Roughly 25% of Americans say they just won't eat this, no matter what. What is it?
A: Mushrooms!
Show Biz Notes:
Everyone noticed that FARRAH FAWCETT and BEA ARTHUR were left out of the Montage of Death during Sunday night's Oscars.
(--You could probably add ED MCMAHON to the list of snubs, but he wasn't even really an actor. Then again, was MICHAEL JACKSON???)
But RYAN O'NEAL is going to the mat for Farrah. He says, quote, "It was a terrible decision and very hurtful. Farrah was a member of the Academy for over 40 years and we could not believe she did not get a mention.
"Both [my daughter] Tatum and I were very upset and we intend to write a letter to the Academy to try and get an explanation for this oversight on their behalf."
He added, quote, "They gave mentions to sound guys and other writers and without being disrespectful, Farrah Fawcett was an icon and a household name.
"Quite frankly, we were stunned at the decision not to include her in the tribute and I feel that the Academy should be scolded for that, everyone was shocked."
ROGER EBERT and JANE FONDA have Ryan's back. Both of them went to the Internet and forgot their respective ages by using the word FAIL when bashing the Oscars for dissing Farrah.
Unfortunately, the Academy has heard everyone's complaints . . . and it DOESN'T CARE.
Academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger says, quote, "I would not say that it was an oversight. No matter how carefully and how conscientiously people address who is included, there are people who just simply can't be."
"In any given year there will always be some people that other people think should have been included and that there's more justification for one person versus another. It is impossible to include everybody."
Meanwhile, 41.3 million people watched the Oscars on Sunday night, making it the most-watched ceremony in FIVE YEARS.
It's official: BROOKE BURKE will be the new "Dancing with the Stars" co-host alongside TOM BERGERON. (--Back in January, SAMANTHA HARRIS announced that she would not be returning for Season 10.)
Brooke is pretty pumped about the gig. On her blog, she said, quote, "Today is one of the most exciting days ever!!! With the exception of my family and children, today tops the list of all my professional endeavors!!! (???)
"AAAAHHHGGGGG!!! That's me screaming and jumping up and down! And, I'm crossing off one more thing from my Bucket List!"
Well, you asked for it. At an Oscar party on Sunday night, BETTY WHITE confirmed that she will be appearing on an upcoming episode of "Saturday Night Live". There are no specifics on WHEN or HOW it'll go down.
There was talk that she'd be hosting alongside MOLLY SHANNON, TINA FEY and AMY POEHLER as part of a special "Women of Comedy" episode, but "SNL" boss LORNE MICHAELS reportedly denied that.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
This mini-tragedy happens to the average person about once a year. What is it?
A: Stepping in Dog Poop!
Show Biz Notes:
Going into the Oscars, we pretty much knew who was going to win each of the big awards. There were only two that seemed like they were still undecided: Best Director and Best Picture.
In both of those categories, the battle was between "Avatar" from JAMES CAMERON, and "The Hurt Locker" . . . which was directed by his ex-wife, KATHRYN BIGELOW. By the end of the night, Kathryn OWNED James.
She won the Academy Award for Best Director . . . making her the first woman to win that award EVER. Then, before she could even put her Oscar statue down, "The Hurt Locker" beat "Avatar" for Best Picture.
STEVE MARTIN and ALEC BALDWIN did a legitimately fantastic job hosting the show. Their two-man comedy felt very old school . . . very MARTIN and LEWIS . . . but that WORKED.
The Oscars aren't edgy . . .so harmless, well-written jokes delivered by two well-respected comedy superstars fit in perfectly with the vibe in the room and the tone of the show.
BEN STILLER came out in full "Avatar" makeup to present the award for Best Makeup. He wasn't THAT funny . . . but committed so hard to what he was doing that, after about two minutes, he finally managed to make James Cameron laugh.
TINA FEY and ROBERT DOWNEY JR. also had a strong bit as they presented Best Original Screenplay . . . it ended up turning into Tina, as a writer, mocking actors, and Robert, as an actor, laying right back into writers.
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS continued his emergence as one of the biggest stars in the world by unexpectedly opening up the show with a Broadway-style musical number.
The musical number wasn't spectacularly funny but it was a huge spectacle . . . which is, clearly, what they were going for with these Oscars.
The pacing of the show went like you'd expect. It moved pretty well, but a few lesser-known winners got cut off during their speeches. . . . by the end, TOM HANKS basically had to just abruptly blurt out the Best Picture winner.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR. CHRISTOPH WALTZ was the runaway favorite to win Best Supporting Actor for his role as Nazi Colonel Hans Landa in "Inglourious Basterds" . . . and he did, beating out MATT DAMON and WOODY HARRELSON.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS. MO'NIQUE was the favorite to win, and she did, for her role in "Precious".
BEST ACTOR. JEFF BRIDGES won for his role in "Crazy Heart" and gave an acceptance speech that made it clear his character THE DUDE from "The Big Lebowski" drew strongly from the way he actually speaks.
BEST ACTRESS. SANDRA BULLOCK beat out MERYL STREEP to win her first Oscar, for "The Blind Side".
The day before, Sandra won the Razzie award for WORST Actress, for her part in "All About Steve". This is the first time anyone has won a Best Actor or Actress Oscar and a Worst Actor or Actress Razzie in the same year.
BEST DIRECTOR. KATHRYN BIGELOW became the first woman ever to win Best Director, for her job on "The Hurt Locker". She beat Lee Daniels, who directed "Precious", and would've been the first black Best Director.
BEST PICTURE. "The Hurt Locker" pulled off a minor upset and beat "Avatar".
Kathryn seemed to have used up all her best material on her Best Director speech a minute earlier and gave a rambling thanks to every type of uniformed serviceperson she could think of, from soldiers to Haz-Mat guys to firefighters.
"The Hurt Locker" ended up winning six awards . . . besides Best Picture and Best Director, it also won Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Directing and Best Sound Editing.
"Avatar" ended up winning three Oscars: Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects. (--Which has GOT to be a disappointment for James Cameron and his team . . . they spent 10 years and $500 million on this thing.)
"Alice in Wonderland" dominated the weekend box office with an enormous take of over $116 million. That makes it the best opening weekend of the year, by far. It's also the best opening ever for TIM BURTON. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) (NEW) Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland", $116 million
2.) (NEW) "Brooklyn's Finest", $13.5 million
3.) The Leonardo DiCaprio thriller "Shutter Island", $13.3 million 4.) The Bruce Willis / Tracy Morgan comedy "Cop Out", $9.1 million 5.) "Avatar", $7.7 million (--Up to a total of $720 million in its 12th week.)
(--"Avatar" may be the year's biggest film, but its opening weekend was back in December. It's cleared over $200 million in a single weekend since then . . . but "Avatar's" FIRST weekend haul was only $77 million.)
Now that TIGER WOODS' life is out in the open, there are probably a lot of people close to him who are kicking themselves for not recognizing the signs. ELIN NORDEGREN has to be at the top of that list, by far . . . but there are others.
Like golfer MARK CALCAVECCHIA . . . who doesn't have to wonder anymore why Tiger always seemed to have a new cell phone number.
He says, quote, "I didn't really think about it, but in the course of last year he changed his number five times. The last time he did, I said, 'Man, you change phone numbers more than I change underwear.'"
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
In 1951, the local newspaper published the first television listings. What was the first show listed? A: Tie A: Kukla Fran and Ollie!
Show Biz Notes:
The not-always-reliable "New York Post" says that JOHNNY DEPP is trying to quit the movie he's currently making, "The Tourist" . . . because his longtime girlfriend VANESSA PARADIS wants him to.
And why does she want him to quit? Because his co-star is ANGELINA JOLIE.
As you may know, Angelina stole BILLY BOB THORNTON away from LAURA DERN when she starred with him in the 1999 flick "Pushing Tin".
And while Angelina was filming "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" with BRAD PITT, she stole HIM from JENNIFER ANISTON.
And now, Vanessa is afraid Angelina will go after HER man. And she's especially worried because they'll be shooting a SEX SCENE.
So Johnny is supposedly being the good boyfriend and trying to break his commitment to the film.
-A so-called "source" says, quote, "[Johnny is] currently trying to [get out of the movie] . . . and they're talking about replacing him with Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio."
Several sources are claiming that ELIN NORDEGREN and the kids have moved back in with TIGER WOODS to help him get his life and career back on track.
But that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to be a happy family again.
One source says, quote, "Elin knows Tiger has issues and is afraid to go near him romantically. Because of the children and his need to return to golf, she will try to live in the house with a wall between them.
"The marriage is all smoke and mirrors, but Elin will help Tiger rebuild his image and gain new sponsorships because this is what his life is all about.
"She is doing this more for the kids and holding the family together then anything else."
According to TMZ, Wednesday was the first night Tiger and Elin spent in the same house since November.
"Alice In Wonderland" And "Brooklyn's Finest" Hit Theaters This Weekend
#1.) Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" (PG
Alice is played by a 20-year-old Australian minx named Mia Wasikowska, who you might know as the sexy suicidal gymnast Sophie from HBO's "In Treatment".
The movie plays like a sequel, with Alice returning to Wonderland as an adult to help all of her old friends overthrow the Red Queen's army and defeat the queen's dragon.
Johnny Depp is the heroic Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway is the rightful ruler, the White Queen, and Helena Bonham Carter is the emotionally unstable Red Queen.
This 3-D version of "Alice" is the SEVENTH film that Tim Burton has worked on with Johnny Depp . . . and his SIXTH with his longtime girlfriend, Helena Bonham Carter.
(--All three did "Sweeney Todd", "Corpse Bride", and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Tim also directed Johnny in "Sleepy Hollow", "Ed Wood" and "Edward Scissorhands" . . . and Helena in "Big Fish" and his "Planet of the Apes" remake.)
"Harry Potter" fans might want to listen for the voices of Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew. Alan Rickman plays the Caterpillar and Timothy Spall is the Bloodhound. Tim Burton also used them both in "Sweeney Todd", as the judge and his henchman.
92-year-old Michael Gough . . . who was Alfred in the "Batman" movies from the '90s . . . even came out of retirement to be the Dodo Bird. This is the third time Tim Burton's coaxed him out of retirement. He also did it for "Sleepy Hollow" and "Corpse Bride".
The rest of the cast includes "Underworld's" Michael Sheen as the White Rabbit, Christopher Lee as the Jabberwock dragon, and "Back to the Future's" Crispin Glover as a seven-foot tall bad-ass in charge of the Red Queen's army.
#2.) "Brooklyn's Finest" (R)
Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, and Ethan Hawke are three cops involved in a massive drug operation that pits them against each other as they try to take down the city's most notorious drug dealer, who's played by Wesley Snipes.
Don Cheadle plays an undercover cop who's more loyal to Snipes than to his badge. Richard Gere is a burned out patrolman on the verge of retiring. And Ethan Hawke is a narcotics cop who crosses the line by helping himself to a little drug money.
It's directed by Antoine Fuqua, who also directed Ethan Hawke in "Training Day". His other films include Mark Wahlberg's sniper movie "Shooter", Bruce Willis' special-ops flick "Tears of the Sun", and the Keira Knightley version of "King Arthur".
"American Idol" contestant CRYSTAL BOWERSOX has shed a little light on the mystery medical condition that forced her to be hospitalized . . . and caused the show to alternate its boys' and girls' performance nights.
In a brief message on the "Idol" contestants' joint Twitter account, Crystal said, quote, "Don't worry, my 'beetus (diabetes) is under control. Thanks for all your well wishes, thanks to the boys, and the producers!! Can't wait to perform."
Earlier this week, an "Idol" producer said that the problem was due to a preexisting medical condition that the show was aware of . . . but that the problem was worse than they anticipated.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
75% of adult men know how to do this. Only 30% of women know how. What is it?
A: Tie a Tie!
Show Biz Notes:
BURT REYNOLDS underwent QUINTUPLE BYPASS surgery last week. It's not clear how they kept it a secret this long, but we're only finding out now because his rep released a statement yesterday, saying he's back home from the hospital.
He said, quote, "Mr. Reynolds has been released from a hospital in Florida in which he had a planned bypass operation.
"He wants to thank everyone for their good wishes and states that he has a great motor with brand new pipes and he is feeling great. Doctors plan on a speedy recovery.
Welcome to another edition of MOVIES THAT SHOULD NOT BE MADE.
Yes, it's been a while since we've played this game, but it became necessary the moment Warner Brothers announced that they're making a "Gilligan's Island" movie.
That's right, "Gilligan's Island" . . . the classic sitcom that ran for a mere THREE seasons on CBS from 1964 to 1967 . . . but has NEVER STOPPED airing in repeats since.
Original creator SHERWOOD SCHWARTZ, who's 93 years old and still kicking, is one of the producers . . . along with a guy named RICHARD SUCKLE.
There's no word yet on casting, but when Schwartz was talking about doing the movie last year, he said he was interested in getting MICHAEL CERA to play Gilligan.
Production is expected to begin next year. There's no word on a release date.
And now, Here are the THREE REASONS WHY A "GILLIGAN'S ISLAND" MOVIE SHOULD NOT BE MADE:
#1.) GPS, cell phones, wireless Internet: It's practically IMPOSSIBLE to get lost in 2010. And there are no uncharted tropical islands that don't have smoke monsters and polar bears on them.
#2.) In this economy, do you think a farm girl like Mary Ann could afford a THREE-HOUR TOUR???
#3.) "The Brady Bunch in the White House". Are we clear???
Yesterday, there was a wave of "American Idol" panic PULSATING through the Internet . . . about how CRYSTAL BOWERSOX could be disqualified from "Idol" if she was unable to perform last night.
Well, it was all deemed moot when Crystal DID end up taking the stage.
She sang "Long As I Can See the Light" by CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL. And, since you're probably wondering, the judges unanimously loved it.
RANDY JACKSON said he loved Crystal, and called her hot. ELLEN DEGENERES told her to, quote, "stay healthy, because we need you here."
KARA DIOGUARDI compared her to, quote, "the greats" and said she hit a "new level" . . . and SIMON COWELL called her a, quote, "serious artist."
No one specifically elaborated on this "medical issue," but yesterday there was an unconfirmed rumor that it was some sort of diabetes complication.
"The Tonight Show" attracted 5.8 million viewers on Tuesday night.
That's down from the 6.6 million who tuned in on Monday . . . but was still enough to easily beat "The Late Show with David Letterman", which had 3.7 million viewers.
Last year, Disney released its latest animated film, "The Princess and the Frog". It was a big hit, especially amongst its target audience . . . little kids. And little girls in particular. In fact, it might have been a little TOO successful.
That's because according to AOL News, at least 50 little girls have gotten SALMONELLA after seeing the movie, and feeling inspired to kiss a frog.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
According to a recent poll of women, they said this is what makes them happy. What is it?
A: Sleep!
Show Biz Notes:
It turns out the Smithsonian is NOT interested in the suit that O.J. SIMPSON wore when he was acquitted of double murder charges almost 15 years ago.
We heard yesterday that attorneys for both O.J. and FRED GOLDMAN had reached an agreement to donate the suit in the memory of NICOLE BROWN and RON GOLDMAN . . . the two people O.J. LEGALLY didn't kill.
But a statement on the Smithsonian website reads, quote, "The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will not be collecting O.J. Simpson's suit. The decision was made by the museum's curators together with the director."
A museum spokeswoman adds, quote, "We feel that this suit does not have a direct enough connection to represent the story of this event. This is no comment on the trial, O.J. Simpson, or the acquittal."
(--For the record, the Smithsonian also passed on MONICA LEWINSKY'S blue dress. You know, the one with the EXECUTIVE STAIN on it.)
Sources say that TIGER WOODS is back home in Windermere, Florida . . . after spending a week in Arizona undergoing family and marriage counseling.
His wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, took part in the sessions with him.
We'd heard from PULITZER PRIZE CANDIDATE "The National Enquirer" that Tiger was in Arizona for treatment of DRUG ADDICTION. Apparently, that's not the case.
Now that he's home, Tiger is reportedly back to a daily golfing regimen. There's still no word when he'll compete again.
But Tiger's mom Kutilda says that when Tiger DOES return, he will REGULATE once again.
If "The Hurt Locker" wins Best Picture this Sunday at the Oscars, one of the producers won't be there to pick up his statue.
NICOLAS CHARTIER has been BARRED from the ceremony . . . because he sent e-mails around to Academy members, asking them to vote for the movie, instead of a, quote, "$500 million film."
That was obviously a reference to "Avatar" . . . which is also up for Best Picture.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has strict rules about Oscar campaigning. One of those rules is that you can't slam the movies you're competing against.
The girls were supposed to perform on "American Idol" last night . . . but due to a "medical issue" with CRYSTAL BOWERSOX, their performances were moved up to tonight, and the guys took the stage instead.
There aren't many details yet, but at the beginning of the show last night, RYAN SEACREST confirmed that Crystal had to be hospitalized, and on doctors' orders, she wouldn't be able to perform.
He did not elaborate on Crystal's condition . . . but at least for now, there's no indication that she couldn't be a go for tonight, when the girls are performing.
For what it's worth, a so-called "source" told "Us" magazine that Crystal suffered "diabetes complications" . . . but, quote, "Crystal is doing OK and should be fine for [tonight]."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
The price of the low ticket product has increased by 30% over the last 10 years. What is it?
A: Chips!!
Show Biz Notes:
PHYLLIS DILLER is being a very bad girl these days. She's dating a much younger man. Get this: He's a mere 75 YEARS OLD. (!!!)
Phyllis . . . who's 92 . . . says, quote, "I guess you could say I'm Hollywood's oldest cougar. And I'm damn proud of it."
The lucky guy is PAUL SAND. He's a comedian and actor who did a lot of TV guest appearances back in the '70s and '80s.
He's still working pretty regularly. In recent years, he's done guest stints on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Joan of Arcadia".
Phyllis says, quote, "Men, I just love 'em. The male of the species has been keeping women young since the dawn of time.
"Vegetables, fresh fruit and men are the three things that keep me young. I insist on a very balanced diet."
"Golf Digest" magazine says that TIGER WOODS received crisis management advice from a man who probably knows exactly what he's going through: WILLIAM JEFFERSON "HORNDOG" CLINTON.
But Tiger didn't seek out Billy's advice. It was Bill who made a personal call to HIM to, quote, "offer encouragement."
(--By the way, an earlier version of the "Golf Digest" article suggested that PRESIDENT OBAMA had called Tiger, too. That did NOT happen. The magazine has since admitted it made a mistake.)
Autopsy results for MARIE OSMOND'S 18-year-old son, Michael Blosil, have been ruled INCONCLUSIVE for now.
That's a diplomatic way of saying investigators don't know yet if he had alcohol or drugs in his system when he jumped to his death from his eight-story Los Angeles apartment last Friday.
Toxicology tests were performed, but the results won't be in for about six weeks.
The "stars" of the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars" were officially announced during the finale of "The Bachelor" last night. Here's the complete list:
PAMELA ANDERSON
KATE GOSSELIN . . . of "Jon and Kate Plus Eight", of course.
80-year-old BUZZ ALDRIN . . . the SECOND man to walk on the moon
"Beverly Hills, 90210" vixen SHANNEN DOHERTY
NICOLE SCHERZINGER . . . of the PUSSYCAT DOLLS
NIECY NASH . . . who now hosts "Clean House" on the Style Network. She also played Raineesha Williams on "Reno 911".
ERIN ANDREWS . . . who you know as the ESPN reporter that some pervert videotaped naked through a hotel peephole.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver CHAD OCHOCINCO
British "All My Children" star ALDEN TURNER
JAKE PAVELKA . . . the most recent "Bachelor". (--For those of you who care, Jake chose Vienna Girardi on last night's "Bachelor" finale.)
There's no word yet on who their dancing partners will be. The 10th season of "Dancing with the Stars" premieres on March 22nd.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
The average American spends ropughly 3 hours a week doing this. What is it?
A: Laundry!
Show Biz Notes:
SIMON COWELL is engaged to Mezhgan Hussainy . . . the head makeup artist on "American Idol".
Mezhgan, a native of Afghanistan, has been dating Simon for about a year. She's 36 . . . Simon is 50.
There's no word on a wedding date, but so-called "sources" say it could happen soon.
Simon's rep says, quote, "They are very suited [for each other]. She is someone who is independent and says what she thinks and feels, and he likes that.
"He's probably the happiest I have ever known him in the nine years I've been working with him."
JIM CARREY is a grandfather at the ripe, old age of 47. His 22-year-old daughter Jane gave birth to a baby boy on Friday.
When things got tough for TIGER WOODS last November, Gatorade was one of the first sponsors to distance itself from him.
The company didn't bail on him entirely, but they did discontinue his Gatorade Tiger Focus energy drink.
At the time, they claimed the drink was already scheduled to end its run . . . and the timing had nothing to do with Tiger's indiscretions…
But there's no mistaking their intentions this time. On Friday, a Gatorade rep said, quote, "I can confirm that we no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship.
"However, our partnership with the Tiger Woods Foundation will continue. We wish Tiger all the best."
Tiger's agent released this statement in response . . . quote, "We have been in discussions with Gatorade, and while we are disappointed they have decided to not continue with Tiger in their marketing plans, we appreciate their continued involvement with Tiger through his foundation."
TMZ is reporting that PAULA ABDUL has decided against doing the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars".
Back in January, TMZ claimed that ABC was dangling a $1 MILLION development deal in front of Paula . . . which she could have on the condition that she appeared on "Dancing" this season.
It's unclear whether the development deal is now off the table . . . or if it's still in play. (--
Tonight, during the season finale of The Bachelor, the cast of the next season of Dancing with the Stars will be revealed.
Here are the top ten draws at the North American box office for the three-day weekend beginning February 26:
1. Shutter Island - 22-point-two-million dollars
2. Cop Out - 18-point-six-million dollars
3. The Crazies - 16-point-five-million dollars
4. Avatar - 14-million dollars
5. Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - nine-point-eight-million dollars
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
Those who feared the worst about "Growing Pains" star ANDREW KOENIG were right. Andrew's body was found in Stanley Park . . . a place Andrew often went when he visited Vancouver. He was 41.
Apparently, the body was in a heavily wooded area, which is why it wasn't found before yesterday, even though the park had already been searched more than once.
Andrew's dad, "Star Trek" actor WALTER KOENIG, was with another group searching a different part of the park at the time.
Koenig disappeared on February 16th . . . after cleaning out his Los Angeles apartment and heading for Canada.
Police suspect that he killed himself.
HARRISON FORD has been flying helicopters and airplanes for 15 years now, and it STILL gives him a rush. So much so that he sometimes makes unnecessary trips with the aircraft that he keeps at an airport in Santa Monica, California.
He says, quote, "Learning to fly was a work of art. I'm so passionate about flying I often fly up the coast for a cheeseburger. Flying is like good music; it elevates the spirit and it's an exhilarating freedom."
Not surprisingly, that whole "flying up the coast for a cheeseburger" thing isn't sitting well with some environmentalists.
LEVI JOHNSTON has been ordered to pay BRISTOL PALIN close to $18,000 in back child support.
Yesterday, a judge set Levi's monthly payment at $1,688.42 . . . retroactive to the birth of their son Tripp in December of 2008.
Bristol's attorney said, quote, "Bristol is pleased with the court rulings today and looks forward to resolving the remaining issues with Levi."
Here's A Quick Look At What's New At The Local Multiplex This Weekend
#1.) "Cop Out" (R)
A buddy cop comedy starring Bruce Willis as a veteran NYPD detective . . . and Tracy Morgan as his incompetent partner. It's directed by Kevin Smith. (--This is the first time Kevin has directed a movie he didn't write.)
It also stars "American Pie's" Seann William Scott, "The O.C.'s" Adam Brody, "Nacho Libre" minx Ana de la Reguera, and "Gossip Girl's" Michelle Trachtenberg.
#2.) "The Crazies" (R)
A remake of a 1973 George Romero horror flick about a biological weapon that contaminates a small town's water supply and turns everyone into homicidal maniacs.
The main characters in the original were firemen, but in the remake the four uninfected characters are the sheriff, his deputy and a couple of chicks.
"Deadwood's" Timothy Olyphant plays the sheriff and Joe Anderson, who you'd remember as the German guy in "The Ruins", is his deputy. The uninfected women are played by "Silent Hill's" Radha Mitchell and "Friday the 13th's" Danielle Panabaker.
There are all kinds of reports online about how SIMON COWELL and ELLEN DEGENERES haven't been getting along on "American Idol".
Supposedly, it all began last month when Simon was late for the taping of one of Ellen's first shows . . . and since then, Ellen has become increasingly intolerant of Simon's "cruel" comments to the contestants.
TMZ reports that Simon and Ellen's frustrations with each other are apparent both on and off camera, and a so-called "insider" tells them that Simon is quote, "intentionally pushing Ellen's buttons" by being extra mean. (???)
There isn't any real PROOF that Simon and Ellen are at each other's throats, but people are pointing out that they are no longer sitting next to each other at the judges' table. (--Ellen joked that she moved because Simon was HITTING ON HER.)
Last week, Simon denied that he had any problems with Ellen . . . quote, "I wouldn't say that we didn't get on well. I don't know Ellen that well.
"There was one story I read that I turned up an hour late or something and that she wanted to film."
"I mean, the truth was I think I turned up 15 or 20 minutes late because I did a press conference earlier in the day and they did start filming, but that wasn't a particular problem. But no, there was no fallout.
"I was trying to guide her through the week, and that was about it, really."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
JAMES CAMERON always wanted SAM WORTHINGTON for the lead in "Avatar". But before he could hire such an unknown, the studio made him talk to some big names first.
Two of those names were MATT DAMON and JAKE GYLLENHAAL. Both of them passed.
Cameron says, quote, "Honestly, did I go out and try to woo them? No. I had my heart set on Sam.
"Maybe they sensed my lack of 100% commitment from me. Maybe it was the subject matter. This was a big 'Star Wars'-type movie. They're both serious actors."
Speedy Gonzalez . . . perhaps the most controversial Looney Tunes character of all time . . . is getting his own movie. And GEORGE LOPEZ is doing his voice.
Don't worry, my brown brothers and sisters . . . George did NOT sell out to Whitey. He's doing Speedy HIS way . . . meaning that it will NOT be demeaning to Mexicans.
George's wife Ann says the movie will have George's, quote, "Latino seal of approval."
She adds, quote, "We wanted to make sure that it was not the Speedy of the 1950s . . . the racist Speedy.
"Speedy's going to be a misunderstood boy who comes from a family that works in a very meticulous setting, and he's a little too fast for what they do. He makes a mess of that. So he has to go out in the world to find what he's good at."
There's no word yet on a release date.
CONAN O'BRIEN can't have his own show again until September. But no one said he can't have his own Twitter account.
He officially opened one yesterday.
As of early this morning, Conan had only Tweeted ONCE. And with several weeks to come up with something BRILLIANT, here's the result . . .
"Today I interviewed a squirrel in my backyard and then threw to commercial. Somebody help me."
"Dancing with the Stars" stud MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY has apparently confirmed rumors that PAMELA ANDERSON will be one of the "stars" on the upcoming season.
According to "In Touch Weekly", Maksim recently told reporters, quote, "They did an amazing job keeping everything a secret this time, but we know that Pam is on."
ABC will make the official cast announcement on Monday, and the 10th season premiere will air on March 22nd.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
35% of us guys will not do this without checking with our wives first. What is it?
A: Adjust the Thermostat!
Show Biz Notes:
Despite recent denials from his rep that anything like this was even remotely possible, CHARLIE SHEEN checked himself into rehab yesterday morning.
Details are scarce, but here's the statement from Charlie's rep . . . quote, "As a preventative measure, Charlie Sheen has entered a rehabilitation facility. He will take some time off his series 'Two and a Half Men'."
CBS issued its own statement wishing Charlie the best and saying that taping would be temporarily suspended.
PETER FONDA would like a chance to say goodbye to his old "Easy Rider" co-star, DENNIS HOPPER . . . but apparently, Dennis isn't up to it.
Dennis is reportedly on the verge of losing his battle with prostate cancer, and he's too weak for a face-to-face with Peter.
Fonda says, quote, "Unfortunately, Dennis is dying. It's just terrible.
"I've called him now literally more than a dozen times, and I can't talk to him because he's too tired. He's wrecked. He's fighting this cancer that he has been fighting for 10 years and I feel sorry for him.
"I hope he gets another year, so he gets enough strength so I can go in to him and shake his hand and kiss him on the head and say, 'It's been a hell of a ride, Dennis. It's been a hell of a ride.'"
The online gambling site Bodog.com has released its initial line on this year's "American Idol" competition, and they've named ANDREW GARCIA . . . the dude who sang PAULA ABDUL'S song "Straight Up" . . . as the favorite to win it all.
He has 4-to-1 odds, meaning that a winning bet of $1 would pay out $4.
He's followed by a long line of girls . . . which may not be all that surprising since SIMON COWELL has said he expects a woman to win this year.
ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ and DIDI BENAMI are next, tied at 7-to-1 odds. They are followed by CRYSTAL BOWERSOX and KATIE STEVENS, who are tied with odds of 15-to-2.
The second-highest ranked male is TODRICK HALL, who has 15-to-1 odds.
The longest odds, of 65-to-1, were attached to JOE MUNOZ . . . so if you have a good feeling about him, put a buck on him and you could have $65 come May. (--Not to advocate gambling, course . . . or holding out hope for Joe.)
Obviously, those odds will be in flux throughout the season . . . and have probably even been adjusted following the girls' performances last night.
But….
ANDREW GARCIA is receiving all kinds of love.
In a poll conducted by AOL TV, which surveyed 57,682 people, Andrew was voted "American Idol" fans', quote, "early favorite." He had 26.2% of the vote. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX came in second with 25.2%.
On the flip side, MICHAEL "BIG MIKE" LYNCHE was voted the most over-hyped. 36.8% said they're unimpressed with him . . . while 26.4% went with HAELEY VAUGHN.
28.5% of voters thought ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ would be this season's "dark horse." Following her was SIOBHAN MAGNUS (21.0%) and TIM URBAN (20.1%). (--Tim was the last minute add the Top 24, replacing CHRIS GOLIGHTLY.)
It seems like The ELLEN DEGENERES Experiment is working out. 58.6% say they love her . . . 34% say she's OK . . . and only 7.4% aren't amused, and think she's the weakest judge.
Despite the love for Ellen, 46.3% say they miss PAULA ABDUL and say the show isn't the same without her. Meanwhile, 41.3% say they're over Paula . . . and 12.4% thought they'd be funny by voting for: Quote, "What? Paula left?"
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
12% of women say they've broken up with a man over this. What is it?
A: He smelled bad!
Show Biz Notes:
It's hard to believe that in 2010, anyone is actively looking forward to "Die Hard 5". But if you are, here's some good news . . .
BRUCE WILLIS says, quote, "I think we're going to do a 'Die Hard 5' next year."
Disney may have found a villain for JOHNNY DEPP for the fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" flick.
IAN MCSHANE . . . who's best known for HBO's "Deadwood" . . . is in talks to play Blackbeard.
(--"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", is booked for a May 2011 release. It's about the search for the Fountain of Youth.)
(--ORLANDO BLOOM and KEIRA KNIGHTLEY are NOT coming back.)
In the fall-out of NBC's late-night mess, there was talk that some celebrities may boycott JAY LENO . . . out of support for CONAN O'BRIEN.
Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but yesterday, NBC released the guest list for the first two weeks of the new . . . er, old . . . "Tonight Show".
The first episode, which airs next Monday night, will feature JAMIE FOXX, Olympic gold medal-winning skier LINDSEY VONN, and country singer BRAD PAISLEY.
Other non-Team Conan guests during the first two weeks include:
Sarah Palin, Avril Lavigne, Matthew McConaughey, Simon Cowell, expressionless "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Morgan Freeman, Kim Kardashian, Dana Carvey and Meredith Vieira.
"According to Jim" star JIM BELUSHI will star in a new legal drama called "Defenders". It's about two Las Vegas defense attorneys.
Jim will play one of them, a lawyer who has a drinking problem and a troubled marriage.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
70% of women say it's unforgivable to do this on a first date. What is it?
A: Forget Her Name!
Show Biz Notes:
TIGER WOODS' wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, wasn't at his speech on Friday. But don't read too much into that. According to some reports, they were together again before the day was over.
TMZ says that Tiger arrived at his home in Windermere, Florida at about 4:00 P.M. Friday . . . and Elin was there.
And RadarOnline.com says the two of them played an hour of tennis together on Saturday afternoon.
That night, they headed to the Orlando airport with their two children and boarded one of Tiger's private jets bound for . . . somewhere.
--We don't know where they were headed, but Tiger did say in his speech that he was going back to rehab on Saturday.
We don't know if he went back to the clinic in Mississippi that he's been in since December, or if he's at a different facility.
Meanwhile....
Not surprisingly, some of TIGER'S ANGELS were unhappy with Tiger's speech on Friday.
One of them JOSLYN JAMES . . . a.k.a. Veronica Siwik-Daniels.
She and her shameless attorney GLORIA ALLRED held a press conference to discuss how very WRONGED Joslyn has been through all this.
The gist of the press conference was that Joslyn wants an APOLOGY from Tiger for putting her through such emotional turmoil.
Like many of the other girls, she claims she was led to believe she was the only OTHER WOMAN in his life, and that he truly loved her.
--She also claims she gave up her lucrative career in smut because Tiger was so jealous.
Another of Tiger's mistresses, JAMIE JUNGERS, was equally unimpressed.
he said, quote, "That apology is crap. He's making a sob story to make people sorry for him. I don't feel sorry for him.
"I've seen his face and his emotions when his father died and this was different. Just by his facial expressions . . . I'm not going to call him a liar but . . . he's playing that card."
She also wants to know why Tiger apologized to EVERYONE BUT HIS GIRLFRIENDS!!!
She said, quote, "He's apologizing to these young kids . . . everybody but the women that were involved in the relationships.
"It's hurtful. It's rude. He should have apologized to the people like myself, his mistresses, because we're dealing with a lot of stuff too. It's not one-night stands, it's relationships . . . he could have at least mentioned the women."
MARTIN SCORSESE'S latest collaboration with LEONARDO DICAPRIO is the new #1 movie in America. "Shutter Island" opened with a total weekend take of $40.2 million. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) (NEW) The Leonardo DiCaprio thriller "Shutter Island", $40.2 million
2.) "Valentine's Day", $17.2 million (--Up to a total of $87.4 million in its 2nd week.)
3.) "Avatar", $16.1 million (--Up to a total of $687 million in its 10th week.)
4.) "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief", $15.3 million (--Up to a total of $58.8 million in its 2nd week.)
5.) Benicio Del Toro's remake of "The Wolfman", $9.8 million (--Up to a total of $50.3 million in its 2nd week.)
Because of his deal with NBC, CONAN O'BRIEN is unable to launch a new TV show until this September . . . but that doesn't mean he's planning on vanishing until then.
The Associated Press reports that an anonymous source told them that Conan is considering a comedy tour to keep him busy until he works out a return to TV. The tour could target college campuses and / or Europe.
Reps for Conan wouldn't comment.
CBS has tapped WILLIAM SHATNER to star in a sitcom they're developing based on the Twitter "sensation" @(Crap)MyDadSays.
(--You've probably heard of this before. It's what it sounds like . . . some guy posts random, "colorful" comments that his crazy father says. If you want to look it up, remember that the site uses the actual S-word instead of "crap.")
Shatner will play the crazy dad. There aren't any further details, so it's unclear what the show's title will be . . . since it obviously can't include the S-word . . . or how much they'll tone down the regularly profane comments made by the dad.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
In 1953, Ludille Ball and Desi Arnaz re-signed their contract for "I Love Lucy" to run another 2 years.
How much did they make on that contract?
A: 8 MILLION (In 1953!!!!)
Show Biz Notes:
There was a rumor going around Wednesday that SIMON COWELL had gotten engaged. It 's NOT TRUE.
In the theaters this Weekend:
#1.) "Shutter Island" (R)
Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo play U.S. marshals trapped on a remote island during a hurricane while investigating the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane.
Ben Kingsley is the doctor in charge, Emily Mortimer is the escaped patient and Michelle Williams plays Leonardo's wife. It's directed by Martin Scorsese, who also worked with DiCaprio in "The Departed", "The Aviator", and "Gangs of New York".
#2.) "The Ghost Writer" (PG-13) (New York and L.A.)
After Ewan McGregor accepts a job ghostwriting the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister, he finds out the guy is a suspected war criminal . . . and that the murder of the original ghostwriter was covered up to look like a suicide.
It's directed by Roman Polanski, and stars Pierce Brosnan as the politician, "Dollhouse's" Olivia Williams as his wife, and Kim Cattrall as his chief of staff.
MARTIN SCORSESE says that LEONARDO DICAPRIO will play the lead in his upcoming movie about FRANK SINATRA. But Leo will NOT do the singing.
Scorsese says, quote, "With those records? Frank will do the singing. But we're waiting for a finished script."
On Wednesday night, "American Idol" unveiled their Top 24 . . . and as if on cue, the show's first "controversy" broke almost immediately after the broadcast.
Yesterday, "Idol" announced that CHRIS GOLIGHTLY . . . the curly-haired dude, who grew up bouncing between foster homes . . . has been disqualified. 20-year-old TIM URBAN will replace him.
"Idol" didn't elaborate on why Chris was DQ'ed, but it appears that there was some confusion regarding a previous recording contract. Chris didn't tell producers that he was signed as a member of a boy band around the time of his audition last June.
Chris claims he didn't mention it because the contract had expired before his audition. But his former manager, Lawrence Franklin, says that Chris WAS under contract at the time, but he was willing to let him out for the audition.
Either way, Chris was unable to immediately produce documents to prove that the contract wasn't active when he auditioned . . . so "Idol" dropped him and moved on.
In an interview yesterday, Chris said, quote, "This is not fair. I don't know what to do. Everything was fine when I made the Top 24.
"If [the show's] trying to say that's what it was about, they're covering their ass." Chris added that he isn't sure how he's going to proceed with this, but he said, quote, "I just want the spot I earned."
Later, SIMON COWELL said he was still in the dark . . . quote, "I really, honestly don't have a clue why he's been removed from the competition. I'm guessing it's some sort of technical reason. It's a shame for him. He needed this opportunity."
When asked if Chris could be considered for Simon's new show, "The X Factor", he said, quote, "Well, I've gotta find out what the reason [for his disqualification] is first! If it was something like a technical reason, yeah, of course he could."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
In your home, in the fridge, the average one of these is two years old. What is it?
A: Salad Dressing!
Show Biz Notes:
TIGER WOODS will speak publicly tomorrow, for the first time since Thanksgiving, when his wife ALLEGEDLY went after him with a golf club, and the world learned about his many forays into THE WHORE ZONE.
He'll speak from the headquarters of the PGA Tour in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, at 11:00 A.M. Eastern.
Tiger's agent says, quote, "Tiger plans to discuss his past and his future and he plans to apologize for his behavior.
"While Tiger feels that what happened is fundamentally a matter between he and his wife, he also recognizes that he has hurt and let down a lot of other people who were close to him.
"He also let down his fans. He wants to begin the process of making amends and that's what he's going to discuss."
Tiger will NOT be taking questions. Sources say he'll just read a prepared statement.
JAY LENO'S bandleader (slash) sidekick KEVIN EUBANKS may NOT be leaving "The Tonight Show" permanently . . . just taking a reduced role.
He posted a Twitter message saying, quote, "I'll still be around on the show . . . but less as of now. I'll tweet when a definite plan is set."
When JAMES CAMERON directs a movie, it can never just be a movie. It HAS to be something earth-shatteringly important. (???)
Take "Avatar", for instance. It's so much more than entertainment. In Cameron's mind, it's an ENVIRONMENTAL CALL TO ACTION.
He says, quote, "When [Fox execs] read it, they sort of said, 'Can we take some of this tree-hugging, 'FernGully' crap out of this movie?' And I said, 'No, because that's why I'm making the film.'
"If you're tuned in to what's happening in 'Avatar', you start to feel a sense of moral outrage when you see the tree fall [destroying the Na'vi's home], and it's a compassionate response for these people.
"Then you feel a sense of uplift at the end as good vanquishes evil. If you put those two things together, it actually creates a ripe emotional matrix for people to want to do something about it.
"We're getting a tremendous amount of feedback from environmental groups, from people with specific causes.
"Whether it's indigenous people being displaced by companies to do mining or to do oil drilling, or if it's environmental groups saying, 'Let's do some curriculum around 'Avatar'.'"
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
If you are over 50, it's likely you'll never eat one of these again. What is it?
A: Pop Tarts!
Show Biz Notes:
Believe it or not, the "Too Fat to Fly" controversy between KEVIN SMITH and Southwest Airlines is still chugging along. But maybe not for much longer.
It sounds like Kevin is ready to put it to bed. In his latest blog, he writes, quote, "Lots of folks still telling me to stop crying and lose weight . . . as if that's what this was all about.
"Once again: I know I'm fat. The point of all this? I'm not too fat for Southwest Air, yet someone deemed me so. *sigh*"
But, after continuing on for a while, he closes out the post with the following . . . quote, "But, folks? Tomorrow? Let's Tweet about other stuff, shall we? This is starting to taste mediciney and fruitless."
Author DEAN KOONTZ'S series of modern-day "Frankenstein" novels are being turned into a movie. For those of you who aren't familiar with the plot . . . and that's probably most of you . . . here's the deal . . .
Dr. Frankenstein is IMMORTAL, and living in present-day New Orleans as Dr. Helios . . . the CEO of a company called Helios Biovision.
He's building an army of artificial humans to destroy the human race. But he's losing control of his new creations . . . and one has even become a serial killer.
The original Frankenstein monster is the hero of the story. His name is Deucalion, and he has the power of teleportation. He was summoned by Tibetan monks to help stop Helios. And they gave him some sweet tattoos.
Aiding Deucalion are two New Orleans homicide detectives.
Koontz has done three books in the series, and the fourth is coming June 22nd. There's no word on a release date for the movie.
KEVIN EUBANKS . . . JAY LENO'S bandleader (slash) sidekick . . . is considering retirement. Yesterday, NBC confirmed the news in a statement.
It reads, quote, "Kevin has expressed interest in pursuing personal touring and recording opportunities . . . however, he will be with the show when it returns."
So he'll be there when Jay's "Tonight Show" returns on March 1st, but beyond that nothing is certain. The "New York Times" reports that he's in the process discussing an exit strategy with the producers and Jay himself.
Kevin joined the band back in 1992 . . . and became the bandleader when BRANFORD MARSALIS left in 1995.
No one from Kevin's camp . . . assuming he has one . . . has commented on this yet, but a so-called "colleague" of his says, quote, "It's been more than 17 years and he just said he wanted a break."
HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH’ DARIUS RUCKER has already been rumored to be a possible replacement . . . but Darius' rep has said it isn't true, and NBC said yesterday that they haven't offered the gig to anyone yet.
Rumor has it that 63-year-old Food Network’s PAULA DEEN is in talks to appear on "American Idol". A "source" tells E! Online that negotiations have been ongoing for about two weeks.
--It's unclear what Paula would do on "Idol", but the running theory is that she could serve as a guest judge. It's also unclear what musical qualifications she has, but that hasn't really been a deal breaker for "Idol" guest judges in the past.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
There is a 20% chance that this will happen at the next party you attend. What is it?
A: Double Dipping!
Show Biz Notes:
Not surprisingly, it was NOT a good Valentine's Day for TIGER WOODS. ELIN NORDEGREN basically shut him out.
Tiger and Elin are reportedly living in separate homes near each other in Florida.
And a so-called "source" says, quote, "Valentine's Day was not a day for Elin and Tiger to be close. They had no physical contact. She pretty much only sees him when she drops off the kids for him to see."
On Saturday night, Elin went out with a group of friends to celebrate someone's birthday . . . and she flat-out told Tiger beforehand that he was not welcome to join her.
Another source says, quote, "The marriage is very much up in the air right now. A few weeks ago she was determined to save it. Now that he's been home she can't bring herself to go near him.
"She’s still very, very hurt. No one knows what she's going to do. I'm not sure that she knows what she's going to do."
If you haven't heard, someone has started a Facebook campaign to try to get BETTY WHITE a hosting gig on Saturday Night Live".
The page is called: "Betty White to Host SNL (please?)!" . . . and as of late last night, more than 336,000 people had become "fans" of it. (--Here's the link . . .)
Anyway, Betty IS aware of the campaign. She tells E! Online, quote, "I'm just amazed. I would think by now that they've had such an overdose of Betty White that they'd be throwing rocks instead.
"I don't know where it came from. I have no idea where it started, but it just keeps growing."
And it sounds like she'd be down for it. She says, quote, "That would depend on scheduling and all that. But who knows? You can't ever say yes or no or never . . . you just wait to see what happens."
And in a separate interview, she added, quote, "That would be up to ['SNL' executive producer] Lorne Michaels."
On "The View" yesterday, BARBARA WALTERS announced that her annual pre-Oscars specials will end after this year's show, which will air on March 7th. So far, two guests have been announced: SANDRA BULLOCK and MO'NIQUE.
She said, quote, "ABC has asked me to keep doing these specials as they have been so successful . . . and I'm thrilled we have such great stars and have such a wonderful show . . . but to be honest, I feel like I've been there, done that."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
53% of women say it is impossible to find one of these they are happy with. What is it?
A: A Bathing Suit!
Show Biz Notes:
So, what did you get your lady for Valentine's Day??? Whatever it was, it was WEAK compared to what JENNY MCCARTHY got.
JIM CARREY hired a sky-writer to write "J (heart) J" in the sky above their house.
KEVIN SMITH was thrown off a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to Burbank on Saturday . . . because of his weight!!
Not surprisingly, this resulted in an angry Twitter tirade from Kevin against Southwest.
Kevin said that he was already seated and belted when a flight attendant named Suzanne approached him and said that the captain had deemed him a, quote, "safety risk."
The kicker is that Kevin had already flown into Oakland on a Southwest flight . . . and after everything was sorted out at the airport, he ended up making the one-hour journey to Burbank on a later Southwest flight.
The airline also gave him a $100 voucher for his troubles. But that didn't stop Kevin from going off on them. Here's some of what he had to say . . .
"You (xxx) with the wrong sedentary processed-foods eater!"
"I know I'm fat, but was Captain Leysath really justified in throwing me off a flight for which I was already seated?"
"I'm way fat. But I'm not THERE just yet. But if I am, why wait til my bag is up, and I'm seated WITH ARM RESTS DOWN. In front of a packed plane with a bunch of folks who'd already I.D.ed me as Silent Bob.
I broke no regulation, offered no "safety risk" (what, was I gonna roll on a fellow passenger?). I was wrongly ejected from the flight (even Suzanne eventually agreed).
"And (xxx) your apologetic $100 voucher, @SouthwestAir. Thank God I don't embarrass easily (bless you, 'Jersey Girl' training). But I don't sulk off either:
"Don't worry: wall of the plane was opened & I was airlifted out while Richard Simmons supervised."
Southwest Airlines took to its own web page to respond to this chaos.
First, they apologized to Kevin . . . and noted that they had already contacted him personally to do so. But then they gave their side of the story.
They said that Kevin had originally purchased TWO seats for the flight . . . which, quote, "he has been known to do when traveling on Southwest."
But at the last minute, he changed his plans and decided to catch an earlier flight. He had to be put on standby, and it turned out there was only ONE seat for him.
The airline said, quote, "Our pilots are responsible for the Safety and comfort of all Customers on the aircraft and therefore, made the determination that Mr. Smith needed more than one seat to complete his flight.
"Our Employees explained why the decision was made, accommodated Mr. Smith on a later flight, and issued him a $100 Southwest travel voucher for his inconvenience."
"Valentine's Day" was apparently THE date flick of the weekend. It opened at #1 with a strong take of $52 million. "Percy Jackson & The Olympians" and BENICIO DEL TORO'S remake of "The Wolfman" were far behind it, with about $31 million apiece.
Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) (NEW) "Valentine's Day", $52.4 million
2.) (NEW) "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief", $31.1 million
3.) (NEW) Benicio Del Toro's remake of "The Wolfman", $30.6 million
4.) "Avatar", $22 million (--Up to a total of $659 million in its 9th week.)
5.) Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum's "Dear John", $15.3 million (--Up to a total of $53.2 million in its 2nd week.)
There's a prequel to "Avatar" coming . . . in BOOK FORM. Producer Jon Landau says JAMES CAMERON is going to write a novel that tells the movie's various backstories. There's no word when that might happen.
Landau says, quote, "Jim wants to write a novel that is a big, epic story that fills in a lot of things. [We] won't have time to do [these stories] in the movie, or maybe in sequels.
"[So the novel will] give a foundation for the world."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: No Diddley, No Cry
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Mooning for Fun And Profit!
Game 4: Technicolor Trivia!
Game 5: Song A Lula!
On February 13, 1959 it was the end of an era when Mike Rincas retired. He was paid by the city to do.....what?
A: Blacksmith!
Show Biz Notes:
ALEC BALDWIN was rushed to a New York City hospital early Thursday morning . . . but it seems to have been a misunderstanding. And he blames his ex-wife, KIM BASINGER, for it.
It all started with an argument between Alec and his 14-year-old daughter Ireland.
On Wednesday night, they were having one of their typically difficult phone conversations. Alec was home at his Central Park apartment, while Ireland was in L.A. with her mom.
In total frustration, Alec reportedly told his daughter, quote, "I'm tired of this. I'm going to take some pills. I'm going to end this."
Well, Ireland called 911 and reported this supposed suicide threat. They arrived at Baldwin's place at around 12:30 in the morning. He told them he'd taken a single Ambien sleeping pill, and had no intention of ending his life.
He also told them that Kim put his daughter up to making the 911 call.
Here's a quick look at what's new at the local, multiplex this weekend . . .
#1.) "The Wolfman" (R)
This remake of the 1941 horror classic stars the already-hairy Benicio Del Toro as the guy who gets bitten by a werewolf and then transforms into one himself during the next full moon.
The original starred Lon Chaney Jr. as the wolfman, "The Invisible Man's" Claude Rains as his father, and "Dracula's" Bela Legosi as the werewolf that bites Chaney.
In the remake, Anthony Hopkins plays the father, Emily Blunt is Benicio's love-interest, and Hugo Weaving from "The Matrix" and "Lord of the Rings" is a Scotland Yard inspector investigating the creature's murders.
Some critics are saying the movie isn't as scary as they expected, but at least the special effects for the werewolf transformation are top-notch.
#2.) "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief" (PG)
Logan Lerman plays Percy Jackson . . . a high school student who discovers that the gods from Greek mythology are real and he's the son of Poseidon. And it's up to him to figure out who stole Zeus's lightning bolt, so he can save his mom and keep the gods from going to war.
"Lord of the Rings" stud Sean Bean plays Zeus, "Grey's Anatomy's" Kevin McKidd is Percy's father, Poseidon, and "CSI" New York's" Melina Kanakaredes plays Athena. The rest of the cast includes Rosario Dawson, Pierce Brosnan . . . and Uma Thurman as Medusa.
#3.) "Valentine's Day" (PG-13)
"Pretty Woman" director Garry Marshall directs this ensemble movie that intertwines stories of people struggling with romance over the course of a single Valentine's Day.
The cast includes Taylor Swift & Taylor Lautner, Jamie Foxx & Queen Latifah, Julia Roberts & her niece Emma Roberts, "Grey's Anatomy" studs Patrick Dempsey & Eric Dane, and plenty of eye candy in Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, and Anne Hathaway.
If your lady drags you to see that movie "Valentine's Day" this weekend, here's some interesting trivia you can drop on her: JULIA ROBERTS is only in the movie for about SIX MINUTES. And they paid her $3 million.
That's $500,000 per minute . . . or $8,333 per second.
Universal is remaking "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas".
The 1982 original starred BURT REYNOLDS and DOLLY PARTON as a sheriff and a madam who team up to fight a moral crusader who's trying to shut down the madam's whorehouse, The Chicken Ranch.
(--It's a MUSICAL that got its start on Broadway. The new version will be a musical, too . . . but there's no word if they'll use the same songs. They're going for a pretty extensive overhaul.)
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
30% of women would like to change this about their husband. What is it?
A: His Height!
Show Biz Notes:
80-year-old BARBARA WALTERS is reportedly shacking up with 72-year-old actor FRANK LANGELLA.
Some people say they're just friends . . . but at least one source says they're LIVING TOGETHER at Barbara's Park Avenue apartment.
The Rumor Mill:
The website CinemaBlend.com claims that Universal is considering a 3D remake of "Jaws" . . . and they might even be considering "30 Rock" star TRACY MORGAN in the RICHARD DREYFUSS part.
"Eclipse" . . . the third movie in the "Twilight" series . . . hits theaters in June. And there are RUMORS going around that the first trailer will be unveiled THIS WEEKEND . . . before the movie "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief".
PENELOPE CRUZ is reportedly in negotiations to play JOHNNY DEPP'S nemesis in the upcoming "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, "On Stranger Tides". The movie is being targeted for a May 2011 release.
This isn't a rumor . . . it's actually TRUE. Sony says that when the new, rebooted "Spider-Man" movie hits theaters in 2012, it'll be in 3D. That is all.
TIGER WOODS' #1 mistress, RACHEL UCHITEL, has landed a gig on "Extra". There aren't a lot of details, but "Us" magazine reports that she'll, quote, "serve as a correspondent."
She'll be making her debut on "Extra's" Hot List segment this weekend. Apparently, she'll be briefing us all on what's hot in Hollywood . . . or something like that.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
The largest one of these on record was 18 pounds. What is it?
A: A Potato!
Show Biz Notes:
PHIL HARRIS . . . one of the stars of the Discovery Channel series "Deadliest Catch" . . . died yesterday, after suffering a stroke on January 29th. He was 53.
Not many people were happy with "Superman Returns" . . . including the studio, Warner Brothers. But they're not giving up on the franchise yet. In fact, they've just made a move they hope will completely revitalize it.
They've hired CHRISTOPHER NOLAN . . . the man who wrote and directed "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" . . . to "mentor" the development of a new Superman flick.
Sources say this will not be a sequel to "Superman Returns", but the start of a whole new franchise.
Still, insiders say BRANDON ROUTH could potentially return as Superman (slash) Clark Kent. They also say it's unlikely that Nolan himself will direct it.
At the same time, it's so early in the development process at this point, that it's pretty much impossible to predict anything yet.
(--Nolan revitalized Batman by adapting a much darker tone than the previous franchise. And it worked because Batman has that dark side to his character.)
(--But Superman has always been perceived as a much more wholesome character. Would a turn toward the dark side work on him . . . or would it ruin his image??? Discuss. Or get a girlfriend. Your choice.)
It's official: TOM CRUISE will star in "Mission: Impossible 4". We heard already that Cruise and "Mission: Impossible 3" director J.J. ABRAMS were going to produce the fourth installment. But it wasn't known at the time if Tom would star in it.
Abrams will NOT be directing this time out. There's no word yet on who will.
DREW BARRYMORE will be serving as the executive producer on a remake of the classic "Charlie's Angels" series. There aren't many details yet . . . but Drew's rep has reportedly confirmed her involvement to E! Online.
--Supposedly, casting is underway, and MCG . . . who directed Drew in the "Charlie's Angels" movies . . . will be serving as a "consultant."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
Monday, February 8th
Trivia:
About 49l.2 million cases of beer are sold for the Superbowl. But that not the #1 holiday for beer sales. What is?
A: Fourth of July: 63.5 MILLION cases of beer sold
Check out this list of the biggest beer-buying holidays:
#7.) Super Bowl Sunday: 49.2 MILLION cases of beer sold
#6.) Halloween: 50.7 MILLION cases of beer sold
#5.) Christmas / New Year's: 52.8 MILLION cases of beer sold
#4.) Thanksgiving: 52.8 MILLION cases of beer sold
#3.) Labor Day: 60.2 MILLION cases of beer sold
#2.) Memorial Day: 61 MILLION cases of beer sold
#1.) Fourth of July: 63.5 MILLION cases of beer sold
-Still, Super Bowl Sunday IS the biggest day of the year for PIZZA sales.
Show Biz Notes:
Were you a fan of the commercials on the Super Bowl this year? Turns out a lot of people were disappointed. Take a look and judge for yourself…CLICK HERE
A STANDOUT?
If you're way more obsessed with show business than the average person should be, then you have to agree that the best Super Bowl commercial, HANDS DOWN, was the one featuring DAVID LETTERMAN, OPRAH WINFREY and . . . JAY LENO.
It was a commercial for Letterman's "Late Show" . . . so it was pretty mind-blowing that Dave would ask Jay to do it . . . and that Jay would agree. If you missed it, click on the picture and watch...
Letterman's producer, ROB BURNETT, talked with "Entertainment Weekly" about how the ad came together, and it's pretty interesting.
He said that Dave came up with the initial idea. They pitched it to Oprah first, and she liked it. Then they went to network boss Les Moonves, who also, quote, "got it immediately."
When they pitched the idea to Jay, his reaction was, quote, "This is the way show business should be." Then Leno's producer cleared it with the bosses at NBC, and everything was a go.
The next hurdle was keeping it a surprise. Here's how they did that: Last Tuesday, NBC flew Jay into New Jersey on their corporate jet.
The spot was filmed at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, where Dave does the "Late Show". They had to sneak Jay through the door IN DISGUISE. He wore a hoodie, dark sunglasses and a mustache. (--Oprah was NOT in disguise when she arrived.
The Big Question is . . . how did Jay and Dave get along??? There were no hugs, but things were strangely okay.
Burnett says, quote, "It was great, very professional, very cordial. We shot it in 25 minutes, and it went really, really well. It felt like one of those things where you wake up and say, 'I had the strangest dream.'
"There was no frostiness. We were focused on trying to execute the joke. It would have been a more taxing event had it been us all going out to dinner. If anything was awkward, it was how it wasn't awkward."
One last note: If you're wondering what possessed David Letterman to go through with the idea . . . well, it was all in the name of comedy.
Burnett says, quote, "There was a lot of internal conversation about whether this was a good thing to be doing from a PR standpoint. Are we rehabilitating Jay's image? Dave has a simple edict: If it's funny, we do it."
Both CHARLIE SHEEN and BROOKE MUELLER will be in court in Aspen, Colorado today. They want the judge to loosen the restraining order he put in place after Charlie threatened Brooke with a knife on Christmas Day.
They want to move back in together and try to fix their marriage . . . but they can't do it while that restraining order is in place.
While he's in Aspen, Charlie will also more than likely be arraigned on a FELONY charge of menacing . . . and a misdemeanor count of assault.
By now, you've probably seen JOHN TRAVOLTA'S look in that new movie, "From Paris With Love" . . . where he's completely bald and has that bad-ass goatee. Well, if you don't like it, you're apparently in the minority. Because most people LOVE IT.
And that includes his wife, KELLY PRESTON. He says, quote, "Not only did Kelly like it, but they did an online survey and 99% of people preferred it to my usual look. I might just go bald and bearded full-time from now on."
After seven weeks at the top of the box office, "Avatar" has finally been taken down a notch. And it took the latest movie to be made from a NICHOLAS SPARKS novel to do it. "Dear John" is the new #1 movie in America . . . with a take of $32.4 million.
Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) (NEW) Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum's "Dear John", $32.4 million
2.) "Avatar", $23.6 million (--Up to a total of $630 million in its 8th week.)
3.) (NEW) John Travolta's "From Paris With Love", $8.1 million
4.) Mel Gibson's "Edge of Darkness", $7 million (--Up to a total of $29.1 million in its 2nd week.)
5.) The Rock's "Tooth Fairy", $6.5 million (--Up to $34.3 million in its 3rd week.)
TAYLOR LAUTNER has snagged the lead role in a live-action movie based on the AWESOME '70s toy Stretch Armstrong. It's due out sometime in 2012.
For reasons that would probably be difficult to figure out, 20th Century Fox is giving "Daredevil" a quote-unquote "reboot". Which means they're starting the franchise over again with someone new in the title role.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
Friday, February 5th
Trivia:
February 9th, 1934. it was COLD in Ithaca!! What cold was it?
A: 35 below ZERO!!!!!!!
Show Biz Notes:
NASCAR stud JEFF GORDON is going to be a dad again. His wife, Belgian model Ingrid Vandebosch, is 12 weeks pregnant with their second child. They also have a 2-year-old daughter named Ella.
The word all week was that DR. CONRAD MURRAY was going to be arraigned today on a charge of involuntary manslaughter over the death of MICHAEL JACKSON.
Now, sources are saying that will NOT happen . . . because the L.A. County District Attorney's Office and the LAPD are fighting over how Murray is going to surrender.
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) "Dear John" (PG-13)
Channing Tatum is a soldier who falls in love with a college girl while he's home on leave. She's played by "Mamma Mia" minx Amanda Seyfried. Most of the story is told through the love letters they send each other once he's deployed for war.
It's another movie based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. He also wrote "The Notebook", "A Walk to Remember", "Message in a Bottle", and the upcoming Miley Cyrus flick "The Last Song".
#2.) "From Paris With Love" (R)
John Travolta plays a bald-headed CIA badass trying to take out a terrorist threat in Paris . . . and "Tudors" star Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays his inexperienced new partner.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Not surprisingly, Columbia is starting development on "The Lost Symbol" . . . which is the follow-up to "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons". TOM HANKS is expected to return as Robert Landgon.
VIN DIESEL and PAUL WALKER are getting ready to film a FIFTH installment in the "Fast and the Furious" franchise. This one has a working title of "Fast Five". The plan is to start filming by the end of the year, and have the movie in theaters in 2011.
Disney has begun development on "Enchanted 2". No cast deals are in place, but they're hoping to get all the important stars from the first one back, including Amy Adams, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey and Susan Sarandon.
"Days of Our Lives" star FRANCES REID . . . who played Alice Horton from 1965 until December of 2007 . . . passed away on Wednesday. She was 95.
In one of her recent storylines, her character appeared to have been killed by the "Salem Stalker" in 2004, when the killer choked her by forcing a doughnut down her throat. But it turned out to be a hoax, and she came back, alive, later that year.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
Thursday, February 4th
Trivia:
The average American goes through about 300 of these a year. What is it?
A: Pieces of Gum!
Show Biz Notes:
The "Herald Sun" newspaper of Melbourne, Australia says that TIGER WOODS is going to make a surprise return to golf at the Accenture Match Play Championship . . . which kicks off on February 15th near Tucson, Arizona.
This sounds particularly unlikely based on the fact that Accenture was one of the first sponsors to DROP Tiger after his frequent visits to the ladies became public.
A spokesman for the PGA tour would only say, quote, "We have no comment."
TMZ is reporting that DR. CONRAD MURRAY will be arraigned on an involuntary manslaughter charge TOMORROW . . . for the death of MICHAEL JACKSON, obviously.
They say he'll turn himself in tomorrow morning, and he'll be in front of the judge at 1:30 P.M.
"Avatar" has usurped the last record that "Titanic" was holding onto. That would be the DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE.
"Avatar" has raked in $601.1 million at U.S. theaters to take the #1 spot . . . and push "Titanic" to #2 with its measly $600.8 million. (???)
The "CBS Evening News" is still in last place . . . behind "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" and "ABC World News with Diane Sawyer" . . . so reports that CBS is looking to dump KATIE COURIC continue to pop up and fade out.
The latest rumor was started by The Drudge Report, which claimed that Katie was, quote, "in the direct line of fire . . . [for a] dramatic pay cut."
It's easy to see how this rumor got started. CBS News has been working to cut its budget. On Monday, they reportedly laid-off 150 employees, but they're paying Katie around $15 million a year to anchor a last-place news show.
Drudge also claims that Katie's huge salary . . . in the face of all those lay-offs . . . is causing a lot of backlash among other members of the staff.
But CBS News boss Sean McManus says these reports are false . . . quote, "I don't think it's fair at all. There is no relationship between how much money Katie is paid and the adjustments we make to our budget periodically."
Katie's contract is up in May of next year. It seems like CBS News is interested in retaining her, but for now there have been no formal negotiations on an extension.
There's also speculation that Katie and CBS will part ways at that point . . . and she could move on to do anything from taking over for LARRY KING, or becoming the next big daytime talk show host. (--Oprah will leave syndication that fall.)
RadarOnline.com claims PAMELA ANDERSON has closed a deal to appear on the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars". Obviously, there's no official word on this. ABC won't make the formal cast announcement until March 1st.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
Wednesday, February 3rd
Trivia:
5 out of 6 Americans under the age of 18 have never touched one of these. What is it?
A: A Postage Stamp!
Show Biz Notes:
DR. CONRAD MURRAY . . . the man at the center of the MICHAEL JACKSON death investigation . . . is in Los Angeles as we speak. And if it comes down to it, he's ready to SURRENDER to police.
Prosecutors are most likely going to charge Murray with involuntary manslaughter . . . and according to some reports, it could happen today or tomorrow.
Murray's spokeswoman says, quote, "Dr. Murray is in Los Angeles for a dual purpose . . . on family business and to be available for law enforcement. We're trying to be as cooperative as we can."
Murray's lawyer adds, quote, "Dr. Murray is more than ready to surrender and answer to any charges."
Nominations for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards were announced yesterday . . . and JAMES CAMERON will do battle with his ex-wife for TWO Oscars.
He's up for Best Director for "Avatar" . . . and ex-wife KATHRYN BIGELOW is nominated for "The Hurt Locker". And both movies are up for Best Picture.
They also lead the entire field, with NINE nominations each.
(--Bigelow was the THIRD of Cameron's FIVE wives. They were married from 1989 to 1991.)
Kathryn has already beaten James for this year's Directors Guild Award. That makes her the frontrunner. The Directors Guild winner has gone on to take the Best Director Oscar all but SIX times since 1948.
"Inglourious Basterds" came in a close second with EIGHT nods. It's also up for Best Picture and Best Director . . . for QUENTIN TARANTINO, obviously.
"Precious" and "Up in the Air" have SIX each. Both are also up for Best Picture.
MERYL STREEP is up for Best Actress for "Julie & Julia". That's her 16th nomination, which is the most of any actor or actress.
(--Despite all those nominations, she's only won TWICE . . . for "Kramer vs. Kramer" in 1979 and "Sophie's Choice" in 1982. So yeah, it's been 27 YEARS since she's actually wo?) (???)
--As expected, SANDRA BULLOCK got a Best Actress nomination for "The Blind Side". Which means she could conceivably win an Oscar AND a Razzie in the same year. It would be the first time an actor or actress has done that.
--Here's some useless Oscar trivia: GEORGE CLOONEY is up for Best Actor for 'Up in the Air" . . . in which he played a character named Ryan Bingham.
--But there's also a real guy named Ryan Bingham who's nominated for an Oscar. He's up for Best Original Song, for "The Weary Kind", which is the theme to "Crazy Heart".
The Oscars go down on Sunday, March 7th at 8:00 P.M. on ABC. ALEC BALDWIN and STEVE MARTIN are hosting.
--"Coraline"
--"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
--"The Princess and the Frog"
--"The Secret of Kells"
--"Up"
BEST DIRECTOR:
--James Cameron, "Avatar"
--Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
--Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
--Lee Daniels, "Precious"
--Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"
BEST ACTOR:
--Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
--George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
--Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
--Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
--Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"
BEST ACTRESS:
--Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
--Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
--Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
--Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"
--Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
--Matt Damon, "Invictus"
--Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"
--Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
--Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
--Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
--Penelope Cruz, "Nine"
--Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
--Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"
--Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
--Mo'Nique, "Precious"
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
--"Burma VJ"
--"The Cove"
--"Food, Inc."
--"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers"
--"Which Way Home"
BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT):
--"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"
--"The Last Campaign of Booth Gardner"
--"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant"
--"Music by Prudence"
--"Rabbit a la Berlin"
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
--"District 9"
--"An Education"
--"In the Loop"
--"Precious"
--"Up in the Air"
--"Avatar"
--"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
--"Nine"
--"Sherlock Holmes"
--"The Young Victoria"
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
--"Avatar"
--"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
--"The Hurt Locker"
--"Inglourious Basterds"
--"The White Ribbon"
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:
--"Avatar" . . . composed by James Horner
--"Fantastic Mr. Fox" . . . composed by Alexandre Desplat
--"The Hurt Locker" . . . composed by Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
--"Sherlock Holmes" . . . composed by Hans Zimmer
--"Up" . . . composed by Michael Giacchino
BEST ORIGINAL SONG:
--"Almost There" . . . from "The Princess and the Frog"
--"Down in New Orleans" . . . from "The Princess and the Frog"
--"Loin de Paname" . . . from "Paris 36"
--"Take It All" . . . from "Nine"
--"The Weary Kind" . . . from "Crazy Heart"
BEST SHORT FILM (ANIMATED):
--"French Roast"
--"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty"
--"The Lady and the Reaper"
--"Logorama"
--"A Matter of Loaf and Death"
BEST SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION):
--"The Door"
--"Instead of Abracadabra"
--"Kavi"
--"Miracle Fish"
--"The New Tenants"
It's been less than two weeks since CONAN O'BRIEN reached an exit agreement with NBC . . . so maybe it isn't surprising that there's still no serious talks between Conan and Fox. But that doesn't mean their interest is waning.
--Yesterday, Fox czar Rupert Murdoch said, quote, "Sure, there have been some conversations . . . [but] no real negotiations. If the programming people can show us we can do it . . . and make a profit . . . we would do it in a flash."
RUE MCCLANAHAN is still recovering from a minor stroke. And her fellow "Golden Girl", BETTY WHITE, sent her some flowers to cheer her up.
But they came with a card that read, quote, "Dear Rue, I hope you hurry up and die so I can be the last Golden Girl left. NOT KIDDING!"
Obviously, it was a joke . . . and Rue LOVED IT.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
27% of your snack buying dollars will go to purchasing what snack for the big game?
A: Potato Chips!
Show Biz Notes:
78-year-old alcoholic RIP TORN is headed to a Manhattan rehab clinic. (--He might already be there.)
Torn broke a window to gain entry to a bank in his hometown of Salisbury, Connecticut Friday night.
Police responding to the bank alarm found him highly intoxicated and wandering around the bank . . . (--not lying on the ground, as we had originally heard.)
He had taken off his hat and shoes and placed them next to the broken window. He had a loaded gun . . . and his fly was down. (--True . . . and sad.)
Police say his blood-alcohol level was .203% . . . which is almost THREE TIMES the legal driving limit.
SANDRA BULLOCK IS UP FOR TWO GOLDEN RASPBERRY AWARDS . . . INCLUDING WORST ACTRESS:
SANDRA BULLOCK was nominated for a Golden Globe for "The Proposal". And she won both a Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for "The Blind Side". When you tally up the box office numbers and critical acclaim, this is easily Sandra's best year.
And she'll probably get an Oscar nomination this morning. (--Nominations are being handed out at 8:30 A.M.)
But here's the flip side . . . The Golden Raspberry Award nominations were handed out yesterday, and Sandra got two of them.
But it wasn't for either of those two movies. Sandra is up for Worst Actress for "All About Steve" . . . and she and her co-star, BRADLEY COOPER, are up for Worst Screen Couple.
Sandra will be battling Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Megan Fox and Sarah Jessica Parker for Worst Actress.
The Worst Actor nominees are Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, John Travolta, Steve Martin and all three Jonas Brothers.
"All About Steve", "G.I. Joe", "Land of the Lost", "Old Dogs" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" are all up for Worst Picture.
"Land of the Lost" and "Transformers" are the most "decorated" movies of the year . . . with SEVEN Razzie nominations each.
This year, the Razzies are also handing out awards for the Worst Actor, Actress and Picture of the DECADE.
Picture nominees are "Battlefield Earth", "Freddy Got Fingered", "I Know Who Killed Me", "Swept Away" and "Gigli".
The Razzies will be handed out on March 6th . . . the night before the Oscars.
If you're hoping to see MATT DAMON in another "Bourne" movie, you're going to have to wait a while.
There probably WILL be another "Bourne" flick in the near future, but Damon won't be in it . . . because it'll be a PREQUEL, with a younger actor playing Jason Bourne.
Damon says it'll probably be at least FIVE YEARS before he and director Paul Greengrass do another sequel.
JAY LENO probably won't like this, but CONAN O'BRIEN is doing something that makes him look even MORE like a hero.
See, the $7.5 million that NBC agreed to pay Conan's staff didn't cover about 50 of his stagehands. So Conan is stepping up and paying them out of his own pocket. He's giving them at least six weeks' severance pay. There's no word how much that comes out to.
General Larry Platt . . . the dude who did "Pants on the Ground" on "American Idol" . . . performed the "song" on a commercial flight from L.A. to Atlanta yesterday morning. He did it mid-flight . . . in the aisle . . . in coach.
Platt's manager . . . yes, he has one now . . . says he did it because some of the other passengers recognized him, and "begged" him to do it.
Supposedly, the pilots and flight attendants were so STAR-STRUCK that they were still talking to him even after all of the other passengers had de-planed.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
67% of women think that this is the sexiest thing a man can wear. What is it?
A: Jeans and a White T Shirt!
Show Biz Notes:
BEYONCÉ and TAYLOR SWIFT were the big winners at last night's Grammys. Beyonce won SIX awards . . . including Song of the Year, for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)".
That's the most Grammys won by a woman in a single night. The previous record of FIVE was held jointly by Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse and Alison Krauss.
In addition to the new record, Beyoncé is also the only woman to win five Grammys in one night TWICE.
Taylor got four Grammys, including the big one: Album of the Year, for her second disc, "Fearless". (--KANYE WEST was a no-show, by the way . . . so no drama on that front.)
One of the more surreal moments had to be seeing STEVIE NICKS onstage with TAYLOR SWIFT, helping her sing "You Belong to Me". (???)
Best New Artist (all genre) was won by a country act, THE ZAC BROWN BAND.
Here’s the rest of the Country Winners:
Best Female Country Vocal Performance: "White Horse", TAYLOR SWIFT
Best Male Country Vocal Performance: "Sweet Thing", KEITH URBAN
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group: "I Run To You", LADY ANTEBELLUM
Best Country Collaboration: "I Told You So", CARRIE UNDERWOOD & RANDY TRAVIS
Best Country Song: "White Horse", TAYLOR SWIFT
Best Country Album: "Fearless", TAYLOR SWIFT
Best Country Instrumental Performance: "Producer's Medley", Steve Wariner
Best Bluegrass Album: "The Crow / New Songs for the Five-String Banjo", STEVE MARTIN
BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE WENT TO AN AWARD SHOW TOGETHER:
The Internet went absolutely NUTS over the weekend, because BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE attended an award show together.
They sat with Brad's "Inglourious Basterds" director, QUENTIN TARANTINO, at the Directors Guild Awards Saturday night . . . and they appeared to be having a good time.
Sources say they were affectionate toward each other . . . quote, "They would whisper in each other's ears and laugh. They looked really happy."
Apparently, nobody took just a regular picture of this. But there IS proof in the form of a grainy screen capture taken from a BBC-TV news report from the ceremony.
JOHN EDWARDS' former mistress, RIELLE HUNTER, is suing stool pigeon ANDREW YOUNG for the return of a certain videotape. But we're not sure if it's the PREGNANT SEX VIDEO we've been hearing so much about.
In her court papers, Rielle says, quote, "In or about September 2006, using my video camera, I authored a personal video recording that depicted matters of a very private and personal nature.
"In 2006, I was also having an intimate relationship with Edwards."
Here's a gift for the golfer in your life: A set of 12 balls . . . each with the face of one of TIGER WOODS' skanks on it!!! It'll only set you back 54 bucks when you add in the shipping. (--Get yours here . . .)
"AVATAR" TOPS THE BOX OFFICE FOR ITS SEVENTH WEEK:
"Avatar" pulled in another $30 million to hold onto the top spot of the box office for its seventh straight week. That brings its U.S. total up to $594 million and has "Avatar" poised to break "Titanic's" $600 million box office record within the next few days.
Meanwhile, Mel Gibson's new movie "Edge of Darkness" opened in second place, with a take of $17.1 million. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) "Avatar", $30 million (--Up to a total of $594 million in its 7th week.)
2.) (NEW) Mel Gibson's "Edge of Darkness", $17.1 million
3.) (NEW) Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel's "When in Rome", $12.1 million
4.) The Rock's "Tooth Fairy", $10 million (--Up to $26.1 million in its 2nd week.)
5.) Denzel Washington's "The Book of Eli", $8.8 million (--Up to a total of $74.4 million in its 3rd week.)
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
On January 30, 1921 this service started in Ithaca. We don't even use it anymore. What is it?
A: Dial-Up Telephone Service!
Show Biz Notes:
IS CBS WAFFLING OVER AIRING A SUPER BOWL AD FOR A GAY DATING SITE???
The owners of a gay dating site called ManCrunch.com say that CBS is giving them the runaround over an ad they wanted to run during the Super Bowl.
The site says it submitted the ad last week and never heard back from CBS. So they contacted the network last Friday, and were told that while the ad was still under review, all advertising spots had been sold.
The ManCrunch people asked CBS to review it anyway, just in case an advertiser dropped out and a spot became available . . . which is a common occurrence.
The people at ManCrunch say they don't believe CBS has any intention of running their ad. But at the same time, the network doesn't want to reject it, because they're afraid of backlash from gay groups.
CBS, meanwhile, says the ad is one of many that are still under review. They also say there are still ad spots available . . . and they're not sure who told ManCrunch that there weren't.
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) "Edge of Darkness" (R)
Remember how Mel Gibson tore up the screen with his lust for revenge after his wife was murdered in "Braveheart"? Well, this is kind of like that, except it involves the murder of his only daughter, and he's a lot more intense.
He plays a homicide detective who uncovers the corporate conspiracy that got his daughter killed . . . and then gets revenge on everyone involved.
#2.) "When in Rome" (PG-13)
When Kristen Bell takes some coins from Rome's Fountain of Love, the men who left them all fall in love with her. Danny DeVito, Dax Shepard, Jon Heder, and Will Arnett are the fools under her spell, and Josh Duhamel is the guy whose love may be for real.
Movie Randoms:
DEMI MOORE and MILEY CYRUS are in talks to play mother and daughter in the remake of a French movie called "L.O.L.: Laughing Out Loud".
It's a movie about a 15-year-old girl dealing with the usual boy problems, plus a strained relationship with her 40-year-old divorced mom.
Miramax Films is officially dead. Disney, which bought the studio in 1993, officially closed its doors yesterday. Founders BOB and HARVEY WEINSTEIN left in 2005.
A ton of classic independent movies came out of Miramax over the years, including "Sex, Lies and Videotape", "Clerks", "The Piano", "Reservoir Dogs", "The Crying Game", "The English Patient" "Pulp Fiction", "Trainspotting", "Good Will Hunting", "Life Is Beautiful", "Shakespeare in Love", "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Gangs of New York" . . . just to name a few.
JAY LENO was on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" yesterday . . . and as expected, he talked at-length about NBC's Late-Night Mess.
The talk was candid and pretty interesting . . . but as usual, Jay played the victim, and didn't take any responsibility for what happened to CONAN O'BRIEN. Here are some highlights:
First off, Jay would like Team Conan to know that he didn't steal Conan's job . . . instead, a, quote, "perfect storm" came and gave him the "Tonight Show" back.
He said, quote, "I wasn't the reason. The reason was the ratings.
"It all comes down to numbers in show business. This is almost the perfect storm of bad things happening. You have two hit shows: 'The Tonight Show' [ranked] Number One, and ['Late Night with Conan O'Brien' ranked] Number One.
"You move them both to another situation. And what are the odds that both would do extremely poorly? If Conan's numbers had been a little bit higher, it wouldn't even be an issue. But in show business, there's always somebody waiting in the wings . . . being me."
Jay bashed the way NBC handled everything . . . and said he wasn't comfortable discussing the situation with Conan as it was all coming down.
He said, quote, "It wasn't my place to call Conan. They made this offer to me. And I said, 'Do you think Conan will go for this?' And they said, 'We'll ask him tomorrow.' [I said] 'OK, let me know what happens.'
"And then . . . I guess Conan had his article in the paper and that was that."
He added, quote, "Anything [that NBC could have done] would have been better than this. If they had come in and shot everybody, it would have been, 'Oh, people were murdered,' but at least it would have been a two-day story.
"NBC could not have handled it worse. From 2004 onward, this whole thing was a huge mess."
Jay also took a little shot at Conan's claim that moving the "Tonight Show" to 12:05 A.M. would be, quote, "destructive to the franchise."
Jay said, quote, "Well, if you look at where [Conan's 'Tonight Show'] ratings were . . . it was already destructive to the franchise." (--Ooh . . . SNAP!!!)
He does admit that he was also struggling . . . quote, "'The Jay Leno Show' failed because it was basically doing a late-night talk show at 10 o'clock. I was given enough time, [but] I got fired this time because my show did not perform."
DAVID SPADE is developing an ANIMATED series based on his 2001 live-action comedy, "Joe Dirt" . . . which was about a janitor, who tells his life story on the radio.
It's being developed for TBS. That's pretty much all we know about it at this point.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
What's the #1 lie men tell their wives?
A: "I Would Never Lie To You"
Show Biz Notes:
JOHN EDWARDS and his wife ELIZABETH aren't trying to work things out anymore. They're legally separated . . . and not surprisingly, it was Elizabeth who kicked John to the curb.
Last week, John FINALLY admitted that he's the father of the child his mistress, RIELLE HUNTER, gave birth to almost two years ago.
Elizabeth's rep issued a statement saying that John admitted it to her this past summer . . . and she'll have nothing more to say about it.
BRAD AND ANGELINA:
"People" magazine says Brad and Angelina were actually having a quiet dinner together in Los Angeles when they first heard that story about how they'd hired divorce lawyers to sort out their breakup.
"Us Weekly" says Angelina is getting resentful of Brad because he's not doing enough to help her with their six kids. And she takes out her frustration by yelling at him for the smallest things, like when he, quote, "makes the eggs too runny or burns something."
The "Star" tabloid claims that JENNIFER ANISTON is waiting in the wings, ready to step back in. A so-called "source" says, quote, "She's never had a relationship live up to what they had, and now that things with Angie are finally ending, she'll take him back.
This has been your Brangelina update….
ABC has cancelled "Ugly Betty". No date for the series finale has been announced yet. There are eight more unaired episodes of the show on the way.
ZELDA RUBINSTEIN . . . the 4-foot, 3-inch actress who played the little psychic in "Poltergeist" . . . died yesterday. She was 76. Her agent said she died of natural causes at Barlow Respiratory Hospital in Los Angeles.
--Zelda made her film debut in the 1981 comedy "Under the Rainbow". She followed it up with her star-making turn as the psychic Tangina Barrons in "Poltergeist" the following year. She also appeared in two sequels.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
According to a recent survey, This is the #1 thing you'd want if you were stranded on a desert island. What is it?
A: Your Pet!
Show Biz Notes:
Several websites are reporting that BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE will NOT be attending the Oscars together . . . but they're also not breaking up.
Supposedly, Angelina will be in France shooting a movie when the Oscars go down on March 7th. Brad actually might attend solo . . . but he hasn't decided if he's going yet.
-Meanwhile, the not-always-reliable British tabloids say that Brad has purchased a MILLION-DOLLAR BACHELOR PAD in the Hollywood Hills. It has a bar.
Harris Interactive has revealed the results of its annual poll on our 10 FAVORITE MOVIE STARS.
This year's top pick was CLINT EASTWOOD . . . even though he wasn't even in a movie in 2009.
Then there's JOHN WAYNE, who tied with MERYL STREEP for 7th place, even though he hasn't been in a movie since . . . 1976.
Here's this year's Top 10 . . .
#1.) CLINT EASTWOOD
#2.) JOHNNY DEPP
#3.) DENZEL WASHINGTON
#4.) SANDRA BULLOCK
#5.) TOM HANKS
#6.) GEORGE CLOONEY
#7.) (tie) JOHN WAYNE and MERYL STREEP
#9.) MORGAN FREEMAN
#10.) JULIA ROBERTS
It's official: JAMES CAMERON'S "Avatar" has become the highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide. As of Monday it had taken in $1.859 BILLION.
That pushes that OTHER James Cameron flick, "Titanic", to #2, with $1.843 billion.
"Titanic" is still #1, however, at the U.S. box office, with $600.8 million. "Avatar" has "only" made $555 million in the U.S.
We basically already knew this, but now it's more official: ORLANDO BLOOM will NOT return for the fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie.
When asked if his character, Will Turner, would be back, he told "Extra", quote, "Will's swimming with the fishes. Not this time. No, no, no."
"Variety" reports that the first of the two "Hobbit" movies won't hit theaters until late 2012 at the earliest, due to changes at New Line Cinema.
As far as we know, all the players are still in place: PETER JACKSON is producing and GUILLERMO DEL TORO is directing.
And IAN MCKELLAN and ANDY SERKIS will return as Gandalf and Gollum, respectively.
TMZ reports that PAULA ABDUL may have some work coming her way . . . finally.
The word is that ABC has offered Paula a $1 MILLION development deal . . . presumably to put together her own show . . . on the condition that she appears on the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars", which premieres March 22nd.
It's not really clear whether they're asking her to be a dancer or a judge.
LARRY THE CABLE GUY is getting a show on the History Channel.
It's tentatively called "The United States of Larry", and it'll feature Larry traveling around the country talking to people with, quote, "interesting jobs, hobbies and ways of life." It's scheduled to begin filming in March. There's no premiere date yet.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
If a man shows up with one of these on a first date, 77% of women say there would be no second date. What is it?
A: Cold Sore!
Show Biz Notes:
The father of former Olympic figure skater NANCY KERRIGAN died Sunday. And Nancy's brother apparently had something to do with it.
Police in Stoneham, Massachusetts rushed to the Kerrigan household early Sunday morning, after receiving a call about an unresponsive man. That man was Nancy's father, 70-year-old Daniel Kerrigan.
When police arrived they learned there had been some kind of dispute between Daniel and his 45-year-old son Mark . . . who also lives at the house. And they found blood in the kitchen.
Police said, quote, "Mark stated that he wanted to use the phone and his father would not let him. He struggled with his father and put his hands around his father's neck and his father fell to the floor."
But Mark told police he believed his father was FAKING IT.
They ended up arresting Mark on a charge of assault and battery on an elder person resulting in serious bodily injury. But he didn't go quietly. Mark was belligerent and possibly intoxicated, and he had to be subdued with PEPPER SPRAY.
PERNELL ROBERTS . . . who starred in the "M*A*S*H" spin-off, "Trapper John M.D." . . . died Sunday at his home in Malibu, following a battle with cancer. He was 81.
Roberts first made a name for himself as Adam, the eldest of the Cartwright brothers, on the TV series "Bonanza".
But Roberts was only on the show for its first six seasons . . . from 1959 to 1965. Then he left due to a dispute with the producers. (--"Bonanza" lasted 14 seasons in all.)
Roberts did mostly TV guest appearances until 1979, when he landed "Trapper John M.D." . . . in which he played the character made famous by WAYNE ROGERS on the "M*A*S*H" TV series.
"Trapper" ran until 1986. (--Roberts' last appearance was on a 2001 episode of "Diagnosis: Murder".)
The "Hope for Haiti Now" benefit album will debut at #1 on the "Billboard" album chart that comes out tomorrow.
Even though it didn't even go on sale until after Friday night's telethon, it sold close to 150,000 downloads over the next two days.
Everybody knows there's going to be an "Avatar 2". But don't get too hyped over it yet. Director JAMES CAMERON says, quote, "We just have to come up with a great story, which we haven't done yet.
"I have a rough story, but you need to make a script, so that might take some time. Don't start going to buy your tickets."
Last month, the market research company Harris Interactive conducted their annual online survey to determine America's Favorite TV Personality.
They polled 2,276 adults between December 7th and December 14th, and yesterday they released the results. This year, OPRAH WINFREY came out on top, followed by Fox News inciter GLENN BECK.
Here's the Top 10:
#1.) OPRAH WINFREY. She was #4 last year.
#2.) GLENN BECK. He's new to the Top 10 this year.
#3.) JAY LENO. Last year he was #1. This year's survey was conducted BEFORE the late-night mess at NBC, so you have to wonder how that would have affected Leno's numbers.
#4.) ELLEN DEGENERES tied with HUGH LAURIE of "House". Last year she was #3, and he was #2.
#6.) JON STEWART. Same as last year.
#7.) CHARLIE SHEEN. Also, same as last year.
#8.) MARK HARMON from "NCIS". Last year he was tied for #9.
#9.) DAVID LETTERMAN. Last year he was #5.
#10.) BILL O'REILLY. Also new to the Top 10.
As you may know, "American Idol" recently filmed the Hollywood Week episodes, which whittled this year's contestants down to the Top 24. And as usual, websites are already leaking the identities of the alleged finalists. But those are UNOFFICIAL.
Well, one of those sites, JoesPlaceBlog.com, claims that there was a change in the Top 24 over the weekend. Supposedly, "Idol" producers booted a finalist named Michael "Big Mike" Lynche, because his father "confirmed" it to a newspaper.
Obviously, that's a no-no . . . and likely violated a confidentiality agreement.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
BRAD PITT / ANGELINA JOLIE breakup rumors have been a daily thing for YEARS now. And for the most part, they've been easily dismissible.
But a new rumor popped up over the weekend that people are, for some reason, taking more seriously than most.
Which is made even more bizarre by the fact that it comes from Britain's "News of the World" . . . which is one of the most unreliable tabloids on the planet.
But since it's getting so much play, we'd better address it . . .
The story is your typical split rumor, except for this: The "News of the World" claims that Brad and Angelina went to some top divorce attorneys and hashed out an agreement to split their money and custody of the kids.
Sources say they'll divide their estimated $330 million fortune down the middle . . . and they'll share time with their six children, with Angelina having full, physical custody.
Supposedly, the document was signed early this month, and Brad and Angelina should be announcing their split sometime in the near future.
Friday night's "Hope for Haiti" telethon raised $58 MILLION on Friday night.
Meanwhile, the "Hope for Haiti Now" album, featuring the various performances from the telethon, is the biggest one-day album pre-order in iTunes history. That also made it the #1 album on iTunes in 18 countries.
The Hope for Haiti Now Fund will continue accepting donations for six months.
You can give online at https://www.hopeforhaitinow.org/Default.asp . . .
By phone at 1-877-99-HAITI . . .
ROMAN POLANSKI tried yet again to weasel his way out of coming back to the U.S. to face his three-decade-old sex charge. His lawyers asked a judge to allow him to be sentenced from Switzerland, where he's currently under house arrest.
But the judge refused, saying, quote, "I have made it clear he needs to surrender."
"Avatar" held onto the top spot of the box office for its sixth straight week. "Legion" led the weekend's new movies at #2, with THE ROCK'S "Tooth Fairy" trailing at #4. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) "Avatar", $36 million (--Up to a total of $553 million in its 6th week.)
2.) (NEW) Paul Bettany's "Legion", $18.2 million
3.) Denzel Washington's "The Book of Eli", $17 million (--Up to a total of $62 million in its 2nd week.)
4.) (NEW) The Rock's "Tooth Fairy", $14.5 million
5.) "The Lovely Bones", $8.8 million (--Up to a total of $31.6 million in its 7th week.)
It's more than obvious now that "Avatar" WILL surpass "Titanic" to become the highest-grossing movie in the history.
"Titanic's" worldwide gross stands at $1.843 billion. And, as of last night, "Avatar" had raked in $1.841 billion . . . just $2 million shy. Since "Avatar" had made another $36 million this weekend, it's a safe bet that it's got at least another $2 million in it.
"Titanic" is still the highest-grossing movie in the U.S., with $600.8 million. "Avatar" is only up to $552.8 million.
But "Avatar" has topped "Titanic" in international box office . . . which means everywhere BUT the U.S. "Avatar" has $1.29 billion, compared to "Titanic's" $1.24 billion.
Not surprisingly, CONAN O'BRIEN'S final "Tonight Show" episode was a HUGE ratings success. The official number of viewers won't be announced until later this week, but according to the early estimates about 9.2 million people tuned in.
The overnight rating was close to Conan's "Tonight Show" debut back in January . . . but it was about 20% lower than JAY LENO'S "final" "Tonight Show" episode. But Conan had 40% more people in the coveted 18- to 49-year-old demographic.
OPRAH WINFREY will be interviewing JAY LENO for an upcoming episode of her show . . . and word has it that she invited CONAN O'BRIEN to be on as well. There's no word on whether or not he'll do it.
The episode is scheduled to air Thursday.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
A large number of guys admit to ignoring this for a few days with the hope that someone else will take care of it. What is it?
A: Change a Light Bulb!
Show Biz Notes:
MORE CELEBRITIES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO "HOPE FOR HAITI":
Some new names have signed on for tonight's telethon. They include:
BRAD PITT
ROBERT PATTINSON
MADONNA
HALLE BERRY
NICOLE KIDMAN
BILL CLINTON
CHRIS ROCK
CLINT EASTWOOD
DENZEL WASHINGTON
WILL SMITH with MUHAMMAD ALI
SACHA BARON COHEN
THE JONAS BROTHERS
Here's a quick look at what's new at the local multiplex this weekend . . .
#1.) "Legion" (R)
God loses faith in humanity and sends a legion of angels to wipe us out. But one of them recruits a group of strangers at a remote diner to help him protect a pregnant chick, whose unborn baby may be humanity's only hope.
Paul Bettany plays the archangel Michael, "Friday Night Lights" minx Adrianne Palicki is the pregnant waitress, and the humans defending her include . . . Dennis Quaid, Kate Walsh, Charles S. Dutton, Tyrese Gibson and "The O.C.'s" Willa Holland.
#2.) "The Tooth Fairy" (PG)
The Rock plays a hockey player who crushes a little kid's dreams and gets sentenced to being a tooth fairy as his punishment. Ashley Judd is The Rock's girlfriend, Julie Andrews is his fairy boss, and Billy Crystal is the guy who hooks him up with magic fairy dust and other cool stuff.
#3.) "Extraordinary Measures" (PG)
When Brendan Fraser finds out that his kids have less than a year to live, he risks everything to help an unconventional research scientist develop a drug to save their lives. Keri Russell plays Fraser's wife and Harrison Ford is the doctor researching their kids' disease.
Yesterday, NBC reached a settlement with CONAN O'BRIEN to scrap the final two and a half years of his "Tonight Show" contract.
Like we'd heard, the total settlement came out to around $45 MILLION. Conan gets $32.5 . . . Conan's executive producer Jeffrey Ross gets $4.5 million . . . and the rest of the staff splits $7.5 million.
NBC also included $600,000 for some employees that were not under contract. It sounds like that's in addition to the general staff severance, although that's not totally clear. Conan's people have said that it was NBC's idea to chip in the extra money.
As expected, Conan won't be able to jump back on the air on another network immediately. But he won't have to wait too long. NBC said that Conan will be able to, quote, "pursue other opportunities after September 1st" of this year.
And it sounds like he'll begin the job search . . . now. His manager, Gavin Palone, said, quote, "Now he just wants to get back on the air as quickly as possible."
The new issue of "Entertainment Weekly" features a list of TV's 50 Biggest Bombs Ever . . . and "The Jay Leno Show" was #1. Here's the Top 10:
#1.) Putting JAY LENO at 10:00 P.M.
#2.) Fox yanks "Family Guy" off the air . . . twice
#3.) "Cavemen" (ABC)
#4.) "Moonlighting's" David and Maddie hook up
#5.) "The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer"
#6.) Premature exits . . . including "NYPD Blue's" DAVID CARUSO, "Cheers'" SHELLEY LONG, and "Bonanza's" PERNELL ROBERTS
#7.) "Coupling" (NBC)
#8.) ABC overdoes it with "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"
#9.) "Felicity" cuts her hair
#10.) The XFL
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
People from Alaska eat twice as much of this food compared to the average person from Michigan. What is it?
A: Ice Cream!
Show Biz Notes:
If you believe all those tabloid claims about how DENNIS HOPPER is on his deathbed . . . and frankly, nobody's denying it . . . then here's the latest on that chaotic situation.
The "National Enquirer" says that the reason Dennis is divorcing his wife Victoria is because he was afraid that she and her family were swooping in to raid his compound in Venice, California and take all his stuff.
Sources say Dennis had exhausted all his options in his battle with prostate cancer. So he retreated to his Venice property to die peacefully. He allowed Victoria to move her mother and sister onto the compound for support.
But a source says, quote, "Dennis worried that paintings and photographs were disappearing, and he didn't like Victoria's explanations.
"He began to feel he wasn't even dead yet and Victoria and her people were already acting like vultures picking over the carcass. They had a terrible fight and Dennis accused Victoria of trying to freeze out the older children.
"A horrible family feud erupted."
Dennis asked Victoria to move out, but she, quote, "laughed in his face." So he filed for divorce.
"Dennis decided to file for divorce to protect his older kids' inheritance."
But the source adds, quote, "He didn't want more drama. He just wanted to die in peace."
The sequel to "Paranormal Activity" will hit theaters on October 22nd. There's no word on plot details, or even a title. (--The original cost $15,000 to make . . . and it has raked in $151 million so far.)
The COEN BROTHERS' remake of "True Grit" has a release date. It's hitting theaters on Christmas Day of this year.
(--The 1969 original starred JOHN WAYNE and, as if you didn't know. The new version will star MATT DAMON, JEFF BRIDGES and JOSH BROLIN.)
MR. T has not filmed a cameo for the new "A-Team" movie. But he still might. Director JOE CARNAHAN says, quote, "We would love to get [Mr T] in this film somewhere. He's such a personality . . . I think [it] would be a big boon."
A resolution to the negotiations between NBC and CONAN O'BRIEN is expected to be released TODAY. But honestly, who knows at this point?
The general consensus is that Conan is still trying to weasel more money out of NBC for his staff, who relocated to Los Angeles for the show less than a year ago.
TMZ is reporting that Conan is asking NBC for $600,000 more in severance for his people . . . and that NBC is cool with that amount, as long as this is Conan's last demand.
Other sources say the two sides are still arguing over how long Conan will be prohibited from trashing NBC.
A new survey by Nielsen has found that 51% of the American population claims they enjoy the Super Bowl commercials MORE than the actual game. (???) The other 49% say the opposite.
In unrelated news, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's website, the population of the United States is currently made up of 51% females and 49% males.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
Out of the last 30 elections, 24 of the candidates who won had this in common. What is it?
A: They were taller than their opponent!
Show Biz Notes:
JENNIFER ANISTON and GERARD BUTLER presented an award together at Sunday's "Golden Globes". Then, backstage, they awarded EACH OTHER, if you will.
A so-called "source" says, quote, "They were making out in the kitchen. They were attached at the hip all night. They definitely seemed very couple-y. Producers for the show were actually laughing about it over their walkie-talkies."
GQ HAS NAMED THE 25 MOST STYLISH MEN IN THE WORLD:
#1 JOHNNY DEPP
The Rest:
ROBERT PATTINSON
TOM BRADY
ANDRE BENJAMIN . . . (--From Outkast.)
ANDERSON COOPER
RUSSELL BRAND
RYAN GOSLING
PAUL SIMONON . . . (--The former bassist for The Clash.) (???)
L.A. REID . . . (--The boss of Island Def Jam Records.)
SPIKE JONZE
ASKMEN.COM'S MOST DESIRABLE WOMAN IN THE WORLD
#1.) EMMANUELLE CHRIQUI
#2.) (Victoria's Secret model) MARISA MILLER
#3.) KATE BECKINSALE
#4.) (Model) ALESSANDRA AMBROSIO
#5.) JESSICA ALBA
#6.) BEYONCÉ
#7.) PENELOPE CRUZ
#8.) CHERYL COLE . . . (--She's a British singer and a judge on the U.K. version of Simon Cowell's "X-Factor". Rumor has it she'll be one of the judges when Simon brings the show to the U.S.)
#9.) EVA MENDES
#10.) MIRANDA KERR
As we've already heard, "American Idol" is resurrecting its "Idol Gives Back" charity drive this year. And RANDY JACKSON says that Haiti will definitely be one of the causes they raise money for.
Sony announced yesterday that MARC WEBB will direct the fourth "Spider-Man" movie . . . which will focus on Peter Parker (slash) Spider-Man when he was younger. It's due out sometime in 2012.
Webb directed "(500) Days of Summer" . . . as well as music DVDs for Green Day, 3 Doors Down and Jesse McCartney.
NBC and CONAN O'BRIEN have not made an official announcement regarding a settlement . . . so the two sides are still talking, presumably.
Word has it that the hang-up involves the severance packages for Conan's "Tonight Show" staff. NBC will be making payouts, but an amount hasn't been settled on yet.
Even though it's still unofficial, it's looking more and more like this will be Conan's last week. The strongest evidence is that WILL FERRELL is booked to be a guest on Friday. He was Conan's first guest when he took over the "Tonight Show" in June. It's become somewhat of a tradition to begin and end your tenure on the "Tonight Show" with the same guest.
Yesterday, the fine investigative journalists at TMZ somehow discovered that the Internet domain name ConanOnFox.com was purchased last week . . . by Fox.
CONAN O'BRIEN posted another ad on Craigslist. But instead of the "The Tonight Show", this time he was selling himself . . . in the personals section. It was titled, quote, "Tall, Slender Redhead Available For Nighttime Recreation".
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
According to a new survey and rounded to 5 minutes, what is the most stressful time of day for a mom?
A: 8:25 AM!
Show Biz Notes:
Here's today's rundown of what celebrities are doing to aid in the relief effort in Haiti . . .
JOHN TRAVOLTA is actually going to fly a plane full of supplies and volunteers into the heart of the tragedy. He says, quote, "I have arranged for a plane to take down some volunteer ministers and some supplies and some medics.
"My church has also arranged for 80 medics and 33 volunteers to go down. I hope that inspires others as well. It's needed."
BETTE MIDLER is asking for donations at all her concerts. After her last show on January 31st in Las Vegas, she'll match whatever her fans have ponied up. So far, she's raised almost $39,000.
The not-always-reliable RadarOnline.com says that TIGER WOODS will return to the PGA tour sometime this spring.
There's no word if he plans to be back in time for the Masters Tournament, which begins on April 5th.
Some website called MovieLine.com says that BRAD PITT and MATT DAMON are both doing voices for "Happy Feet 2". We'll let you know if we hear anything official.
JAY LENO made a lengthy statement about NBC's late-night mess on "The Jay Leno Show" last night . . . and not just in a series of one-liners. He actually kept it SERIOUS.
Jay said, quote, "Folks, I thought maybe I should address this . . . to give you my view on what has been going on here at NBC."
Ultimately, he bent over backwards to praise CONAN O'BRIEN, and asked people not to blame him for any of this chaos.
Recapping the whole mess, he asked the audience to not blame Conan. After explaining the story he got to the part where NBC pitched him the idea of doing a half-hour show at 11:30 P.M. and bumping Conan's "Tonight Show".
He said he asked NBC if they thought Conan would go for that, and they told him YES . . . so he agreed to it.
-Then, when Conan rejected that proposal, Jay said NBC asked him if he'd take the "Tonight Show" back if Conan walked . . . and he said he told them that he would.
He added, quote, "That's pretty much where we are. It looks like we'll be back at 11:30 . . . I'm not sure. I don't know."
Jay finished by saying, quote, "Through all of this, Conan O'Brien has been a gentleman. He's a good guy. I have no animosity towards him. This is all business. Folks, if you don't get the ratings, they take you off the air.
"It didn't work. We might have an answer for you tomorrow. So, we'll see."
NBC has yet to officially announce their rumored settlement with CONAN O'BRIEN, which would allow him to leave the network. The word from NBC is expected any day now.
TMZ reports that the two sides have, quote, "reached an agreement in principle" . . . but they're still hammering out some small issues, such as: Who will retain the rights to Conan's "Late Night" and "The Tonight Show" characters???
The characters are considered intellectual property, and since they were created, under contract, for his shows, they're legally owned by NBC.
But TMZ says that NBC would be willing to let him have the characters . . . as long as he signs off on that "non-disparagement clause" that prevents him from trashing the network after he leaves.
Later last night, TMZ changed their mind and said that it now appears that NBC will KEEP Conan's characters. We'll let you know how it all shakes out.
The three-hour Golden Globes broadcast averaged 16.9 million viewers on Sunday night, which was 14% higher than the 14.9 million that tuned in last year.
Yesterday, Billboard.com reported that SIMON COWELL is "in discussions" with both PAULA ABDUL and British "X Factor" judge CHERYL COLE for seats on the judging panel of the upcoming American "X-Factor".
The show is scheduled to premiere in the fall of 2011.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
In 1985, nobody had this, today pretty much everyone does. What is it?
A: Call waiting!
Show Biz Notes:
Here's what various celebrities are doing to help Haiti recover from the devastation of this month's earthquake . . .
GEORGE CLOONEY is, of course, organizing and hosting a telethon this Friday. It'll air on ABC, NBC, HBO, CNN and all of MTV's networks.
We heard last week that ANGELINA JOLIE and BRAD PITT gave $1 million to Doctors Without Borders. SANDRA BULLOCK has done the same.
LANCE ARMSTRONG'S Livestrong Foundation is giving $250,000 to that charity, too.
GISELE BUNDCHEN has donated $1.5 million to the Red Cross.
MADONNA is giving $250,000 to Partners in Health . . . which is one of Haiti's leading health care providers.
DAVID BLAINE helped raise money by performing his STREET MAGIC for 72 hours nonstop in Times Square, beginning at 9:00 A.M. Friday. (--Meaning he finished / will finish this morning at 9:00 A.M.)
CHELSEA CLINTON is hosting a SPINNING CLASS at a place called SoulCycle in New York City on Thursday night. Bikes cost between $100 and $1,000 . . . and the money will go to the Clinton Haiti Relief Fund.
TYLER PERRY is giving 250-grand to a charity. There's no word which one.
ALYSSA MILANO gave 50-grand to UNICEF.
RAINN WILSON from "The Office" is offering a signed, personalized photo to anyone who gives more than $100 to a charity called Planting Peace in Haiti.
NBA studs ALONZO MOURNING and DWYANE WADE have started the Athletes Relief Fund for Haiti, to urge athletes to donate.
JOE JONAS says he wants to go to Haiti personally to help . . . quote, "I'm going to try; I'm going to try to get there."
TIGER WOODS' people announced on Friday that he WILL be donating money to the relief effort in Haiti. But they didn't say how much, or where the money would go.
Here's their statement . . . quote, "Our plan is to be part of the relief effort to help rebuild Haiti by supporting organizations that provide critical resources to young people."
On Thursday, RUSSELL SIMMONS put Tiger on the spot by announcing to the entire world that he was heading into a meeting with Tiger, at which he would ask him to donate $3 million.
Well, Russell has apologized for doing that. He says, quote, "Yesterday, I Tweeted that Tiger Woods was contributing in a major way. My source for the tweet was premature, however, I strongly and passionately urge everyone with reach and means to act NOW as speed is everything to saving the lives of people in desperate need."
"Avatar" was one of the big winners at last night's "Golden Globes". The movie won Best Motion Picture, Drama . . . and JAMES CAMERON won Best Director.
The only other dual winner in the movie category was "Up" . . . which won Best Animated Film and Best Original Score.
Meanwhile, MERYL STREEP beat herself, among others, for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. She won for "Julie & Julia", but was also nominated for "It's Complicated".
That's because the "Globes" have separate categories for comedy and drama. Sandra's work in "The Blind Side" earned her a Best Actress nomination in the DRAMA category. Without Streep to contend with, she took the Globe.
On the TV side of things, "Mad Men" won its second straight award for Best Drama Series . . . while "Glee" swooped in and took Best Comedy Series in its first year on the air.
Co-creator Ryan Murphy dedicated the award to, quote, "anybody and everybody who got a wedgie in high school."
"Dexter" star MICHAEL C. HALL . . . who's battling cancer . . . accepted his award for Best Actor in a Drama Series wearing a SKULL CAP to cover his bald head.
He said, quote, "It's really a hell of a thing to go to work at a place where everyone gives a damn. This is a dream job, and I am so grateful."
Classic Line of the Night goes to host RICKY GERVAIS . . . who said, quote, "All right, I better get on with it before they replace me with JAY LENO."
Here’s the full list:
Best Drama: "Avatar"
Best Actress, Drama: SANDRA BULLOCK, "The Blind Side"
Best Actor, Drama: JEFF BRIDGES, "Crazy Heart"
Best Musical or Comedy: "The Hangover"
Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: MERYL STREEP, "Julie & Julia"
-Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: ROBERT DOWNEY JR., "Sherlock Holmes"
Best Animated Feature Film: "Up"
Best Supporting Actress: MO'NIQUE, "Precious"
Best Supporting Actor: CHRISTOPH WALTZ, "Inglourious Basterds"
Best Director: JAMES CAMERON, "Avatar"
Best Screenplay: "Up in the Air" (Written by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner)
Best Original Song: "The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart" (by Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett)
Best Original Score: "Up", Michael Glacchino
Best Foreign-Language Film: "Waltz With Bashir", Israel
Best Drama Series: "Mad Men" (AMC)
Best Actress, Drama: JULIANNA MARGULIES, "The Good Wife"
Best Actor, Drama: MICHAEL C. HALL, "Dexter"
Best Musical or Comedy Series: "Glee" (Fox)
Best Actress, Musical or Comedy Series: TONI COLLETTE, "United States of Tara"
Best Actor, Musical or Comedy Series: ALEC BALDWIN, "30 Rock"
Best Miniseries or TV Movie: "Grey Gardens" (HBO)
Best Actress, Miniseries or TV Movie: DREW BARRYMORE, "Grey Gardens"
Best Actor, Miniseries or TV Movie: KEVIN BACON, "Taking Chance"
Best Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or TV Movie: CHLOE SEVIGNY, "Big Love"
Best Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or TV Movie: JOHN LITHGOE, "Dexter"
DENZEL WASHINGTON'S new movie, "The Book of Eli", pulled in $31.6 million but that wasn't quite enough to knock "Avatar" from the top of the list. "Avatar" is still sitting after #1 for its fifth straight week, after earning another $41 million.
1.) "Avatar", $41.3 million (--Up to a total of $492 million in its 5th week.)
2.) (NEW) Denzel Washington's "The Book of Eli", $31.6 million
3.) "The Lovely Bones", $17 million (--Up to a total of $17.5 million in its 6th week.)
4.) "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel", $11.5 million (--Up to a total of $193 million in its 4th week.)
5.) "Sherlock Holmes", $9.8 million (--Up to a total of $180 million in its 4th week.)
The "New Moon" DVD has a release date. It's dropping on Saturday, March 20th at 12:01 A.M. . . . so line up now.
CONAN O'BRIEN and NBC have reportedly reached a settlement to part ways. Nothing is official yet, but the general consensus is that NBC will be announcing the deal any day now.
Naturally, there aren't any official details yet . . . but there's speculation that NBC will shell out between $25 million and $40 million to Conan.
Some reports say that the amount of NBC's payout could change if Conan gets another job. In other words, if Conan signs a mega-deal with Fox, NBC gets to pay him less than what they agreed on.
Sources tell TMZ that NBC also wants to have a, quote, "liquidated damages clause" included, which would basically prohibit Conan from trashing NBC on the way out . . . and at his next job. So, if he bad-mouths NBC, he'll have to cut them a check.
Despite last week's denials from Conan's camp . . . there's still a lot of talk that Conan's "Tonight Show" run will wrap THIS FRIDAY. JAY LENO won't bring his "Tonight Show" back until March, after NBC's February Winter Olympics coverage.
The "New York Post" claims CONAN O'BRIEN'S staff members are, quote, "furious" with him for not accepting NBC's plan to move the "Tonight Show" to 12:05 A.M. to make room for JAY LENO at 11:35 P.M.
So-called "sources" say his employees feel "betrayed" because they moved from New York to Los Angeles for him . . . and that they're upset at the prospect of being without a job until Conan scores another gig, which could be at least six months away.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
In 1884, 21 women in a factory on Albany St. in Ithaca went on strike so the company moved to Scranton.
What kind of factory was it?
A: Button Factory!
Show Biz Notes:
GEORGE CLOONEY is hosting a telethon on MTV to raise money for earthquake relief in Haiti. Details aren't locked down yet, but the show will PROBABLY air January 22nd . . . and feature tons of celebrities.
It was originally going to be simulcast on all the MTV networks . . . but E! Online says that ABC, NBC, HBO and CNN have also agreed to air it, too.
"Golden Girl" RUE MCLANAHAN suffered a minor stroke.
It's not clear exactly when it happened. Rue had triple bypass surgery on November 4th, and the stroke occurred sometime during her recovery.
She spent two weeks in intensive care, and she's now recovering in a nursing facility. Her rep says, quote, "She's doing amazingly well. She's walking and talking and entertaining the staff with her feisty personality.
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) "The Book of Eli" (R)
--A post-apocalyptic flick starring Denzel Washington as Eli, a sword-wielding badass protecting the last Bible on the planet.
--Gary Oldman plays a bad guy obsessed with getting his hands on the book, and Mila Kunis plays his daughter, who's fascinated by Eli. Jennifer Beals is in it too, as Mila's blind mother.
#2.) "The Spy Next Door" (PG)
--Jackie Chan is a retired spy who volunteers to watch his girlfriend's three kids. But when one of the kids downloads a top secret formula off his computer, he suddenly has to protect the kids from Russians terrorists. George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus play his CIA friends.
"Jurassic Park 3" director JOE JOHNSTON says he's returning for the fourth installment . . . and maybe even the FIFTH AND SIXTH.
He says, quote, "'Jurassic Park 4' is going to be unlike anything you've seen. It breaks away from the first three . . . it's essentially the beginning of the second 'Jurassic Park' trilogy.
"It's going to be done in a completely different way. That's pretty much all I can tell you."
There's a rumor going around that ROBERT PATTINSON is taking over for TOBEY MAGUIRE in the next "Spider-Man" movie. It's not true. At least not yet. No one has been cast for the movie yet . . . but at the same time, Sony isn't denying it, either.
NBC is denying a TMZ report claiming that there's already a deal in place to reinstate JAY LENO as the host of "The Tonight Show".
According to TMZ, the deal would have basically returned everything to the way it was last year at this time . . . except that JIMMY FALLON would be hosting "Late Night", and CONAN O'BRIEN would be gone, presumably.
Yesterday, "People" magazine reported that CONAN O'BRIEN'S final day on "The Tonight Show" will probably be next Friday, the 22nd.
A so-called "source" says, quote, "Conan does not currently plan on doing any more new shows after next week."
As of last night, NBC hadn't commented on that, but a rep for Conan said, quote, "Not true. He has a scheduled hiatus the week of January 25th."
TMZ claims a, quote-unquote, "'American Idol' spy" told them that the show's producers are trying to land ELTON JOHN to replace SIMON COWELL. (--Elton was a guest judge on Season Three.)
Well, they may be "trying" . . . but they haven't reached him yet. Elton's rep told "Access Hollywood", quote, "There is no truth to reports that he is in talks to replace Simon on 'Idol'."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
One third of women say they've regretted this. What is it?
A: Cutting their hair too short!
Show Biz Notes:
General Motors has become the latest TIGER WOODS sponsor to abandon ship.
Of course, GM is trying to feed us that line that they'd already agreed to sever ties with Tiger BEFORE he wrapped one of their SUVs around a tree.
Supposedly, Tiger's official endorsement contract with GM ended in 2008. But they kept providing him with free vehicles in exchange for the publicity.
R&B legend TEDDY PENDERGRASS died yesterday at a hospital in suburban Philadelphia. He was 59.
There's no word on the exact cause of death, but Teddy's son said Teddy had undergone colon cancer surgery eight months ago, and had, quote, "a difficult recovery."
MICHAEL C. HALL . . . the star of the Showtime series "Dexter" . . . announced yesterday that he has Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is a form of cancer.
It's not clear when he was diagnosed, but Hall says it was caught early, he's already been treated and he's in remission.
So-called "sources" tell TMZ that CONAN O'BRIEN has met with NBC executives, possibly to negotiate a settlement of his alleged five-year, $80 million contract. But it turns out he might not be holding all the aces.
TMZ's "sources" say that Conan's contract does NOT guarantee a particular timeslot, only that he'd be the host of "The Tonight Show". And NBC isn't taking "Tonight" away from him, per se. They're just asking him to move the show to 12:05.
Obviously, if Conan leaves and NBC did not break the WRITTEN terms of their agreement, it could be difficult for him to get some of that money.
But supposedly, Conan's people will argue that "The Tonight Show's" 11:35 P.M. timeslot is IMPLIED.
At this point, it appears likely that CONAN O'BRIEN and NBC will part ways . . . because their love affair with JAY LENO shattered Conan's childhood dreams of hosting "The Tonight Show
But now, there's talk that NBC could end up losing BOTH of them.
The website PopEater.com claims "sources close to Jay" have told them that Jay is, quote, "furious" with the way NBC is handling this mess, and is considering walking away himself.
"It looks like he is the reason that Conan is now without a job. Jay is a great guy and it's not fair that due to NBC's stupidity he looks like the bad guy.
"Plus, what happens when Jay does return to the 11:35 slot if his audience doesn't immediately follow? How can he possibly trust the same network that canceled Conan after only seven months?"
NBC's late-night madness has been a catastrophe, but at least one good thing is coming out of it: Ratings for all three shows . . . "The Jay Leno Show", "The Tonight Show", and "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" . . . have been UP.
An estimated 29.9 million people tuned in for the two-hour, ninth season premiere of "American Idol" Tuesday night.
That's a big audience . . . but it's actually the lowest turnout for an "Idol" premiere since Season 3, when 28.6 million people watched.
It doesn't sound like "American Idol" will have a difficult time finding celebrities interested in taking over for SIMON COWELL next season.
"Idol" creator SIMON FULLER says, quote, "A day doesn't pass that I don't get a call from an agent of a superstar saying, 'Can we talk?' Everyone's interested, and that's going to go on month after month."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
In 85% of households, the woman makes this decision. What is it?
A: What kind of toilet paper to use!
Show Biz Notes:
IS JAY LENO GETTING "THE TONIGHT SHOW" BACK???
Officially, there's still no word on how NBC's Late-Night Mess is going to be resolved, but TMZ claims it's already a done deal.
So-called "sources" tell them that Conan has already told NBC that he's leaving . . . and it isn't on good terms, naturally. So with Conan out of the way, NBC is giving "The Tonight Show" back to JAY LENO.
TMZ "reports" that it's, quote, "increasingly likely" that Conan will hash out a deal with Fox, to host a new late-night show, which would run from 11:00 to midnight. (--Again, at least for now, all of this is SPECULATION.)
In an AWESOME statement issued yesterday, he essentially said that he loves "The Tonight Show", but he won't play along with NBC's idiocy and move to 12:05 A.M. . . . just so Jay can have an ego-stroking half-hour show at 11:35.
Conan ripped NBC for not giving him a chance to build his audience, an opportunity that his, quote, "predecessor" was given . . . even though he didn't have, quote, "ratings support from the primetime schedule."
He then said that moving "The Tonight Show" around just to, quote, "accommodate another comedy program" would tarnish the image and legacy of the show.
He added, quote, "I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter. But with the 'Tonight Show', I believe nothing could matter more."
Conan concluded by saying that he "currently" doesn't have an offer from another network, and hopes that he and NBC can resolve this mess soon.
We may have finally located TIGER WOODS. "People" magazine says he's in SEX REHAB.
So-called "sources" say that Tiger has entered The Meadows . . . an upscale clinic in Wickenberg, Arizona, to be treated for sex addiction. And he's supposedly been there since, quote, "sometime around the holidays."
One of the sources says Tiger is looking at a 4- or 5-week stay . . . meaning he'll be out early next month.
THE CAST OF THE "YELLOW SUBMARINE" REMAKE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED:
The new BEATLES have been found. Director ROBERT ZEMECKIS has hired four men to provide the voices for John, Paul, George and Ringo in his computer-animated "Yellow Submarine" remake. And they're all Brits.
The most famous of the bunch is CARY ELWES . . . a.k.a. Westley from "The Princess Bride". Cary is playing GEORGE HARRISON.
DEAN LENNOX KELLY will play JOHN LENNON. (--You don't know him. He's done a lot of British TV and film, and that's pretty much it.)
ADAM CAMPBELL will portray RINGO STARR. He was in two of those really bad spoof flicks, "Date Movie" and "Epic Movie".
And PETER SERAFINOWICZ will portray PAUL MCCARTNEY. He was the uptight roommate in "Shaun of the Dead", and he played "Sctanley" in the 2009 comedy "Couples Retreat".
He was also the voice of Darth Maul in "Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace". (!!!)
This is one of those "motion capture" movies, but it's not clear whether these four guys will do any of that . . . or if they're just doing the voices.
But a Beatles tribute band called Fab 4 will do the motion capture work for the musical performance sequences. They will NOT actually perform, though. The original Beatles tunes will be used.
COULD RYAN SEACREST REPLACE SIMON COWELL ON "AMERICAN IDOL"???
As ridiculous as that sounds, sources tell E! Online that an American Idol scenario in which Ryan acts as both judge and host IS in play. (???) But so are a lot of other things. A so-called "Idol" insider adds, quote, "Anything is possible. Stay tuned."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
30% of us can't do this simple thing. What is it?
A: Snap our fingers!
Show Biz Notes:
MARK MCGWIRE admitted yesterday that he used steroids at different points during his career . . . including the 1998 season, in which he broke the Major League record by hitting 70 home runs.
He said, quote, "I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."
And also because he only ever juiced in order to recover from various injuries . . . noting that in the mid 1990s, he missed 228 games over a five-year period.
He said, quote, "I'm sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids.
"I had good years when I didn't take any and I had bad years when I didn't take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn't have done it and for that I'm truly sorry."
McGwire called baseball commissioner Bud Selig and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa yesterday to APOLOGIZE.
They weren't the only people MARK MCGWIRE called yesterday to apologize to for using steroids. He also called the widow of baseball legend ROGER MARIS . . . whose home run record he STOLE while using 'roids in 1998.
In an interview with BOB COSTAS that took place on the MLB Network last night, McGwire said, quote, "I felt that I needed to do that. They've been great supporters of mine. She was disappointed and she has every right to be." When Costas told McGwire there were members of the Maris family who feel that Roger should be reinstated as the single-season home run leader, McGwire replied, quote, "They have every right to [feel that way]."
The "National Enquirer" claims that TAYLOR LAUTNER plans to get TAYLOR SWIFT back by surprising her with, quote, "four dozen red roses, a diamond friendship ring and a romantic dinner date."
They say it was Taylor Swift who ended the relationship, so she could focus on her career.
"Spider-Man 4" is not happening. At least not the way anyone expected.
Last week, it was announced that the project was being delayed because director SAM RAIMI didn't like the script. Yesterday, Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced that the series is getting a "reboot", so to speak.
There WILL be another "Spider-Man" movie . . . but it'll turn back the clock and feature Peter Parker as a teenager. That means TOBEY MAGUIRE and KIRSTEN DUNST are out. And Raimi isn't coming back, either.
Here's his official statement . . . quote, "Working on the 'Spider-Man' movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job."
The studio is tentatively planning to have the next "Spider-Man" in theaters in the summer of 2012.
The next "Star Trek" movie has been given a release date of June 29th, 2012. And that's ALL anybody knows about it at this point.
No plot details have been revealed yet.
After all the speculation, it's finally official: SIMON COWELL has announced that he'll be leaving "American Idol" after this season, which premieres TONIGHT.
Instead, he'll be working on an American version of his hit British show, "The X Factor", which will also air on Fox. It's scheduled to premiere in the fall of NEXT year, while "Idol" is on hiatus.
If you're not familiar, "The X Factor" format is similar to "Idol" . . . except anyone over the age of 14 is eligible, and the contestants are split into categories. And one of the categories is for singing duos and / or groups.
Fox suit Peter Rice said that they haven't found a replacement for Simon yet . . . quote, "We are not going to find a Simon clone to do what he does because he is one of a kind. I don't think we will rush into that [decision]."
But he added, quote, "Our expectation is that 'Idol' will go on for many, many, many more seasons."
By the way, Rice also said that he believes Ellen was joking when she recently told "Entertainment Weekly", quote, "If Simon goes, I go! I will not be there without Simon." She reportedly has a five-year deal with "Idol".
As for the American "X Factor", there are no further details on who will be joining Simon on the show, although there's talk PAULA ABDUL could be a judge. When asked about Paula, Simon somewhat vaguely said, quote, "I adore Paula. Whatever happens, I will be working with her in some capacity. Because I miss her."
There's no update on the status of NBC's Hail Mary to keep JAY LENO, CONAN O'BRIEN and JIMMY FALLON, but it sounds like Conan is exploring his options.
Yesterday, Fox suit Kevin Reilly said, quote, "We had some informal conversations that were mostly commiserating about the situation. There's not much more we can illuminate on this, we're just in wowee mode now."
Meanwhile, a so-called "source" tells the "New York Post" that Conan is pretty upset with NBC . . . quote, "This level of (crap)iness was not expected.
JAY LENO continued roasting NBC on his show last night. In his monologue, he joked, quote, "Welcome to 'The Jay Leno Show'. As you know, we're not just a show anymore, we are now a collector's item."
"Supposedly we're moving to 11:30 . . . even this is not for sure. My people are upset. Conan's people are upset. Hey NBC said they wanted drama at 10:00 . . . now they've got it! Everyone's mad.
"I take pride in one thing. I leave NBC prime-time the same way I found it . . . a complete disaster."
SARAH PALIN has signed a, quote, "multi-year deal" to be a regular political commentator and analyst on Fox News. It's unclear when she'll start.
--Sarah issued a statement saying, quote, "I am thrilled to be joining the great talent and management team at Fox News. It's wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
8% of Americans will have this for dinner tonight. What is it?
A: Spagetti!
Show Biz Notes:
IT'S OFFICIAL: JAY LENO IS MOVING FROM PRIMETIME:
The rumors were true: NBC IS moving JAY LENO out of primetime. Although where he'll end up hasn't been determined yet. Here's the full rundown:
NBC bosses Jeff Gaspin and Angela Bromstead made the announcement at a Television Critics Association event yesterday morning.
Gaspin said, quote, "Beginning February 12th, we will no longer air 'The Jay Leno Show' at 10:00 P.M. While it was performing at acceptable levels for the networks, it did not meet our affiliates' needs."
Before the experiment began, NBC reportedly promised advertisers a little over 5 million viewers a night . . . and that's what the show ended up averaging . . . so it was in line with what NBC was expecting.
But affiliates grew restless because the show wasn't delivering a big enough lead-in audience for their local news broadcasts . . . costing them a lot of ad money.
Jay will continue to do his show at 10:00 P.M. until February 12th, when NBC will begin covering the Winter Olympics.
Despite having a HUGE MESS on their hands, NBC hopes to keep all their late-night hosts . . . JAY LENO, CONAN O'BRIEN and JIMMY FALLON.
NBC boss Jeff Gaspin has confirmed that they've met with all three hosts, and pitched a plan where Jay would host a half-hour show . . . (--presumably a shorter version of "The Jay Leno Show") . . . from 11:35 to 12:05 A.M.
Then, Conan's "Tonight Show" would be on until 1:05 A.M., followed by "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon".
Gaspin said that talks will continue TODAY . . . and that NBC hopes to have an agreement in place as soon as possible. Obviously, there's a decent chance that Conan could reject the deal . . . and look for employment at another network.
However, NBC is hoping that retaining the title of "Tonight Show" host . . . and the gobs of money they're paying him . . . will be enough to entice him to stay.
When asked what NBC's plans were for the five hours of primetime that will be available in March, NBC boss Jeff Gaspin responded, quote, "My guess is that this will net two more hours of scripted TV and one more hour of reality." He also said there will be some, quote, "backfill" . . . meaning repeats and random episodes of shows like "Dateline NBC".
Here's a true SHOWBIZ TRAGEDY for you: ART CLOKEY . . . the GENIUS who created "Gumby" in the 1950s. . . died Friday. He was 88 years old.
Over the weekend, NBC announced that former "Deal or No Deal" host HOWIE MANDEL will take over DAVID HASSELHOFF'S chair on the upcoming season of "America's Got Talent".
TOM CRUISE was chosen as the World's Sexiest SHORT MAN in some British poll. He's 5-foot-7.
Since it's a British poll, most of the names in it are unrecognizable. But some of the other sexy short men who made the list included Prince (5'2"), Jack Black (5'6"), Bono (5'6½"), Ben Stiller (5'6½"), and Jason Priestley (5'8").
"AVATAR" TOPS THE BOX OFFICE FOR THE FOURTH WEEK IN A ROW:
For the fourth straight week since its release, "Avatar" is the #1 movie in America. It pulled down another $48.5 million over the weekend to bring its total to $429 million. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) "Avatar", $48.5 million (--Up to a total of $429 million in its 4th week.)
2.) "Sherlock Holmes", $16.6 million (--Up to a total of $165 million in its 3rd week.)
3.) "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel", $16.3 million (--Up to a total of $178 million in its 3rd week.)
4.) (NEW) Ethan Hawke's vampire flick "Daybreakers", $15 million
5.) Meryl Streep's romantic comedy "It's Complicated", $11 million (--Up to a total of $76.4 million in its 3rd week.)
As expected, "Avatar" has overtaken "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", to be the second highest-grossing movie in history.
"Avatar's" take now stands at $1.3 billion worldwide . . . which is still $500 million less than the all-time box office champ, "Titanic".
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
Mary Miles and George Loveless recieved the first county marriage liscense on January 8th, what year?A: 1908
Show Biz Notes:
TMZ says that the investigation into MICHAEL JACKSON'S death is complete . . . and the case will be sent to the district attorney's office within weeks.
A so-called "law enforcement source" says it's pretty much a lock that DR. CONRAD MURRAY will face criminal charges. There's no word WHAT they'll charge him with, but involuntary manslaughter is likely.
What took so long was building a case against Murray. Sources say it was tricky, since he didn't technically break any laws when he administered the anesthetic propofol to Michael.
MERYL STREEP is 60 years old, and she's had virtually NOTHING done to her face.
In a new interview, SHARON STONE is complimenting her for that. If you want to call comparing her to an "unmade bed" a compliment. (???)
Sharon says, quote, "I think that's why Meryl Streep is working so much, because she looks like a woman we can all relate to.
"I look at her and I think, 'I'm chasing my kids, I've moved my parents in with me, I'm coping with food spills . . . that looks like me in real life.'
"Meryl looks like an unmade bed, and that's what I look like. To me, that looks true."
PAMELA ANDERSON has reportedly split with Jamie Padgett, the electrician she'd been dating since they met in a trailer park last year.
A so-called "source" says, quote, "Pam made it pretty clear she is no longer dating Jamie and that she was looking for a new love interest.
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) "Daybreakers" (R)
A sci-fi vampire flick about a plague that forces the world's infected population to farm the uninfected for their blood, to keep themselves from transforming into bat-like creatures.
Ethan Hawke plays a researcher trying to develop a substitute before all the real blood runs out . . . and Willem Dafoe is a former vampire who claims to have found an actual cure.
#2.) "Leap Year" (PG)
Amy Adams plays a woman trying to take advantage of an Irish tradition that reverses gender roles, and lets women propose to men on the extra day in leap years.
But when a storm diverts her flight, she hires "Watchmen" stud Matthew Goode to drive her to meet her boyfriend in time. They fight most of the way there but end up falling in love.
#3.) "Youth in Revolt" (R)
"Superbad's" Michael Cera plays a nerdy teenager who imagines a studly alter-ego named "Francois" to help him get a hot chick with a thing for bad boys.
Ray Liotta plays a cop trying to catch "Francois" after his stunts get hilariously out of control. Justin Long, Steve Buscemi and "The Hangover's" Zach Galifianakis are also in it.
Unless we're all missing something, NBC's plan to have TWO "Tonight Shows" . . . one with JAY LENO and the "real" one with CONAN O'BRIEN . . . has blown up in their faces. And yesterday, there was rampant speculation that a change is coming.
What kind of change, though, is still anyone's guess.
It all started when an "industry website" called FTVlive.com reported that NBC had cancelled "The Jay Leno Show". Naturally, that spread like wildfire online.
NBC later denied that . . . sort of . . . by issuing a statement saying, quote, "Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today.
"As we have said all along, Jay's show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the network. It has, however, presented some issues for our affiliates.
"Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve the performance." (--That, obviously, is NOT a ringing endorsement. In fact, that's basically admitting that there IS a problem that needs to be resolved.)
Then, TMZ tossed their hat into the ring . . . "reporting" that they heard "The Jay Leno Show" was going on a, quote, "hiatus" beginning on February 1st.
They claim that Jay will return after the Olympics . . . which NBC is covering from February 12th through February 28th . . . but not at 10:00 P.M.
Supposedly, he'll be back at 11:30 P.M. . . . and NBC is still deciding whether he'll just be doing a half-hour show before Conan's "Tonight Show", or if he'll retake his old "Tonight Show" gig. (--Essentially ending Conan's tenure on NBC.)
TMZ says Jay and Conan have been, quote, "told of the changes."
And late last night, TMZ updated their story, saying that NBC has given Conan an ultimatum. He can either go along with their plan to move him to midnight . . . or he can leave the network.
Again, there's no word how much of this . . . if any of it . . . is actually happening, but the "New York Times" and several other more reputable sources are confirming that NBC executives did talk to both Jay and Conan at some point yesterday.
The talks were "about the future of NBC's late-night lineup" . . . but for all we know, they could have just been assuring them that their jobs are safe, and looking for ways to boost both shows' ratings.
NBC did release another statement in response to TMZ's report . . . and it's just as vague as their first one. Quote, "We have the best comedy team in the business.
"We remain committed to keeping Conan O'Brien on NBC. He is a valued part of our late-night line-up, as he has been for more than 16 years, and is one of the most respected entertainers on television."
There's no indication that NBC will be making any further comments on all this. However, IF they're going to be making a change while the Olympics interrupts their normal programming schedule . . .we'll probably be hearing about it soon.
(--Jay joked about this mess in his monologue last night. He said no one told him they were cancelled . . . but he added that if it's true, quote, "it will give us time to do some traveling. I understand that [the] Fox [network] is beautiful this time of year.")
SIMON COWELL'S contract with "American Idol" is up after this season . . . and even though he'll probably re-up, for the moment he's still waffling.
Well, new judge ELLEN DEGENERES says she has no desire to do "Idol" without him. In a group interview with "Entertainment Weekly", Ellen said, quote, "If Simon goes, I go! I will not be there without Simon."
In response, Simon tried to skirt the issue . . . saying, quote, "That's quite a tricky situation you've put me into! I think right now we have to concentrate
on the next season and just get through that and worry about everything else afterwards."
If you haven't heard, "The Bachelor" is promoting a, quote, "shocking scandal" on their promos for next Monday's episode. And they lead you to believe that one of the contestants had a SEXUAL affair with someone related to the show.
--Well, here's the scoop: Contestant Rozlyn Papa has told RadarOnline.com that she DID start a relationship with one of the show's producers while the show was filming . . . but she'd like you to know that it was NOT a sexual relationship.
--Regardless, she was booted. And that's that.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
Experts say the germiest job is teacher/day care worker. What's #2?
A: Bank Teller!
Show Biz Notes:
GARY COLEMAN got an ambulance ride to a Los Angeles-area hospital yesterday morning, because he wasn't feeling well. But apparently, it wasn't anything serious.
Gary's rep said, quote, "He seems to be doing fine. They've found nothing wrong with him so far. They're just testing to make sure everything's OK."
He added that Gary was going to be released after some routine dialysis. (He’s had 2 liver transplants.)
The "National Enquirer" says that CHARLIE SHEEN and BROOKE MUELLER went on a, quote, "all-night cocaine binge" before Charlie allegedly held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her on Christmas Day.
Supposedly, they were snorting in an upstairs room while Charlie's sobriety coach was downstairs.
Meanwhile, the "Star" says that when Charlie returned to L.A. to resume working on "Two and a Half Men", the first thing he did was CALL FOR A HOOKER.
CHARLIE SHEEN is getting the TIGER WOODS treatment: Hanes is yanking those TV commercials with Charlie in them. Permanently. (--You know the commercials . . . they're the ones where Charlie is always pestering MICHAEL JORDAN.)
Hanes said there are still a few print ads that are scheduled to run . . . which they didn't have time to pull. The company calls this, quote, "unfortunate."
JASON ALEXANDER . . . the "Seinfeld" guy, not the dude who was married to Britney Spears for a couple days . . . just signed on as a spokesman for Jenny Craig.
He wants to drop 30 to 40 pounds. But when he reaches his goal, he won't celebrate the way KIRSTIE ALLEY and VALERIE BERTINELLI did. He says, quote, "I will not be wearing a bikini for you."
People's Choice Awards Roundup
JOHNNY DEPP closed out last night's "People's Choice Awards" by accepting a trophy for Actor of the Decade. (--He also won Favorite Movie Actor.)
But the big winner, as usual, was the "Twilight" franchise. It won a total of FOUR awards, including Favorite Movie, Favorite Franchise, Favorite On-Screen Team . . . (--for the entire cast) . . . and Favorite Breakout Actor . . . TAYLOR LAUTNER.
Also riding the vampire wave was HBO's "True Blood" . . . which won Favorite TV Obsession . . . and the CW's "The Vampire Diaries" . . . which took home the trophy for Favorite New TV Drama.
SANDRA BULLOCK had a good night. She won Favorite Movie Actress . . . (--for the FIFTH time, by the way) . . . while "The Proposal" won Favorite Comedy Movie.
QUEEN LATIFAH returned as your host for the FOURTH consecutive year. And she did a HI-larious, pre-recorded sketch busting on the movie "Paranormal Activity" which featured the actual stars of the movie, plus CLORIS LEACHMAN IN BONDAGE GEAR!!!
Favorite Movie: "Twilight"
Favorite Movie (Comedy): "The Proposal"
Favorite Family Movie: "Up"
-Favorite Franchise: "The Twilight Saga"
Favorite Independent Movie: "Inglourious Basterds"
Favorite Female Movie Star: SANDRA BULLOCK
Favorite Male Movie Star: JOHNNY DEPP
Favorite Action Star: HUGH JACKMAN
Favorite Comedic Star: JIM CARREY
Favorite Breakout Actress: MILEY CYRUS
Favorite Breakout Actor: TAYLOR LAUTNER
Favorite Onscreen Team: ROBERT PATTINSON, KRISTEN STEWART & TAYLOR LAUTNER
Favorite TV Drama: "House"
Favorite TV Comedy: "The Big Bang Theory"
Favorite Animal Show: (???) "Dog Whisperer"
Favorite New TV Drama: "The Vampire Diaries"
Favorite New TV Comedy: "Glee"
Favorite Sci-Fi / Fantasy Show: "Supernatural"
Favorite Competition / Reality Show: "American Idol"
Favorite Talk-Show: "The Ellen DeGeneres Show"
Favorite Obsession: "True Blood"
Favorite Drama Actor: HUGH LAURIE
Favorite Drama Actress: KATHERINE HEIGL
Favorite Comedy Actor: STEVE CARELL
Favorite Comedy Actress: ALYSON HANNIGAN
The one’s I like….
Favorite Male Artist: KEITH URBAN !!!!!!!!
--Favorite Female Artist: TAYLOR SWIFT !!!!!!!
--Favorite Country Artist: CARRIE UNDERWOOD
"Avatar" is now the third highest-grossing movie of all time. And it's not done raking in the dough by a long shot.
"Avatar" has grossed $1.1 BILLION worldwide so far . . . $367.5 million of that in the U.S. alone. That puts it ahead of the former #3, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" . . . which made $1.07 billion.
"Avatar" doesn't have far to go to reach #2. That position is currently held by "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" . . . which has a box office gross of $1.12 billion.
That should be an easy goal. But it's going to be a lot more difficult to take the #1 spot.
In order to do that, "Avatar" will have to best the $1.84 million earned by "Titanic" . . . which, in case you didn't know, is another James Cameron movie.
Yesterday, DAVID HASSELHOFF announced that he will not return as a judge on "America's Got Talent" next season . . . because he has his own show on the way.
Try to go about your life as normal….
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
20% of Americans say they never use this anymore What is it?
A: Cash!!
Show Biz Notes:
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
It's crazy but 20% of Americans admit to not doing this on a regular basis What is it?
A: Brushing their hair!
Show Biz Notes:
CASEY JOHNSON . . . an heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune AND the same-sex fiancée of TILA TEQUILA . . . was found dead yesterday. She was 30 years old.
Her body was discovered at her Los Angeles home yesterday morning. There's no word on a cause of death. Police say Casey was probably dead for several days when her body was discovered.
There were no signs of foul play, and police are awaiting the results of toxicology tests.
TMZ spoke with Tila yesterday afternoon, and she said Casey stayed at Tila's house on December 28th. But that was the last time she had any contact with her, because they'd had a fight . . . and Casey's phone had been shut off since the 29th.
VINCE VAUGHN married his girlfriend, Kyla Weber, in a small, private ceremony outside his hometown of Chicago on Saturday.
Kyla, a Canadian real estate agent, is 31 years old . . . Vince is 39.
NBC has finally unveiled the cast of the third season of "Celebrity Apprentice", which will premiere on March 14th. The list was essentially confirmed back in October, when the cast was photographed shooting a promo in New York City.
Cyndi Lauper
Poison singer Bret Michaels
Former baseball star Darryl Strawberry
Actress Holly Robinson Peete
Sharon Osbourne
Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
Sinbad
Comedienne Carol Leifer
Australian chef Curtis Snow
WWE wrestler Maria Kanellis
Former WWE wrestler Bill Goldberg
Former Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders
Model Selita Ebanks
Former Olympic runner Michael Johnson.
Yesterday, CBS finally stopped using WALTER CRONKITE'S voice to introduce the "CBS Evening News" . . . and replaced his voiceover with a new one by MORGAN FREEMAN. (--Cronkite died back on July 17th.)
CBS News President Sean McManus explained, quote, "As comforting as it is to look back on the great career that Walter had, we're looking forward now and we just felt it was the right time to make the move that at some point had to be made.
"This seemed like the appropriate time since Walter's passing to make the move."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: May Old Aquaintance Be Forgot!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Reach Out And Touch Da Phone!
Game 4: A Single-Year Sensation!
Game 5: Amended To That Brother!
For 23% of us this is the first thing we do every morning. What is it?
A: Make coffee!
Show Biz Notes:
SANDRA BULLOCK has been named the Top Money-Making Star of 2009 in the annual Quigley Publishing Poll.
The poll, which is in its 78th year . . . (--It started in 1932) . . . asks theater owners and film buyers to vote for the 10 stars they believe generated the most box office revenue for their theaters over the course of the year.
Sandra is only the 8th woman to top the poll, and the first since JULIA ROBERTS did it back in 1999.
JOHNNY DEPP came in second, followed by MATT DAMON.
It sounds like CHARLIE SHEEN and his wife, BROOKE MUELLER, are trying to work things out . . . after he was arrested for allegedly attacking her on Christmas Day in Aspen, Colorado.
As you've probably heard by now, Charlie was booked on suspicion of menacing, second-degree assault and criminal mischief at a vacation home he'd been renting along with Brooke and their twin sons, Max and Bob. (--They're 10 months old.)
Brooke had called 911, claiming Charlie threatened her with a KNIFE. (--There are some unconfirmed reports that Charlie held Brooke down and put the knife to her throat after she told him she wanted a divorce.)
Charlie is expected to be back to work on his sitcom, "Two and a Half Men", today . . . while Brooke remains in Aspen with the twins, their nannies and Brooke's mother and stepfather.
Local child services officials visited the house other day, and determined that it was a safe, stable environment for the kids.
Paparazzi are collecting outside the Trump International Hotel in New York City, thanks to rumors that TIGER WOODS checked in on New Year's Day.
The word is that Tiger booked an entire floor . . . under an assumed name, of course. And he replaced hotel security with his own goons.
This is where the story gets a little unbelievable: Tiger has supposedly been seen coming and going with a, quote, "leggy blonde".
And one night, two more women were escorted up to his floor . . . along with 20 bottles of vodka and 15 cases of Red Bull.
Meanwhile, Tiger's wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, spent New Year's Day . . . which also happened to be her 30th birthday . . . skiing in the French Alps. She arrived in the French town of Chamonix last Sunday . . . and for all we know, she's still there.
Elin has been staying in a high-class chalet that's costing her $8,000 of Tiger's money per night. She's there with her twin sister Josefin and other close friends.
"AVATAR" IS THE #1 MOVIE FOR THE THIRD WEEK IN A ROW:
"Avatar" continued to dominate the box office for the first weekend of the New Year. It pulled down another $68.3 million to bring its total to $352 million and keep it at #1 for the third week in a row. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) "Avatar", $68.3 million (--Up to a total of $352 million in its 3rd week.)
2.) "Sherlock Holmes", $38.4 million (--Up to a total of $141 million in its 2nd week.)
3.) "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel", $36.6 million (--Up to a total of $157 million in its 2nd week.)
4.) Meryl Streep's romantic comedy "It's Complicated", $18.7 million (--Up to a total of $59 million in its 2nd week.)
5.) Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side", $12.7 million (--Up to a total of $209 million in its 7th week.)
GUY RITCHIE will probably want to make "Sherlock Holmes 2", but he might not get the chance . . . due to HOMOEROTICISM.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. was on "Letterman" recently, and he made a crack about the gay subtext in the relationship between Holmes and Watson . . . who's played by JUDE LAW in the movie.
And he asked the audience to decide whether Holmes is, quote, "a very butch homosexual."
Well, that angered a woman named Andrea Plunket. And that matters because she's one of the executors of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's literary estate.
Whoops, she did it again. Popcrunch.com reports that CNN has apologized for Kathy Griffin's antics on New Year's Eve. For a second year in a row, the bawdy comic let a four-letter word slip during the cable network's live end-of-year countdown on Thursday night. Griffin was co-hosting with newsman Anderson Cooper when she let the obscenity slip during a conversation about October's "Balloon Boy" scandal. In response, Anderson shook his head and said to his co-host, quote, "You're terrible. Really terrible." Cooper's employer took that one further, issuing a statement on Friday saying it quote, "regrets that profanity was used during our New Year's Eve coverage." CNN didn't comment on whether Griffin would return in 2011.
In a new biography called "Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America", author Peter Biskind says that Warren has made sweet love to about 12,775 women. Have a nice day...
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
6% of Americans are still paying for this What is it?
A: Last Christmas!
Show Biz Notes:
Authorities are now going public with a description of Tiger Woods' appearance three days after his November 27 car crash. According to TMZ.com, Florida Highway Patrol says that the golf champion had a, quote, "fat lip" when he met with them on December 1st. The athlete -- who turned 34 on Wednesday -- appeared at an undisclosed location on that early December date to receive a traffic ticket for the incident. An FHP spokesman said that Woods had no other visible facial injuries as previously reported in multiple media outlets. Officers added that Woods' appearance didn't suggest that domestic violence was involved.
In the meantime, Woods' whereabouts remains a mystery. Sources previously stated that the embattled golf star would spend the holidays with friends on his 20-million yacht off the Bahamas. However, the yacht -- called "Privacy -- has been docked in Palm Beach County, Florida. Not in question are the whereabouts of Woods' estranged wife Elin Nordegren and one of his alleged mistresses, Rachel Uchitel. Nordegren is in her native Sweden with their children. Uchitel has been spotted on the party scene in Florida.
Michael Jackson's iconic "Thriller" video is securing its place in history. According to E! News, the Library of Congress has selected the clip as one the 25 films to be added to the National Film Registry this year. Films chosen for the registry must be at least ten years old and "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Michael Jackson's 14-minute "Thriller" video debuted on TV screens in 1983. The video went on to win Grammy awards in 1984 and 1985, and was named the "Greatest Music Video Ever Made" by MTV in 1999.
Also included in this year's National Film Registry class are films such as "Dog Day Afternoon," "The Mark of Zorro," and "The Muppet Movie." The National Film Registry was created in 1989, and currently houses 500 of the film industry's greatest works.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
The average American has 3 of these sitting at home. What are they?
A: Past due bills
Show Biz Notes:
The tale of the two Taylors is coming to an end. UsMagazine.com says Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner's short-lived, never-fully-confirmed romance has come to an amicable end. An unnamed source said to be close to the country star tells the publication, quote, "There was no chemistry," adding "It wasn't really developing into anything, and wasn't going to, so they decided they were better as friends." The Swift source says the relationship ended with the country singer's 20th birthday party earlier this month, explaining, quote, "He liked her more than she liked him. He went everywhere he could to see her, but she didn't travel much to see him." The source adds that Swift and Lautner, quote, "plan to stay friends." Swift and Lautner are expected to promote the upcoming film "Valentine's Day" together. In the film, which opens February 12th, they portray a high school prom king and queen.
The death certificate for actress Brittany Murphy is listing the cause of death as "deferred," pending the results of toxicology and tissue tests. TMZ.com says the certificate was filed Tuesday morning in Los Angeles. The document also cites "pending investigation" in the box that requests a listing for manner of death. The 32-year-old actress was pronounced dead at Cedars Sinai-Medical Center in Los Angeles on December 20th after suffering apparent cardiac arrest at her home. Murphy was buried in a private funeral at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills on Christmas Eve.
BoxOfficeMojo.com's list of the top ten films of 2009 and their gross domestic box office
1. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" -- 402-million-111-thousand dollars
2. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" -- 301-million-959-thousand dollars
3. "Up" -- 293-million-four-thousand dollars
4. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" -- 281-million-930-thousand dollars
5. "The Hangover" -- 277-million-322-thousand dollars
6. "Star Trek" -- 257-million-730-thousand dollars
7. "Avatar" -- 232-million-129-thousand dollars
8. "Monsters Vs. Aliens" -- 198-million-35-thousand dollars
9. "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" -- 96-million-573-thousand dollars
10. "The Blind Side" -- 186-million-937-thousand dollars
"The Hollywood Reporter's" top ten TV blunders of the decade:
1. Writer's Strike
2. ABC Passing on "CSI"
3. Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Nipple Slip
4. MyNetworkTV
5. Election Night Coverage in 2000
6. Dumping Jay Leno From NBC's "The Tonight Show"
7. The Casting of Ryan Jenkins
8. ABC's Overload on "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire"
9. NBC Hiring Ben Silverman
10. Fox Canceling "Family Guy"
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
Injuries caused by this send 6000 people to the emergency room each year...mostly in December. What is it?
A: Opening presents!
Show Biz Notes:
"Avatar" was number one at the box office again this weekend. The sci-fi adventure held off Christmas Day debuts in its second week of release with 75-million dollars in sales for the weekend. "Sherlock Holmes" starring Robert Downey, Jr. pulled in the most ticket sales on Christmas Day, but booked 65-million-point-four-dollars for the three-day weekend beginning December 25th, putting the film in second place.
Here is the list of the top five North American box office draws for the three-day weekend beginning December 25th.
1. Avatar - 75-million dollars
2. Sherlock Holmes - 65-point-four-million dollars
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks - 50-point-two-million dollars
4. It's Complicated - 22-point-one-million dollars
5. Up in the Air - eleven-point-eight-million dollars
Actor Charlie Sheen is free on bond following his arrest on doemestic violence charges on Christmas Day. Celebrity website Radar Online reported over the weekend that the "Two And A Half Men" TV star posted an 85-hundred-dollar bond to be released from the Pitkin County Jail in Aspen, Colorado. The charges reportedly stem from an altercation Sheen had with his wife Brooke Mueller. Police in the popular ski resort town say the 44-year old actor was booked on charges of second-degree assault and menacing, both felonies and on a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief. The website says Sheen was arrested after he allegedly shoved his wife during a heated argument.
Apparently Ivana Trump isn't in a festive mood this holiday season. According to TMZ.com, the former Mrs. Donald Trump was escorted off a plane by Florida police on Saturday. The 60-year-old was sitting in first class when a group of screaming children began running up and down the aisle. Trump allegedly began swearing at the kids, at which point flight attendants attempted to calm her down. Unfortunately, Trump's anger only increased when the flight crew interjected. Palm Beach County sherriff's deputies arrived and asked the socialite to leave, but she refused. Authorities were eventually required to escort Ivana Trump from the plane. She was not arrested and hasn't been charged for the incident.
The 2003 holiday comedy "Elf" is getting the Broadway treatment. "Paste Magazine" reports that the film which starred Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human adopted and raised by North Pole elves, is becoming a musical. Warner Brothers is producing the show, which already is written and workshopped.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
Buying gifts for this person was down 10% last year and more this year. Who are we not buying for?
A: Yourself!!
Show Biz Notes:
Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon are confirming that they've parted ways. People.com reports that the one-time "Bull Durham" co-stars are splitting up after a 23-year relationship. Sarandon's rep, Teal Cannaday said via statement, "Actress Susan Sarandon and her partner of 23 years, actor Tim Robbins have announced that they separated over the summer. No further comments will be made."
In addition to working together on the baseball film "Bull Durham," Sarandon and Robbins collaborated on "Dead Man Walking," which Robbins directed. Sarandon's starring role in that 1996 film earned her a Best Actress Oscar. The couple has two sons together -- 20-year-old Jack and 17-year-old Miles. Sarandon currently stars in the new thriller "The Lovely Bones," now in theaters.
There will still be "American Idol" with or without judge Simon Cowell.That's according to a report from "The Hollywood Reporter" that says Fox is nearing a deal to order more seasons of the hit TV show.Fox currently has a contract with the show that extends through the end of 2011.A deal is in the works, however, that could possibly include three more seasons of the show -- with or without its most cantankerous judge.
Rumors have been swirling that Cowell is leaving the show after its ninth season.Cowell's brother, Tony Cowell, just made an announcement that the upcoming season will be his brother's last.There had been recent speculation that Cowell would depart "Idol" in order to dedicate himself to bringing an American version of Britain's "X Factor" to the states."X Factor" is scheduled to debut in 2011 on Fox.The ninth season of "American Idol" gets underway January 12th.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
Buying gifts for this person was down 10% last year and more this year. Who are we not buying for?
A: Yourself!!
Show Biz Notes:
It appears as if Michael Jackson and his sister Janet were the targets of a series of death threats in the early 1990s. On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released 333 pages of previously classified documents pertaining to the "King of Pop." According to TMZ.com, the files contain threatening letters from a man named Frank Paul Jones. In a letter written in July of 1992, Jones threatens to kill Michael Jackson if the pop icon didn't pay him money. In a subsequent letter, Jones threatened to "commit mass murder" at a Jackson concert if mob boss John Gotti didn't pay him money.
It appears as if the upcoming season of Fox's hit series "American Idol" could be Simon Cowell's last. During the latest podcast of "The Cowell Factor," Simon's brother Tony announced that the sharp-tongued British judge is on his way out the door. Tony states, quote, "A press statement is being prepared which will confirm what everybody expected: Simon will leave 'Idol' at the end of 2010 to concentrate on bringing the American version of 'X Factor' to U.S. TV in 2011." "The X Factor" is Simon Cowell's British series that uses fan voting to discover the next singing sensation. The show has produced winners like pop starlet Leona Lewis.
Last week, the "Times of London" reported that Simon Cowell talked to Fox executives about leaving "American Idol" when his contract runs out at the end of 2010. An American version of "X Factor" is slated to debut in 2011 on Fox. The ninth season of Fox's "American Idol" will debut on January 12th.
LeAnn Rimes divorce might not be all that messy. USMagazine.com says the singer and her estranged husband Dean Sheremet have already arrived at a settlement. They reportedly had an agreement ready last Thursday, when Sheremet filed for divorce. But they didn't submit their settlement document at that time. The legal papers state that they were filing the settlement separately, quote, "due to the parties mutual desire to maintain their respective rights to privacy." It's believed that Rimes and Sheremet will be splitting their mutually shared assets. Their divorce is scheduled to become final on June 19th.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
The average American family spends about $50. on this every year. What is it?
A: Christmas Decorations!
Show Biz Notes:
An autopsy is complete and authorities are now awaiting the results to learn what caused the sudden death of actress Brittany Murphy. TMZ.com says the autopsy was conducted Monday. Sources tell the celebrity tracking website that there were no signs of foul play and that there was nothing that pointed to a cause of death. One source also said Murphy's body appeared "normal," downplaying reports that the actress had appeared abnormally thin in recent weeks. Autopsy results will not be known for six to eight weeks. The 32-year-old actress was pronounced dead on arrival at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Sunday. TMZ cites sources who say Murphy had been taking medication for flu-like symptoms for several days and that there were a lot of prescriptions in the home where she was reportedly found unconscious by her mother.
A California court has rejected a bid by famed film director Roman Polanski to have his child sex case dismissed. Polanski remains under house arrest in Switzerland as attorneys on two continents argue over whether he should be extradited to the United States to face sentencing in the case.
DIANE SAWYER - FIRST PERMANENT NIGHT ON "WORLD NEWS"
NEW YORK (AP) - Diane Sawyer's first night as anchor of ABC
News' evening newscast included a brief salute at the end to
Charles Gibson, whose retirement opened the job for her. Sawyer
referenced Gibson's usual signoff by saying "For you, Charlie
Gibson, I hope you had a good day and a great night." She didn't
say anything about it being her first night on the job. Her
greeting was "Good evening and it is so good to be here with you
tonight."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
30% of Americans say their life would be miserable without this. What is it?
A: The Internet!
Show Biz Notes:
The family of Brittany Murphy is asking the public to respect their privacy as they mourn the sudden passing of the 32-year-old actress. Murphy was pronounced dead at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Sunday after paramedics rushed her to the hospital following a 911 call. In a statement, Murphy's family said, quote, "In this time of sadness, the family thanks you for your love and support. It is their wish that you respect their privacy." TMZ.com was the first to report Murphy's death saying the actress had died of apparent cardiac arrest. Los Angeles authorities say Murphy died of natural causes. An autopsy is planned.
The big-budget 3-D epic "Avatar" won big at the box office this weekend, but fell slightly short of studio expectations. Industry experts are blaming the massive storm on the East Coast for "Avatar's" box office shortcomings. The new film from "Titanic" director James Cameron earned 73-million-dollars for the weekend, while industry analysts expected the movie to bring in around 85-million. "Avatar" reportedly cost more than 300-million-dollars to make.
1. Avatar - 73-million dollars
2. The Princess and the Frog - 12-point-two-million dollars
3. The Blind Side - ten-million dollars
4. Did You Hear About the Morgans? - seven-million dollars
5. The Twilight Saga: New Moon - four-point-four-million dollars
Just like the reality show that made them famous, the marriage between Jon and Kate Gosselin is over. A Pennsylvania judge finalized divorce papers last Friday.
Eldest Jonas Brother -- Kevin aka "K2" -- is now off the market. People.com reports the pop singer married Danielle Deleasa on Saturday night at Oheka Castle, a French-inspired chateau on Long Island, New York.
The winner of CBS's "Survivor: Samoa" is 26-year-old Natalie White of Van Buren, Arkansas. The "Southern Belle" and pharmaceutical saleswoman was voted to be the winner by a jury of her fellow castaways. Host Jeff Probst made the announcement on Sunday night's "Survivor: Samoa" reunion special, which aired live on CBS from Los Angeles.
The next installment of "Survivor" -- the TV franchise Variety.com called "the most influential program" of the decade -- will be played as an all-star season. The 20th edition of the show will be called "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains." While no location for the show was given, the all-star season will begin airing on CBS on February 11th.
The Diane Sawyer era begins tonight on ABC's "World News." The veteran news personality begins her tenure in the "World News" anchor chair vacated by Charles Gibson last Friday. Gibson's farewell brought his 40-year broadcasting career to an end. The 66-year-old newsman had spent almost 35 years with ABC. Sawyer ended her almost eleven-year run on ABC's "Good Morning America" on December 11th to succeed Gibson on "World News."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
There about 1.9 million people living in Las Vegas right now. What was the population in 1909?
A: Thirty!
Show Biz Notes:
Nobody's seen TIGER WOODS since before Thanksgiving . . . and nobody knows what he's been up to.
But if you believe the various tabloid reports, he's been spending his time eating cereal, watching cartoons and golfing by himself at night. (???)
The "eating cereal and watching cartoons" thing comes from "Showbiz Spy". They claim that's how Tiger is coping with his problems.
He may watch something other than just cartoons, but one thing he CAN'T watch is ESPN . . . because they're constantly running updates on all the problems that his transgressions caused him.
Meanwhile, "Us Weekly" says Tiger has been hitting a local golf course late at night to blow off steam.
-A source says, quote, "He goes after dark so he can't be seen. For him, what's more therapeutic than hitting golf balls, the thing he's best at in the whole world?"
The gossip media is sticking to its story that ELIN NORDEGREN is divorcing TIGER WOODS.
A so-called "source" told ABC News that, quote, "A divorce is 100% on." But it may not happen anytime soon.
-The source says, quote, "She's going to take her sweet time. She wants all the dirty laundry to be out on the table before she signs anything."
Tiger and Elin are still getting therapy . . . but the source says that the sessions just amount to Tiger, quote, "apologizing over and over again."
Tiger Woods has lost a few sponsors . . . but he may have also gained one. The New York City strip club Scores is offering Tiger $1 million to be their pitchman AND their human resources director.
-Part of the deal would include Scores opening a new "Tiger Woods Room".
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
Here's a quick look at what's new at the local multiplex this weekend . . .
#1.) "Avatar" (PG-13)
-This is the new sci-fi flick from James Cameron that supposedly changes how movies mix live-action and digital animation. It's about humans invading an alien planet in search of a mineral that can solve Earth's energy crisis.
Sam Worthington plays a paraplegic soldier who infiltrates the blue-skinned aliens through an "avatar" . . . a genetically engineered alien body that he controls with his mind. But he falls for a female alien and switches sides. It's meant to be seen in 3-D, but you can also watch it in 2-D.
Sigourney Weaver plays the doctor flipping his mind back and forth between bodies and Michelle Rodriguez is his pilot. (--You'd know Sam Worthington for playing Marcus Wright, the cyborg who thinks he's human, in "Terminator Salvation".)
#2.) "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" (PG-13)
Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker play a couple whose divorce plans are ruined when they witness a murder. Then they're forced to keep living together in the witness protection program while they're hunted by a contract killer.
#3.) "Nine" (PG-13) (Limited)
A film version of the Tony-award winning Broadway musical. It stars Daniel Day Lewis as a famous Italian film director whose life unravels just as he starts production on his ninth film.
The rest of the cast includes Penelope Cruz as his mistress, Nicole Kidman as his "muse", Kate Hudson as a flirtatious journalist, Sophia Loren as his mama, and Fergie as a prostitute from his misspent youth.
When the play first opened on Broadway back in 1982 it starred Raul Julia as Guido, the director. Antonio Banderas was the star when they revived the play in 2003 but he turned down the chance to do the movie version.
Director BRYAN SINGER is returning to the "X-Men" franchise. He says, quote, "I, just yesterday, signed a deal to do an 'X-Men: First Class' picture, which is kind of cool. I'm very excited."
Singer wrote and directed the first two "X-Men" movies, but backed out of the third to make that misguided "Superman Returns" movie.
A PopEater.com columnist claims that unnamed "TV executives" told him that NBC is looking to replace CONAN O'BRIEN on "The Tonight Show" . . . and that the first name on their wish list is JERRY SEINFELD. (--Naturally.)
Reps for both Conan and NBC have denied the report.
Its only a rumor, but an "inside source" says Spider-Man 4 has been put on "indefinite hold" due to arguments over the villain between Sony execs and director Sam Raimi.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
The majority of women are particular about the color of these. What are they?
A: Underwear!
Show Biz Notes:
The Associated Press has named TIGER WOODS the Athlete of the Decade . . . for his accomplishments on the golf course, obviously.
Tiger received 56 of the 142 votes cast by editors at various U.S. newspapers.
About half the ballots came in AFTER Tiger's Thanksgiving weekend debacle . . . so obviously, a lot of people overlooked it and voted strictly on Tiger's athletic achievements.
The AP says, quote, "For 10 incomparable years, no one ruled a sport like Woods. He won 64 times around the world, including 12 majors, and hoisted a trophy on every continent golf is played. He lost only one time with the lead going into the final round.
"His 56 PGA Tour victories in one incomparable decade were more than anyone except four of golf's greatest players won in their careers."
LANCE ARMSTRONG finished second with 33 votes . . . followed by tennis stud ROGER FEDERER with 25, and aquatic stoner MICHAEL PHELPS with 13.
TOM BRADY rounded out the top 5 with six votes.
This is one of those stories that's just too ridiculous to be true . . . but too fun to ignore.
The "Star" tabloid claims that TIGER WOODS once exchanged phone numbers with JESSICA SIMPSON.
It happened at the AT&T National Pro-Am golf tournament in Bethesda, Maryland back in July . . . just days before Jessica split with TONY ROMO.
Tony and Tiger were actually partners. (--And they were Grrrrreat!!!) (???) But that didn't stop Tiger from hitting on Jess. A so-called "source" says, quote, "Tiger liked what he saw and let her know it."
And Jess was feeling a little neglected, so she went along with it. The source says, quote, "Jessica said that she felt like Tony wasn't paying attention to her, so she was like, 'What the heck!' She decided to have fun with Tiger whether it bothered Tony or not."
-At the end of the day, they exchanged both digits and e-mail addresses.
Jessica is denying this, of course. Yesterday, she Tweeted, quote, "I can't believe that I'm on the cover of 'Star' magazine with Tiger Woods. What a JOKE!"
Jessica WAS at the tournament, and she did meet Tiger. But her rep says she was there to sing the national anthem, and she only stayed a few hours.
ROBERT HALDERMAN . . . the CBS producer accused of trying to extort $2 million from DAVID LETTERMAN . . . was afraid that Dave would have him KILLED.
Prosecutors handling the case released transcripts of conversations that were secretly recorded between Halderman and Letterman's camp.
And Halderman tells them, quote, "I'm not sure how crazy this guy is, or um, how dangerous he might be. Should I be fired, mysteriously . . . if my house burns down . . . any number of things that . . . I have no idea who or what he is or is capable of.
-"The only way to be sure that I never talk to anybody is for somebody to kill me. Well, you know, I don't want that to happen."
TAYLOR SWIFT MADE THE COVER OF "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE'S 25 MOST INTRIGUING PEOPLE ISSUE:
Last week, we found out who fascinated BARBARA WALTERS. And this week, we learn who intrigued "People" magazine. (!!!) "People" drops its 25 Most Intriguing People of 2009 issue tomorrow. And TAYLOR SWIFT is on the cover.
Rumor has it that someone wants to remake the AWESOME 1984 movie "Supergirl" . . . with TAYLOR SWIFT in the lead role. But that's all we know for now. (--We'll let you know if we hear something definite.)
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
A survey of children shows that video games are the #1 request to Santa. What's #2?
A: Legos!
Show Biz Notes:
Nike continues to stand firmly in TIGER WOODS' corner. Yesterday, company boss PHIL KNIGHT said, quote, "When his career is over, you'll look back on these indiscretions as a minor blip, but the media is making a big deal out of it right now."
Knight also noted that when the company checked out Woods as a potential pitchman, he definitely met their criteria.
-He said, quote, "There's always a risk. One of the things we always try to do when we have a big endorsement is check out the character and the pattern of the individual.
"But you're not going to get it right all the time, and if you're going to be in the business you have to recognize that.
This would be all TIGER WOODS needs right now: A doctor who has treated him and other professional athletes is being investigated for allegedly doling out performance-enhancing drugs.
Dr. Anthony Galea was stopped at the U.S.-Canadian border with Human Growth Hormone and Actovegin . . . a drug extracted from calf's blood.
According to the "New York Times", the FBI is in on the investigation. Nobody has named any athletes Galea supposedly gave performance-enhancing drugs to. Galea denies any wrongdoing.
Galea works a lot with athletes because of some plasma-therapy technique he invented that speeds up the recovery process after surgery. As far as anyone knows, the technique is legal.
Tiger had it done several times in February and March of this year, to help him recover from knee surgery the previous summer.
Reached for comment, Tiger's agent said, quote, "I would really ask that you guys don't write this. If Tiger is NOT implicated, and won't be, let's please give the kid a break."
The "Guinness Book of World Records" has named "Harry Potter" actress EMMA WATSON the highest-grossing actress of the decade . . . meaning that her movies raked in more cash than those of any other actress.
Emma has only done six live-action movies this decade . . . but they were the "Harry Potter" flicks. Collectively, they took in $5.4 billion worldwide.
As for Emma's male counterpart, "Guinness" lists SAMUEL L. JACKSON . . . but they don't provide any numbers.
Popwatch.com . . . which is an "Entertainment Weekly" blog . . . is disputing that.
They say Sam's movies this decade have "only" made $3.3 billion.
Meanwhile, JOHNNY DEPP has raked in $4.2 billion, thanks to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and other hits.
-But Johnny doesn't get the nod, either. Because SIR IAN MCKELLAN has him beat. McKellan's flicks . . . which include the "Lord of the Rings" and "X-Men" trilogies . . . have made $4.8 billion.
-But McKellan doesn't top the list, either.
It would appear that the actor whose movies have generated the most cash this decade is ORLANDO BLOOM. Thanks mostly to his appearance in both the "Pirates of the Caribbean" AND "Lord of the Rings" trilogies . . . he's at the top with $6.5 billion.
Nominees for the "67th Annual Golden Globe Awards" were announced yesterday.
The GEORGE CLOONEY flick "Up in the Air" led all movie nominees with SIX nods . . . while the Fox comedy "Glee" topped the TV category with FOUR.
"Up in the Air" is a Best Drama nominee, along with "Avatar", "Inglourious Basterds", "The Hurt Locker" and "Precious".
The Best Comedy nominees are "500 Days of Summer", "The Hangover", "It's Complicated", "Julie & Julia" and "Nine".
"Nine" was second to "Up In the Air" with five nominees. "Avatar" and "Inglourious Basterds" had four each.
"Glee" is up for Best Comedy Series. It's competing with "30 Rock", "Modern Family", "Entourage" and "The Office".
The Best Drama Series nominees are "Big Love", "Dexter", "Mad Men", "House" and "True Blood". (--"Big Love", "Dexter" and "Mad Men" all had three nominations apiece.)
The "Golden Globes" air on January 17th on NBC.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
Tiger Woods Briefs (ok, I know I didn't have to call it that)
ELIN NORDEGREN surfaced over the weekend for the first time since her supposed Thanksgiving meltdown. She was photographed pumping gas near her home in Florida. And she WASN'T WEARING HER WEDDING RING.
RACHEL UCHITEL got her public apology yesterday from JOY BEHAR. Joy rattled off a quick apology on "The View" . . . and Rachel's attorney later said she accepted it. Case closed.
TMZ says that RACHEL UCHITEL has been receiving DEATH THREATS over her alleged affair with TIGER WOODS. Apparently, some people got her phone number off an old picture that's floating around online.
She also had to shut down her Facebook page, because people were harassing her there, too.
Rumors started circulating that KATE HUDSON and ALEX RODRIGUEZ have broken up . . . after A-Rod spent this past weekend partying like he was single.
While Kate was in New York promoting her new movie, "Nine", Alex was living it up at a Miami club with TWO WOMEN. A witness says, quote, "He was acting very single, and Kate was definitely not there."
We should note that Kate was on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on Thursday night, and Dave made a sly comment about the relationship. Kate tried to be coy, and said, quote, "Yeah, he's a friend of mine. Nice guy."
The newborn son of TOM BRADY and GISELE BUNDCHEN is a week old today . . . and he still doesn't have a name. Tom blames Gisele for this.
He says, quote, "We thought we had a name picked out for about six months and then about two days before he was born she said, 'I don't like that name anymore.'
We have about seven or eight choices. I have got to be home for more than just two-three hours so we can talk about it."
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN gave birth to a baby boy early yesterday morning. His name is Mason Dash Disick.
NBC's new drama, "Parenthood", will premiere on March 1st. (--It's based on the great 1989 STEVE MARTIN movie of the same name.)
Originally, the show was supposed to premiere this fall, but it was delayed because its star, MAURA TIERNEY, had to be replaced after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The role was given to former "Gilmore Girls" star LAUREN GRAHAM.
"NINE," "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS" TIE FOR TEN CRITICS CHOICE AWARD NOMINATIONS
"Nine" leads with ten nominations for the 15th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The upcoming movie musical starring Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson and Penelope Cruz, ties with Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" for the most nominations going into the ceremony hosted by the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Both films are also vying for the coveted Best Picture prize. Following close behind with nine nominations is James Cameron's "Avatar" along with "Up In The Air," and "The Hurt Locker" each receiving eight nominations. VH1 will broadcast the 15th Annual Critics Choice Awards on January 15th at 9:00 pm Eastern. Kristen Chenoweth will host the gala event from the Hollywood Palladium.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Here Comes Santa Claus...or not...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
12% of us hide our money here. Where is it?
A: In our shoes!
Show Biz Notes:
TIGER WOODS issued another statement on Friday. This time, he admitted to INFIDELITY . . . but didn't go into any detail . . . and announced that he's taking an indefinite break from golf. (!!!)
He said, quote, "I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness.
"It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try."
He added, quote, "After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person."
(AP) - It wasn't a good endorsements weekend for Tiger
Woods. Gillette said Saturday it would limit the golfer's exposure
in its razor ads and yesterday the global consulting firm Accenture
said it was ending its six-year sponsorship of the world's No. 1
ranked golfer in light of revelations about Woods' admitted
infidelity.
KENDRA WILKINSON gave birth to her baby boy at about 12:37 A.M. Friday. His name is Hank Randall Baskett the Fourth. His dad is Indianapolis Colts receiver HANK BASKETT . . . who married Kendra this past June.
Reality TV stars Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar are celebrating the birth of their 19th child. People.com reports that the Duggars -- the subjects of TLC's "18 Kids And Counting" -- welcomed a daughter Josie Brooklyn last Thursday night at the University of Arkansas Center for Medical Sciences. Michelle was already at the hospital recovering from a gallstone when she was taken in for an emergency C-section. Although premature, the baby is reportedly in stable condition at the facility's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Mom Michelle is also resting comfortably. A rep for TLC said in a statement, quote, "The most important thing right now is for mom and baby Josie to get as much rest as possible. The family is grateful for all the prayers and well wishes during their recovery."
"THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG" IS THE NEW #1 MOVIE IN AMERICA:
Disney's new "Princess and the Frog" movie made $25 million in its first weekend of wide release to open at #1. Here are the rest of the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) "The Princess and the Frog", $25 million (--Up to a total of $28 million in what's technically its 3rd week, even though it was only in 2 theaters before this past weekend.)
2.) Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side", $15.5 million (--Up to a total of $150 million in its 4th week.)
3.) (NEW) Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon's "Invictus", $9.1 million
4.) "The Twilight Saga: New Moon", $8 million (--Up to a total of $267 million in its 4th week.)
5.) "A Christmas Carol", $6.9 million (--Up to $124 million in its 6th week.)
MEL GIBSON will direct LEONARDO DICAPRIO in a movie about Vikings. There's no word on the title yet. Filming is expected to begin next fall.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: What's in a Name?
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
How many miles of paved roadway were there in the US in 1909?
A: 144 miles!
Show Biz Notes:
Attorneys for TIGER WOODS were granted an order by Britain's High Court that bars any British media outlets from publishing nude photos and / or videos of Tiger.
Specifically, the order bars publication of, quote, "any photographs, footage or images taken or obtained of the claimant [Tiger] naked or any naked parts of the claimant's [Tiger's] body or of him involved in any sexual activity."
At the same time, however, Tiger's lawyers aren't admitting that any such materials actually exist.
On "The View" yesterday, Joy made the following crack . . . quote, "Uchitel she's a hooker." (--Get it??? It sounds like, "You could tell she's a hooker." It's actually not a bad joke.)
Rachel, however, was NOT amused. In fact, Uchitel she's upset. And she's considering a LAWSUIT if ABC doesn't issue a retraction.
Rachel's attorney, Gloria Allred, says, quote, "This statement about Ms. Uchitel is false and defamatory and highly offensive to her. Rachel is very upset by that statement which has been viewed and now read all around the world.
It's TOTALLY UNSUBSTANTIATED RUMOR TIME: Some blog says that JAKE GYLLENHAAL is going to propose to REESE WITHERSPOON over the holidays.
A so-called "source" says, quote, "Her children love him, his family loves her and now it's time to make it official. Reese is a traditional sort of lady, which is one of the many things Jake adores about her, and Christmas is her favorite holiday."
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) "The Princess and the Frog" (G) (--It's only played in L.A. and New York so far, but it'll be EVERYWHERE starting today.)
"Dreamgirls" actress Anika Noni Rose is Disney's first black princess . . . and her parents are played by Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard. She kisses a frog to undo a curse, but then she turns into a frog too. Typical animated antics ensue as they search the Louisiana bayou to find a voodoo priestess who can break the spell.
#2.) "Invictus" (PG-13)
Clint Eastwood directs the true story of how Nelson Mandela used the power of sports to unite South Africa in the wake of apartheid. Matt Damon is the captain of the South African rugby team, who he convinces to fight for the World Cup. Morgan Freeman plays Mandela.
It's official: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS will be replacing DIANE SAWYER as ROBIN ROBERTS' co-host on "Good Morning America".
Diane's last day was TODAY. She'll begin anchoring "ABC World News" on Monday, December 21st. George's first day will be this coming Monday.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: What's in a Name?
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
For the most part, kids use them, adults do not. What are they?
A: Mittens!
Show Biz Notes:
Here's that video of the strange lights over Norway. Please note: they're speaking Norwegian...
Obama in Norway to pick up peace prize...strange lights in the sky...
Connected?
Discuss....
U.S. Representative JOE BACA . . . a Democrat from California . . . proposed a measure back in March giving Tiger the Congressional Gold Medal for his achievements on and off the golf course. But he just changed his mind.
Baca is dropping the effort because of, quote, "the recent developments surrounding Tiger Woods and his family." (--The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor that can be given to a civilian.)
DONALD TRUMP thinks Tiger is going to be, quote, "just fine" . . . and adds that he's, quote, "a wonderful guy."
GISELE BUNDCHEN gave birth to a baby boy on Tuesday night. This is the first kid for Gisele, but the second for husband TOM BRADY. He has a 2-year-old son with his ex-girlfriend, BRIDGET MOYNAHAN.
-Brady said yesterday that he and Gisele hadn't decided on a name for their new baby yet.
ALEC BALDWIN is backing off his claim that he'll quit acting when his "30 Rock" contract expires in 2012. He now says, quote, "It's ridiculous. What I wanted to say is I wanted to do other things." That is all.
Did you see that new horror movie spoof, "Transylmania" last weekend??? Wait, let me answer that for you: No.
And I know this because basically NOBODY saw it. The movie opened on 1,007 screens, and grossed an unbelievably low $263,941. (--Which means that over an entire weekend, each of those theaters only made an average of 262 bucks off of it.)
That's the worst opening for a movie playing more than 1,000 screens since "Rich Girl" in 1991.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: What's in a Name?
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
This recreational activity has steadily decreased over the last 30 years. What is it?
A: Hunting!
Show Biz Notes:
TMZ is reporting that when TIGER WOODS was admitted to the hospital over Thanksgiving weekend, his admission chart listed his condition as an OVERDOSE.
We do know that his wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, gave police at the scene of the accident two pill bottles . . . for Ambien and Vicodin. He had prescriptions for both. She also allegedly told them Tiger had been drinking earlier in the evening.
Sources also say that Tiger was intubated . . . meaning that a tube was placed down his throat to help him breathe. And TMZ says Tiger was admitted under the alias "William Smith".
Gatorade is no longer making the TIGER WOODS sports drink, Tiger Focus. But they say it has NOTHING to do with Tiger's interesting Thanksgiving weekend . . . and they have NOT severed their relationship with him.
A Gatorade spokesperson says, quote, "As reported last month, we decided several months ago to discontinue Gatorade Tiger Focus along with some other products to make room for our planned series of innovative products in 2010.
There's one company out there that's ecstatic with TIGER WOODS' recent behavior. Although they're not a sponsor. It's Yahoo! . . . which has seen a huge increase in web traffic since Tiger's Thanksgiving weekend debacle.
During an investors' conference yesterday, Yahoo! CEO Carol Bartz said simply, quote, "God bless Tiger."
Many of TIGER WOODS' sponsors are publicly supporting him. But behind the scenes, they might not have his back.
Nielsen . . . the company that compiles the TV ratings . . . says that ads featuring Tiger are getting scarcer and scarcer.
The last one to air in primetime was a 30-second Gillette commercial on Saturday, November 29th . . . before Thanksgiving weekend was even over.
Tiger ads were also absent from last weekend's NFL games . . . which is pretty unheard of.
BRYANT GUMBEL made a surprise revelation while co-hosting "Live! With Regis and Kelly" yesterday: He recently underwent LUNG CANCER SURGERY.
He said he had part of a lung removed along with a malignant tumor two months ago . . . and he has a follow-up appointment with his surgeon next week.
He said, quote, "I'm OK for the time being. I'm hoping they greenlight me to play golf again." He added, quote, "We hope . . . we HOPE, it's over."
Those two people who tried to blackmail JOHN STAMOS with party pics he posed for a few years ago must not have had anything too damaging. Because Stamos is going to let us SEE the photos once the case is over.
His rep says, quote, "The photos in question are photos of John posing with fans. At the conclusion of the investigation and hearing, the photos will be available and the public will be able to see that the photos are simply John posing with fans."
Yesterday, CBS announced that it's dropping "As the World Turns" . . . the current longest-running soap on daytime TV.
"As the World Turns" has been on the air for 54 years.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: What's in a Name?
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
In 1947 there were 86 of these in North America. Now there are 300. What are they?
A: Area codes!
Show Biz Notes:
Some documents from the TIGER WOODS crash that were released yesterday suggest that Tiger may have been DRINKING hours before he crashed his SUV over Thanksgiving weekend.
The Florida Highway Patrol tried to subpoena medical records from the hospital that treated Tiger at the crash. They wanted Tiger's blood test results from that night, because they suspected Tiger had been drinking.
Why did they suspect him??? Because his wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, told them he'd been drinking earlier in the day. She also told them he'd been prescribed both Ambien and the painkiller Vicodin.
The request for the subpoena was DENIED, however . . . due to lack of evidence.
According to a recent poll, Tiger's approval rating is at about 60%. That's down from 84% in June.
This isn't confirmed yet, but RadarOnline.com claims that TIGER WOODS' wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, has moved out of their home in Windermere, Florida, and is living in another house nearby.
Tiger's reps are supposedly keeping this quiet . . . and hoping she'll move back ASAP.
Two people were arrested in Michigan for trying to blackmail JOHN STAMOS.
23-year-old Allison Coss and 30-year-old Scott Sippola threatened to go public with photographs they claimed would damage his reputation . . . unless he coughed up $700,000.
There's no word what was in the pictures, but they were snapped during a party that Stamos and the two suspects attended back in 2004.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: What's in a Name?
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
9300 people are injured by this every year. What is it?
A: The computer!
Show Biz Notes:
THREE new women came forward over the weekend, claiming to have had a piece of TIGER WOODS' action.
One of them is a 33-year-old restaurant manager by the name of MINDY LAWTON. She claims she had a year-long relationship with Tiger that started in May of 2006.
"All he wanted me for was sex. [He was a] selfish, heartless man."
Next up is JAMIE JUNGERS. She's a 26-year-old . . . Oh, heck. WHO CARES what these women do for a living. We do know that Jamie used to model for a company called Trashy Lingerie. Jamie's former boss there said she was shocked when she heard that Jamie was ALLEGEDLY one of Tiger's girls. She says, quote, "I called her and said, 'Congratulations . . . I think.' Jamie laughed and admitted it to me. She has nothing to hide. She didn't do anything wrong. She's a good girl. It's all good for her." (???)
Contestant #3 . . . and #6 overall . . . is CORI RIST. She's 31, and she claims she met Tiger in a club last year. She says he secretly flew her around the world for . . . you know . . . sex.
Several gossip websites are saying we can expect MORE ladies to throw their panties into the ring in the coming days.
Meanwhile, reports have surfaced that Tiger reached a deal with Rachel Uchitel to KEEP HER MOUTH SHUT. The word is he's paying her over $1 million . . . but less than $3 million.
MORE CELEBRITY REACTIONS TO THE TIGER WOODS INCIDENT:
More celebrities reacted to the TIGER WOODS Incident over the weekend. Here's what some of them said . . .
HUGH HEFNER, not surprisingly, doesn't think Tiger's cheating is a big deal. He says, quote, "If you're a good-looking guy and young and healthy, the notion that there would be something else going on, well, marriage is just a convenience.
--"It's very nice for raising kids, but the notion that monogamy lasts forever is a wish!"
50 CENT boiled Tiger's troubles down to a very simple mistake . . . quote, "He just picked the wrong girls I guess."
And finally, STAR JONES used the opportunity to take a dig at BARBARA WALTERS.
She said, quote, "My former boss might be a good choice (to interview Tiger). She wrote an entire book where she detailed her own affair and got paid a lot of money.
"She would be a very good choice. That would be like the pot calling the kettle black. I'm not sure she would be sympathetic, but she can't be as judgmental."
TOM BROKAW and his wife Meredith were involved in a FATAL car crash in New York City on Friday . . . but they're both okay. The accident occurred at about 1:00 P.M. on the Bruckner Expressway.
Tom's camp released a statement saying that the accident was caused by a spool of cable that suddenly came bouncing into the roadway.
A 28-year-old woman driving an SUV in the lane next to the Brokaws swerved to avoid the spool, which caused a mail truck to swerve in front of the Brokaws. Tom Brokaw hit his brakes, but ended up colliding with the mail truck on the median. The SUV went off the road . . . and the driver was thrown from her vehicle and killed. Another unidentified man was hospitalized with serious injuries.
The statement said that Tom and Meredith were, quote, "greatly saddened by this loss of life."
Professional wrestler EDDIE FATU . . . whom you would know better as UMAGA . . . died Friday at a hospital in Houston, Texas. He was 36.
There's no word on the cause of death . . . but some reports say he suffered a heart attack.
The new SANDRA BULLOCK movie "The Blind Side", made another $20 million in its third week. That was enough to dethrone "New Moon" from the top of the box office. TOBEY MAGUIRE'S "Brothers" came in a distant third with $9 million.
Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side", $20.4 million (--Up to a total of $129 million in its 3rd week.)
2.) "The Twilight Saga: New Moon", $15.7 million (--Up to a total of $256 million in its 3rd week.)
3.) (NEW) Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal's "Brothers", $9.7 million
4.) "A Christmas Carol", $7.5 million (--Up to $115 million in its 5th week.)
5.) Robin Williams and John Travolta's "Old Dogs", $6.9 million (--Up to $33.9 million in its 2nd week.)
Deadline.com is reporting that Paramount has landed 17-year-old "Twilight" stud TAYLOR LAUTNER to star in their upcoming "Max Steel" movie. There aren't any details yet on when it might begin production.
According to the site, the plot will be about a, quote, "19-year-old extreme sports junkie [who is] recruited by a secret agency after an accident infects his body, leaving him with superhuman powers."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: What's in a Name?
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Tricky Flicky!
Game 4: The Older Ya Get!
Game 5: The Long Arms of the Law!
How many yellow medallion cabs are there in NYC?
A: 12,050!
Show Biz Notes:
RACHEL UCHITEL and her fame-whore attorney, GLORIA ALLRED, called off their press conference yesterday. And rumor has it that a $1 million offer from TIGER WOODS might have something to do with her silence.
Tiger's people and Rachel's people reportedly spent several hours negotiating by phone Wednesday night before striking a deal. The press conference was called off yesterday morning.
The word is that Rachel has her own collection of texts and voicemails from Tiger and she's looking to score a big payday by selling them to the media.
What we heard yesterday was that the existing agreement gives Elin Nordegren's $20 million if she and Tiger stay together for 10 years. But the new agreement would give Elin MORE money and allow her to leave sooner.
What we're hearing now is that Elin only has to stay SEVEN years from the original date of the prenup, in order to collect her $20 million.
That means she can ditch him two years from right now and bank that cash. Then, in addition to being hot AND Swedish, she'll also be insanely wealthy.
But there's even more money in it for her if she stays longer. The amount goes up incrementally, to the point where if she stays with Tiger for another SEVEN years from now, she can pocket $75 MILLION.
Oh, and we're also hearing that the big, seven-figure lump sum Tiger dumped into Elin's bank account earlier this week was $5 million.
When TIGER WOODS apologized for his "transgressions" the other day, millions of Americans ran to their computers . . . to look up the word "transgressions"!!!
"Transgressions" was the #1 trending topic on Google Wednesday . . . while "transgression definition" was #5.
The media vultures are circling, trying to get that first TIGER WOODS interview. And OPRAH WINFREY is going for the inside track. The word is she reached out to Tiger personally to offer him advice, comfort and friendship.
And, of course, the opportunity to come on her show and tell his side of the story. Reps for Matt Lauer, Barbara Walters and Larry King are all trying to get in touch, too . . . but Oprah is reportedly the only one who called personally.
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) "Brothers" (R)
Natalie Portman plays a Marine wife who's told that her husband died in Afghanistan. His brother consoles her a little TOO well and they fall in love. Unfortunately, her husband DIDN'T die. And as soon as he suspects that his brother's been plowing his wife, it all hits the fan.
Tobey Maguire plays the jealous husband and Jake Gyllenhaal is his brother.
#2.) "Armored" (PG-13)
Columbus Short plays a young armored car guard who lets some of the other guards convince him to rob their own truck, just as long as no one gets hurt. But after one of them shoots a cop, Short refuses to let him die . . . and locks himself in the truck with the loot and the wounded cop.
Matt Dillon and Laurence Fishburne lead the crew of crooked guards . . . and "Heroes" stud Milo Ventimiglia plays the unlucky cop that they shoot.
#3.) "Everybody's Fine" (PG-13)
Robert De Niro's kids cancel their plans to come home for the holidays, so he takes a trip to surprise them . . . and finds out that their lives aren't going nearly as well as they'd led him to believe. Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell play his dysfunctional kids.
#4.) "Serious Moonlight " (R) (Limited)
Meg Ryan's husband tells her that he's leaving her for a younger woman, then she knocks him out, duct tapes him to a toilet, and holds him HOSTAGE until he falls back in love with her.
Unfortunately they're interrupted by his mistress . . . and their opportunistic gardener, who starts robbing the place after overpowering the two women. Timothy Hutton plays her cheating husband, Kristen Bell is his mistress, and Justin Long is the thieving gardener.
#5.) "Up in the Air " (R) (Limited) (--It opens nationwide on Christmas Day.)
George Clooney is a corporate downsizer who's lived on the road for so long that he's almost earned his lifetime goal of 10 million frequent flyer miles. But just when he falls in love with another traveler, his company's new efficiency expert threatens to cut off his travel budget.
The expert is played by Anna Kendrick . . . who "Twilight" fans would recognize as Bella's friend Jessica. Jason Bateman is also in it as Clooney's boss.
#6.) "TransylMania" (R) (Limited)
A vampire spoof that's actually a sequel to the National Lampoon "Dorm Daze" movies. The cast of "Dorm Daze 2" goes to Transylvania for a semester at a castle that just so happens to be full of vampires. Eye candy includes the current Doublemint Twins, Natalie and Nicole Garza.
ABC has not named a successor for DIANE SAWYER on "Good Morning America" yet . . . but sources tell "The Washington Post" that they've offered the job to GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS.
Supposedly, George is thinking it over, but he wants ABC to shift the tone of the show a little so he can cover more "hard news" stories, rather than the lighter features. So it's not a done deal yet.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: NOT!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Just Toyin' with ya! Pt 2
Game 4: What a Drag!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
73% of women have this in their purse right now. What is it?
A: Pain Reliever!
Show Biz Notes:
Tiger Woods Update:
Rachel Uchitel is old news. It's sounding more and more like JAIMEE GRUBBS is the woman at the bottom of all TIGER WOODS' Thanksgiving weekend woes.
Jaimee is the one Tiger left a voicemail for just two days before Thanksgiving . . . saying that his wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, may have found out about them.
TIGER WOODS issued another statement yesterday . . . and this time, he came a little closer to admitting that he's been putting on other women's greens.
He didn't cop to anything specifically, but he did refer to his, quote, "transgressions" and his "personal failings".
He said, quote, "I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect.
"I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone."
TMZ says that Rachel Uchitel has been LYING about not having an affair with Tiger, in order to protect him. And she was indeed the one who caused ELIN NORDEGREN to (--allegedly) attack her husband.
We have to believe that something interesting involving Rachel is going to happen today . . . because she and her lawyer, GLORIA ALLRED, are holding a press conference this morning at 11:30 Pacific Time.
If TIGER WOODS really wants to rehabilitate his image, it's pretty key that his wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, stays with him. And according to the "Chicago Sun-Times", she's being paid quite handsomely to do just that.
For starters, a nice wad of cash . . . in the high SEVEN FIGURES . . . has been transferred into an account that belongs to her alone.
But Elin isn't just staying for the money. She's trying to fix things. She and Tiger are said to be in, quote, "intense marriage counseling" . . . with sessions happening SEVERAL TIMES A DAY.
It's official: MEREDITH BAXTER is a lesbian. And she's talking about it EVERYWHERE. She's in "The Advocate", the new issue of "People" magazine . . . and she even talked about it with MATT LAUER on the "Today" show yesterday.
This is seriously cool: There's a new site called MovieClips.com . . . and it's pretty much what it sounds like: A place where you can watch two-minute clips from various movies.
And when I say "various" movies, I mean more than 12,000. So far. The site has agreements with SIX of the major studios: Fox, MGM, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Brothers . . . so a lot of ground is covered here.
It's all free . . . (--Ad supported, of course) . . . and you can search for clips by title, genre, actor and dialogue. Click Here
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: NOT!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Just Toyin' with ya! Pt 2
Game 4: What a Drag!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
30 years ago there were about 40 businesses in America producing this. Today there are over 1500. What do they make?
A: Beer!
Show Biz Notes:
After all the insanity, TIGER WOODS is getting a ticket for careless driving . . . which carries a possible $164 fine and four points on his license. (--That's if he doesn't fight it and just pays the ticket . . . or if he DOES fight it and is found guilty.)
And that's the end of things. Legally, anyway.
Nobody can be shocked about this: Another woman has come out of the woodwork claiming she had an affair with TIGER WOODS.
Her name is JAIMEE GRUBBS . . . and she was a 21-year-old cocktail waitress when she met Tiger in Las Vegas in April of 2007.
She claims she's had an on-and-off affair with Tiger ever since . . . and she has racy texts and voicemail messages to prove it.
"Variety" and E! Online are both reporting that "Breaking Dawn" . . . the fourth and final installment in the "Twilight" series . . . will be split into TWO movies.
"Breaking Dawn" is tentatively schedules for a 2011 release. The third installment, "Eclipse", hits theaters next June.
We heard recently that in the fifth "Rambo" flick, SYLVESTER STALLONE would be fighting ALIENS. Now there's word that Stallone has ditched that idea, and he's going with a more standard, Rambo-like plot.
The new plan is for Rambo to tackle, quote, "the brutality [faced by] women and children caught in the drug wars in Mexico."
ABC's "World News" changeover is happening a month earlier than expected.
CHARLIE GIBSON'S last night will be Friday, December 18th. The following Monday, December 21st, DIANE SAWYER takes the anchor's chair. (--We'd previously heard that it wouldn't happen until January.)
-It sounds like Diane will be leaving "Good Morning America" NEXT Friday . . . December 11th . . . but ABC has yet to confirm that date.
(--Her successor has yet to be announced. Right now, she co-hosts "GMA" with ROBIN ROBERTS. Of course, Charlie and Diane co-hosted "Good Morning America" together from 1999 to 2006, when he took the "World News" gig.)
MICHAEL JACKSON WAS NUMBER ONE ON YAHOO'S MOST-SEARCHED LIST:
Yahoo has released its list of the most-searched items of the year. Not surprisingly, MICHAEL JACKSON was #1. BRITNEY SPEARS held the top spot for the past FOUR YEARS, but this year she dropped to #5. Here's this year's Top 10 . . .
#1.) Michael Jackson
#2.) "Twilight"
#3.) The WWE
#4.) Megan Fox
#5.) Britney Spears
#6.) "Naruto", a Japanese comic about a ninja kid
#7.) "American Idol"
#8.) Kim Kardashian
#9.) NASCAR
#10.) And RuneScape, an online role-playing game
Falling out of the Top 10 this year were Barack Obama, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan, and Angelina Jolie. And the top news stories people searched for this year included the economy, swine flu, cash for clunkers, and healthcare reform.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: NOT!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Just Toyin' with ya! Pt 2
Game 4: What a Drag!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
Once upon a time, this profession required you to also be a nurse and carry a flyswatter. What is it?
A: Stewardess!
Show Biz Notes:
CHELSEA CLINTON has confirmed her engagement to her longtime boyfriend . . . an investment banker named Marc Mezvinsky. He's 31 . . . Chelsea is 29.
Chelsea and Marc met while she was still the First Daughter . . . but they didn't start dating until 2005. They're getting married next summer.
A lot of interesting things are happening in 2012. The world is ending . . . SARAH PALIN is running for president . . . (--Ok, still a maybe but just watch) . . . and now, ALEC BALDWIN is quitting showbiz.
Alec has already hinted that his time as an actor is growing short. But in a new interview with "Men's Journal", he puts a very specific time limit on his career. THE END comes when his "30 Rock" contract expires in 2012.
He says, quote, "I don't have any interest in acting anymore. Movies are part of my past. It's been 30 years. I'm not young, but I have time to do something else."
TIGER WOODS has backed out of the Chevron World Challenge . . . a golf tournament in Thousand Oaks, California that benefits his Tiger Woods Foundation. He cited, quote, "injuries sustained in a one-car accident."
Tiger was expected to host a press conference today, then play in the four-day tournament . . . which begins on Thursday.
He issued a statement saying, quote, "I am extremely disappointed that I will not be at my tournament this week. I am certain it will be an outstanding event and I'm very sorry that I can't be there."
This is pretty sad, but one of those betting websites is already offering odds on matters pertaining to TIGER WOODS. They apparently find it very likely that Tiger and his wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, will stay together . . . and very UN-likely that he'll pull a Kobe and buy her an expensive ring.
The paparazzi caught up with DAVID HASSELHOFF in Encino yesterday, and he denied much of what was reported about him over Thanksgiving weekend.
He said, quote, "Contrary to the reports I'm healthy. I did not have a seizure, I did not . . . be admitted to a psychiatric ward. My private life is exactly that: Private. I'm happy, I'm healthy, thank you very much, have a lovely day."
"This Is It" . . . the MICHAEL JACKSON "concert" movie . . . will hit DVD on January 26th. It'll come with 90 minutes of extras, including two documentaries. (--Two documentaries about a documentary.
The four major networks . . . ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox . . . are planning to broadcast live coverage of PRESIDENT OBAMA'S speech at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point tonight, beginning at 8:00 P.M. Eastern time.
(--This means that ABC will not air "A Charlie Brown Christmas" as scheduled.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: NOT!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Just Toyin' with ya! Pt 2
Game 4: What a Drag!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
Survey says: 12% of homeowners have never done this. What is it?
A: Gone in the attic!
Show Biz Notes:
DID TIGER WOODS' WIFE ATTACK HIM WITH A GOLF CLUB BECAUSE HE SUPPOSEDLY CHEATED ON HER???
By now, you've probably heard at least SOMETHING about the "TIGER WOODS incident" that went down over the weekend. Well, we're going to try to give you the background, plus all the latest details, as clearly and concisely as possible.
--Here we go . . .
On Friday morning, just before 2:30 A.M., Tiger pulled his Cadillac Escalade out of his driveway in a gated community near Orlando, Florida . . . and ran into a fire hydrant, and then a tree.
Now, initial reports claimed that Tiger's wife, ELIN NORDEGREN, heard the commotion, ran outside and saw the accident.
She saw that Tiger was trapped in the vehicle, so she grabbed a golf club and smashed out one of the SUV's back windows in order to free him.
A neighbor called 911, and when police and EMTs responded, they found Tiger lying on the road, lapsing in and out of consciousness. He had some facial lacerations and blood in his mouth.
The injuries weren't too serious, though. Tiger was hospitalized, but released shortly thereafter.
-t would appear, however, that Elin's part in this drama wasn't quite so innocent or heroic. At least that's according to the bottom-feeders at TMZ.
They say that Tiger was trying to peel out of his house because he was arguing with Elin over a "National Enquirer" story that claims he CHEATED on her. And it was Elin who scratched up his face.
Then, when he got into the Escalade and tried to leave, she grabbed the golf club and started swinging at it, busting out at least one of the windows before he could get away.
Alcohol was reportedly NOT a factor, but Tiger may have been taking prescription painkillers.
When cops showed up Friday, Elin greeted them at the door and told them Tiger was sleeping. A meeting was set up for 3:00 P.M. yesterday . . . but when police showed up, Tiger's attorney turned them away. But this time, he at least gave them Tiger's driver's license, registration and proof of insurance.
A police spokesman says, quote, "The crash investigation is ongoing and charges are pending."
TIGER WOODS isn't talking to police, but he did issue a statement. And that statement is very protective of his wife, ELIN NORDEGREN.
--He said, quote, "As you all know, I had a single-car accident earlier this week, and sustained some injuries. I have some cuts, bruising and right now I'm pretty sore.
"This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I'm human and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again.
--"This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way.
The woman who ALLEGEDLY caused TIGER WOODS' wife to ALLEGEDLY scratch up his face and attack his SUV with a golf club denies that she ever had an affair with Tiger.
-That woman's name is RACHEL UCHITEL. She works as an event planner (slash) nightclub hostess in New York
"People" magazine had been saying that REESE WITHERSPOON and JAKE GYLLENHAAL have broken up. But they got their info from a, quote, "source close to the actress."
Well, that "source" apparently wasn't as close to Reese as "People" thought it was. Both of their reps say it's not true, and Reese and Jake are still together.
TOM ARNOLD married his fourth wife Saturday in Maui. DAX SHEPARD was the best man. Guests included MIKE MYERS and HELEN HUNT. After exchanging their vows, Tom and his new bride chanted a Buddhist prayer.
DAVID HASSELHOFF was ALLEGEDLY taken by ambulance from his home to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after suffering an alcohol-induced seizure.
I say "allegedly", because we don't actually know if David was taken by ambulance from his home to Cedars-Sinai.
All we do know is that SOMEBODY was taken from David's home by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai. But nobody's saying who the patient was.
TMZ claims that both of David's daughters . . . and their mom, PAMELA BACH . . . were at the hospital on Friday. But they claimed David WASN'T there. And in ever MORE bad news for the Hoff clan . . . Pamela Bach got a DUI Saturday night on the 101 Freeway in L.A. Police gave her two breathalyzer tests. She blew a .13 and a .14. That's well over the legal limit of .08.
She was booked and released Sunday morning on $15,000 bail.
Bach also got a DUI in March.
ROMAN POLANSKI has reached a deal with Swiss authorities, under which he'll pay $4.5 million in bail . . . and be transferred to HOUSE ARREST at his Swiss chalet. There's no word yet when he'll be sprung.
This was Polanski's third attempt at getting out of jail. His first two bail requests were DENIED. Swiss authorities still haven't decided whether to extradite him to the U.S.
"NEW MOON" STAYED AT #1 OVER THE LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND:
The "Twilight" sequel "New Moon" won the long Thanksgiving weekend to remain on top of the box office for a second week in a row after pulling in another $66 million. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .
1.) "The Twilight Saga: New Moon", $66 million (--Up to a total of $231 million in its 2nd week.)
2.) Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side", $57.5 million (--Up to a total of $100 million in its 2nd week.)
3.) "2012", $25.5 million (--Up to a total of $139 million in its 3rd week.)
4.) (NEW) Robin Williams and John Travolta's "Old Dogs", $24.1 million
5.) "A Christmas Carol", $22.6 million (--Up to $105 million in its 4th week.)
"Twilight" and its new sequel, "New Moon", have surely started countless unfortunate trends around the world . . . but this is one of the more bizarre ones.
A British online beauty supplies website called FeelUnique.com says that they've recently seen a 200% increase in sales of pale foundation make-ups and powders. And they attribute that to a new vampire style inspired by the "Twilight" movies.
Around 19.2 million viewers tuned in to the ninth "Dancing with the Stars" season finale last Tuesday night. That number may sound good, but it's actually the lowest rated "Dancing" finale since the FIRST season.
Still, it was "Dancing's" highest rated episode of the season.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: NOT!
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Just Toyin' with ya! Pt 2
Game 4: What a Drag!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
Which balloon character has appeared in the Macy's Parade the most times?
A: Snoopy!!
Show Biz Notes:
DONNY OSMOND won "Dancing With the Stars" last night. MYA finished second, and KELLY OSBOURNE took third place.
Like a good Mormon, Donny's first instinct was to run into the crowd and grab his wife of 32 years to celebrate with him. Donny's sister MARIE . . . who finished third when she did the show . . . also joined them.
If you've been watching the show, then you know that Kelly Osbourne was one of those contestants who really seized the opportunity to rehabilitate her image. She said, quote, "It's been the most beautiful, amazing experience. Thank you, America, thank you so much for voting me in every single week.
"It's because of you that I've grown so much, it's because of you that I've had this opportunity. So thank you, really, from the bottom of my heart."
LADIES!!!!
"Twilight" werewolf TAYLOR LAUTNER did a photo shoot for the new issue of "Rolling Stone". If you're into him, you'll want to check out the pics. (--Here they are . . .You're very welcome...)
There's a rumor going around that NICOLE KIDMAN is pregnant again. She's not. Her rep says, quote, "This is not true."
Nicole and KEITH URBAN have a 16-month-old daughter named Sunday Rose. Nicole also has two adopted kids, Connor and Isabella, with ex-husband TOM CRUISE. (--Connor will be 15 in January . . . Isabella will be 18 next month.)
BRAD PITT may be one of those hippie liberal types, but ANGELINA JOLIE is NOT on the same page. She doesn't even like PRESIDENT OBAMA.
A so-called "source" tells "Us Weekly", quote, "She hates him. She's into education and rehabilitation and thinks Obama is all about welfare and handouts. She thinks he's really a socialist in disguise."
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) Disney's "Old Dogs" (PG)
Robin Williams suddenly discovers he's the father of 7-year-old twins, so he asks his womanizing best friend to help him take care of them. John Travolta plays his friend and Travolta's wife Kelly Preston plays the mother of the twins.
It's the Travoltas' first movie since the death of their son. Their daughter Ella Bleu Travolta plays one of the kids. Seth Green, Matt Dillon and Justin Long round out the cast. Bernie Mac has a small part in it too. This was his last film before he died in August of last year.
#2.) "Ninja Assassin" (R)
An action flick by the guy who made "V For Vendetta" about a ninja who vows revenge against his clan after they execute his friend. He's played by a Korean pop star named Rain, who you may remember from "Speed Racer".
#3.) Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" (G) (L.A. and New York only)
The latest Disney animated movie features their first black princess . . . and they don't make it easy for her. She kisses a frog to try to undo a curse . . . but SHE turns into a frog too. Then both frogs have to search the Louisiana bayou to find a voodoo priestess who can break the spell.
-"Dreamgirls" actress Anika Noni Rose is your first black princess . . . and her parents are played by Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard. (--It opens nationwide on December 11th.)
Fox has announced a few of their mid-season premiere dates. Here they are:
As usual, both "American Idol" and "24" will kick off with two-night premieres. The ninth season of "Idol" will begin on January 12th and 13th . . . and the eighth season of "24" will begin the next week, on January 17th and 18th.
Also, the 450th episode of "The Simpsons" will air on January 10th. Afterwards, Fox will air a one-hour "Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special".
For whatever reason, millions of people spent their Monday night watching the apparent SERIES finale of "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" on TLC.
An average of 4.3 million viewers watched it. That didn't come anywhere near the 10.6 million people that tuned in to watch Jon and Kate announce their split . . . but it's a big improvement over the less than 2 million viewers it has been averaging since.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
Facebook has 192 groups dedicated to the love of this inexpensive retail item. What is it?
A: Lip Balm!
Show Biz Notes:
ADAM LAMBERT THINKS IT'S "DISCRIMINATION" THAT HIS RAUNCHY PERFORMANCE WAS EDITED FOR THE WEST COAST:
If you watched the "American Music Awards" on Sunday night . . . from the EAST coast . . . you saw a pretty raunchy ADAM LAMBERT performance. (--He was singing the title track off his new album, "For Your Entertainment".)
If you missed it, it included: Adam parading around the stage with two male dancers on leashes . . . Adam making out with his allegedly straight male keyboardist . . . and Adam thrusting a male dancer's face into his crotch.
Adam apparently didn't clear that face-to-crotch move with ABC beforehand . . . and as a result, it was edited out of the show when it aired on the West Coast.
Backstage after his performance . . . but before he knew whether or not his performance would be edited for the later time zones . . . Adam said that he'd consider any censorship to be, quote, "discrimination." He told "Rolling Stone", quote, "It's a shame because I think that there's a double standard going on in the entertainment community right now.
"Female performers have been doing this for years . . . pushing the envelope about sexuality . . . and the minute a man does it, everybody freaks out.
He added, quote, "In a roundabout way it's a form of discrimination because it is a double standard. They didn't censor BRITNEY [SPEARS] and MADONNA macking onstage did they? But yet two men kissing they'll censor."
Oh…I guess if Adam Lambert says we should accept it, then we should….
"NEW MOON" MADE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN INITIAL ESTIMATES:
The initial box office figures were off slightly. "New Moon" made a little bit more than everyone though. Instead of $141 million, it actually took in $142.8 million.
It wasn't the biggest difference . . . and it doesn't change the records. "New Moon" is still in THIRD place when it comes to the biggest openings of all time.
"The Dark Knight" is still #1, with an opening weekend take of $158 million . . . and "Spider-Man 3" remains in second place with $151 million.
Production on "Cougar Town" was temporarily shut down last Friday so that COURTENEY COX could deal with a, quote, "private family matter."
No one is elaborating on that, but whatever it is . . . it didn't take long to resolve. Courteney's rep says she and her family are fine, and that she will return to work next Monday. This week is a previously scheduled down week for Thanksgiving.
REGIS PHILBIN will be taking some time off "Live with Regis and Kelly" to undergo hip replacement surgery. He'll be gone from December 1st through the New Year. (--A specific return date hasn't been announced.)
On yesterday's show, he said, quote, "I've been limping around here . . . it really is painful. I'll be back next year."
PAULA DEEN HIT IN FACE BY HAM
Celebrity chef Paula Deen is hamming it up after getting hit in the face by a ham in Atlanta Monday. The accident took place as Deen was making a food donation to a food bank. Hams were being tossed person-to-person along a relay line when an eight-pounder hit the Food Network star in the face. Laughing, Deen told reporters she's fine, even though she said the wayward ham knocked her "about cuckoo."
I dont' care either....I just thought it was funny....
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
In 1977, only 35% of women did this after they got married. Now 70% do it. What is it?
A: Take their husband's name.
Show Biz Notes:
Over the weekend, ABC confirmed that production on "Cougar Town" has been "temporarily shut down" to give COURTENEY COX some time to deal with a quote, "private family matter."
The network did not elaborate on what's happening, and no one from Courteney's camp has commented on it.
GARY BUSEY IS THE UNSEXIEST MAN ALIVE:
"People" magazine has its Sexiest Men Alive . . . and now, AOL's MovieFone website has released a list of the UNSEXIEST Men Alive. And GARY BUSEY is their top pick. Here's the complete list . . .
#1.) GARY BUSEY
#2.) KEVIN SPACEY
#3.) JUSTIN LONG
#4.) PAUL GIAMATTI
#5.) PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN
#6.) RANDY QUAID
#7.) MICHAEL MOORE
#8.) MICKEY ROURKE
#9.) JOAQUIN PHOENIX
#10.) JOHN C. REILLY
DID MICHAEL JACKSON'S FACE SHOW UP IN AN ULTRASOUND???
A British couple claims that MICHAEL JACKSON'S face showed up in an ultrasound picture of their unborn child.
(--Here's the picture.. ..)
The father-to-be, William Hickman, says, quote, "I showed my daughter Ami, who's six, and she saw it straight away, so I thought 'well if she can see it too it's not just me seeing things.'
"None of us are really Michael Jackson fans. I mean I like him, but we're not crazy about him or anything."
"NEW MOON" HAD THE THIRD BEST OPENING OF ALL TIME:
The "Twilight" sequel "New Moon" set a new box office record with the $72.7 million it made the day it opened. It went on to finish the weekend with a total of $141 million . . . which makes it the third best opening weekend of ALL TIME. (--"The Dark Knight" opened with $158 million and "Spider-Man 3" opened with $151 million.)
--Here are the Top 10 movies in the country. . .
1.) (NEW) "The Twilight Saga: New Moon", $141 million
2.) (NEW) Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side", $35 million
3.) "2012", $26.5 million (--Up to a total of $108 million in its 2nd week.)
4.) (NEW) "Planet 51", $12.6 million
5.) "A Christmas Carol", $12.2 million (--Up to $79.8 million in its 3rd week.)
As expected, OPRAH WINFREY talked about her decision to end "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Friday's live episode.
Oprah said, quote, "After much prayer and careful thought, I've decided that next season, Season 25, will be the last season.
"I love this show . . . this show has been my life and I love it enough to know when it's time to say goodbye. 25 years feels right in my bones and my spirit. It's the perfect number, the exact right time.
"I certainly never could have imagined the yellow-brick road of blessings that would have led me to this moment."
Most of the announcement seemed prepared and rehearsed, but she did get choked up when she mentioned and thanked her loyal fans.
She said, quote, "These years with you, our viewers, have enriched my life beyond all measure.
For the record, Oprah did NOT discuss her future plans . . . although it's widely assumed that she'll be shifting her focus to her new cable network, OWN, which will launch in January of 2011.
Oprah's announcement makes it pretty obvious that she's NOT moving "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to OWN . . . but there's always a chance she could launch a new show on the network.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
President Lincoln set Thanksgiving for the last Thursday in November. Which president wanted to move it earlier?
A: Franklin Roosevelt!
Show Biz Notes:
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) "New Moon", the second movie in the "Twilight" series (PG-13)
Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner are all back from the first film, and they're joined by Dakota Fanning.
Here's the plot in 60 seconds: Edward leaves town to keep other vampires away from Bella. Bella finds out Jacob is a sexy werewolf. Some vampires attack Bella and then she rushes off to Italy to keep Edward from killing himself, because now he thinks she's dead. You're welcome.
#2.) "Planet 51" (PG)
An animated flick starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as an astronaut who lands on a planet of little green suburban families, who are terrified that he's an alien invader. Jessica Biel and Justin Long play two alien teenagers trying to help him get back to his ship.
#3.) "The Blind Side" (PG-13)
Sandra Bullock . . . who's blonde in this flick . . . finds this big black guy on the street and makes him play football. I'm KIDDING. She actually welcomes a homeless teenager into her family and turns his life around by inspiring him to bring up his grades . . . and play football.
It's based on the true story of All-American football star Michael Oher, who's now an offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. A clean-shaven Tim McGraw plays her husband and Michael Oher is played by an unknown actor named Quinton Aaron.
#4.) "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" (R)
Nicolas Cage plays a New Orleans cop who slides into a life of crime after getting addicted to painkillers when he's injured during Hurricane Katrina. Eva Mendez is the prostitute he loves, Val Kilmer plays a fellow cop, and Xzibit is the drug dealer who Cage offers to protect.
#5.) "Broken Embraces" (R)
A subtitled Spanish movie starring Penelope Cruz. It's about a guy remembering the woman he loved before he lost his sight in a car crash. It's mostly told in flashbacks as he tells the story to his son. Penelope, obviously, plays the love of his life.
(--It's directed by Pedro Almodovar, who also directed her in "Volver".)
#6.) "Red Cliff" (R)
An epic war movie about a legendary battle in ancient China, called the Battle of Red Cliffs, which brought about the end of the Han Dynasty. It doesn't star anyone you'd know, but it looks pretty tight . . . you know, if kung fu and war movies are your thing.
It's directed by John Woo, whose other movies include "Mission: Impossible 2", "Face Off", "Broken Arrow", "Hostage", and "Paycheck".
Since "New Moon" FEVER is sweeping the nation, here are a few odds and ends related to the chaos . . .
#1.) Not that this will make the slightest difference to you if you're a fan, but critics are NOT being kind to "New Moon". It's been panned by ROGER EBERT, the "Boston Globe", the "L.A. Times", "Variety" and "USA Today", just to name a few.
The general consensus seems to be that it's too mopey and boring. (--But like I said, the fan base doesn't care what critics say. They're expected to propel "New Moon" to an opening weekend take of at least $85 million.)
#2.) How many of you are checking out "New Moon" just to see TAYLOR LAUTNER with his shirt off??? Well, here's exactly what you're getting . . .
The movie is a little over two hours long. And one blogger who caught an advance screening says Taylor is in it for about 36 minutes . . . and he's shirtless for about 12 of them.
"THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW" WILL END IN 2011:
It's official: "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will end in 2011.
Yesterday, Harpo . . . Oprah's production company . . . released a statement confirming that Oprah has decided NOT to re-up her show's syndication deal when it expires in 2011. The last episode will air on September 9th, 2011.
"The Oprah Winfrey Show" debuted on September 8th, 1986 . . . so Oprah will be signing off the day after the show's 25th anniversary.
There aren't many details yet . . . but Oprah WILL be talking about it on TODAY'S show, which will air live. (--This is the show's last day of production for the year.)
There's been some speculation that Oprah is actually MOVING the show to her personal cable network, OWN, which is expected to launch sometime in 2011.
For now, there's no indication whether that's happening, or if she's planning on hosting a NEW show on the network. All we know is that Oprah is expected to have a quote, "major presence" on OWN . . . whatever that means.
ABC IS MOVING "LOST" TO TUESDAY NIGHTS:
ABC has announced that the sixth and final season of "Lost" will begin on Tuesday, February 2nd. It'll be an all-night event . . . including a one-hour recap episode at 8:00 P.M., followed by the two-hour season premiere.
That will also be the show's new timeslot. After jumping around Wednesday and Thursday nights over the past few years, it'll be on Tuesdays at 9:00 P.M. this season.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
Even in this economy, 48% of people say they are not willing to give this up. What is it?
A: The Gym Membership
Show Biz Notes:
JOHNNY DEPP has been voted "People" magazine's 2009 Sexiest Man Alive. He joins GEORGE CLOONEY and BRAD PITT as the only men to earn the title twice. (--Depp also got it in 2003.)
The rest of this year's sexiest men include:
--ROBERT PATTINSON
--ADAM LAMBERT
--CHRIS DAUGHTRY
--JAKE GYLLENHAAL
--ROBERT DOWNEY JR.
--JOHN CHO
--BRADLEY COOPER
--RYAN REYNOLDS
--NICK CANNON
--DAVID BECKHAM
--JERRY O'CONNELL
--JOHN LEGEND
--GILLES MARINI
On Sunday, HULK HOGAN launches a mini-tour of Australia with a rasslin' show featuring a mix of young and old stars. And it's headlined by a match featuring him against fellow wrestling legend RIC FLAIR.
Yesterday, all the participating wrestlers held a press conference to hype the event.
Now, for those of you unfamiliar with professional wrestling, there's only one reason to hold a pre-match press conference . . . and that's so a BRAWL can erupt.
And that's exactly what happened. Flair attacked Hogan, smacking him repeatedly in the head and leaving him a BLOODY MESS.
WILL FERRELL tops a new list over at Forbes.com of Hollywood's Most Overpaid Stars.
Ferrell's last flick, "Land of the Lost", is what today's kids might call an EPIC FAIL. It cost $100 million to produce, and it only made $65 million at the box office. Worldwide. Two execs at Universal Studios even lost their jobs over it.
To compile the list, Forbes looked at celebs who've starred in at least three major movies in the past five years.
Then they compared the actors' salaries with the box office returns for those movies, to determine how much their movies made for each dollar they were paid to star in them.
For instance . . . for every dollar Will was paid, his movies earned $3.29. That's not good.
#1.) WILL FERRELL: $3.29 in box office for every dollar.
#2.) EWAN MCGREGOR: $3.75 for every dollar.
#3.) BILLY BOB THORNTON: $4 for every dollar.
#4.) EDDIE MURPHY: $4.43 for every dollar.
#5.) ICE CUBE: $4.47 for every dollar.
#6.) TOM CRUISE: $7.18 for every dollar.
#7.) DREW BARRYMORE: $7.43 for every dollar.
#8.) LEONARDO DICAPRIO: $7.52 for every dollar.
#9.) SAMUEL L. JACKSON: $8.59 for every dollar.
#10.) JIM CARREY: $8.62 for every dollar.
Everybody knows that the "Twilight" sequel, "New Moon", is going to post impressive box office numbers this weekend. But just how impressive???
Obviously, this is far from official, but the "Hollywood Reporter" says the estimates are between $85 million and $100 million.
SARAH PALIN'S appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Monday attracted a huge audience. There's no word yet on the number of viewers . . . but "The Hollywood Reporter" says the show scored its best ratings in two years.
That dates back to November of 2007, when 100 members of the OSMOND family came on the show to pay tribute to George Osmond, who'd just passed away.
CHEVY CHASE and BEVERLY D'ANGELO will be bringing back their characters from the "Vacation" movies . . . for a new ad campaign that will be launched during the Super Bowl on February 7th.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
54.2 million prescriptions were written for this last year which is something like 1in every 5 Americans. What ailment was it for?
A: Insomnia!
Show Biz Notes:
"GQ" MAN OF THE YEAR CLINT EASTWOOD SAYS AMERICA IS BECOMING MORE JUVENILE:
CLINT EASTWOOD has been named one of "GQ" magazine's Men of the Year. Technically, he's their "Badass of the Year". And he's using the honor to complain about how all the young whippersnappers are ruining America.
He says, quote, "Everybody's so screwed up. It seems like our country's in kind of a morbid mood, because of the recession or whatever.
"We're becoming more juvenile as a nation. The guys who won World War 2 and that whole generation have disappeared, and now we have a bunch of teenage twits."
The other Men of the Year of 2009 are:
--Barack Obama: Leader of the Year
--Chris Pine: Breakout of the Year
--Tom Brady: Comeback of the Year
--The stars of "The Hangover": Funny Men of the Year
RYAN SEACREST interviewed ROBERT PATTINSON at the "New Moon" premiere Monday night. But when he tried to ask a question about KRISTEN STEWART, one of Rob's handlers yanked him away.
Rob tried to be cool about it . . . but he still let himself be led away.
RYAN O'NEAL says he knew he wasn't getting anything from FARRAH FAWCETT'S will, and he's fine with that.
He issued the following statement yesterday . . . quote, "Farrah's and my relationship was based on a deep love and respect for one another and for our son Redmond.
"After discussing how her financial affairs would be handled in the event of her passing we agreed that our son Redmond would be the primary beneficiary of her estate. These were Farrah's wishes and I am perfectly happy with them."
JULIANNE HOUGH is taking another season off "Dancing with the Stars", to continue focusing on her music and acting projects.
In an interview, she said, quote, "I'm not [going back] next season. But I love that show." When asked if she would be back the season after that, she said, quote, "We're going to cross that bridge when we get to that."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
About a quarter of us guys say that we'll never wear one of these. What is it?
A: A sweater!
Show Biz Notes:
DAVID LETTERMAN'S rep says Dave's wife Regina did NOT kick him out of the house. He says, quote, "The 'National Enquirer' has it wrong."
Dave's MOTHER, Dorothy, was also asked to comment. She said, quote, "I don't know anything about that."
MTV News asked KATE HUDSON if ALEX RODRIGUEZ really has pictures of himself as a centaur over his bed. She denied it.
She said, quote, "That is the craziest thing anyone has ever asked me. I don't indulge in those types of stories. As humorous as you might think they are."
RadarOnline claims to have gotten a hold of FARRAH FAWCETT'S will . . . and they say that Farrah left RYAN O'NEAL . . . NOTHING.
Farrah gave $4.5 million to their son REDMOND, $500,000 to her father and another $500,000 to a nephew. She also gave $100,000 to a guy named Greg Lott. You may have heard this guy's name before, because he's been blabbing to any media outlet that'll listen about being Farrah's SECRET LOVER.
Lott says he was in contact with Farrah ALMOST to the end. But O'Neal froze him out of her life last April . . . and banned him from her funeral.
PENNY MARSHALL would like you to know that she doesn't plan on dying anytime soon. The "National Enquirer" claims she's got brain cancer AND tumors on her liver.
But she tells "Extra", quote, "I'm fine . . . They get it a little cockeyed sometimes."
British actor EDWARD WOODWARD died yesterday, following an unspecified illness. He was 79.
Americans probably know him best as the star of "The Equalizer" . . . a series that ran on CBS from 1985 to 1989. Woodward played Robert McCall, a private eye who solved problems for people when the law couldn't get the job done.
Anybody remember "Remote Control"??? It was a game show that ran on MTV for a few years in the late 1980s. It was sort of like "Jeopardy!", but all the questions were about pop culture.
It featured COLIN QUINN as a co-host who would sing musical clues . . . (--Very poorly, by the way) . . . and a young ADAM SANDLER in various skits. And it was hosted by a guy named KEN OBER.
I mention this only because Ken Ober DIED this past weekend. He was found dead in his home Sunday. He was 52.
UNIVERSAL PICTURES EDITED THE BLACK COUPLE OUT OF THE BRITISH VERSION OF THE MOVIE POSTER FOR "COUPLES RETREAT":
Universal Pictures released that VINCE VAUGHN comedy "Couples Retreat" last month, and the movie poster features eight of the actors in the movie . . . six of them are white and two are black.
But in the British version of the movie poster, the two black actors . . . FAIZON LOVE and KALI HAWK . . . have been edited out.
According to a spokesman for Universal, Love and Hawk were only edited out in order to, quote, "simplify" the poster for the international market.
Company officials have apologized nonetheless.
(Mail on Sunday / Pop Eater)
(--Take a look at both versions of the movie poster here . . .)
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
15% of us have one of these in our homes. What is it?
A: A Pool Table
Show Biz Notes:
The "National Enquirer" claims that DAVID LETTERMAN failed to patch things up with his wife Regina . . . and has moved out of their home and into an apartment in Manhattan.
A so-called "source" says, quote, "He took a few days off from the show so they could try to work things out. But if anything, he may have made the situation worse . . . Regina told him to get out and that's exactly what he did."
"2012" RAKED IN $65 MILLION OVER THE WEEKEND:
JOHN CUSACK probably can't even remember the last time he was in a #1 movie, but he's in one now. "2012" opened with a strong take of $65 million over the weekend. Meanwhile, "Pirate Radio" barely hit #11 with $2.9 million. Here's your Top 10 . . .
1.) (NEW) "2012", $65 million
2.) Jim Carrey's "A Christmas Carol", $22.3 million (--Up to a total of $63.3 million in its 2nd week.)
3.) George Clooney's comedy "The Men Who Stare At Goats", $6.2 million (--Up to a total of $23.4 million in its 2nd week.)
4.) "Precious", $6.1 million (--Up to a total of $8.9 million in its 2nd week.)
5.) Michael Jackson's "This Is It", $5.1 million (--Up to $68.2 million in its 3rd week.)
JON GOSSELIN WILL APPEAR ON THE SERIES FINALE OF "JON AND KATE PLUS EIGHT" NEXT WEEK:
TLC will wrap up "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" next Monday night.
According to the "New York Post", the episode will feature JON and KATE GOSSELIN sitting down to discuss, quote, "what the future holds for them and their eight children." It's unclear when the footage featuring Jon was shot.
There will also be a montage . . . with clips pulled from the show's five-season run.
The "Post" also says TLC has scrapped plans for a spin-off called "Kate Plus Eight" . . . at least as a regular series. However, they may air "occasional specials" under that title at some point in the future.
Instead, they are working on a new show with Kate, but there aren't any details on what the show will be about . . . or if it'll feature her kids.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
What was the most common dealer installed accessory on the 1957 Chevy?
A: Driver-side Mirror!!!
Show Biz Notes:
"TWILIGHT" DIRECTOR CATHERINE HARDWICKE SAYS ROBERT PATTINSON AND KRISTEN STEWART ARE DATING:
Just in case you're still wondering about this . . . CATHERINE HARDWICKE . . . the director of the first "Twilight" movie . . . says ROBERT PATTINSON and KRISTEN STEWART are dating.
In an interview with "Time" magazine, she says, quote, "After I cast him I told Rob, 'Don't even think about having a romance with her . . . she's under 18. You will be arrested.'" (--Kristen is 19 now . . . Pattinson is 23.)
She added, quote, "In terms of what Kristen told me directly, it didn't happen on the first movie. Nothing crossed the line while on the first film.
"I think it took a long time for Kristen to realize, 'O.K., I've got to give this a go and really try to be with this person.'"
SOMEONE ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO EXTORT CINDY CRAWFORD . . . USING A PICTURE OF HER 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER BOUND AND GAGGED:
Here's how a simple game of cops and robbers can go horribly wrong for you . . .
A man has been arrested for allegedly trying to blackmail CINDY CRAWFORD and her husband, Rande Gerber. At the center of the alleged plot is a picture of Cindy and Randy's 7-year-old daughter . . . GAGGED AND BOUND TO A CHAIR.
A guy named Edis Kayalar contacted Cindy and Rande this past July, telling them he had the picture. And he claimed he just wanted to help them out. Of course, his version of "helping" was to offer to SELL them the picture, so it wouldn't end up in the tabloids.
He stole the picture from the apartment of Cindy's former nanny . . . whom he had met in a bar. He also lifted Cindy's cell number and a handwritten note that read, quote, "The babysitter went crazy and tied everyone up and they need your help! Please."
The nanny claims the picture was taken during a perfectly innocent game of cops and robbers. Cindy and Rande had no idea it even existed. So far, the nanny is not facing any charges.
Kayalar was deported to Germany back in September . . . but several weeks ago, he allegedly started calling media outlets like TMZ, claiming he still had a copy of the picture, and seeing if anyone was interested in buying it.
SARAH PALIN SAYS LEVI JOHNSTON IS WELCOME AT HER HOUSE FOR THANKSGIVING:
SARAH PALIN sat down for her big "Oprah" interview yesterday. It won't air until Monday . . . but they've already dropped a few excerpts.
For starters, Sarah says that LEVI JOHNSTON is welcome at her home for Thanksgiving dinner.
She says, quote, "He is a part of the family and you want to bring him in the fold and kind of under your wing. And he needs that, too, Oprah. I think he needs to know that he is loved and he has the most beautiful child and this can all work out for good."
She added, quote, "We don't have to keep going down this road of controversy and drama all the time. We're not really into the drama. We don't really like that. We're more productive. We have other things to concentrate on."
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
#1.) "2012" (PG-13)
The disaster movie about the end of the world predicted by the Mayan calendar . . . and John Cusack's efforts to survive it. Amanda Peet plays his wife, and Danny Glover is the sensitive reassuring black president. Woody Harrelson and Thandie Newton are also in it.
#2.) "Pirate Radio" (R)
A comedy about Britain's attempts to shut down a group of DJs who refuse to stop playing rock and roll in the '60s. So the DJs become pirates . . . literally . . . and broadcast their rebellious music from a ship just outside of British waters.
Philip Seymour Hoffman is their leader, and Bill Nighy, who was Davy Jones in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, is the ship's captain. "Shawn of the Dead's" Nick Frost is also in it.
#3.) "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (PG) (Limited)
An old-school stop-motion animated movie based on the children's book by Roald Dahl, the guy who wrote "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". George Clooney is a cunning fox that raids local farms, and evades the farmers' attempts to catch him.
Meryl Streep plays his worrying wife, Bill Murray is his friend Badger, Jason Schwartzman plays Fox's son, and "Harry Potter's" Michael Gambon is one of the evil farmers.
Random Notes:
"Paranormal Activity" has surpassed the $100 million mark at the U.S. box office. That means that, dollar-for-dollar, it's the most profitable movie of the year.
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" may have made $400 million . . . but it cost AT LEAST $200 million to make. "Paranormal Activity" was made for a mere $15,000.
MICHAEL JACKSON'S "This Is It" has banked over $200 million worldwide . . . making it the biggest concert movie of all time.
This year's "Country Music Association Awards" . . . which aired Wednesday night on ABC . . . scored their best ratings in four years. According to early estimates, the broadcast averaged just under 17 million viewers.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
35% of us Americans make this mistake at least once a week. What is it?
A: Dial the Wrong Number
Show Biz Notes:
NICOLAS CAGE WAS ONCE STALKED BY . . . A MIME???
There are some pretty bizarre celebrity stalker stories . . . but this has to rank as one of the strangest. Although it also sounds like one of the LEAST threatening.
When NICOLAS CAGE was shooting the 1999 movie "Bringing Out the Dead", he was stalked . . . by a MIME.
He says, quote, "I guess it would fall into the stalker category more or less. I was being stalked by a mime . . . silent, but maybe deadly. Somehow, this mime would appear on the set and start doing strange things.
"I have no idea how it got past security. Finally, the producers took some action and I haven't seen the mime since. But it was definitely unsettling."
With the whole vampire thing being what it is these days, it was probably only a matter of time before this happened: The classic 1985 vampire flick "Fright Night" is being remade.
It's being written by Marti Noxon . . . who currently writes for AMC's "Mad Men" . . . and also worked on both "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and its spin-off, "Angel".
(--The original was about a kid who suspects his neighbors are vampires. And, of course, he's right.)
There's a RUMOR going around the World Wide Web of Movie Gossip that RACHEL MCADAMS will play Felicia Hardy in "Spider-Man 4". Felicia is both a love interest for Peter Parker AND the alter-ego of a villain known as The Black Cat.
ABC HAS CANCELLED "HANK":
Chalk up another post-"Cheers" / "Frasier" failure for KELSEY GRAMMER.
ABC has announced that they're yanking his latest sitcom, "Hank", from their schedule. Ten episodes have been filmed, but just five have aired. ABC will not air the remaining five.
Fox has cancelled the ELIZA DUSHKU series "Dollhouse". The move wasn't exactly unexpected . . . "Dollhouse" has been struggling in the ratings since its initial premiere LAST season. It received a second season, but it still wasn't able to find a bigger audience.
Yesterday, LOU DOBBS announced that he was leaving CNN, effective immediately. Literally, yesterday was his last day. (???) He didn't give a reason for leaving, other than that he's, quote, "considering a number of options and directions."
Lou joined CNN back in 1980, when it began. He was the last of the network's original anchors. He was under contract through 2011 . . . but CNN had agreed to let him out early.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
Studies show that more and more women are doing this and it's not good. What is it?
A: Robbing Banks!
Show Biz Notes:
NBA legend KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR is battling a form of cancer called chronic myeloid leukemia. He was actually diagnosed a year ago, but didn't disclose it until yesterday.
Kareem . . . who's 62 . . . said, quote, "Having lost one of my closest friends to a different, highly aggressive form of leukemia, I knew how serious my diagnosis was. My own life expectancy became a question mark."
He added, quote, "When the doctor told me I had cancer, I was scared. My grandfather and my uncle both died from colorectal cancer, my dad almost died from it and I have the gene for it. It's in my family, so I thought this was something else along those lines, but it's not."
Kareem says that with treatment, he's expected to live a full, active life.
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL'S wife Shaunie filed for legal separation on Monday . . . and sources say she plans to file for divorce.
Check this out, though . . . Shaq, Shaunie and their four kids all lived in Florida. But a few days ago, she pulled the kids out of school and took them to Los Angeles with her.
In her petition for separation, Shaunie says she's been an L.A. resident as of November 8th.
JOE JACKSON got the legal smackdown in court yesterday . . . when a judge ruled that he has no grounds to contest the executors of MICHAEL JACKSON'S will.
And here's an interesting side-note to all this chaos: Joe's wife, KATHERINE JACKSON, actually sided AGAINST HIM on this one.
DID DAVID LETTERMAN LIE ABOUT WHEN HE STOPPED NAILING THAT EMPLOYEE OF HIS???
Robert Halderman . . . the man accused of trying to blackmail DAVID LETTERMAN . . . is attempting to get the court to drop the charges against him.
Halderman's attorneys claim that what the authorities call blackmail was actually a, quote, "pure commercial transaction." They say Halderman was just trying to sell Letterman a screenplay treatment based on his sexual liaisons.
One of the attorneys said, quote, "From his quarter century in the business, Halderman knew that . . . books about broken relationships, particularly where the subjects are, as here, well known, had enjoyed tremendous commercial success."
The attorney went on to say that the reason Halderman was charged with bribery was because he planned to continue shopping the idea to others if Letterman refused to buy it.
Letterman's attorney isn't budging, obviously. He says Dave is, quote, "fully prepared to see this case through to the end, including testifying in trial."
Here's one other interesting note from yesterday's proceedings: Halderman says Letterman LIED about when he stopped sleeping with his staffer, STEPHANIE BIRKITT. When Dave apologized for the affair in September, he claimed it was over BEFORE he got married last March.
But Halderman . . . who was DATING Birkitt . . . claims it went on well into the summer.
Halderman said he found out Birkitt was still sleeping with Letterman last December. She promised to end the affair then, but didn't.
"TWILIGHT" LEADS THE LIST OF "PEOPLE'S CHOICE" NOMINEES:
If you're getting tired of "Twilight", this will NOT be good news for you. It got a leading SIX nominations for the "36th Annual People's Choice Awards".
Those nominations include Favorite Movie . . . as well as acting nods for ROBERT PATTINSON, KRISTEN STEWART and TAYLOR LAUTNER.
Meanwhile, HBO's vampire drama, "True Blood", got THREE nominations . . . and the CW's "The Vampire Diaries" got two.
TAYLOR SWIFT, meanwhile, got three nominations in the music category . . . and MILEY CYRUS got two, but not for singing. Miley's were for "Hannah Montana" and for being a "Web Celeb" on the internet.
And, perhaps most importantly, SUSAN BOYLE is up for Breakout Music Artist.
The 36th Annual People's Choice Awards" air live on CBS on January 6th. QUEEN LATIFAH is hostess.
We heard a while back that they were making a movie out of the classic board game "Battleship". And now there's a report on the World Wide Web of Movie Gossip that the enemy that will be trying to sink our battleship will be . . . ALIENS.
Supposedly, the movie will be the contemporary story of a five-ship fleet doing battle with an extraterrestrial opponent.
CBS IS DEVELOPING A TV SHOW BASED ON A TWITTER FEED:
CBS is developing a comedy series based on Justin Halpern's popular Twitter account, "(Crap)MyDadSays".
Justin, who's 29 years old, uses the account to Tweet all the insane stuff that his grumpy, 73-year-old dad says. Here are a few examples:
"Just pay the parking ticket. Don't be so outraged. You're not a freedom fighter in the civil rights movement. You double parked."
"The baby will talk when he talks, relax. It ain't like he knows the cure for cancer and he just ain't spitting it out."
"Son, no one gives a (crap) about all the things your cell phone does. You didn't invent it, you just bought it. Anybody can do that."
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: Can You Show Me How To Get...
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: Stand By Your.....Sidekick!
Game 4: Oh Brother!!!!
Game 5: The MOM Game!
Sales of this item are on the rise for the first time in 15 years. What is it?
A: Clip-on ties!
Show Biz Notes:
Even though she's almost 16 years older than her husband, DEMI MOORE does NOT like being called a cougar. She says, quote, "I'm certainly not the first person to be in a relationship with a younger man, but somehow I was plucked out as a bit of a poster girl.
"I don't know why that is. But I just kind of step back sometimes and say, 'There is some reason, and what is it that I have to share in a positive way?' . . . I'd prefer to be called a Puma."
WILL KELSEY GRAMMER LIVE ANOTHER 86 YEARS???
Would you like to know when you're going to die??? KELSEY GRAMMER knows when HE'S going to die . . . in another 86 years. (???)
He says, quote, "One day I asked: 'How old am I going to be when I die?' And I had the Bible in front of me so I just closed my eyes, opened it up to a page in the Book of Job and I pointed.
"There was a reading that said when I die I am going to be 140 years old. And I like that." (--In case math isn't your strong suit . . . Kelsey is 54.)
LEVI JOHNSTON IS SUING FOR JOINT CUSTODY OF HIS SON:
LEVI JOHNSTON is going to sue for joint custody of his son Tripp . . . (--a.k.a. Sarah Palin's grandson) . . . because he feels the Palin family is making it too difficult for him to see the boy.
He says, quote, "It's not working. I'm done. It's going to have to go to court. They just finally pushed me over the edge." (--Levi, by the way, is in New York City as we speak, gearing up for his big Playgirl shoot.)
.) Just a reminder: MICHELLE OBAMA will appear on today's 40th season premiere of "Sesame Street".
ABC has decided not to order any more episodes of "Eastwick", a drama starring REBECCA ROMIJN. The show won't be yanked from TV, though. There are still six more episodes, and they're scheduled to air between now and mid-January.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: It's an Army Nav
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: This is "Year" Country!
Game 4: The Country Quiz-try
Game 5: The MOM Game!
19% of spouses say this is the most annoying thing about their mate. What is it?
A: Their laugh!
Show Biz Notes:
HAVE SUPERSTARS PAULA ABDUL AND ARSENIO HALL REUNITED???
Forget about Brad and Angelina . . . Robert and Kristen . . . Jon & Kate. America's TRUE power couple may be back together.
Obviously, I'm talking about PAULA ABDUL and ARSENIO HALL.
Paula and Arsenio dated 20 years ago . . . after meeting on the set of EDDIE MURPHY'S 1988 comedy, "Coming To America". (--Arsenio co-starred, and Paula did choreography.)
A so-called "source" says, quote, "Arsenio reached out to Paula because he thought she needed a friend to talk to, someone she could relate to. Arsenio knows what it's like to leave a hit TV show.
"One phone call led to another, and the next thing you know, they were making a date. This could be the perfect situation for the two of them. Paula and Arsenio know each other inside and out."
JOE JACKSON WANTS A PIECE OF MICHAEL'S ESTATE:
If you somehow didn't already think JOE JACKSON was slimy, this should seal the deal for you: He's going to court to get a piece of MICHAEL'S estate.
As you probably know, Michael left NOTHING for Joe in his will. But in his legal papers, Joe says there was, quote, "no justification" for him to be left out . . . and that he's entitled to, quote, "his own independent family allowance."
A&E'S JACKSON FAMILY REALITY SHOW HAS A START DATE:
A&E has unveiled the start date for that Jackson Family reality series, "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty". It'll premiere on Sunday, December 13th.
The show follows MICHAEL JACKSON'S brothers, JACKIE, JERMAINE, TITO and MARLON JACKSON, as they come together to both grieve Michael's death . . . and plan a reunion concert tour.
It's unclear whether any other family members . . . including Michael's kids . . . will appear on the show.
LAWRENCE TAYLOR HAS BEEN ARRESTED . . . FOR LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT:
LAWRENCE TAYLOR was ARRESTED last night in Dade County, Florida, for leaving the scene of an accident.
We have very few details at this point. We don't know anything about the supposed accident he was involved in or how police caught up with him.
"A CHRISTMAS CAROL" MADE $31 MILLION OVER THE WEEKEND:
JIM CARREY has the new #1 movie in the country. His new animated Disney movie, "A Christmas Carol", pulled in $31 million over the weekend. Here's the rest of your Top 10 . . .
1.) (NEW) Jim Carrey's Disney movie "A Christmas Carol", $31 million
2.) "This Is It", $14 million (--Up to $57.9 million in its 2nd week.)
3.) (NEW) George Clooney's comedy "The Men Who Stare At Goats", $13.3 million
4.) (NEW) Milla Jovovich's alien abduction flick "The Fourth Kind", $12.5 million
5.) "Paranormal Activity", $8.6 million (--Up to $97.4 million in its 7th week.)
TAYLOR SWIFT *DID* POKE FUN AT KANYE WEST ON "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE":
As expected, TAYLOR SWIFT DID poke fun at the infamous KANYE WEST incident during her hosting gig on "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend. But Kanye wasn't the only one she called out.
Taylor's opening monologue was a SONG, called "Monologue Song (La La La)". And in it, she talked about all the things she WASN'T going to mention in her opening monologue . . . like Kanye.
She sang, quote, "You might be expecting me to say something bad about Kanye . . . and how he ran up on the stage and ruined my 'VMA' monologue.
"But there's nothing more to say, 'cause everything's OK, I have security lining this stage . . . it's my 'SNL' monologue."
She also took a shot at ex-boyfriend JOE JONAS . . . quote, "You might think I'd bring up Joe / that guy who broke up with me on the phone / but I'm not going to mention him, in my monologue. Hey Joe! I'm doing real well, tonight I'm hosting 'SNL'."
The song also included a reference to her rumored boyfriend, "Twilight" star TAYLOR LAUTNER. She sang, quote, "If you're wondering if I might be dating the werewolf from 'Twilight'" . . . and then she stopped singing, mouthed "Hi, Taylor" and blew a kiss.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: It's an Army Nav
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: This is "Year" Country!
Game 4: The Country Quiz-try
Game 5: The MOM Game!
What year was the first voting machine used in Ithaca?
A: 1899
Show Biz Notes:
RUE MCLANAHAN . . . (--Blanche from "The Golden Girls") . . . had heart bypass surgery on Wednesday. Her rep said it was a success and Rue will be, quote, "up and entertaining us all very shortly." Rue is 75 years old.
Here's a quick look at what's new at the local multiplex this weekend . . .
#1.) Disney's "A Christmas Carol" in IMAX 3-D (PG)
This is the new animated version of the classic Charles Dickens story, with Jim Carrey as Scrooge and all three of the ghosts. Robin Wright Penn is his lost love, and Gary Oldman does the voices of Marley's ghost, Bob Cratchit, and Tiny Tim.
It's directed by Robert Zemeckis. He hasn't done a Disney movie since "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" back in 1988 . . . but his last two motion-capture animated films were "The Polar Express" and "Beowulf".
#2.) "The Men Who Stare at Goats" (R)
A comedy starring George Clooney as part of a military unit dedicated to psychic powers . . . like killing a goat by staring at it. Ewan McGregor plays a reporter helping him track down the founder of the unit. It also stars Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges.
#3.) "The Box" (PG-13)
A thriller with Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as a couple who receive a mysterious box: If they push a button inside, they'll get a million dollars . . . but someone they don't know will be murdered. Frank Langella is the guy who delivers the box.
(--This one was written and directed by Richard Kelly . . . the GENIUS who created "Donnie Darko". It looks a lot less dense and a lot more commercial than "Darko", though. But it could still be worth checking out.)
#4.) "The Fourth Kind" (PG-13)
"Resident Evil" minx Milla Jovovich plays a psychologist investigating alien abductions, after she sees a pattern in the videotaped sessions of her patients.
(--If you've seen the trailers, you know that the title of the film comes from the way alien encounters were measured in the '70s. The first kind is a sighting, the second kind is physical evidence, the third kind is contact . . . and the fourth is abduction.)
DAN AYKROYD AND JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE MIGHT PLAY . . . YOGI BEAR AND BOO BOO:
This sounds pretty insane, but it's true: DAN AYKROYD and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE are in negotiations to co-star in a "Yogi Bear" movie. And Justin would play second-fiddle to Dan. (???)
If they end up making the deal, Aykroyd and Timberlake will play Yogi and his sidekick Boo Boo, respectively.
The movie will mix live action with computer animation . . . and ANNA FARIS is in talks to play a nature documentary filmmaker who studies the bears at Yogi's home, Jellystone Park.
Serious Trekkies will get a kick out of this: WIL WHEATON . . . who played Wesley Crusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" . . . actually had a part in this summer's new "Star Trek" flick. Chances are you didn't notice, though . . . because he just did voiceover work.
He says, quote, "I ended up providing voices for all the Romulans on Nero's ship, including the guy who tells him that "it's time" at the very beginning of the movie. Yeah, how cool is that?"
"OPRAH" IS NOT MOVING TO CABLE . . . YET:
OPRAH WINFREY'S production company has denied an Internet rumor that Oprah has decided NOT to re-up her show's syndication deal when it expires in 2011.
That doesn't mean she WILL renew. She just hasn't decided yet. A spokesman for her company said, quote, "She has not made a decision yet. As she has previously stated, she'll be making an announcement before the end of the year."
Oprah has talked about retiring since 1997, but she's renewed her contract several times since then. But this time, the talk isn't that she's going to retire . . . it's that she's taking her show to her personal cable network, OWN, which hasn't launched yet.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: It's an Army Nav
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: This is "Year" Country!
Game 4: The Country Quiz-try
Game 5: The MOM Game!
5000 women were asked "What do you wish your man's mother had taught him? What was the #1 answer?
A: How To Iron His Clothes! (Putting the seat down was #2)
Show Biz Notes:
"Laverne & Shirley" legend PENNY MARSHALL was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms last week. And the "National Enquirer" claims doctors found a BRAIN TUMOR . . . and operated last Friday. NOT TRUE.
A source says, quote, "Penny was in the hospital because she wasn't feeling well and she was being checked out for the flu.
"She was released from the hospital and we can confirm that everything is fine. Penny is expected to attend the Yankee game tonight in New York." (--Penny is a native New Yorker and a lifelong Yankee fan. So one would hope she didn't miss last night's game.)
Director ROBERT ZEMECKIS has reached out to the surviving BEATLES . . . PAUL MCCARTNEY and RINGO STARR . . . and asked them to be a part of his animated remake of "Yellow Submarine". He hasn't heard back from them yet.
(--There's no word what he wants them to do. If he's asking them to provide the voices of their animated characters, that would be sort of ironic . . . because none of the Beatles did their own voices in the 1968 original.)
Yet another board game is being turned into a movie. This time, it's "Risk". There's no word exactly how they plan to do it, but at least this game has a premise you can hang a plot on. (--It's that game where players use their armies to try to take over all the world's territories.)
TAYLOR SWIFT is hosting "Saturday Night Live" this weekend . . . and if you thought there was a chance that she might want to avoid any KANYE WEST jokes, think again.
That's because "The Kanye West Incident" has ALREADY been invoked.
-In a promo with "SNL" cast member BILL HADER . . . Taylor says, quote, "Hey, I'm Taylor Swift, and I'll be the host and musical guest this week on 'SNL'."
Then Bill, who was on his cell phone, cuts in, and says, quote, "Whoops, Kanye West just called. He thinks BEYONCÉ should host instead. Funny joke, right?"
Taylor also tells MTV News that she's up for anything. She says, quote, "I want to look nothing like myself. I told all the writers, 'Don't count anything out.' I want to go completely, 100% in. I don't want to be halfway involved.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: It's an Army Nav
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: This is "Year" Country!
Game 4: The Country Quiz-try
Game 5: The MOM Game!
The not-so-booming economy has lead to a boom for this occupation. What is it?
A: Psychics!
Show Biz Notes:
STEVE MARTIN and ALEC BALDWIN will co-host next year's Oscars together. Martin has hosted the show twice on his own . . . in 2001 and 2003. This will be Baldwin's first time. The show airs on Sunday, March 7th on ABC.
(--There's a report online claiming that the producers asked BEN STILLER and ROBERT DOWNEY JR. first, but they said no. We have no idea if it's true.)
ROBERT PATTINSON and KRISTEN STEWART just told "Vanity Fair" magazine that they're JUST FRIENDS. But "Us Weekly" says that they bedded down together Thursday night at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood. That is all.
NICOLE KIDMAN has always seemed kind of quiet about such things . . . but apparently, her sex life has been pretty adventurous.
She says, quote, "I've explored obsession. I've explored loss and love in terms of being in a grief-stricken place, I've explored strange sexual fetish stuff, I've explored the mundane aspect of marriage, and monogamy."
Apparently, though, "mundane" doesn't describe her CURRENT marriage, to country star KEITH URBAN. She says this relationship is, quote, "raw" and "dangerous".
Settle down boys….
…and girls for that matter…..
STEVE GUTTENBERG says that he, TOM SELLECK and TED DANSON will be getting back together soon for "Three Men and a Bride".
He says, quote, "That's going to be a smash. A smash hit. They're bringing everybody back for that. Nobody knows about it. I'm the first to talk about it."
(--"Three Men and a Baby" came out in 1987. The sequel, "Three Men and a Little Lady", came out in 1990.)
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: It's an Army Nav
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: This is "Year" Country!
Game 4: The Country Quiz-try
Game 5: The MOM Game!
Many Americans have one of these, but 21% of Americans have five or more. What are they?
A: Pets!
Show Biz Notes:
"Twilight" stars ROBERT PATTINSON and KRISTEN STEWART tell "Vanity Fair" that they're NOT DATING. According to Pattinson, they're just, quote, "good friends."
He adds, quote, "It doesn't make a difference what you say [to the tabloids]. I've literally been across the country [from Kristen], and it's like, 'Oh, they were on secret dates!' It's like, 'Where? I can't get out of my hotel room!'"
And here's Kristen's oh-so-eloquent take . . . quote, "It's so retarded. We're characters in this comic book."
Breaking News!!!!!!
ANDRE AGASSI'S sweet '90s mullet was a WIG!!! In his new autobiography, "Open" . . . (--Which will hit stores next week) . . . Andre says he started losing his hair at an early age . . . so he covered it up with a toupee.
We won’t have film at 11….
After "Marley & Me", OWEN WILSON must have needed a dog movie with a happy ending to cleanse his palate . . . because he just signed on to provide the voice of the dog in a "Marmaduke" movie.
The movie will mix live action and computer animation . . . like those "Garfield" flicks featuring the voice of BILL MURRAY did.
You have to feel for CONAN O'BRIEN. He waited FIVE years for JAY LENO to retire so that he could take over "The Tonight Show" . . . only Jay didn't retire, he just moved to an earlier timeslot to host, essentially, another "Tonight Show".
And as if that didn't screw Conan enough . . . in a candid new interview with "Broadcasting & Cable", Jay says that he wishes he could've kept his job, and that he'd return to the "Tonight Show" if NBC asked him to.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: It's an Army Nav
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: This is "Year" Country!
Game 4: The Country Quiz-try
Game 5: The MOM Game!
20% of people told a survey that they could live without one of these. What is it?
A: Television!
Show Biz Notes:
Several websites are reporting that MEL GIBSON'S girlfriend, OKSANA GRIGORIEVA, gave birth to a baby girl on Friday. No word on her name. She arrived a few weeks early, but is doing fine.
Meanwhile, the "National Enquirer" claims that Mel may be pulling the plug on the relationship, because he realized he still has, quote, "strong romantic feelings" for his estranged wife ROBYN.
He has also realized that Oksana is a GOLDDIGGER. A so-called "source" says, quote, "The light bulb finally went on. Mel realized not only was Oksana alienating him from his children, but she was incredibly self-absorbed.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ was a HERO in the two World Series games over the weekend. And apparently, he considers himself a hero IN THE BEDROOM, too.
A supposed "ex" of Alex's tells "Us Weekly" that when she was with A-Rod, she noticed he had pictures of himself as a CENTAUR over his bed.
She said, quote, "He was so vain. He had not one, but two painted portraits of himself as a centaur. You know, the half man, half horse figure? It was ridiculous."
PAUL NEWMAN GAVE THE MOST OF ANY CELEBRITY IN 2008:
"Parade" magazine put together a list of the most giving celebrities of 2008. And PAUL NEWMAN came out on top . . . even though he DIDN'T EVEN FINISH OUT THE YEAR.
Newman died in September of 2008 . . . but still managed to dole out $21 million to various charities before he left.
-Here are the 10 most giving celebs . . .
#1.) PAUL NEWMAN, $21 million
#2.) ANGELINA JOLIE and BRAD PITT, $13.4 million
#3.) MEL GIBSON, $6.5 million
#4.) (Former NASCAR driver) RICHARD CHILDRESS, $5 million
#5.) OSCAR DE LA HOYA, $3.5 million
#6.) OPRAH WINFREY, $2.4 million
#7.) SAM WATERSTON, $2.1 million
#8.) YAO MING, $2 million
#9.) (Author) PATRICIA CORNWELL, $2 million
#10.) BARBRA STREISAND, $1.7 million
I'm going to need more proof before I believe this, but the "National Enquirer" claims that ASHTON KUTCHER is producing a romantic comedy about the exploits of a divorced couple after the wife marries a man 16 years younger than her.
And that divorced couple would be played by . . . DEMI MOORE and BRUCE WILLIS. Obviously, we'll pass along any updates . . . although all we'll probably have for you is a DENIAL.
"THIS IS IT" IS THE NEW #1 MOVIE AT THE BOX OFFICE:
The movie based on the rehearsals for MICHAEL JACKSON'S "This Is It" concerts raked in $21.3 million over the weekend to open at #1. Here's the rest of the Top 10 . . .
1.) (NEW) "This Is It", $21.3 million (--Up to $32.5 million since Wednesday.)
2.) "Paranormal Activity", $16.5 million (--Up to $84.8 million in its 6th week.)
3.) Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler's "Law Abiding Citizen", $7.3 million (--Up to a total of $51.4 million in its 3rd week.)
4.) "Couples Retreat", $6.1 million (--Up to a total of $86.7 million in its 4th week.)
5.) "Saw 6", $5.6 million (--Up to a total of $22.8 million in its 2nd week.)
It's been more than TWO DECADES since the original "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" hit theaters. But director ROBERT ZEMECKIS says there's finally a sequel in the works. Sadly, he wouldn't part with any other info yet.
There's word going around the World Wide Web of Movie Gossip that "Men In Black 3" is on the drawing board. Supposedly, WILL SMITH and director BARRY SONNENFELD are "attached", but haven't signed anything yet.
At this point, it's uncertain whether or not TOMMY LEE JONES will come back.
Wheel O' Chris:
At 8:40 every morning we sping the By Gosh Fabulous Wheel O' Chris!! You never know what game will come up but you can win something delicious if you win the game. Here's what's on the Wheel today:
Game 1: It's an Army Nav
Game 2: Truth or Horsehockey!
Game 3: This is "Year" Country!
Game 4: The Country Quiz-try
Game 5: The MOM Game!
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