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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check
October 28, 2009
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Halloween:
A survey by the National Retail Federation finds we're spending less on Halloween candy this year. It's down to an average of $56 per person, down from $66 last year.
We're cutting back on other things, too, like decorations (using last year's instead of buying new ones), making instead of purchasing costumes, and cutting back on visiting haunted houses or fall festivals.
Must be that economy thing, but besides that, Time magazine says there have been fewer and fewer trick-or-treaters every year. (Maiman)
To TV --or not to TV:
The amount of time your kids spend in front of electronic devices has reached another record.
It's more than just television: It's the internet, DVDs, video on demand and game consoles.
According to Nielsen, kids spend more than 32 hours fixated on some kind of video --28 of them in front of the TV. That's more than entire day.
The increase is because of an increase in programming for children --we're talking ages 6-11 here-- but analysts also say that the ease with which children can watch shows on demand now also has an effect since they often like to watch their favorite programs over and over again.
More programming and more ways for kids to watch it repeatedly is also monopolizing their time, taking kids away from healthy activities like reading or playing outdoors. (Maiman)
Sucking the life out of the wire services:
Bombshell from tennis superstar ANDRE AGASSI, whose new autobiography, called "Open," is due to be excerpted in People and Sports Illustrated this week. In the book, which is due out Nov 09, Andre reportedly admits he's been using crystal meth since the late 1990s. A publicist for Random House confirmed the story to the Huffington Post, but only says he used the drug "when he was a tennis player."
The book also reportedly details his hair loss, his marriage to BROOKE SHIELDS and how he met and romanced his current wife, STEFFI GRAF.
London tabloids:
JANET JACKSON got a crash course in parenting when her big brother, MICHAEL, passed away. The UK's Daily Mirror reports little PRINCE MICHAEL, PARIS and BLANKET all call her "Mama," which isn't going over too well with LaTOYA. Word is the wacky older sister of J-J really wants custody after grandma KATHERINE passes away, but Janet is obviously the kids' favorite. (Lee)
Cops & robbers:
In the NYC bedroom community of Stamford, CT, a couple of guys pulled guns on a 36-year-old man and asked him to pull his pants down. When the victim complied, cops say the robbers simply took the pants and everything in them --several hundred dollars, a cell phone, a green card and a driver's license, according to the man, who was able to walk to the police station in his underwear after the robbers fled with the trousers.
Editor's note: Thanks and a tip of the RBR reporter's fedora to Tommy Vas from 96.7 The Coast for the story.
Broadcast, cable and video news:
GEORGE CLOONEY is behind a new, off-the-wall TNT series about a Memphis cop who moonlights as an ELVIS impersonator and lives with his mother.
The Hollywood Reporter says "Memphis Blues" has already been in development for more than a year, however, no star is currently attached to the series.
Grace notes from Vinny Marino:
ERIC CLAPTON will not be performing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary concerts this week. The guitarist needed surgery to remove gallstones. Eric's publicist says he is well and resting at home in England. Filling in for Clapton on Friday night will be JEFF BECK. (Marino)
MICHAEL JACKSON's "This Is It" movie opened last night with big red carpet celebrations all over the world, including the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The two-disc soundtrack was released on Monday and experts say it will easily be number one on the Billboard magazine 200 next week. The album could move 350,000-copies or more. If that happens, it will be Michael's sixth chart-topper as a solo artist. (Marino)
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