72 more people treated for fireworks-related injuries

Seventy-two more people were treated for burns from firecrackers during the Christmas celebration, bringing the total fireworks-related injuries so far this year to 128, the Department of Health (DoH) said Monday.

The movies begins with Billy Madison (Adam Sandler)

The movies begins with Billy Madison (Adam Sandler) being an idiot in the pool.


He then runs to the front door to get his magazines.
Billy then goes inside and finds out that his father, Brian Madison (Darren McGavin) is having a meeting about retirement.
Brian is trying to find a person to run Madison Hotels. Brian says that he will give the ownership to Eric Gordon (Bradley Whitford) because Billy is not responsible.
Brian admits he payed Billy's teachers to pass him so he could graduate.
Billy is mad so he says he will redo grades 1 through 12 in 24 weeks. 2 weeks for each grade.


Brian accepts Billy's offer, but Eric is offended by this.

“The Sound of Music” on ABC at 7pm on Sunday 27th December’09

This is like a cherry on the cake! For all who are already enjoying the festive season to the core, here’s one more to cheer for as ABC screens “The Sound of Music” on 27th December at 7 p.m.



The 1959 musical film about the Von Trapp family is a long movie that keeps you glued to your seats till the end. It is about the relation of Maria, a governess and Navy captain Georg Von Trapp along with his seven naughty kids. The kids are resentful to all the governesses hired before but they apparently start liking Maria. She is big-hearted and witty and her nature is accepted by the kids whole-heartedly.

Gradually Maria and Georg fall in love with each other. But George is already engaged to a Baroness! They are in dilemma to make decisions of their life. What happens next? Find out on ABC at 7 p.m. today.

And yes, don’t miss the songs! “The Sound of Music”, “Edelweiss”, “My Favorite Things”, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and “Do-Re-Mi” are to name a few of the songs that add the extra-charm to the movie.

Von Trapp Family, The Sound Of Music

Maria von Trapp born on 26 January 1905 on a train heading from her parents’ village in Tyrol to a hospital in Vienna, Austria ,was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Her story and that of her family’s escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss served as inspiration for the musical The Sound of Music.Maria and Georg were married on 26 November 1927.

The musical movie based on the Von Trapp family, The Sound of Music, is based around Baroness Maria Augusta von Trapp, she was a stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. The story tells of her story and that of her family’s escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss.


Her book, which was called The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, it was a best seller when it was published in 1949. It was also made into some very successful German/ Austrian movies, titled, The Trapp Family made in 1956, and The Trapp Family in America made in 1958.

Just Friends

Roger Kumble was the director of “Just Friends” which was released in 2005. It is a comedy romantic film. Ryan Reynolds, Chris Marquette, Anna Faris, Amy Smart and Chris Klein are the main stars of this film who deals with relationships of “friend zone”. The role of Chris Brander has been played by Ryan Reynolds who is an overweight student of high school.
Amy Smart played the role of Jamie Palamino who is the friend of Chris Brander. Chris attends the graduation party held by Jamie. He is actually seen in love with his friend (Jamie) throughout the period of their friendship and



The role of TyOlsson is played by Tim who is the ex-boyfriend of Jamie. The yearbook of her was loudly read by her ex-boyfriend during the party and made Chris embarrassed publically. Jamie also did not return her feelings at the scene as his lover but says by giving a kiss on his check that he is just like her brother. She also stopped her classmates for making him enjoyable but Chris ran away from the party with tears in his eyes. He

Chris Brander played the main role in the film “Just Friends”. He promises himself to be a more successful person among all his classmates. He is shown as a successful and handsome man after ten years as he


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feelings at the scene as his lover but says by giving a kiss on his check that he is just like her brother. She also stopped her classmates for making him enjoyable but Chris ran away from the party with tears in his eyes. He

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Chris Brander played the main role in the film “Just Friends”. He promises himself to be a more successful person among all his classmates. He is shown as a successful and handsome man after ten years as he has started his career in Los Angeles as a record producer.

Trail Blazers add another injury to the list with Brandon Roy out, still keep winning

Roy's injured shoulder showed no structural damage and his injury is being called a muscle strain









Brandon Roy sat out with a shoulder injury in this game and left the already depleted Portland line up even worse off.
So Jerryd Bayless got his first career start and he preformed scoring a career high 31 points on 10 of 24 shooting. Portland somehow pulled out another win.
Just showing how good the character of some of these young guys is. The Spurs who have started slowly this season, and are given no chance in the playoffs, continue to perform.
Tim Duncan top scored for the Spurs with 24 points but they

Terrorist Attack in usa(World Trade Center)

Suicide aircraft attacks on The World Trade Center and the Pentagon left untold numbers injured or dead and threw the cities into chaos on September 11, 2001. It began at the height of a morning rush hour in the nation's largest city. A plane, reportedly a hijacked American Airlines jet, slammed into one tower of the 110-story World Trade Center. As smoke and flames poured out of the building and rescue workers battled to save victims, a second plane hit the second tower. The two towers soon collapsed. Huge clouds of smoke hung over Manhattan.


- More bloopers are a click away
The nearby Wall Street financial markets were shut down. A short time later, another plane struck the Pentagon, touching off a massive explosion and fire, and tearing a hole in one side of the historic building.

The Trade Center was the target of another terrorist strike eight years ago, a car bomb that damaged the building and caused casualties but did not bring either of the towers down. The attack on the World Trade Center Tuesday was not the first on the 110-story twin towers.

After Christmas Sales 2009: Target,Walmart and Best Buy Stores Opening Time!

Los Angeles: After Christmas Sales 2009: It’s time to get ready for After Christmas Sales 2009, that is going to take place from December 26.
Target, one of the largest US retailers, announced Monday that it will operate extended holiday hours ahead of December 25, from 7 am to midnight.

At the same time, JC Penney said that its stores would open at 5 am, the earliest opening on the day after Christmas in store history.

Charlie Sheen is spending his Christmas in jail

The star — whose real name is Carlos Esterhaz — was
arrested on Christmas day at approximately 11:20 AM on domestic violence charges




Charlie Sheen spent the better part of Christmas Day in a
Colorado jail cell after being arrested on domestic violence allegations.




Charlie Sheen Demands Obama Reopen 9/11 Investigation In Video Message - The best free videos are right here

The 44-year-old actor was taken into custody Friday morning by officers
responding to a 911 call from a house in this ski resort town about 200 miles west of Denver.

He was released in the late afternoon after posting $8,500 bond

Woman breaks security & knocks down Pope Benedict at Christmas Eve Mass

Pope Benedict XVI's Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter's Basilica got off to a tumultuous start Thursday after an apparently deranged woman jumped the barriers and knocked him down on his way to the altar.




Pope Benedict XVI is recovering from pre-Mass pandemonium this evening after a mentally-disturbed Roman woman jumped a barrier and toppled The Pontiff as he walked down the main aisle during Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday.

Pope Benedict XVI : Pope Knocked Down Video

Pope Knocked Down Video:Pope Benedict XVI Video – Pope Benedict XVI was knocked down by a woman who jumped the barriers in St. Peter’s Basilica.The pope was about to begin the Christmas Eve Mass Thursday.Pope Benedict XVI was not hurt during the incident ,he quickly picked himself up.Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini told The Associated Press:

“During the procession an unstable person jumped a barrier and knocked down the Holy Father.(The pope) quickly got up and continued the procession.”



Pope Benedict XVI is recovering from pre-Mass pandemonium this evening after a mentally-disturbed Roman woman jumped a barrier and toppled The Pontiff as he walked down the main aisle during Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday.

The 82-year-old pope was helped to his feet by aides and is unhurt, said Vatican






The 82-year-old Pope was unhurt, rose to his feet and continued with the procession and service to the applause of the congregation

“All of a sudden this person sort of flew over the barricade and the Holy Father went down

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and

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Pope Knocked Down [VIDEO] — Pope Benedict Falls During Christmas Eve Ambush

Pope Benedict XVI is recovering from pre-Mass pandemonium this evening after a mentally-disturbed Roman woman jumped a barrier and toppled The Pontiff as he walked down the main aisle during Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday.


The 82-year-old pope was helped to his feet by aides and is unhurt, said Vatican spokesman The Rev. Ciro Benedettini.

Glad he’s okay!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Scott Novak: A Christmas wish for all (watch full video)

It’s Christmas Eve and I would like to extend my wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

That’s right, I said Merry Christmas.

I am not one of those politically correct people who is wishing everyone a happy holiday!
I use happy holiday as a greeting when I am talking about both Christmas and New Years.

I see no need to take the Christ out of Christmas because I am a Christian and the reason for the season is the birth of Christ.

I have no problem with other religions and their holidays.

I have spent part of December learning much about Hanukkah and I am better for it.
There are plenty of religious holidays to choose from and I believe that each person should have a right to celebrate those holidays as they choose without interference from the outside world.

I don’t need anyone telling me that I cannot say Merry Christmas because it may offend someone.

If I offend someone with that simple greeting, then fine, I offended you.

I will say I am sorry if I did cause you some distress with two simple words, but I won’t stop using the greeting.

It’s just not in my nature.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, but you probably wouldn’t know that from the amount of commercialism there is now surrounding the holiday.

I would love to go back to the days of my youth and celebrate Christmas the way we did in my house. It was about family and friend, not about the amount of gifts you receive and it was about the children.

WATCH: Peres wishes world merry Christmas, year of peace

President Shimon Peres on Thursday wished the Christian world a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year, as religious leaders ushered in holiday celebrations in the Holy Land.

"I want to wish each of you and all of you - all of us - a happy [and] merry Christmas," Peres said in a clip he posted on his YouTube channel. "Let's pray that the next year will be a year of peace, of brotherhood, of tolerance of affluence."



Also Thursday, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the region set out on the annual Christmas procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.

Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal's motorcade left his headquarters in the Old City of Jerusalem and set out slowly on the 8.5- kilometer- long journey southwards to Bethlehem's central Manger Square.



Twal, a 69-year-old Jordanian who was appointed Latin Patriarch last year, is to lead the Midnight Mass at Bethlehem's early medieval Church of the Nativity, built according to Christian tradition on the site of the stable where Jesus was born.

Thousands of Christian pilgrims from all over the world, as well as local Palestinian and Arab-Israeli Christians, have flocked to Bethlehem for the service, which will also be attended by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other officials

Rain man dies ,with heart attack

I’ve just learned that Kim Peek, the savant that inspired the 1988 movie Rain Man, died on Saturday of a heart attack:

Peek was born on Nov. 11, 1951. At 9 months, doctors said he was severely mentally retarded.

"They told us we should institutionalize him because he would never walk or talk," Fran Peek said. "But we refused to do that."

By 16 months, Peek demonstrated extraordinary abilities. He could read and memorize entire volumes of information.

"He could find anything he wanted to. He read all of Shakespeare, the Old and New Testaments," Fran Peek said.
An MRI later showed that his brain lacked a corpus callosum — the connecting tissue between the left and right hemispheres. Peek said his son’s brain lacked the normal filtering system for receiving information. The condition left him able to retain nearly 98 percent of everything he read, heard or watched on television. The average person only retains about 45 percent.
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As both a child and adult, Peek’s favorite place was the library, where he devoured books at a confounding rate. At the time of his death, Peek is believed to have committed at least 9,000 books to memory. He could recite so many gigabytes of facts that people often called him Kim-puter. NASA made him the subject of MRI-based research.

Pope Benedict XVI : Pope Knocked Down Video

Kim Peek, who died of a massive heart attack Saturday, December 19, at age 58, led an extraordinary life. When he was just a baby, doctors diagnosed Kim as mentally retarded and told him parents to put him away in a hospital and forget about him, but they refused that route. He needed constant care all of his life because of poor motor skills, and mental impairments, and after 1975, when his parents divorced, his father Fran Peek kept diligent care of him, jokingly describing the job as required 30-hour days and 10-day weeks.



Despite Peek’s disabilities he had a remarkable mind that stored more facts and information than most people will ever even encounter in a lifetime, much less remember. At the time of his death he had committed over 9,000 books to memory. His favorite place was the local library where he devoured books at a rate of eight per day, sometimes reading two pages at once: one with his left eye and the other with his right. He also had the ability to perform complex calculations in his head in a matter of seconds. You could ask him what day of the week any date was, and he’d get it correct, a trick his fictional counterpart, Rain Man, played by Dustin Hoffman, performed.

Kim Peek became the inspiration for the 1988 Oscar-winning film Rain Man, when he met screenwriter Barry Morrow, and his life has drastically changed. Rain Man didn’t exploit Peek, but instead gave him a platform to grow and open up his extraordinary talents to the world. In the documentaryThe Real Rain Man, which you can watch in full below, Peek sums up the movie’s effect on him succinctly: “Until I started being Rain Man, I couldn’t look in a person’s eyes.”

At the suggestion of Dustin Hoffman, who spend some time with Peek while stuying his role in the film, Peek’s father “shared him with the world” by taking him to speak with scores of people, mostly student. Over the course of their travels together, Peek was able to speak to over 60 million people.

Unlike most savants, Kim was able to not only absorb copious amounts of facts, but was also able to make connections to develop a greater understanding of the things he memorized. Since Rain Man came out, Kim Peek has flourished and developed social skills he didn’t have before. His father claims that he just began developing a sense of humor at the age of 54. His astounding memory skills were perhaps caused by his disabilities, most notably his agenesis of the orpus callosum, which basically means the two hemispheres of his brain were not connected. One theory about Kim’s

Tragic death of Brittany Murphy

OS ANGELES — Brittany Murphy, the actress who got her start in the sleeper hit "Clueless" and rose to stardom in "8 Mile" before her movie roles declined in recent years, died Sunday in Los Angeles of what appeared to be natural causes, a Los Angeles County coroner's official said. She was 32.

Murphy was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Sally Stewart said.

Murphy was transported to the hospital after the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call at 8 a.m. at the home she shared with her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, in the Hollywood Hills.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Murphy apparently collapsed in the bathroom, and authorities were looking into her medical history.

An official cause of death may not be determined for some time, since toxicology tests will be required, but "it appears to be natural," Winter said. He said an autopsy was planned for Monday or Tuesday.

Winter said Murphy's family was cooperating with the coroner's investigation. Funeral arrangements have not been announced, he said.

Los Angeles police have opened an investigation into Murphy's death, Officer Norma Eisenman said. Detectives and coroner's officials were at Murphy and Monjack's home Sunday afternoon but did not talk to reporters. Paparazzi were camped outside the multistory home, located above the Sunset Strip.

Messages left for Murphy's manager and agent by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.
Story continues below

Neighbor Clare Staples said she saw firefighters working to resuscitate the actress Sunday morning. She said Murphy was on a stretcher and "looked as though she was dead at the scene."

Murphy's husband, wearing pajama bottoms and no shoes, appeared "dazed" as firefighters tried to save her, Staples said. "It's just tragic," she added.

TMZ.com first reported Murphy's death Sunday morning.

Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, said he learned of her death from his son, the actress's brother, and was stunned.

"She was just an absolute doll since she was born," Bertolotti said from his Branford, Fla., home. "Her personality was always outward. Everybody loved her – people that made movies with her, people on a cruise – they all loved her. She was just a regular gal."

He said he hadn't heard much about the circumstances of Murphy's death. Bertolotti divorced her mother when Murphy was young and hadn't seen Murphy in the past few years. He said he used to be in the mob and served prison time on federal drug charges.

"She was just talented," Bertolotti said. "And I loved her very much."

Meanwhile, Murphy's publicist, Nicole Perna, said in a statement: "In this time of sadness, the family thanks you for your love and support. It is their wish that you respect their privacy."

Born Nov. 10, 1977, in Atlanta, Murphy grew up in New Jersey and later moved with her mother to Los Angeles to pursue acting.

Her career started in the early 1990s with small roles in television series, commercials and movies. She is best known for parts in "Girl, Interrupted," "Clueless" and "8 Mile."

Her on-screen work had lessened of late, but Murphy's voice gave life to numerous animated characters, including Luanne Platter on more than 200 episodes of Fox's "King of the Hill" and Gloria the penguin in the 2006 feature "Happy Feet."

She is due to appear in Sylvester Stallone's upcoming film, "The Expendables," set for release next year.

Her role in "8 Mile" led to more recognition, Murphy told AP in 2003. "That changed a lot," she said. "That was the difference between people knowing my first and last name as opposed to not."

Murphy credited her mother, Sharon, with being a key to her success.

"When I asked my mom to move to California, she sold everything and moved out here for me," Murphy said. "I was really grateful to have grown up in an environment that was conducive to creating and didn't stifle any of that. She always believed in me."

She dated Ashton Kutcher, who costarred with Murphy in 2003's romantic comedy "Just Married."

Kutcher sent a message on Twitter Sunday morning about Murphy's death: "2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine," Kutcher wrote. "My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon."

Brittany Murphy autopsy conducted

An autopsy on the body of actress Brittany Murphy was conducted Monday, the Los Angeles County coroner's office said.

Authorities have said the 32-year-old appeared to have died Sunday of natural causes, and there was no sign of foul play or trauma.

"Naturally occurring diseases could be found in any person that could lead to death," said Capt. John Kades of the coroner's office.

The office is looking into Murphy's medical history. A final report could take up to eight weeks. The cause of death will not be released until the toxicology report is concluded, said the coroner's office. That process can take weeks.

Police also are conducting an investigation, which includes robbery and homicide detectives looking at what was in her home, said Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman Norma Eisenman.

Murphy was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. PT (1:04 p.m. ET) Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, hospital spokeswoman Sally Stewart said.
Video: Hollywood mourns Murphy's death
Gallery: Brittany Murphy on the red carpet
Video: Actress' sudden death
RELATED TOPICS

* Brittany Murphy
* Hollywood
* King of the Hill

She is survived by her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, whom she married in 2007.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the leading cause of death for American women in Murphy's age range is unintentional injury. Malignant tumors are second, followed by heart disease and suicide.

The often bubbly, free-spirited actress appeared in such films as "Clueless," "8 Mile," "Don't Say a Word" and "Girl, Interrupted." She also lent her voice to animated works, such as the movie "Happy Feet" -- in which she also sang -- and a regular role on the animated TV series "King of the Hill."

"The sudden loss of our beloved Brittany is a terrible tragedy," her family said in a statement issued by her publicist. "She was our daughter, our wife, our love and a shining star. We ask you to respect our privacy at this time." Funeral arrangements are pending, the family said.

Fans have taken to Murphy's official Facebook page to issue their condolences.

"She was a great actress and was going to go far in her career! She will be greatly missed!" read one post.

Former boyfriend -- and "Just Married" co-star -- Ashton Kutcher was one of many celebrities to post his reaction to the news via Twitter.

"2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon," Kutcher tweeted.

"see you on the other side kid," he added later.

Singer-actress Jessica Simpson tweeted: "Brittany Murphy was an incredible ray of Light to so many people. Her smile was contagious. My prayers are with her family and loved ones."

Actress Alyssa Milano, who did a USO tour with Murphy in 2003, wrote: "She was a sweet soul, with a lot of talent and heart."

Murphy was best known for her work in a string of romantic comedies earlier this decade, including playing lead roles in "Uptown Girls" alongside fellow Georgia native Dakota Fanning, and "Little Black Book" with Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates, but her movie roles had declined in recent years.

Last month, Murphy was reportedly fired from "The Caller," a movie she was working on in Puerto Rico.

Her representative issued a statement to news outlets disputing the report, saying, "She was not nor has she ever been fired from any job big or small. ... [Due] to creative differences Ms. Murphy and the production mutually parted ways," according to People magazine.

Murphy was the subject of tabloid gossip after she transformed from a pudgy brunette in 1995's "Clueless" to a petite, lithe blonde who graced the cover of such magazines as Cosmopolitan in 2005. She frequently denied rumors of an eating disorder and plastic surgery.

Her love life also was fodder for gossip sites as she broke two engagements in 2004 and 2006, then married Monjack after four months of dating.

"All these ridiculous people came out and said all this nonsense when we got married, [but] thank God we had the substance and the history within that to [say], 'Yeah, whatever!'" Monjack told People in 2008. "We still don't understand what happened. It's made us laugh, it's made us cry, but it's made us stronger."

Flat Belly Diet for Men touts 'Fire Water' and more MUFA meals

Flat Belly Diet for Men touts 'Fire Water' and more MUFA meals

Flat Belly Diet for Men is pretty much the same as it is for women -- 400-calorie meals, a focus on monounsaturated fats, or MUFAs, at every meal and a four-day jumpstart plan (for the guys it's called the Flat Abs Kickstart).

The biggest difference is that while women eat four 400-calorie meals, men can eat five 400-calorie meals. There's also a bit more protein on the guy's plan.

The recipes in the book sound great -- Pizza for Breakfast, Waffle Sundae, Spicy Cheesesteak with Caramelized Onions and Peppers.

And instead of Sassy Water, the cucumber, ginger, mint and lemon spa water made famous in the first diet, the guys will mix up something called Fire Water. It's similar to Sassy Water, but there's hot sauce included!

Here's a recipe from the new book, perfect for a winter morning:

Almond, Blueberry and Brown Sugar Oatmeal
(From The Flat Belly Diet for Men)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
4 cups 1 percent milk
2 cups old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh blueberries

Toast the almonds in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and cool.

Combine the milk, oats, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and nutmeg in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender. Add blueberries, then almonds.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 400 calories, 17g protein, 59g carbohydrates, 12g fat (2.5g saturated), 15mg cholesterol, 279mg sodium, 7g fiber

'Clueless' actress Brittany Murphy dies after collapsing in shower

LOS ANGELES -- Brittany Murphy was ill with flulike symptoms in the days before her death and prescription medications were taken from her home, the Los Angeles coroner's office said Monday.

The 32-year-old star of films such as "Clueless" and "8 Mile" died Sunday morning after collapsing at her Hollywood Hills home. Paramedics tried to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Police said there was no evidence of foul play.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said they will conduct an autopsy Monday to try to determine what killed the actress, and said her death appeared to be from natural causes. He said the illness, reported to officials by her family, could have contributed to her death, but it will be weeks before a final determination is made.

Toxicology tests will be performed, and officials will contact her personal physician to get a better sense of Murphy's medical history, Winter said.

Neighbor Clare Staples said she saw firefighters working to resuscitate the actress Sunday morning. She said Murphy was on a stretcher.

Murphy's husband, wearing pajama bottoms and no shoes, appeared "dazed" as firefighters tried to save her, Staples said. "It's just tragic," she added.

Police investigators went to Murphy's home Sunday to launch a standard death investigation. Detective Wendi Berndt, who supervises the Los Angeles Police Department's homicide unit in Hollywood, said there was nothing to indicate suspicious activity.

"We went to the scene to see if there was anything that suggests foul play, and there wasn't," she said.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

"The sudden loss of our beloved Brittany is a terrible tragedy," Murphy's husband and family wrote in a statement. "She was our daughter, our wife, our love, and a shining star. We ask you to respect our privacy at this difficult time."

Murphy's death put "Saturday Night Live" in an awkward spot. Two weeks ago, the NBC show aired a sketch during "Weekend Update" in which cast member Abby Elliott performed an impression of Murphy, who had recently been fired from a film project. The impression portrayed Murphy as spacey and living in the past.

After her death Sunday, the sketch disappeared from Hulu.com, the online video repository co-owned by NBC Universal.

The quiet removal prompted many bloggers and online viewers to question the sketch's tastefulness and the decision to erase it without notice. A publicist for "Saturday Night Live" didn't respond to requests for comment.

Murphy moved to Los Angeles with her mother, Sharon, in the early 1990s. Her career started with small roles in television series, commercials and movies, but her part in "Clueless" led to larger projects.

She is best known for parts in "Girl, Interrupted" and "8 Mile," and also voiced the character Luanne Platter for more 200 episodes on Fox's animated series "King of the Hill."

Her role in "8 Mile" led to more recognition, Murphy told AP in 2003. "That changed a lot," she said. "That was the difference between people knowing my first and last name as opposed to not."

She married British screenwriter Simon Monjack in 2007.

Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, said he learned of her death from his son, the actress's brother, and was stunned.

"She was just an absolute doll since she was born," Bertolotti said from his Branford, Fla., home. "Her personality was always outward. Everybody loved her - people that made movies with her, people on a cruise - they all loved her. She was just a regular gal."

He said he hadn't heard much about the circumstances of Murphy's death. Bertolotti divorced her mother when Murphy was young and hadn't seen Murphy in the past few years.

"She was just talented," Bertolotti said. "And I loved her very much."