Memphis VP of operations found dead

Dana Davis, vice president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies, has been found dead in his apartment. He was 56. The Grizzlies confirmed Davis' death in a statement Wednesday night without elaborating. The Commercial Appeal reported Davis had not been heard from since Tuesday, prompting team personnel to enter his apartment Wednesday with officers from the Memphis Police Department where they found Davis. Davis, who was nicknamed ''Double D,'' oversaw player development programs for the Grizzlies and handled the travel schedule, accommodations and security on the road. Owner Michael Heisley said Davis was an original member of the management team when he bought the Grizzlies in 2000 and added that he would be greatly missed. Davis also had served on the board of the National Civil Rights Museum.

Boxer Orlando Cruz publicly revealed on Wednesday that he is gay, making him one of the first athletes to come out while playing professional sports. He is believed to be the first openly gay boxer in the sport’s history. Cruz made his announcement through a press release distributed late Wednesday. “I’ve been fighting for more than 24 years and as I continue my ascendant career, I want to be true to myself,” said Cruz. “I want to try to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career. I have and will always be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man.” Cruz is 18-2-1 with nine career knockouts. He is a former Olympian who competed for Puerto Rico at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, and currently ranked as the WBO’s No. 4 featherweight. Cruz has been fighting professionally since December 2000. He started his career 16-0-1 and did not lose until 2009 when he lost to Cornelius Lock by TKO. Cruz also lost to Daniel Ponce De Leon in his next fight, but has won his two fights since then. Cruz is scheduled to defend his WBO NABO title against Jorge Pazos on Oct. 19 in Kissimmee, Fla.
 When Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney declared early on in the first presidential debate Wednesday night “I love Big Bird,” but said he would still vote to cut funding for public broadcasting, everyone’s favorite oversized, yellow-feathered friend got a whole new level of fame: Internet fame. During the debate, several twitter feeds popped up, including @BigBirdRomney, @BigBird, @FiredBigBird, and more, each gaining from hundreds to thousands of followers within minutes. There’s even a Big Bird for President Facebook page. #BigBird and his friend #OscartheGrouch both became Twitter trending topics during the course of the debate. Romney’s quip also spawned several memes and .gifs. Twitter’s official politics feed, @gov, posted that there were “17,000 Tweets per minute for ‘Big Bird’ and 10,000 Tweets per minute for ‘PBS’” after that moment during the debate.


PBS Responds to Romney
The Public Broadcasting Service responded fast and furious on Thursday to comments Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made in the first presidential debate Wednesday night about the feathered Sesame Street icon. Romney claimed “I love Big Bird,” but said that he would still slash public broadcasting, prompting the topic of Big Bird to run as rampant as a vat of bird seed on Twitter and other social media. “We are very disappointed that PBS became a political target in the Presidential debate last night. Governor Romney does not understand the value the American people place on public broadcasting and the outstanding return on investment the system delivers to our nation,” said PBS in a statement on its website. “For more than 40 years, Big Bird has embodied the public broadcasting mission – harnessing the power of media for the good of every citizen, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay. Our system serves as a universally accessible resource for education, history, science, arts and civil discourse.” PBS even bought ad space on Twitter, proclaiming in a promoted tweet: “PBS is trusted, valued and essential. See why at http://www.valuepbs.org. (please retweet!)”

Lolo Jones apologizes for unfortunate Twitter exchange

Lolo Jones came under scrutiny on Tuesday after responding to a Twitter challenge from paralyzed former football player Eric LeGrand with a few taunts. LeGrand, who frequently tweets at other athletes, asked Jones if she wanted to race. Jones sent back a few taunting tweetsbefore learning that LeGrand has been in a wheelchair since suffering a spinal cord injury in a 2010 Rutgers-Army game. The Olympic hurdler began defending herself for the mishap and seemed to regret the gaffe, but she didn’t officially apologize until hours later. “I’m truly sorry if I offended anyone by my tweet,” Jones told Yahoo! Sports’ Kristian Dryer. “When Eric challenged me to a race earlier all I knew was that he was a football player, but certainly had no idea he had become paralyzed from a football injury. I thought I was tweeting in good fun like I always do with the many athletes who challenge me to races.” LeGrand declined comment to Yahoo!, but he did express support for Jones over Twitter and apologized to her for what took place. Jones’ Twitter account has been silent since Tuesday evening. LeGrand expressed support for Jones again on Wednesday. He tweeted the following message: the stuff between @lolojones is riduculous, she is a great person who misunderstood what i tweeted. People stop bashing her its not right.
 In a message posted Thursday on the ABC News blog, the Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, 51, whose leave of absence from the show started Sept. 1, delivers a positive update on her medical progress, and expresses her heartfelt thanks for all the support she continues to receive. Here is her message:  Today is what I like to call "Thankful Thursday, aka Friday Eve." I have been in the hospital 25 days now. My bone marrow transplant took place exactly two weeks ago. The only numbers that matter are my blood counts and they are ... GREAT! My sister Sally-Ann's stem cells apparently feel right at home in my body – an answer to so many prayers.  My doctors and rock star nurses are very pleased with my progress and I could not be more thankful for the excellent care I am receiving. I have had some extremely painful days and it's still difficult for me to eat because of all the chemo. But something I read in Streams in the Desert stays with me: "I walked a mile with Pleasure, She chatted all the way; But left me none the wiser for all she had to say. I walked a mile with Sorrow, and ne'er a word said she; But, oh, the things I learned from her when sorrow walked with me."  I continue to learn so much on this journey, especially when it comes to true friendship and love. My friends near and far – like Sam [Champion, GMA meteorologist] and Josh [Elliott, news anchor] who came to visit yesterday – have been lifting my spirits. My childhood pastor (who delivered Momma's eulogy) is coming from down South to see me tomorrow. I am hopeful that I MAY be well enough to continue my recovery at home next week and my sister's plan to come back to NYC for that milestone in my journey. I truly FEEL and thank you for your love, prayers and good wishes. And I return it to you tenfold. Light Love Power Presence. XO

Ryan Seacrest on Nicki Minaj/Mariah Carey fight: It 'went a little too far'

Wondering what really happened on the set of American Idol in Charlotte yesterday, when Nicki Minaj apparently cursed out fellow new judge Mariah Carey? Ryan Seacrest to the rescue! As the reality competition’s host revealed during On Air With Ryan Seacrest this morning, there was “a very heated, intense argument towards the end of the day after a contestant did a little bit of a performance in the room.” Though Seacrest was not present when the dispute broke out, he admitted that both Minaj and Carey “went a little far” during their argument: "[There's] nothing wrong with disagreeing . . . That's gonna happen, and it's okay," he continued of the spat, in which Minaj and Carey had a difference of opinion over one would-be singer toward the very end of a long day of auditions. "I told them I'm not f**kin' putting up with her f**king highness over there. Figure it the f**k out. Figure it out," the "Starships" rapper sniped. “And, so, yeah, it was heated. It did go too far, to the point where the producers said with just a few more contestants left, ‘Let’s call it a day.’ And, [they] called a ‘wrap’.” Seacrest was coy about what precisely catalyzed the fight, though he did explain that Minaj has “a specific perspective about what’s playing and hot on the chart right now,” while Carey “has got that iconic experience and that legend status.” Putting them — plus new judge Keith Urban and veteran judge Randy Jackson — together means having to deal with “different perspectives” and “different opinions, which is fantastic.” For the record, the woman who was auditioning when the fight broke out ended up making it through to Hollywood. Day 2 of Idol‘s Charlotte auditions continue today.

Nicki Minaj: Mariah is full of 'insecurity,' 'lies'

Rapper Nicki Minaj is going on the offensive after "American Idol" judge Mariah Carey went public with her fears about her safety following a vicious bust-up between the pair on the set Tuesday. "Idol" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has insisted the death threat story is "absolute rubbish," but Carey went on to fan the flames of the controversy by sharing her side of events in a phone call with veteran broadcaster Barbara Walters on Thursday. In the chat, which Walters recounted on her TV talk show, "The View," the singer said she was beefing up her security for her own protection because, "Nicki is unpredictable."  Now Minaj is firing back over what she believes is nothing but a pitiful PR stunt, and she has aired her feelings on Twitter, accusing Carey of playing up the incident to gain public sympathy.  Addressing her fans, whom she affectionately calls barbz, the hip-hop star insists she never threatened Carey and is adamant that media outlets have turned on her because of rap stereotypes. She sarcastically writes, "Hey yAll. Lets just say nicki said smthn about a gun. ppl will believe it cuz she's a black rapper... I'll then hit up Barbara n milk it... Ironically no camera or mic heard the gun comment tho... Not even the producers believed u. Say no to violence barbz..." Minaj goes on to accuse Carey of stirring up the controversy after reportedly becoming jealous of the rapper's popularity with producers: "I don't call tmz n Barbara Walters cuz I stand on my own two feet. Never needed an army. God is good. Insecurity is as cruel as the grave. I guess it hurts 2 have the producers tell u to ur face that nicki is the best judge we've had since simon. Awww, poor u. Keep them lies cmn." And she's upset that Carey aired her feelings in public after appearing to clear the air with Minaj on Wednesday. She adds, "Tried to keep quiet but let's go!!!! I thought we resolved it yesterday but I see u want ur pity party to continue... All I do is compliment u. That's not enuff? Ur a legend, cheer up. U don't have to run down ur resume or feel intimidated."

Sahara Davenport of RuPaul's Drag Race Died of Heart Failure, Says Mom

Antoine Ashley, better known as Sahara Davenport on RuPaul's Drag Race, died Monday of heart failure, according to his mother Angela Ashley Reddish. "I thank God for giving me an angel Antoine Ashley to share with the rest of the world," Reddish said in a statement Wednesday. "My family and I would like to thank everyone for their condolences and support. We know that our angel is now dancing in heaven." Ashley's boyfriend of six years, Karl Westerberg – who competed on season three of RuPaul's Drag Race as Manila Luzon – also released a statement. "Antoine lived to entertain the world as Sahara Davenport and the world was in awe over his extreme talent. But his heart is what made us all fall in love with him," he said. "To me he will always be my best friend, my hero, my diva and I have always considered myself more than lucky to have him be forever a part of my life. Thank you, hon, for bringing so much beauty to all of us. Your legacy lives on in me and all of us you've touched."
 While most of the cast from Saved by the Bell have remained in the spotlight, Lark Voorhies has largely been out of sight. The former teen star, known to a generation of fans as the fashionable Lisa Turtle, denies anything is wrong, but after a bizarre Yahoo! video went viral earlier this year, some questioned whether drugs played a role. Voorhies adamantly denied it. Instead, her mother says, she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In a series of interviews with PEOPLE, it was clear something wasn't right. Voorhies, 38, would frequently stop mid-sentence and stare off, often mumbling to herself or to others who weren't there. "There are things that have traumatized her," says Tricia, 64, who shares a home with her daughter in Pasadena, Calif. "I care deeply about my daughter and I want her to resume her life." Voorhies says her "over-loving" mother worries about her, but there's no need. She says she is not sick and keeps busy by working on low-budget indie productions, recording music and self-publishing her own books.

Julianne Moore Robbed of $127,000 Worth of Jewelry

Julianne Moore is out a whole lot of bling after $127,000 worth of jewelry – including a $33,000 Cartier platinum diamond tennis bracelet – was stolen from her brownstone in New York City's West Village. Ten jewels in all, seven from Cartier, were taken from the Emmy-winning actress's home on West 11th Street. The actress, 51, and her husband, the director Bart Freundlich, have had work done on the brownstone this summer. Between 15 and 25 workers were in the home during the renovations, which spanned those two dates, the Post said. Moore was in Toronto shooting a remake of the horror film Carrie during much of the summer. In addition to the tennis bracelet, four Cartier watches worth a combined $77,800 were also reportedly stolen.

Warren Sapp Bankruptcy: Court Orders Former NFL Star To Sell Mansion

Warren Sapp may have exited bankruptcy, but the star is still being forced to sell off many of his costliest possessions – starting with his 15,000-square-foot Tuscan mansion in Windemere. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer was ordered by the bankruptcy courts to auction off the whopping house, which boasts four large bedrooms, five full bathrooms and three half-baths. If you have a few million bucks lying around, you could soon own a bit of Warren Sapp history – the house goes under the hammer at 11am on November 1. The property was built in 2005 at a cost of almost $7 million, and includes a wine cellar, a movie theater, an ostentatious resort-style swimming pool with waterslide, 10,100 square feet of living space, and a dock on Lake Butler.You’ll also get to live in the exclusive Reserve at Lake Butler Sound, a suburb that Fisher Auction Co., which is handling the auction, promises is “home to high-profile celebrities, professional athletes and business executives.” The value of the house has been placed at around $3.4 million by the Orange County property appraiser’s website. The luxurious mansion is being sold to clear the bulk of Sapp’s $6.7 million debt. A federal judge in South Florida threw out Warren Sapp’s bankruptcy case last week, due to the NFL Network analyst being able to pay off a hefty chunk of his debt. That ruling came after Sapp filed for Chapter 7 protection in April, with a debt that exceeded $6.7 million and assets to the tune of $6.5 million. Said assets listed included a lion’s rug, over 200 pairs of Air Jordan shoes, a watch worth $2,400, and a large painting of a nude woman.

 

TV NEWS
Captain Hook is jumping on board Once Upon a Time full time. ABC and producers just upgraded Colin O’Donoghue to a series regular for the season’s “back nine” hours — even before his character’s first episode has aired. We’ll meet Hook in the Oct. 21 episode, which is titled “The Crocodile.” Last season, producers similarly upgraded Emilie de Ravin’s Belle from a recurring role to series regular.


Cinemax has ordered a 10-episode Season 3 of its original action-drama series Strike Back, to shoot in South Africa and Hungary and premiere sometime in 2013. Strike Back’s Season 2 finale airs Friday, Oct. 12.


"Primeval: New World", the Canadian spin-off of the British sci-fi series, has been picked up by both Syfy and Hulu for broadcast in the United States. BBC America aired the five seasons of the original series which ran from 2007 to 2011. Syfy will broadcast the 13-episode first season next year while Hulu has scored the VOD rights to screen the show through its Hulu and Hulu Plus services.


Ann Romney is guest-hosting "Good Morning America" next Wednesday. ABC says the wife of Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney will be on hand at the morning news program for its 8 a.m. (Eastern time) hour. Joining George Stephanopoulos at the anchor desk, Mrs. Romney will be filling in for co-anchor Robin Roberts, who is on extended medical leave. ABC says it is in discussions with first lady Michelle Obama for a similar guest appearance when her schedule allows.


After a rocky start marked by low ratings, executive shakeups, and layoffs, Oprah Winfrey's network is getting some good news. Its latest quarter, from July to September, was its biggest in ratings growth. And this week, the network announced it will air two shows next year from Tyler Perry, who has a special talent for tapping into once-overlooked audiences. The shows will be the first scripted programs for the network. Co-owned by Winfrey and Discovery Communications, OWN debuted in January 2010. It replaced Discovery Health, but in its first year fell slightly short of its predecessor's ratings. In the latest quarter, OWN has not only dramatically improved on its Nielsen ratings year-over-year, but topped Discovery Health's ratings for the same period in 2010. Since last year, it is up at least 55 percent in total viewers and its key demo, women 25-54, in total day and primetime.


FX’s Sons of Anarchy, with its fourth episode of Season, 5, scored a 2.88 demo rating this Tuesday night, easily beating its broadcast rivals (as well as topping all of cable). Among the network offerings, CBS’ freshman drama Vegas scored a 2.0 rating with the 18-49 crowd (as it drew 12.1 million total viewers), while ABC’s Private Practice and NBC’s Parenthood each netted a 1.6.

From minister to President of the United States! 7th Heaven vet Stephen Collins will portray the leader of the free world in Falling Skies Season 3.


Tonight's Premieres:HGTV: Making House at 930a
Here TV: Here's Hollywood
Animal Planet: Monsters Inside Me at 8p
FEARnet: Tales from the Crypt at 10p
Saturday's Premieres:Food Network: Home Made in America with Sunny Anderson at 930a
HGTV: Bath Crashers at 1030a; Kitchen Crashers at 1130a; The High Low Project at 730p
PBS: Martha Stewart's Cooking School; Austin City Limits at 9p (check local listings)
Cooking Channel: Kelsey's Essentials at 830p
A&E Network: Parking Wars at 9p & 930p; Billy the Exterminator at 10p & 1030p
BBC America: Bedlam at 9p; Hex at 10p
Animal Planet: Pit Bulls & Parolees at 10p
TV Guide Network: Rove LA at 12a
Sunday's Premieres:Food Network: Best Thing I Ever Made at 1030a; Cupcake Wars at 8p; Halloween Wars at 9p
HGTV: My House Your Money at 330p
PBS: Martha Stewart's Cooking School; MASTERPIECE Classic: Upstairs Downstairs Season 2 at 9p (check local listings)
ABC: America's Funniest Home Videos at 7p
FOX: The Cleveland Show at 730p
Discovery Channel: Mythbusters at 8p; Curiosity at 9p
National Geographic Channel: Alaska State Troopers at 8p & 10p
Outdoor Channel: Jim Shockey's Hunting Adventures at 8p
Style Network: Big Rich Texas at 8p; Glam Fairy at 9p
TV Guide Network: The Shores at 9p