Mereja

Author: Amanda Crum

  • Lino Oviedo Dies In Crash: Paraguayan Presidential Hopeful Was 69

    Lino Oviedo, who was a candidate for the Paraguayan presidency, is dead after a tragic plane crash which also claimed the lives of his bodyguard and a pilot.

    Oviedo was reportedly on his way home from a political rally, but few other details are being released. It is believed that bad weather was a contributing factor in the crash, and witnesses say they heard an explosion around the time of the accident. Authorities are loathe to be too descriptive due to the graphic nature of the deaths.

    “One resident who lives near the accident scene said they heard a single explosion Saturday night,” said Defense Minister Liz Garcia, who visited the crash site. “The aircraft ended up disintegrated and out of respect to the families of the victims, I won’t release details about the cadavers.”

    Oviedo belonged to an opposition party known as the National Union of Ethical Citizens and led quite a controversial political career, including helping to overthrow a 35-year dictatorship and facing an indictment after being charged with organizing the assassination of Vice President Luis María Argaña. He served time in prison, but was eventually released and absolved of the charges. Because of his tumultuous career, some in his party believe that the plane crash is simply a cover-up for an assassination by those who would see him out of the political game.

    Oviedo has one child in politics, a daughter named Fabiola Oviedo.

  • Depp To Play Bulger In Barry Levinson’s New Project

    Johnny Depp is all set to play Whitey Bulger, one of Boston’s most notorious criminals, in the upcoming film “Black Mass”.

    Bulger has been the object of fascination for many over the years, specifically since Scorsese’s much-loved film “The Departed” was released in 2006. Jack Nicholson had the honors of playing the role back then, so it will be interesting to see what Depp does with it.

    Bulger was accused over the years of various crimes; his reputation was one of violence and corruption, yet he also worked with the FBI to cover his tail. But those ties soon soured and Bulger became one of the infamous names on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List on 19 counts of of murder, as well as conspiracy to commit murder, narcotics distribution, extortion, and money laundering. He was captured in 2011, hiding out in California.

    “I could not be more thrilled to have the biggest star in the world and Academy-Award winning director Barry Levinson to finally bring this incredible story to the big screen,” said Cross Creek Pictures president Brian Oliver in a statement. “We have been working on this project since we originally optioned the book in 2005. Black Mass expertly details the twists and turns of this highly complex story, painting a vivid portrait of Boston’s underbelly and its corrupt political machine, as well as exposing the worst scandal in FBI history. It’s also an examination of loyalty to family, Irish heritage, and South Boston.”

    “Black Mass”, which is being helmed by Barry Levinson, is an adaptation of the book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob, written by former Boston Globe reporters Dick Lehr and Gerald O’Neill. Filming is set to begin this May.

  • Tebow Trade Rumors: Is His Career Over?

    Tebow’s name is all over ESPN these days whether it’s warranted or not–I’m looking at you, Skip Bayless–so I imagine today will be especially Tebow-rific, as Adam Schefter is reporting that the Jets will hang on to him in an effort to find a trade…and some think it won’t happen.

    “I think his career is over without playing another position,” one NFL GM reportedly said of Tebow. And while his fans will undoubtedly think that’s way harsh, some think it’s just the brutal truth. Whether it’s the result of poor management decisions on his behalf, making him overshadowed and underused in the past season–or, some would say, that he was overhyped to begin with–one can’t deny that he hasn’t had much of a chance to show us what he’s made of. After a promising start to his career and a much-anticipated move to New York, the 2012 season left fans underwhelmed.

    As far as the Jets go, they seemed at a loss for what to do with him, though they seemingly had faith that his talents could be put to good use.

    “I think Tim Tebow can be good at whatever he wants to be good at,” offensive coordinator Tony Sparano said.

    The Jets can’t try and make a trade until March 12th, so we’ll see what happens.

  • Alicia Keys’ Anthem: Twitter Reacts

    With all the talk of public performances of “The Star Spangled Banner” lately, one would expect Alicia Keys to be a little nervous about performing the song–and an updated version of it, at that–at the Super Bowl.

    “I’m really excited about it, I can’t even lie,” Keys said last week. “I have to rehearse it totally, as if it’s a brand-new song, because it is actually a brand new song in the style that I’ll deliver it. I’m actually rehearsing it like a maniac.”

    Keys wowed the audience with a somewhat slowed-down version of the Anthem on piano; the rendition was highlighted with photos and video footage of soldiers serving time overseas, which got massive applause. And while the crowd appreciated the performance, Twitter seemed torn.

    Obviously, most of the complaints have to do with the length of the song, but that probably has more to do with the fact that the Super Bowl was agonizingly close to starting, and fans didn’t want to sit through too many more performances (Keys’ set came after Jennifer Hudson and the Sandy Hook Elementary chorus taking on a sweet and heart-breaking rendition of “America The Beautiful”). Check out the performance below.

  • Oprah Hit With Lawsuit: Ex-Employee Claims Sex Discrimination

    “Oprah Hit With Lawsuit”. It’s not a headline you expect to see, especially when it’s followed by the words “sex discrimination”. But that’s exactly what’s happening to the iconic talk show host, who has a very disgruntled former employee on her hands.

    According to TMZ, Carolyn Hommel–who was senior director of scheduling and acquisitions at OWN–has filed a lawsuit against Winfrey after she says she lost her job after taking time off to have her baby. Hommel was hired in 2010 and says her job performance was always exemplary, that she was even on the right track to move up to vice president; however, one month after her baby was born, she says, she learned that her duties had been taken over by a temporary employee and she was told she would have to reapply for the vice president job. When she did, she was promptly passed over.

    Hommel also claims her immediate supervisor, Michael Garner, wrote a performance review that wasn’t exactly glowing and “made Hommel’s job duties and responsibilities appear less ‘senior’ and therefore not a candidate for the new vice president position.”

    The suit seeks unspecified damages on the grounds of sex and pregnancy discrimination and “failure to prevent discrimination, retaliation and willful failure to pay wages upon discharge or termination” .

  • Bobbi-Kristina Slams Book Penned By Grandmother

    Bobbi-Kristina, the famous daughter of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston, has publicly announced that she does not support her grandmother Cissy Houston’s new tell-all book about her mother and says she won’t read it.

    The book, “Remembering Whitney: My Story Of Love, Loss, And The Night The Music Stopped” was mentioned in an interview Cissy sat down for with Oprah recently on “Next Chapter” and reportedly delves into not only Whitney’s early life, but how Cissy felt about her marriage to Brown and when the drug use began. Bobbi-Kristina announced on Twitter that she wants nothing to do with it.

    Cissy also talked to Oprah about her feelings towards Bobbi-Kristina and speculated on whether her granddaughter is headed down a similar path as her mother. She says Bobbi Kristina has been against a book about Whitney from the beginning.

    Cissy Houston Discusses Her Granddaughter, Bobbi Kristina

    Three months after Whitney Houston’s death, members of her family started shooting the reality series The Houstons: On Our Own. It was the first time the public saw a glimpse of the tension between Whitney’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina—also known as Krissy—and Whitney’s mother, Cissy Houston. Watch as Cissy tells Oprah why Bobbi Kristina didn’t want her to write a book about Whitney. Plus, Cissy addresses speculation that her granddaughter is on drugs.

  • Kate’s Baby Bump Makes An Appearance

    Kate Middleton has kept things pretty low-key since her pregnancy was announced, so she hasn’t been photographed too much out in public. Around the time news of a royal baby got around, she was hospitalized for severe, continuous morning sickness which was quickly overcome, but not before a prank gone awry aided in the suicide of a charge nurse working at the hospital she was admitted to. Perhaps the subsequent scandal–and backlash against the people responsible–are as much to blame for her retreat from the public eye as the pregnancy.

    But it seems the Duchess is ready to be seen again as she was photographed in London last week, wearing a large shawl that covered quite a bit. And while the belly is barely there, she is noticeably pregnant, and that makes fans happy. Many have been eager for any news or pics of the mum-to-be.

    kate's baby bump

    Image: Top Star Pictures

  • Beyonce Halftime Show: She Broke The Super Bowl

    Beyonce appears to have won over quite a few of the haters who were complaining about her lip-synching scandal at the inauguration with the insanely energetic, sweat-filled workout she gave us at the Super Bowl’s halftime show; Twitter and Facebook are teeming with posts about the performance, which has apparently sucked all the energy from the Superdome.

    Perhaps it was the huge screens filled with images of multiple Beyonces, or the skin-tight outfit she was rocking, or the sudden appearance of Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams onstage despite rumors that they wouldn’t be able to appear for the much-touted reunion, or the band full of lovely ladies, one of whom was playing a guitar that shot sparks from both ends…any one of those things could have easily caused a power outage. Of course, as soon as the lights went down, the internet lit up with comments, jokes, complaints, and speculation. Something this big happening at one of the biggest events of the year is bound to get people talking, and as fans start to squirm in their seats after nearly a half-hour of downtime, let’s check in to see what everyone’s saying.

    beyonce super bowl

  • Tuiasosopo Molested As Child By Family Friend

    Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, the man who allegedly fooled Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o into thinking he was a woman for over a year, says he was molested as a child by a family friend, and the experience changed him profoundly.

    In a recent interview with Dr. Phil, Tuiasosopo claimed that at the age of 12, he became the victim of sexual molestation by a person close to his father, who was a church pastor. There was more than one incident, he says, and they usually happened when he was accompanied by the person on trips away from his parents. His father says he was heartbroken to hear what his son went through, and while he never witnessed any wrongdoing, remembers specific times Tuiasosopo claims the incidents happened.

    “When he told me the location, the time, I could go back and vividly remember those trips, the times that these guys came over,” he said. “That part, right there, was kind of gut wrenching for me.”

    Tuiasosopo claims the molestation had a lot to do with why Tuiasosopo created the false identity of Lennay Kekua and subsequently began an online/phone relationship with Te’o, who claims he had no idea he was speaking to a man. Tuiasosopo eventually decided to kill off his character, leading Te’o to believe his long-distance girlfriend lost a battle to leukemia.

    “I felt that I couldn’t do things, accomplish things, pursue things, live out as Ronaiah,” Tuiasosopo said. “And I felt the need to create this. It has everything to do with what I went through as a child.”

    When news broke recently that Lennay Kekua wasn’t real, rumors and speculation began to fly that Te’o was in on the hoax just to gain popularity in his quest for the Heisman, but he still contends he had no part in the deception and believed the entire time that he was speaking to a real woman he’d never met.

  • “Downton Abbey” As Told By Sesame Street

    If you’re like me and most of the U.S., you’re addicted to “Downton Abbey” like a fat kid’s addicted to Cheetos. No one can really pinpoint what makes the show so great, but personally I think it’s the atmosphere, the cinematic quality of the camerawork, and the way the characters interact with one another that keeps us tuning in. It’s hard to describe what’s so awesome about a British show featuring some stuffy 1920′s rich people and their land dispute, but it just works, guys. Also, the Dowager Countess has some wicked one-liners.

    At any rate, the writers over at Sesame Street know a hit when they see one, and over the years they’ve spoofed “Mad Men” and “True Blood” without even batting an eye, even though I doubt any of their core audience is familiar with either of those shows. I’m not sure my four-year old could appreciate Vampire Bill’s affinity for bottled blood, but when it’s incorporated into a skit with a cow and a rhyme scheme, she’s all over it.

    It seems the peeps over at Sesame Workshop realize there are probably a lot of parents watching along with their kids, because they keep giving us little bright spots of adult humor sandwiched in between Elmo skits and cartoons. The latest, of course, is based on “Downton” and makes good use of a pun. Like most Sesame Street sketches, it’s a bit repetitive, but the guy doing Carson’s voice is pretty good, and if that’s what’s holding you over until you get the next disc from Netflix, so be it.

  • Burger King Admits To Possible Horse-Meat Burgers

    Burger King has announced that they were one of the companies affected by the recent discovery of horse DNA inside hamburger patties.

    Three processing plants–including Silvercrest Foods, which supplied UK and Ireland Burger King stores with their hamburger–have been under investigation for their use of horse meat in their products after the Food Safety Authority of Ireland conducted tests, which also found pig DNA. The companies also supply grocery stores in the UK and Ireland with the meat. And while BK says the meat tested in their restaurants was negative for horse DNA, they do admit they have used meat sourced from Silvercrest and have changed their supplier.

    “Our independent DNA test results on product taken from restaurants were negative for any equine DNA,” the company said in a statement. “However, four samples recently taken from the Silvercrest plant have shown the presence of very small trace levels of equine DNA. Within the last 36 hours, we have established that Silvercrest used a small percentage of beef imported from a non-approved supplier in Poland. They promised to deliver 100% British and Irish beef patties and have not done so. This is a clear violation of our specifications, and we have terminated our relationship with them.”

    While the Food Safety Authority of Ireland says there is not health risk to be had from eating what some are calling “tainted” meat, the news has consumers across the pond worried and Silvercrest is losing clients left and right, including Aldi, Tesco, and Asda.

  • Watch This Incredible Steadicam Fight Scene

    I came across this video today and had to share it. At four-minutes long, it has to be one of the longest steadicam-action sequences ever recorded with no edits. Apparently it took over a month to get just right, and the film lost one cameraman because he became too frustrated with the sequence.

    It’s not new–according to IMDB, “The Protector” came out in 2005–but it sure is entertaining to watch. Take a look.

  • Katie Couric And Larry King Almost Got It On

    Katie Couric recently admitted to Jimmy Kimmel that she did indeed go on a date with talk show host and known immortal, Larry King, and that he totally made a move.

    Couric revealed the story after Kimmel challenged King’s version, saying the entire date was like a “bad Lifetime movie”. After hitting up an Italian restaurant where the waiter insisted on seating them side-by-side–presumably so they could slurp up a single strand of spaghetti like Lady and the Tramp–he took her back to his place with lovin’ on his mind.

    “We had a nice enough time and we’re going home, and I see that we’re going over Memorial Bridge, and this is not the way to my apartment. I said, ‘Larry, where are we going?’ And he said, ‘My place.’ Oh mother of god,” she said.

    Couric added that his apartment was full of his awards, achievements, and keys to the city. “That was sexy,” she said, and I’m guessing that’s meant to be sarcastic.

    “So we sat there, and what can I say? He lunged […] And I started laughing a little bit because the whole situation was out of a bad Lifetime movie. I said, ‘Larry, you’re such an interesting, nice man, but I would like to meet someone a little closer to my age,’” she said.

    If you’re wondering what prompted her to go on a date with Larry King when she was a tender 30-year old, she says it’s because she was up for any date that could be a “learning experience”. We hope it was worth it, Katie.

    Note: the Larry King story is included in the third video.

  • Pot In Kmart Store Made A Wrong Turn Somewhere

    Several Seattle Kmart employees were shocked when they opened up a box addressed to the store to find ten pounds of marijuana, neatly packaged in bags and wrapped in a newspaper soaked in cleaning fluid (I’m guessing to cover the smell?). The employees promptly called police, who confiscated the box and are investigating where it came from.

    The package was originally shipped via UPS from California to an address in Philadelphia, but somehow got rerouted and marked “return to sender”. Problem is, the return address was listed as Kmart’s for some reason. I have the feeling someone’s going to lose his job over this.

  • Applebee’s Waitress Fired Over Receipt On Reddit

    The Applebee’s waitress who posted a customer’s check on Reddit because of a note explaining why there was no tip has been fired, and the company has posted a lengthy explanation of the story and their decision on Facebook.

    The waitress, identified as Chelsea, says she thought it was funny when she found the guest check on the table with the note, “I give God 10%, why do you get 18%?” and the tip line scratched out. The guest, as it so happens, is a pastor, and the incident has caused an uproar online as both Chelsea and the pastor, identified as a Ms. Bell, receive attention, support, and negative feedback.

    “I originally posted the note as a lighthearted joke,” says Chelsea. “I thought the note was insulting, but it was also comical. I posted it to Reddit because I thought other users would find it entertaining.”

    Bell–and Applebee’s–didn’t find it entertaining at all, and terminated Chelsea for exposing a customer’s check since her signature is clearly visible at the bottom. But she insists it wasn’t done out of ill will, and that after the photo went viral, she did everything she could to keep Bell from being exposed.

    “All throughout the comment thread on the Reddit post, I withheld any identifying information,” Chelsea said. “I had already started receiving messages containing Facebook profile links and blogs and websites, asking me to confirm the identity of the customer. I refused to confirm any of them, and all of them were incorrect. I worked with the website moderators to remove any personal information. I wanted to protect the identity of both my fellow server and the customer. I had no intention of starting a witch hunt or hurting anyone — I just wanted to share a picture I found interesting.”

    She was fired nonetheless, and as of now several online forums are backing her up. HuffPost Comedy has even started a petition to get Chelsea rehired.

    As for Applebee’s, this was their response to the situation, via Facebook:

    We appreciate the chance to explain our franchisee’s action in this unfortunate situation.

    Please let us assure you that Applebee’s and every one of our franchisees values our hard working team members and the amazing job they do serving our guests. We recognize the extraordinary effort required and the tremendous contribution they make, and appreciate your recognition and support of our colleagues.

    At the same time, as we know you will agree, the guests who visit Applebee’s — people like you — expect and deserve to be treated with professionalism and care in everything we do. That is a universal standard in the hospitality business. That includes respecting and protecting the privacy of every guest, which is why our franchisees who own and operate Applebee’s have strict policies to protect personal information — even guest’s names.

    With that in mind, here is what happened in St. Louis:
    – A guest questioned the tip automatically attached to her large party’s bill by writing: “I give God 10%. Why do you get 18?” on the check.
    – A different server, who did not even wait on the group, photographed the receipt, posted the photo online and commented about the incident.
    – The guest subsequently heard from friends who identified her from the posting, where her name is clearly visible, and the restaurant was notified. There was no further communication with the guest.
    – The team member was asked about posting the receipt and admitted she was responsible.
    – When she was hired, the team member was provided the franchisee’s employee hand book which includes their social media policy and states:
    “Employees must honor the privacy rights of APPLEBEE’s and its employees by seeking permission before writing about or displaying internal APPLEBEE’S happenings that might be
    considered to be a breach of privacy and confidentiality. This shall include, but not be limited to, posting of photographs, video, or audio of APPLEBEE’S employees or its customers,
    suppliers, agents or competitors, without first obtaining written approval from the Vice President of Operations. The policy goes on to specify: Employees who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
    – As a result of her admission to violating a clear company policy intended to safeguard guests, the team member is no longer employed by the franchisee.

    Our franchisees are committed to acting in the best interests of guests and team members. This is a regrettable situation and we wish it had never happened. However, the disregard for an important policy left the franchisee no choice but to take the action they did.

    We hope this provides you with some additional insight. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to explain the facts involved.

  • Handler, Morgan Fight: Real Or Jokey?

    Talk show host Chelsea Handler isn’t known for being especially soft on her guests; the comedienne tends to dig right into the juicy stuff during interviews and doesn’t care much for glossing over anything. When you sit down with her, you expect to have some barbs fly your way.

    But in a recent appearance on her show “Chelsea Lately”, Piers Morgan traded insults with his host until it became uncomfortable for the audience, and some are wondering if the exchange was really meant to be hostile or if the two were just being facetious. Or, perhaps, flirtatious?

    “You’ve either had plastic surgery or a makeover, because you look really hot today,” Morgan said.

    “Oh, you’re so annoying. You’re so obnoxious — you wonder why everybody hates you! I specifically covered up so you couldn’t look at me and undress me with your molester eyes,” Handler fired back.

    So far, neither have commented on the strange back-and-forth, but they do have a history of being catty with one another.

  • Olivia Wilde As A Showgirl And A Magician

    Olivia Wilde is amping up the sexy factor in two new photos that have just hit the web; one is for Vanity Fair’s “Hollywood Issue”, in which she’s depicted as a gorgeous, feather-clad showgirl, and the other is the promotional poster for “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”.

    The film also stars Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Steve Buscemi, and James Gandolfini and focuses on the relationship between Carell and Buscemi, two magicians who have built a successful career in Vegas only to end up despising one another over the years. Wilde plays “The Amazing Jane” and is featured on the poster in a sassy little Victorian-inspired costume–complete with top hat–with a bunny.

    “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” hits theaters March 15th.

    oliviawildeshowgirl

    Image: Bruce Weber for Vanity Fair

    burt wonderstone

  • Tim McGraw: Sobriety Helped Creativity, Energy

    Tim McGraw, whose country career is still going steady after nearly 20 years, says that when he made the decision five years ago to stop drinking, it was for his family; but the effects that decision have had on his creativity and energy are extra benefits, as well. After replacing alcohol with weight training and exercise, he says the change in his body was huge.

    “I felt quitting was something I needed to do. I didn’t feel I had any moral high ground with my kids in the long run. Working out is a great way to go out on stage,” he says. “When I hit the stage, my adrenaline is going and I’m ready.”

    McGraw, whose wife is country starlet Faith Hill, says he feels he’s in a good place in his life and is excited for the release of his new album, Two Lanes Of Freedom, because it represents not so much a continuation of his career but the beginning of a new chapter.

    “I really feel like this new album is not a culmination of the things I’ve done, it’s a new beginning of the things I am going to do. I want to enjoy my career and having my family. I have a busy life, but it is a fulfilling life,” he said.

    The country crooner and Hill have enjoyed a 16-year marriage and have three daughters together. Two Lanes Of Freedom is due out on February 5th.

  • Roseanne Barr Teams Up With NBC…Twice

    Roseanne Barr has been slowly making her way back into the mainstream after years of staying low on the celebrity radar. After “Roseanne” went off the air in 1997, she had a few, mostly short-lived projects which unfortunately didn’t showcase her talents enough to keep her around.

    But the comedienne is working on a new sitcom idea for NBC with her “Roseanne’s Nuts” partner, Steven Greener. Coincidentally, she’s also about to make a three-episode appearance on the network’s long-running comedy “The Office” as a talent agent who sets out to help Andy break into show biz.

    Roseanne made headlines last year after announcing she was on the ballot for presidency and becoming a regular user on Twitter, where she posted about the election and her reasons for running. She also aligned herself with Anonymous after the highly publicized and controversial Steubenville, Ohio rape case.

    Though she’s been seen as somewhat quirky over recent years, many of her old fans would love to see her back in a successful vehicle so many years after “Roseanne”. Until the NBC deal is finalized, however, we’ll just have to settle for watching her work her magic on “The Office”.

  • Atlanta School Shooting: 14-Year Old Shot

    Atlanta officials have confirmed a shooting at Price Middle School this afternoon, where a teacher was injured and a 14-year old student was shot in the head.

    While the student’s condition is not being reported at this time, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution says one suspect has been taken into custody. The school is apparently on lockdown and authorities are only allowing school personnel on campus; parents have been advised they will not be allowed to pick up their children yet.

    The incident is the latest in a string of public shootings, including one at a Phoenix office building yesterday and one in front of a Texas courthouse today that left a prominent prosecutor dead. After the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in December, President Obama has spoken at length about gun control measures, a controversial topic at best.

    This is a developing story; please check back with us for updates.