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LOOK: Drake Reunites With 'Degrassi' Alum

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He may be known best as Drake, but "Degrassi" alum Aubrey Graham was formerly known (at least to fans of the Canadian teen drama) as Wheelchair Jimmy, after a school shooting left his character injured from the waist down.

Recently, Drake and fellow "Degrassi: The Next Generation" alum Shane Kippel (who played Spinner) reunited at a rap battle. The Grammy-nominated rapper has never been shy abut his teen TV past, even rapping, "I’m the same little boy that used to play up on Degrassi" in his song "Ransom," featuring Lil' Wayne.

Take a look at Drake's "Degrassi" reunion in the photo Kippel tweeted below.

I assume I'm not alone in hoping they performed Spinner and Jimmy's misogynistic "Degrassi" rap together from a 2004 episode. Enjoy.


Natalie Zea Teases What's Ahead On 'The Following'

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As Claire Matthews on Fox's "The Following" (Episode 2 airs Monday, January 28 at 9 p.m. EST), Natalie Zea is caught between two equally compelling -- and equally dangerous -- men: her ex-husband Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), the psychotic serial killer responsible for murdering 14 female students, and Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), the troubled FBI agent who finally brought Carroll to justice in 2003.

Now, Carroll's followers have kidnapped Claire's son Joey (Kyle Catlett) and Claire is slowly unravelling as Carroll's master plan unfolds. And Claire's storied history with Ryan only complicates matters further. HuffPost TV sat down with Zea earlier this month to discuss the role on "The Following," Claire's relationship with Ryan, and whether she will be a typical damsel in distress as the series progresses.

What initially attracted you to the role of Claire?
Funny enough, it wasn’t necessarily the role -- rather, it was the script as a whole. It was one of the first pilots I read during that season and I was really taken aback by how little it felt like a pilot. I have read a thousand and generally, it’s all about setting up the characters in the world and making sure everything is established, and Kevin [Williamson, the creator of "The Following"] did such a stealthy job of making sure that all that was taken care of, but it never felt like you were being spoon-fed all the information. It felt very filmic and it just felt like you were being dropped into the middle of something that you already knew about. Really tricky territory to cover and he did such a great job. So it was the story and the script as a whole that I found to be so intriguing.

Kevin Williamson has described the show as an unorthodox love story, especially between Ryan and Claire. How did you approach their relationship?
Well, that was his angle for me and I always thought that he was just trying to tell me what I wanted to hear. [Laughs.] But it turns out he’s telling everybody that, which is good because it means that he’s been very transparent and upfront about it. I, too, thought that it was a strange approach that ended up somehow feeling right. I tend to play the love interest, so it wasn’t unusual for me. A lot of people will ask what kind of effort goes into playing the suspense or the thrill of whatever scene you are doing, but as actors, we don’t play the genre and so it just seems like a way more natural fit to play the love and to play the relationships.

Did you do any research to prepare for the role, like watching any slasher movies or digging into female horror movie archetypes?
I often shy away from research because I've found that it doesn’t really help me one way or the other, but Kevin [Bacon] and James [Purefoy] were doing a lot of work prior to doing the pilot, so I thought I should probably jump on board. And what I found was, in this particular instance, the information was even less helpful then it would have been normally, because this is an archetype that doesn’t exist in real life. Not that serial killers don’t have love interests, but they often, if not always, fall into a really specific category that this character just doesn’t inhabit. Lower socioeconomic level, not educated at all, and they generally have some sort of pathology themselves, whether they’re contributing to their significant other’s pathology or not. They’ve got their own shit. She certainly doesn’t have the first two, and she doesn’t appear to have that. We’ll see. So it wasn’t really all that helpful for me except to know that I could sort of make it my own and come from a place of pure originality.

There are also a lot of flashbacks for many of the characters as the story progresses. Did that help or hinder you in terms of preparing for the character? Did Kevin Williamson lay Claire's backstory out for you from the start, or did you try and figure out your own history?
No -- in fact, with their research, James and Kevin also did backstories and I thought, "OK, well, I really have to do that too. I can’t be the only one who doesn’t do that." I haven’t done that since my theater days. And in doing so, I came up with what I thought to be some very interesting tidbits about this woman’s history -- not taking into account the fact that when you do a show that incorporates flashbacks, you can’t do that because you are going to be wrong. [Laughs.]

So that also served to be somewhat futile, specifically with little things. In my backstory, there was this whole thing about how her mom has been absent her whole life since she was a little girl and she was raised by her father, and then there was a line I had in Episode 2 or 3 where I’m like, "If my mom calls, tell her I’m napping.” Well, that’s out the window! [Laughs.]

Did you share some of your ideas with Kevin Williamson?
You know, I had talked to Kevin Bacon about one of the things I had come up with involving Joey, involving my kid, and Ryan Hardy’s role in a very tiny little detail about what happens the night I find out that Joe is, in fact, a serial killer ... and I had just sort of mentioned it to him and he said, "You know, you should probably tell Williamson about this because that’s a really interesting idea" ... it’s just a little gem of a thing. So I won’t say what it was because we still may do it, but I haven’t even thought to talk to him about it yet. But Kevin always suggests, especially if it’s a good idea, to go to Williamson because he is so open to ideas.

Claire's obviously a very resilient character, but in the first few episodes she still has a fairly passive role. Is that going to change as we go on?
She is a passive character for a while, which I am not a huge fan of, but I do understand the reason behind it and that is so that at some point, she also is going to become frustrated and turn the tables. So I’m fine with passivity as long as we earn the reason behind it. And it does end up happening. But yeah, I think Kevin Williamson’s goal in that is for the audience to be as frustrated as Claire, so that when the payoff of her taking control comes, it’s really earned.

How is she feeling about Ryan, 10 years down the line? He's obviously the only one she feels that she can trust, and it seems that she's just desperate for a connection, especially after Joey's kidnapping.
Right, she is desperate for a connection. She is desperate for somebody who understands to come in and say, “I hear you. I’m with you. Let’s do this together.” And if it’s [Ryan] ... he’s the obvious choice, that would be even better. But I don’t know. I’ve always seen [their relationship] that it’s almost like a reality show in that, when you hook up on a reality show -- it's such a trite metaphor -- the circumstances under which that happens are not real. They are not real life and you may be experiencing these emotions, but once everybody goes away, you’re left to deal with the phone bill that needs to be paid, and "I need to eat lunch, what kind of sandwich do you like?" and these are certainly not the kinds of things that these two people are equipped to do with each other. They are equipped to do them, but maybe with significant others that are somewhat more stable.

"The Following" airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox.

Read HuffPost TV's recent interviews with Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy.

WATCH: Selena Gomez Battles Herself In 'Wizards Return'

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It's "Alex Vs. Alex" when Disney Channel's favorite wizards return for a movie special and now, see what's in store in the official trailer above.

Selena Gomez is back as Alex Russo in the television event, "The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex" -- a movie based on the late "Wizards of Waverly Place" series -- and she's facing her "biggest battle yet," the trailer teases: Herself.

The "Alex Vs. Alex" trailer informs fans that since winning the family wizard competition, Alex has struggled to use magic for good and in "The Wizards Return: Alex Vs. Alex," she decides to use magic to remove "just the parts that nobody likes" from herself. Despite her father's warning that "magic is not for getting what you want or using it for selfish reasons," Alex accidentally conjures up two versions of herself: Good Alex and Evil Alex.

"Alex Vs. Alex" sees Alex's younger brother Max (Jake T. Austin), mom Theresa (Maria Canals-Barrera), dad Jerry (David DeLuise), best friend Harper (Jennifer Stone) and boyfriend-cum-werewolf Mason (Gregg Sulkin) travel to Tuscany to meet the Russo's long-lost relatives. Though David Henrie will not be back as Alex's older brother Justin for "Alex Vs. Alex," Beau Mirchoff of "Awkward" fame joins the cast as an evil sorcerer.

Tune in for the premiere of "The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex" to see Good Alex and Evil Alex battle it out atop the Leaning Tower of Pisa on Friday, March 15 at 8 p.m. EST.

'Girl Meets World' Finds Its Girl

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It's official: "Girl Meets World" has found its girl, and her name is Rowan Blanchard.

According to EW, the 11-year-old actress has been cast to play Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga's (Danielle Fishel) daughter, Riley, in the Disney Channel sequel to the cult '90s show.

“As soon as Rowan walked into the room, I was reminded of why Ben Savage was loved as Cory Matthews,” producer Michael Jacobs told EW. “Rowan is real and accessible and I am hopeful this girl is about to meet a world that will love growing up with her as well.”

Blanchard -- who has previously appeared in "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World" and "The Back-Up Plan" -- later tweeted the news.

The pilot is set to go into production next month, and would likely debut sometime during the 2013-2014 season.

For more on Blanchard's casting, head over to EW.

Sarah Wayne Callies: 'I Am Walking Headlong Into My Own Darkest Night'

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I'm ashamed to admit how afraid I am to go to the Middle East. I'm not afraid of being a half day's walk from Syria's warzone -- I'm not afraid for my safety. I am afraid of the weight of the pain I will witness. Afraid it will drag me down beneath the surface of reason and drown me.

I am traveling with the IRC, heading into the field again. Last year we went to Ban Mai Nai Soi, Thailand (at the Myanmar border), to observe some of the oldest refugee camps in the world. Those camps are established, well-organized, clean and largely free of disease; the inhabitants live a life that not anyone would choose, nationless and transitional, but it is a humane one. I spent my time there weighing babies at the peri-natal clinic, talking squash in the community gardens, watching a master woodcarver hew a prosthetic leg -- a dignified existence is afforded this community of refugees by the efforts of international aid organizations and the hard work of the camp's population itself.

This time the IRC and I are going to Jordan and northern Iraq to explore the operations there - operations that are a part of the relief effort absorbing Syrian refugees fleeing civil war. And this time I will be neck deep in what they call GBV, or gender-based violence -- it's an innocuous term that includes the systematic rape and beating of women and girls. And I am scared witless.

I am a victim of sexual violence myself (no, I don't want to say more about it), and those wounds cut deeper, festered longer, and left fiercer scars than any I have sustained in my life. I don't know the pain of a refugee -- I tried to express it on The Walking Dead, exploring the story of a group of frightened people without a government to protect them -- but it was all make-believe and existed only in my imagination. But I do know what sexual violence feels like, I know the seeds of fear that root in the marrow of one's bones, I know the horror of powerlessness at the knowledge that one's daughter is never wholly safe.

It's one thing to write, speak, advocate, and lobby on behalf of refugees who's pain I can only imagine like those from Myanmar. But in reading about the GBV in the Syrian conflict, sitting with the women to hear those stories, and writing and speaking on their behalf, I am walking headlong into my own darkest night.

What to do with the weight of the stories the women from Syria will tell me? What happens when I look in their faces and recognize the same shrinking isolation I saw in the mirror for years? How can I fling a life-preserver to women adrift in shame, fear, and rage without drowning in it myself all over again?

I have no idea, and I am numb with fear. But I am getting on a plane in a few days to find out. And that has to be the first step, doesn't it? To sit with one another, share tea and air, and hear each other's stories. Maybe hearing those stories won't be like drowning after all, and maybe sharing my story won't be like walking out into the night alone. Maybe -- could this be how it works? -- sharing these stories, even through tears or shaking with anger, brings all of us the grace of knowing we are not alone, and that if any one of us can heal, so can we all.

Sarah will be blogging throughout her trip to the Middle East. To follow along, visit http://www.rescue.org/blog.

To take action to project Syrian women and girls from violence, visit http://www.rescue.org/syria-girls.

Dakota Fanning On Going Braless: 'Deal With It'

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Dakota Fanning is not a little girl anymore -- so she wants us to stop treating her like one.

The former child star, who turns 19 on Feb. 23, bares her midriff on the cover of Glamour magazine's March issue and talks about going braless, being single and giving up on boys ... well, for now.

Fanning admits that although she grew up around a loving relationship, she's just not that interested in finding one of her own.

"I don’t really date," she tells Glamour. "I have a weird vision of relationships because my parents have known each other since second grade, and they got married right out of college. I’ve always thought that’s what it’s supposed to be like, and if it’s not, then I don’t want to waste my time on it."

"Even when I was 14, I was like, 'I’m not gonna marry this person. What’s the point of doing it?' It’s not me being naive. I just know what it’s supposed to be like," Fanning continues. "And I think until I feel that, I cannot be bothered.”

Something else she can't be bothered with is dressing up for the paparazzi. Fanning admits that although she loves being a young "fashion icon," she's not concerned about photographers catching her looking a bit disheveled.

"It’s really fun when you’re getting dressed for something. It’s not when you’re in the rain with an umbrella and trying to carry a case of water," Fanning jokes, adding, "Yep, that’s me, alone, coming from Duane Reade. I’m not wearing a bra. Deal with it.”

Well she sure is easy, breezy, huh!

Check out some photos from Dakota's Glamour shoot below and see more here:

dakota fanning single

dakota fanning single

Kardashian Widow Sells Journals To InTouch

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The Kardashians' nightmare is not over yet as more bombshell details from the journals of their late father, Robert Kardashian, will hit newsstands again Wednesday. InTouch magazine is set to print even more secrets from beyond the grave.

“Last week was just a taste of what was going on inside the family, Kris [Jenner]'s affair with Todd [Waterman] and what Kris was really like as a mother. That was just the tip of the iceberg. The stuff the mag has lined up is so juicy," one magazine editor tells The Huffington Post. "Finally someone is revealing what the Kardashians are really like, not the fake stories that are presented on their reality show. These are not the diaries from a stylist or nanny or another member of the Kardashian staff. These are journals from their father.”

Ellen Kardashian, Robert's widow and the woman who provided the journals to the tabloid, said, “These are authentic handwritten journals I have shared, that my late husband Robert Kardashian so carefully wrote during 1989 and 1990 at a most trying and touching time of his life. They are my personal possession and he left them to me on his passing.”

Khloe took to Twitter last week to slam Ellen, writing, “How can such a piece of trash even mention my fathers name…You married him on his death bed while he was not even aware of his surroundings.”

Kim also spoke out against Ellen on Twitter. “10 yrs since dad passed & this woman he married 4 2 wks before he died needs 2 get a job instead of trying 2 destroy families w fake stories," she wrote.

“Of all the stories that have ever been done on this family, this series will be the most damaging,” says one insider. “A lot of people have tried to bring them down and failed. Won’t it be something if the person that finally does it is their dad?”

InTouch magazine hits newsstands nationwide on Friday.

Sean Lowe Spotted In Vegas Partying With Pals

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If this season’s "The Bachelor," Sean Lowe, did find love on the hit ABC show, he isn’t letting on. Lowe stopped by Haze Nightclub at ARIA in Las Vegas on Saturday night with a bunch of pals, but no girlfriend.

“In town for work, Sean and a group of friends headed to Haze around 11:45 p.m. and were seated in a private balcony table,” one clubgoer told The Huffington Post. “Sean and his group, including three guys and a girl, were served Grey Goose and Moet, but Sean stuck with water and Red Bull throughout the evening. The group enjoyed themselves and were dancing and singing along. As soon as the girls in the club noticed that Sean was seated at the private VIP table, they started to try to get his attention. But Sean was just having fun with his group and didn’t seem interested. A few girls managed to sneak into Sean's area and he happily took photos with them, but left shortly after, around 1:15 a.m.”

Former "The Bachelor" constant David Cook confirmed the show is taped months before it is seen on TV. If Lowe did propose to one of the women on the show, he couldn't be seen in public with her until the series finishes airing.

“He, for sure, seemed committed," said a witness at the club. "Lots of girls trying to get his attention and he ignored it.”


So, You Want To Skype With Sarah Silverman?

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We're not sure she'll talk dirty to you, but, hey, anything's possible.

Sarah Silverman's activism looks like it's not ending with the presidential election. According to The Green Prophet, the comedian and actress is now lending a little star power to a solar energy campaign helmed by her brother-in-law, solar energy pioneer Yosef Abramowitz (also known as Captain Sunshine).

San Cristobal, the easternmost island in the Galapagos archipelago, currently derives almost all of its power from diesel fuel, which is both expensive and potentially harmful to the delicate environment. To deal with the problem, Abramowitz's company Energiya Global plans to build a 300-kilowatt solar field to mitigate the island's dependence on the polluting fossil fuel. But given the small-scale of the project, reaching out to investors isn't an option. Enter indiegogo crowd sourcing.

Amongst other rewards the project offers, $75 donors will get a signed photo of Silverman, and she'll have a personal Skype chat with one lucky donor who commits five large. So if you've been dying to talk to Sarah about the Galapagos, lady parts or anything else, start digging through those couch cushions.

Silverman made waves numerous times throughout the 2012 presidential election, most notably with videos related to Romney's corporations are people remark, voter ID laws, and campaign finance. Her dad also hit the headlines after he famously defended her in the comments section of a mean-spirited blog that suggested the raunchy comedian drop politics and take up child-bearing.

Fortunately, this latest news seems like pure sunshine.

Watch the project video featuring Silverman's brother-in-law below and then visit the donation page at indiegogo. Happy Skyping!

Relive The Best Celebrity Super Bowl Commercials

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Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

Although you're probably psyched to watch the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers battle it out in the National Football League championship game, we're pretty sure you're equally as excited to watch some awesome Super Bowl commercials. Especially since some of Hollywood's biggest names are guest starring in them!

So, to celebrate this momentous occasion, HuffPost Celebrity decided to relive the best star-studded Super Bowl ads of all-time.

From Farrah Fawcett's 1973 shaving cream commercial to Elijah Wood's 1994 Wavy Lays campaign to Britney Spears' 2002 Pepsi jingle, let's take a look back at 36 of the most memorable celebrity Super Bowl commercials.

Courtney Stodden: 'I'm A Different Breed'

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Controversial reality star Courtney Stodden plans a red carpet gala event in West Hollywood next week to reveal the new music video of her single "Reality." The event is scheduled just one day before the Grammy Awards, but HuffPost Celebrity got a sneak peek.

“I'm so excited about premiering my single/video in West Hollywood -- no better place to celebrate my sexy song,” Stodden told The Huffington Post. “From a very young age, I've always expressed an interest in music and performing. When I was around the age of 12, I started writing my own material, making homegrown music videos to slap up on YouTube. It paid off with my song 'Don't Put It On Me, Girl,' which garnered over 6 million hits to date. I am very passionate about this particular song 'Reality' and have been very hands-on with the production of this video.”

Stodden, saying she’s inspired by artists from the past and present, including Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Nancy Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ke$ha and Lady GaGa, insisted she is a true original.

“I wouldn't say there is one artist who is most like me," she said. "I'm a different breed. Determined, artistic, provocative and very edgy. Ready to give the world something unique and legendary. You know you're doing something right when people either love you or hate you.”

Super Bowl Means A Shift For 'Girls'

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Worry not, football-loving "Girls" fans: The Super Bowl will not stop you from catching "Girls."

In addition to airing in its usual Sunday time slot, HBO will be airing the fourth episode of "Girls" -- which centers on an awkward dinner party Hannah (Lena Dunham) throws -- at 10:05 p.m. EST on Saturday, February 2, the day before the Super Bowl.

Additionally, Episode 4, titled "It's A Shame About Ray," is available for OnDemand users now.

Season 2, Episode 4 of "Girls" will air on Saturday, February 2 at 10:05 p.m. EST and on Sunday, February 3 at 9 p.m. EST.

Mayim Bialik Opens Up About Life After Divorce

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How are things going for "Big Bang Theory" actress Mayim Bialik since her November 2012 split from Michael Stone?

"It's going okay," she told Us Weekly at a SAG Awards pre-party on January 26. "I mean, I have to say, I give both of us a lot of credit for putting our kids first. It's not easy, but we're doing okay, so thank God."

The former "Blossom" star filed for divorce from Stone two months ago after nine years of marriage. The pair have two sons together -- Miles, 7, and Frederick, 4. Some speculated that her parenting style, attachment parenting, factored into the split -- an accusation that Bialik firmly denied on her blog.

In spite of her difficult year, which included a "terrifying" car accident and the divorce, the actress told People magazine earlier this month that she feels optimistic about what lies ahead.

"When you've had a 2012 like me, things can only get better," she told the magazine at the Golden Globes. "That's the glass half-full."

Click through the slides below to learn more about Bialik's take on attachment parenting from her 2012 book "Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way."

Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Divorce on Facebook and Twitter.

What Would It Take To Bring Jill Zarin Back To 'RHONY'?

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Less than a year ago, Jill Zarin said she wouldn't return to "The Real Housewives Of New York" for "a million dollars," but now, the former Bravo star is changing her tune.

Zarin, who recently released a line of jewelry, stopped by HuffPost Live on Tuesday, January 29 and admitted that for a million dollars, she could be persuaded to make an appearance. "I'm a businesswoman," she said with a laugh. Besides, Zarin added, "I don't think they're writing a check tomorrow."

As for the fate of Bravo's "Real Housewives" franchise itself, Zarin said she think's "there's too many 'Housewives,'" noting that there are about 37 cast members total. "There's no more room ... I think that 'Housewives,' I think it's over."

PHOTO: Steve Jobs Has An Eerie Twin

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The intense all-fruit diet Ashton Kutcher followed to impersonate Steve Jobs may have landed the actor in the hospital, but it sure seems to be working.

Kutcher's appearance is so similar to Jobs' that it's eerie, judging by an image Kutcher tweeted earlier this month to tease the upcoming biopic "jOBS," in which Kutcher stars.

The root of the image is an iconic photo of Steve Jobs wearing one of his trademark black turtlenecks. In the original image, Jobs stares directly into the camera, flashing a smile like the "Mona Lisa," placing his hand thoughtfully on his chin. In the version tweeted by Kutcher, the celebrity's own likeness takes up half the image, while Jobs occupies the remainder. At first glance, it's nearly impossible to determine which half is which. Only after careful scrutiny could we pick out Kutcher on the left, Jobs on the right.

Apple may be famous for the tagline, "Think Different," but Kutcher (or his makeup artist, at least) seems to have done an amazing job of making him look awfully similar to the late Apple co-founder.

PHOTO of Ashton Kutcher portraying Steve Jobs:
(Click to open larger version)


"jOBS" premiered at the Sundance film festival mid-January and is expected to hit theaters April 19.


John Carroll: Pass The Torch... And The Ritalin: Keeping Focused On LGBT Equality

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A few weeks ago members of the gay community were up in arms over Jodie Foster and her coming-out speech -- or the lack thereof. In a time when gay visibility seems key in changing the mindset of our opponents, in encouraging and giving hope to the younger generation and in keeping the ball rolling on equal rights, Ms. Foster's "so what?" attitude, like my childhood Catholic priest, rubbed many the wrong way.

If Ms. Foster were going to take her moment in front of millions of people to discuss (or, in her opinion, not discuss) her sexuality, many, including me, would have appreciated a speech with more pride, less innuendo, more confidence and less Honey Boo Boo Child.

What we were yearning for was someone to speak unapologetically loud and proud with a sense of authority and power.

So why, then, not even 24 hours after the most powerful man in the free world mentioned the Stonewall riots and gay rights in his inaugural speech, did some people come down with a crippling case of selective amnesia, forgetting about the historic milestone that had just taken place, forgetting that we had just garnered the visibility that only weeks before "Nell" had denied us, and instead focusing on the alleged lip-syncing of a disco diva?

Where is the disconnect?

We fight so hard for our accomplishments, we should celebrate them just as passionately. Now is not the time to gloss over what was achieved; now is the time to rejoice in it. Now is the time to remember the many generations, from Stonewall and before, who started this amazing yet difficult, heartbreaking yet life-affirming journey toward equality, and to draw on their memory to fuel our fire to continue the fight.

I understand that not everyone is able or willing to hold the torch for gay rights. Ms. Foster clearly is not comfortable having her personal life in the public spotlight. Like many people, I wish that Ms. Foster were more vocal in celebrating the fact that she is gay. Such a prominent, powerful gay woman who is successfully raising children would be a wonderful representation of our community. However, there is a little-known fact that may be relevant to why her personal life is kept under lock and key, one that I haven't heard many people touch upon: the fact that, once upon a time, a crazed fan named John Hinckley, Jr., tried to assassinate President Reagan to prove his love for her! Call me crazy, but if someone tried to kill anyone in my name, I'd probably keep my personal life on the DL as well.

Now, I do not know what it is like to have a stalker (and no, that is not my roundabout way of asking to find out). I have only two fans. One is my 94-year-old Italian nana, but the only real danger she poses is boring me to death with tales of how my cousin Jackie "can't eat anything with seeds, because it inflames her diverticulitis," or how my other cousin Rene "has such bad plantar fasciitis that she has to sleep in a high-heeled shoe!" My other fan is a Vornado.

So, fine, because of one bad apple, Jodie Foster is off the torch-carrying list. Now what?

I know! How about the president of the United States of America mentioning the Stonewall riots, which might be considered the most important event leading to the modern gay liberation movement, in his inaugural speech? Or how about the president just mentioning gay equality in general during his speech, in front of the country and the world at large? Seems pretty significant to me!

Wait a minute, scratch all that equal rights drama... Was that Destiny's Child girl pulling a Milli Vanilli?

For the record, Beyoncé Knowles has bowel movements that are more talented than 99.9 percent of the human population. She has proven time and again that her talents, both vocally and otherwise, are undeniable, and she remains one of the most influential performers of our era. So, because Ms. Knowles' ability to sing is not up for debate, what is really going on here? Why are people choosing to focus on something so insignificant?

I'm not saying that I'm not lured in by the entertainment value of the fun and frivolous. I make my living doing musical theater and would also like to take this opportunity to say, "Hi, my name is John, and I am addicted to Mob Wives." In fact, some might say I bear a striking resemblance to Big Ang. However, diverting our attention away from the president's acknowledgment of and outspoken support for the LGBT community, even before the rainbow glitter has settled, appears unaware at best and ungrateful at worst.

I know that most people do not care about pop culture and have their eye on the prize when it comes to the gay rights movement. However, I can't help but feel discouraged by the apathetic attitude some in my young(ish) generation exhibit when it comes to being political and active in our community.

We can't have it both ways. We can't demand visibility and equality and, once we achieve progress, be distracted by a shiny new topic that gets our attention. Doing so makes us look disorganized, and our apparent inability to remain steadfast comes off like some sort of ADD -- gay-DD? We are the torch carriers now, and it is time to step up and focus, people. Focus!

Oh, and by the way, did you see Hillary during that Benghazi hearing? Amazing, right? But did you see her hair? I. Mean. Really?!

It's Official: An 'Entourage' Movie Is In The Works

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An "Entourage" movie is finally happening, Deadline reports.

The project hails from Warner Bros., and will be a sequel to the hit HBO series that centered around a film star and his inner circle. The show's creator, Doug Ellin, has written the screenplay and will direct the movie, with Deadline reporting that the studio is in the process of making deals with stars Adrian Grenier (Vincent "Vinnie" Chase), Kevin Connolly (Eric “E” Murphy), Kevin Dillon (Johnny Drama), Jerry Ferrara (Turtle), and Jeremy Piven, who plays Vinnie's super-agent Ari Gold.

So far, the movie has no start date set for filming. The HBO series ran for 8 seasons between 2004-2011, ending with Piven's character quitting his agency job to commit fully to his marriage to Mrs. Ari (Perrey Reeves), before being offered his dream job as the chairman of Time Warner. According to Ellin, the film will pick up six months after the finale and focus on Ari's new career move.

"We're teed up for a movie in a way that, you know, Ari has this conundrum that he's facing," Piven said during an appearance on "The Talk" last year, "which is either to rule the world or to honor his love to his wife."

Executive producer Mark Wahlberg also weighed in on what he wanted to see from the movie back in June of 2012: "I think a 90-minute movie of sheer craziness -- the guys getting back to just being about the guys, you know? Lose the ladies. Go crazy. Give people what they want."

Would you watch an "Entourage" movie?

Maureen Ryan: Why 'New Girl's' Big [Spoiler] Was Handled Right

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new girl cooler

Note: Do not read on unless you've seen the January 29th episode of Fox's "New Girl," titled "Cooler."

Some kiss, eh?

Given that there was some Twitter chatter about this episode, and given that Fox was promoting this week's installment more actively than normal -- the episode was posted on the network's media website a couple of days early and there was a press conference call with creator Liz Meriwether -- it was not hard to figure out what was up with "Cooler." (Note: If I get the transcript of the Meriwether conference call, I'll update this post with relevant excerpts.)

So even before I watched the episode, I knew we'd see a return of True American -- the most confusing yet patriotic drinking game of all time -- and I was aware there would be a "big moment" for Jess and Nick. It wasn't hard to guess what that would be.

One of my favorite things about the episode was how it subverted all those expectations, yet acknowledged the complexity of Jess and Nick's relationship and also supplied a pretty great kiss.

The whole situation made me think about the early days of "The Office" and Jim and Pam's first kiss, which is one of the most romantic moments in recent TV history. In that case, the kiss really was unexpected (I recall scurrying to the Internet as fast as I could to celebrate the joyous moment with my fellow fans), and based on the groundwork that had been laid by the show, it was an incredibly effective moment. We wanted Jim to act on his deep feelings, and we knew that on some level, Pam was ready for that and wanted it too. It was a kiss that came at the right moment for the characters and the show.

The "New Girl" situation isn't completely analogous to where "The Office" and Jim and Pam were several years ago, but I thought the Fox comedy handled the Nick-Jess moment well. As was the case with "The Office," the kiss felt appropriate to the this world and these people.

Unlike the characters on "The Office," the loft roommates are still trying to figure themselves out, certainly in a professional sense, at the very least. Schmidt is the only one who really has a full-on career that he's chosen, and he's doing well in. The others are floundering in their personal and professional lives -- sometimes doing pretty all right in both arenas, but often just getting by and/or making dumb choices. Actually, the one couple that did have a stable (if weird) relationship -- Cece and Schmidt -- both have decent incomes, but both tend to make terrible romantic choices.

So to one degree or another, they're all well-meaning screwups who haven't really built fully adult lives yet. The kiss between Jess and Nick kind of reflects that.

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the timing of the kiss and the way it came about. We've known these characters for a season and a half, the Nick-Jess attraction and friendship is now one of the acknowledge lynchpins of the show, and it would be weird if the show -- and the loftmates -- continued to treat that attraction like it wasn't really there or that it was perfectly harmless and controllable.

These people don't often control anything in their lives -- why would the kiss be any different? They kind of fall into things and back into their futures, for good and ill. It makes sense that Nick and Jess would finally kiss at a weird moment after a lot of fighting and drinking and goofball camaraderie. They'd acknowledged the depth of their attraction when they were locked behind the Iron Curtain together; they have known for a long time that there is something between them. They almost acted on that then and there, but to kiss while everyone was shouting and clamoring for them to do so would cheapen their bond.

"Not like this," as Nick said, meaning he'd considered kissing her many times, and the conditions were far from ideal for what he had in mind.

I enjoyed the fact that the kiss was half-considered and half-not. Nick clearly planned it, but I doubt even he thought it would go that well. Jess could have pulled away from it, but she didn't. They now have to live with what happened, and the intensity of that kiss can't be denied by either party. If Jess was the cooler before, I expect several more instances of both Jess and Nick cooling each other's dates as the season continues.

Every other TV critic I respect hates, absolutely hates, the alleged "Moonlighting" curse -- the bullshit idea that if you get a couple together, the relationship will become boring and stale. Not only is that based on a completely inaccurate reading of what killed "Moonlighting," that TV trope (still beloved by so many hack writers) ignores the many, many instances of a couple that is solidly together creating even more opportunities for good storytelling: Sam and Diane on "Cheers," Jim and Pam on "The Office," the Taylors on "Friday Night Lights," Ben and Leslie on "Parks and Recreation," various Bravermans on "Parenthood," etc. Lazy writing kills shows, not main characters with a will-they-won't-they history getting together.

"New Girl" is a comedy that I want to run for many, many seasons -- I am greatly enjoying the second season and I laugh out loud during every episode. It is doing an ace job of mixing sharp comedic moments and goofball weirdness with excellent character-building (notice how every roommate had his or her own story in "Cooler," and they all built on each other and collided in fruitful ways).

Even if not every episode is on the level of the amazeballs "Eggs" ("I like to arrive at the bridge, meet the troll and then answer his riddles three"), most are quite good at the very least, and as long as the writing remains as strong as it's been, I look forward to seeing many questionable life choices in seasons to come. And ultimately, I don't think getting Jess and Nick together will be a problem at all. These people are still in the process of growing up, and as they do so, they're bound to keep on making a lot of amusing and painful mistakes, sometimes with each other. Those choices can be both hilarious and sad, and "New Girl" has gotten a lot of mileage out of both those areas.

And the thing is, just because they kissed, I don't think Nick and Jess are actually together, or will get together very soon. Maybe they will try to start dating soon, who knows. But I'd predict that the show's executive producers (whom I interviewed last fall) will want to give this development some time to percolate through the loft. Nick and Jess might well circle each other for a while and continue to become better and better friends -- and that will quite likely make the idea of dating even more scary. When you're that uncertain about the direction of your life, you're more likely to be afraid of upsetting the applecart and potentially losing a very good friend.

Who knows what the future holds? It's been a strong season for "New Girl" (aside from the product placement storyline with the car, oy vey), and my bond with the loft weirdos grows stronger every week. I've got no real reason to doubt that the show will fail to do fun things with Nick, Jess and the rest of the gang in the post-kiss era.

A few final notes/quotes:

  • I enjoyed the deployment of True American: Clinton Rules in this installment. I've surmised that the rules of the game are unpredictable and malleable, and can easily change based on how strong the players' desire is to get drunk and/or get lucky. I especially enjoyed the snippets of discussion before the game got underway ("No cabinet!") and during the game ("It's Abu Nazir!").
  • I had a feeling we'd find out that Winston's new friend Daisy was single before the episode was done, but I still quite enjoyed how his dry spell ended. Good lines: "Can't a man just want all the things?" "C minus. You kiss like a damn bitch."
  • Schmidt and Nick's War of Sadness (featuring occasional Cece appearances) was pretty amusing. "This footstool reminds me of my ex." "I'm 10 percent more fragile than Nick right now." "You love that small, shiny man?"
  • "Pipe talk's boring."
  • The running gags about Nick's "hot to trot" coat never got old. It's powers did get him to work up the courage to kiss Jess, so maybe donning a woman's trenchcoat is an effective spine-strengthening technique.
  • "It's not you. It's the way that you behave and the things that you say and the look on your face. It is you!"

"New Girl" airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox.

YingYing Shang: An Open Thank You Letter to Taylor Swift

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Dear Taylor Swift,

As I prepare to graduate from high school, I would like to take a moment to say a sincere and infinitely grateful, "Thank you."

As a feminist activist, I have heard plenty of critiques of your music. You slut-shame other girls in your song "Better Than Revenge." You promote the virgin-whore dichotomy in your music video for "You Belong With Me." You write about boys too much for someone who professes to be independent and pure. I will be the first to admit that much of this criticism has a point.

However, my connection with your music goes much, much deeper. You were the soundtrack to my bildungsroman. You empathized with me when no one else did. You inspired me to grow and to share.

I'll never forget first watching your "Teardrops on My Guitar" music video when I was 11 or 12, in 7th grade, and had my very first crush. I didn't understand why he didn't like me just because he was a football player and I was a nerd. I didn't understand why he ended up dating a popular girl who hung out with the skaters. But Taylor Swift, you understood. You sang it, "He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar/the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star." And so my 12-year-old self wished on stars for that one blonde, blue-eyed football player to return my affections.

As embarrassing as it is to admit now, I felt it. I felt the unrequited crush heavy on my adolescent shoulders. I can't deny those feelings. I can't deny the sadness, the pain that my 12-year-old self felt. Taylor Swift sang those feelings, and I sat at my computer mooning over some popular middle school crush and wondering at life's unfairness. Do you remember those days? Taylor, thank you for being the soundtrack to my adolescence.

But it didn't end when I was twelve. There's this tendency in our society to disparage the very real feelings of teenage girls, writing them off as "hysterical" or "hormonal." Teenage girls are perhaps the most hated of all social groups -- the instant we love something, whether it's "Twilight" or "The Hunger Games," the value of that franchise decreases in the eyes of the majority of the population. We're portrayed as this hysterical mob as a collective, and as individuals, desired by hormonal teenage boys. It's such a paradox that in order to be considered "attractive," a teenage girl must never seek out the affections of a boy. The very act of desiring someone's affections -- that act of agency -- renders us pathetic and undesirable.

So Taylor, thank you for empathizing with my feelings, and more importantly, for showing me that it's okay to feel at all. There's nothing wrong with being a teen girl, and there's nothing wrong with the experience of being crazy and emotional when you're a teen girl. There's nothing shallow or insubstantial about the feelings you have when you're a teenager.

It's certainly important for girls to develop self-esteem and be able to have self-worth outside of boys, but that's a gradual process of self-discovery. As fans, we know that you're going through it as well. Whether the listener is male or female, love is a human need that all teenagers struggle with. I'm glad that you're sharing it with us.

No matter what critics say about the slut-shaming and male-objectifying of "You Belong with Me," the song's story spoke to my real experience. I have felt that I was not attractive enough or popular enough or cool enough to attain the object of my affection. When you're young, that's what you do. You don't imagine people in a complex way. I'm picturing myself at 14 and focused on the boy I have great conversations with who doesn't seem to be into me because he only goes for popular girls. I'm sitting in the afternoon sunlight streaming in the lobby windows as he talks about AP Bio. I'm thinking, "You belong with me."

I'm graduating from high school this year, but I don't foresee your influence on my life ending. As your music matures and grows more nuanced, and as I gain in life experiences to match, I'm starting to know what you mean by "I've found time can heal most anything, and you just might find who you're supposed to be," in the song "Fifteen." I'm starting to understand what you mean by, "And we know it's never simple, never easy/Never a clean break, no one here to save me," from "Breathe."

I'm 16 now, and sometimes at twilight, I ride the train, look out into the sunset and think about the boy that I sometimes still remember all too well. I play your song. "And I know it's long gone, and that magic's not here no more/it might be okay, but I'm not fine at all." And I look out the train window, and for a minute or two, it's okay to rip my heart open and let myself feel.

You've comforted me in the lowest of moments, which usually are boy-related, and you've celebrated with me in my moments of ecstasy. Critics say that you write too much about love and boyfriends, but let me tell you, so do I. To be honest, although I've devoted a large portion of my life to feminism and social justice, and despite never having had a serious/real boyfriend, love causes the most immediate despair and the most exuberant happiness in my life. And Taylor, you've been there.

It's a part of me, and it's a part of all of us at this age to seek that ideal of romantic love and to be disappointed by that ideal. We also get back up and to chase it again. I think it's so courageous of you to share your growing process through your songs.

There's an instrumental after the three minute mark in your new song, "All Too Well," and a few poignant lines that strike a chord in me every time. "You called me up again just to break me like a promise/so casually cruel in the name of being honest/I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here/'Cause I remember it all too well." That's so vivid -- it tells your story. But it also tells mine. About teenage despair, about longing, about being alive and feeling so intensely both the ups and downs of love.

Thank you for being there. Thank you for sharing your stories. Thank you for helping me grow to a place where I can share mine.

Yours,
YingYing

Is This Kendall Jenner?

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Hey, look! Reality stars can be funny too. Kylie Jenner, 15, and Kendall Jenner, 17, continue to goof around on Twitter, this time at the expense of each other. The "Keeping up with the Kardashian" stars posted matching photos of each other on their Twitter pages Wednesday, after each had been manipulated to look fuller and fatter (most likely using an application like Fat Booth). The results are hilarious.

Here's Kendall's new look:
kendall jenner fat

And heres Kylie's:

kylie jenner

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