In the face of the Trump presidency, Katy Perry asserts her political self, but to what end?

Katy Perry won’t let the Trumpocalypse keep you off the dance floor. The 32-year-old pop singer debuted “Chained to the Rhythm” at the Grammy awards. Announcing that the chanteuse would devote her brand to “purposeful pop,” she wore an armband emblazoned with the word “PERSIST,” a nod to Elizabeth Warren’s protest on the Senate floor against Jeff Sessions’ confirmation. As she read a letter from Coretta Scott King admonishing the civil rights record of the Alabama Senator, Republican Mitch McConnell shouted her down, saying: “She persisted.” That phrase has since become a rallying cry against the new administration. Perry, one of Hillary Clinton’s most passionate supporters during the 2016 race, wrote on Twitter that the 2016 election was a moment of awakening for the singer, known more for squirting whip cream from her breasts than her political awareness.“Sometimes it’s scary opening up to consciousness,” she wrote, “makes you realize how asleep you were, and how OK you were with it.” The catchy tune, which is the first single from Perry’s yet-to-be-released fourth album, is intended to mark a shift in her public persona. Produced by the ever-ubiquitous Sia, “Chained to the Rhythm” marries Perry’s glittery facade — as well as her torrid love affair with mixed metaphors — to an undercurrent of Trump-era malaise. “Living our lives through a lens,” she croons. “Trapped in our white-picket fence/ Like ornaments/” The bridge, courtesy of Bob Marley’s son, Skip, stops just short of calling for a coup. “Up in your high place, liars/” the 20-year-old sing-raps. “Time is ticking for the empire/” Rebooting her persona appears to be working for the former California Gurl: “Chained to the Rhythm” is breaking records on Spotify, with more streams in its first 24 hours than any other song in the platform’s history. Selling herself as “woke” is good marketing for a singer about to enter the second decade of her career, a transition that’s been extremely unkind to pop contemporaries from Jessica Simpson to Lily Allen. But the issue is that Perry has been selling herself as enlightened for some time, even as her discography is littered with a distasteful undercurrent of homophobia and racism. If the diva hopes to rescue America from Trump with booty-shaking jams, Perry needs to save herself first. The pop mainstay first stormed onto the scene with “I Kissed A Girl” in 2008, the rare song to upset both Christian conservatives and the LGBT community. Republicans didn’t like the Dr. Luke-produced thumper because it appeared to promote homosexuality, but queer critics took issue with the seemingly affirming tune’s underlying premise: It’s OK to make out with other girls as long as you aren’t a lesbian about it. Perry claims that she penned the No. 1 hit — which actually has four writers attached — after catching a glimpse of Scarlett Johansson, then Woody Allen’s muse, in a magazine. But the track dabbles in the sort of girl-on-girl action you might find at a frat party, Sapphic action strictly for the purpose of male attention. The singer, who reminds us in the song that she has a “boyfriend,” repeatedly reminds her audience that it’s all in good fun: “You’re my experimental game/ Just human nature.” One particular couplet, though, really drove a stake all the way through the heart of LGBT listeners. “It’s not what, good girls do,” Perry sings. “Not how they should behave.” These are odd sentiments for someone who has repeatedly referred to herself as a supporter of the queer community. The debut of “I Kissed a Girl,” which spent seven weeks atop the pop charts, coincided with the passage of Proposition 8 in California, a voter referendum that overturned an earlier Supreme Court decision legalizing marriage equality at the ballot box. After same-sex union were voted down in her home state, Perry told DoSomething.org: “I am a gay activist and I say that proudly. I voted no on Prop 8.” Perry has billed herself as an ally to LGBT people throughout her career, dedicating the music video to “Firework” to the It Gets Better campaign. Over vaguely inspirational lyrics imploring asking listeners have “ever [felt] like a plastic bag/ drifting through the wind/ wanting to start again,” the video shows two boys kissing in a crowded dance party. But as The New York Times noted, there was something a little more than opportunistic behind its veneer of queer affirmation. The song, which Perry also claimed was a tribute to Jack Kerouac, was written in 2009, well before Tyler Clementi’s suicide made the issue of anti-gay bullying a nationwide topic of conversation. Clementi was a Rutgers student who took his own life in 2010 after being outed by his roommate. The lyrics for “Firework” are so vague and nonspecific they could be applied to anything. Like the video for Christina Aguilera’s thematically identical “Beautiful,” the video also makes room for a young cancer patient and a teen struggling with body negativity. It’s also nakedly hypocritical about someone who once implored an effeminate ex to kill himself in a song to advocate for tolerance and understanding. Although “I Kissed a Girl” proved her big break in the U.S., it wasn’t her first release here. That would be “Ur So Gay,” offered up as a promotional single from “One of the Boys.” The triphop-inspired track failed to chart on the Hot 100 but managed to go Gold on the strength of digital downloads. On “Ur So Gay,” Perry bemoans the fact that she fell in love with a straight man who acts gay. Among the metrosexual fellow’s chief sins are that the fellow wears makeup, likes Hemingway and listens to Mozart — basically that he behaves like a woman, is culturally refined and has good taste in books. The singer would like you to know that these traits are bad and men who enjoy such things are not desirable. Her solution? “I hope you hang yourself with your H&M scarf/” she sings, later adding: “You’re so gay and you don’t even like boys/” Perry recorded the song in 2008, which you could reasonably argue was a long time ago. Perhaps she released it, learned from the extremely negative feedback from the LGBT community, regretted the controversy and moved on. Unfortunately not. Shortly after “Ur So Gay” was released, Zack Rosen of The New Gay confronted her about claims that the song is homophobic and Perry shrugged off the criticism. She told Rosen the backlash was “unfortunate,” a response that should be read as analogous to “I’m sorry if you’re offended.” In an episode of “MTV Unplugged” recorded the same year, Ms. Perry would double down on defending “Ur So Gay.” She called the anti-LGBT anthem “one of [her] favorite songs.” Rather than dropping the tune, “Ur So Gay” would remain in her rotation. Even while using bullied youth to sell copies of “Firework,” Perry dedicated the song to a male concertgoer in 2010 — a former crush who didn’t return her affections. Perry has willfully continued making these sorts of mistakes her entire career, refusing to grow and evolve as an artist. Critics pointed out that the lyrics of “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” an 80’s throwback complete with a sax solo courtesy of Kenny G, heavily allude to date rape and it didn’t help that the video shows someone getting roofied — as if getting drugged and sexually assaulted where just a wild and wacky thing that happens when you’re busy having fun. At the 1:40 mark, you can clearly see a male partygoer putting something in his female conversation partner’s drink. The singer has also been lambasted for featuring minstrel depictions of black women, with oversized posteriors and giant pink lips, in her performances. During the video for “This Is How We Do,” she pulls an Iggy Azalea — donning cornrows, slicked down baby hair and an exaggerated pucker. If the intent weren’t obvious enough, Perry eats a watermelon. Maybe Perry — who has continually defended her right to be as racist and homophobic as she wants — has finally come of age and matured as an artist and a human being. Stranger things have happened. But then again, probably not. Even while debuting her new socially conscious Barbie image, Perry managed to take not one but two unnecessary swipes at Britney Spears on the Grammys red carpet. Spears, who had a very public breakdown in 2007, famously cut off all her hair at the height of media fascination about her mental health. She has since sought treatment and appears to be doing well, releasing a well-received comeback album, “Glory,” last year. The former party girl spends most of her time Instagramming about Caesar salads. When Ryan Seacrest asked Perry why she took such a long break in between releasing records, the singer didn’t tout her newfound wisdom. She called it “taking care of your mental health.” Perry added, “I haven’t shaved my head yet.” As the saying goes, if it ain’t woke, don’t fix it.

News Source: www.salon.com

Angelina Jolie — and Her Kids! — Meet with Royalty at Cambodian Movie Premiere

Angelina Jolie‘s long-awaited Cambodian film premiere was a family affair. The actress was joined by her children — Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8 — at the world premiere of her passion project, First They Killed My Father in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Her sons Maddox, who was born in Cambodia, and Pax were both involved in the film’s production. Presented at the Terrace of the Elephant in the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex, the film was screened to both Hollywood and Cambodian royalty, as the country’s King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk were in attendance, along with a host of senior government officials. Jolie and her family posed for a photo with the royal family at the premiere. The premiere of First They Killed My Father, was screened in the temple of the elephant terrace, a couple of kilometers from where Jolie shot her breakout 2001 film Tomb Raider. As the heat of the day wore off, local families picnicked along the banks of a nearby lake, while monkeys scavenged the area for scraps of food. For those without invitations, the entrance to the premiere itself was blocked off by a handful of police and security guards. Several white minivans drove past taking attendees to the screening. Cheany Nem, 30, from Kampong Cham province came to the premiere with her husband, mother, niece and nephew after hearing that locals could see the film for free. But they were not allowed in because they don’t have an invitation and access was tight due to the attendance of the royal family. “Me, like a lot of young people, want to know what happened during the Khmer Rouge,” Nem said. “My mum is older so knows the story. I heard from her what happened but i wanted to know for myself. “When I was young I learned about the Khmer Rouge from school. Learning about it made me feel hurt and that makes me want to come see the movie.” Rady, who works in Siem Reap, agreed about the importance of seeing the movie. “My kids don’t know anything about the history,” the 40-year-old said outside the premiere. “It’s very important for the kids — they don’t know about all the killings at the time — so by watching this movie they can learn about the history of Cambodia.” “Of course its hard to talk about what happened, but a movie can say it,” Rady continued. “I hope for the future that our country will teach the youth the history of Cambodia so they know what happened.” Nem said that Jolie was obviously a big draw for seeing the film but added: “Its an important memory for every Khmer person. Its important for young people to learn about the Khmer Rouge. They want to know” Earlier in the day, the Oscar winner made her first public appearance since she filed for divorce from Brad Pitt, when she attended a press event for the film. At the press conference, Jolie said she thinks of Cambodia “like a second home,” adding, “Maddox is happy to be back in his country.” Based on the autobiography of the same name by Cambodian human-rights activist Loung Ung, a friend of Jolie’s, First They Killed My Father tells the true story of the devastation inflicted on Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge communist party in the 1970s.“I read Loung’s book many years ago,” Jolie said at the press conference. “It helped to open my eyes to what was going on the world.” She added, “I wanted to tell the story to through the eyes of the child’s point of view, the love of a family, to show the beauty of the country and understand what Maddox’s parents may have gone through.” More than two million people, out of a total population of seven million, were killed during the purge, including Ung’s father, mother and two sisters. “The heart of it is Loung’s story, it’s the story of a war through the eyes of a child, but it is also the story of a country,” Jolie said in a promotional clip for the film. Jolie used only Cambodian actors, many of whom are the survivors or children of the survivors of the genocide. In addition, Jolie insisted only their native Khmer be spoken throughout the film. Jolie, Ung and the producers hoped the experience of making the film would be cathartic for those who participated. The actress’s love affair with Cambodia began after she filmed Tomb Raider in the country in 2000. Not long after she was finished with production, she returned to Cambodia as a volunteer for the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, for which she is now a special envoy. In 2002, Jolie adopted her first child, Maddox, from a Battambang orphanage. “He was the one who just called it and said he was ready and that he wanted to work on it, which he did,” Jolie recently told The Guardian of Maddox’s role in the film. “He read the script, helped with notes, and was in the production meetings.” Jolie’s second-oldest son, Pax, was also involved in the production. In 2015, Jolie told PEOPLE, “Pax is doing a lot of the stills,” adding, “The whole movie is from a child’s point of view.”

News Source: www.people.com

Fifth Harmony Reveal Attempts to Make Camila Cabello Stay for 'One More Album'

"To watch Camila walk away from this special world we've built with you is tough,"
 Fifth Harmony write to fans Fifth Harmony released a second letter addressing Camila Cabello's exit from the pop group, after Cabello said she was "shocked" and "sad" to read that the group felt her departure was sudden. According to Cabello, her exit was known well in advance of the announcement. According to Fifth Harmony's new letter, Cabello's first solo effort in late 2015 and her duet with Shawn Mendes titled "I Know What You Did Last Summer" caused problems. They paint a picture of a member with one foot out the door as they claim they spent months trying to plan meetings, group counseling and label interventions to try and convince Cabello that they deserve "one more album of her time." They revealed that Cabello did not attend any of the meetings or counseling sessions they scheduled. Cabello's manager was the one to tell Fifth Harmony that she would be leaving, having informed them in mid-November that a December 18th Jingle Ball tour date would be her last performance with them. "To watch Camila walk away from this special world we've built with you is tough but we will move forward together," they said. "We are excited to continue to put positivity into the world and light into people's lives. The four of us recognize that we would be NOTHING without Fifth Harmony." Remaining members Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane Hansen, Lauren Jauregui and Normani Kordei ended their message by reaffirming that they will continue on as a quartet and that this would be their last message regarding the situation, so as to not continue engaging "in this back and forth."

News Source: www.rollingstone.com

Kristen Bell And Cast Of 'Veronica Mars' Tell Us What's Next

Now that "Veronica Mars" has been in theaters and on demand for a full weekend, what's next for the detective franchise? While at SXSW we asked Kristen Bell, Rob Thomas (creator of the show and movie) and the rest of the cast just what they thought would be coming up. "I would just do just about anything," Bell told us. "It would great to do a franchise of movies, we have a bit more creativity in film than we do on television. But if one day it comes back as some sort of a series, I would be involved as well." And Thomas has even more ambitious ideas in mind. "Big picture, I feel like Nancy Drew had a good 70 year run, and I would like to replace her," Thomas joked. "Honestly, I hope on some level, dream of dreams that Veronica would become an iconic fictional detective, and she could be spun off in any number of ways." In fact, Thomas is spinning off "Veronica Mars" into a series of novels starting with "The Ten Thousand Dollar Tan Line" on March 25. The book picks up right after the movie, and if everything goes well could be the launching pad for the next movie, as well. "The novels that we're doing, those could very well end up being future 'Veronica Mars' plots," Thomas continued. "I'm really taking care with the plotting of those, and I'm going to try and make it a continuous universe. So those novels don't exist in some parallel universe, but in Veronica's timeline." Thomas added that he hopes "Veronica Mars" becomes a "mini Bond franchise," releasing a new film every two or three years, though not for $100 million like the "Bond" films. "The affordable franchise, is what I'd like to be," Thomas quipped. Bell meanwhile ultimately leaves the decision up to the people who revived the show in the first place. "I would want to know what the fans want, to be honest," Bell said. "I don't say that insincerely. As an artist, you want to do things that your audience likes and wants and appreciates and gets excited about." And on the other end of the spectrum, actor Chris Lowell has a completely different idea on where his character should go next. "Veronica Mars and Piz in space," Lowell joked. "Why are we even talking about this? Piz in space. I mean, that's it. Who's not going to see that movie?" "Veronica Mars" is now in theaters.

News Source:www.mtv.com

Lindsay Lohan Addresses Family Issues on “Lindsay”

Giving the world an inside look at her nutty life, Lindsay Lohan had a tension-filled lunch with her dad Michael Lohan during last night's episode of “Lindsay” on OWN. While catching up with her papa, LiLo learned that he couldn’t afford to help purchase her brother Cody a car because his child support payments for his other children were too high. The “Mean Girls” actress snipped, “I don’t want to talk about your other two random f*cking kids… My dad has a whole ‘nother life that he lives with these other people that he’s created that I don’t want to be a part of my life.” And when Michael asked about her then-boyfriend Matt Nordgren, Lindsay blurted out, “Now you’re getting me angry, because you weren’t good for me for a long time in my life.” Meanwhile, Miss Lohan also commented on her mother Dina’s recent DUI arrest- “It’s really unfortunate, but I’ve been there… It’s not a fun place to be, so I just want to be there to support her as much as I can.” After a delay in getting her new Manhattan apartment (part of her production deal), Lindsay finally got the go-ahead to move in. “It was such a relief, getting the keys. I was so grateful to just finally be in and have a place I could come home to. I noticed [without] my apartment I started to sink back in to my old self-pity in a way, and I let that stress me out… It really is one step, one day at a time. It sounds so cliché, but until you’re actually living it, you realize just how true it actually is.” Given the drama in just the first two episodes of “Lindsay,” it’ll be interesting to see where things go from here!

News Source:www.gossipcenter.com

Kim Kardashian storms out of Vienna ball

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian reportedly stormed out of the lavish Vienna Opera Ball in Austria on Thursday night. The socialite was a guest of Austrian businessman Richard Lugner, 81, who has a history of doling out thousands of dollars to have famous women accompany him to the annual event. Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, Sophia Loren, Raquel Welch and Lindsay Lohan have all served as Lugner's dates in the past. This year, he reportedly paid $500,000 for Kardashian to join him, but apparently the pair did not get on, according to TMZ.com. The gossip site reports Kardashian felt uncomfortable and left early. Other reports suggest the reality TV star skipped dinner and refused to dance with Lugner, leaving her mother Kris Jenner to take her place.

News Source:www.torontosun.com

First Comes Love... Christina Aguilera Announces Engagement And Pregnancy

It looks like congratulations are in order for Christina Aguilera, who is not only newly engaged, but also expecting. Last week, the singer announced that she was engaged to boyfriend Matt Rutler, whom she met on the set of her 2010 movie Burlesque, where Rutler was working as a production assistant. Apparently the nursery rhyme was correct in this case, because less than a week later, Aguilera is announcing her pregnancy. Sources for People, who made the announcement, report that the couple could not be any happier. The engagement was announced right around Valentine’s day last week, by Christina herself. The Voice coach tweeted a short message to her fans: "He asked and I said……," and included a sweet photo of her hand, with the new addition of a gigantic diamond ring, holding Rutler’s hand with some beautiful beach scenery behind them. What an excellent way to pop the question. “They’re very much in love and are really excited to take this next step!” a source close to the pair tells People. This will be a second marriage as well as a second pregnancy for Aguilera, who was previously married to Jordan Bratman. The short lived marriage spawned Max Liron, Christina’s first son, who is six years old at the moment.

News Source:www.contactmusic.com

Kim Kardashian Films Without Makeup, Kanye West's Rep Addresses Cheating Rumors: Today's Top Stories Read more: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/kim-kardashian-films-without-makeup-kanye-wests-rep-addresses-cheating-rumors

Pregnant Kim Kardashian keeps casual while filming Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Plus, the reality star's boyfriend, Kanye West, faces cheating rumors: See Us Weekly's top stories from Wednesday, June 12, in the roundup! 1. Kim Kardashian Films Without Makeup, Dresses Baby Bump in All Black Kim Kardashian is keeping it casual now that she's in the final weeks of her pregnancy. The 32-year-old reality star dressed her baby bump in all black and wore flip-flops (and virtually no makeup!) while filming a scene for Keeping Up With the Kardashians at The Vitamin Barn in Malibu on Tuesday, June 11. 2. Kanye West Did Not Cheat on Pregnant Kim Kardashian: Rep Don't believe the rumors. Amid allegations made by model Leyla Ghobadi that Kanye West cheated on pregnant Kim Kardashian with her, West's rep is setting the record straight. "This most recent attack on Kanye West and his family is totally without merit," his rep tells Us. 3. Farrah Abraham Tells Howard Stern: I Pleasure Myself to My Sex Tape Talk about self love! During a graphic tell-all interview on Howard Stern's Sirius XM radio show on Wednesday, June 12, Teen Mom and adult film star Farrah Abraham revealed she gets turned on by watching her own sex tape. 4. Kate Middleton Wears $42 ASOS Dress While Furniture Shopping: Picture Kate Middleton is just like Us! The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge stepped out wearing an affordable maternity dress in London on Tuesday, June 4, while shopping at a high-end furniture store. The price tag for her adorable ensemble? $42! 5. Maria Menounos: Jack Nicholson "Got Me Kicked Out" of a Lakers Game! Memo to sports fans everywhere: If you want to mess with the Lakers, you're going to have to go through Jack Nicholson first. The 76-year-old actor once got Extra host (and very vocal Boston Celtics fan) Maria Menounos kicked out of her seat at Staples Center.

News Source:www.usmagazine.com

‘Breaking Bad’ Star Aaron Paul Marries Lauren Parsekian

"Breaking Bad" star Aaron Paul is off the market, b***ch! The 33-year-old actor, who plays foul-mouthed but big-hearted meth maker Jesse Pinkman on the AMC series, married his longtime girlfriend, Lauren Parsekian, in Malibu, California, on Sunday. "And so it begins," Paul had tweeted on Friday, along with a photo of the happy couple and the hashtag #mrmrspaul, hinting that the wedding weekend was underway. Then on Sunday, Parsekian posted a pic of herself getting her done to Instagram, writing, "Wedding time. Did my own make up!" According to Us Weekly, the actor and his groomsmen, including co-star Bryan Cranston wore black tuxes, while the bride donned a strapless Cinderella-style gown and white boots. The couple had planned a 1920s Parisian carnival-themed wedding and guests were reportedly asked to show up with masquerade masks. The couple met at Coachella Arts and Music Festival in Indio, California in 2010, and became friends. A year later, they returned to the fest and shared their first kiss on a Ferris wheel. "You know when people say, 'When you know, you know? It was crazy," Paul told GQ in 2012. "The moment that happened … I couldn't imagine myself being without her." On New Year's Eve 2011 they became engaged during a holiday getaway to Paris. Paul later recounted to People magazine how they were outside of a hotel, dancing to Édith Piaf by themselves, when he "begged her" to marry him, noting, "I'm the luckiest man on the planet.It doesn't make sense to me. The way she looks at me ... She has that magical glow about her." Clearly not shy about expressing his feelings for her, he also openly gushed about her during his acceptance speech at the 2012 Emmys, saying, "You truly saved me." Parsekian, 25, is a film director-producer, but also the co-founder of the nonprofit organization Kind Campaign, which is a movement, documentary, and school program established to eradicate girl-against-girl bullying. As a young girl growing up in Laguna Niguel, California, she was the target of bullying that got so bad, she actually attempted suicide. After their honeymoon, Paul will be gearing up for the final eight episodes of "Breaking Bad." The acclaimed drama returns August 11 to conclude its fifth and final season.

News Source:omg.yahoo.com

Jolie aunt dies of breast cancer days after op-ed

Less than two weeks after Angelina Jolie revealed she'd had a double mastectomy to avoid breast cancer, her aunt died from the disease Sunday. Debbie Martin died at age 61 at a hospital in Escondido, Calif. near San Diego, her husband, Ron Martin, told The Associated Press. Debbie Martin was the younger sister of Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, whose own death from ovarian cancer in 2007 inspired the surgery that Jolie described in a May 14 op-ed in the New York Times. According to her husband, Debbie Martin had the same defective BRCA1 gene that Jolie does, but didn't know it until after her 2004 cancer diagnosis. "Had we known, we certainly would have done exactly what Angelina did," Ron Martin said in a phone interview. Debbie Martin's death was first reported by E! News. Ron Martin said after getting breast cancer, Debbie Martin had her ovaries removed preventively because she was also at very high genetic risk for ovarian cancer, which has killed several women in her family. The 37-year-old Jolie said in her op-ed that her doctors estimated that she had a 50 percent risk of getting ovarian cancer but an 87 percent risk of breast cancer so she had her breasts removed first, reducing her likelihood to a mere 5 percent. She described the three-step surgical process in detail in the op-ed "because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience." The story, a surprise to most save those closest to Jolie, spurred a broad discussion of genetic testing and pre-emptive surgery.

News Source:news.yahoo.com

Thunderstorms slow Oklahoma tornado cleanup

A band of thunderstorms battered the Oklahoma City area Thursday, slowing cleanup operations in the suburb where a tornado killed 24 people and destroyed thousands of homes this week. The first of the funerals, for a 9-year-old girl killed at a Moore elementary school that took a direct hit in Monday's storm, was scheduled for Thursday morning. A family photo showed the girl, Antonia Candelaria, beaming with a big smile and wearing a white sun hat. Early estimates indicate the tornado caused more than $2 billion of damage in Moore. Whole subdivisions in the fast-growing community of 56,000 people were destroyed. Authorities estimated that as many as 13,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and 33,000 people were affected — an especially traumatic toll for a city that had already suffered three other tornados since 1998. Two elementary schools were hit — one was leveled — by Monday's tornado. Candelaria was one of seven children who perished at the Plaza Towers Elementary School, a one story building with barely a wall left standing. Altogether, 10 children were killed in the storm, including two infants. The medical examiner reported that six of the children who died at Plaza Towers suffocated after being buried under a mass of bricks, steel and other materials as the building collapsed. A seventh child who died there, 8-year-old Kyle Davis, was killed instantly by an object — perhaps a large piece of stone or a beam — that fell on the back of his neck. Thursday's thunderstorms produced hail, heavy rain and high winds in the morning. A flash flood warning was also in effect. The National Weather Service said more severe storms were forecast for late afternoon and at night, and that more tornados were a possibility. The weather was hampering cleanup and recovery efforts that had just begun to accelerate now that all of the missing have been accounted for. Residents were only formally allowed back into the damage zone on Wednesday afternoon, where they picked through enormous piles of debris. Shayne Patteson was among them, moving around the ruins of his three-bedroom home. All that was left was the tiny area where his wife hunkered down under a mattress to protect their three children when a tornado packing winds of at least 200 mph slammed through his neighborhood. Patteson vowed to rebuild, likely in the same place, but said next time he will have an underground storm shelter. "That is the first thing that will be going into the design of the house, is the storm shelter and the garage," he said as he looked around piles of bricks and plywood where their home once stood. Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis said Wednesday he would propose an ordinance in the next couple of days to require all new homes to have storm shelters. The city already has some. After a massive tornado tore a near-identical path in 1999, city authorities provided incentives such as federal grant dollars to help residents cover the costs of safe rooms. This time, though, Lewis thinks it is necessary to compel people to include them in all new construction.

News Source:news.yahoo.com

Selena Gomez Goes Without Makeup, Shows Lighter Hair Color

Selena Gomez showed off her lighter side on May 21 while strolling in London. With her face free of makeup and her long hair colored several shades lighter than normal, the "Come & Get It" singer, while still undeniably gorgeous, looked nearly unrecognizable. PHOTOS: Selena's sexy style Wearing yellow-rimmed sunglasses, a loose black coat, black and white printed pants, and black loafers, the stylish singer, 20, looked diminutive, especially since she was toting a large Apple laptop and an oversized white carry-all. Gomez's lighter hair color, colored in an ombre style (with the ends much lighter than the rest of the hair), is a new look for Gomez. A source tells Us that Gomez had her locks highlighted at Nine Zero One Salon in West Hollywood, CA, on May 12: "She is lighter than she's ever been." "She wanted to do something new for the Billboard Awards," says the source. "Going lighter is something new for her." PHOTOS: Selena and Justin -- the way they were At the award show on May 19, the singer not only debuted her new hair hue, she also reunited (yet again) with beau Justin Bieber. A video at the event captured BFF Taylor Swift sticking her tongue out in disapproval after spotting Gomez and Bieber kissing. Tell Us: Do you like Selena Gomez's hair dark or lighter?

Article Source:omg.yahoo.com

Cannes 2013: Nicole Kidman, Ang Lee and Christoph Waltz join jury

Might it be the most star-studded Cannes jury in history? The world's most famous film festival has announced that this year's president, Steven Spielberg, will be joined by a cavalcade of heavyweight figures – including Oscar winners Ang Lee, Christoph Waltz and NicoleKidman. The glittering quartet will be joined by Britain's Lynne Ramsay, perhaps with time on her hands after exiting the Natalie Portman indie western Jane's Got a Gun, French cinema icon Daniel Auteuil, Romanian film-maker Cristian Mungiu, Japanese director Naomi Kawase and Bollywood star Vidya Balan. Mungiu, Ramsay, Auteuil and Kawase are all past Cannes award-winners. Ramsay took a Youth prize in 2002 for her elliptical drama Morvern Callar, while Kawase won the Camera d'Or for Suzaku in 1997 and the Grand Prix in 2007 for The Mourning Forest. Auteuil won the best actor award at Cannes in 1996 for drama The Eighth Day. Mungiu is the only figure on the jury to have taken home the festival's top Palme d'Or prize, which he won in 2007 for the harrowing drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. "We have only one criteria and that is already done for the president – the legitimacy," festival artistic director Thierry Fremaux told the Hollywood Reporter. "So for the jury, Steven Spielberg will be the centre and we are finishing it with great people." He added: "We have a lot of film-makers coming from all over the world. They need to be sure that those who make the decisions about the awards have their own legitimacy and the respect to do that." The 66th Cannes film festival runs from 15 to 26 May. The only woman ever to have won an Oscar and a Palme d'Or, Jane Campion, will oversee the Cinéfondation and short film competitions, while Amélie's Audrey Tautou will host the opening and closing ceremonies.

News Source:www.guardian.co.uk

New Sandra Bullock comedy a ‘love letter’ to Boston

Las Vegas -- The director and stars of the new cop comedy The Heat say they hope their film will provide some comic relief to Bostonians in the wake of Monday’s marathon bombings. Director Paul Feig and actresses Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy promoted The Heat on Thursday at CinemaCon, the annual convention of theatre exhibitors. The Heat casts Bullock and McCarthy as an FBI agent and a Boston cop forced together to take on a violent drug lord. “The movie is such a love letter to Boston,” Feig (Bridesmaids) said on the press line before presenting the film’s trailer to a theatre full of exhibitors. “It’s not a movie where it’s supposed to be New York but it’s shot in Boston,” he continued. “This takes place in Boston. We have Boston natives in the movie, like Jane Curtin and (comic-actor) Bill Burr and (New Kids on the Block member) Joey McIntyre — all these famous Bostonians are in it. And if this movie can help Boston laugh, than that would be great.” There is at least one major explosion and some Lethal Weapon-style action violence in the film — portions of which were filmed last year in and around Boston. Noted Bullock, “I think having been there, having had our entire crew around us all the time, who are all from Boston, you’re just hoping. And when you see the aftermath, I try to look on the other side, which is, ‘Look how amazing the people were. Look at those people that ran towards everyone without thinking twice about themselves.”’ Bullock, McCarthy and Feig each expressed hope there would be screenings of the film in Boston to assist the bombing victims, but they said no plans had firmed up. A spokesperson for the film’s distributor, 20th Century Fox, said via email, “We plan to screen the film in Boston timed to release. It’s not pegged to a charity or recent events. Just a special screening in the town where it was shot.”

News Source:www.vancouversun.com

Washington jury rejects claim of actress who sued IMDb

A federal jury in Seattle on Thursday rejected a claim brought by a little-known actress who first lied about how old she was on the popular Internet Movie Database, then sued the company when it published her true age. Huong Hoang goes by the stage name Junie Hoang and has appeared in such films as "Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver" and "Hoodrats 2: Hoodrat Warriors." Her lawsuit generated a lot of media attention when she filed it -- anonymously, at first -- in 2011. She said she intended for her case to highlight online privacy as well as age discrimination in Hollywood, and she initially sought $1 million in damages. "My hope was that it would make a change in the database," Hoang told The Associated Press after the verdict. "I knew it was a problem not just for me but for anyone else who had their age on their profile." The 41-year-old claimed offers for roles dried up after the popular online movie database mined her account information to learn her true age, then posted it on her profile in 2008. She sued for breach of contract, and the case went to trial this week. The judge dismissed IMDb's parent company, Amazon.com, as a defendant before the trial. IMDb argued that it has a First Amendment right to publish accurate information. It also said Hoang couldn't prove she lost any money or roles because of it, and even if she could, she couldn't prove it was IMDb's fault. "Hoang did not present any testimony, documents, or other evidence supporting her damages allegations of lost income and profits," the company's lawyers wrote in a court filing at the end of the trial. IMDb.com is an searchable database that includes more than 2 million pages for movies, television and entertainment programs, as well as 4 million cast and crew members. Hoang signed up for a subscription service with the website called IMDb Pro. The service is designed for entertainment industry professionals. It provides contact information and other details for the actors, actresses, directors and others listed. She said she initially listed a false birth year -- 1978, instead of 1971 -- because she usually plays characters younger than she is. But eventually, she moved from her hometown of Houston, Texas, to the more competitive entertainment market of Los Angeles, and as what would have been her fake 30th birthday approached, she decided she didn't want any age listed on her profile. IMDb refused to remove the age listed unless she could provide evidence that it was incorrect. She asked the company to check its records to see if it had any information that would substantiate that age. The company did so -- using her account information to find her real name, and then using her real name to conduct a public records search and discover her true age. IMDb posted her real age on her profile, over her objections. She claimed that the company breached its contract with her by misusing the account information she provided in violation of its privacy policy. The company disagreed, noting that the privacy policy stated that it maintained its customers' information "for such purposes as responding to your requests." Hoang said she plans to keep acting. She played Sandy in "Gingerdead Man 3," a sequel to a 2005 Gary Busey movie in which "an evil yet adorable gingerbread man comes to life with the soul of a convicted killer," according to a description on IMDb. Other credits include a part as a triage nurse in the television series "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant," and as the part of Janet in "My Big Phat Hip Hop Family."

News Source:www.foxnews.com

Taylor Swift on her future:I have no idea if I'm going to get married or be single forever'

In a recent revealing interview in Wonderland Magazine, the famously known lovestruck singer says she doesn't know if happily ever after is in her future--but she's ok with it. "I've kind of realized that I have no idea where I'm going to be next year, or in six months, or in two months." "I just have no idea and I'm kind of into that," she admits on the uncertainty. "I know where I'll be on tour in two months,but no idea where I'm going to be mentally, emotionally, dreams, goals, wishes, hopes. I have no idea if I'm going to get married or be single forever or have a family or just be on my own." The star, who's chart-topping break-up ballads include " I Knew You Were Trouble" and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" goes on to talk about what it feels like to really be heartbroken. "It's very complex; you're never feeling just sad. Maybe you wake up and you feel sad, and then you get angry, and then you feel like 'I'm fine', and then you feel confident, and then you feel a sense of doubt, and then you're insecure, and then there's jealousy, and then you're back to sad - and then you feel fine again." Swift has been romantically linked and split with some of Hollywood's hottest bachelors including Jake Gyllenhaall, Taylor Lautner, John Mayer and most recently One Direction's Harry Styles. When it comes to relationships, the 23-year-old blond beauty explains that for her, "[they] are like traffic lights. And I just have this theory that I can only exist in a relationship if it's a green light." The April/May Outspoken issue of Wonderland Magazine featuring Swift as their cover girl hits newsstands Tuesday.

News Source:www.nydailynews.com

Sara Gilbert engaged to Linda Perry, reveals singer's romantic proposal during picnic

Revealing the news on Monday’s “The Talk," Gilbert, 38, described Perry’s romantic proposal during a picnic in the park. “We go to a park, we have food and we’re eating it, it’s really sweet and there’s this guy sitting playing guitar, like a street musician,” she said. “He starts playing this song that we love … I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s so weird, this is so magical and amazing.’” PHOTOS: SAME-SEX STAR COUPLES Little did Gilbert know that the romance was just beginning. “So that ends, and she’s like, ‘Oh I’m gonna ask him to play this other song,’ but this other song is really obscure and this guy wouldn’t know it, but magically he knows it,” she continued. “And suddenly the people picnicking next to us pull out string instruments from under the blanket and walk over and they start playing ‘Love Song’ (by the Cure).” Gilbert was shocked by what was happening with Perry, her girlfriend since last fall. PHOTOS: CELEBS COME OUT Perry then displayed four t-shirts with one word each, “Will. You. Marry. Me.” The fifth shirt she presented had a question mark and then she pulled out the ring. To further add to the romantic gesture Perry told Gilbert to “turn around” and there stood their mothers and a couple of friends. “So I think that’s it and it’s the most amazing proposal ever and then … this guy walks up and she’s like. ‘This is John Waite.’ And he starts playing ‘Missing You.’” Who wouldn’t say yes to that?

News Source:www.nydailynews.com

'She took my assistant's purse!' Sheriff's called to Hollywood hotspot after Jaime Pressly accuses Estella Warren of 'stealing handbag and iPhone'

Nothing can get between a woman and her purse. And that's reportedly what caused a spat between actresses Jamie Pressly and Estella Warren in West Hollywood, California on Friday night. The two blonde beauties reportedly fought it out into the early morning hours at Bootsy Bellows over claims Estella stormed out of a party with a stolen handbag. According to Radar Online, the pair had been at a home nearby celebrating the birthday of Jaime's publicist Gary Mantoosh. Estella, 34, was a guest of the photographer and things seemed to be going well for the bunch. But the event went sour when Jamie's assistant's purse -- and her much needed iPhone -- went missing. A source told Radar Online that Jaime used an app to track it down and found that it was at the Sunset Boulevard hotspot. When they arrived, Jaime spotted Estella handling an iPhone and accused her of making off with her assistant's goods. A source said the My Name is Earl actress grabbed the smartphone and the battle ensued. 'Estella was adamant it was hers, but when Pressly told her to unlock it, she couldn't,' a source said. Jaime then made claim to the items and was able to identify some items inside the bag -- including the actress' keys -- as belonging to her assistant. The fight caused enough of a stir in the bar that deputies from the West Hollywood Sheriff's Department were called to the scene, though officials said no immediate action was taken and an investigation is still active. Also at the Hollywood hotspot on Friday night were stars Brittany Snow, Adam Lambert and David Arquette -- none of whom were involved in the crazy mess. On Saturday afternoon Estella seemed reflective of the event, tweeting a saying to soothe the nerves. 'No mind, no thought, no reflection, no analysis, no cultivation, no intention... let it settle itself,' she wrote. This isn't the first time both ladies have been caught on the wrong side of the law. Estella was arrested in May 2011 for DUI, hit-and-run driving, battery on a police officer and resisting a police officer. The Canadian native who is best known for her roles in That ’70s Show and Law & Order, allegedly hit three parked cars with her Toyota Prius, then drove away. When police arrived, she reportedly kicked an officer while being arrested and even tried to escape from the police station, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. She entered a no contest plea and was sentenced to four months in residential rehabilitation and five years of informal probation. As for Jaime, the Emmy award winner was arrested in 2011 on suspicion of driving under the influence in Santa Monica, California and was charged with two misdemeanours. At the time she was also under the watchful eye of the IRS and the state of Calfornia for reportedly skipping out on as much as $637,000 in unpaid taxes.

News Source:www.dailymail.co.uk

Arianna Huffington: Hillary Clinton is 'Obviously Running' in 2016

Below you can find some of the notable comments made Sunday on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." North Korea roundtable guests included ABC News' chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, who just returned from reporting at the North Korean border; New York Times chief Washington correspondent and author of "Confront and Conceal" David Sanger; Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren; and ABC News' George Will. Joining Greta and George on the "This Week" powerhouse political roundtable was president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group Arianna Huffington; Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman; former Reagan budget director David Stockman, and author of "The Great Deformation: the Corruption of Capitalism in America." Huffington wishes Hillary would have taken 'more time' HUFFINGTON: No, no. She's obviously running. But what I was hoping is that she would have taken to more time to become what she called herself, untired. STEPHANOPOULOS: Untired. HUFFINGTON: Untired. That was her term, you know? She wanted to sleep in. To be able to recharge herself. She hasn't given herself that time. And I think that's sending a bad message to women that the only way to succeed, the only way to run is to drive yourself into the ground. After all she collapsed, she had a concussion. And right now you see a greater debate among corporations among corporations, among individuals, how can redefine success? How we can actually reduce stress and burnout? Which is having a terrible impact on our health care system. VAN SUSTEREN: The whole time we were there, all we saw was preparation for war…If you go inside, they have been at war with us since the early 1950s. They think that every single one of us is spending every Saturday night sitting around planning how to get them while we're busy ordering pizzas and Chinese food carryout, they think that we're getting ready for war. Sanger and Raddatz agree a North Korean missile that heads 'right into the water' is the best option SANGER: A test that went right into the water would be the best thing that could happen. It's better than sinking a ship… RADDATZ: As long as no one responds. SANGER: Yeah. RADDATZ: That would be best. Stockman thinks 'the machinery of government is massively failing' STOCKMAN: I think the machinery of government is massively failing. And that's the problem we face. And it's a real threat to Main Street economy, and that's why the numbers are far more serious -that you heard Friday- than is being suggested by the White House. Huffington says everyone should 'lighten up' over Obama's Kamala Harris comment HUFFINGTON: Everybody should relax. Lighten up. It was an aside. It's unbelievable. George and I were talking in the green room about the GK Chesterton quote, "If there is one thing worse than the modern weakening of modern morals, it's the modern strengthening of minor morals." Mock outrage. I mean I wish there was more outrage about the jobs numbers than there was about, than we had about Kamala Harris. On Harris comment, Will commends the President for finally saying 'something accurate' WILL: First, the President finally said something accurate and we should treasure him for this. Second, there is nothing, no growth industry in this country like the manufacturing of synthetic indignation. Krugman calls Obama's Kamala Harris comment 'dumb' KRUGMAN: This is, it was dumb. And it's right to slap him for it. But you know, there's a little bit of pig in all of us. I speak from personal experience. So there we are.

News Source:news.yahoo.com

‘Doctor Who: The Rings Of Akhaten’

If you recall, the last scene of ‘’The Bells of Saint John’ had Clara telling the Doctor to return the next day for her answer to whether she will join him as a companion. We were left with the Doctor saying now is the time to find out who she is – and that’s what we see him do in the beginning of the episode. The Doctor watches as Clara’s parents, David and Ellie, meet, court, have baby Clara and raise her. He was even there at the funeral of Clara’s mom on March 5, 2005. After witnessing all this, he determines she’s “just a girl but she can’t be! She’s not possible!” It’s the next day for Clara as waits for the Doctor to return. She clutches the book “101 Places to See’ that once belonged to her mother. Inside the TARDAS,  she asks several questions about the concept of time then tells him she’d like to go somewhere “awesome”, so he takes her to the Rings of Ahkaten, an asteroid belt surrounding a giant red planet. Within the asteroid belt is a rock which contains the Holy Pyramid of the Rings of Ahkaten, the holy site for the Sun Singers of Akhat. There, 7 worlds share the common belief that life in the universe all originated on the planet Akhaten. Whether or not it did, it’s a nice story and that’s what they believe says the Doctor. They head over to the site and Clara is in the middle of a marketplace. The Doctor reminisces and tells her that he forgot how much he liked it there and that had visited the area once before with his granddaughter. (At this point, my jawed dropped at the mention of Susan! What a wonderful nod to the classics!) The scene reminds me of the 10th Doctor taking Donna to a marketplace in ‘Turn Left’ as they try out the local cuisine and take in the atmosphere. He tells her that everyone is there for the Festival of Offerings which occurs every 1000 years or so. As they continue to look around, the Doctor tells his new companion that the currency on the asteroid are objects of sentimental value. It follows the paranormal science of psychometry, the psychic imprint of an object. The more sentiment that the object holds, the more valuable it is. Clara turns to look at something and when she turns back, the Doctor is gone. As she looks for him in the marketplace, she runs into a Merry Galel, the Queen of Years, who looks scared then runs away. Clara finds her and helps Merry to hide and leads her to the TARDIS. Unfortunately, the TARDIS doors are locked and Clara can’t get in. Clara thinks the TARDIS doesn’t like her. A sense of foreshadowing here? Could Sexy found a companion that she doesn’t want near the Doctor? Or maybe it could be as simple as the fact that Clara doesn’t have a key to open the door? As the two hide behind the TARDIS, Merry explains that she is running away because she is scared. See, she is a vessel of the history of the people and needs to sing a special song to a god and is afraid she’ll get it wrong. Clara shares a story about a time she was afraid of getting lost and one day she did. Her worst fear comes true. But then her mum found her and told her a story that night that wherever she may be and however lost she may feel, she will never really be lost because her mum will always be there and will always find her every single time. Now I think those last three words will need to be remembered further into the season as it was again repeated as those it held some importance. Clara returns Merry to the priests who take her to an arena with the Doctor and Clara looking on. Merry begins to sing a song and the Doctor explains that she and the other man joining in the singing are singing to the mummy of the temple which they call Old God or Grandfather. They are singing a lullaby to keep the Grandfather asleep, a tradition that has gone on for generations. Those in the arena then offer mementos to feed the Old God. The audience then joins in to sing the lullaby, but something terrible seems to happen. The earth begins to shake and Merry is trapped in an energy shield. The Doctor and Clara go after her with Clara having to trade in her mother’s ring for a shuttle scooter as they go and attempt to save Merry as she is pulled into the pyramid by the energy beam. The chorister continues to chant for the Old God not to wake from slumber as Merry panics as to what to do next. The Doctor and Clara hear the little girl scream as she sees the mummy’s eyes glow. The two manage to get the door open hoping to get Merry out but she refuses to leave. She pins Clara against the glass of the Old God’s cage, willing to sacrifice herself or else the Old God will eat everyone. Unable to hold the door up any longer, the Doctor rolls in and allows the door to close behind him locking them all with the soul eating alien. Given the opportunity to run away by the Doctor, the chorister stops chanting and announces that the long song has ended with him as he teleports out. The Old God awakens and begins to bang on the glass walls. The Doctor tries to reason with Merry and tells her that she didn’t awaken the Old God, it was just was his time to wake up. This is not a god, it is a vampire that feeds on the memories and stories of people. He tells her a tale of how special she is and that there is only one like her in the entire universe and the many years and events it took the universe to create someone as unique as her. To get rid of her existence is not a sacrifice, it’is a waste. Clara looks on as though those very words touched her heart. He promises that the people will still be safe if she refuses to go through the ritual and Merry takes his hand, released Clara from her bounds and the three start to get away. Except, according to tradition, if the Queen of Years refuses to go through the ceremony, the Vigil will come to feed her to the Old God. And so they do knocking the Doctor and Clara out of the way as they take Merry to the glass cage. But it’s not over until it’s over, and the two wake up just in time to save her. Merry sings a secret song that opens a secret door, but just when you think it’s safe, the Doctor states he may have miscalculated. The mummy in the glass cage is not the Old God – it was just his alarm clock. The Old God is the planet! Merry panics as according to legend, the Old God will eat them all and spread across the system eating the 7 worlds and when he is through, he’ll expand throughout other galaxies looking for more worlds/memories to eat. The Doctor sends Clara back on the shuttle moped to bring Merry back as he stays behind to fight the Old God. But the Doctor seems scared at the enormity of the situation. Back at the arena, Merry wants to help the Doctor so she begins to sing and those in the arena begin to sing with her. In true Doctor fashion, he sacrifices his memories to save the universe hoping that his secrets and many adventures is enough to fill the hunger in the alien parasite. He offers himself and we see that the Old God does take his memories but it is not enough. Then Clara flashes to her mother telling her she will always come and find her every single time and then sees the Doctor tell her “we don’t walk away.” She rides back to the temple and offers her most prized possession: The leaf in her book. She tells the Old God that the leaf is the most important leaf in human history, filled with stories of the past and of hopes of the future that never was. The Old God begins to feed on the leaf and implodes with fullness of an infinite amount of possible memories. The universe is safe once again thanks to Clara and the Doctor. The Doctor returns Clara home and she comments that it looks different but in reality it is she that is different. She remembers seeing the Doctor at her mom’s grave and the Doctor explains it away as he was checking because she reminded him of someone. He then takes out her mom’s ring out of his pocket and tells her the people wanted her to have it as a thank you for saving them. As she leaves the TARDIS, the Doctor watches her still unconvinced she is “just a girl”. Where do I begin in this observation portion of my recap? There is so much to talk about! The nods to the classics, the implications of future story arcs, possible theories about Clara? While the reviews are mixed on this episode written by Neil Cross, I actually found it very enjoyable and romantic especially with Cross’ sentimental writing style regarding the importance of the leaf not only by Clara’s father David and Clara, but also by the Doctor in his story about Merry’s importance in the universe. One of the reasons is Matt Smith’s soliloquy to the Old God. It cannot go unmentioned as I felt it presented him with a fine example of his acting skills and the torment of being a Time Lord. Here is it to relive the moment: Time and time again, the Doctor is willing to sacrifice himself for other worlds. While in the past, the Doctor seems to come out fairly unscathed (there is always a part of him that is affected by his sacrifices), this seems different. Maybe it’s because we know that down the line the recollections of the Doctor will begin to get spotty (as it has already begin to be suggested before with the Doctor not remembering who the Great Intelligence was in ‘the Snowmen’). Does this event exacerbate the process of his losing memories? Has this episode given you any more clues to Clara yet? I’m going to go out on the limb here and say that she may be the Doctor’s version of Rose’s Bad Wolf.

News Source:sciencefiction.com