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Krystie Yandoli: Why Drake Would Be The Most Perfect Boyfriend!

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I have a confession: I'm kind of in love with Drake, or at least as in love as one person could be having never met the other person. Some recent events aside, Drizzy continues to make it easier and easier to want to be his lady. Seriously, just imagine what it'd be like to spend your nights pillow talking at 5 AM in Toronto.

It may not be wise to date a notoriously emotional artist who's capable of turning the innermost secrets of your relationship into radio lyrics and hit singles. But if being romantically involved with Aubrey Graham is wrong, why would anyone want to be right?

Here are 22 reasons why Drake, one of the most swoon-worthy dudes around, would make the perfect boyfriend.


1. He believes in the art of following through, an essential quality in a significant other.


2. When he dropped his mix tape, it sounded like an album, and it's important to admire your boo's career and professional goals.


3. He respects the Queen and King of Hip Hop.

drakebeyonce


4. He digs a woman who likes to dress up...


5. ...But thinks you're the prettiest when you're wearing sweatpants, hair tied, and chillin' with no make-up on.


6. He sits court side at Miami Heat games (my favorite basketball team, no big deal).

drakemiamiheat
Source: Instagram


7. He has family values.

drakesgrandma


8. Drake hangs out with Biebs in the studio.


9. Need be, he (and/or his posse) would throw a bottle over you. (Side note: if two dudes are fighting over you -- and one of them is a behavioral monster, continuously displaying fits of anger, and one is an emotional singer who acts smitten around you and gently caresses you during music videos -- the choice should be a no brainer.)

chrisbrowndrake
Source: AP

10. He idolizes Aaliyah.


11. He's a hopeless romantic...

drakeromantic
Source: YouTube

12. ...and sensitive

drakerihanna
Source: YouTube

13. ...and emotional.

drakepiano
Source: Instagram

14. He doesn't try to hide where he came from.


15. He likes kids...

drakeloveskids


16. ...and kids like him.

drakelikeskids
Source: Instagram

17. Even though you might have some baggage, well he's packed too.


18. You could share clothes (because matching floral prints is where it's at).

drakefloral
Source: Twitter


19. Despite his tough guy swag, you know he'd be an expert cuddler.

drakerihanna
Source: YouTube

20. He knows the good ones go if you wait too long.


21. He believes in the whole "carpe diem" philosophy, he just calls it YOLO.

drakeyolo
Source: Instagram

22. He doesn't let the little things get to him.

drakesmiling
Source: Instagram


Tina Turnbow: Reflections of a Viking by Clive Standen

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I sat down with actor Clive Standen who plays "Rollo" on TV's new Dark Ages drama Vikings, airing Sunday nights on the History Channel. Here he shares his reflections on a few topics...

HIS FIRST PRESS TOUR IN NYC: "My first press tour for Vikings was pretty overwhelming. Between all the hotels, TV shows and talking a lot, I would get done and have to sit in silence for a while. It was exhausting and you really have to focus. So of course all personal stuff gets pushed aside, I even forgot to eat sometimes. At the same time my excitement over the show is huge. I feel so energized and passionate about it. I can't wait to get back to it! New York is so diverse, there is so much to do. The people have a 'can-do' attitude and a life outside of their jobs, which is great. Most importantly, they care about being decent human beings."

THE SHOW: "The cast of Vikings is a real team, a true ensemble. It's a mad, eclectic, great bunch! But we support each other and trust each other completely. There are no egos. It's not about who has the torso of the week. We come together with the goal to tell a story the way it's never been told. We show the fears and motivations these people had. So much research has gone into bringing audiences the most historically accurate piece. We hope it will be educational as well."

IDOLS: "My favorite actor is Viggo Mortensen. He totally gets lost in his roles. I aspire to be like him. I sometimes will ask myself, 'what would Viggo do?' I'm also a huge fan of Elvis Presley and Errol Flynn."

HIS CHARACTER "ROLLO": "My character Rollo is based on a real life Viking, the great great grandfather of William the Conquerer. He's the dark horse, a sociopath, narcisstic, hedonistic, born to fight and not afraid of death. My younger brother Ragnar, a warrior and a farmer, is played by Travis Fimmel. They are complete opposites. Ragnar is more together, and has a beautiful family.  Rollo is jealous of him at times. Though Rollo is capable of greatness, he's deeply lonely and unhappy. People can't read him well and don't trust him, he's a bit dead behind the eyes. I am looking forward exploring and exposing the many sides of him as time goes on."

ON ACTING: "It's not about having my name in lights. It's about the celestial experience of it for me. It's the doing it, that I love, when I am totally immersed. I look at what I am doing as a marathon, not a sprint. It's not something I want to do, it's something I have to do. I hope to be acting until I am 90."

PERSONAL STYLE: "I like coats by Belstaff, they are sturdy, luxurious and stylish. I would say my style is British cowboy. I like a good boot, cable-knit fisherman sweaters, embroidered vintage cowboy shirts, and Tom Ford suits."

STAYING FIT: "I haven't been to the gym in two years. I prefer to stay in shape through doing activities I enjoy, such as climbing, hiking and exploring. Of course all the action on the show keeps me fit too."

HIS SCENT: "I wear the original fragrance by Tom Ford. I think you should only be able to smell a scent on a man or a woman if you get close to them. Fragrance should be a personal expression and say something about you."

BEING A DAD: "I have 3 kids, Hayden, Edi and Rafferty. They are all so different from each other... very distinctive personalities. I was a young father and so I have a kid-like spirit with them which is good. At first I thought I should make them into little mini-me's, but then I learned to let them go and be themselves, develop their own strengths. I try to support them in exercising their imaginations and exploring, getting out and not just sitting in front of a computer all the time. As long as they're happy that's all that matters."

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Photos by Tina Turnbow

Vanessa Marcil Is Officially Single

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Vanessa Marcil's divorce from "CSI: NY" actor Carmine Giovinazzo has been finalized, according to TMZ.

Citing irreconcilable differences, the former "Beverly Hills, 90210" star had filed for divorce from Giovinazzo in August last year, per an E! News report at the time. The couple had tied the knot in 2010.

It's been a bumpy couple of years for Marcil, who in 2011 is said to have suffered two miscarriages. Giovinazzo made the sad announcement through Marcil's Twitter account in December that year:

A few weeks later, TMZ reported that the former "General Hospital" actress had been sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars by ex-boyfriend Brian Austin Green.

Green, who is the father of Marcil's 10-year-old son Kassius, alleged that his former lover had taken more than $200,000 from him without paying him back. However, in October last year, a judge dismissed Green's lawsuit.

Despite the personal challenges in her life, Marcil seems to be putting a positive foot forward. On Twitter this month, the 44-year-old beauty has been actively sharing uplifting words of wisdom with her 50,000-plus followers.

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you,” she tweeted last week, quoting the poet Rumi.

This is the second divorce for Marcil, whose first marriage, to actor Corey Feldman went sour after four years. They parted ways in 1993.

For more on the finalization of Marcil's divorce, go to TMZ here.

'Are You Being Served' Actor Dies At Age 92

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LONDON — British actor Frank Thornton – best known as Captain Peacock in the hit television comedy "Are You Being Served?" – has died at age 92.

The actor's agent, David Daly, said Monday that Thornton died in his sleep in his home in London in the early hours of Saturday.

Thornton is best remembered by British audiences for his comic role in the innuendo-laden sitcom "Are You Being Served?" The show ran from the 1970s to 1985.

He appeared on "The Benny Hill Show" in the early days of his acting career, and later also became known for his part in the television series "Last of the Summer Wine." He also made an appearance in the movie "Gosford Park."

He is survived by his wife Beryl, daughter Jane, and three grandchildren.

Former Motown Singer Dies

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ORLANDO, Fla. — A former lead singer of the soul music group "The Spinners" has died in Orlando.

A statement released Monday by the manager of the rhythm and blues group said Bobbie Smith passed away Saturday morning due to complications from pneumonia and influenza. He was 76.

The statement says Smith had been diagnosed with lung cancer in November.

Smith was the group's original lead singer and was the voice on their first hit "That's What Girls Are Made For." Also called the "Detroit Spinners," the group earned nearly a dozen gold records and half a dozen Grammy award nominations.

The group's biggest hits in the 1970s included: "I'll Be Around," "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" and "Games People Play."

Bradley Cooper Sports Hair Rollers

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When an Academy Award is on the line, stars will do just about anything to get their hands on good, ol' Oscar.

Bradley Cooper was spotted in Boston on Friday sporting rollers on the set of his new film, an untitled David O. Russell/Abscam project. We wonder how many hours the 38-year-old actor spent in the hairstylist's chair getting his hair done.

In spite of his brown locks being tightly rolled into tiny pink rollers, Cooper maintained a bit of masculinity in an ab-baring green shirt and grey cargo pants. But Cooper was well prepared to get in touch with his feminine side.

"I permed my hair today," Cooper told E! News back in January, explaining how he prepped for the David O. Russell film. "We did a camera test today and we were playing with the idea of [my character] having curly hair. Like rollers in the hair!"

We're waiting to see what the hottie's hair looks like once the rollers come out, but we imagine that it'll look something like this.

Check out Cooper's tightly-rolled coif and more stars wearing hair rollers below.

PHOTO:

bradley cooper rollers


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Leigh Weingus: 'Girls' Finale Recap: A Romantic Comedy Of Errors

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Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen the Season 2 finale of HBO's "Girls" titled "Together."

With a season of Q-tips, cringe-worthy sex and awesome hairstyles behind us, it's time to take a deep breath. That was a rough ride, "Girls" fans, but if the last 30 minutes of Season 2 are any indication, things may just be looking up for the the fictional Brooklynites we know and love ... or maybe love to hate.

Have the girls finally managed to get it kind of together after 10 episodes of mayhem? With 1 being the least together and 10 being the most together, see how each of the girls scored in the "Girls" season finale titled "Together."

Hannah:

Unless Hannah is flat out refusing to take her medication, she's long overdue for another trip to the doctor. She's hiding her unwashed hair under her covers, counting to eight consistently and still dealing with the repercussions of a Q-tip induced perforated eardrum.

The episode opens with Hannah falling down a rabbit hole of paranoid Google searches including "Do millions of microbes really live on our skin?" "How does your body know to stop breathing?" "At what age does your body start melting down?" and "Normal tongue."

Cut to David, Hannah's not-so-nice e-book editor. After lovingly staring at a photo of Chloe Sevigny and making an audible comment about how small her hands are, David dials Hannah and angrily asks where her pages are. And has she already deposited the check he cut her?

"It's hard to me to tell whether I spent that check or a different check, so I'm gonna have to check," Hannah says, before agreeing to get the entire book to him in a day.

Instead, she ends up reading a fashion magazine while munching on a bucket of Cool Whip. Marnie stops by to check on her (why does she still have a key?!) but Hannah hides next to her bed, convinced Marnie is full of nothing but bad intentions.

One spoonful of Cool Whip leads to another, and eventually Hannah is cutting her hair while staring at a photo of Carey Mulligan. Realizing she'll never be able to cut the back on her own, she enlists her cocaine dealer/neighbor Laird, who proudly styles her hair into a perfect bowl cut. After attempting to make small talk, Laird soon tells her she's incredibly self-involved and she ends up back in bed without a page to her name and a really horrible haircut.

Feeling completely alone in the world, Hannah Facetimes Adam, who is somehow still sleeping with Natalia after the degrading sex they had last episode. His phone begins ringing while he's destroying things in his apartment in true Adam form, and when he sees it's Hannah he screams, "Siri, operate!" (It did, however, sound like "Shiri, operate!" He's been hanging out with Appleby a.k.a. Natalia too long.)

"Is this fucking FaceSpace or whatever?" Adam says, before noticing Hannah looking compulsively over each shoulder four times.

Realizing she's a damsel in distress in need of a serious rescue mission, Adam runs to her apartment without a shirt -- this is a theme with the two of them, Hannah often forgets to put on pants -- keeping her on the line the entire time. Since he no longer has a key (he's one of the few, it seems), Adam breaks down the door and lifts Hannah from beneath her covers.

"You're here," she cries. "Well, I was always here," he says valiantly, holding her in his arms.

Grand gestures work well in romantic comedies, but both parties are usually mentally stable and have solid careers. This once was a little more laughable, however, especially since both Hannah and Adam could probably benefit from a few weeks in a mental institution.

Overall Togetherness: 1

Shoshanna:

When a girl has a hoodie zipped up to her neck, she probably doesn't want to have sex.

But this doesn't stop her doting boyfriend who's just happy to be with her, hoodie or no hoodie. But when Soshanna screams, "Please get out of me," Ray realizes something is terribly wrong.

Trying once again to work out the puzzle that is Shoshanna, Ray calmly asks what's bothering her and she tells him he has no ambition. Determined to make a change, Ray heads down to Grumpy's where his manager agrees to make him District Chief Logistics and Operations Supervisor -- a title he made up himself, of course -- of the new Brooklyn Heights branch.

Ray runs home to deliver the news, but Shoshanna isn't all that impressed. Tears well up in her innocent little eyes, and in a heartbreaking moment, she tells Ray that it just isn't working.

"I love you so much, like, to the end of the world and back, but sometimes I love you in the way that, like, I feel sorry for you like a monkey," she says (ouch!) and goes on to tell him that he hates everything, colors, ribbons and pillows not excluded.

Hurt and angry, Ray leaves in a huff and Shoshanna curls up in a chair to cry. She may have a lot to learn about life, but Shoshanna knows what she wants out of a relationship. And it it isn't dark-souled, Taco Date Ray.

Overall Togetherness: 9

Marnie:

Whether it's out of desperation or love, Marnie and Charlie have fallen back into something of a relationship. Over brunch one morning, Marnie happily muses about how great it is that they were able to have their own experiences before realizing they were meant to be.

But does Charlie feel the same way? At first, it doesn't look like it, and Marnie marches defiantly out of the restaurant, screaming at him all the way.

While I half-hoped Marnie was once again getting what she deserved for treating Charlie so poorly throughout Season 1, I was happy when he came after her because, well, something good had to happen to her this season.

"I want you. I know I'm a mess, but I want you. I want to see you every morning, and I want to make you a snack every night, and eventually, I want to have your little brown babies, and I want to watch you die," she says in an attempt to express love, which has never been easy for her. Instead of shutting her down as he has practically all season, Charlie launches into a speech that is (once again) worthy of a romantic comedy.

"That's all I ever wanted to hear. I love you. Maybe I'm an idiot for it, but I always have. Everything good I try to do, I do it because of you. I try to get away, but I just keep coming back. And it's because I love you."

Who knows if their relationship will fail miserably the second (third?) time around, but it's making both of them "happy" in the moment. And let's face it: After a season of heartbreak, they both kind of deserve it.

Overall Togetherness: 6

Jessa:

Jessa has been a basket case all season, and the fact that she's been M.I.A. for three episodes doesn't exactly help her togetherness case, especially when Hannah reaches out to her and is greeted by a snarky outgoing message.

"You've reached Jessa. I would never listen to a voicemail, but if you insist on trying -- beep."

Cue Hannah's furious monologue.

"Oh, hello you fucker. Are you kidding me? Where did you go and who am I supposed to talk to if you won't answer your fucking phone? That anorexic Marnie? Fucking Shoshanna? Or my stalker ex-boyfriend? It's not like any of them want to talk to me. I don't blame them, because I cut off all my fucking hair! And now you're off somewhere, just living it up wearing a crop top, you probably got your vagina pierced, you're not answering your phone and you're forgetting about everyone who's fucking it up here. So I hope you're having a great time. LOVE YOU!"

Overall Togetherness: 0. She's still f**king missing!

Evan Handler: I Love LIVESTRONG... and So Should You

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Now that some of the frenzy over Lance Armstrong's recent admissions has died down, I thought it might be a good time for me to weigh in. You see, I hold a title as a "Livestrong Global Envoy" (really, it's on their website, and everything). As such, I am asked to use my paltry celebrity, and limited influence, to spread awareness of the Livestrong Foundation's programs. It's become clear to me in recent weeks that I have not done a very good job.

I am tired to the bone of the baseless and uninformed criticisms people continue to hurl toward the Livestrong Foundation, based on crimes Lance committed as a cyclist. I read them online, and hear them recited on television and radio. I am astonished by their vehemence, and heartbroken over their misguidedness, and destructiveness. Whether the Livestrong Foundation does good work, uses its donated resources responsibly and efficiently, and benefits the people its mandate directs it to are separate issues from whether Lance Armstrong ever cheated, or lied, or lied about cheating.

One prime example I recently read states, "I wish someone would examine Livestrong. If Armstrong cheated, lied, defrauded, and bullied others in cycling, wouldn't it be possible that he behaved in some of those ways with his nonprofit?"

Yes, it would be possible. So the question seems reasonable on the surface. The problem with posing it, in a public forum, read by people who might be overly impressionable, is that it's already been answered, over and over again. There are numerous organizations that devote themselves full-time to investigating charities, and in identifying the ones that misuse funds, or merely use them inefficiently. (There are even organizations that evaluate the charity evaluators.) They have already looked into Livestrong, and found it to be one of the best run, most efficient, and most effective charities in existence. But these organizations can't implant their findings in anyone's mind. A person has to want to learn the truth. My advice to everyone is to spend a few minutes investigating a charity yourself before posting accusatory questions that have already been answered on your behalf.

Some do more than question. One New York Times reader recently wrote, "I'm sure (Armstrong) pocketed the lion's share of the money donated to the cancer charity. The guy is a liar, and it follows that he must also be a thief."

This is pretty tortured logic, but it is a reasonable concern. The problem, again, with posting it in a public forum (after an article that wasn't about the Livestrong Foundation in the first place) is that the Livestrong Foundation's own website has independent audits -- as required by law, and conducted by reputable firms -- available to anyone who wants to look. They go back to 2003, cover every year since, and run about thirty pages apiece. They account for every dollar received and spent, and tell exactly where those dollars have gone. These are standard procedures for non-profit organizations. It's nothing new. It's nothing unique. It's certainly nothing secretive.

Some of the rants just make me sad. A man who identifies himself only as Bob writes, "I gave my money to help people stricken with cancer because I was asked to by a world champion athlete who swore to me he was clean. Now that he's admitted he lied, I want my money back."

I would like to tell Bob that he is seeking to punish the wrong people for the deceptions in his salesman's pitch. His anger might be understandable. Bob's solution, however, is the equivalent of punishing Lance Armstrong by going to his own garage and smashing his daughter's bicycle. That's not going to make Lance suffer. It is certain to make Bob's daughter cry.

To me, the distinction is this: The deceptions people are reasonably upset about have only to do with the salesman's past history, and nothing to do with the quality of the services he sold them. The only actionable inquiry, to me, is, does the Livestrong Foundation do vital work, and is it doing that work well? If the answer to each question is "yes," then the foundation needs to continue, and to continue to receive support.

Which leaves two highly pertinent questions. How does one ascertain whether the Livestrong Foundation's expenditures, as listed in their published audits, are reasonable and efficient in comparison to other charities' uses of donated funds? And, secondly, what exactly is the Foundation doing with that supposedly well-spent money, anyway?

The first question is as easy to address as the issue over audits. Choose one of the many organizations and websites devoted to letting you know how various charities fare in comparison to others, and take a look. My favorite is CharityNavigator.org, because they offer a ton of information, which is organized in a way that makes it easy to merely dip in, or to delve quite deep.

For those who won't go even that far, I'll provide some data. Charity Navigator gives the Livestrong Foundation its highest four-star rating. 82% of incoming funds go directly into Program Expenses, with 6.1% going toward Administrative Expenses. Both percentages are improvements over national averages for similar charities. They have a fundraising efficiency of $0.14 spent for each dollar in charitable donations received, which is slightly less efficient than the most desirable category possible. So, the worst thing Charity Navigator has to say about the Livestrong Foundation is that they are operating with Fundraising Efficiency that is just about as good as it can be.

There's too much information available from Charity Navigator to repost here. Each metric has a clickable link to describe what it is, what it means, how the measurements are calculated, and what the desirable range of scores should be. It's incredibly detailed. I can't imagine why anyone would give to a charity -- any charity -- without taking at least a peek.

Finally, what is Livestrong? What do they do that's so special that I would take on this debate? Here it is, in the Foundatin's own language:

Livestrong provides free services to help anyone affected by cancer.

If that sounds pretty broad and wide ranging, that's because it is.

The Livestrong Cancer Navigation Center, located in East Austin, provides a range of free services for anyone affected by cancer. This includes people diagnosed with cancer, their families, friends, loved ones and the health care professionals who work with them. We help people with any cancer type and at any stage of treatment.

I'm not sure whether the force of that mandate hits people unaffected by cancer as strongly as it hits me. But I can tell you, from my own experiences as a man who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 1985, when I was 24 years old; who spent nearly five years fighting the illness, fighting physicians and medical bureaucracies and insurance companies; who struggled mightily (and futilely) to get doctors to share information with me, or simply speak with each other; who watched his family buckle (but not break) under the strain; who has spent the decades since listening to and sympathizing with the struggles of others going through similar things, that it is immense, and it is rare.

Here are some specifics that might explain my enthusiasm. The Livestrong Foundation helps patients and their families gain access to appropriate medical treatments and devices. They help find assistance for the uninsured and underinsured. And they directly intercede with insurers and advocate for those facing insurance denials and appeals.

Two brief examples: An Austin based minor league baseball coach, whose treatment necessitated trips to Los Angeles every four months, ran into difficulties with an insurance carrier that would only pay for the second phase of his treatments after he paid $100,000 for the first phase himself. The Livestrong Foundation interceded, and got the insurer to pay for phase one, as well. In another case, the Foundation's own former COO couldn't get an extension of COBRA coverage after leaving her position. The Foundation interceded, and assisted her in getting her coverage reinstated.

The Foundation also helps handle debt and financial management issues related to cancer diagnoses. They help people apply for federal and state programs such as Medicaid, Social Security, and Disability. Livestrong offers counseling, support groups, classes, and peer-to-peer connections. The Foundation helps people understand risks and options related to cancer treatments and fertility (something doctors are notoriously lax about), help access discounted rates for fertility preservation, and help people find local fertility related resources.

Does this all sound basic and rudimentary (which is a less flattering way of saying necessary and essential)? Show me someone else doing it, on the scale that Livestrong does, while maintaining the additional programs they do.

What are some of those additional programs? Livestrong offers free help in understanding the treatment options facing patients, in seeking second opinions, and in identifying clinical trials that would be most beneficial and appropriate.

Take another look at that last clause. "...identifying clinical trials that would be most beneficial and appropriate." When I was 25 years old, newly in remission from leukemia that was expected to quickly return, the world-renowned cancer hospital treating me in New York never informed me of any clinical trials going on anywhere else. Doctors came to my bedside on a daily basis, like salesmen showing prototypes from a briefcase, encouraging me to have an autologous bone marrow transplant (meaning, using one's own treated bone marrow as the "donor" marrow) there, even though they had no dedicated bone marrow transplant unit, almost no nursing experience with bone marrow transplantation, and had attempted only two such transplants to that point.

Meanwhile, less than two hundred miles away, in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Hospital had already published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrating better long-term leukemia survival rates after autologous bone marrow transplant than anyone had ever achieved. The study was made up of more than one hundred patients, each of whom had been treated at the Johns Hopkins Bone Marrow Transplant Unit -- which, since the study's completion, had performed nearly a hundred more.

Two institutions, only a car ride apart. One offering experience and documentation of unprecedented success, the other pressuring me to become part of their experiment. But I had no idea the better option existed (my treatments predated the Internet, but such information would still be a challenge for a layperson to find today). In fact, I only found out about the success Johns Hopkins was having by traveling to Seattle, where an unusually generous physician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center told me, "We're not working on anything that's going to help you here, but you should talk to the people in Baltimore who just published this study." And so I traveled from New York to Seattle, then to Baltimore for a consultation, and then back to New York -- all while unwell, and under extraordinary time pressure to make a choice before the leukemia recurred. I spent thousands of dollars, on both travel, and consultation fees. I eventually traveled back to Baltimore, where I had the bone marrow transplant that saved my life. I don't know what would have happened to me if I, or my parents, or my girlfriend, couldn't have afforded all this. If the Livestrong Foundation had existed then, the whole campaign could have been conducted by calling them on the phone. And it would have been free of charge.

I've mentioned only a smattering of the programs and services the Foundation offers, and I still haven't touched on what they're most renowned for. Quite simply, the Livestrong Foundation has spearheaded a massive cultural shift toward pride in survivorship, and away from the stigmatization previously associated with cancer diagnoses. Their quarterly Livestrong Challenge bike rides and runs draw thousands of cancer patients, survivors, their friends and families, and the friends and families of those who did not survive their illnesses. These events place emphasis on the continuation of life, of setting goals and accepting challenges, and of maintaining and improving physical fitness throughout a cancer diagnosis, throughout treatment, and throughout the life that follows. I have attended these events, and I have been inexpressibly moved. The sheer volume of humanity, either physically present, or represented by names scrawled on vests and placards, is a devastating indictment of our culture's refusal to eliminate, or merely reduce, many of the known causes of these illnesses. And the determination of those present is a testament to human beings' abilities to turn tragedies, which can never be erased, into triumphs that will also always be remembered.

Furthering their cultural and political activism, the Foundation lobbies lawmakers to address issues of cancer prevention, cancer research, and the exponentially growing population of cancer survivors.

I am also aware of the criticism that The Livestrong Foundation doesn't fund cancer research, and so is unworthy of continuing support. What most people don't understand about large-scale cancer advocacy is that, 1) medical research grants require tremendous expenditures of money, time, and expertise simply to determine which research to fund (not to mention the money, time, and expertise spent assembling, maintaining, and overseeing the team that makes those decisions); and, 2) organizations (and corporations) that fund research are plentiful, while organizations that give assistance directly to humans in need are quite rare. (Corporations that do so essentially do not exist.) The Livestrong Foundation made a decision to steer more of its resources to the needs they saw being least served. The Foundation invests in on-going dialogue with cancer patients and survivors to gather information about the challenges they face as the result of a cancer diagnosis such as bankruptcy, chronic pain, emotional trauma, lost fertility and insurability. Based on the information received, the Foundation creates programs to not only meet the needs of survivors, but also improve their quality of life. As a person who's benefited from both sorts of philanthropic support, it's a decision I agree with, and endorse.

I wonder what the people making the unfounded accusations hope to achieve. Would they gain a sense of satisfaction if the foundation faltered, even if they knew -- and acknowledged -- the good that it does? I wonder whether they know that there are estimated to be between twelve and fifteen million people living with, and beyond, cancer in the United States alone. I wonder whether they'd agree that those people need, and deserve, some assistance. I wonder whether they know that Doug Ulman, Livestrong's President and CEO, is a three time cancer survivor, originally diagnosed during his sophomore year of college. I wonder whether they know that twelve percent of Livestrong's staff of approximately one hundred people are also cancer survivors. These are people who are working for others, because one of those others is precisely who they used to be.

I fear that some people will never allow themselves to be convinced. Their anger requires indulgence, and they will demand some form of satisfaction, no matter how displaced. I fear the postings of rumors and misinformation will continue, if only because some people just can't resist. Some won't be able to resist right here. I ask that people not use the comments section below this article to discuss or debate whether, or how often, Lance Armstrong used performance enhancing drugs, lied about his use of them, intimidated others, or how bad or bland any of those crimes might be. Please don't berate him, or bemoan how he betrayed and misled you. Don't say he belongs in jail, sent the wrong message, or did wrong by Sheryl Crow. Do those things somewhere, if you must. But, please, don't do it here. Today, log online and learn about the Livestrong Foundation -- or any other charity. Hell, learn about two or three. If you like what they do, and you learn they do it well, go to their site and make a donation. Then you'll have done something good, instead of just written about something we can all agree is bad.

I sent another donation to Livestong this morning. It's the least I could do. They have been there for me every time I've called, and for everyone I've ever sent their way. It's their job. And they do it very well.


A condensed version of this piece is currently viewable at the very worthy TakePart.com.

Evan Handler's two books, "Time On Fire: My Comedy of Terrors," and "It's Only Temporary: The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive," have just been re-released as ebooks (in all formats) and paperback. Learn more at EvanHandler.com.


Marjorie Hill, Ph.D.: Speaking The Truth In The HIV/AIDS Epidemic: An Interview With Cynthia Nixon

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Recently I sat down with Emmy and Tony Award winner Cynthia Nixon, who is a longtime supporter of Gay Men's Health Crisis and the host of our fifth annual fundraiser, Savor, which takes place Wednesday, March 21.

Marjorie Hill: When did you first learn about the HIV/AIDS epidemic?

Cynthia Nixon: I was a junior or senior in high school when I first heard about AIDS, in 1983 or so. I grew up in NYC, so it was all around. I kept hearing about the epidemic. Rock Hudson's death was a big deal as well.

Hill: What were your initial thoughts or feelings about the epidemic?

Nixon: It seemed like the apocalypse had arrived, there was no end in sight, and the epidemic would decimate the gay community. I would have never predicted that this would galvanize the gay community into activism to the extent that it did.

Hill: When did you start to get involved?

Nixon: I feel like I started in the '90s, when my friends and I were in plays and musicals. We worked with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to ask the audiences for donations during our shows and participated in the Easter Bonnet fundraising competition. On opening nights I remember that instead of giving gifts to each other, our casts decided to make contributions to GMHC. It is amazing how long ago it feels.

Hill: Is there a particular story related to HIV and AIDS that has moved you?

Nixon: I was very close friends with a gay couple named Piper and Florian, who both died of AIDS. They came from such different families: One was from upstate New York, and the other from a farm in the Midwest. They didn't tell me or my boyfriend for a long time that they were sick. I was shocked when we finally learned that they were. We were all so close; how could they not tell us? We all loved the musical Falsettoland, which is about a gay couple, and one dies of AIDS. I remember sitting with them at an AIDS fundraiser, and someone was singing "Who Would I Be If I Had Not Loved You," which is a big song from that show. We were getting all teary. I thought we were all on the same page, that AIDS was horrible, and so many men around us were dying, and that was the end of the story, but it turns out it was more than that.

When Piper was increasingly ill and in and out of the hospital, I finally had to ask him outright if he had AIDS. He responded by saying, "It doesn't matter if I do or don't. The pneumonia will get me in the end." And then I realized it was true: He did have it. And Florian did too.

Piper died before the birth of my daughter. Florian, though, got to meet Samantha and took great pride and delight in her. I remember near the end she and I would be over at his apartment, and she would crawl around exploring everything. She would always wind up with a bottle of pills in each fist, from his seemingly endless array of bottles (with the child safety tops on securely, of course). She would entertain herself by shaking them like they were rattles. That's the irony about having kids around. They seem to normalize just about anything, no matter how sad or painful it is. One time I asked him, "How are you doing?" He said, "I know Piper is dead, and I'm very sick and don't have much time left. But they have me on antidepressants, and so none of it seems that important." I think that particular medication was the only way he or pretty much anyone in that situation could have gotten through the day.

Piper and Florian had separate physicians in separate hospitals. They died so differently. Piper waited until no one was around and just snuck away quietly after so many months of struggling. Florian waited until we were all around him in a circle at the hospital, so we could witness his death. That says so much about their personalities. They were each so unique. Piper grew up in the Midwest on a farm. Near the end his mother, father and brother made the trek to see him one last time. I had never met them before. They only came for a day or two, but they knew he would be dying soon. They needed to see him one more time and say goodbye. His father was actually wearing overalls. They looked very out of place in New York, as you can imagine. They were completely overwhelmed by everything that was happening.

It took Piper a long time to finally let go. We all thought that part of the problem was that he was waiting to see Florian to say goodbye, but Florian was very sick himself and couldn't leave Mount Sinai Hospital. This was the mid-'90s, and the technology of a videophone was relatively new. However, we managed to have one hooked up so he could see Florian's face through the phone and Florian could tell him it was "OK to go." Florian spoke for so long, and Piper didn't seem to react at all. Then suddenly he lurched up in bed and growled out Florian's name, and this torrent of blood came shooting out of his mouth. He died very soon after.

Both men were so worried about their ashes not being scattered or buried together. They wanted such different things done with them, and finally they decided that it was more important to listen to that. I remember Florian saying that their spirits would be together, so it didn't matter what happened to their actual ashes. Piper's ashes were buried or scattered on his family's farm because that felt like coming home to him. Florian's ashes were thrown over the Niagara Falls. They were opposites in so many ways, yet they were so close and loved each other so much.

Hill: What drew you to work with GMHC?

Nixon: It is an amazing organization, always in the forefront. I think it's really important to work with groups that were formed in the crucible of the early days of the epidemic. We saw how bad it was in NYC then, and now we see how bad it is across the world, and it's not unfamiliar.

Hill: Why is it important to you to be a supporter of GMHC?

Nixon: It is an organization I can trust. GMHC really continues to have the right priorities as they provide services, raise awareness and raise money.

Hill: What examples have you seen of the television, film and/or theater industries fighting AIDS?

Nixon: I was in Angels in America on Broadway when I was 28. I took over the role of Harper Pitt after Marcia Gay Harden left the show. Harper is just a great character, a straight woman who is trying to get her right-wing, religious, closeted husband, Joe Pitt, to speak the truth about what and who he is.

During Gay Pride Week, there was one particular evening when the theater was completely full of gay people from all over the world. It felt like we were in the USO, performing for the troops -- or at a pep rally. The gay men in the audience really related to Harper. But Joe, her husband, was like the villain. The audience booed or hissed when Joe would say certain things on stage they didn't agree with. It was hard for the actor who was playing Joe (who was gay himself) to handle. He was amazed that the audience had so little sympathy for a gay character who had a deep ambivalence about being gay. He kept saying, "That's a part of the gay experience too." But they were there to celebrate being gay and mourn the scourge of AIDS. They didn't have time for a character hanging back on the sidelines, not coming out.

Hill: What do you see as the reasons that the television, film and/or theater industries are involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS?

Nixon: There are a lot of reasons. First, there are so many gay people in these industries, historically. Show business is a world of people who feel like they're different, in whatever way. Individuality is encouraged. Being gay is accepted. And gay-positive people who identify with being different feel a lot of simpatico for LGBT people. I also feel like in terms of theater and the arts community in general, there is such a strong river of gayness running through it. We would not have these rich literary and artistic cultures without gay people like Gertrude Stein and Oscar Wilde, and straight people acknowledge that and pay tribute to it. Plus, the work in the artistic community often focuses on speaking the truth, and the truth is there are gay people, there have always been gay people, and they have generally been treated pretty badly. Many people in the arts community think that truth should be told, rather than papering over it to maintain the status quo.

Hill: If you could send out a message to the general public about HIV and AIDS, what would that message be?

Nixon: Use a condom. Becoming HIV-positive can happen to anyone, no matter who you are and where you live. Don't think it is over.

Hill: If you had one wish about the epidemic, what would it be?

Nixon: That it would stop. We really must do everything we can to keep fighting and not allow prudishness, prejudice and ignorance parading as piety to get in the way of saving people's live.

To learn more about Savor, please visit gmhc.org.

Make It So! Ian McKellen To Officiate Patrick Stewart's Wedding

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This is going to be one handsome wedding. Lord Of The Rings and X-Men star Sir Ian McKellen will be officiating friend and fellow actor Sir Patrick Stewart's upcoming wedding.

McKellen made the announcement on the Jonathan Ross Show, a UK talk show.

"I’m going to marry Patrick," he quipped on the show. Stewart, 71, will be marrying jazz singer Sunny Ozzell, 35, the two have been romantically linked since 2009.

While McKellen and Stewart play mutant rivals Magneto and Professor Xavier in the X-men films, the two are actually close friends. According to McKellen's Twitter account the duo will be appearing in a number of plays together this year as well as in the upcoming, X-Men: Days Of Future Past.

McKellen also said it wasn't the first time he's married people. "I’ve done it once before with two guys having a civil partnership. I was crying my eyes out," he said on the UK talk show. The Hollywood Reporter points out that in Massachusetts a friend or family member can officiate weddings for a one-time fee.

And no, McKellen will not be wearing his Gandalf robes for the wedding. Sorry geeks.

Naomi Campbell Is Bringing 'The Face' To The UK

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British television viewers rejoice: "The Face" is coming to the UK.

That's right, Naomi Campbell is bringing her modeling reality series across the pond, complete with a new set of judges and an all-Brit cast. Pretty exciting for a show that just launched stateside a month ago, huh? The US version features Naomi along with co-mentors Coco Rocha and Karolina Kurkova and trusty host Nigel Barker.

The UK take will keep executive producer Ms. Campbell but will feature two unannounced new mentors (no word on whether or not Nigel will make the hosting cut). It will be the same eight-week competition that pits three teams of models against one another in competitive photo shoots and runway shows. And we're guessing it will involve the same kind of "drama" as its American counterpart.

This seems like a promising trajectory for the relatively new style series. Its predecessor "America's Next Top Model" also made the UK leap with "Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model" in 2005, while the people behind "Project Runway" debuted "Project Catwalk" in Britain in 2006.

The best part about Naomi's new show? Auditions are being held now, so make sure to email thefacecasting@princesstv.com if you think you're the next face of Britain. Or you can just watch it when it airs on Sky Living after shooting wraps this year. Whatever.

See Naomi Campbell strutting her stuff:

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Is Selena Gomez Showing Off Too Much Skin?

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Selena Gomez is blowing us away these days with her killer style ... most of the time. The "Spring Breakers" star paid a visit to "Late Night With David Letterman" on Monday in a dress that didn't leave much to the imagination.

Justin Bieber's ex-girlfriend (that's what she is these days, right?) stepped out in New York City wearing a short, sequined dress from Emilio Pucci, paired with black pumps and a tailored jacket. It's worth noting that the former Disney Channel star went bare-legged and it was roughly 25 degrees. While we won't take issue with that (we bet the walk from her heated car to the studio was a short one), we will have to question her very short hemline and lined keyhole.

Her minidress calls to mind the kind of dresses that Carrie Underwood and Blake Lively like to wear: dresses so short they could double as shirts. We understand the urge to show off gorgeous gams, but we encourage ladies to cover up on top when choosing such short hemlines to avoid showing off too much. Selena did cover up, but the illusion of a keyhole has us distracted and we can't decide where to direct our attention.

What do you think about her minidress? Sound off in the comments!

PHOTOS:

selena gomez david letterman

selena gomez david letterman

What do you think of Selena's style?

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WATCH: Finally, A Great Ryan Gosling Parody

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Come on down to "Ryan Gosling's Acting Range" on Funny Or Die, where you can learn from the man himself how to play New Yorkers, cops, and New York cops.

Rihanna's '777' Tour Documentary To Air In May

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The following article is provided by Rolling Stone.

By ERIC R. DANTON

Rihanna's "777" promotional tour last year wasn't just a publicity stunt for her new album Unapologetic: now it's a documentary, too, which will air on Fox in May.

7 Lessons Learned From Rihanna's '777' Tour

The singer last year loaded 256 fans and journalists onto a Boeing 777 airplane and took them with her as she performed seven concerts in seven days in seven cities around the world. The new documentary, "Rihanna 777," which her Fenty Films produced, is said to go behind the scenes of the trip, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Rihanna on Chris Brown: 'We Know Exactly What We Have Now'

The globe-spanning trip frustrated journalists who complained they had no access to the singer, were made to spend long stretches sitting in the plane on the tarmac and had to witness Rihanna perform essentially the same show seven different times as they traveled from Mexico City to Toronto, then Stockholm, Paris, Berlin, London and finally New York.

In Pics: Rihanna’s Hottest Looks

Despite the scathing tone of some of the coverage, "Unapologetic" debuted at Number One on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and her single hit the top of the Hot 100 chart the day after the tour finished.

Rihanna's Rolling Stone Cover Shoot: Behind the Scenes

"Rihanna 777" is expected to air May 6.

Video: Rihanna Soaks Up Heartache in 'Stay'

Mascara Trick This 'Game Of Thrones' Actress Taught Us

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We've stuck to the beauty rule of only using mascara on our top eyelashes after getting scolded by makeup artists for going for the bottom lashes, too. It turns out that applying black mascara to both the top and bottom lashes drags the eye down, creating a less wide-awake and youthful appearance.

But what's a girl to do when her lower eyelashes need a bit of love? "Game of Thrones" actress Emilia Clarke has opened our eyes (literally!) to a new trick.

For the show's Season 3 premiere in Los Angeles Monday night, Clarke wore subtle, smokey eye makeup comprised of two different mascara shades. Makeup artist Dawn Broussard used black mascara on the top lashes and brown on the bottom for an eye-brightening effect.

“Emilia’s dress had royal blue tones and was super sleek and modern, so we didn’t want to contrast too much with her makeup. We wanted timeless glamour with a hint of something excitable,” explained Broussard.

We think she nailed it with this two-toned mascara trick... see for yourself!

PHOTO:

mascara tips

Get your "Game of Thrones" fix below:

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Is that You, Anne?

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Looks like Anne Hathaway washed away all the hate along with all the makeup.

The recent Best Actress Oscar-winner was spotted out and about in the wee morning hours grabbing a coffee and looking like the rest of us do in the a.m. In a sweatshirt, tights and a Nike cap, the Hollywood A-lister was barely recognizable, but her skin sure looked fresh.

Ever since she made it big this past awards season, Hathaway has been lying low. The 30-year-old has been seen skipping the dolled-up look and enjoying quality time with husband Adam Shulman.

Click here to see more photos of Anne on X17online.com.

anne hathaway bare faced

Sophia Bush Steps Out Without Makeup

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Sophia Bush didn't have to worry about avoiding the paparazzi when she stepped out in Boston without a stitch of make up.

The 30-year-old former "One Tree Hill" star bared her face for all to see as she made her way to the set of her new NBC pilot "Hatfields & Mccoys," and looked fantastic sans makeup.

Bush appeared to be returning from a workout as she was wearing skintight black leggings, sneakers and a loose fitting T-shirt under a fur-lined coat.

sophia bush without makeup

LOOK: Which Supermodel Has A Green Thumb?

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Looks like we're not the only ones who enjoy an afternoon in the garden.

Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio and her daughter Anja, were spotted picking lemons from a tree in Los Angeles on Monday. And though we're completely jealous of how flawless she looks (no matter what we do in the garden, we somehow always end up covered in dirt), it appears she may also have a green thumb.

alessandra ambrosio


alessandra ambrosio

There's something we can learn here from Alessandra: the perfect time to pick a lemon. She's harvesting the fruit before the rind turns sunny yellow, which is ideal. If plucked from a tree any later, you run the risk of the lemon rotting quickly. And though she used the hand twisting method, according to Edible Container Gardening, you can also use hand clippers to remove the citrus from the branch.

Want to learn more about caring for a lemon tree? Watch the video above. And be sure to click through our slideshow to see Alessandra doing more, well, supermodel-y things. Hat tip to the Daily Mail.

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Eyes Up, Gerard Butler!

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All eyes were on Ashley Judd and her plunging blue bodycon dress last night at the premiere of "Olympus Has Fallen."

Including Gerard Butler's.

The Scottish hunk, 43, checked out Judd's figure as the beaming co-stars greeted each other on the red carpet.

But Butler wasn't the only one taking a peek ... newly single Judd made sure to look the hunk up and down, as well.

Judd, 42, who is reportedly planning to run for Senate in the Democratic nomination for the 2014 race, also wore the curve-hugging dress to the premiere of the new season of "Dancing With the Stars," where she cheered on her sister Wynonna Judd.

Check out Gerard and Ashley fawning over each other below:

gerard butler ashley judd

'Homeland' Producer Dies

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Henry Bromell, a veteran TV writer and producer, has died after suffering a heart attack, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Bromell, who worked on Season 2 of Showtime's "Homeland," was 66.

"We were lucky to work with Henry on and off for the past 18 years. He was a supremely talented writer and as kind and warm a person as you could ever meet. He will be deeply missed at the studio and on 'Homeland.' Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and children," Twentieth Century Fox TV and Fox 21 said in a statement.

Bromell was an executive producer on "Homeland" and wrote the episodes "Broken Hearts," "Q&A," "Representative Brody" and "The Good Soldier." He also worked on "Rubicon," "Chicago Hope," "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Northern Exposure."

The veteran producer took home a Golden Globe and Emmy for his work on "Homeland" and received a Writers Guild of America award for the "Homeland" episode "The Good Soldier."

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