Camille Grammer's legal battle with ex-boyfriend Dimitri Charalambopoulos, who allegedly assaulted her in a hotel room in 2013, has now brought some new details about her past relationship with ex-husband Kelsey Grammer to light.
Camille's psychiatrist, Dr. Bethany Tucker, revealed that Camille was abused both verbally and physically by Kelsey, according to court documents seen by the Daily Mail Online.
Camille is currently suffering from chronic post-traumatic stress disorder following the alleged hotel assault by Charalambopoulos. The former couple has been locked in a suit and counter-suit for more than two years ever since Camille accused her ex of the assault and he lashed back with a defamation suit that she, in turn, countered.
Tucker was deposed on April 6 as part of Charalambopoulos' bid to prove Camille’s allegations of assault as fabricated.
Reading from notes taken during a session with her patient on Jan. 6 2012, Tucker told the lawyers in the deposition, "Patient realizing the abuse she took from Kelsey and how it affected her."
She explained, "She was dealing with the custody battle with the kids. So sometimes — she felt she had... some verbal abuse."
"Patient concerned about lies Kelsey is saying about her..." she also noted.
Camille was married to the Frasier star from 1997 to 2011 and started seeing her therapist, Tucker, in 2005.
During another session, the doctor told lawyers, Camille told her about "an incident where Kelsey Grammer grabbed her arm or injured her shoulder." Tucker said that the incident took place before she began seeing Camille.
The deposition has emerged as an exhibit filed by Charalambopoulos' lawyers on Friday as part of a motion to compel Camille to share wide-ranging documents, including medical records and papers relating to her divorce from Kelsey. Camille’s legal team designated Tucker as a rebuttal expert in Charalambopoulos' defamation suit and the psychiatrist was deposed on April 6 of this year. Now attorneys for Charalambopoulos are pushing for fuller disclosure of the doctor’s dealings with Camille prior to the alleged assault.
Tucker also revealed that she prescribed Camille Klonopin in 2011 when she was "struggling with divorce issues and a custody battle [and] sometimes she couldn’t sleep."
Across multiple sessions following the alleged assault, Tucker described Camille as suffering from anxiety, depression, panic, eating issues and irritable bowel syndrome. On one occasion, the doctor noted, she expressed suicidal thoughts, though had formed no actual plan.
Up until this point, I was pretty fed up with Jake. He's been so smug in the latest episodes of the show, chewing sandwiches like Brad Pitt in Fight Club, just waiting to beat someone up as Rowan's lap dog. I really thought he'd changed, become unforgivably dark after being rejected by Liv (Kerry Washington) and a product of politics one too many times.
But, as Jake said himself tonight, he's still looking toward the light.
He isn't gone yet.
And not only is he not too far gone, but he wants out. He even risked his safety to tell Edison to pass a message to Olivia.
But will Liv be able to save Jake from the hole he's dug himself?
Because while I am now interested in Jake as a protagonist again, I do not think he was entirely forced into this mess. Part of his relationship with Rowan was of his own making. He got greedy and arrogant and now he's realized the error of his ways.
Unfortunately, people don't often cross Rowan and live to talk about it in the long term. The only reason Edison isn't on an autopsy table already is because Rowan still thinks he has the potential to be used as a pawn in his political game. Since Jake is clearly phasing out of his pawn mindset, his odds of surviving until the finale are looking bleak.
Let's be real, the options are either that Olivia is able to take down her father once and for all or there isn't going to be a Season 6 for Jake.
There is no way Rowan is going to let that kind of backstabbing betrayal — as he'll no doubt see it — go without retribution.
And, of course, show creator Shonda Rhimes has managed to redeem Jake just in time for his maybe death. Damn you, Shonda Rhimes! If Jake had died in the last episode, I would have said he deserved it. But now he reminded us all of that time he and Olivia escaped together and sipped wine in the sun. And I felt things for him again. And I remembered the beauty of what once was for Jake. And I want him to get back to that. And so if he dies, I'll feel the heartache of that loss for him rather than being dismissive about his character.
For women who want to permanently prevent pregnancy, but don't want to undergo the surgical knife, the Essure IUD can sound like a dream. The spring-like implant, which is manufactured by Bayer, claims to be the only IUD that can permanently prevent pregnancy without surgery. Only what doctors seem to have failed to tell many women is that the implant might cause them so many side effects, like pain, migraines and bleeding, that they'll need to have the IUD removed. And here's the real kicker — some women have had so many complications with this implant that they've wound up having to get their uterus and fallopian tubes removed to get rid of the IUD.
Health Canada is currently investigating the safety of Essure following thousands of complaints in North America. This follows the US Food and Drug Administration's call for black box warnings on the product following thousands of complaints. They say the product's box should warn patients about “adverse events, including perforation of the uterus and/or Fallopian tubes, intra-abdominal or pelvic device migration, persistent pain, and allergy or hypersensitivity reactions" and inform them that "reported events resulted in device removal that required abdominal surgery.”
Many of the women getting hysterectomies are young mothers in their 20s. “I had joint pain. I had bleeding. I bled the whole entire time, the whole time the product was in me,” Marlee Scott, a 26-year-old Ontario woman told CTV News. Scott underwent a hysterectomy to remove her IUD. The mother of four says she was attracted to Essure precisely because it sounded like a non-invasive alternative.
Scott is not alone. She and about 130 other women with similar experiences launched a class action lawsuit against Bayer. A similar fight is taking place in the United States, where the Facebook group Essure Problems has around 30,000 members, all complaining of complications with the implant.
Essure problems
Essure problems
So how is Essure supposed to work? Doctors implant the spring-like metal coil into the fallopian tubes to prevent sperm from entering and reaching the wearer's eggs. Only women have reported a startlingly wide range of unexpected, serious side effects.
“The device has caused, in a large number of women, severe pain, pain when they have sexual relations, but pain even without sexual relations, bloating and the device migrates. It moves, it’s defective,” Tony Merchant, whose law group launched the lawsuit against Essure, explained to Global News.
Erin Brokovich created a website for women with the Essure implant to help them share their stories as well. One woman named Sarah complains of "abdominal pain, infections, constant bleeding and developing Endometriosis," a condition she says she never had prior to getting the implant. "I am regretting my choice," she stresses. Another woman named Susan complains of "constant diarrhea, nausea, headaches" and a sharp pain in her uterus. And the complaints go on and on, as several women say they've had to endure complications related to what they'd hoped would be a "safe," "natural" procedure as advertised.
Some women even complain of neurological complications. For instance, Sharilyn Ervin told a panel of representatives from the FDA and Bayer Pharmaceuticals in 2015 about her experiences "falling over completely paralyzed" as much as 20 times each day. She said she had to stop driving and her 12-year-old became her caregiver, changing her diapers. Unsurprisingly, this dramatically affected her mental health: "I was captive in my own body," she laments.
As 750,000 women in North America got the Essure implant, triggering thousands of complaints, we can only expect more women to keep coming forward, bravely sharing their stories. Canadians can expect to see the results of Health Canada's investigation into complaints at the end of May.
Brokovich points out that women's reproductive rights need to be protected: "It is a woman’s right to decide for herself if she wants a certain form of birth control, but when they are NOT told of the devastating side effects, well that isn’t right."
Botox is pretty freaky. It's a neurotoxin produced by a bacteria that likes to hang out on the gills of shellfish, such as crabs, or inside the intestines of animals and fish (Um... yuck!). In high doses, Botox causes botulism, which can kill you. The being said: We jab it in our faces in low doses, interrupting signals from our nerves to our muscles to make our wrinkles less noticeable. It turns out, though, that this weird toxin has benefits other than freezing our faces — and they're not what you'd expect at all.
A new study found that Botox could provide relief to people suffering from neuropathic pain — pain often caused by nerve damage brought on by everything from spinal surgery to multiple sclerosis. This discovery is important, the researchers say, because this kind of pain can be completely debilitating to people who have it, and managing neuropathic pain is a "highly unmet need." The study found that patients who were given Botox injections during a six-month period had their pain reduced more than patients who were given a placebo injection.
2. Prevent premature ejaculation
This sounds very, very uncomfortable, but some researchers think injecting Botox into a man's perineum (the sensitive area between their scrotum and anus) is a good idea for those struggling with premature ejaculation. There's a big muscle in the perineum called the bulbospongiosus muscle (try saying that 10 times fast), and it controls ejaculation. Researchers — who published their study in 2014 in theInternational Journal of Sex Medicine — gave some poor lab rats Botox injections in this muscle, then somehow got these rats to ejaculate (that's a job I would not want!). The rats injected with full Botox doses took 10 minutes to ejaculate while those that didn't get the Botox lasted six and a half minutes.
Anyone who has ever had to leave work to lie in a dark room for hours while seeing weird spots of light and experiencing excruciating pain (guilty) knows that migraines can be debilitating. And if you suffer from migraines a lot, it's likely you'd try anything to get them to go away. In 2010, the FDA approved the use of Botox for migraines. Botox is used to treat severe migraines, which hit sufferers more than 14 days a month. Here's how the treatment works: For 12 weeks, you get multiple injections of Botox on your head, neck and back. Botox claims that the treatments can prevent up to nine migraine days a month. That being said, the placebo used in clinical trials was pretty effective, too, preventing seven migraine days. But the side effects of Botox injections are pretty scary and include everything from the inability to form words to trouble breathing.
4. Combat armpit sweating
Sweating too much has a medical name — hyperhidrosis — and sticking Botox needles in your armpits can reportedly curb excessive sweat. Botox injections to help people who suffer from heavy sweating have been approved by the FDA since 2004, and the process works like this: The botulinum toxin prevents the chemical that activates your sweat glands from being secreted, so people who get Botox injections in their pits stop sweating in the areas where they got the injections. And according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, this treatment helps reduce sweating by more than 80 percent.
5. Treat painful sex
Women who experience vaginismus deal with painful sex caused by the spasm of their vaginal muscles. Some have found relief with Botox injections as they paralyze the muscles that contract painfully. A study by the Plastic Surgery Professional Association found that out of 30 patients who received Botox injections, 29 were able to have pain-free sex after treatment. That doesn't mean Botox is a magic bullet for sexual pain, though, because vaginismus doesn't just have physical causes. It also can be brought on by emotional trauma and anxiety about having sex, so just jabbing women in the vagina with Botox may stop the physical pain, but it won't necessarily make sex more fulfilling.
Nobody teaches you how to be a bridesmaid, though somebody really should. There’s no bridesmaid class in college you can take, though it may be more useful than taking a class on earth sciences. There’s not a bridesmaid manual you can read, though there are books, but they are outdated, often unrealistic and sometimes enough to make you break out in stress-induced hives.
The first couple of times I was a bridesmaid, I made more mistakes than I can count on both of my hands. I brought lingerie to the bridal shower and watched in red-cheeked horror when the bride opened it up in front of her 93-year-old grandmother. I forgot to order my bridesmaid dress until a month before the wedding and almost had to make it myself out of fabric from a craft store down the street. I even once told a guy I was casually dating to come to a wedding as my plus one, even though the couple didn’t tell me I could bring a date.
But one of the biggest mistakes I found myself making as a rookie bridesmaid also, slowly, became what I realized was the number one thing that nobody ever tells you about being a bridesmaid: You can say no.
Let’s say no together, now: NO, NO, NO.
It’s easy to say, to scream, to write when there are no strings attached. When you’re a bridesmaid, there are a lot of strings attached. You’re scared saying no will ruin your friendship with the bride and you’re probably even more scared that saying no will unleash the inner bridezilla side of her.
But not saying no and finding yourself saying yes to everything can be equally, if not even more, damaging.
Here’s a list of people you can actually say no to:
The bride
The maid of honor
Bridesmaids
The bride’s family members
Here’s a short list of things you can say no to:
Spending hundreds of dollars on a bridesmaid dress.
Paying for things at a bachelorette party that’s starting to look like a night out with the Kardashians.
Ludicrous wedding requests, like buying a certain brand of shoes to wear under your bridesmaid dress or flying to Mexico for a 5-day bachelorette party extravaganza.
Spending money on things because other bridesmaids tell you it’s part of your duties as a bridesmaid. That’s untrue. Nowhere in the bridesmaid rulebook does it say you have to spend over $1,000 on being there for the bride. P.S. This rulebook doesn’t physically exist. It’s just common sense.
I once had a bride ask me to grow my hair out three inches. That’s when I realized I was passively saying yes to things I never would say yes to in “real life.”
If a friend asked me to paint my nails a pale pink color on a random Friday night, I would say: Girl, you’re crazy! If she asked me to buy a silver pair of shoes with a flower on them for $250, I would say: Girl, you really are crazy!
So why are weddings any different? Why do we think we need to pull the yes card? Was I scared of a bridezilla attacking me? Maybe. Was I scared of ruining a friendship that maybe was already ruined beforehand? Definitely.
It was only after I took a step back and realized that these brides were my good friends and I had to learn how to be comfortable telling them how I felt about things I didn’t feel so good about. If I had to say no to going to my eighth strip club or buying a blue polyester dress that looked similar to 15 others I already owned, I had to muster up the courage and say the big no.
The only yes you should ever throw out there confidently is when you agree to take on the bridesmaid role. Everything after that should be a-la-carte. It should be because you want to and can afford to, not because you feel like you have to.
Graduation season is upon us. Folks around the country are graduating from college and high school. But what is the best advice these new grads could get? We asked our favorite Raging Feminists to chime in and drop some knowledge.
What would you have liked to have known when you graduated?
"It's OK to change your mind. You don't have to spend the next 30 years of your life on a career path because you spent four (maybe more...) years on it in undergrad. When your true path reveals itself to you, give yourself the time and space to figure out how to pursue your passion. Don't let fear, precedent or complacency keep you in a role that is drying out your soul daily." — Minda Honey
"The thing I happened upon, fortuitously, was having an amazing mentor through work in my first longtime job. I always suggest to graduates (college, but really, honestly high school in terms of how to take on next challenges — school, gap year, life) to seek mentorship. A place where people work, even a café, for years, might just mean the leadership is really wonderful and that the connections will help you as you progress to the next thing and the next. I guess I’m saying it’s all about relationships." — Sarah Buttenwieser
"Three things: 1) If I'd known when I graduated that nonprofits can be as brutally misogynist, mismanaged and discriminatory as corporations — just with WAY less compensation — I'd have been able to avoid my first social justice job, where I made $16K per year before taxes for the honor of being aggressively harassed by the E.D. every single day; 2) I wish someone had explained how important a financial side hustle was, to circumvent the lifelong brokettybrokeness of being a well-respected journalist in a climate that no longer pays journalists; 3) WHY DID NO ONE EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE in the late '90s?" — Jennifer Pozner
"I wish I'd known that it takes everyone about 10 years post graduation to figure their life out. I thought I had to have it together on day one. Also, I really wish I'd known that humans are made of water. I ended up in the hospital with dehydration after delivering my graduation speech. Don't do that. Drink water. Go get some right now." — Ashley Black
"This one's from my dad: You're not going to college to learn what to be. Your degree will rarely, except in a few instances of particularly driven or boring people, define the rest of your life. Learn all there is to learn, but more importantly, learn HOW to learn. Learn how to think, how to question, how to challenge yourself and others. But don't panic yourself trying to chart the rest of your life, because no matter what, it won't turn out that way." — Rowan Beckett Grigsby
"Before I graduated, I wish I would've known I am far more competent to potential employers than I thought. I had a lot of job-related anxiety. I was applying to everything and ready to accept anyone that wanted to hire me. However, now I realize that my résumé and application look highly desirable to employers. For instance, if I decided to quit or happened to be fired from my current position, I am confident that I could get a job (maybe not one I wanted) fairly quickly. Another thing: You can get paid to write sooner than you think." — Danielle Corcione
"I really wish I had learned personal finance skills in high school. Becoming a young adult with no personal finance skills led to a LOT of very hard years and lessons, well into adulthood. It baffles me that it's not a mandatory class or set of classes in public school. Just like students spend a semester learning about civics, and then [economics], it seems like it would be logical to offer personal finance and personal financial management to better equip young adults for their future." — Jill McKenna Reed
"I would have liked to know, actually KNOW, that there's no right way to grow up. I felt so insecure in my choices after college — like everyone else had an actual career plan, and I was the only one who found REAL LIFE terrifying and was just making it up as I went along. It's my 20-year reunion this year, and I'm still making it up as I go along, and I have had so many interesting adventures. The journey is the destination!" — Miller Murray Susen
"Taking a year off between high school and college doesn't mean you are a slacker. Give yourself time to reflect and contemplate how you want to move forward. Pushing pause is sometimes necessary." — Rudri Bhatt Patel
"For those heading to college, no matter what you major in, get a women's studies minor. It will help you better understand a lot of the madness in the world. Double down by also adding an ethnic studies (Asian-American studies, Latino studies, African-American studies) minor to better understand even more madness, including within feminism." — Veronica Arreola, Bio major, WS minor
"Keep track of what you want to remember. Write it down, or read through your notes and texts once in a while. When life gets busy and other facts need the brain space, you will find yourself forgetting things you would swear right now will never leave your memory." — Kat Tanaka Okopnik
New from Ellora's Cave is Kevin Weinberg's young adult sci-fi romance adventure, The Lost Data, in which two very unlikely people from two different social classes find adventure, danger and, surprisingly, love.
About the book:
Officer Lucas Avery is furious. After three years of defending Earth from hostile alien invaders, he's just found himself taken off active duty — to babysit a spoiled rich girl.
And she isn't happy! She's forced to leave her luxurious life behind and go into hiding with a lower-class lout. What does she care if he's some kind of war hero who looks disturbingly yummy without his shirt? She just wanted to be left alone. But her father insists some big, bad, red aliens are planning to kidnap her, and this time, she doesn't get her way for a change.
She is Lara Descartes, daughter of the richest man in the world. She has standards to uphold. And she is not about to let some military boy or big, scary, horned beasts make her lower them for anything.
Lara clenched her hands into fists and huffed at her barbarian father. Once a Class C citizen, he'd risen to become one of the richest men in the world through wise investments and a great deal of luck. Yet his military past made him somewhat … brutish in his manner of speaking.
"Eww! You make me tremble with anger, Father. When will you take my feelings into consideration for once? When do my wants and needs give rise over your ever so insurmountable demands!"
"Look, sweetheart, you matter more to me than anything, and I know you know I'm not doing this to hurt you. But here's the thing — I'll be damned if I'll put you in harm's way, even if that means making you hate me."
"Really, Father? Harm's way? What nonsense is this? I haven't —"
"Easy now, Lara." Her father's eyes became serious. "I don't like that temper of yours." Before Lara could respond, he held out a hand.
"I'm not finished. Now look, I don't know the nature of this threat, but I have been asked by the HSAF general to run a few important errands that will take me away from you for a while, and while I'm gone, you'll need to be protected. If a Red ever got his hands on you, he'd use me and my fortune to bankrupt this world. They've been trying for years to beat us militarily, those demon bastards, and now I'm afraid they might be smarting up and trying a different approach."
Lara formed a rebuttal in her mind: perfect, sound and inarguable. Unfortunately, she had no chance to voice her lethal logic. The unmistakable roar of an HC II engine drowned out all other sounds. Through a thick cloud, she could see the front of the military vehicle as it approached her father's airboat. It looked beaten-up and worn; the thing had definitely seen battle.
This is going to be awful. A military babysitter? For me? He or she had better be well mannered, or so help me God above, I will never let my father hear the end of this.
Ideally, if Lara had to lug around some goon in a uniform, she required he at least be well dressed, quiet and subservient to all her commands. That way, she could put a positive spin on it if any of those Class B women over at Breezy Place attempted to make passing quips about her.
The propellers below the HC II's wings began to spin, and Lara yelped as her dress and ribbon threatened to blow off her. The ribbon gave, and her neatly tied hair chaotically hung down the back of her head. Now she'd need to redo everything from scratch. Just great.
The ship landed and a ramp extended from the cargo hold. It was one of those military-style HC II aircraft that she'd seen her father use from time to time. The body was wider and could transport up to two-dozen people at once.
Eight uniformed men exited the vehicle, with their hands folded behind their backs. They surrounded the landing ramp, four on each side, and they stood at attention. The soldiers wore ceremonial uniforms: white, button-up jackets with golden strings decorating the sides, blue tie tucked discreetly inside their collars.
Next, a woman in a brown — and outrageously tight — uniform exited with an older man, who had stripes and pins attached to his chest. He was clearly a man of importance. Lara whispered to her father, "Is that old man my new watchdog? Nicely done, Father, nicely done. For once I give you credit. He will definitely make me look good when I —"
"That's not him," her father interrupted. He pointed to another figure, this one emerging from within the ship. "That is him."
A young man — perhaps the same age as Lara — exited the aircraft and nonchalantly strode past the eight soldiers standing at attention. He removed a white cap from his head and shook his brown curly hair, taking in the sights around him. There was a sword at his side, which Lara knew signified his rank as an officer.
Her father gave the young man an approving yet evaluating look. "That is."
He was stunning. He had a square-cut jaw shadowed with a hint of stubble, and a cruel, sensual mouth made lighter only by the softness of his lips. His gunmetal blue eyes were cold, calculating and betrayed just a slight hint of boyish youth. His impossibly broad shoulders seemed too large to fit into his tight uniform. The sun gleamed off the sword on his hip, making him appear bathed in a golden halo of light.
Lara watched as the older man, who she assumed to be in command, crossed the distance and embraced her father. "Vincent Descartes, well I'll be," he said.
Her father gave him a rough hug. "Commander Richard Donwell, in the flesh — I see you still have your job. Not sure how you manage to keep holding on to it."
The man her father had called Commander Donwell shrugged. "I always was a lucky one. But seriously, the HSAF couldn't fire me even they wanted to." He pointed to himself and gave a confident wink. "I'm the best they've got and they know it."
The two shared a laugh. "So," her father said, "is that strapping lad over there my daughter's new protector?"
The commander's eyes welled with pride. "Yes he is, Vincent, and rightly so."
"Hmm," her father buzzed. "He certainly looks the part. So, tell me, my old friend. Who is this boy you've brought me?"
Lara pretended not to be interested, but she listened intently while the commander explained.
"His name is Lucas Avery, and he's one of my biggest accomplishments. He's nineteen, been with us only three years, and he's already made the rank of officer. He's strong-willed, determined and did I mention he can attune?"
"Seriously?" Vincent asked, surprise lighting up his face. "He can use Red weaponry?"
Commander Donwell nodded. Then he sighed. "He's not without his faults, though. For all his bravery, the boy is hotheaded, temperamental and too f***ing smart for his own good. Ah — pardon my language, Ms. Lara."
"It's fine," Lara said. "I've learned to put up with a certain amount of … vulgarity from men. So, where did you find this man?"
"Who, Lucas?" Commander Donwell asked. "Funny story, actually, but one for another day. We've got a lot to do, so I'll give you the short version instead. He's a survivor from Raid Zero three years ago. He managed to take down one of the enemy, and he —"
"Raid Zero!" Lara shouted. Shock and anger battled within her for dominance. Her outrage won out. "If he was in Raid Zero, then … then he's Class D!"
Donwell gave her father a questioning look. Vincent shook his head shamefully. "My daughter isn't like us, Richard. She was born into this wealthy lifestyle. She's a good girl, though, has a good heart like her mother. She just needs to be a little more considerate of other people's struggles."
"Father! Do not speak of me as if I'm not beside you listening. What kind of cruel joke is this?" She pointed to the young man, not caring in the least that he was within earshot and could hear her words. "You intend for me to lug around a Class D? I already have a servant from that class. God above! Before long, I'll be known as a wench who only associates with Class Ds."
"And the problem is …?" her father asked.
"The problem is that, while I do appreciate such hardworking people and feel very fondly towards them, it is hardly appropriate for me to surround myself with the lower classes. I'm not okay with this."
"Too bad, sweetheart. Case closed. Richard, why don't you call him over?"
Commander Donwell bowed his head. "Lucas, come here," he called. "I want you to meet your new assignment."
Did he just refer to me as an assignment? Ooh! I hate this man and I don't even know him.
The soldier called Lucas crossed the distance in five quick strides, standing before his commander at attention. He gave Lara a brief, uncaring glance, and then averted his gaze. Lara stepped forward and placed a finger on his chest, evaluating him. His posture was fine, but Lara noted that his demeanor needed work. His lips seemed permanently affixed in a frown. If her touch bothered him, he gave no sign.
"If you're going to serve me, then you'll need to be useful," Lara began. "I have much to teach you."
"Serve you?" Lucas asked. His voice was rough, deep.
Lara ignored the question and returned with one of her own. "Can you read, boy?"
In the single most barbaric gesture that Lara had ever been on the receiving end of, the young man, Lucas, swatted her finger away from his chest like a fly and then narrowed his dark eyes on her.
"Yes," he growled. "I can read. I can also think, speak and play the piano. I can tap-dance too, if you'd like."
Lara gasped. "Father! This boy just — Are you laughing? Father, are you laughing at me?"
To see what happens between Lara and Lucas, pick up a copy of The Lost Data.
Joey Feek fans felt her death more deeply because her struggles with terminal cancer were so well documented, and when she finally took her last breath, people across the world cried. But none were left more heartbroken than her husband, Rory Feek.
Rory has been vocal with his emotions: He has openly been sharing his heartache and updates with fans via social media, and now he's speaking out about how he is dealing with life after Joey's death.
Speaking in an interview with Billboard magazine, the first interview since his wife's death in March, Feek revealed that their music is his solace.
"I'd say it brings me a lot of peace. I listen and watch everything — it's part of the process for me. I don't want to hide from her, or her memory, or those feelings. I want to embrace them and keep her as close to me as possible," Rory told the publication. "Every morning about 5:30, Indiana and I get up, and quite often I play her the Hymns record. Sometimes we'll listen and it'll make us smile."
The couple's most recent album, Hymns, won critical acclaim, but it was also the most tragic of all of their albums because it was recorded while Joey was undergoing chemotherapy. While many people might think it would've been unbelievably difficult to focus on the music during this difficult time, Rory reveals it was quite the opposite.
"No, because that's what she loved: to sing and make music," he revealed after being questioned about whether it was tough to focus. He added, "Hymns was important to her — the only hard part was finding time to do it."
With summer fast approaching, superhero season is upon us. With the superhero movie craze reaching a fever pitch this year, I couldn't help but wonder if there isn't something deeper going on.
Image: Marvel
So far this year, we've seen Deadpool and Batman v Superman hit the theaters and bring in billions of dollars. Captain America: Civil War, X-Men: Apocalypse, Suicide Squad and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows are all set to release over the next three months without the threat of "superhero fatigue."
Instead, Americans can't seem to get enough. These films are mostly smart, feature our favorite actors and thrill us with lots of surprises, so it's no mystery people are resisting the urge to Netflix and chill and instead get in their car, drive to a movie theater and shell out big cash. But why are there so many superhero movies? Why are there so many superheroes? Why are we a nation obsessed with characters in skin-tight suits with freakish abilities who name themselves after bugs or bats?
At a screening of Civil War the other night, grown adults were loudly cheering — and jeering — at latex-clad men as they leapt around while beautiful women wielded their fierce mental powers.
The joy, admiration and devotion the audience showed to these characters reminded me of being in church, the way parishioners yell out "hallelujah" when the spirit moves them. The audience was excited in such a palpable way that it made me wonder if perhaps they thought Iron Man or Black Widow were real. The same way the faithful think their God, whom they can't see or touch, is also real.
Then it hit me: Superheroes are the new gods and their polytheistic religion is either called Marvel or DC.
If you think I'm exaggerating, consider that according to a Pew Research Center report from 2015, "The Christian share of the U.S. population is declining, while the number of U.S. adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing."
Basically, fewer and fewer people are concerning themselves with the Bible, Jesus and the exciting (or terrifying) prospects of heaven or hell. There are numerous reasons for this decline in religiosity. One big reason could have to do with science.
Religion used to (often poorly) explain stuff we couldn't understand, like why we have different skin colors or the age of the universe. Luckily, we now have science to help us with all those pesky big questions, but if we ditch religion in favor of science, we're still left wondering about all those moral questions, like how should we behave? What's the difference between right and wrong? Where is the line between good and evil?
I believe many of us have turned to superheroes for the answers to these age-old conundrums.
Let's look at the origins of Captain America, who first appeared in 1941, smack-dab in the middle of World War 2. This horrific war was a time where it seemed as if evil, in the form of Hitler and his army, was taking over the world. The cover of the very first issue of Captain America shows our hero punching Hitler in the face.
Image: Marvel
It was clear someone had to police the unstable world, and Captain America made the case that our beloved country should sacrifice its young men and women to do so. We followed his advice and, fortunately, good prevailed over evil.
As technology has progressed and the economy has gone global, Americans face an entirely new set of threats that were never possible before. New weapons, like military drones, make the line between good and evil less clear.
In Civil War, a rift is formed between Captain America and Iron Man over nothing less than the requirement that superheroes have to sign an international treaty and come under the control of the United Nations.
Captain America wants what most Americans want — freedom to behave as he sees fit. Iron Man is more cautious and wants an international watchdog to be on the lookout, just in case.
Both have good intentions, making this issue a deeply moral one. In a time where our politicians, police and heads of the Catholic Church are sending mixed messages, is it so wrong to look to superheroes for guidance?
Image: Marvel
I'm certainly not the first person to ask this question. Film writer/director Terry Gilliam said this to CinemaBlend.
"As I was walking in New York yesterday on the way to another interview. There on the streets were all these comic book covers and images for sale. It's taken over. I mean the Church is a dying thing. But comics and Marvel are everything now, aren't they? Don't they have all the answers to our lives? Aren't they the figures that we want to copy and be like and aspire to? Don't they relieve us when we're in trouble?"
I think they do. To further bolster this idea, many scientists believe our brains are "hard-wired" for religion. So if we don't have Jesus or Athena to worship, one of our favorite superheroes — Batman, perhaps — will fill in the gap. Our love for Batman, our need for Batman, becomes spiritual because that's just the way our brains work.
Does all this mean that soon we'll be opening churches for Wonder Woman and giving 10 percent of our income to her? Well, if you consider your local movie theater your church as I do, and you spend a good portion of your income on superhero movie tickets, video games and merchandise, I'd say we already have.
Captain America: Civil War opens in churches theaters May 6.
Few things can give you that comforting "we're all in this crazy thing called parenting together" feeling like reading a few hilarious tweets from moms and dads dealing with the daily struggles we all face with kids. Also, it's the perfect way to laugh away the insanity. From the secret hopes we have for Mother's Day to the most cringe-worthy kids' music, here are the most LOL-worthy tweets from parents this week.
What is the Illuminati? Who's in it? Is it even real? All we know for sure is that @Illuminati on Twitter, which may or may not be associated with any actual organization, quoted one of The Real Housewives and was super serious about it.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Yolanda Foster once said, "Fake friends believe in rumors, real friends believe in you."
real housewives illuminati twitter account yolanda fost
real housewives illuminati twitter account yolanda fost
True Real Housewives fans were quick to realize where the famed line came from, even if it's become a popular internet quote since being uttered on the show.
fan tweet yolanda foster illuminati twitter response at
fan tweet yolanda foster illuminati twitter response at
Real question: Does this prove that Foster is in the Illuminati?
If Foster is a part of the Illuminati, it could explain how her daughters Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid have quickly rose to fame in the entertainment world. While the sisters are talented, Gigi is arguably one of the hottest models in the game right now. She's everywhere! Plus, she's dating one of the most-talked about new solo artists, former One Direction member Zayn Malik.
Bella is also dating a seriously famous R&B singer, The Weeknd. While previously an underground artist, The Weeknd topped the charts in 2015. You haven't been able to listen to the radio without hearing one of his hits, like "Can't Feel My Face" or "The Hills," for pretty much the past year.
The Hadid sisters are also friends with Kendall Jenner. If the Illuminati is real, we know the entire Kardashian-Jenner clan has to be in on it.
So, is the Foster-Hadid fam in cahoots with the Illuminati or is all the success they've experienced recently just a coincidence? Honestly, it probably is, along with a mixture of wealth, good genes, talent and hard work, but we'll let you decide.
Kirk Cameron is an actor, but he recently made a splash with his comments about wives honoring their husbands. As a marriage and family therapist, I wonder why these celebrities feel they are qualified to give the public marriage advice.
Kirk Cameron seems to be publicly sharing his thoughts on relationships and how he believes they should look: “Wives are to honor and respect and follow their husband's lead, not to tell their husband how he ought to be a better husband. When each person gets their part right, regardless of how their spouse is treating them, there is hope for real change in their marriage."
Cameron is currently on a tour called "Love Worth Fighting For," a Bible-based event intended "to strengthen and encourage your marriage." The quote Cameron discusses about “each person getting their part right regardless of how their spouse is treating them” is not appropriate or healthy relationship advice for a couple — or even people in general. How we behave and treat others is more important than "getting your part right."
I have seen many other celebrities doing the same thing as Cameron. Remember when Gwyneth Paltrow gave her advice on divorce? While it is not unusual for celebrities to share their own personal stories, when is it too much?
I would suggest taking most of their advice with a grain of salt. Celebrities are not always relatable and their thoughts and personal journeys might not be useful for people who are not famous. I think it is just plain old good advice that if you are seeking out solutions to your own marital or relationship problems, you should start with a professional in the field.
Some simple and good advice for any couple:
Communicate! Communication is essential to any positive relationship. If you do not have these skills, seek out a couple's therapist.
Share your thoughts and feelings on an ongoing basis, and spend time talking about what is going on with each person in a meaningful sit down.
Practice kindness and respect in your behaviors and actions.
Use mindfulness or coping tools to reduce stress.
Create healthy boundaries — and make sure you enforce them.
Have time together and time apart. Share hobbies and experiences and balance individual time as well. Maybe even find a new hobby to do together.
Matt Czuchry and Alexis Bledel are together again (they made us wait long enough) and Tanc Sade, who played Finn on the popular comedy-drama series, has uploaded a picture of himself and the stars that has fans looking for answers.
Sade uploaded a photo of himself alongside Bledel and Czuchry to Facebook along with the caption, "Chillin' with #Rory & #Logan. Will they? Won’t they? Hmmm."
Tanc Sade Facebook
Tanc Sade Facebook
OK, so as excited as we are to see the gang back together again (and we've been waiting for this revival for the last nine years or so), this caption is just cruel — and fans agree!
"This is cruel. You know what happens. We, mortals you know, outside of the Gilmore heaven, have to wait MONTHS before knowing how our favourite show will end," Aurélie Poulaint wrote.
We so agree.
"#Teamloganforever. He will always be my favorite. I think that Logan and Rory were the best together," Krissy Cadiou shared.
"You all have the most beautiful eyes Rory and Logan forever," Christa Ann wrote.
But there are some fans who have different views on who they'd like Rory to end up with.
"What if Rory ends up with Finn hmmmm it could happen lol," Jennifer Miller Jones speculated.
And Tami Wilckens shared similar thoughts, writing, "#TeamFinn sorry I'm still holding out for Rory and Finn getting together."
Hmmm, we're not sure how we feel about that — although it must be said that Sade's deep blue eyes are totally mesmerizing and that may be enough to get us onboard. But who would you like Rory to end up with? Tell us your theories Gilmore Girls fans; we can't wait to find out.
The pair already has a daughter, Meilani, but as of 6:03 p.m. yesterday, they've rounded out into a family of four with a son they named with an eye toward new trends and old traditions: Greyson Valor Mathews. They announced their new addition in an Instagram post last night.
Jwoww baby boy
Jwoww baby boy
Greyson and its alternate spelling Grayson take up spot numbers 133 and 63 on the top list of names for baby boys and have been rising steadily ever since SheKnows predicted exactly that in 2012. It means "son of the steward" or "son of the bailiff," and it hits on a trifecta of baby name trends.
First, it fits right in with the slew of baby boy names that end with an N, which makes sure that little Greyson will be right at home with all the Aidens and Eastons of his graduating class. It has also traditionally been a last name, and the trend of surnames as first names doesn't seem to be going anywhere either.
Finally, combined with the middle name Valor — which ought to instill more than a little courage into the reality star's little one — Greyson falls squarely onto the list of names that hark back to years past. It might be just a tick more modern than classic favorites borrowed from across the pond like Henry, Olivia and George, but because the Grey in Greyson is spelled the queen's way, there's definitely a connection there.
Could there also be a connection to Game of Thrones? We're not sure if JWoww is a fan, but we can't help but wonder if House Grayson had anything to do with her choice.
Like a lot of parents, it also looks like Farley and Mathews have opted to save the more unique of their name choices for the middle spot on their son's birth certificate. The days of generic middle names certainly seem to be well and truly behind us!
That's a whole lot of trendiness to pack into one name, but something tells us little Greyson won't have a single problem pulling it off. Mom and Dad seem completely over the moon to welcome their new addition.
Together with his adorable big sister and doting parents, little Greyson can expect a warm welcome into the world. Congratulations, guys!
Colton Haynes' sexuality has been questioned ever since he responded to a fan's comment on Tumblr in January about his "secret gay past" — he questioned whether it was even a secret — and now Haynes has a message that he wants everyone to hear.
Speaking in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Haynes put the rumors to rest with a powerful response.
"It was a complete shock," Haynes explained of the rumors that surfaced after his Tumblr comment, "I wasn't ready to be back in the headlines."
Fair enough, because no one should ever be made to feel pressured to talk about their sexuality, and we're glad Haynes only did so when he felt comfortable. Haynes has never tried to hide who he was, but he didn't want to publicly address it either. Until now.
"I should have made a comment or a statement, but I just wasn't ready," he explained. "I didn't feel like I owed anyone anything. I think in due time, everyone has to make those decisions when they're ready, and I wasn't yet. But I felt like I was letting people down by not coming forward with the rest of what I should have said."
Living your life in the public eye can result in tremendous pressure, and this is something Haynes has experienced firsthand.
"People want you to be that GQ image that you put out, but people don't realize what it's like to act 24 hours a day," he confessed. "I'd go home and I was still acting. People who are so judgmental about those who are gay or different don't realize that acting 24 hours a day is the most exhausting thing in the world."
Regardless of the difficult decisions and the judgement that Haynes faced in the past, he now finds himself in a great place, a place that has him feeling incredibly content.
"I'm happier than I've ever been, and healthier than I've ever been," he said, adding, "and that's what I care about."
Are you glad Colton Haynes is ready to open up about his sexuality, or is this a topic he should never have had to address publicly? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Once Upon a Time introduced its first LGBT kiss in a recent episode. Cue the outrage. Conservatives were typically angry about being exposed to a lesbian story line, while others were incensed that the first true instance of LGBT representation on the show was so underwhelming.
Red Riding Hood shared true love's kiss after knowing Dorothy for a day, and I have two issues with their love story:
Ruby and Dorothy are “C” level characters who — chances are — will only be in one or two episodes every season, if we're lucky.
Ruby and Dorothy only knew each other for one day before their soul mate "true love" status was revealed, which gave us no buildup whatsoever.
Many fans feel like this story line is another case of token representation to keep LGBT viewers happy without pissing off too many conservative viewers. I agree the LGBT community deserves better, but I think Once Upon a Time's problem might not be entirely the show runners being gun shy. Speeding through the Red/Dorothy (ship name RedWitchmelter, anyone?) is at least partly another casualty of Once Upon a Time's not taking its time with their story lines.
If any fans are reading this, think about it. When was the last time Once Upon a Time spent an entire season on one story line? In the pilot season, we explored Emma's journey to break the curse. Every subsequent season has been split down the middle into two different story arcs.
Here's what Once Upon a Time explored in the past five seasons:
Season 1: Breaking the Curse
Season 2: Core (Red Queen)/Enchanted Forest and Baelfire/Evil Anti-Magic People
Season 3: Neverland and Wicked Witch.
Season 4: Frozen and Evil Trio
Season 5: Dark Swan/Camelot/Merida and Underworld.
That's a lot of distance to cover each season, and that is Once Upon aTime’s Achilles' heel. The show runners try to hog-tie too much into each season. This feeling is far worse than non-viewers might realize.
Each Once Upon a Time episode utilizes this format:
Half the episode is current events and half is past events. Often the past events delve into further back story for newly introduced characters. This means that many events, like Ruby and Dorothy's budding relationship, need to be crammed into about 20 minutes.
The mid-season finale had this problem. They had a large group of newly resurrected Dark Ones attacking Storybrooke. Did they do the story justice over an epic two episode story line? No. They crammed the entire plot into 20 minutes. I was left feeling the same disappointment many other viewers felt about the Ruby/Dorothy relationship.
The habit of splitting the season into two story arcs has another problem. Great characters get utilized for a few episodes and then disappear into the back alleys of Storybrooke. This is something many people, including myself, fear will happen to Ruby and Dorothy. They will disappear — I'm about 89 percent sure of it.
They shelved Maleficent. Maleficent. Am I really supposed to believe that a pack of Dark Ones were attacking Storybrooke earlier this season and no one thought, Why don't we get Maleficent to help?
With the current story line structure, no one who isn't a part of the Charming Family, the Evil Queen or a dwarf has any chance of being in the show on a regular basis. The obsession with the dwarves really confuses me. Are they afraid we'll forget who Snow White is if they don't have her constantly surrounded by dwarves?
If the Once Upon a Time writers don't plan to change the clearly broken story line structure, maybe they can at least focus on characters we actually want? We don't ask much. Give us this.
This is the kind of thing that is hard to say, because we’ve been taught that it’s not polite to brag, but I’m going to do it anyway. It’s taken me a few years to get here and a few children to make this possible, but on this Mother’s Day, the person I would like to thank is me.
I didn’t start out as a confident mother (and does anyone, really?). Quite the opposite, in fact. While I didn’t have postpartum depression, I knew I had some postpartum anxiety, which I ultimately sought therapy to treat. To paint a clearer picture, I spent the first two years of my kids’ lives Googling like a madwoman, reading and writing dozens of parenting articles, comparing the experts, talking to friends and worrying nonstop that I was going to screw them up.
All a fairly normal experience for a first-time parent, I have learned. But what is not so normal is entering this stage of life a dozen steps behind.
I still have a relationship with my mom, but she knows, and I know, and we both have talked about the fact that my childhood was far from ideal. My dad was and still is mentally ill. Both my parents were strict and hyper-religious, finding it difficult to authentically connect with us three kids. To make matters worse, my mom was also raised in a cold and religious environment, so that warm and fuzzy mother-daughter connection you see on TV was never to be.
Since then, my mom has made some big strides, but we both know we can’t make up for lost time. That is to say, there were plenty of years when I desperately needed a mother and did not have one who was attentive or plugged in to me. Having kids of my own brought this back in full force. Sure, I could spend years changing diapers (I’m good at that!), but what would happen when they were sad or lonely or upset? I’d been taught by my parents to stuff down all the unpleasant emotions, leaving them for me to clean up later as an adult.
Out of all three of my parents (a stepdad included) who had participated in my tumultuous childhood, I didn’t have one positive role model to choose from.
Once I figured out how ass-backward my parenting legacy had been, I got my ass into therapy right away. I cried, I grieved the childhood I never had, I reflected, I reframed the weird crap that had been modeled to me, and I started on a new path. For me. For my kids. And especially for me, because I finally deserved to live a safe and happy life where I felt like I mattered.
And a funny thing happened once I drew my line in the sand. Deciding that I mattered, deciding that I was going to invest in myself, deciding that I was good enough to be a good parent made it so much easier to parent my kids. I initially went to therapy because of my constant parenting anxiety and intrusive thoughts, and slowly but surely, that panicky feeling of always worrying that my kids were going to die began to dissipate to a smaller whisper instead of a deafening roar. Therapy also had the nice side effect of changing my perspective and giving me self-confidence, a concept that was totally new to a formerly "invisible" child like myself.
Of course, none of this happened overnight, because we’re not talking about Fuller House here. We’re talking about my messy and still often painful life. But I did this. I made these changes. It was all me when I realized I couldn’t repeat my parents’ mistakes.
I know I am hardly alone in this — there’s really no such thing as a perfect American family. Almost every one of us has been touched by mental illness, a disconnected parent or even darker forms of abuse. But what I’ve learned by putting one foot in front of the other is that while being “raised by wolves” may be a setback, it doesn’t have to be crippling. We might always feel like we’re a few steps behind the rest of the Instagram-worthy parents, but we’re real. We’re really doing this. And we’re not going to do the same things to our kids.
I’ve never had positive feelings about Mother’s Day before. It was always a confusing day fraught with family drama, where I didn’t fully understand the praise and the flowers and the speeches. While I appreciate how much work my mother has put into being an amazing grandma, this Mother’s Day, I finally have something to look forward to.
It’s my day, and I’m going to enjoy it because I did something I never thought I could do. Without anyone’s help, I figured out how to be a good mom.
Talk about a "problem area." For most of us, no matter how hard we squat or how much we lunge, the thighs and especially the inner thighs can be some of the hardest parts of the body to tone.
But with a little creativity and a comfy mat, you can use a few non-traditional yoga exercises to do just that — target and shape the "hidden" thigh muscles your regular workout can't reach:
1. Bridge lifts
Image: Alexandra Bruin/SheKnows
Start in a reclined position on your back. Bend knees and place soles of feet on earth hip-width distance apart and as close to the sit bones as possible. Place a yoga block between thighs and squeeze consistently. Firmly press feet into the earth, inhaling extend hips up toward the sky. Keeping inner thighs pressing block, extend arms overhead until back of hands touch ground. Exhale, lower hips down and arms back by sides. There should be a natural curve in the back of the neck as the chest lift towards the chin. Repeat 20 to 30 times, firmly pressing block together with inner thighs the entire time.
Image: Alexandra Bruin/SheKnows
This pose is a gentle way to warm up the thighs, glutes and spine.
From a standing position, step feet out about 31/2 feet to 4 feet apart coming into a wide-leg stance with feet parallel. Slightly pivot heels on and toes out while pressing both feet down as you lift kneecaps up, firming thighs. Inhale, reach arms overhead, then exhale releasing arms to a cactus shape with elbows in line with shoulders and lower arms parallel. Gently draw tailbone down activating your core. Keeping feet stable by pressing through big toe mound, begin to make tiny pulses with the knees. Exhaling knees in and together. Inhaling knees out and back. Repeat 20 to 30 times then release arms and heel-toe feet together coming back into a comfortable standing position.
From a seated position with legs extended straight, shift weight onto left sit bone gently elevating right sit bone and butt cheek off the ground. While balancing on left sit bone, extend spine by lifting the chest and drawing shoulder blades together and down. Lift both legs while pressing through big toe mound and pushing toes apart from each other. Inhale, extend right legs up 8 inches to 10 inches. Exhale, release right leg down. Continue to pulse right leg up and down for 12 to 18 reps, then repeat the set on the other side. Hands can be used as support by pressing into ground on either side of hips, as you advance hands will float with palms touching in front of heart.
Image: Alexandra Bruin/SheKnows
This pose sculpts the thighs, glutes and core. It also is a great way to challenge your balance.
Come to a laying position on your right side with right hand supporting head and left hand on ground in front of torso. Begin by slightly bending both knees and lifting ankles and feet about 12 inches off the ground. Inhale extend left knee up while keeping inside edges of feet gently together. Exhale release left knee down. Continue for 20 to 30 reps then repeat on other side.
Image: Alexandra Bruin/SheKnows
This pose is a gentle way to strengthen the inner and outer thigh.
After finishing the sets, come to a neutral position lying on your back in Corpse Pose allowing the body to completely settle and calm. Relax in Corpse Pose for three to five minutes before completing your practice.
Did you know? Legs represent mobility, independence, power and sensuality. Keep your pins up to par by staying active, taking walks, doing cardio, eating healthy and drinking lots of water.
You might be ombre-shy if you've ever tried a Facebook or Pinterest nail tutorial that has gone terribly, terribly wrong. But before you cross "professional nail artist" off your list of possible occupations, give our easy-peasy ombre nail tutorial one last chance. Instead of the complicated wet-blending technique that normally requires a toothpick or paintbrush to achieve the gradated effect, we promise that this is the kind of ombre nail design you can master while binge-watching OITNB on Netflix.
Using the small end of the makeup sponge, paint three colors side by side. I went with pink, then orange and then yellow to mimic the colors in a sunset. Tape off your nail to get ready for stamping this sponge onto your finger. (This makes for an easier cleanup.)
Image: Kara Endres/SheKnows
Step 3: Stamp your nails
Stamp the sponge onto your nail and press it over and over, slightly moving it up and down your nail to blend the colors. You can wait for it to dry and do a second coat of this if you need it darker.
Image: Kara Endres/SheKnows
Step 4: Continue stamping all of your nails
Stamp all your nails. You don't have to wait for the polish to dry before taking off the tape, since it's not crucial to the design.
Andy Cohen found himself in some hot water with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fans after the way he handled the latest reunion episode. Many viewers thought that he protected Yolanda Foster and spent a lot of time attacking Lisa Vanderpump.
While Cohen maintains that he treated everyone fairly and that every one of the Housewives got their equal share in voicing their opinions, most fans didn’t buy it. And I think they all have a point. Cohen has obvious favorites in every Housewives franchise, and that is clear to see during each reunion. I do think it’s strange that Vanderpump isn’t his favorite when she’s providing the most money for Bravo, thanks to RHOBH and Vanderpump Rules.
More interesting than the fans’ reactions, though, is the fact that Cohen acted shocked by it all on Twitter. He called it “exhausting” to constantly have to field requests to fire certain women or the hate he receives. Except that very passion is what has built him an empire. He encourages catty behavior and drunken fights from the Housewives, and instigates a lot of arguments on the reunion shows. He can’t be surprised that fans of the show are starting to display the same kind of behavior.
The Housewives shows used to be about glitz and glamor. They used to go on fun girl trips, do wacky things and then have the occasional fight with their husbands. Now, every episode is a continuation of the last episode’s argument. They’re very rarely laughing and having fun together. Most of the time it’s just straight-up gossip sessions. Cohen and the other producers of the show have to know that they’re going to get the same kind of behavior from fans.
More: 10 things to know about Lisa Vanderpump's marriage to Ken Todd
Maybe fans would be less passionate if he just admitted to his favorites. It would be much easier to watch if he just said from the start that he was going to protect Foster (or Vicki Gunvalson, or Ramona Singer) and everyone knew to take his questions with a grain of salt. Or maybe all of this Twitter drama is great for his ratings and he’s a media mastermind, which is entirely possible.
