Yolanda Foster looks like she is finally enjoying a bout of good health — and the timing couldn't be better.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Foster had enough of the trials and tribulations of being a reality star and hopped a plane to the French Polynesian island of Tahiti to enjoy some rest and relaxation, and her photos prove that vacation does a body good.
"It feels good to remember who you are before the world told you who you should be........ #Solitude #Authenticity #Clarity," she wrote.
Yolanda Foster Tahiti 2
Yolanda Foster Tahiti 2
"Paradise........ #Fuchsia #DayDreamin," she wrote.
Yolanda Foster Tahiti 3
Yolanda Foster Tahiti 3
"The road that lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compare to what lies within us........... #InnerStrength #RoadToRecovery #MyHealthJourney #LymeDiseaseAwareness," she wrote.
Yolanda Foster Tahiti 4
Yolanda Foster Tahiti 4
"Trust what the Earth made and the energy it provides........ #Healing #Mind #Body #Spirit," she wrote.
Yolanda Foster Tahiti 5
Yolanda Foster Tahiti 5
"Good, Better, Best, never let it rest.... Until your good is better and your better is your Best.......... #MyHealthJourney," she wrote.
Foster, who decided to change her surname back to Hadid since her split from ex-husband David Foster, shared her speech from the Global Lyme Alliance gala in her Bravo blog last week, and in it she detailed the tough road she's traveled to be healthy enough to take a vacation at all.
"Lyme is like being killed from the inside out and left to uncover your own murder mystery without much clarity from the medical community and failing support of my insurance company," she said.
"Eleven countries, five states, 104 doctors later, wondering if I would ever be able to live a normal life again… I honestly don't have the proper words in my English vocabulary to describe to you the darkness, the pain and the unknown hell I've lived these past four years. I actually did not live, I just existed in the jail of my own paralyzed brain."
While Foster certainly is not cured, she does seem like she is able to enjoy a better quality of life than she has in a long time, and that's great news.
You know those friends on Facebook who are always posting articles from The Onion, freaking out because they think it's real news? Azealia Banks has turned into that person — and it has gotten her into a huge political catfight.
The trouble started when Banks read a satirical article in which Palin was fake-quoted as saying, "… slavery wasn't forced onto African-Americans, they accepted it willingly."
And her response was nothing less than shockingly violent and ugly.
In a series of tweets that have since been deleted, Banks wrote, "Sarah Palin needs to have her hair shaved off to a buzz cut, get headf***ed by a big veiny, ashy, black dick then be locked in a cupboard.
"Honestly… let's find the biggest burliest blackest n*****s and let them run a train on her. Film it and put it on worldstar (sic)."
"Hideous. At least suk a n**** d*** or summ' before you start talking shit about 'black people willingly accepting slavery.' Least she can do (sic)."
In the first, and probably last, time I have ever and will ever agree with Palin, she responded to Banks' awful words in a really great way: Sit down and use your voice for something good.
Sarah Palin responds to Azealia Banks
Sarah Palin responds to Azealia Banks
"In this life, you're blessed to have been given an influential platform. So have I," Palin wrote in the most powerful portion of her response. "Why don't we strengthen both our platforms and work together on something worthwhile — like condemning racism, along with empowering young women to defend themselves against a most misogynist, degrading, devastating assault perpetrated by evil men — rape."
Taking full advantage of the publicity, Banks wrote a long pseudo-apology on Tumblr, including an explanation of the difference between "rape" and "run a train," then proceeded to call Palin a racist.
"As the fabric of the American Nation is EMBEDDED with racism, I merely made a raCIALly driven joke to counter what i believed to be real, raCIST rhetoric (sic)," Banks wrote. "Also, i never said you should be raped. I used the term "run a train," which is slang for group sex, NOT for 'rape.' There are many distinctions between the two. As a woman, I would never trivialize something as lewd and criminal to provide myself any sort of comic relief because it simply… just isn't funny (sic).
"'Hey Female Rapper,' was your way to euphemize what you REALLY wanted to say. What you wanted to say was, 'Hey little Stereotypical Black, Thing (sic)!'" she continued.
"Twitter is not real, neither is your opinion of me! If Bristol Palin listened to my music she probably wouldn't have all those cotdamn kids!!!! ;-P #sis #iud #stayinschool #causeitsthebest (sic)."
Well, The Vampire Diaries is losing another fan-favorite character. While chatting with Us Weekly, Kat Graham revealed she is leaving TVD. Though, if you want to look at the bright side of things, she won't be leaving after the current Season 7, but will say goodbye to Bonnie Bennett after Season 8.
I guess there is somewhat of a silver lining? As she said, "Season 8 will be my last season. I just hope that whatever I do after, the crew can come with me. If the crew can come with me, then we'll be good. The crew is going to be the hardest thing to let go, because we are a family." She added, "But you know what, another season is a whole other year, and we’re going to blow it out."
I'm sure my fellow TVD fans will echo my sentiment of how much this really does suck. Granted, it seems like it's Graham's decision to exit, so I can't find fault with her. After being with the show for eight years, I can only imagine she is ready to move on, find a new project to focus her creative energy on and probably even work on her music.
That said, as a die-hard TVD fan, it's hard to see original characters continue to say goodbye to the series. Plus, with Graham's departure, the number of female characters versus male characters is extremely slim. Seriously, who's left? As of right now (not counting who may or may not die by the end of Season 7), Caroline, Rayna and Valerie remain in prominent roles.
Here's hoping more women are introduced. Don't get me wrong; as much as I love Damon, Stefan, Matt, Enzo, Alaric and pretty much every other male character who's ever appeared, I need some female empowerment in a series. Who's with me?
The actress who has been bringing Bonnie alive since Season 1 also teased what's to come from her badass character. "There’s some really intense stuff with my character this season. I think the biggest episodes I’ve ever had are 20 [airing April 29] and 21 [airing May 6]. It's pretty major for the character — huge turns, a lot of stunts and cool shit!"
Well, I guess fans can look forward to that, right?
The Vampire Diaries airs Fridays at 8/7c on The CW.
When the Josh Duggar molestation scandal broke, those companies advertising with 19 Kids and Counting began to bail, and amid the outcry, TLC canceled the show. Now that a new Duggar show is on the air, there's still controversy about the groups who choose to advertise during it, since many feel that the family who brought you Josh Duggar and hid his crime for years doesn't deserve to be in the public eye anymore, ever again.
On Tuesday's new episode, it seemed as though the show was a little thinner in the way of advertisements other than those for other TLC programs, but one in particular stuck out — a commercial for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. RAINN operates a National Sexual Assault Hotline and also executes programs to prevent sexual assault, help victims, and works to bring rapists to justice.
Fans certainly noticed the commercial and praised TLC for including it in the Counting On time slot.
JJ 1
JJ 1
JJ 2
JJ 2
The inclusion of the commercial is a surprise, and not just because it's such a direct reference to the fact that Josh Duggar molested his sisters, it was covered up by his parents and other folks in power, and Jill, Jessa and the other young women he preyed on have been made to believe it was their fault.
TLC has to know that some, if not a lot, of the Counting On viewership consists of religious Christians (the others are probably people who like to hate-watch) who themselves might be facing circumstances like those of the Duggar daughters, but who have been told they can't talk about what's happening and that they've somehow brought it upon themselves.
Of course, it's not just religious communities dealing with issues of sexual violence, but if ever there was an example of strategic placement, it was this RAINN ad.
What's also interesting about the ad is that you might think an organization like RAINN, which probably identifies as feminist, would like to get as far as possible from a show like Counting On and a conservative, fundamentalist, Rick Santorum supporting, anti-gay family like the Duggars. Instead, though, RAINN decided to engage and reach out to a group of people who needs them, regardless of their politics.
Even if RAINN never advertises during Counting On again, you never know who might have written down that hotline number, or who connected with the story of the young woman in the commercial, or who might feel moved to tell her own story.
Watching Chrisley Knows Best, I’ve learned that Todd Chrisley loves three things: himself, his family and rules. Of all these, I think the thing he loves most is rules, and, specifically, being the rule maker. There isn’t an episode that airs where he isn’t dishing out a new rule for his children or his mama to follow, and honestly, I think the whole family is tighter for it.
On tonight’s episode, Todd tells his youngest son that he is spending too much time on his electronics and gives him an ultimatum: Either pick up a hobby or pick up around the house. Todd also gives some rules to his mother, who he is taking care of while she nurses a broken foot.
While both his son and his mother pretend to be annoyed with Todd for all his rules, by the end of the episode, they are all hanging out together and laughing right along with Todd. It’s almost as if the rules he implements are what keeps the family so close.
And there’s definitely something to that logic. A house where there are standards and where someone cares enough to make sure you’re doing the right thing is usually a happy home. Although Todd can be over-the-top and sometimes a little off base with his rules, he never tells his children to do something without telling them he loves them before he leaves the room. And I think it really pays off for the whole family.
They always end up hanging out in the same room joking and carrying on. Whether their jokes are at the expense of Todd or not, he doesn’t seem to mind. He really just enjoys having them all under his roof, following his rules and enjoying each other’s company.
While some people may have a problem with how he gets to this ending, you can’t ignore the fact that sometimes the ends justify the means. If he’s got to be tough on his family to bring everyone closer together, then that’s definitely what he’s going to do. I admire him for that.
Survivor's twists and turns throughout 32 seasons have found a battering of ways to pit contestants against each other.
We've had fans vs. favorites, all-stars, blood vs. water, men vs. women, young vs. old, second chances, brains vs. brawn vs. beauty and white collar vs. blue collar vs. no collar.
But one thing they haven't tried yet that viewers have been vying for is an all-winner season. With 32 editions of the reality hit proving its long-term success, it makes sense to give this concept a go, right? Well, not so fast. Host Jeff Probst says there are some hurdles they have to overcome before tackling a season using the game’s previous $1 million winners. His reasoning might actually surprise you.
"We're going to do one once we get enough good winners," Probst said during a press junket in New York City prior to the premiere of Survivor: Kaoh Rong. "I know that sounds like an oxymoron. They won, but a lot of our early winners, I don't know if we would bring them back on. I don't know if they're compelling enough now. Just because you won, doesn't mean you're that interesting to watch. Parvati [Shallow] would be one of the ones we would call, but if she says she doesn't want to play anymore, that's one off the list. How many great women winners do we have? How many great men winners do we have? We're getting there. We're getting close, but we're not quite there.”
Ugh. Sorry, Probst. As much as I respect your amazing job as host, you're wrong. The people who were on the show in early seasons were definitely compelling. In fact, it’s the castaways in those editions who helped viewership explode into the epic territory that made Survivor the reality TV giant it is. Sure, some of them may not be as exciting as others, but to claim there aren’t enough “early winners” worthy of returning is disappointing.
In evaluating Probst's words, they're inconsistent when comparing them with casting ideology. For example, six of the show’s first 10 victors have already returned to play the game again, which means they were clearly deemed compelling enough for their shot at redemption at least once before.
But that’s not all Probst had to say about why they have not yet put a cast of all winners back out on the island.
“Over the years, the type of person who wins has changed. I think there are people that won in the earlier seasons that wouldn't even get on the show today. We wouldn't even put them on. They wouldn't be compelling enough. Now, the game is getting faster and smarter. It's hard to find somebody who has won recently who didn't play a pretty good game even though they might be very different in their approaches.”
Sure, the game has changed drastically and is played with much faster strategy, but that doesn't mean the early winners wouldn't be capable of keeping up. These newer winners are playing tougher, smarter games because there are so many previous seasons to study. The newbies have hundreds of hours of episodes to explore before digging their toes in the sand for a shot at $1 million. They have plenty of opportunity to learn from the mistakes other players have made before them. Of course, as every die-hard Survivor fan knows, some castaways land on the show without watching a single episode before applying. Once they're picked, however, CBS provides them with several seasons to feast their eyes on so they are prepared for what to expect. The best athletes in the world make themselves stronger by watching and learning how their competitors perform.
If we were to rewind the clock and put some of the more aggressive recent champs into the first couple of seasons, their game would clearly be different and likely weaker. Could you imagine Tony Vlachos making a "spy shack" in the Outback? Probably not.
Last year, Survivor unleashed one of the most incredible seasons ever by taking 30 contestants who never won and letting the public vote to choose which 20 would be selected to compete. These Second Chance castaways wanted to win so badly, most of them were willing to make any kind of move to push themselves deeper into the battle. It made for extremely exciting television, and I'm sure the concept will be used again sooner than later because of how well-received it was.
So why not take every winner and let the public decide again? Instead of doing another Second Chance season, have the viewers vote for their favorite winners and put those folks back on the island. Just like we saw with the initial Second Chance, these players would have so much to prove. To be dubbed sole Survivor after outwitting, outplaying and outlasting the other top dogs would be the ultimate prize, which would create an intense environment like we've never seen.
Without a doubt, an all-winner season could be done right now. There is no reason to wait any longer. The only true trouble would be if a bunch of the former castaways rejected the offer, but I can't imagine production not being able to nab at least 18 of them.
Let's take a look at all the winners. To date, there are 18 men and 13 women (Sandra Diaz-Twine won twice) to win the $1 million. Fourteen of them have played the game more than once, proving Probst's words inaccurate that there aren't enough compelling people to bring back again.
Remember, Probst said there aren't enough "early winners" who would be good enough for this kind of season. So, here's a breakdown of the first 10 winners. We've bolded the names of those who have played more than once.
Season 1 (Borneo): Richard Hatch. He is a reality TV icon and was considered interesting enough to bring back to play a second time in Survivor: All-Stars. His tax arrest made global headlines before he landed a spot on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice.
Season 2 (The Australian Outback): Tina Wesson. Clearly a compelling enough personality because she has played the game three different times.
Season 3 (Africa): Ethan Zohn. Having gone through intense treatment for cancer, it's tough to predict if Ethan would either want to do Survivor again or would even be eligible. That being said, he is adored by fans and has also played the game twice, not to mention a stint on The Amazing Race.
Season 4 (Marquesas): Vecepia Towery. Here's an instance where Probst might be right. Vecepia is potentially one of the more forgettable winners who wasn't that exciting to watch.
Season 5 (Thailand): Brian Heidik. He easily owned the strategic decisions, but are his moves slick enough to outsmart more recent players? Eh, I'm not so sure, but it wouldn't be bad to see him come back.
Season 6 (Amazon): Jenna Morasca. Another two-time castaway who would definitely be deserving of being brought back to play again. Very memorable as one of the women who got naked in exchange for chocolate and peanut butter.
Season 7 (Pearl Islands): Sandra Diaz-Twine. She is the only player to win the game twice. How in the world could an all-winner season exist without her? It couldn't. Sandra is a clear-cut choice, and I'm sure she would gladly step up to the plate for another swing at $1 million. Out of spite for her double win, Sandra would likely be considered the first target of an all-winner edition, but she wouldn't go down without swinging.
Season 8 (All-Star): Amber (Brkich) Mariano. Although she was a rather boring personality the first time she played in Season 2, Amber made a big return on Survivor: All-Stars, winning the $1 million check. It would be great to see her return, but it's questionable if she would be interested considering she's a busy mom with a handful of kids. But who knows? Her husband, the infamous "Boston Rob" Mariano, has played four times, finally winning it all on Season 22.
Season 9 (Vanuatu): Chris Daugherty. I have never understood why Chris hasn't already been asked to return. His smart strategic moves overcame the odds from being the sole man against an overwhelming all-female voting block. His climb to the top was, in my opinion, entertaining as hell to watch. Chris is a must-have returnee, and he would likely relish the opportunity to duke it out with the likes of the other winners.
Season 10 (Palau): Tom Westman. An extremely popular two-time castaway who won America's hearts and the $1 million for his heroic behavior on Season 10. He would definitely be a good fit for an all-winner season and is certainly a memorable personality. Would he want to play again? That's the big question.
Image: CBS
Here is the list of all the other winners below. Again, names are bolded for contestants who have played the game more than once.
Season 11 (Guatemala): Danni Boatwright
Season 12 (Exile Island): Aras Baskauskas
Season 13 (Cook Islands): Yul Kwon
Season 14 (Fiji): Earl Cole
Season 15 (China): Todd Herzog
Season 16 (Micronesia): Parvati Shallow
Season 17 (Gabon): Bob Crowley
Season 18 (Tocantins): J.T. Thomas
Season 19 (Samoa): Natalie White
Season 20 (Heroes vs. Villains): Sandra Diaz-Twine
Season 21 (Nicaragua): Fabio Birza
Season 22 (Redemption Island): Boston Rob Mariano
Season 23 (South Pacific): Sophie Clarke
Season 24 (One World): Kim Spradlin
Season 25 (Philippines): Denise Stapley
Season 26 (Caramoan): John Cochran
Season 27 (Blood vs. Water): Tyson Apostol
Season 28 (Cagayan): Tony Vlachos
Season 29 (San Juan Del Sur): Natalie Anderson
Season 30 (Worlds Apart): Mike Holloway
Season 31 (Second Chance): Jeremy Collins
Season 32 (Kaoh Rong): Winner to be revealed at the live finale on Wednesday, May 18.
Of those winners, who would you most like to see play the game again? Do you think Probst is wrong in saying there aren't enough compelling winners? Which of these winners do you think does not deserve another shot? Of all the winners, who do you think is the best ever? Join the conversation and leave a comment now.
Kelly Rowland is in the midst of press for her new show, Chasing Destiny, where she is on the hunt for the next big girl group, and obviously, she’s getting a lot of questions about her former group mates Michelle Williams and Beyoncé. Rowland insists the two are totally on board with her new project.
She explained that they are all in agreement that every generation deserves a powerful and talented girl group, and that each one should be better than the last. She told The Breakfast Club on Power 105.1 that Beyoncé is "really excited" about what she’s doing and hope Rowland finds whoever is going to be great.
This is why Destiny’s Child is the original #squadgoals.
The three women haven’t been in a group in more than 10 years, but they still fully support each other. They continue to push each other to be better than before, and to always offer something new to people. To go as far as to say both Williams and Beyoncé want Rowland to find something better than Destiny’s Child not only shows how strong their bond is, but also that they genuinely want the best for each other.
In my humble opinion, nothing will ever be as great as Destiny’s Child, but I’m so glad Rowland is up for the challenge with the support of her best friends.
To illustrate just how much we should all want to be in the DC Squad, Rowland said, "The last time me and Bey were together was like two weeks ago, when I stopped by rehearsals and we talked about everything else. We really, really do. We talk about playdates with the kids, and we talk about vacations and new opportunities."
First, I wish I was able to casually drop by Beyoncé’s rehearsal. But more important, what a great friendship that they support each other in everything from children to expanding their professional opportunities. It just seems like the perfect friendship.
Michael Jackson's music has inspired generations of musicians, but his career also touched the lives of many fans, and his death left a gaping hole in their hearts.
Jackson may have been a legend and the King of Pop to you, but to his daughter, Paris Jackson, he was much more than just a talented musician: He was her father, the man who was there to unconditionally love and protect her. And Paris' latest tribute to him serves as a reminder of the significant role that Michael Jackson played in her life.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Paris shared a photo of herself in a tattoo studio and shared the inspiration behind her brand-new ink in the caption. She wrote, "Queen of My Heart" in his handwriting. To everyone else he was the King of Pop. To me, well, he was the king of my heart."
She then went on to thank the studio responsible for the tattoo, writing, "Thank you @dermagraphink, you're a legend."
Anyone who has ever experienced a breakup knows that heartbreak is not fun, and while most of us want to curl up on the couch and binge on romance movies and devour copious amounts of ice cream in an attempt to get over it, Bethenny Frankel has other plans.
OK, she's probably had time to process her heartbreak because she and former husband, Jason Hoppy, separated in 2012, but now the pair is finally close to reaching an agreement, and Frankel has some big (and wild) plans for when her divorce is finalized.
"I think things are coming to a head. I feel like the end is near," she told E! News. "I mean, again, this has been a very big surprise, and I never would have expected that this would have gone one tenth of how far it's gone, but I feel good about it."
Frankel also admits that the lengthy divorce proceedings have taken their toll on her emotionally, and when she's finally able to close that chapter in her life, she's not just going to celebrate with a nice quiet dinner — and she made sure the publication understood this.
"Go out for dinner? You're so cute...When I get divorced I'm gonna go out for dinner? Yeah — times 10,572! Will I go out for dinner? Are you kidding? I'm gonna be giving myself Skinnygirl enemas," Frankel said in response to E! News' question about whether she'd celebrate by having dinner.
"I'm gonna be funneling Skinnygirl down my best friends' throats and my assistants are gonna be naked. We're gonna be hanging from chandeliers in Times Square: body paint, tassels on my titties, coming out of cakes, fireworks, strippers, young men, making out with strangers, one-night stands, five-night stands. Yeah, I think maybe I might have a celebration. Oh, yeah, and maybe dinner."
We have to say, Frankel's celebrations sound like loads of fun. But more than that, we're so glad to see that her lengthy divorce proceedings have not put a damper on her killer personality and sense of humor.
Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna surprised everyone when they got engaged at Ace of Diamonds strip club after just two months of dating, but it turns out that no one was more surprised than his family.
According to TMZ, sources have told them the Kardashian clan is "offended" that Rob didn't give them the heads-up on the engagement, but they reportedly don't take the relationship too seriously anyway.
Sources tell the publication that Rob has confessed his undying love to his previous girlfriends and that he reportedly told his family that he proposed to exes Rita Ora and Adrienne Bailon — this claim has never been substantiated, but according to the publication, the source has claimed this is what Rob conveyed to his family.
Apparently, the Kardashians feel Rob falls in love too quickly and that it never works out for him. And if this really is the way the Kardashians feel about Rob's relationship, then that is pretty harsh.
Sure, the relationship has been a bit of a hot topic given Chyna's history with the family and the fact that she is Tyga's baby mama (who is also Kylie Jenner's longtime boyfriend), but it's been so long since Rob has been happy that it seems a bit unfair for his family not to embrace the relationship.
Maybe they are worried about him getting hurt? Maybe they are concerned he is rushing into something? But then again, after years of struggling with his weight and health, and having removed himself from the public eye (and pretty much becoming a social recluse), there is no denying that Chyna has been great for Kardashian and he is really thriving in this relationship.
In early March, it was announced that Royal Pains would come to an end after Season 8. Now, fans are getting a glimpse at what's to come from the final season, thanks to a teaser shared by E! Online. As I'm sure viewers can imagine, there will be a lot of hugging and tears between the characters and cast members.
You know what else? It also seems that Hank just might be walking away from the medical concierge business that made him a home in The Hamptons. In the funny, yet somewhat heartbreaking video featuring the song "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams, Hank says to his brother and business partner, Evan, "It's time to put HankMed to bed."
What does this mean? Does this mean HankMed is closing its doors permanently? Does it mean Hank will leave HankMed to Divya, Evan and Jeremiah? Will the series finale show Hank going off to find himself outside of HankMed? Or does it mean nothing at all?
I can't imagine Evan giving up HankMed. I mean, it's basically his baby. Plus, he and Paige have made a home for themselves in The Hamptons and are thinking about starting a family. So, it wouldn't make sense for Evan to find a new career right now. So, I don't think it means HankMed is done for good.
If I had to take a guess, I have a feeling Hank will realize he needs to walk away from HankMed (maybe not forever, but for at least right now). As showcased in Season 7, Hank began to question who he is at this point in his life, especially when it came to his personal life. It's also been teased that Season 8 will revolve around Hank questioning whether there is an equal level of fulfillment when it comes to both his professional and personal life. I think it's pretty clear that he needs more than just HankMed to live a happy and full life.
Furthermore, Jill Flint is returning as Hank's past love Jill, which just might mean Hank and Jill will walk into the sunset together. I don't think fans would argue with that because it's about time these two end up together.
Whatever Hank ends up deciding, let's just hope he finds his happy ending.
Royal Pains returns with its final season Wednesday, May 18, at 10/9c on USA.
In a video posted to Facebook, Jackson explained her decision to call off the tour before beginning its second leg.
"On August 31, as you probably know, I launched the Unbreakable World Tour," she said. "First I just want to thank all the fans for coming out and seeing the show. Thank you so much. You guys made it so enjoyable for me each and every night."
She then goes on to explain the "sudden change" that will affect the remaining tour dates.
"My husband and I are planning our family, so I'm going to have to delay the tour," she said. "Please, if you can try and understand that it's important that I do this now. I have to rest up — doctor's orders."
Hold on. Is she saying that she's pregnant? Based on this video, that definitely seemed like the only possible explanation. And we have to say, a baby is a pretty understandable reason for delaying a tour.
Unfortunately, while most of the comments posted under the video were congratulating Jackson on her exciting announcement, there were a few negative ones.
"I get she wants a family but seriously, either fully commit to an album and tour or don't bother," one commenter wrote. "She canceled the All For You tour, the Rock Witchu tour and now the Unbreakable tour. I've been a fan for years but this crap is wearing thin. Time for her to retire I think!"
Another wrote, "I love you Janet! I want my money back though because you should've thought of this before you planned this tour.....we're not all millionaires who can easily dump cash on concert tickets."
In 2002, a Texas native named Kelly Clarkson was named the winner of a Fox reality singing competition called American Idol. The search for the next music superstar yielded memorable evenings of home entertainment. As many adored covers of hit songs by then regular folks like Clarkson, there was much more to enjoy: the bundles of terrible yet hilarious auditions, the charisma of host Ryan Seacrest and the stinging critiques of original judge Simon Cowell (plus the tension and chemistry shared with fellow judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul).
Being a superfan of American Idol for most of its iconic 15-season run, it's hard for me not to get emotional about the show ending. American Idol not only changed the lives of struggling musicians, but their journeys and talents also touched the lives of fans such as myself. The show was my life as I entered adulthood. It's strange how I became extremely invested in a TV show and the people on it, but it's a part of me that I came to embrace.
I can thank my mom for getting me into the show in the first place, although we hardly ever watched it together. She tuned in weekly for the first three seasons, becoming especially obsessed when fellow Filipina-Americans Jasmine Trias and Camile Velasco made the top 10 in season three (2004). Somehow, she lost interest after that season, but I had gained mine.
The next year — the season Carrie Underwood won it all — I officially earned my American Idol superfan badge. I was a junior in high school and was stressed with academics, my first part-time job and extracurricular activities. I was looking for anything to keep me distracted, and I turned to Idol. Watching the show every week became a ritual where I could unwind and forget about the real world. l had developed a TV crush on the blond crooner Anthony Fedorov, who finished fourth that year. Then I threw my support over to Bo Bice, the gutsy southern rocker who finished in the final two, next to Underwood.
In the next few seasons, my American Idol obsession became simultaneously better and worse each passing year. It was better because each season gave me a new crop of contestants to love and performances and moments to enjoy. But it was worse because I lost sleep in all the time I spent voting for my favorites, reading recaps of the show and discussing it online. Each elimination, American Idol also made me weirdly emotional — I literally remember dry-sobbing the day Chris Daughtry got the boot in season five (2006) and being cranky for at least a week. Everyone, including me, thought I was weird, but that’s the power the show had on me. I felt an emotional attachment to my favorite finalists and the outcomes every week.
If it weren't for American Idol, I probably wouldn't have written this essay. I pursued journalism in college with the intention of pursuing entertainment journalism after graduation, and one of the things I wanted to do was cover American Idol in some capacity. I started writing weekly recaps on my own blogs, as well as reviews of Idol concerts and albums, which helped me develop my online portfolio and brand.
I was driven by my passion for the show to move to L.A. for a summer and try to make my dream come true. It didn’t exactly pan out, but I still got some nice consolation prizes. Though American Idol season nine (2010) was ending by the time I landed an entertainment reporting internship in L.A., I was still able to interview some Idol alums at the finale and went on to cover the show's summer counterpart, So You Think You Can Dance. The next year, I pursued my own opportunity to interview season-seven finalist Brooke White for my blog. My career goals and interests have changed along the way since I left L.A., but I was able to translate my passion for Idol into a love for writing and blogging about entertainment — a love that still sticks today.
My American Idol obsession got to a point where I actually traveled a few times to watch the finale tapings in L.A. and the annual Idols Live summer tour concerts. I loved seeing the finalists in person and even had a few opportunities to see many of them in formal and informal concert meet-and-greets and finale media events. I still love catching live shows by my favorite contestants whenever they're in my area, and I always take a moment to say hello before or after the show when they're available.
I felt particularly grateful to attend the season-seven finale in 2008. The year that contestants were allowed to play their own instruments on the show produced my favorite top 10, along with my favorite non–Kelly Clarkson/Carrie Underwood winner, David Cook. Being there to see my favorite finalist win it all was a special moment.
The travel, the finales, the concerts and the meetings with these talented and kindhearted individuals made for some of the greatest memories of my life. Even more, I loved my fellow fanatics! By getting involved in spirited online discussions (particularly Idol Forums), I was able to find my place in the world among other fans who were just as obsessed with the show as I was. I've been able to foster so many online friendships due to the common ground we shared and have even met quite a few of them offline at finale tapings and Idols Live or post-Idol concerts. Even though most of us aren't so obsessed with Idol like we used to be, we still bond over other interests like sports, movies, politics — and our actual lives. But we all will definitely miss the show that brought us together.
As the OG Idol Kelly Clarkson sings in her song "Nostalgic," "Don't be sad that it's over, just be happy that it happened to us." American Idol may soon be gone, but its impact will long be felt in the entertainers it has given us and the memories and inspiration it has given the fans. That will never be forgotten.
Kyle appeared alongside Sonja Morgan on an episode of Watch What Happens Live this week, promoting their respective shows, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and The Real Housewives of New York. They delved into a lot of the drama viewers have seen on both shows, but one of the first things they addressed was when Brandi Glanville wore a T-shirt that read, "It's Not Fun To Be Sober" to a picnic attended by Kyle's sister, recovering alcoholic Kim.
"I thought it was very insensitive," Kyle told host Andy Cohen. "Nothing Brandi does shocks me anymore, but I thought it was very insensitive."
Kyle also explained the fight she had with Lisa Vanderpump on the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, saying they've both put the incident behind them.
"Lisa and I are great, which is why I didn't want to 'rock the yacht' in Dubai," she said.
Morgan got her turn in the hot seat as well, explaining the preview clip for the upcoming season of The Real Housewives of New York that shows Ramona Singer and Bethenny Frankel accusing her of drinking too much.
"I was just keeping up with the Countess [LuAnn de Lesseps]," she said, shrugging.
And a caller who asked Morgan if she had dated de Lesseps' now-fiancé, Thomas D'Agostino Jr., got the full story.
"Yes, I thought everyone knew," Morgan explained. "When I was with him, it wasn’t in the news because we were very discreet. He’s a very nice person. We had a nice relationship."
According to Today, the unmarried royal is planning a visit to North America next month that will include stops in Canada and a few U.S. cities. He'll also be attending several public events, so here's your chance to meet and woo Kate Middleton's brother-in-law.
Harry's first stop will be in Toronto, Canada, on May 2, where he'll launch the third Invictus Games, a Paralympics type of sporting event for wounded veterans, hosted by Toronto for 2017.
After that, he heads to the U.S., making his next stop in Wellington, Florida, where he'll play in a charity polo match benefiting Sentebale, a charity he co-founded in Lesotho that helps improve the quality of life for children living in poor countries with HIV and AIDS. After that, he heads to Orlando, the city hosting the current Invictus Games, to support the events.
The games begin May 8, but Today reports that Harry will be arriving in Orlando sometime before then to make sure he has time to meet with the athletes who are competing, and their families. Prince Harry, a military veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan, is the patron of the Invictus Games, which were founded two years ago in London. His North American visit to support the games was announced when he met with Britain's Invictus Games team at Buckingham Palace.
Harry was last in the U.S. in October of last year, when he accompanied First Lady Michelle Obama on a visit to Fort Belvoir in Virginia to meet with wounded veterans. Since then, he's been spending much of his time in Nepal, where he's been helping to rebuild a school damaged in last year's massive earthquake.
A good portion of celebrity gossip reported nowadays turns out not to be true, and we sure hope that's the case with the latest information to hit the web regarding Tom Hanks' health.
According to an InTouch magazine inside source, Hanks has been battling Type 2 diabetes over the past several years — along with a host of other issues.
"Tom isn’t just battling diabetes — he’s suffering from prostate flare-ups and other blood sugar problems," the source said.
According to InTouch, Hanks is managing most of his medical problems with prescription medications, but the side effects are keeping him in discomfort, and he also requires periodic steroid shots to bring down inflammation in his feet.
"Right now, he’s in a ton of pain and it’s not allowing him to walk and function the way he wants," the source said, adding that Hanks is often confined to his home and away from the public.
The InTouch source may claim that Hanks is slowing down, but his Instagram account tells a different story. Hanks still seems to have his usual sense of humor, and though his face isn't always present on social media, he still takes time to post pictures with witty quips while he is out and about.
Tom Hanks insta 1
Tom Hanks insta 1
Tom Hanks insta 2
Tom Hanks insta 2
Another thing that's been plaguing Hanks besides his health? Legal problems involving his son, Chet Hanks. Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, are being sued for damages by a man who was rear-ended by Chet while he was allegedly under the influence and driving Hanks and Wilson's car.
"Despite knowing that Chester Hanks was a careless and reckless driver and a habitual user of drugs and alcohol, they negligently permitted Chester Hanks to operate their vehicle," the plaintiff alleged in court documents.
While there isn't a quick fix for the Hanks' legal issues, for now, doctors are supposedly advising him to make some changes in his diet.
"Tom was ordered by his doctor to stop all red meat, alcohol, caffeine and sugar," says the source, adding that Hanks is abstaining from alcohol, but red meat, caffeine and chocolate still remain part of his life.
Whether Mr. Hanks is indeed ill or not, the man is a national treasure, and we beg him to take care of himself.
Don't freak out, you guys, but Anna Kendrick might just hold the key to time travel.
Mashable recently published an article about how John Wayne became John Wayne, along with a photo from the set of his first film, The Big Trail. The 1930 film also starred Marguerite Churchill, which is apparently the stage name Kendrick uses when she hops in her DeLorean and guns it back to before the turn of the century.
All right, so Kendrick probably doesn't really have a DeLorean, but she does share some of the same gorgeously delicate facial characteristics with Churchill.
Kendrick herself was blown away by the resemblance.
"OK but, first glance, that girl DOES look like me…have I been alive forever????(That would explain why I'm so jaded)," she tweeted.
Anna Kendrick tweet 1
Anna Kendrick tweet 1
Kendrick isn't the only celebrity that's been accused of time traveling or being a vampire. Keanu Reeves, John Travolta, Nicholas Cage and Jack Black all have days-of-yore doppelgängers.
Keanu Reeves time travel
Keanu Reeves time travel
John Travolta time travel
John Travolta time travel
Nicholas Cage time travel
Nicholas Cage time travel
jack black time travel
jack black time travel
And there's even evidence that Leonardo DiCaprio once lived as a woman named Judy Zipper in the 1960s.
We've come to expect that there will never be a time when everyone gets along on Vanderpump Rules, and Scheana Marie and Tom Sandoval have had some particularly dramatic moments, but will they ever get past that texting scandal?
During an interview with Bravo, Scheana Marie was asked if she ever regretted texting Ariana Madix's mother about Sandoval (she most certainly did not have very nice things to say), and her comments were pretty surprising.
"I don't ever like to have regrets. Live and learn. At the time I sent them, I felt that way about Tom and I will never apologize for my feelings and why he made me feel that way," she explained. "I don't know how many times I have to emphasize that she reached out first and was just as much a part of that conversation as I was. I also don't like living in the past. This happened. It's over with. I've moved on."
But has she really moved on? Scheana Marie's comments seem to say otherwise.
When asked whether she still feels that way about Sandoval, Scheana Marie made it clear that she has not forgiven and forgotten, even if they have moved past the whole incident.
"To some extent, yes. There were things he did in 2014 that are unforgivable and for the rest, we've moved on and past it. I'm happy with where things are now," she explained, although she chose not to elaborate on what exactly those "unforgivable" things were.
However, Scheana Marie is more willing to let bygones be bygones when it comes to Stassi Schroeder, and according to her, they're in a great place.
"We are closer than ever! I love having her back in my life and we talk almost every day," she confessed. "There are so many things we have in common and we just have a blast together!"
Hmmm... do you think that will last?
Are you glad to learn that Stassi and Scheana Marie are friends again? Do you think that Scheana Marie's comments about Tom are unfair? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
It's been pretty common knowledge since the '80s that Drew Barrymore is a total free spirit, but apparently, that was news to her third husband Will Kopelman — and he was in for a rude awakening when he figured it out.
A source close to the couple told Us Weekly that Kopelman, by all accounts a conservative homebody, could no longer deal with Barrymore's tendency toward… well, not being a conservative homebody.
"She's so hippie-dippy and all over the place and it started to become unbearable for him," the insider told Us Weekly in their print edition, adding that Barrymore "tried to be what Will wanted" but that due to her carefree nature, "she just isn't a normal housewife."
"Things began crumbling shortly after they were married, and the relationship unraveled over time," another source said.
"Will is this great guy from a stable family and everything she didn't have growing up, but it just wasn't making her happy."
Part of the reason Barrymore couldn't be the perfect housewife Kopelman reportedly craved is that in addition to her duties raising the couple's two daughters, she also has several successful business ventures of her own. She has been spending more time developing her Flower Beauty cosmetics line and Barrymore Wines. So if her career — which she had long before she met Kopelman — is what drove a wedge between the two, then that's pretty crappy of him.
But Barrymore may have dropped a major hint about the status of their relationship last October at a photo shoot. When she was encouraged by the photographer to pretend she was trying to seduce her husband, she reportedly replied, "Well, we haven't had sex in over a year, so that might be tough!"
The LAPD has launched an intense investigation into claims Charlie Sheen covered up his HIV status, including allegations he was willing to pay to have his ex-fiancée murdered.
Brett Rossi (aka Scottie Ross) filed a "criminal threats" report against Sheen last week, and the claims she made were dark, to say the least. Now cops are forcing Radar Online and the National Enquirer to turn over tapes that could prove Rossi's allegations and incriminate Sheen.
"Ross stated that during the time she resided with Sheen she endured domestic violence, physical assaults and death threats," the emergency protective order Rossi was granted on April 1 reads. "Ross reported that on several occasions Sheen had brandished firearms at her and threatened her life. Ross stated that she did not report the violence and abuse at the time the incidents occurred, as she feared for her safety and was under Sheen's control.
"Ross stated she witnessed Sheen in fits of rage and violent outbursts on numerous occasions. Ross stated that she witnessed Sheen threaten to kill his former wife Denise Richards and their children's lives. Ross stated that Sheen made threats to ‘put a hit on her former boyfriend,' which Ross understood to mean Sheen wanted to hire someone to kill her former boyfriend.
"Ross stated that during the relationship, she discovered that Sheen was infected with and being treated for HIV. Ross stated that Sheen had not disclosed the fact that he was HIV positive to her.
"Ross further stated that Sheen had unprotected sex with her while infected with HIV and Sheen did not disclose that he was HIV positive to her prior to engaging in sexual intercourse."
Then, on March 31, Rossi read the article in the National Enquirer claiming the tabloid has tapes of Sheen threatening to kill her.
"This piece of shit needs to be f***ing buried... family of gangsters. You get it," the mag claims Sheen says on the tape. "It's called treason. You know what treason is? It's punishable by death.
"I'd rather spend 20-grand to have her head kicked in. Then people will realize, oh, it's dangerous."
Sheen's lawyer Marty Singer denied the claim in a statement, saying, "This is a publicity stunt. The TRO was obtained without notice to Charlie Sheen or his attorney. I believe it is the first time someone obtained an order based on a story in a tabloid."
Sheen himself has not commented on the matter, but this Instagram photo probably sums up his feelings well.
