Boy George back in the news

Boy George, AKA George O'Dowd, appeared in London court today to enter a plea of not guilty to the charge of false imprisonment. Audun Carlsen, a Norwegian man, claims that George handcuffed him to a wall in the singer's apartment in April 2007.

March Madness

Basketball and March Madness, it's that time again. People take the basketball draft very seriously and I knew on guy that actually took his vacation time just to watch the draft on TV. Now there is a basketball fan! Have you ever wondered how team coaches find the younger players? I have. They can't possibly go to all the High School Basketball games in the country. I know they sometimes send scouts but there must be an easier way. There is a website that has rankings of the top young basketball players in the nation. This site has recently uploaded videos of high school games. You can rate the players and even drop them a line about a player you think should be on their site. This is a great method for coaches to showcase their players.

What I think is wonderful about this site is the fact that it gives young people a chance to become famous for their athletic talents. If you know a high school student that needs to be promoted and perhaps get a scholarship in the process then check out the website I have listed above.

Neverland Ranch to go to auction

Micheal Jackson's Neverland ranch will be going on the auction block unless he repays the $24M loan on it by March 19, 2008. Not only will the entire estate be on the auction block but all the furnishings and carnival rides too. I did not find out if the animals Micheal use to have are still at the ranch or not. Jackson no longer lives there but lives outside of the USA since the molestation scandal.

Stepping out on a limb

After visiting a few of the other celebrity "gossip" blogs and websites I have come to the conclusion that they must be catering to men. After all most of the photos are of scantly chad starlets and singers with their lungs hanging out of their dresses. I can certainly come across enough gossip without having to plaster half naked women all over the blog, that is degrading to the many women readers I have. Granted, in past posts (long past I might add) I did start putting up blog posts about celebrities falling out of their clothes. Then I started to find out from my visitor stats that my readers were not even looking at those types of posts. They were reading about a recently passed on actor or a famous sports hero. The other blog posts of half clad imps were just passed over.

Now I am confused. Why do women's gossip magazines have more photos of half naked women and very few pictures of the Hollywood hunks? Even Cosmopolitan magazine has a barely covered woman on their front covers every month. I know that some of the editors and publishers of these magazines are women so why are they catering to the men readers when they know that they don't buy women's magazines?

On that same note, are the blogs about gossip written by men? If they are then I wish they would be up front about it and quit trying to pretend they are women writing for a woman reader.

The Oscars were a big disappointment to the TV viewers

The count is in and the TV ratings for the Oscars on TV were the worse since 1974. I was not the only one that thought the show was lousy. Apparently so did much of the world.

Hollywood makeovers

Did you know that the month before the Oscars is the busiest month for Hollywood plastic surgeons? I didn't know that there were that many sagging parts in southern CA. I know that lots of starlets end up having a Boob Job but it seems that facial cosmetic surgery is becoming the more popular thing to have done. I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that many of the bigger name actresses are now aging and they don't want to age gracefully. Now I wonder if the men will be getting on the band wagon for cosmetic surgery, don't laugh cuz I know several top salesmen that have had facial work done.

The boring show called the "Oscars"

Did you happen to catch the Academy Awards last night? If you did you were probably snoozing by the end of the show. Last night's Oscars has got to be the most boring awards show I have seen in quite awhile. Nothing and I mean nothing was worth talking about. Almost all the women wore the same style dress and most of them were basic black. The host was not funny and even insulting at some points - boring.

Music lovers - a freebie for you

Every once an awhile I come across a nice freebie for my readers. This is free ring tones. These are not the ordinary ring tones they are from top rock and country music artists. I guess they had finally figured out that almost all the teens have their own cell phones by now and need music to go with them.

There are 2 pages of the website that I found really good. One of them was the country music section with songs such as Wasted, Stupid Boy and Red Rag Top. The other page was the rock music section with literally tons of songs ranging from The Prentender by Foo Foo Fighters to Bon Jovi's It's My Life.

Finally a ring tone site with some decent music on it.

Oscar hopeful - an animation movie

Peter and the Wolf is an Oscar hopeful.

Behind the scenes at "Lost"

Want some juicy news about "Lost"? Here is Terry O'Quinn to let the cat out of the bag.

Have you ever wondered?

Songs come and go. Let's see where this one went -

A trip down memory lane

Over the next few days I will be taking you down memory lane with the big movie screen stars of the past 30 years. First up is Ali MacGraw. Her most memorable movie was Love Story, made in 1970. She was married to Robert Evans and Steve McQueen. She stared in The Getaway with McQueen and that is where she fell in love with him. Born in 1938 she is still alive and in 2006 was on Broadway. She has 2 homes, one in New Mexico and the other in LA.

Hollywood romance

When you think about Hollywood romances you normally think of the many divorces and breakups but you probably don't realize there are many long term loving Hollywood romances. Two of the main ones that come to mind is the marriage of Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland, the other one is Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Goldie and Kurt have been romanticly involved with each other since 1983. They have both decided not to get married but have both remained loyal in their comitment to each other. You never hear of their relationship in the headlines unless it is a positive note. The Bronson, Ireland marriage lasted more than 20 years and ended with Jill's death in 1990. Charles Bronson later remarried and died in 2003 at the age of 81. I don't think that romance or commitment is dead in Hollywood - they just don't make the headlines. So next time you think of a romantic Hollywood couple they can be real and not just on the big screen.

The Rolling Stones new attitude - say no to drugs

The Stones have finally gotten to be the grandfatherly type. They are now advising younger rocker to say no to drugs. Interesting article - read on.....

Patrick Henry Hughes

Did you see last night’s Extreme Makeover – Home Edition? If you did you saw one of the most musical geniuses of our time. The young, 19 year old, Patrick Henry Hughes was an inspiration to us all. This young guy can not only play a mean instrument he composes music as well. His family was featured on Extreme Home Makeover to provide him with a home that was accessible for his wheelchair. When I saw Patrick’s own personal apartment within the home I was flabbergasted. His bathroom had everything he would need to take care of himself without bothering his parents to lift him out of his wheelchair. I don’t remember seeing any vertical wheelchair lifts in the home but there might have been one to get him into their car.

Hopefully one of the major recording studios will now sign him up for a contract, hint, hint. That man deserves it.

Celebrities and plastic surgery

The biggest stars in Hollywood as well as singers and those working behind the Hollywood film industry will be on hand come Oscar night. Many of them have had plastic surgery - it is par for the course in their careers. Above is a dramtic photo showing Tara Reid's before and after her breast implants. I wonder how many stars we will be seeing on Oscar night that will be very noticible as Tara is.

Celebrity plastic surgery has become almost a normal thing for them to do. I wonder how many of them have had a tummy tuck? I ask that because of the numberous times I have seen "after" photos of an actress just weeks after having a baby. As a woman I know that it is almost impossible to look that good so soon after giving birth, a month or 2 later maybe, but not just a few weeks. Exercise is not going to get that dramic a look in just a week or 2. Loose skin takes time to spring back from being stretched out for the last 4 months of the pregnancy. Now if you want a more in depth look at one of the top California plastic surgeons that was featured on many TV shows go to one of the many links I have put in this post. This is the same place that does many of the top stars in Hollywood and they are located on the very exculsive Rodeo Drive.

Indiana Jones movie

Are you as excited as me when you hear about the new Indiana Jones movie? I hope you are because here is a sneek peek at it. Filming has finished on it and editing and special effects are now being done. It is due to be released in May 2008.

Brandon Marshall, NFL wide receiver and hot head

Brandon Marshall is a wide receiver for the Denver Broncos. His playing abilities in the field are outstanding with him continually placed in the top ten for receptions for the NFL season. That is not however why he made it to this blog. He is also known for being a hot head off the field. He has had several run ins with the law. Most notably in 2007 with 2 arrests, on for domestic violence and the other a DUI. He has under gone anger management and is hopefully doing better. At only 24 years old he has his whole career ahead of him.

Now if you want more info on the Denver Broncos football team click on the link. No gossip but great facts and a complete history of the team.

The Oscars

The biggest award night is coming very soon. I am talking about the Oscars also known as the Academy Awards. So who do you think will win the Oscar this year? Lots of good stuff is being presented. Thank goodness the writer's strike is over and no one should be boycotting it.

The stars don't want to age

Most of us regular folk learn to age gracefully with time, since we don't have to rely on our looks to make a living. On the other hand the actors, singers and models have no choice in the matter they have to look good to keep on earning a living. The latest news on who has done what to their bodies is:

• Singer Madonna rumours of surgery - Madonna is 49 and looks great
• Spice Girl Victoria Beckham liposuction - if she did have liposuction done she had it done right
• Big Brother star Imogen Thomas breasts enlarged to 32DD - all I can say is I have huge breasts and I would like to reduce them.

All I can say at this point is: If I had the money I would have a few things on my body fixed too. Let's see now, for starters I would have Cosmetic Surgery done on my nose then a breast reduction then a ..........

Wacked out Britney is at it again

Britney Spears is planning on go out on a world tour in the next few weeks. Is this woman NUTS! She only just got out of the hospital. I can see her in the headlines - BRITNEY HAS BREAKDOWN ON STAGE - now that would be interesting and she would only have herself to blame for it. Also get this piece of news from her, she was teaching a group of small children to dance like Madonna. She has not even seen her own 2 kids since last month - what a mom she turned out to be.

Teen idol, David Cassidy - a comeback?

David Cassidy the teen idol of the Partridge Family fame made an unannouced appearance on the Oprah Show today. Is this man making a comeback? With the baby boomers aging and going down memory lane maybe the time is right for him. He has his own book out and his own website.

The Official David Cassidy website

The movies have gone to the dogs

Ever notice how a demand for something goes up when it is featured in a movie? Dogs are no exception to this unwritten rule. Take for example the Lassie phenomenon. There was a marked rise in the popularity of the Collie breed when Lassie stared to appear on the big screen. The next big demand dog breed was the German shepherd and we have Roy Rodger’s "Bullet" to thank for that. Around the same time was Rin Tin Tin. Both dogs were in westerns.

The more recent movies that started a dog breed craze were: Turner and Hooch, the Benji movies, the remake of The Incredible Journey and Beethoven. The latest in the dog movie craze is Snow Buddies. This movie will sure be the next in line of another dog breed demand.

I just shake my head in shame when I think about how many of those dog breeds end up in dog shelters. It happens because of the families that buy that pup simply because they liked the movie. Some of them even resort to anti- barking dog collars when they find out that the breed they picked is noted for it's barking ability, but they live in a townhouse. I don't think that it will ever change because people are people and they want what they see on TV or the movies.

Paris Hilton and friend

Paris is always seen with her little "friend". So what is the dog's name? It's Tinkerbell. The famous pooch went missing last year and was found hiding is Paris' closet. Probably shy of the paparazzi.

TV commercial backfires

You remember those TV commercials for lifelock the theft identity service? They had a big truck driving all over a big city with the owner of Lifelock having his social security number on the side of it. He was that confident of his company. Well I found out his social security number was stolen the same day the commercial aired. The thief got away with around $500 before he was stopped. It seems the system does work to some extent. People that have had that kind of thing happen to them know the feeling of being violated in the pocketbook. Did you know that you could be denied employment because of a bad credit score? That I feel is an outrage. You have a bad credit score because you don't have a job to pay your bills and you can't get a job because you have a bad credit score. It gets even worse when your identity is stolen.

Last night at the Grammy's

The Grammy award show on TV last night was one of the best I have seen in many years. They kept the awards presentations to a minimum and put on a great entertainment show. Tina Turner and Beyonce were great together. The song about ticks was hilarious. Adding the "outside" show was a touch of genius. Congratulations to the planning team of this year's Grammy's.

Extreme snowboard compettion in March 2008

The World Superpipe Championship snowboarding competition will be in Park City, Utah on March 8 of this year. Top competitors in the sport such as Shaun White, Jossi Wells and Kelly Clark will be competing in the Eagle Superpipe for the $90K prize money. They are the top snowboarders in the world. If you are in the area I urge you to check it out. There is be a music festival and other events. I am sure that Burton snowboards will be on hand. Admission is free to watch so there is no excuse not to go if your are in the area.

The movie, Fool's Gold - a dud

Have you seen Fool's Gold? If you haven't count your blessings. Fool's Gold has got to be the biggest dud so far this year. I am a member of a survey company and I was asked 4 months ago to watch scenes from this dog. It was pure murder just to sit through the previews they showed. Below is a video with more info.

The artist formerly known as "Prince"

I wonder how you really pronounce his name? Since he changed his name to a symbol I am not sure. His birth name is Prince Rogers Nelson. But that is all old news. In May 2000 he went back to using his birth name of Prince. Funny how the rest of the planet did not catch on to it. Did you know that Prince is a vegan and has been voted the sexiest vegan on the planet by PETA?

His most well known song by far is "Little Red Corvette" and I found a funny story related to the song and how one person actually thought it was about a car.

Last I heard is that he was in Prague making a video for his latest song. He is still actively turning out songs and albums. He is scheduled to make an appearance at the Grammy's in a few days.

Speaking of piano players

The piano has got to be one of my favorite instruments. There are so many songs that would not feel quite right unless performed on a piano. The motion sound they give off just hits certain songs just right. Elton John knows how to the use the piano for writing his songs. The piano is also known as a major contributor to many a stage show. Do you remember Victor Borg? He was known for "playing with" as well as playing the piano. Who could forget his many mis-interpertations of the classics.

It was performers like those that inspired me to take up the piano and later to teach members of my family. I firmly believe that it is those singers and songwriters that inspire us to take up playing an instrument. The guitar, piano and harmonica has got to be the most common instruments that we decide to take up just for fun. The piano for me was the easiest since the guitar made my fingers get hard calluses. Calluses were not very becoming for a young lady so I gave that up.

If you are thinking about getting a piano and you live in the Boston area, may I suggest you try The Piano Man.

The piano players

When you think of singers that play the piano, who do you think of? Here is my short list:

• Elton John
• Stevie Wonder
• Avril Lavigne
• Billy Joel

Who can you think of?

Become famous, invent something

Now here is a guy that is becoming famous for inventing something - a unique snowboard. If you have seen the HP commercials about Burton snowboards then you know who I am talking about. Jake Burton Carpenter started the company back in 1977 and has grown to the world wide company we know today. He is also the owner of 6 other companies. The man does not know when to stop growing his business. Burton snowboards is by far his most famous star ship company. It is one of those businesses that was started in a garage and took off. The guy is living the American dream. More power or should I say "powder" to you Jake!

Hugh Laurie the star of "House"

Hugh has come a long way from his days as a rower at Cambridge University. He was one of the top comedy actors in Britian. If you have ever watched him in "Black Adder" you could see that he was going places. Did you know that in his early acting career he wrote a book? A parody on spy films, his book "The Gun Seller" was a mild success. At first he was embarrassed to have his real name on the cover but his agent convinced him that he had a name in the TV world that would help sell the book and it did. Here is the book as it appears on Amazon.com

Political satire at it's funniest

Politics does raise its ugly head at election time and this year it has been almost a scene from “Monster from the Black Lagoon”. I don’t write much about the political scene since it can get very hairy at times unless of course it involves scandal, sex or humor. Name calling has be par for the course for eons now. Humorous political satire videos are fast becoming a favorite way to poke fun at and even promote your favorite political candidate. A local Chicago search engine GetFave.com has announced that it will be showing a very humorous animated political cartoon video about democrat Cook County Board of Review candidate Jay Paul Deratany. Done in the style of Jib Jab it promises to be the talk of the local Chicago area during Election Day on February 5th. Check out the video Deratany Satire on GetFave.com

Britney has loss it - to her dad

You have of course heard about Britney Spears's dad getting power of attorney over his full grown daughter? I wonder if she was poor and couldn't handle her bills would daddy have to take control of her finances by court order? I think not. Money sure does talk doesn't it. I guess that mommy doesn't get to have her hand in the pot, thank goodness.

Celebutantes, to be released tommorrow

The latest book coming out of Hollywood is Celebutantes, by Goldberg and Hopper. The 2 talented women authors are the daughters of Dennis Hopper and Leonard Goldberg. They have a myspace page to announce the new book and they even made a video about the plot. Talk about marketing Hollywood and internet style.

This is one book, Celebutantes that will have everyone talking. It is about a young would be actress that is just trying to start out in the business without the help of her famous director dad. The video I must say is a hoot, or should I say "hooters".

Christina Ricci a gambling fool

If you got lots 'o money and spare time, have I got a place to separate you from your money, Christina. The girl likes to make bets.

Wesley Snipes found not guilty

Snipes was found not guilty of tax fraud but still found guilty on other charges. He could face up to 3 years in jail.

Super Bowl time and something for those who hate the Super Bowl

While a good portion of America will be watching the Super Bowl today and eating snack foods a few will not. I offer another option - THE PUPPY BOWL. The Puppy Bowl will be on Animal Planet today and is just that, puppies playing their version of "football". As an added treat there will be a half time "kitten show". When I heard about this I almost was on the floor with laughter. Check your local listings for times.

Lewis Moody has sought a psychologist for help

Top English Rugby player, Lewis Moody has been known for his outbursts of fighting on the field during a game. He has been dismissed several times for punching out other players. People that love that type of action claim that he was "magnificent during the World Cup, tearing into opposition players without the slightest regard for his personal safety". He has been dubbed various nicknames such as Mad Dog and Crazy Horse. He claims that the psychologist is helping him cope with his outbursts. He says he loves to play the game and hates sitting on the sidelines.

If you are a big fan of the sport Rugby then you will want to check out the Official RBS Nations Rugby website. They have more news on the latest happenings in the sport and gossip too. They also have podcasts so you can view online rugby games. Catch up on the game of Rugby and find out what Europe is talking about.