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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Aug 15, 2012
August 15, 2012
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In Rehab:
WHITNEY HOUSTON's ex-hub, singer /rapper BOBBY BROWN. TMZ says the singer's new wife, ALICIA ETHERIDGE, confirmed that Bobby is finally attempting to get help to beat his addictions once and for all. He has many, but word is that Bobby checked himself in this time to deal with alcohol abuse. He was arrested for drunk driving in March. (Marino)
He's dead, Jim:
Former "Sweathog," RON PALLILLO, who played high school student Arnold Dingfelder Horshack on the ABC sitcom, "Welcome Back, Kotter." A heavy smoker, he apparently suffered a heart attack yesterday at his home in West Palm Beach, FL. His longtime partner, JOSEPH GRAMM, rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Palillo's character was so popular, he struggled to find parts after the show ended its run in 1979. He went on to host bit parts in "The Love Boat," "Alice," "The A-Team" and Trapper John, M-D."
He'd been teaching acting classes at a high school in West Palm for the last three years and was due to return for the school year yesterday morning for staff meetings. (Classes were to resume next week.) Palillo is survived by his partner of 41 years, two brothers and a sister. He was 63.
Editor's note: Of the rest of the "Sweathogs," LAWRENCE HILTON-JACOBS (Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington) is still alive and kickin' at 58, but ROBERT HEDGYES (Juan Epstein) died earlier this year at age 60. GABE KAPLAN, who played "Mr Kotter" is still alive as well; he's 67.What's Poppin':
The radiation that poured out of the Fukushima nuclear reactor last year is turning up in nature.
Researchers are discovering rampant mutations among butterflies and say the link to radiation is unmistakable.
Scientists collected 144 adult pale grass blue butterflies from around Japan --they would've been overwintering as larvae during the disaster-- and found that those from the most irradiated regions had stunted wings and irregularly developed eyes.
Here's the thing: It's always been believed that insects are very resistant to radiation, so these results are a surprise, and the effects are still being felt. Researchers found that breeding those butterflies resulted in all new mutations, and a second set of Fukushima-area butterflies, collected six months later, showed twice the mutation rate of their predecessors.
Editor's note: The birth of Mothra! Now we only need a giant super lizard to come save us! (Maiman)Fashion:
LADY GAGA's first video ad for her "Fame" fragrance hit the Interwebs yesterday. And it's weird. Like her print ads, the 30-second video features lots of skintight black latex bondage gear and nakedness and little men strategically-attached to Gaga's nakedness. There's also lots of black goo. An army of hot shirtless dudes. And her eyeglasses explode. So, you know, if you want to smell like that, buy "Fame."
Editor's note: Just once, I'd like to see Lady Gaga do her music, but dressed something like, Nellie Olsen from "Little House on the Prairie." That would be all kinds of awesome. Really. And since now that leads to the obvious question, whatever happened to ALISON ARNGRIM since VH-1 isn't making any more of those "I Love The [insert decade here] clip shows, here's the link to the actress' website. (Bartha)Animal Stories:
If you weren't in Scotland last weekend, then you missed the first ever Dumfriesshire sheep race (video).
Orange.co.uk says hundreds of the town's residents lined the streets for the one-day event. Spectators were even given the opportunity to bet money on their favorite sheep. Organizer THOMAS MacDONALD says the event was such a success, he wants to turn the event into an annual competition and extend it into a 2-day event. (Still)Sucking the life out of the wire services:
GABBY DOUGLAS can afford any hairstyle her little heart desires. The gold medal winner --who got a lot of flack for her messy bun, gel and clips during the Olympics-- is already fielding lucrative endorsement offers and Forbes magazine predicts she'll pull in between five and 10-million bucks over the next four years! The shining star was welcomed back to the states with open arms last Monday at JFK airport where hundreds of fans and paparazzi were gathered. (Lee)
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