THURSDAY, JANUARY 30
NATIONAL HEADLINES:
THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS STRANDED AFTER ATLANTA STORM
Thousands of drivers were stranded for a second day in Atlanta yesterday after a rare winter storm paralyzed the city’s roads and resources. Authorities said two jackknifed 18-wheelers were causing a problem on ice-coated freeways. Gov. Nathan Deal ordered the National Guard to clear the way for school buses trying to deliver students safely back home after nearly 2,000 of them were forced to spend the night at school Tuesday. National Guard troops were also distributing blankets and military-style meals to people stuck in their cars along Interstate 20. Many others just abandoned their vehicles and sought shelter elsewhere. Churches, groceries, home-improvement stores and even just friendly neighbors opened their doors to the stranded. At least one baby was born in a car, with the help of a police officer. Atlanta only received about 2 and a half inches of snow in the storm, but it was enough to cause a whole lot of trouble.
NY CONGRESSMAN APOLOGIZES TO REPORTER
A New York congressman was forced to apologize yesterday after he threatened a reporter. Rep. Michael Grimm said his emotions got the better of him, but there was “no excuse” for his behavior and the incident “shouldn’t have happened.” Grimm was being interviewed by NY1 reporter Michael Scotto following the State of the Union address Tuesday night when the incident occurred. He refused to answers questions about allegations involving his campaign finances. After Scotto signed off, but with the camera still rolling, Grimm threatened to throw Scotto off the balcony. He also told him, “I’ll break you in half.”
CRUISE SHIP ARRIVES IN NJ AFTER NEARLY 700 SICKENED
A contaminated Royal Caribbean cruise ship where nearly 700 passengers fell ill finally docked yesterday inNew Jersey. The Explorers of the Sea arrived in Bayonne and one woman aboard the ship was heard yelling “We made it!” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its latest count puts the number of ill at 630 passengers and 54 crew members. The ship’s 10-day cruise to the Caribbean had to be cut short after the nasty stomach bug began to spread rapidly. Health officials suspect it was norovirus and were recommending those still showing symptoms to check into hotels or seek medical care before heading home. Royal Caribbean is providing all guests a 50 percent refund of their cruise fares and an additional 50 percent future cruise credit. It's also reimbursing airline change fees and accommodations for guests who had to change plans for traveling home.
FED SCALES BACK STIMULUS PROGRAM
The Federal Reserve once again scaled back its massive economic stimulus program yesterday, amid an uptick in economic growth. The Fed reduced its bond buying program by $10 billion, to $65 billion. In December, the Fed began its decrease of the program, slashing it from $85 billion to $75 billion. Yesterday was the last Fed meeting with Ben Bernanke as its chairman. He’ll hand the reins over to Janet Yellen. Meanwhile, stocks fell after the Fed’s announcement. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 138 points, to 15,790, in the afternoon.
U.S. INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL SAYS THERE’S POTENTIAL FOR OLYMPICS ATTACK
A top U.S. intelligence official said yesterday that there is “substantial potential” for a terrorist attack outside of the Russian city of Sochi during the Winter Olympic Games. The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matthew Olsen, said there is extensive security at the sports venue, but a key concern is softer targets outside the main event areas. Meanwhile, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said yesterday that Sochi is “fully ready” and will deliver safe, well-run games. "I can assure you that Sochi will be among the most security-friendly games and all the procedures will be very gentle and smooth," he said.
ROCK NEWS:
MOTLEY CRUE EXPLAINS WHY IT’S TIME TO BOW OUT
On Tuesday, the members of Motley Crue – Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and Mick Mars– held a press conference to announce their retirement following the end of “The Final Tour,” a 72-show run featuring Alice Cooper as their special guest. Asked about the thought process leading up to retirement, Sixx told Rolling Stone, “It really came down to figuring out how do we bow out with dignity.” Neil added, “We’re one of the few bands left out there that has the original members. That’s the way we want to go out: the same four guys, leaving on our terms – not leaving because we have to.” Motley Crue has sold over 80 million albums worldwide.
ALICE IN CHAINS UNLOCKS DETAILS ON 21-SHOW SPRING TOUR
Fans of Alice in Chains will be pleased to know that once the long cold winter is over, their heroes will hit the road for a 21-stop spring tour. The trek will take flight in Tulsa, OK on April 25, with stops scheduled in Austin, Houston, Atlantic City, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Roanoke, Cleveland and Davenport, among other cities, along the way, before touching down in Council Bluffs, IA for the tour closer on May 24. The run is in support of the foursome’s current album The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here.
REZNOR GETS APOLOGY FROM GRAMMY PRODUCER OVER SHOW’S END
Last Sunday’s Grammy Awards broadcast was supposed to end with a bang, featuring a giant jam with Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Dave Grohl and Fleetwood Mac guitaristLindsey Buckingham. But when the show’s executive producer Ken Ehrlich cut the jam short, NIN frontman Trent Reznor later fired off the following tweet: “Music’s biggest night…to be disrespected. A heartfelt F*** YOU guys.” Erlich has since apologized to Reznor, saying, “I’m sorry he was upset. I did tell them we would take it as long as we could. The number was about five, six minutes long, and we got to within a minute twenty of the end. We got as close as we could possibly get.”
JANE’S ADDICTION SET FOR FULL NOTHING’S SHOCKING SIN CITY SHOWS
Influential alt-rockers Jane’s Addiction will continue to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of their classic 1988 album Nothing’s Shocking by performing the album in its entirety at the opening of the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas, May 8-10. Founder and frontman Perry Farrell toldRolling Stone, “We had a blast performing at our event during the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) show this month, so we decided that Vegas would be a great spot for a final celebration of our 25th anniversary.”
SIMMONS SLATED FOR GUEST SPOT ON SEASON 14 OF TV’S CSI
No stranger to the small screen, Kiss bassist/singer Gene Simmons has been tapped to make a cameo appearance as himself in the 14th season of the hit CBS series CSI. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the soon-to-be Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee will play himself in a rock and roll-themed murder mystery, tentatively scheduled to air on March 12.
LORDE THANKS HOME COUNTRY FANS WITH AD IN NEW ZEALAND PAPER
Multiple-Grammy winner Lorde took time out to thank his fellow New Zealander fans for their longtime support by taking out a full-page ad in the New Zealand Herald. In a hand-written note, the 17-year old star wrote: “I just wanted to say thank you for the time you’ve given me these past 14 months; finding out about me online or in between these pages or in your headphones. Without your support, there’s no way I would have ever gotten to stand in the middle of the Staples Center & perform in my school shoes.” Later that same day, Lorde performed a homecoming concert in Auckland for 10,000 fans.
PUSSY RIOT MEMBERS TO BE INTRODUCED BY MADONNA AT BENEFIT GIG
Recently freed Pussy Riot members Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikovawill have global superstar Madonna introduce them to the crowd at Amnesty International’s benefit concert in Brooklyn on February 5. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer said in a statement: “I am honored to introduce my fellow freedom fighters Masha and Nadya from Pussy Riot. I have admired their courage and have long supported their commitment and the sacrifices they have made in the name of freedom of expression and human rights.” Imagine Dragons and the Flaming Lips are among the artists scheduled to perform at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
SHOWBIZ NEWS:
BIEBER CHARGED WITH ASSUALT IN TORONTO/PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN MIAMI
Justin Bieber was charged with criminal assault in Toronto yesterday. The charges stem from an incident in December, where the 19-year-old pop star allegedly attacked a limousine driver. Cops had been investigating the incident, but Justin refused to talk to them and they got annoyed. He finally surrendered to cops yesterday, and Justin he was booked for assault, given a citation and then released on his own recognizance. “Our position is that Mr. Bieber is innocent. As the matter is now before the Court, it would be inappropriate to address the specifics of either the allegation or of our defense at this time,” said a lawyer for Bieber. Meanwhile in Miami, Justin pled not guilty to misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, driving under the influence and driving with an expired license. Although Justin’s arraignment isn’t scheduled until Valentine’s Day, his lawyer entered a written not guilty plea.
BIEBER WANTS TO OPEN TATTOO SHOP
Justin Bieber needs a break. Sources tell Radaronline the troubled 19-year-old pop star is thinking about putting his music career on hold in order to open a tattoo shop with his dad Jeremy. “Justin told [manager] Scooter [Braun] and [mentor] Usher he needs to take a break from making music and touring,” claims a source. “He complained that he toured for most of last year and he hasn’t had a chance to catch his breath.”
BIEBER GAL REFUTES CRIMINAL HISTORY
Justin Bieber’s girl-of-the-moment Chantel Jeffries is speaking out about what she claims are false reports about her criminal history. Both the New York Daily News and the Daily Mail have claimed she’s been arrested five times, including once for misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon. "I have been overwhelmed by the negative attention I have recently received in the media," Jeffries told E! News. "For the record, I have not been arrested five times as has been stated in the media, nor am I guilty of physically assaulting anyone, in any way shape or form…What has happened to me is wrong. I want people in general, and the media in particular, to consider the impact their disparaging comments have on the individual; especially when their comments are inaccurate."
GRANT FATHERED LOVE CHILD WITH SWEDISH TV PRODUCER
Hugh Grant has a secret (well not anymore) love child. According to the UK press, just three months before Grant’s girlfriend Tinglan Hong gave birth to his son Felix, Hugh welcomed another baby boy with Swedish TV producer Anna Elisabet Eberstein. The child was born in September, 2012 although the fact that Hugh was the dad only recently became public. The child’s paternity was originally left off the birth certificate, but in December it was re-registered listing Hugh John Mungo Grant as the father. “They were pregnant with Hugh’s children at the same time,” a source told The Sun. “It’s an unusual arrangement.” Insiders report that Hugh is supporting Anna “all the way” and she’s currently living in an apartment in West London. Hugh and Tinglan welcomed son Felix on February 14, 2013. They also have a daughter, Tabitha, who was born in September, 2011.
KANYE MAD LENA GOT VOGUE COVER AND NOT KIM
Kanye West is furious (when is he not?) that his friend, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour,won’t budge on her decision to not put Kim Kardashian on the cover of the magazine. And he’s particularly mad now that Girls’ creator Lena Dunham landed a cover because Kanye believes Kim is “just as talented as Lena, if not more so.” “Kanye thinks that Kim has a much bigger fan base and appeal than Lena,” said the insider. “To Kanye, it’s insulting that his friend Anna is still refusing to even consider putting Kim on the cover of Vogue.” Sources say Wintour is “open to the idea” of having Kim on the cover of the French or Italian edition of the magazine. Said the source, “She hopes that will get Kanye off her back.”
GOMEZ & MAHONE DATING?
Us Weekly claims Selena Gomez is dating pop star Austin Mahone and they can thank Taylor Swift for playing matchmaker. The mag claims that after 17-year-old Austin opened for Taylor on her Red tour she introduced him to her BFF Selena and they are now “seeing each other.” Mahone later denied the rumor. “Were just friends," he told People. "She's really cool … I mean, I think she's really pretty but every time I'm in L.A., she's like, 'Hey you're in L.A., lets hang out.”
LEA KNOWS CORY’S WATCHING OUT FOR HER
Glee star Lea Michele says the love she had for her late boyfriend Cory Monteith helped push her while making her upcoming solo album Louder. “I somehow feel the insane love Cory and I had for each other morphed into this strength that I have right now,” she told Seventeen magazine. “There's just something about knowing he's watching everything I'm doing and feeling like I have to do everything now not just for me but for him.” Lea says Cory was 100 percent behind her decision to make the album. “'He would be like, ‘You're going to be a pop star! What are we going to do? Are we going to, like, go on the road?,’” she said. “He would say, "This is going to be big!’" Louder hits stores March 4th.
CLOONEY REVEALS PITT PRANK, BATMAN REGRET IN REDDIT CHAT
George Clooney sat down for a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” chat earlier this week, and revealed a particularly mean prank Brad Pitt played on him. “We were shooting Ocean’s Twelve in my hometown Lake Como and he had a flyer sent around saying George only wants to be called by his character's name "Danny Ocean," don't look him in the eyes, and it got into the local paper,” explained Clooney. “As you know, jokes don't translate at all, and they called me il divo, and said that I was treating the crew like s**t. When it got into the paper I came downstairs and Brad had the paper in his hand, and I said ‘You're mine from here on out.’" Clooney also admitted that, like most people, he didn’t like the Batsuit he wore in the 1997 film Batman & Robin. “Well, I wasn't thrilled with the nipples on the Batsuit,” he said. “You know, that's not something you really think about when you're putting it on. You figure all Batsuits have nipples and then you realize yours was really the first. Batman was just constantly cold I guess.”
MILLER ADMITS TO ‘IMMORAL” MISTAKES
Sienna Miller admits that in the past she did some “immoral” things in her personal life that had a negative effect on her career. "I sabotaged things. I burnt a lot of bridges," Miller tells Esquire UK. Just this week it came out that Miller had an affair with Daniel Craig while she was dating Jude Law. In addition, she had an affair with actor Balthazar Getty, who was married at the time. "On set, I was first to arrive, last to leave, best friends with the crew, totally professional, no d*cking around. But when I wasn't at work, I wasn't behaving the way you should,” she explained. "I'm very lucky to have a second chance in that town…It was really bad. What was going on in my private life was not an easy thing to read about. People don't want to see films with people they don't approve of in them."
OSCARS RESCIND BEST ORIGINAL SONG NOMINATION
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has rescinded the Best Original Song Oscar nomination for “Alone, Yet Not Alone” from the little-seen movie of the same name, after it was determined the writer used an unfair advantage to get the nomination. The writer Bruce Broughton is a former member of the Academy Board of Governors and current music branch executive committee member. He reportedly emailed 239 members of the music branch to make them aware of his song submission. The board ruled Broughton’s “actions were inconsistent with the Academy's promotional regulations.” No replacement nominee will be announced.
TV TIDBITS
● Fox has renewed Bones for a tenth season. The network also announced that the show will move back to Mondays at 8 pm starting March 10th.
● KISS’s Gene Simmons will make a cameo on CSI this season. According to show producers he’ll be “playing himself in a rock-and-roll themed murder mystery.” His episode is tentatively scheduled to air March 12th.
● John Noble and Lyndie Greenwood have been promoted to series regulars on Fox’s Sleepy Hollow. Noble, who starred on Fox’s Fringe, had a recurring role in the freshman season, while Greenwood, who portrays Abbie Mills’ sister Jenny, appeared in most of the episodes.
● The Emmys are moving. Instead of airing on a Sunday in September like it has in the past, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences have moved the annual awards show to Monday, August 25th. The move was made in order to avoid conflict with Sunday Night Football. The three-hour 66th Primetime Emmys will air live from coast-to-coast beginning at 8 p.m. EDT on NBC.
● NBC is teaming with Ellen DeGeneres for a lesbian-themed comedy pilot. One Big Happy Family revolves around a lesbian who gets pregnant just as her straight male best friend meets and marries the love of his life.
● Mark Wahlberg will host Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, airing live Saturday, March 29th.
MISCELLANEOUS MOVIE NEWS
● Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch will star in the big screen thriller Blood Mountain, where he’ll play a military contractor who must escort a terrorist through enemy territory in order to bring him to justice.
● Chris Pine will star in the new thriller The Line, about a patrol agent on a downward spiral, who becomes the caretaker of a 10-year-old who is orphaned after a shootout with a criminal cartel.
● Billy Bob Thornton is in talks to join the Entourage movie. He’ll play a billionaire-cowboy who is financing a big-budget Dracula movie, starring Vinnie Chase (Adrian Grenier).
