Mitchell Guist, star of History's "Swamp People," has passed away

Guist, who would have turned 49 on Friday, was pronounced dead at the hospital after falling from his boat on the Intracoastal Waterway near Pierre Part. Reports from deputies in neighboring St. Martin Parish state that Guist was traveling on the waterway around 9 A.M. when he fell. The boat then docked in St. Martin and Guist was taken to a nearby hospital.

The reason for Guist’s fall is as of yet unclear, and there is still no word on the official cause of death. However, 911 tapes released late Monday night reveal that Belle River residents believed the man had suffered a heart attack.

“You say he’s in cardiac arrest?” the dispatcher said.

“Yes, sir, we’re blowing and pumping the guy’s chest right now,” the caller said. “It looks like he may have had a heart attack.”

In a statement released to the public yesterday, History said, “We are extremely saddened to report that our friend and beloved member of the Swamp People family, Mitchell Guist, has passed away. Mitchell passed on the swamp, doing what he loved. We appreciate your respect for the Guist family’s privacy and hope you join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to his brother, Glenn, and the rest of the Guist family.”

“Swamp People” is currently on its third season and airs Thursday nights on the History Channel.

Gabel at her recording studio in St. Augustine, FL

Gabel (hereto referred to with feminine pronouns) formed Against Me! in 1997, and the group soon became a staple in the underground punk scene with albums such as “Reinventing Axel Rose” and “As the Eternal Cowboy.” The band hit it big in the mainstream in 2007 with their first charting single “Thrash Unreal” from the album “New Wave.”

In an interview with Josh Eells, Gabel speaks of her private struggles with gender dysphoria, her decision to transition and the process by which she will do so. The singer will eventually take the name Laura Jane Grace, and will soon begin undergoing hormone therapy and electrolysis treatments.

Gender dysphoria, classified in the DSM-IV as gender identity disorder, describes the condition of individuals who experience discontent or disconnection with the biological sex and/or the gender they were assigned at birth. While this is by no means an uncommon condition, Gabel’s revelation marks the first time a major rock star has admitted to these struggles and has undergone the transition in the public eye.

For this reason, it is important for the singer to come out publicly and be open about her decision. “I’m going to have embarrassing moments,” she says, “and that won’t be fun. But that’s part of what talking to you is about—is hoping people will understand, and hoping they’ll be fairly kind.” The singer will remain married to her wife Heather, who has been “super-amazing and understanding,” according to Gabel.

In February of this year, Against Me! began work on their sixth studio album, entitled “Transgender Dysphoria Blues.” The record was originally classified as a concept album about a transsexual prostitute. Now, however, Gabel’s personal connection to the theme is blatantly apparent.

In hindsight, this theme is obvious in some of the band’s older works as well, most notably in “The Ocean” from the hit album “New Wave.” It in, Gable sings, “And if I could have chosen, I would have been born a woman / My mother once told me she would have named me Laura / I’d grow up to be strong and beautiful like her.”

Clearly, Gabel realizes the potential her news holds in a world ridden with both anti-woman and anti-LBGTQ rhetoric. Judging from responses on the various social networking sites, a majority of Against Me! fans, while shocked by the news, are nothing but supportive:

“Fantastic news about Tom Gabel. Good on you, lady! It’ll be interesting to see how this affects Against Me!’s new material.”

“Fair play to Tom Gabel, like. Those first three Against Me! records are three of my favourite ever punk rock records.”

“You got a problem with Tom Gabel? You’re no friend of mine.”

“Important thing is not that Tom Gabel is trans, but that she feels she can transition and talk about it in such a prominent public position.”

The full interview with Gabel will be available in the latest issue of Rolling Stone which will hit stands this Friday, May 11.

Lindsey joined the cast of “The Andy Griffith Show” in 1964 when Jim Nabors, who played the character Gomer Pyle, left the program.

Lindsey (left) and Griffith (right) on the set of "The Andy Griffith Show"

Goober Pyle, who was once mentioned briefly as Gomer’s cousin, took Gomer’s place, making both Lindsey and Goober household names.

Lindsey played Goober on “The Andy Griffith Show” from 1964 to 1968 and on its successor, “Mayberry RFD,” from 1968 until 1971. Then, he took Goober’s character to the show “Hee Haw,” which ran from 1971 until 1993.

“America has grown up with me,” Lindsey said in an Associated Press interview in 1985. “Goober is every man; everyone finds something to like about ol’ Goober.”

In a statement released through the funeral home, Andy Griffith said of his dear friend, “I had great respect for [George’s] talent and his human spirit. In recent years, we spoke often by telephone. Our last conversation was a few days ago…I am happy to say that as we found ourselves in our eighties, we were not afraid to say, ‘I love you.’ That was the last thing George and I had to say to each other. ‘I love you.’”

Pondering his career, Lindsey said in 1985, “There’s a residual effect of knowing I’ve made America laugh. I’m not the only one, but I’ve contributed something.”

Lindsey certainly made his way into the homes and hearts of many Americans, appearing not only on “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Hee Haw,” but also on shows such as “MASH,” “The Wonderful World of Disney,” “CHIPs,” “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour” and “Twilight Zone.”

He also appeared on the silver screen in films such as “Cannonball Run II” and “Take This Job and Shove It.” He also lent his voice to many animated Walt Disney features, including “Robin Hood,” “The Rescuers” and “The Aristocats.”

Funeral arrangements for the acting legend are still being made.

"Bachelor" host Chris Harrison and wife have announced their amicable split

The couple announced their split in a joint statement Thursday, saying, “Though we have made this incredibly difficult decision to separate, our love and mutual respect remain, and we look forward to sharing in the lives of our wonderful children.”

In February 2010, Bachelor contestant Rozlyn Papa called Harrison a cheater, and accused him of making a pass at a producer’s wife during the show’s taping in New Zealand. “I won’t even dignify that with a response,” Harrison said during the “The Bachelor: Women Tell All” special.

Harrison, now 40, met his wife while they were students at Oklahoma City University. A rep confirms that they “happily remain committed and caring friends with great love and mutual admiration for each other.”

The eighth season of “The Bachelorette” premieres on May 14 on ABC, and stars Emily Maynard, bachelor Brad Womack’s ex-fiancé.

A family of seven was killed this weekend when their SUV plummeted over 50 feet off a highway overpass and into a ravine

To date, authorities are still trying to determine the exact cause of the crash that killed 10-year-old Jocelyn Gonzalez, daughter of driver Maria Gonzalez (45), and 7-year-old Niely Rosario and 3-year-old Marly Rosario, daughters of Gonzalez’s sister, Maria Nunez (39). The children’s grandparents, 85-year-old Jacob Nunez and 81-year-old Ana Julia Martinez, who were visiting from the Dominican Republic, also passed in the crash.

According to police, the family’s 2004 Honda Pilot was heading southbound on the Bronx River Parkway when it hit the median, crossed three southbound lanes and struck a curb, sending the vehicle airborne to continue over the guardrail and plunge 59 feet into the ravine.

“Obviously, the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed,” FDNY deputy Chief Ronald Werner said. “It hit something that caused it to become airborne.”

Relatives report that the grandparents had arrived from the Dominican Republic just three days earlier. They had a total of 13 children, six of whom reside in the U.S. The group was just five miles from Gonzalez’s home, en route to a family party when the accident occurred.

“Sometimes you come upon events that are horrific and this is one of them,” Chief Werner said.

“When you see young kids that have been hurt or injured or lose their life, it’s always harder than if you find someone that’s an elder age,” he continued. “It affects all our units.”

Juan Gonzalez, the husband of driver Maria and father of 10-year-old Jocelyn, is taking the tragedy especially hard. “I don’t want to live anymore,” he said. “I want to die.”

This weekend’s accident was the deadliest in New York City since March 2011, when the driver of a tour bus lost control of the vehicle, slamming into a pole that cut the bus from end to end, killing 14 passengers.

City agencies have now been asked to reexamine safety issues on the highway, particularly in regards to guardrail height, according to a statement released by Bronx borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on Sunday.

The Coyotes, who have not won a playoff series since they played as the Winnipeg Jets in 1987, owe their victory largely to their 6-foot-4, 218-pound brick wall of a goaltender Mike Smith. Last night, the team was almost doubly outshot by the Blackhawks, but Smith finished the evening with a remarkable 39 saves, not allowing a single puck in the net. In the six-game series against the Hawks, Smith totaled a staggering 229 saves.

Phoenix Coyotes' goalie Mike Smith celebrates with teammates after defeating the Blackhawks to move on to the next round of the Stanley Cup playoffs

Smith’s impressive dexterity frustrated the 2010 Stanley Cup Champions, who returned from the road to suffer a loss on home ice in the United Center. “I don’t know what to say right now,” Captain Jonathan Toews remarked after the game. “We worked so hard, we had so many chances, and every time we had a chance and it didn’t go in, we said, ‘Keep working, we’ll get another one. It’ll go in eventually.’”

The win hits especially hard for the Hawks, who lost one of their key players, Marian Hossa, to a dirty hit by the infamous Coyotes’ defenseman Raffi Torres in Game 3 of the series. Torres has been both fined and suspended for illegal hits on multiple occasions in the past. These punishments, however, seem relatively menial compared to the one dealt out by Shanahan last week. For his hit on Hossa, which caused the Hawks player to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, Torres has been suspended for 25 games, leaving him benched for the entire rest of the playoff season.

Despite this, however, the Coyotes were able to secure a 5-1 series win against the Chicago Blackhawks, and will go on to face the Nashville Predators in the second round of playoffs which will begin later this week (or earlier next).

The St. Louis Blues are slated to take on the L.A. Kings, while the Eastern Conference winners remain to be determined. The New Jersey Devils, who are behind the Florida Panthers 2-3 in the series, play Tuesday at 7:30 EDT, and the puck drops for Game 7 of the 3-3 Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins series the same time Wednesday evening. The Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers are also tied, and will break the 3-3 series at an unannounced date and time.

"If Barack Obama becomes the president in November again," Nugent said, "I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year."

This past weekend, at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association in St. Louis, Nugent told audiences, “If Barack Obama becomes the president in November again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year.”

Many have questioned whether or not Nugent was alluding to violence against the President in these remarks. “If you can’t go home and get everybody in your lives to clean house in this vile, evil, American-hating administration,” he continued, “I don’t even know what you’re made out of.”

As a result of his comments, Nugent was asked to meet with Secret Service agents in an attempt to flesh out the true motive behind his remarks. A U.S. official said that it is Secret Service policy to recognize every American’s right to free speech while still deciding an individual’s intent.

In a statement released by Nugent shortly after the Thursday interview, the music legend wrote, “I met with two fine, professional Secret Service agents in OK today.” As with any case, Nugent was allowed to have his lawyer present during the questioning. Ultimately, according to the rocker, the interview was a “good, solid, professional meeting concluding that I have never made any threats of violence towards anyone. The meeting could not have gone better. I thanked them for their service, we shook hands and went about our business. God bless the good federal agents wherever they may be.”

In addition to being credited with hits like “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Wango Tango,” Nugent has garnered attention throughout his career for his conservative political viewpoints and fervent support of hunting and gun ownership rights. The musician has endorsed current GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, whose camp responded to the controversial claims by stating that “divisive language is offensive no matter what side of the political aisle it comes from.”

Ted Nugent is currently touring the United States, with upcoming shows slated for Texas, New Mexico and, on June 22, St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac performing on Sunday at Coachella

‘Pac’s performance garnered paramount attention, and drew less skepticism than perhaps expected. Overall, it seems, viewers around the world were pleased with the 2D representation of one of music’s most elusive figures. Since his death in 1996, conspiracy theorists have claimed the rapper is still alive, an idea that is only compounded by the fact that he has released roughly eight albums after his death, with ominous titles such as “Still I Rise” and “Tupac: Resurrection.”

In a move that will surely only add fuel to these conspiracy flames, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have now announced that they are considering taking Tupac’s virtual counterpart on the road with them. According to a source close to the camps, representatives for Snoop and Dre plan to discuss logistics for a tour which would include the two performers and a virtual Tupac.

Sources in a Wall Street Journal article said that Dr. Dre had a “massive vision” for Pac’s projection, which was designed by visual effects studio Digital Domain, the company behind the Oscar-winning visuals in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”

One option consists of a stadium tour involving other big-name stars such as Eminem, 50 Cent and Wiz Khalifa. A second, more intimate, option is to stage a limited tour with only Dre, Snoop and ‘Pac.

Would you pay to see Tupac’s hologram on tour? Is this a neat way to remember the dead, or a creepy posthumous invasion of privacy? Would ‘Pac be down with his ‘gram? What do you think?

Blues center Alex Steen watches as teammate Patrik Berglund's shot makes it past Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi

Largely a baseball town, St. Louis has seemingly neglected its boys in blue since the 1999-2000 season. This season marked the Blues’ last notable appearance in the playoffs (they lost to the Canucks in the quarterfinals of the 08-09 season), and the last time the team clinched both the Central Division Championship and the President’s Trophy (awarded to the team with the most points at the end of the regular season).

Since the hiring of Coach Ken Hitchcock earlier this season, however, the team has shown marked improvement, managing to recover from a 6-7 record under old coach Davis Payne and finish the season 49-22-11, losing only six games at home and becoming the 2011-2012 Central Division Champions.

Now, St. Louis seems to be almost literally bursting with years’ worth of pent up excitement for Blues playoff hockey. The city took to the streets late last week to paint Blue notes on sidewalks, hang “Let’s Go Blues!” signs and dye the water in the Kiener Plaza fountain. A pep rally was held before the game, manifesting itself in a giant sea of blue not unlike the red one witnessed after the Cardinals’ World Series win last season.

Those lucky enough to attend last night’s game (for which the priciest of tickets cost upwards of $400) witnessed a whole other level of enthusiasm, one that I have personally never experienced in my 23 years as a Blues fan. The atmosphere in Scottrade was the closest thing I can imagine to the days at the old Barn, which I have only lived vicariously through my father, the man responsible for my overwhelming love of all things hockey. The fans were so loud that you could barely hear the music; the stadium was a mass of yellow waving rally towels; shouts of both excitement and disappointment rung out with every hit, every shot, every bad call and, most pointedly, every goal.

After two goals by center Patrik Berglund, the team entered the last five minutes of regulation play leading 2-1. Sixteen seconds later, however, Sharks forward Andrew Desjardins scored to tie the game, and the Blues failed to retaliate in regulation. Ultimately, it was the Sharks who scored first in the second period of sudden death overtime, winning 3-2 and leaving the boys in blue and their fans with a disappointing end to truly nail-biting game.

While the Blues’ first playoff game did not go quite how fans had hoped, especially considering the team’s 4-0 record against the Sharks during the regular season, coach Hitch remains optimistic. “This is one game,” he said. “We played good, so did they. We weren’t in awe of anything.”

“We believe we can beat these guys,” Patrik Berglund said. “We’ll regroup and see what we can do better.”

Game Two is set for Saturday evening, and it is important for fans to remain as enthusiastic as they were for Game One despite this loss. One of the most motivating factors for the Blues to succeed is the high expectations of their fans; to stop believing now is not only preemptive but detrimental to the team’s success. As defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo said after the Blues’ recordsetting win against Nashville last month, “I can tell you as a player, there’s no better place to play. In games where it seems like things just aren’t going well and you need a little pick me up, the fans get into it and they bring you right into the game. Every fan of a team is passionate, but here, they think of it as a party. They’re out here cheering and having a great time. You feel it when you’re out there.”

Whether you have been a diehard Blues fan since the days of the old Arena or are just now jumping on the bandwagon, there is simply no better time to be a St. Louisian. Get your tickets, grab your rally towel and head to Scottrade—it’s time to witness history in the making. Why? Because it’s the Cup.

The Black Keys, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Sabbath and Jack White will headline this year's Lollapalooza festival

The massive three-day festival, which will take place on 115 acres of Grant Park in Chicago August 3-5, boasts roughly 130 of the most popular bands, along with loads of other activities and attractions. Kidzapalooza, a self-proclaimed “festival within a festival for the music fan of all ages,” runs daily from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M., and offers activities such as Rock Star Yoga, Photo Shootz, Tattooz and Funky Hairdooz. Chow Town and The Lolla Farmers Market let festivalgoers experience of the finest and most diverse cuisine Chicago has to offer, and there are a number of other lounges and bars that offer respite for tired and weary music fans.

Other performers for the 2012 festival include Florence and the Machine, the recently reunited At the Drive-In, Sigur Ros, Santigold, Kimbra, Bassnectar and Bloc Party. The Shins, Justice, Passion Pit, The Weeknd, M83, Avicii, Franz Ferdinand, Childish Gambino, Metric and Wale will also perform.

The festival’s souvenir and early bird passes sold out in a matter of minutes, but full-price tickets are still available for $230. The entire lineup, as well as ticket purchasing information, can be found on the Lollapalooza website.

Are you planning on going to Lollapalooza? If not, what other music festivals will you be attending this summer?