Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Nov 1, 2011

Divorcing:

KIM KARDASHIAN and KRIS HUMPHRIES have hit the skids after just 72-days of wedded bliss. The reality darling released a statement yesterday afternoon saying she "decided to end her marriage." She said she'd hoped it "was forever" and plans to remain friends with her soon-to-be ex-husband. TMZ.com reports K-squared has hired legal bigwig LAURA WASSER, whose clients include names like BRITNEY SPEARS, MARIA SHRIVER, ANGELINA JOLIE and RYAN REYNOLDS. She apparently did have a prenuptial agreement in place.
Unless you've been locked in a closet somewhere, you've probably heard the rumors swirling that the newlyweds haven't been getting along, were spending much of their time apart and one source even tells Us Weekly the problem is the groom just won't drink the "Kardashian Kool-Aid." Despite their issues, Kris seems shocked by the development --he told TMZ he's "committed to this marriage and everything this covenant represents." He says "I love my wife," is "devastated" and "willing to do whatever it takes to make it work." (Lee)

Pregnant:

Worst-kept. Secret. Ever. Who didn't know JESSICA SIMPSON was pregnant? Jess finally dropped the "official" news on her website along with a picture of her dressed in a mummy (get it --mummy?) costume for Halloween. This is the first child for Simpson and her fiancé, ERIC JOHNSON. The two began dating in May, 2010, and became engaged last November and said (at the time) the thought of starting a family was "exciting." (Lee)

Grace notes:

PETE TOWNSHEND says iTunes is a (quote), "digital vampire" that "bleeds" music out of artists. THE WHO's guitarist was speaking at the first annual John Peel Lecture, presented by BBC 6Music in honor of the legendary late British radio DJ. Pete said Apple should hire 20 talent scouts from the ever disappearing music business and give artists more than just a place to sell their wares. Pete also knocked digital piracy and said that anyone who illegally downloads music (quote), "may as well come and steal my son's bike while they're at it." (Marino)

Space, the Final Frontier:

Something exciting has happened on Uranus! An eruption.
Now quit snickering. We're just reporting the story, as written by MARK THOMPSON of the Discovery Channel (which also has a website for news updates just like this).
A planetary scientist using a powerful telescope has captured images of "a bright patch that is thought to be an eruption of methane ice high in the atmosphere" on Uranus.

Bottom feeding:

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER's love child, JOSEPH BAENA, is a real chip off the old block. Photographers for TMZ.com caught the 14-year-old heading out to enjoy the Halloween festivities at Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, where he dressed up as one of dear old dad's signature characters, "Conan the Barbarian." (Lee)