This should explain why your wife or girlfriend always wants to wake up early on Saturday to do brunch and take on the day when all you want to do is keep sleeping.

A study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts found that the average woman’s internal clock runs about six minutes faster than the average man’s.  A six-minute difference doesn’t seem like much, but the researchers found it makes a huge difference.

Women are much more likely to identify themselves as “morning people”, have an easier time getting out of bed and have more trouble staying up late when they’re tired.  It also leads to more insomnia in women.  The researchers say that if you are a woman who has trouble with insomnia or constant fatigue, one strategy is getting shades that make your bedroom go completely dark.

Your internal clock is tuned to need darkness earlier so by blocking out all of the light, it makes it easier for you to go to sleep.

As far as stupid baby names go, it’s dangerous territory when you start raggin’ on people’s precious little miracles.  So let’s do it.

Laura Wattenberg is the author of a baby name book called “The Baby Name Wizard”, and instead of running the usual studies to find out which baby names are most popular, she went the other direction and found out which names are disliked.

For boys, names with an “aiden” sound dominated the list (which I can’t agree with as my nephew is named Aiden and he is very well liked!)  The top four most disliked are Jayden, Brayden, Aiden, and Kaden . . . and Hayden came in sixth.  The rest of the top 10 are Hunter coming in fifth, then Bentley seventh, then Tristan, Michael, and Jackson.

For girls, the most disliked name was the ever-controversial Nevaeh.  That’s “heaven” backwards.  The rest of the list includes Madison, Mackenzie, McKenna, Addison, Gertrude, Kaitlyn, Makayla, Bertha, and Hope.

Wattenberg’s study also found some trends about disliked names.  Usually the names that came out of nowhere to become popular experience a backlash.  So do masculine names that suddenly become feminine, and weird spellings.  Some people go the other direction and just hate traditional names, which is how a name like Michael made the top 10.

According to the most recent Social Security Administration data, in 2009, the most popular boys’ baby names were Jacob, Ethan, and Michael . . . and for girls it was Isabella, Emma, and Olivia.

Rick Springfield was arrested for drunk driving Sunday night.  He was pulled over for a traffic violation when the cop smelled alcohol on his breath and gave him a breathalyzer test.  He blew a .10% .which is above California’s legal limit of .08 and was arrested and booked on suspicion of DUI.

But before you get all judgmental, imagine how much YOU’D be drinking if your friend had a girl you wanted to make yours, and you couldn’t tell her you loved her, because the point was probably moot…….

He posted $5,000 bond and was released after he sobered up.  Here is his little celebrity mug shot for your enjoyment.

Rick Springfield's Mug Shot

Weird Al Yankovic unleashed an angry anti-Lady Gaga tirade on his blog Wednesday because he claims she rejected his “Born This Way” parody, but only after stringing him along and wasting his time.  But it may have been a misunderstanding.

Here’s the story: Weird Al wrote a Lady Gaga parody called “Perform This Way”.  He sent the concept and lyrics to her to see if she’d be cool with it.  Weird Al Yankovic Claims Lady Gaga Rejected His “Born This Way” Parody, But Lady Gaga’s People Say It Was a Misunderstanding.  Weird Al says Lady Gaga’s people told him to go ahead and record the track, because she’d need to “hear it” to approve it.  So Weird Al cut his vacation short…rushed back home and recorded and mixed the track.  He sent it to Lady Gaga, and then he got a response.  NO . . . they wouldn’t sign off on it.

Technically, Weird Al doesn’t NEED her approval to release the track, because his parodies fall under “fair use.”  But it’s always been his policy to only release songs in which he’s received an OK from the original artist.  But he did upload the song on YouTube.

Late Wednesday night, Weird Al updated his blog saying that Lady Gaga has signed off on the parody and loves his song.  He added that her people admitted that they hadn’t given the track to her in the first place.

Here is what he posted on his blog (http://alyankovic.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/gaga-update/)

Well, this was a strange day.

After putting my Lady Gaga parody on YouTube this morning – and announcing that it wouldn’t be on my next album because Gaga didn’t approve it – there was a huge outpouring of disappointment from the Internet.

Apparently the fact that she didn’t approve it was news to Lady Gaga herself!

Gaga’s manager has now admitted that he never forwarded my parody to Gaga – she had no idea at all. Even though we assumed that Gaga herself was the one making the decision (because, well, that’s what we were TOLD), he apparently made the decision completely on his own.

He’s sorry.

And Gaga loves the song.

I’m thrilled on many levels to hear this, because 1) I truly respect and admire Gaga as an artist and it pained me to think of her as having less than a great sense of humor, and 2) it means I GET TO PUT OUT MY ALBUM!

As promised, all my proceeds from the song (and the MUSIC VIDEO… I can’t wait…) will go to the Human Rights Campaign.

Thank you, Gaga. And thanks to everybody who had my back.

Whew!

Your pal,
Al

Well, it looks like Ms. Spears still buys her own toilet paper like the rest of us as she was photographed pushing her red cart around Target to pick up a few things for the mansion.  Now, I get why big celebrities have their “people” handle this kind of “common folk” stuff.  Whenever they go out, even just to grab a coffee, the paparazzi chase them around with their cameras and video cameras, people form crowds and ask for autographs and free handouts and it just creates chaos.  Then, they get home and find themselves on TMZ and that never ends up working out well.

But I would think after awhile, you also feel like a prisoner.  Being afraid to go out and enjoy a fine stroll through Target to save a few bucks on TP (that is toilet paper for those of you not hip with the lingo) or sitting in a McDonald’s to enjoy 2 for $1 Apple Pies with the love of your life must be enough to drive you crazy (and no, there is no Britney Spears song tie in to that…or tie in to the fact she was…or is…no…was….crazy).

So I guess props to Britney for rounding up her money mooching, backpack boyfriend and heading out to the big red dot for a fun afternoon of shopping.  And look…she even is wearing bra’s again!  Oh…and it is nice to see that we buy the same brand of disposable cups.  I feel connected to her now…in a non-stalkerish way.

Is it me, or are these types of covers getting a bit old?  Does anyone really find this stuff interesting?

There’s a new study out about raises and pay cuts at work but it’s more about human nature than anything else.

The study found that when workers get raises, it doesn’t make them work any harder.  BUT, when workers have their pay cut, it DEFINITELY makes them slack off.

The main reason is that we BELIEVE we’re worth a raise, and our current level of work has been rewarded so there’s no reason to step it up.  At the same time, a pay cut is so DEVASTATING for our morale that we rebel by performing worse.

I know I have touched on this before, but I thought I would share a little more in-depth today. I hate vegetables.  Actually, I also dislike most fruit, pork, fish, and anything that is not from the poultry family or chips.  Now don’t get me wrong, I wish I did like all those things, but I am also fine just eating my chicken.  I eat chicken or turkey in 1 form or another every day and have since I can remember.  I do have vague childhood memories of eating fish sticks and pork chops though and am not really sure why I stopped or why I find them so gross.

Recently, on my Dr.’s advice, I went to see a nutritionist.  We sat down and I explained my situation.  She looked at me in a way that just said “Holy S%*t!”.  I honestly was expecting that though as I know there is no help for me and for that matter, I am not sure I even want to be helped.  I really just like my poultry.
I also know that this is mostly in my head.  I have convinced myself that everything is gross and I do not like it.  I can share some silly stories about my “food phobias” that would make you laugh and also think I was super weird.  One time I was with a friend and we went to get some stir fry for lunch.  The lady made it right in front of you.  I would wait it out until I was like the only one left in fear that my food would somehow end up with someone else’s vegetables in mine.

On this day, it was just the 2 of us so I felt a little better.  My friend has EVERYTHING put in his while mine was just chicken and noodles.  I watched her every move making sure not 1 shred of anything came across into mine.  And then I watched it happen right in front of my eyes.  1 small shred of carrot came flying across into my noodles!  It kept replaying in my head over and over again in slow motion.  I could feel the sweat coming down my eyebrow.  There was a carrot in my food!
As soon as we got back to the office, I had to dump it all out on a plate and inspect it like a TSA agent going through a suspicious suitcase.  I had to find that 1 shred of carrot and remove it ASAP or I would have to find something else to eat for lunch.  Thankfully, I found it and removed the problem.  I also had to remove the portion of noodle and chicken around it as they were contaminated in my mind.  Finally, I could enjoy my lunch.  Odd, I know.  But it is how I roll!

I will share 1 more little nugget with you.  I tried getting hypnotized once with a group of people for a radio bit.  Half way through he tapped me on the shoulder and had me leave the room as he felt it was not working on me and I really didn’t think it was either.  But like an hour later I started having the urge to eat green vegetables.  I don’t know why that was….but as the minutes went by the urge became greater and greater.  My co-worker (who was the same guy in the stir fry story above) did not believe me and said if I ate a big plate of them, he would buy my lunch.  I said ok and off we went!
The Japanese place we went down the street new me well and my issues with food.  They even had my own plate there with just chicken and noodles.  When we walked in, they immediately said they would order me my special plate but we stopped them and told them to add in as many different types of green vegetables possible.  They laughed and thought we were joking.  In fact, they called over like 4 more people there that knew us and had them laugh at me as well.  Once they saw I was serious, they rushed off to the kitchen to order it for me.

When it was ready, complete with broccoli, peas, pea pods and a few other things that were green, they all delivered it to my table still thinking there was something odd going on.  My co-worker watched in excitement, while still in disbelief that I would go through with it as I placed the 1st bite in my mouth.  I ate it and could not taste anything!  It really had no taste at all.  They all started laughing and were really in amazement.  Me, “Mr. Picky”, was eating a place of chicken and noodles with a TON of green vegetables!  I ate the entire plate!  BUT…there was 1 problem.

The more I ate, the more I was craving Bud Light.  I ended up drinking like 8 bottles and it was not even noon yet.  I still had to go back to work.  It was worth it as it made my day go by fast and I didn’t have to pay the bill!  When we got back to work, my co-worker told everybody.  Most did not believe him and he had to really work them over.  But, unfortunately the next day I was back to normal and had no interest in doing it again.  The feeling wore off and I was back to normal…well, normal to me.

So, now that you have an idea of how bad this problem is, let’s get back to my nutritionist.  As we went through the list of all the things I like and dislike, she asked me where I eat.  I told her that I really skip breakfast, eat lunch at the café in our building and eat out almost every night.  I either DJ in places that serve food or my friends own restaurants.  Her reply was that I need to find less of those friends and more friends that, and I quote, “were farmers”.
She explained that they know how to not only grow their own food, but that they know how to make it taste really good.  While I can understand that, I just don’t see how I would like anything from a farm except some fresh chicken.  I am not sure just because farmer Joe makes me some fresh picked carrot stew (or whatever you make with carrots) that I am all of the sudden going to start banging my spoon on the table yelling “more please!” like I am a little kid eating ice cream.

Popeye's is my FAVORITE place for Chicken!

So I am not sure what the future holds.  I am really not interested in anything new to my food intake menu.  I like my poultry and occasional beef selection.  I like pasta, bread and other carb type items.  While I think plenty of things that I don’t eat smell great, I have no temptation to try it.  I am picky, but happy.  Trying to find a way to eat healthy is going to be a challenge and a creative one at that.
My nutritionist will probably either quit her job over me as she will not be able to handle the feeling of failure or she will tell me she is booked and never see me again.  Either way, I think it will take a miracle and amnesia from blunt force trauma to the head to get me to change.  And if she is reading this, don’t get any ideas.  I will be looking for weapons in your office next time I come by.
With that said, it is lunch time and there is some form of chicken calling me down in the café!

With the Grammy Awards happening Sunday night, I thought this would be a swell time to reflect on who my favorite TV “Grammys” are.  I would assume they dislike this time of year as the word “Grammy” is used a ton and non of it has to do with them.  There HAS to be some Grammy envy from the Grammys out there.

This was a hard choice for me as there are so many TV Grammys I can look back on over my 34 years of television watching.  Some of my picks may be strange to some of you…some may not even know a couple of them.  But that is why you are hear…because most of what I write does not make sense or follow any sort of normal course.

After you read my Top 5, feel free to tell us who your Top 5 TV Grammys are in the comment section at the end of the blog.

#5 – “Jeff’s Mom” / Curb Your Enthusiasm: (Grammy to “Sammie”)

Jeff's Mom with Larry

I could not find a name for her besides “Jeff’s Mom” anywhere online.  Kinda sad to only be known as “Jeff’s Mom” if you asked me.  She is only in a handful of Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes, but I find to her to be quite charming in a cranky Grammy type way.  My favorite episode she is in would be “Beloved Aunt”.  There is one scene where Larry David gives her a pair of sunglasses as a gift and when he goes to hold up the toaster as a mirror so she can see how they look on her, he accidentally grazes against her chest to her dismay.

If you have not seen this episode, well, I would probably get fired for posting the only clip of it I can find here as “Beloved Aunt” get’s turned into “Beloved insert bad word here”, so go watch it on demand or something!

#4 – “Livia Soprano” / The Sopranos. (Grammy to A.J & Meadow Soprano)

Dancing with Tony

Livia was an interesting Grammy.  She always seemed cranky but I thought she was very likable.  I am sure it is not easy to be the Mother of a bad ass mob boss like Tony so who can blame her for also being a complete nut bag sometimes!

While I said I thought she was likable, those that watched the show know Tony did not feel the same way.  After all, she did try to have him killed a few times and in 1 episode he was ready to suffocate her with a pillow in the hospital until he found out she had a stroke.  If this isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

Unfortunately Nancy died in 2000.  I really thought the show lost a great character until they found a way to keep her alive via some computer technology.  Kinda creepy if you asked me.

#3 – Grandma / Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. (Grammy to everyone who loves that song)

Poor Grammie

Okay..this may be a stretch but I had to find a way to get this in here.  This song has great childhood memories for me and to this day when I hear it, I have flashbacks to when I was around 9 or so and at Papa Gino’s with my Uncle Paul.  He gave me like $5 to put into the Jukebox.  Back then, songs were like 25 cents and the more money you put in at once, it would give you bonus songs to pick.  Well, somehow I only selected “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” and it played and played and played and played.  It was so bad a few people gave us dirty looks and got up and left.  My Uncle found it funny the 1st 4 or 5 times, but after that, we had to go too.  I still laugh thinking about it.

Now, you may be asking how a song fits into a TV Grammy blog.  Well, it turns out there is a cartoon called “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” that comes on TV every Christmas.  It was inspired by the song, so in my book, this counts.

#2 – Carol Brady / The Brady Bunch as well as Grandma Brady / The Brady Bunch Movie. (Grammy to: A bunch of annoying Brady grand-spawn.  I never really liked the grand kids in the movie but this isn’t about them…

A Young Carol Brady

Who didn’t love the Brady Bunch growing up?  Now, keep in mind by the time I started watching it, the show had already been off the air and was in non-stop re-runs.

Now, I am going to do my best to explain how she made it on the Grammy List.  While she played just a mother on the Brady Bunch, there were some TV specials that came out where the kids had kids thus making Carol a grandmother and when the movie came out in the 90′s…Shelley Long became Carol Brady and  Florence Henderson became Grandma Brady.  Very complicated family tree if you asked me.  Looking back, no wonder those Brady kids were the way there were.  Talk about dysfunctional.

#1 – Sophia Petrillo-Weinstock / The Golden Girls. (Grammy to: Dorothy’s kids Kate and Michael)

Who doesn’t love her?  She was funny and always had something to say even though most of the time it was probably the kind of things people only would say in their head, not out loud.

While I really do not remember the episodes in which any of the grand kids were in, I am sure she was a great Grammy.  What kid wouldn’t love her humor?  And I am sure she would have spoiled them.  Of course they were adults at the time of the show so I can only assume this.

Here is a clip that I always find funny.  It is when Sophia and Dorothy dress up like Sonny and Cher.

In light of Christina Aguilera’s botched version of The National Anthem at the Superbowl (click here to watch it), Billboard Magazine wrote an article listing what they felt were the “10 Worst National Anthem Performances Ever”.

Click Here to read the article or if you just want to see the video’s they are below.  Where would you rank Christina in these?

#10 – Josh Groban with Flea

#9 – Keri Hilson

#8 – R. Kelly

#7 – Steven Tyler

#6 – Jesse McCartney

#5 – Aaron Neville, Aretha Franklin and Dr. John

(for some reason the video wouldn’t post, so you will have to view this nugget of gold directly at: http://www.billboard.com/#/column/viralvideos/10-worst-national-anthem-performances-ever-1004101877.story?page=2

#4 – Scott Stapp of Creed

#3 – Michael Bolton (At Fenway Park!)

#2 – Roseanne Barr

#1 – Kat DeLuna