While you were sleeping

... brought to you by Hawkeye, because The Wrap has this: "Everyone knows that Jeremy Renner will play Hawkeye in Joss Whedon's "The Avengers," but that's not the first time we'll see the Oscar-nominated "Hurt Locker" star drawing the bow and arrow. Renner will first appear as Hawkeye in a cameo in the Kenneth Branagh-directed "Thor," TheWrap has learned ... an individual who has seen an early cut of "Thor" confirmed to TheWrap that Renner's Hawkeye appears in the film, although the person declined to elaborate on the context of the character's appearance or when it will occur. They did, however, confirm Jackson's earlier statements that Nick Fury does not appear in "Thor."

No Snookie in Times Square "TMZ has learned Snookie's ball drop will happen on the Jersey shore instead of Times Square. The giant ball - with a lit "Snooki" sign attached - just showed up in Seaside Heights ... near the infamous "Jersey Shore" house. MTV's New Year's Eve Snooki ball was reportedly banned from Times Square - but  we've learned plan B is shore sweet shore. They're even getting the rigging ready to drop the ball ... and Snooki."

And he seemed like such a catch "After tying the knot in early November, Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis has separated from wife Christina McLarty, UsMagazine.com has learned. "Things completely changed in the relationship and it just became painful," a source close to the couple tells Us. "They are not sure if they are going to divorce yet. They're just taking some time apart." Though Francis' rep denied that McLarty moved out of their shared Bel Air pad, an insider tells Us that the two are indeed living apart as they evaluate their relationship. "The rumors are true despite the rep's denial, but that's because he's hoping to reconcile with her," the source says. "It's just a spat. They've turned to friends for counsel."

I know you've been waiting for this pertinent information I, personally, could hardly sleep as I wondered exactly what kind of ring Reese Witherspoon scored. Fortunately, People has this: "Reese Witherspoon‘s sparkler has just been revealed as well. A rep for the Oscar-winning actress confirms that Reese’s fiancé, Jim Toth, 40, proposed with a 4-carat Ashoka diamond stunner set on a pave diamond-and-platinum band, similar to the one pictured above. So how did Toth land on the special sparkler? “In the past year, the retro look in diamonds has been very popular,” says Eve Goldberg, co-owner of William Goldberg Diamond Corporation, which produced the custom-designed ring. “It’s a very elegant cut and it has an old feel to it.” As for the stunning center stone, the jeweler says that Ashoka stones are rare, with less than 10 percent of rough diamonds each year having the potential to be cut in this unique way, with 62 displayed facets and rounded corners to create a dazzling sparkle – just like Reese’s eyes when she saw her ring, no doubt." Yes, they really wrote that.