WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
NATIONAL HEADLINES:
OBAMA: MORE DIPLOMACY WITH SYRIA, MILITARY ACTION STILL POSSIBLE
In a televised address to the nation last night, President Obama said the U.S. and its allies would take more time to pursue a diplomatic solution with Syria. But he also said that military action should not be ruled out. Given Syria's recent offer to give up its chemical weapons, the president said he’s asked the leaders of Congress to postpone their vote on a proposed limited military strike in Syria. He said his administration will work with its allies in the United Nations to put together a resolution requiring Syrian President Bashar Assadto give up the weapons. But if diplomatic efforts fail, Obama said the U.S. should be prepared to strike. He said Syria’s use of chemical weapons was a danger to American security and violated the world’s “sense of common humanity.” If the U.S. failed to respond, Obama argued the actions of Assad could inspire other tyrants and that chemical weapons could fall into the wrong hands and threaten the safety of American allies, including Turkey, Jordan and Israel. While he promised no American boots on the ground, he warned, “The United States military doesn’t do pinpricks. Even a limited strike will send a message to Assad that no other nation can deliver.”
APPLE UNVEILS NEW COLORFUL IPHONES
Apple Inc. unveiled its new versions of the iPhone yesterday at a media event in Cupertino, California. The iPhone 5C and the iPhone 5S will be available starting September 20. The 5S resembles the iPhone 5, but it comes in new color finishes: silver, gold and “spacey gray.” The phone will also have a new camera, better battery life, a motion processing system, and even a fingerprint scanner for security. The 5S will start at $199 with a two-year contract. The iPhone 5C, on the other hand, is cheaper and comes in five colors. The phone is made of plastic and will be available in white, blue, yellow, red and green. It will sell at a starting price of $99 with a two-year plan. It has an 8-megapixel camera, an HD FaceTime camera, and the latest wireless networking. Apple also set a release date for iOS 7. The new mobile operating system will be available free for all compatible devices on September 18.
MONTANA NEWLYWED CHARGED WITH PUSHING HUSBAND OFF CLIFF
A Montana newlywed was charged with second-degree murder Monday after admitting to pushing her husband off a cliff just over a week after their wedding. Jordan Linn Graham, 22, told FBI agents that she and her husband, 25-year-old Cody Lee Johnson, were arguing on July 7 while walking in Glacier National Park. She said he grabbed her arm, but she broke free. Instead of walking away, she pushed him with both hands in the back and he fell face first off the cliff. Johnson was reported missing the next day and initially, Graham lied to police about what happened to him. She said he was heading out with a friend from out of town, but authorities grew suspicious after she was the one who located his body on July 11. Apparently, Graham had been having second thoughts about the marriage. If convicted, she could face life in prison.
IPAD COULD HOLD EVIDENCE IN ZIMMERMAN DOMESTIC DISPUTE CASE
Florida police said yesterday that an iPad may have captured video evidence of the domestic dispute between George Zimmerman and his estranged wife, Shellie. Lake Mary Police Department spokesmanZach Hudson said the iPad could hold crucial evidence in determining whether any charges are filed against Zimmerman. But the device was in pieces and needed to be examined in a lab. Shellie said in her 911 call Monday that Zimmerman had grabbed the iPad out of her hands and smashed it. Zimmerman was detained by police after Shellie alleged he was threatening her and her father with a gun. She later changed her story and has reportedly decided not to press charges. In July, Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Meanwhile yesterday, Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, announced he will no longer be representing Zimmerman.
GOLF CLUB RETRACTS 9/11 DISCOUNT AFTER NEGATIVE RESPONSE
A Wisconsin golf course sparked outrage yesterday after advertising nine holes of golf for $9.11 to commemorate the anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks. Tumbledown Trails Golf Course promoted the special discount in the Wisconsin State Journal newspaper on Monday, saying it was intended to honor the 12th anniversary of the attacks. But after a barrage of negative comments from people who thought the deal was in poor taste, the owner of the golf course, Marc Watts, apologized and retracted the offer. Watts said he would keep the club open today, despite receiving death threats.
SHOWBIZ NEWS:
LAMAR DENIES DRUG PROBLEM/MAY HAVE CHEATED WITH FIVE WOMEN
Lamar Odom was spotted out in L.A. Monday night, his first public appearance since he bolted rehab last week. According to Us Weekly, he was seen leaving his downtown Los Angeles loft with a male friend. TMZ cameras later caught up to Lamar as he was leaving Teru Sushi and when asked if he had a drug problem, he replied, “no.” When asked about his future NBA plans, Lamar simply said, “Life is good.” Meanwhile, Khloe Kardashian was so concerned over rumors Lamar cheated on her that she hired a private investigator to follow him, according to Radaronline. And she certainly wasn’t happy with what she discovered. The site claims the P.I. found evidence the NBA star cheated on Khloe with at least five mistresses over twelve months. Khloe allegedly has proof of Lamar’s infidelity, which could be financially beneficial to her. The pair has a pre-nup, but it has an infidelity clause, which means Lamar could be forced to pay Khloe a “very large lump sum of cash or a very hefty spousal support,” says a source.
PAPARAZZO SUES LAMAR
Lamar Odom’s troubles just got bigger. The NBA star is being sued by photographer Stefan Saad whose equipment he trashed on an LA street back in July. No criminal charges were filed against Lamar, but the paparazzo is claiming Khloe Kardashian’s husband assaulted him and destroyed more than $15,000 worth of equipment. Lamar reportedly flipped out on Saad after he started asking him questions about cheating on Khloe. In his filing, Saad suggests Lamar thinks he’s “above the law” since he’s married to a Kardashian, and claims that Kim’s baby daddy Kanye West was behind the outburst because he advised Lamar on how to deal with the paparazzi. Saad is seeking in excess of $565,000, as well as punitive damages.
ASHTON & DEMI FLY TOGETHER
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore have been at odds ever since they announced their divorce, but apparently they must be at least civil. The former couple each showed up to the same tech conference in San Jose earlier this week, and, according to TMZ, they actually flew home on the same plane. The two were swarmed by paparazzi as they left the Burbank airport side by side. So far there’s no word on whether they’ve come to any settlement regarding their divorce.
THE SITUATION SAYS DANCING LED TO ADDICTION
Jersey Shore’s Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is blaming Dancing with the Stars for his drug addiction. The 32-year-old says that after injuring his neck on the show in 2010 he began taking prescription painkillers, and during a trip to Australia in 2012 he realized he couldn’t live without them. “All I had to do was get dressed for a family function and I couldn’t do that,” he said. “The shirt was laid out, the belt, the pants, everything. The shower was on. I couldn’t even get out of bed.” He then thought, “If I can’t do that how am I going to continue?” Sorrentino finally went to rehab where doctors put him on meds to treat opioid addiction, which he still takes daily. In fact, he is now a paid spokesman for the company that makes the medication. The Situation says now that his MTV show has ended, he’s “gotten back to who Michael is,” explaining he lives his life in 24 hour increments with the goal of being “the best person I can be for those 24 hours.”
MARIO WELCOMES A SON
Mario Lopez is a dad again. The X Factor host and wife Courtney welcomed son DominicMonday night in Los Angeles. '”t's a boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please welcome Dominic Lopez to the world! Couldn't be happier,” tweeted Mario. “@CourtneyMLopez & baby are doing just fine… “The is the second child for the couple, who married in 2012. Their daughter Gia is three.
PALTROW ASKS FRIENDS NOT TO TALK TO MAG
Gwyneth Paltrow doesn’t want her friends spilling any secrets. Apparently the Oscar winner got wind that Vanity Fair was doing a piece on her without her consent and sent an email to friends demanding they not talk to the mag. “Vanity Fair is threatening to put me on the cover of their magazine,” Paltrow wrote in a mass e-mail to friends and associates, the New York Times reports. “If you are asked for quotes or comments, please decline. Also, I recommend you all never do this magazine again.”
STRESS CAUSING STEWART TO LOSE HAIR
Kristen Stewart has had a tough time since splitting from Robert Pattinson and it’s taking a toll on her hair. The Twilight star was spotted out in Berlin, Germany, with what appears to be a huge bald spot on the right side of her scalp. According to Now magazine, friends seem to be worried about how she’s handling all the stress. “Kristen’s circle are so concerned about her that two of her friends have flown to Germany to see her,” said an insider. “They’ve also begged Rob to visit her…They fear the stress is getting worse because she’s been trying to make contact with him and he’s ignoring her calls.” Sources say Rob is unwilling to meet with Kristen and has decided their relationship is over once and for all.
MORETZ STICKS UP FOR BULLIED BROTHERS
Chloe Grace Moretz, who stars in the upcoming Carrie remake, is not going to let anyone mess with her family. The 16-year-old tells Seventeen magazine she is very protective of her siblings, especially her two gay brothers, who’ve been bullied in the past. "I have two gay brothers and two straight brothers, and my gay brothers were treated horrifically until they grew up and understood how to deal with it," she says. "I will delete you, and I will block you, and you will not be a part of my life if you ever say anything bad about my brothers." For Chloe, family is the most important thing , period. “Never choose your friends over your family or a boyfriend or girlfriend over the family,” she said. “My mom has always taught us that blood is thicker than water. No one will ever understand the dynamic of your family. Ever. We are the closest family ever and we are the most insane family ever. It may look weird to others, but to us, it's life."
OPRAH FEARS BALLOONS
Oprah Winfrey admits in October’s O Magazine that she has a terrible fear of balloons. "I don't like balloons, and for my 40th birthday my entire staff decided to surprise me," explains the 59-year-old."I come downstairs and the entire audience is filled with balloons. Literally, I'm stepping over balloons, having to walk through balloons and I'm so, like, 'Oh! When is one going to pop?'" As for why she hates them, Oprah explains that the popping, “reminds me of gunfire,” adding that being around them, “really freaks me out.”
FRANCO DOESN’T CARE IF YOU THINK HE’S GAY
A lot of the jokes at the Comedy Central Roast of James Franco centered around rumors that Franco is gay, and he’s perfectly fine with that. “If that’s what they were going to make fun of me for, I was like, ‘Great! Bring on the gay jokes!’ because these aren’t insults at all,” he tells The Daily Beast. “I don’t even care if people think I’m gay, so it was like, ‘Awesome!’ I mean, I wish I was … I wish I was gay.” As for how he’s portrayed in the media, Franco explains, “My relationship with my public image over the past four or five years has just become weirder and weirder, because I look at it and it’s me, and it’s not me, so if other people want to use that for their own purposes or needs, I’m fine with it.”
SWAMP PEOPLE STARS CLAIM INNOCENCE
The stars of History Channel’s Swamp People say they are the real victims in a mini -mart attack in Louisiana last week. R.J. and Jay Paul Molinere were arrested over the weekend after a 24-year-old man claimed that following an altercation on a highway, the pair followed him into a market and broke a beer bottle over his head. But the two stars say they are innocent, and their rep claims the alleged victim is just “someone who is now seeking fame and notoriety.” Said the rep, “It’s important for their fans to know that the Molineres are the same good-natured, faith-based family they’ve always been.”
LOVATO TO RELEASE TWO BOOKS
X Factor judge Demi Lovato has signed a deal to write two books. The first, Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year, is a collection of the singer/actress’s favorite inspirational quotes and is due out in November. The second will be a memoir. It doesn’t have a release date yet.
MAYA RUDOLPH WELCOMES BABY NUMBER FOUR
Maya Rudolph is a mom again. The Bridesmaids star and longtime partner Paul Thomas Anderson welcomed their fourth child earlier this week, according to Us Weekly. So far the name and sex of the child is not known. The couple is already parents to Pearl, 7, Lucille, 3 and Jack, 2.
TV TIDBITS
● FX is developing a TV series based on the book/movie American Psycho. Deadline.com reports that the series would take place decades after the 80s-based flick (which starred Christian Bale), with serial killer Patrick Bateman, now in his mid-50s, taking on a protégé.
● USA Network has renewed Graceland for a second season.
● Fox has made the season premiere of The Mindy Project available to fans early. The episode is already streaming on Fox.com, Fox Now and Hulu. The season premiere of The Mindy Project airs September 17th.
ROCK NEWS:
SHARON OSBOURNE CONFESSES TO PRE-OZZY “FLING” WITH JAY LENO
Did the wife of the Prince of Darkness have a roll in the hay with the King of late night? During a “big secret” segment on her daytime talk show, The Talk, Sharon Osbourne, who has been married to Ozzy since 1982, confessed she “had a little fling” with longtime Tonight Show host Jay Leno back in 1978, two years before he married his wife, Mavis. Sharon told The Talk audience, “[He] came to my house and met me, and then we had a little fling.” When asked to define “fling,” Sharon said Leno was a good kisser. But she “can’t remember” if he sealed the deal, adding, “One cannot remember that long ago.”
HALESTORM SETS RELEASE DATE FOR COVERS EP
Pennsylvania rock act Halestorm has set an October 15 release date for its latest set of covers,ReAniMate 2.0: The CoVeRs eP, the follow up to the 2011 ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP. This time out, the band tackles tried and true tracks by Judas Priest, AC/DC, Marilyn Manson, Daft Punk,Pat Benatar and Fleetwood Mac. Singer Lzzy Hale said, “We decided to go more bare bones with this EP, meaning minimal production with live, gritty performances.”
ARCADE FIRE PULLS OFF SECRET SET IN MONTREAL CLUB
Canada’s Arcade Fire continued its promotional campaign ahead of the October 29 release of its next album, Reflektor, with a surprise gig Monday night in their hometown of Montreal. Billed as the Reflektors, the Grammy-winning unit performed at the Salsatheque club in front of a crowd of around 100 who paid a mere $9 per ticket. The set capped a very busy Monday for the band, which included the announcement of being the first musical guest for the September 28 season premiere of Saturday Night Live, and the debut of the title track to Reflektor.
TYLER TALKS TOXICITY ON DAYTIME TALK SHOW
One half of Aerosmith’s infamous “Toxic Twins” took to television Tuesday to talk about taking a ton of drugs, and the toll that took on his life. Steven Tyler made an appearance on the syndicatedThe Dr. Oz Show and candidly said of his substance abuse, “I lost everything. It’s serious when you lose your kids, your children, your wife, your band, your job and you’ll never understand why because you’re an addict.” The singer addressed his recent relapse following a series of surgeries in which he abused prescription pills, saying, “Remember, I’m a very good drug addict because I’ve done it for so many years.”
SORUM SUPPORTS SCHOOLS; READIES SINGER/SONGWRITER SOLO ALBUM
Known for his fierce drumming in Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, Matt Sorum is set to dial down the volume considerably this Sunday in Los Angeles when he hosts a benefit concert withSlash and others for his Adopt the Arts charity which works to combat funding cuts in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Sorum will strut onstage with an acoustic guitar and play songs bound for his January solo album. He explains, “It’s more of a singer-songwriter thing. I play acoustic guitar, and it’s a little mellower kind of album.”
MINUS THE BEAR PREPS NEXT ALBUM MINUS ELECTRIC GUITARS
Seattle’s Minus the Bear will unplug and revisit their back catalog of songs for their next studio album, Acoustics II. Singer/guitarist Jake Snyder tells Rolling Stone, “We had a couple of new songs that were specifically acoustic, and also had some really great newer songs from the last few records and some ones going back throughout the catalog that we thought would be fun to try.” As yet, noo release date has been announced for Acoustics II.
DROPKICK MURPHYS SET ANNUAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY HOMETOWN SHOWS
Boston’s finest Dropkick Murphys have locked down dates for their traditional hometown St. Patrick’s Day concerts at the House of Blues on Lansdowne Street. The band will pack five shows into four nights, March 13, 14, 15 (matinee and evening) and 16. Tickets go on sale this Saturday. However, fans in Baltimore can catch them this Saturday at the Shindig Festival, and folks up in Toronto can see them Sunday at the Sound Academy.
GELDOLF TO TAKEOFF ON COMMERCIAL SPACE FLIGHT
Astronauts have been conducting experiments on rats in space for decades, but soon longtimeBoomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldolf will be able to conduct his own experiments aboard a private space flight. The Irish singer is one of a select few who have paid $100,000 for the privilege to ride aboard a Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) flight 62 miles into space launching from Curacao in the Southern Caribbean Sea in 2014. Geldolf said, “Being the first Irishman in space is not only a fantastic honor but pretty mind-blowing. The first rock astronaut space rat! Elvis[Presley] may have left the building but Bob Geldolf will have left the Planet! Wild!”
LOST LENNON INTERVIEW SHEDS LIGHT ON DARKNESS AROUND BEATLES
A John Lennon interview conducted by Village Voice columnist Howard Smith around the time of the Let It Be sessions has recently been discovered, and it, the late Beatledescribes the rancor that surrounded the band during its last days. At one point, Lennon tells Smith, “We were going through hell… We never really finished it. We really didn’t want to do it.” Speaking in broader terms about the band’s studio sessions, Lennon said, “It’s torture every time we produce anything. We suffer like hell anytime we make anything. We’ve got each other to contend with. Imagine working with the Beatles – it’s tough. There’s just tension. It’s tense every time the red light goes on.”
