Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check

Culture Shock:

Inspired by the Winter Olympics up in Vancouver, the website the Daily Beast decided to give out virtual medals --not for the most athletic countries, but the laziest.
   Starting with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's member countries with extensive data available (24 developed countries), the site took four factors into account: calories per day, television viewing, aversion to playing sports, and internet usage.
   After weighing the factors, it turns out the United States took home gold as the laziest developed country in the world.
   "America always goes big, or doesn't go at all," the site says. "[G]luttony is as American as an entire apple pie, and apparently all that downtime in front of the television and computers translates into lots of sports viewing, not much sports playing."
   Rounding out the top five: Canada --the host of this year's Winter Olympics-- Belgium, Turkey, and Great Britain.
   Editor's note: Still number one at something, at least.
   --In a country where a pizza can get to your house faster than an ambulance, this surprises you? (Maiman)

Celebrity lawsuits:

The TLC cable network has settled their pending lawsuit with former "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" reality star JON GOSSELIN and is keeping the whole family tied up under contract. People.com says a source claims that TLC "hopes they will soon be able to film the family again," but also says the whole family will likely not be on the same show.
   TLC had sued Jon for breach of contract when he appeared on other TV shows; Jon counter-sued claiming he network was hurting his career by preventing him from working on other news and magazine shows. Then he also sued to keep the network from filming the show with Kate and the kids.
   Meanwhile, KATE GOSSELIN is still working on her own series for TLC later this year which will not include the children.

Looking for love in all the wrong places:

Cops in Russia have apprehended that computer geek who hacked into an electronic billboard and streamed adult movies to motorists.
   Ananova.com says the unemployed 40-year-old brought traffic to a standstill when he beamed hardcore films on a 30-foot screen overlooking Moscow. Several drivers apparently recorded the incident on their cell phone cameras --making it a YouTube hit.
   The suspect --who faces two years in prison-- says he was just trying to entertain people. (Still)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

New sitcom pilot for NBC. Daily Variety magazine says "Friends with Benefits" will be about five twenty-something friends looking for love --but agreeing to be "friends with benefits" in the meantime. The guys who wrote the JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT /ZOOEY DESCHANEL movie, "500 Days of Summer," are behind the show.

Stars and their movies:

With those "High School Musical" films doing so well, Disney is now going to the  "Prom," and working on a comedy about the big event. Daily Variety says it'll be a large ensemble comedy with nine stars and may not be a musical --but more like a comedy like those of JOHN HUGHES ("Pretty in Pink") or CAMERON CROWE.
   Meanwhile, "High School Musical" fans need not be upset --there's a fourth one in the works at Disney Channel.

Nothing ever good comes from:

1. Hanging around rest stops.
2. Walking on railroad tracks.
3. Cooking pets on live television. A top chef in Italy has been banned from television after recommending a casserole dish made from stewed cat meat.
   According to the London Times, 77-year-old BEPPE BIGAZZI has been kicked off Italy's "La Prova Del Cuoco" program ("The Cooks' Challenge"), after suggesting his cat casserole to viewers. Beppe says, "I've eaten it myself and it's a lot better than many other animals. Better than chicken, rabbit or pigeon."
   Italy's department of health is calling for a criminal investigation, including possible animal cruelty charges.
   Beppe later told reporters that he was just joking about the whole thing. (Still)