Friday, January 6, 2012

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (01-06-12)

Some Woman Posted a Song on YouTube Asking Jason Segel Out for a Drink:

The trend of ambushing celebrities by asking them out on YouTube is NOT over. A wannabe singer-songwriter named Chelsea Gill actually wrote and performed a song asking "Muppets" superstar JASON SEGEL out for a drink. --And it's actually not annoying, because the song is really good. Here are some sample lyrics: --"Now I know what you're thinking, another crazy girl with heightened feelings / But I swear I'm sane, tested and disease free." --"Oh, Jason Segel, It's important that you know I'm legal / So any crazy [crap] you wanna do, just know I can do it too." --"Have a drink with me, Oh Mr. Segel can't you see / I'm trying so hard to impress, you're so [effing] hot, but I digress." (--Check out the video here. WARNING!!! There are two F-bombs and one S-bomb in the song.) --The best thing about this video is that Jason Segel LOVES IT. He Tweeted, quote, "My favorite thing, maybe ever. I am in awe. Response on the way. --"I'm gonna need a couple days on this one."


Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver Are Probably Not Getting Back Together:

When ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER and MARIA SHRIVER were spotted with bling on their wedding ring fingers earlier this week, everyone started speculating that they were getting back together. But it's probably not true. --Sources say the ring Maria is wearing is the engagement ring of her late mother, EUNICE SHRIVER . . . and she's been wearing it since Eunice died over two years ago. --There's no explanation for Arnold's ring, but sources say the divorce is still on track.


Jonah Hill is Dating Dustin Hoffman's Daughter:

JONAH HILL is slicing himself off a piece of DUSTIN HOFFMAN'S daughter these days. Her name is Ali, and she's 24 years old. And it turns out she and Jonah have known each other for years. --That's because Dustin basically discovered Jonah when he was in high school, and gave him his big break in the 2004 flick "I Heart Huckabees". (--Check out pictures of Jonah and Ali here. Jonah is 27, FYI.) (Us Weekly)


Drew Barrymore Is Engaged:

DREW BARRYMORE is going to make The Big Mistake once again. Sources say her boyfriend Will Kopelman popped the question in Idaho over the holidays. --Will is an "art consultant", and his dad used to be the CEO of Chanel. He's 34. Drew is 36. (--This will be Drew's THIRD marriage. She was hitched to Jeremy Thomas from March of 1994 to February of 1995 . . . and she was married to Tom Green from July of 2001 to October of 2002.)


Britney Spears Admits She Can't Stop Looking at Her Engagement Ring:

BRITNEY SPEARS has a problem that a lot of newly-betrothed women suffer from: She can't stop looking at her engagement ring. --In fact, she posted a picture of herself showing it off on her Facebook page, along with the caption, "I can't stop looking at it!!" (--Check it out here.)


Is Bradley Cooper Dating Zoe Saldana?

BRADLEY COOPER . . . "People" magazine's reigning Sexiest Man Alive . . . might be dating "Star Trek" minx ZOE SALDANA. --A source says they made out for a solid 20 minutes at a New Year's Eve party in Bel Air. --Of course, Bradley and Zoe just filmed a movie together called "The Words" . . . so the rumors were inevitable. Interestingly, the film also stars OLIVIA WILDE . . . someone else Bradley has supposedly slipped the stones to.
Kirstie Alley Has Decided to Date Ugly Men:

On today's "Ellen DeGeneres Show", KIRSTIE ALLEY announces a new lifestyle change: She's only going to date UGLY MEN. --After whining that she always seems to end up with "psychos" and "players", she says, quote, "I'm thinking ugly men might be the solution. --"I'm talking about butt ugly. Because I go for really handsome men and I think butt ugly would be appreciative." --Ellen then brought out a tattoo artist to give Kirstie some ink for her 61st birthday . . . which is next Thursday. She got the initials "TL" on her wrist, in honor of her son True and her daughter Lilly. (--Here's a picture of Kirstie's new ink.) (Us Weekly)


Justin Timberlake's Grandmother Says He's Engaged:

We still don't have the official word on the JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE / JESSICA BIEL engagement. But maybe we don't need it anymore . . . because Justin's GRANDMOTHER has confirmed it. (???) --She says, quote, "Yes, Justin is engaged. Jessica is a very sweet girl, she's upright and everything and we love her."


Gwyneth Paltrow Wants to Cleanse Your Colon:

If your New Year's resolution was to CLEANSE YOUR COLON, then GWYNETH PALTROW has your back. --Perhaps you're familiar with Gwyneth's health and lifestyle website Goop.com. (--"Goop" doesn't really stand for anything, by the way. She just kinda made it up using her own initials, "G.P.") --Well, Gwyneth is peddling something called the GOOP CLEANSE. It's a diet regimen consisting of protein shakes and supplements that are designed to, quote, "give your digestive system a break and also improve energy levels" by cleaning the toxins from your system. --Here's the downside: It costs $425. (--Learn more about the Goop Cleanse here.)


Nick Cannon Says He's Getting Back to Business:

NICK CANNON seems to be in good shape for a guy who suffered KIDNEY FAILURE earlier this week. He's been transferred from Aspen to a hospital in Los Angeles, and he appears to be on the mend. --Yesterday, he Tweeted a picture of himself getting his head shaved in his hospital room, along with the caption "Getting back to business." (--Check it out here.) (Twitter)


Celebrity Hero of the Day! JC Chasez from N' Sync Saved a Baby's Life!

N' SYNC may be yesterday's news, but former member JC CHASEZ is TODAY'S news . . . after he SAVED A BABY'S LIFE on a beach in Miami. --JC and his girlfriend were kicking back in the sand on New Year's Day when a helicopter buzzed a little too close to the beach. The wind from the blades kicked up an umbrella and sent it flying straight toward the year-old infant. --Using the lightning reflexes that have always made JC such a threat on the dance floor (???) JC intercepted the umbrella before it could do any harm. --The child's mother told "People" magazine, quote, "[My daughter] is safe because of him. I want to tell him thank you from the bottom of my heart. If it had not been for him, my daughter could have been seriously hurt."


Jeremy Renner Was Almost in a Bar Brawl in Thailand Where a Guy Was Stabbed in the Neck with an Ax:

JEREMY RENNER should be kicking back and enjoying the success of "Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol". But he can't really do that when he's watching friends get STABBED IN THE NECK WITH AN AX. -Renner was at a bar in Phuket, Thailand early Wednesday morning when a brawl broke out. His group included 40-year-old Vorasit Issara, the owner of a luxury hotel. --Exact details are sketchy, but apparently, Issara got into it with staffers at the bar. Suddenly, six of them swarmed on Issara . . . stabbing him in the stomach with a knife and cutting his neck with a homemade ax made out of a motorcycle brake rotor. --Renner's rep says he left the bar when the fight broke out and suffered no injuries. Issara is being treated for a serious stomach wound and partially-severed neck tendons. --The six assailants were arrested and charged with attempted murder. (--Jeremy Renner plays William Brandt, the new guy on Tom Cruise's team, in the new "Mission: Impossible".) (--He's also Hawkeye in the upcoming "Avengers" flick and he'll star in "The Bourne Legacy" . . . the first "Bourne" movie without Matt Damon.) --And he's been nominated for an Oscar TWICE . . . for "The Town" and "The Hurt Locker".)


Justin Bieber Has a New Jesus Tattoo:

JUSTIN BIEBER now has THREE tattoos. He was photographed in Los Angeles Wednesday with the face of Jesus on his calf. (--Check it out here.) (Gossip Center) --This is Justin's second Jesus tattoo. He also has "Yeshua", which is Jesus' name in Hebrew, on his side and the outline of a seagull above his beltline. (--You can see pictures of those tattoos here. There are also pictures of Justin with the outline of a star on his elbow. But that tattoo was FAKE.)


Elin Nordegren Bought a $12 Million Mansion . . . And Tore It Down:

This is the kind of stuff you can do when you're the ex-Mrs. TIGER WOODS . . . --Last March, ELIN NORDEGREN bought a $12 million, 9,000-square-foot mansion in North Palm Beach, Florida. But it wasn't exactly what she wanted . . . so she TORE IT DOWN. --Then she hired a high-priced architect to design and build her "dream house" on the site. (--Here are some pictures of the work being done . . . and one of the original house before she destroyed it.) (TMZ) --Elin bought the house shortly after scoring a $110 million divorce settlement from Tiger.


NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

A Movie Starring Dennis Quaid as a Killer Mortician and A New Exorcist Flick Are The First New Movies to Hit Theaters in 2012:

#1.) "The Devil Inside" (R) (Trailer)

A woman murders three people in the middle of her own exorcism, and gets locked up for the rest of her life. A Brazilian minx named Fernanda Andrade plays her daughter, who asks some exorcists to take another shot at removing the four demons that have possessed her mom.


#2.) "Beneath the Darkness" (R) (Trailer) (Limited)

Dennis Quaid plays a mortician who terrorizes a group of high school students after they catch him DANCING WITH A CORPSE. He kills one of them that first night, but the cops don't believe their story so he's free to go after the rest. --One of the kids is played by Aimee Teegarden, who you might recognize as the coach's daughter Julie on "Friday Night Lights".


Marco Andretti Bailed on "Celebrity Apprentice" After Dan Wheldon's Death, But His Dad Michael Andretti Is Taking His Place:

Earlier this week, the cast list for the next "Celebrity Apprentice" surfaced online. Many sources were reporting that 24-year-old racecar driver MARCO ANDRETTI was onboard. And he was . . . initially . . . but that's no longer the case. --Instead, his father MICHAEL ANDRETTI is doing it. --Michael tells ESPN.com, quote, "When you watch the first episode, you'll see me show up late. My son was [going] to do the show, but with the death of his close friend Dan Wheldon in the Las Vegas race and Marco's grandfather, Vito Spinozzi Sr., dying in October, I went in his place." --The tragic crash that killed Wheldon also happened in October . . . and that's the same month that "Celebrity Apprentice" began filming. --Since Michael says he "shows up late" on the first episode, it's possible that Marco appears at the very beginning . . . or that this switch will be addressed on the show. But that's just a guess at this point. --"Celebrity Apprentice" premieres February 12th on NBC. (--Michael is the CEO of Andretti Autosport and runs two full-time driver programs in the IndyCar series, where he has been just as successful as an owner. He is the winningest team owner in IndyCar history.)


Snooki Is Happy Just Having *Two* Glasses of Wine a Week . . . or So She Would Like Us to Believe:

Several things come to mind when you think of SNOOKI . . . and one of them is ALCOHOL. And PLENTY of it. --But on "Ellen" yesterday, Snooki said that her boyfriend Jionni has had a SOBERING effect on her . . . and now, she doesn't drink as much as she used to because, as a 24 year old, she's more "mature." --She said, quote, "When I was 21, I didn't really care. I would go out like every single weekend and just go crazy. Now that I have a boyfriend, and I'm in love, and I'm 24 . . . I only have a couple of glasses of wine once a week." --"It's kind of like, I've matured. I still know how to throw down a couple of shots, [but] I prefer to take it easy . . . I drink like two Pinots once a week and I'm good." (--Is anyone buying this?) (--Unfortunately, it's difficult to call her a hypocrite . . . because the current season of "Jersey Shore" filmed last summer. So Snooki could say that her maturation has happened since then.) (--And a few months back, she claimed "Snooki" was just a CHARACTER she played on TV . . . and that in real life she was "Nicole," a "soft, calm, business-ready person.") (--There's video of Snooki and JWOWW talking to "Ellen" on her website.)


WEEKEND TV REMINDERS


Friday TV Reminders:


--"Wizards of Waverly Place" [Series Finale] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Disney. The three Russo children battle it out to see who will become the family wizard.


--"Supernatural" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on the CW. Meghan Ory guest stars as a truck-stop worker. She plays Little Red Riding Hood on "Once Upon a Time".


--"Great Performances" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Herbie Hancock and Gustavo Dudamel celebrate Gershwin.


--"Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC.


--"Merlin" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Syfy.


--"Portlandia" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on IFC. Carrie has a crush on "SNL's" Andy Samberg when he guest stars as a mixologist.


--"The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on IFC.


Saturday TV Reminders:


--"AFC Wild Card Game" . . . 4:30 to 7:30 P.M. Eastern on NBC. The Houston Texans host the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium in Houston.


--"NFC Wild Card Game" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on NBC. The New Orleans Saints host the Detroit Lions at the Superdome in New Orleans.


--"Grand Ole Opry Live" . . . 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. on GAC. Bo Bice, Andy Gibson, Edens Edge and John Conlee perform.


--"Dog Whisperer" [8th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Nat Geo Wild.


--"Your Voice, Your Vote" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. "Meet the Press'" David Gregory moderates the Republican presidential candidates debate in New Hampshire.


--"Austin City Limits" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. The Head and the Heart and Gomez perform.


--"That Metal Show" . . . 11:00 P.M. to Midnight on VH1 Classic. Bad Company's lead singer Paul Rodgers and Buckcherry guest.


--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. Charles Barkley guest hosts and Kelly Clarkson is the musical guest.


Sunday TV Reminders:


--"NFC Wild Card Game" . . . 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. Eastern on Fox. The New York Giants host the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.


--"AFC Wild Card Game" . . . 4:30 to 7:30 P.M. Eastern on CBS. The Denver Broncos host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Sports Authority Field in Denver.


--"The Simpsons" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on Fox. Ted Nugent guests as himself when Homer lands a political radio talk show and endorses Ted for President.


--"Desperate Housewives" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. Bree prepares to kill herself in her depression about the falling out with her friends.


--"The Firm" [Series Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. The series picks up 10 years after the movie, with attorney Mitchell McDeere trying to reenter a normal life in Washington D.C. Josh Lucas takes over for Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere.


--"Shameless" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Showtime.


--"Oprah's Next Chapter" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on OWN. Oprah speaks with Pastor Joel Osteen.


--"Downton Abbey" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on PBS.


--"The Cleveland Show" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. Cleveland Jr. dates a beautiful young Latina, voiced by Rosie Perez. Plus Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench guests as himself.


--"Tom Papa: Live From New York City" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Comedy Central. Tom Papa does stand-up from Union Square Theatre in New York City.


--"Cajun Pawn Stars" [Series Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on History. This spin-off follows the Silver Dollar Pawn & Jewelry Center in Louisiana.


--"Oprah Presents Master Class" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on OWN. Jane Fonda guests.


--"All-American Muslim" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC.


--"Californication" [5th Season Premiere] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on Showtime.


--"Watch What Happens: Live" [6th Season Premiere] . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on Bravo.


Jason Derulo Fractured His Neck . . . But He Seems to Be OK:

JASON DERULO broke his neck while rehearsing for his European tour. --He posted a picture on Facebook of him lying down in a neck brace. He said, quote, "I fractured my neck doing tumbling and acrobatics for [my] tour! Always tryin' to push [the] boundaries for YOU! Like my new chain? ;)" --The 'chain' line was a joke about the brace . . . and it's nice to hear that he has a sense of humor about it, because his doctors say he could've been PARALYZED if the injury was any more severe. --Jason's rep says he was rehearsing some kind of dance move when he landed directly on his head and suffered "an acute fracture of his vertebrae." --It seems like Jason will be OK . . . but he has to wear the brace for the next few months. That means he's had to cancel his European tour, which was supposed to begin on February 23rd. --Late last night, Jason released a statement saying, quote, "The pain of letting you down cuts me way deeper than this injury I've sustained. My fans mean everything to me, so I'm praying for a speedy recovery in order to perform for you in the near future." (--Here's the link to the picture.) (Facebook)


Nickelback Doesn't Mind That the Black Keys Dissed Them:

BLACK KEYS drummer PATRICK CARNEY took a big shot at NICKELBACK in the new issue of "Rolling Stone" . . . but Nickelback isn't sweating it. --Patrick said, quote, "Rock 'n' roll is dying because people became OK with Nickelback being the biggest band in the world . . . they became OK with the idea that the biggest rock band in the world is always going to be [crap]." --Nickelback responded on Twitter with this: Quote, "Thanks to the drummer in the Black Keys calling us the Biggest Band in the World in 'Rolling Stone'. Hehe." (--That doesn't seem completely toothless. Referring to Patrick as "the drummer in the Black Keys" and tacking on the "hehe" are mini, retaliatory shots.) (--Regardless, Nickelback recently showed that they can make fun of themselves when they made a Funny or Die video about how much people hate them.)


Tom Cruise Thinks "Pour Some Sugar on Me" Is an "Absolute Classic":

TOM CRUISE performs DEF LEPPARD'S "Pour Some Sugar on Me" in his upcoming "Rock of Ages" movie . . . and the band says he LOVES the song. -Def Leppard got the chance to meet him while he was working on the flick . . . and guitarist PHIL COLLEN said, quote, "I was really pleased with how down-to-earth Tom was. He was very humble. --"And [he] actually told us how he thought 'Pour Some Sugar on Me' was an absolute classic. He said it deserved all of the respect and attention he can give it. So we were definitely honored." Collen said Tom "did a great job" with the song.


Van Halen Unveiled a "New" Song Last NIght:

Here's the latest on the VAN HALEN front: They've named their new album "A Different Kind of Truth", and it'll be out on February 7th. It's their first album with DAVID LEE ROTH since "1984", which came out in 1984. --Van Halen played their first gig last night in New York City . . . at a tiny club called Café Wha?. And they unveiled a new song. Sort of. It's called "She's the Woman", and it's actually a song they wrote in the '70s, but never put on an album. (--There's a rough demo of it from back in the day on YouTube.) --The band also announced a bunch of tour dates. They run from February 18th in Louisville . . . to June 26th in New Orleans. And get this: KOOL AND THE GANG is supposedly opening for them on select dates. (???) (--That's pretty sad if it's true. You can check out all the dates, and the set-list from last night's show, here. There are also some pictures, and Roth looks like he's a Mario brother. Here's a good shot of that.)


Kanye West Wants to "Pick Up Where Steve Jobs Left Off":

KANYE WEST exploded on Twitter in the middle of the night Wednesday night . . . Tweeting 91 times within about three hours. (--In the middle of it, he said, quote, "5:18 A.M. in London. My dreams keep me woke." That's how he said it.) --A lot of it was about a massive design company that Kanye says he's starting. It's called "DONDA," after his mother DONDA WEST, who passed away in 2007. --By the way, Kanye is ALL ABOUT that name. He said, quote, "I'm so excited about the name . . . it's got the best name ever of all companies of all time!!!" --Kanye said that DONDA would, quote, "pick up where STEVE JOBS left off," by, quote, "making products and experiences that people want and can afford . . . --"We need to help simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see hear, touch, taste and feel . . . to dream of, create, advertise and produce products driven equally by emotional want and utilitarian need. To marry our wants and needs." --If that sounds like a mouthful, it is. It sounds like a HUGE undertaking. --Kanye said the company would feature "over 22 divisions," staffed by, quote, "architects, graphic designers, directors musicians, producers, A&Rs, writers, publicists, social media experts, app guys, managers, car designers, clothing designers, DJs, video game designers, publishers, tech guys, lawyers, bankers, nutritionists, doctors, scientists and teachers." --In other words, forget the unemployment line . . . Kanye West is hiring! --He even finished his rant by offering up some contact information for anyone interested in this DONDA thing. He said, quote, "If anyone would like to reach out email us at contactDONDA@gmail.com." --Kanye also said he's going to release a "seven screen" movie experience called "2016 Olympics" sometime this year. He's says it's "semi sci-fi since 2016 is only four years away." --He also talked about how he'd like to design the "MTV Video Music Awards" . . . and how he's "discussed becoming the creative director" for the upcoming "Jetsons" movie. (--The movie's producers later confirmed that they had a "fun brainstorming conversation" with Kanye, and seem interested in having him onboard if he actually signs on.) --Oh, and Kanye also wants to FIX SCHOOLS by, quote, "helping education." --He explained, quote, "School systems were designed to turn people into factory workers. Schools should be designed to prep human beings for real life . . . --"Kids should be able to take 'majors' starting in grammar school like how it is at performing arts schools . . . there are so many broken systems from the economy to school systems jail systems . . . we need experts for this." --Kanye said he wants to start a summer school with "Where the Wild Things Are" director SPIKE JONZE, which, quote, "tries new forms of curriculum." (--This guy is obviously insane, but maybe he's also BRILLIANT. Whatever the case, you can't deny the entertainment value here. You can read ALL this madness at Twitter.com/KanyeWest.)


FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


Check out a trailer for the upcoming Oscars, featuring host BILLY CRYSTAL . . . along with Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Vinnie Jones and Robin Williams. (Video)


KERI RUSSELL . . . that chick you forgot about after "Felicity" went off the air . . . gave birth to a baby girl two days after Christmas. This is the second child for Keri and her husband. They named her Willa Lou. (???) (Full Story)


"Girls Gone Wild" scumbag JOE FRANCIS got into a fender bender with a woman in Beverly Hills . . . which turned into a PHYSICAL FIGHT between the two of them. Francis was handcuffed by the cops, but NOT arrested. (Full Story with photos)


Someone broke into MIKE TYSON'S Las Vegas hotel room over the weekend . . . but fled when he woke up. (Full Story)


Check out video of a wannabe ANGELINA JOLIE impersonator who may be hotter than the real thing. (Video)


Useless Celebrity Info: TAYE DIGGS was born with six fingers on each hand. (Full Story)


David O. Russell . . . the Oscar-nominated director of "The Fighter" . . . is accused of groping the breasts of his 19-year-old transgender niece. He claims it was CONSENSUAL. Russell's niece . . . who is NOT related by blood . . . was born male, but is making the transition to female. (Full Story)


THE KILLERS will release their next album sometime this year, and they AREN'T screwing with their sound. Singer BRANDON FLOWERS says, quote, "We don't want to make 'Hot Fuss 2' or 'Sam's Town 2', or 'Day & Age 2'. [But] I think the consensus within the band is to take those things that we've done well and really hone in on that." (Full Story)
RANDOM STUFF

17% of Us Have Been Caught Returning a Gift:

Still planning to return some of the mediocre presents you got for Christmas? Think about THIS before you do it. There's a one-in-six chance you'll get CAUGHT by the person who gave you the gift. --In a new survey by the website CouponCabin.com, 17% of people admit they've been caught returning a present. --In most cases, it's not because the person who gave them the gift was in the store and actually saw them making the return. --Usually, the gift-giver notices you never use or wear the present they got you . . . and they ask why.

--27% of people say they've felt guilty returning a gift.

--78% have pretended to like a gift they got even though they didn't.

--And 13% say they would be offended if someone returned a gift they gave.
(PR Newswire)


Most Photos Reported By Facebook Users Aren't Offensive . . . They Just Don't Like the Way They Look in Them:

Under every photo on Facebook there's a button, and it allows any user to 'report' the photo to Facebook. --The idea is for people to report photos in violation of Facebook rules, like if they show porno or people using illegal drugs. --That's not how people are using the feature, though. Earlier this week, Facebook engineering director Arturo Bejar confirmed that most people report photos that aren't offensive at all . . . it's because they don't like the way they LOOK in them. --Think about it: You probably look worse in the photos OTHER people tag you in, than in the pictures on your own profile. That's because YOU choose the photos you post . . . and it's just not about you on your friends' pages. --Not ALL the complaints are because people think they look bad. Some people have a more legitimate beef. --For example, Facebook says one woman asked that a photo of her at a political event be removed before her boss saw it. Another woman didn't want her brother-in-law to post photos of her two-year-old son. --For the record, Facebook won't do anything about inoffensive photos, but they've changed the reporting feature so you can complain directly to the person who posted it. (Gawker)


The Average Person Puts Their Vacation Photos on Facebook Within Four Hours of Getting Home:

Remember 10 years ago, when you kinda felt GUILTY forcing your friends to look at your vacation photos? Well, thanks to Facebook, now we can't WAIT to share. --A new survey found the average person uploads vacation photos to Facebook within FOUR HOURS of getting home. --And 9% of people even upload them while they're still on vacation. (Breaking Travel News)


Women Prefer the Smell of a Shaved Man's Armpit to a Hairy One . . . But Only Slightly:

This study is win-win. If you've been looking for an excuse to shave your armpits, you've got one now, sailor. And if you really DON'T want to shave your armpits, this basically justifies that too. --Researchers in the Czech Republic had men completely shave one armpit and leave the other one hairy. Then they swabbed odor samples from underneath both armpits and had women smell them. --It turned out women had a SLIGHT preference for the shaved armpits . . . but the researchers say the difference is, quote, "not quite large." --In other words . . . if you shave, women might prefer your armpit odor a little bit, but if you don't shave, it shouldn't really affect you with the ladies. (LiveScience)
Women Tell 474 Lies About Food Every Year . . . Here are the Top 20:

Not exactly breaking news . . . but people lie about food. A lot. And you know who I blame? SOCIETY. Let us be chubby and happy. --According to a new survey sponsored by Timex, the average woman tells 474 lies about food and drink EVERY YEAR. That's an average of 1.3 lies per day, and about nine per week. --CHOCOLATE is the food women are most likely to lie about, followed by potato chips, cake, candy, cheese, bread, and burgers. --The survey also compiled a list of the top 20 lies that women tell about food. Here they are, from the most common lie to least common . . .

#1.) "It was only a small portion."

#2.) "I had a big lunch because I won't eat much after this."

#3.) "I only treat myself once in a while."

#4.) "I always eat the right number of servings of fruits and vegetables in a day."

#5.) "I didn't touch any of the cookies."

#6.) "I only had one glass of wine."

#7.) "I didn't eat the last one."

#8.) "I won't eat again today after this."

#9.) "I was too busy to have lunch."

#10.) "I figured I had to eat them now or they'd go bad."

#11.) "I had a healthy salad."

#12.) "I never eat fast food."

#13.) "Red wine is good for you."

#14.) "I only added a little sugar."

#15.) "I limit my carb intake."

#16.) "I'm testing the dinner."

#17.) "I only had a drink because we were toasting a special occasion."

#18.) "I only drink diet soda."

#19.) "I just finished off the kids' leftovers."

#20.) "I don't drink coffee or tea after 5:00 P.M." (Daily Mail)
The Average Worker Starts at 8:09 A.M., Works a Nine-Hour Day, and Takes a 28-Minute Lunch:

I don't have to tell you that the eight-hour, nine-to-five workday with an hour for lunch is DEAD. It's right there next to the VCR and freaking out over the cost of long distance. --We've got the results here from a new study that figured out the ACTUAL hours and lifestyle of the average worker. Check it out . . . --The average office worker starts at 8:09 A.M. and leaves at 5:22 P.M. -That means the average workday is now nine hours, 13 minutes. -The average person leaves home at 7:49 A.M. and has a commute that lasts 20 minutes and 41 seconds. The commute home takes 33 minutes and 46 seconds.

--It takes 12 minutes before the first conversation with a coworker, at 8:21 A.M.

--The average worker takes a 28-minute lunch break.

--And spends an average of $5 on lunch.

--Only 7% go outside for some fresh air during lunch.

--The average worker drinks three cups of coffee a day.

--We average one argument with a coworker daily.

--The average worker sends 26 emails a day and receives 32.

--And finally, the average worker spends 10 minutes and 15 seconds on Facebook during the workday. (Press Association)


Your Mom Can't Affect You Over Instant Message Like She Can Over the Phone or Face-to-Face:

According to a new study, your mom has a less-positive impact on you when you talk over instant message than when you're on the phone or talking face-to-face. --Researchers at the University of Wisconsin monitored women's stress and comfort hormone levels when they talked to their moms. Phone calls and face-to-face meetings led to bigger drops in stress and increases in comfort than instant messages. --The researchers think there are two main reasons IM conversations aren't as good for getting soothing motherly advice . . . --First, just hearing mom's voice could trigger soothing effects. And second, if your mom can't hear YOUR voice, she might not realize how stressed out you really are. (Wired)


Something Feels Wrong Here . . . A New Service Lets You Send In Your Wife's Underwear to Test for Another Man's DNA:

In case you didn't hear, Wednesday was the biggest CHEATING DAY of the year. And we hope you trust your significant other so much that you have NO suspicions they're running around on you. --But if you are suspicious . . . and you feel like you've run out of non-creepy options to find the truth . . . there's a VERY CREEPY new service that you can turn to. --It's called Infidelity DNA. You send them a pair of your wife's underwear . . . and they run a DNA test on it searching for traces of another man's "seed." --The founder of the service is named Kip Charles. He says, quote, "There is just no legitimate reason or lie that a wife can come up with for having another man's [semen] in her underwear." (--Classy.) --The website is a little vague about pricing, but they say it costs less than $200. --And, of course, you'll have to send them a pair of your wife or girlfriend's used underwear that you suspect she was wearing when she had an affair, so it's not exactly a perfect system. In fact . . . the whole thing just feels kinda WRONG. (Jezebel) (--You can sign up or learn more about this at InfidelityDNATesting.com.)

Someone Leaked Casey Anthony's Video Diary . . . It's the First Time We've Heard Her Speak Since Her Acquittal:

Yesterday morning, the "Today" show aired a video diary from CASEY ANTHONY that someone posted on YouTube. --NBC confirmed that it's real, so this is the first time we've heard her speak since the trial. --But she didn't want it released, she was just making it for herself. So one of her attorneys is investigating how it got leaked. --Anyway, the story is that the video was leaked at all . . . it's not the content of the video. It's really boring, actually. Four minutes and 19 seconds never felt so long. --She doesn't mention anything about her trial . . . or her baby daughter Caylee, who she was accused of killing. --She just talks about how she's excited to have a computer and a phone . . . things she didn't have in prison . . . rambles about her probation and her dog, and says she's optimistic about the future. --Oh, and she's got glasses and blonde, Kate Gosselin-hair. --She says, quote, "I'm extremely excited that I'll be able to Skype and obviously keep a video log, take some pictures and then I have something that I can finally call mine. --"Now I . . . have someone to talk to when I'm by myself so I'm not bothering the poor dog who I've adopted . . . he's as much my dog as any of the other pets I've ever had." --It was recorded on October 13th at an undisclosed location in Florida where she's serving her probation. Her parents just found out about it yesterday too, and they're worried it could somehow jeopardize her safety. (Today / People) (--Check out the video here. If this wasn't Casey Anthony, and was just some random person's video diary, you wouldn't last more than 40 seconds.)


American Airlines is Ranked the Worst Airline in the Country . . . Alaska is the Best:

The "Wall Street Journal" just released its annual rankings of U.S. airlines. We're down to just SEVEN major airlines in this country . . . and they STILL can't get everything right. --The rankings are based on how the airlines do in six categories: On-time arrivals, excessive delays, baggage handling, customer complaints, bumping passengers, and cancelling flights. --Alaska Airlines is the smallest major airline left . . . and they got the highest overall rank. They scored number one in three categories: On-time arrivals, fewest excessive delays, and fewest canceled flights. --On the other end, American Airlines came in dead last. They scored in the bottom three in all six categories. Here are the full rankings . . .

#1.) Alaska

#2.) Southwest (--now merged with AirTran)

#3.) Delta

#4.) United (--now merged with Continental)

#5.) U.S. Airways

#6.) JetBlue

#7.) American

(Wall Street Journal)


A Basset Hound Swallowed a Woman's $4,500 Wedding Ring, So She Had Her Vet Remove It:

Women love their pets. But they might love their jewelry even more. --Last month, Rachelle Atkinson of Albuquerque, New Mexico lost her $4,500 diamond wedding ring. --She says one morning it wasn't on her nightstand, so she and her husband Scott searched for it everywhere. They worried that it had been stolen, and celebrated their wedding anniversary on December 26th without the ring. --Finally, they went after the only other suspect who'd been in the bedroom . . . their 10-month-old Basset hound, Coraline. And Rachelle says Coraline, quote, "looked guilty." So they figured she must have swallowed the ring. --For 10 days, they waited for Coraline to pass the ring. The job of searching, of course, fell on Scott. He said, quote, "I had to go through all the poos and squish them up and make sure there were no hard lumps in there."
-Finally, they took Coraline to the vet, where an X-ray showed the ring in her stomach. It was too big to pass, so the vet needed to retrieve it. He knocked Coraline out, then put an instrument down her throat to fish it out. --The vet said that Basset hounds have a habit of eating rocks, so it makes sense that Coraline would go after the big diamond. --The ring has been thoroughly cleaned and Rachelle is wearing it again. Coraline made a full recovery. (KOB 4) (--Here's Coraline's X-ray, showing Rachelle's ring in her stomach.)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Car Thief Crashes a Car . . . and It Ends Up On the Roof of a House:

This is a car stunt straight out of a "Fast and the Furious" movie . . . but it actually happened in REAL LIFE. Also, it happened with a Saturn, which is NOT the kind of car they use in those movies. --Around 1:30 A.M. on Wednesday, 26-year-old Benjamin Tucker of Fresno, California stole a Saturn from a driveway, then took off. The speed limit in the neighborhood was 30 miles per hour. --He was going faster than that. MUCH faster. And as he tried to make a sharp turn, he hit a curb . . . the car LAUNCHED into the air . . . and he ended up landing ON THE ROOF of a house. --From the looks of the news video, the car ended up at least 10 feet in the air on top of the roof. And it was a perfect landing . . . right-side up, all four tires squarely on the roof, at a standstill. --Benjamin jumped off the roof and broke his leg in the process. Police tracked him down about a quarter-mile away. --No one inside the house was injured. There was only minimal damage to the interior of the house, but the roof will need some work. --The police had to use a special crane to pull the car off the roof. (ABC 30 - Fresno) --You can see a video of the car on the roof here. We've also got a still shot of the car up on the roof here.)


A Couple Fought Over the Proper Way to Order a Pizza . . . and it Led the Cops to Their Home, and Their Drugs:

Earlier this week, a couple in Chaska, Minnesota was ordering a pizza. (--Their names and ages weren't released.) The man started placing the order, and as it goes in relationships, the woman started telling him he was doing it all wrong. --They hung up on the pizza order, started arguing, and the argument turned physical. Someone called the police . . . it's not clear if it was a neighbor or the pizza place . . . and the cops arrived to break up the fight. --And when they got there, they found a large bong, several pipes, and some reefer. Yep . . . a fight over the proper way to order a pizza led the cops to their drug stash. --The woman was arrested and charged with domestic assault . . . she was the one doing all the punching in the fight. The man was arrested for possession of the drugs and drug paraphernalia. (CBS 4 - Minneapolis)


Police in Orlando Have Arrested Darth Vader:

Oh, the other guys on the Death Star are going to be mad about this. At 2:45 A.M. on Thursday, in Orlando, Florida, police arrested DARTH VADER. --Or, more accurately, they arrested 28-year-old Michael Cole of Orlando . . . who was stumbling around drunk in a Darth Vader mask. They ended up having to Taser him after he attacked a cop, and now he's facing charges for resisting and battery. -There's no word on WHY he was stumbling around drunk in a Darth Vader mask. (CBS 6 - Orlando) (--Here's video of the arrest, but he's not wearing the mask.)


A Woman Rubbed Her Butt on a $30 Million Painting and Caused $10,000 Worth of Damage:

Carmen Tisch is a 36-year-old woman from Colorado, and apparently she does NOT like abstract art. --Carmen and some friends were at the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver last Thursday afternoon, and she appeared to be drunk. --She came across a nine-and-a-half-foot tall, 13-foot-wide abstract oil painting by Clyfford Still titled "1957-J-No. 2." That's when the trouble started. --For some reason, Carmen pulled down her pants, repeatedly punched and scratched the painting, leaned against it with her pants down, and slid down to the floor. --Museum officials say the painting is valued at $30 MILLION, and Carmen did about $10,000 worth of damage.--But it could have been a lot worse. While Carmen was rubbing her backside against the painting, she also EMPTIED her BLADDER. Officials say that it appears she just peed on herself, and none of it got on the painting. --Carmen was charged with felony criminal mischief and is still in jail. (Denver Post) (--Here's Carmen's mugshot and a picture of the painting she attacked.)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

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


A British cosmetics company called Feel Unique created the 'Ultimate Woman' . . . Angelina Jolie's lips, Kate Beckinsale's nose, Megan Fox's eyebrows . . . you get the picture. And the resulting photo looks . . . kinda like Kim Kardashian. (--What do you think of their Ultimate Woman?) (Full Story)



NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) Dirk Nowitzki Did a Dramatic Reading of "Oops! I Did It Again" by Britney Spears:

The Dallas Mavericks posted a pretty random video on their YouTube page yesterday. It's DIRK NOWITZKI sitting in front of a green-screen fireplace . . . doing a dramatic reading of the chorus from "Oops! I Did It Again" by BRITNEY SPEARS. --Search for "Dirk Nowitzki Dramatic Reading.")


#2.) A Kid Lip-Synched to the Profanity-Packed Song "Rack City" . . . While His Grandmother Danced to It in the Background:

I can't decide if this is the COOLEST grandmother in the world . . . or the WORST. There's a video on YouTube of a teenager lip-synching to "Rack City" by Tyga . . . which is FILLED with profanity. --And the whole time, his grandma is dancing in the background. She also lip synchs the chorus, which is, quote, "Rack City [B-word]". The video was posted on Tuesday, and it already has almost two million views. (--Search for "Me and My Grandma Dancing to Rack City." (--WARNING: This video includes the F-word, N-word, S-word, and B-word.)


#3.) A Guy Tries to Make Doritos from Scratch in a Funny Commercial That Won't Air During the Super Bowl:

Every year, Doritos holds a contest where fans submit 30-second commercials for a chance to have them aired during the Super Bowl. The winners of this year's contest haven't been announced yet. But one of the rejected commercials is pretty funny. --It's a guy trying to make Doritos from scratch . . . using secret ingredients like unicorn tears. But he flips out because he keeps making gold by mistake. (--Search for "Doritos Make Your Own.")
The Four Real Reasons Men Are Afraid to Get Married:

The general consensus is that guys are afraid to get married because they don't like commitment, and they're scared to death of sleeping with just one woman the rest of their lives. -But obviously it's more complicated than that, so Cracked.com came up with a list of the REAL reasons guys have a negative view of marriage. Here are the top four.

#1.) Guys Constantly Hear Jokes About How Horrible Married Life Is. You've probably seen a thousand movies and sitcoms where a guy is getting married, and his buddies have to talk him out of it. --For example, it happens during Will Ferrell's wedding scene in"Old School", and it's the whole plot of the movie "Saving Silverman". --Plus, just about every stand-up comedian who gets married ends up with an entire routine about how awful it is . . . from Sam Kinison and Richard Pryor, to Ron White and Chris Rock. --After decades of listening to it, guys end up thinking it's universally true.


#2.) Weddings Have Become Ridiculously Expensive. The average wedding in the U.S. now costs $27,000. And it's not nearly as common for the father of the bride to pay for the whole thing anymore. --So on top of trying to decide whether he wants to commit for the rest of his life, a guy has to factor in that getting married will probably put him in debt. And throwing down tens of thousands of dollars on a single day seems ridiculous to most men.


#3.) The Thought of Divorce Is Terrifying. 50% of first marriages end in divorce. 60 to 67% of SECOND marriages end in divorce. And 70 to 73% of THIRD marriages don't last. --When guys hear stats like that, they end up thinking divorce is INEVITABLE. Then they also have to consider that 97% of alimony payments are made by men. And 84% of the time, the woman ends up getting custody of the kids. --But to be fair, only 33% of men even TRY to get sole custody.

#4.) A Loss of Power. Not being in control is much more terrifying to men than commitment is. And this one's kind of obvious, but the thought of having to check in before you make decisions isn't very appealing. --Once you're married, a guy can't just stay out without calling, or blow half his paycheck on a TV. He has to check with his wife first . . . which is kind of like having to run everything by your mom when you're a kid. (Cracked.com)



Four Tips for Improving Your Dating Life in the New Year:

We're a week into 2012, so you've probably failed at about half of your New Year's resolutions already. But if you resolved to meet someone new this year, we've got four tips to help make that happen.

#1.) Stop Living in the Past. If you're jaded because your last relationship didn't end well, or you're worried you'll never find anyone as good as your ex, it's time to move on. The less baggage you have going forward, the better.

#2.) End Unhealthy Relationships. Get rid of "friends" who always bring you down, and cut off relationships that are going nowhere.

#3.) Go Out More. You're not going to meet someone if you're just sitting around at home, so try going out at least once a week. Take your laptop to a cafe and hang out for the afternoon . . . join a sports league . . . or sign up to volunteer.

#4.) Don't Give in to Deadline Pressure. Dating right after the holidays can feel forced, because your family probably gave you the third degree about why you're not dating, married, or starting a family yet. --But going into the dating scene with that mentality just sets you up for failure. You want your next relationship to develop naturally . . . but having a deadline in the back of your mind is going to make that impossible. (MSN)

Thursday, January 5, 2012

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (01-05-12)

Are Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel Engaged?

"Us Weekly" says that JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and JESSICA BIEL got engaged sometime within the last few weeks. Sources say he popped the question during a snowboarding vacation in the mountains of Jackson, Wyoming. --There's been no word yet from either of their camps. --Justin and Jessica have been together more than four years . . . minus a three-month "break" last year.


Alex Rodriguez Took Torrie Wilson to a Laker Game:

Yankees stud ALEX RODRIGUEZ took his relationship with former WWE diva TORRIE WILSON public this week. The two of them sat next to CINDY CRAWFORD and her husband at Tuesday night's Laker game. --And they were even caught KISSING. (--Here are some pics.) (Radar Online)


Marc Anthony Has a New, Young Girlfriend:

MARC ANTHONY has a new girlfriend, and she's 24 years old . . . the same age as JENNIFER LOPEZ'S new boyfriend, Casper Smart. --Her name is Shannon De Lima, and she's a Venezuelan model. She also has a 4-year-old son from a previous relationship. --Marc posted a picture of them kissing on Facebook, which I believe is his way of saying, "I am SOOO over you, Jennifer!" (--Check it out here.) (RadarOnline)


Zooey Deschanel Is Worth $3 Million and Has Zero Credit Card Debt, According to Her Divorce Papers:

ZOOEY DESCHANEL'S divorce from DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE singer BEN GIBBARD continues. And her lawyer just filed a detailed rundown of her finances. --Zooey has about $3 million in cash, property and stocks and bonds. And she has three credit cards, but ZERO BALANCE on all three, meaning she has no credit card debt. --Zooey makes about $95,000 a month . . . mostly thanks to her Fox series "New Girl" . . . and her average monthly expenses are $22,550. She also gives $1,500 a month to charity.


Tabloid Roundup: Angelina Jolie is Happy Because She's Pregnant . . . She's Mad Because Brad Pitt Once Knocked Up Jennifer Aniston . . . And She's Racing to Get Pregnant Before Jennifer:

It's a busy week in the tabloids for ANGELINA JOLIE and BRAD PITT. Here are the various silly rumors the rags are pushing . . .

#1.) First off, the "National Enquirer" says Angelina is THREE MONTHS PREGNANT. Obviously, she and Brad are "ecstatic". (--You can read more about that here.)


#2.) Meanwhile, the "Star" says that Angelina angrily walked out on Brad after she found out that he impregnated JENNIFER ANISTON in 2004. --Jennifer allegedly miscarried, and of course it was before Brad and Angelina were together. But supposedly, Angelina was jealous that she wasn't the first woman Brad had ever knocked up. (--Here's more on that.)


#3.) And last but not least, "OK!" magazine says Angelina is NOT pregnant, but she's desperately trying . . . because she wants to get knocked up before Jennifer so she can, quote, "steal her thunder." (--And here's the full scoop.)


Showbiz Photo of the Day: Watch President Obama Eat Sand During a Beach Football Game:

If you'd like to see PRESIDENT OBAMA eat a face full of sand, I can help you out. --On New Year's Day in Hawaii, Obama took part in a beach football game . . . and went down face first while catching a pass. (--Check out the pics here.) (--You can also see them in a gallery here. And if you cycle through pictures 1 through 8 as fast as possible, it's almost like you're watching a VIDEO of him hitting the dirt.)
KARDASHIAN KAOS

The Kardashians Are Getting Barbie Dolls:

Do you want your daughters playing with small, plastic representations of KIM, KOURTNEY and KHLOE KARDASHIAN? Because apparently, they're going to have a chance soon. --Limited edition BARBIE versions are on their way sometime this year. Kim Tweeted, quote, "Merry Christmas Barbs! I'm sure we'll be seeing lots of each other [in 2012]. Shopping soon!" --Now, this part I'm not sure about . . . but a source says the dolls will, quote, "reflect the girls' measurements." (--If that's the case, you'd THINK the dolls won't be marketed toward children. Especially Kim's. But you never know.)


A Group Wants Kim Kardashian to Pay More Taxes:

There's a group in California that wants the state's rich people to pay more in taxes. They're hoping to get an initiative on the ballot in November that forces them to do just that. --And they're using KIM KARDASHIAN as an example. They even set up a website called TaxKimK.com . . . where you can watch a video that illustrates their point.


Nick Cannon Has Suffered "Mild Kidney Failure":

NICK CANNON has been hospitalized in Aspen, Colorado with what his wife MARIAH CAREY is calling "mild kidney failure". --Yesterday she Tweeted, quote, "Please pray for Nick as he's fighting to recover from a mild kidney failure. #mybraveman." --Then she posted a message on her website saying, quote, "We're trying to be as festive as possible under the circumstances but please keep Nick in your thoughts because this is very painful. --"They tried to kick me out of the hospital but here I am pon de bed with Mr. C." (--The message was accompanied by a picture of Mariah and Nick on his hospital bed. Check it out here.) (MariahCarey.com) --Nick later Tweeted that he's being transferred to a hospital in L.A., and added, quote, "Thank you all for all your love, prayers and concern. You know me . . . I will be a'ight." --There's no official word on what caused this, but a "source" says Nick had been battling the flu . . . and the kidney dysfunction was a side-effect.


Paris Hilton Has Generated $1.3 Billion In Revenue Since 2005 From Her Fragrances Alone:

These days it's all about the Kardashians. But we forget that PARIS HILTON is the ORIGINAL "celebuskank". And she's still a money-making machine. --She says, quote, "I'm involved in my products every step of the way. My fragrances are doing really well at the moment. They've produced more than $1.3 billion in revenue since 2005." --"I have 35 stores and 17 product lines. And then there's my racing team, my 14 fragrances and my new project, the Paris Hilton Beach Club chain. --"The first one is opening in the Philippines soon. It's going to have nightclubs, restaurants, bars, gyms. Everything really." --Oh, and here's some scary news: Paris is also working on her second album. Although luckily, it doesn't sound like she's gunning for pop stardom this time. She's making party music. --She says, quote, "I have a huge passion for house music. I've been working on the album with lots of other top DJs for a while now and I think people will be really surprised. It's very modern and very catchy; perfect party music. --"There are just so many great DJs right now. And I should know . . . I've been to over 100 raves in the past year, so I've heard every type of music."


Demi Lovato Says She'll Always Be Friends With Miley Cyrus . . . Even Though They Have "Brutal" Fights:

DEMI LOVATO would like you to know that she'll always be friends with MILEY CYRUS and SELENA GOMEZ. And with Miley that's not easy, because they've been known to go for each other's throats. --Demi says, quote, "No matter how many times we fight, we will always be in each others' lives. Miley and I are very strong-headed, so when we fight, it's brutal and we're like, 'We're never going to be friends again!' --"Then two days later, we're like, 'I love you and I miss you!'" --Things are a lot cooler with Selena because, quote, "She's not a confrontational person at all." But Demi adds, quote, "Both of them will never leave my life no matter what happens, because we've been through so much together." --Demi also gives props to some other girls who were there for her when she was dealing with her personal issues . . . quote, "We're not super-close, but TAYLOR SWIFT tweeted 'Pray for Demi,' which I thought was really awesome of her. --"And KIM KARDASHIAN, the busiest woman on the planet, took time to call me."


Joe Torre Wants to Buy the Dodgers:

Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager JOE TORRE is going to try to buy his old team. -Since last February, Torre had been working as an executive for Major League Baseball . . . but he had to resign that position to launch his ownership bid. --Torre managed the Dodgers from 2008 to 2010, after a 12-year run as manager of the Yankees. The Dodgers filed for bankruptcy this past June. --There are several groups trying to buy the team. One includes former Dodgers STEVE GARVEY and OREL HERSHISER. Another includes Lakers legend MAGIC JOHNSON. Dallas Mavericks owner MARK CUBAN has also expressed interest. --Torre's group is backed by a Los Angeles real estate developer named Rick Caruso.


A Paternity Court Judge Just Told Terrell Owens His NFL Career Is Over:

Wide receiver TERRELL OWENS is still a man without a team. And thus, a man without an income. So he's been trying to adjust his various child support payments accordingly. --Yesterday, he was in a Los Angeles courtroom trying to get two of those payments reduced, and the judge hit him with a serious TRUTH TORPEDO. --Addressing T.O.'s lawyer, the judge said, quote, "His NFL career seems to be over. I mean no disrespect." According to TMZ, Terrell, quote, "nodded his head in acknowledgement." --By the way . . . T.O. wasn't the only athlete at the courthouse for a child support hearing yesterday. --UFC legend CHUCK LIDDELL, Jacksonville Jaguars tight end MARCEDES LEWIS and ROGER MASON of the Washington Wizards were there to sort out baby-mama issues, too.


NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

A Movie Starring Dennis Quaid as a Killer Mortician and A New Exorcist Flick Are The First New Movies to Hit Theaters in 2012:


#1.) "The Devil Inside" (R) (Trailer)

A woman murders three people in the middle of her own exorcism, and gets locked up for the rest of her life. A Brazilian minx named Fernanda Andrade plays her daughter, who asks some exorcists to take another shot at removing the four demons that have possessed her mom.


#2.) "Beneath the Darkness" (R) (Trailer) (Limited)

Dennis Quaid plays a mortician who terrorizes a group of high school students after they catch him DANCING WITH A CORPSE. He kills one of them that first night, but the cops don't believe their story so he's free to go after the rest. --One of the kids is played by Aimee Teegarden, who you might recognize as the coach's daughter Julie on "Friday Night Lights".


#3.) "Roadie" (Not Rated) (Trailer) (In New York only)

Ron Eldard is a guy who spent 25 years as a roadie for Blue Oyster Cult. When the band fires him, he returns home and reconnects with his high school sweetheart . . . "Crossing Jordan's" Jill Hennessy . . . even though she's married to another guy.
Taylor Swift and Amanda Seyfried May Join the Cast of "Les Miserables":

TAYLOR SWIFT and AMANDA SEYFRIED may join the cast of the upcoming movie version of "Les Miserables". --Swift has been offered the part of Eponine . . . which was also being sought after by SCARLETT JOHANSSON, LEA MICHELE and EVAN RACHEL WOOD. --Eponine's parents are being played by HELENA BONHAM CARTER and SACHA BARON COHEN. --Seyfried is reportedly in final negotiations to play Cosette . . . whose mother, Fantine, is being played by ANNE HATHAWAY. (--Who's only three years older than Amanda, by the way.) --The cast also includes HUGH JACKMAN and RUSSELL CROWE. The film is scheduled to hit theaters next December.

Is Kristen Wiig Refusing to Do a "Bridesmaids" Sequel?

Word has it that KRISTEN WIIG is refusing to do a "Bridesmaids" sequel. But Universal may be willing to go ahead without her. --There's no word why Kristen is balking, but one theory is that she was INSULTED by how the studio rewarded her for giving them such a huge hit. --Supposedly, the six principal cast members . . . including MELISSA MCCARTHY and MAYA RUDOLPH . . . were given a $100,000 bonus when the movie became one of the biggest hits of 2011. --But given the film's $288 million haul, some of them found that figure a little low. Reached for comment, Kristen wouldn't say whether she was upset about the amount of the bonus. --Kristen and another woman actually WROTE "Bridesmaids". But when asked if the two of them were interested in a follow-up, she said, quote, "We aren't working on that. We aren't planning a sequel. We are writing something else." --A source at Universal says, quote, "We are over the moon with the success of 'Bridesmaids', and if we do a sequel we want to get it right. --"We are talking to filmmakers now about concepts, and if the right one emerges, we'll move forward." (--Speaking of sequels, "Horrible Bosses 2" is in the works . . . and Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis are all expected to return.)


NBC Has Confirmed the Cast of the Next "Celebrity Apprentice":

NBC has officially announced the cast of the next "Celebrity Apprentice" . . . although 16 of the 18 contestants were "outed" by RealityBlurred.com THREE MONTHS AGO. --Unfortunately, the two they didn't have aren't all that exciting. They are "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star TERESA GIUDICE and VICTORIA GOTTI, who's only famous because she's the daughter of mobster JOHN GOTTI.

--Here's the rest of the cast:

--Adam Carolla

--Former "American Idol" Clay Aiken

--Magician Penn Jillette

--Comedienne Lisa Lampanelli

--Former Danity Kane singer Aubrey O'Day

--"American Chopper" dad Paul Teutul

--24-year-old racecar driver Marco Andretti (--He's the grandson of Mario Andretti.)

--Model Patricia Velásquez

--Former Miss Venezuela and Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza

--"Wayne's World" minx Tia Carrere

--'80s pop superstar Debbie Gibson

--Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider

--George Takei . . . a.k.a. Sulu from "Star Trek"

--Former "Incredible Hulk" star Lou Ferrigno

--Model Cheryl Tiegs (--She's 64 years old now.)

--And easily the most important, EXCITING celebrity to EVER do "Celebrity Apprentice": ARSENIO HALL. (--Seriously. Word that Arsenio was doing this leaked three months ago . . . and I STILL can't believe it.) (--It isn't everyday that we're able to see Arsenio on TV . . . since 1994 that is . . . so I'm glad DONALD TRUMP was willing to accommodate Arsenio's insane schedule to make this happen.)

--"Celebrity Apprentice" premieres February 12th on NBC.

(--Here's video of the cast talking about doing "Celebrity Apprentice". It begins with some typical Donald Trump hyperboles . . . where he calls the cast "iconic" and says it's "the best cast we've ever had.")


Martha Stewart's Daytime Talk Show Is Coming to an End:

MARTHA STEWART'S daytime talk show is coming to an end after six years. Sources say production will shut down in April, and the last episode will air in May. --The show averaged 225,000 viewers last year . . . and obviously, that wasn't enough. --"Martha" was syndicated from September of 2005 until September of 2010, when it moved to the Hallmark Channel. (--Here's something you may not have realized: Martha will turn 71 years old this August. Pretty crazy, right?)


This Season of "The Bachelor" Is Going to Feature a Lot of Censored Nudity:

Here's some outstanding news for anyone who's a big fan of censored nudity. This season of "The Bachelor" is going to have a lot of it . . . mostly involving BEN FLAJNIK. (--Pronounced "Flannick.") --Host CHRIS HARRISON says, quote, "It's a very nude season. Ben is very comfortable in his own skin. He doesn't have modesty issues." --Obviously, there won't be any ACTUAL nudity. All the naughty parts will be covered by black boxes . . . just like they were in the previews at the end of the premiere.


Thursday TV Reminders:

--"Wipeout" [5th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.


--"Project Runway All Stars" [Series Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Lifetime. Thirteen contestants return to compete with "Marie Claire's" Joanna Coles as their mentor, Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman as the judges, and supermodel Angela Lindvall as your host.


--"Jersey Shore" [5th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV.


--"24/7 Flyers/Rangers: Road to the NHL Winter Classic" [15th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on HBO.


--"American Stuffers" [Series Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Animal Planet. This reality series focuses on an owner of a taxidermy shop.

It's On! Between Patrick Carney of the Black Keys and Nickelback:

THE BLACK KEYS are on the cover of the next issue of "Rolling Stone", which comes out tomorrow. Now that they've reached this level, they often get lumped in with other popular "rock bands" like NICKELBACK. --But the Black Keys are NOT cool with that. --In the "Rolling Stone" interview, drummer PATRICK CARNEY unleashed this rant: Quote, "Rock 'n' roll is dying because people became OK with Nickelback being the biggest band in the world. --"So they became OK with the idea that the biggest rock band in the world is always going to be [crap] . . . therefore you should never try to be the biggest rock band in the world. [Eff] that! --"Rock 'n' roll is the music I feel the most passionately about, and I don't like to see it [effing] ruined and spoon-fed down our throats in this watered-down, post-grunge, horrendous [crap]. --"When people start lumping us into that kind of [crap], it's like, '[Eff] you,' honestly." --Black Keys singer DAN AUERBACH probably shares Patrick's sentiments. Last year, he went off on the BLACK EYED PEAS after MTV gave them a VMA trophy that mistakenly had the Black Eyed Peas name on it.


Adele's "21" Sold More Copies Last Year Than Any Album in Seven Years:

Nielsen Soundscan has released some of music's final sales numbers for 2011 . . . and not surprisingly, it was all about ADELE. --Her album "21" sold 5.8 million copies last year, which is A LOT. In fact, it's the most a single album has sold in a calendar year since 2004 . . . when USHER sold just under 8 million copies of "Confessions". --It was also more than double the sales of the next best seller, MICHAEL BUBLÉ'S "Christmas", which sold 2.4 million copies.

--Here are the 10 best-selling albums in 2011:

1.) "21", Adele . . . 5.8 million copies

2.) "Christmas", Michael Bublé . . . 2.4 million copies

3.) "Born This Way", Lady Gaga . . . 2.1 million copies

4.) "Tha Carter 4", Lil Wayne . . . 1.9 million copies

5.) "My Kinda Party", Jason Aldean . . . 1.6 million copies

6.) "Sigh No More", Mumford & Sons . . . 1.4 million copies

7.) "Take Care", Drake . . . 1.3 million copies

8.) "Under the Mistletoe", Justin Bieber . . . 1.3 million copies (--About 2,000 copies behind Drake.)

9.) "Watch the Throne", Jay-Z and Kanye West . . . 1.23 million copies

10.) "Own the Night", Lady Antebellum . . . 1.2 million copies


--Adele also topped the digital songs list. Her hit "Rolling in the Deep" sold 5.8 million downloads. Here's the Top 10:


1.) "Rolling in the Deep", Adele . . . 5.8 million downloads

2.) "Party Rock Anthem", LMFAO . . . 5.5 million downloads

3.) "E.T.", Katy Perry . . . 4.8 million downloads

4.) "Moves Like Jagger", Maroon 5 . . . 4.1 million downloads

5.) "Give Me Everything", Pitbull . . . 3.9 million downloads

6.) "Pumped Up Kicks", Foster the People . . . 3.8 million downloads

7.) "Someone Like You", Adele . . . 3.8 million downloads

8.) "Forget You", Cee Lo Green . . . 3.7 million downloads

9.) "Super Bass", Nicki Minaj . . . 3.6 million downloads

10.) "Born This Way", Lady Gaga . . . 3.5 million downloads


--And here are a few other interesting facts from Nielsen on last year's music sales:

--It was the first year since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991 that two Christmas albums were among the top 10 best-sellers: Michael Bublé's "Christmas" and Justin Bieber's "Under the Mistletoe".

--Overall album sales in the U.S. actually IMPROVED. This is the first time that's happened since 2004. It was only by 1% though. 330.6 million albums sold last year, compared to 326.2 million in 2010.

--However, the CD is still dying. CD sales were down 6% . . . but digital album downloads were up by 20% to a record 103.1 million copies. In 2010, 86.3 million digital albums were sold.

--The top-selling digital album of 2011 was also Adele's "21" . . . naturally. She sold 1.8 million digital albums.

--This is the first year any song has sold at least 5 million downloads . . . and two songs did it. ("Rolling in the Deep" and "Party Rock Anthem"). 2010's top selling digital song was Katy Perry's "California Gurls" with 4.40 million downloads.

--For the fourth straight year, vinyl album sales GREW. More vinyl albums were sold last year than in any other year since SoundScan began in 1991. In 2011, 3.9 million vinyl LPs were sold, compared to 2.8 million in 2010.


And Here's How Adele Did on Last Week's "Billboard" Chart:

ADELE is back on top of the "Billboard" chart. Her disc "21" sold another 144,000 copies to notch its 14th non-consecutive week at #1. It's the most weeks at #1 since the "Titanic" soundtrack spent 16 weeks there in 1998.


--The week's top debut came from SKRILLEX. His "Bangarang" EP opened at #19 with nearly 24,000 copies sold. Here's this week's Top 10 . . .


1.) "21", Adele (144,000 copies)

2.) "Take Care", Drake (72,000 copies)

3.) "TM103: Hustlerz Ambition", Young Jeezy (67,000 copies)

4.) "Own the Night", Lady Antebellum (54,000 copies)

5.) "Sorry for Party Rocking", LMFAO (49,000 copies)

6.) "Ceremonials", Florence + the Machine (47,000 copies)

7.) "El Camino", The Black Keys (45,000 copies)

8.) "Mylo Xyloto", Coldplay (44,000 copies)

9.) "Talk That Talk", Rihanna (42,000 copies)

10.) "Now That's What I Call Music, Volume 40" (41,000 copies)
Carrie Underwood Saved the Life of a Dog That Was Thrown From a Car:

CARRIE UNDERWOOD may be a big star, but she's not above jumping out of her car to save a stray dog's life. It happened over the holidays when she was on her way back to Nashville after visiting her family. --Carrie spotted two Labrador puppies on the side of the road. Sadly, only one was still alive . . . and according to the emergency vet, it was most likely THROWN from a moving vehicle. (--I believe there's a place in hell for people who treat living creatures like that.) --After the puppy was treated, Carrie brought it home and named it Stella. She also talked some neighbors into adopting it. (--Carrie didn't keep the pup because she already has two dogs, plus Stella needs full-time attention right now.)


THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS


Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


MARIO LOPEZ and his baby-mama COURTNEY MAZZA are engaged. Mario and Courtney have a daughter named Gia who's a little over a year old. Mario's first marriage to ALI LANDRY was annulled after two weeks because Mario cheated on her at his bachelor party. (Full Story)



CHAD OCHOCINCO'S fiancée EVELYN LOZADA has reportedly put the brakes on their wedding plans . . . because she suspects he might be CHEATING on her. (Full Story)



MOON UNIT ZAPPA and MATCHBOX 20 guitarist PAUL DOUCETTE are getting divorced. (Full Story)



The Wegmans grocery chain pulled holiday ads featuring ALEC BALDWIN one week early after people complained because of Alec's recent airplane tirade. But then they got way more messages of SUPPORT for Alec, so they're running the ads again. (Full Story)



LILY COLLINS . . . daughter of PHIL . . . has scored the lead in the upcoming "Evil Dead" remake. (Full Story)


RICK SPRINGFIELD will show up on an episode of "Hot in Cleveland" sometime this summer. He's playing himself . . . the STUD you know from "Jessie's Girl", "General Hospital" and of course killing a man in 'Nam!!! (Full Story)



If you didn't know, America isn't the only country being subjected to the "Real Housewives" franchise. They're developing one for France now . . . and hope to also do ones in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia. Canada and Brazil will get theirs this spring, and there are already "Real Housewives" shows in Greece and Israel. (Full Story)



GEORGE MICHAEL says that some extreme Christian organizations were praying for him to DIE while he was hospitalized for pneumonia this past fall. (Full Story)



LUDACRIS is opening a restaurant in Atlanta's airport. It's called Chicken & Beer . . . after his 2003 album of the same name. This will be his second restaurant. He also has an Atlanta-based joint called Straits. (Full Story)



VH1 has no plans to do seasons of "Celebrity Rehab" or "Sober House" this year, but neither show has been officially canceled. (Full Story)



RATT singer STEPHEN PEARCY and guitarist WARREN DEMARTINI are doing something with DAVE GROHL from the FOO FIGHTERS. They won't say what it's all about though. Stephen says, quote, "We'll let [Dave] tell you about when he's ready, kids. [It's] not for a RATT record." (Full Story)



A female contestant got so excited on "The Price Is Right" that she jumped on DREW CAREY and they slammed into a wall. She also tackled NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, who was yesterday's celebrity guest. (Full Story and Video)


RANDOM STUFF

A Mother Shot and Killed an Intruder After Asking a 911 Operator Whether It Was Okay:

There's a crazy story out of Oklahoma about SELF-DEFENSE . . . and what you can do to protect your family inside your home. --On New Year's Eve, 18-year-old Sarah McKinley of Blanchard, Oklahoma was home with her three-month-old son, MOURNING. Her husband . . . the baby's father . . . had died of CANCER on Christmas.--Suddenly, two men began trying to break into her house: 24-year-old Justin Martin, and 29-year-old Dustin Stewart. And they had a 12-inch hunting knife. --So Sarah grabbed her baby and locked herself in the bedroom. But not before she grabbed her TWO GUNS . . . a 12-gauge shotgun and a pistol. Then she called 911. --She asked for help, and asked the dispatcher, quote, "I'm here by myself with my infant baby . . . I've got two guns in my hand. Is it okay to shoot him if he comes in this door?" --And the dispatcher basically gave her the green light: Quote, "I can't tell you that you can do that, but you do what you have to do to protect your baby." --So, when Martin kicked in the door to the bedroom and went at Sarah with a knife, she SHOT and KILLED HIM with the 12-gauge. --The police have ruled it a justified shooting in self defense. In a statement, they say, quote, "You're allowed to shoot an unauthorized person that is in your home. The law provides you the remedy, and sanctions the use of deadly force." (--Keep in mind, this can vary state-by-state. You can see the laws for every state here.) --Sarah says, quote, "I wouldn't have done it, but it was my son. It's not an easy decision to make, but I knew it was him or my son. And it wasn't going to be my son. There's nothing more dangerous than a woman with a child." --After the shooting, the other guy took off, then turned himself into police. --Interestingly enough, STEWART is going to be charged with Martin's murder. Since he was participating in a felony that resulted in a death, even though Sarah is clear of murder charges, HE'S NOT. (The Oklahoman)


Yesterday was the Biggest Day of the Year for Cheating on Your Husband or Wife:

Did you cheat on your husband or wife yesterday? --We're not sure if this is going to put your conscience at ease . . . or make JESUS any less angry at you . . . but you weren't the only one. --According to relationship experts, January 4th is the BIGGEST day of the entire year for cheating. --It's hard to find statistics to back up that kind of claim, but here's one. The cheating website IllicitEncounters.com reported that they got more than DOUBLE their normal amount of daily signups yesterday. --Here's why January 4th is big for cheating. The stress and intensity of the holiday season can put a big strain on relationships. But no one wants to break up over the holidays. So that frustration and anger just festers and grows. --By January 4th, everyone's been back to work for a couple of days, settled back into a routine . . . and now they can actually take active steps toward ending their relationship, including the COWARD'S ROUTE of cheating.(Daily Mail)

People Who Meet Online Get Married in an Average of 18 Months . . . Other Couples Wait 42 Months:

If you sign up for online dating with the goal of getting married as quickly as possible, here's some good news. Once you wade through the sea of lunatics and find the right person . . . you guys will be married before you know it. --According to a new survey, the average couple that meets through online dating gets married in 18-and-a-half months . . . or a year-and-a-half.

--For couples who meet offline, the average is 42 months . . . or three-and-a-half years.


--In 2010, 17% of married couples . . . or one out of six . . . met on a dating site.


--About 5.5 million of the 54 million single adults in the U.S. are now using online dating. About 20% have tried it.


--Every user spends an average of almost 13 minutes per week on their online dating profile and correspondence . . . not counting the time spent on dates. (Jezebel)


Is This the First Marriage Between People Brought Together by "Words With Friends"?

Maybe there IS a purpose to "Words With Friends" . . . besides wasting an enormous amount of your time and getting ALEC BALDWIN kicked off planes. --Now, it's also a MATCHMAKER. --If you're not familiar, "Words With Friends" is a popular iPhone, Android, and Facebook game that lets you play a game . . . suspiciously like Scrabble . . . against other people. --32-year-old Megan Lawless of Chicago has been a big "Words With Friends" fan for years. But she didn't just want to play against her friends. She also wanted to play some Words With Strangers. --So, back in November of 2009, she hit the "Random Opponent" button. -31-year-old Jasper Jasperse of the Netherlands randomly got matched up with her. They started playing, and started having good games, so they kept playing. Those games led to online chatting. That chatting led to talking. --And now, Jasper has moved to Chicago . . . and they're MARRIED. --A company called Zynga makes "Words With Friends". They said this is the first "Words With Friends" marriage they know of. (Redeye Chicago) --Here's a photo of Megan and Jasper.)


What Song Was Number One the Week You Were Born?

The new thing on Facebook is people looking up the song that was number one the week they were born, then posting the video on their Facebook wall. --Even if you're too cool to participate in Facebook trends, it actually IS interesting to find out what your "Birth Song" is. --To find your song, go to Wikipedia and look up 'List of number-one hits.' Then select United States, click on your birth year, and find the week you were born. Then prepare to feel old. (--Here's a shortcut: tinyurl.com/YourBirthSong.)


The Girl Scouts are Rolling Out a New Cookie Called "Savannah Smiles":

It's January 5th, which means you can start planning the binge eating you'll do after you drop your New Year's resolution. And this is a good start. --It's the 100th anniversary of Girl Scout cookies, and they're rolling out a NEW FLAVOR called Savannah Smiles. They're described as a "cool and crisp lemon wedge." --They're named Savannah Smiles because the founder of the Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low, was born in Savannah, Georgia. (Zap2It) (--So, no, they're NOT named after a porn star. Here's a picture of the box and the cookies.)
If You Make Your Own Coffee Instead of Buying Starbucks, You Could Be Half-a-Million Dollars Richer by Retirement:

Yesterday, Starbucks started raising prices in various stores around the country by 1%. Not a huge jump, but it could add up to around $15 extra per year if you drink there every day. --Well . . . CBS News took that Starbucks math to a whole different level. Here's what they figured out. --If you buy one $4 latte a day, you're spending $1,460 per year on Starbucks. After five years, that's $7,300. --Let's say you invested that $4 every day instead, in an account with an average return of 9%. After 10 years, you could have enough to buy a car. And at 40 years, the money you saved from coffee would be worth $634,428. --But if you don't want to give up Starbucks, here's another alternative. You could buy bags of Starbucks French roast and brew them yourself. You can also add milk to make lattes. --That will reduce your budget to about $29-a-month . . . saving you $91 over going to an actual Starbucks. --Over 40 years, if you invested the difference, you'd have $481,108. Even if you don't invest it, just saving the $91-a-month would mean you'll end the year $1,092 richer . . . and have an extra $43,680 when you retire in 40 years. (CBS News)


A Heavy Cold or the Flu Messes You Up as Much as Getting Drunk:

Who knew that getting the flu was basically the same as going out and getting HAMMERED? -According to a new study by an insurance company in England, when you have a heavy cold or the flu, it affects your concentration and reaction time in the car JUST like being drunk. --Researchers found that drivers with serious colds or the flu were about 50% slower to react behind the wheel. That's the same effect as taking FOUR SHOTS of WHISKEY. --So the conclusion here is obvious. If you're sick . . . DON'T DRIVE. And if you really have to go somewhere, find someone else to drive you. (The Telegraph)


Word of the Day: New Year Flu:


New Year Flu (noun) /noo yeer floo/ - a sickness brought on by the combination of unhealthy activities on New Year's Eve . . . drinking too much, wandering around in the cold, and kissing random strangers. --Example: I hate to burn three sick days the first week of January, but I've got a serious case of the New Year Flu. Better than last year, I guess, when I caught an even MORE serious case of New Year Gonorrhea.


One Out of Every 30 Babies Born in the U.S. is Now a Twin:

This country is getting closer and closer to being OVERRUN by twins. And that scares me, because you know in every set of twins, one of them is EVIL. --According to new data from the CDC, one out of every THIRTY babies born in this country is now a twin. That's insane. Back in 1980, the rate was one in 53.--The twin birth rate is up 76% in about 30 years, from 18.9 per 1,000 births to 33.2 per 1,000 births. --The main reason is fertility treatments. Fertility drugs and treatments are FAR more common now than they were 30 years ago . . . and those significantly increase the odds of multiple births. --The other reason? There are more women giving birth in their 30s and early 40s . . . and older mothers are more likely to have twins. Scientists don't really know why . . . they just are. --One other twin note. Yesterday, the "Guinness" world record holders for Oldest Twins celebrated their 102nd birthday. --Ena Pugh and Lily Millward were born on January 4th, 1910 . . . before World War One. They're both still alive, living in Wales, and have been widows for over two decades. (USA Today) (--Here's a photo of the twins.)


Medical Records Technicians, Jewelers, and Hair Stylists Are the Least-Stressful Jobs . . . and Solider is the Most Stressful:

CareerCast.com released their annual list of the most and least-stressful jobs in the 2012 Job Stress Report.


--Several of the low-stress jobs pay about as much as the most-stressful. And they're all indoors, in fairly comfortable settings. The jobs with the least stress are:


#1.) Medical records technician: Average income is $32,350.

#2.) Jeweler: $35,170.

#3.) Hair stylist: $22,760.

#4.) Dressmaker/tailor: $26,560.

#5.) Medical Lab Tech: $36,280.

#6.) Audiologist: That's the person who gives hearing tests. They make $66,660.

#7.) Precision Assembler: They make electronics. Average salary: $31,250.

#8.) Dietitian: $53,250.

#9.) Furniture Upholsterer: $29,960.

#10.) Electrical Technician: $56,040.

The jobs with the MOST stress are:


#1.) Enlisted military soldier: Average income $35,580

#2.) Firefighter: $45,250

#3.) Airline pilot: $103,210

#4.) Military general: $196,300

#5.) Police Officer: $53,540

#6.) Event Coordinator: $45,260

#7.) Public Relations Executive: $91,810

#8.) Senior Corporate Executive: $165,830

#9.) Photojournalist: $40,000

#10.) Taxi Driver: $22,440

(PR Newswire)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Man Stabs His Friend for Not Knowing That Jay-Z and Beyoncé are Married:

Here's yet another reason why you should listen to this show from start to finish, every single day, without fail. We make SURE you're up on everything in pop culture. And apparently, that can keep you from GETTING STABBED. --On New Year's Eve, 31-year-old Ronald Deaver of Parma, Ohio was hanging out with his friend, a 48-year-old man from Garfield Heights, Ohio whose name hasn't been released. --An hour before the New Year, they started arguing. The 48-year-old didn't know that JAY-Z and BEYONCÉ are married. Ronald was arguing with him that, yes, they are married. --Things escalated. And Ronald ended up STABBING his friend. --The friend was rushed to the hospital. He's still there, and is listed in good condition. -Ronald was arrested and charged with felony assault. (FOX 8 - Cleveland) (--Here's Ronald's mugshot.)
A Woman Tried to Get Out of a Shoplifting Arrest By Claiming She Was Rudy from "The Cosby Show":

32-year-old Leah Efay Davis got caught shoplifting from a JC Penney at Provo, Utah's University Mall earlier this week, and came up with our 'Stupid Legal Defense of the Day.' --Leah was caught with four purses and four pajamas worth $591. And she tried to convince police to let her go . . . by claiming she played RUDY on "The Cosby Show". --In Leah's defense, she is the same age as Keshia Knight Pulliam is now . . . the actress who really DID play Rudy . . . and she's got the three-word name. On the other hand, actually being Rudy probably wouldn't have gotten her off anyway. --But Leah didn't just rely on the "I'm Rudy," defense. She also said that she OWNED the mall. And she told police she was eight months pregnant. We're not sure if that one was true or not. --Leah was charged with third-degree felony theft. She's been caught shoplifting before and was banned from the mall because of it. So police also charged her with criminal trespassing. (Salt Lake Tribune) (--Here's Leah's mugshot, along with a photo of the real Rudy, then and now. There's some resemblance . . . probably good enough to get her some free drinks over the years . . . but not enough to stay out of jail.)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

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


The U.S. Olympic Committee is threatening to sue the Redneck Olympics for using the word "Olympic." (Full Story)


PRESIDENT OBAMA has joined Instagram, the smartphone app that allows you to use artsy retro filters on your photos. (Full Story)


Check out the seven-foot tall dude who's the world's tallest transsexual. (Full Story)


A teenager from Phoenix fell asleep on a Southwest flight to Tulsa, slept through the landing, slept through the next takeoff, and ended up in St. Louis. (Full Story)


NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) A Guy Proposed on the Jumbo Screen at a UCLA Basketball Game . . . and Got Rejected:

Some guy proposed to a girl on the "kiss cam" at a UCLA basketball game last month. And now the video is making the rounds on YouTube . . . because the girl said NO. --The guy had it all planned out, and someone was there with a microphone to get the girl's reaction: But first she sat there for a few seconds looking shocked. Then she got up and LEFT. The best part is, the crowd booed her. --The whole thing could have been staged. You decide. (--It happened on December 23rd, but the video was just posted on YouTube. Search for "UCLA Marriage Proposal Fail." It starts at :33, and she leaves at 1:03.)


#2.) A Reporter in Pakistan Punched a Teenager in the Face with His Microphone:

On New Year's Eve in Pakistan, a journalist named Asad Sahi was reporting on the celebrations on live TV. And when a big group of people crowded around him and started yelling into the camera, he got frustrated. --SO frustrated that he spun around and punched a teenager in the FACE with his MICROPHONE. (--Search YouTube for "City42 Reporter Live Punch on Boy." It happens at :48.)


#3.) And Now, Yoda's Death Scene from "Return of the Jedi" . . . with Flatulence:

Remember the scene in "Return of the Jedi" when Yoda dies? Well, someone re-cut it . . . and added in a bunch of FLATULENCE sound effects. It sounds stupid, but I dare you to watch it and not laugh. Luke's reactions are great. (--Search for "Return of the Farting Jedi." WARNING: This video includes the term "Dutch oven.")



#4.) A Soccer Goalie Scored from the Opposite End of the Field:

TIM HOWARD is the goalie for the U.S. soccer team, but he also plays for Everton in the English Premiere League. And during a match yesterday, he scored an amazing goal . . . from the opposite end of the field, without the ball touching any players. --Howard kicked it from the front of his penalty box, it went about 70 yards, landed about 25 yards in front of the other goalie, bounced over his head, and went in. (--Search for "Tim Howard Goal from Downtown.")


Five Things "Cool" Offices Have . . . That Yours Doesn't:


If you hate your job, this probably won't help. Cracked.com came up with a list of things you'll find at a "COOL" office . . . like the offices of YouTube or Google . . . but probably not at YOUR office. Here are the top five.



#1.) Scooters and Skateboards. Getting around the office on wheels is an option if you work at Pixar, Google, Facebook, PopCap Games, or the website Mashable.com. Some offices even have skateboard RAMPS.


#2.) Foosball Tables. You see this one SOMETIMES. But apparently at a "cool" office it's a must-have. The offices of Google, Apple, Pixar, and Groupon all have them. Ping-pong tables and pool tables are also popular.


#3.) Red Walls. Not all of them, just one or two "accent" walls. Apparently having all white walls is too conventional. And a single bright red wall makes it look like the people who work there think outside the box.


--YouTube, Etsy, and software companies like Autodesk and Valve all have at least one red wall.


#4.) Orange Furniture. This one's even more common than red walls. Orange chairs and couches have been spotted at the offices of Groupon, Google, Twitter, Skype, Digg, Mozilla . . . and basically every other tech company in the world.


#5.) Slides. YouTube has one, and so do Red Bull, Epic Games, and Google. In fact, Google has slides at their offices in New York, San Francisco, Zurich, and their headquarters in Mountain View, California. (Cracked.com)