'Game Of Thrones' Almost Had A Shocking, Weird Love Triangle

February 5, 2015, 3:08 pm

≫ Next: Jason Lee Says 'Mallrats' Was His 'Biggest Letdown'

≪ Previous: Meet Sasha, The Newest Member Of The Piqué Mebarak Family

$

0

0

A leaked letter written by George R.R. Martin to his agent reveals the original, different plan for A Song of Ice and Fire -- the seven-book saga that inspired hit HBO series "Game of Thrones." British book retailer Waterstones tweeted images of the three page letter in which Martin detailed his intended plans for the book series. The tweet has since been deleted, but all three pages can be read here, here, and here.

The letter was apparently displayed in Harper Collins' new London Bridge office, which has a George R.R. Martin room. Waterstone attributed the letter to HarperCollins UK who, according to Vanity Fair, corroborated the tweet before it was deleted. Besides the fact that the book series was first envisioned as a mere trilogy (Martin only planned to write A Game of Thrones, A Dance With Dragons and The Winds of Winter) the letter reveals some pretty major plot and character variations, including a shocking love triangle. Here's what Martin apparently originally planned for:

Some book and show spoilers follow.

There was love trial between Arya, Tyrion and Jon Snow

Image via Wikia

We know, weird. Apparently Tyrion would fall for Arya after getting exiled by Jaime (more on that below). It wouldn't be a mutual romance though. Then Arya and Jon Snow (her half-brother) would fall in love, sparking a rivalry between Jon and Tyrion. The romance would "torture" the half siblings, until ...

Jon's true parentage would be revealed
This is something fans are still speculating over.

Sansa would have Joffrey's baby

Rob would die in battle
Martin planned for Rob and Joffrey to fight on the battlefield (almost nothing sounds more hilarious than imagining Joffrey in battle). Rob would "maim" Joffrey, but eventually Rob would be defeated by Jaime and Tyrion.

Jaime was originally a super bad guy
Martin wrote that Tyrion would "remove" Joffrey, thus making way for Jaime to take over the throne. Then Jaime would turn against Tryion, kill a bunch of people, blame his brother, and then get Tyrion exiled. (This is why Tyrion apparently grows fond of Arya.)

Daenerys would kill Khal Drogo

Image via Tumblr

Even more shocking is that she'd do it to avenge him killing her brother, Viserys (LOL).

Only five characters would survive the series
Martin's original five were Daenerys, Arya, Jon, Bran and Tyrion. Will he stay true to it?

Daenerys would invade the Seven Kingdoms a lot sooner
While of course we don't know where the books are headed with Dany's storyline, there's lots of foreshadowing that she'll use her dragons to take over Westeros. Martin originally planned for this to happen in the second book of his trilogy.

Catelyn didn't die in the Red Wedding
The infamous slaughter scene isn't even mentioned in Martin's letter and the author instead planned for Catelyn to travel North of the Wall, with Arya and Bran, only to be killed by Mance Rayder's Free Folk (in the letter just described as "the others").

The last paragraph of the letter is sadly blacked out, so we'll still have to keep reading and watching to find out how Martin plans to end his series. HuffPost Entertainment reached out to HarperCollins UK, Waterstone, and Martin's rep for comment, and will update this post if any new information is received.

For more, head to Variety.

---

Jason Lee Says 'Mallrats' Was His 'Biggest Letdown'

February 5, 2015, 3:14 pm

≫ Next: The Complete Roster Of 2015 Grammy Performers

≪ Previous: 'Game Of Thrones' Almost Had A Shocking, Weird Love Triangle

$

0

0

In 1995, Jason Lee was known more for being a professional skateboarder than making America laugh. Then "Mallrats," a cult classic, came along, and Lee was never the same. And, despite its cultural status today, the box-office flop almost turned Lee off acting right when his career had just begun.

"Back then, I was coming up on 25 and feeling like maybe I'm done with [skateboarding]," Lee told host Ricky Camilleri in a HuffPost Live interview Thursday. "I had done 'Mallrats' and I thought maybe I would try to sort of gracefully get out of skating and overstay my welcome and try to do this movie thing. And then, lo and behold, when 'Mallrats' came out, three people saw it. It absolutely bombed."

Lee, however, never went back. He went on to star in another beloved movie, "Chasing Amy," and then onto the blockbuster "Enemy of the State" in 1998. The well-traveled actor might be most known for his role as title character in "My Name Is Earl," which aired for four seasons from 2005 to 2009 on NBC.

Twenty years after that first role in "Mallrats," Lee looks back fondly on those times. He remembers how excited he was to be a part of the movie and the naive confidence he had that the movie would be a smash hit. He wasn't the only one hurt, either, when the movie didn't make money; director Kevin Smith even changed his answering machine recording to properly reflect his feelings.

"'Mallrats' was the biggest letdown, though. It was, 'Mom, I'm in a movie, can you believe it? Do you know how many people are going to see this and laugh and have so much fun?' [And then] crickets," Lee said with a laugh. "I think Kevin left an outgoing message on the production office's answering machine after 'Mallrats' came out and bombed. 'Hey, this is Kevin. We can't get to the phone right now. We're too busy licking our wounds.'"

Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation here.

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

The Complete Roster Of 2015 Grammy Performers

February 6, 2015, 12:51 pm

≫ Next: Both 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' Sequels Are Coming

≪ Previous: Jason Lee Says 'Mallrats' Was His 'Biggest Letdown'

$

0

0

Just about everyone on the planet with musical talent will perform at the Grammys on Sunday. Here's a rundown those scheduled to appear. This post will be updated as more names are added.

Katy Perry
She's only one week out from her Super Bowl halftime show, but Perry will take over the Grammys stage to sing "By the Grace of God," off her nominated album, "Prism." She's up for two awards, Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance for "Dark Horse" and Best Pop Vocal Album. Left Shark is not scheduled to appear.



Rihanna, Paul McCartney and Kanye West
They'll perform "FourFiveSeconds," their collaborative track due out on Rihanna's new album sometime this year. Rihanna's up for Best Rap/ Sung Collaboration for "The Monster" with Eminem. West is also set to "deliver a never-before-seen solo performance" during the show. That will be cool.

Chris Martin and Beck
Coldplay's front man will team up with Beck to perform something from "Morning Phase," which is nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album. Beck's "Blue Moon" is nominated for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. Coldplay is also up for three categories: Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance for "A Sky Full of Stars," Best Pop Vocal Album for "Ghost Stories" and Best Music Film for "Ghost Stories."

Lang Lang
Pianist Lang Lang is set to "add his musicality to one of the year's most infectious songs." At last year's ceremony, he accompanied Metallica to play "One," so he could join anyone from AC/DC to Ariana Grande.

Herbie Hancock, John Mayer, Questlove and Ed Sheeran
Who knows what this supergroup will perform on Sunday? But Sheeran's the only nominee of the bunch. "X" is up for Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year, while "I See Fire" is nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

Brandy Clark and Dwight Yoakam
Newcomer Brandy Clark has become a country darling this year and her debut album, "12 Stories," is nominated for Best Country Album. She's up for Best New Artist as well. By pairing her with veteran star Dwight Yoakam, the Grammys are setting her up for country superstardom.

Mary J. Blige and Sam Smith
The two will perform a duet and are rumored to sing "Stay With Me," Smith's smash hit nominated for Record of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year. Smith's expected to have a breakout night, since he's also up for Best New Artist, Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for "In The Lonely Hour." Blige is also up for Best Dance Recording for "F For You" with Disclosure.



Juanes
Everybody loves Juanes, right?! He's going to perform a new song called "Juntos," made for the Disney movie "McFarland, USA." Juanes is also up for Best Latin Pop Album for "Loco De Amor (Crazy About Love)."

Sia
Sia confirmed that she would perform at this year's Grammys -- her first time doing so -- during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Based on her elusive sets on "Saturday Night Live," "Late Night with Seth Meyers," and even "Ellen," she's expected to be one of the most interesting shows of the night. Sia's nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Music Video for "Chandelier."

AC/DC
AC/DC is set to take the stage, but is not expected to perform with drummer, Phil Rudd, who was recently charged with "threatening to kill." Rolling Stone reports that former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade may play with the group instead.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
The year's most unexpected duo will bring their schtick to the Grammys stage and will reportedly sing the title track from their album of duets, "Cheek to Cheek," which is nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Eric Church
Country star Eric Church is up for four awards, including Best Country Song and Best Country Album. He's gonna play some sweet country music.

Common, John Legend and (maybe) Beyoncé
Common and John Legend will sing their Oscar-nominated song "Glory" from "Selma," and in an interview with Us Weekly, Common spilled the beans that Beyoncé will join them. "A segue into our song 'Glory,' as a tribute to 'Selma,' being done by the great Beyoncé," he told the magazine. "That's one of the greatest talents you can have, helping us segue into it."

Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande's second studio album, "My Everything," is up for Best Pop Vocal Album. She's slated to perform, but it's unclear which of her bangers she'll sing.

Pharrell Williams
He will not sing "Happy" and that's all that matters.

Hozier and Annie Lennox
First-time nominee Hozier's smash single "Take Me To Church" is up for Song of the Year, and he'll take the stage with Grammy veteran Annie Lennox, whose album "Nostalgia" is up for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.



Jessie J and Tom Jones
Jessie J's "Bang Bang," featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj, was practically forced into your brain this year, and -- shocker! -- it's up for a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance. The music industry is still trying to make Jessie J a thing, so she'll sing with legend Tom Jones. (They performed together back when Jessie J was a coach on "The Voice U.K.")

Miranda Lambert
Country queen Miranda Lambert is nominated for four awards, including Best Country Song and Best Country Album, and she'll take the stage to show, once again, that she's cooler than husband Blake Shelton.

Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani
"The Voice" judges will team up. Should be fun.

Usher
Usher will perform! He probably won't sing "Climax"! Bummer!

Madonna
This will be her fifth Grammy performance, and there's no doubt that she'll promote her new album "Rebel Heart," due out March 6.

Check out the full list of Grammy nominees.

Both 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' Sequels Are Coming

February 6, 2015, 1:05 pm

≫ Next: Aaron Rodgers Surprises Kids Who Lost Their Dads In The Military

≪ Previous: The Complete Roster Of 2015 Grammy Performers

$

0

0

Even though its stars seem to have zero chemistry, "Fifty Shades of Grey" will get two sequels, "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed," both based on novels by the same name.

"Fifty Shades" director Sam Taylor-Johnson announced the news on Friday at New York's Ziegfeld Theatre when she, stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson and author E.L. James attended a fan screening event. Reports claim the audience freaked out accordingly.

A request for comment from Universal Pictures was not immediately returned.

Aaron Rodgers Surprises Kids Who Lost Their Dads In The Military

February 6, 2015, 1:11 pm

≫ Next: 'Mad Men,' 'True Detective,' And The Miseducation Of The Fanatical TV Viewer

≪ Previous: Both 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' Sequels Are Coming

$

0

0

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers has returned for season three of "It's Aaron," in which the NFL MVP visits nonprofits in and around Wisconsin to highlight the critical work they do.

In the latest episode, Rodgers spends time on a boat with four kids attending "Camp Hometown Heroes," a free summer camp for children who have lost a loved one in the military.

"Military children are often quite isolated as few can fully understand what they have experienced," camp co-founder Neil Willenson told The Huffington Post in an email. "This isolation is heightened for children of fallen service members as once the death occurs they often move off the base quickly. They lose their parent, school, friends and home all at once."

In addition to standard camp activities like swimming, arts and crafts, and fishing, Hometown Heroes holds special counseling-oriented events to help kids process their grief. For one such event, campers decorated a square of fabric in tribute to their loved one; the squares were then sewn into a quilt.

After he surprised them on the boat, the kids showed the quilt to Rodgers.

"I love camp, but I wish the day when my dad died never came," said Kylee, one of three sisters on the trip, reading her square for Rodgers.

"I miss you dad, I wish I had more time with you to hang out and to mess around like the dudes that we are," read a boy named Dylan, who lost his father when he was 6. "I'm looking after mom, in a way. Love you dad."

The group also spent time fishing, during which Kylee amused Rodgers by confessing she's not much of a football fan because "there's too much going on."

Since 9/11, some 5,000 U.S. children have lost a parent who served in the military, Willenson told Fox 6 news. The week-long Hometown Heroes camp is completely free for participants, including air travel, and is sponsored by donors from around the country.

"Ultimately, we hope children leave Camp Hometown Heroes feeling that brighter days are ahead," Willenson said. "At last, the children are with others who understand what it is like to lose a love one who served our nation."

He added that most campers return several years in a row, as "healing is not a one-time event, it is a lifelong process."

Donations to the program can be made at hometownheroes.org.

"The more we do this," Rodgers said in the video, "you just find so many amazing organizations that are right here in our backyard and are doing some incredible work with kids."

'Mad Men,' 'True Detective,' And The Miseducation Of The Fanatical TV Viewer

February 6, 2015, 1:18 pm

≫ Next: 'American Sniper,' Movie Politics, and The Snipe Hunt For Accuracy

≪ Previous: Aaron Rodgers Surprises Kids Who Lost Their Dads In The Military

$

0

0

"Mad Men” begins airing the second half of its final season in April, and chances are you are due to be disappointed.

'American Sniper,' Movie Politics, and The Snipe Hunt For Accuracy

February 6, 2015, 1:39 pm

≫ Next: Chris Pratt And Chris Evans Visit Children's Hospital, Prove They're Real-Life Superheroes

≪ Previous: 'Mad Men,' 'True Detective,' And The Miseducation Of The Fanatical TV Viewer

$

0

0

One of the easiest ways to tell a reader that something is bad, not good, or maybe just not worth seeing is to say that it’s inauthentic, dishonest, or misleading, or that it otherwise mangles reality -- better yet, the historical record.

Chris Pratt And Chris Evans Visit Children's Hospital, Prove They're Real-Life Superheroes

February 6, 2015, 1:47 pm

≫ Next: Grammy Predictions: Who Should & Who Will Win

≪ Previous: 'American Sniper,' Movie Politics, and The Snipe Hunt For Accuracy

$

0

0

Peter Quill aka Star-Lord and Captain America have teamed up, and it's for a great cause.

Chris Pratt and Chris Evans visited with the families of Christopher's Haven hospital in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday following their Super Bowl bet (#TwitterBowl), which helped them raise $27,000 for two incredible organizations.

Pratt, a Seattle Seahawks fan, and Evans, a New England Patriots fan, wagered trips to the Seattle Children's Hospital and Christopher's Haven before the Super Bowl, betting that if their team won, they would visit with sick children at the winner's charity of choice. Since the Patriots ended up taking home the Vince Lombardi trophy last Sunday, Pratt joined Evans at Christopher's Haven and helped make the day of a handful of families.

"Chris Pratt and Chris Evans visited with the families here at Christopher's Haven in honor of the ‪#‎TwitterBowl‬ bet. The visit was complete with New England Patriots jerseys for Chris Pratt and lots of toys for the kids," the hospital wrote on their Facebook page, posting photos from the visit, as well. "Thank you to Newbury Comics and Disney for sending toys and gift bags for the kids! This was a day they will never forget."

Post by Christopher's Haven.

Pratt also took to Facebook to share photos, writing, "Made good on that ‪#‎twitterbowl‬ bet! Starlord is [p]roud to be in Boston today at Christopher's Haven with Chris Evans and some awesome families. ‪#‎12thMan‬."

Post by Chris Pratt.

And according to Evans, the pair will be heading to the Seattle Children's Hospital, as well, because they're real-life superheroes.

GREAT day at @chris_haven! You're my hero, @prattprattpratt. And look out @seattlechildren, you're next!!

— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) February 6, 2015

---

Grammy Predictions: Who Should & Who Will Win

February 6, 2015, 1:58 pm

≫ Next: Gigi Hadid On Her New Fame: 'I Try To Take It Day By Day'

≪ Previous: Chris Pratt And Chris Evans Visit Children's Hospital, Prove They're Real-Life Superheroes

$

0

0

The 2015 Grammy Awards are just around the corner, and besides the many, confusing performances that are scheduled, the world is preparing their social feeds for the evening's many moments of satisfaction and disappointment, courtesy of The Recording Academy. Sam Smith, Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams are entering the night with six nominations each, but Sunday will decide who wins the most trophies. Here are our predictions of who will win the bigger categories, as well as who we believe should win.

Album of the Year
"Morning Phase" by Beck
"Beyoncé" by Beyoncé
"x" by Ed Sheeran
"In the Lonely Hour" by Sam Smith
"Girl" by Pharrell Williams

Who Should Win: "Beyoncé" by Beyoncé
It took less than a week for Beyoncé's self-titled LP to cross 1 million sales. "Beyoncé" is filled with hit after hit, and after her successful secret release, everyone has been talking about other artists trying to pull a "Beyoncé."
Who Will Win: "Beyoncé" by Beyoncé
Seriously, it's Beyoncé.



Record of the Year
"Fancy" by Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX
"Chandelier" by Sia
"Stay With Me" (Darkchild Version) by Sam Smith
"Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift
"All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor

Who Should Win: "Chandelier" by Sia
There are very few songs that have this kind of emotional charge seeping through every moment.
Who Will Win: "Stay With Me" (Darkchild version) by Sam Smith
Let's be honest, we all spent at least one day locked in our rooms, listening to "Stay With Me" on repeat and crying for absolutely no reason.



Song of the Year
"All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor
"Chandelier" by Sia
"Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift
"Stay With Me" (Darkchild version) by Sam Smith
"Take Me To Church" by Hozier

Who Should Win: "Chandelier" by Sia
"Chandelier's" chorus is unparalleled vocally in both its size and difficulty.
Who Will Win: "Chandelier" by Sia
Really, have you tried to sing along? You can't.



Best New Artist
Iggy Azalea
Bastille
Brandy Clark
Haim
Sam Smith

Who Should Win: Haim
Haim kicks so much ass and they deserve to be far more popular than they are at this point. "Days Are Gone" has harmonies for days, and its sun-drenched demeanor is perfect for every occasion.
Who Will Win: Sam Smith
Sam Smith was 2014's darling, and with that sexy voice, who can argue?



Best Rap Album
"The Marshall Mathers LP 2" by Eminem
"The New Classic" by Iggy Azalea
"Because The Internet" by Childish Gambino
"Nobody's Smiling" by Common
"Oxymoron" by Schoolboy Q
"Black Hollywood" by Wiz Khalifa

Who Should Win: "Nobody's Smiling" by Common OR "Oxymoron" by Schoolboy Q
Common is one of hip hop's best and "Nobody's Smiling" was consistently great the whole way through. Q's long-awaited "Oxymoron" may not have the same fluidity, but it produced some memorable bangers that deserve a trophy.
Who Will Win: "The New Classic" by Iggy Azalea
Even after last year, surely none of the voters have learned their lesson.



Best Rock Album
"Ryan Adams" by Ryan Adams
"Morning Phase" by Beck
"Turn Blue" by The Black Keys
"Hypnotic Eye" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
"Songs of Innocence" by U2

Who Should Win: "Morning Phase" by Beck
"Morning Phase" isn't just one of Beck's finest crafts; it was one of the best 2014 had to offer.
Who Will Win: "Songs of Innocence" by U2
When there's a bunch of old, white dudes voting for a rock album, you shouldn't bet against Bono.



Best Alternative Music Album
"This Is All Yours" by Alt-J
"Reflektor" by Arcade Fire
"Melophobia" by Cage The Elephant
"St. Vincent" by St. Vincent
"Lazaretto" by Jack White

Who Should Win: "St. Vincent" by St. Vincent
Looking at the cover of St. Vincent's self-titled album, it's clear she is an alien queen here to enslave humanity with her all-too-fun hooks.
Who Will Win: "Reflektor" by Arcade Fire
It may seem silly to argue against Jack White, but "Reflektor" was pretty freakin' great.

Gigi Hadid On Her New Fame: 'I Try To Take It Day By Day'

February 6, 2015, 2:05 pm

≫ Next: Hey Girl, That Ryan Gosling Meme May Actually Make Men More Feminist

≪ Previous: Grammy Predictions: Who Should & Who Will Win

$

0

0

Gigi Hadid seems to be everywhere from major fashion spreads to your favorite celebs’ Instagram pics, but the cover of Teen Vogue’s March issue is the latest place to find fashion’s new “it” girl.

The 19-year-old model’s career highlights include working with fashion heavyweights like Tom Ford and landing Guess campaigns. She was also named the new face of Maybelline makeup. With such an impressive resume, it’s no shock that The Daily Front Row named her model of the year.

When she’s not on the runway or in front of a camera, you can catch Gigi hanging with other flawless fashionistas like Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne or spending time with her boyfriend, everyone’s favorite Gold Coast cutie Cody Simpson.

Sharing the cover with fellow model Binx Walton, Gigi talks with Teen Vogue about dealing with her rapid success and staying grounded.

Teen Vogue’s March issue hits stands on February 17. Scroll down to check out the covers and head over to TeenVogue.com for more.

On her hectic lifestyle…
“This is my life now. I’m so busy I don’t have time to stop and think about everything that is happening.”

On how she spends her down time…
“I live with my best friend from high school. We watch 'Long Island Medium' and sit on the couch and talk about boys and things that have nothing to do with my job.”

On what she keeps in her notebook…
“Anything I want! My schedule, I love schedules -- notes, little sketches. I was just watching 'Alice in Wonderland' on a plane to Australia, and I wrote down the quotes I liked.”

On how she’s handling her new fame and success…
“I try to take it day by day and not let it get to my head.”






Follow HuffPost Teen on Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Pheed |

Hey Girl, That Ryan Gosling Meme May Actually Make Men More Feminist

February 6, 2015, 2:11 pm

≫ Next: Listen To Beyoncé's 'Crazy In Love' Remix From 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' All Weekend

≪ Previous: Gigi Hadid On Her New Fame: 'I Try To Take It Day By Day'

$

0

0

In recent years, we've seen feminism enter the pop culture mainstream. The impact of that visibility is a popular topic of conversation (on the Internet, anyway).

The increased "trendiness" of the movement has broadened the reach of the web's feminist canon, which counts "Feminist Ryan Gosling" among its most celebrated contributions. The popular meme provides a dose of critical theory for basically everyone who has an Internet connection. But could seeing Ryan Gosling's face next to quotes from, say, bell hooks really increase feminist beliefs?

University of Saskatchewan psychology PhD students Sarah Sangster and Linzi Williamson sought to find out. Based on the idea that the meme makes feminism more appealing, they designed an experiment using 99 undergraduate participants (69 women and 30 men), and found the meme had a measurable effect on feminist beliefs in men. HuffPost Women spoke to Williamson about their findings.



What was the inspiration for this project?
That started off as a fun little thing that Sarah and I would do. We would share those memes within our lab together, because we both study topics related to feminism, we both identify as feminists and we both just genuinely like Ryan Gosling. We wondered what the deal was, and looked to [the creator of the meme] Danielle Henderson. She said, "I don't know if these memes make people more feminist, but at least they're getting a dose of feminism whether they realize it or not." So, that sparked the idea for us. We decided to see if they actually had an impact on people, on their feminist endorsement and feminist identification.

Is this the sort of research you normally do? Have you done other work in terms of how Internet memes impact belief systems?
No, this was a fun side project for us. It really started off as a curiosity based on something we both enjoyed. We do a lot of heavy research related to infertility and women's reproduction, so this was definitely a nice break from the research we typically conduct.

Tell me what the research looked like. How did you set out to measure impact?
It was a between subjects experimental design. So, we had an experimental group and a control group. Participants were undergraduates who were randomly assigned to one condition or the other. The experimental group saw the feminist Ryan Gosling meme taken from the blog and that book that Danielle Henderson had created based on them. Then, we showed the control group 15 images of Ryan. They were the same images that would have been used for the memes. We just took all the text out of it, so they just saw the pictures. Both groups then completed a survey with demographic questions as well as a question related to whether they identified as feminist, and they also completed a questionnaire called the Feminist Perspective Scale that measured six different subtypes of feminism.

Why didn't you include a control group with just the text?
We've been criticized for that. We actually weren't looking to see if it would increase people's endorsement of feminism overall. We were looking at what happens based on their everyday exposure when they are more likely to be exposed to these memes or pictures of Ryan. In that case, are they more likely to endorse feminist beliefs?

And what kind of results did you get?
When we looked at the results of the study after comparing the two groups, what we saw was that there was no impact in terms of looking at the memes in terms of people's identification as feminist. But there was an impact on their endorsement of particular feminist beliefs. That included both radical and socialist feminist beliefs, and those two subtypes of feminism were touched upon frequently in those meme quotes. So, that made sense to us.

Did the results vary at all by gender?
The women already scored pretty high. They were already quite endorsing of feminist beliefs. When we compared the control group and the experimental group, they both highly endorsed feminist beliefs. But with the men, when we looked at the control group, they had pretty mid-range scores, they were very much in the middle of our scale, but then looking at the experimental group, having seen the meme, they scored actually quite high. So, that's how we can determine that they have an impact on men's endorsement of feminism after viewing the meme.

Based on this research, do you think memes are a practical way to spread feminist beliefs?
It would be hard based on this one study to make a conclusion like that about how we might be able to use this meme. We would have to develop some kind of intervention to test that out. This was just an exploratory study to see whether this has an impact. We'd have to conduct more research.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Listen To Beyoncé's 'Crazy In Love' Remix From 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' All Weekend

February 6, 2015, 2:19 pm

≫ Next: 9 Rejected 'Magic Mike XXL' Posters That Just Weren't Sexy Enough

≪ Previous: Hey Girl, That Ryan Gosling Meme May Actually Make Men More Feminist

$

0

0

Boots' remix of Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" from the "Fifty Shades of Grey" soundtrack leaked online Thursday, meaning the Beyhive can listen to their queen all weekend long. This version of the song was teased by Beyoncé herself last July. The soundtrack is out in an official capacity on Feb. 10; "Fifty Shades of Grey" arrives on Feb. 13.

9 Rejected 'Magic Mike XXL' Posters That Just Weren't Sexy Enough

February 6, 2015, 2:20 pm

≫ Next: 11-Year-Old Sensation Completely Nails It With 'Blank Space' With Dance Remix

≪ Previous: Listen To Beyoncé's 'Crazy In Love' Remix From 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' All Weekend

$

0

0

The "Magic Mike XXL" trailer was released yesterday to the collective ow-ow-OW! of the internet. Perhaps you heard the readying crumple sounds of one dollar bills that echoed across the landscape. The film's poster leaves little to the imagination.

Lead actor Channing Tatum is pointing both hands at his crotch, which states that the film is "COMING 7.01.15." ... See, by "coming" they mean -- okay, okay, just making sure you got it.

That wasn't even the first idea. These are some of the other "Magic Mike XXL" movie posters that were rejected for just not quite being sexy enough.



All images via Getty and Imgur.

11-Year-Old Sensation Completely Nails It With 'Blank Space' With Dance Remix

February 6, 2015, 2:27 pm

≫ Next: FLASHBACK: ‘Scream 3’ Turns 15! On Set With The Cast In 1999

≪ Previous: 9 Rejected 'Magic Mike XXL' Posters That Just Weren't Sexy Enough

$

0

0

Taylor Hatala is giving Taylor Swift a run for her money.

The 11-year-old YouTube sensation, famous for her viral "Shake It Off," "Rude" "All About That Bass" videos, teamed up with choreographer Matt Steffanina for a "Blank Space" dance remix. And it's awesome.

"She is the hardest-working, most genuine, big-hearted kid you could ever meet," Jennifer Mills, artistic director of Hyperflex Dance Studio, where Hatala takes dance, told Global News.

We love Swift's "Blank Space" video and all, but Hatala and Steffanina have some serious moves.

FLASHBACK: ‘Scream 3’ Turns 15! On Set With The Cast In 1999

February 6, 2015, 2:46 pm

≫ Next: Gabrielle Union Explains The Challenges Of Landing A Smart Comedy Role For Black Women (VIDEO)

≪ Previous: 11-Year-Old Sensation Completely Nails It With 'Blank Space' With Dance Remix

$

0

0

The "Scream" franchise was an instant cult classic, credited with reviving the modern horror slasher genre in film. The movies were a clever satire, completely aware of horror-film clichés and inserting them into the plot. Spoof or not, the original Scream film remains the highest-grossing slasher film in the U.S.

---

Gabrielle Union Explains The Challenges Of Landing A Smart Comedy Role For Black Women (VIDEO)

February 6, 2015, 3:10 pm

≫ Next: Jack White's Agency Blacklists University Of Oklahoma For Publishing His Guacamole Recipe, Contract

≪ Previous: FLASHBACK: ‘Scream 3’ Turns 15! On Set With The Cast In 1999

$

0

0

Gabrielle Union certainly has a sense of humor -- and we're not the only ones who agree.

Following her appearance in 2014’s “Top Five,” Chris Rock likened Union’s on screen wit to “30 Rock” star Tiny Fey during an December interview on “The Angie Martinez Show.”

“People don’t realize that Gab Union is one of the funniest people out there…she’s like ‘Tiny Fey funny,'" Rock said. "With the right parts she could do something big, and turn around and play Rosa Parks.”

While Rock’s comment may ring true to some, this week the “Being Mary Jane” star shared her thoughts on the challenges of taking on a comedy role as a black woman in Hollywood.

“There’s not a lot of smart comedies where they want a black woman. They want us shucking and jivin’ and cooning, that’s where they’re most comfortable having a black woman,” she admitted during an interview on the same radio show.

“So to get a role like Tina Fey, smart, edgy, more cerebel humor…no, they’re going to get Tiny Fey. They’re going to get Amy Poehler, they going to get Rashida Jones…that crew. So I just got to get invited to Judd Apatow’s house, and I feel like once I get in there hopefully I’ll make myself at home.”

Check out more of Gabrielle Union’s interview with Angie Martinez in the clip above.

Jack White's Agency Blacklists University Of Oklahoma For Publishing His Guacamole Recipe, Contract

February 6, 2015, 3:55 pm

≫ Next: Kim Kardashian's New Haircut Is A Lob And We Love It

≪ Previous: Gabrielle Union Explains The Challenges Of Landing A Smart Comedy Role For Black Women (VIDEO)

$

0

0

Attendees of Jack White's concert at the University of Oklahoma on Monday better have had their fill, because the musician won't be returning any time soon.

White's booking agency, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME), blacklisted OU after the school paper published his contract, which it obtained via the Freedom of Information Act.

In addition to disclosing OU spent more than $80,000 to bring in White, the document contained numerous other amusing tidbits, including White's preferred guacamole recipe (see below, must be "fresh home-made" and "chunky"), the band's strict no-banana policy, and what's presumably White's personal meal of a "New York strip steak, prepared medium, no sauce, with clean, steamed vegetables on the side."


Not monkeying around here: No bananas.



During the show, White reportedly addressed the publication, telling concertgoers, "Just because you can type it on your computer doesn’t make it right."

The Oklahoma Daily defended its decision to publish the document following news of the ban, writing, in part:

His contract wasn’t something we leaked. It is public information that any of you could request. Many newspapers show contracts of celebrities that come into town; this isn’t something The Daily did that’s out of the ordinary. It’s not a hidden document, and it’s not something we had to dig to get. It is available to the public.

Pitchfork reports White himself wasn't involved in the decision to blacklist OU -- that came from WME, who didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from The Huffington Post.

Under the conditions of the ban, WME refuses to book any of their artists at the venue "until this policy is modified not to disseminate private information." WME's contemporary roster includes a broad number of musicians, including Adele, Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, and Pharrell Williams.

Here's that guacamole recipe:


To read the full contract, click over to The Oklahoma Daily.

Kim Kardashian's New Haircut Is A Lob And We Love It

February 7, 2015, 7:14 am

≫ Next: John Mayer Throws Shade At Taylor Swift While Hosting 'The Late Late Show'

≪ Previous: Jack White's Agency Blacklists University Of Oklahoma For Publishing His Guacamole Recipe, Contract

$

0

0

Kim Kardashian caused yet another Internet frenzy on Friday night. However, this time it didn't involve her baring her butt -- it was all about chopping off her hair.

That's right, Mrs. West cut her signature long locks into a very lovely lob. Look!

I cut my hair short today.

A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Feb 6, 2015 at 7:02pm PST

We love it!



The last time we got this excited about Kim K's hair was when she punked us with a set of faux bangs. And while the 34-year-old star has definitely experimented with coloring her hair, we never thought she'd abandon her lengthy tresses.



The long bob has quickly become the hairstyle du jour with celebrities like Kerry Washington, Taylor Swift and Emma Stone rocking the edgy look.



So, what do you think of Kim's new haircut?

John Mayer Throws Shade At Taylor Swift While Hosting 'The Late Late Show'

February 7, 2015, 9:44 am

≫ Next: Oh, No, I Really Liked 'Jupiter Ascending'

≪ Previous: Kim Kardashian's New Haircut Is A Lob And We Love It

$

0

0

John Mayer just threw some serious shade at ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift.

While guest-hosting "The Late Late Show" on CBS Friday night, Mayer poked fun at his famous breakup with Swift -- an incident that supposedly inspired Swift's 2010 hit "Dear John" -- during a monologue joke about the upcoming Grammy Awards. (It happens at about 1:30 in the clip above.)

"You can see me at the Grammys doing what I do best. Being avoided by Taylor Swift," Mayer said. A moment later, he added: "That won't make the Internet at all."

Mayer's three-day stint on "The Late Late Show" comes in the interim period between former host Craig Ferguson's departure and new host James Corden's debut on March 23. CBS has invited guests to host the program until Corden arrives. On Wednesday, Mayer made a splash (no pun intended) when he brought on Katy Perry's Super Bowl sharks as guests, fueling rumors that Perry and Mayer have rekindled their romance.

Just to complete the pop-star triangle, there's still gossip going around of a strained relationship between Perry and Swift due to a dispute over backup dancers. All in all, Sunday night at the Grammys is shaping up to be a pretty awkward time for these three. Here's hoping they're all seated very far apart.

Oh, No, I Really Liked 'Jupiter Ascending'

February 7, 2015, 10:03 am

≫ Next: Police Investigating Bobbi Kristina's Boyfriend For Possible Foul Play

≪ Previous: John Mayer Throws Shade At Taylor Swift While Hosting 'The Late Late Show'

$

0

0

Channing Tatum boxes a flying dinosaur in "Jupiter Ascending," a ridiculous and joyful moment in a movie full of ridiculous and joyful moments. The scene even has its own score cue, courtesy of composer Michael Giacchino: "Flying Dinosaur Fight."

That title is "Jupiter Ascending" in a nutshell. Obvious, garish, silly and so damn fun. "Jupiter Ascending" is bananas in the best and worst ways, an excessive, over-the-top amalgam of other science-fiction works ("Star Wars," "The Fifth Element," "Brazil," "The Matrix," "Dune," H.P Lovecraft and Moebius). It's the movie version of larceny. I can't believe someone gave Andy and Lana Wachowski $175 million to make this movie; I get the feeling they can't either.

Does any of it make sense? Sort of? Earth, it turns out, is an ostensible cattle farm (one of millions, it seems) and three siblings -- played with increasing camp excellence by Tuppence Middleton, Douglas Booth and Eddie Redmayne -- want it for themselves. The problem is that Earth belongs, unwittingly, to Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), a Russian immigrant and maid-for-hire living in Chicago who's also queen of the universe. The siblings, in turn, kidnap or trick Jupiter at various times in the narrative in attempts to gain control of her planet. Tatum plays Caine Wise, a disgraced soldier turned bounty hunter who tries to save her. He's half man and half wolf. At one point, Caine compares himself to a dog.



The "why" is the trickier part: "Jupiter Ascending" mixes the science-fiction of "The Matrix" and "Prometheus" together to explain some of it, but even a fan would be hard-pressed to give a detailed account of character motivations. (I won't even try.) But plot and character are MacGuffins in this film, the unnecessary accessories that drive the movie's whirling nonsense forward. Who cares why Jupiter is revealed to be an exact genetic replica of the siblings' mother, when Eddie Redmayne is shouting at a few minions?

Ah, Eddie Redmayne. Let's pause here to say if he were to win his possible future Oscar for "Jupiter Ascending" instead of "The Theory of Everything," it would be deserved. He goes full Oldman in this movie, and it's the kind of go-for-broke performance more actors should be given the slack to try. Any and all talk about this being Redmayne's "Norbit" is both suspect and silly. He's great in "Jupiter Ascending," doing exactly what the material asks him to do.



Is "Jupiter Ascending" bad? A lot of critics think so. The film has a 22-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviews calling it "swollen," "lost" and "laughably inane." According to the Wachowskis, the original script was more than 200 pages; the film is just 125 minutes. Many reviewers have cited how "Jupiter Ascending" comes across like an adaptation of a comic-book series or franchise sequel that only the Wachowskis know exist. "When Caine Wise first appears in this movie, it really does feel like the film wants you to think, Ah, yes, my favorite character, Caine Wise. How we’ve grown with you over the years. I hope you succeed again, old friend," Mike Ryan wrote for Uproxx. He's not alone in that very valid critique.

But does a movie so steeped in its influences -- there's an entire homage to "Brazil" that literally ends with a Terry Gilliam cameo -- really need any true set up? We're rooting for Caine and Jupiter because they're our heroes. We want Redmayne's villainous Balem Abrasax (great name / lost Asia album title) to get a well-deserved comeuppance. To quote "Beauty and the Beast," yet another movie to which "Jupiter Ascending" owes a debt: It's a tale as old as time.

"Nowadays, people who write about movies are obsessed with derivative material in a way they never were before," Lana Wachowksi told BuzzFeed about the post-9/11 film landscape. "They hunger for familiarity, and they actually have a suspicion of originality."

What's funny is that the Wachowskis have given us familiarity here too, and people still don't like it. Maybe I shouldn't either? Whatever. How am I supposed to hate a movie that gave us a scene like this?