BIRTHDAY SHOUT-OUTS

Celebs with birthdays today:  Kerry Washington, Portia de Rossi, Minnie Driver, Anthony LaPaglia, Nolan Ryan, Ernie Banks 

#HappyBirthday to Justin Timberlake. The singer/actor turns 32  today.

SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ: Donor's Office Raided

In early November, two women claiming to be prostitutes said they had been paid for sex by New Jersey senator Robert Menendez. His office vehemently denied the story at the time, but this week it returned to the headlines when The Daily Caller website reported an FBI investigation into the divorced Democrat. The site claimed that he and a wealthy friend, Dr. Salamon Melgen, had traveled to the Dominican Republic together to have sex with teenaged hookers.

Tuesday, Melgen's Florida office was raided by the FBI, which offered no details of its investigation. Wednesday, Menendez's office again denied the allegations, saying, "Dr. Melgen has been a friend and political supporter of Senator Menendez for many year. Senator Menendez has traveled on Dr. Melgen's plane on three occasions, all of which have been paid for and reported appropriately. Any allegations of engaging with prostitutes are manufactured by a politically-motivated right-wing blog and are false."

TOP CELEBRITY TWEETS

Gun control, the Super Bowl and the NBA top celebrity tweets.

• Piers Morgan: “Texans are great people who do not need assault rifles.”
• Jimmy Fallon: “A California zoo said its monkey picked the 49ers to win the Super Bowl. Not surprisingly, its deer picked Ray Lewis' Ravens.”
• Steve Martin: “Since gambling is illegal, I don't know yet who I'm voting for in the Super Bowl.”
• Larry King: “Why does every color commentator in the NBA feel they have to comment on every play? Sometimes silence is golden.”
• Vinny Guadagnino: “If you're in the NBA and you don't get any playing time do you still hit the showers after game?”
• Joan Rivers: “Snooki was in shock after seeing the video of herself giving birth to her son. It was the first time she saw a penis coming out of her body.”
• J-Woww: “I gotta stop eating dinner at 3:30 AM. Post bar/club meal?”
• Seth MacFarlane: “The bad-but-actually-awesome '80s miniseries is the only way to get through the flu. Thank you, North and South.”
• Jay Leno: “A man in Florida has stolen 166 manhole covers. Police call him ‘The Manhole Thief.’ There's a nickname you don't want in prison.”
• Lisa Lampanelli: “Florida man allegedly robs Waffle Houses to pay off girlfriend’s probation. Several patrons actually [crapped] their pants. Not from fear -- from breakfast!”

TRENDING NOW

Ron Jeremy, Jim Nabors' gay wedding and 49er Chris Culliver’s anti-gay slur top trends on Google and Twitter.

• Ron Jeremy: The Hedgehog is in critical condition at an L.A. hospital following a heart aneurysm.
• Jim Nabors: He got hitched to his male partner.
• Chris Culliver: The San Francisco 49ers cornerback apologized for anti-gay remarks he recently made, saying he didn’t want a gay teammate in the locker room.
• Tayshaun Prince: The Detroit forward is headed to the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade that sends forward Rudy Gay to the Toronto Raptors and point guard Jose Calderon to the Pistons.
• Ashley Judd: She split from race car driver Mario Franchitti.
• BlackBerry 10: It's been unveiled. Sales in the U.S. start in March.
• Deer Antler Spray: Golfer Vijay Singh took the banned substance.

BULLET TO THE HEAD: Opens Friday

Bullet to the Head opens on Friday. A cop and a hit man become unlikely allies against a common enemy in this action flick with Sylvester Stallone, Jason Momoa, Sarah Shahi, Christian Slater and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.

STAND UP GUYS: Opens Friday   

Stand Up Guys opens in limited release on Friday. Aging con men gather for one last crime in this comedy with Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julianna Margulies and Lucy Punch.

BONUS MONTAGE: Best of Alec Baldwin   

We bid adieu to Jack Donaghy on Thursday as Alec Baldwin and his 30 Rock castmates say goodbye forever.

WARM BODIES: Opens Friday   

Warm Bodies opens on Friday. A zombie-human romance upsets the balance of the undead world in this flick with John Malkovich, Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry and Dave Franco.

SUPER BOWL PARTY GUESTS WE HATE

Every Super Bowl party has one – the jerk who just annoys everyone. But which kind of idiot annoys you the most?

According to a recent survey, the guest we'd most like to toss out of our house is the know it all – that person who thinks they are an expert on everything from the game to the guacamole. More than half of us want to get rid of this loser!

Some other people we'd like to punt out of party ...

• The remote control hog: 41%
• The social butterfly – the one who doesn't watch the game and won't shut up: 38%
• The super fan – who cheers too loud while decked out in his/her favorite team's gear and team colors: 21%
• The dieter – who counts calories on one of the most celebrated days of eating: 18%
• The commercial watcher – the person who only pays attention during the commercials: 13%

POWDER PERFECT

If you’re in the market for a sexy perfume, experts say you should ditch the overpowering potions and focus on lighter, powdery scents.

Even if this does nothing for YOUR nose, perfumers say that vanilla, cinnamon and other warm scents are the ones that really get men’s motors running. (Yahoo)
 

HIGH-MOTION FACES

All hail the girls with expressive, crazy faces.

A new study says that women with “high-motion faces” (chicks who blink, nod, and shake their head) are more attractive than women with stoic, motionless faces.

Why do guys prefer girls that look like they have a facial tic? Researchers from the University of Bristol say it’s because movements like this suggest that you're outgoing and extroverted – which are qualities that are attractive to most guys.  (Yahoo)
 

NEVER SICK

If you’re patting yourself on the back for not taking a sick day the last few months, don’t get too excited yet.

This week, U.S. Postal Service worker Deborah Ford will retire after 44 years of work. That’s all well and good, but the thing that makes Deborah such a superwoman is that she never took a sick day. Not once. Ever. In 44 years.

When asked how Ford managed to stay well enough to work all this time, she said she’d simply just “shake it off.”

And we know where she gets her work ethic from. Her 86-year-old father claimed to have never taken a sick day in 30 years – and can’t he can’t figure out what the big deal is either. Amazing. (GMA)
 

MORONIC MOTORING LAWS

Here are some wacky driving laws from around the country ...

• New Jersey – If you’re convicted of a DUI, you’re no longer allowed to have a vanity license plate.
• Nevada – You’re not allowed to ride a camel on the freeway.
• Massachusetts – You’re not allowed to drive with a gorilla in the backseat of your car.
• Alabama – You can't drive barefoot.
• Sag Harbor, New York – It's illegal to take your clothes off in your car.
• Indianaola, Iowa – The ice cream man has been banned!
• Temecula, California – Ducks always have the right of way. (Yahoo)

AMAZING ANIMALS: Blind Sled Dog Competes With Brother's Help

A blind sled dog is getting a second chance at a sledding career with the help of his brother pup. The future was uncertain for Alaskan husky Gonzo after he first started showing signs of blindness three years ago. But with the help of his brother, Poncho, Gonzo keeps his place on his owner's dog sled team in New Hampshire.

Kennel manager Ben Morehouse says, "There's definitely a bond there and communication between the two of them themselves …  Even though he's blind, he still knows when hook-ups are happening." One time the team continued to move forward when Gonzo stumbled on a run. But Poncho reached over and pulled his brother out of the snow, grabbing the harness with his teeth. Ben adds, "He essentially picked him out of the powder ... threw him back on the trail and never skipped a beat." (Fox News)

SUPER BOWL: Texas Monkeys Pick 49ers to Win Super Bowl

Last week, a camel in New Jersey picked the Baltimore Ravens to win the Super Bowl this Sunday.

This week, three saki monkeys in Texas picked the 49ers as winners.

The three monkeys, who live at Moody Gardens in Galveston Island, Texas, were able to cast their votes on iPads.

The first monkey voted for the Ravens. The second monkey voted for the 49ers. The third monkey ended up breaking the tie by drawing unhappy faces on the Ravens logo – thereby casting his vote for the 49ers.

Now the question is … Who do you trust more? A camel or three monkeys? (Houston Chronicle)

LINDSAY LOHAN: Dad Adds Another Lohan to the World

Lindsay Lohan has a new sibling.

While Linds was in court this morning (Wednesday), her father's fiancee Kate Major went into labor at a Florida hospital. A little while later she gave birth to a baby boy, Landon Major Lohan.

TMZ says Michael Lohan was with Kate the entire time and he even cut the umbilical cord. 

BRADLEY COOPER: Things Got Weird With Model Girlfriend

Bradley Cooper's love life has taken another hit. The former Sexiest Man Alive -- who recently broke up with Zoë Saldana -- has now been dumped by his rebound girlfriend, model Laura Simpson.

In Touch magazine says "things got very awkward" after a month of dating. The source claims that Bradley has a thing for feet and would often ask Laura to text him pictures of hers. The friend says, "He was always touching her feet. It was weird, so she broke it off."

Bradley's Silver Linings Playbook co-star Jennifer Lawrence allegedly set him up with Laura after his relationship with Zoe ended.

DIET & EXERCISE: Eating a Late Lunch Is Bad for Weight Loss

Skipping meals is never a good idea when you are trying to lose weight, but new research also suggests that delaying meals can have an impact on weight loss as well.

The study found that women who ate a late lunch, after 3 p.m., lost less weight than women who ate lunch earlier. The late-eaters also lost their weight at a much slower rate.  

The study suggests that the timing of meals may be an important part of the weight-loss puzzle, because waiting too long to eat may disrupt the body's metabolism. (FitSugar)

SUPER BOWL: Healthy Snack Foods

The outcome of the game on Sunday may not be certain, but one thing that definitely is: It will be an eating marathon! 

Wings, dips, chips and pizza – you name the high-calorie food, and it's probably on the menu. However ... it is possible to eat healthy and not have the guys throw diet food temper tantrums. Here are some awesome ideas for really tasty alternatives to Super Bowl junk food:

• Choose dips like hummus, salsa and guacamole: Avoid sour cream and cheese-based dips to save in tons of fat calories. The guys won't even notice!
   
• Mixed nuts: These are a super healthy snack, and everyone loves them. And if you serve them in their shell it takes longer to eat them and slows down consumption speed and quantity.
   
• Serve a raw veggie platter: Carrots, bell pepper, cucumber and celery with a low-fat dip is always a favorite.
   
• Shrimp cocktail: High protein, low fat and always a crowd favorite.
   
• Chili with lean ground beef or turkey: Chili is great for feeding a large crowd – it's also loaded with fiber, and if you use lean meats it will cut the fat and calories without cutting any flavor. (HuffingtonPost)

WEIRD NEWS: 5 Items or Less ... 5 Years or More

Cops busted a Cleveland-area man for stealing a quantity of crystal meth from his local Wal-Mart – after he mixed the batch from items he'd swiped off the store's shelves.

As security cameras watched, Thomas Richardson walked through the store grabbing the basic ingredients to create the dangerous drug – which are all perfectly legal on their own. He then snagged a large salt shaker and walked into the men's room where he combined and blended the mixture, a method users call "shake and bake."

Richardson is being held on theft and drug charges – the sixth time he's been busted on the latter. (Examiner)

ALICIA KEYS: A Taste of Blackberry

The folks behind the struggling Blackberry device are hoping to get a credibility boost by bringing in Alicia Keys as "creative director."

Keys appeared at a press conference in her hometown of New York Wednesday to make the announcement, and to say that she planned to be very hands-on in the new role. She says she'll work on creating original content for the Blackberry platform -- including using the device to create new music videos while on her upcoming tour.

It's not the first time a company like Blackberry has linked itself closely to a pop star -- Lady Gaga signed on as a "creative director" for Polaroid several years ago.

FOOD & DRINK: Ben and Jerry’s to Honor 30 Rock With an Ice Cream Flavor

On January 31st we will all shed a tear as we say goodbye to Liz Lemon and the 30 Rock cast during the series finale.

Ben and Jerry's, the famous Vermont-based ice cream company, has announced that they will honor the sit-com with a signature ice cream flavor. The details of the flavor are currently unknown, but will be announced at a finale party in New York City, and available to the public in February. (HuffintonPost)

SUPER BOWL: Soldiers in Afghanistan Getting Chicago Pizza

When celebrating on Sunday with your friends and family, it's easy to forget that there are brave men and women serving our country overseas who are missing home on a day like Super Bowl Sunday.

DHL Express and Pizza for Patriots are teaming up to send 21,000 deep dish pizzas to U.S. soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and Kuwait on Super Bowl Sunday. Illinois-based Great Kitchens will make the pizzas.

Since 2008, the two organizations have sent more than 122,000 pizzas to servicemen abroad. Chicago pizza and football will definitely bring a little slice of home to a lot of soldiers on Sunday. (HuffingtonPost)

MANTI TE'O: Tuiososopo Comes Out -- Sort Of   

The guy behind the Manti Te'o fake-girlfriend hoax has come out of the closet -- sort of.

Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, in an interview airing today and tomorrow on Dr. Phil, says that he was actually in love with the football star. This morning (Wednesday) on NBC's Today show, Dr. Phil McGraw said, ""Here we have a young man that fell deeply, romantically in love. I asked him straight up, 'Was this a romantic relationship with you?' And he says yes. I said, 'Are you then therefore gay?' And he said, 'When you put it that way, yes.' And then he caught himself and said 'I am confused.'"

Tuiasosopo also insists that Te'o had nothing to do with the hoax and that he was the voice of the fictional Lennay Kekua.

FOOD & DRINK: Weird Stuff People Put in Guacamole

Super Bowl has become a huge day for guacamole, as an estimated 70 million pounds of avocados will be purchased and mashed up this year.

And, as avocado sales continue to increase, so does the creativity of avocado recipes.

Here’s a rundown of some of the weirdest stuff people are putting in their guacamole these days:

• Bacon
• Grapefruit
• Bananas
• Roasted tomatoes
• Corn
• Chipotle peppers
• Radish slices
• Black beans
• Jicama
• Black-eyed peas (SeriousEats.com)

SUPER BOWL: Hating on Halftime

Will Beyonce put on a great Super Bowl half-time performance this year? If she does, she'll avoid landing on Football Nation's controversial list of Five Worst Super Bowl Performances. Their list is:

5. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

4. The Year MTV Took Over (with Aerosmith, Britney Spears and NSync)

3. Madonna

2. The Black Eyed Peas

1. Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's wardrobe malfunction

WEIRD NEWS: 105-Year-Old Woman Renews Driver’s License

In California, a 105-year-old woman recently passed her driving test and renewed her driver’s license.

Amazingly, Edythe Kirchmaier has been on the road for 86 years – with a perfect driving record – making her California’s oldest living driver.

Not only is Edythe driving on paved highways, she’s also cruising along on the information superhighway – as she was also just named Facebook’s oldest user. (Yahoo)

RON JEREMY: In Critical Condition

Porn legend Ron Jeremy is reportedly in critical condition at an L.A. hospital for an aneurysm near his heart.

TMZ says the 59-year-old drove himself to Cedars-Sinai Tuesday after experiencing severe chest pain. He was transported to the ICU after his condition worsened.

His manager told the gossip blog that everything went "smoothly" after Ron came out of his second surgery last night (Wednesday).

Ron has starred in more than 2000 X-rated movies, including Super Hornio Brothers, High Heels, Low Standards and A Christmas Orgy.

WEIRD NEWS: Salty Fine

A 24-year-old woman in Wales was fined $538 after dropping a small packet of salt in a parking lot.

Laura Howells said she accidentally dropped the packet while eating her KFC takeout and was issued a littering ticket for $101.

Howells said, “I was eating lunch in the car and must have dropped it by accident. I am not the type of person who ever litters.”

Howell attempted to fight the fine in court – and ended up with a total fine of $538 when she was tried under the Environmental Protection Act.  Talk about pouring salt in a wound. (UPI)

TRAIN: Pat Performs for Country Hall

Train singer Pat Monahan is going a little honky-tonk -- he'll perform at a benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

The annual All for Hall New York benefit will be held February 26th at New York's Best Buy Theater. Also on the bill are Emmylou Harris and country singers Jason Aldean and Vince Gill.

NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE QUIZ

Abraham Lincoln was the only president licensed to do this. What is it?
ANSWER: Tend bar. Back in his day, you needed a license to be a bartender.