D.A. Of The Day - Tuesday, Feb. 9th

 

WOMAN CRASHES HER OWN FUNERAL:

An Australian woman got the perfect revenge on her husband, who'd arranged to have her killed, by showing up at her own funeral and scaring the life out of him. 

Noela Rukundo was kidnapped by armed thugs who drove her to an abandoned building, where she was tied up and held at gunpoint. She was blindfolded as she heard her abductors talking to someone on speakerphone and then fainted after she heard her husband's voice on the phone say, "Kill her."

When she finally came to, the kidnappers told her that her husband had paid them thousands of dollars to kill her, but that they weren't going to because they didn't want to kill a woman. They said they would simply keep the money and tell her husband that they'd finished the job. They then dropped her off on the side of a road and let her go. 

Meanwhile, her husband told friends and family that Noela had died in a tragic accident and welcomed mourners to his home to pay their respects. When everyone finally left, Noela walked out of her car and greeted her husband, who panicked and asked if she was a ghost. Noela told her story to the police who arrested her husband. He's been sentenced to nine years in prison. 

SWEATER SWIPER SWEATS IT OUT:

A Florida crook didn't break a sweat during a two-theft Thursday, in which he stole a sweater from a store, then returned to try pilfering some beer -- without removing the stolen garment.

The man, who's still on the lam, walked into a Daytona Beach Walmart and slipped on what's described as a "distinctive looking" sweater before he headed for the exit without paying. While his image was captured on surveillance tape, guards didn't react quickly enough to nab him -- but he gave them a second chance when he returned a few hours later, still wearing the sweater, and tried to swipe a four-pack of Bud Ice.

This time, the suspect was stopped, but he offered to put back the beer, explaining he didn't want to get arrested for carrying an illegal gun, which he flashed at employees before fleeing the scene. Cops are still on the lookout. 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL A REAL FRADY CAT.

A Vermont man gave a whole new meaning to "cat burglar" after he broke into a former neighbor's house, pulled a gun and stole her pet kitty!

The victim says she was startled by a noise in her basement and went downstairs to find Mark Frady sitting on the floor with a lollipop in his mouth, smoking a joint and watching television. She yelled to her son, who came down to confront Frady, but the intruder brandished a weapon and grabbed the family cat.

The 51-year-old was arrested and charged with burglary and unlawful trespassing. The cat didn't even need to go through one of its nine lives and was returned totally unharmed. 

The HOTLIST - Tuesday, Feb. 9th

 

HUGH JACKMAN OFFERS A PAINFUL REMINDER 

Hugh Jackman has been treated for skin cancer for the fifth time in two years

The star, who had a malignant growth removed from his nose on Monday, explained to his fans on Instagram that it was the "mildest form of [skin] cancer but serious nonetheless." Hugh posted a photo of himself with a bandaged nose and urged everyone to "please use sunscreen and get regular check-ups."

His surgeon has given him the "all clear," according to a statement from the actor.

GWYNETH PALTROW: TESTIFIES AGAINST STALKER

Just hours after partying at the Super Bowl, Gwyneth Paltrow took the witness stand in the trial of her accused stalker.

The actress told the jury Monday morning that Dante Soiu started sending her threatening letters and sex toys in 1999. The man had been ordered to stay away from the Oscar winner at the time but then he started again in 2003.

Gwyneth read from the 65-year-old's letters and said he once sent her a vibrator and pornography. "I was very uncomfortable," she said. "I was very scared."

The man's lawyer said the star has nothing to worry about. "What you have on your hands here is lonely old guy who’s writing letters and is basically harmless (with) no history of violence." 

NOBODY REALLY LOSES AT THE OSCARS

No one's a loser at the Oscars. That's because all the nominees in the acting and directing categories (25 in all) get swag bags worth more than $200,000. 

This year the swag includes vaporizers, a year’s worth of Audi A4 rentals, MY M&M’s personalized chocolate candies and a walking tour of Japan. But there are some bizarre gifts, too. Such as Dandi Patch underarm sweat patches, Hydroxycut Gummies and Nuelle Fiera Arouser for Her.

The bags are not affiliated with the Oscars or the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. They come from a company called Distinctive Assets.

TTLD - Monday, Feb. 8th

MIRANDA LAMBERT BUYS A NEW HOUSE

 

Variety reports that Miranda Lambert has paid $3.4 million for a 400-plus acre estate in near Primm Springs, Tennessee, which is located about an hour south of Nashville. According to the publication, the property features two "rustic-looking yet luxuriously appointed" cabins, 75 acres of fenced pasture, a lake with a dock and boathouse, a two-stall horse barn and a six-bay garage that features a loft-style apartment. The property also boasts lighted walking trails that lead through the woods to a pavilion that features a stage and seating for 60 people. Pictures of one of the cabins on Variety's website show a porch that closely resembles the one Lambert was sitting on in a photo she posted to Instagram recently. In the caption for the picture, Miranda said she was spending the weekend with her boyfriend Anderson East and also hinted that the two might be writing a song together.

Following her divorce from Blake Shelton last July, Miranda reportedly retained ownership of the 11,000-square-foot suburban Nashville mansion the couple purchased in 2013. Shelton reportedly kept his 1,200-acre ranch near Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

NELLY RELEASES THOMAS RHETT COVER

 

He found success with the remix to Florida Georgia Line's mega-hit "Cruise" in 2013, and now hip-hop star Nelly has set his sights on another widely-popular country single; Thomas Rhett's "Die a Happy Man." Nelly's cover of Rhett's multi-week #1 song hitiTunes on Friday (2/5) and can be heard here. Thomas' version of "Die A Happy Man" spent six consecutive weeks at #1 on theBillboard Country Airplay chart and made Rhett the first artist to hold the top spot for the same reign since Taylor Swift did so with her hit "Our Song" eight years ago. Nelly has also collaborated with Tim McGraw in the past, releasing his hit 2004 single "Over and Over" featuring the country superstar.

STEPPING UP FOR FRIENDS - MADDIE AND TAE

 

After Tyler Farr was placed on aggressive vocal rest following his recent microlaryngeal surgery, the girls from Maddie and Tae were happy to step up for him and help their friend Lee Brice kick off his "Life Off My Years Tour." The duo's Tae Dye says the two were scheduled to write for the next album when they received the call about joining the tour, but quickly made a few changes to accommodate the new tour schedule and help out their friends. Dye shares, "I couldn't imagine being in that position, right as you're about to kick-off a tour..." Maddie Marlow continues, "So we figured, we should do this. Not only are we friends of both Lee and Tyler, when you put good energy into the world, it sets an example of kindness for our fans. We'll get back to writing next week!" The girls helped Brice launch the "Life Off My Years Tour" in Salisbury, Maryland, on Thursday (2/4) and also made stops with him in Rochester, New York, and Kingston, Rhode Island, over the weekend. Jerrod Niemann and Clare Dunn will each separately step in for Farr during a series of tour dates before Maddie and Tae re-joins the trek in April.

RETURNING TO IDOL – SCOTTY MCCREERY

 

Last week, Scotty McCreery returned to where it all began when he taped an episode of the Farewell Season of American Idol. For three days, Scotty mentored two of the Top 24 contestants and shared with them the lessons he learned from both his experience on the hit singing competition show and in his career. The Season 10 Idol champion also performed duets with both singers while on the program. McCreery said of returning to the show, "I remember how important it was to me during my time on 'Idol' to meet and learn from all the great artists who visited the set and offered their advice. I was proud to be able to come back and offer whatever guidance I could to my two talented contestants. This is their season and their show. I was there to help them shine...and I believe they both did!" The episode of American Idol featuring Scotty, along with five other returning Idols, will air on Thursday (2/11) at 8:00 PM ET on FOX.

KRISTIAN BUSH SIGNS WITH BBR

 

Kristian Bush has inked a multifaceted publishing, production and label deal with BBR Music Group. Kristian is already hard at work in the studio on his sophomore solo studio album, which is set to be released on BBR's Wheelhouse Records imprint. As part of the deal, Bush has also joined the roster at BBR Music Group's publishing division, Magic Mustang Music. Kristian shares, "As both a recording artist and a songwriter, I am honored to be a part of the BBR Music Group/Magic Mustang family. I'm in love with making music, and I'm humbled every day that I get to do this job." As for the talented team he'll be working with at BBR, Bush says, "My train runs on believers, and I found some incredible supporters in this building. There's no telling what can happen when like-minded people get together, so to be surrounded by this team and given this opportunity makes me feel like a rocket sitting on a launchpad. I can't wait to take off."

Kristian's Sugarland duo partner, Jennifer Nettles, is currently signed with Big Machine Label Group, where she is also working on her sophomore solo studio project. Bush's debut solo album, Southern Gravity, was released on Streamsound Records in April of 2015.

D.A. Of The Day - Monday, Feb. 8th

WHEN IT RAINS...

A Florida man locked down a spot on the dumbest drivers of 2016 list by locking himself in the trunk of his vehicle -- while frantically searching for his lost car keys.

Rob Moore entered the Sunshine State's hall of shame after a witness called 911 on Saturday night to report a suspicious vehicle that had been parked near Sombrero Beach for some time. 

When a deputy responded to the scene, he found a 1997 Lincoln Continental with all four doors open but no one in sight, then heard knocking sounds coming from the trunk.

The officer ordered Moore to come out, but the hapless fella said he couldn't, because he'd accidentally fallen in the trunk while searching for the keys and had the trunk close on top of him. While Moore was thrilled to have the cop rescue him from the trunk and help him look for the keys, he was less excited about the guy also finding a pill bottle filled with weed in the vehicle -- and charging him with misdemeanor drug possession.

THIS CROOK IS A REAL CLOWN...

Police in Alabama have arrested a lot of clowns for all sorts of things, but they're usually not actual clowns.

A sheriff's deputy spotted an SUV swerving across a road and pulled over the driver -- who was wearing a full clown costume, complete with a bright rainbow wig and a silly grin. 51-year-old Joel Allan Sloan told the officer that he'd "just had a few drinks," but refused to explain why he was dressed as a clown. 

A further investigation of the clown found that Sloan also had a warrant out for his arrest in connection with a felony theft. 

AWW HE'S A CUDDLER..

Had 23-year-old Vaughn Tucker known he'd be spending Saturday night in jail, he probably would have chosen a different shirt to wear.

Cops arrested the Oklahoma man for possession of marijuana and other drug-related charges. When he was booked into jail, he immediately drew attention from fellow inmates who couldn't help but notice his inviting T-shirt, which read, "I would cuddle you so hard."

Tucker spent the night locked up before being released Sunday morning. No word if he found any willing participants in the joint.

The HOTLIST - Monday Feb. 8th

PEYTON MANNING’S PLANS POST SUPER BOWL 50

Peyton Manning's plans after his Super Bowl win were simple and to the point – 

"I want to go kiss my wife and my kids. I want to go hug my family," the Broncos quarterback told CBS.
"I'm going to drink a lot of Budweiser tonight … and definitely going to say a little prayer and thank the man upstairs for this great opportunity."

This could be the end of the run for Manning, who has told New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick this game might be his "last rodeo." Addressing that statement, Manning said, "I got some good advice from [former Indianapolis Colts head coach] Tony Dungy and he said don't make an emotional decision. This has been a very emotional week, an emotional night ... I'll take some time to reflect."

CHECK OUT ALL OF THE COMMERCIALS FROM THE BIG GAME..

 

So I don't know about you but I thought that the commercials for the BIG GAME this year were less than stellar. Nothing really caught my attention but that's just me. If you want to check out anything that you may have missed just click HERE and watch all of the ads from the game.

ELI MANNING IS CATCHING SOME HEAT TODAY:

So people are casting some major shade at Eli Manning today after cameras caught a glimpse of Peyton's younger brother not sharing in the excitement as time was winding down in SB51 yesterday. Some say that he was jealous of Peyton because he was playing for a championship, others say he was calculating the possible strategy that the Carolina Panthers would try to utilize to make a come back. Me, I say that a camera guy just happened to catch Eli off guard, and that he actually is truly happy for his big brother who now has 2 championship rings, just like him... 

TTLD - FRIDAY FEB. 5TH

DIERKS BENTLEY: EVERY MILE A MEMORY

 

The newest exhibit coming to the Country Music Hall of Fame will highlight the life and career on Dierks Bentley. The exhibit, Dierks Bentley: Every Mile a Memory, will run from March 4, 2016, to September 6, 2016, and will feature stage wear, guitars, song manuscripts, photos and more from Bentley's personal collection. For Dierks, having an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond anything he's ever dreamed of, and he says it's also given him a different perspective on his career. Bentley shares, "You never really look back, you really look forward, so when they ask you about making an exhibit, you have to kinda go back and examine stuff that's happened along the way, and start diggin' through old set lists and boots and pictures. It kinda makes you really think about the story and how much has transpired and how you got to be where you are."

To celebrate the opening of the exhibit, the Country Music Hall of Fame will hold a program featuring a special conversation and performance with Dierks at the CMA Theater on March 12.  The special program is included with museum admission and free to museum members. The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming at 2 PM local time. Museum members can reserve tickets via TicketFly.com beginning on February 10. Bentley is also offering pre-sale tickets to his fan club members, February 10-16.

HER BIGGEST TOUR YET – CARRIE UNDERWOOD

 

Carrie Underwood launched her "Storyteller Tour - Stories in the Round" over the weekend with back-to-back sold-out shows in Jacksonville, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. But long before the impressive sold-out crowds packed into the arenas, Carrie spent much of 2015 working with her team to create her biggest and most spectacular concert tour to date. The tour required several weeks of technical planning and rehearsing to program lighting cues, automation, and special effects, followed by Underwood and her band giving numerous full-on performance rehearsals.

As the name "Stories in the Round" suggests, the stage is set in the middle of the arena floor to give the audience a full 360-degree view of Carrie and her band. The massive stage has seven elevator lifts and spans over 150 feet across the arena floor, with a main center stage expanse of 48 feet in diameter that rotates 360-degrees. There are also four satellite stages and three concentric LED rings that hover in the air and move throughout the show for visual moments and effects. Not to mention the four large oval screens that provide video for fans on all sides of the arena. But what would Carrie's tour be without her signature wardrobe changes. For this component, Underwood teamed up with Emmy-winning costume designer Marina Toybina to create several costume options for each of the five acts so fans will see a variety of outfits each night. A video showing highlights from the tour can be seen here.  The next stop on the "Storyteller Tour" will be at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, tonight (2/5).

B.B. KING GRAMMY TRIBUTE – CHRIS STAPLETON

 

Chris Stapleton has been added to the list of performers at the upcoming 58th Grammy Awards. Stapleton will join Gary Clark Jr. and Bonnie Raitt to pay special tribute to legendary blues artist B.B. King during the ceremony. King, a 15-time Grammy winner and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, passed away in May of 2015 at the age 89. The Grammys will also feature a performance by Little Big Town and a special collaboration with Carrie Underwood and Sam Hunt. There will also be performances by Kendrick Lamar, Adele, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber and Pitbull and more. The 58th Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on February 15 at 8 PM ET on CBS. LL Cool J will host for the ceremony for the fifth consecutive year.

Stapleton is also set to perform during the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute concert honoring Lionel Richie on February 13 in Los Angeles. The event's star-studded lineup will include performances by Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Usher, Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams, Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Dave Grohl, Rihanna, Ellie Goulding and more. Proceeds from the event will provide support for MusiCares.