Nate West

Paula Abdul will NOT be on Dancing With The Stars

2010-03-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

Sources close to Paula tell TMZ the former "American Idol" judge has decided against doing the show -- despite the giant bag of money ABC practically threw at her.

As we first reported, the alphabet net offered Paula a $1,000,000 development deal ... if she agreed to do "Dancing."

Paula is still in talks with Simon Cowell about joining his upcoming "X Factor" show

Look at the ROCK Simon got his lady friend.

2010-03-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

Real Life "Sleeping Beauty"?

2010-02-09T18:22:00.000-08:00

K-Fed Goes Commando for Weight Loss Show

2010-02-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

It takes a lot of guts to pose in just a pair of skimpy camouflage underwear -- but that's exactly what Kevin Federline did for his first appearance on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp."

A 232-pound Federleezy took the "before" pics for his stint on the reality show -- in which he hoped to shed 30 lbs.

During last night's premiere, Federline told the judges, "I look like a pregnant man."

Read more: tmz.com

Before They Were Famous: Stars' Wacky Jobs

2010-02-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

Beyonce used to sweep up hair at her mom's salon.........

Watch All Your Favorite Commercials From The Superbowl

2010-02-08T12:28:00.001-08:00

Brittany Murphy's death "preventable"

2010-02-05T12:10:00.001-08:00

Sources involved in Brittany Murphy's autopsy tell TMZ her death was "preventable."

Sources say the primary causes of Murphy's death were pneumonia and severe anemia. L.A. County Coroner officials believe Brittany's condition was "treatable" but no one took her to the hospital in time.

As for the multiple drugs found in her system, we're told they were both prescription, including medicine for cramps, and over-the-counter medications, including cough syrup. Our sources say the drugs "pushed her over the line" but the underlying problems were the pneumonia and anemia.

In other words, Brittany was really sick, didn't get treatment and by self-medicating it pushed her over the line.

Read more: www.tmz.com

Charlie Sheen's SUV stolen and crashed

2010-02-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

Charlie Sheen reported his SUV was stolen this morning, and hours later it was found on its side at the bottom of an L.A. cliff near famous Mulholland Drive.

Law enforcement tells TMZ Sheen reported the truck stolen from his house early this AM. We do not know if Sheen knew the suspect.

Cops tell us the fire department is on scene, looking to see if there's a body near the wreckage.

The suspect is not in custody.

Police are investigating.

Read more: www.tmz.com

Man Saved By Webcam As Woman Watches Sunset

2010-02-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

Man sending light signals for help is saved after a woman was watching the sunset on webcam.
It is a remarkable story on how a man can be saved by a webcam. The live camera today can be used for other reasons than for tourists. Someone who just happened to be viewing the live camera alerted police.

It all started when a tourist was lost in the dark on a frozen sea in north Germany. A woman watching the sunset from a live local area camera happened to notice camera flashes from a far distance. The tourist, whose name has not been given, was trying to reach help.

The tourist has been lost after walking onto ice off St Peter-Ording to photograph the same sunset. The woman watching the live camera alerted police who were able to guide the tourist to safety. If it wasn't for the camera device the man could've frozen to death or fallen through the ice.

"He got lost on the ice and could not find the coast again because it was covered in snow," police spokeswoman Kristin Stielow said in a statement.

Stielow said the local community is aware of the risk of disorientation after dark. The beach can become hard to locate after sunset because of the frozen landscape. This is one of those remarkable stories on how technology can save lives.

Sunset Photograph Leads to Disorientation

The man had climbed over ice off the coast to photograph the sunset. He then became disoriented and lost his location on the ice. The air temperature was below freezing at the time he lost his direction.

Story from www.newsoxy.com

Simon Cowell's Haiti Song

2010-02-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

The charity song for Haiti hit the internet on Tuesday. It features Susan Boyle, Jon Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart and many more.

'Avatar,' 'The Hurt Locker' Lead Oscar Nominations

2010-02-02T08:29:00.000-08:00

Click the pic below to visit the official site for the Academy Awards

California - The science-fiction sensation "Avatar" and the Iraq war thriller "The Hurt Locker" lead the Academy Awards with nine nominations each, including best picture and director for James Cameron and ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow.

For the first time since 1943 the Oscars feature 10 best-picture contenders instead of the usual five.

Also nominated for best-picture Tuesday: "District 9"; the animated comedy "Up"; the World War II saga "Inglourious Basterds"; the football drama "The Blind Side"; the recession tale "Up in The Air," the 1960s drama "A Serious Man," and the teen tales "An Education" and "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire."

Acting nominees include the four stars who have dominated early awards shows: lead players Sandra Bullock for the American football drama "The Blind Side" and Jeff Bridges for the country-music tale "Crazy Heart" and supporting performers Mo'Nique for "Precious" and Austria's Christoph Waltz for "Inglourious Basterds."

The best-picture and director categories shape up as a showdown between ex-spouses who directed films that have dominated earlier Hollywood honors.

Cameron's "Avatar" won best drama and director at the Golden Globes, while Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" beat out Cameron at the Directors Guild of America Awards, whose recipient usually goes on to earn the best-director Oscar.

"The Hurt Locker" also beat "Avatar" for the Producers Guild of America top prize and was chosen as last year's best film by many key critics groups.

Bigelow, whose films include "Point Break" and "K19: The Widowmaker," is only the fourth woman nominated for a directing Oscar, following Sofia Coppola for 2003's "Lost in Translation," New Zealand director Jane Campion for 1993's "The Piano" and Italian director Lena Wertmuller for 1975's "Seven Beauties."

No woman has ever won the directing Oscar, and until Bigelow, no woman had ever won the Director's Guild honor.

Lee Daniels, who made "Precious," became only the second black filmmaker nominated for best director, after John Singleton for 1991's "Boyz N the Hood."

Also nominated for best director are Jason Reitman for "Up in the Air" and Quentin Tarantino for "Inglourious Basterds." "Up in the Air" co-writer Reitman also had a nomination for adapted screenplay, while Tarantino also earned a nomination for original screenplay.

Longtime audience darling Bullock has never been nominated for an Oscar before but is considered the best-actress front-runner, playing a wealthy woman who takes in homeless teen Michael Oher, now a star with the American football team Baltimore Ravens.

Bullock is up against past Oscar winners Meryl Streep as chef Julia Child in "Julie & Julia" and Helen Mirren as Leo Tolstoy's bullheaded wife in "The Last Station," along with first-time nominees Carey Mulligan as a British teen involved with an older man in "An Education" and Gabourey Sidibe as a Harlem teen overcoming horrible abuse and neglect in "Precious."

Sidibe made her screen debut in "Precious," earning an Oscar nomination for her first professional acting job.

Bridges, nominated four times previously without winning an Oscar, is viewed as the man to beat this time for his role as a boozy country singer trying to clean up his act in "Crazy Heart."

Also nominated for best actor are past Oscar winners George Clooney as a frequent-flyer junkie in "Up in the Air" and Morgan Freeman as South African leader Nelson Mandela in "Invictus," Britain's Colin Firth as a grieving gay academic in "A Single Man" and Jeremy Renner as a bomb disposal expert in Iran in "The Hurt Locker."

Mo'Nique and Waltz were nominated for wicked roles, she as a reprehensible welfare mother in "Precious," he as a gleefully garrulous Nazi in "Inglourious Basterds." They were breakout roles for both, Mo'Nique leaping into the awards elite after a career of mainly lowbrow comedy, Waltz making his first Hollywood splash after working mostly in European theater and television.

Also up for supporting actress are "Up in the Air" co-stars Vera Farmiga as Clooney's frequent-flyer soul mate and Anna Kendrick as his reluctant business protege. The other nominations went to past Oscar winner Penelope Cruz as a filmmaker's needy mistress in the musical "Nine" and Maggie Gyllenhaal as a single mom involved wit Bridges' character in "Crazy Heart."

Joining Waltz in the supporting-actor lineup are Matt Damon as a South African rugby player in "Invictus," Woody Harrelson as a military man giving bad news to next of kin in "The Messenger," Christopher Plummer as aging author Tolstoy in "The Last Station" and Stanley Tucci as a serial killer in "The Lovely Bones."

News Source: OMG.Yahoo.com

Oopsie........Taylor, do you have too many Grammys?

2010-02-01T17:02:00.001-08:00

Singer Taylor Swift was left red faced after dropping one of her Grammy’s while posing for pictures following the awards ceremony.

The pop and country star was struggling to hold on to all four trophies as she posed for pictures, and let out a small squeal as one dropped to the floor.

Taylor took home awards for Album of the Year, Best Female Country Vocal Performance, Best Country Song and Best Country Album.

Luckily, Taylor had a helper on hand to quickly save the gong as she regained her composure and smiled for the cameras.

Train: "Hey Sooul Sister" Video

2010-02-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

Grammy Red Carpet Report Card

2010-02-01T08:14:00.000-08:00

Click the pic below to see the Best and Worst dressed at the Grammys last night.

"Avatar" Tops the Box Office, again

2010-02-01T08:12:00.001-08:00

"Avatar" pulled in another $30 million to hold onto the top spot of the box office for its seventh straight week. That brings its U.S. total up to $594 million and has "Avatar" poised to break "Titanic's" $600 million box office record within the next few days.

--Meanwhile, Mel Gibson's new movie "Edge of Darkness" opened in second place, with a take of $17.1 million. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country.

1.) "Avatar", $30 million (--Up to a total of $594 million in its 7th week.)

2.) (NEW) Mel Gibson's "Edge of Darkness", $17.1 million

3.) (NEW) Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel's "When in Rome", $12.1 million

Rip Torn got ripped and the arrested

2010-02-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

RIP TORN . . . (--whom you may remember as Agent Zed in the "Men In Black" movies, or as Patches O'Houlihan in "Dodgeball") . . . was arrested Friday night for allegedly breaking into a bank with a LOADED GUN. (???)

Police responded to an alarm at the bank in Salisbury, Connecticut . . . where Torn lives . . . at about 9:40 P.M. They found Torn inside, lying on the floor. Not surprisingly, he was HIGHLY INTOXICATED. He had smashed a window to get in.

Mark Macomber . . . the president and CEO of the bank . . . says he doesn't believe that Torn was trying to hurt anyone or steal anything. In fact, he said police told him they believe Torn thought he was IN HIS OWN HOUSE. (???)

Last we heard, Torn was STILL behind bars, and is due to be arraigned this morning.

He was booked on the following charges: Carrying a firearm while intoxicated, carrying a pistol without a permit, criminal trespass, burglary and criminal mischief.

Torn . . . who's 78 . . . has had a few alcohol-fueled brushes with the law in recent years. In 2004, he had a DUI charge dismissed, and in 2007, he pleaded guilty to being, quote, "ability impaired" while driving.

In 2008, he got pulled over after leaving a bar and trying to drive home with a Christmas tree tied to the roof of his car. He ended up getting probation for that on.

WARNER BROTHERS SAYS IT DID NOT KILL BRITTANY MURPHY

2010-01-29T09:02:00.000-08:00

Warner Brothers would like you to know that it did NOT kill BRITTANY MURPHY.

--As you know, Brittany's husband, Simon Monjack, has been talking about filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Warner Brothers . . . claiming that they caused Brittany's heart attack by, quote, "canceling her role" in "Happy Feet 2". (--She did a voice in the original.)

--But the WB issued a statement yesterday saying, quote, "Any claim that Warner Brothers Pictures was somehow responsible for Brittany Murphy's tragic death is demonstrably false, reprehensible and defamatory.

--"Despite press reports to the contrary, Warner Brothers Pictures and Ms. Murphy never entered into any deal for 'Happy Feet 2', and thus, there was no contract to cancel."

UPDATED Grammy performer list

2010-01-29T08:51:00.000-08:00

The Grammys have announced that EMINEM, LIL WAYNE, DRAKE and BLINK-182 drummer TRAVIS BARKER will team-up for a, quote, "special performance" at this year's ceremony, which will air this Sunday night on CBS.

--It's unclear what they will be performing . . . but the lineup of rappers is close to the all-star group that did Drake's "Forever" track . . . only minus KANYE WEST.

(--There's nothing to suggest Grammy producers intentionally kept Kanye off-stage. We don't even know if Kanye will be there. He is up for a few awards.)

--LADY GAGA will also perform. She'll open the show with a surprise guest. The "New York Post" thinks it'll be ELTON JOHN, but we don't know that for sure.

--Previously announced performers include: Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli, Beyoncé, the Black Eyed Peas, Dave Matthews Band and Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Green Day, Lady Antebellum, Maxwell, Pink and the Zac Brown Band.

--Plus, there will be a MICHAEL JACKSON tribute . . . featuring Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood and Usher.

New Movies Out This Weekend

2010-01-29T08:44:00.000-08:00

"Edge of Darkness" (R)

Remember how Mel Gibson tore up the screen with his lust for revenge after his wife was murdered in "Braveheart"? Well, this is kind of like that, except it involves the murder of his only daughter, and he's a lot more intense.

He plays a homicide detective who uncovers the corporate conspiracy that got his daughter killed . . . and then gets revenge on everyone involved.

Official Site: http://www.Edge-of-Darkness.com/

"When in Rome" (PG-13)

When Kristen Bell takes some coins from Rome's Fountain of Love, the men who left them all fall in love with her. Danny DeVito, Dax Shepard, Jon Heder, and Will Arnett are the fools under her spell, and Josh Duhamel is the guy whose love may be for real.

Official Site: http://www.WheninRome-themovie.com/

'Pants on the Ground' Used in Political Attack

2010-01-26T14:18:00.001-08:00

Lady Faints on The Price is Right

2010-01-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

Is this Tiger????

2010-01-20T18:27:00.000-08:00

Radaronline.com posted this pic from the National Enquirer claiming it is Tiger Woods outside the rehab facility he is allegedly at in Hattiesburg, MS?

Do you think this is Tiger?

Yes
No
Just cant tell

view results

Anderson Cooper -- Haitian Hero

2010-01-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

WARNING!!!!! VERY GRAPHIC!!!!!!

Be Careful Where You Use Your Debit Card

2010-01-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

Whether by choice or necessity, American consumers are increasingly relying on debit rather than credit cards. Debit card spending has risen steadily, growing from 47.7 percent of purchases made with plastic in 2003 to 58.9 percent in 2008 and it is expected to surpass 67 percent by 2013, according to the Nilson Report, a newsletter that tracks the consumer payment industry.

When you use a debit card, the money is immediately taken from your checking account. While using debit guarantees that you pay as you go, these cards have downsides, including a growing appeal to thieves. "As economic conditions have worsened, there's been a noticeable increase in all types of card fraud," says Avivah Litan, an analyst specializing in fraud detection and prevention at Gartner Research in Stamford, Conn. "But ATM and debit-card fraud is the top area of concern we're hearing about from banks all over the world."

Unlike credit-card thieves, who usually charge merchandise and then resell it to come up with money, people who create counterfeit ATM or debit cards by stealing your PIN and other account data can simply pull cold cash from your bank account. Using a technique known as skimming, they set up equipment that captures magnetic stripe and keypad information when you input your PIN at ATM machines, gas pumps, restaurants, or retailers.

Here's how you can protect yourself:

Don't Type in Your Pin at the Pump

Be especially vigilant at gas stations, Litan says. "Gas pumps are notorious for skimming because they're produced by only a couple of different manufacturers, and if someone gets the key to one from a disgruntled employee, they can insert a skimming device inside the pump where it can't be seen," she says. She recommends using a credit card rather than a debit card when you fill your tank.

If you must use a debit card at the gas pump, choose the screen prompt that identifies it as a credit card so that you do not have to type in your PIN. The purchase amount will still be deducted from your bank account, but it will be processed through a credit-card network, which will give you greater protection from liability if fraud does occur. This is because card issuers typically have "zero liability" policies for both debit and credit cards, but sometimes exclude PIN-based transactions from that protection.

Stick With ATMs Located at Banks

To reduce your risk at ATMs, use machines at banks rather than in convenience stores, airports, or any isolated locations, advises Darrin Blackford, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, which investigates financial crimes involving interstate commerce. "A thief has to be able to attach and retrieve a skimming device to use the data it's gathered," he says. "And that's more likely to happen in nonbank settings where there's less traffic and no surveillance cameras."

That doesn't mean that bank ATMs are immune, however. In August 2008, Wachovia Bank reported that several debit-card "identities" were stolen when a skimming device was placed on an ATM at a branch in Cape Coral, Fla.

"It's often hard to spot skimmers," Blackford says. "But if you notice a change at an ATM you use routinely, such as a color difference in the card reader or a gap where something appears to be glued onto the slot where you insert your card, that's a warning sign you'd want to report to the bank that owns the machine."

Closely Monitor Your Bank Accounts

Check them regularly—preferably online rather than waiting for monthly statements to arrive in the mail. Federal law limits your liability for fraudulent debit-card charges to $50, but only if you report the theft or loss of your card or PIN within two business days of discovering the problem. If you fail to report unauthorized charges within 60 days of the date the statement listing those charges was mailed, you could be liable for any unauthorized withdrawals afterward, including the full value of credit lines or savings accounts linked to your account for overdraft protection.

Visa and MasterCard have zero liability policies that go beyond federal law by exempting debit cardholders from liability in most circumstances when a bank investigation confirms that a transaction is fraudulent. But dealing with debit-card fraud can have a greater impact on your finances than credit-card fraud.

When you're a victim of unauthorized charges on a credit card, you won't be out any money while the disputed charges are being investigated. But when a thief steals money from your bank account using a counterfeit debit or ATM card, that cash won't be restored to your account until the bank conducts its investigation and classifies it as a case of fraud. Some victims of debit-card skimming scams who have contacted the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, about their experiences report that while banks in most cases replenished the stolen funds, some of them had no access to the money for several weeks while bank investigations were conducted.

From consumerreports.org

Elton John to Replace Simon on Idol?

2010-01-14T06:54:00.000-08:00

TMZ mentioned that Elton should replace Simon on Idol. They did this the same day that Simon announced he is leaving. Now, apparently, according to TMZ's sources, there is now talk of Elton joining the show.

Coldplay is Being Sued.........Again

2010-01-14T06:51:00.000-08:00

Coldplay is being sued by a man who calls himself a "well-talented" yet "unknown" songwriter ... and claims the band straight up jacked three of the nearly 4,000 songs he's written in his lifetime.

Sammie Lee Smith just filed a lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court, alleging he wrote the songs "Yellow," "Clocks" and "Trouble" -- only to have them stolen from him and turned into massive hits by Coldplay.

In the lawsuit, Sammie claims since 1976, he has "recorded approximately 100 tapes, each tape containing approximately 40 songs." Sammie does not say if any of his other 3,997 songs were ever stolen by anyone.

Sammie wants the band to stop playing his hits ... and he wants an unknown, but probably massive, amount of money for his trouble.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/page/2/#ixzz0cbAn2so8

"Pants on the Ground"

2010-01-14T06:17:00.000-08:00

It's Catchy and Simon Cowell Says it is Going to Be a Hit - If you missed American Idol Wednesday night, then you missed General Larry Platt as he auditioned in Atlanta, singing his original song, "Pants On The Ground."

Fat butt? It may be healthier than you think - From MSNBC

2010-01-13T14:43:00.000-08:00

Having junk in your trunk is healthier than a spare tire around the gut, new research suggests. The extra padding on the backside and thighs could even help to protect against disease.

The results come from a review that summarizes various studies on the health effects of different fat stores in the body, particularly around the hips and thighs.

"The fact that body fat's distribution is quite important for your health has been known for some time now," said lead researcher Konstantinos Manolopoulos of the University of Oxford in England. But this new article summarizes a body of research showing that such hip and thigh fat can help to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The review also suggests a mechanism for conveying those benefits.
The next step is to figure out how our bodies decide where to store fat, say, in the stomach versus the butt. "Once this is understood then one could think about therapeutic approaches to make use of that," Manolopoulos told LiveScience. "Maybe to make use (of it) in a preventive way by redistributing the fat."

Manolopoulos and his colleagues detail their findings this week in the International Journal of Obesity.

When looking through the studies, the researchers found that not all fat is created equal.

read more here

Jay Leno - NBC a Complete Disaster

2010-01-12T08:32:00.000-08:00

Ellen Comments on Simon's Idol Departure

2010-01-12T08:31:00.001-08:00

From Paris With Love Movie Trailer

2010-01-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

So Tristan sent me a text saying that she wants to see this movie when it comes out. I went online and found this trailer and thought I would share it with you. Check out Travolta's new look.

Nick Jonas Gives a Shout Out to Taylor

2010-01-11T18:18:00.000-08:00

Pretty interesting since his brother Joe and Taylor have been on the outs for some time now.

English Lady Owns 130 Cats!!!!!!!

2010-01-11T13:40:00.001-08:00

My allergies are kickin into overdrive just thinking about it!!

Simon Cowell says he's leaving 'American Idol' - From TMZ

2010-01-11T13:04:00.000-08:00

Simon Cowell will no longer be crushing terrible singers' dreams on the most popular show on television.

Cowell just announced this will be his last season on "American Idol" -- and that he's leaving the show to be a judge and executive producer on FOX's upcoming American version of "The X Factor" ... the British talent show that launced Leona Lewis' career.

Cowell just made the announcement during the semiannual Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena.

5 Trends He'd Like To Toss From Your Closet

2010-01-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

Ladies, this is not me speaking here....lol....but Steph Auteri from YourTango.com

Fashionistas everywhere have been up in arms because of the Lindsay Lohan-induced trend of wearing leggings as pants. But slowly, we (and they) have succumbed, and leggings have become such an integral part of the fashion [1] culture that a new vocabulary has developed.

Enter "jeggings [2]."

What are they? Jean leggings, and this Love Buzzer has a pair in her dresser drawer. Unfortunately, her husband isn't as enamored of this new look, and his bafflement is fair enough. Fashion trends like this have been cropping up for decades, leading women everywhere to plunk down big bucks on items of apparel that just aren't... well... necessarily flattering, and leading men to wonder what in heck we're thinking. Some other trends they can do without? 5 Fashion Choices That Turn Him Off [3]

1. Maxi Dresses

Long skirts and flowing, summer dresses make us feel ethereal and princess-like, and often inspire us to twirl about when no one's looking. Plus, they're comfy as hell. But what are men thinking when they see us in a skirt down to our ankles? To summarize: "Where are her legs!?"

2. High-Waisted Belts

We wear them because they can accentuate (or create) an hourglass shape. But he just thinks they make us look like Santa Claus.

3. Giant Sunglasses

Those humongous, round sunglasses popularized by the likes of Nicole Richie sort of make us look like giant bugs. At least that's what he says. And we tend to agree: It's not a great look, and we wonder how it ever caught on. 5 Cardinal Fashion Rules According To Men [4]

4. Gauchos and Capris

Or any type of cropped pant, because wearing them makes us look as if we're fishermen, or perhaps even pirates. Gauchos have an additional strike against them by also looking like pajama pants. No wonder we love them so much! We love wearing pajama pants!

5. The Bulk of Our Footwear

Crocs. We hated them, too... at least at first. Because, well, they're ugly. But you know what? They're incredibly comfortable, and make us feel as if we're wearing flip flops year-round. And those two things are worth all the ugly in the world. As for our gladiator sandals, men just don't understand them... unless they're paired with screamingly high-heeled gladiator sandals. Because they're hot. Never mind that they're also painful. What Guys (Secretly) Think About What You Wear [5]

Honorable Mention: Our Granny Panties

Yeah. We still have a few pairs of those hiding out in our underwear drawer.

2010-01-11T11:39:00.001-08:00

A snowstorm on the morning of Jan 16th 2007 left about 3-4 inches of snow and ice on the ground in Portland, Oregon. This is what happens to people with too much confidence in their 4WD and zero experience driving on icy snow.

Video was taken around SW Salmon and 20th Avenue, which is pretty steep (to be fair).