February 19, 2010 - 11:35 AM
The ingredients are simple: one good-natured and polite yellow Lab, a black sweatshirt and (briefly) a black ball cap, and an owner who seems to be pretty good at finding food with his hands. Put them together and you have one of the simplest, yet funniest viral videos out there.
Have a great weekend!
-- Anne Neville
February 19, 2010 - 12:13 AM
TMZ reported on Feb. 7 that Tiger Woods would return to golf in late March by playing at the Tavistock Cup, a small, private tournament that pits the pros of Tiger's country club against pros from a neighboring club. Now that story is being reported elsewhere, as the world waits to hear Tiger make his first public statement in three months today at 11 a.m. in a room full of supporters and under tightly controlled circumstances. (So tight, in fact, that the Golf Writers oif America group is boycotting the event, saying Tiger's refusal to take questions and his selection of certain reporters "goes against the grain of everything we believe." People reports that the Tavistock Cup "would mark a fairly low-key comeback into the golf world." A source close to the Tavistock Cup said, "He has made it clear that he's planning to play. ... Everyone is really excited about it." This year, the invitation-only competition will be held March 22 and 23 at Tiger's home course of Isleworth, Fla., and Tiger's presence would require plenty of security, a Tavistock source told People. And while the Getty Images photographer who took photos of Tiger's family is credited with getting the first post-rehab pictures of Tiger jogging with a friend and taking a few swings on a golf course, above, TMZ has photos of the pictures being set up.
While the big question is whether Elin Nordegren will appear with Tiger when he makes his address today, she may have given a hint about where her loyalties lie. She still wasn't wearing her wedding ring when she was spotted outside daughter Sam's nursery school, but both her shirt and white headwrap -- not to mention her shoes -- were emblazoned with the Nike swoosh.
Chris Brown appeared in court Thursday to report on his progress in fulfilling the terms of his sentence for attacking and beating ex-girlfriend Rihanna in February 2009. Attorney Mark Geragos showed Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg that Brown hasn't missed a session of domestic-violence counseling and has done 32 days of hard labor in his home state of Virginia. Schnegg agreed to allow Brown, 20, to travel out of the country in May and June for concerts, if he gets her permission in advance. He'll be back in court May 11 for the next progress hearing. Schnegg said in court, "You're doing really, really well. ... I think you've made a lot of progress in the last month."
Elton John tells Parade magazine that he failed at love many times before meeting life partner David Furnish, left. John says his previous love interests were always younger, and he would "smother them with love," lavishing them with clothing and jewelry to exotic trips. "They didn't have jobs. They were reliant on me. I did this repeatedly," John says. "In six months they were bored and hated my guts because I'd taken their lives and self-worth away. I hadn't intended to." He also said his partners shared illicit substances with him. "Just about every relationship I ever had was involved with drugs. It never works," he said. But in 1993, John met Furnish and was "instantly" attracted. "He was very well dressed, very shy," John says. "The next night we had dinner. After it, we consummated our relationship. We fell in love very quickly."
Bristol Palin's attorneys want to see the ledgers of magazines and TV shows that have featured Levi Johnston, the father of Palin's baby. Johnston has said that many appearances were unpaid, except for the $25,000 he reportedly was paid to pose semi-nude for Playgirl. Palin, who wants $1,750 a month in child support for their son Tripp, has petitioned an Alaska court for permission to subpoena the financial records of Vanity Fair, Star, The National Enquirer, The Insider, CNN, Entertainment Tonight and other outlets where Levi has made appearances. The Palins say Johnston has paid only $4,400 in child support.
Gordon Lightfoot is alive and well, thank you! Reports that the singer, 71, had died Thursday swept media outlets after his demise was reported, apparently on Twitter. But Thursday afternoon, reached by phone at his Toronto office, Lightfoot said, "I’m fine, thank you — the whole thing is a hoax. I don’t know how it came about at all. ... I’m in great health. I’m doing fine. I’m running around right now, doing my errands.” Earlier, Lightfoot's friend, publicist and occasional road manager Bernie Fielder said the report was "a prank" caused by "a Twitter coming out of Ottawa." Lightfoot did nearly die back in 2002 when an aortic aneurysm ruptured while he was preparing to go on stage in Orillia, Ont.
Morgan Freeman tells People.com that his left hand has been paralyzed since he was injured in a car accident in Mississippi in August 2008. "I suffered nerve damage and it hasn't gotten better. I can't move it,” Freeman, 72. He wears a compression glove on the hand, and said, "If you don't move your hand, it will swell up. Do you know you move your hand about a million times a day?" In November, Freeman settled a lawsuit brought against him by a woman who was a passenger in his vehicle during the crash. Demaris Meyer sued for pain and suffering, lost wages, permanent disability and property damage. Oscar-winner Freeman was nominated again this year as Best Actor for playing Nelson Mandela in "Invictus."
-- Anne Neville
February 17, 2010 - 3:23 PM
Tuesday night's two-hour extravaganza was a blend of flashbacks to final songs, the classic Idol "three rooms" setup and the final long walk (in this case, down an aisle) to sit down with the judges and get the final word. It was like one of those complex "Survivor" challenges where players have to run a race, build a boat, throw an axe, remember a combination, solve a puzzle and then take a quiz! But with the help of fellow live chatters, we followed it all.
The seven who have made it through were Casey James, Todrick Hall, Michael Lynche, Didi Benami, Katelyn Epperly, Aaron Kelly and Lee Dewyze. Tonight we will learn the names of the other 10 women and the other seven men who will begin to sing for America's approval next week.
Tonight, in the last hour of the Hollywood rounds, we learn the name of the final 17. Join us to watch and discuss everything from the commercials to the judges' decisions!
UPDATE: Here are our final 24.
Women: Didi Benami, Katelyn Epperly, Janelle Wheeler, Lacey Brown, Ashley Rodriguez, Katie Stevens, Lilly Scott, Crystal Bowersox, Paige Miles, Siobhan Magnus, Michelle Delamor, Haeley Vaughan.
Men: Casey James, Todrick Hall, Michael Lynche, Aaron Kelly, Lee Dewyze, Tyler Grady, Jermaine Sellers, John Park, Andrew Garcia, Tim Urban, Alex Lambert, Joe Munoz.
-- Anne Neville
February 17, 2010 - 12:31 AM
Jay Leno's bandleader, Kevin Eubanks, won't stay on the show for long after Leno returns to the Tonight Show after the Olympics. On Tuesday, Eubanks updated his Twitter profile from "Leader of the Tonight Show band" to "Jazz guitarist and former leader of the Tonight Show band." A New York Times blog confirmed that Eubanks told his fellow bandmates that he would leave after a transition period in March. Eubanks has expressed interest in touring and recording, and a source told "Extra" that Eubanks "wanted a change." Eubanks and Leno have worked together for 18 years.
Beyonce's father, Mathew
Knowles, has been ordered to pay child support for a baby born to a woman who says she had an 18-month affair with Knowles. He will have to pay until a paternity test reveals whether he's the dad of a baby named Nixon, born Feb. 4, whose mother is Alexsandra Wright, shown at left. Knowles did give Wright $10,000 in January to cover health care and other costs. Knowles must pay $8,200 a month in child support, retroactive to Feb. 1, as well as 100 percent of uninsured medical costs. On Feb. 9, Knowles' rep said to TMZ, "We are not aware of the birth of a child. ... These rumors are untrue." Mathew Knowles has been married to Beyonce's mother, Tina, since 1980.
"The Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michael has been sued again over diet pills she has endorsed. The latest class-action suit, filed by Kathy Hensley, claims that the pill Michaels endorses contains a "potentially lethal" ingredient called citrus aurantium. The suit alleges that the ingredient in "The Jillian Michaels Maximum Strength Fat Burner" can cause high blood pressure and severe heart problems in some people. Hensley, who is suing for less than $5,000, says Michaels "sold her proverbial soul to the devil" and has named Michaels, Thin Care, Basic Research and Walgreens in the suit. Two previous suits say the weight-loss aids Michaels endorsed were useless, but not toxic.
Despite all the drama, one part of Tila Tequila's life has just calmed down. She and San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman have settled the lawsuits they filed against each other after a fight on Sept. 6. Tila filed her lawsuit in November, charging then-boyfriend Merriman with assault, battery, false imprisonment and emotional distress after she says he grabbed her, choked her, and threw her down. Prosecutors refused to charge Merriman. In response, Shawne sued Tila for intentional interference with a contract, claiming that her allegation caused Walmart to cancel a deal he had to produce T-shirts. Tila's lawyer says the terms of the settlements are confidential.
Matthew Settle, who plays the family patriarch on "Gossip Girl," has separated from his wife, Naama Nativ, a source told People. "They have in fact separated. ... They have been separated for a while now," the source said, but no divorce papers have been filed. Settle, 40, and Nativ, 26, became the parents of a daughter, Aven Angelica Settle, last March. "Both parents are devoted to their child," the source said. "Aven is still a part of Matthew's everyday life."
Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and their six kids have landed in Venice, Italy, where mom will next work, shooting "The Tourist" with Johnny Depp. Just last week, Jolie spent three days in Haiti and the Dominican Republic meeting with earthquake victims, then met up with Brad and the kids in Los Angeles. Then it was off to Venice, where paparazzi spotted them toting their youngest, 19-month-old twins Vivienne and Knox, left, as they got onto a water taxi.
-- Anne Neville
February 16, 2010 - 2:34 PM
It was a Hollywood extravaganza as the remaining contestants sing again for the judges. At the end of tonight's two-hour show, we saw seven singers get through: Casey James, Todrick Hall, Michael Lynche, Didi Benami, Katelyn Epperly, Aaron Kelly and Lee Dewyze. Tomorrow night at 9 p.m. we learn the final 17 contestants!
-- Anne Neville
February 16, 2010 - 7:05 AM
John Mayer might have a back-up career if this music thing
doesn't work out. In his recent interview with Playboy, Mayer said that
he would love to write a porn film. Now one company, Vivid
Entertainment, is extending an invitation for him to try his hand at it.
In his Playboy interview, Mayer says that his "biggest dream is to write pornography," and that he likes to make up stories and scenarios in his head. Now Vivid says that they are willing to give him a shot at writing, or even directing his own movie.
In a letter to Mayer, Vivid writes, "We believe your incredible talent and passion, which have touched so many, can translate into a highly erotic adult film. Your understanding of the dynamics of relationships would undoubtedly appeal to both men and women..."
• • •
Barbara Walters has announced that this year's annual Oscar night interview show will be her last. Walters has been doing the popular interview show for the last 29 years, and Walters now says that it is a case of "been there, done that." Walters made her announcement yesterday on The View, saying, "This special has been a labor of love for 29 years. I will always remember when Hugh Jackman gave me a private lap dance or sitting down with the legendary Bette Davis or being taught to tango by Al Pacino. It's those priceless moments that have made this special the Oscar tradition that it has become, but I truly feel enough is enough."
On a related note, ABC recently announced that Oprah Winfrey's Oscar interview special will air the week before the Oscars. No word whether Walter's announcement is related to Winfrey's special.
• • •
During a taping of David Letterman's "Late Show," Nicole Richie announced that she has become engaged to boyfriend, Joel Madden. The pair have been together for three years and have two children together. The Letterman episode is set to air on Friday, and as of now, there are no additional comments from the couple or their reps.
• • •
Chynna Phillips has checked herself into a rehab center for an anxiety problem. Sources tell People that this move is to "deal with stresses in her life 'and not drugs or alcohol.'" Last year, Phillips' half-sister, Mackenzie Phillips, came forward with a new biography in which she alleges an affair with their father, Papa John Phillips.
• • •
Southwest Airlines is calling mea culpa on the Kevin Smith ouster from one of their airplanes. Linda Rutherford, Southwest's vice president of communications & strategic outreach, concedes that "we made a mistake in trying to board him as a standby passenger and then remove him." Writing on Southwest Airlines blog, she continued, "Southwest could have handled this situation differently." Rutherford called it "a quick judgment call that he might have needed more than one seat for his comfort and those seated next to him."
• • •
Charlie Sheen's gas card was stolen from his car when it was stolen and crashed off a cliff. Since the day of the theft, his Chevron card has been used all over Los Angeles, racking up charges on gas tank fill-ups. Police are investigating the thefts, and will visit each gas station to interview witnesses.
• • •
Speaking of Charlie Sheen, TMZ says that Sheen's wife Brooke Mueller has checked into substance abuse rehab at The Canyon rehab facility in Malibu. The initial stories of Mueller's rehab was that it was for a peaceful recovery after battling an infection related to oral surgery.
• • •
Betty White has responded to the Facebook movement to get her on Saturday Night Live as host. White tells E! News, "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." No rocks. The Facebook group has more than 330,000 fans hoping to see White on SNL. But would she do it? "That would depend on scheduling and all that," White said. "But who knows? You can't ever say yes or no or never—you just wait to see what happens."
• • •
Tila Tequila is still tweeting. Tequila tweeted about falling out of a chair, and now she feels like there may be something wrong with her pregnancy. Tequila wrote, "I just woke up in the middle of the night cuz im having these intense sharp pains in my belly. ... Something is definitely wrong. The hospital gave me a list of symptoms & this is one of them. ... I told my friend I would just kill myself if anything ever happened."
• • •
Doug Fieger, the lead singer of "The Knack" has died at age 57. Fieger, who was famously known for the hit "My Sharona," had been battling lung cancer.
• • •
Be sure to join Anne Neville back here tonight at 8 PM as she chats live as the Hollywood Rounds of "American Idol" continue.
February 15, 2010 - 3:45 PM
If you were among the people wondering why Tuesday's night's American Idol Hollywood rounds show was two hours long, now we seem to have an answer!
Golden tickets to Hollywood were handed out to 181 singers. We're already seen about half of them get cut -- including some fan favorites. But Tuesday, the remaining people will not only sing solo for the judges, some of them will get their tickets to the semifinal rounds.
It's "an AMERICAN IDOL first," says the email. (Idol publicists always refer to the show in all capital letters!) "Some of the Top 24 semifinalists will be revealed in a special two-hour event airing Tuesday, Feb. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM) on FOX. (FOX is also always in all caps!)
"On Tuesday evening, the remaining contestants will take the stage to perform their final solo number in front of Simon, Ellen, Kara and Randy in hopes of singing their way into the Top 24. Following these performances, the judges will deliberate, and for the first time in IDOL history, will announce some of the Top 24 semifinalists."
On Wednesday from 9 to 10 p.m., the rest of the semifinalists will be named.
This sets the stage for the start of the live voting next week. On Tuesday, Feb. 23, the women will sing from 8 to 10 p.m. and America will vote. On Wednesday, the men will do the same. Results will be announced Thursday from 8 to 9 p.m., with two men and two women saying goodbye. This pattern continues until the final 12 are named in the middle of March.
Join me back here during all these shows for live chat -- opinions, observations, arguyments and even the occasional on-the-spot poll!
-- Anne Neville
February 15, 2010 - 12:35 AM
Tiger Woods, who has stayed out of the public eye since his many affairs became public, stayed home Friday night while his wife Elin went out on the town with her girlfriends, RadarOnline is reporting. The pair are both in Orlando but living in separate houses, a source told the web site. "The marriage is not good," one source close to them said. "She barely interacts with him." Elin was still not wearing her wedding ring when she went out with her girlfriends. "It wasn't a case of Tiger not wanting to go out -- it was Elin telling him he wasn't invited," the source said. "She hasn't let him near her. ... No one knows if the marriage will survive at this point. But it’s clear that Elin isn’t letting Tiger stop her from leading her life."
Meanwhile, sources tell the New York Daily News that two women who tried to snap photos or take video of the golfer in bed with them wound up getting chased out of the house by Tiger when he realized what was going on. During the threesome, which happened about three years ago, "Suddenly, he realizes that one of the girls is taking pictures or videotaping him with the other girl," says the source. "Tiger goes ballistic. He starts chasing the girl around. She runs out the door. He runs out after her. I don't know how much clothing either of them is wearing, but Tiger finally catches up with her and grabs her cell phone or camera or whatever it was that had the evidence." Days later, the woman he chased contacted Tiger to say that she'd been injured in the incident and had hired an attorney. Tiger's handlers reportedly set up a payment schedule to keep the two women from talking or releasing any photos or video they might have.
Heidi Montag, who has been under fire since she had 10 plastic surgery procedures in a single day, says she likes her new chin best -- but will probably get larger breast implants next time. "My favorite part, I think one of them is my chin. I think that's what I was so excited about," said Montag, 23. And while she loves her second set of breast implants, she says, "I still want to improve. … I didn't get them as big as I originally wanted." But she is ready to show them off. "I am doing Playboy again... soon, very soon," she told RadarOnline. "I cannot wait to show off my new assets, I am very excited."
Director Kevin Smith was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight after the airline staff decided he was too fat to fit into a single seat. Smith, who had purchased two seats for a flight from Oakland to Burbank, was accepted for a single standby seat on an earlier flight -- until the crew saw him. "You [messed] with the wrong sedentary processed-foods eater!" Smith posted on Twitter. In a statement posted on its Twitter account, Southwest said officials had called Smith to offer their "heartfelt apologies," but also stated his removal was for the "safety and comfort of all customers." Southwest said, "If a customer cannot comfortably lower the armrest and infringes on a portion of another seat, a customer seated adjacent would be very uncomfortable and a timely exit from the aircraft in the event of an emergency might be compromised if we allow a cramped, restricted seating arrangement." But in discussion with people on his Twitter page, Smith said he did not infringe on his seatmate's space. Smith was offered a $100 voucher -- which he says he refused -- and arrived in Burbank on a later flight. After landing in Burbank, Smith wrote, "Don't worry: wall of the plane was opened & I was airlifted out while Richard Simmons supervised." Smith posted the photo at right of himself on the second Southwest flight.
Production on the TV show "24" was shut down so star Kiefer Sutherland can have surgery for a cyst near his kidney that ruptured last week. Production continued until Friday without him. His publicist issued this statement: "While Kiefer Sutherland is frustrated to miss even one day of work, he and Fox decided together that it would be best to complete this minor elective procedure now as a precaution as opposed to six weeks from now when production wraps. He looks forward to returning to work next week."
Tila Tequila fell out of a chair Friday night, and, as she tweeted almost immediately, "slammed my head into the wall and heard the back of my skull crack. theres a dent in it now!" A bit later, Tila remembered the fate of Natasha Richardson, who died of a head injury she suffered skiing: "I should call the ambulance just in case? like that one actress that died cuz she hit her head &thought she was ok but died later..pray 4 me." Then: "Ambulance on the way to my house. I could have a brain concussion and die ina few hours." Tila's agent tweeted later, saying her client had been diagnosed wth a concussion. Tile was treated and released and returned home, where she resumed her near-constant Tweeting, this time promising to reveal the name of the father of the child she says she is expecting, unveil her new web site, and so on.
The "pregnant man," Thomas Beatie, is expecting his third child. Beatie, who became the first known transgendered man to give birth two years ago, already has a daughter and a son with wife Nancy. Now Beatie and his wife, Nancy – who have a daughter and a son, seen together at left – are excepting their third baby in as many years. Beatie, born a woman, kept his uterus while undergoing sex-change surgery and has carried their children because Nancy had a hysterectomy.
Jim Carrey impressed love Jennie McCarthy with an unusual Valentine, written in the clouds over their Los Angeles home Sunday afternoon. The text said "J [heart] J." McCarthy shared the sentiment with fans by posting on Twitter: "Just had sky writer come over our house and write J (heart) J in the sky. So fun. Anybody in LA go look at the sky!"
-- Anne Neville
February 13, 2010 - 3:56 PM
February 12, 2010 - 12:22 PM
Here's what the company says about its Bittersweets: "While a tiny fraction of the population can look forward to a holiday of wine and roses, poetry and song, the vast majority of us can anticipate a day of nausea and grimacing, trauma and grief. A day in which minutes seem like hours, and hours like days, as we reflect sorrowfully on yesteryear's romantic indignities, today's loneliness, and the unknowable but certain heartbreak that will be visited upon us repeatedly in the years to come."
But laughter can lighten even the heaviest of hearts, right? To apply to different circumstances, these candies with attitude come in three flavors. "Dejected" includes such sayings as "Settle for Less?" "I Cry on Q" and "Dignity Free." For the "Dysfunctional," we have "No Fix 4 Dumb," "Game on TV" and "Parole is Up!" The "Dumped" election includes "U Left Seatup," "Back 2 Kennel" and "I Got Sober."
Whether you are celebrating with loved ones or looking forward to better days ahead, have a great weekend!
-- Anne Neville
