WebProNews

Author: Pam Wright

  • Hayden Panettiere is Pregnant with Her First Child

    Hayden Panettiere is pregnant! A source revealed to Us Weekly that the Nashville star and her fiancé, Wladimire Klitschko, are expecting their first child.

    “Hayden is totally pregnant!” said the source.

    The Heroes star and her fiancé have had an on-and-off-again relationship since meeting at a book party in 2009. After working things out and deciding they wanted to spend their lives together, they became engaged in 2013.

    In an interview for the May 2013 issue of Glamour, the petite actress expressed her desire to start a family with her 6-foot-6 fiancé.

    “I’ve lived a very big life, and I don’t feel my age, and I feel like I was born to be a mother,” she said. “Sometimes people speak about [having kids] like, ‘Your life ends—you’re never going to be able to do anything again!’ And I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’ Motherhood is the most beautiful, exciting thing, and there’s nothing that I feel like I can’t accomplish while having children in my life.”

    She even joked about what her kids with the towering Klitschko might look like. “He’s got bowlegs and I’ve got knocked knees, so they’re going to have straight legs,” said Panettiere on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in November 2013. “And they’ll be normal height.”

    The couple recently put their wedding on hold due to unrest in Klitschko’s native Ukraine where his brother has just become the mayor of Kiev.

    “Everything that’s happening in Ukraine definitely put a hold on things. But we have time,” said Panettiere to Parade Magazine.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • ‘Chelsea Lately’ Ends its Run in August

    Chelsea Handler, 39, is calling it quits. E! Network has confirmed the late-night show will end its run in August.

    Handler, 39, will wrap Chelsea Lately‘s seven-year run with a live, hour-long episode on August 26.

    “I myself am more surprised than anyone that I was able to hold down a job for seven years, and it was a fantastic seven years,” Handler told The Hollywood Reporter. “I will always look back at my time on E! as most people look back at their time in college. I’m glad I went.”

    This is not breaking news. Handler’s manager, Irving Azoff, revealed in March the comedienne’s intentions to leave the network.

    “Chelsea intends to leave when her contract expires. She hired me to figure out her life after E! We have at least seven suitors and many ideas,” said Azoff.

    E! Network president Suzanne Kolb had nothing but good things to say about Handler.

    “We are very proud of Chelsea Lately‘s long-running success and the unique space that the series carved out in late night television,” said Kolb. “Chelsea brought a distinct voice to late night with her acerbic wit and fearless commentary and we look forward to providing fans with a memorable send-off that lives up to that tradition. Most of all, we are grateful to the Chelsea Lately team for making this show so special for seven years.”

    In the month preceding the final episode, E! Network will host a month-long celebration complete with surprise guests and a look back at Chelsea‘s favorite episodes.

    It’s no big secret Handler was unhappy at E!. In a March 5 appearance on Howard Stern’s radio show, she said the network was “a sad, sad place to live. They don’t know what they’re doing. They have no ideas. It’s a failure.”

    There have been many rumors about what’s next for the comedienne — from Netflix to CBS — but it is unknown at this point what her future plans might be.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Car Crash in Tunnel Lesson: Don’t Hold Your Breath

    How many of you hold your breath while driving through a tunnel? Well, you might want to rethink that superstition.

    A 19-year-old man apparently caused a three-vehicle accident Sunday when he fainted from holding his breath as he drove through a tunnel in Portland, according to Oregon State Police.

    Daniel J. Calhon, of Snohomish, Washington, told police he must have passed out from holding his breath in a Highway 26 tunnel near the community of Manning.

    His 1990 Toyota Camry crossed the centerline, crashing head-on with a Ford Explorer. A pickup truck joined the mayhem when the driver could not avoid the collision and hit the Camry.

    Calhon and his passenger, 19-year-old Bradley Meyring, of Edmonds, Washington, were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

    Thomas Hatch Jr., 67, and Candace Hatch, 61, from Astoria, were also transported to the hospital.

    The two people in the pickup emerged from the accident unhurt.

    The breath-holding Calhon was cited for reckless driving, three counts of reckless endangerment and fourth-degree assault in Washington County Circuit Court.

    State Police Lt. Gregg Hastings said Monday he’s not sure why Calhon was holding his breath, which seems surprising considering many people hold their breaths in tunnels for fun or out of superstition.

    “It is odd,” said Hastings.

    What is odd is the fact that Calhon could not hold his breath for the needed 10 seconds it takes to traverse the 772-foot long tunnel when traveling at 55 m.p.h.

    Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the accident.

    Image via YouTube

  • Amanda Seyfried: No Memory of Kissing Tatum. What?

    Hard to imagine, girls, but Amanda Seyfried, 28, says she doesn’t remember kissing Channing Tatum in the 2010 romantic tear-jerker Dear John.

    While appearing on Nick Grimshaw’s breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 Tuesday, listeners asked the Mama Mia star about kissing the hunk.

    “I don’t remember … I’m pretty sure it was great. It was easy! He’s a funny guy,” said Seyfried.

    “I felt like a million bucks afterwards. You want to talk about confidence? That guy gives you confidence. So generous,” replied Seth MacFarlane, who joined Amanda for the interview while promoting their new comedy, A Million Ways to Die in the West.

    MacFarlane, who wrote and directed the film, also takes on the lead role of Albert, co-starring with Seyfried, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson and Neil Patrick Harris.

    When asked about the challenges he met while filming, the Family Guy creator said, “The only part that was new, was the acting. But again I had Amanda, I had Charlize, I had Neil. I have this great cast of people. Every time you’re playing opposite somebody it’s one of these people who is so good and so experienced there just throwing stimulus at you and it just makes it easier.”

    When the topic turned to whether the actors were suffering from jetlag after their long flight from Los Angeles, Seyfried confessed she was suffering a jet-lag-hangover. MacFarlane, on the other hand, told listeners he had a method to beat jetlag.

    “I’m actually having a better transition then I have in the past,” he said. “I figured out that you stay up till five in the morning drinking in New York, and then you get on a plane at 8 a.m. and come out here and you’re in bed by 12. I’ve actually acclimated very nicely. All thanks to booze.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Burt Reynolds’ Ranch to Become Housing Development

    Due to some financial difficulties, Burt Reynolds, 78, was forced to sell his Jupiter, Florida ranch in 1999 — the place where he married second wife Loni Anderson — and the property is now being re-developed to allow the construction of some 30 homes on its 150 acres of land.

    Three years after the Smokey and the Bandit star filed for bankruptcy in 1996 following a messy, expensive divorce and some poor financial investments, the Reynolds Liquidating Trust sold his ranch to the local school district for $3.85 million. Last year, the school district sold the land to developers K. Hovnanian Jupiter LLC.

    The Palm Beach County Commission approved zoning changes Thursday needed to build the 30 new homes on the site of the the Deliverance actor’s former ranch.

    “This is going to be beautiful,” said County Commissioner Hal Valeche.

    Not everyone in the community agrees with Valeche. At the meeting, residents voiced their concerns that the development would cause the area to lose its rural character.

    Hovnanian says that it has worked with Jupiter Farms representatives to design a building plan aimed at blending in with the area.

    In a compromise, approximately 60 acres of the land are to be set aside as conservation land and nearly 2 acres for future civic uses, which may include a fire station and a library.

    The Jupiter Farms Environmental Council endorsed the compromised building plan.

    “We are excited about some of the opportunities,” said the council’s president, Susan Kennedy.

    During Reynolds’ heyday, the ranch — with its gift shop, Burt Reynolds Museum and a petting zoo — was a tourist attraction.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Elliot Rodger: Videos Spell Out Plans to Murder

    The story emerging of Elliot Rodger’s violent musings prior to going on a deadly rampage Friday is disturbing to say the least.

    From social media postings to YouTube videos, Rodger’s violent rants hinted at the coming massacre.

    His parents, who are in “deep, deep grief” over the shooting, even tried to step in before Friday’s shooting spree.

    In April, Rodger’s mother called one of her son’s counselors after seeing bizarre videos he had posted on YouTube. The counselor then called a mental health service who called police.

    But Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies who paid a visit to Rodger’s were left believing he was not a risk to others despite the alarming videos.

    “Obviously, looking back on this, it’s a very tragic situation and we certainly wish that we could turn the clock back and maybe change some things,” Brown told CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday.

    “At the time deputies interacted with him, he was able to convince them that he was OK,” he said.

    [The videos in this article are disturbing — Discretion is advised].

    Rodger’s family said their son was in therapy and were concerned about their son’s behavior for months, if not years.

    Doris A. Fuller, executive director of the Virginia-based Treatment Advocacy Center, said too little was done too late.

    “Once again, we are grieving over deaths and devastation caused by a young man who was sending up red flags for danger that failed to produce intervention in time to avert tragedy,” Fuller said in a statement.

    “In this case, the red flags were so big the killer’s parents had called police … and yet the system failed,” she said.

    But most frightening is the 141-page manifesto promising a “Day of Retribution” he emailed to his mother and counselor minutes before stabbing and killing three young men in his apartment, killing three more people and injuring 13 others by shooting them.

    “We said right from the get-go that that kid was going to lose it someday and just freak out,” a high school classmate told The New York Times. “Everyone made fun of him and stuff.”

    Most troubling is Rodger’s words and demeanor in YouTube videos posted before the killings.

    “On the week leading up to date I set for the Day of Retribution, I uploaded several videos onto YouTube in order to express my views and feelings to the world, though I don’t plan on uploading my ultimate video until minutes before the attack, because on that video I will talk about exactly why I’m doing this,” Rodger wrote.

    In the final video posted Friday, he sits in a black BMW telling the world about the pleasure he would derive in killing.

    “I’ll take great pleasure in slaughtering all of you,” he said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ryan Hunter Reay: Indy 500 Winner’s Son Steals Show

    Ryan Hunter Reay crossed the finish line first Sunday to win his first Indy 500. But, it was his mini-me son, Ryden, who won the hearts of viewers worldwide as he joined his mom and dad after the win to fulfill the tradition of kissing the brick finish line.

    Reay won the coveted prize and the opportunity to kiss the finish line after pulling ahead of Helio Castroneves in a nail-biting final lap.

    “I’m a proud American boy, that’s for sure,” Hunter-Reay said. “I’ve watched this race since I was sitting in diapers on the floor in front of the TV. My son did it today. He watched me here. I’m thrilled. This is American history, this race, this is American tradition.”

    Ryden, born shortly after Hunter-Reay’s 2012 IndyCar championship, celebrated the traditional kissing of the bricks with his parents wearing a miniature version of his dad’s fire suit.

    Reay is the sixth American driver in 20 years to win the Indy 500.

    “I’m real. I’m genuine. There’s not a whole lot theatrics about me,” Hunter-Reay said Monday.

    “I’m not going to put on a whole big show and jump through hoops. I’m going to be me, and I am thrilled to be here. I’m a hard-charging American and I’ve had to fight every step of my career for this ride.”

    Castroneves was devastated by the loss and needed several moments to compose himself before he was ready to speak.

    “It was a great fight. I tell you what, I was having a great time. Unfortunately second. It’s good, but second sucks, you know what I mean?” he said. “At the end of the day there’s stupid and bravery, and I think we were right there on the edge, both of us. I’m glad we both come out in a good way. I’m sad it did not come out the way I wanted.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Christine Baranski’s Husband of 30 Years Dies

    It’s not often a Hollywood marriage stands the test of time and it’s sad to hear that The Good Wife‘s Christine Baranski has lost her husband of 30 years, Matthew Cowles.

    Cowles — an actor best known for his role as villain Billy Clyde Tuggle on All My Children — died Thursday at the age of 69.

    Cowles manager, Tsu Tsu Stanton, announced the sad news on Twitter Friday.

    The veteran actor’s career included roles on the small screen, the big screen and on Broadway.

    As well as his role in All My Children, his television appearances include The Bold and Beautiful, Oz and Life on Mars.

    Cowles earned two daytime Emmy nominations for his portrayal of Tuggle and also appeared in the web-only version of the long-running soap opera when it debuted in 2013.

    His roles on Broadway included The Time of Your Life and Sweet Bird of Youth. He also appeared in Hollywood films Shutter Island and American Loser. He also wrote several plays.

    Other condolences for Baranski were tweeted by fans and colleagues.

    The couple married in 1983 and have two daughters together – Isabel and Lily.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Tina Turner’s Rep Denies Stroke Rumors

    Tina Turner’s rep denies rumors that the singer has suffered a stroke and says the iconic rock star is “in excellent health.”

    Turner’s health rumors began in Germany after a news website, Express, published an article stating the Tiny Dancer singer was recovering following a health scare from a stroke.

    The article quoted Albert B. Cologne, a man who claimed he was Turner’s friend and driver.

    “She had a mild stroke, but is well on the road to recovery,” said Cologne. “Tina had to cancel her holiday (in Austria) to recover, (but) she has already managed a smile for her partner Erwin Bach.”

    Turner, who lives in Switzerland, refuted the claim through her spokesperson.

    “The fact is that Tina enjoys excellent health,” said the source.

    The rep also said the superstar did not have a driver named Albert, nor did she have plans to vacation in Carinthia, Austria.

    In February, Turner’s close friend Oprah Winfrey also denied rumors that she had suffered a stroke on Twitter.

    In the aftermath of the rep’s statement that all is well with the singer, the website deleted the article.

    Turner, who wed longtime boyfriend Erwin Bach last year and relinquished her U.S. citizenship, has been living a quiet life in Switzerland since retiring in 2009.

    Image via YouTube

  • Jim Carrey Offers Emotional Commencement Speech

    Jim Carrey offered an emotional and passionate speech to graduating seniors during a commencement ceremony at Iowa’s Maharishi University of Management Saturday.

    The actor showed a vulnerable side when opening up about his personal life and became emotional as he spoke about his father and his childhood.

    “So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality,” the 52-year-old comedian told the graduates.

    “My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him, and so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant.”

    The Dumb and Dumber actor urged graduates to pursue the career they love. Carrey said his father, Percy Carrey, had a typical life and made practical choices that contradicted the dreams he wanted to pursue in life. This led Carrey to take unlikely chances in his own life to pursue his dreams.

    “I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you could fail at what you don’t love, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love,” Carrey said.

    “Your job is not to figure out how it’s going to happen for you, it’s opening a door in your head, and when the door opens in real life, just walk through it,” said Carrey.

    The actor also spoke about the decision he made to “free people from concern” through comedy when he was 28 years old.

    “I’ve often said that I wish people could realize all their dreams and wealth and fame, so that they could see that it’s not where they’re going to find their sense of completion,” he said. “Your job is not to figure out how it’s going to happen for you, it’s opening a door in your head, and when the door opens in real life, just walk through it.”

    Carrey couldn’t continue to remain serious throughout the speech and a few jokes did emerge.

    “No doubt some of you will turn out to be crooks, white collar stuff, Wall Street, that type of thing. Crimes committed by people with self-esteem, stuff parents can still be proud of,” he joked.

    Carrey received an honorary doctor of fine arts degree during the ceremony and told the management students, “I cannot be contained because I am the container.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Al Sharpton Calls Out Cop Who Brutalized Teen

    The Rev. Al Sharpton took great offense to an NYPD police sergeant who allegedly threw a hand-cuffed, 14-year-old boy through a plate-glass window.

    “Two wrongs don’t make a right,” Sharpton said at the National Action Network’s headquarters in Harlem. “We cannot have a city where policemen come and shove handcuffed children through windowpanes.”

    Javier Payne, the alleged victim, sat in a wheelchair beside Sharpton during the press conference with a white bandage across his forehead.

    During the press conference, the teen lifted his T-shirt to reveal a gash in his left side — a gash that required 50 staples to close.

    “This is unbelievable,” Sharpton said. “This is because he talked smart to a cop.”

    Javier, who weighs 98 pounds, and a 13-year-old friend were arrested May 17 in the Belmont section of the Bronx after allegedly assaulting a 39-year-old man they had asked for a cigarette.

    After being handcuffed, Javier apparently began mouthing off to 48th Precinct’s Sgt. Eliezer Pabon, sources said.

    “I don’t care what he said. A police trained does not shove a handcuffed child. If you are so agitated that you can shove a handcuffed child out of anger, you ought not be on the police department,” Sharpton said.

    A surveillance video captured Pabon — who was stripped of his badge and gun Friday — shoving Javier from behind through the window of the Hookah Spot on Arthur Ave.

    Although Edward Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, said he has yet to see the video, he denies Pabon shoved or pushed the boy into the window. He also said the window was already damaged before it shattered.

    “There was a hole with a spider web of cracks around the hole,” Mullins told The Daily News. “It wasn’t structurally sound. The sergeant is going to fully defended and the truth will come out.”

    Sharpton said the brutal attack was inexcusable and said the family wasn’t making excuses for Javier’s alleged behavior.

    “If he and his friend had done anything that was out of order they should be dealt with and litigated by law — not brutalized based on anger and lack of training,” said his sister, Christina Payne.

    The eighth-grader underwent emergency surgery at Jacobi Medical Center and was in intensive care for four days.

    “This is a difficult time,” said Christina. “I’m very upset and I just want justice for my brother, for these cops to be brought to justice.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Leonardo DiCaprio Auctions Space Trip for $1 Million

    Leonardo DiCaprio will have a companion when he heads out into space — a very rich companion.

    DiCaprio auctioned off a chance to accompany the Wolf of Wall Street actor on his voyage into space Thursday at this year’s amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala, held at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in France. The opportunity to ride along the actor sold for 700,000 Euros, or around $1 million U.S. dollars.

    At last year’s amfAR auction, three other seats on the SpaceShipTwo — which accommodates six passengers and two pilots — sold for a combined $3.8 million.

    DiCaprio and his lucky space buddy will fly aboard Virgin Galactic’s suborbital SpaceShipTwo space plane in 2015.

    The SpaceShipTwo space shuttle will take its human cargo to an altitude of about 50,000 feet by a mothership named WhiteKnightTwo. The mothership will release the plane, after which the rocket engines will fire up, boosting the vehicle into suborbital space. From there, passengers will see Earth from the blackness of space and experience a few minutes of weightlessness, Virgin Galactic representatives say.

    Tickets to ride the commercial space shuttle sell for $250,000, and to date more than 700 people have put down deposits to reserve a seat. One would wonder why someone would pay $1 million when they can get a ticket for $250,000, but it was all about the charity.

    Other celebrities who have booked space flights include actors Ashton Kutcher and Angelina Jolie, and singer Justin Bieber.

    The cost of the seat on the space plane may seem like a lot, but the work of contemporary artist Damien Hirst is what really brought in the bucks for the charity event. A 10,000-year-old fossil coated in steel created by the artist was purchased for 11 million Euros, or $15 million.

    Along with a seat with DiCaprio on the space voyage, the auction also sold a 1967 painting by pop artist Andy Worhol of actress Marilyn Monroe, which sold for around $477,000 as well as a 1968 painting by legendary artist Pablo Picasso, which brought in almost $520,000 for the charity.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Miley Cyrus Gets Restraining Order Against Stalker

    Miley Cyrus has a stalker problem.

    After a review of court filings on the case by a Los Angeles judge, Cyrus was awarded a temporary restraining order against an Arizona man who says he will not stop until he meets Cyrus.

    The court filing said Devon Meek, 24, believes the singer is communicating to him through her songs and that was enough for the judge to grant Cyrus the restraining order.

    The documents state that the alleged stalker is still being held in a psychiatric institute and is claiming when he’s released he “will not stop seeking out Ms Cyrus”.

    “She is in fear for her safety because of his mental state and apparent obsession with Cyrus,” said the court filing.

    On May 16, Los Angeles police arrested the man outside a property he believed is owned by Cyrus — although court documents don’t specify a location — and took him to the psychiatric hospital for evaluation. The would-be stalker from the southeastern Arizona city of Sierra Vista said he will continue to try to meet Cyrus once he is released, according to the court documents filed by Cyrus’ attorneys and a police detective.

    Detective Rosibel Smith said in a sworn statement that Meek told officers they should shoot him in the head if he couldn’t meet Cyrus.

    Smith said a police officer who interviewed Meek “informed me that Mr. Meek stated that when he is released from the hospital, he will not stop seeking Ms. Cyrus and that he will continue to go to Ms. Cyrus’ residence until Ms. Cyrus accepts him or he dies.”

    The man “suffers from delusions about Ms. Cyrus [and] believes that the singer/actress/celebrity Ms. Cyrus communicates with him through her songs and is telling him to come to see her so that they may be together,” said the documents.

    This is a temporary restraining order and another hearing is scheduled for June 16 to extend the order for a further three years.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘The Voice’: Josh Kaufman of Team Usher Wins

    ‘The Voice’: Josh Kaufman of Team Usher Wins

    After battling it out for weeks, Josh Kaufman emerged Tuesday from a line-up of particularly gifted performers to win this season’s The Voice competition.

    Finalists Josh Kaufman of Team Usher, Christina Grimmie of Team Adam Levine, and Jake Worthington of Team Blake Shelton battled it out throughout the season, and it was difficult to decide who truly had “the voice” among the talented singers.

    Unfortunately, only one could be crowned the winner — and this season, it was Kaufman.

    “This is a show about dreams, about the journey of being an artist, and he represents all of that,” said Usher after the win. “From the time of the blind auditions to being stolen, he’s been on an amazing journey.”

    In his pre-The Voice life, Kaufman played local gigs with his band in the Indianapolis area and supported his family as an SAT prep tutor.

    At the announcement by host Carson Daly that he had won the competition, Kaufman was a little calmer than one would expect.

    “I can’t even talk,” he said after winning the competition. “I’m overwhelmed. I’m surprised. I’m happy. I’m relieved. This has been so much more of an experience than I ever could have imagined.”

    Kaufman’s win brings Usher to the coach’s winners circle — only Shelton and Levine have claimed that spot in other seasons. Ironically, Kaufman began his journey on Team Adam until Usher stole him away.

    “This is the last big chance for me and for my family. To be able to do this for them and for Usher, it’s huge,” Kaufman said before performing.

    The other young finalists Worthington and Grimmie, while they didn’t win, walk away with some great prospects for their future.

    Worthington, a 17-year-old country singer from La Porte, Texas, who was turned away last season during the blind auditions, said his experience on the show reminded him that it’s ultimately about the music.

    “It’s not the recording contract and it’s not the money,” said Worthington. “It’s getting on that stage, grabbing the microphone and doing what we love – and that’s what matters.”

    YouTube sensation Grimmie, 20, came in third. However, she still came out a winner after receiving some good news earlier in the show. Levine told her that despite the outcome, “you will have a record deal because I would like to sign you for my label.”

    Kaufman will receive a recording contract and head out on a 31-date summer tour with the other two finalists, and fan-favorite Kristen Merlin, along with season 5 winner Tessanne Chin, runner-ups Jacquie Lee and Will Champlin, and season 1 favorite Dia Frampton.

    Image via YouTube

  • Blocked Live Grenade: Hero to Receive Medal of Honor

    An Afghanistan war veteran, who threw himself between a live grenade and a fellow Marine, will receive the medal of honor from President Barack Obama next month.

    Retired Cpl. William “Kyle” Carpenter will become the tenth recipient of the award for valor exhibited in Afghanistan or Iraq when Obama presents the medal during a White House ceremony on June 19.

    Carpenter, 24, was wounded Nov. 21, 2010, while guarding a patrol base in a small village in Helmand Province.

    According to a Marine Corps summary of the action, Carpenter and Lance Cpl. Nicholas Eufrazio were on a roof providing security for the patrol base.

    Three grenades were lobbed into the compound across the street from where Carpenter and Eufrazio were hidden behind a sandbag barrier. The first grenade injured an Afghan National Army soldier, and the second did not detonate.

    The third landed close to Carpenter and Eufrazio. Without a thought to himself, Carpenter placed himself between the grenade and Eufrazio to shield him, and took the brunt of the explosion.

    The hero was severely wounded with a depressed skull, a collapsed right lung, multiple facial fractures, the loss of a third of his lower jaw and fragment injuries to his arms and legs.

    Thanks to the heroic efforts by Carpenter, Eufrazio only received a head injury from shrapnel.

    A native of Flowood, Mississippi, Carpenter was immediately evacuated and underwent emergency brain surgery. He also lost his right eye.

    Carpenter was a long-term patient at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, until he medically retired last July, and is currently a student at the University of South Carolina.

    Image via YouTube

  • Mick Jagger Becomes a Great-Grandfather at 70

    Whoah! Mick Jagger, 70, has just become a great-grandfather. Can you think of a cooler great-granddad than the iconic rock star?

    The Rolling Stones‘ front man’s 21-year-old granddaughter, Assisi Jackson, has reportedly given birth to a baby girl. The child’s name has not been made public.

    “The women in our family just tend to have children young, it runs in the genes,” Jagger’s granddaughter told Hello! magazine.

    “I grew up quite quickly and wouldn’t have considered having a child if I was doing what my friends are doing at this stage, messing around,” said Assisi. “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I’m very settled.”

    A homeopathic business owner, Alex Key, 25, is the father, according to The Daily Mail. The couple live in a converted barn in Cornwall, about 250 miles from London.

    Jagger has seven children with four women, and four grandchildren. Assisi is the daughter of Jade Jagger, 42, and onetime partner Piers Jackson.

    Assisi’s mom, Jade Jagger, is the daughter of Jagger‘s first wife, Bianca Jagger, and had Assisi at age 20. Ironically, Jade is also pregnant with husband Adrian Fillary and a mother-daughter baby shower was thrown for the pair in March.

    That joint baby shower was thrown right around the 50th anniversary of the Stones’ first album and was hosted by Mick’s former common-law wife, Jerry Hall.

    The coolest new great-grandfather in the world may not want to be called grandpa, however.

    “I imagine it’s nice to be a great-grandad – although I’m not sure he likes the idea of getting old, or being called one,” said Assisi. “I call him Mick – I wouldn’t start calling him Grandpa.”

    One would imagine this news is a bit of joy for the rock-‘n-roll legend, who suffered a great loss when his longtime love, L’Wren Scott, took her own life in March.

    “I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way,” Jagger wrote on Facebook. “We spent many wonderful years together and had made a great life for ourselves.”

    Congratulations to the entire, extended Jagger family.

    Image via YouTube

  • Janelle Monáe Sick, Australiasia Tour Cancelled

    Janelle Monáe has cancelled her Australasian tour due to an undisclosed illness.

    The R&B artist pulled out of Saturday’s concert in Melbourne and another on Monday in Sydney because of the mysterious illness.

    The tour promoter, Live Nation Australasia, announced Tuesday the cancellation of the entire tour in Australia and New Zealand.

    “Due to Janelle Monáe’s continuing illness it has been confirmed that the remainder of The Golden Electric Tour has been cancelled and there will be no rescheduled performances,” the brief statement reads.

    Concerts were scheduled for Brisbane on Thursday; Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday; and back to Melbourne next Monday.

    According to the promoters, a complete statement will be issued by Live Nation Australasia on Wednesday.

    Marcus Teague, editor of the Australian entertainment Website the Vine, was at the Melbourne concert and tweeted information pertaining to Monáe’s illness and tour announcements.

    New Zealand artist Kimbra was to open the shows for the American singer.

    Monáe apparently fell ill just before she was due on stage at Melbourne’s The Forum.

    According to a statement issued by Live Nation Australasia, Monáe has been ordered by doctors to stay in Melbourne under medical supervision until she is strong enough to travel.

    Monae’s tour is scheduled to return to the U.S. for a string of dates starting May 31 at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia.

    It is unclear at this time whether her U.S. shows will be affected.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ground Beef Recall: Children at Risk

    According to the USDA, children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk from the recall of 1.8 million pounds of ground beef.

    “The very young, the very old, and those with immune systems that have been weakened by cancer, kidney disease, and other illnesses are most at risk and vulnerable to illnesses associated with contaminated food. The symptoms of foodborne illness — such as diarrhea or vomiting, which can cause dehydration — can be very serious. Safe food handling practices at home or anywhere food is served is especially important for those in the “at-risk” group,” said the food safety and inspection service on its website.

    The recall, announced Monday, affects tainted ground beef items processed in a Detroit, Michigan-based factory between March 31 and April 18.

    The recall was initiated after FDA officials suspected the ground beef sold for use in restaurants may be contaminated by the E. coli bacteria.

    In addition to being sent throughout Michigan, the ground beef from the Wolverine Packing Company also reached Ohio, Missouri, and Massachusetts. But, officials warn the beef may have been distributed nationwide.

    The ground beef recalled have an establishment number that reads as “EST.2574B” and a production date code that says “Packing Nos.:” with numbers ranging from “03 31 14″ to “04 18 14,” which correspond to the date range connected with the recall.

    The recall was ordered after a Massachusetts resident, along with five from Michigan, four from Ohio and one from Missouri became ill with E. coli. Though several strains of E. coli are harmless to humans, this case involves the dangerous strain o157:H7.

    “E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2?8 days (3-4 days, on average) after exposure the organism,” said the USDA. “While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.”

    According to the USDA, ground beef should be cooked to 160 degrees to kill any harmful bacteria.

    The USDA released a list of recalled Wolverine products.

    Image via YouTube

  • Amber Rose: Twitter Reacts to Her Shades

    Amber Rose: Twitter Reacts to Her Shades

    Channeling some futuristic Terminator character, Amber Rose walked the red carpet at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards donning some pretty serious shades.

    The 30-year-old model arrived wearing black visor-type sunglasses that covered half her face, from her brow to her lips.

    Posing with her husband of one year, Wiz Khalifa, she accessorized her accessory with an all-black ensemble and black boots — very men-in-black-on-crack.

    Many on Twitter compared the massive face-covering shades to the visor worn by disgraced Clippers owner Donald Sterling‘s ex-girlfriend V. Stiviano. Others likened them to Pharrell‘s oversized mountie hat, which has become a trademark of the singer.

    It’s not surprising to see Rose with outrageous shade. Seems to be her thing and she’s becoming so well-known for her sunglasses fetish that she collaborated with the Vintage Frames Company to create a series of snakeskin-covered shades. In 2010, she told Vibe that she had plans to open a sunglasses boutique in Los Angeles.

    Twitter blew up with chatter about the model’s look and her choice of shades.

    Looks like the sexy model’s thing with glasses started when she was young.

    Image via YouTube

  • Jill Hansen: Surfer Charged in Attempted Murder

    Hawaiian surfer-model Jill Hansen was arrested and charged with attempted murder Wednesday, May 14, after allegedly attempting to intentionally hit a 73-year-old woman with her car.

    Hansen, 30, was arrested after fleeing the scene of the altercation.

    In what police are calling a road-rage incident, Hansen apparently followed Elizabeth Conklin to her condo where witnesses say Hansen hit Conklin with her car. And once wasn’t enough for the sexy model because witnesses say Hansen then reversed to attempt to hit Conklin a second time.

    The senior citizen told ABC News she has no memory of the incident.

    “I parked in my normal parking place, and I got out and all of a sudden I woke up in an ambulance,” Conklin said.

    A witness to the incident broke Hansen’s rear window when it looked like the surfer model was about to ram into Conklin a second time.

    “He saw her in her car getting ready to hit me again. He totally saved my life,” Conklin said.

    Conklin was transported to the hospital with cuts and bruises on her body.

    Post by Jill Anjuli Hansen.

    Hansen is surfer and model with her own line of wetsuits. She made the following Facebook post the day of her arrest:

    Post by Jill Anjuli Hansen.

    Conklin told ABC News she believes that Hansen’s motive in the attack was to steal her own car.

    Hansen is being held on $1 million bail.

    Hansen appeared in a TedXFullerton TED Talks event in 2010.

    Image via YouTube

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Takes on Charles Barkley in Race

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. took on former NBA star Charles Barkley in a go-kart race Friday. Unfortunately, fans are going to have to wait until June 8 to find out who crossed the finish line first.

    The showdown between the legendary race car driver and Barkley will be televised on TNT’s Summer Series before the June 8 NASCAR race at Pocono.

    “I was really surprised how nice a guy he was,” Earnhardt said about the interaction with the former basketball pro. “I really expected him to be a competitor. As a player, he was really fiery and aggressive, getting into scuffles. He was super nice. Really has an appreciation for our sport. Just a real nice guy to be around.”

    Neither driver let on who came out the winner, but they shared about the experience on Twitter.

    The idea for the race finds its roots on social media interactions between Earnhardt and Barkley. Barkley said in a tweet that he wanted to meet the driver, and Earnhardt replied on Twitter, “Heck, I wanna meet Charles!”

    “We’ll just have to save the results for later,” Earnhardt said before using Barkley’s accent to add: “He wasn’t turrible.”

    Do you think Barkley schooled Earnhardt Jr.?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons