'Home Improvement' Kid Don't Tase Me, Bro!
You know how it is with child stars -- they grow up so fast before our eyes and before you know it ... they're being tased by hotel security.
Zachery Ty Bryan, who played Brad Taylor on "Home Improvement" -- is suing Choice Hotels International over an incident back in April 2008. Zach claims he was staying at a hotel in San Diego when he and a few friends went across the street to grab a Gatorade. When he came back just after midnight, Bryan's lawyer claims the hotel wouldn't let him upstairs, since the room wasn't in his name.
Then things went really bad ...
Design on a Dime Host Gets XXXtreme Makeover
TMZ has finally uncovered the connection between the HGTV show "Design on a Dime" and hardcore pornography -- a host who really enjoys interiors.
While the network continues to regularly air episodes featuring former host Lee Snijders, we've learned the guy who helped homeowners for more than six years is still giving advice to couples -- but purely of the girl-on-girl variety nowadays.
Snijders used the cash he raked in from "DoaD" and his stint as a Disney Imagineer to start his own porn company with porn star girlfriend Jett Angel. You can even catch Lee in several of the reality-style skin flicks manning the camera (or so we've heard).
Calls to HGTV were not returned.
PETA Wants Sharon Stone's Brain for Research
PETA has offered to front the bill if Sharon Stone will get a brain scan, to determine if her insensitivity is caused by an underdeveloped prefrontal region of her brain.
In a letter to Stone, obtained by TMZ, PETA prez Ingrid Newkirk says "We are used to the indifference that you flaunt and the callous remarks that you make..." Newkirk mentions that whole China thing as well as comments about animals.
PETA makes an offer to pay for a brain scan "to determine if comments and actions that seem to demonstrate a lack of empathy are the result of a physical defect."
You may recall, Sharon Stone is famously in "Total Recall," so she may be able to get a brain scan discount and underwent brain surgery in 2001.
Oates' Stache Hall of a Weapon!
With any luck, John Oates won't ever play second banana to Daryl Hall again -- but he'll have to lose his boom-chicka-boom-boom moustache in the process.
Well, sort of: Primary Wave, the publisher that owns most of the Hall & Oates catalog is shopping around a cartoon called "J-Stache" in which John's upper-lip hair is used as a weapon to fell such evil stache-wearing villains as Tom Selleck and David Crosby. (If you're sensing irony in all this, you win!)
John Oates doesn't think the plan is hair-brained at all. In fact, he tells TMZ: "When I first heard about the idea for 'J Stache,' my first reaction was -- at last the world is finally ready to again embrace the power of the 'stache. Its time has come again. The creative team at Primary Wave really got it and I wanted to be involved from the beginning."
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J. Lo's Dog Allegedly Eats Stewardess
At least someone in the Jennifer Lopez family is eating -- her dog allegedly took a bite out of a flight attendant on a private jet, and now the eaten party wants $5 million from Jenny.
Lisa Wilson filed suit yesterday in Brooklyn Federal Court, alleging that Floyd -- a guard dog -- "lunged" at her when she walked past him during the 2006 flight, making her go ass-over-elbow and giving her such debilitating back pain that she had to have serious surgery.
Wilson claims that J. Lo knew the dog had "vicious propensities" and should've controlled it. J. Lo's peeps had no immediate comment.
Linda Hogan Can't Even Call 911 Right
It takes a special kind of person to call 911 and get reprimanded by the operator who is trying to help you. Linda Hogan is just that special.
Hulk's soon-to-be ex called the cops back on May 22, claiming the Hulkster was camped outside her house, when a court order -- she claims -- prevented him from doing so. According to the police report, Linda was leaving her house when she spotted Hulk driving towards it -- so she decided to follow him!
So when she called 911, and explained she was following the man she claimed was harassing her, the 911 operator scolded her, saying, "Ma'am, ma'am -- stop following him!" And it gets better ...
Inmates Get Baked for Paris
It's been one year since Paris Hilton turned Lynwood Jail on it's ass -- and since her former roommates don't have anything better to do -- they're celebrating!
Through a state funded cooking class, the inmates baked a cake to commemorate "Operation Secure Paris." Notice the Eiffel Tower symbolizing the heiress ... those lawbreakers are so clever!
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King Kong is Dead
King Kong has met his match once again -- this time it's fire at Universal Studios.
Fire officials confirmed that the King Kong building in the back lot of Universal has been completely destroyed! Also perishing in the fire: New York Street and Hill Valley (the town from "Back to the Future" and current set for "The Ghost Whisperer").
A video vault containing 40,000 - 50,000 videos and reels were also destroyed -- but officials say there are copies elsewhere.
DWM: Driving While Mariah-cated
You think the movie "Glitter" caused rioting in the streets? Check this out!
21-year-old Zachary Alan Schreiber of North Naples, Fl. was popped Saturday night after allegedly throwing a beer bottle at someone who went off because he was blasting Mariah Carey music.
Schreiber apparently threw like a sissy and missed the hater, who was sitting in the passenger seat of another car, and hit the driver instead. He was charged with shooting a missile into a vehicle (yes, really) and criminal mischief.
Farina Busted Is That a Gun in Your Pocket...
Sources tell TMZ actor Dennis Farina was arrested at LAX this morning after trying to get through security with a loaded gun.
It happened at around 8 AM. Farina was flying out when he was nabbed at the security checkpoint. Sources say he told cops he had forgotten that the gun was in his carry-on luggage. It was a .22 caliber, semi-automatic pistol.
Farina was taken to LAPD's Pacific Division. He was booked on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon.
Farina, 64, is in the movie, "What Happens in Vegas..."
UPDATE: Farina told cops he had the gun in his briefcase when he drove from Arizona to L.A. and forgot it was there. He was taking a flight from LAX to his home in Chicago. Farina was apologetic and cooperative with cops, telling them he was a retired Chicago Cop with 19 years on the job. But he had no apparent authority to carry a loaded pistol at the time of his arrest.
We're told the FBI interviewed Farina but declined prosecution because the locals were handling it.
Farina was booked for carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, a misdemeanor. His bail is set at $25,000. He's still in custody.
Ryan Cabrera Total Chicken S**t
Pop singer-turned-edgy rocker Ryan Cabrera, better known as that guy that used to date Ashlee Simpson, is set to debut his white meat at the Chickenfest in Darboy, Wisc. Is Joe Simpson behind this?
No, the Chickenfest is not code for anything, it's really a festival celebrating the chicken. Cabrera is the highlight of the poultry party that also includes chicken wing eating contests and hourly "chicken dance" competitions.
Coachella what?
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Mr. Toad's Wild Meth Ride
The girl who played Hilary Duff's BFF on the hit show "Lizzie McGuire" pled guilty to possession of crystal meth last year -- but managed to keep the whole thing under wraps.
Lalaine Vergara Paras, who played Miranda Sanchez on the Disney Channel show, was popped back in July and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine. But before the plea there was lots of drama. Paras was a no-show for a court appearance and the judge issued a $50,000 bench warrant for her arrest -- but it was recalled when she showed up in February.
Paras pled guilty to the crystal meth charge, but her record will be expunged when she completes a drug-treatment program. She's enrolled in the Asian American Drug Abuse Program.
Calls to Lalaine's reps were not returned.
Teen Popped for Pimpin' Out Gangsta Granny
A teenager in Florida was arrested yesterday for forcing his grandma into shooting a music video, where she holds a .22-caliber pistol and taunts the po-po with full F-bombs.
According to the arrest report, 18-year-old Michael Alfinez copped to dressing up his 85-year-old nana, Marie Huertas, in gangsta gear and making her aim a piece at the camera, saying "This is for all the pigs" and "F*** you if you don't like it." He was charged with elder abuse, and shooting off the weapon in question from his car.
And how's this for sad -- Grandma isn't exactly playing with a full deck. According to the police complaint, when cops asked her the date, she said, "February 1908," and she didn't know what a "video" was.
Michael Vick Scores in Prison!
Just when you thought Michael Vick's football career was over, he's resurrected it once again in the joint.
Apparently, Leavenworth's most athletic inmate is showing off his moves on the field, er, jail yard, and is quarterbacking the prison football team. Falcons owner Arthur Blank tells the NY Daily News, the disgraced baller is adjusting as well as he can to prison life, and is staying busy by doing dishes and writing letters.
For his toil and trouble as a dishwasher, Vick gets about 12 cents an hour. In his last season with the Falcons, Vick raked in $1.4 million, all part of a 10-year, $130 million contract that he signed in 2004.
He's set for release in July of 2009.
TSA: We're Sorry About The Whole Nipple Thing
Gloria Allred 1, TSA 0!
The Transportation Security Administration has officially changed their screening process regarding nipple rings.
Today they acknowledged that they may have gone too far by having a woman remove her nipple rings during a stop at airport security clearance in Lubbock, TX.
The TSA posted the following statement on their website: "TSA acknowledges that our procedures caused difficulty for the passenger involved and regrets the situation in which she found herself. We appreciate her raising awareness on this issue and we are changing the procedures to ensure that this does not happen again."
Hooray for nipples everywhere!
WWE Puts the Squeeze on Man Nipples
Nipplegate 2008 has broken out in Florida! Wrestlers John Cena, Triple H, Randy Orton and Big Show are all proudly baring their nipple-free chests on a huge banner in downtown Orlando. Wait, what?
City officials met with some WWE suits to figure out how to keep the wrestling poster from looking "too provocative." The outcome - the WWE slammed, er, airbrushed the nipples into oblivion. Billboard malfunction!