If you've been on the internet lately, you may have seen this:
Aretha Franklin death hoax tweet from a fake twitter 1
Aretha Franklin death hoax tweet from a fake twitter 1
That's right. That is a very real-looking Twitter account for Aretha Franklin, complete with the handle @ArethaFranklin, which was tweeting earlier this week about the death of the Queen of Soul. Take a breath, Franklin fans, because it's totally fake.
Celebrity death hoaxes happen all the time, and it can be both amusing and sincerely morbid because we have to hear celebrities respond to the "news" of their own deaths. That's exactly what Franklin did after this tweet went viral and #RIPArethaFranklin started trending on Twitter.
"I’m doing well generally, all test have come back good," Franklin, who has struggled a little bit with her health in recent months, told Us Weekly in an emailed statement. "I’ve lost a lot of weight due to side effects of medicine, it affects your weight... Thanxxx for your concern."
Still, that tweet had a lot of people fooled. Franklin is 75 years old, after all, so news of her death wouldn't be particularly outside the realm of possibility. Sadly, it's also not the first time false news about Franklin has spread like wildfire. After a medical procedure in 2011, reports emerged she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly forms of cancer a person can get.
"I don’t know where ‘pancreatic cancer’ came from," she told Access Hollywood at the time. "I was sitting there reading the newspaper and it was saying someone in my family said that. No one in my family ever said that to anybody."
While Franklin is certainly not dead, she is stepping back from her music career. She announced earlier this year that she was retiring, but that she didn't plan to sit idle.
We're glad she's doing just fine. But also, can people please stop spreading these nasty death rumors? That must be distressing for Franklin, who is inevitably forced to comment every time is happens.
On Tuesday, supermodel-slash-supermom Cindy Crawford shared a couple of lovely photos on Instagram. The pics are a high school-age image of Cindy beside one of her daughter, model Kaia Gerber, around the same age. “School pics, now and then,” the icon wrote as the caption. Is the resemblance uncanny or what?
While, sure, we know Crawford is Gerber’s mother, and, well, these twinning things tend to happen when two people share DNA, it's still pretty fun to see. A number of commenters have called out the doppelgänger pair, including Crawford's fellow supermodel, Elle Macpherson, who called them “Beautiful twins” (it’s not the first time Macpherson has gushed over a photo of Crawford’s family). Had Gerber, 16, copied Mom’s perfectly coiffed ’80s hair, it would be tough to tell the two women apart.
Despite Gerber and Crawford sharing pretty much the same mannerisms, facial expressions and bone structure, there are two things they do not share: clothing and shoes. In an interview with E! News, Gerber explained that compared to mom, she unfortunately fell short — literally. “She's a bit taller. And we're not the same shoe size either, which is heartbreaking," she said. Heartbreaking indeed. So much for raiding what’s sure to be an epic closet.
Dancing with the Stars is no longer a fun show to watch. There I said it. Here’s the crazy part of what I’m about to say — the dancing and all of the hard work that the pros and contestants put in is my favorite part of the entire series.
I love watching the celebrities’ journeys and the physical and mental work they put in over the course of 10 weeks. However, DWTS has reached a point where it is overproduced and it has lost some of its authenticity.
When the show began in 2005, it was a six-episode summer series that America watched because we thought it was going to be a train wreck. Instead, it started a 25-season phenomenon of sequins, drama and that coveted Mirrorball trophy.
The bigger it got, the bigger the production value, and somewhere along the way, the show lost a little bit of its heart. The authenticity is what made this show a success, and sometimes, it’s a bit frustrating to see too much string-pulling behind the scenes.
Here are a few of the areas where I think going back to basics would make all of the difference in the world.
The show has certain slots that they love to fill, but I would love to see them go outside-the-box for casting. Each season we can predict one football star, one '90s icon and one Disney star. I long for the days with a soap star because the daytime fans rally around their contestant like no one else.
I want to see an athlete from a different sport as well, but it looks like that wish will come through in spring 2018 with the all-athlete spinoff show in the spring. When they come back for a full season in the fall of 2018, I hope to see a wider variety of contestants. I don’t want to be able to anticipate all of the types of celebs they are going to cast.
Video packages
Nastia Liukin DWTS
Nastia Liukin DWTS
The video packages play before every contestant dances. They make us laugh. They make us cry. And sometimes, they make us cringe. Fans notice when these packages take on a tone because we all know what is coming the following week — elimination. Yes, the celeb might have said something in the heat of the moment, but it was out of hours and hours and hours of footage. If you make the star look like a brat, it’s the end of the road for them. We’ve seen these bad packages happen to Nastia Liukin and Marilu Henner.
Viewers aren’t the only ones who get upset at those packages from time to time, Derek Hough mentioned his frustration with this creative editing in his May 2015 TV Guide blog after the Liukin package aired.
“I have to say I'm pretty disappointed in the package they showed. I know how the show works and they like to build narratives and everything, but last week was the first time Nastia and I had a chance to bond,” he wrote. “What's more ridiculous is I would understand it if we actually had an argument last week, but we've never had an argument.”
I am a big fan of shaking up the judging panel. While you have to find the right chemistry with a group of people, mixing it up keeps the show fresh. DWTS has been very loyal to their three judges — Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman. Goodman has taken time off, and his opinions are missed, but I would like to see the show rotate in qualified dance judges in Inaba and Tonioli’s spots. One season off, one season on — like what The Voice does or American Idol did every few seasons. It keeps us interested in the comments and it keeps the scoring less predictable.
Theme weeks
Sometimes a theme works really well — like Most Memorable Year and Trios — other times, it falls completely flat. When the show pushes a theme too hard, it forces the pros’ creative hands. They have to sacrifice creativity for complying with a theme, like when they do Iconic Dances or Disney Week. Sometimes, simplicity is best. We are here to see the celebs dance. Just let them get out there on the ballroom floor and do their thing. Sometimes, too much fuss isn’t worth the hassle at all.
Season 1 pro Charlotte Jørgensen shared similar sentiments in a recent Dance Network interview. She says the dancing itself is enough to draw viewers in.
“I think you could have left much of it alone and it still would have been successful. I will always be a purist. I believe in the product,” she said. “You don’t always have to razzmatazz it. The product was always great to start with.”
The part producers need to remember about Dancing with the Stars is that the simplicity of the concept is what makes the show so great. If they let the stories and the journeys evolve naturally, the show resonates authentically. That’s what I want to see from DWTS — bring the fun back again.
If there's any reality TV couple in this world that we're really pulling for, it's gotta be Dancing with the Stars' Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson. They are so perfect for each other, and on the DWTS Season 25 finale, they proved it once again.
All the season's past contestants came back for the final episode, including country star Kelsea Ballerini, who gave a live performance of her new song, "Legends." She had a little help in making the number something truly special thanks to a choreographed dance by Chmerkovskiy and Johnson. They're basically the most beautiful couple alive when they're just standing next to each other, so seeing the two pros dance is basically magic.
Val and Jenna dance and kiss on the dwts finale episode
Val and Jenna dance and kiss on the dwts finale episode
But if you think the dance is super-passionate, just wait until the end. The very last moment of the dance is when Chmerkovskiy dips Johnson low, near the floor, and they share a deep, movieworthy kiss. Are you swooning? Because I'm swooning.
What makes it even better is knowing Chmerkovskiy and Johnson are truly in love. They've been off and on for a while, but recently, their romance seems to have taken a turn for the serious. They posted some sappy vacation photos together on a trip to Europe, and during a red carpet interview, Chmerkovskiy admitted he loves her.
Now that the season is over, these two lovebirds will have a little break from being constantly in front of the cameras. Here's hoping their love continues to grow during that time because we definitely want to see more of this next season.
Like father, like daughter. Model Behati Prinsloo captured a cute moment between hubby, Adam Levine, and daughter Dusty Rose on Instagram. In the image, we see the dad-kid pair hand in hand walking toward what looks like the most epic sudsy bathtub of all time. Prinsloo's social-sharing did have a limit: She covered the two bare bums with the peach emoji. “Same butt different,” she captioned it. Hilarious.
Little Dusty turned 1 this past September and is the couple’s only child... for now. Just shy of her first birthday, the couple announced they were expecting a second child. “Round 2,” she captioned a selfie of herself in the mirror, showing off her belly. Despite the good news, it was no surprise. Levine, who married Prinsloo in 2014, talked about his dad goals in an interview with People. Spoiler: He wants a village.
“I want to have 100 kids,” he said in August 2014. “I want to have more kids than is socially responsible.” Uh-oh, Behati.
Although after a year with their firstborn, surely that number has come down a peg or 20. After Prinsloo gave birth to Dusty, Levine and Prinsloo spoke openly about the experience — and from the looks of it, Dusty has both Mom and Dad wrapped around her little finger.
“I love Adam, and when you get married and you fall in love with someone, you think that there’s no greater love than that love. And then you have a baby, and it’s just next-level love,” Prinsloo said in a separate interview with People.
If there's one thing the internet loves, it's a good old-fashioned conspiracy theory. And few events in history have inspired as many theories as the death of President John F. Kennedy.
Now, with the 54th anniversary of Kennedy's death coming up, there's a new theory circling that is so extra. Dr. James Fetzer, author of a book about the shooting death called Murder in Dealey Plaza, thinks there's evidence that points to a shooter no one suspected: Kennedy's wife, Jackie Kennedy.
Fetzer is rightfully skeptical of the Warren Report, the official government investigation that concluded Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, which people have said for years doesn't match evidence and video footage of the assassination. But Fetzer's ideas are even more out there.
"According to the Warren Report, Lee Oswald scored two hits, firing three shots in six seconds… with a medium to low velocity weapon, which couldn't have inflicted the damage to the President's skull," he wrote. "The autopsy x-rays were fabricated to conceal a massive blow-out to the back of the head, caused by a shot fired from in front… The autopsy record was falsified."
Fetzer believes footage of the infamous moment shows something shiny and metallic in Jackie's hand as she crawls across the backseat of the car immediately following the shooting. He thinks that something could have been a gun. What's even more, he thinks it's possible the CIA hired Jackie to carry out the shooting.
While it's probably not too far-fetched to consider there are details about the shooting that were left out of the official government report, believing Jackie Kennedy was the real murderer and that she was put up to it by the CIA? That's just a little too much.
So you've decided to get an epidural — now what? According to new research, the way you position yourself in bed after getting the procedure might make a difference. Specifically, you’re more likely to deliver with less medical intervention if you lie down compared to sitting upright.
A recent study in the British Journal of Medicine involving nearly 3,100 U.K. women who gave birth between 2010 and 2014 found that lying down was better for first-time moms who had low-dose epidurals. Those who had an epidural during the second stage of labor — when you’re fully dilated and ready to push — were more likely to have natural vaginal births without the need for suction or forceps. Women in the study who were lying down were either on their right or left side.
Of those in the study, 41.1 percent of women had spontaneous vaginal births when they were lying down, and 35.2 percent had the same when they sat upright.
“The study provides evidence that first time mothers with an epidural who lie down on their side during the second stage of labour are more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth, with no apparent disadvantages in relation to short- or longer-term outcomes for mother or baby,” Peter Brocklehurst, a professor at the University of Birmingham, said in a statement.
It's important to remember, though, that like all clinical trials, the study does have its limitations, and, Brocklehurst added, "[W]e can only speculate about the mechanism by which a lying-down position increases the chance of a spontaneous vaginal birth.”
He said the team is unsure whether the findings would be the same in women who have given birth before.
“However, given the clear benefit of the lying-down position, perhaps all women who have an epidural should be offered the choice of adopting a lying-down position in the second stage until we know otherwise,” Brocklehurst explained.
But that’s in the U.K., where about 30 percent of women get epidurals — things may be different in the U.S. where 70 percent of women opt for the spinal pain relief.
James Lozada, an anesthesiologist with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said it’s hard to apply the findings to American women because things are different here.
“The women in this study were 85 percent white, thin and healthy,” Lozada said. “That’s a very different population of patients than almost anywhere in the U.S.”
He said that most women in the U.S. prefer lying down.
“There is neither a significant movement nor desire to deliver in varying positions,” Lozada noted. Therefore, the question of having a birth without interventions doesn’t really apply because American women typically stay in bed while delivering.
Lozada also pointed out some issues with the study. One was that the authors didn’t define what a low-dose epidural was, making it hard to evaluate the analgesia used.
“The question of whether epidurals increase the rate of instrumental vaginal delivery is settled with large, randomized controlled trials from the U.S.,” Lozada added. “Epidurals using a low concentration of local anesthetics combined with opioids do not increase this risk and is the best choice for most patients.”
Whatever your birth plan, it's best to go in with as much information as possible, as decision-making during childbirth can happen quickly sometimes.
Well, it looks like it's time to say "Adios" to another celebrity couple.
On Wednesday, it was first reported by People magazine that Jennifer Lawrence and Darren Aronofsky split up. The couple were together for about a year and kept their relationship relatively quiet during that time.
They met during pre-production for Aronofsky's latest film, mother!. It wasn't until September, with the film finished, that the two began to stir up rumors that they were more than just co-workers. People reported back in autumn 2016 that the couple was quietly dating and it seems that that established pattern of staying super chill about publicizing their relationship became the norm for the duration of their relationship.
While they were spotted together as early as August 2016, it wasn't until after People's report that the two were seen together more often (although these events are not related; merely coincidental). In October, they were reportedly spotted in Los Angeles together. In November, they went out "together" (Lawrence was on Aronofsky's phone on a FaceTime call) on the Duke University campus to get students to vote.
An inside source confirmed the break-up to Entertainment Tonight, apparently saying that while they are broken up, they remain friendly with one another. I guess that means we can keep our fingers crossed for Lawrence's return in case mother! Part 2 happens? Just kidding; that's highly unlikely.
At the height of their relationship, Lawrence and Aronofsky were very complimentary of one another's talents — which is as about as close as we ever got to hearing romantic sentiments from them. In ET's break-up report, they recall that Lawrence said Aronofsky is "just brilliant. Incredibly instinctual," while he said of her that she is a "once-in-a-generation talent."
Previous to this relationship, Lawrence was involved in a long-term and long-distance relationship with her X-Men co-star Nicholas Hoult. Additionally, Aronofsky was in a long-term relationship with actor Rachel Weisz, with whom he shares a son.
Ah, yes, the holidays. Full of tinsel, twinkling lights and family and friends coming together to laugh and connect over a delicious meal. Or that’s the movie version, anyway. In real life, holidays can mean stress, empty bank accounts and often more fights with our partners. Some studies even suggest that despite our sweater season cuddle-buddy desires, holidays are a peak time for breakups.
If you’ve ever struggled with snapping at your partner as the holidays draw nearer, you’re not alone. What exactly are we fighting about? According to Blair Glaser, psychotherapist and relationship coach, there’s plenty of fodder. “Whose traditions they’re going to follow, whose parents are going to get more time. Money, always a classic one,” she says. “And in certain couples, of course, there’s stuff that comes up around religion and how they want to raise their kids.”
According to Glaser, a big reason these arguments happen is lack of preparation. Rather than having a frank conversation at the beginning of the season about what each of the partner’s goals is, “it all gets hyped up in the crazy consumer rush,” she says. “And there’s no time to really take the different pressures into consideration, and so people tend to take them out on each other.”
Of course, all the other factors that weigh on your relationship matter too. Glaser says that whether a couple knows how to negotiate can be a make-or-break factor in how they get through the holidays. “You’re going to come to the table with your traditions, and they’re important to you for a variety of reasons,” she says. These traditions are often charged with emotion because they’re deeply important to us. “They offer a feeling of comfort and familiarity and tribal belonging and also connect us to our childhoods,” she says.
But their importance doesn’t mean they shouldn’t shift and change. “What we don’t get to see about tradition is that amidst all of that comfort and connection sometimes is this feeling of calcification, like there’s no room for spontaneity because that’s just the way we’ve always done it, and it becomes routinized.”
Rather than get stuck trying to capture traditions of our childhoods, Glaser feels it’s important for the individuals to evaluate what they most value about the holidays and then share that with their partner. From there, she recommends viewing it as cocreating a holiday experience together.
Even if you come up with the perfect holiday plan for your relationship, you might face some pushback when sharing your plans with your families. “If you’re a young couple in your 20s or 30s, you have been a child in your family longer than you’ve been an adult,” she says. This can lead to tension in families even outside the holidays, and she says getting some guidance through this period doesn’t hurt. “You’re an adult, and now you’re going to be an equal player,” she says. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.
Still, for some partners, the holidays aren’t and haven’t been a joyous occasion, whether that’s because of grief or other negative feelings. In these couples, Glaser recommends challenging the idea that partners have to spend their time together. “If somebody’s really enthusiastic about the holidays and loves going back home and the other doesn’t have those feelings and doesn’t necessarily want to feel strung along and isolated because their experience is so different, maybe they don’t have to be together that whole time,” she says.
So before we find ourselves knee-deep in the holiday season, have a conversation with your partner. Glaser has a worksheet that helps guide people through important questions like, “What do the holidays mean for you?” and “What is our Plan B?” Come to some understanding of what each of you is hoping to get out of the season and communicate throughout the month.
Once the holidays are over, have a recap of how each partner felt it went. Glaser says this step is vital. What worked and didn’t? If you’re still feeling some hurt or confusion, she recommends working through on your own or with a friend or counselor before approaching your partner about it.
But do have the conversation. It could be the path to experiencing one of those movie moments.
If you have breast implants or you’re contemplating getting them and you’re planning to have kids at some point, you probably have some questions about how breast implants could impact breastfeeding. Can you even breastfeed with implants? Will it make an already commonly arduous experience worse? What if you have the implants removed?
First, let’s talk basics. You definitely should not have the surgery while you’re breastfeeding or while you’re pregnant, and doctors recommend waiting six to nine months after you stop nursing for augmentation so your breasts can stabilize in size.
It’s important to note that there are different types of implants — saline and silicone implants are the two most common implants. Saline implants are approved for people 18 and older and are available in a structured option, also filled with sterile water, but with an inner structure designed to create a more natural feel. Silicone implants are approved for people over 22 and are filled with silicone, which also contributes to mimicking the feel of natural breast tissue. Unlike the saline implants, which will collapse if there’s a leak, silicone implants won’t collapse. There’s also the "gummy bear" implant (firmer because gel is thicker than traditional silicone and it maintains its shape even if there’s a leak) as well as round, smooth and textured implants.
There are also options in regard to where the incision gets made during the implantation procedure. You can decide if you want it made under your arm, along the edge of the areola or in the fold of your breast. The implant can be inserted either under the pectoral muscle, or right behind the breast tissue. How your surgeon positions the implant depends on what kind you’re getting, how much enlargement you want and your body type.
The short answer to the question of whether or not you can breastfeed with implants is that there is no short answer.
“The implant is not in the breast whatsoever,” says Dr. Leslie Stevens, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon. “It’s under the breast gland or even under the pectoral muscle, so there is no real connection or impact on milk production, its quality or volume.”
Stevens adds that although there’s a very small risk of the surgery interfering with nursing, the type of incision you get can virtually eliminate that minute possibility. He recommends asking your surgeon to make the incision either under the breast fold or under the armpit to avoid an interaction with the ductal system.
“The true impact of breast augmentation on an individual’s ability to breastfeed is still not well-established,” says Dr. Tamir Mosharrafa, a plastic surgeon in Arizona. “Any breast surgery and the healing process from that surgery could have an impact on breastfeeding. “That being said, it is not common for the removal of breast implants to make a significant difference in a woman’s ability to breastfeed after that surgery.”
Diane DeJesús, who counsels London moms who are breastfeeding and is in training to be an international board-certified lactation consultant, is currently breastfeeding her own son after getting a breast implant in 2010 following a mastectomy.
“Your breast implant surgery may affect your ability to breastfeed if there has been a significant effect on nipple sensation,” she said. If your incision damages the nerves that impact nipple sensation, it can mean that the milk ejection reflex is affected. If a number of milk ducts have been cut during surgery, that can also complicated draining and lead to a diminished milk supply as well as mastitis.
Sara, another lactation consultant who has had breast augmentation surgery, wrote about her experience with breastfeeding at Eden Knows Implants, reminding readers that breastfeeding can be hard whether or not you have implants. After her surgery, Sara was told that she would “most likely” be able to breastfeed. Her incision was in the crease of her breast, and she was able to breastfeed successfully with the exception of some clogged milk ducts.
So how can you prepare yourself for the best possible outcome? Experts recommend looking for a surgeon who has previously worked with people who want to breastfeed after augmentation. Make sure your surgeon knows you’d like to be able to breastfeed in the future so they can make decisions in regard to the size and location of the incision and implant with that in mind. DeJesús recommends working with a lactation consultant while you’re pregnant so you can create a plan of action. She suggests practicing relaxation techniques to provoke milk ejection.
“Surround yourself with wise counsel,” urged Sara in her post on Eden Knows Implants. ”Whether it’s a lactation professional, a grandma who breastfed a few babies, or a friend/partner who knows how to comfort you, create for yourself a supportive village.”
We’ve all skipped working out once or twice to save a hairstyle. Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common practice among women with textured hair. Believe me; I know the agony of sitting for hours in a salon chair only to watch my hairstyle lose its shape after five minutes on a treadmill. It feels like the money and time I spent just disappeared into thin air and took my sleek edges with it. It’s no wonder we steer clear of the gym after washday.
Now, just because we all do it doesn’t mean we should keep doing it. Regular sweat sessions are key to keeping blood circulated throughout the body, including the head, where hair follicles need that moisture to grow. With that being said, there are ways to get your cardio in and look cute doing it. And who better to lead us in the right direction than Taliah Waajid? For over 25 years, she’s been a leading natural hair specialist and even created one of the first chemical-free product lines for textured hair. Ahead, she shares the easy tips and tricks that will stop you from putting hair ahead of health once and for all.
Gym bag essentials
Regardless of your texture, length or lifestyle, there is a core set of items that should always have real estate in your gym bag. The first no-brainer Waajid recommends is a sturdy water bottle since “proper hydration prevents perspiration from taking a toll on the moisture levels in the hair, skin and body.”
If you’ll be performing floor exercises, lifting weights or sitting on a stationary bicycle, you should also invest in a nongreasy moisturizer, like Taliah Waajid’s Nutrient Rich Shine Butter, and a set of gloves to protect against bacteria.
For those with medium-long hairstyles, like braids, extensions or wigs, a scrunchy or large butterfly clip will keep you focused on your workout. “These protective styles are beautiful,” says Waajid, “but can be distracting if not properly secured into a ponytail or pinned.”
Lastly, if sweaty edges are the stuff of nightmares for you, a moisture-wicking headband or satin scarf will control perspiration and keep them from expanding as you move.
Waajid says, “Perspiration around the edges creates an imbalanced pH level, which can lead to hairline breakage. “Before wearing, I apply a leave-in conditioner and use my fingers to massage onto my edges. Accompanied by a headband, together they help whisk perspiration away from the edges, which, consequently, helps me maintain a healthy hairline.”
Again, applying a leave-in conditioner, like the Protective Styles Strengthening Leave-In Conditioner, to wet or dry hair is essential before both low- and high-intensity workouts in addition to tucking the hair away into an updo or under a satin scarf.
This is especially important for water-based exercises. According to Waajid, “Chlorine causes hair to weaken and become brittle, which can lead to split ends and severe breakage. It’s important, therefore, to prevent your hair from absorbing chlorine by coating hair strands with a barrier.”
Apply the leave-in from roots to end, ensuring the product is distributed evenly. After that, you can apply edge control along the hairline, brush the hair around the outside perimeter of the head and secure with a headscarf. If you’re getting into a pool, use a swimming cap instead. “You can also use olive oil, Jamaican black castor oil or coconut oil to coat and prevent your hair from absorbing chlorine,” says Waajid.
Contrary to popular belief, humidity doesn’t affect curly hair as much as straight hair. However, our roots are more susceptible to oil buildup, which means we should keep a shampoo on hand. How often you wash depends on the level of your workout and your hairstyle.
“If you normally wet cleanse (shampoo) more than twice a week and engage in low-high intensity or water-based workouts, to recover your style, wet cleanse (shampoo) with a sulfate-free shampoo such as my Protective Styles Moisturizing Mint Shampoo, ” says Waajid.
If you’re on the go and need a quicker recovery, use a co-wash instead. And when wearing protective styles like braids, twists or locs, treat your hair to a dry cleanser, like Waajid’s Protective Styles Bamboo, Avocado & Peppermint Dry Gel Shampoo, as well as a moisturizing or clarifying serum for the scalp. A dry shampoo is also ideal if you’re not washing your hair every week.
All in all, there isn’t a laundry list of things you need to do to protect your curls. With a bottle of leave-in, a trusty headscarf and edge control, sacrificing workouts is a thing of the past.
Not only is Nov. 23 Thanksgiving Day this year, but it’s also Miley Cyrus’ birthday, and she’s celebrating big. She’s ready for a vegan feast, but some fans think she’s ready to have a baby after viewing her latest social media post.
Miley Cyrus bday
Miley Cyrus bday
The photo shows Cyrus posing underneath a rainbow of silver Mylar balloons that spell out her name. She’s in a cute gray dress with one leg beveled in front of her. Her back is arched and her belly sticks out, so that’s why the fans are going a bit nuts with the baby bump rumor. If you zoom in close enough, you can also see that it's Liam Hemsworth taking the photo from the image in the mirror.
Everyone needs to slow down on this because we haven’t even gotten to the bottom of the real mystery as to whether Cyrus and Hemsworth are already married. That’s even more intriguing than a baby bump. Just because Cyrus uses the hashtag #VeganTurkeyBaby on Instagram doesn’t mean it’s pregnancy announcement. I’m pretty sure everyone is going to have their own food baby bump by the end of the Thanksgiving weekend.
She is also wearing a cute romper with bubble silhouette. On a petite gal like Cyrus, this is definitely going to make her shape look different, but that’s not a baby bump.
Curiously, though, I want to know more about those matching bands that Cyrus and Hemsworth are wearing. They look awfully similar to wedding bands. She recently told Sun on Sunday she doesn’t “envision marriage” right now, but is it all a ruse?
“I’m 24. I hope I get to live a little bit more. I have too much living to do [before I get married],” she said to the U.K. publication. “Three years ago, if you’d asked me if I’d be here, this happy with this man, I’d have been stunned. I’m just riding this out. In some relationships, you lose yourself by being with someone else. Actually, it made me find myself more. I have no idea what the next three years will bring, but if it’s possible to get even happier, I’ll take it.”
Maybe the real secret she’s keeping is her marriage to Hemsworth and not a baby bump that really doesn’t exist. We won’t know until the couple reveals the truth behind those rings. In the meantime, Cyrus is busy feasting on Tofurky and celebrating 25 years of life!
Some people plan their whole lives to have a baby. Maybe they start with pushing their doll in a toy stroller as a kid. Maybe they have their baby nursery decor (oh, and their wedding dress) all picked out from the time they’re teenagers. Maybe they even have a folder or a Pinterest page with visuals to plot every planned rite of passage — right down to the linen patterns for the shower and a running list of baby names. Note: These folks often make these lists before they even have a partner. Sometimes, they have it all planned out before puberty.
I was not that kid.
Growing up, I was generally more interested in sports than playing house, and once I hit adolescence and realized I was a lesbian, having a kid seemed like something that was reserved for people "over there," not for me. I was told this over and over again: by the laws that didn’t include my kind of love or my kind of baby-making. I was told this by lawmakers and religious leaders who said I was unnatural. And I was discouraged even by those who were accepting and loved me, my parents included; they simply never asked about it. They assumed that the outcome of having a gay child was that she would never make them grandparents.
Then, a series of events — both personal and political, namely settling down with someone I loved and finally getting legally married to her — led me to "family planning," a concept I'd heretofore assumed would involve no more questions than, "Should we get one cat or two?"
But now, we have a baby. He's a beautiful and smart and funny little guy, and it’s all so incredibly strange and wonderful at the same time.
I never thought I would be a mom, so becoming one feels extra surreal. It feels like I'm waiting for my baby's real parents to come pick him up — or for someone to tell me I'm not really his mom. I keep thinking I’m the aunt, a role I’ve played time and time again with friends and family members who had babies. In fact, I had resigned myself to the role of perma-aunt — not unlike the eternal bridesmaid who accepts that she probably won’t ever get married herself — because I'd come to accept that I would never be a mom. I told myself this "fact" over and over again for so many years that when I finally did become a mom, I couldn’t believe it.
I look at my baby and feel the deepest kind of love possible. But there's a very real disconnect between that feeling and the knowledge that I’m his mom. Yes, I was pregnant with him and carried him for nine months (not that biology is what makes a parent; it's not). There's also something so comforting and familiar-looking about my son, probably because he looks kind of like me. And yet, still, I have trouble believing he’s mine.
When I’m pushing my son's stroller down the street, and passersby stop to admire him and tell me how cute he is, I feel uncomfortable saying thank you. Because, well, for one thing, isn't, "Thank you," a weird thing to say in that context in general, like someone just complimented your shoes? But also, I feel like I can’t take any credit at all for this cute baby. I almost want to say, “Thanks, but I’m just watching him while his mom goes into the store.”
Sometimes I look at my baby, and he looks back at me, and all I can think is, "When is he going to freak out and want his real mom?"
But then when he cries and I pick him up and he calms right down, I realize I’m the one who can comfort him — because, spoiler: I’m the real mom. Who knew? Not me. It sounds so simple and so silly. Am I the only parent who has ever felt such imposter syndrome?
I know plenty of moms who own the mom title like a boss. I see them stride down the street with confidence, babies hanging out of carriers and off breasts and even slung under their arms like a football. They exude mom with every fiber of their being, maternal instinct oozing out of their pores. I watch in awe and envy.
I’m guessing the day will come when I feel like a true mom. I imagine there’s a threshold at which enough diapers have been changed and enough sleepy-eyed nighttime feedings have occurred and enough loving gazes have been given that it will somehow click, and I will be able to say with confidence and pride, “I am Mom.” Until that day, well, I'll be the best damn aunt this kid could ever have.
Even celebrities can get starstruck sometimes. And that was definitely the case for Greta Gerwig, who, back in 2002, wasn't quite a star yet, but she was one really big Justin Timberlake fan. Some of that fangirling definitely spilled over into her newfound celeb life when Gerwig wanted to get some A-list music for her film Lady Bird.
During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Gerwig described how she reached out to Timberlake the old-fashioned way — via a letter — to ask for his permission to license his hit song "Cry Me a River" to use in the film.
"The Justin Timberlake [letter] — that has a really awkward beginning," she told Meyers.
She's not wrong.
Greta Gerwig Justin Timberlake letter 2
Greta Gerwig Justin Timberlake letter 2
"Dear Mr. Timberlake," the letter begins. "I mean, what can I say? You're Justin Timberlake. You were the soundtrack to my adolescence. Your rise corresponded exactly with my very awkward puberty."
She goes on to talk about hearing JT's album Justified when she was in high school and how the first thing she did was buy the album on both a CD and a cassette tape because her car didn't have a CD player. I mean, same, honestly.
"I know I am not the first lady to completely geek out over you and your music, and I know I won't be the last," she concludes. "But I can say with certainty that no one would be happier, more honored or more psyched to have your song in my film. How I wish I could tell the little girl in headgear that she'd be getting this moment as an adult."
If you didn’t know it before, you know it now — Spongebob Squarepants is officially a Broadway musical. Many people watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday first discovered the news while watching the parade from the comfort of their living room.
The enthusiastic cast, led by Ethan Slater as Spongebob, sang "Best Day Ever."
Spongebob Macys performance
Spongebob Macys performance
The shock, excitement, and dismay were enough to get the guy who lives under the sea trending on Twitter all Thanksgiving morning. The discovery of the Nickelodeon cartoon on the Great White Way garnered lots of meme attention.
The animated series began on Nickelodeon in 1999. Since then, it's generated two feature films, millions of dollars worth of merchandise and this year, it was picked up for its 12th season. After the incredible worldwide success about a cheerful sea sponge, the next natural step was Broadway.
The show started previews Nov. 6 and its opening night is less than two weeks away on Dec. 4. The musical has been in development since 2014, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone — especially with the top caliber of talent involved in the show.
There are original songs written by Steve Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, The Flaming Lips, T.I., John Legend and Cyndi Lauper. It’s a full roster of Grammy winners and recognizable names from the music industry.
So before you judge, know that Spongebob Squarepants is a pretty darn hip musical. Don’t be left out of the fun at Bikini Bottom, you might like it even more than you think.
Malia Obama was probably happy to leave the glare of the White House in Washington, D.C., but she’s finding the spotlight still hot now that she’s a student at Harvard University. Her dating life at school seems to be a hot topic this week, thanks to TMZ, who posted photos of her kissing a mystery man at the Harvard-Yale game.
That sent the media into a frenzy trying to discover the identity of her beau. It took only a matter of days before it was revealed by the Daily Mail that it’s 19-year-old Harvard sophomore, Rory Farquharson. He’s from the U.K. and he’s a rugby player who attended one of the most prestigious schools in England, Rugby School.
For Malia, the realization that the world is still interested in her family must come with a bit of dismay. Her parents, Michelle and Barack Obama, did their best to shield her and younger sister Sasha from the press as much as possible during their time in the White House.
After taking a gap year and interning for the Weinstein Company, Malia enrolled at Harvard, most likely hoping she could fit in as anonymous as possible. That doesn’t look like it’s going to happen with people selling the footage to TMZ.
While many people are interested in the Obama family and how they are doing post-political life, there still should be a bubble around the two young women as they try and make their way into private life. Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush even wrote a letter to Malia and Sasha last January in Time magazine about life outside the White House because very few people understand that existence.
“Enjoy college. As most of the world knows, we did. And you won’t have the weight of the world on your young shoulders anymore. Explore your passions. Learn who you are. Make mistakes—you are allowed to,” The Bush sisters wrote. “Continue to surround yourself with loyal friends who know you, adore you and will fiercely protect you. Those who judge you don’t love you and their voices shouldn’t hold weight. Rather, it’s your own hearts that matter.”
In many ways, they almost predicted what would happen to Malia in college, some people might not have her best interest there. She might even have to tighten her circle at Harvard because her love life really isn’t for public consumption — even though she’s an adult.
The good news is that the Bush twins, who endured the same thing during their college years, understand and support the Obama girls. Life in the spotlight is tough, but both families are sticking together through this unique experience.
“Your parents, who put you first and who not only showed you, but gave you the world. As always, they will be rooting for you as you begin your next chapter,” Barbara and Jenna summed up. “And so will we.”
It became an immediate favorite — and is still one of the many animated Disney films fans can't get enough of today. Seeing as it's been 25 years (yes, it's been 25 years!) since Aladdin first came into our lives, it's time to take a closer look at it.
If you think back to watching the film as a child, you were probably so consumed with the music, the love story between Jasmine and Aladdin and how hilarious the Genie was, you probably missed a lot along the way. It's no secret that children see and experience things differently, so it's understandable that when you watch Aladdin, or any Disney movie, as an adult, you're going to pick up on things you didn't notice as a child.
It's like you're not watching the same film you remember or a particular moment you didn't really understand when you were younger finally makes sense. Aladdin is very different when you watch it when you're older compared to when you were little — and here's how.
1. The peddler's voice
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
When Aladdin begins, we meet a Peddler, who is voiced by Robin Williams. Yes, the actor, who also does the Genie's voice, does the voice of the first character to speak. As a child, you're so entranced by the merchant, his funny lines and when he makes a fart noise with "the famous Dead Sea Tupperware," you're not even paying to attention to how much he sounds like Williams.
2. The peddler's speech
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
As a child, did you really listen intently to what the Peddler was saying? He gives this long speech about the Genie's lamp and the story you're about to hear. I know I was just so anxious about seeing Aladdin and Jasmine that I just wanted him to be done talking.
But after going back and listening to him, what he says actually speaks to the film as a whole. While discussing the lamp, he says, "Do not be fooled by its commonplace appearance. Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts." That is exactly what the movie is about, especially when it comes to most of the characters. It can also be said of real life. Far too often are people judged for their outward appearance, leading to unfair treatment.
Yes, it's just a kids movie, but really? You're telling me Jasmine (or anyone else) can't tell Prince Ali is Aladdin, aka "the street rat" the palace guards are always chasing? Of course, the point the movie is trying to make here is that a person of wealth and prominence is seen and treated differently than someone who is without. However, it's still ridiculous. Jasmine is really smart and the fact that she doesn't catch on is frustrating.
4. And the same with Jasmine's "disguise"
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
Save for Aladdin, who isn't fooled for too long by Jasmine's attire, the palace guards and people of Agrabah are clueless. They don't seem too intelligent to begin with, but she doesn't look any different in the marketplace compared to when she's roaming the palace, so how does nobody notice who she is?
5. Aladdin is the worst
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
I'm not going to lie. I had a huge crush on Aladdin growing up. What's not to love? He can sing. He's cute He has a pet monkey (come on, you know you always wanted a pet monkey as a kid too). He appears to be romantic and he's the so-called hero of the story.
Well, most of that doesn't really ring true once you watch it when you're older. Really, Aladdin is a jerk. First of all, he lies to Jasmine, which is far from romantic. There's nothing like pretending to be a prince and flying around on your magic carpet to get her to fall in love with you, right? Oh, and what's even more hot is that he steals. What. A. Turn. On.
Sorry, not sorry, Aladdin, but you are exactly the type of guy every woman should avoid.
6. The sultan is useless
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
The Sultan is a poor excuse of a father and a leader. He basically sits around all day and plays with toys like a child. If you think about it, he is so clueless and flippant that Agrabah is falling to pieces thanks to him. He could be doing so much more as the ruler of his people.
What's even more awful is how he views his only daughter. She's essentially a piece of property to him, one he is trying to marry off so she can do what a woman is supposed to do — take care of her husband and raise children. He even complains about Jasmine refusing to pick a suitor by saying, "I don't know where she gets it from. Her mother wasn't nearly so picky."
The impressions of famous actors done by Genie most likely don't resonate with kids. He impersonates Jack Nicholson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rodney Dangerfield and Peter Lorre. I just thought he was being silly, not portraying famous actors. Speaking of these actors, it doesn't really make sense how Genie even knows who these people are. If Aladdin takes place a long time ago in history, then could Genie do impressions of people who haven't even been born yet?
8. Aladdin's torso
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
Aladdin's body is interesting. And by "interesting," I mean there are two things missing from it. As pointed out by BuzzFeed, Aladdin doesn't have nipples. Did you ever realize that before? Why doesn't he have nipples? What is going on here? Most everybody has nipples, so why doesn't Aladdin? It's one of the movie's biggest mysteries.
9. Jasmine & Aladdin's romance
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
Really, most Disney romances are totally unrealistic. That can also be said of the way Aladdin and Jasmine fall in love. You're telling me that after one date (on a flying carpet, no less) and not knowing each other at all, they're just head over heels in love? Also, they're both teenagers, so not only are they having an adult-like relationship, but the way they "fall in love" is beyond odd. It's just a creepy and wrong portrayal of two teens.
Aladdin may be the hero, but he has an awful lot in common with Jafar, the villain. They both lie to Jasmine. They both take what they want when they want. They both want power and respect. They both think they deserve everything on a silver platter. They're both jerks. Need I go on?
11. Jafar's treatment of Jasmine
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
Jafar's final wish is to make Jasmine fall in love with him. Yes, children know Jafar is bad and only want Jasmine to be in love with Aladdin, but there's more to Jafar's wish than meets the eye. He takes away Jasmine's ability to decide for herself. She doesn't consent to him, but is forced to fall in love with a man she doesn't really love. The control Jafar issues over her speaks to how women, unfortunately, are treated in real life.
Oh, and let's all remember that Jasmine is a teenage girl, and this creepy old Jafar is trying to get with her. Yeah, that is wrong on so many levels.
12. Jasmine is the true hero
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
Let's face it. Jasmine is the real hero of the movie. She speaks her truth and stays true to herself. She never gives into the men around her. She's an independent woman who refuses to be auctioned off like a piece of property. She controls her own destiny and won't let anyone tell her differently. Aladdin should probably just be renamed Jasmine.
And after all that, you'll once again notice Aladdin is far from perfect and has a long list of flaws. But it will always be nostalgic and a movie that taught audiences a lot — as both children and adults.
Coconut oil is one of those products you rarely hear bad things about. It’s touted as the ultimate all-natural multitasker, capable of transforming skin and hair the same way a more expensive alternative would. It moisturizes. It heals. It smells amazing. And most important, it usually lives up to the hype.
So you can imagine my surprise while watching one of my favorite beauty bloggers say she was done using it. Whitney White, more popularly known as Naptural85, has an informational YouTube channel dedicated to healthy hair and skin habits, with the majority of her recipes and tutorials being DIY. If you’re someone who likes to know the ins and outs of every product you’re using, White is a great person to reference since she spends a lot of time delving into the benefits of individual ingredients. In short, she knows her stuff.
Why I stopped using coconut oil (video)
Why I stopped using coconut oil (video)
So what on Earth would make her want to stop using something as universal as coconut oil after several years? According to the video post originally shared late last year, it irritated her scalp and made her hair strands more brittle than they had ever been — even though she was using an organic, virgin kind. As it turns out, there are a number of reasons your hair and skin could have an adverse reaction to coconut oil.
For starters, its positive reputation has led most of us to believe it can do no wrong. According to Monastery founder Athena Hewett, “The reason that coconut oil gained such popularity in recent years is that it was a very accessible oil, inexpensive and plentiful with a high level of medium-chain fatty acids.” Seems like a dream come true, right? To the contrary, there are three ways in which it can be quite the opposite.
I can guarantee you or at least one of your friends loves to slather her body in coconut oil, especially during the cold-weather months. Its thick consistency feels like a warm blanket this time of year, and for those with drier skin, it delivers the kind of moisture you don’t have to worry about disappearing throughout the day.
Although that nourishment feels long-lasting, it can also suffocate your skin cells simultaneously.
Hewett says, “On the comedogenic (pore-clogging) scale, it scores between a 4 and 5, 0 being good for the skin, and 5 being bad. This means that the oil will cause congestion in your skin… get trapped inside the epidermis and sit there, causing extra blackheads and breakouts.”
Although this isn’t something that happens to everyone, it is worth monitoring if you wear coconut oil every day.
Beauty experts also endorse coconut oil as an all-natural alternative to makeup remover or makeup primer. And although your skin may feel like butter, it can be difficult for makeup to stay put, regardless of whether you use a setting spray or not.
“It also tends to be a very slippery oil (highly viscous), meaning that makeup loves to slide off of it and clothing loves to attach itself to it,” says Hewett. “Nobody wants to ruin their favorite shirt with a smear of coconut oil.”
And again, since it is high on the comedogenic scale, your skin is even more vulnerable to breakouts since you’re layering coconut oil with makeup that could have the same thick consistency.
For hair
As far as your hair is concerned, the protein structure of coconut oil is capable of sitting inside the hair shaft. So it makes sense that so many of us, especially those with damaged strands, like to use it as a treatment or leave-in.
However, Hewett says to “be wary of using coconut oil on any hair, including the hair on your head, as it causes tangling along with breakage.”
And if Whitney White’s first-person account is any indication, these symptoms can also extend to the scalp, where irritation can breed. In short, it’s time to find an alternative.
We certainly aren’t the first ones to discover the potentially harmful side effects of coconut oil, which explains the rise of a new variation: fractionated coconut oil.
According to Hewett, “This oil has been stripped of its medium-chain fatty acids and has been created into a dry oil (an oil that penetrates quickly). This chemical process does make the oil less comedogenic.” And at first glance, this does appear to be an easy solution. However, this also makes coconut oil much more expensive to work with, less pure and nutrient-poor.
Ultimately, it feels kind of pointless to use in skin care since the old negative side effects are just replaced with new ones. So what are we left with?
“There are many other oils that penetrate more beautifully and with less of an oily finish that are still packed with nutrients,” says Hewett. “Two that I like to work with instead of [fractionated coconut oil] are hazelnut and walnut. Make sure that if you are putting an oil on your skin, you are not only getting the moisturizing benefits, but also the nutritional benefits.”
For eye makeup specifically, cleansers infused with castor oil, like Monastery’s Rose Cleansing Oil, will clean the lashes without penetration.
If you’re hoping to kick your coconut oil habit, these not-so-fun facts may just be the motivation you need.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are about to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary, which means we get to learn all kinds of delightful information about their seven-decade relationship. But first, we have to congratulate them, because being married for 70 years is wild, fam. That's longer than some people live, and yet the Queen and her bae are still kicking and in love.
And speaking of in love, they have been basically forever. The latest issue of People magazine, which is a special edition dedicated to the royals' big anniversary, reveals that it was love at first sight when Elizabeth first met Philip.
"The first time I remember meeting Philip was at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, in July 1934, just before the war. I was 13 years of age and he was 18 and a cadet," she recalled in a letter after the fact.
From then on, it was clearly meant to be. When Elizabeth was 17, she eagerly invited Philip to spend Christmas at Windsor Castle, and it became clear he shared her feelings, and they got engaged. They had to keep their engagement a secret for a while, but once Elizabeth turned 21, they took it public. When they were married shortly after, theirs was the first ever royal wedding to be broadcast on the radio, and the frenzy will sound familiar to those who watched William and Kate Middleton get married on TV in 2011 — millions of people tuned in around the world to listen.
People also reveals the secret that has kept the royals in a happy marriage for a literal lifetime. Biographer Gyles Brandreth notes in the anniversary edition, "Because she is the Queen, no one in the world treats Elizabeth II entirely normally, except for Prince Philip. Conversely, the Queen is the only person in the world who can say to the Duke of Edinburgh, 'Oh, Philip, do shut up.' And she does."
Gwen Stefani sure has a lot to be thankful for this year. She just celebrated her two-year anniversary with Blake Shelton and had a very countrified Thanksgiving celebration in Oklahoma with his family and her own, which she documented for her fans via her Instagram story.
Throughout the day, Stefani updated her account with short clips of the celebration, including one video where she panned across their Thanksgiving table. She captioned the video by writing, "My new country life... So thankful."
Image: Gwen Stefani/Instagram
In her videos, Stefani's three kids can be seen helping out with the festivities, including one particularly cute clip where her son Zuma is putting handmade place cards on the table. She zooms in on the one he places for Shelton — next to hers, of course — and you can see his name written in multicolored kids' scrawl in marker. So cute!
The day wouldn't be complete without a little PDA from Stefani and Shelton, so Stefani posted a photo of her man giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek, captioning the shot, "Had the best Thanksgiving."
Gwen Stefani celebrates Thanksgiving in OK with Blake 1
Gwen Stefani celebrates Thanksgiving in OK with Blake 1
Honestly, when are these two just gonna get married already?
Stefani clearly enjoyed the downtime with her family, but as soon as it was over, she left Oklahoma in a helicopter to get to a special Black Friday appearance at the Grove mall in Los Angeles.
