Reality TV is giving birth to some of the most popular baby names. No, not Snooki. But Mason, as in Kourtney Kardashian's son, jumped 10 spots to become the second most popular name for newborn boys in 2011. The more traditional Sophia is the new top name for girls, while Jacob is No. 1 for boys for the 13th straight year, according to the list released Monday by the Social Security Administration. Here's a link to the full story: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57433712/jacob-sophia-top-2011s-list-of-most-popular-baby-names-from-united-states-michael-falls-from-top-5/

Head over to our Facebook page and tell us if you know someone who named their child after a celebrity:www.facebook.com/pages/John-and-Jacklyn-In-The-Morning-On-CC1063
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Pot Meet Kettle

Eric Church certainly stepped in "it" during his interview with Rolling Stone magazine, when he chose to make disparaging remarks about reality TV talent shows and slammed Blake Shelton for taking part in "The Voice."  If you've been under a rock and missed the whole story--you can catch up HERE.  


Let me preface this by saying that I like Eric Church's music.  I just think he was incredibly stupid at this particular moment in his life.  For him to not realize that the likes of Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert (who took him out on tour in 2010) all got their big break on these types of reality shows, was very shortsighted on his part.


I totally understand the point he was trying to make, but what he doesn't realize is that eventually, if an artist doesn't have the "staying power," to continue to crank out hits and keep the attention of the country music fans--they invariably drop out of the spotlight and never reach Super-Stardom.  Why pick a battle with an issue that tends to sort itself out on it's own?


More importantly, why pick a fight with Blake Shelton for his role on the show, "The Voice?"  By virtue of Blake partaking in that program--he has brought new fans to country music.  What's the harm in that?


Again, I don't hate Eric Church.  I hope he actually learns something from this about opening his mouth without thinking.  Further, if Eric wants to keep banging the drum of authenticity and bad assedness, perhaps he can answer a burning question from this cub reporter.  Why is it that his Twitter account is seemingly run by his promotions department and not HIM?  How heinously UN-authentic is that?  At least Blake Shelton actually tweets.  Sure, his promo team occasionally tweets on his account, but at least 90+% of the tweets are his alone.


Perhaps, it's time for Eric Church to remove those silly sunglasses so he can see himself better--as a contradiction.  Pot meet kettle.  Kettle meet pot. 

According to USA Today, the cost of prom dresses and other expenditures, including prom hairstyles, prom limousines and prom dinner, can balloon up to $1,000 to $2,000. And that's not to mention costs for miscellaneous items, such as prom queen campaigns, in which one Texas mother spent nearly $1,300 on fliers, ads and a billboard promoting her daughter. To cut down prom costs, some suggest borrowing a dress, splitting bills with friends and nixing unnecessary extras, such as professional prom photos. But this girl found a very unique way to save money: Maura Pozek always had an eye for fashion, and she showed off her latest creation at her senior prom. The Missouri high school student created a cardboard prom dress just in time for her high school dance. The creation consisted of corrugated cardboard, hot glue, tacky glue, spray paint, brown shopping bags, and, of course, glitter. But it's not the first time the 17-year-old has donned a unique gown on the dance floor. In the past, Maura has worn dresses made out of Doritos bags and soda can tabs!

So you just can't decide, pizza or burgers? How about both! Check this out: Introducing the Cheese Burger Pizza from Pizza Hut Middle East: a cheesy, burgery piza pie with a crust made entirely out of open-faced sliders. You can't you just feel your cholesterol level going through the ceiling! Enjoy!

I'm Catty...I Admit It

And I'm incredibly jealous of Scarlett Johansson.  Mostly because Gary Allan has gone on record that he thinks she is gorgeous.  


I wouldn't normally disagree with Gary, but when I came across this photo of Scarlett, it nearly stopped me in my tracks!  


Take a look at it.  Carefully. Do you see it?  More importantly, does she see you?!  Isn't it strange how one eye seems to be looking at the camera (you) and the other seems to be wandering about in right field?  Yes, I'm catty.  I'm grateful to know that, like the rest of us, Scarlett Johansson is not perfect.

Did You See That?!

Yesterday afternoon, when the NASCAR race wrapped up, my husband still had the remote control in his hand.  As I sat there praying he would not turn on "Ax Men" or some other inane show, he flipped the channel to an NBA basketball game.  Specifically, the match between the Lakers and Oklahoma City.


At least, that's what I gathered by reading the uniforms.  You see, I'm not an NBA fan--or even basketball fan at all.  I never did enjoy that game much, let alone a bunch of overpaid prima donna-types galloping half-arsed up and down the court.  But, this was what my hubby settled upon, so I watched along side of him on the sofa.


Then this happened:

Did you see James Harden's beard?!  Man that thing looks like it should have it's own zip code!  It's almost Amish looking.  Or upon further review--it's more like a cartoon character.  Actually, it looks like something that would blend in rather nicely with my husband's NEW favorite TV show--"Duck Dynasty."  I'm surprised it didn't cushion the impact from "World Peace's" elbow.


Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know--the blow to Harden's head by "Metta World Peace" (the player apparently formerly known as Ron Artest) was vicious.  I'm not making light of that.  Seriously.  Quite frankly I'd like to say I'm shocked that a guy who has given himself the name "Metta World Peace" would be this violent.  The irony is knee-deep.


But then, my husband assures me that "World Peace" has always been that kind of player even before the name change.  Perhaps he was hoping, like politicians, that by just changing the name--he could change people's opinions?  (Patriot Act anyone?)


Regardless, the entire incident gives my sport of choice--auto racing--a more dignified feel.  I mean, racers are often referred to as "rednecks," but at least we don't behave like animals...right?  Or do we?!  

Yeah, I kind of forgot about that classic racing fist-fight.  And that actually helped put auto racing on the map for the masses!  Apparently, when there's testosterone involved--fists will fly--and ratings sky-rocket.  I haven't heard the ratings for yesterday's NBA game, but I would imagine the "feud" will be built up between "World Peace" and Harden now.

People have laughed at pro wrestling for their "feuds" and storylines, but I'd say they were obviously onto something LONG before anyone else realized the impact of that type of chest-beating-fist-to-the-face-pounding antics that seem to drive more interest for any given sport.

So what's the lesson here?  Controversy still sells.  And apparently, big beards are back in style.

Bye-Bye "Baby Annie"

Last night was another big shocker for me on "The Voice."  Admittedly, I have been very vocal about my disdain for the over-stylized singing of RaeLynn on the show.  And I hate being critical of someone that obviously garners such support from Blake Shelton, but the over-the-top twangy and sliding-pitch-warbling was getting a bit too kitschy for me.

Jermaine Paul was the one who was "saved" by America's votes, leaving Erin Willett and RaeLynn in the bottom.  One of them would have their run ended, after they each "sang for their life."

Erin belted out a powerhouse version of "Proud Mary," which showcased her outstanding vocal control and range.  RaeLynn came out and gave a rather vocally manic performance of The Band Perry's "If I Die Young."  Once again, over-the-top twang with too much random stylizing that left the hit song seriously mutilated.


Fellow coach, Adam Levine was asked for his feedback on her performance and he said essentially the same thing--that it was over-stylized and that she probably should have reigned it in a bit.


In the end, Blake chose to save Erin--which shocked RaeLynn to the core, as was apparent in her reaction.


But here's the thing:  RaeLynn is seventeen.  She has A LOT to learn and will do so, with the guidance of Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert.  Miranda has already "adopted" RaeLynn into her group the "Pistol Annies," dubbing the teenager, "Baby Annie."


And lest we forget, Miranda herself was eliminated from the top three on "Nashville Star" several years ago.  No one can recall, without a google search, who won that season of the show, but everyone sure as hell knows Miranda Lambert these days.


So, while "Baby Annie" annoyed me at times with the ridiculously excessive liberties she took with the vocal stylizing, I'm quite sure that she will learn how to harness her abilities and make the most of the opportunity before her.  Don't cry for RaeLynn--she's going to be...just...fine.  Drop us an email with your thoughts!

The press will do anything to pit Jennifer Aniston against Angelina Jolie. The latest stories compare the engagement ring Brad Pitt designed for Angie vs. the one he gave to Jen. According to reports, Angie?s ring is worth anywhere from $250,000 to $1 million, while Pitt proposed to Aniston with a Silvia Damiani designed ring, which seems to be smaller than the one he gave his new bride-to-be. At the time of their 1999 engagement, Jen?s ring was reportedly worth $500,000. Meanwhile, reports claim Jen is ?happy? for Brad and Angie. "She is so in love with Justin [Theroux], that she is really grateful how things turned out,? a source told HollywoodLife.com.  ?In a strange way if it weren?t for Angelina, Jennifer would not have connected with Justin in a romantic way." Here's a pic of both rings, you be the judge!

Trace Adkins' Sausage

You can now sink your teeth into Trace Adkins' sausage!  How exciting--right?!  


Trace has partnered with Louisiana-based, family-run Hightower Enterprises, LLC to bring his own "Country Smoked Sausage" exclusively to Brookshire Grocery Company.l  The company has made smoked sausage for the past 40 years in northwest Louisiana, which is not too far from Trace's own hometown of Sarepta.


To learn more about the product, check out the website HERE.  

Awkward Placement

It's no secret, I'm a huge NASCAR fan.  So, while watching American Idol last night, when I spotted driver Joey Logano on the show--I was surprised.  Not that he was there.  He is sponsored by Coca-Cola, which is a huge sponsor of the show anyway.  No, I was surprised that they never even really acknowledged him or gave him an on-camera interview.  How bizarre?


Instead, it was like a "Where's Waldo" game how he kept popping up throughout the show.  The first sighting was the most awkward.  Producers positioned him next to the stage, where he looked ridiculous gazing at young Skylar as she twanged out Garth Brooks' "Shameless."


As a side note--what an egregious error by judge Randy Jackson, to refer to the song having been done by Brad Paisley, when anyone worth their salt knows it was a HUGE Garth Brooks country hit, penned by Billy Joel. (Perhaps Randy...DAWG...you need to bone up on your country music?)


Then later in the show, host Ryan Seacrest interviewed an annoying contestant from last season.  I don't remember her name--just that I hated that she growled and snarled her way through every song she ever sang.  In the row of seats behind her, you can see Joey once again off to the left.  Just sitting there with his goofy smile.  And again--no mention of him being "in the house."  No bone thrown to NASCAR on their station.  Nothing.  Just token strange appearances of Joey.
I guess in the end, it was all worth it for Joey, as he got to meet Aerosmith front man, Steven Tyler backstage.  He tweeted a picture of it.  I guess I'd endure mind-numbing posturing, if it meant getting a nice meet-n-greet with Steven Tyler!


What do you think?  Drop us an email!

Photos courtesy of @Jeff_Gluck and @JLogano via Twitter

Donald Driver's Got Moves!

I fully expected him to have more blingalicious earrings than his dancing partner, and I was correct!  So, it was no surprise to see your Green Bay Packer wide-receiver, Donald Driver wearing a bedazzled with sequins, gold satin shirt.  

Some may poke fun at his attire, but Driver showcased some serious moves last night on the season opener of "Dancing with the Stars."  He literally "attacked" the dance floor and almost appeared as if this was something he did for a living, as opposed to catching touchdown passes.

Check out his first spin on the dance floor HERE.

The audience didn't exactly agree with the judges' score that they bestowed upon Driver.  It was a 21 out of 30.  But this season seems to have some of the best talent to date, so perhaps they were just being cautious with their scores at this point?

The highest scores of the night were Jaleel White (Urkel) and Katherine Jenkins (a classical singer) who both garnered 26 out of 30 from the judges, which apparently is the highest opening night score in the history of the show. Melissa Gilbert, of "Little House on the Prairie" fame and Martina Navratilova (tennis star) both tied for the lowest points--20 out of 30.  All in all--only 6 points separating the highest from the lowest bodes well for the talent we can expect to see this season.

Did you vote for Donald Driver?  Will you continue to watch?  Drop us an email!

Awards Predict 

Election Results?

According to the Academy Awards/Golden Globes Rule, President Obama will be re-elected this November.  The prophesy has been wrong only twice in 50 years.


Allegedly, whenever the same film wins top honors at both award shows--a Republican wins the office.  When a different film wins at the award shows--a Democrat wins.


This year at the Golden Globes, the George Clooney flick, "The Descendants" won Best Picture.  At the Oscars, it was "The Artist."  So, if this bodes with the saying--President Obama is going to win the election this fall.


But remember, this predictor was incorrect twice.  CNN has the details on the pattern laid out HERE.  


For me personally, I would never put stock in something as far-fetched as this to predict the outcome of anything.  Although, I'd be the first to watch which bowl of food an orangutan would eat out of to predict such things...but that's just for fun.  And everybody loves orangutans & monkeys, right?!


What do you think?  Is it bananas how many times this has been correct over 50 years?  Drop us an email with your thoughts.

Banned for Life?

A Rhode Island teenager has just had his driver's license suspended for life in his state after a horrific accident that left a friend in a coma for several weeks.


Lyle Topa is 17--and had been driving on a suspended license at the time of the accident.  He and his three teenage passengers were drinking alcohol at a party prior to the incident.


The judge in the case, William Guglietta, handed down the harshest punishment he could--after pouring over photos of the accident.  Topa is not allowed to drive in the state of Rhode Island for the rest of his life.


For me personally, the punishment seems shocking, until you look at the photos and think about this kid...he's 17 and was driving with a suspended license when this nasty--nearly fatal--accident occurred.  It seems to me that nothing else gets through this kid's head and quite frankly, I'm not sure this will deter him from breaking the law behind the wheel either.  And the ruling only applies to Rhode Island.  Let's hope he never decides to move to our area!


What do you think?  Was the punishment too severe?  Drop us an email.

In-Car..In-Trouble?

It was total Armageddon in Daytona for the season opener for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.  From torrential rains to a huge fireball explosion after Juan Pablo Montoya careened into a jet dryer that was being pulled by a safety vehicle under caution...it was total chaos.  And that's saying a lot, because restrictor plate racing is generally a cause for chaos to begin with anyway!


But expect more chaos to ensue after driver Brad Keselowski tweeted from his car (under the red flag) the view of the fireball incident.  (above)  The announcing crew on the Fox network broadcast made note of the tweet on the broadcast and Brad continued to snap pictures with his phone and update his Twitter status.  Within minutes, Keselowski garnered an additional 100,000 followers to his account.  


Yes... 100,000 in mere minutes.  Ah, the power of NASCAR fans and social media.


But here's the real question:  Will Keselowski get in trouble for tweeting during the race--even though it was red flagged at the time?  Rumors are swirling that NASCAR might be slapping Keselowski on the wrist for his tweets during the race.  You see, NASCAR owns all of the rights to everything.  Period.  And by virtue of Keselowski tweeting those photos...well, it's a gray area that could cause a lot of contention.  


Here's what I think will happen.  NASCAR will slap Keselowski's wrist for tweeting during the race.  No monetary penalty or anything else.  And a new "rule" will be implemented for "safety" reasons.  Can't you just hear the reasons it's not safe to have a cellphone on oneself during a race?!  I mean consider Juan Pablo Montoya...what if he had caught on fire with a cellphone in his firesuit pocket?!  Oh the humanity!!!  Yep.  That will be the stance NASCAR will take in an effort to control the information that they really cannot.  They like the power of Twitter...just not that they can't fully control it themselves.


Stay tuned!  I'm sure we'll hear more about it in the coming days!  In the meantime, what do you think?  Drop us an email.