BREAKING NEWS ALERT! Johnny Weir On His Marriage To Victor Voronov: We Both 'Fight To Wear The Pants In The Relationship'.

Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir has never been shy about showing off his bold, flamboyant personal style - on or off the ice.

But, as it turns out, when it came to his wedding with attorney Victor Voronov, it was a very subdued event - and that's just how Johnny wanted it to be.

"It was tiny," Johnny said of his wedding, when speaking with Access Hollywood' s Billy Bush in an exclusive new interview in Sochi, where Johnny is working as a figure skating commentator for NBC during the Winter Olympics. "We were on Worth Street in New York City in a courthouse and once the news broke that we'd gotten married, everyone expected this huge, dramatic [wedding], sort of from the 'Sex and The City' movie. But I didn't want that."

WATCH: Fishing With Johnny Weir In Sochi... Yes, Fishing!

In fact, even Johnny and Victor's parents barely cracked the guest list for the 2011 ceremony.

"I wanted my wedding to be super low key and just between us. We weren't even going to invite my parents. We invited my best friend... and when Victor's parents found out that we hadn't invited anybody, they cried and sobbed and said they wanted to come. And then, of course, when we said yes to them, my parents had to come as well," Johnny explained.

WATCH: Johnny Weir Downplays His Coming Out: 'I Was Never In!'

While Johnny and Victor are from different worlds - Johnny a former Olympian and Victor a Georgetown law school graduate - the pair knew each other for a long time prior to tying the knot. But when it came to Victor's sexuality, it was something he kept very private.

"My husband was actually in the closet until about a month before we married," Johnny told Billy.

When it comes to their marriage, Johnny admitted it's not always easy - but it's always worth it.

"Being married is an adjustment and I'm such an OCD, solitary, confined person that it was very hard to open my life and my home and, in some ways, my closet to somebody else," Johnny joked. "That was the hardest thing to get over, but being married is blissful."

PHOTOS: The Fabulous Fashions Of Johnny Weir

While all couples can hit bumps in the road, Johnny admits there are certain challenges that come with being a gay couple.

"A marriage between two guys is different than what I imagine a marriage between a man and a woman [to be]," he noted. "I mean, we're both constantly trying to fight to wear the pants in the relationship.

"It's constant fireworks," Johnny said. "It's very boom, boom, boom."

Basketball Wives LA Season 3, Episode 1: You're about to get in my business (Review) by Calvin Cortez Coleman.

WUSSUP BLOGGERS! this ya boy Calvin Cortez Coleman a.k.a KingBearacuda185 and this year 2014 I'm gonna be doing my first review on Basketball Wives LA okay so here we go! this first part of the episode is "You're about to get in my business" and to be quite honest I haven't done any reviews in a long time so here goes nutt'n okay so... Draya Michele is being confronted by one of her new acquaintance Ariane, whose an ex-wife and was in a relationship with DeShawn Stevenson for years is also an ex of Draya's and she's "I DON'T KNOW WHY THE HELL YOU'RE QUESTIONING ME ABOUT YOUR EX!" and Draya tells Ariane right then and there like "LIKE, IT'S KINDA NOT YOUR PLACE." and was like..... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I mean... Draya was put on the defensive after that I mean... c'mon! Draya was right to tell her it wasn't any of her business and she was right to say it the way she did. It's none of your business ESPECIALLY if it's your ex. anyway Draya and Ariane meet one another since day one so Draya says to her "Ariane cares WAY more about this man than I did, it's like she's doing all of the fiance's dirty work for free!" and so Draya goes off like "WHY ARE YOU ASKING ALL THIS?!" and Ariane answer to her and said "BECAUSE I HAD TWO KIND BY HIM" and Draya was like "I DON'T NEED ON FUCKING KIDS, I GOT MY OWN MONEY, I DON'T NEED A FUCKING CHECK! I mean... Draya was pissed, SERIOUSLY!

So that would be my first review on Basketball Wives LA, next week I'll be doing my second review on season 3, episode 2 of Basketball Wives LA

I'll be looking forward to writing y'all. PEACE OUT!

A Dark Warrior Inc. Production.

Beyonce Shares Kanye West 'Drunk In Love' Remix Teaser

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

To Know Bats Is to Love Them.

Merlin Tuttle has spent a lifetime bringing bats out of the shadows and into the light.

Merlin Tuttle, the world's most famous bat biologist and booster, has devoted his life to studying, demystifying, and helping conserve bats.

He's also photographed them—a statement that doesn't begin to do justice to his work. Tuttle is to bats as Annie Leibovitz is to celebrities. If you've seen a great photograph of a bat, chances are Merlin Tuttle took it.

I got to know Tuttle while researching and writing the story he photographed for the March issue of National Geographic about tropical flowers that use acoustics to attract bat pollinators. (Read "Call of the Bloom" in National Geographic magazine.) He agreed to talk to me about his life with bats and why all of us, like him, should love them.

Merlin, you've been working with bats since you reached double digits, and now you're 72. Because of your conservation work you're probably the bat scientist best known to the English-speaking public. And I think you must be best known to the bats, too, considering how many bats you've captured and banded all over the world. How many, do you think?

It's safe to say that it's over a million, but I don't count. Before even completing my Ph.D. degree, I'd probably handled tens of thousands of gray bats. Then I led Smithsonian expeditions for two years, during which time we netted and trapped bats five nights a week. By now I must certainly be approaching a second million.

Yikes. A lot of people are afraid of bats. What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you in your bat work?

So many scary things have happened to me that I don't know where to begin. When I was in high school, a drunk moonshiner at a bat cave in Tennessee stuck the barrel of a loaded shotgun in my gut and threatened to blow my blankety-blank head off. That was scary.

My early mentor, Dr. Charles Handley, and I were captured by communist guerrillas in a wild chase in the mountains in Venezuela. That was scary. And hiding in the jungle till two in the morning to escape an anticipated ambush by unfriendly Yanomami Indians in the Amazon was really scary, I must say.

Once, in Zimbabwe, I crouched for what seemed like all night under a rock ledge, waist deep in a river, to avoid a pride of lions above me while worrying about the possible approach of crocodiles from below. I had my camp shot up by Peruvians who mistook my associates and me for bandits. I've had to hold perfectly still in a narrow cave passage in Thailand to cede the right-of-way to a cobra.

Note that not one of these experiences involved fear of a bat. Bats are not scary!

How did you get started with bats?

In high school I lived near a cave in Tennessee where thousands of gray bats roosted. My books told me gray bats lived in the same cave year-round. But the bats I saw were showing up only in spring and fall. I concluded that they must be migratory. My parents were can-do people, and I always thought anybody, any scientist, would be happy to talk to me.

So my mother drove me up to the Smithsonian. We told the gal at the desk that we had some bat specimens we'd like to discuss with their mammalogist. Lo and behold, Dr. Charles Handley, who was then the head of the mammal division, came down to greet us. He was impressed with my study skins and field notes, so he took us around to meet the other staff and gave us a grand tour of the bat collections. They ended up arming me with several thousand bat bands—numbered metal rings that identify individual bats—and sent me home to start figuring out if I could see where the gray bats went.

Now, this turned out to be one of the luckiest strokes that a kid or a scientist ever had. Within a month of banding those bats I inadvertently discovered them a hundred miles north in a different cave—a cave that traps cold air and maintains a stable, cold temperature year-round that bats can hibernate in. So I documented that gray bats were migratory, in contrast to what scientists believed at the time.

You went on to get your Ph.D. working with gray bats and continued your research. How did you become a bat photographer?

National Geographic asked me to write the bat chapter in their bookWild Animals of North America. In 1978, I think that was. So I wrote the chapter, and it was very strongly oriented toward debunking people's unfounded fear of bats and showing that bats play a valuable role as eaters of insects and pollinators of crops.

All well and good until National Geographic asked me to come to D.C. to look at the book layout. I was appalled. All the pictures showed tormented, snarling bats, and they looked horrible. I mean, no wonder people feared bats! You take a bat whose head is maybe the size of your thumbnail, blow his picture up to full-page size, and he's snarling in self-defense with his mouth open—he looks like a little saber-toothed tiger on attack. That's all people saw of bats in those days.

I said, "My god, one of those pictures can undo everything I ever said about a bat." The editor was sympathetic. He sent a staff photographer named Bates Littlehales out with me for six weeks. The whole time Bates and I were in the field, the poor man could hardly go to the john without me asking how to photograph bats.

Bates was a neat guy who didn't mind mentoring me. When he left, he gave me his remaining film and said, "Well, now you know everything I know about photographing bats. I can see how much depends on knowing the bats. Maybe you can shoot some additional pictures."

How do you train a bat to go to a flower in front of the camera? Or for that matter, to scoop a fish out of an artificial pond you've created? Especially when an explosion of blinding light accompanies every click of the camera?

Although I often have trained bats to come to my hand on call to facilitate feeding them and to help them overcome their fear of me, I don't have to train them to do what comes naturally, like visiting a bat-adapted flower or catching a fish. They quickly learn to ignore my camera and flashes.

Our story was specifically about nectar-drinking bats and their co-evolution with certain species of flowering plants. Is there anything special or different about these little nectar bats in terms of temperament or behavior?

The only thing really unique about these bats seems to be their almost universal lack of fear of humans. One of the nectar bats we photographed in Costa Rica, after being fed honey-water from a syringe just once, immediately began to follow Ralph [Simon] around, attempting to land on his hand for additional treats.

I know you have a policy of never showing bats with their mouths open, looking scary and toothy—which is not easy when you have to hold them in your hand to get their portrait. How do you get them to smile like that?

When I take a bat's portrait, from its point of view I'm holding it upside down, and that's one of the surest ways to provoke that defensive snarl traditionally seen in close-up photos of bats. But a bribe of a bat's favorite food nearly always improves its disposition. Mealworms are often a favorite. Not all bats eat insects. For example, a reward for a nectar bat would be honey-water.

Another thing I loved hearing in the field is that you would groom the little darlings between photos so they'd look their best, which is utterly sweet. In fact, I recall a mention of shampoo...

I don't know how much I want to say about that!

But it's true that I used to carry baby shampoo in my camera bag so it wouldn't sting their eyes when I washed them.

Almost any bat I catch is going to be beautifully clean, with silky, spick-and-span fur. But not infrequently I'll have to hold a bat in a cloth bag while I transport it, and it may get its fur soiled in that process. I would never want to show a bat that was dirty because too many people already think bats are dirty, and that's precisely the kind of erroneous thinking I'm trying to change. So if a bat were looking grubby on rare occasion, I would get out my baby shampoo and a small blow dryer to put it back to normal. Bats don't love being shampooed, but they get through it!

How did you move from research to photography and conservation? It's not a move a lot of scientists make.

It began as I was conducting my Ph.D. research. I was horrified to find time and again colonies of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, of gray bats that had been deliberately burned or otherwise destroyed by people thinking they were doing us all a favor by killing rabid animals. I felt an obligation to show gray bats to cave owners. I would explain how gentle and beneficial the bats were, and point out the wings of potato beetles and other pests in the bats' droppings. Many cave owners went from killing bats to protecting them. Such experiences convinced me that a great deal of good could be accomplished through simple education.

So wherever I went I couldn't resist helping people understand and appreciate bats. It gradually snowballed till I was nearly overwhelmed by requests for advice. Early in my career, people were bombarded by news stories claiming that most bats were rabid and that they would attack people and pets. They were worried about bats in their attics and desperate to know the right thing to do. I began to write articles and give talks setting the record straight. My photography was an invaluable tool, shining a light on these marvelous creatures people had never really seen.

Finally one day after speaking to a women's club about bats, a lady suggested I should found a nonprofit organization for bats so people like her could help. So I took her suggestion and founded Bat Conservation International. When I decided to try it, I had no idea that this would take over my entire life. Frankly, I was very happy with my full-time research position at the Milwaukee Public Museum.

Merlin, you've devoted more than 50 years of your life to helping people understand and appreciate bats. How do you see the state of the world's bats today?

Bats face a wide variety of threats. In much of Asia, Africa, and the Pacific and Indian Ocean islands, people simply eat too many of them. And all over the world, wind turbines are carelessly killing countless thousands of bats, though growing numbers of wind power companies are cooperating with conservationists.

But the most devastating threat of all is deliberate killing of large colonies by humans who needlessly fear being attacked or harmed by bats.

A new threat today comes from careless reporting of virological discoveries. Epidemiologists are, of course, scouring the Earth for sources of disease. And it is perfectly appropriate to warn people not to carelessly handle any unfamiliar animal. But they often don't make an adequate effort to put their findings into perspective. Yes, they're finding new, unknown-to-science viruses in bats. But that's simply because they are looking for them in bats.

Since the vast majority of the world's viruses have yet to be discovered, new ones could just as easily be found almost anywhere else, even on our own bodies. Most are benign or even beneficial. Reporting new viruses from bats, while speculating that some are related to rare kinds that can kill humans, without putting findings in perspective, has fueled a recent resurgence of scary media stories and is doing a great disservice to conservation and public health.

What too often goes without mention is the fact that indeed bats have an exceptionally good record of living safely with humans, that regardless of viruses discovered, actual transmission from bats to humans is exceedingly rare. Our own pet dogs are many times more dangerous!

Miley Cyrus Shows Crotch and Naked Butt At Bangerz Tour Opener

She’s baaaack. Miley returned with a vengeance on Feb. 14, opening her ‘Bangerz’ tour in Vancouver and topping all the wild expectations with a line of racy outfits. See all of the highlights from her first concert below!

We’ve had Feb. 14 circled on our calendars for months, and not because it was Valentine’s Day. Feb. 14 was the first night of Miley Cyrus‘ “Bangerz” tour, and the controversy-loving singer did not disappoint, twerking and gallivanting around her elaborate stage in a series of wild costumes.


Miley Cyrus Gets Wild At ‘Bangerz’ Opener

The Vancouver audience must’ve known they were in for a show when Miley emerged from a massive picture of her own face. Taking a ride to the stage down a slide that acted as the big-faced Miley’s tongue, the singer was already stunning in a sparkly red two-piece, crotch-baring number with furry shoulders.

And that was just the beginning. Miley later took the stage in one of her naughtiest outfits to date — a marijuana-leaf-bedazzled, thonged onesie with a plunging neckline. Miley made things even raunchier by then bending over and giving everyone a look at her bare butt, and later gyrating all over a car that was wheeled out on stage.

Some of Miley’s other in-concert outfits included a white number that barely covered her intimates, an almost completely sheer futuristic outfit, and an extremely sexy red dress. Wow — that’s all we can say.
Miley Cyrus’ Past Performances

To be fair, we had more than a few opportunities to see this coming. Miley first gave us a taste of what her on-stage behavior was going to resemble during her stint on the Jingle Ball tour. The singer ramped up the sexiness by wearing crotch-baring onesies and twerking on a guy dressed as Santa Claus.

She also showed off her flair for the unique during her performance on MTV’s Unplugged. Instead of going the usual route of wearing something revealing, Miley rocked an odd-looking, baggy faux denim suit and a gingham, cowgirl-inspired outfit.

Both of those sexy, unique elements were visible during her performance in Vancouver and honestly, we’re into it. What do you think, HollywoodLifers? Check out all the pics above and let us know!

For more pics from The Miley Cyrus Bangerz Tour go to:

http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/miley-cyrus-bangerz-tour-pics-concert-outfits-photos

USA defeats Russia in rivalry game decided in shootout!

SOCHI, Russia -- T.J. Oshie scored four times in the shootout and got the winner in the eighth round, leading the United States past Russia 3-2 Saturday in the thrilling revival of a classic Olympic hockey rivalry.

Cam Fowler and Joe Pavelski scored in regulation for the Americans in the marquee game of the preliminary round. Jonathan Quick made 29 saves and stopped five attempts in the shootout.

International rules allow the same player to take multiple shots after the first three rounds of a shootout, and U.S. coach Dan Bylsma leaned on Oshie, one of the NHL's shootout specialists.

The St. Louis forward went 4 for 6 against Sergei Bobrovsky, ending the game with one last slow-developing move past the Columbus goalie. The Americans improved to 2-0 in preliminary-round play, all but wrapping up an automatic berth in the quarterfinals next week.

Desperate O.J. Simpson Goes on Hunger Strike to Die.

 

Alarming reports are coming in from the jail where former NFL sensation, O.J. Simpson, is carrying out his sentence. Several media outlets are reporting that Simpson has been on a hunger strike for some time now as a means to end his life.

The National Enquirer, via Radar, claims that friends of Simpson are beginning to get worried about his rapidly falling weight and about his losing the will to live.

“He just won’t eat, and you can tell by his voice that he just wants to die. That’s exactly what is going to happen to him unless some good news drops out of the sky to cheer him up and give him a reason to live; however, that doesn’t seem likely,” says an insider.

O.J. apparently went into a deep depression after he was denied an early release from prison when it emerged that he might be suffering from brain cancer. Wanting to settle matters quickly, he has now decided that he won't eat anymore and he won't let doctors help him in any way.

The same insider quotes O.J. “They ain’t ever going to let me out of here: I’m not going to eat, and I won’t let docs at the prison revive me in any way. I will fight it. I used to live my way, and now, I’m going to die my way!”

His decision to quickly end his life is also supported by the knowledge that, upon his death, his children stand to inherit large sums of money from his NFL pension account. Apparently, that account has been steadily accumulating wealth since he's entered prison and has now reached millions of dollars.

Simpson is so determined to carry out his threat, that he's also denying doctors to carry out any further investigation into his presumed brain cancer diagnosis, “I’m not letting any more doctors probe my head. My life is already over,” he told the insider.

At the moment, O.J. Simpson is serving time at the Nevada Lovelock Correctional Center for his 2008 conviction on kidnapping, armed robbery, assault and other charges. He previously petitioned to President Obama for an early release because he didn't want to die “like a common jailhouse scum.”

Khloe Kardashian Flirting With The Game Because She Misses Matt Kemp!

Khloe was spotted dancing and flirting with her rumored fling The Game on Feb 10. But apparently the ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ star is just using the rapper as a stand-in because she’s ‘lonely’ for the guy she really likes — Matt Kemp, a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY.


Khloe Kardashian may look like she’s into The Game, but the 29-year-old reality star only has eyes for Matt Kemp, a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY. Do you think Khloe should focus on winning Matt’s heart or give The Game a chance?


The Game & Khloe Kardashian Flirting: She Hangs With Rapper But Misses Matt Kemp

Khloe was spotted grinding with The Game at Tru Hollywood nightclub in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, but apparently it was just a friendly outing.
Khloe & Kourtney Shop Chanel
Khloe Kardashian Gym Look
Thank you for voting!
Pursue Matt! 53.97%

Give The Game a chance! 46.03%

Return To Poll


“She’s a little lonely now that Matt’s back in spring training so she’s been hanging out with Game, in a friendly type of way, and having a lot of fun,” a source tellsHollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY. “She loves turning up with Game and she thinks he’s a pretty chill dude.”

If Khloe really likes Matt, we think she should totally go for it — spring training be damned! But at the same time, maybe she should consider the guy who’s right under her nose. She seems to have great chemistry with The Game and they clearly have a strong friendship!
Khloe Kardashian Goes On Nightclub Date With The Game

As we previously reported, Khloe and The Game were spotted grinding and dancing together at Tru Hollywood, only adding fuel to the fire that these two are an item.

In a series of Instagram pics posted by the beauty, Khloe and her mom, Kris Jenner, her brother-in-law, Scott Disick, and her BFF Malika Haqq can be seen smiling and laughing with The Game, so it looks like the rapper has approval from those who are closest to Khloe!

What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers? Should Khloe focus on winning Matt’s heart or give The Game a chance? Let us know.

– Written by Tierney McAfee, Reporting by Eric Ray
More Khloe Kardashian News:


Khloe Kardashian: New Year’s Resolution To Get Pregnant In 2014
Khloe Kardashian’s Blonde Hair — PICS
Kylie Jenner V. Khloe Kardashian: Neutral Beauty Battle

Drugs at Hoffman's home lead to 4 arrests: report

Four people were arrested on Tuesday in connection with drugs found at the home of film star Philip Seymour Hoffman following his death of an apparent heroin overdose, the New York Daily News reported, citing unidentified police sources.

The arrests came during a raid on a building in the Chinatown district of Manhattan after police traced the heroin believed to have killed the Oscar-winning actor there, the newspaper reported.

A New York City Police Department spokesman told Reuters that officers found narcotics at the building in Chinatown and four people were arrested. He declined to confirm that the arrests were related to Hoffman's death.

Related: Hoffman among thousands of addiction victims

Related: Philip Seymour Hoffman and the ethos of the uncool

A second police spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday evening that heroin found in Hoffman's apartment following his death was not cut or mixed with fentanyl, a synthetic narcotic believed by health authorities to be responsible for scores of overdose deaths in recent months.

"There was no fentanyl found in the drugs," the spokesman said.

The 46-year-old actor was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of his Manhattan apartment on Sunday by police responding to an emergency 911 call.

Police found Hoffman with a syringe in his arm and recovered plastic bags containing a substance believed to be heroin. Law enforcement sources have told Reuters that he died of an apparent drug overdose.

Preliminary results of an autopsy were expected to be released on Wednesday.

Related: Hoffman's heroin didn't have potent additive, say police

Hoffman, who is survived by his partner, Mimi O'Donnell, and their three children, had detailed his struggles with substance abuse in the past.

The actor, who earned an Academy Award for his portrayal of Truman Capote in the 2006 drama "Capote" and was considered one of the most gifted film stars of his generation, had sought treatment last year after more than 20 years of sobriety.

A representative for Hoffman said the actor, who also appeared in such blockbusters as "Twister" and "The Hunger Games," would be buried in a private memorial service, with a memorial planned for later this month.

How a 13-year-old became a stripper

 

MIAMI — Strip clubs have been striving to clean up their image. The uproar over a 13-year-old dancer won't help with that.

It's early evening, and the dancers are beginning to trickle in to an Art Deco theater in the heart of South Beach, a place with a neon-lit facade that serves a mixed-gender clientele, from local businessmen and high-rollers to tourists, celebrities and swingers.

For more than two decades, Club Madonna, billed as Miami Beach's only all-nude strip joint, at 15th and Washington, has been known not for what it has, but mostly for what it doesn't have — a shred of clothing on its dancers or an ounce of booze behind its bar.

A dry club on South Beach is a little like a having a Miami Beach vacation without the beach, a detail that the club's owner and the city's political overseers have been at war over since the turn of the century.

But now, the club — long vilified by some as a sleazy blight on the city's otherwise glittery, iconic image — is getting attention for something entirely new and especially unwholesome, not to mention illegal.

On Friday, the city pulled the club's license in the wake of allegations that it allowed a 13-year-old girl, allegedly caught up in a human sex trafficking scheme, to dance naked on stage.

Related: Strip club settlement to pay for women's shelter
The girl, a runaway, told police that she agreed to dance at the club, but was later forced to turn over her earnings to her pimps, two Miami men who on Monday were arrested, along with a female dancer at the club, on charges that they forced her strip and prostitute herself.

When she told investigators how she was allegedly able to easily slip into a South Beach strip club and dance her way onto stage naked — without anyone seeming to take notice of her age — it brought renewed attention to Club Madonna, as well as to an adult entertainment industry, that has spent decades trying to overcome its negative image.

The uproar over the 13-year-old dancer is not likely to boost that image makeover.
Joe Rodriguez, owner of Cheetah Gentlemen's Clubs, who has been in the business for 45 years, said the art of concocting a phony ID has made tremendous advances in recent years.
"Some of these girls come and in and they really look older than they are," he said. "They bring in IDs, you have to almost be in the FBI sometimes to tell if they are fake.''
GIRL CALLED 'PEACHES'
LeRoy Griffith, who has owned Madonna from the time, 40 years ago, when it was a regular movie house that showed spaghetti westerns, said he still doesn't know for sure whether the teen, who used the stage name "Peaches," actually danced at the club. He was on a New Year's cruise at the time of the affair, and his head manager, on the job only two months, was also on holiday.

What he does know is that all his dancers sign contracts and provide identification, showing they are at least 18 years old — and he has neither for the 13-year-old, identified in police reports as "D.J."
"If she danced, then the club made a mistake,'' Griffith said. "And if we did, it's the first time in 20 years. It won't happen again, I can tell you that.''

The girl, Griffith said, told one of his dancers, Marlene San Vicente, 22, that she had her baby taken away from her and was trying to figure out a way to get her back. The Miami Herald could not confirm whether the girl in fact had had a baby.

"She was babysitting my dancer's children and she was turning tricks,'' Griffith said. "My dancer felt sorry for her and told her that she could earn some money by dancing instead, so she called one of my managers one night and told him that she was bringing in a friend.''
Griffith said the 13-year-old showed the manager a false license showing that she was 18.

According to police, however, the girl claimed the club's managers never asked her for anything to verify her age. San Vicente bought her sexy clothes, tutored her on how to dance and paid to have her nails and hair done, according to the police reports.

The girl told police she worked the club on Dec. 27 and 28 and Jan. 2, 3 and 4. Each night she was forced to turn over her earnings, ranging from $120 to $500 a night, to her pimps, identified by police as Dwayne Ward, 18, Vilbert Jean, 37, and a third man, only identified as "AP."

At the time she was living in Miami, in a multi-unit house near Miami's Morningside Park, after having run away from home with two 15-year-old girls in early December, police said.

They all wound up at the White House Inn, a two-story motel on the water in North Miami. There, they met AP, who allegedly offered to take the girls to the 55th Terrace house where he said they could stay while on the run.

Jean, who also lived on the premises, "immediately noticed" that the girls seemed to be under age, and asked them to leave, according to the police report. The 15-year-olds did. But the 13-year-old told them she was 18 and stayed, police said.

D.J. agreed to have sex in exchange for money, but when the men kept the money and began demanding she pay rent, she became frustrated with the arrangement. Ward suggested she prostitute herself on a website used by escort services, but she refused. That's when San Vicente offered to help her out by introducing her to exotic dancing.

Griffith said San Vicente, whose stage name is "Ayaya,'' has danced for him off and on for years. When she bonded out of jail on Tuesday, San Vicente came into the club to work, Griffith said. She told him she was sorry for all the trouble she caused.

"She said she just was trying to help out the girl and didn't know she was 13,'' Griffith said.
She was returned to jail Thursday after authorities realized she was released in error. The offense she is charged with is not bondable.
'DID NOT LOOK 13'

Police executed search warrants and collected the club's video tapes and other evidence to determine whether the girl actually did take the stage and whether she performed lap dances.
"She did not look 13,'' said Mike Kalbach, the club's manager. Kalbach said his employees told him her physical attributes made her look much older.

Kalbach worked the Las Vegas strip club circuit for 25 years before coming to South Beach. Underage dancers are very rare in Las Vegas, he said, because dancers are required to have identification provided by the county's sheriff's department in order to work in the clubs. The sheriff's department conducts background checks and verifies their ages before issuing the cards, he said.

Angelina Spencer, executive director of the Florida Chapter of the Association of Club Executives (ACE) and the Florida Sunshine Entertainment Association, said the industry has recognized that fake identification and human trafficking are serious issues. To that end they have instituted training programs and guidelines to help club owners navigate the laws and new technology.

She said clubs should require two forms of identification from dancers, and proof of those IDs should be kept on file.
"They should have been checking IDs. There can't be a 'whoops!' " Spencer said.
Rodriguez said Palm Beach County has a program similar to Las Vegas, where clubs can only hire dancers who have licenses issued by the county.

"They do a background check, and if they don't have an entertainer's license, that means they can't dance,'' he said.

A CHANGING INDUSTRY

The adult entertainment business has changed a lot in the past four decades, or so the industry likes to say.
Rodriguez remembers a time when the dancers would be foulmouthed, high on drugs and alcohol, and fight and throw bottles. Today, he insists, they are college students, housewives and other professionals who work eight-hour shifts.

"They are hard-working girls,'' he said. "Just people trying to make a living. I got to tell you, the business has evolved in such a good way.''

A University of Leeds survey of exotic dancers in the United Kingdom found that 25 percent of respondents said they had an undergraduate degree and 29 percent were "engaged in in some form of education while dancing."

The university, in West Yorkshire, reported that dancers made up to $79,000 a year. According to information released by the Florida Bar, the median starting salary for a lawyer with experience is $55,000.
Luke Lirot, a lawyer who has represented the adult entertainment industry since the late 1980s and is counsel for the Florida chapter of Association of Club Executives, said many clubs classify exotic dancers as contractors.

Rather than being on the payroll, dancers today pay the club for the privilege of performing on stage, coughing up money — normally called a house fee — to the owners, ranging from $10 to $100, depending on the club.

Dancers at Club Madonna pay the club $45 to $100 depending on the shift they work, with women working the busier shifts paying the most money. For lap dances, which cost $25, the house keeps $10, and the dancer keeps $15, Griffith said.

As in most clubs, the women get to keep their tips, but have to tip the deejay and the bartender, although since Club Madonna doesn't serve alcohol, there is no bartender in the classic sense. The booze ban is something Griffith has been agitated over for years. He has sued the city multiple times to try to overturn its prohibition on alcohol sales at fully nude clubs such as his. The latest scandal is the last thing he wanted to happen.

Miami criminal defense attorney David Weinstein, a former state and federal prosecutor, said it is a second-degree felony to allow a person under the age of 18 to engage in a sexual performance, defined by law as a performance exhibiting genitals or performing a dance, such a lap dance, where the dancer is touching someone to create sexual arousal.

Human trafficking, or commercial sexual exploitation, is a life felony, punishable by a life sentence.
"He owns and operates a nightclub. Therefore he is responsible for what happens there,'' Weinstein said. "If he has an employee who hasn't conducted proper background checks, he is as guilty as they are of what takes place."

Griffith's feud with the city dates back to 2004, when, after winning a preliminary vote for a liquor license, he lost a final vote after two elected officials — including then-Commissioner Jose Smith (now the city attorney) reversed their support. Jane Gross, wife of then-Commissioner Saul Gross, then waged an opposition campaign, and students and parents at a nearby elementary school showed up at City Hall to protest Griffith's effort to get a liquor license.

Griffith filed a slander and libel suit against Gross, saying she had wrongly called him a tax-evader — when he had merely disputed an IRS debt — and alleged she smeared him by comparing his website to a pornographic website that wasn't his.

Then, he accused city officials of trying to extort him into paying $30,000 of Gross' legal fees in order to settle and reconsider his bid to sell alcohol. City officials denied it, but the Miami-Dade ethics commission concluded that they pushed "their collegial bonds over the ethical line.''
In recent weeks, he seemed better positioned to get his liquor license, since most of his adversaries had failed to get re-elected.

One of his most ardent adversaries, however, remains well entrenched in city politics — Jose Smith.
"This is, without a doubt, a vendetta by Jose Smith,'' said Griffith's attorney, Richard Wolfe, who added that the city overstepped its authority in pulling the club's license without evidence.

Smith's response? "I would say that this case is not about me. It's about the exploitation of a 13-year old child," he said, adding that any further comments "would be made in court."

The decision to pull Madonna's permit was made by City Manager Jimmy Morales, not Smith.
"It's obvious he is not a loved person in Miami Beach,'' Weinstein said of Griffith. "They would like nothing more than to close him down and send him on his way.

Lawsuit: Super Bowl tickets too expensive for fans

A New Jersey man has sued the National Football League, accusing it of pricing average football fans out of the Super Bowl.

Josh Finkelman, of New Brunswick, says the NFL only made 1 percent of all tickets available to the public for purchase at face value. He says that means most fans must buy their tickets on the secondary market, where they can command thousands of dollars.

Finkelman’s lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court in Newark. It claims the NFL is violating the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.

Lawyer Bruce Nagel says the lawsuit is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.


The NFL says it is reviewing the suit. It notes that three-quarters of the game’s tickets are given to teams, which sell them at face value to fans who win lotteries.

NFL should be alarmed that three of four playoff games, including Green Bay's home game, still not sold out

The legend of the waiting list for Packers season tickets in Green Bay has grown over the years. Newborns get put on the list, with parents hoping some day their offspring hits the top of the list.

Green Bay has perhaps the best fans in the NFL ... which is why the league should be very worried that the Packers and two other teams are still struggling to sell out their playoff games.

Green Bay, as of Wednesday morning, was about 8,500 tickets short of a sellout, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Silverstein. If the Packers don't sell out by 3:40 p.m. Thursday, the game will be blacked out on local TV from Green Bay to Milwaukee. That's almost inconceivable. The Press-Gazette said the Packers have sold out every regular-season game since 1959 (a playoff game in January of 1983, at the end of the strike-shortened season, did not). And yet they are having troubles selling out a playoff game a week after Aaron Rodgers returned from injury to beat the Bears for the NFC North title.

The Bengals produced a video with some players urging fans to buy playoff tickets, which you wouldn't think should be necessary for a NFL playoff game. Former Bengals receiver Chad Johnson said he would buy the unsold tickets, of which there are about 8,000 according to reports, but it's unclear if he was serious. As of Wednesday afternoon the Colts needed to sell 5,500 tickets for their game against the Chiefs before Thursday afternoon to become a sellout and avoid a local television blackout.

It would be a tremendous embarrassment to the league to have three of four playoff games blacked out locally, and likely, the tickets will get sold somehow to avoid that scenario. But there's a bigger issue here. Is this the most stark example that NFL fans aren't too excited to go to games anymore?

A quick glance at Ticketmaster on Wednesday afternoon showed the face-value prices for the Packers playoff game ranged from $313 and $102, not counting Ticketmaster fees. If you've attended a NFL game, you know that the cost doesn't end with tickets. Parking is outrageously and insultingly high at most NFL games. Concessions aren't cheap either. NFL teams have gouged and gouged and gouged, and maybe there's a breaking point.

It is supposed to be a high of four degrees in Green Bay on Sunday, when the Packers play the 49ers, with a low of minus-15 degrees. Would you rather spend a few hundred dollars to sit in miserable conditions or stay at home and watch on TV, where the high-definition view is a heck of a lot better than it is better than any vantage point in the stadium? It seems that more fans are asking themselves that question, especially as the in-home experience for watching games has improved with great televisions and easy access to discuss the game with friends online.

The NFL has a serious issue on its hands when three cities are struggling to sell out a playoff game, including the Packers. All three games might sell out and the local television blackout scare will be forgotten. But the NFL better not ignore what's happening this week. It's not a good sign for the future.

Breaking News! James Avery, star of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air dies at 65

 

 

Actor James Avery, who played the beloved Uncle Phil on the hit 1990s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," died Tuesday, his publicist confirmed. He was 65.

His "Fresh Prince" co-star Alfonso Ribeiro tweeted news of Avery's passing.

"I'm deeply saddened to say that James Avery has passed away," Riberio tweeted. "He was a second father to me. I will miss him greatly.

A classically trained actor and poet, Avery grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he was raised by a single mother. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and first appeared onscreen as a dancer in an uncredited role in the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers."


According to IMDb, after he served in the military, Avery moved to San Diego, California, where he began writing TV scripts and poetry for PBS.

"I knew I loved the arts," Avery said in an interview for the show "Unscripted." "I knew I wanted to be a writer, but the theater was something I had been involved in before."

Avery appeared in multiple TV shows and movies including as the voice of Shredder in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." But his most famous role was as Phillip Banks, the stern but loving uncle to Will Smith's character on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rest In Peace James Avery....

Happy New Year 2014! - Getting ready to start a New Year's Resolution.

I just wanna say Happy New Year 2014 to everyone world wide especially to all my friends, my family including my fellow Beyhivers of The Almighty Beyhive Nation and those who didn't make to 2014 but are in our hearts. So we're getting ready to kick this New Year's Resolution with a bang and it's starts off with watch an all new episode of Love & Hip-Hop and it's starts tonight at 8/7c on VH1 watch I loved the most. I'm sure glad y'all had tremendous fun time on New Year's Eve last night so... make sure everyone have bless day, be safe out there and be sure to wear some thick clothing to stay worm. PEACE!!!

Steelers stomp Browns 20-7, but miss playoffs

There's no such thing as partial credit in the NFL.

''We were an 8-8 team,'' safety Troy Polamalu said.

One that will spend January at home for a second straight year.

Le'Veon Bell ran for 90 yards and a touchdown as the Steelers drubbed the lifeless Browns 20-7 on Sunday, though Pittsburgh's bid to become the second team in NFL history to go winless in September and make the playoffs ended when San Diego edged Kansas City 27-24 in overtime.

''We are going to build on this,'' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. ''I think we have put together a good foundation.''

One that went 6-2 over the final eight weeks, recovering from a potentially franchise-altering 55-31 loss to New England on Nov. 3 to play perhaps the best football in the AFC by someone not named Denver over the second half.

Or, the exact opposite of what happened in Cleveland, which fired first-year coach Rob Chudzinski hours after the game.

The Browns (4-12) lost their final seven games and 10 of their last 11. Not exactly the step forward new owner Jimmy Haslam was looking for with a roster littered with five Pro Bowl players.

''We needed to see progress with this football team,'' the Browns said in a statement after firing Chudzinski. ''We needed to see development and improvement as the season evolved and, unfortunately, we took a concerning step backward in the second half of the year.

''Our fans deserve to see a consistently competitive team. We have high standards, and there's an urgency for success. When we believed we were not positioned to achieve significant progress in 2014, we knew we had to admit that a change was needed, and move forward.''

Chudzinski's players did something after the game they failed to do during it: rally around their coach.

''It's just absurd to me that a report would be out like that, about a good coach like that,'' Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said. ''It's crazy, and that (ticked) me off when I heard that.''

Cleveland didn't exactly play angry while letting the Steelers roll to victory for the 26th time in 31 meetings since the Browns were revived in 1999.

Roethlisberger passed for 179 yards and a touchdown against two interceptions as Pittsburgh won its third straight to avoid the franchise's first losing season since 2003.

''Guys just kept fighting,'' Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward said. ''Wasn't anything glorious or something beautiful, we just came out of nowhere.''

Jason Campbell completed 23 of 41 passes for 240 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Josh Gordon caught seven passes for 82 yards to finish with an NFL-high 1,646 yards receiving, a first for the franchise. It proved little solace on a wet, miserable day at Heinz Field in which Cleveland looked very much like the same old Browns.

Cleveland was largely noncompetitive over the season's final three months, with seven losses by a touchdown or more, including two to the Steelers by a combined 47-18.

There is no sense of panic in Pittsburgh. A season that appeared teetering on embarrassment after the record-setting loss to the Patriots ended up with a decidedly rosier finish.

The Steelers scored on the opening drive, a 9-yard strike from Roethlisberger to Jerricho Cotchery, and it was more than enough. Whenever the Browns threatened, they found a way to botch it. Twice they failed on fourth-down attempts in Pittsburgh territory and didn't reach the end zone until Campbell found Fozzy Whitaker on a 35-yard pass with 2:46 remaining.

By then most of the attention had turned to the scoreboard, where the biggest roars were saved for scores by the Bengals and Jets, who then won to boost Pittsburgh's playoff chances.

Kansas City nearly did the same, but Ryan Succop missed a 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds left in regulation and San Diego survived.

Still, the Steelers remain convinced better days lay ahead, thanks in part to Bell's rapid development. He broke Hall of Famer Franco Harris' team record for total yards from scrimmage by a rookie by combining for 96 yards in the muck at Heinz Field. Bell finished with 1,259 total yards in just 13 games, 24 more than the mark of 1,235 Harris set in 1972.

Bell's 5-yard touchdown burst in the second quarter, which included a nifty spin move in the backfield, gave the Steelers a 14-0 lead at the break. It capped an 87-yard drive in which he touched the ball 10 times in 14 plays.

That was plenty for a rejuvenated defense that sacked Campbell three times, including a strip fumble by defensive end Brett Keisel, likely playing his final regular-season game of his 12-year career with Pittsburgh.

Despite the outcome, Keisel isn't closing the door on a return.

''I still feel like I can play,'' Keisel said. ''You know, we'll see.''

Just not until 2014.

NOTES: Brown caught nine passes for 97 yards to finish with 110 receptions on the season, narrowly missing the club mark of 112 set by Hines Ward in 2012. ... Roethlisberger finished with 4,261 yards passing, the second-highest total in team history to his 4,328 in 2009.

Ushering the New Year's Eve of 2014!

The New Year's Eve is just three hours away and I mean..... I'm already pumped up and excited for this I can't even contain my self. all the good times and bad times had in twelve months and I am just ushering the New Year's eve of 2014 I mean.. it's gonna be a lot of up all night parties, drinking, dancing, all the women or what have you? plus I'm getting ready to start off on my New Year's Resolution such as staying connected with my friends world wide including my fellow Beyhivers of The Almighty Beyhive Nation, Make Music, all that.

Beyoncé criticized for using audio from Challenger disaster in a song

Pop star Beyoncé is under fire for using audio from the 1986 Challenger disaster in her new song “XO.”

The controversial audio clip is a recording of NASA’s public affairs officer, Steve Nesbitt, in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. As the song begins, Nesbitt can be heard saying: “Flight controllers here looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction.” The space shuttle Challenger exploded on Jan. 28, 1986 only 73 seconds after liftoff, killing seven crew members. Family members and friends were present, and the launch was filmed live on CNN.

Family members of the lost crew members quickly took offense to the audio usage. Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Commander Dick Scobee, released a statement: ”We were disappointed to learn that an audio clip from the day we lost our heroic Challenger crew was used in the song ‘XO’. The moment included in this song is an emotionally difficult one for the Challenger families, colleagues and friends. We have always chosen to focus not on how our loved ones were lost, but rather on how they lived and how their legacy lives on today.”

In a statement to ABC News, Beyoncé responded: “My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the Challenger disaster. The song ‘XO’ was recorded with the sincerest intention to help heal those who have lost loved ones and to remind us that unexpected things happen, so love and appreciate every minute that you have with those who mean the most to you. The songwriters included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten.”

You can watch the “XO” music video here:

Read more: Beyonce criticized for using audio from Challenger disaster in a song | TIME.com http://entertainment.time.com/2013/12/30/beyonce-criticized-for-using-challenger-disaster-audio-in-song/#ixzz2p72PN3f9

Miley Cyrus and Kellan Lutz Flirt At Her Las Vegas Club Party

Miley Cyrus & Kellan Lutz Flirt In Las Vegas

The two, who have been rumored to be hooking up since mid-December, were spotted at the Vegas hot spot looking very cozy and really having a ball together. They stayed by each other’s side for most of the night, and at some points Kellan even had his arm draped around Miley.

As the party raged on, you could sense the attraction between the two stars, as Miley gazed lovingly at the Hercules actor. And we’re assuming Kellan appreciated how Miley looked — she was absolutely smoldering in a skimpy beige top and a very short, overall-styled skirt.

“Miley was having so much fun at Beacher’s,” an insider told HollywoodLife.com exclusively. “Kellan and Miley were talking although she seemed more into being the life of the party. It looked like Miley and Kellan ended up leaving together though.”

Miley Cyrus’ Wild Night In Vegas

The “We Can’t Stop” singer had a pretty flirty nightoverall. Besides cozying up to Kellan, Miley was also spotted grinding on and partying with her BFF and assistant, Cheyne Thomas, and later in the night she was seen grinding on another guy in a bow tie.

Talk about a busy night! So HollywoodLifers, do you think Miley and Kellan got together at Beacher’s Madhouse, or was he just one of the many guys she wanted to flirt with at the party? Let us know!

More Miley Cyrus News:
Miley Cyrus Flies To Miami With Kellan Lutz — New Couple Alert?
Miley Cyrus & Cara Delevingne Kiss With Tongues — New Pic
Miley Cyrus: Going Naked In ‘Adore You’ Video Was The Wrong Move

UPDATE: Sarah Palin, Louisiana Governor Weigh In On ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Controversy

UPDATE, 9:40 AM: Duck Dynasty fan Sarah Palin has taken to social media to voice her support for Phil Robertson, saying that his suspension is an attack on free speech. “Free speech is an endangered species,” she wrote on Facebook. “Those ‘intolerants’ hatin’ and taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us.” And Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal also added his voice. “Phil Robertson and his family are great citizens of the State of Louisiana. The politically correct crowd is tolerant of all viewpoints, except those they disagree with. I don’t agree with quite a bit of stuff I read in magazine interviews or see on TV,” Jindal said in a statement reported on the Fox News website. “In fact, come to think of it, I find a good bit of it offensive. But I also acknowledge that this is a free country and everyone is entitled to express their views. In fact, I remember when TV networks believed in the First Amendment. It is a messed up situation when Miley Cyrus gets a laugh, and Phil Robertson gets suspended.”

PREVIOUS WEDNESDAY PM: Here comes the backlash to the Duck Dynasty star’s anti-gay remarks published in GQ today. The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBT civil rights group in the U.S., is demanding an apology from Phil Robertson and for A+E Networks to denounce his comments. “These remarks go beyond being outlandishly inaccurate and offensive,” the group said in a long and detailed statement. “They are dangerous and revisionist, appealing to those in our society who wish to repeat patterns of discrimination. We urge A+E to immediately denounce and repudiate Robertson’s comments. Furthermore, we call on you to see that Phil Robertson apologizes for his vitriolic comments. Surely a brand like A+E does not want to be associated with such racist and homophobic remarks. Meanwhile, GLAAD, which had slammed Robertson’s remarks as “vile” earlier in the day, praised A&E for its swift action to suspend its star. “What’s clear is that such hateful anti-gay comments are unacceptable to fans, viewers, and networks alike,” the organization said in a statement. “By taking quick action and removing Robertson from future filming, A&E has sent a strong message that discrimination is neither a Christian nor an American value.”

PREVIOUSLY: A+E Networks said that Phil Robertson has been put on an indefinite hiatus from his hit reality series for anti-gay remarks he made in the January issue of GQ magazine, which became available today. This comes as Season 5 of the series is set to debut January 15. We’re hearing that the show isn’t shooting right now, and there are episodes in the can that Robertson will be in. But he will not be a part of the production when filming resumes. “We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty”, the network group said in a statement just now. ”His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely.”

This move is no small potatoes for A&E Network — the series’ Season 4 debut remains the No. 1-rated nonfiction series telecast in cable history with 11.8 million viewers. For A&E was its best-ever series telecast in adults 18-49 (6.3 million viewers) and adults 18-34 (3 million). It has spawned a couple of Christmas specials (the one last week drew 8.9 million viewers) and just landed its first major awards nomination this month, a PGA Awards nom for best reality series. The Louisiana family also secured big salary increases just before that record Season 4 premiere, with the clan reportedly earning more than $200,000 an episode — roughly 4.5 times more than their previous salaries – divvied up among the nine adults and 11 kids on the show. Those negotiations with the WME-repped family and series producer Gurney Prods caused a delay in the start of the season.

In today’s GQ article profiling the family behind the reality hit, Robertson — who in the story described his family as “Bible-thumpers who just happened to end up on television” — sounded off on among other things homosexuality, calling it a sin. “It seems like, to me, a vagina — as a man — would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.” Later, when asked what is sinful, he replied: “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men.”

The comments quickly drew the ire of gay-rights groups like GLAAD. ”Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe,” said GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz. “He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans – and Americans – who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Phil’s decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.” The group said it reached out to A&E to see whether the network stood by Robertson’s statements.
Related stories
Petition Launched Demanding A&E Return Phil Robertson To 'Duck Dynasty'
'Duck Dynasty' Season Finale Shatters A&E Viewer Records, Season 4 Is A Go
'Duck Dynasty' Maker Gurney Productions Sells Controlling Stake To ITV For $40M

Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter

Beat-up Giants scramble just to conduct practice

Forget motivating his team for the final two games of the season coming off a shutout home loss to last week, New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin has more pressing matters - beginning with finding healthy bodies.

The Giants were missing almost 19 percent of their 53-man roster Wednesday as they began preparations for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, forcing Coughlin to alter his practice plans.

"It will be adjusted," he said. "We'll do half speed work and half jog-thru. We'll get all the learning in, but probably half of the speed stuff."

With a little bit of luck, Coughlin said, the team hopes to get back three or four of those key players who missed Wednesday's session, though he joked when asked which players might return.

"Wanna roll the dice?" he said.

Upon closer inspection of the team's injury report, there are three areas that could potentially create issues for the Giants if the players in question aren't able to go.

The first is at receiver, as Victor Cruz (concussion/knee) and Jerrel Jernigan (knee) are both banged up to the point where the team promoted Julian Talley from the practice squad as backup depth.

Cruz is unlikely to play this week, even if he passes the concussion protocol and returns to practice.

"He's going through the concussion protocol, but he does have a knee that will probably prevent him from doing anything," Coughlin said of Cruz.

Jernigan, who last week led the team with receptions (seven) and receiving yards (67) is also the team's kickoff returner.

If he can't go against the Lions, the Giants could look to cornerback Charles James to handle the kickoff return duties as well as the punt return duties, the latter of which are currently handled by receiver Rueben Randle, who figures to have a bigger role in the offense this weekend.

At running back, Peyton Hillis has yet to pass the concussion protocol and his status for Sunday in question.

With Brandon Jacobs on injured reserve, the Giants might be forced to go with a rotation of Andre Brown and Michael Cox, with Brown getting the bulk of the planned rushes. Fullback John Conner, who has had a few touches at the NFL level but who has yet to carry the ball for the Giants, could also be an option in an emergency.

The biggest worry, though, is on the offensive line, where guards David Diehl and James Brewer are both nursing injuries. As it is, the offensive line hasn't played well as a whole all season. Diehl, who was held out Wednesday due to some swelling he experienced in his knee during the game, might have a better chance of being in the lineup on Sunday.

Brewer is another story, though in his case he has struggled so badly that even if he was healthy the coaches might go in another direction. If Brewer can't play, presumably the Giants would stick with Brandon Mosley, who relieved Brewer last week, at the left guard spot.

"We've got to regroup and compete like heck, and play much better and do a better job at protecting the quarterback," Coughlin said.

The status of the offensive line naturally raised a question regarding whether Coughlin might consider sitting quarterback Eli Manning, who has started 149 consecutive games.

"We've talked about this," Coughlin said. "He wants to play. He looks forward to playing competing and having a better game. I wouldn't expect any different.

Despite the precarious injury situation at key positions, Coughlin's expectations of his team this weekend are no different now than they were earlier in the season.

"I expect us to prepare well and to go up (to Detroit) with the idea of competing and doing the best we possibly can, (and) find a way to win."

SERIES HISTORY: 41st regular-season meeting. Lions lead series, 20-19-1. New York is 8-13-1 at Detroit, but have won two out of the last three games during the Tom Coughlin era, including the last two in a row. The two teams last met on Oct. 17, 2010, a 28-20 Giants' win in at MetLife Stadium. The Lions have outscored the Giants in regular-season games 672-588.

NOTES, QUOTES

--One of the bright spots to emerge for the Giants this season has been the play of rookie defensive tackleJohnathan Hankins, their second-round draft pick this year.

"It took a while to get him active, but he's made some progress," said head coach Tom Coughlin.

Hankins, who has played in nine games this season, has accumulated 14 tackles, two tackles for a loss, and two quarterback hits.

"He had a couple of good plays the other day. He's a young guy who's coming along and learning how to play in this league," said Coughlin of the 6-2, 320-pound Hankins.

"He made some errors but he did make a couple of nice aggressive plays."

Hankins admitted that it was tough waiting his turn to play, but in retrospect, he's glad that his rookie year has unfolded the way it has.

"We have a great defensive line, and I learned a lot by watching them. Once I got my chance to go out there and play, I kind of knew what to do, how to react and that really helped benefit me on the field."

One of the biggest lessons Hankins said he learned was to curb his anxiousness.

"I would say being patient on the field, not always trying to make a play or jumpy a snap," he said. "Do your job and the plays you have to make will come to you."

With the plays starting to come to him, Hankins, who usually lines up next to Mike Patterson in the defensive interior rotation, said the next step is for him to continue to take advantage of his opportunities.

"I just want to show the coaching staff that I know the plays, that they can have confidence to put me out there to do my job," he said. "If I can just finish out the season doing that, then I feel like maybe they'll be more confident in me going into next year."

--During a conference call with reporters, Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson was asked about the Giants defensive backs.

Turns out that he stumbled over the pronunciation of Prince Amukamara's name, and didn't even know Trumaine McBride's name.

If the Giants corners were offended by Johnson's remarks, they didn't let on.

"It's just words really," said Amukamara. "I can't really comment much about it because I didn't hear the interview, but he's a great wide receiver, and they have a great quarterback, and it's going to be a great challenge for us."

McBride also shrugged when told of Johnson not knowing his name.

"Last year I was out of the league. I haven't done much," he said. "So it doesn't bother me that he doesn't know me. It's not a big deal."

What is a big deal to both Amukamara and McBride, both of whom are likely to line up across from Johnson at various point on Sunday is that they keep the 6-5 receiver from burning them with his big-play making ability.

"I know I can't jump with him, so it doesn't make sense for me to try that," the 5-9 McBride said when asked about the challenges of facing Johnson.

"What does make more sense to do is play his hands when he's coming down and try to knock the ball out. That's one of the things I can do."

McBride added that there is no reason for the Giants cornerbacks to be intimidated by Johnson or his big-play making ability.

"We're all players, we're all me and we're all at this level for a reason. He can make plays, but I can make plays also.

"He's a great wide receiver. We just have to watch film to see what he doesn't do well and just take advantage of that," he added.

--Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul continues to be conflicted over his desire to play again this season and his desire to avoid the risk of needing surgery on his ailing shoulder.

"At the end of the day, I'm not a quitter," Pierre-Paul said. "I'm going to try my best to be out there with my teammates."

At the same time, Pierre-Paul knows that he has to be smart with his injury because he believes that if he stays the course and continues to rehab his injury, he will avoid the need for surgery.

"I think I'm doing pretty good in my rehabbing and just getting better on that injury," he said. "I don't really want to have surgery unless it's called for it. I think with me rehabbing and staying on schedule, that I won't need surgery."

Pierre-Paul, who admitted that if he played again and made his shoulder worse that surgery would then become a necessity, said that he has a full range of motion in his ailing joint, but that he doesn't have the full strength necessary to push and fight blockers.

"I can't go out there and defend myself so if I can't do that, then there's no reason for me to be out there playing," he said. "I play defense and I deliver a blow.

"I'm not going to put myself in a predicament where I go out there and then I have my teammates looking at me crazy. If you're not well enough to play, you should be on the sideline. I'm trying to get back out there though.

BY THE NUMBERS: 12 - Number of players the Giants currently have on injured reserve. The list includes six starters: offensive linemen David Baas and Chris Snee; fullback Henry Hynoski; cornerback Corey Webster; safety Stevie Brown; and running back David Wilson.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Anyone who comes through the door, we'll be more than happy to wrap our arms around." -- Head coach Tom Coughlin when asked which of his 10 injured players he thought he might have for Sunday.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

The Giants' decision to place cornerback Corey Webster on injured reserve comes as no surprise, as despite being able to practice on a limited basis for several weeks, the handwriting was on the wall for Webster after Trumaine McBride took over the starting job and after Jayron Hosley acquitted himself well as the backup.

As a result of the transaction, the Giants promoted receiver Julian Talley to the 53-man roster. Talley's promotion serves as insurance in case fellow UMass alumnus Victor Cruz (conclusion/knee) can't finish out the season.

--RB Kendall Gaskins, who was previously with the Bills, was signed to the Giants practice squad. Gaskins had worked out for the Giants several weeks ago.

INJURY IMPACT

--LG James Brewer (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday, but could be one of the players that head coach Tom Coughlin said he was hopeful of having later in the week.

--WR Victor Cruz (concussion/knee) did not practice on Wednesday and is not expected to play on Sunday.

--RG David Diehl (knee) was held out of practice on Wednesday, but will reportedly try to work on Thursday. Diehl said he experienced some swelling in his knee last week, but didn't think he'd have to miss Sunday's game.

--RB Peyton Hillis (concussion) was not present at Wednesday's practice, as he has not passed the concussion protocol. His status for Sunday is unknown at this point.

--DT Cullen Jenkins (shin/quad) didn't practice on Wednesday, but he could be back in the lineup on Thursday. Jenkins is going on his second week with this injury and was able to play last week.

--WR Jerrel Jernigan (knee) did not work on Wednesday. His status for Sunday is a question mark.

--CB Trumaine McBride (groin) did not practice on Wednesday, but could be back later in the week on a limited basis. McBride has been playing with a groin injury for several weeks now.

--DE Jason Pierre-Paul (shoulder) did not practice on Wednesday and is unlikely to play on Sunday.

--S Cooper Taylor (hamstring) is not expected to practice or play this week.

--CB Terrell Thomas (knee) did not practice Wednesday but is expected to work in a limited basis on Thursday and Friday.

GAME PLAN:

The Giants' turnover-prone offense is in a complete state of shambles right now. Quarterback Eli Manning has no time to scan the field and often times cannot step into his throws due to having one of his pass blockers being walked back into his lap.

As a result, Manning, who last week topped his single-season career high in interceptions (25) has been sacked 36 times, also a career high.

The running game, which is averaging 83.5 yards per game has sputtered so badly that barring a surge in this average, it will be their lowest season-long average since they rushed for 76.9 yards a game in 1945.

All of that spells trouble for a Giants offense that will face an aggressive Lions defense. The Lions have the fourth-best run defense and are allowing opponents an average of 98.6 yards per game.

They also have the top-ranked defense against third downs, an area of struggle for the Giants, who are ranked 30th in the league in converting third downs.

If the Giants are going to have a shot this week, they're going to have force the turnover-prone Lions offense into making some mistakes. Against the Ravens on Monday night, quarterback Matthew Stafford boosted his season interception total to 17 after tossing three in his last game.

He hass also thrown at least one interception in five of his last six games, three of which featuring multiple interceptions. That might bode well for the Giants, who are tied for 16th (with the Lions and two other teams) with 13 interceptions this season.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Giants defensive line vs. Lions offensive line -- The Lions' offensive line has only allowed 16 sacks this season, which is pretty impressive considering they have a pair of rookies on the right side in guard Larry Warford and tackle LaAdrian Waddle who have started the last seven games as a tandem. It will be interesting to see how this rookie dup holds up against defensive end Justin Tuck and defensive tackle Linval Joseph, the left side of the Giants defensive line, which has been playing some of its best ball over the last five weeks. Tuck has 7.5 sacks in his last four games, as he looks for his fifth game in a row with at least a half-sack.

--Giants CBs Prince Amukamara and Trumaine McBride vs. Lions WR Calvin Johnson -- Both the 6-foot Amukamara and the 5-9 McBride have been a solid duo in coverage this season. However, the 6-5 Johnson's size could be a potential nightmare for smaller cornerbacks, as Megatron isn't afraid to fight back if a corner dares to try to impede his release off the line of scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will likely see to it that Amukamara draws Johnson; if that is the case, it will be important for Amukamara to get his hands on Johnson every chance he gets to try to slow him down.

Lola The Dog's Santa Encounter Will Get You In The Holiday Spirit

It was Lola's turn to sit on Santa's lap.

But what the pit bull/English boxer mix, who belongs to Miles Clark Gray of theWashington Animal Rescue League in D.C., really wanted for Christmas was on the floor -- in the form of a great big belly rub.

Lucky for Lola, it's the season for giving!

Lola happens to be a friendly dog. Normally I get a little scared of large dogs, as my former school friend Annie's dog use to make me run around the table, and stopped going to her place as she refused to tie up the dog, instead called her over to my house. This large dog is really friendly and wants just some one to rub her belly and make her feel that she has got attention and warmth of love of a person.What I like of all dogs is the sincerity which shows in their eyes for their master and extent of bravery to save infants from trouble when toddlers are in crawling and slightly walking stage and ability to be happy in human company and playful nature.

Khloé Kardashian Tweets About Split From Lamar Odom: ‘This Is … Torture to My Soul’

Khloé Kardashian has been keeping a low profile since filing for divorce from Lamar Odom less than a week ago. But on Wednesday, the 29-year-old posted a heartfelt message to Twitter that appeared to address the recent reports that she and Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp were an item. The reality star wrote, "This, in and of itself, is heart breaking and torture to my soul. Please, I don't need the extra rumors and BS right now."



But could Khloé's spirits soon be lifted? According to the December 30 issue of Us Weekly, the brunette beauty will gain a fortune when the divorce is finalized. The report states that in addition to keeping their $4 million Tarzana mansion and her $1 million diamond engagement ring, she will also be awarded a $2 million cash payout. That's a lot of change!

Check out the vid to hear how Khloé wore her heart on her sleeve just three days after filing for divorce, and be sure to tune in to "omg! Insider" on TV tonight for the latest in entertainment news.

http://omg.yahoo.com/video/khloé-kardashian-tweets-split-lamar-005613262.html