Anderson Cooper and his crew were attacked by supporters of embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo early Wednesday, according to the Huffington Post.
CNN Coverage Manager Steve Brusktweeted that Cooper was “was punched 10 times in the head as pro-Mubarak mob surrounded him and his crew trying to cover demonstration.”
Cooper was covering dueling demonstrations between pro-Mubarak supporters and those calling for the president to be removed from office when he and his crew came under attack.
No major injuries were reported, and the anchor spoke to CNN’s ‘American Morning’ early Wednesday about the attack. “My team were set upon by the crowd,” Cooper said via telephone from a Cairo hotel.
“There was no rhyme or reason to it — it was just people looking for a fight, looking to make a point and punching us.”
“They at first started going for the cameras; they didn’t want any pictures taken,” Cooper said. “The crowd kept growing, kept throwing punches, kicks … suddenly a young man would look at you and punch you in the face.”
CNN issued an update this morning indicating there were no serious injuries sustained during the attack.
Cooper and his crew had been trying to steer clear of the protesters by remaining in a neutral zone between the two groups. But as the size of the crowd increased, the situation became less stable, resulting in violence between the two factions in the increasingly unstable country.
Kathy Griffin hosted the VH1 Divas salute to the troops this weekend, but her “jokes” about Bristol Palin being “fat” fell flat.
“She’s the only contestant in the history of the show to actually gain weight,” Griffin said in reference to Bristol’s trip to the finals on “Dancing With the Stars.”
Even after the troops’ loud booing, Griffin continued the attack.
“No, come on, come on. She gained like 30 pounds a week, I swear to God, it was fantastic,” Griffin said. “She’s like the white Precious.”
(Actress Gabourey Sidibe played the role of “Precious,” a 350-pound black woman in the hit Lee Daniels film which was released last year.)
But Palin, 20, isn’t letting 50-year-old Griffin’s digs bring her down.
“The audience’s reaction to this ‘comedian’ spoke volumes, and the decent people I know would probably have booed her, too,” Palin told Pop Tarts in an exclusive statement. “I hope people didn’t have to pay money to hear her negativity and criticisms.”
The annual VH1 show, which was taped at San Diego’s Miramar Marine base and presented by the USO, also featured a slew of young performers such as Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Paramore.
According to PopEater’s Rob Shuter, VH1 producers considered editing out the awkward dialogue and response, recorded Friday night, but given the attention it generated, decided to leave it in Sunday’s television broadcast.
Jon Voight wrote an open letter to President Barack Obama and he isn’t happy with how he is running the country at all. He writes…
“You will be the first American president that lied to the Jewish people, and the American people as well, when you said that you would defend Israel, the only Democratic state in the Middle East, against all their enemies. You have done just the opposite. You have propagandized Israel, until they look like they are everyone’s enemy — and it has resonated throughout the world. You are putting Israel in harm’s way, and you have promoted anti-Semitism throughout the world.
You have brought this to a people who have given the world the Ten Commandments and most laws we live by today. The Jewish people have given the world our greatest scientists and philosophers, and the cures for many diseases, and now you play a very dangerous game so you can look like a true martyr to what you see and say are the underdogs. But the underdogs you defend are murderers and criminals who want Israel eradicated.
You have brought to Arizona a civil war, once again defending the criminals and illegals, creating a meltdown for good, loyal, law-abiding citizens. Your destruction of this country may never be remedied, and we may never recover. I pray to God you stop, and I hope the people in this great country realize your agenda is not for the betterment of mankind, but for the betterment of your politics.
With heartfelt and deep concern for America and Israel.”
Last year Jon Voight spoke out against Barack Obama and called him a false prophet, I would love for them to sit down together and talk their issues out but it would have to be recorded of course.
source: An open letter to President Obama from Jon Voight [Washington Times]
West Chester, PA police are reporting that “Jackass” star Bam Margera has been hospitalized after he was attacked by a woman wielding a bat outside his bar early this morning.
According to reports, there was a fight at Bam’s bar (called The Note) in West Chester. At some point a woman cracked him in the back of the head with a baseball bat, and Bam was taken to Chester County Hospital. The unidentified woman was arrested and charged with assault.
Anne Heche has it in for her ex-husband and let it out last night in an interview with David Letterman.
“Oh gosh, can you say ‘lazy ass’ on television?” Heche asked, referring to Coley Laffoon, the father of her 7-year old son, Homer, to whom she pays monthly child support.
That the the feud was still on was made clear, when Letterman asked what Laffoon does for a living.
“He goes out to the mailbox and he opens up the little mailbox door and goes ‘Oh! I got a check from Anne! Oh my God! I got a check from Anne! Yay!’
“He wants me to come and watch him run around in his little white shorts playing soccer. Honestly, I don’t want to come to rehearsal and watch you run around in your tight shorts like trying to pretend you know how to play soccer. I divorced you! I don’t want to hang around with you Thursdays and Saturdays, and maybe on Sunday.”
Laffoon, who filed for divorce in February 2007, didn’t take his ex’s words kindly. Lafoon, an employee with Los Angeles real estate company Hilton & Hyland, told Usmagazine.com,
“After coming home from showing two different clients two different condominiums, I was disturbed to see Anne taking out her personal frustration on the father of her child on national television. I wish Anne Heche could see that public bullying isn’t good for the soul or positive for her child. It’s mean.”
The actress, 40, even went so far as to chastise Letterman for getting married.
When Letterman asked why Laffoon continued hanging on, Heche had a ready answer: “I’m so fantastic.”
Terri Seymour, Simon Cowell‘s ex, was assaulted after attending the “American Idol” finale last night.
It happened at L.A. Live — a complex that includes the Nokia Theatre where “A.I.” was taped. A 33-year-old woman walked up to Terri, asked if she was Simon’s girlfriend. The suspect allegedly attacked her and attempted to choke her.
The suspect, Janice Thibodeaux, was booked on felony battery. She’s being held on $52,700 bail.
We’re told Terri refused medical treatment. She was escorted out of the complex by three cops. Thibodeaux is twice Terri’s size, weighing in at 200 lbs.
Thibodeaux’s brother and sister who told us Janice is “not crazy” and this is “way out of character” for her.
