Lil Wayne released the video for "God Bless Amerika" on Monday night, a clip full of images of Wayne's native Hollygrove, New Orleans. The community, still devastated by 2005's Hurricane Katrina, serves as a poignant reminder of the failures of America's government to rehabilitate impoverished communities that were damaged by the monstrous storm.

The video suggests that it's not all that hard to draw a line from Kanye West's criticism at the time ("George Bush doesn't care about black people") to the continued travesty that is the reality of life on the ground in Hollygrove.

The "God Bless Amerika" video made waves when it was being filmed because Wayne appeared to be stomping on an American flag. Though such an act wouldn't necessarily have been out of line with the thematic elements of the song, it turns out that rapper was honest when he said the fallen flag wouldn't be depicted in the final product.

It's likely that Wayne, who recently re-apologized for using Emmett Till's name in a sexual lyric, knew his video would have an added impact in the wake of George Zimmerman's acquittal in the Trayvon Martin murder case. That said, the video itself quickly drew some criticism of its own:

Eif Rivera directed the shot. Take a look above and let us know what you think in the comments.

Say what you will about "The Newsroom," but the HBO media-centric drama showed ratings growth in its Season 2 premiere.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "The Newsroom's" sophomore season debut on Sunday brought in 2.2 million viewers, up four percent from the series premiere, which had 2.1 million viewers. The Season 2 premiere was also just shy of the show's highest ratings ever -- the Season 1 finale, which brought in 2.3 million viewers.

However, "The Newsroom" only held about half of its lead-in's audience: "True Blood" boasted 4.5 million viewers on Sunday night, making it the HBO mainstay's most-watched episode of the season. The impressive ratings garnered "True Blood" a seventh season, which was announced earlier on Monday.

Reviews of "The Newsroom" Season 2 have also slightly improved. "The tone has been moderated and the some of its excesses have been turned down a few notches. But for me, the fact that we know all about the things the characters are encountering for the first time drains away much of the potential momentum, suspense and energy -- and that would be the case even if [Aaron] Sorkin weren't the show's writer/creator," HuffPost TV critic Maureen Ryan wrote.

"I wouldn't say Season 2 of 'The Newsroom' is a big improvement over Season 1, but the show's definitely more measured and confident -- and now that we've accepted that certain tics, such as setting the stories in a recent, real past, aren't going away, it's easier to appreciate what Sorkin and company do well," Vulture's Matt Zoller Seitz noted.

"The new season is framed by a series of legal depositions about a Sorkin-invented military scandal that 'News Night' royally screwed up in reporting," HitFix's Alan Sepinwall wrote, "But though Sorkin is able to address some of Season 1's deficits, he still retains his other blind spots."

"The Newsroom" airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

Alicia Silverstone's TV pilot, "HR," will be directed by "Sex and the City" creator Darren Star, the cable network, Lifetime, announced on Saturday (July 13).

"HR" is the working title of Silverstone's and Starr's pilot. The story focuses on a character named Ellen Bell, to be played by Silverstone. Shortly after Bell suffers a head injury, she begins to experience professional and personal changes in her life as the formerly uptight director of Human Resources at a multinational corporation.

Andy Bellefleur has been through a lot on "True Blood" -- and not just because he's one of the few cops on active duty in Bon Temps, where all hell breaking loose is just another crazy weekend. But in a few short days (in his world), he's become the father of four faerie daughters, three of whom have just been drained to death by an out-of-control vampire. What Andy doesn't know when he goes to the Compton house to find his daughters is that it was Jessica, not Bill, who killed his daughters, and that Bill as Billith is stronger than he can imagine. Chris Bauer, who plays our favorite sheriff, chatted with Vulture about faery fatherhood, ancestral incest, and Alexander Skarsgård impressions.

They say the couple that plays together stays together. But husband and wife Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca Romijn love working together, too. On Monday, O'Connell guest stars as a rival PI of Romijn's Michelle Maxwell on "King & Maxwell" (10/9c, TNT). We interrogated him about the role.

When "The Walking Dead" returns this fall, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) & Co. will still be residing in the prison -- but that doesn't mean we're in for a lull while the group learns how to be a community again. After all, there's still the ever-present danger of The Governor (David Morrissey), who abandoned Woodbury and left his former residents to be taken in by Rick. But how is Rick dealing in a world where nearly everyone he's gotten close to has died and his son is on a precarious path to becoming a monster? TVGuide.com turned to executive producer and comic book creator Robert Kirkman and new showrunner Scott Gimple to get the scoop on the new season and which elements of the comics will be introduced this year.

We're fairly sure that an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. attracts only the best and brightest agents to defend the world from superhuman threats -- even if some of those agents may be a little ... weird. Agents Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) are two such weirdos, and The Huffington Post has an exclusive first look at the quirky duo who serve as the team's biochem and gadget experts in ABC and Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"They have a brother-sister relationship," Henstridge explains in the video above. "They're just so enthusiastic about everything! They're very proud to be part of the team."

"They've kind of got their own language, which puts them in their own world aside from everyone else," De Caestecker agreed.

They'll join Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), a black ops specialist who isn't exactly a people person; pilot and martial artist Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) and civilian new recruit and computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet), along with the unflappable Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), when "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." premieres this fall on ABC.

As for other familiar faces from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Samuel L. Jackson recently told Vulture that he'd be game for an appearance as the organization's director, Nick Fury. "If I was going to do 'S.H.I.E.L.D.,' I'd like to be -- you know Charlie's voice on 'Charlie's Angels'? That would be perfect. Because everybody recognizes my voice. That would be good enough for me. And I told Joss that ... Disney, Marvel, we'll see what they think."

But executive producer Joss Whedon (who co-wrote and directed the pilot) has emphasized the fact that he hopes "S.H.I.E.L.D." will establish its own identity outside the orbit of the movies.

"It's very important to me that the show stands on its own, that people who never saw any of the movies can tune in and enjoy it," Whedon recently told EW. "We like being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; we like having all of the mythos to play off of -- but if the show was, 'You just missed Tony Stark. Wow. He was just here!' it would be the most unsatisfying show ever. We have a new ensemble -- apart from Clark, it's all people I've never worked with before -- but I'm really excited about them. I'm really proud of them and I think people are just going to want to see them every week."

"Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D." will air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. this fall on ABC, with an official premiere date yet to be announced. Visit The Huffington Post for scoop from the show's panel at San Diego Comic-Con, taking place in Ballroom 20 on Friday, July 19 at 1:45 p.m. PT.

Following Cory Monteith's tragic death on July 13, Bravo is opting to reair the "Glee" star's appearance on "Inside the Actors Studio," which featured the 31-year-old actor and his co-stars last year.

Host James Lipton recalled guest-starring on "Glee" in a statement that accompanied Bravo's announcement: "When I appeared as myself on 'Glee,' I auditioned Cory’s character, Finn, for the Actors Studio Drama School -- and rejected him. That’s the way Ryan Murphy wrote it. I would have admitted him -- in a New York minute."

Lipton also shared Monteith's surprisingly thoughtful response to his question, "If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?" According to Lipton, "Cory’s God said, ‘Uh, sorry I haven’t been around. There’s a good explanation.’" Lipton added, "I certainly hope there is. We needed Cory’s gifts.”

"Glee" Season 5 was scheduled to begin production in late July, but according to The Wrap, producers and Fox executives are now trying to decide how best to handle Monteith's death on-screen -- which could result in a postponement of "Glee's" Season 5 premiere from September 19.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person. He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones," "Glee" executive producers, 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Broadcasting Company said in a statement.

Monteith's "Glee" character, Finn, was last seen studying to become a teacher. The star was absent from the final few episodes of Season 4 after entering rehab.

The "Inside the Actors Studio" episode will be repeated on Bravo on Thursday, July 18 at 6 p.m. ET.

Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen Season 8, Episode 15 of Bravo's "Real Housewives of Orange County," titled "Hold Your Tongue."

We're still in Canada, that frozen, foreign land to the north. In this strange, remote territory, napkins are called "serviettes." Police are "Mounties." M&Ms are "Smarties." And yet, our O.C. ladies are still good ol' American bats--t crazy.

We last left a tormented Vicki screaming on a Whistler ski slope, defending her honor against Lauri's allegations of her various sexual shenanigans. Now the ladies are back in their element, getting ready for dinner at the Four Seasons. Vicki is dolled up in a clingy black dress with burgundy faux-fur cuffs the size and patina of fresh Cinnabons.

Lydia invites her Christian-sister Alexis to the no-drama-zone of her suite. "This is not what Canada is about," Lydia clarifies. "A group of Canadian women would not get in a fight on a ski slope about threesomes." Lauri stops by the neutral suite in a seafoam fur vest and inquires if she's still invited to dinner, what with all the Vicki tension. Consummate hostess Lydia says that of course she is. Do we think this dinner might be confrontational?

Before said dinner commences, Lauri reveals to camera that Vicki had leaked a scandalous email about her husband George, a nefarious tale that "went viral," and that's the reason she's been so intent on taking Vicki down this season. Interesting.

Tamra predicts that Vicki might shove a bottle of Vicki's Vodka up Lauri's nether-regions if she stirs up trouble again.

All seems well at first, as the ladies all enjoy some British Columbia rosé. Vicki reveals that all she wants out of life is love, friends, family and good sex, and alludes that sex with Brooks is the best. Gag reflex.

Lauri immediately interjects that Brooks seems "too good to be true." Vicki then calls her "classless." Game on.

There's a pointless semantics discussion regarding the correct usage of the terms "hypocrisy" and "ironic," which all the ladies seem unilaterally unclear about, but the takeaway is that Lauri, Gretchen, and Vicki have all accused each other of bad sexual conduct, and it's not cool for any of them to throw shade at each other at random intervals.

Gretchen confronts Vicki, alleging that Vicki deemed Gretchen a gold digger from the get-go. Vicki then says, "Why are we going five years back?" and relates this is tantamount to "regurgitating throw-up" a redundant analogy that I would like to immediately delete from my brain.

Gretchen expresses that it is "ironic" that ever since they've unearthed Vicki's "indescrepencies," Vicki wants to just gloss over everyone else's. Vicki states that she's done, and that while she'll never be friends with Lauri, she wishes her "only the best" with George.

(Side note: Anytime anyone wishes you "only the best," they really mean, "I hate you.")

Vicki and her giant fur-sleeves finally exit dinner with a succinct but somewhat contextually problematic "Kumbaya!"

Then, Gretchen and Tamra have a sit-down. Gretchen doesn't understand why Tamra and Vicki are suddenly BFFs again. Gretchen says she's just trying to move forward. Tamra is hurt -- she says that Gretchen made it seem like she turned down a (non-existent) role on "Malibu Country" to go wedding dress shopping with her, and subsequently feels played.

Gretchen counters that every time Tamra and Vicki get together it compromises their friendship. The two of them finally run out of accusations and, perhaps bolstered by fine Canadian wines, hug it out.

The next day, a totally hot Canadian tour guide takes them snowmobiling. According to Lauri's iPhone app, it's a treacherous 37 degrees. The van ride towards the snowmobiling destination is quite tense. But all the ladies agree it's going to be a "happy day," as Lauri asides that she doesn't want to be in the path of Vicki's snowmobile.

Lydia just wants an "enchanted, secret garden moment snowmobiling adventure." Again, God bless Lydia.

The group is then presented with utilitarian snowmobiling jackets and boots, and are all forced to strip out of their fur-lined finery. Alexis calls her snowmobile helmet a "hair-smasher."

After some hapless snowmobile action, Tamra pees in the snow. Then Vicki launches a snowball arsenal at Lauri. After each weak snowball assault, she screams, "That's for being mean to Brooks, that's for being a hypocrite, that's for being ironic, that's for being 'freaky-deaky.'" (?)

But at the end of it all, they're all laughing and it seems that a snowy detente has at last been reached. Lydia is pleased. "Call it Canadian magic, but maybe all we needed was a snowball fight to get along." Maybe so!

We now check in with Heather, tucked in a limo and wrapped in a series of tiny, natty neck scarves. She's gabbing to Tamra about her wonderful time on set of "Malibu Country." Tamra says it's shady that Gretchen claims to have gotten a part on the show. She relates that when people lie about little things they could be lying about everything. Heather agrees, in her solemn, no-BS tone.

Back in B.C., the ladies all head out to dinner at the Bearfoot Bistro. There's a tasting menu and a vodka "ice room." Apparently, it's the coldest ice room in the world at minus 26 degrees. At dinner, the group concludes that Vicki is a little bit "horny." Vicki then slams a glass of champagne on the table.

"She's taking out her sexual frustrations on that poor champagne glass," Tamra interviews. "I can only imagine what she does to a penis."

I, for one, do not want to imagine this.

Down in the O.C., Heather arrives home from the set and her husband Terry, wearing a curious camo zip-up sweatshirt, welcomes her warmly; triumphantly relating that he can take care of the kids himself -- well, along with his mother-in-law and Heather's personal assistant. Heather hugs her kids and says she feels relaxed and happy. It's a nice moment.

Back at the Bearfoot Bistro, the ladies all don giant fur-lined jackets to enter the vodka ice room of doom.

"We looked like a big bag of marshmallows, but a cute bag of marshmallows," Gretchen interviews, correctly.

At the behest of their ice-room attendant, the ladies all do a Polish toast, (Nostrovia!) and drink sub-zero vodka shots. Vicki passive-aggressively dares Tamra to stick her tongue on the ice wall, and Tamra complies, pulling a full-on "Christmas Story." By her screams, apparently it has stuck.

"Cat got your tongue?" Vicki interviews.

After much screaming, Tamra's tongue is finally released from the ice wall.

"Thank god Heather isn't here because I can feel her rolling her eyes all the way up to Canada," Lydia interviews. Ha.

Tamra then calls Terry to relay the symptoms of her "medical emergency" and explains that the tip of her tongue may have fallen off and is worried about frostbite. Terry seems less than concerned, and counsels that the tiny portion of her tongue that stuck to the wall may now have frostbite, but her remaining tongue is probably doing just fine.

Terry and Heather then have a cozy domestic moment, despite his tragic camo shirt. He says he's really happy and excited for Heather's new career strides and feels genuinely glad that she's content, confident, and "glowing."

"I haven't seen this spark in a long time," he says, and they both seem genuinely bonded as a couple. Good on the Dubrows!

Meanwhile at the Bearfoot Bistro, the ladies are treated to a liquid nitrogen dessert display, and Alexis says she needs to know how to execute this technique at home for her family. Everyone in the Southern California area, kindly make your way to the nearest fallout shelter if this actually happens.

Vicki then interviews that she wants to move past everything. And that life is about having fun. Everyone agrees that "at the end of the day," it's all about being around people you're inspired by. "My glass is half-full," Vicki says. The status of her "love tank" is still unclear.

Regardless, Lydia loved the trip. She saw Tamra pee in the snow and learned about a threesome. A good time was had by all!

Before we conclude ... last week I promised to create a specialty cocktail themed after "Vicki's New Orleans Threeway." And, after much consideration, here it is:

Vicki's New Orleans Threeway
2 oz Vicki's Vodka*
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons honey
Thinly sliced jalapeño pepper
Adderall garnish (optional)

Combine all over ice in a bedazzled cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into an oversize martini glass with elaborate adornments and intricate etchings. Drink and repeat, until you wake up in a NOLA hotel room with a strange dude and/or woman (preferably both).

(*If Vicki's Vodka is unavailable due to pending legal issues, substitute with Tito's, Stoli, or Ketel if you're feeling extra-classy).

Next week -- oh no, Gretchen is in a recording studio. Terry considers taking time off from his medical practice. Alexis confronts Gretchen. Vicki calls out Brooks for dating a "cocktail waitress." Nostrovia to all, and to all a good night.

"Real Housewives of Orange County" airs Mondays, 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.

Liam Gallagher is suing a US newspaper which reported that he was embroiled in a case in a New York court over allegations that he fathered a child during a one-night stand.

A spokesman for the former Oasis frontman refused to comment on the story but confirmed that his lawyers are taking legal action against the New York Post for reporting the claims.

Liam, who now fronts Beady Eye after the break-up of Oasis, is married to former All Saints singer Nicole Appleton.

He has three children, including one with former wife Patsy Kensit, and one with Lisa Moorish.

Liam has a famously frosty relationship with his brother and former Oasis bandmate Noel and recently revealed that he does not even have his phone number.

The pair have not spoken since Noel walked out of the group in 2009.

Allow Bread Jay-Z to reintroduce himself:

No, you are not hallucinating after skipping breakfast this morning; that is Jay-Z's face made entirely out of bread.

As our Arts editors reported last week, Polish artist Milena Korolczuk has crafted Jay's face among other influential people, ranging from Andy Warhol to Plato.

Not sure if Korolczuk takes request, but we would love to melt down Butter Paula Deen.

Today would have been Phyllis Diller's birthday. She passed away last year at the age of 95 and went, according to her son, with "a smile on her face." Diller was the Queen of Comedy and a mother of five who blazed a great, big trail for those after her. Phyllis Diller was "leaning in" before "leaning in" was cool. The next time you take a sip from something today -- and I don't care if it's wine, iced coffee or gazpacho -- drink to her.

According to legend, Diller didn't perform standup until she was 37. That was in 1955. With the way society's changed since, I assume that's the equivalent of starting out in comedy at age 50 today. But it doesn't really matter. 37. 50. Either way, it's rare.

Because most of us don't do that. Most of us don't try new things. We're busy. We're tired. We're so tired. We're also afraid. We don't want to be rejected. We don't want to look stupid. And we don't want to fail. To borrow a book title: We're too big to fail.

The irony, of course, is that if you are a parent, you're constantly pushing your kids to try new things. Ninety percent of parenting is getting your kids to try new things. (Five percent of it is wiping them.) And, miraculously, they do try new things. All the time. Their world just keeps getting bigger and bigger. As yours used to. As mine used to. Until -- one day -- ours didn't anymore.

It's why Phyllis Diller continues to inspire me. Of course, I admire her talent and her timing. But I'm inspired by her "chutzpah" as it's called in Yiddish, or "cojones" as it's called in Spanish, and I'll spare you what it's called in English.

It's not just Phyllis Diller. I have friends who inspire me too.

Marti, a friend since college, started playing soccer when she was 39. She's a working mother of two and had never played before. But that didn't deter her. She had watched her 9-year-old son play for years and decided to stop just watching from the sidelines -- literally. "It's easy to let your adult life morph totally into watching your kids' sports on the weekends," she said. So, Marti joined an adult recreational soccer league, and she loves it.

My friend Anna studied painting and graphic design in college, but she married, had three kids and became a stay-at-home mom. Anna took up painting again and is now, for the first time, exhibiting and selling her artwork. My favorite? It's her self-portrait inspired by Allison Slater Tate's beautiful essay, "The Mom Stays in the Picture." Anna did it. She put herself back in the picture.

And when Shannon turned 42, she gave herself a birthday present. Shannon -- a mother of two who had never played a sport and didn't even consider herself athletic -- suited up and went out for roller derby. (That's her in the photo above.)

"Before [derby] I had no idea what I should be doing. I needed an outlet. I didn't know I needed an outlet, but I needed an outlet," said Shannon. With roller derby, she found it. More than that, Shannon found what Sir Ken Robinson would call her "element."

Robinson, who's famous for his TED Talk "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" watched by a zillion people, wrote a book called, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything and its follow up, Finding Your Element. To be totally honest, I haven't read either book. That said, I did watch a clip from a speech he gave about the topic on YouTube; so, yeah, I guess you could say I'm an expert. (Look for my TED Talk on Robinson next year.)

If you'll allow me to simplify and possibly butcher Robinson's theory: When natural aptitude meets passion, people are able to find their element. When they find their element, they feel more fulfilled and are able to be more awesome.

OK, Robinson never actually said "awesome." He's been knighted by the Queen of England and speaks more eloquently than that, but you get the point.

My friends Anna, Marti and Shannon did that. I don't think they were trying to find themselves. I don't think they felt particularly lost. But I do think they needed something more. And I think they found it. I think, for the time being, that each of them has found their element.

I believe that need for something more -- even if it's just a little more -- is also why so many of us blog. According to Scarborough Research, there are about 3.9 million mom blogs. (I hope I was included in the count. Nobody called me or approached me with a clipboard at the mall.) I couldn't find a number for dad blogs, but I'm guessing it's somewhere between 203 and 1.9 million.

I think that so many of us blog because it's our way of finding our element. We blog because we a) like to write b) want an outlet and c) hope to leave fingerprints. The Internet makes it easy to leave fingerprints.

They say, "Life's too short." (They also say "YOLO!" but those people should be slapped.) Hopefully, life will not be too short. Hopefully, life is going to be pretty long. And if it is, it won't ever be too late to start something new.

Phyllis Diller entertained the masses for more than half a century, and she didn't start until she was almost 40. She may have been a late bloomer, but her bloom lasted for a long, long time.

It's never too late to bloom. It's never too late to leave your mark. It's never too late to leave fingerprints. It might, however, be time to stop using clichés in this paragraph.

Thank you, Phyllis Diller, for inspiring so many. You inspired me. And you inspired my friend Shannon. In fact, when it came time to choose her roller derby name, there was only one name that crossed Shannon's mind.

She calls herself, "Phyllis Killer."

Happy Birthday, Ms. Diller.

This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post in conjunction with our women’s conference, “The Third Metric: Redefining Success Beyond Money & Power” which will take place in New York on June 6, 2013. To read all of the posts in the series and learn more about the conference, click here. Join the conversation on Twitter #ThirdMetric.

Taylor Swift really knows how to hold a grudge.

After learning that her video for "I Knew You Were Trouble" had been nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards, the 23-year-old superstar took to Twitter to urge her fans to vote -- and she couldn't help but slyly reference her now infamous run-in with Kanye West:

Two VMA nominations!! If you vote and get us one, I promise to keep a firmer grip on the mic this time ;) http://t.co/nK9rhV95RP

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) July 17, 2013

Swift has been nominated consistently throughout the last three years, but 2009 was the last time she won a VMA. It's also the same year she was interrupted by West, who rushed the staged to let the world know a miscarriage of justice had played out since he believed that "Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time."

It's an incident that West took a lot of flack over (not that he cares), but it's one that Swift apparently hasn't quite gotten over.

Swift wrote the song "Innocent" after the experience, claiming the process helped her put the incident behind her. But according to Vanity Fair, the singer also has “a framed photograph of that moment" hanging in her home, which doesn't exactly sound like the decor of someone who has closure.

This year, Swift is nominated for both Best Female Video and Video of The Year, -- and thankfully she doesn't have to go up against Beyonce for either category this time around.

LOS ANGELES — Just one glimpse of her face is followed by a flash of familiarity.

But, oh, that name just isn't coming.

Together again for the first time: filmgoers, meet veteran character actress Lili Taylor.

After 25 years making movies, Taylor said the public most regularly approaches her about work in "Mystic Pizza" (1988), "I Shot Andy Warhol" (1996) and the 1999 remake of the `60s horror classic "The Haunting."

"I feel like that's a nice spectrum, because you've got your indie, you've got your big one," the 46-year-old actress noted in a recent interview.

"Or they can't remember," she continued, "because I'm one of those who they think I either walk my dog in their neighborhood or I live in their building. And that's the kind of actor I am, which is fine."

To the stranger, she says, "`I know you think I'm in your building. It's `The Haunting' and that's where you know me from, and let's just cut to the chase.'"

While "The Haunting" grossed nearly $100 million way back in 1999, it was almost universally panned by the critics, in part due to comparisons with the beloved 1963 Robert Wise original that inspired it.

This weekend marks the arrival of another horror entry for Taylor's filmography. She's one of the four (count `em) leads in director James Wan's "The Conjuring." Opening Friday, the R-rated film serves up its own fresh blend of two of horror cinema's all-time classiest acts: Wise's "Haunting" and William Friedkin's "The Exorcist." "The Conjuring" also stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson and Ron Livingston.

Based on an actual case investigated by paranormal expert Lorraine Warren and her late husband, Ed, "The Conjuring" invites viewers into a haunted house, introduces the nice family that has just taken possession, and then ... Well, if a reporter tells you more, clearly the devil made them do it.

As for believing in this kind of stuff, Taylor called herself "agnostic." The actress, who portrays the family's matriarch, said she "had an experience, funny enough, in Rhode Island, which is where this movie takes place. I went into a house and the house had some history to it, and it was a very uncomfortable house and there was stuff that happened in there. Prior to that, I didn't believe. After that house, I was like, `I know I felt something and I don't know what it is.'"

Taylor has also found success on the stage, as well as on television ("Six Feet Under," the current Netflix series "Hemlock Grove"). And while her acting may be chameleon like, Taylor's voice is unmistakable: a sweet-savory concoction that brings to mind chocolate toffee slathered with sea salt. Among the best-known of her numerous voiceover gigs is a series of spots she did for Tylenol.

They can be lucrative. "You know, off-Broadway is $200 a week," Taylor said, smiling. "I love voiceovers, and I'd love to do more. I'm just going to put that out here."

Taylor and writer-husband Nick Flynn have a 5-year-old daughter, Maeve, who may find those walks with mom are interrupted a little more frequently by the end of "The Conjuring's" big debut weekend.

Audience testing on the film was so strong ("off the charts" as per "Variety") that studio New Line moved the film's release from the dead of last winter to the height of this summer. And most early name-critic reviews have been positive.

But even if the movie's a smash and nothing changes for Taylor, even if her name doesn't go household, the actress is just happy to be working. She follows "Conjuring" with a lead role on one of Fox's buzzy fall entries, the J.J. Abrams'-produced "Almost Human."

"I just want to keep going," Taylor said.

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Online:

http://theconjuring.warnerbros.com

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Follow Michael Cidoni Lennox at http://www.twitter.com/MikeCLennox

LOS ANGELES — Hugh Jackman is ready to sink his claws into Comic-Con again.

The 44-year-old actor is returning to San Diego this week for the 44th annual Comic-Con International pop-culture convention to hype "The Wolverine," his Japan-set "X-Men" spin-off opening July 25 that marks the actor's sixth time playing the iconic comic book character that catapulted him to stardom in 2000.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, the versatile "Les Miserables" star talked about returning to Comic-Con to face fans enraged by 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," teaming up with the original "X-Men" cast for the upcoming time-bending sequel "X-Men: Days of Future Past" and getting naked again as Wolverine on the big screen:

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AP: It took four years for "The Wolverine" to come to fruition. How do you feel about finally being able to show it off at Comic-Con?

Jackman: I love it. I love the title. It was actually (former director) Darren Aronofsky's idea, but it's one we – including the studio – stuck with because it sends a signal that we're not making a movie that's loaded with a lot of other mutants. You're actually gonna get to know this one. I think it's time. This story is one of the greatest, and that's the reason it's one of the fan favorites.

AP: As much as fans can be passionate at Comic-Con, they can also be equally critical. They didn't love "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." How do you feel about hearing from them this week?

Jackman: I'm never afraid of that. I think the fans know I'm so grateful and very blessed to play the part. I love them. We try our hardest to get everything right, and I'm happy to hear from them. I learn from them. One of the main things I hear from fans all the time is we don't see enough of the berserker rage, and I really took that to heart because, to me, that is one of the key things I love about Logan.

AP: For everything that's different about this Wolverine film, there's once again a scene that finds Logan naked in a giant tub, even though the circumstances this time are very different from past "X-Men" movies. Is this something you're stipulating in your contract now?

Jackman: Look, all I say is it has to be a minimum of a minute. It's only a minute. That's all. I love a bit of nudity. It's a funny scene. The movie is darker in tone, and more restrained in a way. As long as we can get away with it, it's nice to have those fun moments. In all seriousness, no, it's not in my contract.

AP: "X-Men: Days of Future Past" will be your seventh time playing this character. How long do you think you can keep going as Wolverine?

Jackman: You may find it surprising to hear, but I'm loving it and feeling rejuvenated by it. For me, and I'm well aware there's way greater powers at play than me and my decision, it's more about: Do I still have something to offer to it? Is there something different we can explore? Is there a reason to tell another story? Without that, I won't do it. Secretly, I know it'd be like achieving peace in the Middle East, but I would love a way for all the Marvel characters to come together.

AP: What's it been like reuniting on "Days of Future Past" with everyone from the original film? You filmed it in the `90s!

Jackman: I think (original "X-Men" director) Bryan (Singer) really configured the image of comic book movies with that thing. Having him back is really exciting. The first month of shooting, because Patrick (Stewart) and Ian (McKellen) were off doing a play, was literally all the old actors all together. It was like a reunion, and then all of a sudden it shifted, and in came this younger ensemble of incredible actors (from "X-Men: First Class"). I just get to be there every day working opposite all of them.

AP: Do you ever see yourself passing on the role of Wolverine to a younger actor?

Jackman: Sure, Wolverine is like Bond. These roles are greater than I am as an actor. It will always live on and outlive me. It'll be passed on, and I'll be in the old people's home, showing my old movies and telling anyone who will listen that I was much better than whoever is playing it now. In all seriousness, it's the way it should be. I would be sad to think if I stopped playing it, Wolverine wouldn't be seen. It's too good a part.

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Online:

http://www.thewolverinemovie.com

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at . http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang

CHICAGO — Patrick Poulin alternates between sitting and standing in the lobby of Chicago's Briar Street Theatre, nervously flipping back and forth through the pages of his application to join the Blue Man Group alongside dozens of other hopefuls who have come to audition for the theatrical spectacle.

"Anything that keeps me performing would be a blessing ... If I can be on stage making people laugh or entertained, it would be a dream," said Poulin, 25, who moved to Chicago from Boston to work in the city's comedy scene and theaters. At 6-foot-1, Poulin meets the Blue Man Group's requirement to be at least 5-foot-10, but no taller than 6-foot-2.

Blue Man Group started with three friends in New York more than two decades ago and has grown from an off-Broadway show to also have productions in Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla. A tour will soon take Blue Men to stops in cities like Atlantic City, N.J.; Durham, N.C.; Lincoln, Neb.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Portland, Maine; and Kennewick, Wash. And international versions of the percussive show – with its three tall, bald, blue actors – are going to Australia, Brazil and Germany. Blue Man Group is also featured on some Norwegian Cruise Line ships.

About 60 actors play Blue Men around the world and producers are always looking for new performers. This summer they hosted the Chicago audition and they plan auditions in Las Vegas on Wednesday and in New York in November.

In Chicago, the dozens who joined Poulin on the first day showcased their acting abilities and drumming experience, if any, with the Blue Man Group's music director. Poulin admitted he's rarely done any drumming.

"He kind of just let me follow some basic stuff he was doing," Poulin said. "I didn't go too far beyond that. I wasn't going to try to embarrass myself."

Lucky for Poulin, it turns out that while drumming is a major part of Blue Man Group productions, actually being a good drummer isn't crucial for auditions.

"It's really about the character coming out through drumming," said Jeff Quay, who is associate music director for Blue Man Group and ran the music section of the Chicago auditions. "Rarely am I looking for good technique, just a guy who can take direction well, but has good listening skills."

Blue Man Group staff members give the applicants an initial grade. While about 77 hopefuls showed up for open casting in Chicago, less than half made it to call-backs the next day.

Another hopeful in Chicago was Dan Plehal, 25, from Chicago, who went to graduate school for theater and comes from a family of artists. Plehal and Poulin both made it through the first round of auditions.

"I think I scraped by yesterday by the skin of my teeth," Plehal said the day of call-backs, when the actors who made the cut performed in groups for a panel of Blue Man Group staff.

Collin Batten is currently one of the Blue Men in Chicago and was one of the staff members assessing the applicants. He says call-backs are "where it gets a little bit more meatier, more detailed."

Batten said call-backs give the Blue Man Group a chance to see an actor's personality, how they interact with others and if they can take direction.

"The greater goal is to create a transcending experience for people," Batten said.

An undetermined amount of people will be picked, but they will not necessarily be staying in Chicago. Once chosen, depending on their skill level, new members will have to learn the drumming for the show as well as the acting. Quay said this process can take months.

Members of the Blue Man Group are rarely known by their name, because they act as a group and are dressed exactly the same in black clothing and trademark blue makeup. That doesn't worry Plehal.

"I've never been the type of actor that prefers to be in the spotlight, the main character," he said. "I love being a supportive member of a group, being the side character, being in the ensemble."

The outcome of the audition process is still unclear for Plehal and Poulin. Plehal said he'll move anywhere and Poulin will relocate, too.

"Totally, totally," he said. "My lease ends at the end of September, so I'm ready."

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Online: http://www.blueman.com

Tom Cruise is widely known as the Golden Boy of Scientology, but now there's further proof that the "Mission Impossible" actor's ties to the church of Xenu go impossibly deep.

In an exclusive interview with Britain's Daily Mail, former Australian rugby league player Joe Reaiche opens up about his experience with the church of Scientology and why he left it in 2005 after being a member for 27 years. Among other things, he mentions the church's shining star, Cruise.

"Tom and David [Miscavige] are like twins -- they're like two peas in a pod," Reaiche tells the Mail of the actor and the leader of Scientology. "I think Tom he has turned a blind eye to issues with his church [sic]. And they have been very careful not to show him the dark side."

Says Reaiche, "I call Tom the Prince of Darkness -- he's got a warped view of Scientology."

Exactly one year ago this month, former Scientology member John Brousseau -- who was part of the church of Xenu for 32 years -- told the Village Voice similar things, albeit with a twist. "It isn't the same both ways. Miscavige would throw Tom Cruise under a bus in a minute," Brousseau said. "But Tom thinks Miscavige is the greatest person in the world. He worships him like a god. Miscavige would pretend that Tom was his best friend, but you could see it was horsesh*t. Tom couldn't see it."

Just last week, the controversial church made headlines for losing one of its high-profile celebrity members, "King of Queens" actress Leah Remini. According to various reports, Remini quit Scientology after she allegedly questioned Miscavige, the church's practices and the disappearance of Miscavige's wife, Shelly, who's not been seen in public since 2006.

In February, Miscavige's niece, Jenna Miscavige Hill, published a tell-all memoir about the church she so ferociously critiques and with which she broke ties in 2005. Titled "Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape," the book reveals that members of Scientology's core group Sea Org are increasingly discouraged from spending time with, or even having, families.

This might account for Reaiche's main complaint regarding the church in his Daily Mail interview: According to him, he's not seen or spoken to his children since he left the Church of Scientology. His only source of information on them is social media, he says, adding: "No religion has the right to ruin you and split up your family."

Head over to the Daily Mail to read the interview in its entirety.

These days, our knowledge of celebrities too often originates with paparazzi images and snarky quotes by anonymous "insiders." After a while, it's easy to forget that stars are real people. That's why HuffPost Celebrity decided to launch its all-new #nofilter quick-fire question-and-answer series. Because how well do you know someone until they've shared their guiltiest pleasures?

First off, I could tell what Rob Lowe's guilty pleasure was as soon as he answered my phone call. “I’m eating New York pizza as we talk," he candidly revealed, "so forgive me if I sound like a mush-mouth.” (Still, the "Parks and Recreation" star later confessed that he doesn't believe in guilty pleasures ... an opinion many people agree with).

The 49-year-old actor is teaming up with Dawn Saves Wildlife to produce a seven-webisode documentary series called "The Big Picture," which will give an inside look at how marine mammals are individually impacted by environmental hazards and human interaction. As an avid surfer and environmentalist, Lowe says marine wildlife "resonates very deeply" with him and holds a special place in his heart. Thus, he is working alongside Procter & Gamble’s Dawn dishwashing brand to shine a light on those volunteers who bravely save the lives of animals each day.

Lowe gave us some insight into his new project while revealing some intimate secrets about his personal life for HuffPost Celebrity's #nofilter series.

What made you want to work with Dawn Saves Wildlife?
I love the ocean, I’m in it all the time –- I surf every free day I have, I fish, you know, I’ve always been connected to the water and to the envirornment. And I was really impressed with their program -- that is now 40 years old -- of animal rescue. The partnerships are so strong with International Bird Rescue and the Marine Mammal Center. They’re just really leading the way in rescuing animals and it felt like a really good fit for somebody who cares about those things.

Obviously the environment is important to you. When did you become interested in environmental issues?
As a young actor, my first trip to NYC many many years ago, I was on Dick Clark’s “$10,000 Pyramid” game show and won the final round and I donated it to an animal rescue charity. I was 15 then, so I guess it’s been a part of my interests for a long long time.

And when did you first get into surfing?
I guess it’s been about five years now. I didn’t learn as a kid and I’m sort of glad because it’s so addicting and I could see myself in Malibu, where I was as a teenager, and saying, "Hey, surf’s up! I don’t need to go audition for that 'Outsiders' movie. That competition is tough, I won’t get it anyway." And that would not have been good.

What's the most exotic location you’ve ever surfed?
I’ve been lucky. I’ve surfed in Nicaragua, Panama, Indonesia, the north shore of Hawaii, in Mexico, so I think I’m probably going to go with some pretty remote islands in Indonesia.

Are you afraid of sharks or any other animals out there?
Well, there is a very notorious beach very close to where I surf called Surf Beach and two people have been killed over the past two years. Um, I don’t go to that beach. I’m aware of it, I’ve seen sharks in the water –- I’ve seen a great white while surfing. And it’s part of the ecosystem, you know, it’s their home. I also am an avid skier and an avid heli-skier and it’s like avalanches -– you try to be smart and you try to protect yourself. It’s part of what’s going to happen.

Would you ever direct a surfing movie/documentary or something like that?
I love documentaries, I’m obsessed with them. I spend all my time watching those documentaries exclusively on Apple TV, which is really my sole form of entertainment now when it comes to movies and television. I blow through the whole library of Apple’s documentaries in about two weeks' time. So, [making one] might be something fun. But I’m also such an inveterate writer and storyteller, I think manufacturing my own stories out of whole cloth is probably still where my focus would be, but I certainly admire a good doc. I think a good doc almost could be more transporting than any straight movie.

What’s the last song you downloaded?
The last song I downloaded was DJ Carnage, his new EDM mix and I can’t think what the title is.

What movie could you watch over and over?
Jeez, it’s a long list: “Shampoo,” “Goodfellas,” “Jerry Maguire,” “The Godfather,” “Apocalypse Now,” I can go on and on, on that one.

What's your guiltiest pleasure?
First of all I have a philosophy on guilty pleasures. I really don’t believe in them. I think the phrase "guilty pleasure" has done more to lower the bar of entertainment than anything that I can imagine. I think if it’s guilty, then there’s a good reason you’re feeling guilty. And it probably means you shouldn’t watch it. Like I’m not a “Sharkadoo,” “Sharknado,” whatever guy. I’m not into guilty pleasures and I’m not into hate-watching. Life is too short, watch good sh*t people, please for the love of all things holy.

What's the silliest thing you've ever lied about?
[After a long pause] Maybe my height on my driver’s license.

You lied about that?
Because it’s like, I’m 5-foot-11 and three-quarters, my favorite thing is that I won’t let myself be 5-foot-11 … I need that extra three-quarters. It’s like a little kid who goes I’m 6 and a half … just say 5-foot-11! There’s no shame in it, but I want that three-quarters really, really badly because it almost gets me to 6 feet, and let’s face it, that separates the men from the boys, as we all know.

So, did you write 6 feet on your driver’s license?
I may have. I can neither confirm nor deny.

If you were on a reality show, what would it be called?
It would be called, “Kill Me Now, I’m On a Reality Show.”

If you were on death row, what would your last meal be?
Oh, without a doubt, New York pepperoni pizza with mushrooms. Which means that I would have to commit my crime in New York City, clearly.

What shows are always on your DVR?
My DVR has “Football Night in America,” “The Newsroom,” “30 Rock,” “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men,” the usual suspects. Oh and “Workaholics,” so I have something to watch with my sons. And “Game of Thrones” is amazing and addicting and I totally appreciate it with a caveat that that genre is not really in my wheelhouse, but if it were to be, nobody does it better than the people who make that show. That show is incredible.

Head over to DawnSavesWildlife.com to check out "The Big Picture."

Ed Anser might be an award-winning actor, but his Los Angeles home is a modest place. It just happens to have a (relatively) big asking price.

According to Realtor.com, Asner has put his Studio City, California home on sale for $1.5 million. The 1954 home is small for a celebrity house -- it measures in at 2,780 square feet. And though it has beautiful exposed-beam ceilings, french doors, along with a pool and spa, the new owner will definitely have some updating to do. We hate to say this, Ed, but that wallpaper in the bathroom is so 1996 (the year he bought the house).

But hey, don't get us wrong -- we'd love to live here, especially after seeing that lush backyard. We just didn't think Lou Grant would love florals so much.

Click through our slideshow to see photos, and be sure to head over to Realtor.com for more information.

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Do you have a home story idea or tip? Email us at homesubmissions@huffingtonpost.com. (PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.)

Jennifer Aniston may have traded in her signature "Rachel" haircut in place of a longer, more modern 'do, but that doesn't mean she can't mix it up once in a while.

In fact, as an actress, Jen's provided with ample opportunity to do just that. We spotted the 44-year-old filming scenes for "Squirrels To The Nuts" in New York City yesterday looking quite different. Her usually sleek mane of hair was covered by a cropped wig (at least it appears to be one) with bangs.

Sound like a tricky look for the bride-to-be? Well, we think she pulled it off and looked adorable to boot. Check out the photos below and tell us: Should Jen consider making this her full-time look?

PHOTOS:

Ch-ch-changes:

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