The Buzz

Do you prefer to fly first class?

3ae3image.axd 225x300 Do you prefer to fly first class?

This Air Tran ad touts its popular and affordable business class, which new owner Southwest plans to eliminate. The New York Times ran a great story mourning the end of first-class airplane cabins replete with starched linens and gourmet chefs. These days, the article lamented, an attendant might hand you a lukewarm “bargain washcloth” masquerading as a hot towel and act like that’s first-class service. Hmmff . To our great relief, the Times’ story was accompanied by an article that can only be described as travel porn, detailing amenities (mostly on international flights) ranging from fresh orchids to on… >>

Tyler Perry announces new “Madea” tour, discusses Whitney Houston’s funeral

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Madea is heading for the Fox Theatre this spring Tyler Perry is taking “Madaea” on the road again this spring, and discussed his role in Whitney Houston’s funeral during today’s visit with CBS This Morning. “The family had asked me to do it,” Perry said during the discussion with Gayle King and Charlie Rose . “Our entire relationship was private. Nobody knew that I knew her. I would have much rather not have been there, or not even have been at a funeral for her, but since they asked I did.” Perry was among the speakers at Houston’s service… >>

Did Dolly Parton dis Whitney Houston?

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AP photo Soon after learning of the death of Whitney Houston , singer and songwriter Dolly Parton posted a comment on her blog : “Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song, and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.” She tweeted out the link to the message on her Twitter account, adding the hash tags, #iwillalwaysloveyou and #whitney. Does that sound like… >>

Whitney Houston prescription drug inquiry includes Atlanta doctors

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Chaka Khan, left, says “dangerous people” should have been kept from Whitney Houston Investigators looking into the medications prescribed to the late Whitney Houston have been in contact with several Atlanta area doctors’ offices and pharmacies. Tune into Channel 2 Action News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. for more. Toxicology results indicating what medications were in Houston’s system won’t be concluded for weeks, and inquiries into prescription medications are pretty common in cases of untimely deaths such as Houston’s, the Los Angeles Coroners Office says. She was 48. The Associated Press quoted Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter noting that… >>

Winning! Charlie Sheen in Atlanta with Denise Richards, kids

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AP photo Charlie Sheen’s in Atlanta, having tagged along with ex Denise Richards , who’s here working on Tyler Perry’s latest Madea movie, “Madea’s Witness Protection.” Their kids are here, too. “Packing the family..heading to Atlanta tomorrow to finish the movie. Kids coming & Charlie Sheen,” Richards tweeted this week, adding the hash tag “familytime.” Sheen responded: “As always D… A great week coming!! XO” The two have had a rocky past but have mended fences, Richards told Access Hollywood in January after spending the holidays together with the children. “We’ve actually become like brother and sister… >>

Diddy discusses Whitney Houston

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Photo Credit: Michael Rozman/Warner Bros. Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs will discuss his friendship with the late Whitney Houston today on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show, which airs here at 4 p.m. weekdays on WXIA. “I somehow got on her wedding invitation (list),” he said, according to a transcript of the visit provided by the show to the AJC. “I was just like, ‘oh my God. I’m at Whitney Houston’s wedding.’” Diddy has been pals with Houston’s ex-husband, too. “I was a big Bobby Brown fan,” he said. “Through out the years I got to meet her… >>

Bobby Brown banned from Whitney’s funeral?

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This 1998 AP photo shows Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown arriving for the Versace Fall 1998 fashion show in New York. Bobby Brown isn’t wanted at Whitney Houston’s funeral, the gossip site TMZ reports. The outlet, whose well-connected sources have provided various insider information, including photos of the bathtub Houston’s body was discovered in Saturday and the room service tray she’d ordered earlier that day, now quotes insiders saying Houston’s family has let Brown know that he should steer clear of his ex-wife’s memorial. Houston’s funeral will be held Saturday at the Newark, N.J. church where she grew up… >>

Jennifer Aniston discusses made-in-Georgia film “Wanderlust”

ca75106139 bb 300x200 Jennifer Aniston discusses made in Georgia film “Wanderlust”

A still from the movie “Wanderlust” Jennifer Aniston’s Atlanta stint gets a brief mention in a GQ article she and co-star Paul Rudd recently did to promote the movie they shot here in 2010, “Wanderlust.” Much of the filming actually took place north of here. “I have to say that I felt a real connection doing this movie because, in a kind of parallel universe, I was escaping,” Aniston told the magazine. “We shot in this little town called Clarkesville, Ga.” Added Rudd: “It’s right where they shot ‘Deliverance,’ which the town is very proud of… >>

White House, Congress weigh in on Whitney Houston’s death

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AP photo White House Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske called Whitney Houston’s death a “teachable moment.” “Her death is absolutely tragic and this brings attention to the problem that she had talked about in the past and that certainly is prescription drugs,” Kerlikowske said during an interview with CBS News. “It affects a huge number of people in this country and has driven deaths to very, very high numbers – well over 15,000.” You can view a video clip of the interview here . Kerlikowske said the administration wants to remove the stigma associated with substance abuse, to encourage recovery… >>

Atlanta star sightings: Cam Newton, John Travolta, Mehcad Brooks

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Not actually on the menu at STK Here are some non- Whitney Houston celeb updates for you. John Travolta dined at Market in Buckhead Thursday, with two other guests. They enjoyed the mozzarella, tomato basil pizza and tuna tartare, along with a burger. Megan Hilty of the new NBS series “Smash” was in Park Tavern in Midtown with a group of friends last week. Actor Mehcad Brooks (”Necessary Roughness”) dined with a group of friends at STK in Midtown last Tuesday and ordered oysters from the raw bar and dungeness crab salad. Rapper Nas visited STK on Thursday with some… >>