Look, I grew up in the '90s, so I get the Lisa Frank, Disney princess, magic and rainbows thing, I really do. But just like I eventually took the training wheels off my bike, quit eating Dunkaroos for lunch every day and stopped using a Razor scooter as my primary mode of transportation, I eventually left most of those things in the past — after, you know, I hit double digits.
That's why I'm a little confused about our collective obsession with ultra-colorful, sparkly, cartoonish foods. Not to say that there's anything wrong with liking those things, but how is it possible that so many adults are losing their shit over a Unicorn Frappuccino that sounds, frankly, a little gross? (Not to mention unpleasant to make — this Starbucks barista practically had a meltdown over it.)
And why are we jumping at the chance to eat things like mermaid toast in which a perfectly good piece of bread is slathered with artificially colored spreads and sprinkles? Avocado toast got a lot of flak for being too hipster, but no one seems to be calling out these other food trends as being too... I don't know, childish AF?
Millennials like me get a lot of flak for being immature, but plenty of statistics are showing that we're delaying certain milestones because of the crap economy we fell into after our booming childhoods. We're getting married later because weddings are expensive, having kids older because they cost a ton to raise, not buying houses because... well, you get the picture.
So is our obsession with magically delicious rainbow foods our way of holding onto the actually fun parts of childhood as we peer into a future devoid of Social Security and home ownership? Or is it a cultural plague, a sign of the end times?
According to Anthony Bourdain, it's the latter. Here's what he had to say when asked about the Unicorn Frappuccino at Starbucks: "Wow, that's like four things I hate all in one sentence: Starbucks, unicorns and the colors pink and purple. Also a Frappuccino! It's the perfect nexus of awfulness. Just add pumpkin spice to that mix, and you can nuke the whole country." OK, Anthony — dramatic much? But still, he kinda makes a valid point.
Either way, it'll be interesting to see how long the nightmarishly glitter-filled trends continue. Will we be eating Barbie-themed roast beef and Care Bear mac and cheese in days to come? Or will we finally ditch the artificial colorings and dyes and just let food be food again? Who knows? Maybe when I'm 80 and sporting rainbow sparkle dentures while sipping on a mermaid-pegasus nutrient shake, I'll be glad that there's so much more color in the world. Or not.
Anybody else out there have strained eyeball muscles from rolling them so hard every time another unicorn-themed frappuccino shows up on your Instagram feed (734,123,259,043,827 times a day)? Seriously, these things are a hazard.
They may look pretty, all pink with electric blue swirls, but the flavor is an assault on all taste buds. The pink is mango creme flavor (filled with artificial coloring) and the blue is sour syrup. It sounds absolutely terrible, but here's the kicker: There's not even any coffee in the thing. Why? Why? There's only one thing redeeming about the unicorn Frappuccino: all the Instagram likes.
If you need any more proof, ask Katy Perry. Yes, the queen of whimsy herself couldn't handle drinking that disgusting concoction. In a video posted to Snapchat, she gave it a try. Wearing a long, blond wig, she stared straight into the camera while she took a big sip of the drink... and then leaned over and spit it out. In the caption, she wrote, "I couldn't handle drinking my own blood."
Katy Perry drinking a unicorn frappuccino and hating it
Katy Perry drinking a unicorn frappuccino and hating it
Perry's opinion of the drink seems to pretty much match what the internet has to say about it: It's really pretty, but it's also packed with sugar and it doesn't taste good at all. She's not the only celeb to speak out about it, either; since the drink is so massively popular, late-night hosts have been trying it out this week. Stephen Colbert claimed Starbucks called it a unicorn frap because "sugary affront to God" was already taken. Jimmy Kimmel joked that the drink is "only available through April 23, or until someone dies from drinking it. Whichever comes first."
Welcome back to Parental Advisory, where I answer all of your social media and IRL parenting etiquette questions. This week, let's talk about how infertility can affect women's experiences on social media.
QUESTION:
After two years of struggling with infertility, I had my kid, and we have no plans for another one. During that (very difficult) time, it was incredible how frequently people would respond to anything I posted on Facebook with "Gasp! You're pregnant!" I'm feeling tired after a late night out? "You're pregnant, I bet!" Getting snippy with a pushy timeshare salesman? "I got bitchy like that when I was pregnant, maybe you are!" Hungry? "You must be eating for two!" Most horrifyingly, there were friends of mine who would write these comments, even though they KNEW I was dealing with infertility. Since then I have overtly stated "stop accusing me of being knocked up with a second child, I don't want a second child," and the comments have ceased. But what answers/replies do you recommend for women who, like me, are struggling with infertility and didn't want to explain this to acquaintances on social media who threw out pregnancy declarations left and right?
— C.
Answer:
Great question, C., and I commend you on laying down the law regarding the new "second child" comments. The only thing more annoying than fielding constant remarks, jokes and advice about having your first kid is fielding the same comments about a hypothetical second kid. I don't know how many people have written to STFU, Parents over the years just to complain about their friends and family asking, "When's the next baby???" but the number is high. It's hard not to make comparisons by asking yourself, "Gee, what's more annoying: People assuming I'm pregnant when I'm not, people asking me when I'm due when I am, people insisting on being parenting experts as soon as the first baby is born or people asking me when I plan on having another kid when the first one isn't even sleeping through the night yet?"
All of these 'stages' are equally personal, yet people feel totally comfortable poking their noses into others' baby business with assured confidence. And not only do they ask questions or funnel unsolicited advice their way, but they expect to receive answers too, damn it! When will this person "finally" have a baby? They don't want to hear, "Soon, we hope!" or "We're actually not sure if we want to have kids." They want to hear a future date, a time and a baby name. It's overwhelming for women who have no hopes or plans of conceiving now or anytime soon, so I can only imagine how much harder those nosy questions are to hear (sometimes repeatedly) when couples are actively trying to conceive and struggling with infertility.
Image: STFU Parents
In a way, this is a form of passive bullying, but because that bullying is masked with pure intentions, it's not supposed to be interpreted as such. But what else can you call being asked the same questions over and over about something so intimate? Especially if you are trying to conceive, those questions can feel like boulders rolling down a hill on their way to crush you.
I'm very sorry that your friends were so inclined to make pregnancy assumptions when you were not, in fact, pregnant, and if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's never to ask a woman when or if she's going to have a baby twice. Once... well, OK, maybe. We live in a society that tells women to breed, and in many parts of the U.S., it's customary to have kids early and often, so the subject often gets brought up. Also, if some women out there are anything like me, they might bring up kids just to feel a sense of camaraderie with fellow women who don't want kids yet (or ever).
But that's completely separate from friends knowing about your fertility struggles and making pregnancy comments anyway. Maybe they thought they were "helping" by making light of your exhaustion/hunger/irritation and cracking pregnancy jokes. Maybe they don't know the sensation of trying and failing to conceive for months or years, and they're somehow unaware that those jokes are painful. If that's the case, they really ought to get a clue.
Image: STFU Parents
The thing is, infertility is so all-consuming, and women who struggle with it want so badly for it to be temporary that it shouldn't come as a surprise that most women don't want to come out publicly with their condition, nor should they feel a need to. Why should hundreds of Facebook friends get to know a couple's medical details just because they're endlessly curious about why they're not knocked up? Of course, it can be emotionally helpful for others to read, learn and share that kind of information and/or form support groups, but that doesn't mean every woman is comfortable being a poster child for infertility (...or miscarriage or stillbirth or SIDS, etc.). Telling a few close friends is one thing, but revealing something so private on social media isn't for everyone.
Image: STFU Parents
So here's what I would say to women who are going through infertility now and are dealing with nosy friends and acquaintances: If you want to set the record straight and stand up for women who share in the struggle or have in the past, it might make you feel good. If you feel pushed to the brink of frustration, sadness and anger by people who can't stop making pregnancy wisecracks on public forums, write a status update explaining in as little or as much detail what the status of your uterus is — and why it's really no one's business in the first place — and maybe you'll discover that you're less alone or that sympathy from friends feels good, or — God forbid — you'll teach people a lesson they need to learn about overstepping their bounds. If you're a person who can represent others by speaking out about infertility, it might be empowering or therapeutic. You might make new connections and be glad you opened up about it. Social media has a way of surprising us, and something tells me more people would relate than the average infertile woman might imagine.
Image: STFU Parents
But if you're not interested in telling the entire world or at least your social network about your infertility, then don't! What you can do, however, is privately message people who make unnecessary comments and help them to understand your position. If you can help prevent someone else from receiving this line of questioning during her difficult time, that'll be worth it.
Being an advocate doesn't have to mean wearing "I'm Infertile, So Fuck Off" T-shirts or giving out infertility awareness wristbands. It doesn't have to mean being an administrator in a support group or posting a status update informing everyone you've ever met that you're currently trying to have a baby and are having some complications. It can mean whatever you want. But doing or saying something to someone might actually have a ripple effect of positivity.
Some couples/women are so fortunate to be baby machines, they forget that nearly 12 percent of women have received infertility services or that two-thirds of couples over age 35 have problems conceiving. Maybe those people should be reminded more, because if they were, they'd reconsider posting some of those "lighthearted comments." (And if they knowingly post them anyway, they're not worth keeping as friends.)
What if the ripple effect from telling people they should mind their own business even stops them from asking incessant questions about baby No. 2 or baby No. 3? Could raising awareness of infertility in a meaningful way actually inspire people to STFU about their friends' conception rate altogether? I'm dubious, but hopeful. In the meantime, C., whenever someone pops up to harass you about the second baby you don't want and will likely never have, don't be shy about shutting them down (and it sounds like you're not!). Even if the question comes from well-intentioned older relatives who just love babies, it's none of their business, and they should know that right along with everyone else in your newsfeed.
Image: STFU Parents
Something tells me Angela has fielded this question before — and she handled it like a pro.
Do YOU have a question about parents on social media? Send whatever is on your mind to stfuparentsblog AT gmail.com!
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is basically our modern-day equivalent of a superhero. He's super-strong, super-tough and super-cool. Who wouldn't want to be just like him when they grow up? But the Rock has a secret side, too. He's a total softie, and while it shows through from time to time when he's hanging out on set or chilling with friends, Johnson is nothing but a pile of adorable mush when he is relaxing with his youngest daughter, Jasmine.
Jasmine Johnson, Johnson's youngest daughter, is adorable. That's just a fact, plain and simple. Born in December 2015, the youngest member of the Johnson clan pops up on her dad's Instagram from time to time. She is the most precious of tiny replicas of her dad, although you can see that she gets her cuteness from her mama, Johnson's current partner, Lauren Hashian.
Basically, Jasmine is totally the apple of her father's eye, and for good reason. But hey, if you don't believe me, just take a look at the photographic evidence for yourself.
Looking toward Jasmine's future
On Instagram, Johnson shared a touching tribute to his little girl, sharing his goals for her future alongside a sweet photo of them sitting together on a sunny morning.
The Rock's tribute to hsi youngest daughter
The Rock's tribute to hsi youngest daughter
"There are mornings in life where there are no words.. this is not one of those mornings," he wrote.
Celebrating Jasmine for International Women's Day
The Rock Int'l Women's Day Insta
The Rock Int'l Women's Day Insta
Johnson included Jasmine in a photo collage of the women he adores and looks up to in his life. How precious is that?
When Jasmine wants to watch Moana, we watch Moana
The Rock Moana Watching Insta
The Rock Moana Watching Insta
Johnson knows how to prioritize: work be damned when your daughter wants to watch you sing your heart out in the Disney hit movie Moana.
All dressed up with baby Jasmine in tow
The Rock NAACP Awards Insta
The Rock NAACP Awards Insta
Papa Johnson had to take a moment to stay fancy and cute with Jasmine before heading out to yet another award show.
Johnson is too cute while singing "Happy Birthday" to Jasmine
The Rock HBD Jasmine Insta
The Rock HBD Jasmine Insta
Watching Jasmine clap along to her dad's sweet birthday song will melt your heart.
Sometimes things get a little weird when you're on a long trip, and Johnson's hilarious capture of Jasmine in Hawaii is proof of that.
Just chilling on Labor Day with Jasmine
The Rock Labor Day Jasmine Insta
The Rock Labor Day Jasmine Insta
Oh, it's no biggie. Just the two most precious humans hanging out together on Labor Day.
Jasmine learns to play drums on her dad's head
The Rock Jasmine Headbanger Insta
The Rock Jasmine Headbanger Insta
This girl has some serious star power.
Johnson is a diaper-changing master
The Rock Changing Diapers Insta
The Rock Changing Diapers Insta
To be honest, I think we could start a #DiaperChallenge and just dare Johnson to try to change Jasmine's diaper or outfit in random (but safe, baby-approved) places. Thoughts?
Update, April 21, 2017, 2 p.m. PT: It might just be that Santa Barbara's San Ysidro ranch is cursed for Hilary Duff. It's where she spent her wedding night with her ex-husband, Mike Comrie, and we all know how that turned out. And now, just a few months after spending a romantic weekend there with her music producer boyfriend, Matthew Koma, he and Duff have called it quits.
Sources say they actually parted ways in early March but managed to keep their breakup under wraps for more than a month. Insiders close to the couple say dating was just too hard with their respective schedules.
Original story:
Hilary Duff and her new music producer boyfriend, Matthew Koma, have really been enjoying each other's company — so much so that they decided to spend the long weekend together relaxing at Santa Barbara's San Ysidro Ranch, Us Weekly reports.
But this isn't just any old ranch. It happens to be one with special significance for Duff because it's where she spent her wedding night in 2010 with her now-ex-husband, Mike Comrie.
"They checked in to San Ysidro Ranch on Saturday afternoon and stayed on the property until Sunday morning," a source told Us Weekly — so it looks as though Duff is ready to create new memories at the ranch.
After the overnight stay, the pair moved on, with the source revealing that "they went to breakfast on Coast Village Road at Jeannine's and then they took a stroll with their coffees. When they left, Matt was driving Hilary's car."
Duff and Koma have not been together for long (although they've known each other since at least June of 2015, when they collaborated together on Duff's album, Breathe In. Breathe Out.), but they appear to be very happy together.
Prior to their ranch trip, the pair was spotted at the Woodland Hills Gasolina Cafe in Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 14, and according to a source, they were not afraid to put on a little public display of affection.
"At the restaurant, they were seated on the same side of the table and pulled their chairs close together," the source said. "They were leaning in and laughing a lot. They had their arms linked and kissed at one point."
A few months ago, my son climbed out of bed, wandered downstairs and found me crying on the couch. “What’s wrong, Mommy?” he asked, lifting the afghan draped over my lap and sliding under my arm.
I groaned. I’d held on until he’d been tucked in, but then I’d felt safe to unleash my grief. Feb. 3 is the day my mom died at the age of 58. Every year since I’ve had a rough time on the anniversary. I’d known that the tears were coming, but I hadn’t wanted my son to see me grieving.
Parents often want to put on a happy face for our children, to shield them from emotions they’re too young to understand. Other times our children witness us yelling at the man who cut us off in traffic or catch us crying over a loss. And I’d argue that it’s not a mistake to let our kids see the moments when we’re angry or sad or just irritated. These can be a great opportunity to teach your child emotional intelligence.
Why let them see the bad stuff?
Sadness, fear, anger, annoyance, irritation — we may not do it consciously, but most of us sort our emotions into boxes labeled "good" and "bad." But as Nancy Stiefel, licensed clinical social worker, points out, “all feelings are acceptable and there are reasons for all of them.”
I had a reason to feel sad on the anniversary of my mother’s death. You probably had a reason to get annoyed at the person taking 15 minutes to order coffee. While emotions may be misdirected or shifted — you’re really angry at your husband but you take it out on the babysitter — it’s the emotion’s expression or target that may be unacceptable, not the emotion itself.
We want our children to know that all feelings are normal and fine. Besides, we’re lousy at hiding them, no matter what we think. If our kids ask us, “Mommy, why are you mad?” and we reply with, “Oh, I’m not mad!” through gritted teeth and a clenched jaw, we’re teaching them to not only distrust their instincts and read of our emotions, but also to bottle up and deny anger.
Teaching your kids the language of emotions
If your kids have seen you model a healthy emotional expression, you can point back to that memory when they need help with their own.
“Remember when Mommy was really irritated when that woman at Starbucks took her coffee? How did I handle it? Did I yell ‘latte thief!’? Did I snatch the cup out of her hand and risk burning her? Did I blame the barista and yell at them?”
“No.”
“What did I do?”
“You asked her to make you another latte.”
“So when you were irritated that the waiter gave you mustard instead of ketchup, what could you have done?”
And then you can talk through healthier emotional expressions with them.
What do you do when you slip up?
Don’t be afraid to be honest if you behaved less than maturely. Sometimes, the best lesson comes from acknowledging our failures. “That wasn’t a nice thing to do, and I shouldn’t have said that.”
We’re human, and if we own that humanity and try to make it right, we’re giving our children permission to do the same. It’s a guarantee in life that they will feel sad or angry at some point or another. And it’s a virtual guarantee they won’t always handle it well. Model how to recover from slip-ups, and your child won’t be afraid that it’s the end of the world if they yell at a friend. This is not to say that there shouldn’t be consequences for their actions — or for yours. Show them how you apologize or correct your bad behavior.
While parental standards of what is and isn’t considered appropriate can vary, a good guide is to ask yourself what you’d be comfortable with them seeing in their entertainment. Am I OK with Katerina Kittycat getting mad when she doesn’t get the triangle during music class on Daniel Tiger? Yes, partially because the episode uses it to teach a lesson about anger. Am I OK with Lord Garmadon slapping a henchman across the face in Ninjago? No. TV, books, what they see at school, all of these can serve as a guide to what your child can handle when you’re sharing your emotions with them.
Beyond that, Stiefel points out that it’s important for the parent to stay in control. You don’t want to frighten them. You can get angry, but make sure that you’re not “verbally attacking, humiliating or threatening the child or someone else,” Stiefel clarifies. The goal is to teach them to properly handle all their emotions, remember?
Emotions are only frightening if they are uncontrolled, unnamed and happen without reason. If you give your child the tools to recognize what the emotion is, why they’re feeling it and how to express it, they can integrate their emotions to become a fuller, more well-rounded adult.
There's not much not to love about Nate Berkus. The 45-year-old interior designer, while having reached stratospheric levels of success at a young age, is also super-relatable. He keeps it real, whether that means opening up about his journey to quitting smoking or how hard it can be to squeeze date night in with his partner, interior designer Jeremiah Brent.
You can get a glimpse into Berkus's world on his new home makeover show, Nate and Jeremiah by Design, which premiered on TLC a few weeks ago on April 8. To learn more about what goes on behind the scenes with the Brent-Berkuses and their adorable 2-year-old daughter, Poppy, scroll down.
SheKnows: What's your family's favorite meal?
Nate Berkus: We have a nanny that we’ve had since Poppy was born, and she does something mysterious to her mac and cheese, and we’re all obsessed with it. I wish it was a really healthy answer, like, "Oh, we make these patties out of julienned veggies" — which does happen on occasion — but it’s ultimately just the homemade mac and cheese. She blends her own cheeses and uses real cream.
Nate Berkus 2
Nate Berkus 2
SK: Do you have an emotional wellness routine?
NB: The short answer is no. It was many years before I spent time outdoors and actually noticed it while I was there. I think that happened when I became a new father because it had been 20 years since I’d laid down on a blanket in a park. Spending time outside with Poppy, lying there looking up at the trees, is as restorative as anything I’ve tried to do like yoga, spinning or hiking.
SK: How has your attitude toward healthy, balanced living changed as you've gotten older and become a parent?
NB: What I found as a new dad, and when I hit 40, is that it became hard to compartmentalize any one area of my life. My 30s were all about work, which was going great, but personal life not so much, and then with my health, I thought, "I'll get around to it." Then, all of a sudden, I hit 40, and was like, "I’m smoking, which is unacceptable, and I can’t ignore that just because my family, personal and professional life are all working now."
I came to a place where I didn’t want to have to have things in my life that I wasn’t thinking about intentionally. I wanted to live a healthier lifestyle across the board. Nicorette was a tool I used to help me quit, but it was part of a larger upheaval for me as a new father who hit a milestone in life and took a long look at everything I was doing. It’s universal: We’re all guilty of justifying our choices, like, "I work out, but I eat candy," or "I eat healthy, but I smoke." It doesn’t work like that — you're either committed to taking an honest look at every category in your life, or you're not. I don't think there's anything in the middle.
nate berkus 1
nate berkus 1
SK: How do you balance time for yourself, with Jeremiah and time with Poppy?
NB: I think for every parent, that’s the universal question and concern. Jeremiah and I just finished taping our new show, Nate and Jeremiah by Design, that’s airing now. We’d have those days where it was hard, and we talked about it openly on camera. Leaving Poppy to go to work is really difficult. But I’ve always believed in quality time over quantity time and really being super-present when we are home, which means no phones, reading books and playing together.
The same goes for date night with Jeremiah. We both lead busy lives, but whenever we need to, we'll say to each other, "Let’s actually sit down and have a real conversation." That means no phones and full focus on one another. In terms of dates, we switch up our activities, but we're both pretty sensitive, so one of us will say to each other, "I don't feel connected — I need a date night," and that helps.
NB: For me, setting the table for me is one of the most enjoyable things about entertaining. It’s such a creative opportunity. One of the things I do is look around rooms and bookshelves and use things I find — whether it's rocks or geodes or small objects — as part of the table decorations. I think people always default to the expected stuff, like a floral arrangement, vase or candle sticks — and there's nothing wrong with that stuff — but you can do better and be more original if you want. Plus, it can ignite conversation when your guests are looking at this interesting arrangement of objects that each have a story or have come from a different place. It’s a way of communicating through design.
SK: Any tips for how to stay sane in the current highly charged political climate?
NB: I've definitely tried to find a balance between bingeing on every headline and completely ignoring what's going on. For me, personally, this is a time about activation and thinking about what's important to you and your family and how you can stand up for your value system. One of the things I’ve always found depressing is when people feel powerless. I think what’s interesting about this political climate is that there aren’t a lot of people walking around feeling that way. They’re getting out there, talking about what’s important, marching, fundraising and donating. And that's a very welcome change.
People have been confusing BDSM with abuse for a long time now.
I’m not talking about more conservative folks who cringe and wag their fingers at the idea of someone engaging in “unsafe” activity, like flogging or sexual torture. I’m talking more about folks who wonder if the desire to receive pain, to get smacked and choked by a partner, may be coming from some deeper issue from childhood. Those who believe that BDSM activities are associated solely with traumatization from childhood are oftentimes the same individuals who believe the desire to feel pain in the bedroom is perceived as more of a tragedy than a triumph.
These perceptions have caused me to question myself in the past about whether or not enjoying BDSM was hindering my trauma recovery. The truth is, engaging in BDSM and fulfilling my desire to receive pain during sex has been nothing but productive and positive for me.
BDSM allows me to work out difficult feelings I have about myself in the bedroom. I’ve felt suicidal on and off since I was 15 and have also had periods of time (due to my mood disorder) where I was either violent or incredibly sexually impulsive. Medication and diligently partaking in self-care really help me keep these (and other unpleasant feelings) away. But, at the same time, all that hard work creates some pent-up aggressive energy (toward myself and others) that I need to let out in some form.
While some people go to the gym, have a run or write out their angry feelings, I get choked and flogged in my bed.
The comfort I take in kinky sex with my partner is present even when I’m at my lowest and feel tempted to self-harm. I know that through their choking and scratching and slapping, I can work through these urges to self-harm in a safe and respectful space. By the end of sex, I feel extra-satisfied knowing I didn’t pick up a drink or try to cut myself when experiencing these hard feelings. Instead, I turned my pain into pleasure.
BDSM helps me transform feelings I have about deserving pain in negative ways (through words, marginalization, rejection) and instead turn them into a satisfying activity. My practice of BDSM becomes a healthy way to channel consuming negative feelings.
I’ve found that when in a controlled and consensual environment, it’s OK to feel that you deserve pain and somehow, the more I dealt with these tough feelings by “being punished” by my partner, the more whole I felt. Sometimes, I cry at the end of sex because of the amazing emotional release that receiving pain gives me.
It somehow makes me love myself and it makes me feel strong.
BDSM also challenges my core belief that I don’t have any control over my life, something that became an ever-present feeling for me in childhood as I dealt with verbal, physical and sexual abuse. When I dominate my partner, I truly am in total control. Not only is this a turn-on, but it makes me feel endlessly more confident about my power, worth and abilities. Dominating someone sexually helps me trust myself to take charge in other situations I may have formerly felt too uncomfortable or inadequate to partake in.
Despite the most stereotypical ideas that some folks still hold, BDSM is a space of endless possibilities and healing from things like trauma. After being abused for so long, performing dominance and agency with the bed as my stage feels hugely rewarding. I act out who I want to be: powerful, happy and skilled at setting boundaries. Through this act and through the reward of being physically punished, I can transmute all of my negative feelings into something much more positive and productive than self-harm and drinking. Honestly, BDSM is the best therapy I’ve ever had.
Newly engaged WWE couple Nikki Bella and John Cena are celebrating a huge milestone — in YouTube success, not in their relationship.
Bella recently reached half a million YouTube subscribers, which means she convinced Cena to join her in getting totally and completely naked in a hilarious new video.
"We are finally ready to have this huge celebration. Sorry it took a few days. It took a while to convince someone to do this," Bella said, pointing at Cena, who warned her against the idea. Bella continued, "This is a very good idea because why? We got half a million subscribers! So, we are ready to give all of us to all of you."
Cena wasn't as convinced. Why, I have no idea. Especially because we saw enough of Cena's body in Trainwreck to get us through the next decade. That scene with him talking about his protein still gets me every time.
Turns out, he's got quite the sense of humor in real life too.
"I think my tube's on YouTube," Cena said while prancing around in his birthday suit before fake farting on Bella, who wasn't too impressed with the gesture.
"So, this didn't go right..." Cena explained at the end of the video after Bella stormed off.
As beautiful as Bella and Cena's bodies are, you can rest assured that their sensitive bits were covered up with a glorious fuzzy nude box.
Ryan Murphy is no stranger to controversy, and we love him for it. Murphy's genius lies in his ability to capture the truth of reality and put it up on screen in an entertaining yet poignant way. He showed off his talent for capturing truth in The People vs. O.J. Simpson. Now, he's doing it again in Season 1 of Feud, examining the tension between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.
But Season 2 of Feud is promising to be Murphy's most controversial story yet. He's taking on the royal family, specifically Prince Charles and Princess Diana, in the final days of her life as the couple split apart.
"Charles and Diana's story literally begins with filing the divorce papers," Murphy, who serves as executive producer for the show, explained at an FX event on Saturday. "It's about that pain of the dissolving of a fairy tale, particularly for Diana. It starts with the filing of divorce papers and takes you up until her death."
If The Crown made Queen Elizabeth nervous, then you'd better believe Murphy's plans for Feud Season 2 will have her quaking in her pumps.
As Elle reports, one of the big issues at the time the royal couple filed for divorce was that Charles harbored a secret love for Camilla Parker-Bowles, who became his second wife eight years after Diana's death.
The royal family may also be upset by this season of Feud because Charles and Diana's children, Prince William and Prince Harry, will also be subjected to the scrutiny of their parents' relationship all over again.
Hopefully, Murphy will be able to take on this storyline with grace, as he did in Season 1 of the show. That story was more than a fight between two iconic actresses. Murphy managed to delve into topics of sexism and ageism in Hollywood in an intelligent way.
Murphy said of the current season, "We shot the first four episodes thinking that Hillary Clinton was going to win, so those first four episodes were, 'Haven't we come so far!' Then halfway through the shooting, the other scenario happened. It was a bracing slap of, You know what? Nothing has really changed. It's so hard to bring about that change that we all feel is necessary with how women are treated in our society. We worked harder at those things because it's such a large story even today."
Lack of pet-friendly housing is a major reason for pet relinquishment — in fact, lack of pet-friendly housing is the No. 1 reason pets are given up according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with 43 percent of renters claiming relinquishment was due to landlord issues.
Worse, not all pets-allowed housing is the same — some may only allow small dogs or cats only or have restrictions on certain breeds. Moving with pets can be hard and expensive, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare, do your research and save.
Seldom do we have to pick up and move without much notice. Give yourself more than a month ahead of moving to do your research and save up money in case you have extra expenses, such as a refundable pet deposit.
2. Do your research
Websites like Craigslist, Realtor.com, PeoplewithPets.com, etc. can give you a good place to start. You may even find local Facebook groups dedicated to rental/landlord information. The Humane Society of the United States provides lists of pet-friendly rentals throughout the states, which can be a great place to start.
3. Ask around
You’d be surprised how much information your circle has if you ask the right questions. Friends and pet professionals may have tips about who are pet-friendly landlords. Dr. Christie Long, chief veterinarian of PetCoach, reminds us “veterinarians and their staff tend to always have pets, and often multiple pets! So it stands to reason that they would have personal experience with living in places that were or were not pet-friendly.” Chances are your vet wants you to keep parenting Fido, so pick their brains for suggestions and ideas.
The Humane Society recommends you “contact the humane society or animal care and control agency serving the area into which you are moving; the agency may be able to provide you with a list of apartment communities that allow pets. If you know any real estate agents, rental agents or resident managers who own pets themselves or who share your love of animals, ask them for leads.”
No, not like that. We want you to keep parenting your beloved pet! Just remember, landlords are people too and may be on the fence about pets — this is more likely with individual or coupled landlords, whereas larger apartment complexes may be less likely to break or bend a rule for one renter. If you have a potential landlord on the fence about pets, let them know how having a pet-friendly unit actually benefits them, especially where it counts — in the bank.
FIREPAW, Inc. did an interesting national study on pet-friendly rentals and discovered, on average, a whopping $2,731 average net benefit per unit allowing pets. Check out the entire study here for ideas on how it can benefit the specific landlord you are negotiating with.
5. Show yourself to be responsible
Part of an effective pitch will include you proving yourself a responsible pet parent. Long says she has written letters on behalf of her patients before. “If a tenant could present a statement of health from a veterinarian or a letter from the veterinarian stating that the pet is well cared for, that could potentially sway a landlord to rent to a pet owner. However, it might not seal the deal in all cases, especially in close quarters such as apartment buildings, where landlords are likely more concerned about noise from barking than they are from potential disease transmission.”
Many landlords ask for pet references when considering renting property to an individual or family with pets. A written reference from your vet can go a long way. “People who routinely care for their animals [with regular checkups, grooming, etc.] tend to be more attentive pet owners,” Long continues, “and I believe more likely to provide the kind of attention to their pets that would lessen the chance that the pet would be a nuisance or do damage to the landlord's property.”
A no-pet policy could have been implemented after a bad experience with a pet parent. If you find yourself with such a landlord, showing them you are responsible and your pet is a great animal can go a long way in swaying the landlord to go pet-friendly once more.
6. Be willing to pay a refundable pet deposit
There is no way around it. Pets can cause damage to rental properties and landlords have the responsibility (and right) to ensure they can cover any damage once you move out. The deposit gives them a sense of security, so be willing to pay it because most likely, you’ll need to. The good news is it’s usually refundable. All (or some) will probably come back your way.
7. Talk to your vet
There are legal obligations if moving with your pet across state lines. “It’s a USDA requirement that any animal that crosses state lines must have a certificate from a veterinarian that it is 1.) healthy and 2.) vaccinated against rabies. The same requirement extends to international travel as well, but the requirements differ based on what country the pet is traveling to/from,” Long states. Essentially, the new state needs to know there is no contagious disease and rabies is up-to-date. (Learn more about traveling with your dog.)
And while you’re with your vet, it would be a great time to discuss potential stressors on your pet during the move. You’ll want to be well-informed so you can monitor behavior closely during this transition.
You worked hard to find a great new home, so you want to make sure you get off on the right foot. Get to know your neighbors once you move in. Being open and making sure “they understand that you want to know if they are experiencing any problems with having your pet in the neighborhood so that you can address their concerns before they escalate,” as Long suggests, is imperative to creating a healthy new home for everyone involved. Become a model tenant — minimize barks, pick up Fido’s poop, clean the litter box often. This could go a long way in creating a receptive community that offers more pet-friendly housing in your neighborhood.
Have a question about moving with pets? Ask the experts at PetCoach below.
Ugh, concealer. Yes, that’s kind of how we feel about the whole concealing business. Because even though a swipe of concealer can totally transform the shadows of our face into that of a glowing, ethereal cherub, more often than not, our concealer instead settles into every itty-bitty crease and line under our eyes, illuminates dry patches and then magically disappears by lunchtime. And then we’re stuck with the same blah, dark circles we woke up with. Fun, right?
That is why we wrangled our very favorite makeup artist, Ashleigh Ciucci and begged her to show us exactly how to apply concealer like the pros, using only the best concealers and the best powders to get the most long-lasting, shadow-disguising results. And, yes, Ciucci delivered. So, behold a three-step tutorial for covering up dark circles and brightening that even makeup beginners can follow. Oh, and did we mention the how-to is entirely in GIFs? Yeah, you’re going to like this. Click through to see the steps and get blending!
A super-common concealing mistake is only applying your concealer to the half-moon arc beneath your eye (aka directly over your dark circles), which ends up calling attention to your shadows rather than lightening up your entire face. Instead, using a small concealer brush, like the E.l.f. #1821 or the Ulta concealer brush, or the applicator wand of your concealer, draw two sides of an inverted triangle beneath your eye with a hydrating, creamy concealer. Don't connect the lines or fill in the middle, or you'll leave the area looking heavy and cakey.
With a tiny dampened sponge, like the Beautyblender Micro or the Ulta Super Small Blender, blend the concealer inward, dabbing and rolling the sponge across your skin until the triangle is seamlessly filled in.
Image: Tory Rust
Step 3: Set it
To keep your concealer from sliding off or settling into fine lines by noon, lightly set the concealer with a dusting of translucent powder. Just dip a clean, fluffy eyeshadow brush, like the Sigma E40 or the Anastasia #23, into loose powder, tap off the excess and softly sweep and swirl the brush over your under-eye triangle until completely blended.
And ideally, awesome, because you officially look like you just got a facial-and-massage combo after waking up from a 14-hour nap on the beaches of Praia do Sancho.
The U.S. is currently the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn't have paid parental leave.
We lag behind the majority of the nearly 200 countries in the United Nations, save for New Guinea, Suriname and several islands in the South Pacific. Typically, countries in the United Nations provide at least four months of parental leave in addition to compensation; “at least 50” do so for six months or more. Below, a look into the most well-developed paid parental leave policies worldwide and a hope for U.S. workspaces to treat our parents better.
India
India is the latest nation to increase their maternal leave, which applies to all companies countrywide. The policy went from providing only three months paid maternal leave, one month under the recommended number from the UN, to providing a full six months of paid maternal leave. This helps rank India as a country with the sixth-longest paid maternity leave in the world. Unfortunately, however, this policy does not extend to self-employed workers or women who work from home, which make up a large part of India’s workforce.
The U.K. currently holds the title for the country with the longest paid maternity leave among highly industrialized countries. Their maternity leave spans a total of 52 weeks, and is split in two time slots; the first 26 weeks, which are known as ordinary maternity leave, and the next 26 weeks, which are referred to as additional maternity leave. Mothers are not required to stay off work for the full 52 weeks, but they are mandated to stay home from work for at least two weeks after the birth of their child. Mothers on maternity leave are paid about 90 percent of their average weekly pay for the entirety of their leave. Some parents in the U.K. are also eligible for a policy called shared parental leave and pay, which both parents of the child can qualify for.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria may be a fairly small country in Eastern Europe, but it has not stopped them from having one of the most impressive paid maternal leave policies. Bulgarian mothers are given almost 59 weeks off after childbirth at 90 percent of their total salary. Once this period is up, mothers can choose to take another full year off, while receiving the country’s (relatively low) minimum wage. The Bulgarian maternal leave policy is unique in that it can be passed to the father or grandfather of the child if the mother wishes to return to work early, but still wants a familial caregiver to provide for the child at home.
Greece also offers mothers a fairly generous policy with 43 weeks of paid leave. However, compensation for mothers on leave has dropped drastically as the Greek minimum wage continues to dip due to economic difficulties. Maternal leave compensation reaches slightly over 50 percent of average salary in the country.
Clearly, the U.S. has a considerable amount of work to do if they would like to keep up with any of the countries above in regard to paid parental leave. There is currently talk of a mandated six-week maternity leave policy, which is allegedly being encouraged by first daughter Ivanka Trump. Even if this policy were to pass, the U.S. would still be far behind the above countries.
Who else has a pile of unread parenting books stacked up on their shelf or taking up space on your Kindle? Or lingering in your Amazon cart, perhaps — as you haven't even had time to order them yet. Information on parenting is vast, but the time to process that information is sparse.
You know what you do have time for? Podcasts. Whether you have 10 minutes or an hour, you can listen, laugh and learn while you travel to work, work out or do chores around the house.
In no particular order — because these things are completely subjective — here are 10 of the best parenting podcasts.
1. One Bad Mother
For light relief (and a liberal amount of cursing) from a podcast, check out One Bad Mother. Biz Ellis and Theresa Thorn are responsible for this relaxed adults-only podcast, which portrays parenting for what it really is: a bit of a head-fuck. Despite the laid-back vibe, the topics are relevant, and guests are invited to discuss specific issues and share important insights.
If you want to connect with your kids and keep power struggles to a minimum — don't we all? — the powerful, insightful Little Sprigs is the podcast for you. Topics include how to stop using bribes and punishments to motivate, how to raise confident children and the importance of self-care, with experts and authors joining host Christian Perez to talk about mindful, conscious parenting.
Hillary Frank hosts this intellectual yet accessible podcast in which no subject is off-limits. It began as a podcast aimed at new parents to let them know that they are not alone, but has grown and evolved and now covers teens, grown children and adults questioning whether they should have children at all. Big-name guests like Katie Couric are invited to contribute on a regular basis.
Spawned with Kristen and Liz didn't win the 2016 Iris Award for best parenting podcast for nothing. Hosts Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase of Cool Mom Picks keep the tone fun while providing helpful, practical tips for navigating parenting issues.
Allison Benedikt and Dan Kois are Mom and Dad — although not together. Nonetheless, the Slate editors have a great rapport and talk about their own parenting triumphs and fails in an honest, relatable, humorous way. Listeners can call in to get their own parenting questions answered, and guest hosts appear on the show to discuss specific topics.
It's no surprise that The Boob Group is a podcast about breastfeeding. It comes from New Mommy Media, with lactation consultant Sunny Gault at the helm. Each episode includes expert interviews, a panel of moms and specific goals. Even though the emphasis is on breastfeeding, it's inclusive and nonjudgmental, with Gault making a point of supporting all moms, no matter how they choose to feed their babies.
Executive Lynn Corolla and parenting author Stefanie Wilder-Taylor cover a range of irreverent, thought-provoking topics on For Crying Out Loud, which is guaranteed to make you laugh. Corolla and Wilder-Taylor are always entertaining while being refreshingly honest about their own experiences as parents.
Don't be put off by the name — Zen Parenting is much more than a new-age podcast. Married hosts Cathy Cassani Adams and Todd Adams bring different perspectives to the topics they tackle — she is driven by emotions while he comes from a place of logic. With the belief that parents who have self-realization will raise happier, healthier kids as a common thread, previous topics included how to deal with pain and why words and images are important.
Moms Sarah Powers and Meagan Francis have eight kids between them (from toddler to teenager) so they're in a good place to give parenting advice. Listening to them feels like hanging out with friends and chatting about all the ups and downs of parenthood.
Manic Mommies may not be producing any more episodes, but there are still 405 of them to enjoy. Hosted by Erin Kane and Kristin Brandt with contributions from parenting coach Kathy Surro and pediatrician Dr. Robert Lindeman, it gives advice on how to parent effectively when you feel stressed and overextended. The fact that Manic Mommies' episodes have been downloaded over 4 million times speaks for itself.
There's nothing better than apple pie — unless said apple pie has a little rhubarb thrown in. Most of us are more familiar with the strawberry-rhubarb pie combo, but the sweetness of apples actually serves as a perfect complement to the tartness of rhubarb. Throw in some buttery, flaky pastry crust and you've got perfection.
First, make the pie crust. In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder.
Add the butter and cut with a pastry blender until the texture of coarse sand.
Once the butter is incorporated, mix the egg, vinegar and water together in a small dish. Add that to the flour mixture and use the pastry blender to work the liquid evenly into the flour.
Divide the dough in half and shape each into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling by combining all ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit while you finish forming the pie crusts.
After the dough has chilled, take out one of the discs and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out so it is large enough to fit in your pie plate with a little extra hanging over the edges. Place dough into the pie pan.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Dump the filling into the pie pan and the roll out the second disc of dough as you did the first. Place the second pie crust on top of the filling, then flute the edges to seal the pie. Cut an "X" or slits into the top crust to allow steam to escape.
Make an egg wash by whisking the egg with about 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the top of the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle some sugar over the top, if desired.
Wrap the edges of the pie in foil to protect them from burning. Bake for about 30 minutes.
Remove the foil from the pie and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the fruit is cooked and soft.
Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
NOTE: If desired, make a lattice top crust by rolling out the dough and cutting it into long thin strips. Lay the strips on top of the filling in a basketweave pattern and crimp around the edges as normal.
When deciding whether to undergo cosmetic surgery, it’s important to consider factors like the reputation of the doctor and the length of the recovery process. Now, you can add “make sure the clinic isn’t located in a barn” to the list.
A Michigan doctor is currently under investigation for allegedly performing liposuction in a barn without the proper licensing. (Which forces us to ask: Is there a proper license for doing cosmetic surgery in a barn in Michigan?)
Dr. Bradley Bastow of Body Laser Sculpting has been issued a warning by the county health department after the sheriff’s department tipped off health officials because they were concerned he wasn’t complying with biohazard standards.
According to a report by KSLA, the pole barn — as in, the kind of barn with a foundation supported by poles with metal walls — had several cars in the parking lot, and the standard trash cans were full of items used in medical procedures.
Nick Stegman, who says he worked in a pharmacy in the building of Bastow’s previous location, told the Detroit Free Press that “he purchased a couple limos and part of his whole thing is he would pick the people up in the limo, do surgery and then he would drive them back to wherever it was he picked them up,” adding that “a lot of things I seen [sic] working at the pharmacy in the same building did not seem very sanitary.”
If you or anyone you know have recently undergone cosmetic surgery — in a barn or elsewhere — and have signs of infection including fever, redness and swelling, please seek medical care immediately (in a licensed medical facility).
Actually, come to think of it, if a stranger gazed at us like this on the subway, we would probably move to a different car. But babies — ah, they can get away with stuff like this, the stinkers.
Seriously, that sweet face is slaying us. We'll take five more babies, please. Forget what we said about being done with the whole childbearing thing and wanting to run away to Mexico before our tweens start begging for driver's permits. We were totally wrong and we and our ovaries want more.
Ah, who are we kidding? If only they still looked at us like that when they hit 13. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.
Updated April 24, 2017, 8:30 a.m. PT: Richard Simmons' release from Cedars-Sinai Hospital on Sunday April 23 was a paparazzi- and police-heavy affair. Once he had arrived safely at his home, photographers were reportedly standing outside his garage (which was street-facing) to catch a glimpse of the fitness-guru-turned-hermit. As reported by AOL, Simmons posted a thank-you note to police on his Facebook page for keeping him safe from unwanted stares as he attempted to enter his home.
On his Facebook page, Simmons wrote: "I wanted to take a moment to send a big thank you to the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at Cedars Sinai Medical Center during my short stay there this week. They make you feel good even though you’re in the hospital for feeling bad. Another shout out goes to the wonderful men and women of the Los Angeles Police Dept. They were so helpful and kind as I returned home. Let’s take a minute and all be thankful for medical professionals, police, firefighters and our brave military forces here and around the world. They risk so much every day to make us well and keep us protected."
Simmons still has yet to appear to the public, but for now, it's nice to see his heart is in the right place.
Updated April 19, 2017, 9:45 a.m. PT: Richard Simmons has spoken out about his hospitalization on Tuesday in a statement that honestly sounds a little too breezy.
"Hello to everyone who has shown concern for me and sent their good wishes. You will never know how much it means to me," he wrote in the statement, released by his rep Wednesday. "Aren’t you sick of hearing and reading about me?! LOL Well by now you know that I'm not 'missing,' just a little under the weather. I’m sure I will be feeling good and back home in a couple of days."
The statement continued, "This has reminded me that when you need help you can’t be afraid to reach out and ask for it. We all think we should always be able to solve our problems all by ourselves and sometimes it’s just bigger than we are. I reached out and I hope you will too. I’m sure there are people in your life who love and care for you and would do anything to help you with the challenges you face. Just knowing you care has already made me feel better. Hope to see you again soon!"
Conspiracy theories surrounding Simmons' disappearance from the public eye have, admittedly, gotten a little out of control. But this statement? Definitely worrisome.
Original story:
We wanted Richard Simmons to be found, but not like this!
People magazine is reporting that the former fitness guru, now 68 years old, has been hospitalized for "severe indigestion" that was interfering with his ability to eat.
"Richard Simmons was hospitalized on Monday at an undisclosed location in California," Simmons' manager, Richard Catalano, reported in a statement to ABC News. "After a few days of battling severe indigestion and discomfort while eating, we agreed it was best for him to seek treatment. He’s already feeling better and is expected to make a full recovery."
Simmons has been out of the public eye for about three years, and his abrupt departure into solitude sparked rumors about his health. More recently, the podcast Missing Richard Simmons, hosted by one of Simmons' former workout class attendees, made headlines for a variety of wild claims about his whereabouts, including that he was being held hostage by his housekeeper.
For his part, Simmons has mostly stayed out of the rumor mill, but his family has assured reporters that his health is fine and that he just needed some time to himself to recover from surgery on his knee. "My brother is fine," Simmons' 70-year-old brother, Lenny Simmons, told People last month. "He’s not sick. There’s nothing medically wrong with him at all. After 40-some odd years, he just decided that he wants to rest. He’s 68 years old now and he’s in good health, but he just wants time for himself."
Catalano basically said the same thing. "He was ready to quiet down is what he’s told me, and it doesn’t mean he’s done, but for now, he’s enjoying the time away from the public," he explained.
Still, this recent hospitalization for Simmons is bound to spark new rumors. Is it possible that Simmons is sick with something more serious, and this is his manager's attempt to cover it up? We sure hope not.
Updated April 24, 2017, 9:00 a.m. PT: Over in the U.K., the Daily Mail is reporting that Pippa Middleton's wedding could be crashed by locals looking for some royal-tinged excitement. Middleton's upcoming nuptials to banker James Matthews will certainly offer locals the opportunity to attend and spot a famous face or two. Thanks to a rule from the Church of England, locals can attend celebrity weddings if the church is their actual local church. I mean, how cool is that?
OK, as cool as that is, here's the thing: This funny little detail opens up the floodgates on who can actually attend the Middleton-Matthews wedding, potentially paving the way for the most prim English turf war ever. There are conflicting opinions on whether locals will actually be allowed in. According to a local official, "It's a rather nice thought that they might be able to attend. I'm sure there will be interest."
However, those involved with planning the Middleton-Matthews wedding appear ready to ban local peeping Tom's should they threaten to derail the carefully planned ceremony with their average people nonsense. As reported by the Daily Mail, a spokesman for the Englefield Estate where the reception is being held has commented that "the church would be 'restricted for security reasons'. The wedding is a private family event. I can confirm that all pedestrian and vehicle routes to Englefield House will be closed on May 20th, and access to the church will be restricted for reasons of safety and security."
It looks like we should grab some popcorn and get ready to watch as the most prim and polite wedding crasher-prevention plan gets put into action.
Original story:
Call it royal wedding-adjacent: Pippa Middleton's nuptials to James Matthews are the most anticipated since her sister Kate said her vows six years ago. We've got the deets on Pippa's dress, her venue, her guest list, her wedding party and even what kind of champagne will be flowing.
Princess Charlotte will be very involved
Multiple sites are reporting that Princess Charlotte, who turns two next month, will be one of Pippa's bridesmaids. Still no word on whether she took part in the booze-fueled hen party Kate and Pippa threw on the slopes of the French Alps.
Her gown will be very different from Kate's
Pippa has none of the restrictions Kate had to deal with when searching for her perfect gown: She doesn't have to look the part of demure virginal princess, for example, nor does the fate of the entire British fashion industry rest on her (possibly) lace-covered shoulders. Designer Giles Deacon was spotted at Pippa's house with armfuls of dresses last November, and his Instagram feed is full of clues about the shape her gown may be taking, based on his other designs. It remains to be seen whether Pippa's butt will be the focus of this dress, as it was at her sister's wedding.
Pippa's ceremony will be held on May 20 at St. Mark's Church in Englefield, Berkshire — a modest little country church close to her parents' house, where her reception will be held. It's a lovely venue, and the ceremony definitely will not be broadcast to nearly every country in the world. While Kate invited nearly 2,000 guests to her nuptials, Pippa is thought to be nipping her guest list to a "mere" 400.
Meghan Markle is not invited (sort of)
We're still more than a little bummed that Pippa isn't marrying Prince Harry. Maybe she is too, because we hear that Harry's current princess-wannabe is not invited to this shindig. But it's nothing personal — the couple is just enforcing a strict "no ring, no bring" policy for dates to keep the guest list in check, plus, it's royal protocol for significant others to be left out of the ceremony unless they're engaged or married to someone on the guest list.
Markle is, however, invited to attend the less formal party after the ceremony. People magazine reports that she'll be Harry's date, which is just one more sign of how serious their relationship is becoming.
Kate won't be her matron of honor
It's a bit surprising, since Pippa and Kate are like peas and carrots, but Kate probably won't stand up for her sister at the wedding like Pippa did at the royal wedding. Reason? Kate doesn't want to steal the show the way Pippa's butt did on her own special day. "Kate would upstage her sister," royal expert Judy Wade told People. "If your sister is a future queen, she is going to upstage the bride and draw attention. Kate would want to be in the background as much as possible."
Kate may join their brother James for a reading, though, and we're still holding our breath for George as a ring bearer or Charlotte as a flower girl!
No red cups here, and you can forget the modern boho farm vibe while you're at it.
"It will be blingtastic," a source close to the couple told The Mirror. "The best champagne, Krug or Bollinger, and a specially devised champagne cocktail. Pippa and James have a penchant for Blanc de Noir Tillington 2009 from Nyetimber at £75 a bottle — and wonderful food. No expense will be spared. This isn't a bangers-and-mash, sitting-on-hay-bales affair. Pippa is hardly a floaty bohemian type."
Only a little less than two months to go until those wedding bells ring! We can’t wait to see the pics!
Heard is locked in a legal battle with the producer of one of her recent films, who she claims used a body double to secretly film unauthorized nude scenes that her contract wouldn't have allowed.
Back in March 2017, People magazine reported on the ongoing lawsuit between Heard and London Fields producer Christopher Hanley. "Amber Heard is the latest victim of this lascivious and sexploitive couple," the court documents obtained by People read. "A rising film star, Heard agreed to play the lead in the motion picture entitled London Fields based on Martin Amis’s novel. After reading the script, she insisted on specific restrictions about nudity and sex scenes in the film as a condition to agreeing to appear in the movie. Hanley…expressly agreed to Heard’s terms, and they were memorialized in the Nudity Rider to her contract."
It continues, "The Hanleys also caused to be filmed secretly several additional nude and sex scenes with a body double for Heard and included them in the ‘Producer’s Cut’ — also in violation of the Nudity Rider. The secret filming of this body double footage was not on the schedule that had been provided to Heard and was shot with a skeleton crew only after Heard had completed filming and had left the set. The body double footage included an explicit pornographic sex scene that Heard would never have agreed to do herself … The body double footage was designed and intended to leave anyone who saw the images with the distinct impression that it was Heard."
Meanwhile, Heard is also being sued by the producer because he claims she failed to "perform certain acting services," which included appearing in the nude scenes. He wants $10 million from her.
Heard's boyfriend, Musk, is having his own bad week after a colleague shelled out $400,000 for full-page newspaper ads against him in The New York Times, the Washington Post and other major publications across the country. The ads are calling for Musk to "dump Trump." He currently sits on President Donald Trump's business advisory council. Musk has already taken to social media to defend his involvement, but after other big names (like Uber CEO Travis Kalanick) have walked away from the council, the pressure is mounting on Musk to do the same.
Naturally, Heard and Musk needed a break away from all that negativity right now and are choosing to spend time in one another's company. They went out on a sweet date in Australia, where Heard is filming her upcoming movie, Aquaman. Photos show Heard and Musk strolling arm in arm through the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary just before heading to Gold Coast hotspot Moo Moo and sharing dinner. They even found a moment to cheekily make their relationship Instagram official.
