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Meet Daisy Ridley, The 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Cast Member You've Never Heard Of

April 29, 2014, 11:34 am
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Just hours after Oscar Isaac became the subject of the latest "Star Wars: Episode VII" casting rumors, the movie's official roster was revealed in the form of a photo from Tuesday's inaugural table read. Many of the names bandied about for months made the cut, but at least one of the film's leads will be played by a relative unknown.

Daisy Ridley appears to have nabbed the role that at one point had Lupita Nyong'o in talks with director J.J. Abrams, as she and Carrie Fisher are the only actresses announced for the movie. More recently, British newcomer Maisie Richardson-Sellers was also reportedly tied to the part, which was described as a "young black or mixed-race woman who may be a descendent of Jedi Knight Ben Kenobi."

Ridley's résumé comprises a handful of one-off appearances on British series like "Youngers," "Silent Witness" and the Jeremy Piven-fronted "Mr Selfridge." Beyond those credits, the closest trace we have of her acting history is a three-minute sizzle reel that just so happens to open with a conversation about John Williams and "Star Wars." (Since her casting in "Episode VII" was announced, the reel has been turned to private on both YouTube and Vimeo.)

The photo of the table read posted to the "Star Wars" Facebook page finds Ridley sandwiched between Fisher and Harrison Ford, so we can at least speculate that means she'll play Princess Leia and Han Solo's daughter?


Post by Star Wars.





Twitter offers a few more hints:







As of this post's publication, Ridley does not yet have her own Wikipedia page. She did join Twitter on Tuesday morning, though.



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What Does Human Flesh Taste Like?

April 29, 2014, 11:35 am
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If there's one thing the "Hannibal" series gets right, it's making human meat look delicious.

The NBC show features infamous cannibal Hannibal Lecter as a culinary master, turning edible parts of the human body into Lung and Loin Bourguignonne, Tandoori Liver and thigh baked in clay with marrow. It's almost impossible to watch the show and not wonder whether we could stomach a well-seasoned steak de mon ami.

Of course, finding the answer for yourself isn't easy. Or ethical. Or legal, in most parts of the world. All we have are anecdotes from people who have snacked on homo sapien.

In 2007, psychotic German cannibal Armin Meiwes -- who's serving a life sentence for killing and eating a man -- likened his elaborate meal to pork, Spiegel Online reported at the time. In his first TV interview, Meiwes said his dish consisted of human steak in a green pepper sauce with croquettes and Brussels sprouts.

"I sauteed the steak of Bernd, with salt, pepper, garlic and nutmeg. I had it with Princess croquettes, Brussels sprouts and a green pepper sauce," he said. "The flesh tastes like pork, a little bit more bitter, stronger. It tastes quite good."

There are plenty of accounts from serial killers and Polynesian cannibals comparing human to pork, but not everybody agrees, according to The Smithsonian. In the 1920s, journalist William Seabrook traveled to West Africa for the ultimate taste test. In his book, "Jungle Ways," he says human cuts taste like veal:

It was like good, fully developed veal, not young, but not yet beef. It was very definitely like that, and it was not like any other meat I had ever tasted. It was so nearly like good, fully developed veal that I think no person with a palate of ordinary, normal sensitiveness could distinguish it from veal. It was mild, good meat with no other sharply defined or highly characteristic taste such as for instance, goat, high game, and pork have. The steak was slightly tougher than prime veal, a little stringy, but not too tough or stringy to be agreeably edible. The roast, from which I cut and ate a central slice, was tender, and in color, texture, smell as well as taste, strengthened my certainty that of all the meats we habitually know, veal is the one meat to which this meat is accurately comparable.


Alferd Packer, famous for killing and devouring five members of his Rocky Mountains prospecting party when provisions ran low, told a reporter in 1883 that breast muscle tissue was "the sweetest meat" he'd ever tasted, according to Real Clear Science.

Omaima Nelson, who cooked and ate her husband in 1991, echoed Packer's sentiment, calling the ribs she prepared "so sweet," The Los Angeles Times reported.

If you do legally obtain some human flank, check out our wine pairing guide, in which winery owner and rocker Maynard Keenan suggests pinot noir for facial tissue and shiraz paired with tongue.




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Justin Bieber Says He Wanted To Pop The Question In Central Park, But 'Things Change'

April 29, 2014, 12:04 pm
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Justin Bieber had a romantic marriage proposal all planned out in his head, set to take place in New York City's Central Park -- but it's no longer going to happen.

The pop star/baggy pants wearer posted a photo to his Instagram recently with the caption, "Was gonna wait to go to Central Park for when I proposed to my future wife but sh*t sometimes things change. ♛ I'll think of something more romantic."





It's hard to believe that the Biebs hasn't been to Central Park before. But some outlets are speculating the message "things change" has more to do with Selena Gomez and the duo's on-again-off-again relationship than a long overdo park visit.

Gotta love the passive agressive Instagram posting. Stay classy, J.Beibs.

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Mariah Carey Covers Wonderland Magazine In Lingerie And Pearls

April 29, 2014, 12:12 pm
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Mariah Carey graces the latest cover of Wonderland magazine, out May 2, in the usual racy style we've come to expect from her.

After posting a sensual photo to Twitter for her husband Nick Cannon's birthday and posing in a bathtub for Valentine's Day, this all-black lingerie and champagne shoot is completely fitting.

Carey, 44, was shot by controversial photographer Terry Richardson for the mag, with the ever appropriate tag line: "Why you so obsessed with me?"

Because you're Mariah Carey, duh.


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Let's Wildly Speculate About That 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Table Read Photo

April 29, 2014, 12:16 pm
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Lucasfilm and Disney blew up the Internet on Tuesday afternoon by officially announcing the cast for "Star Wars: Episode VII" and releasing a photo from the film's first table read.

"We are so excited to finally share the cast of 'Star Wars: Episode VII,'" director J.J. Abrams said in a statement that accompanied the announcement. "It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."

Abrams is notoriously tip-lipped when it comes to his productions -- he didn't even reveal that Benedict Cumberbatch was playing Khan in "Star Trek Into Darkness," when even the film's IMDb page included the information -- so don't expect too many public tidbits about "Episode VII" between now and its Dec. 18, 2015 release date. Fortunately, that doesn't prevent us from wildly speculating about what the black-and-white cast photo means. Ahead, five theories about "Episode VII" based on the official picture from its table read.

star wars episode vii photo

Daisy Ridley could be the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia. Sure, it's assumed that Ridley is playing a descendant of Obi-wan Kenobi, but then why is she sitting between Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher?

Andy Serkis could play a motion-capture creature who is best friends with Luke Skywalker. Just look at how close Serkis is to Mark Hamill.

Adam Driver and Domhnall Gleeson could play brothers on opposite sides of the Force. Driver and Gleeson look so much alike that it would make sense if they were related in "Episode VII." If that's the case, though, then why are they on opposing sides of the "Star Wars" circle of trust?

Oscar Isaac and John Boyega might be the new Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. We can only hope.

Flannel shirts are the new Jedi uniform. Just ask Hamill and that guy who we assume is Max von Sydow.
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Kim Kardashian, Kanye West Set To Marry Privately This Week (REPORT)

April 29, 2014, 12:17 pm
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Wedding bells could be ringing much sooner than May 24 for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West -- legally speaking, anyway.

TMZ reported that the couple is set to marry privately this week before their ceremony next month in Paris. Sources told the website that the couple already obtained a confidential marriage license, which protects all the personal information on the license from the public.

According to the website, Kardashian and West won't even have to appear publicly at a court house to exchange vows; an official from the court will perform a private ceremony at their home.

Kardashian's rep declined to comment when asked about the couple's wedding plans, however, if the couple were to privately marry in advance, that would solve any legal issues they were rumored to be facing. Allegedly, their plans to wed in Paris were not in accordance with French law, which requires a strict 40-day residency prior to the occasion.

Meanwhile, the big event, thought to be set for May 24, will include multiple costume changes for Kardashian and a guest list that really shouldn't be described as intimate.

"People are probably assuming we're going to have this massive wedding, and I think it will be -- but intimate," Kardashian told Vogue. "Two hundred people -- just all of our closest friends -- a special night for us and all the people that really love us and that have supported us."
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Coldplay's 'A Sky Full Of Stars' Teams The Band With Avicii

April 29, 2014, 12:17 pm
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Coldplay's tracks have received their fair share of EDM remixes, but on their second single, "A Sky Full of Stars," the band goes full-on house on their own accord. Teaming up with none other than hit-maker Avicii, the band's new song will, for the first time in history, have club-goers saying, "I really hope they play that Coldplay song!"

The band also announced a scavenger hunt -- lyrics from the upcoming "Ghost Stories" handwritten by Chris Martin having been hidden in ghost story books in nine libraries across the world. One set of lyrics even contains a "Golden Ticket" for a free trip to see Coldplay at Royal Albert Hall on July 1. The band is tweeting out clues to the locations of the enveloped lyrics, using the hashtag #lyricshunt. (Some of the lyrics have already been found, including the one with the Golden Ticket.)

"Ghost Stories" comes out on May 19. Listen to "A Sky Full of Stars" below.


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David Arquette Welcomes Baby Boy With Girlfriend Christina McLarty

April 29, 2014, 12:34 pm
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David Arquette is a proud papa once again, after his girlfriend Christina McLarty gave birth to a baby boy on Monday, April, 28, the actor's rep confirmed to Us Weekly.

Charlie West was born at 12:35 p.m. in Los Angeles, and weighed in at 8 lbs., 7 oz, reports People magazine.

"Mom, dad and baby are doing well,” Arquette’s rep told People. “They appreciate all of your well wishes and thank you for respecting their privacy at this time.”

Arquette, 42, also has a 9-year-old daughter Coco, with his ex-wife Courteney Cox.

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Sony Making A Sports Version Of 'Jeopardy!'

April 30, 2014, 10:55 am
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NEW YORK (AP) — "Jeopardy!" is starting a sports version of the popular game show, with Dan Patrick taking the Alex Trebek role as host.

Sony Pictures said Tuesday that "Sports Jeopardy!" will begin this fall on Crackle, a Sony-owned digital service available on mobile devices and services such as PlayStation, Xbox, Apple TV and Roku. Crackle general manager Eric Berger says the sports-themed game show will diversify programming on the service, best known for the Jerry Seinfeld comedy shorts series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." Crackle also will offer an app through which people can play along with the game on a second screen.
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'Jeopardy!' Contestant Arthur Chu Just Schooled His Critics

April 30, 2014, 10:55 am
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We'll take "You just got burned" for 1,000, Alex.

The "Jeopardy!" contestant everyone loved to hate is shutting down his critics on Twitter with, what else, a workout selfie. Arthur Chu, the 30-year-old trivia whiz, who won 11 times on the show, is back for his next 15 minutes of fame. Chu's unapologetic style of jumping around the board rather than using the traditional method of knocking out a single category didn't gain him many fans during his time on the game show, but their dislike of Chu went beyond the scoreboard.

After dealing with plenty of tweets about his weight -- none of them positive -- Chu took to the social media site to address the negative feedback. And he did it in a very Chu kind of way.




Apparently, the former "Jeopardy!" contestant has been hitting the gym and has lost 25 pounds since New Years. Take that, haters!
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'Heaven Adores You' Trailer Gets Inside Elliott Smith

April 30, 2014, 10:56 am
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"Heaven Adores You," the intimate documentary about Elliott Smith's life and legacy, debuts May 5 at the San Francisco International Film Festival, but there's now a trailer that features touching interviews and harrowing tributes to the late musician.

Kevin Moyer, one of Smith's high school friends, produced the film and recently put together a benefit album, "Live From Nowhere Near You," which used unreleased Smith songs. Director Nickolas Rossi funded the film through Kickstarter, and raised over $15,000 from backers. "Heaven Adores You" features interviews with Smith's ex-girlfriend Joanna Bolme, his sister Ashley, and artists who knew him well, Jon Brion, Larry Crane, Neil Gust, Tony Lash, Brandt Peterson, Rob Schnapf and many more.

Check out the teaser below, and get ready to listen to "Between the Bars" over and over.

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Zac Efron Shares His Thoughts On Starring In 'Grease'

April 30, 2014, 10:57 am
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Zac Efron could make the epic leap from starring in a movies about high schoolers to starring in a TV special about high schoolers.

The cast for Fox's upcoming special "Grease Live" hasn't been announced, but that doesn't stop speculation as to who will star in the special. And Efron is "Breaking Free" from the crowd of possibilities.

The star of the new movie "Neighbors" (May 9) is best known for not having a butt because he sang it off in the "High School Musical" movies.

E! Online reports Efron said he felt honored when "E! News" told him their online readers had him at the top of their list to play the role of Danny Zuko, made famous by John Travolta in the 1978 film remake of the musical.

When it comes to the role, Efron said, "Those are big shoes to fill. I think I came as close to it as you could in High School Musical ... To actually do that? ... Yeah, those are big shoes."

Fox Chairman of Entertainment Kevin Reilly announced Monday, April 28, that the network would be airing the three-hour live version of "Grease" in 2015.

The only thing certain about Efron's future is that he will one day look like Matthew Perry, but that won't stop "Grease" fans from telling him, "You're the one that I want."

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Hitchhiking

April 30, 2014, 10:58 am
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Sometimes perspective only comes in the rear-view mirror, looking back on life. My journey into adulthood started a few months after I turned 20, recording the first Switchfoot album with a couple of friends. We had no real agenda -- just a couple of songs and a shared love for music. We didn't take anything too seriously, (least of all ourselves) so we named the record The Legend of Chin after my best friend Willis Chin, and we put pictures of him all over the CD instead of us. Why? No reason, really. If we had a manger at the time she might have called it a bad career move. But we had no manager and no career. We were young and life was an incredible adventure: a question mark that had no definite answer. No maps, no responsibilities, and no rules -- just a couple of friends with a reckless excitement for the road ahead.

That was 18 years ago (back in the 1900s), and lot of life has happened since then. Marriage, children and other extraordinary celebrations have occurred. My friends and I have made eight more albums together, playing these songs for folks all around the world. What are the chances?! Yes, I am blessed beyond what I could ever imagined back when we were tracking that first record. But along with these joys come the strains of responsibility. The stakes are higher now. The journey has a bit more of an agenda to it. I suppose it has to: There are bigger consequences -- bills to pay, mouths to feed.

And yet, underneath the responsibilities, that reckless kid is still inside of me -- thirsty for adventure, longing for the chaos of the unexplored and the unknown. Yes, my wife and my daughter are my greatest joys. But that doesn't diminish my desire for the mapless journey outside of the comforts of home. The question is this: How do I fulfill my obligations to the ones that depend on me and also feed that part of my soul that needs the open waters? How do I reconcile the chaos that the kid inside of me craves with the responsibilities of maturity?

For me, the ocean brings all of this into focus. Far away from shore, the water offers a perspective that I can't find anywhere else. Surrounded by the beauty and danger of the horizon I realize how small my problems and I really are. My wife calls surfing my baptism. And though saltwater might not be "holy water" per se, it really is a spiritual experience for me. So a few years back when Willis Chin asked me if I was interested in heading to Maui for a week or two -- my wife and I both decided that I could use some perspective. So my friend Willis and I headed out on our surf trip with one very strict rule: no agendas. This meant no rental cars, no hotels, no hassles -- just a surfboard, a pair of trunks, a sleeping bag and a backpack. You might ask yourself, "Why would two guys who can afford to actually have a nice vacation opt to rough it instead?" The truth is, we weren't looking for a vacation, we were looking for an adventure. We were looking for that beautiful chaos -- the extraordinary feeling of anything can happen.

When the plane landed, we changed into our trunks and started off on our adventure. We decided to head off to the north-west corner of the island, hoping to score a few waves at one of my favorite places on the planet: Honolua Bay. No rental car, no hotel room, no shoes -- just a couple of hitchhikers on an island with a pair of trunks and a surfboard.

Now for someone who's never done it before, hitchhiking can be an adventure in itself. You have no control; you surrender your plans, throw your thumb up and just let the day unfold. When we finally found a ride, we were so stoked. We threw our stuff in the back of the truck and hopped in. As we headed away from the airport the driver took a second look at me in the rearview mirror. "You looked exactly like Jon Foreman -- the lead singer for Switchfoot." He said. My buddy Willis looked back at me with wide eyes -- laughing at the odds of finding one of the few people in Hawaii who would recognize me. What are the chances?! I laughed and looked back into the rearview mirror and said, "Yeah. I get that a lot."

We thanked our new-found friend for the ride, hopped out at Honolua Bay just in time to catch a late season swell. It caught most of the locals off-guard, so Willis and I had almost the entire place to ourselves. It was a magical, marathon session -- surfing until our arms couldn't paddle anymore. Every wave was a gift, something that couldn't be planned or replicated. Traveling thousands of miles, each swell was a beautiful gift from the chaos of the sea.

As the sun went down that night, we were the last ones left out in the water, smiling at the success our journey had already provided. Far away from the specific pressures of each of our lives, we had nothing but the simple joys of the adventure. That night, happy and exhausted, we hitchhiked down the road to a dry patch of sand, spread out our sleeping bags and were asleep in seconds.

When the warning sirens went off that night we were too tired to understand or to care, so we slept through the first few of them. In fact, I remember being so exhausted that I was more annoyed than I was alarmed. All of the sudden, a small aircraft flew by our beach with a siren on it -- we knew this must be more than just a test, so we headed off for higher ground to find out more about what was going on. We were shocked by what we learned -- the sirens were indeed more than just a test, they were loudly warning the coastal towns on the west side of the island that a huge tsunami was approaching from Japan. The same chaotic body of water that had given us so much joy only a few hours ago was wreaking havoc on the Japanese coastline. That night, Willis and I tried our best to sleep on the lawn of a local church. We offered up prayers for Japan and felt especially thankful to be alive, staring up at the Hawaii stars above.

When we woke up the next morning, the island of Maui was practically shut down. Everyone was talking about the tragedy that had occurred, watching the videos and photos of the destruction. Hitchhiking was harder than before as a lot of the roads near the coast were closed entirely. We walked into town for breakfast, silent and barefoot. We ate our breakfast watching the pacific, transfixed. The water was rising and falling in strange rhythms, almost boiling in strange motions that I'd never seen before. My mind was racing with the images I'd seen on the restaurant TV: horrible videos and stories of devastation on the other side of the same body of water. Somewhere over that same ocean, the sun was rising on japan. The mourning of a nation.

I looked out at the strange waters and felt almost betrayed by the Pacific. This intimate friend of mine felt like a stranger, an enemy. But the chaos in the water this morning was not a betrayal. No, the Pacific had never made me any promises. In fact, if there's anything that the ocean guarantees, it's entropy and erosion. Change. The destruction of the past as something new is created. More than this, wasn't chaos what we were looking for? Not a tsunami of course, but the risk, the unknown. The adventure. The unbridled thrill of the uncharted future.

And as I watched the pacific reeling I thought about the chaos of life, the adventure of the unknown. In reality, safety is an illusion. Control is an illusion. We are born the same as we die on this planet -- on a journey that we did not choose. On an odyssey that is only partly ours. None of us are immune to tragedy. The rich, the poor. The folks sleeping in the fancy hotels, and the folks sleeping on the beach.

Life is not an entitlement. Breath is not your right -- it's a gift that you take and give back. It's not a promise -- it's an adventure. And someday, we will give these bodies back to the earth. In a greater journey than anything I've ever known, we will all find out what lies ahead- on the other side of the grave.

Let us not be lulled to sleep, thinking that this quick passage from birth to death is anything short of miraculous. Whether you believe in the God of Abraham, Krishna or the god of numbers -- we can all agree on this: Human life on planet earth is a wonderful, improbable mystery. From the tsunami to the wings of a butterfly, this watery planet populated with these fragile bonds of carbon is remarkably unlikely. What are the chances? One in a million? One in a billion? Every step of science leads towards greater levels of complexity and unimaginable odds stacked against any form of human existence. And yet, in spite of of such impossible odds, here we are, hurtling through space together.

The weight of responsibilities that we feel in this life is real. Rent, car payments, health insurance- these are bills and numbers that correspond to real pressures. But our odyssey through this life and death cannot be reduced to the numbers alone. Or if you go by the numbers, at least factor in the remarkable odds that you're alive at all! This strange, unlikely journey from dust to dust is much more than bills and paychecks. Sometimes we need a little perspective to awaken this urgency within us. To be reminded of how short life is and how much we have to be thankful for. Death is the certainty, life is the unexpected gift.

When I paddled back out into the pacific that afternoon, I felt small against the horizon. Like a hitch hiker adrift at sea -- thankful for every ride I got. This life of ours is not a guarantee: it's an unlikely, chaotic adventure that is mostly beyond our control. We might think that we're the ones behind the steering wheel, but in reality we're just hitchhiking, wandering down the road at the mercy of these incredible mysteries. The chaos of life and death is all around us; but against all odds we are here. Alive. Walking down that open road of life together -- thumbs out in anticipation for the ride that awaits.
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I Am a Kind Mama

April 30, 2014, 11:05 am
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I have something very important to tell you, so I need you to listen up.

Are you ready for it?

Celebrities are not experts on anything other than being a celebrity.

They're not.

They're not doctors. They aren't psychologists. They aren't researchers, or social workers, or childcare providers. They aren't chefs (although they have them). They aren't home organization gurus (although they employ them). And they definitely aren't pediatricians (although they take their kids to them).

So why are we taking advice from them?

Now, don't get me wrong. I would love for Alicia Silverstone to tell me the secret to an amazing audition. Or what it was like acting in one of the biggest teen movies of all time. Or how to get the perfect beachy blow-out (scratch that, I'm sure her hairstylist did it). And let's be honest. If Jenny McCarthy could tell me exactly how to get a body like that, I might even let her convince me to pose somewhere in a bathing suit. But why would I ask these ladies how to parent? They're no more of a parenting expert than the lady behind me in the Starbucks line, and we all know what happens when you take parenting advice from nosy strangers. And yet Alicia Silverstone and Jenny McCarthy, both actors, have written books about parenting. The internet is buzzing right now about Silverstone's book, and her (non-professional, completely subjective) opinion on how being a "kind mama" can save mothers everywhere from things like postpartum depression, infertility, even disposable diapers and cancer.

And some people are buying it.

Why?

Because moms like you and me are terrified.

We're terrified that we're doing it wrong. We're terrified that someone knows better than we do, that someone out there can see right through us. We stay awake at night wondering if we listened enough, made them wash their hands enough, turned off the TV enough, made healthy enough dinners, answered enough questions about death and bugs and where poop comes from and why flowers need sunlight. We re-live every moment of every day, as we question if we are good enough, nice enough, patient enough, crafty enough, kind enough mothers.

Alicia Silverstone is smart enough to know that scaring people sells books. People like to be told what to do when they're scared. People want to feel like they belong. Never mind celebrities being "just like us." We want to be "just like them." So to my kind mama neighbors, listen up. This is a big one.

You were kind already.

You are kind because you wake up seven times at night to feed your tiny baby, the best way that you know how.

You are kind because as soon as the baby goes back to sleep, your toddler wakes up. And instead of pretending that you don't hear her, you climb into bed with her for one more snuggle. Even though it cramps your neck to squish into her little bed.

You are kind because you made breakfast, lunch and dinner for three kids and your husband, and did the dishes after the kids went to bed.

You are kind because you drove two friends in the carpool today, and you only yelled once.

You are kind because you recognized your postpartum depression, and you asked for help.

You are kind because you wipe noses and water spills and bottoms.

You are kind because you look out for other mamas, and offer hugs in the preschool parking lot.

You are kind because you survived IVF, and you're waiting white-knuckled for a birth mother to choose you.

You are kind because you listen to your 4-year-old sing "Let It Go" thirteen thousand times a day, and you try really hard not to roll your eyes or wince. Mostly.

You are kind because you were on bed rest, and you brought your baby safely into this world.

You are kind because you are fighting addiction one step at a time, so that you can be present for your kids each day.

You are kind because you are wearing a stretched-out bra and jeans from six years ago, because every last penny pays for field trips and school supplies and a surprise ice cream cone when your fourth grader aces a math test.

You are kind because you knew what type of birth experience was best for you, and you fought like hell to have it.

You are kind because you remember to take your medication every day.

You are kind because you do your best. Over and over and over again.

You are kind because you hold my baby when I have to pee.

You are kind because you pay attention, and ask questions, and trust your instincts, and do your research.

You are the gatekeeper for your family. You. You are the memory-maker, the argument-settler, the cheerleader, the security guard. You are the cuddler, the lover, the forgiver, the leader. You are beautifully flawed in all of the right ways, and perfect whenever you need to be.

So put the book down, Mama. You don't need it. You've got this. I see you -- we all see you. And your kindness shines brighter than the shooting star of celebrity. Trust yourself. Trust your experience. Trust that the love that you have for your children is stronger than the fear that you have of failing. Don't let the airbrushing and the designer clothes fool you. The real expert is behind the wheel of your minivan, scarfing down a sandwich in the carpool line. Actors get paid to pretend. Your worth is measured in the kindness that you share with your children. You know what you can do with the money that you were going to spend on that book? Give it to the real expert. You deserve it, Mama.

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This post originally appeared on Mama By The Bay



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Natasha Blasick, Actress, Claims 'Ghost Sex' Is 'Really Pleasurable'

April 30, 2014, 11:34 am
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A Ukranian-born actress is scaring up lots of publicity after making this outrageous claim: She's had sex with a ghost -- twice.

Natasha Blasick made the spirited confession Tuesday morning on British TV show This Morning and said she found the experiences "really, really pleasurable."

The first experience happened when she was alone in her room.

“I was laying in bed and then I felt something enter the room and I couldn’t see anybody," she said, according to the Mirror. “I could feel that somebody was touching me and the hands were pushing me against my will and I could feel the weight of the body on top of me.

"I couldn’t see anybody but I could feel the pressure, the energy, the warmth pushing in different directions.”

She added: "I enjoyed it."

The ghost then left, but Blasick said it returned a month later for more, the New York Daily News reports.

Although Blasick is married, she said her ghost sex antics have given her something more than traditional nookie ever could.

“It was fun. I think ever since I was a child I always wanted to know if there is anything more to this world, I was always asking the questions, and I think this made me feel kind of reassured that there is something more than what we can see with the naked eye," she said, according to DigitalSpy.com. "It gave me comfort and support and love, and it did answer questions for me that there is something else out there.”

Blasick isn't the first performer to extol the virtues of ghost sex.

In September, Kesha revealed to Ryan Seacrest that a randy romp with a male ghost helped give birth to her new song, "Supernatural."

"It's about experiences with the supernatural... but in a sexy way," she told Seacrest. "I had a couple of experiences with the supernatural. I don't know his name! He was a ghost! I'm very open to it."

Claims like Blasick's arouse skepticism from paranormal experts.

Alexandra Holzer, a ghost researcher and HuffPost blogger, says people who experience ghost sex don't feel "warmth" of the kind that Blasick alleges.

"The people who report having sex with a ghost report feeling pressure on them and even penetration, but ghosts don't have warmth," Holzer told HuffPost. "When they're in the room, it's a very cold environment."

(h/t: Fark.com)




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Demi Lovato Opens Up About Childhood Depression (PHOTOS)

April 30, 2014, 11:40 am
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With a radiant smile and an angelic voice, Demi Lovato became friends with television’s favorite purple dinosaur on "Barney and Friends" at age 7 -- but the twinkle in the starlet’s eyes went out when the lights on set did.

Lovato, 21, is Cosmopolitan For Latinas’s “Fun, Fearless Latina of the Year” and the face of their summer issue, on newsstands May 6. In the interview with the magazine, the singer opened up her childhood depression and why she now feels the need to inspire young girls.

The star spent hours singing and dancing on the set with Barney for thousands of viewers at home but the reality, says Lovato, was quite different behind the scenes.

“It was that loneliness you get when you’re sad and it’s the middle of the night, and even though you have family and friends to call, it’s hard to pick up the phone,” Lovato told Cosmo for Latinas.

Years of struggle with drug abuse, bulimia and self-harm ended with a stint in rehab in 2010 and a break from the spotlight that marked a new beginning for the singer. Since then, Demi not only returned to acting and released two albums but has made it a point to be honest about her past.

“When I was younger, I needed someone in the spotlight to idolize, who stood for positivity and light and happiness, and wanted to change the world,” Lovato told the magazine. “And because I didn’t have that, I realized I want to do that, if only for my 12-year-old little sister.”

The singer is currently on the second leg of her Neon Lights tour, promoting her fourth studio album DEMI with concerts in Latin America. While on the road she stays connected with fans via Twitter, posting no make-up selfies and words of inspiration.

In fact, not covering up her face is essential to feeling sexy for the Dallas native.

“I feel sexiest when I’m comfortable — this means when I’m in my element onstage, and also when I’m wearing a T-shirt, jeans, my leather jacket, and no makeup!” the “Neon Lights” singer said.

When it comes to her career, the star has no intentions of slowing down. Demi not only aims to make a name for herself in music history but hopes to dip her feet in Hollywood.

“I’m very proud of how far I’ve come, but I definitely want to win a Grammy one day, and I dream of winning an Oscar,” Lovato told Cosmo for Latinas. “I want to continue to tour and build my fan base and make music that will last for decades.”

Check out Demi on the cover of Cosmo for Latinas and more below:

demi lovato cosmo

demi lovato cosmo latinas

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Miley Cyrus Forced To Reschedule Amsterdam Show After Health Issues Resurface

April 30, 2014, 11:44 am
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Miley Cyrus may have been released from the hospital following a nine-day stint, but she's not out of the woods just yet.

E! News exclusively reports that Cyrus, who was supposed to resume her Bangerz tour in Amsterdam this Friday, May 2, had to reschedule the show after her allergies flared up again.

"Miley is very bummed about it," a source told E! News, which explains the singer's latest tweets.

On Monday, Miley pumped her fans up for her upcoming show:




Only to follow it up Tuesday with:







And a whole bunch of sad cat faces:

aww miley

Cyrus was hospitalized earlier this month for a "severe allergic reaction" to an antibiotic she was prescribed, which caused her to postpone the rest of her U.S. tour. She plans to make up for those tour dates she missed in August.
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Theater: Michelle Williams' First Performance After Tony Snub

April 30, 2014, 11:54 am
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CABARET *** out of ****
ROUNDABOUT AT STUDIO 54

Talk about motivation! Hours after her show Cabaret -- and the performance of Michelle Williams in particular -- failed to get a Tony nomination, she took to the stage playing Sally Bowles, the British gal who lacks talent but has deluded herself into thinking she's a star. Williams could draw on this "rejection" to feed her performance of fragile insecurity. Or Williams could draw on it to fire herself up with something to prove. In any case, it added a frisson of excitement to the Wednesday night presentation of Cabaret.

Traditionally, Sally has not been an awards magnet. After six major productions in New York and London over the past 48 years, Natasha Richardson is the only woman to have won a top award for playing the part immortalized by Liza Minnelli on film. In fact, the original Sally from 1967 (Jill Haworth) wasn't even nominated, even though that production received ten nominations and won seven, including Best Musical.

The Oscar-nominated Williams is making her Broadway debut, not to mention her professional debut in a musical, so it's silly to talk about a "snub." With 16 musicals debuting this season, there was a bevy of leading female performances to choose from, many of them highly acclaimed. It's one of the most competitive categories around. Further, she's on anyone's short list of the best actresses working today, with excellent taste in projects (Meek's Cutoff, Blue Valentine) and a determined effort to challenge herself repeatedly. She does precisely that with Cabaret and the result is her own take on Sally, the only reasonable tack any actor can pursue when performing a famous part.

And let's get one other bit of nonsense out of the way. Some people were scandalized by this revival of a revival, a return of the legendary Cabaret production from 1998 that turned Alan Cumming into a star. But why? Actors returning again and again to their most famous roles is a tradition as old as the theater itself. James O'Neill (father of Eugene) performed the lead role in The Count Of Monte Cristo again and again throughout his career, racking up some 6000 turns in the part before all was said and done. Yul Brynner performed The King And I back in 1951, and then returned with it to Broadway in 1977 and again in 1985 (not to mention London and touring it all over the world). Rex Harrison played Henry Higgins again and again on Broadway and on the road. In fact, my very first introduction to professional theater was seeing Rex Harrison doing My Fair Lady in Miami, Florida, in the early 1980s, more than 35 years after the show premiered. Personally, I look forward to seeing Cumming as the emcee in 2030.



So what is a visit to Cabaret like? Well, if you saw the 1998 production, you know exactly what it's like. This is essentially the same show, with the same look and the same boundary-bursting concept that was so influential newcomers might not realize what all the fuss was about. Alan Cumming is the Emcee and the years have added a gravity to his turn. He's not the lithe young man so eager to please, so excited to be performing. He's older and seedier and when you're talking Cabaret, that's a good thing.

Our hero (and there are precious few of them in this tawdry tale) is Cliff Bradshaw (Bill Heck), a young writer who comes to Berlin in 1929 hoping to finish a novel. Instead, he's caught up in the decadent whirl of Weimar Germany, where a friend on the train turns out to be a Nazi and hours after arriving he's at the decadent Kit Kat Klub, flirting with a guy he met in London and getting hit on by Sally Bowles, the "toast of Mayfair" as she's called.

The friendship between the conflicted Cliff and flighty Sally alternates with the sweet romance between their landlady Frau Schneider (Linda Emond) and fruit seller Herr Schultz (Danny Burstein). (Both nominated for Tonys and rightly so.) But darkness is falling: the songs at the Kit Kat Klub grow nastier and nastier, bricks are thrown through the window of Schultz's store and even pregnancy can't convince Sally it's time to give up her foolish dream of stardom.

But it's fun! Cumming is having a blast as the Emcee (no sleepwalking here through a role he knows by heart) and the boys and girls in the band all couple and uncouple with naughty abandon. It may not play as shockingly as it did even just 16 years ago, but it's still amusing. And they're beautiful! (Will Carlyon, we're looking at you.)

Heck (so good in Orphans' Home Cycle) is an especially manly Cliff, where that part has always leaned heavily on more helplessly gay than potentially passing. He's more of a believable temptation than usual to Sally with his offers of a traditional life. Her ability to know how illusory this is proves one of Sally's few moments where she actually faces reality. Cliff is also the only one who wakes up to the nightmare of what's happening politically and Heck is strong as his anguish grows.

The elderly romantics always steal the show, if only because it's the only storyline with heart and a chance at a happy ending. It's the same here, with Emond and Burstein delightful. Burstein's willful blind eye to how his country has turned on him is moving and sad. Emond takes your breath away every time she sings, from her delightful opener "So What" to her defiant but resigned "What Would You Do."

And Williams is memorable as she charts her own course, playing a Sally that is very true to the original stories of Isherwood and the part as conceived. Unless you're Liza, the role doesn't call for a great singer. But in fact, Williams -- according to my guest -- has a better voice than Natasha Richardson. It's a Piaf-like trill and surprisingly strong in passages. Her Sally is a silly thing who is trying to shock Cliff and everyone else. But she's also unwinding mentally. "Mein Herr" is suitably frantic. The way Sally is drawn to a microphone to perform "Maybe This Time" is like a moth to a flame. And her near nervous breakdown during "Cabaret" (where she decides to get an abortion and give up the illusion of marriage with a gay man while clinging to the illusion that she'll soon be a star) is very convincing.

I'd love to see Williams at the end of her run, when she's had even more time to grow in confidence and chops. But you don't need to wait a second to appreciate her skills as an actress. In the final moments of the show, Cliff is walking out the door for good and Sally asks plaintively, "Dedicate your book to me?" and the spotlight falls and her haunted, broken look had the audience pin-drop quiet.

If you've never seen it, why wait? The show is filled with great songs, though for me it gets a little heavy-handed in its message both at certain points and the final reveal pointing toward the coming Holocaust for Jews, gays (and Romany). This production was legendary for good reason. If you compare it constantly to opening night back in 1998, you're sure to be dissatisfied. But that show ran six years and gave a wealth of performers the opportunity to leave their mark, from Michael C. Hall and Neil Patrick Harris to Jennifer Jason Leigh and Susan Egan. Now more people can do the same, after these actors eventually move on. I, for one, am glad the Kit Kat Klub is open for business.


THEATER OF 2014

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical ***
Rodney King ***
Hard Times ** 1/2
Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead **
I Could Say More *
The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner **
Machinal ***
Outside Mullingar ***
A Man's A Man * 1/2
The Tribute Artist ** 1/2
Transport **
Prince Igor at the Met **
The Bridges Of Madison County ** 1/2
Kung Fu (at Signature) **
Stage Kiss ***
Satchmo At The Waldorf ***
Antony and Cleopatra at the Public **
All The Way ** 1/2
The Open House (Will Eno at Signature) ** 1/2
Wozzeck (at Met w Deborah Voigt and Thomas Hampson and Simon O'Neill)
Hand To God ***
Tales From Red Vienna **
Appropriate (at Signature) *
Rocky * 1/2
Aladdin ***
Mothers And Sons **
Les Miserables *** 1/2
Breathing Time * 1/2
Cirque Du Soleil's Amaluna * 1/2
Heathers The Musical * 1/2
Red Velvet, at St. Ann's Warehouse ***
Broadway By The Year 1940-1964 *** 1/2
A Second Chance **
Guys And Dolls *** 1/2
If/Then * 1/2
The Threepenny Opera * 1/2
A Raisin In The Sun *** 1/2
The Heir Apparent *** 1/2
The Realistic Joneses ***
Lady Day At Emerson's Bar & Grill ***
The Library **
South Pacific ** 1/2
Violet ***
Bullets Over Broadway **
Of Mice And Men **
The World Is Round ***
Your Mother's Copy Of The Kama Sutra **
Hedwig and the Angry Inch ***
The Cripple Of Inishmaan ***
The Great Immensity * 1/2
Casa Valentina ** 1/2
Act One **
Inventing Mary Martin **
Cabaret ***

Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the founder and CEO of the forthcoming websiteBookFilter, a book lover's best friend. It's a website that lets you browse for books online the way you do in a physical bookstore, provides comprehensive info on new releases every week in every category and offers passionate personal recommendations every step of the way. It's like a fall book preview or holiday gift guide -- but every week in every category. He's also the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog. Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also available for free on iTunes.

Note: Michael Giltz is provided with free tickets to shows with the understanding that he will be writing a review. All productions are in New York City unless otherwise indicated.
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The New 'I Wanna Marry Harry' Promo Has Fake Princes, Fake Butlers And Real Drama

April 30, 2014, 11:56 am
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Castles, romance and a ginger-haired prince. It's a fairy tale straight out of every little girl's dream. Fox's version of happily ever after, however, intends to dash that dream with an elaborate hoax.

The network just released a new promo for the new "Joe Millionaire"-esque dating show "I Wanna Marry Harry," revealing a deeper look at the ridiculous premise. The ladies get their first glimpse of their "prince" -- they've dubbed him "Sir" on the show -- when he arrives by helicopter. As he's immediately whisked away, the contestants spend hours speculating who the mystery man might be. Is that Prince Harry?

Of course not. The 12 women will unknowingly vie for the attention of an impostor named Matthew Hicks, a completely ordinary English bloke who doesn't mind masquerading as royalty.

The new clip features some beautiful shots of the English country house the girls will be calling home -- "We're at Downton Abbey," one of the contestants shrieks as they arrive at the estate -- and also some ominous commentary from a butler, Kingsley, who's in charge of keeping the girls in line.

"The stakes have been raised tenfold and there will be heartache and tears before bedtime," Kingsley says. And that's all before they find out the prince's true identity!
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Zac Efron Opens Up About 'Never-Ending Struggle' With Addiction, That Fight On Skid Row

April 30, 2014, 12:33 pm
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In the most recent issue of The Hollywood Reporter, Zac Efron candidly discusses his "never-ending struggles with addiction." In addition to living what THR calls an "ultrafit" life, he has taken to seeing a therapist in conjunction with regular visits to Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as setting himself a 9 p.m. bedtime.

Though news of Efron's time in rehab surfaced back in September, he only began discussing his health in early January. "I'm so happy," he told People, while promoting "That Awkward Moment." "I feel like I'm in a great place and I'm glad that I'm really here to share this moment with everybody and be present for all of it."

As for what pushed him over the edge, Efron cites the activeness of his career. "I had done films back-to-back-to-back. I was burnt out ... There was something lacking, some sort of hole that I couldn't really fill up," he tells THR. At one point, Efron admits to having completely distanced himself from friends and family, living out of a suitcase.

Now, Efron is trying to "stay as low-key as possible," though he has not managed to keep his name out of the news entirely. At the end of March, Efron found himself in a fight on skid row with an individual that TMZ described as a "sketchy transient."

Addressing the incident in THR, Efron said he and a friend were "looking for a bite" when their car ran out of gas. While waiting for a ride from Uber, "a homeless guy, or vagrant, tapped on the driver's-side window. Before I knew it, he [the friend] was out of the car, and they started fighting. I saw that [the homeless man] was carrying some sort of a knife, or shank, and I got out of the car to disarm him. At some point, he dropped the knife, and I got hit pretty hard in the face -- and almost instantly the police were there to break up the fight."

To read more about Zac Efron's recovery and early bedtime, head over to The Hollywood Reporter.

zac efron
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