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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Mar 27, 2013
March 27, 2013
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The White House:
The U.S. Secret Service is getting its first female director. Fifty-three-year-old JULIA PIERSON will head the agency, which was rocked by a prostitution scandal that involved several field agents who were on duty in Columbia last year.
Pierson has 30-plus years of service with the agency. (Pacelli)Filling a need:
Finally, kosher cigarettes!
With Passover upon us, Israeli smokers can now puff away on rabbi-approved cigarettes. The group that certifies foods and other items as kosher for the week-long holiday approved three brands of cigarettes after determining that their ingredients had not come into contact with grains or other forbidden items.
Israel's chief rabbinate, however, criticized the move and said rabbis should not be giving smokes the seal of approval. "Poison is not kosher," said the rabbi. "For all days of the year, not just Passover."
Editor's note: I suppose we could resolve this by seeing which side the tobacco companies back in the Middle East. (Maiman)Bottom feeding:
Warning: note disgusting content.
JARED LETO's fans give VINCENT VAN GOGH some competition in the crazy department. PerezHilton.com reports the actor-turned-rock star once received an ear in the mail with a note that read: "Are you listening?" No one's come forward to claim the body part and Jared wore it as a pendant for a while. (Lee)On, off and way-off Broadway:
"American Idol" Season 9 runner-up CRYSTAL BOWERSOX is headed to Broadway. She will play country music legend PATSY CLINE in a new musical called "Always... Patsy Cline." More than 30 of Patsy's hits will be in the show which begins previews in July with opening night happening sometime in August. 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of Pasty's death. (Marino)
Designer Update:
Like father, like daughter. STELLA McCARTNEY is now officially Dame STELLA McCARTNEY. Sir PAUL McCARTNEY's offspring received her own official Order of the British Empire honor from QUEEN ELIZABETH at Buckingham Palace yesterday. Paul received his O-B-E medal back in 1965. The designer was recognized for creating uniforms for the 2012 British Olympic team And yes, Stella McCartney wore Stella McCartney. A picture from the designer's Twitter account shows Stella receiving her medal wearing was a navy skirt of her own creation. (Bartha)
Broadcast, cable and video news:
April Fool's Day is Monday and CBS will be airing special editions of "The Price is Right" and "Let's Make A Deal."
On "The Price is Right," host DREW CAREY and announcer GEORGE GRAY will switch jobs with the models on the show, presenting prizes including a trampoline, a hot tub, jet skis and --of course-- a new car! Meanwhile, the models will be doing the hosting on the show.
Over on "Let's Make a Deal," the audience will be filled with people who got Zonked from the last four seasons who will be getting a second chance to compete for cash and prizes. -
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