Richard Drew / AP file

Happy birthday, Howard Stern.

OPINION

Howard Stern is 58 today, and there are many reasons to wish the self-proclaimed King of All Media a happy one. Wait a minute -- hear us out.

Say Stern's name and you're likely to get one of two responses: "Baba Booey to you!" or "Ugh! What a disgusting pig!" If you fall into the "ugh!" camp, 2012 just might be the year you start to come over to "Baba Booey"-ville.

Stern started the year on a very high note when he reached out to fans via Twitter on New Year's Eve, asking them to tweet him their phone numbers so that he could call them, thank them for their support and wish them a happy new year. The gesture thrilled fans and gave the man himself an emotional boost, which he shared with his listeners on his SiriusXM radio show.

This summer, he's making the jump to yet another medium -- primetime TV -- as one of the judges on "America's Got Talent."

The announcement brought condemnation from various parental watch groups and more than a few "I'll never watch agains" from the "ugh" crowd. But their vitriol is misplaced. Stern is an unbashed fan of the show, as well as "American Idol," "Dancing With the Stars" and "X Factor." In his long career, he has seen a host of musical talent -- and the lack of it -- and is in a very strong position to offer truthful, and occasionally biting, comments to contestants. If you're expecting him to be nasty or vulgar, you may be disappointed, because ... wait for it ... he's actually a nice guy.

A devoted husband and father, Stern has been a vocal advocate for free speech, gay rights and animal rights. Listeners know that despite his bluster, he is a pussycat of a boss and has seemingly infinite compassion for his "whack pack." Just when you think he's finally done with Eric the Actor, he reaches out to help him yet again. He may rail furiously at Scott the Engineer or Benjy or Sal on Monday, but by Tuesday, all is forgiven.

So, on Howard's 58th birthday, we wish the King a very happy day, a very successful year and a heartfelt "hey now!"

Come on, "ugh" people. Give him a chance!

Are you a Stern fan or foe? Are you willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as he joins "AGT" this season? Share your thoughts on Facebook.

The trailer for the upcoming ensemble comedy "Friends With Kids" is in the wild, and if you didn't know it, you'd think it's a "Bridesmaids" sequel with all the familiar faces.

The film follows two thirtysomething best friends, Jason and Julie, played by "Parks and Recreation's" Adam Scott and Jennifer Westfeldt, who, after watching what having children does to their friends, decide to skip the complicated parts, like dating and marriage, and have a baby before dating other people.

So how's that work out?

"Bridesmaids" alums Maya Rudolph and Chris O'Dowd bring the funny as Jason and Julie's married pals looking to rekindle their romance in the bedroom, while erstwhile "Bridesmaids" couple Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig pair up this time as childless friends who can't keep their hands off each other.

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The besties go through with their hair-brained scheme, but, wouldn't you know it, struggle to keep it platonic while raising a child and balancing hook ups with the likes of hotties Ed Burns and Megan Fox.

It's a tough job but somebody's gotta do it!

Westfeldt, who cowrote "Kissing Jessica Stein" (and is also Hamm's real-life partner, FYI), penned the screenplay and is making her directing debut on "Friends With Kids," which hits theaters March 9.

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20th Century Fox

Thinking of seeing "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked"? Star David Cross has some advice: Don't.

In an appearance on "Conan" this week, Cross, who plays Ian, a Chipmunk-hating villain stuck permanently wearing a pelican suit, attacked his own film.

"It was the most miserable experience I've ever had in my professional life," he told O'Brien. "It's a big commercial for Carnival Cruise Lines."

He also told the audience, "if you see the movie -- and DON'T."

Cross, who was raised Jewish, has drawn some criticism for the interview, specifically for describing a producer he clashed with as "the personification of what people think about when they think negatively about Jews."

O'Brien deftly changed the subject, but Cross' point had been that he didn't think he needed to be present for the week of filming onboard a Carnival cruise ship, since he's unrecognizable in the pelican suit anyway. The other producers agreed that a stand-in could fill in during that part of filming, but the particular producer he singled out disagreed.

O'Brien later poked fun at Cross' complaints when the actor commented that he did enjoy his IFC sitcom, "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret." Joked O'Brien, "I don't know, you might say,  'it was all fine, but there was one caterer who made me eat an almond I did not like.'"

On Thursday, Cross took to Facebook to clarify his remaks. He wrote that the producer in question was not Janice Karman, the wife of Ross Bagadasorian (son of "Chipmunks" creator Dave Bagdasarian), praising Karman and Bagdasarian for pleading his case with the still-unnamed producer.

Cross told the Los Angeles Times in 2009 that the "Chipmunks" series paid him twice as much as all his other creative projects combined, "and for very little work."

"Chipwrecked" has a pathetic 13 percent positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes.com. But Cross does come in for some praise. The San Francisco Chronicle's Peter Hartlaub writes, "Cross is the rare actor who not only survives bad movies but actually becomes funnier when fleeing from a fake-looking erupting volcano."

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Caren Firouz / Reuters

Nicole Scherzinger's Twitter account was hacked to show a message of support for Ron Paul.

Kelly Clarkson and Michelle Branch may have unofficially endorsed Ron Paul, but Nicole Scherzinger, No Doubt and Rise Against? Not exactly supporters, as recent tweets from the musical artists may lead people to believe. 

Mitt Romney Meets Expectations With New Hampshire Win, Ron Paul Takes Second Place 

Early Wednesday morning, very similarly-phrased Ron Paul endorsements popped up on the official Twitter accounts of Nicole Scherzinger, No Doubt and Rise Against. The tweets, which were deleted by each artist after several hours, have been confirmed to Billboard.com as hacks.

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It's worth noting that all three artists are currently signed to Interscope Records, a curious coincidence that may explain why they're linked in this specific hacking.

Kelly Clarkson's 'Ron Paul Sales Bump' Debunked: 'Stronger' Sales Actually Dropped Last Week 

Punk rockers Rise Against have a track record of liberal political activism, assuring their fans after the fact, "As you would all assume, We DO NOT support Ron Paul." No Doubt's response: "No political endorsements at this time."

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So what exactly did the tweets say?

"Today We Officially Endorse Ron Paul 2012 Donate to him here http://bit.ly/yDrrFI #ronpaulrevolution," read a tweet from No Doubt's account, followed up by: "If you actually read what Ron Paul is saying, you will discover that for the first time in your life a politician is not lying to you."

Nicole Scherzinger's hack read, "For the first time ever a politician isn't lying to us. WAKE UP AMERICA! Ron Paul 2012 I Love this Guy #RonPaulRevolution." "The X Factor" judge recently made headlines recently for delaying the release of her solo album, Killer Love, yet again. "Killer Love" was originally slated for a November release, but has been pushed to 2012.

As for the musical artists who legitimately support Paul's libertarian politics, Kelly Clarkson has come under fire for supporting the Republican presidential candidate last month via her Twitter. Despite Twitter backlash, Clarkson's sentiments were quickly co-signed by fellow pop songstress Michelle Branch.

At a recent rally in Iowa, Paul actually boasted that sales of Clarkson's recent album "Stronger" had increased by 600 percent following her unofficial endorsement of him -- a figure that is far from true.

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Anchor Bay Films

In "The Divide" (from l.) Courtney Vance, Michael Biehn, Ivan Gonzalez, Lauren German, Ashton Holmes, Milo Ventimiglia, and Michael Eklund are forced to play "Survivor: Basement Edition."

Things go from bad to worse for both the bedraggled characters and the audience in Xavier Gens’ grungy, post-apocalyptic thriller that uses the plight of a group of troubled survivors of a nuclear attack as a microcosm of the breakdown of civilization. Relentlessly unpleasant and nihilistic in its approach and execution, "The Divide" is best appreciated as a virtual instruction manual on how not to behave during a crisis. Theatrical prospects look appropriately bleak.

Set in the basement of a Manhattan building (why are NYC and LA always on the front lines?), the story concerns nine strangers who find themselves violently at odds as their outlook for survival looks increasingly grim. At first, the building’s superintendent (Michael Biehn), a 9/11 survivor who had both the foresight and paranoia to stock his boiler room like a bomb shelter, takes charge. But his macho authority dissipates as the rest of the stock characters eventually become unhinged.

Things go from bad to worse when a team of menacing Hazmat suit-wearing figures burst in and steal a hysterical mother’s (Rosanna Arquette) young daughter for unexplained reasons. To cope with her grief, the mother smears lipstick all over her face and begins having wanton sex with the two young thugs (Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Eklund) who have taken charge after a violent coup.

Ultimately leading to a climax featuring unrelieved brutality and stomach-churning filth -- to say that a septic tank plays a major role here is an understatement -- "The Divide" takes a painfully long time to get there. And while the actors deserve some credit for enduring what must have been highly unpleasant shooting conditions, that doesn’t excuse the unrestrained hamminess of their performances. Surely, such veterans as Vance and Arquette deserve better material, not to mention Biehn, who must be wistfully recalling the glory days of "The Terminator" and "Aliens."    

It's the end of the world: Would you go see this movie? Tell us on Facebook.

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Universal Pictures

Mark Wahlberg and Ben Foster work the finer parts of the smuggle in "Contraband."

REVIEW

The gritty style only accentuates the increasingly far-fetched dramatics in "Contraband," an involving, atmospherically grungy mid-register thriller. The central device of a retired criminal being forced back into the game for a final job is recycled from countless previous films and TV shows, while some key climactic developments feel variously forced and/or simplistically achieved. But the lead role of a working-class former smuggler who dirties his hands again to save his family fits Mark Wahlberg like a glove and there's enough punch and rough stuff here to make this Universal release a moderate success domestically and better than that overseas.

A life based on ill-gotten gains is par for the course for the Farraday clan; while old Pop stews in the slammer, son Chris (Wahlberg) remains a legend even though he now runs an alarm installation company and his dimwit brother-in-law Andy (Caleb Landry Jones) triggers the new round of trouble by dumping a bunch of drugs into the sea just as he's about to be nailed on a cargo ship. There are so many Irish mugs running around here you'd think we're in Boston but it's actually New Orleans, a major port for all manner of substances coming in from Latin America.

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Unfortunately, the lost stash was intended for Tim Briggs, a crazed, trigger-happy lunatic played by Giovanni Ribisi in such a wigged-out manner that it suggests the actor is advertising himself for any role (if there is any) Nicolas Cage declines. Briggs demands instant satisfaction for the debt, so threateningly so that Chris realizes he has no choice but to pull a job himself, and quick.

This one, too, will involve a smuggling operation aboard a transport ship, this one bound for Panama, where Chris arranges to pick up a massive amount of counterfeit American currency. With best pal Danny (Lukas Haas) and the questionable Andy, whose older sister Kate (Kate Beckinsale) is Chris's wife, the old pro signs on to a vessel commanded by a stern captain (an amusing J.K. Simmons) with less than sweet feelings for Chris's notorious dad. With help of old accomplices, Chris sets everything in place for the return trip, which will involve hiding the sheets of counterfeit bills from the captain as well as from customs authorities.

Panama is seldom seen in major films, so sequences featuring the canal, the soaring new skyline and reeking slums impart welcome color and visual interest. It is also here, however, where the plotting of first-time screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski and the sequence timing worked out by director Baltasar Kormakur get more than a little hairy, not to mention overly convenient. After a meeting with a drug lord (Diego Luna) goes awry, the Americans' escape seems unconvincingly easy, just as the motivating incident is outlandishly coincidental. On top of it all, what Chris pulls off ashore is far too involved to have fit into the very short period of time before the ship is due to sail again; a sense of urgency is one thing, but winding the clock too tightly can break the spring, which more or less happens here.

Back home, more dramaturgic problems await, as old ghosts come back to haunt Chris's best friend Sebastian (Ben Foster), who's supposed to be looking after his pal's wife and two boys but does so in a way that would tick off most husbands.

VIDEO: Mark Wahlberg Plays a Father on a Mission in 'Contraband' Trailer

"Contraband" is based on a little-seen 2008 Icelandic suspenser called "Reykjavik-Rotterdam" written by Arnaldur Indridason and Oskar Jonasson, directed by the latter and produced by and starring Kormakur, whose debut feature, the madly original "Reykjavik 101," arguably remains his best film. Despite the Gulf of Mexico settings, the new film, which is largely set at night, retains a certain Nordic gloom; the visual scheme worked out with cinematographer Barry Ackroyd is dominated by glum grays and blues, although the camerawork remains alert and alive to the alarming events that punctuate the characters' lives with all-too-frequent regularity.

Kormakur's unvarnished style on the one hand comes as a welcome change from both the slicker Hollywood norm and the more mannered antics of some young directors. At the same time, however, the images' grubby honesty not only keep the film's temperature on the low side, but also make the overt manipulations of the story appear even more artificial than they might have otherwise. Kormakur set out to make a thriller with a semblance of a real-life backdrop and succeeded up to a point, but the grit and pulp are like oil and water here.

Conveying Chris's family commitment and professional toughness with equal conviction, Wahlberg provides the film with a solid center. Looney is in full supply thanks not only to Ribisi but to Foster, Luna and Jones, while Beckinsale, her innate classiness calibrated down a few notches, has little to do but be supportive, worried and, eventually, besieged. In just three scenes, William Lucking, as Chris's father, creates an indelible picture of a defeated but still cagey old school Irish-American crime.

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Jonathan Silberberg / HBO

"Paradise Lost" filmmakers Joe Berlinger, left, and Bruce Sinofsky, right, with Jason Baldwin of the West Memphis 3.

This bittersweet ending has been nearly 20 years in the making, and on Thursday night, Americans will get to watch the West Memphis 3 walk out of prison as free men after a long legal fight featured in the third installment of HBO's "Paradise Lost" documentaries on the case.

Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr., the men who were convicted on what appears to be shaky evidence and a questionable confession in the brutal killings of three young boys in West Memphis, Ark., in 1994, each took the Alford plea in August. The deal allowed them to go free and maintain their innocence while pleading guilty to the murders. (Echols had been sentenced to death, and Baldwin and Misskelley Jr. to life in prison.)

In the third documentary of the series, "Purgatory," Baldwin doesn't hide his displeasure with the Alford plea. "I did not want to take the deal from the get go," he said in the film.

And in an interview with msnbc.com on Wednesday, he said he still feels the same way despite finally gaining his freedom after 18 years behind bars.

Baldwin said that he was first told of the plea deal on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011. He said that he talked to a friend a few days later on Saturday, and soon made his decision to take the deal. "She reminded me, you know, that Damien's situation was very different from mine," he said. "He's in a tiny cell. He's tortured daily. He's had to watch countless people where he was at being marched past his cell, to never return, to be killed. You can't imagine the stress that has! And here I was, all I had to do was say 'yeah' to the deal and he could go home right then, and his life would be saved. And I'm like, 'What am I thinking wanting to fight this, keep fighting this?' ... It was a no brainer then." 

The three men submitted their pleas on Aug. 19, 2011, and were released.

Though they're free men now, Baldwin said "they shouldn't have forced us to take an Alford plea to be free. They should've let us go a long time ago. They should've never charged us."

Baldwin, now 34, said he believes the authorities focused their attention on him, Echols and Misskelley Jr. because "they let the killer slip through their hands or lost evidence" pointing to the real culprit. And thanks to the immense pressure to find the murderer(s), "they had to create all this elaborate crazy stuff to force people to lie, (to have Misskelley Jr.) making a false confession," a confession that played a large role in the conviction of the three men who were still only in their teens at the time.

"That's when it turned into a mistake from their part into a problem," Baldwin said. "They didn't want to admit they made a mistake. ... The state did what was wrong and created a case of ... like a witch hunt against us."

And as the first two documentaries --  1996's "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills" and the 2000 follow-up "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations" -- showed, prosecutors who painted the three accused teenagers as satanists helped turn the community against Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley Jr. In an exclusive sneak peek provided by HBO, "Purgatory" also reveals allegations of jury misconduct, and from one jury member in particular. Take a look:

"An apology would be nice," Baldwin told msnbc.com when asked if he'd like anything from the authorities now. "And I'm not even wanting to force them to do that. Just admit that we're innocent and drop the charges. I'm not gonna make them grovel and beg and say they're sorry. That stuff's gotta come from the heart."

And what about Misskelley Jr. and the confession that played such a big role in landing the West Memphis 3 behind bars? "That was a horrible thing (investigators) done to (Misskelley Jr.)," Baldwin said. "I definitely hold no ill will toward him."

Though Baldwin hopes that one day, he, Echols and Misskelley Jr. will officially be declared innocent, he's moving on with his life.

"I got my driver's license. I passed the test on my first attempt," he said Wednesday. "Just six days ago, I got my own apartment." But that's not all. "I set up an appointment with a college on the 16th to lay out a schedule for me to go to school in April," he said. "I want to get into law and try to use my situation to help people that are in similar situations."

And thanks to the documentaries shedding light on all the issues with their case, Baldwin said it hasn't been too difficult to pick up where his life left off when he was 16, even with the guilty plea.

"Everywhere I go, I run into support," he said. "Even though when I was trying to get my apartment I had to check the box saying I was a convicted felon. But the person running the place had heard of the case and was supportive and was like, 'It doesn't matter.' Everyone knows we're innocent."

See how the latest chapter of the West Memphis 3's tale unfolds when "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" premieres on HBO at 9 p.m. on Jan. 12.

Do you believe that the three men will one day be declared innocent? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page. 

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Comedy Central

If our late night shows were a party, then Mitt Romney would have been the life of it last night.  

Everyone had to acknowledge the fact that he'd just made history by winning both Iowa and New Hampshire, but nobody seemed happy about it.  

Millard Mittington Romney -- as he is so affectionately known by Jon Stewart -- won the majority of the primary votes by a comfortable margin. The "Daily Show" host pointed out that despite the impressive win, no one actually likes him.    

Stewart was, however, amused by Romney's sons and how they resembled an Osmond tribute band.  

In his speech, Romney came down hard on President Obama for the pomp and promises he made back in '08, but he's been busy making his own promises -- a tiny government, a balanced budget and a giant, invincible army. This is Sparta all over again, Stewart concluded.    

On the "Colbert Report," Stephen Colbert embraced that he will be having an arranged marriage to Mitt Romney. He is the favorite; he's inevitable. He is a juggish-naught. "President Romney ... it could work," Colbert pondered, and he proceeded to accept his fate as an Indonesian 12-year-old girl whose hand had been given away.  

On "The Tonight Show," Jay Leno talked about how New Hampshire just wasn't a good showing for Perry. With only 1% of the  votes, he couldn't even beat low-fat milk. 

"On behalf of the 99% of the votes you didn't get," Leno said, "please quit."  

"Late Show" host David Letterman admitted he was only half paying attention. Jimmy Fallon explained to his "Late Night" audience that Mitt won because there's no one else. And Jimmy Kimmel spent most of his politics talk on Newt Gingrich's anti-Romney ads: Newt knows bologna. He loves bologna, but not the pious type.

According to Kimmel, Gingrich's latest ad should read: "Mitt Romney ... the wrong kind of bologna."

From here, it's smooth sailing on to South Carolina.

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Mandel Ngan / AFP - Getty Images

Actress Angelina Jolie, left, and Brad Pitt are seen in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama might be powerful and well-known, but the White House got some Hollywood star power Wednesday: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stopped by for a chat with the chief executive.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

Brad Pitt was spotted using the cane he's been sporting since an accident while carrying his daughter.

The actors were spotted in the Oval Office by photographers waiting outside for the president to take off for a trip to Chicago.

The White House confirmed Pitt and Jolie were in town to screen Jolie's movie about Bosnian war crimes at the Holocaust museum. They dropped by so the president could talk with Jolie about her work on preventing mass atrocities and combating sexual violence against women.

Pitt was seen sporting a cane, which he's been using following a recent injury.

It's not the first time Obama's met with one of the pair. In 2009 the president met with Pitt to discuss his work rebuilding New Orleans' 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina.

Jolie also met with CIA Director David Petraeus at the agency's headquarters. Jolie wanted Petraeus' perspective on cultural trends in Afghanistan for her work with Afghan refugees, an official close to the former U.S. commander in Afghanistan said, speaking anonymously to discuss the private meeting. They had a similar meeting in Baghdad in 2008.

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John M. Heller / Getty Images

Corey Feldman says he will reveal the names of two Hollywood pedophiles in an upcoming book.

Actor Corey Feldman, now 40, has been open about being abused as a child actor. 

The star of such 1980s hit films as "The Lost Boys," "Stand By Me," and "The Goonies" said last year on "Nightline" that he was "surrounded" by pedophiles while working in Hollywood. Now he says he is writing a book that will name those who abused him when he was a teen.

He told the British tabloid The Daily Mail this week that he's planning a tell-all book in which he'll give the names of two abusers. He told the newspaper that he believes revealing the names will put him in danger, but that he owes it to his own young son, Zen, now 7.

He has said that his good friend, the late actor Corey Haim, was also abused. The two actors confronted their pasts on their 2008 reality show, "The Two Coreys." Haim died of pneumonia in March 2010.

Feldman did not reveal when he hoped to publish the book.

Feldman is currently competing on the U.K. reality show "Dancing on Ice," similar to the ABC show "Skating With the Stars." He has told British Web site Digital Spy that he hopes to skate to "Billie Jean," by his late friend, Michael Jackson, and would like to try to moonwalk on ice. Feldman dressed like Jackson when he attended the singer's memorial service in July 2009.

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Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan owes some back taxes.

We all know Lindsay Lohan looks good in red -- but not this kind of red.

The starlet and newly minted Playboy pinup is on the hook with Uncle Sam for almost $100,000 in unpaid taxes, E! News has learned.

Per court documents, the Internal Revenue Service filed a notice of a Federal Tax Lien on Jan. 5 in California against Lohan, claiming she owes the government $93,701.57 in federal income taxes for 2009.

Read the tax lien notice here

The lien was assessed against on the 25-year-old's Encino home for the amount of the unpaid bill.

It's not the only legal headache for Lohan. Aside from fulfilling the obligations for what seems like her never-ending probation for a 2007 DUI and drug case, LiLo was also just slapped with a lawsuit by a paparazzo who claims he was hit two years ago by the car she was riding in when she tried to evade photographers after leaving a Hollywood nightclub.

LOHAN: A Model Morgue Worker?

When asked about the matter, Lohan's rep, Steve Honig, told E! yesterday: "We're not commenting on her personal financial situation."

That said, the reported six-figure payday Lindsay reportedly pulled down for last month's Playboy pictorial, not to mention a possible comeback role playing Elizabeth Taylor in a Lifetime TV movie, might come in handy right about now.

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Comedy Central

'Twas the night of the New Hampshire primary, and all through the land ... 

Our favorite TV funny-men continued to highlight the ridiculousness of each candidate for our enjoyment. But this time, it wasn't just the candidates that had them excited, it was also the town of Dixville Notch, N.H., - the first precinct to cast votes in the election.

On "The Report," Stephen Colbert explained how important the tiny town is. After all, Republican candidates who have won Dixville Notch have always gone on to win the party's nomination. This year there was a tie - both Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman won two votes each (there are only nine people registered voters in the town), so the only solution is for them to go forward with this race as one body. Joined together at the - er - Dixville Notch, he suggests.

Jimmy Fallon took a moment on "Late Night" to ponder how the town got its name.

Meanwhile, David Letterman dug deeper into who our candidates really are on "Late Show." On Tuesday night, we learned more and more about Mitt Romney. What did we learn? His name is really Mitten Romney, he's Mexican, and he MC'd the last Miss America pageant.

Completely unrelated (though totally worth mentioning since our candidates all want the quarterback's coveted endorsement), Letterman compiled a top 10 list of "Little Known Facts About Tim Tebow." At No. 1, he can turn water into Gatorade.

On "Tonight," Jay Leno looked at Huntsman's Chinese-speaking debate moment, explaining that the candidate was really ordering some Chinese food for after the big night.

But Jon Stewart had a change of heart. On "The Daily Show," he took a break from talking about the primary to remind us of what else is going on in the world, specifically in Iran.

Don't worry, he'll be back. Surely Romney's victory in the Granite State will raise all kinds of talking points for Thursday morning's round-up.

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If you still see movies at the theater despite the cost and despite your grumblings that Hollywood has no original ideas, perhaps you do so because there's nothing quite like seeing a film on the big screen. For that you can thank, in part, the folks below.

The American Society of Cinematographers announced its nominees for the 26th annual ASC Awards on Wednesday.

The nominated cinematographers are Guillaume Schiffman for "The Artist," Jeff Cronenweth for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Robert Richardson for "Hugo," Hoyte van Hoytema for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and Emmanuel Lubezki for "The Tree of Life."

The awards are handed out Feb. 12 and more often than not serve as an indicator of who will be nominated for an Academy Award.

Check out the trailers again for all five films. And if you've seen any of them or have a hunch about which has the most compelling look, take part in our vote below.

AP

Journey took the midnight train going anywhere.But not to South Detroit.

Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" has been everywhere in recent years -- including on "The Sopranos" finale and on the show "Glee."  But New York Magazine's Vulture column decided to delve into a glaring mistake in the second line.

You know the words. Steve Perry belts it out beautifully: "Just a city boy, born and raised in SOUTH DETROIT!"

But as Vulture points out, there's no area called "South Detroit." The southern portion of Detroit is called downtown and south of downtown is ... Canada.

Vulture points out that the song could refer to the area known as "Downriver," but argue that this area was rural when Journey wrote its song, and thus a "city boy" wasn't going to be raised there.

We'll leave the intricacies of Motor City geography to natives, but Vulture went right to the source and called Steve Perry in San Diego. Unsurprisingly, the exact details of geography weren't top of mind when Perry was writing the song in 1980.

"I ran the phonetics of east, west, and north, but nothing sounded as good or emotionally true to me as South Detroit," he told the reporter. "It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve learned that there is no South Detroit. But it doesn't matter."

The singer said he was inspired to write the song while he actually was in Detroit on tour, looking out his hotel window.

“All of a sudden I’d see people walking out of the dark, and into the light," Perry told the reporter. "And the term ‘streetlight people’ came to me. So Detroit was very much in my consciousness when we started writing.”

Perry's far from the only songwriter to take geographic license. A few of our favorites:

• "New York to East California, there's a new wave comin' I warn ya."  --Kim Wilde, "Kids in America" (East California?)
• "Daddy was a cop, on the East Side of Chicago." --Paper Lace, "The Night Chicago Died" (Would Chicago's East Side be Lake Michigan? One commenter on the Vulture blog argues that east of the Calumet River is whar's referred to here.)
• "Coast to coast, L.A. to Chicago."  --Sade, "Smooth Operator."

Take the midnight train going to Facebook and tell us your favorite song lyric error.

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Jeff Gross / Getty Images

Tim Tebow is now the subject of a reworked 1980s song.

Tim Tebow wasn't even born until 1987, but a hit song from 1985 has been reworked to honor him.

British musician John Parr, who had a #1 hit with "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" in 1985, wrote new lyrics for his song focusing on the Denver Broncos quarterback.

Where the original song went "Gonna be your man in motion, all I need's a pair of wheels," the Tebow-ized lyrics read "Gonna be a man in motion, all I need's my Broncos team." And instead of "soon be home, only just a few miles down the road," the new lyrics read "Soon be home, only just four downs to go."

And of course, the title lyric, "St. Elmo's Fire," has been changed in one reference to "Tim Tebow's Fire."

The song was actually released last fall, after Parr performed it on ESPN's "SportsNation," but is getting more attention now that the Broncos are in the NFL playoffs. Denver TV station FOX31 spoke to Parr, who told them "I was inspired by Tim Tebow so I wanted to modify the lyrics ... in his honor of the way he lives his life as being a great example."

The changes may not be as far off as you might think. The song was originally written to honor a wheelchair athlete, Canadian paralympian Rick Hansen, whose "Man in Motion" world tour took him around the world in 1985.

Listen to the song below, and tell us what you think on Facebook.

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Is it possible to have too much Ricky Gervais? If you ask the stars in the audience at last year's Golden Globes -- particularly the ones he chose to laugh at -- the answer is probably "yes." For many others? No way!

Gervais, who has hosted the Globes for the past two years and will do so again on Sunday night, continued his chat from last week with TODAY's Matt Lauer on Wednesday, refusing to apologize for being offensive from time to time.

"What am I doing? I'm coming up with jokes and annoying people," he said. "I think offense is taken, not given. If you don't let yourself be offended, you're not offended. Some people are offended by quality; some people are offended by mixed marriage; some people are offended by homosexuality. What are we meant to do, stop all those things because someone's offended? No."

That said, while he's also considered a highly-intelligent comedian, Gervais says a person "should have no pride in being smart or being what you are. It's what you do with it."

He noted that he lived pretty lean until his late 30s, when his creation, "The Office," became a success first in Britain and then in the United States. "I was so proud of that, and then when the check came through it sort of ruined it a bit," he said. "And that sounds weird. I got over it.

"But," he added, "I've never done anything for money. I've never done anything for a million pounds that I wouldn't do for free. Bob Dylan said a man could consider himself a success if he wakes up in morning, goes to bed each night and in between did exactly what he wanted. That's success. That's what I've always done."

And for those stars worried about this year's Globes razzing? Bring a flak jacket. "I didn't think last year was offensive," said Gervais. "I'm going to do the same as I did last year. If you think it's offensive, I don't care. Because I don't think it is."

The "2012 Golden Globe Awards" airs on Sunday, Jan. 15 at 8:00 p.m. on NBC.

Are you looking forward to seeing Gervais on the Globes? Speak your mind on Facebook.

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We're having a good little run on rock 'n' roll birthdays already this week.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images file

Rod Stewart in Los Angeles in 2009.

On Sunday, David Bowie turned 65 (sorry we missed you, Ziggy Stardust, we were watching football). On Monday we marked the 68th birthday of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. So let's not let the music stop just yet because today Rod Stewart is 67 years old.

The raspy-voiced British singer behind such hits as "Tonight's the Night (Gonna be Alright)," "Maggie May" and "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" is one of the best selling artists of all time. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994 and will go in again in April as a member of Faces. Showing no signs of slowing down, the rocker became a father for the eighth time last February and a grandfather for the first time in August.

If you've ever been to a bar or driven in a car with the top down or danced in your bedroom with headphones on (I'm out of music cliches related to my youth) you might have some appreciation for Stewart and his music. The songs just sound like summer (sorry, that's the last cliche).

So sing along karaoke style and let us know in the comments below if you're a fan. Happy birthday, Rod.

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Larry Busacca / Getty Images

Katy Perry's tweet may have seemed mysterious to some.

Over the weekend, Katy Perry tweeted "Concerning the gossip, I want to be clear that NO ONE speaks for me. Not a blog, magazine, 'close sources' or my family."

For confused fans who may not know what the singer was talking about, here's a good guess. Perry's dad, Keith Hudson, spoke last week at an Ohio church, and his remarks caused quite a stir.

According to Reuters, Perry's dad, himself an evangelist preacher, said  "You know how to make the Jew jealous? Have some money, honey. You go to L.A. and they own all the Rolex and diamond places. Walk down a part of L.A. where we live and it is so rich it smells. You ever smell rich? They are all Jews, hallelujah! Amen.”

As you can imagine, the remarks, made at Westlake, Ohio's nondenominational Church on the Rise, did not go unheard.

The Anti-Defamation League released a statement calling the remarks "unabashedly anti-Semitic" and while not attaching any blame to Perry herself, went on to say "it is unfortunate that her good name is now attached to her father’s words."

It's been a busy couple of days for Perry. She pulled out of Wednesday's People's Choice Awards despite being nominated for favorite pop artist and favorite female pop artist.

And the media has been buzzing about a YouTube video from November in which her now-estranged husband Russell Brand jokingly takes off his wedding ring while discussing sororities at the colleges he was planning to tour.

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Warner Bros.

Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah jockey for song supremacy in "Joyful Noise."

REVIEW

The kids manage to upstage the old pros in "Joyful Noise," a sort-of "Sister Act 3" about an small-town church gospel choir that gets a musical makeover. Staggeringly cornball and squeaky-clean even when flirting with such issues as interracial sexual rivalries and, of all things, a post-coital death, writer-director Todd Graff's third feature follows very much in line with the “let's-put-on-a-show” format of his first two efforts, "Camp" and "Bandslam," and overlaps in sensibility with "Glee," fans of which could provide a portion of this film's audience. But with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton leading the cast, the most eager and satisfied public for Warner Bros.' first release of 2012 will be found among Southern and Heartland women of a certain age.

The most startling thing that happens in all of "Joyful Noise" occurs when the character played by one of its co-stars, Kris Kristofferson, abruptly dies after the opening scene (he later returns for a fantasy duet with Parton). Suddenly deprived of its choral director, the Divinity Church Choir in depressed Pacashau, Georgia, is taken over by gospel traditionalist Vi Rose Hill (Latifah), which doesn't go down too well with the dead man's widow, rich gal G.G. Sparrow (Parton), who's more pop and country oriented.

From here on, the plot spins out like a 1930s Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney musical, only with a multi-hued cast. The fly in the ointment here is the arrival of G.G.'s grandson Randy (Jeremy Jordan), a good-looking bad boy who instantly takes a shine to Vi Rose's ready-to-blossom 16-year-old daughter Olivia (Keke Palmer), the choir's singing star who's ready to blossom as a young woman, but not if her hyper-vigilant mom has anything to say about it.

PHOTOS: Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah and the Best Music to Movie Crossovers

Currying favor with the skeptical Vi Rose, ever-clever Randy takes under wing her other child, Walter (Dexter Darden), who has Asperger's, hides behind shades, might be gay and, epitomizing the script's complete inability to be subtle when stating the obvious is an option, announces, “I just wish I could be normal.” Functionally, Randy is like a twin brother to the central character in "Footloose" in the way he shakes up a backwater community and injects life into its cultural/musical scene.

Along with the Walter character, Graff's script introduces a couple of other interesting against-the-grain elements, notably the resentment of black teen Manny (Paul Woolfolk) feels when white boy Randy beats him out for Olivia's affections and presenting the church's black pastor (Courtney B. Vance), as well as Vi Rose (whose absent husband is in the military), as being more conservative-minded than the local whites. Then there's the little subplot about an overweight gospel singer with a thing for Asian men who, upon breaking a four-year sexual fast, promptly sends her partner to his maker. At least he died happy.

Still, everyone on view is so fundamentally decent and goody-goody that no real tension or unresolvable conflicts ever surface. The over-arcing storyline delineates the choir's struggle to transform itself from a perennial also-ran to potential champion in the national competition, which it predictably does in a rousing climax in which the now funked-up Pacashau unit, belting out Sly Stone's "I Want to Take You Higher," vies with a youth group fronted by a phenomenal singer who, in a rendition of Billy Preston's "That's the Way God Planned It," comes across as an uncanny vocal blend of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.

With their eye-catching looks and abundant musical talents, Jordan (notable for his stage work in "Newsies," "Rock of Ages," "West Side Story" and "Bonnie and Clyde") and Palmer ("Akeelah and the Bee," "Ragz on TV," two albums) make the strongest impressions. As a woman who's alternately argumentative and defiant, Latifah has one big scene in which entertainingly tells off her unappreciative daughter, while Parton, who contributed two new songs to a lively soundtrack largely dominated by covers of well-known tunes, has facially begun to resemble a carefully crafted older facsimile of Angelina Jolie.

Dialogue and visual aspects are all right on the nose, bereft of shading or nuance.

Which singer do you prefer: Dolly Parton or Queen Latifah? Tell us on Facebook.

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Lionsgate

Josh Hutcherson stars as Peeta in "The Hunger Games."

Start gathering your "Hunger Games" movie-going posse now. You can buy tickets to the sure-to-be-a-hit movie at movietickets.com and fandango.com beginning Feb. 22, Lionsgate announced.

The movie, based on Suzanne Collins' best-seller, doesn't open until March 23, but as with last fall's "Breaking Dawn -- Part 1," tickets will go on sale early. More than 2000 showings of "Breaking Dawn -- Part 1" sold out well in advance of the movie's opening date.

But for those who can't wait that long to put a little Panem in their lives, "The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook"  comes out Thursday. The "Hunger Games" trilogy is packed with food references, and cookbook author Emily Ansara Baines offers up 150 recipes, also noting where they appear in the text.

Dishes include Katniss' Favorite Lamb Stew with Dried Plums, abut not all of the recipes sound that edible -- these are foods from a starving populace, after all. Other offerings include Wild Raccoon Sauteed in Bacon Drippings, Mr. Mellark's Favorite Fried Squirrel, Mrs. Everdeen's Breakfast of Mush and Porridge for the Poor.

Will you see "The Hunger Games"? Tell us on Facebook. 

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Quick

The black bun gets its hue from vegetable-based food coloring.

French fans of "Star Wars" will soon be able to show their preference for either the noble Jedi or Darth Vader's dark side simply by ordering a burger.

Quick, a European fast-food chain that's similar to McDonald's, is rolling out a promotion from Jan. 31-March 5, tying in to the Feb. 8 release of "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace" in 3-D.

First, diners can choose between a Darth Maul-supported Dark Burger (made hot with a pepper-sprinkled bun, pepper sauce and pepper cheese) and a Yoda-supported Jedi Burger (topped with Mozzarella cheese and spicy mustard).

But the real blockbuster comes only from March 2-5, when Quick diners can order the "Dark Vador" (their spelling) burger, which features a bun dyed as black as Vader's heart (the chain says it uses a "vegetable coloring agent" to get the black bun). Quick is calling this the "first black coloured burger ever created." Red pepper slices and cheese top the burger patty.

Quick

That's Mozzarella cheese on the Jedi burger. Looks like marshmallows to us.

The chain will also offer fried cheese snacks shaped like stars and a special ice-cream treat, as well as Amidala and Anakin toys.

It's not the first time Quick has served up creative burgers. In 2011, the chain offered a burger called "Le Double Mix," which featured a split bun and used different sauces on the burger's two halves.

Sadly for American "Star Wars" fans, none of the chain's 495 restaurants are on our side of the pond. These are not the burgers we're looking for.

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Charles Sykes / AP

Van Halen members Eddie Van Halen, right, and David Lee Roth perform on Jan. 5 in New York.

Van Halen premiered their first new song with original singer David Lee Roth in more than 27 years when “Tattoo” appeared on YouTube (via VEVO) just after midnight on Jan. 10. The track comes from their forthcoming album A Different Kind Of Truth, which is slated for release on Feb. 7. 

The black and white performance video for "Tattoo," shot inside iconic Sunset Strip club The Roxy, features Roth on vocals and guitarist Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang on bass along with original drummer Alex Van Halen.

VIDEO: Van Halen Announces 2012 Tour With New Rehearsal Footage 

The mid-tempo bluesy track contains several Van Halen trademarks -- a breakdown spoken by Roth along with the frontman's signature scream and manic dance moves; a guitar solo, all but a lost art these days, performed by the still stellar shredder Eddie Van Halen.

At the same time, the song’s super-crisp production may not have the bite that some might remember from the 1984 days, and plenty of fans are still stung by the absence of original bassist Michael Anthony.

Judge for yourself, watch the clip below.

Tell us what you think on Facebook.

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During the debates this past weekend, several of the GOP candidates accused President Obama of fostering class warfare, as Jon Stewart told us on “The Daily Show” Monday night. Oh yes, the president is promoting separation among Americans, and it isn’t getting past any of these candidates. But wait -- Stewart points out the very liberal thing the candidates keep doing -- attacking the rich guy among them, Mitt Romney.

Steven Colbert proclaimed his love for Rick Santorum in Monday's “Colbert Report,” coming to his defense on the many politically incorrect comments made this past weekend, from gay marriage to the absent-father-is-better-than-no-father analogy to “blahh-people” on welfare. Yes, it was a weekend of foot-in-mouth for the former Pennsylvania senator.

Later on in the evening, after all the Tim Tebow and Blue Ivy jokes they could possibly make, the late night hosts remembered that there were two GOP debates over the weekend.

On “The Tonight Show,” Jay Leno made cracks about how out of touch Jon Huntsman is with -- well, a huge chunk of society. The presidential hopeful told a relatively young crowd, “You can’t Twitter your way to success.” (That’s tweet your way to success, Mr. Huntsman.)

Then, Leno reminded us that there was also a Democratic primary, and President Obama is not running unopposed. The president’s biggest threat in New Hampshire goes by the name of Vermin Supreme, and he’s an advocate for mandatory tooth-brushing laws.

David Letterman went right for Romney during “Late Show,”  and the now infamous statement about how he likes to fire people.

“Way to connect with the middle class, Mitt,”  Letterman scoffed. He then went on to compare Ron Paul to Justin Bieber (yes, really!) and show a clip of the "Meet The Press"/Facebook Debate, where a sleepy New Hampshire native caught a few Zs on camera behind host David Gregory.  Awkward.

Again, the Jimmys -- Kimmel and Fallon -- kept their political jokes to a minimum (instead exhausting the Blue Ivy jokes), but Fallon did mention on “Late Night” that he’d noticed everyone came down hard on Romney, especially Gingrich. Before tossing to The Roots to bring in a new segment, Fallon joked that the president is seeking divine inspiration in dealing with the National Debt.

Inspiration and a miracle from none other than… Tim Tebow.

What did you think of the late-night coverage? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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Dave Hogan / Getty Images

Jimmy Page in London last May.

It's the birthday of Jimmy Page today. The legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist is 68 years old.

It would be impossible to capture in one short shout-out all that Page has influenced in rock 'n' roll. He's on numerous lists of the greatest guitarists of all time. He's a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with both the The Yardbirds and Zeppelin. He's synonymous with the sound of the '70s.

We've strung together just a few videos here to mark the occasion and recognize a true great.

"Ramble On" and "Going to California" make this favorites list. You have others, no doubt. And if you've missed the excellent documentary "It Might Get Loud," featuring Page, U2's The Edge and Jack White of White Stripes fame, do yourself a favor and let this serve as a reminder to check it out.

Got a favorite song or concert related to Jimmy Page or The Yardbirds or Led Zeppelin? Share it in the comments below.

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David Munn / Getty Images

Paul McCartney's upcoming album has a track listing, a release date (Feb. 7) and a divisive title, "Kisses on the Bottom," according to Reuters.

Now, before that title starts getting taken out of context, it's worth knowing that the album will be a collection of (mostly) standards, including the 1935 Fats Waller track, "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter," which includes in a lyric a reference to the Xs and Os a person sends at the end of a letter: "I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter, and make believe it came from you / I'm gonna write words oh so sweet / They're gonna knock me off of my feet / A lot of kisses on the bottom, I'll be glad I got 'em."

The album title is getting a little flack from the British press. NME music magazine created a "50 Worst Album Titles in History" list in its honor (other entries included REO Speedwagon's "You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tuna Fish" and Charlotte Church's "Tissues and Issues").

Undoubtedly, McCartney has weathered worse in his career. And in any case, he doesn't have time to worry, because the new album is getting some very special treatment, according to Showbiz 411 -- a TV special taped in Hollywood during Grammy week. The site also reports that McCartney will sing an original new track from the album, "My Valentine," on the Grammys on Feb. 12. (Another original track on the release is "Only Our Hearts," which features Stevie Wonder on harmonica.)

The album currently has 14 songs on it, but a deluxe CD will feature two bonus tracks ("Baby's Request" and "My One and Only Love") as well as access to a download of a live show and special packaging, according to the musician's website. And for those interested in the cover art? McCartney is keeping it all in the family: His daughter took the picture of him holding a large bouquet of flowers that adorns the album's front.

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