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From messy hair to big bellies, Olivia Wilde's pregnancy reveal is perfection

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Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis are expecting their second child, Wilde's Instagram tells us. Wilde posted an adorable black-and-white photo of herself and her son Otis baring their bellies. "Matching baby bumps," she captioned the sweet photo. Otis, who turns 2 this week, looks overjoyed about his new little brother or sister. Yay for the expanding family!

More: Pregnancy has made Olivia Wilde feel like a goddess

In an age of paparazzi speculating about baby bumps and professionally shot birth announcements, it's nice to see this family moment is how Vinyl's Wilde and SNL's Sudeikis chose to announce their new little one. Celebs — sometimes they really are just like us.

olivia wilde

olivia wilde

Although Wilde may look like your average mom playing with her toddler, she wasn't totally unglam. She and Otis are currently in Hawaii with Sudeikis as he promotes his movie Angry Birds, based on the game of the same name. The Daily Mail has gone so far as to speculate that "based on the size of [Wilde's] bump" she'll have her baby sometime in December. There's no official word on Wilde's due date, but People has confirmed the news with the couples' reps.

More: Olivia Wilde's brutally honest essay about motherhood gets one thing wrong

In an interview in Shape last spring, Wilde opened up about the low points of a pregnancy body. "First of all, you haven't seen your vagina in months, even though it's all her fault you're in this situation," she said. "Now that you can finally confirm that she is, in fact, still there, she isn't the gal that you remember, and would rather you back off and give her some space (and an ice diaper) for the time being, thank you very much." Round two, coming up.

More: Olivia Wilde blasted for sharing sweet picture of her son


My home births were a whole lot more fun than going to the dentist

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I went to the dentist the other day, and it was awful as usual. The waiting. The scraping of metal. The condescending warnings about not flossing enough. The bruising and bleeding from the mouth like a losing boxer. After two home births, I can say with confidence that it is actually more convenient and, in many ways, less painful to give birth at home than to see the dentist. Here’s why.

More: Gorgeous photos show badass mom breastfeeding two toddlers at same time

Logistics

For both of my home births, I was in charge of scheduling, or my baby was. I never had to rush, never had to wait at four-way intersections or find parking in spooky high-rise garages. Pre- and post-natal visits were at my home, on my turf. I was usually examined while lying on my couch, blissfully unhurried. My water broke on the due date, contractions amped up, we called the midwife and she came striding through the door a half-hour later with a big smile on her face.

Lighting

The dentist’s office is fluorescently lit, like most impersonal cost-saving institutions: hospitals, classrooms, courthouses. Walgreens, Safeway, Target. In contrast, my home lighting is incandescent, cozy and quaint. I could have given birth in total darkness if I had wanted to. Instead, we lit a bunch of candles and the reading lamp on the bedside table. The ambiance was pleasant, even festive.

More: When a friend has a miscarriage, shut up and listen

Music

I often wait so long at the dentist that I begin to hear the same cheesy instrumental Muzak loop back around: a special kind of torture. After we learned in birth class that the average length of first-time labor is 15 hours, my sister and best friend created an extremely long birth playlist including my favorite songs from various chapters of my life: Madonna, Ani DiFranco, Bob Marley, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. When active labor began, I asked for silence, and no one seemed offended.

Company

At the dentist, it is just you and the dentist. Maybe a friendly assistant, if you are lucky. You cannot have a conversation because your mouth is stuck in the open position. At a home birth, you can invite anyone you like. Some beloveds felt left out of my first home birth, so the second time we invited more widely. It was a regular party: the midwife, the doula, my husband, my two sisters, my mother, my best friend and me. We considered including the toddler firstborn, but then decided that he was too sensitive and sent him to the park. After two congenial hours of chatting and contractions, we were joined by the newborn baby, nursing greedily like a frat boy at a keg.

Weirdness

Perhaps it is because visits to the dentist are mainstream, while home births account for only about one percent of American births — whatever the reason, in home birth you are totally welcome to fly your freak flag. During a home birth, you can be naked, you can bathe, you can orgasm, you can drink kale smoothies, whatever you wish. I was instructed not to scream during labor but rather to keep my voice low, like a Buddhist monk, in order to keep my heart rate down and my focus centered. My interpretation in the heat of the moment was to moo like a cow and to growl like a tiger, a surprise to all of us. Imagine making these animal sounds in the dentist’s chair. Naked.

More: I want alone time so badly, I'd rather sit in traffic than be with my kids

Cost

Many insurance plans do not cover home birth, and it can cost several thousand dollars. But the number on the contract with the midwife is the total amount you pay. The midwife does not push shiny brochures into your swollen pregnant hands, advertising fancier rubber sheets for your bed or more potent herbs for your sitz bath. She does not ask you to consider a two-for-one deal. No upselling or cross-selling; just quality care. At the dentist, on the other hand, I am bombarded with branded content. Am I a loyal Crest user? Am I a good candidate for Invisalign? Do I want gold, silver or porcelain crowns? It is maddening, all the choices, all the extras.

In home birth, unlike at the dentist, the experience is totally customized. The client is queen. And you get a baby at the end, not just a toothbrush.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

newborn
Image: Rana Rankin - Breathe Birth Photography

Rainbow toasties make grilled cheese even more magical

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Some snacks just shouldn’t be messed with, and that list includes cheese toasties. Until now, that is. Because who wouldn’t love to sink their teeth into a rainbow toastie, even if just to find out for yourself exactly what red, blue, yellow and green melted cheese tastes like?

Orange cheese is old news, people.

The multi-colored toastie, also known as a unicorn toastie (squee!), has come into our lives, courtesy of Instagrammer hkfoodiexblogger. The rainbow toasties are from Hong Kong café Kala Toast and cost $42 HKD (around $5 USD). Each color of cheese has a different flavor: blue is lavender; green is basil; red is tomato; and yellow is a combination of mozzarella, cheddar, Emmental and Gruyère.

More: What do we want? Bottomless fries! When do we want them? Now!

Rainbow toastie

Rainbow toastie

Most of us probably won’t experience the delights of a rainbow toastie any time soon, but luckily hkfoodiexblogger has provided a handy review:

The toast was crispy but I reckon both the flavour of the lavender and tomato were subtle. The basil flavour was the most outstanding one comparatively but the cheese flavour still was not as strong as my expectation. It was also a bit oily in general. I would say the quality Rather Average But We All CAN Not deny that IT IS photogenic. [sic]

More: Make candy in your slow cooker like a magic elf

It certainly is.

Rainbow toastie 2

Rainbow toastie 2

They might look better than they taste, but since when has that stopped anything going viral?

Rainbow toastie 3

Rainbow toastie 3

Unicorn toasties are about to take over your Instagram.

Rainbow toastie 4

Rainbow toastie 4

Do we need any more proof that everything is so much better when it's rainbow-colored?

More: 20 freakin' gorgeous and inspiring ways to eat the rainbow

How HIV symptoms are different for women

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Over the years, a lot has been written about the human immunodeficiency virus. But all too often, the information is universal and doesn't address the specific changes women should expect to experience should they become infected with HIV. As we now know, an early HIV diagnosis and treatment can lead to people with HIV living normal and healthy lives. But, as women, we may not all be aware of how HIV symptoms can affect our reproductive organs and menstrual cycles and the other female-specific symptoms that are related to HIV.

"It’s interesting to know that 2 out of 3 new cases of HIV in women are due to unprotected sexual intercourse from an infected partner, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health," says Dr. Sherry Ross, OB-GYN and women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. "By virtue of women and men having gender-specific anatomy and hormonal variations, HIV will have different symptoms related to their reproductive health."

Women suffering from HIV may experience hormonal changes, stress and weight loss, Ross says. As a result, they may also notice irregularities in their period. “Those affected can have frequent and heavy periods or lighter and missed periods,” Ross says. “Some completely lose their period altogether. Hormonal havoc is not uncommon, making symptoms associated with premenstrual symptoms (PMS), perimenopause and menopause even worse.”

More: Spreading HIV through manicures: Facts to know about the risk

Menstrual changes aside, women with HIV are more prone to yeast and bacterial infections, Ross says. And because they develop a weakened immune system, they're also more likely to get sexually transmitted infections, including herpes simplex virus, chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and the human papillomavirus (HPV), Ross says. Another thing to note: Being more at risk for STIs makes women with HIV more susceptible to cervical and anal/rectal cancer.

Despite these symptoms, unless a woman has a pre-existing menstrual or ovulatory irregularity, the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS does not typically disrupt reproductive function, says Dr. David Diaz, a reproductive endocrinologist at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.

“Because normal ovulation is not affected, a young woman may become pregnant,” Diaz says. “If she contracts an infection, there is the additional risk of transmitting the virus to her fetus. Health care professionals should caution women against having unprotected intercourse and clearly explain to their female patients that taking the birth control pill alone is not protective against the HIV virus.”

More: It's true: Babies are being cured of HIV

If a woman is experiencing the advanced stages of HIV, Diaz says AIDS-related immunologic deficiency can typically cause blood cell changes, fever, respiratory problems or skin manifestations.

“For this reason, regular surveillance and avoidance of high-risk behavior are cornerstones for decreasing exposure to HIV infection,” Diaz says.

This could help you kill jealousy for good

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Jealousy can eat you up inside — or serve as a powerful tool that can teach you more about yourself.

You'd be hard pressed to find someone who has never been envious of anybody else. Whether we feel jealous because a co-worker has achieved a major accomplishment we feel we deserved, a tad green over a friend's weight loss or positively tortured over our partner's friendship with an attractive person of the opposite sex, jealousy can do a number on our emotional state. Worse — if acted upon, it can lead to unnecessary conflicts in your relationship that put a real dent in your mutual trust.

More: I was ghosted by my best friend, and it still haunts me

Sure, the long-term goal is to feel secure, confident and happy enough in our lives to never covet what someone else has, but until we all become flawless humans, it helps to have a game plan when envy rears its ugly head. We spoke with Dr. Eric Lifshitz, a psychiatrist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, about the root cause of jealousy and ways we can kick it to the curb the second we feel it.

"At its core, jealousy is about a profound sense of unfairness,” Lifshitz told SheKnows. “On some level jealousy involves feelings that you were supposed to get or have something that someone else has gotten and that should have been yours."

People who often feel jealous may have started to feel that unfairness during childhood, perhaps as the result of how they were treated by others, Lifshitz says. There's a chance they were even robbed of their childhood in some way. Lifshitz uses the Academy Awards nominations as an example of how two nominees — one who tends to feel jealous and one who does not — experience and process the reality of losing the award.

"Everyone looks gracious but you’re going to imagine that some people genuinely are not going to feel jealous — disappointed maybe,” Lifshitz says. “But jealousy means you have in some way decided that you didn’t think you deserved to win and neither did the other person — that it was the luck of the draw. The nominees who aren’t jealous appreciate what they have — getting nominated is an honor in itself.” 

Whatever someone's personal reason for feeling jealous, most people can probably agree it rarely leads to positive outcomes.

"It causes you to waste a lot of energy that could be spent forwarding yourself and you end up being consumed,” Lifshitz says. “At its core, jealousy repeats a message about yourself that you are less than. It comes from a place of a self-conceptualization of victimization and letting yourself get caught up in it only further propagates this victim idea."

More: She was my best friend... until I filed for divorce from my husband

Lifshitz offers three ways to get past jealousy and let it serve as a motivator, rather than an obstacle, to accomplishing your own goals.

1. Acknowledge it

Don’t pretend you aren’t jealous. Appreciate feelings of anger that might come from an event that could trigger jealousy — like a colleague's job promotion or a partner giving attention to someone else. "It’s okay to feel upset, but catch yourself when you're conceptualizing a storyline," Lifshitz says. "View it as an opportunity to learn and grow. If something is happening in a relationship that makes you feel jealous it forces you to look at what is making you feel insecure."

2. Don't redirect your anger

When you redirect your anger toward someone other than your partner or the person with whom you feel envy, it’s really about something you’re carrying within yourself, Lifshitz says. In a romantic relationship, the source of jealous feelings could be because you had an expectation of your partner that wasn’t agreed to by them. “People have different ideas about what it means to be in a relationship,” Lifshitz says.

If you’re jealous about something your partner did (like getting too close to someone who isn’t you), Lifshitz warns against bringing it up in a way that insinuates your partner did something wrong, which he says will only lead to him/her reacting defensively and it will make you feel more victimized, to boot. A better way to handle the talk? “Some version of 'something happened that is making me feel insecure' is much more of a bridging way because it invites your partner to join you and be on your team," Lifshitz says.

More: Your cranky mom could get you fined for not visiting her enough

3. Recognize the power lies within you

No one can make you feel jealous without your consent. Jealousy can be a motivator to the extent that you can use it to help you get to a place where you recognize the power lies in you and there isn’t some outward force working against you, Lifshitz says.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Friendship quotes
Image: wundervisuals/Getty Images

Chris Brown opens up for the first time about the Rihanna abuse, no one cares

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The point of Welcome to My Life: The Official Chris Brown Documentary probably is to make Brown a far more sympathetic character than public perception currently holds him, but his attempt at humanizing himself in the wake of his violent assault against Rihanna falls flat.

The documentary features tons of stars, including Usher, Jennifer Lopez, DJ Khaled and Mary J. Blige, commenting on Brown's meteoric rise to fame, but it's Brown's own comments about that infamous night in his car that grab the viewer's attention the most — and for all the wrong reasons.

Chris Brown documentary trailer

Chris Brown documentary trailer

More: Chris Brown continues campaign to become a total a-hole

Brown's comments in the trailer focus mainly on how the incident affected him — his career and public image, and how that made him feel. No mention of Rihanna or the effects of his violent temper on her.

"I went from being on top of the world, No. 1 songs, being kind of like America's sweetheart to being Public Enemy No. 1," Brown recalled. "I felt like a f***ing monster. I was thinking about suicide, I wasn't sleeping, I barely ate... if there was ever a doubt in your mind Chris Brown was done, he was finished... I wouldn't bet on it."

And unsurprisingly, the Internet is not having it.

Twitter reactions to Chris Brown documentary

Twitter reactions to Chris Brown documentary

More: Chris Brown is under investigation for assaulting a woman in a hotel room

And frankly, most of the media feels the same way.

Media reactions to Chris Brown documentary

Media reactions to Chris Brown documentary

No release date has been set for the flick, other than "soon."

More: Rihanna and Chris Brown's leaked single's lyrics are super inappropriate

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

chris brown daughter slideshow
Image: Chris Brown/Instagram

Your guy probably just faked that orgasm, ladies

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Thanks to pop culture and friendly advice, we women assume it's easy as pie to get a guy off (case and point, the movie American Pie). If anyone's going to be hard to please in bed, it's going to be us, because we've got the more complicated sexy parts, right? Well, according to a new Canadian study, that notion is so wrong it's scary. Apparently, men aren't nearly as sexually satisfied as they've led us to believe, because they're faking one in four orgasms. One in four!

More6 embarrassing sex stories that will make you die a little inside

Believe it or not, that's actually a bit more frequent than how often women fake the big O. While a 2010 study on female orgasms seems to suggest we do it more (80 percent of women are faking it half the time), when you crunch the numbers, that's still less than 25 percent of the time, all the time. Is this shaking anyone else's most firmly held beliefs about sex right now?

Image: Giphy

The study was simple enough — researchers at the Université du Québec a Montréal asked 230 male volunteers between the ages of 18 and 29 if they've ever faked an orgasm and, if so, how often. Now perhaps Canadian men are just harder to please sexually than other nationalities, or they're more polite, so they lend their partner additional moral support even though they're not quite getting them there. Whatever the reason, it's definitely a problem about which men have kept silent for way too long. It's not all about us, guys! I know we're pretty, but this is a team effort here. Nobody scores unless everybody scores!

MoreWhat is tantric sex? Well, it's not hours of lovemaking but it is fantastic

Fake Os among men seem to happen most often during vaginal intercourse, although a sizable percentage also claim they fake it during oral and manual stimulation as well. And they're doing it for the same reason we do it — to make their sexual partner feel like they're doing a good job (even though they're not). Other reasons these Canadian men gave for faking were because they were intoxicated or wound up having sex they weren't thrilled about and just wanted it to be over (hey, we've all been there).

While it's easy to look at these findings as a betrayal on the part of our male counterparts, remember we're just as guilty of these little white lies that for the most part are orchestrated out of politeness. We want the other person to feel they're doing well, so we all walk away under the assumption that a good time was had. While that's a lovely sentiment, such chivalry will do nothing to improve the quality of sex we're having.

I say it's time all of us — men and women alike — stop the charade and give constructive criticism rather than inflated orgasms. We can call it the "O-tervention," and just like any other uncomfortable issue that's gone unaddressed for a while, we should feel free to talk openly, in a safe place, about why we fake it. Let's start posting faked-O admissions at #Otervention and begin the difficult but necessary journey towards better sexual experiences. Join me?

MoreWe all want to know how long sex lasts for other people — and now we do

Quick orange-pepper fish gets dinner on the table in 20 minutes

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Want something new to serve on the family table, and you have less than half an hour to spare? Don't fret — this quick and easy fish recipe is just the one for you. Use fresh ingredients if you can, because they make a world of difference to the quality. I tried this recipe with freshly squeezed orange juice, and the result was so satisfying. You can adjust the amount of soy sauce because the saltiness and tartness of the oranges can differ in every situation.

More: Baked shoestring potato-crusted fish

For the fish, I suggest using only white fish. It can be fresh or frozen, but of course, fresh always gives the best result.

Pair it with a simple salad or even steamed white rice for an Asian edge. Whatever accompaniment you choose, this will surely be a great healthy dinner to look forward to. Buon appetito!

More: Polenta-crusted fish fillets with tomato salad

20-Minute-orange-pepper-fish-fillet-vertical

Image: Rowena Dumlao-Giardina/SheKnows

20-minute orange-pepper fish fillet recipe

With a simple flavoring of freshly squeezed orange juice and lots of pepper, your simple fish fillet can get loads of flavor.

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices white fish fillet
  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 2 oranges)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, julienned
  • Olive oil (or other kind of oil, for cooking)
  • 1 egg, lightly whisked
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Fresh chives, finely chopped
  • Fresh salad, to serve with the fish

Directions:

  1. Prepare 3 small bowls for the whisked egg, flour and breadcrumbs.
  2. Dip each fish fillet into the flour, shake off the excess, then into the egg and finally into the breadcrumbs.
  3. At the same time you are cooking the sauce, cook the fish too.
  4. In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, combine the orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce and ginger. Cook for about 10 minutes, until slightly thick. Season with pepper. Set aside.
  5. In a hot, medium-size saucepan with olive oil over medium heat, brown both sides of the fish.
  6. When the fillets are cooked, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Serve while still hot with the sauce and some salad.

For every woman who's loved a boy or birthed one: What to know about foreskins

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Let's play a fun game, well-loved by health writers everywhere! I call it "Science experiment or just another fun Saturday night?" Basically, you have to read the description — 62 brave souls offer up their penises to be prodded by various tools to assess sensitivity to touch, pain and heat — and decide whether or not a scientific method is involved. In this case, the answer is yes. Ah, science, you weirdos.

Recently a group of researchers decided to test the idea that circumcision reduces penis sensitivity and therefore reduces sexual pleasure. So, they did what any reasonable person would do and rounded up a bunch of dudes, both cut and uncut, and told them to drop trou so they could poke their privates to see how sensitive they really are.

They were testing the "keratinization hypothesis" that postulates that men who are circumcised have less sensitivity because without their little hoods, the glans (or tip) of the penis develops a hard outer coating, or callous, to protect it. After shocking, burning and poking the men's members, however, the scientists proclaimed in a study published in The Journal of Urology this myth totally debunked.

"There’s a lot of popular folklore that circumcised penises are less sensitive, but this study points to the fact that it might not be the case," reported lead author Jennifer Bossio, a PhD student in psychology. "Circumcision is not associated with changes in penile sensitivity," she said, adding that the foreskin is not the most sensitive part of the penis anyhow.

While this one question may be settled, it adds more fuel to the fire of controversy surrounding circumcision, or the process of cutting off a male's foreskin. As the world decries female genital mutilation, and rightly so, as it's a brutal practice that maims and kills hundreds of thousands of girls every year, surprisingly more and more health professionals are coming out in support of male circumcision.

The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses it for babies, writing, "The health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks." The Centers for Disease Control is also totally onboard with the snipping, adding that it has great benefits for adult men, too, and has advised counseling males of all ages about considering the elective surgery. And lest you think it's just docs in the U.S., the World Health Organization also issued a (very long) statement saying that circumcision done properly can be beneficial, most notably as a AIDS/HIV prevention tool, and should not be discouraged.

The consensus of the medical profession definitely seems to be that male circumcision is a positive thing. According to the CDC's summary, it reduces the risk that a man will acquire HIV from an infected female partner and also lowers the risk of other STDs, penile cancer and infant urinary tract infections. For the female partners of the circumcised men, it reduces the risk of cervical cancer, genital ulceration, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and human papillomavirus HPV).

The procedure itself is very safe, with the CDC specifying that although male circumcision has risks, including pain, bleeding and infection, more serious complications are rare.

Not everyone is a fan, however. Some doctors have understandably expressed concern over advocating that a perfectly healthy person get a perfectly healthy part of their body cut off. And I can tell you that as a mother of three boys, that decision between letting my beautifully perfect babies sleep, safe and warm in their new world, or awakening them to the pain and blood of mortality in their first few days of life, feels immense, regardless of what all the medical opinions say.

Whatever your decision, know that the penis does require some special care and handling. If you do decide to go the circumcision route, it's pretty simple: Make sure the area is kept clean and covered loosely with the diaper while it heals. You can put some vaseline or antibiotic ointment on the wound to prevent it from sticking to the diaper. If you decide to leave the foreskin intact, make sure to wash it gently to clean out any smegma, or debris, that may have gotten trapped underneath. Do not ever forcibly retract the foreskin, as that can cause tearing and bleeding.

Ultimately, the decision comes down to a personal choice and hopefully one that the man himself or the parents can make and feel good about.

Castle loses its female lead Stana Katic, and fans are not having it

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Castle's latest news that female lead Stana Katic won't return for Season 9 has fans wondering how the show can go on without her.

More: Cutest small-screen couples

The series, after all, has been built on the relationship dynamics between writer-turned-PI Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Detective Kate Beckett (Katic). Is there even a show without those dynamics?

Many fans think not. And some even suggested that the show should have been canceled rather than cutting one of the leads.

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 1

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 1

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 2

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 2

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 3

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 3

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 4

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 4

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 5

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 5

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 6

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 6

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 7

Stana Katic castle exit reaction tweet 7

You know when even fans of a show are calling for its cancellation, the studio made a rough call.

More: Nathan Fillion's beautiful letter about The Walking Dead is spot-on

Deadline reports that Katic was cut from the show due to budget cuts, which really makes no sense to me. Is ABC hurting that badly? I get that the show has been on for eight seasons now and things have to be changed and rearranged to make way for new content, but cutting such a critical lead character seems like chopping off the head of the horse and expecting to still be able to ride.

Tamala Jones, who played medical examiner Lanie Parish, also won't return.

The studio commented on the decision, explaining, "Kate Beckett has been a beloved character on our hit series Castle for the past 8 years. We are grateful for Stana Katic’s talent and dedication to the series and we hope to continue our relationship. Tamala Jones has also been an integral part of the series and we are grateful she was a part of Castle."

For her part, Katic is trying to keep things positive, "Rather then distract from what was an amazing experience, I would just like to say that I’m very grateful to ABC for giving me the opportunity to be a part of a much beloved show. Thank you to the fans."

More: Castle Season 8: 5 theories about the new lady in Castle's life

I can't help but wonder if maybe the reason Katic is exiting from the show is because ABC has offered her the chance to star in a new pilot. Pilot season — where major players for new shows are cast in the world of Hollywood between the months of about January to March — just ended, after all. Perhaps ABC has their eye on Katic for big things, and with Castle winding down, the studio thought now would be the perfect time for Katic to shine.

Otherwise, what gives ABC?

Do you think ABC could have ulterior plans for not renewing Katic's contract on Castle?

We're not surprised by Scott Disick's PDA photo with Kourtney Kardashian

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Kourtney Kardashian is clearly ready to move on with her life and embrace her single status. She's constantly posting cute photos on Instagram — and not just pictures of her kids! Many of her Instagram pics feature evenings out with her best buds. Others are notably sultry. Scott Disick, on the other hand, still appears to be pining for Kardashian, although he has managed to work in a little quality time with her little brother, Rob.

More: Scott Disick awkwardly comments on Kourtney Kardashian's nipple photo

Disick's feelings about Kourtney Kardashian were made painfully obvious earlier today, when he posted a very romantic throwback photo on Instagram. Hearkening back to happier times, the picture featured Disick and Kardashian in full makeout mode. The snapshot was accompanied by the following caption: "Happy birthday @kourtneykardash, everyone who knows you love (sic) you so much!"

More: Kourtney Kardashian, Scott Disick confuse fans with flirty Snapchat videos

Disick's latest Instagram picture offered a refreshing break from a long line of sad selfies and photos of fancy cars, which clearly are not enough to fill the gaping hole in Disick's life. Although he doesn't look quite as terrible as he did in the immediate aftermath of his messy split with Karadashian, he's clearly not having the time of his life.

Scott Disick PDA

Scott Disick PDA

Really, it's not surprising that Disick is posting awkward PDA photos of his ex. The upcoming season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians is expected to delve into his new life without Kardashian, and if his social media accounts are any indication, it's not a pretty picture. He has posted a few pictures of guys' nights out and other efforts at putting himself out there, but he just never seems to look happy. He doesn't even look all that smug these days — and that used to be his default facial expression.

More: Scott Disick reveals if he would bang, marry or kill Kourtney Kardashian

It's a bit pathetic to see Disick posting romantic pictures of his ex while she's having the time of her life, but few people have sympathy for him. He should have thought about all this when he was ditching his girlfriend and getting cozy with Chloe Bartoli. Yes, his bad choices were likely prompted by a mix of booze and depression, but that's no excuse for breaking up his family.

What do you think of Scott Disick's latest Instagram update? Is it heartwarming or sad? Do you think Kourtney Kardashian will eventually take him back? Comment and share your opinion below.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

kourtney and scott through the years

Teen Mom's date night was a slap in the face to Leah Messer

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More: Teen Mom's Kailyn Lowry's latest move proves she's proud of her surgery

OK, can we agree on something? Leah Messer has been through enough. She's struggling with addiction, depression and anxiety. She has one kid with a degenerative illness, another who's a serious drama queen and Addy, an eater of sugar packets. She's been divorced twice. She lost primary custody of her kids. She's only 24 years old. And yes, I understand that she bears responsibility for some of those things, including the part where she's letting MTV record and edit her life, but also? Yikes. And on Monday, her ex-husband, Jeremy Calvert, did not help Leah's situation.

MoreIs Farrah trying to patch things up with her former Teen Mom costars?

Something was definitely afoot in the latest episode — Leah talked a lot about how Jeremy was more awesome than Corey, the two flirted when she picked up Addy, and Jeremy asked her out to dinner. We know, based on Leah's dating history, that it's not unheard of for her to get back with exes, so the idea of her and Jeremy having some sort of reconciliation wasn't nuts. I might have believed it if I didn't spend way too much time online reading about the Teen Mom stars and all their business.

So there was the flirting, the gushing to her sister about Jeremy and his post-divorce flirting, and then Jeremy took it one step further and asked Leah out so they could "talk." I don't know about you, but that does not seem like a mixed signal to me. I don't blame Leah for thinking Jeremy had something more serious in mind, but over the course of the meal, he made it clear that he really just wanted to talk about coparenting. At that point, Leah was kind of tipsy and talking a lot about herself and feelings, and the whole thing was just so embarrassing and it's hard to imagine not feeling terrible for Leah. She is all of us who ever got really excited about getting together (or back together, in this case) with someone and then crushed by them, except, you know, for her it's happening on TV.

There are approximately a thousand other ways Jeremy could have gone about this and he picked the worst one. I'm pretty sure he was prompted by the producers, but still, really? You just do not do that to someone, even if you're angry at them and even if you have the chance to be on TV. A person can only be punished so much for things that weren't even in their control, and by that, I mean Leah's health issues and her ability and willingness to face them. Way to model empathy, Jeremy.

More: Teen Mom star Maci Bookout posts a big announcement about baby No.3 

What did you think about Jeremy's behavior toward Leah? Did she deserve to be treated that way? Tell us in the comments!

Before you go, check out our slideshow below!

Amber Portwood Teen Mom drama
Image: MTV

Giuliana Rancic shouldn't be called skinny, she should be called brave

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Giuliana Rancic shared a photo to Instagram today that showed her lounging by the pool in a black bikini with her son, Duke, laughing next to her. The two both looked incredibly happy to be spending quality time together. Instead of hiding herself or missing the opportunity to capture a genuinely happy moment with her son, Rancic bravely posted the pic to her 2.5 million followers.

Giuliana Rancic posts to Instagram

Giuliana Rancic posts to Instagram

More: Giuliana Rancic skinny-shamed again, and it's infuriating her fans (PHOTO)

I say bravely because if I were her, I don’t know if I would have. Instagram can be a ruthless place full of terrible comments. And it’s no secret that Rancic has dealt with millions of comments about her body and her weight.

Rancic is naturally skinny, but when she underwent treatment for her breast cancer, she lost what little extra weight she had. Any public appearance she made during that time was met with “eat a burger” comments. For the record, those comments are just as bad as telling someone they need to put down the burger and eat a salad.

More: Giuliana Rancic: Breast cancer recovery is hell

Body positivity is for all people and sizes. There are definitely health risks associated with all sizes, and showing concern for a friend or family member is encouraged when it comes from a loving place. When you’re giving unsolicited advice to a stranger online, even if that stranger is a celebrity, about what they should and shouldn’t eat, you’re just being a jerk.

More: The new attacks on Giuliana Rancic's looks go way too far (PHOTO)

Luckily, the 2.5 million people who follow Rancic on Instagram got this message and praised her with nothing but supportive comments about how great she looked. It’s inspiring to see that no matter what reaction she gets, it hasn’t stopped Rancic from celebrating her body and putting it out there for everyone to see.

Kathryn Dennis isn't a gold digger just because she wants a house

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More: Vanderpump Rules' Kristen Doute & Brian Carter make a big relationship move

On the latest episode of Southern Charm, Shep courted the idea of getting a job, Landon refused to focus, Patricia accidentally bought 144 flamingos, Craig searched for a super-expensive "promise" ring for Naomie, and Thomas and Kathryn still didn't murder each other (there's always next week). There was also a polo match that ended badly in the form of Kathryn storming off, and not in the form of anyone getting trampled by a horse.

Viewers of this show have decided two things about Kathryn: She's a gold digger and she's "crazy." I take umbrage with both of these accusations, but right now, let's tackle that gold digger piece. On Monday's episode, Kathryn approached Thomas to ask him to cosign a lease for her, which, admittedly, was perplexing since she's currently living with her parents, who could theoretically cosign. Money has been an issue between these two since Kathryn's pregnancy scare in Season 1, after which Thomas promised to take care of Kathryn and any children he happened to sire. (He also said he'd marry her on more than one occasion, but I think we can all be grateful that never happened.) It's not crazy for Kathryn, who apparently has family money of her own, to expect Thomas to support his children, and that includes housing. It's been really easy for people on the show this season to paint her as hysterical and unhinged and Thomas as a reasonable dude, even though he was obviously present when Kathryn got pregnant the first and second time.

More: RHOD's Tiffany Hedra has a soft-porn past — but don't call her a porn star

I'm not sure why it isn't obvious to more people that Kathryn and Thomas are really good at manipulating each other, and that at the same time, theirs is an out of control situation that's only going to get worse if they don't somehow figure out how to coparent together. At one point, we learned that Thomas was giving Kathryn $2,500 a month in order to take care of Kenzie. Since the two were never married, according to South Carolina law, he doesn't actually have to give her any money, so let's all worship him for doing what he should be doing — taking care of his kid financially. Even if Kathryn's parents could cosign on that house, it's strategic on her part to get Thomas to do it. It means he's further involved with Kenzie and their future baby (who was born a few months ago in real life), and it makes it infinitely harder for him to bail on Kathryn and the kids. As easy as it might be to attribute Kathryn's motives to mere "gold digging," and as much as I would love for Thomas to just be an idiot, neither of these is the case. If you ask me, everyone involved in this situation is totally aware of what's happening.

More: Ramona Singer makes a RHONY promise that's going to be tough to keep

Is Kathryn a gold digger? What do you think about how Thomas is behaving this season? Tell us in the comments!

Woman creates perfect eyebrows, courtesy of a $7 beauty product

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You have two options: permanently arched brows via tattoo or drawn-on ones that only last until you wash your face (or sweat at the gym).

More: MAC will launch a Selena Quintanilla-inspired makeup collection this fall

Luckily, there's now a third option that comes from the amazing world of Korean beauty.

Etude House Tint My Brows Gel promises to give full brows that last up to three days. Intrigued Imgur user zeldaf bought the gel on Amazon. "For people who are virtually browless like me, it sounds too good to be true," she wrote.

Image: zeldaf/Imgur

Her natural eyebrows are very sparse, so she had nothing to lose.

"It's thick. Like legit tar kind of thick," she wrote. That's not an understatement; the gel goes on thick and makes very dramatic-looking brows. "It's so scary because if you mess up a little, a Q-tip won't really help," she wrote. "Look how wet it looks!"

Image: zeldaf/Imgur

More: Beauty vlogger makes strong case for shaving your face

The instructions say to leave it on for at least two hours, but she opted to leave it on overnight. "It didn't come off one iota on my pillow," she continued, adding that it had a "rubbery texture."

"Holy crapballs," she wrote. "It worked."

That's an understatement: Her brows looked completely flawless and held up throughout the day. The only downside was that they came off with an oil-based cleanser. She reapplied and only used a mild cleanser and they stayed put.

Image: zeldaf/Imgur

The only downside: "My husband kept turning to me in bed to tell me something and he kept bursting into fits of giggles," she said of wearing the dark gel to bed.

Well, that's not actually a downside. Laughs and perfect brows? That's $7 well spent.

More: Super-simple makeup hack uses tape (once again) to make your life easier


Doris Roberts told us a long time ago how to cope with her death

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Doris Roberts, the beloved comedian, died Monday. The actress was best known for her role as the matriarch in the hit show Everybody Loves Raymond, but she acted in movies and television shows for over 50 years. She also won five Primetime Emmy Awards during her career. Most importantly, she was loved by many who worked with her and knew her.

More: Everybody Loves Raymond costar tragically ends his own life at age 19

As many comedians do, Roberts talked about her death long before it was her time. She famously said, “When I go, if there’s a tombstone, it will say, ‘She doesn’t give in. She doesn’t give up. And she doesn’t take no for an answer.’” If that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.

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Comedians tend to have a very positive outlook on death that makes their passing a little less sad. They seem to have some sort of insight to the truth that the rest of us don’t understand. Roberts had a resolute attitude about the best way to deal with grief. She once said, “Humor is imperative, more important than food. You have a choice when someone dies. You can lie down or get back into life. Do something for someone else.” 

More: Modern Family, ABC comedies still on a roll!

Although many are grieving the loss of Roberts right now, it sounds like she wouldn’t want the sadness to last very long. She had a long, successful career full of joy and accomplishments all by pursuing exactly what she wanted to do. She had a loving family and friends and costars who all adored her. CBS said it best when they said, “Doris will be remembered for lighting up every room she walked into with an unparalleled combination of energy, humor, warmth and even a little bit of grit. We were so privileged to have her call CBS home for so many years. She will be greatly missed. Truly, Everybody Loved Doris.”

The Voice's Pharrell needs to ease up on the Nebraska hate

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Many of the best singers from The Voice began their musical journeys in small towns or in so-called flyover country, but that certainly hasn't stopped them from achieving great things. Usually, the coaches only have good things to say about these singers' seemingly humble origins. In fact, Blake Shelton goes out of his way to connect with singers from a variety of regions, although he has a clear bias for Southern musicians.

More: The Voice prediction: Christina Aguilera will break the girl curse

Not all coaches share Shelton's ability to capture the admiration of non-coastal viewers. Some have no trouble offending viewers from regions they clearly deem inferior. This was especially evident tonight, when Pharrell ticked off many Midwesterners by speaking ill of Nebraska. If his dismissive tone is any indication, he doesn't think the state produces any talented musicians, except, of course, his team member, Hannah Huston.

Hannah Huston
Image: NBC

Pharrell's Nebraska bashing arrived shortly after Huston delivered an impressive rendition of "Something's Got a Hold on Me," a classic Etta James tune that Christina Aguilera covered for the Burlesque soundtrack. He began by interjecting Shelton's very positive commentary with an offhand remark about Nebraska. Then, when it was his turn to speak, he continued to badmouth Huston's home state. Not everything he said was overtly negative, for he claimed that Nebraska should be very proud of the talented singer. However, he went on to talk about how her talent is innate, joking, "Dude, you're from Nebraska." He added, "You are inspiring so many people when they watch your willingness to dream."

More: Team Christina has an advantage after disappointing playoffs on The Voice

Pharrell is definitely right about Huston being inspiring, but his facial expressions and tone of voice indicate that he doesn't think much of Nebraska's music scene. He acts as if Huston is from the middle of nowhere, but that couldn't be further from the truth. She's from Lincoln, a city with a population of well over 270,000, not to mention, a thriving music scene. That being said, she could hail from a tiny Midwestern town and it ultimately wouldn't matter. Musical talent is not confined to the east or west coast, and it's not just a big city phenomenon. Pharrell should know this better than anyone, as he worked with Sawyer Fredericks during Season 8.

Pharrell
Image: NBC

More: Miley Cyrus' crazy outfits don't detract from her wisdom on The Voice

Viewers did not appreciate Pharrell's Nebraska attitude, as they made quite clear while live tweeting tonight's episode.

Pharrell and Nebraska

Pharrell and Nebraska

Pharrell Nebraska hate

Pharrell Nebraska hate

Although Pharrell's Nebraska negativity was annoying, it may ultimately have benefited Huston, as it fired up Midwestern viewers. Eager to send Pharrell a message, Midwestern viewers have already let it be known that they intend to give Huston an edge.

What did you think of Pharrell's commentary? Comment and share your opinion below.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

The Voice winners slideshow
Image: WENN

Brandi Redmond's poop hat on RHOD was immature, not offensive

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Brandi Redmond is by far my favorite gal on The Real Housewives of Dallas. Yes, she is sometimes incredibly annoying (especially when she's going on and on about how much she adores poop and Jesus Juice), but she's a breath of fresh air on a show full of holier than thou charity princesses. It was clear from the very beginning that her antics — and lack of filter — were bound to cause drama, and tonight's episode certainly delivered!

LeeAnne Locken
Image: Bravo

More: Brandi Redmond explains the RHOD hat/poop incident in all of its entirety

This evening, the main source of drama was a very creative and very atrocious hat that Redmond designed specifically for a charity event that needed a little brightening up. Her hat was admittedly very immature, as it featured what is seemingly her favorite thing in the whole wide world: poop. She also thoughtfully included a plastic dog on the hat, thus letting others know the species from which the hat's poop originated.

More: RHOD's Tiffany Hendra has a soft-porn past, but don't call her a porn star

Redmond's nemesis LeeAnne Locken was predictably outraged by the hat. Or perhaps she wasn't actually outraged, but merely eager for an excuse to get Redmond in trouble. Either way, her response was exactly what I expected, given her behavior thus far.

Brandi Redmond
Image: Bravo

More: RHOD's Brandi Redmond is the new Brandi Glanville, and that's a good thing

Last week, the majority of those who live tweeted the RHOD premiere agreed that Locken was unlikable, but there was more of a divide for Redmond, with many viewers unable to get past her immaturity. This week, that divide deepened, and a surprising number of viewers took issue with Redmond's silly hat. A few compared the hat to a swamp, while others claimed that Redmond's behavior was downright disgusting.

Brandi crass

Brandi crass

Agree with LeeAnne Locken

Agree with LeeAnne Locken

Redmond is definitely immature, but there are a lot of things worse in this world than an ugly hat covered in fake dog turds. The only thing sadder than Locken's disdain is that so many viewers are similarly outraged. C'mon people, it's a hat. Redmond is still donating plenty of money to a great cause, so there's no need to freak out.

What did you think of Brandi Redmond's hat on The Real Housewives of Dallas? Did you find it offensive or merely ugly? Comment and share your opinion below.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

rhod housewives slideshow
Image: Bravo

David Beckham's 'little man' gives Anna Kendrick a run for her money

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It’s been a while since we’ve seen a cover of Anna Kendrick’s song “Cups,” but this one is definitely worth the wait. It’s the cutest one we’ve seen and not just because the videographer is David Beckham. Romeo Beckham, the middle son of Victoria and David, showed off his singing and tapping skills on David’s Instagram when he did a cover of the famous Pitch Perfect song.

Romeo Beckham sings cups

Romeo Beckham sings cups

More: David Beckham longs to go back to basics with wife Victoria

The proud dad showed Romeo’s full cover of the song along with the caption, “Look at my little man go. Ridiculously cute and the enjoyment in his face whilst doing it just makes us smile.” He then tagged Victoria along with Romeo and his brothers, Brooklyn and Cruz (sister Harper is probably too young for her own account).

Romeo was also the face of Burberry’s Christmas advertisements last year. So, if you’re keeping track, this family is full of people who are as talented in arts and athletics as they are beautiful. Oh, and Romeo is only 13. Who knows what he’ll be able to accomplish by the time he’s an adult.

More: David Beckham gets a Minions tattoo for his daughter Harper (PHOTO)

David hasn’t been on Instagram long, but in the time he has, one thing that’s apparent is how much he loves and supports his family. Most of his posts are tributes to his wife or one of his kids and him boasting about their talents. It’s an endearing balance of giving people a glimpse into their otherwise private lives and not being pushy about how successful and beautiful they all are. This video was just one example of a genuinely proud dad showing off his son’s talents; he just happens to have 21.8 million followers.

More: David Beckham proves men should be affectionate with their sons (PHOTO)

So far, Anna Kendrick hasn’t responded to the video, but I’m sure if she does it will be hilarious.

What do you think of Romeo’s performance? Should he follow in his mom’s footsteps and be a pop star?

This cancer survivor’s jewelry line is as inspiring as her story

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Name: Sally Waite

Company: Sally Jane

Year founded: 2015

Twitter: @sallyjanebuzz

Facebook: SallyJaneJewelry

Instagram:@SallyJaneJewelry

What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

I would tell my 20-year-old self to use this time to explore and find what it is I was meant to do. With no real responsibility, there is no better time to go for something and fail. I would also acknowledge that you never know what is waiting around the corner in life, and there is no time like the present to be yourself, laugh and to become what you have always wanted.

Do you have any words for others who might be facing cancer or similar medical hardships and are looking to find motivation and hope?

Being faced with a serious medical issue or other hardship in life can be overwhelming. There truly is not one way to cope; we are all different. The best doctors and friends recognize that you are an individual going through a personal experience. Seek out like-minded people who do not treat you like a number or statistic.

When things like this happen, we can become scared about life and isolate ourselves from our communities. The best thing for me was to stay involved with family, friends and my neighbors. We need one another to get through this life.

Want to sign up for the Pitch, or know someone who would be a great candidate? Email us today at thepitch@sheknows.com, or send us your application here!

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