Red, White & Blue Blog: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

KFLAG COUNRY MUSIC UPDATE

Gary Allan's ninth studio album, Set You Free, tops both the country and pop album charts this. Fans scooped up more than 106,000 albums its debut week. This marks Gary's first Number One Billboard Top 200 debut and third chart-topping debut on the Billboard Country Albums Chart.
Simultaneously, the first single from Set You Free, "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)," reached Number One on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts this week.
Gary titled the album Set You Free because he says it best sums up where he is today. He tells us: "To me that's like encompassing of kind of where I'm at right now. The feel of the album, if you look at the titles, it's actually a break up from beginning to end. It kicks off with 'Tough Goodbye' and it ends with 'Good as New,' kind of all the phases that you go through to heal . . . So (with) Set You Free, I just felt like that was the essence of everything that I was doing. Even when we did the pictures, it kind of seemed to have that feel and it seemed like a no-brainer."
Set You Free is Gary's first studio album in three years.
FAST FACTS

"Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)" is Gary's fifth Number One hit.

Blake Shelton is going to make one of Army vet Brendan Marrocco's wishes come true. The wounded warrior recently became the first person to undergo a double-arm transplant, and he said he wanted his first handshake to be with Blake.
Brendan shared his story with a Kentucky TV station, including that handshake tidbit, and it made its way back to Blake via a tweet from one of Brendan's friends who linked to the story. Blake responded tweeting back, "Wow.. Speechless. I will make this happen!!"
Blake then posted a message directly to the soldier writing, "Hey Brendan @BMarr86.... I can't WAIT to shake the hand of an American Hero/Stud... You my brother."
Brendan responded, "Holy mother of God!! I can't wait. I'm a huge fan and really looking forward to it. Thank you."
Brendan's double-arm transplant comes four years after he became the first serviceman to survive a quadruple amputation when his armored vehicle was bombed in Iraq.

Luke Bryan will release the fifth in his Spring Break-themed series of albums on March 5th. The new edition, called Spring Break . . . Here To Party, will contians two original songs and several others pulled from Luke's previous EPs.
Luke tells us the Spring Break projects are created for a very specific demographic: ["We kind of write 'em with college kids and Spring Break and that whole party theme in mind. I think it's fun to put out songs that, you know, just to get some new music out there for fans and more opportunities for them to have different types of music from me."

Luke will take a short break from his headlining Dirt Road Diaries tour to promote the new album with two concerts at Spinnaker's Beach Club in Panama City. The shows are set for March 12th and 13th.
Last year, over 40,000 fans flocked to the beach each day to see Luke perform.
Spring breaking fans can also enjoy a Dirt Road Diaries tour show on March 14 at the Amphitheatre at the Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Here's the track list for Spring Break . . . Here To Party:
1. Suntan City
2. Just A Sip
3. Buzzkill
4. If You Ain't Here To Party
5. Little Bit Later On
6. In Love With The Girl
7. Shore Thing
8. Sorority Girl
9. Shake The Sand
10. Love In A College Town
11. Wild Weekend
12. Cold Beer Drinker
13. Spring Break-Up
14. Take My Drunk A** Home

CHECK IT OUT

Safe Spring Break Tips: http://tinyurl.com/7gtzm7p

Kacey Musgraves is heading out on the road with Little Big Town on the band's Tornado tour, which kicks off tonight (Thursday, January 31st) in Murray, Kentucky. The Texas native tells us that while it'll take some getting used to, she's ready for her first major tour. "It's been really fun, and it's all come together so fast, unbelievably fast, because this is pretty new to me. I mean, I've definitely been an artist for a long time and playing out and stuff, but touring on a national scale is something that is new to me, especially with a set band that's yours. I mean, I come from the school of playing acoustic, which I really love. So, this is a different kind of format, and it's really cool. We're going to have some cool aesthetic aspects to the shows too, playing off the Same Trailer, Different Park album title. I just love kitchy-ness. I'm gonna say there might be some Astroturf involved, some pink flamingos. So, there's gonna be some fun parts of that too, and getting comfortable and getting all the pieces together. It's been fun, but it's happening fast, but it's only going to get better as the more shows that we play."
Kacey has a Top 15 hit with her debut single, "Merry Go Round."
Her debut album, Same Trailer, Different Park, will arrive in stores on March 19th.

Greg Bates will definitely be tuning in to the Super Bowl on Sunday (February 3rd). The singer is a self-professed football fanatic, and while his favorite team, the Tennessee Titans, had a rough season, he's still chosen a team to root for this weekend.
Greg tells us: "I'm always psyched and excited for this time of year. The Super Bowl and the playoffs and everything. You know if I had to make a prediction I think the 49ers just look great this year. They've got a young quarterback that is just killing it right now. So if I had to pick a winner, I'd say the 49ers this year. They always say that there's 2 seasons; there's football season and waiting on football season. So I think we're all getting to that point where we're excited but we know the end is coming soon and it's gonna be a long off-season for a lot of football fans, for sure."
The Super Bowl will air on CBS beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Carrie Underwood is teaming up with Tickets-for-Charity.com to offer fans some of the best seats in the house on her Blown Away tour while also benefiting the Academy of Country Music's ACM Lifting Lives and Carrie's own charitable C.A.T.S. Foundation. To access those tickets, log onto TicketsforCharity.com/ACMLiftingLives. Currently, fans can get exclusive tickets, including seats in the first 10 rows to see Carrie and "Eat & Greet" VIP Packages for Zac Brown Band.

Carrie joins artists like Brad Paisley, Toby Keith and Zac Brown Band in taking part in this program that gives fans access to great seats in sold-out sections for concerts nationwide. Fans pay the same or better price they will find elsewhere, however the difference is that their purchase through Tickets-for-Charity.com supports causes important to artists and fans rather than ticket resellers.

The C.A.T.S. Foundation (Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation) is dedicated to helping a variety of causes making a positive impact in Carrie's hometown area of Checotah, Oklahoma.

Carrie resumes her Blown Away tour with special guest Hunter Hayes on February 13th in Colorado.
FAST FACTS

Carrie will perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Friday (February 1st).
Her latest single, "Two Black Cadillacs," is a Top 10 hit and climbing on the country charts.

Emmylou Harris has officially been charged with hit-and-run by the Los Angeles District Attorney. The singer allegedly crashed her rental car into the back of another car on a freeway in L.A. last October and then left the scene.
TMZ reports the misdemeanor charge was brought against Emmylou on Wednesday (January 30th).
Her attorney has already entered a "not guilty" plea.
The other driver filed a police report claiming that Emmylou took off, while Emmylou's spokesperson previously said that it was a "minor traffic accident," and that she "unintentionally rubbed bumpers with another vehicle." The singer reportedly didn't realize she had actually made contact with the other car.
Emmylou faces up to six months in jail if convicted on the hit-and-run charge.

COUNTRY TRIVIA

Q. What is the name of Alan Jackson's first country Number One song in Billboard?
A. 1991's "I'd Love You All Over Again"

ON THE TUBE

DAY JOBS/GAC 2:00PM (ET)
Colt Ford, Hunter Hayes, Karen Fairchild

CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS

Portia De Rossi (actress, Arrested Development's Lindsay, wife of Ellen De Generes) (40)
Justin Timberlake (pop star) (32)
Kerry Washington (actress, Ray, The Last King of Scotland, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Fantastic Four, Lakeview Terrace, Django Unchained) (36)
Minnie Driver (actress, Grosse Pointe Blank, Good Will Hunting, Hope Springs, The Phantom Of The Opera) (43)
Nolan Ryan (Baseball Hall Of Fame pitcher, the all-time strikeout leader) (66)
Kelly Lynch (actress, Drugstore Cowboy, Bright Lights Big City) (54)
Philip Glass (composer) (76)
John Lydon (frontman of the Sex Pistols; also known as Johnny Rotten) (57)
Anthony LaPaglia (actor, Without A Trace) (54)
KC (Harry Wayne Casey) (of KC & the Sunshine Band, "Boogie Shoes") (62)
Carol Channing (actress) (92)
Phil Manzanera (guitarist, Roxy Music) (62)
Bobby Moynihan (actor, Saturday Night Live, The Invention of Lying, When in Rome) (36)
Marcus Mumford (singer, Mumford & Sons, husband of actress Carey Mulligan) (26)

INDUSTRY NEWS

REBEL WILSON LAUNCHES CLOTHING LINE: Pitch Perfect actress Rebel Wilson has launched a clothing line for plus-sized girls sizes 12 through 18 called Fat Mandi. Currently there are only two shirts available but the star tweeted, "The shirts are just a little experiment - I had a dream I created them, and so I felt like I had to do it!! Thanks everyone for checking it!"
'NEW GIRL' IS TUESDAY'S BIGGEST COMEDY: Fox's New Girl scored its highest ratings in three months on Tuesday night (January 29th.) The episode had 4.7 million viewers which crushed all seven other sitcoms that aired in nine time slots in the same night.
'THE TALK' RENEWED FOR ANOTHER SEASON: CBS has announced that their morning chat show The Talk has been renewed for the 2013-2014 season. The renewal is not much of a surprise since the show's ratings have been up 11% this year.
MAYIM BIALIK WRITING A COOKBOOK: The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik is writing a cookbook full of vegan recipes. She hopes the book will help other adapt more easily to a life without animal products.
SONY MOVES RELEASE DATE FOR 'EVIL DEAD': Sony Pictures has changed the release date of their Evil Dead reboot to April 5th. The film will now be in direct competition with Universal's release of the 3D version of Jurassic Park.

CELEBRITY GOSSIP

JAMES FRANCO DISSES NEW SPIDERMAN FRANCHISE: James Franco, who played Harry Osborn/Green Goblin in the original Spiderman trilogy, is not so into the fact that the story has been rebooted. He told MTV, "Eh, I mean, they could have strayed a little bit more from the original. It's like, 'Why?' Well, I guess they made a lot of money. Congrats. But good for them...Sam and I moved on, we made Oz."
PRINCE CHARLES TAKES PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Prince Charles and Camilla celebrated the 150th anniversary of the London Underground by riding on it for the first time ever. The royal and his wife rode for one stop on the Metropolitan Line from Farringdon to King's Cross.
'GOMER PYLE' MARRIES LONGTIME PARTNER: Jim Nabors, who played Gomer Pyle on television from 1964 to 1969, married his partner of nearly 40 years Stan Cadwallader on January 15th. He told reporters, "I'm 82 and he's in his 60s, and so we've been together for 38 years and I'm not ashamed of people knowing."
RON JEREMY IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT L.A. HOSPITAL: Ron Jeremy's manager Mike Esterman revealed to TMZ that the 59-year-old porn star drove himself to Cedar-Sinai hospital on Tuesday (January 29th) after experiencing severe chest pains. Doctors discovered that Jeremy had a heart aneurysm and he is now in ICU be prepped for surgery.
DEMI MOORE MISSED OUT ON 'A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN' ROLE: Director Penny Marshall revealed that Demi Moore was initially the frontrunner for Geena Davis' role in her film A League Of Their Own. By the time they were ready to offer the role however, Demi revealed that she was pregnant and Marshall felt she would not be able to get through the athletic scenes in the film.

KIM AND KANYE WANT PRIVACY FOR THEIR BABY

Kim Kardashian stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live with her sister Kourtney to promote the new season of Kourtney and Kim Take Miami and of course much of the conversation focused on baby talk. The 32-year-old expectant mother revealed that she and Kanye West don't plan to show the baby on any of her reality programs.
According to Kim, she and her baby daddy want to let their child decide when he or she is old enough whether they want to be part of the shows. She explained, "From the start, as of now, that's just a personal choice that Kanye and I have made. We're going to try to keep it as private as possible." Kim referenced Kourtney's struggle making the choice to put her children Mason and Penelope on television but ultimately decided it was best to have them with their mother even during filming.
CHECK IT OUT:

Cutest Kids on Reality TV: http://bit.ly/QCgGc3

IS MTV CANCELING 'TEEN MOM 2'?

The attention-seeking antics of Jenelle Evans may cause MTV to pull the plug on Teen Mom 2. The controversial cast member has been making news in the past few months for behaving in a way that some feel are desperate attempts to stay famous.
Sources close to the show are telling the NY Post that producers feel Jenelle has become a liability. Since November, Evans has become pregnant again, gotten married, lost her baby, and publicly demanded a divorce. Most recently, the 21-year-old partied at a bar with her ex-fiance hours after giving her Twitter followers a live play-by-play of her miscarriage. The show is supposed to act as a cautionary tale for young women but seems to have turned into a sideshow documenting the troubled life of a young mother.

Jenelle has been arrested seven times and gone to rehab twice since first appearing on MTV.
At present time, there has been no official cancellation from the network but a fourth season of the show has already been filmed and is supposed to air on MTV sometime this year.

CHECK IT OUT:

The 10 Worst Parents On Reality TV: http://bit.ly/x4oq00

LAMAR ODOM'S EX SAYS SHE DOESN'T KNOW IF KHLOE IS MATERNAL

Lamar Odom's ex Liza Morales has opened up about Khloe Kardashian's skills as a step-parent. In an interview with The New York Daily News, Liza -- star of Starter Wives Confidential said, "I don't know if she's good maternally, I don't know. As long as my kids are good, I'm good. As long as my kids are taken care of and I haven't heard anything negative, then I'm good."
When asked about her striking resemblance to Khloe she said, "I'm 100 percent Puerto Rican, and I was here first. I was here first, so she has a resemblance to me. I don't see it. We both have dark hair. We both have a cherub face. I don't think we look alike, but I have heard it. Imitation is a form of flattery!"

Liza also spoke about Lamar leaving her after their third child Jayden died of sudden infant death syndrome in 2006 when he was only 6 months old. She said that Lamar wouldn't open after the loss. She told the newspaper, "Who abandons their lady?"
Starter Wives Confidential airs Tuesdays on TLC at 9pm.

CHECK IT OUT

Tashera Simmons talks DMX: http://tinyurl.com/a2rejpa

MEGAN FOX HAS FOUND HER SOUL MATE

Megan Fox started dating her husband Brian Austin Green when she was 18 and eight years later she is as in love as ever. The 26-year-old Transformers actress admitted to Marie Claire UK that marriage isn't easy but that she does not regret committing at such a young age.
Megan told the magazine, "I believe he's my soul mate. But that doesn't mean it doesn't take work, because we are very, very different." Fox also made it known that she does not consider acting her job anymore. As soon as she became a mother, her son Noah and her family became her main priority.

Megan and Brian were married in 2010. She gave birth to their son Noah Shannon Green in September of 2012.

CHECK IT OUT:

Soul Mates Exist - Just Not In the Way We Usually Think: http://bit.ly/Qwadg1

'AMERICAN IDOL': SAN ANTONIO AUDITIONS

Last night (January 30th) on American Idol, the auditions moved to San Antonio, Texas, with a second stop in Long Beach, California.
The show featured brothers Derek and David Bagerott, who performed together on stage and accused the judges of being "very negative" when they didn't receive positive comments. Judge Randy Jackson said, "If you guys ever make it, you're gonna have to really re-adjust your attitude. Terrible attitudes." They did not advance. Sixteen-year-old student Stephanie Sanson screamed Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain," and broke a part of the set before leaving the audition. "Nicki would've sent her to Hollywood," said judge Keith Urban.
Student Jesaiah Baer began performing "Settle Down" by Kimbra, only to be interrupted when a fire alarm was set off and everyone was told to vacate the Queen Mary. When everyone returned, she was given a second chance and performed her song. Judge Nicki Minaj said, "The voice was really defined. It was very shocking for me." Baer received her pass to Hollywood.
The final performance was by 21-year-old Matheus Fernandes from Atlanta, Georgia, who sang Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come." Though he has a small build, Randy told him, "To me you're 10 feet tall right now." He received a unanimous "yes" from the judges.
In total, 50 Idol contestants advanced to Hollywood.

THE EXTRAVAGANT LIFE OF SCOTT DISICK

Kourtney Kardashian's baby daddy Scott Disick is not shy about flaunting his wealth and the lavish lifestyle he leads. The 29-year-old took Haute Living magazine through a typical day in his life and how he makes important decisions like which uber-expensive watch to wear.
According to the magazine, Disick wakes up at around 10 a.m. and begins his day by showering, shaving, and moisturizing with a face cream that retails at $150 an ounce. He then chooses an outfit. usually a suit, before coming to what he says is the biggest choice of the day -- a watch. He chooses between watches that cost upwards of $1 million. His final choice is deciding which of his luxury brand cars to take to the office where he usually strolls in at about 1 p.m.

Scott didn't specify exactly what he does for a living but said, "I have done a lot of private label manufacturing in the nutrition biz and have raised money for startup companies. I tend to invest money into nightlife businesses the friends of mine that are involved in nightclubs and whatnot."
Disick also explained that he spends his down time researching other luxurious items like cars, watches, private planes, and boats.

CHECK IT OUT:

Most Outrageous Celebrity Purchases: http://bit.ly/n5InOF

HEADLINE NEWS

GIFFORDS URGES GUN VIOLENCE ACTION AT SENATE HEARING: Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was severely wounded in a January 2011 assassination attempt, made a surprise appearance at a Senate hearing Wednesday (January 30th) on gun violence. Giffords, who still has difficulty speaking, delivered a brief, 80-word plea for action, telling lawmakers the nation is counting on them after stating, "Too many children are dying. Too many children." Also speaking before the Senate Judiciary Committee was Giffords' husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, who emphasized that both he and his wife are gun owners as he stated, "We're simply two reasonable Americans who realize we have a problem with gun violence and we need Congress to act." But National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre, who also spoke at the hearing, not only rejected Democratic proposals to ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, but also spoke against requiring universal background checks for all gun purchases -- which the NRA once supported -- saying it wouldn't be effective in stopping criminals from getting guns, and accused the Obama administration of not enforcing the gun laws currently on the books. Republicans blamed the nation's gun violence on a lack of civility, violent video games, and insufficient attention to people with mental problems, while Democrats countered that a need to improve gun restrictions as well was obvious. Senator Charles Schumer of New York said not including gun limits in the debate, quote, "is like not including cigarettes when discussing lung cancer."
ALABAMA GUNMAN REMAINS IN BUNKER WITH 5-YEAR-OLD HOSTAGE: An Alabama gunman remains holed up in a bunker with a 5-year-old hostage in a standoff with police that began Tuesday afternoon (January 29th) when he boarded a stopped school bus filled with children, killed the driver when he refused to hand over a five-year-old child, and dragged the boy off the bus and into his bunker. The boy is not related to the gunman. SWAT teams were positioned around the man's rural property Wednesday as police negotiators tried to get the boy released from the bunker, which resembles a tornado shelter. The 65-year-old gunman, identified by neighbors in Midland City as Jimmy Lee Dykes, is a retired truck driver known as a menacing figure in the area, who once beat a dog to death with a lead pipe, threatened to shoot children for setting foot on his property and patrolled his yard at night with a flashlight and a shotgun. He'd been scheduled to appear in court Wednesday to answer charges that he shot at his neighbors last month in a dispute over a speed bump.
ISRAEL LAUNCHES AIR STRIKE IN SYRIA: Israel launched a rare airstrike in civil war-torn Syria overnight Tuesday, U.S. officials said Wednesday (January 30th), targeting a truck convoy believed to be carrying sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles headed for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. AP cited regional officials as saying that the Russian-made missiles, if acquired by Hezbollah, would be, quote, "game-changing," enabling the militants to shoot down Israeli jets, helicopters and surveillance drones. The Syrian military denied the existence of any such shipment, claiming a scientific research facility was hit by the strike. The Israeli military declined to comment. The strike was Israel's first in Syria since September 2007, when warplanes destroyed a site that was believed to be a nuclear reactor.
U.S. HAS UNEXPECTED QUARTERLY REVERSAL IN GROWTH: The Commerce Department yesterday (January 30th) reported an unexpected reversal in economic growth, saying the nation's gross domestic product fell at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter after 13 straight quarters of growth. However, economists said the surprise reversal looks to have been caused by one-time factors, rather than being an indication of a coming recession. There was a sharp reduction in defense spending -- the largest quarterly decline in 40 years -- as well as a reduction in private-sector inventory buildup, which was enough to drag overall GDP down for the quarter, even as residential construction improved and consumer spending continued to rise.
SENATOR MENENDEZ DENIES PROSTITUTION ACCUSATION: Senator Robert Menendez' office yesterday (January 30th) denied allegations that he had sex with prostitutes in the Dominican Republic. The New Jersey Democrat's office also said that he reimbursed a prominent Florida political donor $58,500 for the cost of two of three trips he took on the donor's plane to the Dominican Republic in 2010. Those trips were categorized as personal. The third trip, which was for campaign fundraising, was reported to the Federal Election Commission. The FBI searched the Florida office of the donor, eye doctor Salomon Melgen, Tuesday and Wednesday, but it was unclear if the raid was related to Menendez. The conservative website The Daily Caller reported early last November that Menendez traveled on Melgen's plane to the doctor's native Dominican Republic to have sex with prostitutes. The website contended that two women in the Caribbean nation, where prostitution is legal, said Menendez paid them for sex earlier in 2012. But Menendez's office said that any such accusations, quote, "are manufactured by a politically motivated right-wing blog and are false."

Menendez became chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, succeeding John Kerry, who's leaving to be secretary of state.

ONE KILLED WHEN GUNMAN OPENS FIRE IN ARIZONA OFFICE BUILDING: A 48-year-old man was killed and two other people were wounded yesterday (January 30th) when a gunman opened fire in a Phoenix, Arizona, office building after a legal mediation meeting and then escaped. Police were looking for 70-year-old suspect Arthur Douglas Harmon, who also fired at a witness who pursued him as he fled in a rental car. A prominent Phoenix lawyer, Mark Hummels, was wounded and was reported to be in critical condition. A 32-year-old woman was being treated for a non-life-threatening injury. Police said two men may have been Harmon's intended victims, while the woman wasn't believed to have been intentionally targeted. The New York Times reported that the mediation session was over a lawsuit Harmon had filed against a call center based in Scottsdale.
TODAY'S FYI:
WALMART LIMITS AMMUNITION SALES AFTER DEMAND SURGE: Walmart has started to limit sales of ammunition to three boxes per customer per day amid a surge in demand. A spokesperson told Reuters yesterday (January 30th), "In order to take care of as many customers as possible, starting Thursday, January 24th, all ammunition sales were limited to three boxes per customer, per day as supply is limited at this time." Wal-Mart, the largest gun seller in the U.S., says that it works to strike the right balance between serving hunters and sportsmen and ensuring that it sells firearms responsibly. Sales of guns and ammunition have risen across the country since the Newtown school massacre on December 14th and subsequent discussions and proposals about reducing gun violence. Data released Monday (January 28th) by the FBI showed that nine of the top 10 days for background checks for firearms purchases from November 1998 to January 27, 2013, took place since the Newtown massacre.
BLACKBERRY INTRODUCES NEW SMARTPHONES: Research In Motion yesterday (January 30th) announced that it had renamed itself BlackBerry, after its signature product, as it unveiled its long-delayed new smartphones that it hopes will boost the company's fading fortunes. However, it disappointed investors by saying sales in the U.S. of the BlackBerry 10 devices won't start until March. The launch of the smartphones was initially planned for last year, but it was pushed back twice as RIM struggled to perfect a new operating system. RIM, which was founded in 1985, introduced its first BlackBerry in 1999, and the company quickly cornered the market. But it failed to keep up as competition arose, and is now far behind, with its market share in the low single digits. The new BlackBerry 10s have fast browsers, new features, smart cameras and a large application library, and will compete with Apple's iPhone and devices using Google's Android technology. The BlackBerry Z10 will be the first to hit the market, with a country-by-country rollout that starts in Britain today.
CHICAGO TEEN WHO PERFORMED AT OBAMA'S INAUGURATION KILLED: A 15-year-old girl who just performed at President Obama's inauguration with her high school band last week was shot to death in Chicago on Tuesday (January 29th). According to The Chicago Tribune, Hadiya Pendleton and 12 other teens were taking shelter from the rain under a canopy at a park when a man jumped over a fence, ran up to them and opened fire, before fleeing in a car. Pendleton died at a local hospital soon after. Police say that Pendleton wasn't in a gang and was likely not intentionally targeted. Several teens who were with her at the time were believed to be gang members. According to CBS Chicago, Pendleton was an honor student, majorette and volleyball player at King College Prep High School. A spokesperson for Obama said in a statement that the teen's death was a, quote, "terrible tragedy," saying, "The president and first lady's thoughts and prayers are with the family of Hadiya Pendleton."
MASSACHUSETTS GOV. CHOOSES EX-CHIEF OF STAFF TO FILL KERRY'S SEAT: Massachusetts Democratic Governor Deval Patrick yesterday (January 30th) picked his former chief of staff, William "Mo" Cowan, to fill Democrat John Kerry's open Senate seat until a special election in June. Kerry is leaving the Senate to succeed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, and was confirmed for the job on Tuesday. With the appointment of Cowan, who also served as Patrick's chief legal counsel, the Senate now has two black senators serving at the same time for the first time in history. Cowan joins South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, who was appointed by that state's governor, Republican Nikki Haley, to replace former GOP Senator Jim DeMint, who left earlier this month to head up the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank. Among the potential candidates for the June special election on the Democratic side are Reps. Ed Markey, Stephen Lynch and Michael Capuano. For the Republicans, the most high-profile candidate is former Senator Scott Brown, who won the late Ted Kennedy's open seat in 2010, but was defeated when he ran for re-election last November by Democrat Elizabeth Warren.
SEX REALLY DOESN'T BURN A LOT OF CALORIES: We've all heard the supposed fact that sex burns a lot of calories, but it turns out that, like many things that sound too good to be true, it's just a myth. Researchers found that the only study that scientifically measured this found that sex lasted six minutes on average and burned just 21 calories for a man. The 1984 study didn't measure how many calories women burned during the act.
LABRADOR RETRIEVER IS STILL AMERICA'S TOP DOG: The American Kennel Club's annual ranking of the most popular dog breeds out Wednesday (January 30th) found that the Labrador retriever continued to be the nation's top dog for the 22nd year in a row. The overall results showed that bulldogs and large dogs are moving up in the rankings, while once-popular smaller breeds like the Yorkshire terrier and the miniature poodle are losing ground.

Labrador retriever
German shepherd
Golden retriever
Beagle
Bulldog
Yorkshire terrier
Boxer
Poodle
Rottweiler
Dachshund

SPORTS: RAY LEWIS ADDRESSES 'DEER ANTLER SPRAY' ALLEGATIONS FOR SECOND DAY: Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis spent another day Wednesday (January 30th) ahead of the Super Bowl addressing questions about a Sports Illustrated report a day earlier that he'd used something called "deer-antler spray," which reportedly contains a naturally-occurring banned product connected to human growth hormone, to speed up his recovery from an injury earlier this season. Lewis told reporters yesterday, "It's so funny of a story, because I never, ever took what he says or whatever I was supposed to do," calling the whole episode a "joke" and a "trick of the devil." When a reporter said he seemed angry, Lewis answered, "Me? Never angry. I'm too blessed to be stressed. Nah. You're not angry. You can use a different word. You can use the word 'agitated,' because I'm here to win the Super Bowl. I'm not here to entertain somebody that does not affect that one way or another."

The 37-year-old Lewis is ending his 17-year career after the Super Bowl, and it's assumed he will make it ino the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

DR. PHIL: TE'O HOAXER WAS IN LOVE WITH PLAYER, WHO DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SCHEME: Dr. Phil McGraw previewed his interview with Manti Te'o "fake girlfriend" hoaxer Ronaiah Tuiasosopo yesterday (January 30th) on NBC's Today show, saying that the 22-year-old California man told him that he wound up falling, quote, "deeply, romantically" in love with the Notre Dame player, who wasn't involved in the scheme and didn't know the person he thought was a girl was actually Tuiasosopo. McGraw's interview with Tuiasosopo, who created the fictional woman Te'o knew as "Lennay Kekua," will air in two parts on his show starting today. Te'o has claimed innocence in the hoax, saying that even though he never met Kekua in person, that their relationship was serious and he believed that she had died of leukemia in September on the same day as his grandmother. Tuiasosopo backed up what Te'o said, and insisted that the very female-sounding voice Te'o heard on the phone as Kekua was really his. McGraw said he asked Tuiasosopo if he is gay, stating, "He said, 'Well, when you put it that way, yes.' Then he caught himself and said, 'I am confused.'"
49ERS' CHRIS CULLIVER MAKES ANTI-GAY COMMENTS: In yet another distraction ahead of this Sunday's Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver is drawing criticism for anti-gay comments. In an interview with shock radio deejay Artie Lange on media day Tuesday (January 29th) about gay players in football that Lange aired that night, the 24-year-old Culliver said, "I don't do the gay guys, man. I don't do that. No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah . . . can't be . . . in the locker room, man." When asked by Lange whether gay players would need to keep it a secret, Culliver answered, "Yeah, come out 10 years later after that." The 49ers released a statement Wednesday that said, "The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community."
SANDY HOOK CHORUS TO SING AT SUPER BOWL: The chorus from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, will sing "America the Beautiful" as part of the pre-game show before the Super Bowl on Sunday (February 3rd). The chorus features 26 children from Sandy Hook Elementary, where 20 first-graders and six adults were killed in the December 14th massacre.
(Headline News, FYI and Sports stories were compiled in part from reports by the Associated Press and Reuters.)

ON THE TUBE

CBS

THE BIG BANG THEORY - Sheldon faces a crisis of confidence when he is forced to work with his nemesis, Barry Kripke.
TWO AND A HALF MEN - Alan is faced with relationship trouble when he does not give Lyndsey a key to the beach house.
PERSON OF INTEREST - Reese is captured by a former acquaintance planning a massive act of cyber-warfare.
ELEMENTARY - During his suspension from the NYPD, Sherlock investigates a hit and run accident involving a conspiracy theorist.

NBC

30 ROCK - (one hour series finale) As Jack takes stock of his life, Liz struggles with her new role as a stay at home mom.
THE OFFICE - David Wallace asks Dwight to find a new part time salesman who will fill in for Jim.
THE OFFICE - Nellie and Dwight spring into action when Pam needs help finding the vandal who defaced her mural.
DO NO HARM - (series premiere) Renowned neurosugeon Dr. Jason Cole fights to control his vengeful alternate personality, Ian Price.

FOX

AMERICAN IDOL - Auditions continue.
GLEE - The glee club arranges a calendar shoot to raise money.

ABC

SHARK TANK (repeat)
GREY'S ANATOMY - Derek and April fight to find a solution for the hospital.
SCANDAL - Olivia unravels as her colleagues learn the truth about the rigged election.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES - Klaus turns to Stefan for help; Elena reveals her plan to Stefan.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - Vincent is torn between his memories of Alex and his feelings for Cat.

ANGER MANAGEMENT - Charlie's dad falls in with a bad crowd.
ARCHER - Archer's fear of cyborgs hits home when Krieger offers to make robotic legs for Gillette.
LEGIT - Jim and Steve create a fale online dating profile to help Billy meet girls.

DAY TIME TALK SHOW
THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW - Ryan Seacrest
THE VIEW - Tim Allen, guest co-host KaDee Strickland
LATE NIGHT TALK SHOWS
THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN (CBS) - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO (NBC) - Quvenzhane Wallis, Benh Zeitlin, Lisa Loeb
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE (ABC) - Jennifer Lawrence, Katie Couric, Tegan and Sara
THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON (CBS) - Rashida Jones, Julie Gonzalo
LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON (NBC) - Channing Tatum, Al Roker, Tim Ferriss, Graham Parker
LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY (NBC) - Dominic Monaghan, C.O.G., Regina Spektor
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Jason Bateman
THE COLBERT REPORT (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Matthew Guerrieri
CONAN - "Occupy Conan"

OFF BEAT BRIEFS

BRITISH NURSING HOME HIRED PROSTITUTES FOR RESIDENTS? A nursing home in Eastbourne, England has been accused of scheduling frequent visits between elderly residents and sex workers. Chasely nursing home's manager, Sue Wyatt, said they had a "third party consultant" who booked sex workers to help residents with their "needs." An ex-manager, Helena Barrow, said, "If you have a resident who is groping staff, one way of resolving that problem is to get a sex worker in who is trained to deal with that situation. The fact is sex workers are allowed by law to sexually enable people but care workers are not." The East Sussex County Council released the following statement in relation to the report: "We will examine our concerns through the Pan-Sussex Multi-Agency Policy and Procedures for Safeguarding Adults at risk. This has the potential to place vulnerable East Sussex residents at risk of exploitation and abuse." (The Sun)

5-YEAR-OLD THREATENED WITH SUSPENSION OVER LEGO GUN: A 5-year-old boy in Hyannis, Massachusetts was reportedly threatened with suspension for making a gun out of Legos during an after school program. Sheila Cruz said she got a warning letter from Hyannis West Elementary school saying that her son had been using toys inappropriately. She said, "I was given a book and they told me he's going to be suspended if he does it again and to sign here. I just couldn't believe it. He's 5-years-old." She said she told the principle that the suspension threat was a little extreme. She explained, "I said listen, he's a 5-year-old, I think maybe a redirection would be more appropriate. I understand what's going on with this whole thing in schools and everything else but couldn't they have given him a warning?'" (CBS)
BABY PERFUME! Dolce & Gabbana have announced a new perfume that is meant to enhance the natural scent of a baby. The scent -- which reportedly smells like citrus, honey and melon -- retails for $44. One perfume designer, Frederick Bouchardy, tells the blog Fashionista, "It's not just about a scent for a baby, but it's also a scent for an adult that's meant to be evocative of the scent of baby. I think it's supposed to be a shared experience -- mom and child are meant to smell the same." (Huffington Post)
POLICE QUESTION 7-YEAR-OLD ABOUT STOLEN $5 FOR 10 HOURS: A 7-year-old boy in New York who had been accused of taking $5 from a fellow student was pulled out of school, interrogated by police for more than 10 hours and charged with robbery. Frances Mendez said her son Wilson Reyes was handcuffed and questioned at school for four hours before heading to the police station for another six hours of questioning. Mendez explained, "My son was crying, 'Mommy, it wasn't me! Mommy, it wasn't me!' I never imagined the cops could do that to a child. We're traumatized. Imagine how I felt seeing my son in handcuffs! It was horrible. I couldn't believe what I was seeing." According to reports, police were acting on a report claiming $5 fell on the ground in front of the boy and his two friends and that one of them took it. The $250 million lawsuit that has been filed against the city and the NYPD also states that another student admitted to the theft. The family's lawyer said, "It's unfathomable, what the police did. The whole thing sounds so stupid. They were interrogating him like he was a hardened criminal. If you have a child, a nephew, can you even imagine this happening to them?" The city reportedly dropped the robbery charge in December. (New York Post)
MAN BREAKS OUT OF JAIL, STOPS FOR A BEER, HEADS BACK TO JAIL: Authorities in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania said a man who escaped from his holding cell stopped at a bar, told a bar-goer that he just broke out of jail then asked for a beer. Police said 40-year-old Timothy Bonner had just been un-cuffed and placed in a jail cell when he knocked the door off of its hinges and ran away. Minutes later, he stopped at Richy's Bar and admitted to breaking out and asked for a beer. The customer said he did buy him a beer but the police showed up before Bonner could drink it. (AP)
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER TWEETS NSFW PICS & TALKS MARIJUANA ONLINE: A 23-year-old 10th grade math teacher in Aurora, Colorado was placed on paid leave on Tuesday (January 29th) after she posted semi-nude photos of herself on Twitter and bragged about smoking marijuana. Overland High School teacher Carly McKinney was posting the info onto the Twitter account @Crunk_Bear, which she claims was just a joke account and that one of her friends had been posting jokes that she didn't even know about. The account has been suspended but as we all know these things never disappear from the Internet. The photos she posted are still being passed around, including ones of her topless and smoking pot. A school district spokesperson said, "There are things that are troubling to us . . . However, what we need to do is to talk with her to review our district policy and then determine what our next step will be." Check out some of her tweets below:

@Crunk_Bear: "Just got called Ms. McCutie. Points for being clever, however you are still jailbait."
@Crunk_Bear: "Naked. Wet. Stoned"
@Crunk_Bear: "Watching a drug bust go down in the parking lot. It's funny cuz I have weed in my car in the staff parking lot."

The NSFW (but censored) pics here: http://on.today.com/11c2hum

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

STUDY SAYS COUPLES WHO SHARE CHORES HAVE LESS SEX: New research finds that U.S. couples who split household chores tend to have less sex. Sociologists at the University of Washington reviewed data on how U.S. couples tackle housework and found that couples who reported the husband did not perform stereotypically female tasks, such as cooking or scrubbing the floors, had 1.6-times more sex per month than couples in which husbands shared housework. Additionally, researchers found that in households where husbands contributed to house work, but stuck to stereotypically male tasks, such as car maintenance and yard work, had sex 0.7-times more sex than those where the wife did all the "male work." This means husbands who do no traditionally female tasks have sex the most: 4.85-times a month, and couples in which the husband does all of traditionally female tasks have sex the least: 3.3-times a month. (Time)
10 COOL KITCHEN FINDS UNDER $20: http://tinyurl.com/af8zd56
WHAT MEN'S DANCE MOVES COMMUNICATE: A new study finds that a man's dance moves can attract women and also signal to other men whether he may be a potential love rival. Researchers from the University of Northumbria used 3D motion-capture technology and biochemical analysis to find the extent to which a man's dancing gives clues about his physical strength and fitness. For the study, researchers tested the body strength of a group of 30-men, and then had them dance to a basic drum rhythm. 3D cameras captured the dancing, which was used to turn the men into digital characters, masking their appearances. Women and men were then asked to rate the virtual dancers on their dancing and physical qualities. Results show that both sexes found an association between a man's hand-grip strength and his dance moves. The study was published in the American Journal of Human Biology. (Daily Mail)
THOUGHTFUL GIFTS FOR YOUR SWEETHEART THAT WON'T BREAK THE BANK (YourTango):

1) Liquor or wine with a personalized label. Look online for sites offering design-your-own labels for bottles, and make a big splash with a gift of an affordable beverage (alcoholic or not) in a beautiful bottle of your choosing. The label can include a favorite picture of the two of you together, from right there at, "chateau our house."
2) Framed pictures for the office. For cubicle and office-dwellers, a few personalized mementos help make the work environment warmer. Find a picture your spouse especially loves and have some prints made for a nice frame you've chosen. Or make it more special with a his-and-hers matching pair, so you always have the same view at the office.
3) Equipment for hobbies. If you're married to an avid gardener, put together a basket of nice work gloves, a trowel and seeds they like. If your spouse is a beer lover, many online stores offer complete homebrew beginner's kits. For the culinary enthusiast, a cooking class might be an affordable entry into a new style of cuisine.
4) Plant a tree. This is a great way to say that you're in it for the long haul with your spouse. A well-placed tree can not only be a symbol of your enduring love, but as it grows, it can provide shade in the summer and reduce your cooling bills. A fruit or nut tree can provide annual harvests for years to come for couples looking for really local food, and in the fall, nothing beats a pile of leaves for the kids to jump around in (and gives you a chance to parentally explain that raking builds character!)
5) Plan an adventure. Whether your budget allows extravagant gifts or encourages something more low-key, you can still make great memories. Pack a picnic basket with food, drink and romantic notes or poems and hike with your spouse to a scenic spot. Or take a day trip nearby spots like a river or lake. Look for affordable canoe rentals and spend the day on the water, with a leisurely romantic picnic on some "unexplored" beach or island. You may be able to find some great ideas by visiting www.greatdatedeals.com
STUDY FINDS A LITTLE BIT OF CHOCOLATE GOES A LONG WAY: New research finds that a couple of bites of chocolate can be as satisfying as eating a whole bar. Researchers from Cornell University divided participants into two groups and gave one group about 3.5 ounces of chocolate, seven-ounces of apple pie and about three-ounces of potato chips, all together equivalent to 1,370 calories. The other group got a half-ounce of chocolate, 1.5 ounces of pie and 1.5 ounces of potato chips, all together equivalent to 195 calories. The group was asked to rate their hunger and craving levels before and then 15-minutes after the food was presented. Scientists found that those who received larger portions did not feel fuller or more satisfied than the group with smaller portions. (Daily Mail)
KISSING DOS AND DON'TS (Yahoo):
1) DO open your eyes...just for a second.
2) DON'T forget to use your hands.
3) DO stop talking.
4) DON'T freak yourself out.
5) DO find your signature kiss.
6) DO remember mints.
7) DON'T criticize a guy in the middle of a kiss.
8) DO use soft, affectionate touches.
9) DO kiss like you mean it.
10) DO try a tender lip bite.
11) DON'T lock your lips.
12) DO mix it up.
13) DON'T let your teeth crash the party.
14) DO grab his hair.
15) DO explore with your lips.
10 GEEKY VALENTINE'S DAY CARDS: http://tinyurl.com/abrs7ae
DATING ADVICE FROM YOUR DOG (YourTango):
1) Dogs live in the moment and enjoy the one they're with. Are you stuck in the past?
2) Dogs don't have an ego, so they don't sweat the small stuff. Instead, let it roll right off their backs. Do you dwell?
3) Dogs are great listeners. Are you attentive?
4) Dogs are loyal;. Do you have a wandering eye?
5) Dogs are always affectionate. When was the last time you acted lovingly?
6) Dogs appreciate the little things in life. Are you grateful?
7) Dogs are always happy to see you, and after a hard day at work, they are always there with a hug and a smile. Are you warm and welcoming?
8) Dogs have a playful spirit and good sense of humor. Are you carefree?
9) Dogs don't care what you look like or what kind of car you drive. Are you superficial?
10) Dogs love unconditionally. Do you?
MEN ARE USUALLY TALLER THAN THEIR WIVES STUDY SAYS: A survey of British couples found, not surprisingly, that the man was taller than the woman 92.5-percent of the time. The study found that women don't seem to like their men to be too tall - in only one in seven cases was the man 10 inches or more taller than the woman. Researchers from the UK and the Netherlands collaborated on the study, and found that averge height men tend to father more children than taller men. For the study, researchers used data on about 12,000 couples in the UK. (Daily Mail)
??? TRIVIA ???
What is the name of the famous comet that can be seen every 75 or 76 years?
A: Halley's Comet.
Source: National Geographic
What is the name of the well-known meteor shower that occurs in early August each year?
A: The Perseids meteor shower
Source: National Geographic

WATER COOLER TALK

Jamaica Supports Controversial Pre-Super Bowl Ad

Jamaica has come out in support of an online, pre-game Super Bowl ad for Volkswagen that's taken some flak for showing a white office worker from the Midwest feigning a Jamaican accent to show a cheerful, upbeat outlook. Some critics have charged that the ad, which debuted Monday (January 28th), is offensive and culturally insensitive, portraying it as referencing segregation-era "blackface" depictions of white people posing as happy-go-lucky blacks. But in Jamaica, which is predominantly black, but also has white, Asian, Middle Eastern and mixed-race minorities, they've been puzzled by the reaction. The Jamaican government has endorsed the commercial, which shows the office worker trying to cheer up his colleagues, including by paraphrasing Bob Marley lyrics by saying, "No worries, mon. Everyting will be all right." Jamaica's tourism minister called the ad, quote, "a very creative commercial which truly taps into the tremendous appeal that brand Jamaica and its hospitable people have globally." Volkswagen has no plans to pull the spot.

Clinic That Gave Vitamins Instead of the Pill Won't Have to Pay to Raise Child

A state appeals court in Wisconsin ruled Wednesday (January 30th) that a clinic that mistakenly gave a woman pre-natal vitamins instead of birth control pills doesn't have to pay to raise the child she unintentionally conceived. However, the court said the clinic can be sued for other financial damages, such as pain and suffering during and after the pregnancy, loss of future earning capacity and postpartum depression. The appeals court cited a previous Wisconsin case in saying that a parent must have undergone an unsuccessful sterilization before a claim can be made for costs of raising a child from an unwanted pregnancy. The court said claims of temporary contraception failing or getting wrong pills are too open to potential fraud of parents try to collect huge awards.

'Boyfriend Trainer' Game App Criticized for Promoting Violence

A new game app called Boyfriend Trainer that lets players slap, electrocute or mace a virtual boyfriend for transgressions like looking at another girl, leaving his shirt on the floor, or drinking his girlfriend's drink is being slammed for promoting violence. Critics say that if the app, which is available in both Apple's App Store and in the Android market, showed similar violence against a virtual girlfriend there would be an outcry. The description of the game -- which is rated for players age 4 and up -- reads: "Crack that whip and teach your guy a thing or two about being the Perfect Boyfriend! When scolding doesn't work, just zap him, whack him and train him to be your ideal man!" The app was developed by Mumbai-based Games2Win.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

KFLAG COUNTRY MUSIC UPDATE

Florida Georgia Line members Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley celebrated their career-first Number One hit, "Cruise," with a party at the Country Music Association in Nashville yesterday (Tuesday, January 29th). Tyler and Brian co-wrote the song, which is the debut single from their new Here's To The Good Times CD.
Brian tells us that seeing their names at the top of the charts was a surreal experience for the duo. "Throughout its time on the charts we were watching it and getting updates weekly, and it's just a dream come true. Tyler and I, we got this thing going, we met and got it kicked off writing songs, so I think any songwriter's goal and dream is to be at the top of the charts, and I've been to many Number One parties and kind of see how it goes down. It's like, 'Man, it'd be really cool to be up there one day.' (We) got the official email I think through the label and everybody was just like a big celebration and (we) got some phone calls from everybody too, so . . . I mean, it's just an unreal feeling to say that it's history for two weeks in a row, three weeks in a row we had the Number One song in the country, so it's very cool. It's humbling."
Florida Georgia Line are climbing the charts with their new single, "Get Your Shine On."
They recently shot the video in Cancun, Mexico.
Catch the duo out on the road with Luke Bryan on his Dirt Road Diaries tour. Their next stop is in Uniondale, New York on February 7th.
FAST FACTS

Tyler and Brian met while they were students at Nashville's Belmont University.
Their Here's To The Good Times album was released in December.

Lady Antebellum and Stevie Nicks came together last night (Tuesday, January 29th) in Los Angeles to tape an episode of CMT Crossroads. We won't know the details behind their musical collaborations until Crossroads airs later this year, but Hillary Scott gives all the credit to Stevie, with whom the trio chatted by phone several weeks ago.
Hillary tells us: "We had a conference call with her, and I was floating afterwards. I mean, this woman is amazing. She was so kind, so excited, and the way that this all came about is going to be in the show, because it's a really cool story that we're gonna sit down and let her tell how it all came about. Because it wasn't her management calling our management or CMT trying to call each of us, because they had the idea. This was her idea, and the way it came about was very organic and beautiful and I'm gonna let her tell that story, so you'll have to watch it to hear the story, but it was her idea."
In the meantime, the members of Lady A are enjoying their highest debut of a single with "Downtown" this week.
It's the debut single from the trio's upcoming album.
It will be available on iTunes on February 5th.
FAST FACTS

Lady A's last studio album, Own The Night, was released in 2011.

Mindy McCready is under a cloud of suspicion for the recent death of her boyfriend, David Wilson, however Mindy says she had no involvement and doesn't know how he died. During an interview she did with the Today show yesterday (Tuesday, January 29th) morning, Mindy said that while she and David had been fighting the day he died, she did not kill him. She also denies reports that he had been having an affair.
Mindy revealed that she found David shot on the porch of their Arkansas home on January 13th. She said she immediately called 911.
David was the father of Mindy's nine-month-old son Zayne. He was also helping her raise her older son Zander.
CHECK IT OUT

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Blake Shelton and Ray Price have settled their differences and Blake has apologized for his offensive comments, referring to the older generation of country entertainers as "old farts." Now the promoter of Ray's upcoming show has offered The Voice star an opportunity to really bury the hatchet and open for the legendary Opry star.
The show is on June 8th at the Americana Theatre in Branson, Missouri.
Bob Cannella, owner of Up Close Concerts, said, "We have always been fans of Blake Shelton and know this will be a good opportunity for him to show the appreciation he has expressed for those who came before him in the music business. We pay our performers based on their experience in the business and track record of hit songs with staying power through many generations. So, we are able to offer Blake a guaranteed payment of $350, plus catering (six inch turkey sub - no cheese) and complimentary black coffee."
There's also one more stipulation -- "We ask that Mr. Shelton limit his set to no more than 30 minutes."
No word so far from Blake on whether he'll take the offer.
In the meantime, Blake is nearing the top of the charts with "Sure Be Cool If You Did."

Taylor Swift wrapped up her stay in Paris, France on Monday (January 28th) night with a private performance aboard a boat on the Seine River. Taylor was joined by her friend, actress Hailee Steinfeld, on the Yachts de Paris Mirage cruise, where she reportedly showed off her skills on a red guitar.
Yesterday morning (Tuesday, January 29th), Taylor tweeted, "Thank you to all the fans in France and Spain for making this trip so lovely. Headed back to (America) now!"
In other Taylor news, her new Keds commercial has been released. The ad was shot in Nashville, and inspires girls to be "brave."

The Zac Brown Band is set to perform the Daytona 500 kickoff concert next month. The group will take the stage on February 24th at NASCAR's season-opening race in Daytona, Florida. The mini-concert will take place before the race, while two of the band's songs will air live.
Zac told the AP, "It was always the big sporting event. Anytime there was major championships or major races, they were usually on TV. They were usually a part of what was going on when we were all hanging out together."
The Zac Brown Band is nominated for Country Album for Uncaged at the Grammy Awards on February 10th. The show will air live from Los Angeles on CBS.
FAST FACTS

Zac Brown Band won Best New Artist at the Grammys in 2010.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

COUNTRY TRIVIA

Q. At which college did Florida Georgia Line members Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard meet?
A. Belmont University in Nashville

ON THE TUBE

THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO/NBC 11:35PM (ET)
Holly Williams