For KOBE BRYANT, using a helicopter was a pretty standard method of transportation, but he and his wife had a deal that they would never fly on a helicopter together. It sounds like they wanted to make sure their kids weren’t orphaned if something happened. aKobe and the others with him were just shooting across L.A. Except that you DON’T just “shoot across” L.A. They were traveling roughly 80 miles, which could take two-and-a-half hours in everyday L.A. traffic. Kobe was known to take a helicopter much shorter distances just to work out. Kobe was so high on his 13-year-old daughter Gianna’s potential that just last month he filed a trademark request for “Mambacita,” which is a play on his alter-ego “The Black Mamba.”
There’s an online petition asking that Kobe be made the new NBA logo. Last we checked, it had over 1.5 million signatures, and celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber, Meek Mill, and Usher are backing it. The current NBA logo was designed by Alan Siegel. It’s a silhouette of Lakers legend Jerry West. The Dallas Mavericks have already retired Kobe’s #24, even though he never played for them.
Planters says they’re pausing their social media campaign surrounding the tragic death of Mr. Peanut in the wake of the real-life tragic death of KOBE BRYANT. But they’re still planning to air Mr. Peanut’s funeral during the Super Bowl.
Earlier this week, the world was treated to video of JULIANNE HOUGH having some kind of energy healing treatment, in which she convulsed and moaned. And yes, everybody thought it was insane. One woman even put it on her Instagram and said, “Gonna tell my kids this is ‘The Exorcist’.” That inspired Julianne’s brother DEREK HOUGH to come to her defense. He said, “This stuff looks wacky and crazy but diving into it with the understanding of pure energy is a pretty wild experience. Maybe ahead of its time but worth an open mind.” And Julianne added, “I thought the same thing when I first saw it too!”
LEE HARVEY OSWALD’s final paycheck from the Texas School Book Depository is up for auction. It was for $43.37.
MAREN MORRIS maintains a pretty good presence on social media. However, now that she’s pregnant, some people wish she’d ease back on all the baby bump pics. “People will comment on my photos ‘we get it, you’re pregnant.’ The only thing currently going on for me is my pregnancy.” And to drive that point home, she posted another belly pic on Sunday. This time she’s standing on a deck next to what looks like a pond at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee. Her hand is on her baby bump, and she captioned it, “Back at the farm. #BabyMoon.”
The producers of The Bachelor are searching for people enjoying their “golden years” who would be interested in an “exciting new dating show.” In a casting call Bachelor producer Lindsay Liles said seniors aged 65 and older are invited to apply to be part of the show. The producers of The Bachelor are looking for active and outgoing single men and women age 65 and up for a new exciting dating show! Those interested are encouraged to head to SeniorDatingShow.CastingCrane.com.
Gary Allan has a very adventurous and creative spirit. In between writing and recording songs, playing shows, making jewelry, Gary is crossing off a bucket list item as he’s on a safari in Africa. The California native has received kisses from a giraffe, taken selfies with elephants, witnessed an elephant crossing and had a bull elephant square off against him and his fellow vacationers and so much more. In one post on his Instagram account, he says “Crazy fun here. Saw zebras , giraffes, lions , elephants, hippos and hyenas today . More to come!!”
Ratings for Sunday night’s “Grammys” were disappointing, but enough people watched to give a nice sales spike to the songs that were performed. Here’s how much some of them improved:
- “Nobody But You” by Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani: Up 91%.
- “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo: Up 107%.
- “What a Man Gotta Do” by the Jonas Brothers: Up 166%.
- “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X: Up 217%.
- “Bring My Flowers Now” by Tanya Tucker: Up 411%.
- “First Man” by Camila Cabello: Up 740%.
- “Underdog” by Alicia Keys: Up 787%.
- “When the Party’s Over” by Billie Eilish: Up 787%.
- “Higher” by DJ Khaled with Nipsey Hussle and John Legend: Up 9044%.
In addition to headlining her own That Girl Was Me Tour, the Dancing With the Stars alum just announced she is releasing a new EP later this year. Lauren Alaina shared the good news while chatting with Jenna Bush Hager and Jerry O’Connell on the Today Show. “I have been singing new songs on the road, that aren’t released. I’m working on the 3rd album. I decided that the songs we are doing live, we’re going to put out an EP on March 6, so that everybody has access to the songs that I’ve been singing.” Alaina postponed her That Girl Was Me Tour to participate in Dancing With the Stars –– a decision that at least didn’t seem to hurt her, since she has so far sold out every show on the tour. “I cry every night on stage,” Alaina said of seeing fans come out in droves to see her perform. “ I’ve been opening up for 9 years, and it’s my first headlining tour. So far we’ve sold out all of the shows.” Alaina got her star on Season 10 American Idol in 2011, coming in second place to Scotty McCreery. Alaina based the whole tour around that little girl, who dreamed up this dream. And all throughout the show, there’s a screen behind her, with home videos of her singing when she was little. “So every night when I’m on stage, I turn around and I look at that screen, and it just makes me emotional”. Alaina will also join Blake Shelton next month on his Friends and Heroes Tour.
MIRANDA LAMBERT is performing with her openers on the Wildcard Tour. There’s a great clip of her on stage last Friday with CODY JOHNSON and LANCO performing Travis Tritt’s “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”.
They’ve been together more than 4 years, but Gwen Stefani is still just as in love with Blake Shelton as ever – maybe more. The couple performed their current romantic duet, “Nobody But You” on the Grammys. “He saved my entire life,” Stefani gushed “We are just having the time of our lives and we never expected that this late in our lives, so we’re just trying to savor every moment together.” Shelton and Stefani were together when they heard “Nobody But You” for the first time, after songwriter Shane McAnally sent it to Stefani, along with an awkward text, for her to share with Shelton. It’s the third song the couple has sung together. Shelton is clearly just as in love with Stefani. The Oklahoma native credits Stefani with almost everything good in his life, including his renewed faith in God. “I believe in God now more than I ever have in my life,” Shelton said. “The biggest part of that is just how [Stefani] came into my life and now our relationship. It’s just too weird. If you take God out of it, it doesn’t make sense. If you put God into it, everything that’s happened with us makes sense.”
MIRANDA LAMBERT is performing with her openers on the Wildcard Tour. There’s a great clip of her on stage last Friday with CODY JOHNSON and LANCO and they’re performing Travis Tritt’s classic “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”.
JonBenet Ramsey’s half-brother, John Andrew Ramsey, and the daughter of late detective Lou Smit, Cindy Marra, believe they can still crack the 23-year-old case. Ramsey said, “We have the killer’s DNA … so that’s hugely important and will ultimately solve this crime. There are additional items that should be tested given today’s new technology for additional samples. And the advent of using genealogy to identify a killer is hugely promising, and that technology will only get better.”
Alan Alda is 84.
