You know that saying, "Your goose is cooked"? We're advocating that it be updated to "Your turkey is cooked," because when you ruin a perfectly cooked Thanksgiving turkey with some rookie carving mistakes, you're in so much trouble. You can spend all year sharpening your roasting skills, but what happens after it's out of the oven can make or break your meal.
So put down the electric carving knife, and take a deep breath — these tips are everything you need to know to carve the perfect turkey.
This step happens before you even put the bird in the oven. For even cooking, you should truss the bird — but don't forget to snip the strings and remove them before carving.
2. Do let it rest
To avoid a dry turkey, you must let it rest when you take it out of the oven. Your bird should rest for at least 20 minutes before you start carving, but you can wait up to 40 minutes.
3. Don't tent it
If you want your perfectly crispy skin to stay that way, don't tent your turkey as it rests. It won't get cold in just 20 minutes, and even if it is less hot than you want it to be, that's nothing a little warm gravy won't fix.
4. Don't carve at the table
Carving your turkey on a platter is inconvenient and messy. It may seems like it puts on a show, but your impatient dinner guests would much rather have you do the dirty work in the kitchen. Move your turkey from the roasting pan to a carving board or cutting board. Carve the meat, then transfer it to a platter.
5. Don't use a dull knife
It's not just ineffective to use a less-than-sharp knife; it's dangerous. A dull knife is more likely to slip and skid, and since you'll be using more force to make it cut, you could hurt yourself when it inevitably slips.
Make a slit between the turkey leg and the breast. Grip the leg, then gently pry it away from the breast until you hear or feel the joint pop out. Then take a knife, and cut through the joint. To remove the thigh from the leg, make a slit between them, then gently pry apart. If they don't pull apart from each other, use your knife to cut through the joint (avoiding the bone).
7. Do remove the wishbone
Cut through the skin at the top of the breast so you can get better access to the wishbone. Take your knife, make a slit along the wishbone, and then reach in and pull it out. This will make it a lot easier to remove the breast meat.
When removing the breast meat, you want to use the breastbone as a guide. Glide your knife down one side of the breast meat, and then, with your knife, start prying it away from the bone. Pull the meat away from the breastbone with your hands, and then make a cut at the base of the breast meat, by the wing joint.
9. Do keep the skin on
When you slice your turkey (on a bias, please), make sure you use a really sharp knife, and keep some skin on each piece. Everyone wants a piece of the skin — after all, it's the best part!
Originally published November 2015. Updated November 2017.
'Tis the season for tons of DIYs — but if the mere thought of yet another Pinterest fail brings tears to your eyes, you've come to the right place. This cinnamon-vanilla candle project is super-easy, even though the end result doesn't look homemade in the slightest.
Not only that, it smells amazing, because... cinnamon. As the vanilla candle warms up the cinnamon sticks, it works to fill a room with that fragrant, woodsy smell. It screams holidays.
Step 1: Place an elastic band around the bottom of the candle. Slide it up a couple inches and make sure it lays flat with no twists against the candle.
Step 2: Carefully slide in the cinnamon sticks behind the elastic band, one at a time.
Step 3: Fill the cinnamon sticks all the way around your candle until there are no gaps left.
Step 4: Wind your twine around the the candle 5-6 times to cover the elastic band.
Step 5: Once you have covered the elastic, tie off the ends of the twine in a double knot. Then tuck the knot under the other strands of twine to hide it.
Step 6: You can leave it with just the twine if you like, but adding a ribbon is a nice touch to polish off the candle. Simply wrap the ribbon around the candle and over the twine, then tie into a bow.
Step 7: Here are your finished cinnamon-vanilla scented candles!
Originally published September 2014. Updated November 2017.
As we prep for Thanksgiving, we’re probably loading up on spiced cider and warming rum cocktails — but it turns out that for many, the preferred drink is actually a classic.
According to a study via Drizly, an alcohol e-commerce platform, wine is the most popular Thanksgiving beverage. In fact, 63 percent of those surveyed opted for red or white, while 19 percent choose beer and 10 percent spirits (such as vodka, whiskey, tequila, etc.).
As for what wine everyone is drinking, surprisingly red wins, even though we’re eating poultry, which is traditionally paired with white varietals. Nearly 50 percent of those surveyed serve red wine with dinner compared to 10 percent serving white. But craft beer still has its place at the dinner table. Over 60 percent of respondents will be enjoying craft beer at some point during Turkey Day.
And whatever we are drinking, we are drinking it all day long. It seems 25 percent of those surveyed start drinking early in the day, perhaps while they are prepping that big turkey dinner, and another 47 percent start to drink as soon as everything is in the oven. Only 23 percent of us are waiting to start drinking until the afternoon when guests start to arrive.
Then again, for many of us, those guests are why we are drinking.
The holiday season is a pretty expensive time of year, from food to entertaining and decorating, not to mention gifts — but that’s not getting in the way of buying our booze. Fifty-six percent of respondents spend $50 or more on alcohol for Thanksgiving.
Things are clearly heating up between Anna Faris and her new man, producer Michael Barrett. Hardly a month after they took their relationship public with a pair of PDA-filled dinner dates, they're on vacation together in one of the most romantic places on Earth: Venice, Italy.
"Anna and Michael just arrived in Venice," a source told E! News. "They flew in from another destination in Europe. They were assisted out of the airport and took a water taxi to their hotel. The weather was chilly, and they were bundled up and leaning into each other."
The insider continued, "Michael had his hand on Anna's back and she rested her head on his shoulder. They were checking out all of the architecture along the Grand Canal and pointing out different things. They giggled together and made a few jokes as they enjoyed the ride and took in all of the scenery. They arrived at the hotel dock and were helped with their bags out of the taxi. Michael helped Anna with her things, and they were escorted inside for the afternoon."
Cuties! Clearly they're already having a great time on their vacay together.
Faris and Barrett made headlines when they were spotted on some cozy dinner dates in Los Angeles soon after Faris went public with her split from Chris Pratt. Two nights in a row, they went to upscale Italian joint Modo Mio, where they shared food and wine.
"They were laughing at the table," an eyewitness said at the time. "She looked very happy and had a smile on her face when she was leaving."
Kelly Clarkson's not known for holding anything back in her music; just take a listen to any of her singles for a passionate, no-holds-barred take on breakups and happy times alike. But she somehow managed to keep her chill when she found out her daughter was getting bullied. Us Weeklyreports that River, 6, recently encountered some cruel behavior at the park.
"I'm a mama bear. Our nanny told me that an older kid was mean to my daughter at the park and that she just crumbled," Clarkson told Redbook. "I wouldn't have handled that well. I totally went off on that 6-year-old in my head."
Clarkson went on to explain that motherhood has given her a whole new perspective on the world. Pre-kids, she described herself as "fearless," but now that she's got River and 19-month-old Remy, Clarkson jokingly told Redbookshe's always thinking about her kids' safety and even the possibility of a kidnapping. Yep.
"That sounds horrible, I know, but before kids I was fearless," she said. "Now I go to bed and I have nightmares of someone just grabbing my little girl and running."
But it's clear that even with supervision, kids aren't immune from bullying — and River certainly wasn't. Kelly's level head won out, however, and though she said she wanted to go off on the rascal that hurt her daughter's feelings, she managed to keep cool. She didn't explain exactly how she dealt with the issue, but as her fans know, Clarkson has plenty of her own experience facing negativity.
Throughout her career, Clarkson has had to deal with haters commenting about her appearance, no matter how great she looked at the time. So it's safe to say she drew on her own history of resilience when talking to River about bullying.
"If you gauge your life on what other people think, you're going to be in a constant state of panic trying to please everyone," Clarkson continued. "People should just concentrate on their own lives and their own health and their own happiness, and whatever that looks like for you, be happy with it."
Drake has no time for sexual harassment, especially at his show. On Tuesday, the rapper abruptly stopped his concert at a nightclub in Sydney, Australia, to lay down the law with a man who was spotted groping and touching women without their consent.
The instance occurred right as Drake was about to rap the hook to his song, “Love Yourself.” After seeing a man sexually harassing female fans in the crowd, Drake told his crew to cut the music so he could give the creep a piece of his mind. “If you don’t stop touching girls, I’m gonna come out there and fuck you up, bruh,” Drake said.
The crowd erupted into applause. Realizing the man might have thought that he was joking, Drake affirmed to him that he was dead serious about his zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment. “I’m not playing with you,” Drake said. “If you don’t stop putting your hands on girls, I’m gonna come out there and fuck your ass up.”
Drake stops concert to confront sexual harrassment
Drake stops concert to confront sexual harrassment
After mouthing a few more stern words with the male concertgoer, Drake resumed his performance. The entire moment was caught on the video above, which also showed security guards rushing to the female fans’ aids and presumably kicking the male fan out of the venue.
In a time when sexual harassment and assault allegations are mounting against some of Hollywood’s elite men, including Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, we’re glad Drake is on the right side. Keep doing what you’re doing, Drizzy.
Finally, someone is saying out loud what women everywhere have been thinking for weeks: Sexual assault and harassment are not exclusive to the entertainment industry. They're problems that women everywhere face, in all places and in every industry.
"Sexual violence is everywhere – in the industry where I work, in business, in universities, in politics, in the military, and across the world," she told an audience during the U.N. Peacekeeping Defense Ministerial Conference in Vancouver. "All too often, these kinds of crimes against women are laughed off, depicted as a minor offense by someone who cannot control themselves, as an illness, or as some kind of exaggerated sexual need."
She continued, "But a man who mistreats women is not oversexed. He is abusive."
According to Jolie, sexual violence is a "critical obstacle" to women achieving true, worldwide equality.
"It is cheaper than a bullet, and it has lasting consequences that unfold with sickening predictability that make it so cruelly effective," she said.
Jolie's speech comes after dozens of women accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of decades of sexual misconduct. Jolie was one of Weinstein's accusers.
"I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did," she told the New York Times in an email. "This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable."
Weinstein has since been fired from his company and entered into a treatment center as similar allegations have come to light about other, similarly powerful men, including director Brett Ratner and House of Cards star Kevin Spacey.
Under the glossy sheen of social media (damn those filters), it's easy to get caught up in unrealistic expectations and too-good-to-be-true stories — of travels, motherhood, what have you. That's why Courtney Baird assumed that after she gave birth, her body would basically go right back to where it was before that whole "nine months of gestation" thing it had just endured. At least, that's what it seems like happens on social media, right?
But when faced with the reality of postpartum life (and body), Baird wanted to let other moms out there know that life is actually very different from the photos that are so dominant on Instagram. So Baird posted a side-by-side photo of her stomach — pre-baby and post-baby — to her own Instagram, letting everyone peek behind the curtain of mom-body myths.
"I thought, 'No more belly! I'll be able to see my feet again and finally have people stop asking when I'll pop," she wrote. "I think on social media platforms, often times it is pictures shared solely of women who 'bounced back' immediately and were walking out in their skinny jeans with no signs that they just had a baby."
Baird posted the photo as a reminder of what her body had gone through — before, during and after the birth of her son. She also reminded herself that this is the second time she's gone through the pregnancy and birth processes and assured her followers that all of this takes time. Plus, she points out, it's different for every person and changes don't happen overnight — or after a week.
Baird's followers showered her with support and shared their own tales of dealing with their postpartum bodies. With over 15,000 likes on the post, it's clear Baird's not alone.
Until she gets the clear from her doctor to even start thinking about getting active again, Baird says she's just focusing on spending time with her new arrival, son Forden, and his big sister, Everly, 2. That and giving moms everywhere a relatable voice in the overproduced world of social media.
When the human papillomavirus vaccines became available in 2006, they were accompanied by all sorts of controversy. Although the vaccines proved to protect against strains of HPV that can cause cancers resulting from HPV infection (cervical cancer, as well as those of the vagina, vulva, penis, anus and throat), the recommendation that kids as young as 11 or 12 should be given a routine vaccination to prevent what can be the result of a sexually transmitted infection freaked people out.
The timing of the vaccine is vital since antibodies have a stronger response in younger people and it’s most effective to vaccinate before one is exposed to the virus. However, the CDC also recommends that adults get it up to age 26 for women and 21 for men. This includes men who have had or intend to have sex with other men, transgender folks and people with conditions that impact their immune systems, such as HIV.
While 40 percent of American teenagers are now getting the vaccine, there’s still some bad press out there about it having a negative impact on one’s fertility. Where is this false information coming from? Dr. Donnica Moore, a women’s health expert and physician educator, says it’s the result of “zombie lies,” which are referred to as such “because no matter how often they are killed, they always return.”
These lies are perpetuated by both the anti-vaccination movement and pseudoscience and have gained traction thanks to the internet.
“Because the HPV vaccine prevents an STI [sexually transmitted infection], it was ripe to attract extremists and alarmists who were concerned that the vaccine would therefore make teenage girls promiscuous,” says Moore.
She cites one conspiracy theory in particular claiming the vaccine leads to premature ovarian failure, otherwise known as early menopause (menopause that sets in before age 40) that was being disseminated throughout Africa as a means of population control.
In September 2017, a group of scientists at Boston University dug into the relationship between fertility and HPV. What they learned was that there were no adverse effects on either male or female fertility among folks who had been given the HPV vaccine, and in fact, women who had had the vaccine were just as likely to conceive as women who had not been vaccinated. “Our study should reassure those who are hesitant to vaccinate due to fertility concerns,” said Kathryn McInerney, the study’s lead author.
Not only is the HPV vaccine not linked to fertility issues, it can actually improve fertility in both men and women. A 2011 study revealed HPV can mess with semen quality, sperm mobility and even increase antisperm antibodies. A 2014 study indicated that since HPV is so prevalent among men ages 18 to 40, it might have a huge impact on infertility in both men and in couples (in other words, infertility isn’t always about women’s bodies).
For women, treatments for cervical dysplasia, abnormal cells that congregate in your uterus thanks to HPV, have been associated with preterm delivery. HPV can be a factor in failed IVF as well as miscarriages and, of course, if you need to have a hysterectomy due to cervical cancer, that’s obviously a blow to your fertility as well. And since getting the vaccine isn’t going to inhibit or endanger your fertility, but rather works to preserve it, there’s no reason not to get it and to make sure your kids get it too.
Not all strains of HPV lead to cancer, but those addressed by the HPV vaccine do. You should still be seeing your doctor regularly for Pap smears even if you are vaccinated. (In fact, even if you’ve had a partial hysterectomy, you should still get Pap smears.) The vaccine isn’t intended to replace a Pap or an annual visit and it doesn’t prevent all forms of HPV, just those that cause 70 percent of cervical cancers and genital warts. That remaining 30 percent is a pretty good reason to get a regular Pap since you want to get out in front of anything abnormal. Paps are also especially important if you didn’t complete the full series of the vaccine, which for Gardasil is three shots over a six-month period, or if you weren’t aware you already had HPV when you started getting the vaccine, in which case it might end up being less effective.
Can the Christmas season even begin without Mariah Carey? I know that in my house, Christmas season does not start until 12:01 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving, when the first rendition of "All I Want for Christmas Is You" blasts through the speakers (often in the car on the way to do some Black Friday shopping). Carey is the queen of Christmas— this is undisputed.
And so, fam, Christmas is in danger this year. Carey just announced via a statement on Twitter that she has a bad upper respiratory infection that's forcing her to cancel Christmas concerts.
"Lambs! Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, it seems I've received a present of my own; a lovely upper respiratory infection after last week's flu," she wrote. "You know there is nothing I love more than celebrating the holidays with my festive Christmas show, but I have to take my doctor's orders and rest until he says I can sing onstage."
Sick Mariah Carey cancels some of her christmas shows
Sick Mariah Carey cancels some of her christmas shows
She continued, "Until then, unfortunately, I have to cancel the first several shows of my upcoming Christmas tour. I'm going to do all that I can so that I can see you soon!"
That's it. Pack up the tree, the lights, the ornaments and the stockings. Return whatever gifts you've already bought. Christmas is canceled unless Carey can somehow get better by the official first day of Christmas season, which means she has one week to recover. This is going to take a Christmas miracle. We believe in you, Christmas Queen Mariah!
Updated Nov. 16, 2017, 12:30 p.m. PT: We still don't know for sure if this is what caused her breakup with The Weeknd, but Selena Gomez is fully, 100 percent back together with Justin Bieber. We know. We didn't believe it ourselves until someone caught a pic of them kissing at a hockey game.
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez kissing
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez kissing
According to an insider, they think they can make it work this time, despite like, a decade of dating on and off.
"Justin is still very happy. They have had quiet date nights at home and outings to local, low-key sports," the source told People magazine. "They are still catching up and just enjoying hanging out. They have learned from past mistakes and are not putting any pressure on each other. Things are much different and more mature."
Only time will tell.
Updated Nov. 2, 2017, 10:15 a.m. PT: Fresh off her breakup with The Weeknd, Selena Gomez is spending more and more time hanging out with her ex, Justin Bieber. The amount of time they've been spending together is enough to raise any eyebrow, but now reports are really seriously considering Bieber might have had something to do with the former couple's split.
One source told Us Weekly, "[The Weeknd] trusted Selena, but he really didn’t trust Justin."
That same source also described Bieber as Gomez's soul mate, adding, "He always had her heart and her attention."
Meanwhile, following the months of "back and forth" about their relationship that ended in their breakup, The Weeknd seems to be settling into single life. TMZ spotted him at a club, dancing with an unidentified woman and clearly having a good time, as young, rich, single people are wont to do.
Eventually, maybe we'll get some closure on this. Or maybe we won't. Either way, we'll probably make it through.
Original story:
Ugh. One of our favorite pop culture couples, Selena Gomez and The Weeknd, has reportedly broken up. Happy Monday, everyone!
Sources tell People magazine that after 10 months together, Gomez and The Weeknd, given name Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, couldn't make their relationship work amid their busy schedules.
"She and Abel have been going back and forth for a few months about their relationship," one insider shared. "It’s been hard with him being on tour and her shooting in New York. That wasn’t easy on them."
Even with all that physical distance between them, Gomez was often seen attending The Weeknd's shows, but there were many that she couldn't make and "that played a part in them getting distant," an insider explained. It also couldn't have helped that Gomez has had a wild year, taking time off from her music career to have a kidney transplant to treat her lupis. We can see that being tough on any relationship.
The good news is they haven't cut each other entirely out of their lives, so maybe there's hope for reconciliation.
"It’s over for now, but they’re still in touch," a source said. "It’s been hard for them to come to the realization that this is the direction things were heading, but it’s been hard for months."
Despite what you may be thinking (and admit it — you were thinking it), Gomez is reportedly not back with her perpetually on-and-off boyfriend Justin Bieber, even though they were spotted together over the weekend going to church and then having breakfast together in a nearby café.
Early November is usually when the questions start: My friends want to know what it is that we teachers really want to get for the holidays. Well, for one thing, let this be a PSA to you parents who think you have >to get your child’s teacher a holiday gift to show you appreciation: No, you don’t.
In fact, most teachers say their favorite "gifts" are the cards and notes they receive from students. I know I keep a folder of these and look at them when I’m having a bad day — and they’ve lasted longer than just about anything else I’ve received from students and their families because they truly show the love.
That said, my colleagues and I are also big fans of the gift cards we receive. I know; this seems impersonal. But one way to personalize it is to see if you can find out something about the teacher's special interests or favorite item. Margaret, an elementary teacher, loved an ABC gift card she got because she was so excited about being able to drink beer again after giving birth. Bernie, also a high school teacher, says he appreciates when kids actually notice his love of comics. Cynthia, a high school teacher, says one of her favorite gifts ever was tickets to a baseball game, her favorite sport.
You may want to see if your school or PTA already does something like a My Favorite Things list for teachers — like this one from Skip to My Lou — to help eliminate some of the guesswork. But if not, there are plenty of teacher-approved suggestions for actual gift items out there — just check out our list of favorites below. But, again: Target, Starbucks and Amazon cards are always welcome too. Hint, hint.
Jazz up the usual coffee/tea offering with this spectacular mug (also available in 16-ounce). If you’re really feeling the love, add a special version of the teacher's preferred beverage — like Wicked Dark Sumatra Coffee or organic cream Earl Grey black tea. Trust me: Most teachers depend greatly on their caffeine. Rose Gold Zojirushi stainless mug (12 ounces), $24.75 at Amazon
The right pen can make all that grading go somuch faster. Not sure what the magic is, but it’s true nevertheless — fun pens are highly coveted among teachers.
Lesson planning never stops, and the best ideas always strike when you're washing dishes, in the shower, at the pool — basically anywhere you have no way of writing them down. Until now, that is.
Most teachers agree that any classroom supplies they typically stock are welcome and practical gifts, but I'd say that especially includes nice, natural hand sanitizer kids and teachers alike will use (or that teachers might just keep in a desk drawer for themselves). And if you’re really feeling thoughtful, add a box or two of tissues. Cold season is tough on everyone.
My friends who are English teachers — of course — say they love when students give a copy of their favorite book to contribute to a classroom library. Bonus: It’s always nice to have titles you already know are student-approved.
Turtles All the Way Down (hardcover), $11.99 at Barnes & Noble
A special memento for Hanukkah, Christmas or another holiday is a thoughtful way of adding beauty to your favorite educator’s family celebration. Steer clear of the apple-shaped and “#1 Teacher”-emblazoned stuff, though — it’s nice to acknowledge that teachers have well-rounded lives beyond the classroom.
Large mercury glass etched ornament, $16.50 at Pottery Barn
Desiree Williams is so totally done with Chrissy Hofbeck. In fact, Desiree says Chrissy is one of her least favorite people in the entire world. But what went wrong between the two Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers castaways? Desiree explained it all in our one-on-one interview. Plus, she revealed why she stayed so loyal to Joe Mena when everybody else hated him. She also discussed how a casting director randomly found her online and approached her to be a contestant on the show.
SheKnows: What did you think was going to happen at the Tribal Council in which you were voted off?
Desiree Williams: I kind of thought exactly what happened was going to happen. Going to Tribal I had a pretty good inkling I was going home. We had confirmed the other alliance would be splitting their votes between Joe and me. I sort of knew, or at least felt, if I could just write down Joe's name that I would be safe in the game. He would've had the votes to go home. On the same token, I could not morally bring myself to write down his name. I had conversations with just about everybody, and everybody had lied to my face about who they're working with. Joe, I felt, was the only person who was being truthful at that point. He was the only person I still trusted in the game. It became something so much bigger than the game of Survivor.
Image: CBS
SK: What gave you that feeling you were going to be voted off?
DW: I had tried to have a conversation with Chrissy, and it was very clear that she didn't want to work with me. It was clear that the Heroes tribe was staying strong together. Secondly, I knew that I was a huge physical threat in the game. No ifs, ands or buts about it, even going into the merge there were too many challenges I had made look too easy. I knew people would be gunning for me for that reason.
Image: CBS
SK: Lauren had a secret advantage that she used at Tribal Council. It involved her sacrificing her vote to gain an extra one later in the game. How is it that nobody noticed there was a vote missing when Jeff Probst revealed each one?
DW: I know. It's so easy to see it from the outside looking in. "Oh, duh. Only 10 votes were read." But when you're in the moment, we were sleep-deprived and hungry. I truthfully didn't even notice only 10 votes were read. Even further than that, I was still dumbfounded about where all the Healer votes went because I thought we were all voting for Lauren. We had all agreed upon that going into Tribal as a way to keep us safe. I was super-confused about the Healer votes, so I wasn't even thinking about the fact only 10 votes were read. It's so easy at home to say, "That makes no sense." If it had been five votes for Joe and five votes for me, it would've been very clear, but the votes were all over the place.
SK: When did you learn Lauren didn't actually vote? Did you find out about it while watching the episode?
DW: No. I found out before the episode aired. Truthfully and embarrassingly, it wasn't until other people came to Ponderosa that I knew that. Once it was done, I was thinking about all the food I was going to eat, brushing my teeth and taking a shower. I wasn't ruminating over how many votes went where. It didn't cross my mind.
Image: CBS
SK: You said you couldn't morally cast a vote against Joe, but almost everybody else seems agitated by his strong personality. What is it about Joe that kept you so loyal to him?
DW: It's funny because Joe wears his cards on his sleeve. If he doesn't like you, you know he doesn't like you. It rubs people the wrong way because they're used to just being fake all the time. Joe is very clear in what he likes, what he's going to do, says what he thinks and does what he says he's going to do. For me, I respect that. Although I'm not as abrasive in my delivery, I'm also that type of person. I do what I say I'm gonna do. We don't have to keep having these conversations and insecurities about what you're thinking about me. This is what I think, and you can't change the way I think. He's much more vocal, but I think he and I are similar in the way we think and operate in the world.
SK: But with the negative feelings surrounding him by the other contestants, did you ever consider distancing yourself so you weren't so tightly connected to Joe?
DW: I don't think my partnership with Joe is why I got voted out. I think if you ask anybody else who played the game, they would say the same thing. I was a challenge threat. People liked me well enough. That's why I was voted out of the game, not because I was working with Joe. If anything, my partnership with Joe would've helped long-term because if both of us get further in the game nobody wants to keep him around.
Image: CBS
SK: You mentioned that Chrissy had no interest in working with you. What is your take on Chrissy?
DW: Chrissy is one of my least favorite people in the world. These are very strong feelings, but now you've got me worked up [laughs]. Chrissy does not like women, and that's very clear, at least women who she feels threatened by. You can see back-to-back-to-back women were voted out, and Chrissy was at the helm of those decisions. She either doesn't know how to work with women or doesn't care to work with women. It might be easier to manipulate guys with her "good looks," big boobs, teeth or whatever. My take on Chrissy is she's good in this game because guys are dumb and fall for big boobs and teeth. I think Chrissy crossed the moral line in this game more than once, and for that reason I have a hard time with her as a person.
Image: CBS
SK: What did she do to cross the line with you?
DW: It was not shown because it would've aired in my elimination episode. There was a point Chrissy swears on her kids about something she is in fact lying about. That, to me, draws the moral line. At that point, it was not something that even needed to be lied about. We all saw what went down. The fact that you're swearing on your kids' lives about something that you are actually lying about. It was something that doesn't matter because we all saw it go down. You can't even lie. It felt stupid and she had gone too far.
DW: It was the whole digging for the Idol thing. It was something about seeing the clue and then digging for the Idol. It was all in that whole thing that went down where she and Cole were wrestling in the sand. It all surrounded that moment with that clue they found in the group reward.
Image: CBS
SK: So there's no future friendship between you and Chrissy once this is all done?
DW: It's weird, actually, because sometimes she texts me. I'm like, we're actually not friends. I don't know that she has a good read on how much I don't like her. I don't like her.
SK: At this point, who do you think is playing the strongest game?
DW: I think Chrissy. We've seen Chrissy lead four votes in a row. So while I don't like her as a person, she's playing a hell of a game. She's still winning through the game by manipulating these men to vote her way time after time. For whatever reason, they don't see her as a threat even though she's controlling all the moves. It's an interesting thing that's going on. I don't like Chrissy one bit, but she's playing a hell of a game.
Image: CBS
SK: Did you have a plan on who you wanted to go to the final three with?
DW: I definitely had a plan on who I wanted to sit next to. J.P. is one of them because he was confused always. I went back and forth between Cole and Devon. Cole made fatal flaws over and over and over again. For Devon, when the final three talks at that final Tribal Council, he wasn't going to form a sentence that made it convincing to vote for him.
SK: But not Joe?
DW: No. I would not go to the final three with Joe. At some point in time, I would've had to flip on him. If Joe pisses off that many people and makes it to the final three, he's playing a good game.
DW: Truthfully, I wasn't a hardcore Survivor fan. I, of course, watched it the first several seasons that all of America watched. I fell out of it in high school and college. I actually received a random message on Facebook. There was a random message from a casting director from Survivor. He was like, "I know this is crazy, but just hear me out. Watch Survivor for a weekend. Call me on Monday, and let me know if it's something you're interested in." So I binge-watched Survivor for an entire weekend. I mostly saw the physical challenges and was like, "I'm a competitor. I'd love to fucking play that." I then recorded an audition tape and sent it in. A couple weeks later, I was flown out to LA for in-person auditions. It's sort of something that fell in my lap to be totally honest.
Image: CBS
SK: How did they find you?
DW: He said that he sometimes looks at the Miss USA website and reads contestant profiles to see if any of them would be a good fit. He came across my profile and thought I would be a good fit. At least that's the story I was told. That's how he found me.
Image: CBS
SK: Would you play again?
DW: Absolutely. I think it's sort of like how people describe childbirth. In the moment you're like, "Who did this to me? I'm not up for this shit. How the hell did I get here?" Then afterward you're like, "Oh, that wasn't so bad. I think I'll have 10 more." That's kind of where I am. In the moment, I was miserable, especially when I was hungry, dirty and my breath stunk. Reflecting on it now, I would absolutely go back.
SK: But if you knew Chrissy was going to be back in the game with you, would you still want to play again?
DW: Oh, gosh. That's a tough decision. I wouldn't let her rain on my parade. I'd still go back.
Image: CBS
Do you agree with Desiree that Chrissy is playing the best game this season? Join the conversation in the section below.
Sylvester Stallone is the most recent actor (and likely not the last) to come face-to-face with allegations of sexual assault. First reported by The Daily Mail and later confirmed by Us Weekly, allegations made by a 16-year-old girl in 1986 allege that Stallone and his bodyguard at the time, Mike De Luca, forcibly coerced her into giving both men oral sex. Later, as stated in the police report filed by the girl, De Luca allegedly forcibly had sex with her while Stallone later allegedly ejaculated in front of her.
According to Us Weekly, the girl filed a police report at the time that the alleged criminal act occurred but that report was seemingly not followed up on. This is evidenced by the fact that this appears to be the first time the public is hearing about it since it happened 31 years ago.
The Daily Mail's report states that the girl was invited up to the then 40-year-old actor's hotel room while he was in Las Vegas. From there, "the 16-year-old claimed she had sex with Stallone and he encouraged De Luca to join them [in his hotel room]. At that point, she became 'very uncomfortable' with the encounter but felt she had 'no choice.' De Luca then forced the teenager to perform oral sex on him before penetrating her, while Stallone made her give him oral sex, according to the police report."
Worse still, the girl alleged at the time that the actor threatened her if she told anyone about the incident, allegedly saying that both men were married, implying that it would ruin or destabilize Stallone or De Luca's personal lives. The phrase reportedly used by Stallone was that he would have to "beat her head in" if she told anyone — a stomach-churning turn of phrase, to be sure.
In a subsequent interview, which was videotaped, the girl was visibly upset and told authorities at the time, "I’m humiliated and ashamed, but I don’t want to prosecute. I don’t want anybody else to have that happen to them, but I don’t want to prosecute. I cannot talk about this anymore. Please leave me alone."
In a statement to Us Weekly, reps for Stallone's stated that "[t]his is a ridiculous, categorically false story. No one was ever aware of this story until it was published today, including Mr. Stallone. At no time was Mr. Stallone ever contacted by authorities or anyone else regarding this matter."
Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian is officially Mr. Serena Williams! That's right: On Thursday, Nov. 16, Ohanian and Williams were married at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. While pictures have yet to show up on social media from the wedding, we do have plenty of fun details to keep us enthusiastic and intrigued about these adorable celebrity nuptials.
Entertainment Tonight reports that the wedding had a theme and that theme was Beauty and the Beast. Guests were reportedly welcomed into the wedding with the sweet sounds of "Be Our Guest" and apparently, they were also asked to dress according to the theme. So even if no pictures are posted right now, you can use your imagination to conjure up images of what must have been the most glamorous wedding this year. Additionally, ET reports that "the day after their wedding, the couple and their guests will have 'a full-blown brunch at the Ace Hotel with a DJ, games and recovery bar.'" Uh, can we join, please?
The guests in attendance were also the cream of the crop (well, in my opinion, anyway). Reported guests included: Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian West, La La Anthony, Kelly Rowland, Colton Haynes, Emeril Lagasse and, of course, Williams' sister Venus and the daughter she has with Ohanian, Alexis Olympia. Sadly, we're unable to confirm if Meghan Markle made it down to The Big Easy for this eagerly anticipated celebrity wedding.
Williams has been preparing for this special day for quite some time. She got engaged to Ohanian in December of last year and in September, the couple welcomed their daughter. More recently, Williams had her bachelorette party and over on her Instagram, it's clear she's been enjoying some post-tennis season downtime with her family.
What a happy time for this lovely couple. Congrats!
While alcohol use has been on the rise across the board, women in particular seem to be at additional risk of developing alcoholism. In fact, a study recently published by JAMA Psychiatry notes that alcohol-use disorders are on the rise in women when compared to stats from a decade ago. There are several reasons behind this alarming trend, which include the physical makeup of women as well as specific, unique stressors in their lives.
Faster progression of alcohol-related disorders
When it comes to physiology, women are at a disadvantage when it comes to alcohol use and how it affects the body. We spoke with Vonnie Nealon, who is a clinical team lead at Warriors Heart, a treatment facility for active or veteran members of organizations that protect and serve, including the military, law enforcement, first responders and more. She explains that women often experience a faster progression of alcohol-related disorders due to a few factors — they are hesitant to seek help; they are less likely to discuss their alcohol use with their physicians; and often, medical professionals fail to routinely ask women about their alcohol intake.
Additionally, women are physically affected by alcohol differently than men due to a few factors. For one, women tend to weigh less than men, and two, women's bodies generally sport a higher fat composition — both factors that contribute to a lower percentage of water in women's bodies.
"Alcohol is dispersed in the water in the body, and as a general rule, the more water available, the more alcohol becomes diluted," says Nealon. "When a woman drinks, her organs are exposed to more alcohol and alcohol by-products than men. This result may cause more damage internally and actually accelerate the disease process."
While closing the gender wage gap is a vital goal in our society, studies have indicated that another gender gap is slowly slamming shut. While men have historically outpaced women in the alcohol abuse department, a study posted in BMJ Open in 2016 noted that the alcohol-use gap between guys and girls is getting narrower as the years go by.
Nealon says this may be due to a couple of factors. "As women continue to take on nontraditional roles in the workplace, it appears that many feel the need to become a part of the after-work drinking culture," she notes. Additionally, she recognizes that women may turn to alcohol to cope with stress or trauma, and those with depression may be more prone to experience drinking problems.
She also explains that the alcohol industry seems to be making an effort to market specifically to women. "The cost of alcohol, including beer and wine, has dropped, and now these products are readily available in the supermarket, which means they are becoming an everyday grocery item," she explains.
Signs of alcoholism
There isn't a single symptom of alcoholism that can definitively diagnose someone with an alcohol-use disorder, but there are warning signs that can indicate a problem may be brewing.
Here are several signs of alcoholism from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:
Drinking more or longer than intended
Wanting to cut down, but being unable to
Spending a lot of time drinking (or being sick from drinking)
Experiencing a craving to drink
Drinking (sickness from drinking) that interferes with taking care of home, family, job or school
Continuing to drink despite it causing trouble with friends or family
Giving up or cutting back on activities due to drinking
Getting into situations, while or after drinking, that increase chances of injury
Continuing to drink despite it causing depression, anxiety or adding to another health problem
Having to drink more than before to achieve the same effect
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms, which can include shaking, trouble sleeping, irritability, anxiety, depression, nausea, sweating
Treatment options
While there are a number of treatment options for those diagnosed with an alcohol-use disorder, Nealon notes that some women have obstacles that can keep them from seeking help.
"Many women who have families struggle to fit treatment into their schedules," she explains. "Group therapy appears to be beneficial as it allows women with the same issues to come together and recognize that they are not alone. Women, however, tend to seek out individual counseling and outpatient programs rather than residential treatment. There is still a stigma toward women who drink, and therefore a stigma against those who actively seek out treatment."
Don't let this get you down, however. If you suspect that you or someone you love may be inching toward an alcohol-use disorder, seek support and get help. The NIAAA writes that while many don't seek help, even those with severe problems can benefit from treatment.
Let's get one thing straight: Jeffrey Tambor's "apology" for the sexual abuse his former assistant and co-star say they suffered at his hands is not actually an apology. It's a gas-lighting attempt to turn scrutiny on the victims, and it's not going to work.
Last week, Tambor's former assistant Van Barnes accused the Transparent star of sexual harassment, prompting Amazon to launch an internal investigation. Today, one of Tambor's co-stars on the show, Trace Lysette, accused him of sexual harassment in claims that mirror Barnes', as well as sexual assault.
"He came in close, put his bare feet on top of mine so I could not move, leaned his body against me, and began quick, discreet thrust back and forth against my body. I felt his penis on my hip through his thin pajamas," Lysette told The Hollywood Reporter.
Tambor, who had already called Barnes "a disgruntled former employee" and described her accusations as "baseless," released a statement in response to Lysette's claims, and it's bad, fam.
"For the past four years, I’ve had the huge privilege — and huge responsibility – of playing Maura Pfefferman, a transgender woman, in a show that I know has had an enormous, positive impact on a community that has been too long dismissed and misunderstood," Tambor wrote. "I know I haven’t always been the easiest person to work with. I can be volatile and ill-tempered, and too often I express my opinions harshly and without tact. But I have never been a predator — ever. I am deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive or if I ever offended or hurt anyone. But the fact is, for all my flaws, I am not a predator and the idea that someone might see me in that way is more distressing than I can express."
First off, apologizing for the way he says his victims "misinterpreted" his behavior is not an apology at all. It's blaming those victims for being too sensitive, too touchy, for not letting his behavior go as just something boys do. Second, the way Tambor expects leniency because he paints himself as an ally to the trans community because of his work on Transparent is so far off base. Both of Tambor's alleged victims are trans women. Even if his work, as a cis-het man playing the role of a trans woman when that role should be played by, you know, an actual trans woman — even if that work qualifies him as an automatic ally as he seems to believe (spoiler alert: it doesn't), it does not negate these allegations.
Jeffrey Tambor's attempt at an apology has only made him look worse. And considering he started out looking like a man accused of sexually assaulting a co-worker, that's not great.
It was only about a decade or so ago that mindfulness and meditation seemed pretty out there to the general public — however, nowadays, getting your meditation on has gone mainstream and is pretty much a survival requirement. Maybe it's because our world is so chaotic, but it can be seriously hard to relax without a little quiet introspection. And gifting your loved ones things that can help them get centered is pretty much the most thoughtful thing you can do for them if you really think about it.
Whether you're buying a holiday gift for someone who already appreciates meditation or you just want to spread the word about the wonderful world of mindfulness, there are plenty of appropriate gifts available.
It’s sometimes hard to practice mindfulness at work — but perhaps having this Zen garden (complete with crystals) on a desk could remind someone to stop and relax for a mindful moment during a busy day.
Hooray! Coloring for grown-ups has become mainstream. It offers a time to sit down, put pen to paper and focus your attention on coloring inside the lines. This beautiful book by Johanna Basford contains a wealth of gorgeous designs to bring to life.
Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book, $11.97 at Barnes & Noble
This isn't just a pretty print. The lotus flower is highly regarded in Buddhism and is used as a symbol of purity. The theory goes that as you practice meditation, the heart opens like a lotus. It's perfect for hanging at home as a reminder and inspiration to keep practicing.
Sometimes it helps to have a reminder to, well, just breathe. This hand-stamped aluminum cuff bracelet is a lovely gift for anyone who needs a reminder to slow down and focus on themselves once in a while
Watching a flickering candle as it gently burns can be a useful aid to meditation, especially for beginners. This candle will not only be good to watch, but its scent could help you feel calmer too. It’s made from natural soy wax with cedarwood, patchouli and lavender oils, which are all renowned for their calming and grounding properties.
Have you heard of Zentangling? It’s a form of meditative drawing (not entirely dissimilar to doodling) that’s both relaxing and fun. The book One Zentangle a Day by Beckah Krahula is the perfect gift for the creative friend on your holiday gift list. It will keep them focused on doing small daily Zentangle drawings for six weeks, plus they might even feel calmer and more relaxed too.
One Zentangle A Day: A 6-Week Course in Creative Drawing for Relaxation, Inspiration, and Fun, $22.99 at Barnes & Noble
8. Drink tea & be mindful
Image: SharonsCompendium
Want to encourage someone with a simple way to start being mindful? How about a cup of tea? This mini handmade book contains a cute story about how enlightenment could be found through the simple act of making and drinking tea and could get your gift recipient contemplating their daily brew.
If your gift recipient enjoys meditation outside, this glass and driftwood wind chime could be the perfect addition to their garden. There’s something special about hearing the delicate sound of wind setting off the tinkling of a chime. This one is beautifully handmade from beach glass and driftwood.
Blue Handworks sea glass and driftwood wind chime, $21.51 at Amazon
What’s not to love about these worry beads? Made from a cascade of exquisite rainbow-colored genuine tourmaline gemstones and silver beads, they’d be ideal for the intended recipient to hold and touch for mindfulness practice.
It's easy to get caught up in the stress and woe of life, but being grateful can help people feel happier, more positive and optimistic. A gratitude journal is a gift that encourages the art of gratitude and appreciating the simple things in life — which ties in well with being mindful. It's a good practice to try, and your gift recipient could end up with a year's worth of memories to read back through and enjoy this time next year.
Gratitude Journal: Five Minutes a Day to a Happier You, $11.99 at Amazon
Jennifer Hudson and her longtime fiancé, David Otunga, have broken things off. What's worse, Hudson has reportedly requested and received a protection order against him.
"They have been in the process of ending their relationship for a number of months," the rep said. "Today, Jennifer requested and received a protective order against her ex-fiancé. Jennifer’s actions are solely taken in the best interest of their son."
Hudson and Otunga, a former professional wrestler, welcomed their son, David Daniel Jr., together in 2009. They started dating in 2008, and Otunga proposed just months into their relationship.
The split news is especially shocking since in April, ahead of her debut as a coach on The Voice, Hudson spoke candidly to Ellen DeGeneres about her relationship and the fact that, despite their nearly decadelong engagement, she and Otunga still planned to get married.
"I’m not in a rush. He ain’t going nowhere," she said at the time.
There's no official word about why Hudson was granted the protection order, but Otunga's lawyer released a statement on his behalf denying that he ever harmed his fiancée of nearly 10 years. The statement alluded to claims that Hudson may have made, saying that Otunga had endangered her or their son.
"Mr. Otunga has never abused or harassed Ms. Hudson or their son, and it is unfortunate, especially in today’s climate, that she would feel the need to make these false allegations against him," the statement reads. "Mr. Otunga looks forward to his day in court and in being awarded the residential care of the parties’ only child."
Anyone who has ever had or loved a dog knows that it comes with some pretty great perks, including cuddles, companionship and affection. But it turns out, having a dog also has a major health benefit: It's good for your (literal) heart.
A new study out of Sweden used data from 3.4 million people in their national registries between the ages of 40 and 80 and found that those who had a dog had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease than those who were dog-free.
The heart-health benefits of being a dog parent were especially pronounced among people living alone (in this case, meaning without other humans), which, according to the study's authors, is a group reported previously to be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and death than those living with other people. Specifically, the research found there was a 33 percent reduction in risk of death and an 11 percent reduction in risk of having a heart attack during follow-up compared to people who lived alone who did not have a dog.
"Perhaps a dog may stand in as an important family member in the single households," said Mwenya Mubanga, lead junior author of the study and Ph.D. student at the Department of Medical Sciences and the Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, in a statement.
Although these large-scale studies based on massive data sets like the national registries in Sweden are an interesting and helpful way of finding associations, it doesn't provide specific answers about how having a dog improves heart health.
But the researchers do have some theories. For starters, we do know that having a dog means (well, requires) a higher level of physical activity — basically acting as a furry personal trainer that ensures you get your steps in taking it on walks and refilling its food and water bowl. According to Tove Fall, senior author of the study and associate professor in epidemiology at the Department of Medical Sciences and the Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, there are other explanations, including that having a dog typically means increased well-being and social contacts for the owner in addition to effects of the dog on their bacterial microbiome.
"There might also be differences between owners and non-owners already before buying a dog, which could have influenced our results, such as those people choosing to get a dog tending to be more active and of better health," Fall added.
