Randy Jackson: Top Dawg
(CBS/Lauren Donohue)
Chatting with Randy Jackson about his solo album, which is due out in February. He worked with tons of different artists like Joss Stone and Mariah Carey. I can't wait to hear it!
Click here to see more behind-the-scenes photos from his visit.Continue » Rock Solid
The No. 1 movie at the box office this weekend was "The Game Plan" starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I remember, as many folks do, when he was a big-time wrestling star! Now he's a full-fledged movie star, and does a great comedic turn as an egocentric NFL player who discovers he has a daughter. He even ends up doing ballet in the movie.
Video: I ran into his co-star, Madison Pettis, over the weekend at the "High School Musical on Ice" world premiere. She told me "The Rock" was a doting dad on the set, quizzing her every morning about what she ate for breakfast. Check out our interview where this big guy turns to mush when he chats about watching the movie with his own 6-year old!
Dress For Success
(CBS/Victor Wijaya)
The Wedding Crashers
Have you seen "Wedding Crashers," the hilarious movie starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson? It's one of my favorites, and believe it or not, it does happen in real life. In the movie, those guys fool the bride, groom and their family into thinking they are really invited so they can pick up girls. Well, in the interview I had today, the objective of the wedding crasher was to pick up gift cards! Check out this story of a woman and her 12-year-old daughter who crashed a reception and were caught red-handed by the newlyweds the next day while she was using the gift cards. It wasn't so funny for them over the weekend, but they sure will have a tale to tell later!
Burning Questions
Today we followed up on the story of the woman who was repeatedly Tasered by a policeman in Ohio earlier this month. I spoke with Warren, Ohio, prosecutor Gregory Hicks. There are still some elements of what happened that night to be investigated and the prosecutor's office has yet to determine whether or not Heidi Gill will face the full charges brought against her or if the officer who is accused of Tasering her will face any repercussions. The case certainly brings into question the proper use of Tasers and standard operating procedures. We also have exclusive photos of Ms. Gill after the incident and her pants, which are covered with Taser burns. Our producers counted roughly 20 burn marks. Whether or not this is indicative of excessive use of a Taser is another part of the story, which we will continue to follow on The Early Show.
to watch my exclusive interview with Ms. Gill.
Taser Victim Speaks Out
(CBS/The Early Show)
The video shows an officer repeatedly Tasering her and eventually putting her in handcuffs. The police report says she was Tasered seven times, but Heidi told me that it felt continuous over the course of several minutes. She said she feared for her life and was desperate to escape the man who was hurting her -- that he even ceased being police officer in her mind. She was completely terrified. Heidi said she now has trouble with her vision and difficulty sleeping and even playing with her 4-year-old son. It was really sad and disturbing to see her literally shaking and tearing up when we showed the video. You can see our entire interview by clicking here, and we will continue to follow up on this story on The Early Show.
Boston Patriot: Toby Keith
(CBS/Hannah Storm)
Beyond The Brownies
As you know by now, I love to cook, and my kids are always bragging at school that I make the best cupcakes at birthday time! I have to admit that I get a lot of help from my buddies Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines in that department ... but I also like making stuff from scratch, especially treats I can make with my girls. The other night at parent-teacher conferences, there were sign-up sheets for all sorts of volunteer things and I put my name on anything that had to do with food. That means bakes sales, too! And just in the nick of time we had a segment today on great bake sale ideas. I sampled more than a few -- the brownies are outrageous!
And on a personal note, our school has now banned birthday cupcakes. A lot of schools are moving in that direction and it seems a little over the top. Isn't healthy eating about moderation not deprivation? How about making cafeteria food healthier and letting little kids celebrate their birthdays? What do you think?
And on a personal note, our school has now banned birthday cupcakes. A lot of schools are moving in that direction and it seems a little over the top. Isn't healthy eating about moderation not deprivation? How about making cafeteria food healthier and letting little kids celebrate their birthdays? What do you think?
Chesney Unplugged
(CBS)
Known for his larger-than-life performances on stage, Kenny is actually soft-spoken in person, and a reluctant celebrity. But in his only sit down interview for the new album, Kenny opens up about his personal life and how what's going on in his mind and heart are reflected in the songs on his new record. It was great to be able to have this conversation with Kenny and I appreciated both his honesty...and his sense of humor (as you will see!). At the heart of it all, are the great songs on this album, which is both introspective and a lot of fun -- very much like Kenny himself.
Official Web SiteKenny Chesney.com
Video- (Oct. 2006)
My Blogs:Chesney Rocks The Garden
Backstage At The ACMs
PhotosPhotos Kenny Chesney
Gone Country!
Their 'Sweet' Life
Here's a little something for the tweens in your life: Dylan and Cole Sprouse, stars of Disney's monster hit show "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody." Last night, my oldest daughter begged me to let her skip school to come into work with me and see them! We watch their show all the time... so much that I practically have all their episodes memorized! I told my daughter that "school was more important than celebrities" and although it didn't go over particularly well, she knew I meant business!
Meanwhile, a group of girls did get the morning off from school to show up at our plaza and they screamed at literally everything the boys said. I found the Sprouse twins to be earnest, funny and really grounded. They say they give the credit to their strict dad and some level-headed showbiz friends.
Ladies In Red
Today we did a segment of the rules for red -- what shades you should wear according to your skin tone. Red has always been a favorite color of mine. I think it started back when I was little. My mom always wore red lipstick, even to drive us to school. I tease her that if she were stranded on a desert island and could take only one thing, it would be that tube of red lipstick. I've always found it to be a great pick-me-up. There's nothing like a pair of great red shoes ... I even have red cowboy boots. And after a big heartbreak in my 20s, I actually went out and bought myself a red sports car. Man, I loved that car and it totally did the trick! I felt a whole lot better!
Now, that may be a little extreme, but I still pull out the red when I need to. A couple of people have told me they like it when I wear it on TV and I also have lots in my closet. In some cultures, red is believed to indicate happiness. In fact, it is even a bridal color in some countries. But not all reds are created equal and there are definitely shades you should wear and some you should stay away from. So I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the dos and don't from our show today. After all, wearing a little red is a heck of a lot easier than buying a sports car!
Gator Nation
For months, I have looking forward to my first foray into SEC football. Even though I was a sportscaster for 20 years, I had never had the chance to cover a huge football game down south. And since my alma mater, Notre Dame, is so bad this season, I figured this was my one shot to see a decent college game in person as the Tennessee Vols went into the swamp to face their archrival, the Florida Gators.
The Vols got killed 59-20, but the fact that the game wasn't competitive was secondary. That's because the Gators were so much fun to watch. The defending national champs looked like the best team in the nation on Sunday, and The Gator Nation was rocking with the stadium of 93,000 filled with fans wearing bright blue shirts at the behest of their coach Urban Meyer.
Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was spectacular. And when he hooked up with receiver Percy Harvin, you knew you were seeing something special: two of the brightest young stars in the sport. Tebow throws with flourish and Harvin's speed is dazzling -- making Meyer's trademark offense so much fun to watch. I can't wait to see what the Gators do when they go down to LSU in a couple weeks. In the meantime, this Saturday at the swamp, they served notice they just might duplicate the feat of the Florida basketball team and repeat as national champs.
Continue »
The Vols got killed 59-20, but the fact that the game wasn't competitive was secondary. That's because the Gators were so much fun to watch. The defending national champs looked like the best team in the nation on Sunday, and The Gator Nation was rocking with the stadium of 93,000 filled with fans wearing bright blue shirts at the behest of their coach Urban Meyer.
Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was spectacular. And when he hooked up with receiver Percy Harvin, you knew you were seeing something special: two of the brightest young stars in the sport. Tebow throws with flourish and Harvin's speed is dazzling -- making Meyer's trademark offense so much fun to watch. I can't wait to see what the Gators do when they go down to LSU in a couple weeks. In the meantime, this Saturday at the swamp, they served notice they just might duplicate the feat of the Florida basketball team and repeat as national champs.
Continue »
Michelle Obama
I had a chance on Thursday to hang out with the wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Michelle Obama has become a key figure in her husband's campaign and talked to me about how she first resisted his political career. She also explains a controversial comment during a stump speech.
Tomorrow, on The Saturday Early Show, Michelle talks about why she no longer jokes about her husband on the campaign trail. She also talks about Oprah Winfrey's potential role in the campaign and takes exception with Maureen Dowd's comments about her speeches in the New York Times.
Notes From The Road
Hello from the road... I hopped on a plane to Chicago right after the show and am getting ready to sit down with Michelle Obama, the wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. The two-part interview airs Friday on The Early Show I'm really looking forward to meeting another working mom with a crazy schedule! Our girls are even the same age -- although I have one more than she does!
In the meantime, earlier this morning we got a great Fashion Week primer on styles for the spring with Katrina Szish. She also let us in on a great runway secret! Be sure to check it out.
In the meantime, earlier this morning we got a great Fashion Week primer on styles for the spring with Katrina Szish. She also let us in on a great runway secret! Be sure to check it out.
Fashion's Good Guy
(Mark Mainz/Getty Images For IMG)
Carmen has grown to be a friend over the last several years. I wear his gowns all the time on the red carpet. Not only do they fit great, they also look really appropriate (for a news anchor in her mid-40's) and are really classy, while being a bit sexy at the same time. The best part is that Carmen designs for real women of all shapes and sizes. His dresses sell like crazy because almost anyone can wear them -- not just stick-thin supermodels.
And while he pushes his collections in new directions -- this one was a sea shell theme -- his clothes maintain the same qualities with beautiful fabrics, textures and cuts ... dresses that quite simply, make you feel pretty. But that's just part of what makes Carmen special.
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