Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Dec 1, 2011

World AIDS Day:

There are more than 1 million people in the United States living with HIV. One-fourth of them do not know that they are HIV-infected. More than 40-thousand Americans are infected with HIV each year. In 2005, African Americans, who make up approximately 13 percent of the U-S population, accounted for almost half of the estimated number of HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed. AIDS is now the leading cause of death for African American women ages 25 to 34. UNAIDS --the joint UN program on AIDS-- reports that there are now 33.4 million people living with HIV, including 2.1 million children. During 2008 some 2.7 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 2 million people died from AIDS. 68% of the global total are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Idle gossip & unconfirmed rumors:

A little thing like vocal chord surgery isn't enough to keep ADELE quiet. Sources tell AbsoluteNow.com the young super star has an app on her iPhone that allows the device to speak so she can order coffee and give directions to cab drivers. The singer can't utter a word and is on complete vocal rest until her doctor gives the all-clear. (Lee)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

BARBARA WALTERS has been doing her "10 Most Fascinating People" list for 19 years now, and this year's edition will air Dec 14, and feature celebrities and others, like the KARDASHIAN family. The 90-minute ABC special will include:
--KATY PERRY
--PIPPA MIDDLETON
--SIMON COWELL
--NY Yankees captain DEREK JETER
--DONALD TRUMP
--Two guys from "Modern Family," JESSE TYLER FERGUSON and ERIC STONESTREET
--"American Reality Royalty, the KARDASHIAN family"; [Editor's note: I guess they count as two]
--and, of course, the "Number One Most Fascinating Person of 2011," which will be revealed at the end of the program.

The Hollywood Reporter says GLORIA ESTEFAN is in talks to play Santana's mom on "Glee." Gloria would be the latest celebrity to hit the show as a cast member's mom, the last one being RICKY MARTIN, who'll appear on a show next month as McKinley High's Spanish teacher.

The next season of "Dancing With The Stars" doesn't begin until March of 2012, but one contestant has already been revealed: STEVIE WONDER. He told ELLEN DeGENERES that he wants to do the show, but he has to lose some weight first. Now, Stevie is a bit of a jokester, so there's no way of knowing if this is true. He would be the first blind contestant, but not the first with a major disability. Deaf actress MARLEE MATLIN appeared on the show in 2008. (Marino)

Jedi mind tricks:

Warning: Note sexual content!
A condom manufacturer in Brazil is using scare-tactics to sell their product.
CNews reports the company is scaring young men into using protection by sending them Facebook friend requests from their "unborn babies." A spokesman for the Ollo prophylactic company said, "To show youngsters how important it is to use condoms, we decided to give them virtual sense. We chose some young men and created their sons' profiles."
The pretend babies have the same names as the targeted men, with a "junior" at the end. (Still)