Martin Short hosted. Paul McCartney performed. And Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin, Samuel L. Jackson and Tina Fey all made cameos. But the New York Children’s Choir stole the show at Saturday Night Live this weekend, as it opened the program with a beautiful rendition of “Silent Night.” The move was made in honor of the Connecticut shooting victims who died at the incomprehensible hands of Adam Lanza . Watch the moving gesture now: SNL Childen’s Choir Opening
Adam Lanza . The name of the assailant who gunned down 20 children and six adults inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut last week has been all over the news. And that’s a serious problem, according to Morgan Freeman. With the possibility of new gun control laws up for debate, the Oscar winner has released a statement in which he points the blame for these types of tragedies directly at CNN, Fox News and other media outlets. Why did the Connecticut shooting take place? “It’s because of the way the media reports it,” Freeman says. “Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. “Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single *victim* of Columbine? Disturbed people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. “Why a grade school? Why children? Because he’ll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.” Backing up this theory, it’s believed that Lanza previewed his massacre online two days before it took place, teasing the murder/suicide on a forum like some sort of twisted movie. Continues Morgan: “CNN’s article says that if the body count “holds up”, this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer’s face on all their reports for hours. “Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer’s identity? None that I’ve seen yet. Because they don’t sell. So congratulations, sensationalist media, you’ve just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next. “You can help by forgetting you ever read this man’s name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem. You can help by turning off the news.” What do you think of this take? Is the media to blame for the shooting? Yes, they glorify the killer! Yes, they play at least some role No, some people are beyond reason No, it’s all about gun control View Poll »
Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of News Corp. and owner of Fox News, said that the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut this week made it clear that it is time to ban automatic weapons in the United States. The News Corp chairman used the social media platform Twitter to express frustration at the easy availability of automatic and semi-automatic guns in his adopted country. “Terrible news today,” he tweeted. “When will politicians find courage to ban automatic weapons? As in Oz after similar tr
Robbie Parker, the father of six-year-old Emilie who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, fights back tears as he speaks during a news conference, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. All the victims of the Connecticut elementary school shooting were killed up close by multiple rifle shots, a medical examiner said. Dr. H. Wayne Carver said at a news conference Saturday the deaths are classified as homicides. He said he believes “everybody was hit more than once.” “Th
Shop owner Tamara Doherty paces outside her store just down the road from Sandy Hook Elementary School, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. The massacre of 26 children and ad ults at the school elicited horror and soul-searching around the world even as it raised more basic questions about why the gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, would have been driven to such a crime and how he chose his victims. All the victims of the Connecticut elementary school shooting were killed up close by multi
This photo posted to the Emilie Parker Fund Facebook page shows Emilie Parker. Fighting back tears and struggling to catch his breath, Robbie Parker the father of 6-year-old Emile Parker who was gunned down in Friday#39;s school shooting in Connecticut told the world about a little girl who loved to draw and was always smiling, and he also reserved surprising words of sympathy for the gunman. All the victims of the Connecticut elementary school shooting were killed up close by multiple rifle s
Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, 47, was killed as she, along with school psychologist Mary Sherlach, attempted to overtake gunman Adam Lanza during the Dec. 14 mass shooting at the school. Hochsprung and Sherlach reportedly both lunged at Lanza in an effort to defend the students and teachers at the school. Both women were killed. All the victims of the Connecticut elementary school shooting were killed up close by multiple rifle shots, a medical examiner said.
The New York Post also reports that Adam Lanza was the suspected gunman. There was no immediate word of any motive. Adam Lanza, a troubled 20-year-old loner with a history of autistic behavior, is the monster behind a horrific shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that left 26 people, including 20 children, dead According to public records, Adam Lanza lived at 36 Yogananda St. in Newtown. His mother, Nancy Lanza, who was shot to death in her home on Friday, is also listed as a resident
The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., left a nation in shock Friday afternoon after Adam Lanza gunned down 27 people, 20 of them children. Hollywood Tweeted up a storm in response, sharing love, condolences, prayers and heartbreak, but also anger, disgust and frustration in many cases. The Connecticut school shooting has once again raised debate about gun control and thrust it into the spotlight, as some of their Twitter reactions show: Demi Lovato: “Just in shock. WHAT is wrong with this world sometimes? Right before Christmas? My thoughts and prayers go out to Newton, CT.” Miley Cyrus: “Why does this happen? Why do bad things happen to such good people… Especially young ones. Sending blessings to CT.” Ian Somerhalder: “We are sad. Our hearts, thoughts & help are w/ you. Im so sorry to all affected by this. So sorry. May all the love in the world hug you in this time.” Kourtney Kardashian: “If this tragedy doesn’t change something in this country regarding guns…I just want to scream and cry. Deeply saddened. Praying.” Kim Kardashian: “In total shock over the school shooting in Ct!… What has this world come to…These kids come to school to learn, never expecting this tragedy to happen. They didn’t deserve this. Praying for everyone involved!” Lindsay Lohan: “This is absolutely horrifying. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families in Newton, CT. So unbelievably sad.” Ashton Kutcher: “Overwhelming feelings of sadness for something so senseless. My heart goes out to those in Connecticut.” Jessica Alba: “This is just awful. My heart goes out 2 all affected… So sad.” Zooey Deschanel: “I am filled with sadness in the wake of the sandy hook school tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with all in Newtown, Connecticut.” Blake Shelton: “Stand strong and stand united everyone… We are Americans and we are better than this. What a sad sad disgusting day this is…My heart is so heavy right now… I can’t shake it off.” Kristin Chenoweth: “Our hearts are broken for you, Newtown.” Joe Jonas: “This is such sad news. Heart is broken for the children and their families.” Jordin Sparks: “Those precious children…I will never understand the evil in this world. On my knees praying for those families. I am in tears.” Susan Sarandon: “How much more suffering & loss will it take before we better regulate the sale of arms in our country? Let @NRA know how you feel.” Michelle Branch: “Gun control people!!! My heart is breaking. As a parent this is my worst nightmare.” Mia Farrow: “Gun control is no longer debatable- it’s not a ‘conversation’- It’s a moral mandate.” Dax Shepard: “I love guns. I have several, but I would gladly get rid of them if it would help prevent anything like this from happening again.” Christina Applegate: “There are just no words. Only sorrow. We are all shedding tears today for those families.” Bethenny Frankel: “These poor parents probably have Christmas presents for these poor babies. I can’t stop crying.” Maria Shriver: “My heart is breaking as this story unfolds. Let’s start a #circleofprayer for the children and their families.” Jennifer Hudson: “Yal, we need to pray! This can’t keep happening . My mama always said ‘ if u think you’ve seen it all just keep on living’.” Ashley Greene: “Some things are just bigger than me and impossible for me to understand. My thoughts and prayers are with the families in Connecticut.” Snoop Dogg: “Sending love 2 the families in Connecticut for their tragic loss. 2day I bow my head in sadness.” Josh Groban: “My heart is crushed with the news of this shooting.” Katharine McPhee: “I’m so saddened over the shootings in CT. In light of such an evil act, #PrayForNewton.” Kevin Bacon: “Just sick about the news from CT. Sending love to all those families.” Brooke Burke-Charvet: “Unfathomable news in Connecticut. I have no words. Holiday spirit just got sucked out of me. I’m sick..” Lea Michele: “There are no words to express the sadness of this unthinkable tragedy. Sending my prayers to the families in Newton CT.” Ben Stiller: “Shocked and saddened by what happened today in Connecticut. We have to stop the access to guns in our country.” Missi Pyle: “We should NOT STOP SCREAMING about this until we have better laws on GUN CONTROL. We have power. Lets DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!” Sarah Silverman: “Band-Aids-on-Band-Aids @NRA people want MORE access to guns to combat all the people w access to guns.” Piers Morgan: “This is now President Obama’s biggest test – will he have the courage to stand up to the American gun lobby?” Chrissy Teigen: “it’s too easy for a monster to get a gun. solution: NO ONE GETS GUNS. sorry if this is an inconvenience for your complete need to have one.” Michael Moore: “The way to honor these dead children is to demand strict gun control, free mental health care, and an end to violence as public policy.” John Stamos: “Soulless coward pulls trigger, children die, officials express regret and then what -we wait for the next shooting? how do we stop this?” Questlove: “ok so….is now that time to have ‘the conversation’?” Rashida Jones: “Gun control is our only road to freedom. Freedom from the fear of senselessly losing children. I’m so saddened. WE NEED LAWS NOW…Gun loversare the first to remind you this should be a ‘day of mourning’. How about we mourn & make it harder to get guns on the same day?…Thanks, gun lovers, for all your hateful tweets. Good reminder of another endemic nat’l issue:a lack of humanity, civility & accountability.” Flea: “No civilians should be allowed to have guns. none…and i dont thinkthe cops should have guns either…change the constitution…and makequality mental health care free…god blessthe children…in many countries the cops have no guns and they do perfectly fine…peace and love to all…heartbreaking…the depth of sadness.” What do you think: Time for major gun control legislation? YES. Fewer guns, fewer tragedies! NO. It’s unconstitutional and won’t stop anything! View Poll »
And then there were three, each representing a different demographic. One group remains on The X Factor . Can Fifth Harmony take home the grand prize? One young lady is still standing. Will Carly Rose Sonenclar be the final one? And one country artist is hoping to wear the crown. Does Tate Stevens have a strong chance? Catch up on the entire season via or X Factor videos section and weigh in now: Who will win it all? Fifth Harmony Tate Stevens Carly Rose Sonenclar View Poll »
