HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (01-03-12)
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS OF THE STARS
Here Are Some of the Resolutions Your Favorite Celebs Have Made:
--LADY GAGA: "My new years resolution: Never be afraid to be kicked in the teeth. Let the blood and the bruises define your legacy."
--ASHTON KUTCHER: "In 2012 let's agree to a resolution to feel one another's pain & joy, & create the peace we desire through proactive generosity."
--HORATIO SANZ: "My New Years resolution is to stop setting cars on fire. #LAisLoco."
--TONY BENNETT: "My New Years resolution is to study piano and sculpting. Wishing you all the best in 2012!"
--ALYSSA MILANO: "My New Year's resolution is to figure out how to balance motherhood with taking care of myself."
--COLIN QUINN: "My New Years resolution is to stop smoking cursing and drinking. Darn I left my GD cigs in the bar. #oneoutofthreeaintbad #lol"
--OLIVIA MUNN: "My New Years Resolution: Reserve the word 'amazing' for things that are actually *amazing*. Like: This bagel is really good, *not* amazing."
--DAVE NAVARRO: "NY Resolution: Seek therapy for my addiction to that yelp sound a puppy makes when you step on its foot accidentally."
--DANICA PATRICK: "Resolution(s) - more green tea and cardio before breakfast. Why are these thoughts running through my head right now?"
--JIM GAFFIGAN: "My New Year's resolution? To be less laz."
--RACHEL MADDOW: "2011 new year's resolution to learn to de-beard mussels? check! with five hours to spare."
--STACY KEIBLER: "To stay centered and balanced and to breathe."
--APL.DE.AP of the BLACK EYED PEAS: "Work even harder, try to keep healthier and just keep going. Keep making music."
--HULK HOGAN: "My New Year's resolutions are to be a better person every day . . . I've moved on with my life, things are great again, and I know what it's like to be happy again."
--ABIGAIL BRESLIN: "Umm . . . To stop saying 'umm' so much!"
--ROB KARDASHIAN: "I have a dress sock line I'm working on . . . I want that to launch successfully. Obviously getting into shape is big for me . . . that's one of my main things."
(--Meanwhile, here's a list of celebrity resolutions from LAST year . . . along with an analysis of whether or not they were kept.)
Katy Perry and Russell Brand Are Divorcing:
As we closed in on Christmas, all the tabloids were trying to suggest that KATY PERRY was pregnant. Turns out they were going 180 degrees in the wrong direction. Because last week, Katy and RUSSELL BRAND SPLIT UP. --Russell filed for divorce on Friday. He issued a statement saying, quote, "Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends." --Sources say Katy wanted HIM to do the filing so she wouldn't upset her super-religious parents. --They'd been seen in public without their wedding rings leading up to the split, and they spent the holidays apart: She was in Hawaii and he was in England. --Britain's "Daily Mail" tabloid says Russell could be looking at a $30 MILLION divorce payout, because he and Katy didn't sign a prenup when they made The Big Mistake 14 months ago. --Under California law, that would mean a 50-50 split of their assets. And she's worth a lot more than he is. --As for what broke them up . . . nobody really knows at this point. -One source claims that Russell was jealous of Katy being the bigger star, and would, quote, "pick her to pieces over the most trivial things." --Another says they started bickering soon after the wedding because he gave up partying and substance abuse years ago . . . while Katy loved to go out. --Ironically, less than a month ago, Russell was denying rumors of a split on "Ellen". He said, quote, "I'm really happily married . . . I'm married to Katy. Perpetually, 'until death do us part' was the pledge. I'm still alive." (--Here's video.)
Sinead O'Connor Had the Shortest Celebrity Marriage of 2011:
In the waning moments of 2011, KIM KARDASHIAN and KRIS HUMPHRIES lost the title of the year's Shortest Celebrity Marriage to SINEAD O'CONNOR. --Sinead's quickie Las Vegas wedding resulted in a 16-DAY MARRIAGE. At 72 days, Kim and Kris were married four and a half times longer. --Surprisingly, Sinead's marriage did NOT end because her new groom refused her the BACKDOOR relations she so desperately needs. --Sinead blamed the split on people in her fourth husband's life who disapproved of their relationship . . . and also the fact that she took him on a crazy drive around Vegas looking for WEED to smoke on her wedding night. --She said, quote, "We ended up in a cab in some place that was quite dangerous. I wasn't scared . . . but he's a drugs counselor. What was I thinking? --"Then I was handed a load of crack. Barry was very frightened . . . that kind of messed everything up a bit, really." --She added, quote, "It became apparent to me that if he were to stay with me he would be losing too much to bear. A woman wants to be a joy to her husband. So . . . U love someone? Set them free." (--Here again is the list of short celebrity marriages that we ran when Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries split up.)
Yes Or No: Was Ashton Kutcher Out With a "Demi Moore Look-Alike"?
So here's what's going to happen: Every time ASHTON KUTCHER is seen out with a woman for the next year or so, she's going to be judged by how much she does or doesn't look like DEMI MOORE. --With that in mind, today we play YES OR NO? with the latest chick Ashton was seen with. --Her name is LORENE SCAFARIA. She's a 33-year-old writer, actress and musician who was recently photographed with Ashton and one of his business partners at a nightclub. --She's got straight, black hair . . . so she was immediately branded a Demi Moore look-alike. (--Check out some pics here . . . along with a few clearer shots of Lorene.) (Radar Online, Google Image 1, Google Image 2) (--You've seen the photos . . . now it's time to vote: Is this chick a Demi look-alike? Yes or no?) --For the record, Ashton's rep says he and Lorene are JUST FRIENDS, and are working on a possible project involving an Italian soccer team . . . whatever that means.
Are Rihanna and Chris Brown Exchanging Romantic Tweets?
Next month it'll be three years since CHRIS BROWN viciously attacked RIHANNA the night before the Grammys. And now, it sounds like they're exchanging romantic Tweets. --Last week, Chris Tweeted, quote, "Love U more than u know!" And just two minutes later, Rihanna Tweeted, quote, "I'll always love you #1love." --Does it mean anything? We have no idea.
Holiday Engagements:
#1.) LEBRON JAMES proposed to longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson during a New Year's Eve dinner party hosted by Miami Heat teammate DWYANE WADE. LeBron and Savannah have two sons, ages 7 and 4. (Full Story)
#2.) MICHAEL JORDAN is getting married again. He popped the question to Cuban model Yvette Prieto over Christmas weekend. Michael is 48 . . . Yvette is 32. They've been together three years. (Full Story)
#3.) Singer JOHN LEGEND and his girlfriend, model Chrissy Teigen, got engaged during a holiday vacation in the Maldives. (Full Story)
#4.) MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY and CAMILA ALVES got engaged over Christmas. They have a 3-year-old son named Levi and a 2-year-old daughter named Vida. (Full Story)
#5.) ARETHA FRANKLIN is engaged to her longtime companion William "Willie" Wilkerson. Aretha, who is 69, says, quote, "We're looking at June or July for our date and no, I'm not pregnant." (Full Story)
The Top-Grossing Movies of 2011:
Here are the Top-Grossing Movies of 2011, based on worldwide box office:
#1.) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", $1.3 billion
#2.) "Transformers: Dark of the Moon", $1.1 billion
#3.) "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", $1 billion
#4.) "Kung Fu Panda 2", $663 million
#5.) "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1", $648 million
#6.) "Fast Five", $626 million
#7.) "The Hangover Part 2", $581.5 million
#8.) "The Smurfs", $562.4 million
#9.) "Cars 2", $551.9 million
#10.) "Rio", $484.6 million
#11.) "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", $481.2 million
#12.) "Thor", $448.5 million
#13.) "Captain America", $368.4 million
#14.) "X-Men: First Class", $353.6 million
#15.) "Puss in Boots", $331.3 million
#16.) "Bridesmaids", $288.4 million
#17.) "Real Steel", $276.4 million
#18.) "The Adventures of Tintin", $274.9 million
#19.) "Super 8", $259.9 million
#20.) "Rango", $245.1 million
"Mission: Impossible" Won the New Year's Box Office with $38.3 Million:
There were no new releases this weekend, which let TOM CRUISE'S "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" claim the #1 spot for the second week in a row. --It made $38.3 million over the four-day holiday weekend, and it's made $141 million in the three weeks since it came out. --ROBERT DOWNEY JR.'S "Sherlock Holmes" took the runner-up spot with $26.5 million, bringing its three-week haul to $137 million. And "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" rounded out the top three with $21 million.
A Teaser for the New Season of "Punk'd" Features Miley Cyrus Playing a Naughty Prank on Khloe Kardashian:
MTV has released a teaser for the return of "Punk'd" . . . and it features MILEY CYRUS and KELLY OSBOURNE playing a naughty prank on KHLOE KARDASHIAN. --Here's the set-up: Miley and Kelly had Khloe over to hang out. They ordered food, and when the delivery guy came, he asked to use the bathroom. Naturally, that didn't go smoothly. --The guy pretended to get his low hanging fruit stuck in the zipper of his pants, and Khloe called 911 for help while the guy was in front of her . . . with his junk out . . . reeling in pain. (--You can find the clip on MTV.com. WARNING: Preview this clip before playing it on the air. It includes the words "balls," "genitals" and "seminal fluid" . . . and may not be appropriate for your audience.) --"Punk'd" will return on March 19th. This time ASHTON KUTCHER isn't hosting . . . he's just an executive producer. --There was talk that JUSTIN BIEBER would be the new host . . . but instead they're going to have a revolving door of celebrity guest hosts. --Justin and Miley will be two of them . . . along with Kellan Lutz, Bam Margera and Dax Shepard, who appeared in the original show, which ran from 2003 to 2007. More guest hosts will be announced later on.
Khloe Kardashian Wants To Change Her Hair Color, But Her Mom and the E! Network Won't Let Her:
KHLOE KARDASHIAN is 27 years old . . . but she isn't even allowed to change the color of her hair without permission. --RadarOnline.com says Khloe wants to go blonde, but E! and her mom, KRIS JENNER, won't let her. Earlier this year, Khloe dyed her hair red, and supposedly she immediately had to switch it back. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "Executives at E! want Khloe to remain a brunette so that it doesn't date the series when it re-runs. [They] want all of the sisters to have a similar look because the girls are branded as sisters . . --"And having one of them showing up on screen with hair a different color, throws that off, and they don't want to alienate viewers." (???) (--If you want to see Khloe with blonde hair, here's an old picture.) (KhloeKardashian.celebuzz.com)
Kris Jenner Can Be Killed with a Bee Sting . . . Plus, Other Annoying Things You Don't Know About Her:
KRIS JENNER did one of "Us" magazine's 25 Things You Don't Know About Me features. It's a pretty annoying list . . . but there is one valuable piece of information: Kris can be KILLED with a bee sting. --That is, unless she was exaggerating when she said, quote, "I am deathly allergic to bees, and carry an EpiPen with me at all times."
--Here are a few other "highlights" from her list:
--"I make a killer guacamole." (--We're assuming that's "killer" in the figurative sense. Not that it somehow involves live bees or anything like that.)
--"I relax by organizing my drawers."
--"My celebrity crush is Alec Baldwin."
--"I get the same three gray hairs colored every two weeks with my hairdresser . . . for the last 30 years!" (--Three gray hairs. Sure.)
--"I love to wear sexy matching lingerie."
--"I feel naked without sunglasses on, even at night."
--"I collect waaaay too many sets of dishes."
--"I sang in my own music video, 'I Love My Friends', in 1985." (--Here's that video. O.J. SIMPSON is shown as one of her "friends" at the 3:23 mark. Of course, Kris' then-husband ROBERT KARDASHIAN later helped O.J. get off the hook for murdering his wife.)
(--You can find Kris' full list at UsMagazine.com.)
Fox Has Cancelled "So You Think You Can Dance's" Results Show:
If you like "So You Think You Can Dance" . . . but hate spending two nights of your summer inside watching a reality competition show, there's good news: "So You Think You Can Dance" will only be half the time commitment next summer. --That's because Fox has canceled the results show. --Obviously, there will be RESULTS . . . so the format will need to be changed so that the show can operate without the extra episode each week. There aren't any details on how that will work yet. --Season Nine will premiere in late May.
Tuesday TV Reminders:
--"The Biggest Loser" [13th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC.
--"Work It" [Series Premiere] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. This modern version of "Bosom Buddies" is about two guys who dress up as women in order to get a job in this bad economy. It stars Amaury Nolasco, who was Fernando on "Prison Break", and Ben Koldyke, who played Don Frank on "How I Met Your Mother".
(--The original "Bosom Buddies" starred Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari as two guys who pretended to be women to score a sweet apartment.)
--"Celebrity Wife Swap" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. Gary Busey swaps 'wives' with Ted Haggard for a week. Haggard was the founder of the evangelical New Life Church who was caught in a gay sex and drugs scandal five years ago.
--"Jane by Design" [Series Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC Family. Andie MacDowell plays a fashion executive who has a teenager "with a keen fashion sense" for an assistant.
--"Parenthood" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. "The Closer's" Frances Sternhagen guest stars as Zeek's mom.
NEW ON VIDEO THIS WEEK
Most of us are still hung over from New Year's Eve parties, so there aren't any big CD releases out this week. But we do have a decent selection of DVDs for you. Here's what's new in stores today . . .
--"Contagion" - The medical thriller from director Steven Soderbergh 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)
--"I Don't Know How She Does It" - Sarah Jessica Parker plays a working mom juggling a high stress job with the strain of losing time with her kids. Greg Kinnear is her unemployed husband, Kelsey Grammer plays her boss, and Pierce Brosnan is a guy who takes an interest in her at work. Christina Hendricks,"SNL's" Seth Meyers, and Olivia Munn are in it too. (Trailer)
--"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (R)
Guillermo Del Toro directs this remake of a 1973 horror movie about a woman who inherits an old mansion, and accidentally releases creatures that whisper her name from the basement. In this one they're terrorizing a little girl. Her dad is played by "Memento's" Guy Pearce. And Katie Holmes plays his girlfriend. (Trailer) (Original)
--"Shark Night 3D" - A group of college students are trapped on an island surrounded by a lake stocked with hungry sharks. 3D carnage ensues. The doomed cast includes Katharine McPhee, who parlayed her "American Idol" fame into an acting career.
--It's directed by the guy who did the second and fourth "Final Destination" movies, director David Ellis. More importantly, he also did "Snakes on a Plane". (Trailer)
--"Puncture" - Chris Evans plays a drug-addicted lawyer who takes the case of an ER nurse pricked by a contaminated needle . . . and confronts a conspiracy to prevent safer syringes from being used. (Trailer)
--"The Guard" - An Irish buddy cop movie starring Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson, who you'd know as Mad Eye Moody in the "Harry Potter" movies. Gleeson plays a cop in Ireland and Cheadle is an FBI liaison helping him take down an international drug smuggling ring. (Trailer) (Uncensored)
TV Series On DVD:
--"Justified: The Complete Second Season" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"Royal Pains: Season Three - Volume One" . . . a two-disc DVD set.
VIDEO GAME QUICK HITS
"NFL Blitz" and the Biggest Games to Expect in 2012:
--The only new game this week is "NFL Blitz". Instead of 11-man teams, each side has seven players, and there are fewer rules. And if you dominate your opponents, you earn "Blitz Bucks" that can be spent on players, team logos, and even playable mascots. You can download it on Xbox Live and PS3 today. (Trailer)
--There's a rumor that the controller for the next Nintendo system . . . the Wii U . . . will be a fully functional e-reader for books, magazines, and strategy guides for games. (Full Story)
--Someone put together a list of the Big Games of 2012. It includes new releases from high profile franchises like "Halo 4", "Mass Effect 3", "Borderlands 2", and "BioShock Infinite". (Full Story)
--In the two weeks since "Star Wars: The Old Republic" was released, players have spent over 60 million hours playing the game, battled each other in over 44 million player vs. player battles, and killed over three BILLION computer-controlled enemies. (Full Story)
--Just in case you missed it, Sara Underwood from G4's "Attack of the Show" participated in Portland, Oregon's 'World Naked Bike Ride' this past June. Enjoy the video. (--She unzips her top to display nude-colored pasties at :43, and bikes off naked at :55, although she's wearing flesh-colored underwear.) (Video)
LMFAO's Redfoo Ended a DJ Set in Honduras Early After the Venue Caught Fire:
REDFOO from LMFAO abruptly ended a DJ set in Honduras last Wednesday night after the venue's electrical system caught fire. --It wasn't a full-on LMFAO show. Singer SKY BLU is dealing with a "severe back injury," and is taking it easy for the next month. Their tour is scheduled to resume in February.) --Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt . . . but 15 people were treated for smoke inhalation. --After the show, RedFoo tactfully Tweeted, quote, "Epic concert tonight!!!! Everybody in Honduras, we set the place on fire!!!! Sorry for Party Rocking . . . yeah baby. --"They told us that there was a fire when we were on stage. Then we went to the dressing rooms and there was smoke in the halls. --"On a serious note: Hope everybody is safe from the fire tonight! Love you, Honduras!" -According to reports, the local authorities believe the fire may have been set intentionally . . . but there aren't any other details.
Elton John Wants Justin Timberlake to Play Him in a Movie:
There's an ELTON JOHN movie in development called "Rocketman" . . . and Elton DOES have someone he'd like to see in the starring role: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE. --Elton tells the "Los Angeles Times", quote, "[Justin] played me before in a video . . . and was superb." (--That video . . . for "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" . . . was done by photographer David LaChapelle. You can find it on YouTube.) --It's unclear if Justin is interested . . . but if he's free, you'd have to assume that he would be. And Elton has a say, since he's a producer on the project.
There Are Finally Some Details on What Van Halen Is Up To:
After at least a year of speculation, VAN HALEN is finally letting us know what they have planned for 2012. And as expected, it's a tour with DAVID LEE ROTH . . . and a new album. --Dates for the tour haven't been announced . . . although that's expected to happen TODAY. The band said the first tickets will go on sale next Tuesday. --Van Halen has also scheduled a small club event in New York City for Thursday. They've invited some local journalists, but it's unclear if any tickets will be available to the public. No one is saying what that's all about. --As for the album, word has it that it's coming out on February 7th . . . and that the first single will be out next Tuesday, but there aren't any other details.
Videos from Snoop Dogg's Appearance on "The Price Is Right":
SNOOP DOGG was on "The Price Is Right" yesterday, for the show's Celebrity Charity Week. --Every day this week, a celebrity is "assisting" a regular contestant. The contestant keeps their winnings . . . but "The Price Is Right" matches that amount, and sends it to the celebrity's charity. --In the end, Snoop won over $72,000 for his inner city youth football league. --Later in the show, Snoop even assisted host DREW CAREY, by announcing the prizes in the Showcase Showdown. (--The videos are on YouTube. Here's Snoop revealing the showcases . . . and announcing the winner.) (--And here's another video of Snoop on the show, which includes a rap . . . and here's video of him helping his contestant.)
Heavy D Died from a Pulmonary Embolism:
Last week, the L.A. coroner's office revealed that HEAVY D died of a pulmonary embolism, which is basically a blood clot in the lungs. He also had heart disease, which could have contributed to his death. Heavy D died on November 8th. He was 44 years old.
FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
DEREK JETER and MINKA KELLY might be back together. (Full Story)
ALEX RODRIGUEZ may be taking a page out of GEORGE CLOONEY'S book by dating a former WWE diva. Sources say he's been hanging out with STACY KEIBLER'S buddy TORRIE WILSON. (Full Story)
On Saturday Night, RYAN SEACREST announced that BEYONCÉ couldn't be at ABC's New Year's special live because she was, quote, "about to give birth to her first child." But it turns out she probably HASN'T given birth yet. And on New Year's Eve, she was seen having dinner with JAY-Z. (Full Story)
The "National Enquirer" says WILL SMITH was spotted partying with a hot blonde in South Beach. JADA PINKETT was, obviously, nowhere to be found. (Full Story)
DENNIS RODMAN'S new gig is coaching a women's basketball team. A TOPLESS women's basketball team. (Full Story)
DAVID ARQUETTE is celebrating a year of sobriety. (Full Story)
A 64-year-old man was arrested for knocking on LINDSAY LOHAN'S door and demanding to speak with her. (Full Story)
There was a report last week that the chimp who played Cheetah in the "Tarzan" movies in the 1930s had died at the age of 80. Now there's talk that the whole thing was a hoax. (Full Story)
An estimated 22.6 million people tuned in to ABC for "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" on Saturday night. That was the special's biggest audience in 11 years. (Full Story)
73-year-old blues singer ETTA JAMES is breathing on her own again. Back on December 21st, she had to be placed on a respirator. Etta isn't out of the woods though. She's been battling leukemia, dementia and kidney failure over the past few years, and is considered to be terminally ill. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
THE GOOD NEWS
Nine Passers-By Pulled Three Kids From a Submerged Car in Utah:
Here's an amazing and uplifting story to start 2012 on a positive note. --On New Year's Eve, 46-year-old Roger Anderson lost control of his Honda Accord when he tried to stop on a slippery road near Logan Canyon, about 85 miles north of Salt Lake City. --He went off the road, crashed into the icy Logan Canyon River, and was trapped inside with three kids: His nine-year-old daughter, his four-year-old son, and another nine-year-old girl. --Luckily, a defense contractor and former cop named Chris Willden was driving behind them and saw the accident. --First, he used his handgun to shoot out the car windows. Then he tried reaching inside the car but wasn't able to grab anyone. --Chris said, quote, "I remember thinking to myself, 'You're going to see some dead kids, get ready.' I've got three of my own and it was going to be an awful start to the New Year." --But eight OTHER people saw the accident, and came down the embankment to help out. --They helped to turn the car upright, so Chris could cut the kids loose from their seatbelts. One kid was fine, but the other two were unconscious . . . so one of the rescuers gave them CPR and revived them before the paramedics arrived. --The four people in the car were hospitalized and treated for hypothermia, but they're going to be okay. (Chicago Sun Times) (--Take a look at the car in the river here.)
A Woman Lost Her Wedding Ring 16 Years Ago . . . and Just Found It Growing on a Carrot in Her Garden:
The problem with wedding and engagement rings is that they cost a DAMN FORTUNE, they carry a TON of sentimental value, and they're SUPER easy to lose. --Back in 1995, Lena Paahlsson of northern Sweden was baking for Christmas and her wedding ring vanished. Her family searched everywhere . . . they even pulled up the floorboards . . . but they couldn't find it. --Now, SIXTEEN YEARS LATER, Lena was in her garden picking carrots, and found one with her RING wrapped around it. --Here's what her family thinks happened: The ring fell down the drain . . . they fed the contents of the garbage disposal to their sheep . . . the ring passed through the sheep's digestive system . . . and they used the sheep's waste to fertilize the garden. --Since the ring was part of their compost, it made it into the garden, and somehow a carrot grew RIGHT THROUGH THE RING. --Of course, 16 years have passed. And as it goes in marriage, the ring doesn't fit Lena's finger anymore. She says she's planning to have it resized because, quote, "I had given up hope, now that I've found it, I want to be able to use it." (BBC) (--Here's a photo of the ring on the carrot, and also one of Lena with her husband, Ola.)
57% of New Year's Resolutions to Lose Weight Succeed . . . and So Do 36% of Resolutions to Quit Smoking:
The big joke about New Year's resolutions is that they never succeed. Or, at least they succeed until about January 13th. --But maybe people are better at keeping resolutions than we thought. --According to a new nationwide survey, in the past five years, 57% of people who made a New Year's resolution to lose weight say they succeeded. And 36% of people who resolved to quit smoking say they succeeded. --Almost one-third of Americans have made a resolution to lose weight since 2006. Losing between 10 and 30 pounds is the most popular goal . . . the second-most popular is losing 30 to 50 pounds. --About two in five smokers say they've made a New Year's resolution to quit in the last five years. --For 2012, 51% of people say their resolution is to exercise more. 35% of people resolve to lose weight. Only 9% of smokers say they made a New Year's resolution to quit. (PR Newswire)
Meet the Two Sets of Twins Born on New Year's Eve . . . Where One Baby Was Born in 2011 and the Other Was Born in 2012:
We've got two stories here today about newborn twins who were born a few days ago . . . and managed to come out in DIFFERENT YEARS. Check it out . . . --On New Year's Eve, Brighid Rosputni of Buffalo, New York went into labor. -At 11:37 P.M. on December 31st, she gave birth to the first of her twin boys, Ronan. His brother, Rory, didn't come out until 12:10 A.M. So Ronan's birthday is December 31st, 2011 . . . and Rory's is January 1st, 2012. --Almost the exact same thing happened in Rapid City, South Dakota . . . only the birth times were even closer. --Jolene Anthony of Rapid City gave birth to her daughter Kylee at 11:59 P.M. on December 31st. Her twin brother John Junior came out four minutes later, at 12:03 A.M. on January 1st. (Buffalo News / Rapid City Journal) (--Here's a photo of Brighid, her husband Thomas, and Ronan and Rory . . . and one of Jolene, her husband John, and Kylee and John Junior.)
The List of Banished Words for 2012 Includes "Baby Bump," "Occupy," and "Ginormous":
Every New Year's since 1975, linguists at Lake Superior State University in Michigan have put out a list of words that need to be BANISHED.
--They're words and phrases that have been worn out and overused . . . and were generally kinda useless to begin with. And they NAILED the list for 2012. Here are some of the words that need to be BANISHED from English this year . . .
--Baby bump. Quote, "I'm tired of pregnancy being reduced to a celebrity accessory. Or worse, when less-than-six-pack abs are suspected of being one."
--Occupy. Quote, "It has been overused and abused, even to promote Black Friday shopping."
--Man cave. Quote, "It's not just overused [and corny], it's offensive to males who do not wish to [create] a room filled with stuffed animal heads, an unnecessarily large flat-screen TV and Hooters memorabilia."
--Win the future. Used by both OBAMA and GINGRICH. Quote, "It's an empty, meaningless phrase. It basically says that anyone who opposes anything meant to 'win the future' must want to 'lose the future,' which is highly unlikely."
--Ginormous. Quote, "This combination . . . makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck every time I hear it." (LSSU.edu)
(--Check out the full list here. Also, we'd like to make an addition of our own: "Absolutely." Like how every time the announcers in a football game throw it to a female reporter on the sidelines, she begins with "Absolutely.")
Happy Hour is Now Banned in Utah . . . and Six Other Stupid New Laws:
Utah is DETERMINED to keep its reputation as the least alcohol-friendly state in the country. And this definitely helps. --As of January 1st, a new Utah state law makes it illegal to offer drink specials based on the time of the day. In other words . . . they've made happy hour illegal. --That's the most notable state law that went into effect for the New Year. Overall, more than 40,000 new laws went into effect nationwide. Here are a few of the other highlights . --It's now illegal to sell or trade SHARK FINS in Oregon and California. And New York has made it illegal to possess or sell BEAR GALLBLADDERS. --California also became the first state to require students to learn about the contributions of gays and lesbians. --Illinois is starting a new public database, similar to the sex offender registry, featuring people who've been convicted of first-degree murder. --Illinois is also letting people on motorcycles blow through red lights . . . if the light fails to change to green after a, quote, "reasonable length of time." --And Georgia is requiring golf carts to have more safety features . . . like braking systems and horns . . . because it's now legal to drive them on the street. (FOX News)
If You're an Aries You're More Likely to Commit Crimes, and if You're a Sagittarius You're Least Likely?
So this data just comes from one city in Canada. But it's so intriguing we still HAD to tell you about it. --Last week, police in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada crunched the data on the ZODIAC SIGNS of everyone they arrested in 2011. And they figured out a ranking of which zodiac signs are most and least likely to commit crimes. --Turns out people who are Aries are the most likely to commit crimes . . . and people who are Sagittarius are least likely. Sagittarius committed 18% fewer crimes in 2011 than Aries. Here's the full ranking, in order from most to least likely to commit a crime.
#1.) Aries, people born March 21st to April 19th.
#2.) Libra, September 23rd to October 22nd.
#3.) Virgo, August 23rd to September 22nd.
#4.) Leo, July 23rd to August 22nd.
#5.) Pisces, February 19th to March 20th.
#6.) TIE: Scorpio, October 23rd to November 21st and Capricorn, December 22nd to January 19th.
#7.) Gemini, May 21st to June 20th.
#8.) Cancer, June 21st to July 22nd.
#9.) Taurus, April 20th to May 20th.
#10.) Aquarius, January 20th to February 18th.
#11.) Sagittarius, November 22nd to December 21st. (National Post)
There's a New Website Where You Sell the Stuff You're Left With After a Break Up:
Sometimes when you break up with someone, you need to get rid of ANYTHING that reminds you of them. Gifts, clothing, music, jewelry, wedding dress, whatever . . . you need it gone. And putting it on eBay just isn't enough. --So now there's a new website called NeverLikedItAnyway.com. It's a marketplace where you can sell all the painful items left over after a break up . . . AND tell your break up story to give the items some context. --And if you haven't recently been dumped, it's a good site to check out . . . because people are selling some pretty valuable stuff at good discounts just to get rid of it. You might as well cash in on their pain. (Time)
Boston is Number One on the List of America's Drunkest Cities:
You get the feeling that NO ONE in Boston is going to be disappointed to win this title. "The Daily Beast" just released their annual list of AMERICA'S DRUNKEST CITIES . . . and Boston came in number one. --The list is based on the average drinks per person per month, and the rate of heavy and binge drinkers in the city. The average Bostonian puts down 15.5 drinks per month . . . and 20.1%, or one of five people, are binge drinkers.
--Here's the full top 10 . . .
#1.) Boston, Massachusetts, 15.5 drinks per month, 20.1% binge drinkers.
#2.) Springfield, Massachusetts, 14.6 drinks per month, 19.5% binge drinkers.
#3.) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 15.7 drinks per month, 18.9% binge drinkers.
#4.) Reno, Nevada, 14.5 drinks per month, 18.1% binge drinkers.
#5.) San Antonio, Texas, 14.2 drinks per month, 19.4% binge drinkers.
#6.) Chicago, Illinois, 15.5 drinks per month, 17.2% binge drinkers.
#7.) Austin, Texas, 15.5 drinks per month, 18.4% binge drinkers.
#8.) St. Louis, Missouri, 14.4 drinks per month, 18% binge drinkers.
#9.) San Diego, California. 14.1 drinks per month, 17.7% binge drinkers.
#10.) Tucson, Arizona. 14.2 drinks per month, 16.8% binge drinkers.
(The Daily Beast)
A New Study Finds You Can Wear Jeans For Three Months Without Smelling Bad:
We're not sure why this needed to be studied . . . but at least Australia's tax dollars supported it, not ours. --Tullia Jack is a researcher at Melbourne University, and she found that if you wear the same pair of jeans for three months . . . they don't smell that bad. --Tullia had 30 volunteers wear jeans five days a week for three months without washing them. The volunteers spilled all kinds of things on their jeans, including tuna, avocado, motor oil, and chocolate. --After the three months were up, the volunteers gave the dirty jeans back to Tullia, and she SMELLED them. She said she could smell eggshells and caramel, but, quote, "The jeans don't smell socially challenging. They just smell like people." --Tullia is doing the study to challenge society's culture of "extreme clean" and save water by reducing the amount of laundry. She said, quote, "You really don't need to wash clothes as often as you think. Stains come and go. They just WEAR OFF." --About half of the volunteers had a rough patch between three and six weeks, where they didn't think they could keep wearing the jeans without washing them. --But they stuck it out, and some said they wanted to keep wearing their dirty jeans even after three months. Some even stopped washing their shirts and other items of clothing. --Tullia plans to put the 30 pairs of jeans on display at the National Gallery to let other people smell for themselves. (News.com.au)
Here's What Happens When You Flush With the Toilet Seat Up . . . and It's Nasty:
Let's all try to be mature about this story, even though it makes actual scientific use of the term "poop spraying." Thank you. --We've got a FILTHY new study out of Leeds Teaching Hospitals in the U.K. And the results just might lead to an immediate, permanent change in your behavior. --Researchers found that when you flush the toilet after you do your dirty business, and you leave the toilet seat up, you're literally spraying your bathroom with tiny bits of feces. Yes, poop spraying is a very real thing. --And those bits get everywhere, on every surface you touch. On your toothbrush. On your clothes. On anything you brought in. --Naturally, that can potentially lead to spreading some pretty nasty bacteria. Researchers found that the poop spraying could spread C. difficile bacteria . . . which, fittingly, causes diarrhea. And the cycle continues. --They found that when people with C. difficile used the toilet and flushed, the air was FILLED with the flying bacteria. Sixty minutes after the flush, the amount of C. difficile in the air had decreased eight-fold, and after 90 minutes it decreased another three-fold. -So . . . the conclusion here is that you should REALLY think about putting the toilet lid down when you flush, to keep everything more contained inside the bowl. (ABC News)
A 99-Year-Old Is Divorcing His Wife After Finding Out She Had an Affair . . . In the 1940s:
In case you had any doubt, this story confirms it: There's NO statute of limitations on cheating. -A 99-year-old Italian man named in court papers as Antonio C. is filing for divorce from his 96-year-old wife Rosa after finding out right before Christmas that she'd had an affair . . . in the 1940s. --The couple's been married for 77 years, and they have five children, 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. --Antonio was going through an old chest of drawers when he found a stack of love letters between Rosa and her HOT ITALIAN LOVER. The court papers didn't say how long the affair lasted. --He confronted Rosa, and she confessed to the whole thing. He filed for divorce, and Rosa doesn't plan to contest it. --Antonio walked out on Rosa before. Ten years ago, he moved out and stayed at his son's house for a few weeks, before the couple was able to patch things up. (Telegraph)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A Man Tries to Buy a Vacuum Cleaner and a Microwave at Walmart . . . Using a One Million Dollar Bill:
It's always great when someone incredibly stupid believes everyone else is dumber than they are . . . and tries to pull off an absolutely BONEHEADED crime. --Back on November 17th, 53-year-old Michael Fuller of Lexington, North Carolina went to Walmart and picked up about $476 worth of merchandise . . . including a vacuum cleaner and a microwave. --And when he got to the register, he tried to pay with . . . a MILLION-DOLLAR BILL.
-Yes, one of those novelty million-dollar bills that are usually oversized and have, like, the Statue of Liberty's face on them. The clerk refused to take it . . . even though Michael INSISTED it was real. --There's no word on whether he was planning to demand $999,524 in change. --It took the police more than a month to track down Michael, but he was finally busted last week for two felonies: Attempting to obtain property by false pretense and using a forgery. He'll be in court today. --For what it's worth, the largest bill ever printed in the U.S. was the $100,000 bill. It featured WOODROW WILSON'S face . . . they were only made from December of 1934 through January of 1935 . . . and the bills were never circulated to the general public. (Winston-Salem Journal)
A Judge Mocked a Guy For Trying To Bribe His Way Out of an Arrest With Miami Dolphins Tickets:
There's only one thing worse than getting convicted for attempted bribery: Getting mocked by the judge for choosing a lousy bribe. --Police caught 23-year-old Eric Topalian of Boca Raton, Florida in possession of a controlled substance on Saturday. --Not a problem: Eric knew how the wheels of justice were greased. He tried to bribe his way out of the arrest by offering the cop two tickets to Sunday's Miami Dolphins game. --That would be the same Miami Dolphins who lost their first seven games this season, and fired their coach two weeks ago. --The Dolphins finished the season with a 6-10 record. And they were playing the New York Jets, who finished with an 8-8 record. Neither team made the playoffs, and tickets were going on Craigslist for $49 a pair. --So in addition to the possession charge, Eric got hit with bribery, threatening a public servant, and resisting arrest. Plus, he got mocked by the judge for his worthless bribe. --Judge Timothy McCarthy asked Eric, quote, "Have you been watching the Dolphins? No one's going to go to that game." --And the judge was right. The crowd was 10,000 short of a sellout, and the team had to buy back thousands of unsold tickets so the game could be shown on TV. (Palm Beach Post)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
If you're an Occupy Wall Street type, you might want to know about John Hammergren . . . possibly America's highest-paid CEO. He runs a medical supply company in California called McKesson Corporation, and he pulled in $145 million last year. (Full Story)
Photos of the Day: What would Barbie's house look like if she was a hoarder? (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) Kathie Lee Gifford Said "BJ" on Live TV . . . and the Best News Bloopers of 2011:
On Friday's episode of the "Today" show, an audience member asked HODA KOTB what she usually does on New Year's Eve, and Hoda said that until she met her boyfriend . . . whose name is Jay . . . she didn't do much. --Then KATHIE LEE GIFFORD responded by saying, quote, "Before Jay . . . B.J." When the crew started laughing, she pretended like she didn't know what she'd said. (--Search for "Kathie Lee Gifford Doesn't Know What a BJ Is." She says it at :13.)
(--And for a round-up of the best recent local news bloopers, search YouTube for the Best Local News Bloopers of 2011. Some of them are actually older than that, but our more recent favorites include the moments at 3:02 and 3:42.) (--WARNING: There's profanity at :41, :48, and 6:03.)
#2.) A "Skycam" Crashed Onto the Field at a College Football Bowl Game . . . and Almost Landed on One of the Players:
One of ESPN's remote-controlled "Skycam" cameras fell on the field and almost landed on a player at the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona Friday night. --It was one of those cameras that's attached to wires over the field so it can shoot from above. And it barely missed Iowa receiver Martin McNutt Jr. One of the wires looked like it actually DID hit him, but he was fine. (--Search for "Insight Bowl Skycam Crash Fiasco." They show it at :49, and the announcers do a play-by-play of it getting dragged off the field around 1:22.)
#3.) Here's How to Impress Your Friends, Wreck Your Back, and Ruin a Truck All at the Same Time:
Here's a good way to impress your friends . . . and probably SHATTER YOUR BACK in the process: There's a video on CollegeHumor.com of some guy ramping an old beat-up truck off a snow bank. And he gets WAY more air than you expect. --At the peak of it, he's about 15 feet off the ground. Then he lands REALLY hard. (--Search for "Insane Pickup Truck Snowbank Jump." WARNING: This video includes the S-word.)
#4.) Drunk Guests at a Denver Hotel Brawled and Got Sick in the Hallways After a Computer Glitch Locked Them Out of Their Rooms on New Year's Eve:
2012 started off rough for a Marriott hotel in Denver this weekend, when a glitch in their computer system caused the keys for all 628 rooms to STOP WORKING. And it happened right before midnight on New Year's Eve. --So in other words, everyone came back to the hotel drunk, then couldn't go to bed . . . for about four hours. As you might expect, several fights broke . . . and some of the guests even got SICK in the hallways. --There's a news report online that shows people standing around, and sitting outside their rooms. According to the hotel, they all got their money back. (--Search for "New Year's Guests Locked Out of Denver Marriott." It shows people outside their rooms at :27, and a hotel spokesman talks about it at :51.)
The Four Biggest Food Price Hikes of 2011:
Global food prices went up in general last year. But "Good Housekeeping" magazine came up with a list of the BIGGEST price hikes. And some of the items are used in pretty much EVERYTHING, so it's a big deal. Here are the top four.
#1.) Cooking Oil. Soybeans are one of the major ingredients. And in 2011, the price of soybeans skyrocketed, which drove up the price of cooking oils by about 11%.
#2.) Potatoes. Because of seed shortages, a cold spring, and twice the average rainfall in some spots, the price of potatoes went up 11.9% last year.
#3.) Eggs. The price went up almost 23%. The good news is they've always been pretty cheap. So unless you own a restaurant . . . or go through a TON of eggs . . . it shouldn't affect you that much.
#4.) Nuts. Between April 2010 and April 2011, the wholesale price of almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, brazil nuts, pistachios, peanuts, and macadamias increased by 36%.
--The price of peanut butter also jumped 25 to 40%, depending on the brand.
(Good Housekeeping)
Here Are Some of the Resolutions Your Favorite Celebs Have Made:
--LADY GAGA: "My new years resolution: Never be afraid to be kicked in the teeth. Let the blood and the bruises define your legacy."
--ASHTON KUTCHER: "In 2012 let's agree to a resolution to feel one another's pain & joy, & create the peace we desire through proactive generosity."
--HORATIO SANZ: "My New Years resolution is to stop setting cars on fire. #LAisLoco."
--TONY BENNETT: "My New Years resolution is to study piano and sculpting. Wishing you all the best in 2012!"
--ALYSSA MILANO: "My New Year's resolution is to figure out how to balance motherhood with taking care of myself."
--COLIN QUINN: "My New Years resolution is to stop smoking cursing and drinking. Darn I left my GD cigs in the bar. #oneoutofthreeaintbad #lol"
--OLIVIA MUNN: "My New Years Resolution: Reserve the word 'amazing' for things that are actually *amazing*. Like: This bagel is really good, *not* amazing."
--DAVE NAVARRO: "NY Resolution: Seek therapy for my addiction to that yelp sound a puppy makes when you step on its foot accidentally."
--DANICA PATRICK: "Resolution(s) - more green tea and cardio before breakfast. Why are these thoughts running through my head right now?"
--JIM GAFFIGAN: "My New Year's resolution? To be less laz."
--RACHEL MADDOW: "2011 new year's resolution to learn to de-beard mussels? check! with five hours to spare."
--STACY KEIBLER: "To stay centered and balanced and to breathe."
--APL.DE.AP of the BLACK EYED PEAS: "Work even harder, try to keep healthier and just keep going. Keep making music."
--HULK HOGAN: "My New Year's resolutions are to be a better person every day . . . I've moved on with my life, things are great again, and I know what it's like to be happy again."
--ABIGAIL BRESLIN: "Umm . . . To stop saying 'umm' so much!"
--ROB KARDASHIAN: "I have a dress sock line I'm working on . . . I want that to launch successfully. Obviously getting into shape is big for me . . . that's one of my main things."
(--Meanwhile, here's a list of celebrity resolutions from LAST year . . . along with an analysis of whether or not they were kept.)
Katy Perry and Russell Brand Are Divorcing:
As we closed in on Christmas, all the tabloids were trying to suggest that KATY PERRY was pregnant. Turns out they were going 180 degrees in the wrong direction. Because last week, Katy and RUSSELL BRAND SPLIT UP. --Russell filed for divorce on Friday. He issued a statement saying, quote, "Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends." --Sources say Katy wanted HIM to do the filing so she wouldn't upset her super-religious parents. --They'd been seen in public without their wedding rings leading up to the split, and they spent the holidays apart: She was in Hawaii and he was in England. --Britain's "Daily Mail" tabloid says Russell could be looking at a $30 MILLION divorce payout, because he and Katy didn't sign a prenup when they made The Big Mistake 14 months ago. --Under California law, that would mean a 50-50 split of their assets. And she's worth a lot more than he is. --As for what broke them up . . . nobody really knows at this point. -One source claims that Russell was jealous of Katy being the bigger star, and would, quote, "pick her to pieces over the most trivial things." --Another says they started bickering soon after the wedding because he gave up partying and substance abuse years ago . . . while Katy loved to go out. --Ironically, less than a month ago, Russell was denying rumors of a split on "Ellen". He said, quote, "I'm really happily married . . . I'm married to Katy. Perpetually, 'until death do us part' was the pledge. I'm still alive." (--Here's video.)
Sinead O'Connor Had the Shortest Celebrity Marriage of 2011:
In the waning moments of 2011, KIM KARDASHIAN and KRIS HUMPHRIES lost the title of the year's Shortest Celebrity Marriage to SINEAD O'CONNOR. --Sinead's quickie Las Vegas wedding resulted in a 16-DAY MARRIAGE. At 72 days, Kim and Kris were married four and a half times longer. --Surprisingly, Sinead's marriage did NOT end because her new groom refused her the BACKDOOR relations she so desperately needs. --Sinead blamed the split on people in her fourth husband's life who disapproved of their relationship . . . and also the fact that she took him on a crazy drive around Vegas looking for WEED to smoke on her wedding night. --She said, quote, "We ended up in a cab in some place that was quite dangerous. I wasn't scared . . . but he's a drugs counselor. What was I thinking? --"Then I was handed a load of crack. Barry was very frightened . . . that kind of messed everything up a bit, really." --She added, quote, "It became apparent to me that if he were to stay with me he would be losing too much to bear. A woman wants to be a joy to her husband. So . . . U love someone? Set them free." (--Here again is the list of short celebrity marriages that we ran when Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries split up.)
Yes Or No: Was Ashton Kutcher Out With a "Demi Moore Look-Alike"?
So here's what's going to happen: Every time ASHTON KUTCHER is seen out with a woman for the next year or so, she's going to be judged by how much she does or doesn't look like DEMI MOORE. --With that in mind, today we play YES OR NO? with the latest chick Ashton was seen with. --Her name is LORENE SCAFARIA. She's a 33-year-old writer, actress and musician who was recently photographed with Ashton and one of his business partners at a nightclub. --She's got straight, black hair . . . so she was immediately branded a Demi Moore look-alike. (--Check out some pics here . . . along with a few clearer shots of Lorene.) (Radar Online, Google Image 1, Google Image 2) (--You've seen the photos . . . now it's time to vote: Is this chick a Demi look-alike? Yes or no?) --For the record, Ashton's rep says he and Lorene are JUST FRIENDS, and are working on a possible project involving an Italian soccer team . . . whatever that means.
Are Rihanna and Chris Brown Exchanging Romantic Tweets?
Next month it'll be three years since CHRIS BROWN viciously attacked RIHANNA the night before the Grammys. And now, it sounds like they're exchanging romantic Tweets. --Last week, Chris Tweeted, quote, "Love U more than u know!" And just two minutes later, Rihanna Tweeted, quote, "I'll always love you #1love." --Does it mean anything? We have no idea.
Holiday Engagements:
#1.) LEBRON JAMES proposed to longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson during a New Year's Eve dinner party hosted by Miami Heat teammate DWYANE WADE. LeBron and Savannah have two sons, ages 7 and 4. (Full Story)
#2.) MICHAEL JORDAN is getting married again. He popped the question to Cuban model Yvette Prieto over Christmas weekend. Michael is 48 . . . Yvette is 32. They've been together three years. (Full Story)
#3.) Singer JOHN LEGEND and his girlfriend, model Chrissy Teigen, got engaged during a holiday vacation in the Maldives. (Full Story)
#4.) MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY and CAMILA ALVES got engaged over Christmas. They have a 3-year-old son named Levi and a 2-year-old daughter named Vida. (Full Story)
#5.) ARETHA FRANKLIN is engaged to her longtime companion William "Willie" Wilkerson. Aretha, who is 69, says, quote, "We're looking at June or July for our date and no, I'm not pregnant." (Full Story)
The Top-Grossing Movies of 2011:
Here are the Top-Grossing Movies of 2011, based on worldwide box office:
#1.) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", $1.3 billion
#2.) "Transformers: Dark of the Moon", $1.1 billion
#3.) "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", $1 billion
#4.) "Kung Fu Panda 2", $663 million
#5.) "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1", $648 million
#6.) "Fast Five", $626 million
#7.) "The Hangover Part 2", $581.5 million
#8.) "The Smurfs", $562.4 million
#9.) "Cars 2", $551.9 million
#10.) "Rio", $484.6 million
#11.) "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", $481.2 million
#12.) "Thor", $448.5 million
#13.) "Captain America", $368.4 million
#14.) "X-Men: First Class", $353.6 million
#15.) "Puss in Boots", $331.3 million
#16.) "Bridesmaids", $288.4 million
#17.) "Real Steel", $276.4 million
#18.) "The Adventures of Tintin", $274.9 million
#19.) "Super 8", $259.9 million
#20.) "Rango", $245.1 million
"Mission: Impossible" Won the New Year's Box Office with $38.3 Million:
There were no new releases this weekend, which let TOM CRUISE'S "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" claim the #1 spot for the second week in a row. --It made $38.3 million over the four-day holiday weekend, and it's made $141 million in the three weeks since it came out. --ROBERT DOWNEY JR.'S "Sherlock Holmes" took the runner-up spot with $26.5 million, bringing its three-week haul to $137 million. And "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" rounded out the top three with $21 million.
A Teaser for the New Season of "Punk'd" Features Miley Cyrus Playing a Naughty Prank on Khloe Kardashian:
MTV has released a teaser for the return of "Punk'd" . . . and it features MILEY CYRUS and KELLY OSBOURNE playing a naughty prank on KHLOE KARDASHIAN. --Here's the set-up: Miley and Kelly had Khloe over to hang out. They ordered food, and when the delivery guy came, he asked to use the bathroom. Naturally, that didn't go smoothly. --The guy pretended to get his low hanging fruit stuck in the zipper of his pants, and Khloe called 911 for help while the guy was in front of her . . . with his junk out . . . reeling in pain. (--You can find the clip on MTV.com. WARNING: Preview this clip before playing it on the air. It includes the words "balls," "genitals" and "seminal fluid" . . . and may not be appropriate for your audience.) --"Punk'd" will return on March 19th. This time ASHTON KUTCHER isn't hosting . . . he's just an executive producer. --There was talk that JUSTIN BIEBER would be the new host . . . but instead they're going to have a revolving door of celebrity guest hosts. --Justin and Miley will be two of them . . . along with Kellan Lutz, Bam Margera and Dax Shepard, who appeared in the original show, which ran from 2003 to 2007. More guest hosts will be announced later on.
Khloe Kardashian Wants To Change Her Hair Color, But Her Mom and the E! Network Won't Let Her:
KHLOE KARDASHIAN is 27 years old . . . but she isn't even allowed to change the color of her hair without permission. --RadarOnline.com says Khloe wants to go blonde, but E! and her mom, KRIS JENNER, won't let her. Earlier this year, Khloe dyed her hair red, and supposedly she immediately had to switch it back. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "Executives at E! want Khloe to remain a brunette so that it doesn't date the series when it re-runs. [They] want all of the sisters to have a similar look because the girls are branded as sisters . . --"And having one of them showing up on screen with hair a different color, throws that off, and they don't want to alienate viewers." (???) (--If you want to see Khloe with blonde hair, here's an old picture.) (KhloeKardashian.celebuzz.com)
Kris Jenner Can Be Killed with a Bee Sting . . . Plus, Other Annoying Things You Don't Know About Her:
KRIS JENNER did one of "Us" magazine's 25 Things You Don't Know About Me features. It's a pretty annoying list . . . but there is one valuable piece of information: Kris can be KILLED with a bee sting. --That is, unless she was exaggerating when she said, quote, "I am deathly allergic to bees, and carry an EpiPen with me at all times."
--Here are a few other "highlights" from her list:
--"I make a killer guacamole." (--We're assuming that's "killer" in the figurative sense. Not that it somehow involves live bees or anything like that.)
--"I relax by organizing my drawers."
--"My celebrity crush is Alec Baldwin."
--"I get the same three gray hairs colored every two weeks with my hairdresser . . . for the last 30 years!" (--Three gray hairs. Sure.)
--"I love to wear sexy matching lingerie."
--"I feel naked without sunglasses on, even at night."
--"I collect waaaay too many sets of dishes."
--"I sang in my own music video, 'I Love My Friends', in 1985." (--Here's that video. O.J. SIMPSON is shown as one of her "friends" at the 3:23 mark. Of course, Kris' then-husband ROBERT KARDASHIAN later helped O.J. get off the hook for murdering his wife.)
(--You can find Kris' full list at UsMagazine.com.)
Fox Has Cancelled "So You Think You Can Dance's" Results Show:
If you like "So You Think You Can Dance" . . . but hate spending two nights of your summer inside watching a reality competition show, there's good news: "So You Think You Can Dance" will only be half the time commitment next summer. --That's because Fox has canceled the results show. --Obviously, there will be RESULTS . . . so the format will need to be changed so that the show can operate without the extra episode each week. There aren't any details on how that will work yet. --Season Nine will premiere in late May.
Tuesday TV Reminders:
--"The Biggest Loser" [13th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC.
--"Work It" [Series Premiere] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. This modern version of "Bosom Buddies" is about two guys who dress up as women in order to get a job in this bad economy. It stars Amaury Nolasco, who was Fernando on "Prison Break", and Ben Koldyke, who played Don Frank on "How I Met Your Mother".
(--The original "Bosom Buddies" starred Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari as two guys who pretended to be women to score a sweet apartment.)
--"Celebrity Wife Swap" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. Gary Busey swaps 'wives' with Ted Haggard for a week. Haggard was the founder of the evangelical New Life Church who was caught in a gay sex and drugs scandal five years ago.
--"Jane by Design" [Series Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC Family. Andie MacDowell plays a fashion executive who has a teenager "with a keen fashion sense" for an assistant.
--"Parenthood" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. "The Closer's" Frances Sternhagen guest stars as Zeek's mom.
NEW ON VIDEO THIS WEEK
Most of us are still hung over from New Year's Eve parties, so there aren't any big CD releases out this week. But we do have a decent selection of DVDs for you. Here's what's new in stores today . . .
--"Contagion" - The medical thriller from director Steven Soderbergh 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)
--"I Don't Know How She Does It" - Sarah Jessica Parker plays a working mom juggling a high stress job with the strain of losing time with her kids. Greg Kinnear is her unemployed husband, Kelsey Grammer plays her boss, and Pierce Brosnan is a guy who takes an interest in her at work. Christina Hendricks,"SNL's" Seth Meyers, and Olivia Munn are in it too. (Trailer)
--"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (R)
Guillermo Del Toro directs this remake of a 1973 horror movie about a woman who inherits an old mansion, and accidentally releases creatures that whisper her name from the basement. In this one they're terrorizing a little girl. Her dad is played by "Memento's" Guy Pearce. And Katie Holmes plays his girlfriend. (Trailer) (Original)
--"Shark Night 3D" - A group of college students are trapped on an island surrounded by a lake stocked with hungry sharks. 3D carnage ensues. The doomed cast includes Katharine McPhee, who parlayed her "American Idol" fame into an acting career.
--It's directed by the guy who did the second and fourth "Final Destination" movies, director David Ellis. More importantly, he also did "Snakes on a Plane". (Trailer)
--"Puncture" - Chris Evans plays a drug-addicted lawyer who takes the case of an ER nurse pricked by a contaminated needle . . . and confronts a conspiracy to prevent safer syringes from being used. (Trailer)
--"The Guard" - An Irish buddy cop movie starring Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson, who you'd know as Mad Eye Moody in the "Harry Potter" movies. Gleeson plays a cop in Ireland and Cheadle is an FBI liaison helping him take down an international drug smuggling ring. (Trailer) (Uncensored)
TV Series On DVD:
--"Justified: The Complete Second Season" . . . a three-disc DVD set.
--"Royal Pains: Season Three - Volume One" . . . a two-disc DVD set.
VIDEO GAME QUICK HITS
"NFL Blitz" and the Biggest Games to Expect in 2012:
--The only new game this week is "NFL Blitz". Instead of 11-man teams, each side has seven players, and there are fewer rules. And if you dominate your opponents, you earn "Blitz Bucks" that can be spent on players, team logos, and even playable mascots. You can download it on Xbox Live and PS3 today. (Trailer)
--There's a rumor that the controller for the next Nintendo system . . . the Wii U . . . will be a fully functional e-reader for books, magazines, and strategy guides for games. (Full Story)
--Someone put together a list of the Big Games of 2012. It includes new releases from high profile franchises like "Halo 4", "Mass Effect 3", "Borderlands 2", and "BioShock Infinite". (Full Story)
--In the two weeks since "Star Wars: The Old Republic" was released, players have spent over 60 million hours playing the game, battled each other in over 44 million player vs. player battles, and killed over three BILLION computer-controlled enemies. (Full Story)
--Just in case you missed it, Sara Underwood from G4's "Attack of the Show" participated in Portland, Oregon's 'World Naked Bike Ride' this past June. Enjoy the video. (--She unzips her top to display nude-colored pasties at :43, and bikes off naked at :55, although she's wearing flesh-colored underwear.) (Video)
LMFAO's Redfoo Ended a DJ Set in Honduras Early After the Venue Caught Fire:
REDFOO from LMFAO abruptly ended a DJ set in Honduras last Wednesday night after the venue's electrical system caught fire. --It wasn't a full-on LMFAO show. Singer SKY BLU is dealing with a "severe back injury," and is taking it easy for the next month. Their tour is scheduled to resume in February.) --Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt . . . but 15 people were treated for smoke inhalation. --After the show, RedFoo tactfully Tweeted, quote, "Epic concert tonight!!!! Everybody in Honduras, we set the place on fire!!!! Sorry for Party Rocking . . . yeah baby. --"They told us that there was a fire when we were on stage. Then we went to the dressing rooms and there was smoke in the halls. --"On a serious note: Hope everybody is safe from the fire tonight! Love you, Honduras!" -According to reports, the local authorities believe the fire may have been set intentionally . . . but there aren't any other details.
Elton John Wants Justin Timberlake to Play Him in a Movie:
There's an ELTON JOHN movie in development called "Rocketman" . . . and Elton DOES have someone he'd like to see in the starring role: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE. --Elton tells the "Los Angeles Times", quote, "[Justin] played me before in a video . . . and was superb." (--That video . . . for "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" . . . was done by photographer David LaChapelle. You can find it on YouTube.) --It's unclear if Justin is interested . . . but if he's free, you'd have to assume that he would be. And Elton has a say, since he's a producer on the project.
There Are Finally Some Details on What Van Halen Is Up To:
After at least a year of speculation, VAN HALEN is finally letting us know what they have planned for 2012. And as expected, it's a tour with DAVID LEE ROTH . . . and a new album. --Dates for the tour haven't been announced . . . although that's expected to happen TODAY. The band said the first tickets will go on sale next Tuesday. --Van Halen has also scheduled a small club event in New York City for Thursday. They've invited some local journalists, but it's unclear if any tickets will be available to the public. No one is saying what that's all about. --As for the album, word has it that it's coming out on February 7th . . . and that the first single will be out next Tuesday, but there aren't any other details.
Videos from Snoop Dogg's Appearance on "The Price Is Right":
SNOOP DOGG was on "The Price Is Right" yesterday, for the show's Celebrity Charity Week. --Every day this week, a celebrity is "assisting" a regular contestant. The contestant keeps their winnings . . . but "The Price Is Right" matches that amount, and sends it to the celebrity's charity. --In the end, Snoop won over $72,000 for his inner city youth football league. --Later in the show, Snoop even assisted host DREW CAREY, by announcing the prizes in the Showcase Showdown. (--The videos are on YouTube. Here's Snoop revealing the showcases . . . and announcing the winner.) (--And here's another video of Snoop on the show, which includes a rap . . . and here's video of him helping his contestant.)
Heavy D Died from a Pulmonary Embolism:
Last week, the L.A. coroner's office revealed that HEAVY D died of a pulmonary embolism, which is basically a blood clot in the lungs. He also had heart disease, which could have contributed to his death. Heavy D died on November 8th. He was 44 years old.
FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
DEREK JETER and MINKA KELLY might be back together. (Full Story)
ALEX RODRIGUEZ may be taking a page out of GEORGE CLOONEY'S book by dating a former WWE diva. Sources say he's been hanging out with STACY KEIBLER'S buddy TORRIE WILSON. (Full Story)
On Saturday Night, RYAN SEACREST announced that BEYONCÉ couldn't be at ABC's New Year's special live because she was, quote, "about to give birth to her first child." But it turns out she probably HASN'T given birth yet. And on New Year's Eve, she was seen having dinner with JAY-Z. (Full Story)
The "National Enquirer" says WILL SMITH was spotted partying with a hot blonde in South Beach. JADA PINKETT was, obviously, nowhere to be found. (Full Story)
DENNIS RODMAN'S new gig is coaching a women's basketball team. A TOPLESS women's basketball team. (Full Story)
DAVID ARQUETTE is celebrating a year of sobriety. (Full Story)
A 64-year-old man was arrested for knocking on LINDSAY LOHAN'S door and demanding to speak with her. (Full Story)
There was a report last week that the chimp who played Cheetah in the "Tarzan" movies in the 1930s had died at the age of 80. Now there's talk that the whole thing was a hoax. (Full Story)
An estimated 22.6 million people tuned in to ABC for "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" on Saturday night. That was the special's biggest audience in 11 years. (Full Story)
73-year-old blues singer ETTA JAMES is breathing on her own again. Back on December 21st, she had to be placed on a respirator. Etta isn't out of the woods though. She's been battling leukemia, dementia and kidney failure over the past few years, and is considered to be terminally ill. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
THE GOOD NEWS
Nine Passers-By Pulled Three Kids From a Submerged Car in Utah:
Here's an amazing and uplifting story to start 2012 on a positive note. --On New Year's Eve, 46-year-old Roger Anderson lost control of his Honda Accord when he tried to stop on a slippery road near Logan Canyon, about 85 miles north of Salt Lake City. --He went off the road, crashed into the icy Logan Canyon River, and was trapped inside with three kids: His nine-year-old daughter, his four-year-old son, and another nine-year-old girl. --Luckily, a defense contractor and former cop named Chris Willden was driving behind them and saw the accident. --First, he used his handgun to shoot out the car windows. Then he tried reaching inside the car but wasn't able to grab anyone. --Chris said, quote, "I remember thinking to myself, 'You're going to see some dead kids, get ready.' I've got three of my own and it was going to be an awful start to the New Year." --But eight OTHER people saw the accident, and came down the embankment to help out. --They helped to turn the car upright, so Chris could cut the kids loose from their seatbelts. One kid was fine, but the other two were unconscious . . . so one of the rescuers gave them CPR and revived them before the paramedics arrived. --The four people in the car were hospitalized and treated for hypothermia, but they're going to be okay. (Chicago Sun Times) (--Take a look at the car in the river here.)
A Woman Lost Her Wedding Ring 16 Years Ago . . . and Just Found It Growing on a Carrot in Her Garden:
The problem with wedding and engagement rings is that they cost a DAMN FORTUNE, they carry a TON of sentimental value, and they're SUPER easy to lose. --Back in 1995, Lena Paahlsson of northern Sweden was baking for Christmas and her wedding ring vanished. Her family searched everywhere . . . they even pulled up the floorboards . . . but they couldn't find it. --Now, SIXTEEN YEARS LATER, Lena was in her garden picking carrots, and found one with her RING wrapped around it. --Here's what her family thinks happened: The ring fell down the drain . . . they fed the contents of the garbage disposal to their sheep . . . the ring passed through the sheep's digestive system . . . and they used the sheep's waste to fertilize the garden. --Since the ring was part of their compost, it made it into the garden, and somehow a carrot grew RIGHT THROUGH THE RING. --Of course, 16 years have passed. And as it goes in marriage, the ring doesn't fit Lena's finger anymore. She says she's planning to have it resized because, quote, "I had given up hope, now that I've found it, I want to be able to use it." (BBC) (--Here's a photo of the ring on the carrot, and also one of Lena with her husband, Ola.)
57% of New Year's Resolutions to Lose Weight Succeed . . . and So Do 36% of Resolutions to Quit Smoking:
The big joke about New Year's resolutions is that they never succeed. Or, at least they succeed until about January 13th. --But maybe people are better at keeping resolutions than we thought. --According to a new nationwide survey, in the past five years, 57% of people who made a New Year's resolution to lose weight say they succeeded. And 36% of people who resolved to quit smoking say they succeeded. --Almost one-third of Americans have made a resolution to lose weight since 2006. Losing between 10 and 30 pounds is the most popular goal . . . the second-most popular is losing 30 to 50 pounds. --About two in five smokers say they've made a New Year's resolution to quit in the last five years. --For 2012, 51% of people say their resolution is to exercise more. 35% of people resolve to lose weight. Only 9% of smokers say they made a New Year's resolution to quit. (PR Newswire)
Meet the Two Sets of Twins Born on New Year's Eve . . . Where One Baby Was Born in 2011 and the Other Was Born in 2012:
We've got two stories here today about newborn twins who were born a few days ago . . . and managed to come out in DIFFERENT YEARS. Check it out . . . --On New Year's Eve, Brighid Rosputni of Buffalo, New York went into labor. -At 11:37 P.M. on December 31st, she gave birth to the first of her twin boys, Ronan. His brother, Rory, didn't come out until 12:10 A.M. So Ronan's birthday is December 31st, 2011 . . . and Rory's is January 1st, 2012. --Almost the exact same thing happened in Rapid City, South Dakota . . . only the birth times were even closer. --Jolene Anthony of Rapid City gave birth to her daughter Kylee at 11:59 P.M. on December 31st. Her twin brother John Junior came out four minutes later, at 12:03 A.M. on January 1st. (Buffalo News / Rapid City Journal) (--Here's a photo of Brighid, her husband Thomas, and Ronan and Rory . . . and one of Jolene, her husband John, and Kylee and John Junior.)
The List of Banished Words for 2012 Includes "Baby Bump," "Occupy," and "Ginormous":
Every New Year's since 1975, linguists at Lake Superior State University in Michigan have put out a list of words that need to be BANISHED.
--They're words and phrases that have been worn out and overused . . . and were generally kinda useless to begin with. And they NAILED the list for 2012. Here are some of the words that need to be BANISHED from English this year . . .
--Baby bump. Quote, "I'm tired of pregnancy being reduced to a celebrity accessory. Or worse, when less-than-six-pack abs are suspected of being one."
--Occupy. Quote, "It has been overused and abused, even to promote Black Friday shopping."
--Man cave. Quote, "It's not just overused [and corny], it's offensive to males who do not wish to [create] a room filled with stuffed animal heads, an unnecessarily large flat-screen TV and Hooters memorabilia."
--Win the future. Used by both OBAMA and GINGRICH. Quote, "It's an empty, meaningless phrase. It basically says that anyone who opposes anything meant to 'win the future' must want to 'lose the future,' which is highly unlikely."
--Ginormous. Quote, "This combination . . . makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck every time I hear it." (LSSU.edu)
(--Check out the full list here. Also, we'd like to make an addition of our own: "Absolutely." Like how every time the announcers in a football game throw it to a female reporter on the sidelines, she begins with "Absolutely.")
Happy Hour is Now Banned in Utah . . . and Six Other Stupid New Laws:
Utah is DETERMINED to keep its reputation as the least alcohol-friendly state in the country. And this definitely helps. --As of January 1st, a new Utah state law makes it illegal to offer drink specials based on the time of the day. In other words . . . they've made happy hour illegal. --That's the most notable state law that went into effect for the New Year. Overall, more than 40,000 new laws went into effect nationwide. Here are a few of the other highlights . --It's now illegal to sell or trade SHARK FINS in Oregon and California. And New York has made it illegal to possess or sell BEAR GALLBLADDERS. --California also became the first state to require students to learn about the contributions of gays and lesbians. --Illinois is starting a new public database, similar to the sex offender registry, featuring people who've been convicted of first-degree murder. --Illinois is also letting people on motorcycles blow through red lights . . . if the light fails to change to green after a, quote, "reasonable length of time." --And Georgia is requiring golf carts to have more safety features . . . like braking systems and horns . . . because it's now legal to drive them on the street. (FOX News)
If You're an Aries You're More Likely to Commit Crimes, and if You're a Sagittarius You're Least Likely?
So this data just comes from one city in Canada. But it's so intriguing we still HAD to tell you about it. --Last week, police in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada crunched the data on the ZODIAC SIGNS of everyone they arrested in 2011. And they figured out a ranking of which zodiac signs are most and least likely to commit crimes. --Turns out people who are Aries are the most likely to commit crimes . . . and people who are Sagittarius are least likely. Sagittarius committed 18% fewer crimes in 2011 than Aries. Here's the full ranking, in order from most to least likely to commit a crime.
#1.) Aries, people born March 21st to April 19th.
#2.) Libra, September 23rd to October 22nd.
#3.) Virgo, August 23rd to September 22nd.
#4.) Leo, July 23rd to August 22nd.
#5.) Pisces, February 19th to March 20th.
#6.) TIE: Scorpio, October 23rd to November 21st and Capricorn, December 22nd to January 19th.
#7.) Gemini, May 21st to June 20th.
#8.) Cancer, June 21st to July 22nd.
#9.) Taurus, April 20th to May 20th.
#10.) Aquarius, January 20th to February 18th.
#11.) Sagittarius, November 22nd to December 21st. (National Post)
There's a New Website Where You Sell the Stuff You're Left With After a Break Up:
Sometimes when you break up with someone, you need to get rid of ANYTHING that reminds you of them. Gifts, clothing, music, jewelry, wedding dress, whatever . . . you need it gone. And putting it on eBay just isn't enough. --So now there's a new website called NeverLikedItAnyway.com. It's a marketplace where you can sell all the painful items left over after a break up . . . AND tell your break up story to give the items some context. --And if you haven't recently been dumped, it's a good site to check out . . . because people are selling some pretty valuable stuff at good discounts just to get rid of it. You might as well cash in on their pain. (Time)
Boston is Number One on the List of America's Drunkest Cities:
You get the feeling that NO ONE in Boston is going to be disappointed to win this title. "The Daily Beast" just released their annual list of AMERICA'S DRUNKEST CITIES . . . and Boston came in number one. --The list is based on the average drinks per person per month, and the rate of heavy and binge drinkers in the city. The average Bostonian puts down 15.5 drinks per month . . . and 20.1%, or one of five people, are binge drinkers.
--Here's the full top 10 . . .
#1.) Boston, Massachusetts, 15.5 drinks per month, 20.1% binge drinkers.
#2.) Springfield, Massachusetts, 14.6 drinks per month, 19.5% binge drinkers.
#3.) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 15.7 drinks per month, 18.9% binge drinkers.
#4.) Reno, Nevada, 14.5 drinks per month, 18.1% binge drinkers.
#5.) San Antonio, Texas, 14.2 drinks per month, 19.4% binge drinkers.
#6.) Chicago, Illinois, 15.5 drinks per month, 17.2% binge drinkers.
#7.) Austin, Texas, 15.5 drinks per month, 18.4% binge drinkers.
#8.) St. Louis, Missouri, 14.4 drinks per month, 18% binge drinkers.
#9.) San Diego, California. 14.1 drinks per month, 17.7% binge drinkers.
#10.) Tucson, Arizona. 14.2 drinks per month, 16.8% binge drinkers.
(The Daily Beast)
A New Study Finds You Can Wear Jeans For Three Months Without Smelling Bad:
We're not sure why this needed to be studied . . . but at least Australia's tax dollars supported it, not ours. --Tullia Jack is a researcher at Melbourne University, and she found that if you wear the same pair of jeans for three months . . . they don't smell that bad. --Tullia had 30 volunteers wear jeans five days a week for three months without washing them. The volunteers spilled all kinds of things on their jeans, including tuna, avocado, motor oil, and chocolate. --After the three months were up, the volunteers gave the dirty jeans back to Tullia, and she SMELLED them. She said she could smell eggshells and caramel, but, quote, "The jeans don't smell socially challenging. They just smell like people." --Tullia is doing the study to challenge society's culture of "extreme clean" and save water by reducing the amount of laundry. She said, quote, "You really don't need to wash clothes as often as you think. Stains come and go. They just WEAR OFF." --About half of the volunteers had a rough patch between three and six weeks, where they didn't think they could keep wearing the jeans without washing them. --But they stuck it out, and some said they wanted to keep wearing their dirty jeans even after three months. Some even stopped washing their shirts and other items of clothing. --Tullia plans to put the 30 pairs of jeans on display at the National Gallery to let other people smell for themselves. (News.com.au)
Here's What Happens When You Flush With the Toilet Seat Up . . . and It's Nasty:
Let's all try to be mature about this story, even though it makes actual scientific use of the term "poop spraying." Thank you. --We've got a FILTHY new study out of Leeds Teaching Hospitals in the U.K. And the results just might lead to an immediate, permanent change in your behavior. --Researchers found that when you flush the toilet after you do your dirty business, and you leave the toilet seat up, you're literally spraying your bathroom with tiny bits of feces. Yes, poop spraying is a very real thing. --And those bits get everywhere, on every surface you touch. On your toothbrush. On your clothes. On anything you brought in. --Naturally, that can potentially lead to spreading some pretty nasty bacteria. Researchers found that the poop spraying could spread C. difficile bacteria . . . which, fittingly, causes diarrhea. And the cycle continues. --They found that when people with C. difficile used the toilet and flushed, the air was FILLED with the flying bacteria. Sixty minutes after the flush, the amount of C. difficile in the air had decreased eight-fold, and after 90 minutes it decreased another three-fold. -So . . . the conclusion here is that you should REALLY think about putting the toilet lid down when you flush, to keep everything more contained inside the bowl. (ABC News)
A 99-Year-Old Is Divorcing His Wife After Finding Out She Had an Affair . . . In the 1940s:
In case you had any doubt, this story confirms it: There's NO statute of limitations on cheating. -A 99-year-old Italian man named in court papers as Antonio C. is filing for divorce from his 96-year-old wife Rosa after finding out right before Christmas that she'd had an affair . . . in the 1940s. --The couple's been married for 77 years, and they have five children, 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. --Antonio was going through an old chest of drawers when he found a stack of love letters between Rosa and her HOT ITALIAN LOVER. The court papers didn't say how long the affair lasted. --He confronted Rosa, and she confessed to the whole thing. He filed for divorce, and Rosa doesn't plan to contest it. --Antonio walked out on Rosa before. Ten years ago, he moved out and stayed at his son's house for a few weeks, before the couple was able to patch things up. (Telegraph)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A Man Tries to Buy a Vacuum Cleaner and a Microwave at Walmart . . . Using a One Million Dollar Bill:
It's always great when someone incredibly stupid believes everyone else is dumber than they are . . . and tries to pull off an absolutely BONEHEADED crime. --Back on November 17th, 53-year-old Michael Fuller of Lexington, North Carolina went to Walmart and picked up about $476 worth of merchandise . . . including a vacuum cleaner and a microwave. --And when he got to the register, he tried to pay with . . . a MILLION-DOLLAR BILL.
-Yes, one of those novelty million-dollar bills that are usually oversized and have, like, the Statue of Liberty's face on them. The clerk refused to take it . . . even though Michael INSISTED it was real. --There's no word on whether he was planning to demand $999,524 in change. --It took the police more than a month to track down Michael, but he was finally busted last week for two felonies: Attempting to obtain property by false pretense and using a forgery. He'll be in court today. --For what it's worth, the largest bill ever printed in the U.S. was the $100,000 bill. It featured WOODROW WILSON'S face . . . they were only made from December of 1934 through January of 1935 . . . and the bills were never circulated to the general public. (Winston-Salem Journal)
A Judge Mocked a Guy For Trying To Bribe His Way Out of an Arrest With Miami Dolphins Tickets:
There's only one thing worse than getting convicted for attempted bribery: Getting mocked by the judge for choosing a lousy bribe. --Police caught 23-year-old Eric Topalian of Boca Raton, Florida in possession of a controlled substance on Saturday. --Not a problem: Eric knew how the wheels of justice were greased. He tried to bribe his way out of the arrest by offering the cop two tickets to Sunday's Miami Dolphins game. --That would be the same Miami Dolphins who lost their first seven games this season, and fired their coach two weeks ago. --The Dolphins finished the season with a 6-10 record. And they were playing the New York Jets, who finished with an 8-8 record. Neither team made the playoffs, and tickets were going on Craigslist for $49 a pair. --So in addition to the possession charge, Eric got hit with bribery, threatening a public servant, and resisting arrest. Plus, he got mocked by the judge for his worthless bribe. --Judge Timothy McCarthy asked Eric, quote, "Have you been watching the Dolphins? No one's going to go to that game." --And the judge was right. The crowd was 10,000 short of a sellout, and the team had to buy back thousands of unsold tickets so the game could be shown on TV. (Palm Beach Post)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
If you're an Occupy Wall Street type, you might want to know about John Hammergren . . . possibly America's highest-paid CEO. He runs a medical supply company in California called McKesson Corporation, and he pulled in $145 million last year. (Full Story)
Photos of the Day: What would Barbie's house look like if she was a hoarder? (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) Kathie Lee Gifford Said "BJ" on Live TV . . . and the Best News Bloopers of 2011:
On Friday's episode of the "Today" show, an audience member asked HODA KOTB what she usually does on New Year's Eve, and Hoda said that until she met her boyfriend . . . whose name is Jay . . . she didn't do much. --Then KATHIE LEE GIFFORD responded by saying, quote, "Before Jay . . . B.J." When the crew started laughing, she pretended like she didn't know what she'd said. (--Search for "Kathie Lee Gifford Doesn't Know What a BJ Is." She says it at :13.)
(--And for a round-up of the best recent local news bloopers, search YouTube for the Best Local News Bloopers of 2011. Some of them are actually older than that, but our more recent favorites include the moments at 3:02 and 3:42.) (--WARNING: There's profanity at :41, :48, and 6:03.)
#2.) A "Skycam" Crashed Onto the Field at a College Football Bowl Game . . . and Almost Landed on One of the Players:
One of ESPN's remote-controlled "Skycam" cameras fell on the field and almost landed on a player at the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona Friday night. --It was one of those cameras that's attached to wires over the field so it can shoot from above. And it barely missed Iowa receiver Martin McNutt Jr. One of the wires looked like it actually DID hit him, but he was fine. (--Search for "Insight Bowl Skycam Crash Fiasco." They show it at :49, and the announcers do a play-by-play of it getting dragged off the field around 1:22.)
#3.) Here's How to Impress Your Friends, Wreck Your Back, and Ruin a Truck All at the Same Time:
Here's a good way to impress your friends . . . and probably SHATTER YOUR BACK in the process: There's a video on CollegeHumor.com of some guy ramping an old beat-up truck off a snow bank. And he gets WAY more air than you expect. --At the peak of it, he's about 15 feet off the ground. Then he lands REALLY hard. (--Search for "Insane Pickup Truck Snowbank Jump." WARNING: This video includes the S-word.)
#4.) Drunk Guests at a Denver Hotel Brawled and Got Sick in the Hallways After a Computer Glitch Locked Them Out of Their Rooms on New Year's Eve:
2012 started off rough for a Marriott hotel in Denver this weekend, when a glitch in their computer system caused the keys for all 628 rooms to STOP WORKING. And it happened right before midnight on New Year's Eve. --So in other words, everyone came back to the hotel drunk, then couldn't go to bed . . . for about four hours. As you might expect, several fights broke . . . and some of the guests even got SICK in the hallways. --There's a news report online that shows people standing around, and sitting outside their rooms. According to the hotel, they all got their money back. (--Search for "New Year's Guests Locked Out of Denver Marriott." It shows people outside their rooms at :27, and a hotel spokesman talks about it at :51.)
The Four Biggest Food Price Hikes of 2011:
Global food prices went up in general last year. But "Good Housekeeping" magazine came up with a list of the BIGGEST price hikes. And some of the items are used in pretty much EVERYTHING, so it's a big deal. Here are the top four.
#1.) Cooking Oil. Soybeans are one of the major ingredients. And in 2011, the price of soybeans skyrocketed, which drove up the price of cooking oils by about 11%.
#2.) Potatoes. Because of seed shortages, a cold spring, and twice the average rainfall in some spots, the price of potatoes went up 11.9% last year.
#3.) Eggs. The price went up almost 23%. The good news is they've always been pretty cheap. So unless you own a restaurant . . . or go through a TON of eggs . . . it shouldn't affect you that much.
#4.) Nuts. Between April 2010 and April 2011, the wholesale price of almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, brazil nuts, pistachios, peanuts, and macadamias increased by 36%.
--The price of peanut butter also jumped 25 to 40%, depending on the brand.
(Good Housekeeping)
posted by Nazzy @ 5:58 AM
0 Comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home