HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (01-11-12)
A Month Before Filing for Divorce, Russell Brand Joked About Taking His Wedding Ring Off to Tour U.S. Colleges:
Back in November, RUSSELL BRAND was preparing to bring his comedy act to U.S. colleges. And he posted a video online in which he "jokingly" took off his wedding ring so he could better enjoy his time with American sorority girls. --He said, quote, "I'm going to place this somewhere very, very safe for the next week." (--Check out the video here.) --At the time, KATY PERRY had no problem with the tour. She Tweeted, quote, "My fowl mouthed Hubby @rustyrockets is playing a few mid-west/east-coast shows starting tonight onwards! SUPPORT!" (--And yes, she typed "fowl" with a W instead of "foul" with a U.) --The following month, Russell filed for divorce.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé Snuck Their Daughter Out of the Hospital Yesterday Morning:
BEYONCÉ and JAY-Z brought their daughter Blue Ivy home from the hospital yesterday morning. Their privacy was protected thanks to a motorcade of SUVs that snuck out a side entrance at about 1:30 in the morning. --Beyoncé and Jay-Z reportedly spent more than a million bucks to cordon off the maternity ward at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital. Some other new parents at the facility have complained of their treatment by hospital staff and the couple's private security.
Would You Pay Money for Pool Water That Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Their Daughter Swam In?
I can see this becoming a new celebrity fad: Someone is selling a four-ounce bottle of water on eBay. And this is no ordinary water. It was taken from a pool in Miami after TOM CRUISE, KATIE HOLMES and their daughter Suri swam in it. --The seller is REALLY trying to hype this as something special. The clear bottle says "Tom Water", and even has a cross on it. But the seller adds, quote, "The cross also bears four gold rays coming from behind, which can also be considered the symbol of Scientology." --What can you do with this water? The seller says, quote, "Tom Cruise water can be used in rituals, potions, or perfumes. It can be dabbed behind the ears or on the wrists for good luck. --"You can place some of it around the hearth of your home or baptize your baby with it for all I care!" --The starting bid for the "Tom Water" is $100. There are nine days left to bid, but so far, no one has. (--Check out the auction here.)
Demi Lovato Is Tweeting About Not Needing a Man . . . Has She Broken Up with Wilmer Valderrama?
It sounds like DEMI LOVATO has shown WILMER VALDERRAMA the door. Yesterday, she Tweeted, quote, "The smartest thing a woman can ever learn, is to never need a man." --She also re-Tweeted a MARILYN MONROE quote that one of her followers Tweeted . . . quote, "A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left." --Meanwhile, a source tells "Us Weekly", quote, "They're no longer hooking up."
Paris Jackson Vows Not to Smoke, Drink or Steal:
13-year-old PARIS JACKSON is about to embark on her acting career . . . and she's vowing not to fall into those all-too-familiar child actress traps. --She Tweeted, quote, "#ShoutOutToTheGirlsThat are clean. No smoking/drinking/stealing/etc." --Then she added, quote, "#ShoutOutToTheGirlsThat can take care of themselves #independent." --Paris will make her film debut in the fantasy flick "Lundon's Bridge and the Three Keys" . . . which is based on a book of the same name. It's due out sometime next year.
Chelsea Handler Has Cut Down on Her Drinking:
CHELSEA HANDLER has always tried to make her drinking and carousing the stuff of legend. But it sounds like those days are over. Chelsea admits she's not tipping the bottle like she used to. --She says, quote, "Vodka is a part of my life. Absolutely. Tequila or vodka, depending on the day you get me. But to function as I do, I can't be a mess."
Natalie Wood Investigators Haven't Found Anything Yet:
Police working on the re-opened investigation into NATALIE WOOD'S 1981 drowning death say they haven't found anything. Yet. --William McSweeney, the chief of detectives for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, says, quote, "At this point, it is an accidental death. Nothing has been discovered to suggest changing that at this time." --The investigation is still ongoing, but ROBERT WAGNER and CHRISTOPHER WALKEN probably don't have anything to worry about. --McSweeney says he doesn't think anything will change the overall conclusion that Wood's death was an accident.
Justin Timberlake Has a Beard:
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE showed up at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas the other day . . . with a FULL BEARD. (--Check out a picture here.) (Us Weekly)
The IRS Wants $93,000 from Lindsay Lohan . . . and She's Being Sued Over a Two-Year-Old Paparazzi Incident:
LINDSAY LOHAN'S problems aren't completely over. The IRS is going after her for $93,700 in taxes they say she DIDN'T pay in 2009. --Meanwhile, she's also being sued over a two-year-old incident in which a paparazzi scumbag was allegedly hit by a car she was riding in.
--Lindsay and the driver were both named as defendants in the lawsuit. There's no word how much the guy is suing for. (--The incident occurred back in January of 2010. You can see video here.) --Luckily, Lindsay can still generate cash. She's featured in two new ad campaigns . . . one for Philipp Plein, and one for the fashion retailer with the naughty-looking initials F.C.U.K. . . . which stands for French Connection U.K. (--Check out pictures from both here.)
Jessica Simpson Buttered a Pop Tart:
Leave it to JESSICA SIMPSON to have the weirdest pregnancy craving I've ever heard of. --She says, quote, "I'm craving a lot of things I had when I was a kid. Like, this morning I buttered a Pop Tart. I haven't done that in years." --That's not all she's craving . . . quote, "I'm a big fan of Kraft Mac N' Cheese . . . That keeps me happy. That keeps me sodium happy. I, like, wake up swollen because I put Lowry's seasoning salt all over it."
TEBOW TIME
John Parr Has Rewritten "St. Elmo's Fire" Into a Song About Tim Tebow:
Remember JOHN PARR'S classic 1985 jam "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)"? Well, it's now a song about Denver Broncos quarterback TIM TEBOW. (!!!) --And it was John Parr himself who changed it up. -The song was originally written for Richard Hansen . . . a wheelchair-bound Canadian athlete who was giving inspirational speeches. --But of course, it became the theme song to the classic 1985 Brat Pack flick "St. Elmo's Fire", starring ROB LOWE, DEMI MOORE, ANDREW MCCARTHY, etc.
--And now, it includes such DYNAMITE lyrics as . . .
Gonna be a man in motion
All I need's my Broncos team
Take me where my future's lyin'
Tim Tebow's Fire
--And . . .
I can climb the highest mountain
These Broncos can't be beat
I can feel St Elmo's Fire burnin' in me
(--You can listen to the song in all its glory here. And here's video of Parr doing a much different acoustic version on ESPN a few months ago.) (--Another celebrity who has something to say about Tebow is former pro rassler "STONE COLD" STEVE AUSTIN. Austin's slogan was always "Austin 3:16".) (--But he says that if Tebow throws for 316 yards again this weekend, he can HAVE IT. You can read more about that here.)
Tim Tebow's Game-Winning Touchdown Pass Sunday Night Broke Beyoncé's Twitter Record:
TIM TEBOW'S game-winning touchdown pass against the Steelers generated 9,420 Tweets per SECOND. --When BEYONCÉ debuted her baby bump at the "MTV Video Music Awards" back in August, she generated 8,868 Tweets per second. --But check out the all-time record: Japan televised an anime movie called "Castle in the Sky" in December, which averaged 25,088 Tweets per second. (--One last note: Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl had to TEBOW while wearing a Denver jersey, after losing a bet on the game with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. Check out a picture here.) (Blogs.Westword.com)
How Naked Will Amanda Seyfried Get in the Linda Lovelace Movie?
AMANDA SEYFRIED will show some skin in "Lovelace" . . . one of two upcoming movies about "Deep Throat" star LINDA LOVELACE. But how much skin will she show? --We don't know yet, but producer Patrick Muldoon seems to be suggesting we WILL get to see some of Amanda's naughty parts. --He says, quote, "It's going to be very risqué." --But he adds, quote, "Thematically, it's talking about how abusive the porn industry was to Linda Lovelace. Yes, there's a lot of nudity, but it's a message movie about respecting women."
Over 3,900 People Want to Bring Breastfeeding Back to "Sesame Street":
Is "Sesame Street" showing enough breastfeeding? No, apparently. -There's an online petition going around that's attempting to, quote, "bring breastfeeding back to 'Sesame Street'." --According to the petition, "Sesame Street" used to "tastefully" depict breastfeeding back in the '70s and '80s . . . but recently, they've only been showing "bottle feeding." --The petition adds, quote, "We are not asking 'Sesame Street' to remove bottle feeding. We are asking that both ways of feeding babies be shown as normal. --"If we normalize breastfeeding in our community . . . especially with our children . . . we can help raise a generation of breastfeeders which will support our economy, make for healthier children, and lessen the risk of breast cancer for many nursing mamas!" --They're trying to get 5,000 signatures. As of late last night, they had over 3,900. --You can find the petition at ThePetitionSite.com. (--Here's a video from the '70s, of a baby being breastfed on "Sesame Street". Here's one from the '80s, where a baby is being nursed, but they explain the option of bottle feeding.) (--And here's a video from the '90s, where the show's "You're My Baby" song is edited to only include bottle feeding. Here's a clip of the original from the '80s.)
The "Modern Family" Baby Will Say the F-word on Next Week's Episode:
Cue the next Parents Television Council freak out. --On next Wednesday's episode of "Modern Family", Lily . . . the two-year-old adopted girl . . . somehow learns the F-word. She says it at least once, and her parents, Cam and Mitchell, are scared that she'll blurt it out again at a wedding. --Obviously, we won't HEAR her saying the F-word. It'll be censored. --ABC wasn't originally on board with the idea. The show's creator says, quote, "We had to really convince ABC. We thought it was a very natural story since, as parents, we've all been through this. --"I think it's all about context. We are not a sexually charged show. It has a very warm tone, so people accept it more. [But] I'm sure we'll have some detractors."
AMC Is Developing a "Goodfellas" Series:
AMC is developing a show based on "Goodfellas", the 1990 MARTIN SCORSESE movie starring ROBERT DE NIRO, JOE PESCI and RAY LIOTTA. --It seems to be in good hands. One of the executive producers will be Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the movie screenplay, and who wrote "Wiseguys", the novel that the movie was based on. But that's all we know for now.
"The Bachelor" Has Hit a New Ratings Low:
It sounds like there are a bunch of open seats on the "Bachelor" bandwagon. --Monday's episode only attracted 7.2 million viewers, which is the show's worst turnout over its 16-season run. Last week's season premiere didn't do much better. It had 7.7 million viewers. --So either people are FINALLY getting sick of this show . . . they're not feeling the latest bachelor BEN FLAJNIK . . . or the BRAD WOMACK train wreck last season is still leaving a bad taste in fans' mouths. --By the way, Ben may have revealed that he did NOT find love on this season. --In a radio interview yesterday .. . . Ben didn't seem all that thrilled about his prospects this season, which of course has already been filmed. --When asked if he was "in love and happy," Ben said, quote, "I'm happy I decided to become 'the bachelor,' it's another one of those great experiences, another story that I get to tell my potential children or grandchildren about someday . . . --"And for that I'm happy." (--There's audio at JayTowersInTheMorning.com.)
Wednesday TV Reminders:
--"One Tree Hill" [9th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on the CW.
--"Are You There, Chelsea?" [Series Premiere] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. This is based on Chelsea Handler's book "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea". Laura Prepon from "That '70s Show" plays Chelsea . . . and Chelsea plays her sister Sloane.
--"Suburgatory" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. "Cougar Town's" Dan Byrd guest stars as an undercover narcotics officer who Tessa is asked to show around school.
--"Harry's Law" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. "Smallville" minx Erica Durance guest stars as a domestic violence victim who suffers a psychotic break and then thinks she's Wonder Woman. Erica played Lois Lane on "Smallville".
--"People's Choice Awards 2012" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS. Kaley Cuoco hosts, plus Faith Hill and Demi Lovato perform. (--Here are the nominees.)
--"Sons of Guns" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery. Ted Nugent visits the shop.
--"Only In America with Larry the Cable Guy" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on History Channel.
--"Ghost Hunters" [8th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Syfy.
--"Hot in Cleveland" . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on TV Land. Jane Leeves and Betty White camp out at the zoo to try to save an endangered species of rhinoceros.
--"The Real World/Road Rules Challenge" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV. Former lovers will be teamed up to compete for $300,000.
--"Face Off" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:15 P.M. on Syfy.
BIEBER FEVER
Justin Bieber Wants to Be Like Michael Jackson, Except He Won't Go Crazy Like Michael Did:
JUSTIN BIEBER considers MICHAEL JACKSON to be the best singer of all time . . . and he wants to be "at his level" someday. --He tells "V" magazine, quote, "I want to be the best . . . in the world. I want to be better than anybody that's ever done it. And in order to do that, I need to strive to be the best, be good to people and treat people with respect, and work as hard as I can. --"I've got a lot of work to do. I'm not saying it's going to happen within the next three years. But hopefully by the time I'm 30, people will remember me . . . I don't want people to just think of me as a teen sensation." --To do that, Justin says he can't "grow up too fast," and risk burning out. --He says, quote, "I'm going to grow up how I grow up. I'm not going to try to conform to what people want me to be or go out there and start partying, have people see me with alcohol. I want to do it at my own pace. --"But I'm never going to make myself so the kids and the parents don't respect me. There're some artists that [parents won't] let their kids go and see because they think they're a bad influence. --"I want to be able to do what Michael did . . . he always sang clean lyrics . . . and it was always that little kids loved Michael and grandparents loved Michael. I don't want to start singing about things like sex, drugs, and swearing. --"I'm into love, and maybe I'll get more into making love when I'm older. But I want to be someone who is respected by everybody." (--Some people are having fun with that quote about Justin "getting more into making love" when he's older . . . and it is amusing . . . but Justin is talking about SINGING about sex. Not about actually HAVING it.) --It's not surprising that Justin wants to emulate Michael's career . . . since Michael was one of the few singers that was able to successfully move from a child star to an adult superstar . . . but of course Michael also went CRAZY. --Justin says he doesn't see that happening to him. --He explains, quote, "Michael had a really bad childhood. I was blessed with a great childhood. My mom loved me. My dad loved me. I'm now a teenager and I don't feel like I've missed out on anything in my life. --"I've gotten to experience everything I possibly could. I don't look back and think, 'Ugh, I wish I would have been able to do that.' Maybe [Michael] missed out on a lot, so he tried to [re-live] his childhood when he was older. --"But I've got such good people around me, I'm not worried."
God Told Justin Bieber That He Was Going to Be "The Voice of a Whole New Generation":
JUSTIN BIEBER talks to God . . . and he tattooed Jesus' face on his leg . . . and apparently, the love is mutual. Because God once told Justin that he was going to be a big deal. --Justin tells "V" magazine, quote, "My mom has always had God around me, has always made it really apparent. She never pushed it on me, but she always brought me to church and she put me in Sunday school. --"When I was little, I did these things . . . 'prophetic words' . . . which is sort of like fortune-telling, but from God. They said in one of those tapes, when I was really young, that I was going to be the voice of the new generation. --"So, I don't know what that means. It could just mean that I'm here to make music and inspire people. That's all I know. I just want to be able to be a good influence on people. [But] I'm not perfect . . . --"I think everyone makes mistakes, and that's what life's about." --If God told ME I'd be outrageously rich, successful and influential, I know I'd be extremely religious . . . but Justin actually "doesn't think" he's religious. --He says, quote, "I'm spiritual. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe that he put me in this position, and that I have to always give him the glory he deserves for putting me here. But I don't consider myself religious."
Van Halen's New Single "Tattoo" Sounds Like an Old Outtake . . . So Was Sammy Hagar Right About the Album Being Filled with Old Songs?
When VAN HALEN played their first gig last week, the set list included an old, previously unreleased song called "She's the Woman". --Then yesterday, they released their NEW single "Tattoo" . . . but almost immediately, die-hard Van Halen fans noticed that it sounds VERY similar to an unreleased track from the '70s called "Down in Flames". (--You can compare the songs yourself. Here's "Tattoo" and "Down in Flames". Note: The audio on the "Down in Flames" clip is rough, which makes sense. It's an un-mastered live recording from over 30 years ago.) --So . . . does this mean SAMMY HAGAR was right? Back in November, he told "Rolling Stone", quote, "I heard this record is old outtakes from the old days . . . from before I even joined the band. (--So, stuff from the '70s and early '80s.) --"They aren't working with new material. EDDIE [VAN HALEN] and DaviD [LEE ROTH] didn't actually write new songs. They took old stuff from previous sessions." --For the record, Sammy did admit that he heard this FIVE YEARS ago. (--Now, it seems clear that "Tattoo" is a fresh recording. So even if they're revisiting old song ideas, it's not like they're just grabbing a bunch of old tapes, and packaging them as a NEW album.)
WEDNESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS\
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Maybe EVAN RACHEL WOOD and JAMIE BELL aren't engaged after all. Back in November, Evan apparently Tweeted that she's been wearing her aunt's diamond on her engagement ring finger since she was 14. (Full Story)
Even though MARC ANTHONY has already hooked up again himself, Radar Online would like you to believe that he's telling JENNIFER LOPEZ to see a shrink in order to figure out why she's not able to live without a man. (Full Story)
NICK CANNON'S recent illness has brought him and MARIAH CAREY closer together, according to Nick's dad. (Full Story)
OLIVIA MUNN and New York Rangers center BRAD RICHARDS have split up. (Full Story)
KEVIN BACON and KYRA SEDGWICK'S dog died. (Full Story)
CHRISTINA AGUILERA admits that 2011 was a "rough year". (Full Story)
Remember this video of SEAN PENN attacking a paparazzi scumbag? Well, in a probation hearing this week related to that case, Sean's counselor said he's making progress with his anger issues. (Full Story)
In case you missed it, DAVID CROSS was trashing the third "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movie on "Conan" Monday night. And he made what could very easily be construed as an anti-Semitic remark about one of the producers. Although he's Jewish himself. (Full Story with Video)
WILLIAM SHATNER is doing a one-man Broadway show called "Shatner's World: We Just Live In It". (Full Story)
Not that it matters now, but "Billboard" says BLACK SABBATH may have been preparing to headline this year's Coachella Valley Music Festival before guitarist TONY IOMMI was diagnosed with cancer. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
One in Five Men Admit They Don't Change Their Underwear Daily . . . and Neither Do 5% of Women:
In case you were wondering . . . yep, men are still really, really filthy. --This is out of England, but we're afraid it's true here too. A new survey has found that 22% of men . . . that's more than one in five . . . admit they don't change their underwear daily. -As for women, they're not totally immune either . . . 5% of women admit they don't change their underwear daily either. (--With all due respect . . . in a way, don't those 5% seem grosser than the guys?)
--The survey also found . . .
--42% of people say they do laundry two or three times a week. 38% do it four or more times a week.
--52% of people wash a shirt after one wearing regardless if it looks dirty or not.
--74% of people wash their towels at least weekly . . . but only 53% wash their sheets weekly.
--Ironing was voted the most hated laundry-related chore. But . . . 12% of people say they LOVE ironing. (???)
(The Scotsman)
You Have a Less Than 1% Chance of Meeting Your Future Spouse at the Grocery Store:
Whenever you read one of those articles online about "how to meet the person of your dreams," they ALWAYS tell you to be on alert at the grocery store. --Well . . . there's a sociologist named Reuben Thomas who's finishing up a major study on the way couples meet, and he says you can stop dressing up before you run out to buy frozen dinners or cat food --In his study, only 27 out of 2,960 couples met at grocery stores. That's less than 1%. --And he says in 17 of those 27 cases, at least one of them was WORKING at the store. Usually, both were. --So in the majority of cases where people fell in love at the grocery store, it was either someone falling in love with the cashier or deli counter guy . . . OR two employees getting together. --Only 10 of his 2,960 couples were people who bumped into each other in the aisle, struck up a conversation, and actually started dating. That's 0.3%. (Jezebel)
When Someone You Love Dies, You're 21 Times More Likely to Have a Heart Attack:
A new study found that having a loved one die can be hazardous to your health.--Researchers from Harvard Medical School found that grief can cause your risk of a heart attack to spike. And the danger is greatest in the first few days after a loved one dies. --The first day after someone you love dies, your risk of a heart attack is 21 TIMES greater than on a normal day. --And during the rest of that first week, people grieving a loved one are SIX TIMES more likely to have a heart attack. --The risk declines over the first month, but still remains higher than normal. --It's because the physical symptoms of intense grief can cause additional stress on your heart. Grieving people have higher heart rates, higher blood pressure, and higher levels of stress hormones. --They also sleep less, eat less, and are more likely to get off their regular medication schedule. (Breitbart)
The Average Dog Causes Almost 2,000 Family Fights . . . Here are the Top 20 Reasons:
Dog owners seem pretty OBSESSED with their dogs. And that's fine. But the problem with obsession is that it leads to ridiculous, irrational ARGUMENTS.
--According to a new study, the average dog causes almost 2,000 family fights over the course of its life.
--The average dog lives 12.8 years and causes 156 fights every year . . . that's an average of one fight every 2.3 days.
--The fights aren't always big . . . but they're still fights. The survey also found a list of the top 20 fights caused by dogs. Here they are, in order.
#1.) What to do with the dog when you're going out.
#2.) Who should walk the dog.
#3.) Whether the dog should be allowed on the bed.
#4.) Whether the dog should be allowed upstairs.
#5.) Who should clean up the dog poop in the backyard.
#6.) Being too harsh on the dog.
#7.) Letting the dog on the couch.
#8.) Spending too much money on the dog.
#9.) Training the dog.
#10.) Feeding the dog from the table.
#11.) Who should babysit or look after the dog.
#12.) Grooming.
#13.) Damage caused by the dog.
#14.) Who chose to get the dog in the first place.
#15.) Who cleans up when the dog makes a mess in the house.
#16.) Who cleans up when the dog throws up.
#17.) Treating the dog too much like a human.
#18.) Allowing the dog into rooms it's not allowed in.
#19.) Children's toys being eaten.
#20.) Shoes being chewed.
--Even with ALL those different arguments, only 14% of people with kids and dogs say they argue about their dog more than their children.
(Daily Mail)
Genius Idea Alert! "The Phone Stack" . . . the Game That Keeps People from Texting During Dinner:
I think it just looks sad when you see a table of people at dinner, and none of them are talking to each other because they're all texting. So I have to call this idea GENIUS. --It's a new game called "The Phone Stack" . . . and it's a BRILLIANT way to keep everyone from texting, emailing, or staring at their phones during dinner. --When you get to dinner with your friends or family, everyone puts their phone in a pile in the center of the table, face down. As the phones buzz, beep, and ring throughout the meal, no one's allowed to grab theirs to check on it. --AND . . . if someone can't resist and grabs their phone, they have to pick up the check. The ENTIRE check. --A 20-year-old blogger in Ventura, California named Stephie is getting the credit for coming up with the game. She posted about it on her blog six days ago, and it's BLOWING UP. --She says, quote, "[The] basic premise is to just get people open to the idea of staying active and attentive to one another." --Elie Ayrouth is a writer at the website Foodbeast.com. She says it's, quote, "one of the coolest pieces of socially engineered live gaming I've ever heard of." (Globe & Mail)
Six New Stats on American Binge Drinking, Courtesy of the CDC:
The CDC just released a bunch of new data about Americans and our deep, deep love of getting hammered. Here are six of the big findings . . .
#1.) More than 38 million Americans binge drink. That's defined as men drinking five or more drinks in a short period of time, or women drinking four or more drinks.
#2.) The average binge drinker gets drunk about four times a month.
#3.) The age group with the most binge drinkers is 18 to 34 . . . but the age group whose binge drinkers binge drink most often is 65 and older.
#4.) Wisconsin has the most binge drinkers at 25.6% of the adults in the state. Utah has the fewest, at 10.9%.
#5.) Wisconsin binge drinkers also put down the most average drinks in a sitting. The average Wisconsin binge drinker has NINE drinks. Washington, D.C. binge drinkers have the fewest average drinks in one sitting, at six.
#6.) Overall, 17.1% of Americans reported at least one binge drinking session in the last 30 days.
(CDC)
Coors Light Passed Budweiser to Become the Second-Most Popular Beer in the U.S. . . . But Bud Light is Still Number One:
America is supposed to be a Budweiser country. But man, have we gotten away from that. Not that our beer palates have become more refined . . . the opposite. We want our beer as WATERY as possible. --According to the latest sales data, Bud Light is the best-selling beer in America, as it always is . . . but Budweiser is no longer number two. Nope . . . COORS LIGHT has passed it to become the country's second-most popular beer. --Budweiser has dropped to number three. Miller Lite is fourth and Natural Light is fifth. --And, yeah, Budweiser is the only full-calorie beer in the top five. --This is the first year since 1993 that Bud and Bud Light haven't been in the top two spots. (Chicago Tribune)
Best Make-a-Wish Ever? A Sick Seven-Year-Old Boy Wanted to Blow Up a Building:
Maxwell Hinton is a seven-year-old boy from Fresno, California who came up with possibly the BEST Make-a-Wish ever. --Maxwell had neuroblastoma, which is a malignant cancer that's most commonly found in children. He's undergone treatment and is recovering. --Maxwell must have used some of his recovery time to think about his wish, because when the Make-a-Wish people showed up, he was ready with a great one. --Instead of meeting a famous person or going to an amusement park, Maxwell wanted . . . to blow up a building. --Maxwell said he watched a lot of "MythBusters" and they inspired his passion for blowing things up. --We don't know how long it took the Make-a-Wish people to find it, but they finally located a building that needed to be demolished. --The ConAgra grain mill in Huron, Ohio needed to come down to make room for a riverfront development project. (--Huron is about 55 miles west of Cleveland.) --Maxwell got flown to Ohio, and on Sunday, he got to press the button that set off the explosions. (Fox Toledo)
A Man Posts a Photo of His Bike on eBay . . . Not Realizing His Girlfriend is Bending Over in the Background:
If only this eBay auction had made the news BEFORE it ended, this guy would've gotten a LOT more views on his bike . . . and probably would've sold it for a lot more. --In Herefordshire, England, a man who's only been identified as Paul put up his used BMX bike on eBay. He included a photo of the bike in his kitchen. --What Paul didn't realize was . . . his girlfriend Sam was actually BENDING OVER in a SKIRT in the background of the photo. You can't see her naughty parts . . . her skirt hangs JUST low enough to cover everything . . . but it's a photo finish on that. --Paul says people didn't notice until the auction was about to end . . . and the bike only went for $50. He also says once he found out, he tried to remove the photo but couldn't. --Paul says his girlfriend has taken this pretty well. Quote, "Lucky for me, my girlfriend finds the funny side of this." (Hereford Times) (--Here's a screenshot of the eBay auction and a full-size version of the photo. It's safe-for-work.)
The Virgin Mary Has Turned Up at a Restaurant Called Hamburger Mary's:
We love random sightings of JESUS and the VIRGIN MARY. And I'm a believer. The ONLY thing that makes me skeptical about this latest sighting is that it happened in Tampa. Jesus and Mary ain't going to Tampa. --The latest appearance of the Virgin Mary is on a wall at a restaurant in Tampa called . . . Hamburger Mary's. So I guess if Mary was going to eat anywhere, it would be there. --The appearance isn't that clear. It's definitely got the Mary shape, but doesn't really have facial features or anything. --The manager of Hamburger Mary's says people first spotted it over the weekend and, quote, "From certain angles, it does look like the Virgin Mary." --She also says the restaurant is getting an influx of people wanting to see the image. (CBS 10 - Tampa) (--You can see some images of the Virgin Mary sighting here. It's not the greatest one . . . it kind of looks like EDVARD MUNCH'S "The Scream".)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A 62-Year-Old Woman Attacks Her Husband With a Hammer . . . Over Judge Judy?
Look, we ALL know JUDGE JUDY is sexy. Even at her age, I'd love to have her boss me around in the bedroom. But the average dude has NO CHANCE of getting with her. So there's no need to be jealous. --But that logic wasn't good enough for 62-year-old Janet Knowles of Jupiter, Florida. --On Sunday morning, Janet's 65-year-old husband was watching "Judge Judy" . . . and Janet was ENRAGED. Police aren't sure if it was jealousy or what . . . but Janet just lost it. --She ended up grabbing a HAMMER and going after her husband with it. He ended up with huge cuts on his head and forearms. --Janet was arrested and charged with aggravated battery. (--If it wasn't going to lead to EXTREME bias, I'd say this was the PERFECT case for Judge Judy to handle.) (The Smoking Gun)
A 14-Year-Old Boy Achieved His Dream of Playing on the School Basketball Team . . . Then Died of Cardiac Arrest at His First Practice:
Hopefully you won't hear a more depressing story today than this one.-Cody Sherrell was a 14-year-old boy whose dream was to play basketball for his school in La Center, Washington. (--La Center is on the southern border of the state, about 25 miles north of Portland, Oregon.) --Cody's family said that he suffered from shyness, but overcame it to try out for the 8th grade basketball team. He showed up for the first practice on Monday, wearing the brand new Kobe Bryant-model sneakers his family bought for him.
--Partway through practice, Cody went into cardiac arrest . . . and it ended up KILLING him later that night. --During a break, Cody sat down, then fell over. The team's coach and a parent took turns administering CPR. Paramedics were able to shock his heart and get it beating again, but he died later that night at the hospital. --Cody had no history of heart problems, and he'd passed a physical a few days earlier. Coaches and teammates say that the practice wasn't very strenuous. They also said that Cody had been "highly active" while playing. --School Principal David Cooke said, quote, "While his parents were devastated by what happened, they were happy he was on the court. He was doing what he wanted to do." (Daily Mail)
A Woman is Suing Starwood Hotels After They Gave a Random Man Her Room Key . . . and He Ended Up Groping Her:
Last January, 31-year-old Alison Fournier of New York City was in Helsinki, Finland on business, and staying at a hotel called Hotel Kamp. --Hotel Kamp is owned by Starwood Hotels, the company that also owns Sheraton, Westin, the W, and several other major chains.-On January 15th, a random drunk guy apparently went to the front desk, and told them Alison was his wife. And the clerk gave him a room key without checking his ID. --So while Alison was sleeping, this guy went into her room, took off his clothes, climbed into bed, and started GROPING HER. She freaked out and ran out of the room. --The man hasn't been identified yet, so he hasn't been hit with any criminal charges. --Alison says she's still traumatized by the experience. She ended up quitting her investment banking job and moving back in with her family in Florida. And now, she's SUING Starwood for an undisclosed amount. --Naturally, her lawyer is GLORIA ALLRED . . . who most recently represented Sharon Bialek, the first woman to accuse HERMAN CAIN of sexual harassment. --Starwood says they're, quote, "taking this allegation seriously and are working with the hotel to understand the facts." (CNN) (--Here's a photo of Alison with Gloria Allred after filing the lawsuit.)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
A 49-year-old guy in Maine called police to report that his garage was broken into . . . the same garage where he was growing 25 marijuana plants. He was arrested. (Full Story)
A paramedic in Connecticut has admitted that he sexually assaulted a 22-year-old on the way to the hospital on Christmas Day. (Full Story)
Check out a ranking of the top 50 '3:16' verses in the Bible, and how likely they are to apply to TIM TEBOW. (Full Story)
The nuclear war 'Doomsday Clock' has been moved one minute closer to midnight. It's now at 11:55, and it's the first time it's been moved since 2007. (Full Story)
Would you like to see more breastfeeding on "Sesame Street"? Then there's a petition just for you. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) Someone Edited Together Clips of President Obama . . . to Make Him Sing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way":
This video must have taken a lot of time, but it was worth it: Someone took clips of PRESIDENT OBAMA giving speeches, and somehow pieced together the lyrics to "Born This Way" by LADY GAGA so it sounds like he's singing it . . . kind of. (--Search for "Barack Obama Singing Born This Way." His vocals start at :26.)
#2.) A Guy Prevented His Friend from Driving Drunk . . . by Punching Him in the Face and Putting Him in a Sleeper Hold:
We all know you shouldn't let your friends drive drunk, but it's another thing actually keeping them out of the driver's seat. If you're up for doing whatever it takes, listen up. --There's a video on Break.com of some drunk idiot insisting he's okay to drive . . . even with his DAUGHTER in the car. --And after he keeps refusing a ride, one of his friends CLOCKS HIM, then puts him in a SLEEPER HOLD. The whole time, the friend keeps telling him he's doing it for his own good. (--Search for "Guy Punches Friend to Prevent Drunk Driving." He punches him at 1:34. WARNING: This video includes the F-word, N-word, S-word, and other profanity.)
#3.) And Now . . . an Old Woman Dances to Usher:
A video called "Aunt Carol Usher" is getting a bunch of plays on YouTube. It was posted a while back, but someone just found it and it's pretty funny. --It's an old woman with white hair, dancing to the 1997 USHER song "You Make Me Wanna". And she starts out dancing while she's sitting on a chair, just like he does in the music video. --But instead of a REGULAR chair, it's one of those plastic things old people use in the bathtub.
#4.) Here's the James Bond Theme Song . . . with Lyrics About Him Sleeping Around and Drinking:
This might be the dumbest thing ever, but someone took the theme from the JAMES BOND movies . . . and added LYRICS to it. Be warned, it's got a TON of swear words, but it's also pretty funny. --It's about Bond's corny lines, his sexual habits, and how he's constantly boozing it up in every movie. (--Search for "His Name Is James Bond.") (--WARNING: This video includes the F-word, C-word, D-word, B-word, S-word, and other profanity.)
Five Things Hollywood Always Gets Wrong About the Workplace:
Awards season officially kicks off tonight with the People's Choice Awards. Then the Critics' Choice Awards are tomorrow, and the Golden Globes air this Sunday. --So this list from Cracked.com caught our attention. Here are five things that movies and TV shows always get wrong about the workplace.
#1.) Everyone Either Wears a Suit or a Uniform. That's basically the rule. But according to poll from 2010, 55% of workers say their office doesn't have any dress code at all. --And some companies . . . including a lot of technology companies . . . let their employees show up in shorts and flip-flops if they want to.
#2.) When People Get Fired, It's Usually Spontaneous and Dramatic. In most cases, the boss flips out about one specific thing, then fires the person on the spot. But in real life, companies have to worry about wrongful termination laws. --So before someone is officially fired, the HR department usually tries to document all the events leading up to it in case there's a lawsuit. And it can take days or even weeks before someone eventually hands you a pink slip. --On a related note, there's no evidence that handing out actual "pink slips" was ever really a 'thing'.
#3.) If You Own 51% of a Company, You Can Do Whatever You Want with It. The truth is, most corporations require a two-thirds majority vote before they can do anything major, like sell the company. In some states, it's a law. --In fact, there's a whole set of laws to protect minority shareholders. So if the majority owner does something stupid that makes no business sense, the other shareholders can sue.
#4.) If Someone's Stressed Out About Work, It's Usually Because They Have a Big Presentation Coming Up. Either that, or they're trying to land some big, important client. --But the reality is, most jobs involve performing a set list of tasks each day, not working on one big project. Someone sitting at a desk by himself for eight hours straight doesn't really work on TV though. --And a big presentation scene with multiple characters is easier to write.
Back in November, RUSSELL BRAND was preparing to bring his comedy act to U.S. colleges. And he posted a video online in which he "jokingly" took off his wedding ring so he could better enjoy his time with American sorority girls. --He said, quote, "I'm going to place this somewhere very, very safe for the next week." (--Check out the video here.) --At the time, KATY PERRY had no problem with the tour. She Tweeted, quote, "My fowl mouthed Hubby @rustyrockets is playing a few mid-west/east-coast shows starting tonight onwards! SUPPORT!" (--And yes, she typed "fowl" with a W instead of "foul" with a U.) --The following month, Russell filed for divorce.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé Snuck Their Daughter Out of the Hospital Yesterday Morning:
BEYONCÉ and JAY-Z brought their daughter Blue Ivy home from the hospital yesterday morning. Their privacy was protected thanks to a motorcade of SUVs that snuck out a side entrance at about 1:30 in the morning. --Beyoncé and Jay-Z reportedly spent more than a million bucks to cordon off the maternity ward at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital. Some other new parents at the facility have complained of their treatment by hospital staff and the couple's private security.
Would You Pay Money for Pool Water That Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Their Daughter Swam In?
I can see this becoming a new celebrity fad: Someone is selling a four-ounce bottle of water on eBay. And this is no ordinary water. It was taken from a pool in Miami after TOM CRUISE, KATIE HOLMES and their daughter Suri swam in it. --The seller is REALLY trying to hype this as something special. The clear bottle says "Tom Water", and even has a cross on it. But the seller adds, quote, "The cross also bears four gold rays coming from behind, which can also be considered the symbol of Scientology." --What can you do with this water? The seller says, quote, "Tom Cruise water can be used in rituals, potions, or perfumes. It can be dabbed behind the ears or on the wrists for good luck. --"You can place some of it around the hearth of your home or baptize your baby with it for all I care!" --The starting bid for the "Tom Water" is $100. There are nine days left to bid, but so far, no one has. (--Check out the auction here.)
Demi Lovato Is Tweeting About Not Needing a Man . . . Has She Broken Up with Wilmer Valderrama?
It sounds like DEMI LOVATO has shown WILMER VALDERRAMA the door. Yesterday, she Tweeted, quote, "The smartest thing a woman can ever learn, is to never need a man." --She also re-Tweeted a MARILYN MONROE quote that one of her followers Tweeted . . . quote, "A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left." --Meanwhile, a source tells "Us Weekly", quote, "They're no longer hooking up."
Paris Jackson Vows Not to Smoke, Drink or Steal:
13-year-old PARIS JACKSON is about to embark on her acting career . . . and she's vowing not to fall into those all-too-familiar child actress traps. --She Tweeted, quote, "#ShoutOutToTheGirlsThat are clean. No smoking/drinking/stealing/etc." --Then she added, quote, "#ShoutOutToTheGirlsThat can take care of themselves #independent." --Paris will make her film debut in the fantasy flick "Lundon's Bridge and the Three Keys" . . . which is based on a book of the same name. It's due out sometime next year.
Chelsea Handler Has Cut Down on Her Drinking:
CHELSEA HANDLER has always tried to make her drinking and carousing the stuff of legend. But it sounds like those days are over. Chelsea admits she's not tipping the bottle like she used to. --She says, quote, "Vodka is a part of my life. Absolutely. Tequila or vodka, depending on the day you get me. But to function as I do, I can't be a mess."
Natalie Wood Investigators Haven't Found Anything Yet:
Police working on the re-opened investigation into NATALIE WOOD'S 1981 drowning death say they haven't found anything. Yet. --William McSweeney, the chief of detectives for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, says, quote, "At this point, it is an accidental death. Nothing has been discovered to suggest changing that at this time." --The investigation is still ongoing, but ROBERT WAGNER and CHRISTOPHER WALKEN probably don't have anything to worry about. --McSweeney says he doesn't think anything will change the overall conclusion that Wood's death was an accident.
Justin Timberlake Has a Beard:
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE showed up at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas the other day . . . with a FULL BEARD. (--Check out a picture here.) (Us Weekly)
The IRS Wants $93,000 from Lindsay Lohan . . . and She's Being Sued Over a Two-Year-Old Paparazzi Incident:
LINDSAY LOHAN'S problems aren't completely over. The IRS is going after her for $93,700 in taxes they say she DIDN'T pay in 2009. --Meanwhile, she's also being sued over a two-year-old incident in which a paparazzi scumbag was allegedly hit by a car she was riding in.
--Lindsay and the driver were both named as defendants in the lawsuit. There's no word how much the guy is suing for. (--The incident occurred back in January of 2010. You can see video here.) --Luckily, Lindsay can still generate cash. She's featured in two new ad campaigns . . . one for Philipp Plein, and one for the fashion retailer with the naughty-looking initials F.C.U.K. . . . which stands for French Connection U.K. (--Check out pictures from both here.)
Jessica Simpson Buttered a Pop Tart:
Leave it to JESSICA SIMPSON to have the weirdest pregnancy craving I've ever heard of. --She says, quote, "I'm craving a lot of things I had when I was a kid. Like, this morning I buttered a Pop Tart. I haven't done that in years." --That's not all she's craving . . . quote, "I'm a big fan of Kraft Mac N' Cheese . . . That keeps me happy. That keeps me sodium happy. I, like, wake up swollen because I put Lowry's seasoning salt all over it."
TEBOW TIME
John Parr Has Rewritten "St. Elmo's Fire" Into a Song About Tim Tebow:
Remember JOHN PARR'S classic 1985 jam "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)"? Well, it's now a song about Denver Broncos quarterback TIM TEBOW. (!!!) --And it was John Parr himself who changed it up. -The song was originally written for Richard Hansen . . . a wheelchair-bound Canadian athlete who was giving inspirational speeches. --But of course, it became the theme song to the classic 1985 Brat Pack flick "St. Elmo's Fire", starring ROB LOWE, DEMI MOORE, ANDREW MCCARTHY, etc.
--And now, it includes such DYNAMITE lyrics as . . .
Gonna be a man in motion
All I need's my Broncos team
Take me where my future's lyin'
Tim Tebow's Fire
--And . . .
I can climb the highest mountain
These Broncos can't be beat
I can feel St Elmo's Fire burnin' in me
(--You can listen to the song in all its glory here. And here's video of Parr doing a much different acoustic version on ESPN a few months ago.) (--Another celebrity who has something to say about Tebow is former pro rassler "STONE COLD" STEVE AUSTIN. Austin's slogan was always "Austin 3:16".) (--But he says that if Tebow throws for 316 yards again this weekend, he can HAVE IT. You can read more about that here.)
Tim Tebow's Game-Winning Touchdown Pass Sunday Night Broke Beyoncé's Twitter Record:
TIM TEBOW'S game-winning touchdown pass against the Steelers generated 9,420 Tweets per SECOND. --When BEYONCÉ debuted her baby bump at the "MTV Video Music Awards" back in August, she generated 8,868 Tweets per second. --But check out the all-time record: Japan televised an anime movie called "Castle in the Sky" in December, which averaged 25,088 Tweets per second. (--One last note: Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl had to TEBOW while wearing a Denver jersey, after losing a bet on the game with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. Check out a picture here.) (Blogs.Westword.com)
How Naked Will Amanda Seyfried Get in the Linda Lovelace Movie?
AMANDA SEYFRIED will show some skin in "Lovelace" . . . one of two upcoming movies about "Deep Throat" star LINDA LOVELACE. But how much skin will she show? --We don't know yet, but producer Patrick Muldoon seems to be suggesting we WILL get to see some of Amanda's naughty parts. --He says, quote, "It's going to be very risqué." --But he adds, quote, "Thematically, it's talking about how abusive the porn industry was to Linda Lovelace. Yes, there's a lot of nudity, but it's a message movie about respecting women."
Over 3,900 People Want to Bring Breastfeeding Back to "Sesame Street":
Is "Sesame Street" showing enough breastfeeding? No, apparently. -There's an online petition going around that's attempting to, quote, "bring breastfeeding back to 'Sesame Street'." --According to the petition, "Sesame Street" used to "tastefully" depict breastfeeding back in the '70s and '80s . . . but recently, they've only been showing "bottle feeding." --The petition adds, quote, "We are not asking 'Sesame Street' to remove bottle feeding. We are asking that both ways of feeding babies be shown as normal. --"If we normalize breastfeeding in our community . . . especially with our children . . . we can help raise a generation of breastfeeders which will support our economy, make for healthier children, and lessen the risk of breast cancer for many nursing mamas!" --They're trying to get 5,000 signatures. As of late last night, they had over 3,900. --You can find the petition at ThePetitionSite.com. (--Here's a video from the '70s, of a baby being breastfed on "Sesame Street". Here's one from the '80s, where a baby is being nursed, but they explain the option of bottle feeding.) (--And here's a video from the '90s, where the show's "You're My Baby" song is edited to only include bottle feeding. Here's a clip of the original from the '80s.)
The "Modern Family" Baby Will Say the F-word on Next Week's Episode:
Cue the next Parents Television Council freak out. --On next Wednesday's episode of "Modern Family", Lily . . . the two-year-old adopted girl . . . somehow learns the F-word. She says it at least once, and her parents, Cam and Mitchell, are scared that she'll blurt it out again at a wedding. --Obviously, we won't HEAR her saying the F-word. It'll be censored. --ABC wasn't originally on board with the idea. The show's creator says, quote, "We had to really convince ABC. We thought it was a very natural story since, as parents, we've all been through this. --"I think it's all about context. We are not a sexually charged show. It has a very warm tone, so people accept it more. [But] I'm sure we'll have some detractors."
AMC Is Developing a "Goodfellas" Series:
AMC is developing a show based on "Goodfellas", the 1990 MARTIN SCORSESE movie starring ROBERT DE NIRO, JOE PESCI and RAY LIOTTA. --It seems to be in good hands. One of the executive producers will be Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the movie screenplay, and who wrote "Wiseguys", the novel that the movie was based on. But that's all we know for now.
"The Bachelor" Has Hit a New Ratings Low:
It sounds like there are a bunch of open seats on the "Bachelor" bandwagon. --Monday's episode only attracted 7.2 million viewers, which is the show's worst turnout over its 16-season run. Last week's season premiere didn't do much better. It had 7.7 million viewers. --So either people are FINALLY getting sick of this show . . . they're not feeling the latest bachelor BEN FLAJNIK . . . or the BRAD WOMACK train wreck last season is still leaving a bad taste in fans' mouths. --By the way, Ben may have revealed that he did NOT find love on this season. --In a radio interview yesterday .. . . Ben didn't seem all that thrilled about his prospects this season, which of course has already been filmed. --When asked if he was "in love and happy," Ben said, quote, "I'm happy I decided to become 'the bachelor,' it's another one of those great experiences, another story that I get to tell my potential children or grandchildren about someday . . . --"And for that I'm happy." (--There's audio at JayTowersInTheMorning.com.)
Wednesday TV Reminders:
--"One Tree Hill" [9th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on the CW.
--"Are You There, Chelsea?" [Series Premiere] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. This is based on Chelsea Handler's book "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea". Laura Prepon from "That '70s Show" plays Chelsea . . . and Chelsea plays her sister Sloane.
--"Suburgatory" . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. "Cougar Town's" Dan Byrd guest stars as an undercover narcotics officer who Tessa is asked to show around school.
--"Harry's Law" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. "Smallville" minx Erica Durance guest stars as a domestic violence victim who suffers a psychotic break and then thinks she's Wonder Woman. Erica played Lois Lane on "Smallville".
--"People's Choice Awards 2012" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS. Kaley Cuoco hosts, plus Faith Hill and Demi Lovato perform. (--Here are the nominees.)
--"Sons of Guns" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery. Ted Nugent visits the shop.
--"Only In America with Larry the Cable Guy" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on History Channel.
--"Ghost Hunters" [8th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Syfy.
--"Hot in Cleveland" . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on TV Land. Jane Leeves and Betty White camp out at the zoo to try to save an endangered species of rhinoceros.
--"The Real World/Road Rules Challenge" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV. Former lovers will be teamed up to compete for $300,000.
--"Face Off" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:15 P.M. on Syfy.
BIEBER FEVER
Justin Bieber Wants to Be Like Michael Jackson, Except He Won't Go Crazy Like Michael Did:
JUSTIN BIEBER considers MICHAEL JACKSON to be the best singer of all time . . . and he wants to be "at his level" someday. --He tells "V" magazine, quote, "I want to be the best . . . in the world. I want to be better than anybody that's ever done it. And in order to do that, I need to strive to be the best, be good to people and treat people with respect, and work as hard as I can. --"I've got a lot of work to do. I'm not saying it's going to happen within the next three years. But hopefully by the time I'm 30, people will remember me . . . I don't want people to just think of me as a teen sensation." --To do that, Justin says he can't "grow up too fast," and risk burning out. --He says, quote, "I'm going to grow up how I grow up. I'm not going to try to conform to what people want me to be or go out there and start partying, have people see me with alcohol. I want to do it at my own pace. --"But I'm never going to make myself so the kids and the parents don't respect me. There're some artists that [parents won't] let their kids go and see because they think they're a bad influence. --"I want to be able to do what Michael did . . . he always sang clean lyrics . . . and it was always that little kids loved Michael and grandparents loved Michael. I don't want to start singing about things like sex, drugs, and swearing. --"I'm into love, and maybe I'll get more into making love when I'm older. But I want to be someone who is respected by everybody." (--Some people are having fun with that quote about Justin "getting more into making love" when he's older . . . and it is amusing . . . but Justin is talking about SINGING about sex. Not about actually HAVING it.) --It's not surprising that Justin wants to emulate Michael's career . . . since Michael was one of the few singers that was able to successfully move from a child star to an adult superstar . . . but of course Michael also went CRAZY. --Justin says he doesn't see that happening to him. --He explains, quote, "Michael had a really bad childhood. I was blessed with a great childhood. My mom loved me. My dad loved me. I'm now a teenager and I don't feel like I've missed out on anything in my life. --"I've gotten to experience everything I possibly could. I don't look back and think, 'Ugh, I wish I would have been able to do that.' Maybe [Michael] missed out on a lot, so he tried to [re-live] his childhood when he was older. --"But I've got such good people around me, I'm not worried."
God Told Justin Bieber That He Was Going to Be "The Voice of a Whole New Generation":
JUSTIN BIEBER talks to God . . . and he tattooed Jesus' face on his leg . . . and apparently, the love is mutual. Because God once told Justin that he was going to be a big deal. --Justin tells "V" magazine, quote, "My mom has always had God around me, has always made it really apparent. She never pushed it on me, but she always brought me to church and she put me in Sunday school. --"When I was little, I did these things . . . 'prophetic words' . . . which is sort of like fortune-telling, but from God. They said in one of those tapes, when I was really young, that I was going to be the voice of the new generation. --"So, I don't know what that means. It could just mean that I'm here to make music and inspire people. That's all I know. I just want to be able to be a good influence on people. [But] I'm not perfect . . . --"I think everyone makes mistakes, and that's what life's about." --If God told ME I'd be outrageously rich, successful and influential, I know I'd be extremely religious . . . but Justin actually "doesn't think" he's religious. --He says, quote, "I'm spiritual. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe that he put me in this position, and that I have to always give him the glory he deserves for putting me here. But I don't consider myself religious."
Van Halen's New Single "Tattoo" Sounds Like an Old Outtake . . . So Was Sammy Hagar Right About the Album Being Filled with Old Songs?
When VAN HALEN played their first gig last week, the set list included an old, previously unreleased song called "She's the Woman". --Then yesterday, they released their NEW single "Tattoo" . . . but almost immediately, die-hard Van Halen fans noticed that it sounds VERY similar to an unreleased track from the '70s called "Down in Flames". (--You can compare the songs yourself. Here's "Tattoo" and "Down in Flames". Note: The audio on the "Down in Flames" clip is rough, which makes sense. It's an un-mastered live recording from over 30 years ago.) --So . . . does this mean SAMMY HAGAR was right? Back in November, he told "Rolling Stone", quote, "I heard this record is old outtakes from the old days . . . from before I even joined the band. (--So, stuff from the '70s and early '80s.) --"They aren't working with new material. EDDIE [VAN HALEN] and DaviD [LEE ROTH] didn't actually write new songs. They took old stuff from previous sessions." --For the record, Sammy did admit that he heard this FIVE YEARS ago. (--Now, it seems clear that "Tattoo" is a fresh recording. So even if they're revisiting old song ideas, it's not like they're just grabbing a bunch of old tapes, and packaging them as a NEW album.)
WEDNESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS\
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Maybe EVAN RACHEL WOOD and JAMIE BELL aren't engaged after all. Back in November, Evan apparently Tweeted that she's been wearing her aunt's diamond on her engagement ring finger since she was 14. (Full Story)
Even though MARC ANTHONY has already hooked up again himself, Radar Online would like you to believe that he's telling JENNIFER LOPEZ to see a shrink in order to figure out why she's not able to live without a man. (Full Story)
NICK CANNON'S recent illness has brought him and MARIAH CAREY closer together, according to Nick's dad. (Full Story)
OLIVIA MUNN and New York Rangers center BRAD RICHARDS have split up. (Full Story)
KEVIN BACON and KYRA SEDGWICK'S dog died. (Full Story)
CHRISTINA AGUILERA admits that 2011 was a "rough year". (Full Story)
Remember this video of SEAN PENN attacking a paparazzi scumbag? Well, in a probation hearing this week related to that case, Sean's counselor said he's making progress with his anger issues. (Full Story)
In case you missed it, DAVID CROSS was trashing the third "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movie on "Conan" Monday night. And he made what could very easily be construed as an anti-Semitic remark about one of the producers. Although he's Jewish himself. (Full Story with Video)
WILLIAM SHATNER is doing a one-man Broadway show called "Shatner's World: We Just Live In It". (Full Story)
Not that it matters now, but "Billboard" says BLACK SABBATH may have been preparing to headline this year's Coachella Valley Music Festival before guitarist TONY IOMMI was diagnosed with cancer. (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF
One in Five Men Admit They Don't Change Their Underwear Daily . . . and Neither Do 5% of Women:
In case you were wondering . . . yep, men are still really, really filthy. --This is out of England, but we're afraid it's true here too. A new survey has found that 22% of men . . . that's more than one in five . . . admit they don't change their underwear daily. -As for women, they're not totally immune either . . . 5% of women admit they don't change their underwear daily either. (--With all due respect . . . in a way, don't those 5% seem grosser than the guys?)
--The survey also found . . .
--42% of people say they do laundry two or three times a week. 38% do it four or more times a week.
--52% of people wash a shirt after one wearing regardless if it looks dirty or not.
--74% of people wash their towels at least weekly . . . but only 53% wash their sheets weekly.
--Ironing was voted the most hated laundry-related chore. But . . . 12% of people say they LOVE ironing. (???)
(The Scotsman)
You Have a Less Than 1% Chance of Meeting Your Future Spouse at the Grocery Store:
Whenever you read one of those articles online about "how to meet the person of your dreams," they ALWAYS tell you to be on alert at the grocery store. --Well . . . there's a sociologist named Reuben Thomas who's finishing up a major study on the way couples meet, and he says you can stop dressing up before you run out to buy frozen dinners or cat food --In his study, only 27 out of 2,960 couples met at grocery stores. That's less than 1%. --And he says in 17 of those 27 cases, at least one of them was WORKING at the store. Usually, both were. --So in the majority of cases where people fell in love at the grocery store, it was either someone falling in love with the cashier or deli counter guy . . . OR two employees getting together. --Only 10 of his 2,960 couples were people who bumped into each other in the aisle, struck up a conversation, and actually started dating. That's 0.3%. (Jezebel)
When Someone You Love Dies, You're 21 Times More Likely to Have a Heart Attack:
A new study found that having a loved one die can be hazardous to your health.--Researchers from Harvard Medical School found that grief can cause your risk of a heart attack to spike. And the danger is greatest in the first few days after a loved one dies. --The first day after someone you love dies, your risk of a heart attack is 21 TIMES greater than on a normal day. --And during the rest of that first week, people grieving a loved one are SIX TIMES more likely to have a heart attack. --The risk declines over the first month, but still remains higher than normal. --It's because the physical symptoms of intense grief can cause additional stress on your heart. Grieving people have higher heart rates, higher blood pressure, and higher levels of stress hormones. --They also sleep less, eat less, and are more likely to get off their regular medication schedule. (Breitbart)
The Average Dog Causes Almost 2,000 Family Fights . . . Here are the Top 20 Reasons:
Dog owners seem pretty OBSESSED with their dogs. And that's fine. But the problem with obsession is that it leads to ridiculous, irrational ARGUMENTS.
--According to a new study, the average dog causes almost 2,000 family fights over the course of its life.
--The average dog lives 12.8 years and causes 156 fights every year . . . that's an average of one fight every 2.3 days.
--The fights aren't always big . . . but they're still fights. The survey also found a list of the top 20 fights caused by dogs. Here they are, in order.
#1.) What to do with the dog when you're going out.
#2.) Who should walk the dog.
#3.) Whether the dog should be allowed on the bed.
#4.) Whether the dog should be allowed upstairs.
#5.) Who should clean up the dog poop in the backyard.
#6.) Being too harsh on the dog.
#7.) Letting the dog on the couch.
#8.) Spending too much money on the dog.
#9.) Training the dog.
#10.) Feeding the dog from the table.
#11.) Who should babysit or look after the dog.
#12.) Grooming.
#13.) Damage caused by the dog.
#14.) Who chose to get the dog in the first place.
#15.) Who cleans up when the dog makes a mess in the house.
#16.) Who cleans up when the dog throws up.
#17.) Treating the dog too much like a human.
#18.) Allowing the dog into rooms it's not allowed in.
#19.) Children's toys being eaten.
#20.) Shoes being chewed.
--Even with ALL those different arguments, only 14% of people with kids and dogs say they argue about their dog more than their children.
(Daily Mail)
Genius Idea Alert! "The Phone Stack" . . . the Game That Keeps People from Texting During Dinner:
I think it just looks sad when you see a table of people at dinner, and none of them are talking to each other because they're all texting. So I have to call this idea GENIUS. --It's a new game called "The Phone Stack" . . . and it's a BRILLIANT way to keep everyone from texting, emailing, or staring at their phones during dinner. --When you get to dinner with your friends or family, everyone puts their phone in a pile in the center of the table, face down. As the phones buzz, beep, and ring throughout the meal, no one's allowed to grab theirs to check on it. --AND . . . if someone can't resist and grabs their phone, they have to pick up the check. The ENTIRE check. --A 20-year-old blogger in Ventura, California named Stephie is getting the credit for coming up with the game. She posted about it on her blog six days ago, and it's BLOWING UP. --She says, quote, "[The] basic premise is to just get people open to the idea of staying active and attentive to one another." --Elie Ayrouth is a writer at the website Foodbeast.com. She says it's, quote, "one of the coolest pieces of socially engineered live gaming I've ever heard of." (Globe & Mail)
Six New Stats on American Binge Drinking, Courtesy of the CDC:
The CDC just released a bunch of new data about Americans and our deep, deep love of getting hammered. Here are six of the big findings . . .
#1.) More than 38 million Americans binge drink. That's defined as men drinking five or more drinks in a short period of time, or women drinking four or more drinks.
#2.) The average binge drinker gets drunk about four times a month.
#3.) The age group with the most binge drinkers is 18 to 34 . . . but the age group whose binge drinkers binge drink most often is 65 and older.
#4.) Wisconsin has the most binge drinkers at 25.6% of the adults in the state. Utah has the fewest, at 10.9%.
#5.) Wisconsin binge drinkers also put down the most average drinks in a sitting. The average Wisconsin binge drinker has NINE drinks. Washington, D.C. binge drinkers have the fewest average drinks in one sitting, at six.
#6.) Overall, 17.1% of Americans reported at least one binge drinking session in the last 30 days.
(CDC)
Coors Light Passed Budweiser to Become the Second-Most Popular Beer in the U.S. . . . But Bud Light is Still Number One:
America is supposed to be a Budweiser country. But man, have we gotten away from that. Not that our beer palates have become more refined . . . the opposite. We want our beer as WATERY as possible. --According to the latest sales data, Bud Light is the best-selling beer in America, as it always is . . . but Budweiser is no longer number two. Nope . . . COORS LIGHT has passed it to become the country's second-most popular beer. --Budweiser has dropped to number three. Miller Lite is fourth and Natural Light is fifth. --And, yeah, Budweiser is the only full-calorie beer in the top five. --This is the first year since 1993 that Bud and Bud Light haven't been in the top two spots. (Chicago Tribune)
Best Make-a-Wish Ever? A Sick Seven-Year-Old Boy Wanted to Blow Up a Building:
Maxwell Hinton is a seven-year-old boy from Fresno, California who came up with possibly the BEST Make-a-Wish ever. --Maxwell had neuroblastoma, which is a malignant cancer that's most commonly found in children. He's undergone treatment and is recovering. --Maxwell must have used some of his recovery time to think about his wish, because when the Make-a-Wish people showed up, he was ready with a great one. --Instead of meeting a famous person or going to an amusement park, Maxwell wanted . . . to blow up a building. --Maxwell said he watched a lot of "MythBusters" and they inspired his passion for blowing things up. --We don't know how long it took the Make-a-Wish people to find it, but they finally located a building that needed to be demolished. --The ConAgra grain mill in Huron, Ohio needed to come down to make room for a riverfront development project. (--Huron is about 55 miles west of Cleveland.) --Maxwell got flown to Ohio, and on Sunday, he got to press the button that set off the explosions. (Fox Toledo)
A Man Posts a Photo of His Bike on eBay . . . Not Realizing His Girlfriend is Bending Over in the Background:
If only this eBay auction had made the news BEFORE it ended, this guy would've gotten a LOT more views on his bike . . . and probably would've sold it for a lot more. --In Herefordshire, England, a man who's only been identified as Paul put up his used BMX bike on eBay. He included a photo of the bike in his kitchen. --What Paul didn't realize was . . . his girlfriend Sam was actually BENDING OVER in a SKIRT in the background of the photo. You can't see her naughty parts . . . her skirt hangs JUST low enough to cover everything . . . but it's a photo finish on that. --Paul says people didn't notice until the auction was about to end . . . and the bike only went for $50. He also says once he found out, he tried to remove the photo but couldn't. --Paul says his girlfriend has taken this pretty well. Quote, "Lucky for me, my girlfriend finds the funny side of this." (Hereford Times) (--Here's a screenshot of the eBay auction and a full-size version of the photo. It's safe-for-work.)
The Virgin Mary Has Turned Up at a Restaurant Called Hamburger Mary's:
We love random sightings of JESUS and the VIRGIN MARY. And I'm a believer. The ONLY thing that makes me skeptical about this latest sighting is that it happened in Tampa. Jesus and Mary ain't going to Tampa. --The latest appearance of the Virgin Mary is on a wall at a restaurant in Tampa called . . . Hamburger Mary's. So I guess if Mary was going to eat anywhere, it would be there. --The appearance isn't that clear. It's definitely got the Mary shape, but doesn't really have facial features or anything. --The manager of Hamburger Mary's says people first spotted it over the weekend and, quote, "From certain angles, it does look like the Virgin Mary." --She also says the restaurant is getting an influx of people wanting to see the image. (CBS 10 - Tampa) (--You can see some images of the Virgin Mary sighting here. It's not the greatest one . . . it kind of looks like EDVARD MUNCH'S "The Scream".)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
A 62-Year-Old Woman Attacks Her Husband With a Hammer . . . Over Judge Judy?
Look, we ALL know JUDGE JUDY is sexy. Even at her age, I'd love to have her boss me around in the bedroom. But the average dude has NO CHANCE of getting with her. So there's no need to be jealous. --But that logic wasn't good enough for 62-year-old Janet Knowles of Jupiter, Florida. --On Sunday morning, Janet's 65-year-old husband was watching "Judge Judy" . . . and Janet was ENRAGED. Police aren't sure if it was jealousy or what . . . but Janet just lost it. --She ended up grabbing a HAMMER and going after her husband with it. He ended up with huge cuts on his head and forearms. --Janet was arrested and charged with aggravated battery. (--If it wasn't going to lead to EXTREME bias, I'd say this was the PERFECT case for Judge Judy to handle.) (The Smoking Gun)
A 14-Year-Old Boy Achieved His Dream of Playing on the School Basketball Team . . . Then Died of Cardiac Arrest at His First Practice:
Hopefully you won't hear a more depressing story today than this one.-Cody Sherrell was a 14-year-old boy whose dream was to play basketball for his school in La Center, Washington. (--La Center is on the southern border of the state, about 25 miles north of Portland, Oregon.) --Cody's family said that he suffered from shyness, but overcame it to try out for the 8th grade basketball team. He showed up for the first practice on Monday, wearing the brand new Kobe Bryant-model sneakers his family bought for him.
--Partway through practice, Cody went into cardiac arrest . . . and it ended up KILLING him later that night. --During a break, Cody sat down, then fell over. The team's coach and a parent took turns administering CPR. Paramedics were able to shock his heart and get it beating again, but he died later that night at the hospital. --Cody had no history of heart problems, and he'd passed a physical a few days earlier. Coaches and teammates say that the practice wasn't very strenuous. They also said that Cody had been "highly active" while playing. --School Principal David Cooke said, quote, "While his parents were devastated by what happened, they were happy he was on the court. He was doing what he wanted to do." (Daily Mail)
A Woman is Suing Starwood Hotels After They Gave a Random Man Her Room Key . . . and He Ended Up Groping Her:
Last January, 31-year-old Alison Fournier of New York City was in Helsinki, Finland on business, and staying at a hotel called Hotel Kamp. --Hotel Kamp is owned by Starwood Hotels, the company that also owns Sheraton, Westin, the W, and several other major chains.-On January 15th, a random drunk guy apparently went to the front desk, and told them Alison was his wife. And the clerk gave him a room key without checking his ID. --So while Alison was sleeping, this guy went into her room, took off his clothes, climbed into bed, and started GROPING HER. She freaked out and ran out of the room. --The man hasn't been identified yet, so he hasn't been hit with any criminal charges. --Alison says she's still traumatized by the experience. She ended up quitting her investment banking job and moving back in with her family in Florida. And now, she's SUING Starwood for an undisclosed amount. --Naturally, her lawyer is GLORIA ALLRED . . . who most recently represented Sharon Bialek, the first woman to accuse HERMAN CAIN of sexual harassment. --Starwood says they're, quote, "taking this allegation seriously and are working with the hotel to understand the facts." (CNN) (--Here's a photo of Alison with Gloria Allred after filing the lawsuit.)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
A 49-year-old guy in Maine called police to report that his garage was broken into . . . the same garage where he was growing 25 marijuana plants. He was arrested. (Full Story)
A paramedic in Connecticut has admitted that he sexually assaulted a 22-year-old on the way to the hospital on Christmas Day. (Full Story)
Check out a ranking of the top 50 '3:16' verses in the Bible, and how likely they are to apply to TIM TEBOW. (Full Story)
The nuclear war 'Doomsday Clock' has been moved one minute closer to midnight. It's now at 11:55, and it's the first time it's been moved since 2007. (Full Story)
Would you like to see more breastfeeding on "Sesame Street"? Then there's a petition just for you. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) Someone Edited Together Clips of President Obama . . . to Make Him Sing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way":
This video must have taken a lot of time, but it was worth it: Someone took clips of PRESIDENT OBAMA giving speeches, and somehow pieced together the lyrics to "Born This Way" by LADY GAGA so it sounds like he's singing it . . . kind of. (--Search for "Barack Obama Singing Born This Way." His vocals start at :26.)
#2.) A Guy Prevented His Friend from Driving Drunk . . . by Punching Him in the Face and Putting Him in a Sleeper Hold:
We all know you shouldn't let your friends drive drunk, but it's another thing actually keeping them out of the driver's seat. If you're up for doing whatever it takes, listen up. --There's a video on Break.com of some drunk idiot insisting he's okay to drive . . . even with his DAUGHTER in the car. --And after he keeps refusing a ride, one of his friends CLOCKS HIM, then puts him in a SLEEPER HOLD. The whole time, the friend keeps telling him he's doing it for his own good. (--Search for "Guy Punches Friend to Prevent Drunk Driving." He punches him at 1:34. WARNING: This video includes the F-word, N-word, S-word, and other profanity.)
#3.) And Now . . . an Old Woman Dances to Usher:
A video called "Aunt Carol Usher" is getting a bunch of plays on YouTube. It was posted a while back, but someone just found it and it's pretty funny. --It's an old woman with white hair, dancing to the 1997 USHER song "You Make Me Wanna". And she starts out dancing while she's sitting on a chair, just like he does in the music video. --But instead of a REGULAR chair, it's one of those plastic things old people use in the bathtub.
#4.) Here's the James Bond Theme Song . . . with Lyrics About Him Sleeping Around and Drinking:
This might be the dumbest thing ever, but someone took the theme from the JAMES BOND movies . . . and added LYRICS to it. Be warned, it's got a TON of swear words, but it's also pretty funny. --It's about Bond's corny lines, his sexual habits, and how he's constantly boozing it up in every movie. (--Search for "His Name Is James Bond.") (--WARNING: This video includes the F-word, C-word, D-word, B-word, S-word, and other profanity.)
Five Things Hollywood Always Gets Wrong About the Workplace:
Awards season officially kicks off tonight with the People's Choice Awards. Then the Critics' Choice Awards are tomorrow, and the Golden Globes air this Sunday. --So this list from Cracked.com caught our attention. Here are five things that movies and TV shows always get wrong about the workplace.
#1.) Everyone Either Wears a Suit or a Uniform. That's basically the rule. But according to poll from 2010, 55% of workers say their office doesn't have any dress code at all. --And some companies . . . including a lot of technology companies . . . let their employees show up in shorts and flip-flops if they want to.
#2.) When People Get Fired, It's Usually Spontaneous and Dramatic. In most cases, the boss flips out about one specific thing, then fires the person on the spot. But in real life, companies have to worry about wrongful termination laws. --So before someone is officially fired, the HR department usually tries to document all the events leading up to it in case there's a lawsuit. And it can take days or even weeks before someone eventually hands you a pink slip. --On a related note, there's no evidence that handing out actual "pink slips" was ever really a 'thing'.
#3.) If You Own 51% of a Company, You Can Do Whatever You Want with It. The truth is, most corporations require a two-thirds majority vote before they can do anything major, like sell the company. In some states, it's a law. --In fact, there's a whole set of laws to protect minority shareholders. So if the majority owner does something stupid that makes no business sense, the other shareholders can sue.
#4.) If Someone's Stressed Out About Work, It's Usually Because They Have a Big Presentation Coming Up. Either that, or they're trying to land some big, important client. --But the reality is, most jobs involve performing a set list of tasks each day, not working on one big project. Someone sitting at a desk by himself for eight hours straight doesn't really work on TV though. --And a big presentation scene with multiple characters is easier to write.
#5.) All 9-to-5 Jobs Are Soul-Sucking Prisons. Maybe a LOT of them are. But movies make it seem that basically everyone hates their job. --The idea of a bored worker breaking out of his shell and doing something "special" is the theme in "Office Space", "American Beauty", "The Incredibles", "The Matrix", and about a million other movies. (Cracked.com)
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