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Ian Watkins, Lostprophets Singer, Pleads Guilty To Attempted Rape Of Baby, Muliple Child Sex Offenses

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The lead singer of the rock band Lostprophets has pleaded guilty to multiple child sex offenses, including the attempted rape of a baby boy.

Ian Watkins pleaded guilty to the "depraved" sex charges in Cardiff Crown Court in Wales on Tuesday, Nov. 26, the BBC reported. He admitted to the attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13 years old, "three counts of sexual assault involving children and six involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal."

Alongside Watkins, two female co-defendants pleaded guilty to various sex offenses against their own children, Wales Online reported. He admitted to two counts of attempting to rape the 11-month-old son of one of the co-defendants.

"Ian Watkins was the lead singer of a successful band, The Lostprophets," prosecutor Christopher Clee said, per Wales Online. "He also, by virtue of his plea, accepts he is a determined and committed pedophile. He has engaged in serious sexual offenses against two babies belonging to the female defendants in this case. Not only has he done so but he recorded and kept episodes of this abuse which were recovered by the police."

Clee said drugs played a "significant part in his offending against children," the BBC noted.

"This investigation has uncovered the most shocking and harrowing child abuse evidence I have ever seen," DCI Peter Doyle, with the South Wales Police, told reporters outside the court. "There is no doubt in my mind that Ian Watkins exploited his celebrity status in order to abuse young children."

The 36-year-old singer previously denied the 24 charges against him, according to the U.K.'s Daily Star. His trial was slated to drag out for three weeks. He and the two women faced a total of 32 charges.

Lostprophets formed in 1997 and went on to sell 3.5 million albums over the group's 15-year career. Watkins was charged with the child sex offenses almost a year ago. In October, the group disbanded.

"After nearly a year of coming to terms with our heartache, we finally feel ready to announce publicly what we have thought privately for some time," the band said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. "We can no longer continue making or performing music as Lostprophets."

Watkins and the two female offenders remain in custody and will be sentenced in December, according to the Daily Mail.

Olivia Wise, Toronto Teen Who Sang Katy Perry's 'Roar,' Has Died of Brain Cancer

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Earlier this fall, Toronto teen Olivia Wise posted a video on YouTube of her singing Katy Perry's morale-boosting anthem "Roar." But this was not just one of the hundreds of thousands of such pop song covers that populate YouTube. Wise, still only 16, was battling brain cancer. She has now lost that battle.

Recorded in September and posted on Oct. 14, the video of Wise in a recording studio performing quickly went viral and has now passed 1.1 million views. "She couldn't walk or stand, she didn't have her full breath or the energy she used to, and she was managing her new pains and new limitations," the YouTube description said. "While her physical condition was rapidly fading, her spirit remained untouched."

As her rendition went around the world, it even attracting the attention of Perry herself, who recorded a response video to the young Canadian.

"Hey Olivia, it's Katy Perry here," she said. "I just wanted to reach back out to you and tell you that I saw your video and I was very moved and you sounded great. For being in the studio and making your wish to record that song, I thought that was really cool. I love you and a lot of people love you and that's why your video got to me and everybody that saw it. So I just wanted to send you some love and some light and tell you that I'm thinking about you. Thank you so much, keep roaring."

But it was not to be. On Monday afternoon, Wise died. Family member Jeff Kassel emailed the Toronto Sun to tell them say she had passed away, and that "she died peacefully in her home surrounded by the love of her family."

Upon hearing the news, Perry tweeted her condolences.



Olivia's version of "Roar" is also for sale on iTunes to raise money for the Liv Wise Fund, which is supporting children living with brain tumors by funding brain tumor research through the Paediatric Oncology Group of Ontario and Palliative Advanced Care Team at Sick Kids Hospital.

As of publication, the fund had raised over $108,000 of its $150,000 goal.

Brian's Death On 'Family Guy' Causes Fan Uproar

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Brian's death on the Sunday, Nov. 24 episode of "Family Guy" has caused quite a stir on the Internet.

Shortly after the episode, a Change.org petition went up asking Fox and Seth MacFarlane to bring back the beloved pooch. The petition has more than 30,000 signatures.

"The writers of 'Family Guy' didn't just kill off one of their creations, they killed off the dog who has lived in our homes for the last 15 years," the petition reads. "They killed the dog we all have come to love. They killed America's dog!"

According to Deadline.com, Tony Sirico, the voice of the Griffin family's new dog, has done six episodes of the animated Fox series and has the option to become a series regular. The trade site also theorizes killing Brian could be a way to boost toy and merchandise sales.

A website called "Brian Griffin's Special Announcement" featuring a countdown clock made headlines in Variety and Deadline, but EW's James Hibberd debunked the site's authenticity.






Macklemore And Ryan Lewis' Next Album In The Works For 2014

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The following article is provided by Rolling Stone.

By Simon Vozick-Levinson

After spending the last year-plus building their debut LP, The Heist, into a platinum smash, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are finally ready to make a follow-up album. Well, almost: Macklemore tells Rolling Stone he can't wait to hit the studio when their world tour wraps next year. "We're going to make music again [in 2014]," he says, "because we haven't really had time to do that all year."

LINK: Rolling Stone Cover Issue: Thrift Shop Superstar Macklemore

The Seattle duo have U.S. shows booked through mid-December, followed by a planned appearance at the Times Square ball drop on New Year's Eve. When that's done, Macklemore will take a much-needed break with fiancée Tricia Davis. "We're gonna leave, disappear, evaporate and get out of America," he says. "Hopefully, we'll be in a place where no one knows who Macklemore is, and I'll just get back to why I love making music and life."

LINK: Macklemore Opens Up About His Struggle to Stay Sober

In March, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have even more dates in Australia and Asia. Then, finally, the real work begins. "After that, we're going to be in the studio for a long time," says the rapper. "We'll just buckle down and work until we have something to present to the world."

LINK: In Photos: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in Concert

The Heist's unexpected success is a tough act to follow, but Macklemore is up for the challenge. "I think there's obviously going to be a little bit of pressure," he says. "But the beautiful thing about being independent is you don't have a deadline. What it's going to come down to is living and experiencing things."

LINK: Rolling Stone's List of the Best Albums of 2013: Mid-Year Report

Adds the MC, "I haven't really felt like I had much to write about. This has been going so fast – every day feels like it's a different airplane, or a different city, or a different show. I want to live some life outside of this Macklemore and Ryan Lewis bubble that we've been in."

LINK: Macklemore's First Interview With Rolling Stone

This Is What A Food Coma Looks (And Feels) Like

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Stomach growling, famished and intense feelings of hanger. We've all been there.

Diets and discipline are thrown out the window in place of unbridled feasting on Thanksgiving. It's a gluttonous, vicious cycle of calories and contrition. But you know what? You deserve this.

You've lightly snacked all day in order to indulge now. And duh, you aren't playing around. You came prepared.
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Time for the fam to take their seats at the table! But where's dad? You can't dig in without him. Waiting ... great.
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Plates on top of plates on top of plates are put in front of you. Everything smells delicious. So many options. What speaks to your desire?
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You take that blissful first bite. Delectable. Flavorful.
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This is an epicurean experience like no other. Bread and butter; smooth, silky soup and cheesy goodness. Bring it on, second course!
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Crisp veggies crunch in your mouth as you chew. Oh, crap. Spaghetti. A piping hot dish is dropped from the Italian heavens.
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There's no stopping it now.
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Breathe. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
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You're close to bursting at this point. But then mom takes your favorite dessert out of the oven. Muster the strength to binge on.
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Your brother watches in horror. There's no end in sight as a second wind rolls in, simultaneously with pangs of guilt. But ... cake. Frosting. Sugar. Life.
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Lifting that fork is terrible. It's all downhill from here. Just one more taste.
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Painful triumph. Then the inevitable happens. Digestion catches up with intake. FEELING ALL OF THE AWFUL FEELINGS.
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The fullness is unbearable. It was a blur. Now your insides make you want to die.
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Unbuttoning pants without question. Don't judge. What is happening?
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How could food be so vicious?
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Oh god, you can't even look at another glass of wine. No. You've hit the limit.
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The food coma takes over. You're grossly knocked down and out. So much sadness.
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Life flashes before your eyes as you contemplate the damage you did. It feels disgusting but it was worth those minutes of pure meal magic.
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You vow to never experience this pain again ...
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... Until next time. Right now, you've got more important things to do.
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2014 Indie Spirit Awards Nominations Are Here

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Film Independent announced the nominees for the 2014 Spirit Awards on Tuesday, kicking off awards season in earnest by honoring the best of the year's independent films. Steve McQueen's "12 Years A Slave" led all films with seven nominations, followed by Alexander Payne's "Nebraska" with six nods. Both films were nominated for the Spirt Awards' Best Feature honor, alongside "All Is Lost," "Frances Ha" and "Inside Llewyn Davis."

Other indie films honored include "Fruitvale Station," "Dallas Buyers Club," "Blue Jasmine," "Short Term 12" and "The Spectacular Now." It was expected that "Lee Daniels' The Butler" and "August: Osage County," two releases from The Weinstein Company, could have factored into the nominations as well, but both films were left out. According to the Film Independent website, an film must have a budget of less than $20 million; "The Butler" had an estimated budget of $30 million (according to Box Office Mojo), while "August: Osage County" reportedly cost $25 million (via IMDb)

Check out the major nominations below. A full list of nominees can be found at the Film Independent site.

Best Feature: "12 Years A Slave," "All Is Lost," "Frances Ha," "Inside Llewyn Davis," "Nebraska"

Best Lead Female: Cate Blanchett ("Blue Jasmine"), Julie Delpy ("Before Midnight"), Gaby Hoffmann ("Crystal Fairy"), Brie Larson ("Short Term 12"), Shailene Woodley ("The Spectacular Now")

Best Male Lead: Bruce Dern ("Nebraska"), Chiwetel Ejiofor ("12 Years A Slave"), Oscar Isaac ("Inside Llewyn Davis"), Michael B. Jordan ("Fruitvale Station"), Matthew McConaughey ("Dallas Buyers Club"), Robert Redford ("All Is Lost")

Best Supporting Female: Melonie Diaz ("Fruitvale Station"), Sally Hawkins ("Blue Jasmine"), Lupita Nyong'o ("12 Years A Slave"), Yolonda Ross ("Go For Sisters"), June Squibb ("Nebraska")

Best Supporting Male: Michael Fassbender ("12 Years A Slave"), Will Forte ("Nebraska"), James Gandolfini ("Enough Said"), Jared Leto ("Dallas Buyers Club"), Keith Stanfield ("Short Term 12")

Best Director: Shane Carruth "Upstream Color"), J.C. Chandor ("All Is Lost"), Steve McQueen ("12 Years A Slave"), Jeff Nichols ("Mud"), Alexander Payne ("Nebraska")

Best Screenplay: Woody Allen ("Blue Jasmine"), Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke & Richard Linklater ("Before Midnight"), Nicole Holofcener ("Enough Said"), Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber ("The Spectacular Now"), John Ridley ("12 Years A Slave")

Best First Screenplay: Lake Bell ("In A World"), Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("Don Jon"), Bob Nelson ("Nebraska"), Jill Soloway ("Afternoon Delight"), Michael Starrbury ("The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete")

11 Photos Of Celebrity Facial Hair That Prove Mustaches Are Creepy And Beards Are Sexy

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No Shave November is a glorious month filled with the kind of sexy scruffiness that makes you wish you owned a cabin with a fireplace and a bear skin rug. Although, sometimes No Shave November is shorted to Movember ... and so the glorious beards are constructed into tiny mustaches, creeping over the mouths of men.

Mustaches are the sort of facial growth that ought to be reserved for the villains that tie women to train tracks in silent films. Beards, on the other hand, are a consistently attractive addition to really any man's face.

Now, before Thanksgiving festivities require the shaving of all kinds of facial hairs, we invite you to observe celebrity evidence of the fact that mustaches are creepy and beards are sexy.

Ryan Gosling

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James Franco

james

George Clooney

george

Paul Rudd

paul

Jude Law

jude

Ashton Kutcher

ashton

Chad Michael Murray

chad

Channing Tatum

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Brad Pitt

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Bradley Cooper

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Jon Hamm

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Compilation Of Russell Brand Interviews Proves The Only Thing That Matters Is Love (VIDEO)

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Comedian Russell Brand is slowly becoming better known for his philosophies on life and for the countries he has been banned from than his acting and comedy abiliities.

Give Brand a platform and he will preach, but there's something so right about his musings when spa music is used to back him up.

Brand talks about transcendental meditation and yoga as practices that should be integral to our lives, because they help us connect with ourselves, each other and the Earth. In one interview, he says, "If people have some sort of yearning, dissatisfaction or some itching irritability, then it might because they aren't looking in the right direction for a solution. They aren't looking within."

He tells InfoWars.com that, through it all, human beings really are just seeking love. Brand talks about moving from a focus on the individual and toward spiritual connection.

I'm a person who believes in the nature of my own individualism and my own identity, but on a deeper level I recognize that all these things are transient, and that what's important, and what's defining is the things we all share: love, unity, togetherness. As long as we have cultural narratives that eschew these ideas, that suppress these ideas, in favor of negative human traits, greed selfishness, lust; as long as these ideas are promoted, we are all existing in opposition to one another, and everyone will be exploitable by corporations that prey upon these negative aspects of humanity.


So wise, Russell, so wise. Watch above.

Chatroulette Cover Of Miley Cyrus' 'Wrecking Ball' Is A Train Wreck You Can't Stop Watching

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WARNING: You can never unsee this slightly NSFW video once watched. We've included the GIF above to give a small preview of what you're about to engage in ...

When former Disney starlet (and dark horse contender for title of Queen of Pop) Miley Cyrus released the video for her song “Wrecking Ball”, reception was very mixed.

The song was undeniably captivating and some of the artistic decisions were reasonably interesting, but one couldn’t help but worry for Ms. Cyrus’ health as she drew a drywall dust-coated sledgehammer to her lips.



None of it, however, could have ever prepared us for YouTube comedian Steve Kardynal’s just uploaded Chatroulette parody of the song above.

In the video, Kardynal, fully devoted to his craft, writhes seductively on a red sofa while emoting to the camera emotions of overwhelming pain, loss, and quite possibly chill: He, too, is clad only in a tank top and briefs before he strips bare.

The video is not for the faint of heart or those prone to vicarious embarrassment, but once you press play it’s impossible to look away.

Kardynal is widely known for his risqué parodies and Chatroulette fake outs on YouTube. And, notably, his version of "Wrecking Ball" currently has significantly higher like-to-dislike ratio than Cyrus’: your move, Miley.

Khloe Kardashian Could Be O.J. Simpson's Daughter, Claims His Manager

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The old rumor that O.J. Simpson is Khloe Kardashian's biological father has reared its ugly head again, as the former professional football player's manager, Norman Pardo, has come forward, effectively telling In Touch, it's possible.

"It’s all going to come out sooner or later. Khloé could be O.J.’s kid," Pardo told the magazine, though it should be noted he said could be -- not is -- his daughter. Pardo says that whenever he brings up the subject to Simpson, who is currently serving a 9- to 33-year sentence in a Nevada prison for kidnapping and armed robbery, he just giggles.

Simpson, who famously was acquitted of the murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, has never denied the rumor that he and Kris Jenner had an affair, wherein she became pregnant with Khloe. Before the 1994 murders, Jenner and Robert Kardashian were very close with Simpson and his wife, whom Jenner said she considered one of her best friends.

“They all took their vacations together. There was a lot of partying going on back then,” Pardo explained to In Touch. “Kris cheated on Robert -- she was known for having a good time.”

While Jenner has been forthcoming about her indiscretions while she was married to Robert Kardashian, she called reports about the question of Khloe's paternity "blatant lies."

When asked for comment on Pardo's comments, reps for the Kardashian-Jenner family brushed off In Touch's latest report, telling The Huffington Post, it's "not true" and called the rumor "old news."

10 Movies That Will Make You Cry, Unless You Are A Secret Robot

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"About Time" may have looked like a simple rom-com about time travel. It was not, however, and something we realized after weeping through the poetic beauty of the film's father-son love story. Richard Curtis' film got us thinking: What other movies have held the emotive power to make us not just tear up, but sob in uncontrolled heaves?

Here, we round up the most effective tear-inducing films ever, telling you, dear readers, why they made us cry all the tears. Read our editors' picks and tell us what movies left you sobbing in the comments below.

"Armageddon"
"Armageddon" has me in tears every single damn time. It's really not hard to understand. Spoiler alert: Harry (Bruce Willis) sacrifices himself to save mankind by detonating a bomb on the asteroid that is spiraling toward Earth. Mostly, though, he does it so his daughter, Grace (Liv Tyler), can have shot at a life with A.J. (Ben Affleck). I repeat, he sacrifices himself so his daughter can be with the man she loves. There's a whole backstory about how he initially disapproves of the relationship, which makes everything even more emotional. Just try not to cry during the goodbye scene, when Harry tells Grace he won't be coming home. HEARTBREAKING. (Also: Aerosmith.) -- Stephanie Marcus

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"A Walk To Remember"
"A Walk To Remember" wrecked me, and not just because Mandy Moore looked like a pale, Puritan angel, as she slipped away in Landon's (Shane West) powerful arms. I was 11 years old at the time and I think my biggest problem was establishing the necessity of a midnight bed time. Maybe it was the realization that our existence is finite and love is transitory. Or maybe I was overwhelmed by my newly pubescent attraction to the god among men that Shane West was in 2002. Either way, I left that movie theater, clutching my Limited Too purse, determined to find a fellow fifth grader with whom I could forge a connection as real as the one Jamie and Landon shared. -- Lauren Duca

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"Blue Valentine"
There's no shortage of busted relationships in movies, but none is as authentic or heartrending as the one seen in Derek Cianfrance's acclaimed indie "Blue Valentine." The story, which pairs an unhappy pre-med student named Cindy (Michelle Williams) and a high school dropout named Dean (Ryan Gosling), chronicles the marriage they launch into upon discovering Cindy is pregnant. The vulnerable couple tries their damnedest to make it work, clinging to the spark that first ignited their kindred souls. But their sparring personalities render the relationship impossible, and watching them suffer through the agony of that revelation is like watching a beautiful swan disintegrate back into an ugly duckling. The film's final moments cement it as one of the most honest and sob-inducing portraits of human interaction seen onscreen. -- Matthew Jacobs

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"Rudy"
"Rudy's" effect on me is Pavlovian. (The score alone can bring forth the waterworks.) The ultimate underdog story of the last 25 years, "Rudy" stars Sean Astin ("Goonies" really do never say die) as Rudy, a diminutive good guy whose told by everyone, including his own family, to forget his lifelong dream: playing football for Notre Dame. (He's five-foot-nothing, a hundred-and-nothing, after all.) Long story short (pun), everyone is wrong, and thanks to a bunch of twists of fate, Rudy finally reaches his goal during the final game of his senior year. Just typing this is making me year up. HIS DAD IS SO PROUD LOOK AT HIS BROTHER "WHO'S THE WILD MAN NOW?" Ugh. -- Christopher Rosen

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"Stepmom"
To be honest, I haven't watched the movie in years because I'm afraid of the waterworks that will flow when Jena Malone rejects cool-photographer-stepmom (Julia Roberts) in favor of dying-of-cancer-real-mom (Susan Sarandon). Released in 1998, this movie was prime Julia and Susan years, when sentimentality ruled and Ed Harris was hunky. But when the kids have to say goodbye to Susan's character, and when she finally accepts/ forgives Julia's character? I just can't. -- Jessica Goodman

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"Up"
You sit down to watch an uplifting animated little Pixar gem, and no later than the opening credits you're bawling. The introductory montage of bright-eyed Carl and his adventurous wife, Ellie, as they go from painting their first mailbox to wrinkled, grey and saying goodbye to each other in a hospital room -- with their dreams of adventure never being realized -- is simply devastating. If you don't shed a tear for the pair who never got to put their penny jar to good use with a visit to Paradise Falls, you're not human. -- Kiki Von Glinow

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"The Land Before Time"
As a child, my cinematic intake revolved almost entirely around "The Land Before Time" series. While all 12 sequels are beautiful and necessary chapters of the history of dinosaurs, nothing strums my heartstrings quite like the original. The movie tees you up with the birth of Littlefoot -- the sole offspring of a diminishing herd of "Longnecks" -- a scene that will have you squirming with all the cute feelings. Then the "Sharptooth" comes in and ruins everything. As Littlefoot's mom lies on the ground in the pouring rain, and tells her son with her dying breath, "I'll be with you, even if you can't see me," all happiness in life ceases to exist. Between the five young protagonists' ability to bridge the castes of their ancestors, Diana Ross' "If We Hold on Together" and the magical BFF hilltop embrace at the end, this movie will always be my man-crying marathon. -- Ryan Kristobak

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"I Am Love"
Luca Guadagnino's 2009 film about an aristocratic Italian family could have been yet another study about a snooty set of society with too much money. Instead, told through the eyes of Tilda Swinton (outstanding as family matriarch Emma Recchi), the film swiftly and sometimes violently unravels in the name of love and sexual passion. The last 20 minutes are devastating. -- Youyoung Lee

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"The Green Mile"
I first saw this movie when I was 17, and I completely fell in love with it. In addition to its valuable message about the death penalty, it really got the emotions going. I cried when Del bonded with his mouse Mr. Jingles, I sobbed when I found out John Coffey was innocent and every electric chair scene slayed me. Unfortunately, I cried so much that I'll absolutely never see "The Green Mile" again. -- Leigh Weingus

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"Bridges Of Madison County"
It was a hot summer’s day as I sat in the cold dark theatre at Lincoln Center watching a screening of “The Bridges of Madison County” as part of a Clint Eastwood retrospective. Though I was (as every human is) a huge Meryl Streep fan, this 1995 film (directed by Eastwood) had been off my radar until my friend Maggie came out of her room one day a year earlier, eyes swollen from crying and shoved the DVD in my hand.

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Now here Maggie and I sat watching one of our now-favorite films on the big screen, and I knew the waterworks were coming. Was it my recent bad breakup? The heartwrenching score by Lennie Niehaus? The age-old theme of lost love? Probably all of the above. It doesn’t matter what set it off because there I was, sobbing into my arm through the final half hour of the film. From the moment when Francesca (Streep) takes a bath preparing for her romantic dinner with Robert (Clint Eastwood) to the famous scene when she almost leaves to be with him, to her children finding their mother’s mementos from that romantic weekend. It’s. All. Too. Much. If you ever need a good cry sob, watch this movie. It’ll get the job done. -- Christopher Rudolph

The (g)A(y)MAs: Why We Love Our Pop Stars

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I just finished watching the (g)A(y)MAs -- you know, the filtered version of the AMAs that overtook your Twitter feed and Facebook timeline Sunday night. And, wow, it seems that never before have so many people "slayed" since Sarah Michelle Gellar and the Scoobies left our 4:3 televisions.

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My avatar was left speechless. As he usually is.


Verbage aside -- whether they're "slaying" or "werking" or just being their "GODDESS SUPREME" selves -- pop stars have been known to occasionally elicit the emphatic support of the gays. But as social media show time and time again, unlike gay icons of the past generation, not one seems able to speak to the community as a whole, as seen in the sassy social commentaries we are always so emphatic to provide.

"Tonight Rihanna took a shit on all of your favs and walked off that stage like a bad bitch"

"Taylor Swift has all the awards, record sales, money and bomb ass dick. #AMA"

"Omfg @LadyGaga slays with her vocals. Yas Gaga YAAASSS"

"Oops, it's just @JLo making her 20-year-old pop contemporaries look like complete flops live again."

"Legendtina brought it y'all. That solo SLAYED me. F*cking love you"


I won't even mention the vicious subtweets and comments, all of which amused and baffled me as I tried to figure out why there can only be one "queen." What makes gays get so defensive about their icons? Why do we take it so personally when someone attacks our favorite?

While growing up, most gays felt different from everyone around them. Even before sexuality became a conscious issue, we all felt like outcasts. Of course, gays have no monopoly on such basic emotions as feeling misunderstood -- straight or gay, we're all equally human, after all -- but where our heterosexual friends have, literally, generations of people and their wisdom who already dealt with the same issues of love, loss, and development, homosexuals always had one question unanswered: "Why am I attracted to the 'wrong' gender?"

I have always felt that this lingering insecurity is what drives gays toward art and culture during their formative years. The arts exist to offer a complex "non-answer" to all life's compulsions that science cannot prove, and, really, mutual expression is the closest to an answer that we're able to get. For us the correct answer to "this is how I feel; I don't know why" can be as simple as "I feel that way too; I don't know why either!"

But not many of us had that growing up. Mom and Dad certainly couldn't relate, and even though several of our peers -- perhaps closest friends -- were undoubtedly asking themselves the same question, few of us dared to be the first to say, "I might be gay," afraid that our "this is how I feel; I don't know why" would be met with a destructive "that's wrong," or a too-confusing "no, you're not."

And therefore we turned to the arts and their ambiguous meanings, able to draw our own understandings and conclusions from the content in front of us, more often than not drawn to those who embodied freedom and self-empowerment, no matter how much the general public loves or hates them at any given moment: pop stars.

Too often, though, idolization of female pop figures is erroneously seen as a desire to express repressed gay effeminacy. True, the community's most relatable gay icons have been women in the arts, but that's largely because these figures are exploring the same question that we are: "Why is my sexuality up for debate?" In many ways, these women are our past generations, offering an amalgam of wisdoms that sprouted from the repressions and judgments of a sexist history.

Once upon a time in the gay community, it seemed as if we could all look to certain figures who related to our struggle. From Judy Garland, with her strong demons and equally strong poise to mask them, to the rise of Madonna, with her unapologetic declarations that her demons are hers alone (so mind your business!), gays seemed to agree on which mascot best represented us, which lady's struggle most closely mirrored our own. As times changed, so did our figurehead, until now, where it seems that any outspoken creative woman can be a gay icon. In our age it all depends on personal preference.

Some would say that that means that we're losing our collective identity, but I think it really highlights the progress we've made. As a community becomes larger, less secluded, and more accepted, we no longer have a "one-size-fits-all" set of problems that tie us all together. Like Maslow's hierarchy, the fewer widespread issues we have to address, the more we can focus on problems unique to ourselves. Quite simply, being "gay" is shifting from a collective identity based on sexuality to a smaller piece of what makes us individual human beings.

That being said, when we emphatically claim something on Twitter like, say, "MY DIVA SHIT ON ALL THE BASICS," we're subconsciously -- and not so eloquently -- acknowledging that a focus on self is becoming more important to being gay in this day and age. We defend our pop stars so fiercely because we see ourselves in them. They -- and only they -- represent the struggle unique to our journey with our sexuality, as well as the other struggles that make us ourselves. You're not just dissing Britney, or Gaga, or Katy; you are bashing the mindset and mentalities that they identify with. And even when packaged commercially and superficially, those ideals are always worth protecting.

Myself, for instance? I'm a Lana Del Rey guy, identifying with her main talent as a writer, her artistic juxtaposition of external decadence with internal panic, and her brilliant understanding that being a modern poet requires more public presence than just a pen. And don't you dare say "she sucked on SNL" or I will rip you apart, you non-intellectual basic who just doesn't understand her message!

Anyway, at the end of the day, regardless of who your favorite pop-star / the-only-multimillionaire-dancing-and-sometimes-singing-woman-who-gets-me happens to be, I think there's one Facebook friend we can all agree with: "Jennifer Lopez looks great and all, but can we pan in on these male dancers a little bit more?!" Our penchant for toned, sweaty men made us a community in the beginning, and it will keep us united until the end.

Beyonce Reportedly Booted From Egyptian Pyramids For Being 'Rude'

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It's hard to believe Beyonce would be kicked out of anything or anywhere, but that's reportedly what happened when an infamous archaeologist booted her from the Egyptian pyramids.

Beyonce travelled to Egypt back in 2009 during her I Am... Tour. Shortly after the superstar stopped by the pyramids, she was bashed by Dr. Zahi Hawass, otherwise known as "Egypt's Indiana Jones." The Egyptologist allegedly referred to the "Love On Top" singer as a "stupid person" who "doesn't understand a thing" and only went there to take photos, BET reported at the time, via local newspapers.

Hawass also cut short her tour of the iconic Egyptian site, according to a new interview.

"Most people I take on tours are very nice and we become friends. But this lady...," Hawass recently told the Independent of Beyonce's visit to the pyramids. "She said she would come at 3 p.m. but she came late. I said 'You have to say I'm sorry I'm late.' But she didn't open her mouth."

"I brought a photographer and she also had a photographer and a guard," he added. "When my photographer started to shoot, he said 'No, Stop! I am the one who says yes or no, not you.' I said, 'In that case since you almost hit my photographer and you are not polite - out! I am not giving you the privilege of having you on my tour.' I said Beyonce was stupid and I left."

Hawass, who was once the Egyptian antiques minister, is a controversial figure.

Although he has been commended for boosting interest in archaeology in the region, his credibility has come into question, and he has been criticized for his love of publicity. In 2011, he was fired because of his relationship with ousted President Hosni Mubarak's regime, The Associated Press reported.

He came under investigation for various indiscretions -- corruption, wasting public funding and shipping Egyptian antiques overseas without permission, opening them up to theft -- according to the Smithsonian magazine. He was also banned from traveling outside of the country.

Zac Efron And Seth Rogen Tease 'Bound 4' To Promote 'Neighbors'

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Zac Efron is still nursing a broken jaw, but that doesn't mean he's shirking any promotional duties.

Jumping on the viral success of "Bound 3," Seth Rogen and James Franco's shot-for-shot remake of Kanye West's "Bound 2" video, the 26-year-old actor teased a photo for "Bound 4."

On Tuesday, Efron posted a shirtless photo of himself and co-star Seth Rogen from their upcoming movie, "Neighbors," with "Bound 4" written in block letters. His caption:

"Whether you're a #KanyeWest fan or not, fans are #Bound2 get a kick out of this new still from #ZacEfron and #SethRogen's film #NeighborsMovie Check out all the neighborly shenanigans when the comedy hits theaters next May! #uhhuhhoney."




Whether "Bound 4" lives up to the standard of "Bound 3" is unclear. That parody was even appreciated by West and his fiancee, Kim Kardashian, who tweeted at Rogen: "You nailed it!!! Sooo funny! Kanye says what's up! He loves u guys! He laughed so hard at this."

Arik Einstein Dead: Israeli Musician Dies At 74

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JERUSALEM (AP) — Arik Einstein, a pioneering Israeli singer and songwriter who performed some of the country's best-known anthems, has died.

Doctors said Einstein died Tuesday after suffering an aneurism. He was 74. Einstein began performing in the early 1960s after serving in a military entertainment troupe. His soft voice was instantly recognizable, melding classic folk music with a harder edge.

He is widely seen as the father of Israeli rock. In a career spanning half a century, Einstein recorded and performed with many of Israel's top artists. He also enjoyed an acting career.

In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Einstein's works "the soundtrack" of the nation.

According to Israeli media, Einstein is survived by his partner, actress Sima Eliyahu, and four children.

Rutina Wesley From 'True Blood' Talks The Fate Of Tara And The Show's Final Season

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Rutina Wesley, who plays Tara on "True Blood," came by the HuffPost Live studios and talked about her character now that she's a vampire and what's next for the series.

"I like the strength that comes with being a vampire," Wesley said as she discussed the gifts that came along with Tara's transformation.

Wesley also commented on Tara's relationship with Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) and whether that will continue in the next season. "They are a good couple, Pam and Tara" she said. "It's nice because Tara sort of brings out a side in Pam you don't always see. I think Pam has met her match when she's with Tara."

The upcoming seventh season will be the show's last, and when asked how she felt about it ending, Wesley said it was "bittersweet." Wesley continued, "I'm sad to see it go, but I think we're going out with a bang."

Want to hear more stories from the set of "True Blood" or how Wesley thinks Tara and Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) should ride off into the sunset together? Check out the clip above, or watch the full segment here.

Demi Moore And Ashton Kutcher Are Officially Divorced

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More than two years after Demi Moore announced she was ending her marriage to Ashton Kutcher, the former couple is officially divorced.

After months of rumors that negotiations were holding up the process, the couple finally reached a settlement on Oct. 31, however, Moore did not get the spousal support she was reported to be seeking.

According to TMZ, Kutcher's lawyer Laura Wasser filed the documents to officially end their six-year marriage on Nov. 26.

Moore, 51, announced back in November 2011 that she would be leaving Kutcher following reports that he cheated on her with Sara Leal while he was in San Diego. Though the actor denied the cheating allegations, months later, Moore decided it was time to end their marriage, telling The Associated Press:

"As a woman, a mother and a wife, there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life."

For reasons that remain unclear, the actress never filed for divorce from Kutcher, rather, it was the 35-year-old actor who took the first step by filing the papers in December 2012, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split.

Kutcher is currently dating his former "That '70s Show" co-star Mila Kunis, while Moore was recently linked with Hard Rock mogul Peter Morton.

Wilmer Valderrama Gets Candid While Taking HuffPost's #nofilter Challenge

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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?

Wilmer Valderrama stole our hearts as Fez in the sitcom "That '70s Show," but it was just announced that the 33-year-old actor will entertain us once again in "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series." Hooray!

Valderrama was ready and willing to give fans a sneak peek into his personal life when he agreed to take HuffPost Celebrity's #nofilter challenge -- revealing everything from his biggest fear to his hatred of the word "twerk."

When's the last time you cried?
I kind of got a little teary-eyed during “Captain Phillips.” I don’t want to give anything away, but the movie has been out, right? [Laughs] But Tom Hanks’ performance in one scene just completely broke my heart. It’s amazing. I have no shame and I cry in movies.

What's your guiltiest pleasure?
I’m pretty proud of all my pleasures, so I’m not too guilty about it. [Laughs] You know what? I sometimes watch Spanish Telenovela with my mom. And I actually kind of enjoy it.

What's the silliest thing you've ever lied about?
Saying that the pair of pants my mom got me actually fit when they didn’t and I had to wear them an entire day with her. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but I should have just been honest, like, ‘Ah, they’re too small!’ But she was so excited to see them on! I just got to say, I’m known for having a little bit of a badonkadonk, you know what I’m saying? So that was pretty embarrassing.

If you could commit a crime and get away with it, what would it be?
I’d want to break into NASA and play with all the astronaut stuff.

What's one thing you do when you're alone that you wouldn't do in front of someone else?
To be honest, squat workouts. I do take martial arts, so I don’t want people to necessarily see me doing all different types of squat workouts.

What happens in your recurring dream?
It’s the one where you’re running as hard as you possibly can in your dream and people are passing you and you know that you’re faster than them. It’s that really frustrating dream, when you’re swimming super slow when you know you can be swimming faster. I have no idea what it means! It’s so frustrating. I don’t know if it’s because I move really fast throughout the day –- I have a lot of meetings, I put my hands in everything -- I’m producing, I’m directing and developing and acting and I’m on set and I have multiple entrepreneurial meetings and so I really multitask. So I feel like my worst nightmare is to probably be slower than I really want to be.

What’s the working title of your autobiography?
"Wilmer Valderrama: The Man Behind The Accent." (FYI: This one stumped him for a while).

Is it okay to recline your seat on an airplane?
Absolutely! That’s why you pay for that seat. I think the only thing I’m not okay with is when they put things underneath their seat. It bothers my seat. Like, they know that the flight attendant is going to say, "I’m sorry, Sir or Ma’am, there’s only two items, one in the overhead compartment and the other one in front of you." And they’re always bringing three things. One on top, one in front of them and then they’ll put their purse or something hidden underneath their chair and that’s my leg room, you know?

When do you feel most anxious?
I have a production company, so I’m producing and developing multiple things, so to be honest, when I’m on the plane and the plane doesn’t have Wi-Fi. I have an anxiety attack when I’m flying across country and it’s the middle of the workday. That’s why I try to fly on the red eye.

What or who is overrated right now?
I think the growing obsession with the word “twerk” is really pissing me off. Like everyone is using that like it’s cool, like I was talking to some executives and they were like, “Oh my God, I know what you’ll be doing this weekend, you’re going to be twerking!” And I was like, “WHY? Why are you doing this! Stop with that word.”

And by the way, this is in no shape or form in relation to Miley Cyrus at all. I’ll make that very clear. I’m pretty sure she’s way over it. But I think this obsession with everyone thinking the word “twerk” should be in the dictionary now is actually physically causing me to be angry.

Is a good friend hard to come by?
I would say yes, if you don’t love yourself. I think if you don’t have a good conception of how you are and who you are, I think it could be easy to make the wrong friends. But if you appreciate who you are and you learn to love yourself, then you will attract the right friendships. I think sometimes you’re in it for a number of different reasons or you’re somehow insecure about a couple of things, you embrace the wrong friendships and therefore it’s difficult to find a true partnership with a friend. But if you create priorities about what’s the right thing for your life, I think that you’ll attract the right group of friends.

Describe one time you thought "This is harder than it looks."
Unicycling. If you ask me what my hidden talent is, that’s it. I know how to unicycle and I thought, “How hard can it be?” And well, I got a lot of bruises.

Tell us a joke.
[If he’s only] got four fingers, he’s talking about give me five. It’s simple. An homage to something that I was a part of for a while.

What are you most afraid of?
I’m afraid of dying before accomplishing everything I dream to achieve. I’m not afraid of death, but I’m afraid of dying before I’m done with what I’m supposed to do.

When do you feel most at peace?
When I’m on set, when I’m performing, when I’m creating characters, when I'm working with fellow actors -- that’s the most fun and the most at peace that I feel.

What's the most unusual thing you have in your wallet?
I have a clover. My aunt gave it to me for good luck.

What technology do you hope will be invented in the next 10 years?
Right now, we are at the breaking of the most technologically advanced generation. I mean, we are going to have a number of things that are going to make life easier, but I also fear that with that also comes the problem that things are going to get so easy that maybe we’re going to become lazy. But that’s a whole different conversation. If we simplify the question, what would I like to be invented in the future, I would say I’ve been dying for flying cars. I can’t wait to have a flying car.

What sense would you most be afraid to lose?
My sense of humor. That’s honestly, my Achilles' heel. That’s my main blessing and one of the most beautiful things that I was able to walk away with from my mom and my dad. I’m able to laugh and make light of the most dramatic and difficult situations. Psychologically being able to buy myself time to figure out how to fix certain things has come from the ability to see the humor in things and if I were to lose that, I think I’d probably lose everything.

Wilmer Valderrama has partnered with Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) to launch its Secrets of the Season campaign, offering expert advice and multi-benefit product solutions to help consumers navigate this busy time of year. Valderrama shared his survival secrets with HuffPost on how to successfully get through the season, beginning with Thanksgiving and leading through to the December holidays.

"My family has gotten me every variation of underwear and socks that I could get, so now we give each other actual gifts that will assist us throughout the holidays," Valderrama told us. "The thought is, if we’re going to give each other something, let's be thoughtful enough to think about what will make our holidays easier. What will make the journey of getting through the holidays a lot more productive and a lot more efficient. That’s why I’m stoked to partner up with Procter & Gamble because I would buy things like the Old Spice Gift Pack (in Fiji), the CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss and the Lacoste L.12.12 Noir fragrance for my family."

For more on the Secrets of the Season campaign, head over to pg.com.

Gary Oldman Ruins Thanksgiving Because He's British And Hates Us

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We understand that a lot of British people don't totally get what Thanksgiving is about, but did you know that the whole thing really pisses some of them off?

Thanks to Jimmy Kimmel and Gary Oldman, we now know how hurtful our celebrating not being British every year really is to the folks across the pond. Sorry, y'all.

Richard Simmons Wanted To Help The Obamas Advocate For Fitness, But They 'Rejected' Him (VIDEO)

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Richard Simmons has gotten no love from the Obamas.

When the fitness guru joined HuffPost Live on Wednesday to discuss his new single, "Hair Do," host Ricky Camilleri asked for his thoughts on Michelle Obama's work to fight childhood obesity. Simmons said that he admires the first lady's efforts and has tried to help her with it, but the First Family has been completely uninterested.

"I love Michelle Obama. I wanted to meet them, both of them. They have rejected me totally," Simmons said.

When asked why he thinks the Obamas have not been more friendly, Simmons said it is because "I'm just not their set of sheets."

Simmons added that politics isn't exactly his cup of tea, but he said that with so much gridlock and animosity in Washington, he wants to be of service in any way he can.

"I'm not extremely a political person, and I do think the president and Lady Obama are doing a good job, but I think I can help," he said.

See the full conversation with Richard Simmons at HuffPost Live HERE.
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