IN THE NEWS...

[muthagoose]

SACHA BARON COHEN Won't Play FREDDIE MERCURY In QUEEN Biopic

According to MTV.com, "Borat" star Sacha Baron Cohen will play legendary QUEEN frontman Freddie Mercury in a musical biopic are "absolutely untrue," the actor's publicist told MTV News.

An unidentified source told Britain's Daily Mirror that "filmmakers are working flat out to get the best possible script. Sacha loves the idea he can get away with playing Freddie after modeling Borat's look on him."

"Pure hokum," the publicist said.

The rumor might have surfaced because the actor can actually sing well. His next project is Tim Burton's musical "Sweeney Todd," alongside Johnny Depp.

[muthagoose]

Sizemore Busted for Crystal Meth -- AGAIN!

"Black Hawk Down" star Tom Sizemore is back behind bars today after cops say the actor had been using crystal meth outside of a hotel in Bakersfield, Calif.

Sizemore, who is currently on probation for another drug rap in 2004, was taken into custody early Tuesday morning after an associate allegedly tried to fight an employee outside the Four Points Sheraton hotel. The associate, Jason Salcido, was also arrested. Cops say Salcido was carrying a "narcotic smoking pipe" at the time of the bust.

A search of the 2004 Ford Mustang that Sizemore was sitting in during the arrest allegedly yielded two bags of meth and pipes.

According to police sources, Sizemore was booked at the Kern County Jail on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine, being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia.

Bail has been set at $14,000.

[muthagoose]

Stallone Pleads Guilty to Hormone-Import Charge

Sylvester StalloneSylvester Stallone pleaded guilty this morning in a Sydney court to bringing banned muscle-building hormones into Australia, and will be sentenced next week.

The actor didn't appear in court, but said in a letter to Sydney's Downing Center Local Court that he had "made a terrible mistake" because he was "ignorant" about local laws, according to the AP. Stallone was accused of bringing the restricted growth hormones into Oz when a customs search in February turned up 48 vials of Jintropin, a human growth hormone. Then, said a prosecutor yesterday, Stallone threw four vials of the male hormone testosterone out of his hotel room when customs officials searched it.

The maximum penalty for Stallone's offense could be 5 years in prison and $91,500 in fines, but Stallone will face up to $18,500 for each charge because his case is being heard in local (not federal) court.

[muthagoose]

Stapp's Wife: Scott Chucked Orangina Bottle at My Face

Scott StappScott Stapp's wife claims that she was "in fear for her life" when the rocker flung a glass bottle of Orangina at her face during an alleged incident Sunday morning.

According to the police report, Stapp's wife, Miss New York USA 2004, Jaclyn Nesheiwat Stapp, claims that she called 911 after Scott stumbled into their $5 million mansion around 8:00 AM and got "very angry" when she asked if he was "using drugs." Jaclyn told police that Stapp began yelling at her to "leave him alone," before he grabbed an Orangina bottle and launched it at her face, nearly hitting her.

When cops arrived, they found the shattered bottle ... and several handguns locked in a safe. According to the report, "Scott was very cooperative" about handing over the firearms, which were immediately confiscated. One of the responding officers claims that Stapp did admit to throwing the bottle, but the former Creed frontman also said, "Jaclyn was no where in the area."

Stapp was then arrested on suspicion of domestic assault with intent to commit a felony. After spending a night behind bars, a judge lowered the original booking charge to a misdemeanor. Now, the case is in the hands of the State Attorney, who has 30 days to charge the rock star or reject the case.

According to several published reports, Jaclyn has dealt with Stapp's demons before. The singer was arrested at LAX in 2006 for being publicly intoxicated while waiting to board a plane to Hawaii -- for their honeymoon -- but no charges were filed.

[Chick-O-Stick]

Connie Nielsen, Lars Ulrich Have Baby


It's a boy for actress Connie Nielsen and Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich.

Nielsen gave birth to Bryce Thadeus Ulrich-Nielsen on Monday in San Francisco, publicist Craig Bankey said in a statement Friday.

It was the couple's first child. Nielsen has a son, Sebastian, from a previous relationship, and Ulrich has two children, Myles and Layne, from his marriage to Skylar Satenstein.

An announcement on Metallica's Web site said: "Mother's doing well, dad's in awe, and brothers Layne, Myles, and Sebastian are psyched!"

The Danish-born Nielsen has starred in such films as "Gladiator," "Brothers" and "The Situation."

[muthagoose]

Another clearly deranged person ties to blame something on Dee Snider...

Did DEE SNIDER's 'Strangeland' Movie Inspire Kansas City Killer?

According to Kansas City's KMBC-TV, Edwin R. Hall, the man accused of kidnapping and killing 18-year-old Kelsey Smith, has cited "Strangeland" — the 1998 horror film written by, co-produced by, and starring TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider — as one of his favorite movies.

The plot of "Strangeland" is similar to the crime Hall is accused of committing. The movie is about a deranged man who stalks the daughter of a police detective.

In real life, Smith's father has a background in law enforcement.

According to The Associated Press, Hall was charged Thursday with first-degree murder in Smith's death and aggravated kidnapping for her abduction last Saturday (June 2) from a Target store parking lot. His bond was set at $5 million.

[Ponyone]

Former All-Star Rod Beck dead at 38
Longtime MLB closer found in his home on Saturday


SAN FRANCISCO -- Rod Beck, a former reliever for the Giants, Padres, Cubs and Red Sox, has passed away, a Giants official said on Sunday. Beck was 38 years old.

The Giants were informed of Beck's death on Saturday night and informed the players, announcers and front-office staff, who were openly speaking about the death prior to Sunday's game against the Yankees at AT&T Park. An official statement was being held pending notification of Beck's family.

No details have emerged, but Beck had a history of substance abuse and went into drug rehab only months before his career ended with the Padres in 2004. The Giants said Beck was found dead at home in his bed.

"It comes as a complete shock," said Barry Bonds, who played with Beck on the Giants from 1993 to 1997. "We all just found out. He was a great guy, great for us when he was here."

Beck came up with the Giants in 1991 and holds the team record for most saves in a single season with 48 in 1993. His 199 saves with the Giants is second in club history to Robb Nen, who finished with 206 and his 286 saves during his 13-year career places him 22nd on Major League Baseball's all-time list.

Beck was a three-time All-Star with the Giants, making the NL squad in 1993, '94 and '97. He saved 48 games for the Giants in 1993, and saved 51 for the Cubs in 1998.

[Ponyone]

WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and family found dead

Renowned pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old-son, were found dead Monday afternoon in their Fayetville, Ga. home, Atlanta police said.

Police would not give any details on how Benoit, 40, his wife Nancy, and son Daniel died, other than to say they were not shot to death, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported Monday. Authorities are investigating the deaths.

The news came just a day after Benoit mysteriously pulled out of a World Wrestling Entertainment pay per view event, during which he was expected to be crowned Extreme Championship Wrestling world champion. Various pro wrestling news sources reported that Benoit was unable to appear at the event due to a family emergency.

"There are no further details at this time, other than the Benoit family residence is currently being investigated by local authorities," the WWE said in a statement on its Web site.

Benoit was a 22-year ring veteran and perennial favorite of wrestling purists, who praised his high-intensity style and technical acumen. His aggressive wrestling technique earned him the nicknames "The Crippler" and "The Rabid Wolverine." In 2000 and 2004, he was named Oustanding Wrestler of the Year by the Wrestling Observer newsletter and in 2004 he was named Wrestler of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine.

The Edmonton, Canada native trained to become a wrestler in Calgary, and honed his skills in Japan before becoming a regular on U.S. national promotions in the mid-1990s. Benoit's career highlight took place in New York, when he won his first World Wrestling Entertainment world heavyweight championship in Madison Square Garden in the main event of WrestleMania XX.

Benoit cried as he celebrated in the ring with his wife and son, as well as best friend, wrestler Eddie Guerrero, who died in 2005.

"Wrestling has consumed my life," Benoit said in a 2004 WWE career retrospective video. "Wrestling is my mistress. It's my passion. It defines who I am as a person."

WWE last night canceled its scheduled live 3-hour "Monday Night RAW" program, which coincidentally was originally billed as a "memorial service" for WWE chairman Vince McMahon, whose character was recently killed off in a controversial scripted storyline.

McMahon opened the show from center ring in an empty arena and clarified that Benoit and his family had died "in reality." McMahon called Benoit "one of the greatest WWE superstars of all-time."

[Üncle Snake]

Benoit's death part of a double murder-suicide

Written: June 25, 2007

According to lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, in Fayetteville, Ga., the deaths of WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, wife Nancy and son Daniel were the result of a double murder-suicide, WWE.com has learned.

Benoit failed to appear both at Saturday’s live event in Beaumont, Tx., and WWE’s Vengeance: Night of Champions in Houston Sunday night, after informing WWE of a family emergency. Several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning prompted concerned friends to alert Richard Hering, VP of Government Relations for WWE, Inc. Hering, in turn, spoke with Fayette County sheriffs Monday, and requested that they respond to the Benoit residence to check on him and his family.

Authorities representing the Sheriff’s Department initially had a difficult time entering Benoit’s new Fayetteville home Monday afternoon, which had been guarded by two large German Shepherds roaming freely around the property. Once authorities entered the residence, they quickly located the bodies of Benoit, Nancy and Daniel. WWE was notified of the discovery at approximately 4 p.m.

At 10 p.m. Monday night, Lt. Pope held a press conference in conjunction with Scott Ballard, the district attorney for Fayette County. The press conference officially ruled authorities’ findings as a double murder-suicide from within the home.

WAGA, a FOX-owned and operated television station in Atlanta, reported that investigators believe Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son over the weekend, then himself on Monday.

The three bodies have been received by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab, in Decatur, Ga., where autopsies will be performed Tuesday morning. Toxicology reports will not become available for at least two weeks.

WWE.com has further information relating to both the investigation and the cause of death, but the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department has requested that WWE.com not release any additional details at this time.

[muthagoose]

Benoit Murder Details Revealed

Chris BenoitTMZ has learned more about the deaths of WWE wrestling superstar Chris Benoit, his wife and son -- and the information is extremely disturbing.

Several Atlanta-based law enforcement sources have told TMZ Benoit may have strangled his wife on Saturday, then smothered his son in his bed a day later. Investigators refuse to officially comment, pending final confirmation by the coroner on the cause and time of the deaths.

One source told TMZ that Benoit was texting friends during Sunday's WWE "Vengeance" Pay-Per-View program -- possibly watching the show with his son, who may have been alive at the time.

According to sources, Benoit then hanged himself Monday in a weight room inside the family home.

A police investigation is ongoing.

[muthagoose]

Benoit's History of Domestic Violence Exposed

Before her grisly death, Chris Benoit's wife once told a judge that she was, "intimidated by threats of violence" from her 220 lb. husband.

In divorce papers filed in 2003, Nancy Benoit included a petition for protection from domestic abuse against Chris. In the papers, Nancy claimed that Benoit, "lost his temper and threatened to strike the petitioner and cause extensive damage to the home and personal belongings of the parties, including furniture." Nancy added that she was, "in reasonable fear for petitioner's own safety and that of the minor child."

Three months later, Nancy filed to have the divorce papers and the restraining order dismissed. A short time later, a judge granted her wish.

[The Duke]

From wwe.com:

On Saturday, June 23, Chris Benoit was slated to appear at a WWE live event in Beaumont, Texas. That afternoon, Benoit contacted WWE to inform them that his wife and child were ill, and that he would not be able to attend the show.

WWE executives rebooked Benoit’s flight for the following morning, allowing Benoit to miss the Beaumont event making alternate arrangements for him to attend the pay-per-view event in Houston on Sunday.

WWE employees attempted to confirm with Benoit his travel plans but were unable to contact him.

Early Sunday morning, between 3:51 and 3:58 a.m., Benoit sent five text messages to co-workers:



Text Message 1 to two co-workers (sent 6/24 at 3:53 a.m.) - Chris Benoit’s cell phone
“My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane, Fayetteville Georgia. 30215”

Text Message 2 to two co-workers (sent 6/24 at 3:53 a.m.) - Chris Benoit’s cell phone
“The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open”

Text Message 3 to two co-workers (sent 6/24 at 3:54 a.m.) - Nancy Benoit’s cell phone
“My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane.
Fayetteville Georgia. 30215”

Text Message 4 to two co-workers (sent 6/24 at 3:55 a.m.) - Nancy Benoit’s cell phone
“My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane.
Fayetteville Georgia. 30215"

Text Message 5 to one co-worker (sent 6/24 at 3:58 a.m.) - Nancy Benoit’s cell phone
“My address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayetteville Georgia. 30215”



Throughout the day on Sunday, WWE made numerous attempts to contact Benoit both at home and at local hospitals in the Atlanta area. As of 11 p.m., WWE officials were unable to establish contact with Chris Benoit.

At 12:30 p.m. on Monday, June 25, WWE officials were notified of the text messages sent to the co-workers the previous day. By 12:45 p.m., WWE had contacted Fayette County Sheriff’s office requesting they check on the Benoit family.

Fayette County Sheriff's office made contact with WWE at approximately 4 p.m. advising that they had entered the house of Chris Benoit and found three deceased bodies – an adult male, adult female and a male child. WWE was told that Benoit’s home was now considered a major crime scene.

The decision to cancel the live event scheduled in Corpus Christi that night was made between 4 and 5 p.m. In keeping with company policy, and with limited knowledge regarding facts of the case, WWE choose to air a memorial dedicated to the career of Chris Benoit. As facts emerged surrounding the case, all tributes to Chris Benoit were removed both on-air and on WWE.com.

[muthagoose]

WWE Distances Itself from Benoit as facts become more clear....

After authorities revealed the grisly details of Chris Benoit's final days, the WWE is changing their tune. In a televised statement, aired just moments ago on Sci Fi Channel's ECW, Vince McMahon made it clear -- they will no longer honor the memory of the murdering wrestler:

"Last night on 'Monday Night Raw,' the WWE presented a special tribute show, recognizing the career of Chris Benoit. However, now some 26 hours later, the facts of this horrific tragedy are now apparent. Therefore, other than my comments, there will be no mention of Mr. Benoit tonight. On the contrary, tonight's show will be dedicated to everyone who has been affected by this terrible incident. This evening marks the first step of the healing process. Tonight, the WWE performers will do what they do better than anyone else in the world -- entertain you."

[muthagoose]

Web Time Stamps Indicate Nancy Benoit's Death Reported on Web at Least 13 Hours Before Police Found Bodies in Her Home

An anonymous user operating a computer traced to Stamford, Conn. — home to World Wrestling Entertainment — posted an entry to pro wrestler Chris Benoit's biography on Wikipedia.org announcing the death of his wife Nancy at least 13 hours before police in suburban Atlanta said they found her body along with her husband's and that of their 7-year-old son, FOXNews.com has learned.

Employees at Wikipedia.org said the posting went live on their site on Monday at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Police, however, said they found the bodies Monday at 2:30 p.m. EDT.

The posting reads: “Chris Benoit was replaced by [[Johnny Nitro]] for the ECW Championship match at Vengeance, as Benoit was not there due to personal issues, stemming from the death of his wife Nancy.” According to a Wikipedia.org report published after FOXNews.com made inquiries, the edit was reversed just under one hour later with the comment:

"Need a reliable source. Saying that his wife died is a pretty big statement, you need to back it up with something."

The posting apparently was made in reference to Benoit's scheduled appearance on Sunday night at an Extreme Championship Wrestling event in Texas.

An employee from Wikipedia.org told FOXNews.com that he called and left a message with investigative authorities in Fayetteville, Ga., at around 11 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, after the posting was brought to the attention of the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Web site.

“I chat with other editors on IRC — Internet relay chat — and somebody pointed it out to me on a relay chat and that it came from a Stamford connection, and that it took place at midnight Eastern Standard Time on Monday morning,” said Wikipedia.org volunteer coordinator Cary Bass. “I called and left a message with the police department.”

The computer-generated time and date stamp of the Benoit entry are listed as 4:01, 25 June 2007. Wikipedia.org lists its entries according to Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time.

Further investigation, according to Wikipedia.com, shows that one hour after the first edit reversion, another anonymous edit by 125.63.148.173 using unwiredAustralia.com.au, a wireless Internet service provider, was made adding about the aforementioned personal issues: "which according to several pro wrestling websites is attributed to the passing of Benoit's wife, Nancy."

That edit was reverted less than 20 minutes later, with the following comment: "Saying 'several pro wrestling websites' is still not reliable information." The second edit was made by a computer in Australia from a wireless network, according to Wikipedia.org.

A message left by FOXNews.com with Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department was not immediately returned.

Investigators so far have ruled the Benoit killings as a double homicide-suicide.

Wikipedia.org claims to be one of the largest reference Web sites, and is written collaboratively by users from around the world. Approved users can make submissions and change entries that are posted on the site almost immediately. Bass said the site is constantly monitored to correct inaccuracies.

Bass said when there is a high-profile case, such as the Benoit killlings, Wikipedia.org limits postings to registered users, which is now indicated at the top of the Benoit entry. According to the listed history on the Benoit entry, the computer used to post the 12:01 a.m. entry had a Stamford, Conn., Internet Protocol — or IP — address, a numeric designation that is assigned to every computer with an Internet connection, and that same address has been used to post about a dozen other messages on the site, dating back to May 16, 2007.

In related news, FOXNews.com also has learned, through widely posted Web reports, that former pro wrestler Sherri Martel, who was found dead on June 15, was linked to former wrestler Kevin Sullivan — ex-husband of Nancy Benoit.

Martel, who had a reputation as one of the top managers in pro wrestling, was found dead at her mother’s home in near Birmingham, Ala., on June 15. She was 49.

Investigators, who have not yet determined Martel's cause of death, say foul play is not suspected but that Martel did not die of natural causes.

[The Duke]

Just read the above....this case just seems to get more bizarre by the day.

[muthagoose]

Lightening things up a bit... and serving you the latest buzz around town.

Neverland East?

Michael Jackson is reported to be staying at the Inn at Perry Cabin.

ST. MICHAELS — Officially, no one would say Thursday that Michael Jackson, the erstwhile “King of Pop,” was in the area. Neither, however, would anyone deny the talk.

Privately, inside sources reported that Jackson was not only staying at the Inn at Perry Cabin, he might be looking to buy land in Talbot or Queen Anne’s county.

Julia Barnes, a spokesman for the Inn at Perry Cabin, said the hotel is not in the habit of giving away guest information and declined to comment on the matter. General Manager John Volponi did not return a phone call by press time.

Both the St. Michaels Police Department and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office said they had not heard of Jackson being in the area.

The Star Democrat heard from confidential sources that Jackson was staying at the inn, though the atmosphere outside the inn Thursday afternoon hardly resembled the scene outside the California courthouse where his 2005 trial for molestation charges occurred (Jackson was cleared on all counts).

Tipsters also identified three palatial estates in Talbot and Queen Anne’s counties that Jackson was supposedly interested in viewing. Phone calls to the real estate agents also went unreturned.

According to West Coast media reports, Jackson’s representative confirmed Wednesday that Jackson is moving out of a rented Las Vegas mansion Saturday, when his $1 million lease on the property expires. The spokesman, Raymone Bain, also denied rumors that Jackson was planning to move out of the country, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

- -

This reporter extending a hand of welcome to The King of Pop and inviting him to do an interview with Live-Metal.Net on his astounding career or at the very least challenging to a game of "Michael Jackson's Moonwalker"! The ball is in your court, sir!

[muthagoose]

Chris Benoit mystery editor confesses: claims "terrible coincidence"

Source: Wikinews
en.wikinews.org/wiki/Chris_Benoit_mystery_editor_confesses:_claims_%22terrible_coincidence%22

The anonymous individual responsible for suggesting, 14 hours before police discovered the body, that WWE wrestler Chris Benoit's wife was dead is confessing, saying his/her comment was a "terrible coincidence."

In a post made at 12:26 AM EDT Friday morning to the talk page of a Wikinews article headlined as the "Death of Nancy Benoit rumour posted on Wikipedia hours prior to body being found", the user admitted to writing that Nancy Benoit was dead at the Wikipedia article page for Benoit came from information that was garnered from "rumors and speculation online." Freakishly, the post turned out to be true.

The IP Address of the individual making the apology was identical to that of the one who posted the Nancy Benoit rumor, a strong confirmation of the admission's authenticity. The lengthy apology was not signed, with the individual claiming, "I am just an everyday individual who posted a wrongful remark at the time that received so much attention because it turned out to actually happen."

Wikinews originally broke the story about the suspicious edit after receiving a tip from Wikipedia administrators. The fact the edit originated from a computer in Stamford, CT (the site of WWE headquarters) appears to be another coincidence.

The anonymous editor left a lengthy apology to the Wikimedia community, explaining, "I hope this puts an end to this speculation that someone knew about the tragedy before it was discovered."

Wikinews is continuing to follow the story, but the anonymous user has declined an interview.

Below is the full, unedited apology:
...

Hey everyone. I am here to talk about the wikipedia comment that was left by myself. I just want to say that it was an incredible coincidence. Last weekend, I had heard about Chris Benoit no showing Vengeance because of a family emergency, and I had heard rumors about why that was. I was reading rumors and speculation about this matter online, and one of them included that his wife may have passed away, and I did the wrong thing by posting it on wikipedia to spite there being no evidence. I posted my speculation on the situation at the time and I am deeply sorry about this, and I was just as shocked as everyone when I heard that this actually would happen in real life. It is one of those things that just turned into a huge coincidence. That night I found out that what I posted, ended up actually happening, a 1 in 10,000 chance of happening, or so I thought. I was beyond wrong for posting wrongful information, and I am sorry to everyone for this. I just want everyone to know it was stupid of me, and I will never do anything like this again. I just posted something that was at that time a piece of wrong unsourced information that is typical on wikipedia, as it is done all the time.

Nonetheless, I feel incredibly bad for all the attention this got because of the fact that what I said turned out to be the truth. Like I said it was just a major coincidence, and I will never vandalize anything on wikipedia or post wrongful information. I've learned from this experience. I just can't believe what I wrote was actually the case, I've remained stunned and saddened over it.

I wish not to reveal my identity so I can keep me and my family out of this since they have nothing to do with anything. I am not connected to WWE or Benoit at all in anyway. I am from Stamford as the IP address shows, and I am just an everyday individual who posted a wrongful remark at the time that received so much attention because it turned out to actually happen. I will say again I didn't know anything about the Benoit tragedy, it was a terrible coincidence that I never saw coming.

I hope this puts an end to this speculation that someone knew about the tragedy before it was discovered. It was just a rumor that I had heard about from other people online who were speculating what the family emergency Chris was attending to. I made a big mistake by posting this comment on his page, since all we had were what we thought was going on and nothing about what actually was going on yet, and sadly what happened turned out to be my speculation at the time. I assumed wiki would edit out my information, which they did, so thats why I didn't go back to edit it out myself.

I know I keep repeating it but I feel terrible about the mainstream coverage this has received, since it was only a huge coincidence and a terrible event that should of never happened. I am not sure how to react, as hearing about my message becoming a huge part of the Benoit slayings made me feel terrible as everyone believes that it is connected to the tragedy, but it was just an awful coincidence. That is all I have to say, I will never post anything here again unless it is pure fact, no spam nothing like that. Thank you, and let this end this chapter of the Benoit story, and hopefully one day we will find out why this tragedy ever actually happened.

...

[muthagoose]

Benoit Doc to Face Federal Charges

Chris BenoitThe personal physician of wrestler Chris Benoit turned himself in on Monday to face a single federal drug charge involving improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs.

Dr. Phil Astin had his office raided last week in connection with the Benoit investigation. No arrests were made and authorities would not say what was seized. Dr. Astin's office is located approximately 50 miles from Benoit's home. He saw Benoit just hours before the WWE star killed his wife and son.

Manny Arora, Astin's attorney, said the doctor "is doing about as good as can be expected. He's disappointed and surprised."

Dr. Astin is expected to appear before a judge later today. Stay tuned.


- -


Was Benoit's Son Really Sick?

Chris BenoutAmid reports that WWE wrestler Chris Benoit allegedly injected his son with hormones because of a health condition, Scott Ballard, District Attorney of Fayette County, Ga., just released this statement:

"There are additional reports that contradict the earlier information that suggested that Daniel Benoit may have suffered from Dwarf Syndrome or Fragile X Syndrome. Daniel's family denies that he suffered from either condition. As a result of the family's concerns, the Fayette County Sheriff's investigators and the District Attorney's Office have inquired into this matter. A source having access to certain of Daniel's medical reports reviewed those reports, and they do not mention any pre-existing mental or physical impairment. Reports from Daniel's educators likewise contradict the claims that Daniel was physically undersized. The educators report that Daniel graduated kindergarten and was prepared to enter the first grade on par with the other students."

[muthagoose]

Michael Jackson Evidently Moving to Rental Home in Virginia

Michael Jackson is moving to … Los Angeles? Europe? The moon?

None of the above. Jackson is evidently on his way to a rental in Virginia.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Jacko.

Could things get stranger? You say no, but I say yes. Here’s another Jacko headline, and it’s right on the money from my very good sources.

The failing, ailing, falling pop star was supposed to appear on the BET Awards a week ago. However, when the show producers approached his people (Raymone Bain and Grace Rwaramba, the nanny), they were told Jackson was too incapacitated to appear.

Jackson’s people will go crazy when they read this today, but it’s 100 percent true. The BET Awards are produced by Ron Weisner, an old Jackson friend who was on the scene with Freddy DeMann during the "Thriller" era.

Weisner didn’t return our calls Monday. But sources close to him verified that Weisner was very enthusiastic about creating a “25th anniversary of 'Thriller'” moment on the show.

”It’s the best-selling album of all time and should have been acknowledged,” my insider says. “But there was too much drama. Michael could not make it. He’s isolated and he’s failing.”

Another source told me that Jackson was also invited to give Diana Ross her lifetime achievement award.



“Michael would never miss doing something for Diana," the source says. "But the producers were told he was too messed up to make the show.”

Of course, while Jackson was not making the BET show, he was busy packing up his $1 million, one-year Las Vegas rental and heading to Virginia.

Why the colony most famous for George Washington and Busch Gardens? Some have speculated that Virginia Beach has been the locale of many recording studios, including those of Teddy Riley and Timbaland.

Still, the betting money is on Bain, who works in Washington, D.C., keeping a closer eye on her main client and goose that used to lay the golden egg. Where that leaves Rwaramba is anyone’s guess after she moved into Turnberry Towers in Las Vegas.

But Virginia has an added advantage: It keeps Jackson 3,000 miles away from his concerned family. I told you last week they are ready to pounce on Bain and Rwaramba over Michael’s health and welfare.

“Look at Michael’s year with them,” said one very respected source who has not much use for Bain. “No music, no life, no progress. He’s also lost or settled a number of lawsuits for lots of money. And now this.”

The lawsuits include $5 million to Prescient Capital, perhaps a half million dollars to former lawyer Brent Ayscough (judgment and legal fees) and more to lawyers who feel they weren’t paid from four years ago. In the fall, recent Jacko manager Dieter Wiesner’s lawsuit proceeds to court as well.

One BET source, who knew a lot about the Jackson episode, just shook their head. “It’s a tragedy what’s happened to him.”

[muthagoose]

Winnipeg pizza place serves up side of porn

It's only about a week old, but a new pizza place in Winnipeg has already aroused attention — not for its pizza pie, but for the racy extra that comes with it.

Patrons must be 18 years and older to order from Porno Pizza, which delivers pornographic material inserted under every pizza.

The venture, the brainchild of local entrepreneur Corey Wildeman, is raising eyebrows in the Manitoba capital.

"We cater to certain crowds," Wildeman told CBC News, adding that he realizes not everyone would be sold on the idea.

"I'm pleased to see that it might not be everybody, but it's most people," he said with a laugh.

Wildeman said the idea of including pornographic photos with pizza is a marketing gimmick designed to sell more pies. And the gimmick is legal: customers even have to show identification to the delivery person at the door, proving they are 18 or older.
Continue Article

"They have to make sure they're selling to someone who's of age," lawyer Ian Berger said. "But other than that, get a little something extra with your pizza — there's nothing wrong with that."

While Porno Pizza crosses no legal boundaries, it tested some people's social borders, with some titillated by the concept … and others, not so much.

One woman told CBC News that the woman depicted in the Porno Pizza insert was "too naked," while another said porn is "something I wouldn't expect to have anything to do with pizza."

But surprisingly, Wildeman said, many of his customers are women.

"So I'm pretty pleased to see that a demographic that some people might think that we're offending is actually a lot more open to the concept than society would think," he said.

Wildeman said if enough people are turned on to the Porno Pizza concept, he has the naming rights for what could be a national franchise.



"Mmmmmmmmmmmmm Erotic Pizza!"

[The Duke]

When are they opening up in Easton? Yes sir!

[muthagoose]

New questions about Jim Morrison's death

PARIS - The official story goes like this: On the last night of Jim Morrison's life, the rocker went to a movie in Paris, listened to records, fell ill and died of heart failure in his bathtub at the age of 27.

But rumors have always swirled around the death of The Doors frontman and, 36 years later, a former Paris nightclub manager is telling a different story. In a new book, Sam Bernett says that Morrison died in a toilet stall of his club after what he believes was a heroin overdose.

He writes of his shock on finding Morrison's body: "The flamboyant singer of 'The Doors,' the beautiful California boy, had become an inert lump crumpled in the toilet of a nightclub." Bernett, whose French-language book is called "The End: Jim Morrison," says he believes two drug dealers brought Morrison's body back to his apartment.

Bernett, who was in his early 20s when Morrison died in 1971, went on to become a prominent radio personality, rock biographer and a vice president of Disneyland Paris. Though he was pestered for years by reporters investigating Morrison's death, he kept his story quiet until his wife suggested writing a book last year.

"For me it's a very bad (memory)," Bernett told The Associated Press.

Rumors have long suggested that Morrison died of an overdose and that he had fallen ill at the nightclub, but witnesses did not come forward.

Patrick Chauvel, a noted war photographer and writer, sometimes helped run the bar at the club. He recalls giving a hand to men who were carrying Morrison in a staircase there.

"I think he was already dead," said Chauvel, who considered putting the episode in a 2005 book before his publisher cautioned against it. Chauvel said he thought an ambulance would have been called if Morrison were still alive.

"I don't know," he said. "It was a long time ago, and we weren't drinking only water."

An official at the Paris prosecutor's office said it was very unlikely the case on Morrison's death would be reopened or that anybody could be prosecuted in the affair, because the statute of limitations — the time limit on legal proceedings — had run out.

Stephen Davis, the author of "Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend," says he would not rewrite history because of the new book. Based on his reporting, he believes Morrison did overdose at the club, but that it was shortly before his death — not the same night — and that he survived the experience.

"It just seems likely that if he died in the toilet of a nightclub, it would have come out before now," Davis said.



Muthagoose says: "There is only one Jim Morrison... and that is Val Kilmer!"

Morrison came to Paris in March 1971 at a troubled time in his life. At a 1969 concert in Florida, he was accused of exposing his genitals to the audience. He was convicted of indecent exposure and profanity, and the episode led to promoters canceling concerts and earned the band a stream of negative publicity.

Morrison left for Paris with his appeal pending. There, he lived in a Right Bank apartment with his girlfriend, Pamela Courson, and he wandered the streets, sightseeing and toting around a plastic bag containing his writings. In Paris, he gained so much weight as to become almost unrecognizable, and his health suffered.

He also partied. Morrison spent "practically every night" at the Rock and Roll Circus, the hip Left Bank nightclub that Bernett managed, where stars like Roman Polanski and Marianne Faithfull were regulars, Bernett said.

At around 1 a.m. on July 3, 1971, Morrison went to the club and was joined by two men — drug dealers who sold him heroin for Courson, Bernett said. At one point, Bernett noticed that Morrison had disappeared. Later, the bouncer broke down the door of a locked toilet stall, and they discovered Morrison unresponsive, Bernett said.

Bernett says he asked a doctor, a club customer, to examine the singer.

"When we found him dead, he had a little foam on his nose, and some blood too, and the doctor said, 'That must be an overdose of heroin,'" Bernett said. Bernett added that he did not see Morrison take any heroin that night but said the singer was known to sniff the drug because he was afraid of needles.

Bernett says the two drug dealers insisted Morrison was just unconscious and carried him out of the club. Though Bernett says he wanted to call the paramedics and authorities, the club's owner ordered him to keep quiet to avert a scandal.

Bernett believes the dealers brought Morrison's body home and dropped it into the bathtub, a last attempt to revive him.

Morrison's girlfriend, who died three years later of an overdose, told police an entirely different story.

Courson said the couple went to the movies and out for dinner that night, listened to records and fell asleep. According to her testimony in police records, Morrison awoke in the night feeling ill and took a hot bath. Courson said she found him dead in the tub.

Morrison was buried in Pere Lachaise cemetery, in a small ceremony without fanfare, on July 7, 1971. No autopsy was ever performed.

[muthagoose]

Steroids, other drugs found in Benoit's body
Pro wrestler killed wife, 7-year-old son before hanging himself in June

DECATUR, Ga. - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit had a steroid and other drugs in his system when he killed his wife and young son last month and hanged himself in the family’s home, investigators said Tuesday.

Benoit’s body contained 10 times the normal level of testosterone, as well as the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone, authorities said.

The testosterone, a synthetic version of the primary male sex hormone, is considered an anabolic steroid. The state’s top medical examiner said it appeared to have been injected shortly before Benoit died.
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Dr. Kris Sperry said there was no evidence of any other steroids in the wrestler’s body, and nothing to show that steroids played a role in the death of Nancy and Daniel Benoit. He also said the boy appeared to have been sedated when he was asphyxiated, and Benoit’s wife had a “therapeutic” level of sedatives in her body.

Sperry said there is no consensus that the use of testosterone can contribute to paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as “roid rage.”

“This a question that basically no one knows the answer to,” Sperry said. “There is conflicting scientific data as to whether or not testosterone creates mental disorders or leads to outbursts of rage,” he said. “There’s data that suggests it and other data that refute it.”

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Benoit tested negative for alcohol.

Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son, placed Bibles next to their bodies and then hanged himself on the cable of a weight machine. After the slayings, prescription anabolic steroids were found in the family’s home, raising questions about whether the drugs played a role in the killings.

Benoit’s wife, Nancy, tested positive for Xanax, hydrocodone and the painkiller hydromorphone. Daniel Benoit had Xanax in his system, authorities said.

The GBI said it could not perform tests for steroids or human growth hormones on the boy because of a lack of urine.

Federal authorities have charged Benoit’s personal physician, Dr. Phil Astin, with improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two patients other than Benoit. He has pleaded not guilty.

Investigators have also raided Astin’s office several times since the deaths, seizing prescription records and other documents.

Before he was charged, Astin told the AP he prescribed testosterone for Benoit, a longtime friend, in the past. He would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office June 22, the day authorities believe Benoit killed his wife.

World Wrestling Entertainment last screened Benoit for steroids in April. It said the results released Tuesday were proof Benoit did not test positive for illegal substances.

“All it means is that scientifically, it’s now known that sometime between April 10 and when he died, he had treatment with testosterone,” said Jerry McDevitt, a WWE attorney. “That’s all it establishes.”


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The WWE has issued the following statement concerning the toxicology results on in the Chris Benoit case:

WWE understands that the toxicology reports for Chris Benoit indicate that he tested positive for testosterone and negative for anabolic steroids. On Mr. Benoit's last drug test in April 2007 administered by Aegis Labs, he tested negative for anabolic steroids and for testosterone. Given the toxicology report of GBI released today, it would appear that Mr. Benoit took testosterone sometime after his April 2007 test and the time he died. WWE understands that his dealings with Dr. Astin are currently being investigated, and WWE has no knowledge of whether Dr. Astin prescribed testosterone for Mr. Benoit at some point after the April 2007 tests.

For over 20 years, the WWE has been demonstrating our concern for the well being of our contracted athletes, instituting drug testing in 1987 leading up to our current Wellness Program which began on February 27, 2006, administered by Dr. David L. Black of Aegis Sciences Corporation - one of the world's foremost drug testing authorities.

We believe our Wellness Program is at the very least comparable to those of professional sports and is a program that will benefit WWE Superstars for generations to come.

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Benoit's Son Was Sedated When He Was Killed

Investigators have concluded that Chris Benoit sedated his seven-year-old son Daniel with Xanax before he killed him.

As for whether Daniel suffered from Fragile X Syndrome, as had been previously reported, no conclusion could be made. The Medical Examiner also said they could not perform tests for steroids or human growth hormones on Daniel because of a lack of urine available to do those tests.

[muthagoose]

How Jim Morrison Died
By Vivienne Walt
Monday, Jul. 16, 2007

From Time Magazine: www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1643884,00.html

Even on a gray day in Paris last week, there was one place you could find a crowd of tourists from places as varied as Rome, Tokyo and Orlando, Florida — gathered at the Pere Lachaise cemetery, around the graveside of Jim Morrison. Forget Chopin, Oscar Wilde, and the hundreds of other luminaries interred among its chestnut trees, the frontman of The Doors has long been the cemetery's headline draw. Part of the attraction is the almost mystical magnetism he exuded in life; part is the macabre mystery of his demise: How did one of the legends of the rock age die in a Paris bathtub in 1971 at age 27, of what the Paris police report said were "natural causes"?

He did not, according to Sam Bernett, whose French book The End — Jim Morrison has just appeared here. Bernett, then 21, ran the hottest Paris club, the Rock 'n Roll Circus, which (as the name suggests) drew a nightly crowd of stoners. After midnight on July 3, Bernett claims he discovered Morrison's lifeless body in the club's bathroom, having clearly overdosed on heroin. Angelic images of Morrison still grace countless T-shirts ($22 at funeral stores around Pere Lachaise), but Bernett paints an uglier picture. "There was foam coming out of his lips," the former nightclub owner told TIME. A doctor who was in the club that night concluded that Morrison had overdosed, and "said Jim was dead," he says. "I wanted to call the police or rescue people to help. They [Morrison's drug dealers] said no," and instead had the body driven back to the apartment the singer had rented with his girlfriend, Pamela Courson. It was then soaked in the bath tub.

This might sound like a juicy tale concocted to sell books. But Bernett isn't the only person in Paris who remembers that night 36 years ago, although it appears to have taken the publication of his book to prompt them to finally speak up. Patrick Chauvel — now a renowned war photographer — told TIME he was 19 and drunk that night, when he was dragooned into helping load Morrison's body into a car. Since he had just returned from photographing the Vietnam War, Chauvel was deemed especially suited to dealing with corpses. "We carried him in a blanket and got him the hell out of there," recalls Chauvel, who was a friend of Morrison and did not cooperate with Bernett's book. Explaining the cover-up, Chauvel says: "I guess if you have a night club and Jim Morrison dies in your toilet, it is not good p.r. The five or six people who knew, who were there that night, agreed to just forget about it."



Courson maintained that what Bernett says is the lie, telling police they had spent the evening listening to records at home, when Morrison fell ill. She herself died soon after, taking her secrets with her.

And so the tale has stuck for 36 years. Oliver Stone's 1991 movie The Doors ends with Morrison slumped in la baignoire with a stoned Courson nearby. Bernett says he once met Oliver Stone's mother, and told her: "Tell your son to call me and I'll tell him how his movie should end." Stone never called.

The official Paris death reports, reproduced by Bernett, reveal bland functionaries willing to cooperate in a full-blown cover-up, and less than eager to discover how a young American had wound up dead in their city. Astonishingly, the coroner conducted no autopsy. The police swallowed Courson's version whole. And the medical examiner says Morrison had "classic signs" of a heart attack — especially as "a friend" (unnamed) of Morrison's said that he had complained of heart pains for weeks. Voila.

The new reports on Morrison's death have some unsettling echoes in a city still questioning the conduct of the Paris police on the night Princess Diana died in a car crash in August 1997 — considerable time elapsed before her body reached the hospital's emergency room. Princess Di's death draws its own morbid gawkers, of course, who lurk around the underpass where her mangled car was found. But those numbers are tiny compared to the hordes that descend every day of the year, year in and year out, on Pere Lechaise.

A few years ago, Morrison fans dismantled his giant bust atop the grave. Now his remains are encased in a smaller modest tomb, blocked by metal barricades. Two ribbons lie amid the flowers, placed by the French Fan Club of The Doors. What brings the crowd? "Morrison's death was the end of an era," says Celine Sauls, a Parisian who emigrated to Orlando, Florida, a decade ago and was back to pay her respects last week. "That is why people are so infatuated with him." For her, Morrison will forever be the frenetic singer belting out "LA Woman" until he and his audience wept. Born five years after Morrison's death, Sauls says: "He was 27, wild and crazy. He will always be that." Regardless of which account of his death holds the truth.

[muthagoose]

Falcons' Vick indicted in dogfighting probe
Star quarterback, 3 others charged with training and procuring pit bulls

RICHMOND, Va. - Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges related to illegal dogfighting.

Vick and three others are charged with competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines.

The dogfighting operation was named “Bad Newz Kennels,” according to the indictment, and the dogs were housed, trained and fought at a Surry County, Va., property owned by Vick.

The indictment alleges that the 27-year-old Vick and his co-defendants began a grisly dogfighting operation in early 2001 in which dogs fought to the death — or close. Losing dogs were sometimes killed by electrocution, drowning, hanging or gunshots.

If convicted, Vick and the others — Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor — could face up to six years in prison, $350,000 in fines and restitution.

Telephone messages left at the offices and home of Vick’s attorney, Larry Woodward, were not immediately returned. A woman who answered the phone at the home of Vick’s mother said the family knew nothing about the charges.

“We are disappointed that Michael Vick has put himself in a position where a federal grand jury has returned an indictment against him,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.



“The activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal. Michael Vick’s guilt has not yet been proven, and we believe that all concerned should allow the legal process to determine the facts.”

After an initial raid in April, Vick said he was rarely at the house, had no idea it may have been used in a criminal enterprise and blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity.

On Vick’s Web site, he lists his birthplace as Newport News, “a.k.a. BadNews.”

The four men were accused of “knowingly sponsoring and exhibiting an animal fighting venture” and conducting a business enterprise involving gambling, as well as buying, transporting and receiving dogs for the purposes of an animal fighting venture.

Purses for the fights ranged from hundreds of dollars to the thousands, and participants and spectators placed side bets, the document said.

About eight young dogs were put to death after they were found not ready to fight in April 2007. They were killed “by hanging, drowning and/or slamming at least one dog’s body to the ground,” according to the indictment.

The FBI and local authorities have been investigating the allegations since an April 25 drug raid at the property Vick owned.

Authorities seized 66 dogs, including 55 pit bulls, and equipment commonly used in dogfighting. About half the dogs were tethered to car axles with heavy chains that allowed the dogs to get close to each other, but not to have contact — an arrangement typical for fighting dogs, according to the search warrant affidavit.

The indictment said dogfights were held at the Virginia property and dog owners brought animals from six states, including New York and Texas.

In a search warrant executed July 7, the government said the fights usually occurred late at night or in the early morning and would last several hours.

Before fights, participating dogs of the same sex would be weighed and bathed, according to the filings. Opposing dogs would be washed to remove any poison or narcotic placed on the dog’s coat that could affect the other dog’s performance.

Sometimes, dogs weren’t fed to “make it more hungry for the other dog,” it said.