TWANG TOWN LOWDOWN - WEDNESDAY JUNE 15TH

BLAKE SHELTON: BABY WHISPERER

 

Sorry, Keith Urban. It looks like baby Juliet has her mind made up: She loves Blake Shelton, and hearing his music is the only way she will stop crying!

CARRIE UNDERWOOD: The New Bearded Lady



Carrie Underwood took to Instagram to show off her new facial hair over the weekend. After posing for a hilarious face-swap photo with her husband, Mike Fisher, Carrie was left with the short end of the stick -- donning her husband's full beard. Mike, on the other hand, was lucky enough to rock Carrie's blonde locks, which is something fans everywhere would kill to do.

With Carrie's busy schedule, she hasn't planned an extravagant Father's Day for the fathers in her life, but she isn't worried about it. Both her husband and her dad are easy to please.

@carrieunderwood doing a #FaceSwap with her husband @mfisher1212 is probably the best (or scariest?) thing you'll see all day! #CarrieUnderwood 

A photo posted by CMT Canada (@cmt_canada) on Jun 15, 2016 at 4:47am PDT

KELSEA BALLERINI: Surprises Peter Pan Fan


After hearing Kelsea Ballerini's song, "Peter Pan," one of her young fans, Landon Wall, decided to write his own version of the song -- from the "lost boy's" perspective. He posted a video of his creation, and it eventually made its way back to the country starlet, whotweeted Landon, asking him to come to one of her shows.

But the surprises didn't end there. On Monday night, Landon was on stage at the popular Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. After playing his version of "Peter Pan," Kelsea jumped out of the crowd and joined the young fan on stage, singing the song again, but this time in its original state.

Both Landon and Kelsea took to their social media to discuss the awesome experience.

KEITH URBAN: To Play Home Country


Keith Urban will play the land where he was born, New Zealand, on December 3rd. It'll be the first time he's played there since he was 17.

He says, “I'm so psyched about finally getting to play a real show in the country of my birth. The last time I played music there, I was in a duo playing every weekend at a pub called the DB Onerahi [pr: ON-her-ee] in Whangarei [pr: FONG-ah-ray]...and I was 17. This is gonna be an amazing feeling!”

After the New Zealand stop, in Wellington, he'll perform three shows in Australia with Carrie Underwood opening.

D.A. OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY JUNE 15TH

WEIRD NEWS: 'Til Ebay Do Us Part


A British man whose wife cheated on him with a hunky personal trainer couldn't put his broken heart up for sale, so he did the next best thing -- listed all of her possessions on Ebay.

The guy, who's known only by his user name of CalibriSteve, asked lowball prices for everything from shoes to jewelry to a Smart Car, which he described as "an absolute disgrace of a car." On the site, he wrote, "You could buy this car for someone else as a gift, especially if you don't like them very much and you wanted them to leave you all alone and sad, as apparently that is the effect it has."

Steve plans to take the cash he rakes in from the auction and "commission the services" of prostitutes and buy enough Scotch whisky to "drink myself into a coma."

WEIRD NEWS: Diner Un-Tips Restuarant


A Thai restaurant in Colorado was thrilled when it received a $1000 tip from a diner, but their excitement was short-lived because the customer returned the next day to ask for the money back.

The owners of the restaurant, who emigrated from Bangkok to Colorado five years ago, had heard stories about generous diners leaving large tips and thought this was one of those cases. But the very next day, the man came back and explained that he was drunk and didn't realize how much he'd left for the tip.

The owner understood that it was a mistake and returned the money, but the diner still left a $40 tip in the $100 bill.

WEIRD NEWS: O, MG Told Me to Do It


A South Carolina woman is under arrest after driving her car into a Walmart, even though she had what she thought was a perfectly good reason.

34-year-old Crystal Marshall drove around the parking lot for a while in her Ford Focus before plowing right into the front of the store. When officers arrived on the scene they found her "screaming and causing a disturbance" in the middle of a crowd of shoppers. She then told the police that the rapture was coming and that God told her to slam her car into Walmart.

Marshall was taken into custody and booked on charges of disorderly conduct and malicious injury to property.

HOTLIST - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15TH

ALLIGATOR ATTACK: Search Continues for Toddler at Disney World


Search and recovery efforts are continuing today for the two-year-old boy who was dragged into a lagoon by an alligator at Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort.

Officials held a news conference early this morning and had very little new information to share. More than 50 law enforcement officers are involved in the search operation and have so far found no trace of the boy. Authorities did say, however, that four alligators had been removed from the lagoon and euthanized, but none of them showed any signs of being involved in the attack.

The incident happened last night when the boy and his family, who are from Nebraska, were enjoying the night on the resort's beach. The boy was reportedly standing in a foot of water when he was snatched up by the gator. His father tried desperately to save him but was unsuccessful. A Disney World spokesperson says Disney is devastated by what happened and is doing everything it can to help the family. Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said the search will continue until they can't search anymore. Walt Disney World has closed all beaches at its resorts in the wake of last night's alligator attack.


KHLOE KARDASHIAN: Finally Through With Lamar?



Khloe Kardashian may be closing the door on her relationship with Lamar Odom for good -- since he seems to be back to his bad old ways.

The on-again, off-again couple were once again in the process of getting divorced, but things hadn't gotten ugly -- until Lamar began sinking into substance abuse. A source close to Khloe tells People, "They aren't talking [and] it's her decision. The times she went to see him recently, he was pretty messed up. She's sick of it. She feels like she's done everything she can and it's just ridiculous at this point. You can't help or fix someone who won't fix themselves."

Khloe had filed for divorce before Odom went into that drug-related coma last year, but rescinded her petition so she could care for him -- until new issues convinced her to file again last month.

CHARLIE SHEEN: HIV-Positive & Pitching Condoms



Who would hire Charlie Sheen as a spokesperson?
A Swedish condom company just hired Charlie Sheen to promote safe sex.

Sheen is HIV-positive, and is keenly aware of the importance of wearing protection. At least, now he is. Charlie joked, (quote) “Shouldn’t a guy with five kids, a granddaughter, and HIV be buying condoms and not selling them?”

The company out of Sweden called LELO has created a 21st century condom. The design allows a better fit for greater sensation. Sheen bragged, (quote) “It’s almost like there’s nothing between you and the moment.”

MADONNA: More Progress in Custody Case


Madonna may yet "Live to Tell" about the day when she regains partial custody of son Rocco Ritchie -- thanks to a "productive" out-of-court meeting in New York on Tuesday.

Madge and ex-hubby Guy Ritchie had been scheduled to appear before a Manhattan judge, but their lawyers talked the court into a temporary adjournment, saying the pair had made great progress on their own. Judge Deborah Kaplan had previously scolded both parties and told them to resolve their differences for the sake of Rocco, but praised them for bridging the gap to some degree.

The battle began last December when Rocco bailed on his mother's Rebel Heart world tour and refused to return home with her to New York, saying he would live in London with his dad -- where he still resides.

The two sides will return to court later this month to report on further progress.

TWANG TOWN LOWDOWN: TUESDAY, JUNE 14TH

ALAN JACKSON: Career Retrospective



Alan Jackson will release the three-CD career anthology Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story on August 5th.

The 59-song collection boasts eight previously unreleased tracks, including a live version of the Eagles' hit "Seven Bridges Road" and a rare live performance "The Star Spangled Banner."

The package also features a 58-page booklet filled with photos from Alan's personal collection, including pictures from his childhood in Georgia and career highlights.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD: Donates Money to Girls' Sports Programs



Carrie Underwood's Calia fitness clothing line and Dick's Sporting Goods will donate $500,000 through the Sports Matter initiative to girls athletic programs.

Her first grant of $100,000 goes to her hometown's Checotah School District athletic programs. Carrie, who surprised the student athletes while at summer practice, says, “Being active in youth sports while growing up helped set the foundation and passion for making fitness an important part of my life today. Participating in sports also taught me important life lessons about dedication and teamwork."

Since 2014, the Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation has pledged more than $50 million to support youth sports programs through its Sports Matter initiative.

CHIPS MOMAN: Acclaimed Memphis Producer Dead at 79


Chips Moman, a legendary songwriter, producer and engineer who was equally at home in country, pop and soul, died Monday at age 79.

Moman worked with some of the most respected names of the '50s, '60s and '70s: he helped revive Elvis Presley's career with his final Number-One single, "Suspicious Minds"; he produced B.J. Thomas' biggest hits "Hooked on a Feeling" and "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song"; and co-wrote Waylon Jennings' "Luckenbach Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)."

He also reunited Sun Records legends Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison for the critically acclaimed Class of '55 album.

A few more names with Chips Moman connections: Willie Nelson and Ronnie Milsap.

Moman had been in declining health for the past decade and died Monday in a Georgia hospice.


CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL: By the Numbers


The 2016 CMA Music Festival is in the books and by all measurements, the event was a success.

Here's a look at this year's CMA Music Festival by the numbers:
88,500 fans attended the festival each day.
More than 500 artists and celebrities participated in the event.
250 hours of concerts.
11 stages -- seven of them were free.
The festival's two new stages hosted 5,000 fans a day.

The artists performed free, but the CMA Foundation donates proceeds from the event to local and national music education programs on behalf of the artists. Since 2006, CMA has donated more than $13.68 million to this worthy cause reaching more than 1 million children nationwide.

Next year's CMA Music Festival is scheduled for June 8th through 11th. Returning fans can buy tickets through Thursday. All others can buy tickets beginning on July 11th.

THE D.A. OF THE DAY:

WEIRD NEWS: Snake Hitches a Ride


We've all experienced that scary moment when you're driving and a spider lands on your leg or an insect starts flying around your car. That's nothing compared to the terrifying vehicle intruder that one Arkansas woman recently experienced.

Kelly Swisher was driving on the highway when a four-foot snake crawled out of her dashboard and onto her feet. She says, "As soon as it landed on my feet, I felt it. It was rough and scaly, and as it slithered across my feet -- that is the nails-on-a-chalkboard kind of thing." She frantically tried to call 911 as she attempted to exit the highway. She was finally able to pull into a parking lot and get out of the car as the snake slithered back into the dashboard. Animal control officers eventually arrived and removed the snake, which they said likely did not pose much of a threat to her.

The police department shared a photo of the snake on its Facebook page.

WEIRD NEWS: Crack in the Crack


There are a lot of stupid and funny things that criminals do, but sometimes their actions are not quite as funny as the language used by officers in their police reports.

53-year-old Laurie Shank was arrested for prowling and hauled off to jail. There, she was thoroughly searched and asked to bend and spread 'em. That's when officers discovered "a glass crack pipe...located deep in the crevasse of her buttocks." The pipe contained cocaine residue and earned the woman an additional narcotics charge. It's not known how the crack pipe was removed or if any glacier-climbing equipment was used in its retrieval.


WEIRD NEWS: A Monopoly on Stupidity



A gang of British swindlers was sent directly to jail by a judge who sentenced them for ripping off a series of victims in a scheme where they found a way to swap out huge stacks of Monopoly money for millions in cold hard cash.

In one of the bigger cons, gang member Gianni Accamo, posing as a gem expert, went to a jeweler and cut a deal to buy a number of precious stones, then handed over hundreds of thousands of Euros. The victim used a cash counting machine to make sure all the dough was there, but when he turned to put away the machine and get the diamonds, Accamo and a buddy pulled the switch, leaving the guy with a few measly dollars wrapped around piles of funny money.

A number of crew members were busted at an address in Nottingham, where police found fake notes, as well as stolen jewelry hidden under soil in plant pots.

THE HOTLIST - TUESDAY, JUNE 14TH

KEVIN HART: Robbed!


Kevin Hart got a rude welcome home from a weekend away with his fiancee and kids -- thanks to a crew of robbers that stole hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of his possessions.

The pint-sized comedian took a big loss when he returned to his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Tarzana and found that crooks had managed to gain access to the gated property, pry open the door and help themselves to clothing, watches and jewelry worth around $500,000

TMZ reports that police are investigating, with a specific focus on security footage that may have captured the crime. They're reportedly considering the possibility that the ripoff was an inside job.

MADONNA: Bashed for Orlando Shooting Response

 

Madonna joined the social media conversation about the mass shooting in Orlando over the weekend -- and quickly found herself slammed for including pictures of herself in her posts about the tragedy.

While she expressed her condolences to the victims and their loved ones, the Material Mom also tossed in a bunch of photos and memes -- including her famous kiss with Britney Spears at the 2003 MTV VMAs and the slogan, "Gay or Straight, no hate." That didn't go over well with her followers.

Responses included:
What a shameless display of self-promotion.

That's just two straight women generating publicity for themselves in a way designed to titillate straight men, nothing to do with the LGBT community.

@Madonna are you serious right now? This isn't about you and your fake kiss for publicity. I would think you'd know better.

Really? 50 people died and you want to make this about you?!

ANGELINA JOLIE: Double Uh-Oh Seven


Brad Pitt may want to hire some elite spies of his own -- according to reports that his wife, Angelina Jolie, has been going "undercover" with James Bond actor Daniel Craig.

According to Radar Online, Angie and Craig, who were rumored to have gotten busy while filming Tomb Raider together, have reunited. Officially, they're teaming up on a U.N. charity effort to eliminate land mines, but Radar's source implies they're mixing business with pleasure, saying, “Angelina called him to praise his efforts, and the pair have been blowing up the phones ever since. What their respective spouses think about this ancient hookup being revitalized remains to be seen, but for now Angie and Daniel are talking on the phone a lot."

Just yesterday, Brad was rumored to be hooking up with his first wife, Jennifer Aniston.

JOHNNY DEPP: Police Called for Restraining Order Violation


Yesterday, Amber Heard’s lawyer called the police to the Los Angeles home she shares with Johnny Depp.

His team arrived to the penthouse apartment to collect Depp’s possessions. However, he’s still under a court order to keep 100 yards from his house. The restraining order features a “move-out order,” meaning Depp cannot remove furniture until the next court hearing.

Johnny was several thousand miles away, relaxing on his private island in the Bahamas.

TWANG TOWN LOWDOWN - MONDAY, JUNE 13TH

LUKE BRYAN: Teams Up With Chevrolet



On Friday, Chevrolet announced they would be teaming up with reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, Luke Bryan, to expand their country music ties.

Luke will work closely with the brand over the next three years to execute a variety of projects -- a task he is already familiar with, after participating in Chevy's #DayItForward campaign during Leap Day earlier this year. On top of that, Chevrolet holds a special place in his heart for other reasons.

He says, "Chevy has been a part of our family and a part of our work life on the farm for as long as I can remember. If you were a Bryan, you drove a Chevy. I am so excited about this partnership and I'm honored to be representing such a wonderful brand.”

Chevrolet will also be a sponsor on Luke's upcoming 8th Annual Farm Tour, where a portion of the ticket proceeds will go to local college scholarships, granted to students from farming families within the communities the tour stops.

ERIC CHURCH, CHARLIE WORSHAM: Late Night Jam Session


Nashville's annual CMA Fest is always filled with surprises, and this weekend was no exception. On Friday night, Eric Church played an entire set to a stadium full of thousands of country fans, but it was a performance later on in the night that had people talking the most.

In a tiny room on Lower Broadway, Charlie Worsham was hosting a Midnight Jamboree, and around 1 a.m., Eric decided to stop by. Despite the lack of air conditioning and space, Eric, alongside Charlie and his band, played two cover songs to a small, excited crowd --Merle Haggard's "Heaven Was a Drink of Wine" and The Band's classic "Ophelia."

Throughout the night, Charlie was also joined by Brandy Clark and Ryan Beaver, while cops attempted to control the overflow of the crowd outside.

RONNIE DUNN: Guns Are Not the Problem

While many musicians have expressed grief and outrage about the mass murder in Orlando, Ronnie Dunn followed Donald Trump's lead yesterday and instead attacked President Obama for his comments about it. On Facebook, Dunn posted, "The worst mass murder in American history attributed to Isis and Obama steps up to the microphone and implies that it will stop if guns are taken away. So, a law is passed and we are ordered to turn our guns in (billions of them)....I bet criminals and "terrorists" / Jihadists will rush to turn their guns in......now, that's leadership. UNBELIEVABLE. RD"

He continued the theme in a number of follow-up comments:

"Research the number of 'shooters' who have been on or were at some time on SSRI (prozac etc.) prescribed drugs. It's not the gun. Next, assign the number of deaths to radical ideology. 75% of ALL gun deaths in America are suicides. FACT. RD"

"What would've happened if the nations leader had walked up and said....'America, we are now going to offer public national anti terrorism seminars. After you take the courses and pass the tests you will be allowed to attain a carry permit... Arm yourselves. We are OFFICIALLY, at war with a global, radical ideology.'" RD

THE D.A.OF THE DAY - MONDAY. JUNE 13

WEIRD NEWS: Shepherd Is a Major Flock Up



A town in Spain was overrun by a huge flock of sheep, and it's all because the shepherd in charge of keeping them contained fell asleep on the job.

The shepherd was reportedly keeping an eye on the flock overnight before they were scheduled to move north to grasslands where the animals graze for the summer. But when he fell asleep, the sheep were able to leave the pasture, and all 1300 of them took off.

Police received a call at 4:30 a.m. reporting the flock roaming the streets around town. Officers arrived at the scene and had to wake up the shepherd. He then assisted officers in herding the sheep and bringing them back.

WEIRD NEWS: A Big Hand for the Little Lady


A British student has issued an online plea saying that she really needs a hand after a drunken night of partying -- on which she lost her prosthetic hand!

Amelia Welch went out drinking after a party at her college and ended up knocking back a few at a bar called Oceana -- where she thinks she removed the limb in the restroom and went home without it. The 20-year-old, who has worn the appliance since childhood, is offering a $250 reward its return, because she can't afford to buy a new one at a cost of nearly 10 times that amount.

She says the hand gives her confidence when she's out and about, adding, "I'm worried that somebody has maybe picked it up thinking it's a joke and thrown it away. It's priceless to me, but worthless to anyone else."

WEIRD NEWS: The Trump Tile


A Virginia man sitting on the toilet was floored when he spotted what appeared to be the image of Donald Trump in one of his floor tiles.

Clayton Litten, not much of a reader while sitting on the throne, was staring down at his new floor tiles when he noticed Trump staring back at him. He was shocked. He remembers saying, "This cannot be. There’s no way. Clear as day." Litten, who is a lifelong Republican and a Trump supporter, asked, "What are the odds? One in a trillion?"

Although that question is probably mathematically impossible to answer, he's not entirely crazy. After looking at the tile for a minute, you can actually make out the Republican nominee's face. Litten says he wants to arrange a meeting with Trump and has even reached out to his campaign. But so far he hasn't heard back.

THE HOTLIST - MONDAY JUNE 13TH

ADAM LEVINE: Paying for Voice Singer's Funeral



Adam Levine, who coached Christina Grimmie during her time on The Voice, has stepped up and offered to pay for the funeral of the young singer, who was gunned down after a show in Florida on Friday night.

Adam didn't make a big deal of the donation himself -- the announcement was made by Christina's brother Marcus, who tackled the gunman during the attack at Orlando's Plaza Live. Marcus logged onto Facebook to write, "I found out this morning that Adam Levine personally called my mother and said he will pay for her funeral and her plane flight, and I was blown away."

He added that a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the Grimmie family has now surpassed $100,000, saying, "Words cannot express...literally I have no words. I promise both my parents and I will read every one of these personalized messages. I'm so blown away by everything right now. But all I can say is thank you. And Christina will be missed and never ever forgotten."

MUHAMMAD ALI: Ex Shopping Sex Tape


A woman who says she spent two decades as Muhammad Ali's mistress is looking to make a fast buck by selling sex tapes featuring The Greatest and a number of different ladies.

Barbara Mensah, who has also claimed that Ali is the father of her daughter, says she's looking to get at least 100 grand for the tape, which she insists is a knockout. The 70-year-old tells Britain's Sunday People, “I know the value of the footage. No one has anything like this... They used to call them gumbo parties -- it was a mix of everything. There would be Ali and a few of his guys, and then about a dozen or more girls… All of them were stunning. Muhammad couldn’t keep away from a pretty girl whether he was married or not.”

Mensah says she and Ali had "great respect" for each other, and insists he thought of her as a wife, not just a side dish.

GORDON RAMSEY: Wife Suffers Miscarriage



Chef and reality TV staple Gordon Ramsey and his wife Tana have announced that she suffered a miscarriage over the weekend, five months into her fifth pregnancy.

Ramsey made the announcement via Facebook, saying, “We had a devastating weekend as Tana has sadly miscarried our son at five months. We’re together healing as a family, but we want to thank everyone again for all your amazing support and well wishes. I’d especially like to send a big thank-you to the amazing team at Portland Hospital for everything they’ve done.”

The couple have four children together, ranging in age from 14 to 18.

KHLOE KARDASHIAN: Had Daddy Doubts?



TEASE: Does Khloe Kardashian really have doubts about who her father is?

The questionable paternity of Khloe Kardashian has resurfaced in a documentary.

A prison guard, where O.J. Simpson has been sentenced to 33 years, revealed the running back refused to submit his DNA. Khloe personally called The Juice and begged him to take a paternity test.

The guard claimed, (quote) “In the prison, the phone calls have to be made out by O.J. One day I could hear Khloe screaming in the phone. She was upset. She wanted him to take a paternity test, and OJ told her ‘no.’”

Khloe wished to dispel the myth that Robert Kardashian was not her real father. People have speculated about Khloe’s dad, mainly because she’s so much taller than her sisters.