. --Mel has actually been trying to make this one for years . . . even before he spewed all kinds of hatred against Jews during his drunk driving arrest back in 2006. --Mel is producing this movie, and has the option to direct it if he wants to. But there's no word if he'll do that. --If you're Jewish and this idea bothers you, I have even more potentially bad news: The guy writing the script is JOE ESZTERHAS. He's the screenwriter behind "Flashdance", "Basic Instinct" and "SHOWGIRLS". (!!!) --Of course, he also did "Music Box", a critically-acclaimed drama about a Nazi war crimes trial starring JESSICA LANGE.


Nick Nolte Fell Off the Wagon While Making the Movie "Warrior":

In the movie "Warrior" . . . (--which opens today) . . . NICK NOLTE plays the formerly-alcoholic father of two MMA fighters. --And Nick ACCIDENTALLY got into the role while filming in Pittsburgh last year . . . by FALLING OFF THE WAGON. (--In case you've forgotten, Nick Nolte has a little problem with alcohol. Remember this picture?) (The Smoking Gun) --He says, quote, "I had this assistant and she had a boyfriend who was a little . . . mixed-up. The assistant was a little mixed-up too. --"We had been rehearsing a week and I said to her, 'Should we do the right thing and go home? Or do we do the wrong thing and go to a club and meet up with your boyfriend? I'll leave it up to you.'" --Obviously, they went out and met up with the boyfriend. Things got a little crazy, and the night didn't end until 5:00 A.M. the next morning. Nick had to be on-set at 10. --He says, quote, "We rolled into rehearsal the next morning and I went straight to [the director's] assistant and said, 'Man, you wouldn't believe the night I had. --"'There was more cocaine there, more alcohol, this guy with tattoos all over him and rings, this girl who wanted to leave with me but she had been with him for 10 years and he was threatening to kill me. We barely got out of there alive.'"

Jon Gosselin Has a Message for Kate Gosselin: "Reality TV Is Not a Career . . . Get Back to a Normal Life":

Earlier this week, KATE GOSSELIN said that the cancellation of "Kate Plus 8" had her, quote, "freaking out big time" . . . because she now has to find a new way to earn a living. --She said her first choice was to land another TV gig, but her ex-husband JON GOSSELIN is telling her to GIVE IT UP . . . and find a REAL job. --He tells RumorFix.com, quote, "Reality television is not a career. Get back to normal life, simple life, provide for your family, and go from there. --"Things will work out the way they should work out. Obviously there are families out there that have several kids. People work normal jobs and things work out. Everything is possible." --Jon says he has paid child support . . . and will continue to . . . and Kate shouldn't worry about maintaining a glamorous quality of life for the kids. --He says, quote, "It's really up to Kate . . . [but] I don't have a farm on 24 acres, and the kids seem to have a good time at my house. I go to work every day and provide for my family, and do the best I can . . . I enjoy normal life, like normal people." (--Somebody sounds JEALOUS . . . and probably more than a little happy that Kate's back down on his level. You can find video of Jon's interview, here.)


Anderson Cooper Has Taped an Interview with Gerard Depardieu, But Not Without Giggling Again:

ANDERSON COOPER has taped an interview with bladder-challenged French actor GERARD DEPARDIEU . . . and it sounds like Gerard made Anderson laugh again. --Last month, Anderson broke out in a "giggle fit" on the air while cracking jokes about Gerard peeing on the floor of an airplane. (--Here's that video again. Anderson begins to unravel at the 2:25 mark.) --In his interview with Anderson, Gerard said that he told the flight attendant, quote, "Madame, I have to pee. I not sick, I not a terrorist. I just want to pee!" --Gerard said he wasn't permitted to go at that moment, but it was an emergency . . . so he reached for a bottle to pee in. But Gerard said that didn't work out because, quote, "[It was] much too small. I am an elephant!" --When Anderson asked if "it got on the floor," Gerard responded, quote, "Yes, a lot." --Gerard has seen Anderson's giggle meltdown, and called it, quote, "fantastic, magnifique." He then attempted to make Anderson laugh again by singing a song that included the lyrics: Quote, "Poo, poo. Next time I make a poo poo." (???) --It worked. Anderson giggled . . . although probably not as maniacally as he did before . . . and said, quote, "I think you won the challenge. --The interview will air Tuesday . . . on the second episode of Anderson's new talk show, "Anderson". (--"Anderson" premieres Monday, with an "exclusive interview" with AMY WINEHOUSE'S family.) (--By the way, Amy's dad MITCH WINEHOUSE will also be on "Piers Morgan Tonight" next Tuesday . . . a day after Anderson's interview. A preview clip from that interview has hit the Internet. You can find it, here.)


Ashton Kutcher and Ellen DeGeneres Are Getting "Naked" in Front of Each Other to Promote Their Shows:

ASHTON KUTCHER taped a skit for Monday's season premiere of "Ellen", which involved him getting "naked" in front of Ellen. --Ashton and Ellen were talking about the "nude" "Two and a Half Men" promo picture, and Ashton said, quote, "It's getting a lot of attention. So I just figured I'm going to do everything nude from now on." And then he dropped his robe. --His naughty parts were pixilated . . . although he probably wasn't really naked anyway. --Meanwhile, a new "Two and a Half Men" promo poster has been unveiled, which includes a "naked" Ellen. It's unclear if she's actually making an appearance on the show, or if this is just some timely cross-promotion. (--Here are the pictures.)


The Full List of Charlie Sheen "Roasters" Has Been Revealed:

The list of people who are participating in the "Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen" has been announced. --The roasters will include: William Shatner, "Private Practice" star Kate Walsh, Jon Lovitz and comedians Patrice O'Neal and Amy Schumer. --They join previously announced roasters: Mike Tyson, Steve-O, Jeffrey Ross . . . and "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane, who's serving as the "roast master." --Slash will also make a "special appearance," but it's unclear what that's all about. --By the way, E! Online claims Comedy Central invited Charlie's exes DENISE RICHARDS and BROOKE MUELLER . . . but they turned down the offer. --The roast tapes this weekend, and will air September 19th, the same night as ASHTON KUTCHER'S "Two and a Half Men" debut.


The Cast of "Home Improvement" Reunited . . . Here's a Picture:

The cast of "Home Improvement" reunited for an "Entertainment Weekly" photo shoot recently . . . and PATRICIA RICHARDSON, who played Jill, Tweeted a picture of the get-together. (--You can see it, along with "Entertainment Weekly's" official shot, here. This will make you feel old. JONATHAN TAYLOR THOMAS turned 30 yesterday.)
This Season's First "Dancing with the Stars" Injury: Ricki Lake:

The new season of "Dancing with the Stars" has its first injury. --RICKI LAKE suffered a nasty bruise on her shin, but she's OK. Yesterday, she Tweeted, quote, "Look, my first injury. Don't ask how it happened." (--She attached a picture of her bruise. Here it is.) --She added, quote, "I injured myself by hitting my heel into my shin." --Even though it's a minor injury, a doctor checked her out anyway. Ricki Tweeted, quote, "Not sure how my bruise turned into a medic showing up? I'm fine!! :)"


WEEKEND TV REMINDERS

Friday TV Reminders:

--"Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett Together Again" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on HBO. (--An hour-long-special in which Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett share their memories of working with Hollywood legends like George Burns, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Carl Reiner, and Marty Feldman.)

--"Karaoke Battle USA" [Performance Show] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC.

--"Torchwood" [4th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Starz.

Saturday TV Reminders:

Sunday is the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Here's the 9/11-related programming that airs on Saturday . . .

--"The Love We Make: Paul McCartney and the Concert For New York City" . . . 9:00 to 10:30 P.M. on Showtime. (--Paul McCartney's post 9/11 concert.)

--"Voices from Inside the Towers" . . . 9:00 to 10:30 P.M. on History Channel. (--A compilation of phone calls made from within the Twin Towers.)

--"Beyond: Messages From 9/11" . . . 10:00 to 10:45 P.M. on Bio. (--The family of September 11th victims share the final messages they got from their loved ones.)

--"Portraits from Ground Zero" . . . 10:00 to 11:30 P.M. on A&E. (--Photojournalist Andrea Booher examines photos following the attacks, taken from Ground Zero and interviews the people she captured on film to share their stories.)


--"Biography: Bruce Springsteen" . . . 7:00 to 8:00 A.M. on A&E.

--"NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in Richmond" . . . 7:30 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on ABC.

--"U.S. Open Tennis" [Women's Championship] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. Eastern on CBS.

--"Grand Ole Opry Live" . . . 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. on GAC. (--Danny Gokey, Mandy Barnett and Russell Moore and 3rd Tyme Out perform.)

--"Cops" [24th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on Fox.

--"Austin City Limits" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. (--The National and Band of Horses perform.) (REPEAT)

--"Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1 Classic. (--Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen and producer Eddie Kramer work with the campers.)

--"Dina's Party" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on HGTV. (--Former "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Dina Manzo works as an event planner.)

--"That Metal Show" . . . 11:00 P.M. to Midnight on VH1 Classic. (--Slipknot's Corey Taylor guests with Night Ranger members Jack Blades and Brad Gillis.)

--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. (--Tina Fey guest hosts and Ellie Goulding is the musical guest.) (REPEAT)

September 11th TV Reminders:

--"9/11: 10 Years Later" . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS. (--Robert De Niro hosts this update of a 2002 documentary about the New York fire department's rescue efforts at the World Trade Center.)

--"America Remembers: 9/11" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on PBS. (--The day's observances are examined.)

--"Making the 9/11 Memorial" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on History Channel. (--The construction and opening of the "Reflecting Absence" memorial at Ground Zero.)

--"Great Performances: A Concert for New York" . . . 9:00 to 10:30 P.M. on PBS. (--Alan Gilbert directs the New York Philharmonic and the New York Choral Artists in a tribute concert marking the 10th anniversary of September 11th.)

--"Rebirth" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Showtime. (--This documentary incorporates time-lapse photography of the World Trade Center site, while telling the stories of five individuals who were directly affected by the attacks.)

--"The Space Between" . . . 9:00 to 10:20 P.M. on USA. (--A movie starring Melissa Leo as a flight attendant who connects with a Pakistani-American boy after their flight is grounded on 9/11 . . . and later learns of his connection to the attacks.)

--"Remembrance and Renewal: 10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--A retrospective look at iconic images, the patriotic fervor that swept our country and the Americans who were notably affected by the attacks.)

--"From the Ground Up" . . . 10:15 to 11:00 P.M. on OWN. (--A profile of five New York City firefighter widows whose husbands died at the World Trade Center.)

--"Twin Towers" . . . 10:20 to 11:00 P.M. on USA. (--A short documentary about two brothers, one a police officer and the other a fireman, during the 9/11 attacks.)

--"Football Night in America" [6th Season Premiere] . . . 7:00 to 8:15 P.M. Eastern on NBC.

--"Sunday Night Football" . . . 8:15 to 11:15 P.M. Eastern on NBC. (--The New York Jets host the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.)

--"Cupcake Wars" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Food Network. (--"iCarly" star Jennette McCurdy commissions the cupcake artists for her record-release party.)

--"True Blood" [4th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on HBO.

--"Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" [5th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on VH1.

--"Curb Your Enthusiasm" [8th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on HBO. (--Michael J. Fox guest stars as Larry's New York neighbor.)

--"Entourage" [SERIES Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on HBO.

--"Squidbillies" [5th Season Premiere] . . . 11:45 P.M. to Midnight on Adult Swim.

The Rolling Stones Were Seen Together . . . Do They Have Something in the Works?

The ROLLING STONES haven't been active recently . . . but that might be changing, because all four members met up in London on Wednesday. --It's unclear what they were doing, but Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts were all spotted leaving the same office building. --Naturally, that started some speculation that the Stones may be planning a 50th anniversary tour for next year. If it happens, it'd be their first shows in five years, since their Bigger Bang tour ended in 2007.


Nickelback's Next Album Is Coming Out in November:

NICKELBACK'S next album is called "Here and Now" . . . and it's coming out on November 21st. According to reports, they're also preparing to launch a tour, which would begin next year. --The first two singles off the new album . . . "When We Stand Together" and "Bottoms Up" . . . will both be released on September 26th.


SONGS OF THE SUMMER

The Best Songs of the Summer . . . According to "Rolling Stone" Readers:

(--Yesterday, MTV published a list of the top Songs of the Summer. Despite being a poll that surveyed almost 500,000 people, it seemed a little uninspired. So, now "Rolling Stone" and "Billboard" are chiming in with their lists.) "Rolling Stone" recently polled their readers to come up with a rundown of the Best Songs of the Summer. They released the results yesterday. Here's the list:


1.) "I Wanna Go", Britney Spears

2.) "Pumped Up Kicks", Foster the People

3.) "Walk", Foo Fighters

4.) "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall", Coldplay

5.) "Ready to Go (Get Out of My Mind)", Panic! At the Disco

6.) "The Adventures of Raindance Maggie", Red Hot Chili Peppers

7.) "The Edge of Glory", Lady Gaga

8.) "1979", Good Charlotte

9.) "Rolling in the Deep", Adele

10.) "Moves Like Jagger", Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera

(--You can find audio and mini write-ups for each one at RollingStone.com.)

Billboard.com's Non-Subjective "Songs of the Summer" List:

Billboard.com has put together a list of the Top Songs of the Summer . . . but unlike other lists, this one isn't subjective. It's based on each song's performance on the Hot 100 chart, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Here's the list:

1.) "Party Rock Anthem", LMFAO

2.) "Give Me Everything", Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo

3.) "Rolling in the Deep", Adele

4.) "Super Bass", Nicki Minaj

5.) "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", Katy Perry

--Interestingly enough, Katy Perry had Billboard's #1 summer song last year with "California Gurls". Both songs are off her "Teenage Dream" album.

6.) "How to Love", Lil Wayne

7.) "The Edge of Glory", Lady Gaga

8.) "Good Life", OneRepublic

9.) "E.T.", Katy Perry featuring Kanye West

10.) "Tonight Tonight", Hot Chelle Rae


(--You can listen to these singles, and check out the stats on their chart performance, here. For some reason, Billboard doesn't show a playable audio icon for Hot Chelle Rae's "Tonight Tonight" . . . but you can listen to it here.)


Lil Wayne Has Been Nominated for 18 BET Hip-Hop Awards:

The nominees for the BET Hip-Hop Awards were announced yesterday, and LIL WAYNE dominated the field, with a record-shattering 18 nominations. (--JAY-Z set the previous record last year with 10 nominations.) --KANYE WEST followed Wayne with 10 nominations, and WIZ KHALIFA was next with nine. All three of them are up for the "MVP of the Year" award, along with Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj. --As usual, BET is handling the broadcast poorly. The ceremony will be taped on October 1st, and all the winners will be leaked online. Then, it'll air 10 days later . . . on October 11th . . . when no one cares anymore. (--You can find all the nominees at BET.com, here.)


Wiz Khalifa Is Off the Hook for His Pot Bust:

The felony marijuana charges against WIZ KHALIFA have been dropped. He was actually charged with TRAFFICKING along with possession, which is what made it a felony. --Wiz and nine of his boys were arrested at East Carolina University last November, after police found weed on their tour bus. But as it turns out, the case against Wiz was botched from the start. --The D.A. said the trafficking charge was a mistake, because they didn't have enough weed to qualify. The local threshold for a trafficking charge is 10 POUNDS of marijuana. But the police only found "slightly more than two ounces" on the bus.


Scotty McCreedy Is Roaming The Halls Of His High School:

SCOTTY MCCREEDY might be on his way to becoming a household name . . . AND late for Calculus. No lie, Scotty is keeping his word to finish his senior year at Garner High in North Carolina. --He said, quote, "I just want to go back and see people I've grown up with and not totally forget about the life I had before this, you know? That's what made me who I am today. --"I'm not going to be walking around school with an 'American Idol' T-shirt on. I'm going to just be normal, just a normal kid and hopefully things will work out." --He's also bringing his baseball glove. Scotty is a stud pitcher on the school's junior varsity team. He was 6-1 with a 1.04 ERA last year. (--That's nasty good.) --He said, quote, "It's looking like I might be able to get back for a few games and pitch. We are looking ahead at what our opportunities are (with) tour dates and stuff. --"Hopefully I can back and play with the boys at the high school. We'll see how that works out." (--I can't imagine a faster track from being "just another high school kid" . . . to "being insanely famous". And yet, your audience will always surprise. So . . .)

FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS


Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


Jury selection began yesterday in the manslaughter trial of DR. CONRAD MURRAY . . . the man accused of killing MICHAEL JACKSON. (Full Story)



Obviously, this will never happen . . . but a dating website called CougarLife.com, which hooks up older women and younger men, has offered MADONNA $300,000 to record a song and video for their site. (Full Story)



Enjoy a picture of ADRIANNE CURRY in a hot tub, topless, cupping her breasts with her hands. (Photo)



If KIM KARDASHIAN gets pregnant before her sister KHLOE, Khloe is going to be CRUSHED . . . because she's having trouble conceiving. (Full Story)



ELISABETTA CANALIS discusses her breakup with GEORGE CLOONEY . . . but doesn't really say much. (Full Story)



Not long ago, DONALD TRUMP sued a guy for libel because he wrote a book claiming that Donald is a MILLIONAIRE . . . and not a BILLIONAIRE. Well, a court had already dismissed the lawsuit . . . and yesterday, an appeals court upheld that ruling. Sorry, Donald. (Full Story)


CHARLIE SHEEN has reportedly signed on to star in a movie called "A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charlie Swan the Third". It's about a successful graphic designer (slash) ladies man whose life starts spiraling out of control when his girlfriend leaves him. (Full Story)



RUSSELL CROWE is joining HUGH JACKMAN in the movie version of "Les Misérables". (Full Story)



Will red underpants be added to the new Superman costume after all? (Full Story)



Former "Biggest Loser" contestant SAM POUEU is listed in critical condition at a San Francisco hospital, after he fell several stories from a building last weekend. (Full Story)



Holly and Blake from "Bachelor Pad" are engaged. (Full Story)
THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11

Sunday is the 10th anniversary of September 11th. So we thought we'd throw some historical perspective your way with a look at that morning's edition of THE COMPLETE SHEET. The one you probably barely used . . . if you used it at all.

--If Osama bin Laden had only been rocked more as a child, you might have found yourself on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 regaling your listeners with stories about:

--Michael Jackson fainting after a concert at Madison Square Garden . . .

--Male strippers taking out insurance policies on their packages, because overeager women were getting too rough with them . . .

--And the premiere of a new CBS show starring Lou Diamond Phillips.

--But we thought it would be interesting to look back at the material that WAS going to occupy your airwaves on that fateful day . . . and compare it to what your show actually became.


Here are Six Things You Probably Didn't Know About 9/11:

#1.) 20 people were pulled out alive from the rubble of the World Trade Center. That included two policemen who were buried for close to 21 hours, and a woman from the 64th floor of one tower who was buried for 27 hours.

#2.) The British lost the second highest number of people. More than EIGHTY nationalities lost at least one life that day. 372 non-Americans were murdered, including 67 Brits.

#3.) The fire lasted for 99 days. The World Trade Center fire wasn't extinguished completely until December 19th . . . a full 99 days after the attacks.

#4.) A third skyscraper fell. A 47-story building, World Trade Center Building 7, ALSO fell . . . late in the afternoon on 9/11. It wasn't hit by a plane . . . the fires and collapse of the other towers made it fall.

#5.) One company lost two-thirds of its employees. A financial services firm called Cantor Fitzgerald saw 658 of its 960 employees die on 9/11. Ten years later, the firm has donated more than $180 MILLION to those employees' families.

#6.) The steel from the WTC was sold. About 185,101 tons of steel were left in the aftermath of the World Trade Center. Much of it has been sold to China and India . . . the rest has been used for memorials. (Yahoo)


Only One-Third of Americans are More Concerned for Their Safety Now, Than They Were Before 9/11:

I think this is a good sign that we've done a pretty nice job recovering from the 9/11 attacks . . . but not forgetting.

--In a new Harris poll, only 32% of Americans say they're more concerned for their personal safety now than they were before September 11th. About 60% have the same level of concern . . . and 8% are less concerned.


--The one-third of Americans who are more scared is down from 10 years ago, right after the attacks. In November of 2001, 42% of Americans were more concerned about their safety.


--84% of Americans believe the U.S. will experience another terrorist attack in the next 10 years, carried out by a foreign citizen or foreign terrorist organization.


--70% of Americans are worried that we'll suffer a terror attack from one lone U.S. citizen.


--81% give credit to the FBI and 79% give credit to the CIA for helping to reduce terrorism in the U.S. since 9/11. 71% give credit to the Department of Homeland Security. And even fewer . . . 58% . . . give credit to the TSA.


--95% of Americans say they remember clearly where they were when they first heard about the September 11th attacks. For most people, it was a phone call or someone running into the room telling them to turn on the TV.

(Harris Interactive)



How 9/11 Changed Our Lives Forever


Ten years after the September 11 terror attacks, 58% of Americans believe people permanently have changed the way they live as a result of the al-Qaida assaults. Some people also acknowledge that they are still reluctant to travel overseas, attend large events, fly on airplanes and go into skyscrapers, the USA Today/Gallup poll show. Findings include:


•Although 58% believe people have changed behavior permanently, 28% of Americans admit to changing the way they live.

•38% are less willing to travel overseas; 27% are less willing attend large events; 24% are less willing fly on airplanes; and 20% are less willing go into skyscrapers.

•Fear of flying has decreased from 43% right after 9/11 to 24%; go into skyscrapers, 35 to 20%; travel overseas, 48 to 38%; and attend large events, 30 to 27%.



The Buffalo Bills Are the Best Looking Team in the NFL . . . and the Kansas City Chiefs Are the Ugliest:

The Buffalo Bills play the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, and . . . win or lose . . . the Bills will still be able to pull more chicks after the game. -That's because a new scientific study has determined that the Bills are the best-looking team in the NFL . . . and the Chiefs are the ugliest.
--We've heard a few times that humans tend to find a person more attractive if their faces are symmetrical, so researchers at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania ranked the facial symmetry of NFL players. --They had a computer look at five starters on offense, five starters on defense, the coach, and the owner. And they found that the prettiest teams are the Bills, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns. (--And dreamboat quarterback Tim Tebow wasn't even one of the 10 Denver players included.) --The ugliest teams were the Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Minnesota Vikings. -Last year's Super Bowl winners, the Green Bay Packers, were eighth ugliest, while the Super Bowl-losing Steelers were sixth best looking. --The New England Patriots were tenth prettiest, only two spots ahead of the Indianapolis Colts. Which is odd, since compared to Tom Brady, Peyton Manning resembles a giant thumb. --In general, NFL players have 10% more facial symmetry than average people, with kickers and quarterbacks being the best-looking positions. They're also better looking than NBA All Stars and great football teams of the past. (Wall Street Journal)


People Rank Facebook More Important Than a Flushing Toilet:

There's a metaphor here comparing Facebook and a toilet. I'm not going to flesh it out, but there's a metaphor.

--Anyway, in a recent survey out of Scotland . . . but one that we think applies pretty well over here too . . . people said they'd rather live without a flushing toilet than live without Facebook.

--In fact, having a toilet ranked NINTH on a ten-item list. Here's the list of things people say they couldn't live without, ranked from most vital to least vital.

#1.) Sunshine.

#2.) Internet access.

#3.) Clean drinking water.

#4.) A refrigerator.

#5.) Facebook.

#6.) Health care.

#7.) A stove or other cooker.

#8.) Email.

#9.) A flushing toilet.

#10.) A cell phone.

(Scotsman)


Weird Side Effect of the Economy . . . Babies are Learning to Use the Toilet Earlier:

Here's another one of those "silver lining" side effects of the economy being in the toilet. It's also going to drive your baby to the toilet, too. --According to a new study by AdAge, children are potty training younger now . . . because parents don't want to keep spending their dwindling cash on diapers. --Diaper sales are down 9% this year from last year . . . even though birth rates haven't gone down close to that much. --The average child plows through $1,500-a-year in disposable diapers . . . that's an average of 6.3 diapers per day. (New York Daily News)



When Your Kids Go Back to School, Your Family Pets Might Get Depressed:

Most parents are thrilled that it's back-to-school time, but there's someone who's not as happy: The family pet. --Researchers from Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine say it's tough to measure empty-nest syndrome in animals, but at least one in six dogs experience anxiety when kids go back to school. --That's because the kids have been home all summer, running around the house and giving the dog plenty of attention and activity to watch. Now there's no one there all day, except maybe a more boring adult. --And when kids go away to college, it's an even bigger disruption in the dog's routine, since as far as they know, the kid just disappeared. --Dogs who are upset tend to pace, scratch, or chew doors and furniture more. 30% might have accidents on the floor. They also might stop eating. --It's more difficult to measure how cats demonstrate their feelings, but vets say that they also get upset. Some symptoms to watch for are excessive sleeping and pulling out their fur. --You can fight pet depression by giving them more exercise, putting a bird feeder outside the window for your cats to watch, or trying pet day care. You can also get a fish tank, or leave the TV on an animal program for them. --In extreme cases, there are medications you can give your pets for depression. (MSNBC)


Your Education Has Five Times the Impact on Your Future Earnings Than Anything Else:

Make sure you remember this, so you can tell your kid one day if he decides to drop out of high school to focus on his house painting business. --According to the U.S. Census Bureau data, your education has BY FAR the biggest impact on your future earnings. It impacts people's earnings an average of FIVE TIMES MORE than factors like race, gender, family, and class. --Based on 40 years of data, someone with a professional degree will average $72,000 a year in middle age . . . someone with an eighth grade education will average $13,000. (PR Newswire)


People Who Get Computer Viruses are More Likely to be Mugged in Real Life?

Here's a pretty random statistical connection . . . but one that kinda makes sense the more you think about it. --According to a study by Norton . . . the company that makes one of the most popular anti-virus programs . . . people who fall victim to computer viruses are ALSO more likely to be MUGGED in real life. --In their report, they say, apparently, quote, "People aren't taking enough care in their real-world interactions and it carries over in their online world." (Lifehacker)


Mexico is the Most Tolerant of Politician and Celebrity Sex Scandals, and Japan is the Least:

Eliot Spitzer, Tiger Woods, and Anthony Weiner might want to consider a move south of the border. --Because a recent poll by Reuters and Ipsos found that the country most tolerant of sexual scandals is Mexico. 57% of Mexicans say they'd be at least somewhat likely to forgive a politician or celebrity caught with their pants down. --The country next most likely to be cool with a sexual scandal is Belgium, where 55% would be somewhat likely to tolerate it. --Just under half of Americans say they'd put up with it. They finished 4% higher than the worldwide average of 44% who are forgiving. --The worst place when it comes to forgiving scandals is Japan, where only 28% of people will forgive you. France was next at 33%. --Overall, 54% of people said that celebrities or politicians involved in sex scandals are just revealing their true personality. The other 46% said fame and power corrupts them and makes them think they can get away with it. --Worldwide, 51% of people thought women were just as likely to have indiscretions as men. They're just better at not getting caught. (Yahoo)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Woman is Fined for Jumping Onstage at a Strip Club, Getting Naked, and Collecting Tips:

Apparently, you can get arrested for IMPERSONATING A STRIPPER. --And we know that thanks to a lovely young 25-year-old named Natalie Marie Behnke from Clearwater, Florida. --On Tuesday night, Natalie went to a local strip club called Baby Dolls. She was drunk . . . and apparently she thought she could do what all of the pros there were doing. --So Natalie JUMPED on the stage . . . GOT NAKED . . . and started collecting TIPS. --The staff asked her to leave . . . she wouldn't, and even tried to FIGHT the real strippers. --Eventually the police came and broke things up. By the time they got there, Natalie was in the parking lot in her underwear, drunk and yelling. --Natalie was arrested and charged with disorderly intoxication, which is a misdemeanor. She ended up with a $450 fine. (Suncoat News)


Two Walmart Employees Rob the Store . . . To Get Money for a Sex Change:

I think we can safely say we've never seen THIS motivation for robbing a Walmart before. --Two employees from a Walmart in Phoenix, Arizona were arrested one week ago after they stole $45,000 from the store . . . so one of them could get a SEX CHANGE. --The woman is 23-year-old Spencer Culler . . . she wants gender reassignment surgery to become a man. The other worker is a 19-year-old male named Adriano Altiveros. --Last Thursday, Adriano distracted his fellow cashiers while Spencer busted into the store's cash room and grabbed as much money as she could. Then they took off . . . and quickly used $22,000 to buy a Toyota Supra as a getaway car. --Police tracked them down about 80 miles northwest of Phoenix, in Prescott, Arizona. --They say that all but 31 cents of the stolen money has been accounted for. --Both Spencer and Adriano are facing felony burglary and theft charges. They're both looking at several years in prison. (AZ Family)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS


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


Want a perfume you can just swallow? It may be coming soon. You just take a capsule and it causes your skin to emit a, quote, "genetically unique scent." (Full Story)


According to a new study of 49 TV shows, most terrorists, drug dealers, and drug kingpins onscreen are . . . white Americans. And the authorities after them don't use racial profiling or torture. (Full Story)


Kids are getting cell phones at younger ages. 5% of 16-year-olds say they got their first phone before age 12, and 57% of 12-year-olds say they did. (Full Story)


Dutch authorities have charged a 42-year-old woman with stalking, because she allegedly called her 62-year-old ex boyfriend 65,000 times in the past year. The man says they didn't even have a relationship. Just for the record, that's 178 calls a day . . . 7.4 calls an hour, 24 hours a day . . . and one call every 8.1 minutes. (Full Story)


According to a new study, health care costs more in the U.S. than in other countries because . . . are you ready? . . . doctors here charge more and earn more than in other countries. And that's NOT because medical schools here cost more. (Full Story)


Despite all the new tech devices that need charging, power demand from U.S. homes is actually falling. And the credit goes to . . . those new light bulbs? (Full Story)


Starting next year, you'll be able to get a personal jetpack for $100,000. Since . . .you know . . . we've all got that hundred-thou sitting around. (Full Story)


NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) A Week After September 11th, 30,000 People Wore Red, White, and Blue T-Shirts to Make an American Flag the Size of a Football Field:

A week after September 11th, 2001, over 30,000 people showed up at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego in a show of solidarity, put on red, white, and blue T-shirts, and created an ENORMOUS American flag. --The video is up on YouTube, and it really reminds you how the whole country came together. (--Search YouTube for "San Diego Human Flag." There's a great shot of it at 2:00, and you seed the full flag at 3:00.)

#2.) And Now . . . Two Guys in a Park Have a Pigeon-Throwing Battle:

Okay, if you did this in America, you'd have animal rights people all over you. But apparently anything goes in Eastern Europe. --There's a new video online where two guys in a park have a choreographed fight . . . . and throw PIGEONS at each other. Don't worry. The pigeons fly off and don't hit anything. But I'll let you decide whether it's animal cruelty . . . or hilarious. (--Search for "Russians Throwing Pigeons at Each Other." They throw the first bird at :08.)


The Five Photos You Should Never Post Online:

Everyone knows 'sexting' is dangerous, because any photo could eventually end up online. So the number one rule is to never show your face, or any birthmarks or tattoos when shedding your clothes for dirty pics. --But here's a list from Yahoo of the five NON-SEXUAL photos you should never post online.

#1.) Photos That Show Personal Data. According to a study by the Javelin Strategy and Research group, identity theft among people you KNOW is on the rise. --And people between 18 and 24 are at the most risk, simply because they do more texting and post more pictures. --But parents have to worry too. For example, right after your child gets their driver's license, make sure they don't post a picture of it on Facebook.

#2.) Photos That Have 'Geotagging' Enabled. Some newer cameras record all kinds of information when you take a picture . . . including the time it was taken, and where you were. And that information stays with the photo when you post it. --GPS-enabled cameras pinpoint your exact location. So if you take a photo at home, and post the photo online, anyone who knows what they're doing can figure out your home address. --If you bought a new camera recently, check to see if it has geotagging. If it does, you can disable it.

#3.) Incriminating Photos. Obviously, you wouldn't want to post photos of anything ILLEGAL. But this one's for law-abiding citizens too, because more and more companies are checking Facebook before they hire someone. --So don't post anything on Facebook you wouldn't want your boss to see. According to a study from earlier this year, 47% of Facebook walls contain profanity . . . either from things the user wrote, or things their friends wrote.

#4.) Profile Photos Taken with a Webcam. This one's not nearly as serious as posting a photo of your license. It's just that most webcams take really bad pictures, because they're optimized for video. So the regular photos look grainy. --It's even true with newer electronics, like the iPad 2. So use a REAL camera as much as possible. Even most cell phone cameras are better quality than a webcam.

#5.) Poorly Cropped Photos. Again, this one's not serious, it's just annoying. If your profile picture on Facebook has other people's elbows in it . . . because you cropped out your friends . . . choose a photo that's just of you. --It's even more important for online dating sites. (Yahoo)



Three Common Online Dating Dilemmas . . . and How to Fix Them:

Everybody does the online dating thing these days. It's great if you're too busy to go out, you don't like bars or clubs, or you just want to see what's out there. But there are downsides too. Here are three online dating dilemmas, and how to deal with them.

#1.) You Just Signed Up and Now You're Overwhelmed. The first few weeks after you join an online dating site can be overwhelming, because it opens your eyes to a huge new pool of potential dates. --So it's tempting to contact everyone within 30 miles who looks good. But if you do, you'll spread yourself too thin, and blow it. So focus on emailing just five people. Then, if those don't work out, move on to five more.

#2.) You're Getting Burned Out. It's easy to get burned out with online dating. Like, when none of your emails get replies, or your email exchanges don't end up leading to actual DATES. --So if you've been going through a rough patch, take a week off and come back to it. By then, enough new people will have joined the site so it should feel fresh and fun again.

#3.) You Start Seeing Someone . . . Now What? Once you start seeing someone, you need to decide whether or not to take down your profile. --Most people figure they'll take down their profile once the OTHER person does. But basically, if you want to see someone exclusively, you should take your profile down regardless of what they do. (Match.com)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (09-08-11)

Gwyneth Paltrow Is Very Understanding When It Comes to Extramarital Affairs:

As far as we know, GWYNETH PALTROW and her husband CHRIS MARTIN are faithful to each other. --But then again, maybe not. Because in a new interview with Britain's "Daily Mail", Gwyneth admits she's very understanding when it comes to cheating. --She says, quote, "I am a great romantic. But I also think you can be a romantic and a realist. --"Life is complicated and long and I know people that I respect and admire and look up to who have had extra-marital affairs." --She adds, quote, "We're flawed . . . we're human beings and sometimes you make choices that other people are going to judge. That's their problem, but I think that the more I live my life, the more I learn not to judge people for what they do. --"I think we're all trying our best, but life is complicated." --But she also seems to suggest that things are solid at home . . . quote, "I'm lucky . . . I have a wonderful, blessed life. I have two fantastically delightful children and a very nice husband. Knock on wood!"


Jessica Simpson Loves Her Boobs and Will Not Get Them Reduced:

It's official and Thank God: That story about JESSICA SIMPSON wanting to get a breast reduction before her wedding was A COMPLETE LOAD. --Yesterday, Jessica Tweeted, quote, "Been getting lots of questions about this alleged breast reduction...not to worry, I LOVE MY BOOBIES!! They aren't going anywhere!"


Is Joe Jonas After Taylor Swift Again?

JOE JONAS has reportedly re-established contact with ex-girlfriend TAYLOR SWIFT, and he's trying to win her back. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "He wants her back. He wants to show her he's a changed man and would love to see what's possible between them." --Sure, they wrote catty songs about each other after he ended the relationship with a 27-second phone call back in 2008, but they're trying to put that behind them. While they're just friends for the moment, a source says they're, quote, "testing the waters." (--Taylor wrote "Forever and Always" about the breakup . . . and also took a shot at Joe's next girlfriend, Camilla Belle, in "Better Than Revenge". Joe took a shot at Taylor in his song "Much Better".)


Denise Richards Once Showed Up to a Date with Simon Cowell . . . Eight Months Pregnant:

SIMON COWELL revealed on Howard Stern's radio show yesterday that some friends tried to set him up with DENISE RICHARDS years ago. But the date didn't work out . . . because she showed up EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT. --Simon said, quote, "She turned up 8 months pregnant and had a dog in her handbag." --Although he also admitted, quote, "She is gorgeous. I liked her a lot, I think she's cute, funny, a bit of a wacko . . . but I like that." --Denise and CHARLIE SHEEN have two daughters, 7-year-old Sam and 6-year-old Lola. She must have been pregnant with Lola during this date . . . because Denise filed for divorce from Charlie in March of 2005, and gave birth to Lola that June.


Lady Gaga Might Be Dating Taylor Kinney from "The Vampire Diaries":

LADY GAGA is reportedly dating TAYLOR KINNEY . . . who played the now-deceased werewolf Mason Lockwood on "The Vampire Diaries". He's also in Gaga's "You and I" video, which is where they met. --A source says, quote, "It was just casual at first, but things are getting pretty hot and heavy."


Reese Witherspoon Was Hit By a Car While Jogging . . . But She'll Be Fine:

REESE WITHERSPOON was hit by a car while jogging in Santa Monica yesterday . . . but she's going to be fine. --The accident occurred at about 11:00 A.M., and Reese was rushed to a local hospital. But police say she only suffered minor injuries, and as of last night, her rep said she was, quote, "resting comfortably at home." --The car that hit her was only going about 20 miles per hour, and the driver . . . an 84-year-old woman . . . was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. --In semi-related news, Reese has revealed what she claims is, quote, "the most horrifying thing someone has ever said to me in my entire life." And it has nothing to do with her chin. --Are you ready for it? Here it comes . . . quote, "No man will ever accept your children." --Yeah, that's it. But I guess that's a terrifying thought to a woman in her 30s. --Obviously, it wasn't true. Because Reese married Hollywood agent Jim Toth earlier this year. She has two kids from her failed marriage to Ryan Phillippe. They're 8 and 11.
Did 17-Year-Old Ali Lohan Have Plastic Surgery On Her Face?

Did 17-year-old ALI LOHAN get her face rearranged by a plastic surgeon? It sure looks that way from some paparazzi pics that surfaced yesterday. Ali signed a modeling contract back in August. --Between then and now, her look seems to have changed considerably. (--Check out one of those paparazzi pics, along with a comparison pic of Ali from two years ago. There's quite a difference. But is it SURGICAL? You make the call.) (D-Listed)


Rosie O'Donnell is Nice Again . . . Thanks to Estrogen:

When ROSIE O'DONNELL got her own talk show in 1996, she was so sugary-sweet on the air that she was given the title, "The Queen of Nice". --But that basically ended after the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, which prompted Rosie to become an anti-gun PITBULL. --A month after the shootings, Rosie launched a surprise attack on TOM SELLECK . . . a Republican and NRA supporter who had come on her show to talk about his latest movie. And that was the last we saw of "nice" Rosie. --Things only got worse during Rosie's short tenure on "The View" in 2006. She spent her time railing against PRESIDENT BUSH, feuding with DONALD TRUMP and arguing incessantly with co-host ELISABETH HASSELBECK. --So now, Rosie's got a new show debuting on OPRAH WINFREY'S network next month. Which Rosie will we get? --Apparently, the NICE one . . . thanks to HORMONE THERAPY. --In a new interview in Oprah's "O" magazine, Rosie says ESTROGEN has made all the difference . . . quote, "I had, like, zero estrogen. And since I got some, I've been able to function more normally. I've stopped being so angry." --She adds, quote, "I think I had a lot more rage than I was aware of. But I've gotten back access to my other feelings. I'm not cut off from my emotions anymore . . . The rage has gone away . . . There's been a healing." --Meanwhile, Oprah reveals why she chose to put Rosie on her network . . . quote, "In 25 years of doing my show only one competitor ever seriously challenged me in the ratings: Rosie O'Donnell. --"From the day Rosie took her place among the crowded field of talk show hosts, I knew she had the 'It' thing."


(NC-17) Ben & Jerry's Now Has a Flavor Called Schweddy Balls:

Ben & Jerry's has announced its new ice cream flavor: SCHWEDDY BALLS. It's based on an old "Saturday Night Live" skit featuring ANA GASTEYER, MOLLY SHANNON and guest host ALEC BALDWIN. --The flavor is "Vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum, loaded with fudge-covered rum and malt balls." (--You can read more about it, along with Alec's reaction to the announcement . . . and see the original "SNL" skit . . . here.) (--WARNING!!! The skit is basically just one testicular pun after another.)


Could Peyton Manning Miss the Entire Season?

It's a big enough deal that PEYTON MANNING won't be taking the field when the Indianapolis Colts take on the Houston Texans on Sunday. But now there's talk he could miss the entire season. --Indianapolis radio station WNDE reported yesterday that Manning had another surgery either Sunday or Monday, and he's done for. --However . . . "Sports Illustrated" reporter Peter King says that's not true. But he added that Manning COULD have another surgery. It hasn't been decided yet. --Manning is still recovering from a procedure he had on his neck back in May to repair a damaged nerve. KERRY COLLINS was yanked out of retirement and will quarterback the Colts until further notice. --When Manning hits the sidelines on Sunday, his streak of 227 consecutive starts comes to an end. He leads all active quarterbacks and is second only to BRETT FAVRE on the all-time list. Favre had 321 consecutive starts. --With Manning out of the running, the QB with the longest streak still intact is his BROTHER, Giants quarterback ELI MANNING. --Eli will make his 111th consecutive start when the Giants take on the Washington Redskins on Sunday.


Several Former NHL Players Were Killed When a Russian Hockey Team's Plane Crashed:

PAVOL DEMITRA and several other former NHL players were killed when a plane carrying their Russian hockey team crashed outside of Moscow yesterday morning. --The team . . . called the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl . . . was on its way to Belarus for its season opener. The cause of the crash hasn't been determined yet. --A total of 43 people were killed. Only two survived. Other former NHL players who died included Karel Rachunek, Josef Vasicek, Igor Korolev and Alexander Karpovtsev. --Also on the list of casualties was Brad McCrimmon . . . a former player and assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings, who was going to make his head coaching debut tonight. (--Here's a news video that shows the wreckage.)
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

"Contagion", "Warrior", and "Bucky Larson" Are This Week's New Movies:

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

A medical thriller from director Steven Soderbergh. It's about an epidemic caused by a lethal airborne virus. The movie starts with Gwyneth Paltrow as the first victim and Matt Damon as her grieving husband. --Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, and Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard are doctors trying to find a cure. And Jude Law is an activist who causes worldwide panic when he blogs about it. (Trailer)


#2.) "Bucky Larson: Born to be a Star" (R)

Comedian Nick Swardson plays a guy who finds out his conservative parents used to be porn stars. So despite his buck-teeth, small package, and complete lack of sexual experience, he decides that's HIS destiny too. Don Johnson is the porn director who breaks him into the business, and Christina Ricci is in it too. (Trailer) (--Swardson's been in a lot of Adam Sandler movies, and Sandler produced this one too. It's directed by a guy named Tom Brady, but it's not THAT Tom Brady.)


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

Two brothers end up fighting against each other for an MMA championship: One's a physics teacher who returns to the ring because his family desperately needs money, and the other is a war hero escaping his past. --Nick Nolte plays their dad. The teacher is played by Joel Edgerton, whose biggest claim to fame is playing Uncle Owen in the "Star Wars" prequel "Revenge of the Sith". Tom Hardy, a.k.a. Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises", plays the former Marine. (Trailer)


There's An Outtake From One of the Indiana Jones Movies Where Barbra Streisand Whips Harrison Ford . . . and Carrie Fisher Comes to His Rescue:

Remember that scene in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" where HARRISON FORD is being whipped by BARBRA STREISAND, but then CARRIE FISHER jumps in to save him? --And then Irvin Kershner . . . the director of "The Empire Strikes Back" . . . jumps into the scene acting like HE'S the director, and tells Ford his acting sucks? --Of course you don't . . . because that never happened. --Although actually, it did. While they were filming the movie back in 1983, director STEVEN SPIELBERG played a little joke on Harrison by organizing all this chaos. --And finally, after nearly 30 years, a completely DISMAL copy of the footage has found its way online. --While Streisand is whipping Harrison, she's ripping on some of his old movies . . . then she says, quote, "This is for all the money you're going to make on 'Return of the Jedi'!" --When Carrie Fisher comes out to save Harrison, he shouts, "Who's that?" And she replies, quote, "Someone who needs you!" . . . which is a line from "Jedi". Then she kisses him. --That's when Kershner comes in and says, quote, "What the hell is the matter with you? . . . Come on! I don't believe one word you're saying. Now come on, do it again." --Then he adds, quote, "You call that shouting? You call that pain?" --Perhaps the most interesting part is the very end, when Barbra Streisand . . . who's a huge supporter of the gay community and has a gay son herself . . . uses that gay slur that rhymes with the last name of planet Earth's most treasured comedian, BOB SAGET. --She says, quote, "I feel like a [Rhymes with Saget]!" (--You can see the video . . . and read a much-needed transcription . . . here. You can see a larger version of the video here.) (--WARNING!!! It's hard to make out, but you CAN hear that gay slur at the end.)
Anderson Cooper Wishes He Wasn't a Silver Fox! And He Hates Wearing Sunglasses?

ANDERSON COOPER did one of "Us" magazine's "25 Things You Don't Know About Me" lists . . . and he confesses that he started going gray in college, but he says he wishes he WASN'T a SILVER FOX! (--Attica! Take it back!)

--Here are a few other highlights from his list:

--"I became a reporter by going to wars by myself with a camera and a fake press pass."

--"I was a Dungeons & Dragons geek when I was young. I spent a lot of time indoors."

--"I was a child model. Embarrassing!"

--"I work out nearly every day. Yes, I know how annoying that sounds."

--"I don't drink any hot liquids. No tea, no coffee."

--"Oddly, my favorite ice cream flavor is coffee."

--"I don't like to wear sunglasses, no matter how bright it is." (???)

(--You can find the complete list, here.)
(--And here's a picture of Anderson wearing some insufferable sunglasses . . . along with some old photos from his pre-"silver fox" childhood.)


Kate Gosselin Is Now Unemployed . . . and "Freaking Out Big Time":

The final episode of "Kate Plus 8" airs next Monday, and that means KATE GOSSELIN and her kids will not be on TV for the first time since 2005. Now that she's unemployed, Kate says she's, quote, "freaking out big time." --She tells "People" magazine, quote, "My kids weren't ready [to leave reality TV]. Nobody was. I've never quit a job in my life without having something else lined up. This has been ended for me on a moment's notice. I don't know what's next." --Kate says she'd prefer to stay IN the public eye . . . quote, "I want to stay in TV because I feel comfortable there, it's an exciting life. I'd really love to find a place of my own on a talk show or something like that." --But if that doesn't work out, she will look for a regular job. She says, quote, "[Initially], I said, 'I'll go back to my old nursing job.' If nothing comes up, I'll do it. --"But the scary reality is, 12-hour nursing shifts every day wouldn't let me continue to provide well for eight kids essentially on my own. When you think about it that way, it gets really scary." --Especially since the kids are all used to a fairly ballin' lifestyle. --Kate says, quote, "I told them I will work my fingers to the bone to make sure that they can stay here and go to their school. There are no guarantees in life for anyone, but they know that I'm giving it my best shot."


The Top-Earning Celebrity Moms:

The unstoppable list makers at Forbes.com have put out a list of the Top-Earning Celebrity Moms. --Obviously, KATE GOSSELIN and THE OCTOMOM aren't on it. Forbes didn't give bonus points for having way too many kids, or for being completely unlikable. --Here they are, along with their estimated earnings in the year between May of last year and this past May:

1.) Reality TV "star" Bethenny Frankel, $55 million

2.) Gisele Bundchen and Judge Judy Sheindlin tied with $45 million

4.) Author Danielle Steel, $35 million

5.) Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker tied with $30 million

7.) Reese Witherspoon, $28 million

8.) Jennifer Lopez, $25 million

9.) Author Janet Evanovich and Pink tied with $22 million

(--BEYONCÉ is pregnant with her first child, so she should be on this list next year. If she was already a mom, she would've tied for third with Danielle Steel this year, because she pulled down $35 million.)


(NC-17) NBC Is Developing a Show Called "My Friend Is a Lesbo":

NBC is developing a comedy called "My Friend Is a Lesbo". --It's about, quote, "two female best friends, one gay and one straight, who help one another navigate life, love and dating in Los Angeles." (--Let's give it the benefit of the doubt and say it's probably funnier than it sounds.) --The show is still early in development, so there aren't any additional details yet. (--One thing we can be sure of is that the potentially-offensive title is nothing more than an attention-getter, and it's a GUARANTEE that if the show gets picked up, they'll have to rename it.)


And Now . . . Here Comes a Show About a Dog Who Solves Crimes:

If there's anything we've learned from TV over the years, it's that ANYONE can solve mysteries . . . so you don't have to be an actual detective or anything. And now, TV is about to show us that you don't even have to be HUMAN. --TNT is developing a drama called "Scent of the Missing" . . . and it's about an "adrenaline junkie" who leads a canine search-and-rescue team alongside "her best friend and partner, a golden retriever." It's based on a book of the same name. --That's all we know for now. (--Why not take it one step further? How about a blind person, who solves mysteries with the help of their service dog? Now, THAT'S something I would watch.)


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

--"Sunday Night Football" [25th Season Premiere]. . . 8:30 to 11:30 P.M. Eastern on NBC. (--The Green Bay Packers host the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.)

--"CBS Fall Preview" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. (--The cast of "The Big Bang Theory" hosts this preview of CBS' new fall shows.)

--"Burn Notice" [5th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on USA.

--"Big Brother 13" [Eviction Night] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS.

--"Project Runway" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Lifetime. (--Fashion designer Rachel Roy and "Damages" star Rose Byrne are guest judges.)

--"Rookie Blue" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC.

--"Futurama" [6th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on Comedy Central.

--"Suits" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on USA. (--Chi McBride guest stars as a district attorney who's more interested in upholding the system than in seeking out justice.)

--"Wilfred" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on FX.

--"Louie" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on FX.

--"Yard Crashers" [6th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on DYI.


MTV's "Songs of the Summer" List:

Since the days of summer are winding down, MTV conducted a poll to determine the top Songs of the Summer. Nearly 500,000 votes were cast. Here are the results:

1.) "Lighters", Bad Meets Evil . . . It had 38.2% of the vote. (--Bad Meets Evil is Eminem and Royce Da 5'9". The track also features Bruno Mars.)

2.) "I Wanna Go", Britney Spears . . . It had 36.6% of the vote.

3.) "The Edge of Glory", Lady Gaga . . . It had 11.9% of the vote.

4.) "S&M", Rihanna . . . It had 7.9% of the vote.

5.) "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", Katy Perry . . . It had 1.2% of the vote.

--Those five songs accounted for 95.8% of the vote, and no other song managed to draw at least 1%.

--Regardless, some of the other songs that got a few votes included:

--Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem", Pitbull's "Give Me Everything", Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera.


Soulja Boy's Army-Dissing Track Won't Be on His Next Album:

SOULJA BOY is in FULL damage control mode. His rep says that his controversial track "Let's Be Real" . . . the one with the "[eff] all the army troops lyric" . . . will NOT be on his next album, "Respect My Hustle". --Soulja Boy has already apologized . . . and his rep says his people have been "working nonstop" to erase the video of the track from the Internet.


THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


ANDREA MITCHELL of NBC News announced yesterday she has breast cancer. (Full Story)


Miss Universe officials have told Miss Colombia that she has to start wearing panties. (Full Story)


Yesterday, people started buying up the new porno Internet addresses ending in .XXX. But there are about 4,000 celebrities whose names are permanently blocked from being used . . . like Kim Kardashian, Megan Fox, Sarah Palin and, sadly, Betty White. (Full Story)


ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S entire jewelry collection is going on a world tour beginning next month . . . then it's being auctioned off in December. It's said to be worth an estimated $30 million. (Full Story) (More Photos)


EVAN RACHEL WOOD was accidentally elbowed in the face while dancing at a Paris nightclub, and had one of her teeth knocked out. But she's already been to the dentist to have it fixed. (Full Story with picture of tooth)


NEIL DIAMOND is engaged. This will be his third marriage. (Full Story)


JUSTIN BIEBER has the most-Googled celebrity haircut of 2011. (Full Story)


ELISABETTA CANALIS says she has no clue why ABC erased her tattoos in her promo shot for "Dancing with the Stars". A "source" says the photos were uploaded "by mistake" and the new pictures will include her tattoos. (Full Story)


TREVOR DONOVAN has no problems getting girls in real life, despite playing a gay character on "90210". He says, quote, "It's been good for me. Girls want to challenge it. They kind of assume I'm [gay in real life] and try to change me back. Of course, I let them!" (Full Story)


RANDOM STUFF

The Dallas Cowboys are the Most Valuable NFL Team:

To the delight of most of this country, the Dallas Cowboys will not be the number one team at the end of this NFL season. But hey, at least they won THIS. --In honor of the NFL season kicking off tonight, Forbes just released its annual list ranking the 32 NFL franchises by their value. And for the fifth straight year, Dallas came in first place. --The Cowboys are worth $1.85 BILLION, up 2% from last year. They have a powerful brand that includes huge merchandise sales . . . and the new Cowboys Stadium has been pulling in hundreds of millions in revenue. --Even in this recession, NFL teams basically PRINT MONEY. The average franchise is worth $1.04 BILLION, which is up 1.4% from last year. --And after the player lockout this summer, the owners are set to get an even BIGGER piece of revenue . . . which means their teams are just going to keep going up in value. --The full top 10 most valuable teams are: the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, the New England Patriots, the New York Giants, the New York Jets, the Houston Texans, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers, and the Baltimore Ravens. --The bottom 10 are: the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Oakland Raiders, the St. Louis Rams, the Buffalo Bills, the Minnesota Vikings, the Atlanta Falcons, the Detroit Lions, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Arizona Cardinals, and the San Diego Chargers. (Forbes) (--Here's the full list.)



A New Beer Called "Chick Beer" Calls Itself the Only Beer Designed For Women:

There's a new beer brand called CHICK BEER which calls itself the, quote, "only beer brand designed for women." (--Apparently it's never heard of Michelob Ultra, but whatever.) --Women drink about 25% of all the beer sold in the U.S., so it makes sense to market beer to them. Chick is a light beer . . . obviously . . . that's low carb . . . obviously . . . and a decently-low 97 calories in a 12-ounce bottle . . . obviously. --It's also less carbonated to lead to less BURPING. And it comes in hot pink packaging. --It's made in Maryland and, for now, it doesn't appear to be available anywhere BUT Maryland . . . but we'd assume the manufacturers are working on taking their beer for broads broader. (Chick Beer) (--Here's their website for more info.)


(NC-17) Almost 70% of Women Can't Identify All the Major Parts of Their Own Genitalia:

They say that a woman's genitalia is like a snowflake. No two look exactly alike. --But even though they look different, the basic parts are all the same. And Summer's Eve . . . yeah, the douche makers . . . put together a pretty basic quiz to see how many women could properly recognize those basic parts. --Turns out . . . it's WAY fewer than you think. Almost 70% of the women couldn't correctly label the vulva, clitoris, labia, vagina, and anus on a diagram. --Summer's Eve says that 50% of those women got them all right on their second time taking the test. (PR Newswire) (--WARNING: You can take the quiz here, but #1. It features an illustration of lady parts. #2. The narrator of the quiz is a hand pretending to be a talking vagina. #3. I repeat: A talking vagina-hand.)

Men Are Happier Than Women at Work and at Home . . . Because Women Do More Chores at Home, and Men Take More Breaks at Work:

The Battle of the Sexes is over . . . and men won. A survey by Captivate Network found that men are happier than women . . . everywhere. --At the office, men are 25% happier than women. At home, they're 8% happier. And three out of four guys think they do a good job of maintaining a home-and-work balance. --The profile of the average happy person is a 39-year-old married guy whose wife works part-time. Combined they make six figures, and they have one kid. --The average unhappy person is a 42-year-old unmarried woman who only makes five figures. --BUT . . . men are happier at home because the women do most of the work. Twice as many women take care of the laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. --And at work, men are happier because they take more breaks. They're 25% more likely to take some "me time" during the day, 5% more likely to take a lunch, and 11% more likely to take a time out for some mid-day sex. --Because they're so miserable everywhere they are, women are 9% more likely to say they suffer from stress, 11% more likely to have headaches, and 7% more likely to gain weight. (MarketWatch)


People on Long Trips Are Most Likely to Stop for a Bathroom Break at . . . McDonald's:

We now have a better idea about Americans' bathroom habits, thanks to a survey conducted by Bradley bathroom furnishings. --On long trips, people would rather stop at a fast-food restaurant for a bathroom break than a highway rest stop run by the state, and McDonald's is the top choice. Here are some other interesting stats from the survey . . . --Nine out of ten people wash their hands every time they use a public restroom. That's a 3% increase since Bradley first started doing the survey in 2009. --One in four people use their sleeve or a towel to open the bathroom door, instead of touching the handle with their bare hands. Door handles are one of the three germiest surfaces in a restroom, along with faucets and stall doors. --Fewer than half of those people opening the door with a cloth think they're a germaphobe. About one in nine Americans identify themselves as one. --Two out of three people get their hands wet before using the soap, which is what you're supposed to do. --And nine out of ten people say they'd have a negative opinion about a business if it had an unclean restroom. (PR Newswire)


Stupid Photo of the Day: A Dog in Colorado Sets the World Record For Longest Ears, With 25.75 Inches of Ear-Span:

There's a dog in Boulder, Colorado you need to check out. He's an eight-year-old, 93-pound coonhound named Harbor, and he's the new Guinness world record holder for LONGEST EARS on a living dog. --Harbor's left ear stretches out to 12.25 inches, and his right ear hits 13.5 inches. Overall, that's an ear-span of 25.75 inches. --His owners say his ears have always been gigantic . . . when he was still a puppy, he would trip over his ears because they'd hang down lower than his paws. (Denver Post) (--Check out some photos of Harbor and his ears here.)


Want to See a Drunk Moose Stuck in a Tree?

There are some pictures making the rounds today out of Sweden. Apparently, a MOOSE got drunk when it ate a bunch of fermented apples . . . and stumbled right into a tree. --The moose got stuck in the tree, and the fire department had to come free it. Once they did, the moose staggered a few steps away . .. and then fell down and went to sleep to get rid of its hangover. --The moose checked out fine physically the next day. (Metro) (--Here are the photos.)


Five Random Facts About Tasers:


#1.) About 81% of the Tasers purchased are by police departments and other law enforcement agencies.


#2.) According to police studies, using Tasers instead of physical force, tear gas, and rubber bullets has saved 75,000 lives in 20 years. Officer injuries also drop 76% when they carry Tasers for protection.


#3.) There have been 12 deaths caused by Tasers in the 20 years since they hit the market . . . in almost all cases, the person who died was on drugs and over-agitated.


#4.) Taser has been sued 170 times.


#5.) Two out of every 1,000 Tasings result in a serious injury or death. In an LAPD study, that made it the safest way to subdue criminals. 450 out of 1,000 kicks ended in injury or death, as did 780 out of 1,000 punches and EVERY gunshot. (CNN Money)


WTF? A TV Weatherman in Arkansas Wakes Up From a Weekend Drug Bender to Find Himself in a Bathtub Next to a Dead Guy Wearing a Dog Collar:

Think YOU had a wild Labor Day weekend? Time to officially STFU. Because this guy's weekend was GUARANTEED to be wilder than yours. --33-year-old Brett Cummins is a weatherman on KARK, the NBC affiliate in Little Rock, Arkansas. -And apparently over Labor Day weekend, he went on a MASSIVE ALCOHOL and DRUG BENDER --On Monday morning, when he finally woke up: He was passed out in his friend's bathtub . . . there was no water in the tub . . . there WAS a DEAD GUY next to him . . . and the dead guy was wearing a DOG COLLAR. --When Brett woke up and discovered the state he was in, he screamed, ran out into the living room, and vomited everywhere. --The dead guy was 24-year-old Dexter Williams of Maumelle, Arkansas. Police haven't figured out how he's connected to Brett. --KARK issued a brief statement saying that they're taking Brett off the air, quote, "as he is mourning the loss of his friend." The police are still investigating what exactly went down. (Gawker)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Man Dressed in a Full Gumby Costume Tried to Rob a 7-Eleven:

It's like some criminals are BEGGING for us to make fun of them. --On Monday, around 12:30 A.M., some idiot dressed head-to-toe in a full-on GUMBY COSTUME, walked into a 7-Eleven in Rancho Penasquitos, California and tried to ROB THE PLACE. --He walked in and told the clerk, "This is a robbery." The clerk thought it was a joke, and told Gumby he had to clean and didn't have time to mess around. --Gumby wasn't playing, though . . . he told the clerk he was serious, then tried to reach into his pocket for a weapon. --There was just one problem. The Gumby suit was too cumbersome and he ended up fumbling around for a few minutes without grabbing his weapon. --He eventually left the store . . . and left behind 26 cents that had fallen out of his pocket. That's right: He left the robbery with LESS MONEY than he started with. --The man in the Gumby costume was described as 18 to 22 years old, 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-8, and between 150 and 160 pounds. Police are still looking for him. --If he's caught, he could be facing felony attempted robbery charges. (--And that could get him locked up in the POKEY. GET IT? It's a Gumby pun. Ask your grandparents.) (San Diego Union-Tribune) (--Here's a news video featuring surveillance footage of Gumby.)


A Dog is Put in the Pound When the Owner is Busted With Heroin . . . and the Owner is Arrested Again a Few Days Later Trying to Get the Dog Back:

Americans are so obsessed with dogs that our HEROIN ADDICTS crave their dog fix as much as their smack fix. --On Saturday, 55-year-old Walter Scovish of Uncasville, Connecticut was pulled over by the police. They found HEROIN on him, his car was towed, and he was taken to jail. --His Italian greyhound Missy was with him in the car. She was put in the town's dog pound. -Walter got out on bail Saturday night, but was told he couldn't retrieve Missy until TUESDAY . . . since the pound was closed for business through Labor Day. --On Monday morning, the wait was apparently just too much for Walter. So he went to the pound to try to BREAK IN and spring Missy. But the alarm went off at the pound, and the cops caught him in the act. --So now, Walter's facing three counts of third-degree burglary, two counts of criminal trespass, two counts of sixth-degree larceny, and one count each of criminal mischief and attempted larceny. A few of those are felonies. --And those were tacked on to his charges from Saturday, which included possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, and tampering with evidence. --Meanwhile, he's back in jail . . . and poor Missy is still at the pound. (Hartford Courant) (--Here's his mugshot.)
Hero of the Day: When a Carjacker Jumped onto a Woman's Hood and Told Her to Drive, She Drove to the Police Garage and Crashed Through the Door:

In movies, the bad guy always jumps into a passing car, pulls out a gun, and shouts "Drive!" In real life, you might want to be a little more specific. --Rayna Garret was driving on U.S. 71 in Kansas City, Missouri Tuesday afternoon when she saw a man dancing in the middle of the road. She tried to go around him, but he jumped onto her hood. --The man pulled out a gun, pointed it at Rayna, and said, quote, "Drive, [B-word] or I'll blow your head off." --And . . . Rayna did just that. She floored it, sped north about two miles on the highway, and drove right to the police garage. --But Rayna wasn't fully out of the woods, because the man was still on her hood, and no police were in sight. She honked the horn, but no one came out of the building. --So Rayna decided to go in. She drove the car INTO the station's garage door . . . three times . . . before she finally broke through. --That's when the guy jumped off the hood and ran off. He was caught a short time later trying to catch a bus. (--His name hasn't been released.) --The man was treated for cuts and bruises. He was believed to be under the influence at the time. (KMBC)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

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


According to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, it's time to retire the term "Ground Zero." It should be called, quote, "The World Trade Center and the National September 11th Memorial and Museum." (Full Story)


Those in-room safes at hotels that let you set your own passcode? Usually they also have a default of 0000. Give it a try next time you're staying somewhere. (Full Story)


In Indonesia, a guy returned home to his seven starving dogs after leaving them without food or water for two weeks . . . so they killed and ate him. (Full Story)


According to a new study, pot smokers are less likely to be obese. (Full Story)



NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) Is Competitive Nose-Rinsing an Actual Sport?

This might just be a weird Russian ad campaign, but there's a video online of the competitive NOSE-RINSING world championships: Five finalists suck water through one nostril, and squirt it out the other. --And the first one to transfer five liters into a bucket wins. The Russian guy who takes the title is supposedly the three-time defending world champion. (--Search for "Nose Rinsing World Championships." It starts at :23.)


#2.) A Bus Driver in D.C. Grabbed a Passenger and Literally Threw Him Out the Door:

Transit officials in Washington D.C. are investigating a bus driver after a video surfaced that shows him throwing a passenger off his bus. And when I say throwing, I mean he grabbed the guy and actually THREW him out the door. --It's not clear what happened leading up to it, and the guy who gets tossed seems like he might be drunk. But he keeps claiming he didn't do anything wrong. (--Search for "Metrobus Driver Throws Passenger Off Bus." The driver grabs him at :13 and tosses him at :20.)
Three Ways to Live as Long as the Japanese:

Americans aren't exactly the healthiest people on Earth: When it comes to average life expectancy, the U.S. ranked 50th out of 221 countries in a study done by the CIA. -The average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78 years old, and the Japanese have the HIGHEST life expectancy of any country at 86. That's eight more years, on average.

--Here's a list from "Men's Health" of three things the Japanese do that could lengthen YOUR life.

#1.) Go to the Doctor. You're supposed to go for at least a check-up once a year. But a lot of Americans don't go until something's wrong. --In Japan, they go more often because they HAVE to. If you're between the ages of 40 and 74, annual checkups are MANDATORY.

#2.) Control Your Portion Sizes. The Japanese eat a lot more fish than we do, which is one reason they live longer. But across the board, they eat smaller portions. --Maybe you've heard this, but one way to cut down on how much you eat is to use smaller plates, bowls, and utensils. In a study at Cornell University, people who ate ice cream from bigger bowls with bigger spoons ate an average of 57% more.

#3.) Eat More Vegetables. You've probably heard this one your whole life too, and STILL don't eat enough. But this might show you how important it is: --According to research, people in Japan can easily have four or five different vegetables in one meal. And about 60% of Japanese people eat veggies with EVERY meal. That adds up to five or six servings a day --But according to the Center for Disease Control, Americans struggle to eat the bare minimum of THREE servings. Only about 26% of us manage to do it. (Men's Health)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (09-07-11)

THE GOOD NEWS

50 Cent's Energy Drink Could Feed "Billions" of Africans:

I've got to tip my hat to 50 CENT. It isn't every day a rapper says he wants to "feed a billion kids." Even though it IS every day that a rapper drops an insane hyperbole . . . but we can let that go for now. Because 50 is actually serious. --50 Cent recently took a trip through some of the poorest areas of Africa. He was affected by the famine he witnessed, and pledged to help. And he's kept his promise. --50 Cent had a new energy drink created called "Street King" . . . and proceeds from every sale will go to sending food to Africa. He hopes the drink is able to provide 50 BILLION MEALS to Africans over the next five years. --The drink comes in two flavors: Orange mango and grape. It'll cost somewhere between $2.50 and $3.00. You should start to see it popping up in stores soon. (--For more information, hit up the official website StreetKing.com.) --In a video announcement, 50 says, quote, "Man, I grew up without money . . . but I didn't grow up hungry. It's our responsibility to come together and do things to create a solution." (--Here's the video.)


Did Madonna Dis Lady Gaga?

MADONNA may have insulted LADY GAGA during a press conference yesterday. --Madonna was at the Venice Film Festival hyping a crappy movie she directed called "W.E." (--It's been getting bad reviews.) Someone asked her about the admiration she receives, and brought up Gaga as a fan. --Madonna SUPPOSEDLY said, quote, "As for Lady Gaga, I have no comment on her obsessions related to me, because I do not know if it is based on something profound or superficial." --This report comes from a French newspaper . . . and so far, we don't have any further proof that it's true. Madonna's rep doesn't seem to think it is. --She says, quote, "I do not remember those exact words coming from Madonna at the press conference, but I do know that she has said many supportive things about Gaga over the years." --There was controversy when Gaga's song "Born This Way" came out . . . because a lot of people think it sounds suspiciously like Madonna's "Express Yourself". --But Gaga denied copying Madonna . . . and told JAY LENO around that time, quote, "You know, there is really no one that is a more adoring and loving Madonna fan than me. I am the hugest fan personally and professionally."


Lady Gaga Did a Photo Shoot for "Harper's Bazaar" with No Makeup:

LADY GAGA has made yet another bold artistic choice by doing an entire photo shoot for "Harper's Bazaar" with NO MAKEUP. She even appears on the cover unpainted. (--Check out the pics here.) (Harper's Bazaar) --Inside the magazine, she says, quote, "I don't really view it as 'natural'. I think that artifice is the new reality. It's more about just being honest and sincere to the core of what you do. --"Whether I'm wearing lots of makeup or no makeup, I'm always the same person inside." (--Whether you like this woman or not, you do have to give her props for her bravery. She's really not afraid to look stupid or unsexy, as long as it serves her "art" . . . if you wanna call it that.) (--Like when she did the entire VMA broadcast as a man. So many people in the media turned on her for that. But they were the same ones who'd been worshipping her up to that point for being so bold and fearless.)


Did Beyoncé Have a Fake Baby Bump at the VMAs?

Remember when BEYONCÉ showed off her baby bump at the "MTV Video Music Awards"? Well, it might have been FAKE. Okay, it probably wasn't. But the rarely-reliable MediaTakeOut.com says it was. --They're not saying Beyoncé and JAY-Z aren't expecting. Just that Beyoncé wasn't showing yet, so she wore a fake baby bump to make it more dramatic (--Media Take Out offered some side-by-side comparison pics as "proof". Check 'em out here. We've also thrown in a bikini pic of Beyoncé from YESTERDAY, where you can see a little bump.) (Media Take Out, Us Weekly)


Eva Mendes . . . Is Ryan Gosling Dattin' That?

RYAN GOSLING must be serious cougar bait. Remember when he was getting smooth up in SANDRA BULLOCK several years back? Well, over the weekend, he was spotted making out with EVA MENDES at Disneyland. (!!!) --Eva is 37 . . . Ryan is 30. They're currently filming a movie together called "A Place Beyond the Pines". (--Here are some pictures of their date.) (Us Weekly) --Sandra Bullock is 47, by the way. She and Ryan dated back in 2002, when he was in his early 20s and she was in her late 30s.


Jake Gyllenhaal Spent Labor Day Weekend with Rashida Jones and Anna Kendrick . . . But Not at the Same Time:

How did you spend your Labor Day Weekend? I'm going to go out on a limb and guess it wasn't nearly as exciting as JAKE GYLLENHAAL'S . . . because he spent his with RASHIDA JONES and ANNA KENDRICK. --Not at the same time . . . although that would have been EPIC. -On Sunday, Jake and Rashida had lunch at a Los Angeles cafe. They were with a group of friends . . . but the two of them left together. --On Monday, he and Anna . . . who are filming a movie together called "End of Watch" . . . were spotted in Vegas together. Then later that night they were seen back in L.A. grabbing some Starbucks and Subway. (--Here are pictures of Jake with both of these ladies over the weekend.) (E! Online, Pop Sugar) (--You would probably know Anna Kendrick as Jessica Stanley in the "Twilight" movies . . . or as that cute little spinner who starred with GEORGE CLOONEY in "Up in the Air".)


Sherri Shepherd Went Commando on Her Wedding Day:

Yesterday's season premiere of "The View" may have been the greatest hour in the history of TV . . . because SHERRI SHEPHERD admitted that she went COMMANDO at her wedding reception. --You can blame NIECY NASH . . . who was one of Sherri's bridesmaids . . . for the idea. Since Sherri and Sal had been celibate for 11 months leading up to the wedding, Niecy told her to do it in order to, quote, "get him turned back on." --Unfortunately, the wedding was being filmed for the Style Network, and Sherri was wearing a microphone pack . . . which proceeded to fall down into the back of her dress. --Sherri said, quote, "They were lifting my dress and I was screaming, 'No, I have no panties on. And one bridesmaid thought I kept screaming, 'My pancreas! My pancreas!'" (--Here's video.) --Also on the show, fellow newlywed JOY BEHAR revealed why she and her partner Steve Janowitz waited 29 years to get married. --Basically, they finally decided to pull the trigger after gay marriage became legal in New York. (--Here's video of Joy discussing her marriage.)


Miley Cyrus is Not Trying to Be a Bad Girl . . . She's Trying to Be More Connected to the Earth:

We've made a big mistake, people. We've been seriously misjudging MILEY CYRUS. Miley may be acting like a teen slut onstage while smoking hallucinogenic drugs and collecting tattoos in her spare time . . . but she's NOT trying to be a bad girl. --Her main focus right now is BECOMING ONE WITH NATURE. --In an interview with "Prestige" magazine, she says, quote, "I think if [people] walked into where I live, they'd realize how the [public] perception of me is so different from who I really am. --"My dad is Native American, so I spend 90% of my time outside, going on hikes. That's my lifestyle right now. --"The press seems to think that I'm trying to make this big turn and become a bad girl, and really I'm trying to be more connected with the Earth, more connected with myself and figure out who I am, try to understand the world a little more. --"People would be shocked to know that I'm very thankful for what I have, but my career is not my main priority, it's not my life anymore. I really just want to enjoy life and explore nature and become who I am to the fullest." --She adds, quote, "There was this magazine article the other day, showing all the younger celebrities. I was the Girl Next Door or whatever, and I fell under the category of Good Girl Gone Bad. --"And I was like, 'What the hell, man?' I stay in the house pretty much every day. I don't go out. I've had [the] same boyfriend for two years. So I think there are two very different reviews."
--As for some of her more "adult" behavior, Miley says, quote, "I'm not some crazy lady who's gone off the deep end, because I definitely haven't. I just always try to be real. --"Every 18-year-old explores sexuality and experiments and tries things. For me there's no reason to change that. You have to be true to yourself." (--Miley did a photo shoot for "Prestige". There's nothing overtly sexual or scandalous about the pics for a change. You can see them here.) (Egotastic) --Meanwhile, in a separate interview in "V" magazine, Miley speaks with her "hero", JOAN JETT. --She tells her, quote, "When you came out people were shocked that there was a chick that wanted to rock as hard as the guys. --"I love that you never apologized for who you were. It's something I had to learn . . . I'm sick of feeling as if I owe someone an apology for being who I am."


Gwyneth Paltrow Discussed the Life She Saved on 9/11:

A few weeks ago, we heard about how GWYNETH PALTROW saved a woman's life on September 11th, 2001. --Basically, the woman tried to jaywalk in front of Gwyneth's car on a New York City street. The two of them ended up in a kind of "who goes first?" stand-off, which made the woman ONE SECOND late for her train. --And because she missed her train, she never made it to work on the 77th floor of the World Trade Center. By the time she got there, it had already been hit. If she'd made that train, she wouldn't be here today. --Yesterday, Gwyneth spoke about the incident. She said, quote, "Ten years later I got a letter from her saying that . . . had we not had that interaction she feels like her life would've taken a much different course." --She added, quote, "It was an extraordinary story and all I could think about is all of the people who had experiences like that that day, but aren't able to reach out because it wasn't a recognizable person. --"She saw it was me so she was able to get me a message, but I think a lot of fates were changed that day obviously and I am very humbly happy to be a part in her story."
A Guy Broke Into Celine Dion's House, Ate Some Pastries and Ran Himself a Bath:

A man broke into CELINE DION'S Montreal home on Monday, ate some pastries out of the fridge and ran himself a bath. (???) --36-year-old Daniel Bedard stole the keys out of Celine's husband's car and used them to enter the home. But he tripped the alarm, which alerted the cops. --A police spokesman says, quote, "He opened the water faucets, was pouring a nice warmish bath (and) he even managed to eat some pastry that was in the fridge. --"The suspect was coming down the big staircase and was asking: 'Hey, guys what are you doing here?'" --He was arrested and booked on charges of breaking and entering, auto theft, and causing property damage. --Celine and her family were out of town at the time of the break-in.


Anthony Michael Hall Was Arrested for Being a Psycho in His Condo Complex:

ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL isn't the skinny little nerd he was in "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club". He's a pretty big dude. And apparently he's crazy, too. --Anthony was arrested Monday night for threatening a neighbor in his condo complex. --According to the LAPD, it all started when Anthony had a fit and started ripping out plants in a common area. When a neighbor came out to see what was up, Anthony threatened him. --The guy went inside, but Anthony pounded on his door and challenged him to a fight. The man called police, who booked him on suspicion of disturbing the peace. --TMZ spoke to people at Anthony's condo complex, who say he's often seen acting aggressive and confrontational outside his unit. They say he cusses people who walk by, flips them off and even tries to spray them with a hose for no apparent reason. --One guy even said, quote, "I have considered buying a gun to stay safe from Hall . . . he's the scariest person I've ever encountered in my life." (--Anthony Michael Hall is 43 years old.)


It's Official: Eddie Murphy is Hosting the Oscars:

It's official: EDDIE MURPHY is hosting the 84th Annual Academy Awards in February. --He says, quote, "I am enormously honored to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts from Hope and Carson to Crystal, Martin and Goldberg, among others. --Just so you youngsters don't strain yourself too much, that's Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Dean Martin and Whoopi Goldberg.) --"I'm looking forward to working with [the producers] on creating a show that is enjoyable for both the fans at home and for the audience at the Kodak Theatre as we all come together to celebrate and recognize the great film contributions and collaborations from the past year
--Eddie has ONE Oscar nomination under his belt: For Best Supporting Actor for "Dreamgirls". He lost the Oscar to ALAN ARKIN from "Little Miss Sunshine" . . . but he did win the Golden Globe. --Here's something Eddie can brag about during the ceremony: In 2010, he was named WORST ACTOR OF THE DECADE by the Golden Raspberry Awards, for his work in such classics as . . . --"Norbit", "The Adventures of Pluto Nash", "I Spy", "Meet Dave", "Showtime" and "Imagine That". --Rumor has it that eight-time Oscar host BILLY CRYSTAL will also be used in some capacity.


Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis Will Have Substantial Roles in "The Expendables 2":

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER and BRUCE WILLIS have signed on for "The Expendables 2". But this time, they're not just making cameos. --The word is they'll have, quote, "substantial roles" in the movie . . . which probably means they'll actually get in on the action this time. Shooting begins in October. --The original crew are all coming back . . . Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Terry Crews, Randy Couture and Jet Li. --And there are still-unconfirmed rumors that CHUCK NORRIS and JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME are joining the cast as well. (--Sadly, villains ERIC ROBERTS and "STONE COLD" STEVE AUSTIN won't be back. They died in the original.)


Check Out Some Pictures of Anne Hathaway Kicking Butt in "The Dark Knight Rises":

Pictures of ANNE HATHAWAY beating some guy down on the set of the Batman flick, "The Dark Knight Rises" hit the web yesterday. (--You can check 'em out here.) (Just Jared)





It's Official: Ben Flajnik Is the Next "Bachelor":

The rumors were true: BEN FLAJNIK is the next "Bachelor". Ben made it to the finale on "The Bachelorette" this summer . . . but ASHLEY HEBERT rejected him for J.P. ROSENBAUM. --ABC describes Ben as a, quote, "rare, modern-day Renaissance man" . . . who enjoys crab fishing, sailing, fixing things, and hanging out with his family and his dog. (--So he's quite a catch, if even for a few months. You know how this goes.) --The next season of "The Bachelor" will begin in January. In the meantime, Ben will make an appearance on the season finale of "Bachelor Pad" next Monday.


Regis Philbin's Run on "Live! with Regis and Kelly" Has an End Date:

We knew that REGIS PHILBIN was leaving "Live! with Regis and Kelly" sometime this year, and now there's an official end date: It's November 18th. --Of course, the show will continue, but a replacement has yet to be named. On yesterday's show, Regis said, quote, "Kelly [Ripa] will be trying out new co-hosts, just like we did 11 years ago when we found her." --Kelly replaced KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, after she left in July of 2000. (--Check out video of Regis' announcement, here.)


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

--"Big Brother 13" [Power of Veto competition] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.

--"America's Got Talent" [Results Show] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC.

--"Inside the NFL" [33rd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Showtime.

--"Operation Repo" [8th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TruTV.

--"Rescue Me" [SERIES Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:30 P.M. on FX.

--"Paranormal Witness" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Syfy. (--A new series about paranormal experiences, including poltergeists, possessions, UFOs, and hauntings.)

--"Master Debaters with Jay Mohr" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on Fuel TV. (--Comedian Jay Mohr is the host of this new talk show that focuses on "what guys really talk about".)


Kurt Cobain Wanted to Start a Petting Zoo Like Michael Jackson's . . . and Steven Tyler Tried to Talk Him Into Sobering Up:

A new book came out yesterday called "Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge". It's about the grunge era, obviously, and features interviews with musicians, fans, and various music industry types. --Anyway, the book has some interesting insights on the late KURT COBAIN, from around the time when NIRVANA first performed on "Saturday Night Live", in January of 1992. --For starters, Kurt was apparently interested in starting up a PETTING ZOO for children . . . possibly like MICHAEL JACKSON'S Neverland. --Bruce Pavitt, the co-founder the label Sub Pop, says, quote, "[Kurt] talked about signing autographs for some young kids, and I think that made him feel really good. He was a sensitive guy who really liked kids and animals. --"I remember the first time I visited his apartment, he had like three different cages of gerbils. I got the impression he liked animals more than a lot of people. --"He talked about maybe starting a petting zoo. He was just kind of musing. The energy I was getting was kind of magical . . . in a lot of ways, Kurt reminded me of Michael Jackson. Think about it: Neverland, having a passion for kids and animals." -On a possibly related note, that's around the time when the people around Kurt started noticing that he was hitting the drugs hard. --In fact, Pavitt says he heard Kurt overdosed the same night, after that first performance on "SNL". --Janet Billig, the manager of COURTNEY LOVE'S band HOLE, says that AEROSMITH singer STEVEN TYLER told her he wanted to help Kurt get clean. --She explains, quote, "I told Kurt, 'Holy [crap], Steven Tyler called my office and he wants to help you. Can I give him your number?' And he was like, 'Steven Tyler got to be a junkie for 18 [effin] years. I've only been doing drugs for an hour." --Technically, it's not clear . . . but it's probably safe to assume that Steven Tyler's proposed intervention with Kurt never happened.
My Chemical Romance's Former Drummer Says He Didn't *Really* Steal from the Band . . . He Was Just Trying to Make a Crew Member Look Bad:

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE fired their touring drummer MICHAEL PEDICONE for stealing from them. At the time, Michael admitted that he made a, quote, "error in judgment" . . . but he didn't get into the particulars. --Well, Michael offered a little insight into his motives yesterday. Basically, he says he didn't REALLY steal anything from the band . . . he was just trying to frame a member of the band's crew and get HIM fired. --He explains, quote, "I ran into problems with a member of the band's crew who I'll not name. The problems were many, big and small, but some of them were large enough that they began to greatly impact me and, by extension, my family. --"I'd reached my wits' end, and I made what was certainly the poorest decision of my life. Rather than address the issues that I had with the crew member in an open and honest manner, I tried to make them look irresponsible. --"My intention was to make this person look incompetent . . . [I had] no intention of profiting [from the theft]." (--This is just a guess, but maybe Michael took some equipment or something . . . and hid it . . . in an effort to make it appear that this crew member had neglected to bring it along.)


Soulja Boy Has Apologized for Dissing the Military:

SOULJA BOY has apologized for dissing U.S. soldiers on his track "Let's Be Real". --Here's the offending lyric again: Quote, "[Eff] the FBI and the army troops . . . fighting for what? Be your own man . . . I'll be flying through the clouds with green like I'm Peter Pan." --And here's an excerpt from his apology: --Quote, "As an artist, I let my words get the best of me. Sometimes there are things that we feel, things that we want to express, and when we put them on paper and speak them out loud, they can come out wrong. --"When I expressed my frustration with the U.S. Army, not only did my words come out wrong, I was wrong to even speak them . . . --"As a young man who grew up in the post-9/11 era, I have watched our country fight two wars that seem like they are never going to end. I have seen thousands and thousands of our brave men and women get killed in battle . . . --"And often times, I think for what? A lot of people in this country are struggling to make ends meet and I think a lot about what if we had never gone to war . . . --"[But] in no way do I want to hurt any of our honorable soldiers who put their lives at risk, regardless of how they feel about the two wars we fight in . . . I am deeply sorry." (--You can read his full statement, here.)


The CMA Nominations Are Out . . . And They're Spread Pretty Evenly:

The CMA nominations were announced yesterday . . . and, refreshingly, there isn't any one name dominating the pack.

--Four acts did receive FIVE NOMINATIONS apiece. Those are JASON ALDEAN, BRAD PAISLEY, BLAKE SHELTON and TAYLOR SWIFT. Right behind, with four nods each, are THE BAND PERRY and the ZAC BROWN BAND.

(--Technically, Zac Brown got seven nominations. Four with his band . . . plus two as a producer on "Colder Weather" and "You Get What You Give" . . . and one as co-writer of "Colder Weather".)

--As for the big shot Entertainer of the Year award . . . it's Taylor Swift battling four dudes: Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and KEITH URBAN.

--A couple of legends are in the mix. ALABAMA (along with Brad Paisley) is up for Musical Event of the Year and Video of the Year for the song "Old Alabama".

--And LORETTA LYNN'S remake of "Coal Miner's Daughter", with MIRANDA LAMBERT and SHERYL CROW, is also a Musical Event nominee.

--"The 45th Annual CMA Awards" is going down November 9th on ABC. Brad Paisley and CARRIE UNDERWOOD are returning to host for the fourth straight year.
WEDNESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


Sources say JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and JESSICA BIEL are definitely back together. (Full Story)



TIGER WOODS' #1 ho, RACHEL UCHITEL, is planning to sue the "New York Post" for running some quotes of hers that make it sound like she's GLAD her fiancé died in the September 11th terrorist attacks. Rachel claims she was taken out of context. (Full Story)



WESLEY SNIPES just lost another appeal of his tax evasion conviction. He started serving his three-year sentence back in December. (Full Story)



ANDERSON COOPER'S talk show "Anderson" premieres next Monday . . . and his first guests will be the parents of the late AMY WINEHOUSE. Amy's brother and her boyfriend Reg Traviss will also be there. (Full Story) (--Speaking of Anderson, he's put KATE GOSSELIN on his "Ridiculist". Here's video.)



More than two decades after "Beetlejuice" hit theaters, there's a sequel in the early planning stages. (Full Story)



GILLIAN ANDERSON told some Australian TV host that she hopes a third "X-Files" movie will be out sometime next year. (Full Story)



When "All My Children" becomes an Internet series, SUSAN LUCCI won't be part of the cast. She turned down an offer to stay with the show because she wanted more money, fewer work hours and the freedom to join a primetime TV series. (Full Story)



Earlier this year, Fox canceled "America's Most Wanted" as a weekly show after 24 seasons. Well, now another network has stepped in and picked it up, and that network is: Lifetime. (???) (Full Story) (--Fox will still air occasional "America's Most Wanted" specials as planned.)



GAME is pretty good at getting people to talk about him. His latest claim is that he was kicked out of a restaurant in Santa Monica, California . . . because he's BLACK. The restaurant says they wouldn't seat Game because he was wearing a tank top, and that doesn't meet their dress code. They say he can come back when he's dressed appropriately. (Full Story)



It's official: LIL WAYNE moved 964,000 copies of "Tha Carter 4" in its first week. That's the second best debut of the year. LADY GAGA moved 1.11 million copies of "Born This Way" earlier this year. (Full Story)



CHAZ BONO was on "Good Morning America" yesterday to address the "controversy" about him doing Dancing with the Stars". Basically, he just keeps insisting that he's just dancing . . . not turning your kids transgender. (Video)

RANDOM STUFF

Fewer Americans Are Smoking, and the Ones That Do Smoke Less:

Not a lot of good news comes out of the Centers for Disease Control, but this is one of those rare occasions where they're not telling us about the next flu pandemic. --The CDC released a report yesterday saying that Americans are smoking less. Fewer people are smoking, and the ones that do are smoking less than before. --In the last five years, the percentage of Americans who smoke fell from 20.9% to 19.3%. Of course, that still means that 45.3 million Americans are smokers. And more than three out of four smokers, or 35.4 million Americans, smoke every day. --The daily smokers aren't smoking as heavily, though. 21.8% of them smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day, which is up from 16.4% in 2005. --At the same time, the percentage of daily smokers who smoke heavily has fallen. One in eight put away more than 30 cigarettes a day in 2005. Now only one in 12 do. --But it wouldn't be the CDC if they didn't give us something to worry about. The report points out that the rate of decline from 2005 to 2010 was slower than in the previous five years. (PR Newswire)


The Texas State Fair Will Introduce the World to . . . Deep-Fried Bubblegum:

Every year, state fairs across America try to find new ways to DEEP FRY FOOD. But NONE of them can touch the brilliant frying minds at the Texas State Fair. It draws the cream of the frying crop. --The Texas State Fair opens on September 30th. And this year, the deep-fried offering that's got everyone talking is . . . DEEP-FRIED BUBBLEGUM. --Now . . . they don't actually batter a stick of Big Red and drop it in the deep fryer. Apparently that doesn't work. The fried bubblegum is a deep-fried marshmallow that's flavored with pink bubblegum extract, then covered in frosting and Chiclets.

--Here are some of the other food creations that will be making their debut at the Texas State Fair . . .

--Deep-fried SALSA.

--Deep-fried sauerkraut and pork sausage ball.

--A taco served in a bag of nacho cheese-flavored Doritos.

--A buffalo chicken strip coated with pancake batter and deep-fried.

(Gawker)

(--Feast your eyes on some deep-fried bubblegum here.)


Moms Spend 1,168 More Hours Parenting Per Year Than Dads:

This study isn't particularly complimentary to the fathers out there. But Father's Day was back in June, so we have a long way to go until we have to be nice to them again. --According to a new study, mothers spend an average of 1,168 MORE HOURS parenting per year than fathers. --The average mother says she spends about 7.5 hours a day on parenting tasks. The average father spends 4.3 hours. That 3.2-hour difference calculates out to 1,168 hours per year . . . or almost 49 days. --The survey also found that 70% of working moms say they have less than an hour to themselves per day. And 20% say they have less than 15 minutes. (PR Newswire)


Reminder: Grandparents Day is This Sunday:

This Sunday, September 11th, is GRANDPARENTS DAY. And . . . um . . . not a day where people will be commemorating anything else. --So don't forget to get a gift for your grandparents, who should make you smile on a day when we're not anticipating a ton of smiling. --One quick interesting fact about grandparents in America today: 2.7 MILLION grandparents are the primary caregivers for at least one of their grandchildren . . . and 6.7 MILLION live with at least one of their grandchildren. (PR Newswire)
Lesbians Are the Most Loyal Partners, Gay Men Are the Most Promiscuous, and We're All Getting More Monogamous:

According to the results of a 25-year-long study, Americans are more monogamous than ever. --The journal "Family Process" conducted identical surveys in 1975 and 2000, compared the results, and found that we're more loyal compared to back then. --The study looked at all sexual orientations, and found that across the board, we're cheating less. --Lesbians are the most loyal partners. Only 8% of them have had extramarital sex, compared to 28% back in the mid-70s. --Only 10% of heterosexual men cheated on their wife. That's down from 28% in 1975. --But heterosexual women are slutting it up: They were the most loyal partner back in 1975, and dropped to third in the most recent survey. Although the percentage of them having affairs still dropped from 23% to 14%. --Gay men were off the charts back in the '70s, and they've gotten more loyal. But they're STILL off the charts today: 83% of them cheated on their partner in 1975, compared to 59% in 2000. --The study's authors say the reason for the increase in monogamy might be the fear of HIV and other STDs. (USA Today)


A Worldwide Poll Declares the Coolest Nation is . . . America:

Good news! Anti-American sentiment is dead, and the world is back to wishing they were us again. -A social networking site called Badoo just released the results of a worldwide poll asking people to name the coolest country in the world. And of course, the U.S. took its rightful spot as number one. --Brazil came in second, Spain was third, Italy was fourth, and France was fifth. --Lloyd Price is the marketing director for Badoo. He says, quote, "We hear a lot in the media about anti-Americanism. But we sometimes forget how many people across the world consider Americans seriously cool. --"America boasts the world's coolest leader, OBAMA; the coolest rappers, JAY-Z and SNOOP DOGG; and the coolest man in technology, STEVE JOBS of Apple, the man who even made geeks cool." --Belgium was ranked the least-cool country. -Poland was second-least cool, Turkey was third-least, Canada was fourth-least, and Germany was fifth-least cool. (Reuters)


Soon You'll Be Allowed to Keep Your Shoes on at Airport Security:

Remember the Shoe Bomber? Back on December 22nd, 2001, RICHARD REID tried to detonate a shoe bomb on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. And as a response, we all had to start taking our shoes off at airport security. --And after nearly a decade of people taking their shoes off . . . and no shoe bombs found . . . I guess shoes have been taken off the most wanted list. --Homeland Security Secretary JANET NAPOLITANO has announced that pretty soon we'll be able to keep our shoes on as we go through airport security checks. --It's part of a push to stop focusing on shoes and three-ounce liquid bottles, and to start focusing on actually finding weapons. --She says, quote, "We are moving towards an intelligence- and risk-based approach to how we screen. I think one of the first things you will see over time is the ability to keep your shoes on." --There's no word on exactly when the change will happen. --Napolitano also says that as September 11th approaches, there's no credible intelligence about any planned terrorist attacks. (Politico)


The U.S. Doesn't Set a Limit on How Many Times You Can Use a Donor's Man Seed . . . So Some Donors Might Have Hundreds of Kids:

Here's an interesting fact. In countries like Britain, France, and Sweden, they have strict regulations so that sperm banks can only use each donor's seed so many times. That way, there won't be, like, one dude with a thousand kids out there. --Here in the U.S., we don't have those regulations. --And now, some fertility experts are worried that as artificial insemination births go up, there will be BIG problems. There are already a few donors out there who've unknowingly provided the seed for HUNDREDS of kids, and that could go way up. --There's something that doesn't feel quite right about that from a moral perspective . . . but there are other potential problems too. --The donor might have a rare genetic disease that wasn't detected . . . and could now be spread around. Plus, with that many offspring, two could potentially meet and get married . . . not realizing their kids are going to be products of INCEST. --The American Society of Reproductive Medicine has recommended that one donor's seed should be restricted to 25 births in a population of 800,000 . . . but, again, there's no law governing that. --Some other experts have suggested that the number be kept even lower . . . like 10 total children per donor, max. --It's estimated that 30,000 to 60,000 children are born in the U.S. every year using spermatozoa donations. (New York Times)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS


A Man Gets the Power Company to Restore His Grandma's Electricity After the Hurricane . . . But Only Through a Felony Bomb Threat:

Um . . . this is one way to get things done. It's not the right way to get things done, but it is a way. --33-year-old Rajiv Pandey of Central Islip, Long Island, New York, spent an entire week trying to get the Long Island Power Authority to fix his grandmother's electricity after Hurricane Irene. --Quote, "My grandmother is in her 80s, lives by herself, and I am her closest relative. Every time I called, they hung up on me. My poor grandmother . . . was dying of heat, and all of her food had to be thrown out." --Finally, after a week of hang-ups, lies, and frustration, Rajiv snapped . . . and went to Plan B. He called the local news and, quote, "I told them there's a bomb in one of the [Long Island Power Authority] facilities and then I hung up." --The police traced the call and had Rajiv in custody a few hours later. He spent the night in jail, he was charged with a felony count of false reporting of an incident, and he's looking at one to four years in prison if he's convicted. --BUT . . . on the bright side, he DID get his grandmother's power turned back on. He apparently scared the power company into stepping up its game, and when he got out of jail, the crews were hard at work in his grandma's neighborhood --Quote, "I guess I have ruined my life saving my grandmother. I became a felon for doing the community a service. I don't know if it was the right thing or wrong thing, but I got my power back." --As of yesterday, the Long Island Power Authority STILL hadn't fixed everyone's power . . . about 90 homes were still dark. New York officials ripped the company for their performance after Irene. (New York Daily News)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

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


Suck it Harvard . . . Cambridge has been named the world's best university for the second year in a row. Harvard was second and MIT was third, followed by Yale and Oxford. (Full Story)


A woman in New Mexico with no criminal history was taken by police to the hospital this past July, and ordered to undergo a forcible body cavity search. The search didn't turn up any drugs, she wasn't arrested, and she was never charged . . . but the hospital still sent her a $1,122 bill for the procedure. Naturally, she's suing. (Full Story)


A 75-year-old woman in Texas spent the night trapped in a lawn chair last month, before her paper boy rescued her. She fell through the seat, and was wedged in by the aluminum frame. (Full Story)


A 20-year-old in Florida was arrested for trying to steal a pick-up truck on Monday . . . from the scene of a car crash, WHILE police were there investigating. (Full Story)


A 63-year-old Vietnam vet in Pennsylvania was upset that the local Burger King was flying a tattered old American flag. So he took it down, drove it to the local VFW hall, and retired it. Burger King executives say he'll be invited to the raising of a new flag. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) There's New Video from the Aftermath of the United Flight 93 Crash:

The tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks is this Sunday, and someone sent CNN never-before-seen footage shot minutes after United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field in southwestern Pennsylvania. --Even though it's from about 15 miles away, you can see a huge smoke cloud rising up in the sky. And the guy behind the camera says it shook his whole house. --According to CNN, the man's family decided to release the video after he passed away. And they wanted to remain anonymous. It's the only known footage of the United 93 aftermath. (--Search for "Newly Released United 93 Video.")


#2.) Check Out a Montage of Movies Showing the World Trade Center, from 1969 to 2001:

The New York skyline was featured in hundreds . . . if not THOUSANDS . . . of movies between 1969 and 2001. And for the tenth anniversary of 9/11, someone made a montage of Twin Tower cameos. --You might not realize it, but shots of the World Trade Center were featured in everything from "Serpico" and "Superman" to "Home Alone 2" and "The Usual Suspects". (--Search for "Twin Tower Cameos.")



Three Steps to Train Yourself to Become a Morning Person:

According to a new article in "Reader's Digest", you can TRAIN yourself to be a morning person. The key things you need to do are kind of obvious, but they're also pretty easy. For example, making sure you eat breakfast is one of them. --But not just ANY breakfast. You're supposed to load up on things that are high in fiber . . . like oatmeal . . . and things that are high in protein . . . like eggs. Here are three more simple things you can do to turn yourself into a morning person.

#1.) Don't Stay Up Past Your Bedtime. Obviously, you'll be tired in the morning if you don't get enough sleep. But just getting the recommended seven to eight hours won't make you a morning person. --You also have to go to bed at roughly the same time every night, so you don't mess with your body's internal clock. If you go to bed at the same time every night . . . for enough nights in a row . . . you'll start waking up feeling refreshed instead of tired.

#2.) Let More Sunlight Into Your Bedroom. A lot of people sleep with their window blinds down to keep the room dark. But when your room is pitch black, your body thinks it's still the middle of the night. --So even if you get enough sleep, you'll be groggy when your alarm clock goes off. Opening up the window blinds will let more light in the room, which will help you wake up gradually. --If you CAN'T get more sunlight in your room, they make special alarm clocks now that wake you up with ARTIFICIAL sunlight. You can get one for around $125.

#3.) Get Some Early Exercise. If you're not a morning person, then you probably won't be willing to hit the gym before work. But the good news is, you don't have to. Even a quick walk or a few push-ups can help get you going. --Just don't go nuts, because several studies have shown that you're also more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack early in the morning. (Reader's Digest)