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Richard Taite: Does Miley Cyrus' Latest Song Set a Bad Example?

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We get it, Miley Cyrus, you're all grown up now, with your avant-garde spiky platinum hair and barely-there clothes, but does that mean you have to glorify drug use in your lyrics for your new song "We Can't Stop"? A song about taking "molly," which is club-speak for ecstasy.

Our late teens and early twenties are a time when most all of us figure out who we are and what we like, and can involve experimentation with all sorts of items and activities, including alcohol and drugs for some. Here's my issue -- you are a highly paid star with a big audience of pre-teens and teenagers who are influenced by you. When you are in the spotlight with that gift of fame, you cannot be cavalier about partying and drug usage. What you do for yourself is private, though speaking as a father, I hope that you make only the best decisions for yourself, because life is fragile. But when you sing about fun times on drugs, you are publicly approving of drug use and experimentation to your young audience.

You feel invincible in your youth right now, but all you have to do is look around and read the headlines; you aren't a superhuman who can cheat drugs without consequences. Even if you aren't an addict, your do-what-I-please kind of perspective can cost other people their lives, people who watch your every move and want to be just like you.

The Disney Channel and the role of Hannah Montana made you a teen sensation, thrust into a national spotlight at an early age. You grew up in front of America with all your ups and downs being hot news items. You are now 20 years old and obviously figuring out who you are, but more importantly, what do you stand for?

Will you become the typical Hollywood child actor-gone-bad cliché, a caricature of what money and early fame does to someone not equipped to deal with any of it? You've already exhibited bad judgment in captured moments smoking Salvia in your underwear and touting your love of weed. Here's a rebellious thought -- with your great fortune, how about educating yourself at one of the world's finest schools? You can afford it, and an education is something you cannot lose, like your dignity, life and reputation.

Now you're proudly admitting that in the song "We Can't Stop" that your line "dancing with Miley" was really "dancing with Molly," a reference to the name given to MDMA, a club drug. You told the Daily Mail, "If you're aged ten [the lyric is] Miley. If you know what I'm talking about then you know. I just wanted it to be played on the radio and they've already had to edit it so much."

And if that wasn't clear enough, you said, "I don't think people have a hard time understanding that I've grown up. You can Google me and you know what I'm up to -- you know what the lyric is saying."

Partying when you're young is normal. I get it. You want to experiment and let loose and test the boundaries; but when you glamorize MDMA I have an issue. MDMA is a schedule 1 empathogenic drug. It is a popular stimulant at raves, all-night dance parties for those not in the know. It also can kill and has been linked to early dementia and memory loss. There have been instances where overdose has occurred (more often than you would think), with symptoms of high blood pressure, faintness, panic attacks, seizures and loss of consciousness. In rare cases, hyperthermia -- extreme high body temperature -- can happen, causing sometimes permanent damage to muscles and organs. "Molly" is not your friend.

So Miley, if you were my daughter, I would come down hard on you for casually endorsing the use of ecstasy with your young fan base. With an audience largely made up of 8- to 14-year-old girls who want to be you and live your life, you have a personal responsibility -- like it or not -- as a paid performer in the public eye, to be a role model to your fans. I don't want my daughter influenced by that type of garbage.

Let me be blunt -- you are too talented a girl to be involved in something like this. You can do better.

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Richard Taite is also co-author of the Amazon best-selling bookEnding Addiction for Good.


Steven Spielberg Drops Next Film

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Steven Spielberg is still searching for his follow-up to "Lincoln." According to Deadline.com, Spielberg has dropped plans to direct "American Sniper," an adaptation of Chris Kyle's autobiography of the same name. Bradley Cooper is still attached to star in the film, which the actor told HuffPost Entertainment had been set to shoot in February of 2014.

This is the second film Spielberg has dropped in 2013. In January, the director put an indefinite delay on "Robopocalyse," an action blockbuster that was set to star Chris Hemsworth and Anne Hathaway. Spielberg's reps cited script problems as the source of the delay. "The script is not ready, and it's too expensive to produce," Spielberg spokesman Marvin Levy said at the time. "It's back to the drawing board to see what is possible."

Per Deadline.com. Spielberg left "American Sniper" because of budget issues. He was first attached to the film in May.

"American Sniper" will focus on Kyle (Cooper), a decorated Navy SEAL who was called the "most lethal sniper in U.S. military history." Kyle's life was cut short when he was shot and killed by a Marine veteran on U.S. soil in February of 2013.

"It's really simple: I just want to get better and work with great directors," Cooper told HuffPost Entertainment about where he wants his career to go. "That's it. That's the formula for me. I'm like a sponge. I just take in as much information as possible. Todd Phillips, Joe Carnahan, Derek Cianfrance, David O. Russell: these are great directors that I've had a chance to sit side-by-side with and learn."

Unfortunately for Cooper, Spielberg won't be added to that list just yet.

For more, head to Deadline.com.

[via Deadline.com]

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post misstated Kyle's date of death.

Big 'Star Trek' Rumor Debunked

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With J.J. Abrams directing 2015's "Star Wars: Episode VII," it's likely that Paramount will need to find another filmmaker to sit in the captain's chair for a third "Star Trek" film -- at least if the studio's executives want the film out before the end of 2016.

According to the website Latino Review, Paramount could turn to Jon M. Chu, who directed "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" for the studio earlier this year. Chu's representatives, however, told HuffPost Entertainment that Chu has not been contacted about the project. (For its part, Latino Review didn't say that Chu was set in stone -- one source gave the site a no comment, while another called Chu "a contender.")

Collider.com editor-in-chief Steve Weintraub also cast some doubt on the idea that Chu was under consideration for the film:

Chu, of course, is busy himself already: Paramount hired him to direct another "G.I. Joe" film back in June.

Regardless of who winds up in charge of "Star Trek 3," one person it probably won't be is Abrams. "He was noncommittal about directing a third 'Star Trek,' except to say that Bad Robot would produce it," New York Times reporter Dave Itzkoff wrote in his piece on Abrams back in May. "He said it was unlikely that Paramount would wait another four years for such a film, in which case his 'Star Wars' schedule would likely conflict with it."

Abrams' "Star Wars" film is set for release in 2015; "Star Trek Into Darkness," which Abrams directed, has earned $450 million worldwide.

For more on the film, including some speculation about the plot, head to Latino Review.

[via Latino Review]

Is Taylor Swift Secretly Lurking On 4chan?

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The users of 4chan are sharp. So sharp in fact that they may have uncovered a celebrity lurking in their midst. The site that gave birth to countless memes and played home to the hacking group Anonymous delivers again. Maybe.

On Saturday, someone posted on Reddit an elaborate graphic which gives compelling evidence that Taylor Swift, the 23-year-old superstar, is a regular 4chan user. The image shows a series of posts and photos from 4chan's /b/ message board, an uncensored forum where users post anonymously, making the stitching together of this case all the more impressive.

taylor swift 4chan conspiracy

Exhibit A
A user invites the board to ask him/her questions, claiming they are "one of the 50 most famous people on the planet." After prodding, the user says they are famous for being an "entertainer."

Exhibit B
Similarities in photo backgrounds. One photo with a girl confirmed as Swift from a video she posted previously, and a second photo cut off at the eyes of an unidentified girl with a striking resemblance to the pop singer.

Exhibit C
A user posts "Sup /b/? Nothing quite like a freezing cold, wintery beach." That very same day, Swift posts this on Twitter:

Exhibit D
Perhaps the most compelling evidence: someone logs into /b/ and asks users to name his/her new kitten. The name Meredith is chosen. And boom, news breaks that Swift has just acquired a new kitten and its name is... wait for it... wait for it... MEREDITH.

Is this really Taylor Swift or just some user's very elaborate hoax? Each piece of evidence on its own does not prove anything necessarily, but when factored in all together, it makes a very interesting case. And since the theory arose, it has led to other questions about Swift's activity on the forum.

When a radio station sponsored a contest called "Taylor Swift's Biggest Fan!" in which one lucky fan would get to meet Swift in person, 4chan users united to sway the vote in the favor of a 39-year-old man named Charles Z. The man came in first in the voting, and the contest was cancelled after organizers declared the voting had been somehow compromised.

Did Swift know about this 4chan campaign ahead of time? Feeding the conspiracy theory, top voted Reddit commenter MistahNiceGuy aks, "What if she was the one behind #voteforcharles so she didn't have to meet another annoying screaming pre-teen[?]"

No, no, this is conspiracy theory 101, you have to think bigger and crazier. What if our world is just one big Taylor Swift performance piece for the universe and we're all extras?

Request for comment made to Swift's rep have not been returned at this time.

Could Maks Be Back Already?

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After Maksim Chmerkovskiy's high-profile exit from ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," we figured the dancer would be gone for good, but that may not be the case.

According to Access Hollywood, ABC president Paul Lee told reporters at the Television Critics Association summer press tour that “Maks is part of the family. He may well be back" this fall. “We love having him a part of it," Lee added.

Chmerkovskiy made his exit sound fairly final as far back as September 2012. "What else do I have to do there after 15 seasons? It makes total sense," he told the New York Post. "The audience can't expect for me to want to stick around, and the producers can't expect for me to want to stick around."

Other pros who didn't appear in Season 16 included Anna Trebunskaya, Chelsie Hightower and Louis van Amstel, although a rep for the show downplayed their absences (and Chmerkovskiy's) in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: "We frequently rotate the professional dancers, so it is not unusual for them to rest a cycle. As we consider who will be matched up each season, there are a lot of factors that dictate which couples make the best pairings. We appreciate each of our dancers' dedication to the show, so this is a very difficult decision. Anna, Chelsie, Louis and Maks continue to be a part of the 'Dancing With the Stars' family."

Another departed "Dancing" pro, Derek Hough, told Access Hollywood that he'd definitely be back this season. “Yes ... And the format’s changing. We’ve got one show a week now, but I think it’ll make a better show, more jam packed. And so I’m excited about it.”

"Dancing with the Stars" Season 17 premieres Monday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Cheyenne Jackson Opens Up About Divorce

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Actor Cheyenne Jackson stopped by SiriusXM's "The Frank DeCaro Show" late last week and opened up about his divorce from husband Monte Lapka.

Jackson, who is known for his guest starring roles on "30 Rock" and "Glee" as well as his work on Broadway, spoke highly of his ex, telling DeCaro that Lapka is "a wonderful man." He also revealed that he's sad about the split.

"Yeah, it is a sad thing. It's a sad thing anytime a relationship ends," he said. "We had a good long run, almost 13 years."

The actor also set the record straight about reports that he has gone off the deep end post-split by growing a mustache and getting a tattoo.

"I do have a mustache, but it's for the new Ira Sachs movie [Love is Strange] with Alfred Molina and Marissa Tomei and John Lithgow, so that's what that's for," he said. "I do have a new tattoo, and it's personal. I'm happy to tell now because it's out there, but you know, it's for my dad."

Jackson and Lapka married in 2011 after gay marriage was legalized in New York.

Jackson isn't the first "Glee" actor to go through a divorce. Jane Lynch announced her split from wife Lara Embry in July 2013, and Jessalyn Gilsig, who plays Will Schuster's ex-wife on the Fox hit, announced her divorce in October 2010.

Listen to the audio clip above to hear more from Jackson, the click through the slideshow below to see which celebrity divorces our readers took the hardest.

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

Charlie Sheen's New Leading Lady

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Charlie Sheen has found his new leading lady.

Tony-nominated actress Laura Bell Bundy has joined the "Anger Management" cast as a new series regular.

The "Legally Blonde: The Musical" star will play Charlie's (Sheen) new sex study research partner, Dr. Jordan Denby, on the FX comedy. In a statement, the cabler describes Bundy's "Anger Management" character as "a brilliant psychologist whose recent divorce, fondness for alcohol and wild mood swings turn Charlie's life into an emotional roller coaster."

The singer-actress replaces Selma Blair, who was abruptly dismissed from "Anger Management" in June via text message after a reported disagreement with Sheen.

After her exit, producers were seeking a "gorgeous, sexy Latina or Caucasian actress in her 30s or 40s" to play a fellow psychiatrist to join the sex study research that Charlie and Blair's character Kate were working on before she left the series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new character was described with the following: "If Charlie and Kate were like Sam and Diane on 'Cheers,' then you are Rebecca. Tough, career driven, neurotic and you wear your heart on your sleeve. And you hate yourself for eventually becoming attracted to Charlie."

Do you think Laura Bell Bundy will be a good addition to "Anger Management"? Sound off in the comments!

"Anger Management" airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on FX.

Great News For 'Mission: Impossible' Fans

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Christopher McQuarrie has accepted his mission to direct "Mission: Impossible 5" for Tom Cruise and Paramount. McQuarrie, who directed Cruise in "Jack Reacher" for the studio, was rumored as the front-runner for the "Mission: Impossible" gig since tweeting about the project in February.

"I am thrilled to reunite with Chris for the latest installment in the 'Mission' series," Cruise said in a press release announcing the move. "I began producing the films with the goal that a different director with his own vision would make each one. Chris is an extraordinary filmmaker who will deliver the heart-pounding action and thrills that audiences around the world have come to expect from the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise."

Brad Bird directed "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," the last film in the popular series. Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton and Simon Pegg all co-starred opposite Cruise in the worldwide smash hit, which earned $694 million around the globe.

Drew Pearce, who wrote the script for "Iron Man 3," will handle screenwriting duties for "Mission: Impossible 5." (McQuarrie himself is a gifted screenwriter, having won an Oscar for writing "The Usual Suspects.")

No release date has been set yet for "Mission: Impossible 5."


CANCELED

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Starz's "Magic City" has been canceled, the network confirmed Monday. The August 9 Season 2 finale will now serve as the series finale.

Created by Mitch Glazer, "Magic City" starred Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Ike Evans, the owner of the glamorous Miramar Playa hotel in Miami. Set against the political backdrop of 1959, with Fidel Castro taking control of Cuba, the show explored a web of mobsters, law enforcement officials and hotel staff through the lens of the Evans family.

“'Magic City’ will be concluding its two-season run on Starz with Friday's series finale. We are tremendously proud of the series and everyone involved,” Starz said in a statement. “From the writers, to the cast and crew, it has been an incredible collaboration. This was a story born from Mitch Glazer’s singular vision of Miami, the Magic City of his childhood, and we are grateful to him for bringing it to life on Starz. The season’s story arc will allow us to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the series, and we thank all the fans who checked in to the Miramar Playa.”

Although the show boasted a high-profile guest turn by James Caan in Season 2 and earned Danny Huston a Golden Globe nomination for his turn as the villainous Ben Diamond in Season 1, it failed to catch on with viewers or critics.

Will you miss "Magic City"?

Rachel Bilson Goes Back To Her 'O.C.' Roots

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Rachel Bilson revisited her "O.C." roots on Monday in honor of the Fox teen soap's 10th anniversary.

In the "O.C." pilot, which aired on August 5, 2003, Bilson's superficial character Summer Roberts only had a few lines, the show's creator Josh Schwartz recently recalled in an interview with The Huffington Post. "One of which was, 'I gotta pee,'" he added. But, luckily for Bilson, it was Summer's other brief line of dialogue that eventually became her catchphrase.

Though Summer was quick to hit on Newport Beach newcomer Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie), when she found out he was from Chino in San Bernardino County -- a city that couldn't hold a candle to the Abercrombie-looking clan in Orange County -- she only had two words for him.

Credit: The OC All The Way on Tumblr


"Ew" became a Summer staple and Bilson -- who currently stars on The CW series "Hart of Dixie," which is produced by Schwartz -- recreated the iconic line in a video, which Schwartz posted on YouTube (above) and shared via Twitter.

Enjoy Bilson revisiting Summer above and relive some of Summer's best "ew's" below.

'AHS' Premiere Date Revealed?!

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Production on "American Horror Story: Coven" is fully under way in New Orleans and though we've already seen Jessica Lange, Gabourey Sidibe, Taissa Farmiga, Emma Roberts and Jamie Brewer on set, two more "American Horror Story" alumni have popped up on the set.

Check out Denis O' Hare, who was nominated for an Emmy for his performance as Larry Harvey in Season 1 of "American Horror Story," and Lily Rabe, who played Season 1's Nora Montgomery and the devilish Sister Mary Eunice in Season 2, "Asylum," in costume below.

"American Horror Story" co-creator Ryan Murphy and the show's stars have been notoriously tight-lipped about the upcoming third season, subtitled "Coven." But at the Television Critics Association Summer 2013 press tour last week, Lange, returning "Horror Story" co-star Sarah Paulson and newcomers Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett gathered to give some "Coven" scoop.

Paulson announced she'll be playing Cordelia, the daughter of Lange's character Fiona, who's a witch. Executive producer Tim Minear noted that not all of the "American Horror Story: Coven" characters will be witches, despite the title.

"All these women are playing very iconic, very strong female characters," he added. Bassett revealed she joins the show as New Orleans' 1800s Voodoo queen Marie Laveau, while Bates will play, as rumored, 1830s New Orleans socialite and serial killer Madame LaLaurie.

Minear added that unlike "American Horror Story's" psychologically disturbing "Asylum" season, the third season will be a bit more comedic. "The fun quotient is higher this year ... There is a lot of humor and we're embracing a kind of velocity and fun with the series ... I feel that it might be a little more welcoming to an audience," he said, adding, "Some of the bigger themes this year are oppression of minorities of all kinds, and within that idea, minority groups going after each other and doing the work of the larger culture ... While there is a strong feminist theme that runs throughout 'Coven,' there are themes of race and themes of oppression, and themes of family -- especially mothers and daughters."

Though no premiere date has been set, SpoilerTV reports that "American Horror Story: Coven" premieres on October 9 with "Bitchcraft." According to the site, "Coven's" second episode is titled "Boy Parts" and Episode 3 is called "The Replacement."

Check out O'Hare and Rabe on the set of "American Horror Story: Coven" below.

"American Horror Story: Coven" premieres in October on FX.

Who Did Desireee End Up With?

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"The Bachelorette" fans went into the finale with a lot of questions and Desiree Hartsock could've been the first "Bachelorette" to end up alone, but in the end, she accepted Chris' proposal.

"You make me want to be a good person and I want to spend the rest of my life with you," Chris told Desiree, before he started to get down on one knee. But she stopped him, knowing she needed to tell him about her feelings for Brooks, who decided to remove himself from the competition in the penultimate episode, realizing Desiree wasn't the one for him.

"I was torn apart by Brooks leaving. I loved him and throughout the journey, I was torn between the two of you ... I feel like I was so blindsided by my feelings for Brooks that I couldn't see that the one thing I always needed was right in front me," Des told Chris. "You have been by my side from the very beginning. You never lost sight of what we could be."

Then, she said the three words Chris wanted to hear. "Chris, I love you. I love you so much." It was exactly what he needed to finally get down on one knee and asked Des to be his wife. "Yes, a thousand times yes," she said. "I want to grow old and gray."

Afterwards, Chris said Desiree stopping him before he could propose was "terrible," but the two were all smiles in the end of "The Bachelorette" finale, holding their champagne glasses as the sun set in Antigua.

Back in Los Angeles, months later, Desiree said she was happy the truth was finally out there during the "After the Rose" ceremony. But, she was nervous -- after all, this would be the first time she would see Brooks since he broke her heart and Drew since she broke his.

Brooks and Desiree's interaction was slightly awkward with Des telling him, "Things were really good" in the wake of his departure. But the two were able to get through the interview and Brooks said he wasn't surprised that Desiree and Chris wound up together, noting he saw the way she looked at Chris.

The hardest part, Desiree said, was seeing Drew, who still seemed hurt by how things ended with Desiree. "It's a flood of emotions. It really brings everything right back," Drew said of seeing Des again. "It was a long recovery process and it's still happening."

He said he was pretty blindsided by the breakup, saying, "I definitely wasn't expecting that ... I hadn't seen any precursors that would lead to heartbreak." But, Drew explained, "I don't have any resentments or regrets or anything ... I have so much to be thankful for. Desiree, you're an amazing person and Chris is a lucky guy ... It's not the ending that I wanted, but I can smile knowing that you got what you were looking for."

Finally, Des was reunited with her fiance Chris. The couple couldn't have looked more in love, particularly when they watched their engagement together for the first time.

What did you think of "The Bachelorette" finale? Did Desiree make the right decision? Do you think Des and Chris will last? Sound off in the comments!

Meet Your New 'Bachelor'

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Juan Pablo Galavis is the new "Bachelor."

The Venezuelan former professional soccer player and single dad will be "The Bachelor" for Season 18.

Juan Pablo didn’t get much camera time during Season 9 of "The Bachelorette" and was eliminated in Episode 6, but he worked with the time he got and won the fans over. His four-year-old daughter Camilla is hoping "The Bachelor" leads to some siblings for her.

Juan Pablo is the first non-Caucasian "Bachelor" the ABC reality show has had in its 11-year history.

While most seasons of "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette" indicate an obvious choice for the next season, Desiree's journey shook that mold. The former "Bachelor" contestant was a surprising pick for Season 9 of "The Bachelorette" since the gig usually goes to the runner-up. But she was such a fan favorite that she won the role. And in her season of "The Bachelorette," frontrunner Brooks broke Desiree's heart in the penultimate episode, then Desiree sent Drew home, realizing she didn't have true feelings for him. Of course, it could've been either one of them or Jef Holm, who was engaged to "Bachelorette" Emily Maynard last year.

"Bachelorette" host Chris Harrison told ABC News it was unlikely that Brooks would be the next "Bachelor." "He obviously has trouble committing and although he was sincere in coming on the show, he definitely has trouble expressing himself and letting himself be vulnerable when push comes to shove," Harrison said. "The reason the last two seasons have been so good is that Sean [Lowe] and Des did that really well. I don't know if Brooks has it in him to be so open."

Do you think Juan Pablo will be a good "Bachelor"? Do you wish someone else was chosen for Season 18? Sound off in the comments!

Juan Pablo's "Bachelor" stint kicks off in January 2014.

Heather Wagner: Vicki Puts Slade In His Place And The Ladies Hug It Out

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Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen Season 8, Episode 18 of Bravo's "Real Housewives of Orange County," titled "Cold Shoulders."

"In my beginning is my end. In succession

Houses rise and fall, crumble, are extended,

Are removed, destroyed, restored, or in their place

Is an open field, or a factory, or a by-pass.

Old stone to new building, old timber to new fires,

Old fires to ashes, and ashes to the earth"

-- T.S. Eliot, "Four Quartets" Part II: East Coker.

How's it going, you guys? Can you believe we're here, at the "Real Housewives of Orange County" season finale? I thought I'd trot out a bit of pleasantly morbid postmodern poetry to help us delve a little deeper into what we've been through this season -- what we've learned, how we've grown, and what it says about us -- a nation of viewers watching those desperate to be viewed.

Let's move on from my senior year thesis and get down to business.

Vicki's lazily themed Winter Wonderland party is in full, seasonally perplexing swing: stuffed penguins on artificial ice floes, cobalt blue Christmas trees, manufactured snow, and other weird trimmings that could only be conjured by a party planner on too much Adderall and Bud Light Platinum.

The women are lounging in a chilled grotto, gossiping intensely about Gretchen and Slade, who finally arrive, unfashionably late. Slade immediately tells Lydia that her dress looks straight outta "Dancing with the Stars." She correctly identifies this as a backhanded compliment and deems him a "Douche-lord" in her interview. Point, Lydia!

Vicki's soon-to-be-deployed U.S. Marine son-in-law Ryan explains that he has "dirt" on her sketchy beau Brooks, and declares that he's not allowed on the property: "At the end of the day, Brooks is not who he says he is." Yes. We know.

Hold on -- did Gretchen just casually interview that Vicki "banged twelve guys" while she was married to Donn?

OK, recovering from this creepily fascinating but unilaterally gross non-sequitur. Lydia's awesome stoner mom Judy arrives at the party, and Vicki marvels at how great she looks at 64 (true!) and immediately gets her a cocktail. While in a past post, I attempted to conjure my own Vicki-related beverage, apparently one exists already, the "Screaming Vicki": vodka and orange juice. Not the most technically advanced cocktail, but whatever.

The term "sugar nipples" is used several times, due, I suppose, to the manufactured wintery chill of the party and inadequate bra choices by all.

Despite this cast-wide sartorial glitch, Gretchen and Heather have a sit-down, as Gretchen confronts her brunette adversary about belittling her tentative role on "Malibu Country." Gretchen accuses Heather of throwing her under the bus in front of "industry people."

They argue. Heather says she's always been a supporter of all the women, and Gretchen sadly, but accurately, admits "None of us are in-demand actresses." In a typically transcendent malapropism, Gretchen then states that Heather should stop "Tooting her high horn" about her acting chops.

Heather counters that Gretchen was rudely late to her pilot taping, she texted the whole time, and genuinely seemed distracted and not supportive. Meanwhile, their significant others look around blindly and mention a joint trip to the men's room. Hm.

Gretchen finally serves up the classic non-apology: "I'm sorry that you feel bad."

They both give up, and hug.

In another province of Winter Wonderland, Vicki tells Tamra she's sorry for everything and she wants to formally ask her to be her "best friend." She gives Tamra a very glittery friendship bracelet.

Tamra then interviews, "I don't want another friendship bracelet. I could use a pair of shoes." Heh.

Near a decomposing ice sculpture, Alexis bleats out that everyone needs to look out for Vicki. Then, the mysteriously silent Jim Bellino pipes up, swiftly shushing his wife, announcing that he has "fifteen adult years on her," and that he shall "allow her to learn things the hard way." Much like disciplining one's off-leash golden retriever, I guess.

Tamra then apologizes to the suddenly recalcitrant Bellinos, telling Jim that he's a "tough nut to crack" and, woah, the Bellinos both start to cry. At which point Jim says that Tamra hast made him ruin his "thousand-dollar scarf."

"Did he really just price out a scarf?" Tamra interviews. Amen.

Meanwhile Lydia's mom Judy is in the kitchen throwing her "fairy dust" around.

Now, readers, things get really weird: We hear audio of Vicki's marine son-in-law Ryan threatening Lydia's mom, as the rest of the party continues. We can't see what's happening but the Bravo mics pick up Ryan admonishing the lovably loopy Judy for taking her shoes off and putting her feet up on the couch.

"I don't care who you are," Ryan says. "At the end of the day, don't disrespect someone's couch."

Couch disrespect! That is serious.

"I'm going to kick her ass out," Ryan fumes. He seems to have a surfeit of hostility here. Is this misplaced territorial Brooks-aggression, aimed towards a harmlessly stoned 64 year old woman in a faux white mink stole, or is it perhaps a byproduct of military training, and, oh, I don't know, stress due to his pending deployment to Afghanistan? At any rate it's disconcerting.

"My mom is the sweetest woman in the world," Lydia says, confused. "Did she 'fairy dust' the wrong person?" Apparently.

Briana calmly tries to talk Ryan down. He pleads his case: "At the end of the day," (God, not again) "You shouldn't disrespect people. It was a nice party until an entitled bitch gets in my face."

Vicki has had it. Ryan takes a time-out, and she and Briana discuss their living situation. Vicki explains that she misses Brooks, and, "at the end of the day" (GAHHH), she misses him, and wants to date him again.

Briana says she doesn't want to be around Brooks, full-stop. Vicki wells up, her heavily lined eyes inching towards smudgy panda tears.

Whew. Suddenly we're with Tamra and Gretchen. Tamra says she gets over small disputes quickly and easily and just wants to move on. They discuss the "Malibu Country" discrepancy and how Gretchen used "turning down" a non-existent role to go wedding dress shopping as a form of manipulation to gain Tamra's loyalty. Tamra feels manipulated. All Tamra wants is honesty and she feels as though she has been lied to, and that their trust is broken. But, they hug it out anyway.

Heather assesses that Gretchen will never take responsibilities for her actions and, dear readers, that seems pretty right-on.

Vicki's drunk brother flirts with some rando blonde and Vicki finally wants to confront Slade. Oh Lord ...

"You've been making fun of me, and my looks ... I'm proud of who I am, I'm not Miss Piggy or Miss Tupperware. When you make fun of a woman's looks, it's disrespectful," Vicki says, increasingly shrill, but absolutely in the right.

"At the end of the day," Slade says (nooo!)

But Vicki thankfully cuts him off. "I'm happy about myself, and I'm going to give you the first bottle of Vicki's Bacon Vodka, in honor of you."

"Maybe we could have a 'Deadbeat Dad' vodka," Gretchen mutters, sarcasm dropping like a cubic zirconia necklace in a Newport nightclub bathroom.

"Be careful of your tongue, when you're talking about someone's looks," Vicki says.

Lydia then jumps in, with a hearty, "B.S., screw you, you were whispering to Gretchen that I needed a cheeseburger!"

Now everyone is piling on Slade.

"He's a piece of s--t," Vicki says. "Don't you get it? Three years ago he wasn't paying child support," she screams.

"You're talking out of your ass," Lydia concurs. "Your words affect women."

"I can't stand him - I think he's disgusting as a man!" (quote attributed to nobody as I have lost track.)

Suddenly, all the girls comfort Vicki. Who finally admits it's not about Slade and that she still loves Brooks.

AND SCENE.

This finale was drama-fueled yet ultimately left more questions than answers. Bravo's producers did their perfunctory post-show on-screen "where are they now?" quips, my apologies for my truncated transcription:

"Soon after the party, Brooks and Vicki broke up -- then got back together -- now, 'It's complicated.' Ryan is serving in Afghanistan. Briana and the baby are doing just fine."

"Heather and Terry are happy together -- she did not resume her role on 'Malibu Country,' as it was cancelled, but she has a new role: head decorator of their new home."

"Alexis is still pursuing her acting career."

"CUT Fitness is open for business and making money, but Tamra promises she won't spend it all on their wedding."

"Lydia and her mother Judy are as close as ever -- and she's allowed to put her feet up wherever."

"Slade's radio station was bought by a Christian broadcasting network, and his show was cancelled."

As an outro, our most articulate housewife, Heather, sums it all up: "It's been mercurial, it's been exciting at times ... but it's all part of the journey."

Well my friends, lest you think this was the end, keep in mind we have REUINION SHOWS to come, which I will heartily and happily chronicle for your amusement. Thank you for reading. It has been a privilege and an odd sort of honor to delve into the shallow ends of these shallow pools. Stay tuned!

WATCH: This Manning Brothers Rap Is Genius

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The Manning brothers are making jaws dropthis week with a rap -- and groovy hairdos -- to remember, starring in a new DirecTV ad promoting the company's "NFL Sunday Ticket" package.

The video, entitled "Football on your Phone," is quite the family affair as NFL brothers Eli and Peyton Manning -- who swagger, sing and fondle a golden football in the clip -- are joined by their dad Archie on screen.

As might be expected, the Mannings' attempt at rap stardom has already gone viral, spawning one too many GIFs and almost immediately earning the (informal) title of one of the "greatest commercials featuring athletes" of all time.

What do you think of the Mannings' new ad? Tell us below.


Will 'The Carrie Diaries' Finally Get Its Stanford Blatch?

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Has "The Carrie Diaries" found its Stanford Blatch?

Not yet, but it looks like Carrie Bradshaw's (AnnaSophia Robb) BFF could be making an appearance in the CW series' second season.

"The Carrie Diaries" creator Amy B. Harris says Stanford is on his way.

"We teased Stanford at the end of the year [and] we decided to explain his not-coming-in [to the show] right off the bat because we really wanted Samantha's entrance to be her own," Harris told The Hollywood Reporter of Samantha Jones, who will be played by Lindsay Gort in Season 2. "But I think he could very well come in this season."

Last month, the CW series added Kim Cattrall lookalike Gort to play the older, more sophisticated New Yorker to Robb's aspiring New Yorker (but really, Connecticut commuter) Carrie Bradshaw.

According to "Carrie Diaries" producers, Carrie will meet Samantha through a "surprising connection" and the young Samantha Jones is described as "a ballsy, beautiful and sexy young woman from the panhandle of Florida who has made her way -- and already a name for herself -- in the rock ’n’ roll scene of 1980s NYC."

"The Carrie Diaries" returns for Season 2 on Friday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.

Trump's $200 Million Move In Washington

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WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump's real estate company has completed a $200 million deal on a 60-year lease agreement on the Old Post Office building in Washington.

The General Services Administration says the deal with the Trump Organization was signed Monday night after a Congressional review period finished.

The agreement calls for the 114-year-old federal building, at the corner of 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, to be converted into a mixed-use development including restaurants, a spa, conference space and a luxury hotel. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2016.

The Trump Organization will also pay a base monthly rent of $250,000, which escalates at Consumer Price Index. The GSA says the deal will save taxpayers millions of dollars.

Tate Donovan Slams 'O.C.' Cast

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This week has been filled with great memories of "The O.C." as the cast and creator celebrated the 10th anniversary of the teen soap's pilot.

But Tate Donovan -- who played Jimmy Cooper on "The O.C." for three years -- has soured the nostalgia fun a bit. In an interview with Vulture, the actor opened up about the difficulty of working with the kids of the Newport Beach.

"By the time I started to direct, the kids on the show had developed a really bad attitude," Donovan told Vulture. "They just didn’t want to be doing the show anymore. It was pretty tough; they were very tough to work with. The adults were all fantastic, total pros ... But you know how it is with young actors -- and I know because I was one of them once. When you achieve a certain amount of success, you want to be doing something else. I mean, one of them turned to me and said, 'This show is ruining my film career,' and he had never done a film before. You just can’t help but sort of think that your life and your career are going to go straight up, up, up. So they were very difficult."

This isn't the first time Donovan has spoken publicly about the young actors from the Fox series, which included Benjamin McKenzie, Mischa Barton, Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson.

"They all started out great ... Then, all of them, they just fell apart," he told Andy Cohen on "Watch What Happens Live." "When you first get fame, you're so insecure that you just become a ding dong."

When Brody sat down with Cohen on "WWHL" a few months later, the host played the clip for him. But all Brody did was laugh while watching Donovan bash the "O.C." cast, calling it "silly." Check it out below.

D'Angelo Hospitalized

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As the world continues to wait for the release of D’Angelo’s long-awaited follow-up to 2000's "Voodoo," the singer’s health has taken center stage on his current national tour.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the Grammy Award-winner has canceled his upcoming August 7 show at the city’s House of Blues, in addition to a show dates this week in Minneapolis (August 6) and in San Diego (August 10) “due to a medical emergency.”

A House of Blues executive who spoke to the singer’s agent told the site that his condition is “serious, but he should be OK.”

The news follows the cancellation of two additional dates last week in New York, and Maryland’s Merriweather Post Pavilion.

According to the Pavilion’s Facebook page, the singer was hospitalized on Saturday and replaced on the bill by singer Raheem DeVaughn.

Last year the reclusive crooner made his return to the stage, performing at a number of events including Essence Music Fest, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Made In America Festival and the BET Awards, to name a few.

'Low Winter Sun' Paints A Dark Portrait Of Detroit

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NEW YORK — You don't need a TV drama to tell you these are dark days for Detroit.

But a once-great city's headline status facing bankruptcy serves as poignant timing for the debut of "Low Winter Sun," a gritty cop show whose Motor City setting gives this unforgiving saga even greater urgency.

"Low Winter Sun" premieres on AMC Sunday at 10 p.m. EDT right after the midseason premiere of "Breaking Bad," adding up to quite a drama-series twofer. Like its companion show, but in its own way, "Low Winter Sun" is not a series for the faint of heart.

Of course, piling on Detroit is not the point of the series, nor is this locale even essential to its story (the series is adapted from a British miniseries that was set in Edinburgh, Scotland). But Detroit at this moment proves an all-too-apt backdrop, an even-more-accommodating setting than even the show's creative team might have planned.

For starters, the police and all they survey in their bleak precinct are in desperate straits, even down to the paint flecking off the station house's walls.

And then: The show's presumed hero, homicide Detective Frank Agnew, participates in a terrible act – he executes a fellow cop – that promises to keep him in a desperate state for the season to come.

On some level, it's a justifiable act: Detective Brendan McCann is corrupt, depraved and a menace to his fellow officers and the citizens alike.

So McCann's fed-up partner, Joe Geddes, conspires with Agnew (who nurses a particularly personal urge for payback) to drown him in a kitchen sink, then fake his suicide at the wheel of his car plunged into the Detroit River.

Despite their best efforts, this won't be the perfect crime they meant to engineer. Suspicions of foul play are immediately raised. An investigation is launched.

Haunted by his deed and his possible exposure, Agnew is powerfully played by Mark Strong, the British actor who originated this role for the British series and whose credits also include such films as "Body of Lies," "Syriana," "Sherlock Holmes" and "Green Lantern."

Bald and wiry and taciturn, he is first glimpsed with tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I'm not a bad person," he tells Geddes as the moment nears for them to carry out their plan.

"No," says Geddes, "but (McCann) is. The man's a disease."

There seems little doubt of that. But Geddes (played by Lennie James, whose TV credits include "The Walking Dead," "Hung" and "Jericho") just may be as compromised as the cop he helps kill, and may have set up Agnew as his partner in crime.

On their tail is Detective Simon Boyd, a chillingly composed and dogged member of Internal Affairs. He is played by the excellent David Costabile, whose diverse TV roles have included a murderous detective on "Damages," a beleaguered newspaper editor on "The Wire," and a prissy crystal-meth chemist on "Breaking Bad."

The unsolved murder of a cop – even a bad cop – sends the department into spasms. But the internal trauma (and Agnew's subterfuge to hide his involvement) aren't the only aftershocks of the killing.

McCann's disappearance also hastens a scheme by crime lord Damon Callis (James Ransone) to overthrow the city's reigning mob boss. Thus does crime beget crime, played against the bleak backdrop of a city in distress.

Executive-produced by Chris Mundy (whose writing and producing credits include "Cold Case," "Criminal Minds" and "Hell on Wheels"), "Low Winter Sun" offers up few answers to the problems it showcases. It is not a series that preaches right and wrong.

No wonder. As Geddes tells Agnew, morality isn't black or white or even shades of gray.

"You know what it really is?" he seethes. "It's a damn strobe, flashing back and forth all the time."

So "Low Winter Sun" leaves the viewer to identify with Agnew, and root for him, a flawed good man pushed to extremes who does a dastardly thing for all-too-understandable reasons. Along the way, the audience is welcome to grieve for the city where Agnew is trying to find justice.

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Online:

www.amctv.com

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EDITOR'S NOTE – Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier

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