The DIRT - 12/19

LUKE BRYAN: New Album Lands on Top of Charts

Luke Byran's What Makes You Country lands at the top spot on the all-genre Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums charts this week.
 

He says, “So much thought goes into creating new music and I really try to write and find songs that I feel are staying true to me while staying fresh and fun. I try and imagine people singing along in their cars or with me at my shows. To have What Makes You Country go number-one is so exciting and rewarding for me, my team and my fans. It drives me to keep working harder and growing!"

Check out Luke on the encore presentation on CMA Country Christmas on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.


SCOTTY McCREERY: New Album in March

Scotty McCreery will release Seasons Change, his first album in five years, on March 16th.
 
Scotty co-wrote all the tracks on the album. Commenting on it he says, “In the last five years, I have grown from a teenager to a man, moved out on my own, lost my grandfather, proposed to the love of my life and learned more about myself than I could have imagined."


BLAKE SHELTON: Reaches Number-One!

Blake Shelton has topped the charts yet again with his latest single, "I'll Name the Dogs."


 
The song reaches the number-one spot on the Mediabase Country Airplay chart this week, seizing the throne from Luke Bryan's "Light It Up." Brett Young's "Like I Loved You" and Eric Church's "Round Here Buzz" each rise one spot to number-two and three on the chart, respectively.

Russell Dickerson's "Yours" jumps three places to number-four, while Maren Morris' "I Could Use a Love Song" rises one spot to round out the top-five.





HILLARY SCOTT: Celebrates "Twin Princesses"

Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott celebrated her twin girls with the cutest baby shower in Nashville last Thursday.


 
The rustic-themed shower featured cupcakes with cacti-shaped icing and some special guests. Kelsea Ballerini was in attendance, along with the wives of Hillary's fellow Lady A band-mates, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley.

Hillary's twins are due in February.


JON PARDI: Duet With Miranda?

It's not a done deal, but if Jon Pardi has his way, Miranda Lambert will be on a song on his new album.
 
Jon says, “I’m working on it, but we did shake hands. You know Miranda -- she’s a Texan. A handshake goes a long way. There might be some collab on the next record. I’m really excited.”

The song is one that Miranda wrote that Jon picked for the record. He'll have some time to convince her -- he's opening on her Livin' Like Hippies tour, which kicks off on January 18th in Greenville, South Carolina.

D.A. Of The Day - 12/19

WEIRD NEWS: Mad Mom Turns Pizza Rat

A Virginia woman ended up getting a pizza delivery person fired for being too saucy -- by writing a dirty joke on the pizza box to fulfill her son's request for a side order of chuckles with the pie.

The crusty mom, whose name was not released, said that her teen placed an online order and used the "special instructions" field to ask that they deliver a joke -- and the driver complied. But the woman was shocked when she opened the box to see an X-rated funny that started “What do a pizza delivery driver and a gynecologist have in common?”The woman posted a photo of the joke, with its not-safe-for-work answer, and complained -- leading to the driver getting axed by Pizza Hut. Most commenters have sided with the employee, with one calling the mom "black hearted and evil," but she remains on her high horse, saying, “The employee even called and I told her that I hope she doesn’t lose her job over this [but] there’s a time and place for everything. My pizza box is not one of them. It’s a lesson learned."


WEIRD NEWS: Not-So-Secret Santa

A California crook ended up with his chestnuts roasting on an open fire -- when he got stuck in a chimney while trying to break into a store that had closed up shop for the night.

Jesse Berube ended up having to call 911 to get someone to rescue him after he spent over an hour trying to free himself from the too-tight space on Monday night. Authorities referred to the man as a “criminal Santa” but said he “does not have the same skills as the real deal.”The 32-year-old may not be an elf, but it sounds like he could be on the shelf for a good long while if the business owner decides to press charges.


WEIRD NEWS: Give Mom the Chair!

Some parents make their kids sit in a corner, but a Florida woman was taken into custody for making her six-year-old sit in a chair -- in a parking spot she wanted saved for her.

Elda Solis parked her young daughter in the spot outside her apartment complex while she drove to the supermarket right up the block, close enough to walk to. Neighbors called 911 to report seeing the girl in the chair, alone, for an extended period of time, but by the time cops arrived, Solis had taken her back up to their home.When investigators interviewed the child, she said it was not the first time Solis had her hold her parking spot. Detectives obtained a warrant for the woman’s arrest, and she was taken to jail on charges of child endangerment.



WEIRD NEWS: Let's Eat Mom!

A British woman is planning to give a whole new meaning to the term "family recipe" on Christmas Day -- by sprinkling some of her late mother's ashes onto her holiday dinner before digging in.

Debra Parsons says that she grew very depressed when her mother, Doreen Brown, died unexpectedly back in May, but got a little bit of relief when she dipped into the urn holding her remains and tasting them. She said, "It is the only thing that will get me through my first Christmas without mum. I didn't want to just scatter them because that would feel like throwing her away."The 41-year-old will be sharing a table, but not the ashes, with her fiance -- and says she plans to sprinkle the ashes on her turkey and Christmas pudding to help her cope with the holiday.

THE HOTLIST - 12/19

MATT DAMON: Puts Foot In Mouth, Again

For the second straight day, Matt Damon spoke about Hollywood's sexual assault problem and put his foot in his mouth.



 
Damon’s career was built by disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. So Business Insider asked Damon would he become more cautious with who he collaborated. Damon replied, (quote) “One thing that’s not being talked about is there are a whole load of guys — the preponderance of men I’ve worked with — who don’t do this kind of thing.”

The #MeToo movement doesn’t want to hear Damon talk about the good guys. They actually don’t want to hear Damon at all. Cher tweeted, (quote) “Matt Damon is the epitome of a faux ally whose performative wokeness is more about servicing his own ego than the needs of the oppressed & disenfranchised.”

One film critic alluded to Damon’s movie The Martian when tweeted, (quote) “For real though, should have left Matt Damon on Mars.”

Debra Messing said, (quote) “How about we NOT celebrate men who are simply decent human beings. Stay on track, Matt. It’s not about you.”

Rachel Evan Wood simply pleaded on Twitter, (quote) “Stop talking.”


HOLLYWOOD BUZZ


FORMER GLEE STAR MAKES A DEAL IN CHILD PORN CASE

 
Former Glee star Mark Salling pled guilty to possession of child pornography today (Monday). Prosecutors say more than 50,000 images of children aged three to five were found. Prosecutors recommended Salling get four to seven years in prison under his plea deal. He faced 20 years. He'll be sentenced in March. 




NO RED RIDER B.B. GUN FOR YOU RALPHIE 
A Christmas Story Live was the lowest-rated and least-watched broadcast live musical to date with only 4.5 million viewers on Sunday, according to Nielsen. By comparison, 2016’s Grease Live was watched by 12.2 million people. Both aired on FOX.



NEW STAFF FOR OFFICE REBOOT 
NBC is in early talks to revive The Office, Variety reports. Steve Carell would not be involved in this new installment.

THE DIRT - 12/18

LUKE BRYAN MUSICIANS ON CALL 

Musicians On Call, a nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities, launched its new Music Pharmacy program, sponsored by Bose and Pandora, with Luke Bryan at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Musicians On Call's Music Pharmacy gives patients innovative technology to access the healing power of music at their bedside, including tablets equipped with Pandora Plus subscriptions and top-of-the-line Bose headphones. To mark the groundbreaking program launch. 

Luke Bryan made a surprise visit, volunteering for Musicians On Call's hallmark program, the Bedside Performance Program, performing hits like "Play It Again" and "Huntin', Fishin' And Lovin' Every Day" for patients right at the bedsides. 
Following the visit, Luke delivered the Music Pharmacy tablets and headphones to the hospital which will host the equipment for the program, then went room to room listening to music with patients who will now be able to continue listening long after the musician leaves.

 

HONORING ELTON JOHN  

Several artists in country music including Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris will join Miley Cyrus, Kesha, John Legend and Sam Smith set to honor to Sir Elton John during a tribute concert, taking place January 30th at New York's Madison Square Garden. "Elton John: I'm Still Standing - A Grammy Salute," will be recorded for CBS TV for a special airing later this year.

 

A NEW BABY FOR RODNEY ATKINS AND WIFE

Rodney Atkins and his wife, Rose Falcon, have announced the birth of their baby boy, Ryder Falcon Atkins. The couple's first child together joins older brother Elijah, Atkins' son from a previous marriage.

Ryder Falcon Atkins was born on Thursday (Dec. 14) at 2:02PM in Nashville. He measured 20 inches long at birth and weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces. Rodney told People, "He is by far the most precious early Christmas present ever for me, Rose and big brother Eli."

 

CARRIE GETS BACK TO THE GYM 

Carrie Underwood is back at the gym after injuring her wrist last month. Carrie was recently photographed at the gym wearing a brace on her wrist, and the actress alongside her had no idea the star was even injured! Adrienne Gang - star of Season 1 of Bravo's Below Deck - snapped a picture with Underwood and shared it on Twitter this week saying: "Just worked out next to @carrieunderwood," she writes. "NBD ... she is adorable and so gracious... LOVE HER

 

 

 

 

 

 

D.A. OF THE DAY - 12/18

WEIRD NEWS: Statue of Limitations

A British woman showed a warm heart by calling for medical help for a stranger sitting motionless on a cold, cold night -- only to have paramedics discover she was worried about a statue.

The dispatcher who took the call got a crew on the scene within minutes, but they quickly found that the figure on the bench was made of steel and brass, not flesh and blood. A spokesperson for the department says, "The woman who called us had good intentions, but it’s unfortunate that she didn’t go over to check first that it wasn’t a statue."

The statue is actually called "The Lady in the Park," and according to Brampton Park's website, she was erected to commemorate "all the women in Newcastle-under-Lyme who lost husbands, sons and friends in the First World War and subsequent conflicts."

WEIRD NEWS: Small Change, Big Sentence

A Wisconsin burglar showed very little "common cents" by calling 911 to report that he'd lost some money in an office building. That led cops to discover he'd dropped some loose change and a stack of probation papers -- and stolen a laptop on his way out.

Randy Bolstad called cops in an agitated state saying he'd lost his cash in the locked building and planned to break in if he couldn't get someone to help him. He declined to explain how he'd gotten into the office in the first place and hung up when pressed.

Police put two and two together when a tenant in the King on Fifth building reported he'd had a computer swiped, with a pile of change, some condoms and Bolstad's probation paperwork in its place. Officers found him wandering barefoot and confused -- and when asked about the theft, he would only say, "I choose death."

WEIRD NEWS: Jet Chew Airlines!

A Jet Blue passenger didn't let the lack of an economy-class meal get in the way of him grabbing a bite -- he ended up biting several other people in mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing.

 

The flight had just left Los Angeles en route to New York, but after about an hour, the passenger, whose name was not revealed, decided to chew out his seatmates -- literally, by biting them on the arms and face. While he apparently knew the two people that he sank his teeth into, he also ended up running around the cabin hitting strangers, which prompted crew members to declare an emergency and ask for an unscheduled landing in Las Vegas.

Another flier, identified only as "Tom," told authorities "I grabbed his hands behind his back and held him there while the flight attendants put the restraints on him. I really had a hell of a time keeping him in place."

The suspect was taken into custody in Vegas, while the rest of the passengers were put on another flight to continue on to the Big Apple.

THE HOTLIST - 12/18

 

DIDDY: Could He Become an NFL Owner?

Sean "Diddy" Combs has long aspired to break into the world of sports, and it looks like he's put his cards on the table. He says he wants to buy the Carolina Panthers in the wake of the Jerry Richardson workplace misconduct scandal.

Richardson, who's owned the Panthers since their inception, has announced he's selling the team at the end of the season. According to Sports Illustrated, he's settled claims with at least four women, and he also used a racial epithet with an African-American employee.

Last night (Sunday), Diddy wrote on Instagram, "Attention to the Carolina PANTHERS! ATTENTION NFL! This is a chance to make history! There are NO AFRICAN AMERICAN MAJORITY OWNERS IN THE NFL! I WOULD LIKE TO BUY THE CAROLINA PANTHERS! Let’s GOOOOOOO! Spread the word. Tell the world! No joke."

The Panthers are estimated to be worth more than $1 billion. We don't know whether Diddy could pony up that kind of cash or if he'd need investment partners.

ATLANTA AIRPORT: More Than 1,500 Flights Grounded Due to Power Failure

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the country's busiest airport, but not on Sunday. As a result of a power failure, about 100 planes were left on the tarmac and more than 1,500 flights were canceled.

 

The power went out at about 1 p.m. local time due to a fire. Georgia Power staffers, Atlanta Fire and Rescue officials and airport staffers all worked to restore service, and they were finally successful just before midnight local time. However, about 30,000 travelers were affected by the blackout.

Delta, which is one of the major carriers to serve Atlanta, canceled about 900 flights on Sunday and another 300 on Monday.

MARIO BATALI: Apology Featured Cinnamon Bun Recipe

Chef Mario Batali made his circumstance even worse in trying to apologize for sexually harassing employees and wait staff.

On Friday, Batali issued an apology to his newsletter subscribers. He concluded with a post script for a pizza dough-cinnamon bun recipe. Unsurprising, Batali got dragged on social media for acting so insensitive.

One reader of the newsletter tweeted, (quote) "What a disappointment, in every possible way." Another mocked Batali, (quote) "When you’re apologizing for sexual assault and suddenly need a snack."

Before digging his hole even deeper, Batali stated in the newsletter, (quote) “My behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility. I will work every day to regain your respect and trust.”

He then immediately betrayed himself.

HOLLYWOOD BUZZ

Beverly Hills, 90210 star Jason Priestley says he once punched Harvey Weinstein in the face at a 1995 party. The actor made the admission on Twitter Friday after a friend wondered if Priestly was blacklisted like Mira Sorvino. 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi star Oscar Isaac is in talks with to voice Gomez Addams in an animated feature film of The Addams Family. It's set to hit theaters in late 2019.