Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Apr 13, 2011

The President at play:

PRESIDENT OBAMA will deliver a nationally televised address on the budget today (1:30 pm Eastern) --his budget, not the one presented by Republicans last week, and it's the budget for next year, 2012 --not last week's compromise for 2011 which averted a government shutdown.
Obama has invited congressional leaders to the White House this morning for a personal preview of the speech tonight. Obama's plan, among other things, calls for some taxes, something Republicans are against.
But House Democrats had already been preparing to release their own 2012 budget, which could create a split between the White House and Congressional Democrats over entitlement reform. (Maiman)

At the local Cop Shop:

A Canadian teen faces charges after flushing a cop's tie down the toilet.
Incredibly, alcohol was involved. The 19-year-old was arrested for public intoxication and locked up until he sobered up, but before he entered the cell, he struggled with police, grabbed one cop's tie and managed to throw it into a toilet in the cell and flush it.
For that he got charged with theft and mischief.
Editor's note: $5K for a clip on tie? (Maiman)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

Wanna get a commercial on one of OPRAH WINFREY's final shows? It'll cost you a million bucks a pop.
The Hollywood Reporter says that will only buy you a :30-second spot, too. The pricing, though, is in line with advertising rates for the last shows for "Seinfeld" and "Everybody Loves Raymond."
The "Friends" finale had more than 50 million viewers and cost $2.4 million for a 30-second ad.

The Hollywood rumor mill:

"Limitless" and "The Hangover" star BRADLEY COOPER is reportedly in talks to star in a reboot of the 1994 BRANDON LEE cult classic, "The Crow." Daily Variety magazine says the movie --about a dead rock musician who's revived by a mystical bird in order to avenge his fiancee's murder-- is being redone and co-produced by the same guys who did the original. Production is expected to start this fall.

GREEN DAY's Broadway musical "American Idiot" may be closing on Easter Sunday, but it will have another life on the big screen. The Hollywood Reporter says Universal will pick up the movie rights, and MICHAEL MAYER who directed the stage version is set to be behind the camera. TOM HANKS is aboard to produce the movie along with BILLIE JOE, MIKE and TRE. (Marino)

Jumping on the bandwagon, dep't:

GEORGE MICHAEL is a big believer in gifts that keep on giving. The trouble-prone singer sent out a "tweet" announcing that he's recording a "beautiful" melody for PRINCE WILLIAM and KATE MIDDLETON to celebrate their upcoming nuptials. Although he won't release the name of the ditty, he has revealed that it was written in the 1970's by a "genius." (Lee)

Digitally enhanced:

A rock band in Russia is making a name for themselves without using instruments.
Orange.co.uk says the band --named Cooperative Style --only uses iPhones and iPads to make their music (picture). The teenagers download guitar, drum and keyboard apps and play them in front of live audiences. "Guitarist" RUSLAN HALIKOV says, "It's actually harder to play the guitar on an iPhone than it is to play a real one." (Still)