Keith Urban successfully completed three weeks of doctor-ordered voice rest after his vocal cord surgery late last year, but he admits it wasn't easy. Keith tells us he learned a lot about non-verbal communication, to the point of nearly injuring himself. "Being silent with somebody is difficult. You almost have to over-exaggerate facial expressions to let them know that you're in a good mood. I nodded a lot. Just to nod lightly is not enough. You have to be effusive because when you talk and someone's saying something and you agree you're like, 'Yeah, absolutely!!' I would have to be like nodding really vigorously. After two weeks, I was in the shower and I was like, 'My neck is so sore!' That's why. I'm a lot in agreeance (laughs).
Keith says it was especially hard for his daughters to understand Daddy's silence. "Our daughter's three-and-a-half. We have a one-year-old, but Sunny's three-and-a-half so she's not, she can't read yet, so it's easy for me to write for everybody else but I couldn't write for her, so that was hard, but what I did before I went on vocal rest, I have a cassette deck, an actual, real cassette deck and I recorded several books onto this cassette tape and I would take that up and read to her at night by pressing the play button and then just turning the pages and looking, and she would hit the stop button and go, 'I want you to read it!' I couldn't explain, you know . . . (laughs), but I did a whole bunch of those kind of things to help me through that three weeks."
Keith tested his singing abilities earlier this week with a live performance of "Long Hot Summer" during the Number One party for the song in Nashville.
His first official post-surgery public performance will happen on February 3rd at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House.
FAST FACTS
Keith co-wrote a song for the upcoming feature film, Act of Valor.
He'll host his third annual All For The Hall fundraiser concert at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on April 10th.
Eric Church is a fan of the video for his hit "Homeboy," which was just nominated for Video of the Year by the Academy of Country Music Awards. Eric tells us he could easily relate to the kid in the clip: "And seeing the story line develop, and being in the place, I mean I've been there, I was feeling the stuff the kid was feeling, that despair. I think we have all been in places like that. It just came across great. I love the lighting. I love the angles. I love the slow motion. The slow motion is one of the coolest things. There's a scene with a match where he lights a match and throws it at the camera, and you can see the match extinguish itself, in super, super, super slow motion. I love that shot."
Eric is also up for Album of the Year for Chief.
The ACM Awards will take place in Las Vegas on April 1st. The show will air live on CBS.
Eric is out on his first headlining Blood, Sweat & Beers tour with special guest Brantley Gilbert.
CHECK IT OUT
Dierks Bentley's current hit, "Home," has been nominated for Song of the Year by theAcademy of Country Music Awards. In addition to being trophy-worthy, Dierks tells us he hopes the song brings people together. "The song is written in a way that is open-ended as far as how people, what they want to walk away with. I mean I think it's obvious that it's a song about our country and about the ups and downs and the scars we have in our past, but at the end of the day, no matter what side of the fence you're on, where you stand on certain issues, or where you come from, your background, we all live here. You have to walk through the front door of your house every day. This is our house. This is our home. This is our country. You know, I hope in some sense that it brings people together, and finds a bit more in common than we don't. I hope people feel inspired and come together."
"Home" is the title track of Dierk's new album, which will be released on February 7th.
The ACM Awards will be held on April 1st in Las Vegas.
FAST FACTS
Dierks will play a special pre-album concert at the Ryman in Nashville on February 2nd.
He heads to Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis on Sunday (January 29th) for a special performances.
The stars are excited about their ACM Awards nominations. Here are some of their reactions:
Kenny Chesney on his nine nods, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Hemingway's Whiskey. He said, "It's an honor to receive so much love from the Academy of Country Music after all they've done to support my music over the years. I can't wait to get back on the road and throw one big spring break party all summer long."
Blake Shelton is up for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. He said "The support I have felt this week is overwhelming. Thank you everyone for this honor."
Eric Church landed two nods for Video of the Year for "Homeboy" and Album of the Year for Chief. He said, "I've never minced words about the fact that my passion is making great records for the sake of the music. The fact that the ACMs have nominated us for the album category is quite the honor, and frankly the one I revere the most. 'Homeboy,' both musically and visually, is a song that tells a compelling story. I have a very special place in my heart for the video, and I'm very grateful that it is getting recognized. It's been one hell of a year!"
Chris Young scored recognition in two categories, including Male Vocalist of the Year. He wrote on Twitter, "Holy crap!!!!! 2 ACM nom's?!?! Are you freaking kidding me!! #thisisagreatmorning."
Dierks Bentley also used Twitter to express his excitment Song of the Year for his current single, "Home." He wrote, "My immediate reaction after hearing HOME nominated for #acmawards SONG OF YEAR. Slightly excited... just a bit..." He included a picture of himself about to smash a guitar.
Montgomery Gentry were nominated for Top Vocal Duo of the Year for the 14th time i their career. Eddie Montgomery said, "This last year has been just unbelievable. We have a new album that T and I are so proud of, a new label that is rockin' and the support we've had from our friends at radio and on the road is just awesome." Troy Gentry added, "We are really proud to be nominated and blessed to be living our dream for as long as we have been. As always, we are truly humbled to be included in this category once again."
Lee Brice was nominated for Song of the Year for his composition, "Crazy Girl," recorded by the Eli Young Band. He shares writing credit with collaborator, Liz Rose. Brice said, "Liz Rose and I were just fortunate enough to be in the same room that magical day and wrote a magical song. Within a few hours, the song came together. I'm so honored to be acknowledged along with these other amazing writers."
The Eli Young Band is up for Group and Song and Single of the Year for "Crazy Girl." Lee said, "I'm so happy for the Eli Young Band. They've worked so hard for so long, and they deserve all the success that's coming to them."
The 47th annual Academy of Country Music Awards will once again be hosted by Reba McEntireand Blake Shelton. The show will air live from Las Vegas on CBS April 1st at 8 p.m. ET.
Glen Campbell will join current Grammy nominees The Band Perry and Blake Shelton for a special performance on next month's Grammy Awards. The show, which will be hosted by LL Cool J, takes place on Sunday, February 12th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. TheGrammys will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET.
Glen is currently on his Goodbye tour, his final one after being diagnosed with Alzheimers.
Blake is up for two awards: Best Country Solo Performance for "Honey Bee" and Best Country Album for Red River Blue.
The Band Perry is nominated for Best New Artist.
FAST FACTS
Previously announced performers for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards include Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Coldplay and Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, and Nicki Minaj.
The last single member of the Eli Young Band -- James Young -- will officially be off the market next week. The guitarist is set to marry his longtime girlfriend on February 4th.
Tasteofcountry.com reports that the band celebrated the upcoming nuptials last weekend in Destin, Florida with a "bach-party" for the couple.
The Eli Young Band continue playing their own headlining dates throughout the year on their Keep on Dreamin' tour, which features newcomer Eric Paslay.
The Eli Young Band were nominated for Vocal Group and Single and Song of the year for their Number One hit, "Crazy Girl."
FAST FACTS
Eli Young Band's new single is called "Even If It Breaks Your Heart."
They will be heading down under with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill for some dates this spring.
Taylor Swift continues on her sight-seeing tour of London while reportedly across the pond to rehearse for her first big movie role in Les Miserables. On Wednesday (January 25th), Taylor was spotted at the London Zoo. Her trip has also included some shopping.
LeAnn Rimes and her husband, actor Eddie Cibrian's Chicago condo will be featured on the new HGTV series, Interiors, Inc, on Saturday (January 28th) at 9:30 p.m. ET. Interior designer Jonathan Pierce, who also helped design two of LeAnn's other homes, will show viewers how he furnished the couple's new place. Other celebrities appearing on the show include Danny Gokey, Paramore guitarist Taylor York, and the band Lucy Angel.
COUNTRY TRIVIA
Q. What was the name of Trace Adkins' 1996 debut album? A. Dreamin' Out Loud
Friday, January 27th
ON THE TUBE
THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW/SYN (check local listings) Kellie Pickler
TOP 20 COUNTRY COUNTDOWN/GAC 9:00PM (ET) Kellie Pickler
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN/CBS 11:35PM (ET) Dolly Parton
ROBERT HEGYES DIES AT AGE 60: Robert Hegyes died on Thursday (January 26th) at the age of 60. The actor was best known for his role as Juan Epstein on Welcome Back, Kotter. The New Jersey Star-Ledger reported that Epstein suffered an apparent heart attack at his home. By the time he was transported to the hospital, he was in full cardiac arrest and died.
HEIDI KLUM STILL WEARING WEDDING RING: Heidi Klum is also wearing her wedding ring despite announcing that she and husband Seal have separated. Seal has been blabbing to the media about the importance of still wearing his ring -- and apparently Heidi feels the same way. She was spotted leaving the set of Germany's Top Model, which is shot in Los Angeles, with her ring on.
BROOKE MUELLER REPORTEDLY EXTENDS REHAB STAY: Brooke Mueller is reportedly extending her stay in rehab -- voluntarily. RadarOnline.com reported that Charlie Sheen's ex entered a 30-day treatment program after her recent arrest for cocaine possession, and has decided to stay longer because it is going so well. A source told the website, "This is a dramatic turn of events for Brooke as this is the first time she has ever voluntarily decided to stay in rehab. This program she is in is working, and Brooke is getting sober for herself, and that is the first time she has ever said that. In the past, family, friends have forced her into rehab, but not this time. Brooke is taking an active role in her sobriety."
LINDSAY LOHAN HIT WITH LAWSUIT: Lindsay Lohan is facing more legal trouble -- regarding an incident that happened nearly two years ago. EOnline.com reported that a woman filed a lawsuit earlier this week, claiming that Lindsay hit her while driving 17 months ago. Nubia Del Carmen Plaza is seeking unspecified damages to cover "serious personal injuries, pain, suffering and anguish"; past and future medical expenses; and loss of wages and future earning potential due to her inability to perform her usual occupation.
KIM RICHARDS ADMITS SHE'S AN ALCOHOLIC: Kim Richards went to rehab last month because she's an alcoholic. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star came clean about her problems in a taped interview with Andy Cohen for the series reunion show. Although Kim didn't participate in the official reunion because she was in treatment, Bravo aired a clip of her post-rehab sit-down in which she tells Cohen, "I'm an alcoholic." Earlier this season, Kim blamed her erratic behavior on her prescription medicine.
RUSSELL CROWE PEEVED AT RYAN GOSLING OSCAR SNUB: Russell Crowe is apparently a bigRyan Gosling fan. After the Academy failed to reward Gosling with an Oscar nomination for his role in Drive, Crowe tweeted, "Ryan Gosling didn't get an Academy nomination? There's some bullsh-- right there."
'OFFICE' SPINOFF IN THE WORKS? NBC is reportedly developing a spinoff of The Office centered onRainn Wilson's character Dwight Shrute. Deadline.com reported that the new series will be introduced during an episode later this season. If the show -- about Shrute and his family's bed & breakfast and beet farm -- is picked up, it will likely begin airing in early 2013.
KEIFER SUTHERLAND'S NEW SHOW DOES WELL: Keifer Sutherland might have another hit on his hands. The former 24 star's new Fox series Touch, scored 12 million viewers for its early preview. The series retained 61 percent of the audience from American Idol, which is an impressive feat.
BRAD AND GEORGE TO PRESENT AT SAG AWARDS: Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Kathy Bates will present awards at the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards. The three join previously-announced presenters including Owen Wilson, Melissa McCarthy, Zoe Saldana, Kristen Wiig and Sir Ben Kingsley. The 18th annual SAG awards will take place this Sunday (January 29th).
IS CHLOE SEVIGNY REPLACING DEMI MOORE? Chloe Sevigny has joined the cast of Lovelace. The casting announcement was made after Demi Moore dropped out of the film, in which she was to make a cameo as Gloria Steinem. Sevigny's role is described as "a feminist journalist assigned to write a story about Lovelace," although it's unclear if that character is in fact Steinem.
Demi Moore has reportedly been released from the Sherman Oaks Hospital, where she was rushed on Monday night after suffering seizure-like symptoms. E! reported news of the release, though there was no word on Demi's next move or when exactly she was discharged.
It was widely reported that Demi was inhaling whip-its before her hospitalization, and was subsequently treated for substance abuse and anorexia.
E! also reported that Ashton Kutcher returned to Los Angeles from Brazil on Thursday. It's unclear if that was his scheduled return date, or if he cut his trip short due to Moore's condition. He didn't appear to be bothered by her hospitalization earlier in the week, as he was tweeting and signing autographs for fans after the news broke.
SOURCE: ASHTON IS ACTING LIKE A TEENAGER
The New York Post reported that Ashton's supposedly childish behavior is largely to blame for Demi's condition. A source told the paper that Kutcher has been contacting Demi since their split, even as he publically flirts with other women.
The insider said, "Ashton has been very sloppy about his private life. He goes between doing ridiculous things and then making overtures to Demi. She took her marriage very seriously, she gave it 100 percent, and his behavior is confusing to her."
The source added, "Demi put up with a lot from Ashton -- and despite the rumors, she always gave him the benefit of the doubt. But as soon as he admitted it, she asked him to leave. She helped him build his career, and as soon as he got his own success he became very full of himself. He was pushing and pulling at her for months before they split. Now he's carrying on like a teenager, goes around with other women, and then, when he's feeling scared and lonely, he reaches out to Demi. It's really taking its toll on her. Demi is exhausted and humiliated. She needs some time to take care of herself and regroup."
911 CALL WILL BE RELEASED
An edited version of the 911 call that sent Demi to the hospital will be released today. The Los Angeles Times reported that references to Moore's medical condition or medication she was taking will be left out, as its release could violate privacy laws.
Charlie Sheen is done trying to make amends with Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre. The actor, who appeared to have mellowed since last year's meltdown, once again blasted his former employer, telling reporters that the sitcom should end and that the actors on the show "deserve better."
At the NATPE (National Association of Television Program Executives) conference in Miami, Sheen said of Two and a Half Men, "I don't think it should go on past this year. I just think that people are there because there's nowhere else to go. Yet."
Charlie was there to promote his upcoming FX series Anger Management, which he says will be a success due to "a combination of respect, admiration and involvement that didn't exist" on the set of Two and a Half Men.
He continued to blast his old series, saying, "I don't want to harp on them. Let the clueless stay clueless. . . I was a puppet there for ratings. But whatever, I don't care. I've moved on, and whatever they're doing there is none of my business."
Sheen added, "Whatever started with [Men cocreator Chuck Lorre] rolled down to all of us. I'm not saying it was s--t, but I'm not saying it was f--king gold either. But whatever, man, they're doing their thing and I'm free from their bondage. Hats off to [Ashton Kutcher] for doing the best job that he can. I don't think that he's working with the best writing because [Lorre is] doing too many shows. He and [Jon Cryer] and [Angus T. Jones] deserve better material."
As for what we can expect from Anger Management? Sheen promised, "It's going to be an absolute f--king rocket ship to the moon."
PAT SAJAK ADMITS HE'S BEEN DRUNK ON 'WHEEL OF FORTUNE'
Wheel of Fortune was a little bit looser in the '80s. Host Pat Sajak recently admitted that he and Vanna White used to drink -- a lot -- before the filming the show.
When asked by Dan Le Batard if he ever hosted the show while drunk, Pat admitted, "Yes. When I first started and was much younger and could tolerate those things. We had a different show then."
Sajak, 65, revealed that they used to have a two-and-a-half hour dinner break, which he and Vanna would spend at a local Mexican restaurant drinking margaritas.
He recalled, "Vanna and I would . . . have two or three or six and then come and do the last shows and have trouble recognizing the alphabet. I had a great time. I have no idea if the shows were any good, but no one said anything, so I guess I did okay."
Sajak began hosting the game show in 1981 and White joined him a year later.
American Idol visited Texas for last night's auditions. The show started with a bunch of bad singers including Phong Vu, who sang Unbreak My Heart. As the judges began to lose hope, 21-year old Baylie Brown, a contestant who was eliminated in the Hollywood group round when she was 16, took the stage and sang Bon Jovi's "Bed Of Roses." She got three yeses and changed the momentum.
Later in the show the judges were split on the talent. Randy and Steven could not agree with Jennifer on anyone. Jennifer complained that the guys were putting through mediocre singers and sending the ones that she loved home. But they did agree that Alejandro Cazares, who was trying to start a revolution, was a terrible singer.
The last audition of the night was from Ramiro Garcia. At birth, Ramiro's parents were told he would never talk or hear, but after numerous surgeries, he is now able to hear, speak, and sing! The judges awarded him the final golden ticket after his rendition of "Amazing Grace."
Drew Carey and his longtime fiance have broken up. A rep for the Price is Right host confirmed that he and Nicole Jaracz have called off their engagement after nearly five years.
Carey's rep explained, "He and Nicole still have a great deal of love and affection for one another. He will still be very involved with their son's life." Jaracz has a son Connor, now 6, from a previous relationship.
The couple announced their engagement in 2007. At the time Carey's rep said, "They are both very happy and excited about their future together."
Meanwhile, RadarOnline.com reported that Carey has a new girlfriend: 31-year-old Kelley Whilden, who was photgraphed with him on January 21 at the soccer match between the U.S. Men's National Team and Venezuela.
ASK YOUR LISTENERS
How long is it normal to wait between getting engaged and married?
How long after getting engaged should you start planning your wedding?
If you have a long engagement, is that indicative of problems in the relationship?
What are some reasonable reasons for a very long engagement?
Are couples supposedly to be happier while they're engaged?
Brad Pitt has revealed that he struggled with depression. The actor told the Hollywood Reporter that he had a hard time coping with his fame in the late 1990s.
The actor explained, "I got really sick of myself at the end of the 1990s. I was hiding out from the celebrity thing, I was smoking way too much dope, I was sitting on the couch and just turning into a doughnut and I really got irritated with myself."
The time period Pitt mentioned coincided with his relationship with Jennifer Aniston. The two married in 2000 after several years together.
Opening today (January 27th) is the new drama, Albert Nobbs, starring Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Janet McTeer, Brendan Gleeson and Aaron Johnson. The film follows 19th century Irish butler, Albert Nobbs, played by Close, who is hiding an enormous secret: he is actually a she. Shy and secretive, Albert keeps a low profile until the arrival of Hubert, played by McTeer, causes a change in Albert's life. Hubert is also secretly a woman and has found a partner to help maintain her secret identity. Hoping to set up a similar arrangement, Albert begins to woo a hotel maid, played by Wasikowska.
Albert Nobbs is rated R and has a running time of 1 hour and 53 minutes.
Glenn Close is nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award for her role as Albert Nobbs.
Opening (January 27th) is the new action thriller, Man on a Ledge, starring Sam Worthington, Jamie Bell, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, Edward Burns and Ed Harris. The film follows an ex-cop and wanted fugitive, played by Worthington, who stands on the ledge of a high rise building while a hostage negotiator, played by Banks, tries to talk him down but the longer they are on the ledge, the more she realizes that he might have an ulterior motive.
Man on a Ledge is rated PG-13 and has a running time of 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Opening today (January 27th) is the drama/comedy, The Descendants, starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer and Matthew Lillard. The film follows Hawaii islander, Matt King, played by Clooney, who family finds tragedy when his wife has an accident that leaves her in a coma. Matt struggles with the new found knowledge that his wife was having an affair as he tries to honor his wife's wishes to be allowed to die with dignity while facing pressure from his famil to sell their family's land trust.
The Descendants is rated R and has a running time of 1 hour and 55 minutes.
The Descendants is nominated for severl Academy Awards including: Best Picture; Best Director, Alexander Payne; Best Actor, George Clooney; Best Adapted Screenplay.
Opening today (January 27th) is the new comedy, One for the Money, starring Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, John Leguizamo and Sherri Shepherd. The film follows Stephanie Plum, played by Heigl, who needs cash and fast. She takes a job as a recovery agent for a bail bonding company and goes after former cop and murder suspect Joe Morelli, despite her lack of skills and choice weapon: pepper spray.
One for the Money is rated PG-13 and has a running time of 1 hour and 46 minutes.
Opening today (January 27th) is the new adventure film, The Grey, starring Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts and Frank Grillo. The film follows a man who leads a group of oil-rig roughnecks after their planes crashes into the remote Alaskan wilderness and are forced to battle the merciless weather and a vicious pack of wolves on the hunt.
The Grey is rated R and has a running time of 1 hour and 57 minutes.
ROMNEY MORE AGGRESSIVE AGAINST GINGRICH IN CRITICALDEBATE: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had a newly-aggressive approach against chief rival Newt Gingrichin last night's (January 26th) critical debate, the final one before next week's important Florida primary. After Gingrich's upset victory in the South Carolina primary last week, Romney is hoping to stop the former House speaker's momentum and avoid a drawn-out primary battle by getting the win in Florida. Romney was on the attack from early on, saying Gingrich should apologize for calling him anti-immigration: (Moderator Wolf Blitzer) "Is he still the most anti-immigrant candidate?" (Gingrich) "I think of the four of us, yes."(Blitzer) "Go ahead, Governor." (Romney) "That's simply inexcusable. That's inexcusable. And actually, Senator Marco Rubio came to my defense and said that ad was inexcusable and inflammatory and inappropriate. Mr. Speaker, I'm not anti-immigrant. My father was born in Mexico. My wife's father was born in Wales. They came to this country. The idea that I'm anti-immigrant is repulsive. Don't use a term like that. You can say we disagree on certain policies, but to say that enforcing the U.S. law to protect our borders, to welcome people here legally, to expand legal immigration as I approve, that that's somehow anti-immigrant? It's simply the kind of over-the-top rhetoric that has characterized American politics too long. And I'm glad that Marco Rubio called you out on it. I'm glad you withdrew it. I think you should apologize for it. And I think you should recognize that having differences of opinions on issues does not justify labeling people with highly-charged epithets."
The two sparred throughout the night on a range of topics, including the now-familiar topics of Romney's personal finances and Gingrich's work for Freddie Mac, although the usually animated Gingrich seemed put back on his heels a bit by Romney's broadsides. However, Gingrich did fire at Romney over the flurry of stories yesterday from Republican figures slamming the former House Speaker on his past opinions of Ronald ReaganIt's increasingly interesting to watch the Romney attack machine coordinate things. And all of a sudden today there are like four different articles by four different people that randomly show up. The fact is, I'm thrilled that Michael Reagan has endorsed me and will be campaigning with me here in Florida. I remember very fondly in 1995, when we were at the Goldwater Institute and Nancy Reagan said, 'You know, Barry gave Ronnie the torch and now Ronnie's passing the torch to Newt and his team in Congress.' So, I think it's reasonable to say, and I think the governor said it fairly, I am vastly closer to Reagan and in that period the governor was an independent business person. In '92, he was donating to Democrats for Congress and voted for Paul Tsongas in the Democratic primary. In '94, running against Teddy Kennedy, he said flatly, 'I don't want to go back to the Reagan-Bush era. I was an independent.' So there's a pretty wide gap. Now, he's more mature, he's more conservative, I accept that. I think it's a good thing. But those of us who were in the trenches fighting in the '80s, it would nice to be recognized for what we actually did and not to have orchestrated attacks that try to distort the history of that period."
Rick Santorum was also particularly feisty last night, again trying to position himself as the best candidate to go up against President Obama. As part of that effort, he went hard against Romney on the heatlh care plan he enacted in Massachusetts, which was a blueprint of sorts for the national plan passd by Obama that Republicans loathe: (Santorum) "What Governor Romney just said is that government-run, top-down medicine is working pretty well in Massachusetts and he supports it." (Romney) "That's not what I said." (Santorum) "Now think about what that means going up against Barack Obama, who you're going to claim, 'Well, top-down, government-run medicine on the federal level doesn't work and we should repeal it' and he's going to say, 'Wait a minute Governor. You just said that top-down, government-run medicine in Massachusetts works well.' Folks -- we can't give this issue away in this election. It is about fundamental freedom. Whether the United States government or even a state government -- you have Amendment One here, offered by Scott Plakon, who, by the way, endorsed me today, it's going to be on your ballot as to whether there should be a government mandate here in Florida. According to Governor Romney, that's okay, if the state does it, that's okay, if the state wants to enforce it, that's okay. Those are not the clear contrasts we need if we're going to defeat Barack Obama and a billion dollars."
SOMALI PIRATES MOVE U.S. HOSTAGE AFTER RECENT RESCUE: Somali pirates moved an American hostage at least three times in 24 hours and threatened to kill him Thursday (January 26th) after U.S. Navy SEALs rescued two other hostages -- an American woman and a Danish man -- in an early-morning raid Wednesday in which nine of the pirates were killed. A pirate connected to the gang hiding the American man who was kidnapped this past weekend told AP, "If they try again, we will all die together. It's difficult to hold U.S. hostages, because it's a game of chance: die or get huge money."
PENTAGON OUTLINES PLAN TO REDUCE MILITARY SPENDING: The Pentagon outlined a plan Thursday (January 26th) for slowing the growth of military spending, including cutting the size of the Army and Marine Corps, retiring older planes, delaying some expensive weapons, and reducing war costs, however AP notes the changes aren't dramatic, with the basic shape and structure of the military remaining the same. The Army would shrink from a peak of 570,000 to 490,000 within five years, and the Marines would drop by 20,000, to 182,000. Both services will still be slightly larger than they were on 9/11, before they began a decade of fighting two wars. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the plan begins to shift the Pentagon's focus from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to future challenges in Asia, the Mideast and in cyberspace. He said more special operations forces like the Navy SEALs who killedOsama bin Laden will be available and the Pentagon will stress improvements in cyberdefenses.
TODAY'S FYI:
HILLARY CLINTON READY TO LEAVE POLITICS: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told State Department employees Thursday (January 26th) that she won't stay on for another term if President Obama is re-elected. She explained in response to a question at a meeting with department employees, "I think after 20 years -- and it will be 20 years -- of being on the high wire of American politics and all of the challenges that come with that, it would be probably a good ideae to just find out how tired I am." Clinton has said numerous times before that she'd only serve one term as secretary of state, stating that she loves thejob, but has found the constant intenrational travel to be physically grueling, and wants to work on promoting women's and children's development, as well as writing and traveling as a private citizen.
2011 WAS WORST YEAR ON RECORD FOR NEW HOME SALES: Figures out yesterday (January 26th) from the Commerce Department showed that 2011 was the worst year for new home sales since records began to be kept in 1963. About 302,000 new homes were sold last year, less than the 323,000 sold in 2010. At the same time, sales of new homes did rise in the final quarter of the year, supporting other signs of a slow turnaround, with many experts believing the housing market may have finally hit bottom. A big reason that new home sales suffered in 2011 was competition from foreclosures and short sales. Although new homes make up less than 10 percent of the housing market, they have an outsize economic impact. According to the National Association of Home Builders, each new home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates some $90,000 in tax revenue.
REP. BARNEY FRANK TO MARRY SAME-SEX PARTNER: Democratic Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, a leading liberal politician who became the first U.S. congressman to come out as gay in 1987, will be marrying his partner of nearly five years, 42-year-old Jim Ready of Maine. Frank's office said the two will marry in Frank's home state of Massachusetts, the first in the country to legalize gay marriage, but didn't give the date or location of the ceremony. The 71-year-old Frank announced in November that he wouldn't be seeking a 17th term, citing the difficulty of running for re-election in a newly re-drawn distrcit and his desire to spend more time writing and teaching.
STUDY: NO DIRECT LINK BETWEEN FRIED FOOD AND HEART DISEASE: New research holds good news for fried food lovers, finding that there's no direct correlation between the amount of friend food people eat and their risk of heart disease. The study that followed 40,000 people in Spain for nearly 15 years found instead that long-term heart risk depended more on what kind of oil was used in frying, with olive oil and sunflower oil considered the healthiest. However, study researcher Michael Leitzmann of Germany's University of Regensburg warned that this isn't a free pass to go hog-wild on fried foods, noting that they are higher in calories and linked to obesity and high blood pressure.
GRANDSONS OF 10TH U.S. PREZ, JOHN TYLER, STILL ALIVE: America's 10th president, John Tyler, served one term, from 1841 to 1845, and died less than 20 years later, in 1862. ButMentalFloss.com reports that two of his grandsons are still alive, both of them in their 80s. The brothers' father, Lyon Gardiner Tyler, was one of Tyler's 15 children, born when the former president was 63. In turn, Gardiner Tyler had his two sons who are still alive today when he was in his 70s with his second wife. He also had four other children, three with his first wife and one other with his second who died in infancy. The presidential grandsons still alive today are Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., who was born in 1924, and Harrison Ruffin Tyler, who was born in 1928.
SPORTS:
PACKED PENN STATE MEMORIAL HELD FOR PATERNO: Penn State said its final goodbye to legendary former football head coach Joe Paterno yesterday (January 26th) at a campus memorial service attended by a near-capacity crowd of 12,000. Paterno died Sunday (January 22nd) of lung cancer at age 85, just two months after he was fired after 46 years as head coach amid charges that he didn't do enough to stop former assistant Jerry Sandusky after being told that Sandusky was caught sexually abusing a young boy. Sandusky is currently charged with the sexual abuse of 10 boys. But many in the Penn State community believe that that Paterno's firing was unfair, and the audience expressed that feeling yesterday, rising to their feet in applause when Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight said, "If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation and not in Joe Paterno's response." Paterno's son Jay also received a standing ovation later when he declared: "Joe Paterno left this world with a clear conscience."
Paterno's 409 wins are more than any other major-college football coach.
NADAL TOPS FEDERER IN AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEMIFINAL: Second-ranked Rafael Nadal of Spain topped Number 3 Roger Federer of Switzerland 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in their Australian Open semifinal match Thursday (January 26th) winning a spot in the tournament final. Nadal will play the winner of Friday's semifinal between top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic and Number 4Andy Murray for the title.
(Headline News, FYI and Sports stories were compiled in part from reports by the Associated Press and Reuters.)
THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW - Ted Danson, Kellie Pickler, Christopher Plummer THE VIEW - Matilda Raffa Cuomo, Gloria Steinem, Mike Nichols, Bill Geddie, Phillip & Holly Wagner
LATE NIGHT TALK SHOWS
THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN (CBS) - (repeat) THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO (NBC) - (repeat) JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE (ABC) - (repeat) THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON (CBS) - (repeat) LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON (NBC) - (repeat) LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY (NBC) - (repeat)
UNDERCOVER BOSS - President Rick Tigner of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates goes under cover to see what it is like on the front lines of the luxury wine company.
THE GOOD WIFE - Wendy Scott-Carr presents her evidence against Will in an effort to send him to prison.
CSI: MIAMI - The team investigates the murder of a skydiver with more than 100 children, all of them suspets.
ONCE UPON A TIME - Sidney asks Emma for help uncovering evidence that could expose Regina's corrupt ways; King Leopold is granted three wishes.
A SMILE AS BIG AS THE MOON - Special-education teacher Mike Kersjes brings students to space camp to learn how astronauts explore the universe. Starring John Corbett, Cynthia Watros, Logan Huffman and Breezy Eslin.
PBS
DOWNTOWN ABBEY - Matthew and William face uncertain fates; Daisy faces the toughest test of her young life.
BRAVO
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA - The ladies go to Cape Town, South Africa and new battles are waged; Kim stays behind with Kroy away at football camp.
E!
KOURTNEY & KIM TAKE NEW YORK - (season finale) The couples say goodbye to New York; Kim makes a decision about her marriage.
HBO
LUCK - (series premiere) Ace Bernstein is released from prison; four racetrack junkies make a bet that could be worth millions.
SHOWTIME
SHAMELESS - Fiona deals with the consequences of sleeping with Craig Heisner; Debbie develops a stress rash.
HOUSE OF LIES - Marty brings Roscoe to his next job in San Francisco; Jeannie reacts to her recent engagement.
CALIFORNICATION - Hank is forced to invite ex-girlfriend and arsonist, Carrie, to a dinner party.
VH1
MOB WIVES - Tensions flare between Ramona and Carla; Drita works toward finalizing her divorce.
NEW AFTERSHAVE COVERS STRIP CLUB SCENTS: A strip club in South Africa has unleashed a new line of aftershave products that smell like the excuses a man might give his wife if he spent the night at a strip club. The line is called "Alibi" and has several scents including one called "My Car Broke Down" which smells like fuel, burnt rubber, grease and steel. (FARK)
DAD GETS RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST SON'S BULLY: A father in Southern California has obtained a restraining order against a kid who allegedly threatened his 10-year-old son Christopher with a knife. Robert Casteel said, "My son was terrified. I kept him home for five days until I got the restraining order." The order requires the bully to stay at least 20 feet away from Christopher. (Los Angeles Times)
ELEPHANT GETS CONTACT LENS: Officials at the Artis Zoo in Amsterdam have outfitted a 45-year-old Asian elephant with a contact lens. The elephant, Win Thilda, hurt her eye during a fight with another elephant. A veterinarian who performed the surgery on the elephant said, "I was called in when the zoo reported that Win Thida's eye was painful and streaming. The main difficulty was her height. Elephants can't lie down for long before their immense weight impairs their breathing, so I used a ladder to get close enough. It wasn't ideal, but it worked. She seemed happier straight away."(UPI)
CRAIGSLIST POST REQUESTS FOOTBALL HELP TO IMPRESS GIRLFRIEND: An anonymous Brooklyn, New York Craigslist poster is seeking a Super Bowl tutor to help him figure out the game before he has to attend a party at his ex-girlfriend's house. The poster explains, "My girlfriend and I were just invited to a Super Bowl party at her ex-boyfriend's apartment, and to be honest, last time I met him he told me he played football in college and I responded that I did as well -- which was a lie. I guess I just panicked and wanted to impress my girlfriend." He continued, "So I need someone who can quickly teach me... This is really important to me. I think my girlfriend still really likes her ex. I'm offering $500, but would be willing to go higher if you're an actual college or professional football quarterback." The post concludes, "And if you would be willing to text me good comments to say during the game, I'd to pay you an extra $100 for that. Maybe more if they're good comments." (Huffington Post)
55-HOUR WORK WEEKS LEAD TO DEPRESSION: People who spend long hours at the office are more than twice as likely to develop depression as those who do a regular 9-5 day. Researchers found those who spend more than 11 hours a day -- or 55 hours a week -- at their desk faced a higher risk. The most susceptible were women, younger people and those on a low pay grade with moderate alcohol consumption. The researchers said it seemed some who earned more could be 'buffered' from depression by having a job they enjoyed, or higher levels of 'social support' such as staff who could do things for them. But women in high-earning jobs were more likely to suffer depression, as they may have been more likely to have multiple responsibilities outside work, and younger people -- perhaps coping with trying to excel in their career, while facing family and financial demands -- also experienced higher levels of depression. (Daily Mail)
AVERAGE PERSON SUFFERS 152 MIGRAINES, 133 COLDS: Over the course of a lifetime, it's estimated that the average person in the UK will spend a year and a half waiting for doctors' appointments, suffer 152 migraines, battle 133 coughs and colds, and -- require six stitches. The report, which was published by Health-on-Line.co.uk, traced the illnesses and injuries endured by British men and women. The average lifestyle is evidently taking its toll and leads to employees taking an estimated 43 days off work as a result of stress-related illness. And whilst away from the office, men and women spend 13,713 hours waiting for doctors' appointments, 14 nights in hospital, and 46 hours in waiting rooms. (Daily Mail)
iPADS LEAD TO BAD POSTURE: Using an iPad on your lap can lead to bad pasture. Research found that people flexed their necks more when using media tablets compared to typical desktop computers. For the sudden popularity of tablet computers including the Apple gadget has not allowed for the development of guidelines to 'optimize users' comfort and well-being', according to the latest research.
10 USES FOR VODKA -- OTHER THAN DRINKING (LimeLife.com)
Window cleaner -- no chemical cleaner here, just spray your windows with diluted vodka and wipe with a lint-free cloth for a streak-free shine.
Chrome cleaner -- again, no streaks or hard water spots here, just soak a cloth in vodka and wipe on chrome fixtures.
Laundry deodorizer -- yes, just a spritz of vodka (not diluted) will remove odors, then hang laundry to dry.
Rust remover -- soak the rusty screws in vodka for a few hours, wipe clean.
Flower preserver -- a few drops of vodka, plus a teaspoon of sugar will keep flowers from wilting.
Stain remover -- remove upholstery stains by dipping a cloth in vodka and rubbing it on fabric.
Weed killer -- mix 1 ounce of vodka, 2 cups of water and a few drops of liquid dish soap in a spray bottle. Spritz on weeds.
Mold and mildew cleaner -- spray tile and caulk with vodka, allow it to sit for 30 minutes, then scrub with a toothbrush. Rinse.
Muscle soother -- mix equal parts vodka and water in a ziplock bag and freeze.
Odor fighter -- spray diluted vodka in smelly shoes.
SIGNS YOU'RE NOT CUT OUT FOR FATHERHOOD (AskMen.com)
No.10 You always abandon projects: Remember that summer you tried to learn the guitar? Or that half semester you spent in cooking school? Or how about that day you tried to become a sword swallower? Admit it: You always set out with the best of intentions before abandoning each project once the glamour wears off and the real work sets in. And, make no mistake about it, children are a lot of work. If you're not in it for the long haul, you shouldn't be in it at all.
No.9 You're too materialistic: With all due respect to blazing infernos and cattle stampedes, nothing puts your material possessions at greater risk than letting an infant have free reign over your house. Apple juice will be smeared on your artwork, slices of cheese will be loaded into your Blu-ray player and puddles of drool will cover every single surface in your home. If you can't handle that kind of kiddie-induced carnage, you may not be ready for fatherhood.
No.8 You're a Womb Raider: A womb raider is a male gold digger who deliberately impregnates a wealthier woman within weeks of meeting her. And while there's nothing amiss with knocking up an heiress if you genuinely like children, there is something fundamentally wrong about doing it purely because you want to quit your day job. Children are a blessing, not a meal ticket.
No.7 All of your plants are dead: If you're too busy to water your Chinese evergreen once a week, there's no way you're going to find the time to diaper, clothe, feed, entertain, and nurture a baby. Being a parent is easily the most demanding job in the world, and it requires a concentrated, full-time commitment.
No.6 You're a neat freak: Babies were designed to get messy. They poop, barf and fling their feces around like Charlie Sheen after a half-dozen cocktails. If you can't stand the thought of your home looking like it's been ravaged by a hurricane, then you're probably not ready for children.
No.5 You're a slob: Perhaps the only thing worse than being a neat freak is being an unrepentant slob. If you can't clean up after yourself, then there's no way you're going to be able to keep up with the mountains of toxic diapers, stained washcloths and pee-soaked onesies your baby will generate on an hourly basis.
No.4 You need to be the center of attention: One of the most difficult things about having a child is coming to terms with the fact that you no longer matter. Oh, sure, you're still essential to your baby's care and well-being, but friends and family members will suddenly start ignoring you to give their undivided attention to your little bundle of joy. Playing second fiddle to an incomprehensible rug rat may be fine for some men, but it can be a huge blow to the ego for guys accustomed to having the spotlight all to themselves.
No.3 You're in debt up to your eyeballs: Anyone who insists that children are priceless clearly hasn't read the latest data. According to the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, the typical two-parent family will spend $222,360 on a child by the time he reaches 17. And that's assuming you have a son. If you have a daughter, you'll also want to shell out an additional $10,000 on a chastity belt and a shotgun to scare away her potential suitors. If that sounds like more money than you'd care to spend, you may have to wait until your finances are in order before having children.
No.2 You have zero patience: When it comes to dealing with children, patience is more than just a virtue -- it's an absolute necessity. Most children don't begin to talk until they're 14 to 20 months old, and their frequent inability to be understood often results in epic meltdowns. Make no mistake about it, you will have Lego blocks flung at your head, strained carrots dumped into your lap and any number of ballistic devices aimed at your groin. It's absolutely critical that you maintain patience and composure during these trying times, as your baby tries to communicate his most pressing needs and desires. If you can't handle that -- and many men can't -- you may not be ready for fatherhood.
No.1 You want a surrogate you: We know that your life may not have turned out exactly the way you wanted, but having a child won't magically erase all of your past mistakes, and you can't live vicariously through your kid. Anyone who enters fatherhood with those kinds of ulterior motives is setting themselves -- and their offspring -- up for a lifetime of bitter failure.
IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION
What athlete's No. 10 jersey from the 1970 World Cup finals sold at auction for a record $220,850 in 2002?
Man Sues Ex-Girlfriend Who Listed Him on Liars and Cheaters Website
Former Connecticut prosecutor Matt Couloute Jr. has filed suit against an ex-girlfriend who listed him onLiarscheatersrus.com, a website that warns women about men who lie and cheat in their personal relationships. If you Google Couloute, the listing is the first thing that comes up, and he says it's ruined his life, claiming he's lost clients and that it even interfered with him buying a home. He told reporters, "It's unfortunate. Anyone can go online and do that to somebody. Anyone can slander someone anonymously and just get away with it." The accuser in this case isn't anonymous, however. Amanda Ryncarz, who had a more than two-year-long relationship with Couloute, wrote in a statement, "I posted on liarscheatersrus.com because I wanted to warn other women in order to protect them from what I suffered." The posting has a detailed description of what she says were Couloute's broken promises and a pattern of deceit. She continues in her statement, "Over and over, Matthew led me to believe that we were going to get married. I was shocked when he called me . . . to tell me our relationship was not working, and I was even more shocked to learn 12 days later, he married another woman." Couloute is suing Ryncarz for "tortious interference with prospective business relations," saying people, quote, "don't have the right to defame people on the Internet." But celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, who's representing Ryncarz, presents it as a free speech case, warning about restrictions on Internet freedom if Couloute's suit were to be successful. She said, "Women must have a voice and be able to speak to each other on matters of common interest without fear of being dragged into court."
7-Year-Old Writes Heart-Warming Letter to San Francisco 49ers' Kyle Williams
After the San Francisco 49ers' Kyle Williams made two crucial fumbles in his team's NFC championship game loss to the New York Giants last Sunday (January 22nd) the receiver was the target of 49ers fans' outraged anger and even got death threats. In reaction, the Huffington Post's Ben Mankiewicz posted a short letter yesterday (January 26th) that a friend's 7-year-old son wrote to Williams that he says is a, quote, "example of what's right" with sports fans. The boy, named Owen, is a huge 49ers fan, and was devastated by the loss, crying as he wailed, "Why did he have to fumble?" Mankiewicz writes that Owen's dad was trying to get his son to stop crying and asked him, "If you feel this way, how sad do you think Kyle Williams is?" The boy paused, and then asked his dad if he could write a letter to make Williams feel better. Mankiewicz posted the text of the heart-warming letter:
"We just watched the playoff game. I feel really bad for you, but I wanted to tell you that you had a great season. You should be very proud, so I wanted to say thank you. I am your #1 fan!
Keith Urban and Richard Marx were both in attendance at a party in Nashville yesterday (Wednesday, January 25th) to celebrate the chart-topping success of Keith's hit, "Long Hot Summer," which they co-wrote.
This is not their first collaboration -- in fact, it's not even their first Number One hit together -- but "Long Hot Summer" holds a special place in their hearts because it helped repair their once-damaged friendship, as Keith tells us:"We'd had an issue with each other. That's all I'm gonna say, and I learned a lot about the importance of friendship and this guy was so incredibly gracious and good, and I learned a lot about what it takes to be a real friend, and I wanted to really make it up to Richard and show him that our friendship really means something to me, and so I said, 'Please, I wanna write together again. We should really do that,' and we talked about that for a long time, and we eventually did and I'm so glad that we not only got to write the song, but for the song to take us to this point because it was born of that. It wasn't born of a quota to write a song. It was born of a want for us to reconnect, and the song was just a by product of that desire."
Richard says that made it all the more important to acknowledge the Number One with a true celebration."I don't know if it's a favorite, but I love this song! I freakin' love this song!! And they're all special for their own reasons, but this one's really kind of fun to cele(brate) . . . cause a couple times cause of his surgery, etcetera, we weren't gonna do a celebration. We would may go out to dinner next time I was in Nashville or something, but it became sort of like this unspoken . . . this was important, cause it's really like I love this guy and this song is a great testament to our friendship."
Keith and Richard got on stage to perform "Long Hot Summer" along with some special guests. Keith flewLeslie Strong and Patrick Woolam into Nashville for the party after discovering their separate video performances of "Long Hot Summer" on YouTube. Keith let Patrick do most of the singing, while Leslie played lead guitar.
CHECK IT OUT
Carrie Underwood will release her new single, "Good Girl," to country radio on February 23rd. It's the first release from her upcoming CD, which will be released this spring.
Carrie co-wrote the track with Chris DeStefano and Ashley Gorley, who co-wrote two of the superstar's previous chart-topping hits "Don't Forget to Remember Me" and "All-American Girl."
Carrie tells us how "Good Girl" came about: "'Good Girl' is rockin'! We went into the writing session thinking we need to write something that just kicks butt, and Chris DeStefano, one of the writers is -- I call him a little mad scientist on all of his Pro Tools stuff -- he, like, plays every instrument you could possibly think of, and he, like, started makin' this track, and we started . . . we just went. It was fast. We wrote it fast, and it's just fun! It's upbeat, it's fun, you stomp your feet, and you can dance to it. It's got this really rockin' verse, and this really, like, rockin' country chorus. So, it's just a really cool song."
Carrie and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler will come together for a special CMT Crossroadsduring Super Bowl weekend. CMT Crossroads: Steven Tyler & Carrie Underwood from the Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam will air live on CMT on February 4th at 11 p.m. ET.
Carrie will also be a special guest on PBS' Tony Bennett: Duets II Great Performances episode airing on Friday (January 27th) at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings).
FAST FACTS
Carrie has charted 14 Number One singles to her credit.
Combined sales of her first three albums surpass 14 million units.
Garth Brooks has prevailed in his breach-of-contract lawsuit against Integris Health System. The singer was awarded $1 million on Tuesday (January 24th) by a jury in Claremore, Oklahoma. Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in Yukon, Oklahoma was ordered to return the $500,000 donation that Garth made to the facility in 2005, as well as pay another half a million dollars in punitive damages.
After the ruling, Garth called the jurors "heroes" and told reporters, "I no longer feel like I'm crazy."
Garth claimed the hospital had promised to name a building after his late mother, Colleen Brooks, in exchange for the donation.
Garth also told reporters, "One day, Mom's name is going to go on the women's center, right there where the hospital is, but that hospital won't be owned by Integris when it is, I can tell you that."
Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus and his wife, Allison, are expecting their second child this summer. The baby new addition will join one-year-old Madeline Leigh.
Jay said, "This was definitely a huge surprise, but we're so thankful and excited that Maddie is going to have a brother or sister. We're really gonna have our hands full!"
Jay and Allison married in 2004 in Nashville.
Rascal Flatts is in the midst of their Thaw Out 2012 tour with special guests Sara Evans andHunter Hayes. They play in Albany, New York tonight (Thursday, January 26th).
FAST FACTS
Rascal Flatts will release their new album, Changed, in April.
The duo are set to perform during Keith Urban's All For The Hall benefit at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on April 10th. Tickets go on sale on Saturday (January 27th) at Ticketmaster.
Josh Thompson will head out on a new club tour, called Change Is Comin', next month. The trek kicks off on February 3rd at Coyote Joes' in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to his hits, Josh will debut new music from his upcoming sophomore album, Change.
Josh recently released "Comin' Around" as the lead single from his second studio album, due out this summer.
FAST FACTS
Josh's debut album, Way Out Here, was released in 2010.
He charted Top 20 hits with "Beer On The Table" and the album's title track.
Lady Antebellum has already sold more than half a million tickets for their upcoming Own The Night 2012 World tour, which kicks tomorrow (Friday, January 27th) in Tulsa, Oklahoma with Darius Ruckerand special guest Thompson Square. Advance sell-outs at some of the nation's biggest arenas include the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Allstate Arena in Chicago, American Airlines Center in Dallas and the DCU Center in Worcester, MA to name a few. Dave Haywood said, "It has only been four years since we were driving around in Charles' Jeep Cherokee and sharing a hotel room. This tour is what we've always dreamed of!"
Casey James will make his Grand Ole Opry debut tomorrow night (Friday, January 27th). Casey's debut will be at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. Casey said, "Not only will it be my first time on the Opry but my first time at the Ryman as well. Just to be invited is a huge honor and privilege. I am super excited to play on the same stage that so many great musicians have played over the years. " Casey co-wrote his current single, "Let's Don't Call It A Night," off his forthcoming self-titled debut album, which will be in stores on March 20th.
CBS, the Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions have a new 10-year deal that will keep the annual ACM Awards broadcast on the CBS Television Network through 2021. The new agreement also includes the continued broadcast of annual two-hour ACM specials. The 47th annual ACM Awardswill air live from Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena on CBS on April 1st at 8 p.m. ET.
COUNTRY TRIVIA
Q. What Johnny Cash song stayed at Number One on the chart for six weeks back in 1956? A. "I Walk The Line"
LEAH MESSER SUFFERS MISCARRIAGE:Teen Mom 2 star Leah Messer has suffered a miscarriage. It was recently announced that the 19-year-old mother of two was engaged and pregnant with her fiance Jeremy Calvert's baby. Unfortunately a source told OK! magazine, "She was having bad cramps for the past two weeks, and then she miscarried." Calvert said, "All I can do is support Leah and take things day by day. It's hard, but we will get through it."
ARRESTS MADE IN JOHN TRAVOLTA STOLEN CAR CASE: Two men have been arrested for allegedly stealing John Travolta's vintage Mercedes-Benz last year. TMZ.com reported that the vehicle has finally been recovered -- four months after it went missing -- and two men linked to a "sophisticated auto-theft ring" have been busted in connection with the case. In September, the car was stolen off a Los Angeles street while Travolta popped into a nearby dealership.
ARMIE HAMMER ARRESTED FOR POT: Armie Hammer -- best known for playing the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network -- was arrested last November for pot possession. TMZ.com reported that a drug-sniffing dog discovered 3 medicinal pot cookies and 1 brownie at a border patrol checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, Texas. He spent one day in jail before paying $1,000 bond.
KATHY GRIFFIN TALKS YOUNGER BOYFRIEND: Kathy Griffin has a cub. The 51-year-old comedienne told Rosie O'Donnell that her new boyfriend is 18 years her junior. She revealed, "He's a really nice normal guy who doesn't care for the spotlight, and I like it that way. And he does too!" Kathy didn't give many other details about her man, except to point out that he's blond, and that they met at a food and wine festival.
JEN SCHEFFT IS PREGNANT: Former BacheloretteJen Schefft is pregnant with her second child. The 35-year-old -- who was engaged to Bachelor Andrew Firestone before starring on the ABC spinoff -- already has a 14-month-old daughter with her husband Joe Waterman. She told Us Weekly, "I'm very excited. The kids will be about two years apart, which is a great age difference."
KIRSTEN DUNST SHOWS OFF NEW BEAU: Kirsten Dunst is dating actor Garrett Hedlund. The couple took their romance public at the Sundance Film Festival, where they were spotted kissing and hugging at a dinner for Dunst's new movie, The Bachelorette. A source told People magazine, "Kirsten and Garrett have been spending time together since the holidays. They were friends on the set of On the Road, and now they've grown closer. They spent Christmas together and he feels very strongly about her."
DREW BARRYMORE TALKS WEDDING PLANS: Drew Barrymore isn't rushing into wedding planning. When asked when she'll walk down the aisle with fiance Will Kopelman, Drew told GMA'sRobin Roberts, "We're trying to figure it out, I think everyone expects you to kind of know right away what all the plans are. And I'm like, 'Oh goodness, this just happened a month ago, do I not have it together, or is it OK to keep daydreaming?'"
DANNY PUDI WELCOMES TWINS: Danny Pudi and his wife welcomed twins earlier this month. TheCommunity actor announced that his son James Timothy and daughter Fiona Leigh were born on January 12th. He tweeted, "Daddyhood times 2! Thank you for all the well wishes. We couldn't be more excited. Here's to being pooped and peed on!"
DEMI MOORE REPORTEDLY SUFFERED SEIZURE BEFORE HOSPITALIZATION
Demi Moore was reportedly "acting like she was suffering from a seizure" before her Monday night hospitalization. A friend who was with the actress that night told E! that she called 911 after Demi started "shaking" and having seizure-like symptoms.
TMZ.com reported that Demi was inhaling nitrous oxide before the incident. Her friend reportedly told emergency workers that Demi was doing whip-its -- a street name for a type of nitrous oxide inhalant.
While it's been widely reported that Moore is currently being treated for substance abuse --RadarOnline.com claims that's not the only issue at hand. A source told the website, "Demi is in getting treated for anorexia, as well as other issues that caused her seizure. She has not taken care of her health at all lately and has lost a ton of weight."
DEMI HAS BEEN PARTYING, FLIRTING WITH YOUNGER MEN
Demi reportedly spent time partying with a younger crowd in the weeks leading up to her hospitalization.People magazine reported that less than two weeks ago, Demi partied with her 23-year-old daughter Rumer at Beacher's Madhouse at The Roosevelt Hotel.
A witness told the magazine, "When she first arrived, she kept to herself ... but she started loosening up and getting into party mode. She seemed really happy to be out with her daughter's friends."
The newly-single 49-year-old reportedly had her eye on 90210 actor Ryan Rottman. A source recalled, "She found ways to touch him all night, and at one point when he was in front of her, she was grinding on his butt," adding that "his shirt came unbuttoned, and she started tickling his bare chest playfully."
DEMI DROPS OUT OF 'LOVELACE'
Meanwhile, Demi has dropped out of the upcoming Linda Lovelace biopic, Lovelace, in which she was due to make a cameo as feminist Gloria Steinem. After Moore's rep confirmed that she was seeking treatment for health issues, the movie announcement was made.
WHERE WAS ASHTON?
As Demi was being rushed to the hospital, her estranged husband Ashton Kutcher was partying with models in Brazil. On Monday, Ashton tweeted a picture of himself "surfing the streets of Sao Paulo."People magazine reported that he also attended a show at Sao Paulo Fashion Week and stepped out with Brazilian celebrities, including Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio.
On Tuesday, he was seen signing autographs and posing for photos with fans.
STAR JONES RETURNING TO 'THE VIEW': Star Jones is returning to The View on February 22nd. Jones, who cohosted the show until 2006, will discuss open heart surgery with Barbara Walters -- a procedure they both have had. The reunion comes as a surprise considering that Jones didn't leave the show on good terms: Jones announced her departure on air without telling her cohosts beforehand. She also feuded with Barbara over her gastric bypass surgery, which Walters claims Star insisted the panel lie about.
LIAM HEMSWORTH SCORES NEW GIG: Liam Hemsworth has landed a new job. GossipCop.comreported that Miley Cyrus's boyfriend will star in Timeless, as a young man whose wife has died and attempts to go back in time to reunite with her.
LISA RINNA PENNING SEX BOOK: Lisa Rinna is penning a new book -- about sex. The actress-turned-reality star described the project saying, "The book is going to be a very honest look at sex and how to keep it hot. All kinds of sex and I really go there. I open up about how important a great sex life is to a lasting marriage and give you lots of tips on keeping your man a happy camper. I mean, as we all know, the key to a man's heart really is his penis." Rinna is married to Harry Hamlin.
It seems likely that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may finally take a trip down the aisle. The couple has always been vague about their intention to marry, but Pitt recently admitted that they'd "actually like to" tie the knot.
He told the Hollywood Reporter, "We'd actually like to, and it seems to mean more and more to our kids. We made this declaration some time ago that we weren't going to do it till everyone can. But I don't think we'll be able to hold out."
Pitt added, "I'm not going to go any further. [But] it means so much to my kids, and they ask a lot. And it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment."
The two have been together for seven years and are the parents of six children.
SEAL SAYS HE AND HEIDI KLUM MIGHT GET BACK TOGETHER
According to Seal, there's a chance that he and Heidi Klum might get back together. Although the couple recently announced they were separating, Seal told Piers Morgan that there is a possibility they will reconcile.
He said of the situation, "Is it irreparable? You can never say never."
However, he added, "I don't know at this point, to be honest [if I want to reconcile]. If it were that easy -- if there weren't problems, we'd still be together. That is the reality."
Seal also used the interview as an opportunity to defend himself against rumors that he's only wearing his wedding band for show. He explained, "I'm still wearing my wedding ring because I'm still married to this incredible woman. What this means to me and what it stands for [is] respect."
Jay Leno is being sued over a religiously insensitive joke. A Sikh follower filed a libel lawsuit against the late night host, claiming that Leno is responsible for encouraging hatred and ridicule of his religion.
In the segment, Leno made fun of Mitt Romney's lavish lifestyle, pretending that a photo of India's Harmandir Sahib -- one of the most sacred buildings in the world to the Sikh people -- was a photo of Romney's house.
According to the plaintiff, Leno's joke "falsely portrays the holiest place in the Sikh religion as a vacation resort owned by a non-Sikh."
BRUCE JENNER DOESN'T MIND IF DAUGHTERS SKIP COLLEGE
Bruce Jenner is realistic about his youngest daughters' education. The reality star acknowledged that it's unlikely Kendall and Kylie Jenner will head off to college after graduating high school.
He told Us Weekly, "By the time they graduate from high school, they will probably be in a position to go right to working. If they want to go to college, certainly, I think it's a good idea. But I'm not the advocate of, 'You've got to go to college!'"
16-year-old Kendall, who is already a working model, will face the decision first. As for what he expects? Bruce said, "I don't know if college is going to be that important for her. She'll probably have a career by the time she's out of high school . . . If that's what she wants to do, that's good."
Keith Urban successfully completed three weeks of doctor-ordered voice rest after his vocal cord surgery late last year, but he admits it wasn't easy. Keith tells us he learned a lot about non-verbal communication, to the point of nearly injuring himself. "Being silent with somebody is difficult. You almost have to over-exaggerate facial expressions to let them know that you're in a good mood. I nodded a lot. Just to nod lightly is not enough. You have to be effusive because when you talk and someone's saying something and you agree you're like, 'Yeah, absolutely!!' I would have to be like nodding really vigorously. After two weeks, I was in the shower and I was like, 'My neck is so sore!' That's why. I'm a lot in agreeance (laughs).
Dierks Bentley's current hit, "Home," has been nominated for Song of the Year by theAcademy of Country Music Awards. In addition to being trophy-worthy, Dierks tells us he hopes the song brings people together. "The song is written in a way that is open-ended as far as how people, what they want to walk away with. I mean I think it's obvious that it's a song about our country and about the ups and downs and the scars we have in our past, but at the end of the day, no matter what side of the fence you're on, where you stand on certain issues, or where you come from, your background, we all live here. You have to walk through the front door of your house every day. This is our house. This is our home. This is our country. You know, I hope in some sense that it brings people together, and finds a bit more in common than we don't. I hope people feel inspired and come together."
Glen Campbell will join current Grammy nominees The Band Perry and Blake Shelton for a special performance on next month's Grammy Awards. The show, which will be hosted by LL Cool J, takes place on Sunday, February 12th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. TheGrammys will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET.
Carrie Underwood will release her new single, "Good Girl," to country radio on February 23rd. It's the first release from her upcoming CD, which will be released this spring.1_75.jpg)
Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus and his wife, Allison, are expecting their second child this summer. The baby new addition will join one-year-old Madeline Leigh.
According to Seal, there's a chance that he and Heidi Klum might get back together. Although the couple recently announced they were separating, Seal told Piers Morgan that there is a possibility they will reconcile.
Jay Leno is being sued over a religiously insensitive joke. A Sikh follower filed a libel lawsuit against the late night host, claiming that Leno is responsible for encouraging hatred and ridicule of his religion.