-
Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Sep 13, 2013
September 13, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
Sick bay:
Get well wishes for PETER MAYHEW, the guy in the large Wookie suit who played "Chewbacca" in the "Star Wars" movies. Peter, who's now 69, had to have both knees replaced and is currently enjoying hospital food in a Texas sick-bay. People.com reports Peter had used a wheelchair to get around for the past two years, so the new knees will be a step up for him (you'll pardon the expression) and hopefully let him walk again.
Top talkables of the day:
Are we on the way to seeing married Catholic priests? Could be, according to a very surprising statement from the Vatican.
Several eyebrows are being raised at a statement made earlier this week by the Vatican's new secretary of state, Archbishop PIETRO PAROLIN who --when asked about a priest's vow of celibacy-- told Venezuela's El Universal newspaper, "It's not a church dogma and it can be discussed because it is a church tradition."
And Parolin's statement is true. Many Catholic scholars will freely admit that there is no dogmatic basis for priests being celibate, a practice that came into being around the year 304 AD, largely to protect church property from family claims. (Pacelli)Idle gossip & unconfirmed rumors:
Say what you want about DEMI MOORE, but the cougar is certainly open when it comes to the tough game of love. RadarOnline.com reports the brunette bombshell is now dating PETER MORTON, who owns a little chain of restaurants called the Hard Rock Cafe. Word is she really likes the 66-year-old mogul and her three daughters think her new beau is downright "charming," but things may be a bit awkward at Thanksgiving dinner. Demi used to date Peter's 31-year-old son, HARRY. (Lee)
Chic Sh*t:
Crop tops aren't going anywhere any time soon. The abs-baring clothing staple was one of the biggest trends to come out of NY Fashion Week. Rag & Bone, ALEXANDER WANG, CYNTHIA ROWLEY, MICHAEL KORS... basically everybody sent models down the runway in the midriff-baring tops. The Hollywood Reporter says you can keep the look trendy if you wear the crop tops under oversize jackets and worn with soft trousers or tailored skirts. (Bartha)
Grace notes:
There are three rules at every strip club in America: Don't touch the ladies, don't take any pictures or video, and there is no sex in the Champagne Room! Guess which rule the guys in MUMFORD & SONS violated? TMZ says the band had just finished a gig Tuesday night at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta and decided to check out the legendary Clermont Lounge to see what was swinging. It was karaoke night at the strip club so Mumford's BEN LOVETT took the mic to sing a few tunes.
Well, the other guys started snapping away on their camera phones and security moved in to tell the nice English blokes to cut it out. That didn't work too well as the guys continued using their camera phones. The DJ had to lower the music to remind everyone in the club about the no photos policy, and that got Ben angry because it interrupted one of his songs. There was shouting, cursing, and finally all of Mumford & Sons were tossed out of the club. (Marino)Animal Stories:
When it comes to ugly animals, nothing beats the blobfish (see photo here). A public vote made the grumpy-looking, gelatinous the unofficial title of the World's Ugliest Animal.
BBC News says the blobfish will become the endorsed mascot now of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. Yes, that's a real thing. It began as a science-themed comedy night, but now the Society has devised a campaign to draw attention to "esthetically challenged" threatened species.
The blobfish went up against the proboscis monkey, pig-nosed turtle, scrotum frog and pubic lice to win the title. Biologist and Society president SIMON WATT said he hoped the campaign would bring some attention to the threats facing these weird and wonderful creatures. It's human nature to protect the animals we find cute, like pandas. Watt points out it's the ugly animals that really need help. (Page) -
-