J.D.'s Dirt

J. LO!

I also saw that Aerosmith's Steven Tyler has also signed on.  No one will say that move is official though.  

Stay tuned, big shake up on the judge's panel this year!

Lookin good Drew Carey!  He's lost almost 80 pounds by cutting carbs and cardio workouts 6 days a week....

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

RASCAL FLATTS SIGN WITH BIG MACHINE RECORDS. During a press conference yesterday morning, Rascal Flatts announced they have signed with Big Machine records which is also home to Taylor Swift. The news came after the groups previous label, Lyric Street Records, announced they will be closing. Gary Levox can’t wait for what the future holds with Big Machine. “I don’t think you could pick up the excitement on the microphones to be real honest about where we are today. The future is going to be incredible. And like Joe Don said earlier, it feels like ten months, not ten years. And we’re really just getting going. I mean, we’re so pumped it’s unbelievable. I mean really, it’s great!”  During the press conference Jay De Marcus also announced he and his wife Allison, will welcome a baby girl to their family.  “Just what I need, another girl in the house. [Gary LeVox] Garietta Don. [Jay] Yeah, Garietta Don Demarcus! (laughs) [Joe Don Rooney] Welcome to the family. I’m excited about being a father and trying to as well as these guys have done. I know I’ll do better than Gary but trying to as well as… (laughs)” Rascal Flatts’ first song with Big Machine Records is an up tempo tune called "Why Wait." Their album Nothing Like This will arrive in stores November 16^th. 

BLAKE SHELTON HOSTS LIVE WEB-CHAT WITH CMT.COM. This Sunday evening, Blake Shelton will be hosting a live chat with CMT.com at 7PM Eastern. Blake is excited to chat with fans about anything of their choice, and is hoping to hear from his dear friends at PETA.  “It’s fun for me to interact with the fans and then the next thing you know, there’s haters are out there getting involved. And especially my friends at PETA. (laughs) Which all that really does, it’s nothing more than kindergarten. All that does is age me on to be more ornery.”  Fans can log on to CMT.com or BlakeShelton.com to hear what Blake has to say. Blake’s All About Tonight Six Pak will be available in stores August 10^th.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD GUSHES OVER MARRIED LIFE. Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher’s wedding and honeymoon may be over, but the couple is still in a state of just-married bliss. Carrie blogged on her fansite, "I'm a married lady now! Married life is pretty much like dating life. My husband is back in Canada...story of my life!" After a wedding at the Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia, and an eight day honeymoon in Bora Bora, followed by three days in Napa Valley, Carrie believes her life can’t get any better. “I know how blessed I am. I know how special these things are. There is nothing in the world that I could possibly ask for because you can't add to perfection!”

KENNY CHESNEY TO DEBUT NEW MUSIC VIDEO ON ESPN. Kenny Chesney’s music video for his new single “The Boys of Fall” will make its world premiere on ESPN’s SportCenter Monday, August 2^nd. The video will air just before noon Eastern Time, followed by another airing at 2PM Eastern Time. On Tuesday August 3^rd, the eight-minute version of the music video will be available on CMT. “The Boys of Fall” is the debut single from Kenny’s forthcoming album, Hemingway’s Whiskey, which will be released on September 28^th.

MIKE FISHER OPENS-UP ABOUT BIG DAY. Though Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher had over 230 guests at their wedding in Georgia on July 10^th, Mike tells OK! Magazine not everyone who was invited was able to attend. “A couple of her close friends are touring now, so they obviously weren’t able to be there, but she had all her close people that she wanted to be there, and I did too,” Mike says. Kellie Pickler, Brad Paisley, and Miranda Lambert each had shows the day of the wedding. The wedding ceremony was followed by an 11-day honeymoon in Bora Bora and Napa Valley, and Mike admits that was the longest time he and Carrie have had off from their busy schedules. Their schedules are also the main reason the couple has decided to put family life on hold. “We obviously want kids, but that’s down the road,” he said. “Now is not the time, especially with our busy schedules, everything we’ve got going on. We don’t know exactly when, but definitely we will.”

SUGARLAND CASTS NBC STAR IN NEW MUSIC VIDEO. Sugarland has filmed their music video for their new single “Stuck Like Glue,” and cast actor Ryan McPartlin to play Jennifer Nettles’ love interest. Ryan who plays “Devon” on NBC’s show Chuck is also known as “Captain Awesome.” Jennifer tells Entertainment Weekly, “He’s the perfect guy. He’s the perfect boyfriend, he’s the perfect athlete. We thought that would be a funny twist. He fits the profile. Very handsome. And he’s a good actor as well, and also a nice guy.” The video revolves around a relationship where Jennifer plays a stalker, and Kristian Bush acts as her accomplice. “The twist on the video is it’s in this world in this crazy woman’s head where she thinks she is in this type of relationship with this person, and is stuck with him, and stuck on him, and in her mind, they are inseparable. In his mind, she is a crazy lunatic.” Sugarland’s fourth studio album, The Incredible Machine hits stores October 19^th.

JIMMY WAYNE TO COMPLETE MEET ME HALFWAY WALK THIS WEEKEND. Jimmy Wayne is getting closer to his destination of Phoenix after raising awareness for homeless teens, and has met many special people along the way. Even though many of those people are considered homeless, Jimmy wants others to understand that doesn’t mean their incompetent.“You know when you talk to some of these people, they aren’t dumb at all. They get treated like they’re dumb. The dumb people are the ones who ignore him.” Jimmy will arrive in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday and give a free concert celebrating the walk at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill. Sunday morning, Jimmy will cross the finish line at HomeBase Youth Services in Phoenix, and fans are encouraged to walk the last half mile with him.

CRAIG MORGAN CREATES FRIENDSHIP WITH MIKE FISHER. Craig Morgan has gotten to know Carrie Underwood’s new husband Mike Fisher quite well after touring with Carrie on her Play On tour. The two made plans to enjoy outdoor activities together in August.  “He’s a guy’s guy. I like the guy. I started to say I love the guy. But I love the guy and he’s a real guys-guy. I mean, he’s the kind of guy I could get in a fight with. You know, we could go fishing together and we could hang. Just a cool guy.” After Mike’s hockey career is over, he plans to call Nashville home, so it will be nice for him to have a friend like Craig in town.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S FIRST PERFORMANCE SINCE WEDDING. Carrie Underwood delivered a half-hour set during her Grand Ole Opry appearance on Tuesday night at the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. It was her first performance since her wedding to hockey player Mike Fisher. Carrie has been an Opry member since 2008, and on Tuesday she performed “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Undo It” and several more hits.

DARRYL WORLEY’S 9^TH ANNUAL TENNESSEE RIVER RUN. Darryl Worley has announced the 9^th Annual Tennessee River Run will take place this year on September 16^th through September 18^th near his hometown of Savannah, Tennessee. The festival has expanded over the years, and this year the tournament features a golf tournament, a 5K walk, a motorcycle poker run, a rock concert with headliner Marshall Tucker Band, and will conclude with a concert by Danny Gokey and Darryl himself. “This Tennessee River Run has just grown and grown. It’s all over I mean you can talk about it all over the country and people know what it is. That blows my mind. (laughs) It really is weird. I’ll be out on the west coast and I’ll bring it up and people will go, ‘We went there, two years ago.’ And I’m like wow!” The events will take place at various locations in West Tennessee, and proceeds will benefit the Darryl Worley Foundation which provides assistance to numerous organizations and individuals in need in the West Tennessee area.

LEE BRICE HONORED BY LADY ANTEBELLUMS “LOVE LIKE CRAZY” SPOOF. This week, Lee Brice’s hit “Love Like Crazy” was “Lady Hazed” in Lady Antebellum’s Webisode Wednesday video. The trio spoofed his song, and changed the lyrics to revolve around a meal at a Waffle House. The song is appropriately labeled, “Biscuits and Gravy.” Lee says, “This is really funny, and I am honored that Lady A decided to tackle my song. I understand that mine is the second song they’ve spoofed and only two songs in, they’ve perfected the craft. Hey guys, how about a writing session in the next few weeks?” To check out Lady A’s latest Webisode Wednesday, visit ladyantebellum.com.

LUKE BRYAN GOES PIGEON HUNTING. Luke Bryan filmed his latest installment of Luke Bryan TV after his bus broke down in Sauk Center, Minnesota on his birthday. Luke and his crew were supposed to be on their way to Canada, but instead they went pigeon hunting with a couple of local guys they met at a bar. The group headed to an abandoned area where they set a duck decoy, and managed to shoot down three pigeons during their hunt. The video concludes with Luke picking-up bullet shells in cow poop. Luke says, “It smells like America…It smells like freedom.” To catch Luke’s video, visit lukebryan.com.

DARIUS RUCKER SIGNS WORLDWIDE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT. Universal Music Publishing Group has announced the signing of a worldwide publishing agreement with Darius Rucker. The agreement encompasses all of his writing for his country debut album Learn to Live, as well as his future solo work including, his upcoming album Charleston, SC 1966, due out on October 12^th. Pat Higdon, President of Universal Music Publishing Group says, “We are so excited to add Darius Rucker to our roster of chart-topping songwriters. He is a great singer and a gifted songwriter and has quickly carved his own niche with Country music fans. ”

WYNONNA JUDD HONORED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS IN NASHVILLE. Wynonna Judd will receive The Cecil Scaife Visionary Award for 2010 on August 24^th. She is being recognized for her endless contributions to the Nashville community as well as helping future generations who wish to pursue a career in the music industry. The evening will include musical tributes from Wynonna’s friends, as well as a proclamation from U.S. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn. A spokesperson for the Cecil Scaife Visionary Award says, “Wynonna personifies the spirit of this award. She has given so generously of her heart, talent and time to help the next generation realize a better life and better chance at success through her work with youth in our community and students pursuing a career in the music industry.”

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• LEO DROPS OUT OF MEL MOVIE! Leonardo DiCaprio has withdrawn from the new film about Vikings set to be directed by Mel Gibson. MTV News is reporting that sources close to Leo say he will not be starring in the flick because “Leo has earned the right to pick and choose who he works with,” and he chooses not to work with Mel Gibson. Check out more over at MTVNews.com.
• LINDSAY LOHAN THERAPY! We spoke with Don Grant, director of admissions at the L-A rehabilitation facility, Harmony Place, all about rehab and what it’ll be like for Lindsay Lohan once she’s released from jail. Grant gave us his views on whether it’s better for Lindsay to go home before she does her 90 day rehab stint or if she should head straight to the facility. We’ll keep you updated on Lindsay’s progress throughout her transition from jail to rehab.
• MICHAEL’S SONG TO LINDSAY LOHAN! Lindsay Lohan’s estranged father, Michael Lohan, has written and produced a song for his daughter. Mr. Lohan got a friend to perform the tune he penned for his imprisoned daughter and lucky (or unlucky) for us, TMZ has posted the audio track on their website. Check out the overly synthesized, sappy track at TMZ.com now.
  • DIRECT LINK: http://tmz.vo.llnwd.net/o28/newsdesk/tmz_audio/072810_lilo_song.mp3

• CHRIS KLEIN STAYS IN REHAB! Chris Klein is extending his time in rehab. Klein has been at the Cirque Lodge in Utah since June 21^st and has announced he will stay longer than his 30-day treatment program. It’s unknown how much longer he will remain, but you can find more info at People.com.
• CHELSEA CLINTON’S WEDDING! Chelsea Clinton is getting married tomorrow in Rhinebeck, New York and according to TMZ, so many important politically figures are expected to be there, including her parents, that a temporary “no fly zone” has been issued for the air space above her nuptials until 3:30 AM Sunday morning. Check out TMZ for more.
  • TIDBIT: TMZ has previously reported that Clinton’s wedding is such a classy affair that they’re spending 15-thousand dollars on porta-potties alone.

• OBAMA ON THE VIEW! President Barack Obama appeared on The View this week and the ladies quizzed him about all things pop culture, as well as some political stuff. Obama did know that Lindsay Lohan was in jail, wouldn’t comment on Mel Gibson and admitted that he didn’t know who Jersey Shore cast member Snooki was. He also revealed that while Jay-Z and Frank Sinatra tunes are on his iPod, Justin Bieber’s music is not. Check out a clip from the president over at EOnline.com.
• MICHAEL JACKSON DOCTORS IN THE CLEAR! Entertainment Tonight is reporting that seven doctors who treated pop star Michael Jackson will not face charges related to his death. Investigators have chosen not to press charges against the physicians, but they are still going ahead with the involuntary manslaughter charges against Dr. Conrad Murray, who was Jackson’s personal doctor.
• SHARK WEEK!! The 23^rd annual Shark Week kicks off this Sunday on The Discovery Channel and Jeff Kurr’s documentary, Ultimate Air Jaws, kicks the week off Sunday night at 9 PM.  Tune in Sunday at 9 PM Eastern to The Discovery Channel to see the beginning of Shark Week.
• CLOONEY’S LADY IN COCAINE SCANDAL! Radar Online is reporting that George Clooney’s girlfriend, Elisabetta Canalis, has been accused of doing cocaine with a escort in Italy. Elisabeth was mentioned as one of the VIPs who would get free drugs when she was at clubs, and the escort mentioned her by name in her testimony.
• MODERN FAMILY’S NAKED AD CAMPAIGN! Modern Family has launched a new “for your consideration” campaign in hopes of winning an Emmy at this year’s awards show. In their new ad, they promise the show’s own Sofia Vergara will streak down Sunset Boulevard if they win. The catch is, there’s a footnote explaining that another cast member may fill in for Sofia at any time…so fans may not get to enjoy Sofia’s naked bod after all. Check out Blog.Zap2It.com for more.
• JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT’S NEW MAN! Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt has a new man in her life. According to Us Weekly, the actress is now dating actor/director Alex Beh after splitting with actor Jamie Kennedy in March. Hewitt has also dated Carson Daly, John Mayer and was engaged to Scottish actor Ross McCall back in 2007.
• GWYNETH PALTROW TALKS OSCAR! Gwyneth Paltrow has had quite an impressive career so far and we’ll next get to see the actress in the new flick Country Strong, where she’ll plays a country singer. Make sure to check out Paltrow in Country Strong when it hits theaters on December 22^nd.  Meanwhile, you can hear Paltrow sing the flick’s title-track song over at TheBoot.com now and pick up the soundtrack on October 26^th.  

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

TAYLOR SWIFT’S VIEW ON COUNTRY MUSIC IN THE NORTH. Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t always been a fan of country music. In fact, she is convinced country music is quite dominant in the northern states of America. “ “I grew up in Pennsylvania and I was just as obsessed with country music as I could have been. So I think that it just has to do with…there must be something that people relate to about it. I don’t know. I’m just really thankful for it. I’m not gonna question it too much or over think it. But I really love the fact that coming up North, I guess I’ve always attributed it to the fact that I’m from here…but if you do look around, there’s a lot of love for country music up in the north.” Taylor is gearing up for her highly anticipated third album Speak Now, which is scheduled to be released world-wide October 25^th.

MIKE FISHER’S FIRST POST-WEDDING INTERVIEW. Mike Fisher revealed exclusive details to his hometown newspaper, Ottawa Sun, about his wedding and honeymoon to Carrie Underwood. Before the wedding, Mike hosted a golf tournament with his close friends and family, but he didn’t complete the course. “I didn’t play 18 holes because I knew I’d be too tired. It was a long day. I needed to go relax a bit,” he says. When the wedding ceremony began, Mike confessed he didn’t have pre-wedding jitters. “I wasn’t really nervous, to be honest. I was excited to be married. I think more people were definitely watching her,” he says. As far as their honeymoon, the couple relaxed in Bora Bora for eight days, followed by three days spent in Napa Valley. After his hockey career is over, the couple plans to settle in Nashville. Until then, the two will enjoy being happily married. Mike says, “I’m with my best friend and I love her to death. There’s nothing better, for sure.”

REBA MCENTIRE WEATHERS THE STORM FOR HER NEW VIDEO.  Reba McEntire and her team braved some intense weather while shooting the music video for her new single, “Turn on the Radio.” The heat index in Nashville reportedly reached 108 degrees while Reba and her crew struggled to keep from overheating. That evening, an electrical storm blew in with lightning so intense the shoot’s generator was shut off. Reba and her crew were rushed down into the basement of the warehouse while a tornado touched down only a few miles from the shoot location. Reba said, “This is only the second time one of my video shoots as been shut down because of a storm. The last time something like this happened was on the set of the ‘Does He Love You” video in Long Island. I hope that’s a good omen because ‘Does He Love You” ended up being a Grammy winning-song and a great music video!”  “Turn on the Radio” is the lead single from Reba’s upcoming album which will be in stores on November 9^th.

LUKE BRYAN AND BILLY CURRINGTON GET SILLY ONSTAGE WITH KENNY CHESNEY. Kenny Chesney performed at Country Thunder in Wisconsin over the weekend, and invited Luke Bryan and Billy Currington to help him cover, Steve Miller Band’s song “The Joker”. But Luke didn’t seem to be paying much attention since he sang the wrong lyrics at the wrong time. Luke asks Kenny, “Did you just sing this?” And being the nice guy he is, Kenny sang the correct line to get him back on track. Kenny’s new album, Hemingway’s Whiskey, hits stores September 28^th.

SUGARLAND’S DOUBE-DUTIES PLANNING ALBUM AND TOUR. Sugarland has kept themselves busy these past couple of months, not only touring, but creating an album as well.  (Jennifer) “So we’re out on tour now, and obviously the name of the tour is “The Incredible Machine,” because we want people to get excited about the album and what’s coming up. In order to also make it exciting not only for our fans, but also to keep it exciting for us, we have a whole new set. (Kristian) That’s right. Because we were creating this and the album at the same time which rarely happens in your career. We were toying around with the idea of The Incredible Machine, and the heart and the body as an incredible machine. And what would it be like, what would it feel like. And we’ve kind of built an incredible machine behind us on the stage. And it’s strange. It’s almost like it’s its own personality behind you every night. (Jennifer) It is definitely like a living entity. (Kristian) It really is. It’s like another person on stage with you, and they happen to be 45 feet tall, and like 70 feet wide. (Jennifer) And steam comes out of it… (Kristian) And there’s gears everywhere, and lights fall from the ceiling… (Jennifer) It’s really fun.” Sugarland’s new album, The Incredible Machine will be released October 19^th.

GARY ALLAN’S READY FOR HIS VACATION DAYS. Brooks & Dunn have restarted their Last Rodeo Tour after Ronnie Dunn’s demanded vocal rest, and the duo’s opening act Gary Allan, is already planning vacation days for his break from the tour. “Hmm. This summer, outside of the Brooks and Dunn tour, and when I get my breaks, I’m going to fly out to beaches most likely. I’m gonna spend some time in Mexico and I’m gonna spend some time in California, and just try to get as much surfing as I can in.” After the Last Rodeo Tour is over in September, Gary will headline his own fall tour, Get Off On The Pain, starting Ocobter 14^th in Chicago with Justin Moore, Jack Ingram, Jerrod Niemann, and the Eli Young Band.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD GIVES BEAUTY ADVICE. Carrie Underwood is this month’s cover girl for WEBMD Magazine, and admits a daily routine anyone can follow, is the success to her flawless appearance. Carrie says, "I work out. I drink a lot of water. I just try to moisturize. It's not all about the make-up and the stuff like that, the stuff that's on the outside. It kind of starts from the things that you do before you go to bed or when you wake up in the morning. It's all the behind the scenes stuff that matters the most." Carrie has been credited in various “most beautiful” lists, including People Magazine’s list of 50 Hottest Bodies, where she ranked over movie stars such as Cameron Diaz and Megan Fox. It’s safe to say, Carrie’s advice will work whether you are famous or not.

LAURA BELL BUNDY MAKES FRIENDS IN THE COUNTRY MUSIC INDUSTRY. Laura Bell Bundy may be new to the country scene, but other artist’s in the industry have welcomed her with open arms.  “Well, over the last couple of months, I’ve had a lot of artists introduce themselves to me or be supportive of me, especially via Twitter, to the point where I can’t even believe it, ya know, even the women. Because you think women are going to be so competitive and they will go out of their way—especially Miranda Lambert and Blake, ya know, to let me know that I’m welcome. And it’s been great.” Blake Shelton has been known to rave about Laura Bell’s new album Achin’ & Shakin’ on his Twitter with messages such as, “Laura Bell Bundy’s album is so good I gave my toaster a bath and spine bricked a black footed ferret.....”

LITTLE BIG TOWN’S KAREN FAIRCHILD INJURES HERSELF BEFORE MUSIC VIDEO. Little Big Town gets sassy in their music video for their hit single, “Little White Church,” but for Karen Fairchild, shooting the video was harder than it looks. Karen managed to injure her foot before shooting, and says the scene where the group is walking towards a church and clapping, would’ve been quite awkward if she couldn’t walk.  “I had a little bit of a bum-foot and I had just gotten feeling back in my toes right before we shot the video. Which, it happened…it’s a long story. So Thank God, otherwise I would have been pulling my foot, which would not have been very sexy.” Little Big Town’s new album The Reason Why will be in stores August 24^th. The group is hosting an official album release countdown on iTunes, which also features weekly podcasts from the group.

DARIUS RUCKER WILL MENTOR WINNER OF SONGWRITING CONTEST. Darius Rucker will mentor the winner of a songwriting contest presented by CMT and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. The contest begins Sunday August 1^st, and runs through October 31^st. After the grand prize winner has been announced, fans can vote on the remaining finalists for the CMT Listeners’ Choice Award, which will be presented in early 2011. All genres of music are encouraged.

BLAKE SHELTON LOVES NASCAR? Ever wanted to know who Blake Shelton’s favorite NASCAR driver is? Watch his latest “Take Six Tuesday” to get the answers and the reasons behind his choices.

6. Dale Earnhardt Junior, “Just because I don’t want to get the sh*t beat out of me for not saying his name.”

5. Jeff Gordon, “You gotta admire a guy who paints his car the color of a rainbow.”

4. Robbie Gordon, “Rspecially when he has my face on the hood and especially when he doesn’t slam it into the frickin’ wall.”

3. Dick Trickle, “I mean, just say it.”

2. Clint Boyer, “He actually races drunk.”

1. Elliot Sadler, “You go Elliot. Prove to the world that just because you’re inbred, doesn’t mean your dreams can’t come true.”

LADY ANTEBELLUM’S LATEST WEBISODE WEDNESDAY. This week on Lady Antebellum’s Webisode Wednesday, the trio takes another country song and reworks it, just like they did a few weeks ago with Easton Corbin’s “A Little More Country Than That.” This week, they targeted Lee Brice’s hit “Love Like Crazy,” and changed it to a spoof called “Biscuits and Gravy.” The song, is centered around a meal at Waffle House, and includes the line “But the one thing I eat like crazy, is biscuits and gravy.” To view Lady A’s latest Webisode Wednesday, visit ladyantebellum.com.

CHUCK WICKS SURPRISES ONE LUCKY FAN. Chuck Wicks had more than a thought to hold after meeting 77-year old fan, Rita. Rita managed to impress a radio station in Sacramento, California after requesting Chuck’s song “Hold That Thought” over and over again. They arranged for Chuck and Rita to speak on the phone, and when he came to perform in the area, Chuck surprised Rita by calling her up on stage. Chuck had Rita sit on his lap for the first part of the song and she sang the rest of the song along with him.

THIS AND THAT

• Gary Allan helped raise more than $225,000 to benefit children with DiGeorge syndrome at a House of Blues concert in Chicago on July 22^nd.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• OKSANA TO SUE MEL OVER MUSIC! We reported earlier this week that before she can debut any of her new music, Oksana Grigorieva (Pron: gree-gore-ee-eh-vuh) has to get her ex, Mel Gibson, to sign off on the release. With the state of the pair’s relationship, it’s doubtful Mel will want to voluntarily release Oksana’s new music and so, according to TMZ, Oksana is ready to sue Mel to make sure her music comes out. We’ll let you know if and when she files a lawsuit.
• KATHERINE JACKSON NOT DOING WELL! Katherine Jackson says she “hasn’t been doing so well” since the death of her son, Michael Jackson. According to a new interview posted on TMZ, Mrs. Jackson seems to be an emotional wreck and reveals she thinks about and misses Michael every day.
• BABIES, BABIES, BABIES! There is a ton of celebrity baby news out there this week. First off, Juno writer Diablo Cody gave birth to a baby boy she named Marcello Daniel Maurio. Next, Us Weekly is reporting that sources say newlyweds Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr are expecting a baby.  And, the magazine has confirmation that former Bachelor contestant Melissa Rycroft and her husband are having a baby. Rycroft is reportedly due in February.
• SNOOKI SCARED HERSELF! Season two of Jersey Shore premieres tonight at 10 PM on MTV. Recently, Snooki told Us Weekly that the amount of partying she did on this new season of Jersey Shore scared her. She said she’d never partied that much in her life and that she should get an award for her two months of straight revelry. Snooki told us though that despite all the merriment, the show has helped her mature. Tune in to MTV tonight at 10 PM Eastern to see the new season of Jersey Shore.
• CHRIS TUCKER IN TAX TROUBLE! Rush Hour star Chris Tucker owes over 11-million dollars in back taxes to the IRS. TMZ reports that his big debt stems from the years 2001 through 2006, when he didn’t file or improperly filed his federal tax returns.
• PROJECT RUNWAY PREMIERES! Season eight of Project Runway premieres tonight on Lifetime at 9 PM Eastern. 
• BREAKING DAWN BIRTH SCENE! Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg is talking about the epic birth scene set to be included in the new installment of the vampire movies. According to MTV News, Melissa has been working closely with Breaking Dawn director Bill Condon and is writing and rewriting the pivotal scene where “Bella” gives birth to a half-vampire baby. It seems to be one of the scenes from the books Twi-hard fans are most anxious to see portrayed on the big screen.
• JOLIE LIKES SALT! Angelina Jolie stars in the new action flick Salt. Jolie stars alongside Liev Schreiber in Salt, which is in theaters now.
• AL GORE QUESTIONED! People magazine is reporting that Al Gore was questioned by police last week about the sexual assault accusations a massage therapist has made against him. Gore has publicly denied the assault claims and we’ll keep you updated on what comes out of Al’s questioning.
• IDOL UPDATE!  Yesterday we reported that former American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe may be returning to the show.  According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lythgoe was interested in bringing in the likes of Justin Timberlake and Elton John to help fill the seat left open by the departure of judge Simon Cowell.  It sounded a bit too good to be true and it apparently is.  Deadline Hollywood is reporting that representatives for Timberlake and John both said that neither will be able to commit to the show due to their busy schedules. 

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

GWYNETH PALTROW’S ROAD TO RADIO. Earlier this week it was announced that Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow has recorded a country song called “Country Strong” which is also the name of her upcoming film with Tim McGraw. Gwyneth plays country artist “Kelly Canter” who is trying to revive her career in the film. She knew her role would require singing, but she never thought the role would lead to fulfilling her dream of being an artist heard on the radio. “It’s been such a surprise for me. It’s like the idea that I hear myself on country radio is like…especially now that I’m such a fan and it comes later in my life…and it would be, I mean it would be amazing. It’s like a dream. It’s surreal.” Although Gwyneth didn’t write her debut country song, the lyrics and message in “Country Strong,” spoke to her.  “For me, ya know, I’m ‘Country Strong’—it’s like the ground that I grew up on. And that, to me, is the foundation that my father laid for me. He passed away but I feel like I’m an independent and capable person because of the foundation that he gave me. And so I thought of my Dad when I heard it.” Country Strong the movie will be released December 22^nd and the soundtrack comes out October 26^th.

JULIANNE HOUGH PUTS HER BOOTS ON FOR FOOTLOOSE. Julianne Hough started filming her role as “Ariel Moore” in Footloose earlier this week. Although the film is known for its dancing and Julianne is known for her dance moves, she’s actually not doing a lot of footwork in the film.  “I think a lot of people are expecting to see me sing and dance and everything. And I really don’t sing at all, and I only dance the very last dance, which is at the prom scene so this is going to be fun. It’s like a pure performance acting piece for me so I’m really excited.” Julianne posted a tweet that she was looking forward to putting on the infamous red boots her character Ariel wears. Julianne’s father in the film, “Reverend Shaw Moore,” will be played by Dennis Quaid.

JULIANNE HOUGH’S LOVE FOR JULIA ROBERTS. Julianne Hough recently took on OK!’s Culture Vulture interview and discussed some of her favorite things including her favorite celebrity. Though Julianne could not decide what her favorite movie is, she couldn’t help but rave about Julia Roberts. She says, “I’ve always been a really big fan of Julia Roberts. She’s a phenomenal actress, she plays many different characters, and she’s beautiful.”  Maybe she will take Ryan Seacrest to Julia’s new movie Eat Pray Love, which hits theaters August 13^th.

EDDIE CIBRIAN AND SONS MOVE IN WITH LEANN RIMES. LeAnn Rimes and boyfriend Eddie Cibrian will take their relationship one step forward as he and his two sons will move in to LeAnn’s Calabasas, California home next week. The house is located a few blocks away from Eddie’s soon to be ex-wife, Brandi Glanville. E! News reports Eddie’s sons Mason and Jake will have their own rooms. LeAnn has already started putting Eddie to work as she tweeted on Sunday, “@eddiecibrian showing me how to do yard work! Think it’s the first time I’ve ever paid attention to yard work. Doesn’t hurt when a hot guy is showing you!”

POP SINGER KE$HA INSPIRED BY COUNTRY MUSIC. Nashville-native pop singer Ke$ha recently spilled details to Paper Magazine about the influence country music has on her career. She also credits her mother Pebe who is a songwriter and wrote “Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You," sung by Dolly Parton and Merle Haggard. Ke$ha says, “I'm really inspired by country music — my mom wrote country music — and I love Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash. I think at some point there might be some country collaborations or records in the future.”

MIRANDA LAMBERT GIVES HER OPINION ON TWITTER. Though Blake Shelton may be an avid tweeter, his fiancé Miranda Lambert doesn’t make the social networking site a priority. "I'm on Twitter a little bit, I mean, I kind of took a break. It sort of feels like people get obsessed with it, people like Blake Shelton. It just feels like it's too much sometimes." Though she may not enjoy sharing every moment with her 100-thousand plus followers, she did offer fans a link to Blake’s mother’s website where she sells handmade crosses. The website is crossibility.com.

KEITH URBAN AND NICOLE KIDMAN ENJOY A DATE-NIGHT. Keith Urban and his wife Nicole Kidman enjoyed a date-night on Monday in Los Angeles. The two caught a viewing of Angelina Jolie’s new movie Salt, followed by a Mexican dinner at the El Torito Grill. The couple is enjoying life on the west coast while Keith is in between gigs. Last weekend he headlined the Starry Night benefit at UCLA, and later this week Keith will play at the Middle California State Fair.

A HUG FROM BLAKE SHELTON CAMPAIGN. Do you remember the “A Hug From Taylor Swift” campaign? Well now two radio hosts from Oregon have been inspired to create, “A Hug From Blake Shelton.” This past weekend, the two men traveled to Toby Keith‘s American Ride concert in Washington, wearing black shirts saying, “A Hug From Miranda Lambert.” Miranda was crossed out, and replaced with Blake’s name. The radio hosts managed to ask a couple of Blake’s friends how he might react to the campaign. James Otto said, “He likes that kind of thing, he’s all about man-love.” Trace Adkins mentioned, “I’ll put in a good word for you.  He’ll kiss you too, on the mouth, be ready for that.” The guys hope to receive their hug at the Oregon Jamboree Festival on Friday.

DARIUS RUCKER GETS WHAT HE WANTS! Once Darius Rucker decides he wants something, he’s usually pretty good at getting it. He decided to record a country album and ended up getting a record deal out of the project. He recorded songs he knew people would want to listen to on the radio and earned four consecutive number one songs. And, when he met his wife – he knew they would get married. “Our very first date, I told her I was going to marry her actually. So, I know, it was kind of stalker-ish. But she was already told not to go out with me so I’m sure when she finally went on a date and I told her I was going to marry her, she was like, ok I need to let this guy go.” Darius and Beth were married in 2000.

• RELATED NEWS – Darius’ new song “Come Back Song” moved from number 24 to 16 on the Country Aircheck chart this week.

JIMMY WAYNE COLLECTING COINS FOR A CAUSE. During Jimmy Wayne’s Meet Me Halfway campaign, he’s not just walking for a cause – he’s collecting for a cause as well. (Cut #5) “Coins. My main thing is collecting coins that I see along from Nashville to Phoenix. It’s another little project that I’ve got. It’s called ‘Make a Change.’” Jimmy plans to finish his Meet Me Halfway campaign on Saturday.

DAVID NAIL A FAN OF THE BACHELORETTE? David Nail is constantly on and off the road, but one thing he can count on when he gets home is watching The Bachelorette with his wife Catherine – whether he likes it or not.  “I’m home two days a week. I’m not gonna press my luck and say ‘Hey, I don’t wanna watch this crap.’” Catherine’s reality television viewing must have rubbed off on David because he managed to call her while on the road about the shows latest episode. “I will say I called her the other night and said ‘did it look real super scripted that that Frank dude left her for his ex girlfriend?’”  Though David is a happily married man, he might have considered being a contestant if he were single. “Every one of those bozos are so ignorant, it’s like—and I’m not saying if I wasn’t single, I wouldn’t go on the show, because you do get a little, you know, publicity there.”

MIRANDA LAMBERT RAISES AWARENESS FOR ANIMAL SHELTER. Miranda Lambert took time out of her tour schedule last weekend to help raise awareness for animals in shelters. Bob’s House for Dogs in Wisconsin sold tickets for a meet-and-greet with Miranda before her concert in the area. Thousands of dollars were raised to support the shelter, and Miranda felt the promotion was another chance to raise awareness for animal adoption. She says, "I just wanted to help because I love animals, and that's my passion. I adopted a dog named Delilah five years ago from a shelter in East Texas and it just kind of sparked interest in me. I knew the shelter needed help and they were run strictly on donations. That's what I'm all about, is getting people aware of the adoption option." Miranda’s own Mutt Nation Foundation works with shelters across the country to help raise money for stray animals.

RANDY HOUSER INSPIRED BY TROOPS TO FINISH SONG. Randy Houser participated in the USO Tour earlier this year with Jamey Johnson and Kellie Pickler, and after performing 30 shows in 11 days, Randy says it was well worth it. He was inspired to finish his song “Here With Me” which he originally started writing while in the states. He performed the original song for soldiers, but felt like something was missing. "I was almost done when I realized there was still something that needed to be sung. This time I knew just the words: 'But I know God can hear me way up there, sending up an old familiar prayer.” Due to the impact of the song, Randy made sure “Here With Me” made it in each playlist at every concert.  “I could see some of the soldiers choking up. I hadn't meant the song to be a downer. I finished to thunderous applause ... It dawned on me that the song wasn't about me, that it was, in fact, a gift for these servicemen and women. I played it in every concert after that, always with the same incredible reaction.” Randy's new album, They Call Me Cadillac, will hit stores September 14^th.

This and That

• James Otto’s next album, Shake What God Gave Ya, will be available September 14^th. James wrote eleven of twelve on the album, including his current hit “Groovy Little Summer Song.”
• Sammy Kershaw will serve as the Honorary Chair at The Black And Gold Gala which will be held by New Orleans Saint’s head coach, Sean Payton. The event held on October 1^st, will benefit Sean’s Play It Forward Foundation with funds being distributed for Gulf Coast relief.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• OKSANA’S BRUISED IN NEW PHOTOS! New photos of Mel Gibson’s former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, have surfaced and the pics show Oksana’s face bruised and battered. Radar Online has posted close-up shots of Grigorieva’s face and the photos show the damage Mel Gibson allegedly did after their January fight. Learn more over at RadarOnline.com.
• GIBSON NOT DRUNK! TMZ is reporting that Mel Gibson’s published audio tape rants were not alcohol-fueled. Sources told the outlet that Gibson hasn’t had a drink since his infamous DUI arrest, which happened four years ago today.
• LOHAN STRIP SEARCH INVESTIGATED! Lindsay Lohan is being asked to participate in a class action lawsuit filed against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office. Lawyers in the case are asking Lohan to talk about getting stripped searched when she checked into jail, because the lawsuit claims that women at the jail where Lindsay is are giving cavity searches in a parking lot with no privacy and in unsanitary conditions. It’s unclear whether Lindsay will participate in the class action suit. TMZ has more. 
• ANGELINA JOLIE IS ON TWITTER! Twitter just got a whole lot sexier! 35-year-old actress Angelina Jolie has created an account, but there’s one catch – she’s locked it. That means that no one can follow her and she’s not following anyone. Us Weekly is reporting that Jolie just created the account so no one could tweet using the Twitter.com/AngelinaJolie name.
• ANOTHER POLANSKI ACCUSER! A third woman has come forward claiming that she was raped by director Roman Polanksi. Edith Vogelhut told Radar Online and the Los Angeles Police that one night in 1974, Polanski gave her drugs and sodomized her repeatedly at Jack Nicholson’s house. Polanski is currently staying in Switzerland as their courts have ruled he doesn’t need to be extradited to the U-S-A to face another rape charge. See the interview with the former model and editor of Glamour magazine at RadarOnline.com.
• BARKER DISSES PRICE IS RIGHT! TMZ caught up with Bob Barker, the former host of the Price is Right, and he had some choice words to say about Price’s new host, Drew Carey. Bob said Drew doesn’t make the show as exciting as he did and that Drew just has the contestants play the games.

• GLEEFUL TEEN CHOICE AWARDS! The men of Glee are co-hosting this year’s Teen Choice Awards alongside Katy Perry. Cory Monteith, Mark Salling, Chris Colfer and Kevin McHale are all helping the songstress this Monday night at 8 PM Eastern on FOX. Sandra Bullock, Robert Pattinson and Ashley Greene will also appear on the show. Check out more at UsMagazine.com.
• AMERICAN IDOL AUDITIONS! The next tryouts for season ten of American Idol are in East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 3^rd. In the meantime, check out the Top 10 Idol finalists when they perform tonight in Knoxville, Tennessee.
• IDOL EYES TIMBERLAKE & MORE!  American Idol has some big changes in store for its tenth season.  The age limit has been dropped to 15 and Simon Cowell will not be returning to his famed judges’ seat.  According to The Hollywood Reporter, after two years away, former executive producer Nigel Lythgoe is close to signing a deal to return to the show.  THR is also reporting that Fuller is adding to the list of new judge candidates, a wish list that includes singers Justin Timberlake, Chris Issak, Elton John and Harry Connick, Jr.  Lythgoe left Idol after the seventh season. 
• GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO! 007 actor Daniel Craig has been cast in the remake of the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo based on the book by Swedish author Stieg Larsson. There is already a Swedish film version of the book out and you can get it on DVD now.
  • TIDBIT: According to MTV News, the remake will be set in and filmed in Sweden.

• SPANISH GOLDEN GIRLS! The New York Times is reporting that The Golden Girls television show is set to be remade in Spanish. The new sitcom will be called Los Anos Dorados and will be about a group of older women sharing a house in Miami.  It’s said to have the original spirit of the 1980s sitcom with only slight changes. We wonder if Betty White will make a guest appearance. 

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

GWYNETH PALTROW TO RELEASE COUNTRY MUSIC. Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow has released a song called, “Country Strong,” to country radio. The song shares its name with an upcoming movie, which stars Gwyneth as “Kelly Canter,” a faded country star looking for a comeback. The film is scheduled to open nationally on December 22^nd and also stars Tim McGraw who plays her husband in the film. This is one of three songs Gwyneth sings for the soundtrack. Vince Gill and Patty Griffin provide background vocals on the single which was written by Mark Nesler, Jennifer Hanson and Tony Martin, who have written songs for Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and The Wreckers. The soundtrack will be released October 26^th. Gwyneth’s numerous film roles include Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Proof, Shallow Hal and The Talented Mr. Ripley. She won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of “Viola De Lesseps” in the 1998 film, Shakespeare in Love.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S “UNDO IT” REACHES NUMBER ONE. Carrie Underwood’s current hit “Undo It” has taken the number one spot on the Country Aircheck chart this week. This is Carrie’s 13^th consecutive number one song. In fact, every song she’s released as a single has reached the number one spot. In other Carrie news, she’ll perform “Undo It” as part of NBC’s Today Show’s summer concert series this Friday. She loves doing morning talk shows but wishes they could take place later in the day. “It’s cool. It’s fun. Those things are good to do; people go crazy. I mean, singing at, like, 5am…I am so not a morning person, either, so just give me some caffeine, I’m good to go.” Carrie’s video for “Undo It” has also managed to stay number one on the CMT Top 20 Countdown for the past five weeks.

JOSH TURNER EXPECTING BABY NUMBER THREE. Josh Turner and his wife Jennifer are expecting their third child. The new baby will join big brothers, Hampton who is three, and one-year-old Colby. Josh tells People magazine, “I come from big families – my momma was the oldest of three and my daddy was one of six – and I’ve always loved children. They bring a lot of joy to the world and they make us adults look at things in a better way. So it’s a natural thing for me and Jennifer.” Josh is actually responsible for the couple finding out they were pregnant. Jennifer had been acting “a little different” so he encouraged her to take a pregnancy test. The test came back negative but he refused to believe it so Jennifer took another test that proved his theory right! 

TAYLOR SWIFT’S THIRD ALBUM EXPECTED TO SELL ONE MILLION COPIES IN THE FIRST WEEK. The anticipation for Taylor Swift’s third album Speak Now is already building, but the real question is, will Taylor be able to sell one million copies within the album’s first week debut? CEO of Red Light Management and ATO Records, Will Botwin, believes if anyone can do it, it’s Taylor. Will tells Billboard, “She has the sales base and heat from the last few albums. And with all the amazing things she has going on, she is as likely as anybody to reach a million units, especially with the efforts of Big Machine and Universal behind her." Rapper Lil Wayne’s, Tha Carter III, was the last album to sell more than one million copies in its first week in June 2008. Taylor’s Fearless album sold 592-thousand copies in its first week in November 2008, according to the SoundScan charts.

KELLIE PICKLER GIVES UP HER FAVORITE THINGS FOR WEDDING DRESS. Kellie Pickler tells OK! Magazine it was apparent she needed to let go of two of her favorite things in order to fit into her wedding dress after she saw herself on the 2010 CMT Music Awards. “I went ‘oh s***, I have got to step away from the beer. The beer and the fries – I’ve gotta quit.’ You’ll see pictures of yourself, or you’ll put your clothes on, and you’ll be like ‘oh, my pants are too tight, I can’t breathe.’ You notice it. I’ve gotta start cutting back,” she says. But don’t expect Kellie to become a gym junkie. She says, “I really don’t workout. I’m not an avid gym person. I mean, you can tell. I go through stages – like I’ll be good for a short time, and then I let myself go. Then, I try and pick up where I left off and get back in the gym. It’s just a lose-lose situation for me.” While Kellie plans for her upcoming wedding, she is currently on tour with Rascal Flatts.

DIXIE CHICKS TO SING ON STEVE MARTIN’S UPCOMING BLUEGRASS ALBUM. The Dixie Chicks will sing a track on Steve Martin’s upcoming bluegrass album, according to an interview with band member Martie Maguire and Billboard magazine. Martie said they will only be singing harmony and not doing any instrumentation. Martie also noted the Dixie Chicks “Had a lot of fun in June playing with the Eagles, so I would dare say that in the next nine months, we'll be doing something, one way or another.” Martie and her sister, Dixie Chicks member Emily Robison, are currently recording and touring as the Court Yard Hounds duo, while singer Natalie Maines is taking a break from touring and recording.

CRAIG MORGAN RELEASES CRACKER BARREL ALBUM. Craig Morgan released That’s Why: Collector’s Edition in Cracker Barrel stores yesterday. He insists his band only eats at Cracker Barrel when he doesn’t cook for them on the road and through the years he’s created a special dish of his own. “Let me tell ya, this is the Craig Morgan Cracker Barrel breakfast: you get the biscuits, get their apples, put the apples with a lot of extra of that hot sauce on there, and then put gravy on top of that—dude, I’m telling you, you put that on your head and your tongue will slap you dead tryin’ to get to it. It’s amazing.” Other than his biscuit, gravy, and apple concoction - Craig also likes their chicken-n-dumplings.

DIERKS BENTLEY’S EVENTFUL WEEKEND. Dierks Bentley had a memorable weekend as he performed Friday night in the Louisville, Kentucky Hullabalou Festival, with legendary rock group Bon Jovi. Dierks joined Bon Jovi onstage for a performance of “Wanted Dead or Alive.” On Saturday and Sunday night, Dierks opened for Tim McGraw, and expressed to his fans on Twitter, what he expected out of the show. “So last night I got to sing ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ with @BonJovi. Hoping to sing with @timmcgraw tonight...maybe ‘Its Your Love,’" he says. Dierks recently announced he is expecting his second child in December.

MARTINA MCBRIDE FLATTERED TO BE FRIENDS WITH KID ROCK. Martina McBride recently sat down with US Magazine and discussed her friendship with Kid Rock as well as her view on cross-genre music. Martina helped Kid Rock kick-off the CMT Music Awards this year as she performed “Cowboy” with a handful of other country artists. And she’s featured on the track “Care” along with rapper T.I. on Kid Rock’s upcoming album Born Free. Martina says Kid Rock has always been able to see the “redneck” side of her.  “Everybody says to me, ‘well that’s a weird pairing, you and Kid Rock.’ But it doesn’t feel weird when we’re together and we’re performing. It’s just exciting to me that he has, I don’t know, singled me out to be part of his project. I think that’s really cool. And it’s an honor.” Kid Rock may be considered a crossover artist, and Martina’s okay with being considered one as well. “For the most part my albums are more pop country. It’s always changing. And there have always been people who cross over, you know Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. There have been certain kinds of country music that have always crossed boundaries.”

JAKE OWEN GETS A NEW TATTOO. According to Facebook, Jake Owen had new ink done this past weekend. Upcoming country singer Tyler Reeve posted pictures on his Facebook, with the following caption, “Jake Owen getting his new tattoo… On a whim- after a few beers.” Though there was never a picture of the finished tattoo, the caption of the last picture says, “The Tennessee Stars.”  Jake has at least two other tattoos – the name “Pearl” on his left wrist, and a Waylon Jennings-inspired “W” on his right forearm.

KELLIE PICKLER, CHRIS YOUNG CANCEL FAIR DATES FOR RASCAL FLATTS TOUR. Kellie Pickler and Chris Young have canceled fair dates in September because both artists were double-committed to be a part of Rascal Flatts’ tour. Kellie was scheduled to perform in Centreville, Michigan, at the St. Joseph Country Grange Fair September 23^rd, while Chris was booked to open for George Jones at the same fair on September 25^th. George is still scheduled to perform. Chris also canceled fair appearances in Frederick, Maryland on September 24^th, and Kennesaw, Georgia on September 25^th, because they coincided with a run of Rascal Flatts dates in Florida. Rascal Flatts’ next tour stop with Kellie and Chris will be Thursday in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

LAURA BELL BUNDY PROMOTES ALBUM WITH PEREZ HILTON. Perez Hilton recently chatted with Laura Bell Bundy after her return to the states from promoting her album, Achin’ and Shakin’ in Europe. Perez was dressed in a Snuggie, and shared online clips of Laura Bell’s recent promotion for her album to fans in the US. She is dressed as a “Tatiana,” owner of Waxing & Taxing, where she claims, “Laura Bell is quite hairy.”  She also disguised herself as “Shocantelle,” owner of Be-Weave Hair Salon. Perez insists on being in her next comic-skit, so viewers be prepared.

• RELATED LINK – Link to watch Laura Bell’s “Cooter County” characters.

http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/469502/cooter-county-characters-promo.jhtml

WILLIE NELSON DEFENDS SHIRLEY SHERROD. Founder of Farm Aid, Willie Nelson recently spoke out about the scandal involving Shirley Sherrod, who lost her job last week at the Department of Agriculture because a video tape was altered. Willie and Shirley first met while she was a director at the Georgia Field Office. Willie says, “While all family farmers in our country face an uphill battle to stay on their land, growing good food for rest of us, black farmers have lost their land at an alarming rate, faster than any other family farmers. Lending discrimination and inequities in agriculture programs are largely responsible for the shrinking number of black farmers.” Willie insists Shirley has been a great friend to him, Farm Aid, and family farmers for over 25 years.

This and That

• Jaron and The Long Road To Love is scheduled to perform the hit single “Pray For You” tonight on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
• Charlie Louvin who underwent a six-hour Whipple Procedure surgery on July 22^nd in Nashville, is currently recovering, and expected to be out of the hospital tomorrow. At age 83, he was diagnosed with stage two Pancreatic Cancer.
• Reba McEntire is featured on the September cover of the Cowboys & Indians Magazine, which is on sale now.
• This week on The New Yorker Out Loud, Blake Eskin, Editor of New Yorker.com, describes Brad Paisley’s musical ability. He says, “One of the things Paisley understands really well is this country tradition of the singer as the entertainer. The singer as the person who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep people smiling. To keep people singing along.”

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• BULLOCK WON’T REUNITE! Sandra Bullock will not reunite with her unfaithful ex-husband, Jesse James. Rumors that Bullock was considering going back to him began last week but Radar Online is reporting that there is no chance Bullock will get back together with James.
• ANOTHER MEL GIBSON RANT! Another Mel Gibson audio tape has hit the blogs, this time in the form of a voicemail the Australian actor is said to have left for his ex, Oksana Grigorieva. In the profanity-filled clip, Mel says he wishes he never had a child with Oksana and says some nasty things about Oksana’s former boyfriend, actor Timothy Dalton. Head to PerezHilton.com to check out the new audio.
• OKSANA NEEDS MEL’S PERMISSION! Besides being famous for dating and now fighting with Mel Gibson, Oksana Grigorieva (Pron: gree-gore-ee-eh-vuh) is a singer-songwriter. Unfortunately, we might not be hearing music from Oksana anytime soon because, according to TMZ, in order for the Russian songstress to dispense any of her new tunes, Mel has to sign off on the release as he was the executive producer of her new CD.

• BRITTANY MURPHY’S MOM SAYS NO MOLD! Recently, there were reports alleging that toxic mold in Brittany Murphy’s home may have been a factor in the deaths of Murphy and her husband, Simon Monjack. The late actress’ mother Sharon is denying those reports, calling them absurd and saying she’s shocked a rumor like that would begin. Read more at People.com.
• SNOOKI’S PHILOSOPHY! Season two of Jersey Shore premieres Thursday on MTV at 10 PM Eastern so get ready for more fist-pumping, tanning and bar fighting every Thursday night this summer. Tune in to MTV Thursday at 10 PM to see episode one of Jersey Shore season two.
• LOHAN HAS A SECRET TATTOO! What looked like a bruise on Lindsay Lohan’s arm the day she was in court waiting to be locked up, has turned out to be the beginning of a new tattoo. Head over to TMZ now to check out the faint, and somehow creepy, image of a little girl with her eyes closed, drawn on the inside of the starlet’s left arm. The outlet reports that once Lohan is released, she intends to finish to tat. As of now, Lohan could get out of jail as early as Sunday.

• CHARLIE SHEEN PLEA DEAL! With all this Mel Gibson and Lindsay Lohan drama going on, we’ve sort of forgotten about Charlie Sheen. But, it looks like his lawyers have still been hard at work making sure the Two and A Half Men actor spends no time behind bars. According to TMZ, Sheen and the court system are close to reaching a plea deal which would not include jail time. Sheen is accused of threatening his estranged wife, Brooke Mueller, with a knife on Christmas Day.
• WEDDINGS RINGS! Now that their wedding secret is out, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr are sporting some new jewelry. The lovebirds were spotted in the Miami Airport this week both wearing wedding rings. Congrats to the happy couple. Check out more at People.com.
• KIM KARDASHIAN TALKS PLASTIC SURGERY! Kim Kardashian went out of her way this weekend to urge a fan to not get plastic surgery to look like her. The fan tweeted to Kim saying that she was going to get head to toe surgery to look like Kim Kardashian so her husband wouldn’t leave her and Kim told her not to. Read more at Twitter.com/KimKardashian.
• BYNES NOT RETIRING! She was just kidding ya’ll! 24-year-old actress Amanda Bynes is “un-retiring.”  In a post on Twitter this weekend, she announced that her statements about retiring from acting back in June are now null and void. Bynes can next be seen in the flick Easy A, which hits theaters September 17^th. Stay up to date with the actress’ retirement status by following her at Twitter.com/Chicky.
• PREGNANCY CRAVINGS! Both Ali Larter and Christina Applegate are pregnant and the actresses are talking cravings. Christina told Entertainment Tonight that right now she’s craving avocados and other “weird things at weird hours,” while Ali revealed to People magazine that she’s baking herself strawberry shortcakes and eating them at 3 in the morning. Larter is apparently set to give birth this winter, while Applegate has not revealed her baby’s due date. 

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

TAYLOR SWIFT DEFENDED BY EMINEM IN SPIN MAGAZINE. Taylor Swift was defended by Eminem in the August issue of Spin, nearly a year after Kanye West interrupted her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. “He shouldn’t have done that, man,” Eminem told Spin. “I mean, she’s a little girl.” Taylor  was accepting her award for Best Female Video when Kanye rushed the stage and declared, "Yo, Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'll let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!" The issue hit newsstands today.

FAITH HILL PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. Faith Hill is keeping herself busy as a mother of three, as well as singing, acting and promoting her new fragrance True, but there are still many things she hopes to do in the future. Faith tells the Stockton Record Newspaper, “There are many things I want to do in my life. I'd like to grow a vegetable garden. My parents have had a garden my entire life. I want to pass that experience and knowledge on to my kids." Faith is also keeping herself busy as she’s working on new music. She says, “I haven't written in a very long time, and I'm really enjoying it. I've been working with some amazing writers." Faith’s new music may be influenced by some of her current favorite country artists. “Miranda Lambert and the Zac Brown Band are my favorites. Miranda is an honest singer with a spitfire attitude. The Zac Brown Band can just play the hell out of a song. Incredible.”  No matter what her upcoming plans are, one things for sure, you won’t find Faith on Twitter. “I cannot imagine our lives without the Internet now. It has changed so many things for the good and, in some ways, for the bad. I don't tweet.”

BRAD PAISLEY PLAYS THE GUITAR LIKE HE WALKS. Brad Paisley has been playing guitar for 30 years. He got his first guitar at the age of eight and had written his first song by the age of 12. But even with 28 major music awards, Brad still finds it important to practice his guitar skills. “Ya know, practicing now is more like—it sort of goes more hand in hand with writing and work for me. I mean, when I go out on the road, we have sound check at 2 in the afternoon and we play for an hour. Practicing is more like—it’s just second nature. It’s more like walking, ya know. I already know how to walk, but I could get better at it.” The H20 World Tour continues July 31^st in Fairlea, West Virginia with Darius Rucker, Justin Moore, Josh Thompson, Steel Magnolia, and Easton Corbin.

KEITH URBAN RESURRECTS A FLOODED GUITAR. Keith Urban was one of the many country music artists whose equipment suffered damage during the flood in Nashville. But it looks like one of Keith’s guitars is back up and running. He recently played it at a show in Sarnia, Canada, and told the audience that it had been resurrected to play that night. Keith also celebrated his single, “I’m In,” going number-one in Canada.

KELLIE PICKLER CAN’T GET ENOUGH KETCHUP CHIPS. Kellie Pickler has learned the hard way that you once you mention you like a product, you’ll get a lot of it. While touring in Canada with Rascal Flatts several years ago, Kellie mentioned the three things she likes about Canada – beer, hockey, and Ketchup Chips. “I get Ketchup Chips like crazy. The last show that we played in Canada, we got so many boxes…all of my buses and my truck were just filled with boxes under the bays, so we were giving them away. I’d go to meet and greets and say ‘Ok.’ I’d give them away and they’d give me more. But yeah, I love Ketchup Chips.” Kellie is currently on the road with Rascal Flatts, and tweeted about the new sparkly dresses she was given to wear for the show.

DARIUS RUCKER’S NEW ALBUM WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM THE REST. Darius Rucker recently finished recording his sophomore country album Charleston, SC 1966, and can guarantee this record will be different from the last - due to his producer.  “I think this time I really knew what I wanted to do a lot more than last time. I thank Frank Rogers for that. We talked a lot more. He let me have more input just ‘cause I knew what I wanted it to sound like, and I’d tell Frank, and Frank would get it for me. And ya know, I hope people like it as much as I do, ‘cause I love it.” Darius wrote 77 songs for the album, which will be released October 12^th. He’s currently touring with Brad Paisley. Check out CMT.com for a list of tour dates.

WYNONNA JUDD SURVIVES HEAD-ON COLLISION. Wynonna Judd, her daughter, and tour manager were hospitalized in Salt Lake City after being involved in a traffic accident last week. Wynonna tells the Lake Tahoe Tribune “I was in a major head-on collision and they didn't want to let me out of the hospital, and I said ‘Listen, I've got to go do a show.' And the guys were like, ‘If anybody can Wynonna, it's you. You've shown us that you have quite the spunk.' I said, ‘Listen, I've spent 10 years on a bus with my mother. If I can do that, I can do anything.'”  Wynonna would not give details about injuries they sustained but said “I'm not in grave danger or anything. It was pretty dramatic but I made it through.” Wynonna performs July 31^st in Truckee at the Lake Tahoe Music Festival.

GARY LEVOX JOINS HUNTING SHOW. When Gary Levox of Rascal Flatts isn’t out on the road playing for fans, he is taping a hunting show called The Crush with Lee and Tiffany. Gary joins the couple Lee and Tiffany as they hunt for animals in Iowa. You can watch the show Sunday nights at 7:30 Eastern Time on the Outdoors Channel.

RELATED VIDEO: Outtakes of the show –Gary dances. http://www.thecrush.tv/gallery/15/media/182/dull-moment-2-the-dance-the-dryer-the-hornet.html

GETTING TO KNOW THE MEMBERS OF LITTLE BIG TOWN. Everyone knows what great things Little Big Town can do as a band, but Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, Phillip Sweet and Kimberly Schlapman have individual traits and talents. "Karen loves the business aspect of the band," Kimberly says, "She likes to get into the big conversations and into the depths of the business talk.” Karen's husband, Jimi, is the jokester of the group. Kimberly says. "He can make light of a heavy situation. He's always making us laugh on the bus and playing jokes on people. He's just a lot of fun.” Phillip is the "dreamer" of the group. "When the world is falling apart and into pieces around us, he always finds the light, and he always brings it out," Kimberly notes. As for the others, they call Kimberly the “Peace Maker.” "I like to take care of people, and I like to make sure that they're OK and happy,” she says. Little Big Town is currently climbing the Billboard charts with their latest single, “Little White Church,” from their The Reason Why album, which will be in stores August 24^th.

COUNTRY MUSIC HAS SOMETHING TO TWEET ABOUT.  Over the weekend many country artists had something to tweet about including:

• Brad Paisley: “Congratulations @DierksBentley family. Get ready for the sibling rivalry.”
• Kellie Pickler: “Mandalay sent me some beautiful sparkly dresses to wear on the Rascal Flatts tour! Yip-eeeee!!! :)”
• Reba McEntire: “Had a great time in the studio yesterday. Got two new songs recorded! Can't wait for you to hear them.”

KEITH URBAN, RASCAL FLATTS COVERED ON AMERICAN IDOL TOUR. Keith Urban’s “Somebody Like You” and Rascal Flatts’ “Fast Cars and Freedom” are part of American Idol finalist Aaron Kelly’s set list on the Idols Live tour, according to a review in Entertainment Weekly.  Aaron’s take on “Somebody Like You” was “easily the night’s most energetic number” and “an unexpected jolt” during a Newark, New Jersey show. The tour also features winner Lee DeWyze and runner-up Crystal Bowersox as well as the 10 remaining finalists of season nine.

BRAD PAISLEY HAS ENTERTAINING TWEETS. Brad Paisley is known for his great sense of humor—from playing pranks on his tour mates to including clever lyrics in his songs. So it’s no surprise that Brad’s Twitter is a place where his fans can be entertained as well. He recently had the following tweets:

• “Would like to thank the Canadian border agents for the gentle frisking. Good times. Good times.”
• “Realizing how many of my things have the abbreviation BP written on them. Great. Just #~@<⁎^£¥ great.”

If you’d like to follow Brad on twitter, go to twitter.com/BradPaisley.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• OKSANA DOESN’T WANT MEL’S MONEY! Oksana Grigorieva (Pron: gree-gore-ee-eh-vuh) says she has no interest in Mel Gibson’s money and that’s why she turned down the actor’s 15-million dollar payment to keep quiet about their relationship. Gibson’s team has accused Oksana of leaking audio tapes of Mel because she wanted more than 15-million dollars. Read more at TMZ.com.
• SNOOKI LIKES HER LIFE! Season two of the Jersey Shore begins this Thursday at 10 PM Eastern on MTV. We’ll finally get to see the cast at it again, this time in Miami. The series has also just been renewed for a third season. Turn your TVs to MTV on Thursday at 10 PM to see Jersey Shore season two.
• AWESOME JERSEY SHORE UPDATES! Head to MTV.com to check out an amazing family photo of Jersey Shore’s The Situation, from the days when he was simply Mike Sorrentino.  In the shot, The Sitch and his siblings are wearing turtlenecks. Also, head over to UsMagazine.com and read about how Snooki “gets off” on being called a “midget, oompa-loompa, orange” girl. Finally, tune in to MTV this Thursday to check out the season premiere of Jersey Shore.
  • DIRECT LINK TO PHOTO: http://www.mtv.com/photos/when-i-was-17-ep-12-celebrity-photo-flashback/1644171/5044311/photo.jhtml
• ANGELINA JOLIE TALKS THRILLS! Angelina Jolie used to live life on the dangerous side, carrying a blood filled vile around her neck, getting barbed wire tattoos, et cetera, but now things seem to have calmed down.  Check out Angelina Jolie in the new flick Salt today.
• ANGELINA NOT READY FOR KIDS TO DATE! Angelina Jolie told People magazine that the main concern she has right now is that her children will soon be growing up. The 35-year-old Salt actress says that she’s not ready for them to be driving and dating. She has a little time though, as her oldest child Maddox is only eight.
• TWILIGHT STAR TALKS PREGNANCY! Twilight Saga: Eclipse actress Bryce Dallas Howard is talking all about the post-partum depression she suffered after giving birth to her son three years ago. She reveals in the latest newsletter from actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s website Goop.com that she felt terrible and worried she was a bad mother because of the way she felt after giving birth. She’s now a happy mother and all is well. Check out People.com and Goop.com for more of her story.
• BEST SUMMER BODY! Women’s Health magazine has released their list of the Best Summer Bodies of 2010, and supermodel Brooklyn Decker tops it. The 23-year-old wife of tennis player Andy Roddick beat out the likes of Ashley Greene, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel and others to take the top spot. See all the hot ladies over at WomensHealthMag.com.
• CRUISE ON TV?! According to tabloid reports in Britain, Tom Cruise is shopping a reality series that would feature his family. We find this hard to believe, but Grazia magazine is stating the footage of Cruise, his wife Katie Holmes and their daughter Suri has already been shot and it’s being cut up into a series.
• MICHAEL LOHAN CALLS OFF WEDDING! Michael Lohan has announced that he’s called off his wedding to Kate Major. This comes after Major accused Lohan of assault, alleging that he hit her in the face with a shoe. Major has previously dated Jon Gosselin. Learn more at UsMagazine.com.
• RICHIE BACK ON CHUCK! Nicole Richie is going to reprise her role as “Heather” on another episode of Chuck. According to Entertainment Weekly, the Simple Life star will be back for a show in October.  On the episode, she will get into another epic battle with Chuck character “Sarah.” Check out NBC this fall for more.
• BACHELORETTE TONIGHT! Tonight on The Bachelorette, 17 of the guys whom Ali sent home come back to talk about their hunt for love on the show. Tonight on ABC at 8 PM Eastern, check out The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All.
• MTV IS GLAAD! MTV has earned the first-ever “excellent” rating from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation for their representation of gay characters in their programming. According to the Associated Press, 42 percent of MTV’s original primetime programming contained storylines about gay, bisexual and transgender people.
• MTV HELPS HIV/AIDS AWARENESS! New research at John Hopkins reveals PEPFAR, MTV and UNICEF’s Ignite Campaign has altered how young people think about HIV and AIDS.  MTV’s Staying Alive TV drama series Shuga is a hard-hitting show for young people in both Kenya and Zambia, with compelling HIV prevention and education messages.  Another MTV drama series called Tribes airs in Trinidad and Tobago.  The combination of both shows reached kids in 96 percent of the top 50 HIV/AIDS impacted countries.  The study shows that young people understand the messages conveyed in shows like Shuge and Tribes, creating conversation about HIV issues.  For more information, go to Staying-Alive.org. 

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

DIERKS BENTLEY EXPECTING BABY NUMBER TWO. Dierks Bentley and his wife Cassidy will have an extra special gift this holiday season as they are expecting their second child in December. Dierks first child Evie is almost two and seems to be the most excited for the addition. Dierks tells People Magazine, “She's pretty obsessed with a baby doll she carries around now ...We'll see how she does with the real thing!" Dierks will be back on the road with his Up On The Ridge tour, in Raleigh, North Carolina July 24^th.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD SMASHES RECORDS WHILE ON HONEYMOON. Carrie Underwood has managed to break records even while enjoying her honeymoon in Tahiti. USA Today is reporting her debut album, Some Hearts, has sold over seven million copies. She is the first American Idol winner to ever go seven-times platinum. Some Hearts includes Carrie’s earlier hits, “Jesus Take the Wheel,” Before He Cheats,” and “Don’t Forget to Remember Me.”

KENNY CHESNEY’S “BOYS OF FALL” MAKES HISTORY. Kenny Chesney’s new single “Boys of Fall” has made one of the highest debuts in history, landing at number 17 on Billboard’s Country Song chart this week. The new single gives Kenny two of the four highest debut singles in the charts history. Kenny’s song “Don’t Blink” debuted at number sixteen in September of 2007.  “Boys of Fall” is the highest debut of a song since Garth Brooks hit “More Than A Memory” in 2007. Kenny’s upcoming album, Hemingway’s Whiskey will be released on September 28^th.

KEITH URBAN LOVES NICOLE KIDMAN WITH A SIDE OF BBQ SAUCE. Keith Urban recently sat down with CMT Radio Live’s host Cody Alan and informed him, there is one thing he can’t resist smothering in barbeque sauce - and it’s not chicken.  “My wife, (laughing) thank you very much.” Keith’s Escape Together World Tour is being sponsored by KC Masterpiece and Kingsford Charcoal. While on the road, Keith tries to eat healthy, but sometimes he gives in to his guilty pleasure for fried food.“We devoured a ton of Steak ‘n Shake the other day. That was pretty wicked-good. I don’t know if it’s “guilty” food but it was pretty good.”

TAYLOR SWIFT’S LUCKY NUMBER CHOOSES MUSIC VIDEO LOVE INTEREST.  Taylor Swift recently filmed the music video for her upcoming single, “Mine” and her lucky number 13 led the way to finding the perfect character to play her love interest. Taylor first noticed Toby Hemingway in the movie Feast of Love, but after she saw him wearing 13 in the movie The Covenant, she knew it was fate. “I've got this crazy 13 lucky thing, and he walks on screen for the first time wearing a sweatshirt with a 13 on it! That was the deciding factor. It wasn't really up to me, it was about the number," Taylor tells People Magazine. The two have clicked off screen as well. They were spotted together in L.A. this past week while Taylor was in town to record with an orchestra for her next album. Taylor’s album Speak Now will be released October 25^th.

TIM MCGRAW’S NEW FILM SETS RELEASE DATE. Tim McGraw’s new film Country Strong featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, Leighton Meester, and Garrett Hedlund will be released on December 22^nd. Tim will star as the husband and career manager of a country singer played by Gwyneth. According to People Magazine, “Romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all.” The movie, which was shot in Nashville, was originally named Love Don’t Let Me Down.

KENNY CHESNEY & TOBY KEITH AMONG TOP-EARNING MUSICIANS. Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith are among the top-earning musicians of the last twelve months, according Forbes. The list ranked musicians' earnings from June 2009 to June 2010, factoring in album sales, touring, publishing royalties and endorsement deals. Kenny ranked ninth with earnings of 50-million dollars. Toby tied for 10^th place with Coldplay and Black Eyed Peas with 48 million-million dollars. U2 topped the list with 130-million dollars.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD RETURNS FROM HONEYMOON. Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher returned to the states Wednesday afternoon after their 10-day honeymoon in Tahiti. The couple was spotted arriving at the LAX airport, wearing flip-flops and sporting a sun-kissed tan. During their time in Tahiti, Carrie and Mike enjoyed swimming and snorkeling with reef sharks, as well as touring the island via helicopter. Now that the celebration is over, Carrie will be gearing up for her performance on NBC’s Today Show - Summer Concert Series on Friday, July 30^th.

MIRANDA LAMBERT’S CONCERT EYE CANDY. Miranda Lambert’s Roadside Bars And Pink Guitars tour wraps up August 7^th in Washington. The 31 date tour has included such opening acts as David Nail, James Otto, Randy Houser, Eric Church, Chris Young, Wade Bowen – that’s right, they are all men! Miranda jokes being surrounded by guys all of the time has been a terrible job. “I mean they’re all so horrible to look at…it’s really, it’s hard. But you know, I…I gotta do it. I brought ‘em on tour!” Miranda had her fans in mind when she decided to only have men touring with her.   “Such a different dynamic and it’s a little bit of eye candy for everybody. I mean, there’s a girl and a guy and if you come there as a couple, you can all have something to look at and it’ll work out!” Miranda will headline CMT On Tour which kicks off on September 29th in New York, New York. Eric Church and Josh Kelley will open during the 28 city tour. Log on to CMT.com for more details.

JULIANNE HOUGH REVEALS SHE ONCE THOUGHT RYAN SEACREST WAS GAY. Though Julianne Hough and Ryan Seacrest have yet to address their relationship with the public, TMZ reports Julianne once thought he was gay. She opened up to her friends while celebrating her 22^nd birthday at Morton’s Steak House in North Carolina.When a friend asked how the two became an item, Julianne explained the couple’s history. “He was after me since I was 18. He totally wasn't my type, I thought he was gay." Julianne continued, "After a few years, he was persistent ... so I went out with him on a date and I realized how much I liked him."

REBA MCENTIRE CREATES TWITTER VIDEO. Though Reba McEntire has been tweeting for months now, she has just discovered how to post a Twitter video to her account. In her debut Twit-video, she informs fans of her upcoming plans. Reba says, “I’m going to be busy doing a recording, shooting a video, doing a video shoot, and a concert. A lot of busy stuff, but I hope you have a great day!” You can follow Reba on Twitter at twitter.com/Reba.

ERIC CHURCH WANTS FANS TO ADOPT TWO KITTENS. Erich Church stumbled upon two kittens during his morning jog yesterday, and is now determined to find them a home. The two cats took over Eric’s website, writing to fans about their journey leading up to Eric’s rescue, as well a sense of their personality. The blog says, “He promised to help find us the perfect loving home since he couldn’t take us himself, he is allergic to us!” Those interested in adopting the two cats can contact nikki@qprime.com. The cats left readers with one final thought, “We are located in the North Carolina area, but aren’t afraid to fly to our new home, arrangements can be made.”

DIERKS BENTLEY TO PLAY VARIOUS SONGS FOR LATE NIGHT TV. Dierks Bentley will grace fans with new music from his album Up On The Ridge on two different late night shows next week. Tuesday July 27^th, Dierks will perform “Fallin’ For You” on the Late Show With David Letterman. The next night his romantic song, “Draw Me A Map” will make its television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Dierks says, “It’s really flattering that folks were listening and asking for deeper album cuts.  I love being able to highlight as many of these songs as possible because I think they are all special.” Entertainment Weekly recently chose Dierk’s song “Bad Angel” as the only country track on their Perfect Summer Playlist.

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME TO HONOR TAMMY WYNETTE. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will honor one of country music’s biggest icons -Tammy Wynette. The Tammy Wynette: First Lady of Country Music will be a biographical exhibit featuring her childhood possessions, numerous recipes, a lead-crystal vase filled with cotton hand-picked by Tammy, beaded gowns, her personal journal, and numerous awards. The exhibit will open Friday, August 20^th and last until June 12^th, 2011.

WEEKEND TOUR TRACKER:

Brad Paisley

• Thursday Night – Toronto, ON
• Friday Night – Cuyahoga Falls, OH
• Saturday Night – Saratoga Springs, NY

Toby Keith

• Thursday Night – Boise, ID
• Friday Night – Ridgefield, WA
• Saturday Night – Auburn, WA

Sugarland

• Friday Night – Twin Lakes, WI
• Saturday Night – Eau Claire, WI
• Sunday Night – Maryland Heights, MO

Tim McGraw 

• Friday Night – Charlotte, NC
• Saturday Night – Raleigh, NC
• Sunday Night – Virginia Beach, VA

Brooks & Dunn

• Friday Night – Minot, ND
• Saturday Night – Cheyenne, WY
• Sunday Night – Omaha, NE

Dierks Bentley

• Friday Night – Louisville, KY

Martina McBride

• Thursday Night – Costa Mesa, CA
• Friday Night – Sacramento, CA
• Saturday Night – Rancho Mirage, CA
• Sunday Night – Lemoore, CA

Kenny Chesney

• Saturday Night – Louisville, KY
• Sunday Night – Twin Lakes, WI

Lee Ann Womack

• Saturday Night – Rama, ON

Zac Brown Band

• Saturday Night – Washington DC with Dave Matthews Band

Rascal Flatts

• Thursday Night – Wichita, KS
• Friday Night – Tulsa, OK
• Saturday Night – Frisco, TX

THIS AND THAT

• Toby Keith will release a new album Bullets in the Gun on October 5^th, with the lead single "Trailerhood."

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• MEL GIBSON UPDATE! The latest from the Mel Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva (Pron: gree-gore-ee-eh-vuh) includes Gibson accusing Oksana of extortion, TMZ reporting that X-rays of Oksana’s alleged injuries have surfaced and Oksana denying to TMZ that she tried to extort Gibson.
• MEL GIBSON LIKE OIL LEAK! California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is poking fun at Mel Gibson. At a recent speech, the “Govinator” compared the embattled Gibson to the oil leak because “no one has figured out how to contain Mel  Gibson” either. Go to News.Yahoo.com for more.
• IS LOHAN GETTING SPECIAL TREATMENT? Since Lindsay Lohan reported to prison on July 20^th, media outlets have been asking inmates getting released to talk about what it was like with Lohan in jail. People magazine cites a source who told them the starlet is sleeping well, while the New York Daily News posted a quote from an inmate complaining that Lohan is getting special treatment while locked up. As of now, it looks like Lohan will be released sometime in early August.
• DAVID BOREANAZ SUED! Bones star David Boreanaz is being sued for sexual harassment. According to TMZ, Kristina Hagan claims that Boreanaz sexually harassed her via text messages while they were on the set of Bones back in 2009. Several months ago, Boreanaz admitted to having an extramarital affair with a woman, claiming that she was trying to extort money from him.
• BRAD AND ANGELINA WIN! Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie successfully sued a British tabloid and won their settlement. The News of the World publication falsely reported that the celeb power couple were getting a divorce and then refused to retract their story. Pitt and Jolie sued the outlet and won damages. Check out News.Yahoo.com for more.
• JON VOIGHT TALKS ANGELINA! Jon Voight recently caught up with People magazine to talk about staying in touch with his actress daughter, Angelina Jolie. The father and daughter, who were once estranged, now like to keep in touch regularly and Voight says when he heads to Texas to film the TV show Lonestar, he’ll keep up with his daughter and grandchildren using Skype. When we chatted with Voight, he told us about how he and Jolie deal with the paparazzi.  You can see Jolie in Salt, which is in theaters today.
• NEW CELEB-FILLED TALK SHOW! CBS is launching a new daytime talk show soon that will feature a long list of rotating celebrity hosts including Sharon Osbourne, actress Sara Gilbert and Celebrity Apprentice contestant Holly Robinson Peete. Learn more at News.Yahoo.com.
• BETTY WHITE CLOTHING LINE! 88-year-old Betty White is launching her own clothing line for charity. According to USA Today, the hottest old lady in town will be creating T-shirts and hoodies and a portion of the money made from sales will head to White’s favorite charities.

• MONJACK’S DEATH SIMILAR TO MURPHY’S. Simon Monjack died the same way his wife, Brittany Murphy, did. The Los Angeles Coroner’s office announced that Monjack died from acute pneumonia and severe anemia, pointing out that his death was “just like Brittany’s.” Monjack did have some prescription drugs in his system when he died, but none were at lethal levels. Learn more at People.com.
• ICE ROAD TRUCKERS! We caught up with Ice Road Truckers star Hugh “Polar Bear” Rowland this week to talk about the new season of the reality series on The History Channel. He told us that by now, he’s pretty used to the cameramen who film him. Check out Ice Road Truckers on The History Channel Sunday at 9 PM Eastern.
• TRACY MORGAN HBO SPECIAL! 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan is getting his own HBO stand-up special. The comedian will tape Tracy Morgan: Black and Blue at the Apollo Theatre in New York City in late September to air on HBO at a later date. Check out USAToday.com for more.
• AMY ADAMS TO PLAY JANIS JOPLIN!  Amy Adams has been cast as Janis Joplin in the new biopic Janis Joplin: Get It While You Can.  Rolling Stone reports that when production begins next year, it will be high-end since Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, who produced The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, are producing the film.  As yet, no studio has signed on to release the movie.  Read more at RollingStone.com. 
• MTV2 CROWNS THE BEST IN HIP-HOP! MTV2’s first ever Sucker Free Summit is honoring the year’s best in hip-hop. Hosted by DJ Envy, the Summit will bring together a panel of industry insiders to partake in an intense debate about the artists nominated for each category. Participants with backgrounds in radio, television and club DJs will include Fat Joe, Bun B, Miss Info and more! Be sure the catch MTV2’s Sucker Free Summit airing on Sunday at 12 PM Eastern!
• JENKS NEW MTV DOCU-SERIES! Award-winning documentary filmmaker Andrew Jenks is taking viewers on an unforgettable journey in his new docu-series, World Of Jenks. The 24-year-old focuses his lens into the 12 diverse lives of everyone from a young homeless man to a platinum-selling recording artist. On film, Jenks brings viewers a better understanding of someone else’s reality, with a wide range of voices and hidden personal stories. Don’t miss this new docu-series, World of Jenks, premiering on Monday, September 13^th at 10 PM Eastern on MTV!   

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

JERROD NIEMANN KNOCKS LADY A OFF THE TOP! Jerrod Niemann has ended Lady Antebellum’s six week reign at the top of the Billboard Country album chart with his debut project Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury.  His debut video is for his hit “Lover, Lover,” and at the end of the video you’ll find appearances by two of his best friends – Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson. Both of them have had longer careers than Jerrod and thought they needed to put their own spin on their portion of the video.“I asked Randy, I said ‘Hey man, you wanna be in the video?’ and he’s like ‘Oh yeah, I’m in town, definitely could do that.’ And I said ‘well I’ve got this real cool Camaro that Chevy’s letting us use…’ and he’s like, ‘man do you think we could get a Cadillac?’ …Changing my video. And I said ‘well just stick with Camaro on this one, buddy.’  Randy’s nickname is Cadillac which explains why he made the Cadillac request. And as for Jamey’s request – well Jerrod says “That’s just Jamey.” “So then I called Jamey, and he’s like ‘yeah man, let’s do it!’ and I said ‘well we’ve got this really cool Camaro that you guys are going to pick me up in at the end.’ And Jamey’s like, ‘no, why don’t we get my Escalade, load it down with a bunch of hot chicks, and we’ll come pick you up.’” Jerrod’s album Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury sold more than 33-thousand copies it’s first week in stores and is the only country album found in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top  200 chart.

TAYLOR SWIFT FRAMES FANS’ HEART-SHAPED CREATION. Taylor Swift shared one of her favorite memories during this past year’s Fearless tour during a live webchat. A group of fans created a puzzle for Taylor, and each time someone would meet her, she would receive a piece to the puzzle.  “It seemed like every time I turned around at a show, someone would show up at the meet ‘n greet and give me one of these puzzle pieces and I kept them. After the 15-month tour was over, I had all these puzzle pieces and I put them together and it made the shape of this giant heart.” Of course Taylor wouldn’t let the thoughtful creation go to waste.  (Cut #4)“I went and I got this giant canvas, and I painted the canvas and then glued the puzzle onto the canvas that I’m going to get framed and it’s going to be very prominently placed on my wall.” Taylor announced during a webcast on Tuesday that she will release her third album Speak Now October 25^th.

MILLIONAIRE MATCHMAKER HOST DISCUSSES CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S WEDDING. Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker host Patti Stanger recently sat down with PopEater to discuss her thoughts and assumptions on Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher’s marriage. Patti says, “I knew the minute she made a decision to get married with anybody after Tony Romo, she would find true love.” She noted Mike’s wealthy success in Canada, and even predicted Carrie would be pregnant within two years. To view Patti’s thoughts on Carrie and other Hollywood couples visit popeater.com/millionaire-matchmaker-video-patti-stanger.

BLAKE SHELTON’S LATEST TAKE 6 TUESDAY WEBISODE. In Blake Shelton’s latest Take 6 Tuesday webisode, he offers fans a look inside his daily preparation for a concert. Blake says his first step in his schedule is to, “Of course mix myself a big ole Bacardi and Sprite Zero.” Afterwards, he insists on chewing not one, but three pieces of orange Orbit gum. Blake doesn’t distinguish if he continues to chew the gum during his third step, but he starts to drink his big ole Bacardi and Sprite Zero drink. Next, he says, “I always water my pot…-ted tomatoes.” The last two steps involve, believe it or not, drinking his Bacardi and Sprite Zero, and then pouring himself another round. To check out more of Blake’s insightful Take 6 Tuesday webisodes, visit blakeshetlon.com.

TAYLOR SWIFT FEARLESSLY CLOSE TO SELLING SIX MILLION ALBUMS. According to the Billboard Country Album chart, Taylor Swift is a few albums shy of selling six million copies of her Fearless record. Last August, Fearless had already been certified gold or platinum in fourteen different countries by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album has already been certified five times platinum in the United States and triple platinum in Australia and Canada. Taylor will release her third album, Speak Now, October 25^th which she has written all 14 songs featured on the record.

LADY ANTEBELLUM ANNOUNCES HEADLINING TOUR STOP. Lady Antebellum has a special surprise for Connecticut fans in their latest Webisode Wednesday. The video follows the trio around as they prepare for a local radio performance and announcement. Hillary Scott informed fans they will be returning to Hartford, Connecticut on October 15^th for the Need You Now 2010 headlining tour. Tour dates are constantly being added to their website at LadyAntebellum.com.

JOSH TURNER’S SON NOT A FAN OF SMASH CAKES. Josh Turner and his family recently had two weeks off from touring and took time to celebrate his son’s Colby’s first birthday. Although everyone else thought it was a cute idea, Colby didn’t like the idea of eating cake on his birthday. “He didn’t like it at all. We got what they called a “smash-cake.” We got one cake for everybody to eat and then we had like a little tiny smash cake that he could just, ya know, demolish. But he just didn’t enjoy it whatsoever. He wanted to get down and play with his toys.” Colby is Josh’s second son; his oldest, Hampton turns four in October. Both Hampton and Colby go on the road with Josh and his wife Jennifer who sings and plays piano in the band.

JIMMY WAYNE’S READY TO CELEBRATE HIS MEET ME HALFWAY CAMPAIGN. Jimmy Wayne has almost completed his 1700 mile trek from Nashville to Phoenix on his Meet Me Halfway walk. He will complete the last thirteen miles on August 1^st, but the night before, he will be celebrating the journey. Jimmy announced he will be having a huge celebration at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill on July 31^st in Mesa, Arizona. He’s also encouraging fans to walk the last mile with him. Along his journey, Jimmy has met some new friends, and even heard from a few celebrities including Tom Cruise and Paris Hilton.

BRAD PAISLEY TAKES OVER CHICAGO –SURPRISES FANS. Brad Paisley brought his H20 World Tour to Chicago last Friday and played for a sold-out crowd of over 25-thousand people. This marks Brad’s second consecutive year he has sold out First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. The following day, Brad made a surprise appearance during Josh Thompson’s set on the Water World stage in Moline, Illinois. The two played Merle Haggard’s “Ramblin’ Fever,” and over 5-thousand fans enjoyed the performance. The H20 World Tour continues tomorrow in Cleveland, Ohio.

HALL OF FAME FUNDRAISER PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED. Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson and Taylor Swift will perform on September 23^rd in Los Angeles at Club Nokia for a fundraiser for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. The fourth guest has not yet been announced. The All for the Hall event will follow the "guitar pull" format, where the songwriters share the stage and take turns playing their songs. A cocktail reception and dinner will precede the guitar pull.

JAKE OWEN ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE. Jake Owen announced at his concert on Saturday night in South Carolina, his next single will be “Trip to Heaven.” The song was recorded in June with Sara Buxton who collaborated with Jake on the vocals, and is expected to hit airwaves in the fall. Jake recently held a Fan Club Party in Nashville, and “Trip to Heaven” was the only new song he shared with the audience.

Gretchen Wilson Serves as Spokesperson in PSA Campaign About Earning GED. Gretchen Wilson will serves as a spokesperson for earning GED diplomas in a new public service advertising campaign which aims to reach high school dropouts in their mid-20s. Gretchen partnered with the Advertising Council and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for the campaign. "People need the right tools to succeed and, at the very minimum, a major tool on the road to success is a high school diploma or GED," said Gretchen. "This campaign will go a long way toward educating people on how to take that first step to make a difference in their lives and the lives of their families, and I'm honored to be a part of it." Gretchen dropped out of school after the eighth grade at age 15 and received her GED nearly 20 years later at age 34.

“BISCUIT LADY” TO MAKE FINAL APPEARANCE ON BEST DISHES WITH PAULA DEEN. Carol Fay Ellison also known as the infamous “Biscuit Lady” at Loveless Café in Nashville, Tennessee will make her final television appearance this Saturday on Best Dishes with Paula Deen. Carol who passed away in April, recorded the episode last November at Paula’s home in Savannah Georgia, and said this was one of her favorite appearances. Carol’s secret biscuit recipe wasn’t revealed on the show, but the Loveless Cafe’s biscuit mix was used in the recipe. The episode will premiere at 11:30 Eastern Time/10:30AM Central Time on the Food Network.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• LOHAN OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE! Even if Lindsay Lohan only serves 14 days out of the 90 she was sentenced, she still won’t be on the streets for awhile. According to the Associated Press, directly after serving her jail sentence, Lohan will head to inpatient rehabilitation for three months.
• SEND LINDSAY A CARE PACKAGE! Fans and wannabe friends of actress Lindsay Lohan can send the new inmate a care package! It’s easy! Head over to LASDPackages.com and enter Lohan’s booking number, which is 2-4-0-9-7-5-2, then order her up some goodies. Make it snappy though, as the starlet may be getting released around August 1^st or 2^nd. Learn more at EOnline.com.
• BULLOCK TAKES JAMES BACK? Life & Style magazine is claiming that Sandra Bullock is considering taking Jesse James back. The outlet cites an unknown source who claims Bullock is ready to forgive James because she loves his children and loved when they were all a family. Read more over at PopEater.com.
• BRISTOL PALIN SAYS MOM DOESN’T APPROVE! Bristol Palin told Us Weekly that her mom, Sarah Palin, doesn’t approve of her re-engagement to Levi Johnston. Bristol explained that Sarah doesn’t want to see her hurt again. When we caught up with Sarah Palin earlier this year, she told us about being proud of her daughter. Head to UsMagazine.com for more.
• PEOPLE STILL LOVE TIGER! Allegedly, Tiger Woods has loved many females throughout his golfing career, and his fans are loving Woods because of it. According to the Associated Press, Tiger Woods is tied for first place with basketball player Kobe Bryant as America’s favorite sports star. A new poll conducted online had the golfer coming out on top, but this is the first time he’s had to share the top spot since 2006.
• CHRISTINA APPLEGATE IS PREGNANT! Actress Christina Applegate is pregnant. Us Weekly has confirmed that the 38-year-old and her musician fiancé,  Martyn Lenoble, will be first time parents soon. The pair got engaged this past Valentine’s Day but have not yet to set a wedding date. Congrats to the soon-to-be parents.
• ALI LARTER PREGNANT! Heroes actress Ali Larter is pregnant! Larter and her writer husband, Hayes MacArthur, are expecting their first child this winter. Head over to People.com to learn more.
• CLOONEY GETS AN EMMY! George Clooney is getting an Emmy Award during this year’s show in recognition of his humanitarian efforts. The Academy of Television and Sciences is giving Clooney the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, so tune in on August 29^th to see the ceremony on NBC.
• THE OTHER GUYS! Mark Wahlberg stars alongside Will Ferrell in the new cop comedy The Other Guys. When it came to acting his part, Wahlberg told us he took his cues from Will and the film’s director and co-writer, Adam McKay . Fans can check out The Other Guys, also staring Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson, when it hits theaters on August 6^th.
• JERSEY SHORE SEASON THREE! Our sources at MTV have confirmed to us that not only will Jersey Shore be back for a third season, but that that season will take place in good ol’ Seaside Heights, New Jersey.  For now, check out season two of Jersey Shore, which finds the cast in Miami.  It premieres on Thursday, July 29^th at 10 PM Eastern on MTV.
  • TIDBIT: According to People magazine, the whole cast has gotten a raise for season three, with TMZ reporting some cast members are getting paid close to 30-thousand dollars an episode.
• JERSEY SHORE CAST GO BACK IN TIME! Pauly D, “The Situation” and “J-Woww” are giving their fans an inside look at who they were before they hit the Jersey Shore. On MTV’s “When I Was 17,” viewers will get the inside scoop on what the three were up to before “GTL” became their life slogan. Don’t miss this episode of MTV’s “When I Was 17” on Saturday at 11 AM Eastern, just a few days before the Season 2 premiere of Jersey Shore on Thursday, July 29^th at 10 PM Eastern! <WM>
• AMERICAN IDOL TOUR! The American Idols Live! 2010 summer tour is well underway and the Top 10 head to Washington, DC tomorrow night.  Check out AmericanIdol.com/Tour to learn more.
• ACTRESS IN GOVERNMENT! California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting some help from Hollywood. The “Govinator” has appointed actress Geena Davis to a commission established to further women’s equality in California. Learn more over at News.Yahoo.com.
• SUCKER FREE SUMMIT IS COMING TO NYC! On Sunday, MTV2 will be airing the first Sucker Free Summit. This event will honor the best of today’s hip-hop industry and the musicians who have gained the most recognition in the last year. DJ Envy is set to host the show and a panel of industry experts will hold debates about which artist should take the crown. Be sure to check it out this Sunday on MTV2! 

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

TAYLOR SWIFT WILL SPEAK NOW ON OCTOBER 25^th. Yesterday, over 55-thousand fans tuned in to Taylor Swift’s webcast as she released new details behind her upcoming album and first single. Taylor’s third album Speak Now, will be released worldwide on October 25^th, following her brand new single “Mine,” which is scheduled to hit radio mid-August. Taylor says, “The new single is about my tendency to run from love, and finding the exception to that.” Taylor also revealed she is planning a world tour following the album, and plans to visit some of her favorite places including, Ireland, Latin America, and Italy. The album which is co-produced by Nathan Chapman, will feature 14 different tracks – all of which were solely written by Taylor. A fan favorite hit, “Sparks Fly” as well as a song which features an orchestra will be featured on Speak Now, available October 25^th.

LADY ANTEBELUM PLANS FIRST EUROPEAN CONCERT. Lady Antebellum will perform their first European concert on August 11^th at London's O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. “Need You Now” has already been a Top 10 hit in the U.K., while the trio’s current single there is “I Run to You.” According to tour dates posted on the band's official website, the London performance will take place between their final concert on Tim McGraw’s tour on August 7^th in Toronto and before the Illinois State Fair on August 13^th in Springfield, Ill.

TAYLOR SWIFT TO COLLABORATE WITH OWL CITY? Though Taylor Swift has been working hard on her third album, rumors have been swirling the country star may make time to collaborate with Owl City’s lead singer Adam Young. Taylor is a huge fan of the band as she recently tweeted the band saying, "If I was in town, I'd be there! Front row, super-fan style." It just so happens she did make the concert and jammed in the VIP section. Adam says, "I have talked to her. She's so busy, but she said if there's time, she said it'd be lot of fun. There's this weird hybrid country song I'm working on. There's no title because I haven't made any lyrics yet. But that would be the one."

KEITH URBAN COLLABORATES WITH THE WIGGLES. Keith Urban has collaborated with such artists as Brad Paisley, John Mayer, and John Fogerty. Now he’s completely switched gears and recorded with The Wiggles and he didn’t even do it to impress his daughter Sunday.  “She’s not hip to The Wiggles yet. But I did do a song with them recently, so hopefully when she’s into them, she’ll think Dad’s cool ‘cause he sang with The Wiggles. We did a cover version of “England Swings” by Roger Miller.” Sunday just turned two and the family celebrated while on a tropical beach.

TRACE ADKINS HEADS TO THE BIG SCREEN. Trace Adkins will be starring alongside Mathew McConaughey in the upcoming drama The Lincoln Lawyer. The film portrays the story of a lawyer who does business out of a Lincoln Town Car while representing a prestigious Beverly Hills client. Trace will portray the leader of a bike gang. He tells The Boot, "My role is just a couple of scenes. This is an easy thing to do. It takes literally three days out of my schedule. It's something that I can do and have fun doing." Ryan Phillippe, Marisa Tomei, John Leguizamo, and William H. Macy will also be featured in The Lincoln Lawyer which will be in theaters next year.

LUKE BRYAN ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE. Luke Bryan is currently celebrating the success of his second number one song, “Rain Is a Good Thing,” off his current album, Doin’ My Thing. Luke has announced his third hit off the album will be, “Someone Else is Calling You Baby.” The song will be released to radio on August 2^nd, which is a few days before Luke’s appearance on the Teen Choice Awards. He is nominated for Top Country Male Artist and for Top Country Album.

COUNTRY ARTISTS BIRTH NAMES REVEALED. Some of the biggest stars in country music dropped their birth names for stage names and CMT.com has compiled a list of them. They include, Troyal Garth Brooks, Valerie June Carter, Margaret LeAnn Rimes, Ernest Clay Walker and Jessie Keith Whitley.  Meanwhile, some artists drop their last names, such as Gary Allan Herzberg, Toby Keith Covel and Jimmy Wayne Barber. Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts replaced his entire name for the French term for "The Voice," evolving from Gary Wayne Vernon Jr. to Gary LeVox.

LEANN RIMES EX-HUSBAND MOVES ON. Dean Sheremet has found love again after his publicized divorce from LeAnn Rimes. Dean is moving in to the home of his girlfriend Sarah Silver, who is an established photographer. Dean confirmed the news with US Magazine saying, "It's true. We're moving in together and I'm really happy. Life is good." Dean has something else to celebrate as he recently graduated from the French Culinary Institute as valedictorian.

KELLIE PICKLER ADDS AN ADDITION TO THE FAMILY. Kellie Pickler has added a new addition to her family, and it’s not fiancé Kyle Jacobs. Kellie recently adopted a ten-month-old Weimaraner puppy named Tucker, who originally belonged to Kellie’s half sister. Tucker will join Kellie’s other three dogs Pixie, Maddie, and MooMoo as she tours with Rascal Flatts. The band better watch out because Kellie tells Peoplepets.com she often gives away rescue dogs at concerts. "If I see a dog sitting anywhere on the road, I'm going to put him on the bus and try to find him a home. I've been notoriously known for giving animals away at concerts." Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, or Joe Don Rooney may wind up with a dog of their own.

COUNTRY SINGLES CERTIFICATIONS ANNOUNCED. The Recording Industry Association of America has issued the following music single certifications:

• Zac Brown Band : “Chicken Fried” –Double Platinum
• Brad Paisley: “Then” – Platinum
• Kellie Pickler: “Best Days Of Your Life” -Platinum
• Kenny Chesney with Dave Mathews: “I’m Alive” – Gold
• Joe Nichols: “Gimmie That Girl” –Gold
• Josh Turner: “Why Don’t We Just Dance” – Gold
• Carrie Underwood: “Temporary Home” – Gold

GLORIANA TO STREAM CONCERT PERFORMANCE FOR FANS. Fans of Gloriana will be able to get an inside look of the bands Long Hot Summer tour this Friday, as they stream their live performance at Churchill Downs music festival in Louisville, Kentucky. Gloriana is also giving away a prize-pack for those who want to have a viewing party, which includes a gift card to a local pizza chain as well as Gloriana posters. The performance kicks off this Friday at 6:35 Eastern Time/ 5:35 Central, and fans can register for the groups prize pack as well as view the performance at gloriana.com.

GOLF PRO JOHN DALY RECORDS COUNTRY ALBUM. Former PGA golf champion John Daly, has released a digital country album, I Only Know One Way, which features one of his pals – Darius Rucker. Darius contributes his vocals to the title track of the album, and also helped John write the melody. John says, “All of the songs have a meaning to them… Most of the record is happening – or has happened in my life.  I hope people can relate to some of the troubles I have had along the way.” His album I Only Know One Way is available on iTunes and Amazon.com.

THIS AND THAT

• Toby Keith will host WWE Monday Night Raw on October 25^th.

• Joey & Rory are offering a free download of their new single “This Song’s For You” featuring Zac Brown Band at joeyandrory.com/download.
• Clay Walker’s new song “Where Do I Go From You” will hit radio August 2^nd. This is Clay’s follow-up song to his Top 5 hit, “She Won’t Be Lonely Long.”

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• LOHAN’S NEW MUGSHOT! Lindsay Lohan’s newest mug shot has hit the Internet. In the photo, the blonde actress is wearing her orange jumpsuit, looking straight into the camera and giving a partial smile. According to People.com, while in prison, Lohan will not be allowed to smoke or wear hair extensions and tweeting is out of the question because she won’t have access to the Internet or a cell phone.  Good luck LiLo!
• • LINDSAY’S JAIL CELL! Check out a photo of what Lindsay’s new home will look like over at UsMagazine.com. She’ll get a small room with a bed, sink and toilet very close together.
  • DIRECT LINK:

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebritynews/news/pic-see-lindsay-lohans-depressing-jail-cell-2010207

• OKSANA TOLD MEL SHE TAPED HIM! According to TMZ, Mel Gibson’s ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva sent the actor text messages in which she told Mel she had taped their conversations. The outlet is reporting that Oksana told Gibson that she recorded their conversations because he had stopped financially supporting her.
• VIOLENCE ADDRESSED IN NEW GIBSON TAPE! In a new audio tape released over at Radar Online, Oksana Grigorieva is heard saying that Mel hit her and their child and Gibson responds by saying that no one will believe her if she says that. He does not deny or confirm that he assaulted either Oksana or their child on the audio tape. Head over to RadarOnline.com to hear another profanity-filled grotesque audio tape.
• LEO DiCAPRIO’S NEXT MOVIE! Inception is kicking butt at the box office right now, but that doesn’t mean Leonardo DiCaprio is resting on his laurels. Leo is already looking forward to future roles, especially one in the Clint Eastwood directed flick Hoover, in which he would play former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Check out Leo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page in Inception.
• CELEBS WANT TO RESTORE THE GULF! Sandra Bullock, Blake Lively, Lenny Kravitz, Dave Matthews and more appear in a new public service announcement urging people to help restore the gulf coast. Head to RestoreTheGulf.com to sign a petition to encourage the government to supply long-term funding to help clean up the area. Learn more at UsMagazine.com.
• STALKER! Sandra Bullock has gotten a temporary restraining order against a man she’s alleged is stalking her. This is just one of many restraining orders Bullock has filed against 45-year-old Thomas James Weldon since 2003. Recently, Weldon turned up in an emergency room and told hospital staff that he was trying to meet Sandra Bullock at her Jackson Hole, Wyoming home and that he communicated with her telepathically. Learn more at AccessHollywood.com.
• STALKER! According to TMZ, a man has been arrested in L-A and is accused of stalking actress Jennifer Aniston. 24-year-old Jason Peyton was found waiting at a location the Friends actress frequents with “a sharp object, a bag, a roll of duct tape and written messages about Aniston.” Police are currently holding him for psychiatric evaluation and Aniston has been granted an emergency restraining order against Peyton.
• SURVIVOR HOST MARRIES OFFICE STAR! In a story made for TV, People magazine is reporting that Survivor host Jeff Probst officiated Office star Jenna Fischer’s wedding. Jeff, who is an ordained Universal Life Church minister, oversaw the nuptials between Jenna and writer Lee Kirk earlier this month. E! Online reports Fischer and Probst are old friends and that’s why he helped the pair say their vows.
• ICE T ARRESTED!  According to TMZ, Ice T was arrested yesterday in New York City while driving to the vet with his wife, Coco, and their dog. Coco tweeted: “Yes, Ice was arrested this morning but we don’t know what the hell for! He’s been released…We got pulled over for not wearing seatbelts.” The rapper was also allegedly driving with a suspended license.

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

TAYLOR SWIFT TO HOST WEBCAST TODAY! Today at 5PM Eastern/4 PM Central, Taylor Swift will host a live webcast with fans around the world about details on her highly-anticipated third album. Fans can log on to their MySpace, Twitter, or Facebook account to submit questions to Taylor live in the Ustream chat window. There are a lot of things to ask Taylor about during the webcast other than her album, such as her high rise condo that is being built as we speak.  “Oh, it’s going awesome! I’m so excited. I keep saying that it’s going to be a month before I can move in—everybody around me is like, ‘okay, six months ago, it was going to be a month before you could move in.’ But I’ve also kept adding things, so it’s kind of my fault.” The chat begins today at 5PM Eastern/4PM Central on taylorswift.com or Ustream.tv/taylorswift.

LUKE BRYAN EARNS MULTI-WEEK NUMBER ONE! Luke Bryan has the number one song again this week on the Country Aircheck chart with “Rain is a Good Thing.” Other “things” that are good in Luke’s life include expecting his second child with his wife Caroline. A married man for several years, Luke has a feeling Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher will do just fine considering one of the biggest areas where couples fight shouldn’t be a problem for the two celebrities. “Well, see, they don’t worry about money, I don’t think, so they’re good on that category. No, I think just enjoy being married, and you know, keep the fights clean and the sex dirty.”  Luke has two Teen Choice Award nominations, one for Top Country Male Artist and the other for Top Country Album. Fans can vote every day for their favorite country artists in each category now until August 9^th when the Teen Choice Awards air at 8 Eastern on Fox.

FASHION DETAILS BEHIND CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S WEDDING. Carrie Underwood wore two different styles of a Monique Lhuiller custom-created dress during her Georgia wedding to Mike Fisher. During the ceremony, Carrie wore a drop waist custom ball gown which was completed with Chantilly lace, covered in silk flowers, and a blush pink sash around the waist. The gown took over 400 hours to create. She also wore a chapel-length circular veil which was encrusted with clear and pink crystals. According to the creator of her wedding dress, Carrie wanted to be able to slip into something more comfortable for the reception.  “For the party, she said ‘I want to dance and have fun’. I saw she had gorgeous legs so I thought why not show them off?” Monique says. Carrie wore a cocktail dress which was similar to her wedding gown – a strapless look, completed with jewels and a frayed organza skirt. Monique also created four different style silk gowns for Carrie’s eight bridesmaids. Carrie gave those in her wedding party an assortment of jewelry from Swarovski –including a pendant cross necklace, crystal earrings, and a bracelet.

SHERYL CROW TO RELEASE 100 MILES FROM MEMPHIS. Sheryl Crow releases her latest album 100 Miles From Memphis today. The first release from the project is called Summer Day which describes the day a couple meets and fall in love. Sheryl isn’t known to be dating anyone herself, but according to Britain’s Daily Mail, Sheryl was once linked to American Idol host Ryan Seacrest. Sheryl has voiced her dislike for the show in the past and says she has never considered taking Simon Cowell’s place as a judge.  “I don’t have time—I might be too critical? I don’t know, I don’t know. I think you need to be able to sing on key. That’s the thing. You need to be able to stay on pitch.” Sheryl has her hands full right now with two little boys. She adopted Wyatt in 2007 and Levi last month.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD AND MIKE FISHER ENJOY TAHITI. Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher have been enjoying their honeymoon time in Tahiti, which is expected to be an eleven-day vacation. During their stay, the two have been taking in many different French Polynesian sights. According to People, Carrie and Mike have been swimming and snorkeling with reef sharks, as well as touring the island via helicopter. The couple is secluded in an overwater bungalow where they have spent a majority of time enjoying the sun on their private deck.

REBA MCENTIRE TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM IN NOVEMBER. Reba McEntire will release her new album on November 9^th, which will be her second album under The Valory Music Company. Reba’s lead single from her upcoming album, “Turn on the Radio,” has already earned Billboard Hot Shot Debut status a week before its air on radio. Reba says, "I fell for the song immediately. I love that it’s an up-tempo, strong woman song about a woman who has been done wrong by her lover and is telling him to turn on the radio if he wants to hear from her through their favorite song.” “Turn On the Radio,” will be available on iTunes August 3^rd.   

JOE DIFFIE’S CHILDREN AUDITION FOR AMERICAN IDOL. American Idol held their first round of auditions for season ten in Nashville last week, and many hopefuls including Joe Diffie’s children auditioned to become the next star. Joe tells The Boot, "They both are really good singers and good people. It's pretty gratifying to see their interest in music. I've recorded both of them here at the house, and people rave about how good they sound." Though Joe has all the faith in his children, he is unsure about the audition process of American Idol.  He says, “I just don't know how in the world you can glean talent from the thousands of folks who try out, not to mention the one's who are just there to get their mugs on TV." Joe’s rep wouldn’t confirm or deny if his children passed the first round of auditions.

FAITH HILL’S NEW PERFUME – TRUE. Faith Hill has created a new perfume fragrance called True, which is a mixture of Japanese yuzus, white lilies, and sensual musk. The photographer of her campaign said Faith insisted on representing confidence in her new ad, as well as strength and inner beauty. The new scent accompanies her debut fragrance Parfum, and can be purchased at various stores including, Walmart, Walgreens, and Kohl’s.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD APPEARS ON FAITH CD. Carrie Underwood appears in the latest edition of Now That’s What I Call Faith. “Jesus Take the Wheel” is on there plus songs from The Fray, Natasha Bedingfield, Jordin Sparks and more. Here’s the track listing:

“You Found Me” by The Fray
“Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood
“Call My Name” by Third Day
“Tonight” by tobyMac
“Live Life Loud” by Hawk Nelson
“Pocketful Of Sunshine” by Natasha Bedingfield
“Free To Be Me” by Francesca Battistelli
“One Step at a Time” by Jordin Sparks
“God In Me” by Mary Mary
“Higher Than This” by Ledisi
“Give Me Your Eyes” by Brandon Heath
“Our Worlds Collide” by BarlowGirl
“Closer to Love” by Matt Kearney
“Lay ‘Em Down” by Needtobreathe
“Always” by Switchfoot
“Home” by Daughtry

VINCE GILL TO BE FEATURED ON THE BIG SCREEN. Vince Gill will join many legendary guitarists on the big screen, Tuesday July 27^th as NCM Fathom and Rhino Entertainment present Eric Clapton Crossroads 2010. Over 475 movie theaters nationwide will present the two-hour event in HD at 7:30 PM local time. The all-day concert which took place in Chicago June 26^th will also feature Sheryl Crow, Buddy Guy, John Mayer, and many others. The theater audience will also enjoy behind-the-scene footage as well as candid interviews.

LEANN RIMES TWEETS AN ARTICLE ABOUT OPTIMISM. After her recent pledge to take a break from Twitter, LeAnn Rimes quickly appeared back on the social networking site, tweeting an article about optimism. On Saturday, LeAnn shared a link to an article with her Twitter followers that lists five ways to help others live in happy spirits. An interesting tip stated, “Stop being so hard on yourself and ruminating on past mistakes and what you ‘could have’ or ‘should have’ done.  What’s done is done and it’s over.” It may only be a matter of time until LeAnn receives backlash again for tweeting.

JULIANNE HOUGH SINGS FOR CUB FANS. Julianne Hough sang “The Stretch” during the seventh inning of the game between Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, Thursday night at Wrigley Stadium. Decked out in a Chicago Cubs jersey and hat, Julianne led the crowd with her rendition of the song. Her spirit paid off as the Cubs defeated the Phillies 12 to 6. Julianne also has something else to celebrate, as today is her 22^nd birthday.

LEE ANN WOMACK BENEFIT CONCERT FOR THE TREES. Lee Ann Womack will join Mark Chesnutt for the Tune with Trees Summer Concert Series in Lisle, Illinois. The concert benefiting Morton Arboretum, the only Chicago area environmental organization focused on saving and planting trees, will be held August 6^th through the 8^th. Other musical guests for the event include Lyle Lovett and Marc Cohn. Lee Ann will be back on the road with George Strait and Reba McEntire, July 28^th in Fairlea, West Virginia.

SELF MAGAZINE FEATURES LILITH FAIR TOUR ARTISTS. Self Magazine has created a new mini-magazine featuring the artists of this year’s Lilith Fair Tour. The magazine features 36 pages of interviews as well as original content from Martina McBride, Jennifer Nettles, Sheryl Crow and more. The women on the tour give their tips about eating and staying healthy, and exercise tips. Jennifer Nettles is featured on the cover of the magazine and admits she loves eating food and drinking a glass of wine. Martina McBride shares insight on being a mom and her favorite comfort food. You can go to the Lilipad tent at a show for a free copy, or get the deluxe edition with a 15-track CD and flower seeds at Walmart starting August 3^rd. 

THIS AND THAT

• Joe Nichols’ number one song “Gimmie That Girl” has been certified Gold for more than 500-thousand digital downloads sold.
• Carrie Underwood is set to perform on the Today Show July 30^th in New York City.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• MEL STAYS IN U-S! Mel Gibson will not be heading to Australia. Contrary to reports that spread this weekend, Mel will be staying stateside to deal with a domestic violence investigation and a custody battle with his former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. His representative told Us Weekly that Gibson is staying in the U-S and is focusing on work right now. Gibson is currently acting in the Jodie Foster directed comedy The Beaver.
• MEL NOT A DANGER! A judge has ruled that Mel Gibson is not a danger to his newest child with ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. According to TMZ, Gibson’s ex-wife Robyn’s statement that Mel never harmed her or their children was the key evidence that swayed the judge into ruling Mel would not harm his new child.
• ZSA ZSA GABOR RECOVERING! 93-year-old actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is doing well in recovery after having emergency surgery yesterday to replace a hip. The actress fell out of bed this weekend and broke her hip. Learn more over at ETOnline.com.
• NO COMMENT ON JERSEY SHORE! There were a lot of rumors circulating yesterday about the Jersey Shore cast members and their contracts. Well, we talked to our MTV sources but they remained tightlipped about what, if anything, is going down where money is concerned.  Season two of Jersey Shore begins on July 29^th.
• SITUATION SELF HELP BOOK! Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is writing a book. According to the Associated Press, it’ll be a self-help tome which gives readers advice on grooming, going to the gym and tanning (what else?!). The book deal is just one way Mike is profiting off of his Jersey Shore fame, as it’s already been announced he has a workout video and clothing line coming out soon.
• • BUY NOW! Don’t forget to buy the Jersey Shore Soundtrack and Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season One DVD today.

• ANISTON TOPLESS FOR AD! Jennifer Aniston will appear topless in an ad campaign to sell her new perfume, Lolavie. According to English paper the Daily Mail, the actress appears in the ads covering her breasts with her hands, with a towel around her waist, staring into the camera with smoky eye makeup on. Check out photos of the hot actress over at DailyMail.co.uk now.
• SHERRI SHEPHERD DIVORCE! The View co-host Sherri Shepherd testified in court late last week that the reason she filed for divorce from her husband, Jeff Tarpley, was because she found photos of Jeff and another woman having sex. She found the photos during the time their newborn child was being treated in the neonatal intensive care unit. Learn more at TMZ.com.
• GLEE ROMANCE?  According to People magazine, Glee stars Jenna Ushkowitz and Kevin McHale, who play boyfriend and girlfriend on the show, may in fact be a real life couple. The pair, who play “Tina” and “Artie,” were seen canoodling recently on a beach in Monaco. When we caught up with Jenna awhile back, she told us about another possible romance one between their Glee castmate Cory Monteith and country singer Taylor Swift.  
• SPENCER PRATT IS A FAME WHORE! We’ve all known for awhile, but Spencer Pratt is finally admitting to himself that he is a “fame whore.” In fact, Pratt told People.com, that it’s his love of celebrity that caused the breakup of his marriage with Heidi Montag. Pratt says Montag got tired of his schemes for media attention.

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

REBA MCENTIRE’S CONCERT PREFERENCES. This year the George Strait and Reba McEntire tour has been ranked fifth on Pollstars Top-Grossing Tour survey. Reba believes the show wouldn’t be a success without one key element – the fans.  “Well what do I prefer? A Full house! Good conditions and great catering. That’s always important. But number one what’s most important is the fans have great comfortable seats and the sound is good for them,” Reba says.  George and Reba will be back on the road July 28^th in Fairlea, West Virginia along with Lee Ann Womack.

HILLARY SCOTT COLLABORATES WITH TWO ARTISTS OTHER THAN LADY ANTEBELLUM.  Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott has been collaborating with Miranda Lambert and Maroon 5 in her downtime from touring with Tim McGraw. Hillary and Maroon 5 have recorded a song called “Out of Goodbyes,” which will be featured on Maroon 5’s next album Hands All Over. Hillary has another song she co-wrote with Miranda called “Suffocating,” which can be found on Blake Shelton’s upcoming All About Tonight Six Pak. Hillary says, “Right now, the vibe in the country music community is everyone is just lovin' on each other. It's like everyone wants the best for each other -- hence, all the co-writes and song-sharing.” Miranda and Hillary even talk about the criticism Miranda’s “The House That Built Me” song has received. "If 'House' doesn't strike a chord, then you just don't have a soul," Hillary said.

BRAD PAISLEY AND MIKE FISHER START A NEW BRO-MANCE. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood’s new husband Mike Fisher were introduced to each other at this year’s CMT Awards, and Brad insisted Mike should give him a call if he’s ever bored. Brad and Carrie filmed a promo for the CMA Music Festival a week later, and Carrie asked Brad if he was serious about his offer. Carrie then gave Brad his number, and the two enjoyed lunch and drove around Nashville. Brad even offered Mike marriage advice. Brad says, “We were talking about the travel aspect. He's busy with his job; he's obviously not going to play hockey for the rest of his life. Carrie's as hot as she can be. They're able now to enjoy that travel process and be away now and then.” Brad believes Carrie and Mike share the same spark he does with his wife Kimberly Williams Paisley. They haven't even been together for more than a week or so, and Brad says, “They're just like us. It's going to work well."

DARIUS RUCKER NEW ALBUM DETAILS. Darius Rucker will be releasing his next album Charleston, South Carolina 1966 on October 12^th. The title features his hometown as well as his birth year, and is said to pay tribute to Radney Foster’s first solo album Del Rio, Texas 1959. Darius chose 12 out of 77 songs he has written to be featured on the new album. 

JIMMY WAYNE GIVES INSIGHT ON HIS KARAOKE COMPETITION. Jimmy Wayne took time out of his Meet Me Halfway walk, to enjoy karaoke in a small town in Arizona. Jimmy entered the contest with the fake name “Barry Wong,” which was inspired by a politician sign he noticed on his walk. “His name was Barry Wong, and man I just thought that was so funny because who would vote for someone named Barry Wong. Then I thought about it and said, ‘Shoot well I probably would because he’s probably had to deal with that name his whole life.” The best part of the act was Jimmy’s choice in outfit. He wore a black cowboy hat and skiing goggles, with a pink tank-top. “When I was singing, this one cowboy says to the other cowboy, ‘You hold him, I’ll hit him!’ The other one says, ‘My momma would never let me out with that shirt.’ Which is kind of weird to me because if you’re a grown man living at home with mom there’s obviously something wrong with that.” Jimmy is expected to finish his Meet Me Halfway walk at the end of this month.

LEANN RIMES BACK ON TWITTER. It seems as if LeAnn Rimes couldn’t stay away from Twitter after she told fans she was quitting the social networking website due to negative comments about a picture of her and her boyfriend, Eddie Cibrian. Her account reappeared on Wednesday with a tweet which said, "Hi twitter land! Miss u all and thought I'd just say hello!" More tweets followed the next day, blogging about her workouts, and beach time. LeAnn only stayed away from Twitter for exactly one week.

ROY ROGERS’ MEMORABILIA SOLD AT AUCTION. Roy Rogers’ stuffed Palomino horse Trigger, sold for 266-thousand dollars at an auction on Thursday. RFD-TV made the winning bid for the former animal actor, also known as the “smartest horse in movies.” The auction also featured several items from the closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum including Roy’s 1964 Bonneville Convertible.

UNCLE KRACKER LOSES THE CIGARETTES GAINS THE WEIGHT. Uncle Kracker recently quit smoking to help his stamina onstage, but he’s managed to see one apparent side affect. Uncle Kracker says,  “I’ve managed to gain 4.32 pounds per month ever since. Like I don’t know where it’s coming from. But yeah, I didn’t need any help in that area that’s for sure.” He is currently on tour promoting his new EP Happy Hour. Last week, Uncle Kracker visited soldiers at Joint Base Balad in Iraq.

NEW CRAIG MORGAN ALBUM AVAILABLE AT CRACKER BARREL. Craig Morgan has teamed up with Crack Barrel Old Country Store, to release his album, That’s Why –Collector’s Edition. The record will feature 13 songs including his top radio hits, “This Ain’t Nothin” and “Bonfire,” as well as three unreleased songs. Craig says, “Cracker Barrel offers the closest thing to home cooking when I am on the road touring. Music is what I do, but country living is who I am, so it’s really nice to have them both come together with my CD at Cracker Barrel.” Craig’s new album is available at any Cracker Barrel nation wide or crackerbarrel.com.

THIS AND THAT

• Singer, musician, producer, composer and actor Fred Carter, Junior has passed away. He’s the father of CMA award winning Deana Carter. He helped Dolly Parton and Tanya Tucker land their record deals was a principal member of the band Levon Helm and The RCO All-Stars. He also had small roles in films such as The Adventures of Huck Finn with Elijah Wood.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• OKSANA PHOTO! On Friday, Radar Online posted a photo of what they allege is Oksana Grigorieva taken shortly after when she claims Mel Gibson hit her. The picture shows a woman’s face, that resembles Oksana, with her two front teeth broken. Radar is reporting that the photo is now in the hands of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and might be used in an ongoing investigation into whether Mel assaulted Oksana.
• GIBSON’S EX STANDS BY HIM! Mel Gibson’s soon-to-be ex-wife, who was married to the actor for 28 years, is standing by him. Robyn Gibson has signed a statement saying that Gibson never physically abused her or their children. This comes after Gibson’s former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, made accusations that the actor hit her in the face. Head to TMZ for more.
• BRISTOL AND LEVI TO WED ON TV? According to TMZ, Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston are hoping to turn their upcoming nuptials into a reality show. The outlet is reporting that the newly re-engaged couple may also include their two-year-old son Tripp in the series.
• TRUMP WANTS TIGER’S BABE! Donald Trump wants Rachel Uchitel, Tiger Woods’ alleged former mistress, to compete in the new season of Celebrity Apprentice. According to TMZ, the hot brunette is absolutely interested in appearing on the next season of the show. We’ll keep you updated.
• ANGELINA JOLIE DRESSES LIKE A MAN! For her new film Salt, Angelina Jolie plays a spy, and as one of her disguises, the gorgeous actress dresses up like a man.  Salt also Liev Schreiber (Pron: Lee-iv) and opens in theaters this Friday.
• LILO IN GERMAN GQ! Between court appearances, stints in rehab and Twitter posts, Lindsay Lohan is still finding time for photo shoots. How do we know? The starlet is the cover girl on the August issue of German GQ magazine, appearing in a sexy retro bathing suit. Head over to EOnline.com to see the photo.
• JERSEY SHORE SOUNDTRACK TOMORROW! The bumping, fist-pumping Jersey Shore Soundtrack hits stores tomorrow. For cast member Snooki, who told us she thrives on house music, this compilation is the perfect way to keep her summer rocking, especially since the album contains the hit song “I Like It” by Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull. Buy the Jersey Shore Soundtrack in stores and online tomorrow and tune in to MTV on July 29^th to see the new season of Jersey Shore.
• LEO DiCAPRIO WANTS TO BE A FATHER! Leonardo DiCaprio does want to be a father, just not right now. According to People magazine, the Inception actor is interested in raising a family, but wants a few more years childless first. DiCaprio is currently dating supermodel Bar Refaeli.
• JOAQUIN PHOENIX DOCUMENTARY! A new documentary about actor Joaquin Phoenix has been given a release date. The flick, called I’m Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix, is slated for its first release on September 10^th, with a wider release to come after that. The doc was directed by Phoenix’s brother-in-law, Casey Affleck, and will show Joaquin’s transition from an actor to an emcee. Hit up MTVNews.com for more.

• ALL ABOUT STANDING OVATION!  Standing Ovation is the new film that is described as “Junior High School Musical.”  The film, which stars an unknown cast of kids, is set in Atlantic City and tells the story of a girls singing group that has to go up against a rival group to try to win a national TV network video contest with a one-million dollar grand prize.  James Brolin executive produced the film and explained that he was inspired to get involved following the success of the High School Musical films. Standing Ovation features 20 original songs and 13 dance numbers and is in theaters now.  For more info, head to StandingOvationMovie.com.