The weather is still cool and perfect for a big bowl of hearty soup. This soup gives you cheesy goodness with a bite of spicy jalapeño. It's a party in your mouth!

Jalapeño cheese soup recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 6 strips thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch slices
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1-1/2 cups half-and-half
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot add bacon and cook on medium heat till it just starts to brown. Add in onion, celery, carrots and jalapeño peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add in garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
2. Sprinkle flour onto vegetables and stir. Pour in chicken stock and cook until there are no more flour lumps. Add in half-and-half and stir until hot but not boiling.
3. Puree soup in a high speed blender, food processor or using an immersion blender. Once soup is smooth add back to the pot and cook till warm.
4. Take the soup off the heat and slowly stir in cheese. It's best to add a handful at a time. Stir to make sure each addition is melted before adding in a new handful of cheese.
5. Top with slices of jalapeños or extra bacon.

More soup recipes

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When a couple says it was love at first sight, you better believe them. That's the case with singer Avril Lavigne and her fiancé, Nickelback lead singer Chad Kroeger. The duo, who shared their love story with Ryan Seacrest on Tuesday, revealed that they knew right away that they were meant to be together.

The 38-year-old Kroeger told Seacrest, "When you're sitting there across from someone singing into the microphone and you're singing a love song, you start to develop feelings for them. And it just kind of blossomed into this kind of thing and the next thing you know… we started dating [last summer]."

The two musicians were working together last summer in the recording studio on Lavigne's new album.

Her fellow Canadian husband-to-be revealed his feelings pretty quickly to the "Complicated" singer. She responded in kind.

"We started dating and the next day he was like, 'You know I'm gonna marry you. And I said, 'I know.' It was one of those things that we just knew," shared Lavigne to Seacrest.

The engagement followed after just one month of dating which shocked many people close to them, but they were confident with their relationship.

Avril Lavigne's wedding dress: "Badass" or hot mess?>>

The 28-year-old bride-to-be continued, "Well that's how we met — in the studio — and I was really excited to work with him because he's also a musician. [We] wrote a bunch of songs together, became really good friends and now we have a wedding."

As for the wedding details, Lavigne promises it will be "spectacular".

However, don't expect a big wedding from the singer who was previously married to Deryck Whibley of Sum 41.

Chad Kroeger's ex says he cheated on her with Avril>>

She said, "It's kind of just a lot of close friends and family. It is smaller, [but] it's gonna be quite spectacular and there's a theme to it. But Chad doesn't even know everything."

Kroeger seems okay with being kept in the dark about some of the plans, too.

He said, "Every man knows that we get very little participation in the planning — and these are good things."

One of the songs the couple worked on together, "Here's To Never Growing Up" dropped on Monday. Her album will be released this summer.

Image courtesy of WENN.com

Farrah Abraham has reportedly filmed a sex tape with adult entertainment star James Deen. Days after he claims they hooked up and filmed a sex tape for an unidentified porn company that was all her idea, she's issuing half-hearted denials.

When asked about the existence of an adult film, Farrah Abraham told TMZ on Sunday, "I don't... exist... anything about that." After waffling a bit, the 21-year-old added, "If I had my own personal stuff, that's my own personal thing."

Troubled Teen Mom Farrah popped for DUI>>

One person who claims to be in the know , is the reality star's mother, Debra Danielsen. "My daughter has never expressed interest in things like that," she told the gossip web site. "She was not brought up that way... We have religious beliefs."

However, as James Deen explains it, "I think what happened is that [the porn company was] going to pass it off as a 'sex tape' and somebody saw us coming out of a building together and people asked me what's going on... so I was like, 'We're making a porno!'"

Farrah Abraham stands by waxing her daughter's unibrow>>

He added to E!News that the sex scene they filmed was "very amazingly awesome."

Tuesday afternoon, the mother of 4-year-old Sophia took to Twitter to state, "I'm going to ignore all the lies, all the hate, all the disrespectful people who want 2 take advantage of me, have fun making money off me."

Shortly before sharing the photo of herself "Feelin so #Sexy in PoolSide Collections Luxury Swim Wear" seen above, Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham added, "Thankful for true friends, family, fans, & supporters that's all I need because I have no time for the rest - Peace."

What's your best guess on the possibility of a Farrah Abraham sex tape?

Image via Twitter/F1abraham

Morning sickness is inconvenient for some pregnant women, and a major medical problem for others. The degree of intensity varies from mom to mom, and some have sought medication to help them get through the worst of it.

First morning sickness drug in 50 years

The FDA has, for the first time in 50 years, approved a drug specifically for treating morning sickness. Now that they have given the green light, will you be requesting some if you suffer from morning sickness?

You’re pregnant, you throw up. It’s a basic fact of pregnancy, albeit a pretty depressing one. Some moms don’t suffer much at all, while others throw up so much they wind up in the hospital because they are dehydrated and unable to keep anything down. There is big news for those who suffer from morning sickness, however — the FDA has approved a medication called Diclegis for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. This is the first time a medication has had such an approval in the United States in 50 long years, and it will be available this June.

Medication during pregnancy

Taking medication during pregnancy, however, is a delicate business — you have to ensure that there will be no harm to the embryo or fetus. But if a mother is sick enough, you have to weigh the benefits of the drug against the risks. Morning sickness is tricky to treat because it generally affects mothers in the early part of their pregnancy, when the baby is forming its organs, bones and other structures.

Diclegis is a combination medication comprised of pyridoxine and doxylamine, which amounts to vitamin B6 combined with an antihistamine. It is currently sold in Canada under the brand name Diclectin. This particular medication is even more interesting because it was on the market several decades ago in the U.S. under the name Bendectin, but it was withdrawn in 1983 due to a flurry of lawsuits from mothers who claimed their babies had been harmed by the medication. The company didn’t have the money to fight the claims so it took the drug off the market instead, despite the fact that multiple studies had found no direct evidence that the drug would harm an embryo or fetus.

Good news

Many moms we spoke with felt that this was excellent news. Quite a few reported that they were prescribed other medication for severe morning sickness, such as Phenergan or Zofran, neither which have been specifically approved for use during pregnancy.

“I couldn't have functioned without it, let alone taken care of my toddler,” shared Brittney, who was prescribed Zofran during her second pregnancy. “I lost so much weight early on in that pregnancy that I was still down 5 pounds the day I delivered, even with the Zofran. I’d hate to think how horrible it would have been without it.”

Heather, a mom living in Canada, agreed that the benefits outweigh any potential risks. “I do take Diclectin twice a day to control my morning sickness,” she explained. “I would be miserable if I didn't have this drug to help me through my pregnancies. I would also likely only have one child if I had to endure 40 weeks of violent vomiting.”

Last resort

Other moms felt that any medication — particularly during the early part of a pregnancy — should be an absolute last resort. Manda, pregnant with her first child, has been experiencing debilitating nausea and vomiting. She’s only nine weeks pregnant so she wanted to go over her options with her midwife.

“I almost asked for a morning sickness medication today... but I’m really trying to go for an all-natural birth and the talk with my midwife and change of diet changed my mind,” she told us. “After seeing my little one move on the screen today, I decided I don’t want to put anything in my body that I am unsure of the risks just to make myself feel better.”

For some moms, it doesn’t seem like they have much of a choice — they have older children to tend to, little help in the home or a job they have to be present for. Your care provider may give you options, such as a different prenatal vitamin, before resorting to medication. But with this news, now they have a new choice that they didn’t have before, and with years of use by Canadian women behind them, it may be the best option.

More on morning sickness

Natural remedies for morning sickness
The royal pain of hyperemesis gravidarum
Morning sickness - Food guide

Incessant finger chewing. Alarming head banging. Repetitive kicking. These all sound like elements of a typical toddler temper tantrum, right? Sometimes, children actually may be battling sensory issues.

Behavioral or medical issue? Know the signs

Sensory Processing Disorder  has been called a neurological "traffic jam" by one of the most famous occupational therapists, A. Jean Ayres, PhD.

SPD prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly. Often, this means a child's behavior is compensating for an emotional, neurological need for something more than what they’re getting, via any of the five senses .

My son, Charlie, has Down syndrome. We first noticed what we mistook for a behavior issue when he was just 14 months. We took a six-hour road trip, and our cherub gnawed on his fingers and yelled the entire time.

No, really. The. Entire. Time. We arrived at our vacation destination exhausted, frustrated and hard of hearing.

From fingers to chewy tube — who knew?

I'll play the New Parent Card with this one: We decided Charlie must just resort to the chewing/yelling combination whenever he wanted attention.

Thankfully, we know other parents who are smarter than we are. While hearing another mother's story of learning about her child's sensory issues, suddenly, our situation made sense. Charlie’s gnawing and yelling coincided with being restrained somewhere, whether it was the high chair, the car seat or his crib.

We tried handing him the red chewy tube our speech therapist had recommended long ago to help strengthen his oral motor skills. Miraculously, he grasped the chewy tube and chewed vigorously on it, no longer interested in his fingers or the yelling .

Sounds simple, but it took us two years to figure it out.

Tips for identifying a sensory issue

While diagnosing a “Sensory Processing Disorder” or “sensory integration” disorder can be complex, here are several simple tips from Erin Rockman, OTR/L , who has helped us with Charlie. Naturally, these shouldn't replace consulting your child's pediatrician.

First questions to ask:

1. Does the child’s action disrupt your life? For example, do you avoid certain places because of noises, crowds or smells?
2. Does the action occur with everyone? For example, if a child’s actions only occur with parents and not at school or day care or with grandparents, the action is likely behavioral.
3. Does the child stop the action when given a reward? “If a child is having a meltdown because of a sensory issue, then a sticker or cookie typically will not fix the situation,” Rockman explains. “The child may need some specific interventions to help regulate [his or her] sensory system.”

In Rockman’s experience, she has met children with a wide range of issues, including:

• Taste or texture  
• Sound  
• Feel

In addition, children may have vestibular and proprioceptive seeking behaviors, which Rockman says occur “when a child seeks a lot of movement as compared to his/her peers… or avoids movement, as well, for example resists swinging or playing on a playground.”

While sensory issues often occur when a child has an existing diagnosis , they also can occur in a child with no known medical condition, Rockman says.

Next steps

If you suspect a child has a sensory issue, Rockman advises discussing your thoughts with the child’s pediatrician and seeking an occupational therapy referral for an evaluation.

What should parents avoid? “Don’t rely on the therapy sessions alone to improve a child's sensory processing behaviors,” Rockman advises. “It is most effective when a sensory diet is carried over at home consistently. A therapist will provide a sensory diet based on a child's individual needs, and parents need to take an active role.”

Image credit: Maureen Wallace

More about Sensory Processing Disorder

Sensory Processing Disorder help: What is a sensory diet?
Travel tips for kids with Sensory Processing Disorder
Create a sensory tool kit

When Ryan Gosling strides out on the MTV Movie Awards stage, hearts skip a beat, breath hitches and meme generators kick into overdrive. While the acting hunk's presence can't be guaranteed every year, there's always hope for future appearances, as well as YouTube videos of steamy kisses past to keep us company!

Ryan Gosling snags a style win

When Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Steve Carell took the stage in 2011, all eyes were on the leather-jacket clad star. Showing up with his Crazy, Stupid, Love co-stars, Gosling wore Ferragamo pants and a GRAY Gallery‘s Vintage 18k Yellow Gold Rolex to present the award for Best Villain.

As one person commenting on Just Jared not-so subtly put it, "He looks so masculine and macho, he was made for wearing LEATHER!!!"

Ryan Cabrera's tattoo roulette: Is that Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds?>>

Ryan Gosling's utterly gut-wrenching Drive

The MTV Movie Awards' golden popcorn was nearly Ryan Gosling's to take home in 2012, when his film Drive was nominated in the Best Gut-Wrenching Performance category. Watch the sickening clip of the deadly driver here, if you dare:

The category is described by MTV as "that one unforgettable scene in a recent movie that was so outrageous, disturbing or just plain gross that you had a physical reaction whilst watching it," but while Gosling's stomping rampage seemed like a sure win, the award went to a Bridesmaids' quite literal gut-wrenching, stomach-churning moment.

It has to be at least a little hard to lose an award to Maya Rudolph crapping in a wedding dress, right?

Rebel Wilson and Channing Tatum's abs promote the 2013 MTV Movie Awards>>

Ryan Gosling's epic Best Kiss acceptance

No amount of spit-swapping or tongue tangling has yet to win our hearts the way Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams did in 2005 when accepting the Best Kiss trophy for their The Notebook romance. Thank goodness for YouTube enabling us to watch that sweet loving time and time again.

Perhaps all Best Kiss winners ought to be required to do an on-stage reenactment!

Do you think anyone will ever top Ryan Gosling's 2005 Best Kiss moment?

Image via WENN

Mama Laura Bush was a librarian: maybe that's why Jenna Bush Hager loves books so much that her Today co-workers threw her a special book-themed baby shower.

The former first daughter , is expecting her first child in May with husband Henry Hager; her NBC co-workers at Today celebrated by giving her a party at an NYC studio, People reports.

But instead of bringing diaper cakes and dear little baby sweaters, the NBC staff conspired to each bring a favorite children's book, each inscribed with parenting advice from the giver.

Celeb Bump Day: Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Jessica Simpson, Jenna Bush>>

Awww!

Former co-anchor Meredith Vieira contributed Bear Goes On a Hunt and the advice to "get a nap anytime you can." For her part, Hoda Kotb advised Bush Hager to just do whatever her own mother did.

Double aww!

Today's producer Jackie Levin contributed the naughtiest book: Something for mom rather than baby. Bush Hager greeted her new copy of Fifty Shades of Grey with, "That's baby number two material."

Luckily, Bush Hager's parents weren't present to get tongue-tied by their daughter getting a smutty book.

Former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager is pregnant>>

Bush Hager told People that her mother, former First Lady Laura Bush, came to help put her child's sea foam-green nursery together; the family chose a neutral color because they don't know whether the baby is a boy or a girl.

Bush Hager also said that her dad, former President George W. Bush, painted several murals on the baby's wall: One of the Hager's cat, Bernadette, a landscape with a small tree from the Bush's ranch in Texas and the spot on the ranch where the Hagers were married in 2008.

That one's called "Goodnight Moon," Bush Hager told People. "He's becoming an artiste. There's a whole new side of him and he's so excited about the baby."

Image courtesy Dan Jackman/WENN.com

These adorable light bulb bumblebees are easy to make with just a few supplies. Spend the afternoon making these cute bees and other spring crafts for kids.

Bring a little nature indoors this season by creating a terrarium. This little indoor terrarium craft is simple but a whole lot of fun. Plus, it's a great way to introduce your kids to gardening.

You've probably seen those cute shell-covered jewelry boxes in gift shops. Now you and your little ones can make your own. Check out how to make this easy project and other beach crafts for kids.

All kids love imaginative play. Teach them about plant care while working together to create a miniature landscapethat includes dinosaurs, fairies or whatever they like.

Using items around the house, you can create a great kite that will follow your kids anywhere! This DIY walking kite craft is perfect for little ones.

Open another bottle of wine, Mom — you deserve it! But save that cork! You can make a variety of cool crafts from wine corks, from silly monsters to boats that really sail.

Get outside with your kids and turn ordinary terracota pots into extraordinary colorful art. This DIY planter project is simple and so much fun. Find out how to create your own garden art.

For those days when the spring weather has brought in a few showers, keep your kids busy with these special rainy day crafts. From a cloud mobile to a rain drop banner, they're sure to love them all.

Help your little ones create a special keepsake for Daddy this Father's Day. He'll love this handprint tile paperweight or any of these other adorable Father's Day crafts.

Independence Day will be here before you know it. Gear up for 4th of July by creating red, white and blue crafts with your kids. From a star wand to a tissue paper wreath, all of these 4th of July crafts are easy and fun to make.

More about crafts for kids

Edible art: Toothpick and fruit sculptures
How to make a tutu
Cool crafts for kids: Glitter canvases

1

Rodney Downey Jr. — anywhere, anytime

Our beloved copy editor, Kate, who keeps me from looking like a dumb-a** at least once a day says, “The last movie I saw in the theater was Iron Man, so for me I guess Robert Downey Jr. — even in Iron Man 2, even in Tropic Thunder.” While RDJ may not have been on most of our shirtless radar, once you spend hours Googling pictures of him you can’t deny what a sexy beast he is. Like most of our nominated hunks, he looks amazing with his shirt on or off, or in a comic book character costume.

Photo credit: Details Magazine/Robert Downey Jr. Facebook

Deirdre, fellow entertainment writer, concurs with Kate. “Were any of the Avengers shirtless in the movie? I can't remember. If so, I'd take any of them. Scratch that. I'd take all of them. Even Cap, who happens to be my least favorite Avenger based solely on the fact that the Captain America movie wasn't [my favorite].” Then, Deirdre made my whole day by nominating the ever-delicious Hugh Jackman. “OMG — Hugh Jackman in Les Mis! I think he was supposed to look more malnourished and decrepit. But it's Hugh Jackman — I’m not sure that's possible. I want to take that Brie, Nutella and raspberry sandwich we [just posted] and make him the bread. Yum!” That logic is hard to argue with. Only Hugh could make starvation look that good.

Photo credit MRPIXX/WENN.com

Entertainment editor Kristine’s nomination is Freddie Stroma from Pitch Perfect. Uh-huh. Perfect indeed. Kristine says it best when she says, "Freddie Stroma as Luke in Pitch Perfect is one good lookin' acafella." Is it wrong to openly ogle a young man who has starred in the Harry Potter series? If so, we don’t want to be right. This obvious omission from the MTV Movie Awards’ Best Shirtless Performance is nothing short of a tragedy, but we are here to right this terrible wrong. No thanks necessary. It is our extreme pleasure.

Photo credit Pitch Perfect/Universal Studios

If I was one of the powers that be at MTV and someone brought me a “best shirtless performance” list that didn’t have Zac Efron on it, I’d cordially disinvite them from working for me anymore. I wouldn’t even care if he had a movie that year or not, but he just so happened to have a movie last year and he just so happened to be shirtless in it — very, very shirtless. We don’t even care that the movie itself had dialogue and plot lines that made even sappy chicks’ toes curl. We also don’t care that the casting director spent so much money on Zac Efron and Blythe Danner that there wasn’t much left over for a compelling female lead. We’ll forgive a production crew just about anything as long as they give us lots and lots of shirtless Zac. Sigh.

Yeah, so I get that technically Sean wasn’t in a movie last year. However, until very recently he did grace our every Monday night with his fineness on The Bachelor and now on Dancing with the Stars. And it’s my article, so I’ll whip up an excuse to search for, drool over and post a picture of half-naked Sean if I want to. Something tells me you’re not going to mind too much.

Photo credit: WENN.com

There is nothing better than sitting down and eating a plate of delicious cookies. This simple bar cookie will give you the taste of Girl Scout cookies all year-round! Sandy shortbread topped with toasted coconut, caramel and drizzled with chocolate. What's not to love?

Coconut delight cookie bar recipe

Yields 9 x 13-inch pan

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 12 ounces caramel candies, unwrapped
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut, toasted
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper, set aside.
2. In a bowl of an electric mixer, add brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
3. On low, add egg and vanilla extract. Making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Slowly add in flour and mix on medium speed until the mixture is wet and sandy. It will appear very dry at first but keep mixing until it starts to clump together.
5. Pour dough into prepared pan and press together until flat and even. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are browned. Cool completely before adding topping.
6. Add unwrapped caramels and heavy cream to a large saucepan over low heat. When caramels start to melt make sure to stir so it does not burn. Once fully melted, add in toasted coconut and mix together.
7. Working quickly, add spoonfuls of the caramel/coconut mixture to the top of the shortbread crust. Spread out the topping over the crust until the crust is evenly coated. Let cool.
8. Once cool, remove bars from the pan and cut into square or rectangle shapes.
9. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl until smooth. Dip bottoms of all the bars into the chocolate and use any remaining chocolate to drizzle overtop the bars.

More cookie recipes

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Cake batter chocolate chip cookie recipe
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Kim Kardashian seemed to balloon overnight as soon as she announced she was pregnant with Kanye West's baby. Now some are saying that this woman who normally is very conscious of maintaining her figure is letting herself go for one very compelling reason: Cold, hard cash.

Insiders tell InTouch magazine that Kim is hoping for a mega-deal with a weight-loss company like Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers like fellow preggo star Jessica Simpson, and she's piling on the pounds far beyond what her doctor recommended in order to cash in.

What is Kim Kardashian craving?>>

"I wouldn't put it past her to blow up just so her weight loss is more dramatic," a source close to Kim told InTouch. "The way diet company deals are structured, bonuses are often built in for losing more weight in a shorter period of time."

"She knows what she's doing by showing off her heavier figure and stuffing her face in public," another insider added.

"The more she looks heavy and out of control with her eating, the more she will be worth. Everything Kim does is on purpose."

Want to keep up with the Kardashians and all the other hot celebrity news? Subscribe to our newsletter here! >>

And Kim's not the only one in on it. Momager Kris Jenner is pushing Kim to exploit her pregnancy as much as possible, even above and beyond a diet deal.

"She would get a percentage of any deal, so she's pushing Kim hard to start signing contracts — baby shower photos, baby-bump pics, weight loss," a friend told the mag.

Unfortunately, it sounds like Kim might be out of luck — so far no one wants to work with her. "Kim would love to get a paid gig like Jessica, but so far no one is interested," a pal told the Huffington Post. Weight Watchers confirmed they have no plans to work with the reality star and Jenny Craig told TMZ they plan to remain focused on "real results for real women" but added, "We will continue our working relationship with Mariah Carey."

Image courtesy Alberto Reyes/WENN.com

For a more traditional soup, simply swap out the nondairy milk for cream or half-and-half!

Vegan cream of asparagus soup recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds chopped asparagus
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• Leaves from 1 sprig thyme
• 3 cups homemade or low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup almond or soy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven, saute the asparagus in olive oil over medium heat, until slightly caramelized.
2. Stir in onions and cook until translucent. Add the thyme leaves and vegetable stock, cover loosely and simmer until the asparagus is soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
3. Transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain soup through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan. Discard any solids. Add the almond or soy milk, salt and pepper and stir until hot. Serve.

More vegan recipes

Vegan cake batter ice cream
Vegan pasta salad
Vegan fettuccine Alfredo

Best Shirtless Performance

Well, this one’s self-explanatory. Should we be objectifying men by ogling at their taut, tan bodies on-screen? Meh, probably not. But, hey, MTV created an entire award around the premise, so we’re just gonna roll with it. This year, this glorious category brings us undressed cameos from mega-hotties Magic Mike’s Channing Tatum, The Dark Knight Rises’ Christian Bale, Skyfall’s Daniel Craig, Twilight’s Taylor Lautner and, uh, Ted… the filth-talking teddy bear voiced by Seth MacFarlane.

Best WTF Moment

Outside of the shirtless stuff, we tend to gravitate toward the stuff that incites the absolute opposite reaction of a tender embrace or Channing Tatum’s chiseled abs — the stuff that instead of making us say “OMG” has us muttering “WTF?!” The category is a bit of a mixed bag emotionally. Denzel Washington in Flight, Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson in Django Unchained and a super-creepy Javier Bardem in Skyfall hit you in the gut with austerity. And then there are the other two nominees. Anna Camp, as Aubrey in Pitch Perfect, makes us lose our lunch when she tosses hers in a big way. Thankfully, there’s Ted, the talking teddy bear, humping a cash register to add levity to the group.

Best Kiss

Those MTV producers sure know how to pique a libido! The Best Kiss award is just as steamy as the Best Shirtless category. And, with Twilight out of the running after dominating the category for the past four years, we can’t wait to see what unbridled passion the new contenders will bring to the stage. Can Silver Lining Playbook’s Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper make awards show magic with an onstage smooch as epic as Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams when they won for their Notebook liplock back in 2005?

Best Scared-as-S**t Performance

What is it that makes people want to pour into a crowded theater, sit in the dark with a bunch of strangers and get the ever-lovin’ daylights scared out of us? While there’s likely some deep psychological reasoning, we don’t really care. We just know we can’t wait to watch people jump out of their seats when this year’s nominees flash across the screen, washing the audience in suspense. While there are some seriously heart-racing moments up for the award, we’re rooting for Jennifer Lawrence in House at the End of the Street, who lives out every girl’s worst nightmare upon discovering the guy she was seriously crushing on is seriously crushing too… other chick’s larynxes, that is.

What will happen to Don Draper
in 1968?

Each season of Mad Men is as closely guarded as our president. Getting real spoilers can often prove impossible. What we can do, though, is take a look at how history might sculpt the season.

Welcome to 1968, mad men! The year proved to be pretty tumultuous the first time... What will it be like for Don Draper? Here are some big events we hope and think Mad Men will cover.

Jan. 21 — Vietnam War, Battle of Khe Sanh

The Battle of Khe Sanh was one of the most publicized battles of the Vietnam War. The battle lasted into July and saw great casualties on both sides as American troops were bombarded with an unexpected amount of force. Meanwhile, the North Vietnamese Army was pummeled with enough explosives to equal the force of five Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs in the first four months alone. It was bloody, and it made the news everywhere.

• Jan. 22 — Apollo 5 launch: No astronauts were on board the lunar module this time, but this flight really started public interest in the space program, as it led to the America's sending men to the moon.
• Feb. 1 — Nixon announces candidacy for president
• Feb. 8 — Orangeburg Massacre:Nine police officers fired at 200 Vietnam protesters. Three died and 28 were injured .
• Grenoble Winter Olympic Games

April 4 — Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee

This will be even more important now that SCDP has its first African-American worker. That said, most of the staff have shown sensitivity to civil rights. Expect something to be said, perhaps a moment gathered around a television.

• March 16 — Robert Kennedy announces presidency: Our obsession with the Kennedy family didn't end when JFK was assassinated.
• March 16 — My Lai Massacre in Vietnam: Between 340 and 500 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians were murdered by US Army soldiers. Many women were raped beforehand. Despite the 26 initial arrests, only one soldier served time for this war crime.
• March 16 — Oldsmobile produces 100 millionth automobile: This will somehow filter into SCDP's work flow.
• April 11 — President Johnson signs Civil Rights Act
• Throughout March and April — Nuclear tests in Nevada

June 6 — Senator Robert Kennedy dies

Just several short weeks after Bobby Kennedy announced his run for president, a 24-year-old Palestinian/Jordanian man named Sirhan Sirhan shot Kennedy as he made his way through the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel after celebrating a victory in the California primary.

• May 4 — March of the Poor: This march in Washington, D.C., led by Reverend Abernathy was part of the Poor People's Campaign, which demanded economic and human rights for all.
• May 15 — John Lennon and Paul McCartney on the Johnny Carson Show
• May 21 — US submarine USS Scorpion: Reported missing and later found at the bottom of the ocean.
• May & June's major music: "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and Garfunkel and "Jumping Jack Flash" by the Rolling Stones hit the airwaves.
• Throughout the summer — Race riots occur in Cleveland, Chicago, Miami, Little Rock and more.

Nov. 14 — Turn in Your Draft Card Day

The employees at SCDP all seem pretty young. Ever wonder how many of the boys like Harry and Pete had draft cards? On Nov. 14, many took "Turn in Your Draft Card Day" as a chance to burn their draft cards. One problem: Those draft cards were property of the US government, and burning them was an arrest-worthy offense. Whoops.

• Nov. 6 — Nixon is elected president.
• Nov. 11 — John Lennon and Yoko Ono appear nude on the cover of Two Virgins.
• Nov. 22 — First televised interracial kiss. This has to make it in: It's on Star Trek!
• Nov. 22 — The Beatles release their only double album, Beatles

Dec. 21 — Apollo 8 is the first manned lunar mission

Aside from its obsession with the Kennedys, America's also obsessed with space. Apollo 8 carried astronauts Borman, Lovell, and Anders away from Earth. They became the first people to orbit the moon and helped propel America's interest in landing on the moon.

• Dec. 12 — Rolling Stones record the unaired Rock N Roll Circus. After Season 5's failure to score the Rolling Stones, it seems inevitable that SCDP will somehow be involved in this fiasco.
• Dec. 12 — Arthur Ashe becomes first African American to rank No. 1 in tennis. We imagine this will cause a massive hubbub at the various country clubs everyone belongs to.
• December — The Zodiac Killer strikes in California.

As leisure suits begin to surface and the world goes to hell in a handbasket, there's really no telling what will make the final cut of interesting happenings in Mad Men's version of 1968. These were the ones we thought might earn at least a mention!

Did we leave anything out? How do you think the Mad Men crew will treat these current events?

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Photo credit: Frank Ockenfels/AMC

Amanda Bynes is mad, and she's not going to take it anymore from the media. It seems that the 27-year-old retired actress is fed up with the constant attention she gets from the paparazzi and the tabloids.

She took to Twitter on Wednesday to share her anger with her followers.

Bynes wrote: "I'm suing every blog, every magazine, every news source that's saying I'm doing anything wrong "erratic behavior" is not me! I'm suing In Touch, Us Weekly, Perez Hilton for hiring paparazzi who follow me then take the worst photos with the worst angles."

The tweet continued: "I'd like to put up their worst photos on my twitter until they only start putting up my twitter photos when writing a story when there is NO story, just an awful photo posted with instead of a caption, they say I have erratic behavior when I do NOTHING wrong. There's NOTHING with my life, other than you putting up awful candid photo after photo."

Amanda Bynes looks way different>>

It seems that life under the spotlight is exactly what the former Nickelodeon star is trying to get away from. After years of working and living in Los Angeles, the All That actress moved to New York last year to break away from the scene of several auto incidents and legal issues.

The tweet also revealed that Bynes is trying to get healthy.

She wrote: "I'm working out, it's hard getting in shape with an eating disorder. Please follow me on twitter then look forward to be sued if you if say I have erratic behavior or am living my life wrong in anyway."

While it is unclear whether her threat of filing a lawsuit is serious, the former child star has exhibited some unusual behavior in the last 12 months or so. Her social media accounts have included odd photos and unusual quotes, like wanting R&B star Drake to "murder" her lady parts.

Want to stay on top of all the latest Amanda Bynes news? Subscribe to our newsletter here!>>

Her parents showed their support publicly for their daughter during her DUI issues, but they have remained silent through much of Bynes' recent escapades.

What we hope is that Bynes is truly OK and not suffering any kind of mental breakdown. Sometimes a girl just needs a break.

Image courtesy of Amanda Bynes/Twitter

Love is definitely in the air in Hollywood this spring as another celebrity couple announce their engagement. Decorating guru Nate Berkus and his boyfriend, Jeremiah Brent, were engaged on Monday at the top of Machu Picchu in Peru.

Us Weekly broke the news on Wednesday and revealed that it was Berkus who proposed to Brent during their trip. The trip was in conjunction with work that the TV personality was doing with the designer website One Kings Lane.

For reality TV fans, Brent is also a familiar face because he appeared on The Rachel Zoe Project in Season 4 as her interior decorator and sometimes assistant stylist. He has not appeared in Season 5, and he is now working for himself at Jeremiah Brent Design.

The couple were first spotted back in December 2012 by Page Six in New York canoodling at Barneys over the sunglass rack. The relationship has heated up over the past few months, with the duo splitting their time between New York and Los Angeles.

Berkus and Brent are the third gay couple in recent weeks to announce their engagement as the Supreme Court's deliberations over California's Prop 8 are expected to result in a decision in June. The Talk's Sara Gilbert announced her engagement on Monday, while former Who's the Boss star Danny Pintauro shared his news last week.

Want to stay on top of all the latest celebrity engagement news? Subscribe to our newsletter here! >>

Berkus, a former Oprah protégé, was in a two-year relationship with shoe designer Brian Atwood, which ended in 2009. He also tragically lost his partner Fernando Bengoechea in the 2004 tsunami while vacationing in Sri Lanka. He shared the story on The Oprah Winfrey Show just weeks after his loss.

Congratulations, Nate and Jeremiah!

Image courtesy of Derrick Salters/WENN.com

She's in, then she's out, and now she's back in again. On Wednesday, media reports were speculating that supermodel Miranda Kerr was out as a Victoria's Secret Angel.

The rumors began when Us Weekly erroneously reported that the 30-year-old had lost her contract with the lingerie giant for having "a difficult reputation" and for "not being a big seller" like her Angel counterparts.

Her reported $1 million contract was being revoked after three years since she was being overshadowed by colleagues like Alessandra Ambrosio and Candice Swanepoel.

The entertainment site's sources said, "They can still use her for catalogue, where she will get a day rate, but she doesn't have to be an Angel to do that."

However, by Wednesday afternoon, Victoria's Secret's chief marketing officer was clearing up a lot of confusion. Ed Razek told E! News that the company had "no plans to stop working with her."

What about that big Angel's contract?

Razek said, "While her international commitments have kept her away from us more than we'd like over the past few years, she will always be an Angel to me. We have no plans to stop working with her. In fact, I've already invited her to walk the runway in this year's fashion show and, happily, she's agreed."

Want to stay on top of all the latest Miranda Kerr news? Subscribe to our newsletter here! >>

Did the executive dodge answering that question, or are we just reading between the lines?

One thing that is certain is Kerr's reputation.

Razek shared, "She is also a consummate professional. Any rumors to the contrary are simply untrue."

While fans will definitely see Orlando Bloom's gorgeous wife walk the runway in Victoria Secret's annual show, it is still murky as to whether Kerr was offered another Angel's contract.

Image courtesy of Andres Otero/WENN.com

We're a bit — OK, a lot — obsessed with Michelle Williams' in-between short hairstyle. It's hard to tell whether or not the cut will work on everyone, though. We're not really into cutting our strands unless the cut will look amazing, so we asked stylist Mischa Lisikiewicz from Sine Qua Non Salon Chicago for advice.

"Michelle's new haircut is perfect for those with pixie cuts growing their hair out who want to change up their style. One should be comfortable in their own skin to pull this haircut off because your face will be exposed. It's definitely a more high-maintenance look," Lisikiewicz said.

"It works for Michelle's texture because she blow-dries and flatirons her hair and gets a trim every five to six weeks."

That said, it works better on certain face shapes than others.

"This cut would look best soft on a more oval, round, or heart-shaped face and on a straight to wavy texture, because those sides are going to grow very quickly and they'll easily become unmanageable."

"I would avoid this look if you have a strong jaw line or curly hair."

Lisikiewicz also gave a few tips for guiding your stylist to the edgy cut of your dreams.

"If you're ready for the commitment and want to bring this cut to your stylist, during your consultation, I would request an undercut with an exaggerated side part, and a sleek one-length look in the front ," she said. "This will ensure your hair will maintain its balance and versatility with your style as you're growing it."

Now, if only we could get Michelle's amazing wardrobe to go with the cute cut. We can dream, right?

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Photo: Joel Ginsburg/WENN.com

Mickey and Minnie Mouse aren't as wealthy as we thought. Wednesday, it was confirmed that members of Disney's filmed entertainment division were let go. The pink slips flowed to about 150 employees.

Disney acquires Lucasfilm>>

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the layoffs were expected. Even though Disney recently purchased Lucasfilm, it had to do serious cost-cutting. Other departments that are feeling the burn include production, marketing, distribution and music.

Disney buys Marvel>>

"As part of an ongoing review to ensure that the Studios' operational structure and economics align with the demands of the current marketplace, we have made the difficult decision to reduce our staffing levels in several divisions of the studio," said a statement from Disney.

Meanwhile, on Wall Street, Disney's stock is at an all-time high.

"On Wednesday its shares were 1 percent higher in midday trading. The stock is up nearly 50 percent in the past 12 months."

Hollywood has record-breaking year at the box office>>

Of all the film studios, Disney is easily the front-runner in profits. Last year was a good one for the company — it earned $5.7 billion. We're sure that had something to do with producing the year's highest-grossing film, The Avengers.

Disney's been slowly but surely streamlining Lucasfilm's staff. Just last week, the studio discontinued LucasArts, the company's game division. The move followed firings in the animation department due to the cancellation of TV's Star Wars: Clone Wars.

To be fair, the studio's gearing up for another Star Wars film trilogy. Therefore, it makes sense for it to shift gears. Those movies aren't cheap.

Are you shocked by the Disney firings?

Photo credit: Nikki Nelson/WENN

It didn't take long Tuesday to dispel rumors that Kate Upton and Sean "Diddy" Combs were dating.

High school senior asks model Kate Upton to prom >>

New York magazine's The Cut site posted a tweet saying, "@KateUpton and @IamDiddy seen sucking face and dining out!" But both Upton and Diddy responded by saying that not only was the rumo not true but that the two had actually never met.

"Attention all Media. I don't even know Kate Upton personally!" Diddy responded, according to Us Weekly. "I'm not dating her! What's being reported is not true. END of story!"

Upton also tweeted in response to the rumor: "Really??? Not at all true..."

Forbes names 5 wealthiest hip-hop stars>>

The gossip column with the New York Daily News reported that Upton and Combs were spotted kissing during a night out at a club in Miami Beach.

"They were kissing, they weren't hiding it," an eyewitness supposedly told the paper.

But a source told Us Weekly that the two "weren't even there at the same time." Upton and Combs were also supposedly seen out at a dinner together in New York City a short time later.

Not only do the two celebrities seem like an unlikely pair, but the 43-year-old rap mogul is more than twice Upton's age. The Sports Illustrated model will turn 21 in June.

"Upton previously dated Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander, 30, but the pair split prior to Valentine's Day, with the buxom blonde telling FOX2 Detroit that she spent her Valentine's day in Melbourne, Fla.," according Us Weekly.

Upton showed up at the NCAA Tournament National Championship and caught the eye of yet another athlete. Spike Albrecht, one of the stand-out stars of the game, tweeted to the model the next day.

"@KateUpton hey saw you at the game last night, thanks for coming out! Hope to see you again :)" he said.

Behind the scenes with swimsuit model Kate Upton >>

Diddy has been linked to actress Cameron Diaz and was most recently dating the singer Cassie. According to Us Weekly, Diddy and Cassie were last seen house hunting in Los Angeles in January, but they have apparently "cooled off" since then.

Photo courtesy WENN.com