Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - May 12, 2011

Chic Sh*t:

Whatever that thing was PRINCESS BEATRICE wore to the royal wedding --we’ll call it a hat-- it's going up for auction on eBay.
The sale of Beatrice's hat will benefit UNICEF and Children in Crisis. The unusual design by renowned London hatmaker PHILIP TREACY grabbed headlines and became an Internet sensation, says People.com. Treacy’s hats generally go for upward of three-thousand bucks.
The hat has been compared to to everything from deer antlers to a face-hugger from the movie “Alien,” and the Eye of Sauron from “The Lord of the Rings.” And, of course, it has it’s own Facebook Page: As of yesterday, more than 136-thousand people “Liked” the page for Princess Beatrice’s Ridiculous Royal Wedding Hat. (Bartha)

Five things not to say to a new grad:

The season of square hats, black robes and pomp-and-circumstance is here! Millions of young folks will be graduating college in the coming weeks and --despite their years of hard work-- face an extremely uncertain job market. Real Simple magazine discovered five things not to say to a new grad.
1. "What Can You Do With That Degree?" No one ever asks this question of engineering students and it's unfair to needle liberal arts majors. A lot of people will wind up as freelancers or entrepreneurs and perform jobs that don't even exist right now. A better question to ask is "What have you learned that will help you do what you enjoy?" It's a happy time --don't ruin it.
2. "You Should Go To Law School." This is a generic, default suggestion --how about encouraging the twenty-something to spend a few years exploring life to find what gets them inspired?
3. "Do You Have a Job Lined Up Yet?" Going out into the world without a firm spot to land is scary --don't make it worse. Ask how they're feeling, let them vent, offer hope and any industry connections you might have.
4. "The Economy Has Been Bad Before, You'll Get Through It." This might be true, but most new graduates are excited about entering the workforce and there's not a lot of opportunity. Gently remind them that potential employers look hard at Facebook and LinkedIn, so they might want to make sure their profile appears professional.
5. "My (Fill-in-the-Blank) Relative Just Got Out of College, and She’s Doing Great!” We should be inspired by others' success stories, but it's terrifying in reality. Remember that feeling of being nervous and lost? It happens to every young person --offer support by talking about how well your nephew is doing with four part-time jobs that have nothing to do with his degree. (Lee)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

The big TV news yesterday was the possible hiring of actor HUGH GRANT to replace CHARLIE SHEEN on an updated, retooled version of "Two and a Half Men."
Daily Variety magazine, however, said that although there were "extensive negotiations," talks fell apart when Hugh returned to the British Isles and the studio didn't hear back from him. So --it looks like it's off --for now.
Meanwhile, the Hollywood Reporter says the judge who's going to decide whether CHARLIE SHEEN's $100 million lawsuit against Warner Brothers and "Two and a Half Men's" CHUCK LORRE will go to arbitration has now asked the lawyers to submit additional arguments. They expect a decision by the end of the month.

Movies that will suck:

Surf's up! DAVID HASSELHOFF has been added to the cast of the upcoming film, "Piranha 3-Double-D." As we've mentioned before, the film --which began filming in Wilmington, NC, this week, is about sharks at a water park with very buxom victims. GARY BUSEY also stars in the film, along with "Back to the Future's" CHRISTOPHER LLOYD and VING RHAMES.

Food and Nutrition:

Getting a backing from a group like Consumer Reports Health has gotta be good for business. And if that’s the case, the line ought to be long at JENNY CRAIG today.
A new report ranks Jenny Craig at the top of seven leading diets, receiving 85 points from researchers.
Overall scores were based on how well the diets follow the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and the results of clinical studies that looked into long and short term weight loss and drop out rates among diets.
The top diets of 2011:
7. NutriSystem Diet- Overall score: Not Rated
6. Atkins Diet- Overall score: 48
5. Ornish Diet- Overall score: 48
4. Zone Diet- Overall score: 54
3. Weight Watchers- Overall score: 57
2. Slim-Fast Diet Plan- Overall score: 63
1. Jenny Craig Diet - Overall score: 85
This is the first diet update from Consumer Reports since 2007. (Page)