Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Jun 24, 2011

I'm a Poll Man:

A couple of new polls of note:
   --A new Gallup Survey says that 53-percent of Americans want something major done this year about illegal immigration. Another 43-percent want some sort of a long term plan put into place.
   --WI GOP Congressman PAUL RYAN's plan to re-structure Medicare still isn't wearing too well. Fifty-seven-percent of those surveyed say they'd be worse off under Ryan's plan, while just 34-percent think they'd be better off.
   And Ryan is now the third most-disliked Republican in America, trailing only NEWT GINGRICH and SARAH PALIN.
   In the same poll, 51-percent of respondents say they want to give the health care reform act a chance to work before scrapping or changing it. (Pacelli)

Like you really care:

Need some help wrangling your stubborn little teenager into submission? Fear not --LA TOYA JACKSON is doling out parenting advice! The outspoken Jackson diva told PIERS MORGAN that moms and dads today are simply too lenient with their children and would love to see them teaching more respect --especially for their elders. She also dished a bit about growing up in the musical family, seems dad JOE always insisted his children call him by his first name, was a loner at heart and has finally learned how to express his love. (Lee)

Sucking up:

LIV TYLER is living the good life. The NY Post's Page Six gossip column reports she's been hot-and-heavy with THEO WENNER, whose daddy came up with a little magazine called Rolling Stone. Word is the two were quite close after the premiere of her new flick, "The Ledge" and have been dating a few months.
   Meanwhile, the adorable brunette tells CINDY ADAMS of the Post that she's got an immense amount of respect for her father, STEVEN TYLER, especially for joining the cast of "American Idol" so late in life. The lookalike duo are very tight and text "constantly." (Lee)

TV Tidbits:

The Hollywood Reporter says "American Idol" judge RANDY JACKSON may be looking to do a talk show now that OPRAH's gone. If true, he'd join a crowded field which already includes ANDERSON COOPER and KATIE COURIC.
   A source tells the show-biz daily, "He wants to talk about things that will be hip next. He thinks he has his finger on the pulse."

The Reel Deal:

How about a remake of the MATTHEW BRODERICK film, "WarGames?"
   There *was* a reboot of sorts done in 2008 called "WarGames: The Dead Code," which went straight to DVD (although it's been on cable recently as well). Now, the Hollywood Reporter says MGM will be doing a new movie based on the 1983 thriller. In it, Matthew Broderick played a hacker who managed to get into a supercomputer (called "Whopper") at the NORAD facility at Cheyenne Mountain and run a nuclear war simulation that nearly started World War III. ALLY SHEEDY played his girlfriend in the film, which made around $80 million in North America.

Grace notes:

Rapper MISSY ELLIOTT has an incurable disease. She told People magazine that she was diagnosed with Graves' Disease back in 2008. It's an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid. Missy has kept this a secret, but recently she's had a loss of muscle control that was so bad she couldn't even hold a pen. Graves' Disease is not usually life-threatening, but Missy will live with it for the rest of her life. She turns 40 on July 1st and will be featured on the June 29th season premiere of VH1's "Behind The Music." (Marino)

Angry Birds, dep't:

Officials in Ontario, Canada, are working hard to stop wild turkeys from attacking people.
   CNews reports a local city council member was one of the victims. JOHN BRASSARD says, "They attacked my car. I stopped, honked my horn, but they started pecking at the grill." Brassard managed to escape with his life.
   Experts think around 40 or 50 wild turkeys are roaming the area looking to attack. The problem is, the turkeys are a protected species. So, victims aren't technically allowed to fight back. (Still)