Considering that the extent of my maternity photo collection is two blurry "OMG, stop looking at me while I eat another carton of Breyers" images and one of me at nine months sitting on the floor cleaning out a closet, I'm blown away by the amazing maternity photo shoots that are happening these days.
And once in a while, I'm even more blown away by the story behind them.
According to PopSugar, husband and wife photographers Vic and Marie wanted desperately to be parents — but when they learned that having children of their own was very unlikely, they decided that doing maternity and newborn shoots might ease their personal pain. A year into their shoots with moms and babies, Marie endured a miscarriage at eight weeks along.
Still, the couple decided to press on creatively — and decided they truly loved working in this field. So, inspired by all the Beauty and the Beast film buzz, Vic and Marie came up with a plan to transform a group of pregnant moms into Disney princesses (after all, we never do get to fast-forward and see that part of their stories, right?).
"We wanted to go outside of that box, something no one had tried to do as of yet, and then it hit me, why not do all of the princesses in a group shot, expecting sweet little babies, and showing off their beautiful bump in a creative way?" Marie said. "It was a fun project for me being a huge fan of classic stories and movies I grew up to and it was a fun project for Vic because it allowed him to do something he normally doesn't get the chance to do often."
"We hope that expecting mamas that see these sweet photos of mommies in a completely different way than what is normally photographed and will give them the inspiration to want to hire a photographer to take some beautiful maternity photos!" said Marie. "It's such a sweet and beautiful moment in your life, a moment that not many can experience, and a moment that should be celebrated." (Dang it. Now I am really wishing I had more than my blurry ice cream-gorging photos.)
The fact that Marie has been through so much and still longs for her own child makes us all the more moved by the shots she captured. She's the hero in this Disney fairy tale if you ask us.
Of course, that's no easy feat when you have three kids. And Masonry captured the whole event, including one kid needing her to sign something. On the pot. Her response to this request:
"I don't think your teacher wants me to sign your agenda while I'm on the toilet, OK? We've got poop particles in the air, OK?"
Poop particles in the air. Will you marry us, Meredith Masonry? You complete us.
Another kid is hankering for some fruit snacks — and wants her to open the packet while she's, well, doing her toilet thing. Again with the poop particles in the air. (She said it, not us. But we will quote her 'til the end of time.)
pooping mom
pooping mom
Aaaaaand then enters the kid who wants to read to Masonry during her poo session. Masonry somehow manages to praise her kid while getting her to LEAVE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
Best part? Even hubby refuses to wait and barges in looking for his wallet.
"Do I have your wallet? In the bathroom? With me while I'm pooping?"
We think that would hold up in divorce court. Just saying, Meredith, if you want to come live with us instead, we will give you all the privacy you need if you promise to just keep making weird videos that make us this happy.
There's nothing better than a night on the couch binge-watching your favorite shows, right? Believe it or not, it is possible to make it better — by prepping the perfect snack plate so you never have to move from your spot. Grab a HORMEL GATHERINGS® Party Tray to serve as the main ingredients, then add a few other items you probably have on hand. Stack them up and add some toothpicks, and you're ready to let the bingefest begin.
This post was sponsored by the makers of HORMEL GATHERINGS® Party Trays.
I can't hear "fiber" and not immediately think "poop" — especially when fiber is being mixed into a drink of any kind. But Coca-Cola has done just that, and instead of calling their new drink "Constipation Cola" or "Poop Pop," they're naming it Coca-Cola Plus!
The drink has zero sugar or calories and an added 5 grams of dietary fiber. Mmm, gritty, chalky fiber is just what I want when cracking open a refreshing Coke. The added boost of fiber combined with caffeine basically makes it a stubborn pooper's dream come true. Add a cigarette to the mix and a Coca-Cola Plus will have you sprinting to the nearest bathroom within minutes of your first sip. Sounds delicious, right?
It's also great for those of us who hate eating food. Vegetables? Fruit? Ha! Why get fiber from those when I could just continue to chug gallons of Coke each day? Adults need 20 to 30 grams of fiber every day, which is only 4 to 6 sodas. Totally doable (and healthy)!
But in case the thought of drinking that much Coca-Cola troubles you, fear not. The company is also coming out with a Clearly Canadian Plus! Finally, your seltzer will do what you've always wanted it to: make you shit. Buh-bye, LaCroix — don't let the bathroom door hit you on the way out.
The one downside to all of this: Currently, Coca-Cola Plus is only available in Japan. In the meantime, if you want to add fiber to your soda, you'll just have to blend it with dried prunes, flaxseed and oatmeal like the rest of us. Wait — you guys don't do that?
Bad news for Gwen Stefani fans who hoped to see her perform in Las Vegas on Thursday: She had to cancel due to a serious health emergency that will have you cringing in sympathy.
The Daily Mail reports that Stefani suffered from a ruptured eardrum that forced her to cancel the show. The site says she made the call after her doctors told her it was a bad idea to fly from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with her eardrum still fragile after rupturing. It originally ruptured during a flight earlier this week. She was admitted to L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai hospital after landing.
Stefani had been scheduled to perform a 30-minute set at a charity event for Keep Memory Alive, an organization raising money and awareness for memory and movement disorders. Jennifer Hudson was called last-minute to fill in for Stefani, and Jon Bon Jovi, the other headliner, performed as scheduled.
Guests at the event were informed just before the included dinner that Stefani wasn't able to travel or perform due to her injury. She also filmed a personal video for attendees, apologizing for having to cancel at the last minute.
"I am so sorry that I cannot attend tonight, But I wanted to send a message of congratulations to Andre Agassi and my dear friend Ronald Perelman," she said in the video, giving a shout-out to the two men being honored at the event for their philanthropy with Keep Memory Alive.
Stefani still hasn't spoken publicly about her ruptured eardrum, but while it kept her from performing in Vegas, she did appear on both episodes of The Voice this week.
Despite the fact that roughly half the population has a period at some stage in their lives, this normal bodily function doesn't tend to pop up on TV very often.
And here's the thing: Even when menstruation does appear on television, it is treated as a drama, typically used to address a major life change, like a first period or entering menopause. As Dr. Lauren Rosewarne discussed in her 2012 book Periods in Pop Culture, it's traumatic, embarrassing, distressing, offensive, comedic or thoroughly catastrophic for the characters involved.
Here are a few examples of when periods were actually addressed on TV (in chronological order), and the messages they sent the viewing audience.
The Golden Girls, Season 2, Episode 1, "End of the Curse" (1986)
This episode starts with the sexually liberated Blanche Devereaux telling the other women that she lives with that she is pregnant. Turns out she's just going through menopause. Yes, it's completely normal, but for someone like Blanche, whose identity is wrapped up in her sexuality, the news is soul-crushing and she spends several days depressed in bed. A scene later in the episode shows all four women discussing their first periods, PMS and what it was like to go through "the change."
Roseanne, Season 1, Episode 15, "Nightmare on Oak Street" (1989)
roseanne
roseanne
Eleven-year-old Darlene is horrified when she gets her first period and is concerned that this means she'll start "throwing like a girl." Her mother (the titular Roseanne) tells her that "it's almost magical" and that she "should be really proud today 'cause this is the beginning of a lot of really wonderful things in your life." But never one to sugarcoat things, Roseanne confirms that the accompanying cramps are no picnic.
Sex and the City, Season 3, Episode 8, "The Big Time" (2000)
Samantha's period is nine weeks late, which makes her assume that's she's "all dried up," prompting her to agree to go on a date with a gross older neighbor (with a fake hip and a RAT TAIL), assuming that no one else would want her. Of course, she's wrong, and she ends up getting her period mid-awkward sex with Fake Hip Rat Tail. Interestingly, this is the only time this otherwise sexually pioneering show dealt with having sex on your period. I couldn't help but wonder: Is period sex so taboo that even Samantha Jones is hesitant to discuss it over brunch?
30 Rock, Season 5, Episode 16, "TGS Hates Women" (2011)
30 rock
30 rock
With Tracy Jordan missing, his TGS co-star Jenna Maroney steps in and plays the lead in most of the show's sketches. A flashback shows us that this basically means Jenna playing various famous women like Amelia Earhart and Hillary Clinton, who aren't able to do their jobs because of their period. Of course, this is exactly the stigma that head writer Liz Lemon is trying to lampoon. The scene ends with Liz getting her period and promptly firing everyone around her just to drive home how prevalent this idea of periods being incapacitating for women has truly become.
Girls, Season 1, Episode 2, "Vagina Panic" (2012)
The focus of this show is Jessa's scheduled abortion, but shifts over to periods when she gets hers in a bar before heading over to the clinic. The real gem in this episode is an exchange between Marnie and Hannah while they're waiting for Jessa at the abortion clinic.
Marnie says, "I was just thinking, I've been sexually irresponsible enough in my life thus far that I should have gotten pregnant by now and I never have. Like, I get my period at the same time, on the same day of every monthly cycle, my entire life, like, it's never strayed from that."
To which Hannah responds: "Then you're really lucky. I never know when I'm going to get my period and it's always a surprise and that's why all my underwear are covered in weird stains."
Now that's some real talk.
Mad Men, Season 5, Episode 12, "Commissions and Fees" (2012)
mad men period
mad men period
Sally Draper gets her first period on a trip to the Natural History Museum with her creepy/sweet former neighbor Glen. After discovering blood in her underwear in the museum's bathroom, she runs home to her mother, who — in a rare maternal moment from her mother, Betty Francis — tells her that this is normal and means that "everything is working."
This scene may have taken place in 1967, but the non-stigmatizing sentiment is totally 2012.
Broad City, Season 3, Episode 10, "Jews on a Plane" (2016)
BC
BC
This is, in my opinion, hands down the best, most accurate and honest period depiction in all of television. The subject isn't brought up just once or relegated to a punchline, but rears its bloody head throughout the episode, highlighting everything from period stains on your pants (no TSA agent will want to search you then!) to the heaviness of a first-day flow (which Abbi describes as "fruit on the bottom") to forgetting that menopause even exists because it's usually ignored by the media. This episode also shows some of the struggles of getting your period at an inopportune time — like on a trans-Atlantic flight when your tampons are all on your carry-on that you were forced to gate-check. It teeters on being extremely relatable and far-fetched enough to make it entertaining, making it the gold – no, crimson – standard of period cameos.
Other notable TV period appearances include episodes of The Cosby Show (Rudy's first period), Schitt's Creek (a visitor gets her first period on David's bed), Community (Abed charts the menstrual cycles of the women in his study group), Curb Your Enthusiasm (Larry David helps a Girl Scout figure out how to use a tampon) and Friends (Monica and Chandler discuss when to have sex in order to conceive).
What are some of your favorite (or least favorite) TV period moments?
Gwyneth Paltrow, of vaginal steam cleaning, gold-plated dildos and in-home jellyfish tanks, has finally done what we assumed she would never do: She's reached peak Gwyneth Paltrow.
And by that, we don't mean she's outdone the extravagant and often weird products she's offered on her lifestyle website, Goop, for years. We mean she's just done the most Gwyneth Paltrow thing imaginable: She's launching a "collectible" Goop magazine.
Paltrow has partnered up with Condé Nast, easily one of the biggest names in magazine publishing on the planet, to produce the publication, which Elle reports will hit newsstands in September. Goop magazine will publish quarterly in print but will also include digital and social content, though we're not sure how that's any different from the Goop website in its current form. It'll tackle topics like health and fitness, cooking and recipes and style and design — again, pretty much just like the Goop website. In fact, it's pretty clear that this is basically a fancy, printed-out version of the website. But it's a collectible, so jump on it.
A spokesperson for Goop told Elle the new magazine will be "original and produced by Goop, while the creative is an artistic collaboration between Goop and Condé Nast."
Paltrow herself added that the collab between her brand and Condé Nast is "an opportunity for us to push our boundaries visually and deliver Goop's point of view to consumers in new, dynamic ways."
This comes right after Goop opened its first pop-up beauty store in New York, which came just after Paltrow revealed that she really wants to distance herself from the brand for some reason.
"My dream is that one day, no one will remember that I had anything to do with it," she said at the 2016 Sage Summit in Chicago.
Just like with human babies, we go to great lengths to safeguard our fur babies — which is why we're always hiding little dangers like rubber bands and cleaning supplies. But what you may not know is that it's totally possible you have poisonous items that can kill your cat hanging out in plain sight in the form of that lovely little plant you have chillin' on your coffee table.
There are over 700 varieties of plants that can be harmful to your cat if ingested. Most are exotic plants that pose little danger to your domesticated kitty, but some common household plants can be dangerous as well. Tina Wismer, veterinarian and medical director of the ASPCA’s poison control center, suggests if you suspect your cat has eaten any part of the plants listed below, whether or not it’s showing symptoms, call your vet immediately.
Just one bite of a leaf or the flower’s pollen could cause lethargy and vomiting within one hour of consumption. If left untreated, your cat could go into kidney failure. The pollen alone can be lethal to your feline friend.
2. Any calcium oxalate plants — including philodendrons, Chinese evergreens, Virginia creepers, spinach, agaves, tea leaves, rhubarb and taro
The poisonous part of these indoor and outdoor plants are the microscopic needle-like barbs on their stems and leaves. If bitten, they cause inflammation in the mouth and gums and result in excessive drooling and vomiting.
You can take care of the symptoms yourself by giving your cat calcium in the form of milk, yogurt, sour cream or ice cream. In rare cases, the swelling could inhibit breathing, so keep an eye on your pet for 48 hours.
3. Dracaena plants
There are about 40 varieties of this popular, leafy houseplant, including the dragon plant. If cats eat the long fronds typical of these plants, they’ll become depressed, lose their appetites and possibly even vomit blood. However, it’s usually not a fatal reaction, and symptoms tend to go away after 12 to 24 hours. Still, you should keep an eye out for worsening symptoms, and take your cat to the vet if it doesn't start to recover after 24 hours.
4. Autumn crocus
Eating any part of this flowery plant can cause an intense burning sensation in the mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, liver damage, kidney damage and even heart arrhythmias. Get your pet to the vet immediately if you suspect he/she has snacked on it.
5. Daffodils
If you have an outdoor cat, be very wary of its tendency to get into your or your neighbor’s daffodil beds. Ingestion of any portion can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, arrhythmias, convulsions and a major drop in blood pressure. Call your vet ASAP.
6. Tulips
If you have them planted outside, or in a vase inside, they’re a big no-no for cats. While not fatal, taking a bite of them (especially the bulb) can cause oral irritation, excessive drooling and nausea.
Originally published June 2015. Updated April 2017.
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7. Sago palm
This long-leafed, tree-like plant is extremely poisonous to cats. It used to be mainly an outdoor plant, but now it’s often found on indoor window sills. While the seeds and pods are the most poisonous, any bite can cause bloody vomiting and diarrhea, bleeding disorders, liver failure and death. This is definitely worthy of an emergency vet trip.
8. Azaleas/rhododendrons
Even just a few leaves can result in oral irritation, vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, ingestion can cause a drop in blood pressure, coma and death, so you’ll want to at least give your vet a call if you notice symptoms.
9. Kalanchoe
Also known as the “mother-in-law plant,” this common indoor plant has a bunch of small, very dense flowers and is thus super-tempting to cats. However, if a cat eats any part of it, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. In rare cases, heart arrhythmias can occur, so while not a dire emergency, a vet appointment should be made to assess the situation.
10. Marijuana
While you might think it would be funny to get a cat high, ingestion of cannabis can cause a whole host of problems. It will affect the nervous system and your pet’s coordination, then cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased heart rate, seizures and could even put it in a coma.
If you suspect he/she ate even one bud, get him/her to your vet pronto.
11. Aloe vera
It may cure your burns, but it’ll set your cat back significantly. Symptoms of ingestion include vomiting, depression, diarrhea, seizures, change in urine color and can even cause anorexia (for real). Again, not life-threatening, but the side effects if left untreated could severely affect your pet’s quality of life, so call your vet.
12. Ivy (all forms)
This is certainly relevant if you have an outdoor cat. Symptoms of ingestion include vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation and diarrhea. Not fatal but certainly distressing. Make sure your pet gets lots of fluids if it eats any of the ivy leaves especially, and keep an eye out for worsening symptoms.
What to expect from your vet
Obviously, a vet will want to know what your cat ate that made it sick. If you’re not sure, take pictures of the plants in your house and any nearby that are on this list to help your vet narrow it down. If your cat ingested a toxic plant but the symptoms are not life-threatening, she/he may suggest inducing vomit at home via charcoal tablets, so it’s a good idea to have some on hand for emergencies. However, even if you suspect a poisoning, don’t just go for the charcoal without contacting your vet first.
If your cat ingests something more toxic, like lilies, your vet will most likely put it on intravenous fluids for a few days to flush out the toxins. If you don’t have a vet on hand, call the ASPCA’s 24-hour emergency poison hotline number at 1-888-426-4435 for help.
In a new interview with CBS News, Jamie Chung revealed that she really wanted a part in the upcoming film Crazy Rich Asians — which, by the way, is actually doing a fantastic job of casting Asian actors for roles portraying Asian people. But Chung was turned down because she's Korean, and the director wanted Chinese actors to play the Chinese characters in the book that preceded the film.
She loves director Jon M. Chu, she said, "but I get they wanted Chinese actors."
Then, Chung was informed that Henry Golding, who was cast in the film, is half Chinese and half white.
"OK. I’m going to say it," she said. "That is some bullshit. Where do you draw the line to be ethnically conscious? But there’s so many loopholes, so I kind of get screwed."
Because you’re reading this article, we know you’re already more informed than most people about your career and job search options. So we’re certainly not going to rehash the importance of having your social media profile up-to-date on LinkedIn or why a job aggregator like Indeed is a great way to cast a wide net — or why you should do your research by using employee review sites like FairyGodBoss.
While you should definitely be taking advantage of the mainstream tools that most job-seekers use, here are five lesser-known resources that should be on every job-seeker’s radar.
1. Your alumni career services center
If you haven’t thought about your college alumni’s career services center since, well, college, it’s time to think again. Many companies post jobs with local career services centers trying to find experienced alumni as well as those who have recently graduated from university. These jobs may come with a personal email address or filter into someone’s email inbox rather than go into a large and anonymous applicant-tracking system.
2. Your industry association
Whether you work in the creative design field or in finance, chances are there’s an industry association that offers member events, educational programming and networking opportunities. Some industry associations even just list jobs on behalf of companies that are corporate members. This is a great way to get to know people who will help coax your job application onto the inside track.
Reading up on the happenings in your industry helps you not only see opportunities (is a company you like opening a new office in your city? Or expanding into a new area?), but also sound smart when you actually do land an interview.
Keeping up-to-date through industry publications — which are increasingly digital, have social media handles and are free to follow — is an important part of every job-seeker’s toolkit. Many industry publications have niche and tightly focused job postings as well.
4. Facebook groups
That’s right. Facebook groups aren’t just for separating out your “high school friends” from your “mom friends” anymore. Increasingly, professional organizations are forming invite-only groups. Think product managers getting together or growth-hackers joining in to share best practices. These Facebook groups are filled with people doing similar things to you — which means building relationships here and letting people know you’re in the market for a job.
5. Passive candidate sites (or their equivalent)
If you’re the kind of job-seeker who doesn’t have the time or inclination to apply to a lot of positions, make sure you’ve uploaded your résumé to places where résumés are invited and recruiters will be sifting through them. These include the standard job-recruiting site behemoths (Monster, LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.), but also newer options like Hired or Simply Hired, which allow you to post your requirements without giving away your identity.
New sites like these crop up every day, so do an internet search for “passive job-seeker” and you’re bound to stumble across a variety of new companies worth a shot.
While you’re probably already using the most popular tools for job-seekers, this list will help give you a leg up on people who are only using them. Exploring beyond just the well-known online resources can really pay off, so go ahead and start already!
Jane Elliot is exiting General Hospital on Thursday with very little fanfare, and that’s exactly the way she wants it. She’s a soap star who never required a lot of buzz in her career — she only wanted to keep on doing excellent work.
In an interview with TV Insider, Elliot explained that her farewell party on the GH set was mellow.
"There was no speechifying, which I definitely did not want. [Photographer] Jim Warren got me a cake. I will never let him take my picture, so he put my name on the cake with a sign that said 'No Photo Available,'" she told the TV magazine. "The truth is, I would have been perfectly happy to do nothing, but [executive producer] Frank Valentini came to me and said, 'We have to do something. People want to say good-bye.'"
Elliot didn’t want the fuss, so the cast and crew huddled in a conference room to say good-bye and give her one sweet farewell gift.
“Genie Francis got a blank journal and had everyone write something to me, which was the sweetest thing imaginable,” she revealed. “I will cherish that journal forever.”
In her impending retirement, don’t expect Elliot to be looking for other work. She thinks the entertainment industry has changed for the worse.
“The business has changed, and the idea of trying to get other jobs seems insane to me. Dealing with agents and reels and online profiles and social media accounts just isn’t my thing,” Elliot said. “Nowadays, when you’re up for a job, they look at how many Twitter followers you have! They check your Facebook page! No, thank you. There’s a level of narcissism and self-promotion required that I’ve never been good at.”
The best part about Elliot is that she admires her BFF, Days of Our Lives star Deidre Hall, because she is so good at being a soap star. Hall has the hustle needed to maintain that high level in the public eye.
“I have watched Deidre do this business her way. She is in my life to show me there is more than one way to negotiate a career. She negotiated hers with marketing and promotion, with fan clubs and fan gatherings and autograph signings and award show hostings,” Elliot shared. “She did all of that stuff, and I would venture to say that she earns two or three times what I do. Yes, we're both recognizable, we've both had long careers in soap operas, we’re survivors. But she did the hard work.”
Elliot is being modest. She did a lot of hard and excellent work as Tracy Quartermaine over the last 39 years. Her low-key visibility still earned her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1981. And the best part? She marched through her career in her own way.
The documentary seemed more meta than an actual analysis of the JonBenét Ramsey case. I understand that creator Kitty Green was attempting a commentary on the fallout from the case and the lasting impression it left on the public, but I spent an hour and a half of my life watching random people commenting on a case. And, though some of them were loosely connected to the family, they still knew about as much as I did when it came to the circumstances and evidence surrounding the murder.
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casting jonbenet reaction tweet 7
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casting jonbenet reaction tweet 8
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casting jonbenet reaction tweet 9
casting jonbenet reaction tweet 10
casting jonbenet reaction tweet 10
Furthermore, the whole idea of the show was about finding actors to do reenactments of the events on the night JonBenét was killed, but the documentary spent most of its time focusing on the actors who could play the parents and mulling over the same tired questions followers of the case have been asking for two decades now: Was Patty jealous of her daughter? Is a mother capable of murdering her daughter over said jealousy? Was John Ramsey molesting his daughter? Was the family allowing someone else to molest their daughter? Or was it the son, who let a fight with his sister get out of hand?
casting jonbenet reaction tweet 3
casting jonbenet reaction tweet 3
Instead of peppering in some actual commentary along the way to spice things up, the documentary relies on the backstories of the auditioning actors to fill in the lulls, giving way to some weird parallels and just plain weird stories that made me think producers probably auditioned hundreds of people and just chose to show us the 10 weirdest ones that walked into the room.
casting jonbenet reaction tweet 2
casting jonbenet reaction tweet 2
For example, one gentleman auditioning decided to tell everyone about his job teaching about sex and bondage in the evenings. He even showed off his floggers for the cameras and candidly expressed his love of nipple play.
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casting jonbenet reaction tweet 4
Another man, aka Santa Claus No. 3, thought it was important to explain that Santa wears white gloves so it's easier to see where his hands are traveling on children.
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casting jonbenet reaction tweet 1
The documentary spends very little time on the kids auditioning for JonBenét and her brother, probably because these little ones weren't even near being born when JonBenét was killed and, therefore, couldn't really add to the documentary discussion except to innocently ask, "Do you know who killed JonBenét Ramsey?"
I actually really appreciated the ending of this documentary. It was haunting the way so many different possible scenarios were played out with all of the actors simultaneously.
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casting jonbenet reaction tweet 5
I would have liked to have seen more of this and less of the actors talking about their personal theories.
Instead of being a discussion of the JonBenét Ramsey case, this documentary played more like a discussion of our cultural obsession with the story and how the discussion has been elevated from fact to myth at this point.
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casting jonbenet reaction tweet 6
It also served as quite the statement that we will most likely never, ever know what really happened to that little girl. To me, that's the most poignant message of the whole thing.
Updated April 28, 2017, 8 a.m. PT: Bethenny Frankel and her ex-husband, Jason Hoppy, are both headed to court.
A judge overseeing the stalking and harassment charges Frankel brought against Hoppy ordered that her restraining order against him will remain in place until he stands trial, beginning June 27. This is after Hoppy was offered a plea deal last month and rejected it.
Original story:
In a bit of sad news that has nothing to do with the current presidency, Bethenny Frankel’s ex-husband Jason Hoppy was arrested last Friday for harassment. He allegedly showed up at their 6-year-old daughter’s NYC school and yelled at Frankel, “I will destroy you.” According to Frankel, Hoppy showed up at Bryn’s school after he allegedly sent a bunch of unwanted emails and for some reason tried FaceTiming Frankel hundreds of times.
“The complainant said Hoppy had sent numerous emails and FaceTime calls numbering in the hundreds after a cease and desist letter was sent on November 22, 2016,” an NYPD spokesperson told Page Six. “On Friday, January 27, the suspect approached her and a friend at her child’s school at around 8:15 a.m. and tried to provoke a fight. He said, ‘I will destroy you, you can get all the lawyers you want, you’ve been warned.’”
Eek. That said, Hoppy denies the allegations, according to Page Six, though it sounds like there is at least one witness. Hoppy was arrested that same day and charged with aggravated harassment in the first degree, harassment in the second degree and stalking in the fourth degree, according to the NYPD (via Page Six).
Though Hoppy’s divorce attorney Bernard Clair and a spokesperson for Frankel had no comment for Page Six, Hoppy’s lawyer Robert C. Gottlieb had these choice words to say: “There are no words to express how saddened Mr. Hoppy is over his ex-wife’s unjustified actions. His only concern is his daughter and intends to vigorously fight these false charges.”
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time lawyers have had to get involved in Frankel and Hoppy’s interactions since they were divorced — and we imagine this won’t be the last time, either. At least they’re not in a standoff over that NYC loft apartment anymore.
The natural life is a hard life — well, in terms of beauty, that is. Why is it that just because you want to slather your face in sustainably farmed, cruelty-free and super-organic ingredients, it costs you an insane amount of money? Apparently, it’s hard to find an all-natural moisturizer that doesn’t require a mountain of gold coins or a trip to the rainforest to find. Hard, but not impossible.
So we scoured the skin care shelves in the drugstore aisle to find the very best and most effective natural moisturizers that won’t destroy your bank account. And yes, they’re all under $15. Scroll down to see our favorites, and then promptly take a trip to the drugstore to pick them all up for yourself. Your skin will thank you.
I am always skeptical of anything that claims to be a miracle cure, which is why I rolled my eyes when I first started hearing about the almost magical qualities of bone broth for dogs. I chalked it up to the usual hype and figured it was about as magical as the new Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino.
However, like the sudden unicorn food and beverage craze, bone broth kept appearing wherever I looked, so I decided to do a little research to see what the veterinary establishment has to say about this “superfood.”
As it turns out, while bone broth is not a miracle cure, there are actually quite a few good reasons you should feed your dog bone broth.
What is bone broth?
Bone broth is basically soup stock. It is made from simmering raw or cooked bones for 12 to 48 hours, occasionally with vegetables that are safe for dogs, like carrots (and not onions or garlic). The liquid is then strained to remove any bones or vegetable matter and served warm. For a veterinarian-approved recipe, check out this recipe from holistic veterinarians.
The result is a potent brew that people claim is high in collagen and nutrients.
While the collagen content is indeed high, bone broth is actually not as packed with nutrients as we might like to think. The National Kidney Foundation did a nutritional analysis of bone broth for human kidneys, and found that the quality of protein in bone broth is low, which means it does not contain one or more of the essential amino acids. It also contains very small amounts of minerals and vitamins thanks to the chemistry that happens during cooking, with the exception of manganese and vitamins C and B6.
So if it is not a superfood, what good is it?
Bone broth is chicken soup for dogs
If you’ve ever had a really sick dog, then you know that getting them to eat can be a challenge. They turn their noses up at kibble and even wet food, leaving you spoon-feeding them baby food and broth. Bone broth is mild enough not to upset sensitive stomachs and also contains some nutrients, which can help them on the path to recovery. Sometimes, simply feeding bone broth can stimulate your dog’s appetite, encouraging them to try other mild foods as well.
Bone broth for dogs with kidney disease
Remember that low protein content cited by the National Kidney Foundation? Well, that is actually a good thing when it comes to dogs with kidney disease.
“The goal is always going to be high-quality foods with low protein. High-quality protein but low protein,” according to Dr. Julie Bailey, a Massachusetts veterinarian and professor. This is because the kidneys are responsible for ridding the body of toxins and waste and filtering things like protein, so you don’t want to give your dog’s compromised kidneys too much work.
Moist foods are also good for dogs with kidney disease, as water is essential for healthy kidney function. Bone broth contains lots of water and low protein, and is also highly palatable for dogs with reduced appetites or dogs who have trouble keeping weight on.
Bone broth is not a kidney cure-all, nor does it replace proper nutrition for kidney patients, but a bone broth treat now and then could offer some benefits to your dog.
Bone broth for dogs with joint pain?
One of the biggest claims about bone broth is that it can help dogs with arthritis or bone disease by providing collagen. This claim might be a bit overblown. While bone broth does contain collagen, there are currently no studies that verify whether or not this collagen helps with canine osteoarthritis — or if dogs can even use this type of collagen to improve their bone and joint health.
An article published by NPR looked at the benefits of bone broth for humans, and what they found was that bone broth could actually act as an immune booster and reduce inflammation during upper respiratory tract infections. Since there are currently no clinical studies on immunity and bone broth in dogs, we will have to infer that this could mean dogs benefit as well.
Sports recovery treat
Active dogs could benefit from bone broth treats to help them rehydrate and regain lost electrolytes. Freezing bone broth in ice cube trays and thawing a cube after an intense run or dog sport is a great way to reward your dog for a job well done.
The scoop on broth
Bone broth, unfortunately, is probably not going to cure all of your dog’s ills, but it certainly won’t hurt. The benefits of bone broth combined with its delicious, meaty aroma make it a great treat for dogs. For more information about dog nutrition, however, skip Dr. Google and contact your veterinarian.
You’ve probably heard advice about plain white cotton underwear being the best for your vaginal health (white is dye-free and cotton is nonirritating for most bodies), but did you know certain materials might work better on certain days and during specific activities? In fact, you can improve your vaginal health by customizing your underwear to your lifestyle.
Here’s a helpful breakdown of the best options.
On a regular work or school day
When it comes to choosing a pair for average, everyday use, you should be looking for simple, nonirritating material that won’t rub against your skin. You also want to buy something moisture-absorbent, since bacteria grows in wetter environments.
Jan Sheehan, in an article for Everyday Health that was reviewed by Dr. Cynthia Haines, explains the role of underwear in promoting good health. “Cotton and silk underwear absorb moisture,” Sheehan explains, adding “nylon and other synthetic fabrics hold moisture close to your skin, encouraging the growth of yeast.”
Some women choose to go extra-clean by opting for organic, unbleached undies.
Pact, a popular organic undergarment brand, explains that cotton is a “dirty” crop, meaning it’s often treated heavily with pesticides. According to Pact, cotton doesn’t only use insecticides, but contributes to water pollution and worldwide labor concerns. Pact strives to create a cleaner, more globally friendly alternative by producing underwear using organic fabrics. Organic cotton is unbleached, untreated and free from heavy metals and chemicals.
If you’re shopping online, it’s easy to find out more about your potential underwear purchase before you make up your mind. On most major retail websites, you can click to view detailed item product information. If you’re attempting to go totally natural, keep your eye out for blends (there might be some non-cotton materials mixed in there!) and neon colors or patterns.
When you want something a little more fun
If you’re looking to stock your underwear drawer with a few special-occasion staples, have no fear! You can look and feel great while still staying away from synthetic irritants. Popular lingerie company Hanky Panky uses natural cotton for the body of their signature lace thongs. They also provide a helpful fabric guide that explains the variety of options they have available, including organic cotton and “low-impact fiber-reactive dyes” to keep your panties “free from toxic chemicals.”
If you’re going to purchase a thong, Dr. Shieva Ghofrany, as quoted in a Glamour article written by Danica Lo, encourages entirely cotton thongs rather than cotton “crotch-strips.” With cotton-crotch thongs, Ghofrany says, “the layer outside the crotch…makes the cotton less breathable” and doesn’t have the same moisture-absorbing properties. It’s possible for thongs to cause skin irritation and chafing. If they do, it might be useful to get a larger size or take a break and wear full-coverage underwear while your irritation clears up.
If you think it’s important that moisture is absorbed on a regular day, imagine how critical it is when you’ve just finished a tough workout. When you exercise, you want to wear something moisture-wicking that can work fast and keep up with you as you sweat. This is also a perfect time for something soft and non-chafing so you don’t develop a rash or painful symptoms while you walk or run.
Make workout underwear a part of your gym bag; just like you make sure to have the right socks, shoes, clothes and bra to support your workout, you need underwear that can take care of you while you’re on the treadmill.
In a Health article, the Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Melissa Piliang encourages looking for “nylon wicking material that will absorb the sweat and pull it away from the body so it can dry.” Piliang also reminds us it’s important to change out of your sweaty leggings and underwear when you’re done at the gym. Just like sitting in a wet bathing suit turns you into a bacterial breeding ground, hanging out in your workout gear keeps the moisture close to your body and promotes bad bacterial growth.
Are you a "work out commando" kinda gal? Without underwear, you’re likely to irritate the skin and lock moisture in. It puts you at greater risk for infection.
Choosing the right underwear — particularly the right underwear fabric — can make an enormous difference for your health. Though it’s easy to get caught up in cute patterns and frilly lace, opting for simpler and healthier will keep things clean and in good shape. So next time you head to the gym, try incorporating a few of these tips and see how you feel.
Look, I understand that in Hollywood, you get used to criticism. Everyone wants to be a critic these days. So it's no wonder Selena Gomez is taking the 13 Reasons Why hate in stride.
As an executive producer on the project, Gomez is tackling the claim that the show glorifies suicide, though she only just recently commented publicly on the backlash.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Gomez said, "We stayed very true to the book and that's initially what Jay Asher created, was a beautifully tragic, complicated yet suspenseful story, and I think that's what we wanted to do."
"We wanted to do it justice," she explained, adding that the backlash is "going to come no matter what. It's not an easy subject to talk about, but I'm very fortunate with how it's doing."
What Gomez didn't say is whether she understands the controversy, whether she sees the points a lot of critics are making about the harm the show could do for young adults who are already contemplating suicide. For those teens, 13 Reasons Why should definitely be avoided. A school system in Canada is going so far as to ban talking about the show on school grounds and sent a message to parents warning them against the show. But while it's clear that Gomez is sticking to the message in her project, she's also staying pretty PC about commenting on the heavy topics in the series.
Gomez has had her fair share of struggles growing up in the spotlight, so I'm surprised she chose to stay quiet on this issue for so long, especially with the show's stance against bullying. Of course, her experience is hers and hers alone to share.
Orange Is the New Black Season 5 has been released by hackers after Netflix refused to cave to ransom demands. No, this is not a storyline on the new season. Rather, Netflix is getting the FBI involved to investigate the hackers, who leaked the entire 10-episode season online with a taunting message for the streaming service.
"It didn't have to be this way, Netflix," the hackers wrote. "You're going to lose a lot more money in all of this than what our modest offer was. We're quite ashamed to breathe the same air as you. We figured a pragmatic business such as yourselves would see and understand the benefits of cooperating with a reasonable and merciful entity like ourselves."
According to Variety, Netflix stated that it is very aware of the leak and is having the issue investigated by the FBI. "A production vendor used by several major TV studios had its security compromised and the appropriate law enforcement authorities are involved," Netflix explained.
In fact, Us Weekly is reporting that the hackers are threatening to release other shows on other networks if their ransom demands aren't met. No word yet which other shows the hackers managed to get their hands on. Hopefully, it won't be long before the hackers end up in orange jumpsuits themselves.
I know I, for one, will respect the integrity of the series and not go looking for the Season 5 leak online. I prefer to watch shows and movies as they were intended, in the form the creators had hoped we would enjoy their stories.
I know I’m not the only one who remembers the Victoria’s Secret flavored lip gloss craze. Not only were those obscenely sticky glosses one of the “coolest” beauty products of the early 2000s, but the more flavors you owned (Cherry Bomb, anyone?), the more middle school street cred you earned. Luckily for the world — and for all of the hair that got stuck to the lips of preteens everywhere — both Victoria’s Secret and I have seriously stepped up our beauty games since then. And that’s a good thing, because otherwise I’d never have discovered the hydrating (yes! Hydrating! What!?) lip stain that has forever changed my makeup game.
We’ve all dealt with the struggle that is matte lipstick. It looks so, so good when you first swipe it on, but after an hour it manages to suck all of the moisture from your lips right before flaking and peeling off in patches. Fun! So you can imagine why I wasn’t super-hopeful when I got my hands on the Victoria’s Secret Velvet Matte Cream Lip Stain. I figured it’d have the same sort of dry, flaky finish that I’ve come to expect from all matte lip products, but I was so surprised to find that the formula felt nothing like a traditional stain when I swiped it on. I dare say that it felt — get ready for this — good? Excellent, even? I know, it doesn’t make sense.
Image: Victoria’s Secret
Unlike most lip stains that are essentially glorified markers that bleed a layer of uneven ink across your mouth, this one feels like a cross between a lip balm and a dollop of whipped cream. No, really — the formula is slightly whipped and subtly vanilla-scented (sweet, but not at all cloying), and though I usually call bullshit on products that claim to be both matte and “nourishing,” this one truly left my lips feeling shockingly soft thanks to its olive oil- and vitamin E-infused formula.
Because of the cream-like formula, you only need to swipe on one layer to get the fully opaque shade, and then, just like all lip stains should allow you to do (but rarely do), you get to forget about it — no touch ups necessary. Even after three hours of drinking coffee and snacking, when the initial whipped layer had faded off my lips, I was left with a gorgeous, hyper-pigmented stain that felt silky. There’s even a wash of color on my lips when I got home after work — that’s a full nine hours later, guys — which is pretty much mind-boggling. Like, I kid you not when I say that this stain has made my matte lip dreams come true.
Image: Victoria’s Secret
At $14 a tube, these lip stains aren’t the cheapest thing out there (especially when you consider the fact that you’ll want to buy all 11 shades), but trust me when I say that every penny spent toward it will make up for the many not-so-amazing matte lipstick experiences that have scarred you. Now I just need to get over my heavy guilt for ever doubting Victoria’s Secret in the first place — the lip gloss-loving middle schooler in me says sorry.
Sure, I bought the dilators and did the breathing exercises the doctors and websites tell you to do. But I was never really doing it for myself. In all honesty, I was doing it for my partner.
Now that’s not to say that my partner ever pressured me into having vaginal sex. Actually, they never brought it up, expressing nothing but excitement and satisfaction with the way we were already having sex. But society’s depictions of sex paired with the fact that my partner has only been with cis women capable of vaginal sex before me made me self-conscious about how valuable I was sexually. When I tried seeking solace in spaces designed for people with vaginismus, I only encountered cis women who reflected a similar idea about sexual expectations. And while their opinions and experiences are valid, they didn’t reflect or affirm my own.
Looking back, I realize my problem was that I was forcing myself to identify with women and cisnormative sexual health as a transmasculine person. What I wanted was a working penis, not a working vagina. If I couldn’t get rid of it altogether, the next best thing was refraining from using it in a sexually penetrative context.
Attempting to engage in vaginismus treatment felt silly, even postmortem.
My ability to identify with my vagina as a trans man was long gone, and I was actively researching the process of bottom surgery. I often questioned myself through these negative self talks and tearful dilating sessions — what was really the point? I couldn’t really feel or feel close to that part of my body. So what was the point in trying to force it to engage in a sexual act that I didn’t particularly care for?
I had no motivation to “get better,” but all the motivation in the world to further masculinize myself during these moments of discovery. So I threw out the dilators and bought myself a packing penis from my favorite sex shop, Babeland.
From the moment I put it on, I finally felt what I realized was a “ghost penis” on my pelvis turn into something real and tangible. I felt whole sporting my pale uncircumcised penis, named “Pierre” by the packaging, and the idea of forcing things inside of my vagina felt more ridiculous than it ever had. For the first time, I truly released myself from the expectations that others place on women and comfortably slipped into my male identity. Feeling my harness hug my hips and my silicone dick bounce between my thighs as I walked, I laughed at myself for ever putting such vigor into a passionless project. But I also forgave myself — for not knowing, for being afraid and for feeling confused about who I truly am.
My heart feels whole when I look over to the top shelf near my window and see my packing penis with its harness in the space where my bag of mostly unused dilators used to be. I ended the silicone war on myself, and instead traded it in for a different, more fitting piece of silicone. This one is between my thighs too, except now it feels just right.
