Vladimir Putin skis Sochi’s slopes
Russian President Vladimir Putin is hitting the ski slopes, flying to Sochi to challenge the mountains that will host the Winter Games next month.
Putin was touring Olympic venues in Sochi on Friday, the Black Sea resort where the 2014 Winter Olympics will run from Feb. 7-23. The trip came after Putin on Thursday visited the southern Russian city of Volgograd, which was rocked by two suicide bombings this week that killed 34 people.
Russian state television showed Putin, 61, and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev skiing together at Krasnaya Polyana, the venue for all outdoor sports at the Sochi Games.
The two men were not skiing on the Olympic slopes, but at a ski resort run by the state-owned gas giant Gazprom that is adjacent to Olympic skiing venues.
Ke$ha in rehab for eating disorder
Ke$ha has checked into rehab to treat an eating disorder. The “Tik Tok” singer said in a statement Friday that she’ll be unavailable for the next 30 days while she seeks treatment for an undisclosed eating disorder.
“I’m a crusader for being yourself and loving yourself, but I’ve found it hard to practice,” she said.
The 26-year-old vegetarian pop star said she wants to “learn to love myself again, exactly as I am.” No other details were provided.
Ke$ha, whose real name is Kesha Rose Sebert, is the performer of such tunes as “Crazy Love,” “Die Young” and “Timber” with Pitbull. She starred in the MTV reality series “My Crazy Beautiful Life.”
Kiss to play at outdoor NHL game
Kiss will perform at the National Hockey League game at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 25. The rock band will play during the pregame festivities and first intermission of the Stadium Series game between the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks, according to the NHL.
Featuring Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, Kiss is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of its first album and will also be inducted into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame this year.
The birthday bunch
Actress Barbara Rush is 87. Actress Dyan Cannon is 75. Rock Country singer Patty Loveless is 57. Rock singer Michael Stipe is 54. Actor Patrick Cassidy is 52. Actor Dave Foley is 51. Actress Julia Ormond is 49. Country singer Deana Carter is 48. Alt-country singer Justin Townes Earle is 32.