Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check

Guilty Pleasures:

No winner in Friday night's drawing for the Mega Millions Lottery. That means tonight's drawing is valued at $115 million ($79.5 million cash value). Mega Millions is played in 34 states and Washington DC. Chances of winning the big prize are 1 in 175.7 million.

Sucking the life out of the wire services:

We have a new Miss Universe. She's JIMENA NAVARRETE, a 22-year-old brunette from Guadalajara, Mexico, who was crowned last night by last year's winner, STEFANIA FERNANDEZ of Venezuela. First runner-up was Miss Jamaica, YENDI PHILLIPPS; the second runner-up was Miss Australia, 19-year-old JESINTA CAMPBELL, who also won Miss Congeniality. Miss USA did not place in the top-15.
   The pageant was held at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, with BRET MICHAELS and NBC's NATALIE MORALES co-hosting. The top five included Miss Ukraine and Miss Phillipines. The top 10 also featured girls from Ireland, Albania, Puerto Rico, South Africa and Guatemala.

London tabloids:

Reality television may be more popular --and marketable-- than ever. The UK's Daily Mail reports MIKE "The Situation" SORRENTINO of "Jersey Shore" is seriously cashing in on his newfound fame. Word is the gym, tan, laundry stud is poised to make five-million-bucks this year and that amount could double in 2011. Seems that MTV talent scouts answered his prayers when he was discovered --before hitting the tube Mikey worked as a gym manager for a paltry 35-thousand-dollars-per-year. (Lee)

Reality Round-Up:

The cast for this season's "Dancing with the Stars" is leaking out and Zap2it.com says they have sources who have confirmed that "The Hills'" star AUDRINA PATRIDGE will be a contestant on season 11 of the series.
   No official word on the other possibilities, which include "Jersey Shore" star MIKE "The Situation" SORRENTINO, singer BRANDY and former football player KURT WARNER. ABC says they'll unveil the cast during next Monday night's edition of "Bachelor Pad."

Today's police blotter:

Cops are questioning a Florida man who claims he was simply conducting an in-home "robbery drill" when he shot his wife in the chest.
   The Orlando Sentinel says 72-year-old PATRICIA MORRIS was airlifted to a hospital, where she's expected to recover. Cops say her 77-year-old husband ARNOLD MORRIS told them he was acting out robbery scenarios. That's when he allegedly pulled a handgun out of his pocket and fired it straight into her chest.
   The couple has been married for 54-years. Police are still looking into the incident.
   Editor's note: So, let me get this straight. The 25th anniversary is silver. The 50th year is gold. And, after 54-years you get lead. (Still)

The Reel Deal:

In the wake of it's $10 million opening weekend, producers of "Piranha 3D" say there's already a sequel in the works. Ignoring the 3-D aspect, the film is already the third Piranha film in the series, the original being in 1978 and "Piranha II: The Spawning" in 1981. Believe it or not, the latter film also launched the careers of respected filmmakers JOE DANTE, JOHN SAYLES and JAMES CAMERON.

Your Body:

Good news for people who used to be in good shape: New research suggests that whether or not you remember how to exercise, your muscles do.
   According to a study from the University of Oslo, muscle nuclei can retain memories of former strength, even when the actual muscle mass disappears. This counters the idea that muscles go back to square one when people stop working out, and it implies that formerly fit people have a head start if they begin training again.
   Researchers believe there are permanent structural changes in animal muscles, or at the very least, very long-lasting ones.
   Physiologist did note that while muscle nuclei can be developed later in life, researchers also found that it's easier to develop them earlier on.
   Editor's note: Don't tell Arnold, and definitely don't tell Maria. (Maiman)