Mereja

Author: Sean Patterson

  • Selena Gomez: Bindi Sparks Religious Backlash

    Over the weekend actress/singer Selena Gomez performed the song “Come and Get It” live at the MTV Movie Awards. The performance included a dance routine that was quite obviously inspired by Bollywood-style dances seen in many Indian movies.

    Though the performance seems to have gone over well with the audience and viewers, some Hindu organizations are now objecting to it. The main complaint seems to be that Gomez’s makeup included a bindi – a mark worn on the forehead near the eyebrows.

    Though a bindi is now often worn as decoration, the symbol has religious significance to Hindus. According to a report from The Hollywood Gossip, the Universal Society of Hinduism has called the performance insensitive and is looking for an apology.

    Gomez has not addressed the criticism of her performance, though she has announced a new world tour that kicks off in August. The star spoke about her experiences at the MTV Movie Awards on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today:

  • Osbourne Split Rumors Denied by Ozzy

    Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne have been married for over 30 years and their marriage has endured addiction, cancer, and a reality TV show. That’s why it was surprising this week when TMZ reported that the couple had split and were living in separate places. Though divorce plans weren’t confirmed by the gossip publication, the prospect was certainly implied.

    Now, Ozzy himself has come forward to shed some light on the situation. It turns out that the heavy metal star had relapsed, and has been enjoying booze and drugs for the past year and a half. Despite his troubles, the singer says the he has now been back on the wagon for over one month, and that the divorce rumors are not true:

    Ozzy Osbourne12 hours ago

    For the last year and a half I have been drinking and taking drugs. I was in a very dark place and was an asshole to the people I love most, my family. However, I am happy to say that I am now 44 days sober.

    Just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing. I’m just trying to be a better person.

    I would like to apologize to Sharon, my family, my friends and my band mates for my insane behavior during this period………and my fans.

    God Bless,

    Ozzy Powered by socialditto  1,000+ likes ·  1,000+ comments

    Ozzy and Sharon’s son, Jack, has also used his Twitter account to state that rumors of an impending divorce are untrue:

  • Dennis Rodman: FBI Informant on North Korea?

    Now that Dennis Rodman has been fired from Celebrity Apprentice, it seems he will have more time to spend with his new pal, Kim Jong-un.

    Rodman this week revealed to Gossip Extra that he will be returning to North Korea on August 1st. He stated that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will “just hang and have some fun.”

    The report states that Rodman was interviewed at a fundraising gala in Miami, where the former basketball star was introduced as the “U.S. ambassador to North Korea.”

    Rodman first went to North Korea in February. When he returned to the U.S., he called Kim Jong-un an “awesome guy” and confirmed that the leader is now the father of a young girl.

    The provocative trip and comments earned Rodman a visit from the FBI, which was very interested in who the young North Korean leader was surrounding himself with. The Miami Herald is reporting that Rodman told the newspaper that he might be able to help calm the tensions that have recently been rising on the Korean Peninsula. From the Herald:

    “I’m not a total idiot. I know what Kim Jong-un is threatening to do regarding his military muscle. I hope it doesn’t happen because America will take whatever actions to protect America and our allies.”

  • Mystery Man on Roof Over Explosion Starts Twitter Trend

    With all of the professional and amateur media that caught the Boston Marathon bombings on video, it was only a matter of time before amateur investigators began to piece together their own story.

    Within minutes of the explosions, Twitter user @Boston_to_a_T posted a photo showing the second explosion. Later in the day, someone pointed out what appears to be a solitary man on the roof of a building directly over the explosion.

    Of course, it’s not unimaginable that someone with access to such a vantage point might use it to watch the Boston Marathon. Still, this is an example of why Boston Police and the FBI are asking any citizens who took pictures or video near the finish line yesterday to forward their footage. Even pictures taken hours before the blasts could be used to spot the person or persons responsible for the attack.

    The second Boston Marathon explosion

    Though the person on the roof appears to be just another bystander, the image sparked Twitter speculation and fueled the conspiracy theories that are just beginning to form:

    (Images courtesy Dan Lampariello)

  • Other Wife Found on Facebook: Bigamist Caught by Social Media

    Keeping a double life organized must be hard enough without the intrusion of social media. One man learned the hard way this week that Facebook only allows users to link their relationship status to one person at a time.

    According to an Associated Press report, a corrections officer in Seattle was outed as a bigamist after one of his wives found him on Facebook. The man, Alan O’Neill, is now facing bigamy charges.

    The court documents show that O’Neill married one woman in 2001. He then left his wife, changed his name, and remarried in 2009. O’Neill’s first wife found out about his second wife through a “People You May Know” suggestion on the Facebook sidebar. She and O’Neill, though separated, had not been divorced.

    According to the AP, O’Neill has been placed on administrative leave and is awaiting a court hearing for bigamy charges later this month.

  • Boston Marathon: Explosions Rock the Finish Line; Injuries, Deaths Reported

    (Image courtesy Dan Lampariello)

    [UPDATE 3:] Amateur video of the explosions is now beginning to appear online:

    [UPDATE 2:] It is now being reported that the explosions were caused by bombs and that more explosive devices have been found. Police are currently dismantling them. Police are treating bags abandoned at the scene as potentially dangerous.

    Marathon runners who have not completed the race have been diverted to Boston Common

    [UPDATE:] The Boston Police Department is currently reporting that 23 people have been injured and two people have died as a result of the explosions.

    [ORIGINAL]
    Two explosions have reportedly gone off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The cause of the explosions, which occurred near viewing stands on Boylston Street, has not yet been determined.

    Reports from the scene of the explosions indicate that several people have been injured, some of them severely. Sean Kelly, a reporter for Boston news station WCVB has been tweeting updates on the situation since the explosions occurred and revealed that at least some of the injured have lost limbs:

    Other citizens who were at the scene also took to social media, sharing video of the explosion and graphic pictures of the aftermath:

  • Paris Jackson: Surgeon Could be Her Career Choice

    While her brother Prince has begun a career on-screen as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, Paris Jackson still has a few years to decide where she wants her life and fame to take her. The 15-year-old high school student this week spoke with The Daily Mail about what she hopes to do in the future.

    Jackson, who is already receiving ‘offers’ from NFL cheerleading squads based on blurry footage of her performance cheering at a basketball game, told The Daily Mail that she really wants to be a heart surgeon. The ambition comes, she says, from her impulse to help people.

    Jackson also described to the publication what it was like to grow up with her father, pop star Michael Jackson. In particular, she stated that her father made her and her brothers cover their faces in public so that they “could have what he didn’t, which was a normal childhood.”

    Jackson also expressed a desire to renovate her father’s infamous Neverland estate, saying that she could use it to benefit “less privileged children.” Paris and Prince have stated in the past that they intend to purchase the property with their inheritance.

  • Billy Joel’s Daughter Gets Protection From Cyberstalker

    Earlier this week it was revealed that singer Billy Joel’s daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, had been cyberstalked via Facebook. According to a report from the New York Post, the stalker sent dozens of messages to Alexa, some including references to assault, pedophilia, and murder. Alexa was reportedly too frightened of the messages to leave her house.

    Billy Joel has now hired a bodyguard for his daughter. The body guard was reportedly hired from a private security firm recommended by Paul McCartney.

    Private detectives were also hired to track down the stalker, who turned out to be a woman who lives in Austin, Minnesota. The woman, Sheryl Finley, has a history of mental illness, according to the Post report.

    Alexa Ray Joel, who is 27 years old, is the daughter of Billy Joel and supermodel Christie Brinkley. Like her father, she plays the piano and is a singer-songwriter. Alexa released an independent album titled Sketches in 2006. She is also the spokesmodel for Prell shampoo.

  • Pistorius Partying as Trial Date Approaches

    Oscar Pistorius has been keeping a low profile in recent months, after being charged with the murder of his girlfirend, Reeva Steenkamp. However, it seems that the olympian has now rejoined Johannesburg nightlife.

    According to a report in the tabloid The Sun, Pistorius spent a night out with friends drinking this weekend. The sighting is supposedly Pistorius’ first night out since being charged. According to the report, Pistorius was seen at a Johannesburg bar drinking with friends and flirting with women.

    Pistorius is currently out on bail while awaiting trial for the Valentine’s Day murder of Steenkamp, who was a model. He was charged with premeditated murder on February 15, and is reported to have cried as the charges were read. Pistorius claims that he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder, and shot her through the door of the his bathroom.

    Pistorius is a double amputee who uses prosthetics to compete in sprinting. In 2012 he became the first double leg amputee to compete in the Olympics, where he competed in the 400 meter and 4 x 400 meter relay competitions.

  • Colin Davis Dies; Conductor Was 85

    Renowned English conductor Sir Colin Davis has died at the age of 85.

    According to the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), Davis died on Sunday evening following a short illness. From the LSO statement:

    He will be remembered with huge affection and admiration by the LSO and our thoughts are with his family at this time.

    Though Davis first conducted the LSO in 1959, it wasn’t until 1995 that he became the principal conductor for the orchestra. He went on to become the longest-serving principal conductor in the LSO’s history, retiring from the position in 2006. The following year, Davis became President of the LSO – the first since Leonard Bernstein’s death in 1990.

    During his years of work with the LSO, Davis received many awards, including the 2006 Grammy award for best opera for the LSO live recording of Falstaff. Davis was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1965 and was knighted in 1980.

    (Image courtesy the London Symphony Orchestra)

  • States Drop GED as Test Price Rises

    The GED, or General Educational Development tests, were created in 1942 to measure the academic skills of U.S. soldiers who had left high school to join the military. Though the test has undergone revisions, the American Council on Education has maintained the tests as a way for those who did not graduate high school to gain an equivalent certification. Now, it seems that the move to modernize the test has resulted in higher costs, leading some states to abandon the GED.

    According to an Associated Press report, 40 states are now looking into alternatives for the GED. This comes as the GED Testing Service, which runs the tests, has announced a new version of the GED set to launch in 2014. The new version of the test will be available only on computer and will cost $120 – double the cost of the current test. The new GED will also reportedly have tougher math and reading standards.

    States, such as New York and New Hampshire, have already announced they will be switching to a new high school equivalency test, and others, such as Tennessee, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, Indiana, and Missouri are exploring other solutions to the rising test price. Competing equivalency tests are now making bids and educating states on their tests, some of which have paper versions and offer much lower prices.

  • Space Mountain Closed Over Safety Concerns

    Space Mountain is one of the most well-known attractions in the world, and is almost certainly the most famous in-the-dark roller coaster ever built. However, fans of the attraction will not be able to ride the Disneyland California version of the coaster in the near future as Space Mountain has been shut down over safety concerns.

    On Friday, April 12, Disneyland was issued safety citations by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The description of the citations states that a contractor was injured while performing maintenance on the exterior of Space Mountain. While investigating the incident, the department found that Disneyland had not corrected “known fall hazards” on the outside of the Space Mountain building after a Fall Protection Assessment Report in 2006.

    Though the safety concerns for Space Mountain do not relate to the ride itself or did not endager theme park attendees, other rides at Disneyland have also been shut down. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Soarin’ Over California were both shut down over the weekend, though the Matterhorn Bobsleds reopened on Sunday. A spokesperson for Disneyland told the Times that the closures were voluntary and that the park is “reviewing certain protocols.” An estimate for when Soarin’ and Space Mountain might re-open has not been announced.

  • Kevin Hart Arrested For Drunk Driving

    Comedian Kevin Hart was arrested this weekend on suspicion of DUI.

    According to a TMZ report, the comedian was stopped by the California Highway Patrol early on Sunday morning. The CHP claims that Hart was driving erratically and over the speed limit on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles. The report also states that Hart was “unable to perform field sobriety tests.”

    Though most celebrities prefer to remain publicly silent about their arrests, or brush them aside as being inaccurately reported in the media, Hart has chosen to confront his DUI arrest head-on. Using his Twitter feed, Hart recalled his short stay in jail and even recounted his own version of the arrest, which includes him admitting to the CHP officer who pulled him over that he was drunk. He also stated that the incident is a “wake up call” for him and admitted that drinking & driving is “stupid.”

    Kevin Hart — Yup, I Was Drunk

    (Image courtesy Daijhnai Ragguette/Wikimedia Commons)

  • John Galardi Dies; Wienerschnitzel Founder Was 75

    John Galardi, the founder of restaurants such as Wienerschnitzel, has died at the age of 75.

    According to the Galardi Group, Galardi died on Saturday after battling pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Judane, and four children.

    Galardi founded his first restaurant, Der Wienerschnitzel, in 1961 at the age of 23. The business began as a stand in Wilmington, Los Angeles. The hotdog-based chain grew, and now has over 350 franchise restaurants located in California and the Southwestern U.S.

    In 1979, Galardi founded The Original Hamburger Stand restaurants, which competed with other burger-based fast food restaurants in the U.S. Southwest. In 2003, the Galardi Group also acquired the Tastee-Freez company and has begun serving Tastee-Freez soft serve ice cream in Wienerschnitzel restaurants.

    Galardi handed over leadership of his company in 1993, though he remained chairman of the Galardi Group until his death.

  • Charlie Wilson Dies; Congressman Was 70

    Former U.S. Representative Charlie A. Wilson has died at the age of 70.

    According to an Associated Press report, Wilson had a stroke in February and had been recovering since that time. He reportedly became sick over the weekend and died Sunday afternoon at a hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida.

    Wilson owned funeral home and furniture store businesses before entering state politics in Ohio. In 1996 he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served until 2002. In 2004 Wilson was elected to the Ohio Senate, and in 2006 he ran for U.S. congress when Ohio congressman Ted Strickland ran for governor of the state.

    Though Wilson’s name did not appear on the primary ballot, he ran a successful write-in campaign to become the Democratic candidate for Ohio’s 6th district. He won the general election and served two terms before being defeated by current U.S. Representative Bill Johnson in 2011.

    Charlie A. Wilson is not related to Charlie Nesbitt Wilson, the former U.S. Representative for Texas who is the subject of the book and movie Charlie Wilson’s War.

  • Kendall Jenner: Victoria’s Secret Modeling is Something She’d Love to Do

    While her older half-sisters deal with new puppies, old husbands, and baby names, Kendall Jenner is just beginning her career as a fashion model. Last month, the 17-year-old displayed her olympian genetics on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia and complained that calling her skinny is just as much of an insult as calling someone fat.

    This week, Jenner attended a private viewing of artist Russel James’ photography exhibit, of which her image is a part. E! News caught up with her at the viewing and asked her about where her career will be going in the future. In response to a question about whether she would ever want to be a Victoria’s Secret model, Jenner said, “It’s always been kind of a dream of mine. It’s a very great thing to do. I don’t know. It’s something I’d love to do.”

    In other recent Kendall Jenner news, the aspiring model ran into the omnivore’s dilemma this week. On Thursday she posted a video showing off the massive amount of food stored in her pantry while complaining that she can’t decide what to eat:

    Apr 11, 2013 | bored and hungry! by KendallJenner on Keek.com

  • Grady Hatton Dies; MLB Player Was 90

    Grady Hatton, a Major League Baseball player and a manager for the Houston Astros, has died at the age of 90. According to the Associated Press, Hatton died on Thursday, April 11 at his home in Warren, Texas.

    Hatton made his major league debut for the Cincinnati Reds in 1946. He went on to play third and second base for a variety of teams during his 14-year career, including the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Chicago Cubs. Hatton ended his playing career in 1960, with a .245 batting average. He also hit 91 home runs during his major league career.

    Hatton became the manager of the Houston Astros in 1966. He coached the team to a 164-221 record during his two and a half years as manager, and was replaced mid-season in 1968. After stepping down he became a scout for the Astros and later scouted for other MLB teams.

  • Jonathan Winters Dies; Comedian was 87

    Comedian Jonathan Winters, famous for characters such as Maude Frickert and the Orkan ‘child’ Mearth on TV show Mork & Mindy, has died at the age of 87.

    According to the improv comic’s website, Winters died of natural causes at his home in Montecito, California on Thursday, April 11, surrounded by family and friends.

    Winters grew up in Ohio, and dropped out of high school to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. After the war, he attended college and studied cartooning. He later became a radio DJ, where he began honing his improv comedy skills. He began recording comedy albums and quickly gained a following for creating wacky characters.

    Winters soon became a screen comedian, appearing in over 40 movies and appearing on countless TV shows. His movie appearances included roles in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. Winters also appeared regularly on many TV shows throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s, including The Dean Martin Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and The Hollywood Squares.

    Winters continued performing throughout his life. Most recently, Winters voiced the character Papa Smurf in the 2011 and 2013 Smurfs movie adaptations, and was cast in the 2014 comedy Big Finish, which is also rumored to star Don Rickles, Jerry Lewis, and Bob Newhart.

  • Kris Humphries No-Show Leaves Kardashian Divorce Unresolved

    It seems that Kris Humphries‘ legal troubles will soon grow beyond being sued by an L.A. suit shop. TMZ is reporting that the NBA star did not show up for a mandatory settlement conference for his contentious divorce.

    Humphries, who plays for the Brooklyn Nets, and his estranged wife, reality TV actress and amateur porn star Kim Kardashian, have been separated for over one year now. Kardashian filed for divorce after only 72 days of marriage, leading many, including Humphries, to speculate that the entire marriage had been a Kardashian publicity stunt.

    The divorce proceedings have dragged on, and this week the couple were scheduled for a mandatory settlement conference to resolve the divorce. The TMZ report states that the conference was scheduled to take place in Los Angeles at 8:30 am PT on Friday, but that Humphries was spotted in New York early Friday morning – with the earliest flight to the west coast arriving at 9:15 am PT.

    The publication later confirmed that Humphries did not make it to the conference, though the paparazzi did catch Kardashian arriving on time:

  • Glee: School Shooting Episode Gets Mixed Reviews

    [Author’s Note: Spoilers ahead]

    Network TV viewers who are still following the Fox show Glee got quite a treat Thursday evening. The only problem is, the consensus is still out on whether it was salty or sweet.

    This week’s Glee featured a ‘school shooting’ of sorts. Though no one is injured, two shots ring out through McKinley High. In the aftermath of the shooting, a flashback reveals the shooter’s identity, and shows why a well-loved teacher takes the blame for the incident.

    Fans of the episode are calling it a bold step for a network TV show, while critics are trashing the episode as exploitative and insensitive toward families who just months ago lost children in the Newtown elementary school shooting. The comments being left on Twitter show the mixed reaction of fans: