HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (11-18-11)
Demi Moore is Filing for Divorce:
And here it is: DEMI MOORE announced yesterday that she's filing for divorce from ASHTON KUTCHER. --Here's her statement . . . quote, "It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. --"As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life. -"This is a trying time for me and my family, and so I would ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation." --That line about "values and vows" obviously suggests Demi bailed because of Ashton's RESTLESS GROIN SYNDROME. --Ashton, not surprisingly, posted his reaction on Twitter. He said, quote, "I will forever cherish the time I spent with Demi. Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail. Love and Light, AK." (--It's been estimated that Demi and Ashton will be fighting over a $290 MILLION fortune.)
What Should Demi Moore's New Twitter Handle Be?
As of last night, DEMI MOORE'S Twitter handle was still MrsKutcher. Obviously, she's going to want to change that.
--"Us Weekly" has a poll going to determine what her new name should be. Their choices are:
--MsMoore
--GhostGirl
--SoOverAshton
--JustDemi
(--If this interests you for some reason, you can enter the poll at UsMagazine.com.)
(--On a just-barely-related note . . . CBS boss Leslie Moonves said yesterday he's been happy with "Two and a Half Men" and Ashton Kutcher so far . . . quote, "aside from his comments about Penn State.")
No Unity in the Transgender Community! Warren Beatty's Son . . . or Daughter . . . Is Not Cool with Chaz Bono:
Everybody keeps talking about how much CHAZ BONO is doing for LGBT rights and acceptance by being so visible and speaking his mind. But there isn't as much UNITY IN THIS COMMUNITY as one might hope. --There's another transgender out there who is NOT down with Chaz being the lead dog. "His" name is STEPHEN IRA. But it used to be KATHLYN BEATTY. He/she is the offspring of WARREN BEATTY and ANNETTE BENING. --It's not clear if Stephen has had any surgery or hormone therapy, but he's definitely living his life as a man. And he thinks Chaz is a woman-hater . . . and not a particularly good representative for transgenders. --He says, quote, "Chaz has appointed himself as the representative of a group of people who are not all like him. He has said misogynistic . . . things about gender. I take particular issue with his comments on trans embodiment and on women." --One of the things Chaz said that irks Stephen is that being transgender is having a MISMATCHED brain and body . . . which he compared to, quote, "a birth defect like a cleft palate." --Stephen says, quote, "I do not have a birth defect. If you feel like you have a birth defect, fine. That's how you feel. Go feel that. --"Do not put it onto me. Do not define me that way, and do not define other trans people that way unless they claim that label." --He adds, quote, "Chaz is a trans man who seems to believe that his female-assignedness and his female socialization makes him immune from being a misogynist, and he is manifestly wrong . . . --"I don't want a single person thinking this guy is the best of us." --After people started making a big deal about Stephen's comments, he went on his blog to soften his stance. --He said, quote, "I would be more than happy to sit down with Chaz, have a drink, and talk with him about how he can think and talk about gender in a way that's more inclusive. He seems like an all right guy, his questionable views aside. --"And from what I've seen, he's really remarkably good at the cha cha."
There's an Online Petition That Says Ryan Gosling Was Robbed of "People" Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive Title:
Is it possible that some of us take "People" magazine's Sexiest Man Alive a little too seriously? Absolutely. And here's your proof: --There's an actual online petition claiming that RYAN GOSLING was ROBBED of the title.--It states, quote, "2011 was clearly The Year of Gosling and we demand 'People' Magazine give Ryan his own People cover." --As of last night, the petition had more than 3,000 signatures. (--You can check it out here.) --Meanwhile, the website Buzzfeed.com has a list of "63 Reasons Why BRADLEY COOPER is Definitely Not the Sexiest Man Alive". Technically, it's not really a list. It's just 63 pictures of Ryan Gosling. (???) (--You'll find it here.) --Buzzfeed also organized a PROTEST outside "People's" offices. (--Check out video here. And you'll find a bunch of pictures here.) --Oh, and don't forget to check out the Facebook page.
Two Things Chelsea Handler Won't Joke About: Ugly Babies and People Who Are Dying:
All comedians have lines they won't cross. Even the ones who don't seem to have any boundaries, like CHELSEA HANDLER. --Chelsea says, quote, "There are two things I won't talk about: ugly babies or people who are dying." --There's also something Chelsea isn't willing to DO: Show us her PRIVATE PARTS. She says, quote, "If I do, then it will be by accident. I'm not a Kardashian."
Nick Cannon Says He Still Gets Pulled Over for Driving While Black:
No matter how famous you are, being black STILL gets you pulled over. Even in Hollywood. --NICK CANNON got pulled over on Wednesday night. He Tweeted, quote, "Just got pulled over again. For the 1st time ever... The Cop let me go! He was a black man! 'Preciate it Brotha!!" --Then he added, quote, "Growing up, I never liked Cops. Always felt they were bullies. I guess I shouldn't stereotype... At age 13 a Cop pulled me over on my bike with his gun drawn. What the hell did he think I was going to do?! --"Now in LA I get pulled over like once a week. Honestly, I think it's because I'm a Black man in a nice car. #KnowyourplaceBOY."
Shaq Wasn't Allowed Inside a Restaurant Because He Wasn't Dressed Up Enough:
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL was reportedly REFUSED entry into a New York City restaurant the other night because he didn't dress up. --According to TMZ, security at Mars 2112 politely declined to let Shaq through the door because he was in jeans, sneakers, a sweatshirt and a beanie. Shaq said, quote, "Are you serious?" --But then he just shrugged it off and went to another place. (--Here's a picture of Shaq in his forbidden attire.) (TMZ)
The Investigation into the 1981 Death of "West Side Story" Star Natalie Wood Has Been Reopened . . . Was There a Coverup?
Authorities in Los Angeles have reopened their investigation into the 1981 death of "West Side Story" star NATALIE WOOD. --Natalie was boating off the coast of Santa Catalina Island with her then-husband ROBERT WAGNER and CHRISTOPHER WALKEN when she drowned. She was 43 years old. --The L.A. County Sheriff's Department released a statement saying, quote, "Recently, sheriff's homicide investigators were contacted by persons who stated they had additional information about the Natalie Wood Wagner drowning. --"Due to the additional information, sheriff's homicide bureau has decided to take another look at the case." --The department has scheduled a press conference for 11:00 A.M. this morning. --Wood, Wagner and Walken . . . (--Is that a law firm?) . . . were drinking at a bar on the night of November 29th, 1981. They continued drinking on board the boat, where an argument between Wagner and Walken erupted. --During the argument, Natalie went to bed. When Wagner went to say goodnight to her, she was gone --Speculation is that a lifeboat tied to the yacht was banging against it, and Natalie fell into the ocean and drowned while trying to secure it. --She wasn't a strong swimmer, and when her body was found, she was wearing a down jacket, nightgown, and socks. Her death was ruled an accident. --However . . . there's also been suspicion that her death had something to do with that argument between her husband and Christopher Walken. Perhaps there was even a little LOVE TRIANGLE action going on. --And that's where things potentially get interesting. --TMZ says that the case was reopened thanks to a book called "Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour" by a woman named MARTI RULLI, and DENNIS DAVERN. --Davern was the captain of the yacht . . . which was called the Splendour . . . and he revealed some things in this book that he's never said before. --He says Natalie, Robert and Christopher Walken were drinking AND taking Quaaludes . . . and at one point, Robert got jealous when he saw Christopher and Natalie talking. --He smashed a wine bottle and yelled, quote, "What do you want to do, [eff] my wife? Is that what you want?" --Walken returned to his cabin, and Natalie and Robert went to theirs. Davern said he heard a loud argument between them, then thumping sounds and eventually silence. --A short time later, Davern went on deck where Robert told him, quote, "Natalie is missing." --Davern says Robert wouldn't let him call the Coast Guard, and he was basically told to keep quiet about the whole thing. --TMZ says Rulli has been providing the Sheriff's Department with evidence to back up this version of the story . . . and that's why they want to take another look at it. (--TMZ interviewed Rulli. You can check that out here.) --This doesn't make Robert Wagner look too good, but at this point, cops say they're not targeting anyone specifically. --The Wagner family issued a statement yesterday saying no one has been contacted by police yet, but that they, quote, "fully support the efforts of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and trust they will evaluate whether any new information relating to the death of Natalie Wood Wagner is valid . . . --"And that it comes from a credible source or sources other than those simply trying to profit from the 30-year anniversary of her tragic death." --At the time of Natalie's death, she and Walken were filming a sci-fi flick called "Brainstorm". (--The movie came out in 1983.) --As a quick addendum to this story . . . Robert Wagner did an interview just two years ago in which he blamed himself for his wife's death . . . quote, "If I'd been there, I could have done something. I wasn't, but ultimately, a man is responsible for his loved one. Yes, I blamed myself. --"I would have done anything in the world to protect her. Anything. I lost a woman I loved with all my heart, and I will never completely come to terms with that." --And in an interview in March of 2010, Natalie's sister LANA WOOD called for the investigation to be reopened. She said she believes her sister was arguing with Wagner before her death, but added that she does NOT suspect foul play. --She said, quote, "I just want the truth to come out, the real story." (--Natalie Wood was one of the most beautiful actresses of her day. In addition to "West Side Story", she also starred opposite James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause". And you'd definitely remember her as the little girl from the holiday classic "Miracle on 34th Street".)
(NC-17) Is Justin Bieber's Alleged Baby Mama Trying to Cover Up Evidence That She's Lying?
Mariah Yeater's accusation that JUSTIN BIEBER is the father of her four-month-old baby is really starting to unravel. --Here's the biggest development: This past Wednesday, Mariah allegedly sent someone a text message begging them to erase previous messages that PROVE her Justin Bieber claim is BOGUS. --She even offers this person a cut of the settlement she gets from Justin. --This person sent a copy of this text to TMZ. It says, quote, "Pleeease ERASE ALL MESSAGES from my mom where she says Tristyn is Robbie's son. I'll kick u when we get paid. I'm trusting you pleeease." --It's unclear what those messages said . . . specifically . . . but this person also shared this message that he or she received from Mariah in August: Quote, "Would you please stress to Robbie how important it is for him to be in his son's life?" --Mariah has an ex-boyfriend named Robbie Powell. --By the way, this person has also sent copies of these texts to Justin's lawyer, Howard Weitzman. So if these texts are real, this is the nail in the coffin. --Weitzman released a statement saying, quote, "This information proves Mariah Yeater fabricated the story. --"Our independent investigation indicates Ms. Yeater never met Justin, she has consistently identified another man as the child's father, and Ms. Yeater and her co-conspirators hatched this scheme in order to extort money from him and to sell her story to the media." --Mariah's lawyer says, quote, "The information I have is these text messages were not sent by her . . . they were just fabricated. Do I know if that's true or not? No, but I do intend to look into that as it was just brought to my attention." (--You can see screenshots of the text messages at TMZ.) --By the way, TMZ also has several pictures of Mariah hanging out with this Robbie from September of 2010. That's just one month before she supposedly met Justin, and 10 months before she gave birth. They look pretty friendly. (--You can find the gallery at TMZ. Robbie seems dazed in all the pictures . . . and he's doing a lot of pointing and hand gestures that show off the fact that he never cleans under his fingernails. It's disgusting.) --But Mariah and Robbie have hung out since then. In fact, they were questioned, together, during a drug bust in San Diego last month. They weren't arrested . . . but just four days after the bust, Mariah filed the paternity suit against Justin.
Justin Bieber Wishes His First Fake Scandal Was About Him Running Off to South America with a Supermodel:
If false accusations were trading cards, JUSTIN BIEBER would trade his baby-daddy scandal for another one . . . about him cheating on his girlfriend with an older woman. --Sort of. --In an interview with "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show" on New York's Z100, Justin said, quote, "As far as the whole baby situation, it's unfortunate that it had to happen like that. People make false accusations, but things happen in this industry and you have to keep your head high and be positive." --Then, he joked, quote, "If it was up to me, it would have been a better story like, 'Justin Bieber went off to South America with this 27-year-old supermodel.' That would have been awesome." (--Yeah, except I doubt SELENA GOMEZ would enjoy sweating that one out.) --Justin also said, quote, "They say that any press is good press . . . I do not believe that's true. If you're in the spotlight, then people are looking at you to be a role model, and if you're doing bad things to be getting press, I think that's really, really sad." (--You can find audio at ElvisDuran.com. You can skip to the 18:00 mark.)
Random Kardashian Kaos:
#1.) KRISTIN CAVALLARI straight-up denies she nailed SCOTT DISICK a few years ago while he was on a break from KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN. She says, quote, "It's 100% not true."
--She also hints that the Kardashians may have been behind the rumor, as a way of hyping the new season of their show and taking the heat off of KIM'S divorce. And she calls it disrespectful to her and her boyfriend, Bears quarterback JAY CUTLER.
#2.) PETA is putting up a billboard trashing KIM KARDASHIAN for wearing fur. (--Here's what it's going to look like.) (Too Fab)
#3.) Radar Online says Kim decided to divorce KRIS HUMPHRIES after watching the raw footage for her reality show "Kourtney & Kim Take New York", and seeing how mean Kris was to her and her family. (--You can read more about that here.)
#4.) There's a guy named Jonathan Jaxon who claims he used to rep Kim Kardashian. Ever since she announced her divorce, he's been going around talking smack about her in the media.
--Well, Kim brought her legal team down on him, and on Wednesday, he posted a series of suicidal messages on Twitter. (--You can read more about that here.)
#5.) More than 137,000 people have now signed that petition at GoPetition.com to have "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" taken off the air.
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
The "Twilight" and "Happy Feet" Sequels Are In Theaters Today:
#1.) "Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1" (PG-13) (Trailer)
After Edward and Bella's wedding, Bella finally gets her wish to become a glittery vampire, because her body's too weak to survive her unexpected pregnancy. But the birth of their little half-breed is seen as a threat by both the Volturi and the werewolves. Robert Pattinson spent six months building up his six pack abs for his sex scene . . . and Kristen Stewart must have really enjoyed it. That scene had to be reshot to eliminate her INTENSE THRUSTING, which was a little much for the PG-13 rating. (--Edward's butt crack also failed to make the final cut. Read details on that here.) In the book, Edward and Bella's first time includes a broken headboard, some bruising, and feathers flying everywhere after they bite and rip pillows open. (--The birthing scene was also intense and bloody in the book. "Breaking Dawn" director Bill Condon describes how he handled it for the movie here, and Kristen Stewart says she wishes she could have puked blood for that scene here.) Maggie Grace . . . who played Shannon on "Lost" . . . plays Irina, the vampire who mistakenly "outs" Edward and Bella's newborn baby as an immortal child to the Volturi. Both parts of "Breaking Dawn" were filmed back-to-back. "Part 2" is the final movie in the "Twilight" saga and it's set to hit theaters next year, in November of 2012.
#2.) "Happy Feet Two" (PG) (Trailer)
Elijah Wood returns as the tap dancing penguin Mumbles. But the sequel is about his son, who runs away because he doesn't know how to dance. The rest of the voices include Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Pink, Brad Pitt, Sofia Vergara, and Common.
#4.) "The Descendants" (R) (Limited) (Trailer)
George Clooney is struggling to reconnect with his daughters in Hawaii after his wife is in a boating accident and slips into a coma. His oldest daughter is Shailene Woodley, from "Secret Life of the American Teenager".
GOODBYE, REGIS
Regis Says It's Time to Move On:
As you probably know, today is REGIS PHILBIN'S last day on "Live". And while he's not sure exactly how he feels about walking away, he does agree it's time. --In an interview with E! News, he says, quote, "I feel pretty good, I'm not saying I'm gonna feel as good on Monday down there in Miami, but right now . . . --"I wasn't looking forward to this moment . . . you never are in your life . . . especially when you're leaving a success that you worked your tail off to make, and it's here. And why not hang around and enjoy it? But I have and it's time really to move on…" --As for who's going to replace him as KELLY RIPA'S co-host, Regis says he's not getting involved . . . quote, "Frankly I'd like to stay out of it . . . I don't wanna disappoint other people who are looking for the job. --"Kelly is a great little storyteller in her own right. I tell ya, it's not as easy as it looks, this co-hosting thing. It just wasn't for me. So we'll see what happens, I'm interested myself to see who gets it." --This hasn't been an easy week for Kelly. She says, quote, "It's difficult to say goodbye. I really have been trying to put it out of my mind, in a way that is . . . we're all sort of profoundly putting it out of our minds. --"Today was really difficult. Every day has been difficult, today was especially difficult, and tomorrow, I think I'll probably, maybe, hopefully, god-willing I'll go into some sort of trance."
Betty White's 90th Birthday Will Be Televised:
The BETTY WHITE phenomenon continues to roll on. --Betty turns 90 years old on January 17th. A dinner party is being planned in her honor. And get this: NBC is turning the event into a TV SPECIAL. It's being held in L.A. sometime next month . . . and will air in January, near her actual birthday. --Guests will include cast members from her TV Land show "Hot in Cleveland" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", which she was a part of back in the '70s. No specific names have been announced. That's all we know for now. (--Interestingly enough, while they can bring back numerous cast members from Betty's '70s show, they can't bring anybody back from her '80s series "The Golden Girls", because THEY'RE ALL DEAD. Happy Friday, Nana!) --January will also mark the two year anniversary of two things that ignited Betty's comeback: Her Snickers Super Bowl commercial, and the Facebook campaign that brought her to "Saturday Night Live".
"Body of Proof" Is Doing an Episode Inspired By Casey Anthony:
The ABC drama "Body of Proof" is working on an episode inspired by the CASEY ANTHONY case. It's scheduled to air on January 3rd. The episode focuses on, quote, "what happens when the media takes over a case." --MARCIA GAY HARDEN will basically play the role of NANCY GRACE . . . "a journalist who has doggedly reported the story."
Friday TV Reminders:
--"A Gifted Man" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. "Duke's of Hazard" superstar Tom Wopat guests as Rita's husband when their son is injured in a motorcycle accident and they want Michael to operate.
--"Chuck" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. David Koechner, who you know as Todd Packer on "The Office", guest stars.
--"Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Sundance.
--"Ask Oprah's All Stars" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on OWN.
--"VH1 Special: Kelly Clarkson Unplugged" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on VH1. Kelly Clarkson performs a five-song acoustic set that includes three songs off her new album.
Saturday TV Reminders:
--"Pixie Hollow Games" . . . 7:00 to 7:30 P.M. on Disney Channel. Tinker Bell competes in an Olympic-style sporting event for fairies. Brenda Song does the voice of a new fairy named Chloe.
--"Grand Ole Opry Live" . . . 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. on GAC. Joe Diffie, Del McCoury Band, Diamond Rio and Bill Anderson perform.
--"Austin City Limits Presents Americana Music Festival 2011" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. Lucinda Williams, Amos Lee, Buddy Miller, Robert Plant and Gregg Allman perform.
--"Celebrity Ghost Stories" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Bio. Chaka Khan, Kristin Bauer and Iqbal Theba share their ghostly encounters.
--"Behind the Music" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on VH1 Classic. TLC is profiled.
--"Metal Evolution" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1 Classic.
--"That Metal Show" . . . 11:00 P.M. to Midnight on VH1 Classic. Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and director / producer Sam Dunn guest.
--"Donald Glover: Weirdo" . . . 11:00 P.M. to Midnight on Comedy Central. Comedian Donald Glover performs at Union Square Theatre in New York City.
--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. Jason Segel guest hosts and Florence + the Machine is the musical guest.
Sunday TV Reminders:
--"Sunday Night Football" . . . 8:20 to 11:20 P.M. Eastern on NBC. The New York Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
--"Dora's Enchanted Forest Adventures" . . . 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Nickelodeon. Jason Alexander is the voice of a mean old owl and Dora tries to convince him that sharing is a good thing.
--"Countdown to the American Music Awards" . . . 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. on ABC. Chris Harrison and Vanessa Minnillo host this preview of the 39th annual American Music Awards.
--"The Cleveland Show" . . . 7:30 to 8:00 P.M. on Fox. Will Arnett guests as Holt's father when Rallo throws a dinner to get them to reconcile with one another after Holt doesn't get invited to his own family's holiday dinner.
--"The Simpsons" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on Fox. Homer forms a group to write a novel when he enlists the help of fantasy novelist Neil Gaiman to help him tap into the "tween lit" market and Andy Garcia plays a publisher.
--"2011 American Music Awards" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. Performances by Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Marc Anthony, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Pitbull, Nicki Minaj, Maroon 5 and LMFAO. (--Here are this year's nominees.)
--"The Good Wife" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS. Amy Sedaris guest stars as Eli's rival.
--"American Dad" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. Sarah Michelle Gellar guests as a beautiful virtual girlfriend Stan creates for his son Steve.
--"Your Body on Drugs" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. Robin Williams hosts this candid, shocking and sobering journey into the psychophysiology of psychotropic drugs aided by high-end 3D CGI.
--"Kendra" [4th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on E!
--"How To Make It In America" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on HBO.
--"Kelly Osbourne" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on E! Kelly Osbourne speaks out about her unconventional upbringing, her struggles with addiction, and her career.
Mick Jagger Is Recording a Track with Will.I.Am:
This is either super cool or super depressing, depending on how you feel about the BLACK EYED PEAS. WILL.I.AM is recording a solo track with . . . MICK JAGGER. (???) --It's called "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)", and it also features JENNIFER LOPEZ. Will.I.Am and Jennifer will perform the track at the "American Music Awards" on Sunday night, and it'll be available on iTunes after the show. --It doesn't sound like Mick will join them. "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" is the first single off Will.I.Am's upcoming album, "Willpower" . . . which will be out sometime next year.
And Now . . . A Photo of Lady Gaga Making a British Baby Cry:
LADY GAGA is in London this week . . . and for some reason, a local couple wanted her to hold their baby for a photo --The self-proclaimed "Mother Monster" wasn't wearing anything TOO insane at the time . . . so no raw meat or anything . . . but she did look a little like the Wicked Witch of the West. The picture was taken with the baby BURSTING OUT IN TEARS. (--Here's the pic.) (People, Google Image Search)
Check Out Scott Weiland's Old-School "Winter Wonderland" Video:
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer SCOTT WEILAND put out a Christmas album last month called "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year". --And now, he's released an old-school video for his version of "Winter Wonderland". (--You can check it out at Music.Yahoo.com.)
"Deeply Discounted" Albums Will No Longer Count on the "Billboard" Charts:
Earlier this year, LADY GAGA'S "Born This Way" opened with sales of 1.11 million copies in its first week. That number was boosted by Amazon's two-day promotion, in which they were selling the whole album for 99 CENTS. --Well, "Billboard" has announced that they're changing their policy . . . so "deeply-discounted" music no longer counts on their charts. -"Billboard" will ignore any album that sells for less than $3.49 during its first four weeks of release . . . or any single sold for less than 39 cents in its first three months. --There's just one problem: In the case of "Born This Way", it was not Lady Gaga's promotion . . . it was Amazon's. Amazon used the sale to promote their cloud service, and accepted a loss in the process. --Lady Gaga didn't lose money on that deal . . . but in the future, artists may not be pleased if a big promotion gets in the way of them getting a good chart position.
Dr. Dre Is Taking a Break from Music . . . So "Detox" Is on Hold Again:
DR. DRE has been working on "Detox" for over a decade now, and the dude needs a break. So, he's going to go ahead and take one . . . BEFORE releasing "Detox". --Dre says, quote, "I've been working on music for 27 years now, and the longest I've ever been out of the studio in 27 years has been two weeks. I'm never gonna stop music, it's like air to me. --"I'm gonna take a little bit of a break, enjoy some time with the family." He's says that he'll return when he, quote, "gets that itch to get back in." (--Dre does a lot of production work for other artists, but he's only actually released TWO albums of his own in 20 YEARS. Also, taking a break before finishing a project is definitely an example of poor deadline management.)
FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Is EMMA ROBERTS cheating on CHORD OVERSTREET with ZAC EFRON? (Full Story)
"In Touch Weekly" says KATE MIDDLETON is six weeks pregnant with PRINCE WILLIAM'S first child. (Full Story)
A psycho who's been stalking SELENA GOMEZ was placed on psychiatric hold yesterday. (Video) (--And yet this nut continues to walk the streets.)
Were CHARLIE SHEEN and BROOKE MUELLER wasted when they appeared on Wednesday's "Entertainment Tonight" holding their kids? (Full Story)
HEIDI FLEISS says LINDSAY LOHAN would have been a great hooker, and she could have made MILLIONS off her. (Video)
A remake of the 1986 sci-fi classic "Highlander" is in the works. (Full Story)
There's a movie in the works based on the '80s videogame "Rampage", in which a giant werewolf, a gorilla and a Godzilla-like lizard lay waste to cities. (Full Story)
HLN has decided NOT to renew JOY BEHAR'S show. The final episode will air sometime next month. The show premiered in September of 2009. (Full Story)
"Survivor" will get at least three more seasons. CBS has renewed it through the NEXT TV season . . . meaning that "Survivor" will continue next spring, next fall, and in the spring of 2013. That will be the show's 26th season. (Full Story)
A woman is suing RYAN SEACREST . . . claiming she was "forced against her will" into a "bad girl" role on "Shahs of Sunset". That's the Persian version of "Jersey Shore", which Ryan is producing. She wants a cool $100,000. (Full Story)
Next fall, RICKI LAKE will begin hosting a new talk show. This one's called "The Ricki Lake Show" . . . not to be confused with her last show, "Ricki Lake", which aired from 1993 to 2004. (Full Story)
REGIS PHILBIN crashed a Vespa while taping a bit for "Letterman". He's OK. (Pictures)
Lee Pockriss . . . one of the guys who wrote the song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" . . . has died. He was 87. The song was co-written by Paul Vance, and was recorded by Brian Hyland in 1960. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
People Spend More Time Shopping Over the Holidays Than With Their Family:
"Consumer Reports" released the results of their Holiday Shopping Poll, and found that we'll spend 48 hours on holiday activities this year. Which somehow sounds LOW. --And according to their survey, the average American will spend 19 hours and 18 minutes shopping for gifts . . . which is five hours longer than we spend actually celebrating with family and friends. --We'll spend 13 hours and 42 minutes celebrating, which is an hour and a half LESS than last year. As for our 19 hours shopping, that's four hours MORE than we spent last year. --Part of the reason for the extra time is that we're looking for bargains: Twice as many people plan to spend less money this year than they did last holiday season. --More than four out of five people trust their family and friends for advice on what gifts to buy. One in three take advice from salespeople. And more people trust TV commercials than product reviews from experts. --Here are some other holiday activities and how much time they take up . . . --Travel: We'll spend eight and a half hours travelling . . . an hour and six minutes more than last year. --Wrapping presents: It'll take three hours to get everything wrapped. --And while shopping, the average American expects to spend THREE HOURS waiting in checkout lines. (Consumer Reports)
There's a Woman In Florida Already Lined Up Outside Best Buy for Black Friday:
You REALLY want to save $15 on a Blu-ray player THIS badly? --In St. Petersburg, Florida, there's a woman who's ALREADY camping out in front of a Best Buy for Black Friday. And she's been there since Wednesday . . . meaning she's doing NINE days of camping to be first in line for sales. --Her name is Christine Orta, and she's a college student who's on break right now, so she has the time. She says she's camping out because, quote, "You've got to pinch a penny . . . it's affordable right now." (Tampa Bay Online)
Half of Americans Have Re-Gifted a Present . . . and Two in Three Suspect They've Been Re-Gifted:
The home furnishings chain HomeGoods conducted a survey on re-gifting during the holidays. Here's what they found. --Two out of three people suspect they've been the recipient of a re-gift. And a lot of them are right, because more than HALF of people admit they've re-gifted . . . and one in three people have re-gifted more than once. --One in three re-gifters say they did it because they just didn't like the gift they'd received. Another one in three said they gave away one of their presents because it was a duplicate. One in four couldn't afford a new gift, so they gave one of theirs. --Three out of five people said they thought the person they gave it to would, quote, "appreciate it more." That begins what HomeGoods calls the "re-gifting cycle." --Those mandatory gift exchanges at work . . . like Secret Santas or Yankee Swaps . . . often lead to re-gifting. Two in five participants have gotten a gift that wasn't their style, or that they had no use for.
--Half of all suspected re-gifts came from outside the family. One in four came from co-workers, and about the same number came from friends and acquaintances. (MultiVu)
The TSA is Only the Third Most Annoying Thing About Flying:
Almost everyone seems to HATE the TSA. But it turns out . . . we hate EACH OTHER more. --The U.S. Travel Association just released the results of a survey on the things that annoy us most about flying. And the TSA only came in THIRD. Although, TSA-related things were third, fourth, AND fifth. --Here are the five most annoying things about flying, in order:
#1.) People who bring too many bags through the security checkpoint.
#2.) Uncomfortable seats on the plane.
#3.) The amount of time it takes to get through TSA checkpoints.
#4.) Having to take off your shoes, belt, and jacket for the TSA.
#5.) Unfriendly TSA employees.
(Los Angeles Times)
Here are the Top Things People are Thankful for This Thanksgiving . . . Including the Health of Their Family, Family Relationships, and Technology:
It's time for one of those "what are you thankful for" Thanksgiving surveys. And once we get the first few politically-correct answers out of the way, we can talk about what we're REALLY thankful for. --Here are the top things Americans are thankful for this Thanksgiving.
#1.) The health of their family, 85%
#2.) Family relationships, 85%
#3.) Technology that helps us keep in touch, 74%
#4.) All the technology that's out there, 66%
#5.) Their personal economic situation, 63%
#6.) Their work situation, 61%
#7.) Their personal safety, 56%
#8.) The way people treat each other, 36%
#9.) The economic situation in the U.S., 14%
--The survey also found that 45% say they have about as much to be thankful for this year as they did a few years ago. 32% have more to be thankful about, 18% have less, and 5% aren't sure. (Harris Interactive)
White Castle Released a Recipe for Stuffing Made Out of Their Burgers:
Am I wrong to say this sounds INCREDIBLE? If you REALLY want to switch up your Thanksgiving this year, White Castle just put out a press release with their official recipe . . . for stuffing made out of WHITE CASTLE BURGERS. --You'll need ten little White Castle sliders with the pickles removed, diced celery, thyme, sage, black pepper, and chicken broth. The recipe works for a ten-to-12-pound turkey. --White Castle stuffing has been around for years, but it's generally been kinda underground. So if this is the first you've heard of it, don't be mad . . . just make up for lost time by serving this stuffing ASAP. (White Castle) (--Here's the recipe.)
64% of Men Say They'd Spend More Time With Their Wives or Girlfriends If They Knew More About Sports:
This one comes from England . . . where "football" means "soccer" . . . but we get the feeling that it applies pretty well over here too. --In a new survey, 64% of men . . . or basically TWO out of THREE . . . say they'd spend more time with their wives or girlfriends if they knew more about football. --Women don't realize it's that big a deal . . . only 33% said they think learning more about football would lead to more quality relationship time. --Of the women surveyed, only 17% said they have even a decent understanding of football. -And just to sweeten the deal even more . . . half of men said they'd do more chores and laundry if they could watch football with their significant other . . . and a quarter say watching football would lead to less fighting. (FemaleFirst.co.uk)
Website of the Day . . . Check Out the New York City Street Grid Across the Entire Planet, and Find Your Cross Streets:
There's a random website you can check out the next time you hear New Yorkers talk about how they live at "34th and 2nd" or "118th and Lenox, homey." --The website is called ExtendNY.com, and it extended Manhattan's street grid across the entire planet. Enter your location, and find your cross streets --For example, someone in Helena, Montana is at 12,358th Avenue and 2,497th Street. Someone in Nepal is at 68,958th Avenue and 98,966th Street. And so on. (ExtendNY)
Hybrid Cars are Actually Safer in Crashes Because of Their Massive Batteries?
If you've ever looked at a hybrid car and thought, "Man, that thing would be a DEATH TRAP if it ever got in a crash" . . . you'd be WRONG. --A new study found that hybrids are actually 25% SAFER in crashes than standard cars of the same size. -Hybrids are actually 10% heavier than similar cars because of their massive batteries. --That weight helps them absorb the crash better, and increases your chance of walking away to participate in another drum circle or Occupy Wall Street protest. (--But since hybrids are so quiet, they're actually MORE dangerous for pedestrians, because it's difficult to hear the car approaching. So . . . take the good with the bad?) (Denver Post)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A Man Wearing a Shirt That Says "I'm a Drunk" is Arrested . . . for Drunk Driving:
It's almost like this guy could see into his own idiotic future. --On Wednesday night, 22-year-old Kevin Daly of Coram, New York was out wearing a T-shirt that's not as clever as he thinks it is. --The shirt reads, quote, "I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings." --So naturally, at 1:45 A.M., he was arrested . . . for drunk driving. --After crashing his 2000 Saturn into a police car. --Neither Kevin nor the officer in the car were seriously injured, but Kevin was quickly arrested for a DUI. --Believe it or not, he's NOT the first moron to be arrested in this T-shirt. In 2007, 41-year-old Amanda Lynn Bailey of Tampa, Florida was busted for DUI in the same T-shirt. (The Smoking Gun)
A Woman Has Been Arrested for Letting Her Nine-Year-Old Drive Himself to School "Because He Wanted To":
We see stories a lot about parents who get drunk, then somehow decide their best move is to have their little kids drive their cars. But this woman was STONE COLD SOBER when she let her kid drive. And that almost makes it WORSE. --On Tuesday morning, 34-year-old Tammy Oneal of Dover, Delaware was taking her nine-year-old son to Reily Brown Elementary School in her 1990 Toyota Corolla. --But she let her son drive the FULL quarter-mile to the school. Her reason? Quote, "Because he wanted to." --When he pulled up, tons of children, parents, and school employees saw him behind the wheel. Fortunately, no one was hurt. --Someone called the cops, and Tammy was arrested for reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. --There's a reason the kid was such a good driver. Tammy ended up telling the cops she's been letting him drive in a field since he was FIVE. (Dover Post)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
A pilot on a flight from North Carolina to New York got stuck in the bathroom on Wednesday night. And when a passenger with an accent knocked on the cockpit door to tell the co-pilot . . . he panicked and called air traffic control.
--But the main pilot eventually got out and called off an emergency landing. (Full Story) (--DELICIOUS AUDIO ALERT: Grab the co-pilot audio here.)
Two thirds of Black Friday shoppers will skip sleeping to get deals, half will skip breakfast, and one in three will skip showering. (Full Story)
42.5 million Americans will travel this Thanksgiving, up 4% from last year. (Full Story)
A woman in New York was arrested for driving a stolen car to a court date . . . and parking in the police lot. (Full Story)
A guy in Detroit took off on foot after a hit and run on Wednesday . . . leaving his two daughters behind . . . a two-month-old and a two-year-old. (Full Story)
There are two million people over age of 90 in the U.S. . . . triple the number 30 years ago. And it's expected to grow to 8.7 million in another 30 years. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) The New Hit on YouTube is . . . a Blonde Going the Wrong Way on an Escalator:
There's a new video on YouTube of some woman trying to go up the down escalator at a shopping mall. And it might have been staged, but it's already gotten over a million views. It's called "Blonde on an Escalator".
#2.) A Teacher in New Jersey Bullied a Special Needs Student . . . and the Student Got It on Video:
A 15-year-old special needs student in Gloucester County, New Jersey named Julio Artuz was being bullied by his TEACHER. And no one believed him. --So the next time it happened, Julio secretly recorded it with his cell phone. And now the teacher is on paid administrative leave while the school board decides what to do. --The video shows the teacher, Steven Roth, yelling at Julio, calling him a quote, "tard," and telling him, quote, "I will kick your [butt] from here to kingdom come." --Then Roth leans over Julio, and threatens to KEEP harassing him, even after he graduates. (--Search for "New Jersey Teacher Caught Bullying Special Needs Student." The footage starts at :11, and he leans over him at 1:22.)
LIFESTYLE NONSENSE
Four Signs the Person You're Dating Isn't Over Their Ex:
If you've got a date this weekend, here's something to help make sure they're as into YOU as much as you're into THEM. It's a list from "Glamour" magazine of four signs the person you're dating isn't over their ex.
#1.) They Dog-Sit. If the person you're dating got a dog with their ex, they might just miss the DOG. But it's still a red flag. And remember that dogs live a long time, so it also means their ex could be in the picture longer than you think.
#2.) They Still Text Each Other. It's okay if it's one or two texts that say something like, "I still have a box of your stuff." But if they're still texting because they want to stay FRIENDS, it might not really be over yet. --It's also bad if they text or call each other when they have big news.
#3.) They Talk About How Horrible Their Ex Was. It's better than talking about how GREAT they were. But it's still a sign they haven't moved on. If they HAVE moved on, they should be focused on YOU.
#4.) They Still Have Photos of the Person. On Facebook, it's understandable. Or if the pictures are in a shoebox in the closet, that's okay too. But if they still have pictures of their ex on the REFRIGERATOR, obviously that's a bad sign. (Glamour)
Four Tips for Bringing Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend Home for Thanksgiving:
Yesterday we heard that if you're RUDE to your boyfriend or girlfriend's family over the holidays, you have a 60% chance of being dumped. So if you're bringing a new date home for the first time this Thanksgiving, you're probably stressing out --But don't worry: We've got four tips to make the experience as painless as possible.
#1.) Prep Your Date. Give your boyfriend or girlfriend some pointers on how to handle the quirks of your family. If your grandfather doesn't hear well, your date will have to speak up. If your aunt is a cougarific lush . . . he needs the intel. --You should also tell them about any topics they should avoid. Politics and religion are the obvious ones, but if you know something else would be a sore spot . . . like someone who's been unemployed for a while . . . let your date know not to go there.
#2.) Get Your "How We Met" Story Down. Since this is the first time everyone's meeting each other, your family's going to ask how you guys met. -And if you don't want to tell them the truth . . . like you met in an Internet chat room for furries . . . you'll need to get your stories straight beforehand.
#3.) Relax. The best thing you and your date can do is relax as much as possible. Yeah, your family is going to be judging you the whole time, but being uptight and on edge is only going to make it worse.
#4.) Let Your Family Know How Much You Like Your Date. In the end, your family just wants you to be happy. So if you let them know how happy your boyfriend or girlfriend makes you, they'll ease up. (Examiner)
And here it is: DEMI MOORE announced yesterday that she's filing for divorce from ASHTON KUTCHER. --Here's her statement . . . quote, "It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. --"As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life. -"This is a trying time for me and my family, and so I would ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation." --That line about "values and vows" obviously suggests Demi bailed because of Ashton's RESTLESS GROIN SYNDROME. --Ashton, not surprisingly, posted his reaction on Twitter. He said, quote, "I will forever cherish the time I spent with Demi. Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail. Love and Light, AK." (--It's been estimated that Demi and Ashton will be fighting over a $290 MILLION fortune.)
What Should Demi Moore's New Twitter Handle Be?
As of last night, DEMI MOORE'S Twitter handle was still MrsKutcher. Obviously, she's going to want to change that.
--"Us Weekly" has a poll going to determine what her new name should be. Their choices are:
--MsMoore
--GhostGirl
--SoOverAshton
--JustDemi
(--If this interests you for some reason, you can enter the poll at UsMagazine.com.)
(--On a just-barely-related note . . . CBS boss Leslie Moonves said yesterday he's been happy with "Two and a Half Men" and Ashton Kutcher so far . . . quote, "aside from his comments about Penn State.")
No Unity in the Transgender Community! Warren Beatty's Son . . . or Daughter . . . Is Not Cool with Chaz Bono:
Everybody keeps talking about how much CHAZ BONO is doing for LGBT rights and acceptance by being so visible and speaking his mind. But there isn't as much UNITY IN THIS COMMUNITY as one might hope. --There's another transgender out there who is NOT down with Chaz being the lead dog. "His" name is STEPHEN IRA. But it used to be KATHLYN BEATTY. He/she is the offspring of WARREN BEATTY and ANNETTE BENING. --It's not clear if Stephen has had any surgery or hormone therapy, but he's definitely living his life as a man. And he thinks Chaz is a woman-hater . . . and not a particularly good representative for transgenders. --He says, quote, "Chaz has appointed himself as the representative of a group of people who are not all like him. He has said misogynistic . . . things about gender. I take particular issue with his comments on trans embodiment and on women." --One of the things Chaz said that irks Stephen is that being transgender is having a MISMATCHED brain and body . . . which he compared to, quote, "a birth defect like a cleft palate." --Stephen says, quote, "I do not have a birth defect. If you feel like you have a birth defect, fine. That's how you feel. Go feel that. --"Do not put it onto me. Do not define me that way, and do not define other trans people that way unless they claim that label." --He adds, quote, "Chaz is a trans man who seems to believe that his female-assignedness and his female socialization makes him immune from being a misogynist, and he is manifestly wrong . . . --"I don't want a single person thinking this guy is the best of us." --After people started making a big deal about Stephen's comments, he went on his blog to soften his stance. --He said, quote, "I would be more than happy to sit down with Chaz, have a drink, and talk with him about how he can think and talk about gender in a way that's more inclusive. He seems like an all right guy, his questionable views aside. --"And from what I've seen, he's really remarkably good at the cha cha."
There's an Online Petition That Says Ryan Gosling Was Robbed of "People" Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive Title:
Is it possible that some of us take "People" magazine's Sexiest Man Alive a little too seriously? Absolutely. And here's your proof: --There's an actual online petition claiming that RYAN GOSLING was ROBBED of the title.--It states, quote, "2011 was clearly The Year of Gosling and we demand 'People' Magazine give Ryan his own People cover." --As of last night, the petition had more than 3,000 signatures. (--You can check it out here.) --Meanwhile, the website Buzzfeed.com has a list of "63 Reasons Why BRADLEY COOPER is Definitely Not the Sexiest Man Alive". Technically, it's not really a list. It's just 63 pictures of Ryan Gosling. (???) (--You'll find it here.) --Buzzfeed also organized a PROTEST outside "People's" offices. (--Check out video here. And you'll find a bunch of pictures here.) --Oh, and don't forget to check out the Facebook page.
Two Things Chelsea Handler Won't Joke About: Ugly Babies and People Who Are Dying:
All comedians have lines they won't cross. Even the ones who don't seem to have any boundaries, like CHELSEA HANDLER. --Chelsea says, quote, "There are two things I won't talk about: ugly babies or people who are dying." --There's also something Chelsea isn't willing to DO: Show us her PRIVATE PARTS. She says, quote, "If I do, then it will be by accident. I'm not a Kardashian."
Nick Cannon Says He Still Gets Pulled Over for Driving While Black:
No matter how famous you are, being black STILL gets you pulled over. Even in Hollywood. --NICK CANNON got pulled over on Wednesday night. He Tweeted, quote, "Just got pulled over again. For the 1st time ever... The Cop let me go! He was a black man! 'Preciate it Brotha!!" --Then he added, quote, "Growing up, I never liked Cops. Always felt they were bullies. I guess I shouldn't stereotype... At age 13 a Cop pulled me over on my bike with his gun drawn. What the hell did he think I was going to do?! --"Now in LA I get pulled over like once a week. Honestly, I think it's because I'm a Black man in a nice car. #KnowyourplaceBOY."
Shaq Wasn't Allowed Inside a Restaurant Because He Wasn't Dressed Up Enough:
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL was reportedly REFUSED entry into a New York City restaurant the other night because he didn't dress up. --According to TMZ, security at Mars 2112 politely declined to let Shaq through the door because he was in jeans, sneakers, a sweatshirt and a beanie. Shaq said, quote, "Are you serious?" --But then he just shrugged it off and went to another place. (--Here's a picture of Shaq in his forbidden attire.) (TMZ)
The Investigation into the 1981 Death of "West Side Story" Star Natalie Wood Has Been Reopened . . . Was There a Coverup?
Authorities in Los Angeles have reopened their investigation into the 1981 death of "West Side Story" star NATALIE WOOD. --Natalie was boating off the coast of Santa Catalina Island with her then-husband ROBERT WAGNER and CHRISTOPHER WALKEN when she drowned. She was 43 years old. --The L.A. County Sheriff's Department released a statement saying, quote, "Recently, sheriff's homicide investigators were contacted by persons who stated they had additional information about the Natalie Wood Wagner drowning. --"Due to the additional information, sheriff's homicide bureau has decided to take another look at the case." --The department has scheduled a press conference for 11:00 A.M. this morning. --Wood, Wagner and Walken . . . (--Is that a law firm?) . . . were drinking at a bar on the night of November 29th, 1981. They continued drinking on board the boat, where an argument between Wagner and Walken erupted. --During the argument, Natalie went to bed. When Wagner went to say goodnight to her, she was gone --Speculation is that a lifeboat tied to the yacht was banging against it, and Natalie fell into the ocean and drowned while trying to secure it. --She wasn't a strong swimmer, and when her body was found, she was wearing a down jacket, nightgown, and socks. Her death was ruled an accident. --However . . . there's also been suspicion that her death had something to do with that argument between her husband and Christopher Walken. Perhaps there was even a little LOVE TRIANGLE action going on. --And that's where things potentially get interesting. --TMZ says that the case was reopened thanks to a book called "Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour" by a woman named MARTI RULLI, and DENNIS DAVERN. --Davern was the captain of the yacht . . . which was called the Splendour . . . and he revealed some things in this book that he's never said before. --He says Natalie, Robert and Christopher Walken were drinking AND taking Quaaludes . . . and at one point, Robert got jealous when he saw Christopher and Natalie talking. --He smashed a wine bottle and yelled, quote, "What do you want to do, [eff] my wife? Is that what you want?" --Walken returned to his cabin, and Natalie and Robert went to theirs. Davern said he heard a loud argument between them, then thumping sounds and eventually silence. --A short time later, Davern went on deck where Robert told him, quote, "Natalie is missing." --Davern says Robert wouldn't let him call the Coast Guard, and he was basically told to keep quiet about the whole thing. --TMZ says Rulli has been providing the Sheriff's Department with evidence to back up this version of the story . . . and that's why they want to take another look at it. (--TMZ interviewed Rulli. You can check that out here.) --This doesn't make Robert Wagner look too good, but at this point, cops say they're not targeting anyone specifically. --The Wagner family issued a statement yesterday saying no one has been contacted by police yet, but that they, quote, "fully support the efforts of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and trust they will evaluate whether any new information relating to the death of Natalie Wood Wagner is valid . . . --"And that it comes from a credible source or sources other than those simply trying to profit from the 30-year anniversary of her tragic death." --At the time of Natalie's death, she and Walken were filming a sci-fi flick called "Brainstorm". (--The movie came out in 1983.) --As a quick addendum to this story . . . Robert Wagner did an interview just two years ago in which he blamed himself for his wife's death . . . quote, "If I'd been there, I could have done something. I wasn't, but ultimately, a man is responsible for his loved one. Yes, I blamed myself. --"I would have done anything in the world to protect her. Anything. I lost a woman I loved with all my heart, and I will never completely come to terms with that." --And in an interview in March of 2010, Natalie's sister LANA WOOD called for the investigation to be reopened. She said she believes her sister was arguing with Wagner before her death, but added that she does NOT suspect foul play. --She said, quote, "I just want the truth to come out, the real story." (--Natalie Wood was one of the most beautiful actresses of her day. In addition to "West Side Story", she also starred opposite James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause". And you'd definitely remember her as the little girl from the holiday classic "Miracle on 34th Street".)
(NC-17) Is Justin Bieber's Alleged Baby Mama Trying to Cover Up Evidence That She's Lying?
Mariah Yeater's accusation that JUSTIN BIEBER is the father of her four-month-old baby is really starting to unravel. --Here's the biggest development: This past Wednesday, Mariah allegedly sent someone a text message begging them to erase previous messages that PROVE her Justin Bieber claim is BOGUS. --She even offers this person a cut of the settlement she gets from Justin. --This person sent a copy of this text to TMZ. It says, quote, "Pleeease ERASE ALL MESSAGES from my mom where she says Tristyn is Robbie's son. I'll kick u when we get paid. I'm trusting you pleeease." --It's unclear what those messages said . . . specifically . . . but this person also shared this message that he or she received from Mariah in August: Quote, "Would you please stress to Robbie how important it is for him to be in his son's life?" --Mariah has an ex-boyfriend named Robbie Powell. --By the way, this person has also sent copies of these texts to Justin's lawyer, Howard Weitzman. So if these texts are real, this is the nail in the coffin. --Weitzman released a statement saying, quote, "This information proves Mariah Yeater fabricated the story. --"Our independent investigation indicates Ms. Yeater never met Justin, she has consistently identified another man as the child's father, and Ms. Yeater and her co-conspirators hatched this scheme in order to extort money from him and to sell her story to the media." --Mariah's lawyer says, quote, "The information I have is these text messages were not sent by her . . . they were just fabricated. Do I know if that's true or not? No, but I do intend to look into that as it was just brought to my attention." (--You can see screenshots of the text messages at TMZ.) --By the way, TMZ also has several pictures of Mariah hanging out with this Robbie from September of 2010. That's just one month before she supposedly met Justin, and 10 months before she gave birth. They look pretty friendly. (--You can find the gallery at TMZ. Robbie seems dazed in all the pictures . . . and he's doing a lot of pointing and hand gestures that show off the fact that he never cleans under his fingernails. It's disgusting.) --But Mariah and Robbie have hung out since then. In fact, they were questioned, together, during a drug bust in San Diego last month. They weren't arrested . . . but just four days after the bust, Mariah filed the paternity suit against Justin.
Justin Bieber Wishes His First Fake Scandal Was About Him Running Off to South America with a Supermodel:
If false accusations were trading cards, JUSTIN BIEBER would trade his baby-daddy scandal for another one . . . about him cheating on his girlfriend with an older woman. --Sort of. --In an interview with "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show" on New York's Z100, Justin said, quote, "As far as the whole baby situation, it's unfortunate that it had to happen like that. People make false accusations, but things happen in this industry and you have to keep your head high and be positive." --Then, he joked, quote, "If it was up to me, it would have been a better story like, 'Justin Bieber went off to South America with this 27-year-old supermodel.' That would have been awesome." (--Yeah, except I doubt SELENA GOMEZ would enjoy sweating that one out.) --Justin also said, quote, "They say that any press is good press . . . I do not believe that's true. If you're in the spotlight, then people are looking at you to be a role model, and if you're doing bad things to be getting press, I think that's really, really sad." (--You can find audio at ElvisDuran.com. You can skip to the 18:00 mark.)
Random Kardashian Kaos:
#1.) KRISTIN CAVALLARI straight-up denies she nailed SCOTT DISICK a few years ago while he was on a break from KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN. She says, quote, "It's 100% not true."
--She also hints that the Kardashians may have been behind the rumor, as a way of hyping the new season of their show and taking the heat off of KIM'S divorce. And she calls it disrespectful to her and her boyfriend, Bears quarterback JAY CUTLER.
#2.) PETA is putting up a billboard trashing KIM KARDASHIAN for wearing fur. (--Here's what it's going to look like.) (Too Fab)
#3.) Radar Online says Kim decided to divorce KRIS HUMPHRIES after watching the raw footage for her reality show "Kourtney & Kim Take New York", and seeing how mean Kris was to her and her family. (--You can read more about that here.)
#4.) There's a guy named Jonathan Jaxon who claims he used to rep Kim Kardashian. Ever since she announced her divorce, he's been going around talking smack about her in the media.
--Well, Kim brought her legal team down on him, and on Wednesday, he posted a series of suicidal messages on Twitter. (--You can read more about that here.)
#5.) More than 137,000 people have now signed that petition at GoPetition.com to have "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" taken off the air.
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
The "Twilight" and "Happy Feet" Sequels Are In Theaters Today:
#1.) "Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1" (PG-13) (Trailer)
After Edward and Bella's wedding, Bella finally gets her wish to become a glittery vampire, because her body's too weak to survive her unexpected pregnancy. But the birth of their little half-breed is seen as a threat by both the Volturi and the werewolves. Robert Pattinson spent six months building up his six pack abs for his sex scene . . . and Kristen Stewart must have really enjoyed it. That scene had to be reshot to eliminate her INTENSE THRUSTING, which was a little much for the PG-13 rating. (--Edward's butt crack also failed to make the final cut. Read details on that here.) In the book, Edward and Bella's first time includes a broken headboard, some bruising, and feathers flying everywhere after they bite and rip pillows open. (--The birthing scene was also intense and bloody in the book. "Breaking Dawn" director Bill Condon describes how he handled it for the movie here, and Kristen Stewart says she wishes she could have puked blood for that scene here.) Maggie Grace . . . who played Shannon on "Lost" . . . plays Irina, the vampire who mistakenly "outs" Edward and Bella's newborn baby as an immortal child to the Volturi. Both parts of "Breaking Dawn" were filmed back-to-back. "Part 2" is the final movie in the "Twilight" saga and it's set to hit theaters next year, in November of 2012.
#2.) "Happy Feet Two" (PG) (Trailer)
Elijah Wood returns as the tap dancing penguin Mumbles. But the sequel is about his son, who runs away because he doesn't know how to dance. The rest of the voices include Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Pink, Brad Pitt, Sofia Vergara, and Common.
#4.) "The Descendants" (R) (Limited) (Trailer)
George Clooney is struggling to reconnect with his daughters in Hawaii after his wife is in a boating accident and slips into a coma. His oldest daughter is Shailene Woodley, from "Secret Life of the American Teenager".
GOODBYE, REGIS
Regis Says It's Time to Move On:
As you probably know, today is REGIS PHILBIN'S last day on "Live". And while he's not sure exactly how he feels about walking away, he does agree it's time. --In an interview with E! News, he says, quote, "I feel pretty good, I'm not saying I'm gonna feel as good on Monday down there in Miami, but right now . . . --"I wasn't looking forward to this moment . . . you never are in your life . . . especially when you're leaving a success that you worked your tail off to make, and it's here. And why not hang around and enjoy it? But I have and it's time really to move on…" --As for who's going to replace him as KELLY RIPA'S co-host, Regis says he's not getting involved . . . quote, "Frankly I'd like to stay out of it . . . I don't wanna disappoint other people who are looking for the job. --"Kelly is a great little storyteller in her own right. I tell ya, it's not as easy as it looks, this co-hosting thing. It just wasn't for me. So we'll see what happens, I'm interested myself to see who gets it." --This hasn't been an easy week for Kelly. She says, quote, "It's difficult to say goodbye. I really have been trying to put it out of my mind, in a way that is . . . we're all sort of profoundly putting it out of our minds. --"Today was really difficult. Every day has been difficult, today was especially difficult, and tomorrow, I think I'll probably, maybe, hopefully, god-willing I'll go into some sort of trance."
Betty White's 90th Birthday Will Be Televised:
The BETTY WHITE phenomenon continues to roll on. --Betty turns 90 years old on January 17th. A dinner party is being planned in her honor. And get this: NBC is turning the event into a TV SPECIAL. It's being held in L.A. sometime next month . . . and will air in January, near her actual birthday. --Guests will include cast members from her TV Land show "Hot in Cleveland" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", which she was a part of back in the '70s. No specific names have been announced. That's all we know for now. (--Interestingly enough, while they can bring back numerous cast members from Betty's '70s show, they can't bring anybody back from her '80s series "The Golden Girls", because THEY'RE ALL DEAD. Happy Friday, Nana!) --January will also mark the two year anniversary of two things that ignited Betty's comeback: Her Snickers Super Bowl commercial, and the Facebook campaign that brought her to "Saturday Night Live".
"Body of Proof" Is Doing an Episode Inspired By Casey Anthony:
The ABC drama "Body of Proof" is working on an episode inspired by the CASEY ANTHONY case. It's scheduled to air on January 3rd. The episode focuses on, quote, "what happens when the media takes over a case." --MARCIA GAY HARDEN will basically play the role of NANCY GRACE . . . "a journalist who has doggedly reported the story."
Friday TV Reminders:
--"A Gifted Man" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. "Duke's of Hazard" superstar Tom Wopat guests as Rita's husband when their son is injured in a motorcycle accident and they want Michael to operate.
--"Chuck" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. David Koechner, who you know as Todd Packer on "The Office", guest stars.
--"Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Sundance.
--"Ask Oprah's All Stars" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on OWN.
--"VH1 Special: Kelly Clarkson Unplugged" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on VH1. Kelly Clarkson performs a five-song acoustic set that includes three songs off her new album.
Saturday TV Reminders:
--"Pixie Hollow Games" . . . 7:00 to 7:30 P.M. on Disney Channel. Tinker Bell competes in an Olympic-style sporting event for fairies. Brenda Song does the voice of a new fairy named Chloe.
--"Grand Ole Opry Live" . . . 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. on GAC. Joe Diffie, Del McCoury Band, Diamond Rio and Bill Anderson perform.
--"Austin City Limits Presents Americana Music Festival 2011" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. Lucinda Williams, Amos Lee, Buddy Miller, Robert Plant and Gregg Allman perform.
--"Celebrity Ghost Stories" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Bio. Chaka Khan, Kristin Bauer and Iqbal Theba share their ghostly encounters.
--"Behind the Music" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on VH1 Classic. TLC is profiled.
--"Metal Evolution" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1 Classic.
--"That Metal Show" . . . 11:00 P.M. to Midnight on VH1 Classic. Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and director / producer Sam Dunn guest.
--"Donald Glover: Weirdo" . . . 11:00 P.M. to Midnight on Comedy Central. Comedian Donald Glover performs at Union Square Theatre in New York City.
--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. Jason Segel guest hosts and Florence + the Machine is the musical guest.
Sunday TV Reminders:
--"Sunday Night Football" . . . 8:20 to 11:20 P.M. Eastern on NBC. The New York Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
--"Dora's Enchanted Forest Adventures" . . . 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Nickelodeon. Jason Alexander is the voice of a mean old owl and Dora tries to convince him that sharing is a good thing.
--"Countdown to the American Music Awards" . . . 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. on ABC. Chris Harrison and Vanessa Minnillo host this preview of the 39th annual American Music Awards.
--"The Cleveland Show" . . . 7:30 to 8:00 P.M. on Fox. Will Arnett guests as Holt's father when Rallo throws a dinner to get them to reconcile with one another after Holt doesn't get invited to his own family's holiday dinner.
--"The Simpsons" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on Fox. Homer forms a group to write a novel when he enlists the help of fantasy novelist Neil Gaiman to help him tap into the "tween lit" market and Andy Garcia plays a publisher.
--"2011 American Music Awards" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. Performances by Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Marc Anthony, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Pitbull, Nicki Minaj, Maroon 5 and LMFAO. (--Here are this year's nominees.)
--"The Good Wife" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS. Amy Sedaris guest stars as Eli's rival.
--"American Dad" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. Sarah Michelle Gellar guests as a beautiful virtual girlfriend Stan creates for his son Steve.
--"Your Body on Drugs" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. Robin Williams hosts this candid, shocking and sobering journey into the psychophysiology of psychotropic drugs aided by high-end 3D CGI.
--"Kendra" [4th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on E!
--"How To Make It In America" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on HBO.
--"Kelly Osbourne" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on E! Kelly Osbourne speaks out about her unconventional upbringing, her struggles with addiction, and her career.
Mick Jagger Is Recording a Track with Will.I.Am:
This is either super cool or super depressing, depending on how you feel about the BLACK EYED PEAS. WILL.I.AM is recording a solo track with . . . MICK JAGGER. (???) --It's called "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)", and it also features JENNIFER LOPEZ. Will.I.Am and Jennifer will perform the track at the "American Music Awards" on Sunday night, and it'll be available on iTunes after the show. --It doesn't sound like Mick will join them. "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" is the first single off Will.I.Am's upcoming album, "Willpower" . . . which will be out sometime next year.
And Now . . . A Photo of Lady Gaga Making a British Baby Cry:
LADY GAGA is in London this week . . . and for some reason, a local couple wanted her to hold their baby for a photo --The self-proclaimed "Mother Monster" wasn't wearing anything TOO insane at the time . . . so no raw meat or anything . . . but she did look a little like the Wicked Witch of the West. The picture was taken with the baby BURSTING OUT IN TEARS. (--Here's the pic.) (People, Google Image Search)
Check Out Scott Weiland's Old-School "Winter Wonderland" Video:
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer SCOTT WEILAND put out a Christmas album last month called "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year". --And now, he's released an old-school video for his version of "Winter Wonderland". (--You can check it out at Music.Yahoo.com.)
"Deeply Discounted" Albums Will No Longer Count on the "Billboard" Charts:
Earlier this year, LADY GAGA'S "Born This Way" opened with sales of 1.11 million copies in its first week. That number was boosted by Amazon's two-day promotion, in which they were selling the whole album for 99 CENTS. --Well, "Billboard" has announced that they're changing their policy . . . so "deeply-discounted" music no longer counts on their charts. -"Billboard" will ignore any album that sells for less than $3.49 during its first four weeks of release . . . or any single sold for less than 39 cents in its first three months. --There's just one problem: In the case of "Born This Way", it was not Lady Gaga's promotion . . . it was Amazon's. Amazon used the sale to promote their cloud service, and accepted a loss in the process. --Lady Gaga didn't lose money on that deal . . . but in the future, artists may not be pleased if a big promotion gets in the way of them getting a good chart position.
Dr. Dre Is Taking a Break from Music . . . So "Detox" Is on Hold Again:
DR. DRE has been working on "Detox" for over a decade now, and the dude needs a break. So, he's going to go ahead and take one . . . BEFORE releasing "Detox". --Dre says, quote, "I've been working on music for 27 years now, and the longest I've ever been out of the studio in 27 years has been two weeks. I'm never gonna stop music, it's like air to me. --"I'm gonna take a little bit of a break, enjoy some time with the family." He's says that he'll return when he, quote, "gets that itch to get back in." (--Dre does a lot of production work for other artists, but he's only actually released TWO albums of his own in 20 YEARS. Also, taking a break before finishing a project is definitely an example of poor deadline management.)
FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Is EMMA ROBERTS cheating on CHORD OVERSTREET with ZAC EFRON? (Full Story)
"In Touch Weekly" says KATE MIDDLETON is six weeks pregnant with PRINCE WILLIAM'S first child. (Full Story)
A psycho who's been stalking SELENA GOMEZ was placed on psychiatric hold yesterday. (Video) (--And yet this nut continues to walk the streets.)
Were CHARLIE SHEEN and BROOKE MUELLER wasted when they appeared on Wednesday's "Entertainment Tonight" holding their kids? (Full Story)
HEIDI FLEISS says LINDSAY LOHAN would have been a great hooker, and she could have made MILLIONS off her. (Video)
A remake of the 1986 sci-fi classic "Highlander" is in the works. (Full Story)
There's a movie in the works based on the '80s videogame "Rampage", in which a giant werewolf, a gorilla and a Godzilla-like lizard lay waste to cities. (Full Story)
HLN has decided NOT to renew JOY BEHAR'S show. The final episode will air sometime next month. The show premiered in September of 2009. (Full Story)
"Survivor" will get at least three more seasons. CBS has renewed it through the NEXT TV season . . . meaning that "Survivor" will continue next spring, next fall, and in the spring of 2013. That will be the show's 26th season. (Full Story)
A woman is suing RYAN SEACREST . . . claiming she was "forced against her will" into a "bad girl" role on "Shahs of Sunset". That's the Persian version of "Jersey Shore", which Ryan is producing. She wants a cool $100,000. (Full Story)
Next fall, RICKI LAKE will begin hosting a new talk show. This one's called "The Ricki Lake Show" . . . not to be confused with her last show, "Ricki Lake", which aired from 1993 to 2004. (Full Story)
REGIS PHILBIN crashed a Vespa while taping a bit for "Letterman". He's OK. (Pictures)
Lee Pockriss . . . one of the guys who wrote the song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" . . . has died. He was 87. The song was co-written by Paul Vance, and was recorded by Brian Hyland in 1960. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
People Spend More Time Shopping Over the Holidays Than With Their Family:
"Consumer Reports" released the results of their Holiday Shopping Poll, and found that we'll spend 48 hours on holiday activities this year. Which somehow sounds LOW. --And according to their survey, the average American will spend 19 hours and 18 minutes shopping for gifts . . . which is five hours longer than we spend actually celebrating with family and friends. --We'll spend 13 hours and 42 minutes celebrating, which is an hour and a half LESS than last year. As for our 19 hours shopping, that's four hours MORE than we spent last year. --Part of the reason for the extra time is that we're looking for bargains: Twice as many people plan to spend less money this year than they did last holiday season. --More than four out of five people trust their family and friends for advice on what gifts to buy. One in three take advice from salespeople. And more people trust TV commercials than product reviews from experts. --Here are some other holiday activities and how much time they take up . . . --Travel: We'll spend eight and a half hours travelling . . . an hour and six minutes more than last year. --Wrapping presents: It'll take three hours to get everything wrapped. --And while shopping, the average American expects to spend THREE HOURS waiting in checkout lines. (Consumer Reports)
There's a Woman In Florida Already Lined Up Outside Best Buy for Black Friday:
You REALLY want to save $15 on a Blu-ray player THIS badly? --In St. Petersburg, Florida, there's a woman who's ALREADY camping out in front of a Best Buy for Black Friday. And she's been there since Wednesday . . . meaning she's doing NINE days of camping to be first in line for sales. --Her name is Christine Orta, and she's a college student who's on break right now, so she has the time. She says she's camping out because, quote, "You've got to pinch a penny . . . it's affordable right now." (Tampa Bay Online)
Half of Americans Have Re-Gifted a Present . . . and Two in Three Suspect They've Been Re-Gifted:
The home furnishings chain HomeGoods conducted a survey on re-gifting during the holidays. Here's what they found. --Two out of three people suspect they've been the recipient of a re-gift. And a lot of them are right, because more than HALF of people admit they've re-gifted . . . and one in three people have re-gifted more than once. --One in three re-gifters say they did it because they just didn't like the gift they'd received. Another one in three said they gave away one of their presents because it was a duplicate. One in four couldn't afford a new gift, so they gave one of theirs. --Three out of five people said they thought the person they gave it to would, quote, "appreciate it more." That begins what HomeGoods calls the "re-gifting cycle." --Those mandatory gift exchanges at work . . . like Secret Santas or Yankee Swaps . . . often lead to re-gifting. Two in five participants have gotten a gift that wasn't their style, or that they had no use for.
--Half of all suspected re-gifts came from outside the family. One in four came from co-workers, and about the same number came from friends and acquaintances. (MultiVu)
The TSA is Only the Third Most Annoying Thing About Flying:
Almost everyone seems to HATE the TSA. But it turns out . . . we hate EACH OTHER more. --The U.S. Travel Association just released the results of a survey on the things that annoy us most about flying. And the TSA only came in THIRD. Although, TSA-related things were third, fourth, AND fifth. --Here are the five most annoying things about flying, in order:
#1.) People who bring too many bags through the security checkpoint.
#2.) Uncomfortable seats on the plane.
#3.) The amount of time it takes to get through TSA checkpoints.
#4.) Having to take off your shoes, belt, and jacket for the TSA.
#5.) Unfriendly TSA employees.
(Los Angeles Times)
Here are the Top Things People are Thankful for This Thanksgiving . . . Including the Health of Their Family, Family Relationships, and Technology:
It's time for one of those "what are you thankful for" Thanksgiving surveys. And once we get the first few politically-correct answers out of the way, we can talk about what we're REALLY thankful for. --Here are the top things Americans are thankful for this Thanksgiving.
#1.) The health of their family, 85%
#2.) Family relationships, 85%
#3.) Technology that helps us keep in touch, 74%
#4.) All the technology that's out there, 66%
#5.) Their personal economic situation, 63%
#6.) Their work situation, 61%
#7.) Their personal safety, 56%
#8.) The way people treat each other, 36%
#9.) The economic situation in the U.S., 14%
--The survey also found that 45% say they have about as much to be thankful for this year as they did a few years ago. 32% have more to be thankful about, 18% have less, and 5% aren't sure. (Harris Interactive)
White Castle Released a Recipe for Stuffing Made Out of Their Burgers:
Am I wrong to say this sounds INCREDIBLE? If you REALLY want to switch up your Thanksgiving this year, White Castle just put out a press release with their official recipe . . . for stuffing made out of WHITE CASTLE BURGERS. --You'll need ten little White Castle sliders with the pickles removed, diced celery, thyme, sage, black pepper, and chicken broth. The recipe works for a ten-to-12-pound turkey. --White Castle stuffing has been around for years, but it's generally been kinda underground. So if this is the first you've heard of it, don't be mad . . . just make up for lost time by serving this stuffing ASAP. (White Castle) (--Here's the recipe.)
64% of Men Say They'd Spend More Time With Their Wives or Girlfriends If They Knew More About Sports:
This one comes from England . . . where "football" means "soccer" . . . but we get the feeling that it applies pretty well over here too. --In a new survey, 64% of men . . . or basically TWO out of THREE . . . say they'd spend more time with their wives or girlfriends if they knew more about football. --Women don't realize it's that big a deal . . . only 33% said they think learning more about football would lead to more quality relationship time. --Of the women surveyed, only 17% said they have even a decent understanding of football. -And just to sweeten the deal even more . . . half of men said they'd do more chores and laundry if they could watch football with their significant other . . . and a quarter say watching football would lead to less fighting. (FemaleFirst.co.uk)
Website of the Day . . . Check Out the New York City Street Grid Across the Entire Planet, and Find Your Cross Streets:
There's a random website you can check out the next time you hear New Yorkers talk about how they live at "34th and 2nd" or "118th and Lenox, homey." --The website is called ExtendNY.com, and it extended Manhattan's street grid across the entire planet. Enter your location, and find your cross streets --For example, someone in Helena, Montana is at 12,358th Avenue and 2,497th Street. Someone in Nepal is at 68,958th Avenue and 98,966th Street. And so on. (ExtendNY)
Hybrid Cars are Actually Safer in Crashes Because of Their Massive Batteries?
If you've ever looked at a hybrid car and thought, "Man, that thing would be a DEATH TRAP if it ever got in a crash" . . . you'd be WRONG. --A new study found that hybrids are actually 25% SAFER in crashes than standard cars of the same size. -Hybrids are actually 10% heavier than similar cars because of their massive batteries. --That weight helps them absorb the crash better, and increases your chance of walking away to participate in another drum circle or Occupy Wall Street protest. (--But since hybrids are so quiet, they're actually MORE dangerous for pedestrians, because it's difficult to hear the car approaching. So . . . take the good with the bad?) (Denver Post)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A Man Wearing a Shirt That Says "I'm a Drunk" is Arrested . . . for Drunk Driving:
It's almost like this guy could see into his own idiotic future. --On Wednesday night, 22-year-old Kevin Daly of Coram, New York was out wearing a T-shirt that's not as clever as he thinks it is. --The shirt reads, quote, "I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings." --So naturally, at 1:45 A.M., he was arrested . . . for drunk driving. --After crashing his 2000 Saturn into a police car. --Neither Kevin nor the officer in the car were seriously injured, but Kevin was quickly arrested for a DUI. --Believe it or not, he's NOT the first moron to be arrested in this T-shirt. In 2007, 41-year-old Amanda Lynn Bailey of Tampa, Florida was busted for DUI in the same T-shirt. (The Smoking Gun)
A Woman Has Been Arrested for Letting Her Nine-Year-Old Drive Himself to School "Because He Wanted To":
We see stories a lot about parents who get drunk, then somehow decide their best move is to have their little kids drive their cars. But this woman was STONE COLD SOBER when she let her kid drive. And that almost makes it WORSE. --On Tuesday morning, 34-year-old Tammy Oneal of Dover, Delaware was taking her nine-year-old son to Reily Brown Elementary School in her 1990 Toyota Corolla. --But she let her son drive the FULL quarter-mile to the school. Her reason? Quote, "Because he wanted to." --When he pulled up, tons of children, parents, and school employees saw him behind the wheel. Fortunately, no one was hurt. --Someone called the cops, and Tammy was arrested for reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. --There's a reason the kid was such a good driver. Tammy ended up telling the cops she's been letting him drive in a field since he was FIVE. (Dover Post)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
A pilot on a flight from North Carolina to New York got stuck in the bathroom on Wednesday night. And when a passenger with an accent knocked on the cockpit door to tell the co-pilot . . . he panicked and called air traffic control.
--But the main pilot eventually got out and called off an emergency landing. (Full Story) (--DELICIOUS AUDIO ALERT: Grab the co-pilot audio here.)
Two thirds of Black Friday shoppers will skip sleeping to get deals, half will skip breakfast, and one in three will skip showering. (Full Story)
42.5 million Americans will travel this Thanksgiving, up 4% from last year. (Full Story)
A woman in New York was arrested for driving a stolen car to a court date . . . and parking in the police lot. (Full Story)
A guy in Detroit took off on foot after a hit and run on Wednesday . . . leaving his two daughters behind . . . a two-month-old and a two-year-old. (Full Story)
There are two million people over age of 90 in the U.S. . . . triple the number 30 years ago. And it's expected to grow to 8.7 million in another 30 years. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) The New Hit on YouTube is . . . a Blonde Going the Wrong Way on an Escalator:
There's a new video on YouTube of some woman trying to go up the down escalator at a shopping mall. And it might have been staged, but it's already gotten over a million views. It's called "Blonde on an Escalator".
#2.) A Teacher in New Jersey Bullied a Special Needs Student . . . and the Student Got It on Video:
A 15-year-old special needs student in Gloucester County, New Jersey named Julio Artuz was being bullied by his TEACHER. And no one believed him. --So the next time it happened, Julio secretly recorded it with his cell phone. And now the teacher is on paid administrative leave while the school board decides what to do. --The video shows the teacher, Steven Roth, yelling at Julio, calling him a quote, "tard," and telling him, quote, "I will kick your [butt] from here to kingdom come." --Then Roth leans over Julio, and threatens to KEEP harassing him, even after he graduates. (--Search for "New Jersey Teacher Caught Bullying Special Needs Student." The footage starts at :11, and he leans over him at 1:22.)
LIFESTYLE NONSENSE
Four Signs the Person You're Dating Isn't Over Their Ex:
If you've got a date this weekend, here's something to help make sure they're as into YOU as much as you're into THEM. It's a list from "Glamour" magazine of four signs the person you're dating isn't over their ex.
#1.) They Dog-Sit. If the person you're dating got a dog with their ex, they might just miss the DOG. But it's still a red flag. And remember that dogs live a long time, so it also means their ex could be in the picture longer than you think.
#2.) They Still Text Each Other. It's okay if it's one or two texts that say something like, "I still have a box of your stuff." But if they're still texting because they want to stay FRIENDS, it might not really be over yet. --It's also bad if they text or call each other when they have big news.
#3.) They Talk About How Horrible Their Ex Was. It's better than talking about how GREAT they were. But it's still a sign they haven't moved on. If they HAVE moved on, they should be focused on YOU.
#4.) They Still Have Photos of the Person. On Facebook, it's understandable. Or if the pictures are in a shoebox in the closet, that's okay too. But if they still have pictures of their ex on the REFRIGERATOR, obviously that's a bad sign. (Glamour)
Four Tips for Bringing Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend Home for Thanksgiving:
Yesterday we heard that if you're RUDE to your boyfriend or girlfriend's family over the holidays, you have a 60% chance of being dumped. So if you're bringing a new date home for the first time this Thanksgiving, you're probably stressing out --But don't worry: We've got four tips to make the experience as painless as possible.
#1.) Prep Your Date. Give your boyfriend or girlfriend some pointers on how to handle the quirks of your family. If your grandfather doesn't hear well, your date will have to speak up. If your aunt is a cougarific lush . . . he needs the intel. --You should also tell them about any topics they should avoid. Politics and religion are the obvious ones, but if you know something else would be a sore spot . . . like someone who's been unemployed for a while . . . let your date know not to go there.
#2.) Get Your "How We Met" Story Down. Since this is the first time everyone's meeting each other, your family's going to ask how you guys met. -And if you don't want to tell them the truth . . . like you met in an Internet chat room for furries . . . you'll need to get your stories straight beforehand.
#3.) Relax. The best thing you and your date can do is relax as much as possible. Yeah, your family is going to be judging you the whole time, but being uptight and on edge is only going to make it worse.
#4.) Let Your Family Know How Much You Like Your Date. In the end, your family just wants you to be happy. So if you let them know how happy your boyfriend or girlfriend makes you, they'll ease up. (Examiner)
posted by Nazzy @ 5:55 AM
0 Comments
