Mandatory News

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Lady Gaga singing Sting? It can only be the Kennedy Center Honors

By Todd Leopold, CNN

updated 11:33 AM EST, Wed December 31, 2014

2014 Kennedy Center Honors

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Notables paid tribute to Kennedy Center honorees
Jennifer Hudson sang Al Green's "Simply Beautiful"
Lady Gaga sang Sting's "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You"
The event honors excellence in the arts

(CNN) -- Lady Gaga singing "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You"? Martin Short leading a seeming cast of thousands (OK, dozens) doing "Yankee Doodle Dandy"? Bruno Mars performing "Message in a Bottle"?

It can only be the Kennedy Center Honors.

This year's broadcast, which aired Tuesday night, paid tribute to R&B great Al Green, the multitalented Sting, Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, dancer Patricia McBride and comedian Lily Tomlin.

It's hard to do wrong with a Green song, and Earth, Wind & Fire led off with a heartfelt version of "Love and Happiness." The band was followed by such performers as Jennifer Hudson ("Simply Beautiful"), Usher ("Let's Stay Together") and Mavis Staples and Sam Moore ("Take Me to the River").

Green was visibly moved by the tribute.

McBride was feted with performances by dancers including Tiler Peck and Misty Copeland, and Hanks enjoyed a speech from David Letterman and Short's song-and-dance routine. (Oh, and Pentatonix did "That Thing You Do!" from the 1996 movie Hanks directed, wrote and appeared in.)

Tomlin received compliments from Garrison Keillor, Jane Fonda and Jane Lynch, among others.

And then there was Sting. Gaga sang to him, giving "Faith in You" a little Green-esque soul. Herbie Hancock played for him. Bruce Springsteen, Mars and members of Sting's musical "The Last Ship" performed for him.

An appreciative Hanks had an amusing way of sizing up the show.

"It's not unlike a very healthy way of watching your life flash before you eyes," he said.

The show was recorded December 7.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/31/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/feat-kennedy-center-honors/

Tennessee is curious about ISIS, Mississippi wants Flappy Bird cheats

Tony Avelar | Bloomberg

Google Inc. signage is displayed at the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California

As the end of the year is just around the corner, lots of information about what about who searched for what online is becoming available, and real estate blog Estately decided to see what each state searched for more than any other.

To be clear, these are not the top searches for each state but the searches each state made more than any other.

Texas and Oklahoma searched for information about Ebola. Californians wanted to know about Bitcoin.

So what did states in the Mid-South search for?

In Arkansas users searched for information about former Gov. Mike Huckabee and "Dancing with the Stars." Understandably, Missourians looked for information about Ferguson and NFL player Michael Sam. Alabama wanted information about Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston.

Mississippi's searches were an eclectic mix, with the number one search being "Flappy Bird cheat" and other top searches including Robin Thicke and wrestler the Ultimate Warrior.

Tennessee searched Google for the phrase "Who is I.S.I.S.?" more than any other state, and also took significant interest in country musician Kevin Sharp.

To see all Estately's findings, click here.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2014/12/30/tennessee-is-curious-about-isis-mississippi-wants.html

Playoff Panthers Cause Ticket Troubles

WCNC 12:16 p.m. EST December 30, 2014

Cam Newton(Photo: Kevin C. c*x, Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A limited number of tickets for the Carolina Panthers NFC Wild Card Playoff against Arizona sold out quickly.

The tickets went on sale at 8 p.m. Sunday and by Monday morning only single seat tickets were available. There are reports that 7,000 playoff tickets sold out in 15 minutes.

On TicketExchange and Stubhub Monday afternoon, Level 500 tickets were going for about $100 per ticket. The most expensive seats we found were in the lower level of Bank of America Stadium along the 50 yard line. Those are being sold for the premium price of $2,500 each.

With Panther fans buying playoff tickets in a hurry, they should exercise some caution when it comes to what's left.

Experts say Charlotte is a target for ticket counterfeiters.

"Last year for the playoff game, it was in the hundreds," said Tom Bartholomy with the Better Business Bureau. "We get special attention from the scammers."

Bartholomy says Panthers fans are a prime target, because hosting playoff games isn't common ground.

"If we're Green Bay or Seattle that makes the playoffs all the time, it's not as interesting to the counterfeiters because the demand is pretty well known," Bartholomy said.

If you're buying online, Bartholomy recommends NFL Ticket Exchange, or StubHub.

"They're able to authenticate them through the serial numbers that are on the tickets," Bartholomy said.

Avoid sites that don't, like craigslist.

"You can get the same tickets here for $50 less," Bartholomy said. "Well, there's a risk."

He says scalping on game day can be risky, too.

"By the time you get to the gate and find out it's not real, that guy's long gone," Bartholomy said.

If you're going to scalp, he recommends doing it from someone who's selling right outside the gate where police are nearby. As for warning signs on the tickets themselves, the ticket office doesn't have any hard-copy ones yet, but looking at ones from the regular season, always keep an eye out for the letters "PSL." It stands for Personal Seat License and 90% of real Panthers tickets have it, but then again, so could the counterfeits.

"Holding one real one and one counterfeit one in your hand, they look identical," Bartholomy said.

There is some hope Panthers fans: since the team didn't clinch their playoff berth until Sunday night, counterfeiters don't have much time to work with before kickoff on Saturday afternoon.

"With this quick of a turn, hopefully they'll make some mistakes," Bartholomy said.

Bartholomy says even paying attention to small details, like the back of the ticket can make a difference. The ticket office is open until 5:30 P.M. on weekdays and should have some examples later in the week.

-WCNC

Read or Share this story: http://on.wltx.com/1B1Y2BW

Source: http://www.wltx.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/12/30/carolina-panthers/21049835/

Large crowds expected for Belk Bowl, Fan Fest in uptown

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Freshman Nick Chubb ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 13 Georgia overcame an injury to starting quarterback Hutson Mason to beat 20th-ranked Louisville 37-14 in the BelkBowl on Tuesday night.

Chubb averaged 8 yards per carry and the Bulldogs (10-3) piled up 301 yards rushing against the nation's second-best run defense.

Mason threw for 149 yards and a touchdown before leaving with blurred vision in the second quarter with the Bulldogs ahead 20-7. He was replaced by Brice Ramsey, whose primary duty was to hand the ball off to Chubb.

Georgia's defense came up with four turnovers, with Dominick Sanders recording two interceptions.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Bolin made his first career start for Louisville and finished 20 of 40 for 301 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown. Brandon Radcliff ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.

The Georgia running game appears to be in good hands, even with Todd Gurley headed to the NFL.

Chubb averaged 8 yards per carry and the Bulldogs (10-3) piled up 301 yards rushing against the nation's second-best run defense.

Chubb's rushing total was second highest in school history, behind only Herschel Walker's 283 yards rushing against Vanderbilt in 1980.

Chubb finished his first season at Georgia by running for 1,323 yards and 12 touchdowns in last eight games after taking over as the primary ball carrier after the NCCA suspended Gurley for four games for taking $3,000 for autographed memorabilia and other items over two years. Gurley later injured his knee in his first game back from the injury.

Georgia's defense came up with four turnovers, with Dominick Sanders recording two interceptions.

Chubb set a new BelkBowl rushing record, eclipsing the 174-yard effort set by Boston College's Andrew Callender in 2004.

The Bulldogs leaned heavily on the 5-foot-10, 228-pound Chubb after Mason left the game and Ramsey was intercepted on his first play from scrimmage.

Louisville's defense came into the game allowing just 93.7 yards per game on the ground. Chubb nearly had that in the first half, rushing for 78 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. He added an 82-yard run in the second half that led to another Georgia score.

Louisville never led.

The Bulldogs roared to a 20-7 lead in the first half as Mason found wide open flanker Chris Conley down the middle of the field for a 44-yard touchdown strike for a 7-0 lead before Chubb broke off a 31-yard scoring run.

Leading 17-7, the Bulldogs had two chances to blow the game open late in the half when Sanders intercepted Louisville backup quarterback Reggie Bonnafon and returned it 40 yards to the 8-yard line. But Georgia would have to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Marshall Morgan after Malcolm Mitchell couldn't come down with a high pass from Mason in the end zone.

With his team down 13, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino called for a fake punt from his own 31 on fourth and 5, but punter Ryan Johnson couldn't hook up with a wide open Gerald Christian. Ramsey, however, replaced Mason on Georgia's next possession and gave the ball right back to Louisville when he was intercepted on his first play from scrimmage.

The Bulldogs (10-3) made it a three-possession game late in the third quarter when Chubb broke free from his own 3 and raced 82 yards, setting up a 2-yard touchdown run by Sony Michel.

Louisville's only scores came on an 11-yard scoring strike from Bolin to Christian and a 6-yard run by Radcliff.

Source: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/large-crowds-expected-belk-bowl-fan-fest-uptown/njcnr/

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Giada de Laurentiis and Todd Thompson announce they are divorcing

Dec 30th 2014 5:49AM CommentsCelebrity chef Giada de Laurentiis and fashion designer Todd Thompson are separating. The pair had been married 11 years.

De Laurentiis made the announcement on Facebook Monday night.

In the post, she called the split "amicable," writing: "Although our decision to separate comes with a great deal of sadness, our focus on the future and overwhelming desire for our family's happiness has given us the strength to move forward on separate, yet always connected paths."

The pair have one daughter, Jade Marie.

In addition to being a Daytime Emmy Award winner for her Food Network program, De Laurentiis also founded a catering business called GDL Foods.

And is a frequent, popular guest on talk shows.

It isn't yet clear whether the couple - who married in 2003 - have filed for divorce. In that Facebook announcement, De Laurentiis thanked friends and family for their support.

Also on AOL:Bodies found in waters where plane vanishedReport: Michael Grimm to resign from CongressCo-host's flub made Kelly Ripa gaspBizarre studies that revealed our weird side

See Comments

Source: http://www.aol.com/article/2014/12/30/giada-de-laurentiis-and-tom-thomas-announce-they-are-divorcing/21122515/

Share �Oklahoma-Clemson football: Jamelle...�

Jamelle Holieway quarterbacked Oklahoma to the 1985 national championship. But Holieways most unforgettable play came three years later. And its not a pleasant memory.

In the first quarter of the OU-Clemson Florida Citrus Bowl 26 years ago, the Sooners reached second-and-goal from the Tiger 1-yard line. OU ran a simple wishbone play, and fullback Leon Perry stormed into the end zone.

But Perry didnt have the ball. Holieway kept, circled outside, found no running room, reversed field and scrambled his way to an 18-yard loss. The Sooners settled for a field goal and didnt score a touchdown all day, in a 13-6 loss.

Ill be honest with you, I was being greedy, Holieway said Sunday. Trying to score. Made a bad decision and it cost us the game.

Thats a little harsh. But it did cost the Sooners a touchdown, and OU didnt score a TD in its final 10 quarters of that 1988 season.

Holieways career was derailed by a major knee injury in mid-season 1987. He started early in 1988, but not after a 23-7 loss at Southern Cal in September. Charles Thompson suffered a broken leg on the final play of the regular-season finale, a 7-3 loss to Nebraska, so Holieway took back over.

I was fortunate to play in the game, Holieway said. It was one of those things. I hate the way that it ended.

After the game, Holieway said he made a bad read on the option play. But a quarter century later, he admits he sought the spotlight.

It was just being selfish, knowing that was my last game in an OU uniform, Holieway said. I wanted to go out on top, but I didnt.

Source: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-clemson-football-jamelle-holieway-says-he-was-being-greedy-on-fateful-florida-citrus-bowl-play/article/5379856

Sofia Vergara, Joe Manganiello are reportedly engaged

Ay, Joe! Sofia Vergara is reportedly engaged to hunky beau Joe Manganiello after dating for six months.

Take a second to let that all sink in. Or ponder natural selection.

The engagement news came via E! News, Page Six and Us Weekly on Monday, which reported that the "True Blood" actor proposed to the "Modern Family" star on Christmas Day.

Neither Vegrara nor Manganiello publicly confirmed the news, and reps for both actors did not respond to requests for comment.

If hot couple-o-meters existed, this comely pair sent them through the roof since being first linked in July.

Engagement rumors started this month when the duo was spotted buying a bauble for the actress, E! News reported. A ring on her left ring finger sparkled in one of many holiday photos the actress posted over the weekend.

Vergara, 42, and Manganiello spent Christmas and Manganiello's 38th birthday in Hawaii with family. On Sunday, the Colombian actress took to WhoSay to share her well wishes for her beau.

"Happy happy bday to my love and best friend ... to the one that makes me laugh like crazy!have a healthy wonderfull year babe!!!@joemanganiello," she wrote, posting a snapshot hugging her man.

It'll be the first marriage for Manganiello and the second for Vergara, who wed Joe Gonzalez when she was 18. The two have an adult son named Manolo together.

The Emmy-nominated actress announced in May that she called off her engagement to her man of nearly four years, Nick Loeb, citing hectic work schedules keeping them apart.

Before she and Manganiello started dating, the "Magic Mike" star revealed in People magazine's hottest bachelors issue that Vergara was his celebrity crush.

"She's got the curves, she's got a beautiful face, beautiful hair, just gorgeous. Naturally beautiful. She's feisty!" he said.

The couple first met in May at the White House Correspondents' Dinner (where he was also photographed staring at her famous curves), but the actress was still with Loeb at the time and Manganiello said he wasn't a "home-wrecker."

"There was a picture someone snapped at the White House Correspondents' Dinner where they caught me looking at Sofia Vergara's b**t," he said. "When you talk about being manipulated, that's what I'm talking about. It's like a moment of zen. There is nothing in my brain. If only I could meditate that well. I don't go after other people's women. She's got a guy. If she was single, I would be like, poof!"

The Italian actor later said on "On Air With Ryan Seacrest" that he had "forgotten" he had said those things about his lady love.

"And when the magazine came out, by that time, we were seeing each other and when I got the magazine and opened it up and read it, I forgot I said that. I started laughing."

Excuse me while I weep. Follow me on Twitter @NardineSaad.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-sofia-vergara-joe-manganiello-engaged-20141229-story.html