It’s been a while since we’ve handed out a “Breath Of Fresh Air” award here on Glosslip. Not sure if that’s because most famous people suck, or because we’re lazy, but whatever the case, Tim McGraw is now a recipient of this award for his diligence in removing offensive drunkards who are causing trouble at his concert.

According to PeePeeHilton, Tim saw the corpulent fellow in a wife-beater t-shirt (but of course) hassling a woman in the audience, but I have yet to find confirmation on that, as the country singer’s reps haven’t released a statement.

But this blogger was at the concert, and here’s what she has to say about the incident:

I attended the Tim McGraw concert at the White River Amphitheater tonight and something out of the ordinary happened. In the middle of the song “Indian Outlaw” Tim started yelling for security to get a man out of the crowd. Then he started to pull him up on stage by the strap of his wife beater tank and out of the crowd himself until the security guards made it to the stage to help. Tim and about 4 other security officers not-so-gently pulled a not-so-light man out of the crowd and dropped him on the stage. When the man got up, he seemed ready fight Tim. The security guards had to get in between them and take the man off stage.

It is uncertain what started this to begin with, but I think this is something people would like to know about. The man was hanging out outside of the venue after the concert, so my boyfriend and I went over to talk to him. He smelled strongly of alcohol, so I am sure this factored in to the earlier events.

I am not what you’d call a “fan” of new country, but I like Tim McGraw and his unaging wife Faith Hill. If you will recall, when the two country stars were performing on stage last summer, a woman groped Tim and Faith was ready to cut the rude biznatch. Faith called that lady out too, so I have to give them credit: they walk the walk and talk the talk. Plus, they’ve been married for 12 years, that’s practically forever in the entertainment business.

Update: People magazine has posted a response from Tim McGraw’s spokespeople:

“While Tim was performing at the White River Amphitheater in Auburn, Washington, last night, he watched a man rush to the front of the stage,” McGraw’s rep told PEOPLE. “This overly aggressive fan attacked a female fan and Tim witnessed this incident. Tim called for security, but when they could not respond quick enough, Tim and several crew members removed the fan from the audience where he was then turned over to the local authorities.”

“k” has been called away once more, leaving me to attempt to fill her shoes on the whole Hulk Hogan/Terry Bollea/Nick Hogan/John Graziano car crash he said/he said debacle, so bear with me as we attempt to update you.

When we last discussed this story, k eloquently and painstakingly laid out all the facts before you. Nick Hogan/Bollea drank alcohol which was likely purchased and provided by his father Terry/Hulk. Nick then got behind the wheel of his yellow Toyota Supra also purchased by his father. Nick put on his seat belt, but apparently didn’t insist on his passenger wearing one. Nick then raced down a residential street at rates stated to be close to 100mph. Nick then lost control of his vehicle and hit a palm tree.

Nick walked away from the accident with scratches, John on the other hand, is in what appears to be a permanent coma-like state, with a large portion of his front skull missing and his frontal lobe caved in. It is likely he will never regain consciousness and certainly NEVER walk again. For all intents and purposes, John is a vegetable. Even more ironic is John escaped TWO tours of duty in Iraq only to come home and become a victim of drunken, reckless driving at the hands of his supposed “best friend.”

After much media manipulation and efforts to sway the public opinion in their favor, Nick was ultimately sentenced to 8 months in county jail. Then audio tapes of Nick and his father scheming to make money off of Nick’s “misfortune” were released, including statements where Hulk suggested John was asking for it karmically, and that God was dishing out his punishment for John being a “negative” person (which apparently refers to the fact that John “yelled” a lot before he was so severely injured.)

But wait, there’s more…

Shia LaBeouf, costar of the new Indiana Jones and The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull film, and star of last summer’s Transformers movie, is HOT, with a capital H O T, but sadly, like most young stars in Hollywood, he has a penchant for being a major dumbass at times.

Yesterday, a YouTube video showing a young Shia drunk off his ass, screwing around with some friends surfaced on the internet. LeBeouf, who was goading his friend in what can only be described as a teen prank, called him of them a “f*ggot”. Now, E! is reporting that Shia is “embarrassed” by the video and his rep issued a statement:

“The videotape that is currently being circulated is several years old and captures Shia playing a game among friends in which he uses a derogatory word toward a friend,” LaBeouf’s rep tells me exclusively. “He regrets having used the word in any capacity and is very embarrassed that this footage is being seen by anyone.”

That last sentence is the clincher. If you watch the video (it’s been pulled from YT) the real issue here is excessive drinking and stupidity. It’s pretty doubtful that Shia is anti-gay or that he thinks his friend exhibits signs which demonstrate any “gay-like” qualities. Essentially, Shia was doing what most boys at that age do: acting like an idiot.

To take this whole thing out of context makes light of real bigots and gay-bashers I feel. While Shia should understand he’s in the limelight and exercise some control over himself, I do NOT feel this incident should imply anything inherently evil about Shia, except perhaps he can’t handle his liquor. And considering his family history, he might be better off not drinking at all.

P.S. Shia, you might want to get better friends, you know, the kind that don’t sell you out.

File this under “mountain out of a mole-hill”.

Via Michael K at DListed.

Not that I am *happy* to report this, but it does put things into perspective. It seems actor Bill Murray, whom we reported a couple weeks back, was in the midst of a divorce from second wife Jennifer, isn’t the only issue in the breakup of his 10-year marriage.

Jennifer Butler-Murray filed for divorce from the very anti-Hollywood Murray citing physical and substance abuse issues, as well as infidelity, as her reason for divorcing the 57-year old actor. Butler, who just turned 42, worked as a costume-designer in Hollywood when she met Murray and the couple were married in 1997.

According to our earlier report, Butler claimed Murray abused her on several occasions, but specifically cited an incident last November when he hit her in the face and told her she was “lucky he didn’t kill her.” Pretty damning stuff for a guy known for playing generally sweet, but odd-ball characters. As I stated in the original post, Bill Murray is one of my favorite actors of all time and I was really disturbed to hear this stark account of his private behavior.

Well, as with all things out-of-the-blue, there are two sides to EVERY story. According to the New York Post, Jennifer Butler-Murray is NO saint herself. Here are the details from that story:

Bill Murray’s wife claims that he is the violent and booze-addicted one in the family - but police documents show that she has allegedly tied one on and kicked up some trouble herself.

Jennifer Butler-Murray has gotten a reputation in her suburban Charleston, SC, neighborhood as an avid drinker who gets “physical” with her children and gets into bizarre police incidents.

On March 17 of this year, Butler-Murray allegedly got drunk and two of her kids ran over to a neighbor’s house for help, according to a report filed with the Sullivan’s Island Police Department.

The trouble started after a witness saw her shouting loudly at one of her kids, the report said. Cops went to her home to investigate.

“I spoke with [her] and advised her of the complaint,” the responding officer wrote. “The w/f [white female] seemed to be very impaired and didn’t want me on her property anymore, she slammed the door and I left the residence.”

Later, a neighbor called cops saying Butler-Murray’s kids had come to his home seeking help.

“I then had the complainant meet me at the police station to talk with the juveniles . . . They informed me that their mother had been drinking heavily and had [become] physical with them,” the report said.

Butler-Murray’s lawyer, Richard Rosen, declined to comment.

The report said Bill Murray was in California at the time. The kids were sent over to a family friend until he got back.

Well isn’t that SPECIAL. I refrained from passing any judgment on this case or his wife, despite my misgivings about the one-sidedness of her story, but apparently my first instincts were correct, it seems Jennifer isn’t an angel who has been cruelly abused by an uncaring and callous husband. It looks like she too has some “issues” as it were and takes them out on the innocent kids.

For all we know, and I am merely speculating, she may be the catalyst in the breakdown of this marriage and Bill may have been lashing out at her abuse of the kids. I will be keeping you posted on this story and I hope in the end, my beloved Bill will be vindicated. Not for being perfect, but at least not as the vicious monster his estranged wife portrayed him as. It takes two to tango folks.

Steven Tyler, lead singer for mega-rock group Aerosmith has checked into a rehab facility in California, at Las Encinas Hospital according to TMZ. The article claims he is getting treated for a substance abuse problem at the same facility where “Celebrity Rehab” is filmed with rehab specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky.

Well, I guess this means the group’s whole pledge to sobriety thing failed. Back in the 80’s after managing to derail their career because of excessive addictions to alcohol and heroin, the group talked Steven into entering rehab in a bid to get their music careers back on track. Steven emerged rehab successfully and has managed to stay sober (as far as we know) for over 20 years. With Steven as an example, the entire band entered rehab, each successfully kicking their habits and pledging to live a drug-free life, going so far as to have their road-crew avoid drugs and alcohol.

Some demons come back to haunt you, and for Steven this must come a real set back to those who know and love him, like his four children, including famous actress daughter Liv from his relationship with rock n’ roll babe Bebe Buell (while she was with singer/songwriter Todd Rundgren) and his bandmates.

No word yet on what substance is in question, but Tyler was known for being heavily addicted to heroin. God Speed man, get your ass clean!

(obviously taken in happier times…look how good she looks)

Wow.  I have been asking for a while now what has happened to the family of Amy Winehouse, and look at what I found…an explosive interview with her father Mitch where he lets loose on a whole number of subjects concerning his wayward daughter.  I know it sounds hypocritical, but as much as I wanted to know where they were in her obvious time of need, perhaps there was some of this info he could have kept to himself, y’know?

Well, anyway, he said it, I read it, and now I offer it to you.  So gird your loins, we’re gonna dive right in…

But wait, there’s more…

This whole Amy Winehouse thing just gets curiouser and curiouser.  On the heels of yesterday’s story where her mother said Amy had a new boyfriend and is fixing to kick hubby Blake Incarcerated-Druggie to the curb, now today we have Amy categorically denying it all and saying she and Blakey are tight:

It was reported at the weekend that the singer was romantically involved with her manager’s assistant, Alex Haines, 22, and planned to divorce Blake Fielder-Civil.

But at her home in North London, Miss Winehouse has insisted: “I am not divorcing Blake. I am totally in love with him.

“You’ve seen us together and you know how much we’re in love with each other. We’re going to be together for ever.” […]

She added: “We’re not splitting up. I don’t have a new boyfriend.

“I’m totally in love with Blake and I’ll be going to court with him every single day to support him throughout his case.”

Shortly after she spoke yesterday, Mr Haines arrived at the house. A source at Miss Winehouse’s management company denied any relationship between the pair.

Well well well.  So which is it…Amy’s denials that there is any new relationship and she and Blake are still together, or Janis Winehouse’s claims that Amy has a new man?  After all, Janis has her claims…but if you read carefully, you’ll see that she never actually comes out and says Amy has a new fella, just that she hopes Amy does:

“Blake has sent her down the wrong path - drugs and self-harm. She needs a man she can depend on, who can look after her.

“I’m praying Alex is that man.”

And y’know…right there is one of the keys to this whole thing.  Janis hopes Amy is changing while at the same time refusing to blame Amy for this whole mess that her life has turned into.  Of course, it could happen, but I seriously doubt that Blake forcibly held his wife down and made her take drugs against her will.  And from what I know of self-harming, that is something that is already inside a person…somebody else can’t plant that idea in your head and you just one day decide cutting yourself is a fabulous idea.

So what about this going to court every day and supporting Blake thing?  I wonder what Amy will do when she gets to court and sees her man making googly eyes at a blonde?  Don’t forget, it was just a few days ago that he was caught mouthing sweet nothings to a woman named Sophie, who was in the public gallery and who describes herself as Blake’s “best friend.”  Oh man…Amy will tear Sophie’s head off and snort her blood like a line of coke if she sees that happening.

But wait, one more thing…it seems Amy’s dad Mitch has finally resurfaced and he’s none too happy about the direction his daughter’s life has taken lately:

Miss Winehouse, who received a police caution for assault last week , was also visited by her father, Mitch.

An onlooker said: “You could hear screaming and shouting inside.

“He was telling her, ‘You’ve got to pull yourself together’.”

If there’s anyone who has been able to get through to Amy lately, it’s Mitch Winehouse, so I hope he continues with whatever it is that will get through to her, whether that be talking or yelling or tough love or gentleness or whatever it takes to break through to her.  Because, I’m telling you, she won’t last the year if she keeps this up.  I truly hope it doesn’t happen, and I’ll be thrilled to be wrong, but at the rate she’s declining I don’t see how she will be around if she doesn’t get serious help, soon.

I’m starting to think that if I ever wanted to do something like hoover up a line of coke or go all crazazy on somebody, I’d need to move to London to do it, because they seem to be pretty lenient on stuff like that over there.  Witness Amy Winehouse, fresh off a night in jail, who was let go after the face-punching/headbutting incident with a frowny look and a stern finger-waggle:

Winehouse was questioned about a street brawl in which she allegedly attacked two men in the early hours of Wednesday.

But when she originally arrived at the station, such was her state that a doctor deemed her “unfit to be interviewed”.

Her spokeswoman said today: “Amy Winehouse was questioned this morning at a London police station in connection to an incident in Camden in the early hours of April 23, 2008.

“She admitted to a common assault by slapping a man with an open hand and accepted a caution.

“Amy was fully co-operative with inquiries and apologised for the incident.

“She thanked the police for their professional handling of the matter. There will be no further action taken.

“Amy is looking forward to continuing her work on new music in the studio.”

“Unfit to be interviewed”?  What they probably meant was she was stoned off her face and had to have some time to detox that stuff out of her system a bit.

But on the news that husband Blake Incarcerated-Druggie has a new blonde woman in his life, Amy herself has picked up a new man:

Janis Winehouse told the Sunday Mirror: “I’d spoken to Alex [Haynes] a couple of times over the phone, but this was the first time I’d actually met him.

“He’s a lovely boy - gentle and sweet. He really looked after Amy popping out to buy cigarettes, papers, anything she wanted.

“He works for her manager so their relationship was professional to begin with but if they’ve made something of it, I’m thrilled.

“Blake has sent her down the wrong path - drugs and self-harm. She needs a man she can depend on, who can look after her.

“I’m praying Alex is that man.”

Oh…one of her family members finally emerges from the shadows to speak?

Look, I like Amy as much as the next person, but I also realize that no man is going to help Amy.  If Amy wants to be drug-free and clean, then Amy has to make that decision for herself.  Yes, having supportive people around you does help (isn’t that what one’s family is supposed to do?), but ultimately you have to make the decision to be clean because you want to be clean…just like you made the decision to take drugs in the first place.  I’ve no doubt Blake was a negative influence on Amy, but she’s the one who made the decision.

Oh well.  It’s always been Amy’s dad who has had to step forward and take charge.  He may have made mistakes in his life, but at least he has made attempts to help her (and I hope he is doing so now behind the scenes).  Her mom has usually sat in the background, wringing her hands and making pithy statements while Mitch has stepped in and done something:

Little wonder her father, Mitch, who remains devoted to his daughter but increasingly frustrated, is said to be “at the end of his tether”.

Together with some of her older, loyal friends, and Amy’s record company, Island Records, he is even considering mounting another drastic intervention and forcing Amy to rehab - or more pertinently back to rehab, as she has already been there on a number of occasions.

And what about, oh, I don’t know…this little thing called a marriage?  Couldn’t these two knuckleheads at least make an attempt at a divorce before they start picking up replacements?  And when’s she getting that “Blake’s” tattoo removed from her chest?  One more thing…you gotta wonder what it is about this guy.  Why take up with Amy now, if he’s so clean-cut?  Maybe he’s been assigned as her minder.

It’s pretty sad when the voice of reason in all this turns out to come from none other than Keith Richards, himself no stranger to the vices of drugs and alcohol:

Perhaps the best advice comes from a hell-raiser of a much older vintage, Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who has expressed concern for her future. 

“She isn’t going to be around long unless she sorts herself out pretty quick,” he has remarked. “She needs to get smart.”

UPDATE:  Amy has been arrested and is currently in custody.

Maybe, if what I’m reading on the internets is true.  She’s in big trouble for headbutting one man and punching another in the face while on a drug and booze-fueled frenzy, and word is the police are gonna come after her:

The troubled singer, 24, is expected to be arrested this afternoon after a 38-year-old man told police in Kentish Town she had allegedly assaulted him in Chalk Farm Road, Camden.

Winehouse, dressed in a Lacoste t-shirt and mini skirt, was driven from her Camden in a state of distress, with her make-up smeared across her face. [..]

The Met inquiry began after it was reported that Winehouse assaulted two people outside a bar early on Wednesday.

She faces up to six months in jail if convicted of assault.

But wait, there’s more…

Maybe they will let Amy and husband Blake Incarcerated-Druggie share a cell.

Yes, Amy Winehouse has really put her foot in it this time. She’s facing arrest after a booze-fueled attack on two men:

The junkie singer, 24, is to be quizzed by police after claims she HEADBUTTED a Good Samaritan who hailed her a cab outside a bar.

Rehab star Amy, said to have PUNCHED a second victim in the face, sank to a horrific new low while high on Class A drugs.

Onlookers told how the married singer also SNOGGED a mystery fella at a nightspot and shocked punters by overturning tables and drinks.

She was later seen smoking drugs in the street, walked into a lamppost, and riled a cabbie by paying only HALF her promised fare home.

It all started earlier in the night, when Amy and friends started drinking at home before heading out to a pub. While there, she punched a musician in the face who refused to give up his spot at a pool table for her. She played her game and returned home, only to come back out later and visit another pub:

But wait, there’s more…