Is there anything sweeter than a homemade gift from a loved one? There's something wonderfully personal about taking the time to craft a gift for friends and family. Homemade gifts in jars are fun to make, cost effective and a great way to celebrate the holiday season.

Once you give these caramels as a gift, people will be begging for the recipe. The saltiness cuts through the intense sweetness of the caramels and using smoked sea salt adds a unique flavor. You can also substitute regular sea salt for the smoked variety.

Recipe adapted from Baking Bites

Makes 3-4 dozen, depending on the size

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons smoked sea salt

Directions:

1. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch baking dish .
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once some steam has developed in the pan, remove the lid. Continue to boil until the caramel turns a deep honey color, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
3. While the sugar is cooking, combine the butter and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until the butter is melted.
4. When the caramel begins to darken, carefully but quickly add the cream and butter. The mixture will steam and bubble up, so pull your hand away. Using a heat resistant spatula, stir the mixture and add the salt.
5. Place a candy thermometer in the saucepan and stir until the mixture has reached 260 degrees F.
6. Pour the caramel into the prepared baking dish and allow it to cool completely. Sprinkle the smoked sea salt on top.
7. Draw even lines with the tip of your knife and a ruler to create guides for slicing the caramels. Use a warm knife to cut caramels into small squares or rectangles. Wrap each caramel individually in a twist parchment and place in a jar. Caramels will keep at room temperature for a week.

This body scrub recipe is deceptively simple with only three ingredients! But it's so much better than the more expensive store-bought varieties. Regular sugar can be substituted for the turbinado if you have sensitive skin, but turbinado will provide the best exfoliation. Olive oil also works well in this scrub, but coconut oil is amazing for the skin!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 4-10 drops peppermint oil

Directions:

1. Measure the sugar into a mixing bowl.
2. Melt coconut oil in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds to liquefy it.
3. Stir the oil into the sugar, followed by the essential oil.
4. Store in a decorative jar. The scrub will last indefinitely.

An assortment of sweet and tart apples will yield the best results with this apple butter. If sweeter apples are used, reduce the quantity of sugar in the recipe slightly. This recipe should yield approximately 2 pint jars.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Place the apples in a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
2. Cook for 8 to 10 hours on low heat, stirring a few times to keep the mixture from sticking to the sides.
3. Puree the apple butter with an immersion or standard blender.

Cookies in a jar are the perfect gift for someone who enjoys baking from store-bought mixes. The layered ingredients make a beautiful, colorful jar to keep on display. Make sure to include a tag with cooking instructions!

Adapted from Bakerella

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup M&Ms
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions:

1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In a 1-quart jar, layer ingredients in the following order, packing down each layer very tightly: flour mixture, oats, M&Ms, chocolate chips, brown sugar and white sugar.
3. If there's any space at the top, add some additional chocolate chips or M&Ms. Packing the ingredients firmly and evenly will ensure that they layers stay separated.
4. Decorate the jar and include cooking instructions for the gift recipient.

Directions for jar:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Stir all of the jar ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix 1 egg, 1/2 cup melted butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
3. Scoop cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment.
4. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

Candied citrus peel is one of my favorite gifts to give over the holidays. You can use any citrus fruit — oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes, etc. This recipe is also very versatile. Try adding spices to the simple syrup such as cinnamon or cardamom! Depending on the size of the jar, this recipe will make several small gifts or one large gift. In an airtight container, these will last up to one month.

Ingredients:

• 2 oranges
• 1 grapefruit
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 vanilla bean, split down the middle
• 1 cup sugar for coating

Directions:

1. Cut the fruit into quarters. Use a spoon to scoop out the fruit, but be sure to leave the white pith attached. Slice the fruit into thin slices.
2. Place the citrus strips in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes, then drain. Repeat this process 2 more times using fresh water .
3. Clean the saucepan and add the water, sugar and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil, stirring periodically to dissolve the sugar. Reduce to a simmer and add the citrus peel. Simmer over low heat, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until the fruit turns translucent, up to 2 hours.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and a cooling rack. Use tongs to remove the peels from the syrup, shake off any excess liquid and move to the rack to finish draining. Allow the candied peels to dry overnight.
5. Toss with sugar.

• You should be able to find almost everything you need to decorate a gift jar at your local arts and crafts store. Look for assorted jars, stickers, tags, tissue papers, ribbons, etc. Have fun and be creative!
• If your gift will require the receiver to do some preparations , include simple but clear instructions by attaching a gift tag to the top of the jar, as seen in the "Cookies in a jar" photo.
• If the food gift has a limited shelf life, be sure to include this in the notes.

More holiday gift ideas

Holiday gifts the whole family will love
Holiday gifts for the beer drinker
Holiday gifts for the coffee-holic

Robin Givens has long had a skeleton in her closet by the name of Brad Pitt. It turns out that long before the actor was infamously involved in a love triangle with Jennifer Aniston and soon-to-be-wife Angelina Jolie, he was caught bedding Robin Givens by her then-husband Mike Tyson!

Unfortunately for Brad Pitt and Robin Givens, Mike Tyson isn't keeping mum any longer. The boxer, who was married to the model and actress from 1988 to 1989, claims he caught the actor having sex with his wife before their divorce was finalized.

Mike Tyson wants to tell you his life story>>

"I was getting a divorce, but... every day, before I would go to my lawyer's office to say 'she's a pig and stealing,' I would go to her house to have sex with her," Mike Tyson told Yahoo! Sports In Depth with Graham Bensinger on Saturday.

"This particular day, someone beat me to the punch," the 46-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world added. "And I guess Brad got there earlier than I did."

"I was mad as hell," Mike Tyson added of his reaction to finding Brad Pitt and Robin Givens together. "You should have saw his face when he saw me."

Mike Tyson is the Pigeon Whisperer>>

Tyson first let word of the bizarre love triangle be known in April. "I was just emotionally comatose," the fighter recalled to Conan O'Brien. "I went from a hard stallion to a wet noodle. I had no energy to fight or anything."

The secret and sordid details are now set to be spread nationwide, as Mike Tyson will soon embark on a 10-week, 36-city tour with the one-man showMike Tyson: Undisputed Truth.

"I hope that Brad don't think I'm mad at him," the man, now married to third wife Kiki Spicer, added to Graham Bensinger. "I'm not mad at this guy, no way."

Are you shocked to hear of Brad Pitt and Robin Givens' hookup behind Tyson's back?

Images via WENN

Now that Dancing with the Stars is over for the season, co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet is prepping for a more serious venture off the dance floor. She will undergo surgery this week to tackle the thyroid cancer she was diagnosed with earlier this fall.

Burke-Charvet went public with her illness on Nov. 8 on the blog Modern Mom. She told her fans that she would need thyroid surgery and a thyroidectomy to battle the cancer. Even with the scary diagnosis, she was upbeat about the cancer and her recovery.

At the time, she said, "I'm going to make a positive out of this negative thing. I am going to be a really good patient and I am going to do everything I need to do."

Now that the week of her surgery is here, the host posted on her Facebook page to talk about her upcoming procedure.

She wrote, "I am touched and appreciative to all of you for sharing your positive wishes for my surgery, and for sharing many of your personal thyroid experiences. I really do read your comments and they all mean a lot to me. I’m getting ready this week for my surgery and am planning on a speedy recovery."

Season 16 of Dancing with the Stars does not premiere until the spring, so Burke-Charvet should have plenty of time to rest and make her health a top priority. She will also have lots of help along the way since her husband, David, and their two kids, daughter Rain, 5, and son Shaya, 4, plus her two daughters from her first marriage, Neriah, 12, and Sierra, 10, are ready to pitch in.

It's clear that Burke-Charvet is feeling the love, though. Her Facebook post concluded with, "What a crazy time, but I am surrounded with love and support and that really makes a world of difference. Thank you for following me and for all your thoughts and prayers. I feel it, truly, and your energy outweighs my stress! From the bottom of my heart, thank you."

Image courtesy of WENN.com/FayesVision

The spirit of independent film is in the air. The Sundance Film Festival has unveiled its roster of 2013 premieres. It includes some of the most anticipated films like Stoker, which stars Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska and is directed by Korean legend Park Chan-wook. There's also Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Don Jon's Addiction, a film he wrote, directs and stars in.

On the list as well is jOBS, the much talked-about Steve Jobs biopic starring Ashton Kutcher. Lucky viewers will get to see if Kutcher has what it takes to pull off serious drama.

Check out the 18 world premieres below:

• A.C.O.D.— Directed by Stuart Zicherman, written by Ben Karlin and Zicherman.
• Before Midnight— Directed by Richard Linklater, written by Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Linklater.
• Big Sur— Directed and written by Michael Polish.
• Breathe In — Directed by Drake Doremus, written by Doremus and Ben York Jones.
• Don Jon's Addiction — Directed and written by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
• The East — Directed by Zal Batmanglij, written by Batmanglij and Brit Marling.
• The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete — Directed by George Tillman Jr., written by Michael Starrbury.
• jOBS— Directed by Joshua Michael Stern, written by Matt Whiteley.
• The Look of Love — Directed by Michael Winterbottom, written by Matt Greenhalgh.
• Lovelace— Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, written by Andy Bellin.
• The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman— Directed by Fredrik Bond, written by Matt Drake.
• Prince Avalanche — Directed and written by David Gordon Green.
• Stoker— Directed by Park Chan-wook. Written by Wentworth Miller.
• Sweetwater— Directed by Logan Miller and Noah Miller, written by Andrew McKenzie.
• Top of the Lake — Directed by Jane Campion and Garth Davis, written by Campion and Gerard Lee.
• Two Mothers — Directed by Anne Fontaine, written by Christopher Hampton.
• Very Good Girls — Directed and written by Naomi Foner.
• The Way, Way Back — Directed and written by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.

The Sundance Film Festival runs Jan. 17-27 and takes place in Park City, Utah.

What film are you the most excited about?

It's official! Howard Stern will be back as a judge for the next season of America's Got Talent. The shock jock made the announcement on his SiriusXM radio show on Monday. The news was also confirmed by NBC the same day.

Stern joined the panel for Season 7 alongside Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel. While ratings were down this season, it is clear that the network was happy with his work on the show.

Instead of being curmudgeonly like Simon Cowell on American Idol, Stern showed the audience a softer side to his personality. There was very little of the Howard Stern millions had come to know from his E! show or his radio show.

In the NBC announcement, Paul Telegdy, NBC president of alternative and late-night programming, said, "Howard Stern's towering presence and opinions on last season's show as a new judge made a dramatic impact and added a sharper edge to the fascinating developments on stage."

He continued with, "We know that Howard believes in 'America’s Got Talent' -- which remains America's top-rated summer series -- and that dedication comes across in a genuine way to our viewers who share his passion about our amazing talent competition."

Stern replaced CNN host Piers Morgan, but it is unclear what's happening with the two other spots at the judges' table. Howie Mandel has not committed to Season 8 and Sharon Osbourne had quite a beef with the network over her son's casting on the show Stars Earn Stripes. She dumped the show back in July over Twitter saying she would not return to the talent show next season.

Maybe there will only be one judge? As Stern joked to his listeners on Monday, he quipped, "Believe me, if I was the only judge, I think the show would be terrific."

Image courtesy of PNP/ WENN.com

Let's put this one in the "Strange Couple Alert" category because Kristin Chenoweth is dating former Bachelor star Jake Pavelka. The coupling was confirmed by Chenoweth herself to People at Sunday night's Trevor Project event.

She said, "We have been spending a little time together."

How did this duo even meet? The 44-year-old actress met the 34-year-old pilot at an event in October. There have been rumored sightings of the couple in West Hollywood and this weekend by TMZ in Jake's hometown in Texas.

The Emmy winner has dated director Aaron Sorkin and troubled actor Lane Garrison in the past, but it's the reality star who's catching her eye these days. Pavelka was on Season 14 of the ABC franchise and picked Vienna Girardi as the "winner." The couple had a tumultuous time after The Bachelor wrapped and the two eventually went their separate ways as most Bachelor couples do.

Chenoweth is currently in rehearsal for the Dec. 10 broadcast of the American Country Awards which will air on Fox. She'll host the show for a second time alongside country star Trace Adkins.

The petite star has spent most of the fall recovering from a head injury on the set of The Good Wife. She told People, "I am doing so much better but I think it slowed me down and I've realized life is short. I want to do things that make me happy."

It seems that dating Pavelka is the perfect cure for that.

Image courtesy of WENN.com

Our favorite part of this recipe is the minty cream cheese filling in the center! With each forkful, you get gooey milk chocolate and minty, sweet filling. It's a much more practical way to indulge this holiday season, don't you think?

Mint chocolate cake in a mug

Recipe adapted from Mama Me Gluten Free

Serves 1

Ingredients:

For the cake: 

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• Dash of salt
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons melted chocolate chips

For the filling: 

• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Green food coloring
• White icing for drizzle

Directions: 

1. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, egg and cream. Add in the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar and salt, and stir with a whisk. Add in chocolate chips. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, extract and food coloring together.
3. Scoop half of the chocolate cake mix into a medium-size microwavable safe mug. Scoop the minty filling over the chocolate. Add the remaining chocolate cake batter over the top of the filling.
4. Microwave on high for about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until cake is fully cooked! Drizzle with white chocolate and enjoy!

More quick and easy dessert recipes

Deep dish chocolate chip cookie pie
Cinnamon pumpkin ice cream sandwiches
Pumpkin pie on a stick

Rachel Farley is a young country music star. At 17 years old, Farley already has her debut album under her belt, The Truth, and hopes to break it big in country music. We caught up with Rachel on the same night she signed a new record deal with Red Bow Records and chatted with her about her upcoming music.

SheKnows: How does it feel to just be signed to Red Bow Records?

Rachel: I'm so excited. It's been a great day. I'm so excited for this new partnership.

SK: Now, we hear you've been touring with Jason Aldean. How has that been going?

R: Oh, it's been amazing. We just had our last run over the weekend. It's been an incredible three months.

SK: What are some fun things you do while you're on the road?

R: The biggest event on the road besides the show has been the Team Farley versus Team Aldean wiffle ball game. It's a big deal, it's been very serious. Team Farley has been awful through most of the tour, but we turned it around last weekend and we won all three of the final games… so it's been a great week.

SK: What are you working on now? What can we expect to hear?

R: We're in the studio right now recording a few more songs to add to the album. We're hitting the radio tour hard starting in December and we will spend about three months on the road promoting the new single.

SK: How did you get to where you are now at just 17 years old?

R: Hard work. This is the only thing I have ever wanted to do. I started home schooling in middle school and started gigging everywhere I could, and playing and meeting as many people as I could, that could help me and give me advice. I've had a lot of great people take me under their wing.

Check out the full interview below as SheKnows goes backstage with country's newest talent, Rachel Farley.

Photo courtesy of Red Bow Records

Read more on new music

Good Old War: Get to know the indie folk band
Motion City Soundtrack on drunk fans and family life

Lindsay Lohan’s bad problems just got much, much worse. It was reported earlier that the actress owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, and it looks like the IRS finally came calling.

“Uncle Sam has taken control of all of the Liz & Dick star's bank accounts in an effort to recover $233,904 in unpaid taxes from 2009 and 2010 and an unspecified amount from 2011,” reports the New York Daily News.

Last week, Charlie Sheen reportedly wrote a check to Lohan to help cover the costs. But even if that is true, she still owes quite a bit of money.

“We're told Charlie's check barely scratched the surface,” TMZ said.

The actress’s dad, never one to let his daughter take all the spotlight, of course, had to chime in on the situation.

"I'm very concerned,"Michael Lohan told the New York Daily News on Monday. "Where is all her money going?"

It has been reported that Lohan recently spent $40,000 to help her mom Dina avoid foreclosure on her Long Island home. But Michael Lohan said his daughter made more than $100,000 to promote a new energy drink, the New York Daily News reported.

"I care about one thing: Lindsay's life," Michael Lohan said. "I know she's drinking again, and that's bad enough. What happens if she goes to jail? They don't detox you in jail. I want her in rehab. I wanted her in rehab six months ago."

That may be just the start of her troubles. Lohan is supposed to be in court on Dec. 12 to be arraigned on the three charges stemming from a June car crash. She also was arrested last week in a fight at a New York City nightclub.

The one bright spot that Lohan had been looking forward to, her movie Liz & Dick, was considered a flop and received numerous bad reviews.

For the actress, it looks like there is nowhere to go but up… but she has proven us wrong before.

Photo courtesy WENN.com

Remember the good old days when a breakup involved a letter, a phone call... or even a text? Well, it seems like Twitter has become the modern way to tackle heartbreak and to vent about your ex. That's certainly what Rob Kardashian has done.

The 25-year-old reality star took to Twitter on Monday to take on his ex-girlfriend, Rita Ora. The 22-year-old British singer was supposedly dating Kardashian, but the two never really confirmed their relationship. Dating or not dating, it's clear that the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star is angry.

He tweeted, "She cheated on me with nearly 20 dudes while we were together, I wonder how many she will sleep with now that we apart? But I mean 20?!!!"

He deleted the tweet, but thanks to Celebrity Tweet, his statement was archived.

If you think he stopped there, think again. Kardashian hopped back on Twitter to say, "When a woman cheats on you with one man I can live with that. People make mistakes, trust me. I have forgiven numerous times..."

He then continued, "But when a woman disrespects herself by messing with more than 20 men all while being in a relationship with a Faithful man..."

His tweets also started the unfortunate trending topic of "Rita Whora" even though the former Dancing with the Stars contestant never mentioned the woman by name.

It didn't stop there, because Kardashian had more to say: "I just don't get how a woman can do that to her body. And your career hasn't even launched yet. I don't put up with sloppiness. LOYALTY." And: "This is a lesson to all the young women out there to not have unprotected sex with multiple men especially while in a relationship. RESPECT THY SELF!"

Kardashian vented until he finished with, "Think I'm done with the basics. Now time to go get a shave and go beast it in the gym."

The gym is probably a better place to take out your frustrations than Twitter.

Rita Ora has not commented on the tweets as of press time.

Image courtesy of Judy Eddy/WENN.com

Our heads are still spinning from the news that Kate Middleton is officially pregnant, after months of wondering. But since the baby could be the future heir to the thrown, the news is especially important.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s pregnancy has brought to light a rare condition in pregnancy that is rarely talked about, called hyperemesis gravidarum. The disease “is a rare but acute morning sickness that results in weight loss and accounts for about 2 percent of all morning sickness, doctors say,” reports ABC News.

Dr. Ashley Roman, a professor and OB/GYN at New York University Langone Medical Center told ABC News that women are diagnosed with the disease when they have either lost 5 percent of their pre-pregnancy weight, or 10 pounds. But she added that there is very little danger to the baby from the disease.

"It's traditionally thought that nausea and vomiting is a sign of a healthy pregnancy," she said.

The important part to note about the disease, though, is that it is common in women having twins. While not everyone who has the disease will have twins for sure, it is more common.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Extreme nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can happen if you are pregnant with twins or if you have a hydatidiform mole” .

Middleton and her husband Prince William likely will find out soon if they are having twins, but it brings up a whole new problem. The country recently made the decision to allow first-born women to be heirs to the thrown. A decision that if it had come 63 years earlier, when Princess Anne was born, would have created an entirely different royal line. In this case, it seems logical that the first-born twin would become the heir.

In 2010, it was announced that Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was pregnant with twins. While she was not first in line to the throne, her children still had to line up in the correct order.

“Under the current system of inheritance, which is based on age regardless of gender, the new Danish twins will be fourth and fifth in the line of succession,” says TheRoyalUniverse.com.

As for Middleton’s pregnancy, it could be a painful one. Dr. Nancy Cossler, an OB/GYN at University Hospitals in Ohio, told ABC News that there is no chance of birth defects or miscarriage just from the disease, but it could make for an uncomfortable couple of months.

"The biggest problem with this is how it interferes with your life," Cossler said. "Constantly feeling sick and puking is difficult."

Photo courtesy WENN.com

While you're out holiday shopping, make sure you grab the following things:

• Slap bracelets
• Leg warmers
• Big, fluffy tulle skirt
• Madonna's greatest hits and/or NOW That's What I Call the '80s

Once you've stocked up and the last note of "Silent Night" has faded from your speakers, it's time to toss Madonna or Cyndi into the CD changer. You'll have exactly 20 days to shed the Christmas spirit and prepare yourself for the totally rad '80s.

The Carrie Diaries premieres on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, at 8/7c, but in the meantime, we've got a brand new, retro fashion-filled promo to get giddy over.

Are you ready?

Ruffle your skirt, pull on those leg warmers, slap on the leopard print bracelets, and crimp that hair, girl. When Jan. 14, 2013 comes, it will be the new 1984.

If you've somehow missed all of our other exciting tidbits about The Carrie Diaries, fear not! We've got you covered!

The Carrie Diaries is the spin-off/prequel to the always popular Sex and the City. Just like before, the story is told from the viewpoint of Carrie Bradshaw.

This time around, AnnaSophia Robb slides her feet into Sarah Jessica Parker's fabulous shoes to play a much younger version of our favorite New York City gal.

The show will follow Carrie Bradshaw as she embarks on her senior year of high school and tries to adjust to a lot of new changes. Carrie's mother passed over the summer, leaving Carrie and her little sister, Dorrit, to fend for themselves on everything girl-related.

As Dorrit rebels and spins wildly out of control, Carrie just tries to stay out of her destructive path. To help distract her from the craziness at home, Carrie's father hooks her up with an internship in the city. As she swoons over the latest fashions at Century 21, Larissa , the style editor for Interview magazine, spots Carrie and the two immediately become friends.

Is Carrie ready for the grown-up world of Larissa and New York, though? We're giddy to find out!

Did we mention that The Carrie Diaries premieres Jan. 14, 2013, at 8/7c?

Images courtesy of WENN and The CW

More on The Carrie Diaries

The CW makes a date with The Carrie Diaries
The Carrie Diaries new sneak peek
Which Sex and the City star is down for The Carrie Diaries?

Celebrities in the news in 2012 have included new and old, musicians, actresses, and reality TV stars. Whether you love or hate them, the numbers don’t lie, and Yahoo! has released the top-searched celebrities so far this year.

At the top of the list is one of the reality TV stars: Kim Kardashian.

“Though many Yahoo! users often complain they are sick of hearing about the Kardashian clan, their actions tell us otherwise," Yahoo! said.

Kardashian isn’t known for much more than her family’s TV show and her social life, but it seems Americans can’t get enough.

“The curvaceous reality star managed to stay in the headlines this year thanks to the ongoing divorce drama between her and her ex, Kris Humphries; her new romance with Kanye West; a couple of lawsuits; and the ongoing antics that occur on one of her family's many reality shows,” Yahoo! said.

The second most-searched celeb is maybe even less of a surprise, since she was on the cover of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Kate Upton takes the second place spot on the list.

“Though Victoria's Secret slammed the 20-year-old blond bombshell by saying she would 'never' be cast to walk in one of its runway shows,” said Yahoo!, “the voluptuous Upton managed to make her way into the pages of American Vogue, and more recently covered the November issue of Vogue Italia.”

And even less surprising, if that is possible, is Lindsay Lohan at No. 3. The Yahoo! list of why she may have been the third most-searched is way too long to recap , but it’s easy to understand why people keep searching for the actress.

Maybe more surprising than those celebrities on the list is the fact that only one of the 10 ended up being male. Rounding out the Top 10 are Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Kristen Stewart, Britney Spears, Jennifer Aniston, and Miley Cyrus.

Photo courtesy WENN.com

I figure it must get tiring.

What, you ask? Oh, you know — world domination.

You have will.i.am., the genius behind the Black Eyed Peas, insane collaborations and abstract thinking.

Then there is Britney Spears, who is like pop's version of Beyonce. Whoa, before I get a lot of flak for making that comparison, I don't mean vocally or physically. I mean in terms of universal appeal.

Britney first popped on the scene with her sugar-sweet image with "Baby One More Time," melted us and then revitalized us with her sexier albums, then disappeared for a while and makes a comeback stronger than anyone I have ever heard of. Even though she's been riddled with scandals, strife and struggle, she manages to still a smile and dominate. The X Factor saw her worth, and so do we.

Let's get to the important stuff

This video is futuristic freaktastic. Reminiscent of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson's "Scream," I found it to be a sexier form. Obviously, it would be incest if MJ and JJ tried to do that...

This trippy video features a fit Britney, who may look a little tired in the face, but young in the waist! She rocks seductive black attire, baring her midriff through most of it. Her stylist did a notably good job of accentuating her banging bod. ABC News discovered this is due to her 30-minute daily workouts and a sugar-free diet. Her looks were circa "Stronger" days.

Even though I hate to say it, musically will.i.am is always strong, but Britney definitely outshined him in the cinematic way. He doesn't have quite the same visual appeal as she does, and perhaps I was more intrigued to see if she succeeded/failed at dancing. Thanks to many, and I mean many, technical illusions, the "dancing" was more like swaying and popping. It was spectacular as they really milked the mirror effect.

The artistically captivating video featured a lot of abstract references that probably have some deeper meanings, but I was way too enamored by how effortlessly Britney seems to be transcending the years.

Photo courtesy of Bridow/WENN.com

For more editor's picks, check out:

Wild Belle "Keep You"
50 Cent feat. Eminem, Adam Levine "My Life"
Purity Ring "Lofticries"

Before the Oscars and Golden Globes, the critics have to throw their hats in the ring. They acknowledge who they feel are the best in film. According to EW, the New York Film Critics Circle has announced its 2012 winners, which were dominated by Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty and Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.

18 films set for Sundance world premiere lineup>>

Zero Dark Thirty walked away with the biggest prize — Best Picture. It also scored Best Director for Bigelow and Best Cinematography for Greig Fraser. On the other hand, Lincoln had its fair share of wins. The film earned Best Screenplay , Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress .

Sally Field "fought like holy hell" for Lincoln>>

Best Supporting Actor went to Matthew McConaughey, whose career is currently on fire. He won for his performance in two films: Magic Mike and the black comedy Bernie. McConaughey will be one to watch as he's also gained praise for his work in the drama Killer Joe.

Here are the 2012 New York Film Critics Circle Winners:

• Best Picture: Zero Dark Thirty
• Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
• Best Screenplay: Tony Kushner, Lincoln
• Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
• Best Actress: Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea
• Best Foreign Language Film: Amour
• Best Animated Film: Frankenweenie
• Best Supporting Actor: Matthew McConaughey for Bernie and Magic Mike
• Best Supporting Actress: Sally Field, Lincoln
• Best Cinematography: Greig Fraser, Zero Dark Thirty
• Best Non-Fiction Film: The Central Park Five
• Best First Feature: How to Survive a Plague

Do you agree with the winners?

Photo credit: Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Nick Lachey has had an interesting couple of years, with a new wife and a new baby. And even though he was kicked out of an NFL game on Sunday, he made every attempt to win back his fans in the opposing team’s city.

According to MSNBC, at 4:41 p.m. Sunday, the singer tweeted: "Just got kicked out of the chargers stadium and couldn't be prouder! Go Cincy Bengals! #whodey."

Reports said Lachey was trash-talking, and he might have confirmed that with his next tweet, sent three hours later.

"Bengals win again,” Lachey tweeted. “i'd talk trash to everyone in SD, but what's the point? you already had me kicked out of the stadium and you still lost.”

That tweet was perhaps not his finest moment, but he cleared it up a little later. On Tuesday afternoon, he tried to explain he was not the one trash-talking.

"For the record, i was not kicked out of the chargers game for excessive trash talking. no, that honor belonged to the guy in front of me!" he tweeted on Monday. "i simply don't appreciate someone turning around and putting their finger in my face. call me crazy, but that deserved a reaction. again, aside from a few exceptions, i had a great time hanging with Charger fans all afternoon. honestly, some of the nicest fans around.”

The 98 Degrees member may have realized how many fans he might have in San Diego and attempted to retract his previous comments.

He also said, "Majority of charger fans were awesome yesterday, thanks for the hospitality! Sadly, there is always one guy that ruins it for everyone....."

It seems Lachey may have not been paying attention to how easily celebrities can get in trouble on Twitter. Lachey still has not mentioned exactly why he got kicked out of the stadium, which eventually might clear things up even more.

Photo courtesy Dan Jackman/WENN.com

John Krasinski seems like a staple in every American living room these days with his part as Jim Halpert on The Office, but it was less than 10 years ago when he almost gave it all up.

Krasinski said in 2005 he was just a struggling actor in Hollywood, and he thought about giving up and going home. But it was his mom who persuaded him to not throw in the towel quite yet. The motivation ended up paying off, because he soon landed his role on The Office.

On Monday, the actor told Matt Lauer on Today how thankful he is that he did stick it out, because if he hadn’t, he never would have met his wife, actress Emily Blunt.

"It's a little bit of an existential crisis after awhile, because I wouldn't have met my wife, I wouldn't have been out in L.A.," he told Lauer. "Truly, when I say the show has given me everything, it's given me everything."

Krasinski might seems like he might be going through a little bit of an identity crisis now, as The Office is winding down. He decided to take that opportunity to explore new areas of the business, and ended up co-writing a movie with Matt Damon. Both actors also star in the film, Promised Land, but Krasinski said the writing process wasn’t always easy.

"I just drove to his house every weekend,” he told Lauer. “He wins by default with four little girls, and so that's a very busy house that I have to go to him. We actually wrote with children climbing all over him, and he was doing bath time and dinner and everything, and we still got it done."

Even though Krasinski seemed to enjoy his new responsibilities, it was scary to diverge from the familiarity of The Office.

"I thought it was going to be fine. It was terrifying," he said.

Promised Land opens in theaters on Dec. 28.

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What does a Victoria’s Secret model look like when she is pregnant? The world will get a chance to see Marisa Miller’s newfound body because the pregnant model decided to pose nude for Allure magazine.

Miller, 34, married her husband Griffin Guess, 33, six years ago, but they are now just having their first child.

“My husband and I have always looked forward to starting a family, but also wanted to enjoy just being married,” she told People when she announced her pregnancy, according to the New York Daily News. “After six years together, the time feels right."

The timing was also right because of where her family is.

“My sisters and I will all have babies in 2012 so it’s such an exciting time," she said.

Miller and Guess announced the pregnancy earlier this summer, and Miller said she is getting used to her new shape.

"I always felt, even before I got pregnant, that it's better to accentuate your curves,” Miller told Allure. “A lot of women try to tuck their butt in or kind of slouch because they're trying to hide. Obviously, you can't suck it in, but it's important to really show off the belly. For some reason, for me, from the side it looks the biggest, so that's what I tried to do."

The model got advice from her sister about remedies for stretch marks. But she also searched online for pregnancy tips, and ended up at the website of a fellow model, Molly Sims.

"She posted this recipe [on her blog]: shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and Vitamin E,” Miller said. “I made it myself, boiling the ingredients, and I poured it into Mason jars. I've loved the community of women who share their tips."

To stay fit, Miller said she also took up pilates. It is easy to see she is staying in shape in the photos in Allure. Miller, a Victoria’s Secret model, said she is OK with gaining weight, because pregnancy is a powerful thing.

"Embrace everything and all the changes. My sister said to me, 'You're eating healthy and you're working out, so whatever your body gains, it knows what it's doing,'” Miller told Allure. “I had never even owned a scale before, but gaining weight is part of charting your progress. Yes, I was seeing numbers I'd never seen before, but I let go of that because I had a new goal and focus. It's an adjustment, but it helps having a lot of positive support."

Photo courtesy Aaron D. Settipane/WENN.com

Have we gone off the deep end?

I mean, really — are we really reviewing a One Direction song?

Sure, we cannot get enough of Harry Style's dimples or Zayn Malik's irresistible style, but our innermost cougar still couldn't digest their painfully bubbly and upbeat pop music. I mean, we respected Simon Cowell's taste on American Idol and The X Factor, but we just chalked up this boy band to being a teen sensation.

"Little things," huh? You mean the members of One Direction?

We heard they released a ballad not too long ago titled "Little Things," and we figured it's probably about something childish and goofy, like puppies, or flowery pastures, maybe a girlfriend's Sweet Pea a la Bath & Body Works body spray? But paint us interested when we heard that sensational Ed Sheeran actually wrote the song. OK, well now we must give it a fair shot.

Just recently hitting the radio waves, the British boy band trades in their upbeat tempos for a slower, mature — wait, more mature than normal is what we mean — sound. They are young, fresh-faced and lively, so we were hardly expecting this sudden turn from running on beaches and dancing at parties to what we would imagine as sensual eye gazing and caressing.

It's a nice change of pace to hear them sing from some part of them that contains real emotions. Tapping into their ever-budding female fan base, women of all ages find themselves swooning over these nonjudgmental, loving, and perhaps unrealistic lyrics:

"I know you've never loved
The crinkles by your eyes
When you smile
You've never loved
Your stomach or your thighs,
The dimples in your back at the bottom of your spine
But I'll love them endlessly"

You will? Really?

Hmm. We're not so sure you know what you're talking about, gentlemen, but actually sounding like you know what real love consists of has us impressed. It's no Snow Patrol or The Script single, but it's a noticeable improvement we are in favor of.

Even The Mirror was quoted saying:

“One Direction unveiled their new single “Little Things” and by all accounts, it might make you cry into your porridge — so be careful.”

Come on! It's the holiday season. Think less of how much it's "so uncool" to chase after boy bands and give them credit where it's due.

Photo courtesy of WENN.com

For more music reviews, check out:

Bruno Mars "Moonshine"
Biffy Clyro's "Black Chandelier"
Moses Stone feat. Lisa Scinta "Young and Invincible"

It looks like celebrity morning sickness is the latest trend after Kate Middleton was hospitalized with hyperemesis gravidarum earlier this week. Now, pregnant Holly Madison is suffering from complications from her morning sickness ailment close to her third trimester.

The 32-year-old was hospitalized and treated with an IV to pump fluids back into her system. The former Hugh Hefner girlfriend tweeted out photos of her IV, her floral pajamas and her Converse high-tops while she was being treated at the hospital.

She shared the hospital trip with her followers, stating, "Almost seven months and morning sickness took hold! Glad to be otherwise OK, though."

The Playboy Playmate is pregnant with her first child with boyfriend Pasquale Rotella, a Las Vegas party promoter. While Madison is concerned about her health and delivering her first baby, her boyfriend is in quite a bit of hot water.

Rotella has been embroiled in a legal mess stemming from two people who died at one of his events earlier in the year. In addition, he has been indicted on charges of embezzlement, bribery and conspiracy in a theft case from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Those charges could land him in jail for up to 14 years.

The Girls Next Door star didn't seem fazed by her hospital visit nor her baby daddy's legal issues as she tweeted out thanks to all of her followers.

She responded to her fans' messages for good health with, "Thank you for all the get well wishes! Keeping me entertained -- forgot to bring a book with me."

Madison is due to give birth in March.

Image courtesy of DJDM/WENN.com