If you're as worried as we are about how Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian are fitting in with the Kardashian family, we have news that's about to blow your mind: Blac Chyna is pregnant. Yes, the mother of Kylie Jenner's boyfriend's child is now reproducing with her half-brother. As Instagram memes predicted in January, Chyna is about to carry on the Kardashian name. Are you still breathing?
The couple announced the news on Instagram, obviously, with a bitmoji showing a very pregnant Chyna. (Note how huge her engagement ring looks, even in cartoon form.)
blac chyna pregnant
blac chyna pregnant
Chyna's mother, Tokyo Toni, chimed in on Instagram to give love to the couple, writing, "Chy and Rob are my two favorite people in the world. They both have shown strength diversity and triumph. These kids are fabulous and both are great role models to young old or children."
In typical Kardashian-Jenner fashion, the baby daddy's family has not uttered a word in response to this internet breaking news. They're currently vacationing in Cuba, where they seem to have had no trouble finding wifi to get access to social media.
The latest tweet from Kim Kardashian West's account, posted only one hour ago, is a hair tutorial:
kim hair tutorial
kim hair tutorial
While Kourtney Kardashian shared a photo of her three children in their hotel room.
From being gifted with a bunch of awesome new tunes to a duchess posing for a fashion shoot, it was another crazy week in pop culture.
Here's what you might have missed if you weren't paying attention.
1. Radiohead releases (amazing) new music
Radiohead
Radiohead
Did anyone else freak out when articles started popping up this week saying that Radiohead and its members were deleting all of their social media? I thought for sure it meant bad news, but turns out it was just a sign of good things to come.
The band surprised fans with a new song titled "Burn the Witch" on May 3, and elated everyone again on May 6 with the release of "Daydreaming."
Radiohead
Radiohead
The entire new album, their first studio album in over five years, is scheduled to drop on May 8.
2. Kate Middleton covers Vogue
Kate Middleton Vogue cover
Kate Middleton Vogue cover
The Duchess of Cambridge appears on the cover of the latest issue of British Vogue for the magazine's 100th anniversary — and her style is noticeably low-key.
"She didn’t want to be dressed as a fashion plate and was not keen to be shot in gala gowns and tiaras," Alexandra Shulman, the editor of British Vogue, wrote in the accompanying article, via The New York Times.
"True Colors" is a huge departure from the party anthems Kesha recorded under Dr. Luke and seems to be a better showcase of her talent.
Kesha
Kesha
You go, girl!
4. Yet another kid on anesthesia goes viral
Kid on anesthesia goes viral
Kid on anesthesia goes viral
Apparently, I really need to get to Dubai.
5. Emma Watson wears garbage to the Met Gala
Emma Watson Met Gala
Emma Watson Met Gala
She looks drop-dead gorgeous, but in reality, Watson's gown is actually made of trash.
Her look is a custom Calvin Klein Collection design made from sustainable cotton, satin and taffeta woven from recycled plastic yarn.
Emma Watson talks about her met gown
Emma Watson talks about her met gown
"I made a choice last year that I would only wear sustainable fashion on the red carpet," Watson told CNN. "The fashion industry is the second-biggest pollutant of fresh water on the planet."
6. 50 Cent harasses an airport employee
50 cent twitter
50 cent twitter
Ugh, there are no words for this. 50 Cent not only harassed an airport employee who has autism and accused him of being on drugs, but he also recorded it and posted the video to his Instagram for shits and giggles. He later backtracked and said he didn't realize the employee was autistic and donated $100,000 to Autism Speaks, according to TMZ.
So sad. Hopefully he learned his lesson.
7. The Shallows official trailer hits YouTube
The Shallows trailer
The Shallows trailer
Um, thanks Blake Lively. I'll just cancel any plans I had to take a dip in the ocean from now until forever.
From the editors of Time magazine comes this special tribute to Prince. The commemorative edition contains rare photographs as well as the story behind the movie Purple Rain, and a look into Prince's home and studio.
You can purchase a hard copy of the edition here and it's available for download here.
9. The Ringer takes over the iTunes podcast charts
The Ringer's podcast
The Ringer's podcast
If you're looking for a new sports podcast, Bill Simmons' podcasts from his site The Ringer are where it's at. This week The Ringer's NBA Show hit No. 1 on the charts, while The Ringer's NFL Show sat at No. 2.
The Ringer's NBA Show is available for download here and The Ringer's NFL Show is available for download here.
10. Baby times two for Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Yes, this week was all about babies for Jackson. Not only are rumors swirling that she is expecting her first child, but her new video for "Dammn Baby" hit the internet on May 4.
What was your favorite moment in pop culture this week?
This show doesn't mess around, and according to Charles Michael Davis, who plays the vampire Marcel in the series, there's plenty of emotion for the show to dish out in the last three episodes.
Of course, last week we watched Cami (spoiler alert!) finally meet her death after it was teased multiple times this season.
And, as heartbreaking as it was, keep in mind that in the world of The Originals, anything is possible. Death is definitely not the end.
"In our world, no one's truly dead," Davis said. "You know, people can come back. I think it's one of those things, at this point, yeah, Cami is definitely dead. None of us really know what the future holds just, in general. I don't think we can really say either way."
And while death may not be the end for some characters on the show, that doesn't mean it isn't hard to see fan favorites leave. And Cami was not the last this season.
"I can tell you the way I see it, that they are big deaths," Davis teased about who was going to bite the dust in the final three episodes.
He added, "There've already been a lot of deaths, who more can we kill off? But that's the thing, the people are still at odds in New Orleans, the families and everyone with Lucian and other characters. That's the surprising thing. It's like Clue. Who's next? Who could we afford to lose?"
One person Marcel definitely isn't willing to lose is Davina, whose life is hanging in the balance heading into tonight's episode after Kol drained her blood in a curse-induced rage.
"Marcel is determined and he's going to have to consult with a witch. The most powerful witches and the most experienced witches are Kol, Vincent and Freya, so we'll see which one of those he goes to for help. But it'll definitely involve some of the witches," Davis explained.
Beyond tonight's episode, Davis said Marcel will face a major betrayal before the end of the Season 3 finale. And that will be a breaking point or a tragedy that will push Marcel to face some of his biggest blind spots when it comes to the Mikaelsons and Marcel's relationship with them.
"The writers have done a really, really great job of keeping us surprised," Davis said.
He continued that this season has been a very personal journey for him as well.
"I'm really excited for [fans] to see how much I put into the character," Davis explained. "For me personally, I really had a journey this season of learning and growing."
He added, "I've always come into the show going 'I just want people to feel something when I'm on screen,' and I think that happens in these last three episodes."
Which characters do you think are on the chopping block leading up to the Season 3 finale?
One of my favorite things about cooking in the 21st century is being able to bring a laptop or my phone into the kitchen and cooking from that instead of a stained cookbook with a few cans of food holding down the pages. Now all I need is for those electronic recipes to be voice-activated...
Oh wait — someone's gone and invented the voice-activated recipe. It's like a combination of Siri and a cookbook, only instead of Siri, you hear people like actress and Extra Virgin co-host Debi Mazar, and it's called OK, Soy Vay. The site has about 80 free recipes so far.
You'll want to try this out on Google Chrome, which will bring up the microphone for you.
I got to talk with Mazar and chef Marc Murphy about this handy little internet tool that could become the future of cooking if only everyone else would jump on board.
SheKnows:Voice-activated recipes sounds like such a no-brainer. Why didn't we have this before?
Marc Murphy: Absolutely, why wasn't it here before? It took Soy Vay to figure it out and put it on their website.
Basically what happens is, you don't have to touch your computer anymore to help you walk through a recipe. You say "next," and it gives you the next step, or it gives you the next ingredient, depending on what part of the recipe you're in.
And even more fun is it's our voices in some of the recipes. Some of my recipes, I voice them —
Debi Mazar: Yeah, we're in the kitchen with you.
MM: We're right there next to you, walking you through it, every step of the way. You can yell at us too, I guess. We won't hear you, but...
SK: What was this inspired by?
DM: I think it was people who are busy multitasking. You know, you're pouring a glass of wine, your kid is doing homework, or the phone is ringing, or you're texting, or you just don't know how to cook, and you want to make something new, you want to be inspired. This is a great way to have some recipes right in front of you and have someone navigate your way through it. And you turn out a delicious meal in less than 20 minutes.
My 10-year-old also can get inspired. The kids find it inspiring. Maybe it teaches your teenager how to cook... There's a lot of different types of people who can use this.
MM: If people are going to try it, we want to know about it. You gotta tweet us or social media us, because I want to see the finished product, and I want to hear how you like it.
SK: So if you get interrupted, you can stop the recipe?
DM: You say "pause." It's very obedient.
MM: It's dummy-proof. Kids could use these recipes. It's so simple.
Now readers, I know what you're thinking: Is it on mobile? No, not yet. Soy Vay is seeing how it works online, and then maybe they'll think about bringing it to mobile. But what's stopping the rest of the world? Wouldn't you love it if everyone started doing this (like SheKnows even) and it were all on mobile? Someone go make that, please.
When I found out I was pregnant with twins, I prayed that at least one of them would be a boy. This was not only because both my husband and I each have two sisters and I wanted to throw a boy into the mix, but because I was nervous about having a daughter. Mother-daughter relationships are famously complicated, and my relationship with my mother growing up was no different. There's something about raising a child from a defensive perspective — one in which they need to be taught a certain degree of toughness — and raising a child who doesn't necessarily need to "prove it" every day.
Luckily, the daughter I got was my daughter — an amazing little girl who has taught me a lot in her eight years.
I have never had someone love me as deeply and unconditionally as my daughter. She loves me with a passion I have trouble understanding sometimes. My daughter tells me constantly that I am the best person she has ever known and that she wishes she could be with me every minute of every day. To hear that from your child, especially on days when you feel like a barely adequate mother, is a gift.
2. The responsibility of unconditional love
There's a lot of responsibility that comes with being the brightest star in someone's sky; I know that my words and actions hold a lot of influence over my daughter. This fills me with pride when she stops to pick up litter, does something thoughtful for her brother or is kind to the kid who doesn't have a lot of friends. On the other hand, I also know that when I hear my unkind words come out of her mouth when she's angry that it's because of the example that I set.
3. Sometimes, mothers of daughters worry about the wrong things
Before my daughter was born, I worried about how I was going to teach my little girl to be strong, to stand up for herself and to believe in herself and her abilities. Then my daughter came along, and I realized that those things weren't going to be problems. My daughter is strong; she is strong in ways I never was when I was her age. I'm no longer worried about someone stepping all over her — I'm more worried for the sad sack who tries it.
When people ask me what my son is like, I can rattle off his interests without missing a beat. When it comes to my daughter, however, it's hard to pin her down. Sometimes she's interested in one thing, and other times it's something completely different. She floats around, trying a little bit of this and a little bit of that, with her only long-term commitment being to experience as much joy as she can. In a world where we tend to want our kids to be on some kind of "track," her commitment to happiness is refreshing.
5. Feelings are to be felt
Whether it's anger or laughter, she's going to feel it as fully as she can. I wouldn't mind it if she took the anger part down a few notches from time to time, but I do admire her passion.
6. Some clichés are clichés because they're true
"It's the quality of the time you spend together, not the quantity." I can spend the entire weekend with my daughter, but if we aren't actively engaged with each other (by cuddling and/or playing tag, for example), then she feels cheated. She wants me, not just my time.
7. The mysteries of curly hair
I have stick-straight hair. My daughter, however, has curly hair, which she inherited from her father's side of the family. It is through my daughter that I learned never to brush curly hair when it's dry, and that this thing called "product" is a must-have.
8. The beauty of little girls who still love their bodies
My daughter still loves her body and all of the things she can do with it. She boasts about how strong she is. She isn't afraid to try anything physical and doesn't worry about how her clothes make her look. It is heart-warming, thrilling and sad all at once. Living with a girl who isn't insecure about her body, who doesn't even know what that means, is a beautiful thing. However, I am not naive enough to think that this is going to last. At 8 years old, I know we are on a countdown toward those feelings of insecurity and shame. In the meantime, I am going to encourage her to love herself as much as she can and hope some of that trickles through into the hellscape that is puberty.
I love having a daughter, but more than anything I love having my daughter. There are more complicated times to come, but I am excited to see where this little fireball of love is going to go and what else she's going to teach me along the way.
This post was sponsored by Alice Through the Looking Glass, in theaters May 27. Get your tickets now!
Rickey Smith, a singer who crooned his way into the finals on Season 2 of American Idol, was killed in a car crash on Friday. Smith was four days away from his 37th birthday.
The Los Angeles Times reports via local Oklahoma City news that a wrong-way collision killed Smith at the crash site and sent the other driver to the hospital, before he was taken to jail for a DUI.
After a few years living in Los Angeles and working on his music career, Smith returned to Oklahoma City in the years after American Idol, reports Us Weekly. He was working in a local sports bar when he last spoke with the press.
But his move home didn't change everything for Smith, who still got recognized around town. "Anywhere I go," Smith said, "They tell me I'm still a celebrity. I appreciate that."
Fans and friends are sharing their love for Smith and shock at the sad circumstances of his death. Former American Idol castmate Clay Aiken is mourning Smith on Twitter, writing, "Suffice it to say my heart is truly breaking today. Heaven's choir has a new beautiful voice. I love you and will miss you, Rickey."
clay aiken rickey
clay aiken rickey
American Idol judge Ruben Studdard also expressed his "utter disbelief" at the accident.
Time is bipolar; it crawls along at a glacial pace or flies at lightning speed.
I now have two teenage girls and can feel the fast-forward button being pushed in my life. In no time at all, they will be off to college, and I’m afraid I will be wandering around the house complaining that I don’t have anything to complain about. No clothes strewn everywhere, no dirty dishes left everywhere, no highly emotional girls lounging everywhere. Which is sad, as I love lounging with highly emotional girls. Consequently, I hang and lounge as much as I can to drink them up before they are out.
As we lounged this week, I posed some mother questions. I thought it was a cool way to honor Mother’s Day, since without them I wouldn’t be eligible for this holiday. The answers are interesting, contradictory, loving and honest, just like (I assume) all of our kids.
1. What’s your favorite thing to do — just you and me?
— 14-year-old: Lie in bed, insult each other and make each other laugh.
— 15-year-old: Reading in bed together and touching feet.
8. What looks like the worst part of being a mother?
— 14-year-old: Have to raise a kid!
— 15-year-old: That you have to bring out the best person that kid can be, that’s tough.
9. What’s the most important decision you will ever make?
— 14-year-old: Whether or not to have a child.
— 15-year-old: Who I am going to marry.
10. What do you think is one of the most important lessons I taught you?
— 14-year-old: To be honest.
— 15-year-old: To hold onto yourself.
11. What do you think most teens wish their moms understood about them?
— 14-year-old: That we are going to hate you for a few years, or we won’t like you, but we will always love you.
— 15-year-old: That we can’t be perfect all the time, and that we are very different people than our parents think we are — not necessarily in a bad way — just really different. Oh, and that we really need to be listened to. Just listening, no opinions!
Do you have any questions to ask your kids? If so, I would love to hear their answers. Finally, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! I am so happy to have a membership card to this club.
Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green are trying to rekindle the flame with a romantic vacation to the place they got married.
The couple, who announced their intent to divorce last August, seem to be attempting to set aside their differences for the sake of their children since Fox announced her surprise pregnancy with baby No. 3. While both are so far remaining mum on the state of their marriage and/or divorce, a source says the vacation was a very pointed effort on the part of Green to help make bygones be bygones.
"They are doing great and had the best vacation with the kids," an insider close to the couple told People. "It's their favorite resort. They have so many happy memories from Hawaii and wanted to relax for a few days together."
It was a family affair — they were joined by their sons Noah Shannon and Bodhi Ransom — and the symbolism of the location at the Four Seasons Hualalai in Hawaii, where they exchanged wedding vows in 2010, was not lost on them.
"They had the best vacation and are reconsidering the divorce," said the source. "They don't want their kids to grow up in a broken home. Brian is showing Megan that he really wants them to stay married. It seems Megan is finally agreeing."
They seemed to spend their time wisely: they were spotted having a serious conversation at the beach.
"Brian seemed to be mostly listening while she spoke," the onlooker told Us Weekly.
Sounds like Fox's Instagram pointing out exactly who is not the father of her baby definitely had a strong effect on her almost-ex.
Jennifer Lopez and Hillary Clinton: Could there be a more perfect pairing for a music video? In the new video for her single "Ain't Your Mama," J.Lo takes her empowering lyrics to a new level by sampling the then-first lady's famous 1995 United Nations speech.
“Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights, once and for all,” Clinton says while Lopez sits at a news desk and a stylist attempts to dry her hair. “It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America. This is no simple reform. It really is a revolution.”
Then, Lopez gives her own State of the Union. "Look, I don't have to tell you things are bad," she says. "Everybody knows things are bad. Taken for granted, ignored, overlooked, underappreciated. We have a big, big problem, ladies. First, you've got to get mad."
She also seems to have gotten some inspiration from Mad Men. Lopez dresses as a Betty Draper-style '50s housewife and an early-season Peggy Olsen-style secretary. She also channels a Rosie the Riveter factory worker.
The whole thing ends with Lopez organizing a women's march — in fabulous thigh-high Manolo Blahnik boots — that, of course, ends with a classic J.Lo dance breakdown. How else would a women's march end? If only achieving gender equality was as easy as doing J.Lo's choreography in thigh-high boots.
Justin Bieber is trying to worm his way back into Selena Gomez’s good graces (and by "good graces" we mean her pants), but she is not having it.
Despite reports that the two had been hanging out together in Los Angeles, Gomez seems to have given any plans for a full reunion a second thought. Despite Bieber's token (and uninspired) attempts to impress her, girlfriend is just not having it.
"Justin is planning on doing something special for Selena's opening night. It will be a surprise but will most likely involve something like sending tons of her favorite flowers to her dressing room, and maybe sending something funny like an inside joke between them," an insider told HollywoodLife.com. "He wants her to know that if he's not there in person, that he is there in spirit."
That's great and all, but Bieber shouldn't hold his breath. Gomez is reportedly blowing him off left and right, and he just doesn't seem to be getting the message.
Gomez told Entertainment Weekly that she will not be performing her most popular Bieber-inspired song on her upcoming tour, "The Heart Wants What It Wants."
"There are things that I can't do. I won't be performing this on this tour because I don't want to," she told the mag. "It's like when you smell a scent and it takes you back to a place that maybe wasn't the best place. That stuff is a little bit more difficult."
Plus, she totally blew him off after the Met Gala.
"They had communicated via text the day of the Met Gala and he was under the impression that they would be seeing each other at the Up & Down after-party," a source told HollywoodLife.
"He was really exited to see Selena and impress her with his sharp new look, and she ended up being a complete no-show," the source continued. "Her explanation was she simply changed her mind."
Whether you'd like a dairy-free alternative or are just *gasp!* out of butter (say it ain't so!), these alternatives to butter will have you back on your baking track.
It's hard to plan ahead for disaster. But if you can, try experimenting with substitutions before you run out of butter. We recommend testing with a recipe you know well. Test a swap more than once, since each substitution can have different effects depending on the specific recipe. If possible, quarter or halve the recipe until you feel you have it right.
Don't be afraid to experiment with the flavored substitutes even if you aren't out of butter. These swaps might offer an added depth to your baked goods. Try using half butter and half substitute.
A new Game of Thrones theory suggests that Rickon Stark will return as Ramsay's "gift" in Season 6, which means his reemergence on the show will probably be extremely short-lived.
While part of me thinks, "No, no, the show couldn't possibly do this to us," they totally could. And they would — because, of course, it's Game of Thrones. Any and all characters are on the chopping block.
Game of Thrones might especially kill off characters who haven't exactly been important thus far in the show. As the youngest Stark, Rickon's role in the series has been limited, but he might play a more important role now that he's older.
Actress Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark in the series, is the one who let it slip that Rickon would return.
"Ye...es. Yes? Maybe? ...Yes, we will indeed," she said during an interview with BBC Radio 1. Williams added, "Oh no, I’m literally going to get off the air and someone’s going to email me."
She even said that her spilling the beans on Rickon's return might lead show creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to plot Arya's demise. Ouch.
The rest of us are grateful for her tidbit of information, however, and it leaves us to theorize about how Rickon will return.
With Game of Thrones being what it is, the obvious theory isn't a good one for poor Rickon's future.
As MTV surmised, Season 6 Episode 3 is titled "Oathbreaker." The last time we saw Rickon, Osha was taking him to the Last Hearth. With tides turning toward Ramsay in the North now that Roose Bolton is dead, it may be that House Umber's loyalty will shift as well — meaning that Rickon might be turned over to Ramsey as a sign of fealty.
Given what Ramsay did to his own father, half-brother and stepmother in the latest episode, I'm going to go ahead and say that the threat of Rickon Stark's return wouldn't be allowed if Ramsay got his hands on him. He might use Rickon as bait long enough to get Sansa back in Winterfell, and then the youngest Stark is done for.
Painfully bad pitches always make Shark Tank interesting, but the show is at its best when it highlights stories of passionate, hardworking entrepreneurs who simply want to make a difference. Several such entrepreneurs were featured during tonight's episode, but one in particular demonstrated how, with the power of technology on her side, a determined woman can accomplish great things. More importantly, tonight's episode showed how, with a little persistence, it's possible to come back from a huge failure, stronger than ever.
Image: ABC
Tonight's episode featured several inspiring individuals, but perhaps the most notable was Heather Saffer, who has created a delicious, natural, non-GMO frosting. It hasn't been an easy road for Saffer, who taught herself how to bake with the help of YouTube and Google. This self-starter approach is inspiring in and of itself, but even more impressive is how Saffer managed to overcome a huge setback. Her very first bakery failed, and as a result, she lost her entire life savings.
After such a huge loss, Saffer could have easily thrown in the towel. Instead, she decided to buckle down and give it another go. The result of her follow-up attempt at entrepreneurial success was Dollop Gourmet, a frosting company that just might convince people who don't eat dairy to finally enjoy those delicious cupcakes they've been missing out on.
The Sharks were visibly impressed not only by Saffer's story but also by her incredible product. Both Kevin O'Leary and Barbara Corcoran made offers, and while the two Sharks had to fight for the ability to work with Saffer, it was clear from the beginning that the cupcake queen only had eyes for Corcoran. The pitch was a huge success for Saffer; in addition to scoring a deal with her favorite Shark, she was there to see Corcoran telling off Mr. Wonderful.
Like the Sharks, many viewers found Saffer's journey quite inspiring. While live tweeting tonight's episode, these impressed individuals had only good things to say about Dollop Gourmet.
Shark Tank persistence
Shark Tank persistence
Shark Tank return from failure
Shark Tank return from failure
There's nothing quite like a success story to get Shark Tank fans motivated to tackle overwhelming personal and professional challenges. If Saffer can accomplish so much in the aftermath of a major loss, there's hope for the rest of us!
What did you think of Heather Saffer's inspiring pitch on Shark Tank? Does she give you hope for your own entrepreneurial endeavors? Comment and share your opinion below.
The athlete and competitor in me has been waiting for the handholding and partnering to stop. With the final episode approaching, it seems that the teams finally realized they need to make strategic moves to ensure their survival.
That is exactly what Korey Kuhl and Tyler Oakley did while racing around China. After last week's unspoken alliance was formed, it seemed that Burnie Burns and Ashley Jenkins had the right idea — but when Burns got really salty about the new alliances formed this week, it seems that maybe he didn't get it after all.
This week, the teams needed to stamp their passports at a theme park in China, where replicas of various monuments around the world were set up. Oakley and Dana Boriello teamed up specifically to try to keep Burns and Jenkins out of the running for moving on. Oakley explained his rationale for this, and in terms of the game and wanting to get ahead, it makes perfect sense.
Now, it wasn't necessarily just the other teams working together that got Burns and Jenkins steamed. It was that Oakley and Kuhl were deliberately hiding information or giving the yellow team bad information that really ticked them off. And while lying to another team doesn't win you any friends, you're racing for a million dollars! Given the opportunity, I probably would have done the same thing.
There were, of course, fans who thought Oakley and Kuhl's tactic was a bit too underhanded.
Amazing Race tweet 3
Amazing Race tweet 3
Amazing Race tweet 6
Amazing Race tweet 6
Say what you will about sportsmanship; I call this gamesmanship, and these teams played it right. Until now, the teams have been too nice, too helpful and too willing to give another team information they found out on their own.
Burns and Jenkins ended up being eliminated in a footrace to the mat, narrowly getting beat by underdog favorites Sheri and Cole LaBrant. With only one episode left, we will have to see how much more cutthroat these last three teams can be — and who will take home a million dollars in the race back to the States.
Do they still have a lot of issues to work through? Absolutely. But does Caroline (Candice Accola) still clearly have some deep and heavy feelings for Stefan (Paul Wesley)? Uh, without question.
She and Stefan finally hashed out their emotions during tonight's episode.
"I love you, and the thought of you getting hurt is not an option I'm willing to entertain," Stefan told her.
"You hurt me more than anyone else has ever hurt me," Caroline reminded him. "I loved you, and you left me."
"I know," Stefan agreed. "All I can say is that I'm sorry and hope that you'll forgive me one day."
To which Caroline replied, "I just don't think I can do that."
But, let's be real — that is a relative statement because she then went on to tell Alaric — her fiancé — that she wasn't sure if she still loved Stefan or not.
"I don’t know. Can you love someone and leave them behind right when you need each other the most? … Ask me whatever you want about directions and travel plans and anything related to Bonnie. Those decisions I can make. Just please don’t ask me to make that choice right now," Caroline told him.
Because, for all of Caroline's grandeur that she hates Stefan, the point is that her emotion for him, whether it be hate or love, is still so deep that there are obvious feelings that need to be resolved — separate from her relationship with Alaric. And I can't help but feeling that, by resolving their relationship, the show is finally going to reunite these two lovebirds.
Of course, I always have to include a side note in my articles to remind y'all that I'm a total Klaroline Shipper. But, especially given what's happening on The Originals right now, let's just let that fact slide. Because even though Klaus claimed Caroline as his end game, he also conceded to Stefan in a sense and entrusted him to take care of their girl.
And I think if it's finally the right time for these two, Stefan will definitely follow Klaus' advice.
After all, this time, Stefan might finally be ready to step up as the man he needs to be in order to make things work with Caroline.
Things in the world of The Vampire Diaries are never going to be simple for our heroes, but there is definitely still the hope of love — and that's really all I need.
Do you think Stefan and Caroline will reunite as a couple in The Vampire Diaries finale?
Three cheers for a young female artist who beat out a slew of veteran musical giants last year! Taylor Swift was named Billboard's top money-making musician in 2015. The Wildest Dreams singer raked in an astonishing $73.5 million, and $61.7 million of that revenue was generated from her wildly successful 1989 World Tour. Considering how often one of Swift's incredible shows made headlines this year, thanks in part to Swift inviting surprise guests like Lena Dunham, The Weeknd, Justin Timberlake and Selena Gomez on stage, it's not totally shocking. But just wait until you read how far ahead she leads the Billboard pack.
The second highest earner of the year was country music star Kenny Chesney, who generated $39.8 million in revenue, followed by the Rolling Stones ($39.6 million), Billy Joel ($31.7 million) and One Direction ($24.2 million). If you're curious about where all the women are on this list, Adele represents at No. 9 with $20.5 million in revenue. Considering that Adele didn't even tour in 2015, you have to give her props for selling an incredible number of records — 5.5 million copies of 25, to be exact.
Other standout female artists on the list include Shania Twain (at No. 12 with $14.4 million), Madonna (No. 14 at $12.7 million) and Britney Spears (No. 22 at $10.6 million).
It's important to remember that Swift is topping this list without the help of streaming services like Spotify. And, up until this year, she didn't allow Apple to stream her music, either. She's one of the rare artists these days whom fans love so much, they're willing to throw down their credit cards for the pleasure of enjoying 1989 and her four earlier albums. Swift obviously hasn't been performing as long as the Rolling Stones or Billy Joel, yet she commands such respect that Mick Jagger himself appeared on her tour as a guest.
Swift's net worth in 2015 was just short of $200 million, according to Forbes. Sure, she's living the high life and enjoying celeb perks like a $20 million SoHo loft in New York City, but Swift is also a giver. She reportedly supports 30 causes and has donated big sums of money to charities like the Red Cross. Most recently, she donated $250,000 to help singer Kesha with any financial needs as Kesha fought to be released from her Sony contract with Dr. Luke.
Congrats to Swift for topping this list and working hard to achieve her goals. The money is, I'm sure, just a (very) sweet bonus.
It seems that politics these days isn’t just a topic of conversation for adults anymore. Parents and teachers alike are reporting that they overhear children talking about the recent political discourse in the schoolyard, playground, on playdates or even in the bathtub! Unfortunately, since a lot of the messaging has had negative themes like name-calling and pessimism, it can potentially impact our young ones adversely. So what to do when your child brings up something he or she heard either on the news or from a peer, friend or even family member?
Here are some tips to help you keep things positive and also current:
Use developmentally appropriate language
If your eight-year-old starts asking you about "building a wall" or "starting a revolution," you'll want to explain the situation with facts, but also in a way that he or she can understand. For example, "Starting a revolution can be another way of making positive change." Limit exposure to news programming, especially during primetime hours. While appropriate for adults to watch, sometimes we do not realize how the discourse can cause worry for children (for example, discussing guns, wars, etc.). So, if you do have the news on in the background while making dinner, make sure that there isn't anything being said that could keep your child up at night.
Use this as an opportunity to teach your child about the political process of electing a president (and why it is a good thing)
Sometimes we get caught up in the sensationalism of everything that is going on, while forgetting that we have the privilege of living in a democracy where we can elect our own officials. This can be a good time to enlighten your children about the U.S. political process. Let them know that while there are things that people dislike, there are many things to enjoy and be proud of.
Remember that every person and family has different values
This is often why people avoid discussing politics, as it can be personal and emotional. But if personal values do come up, it's important that your child practices tolerance, meaning that he or she can hear someone else's values without overtly judging them or saying something that could hurt their feelings. Encourage your children to bring their thoughts and questions home so that they can discuss in a safe space and also so that they can learn more about the values you espouse.
If there's one celebrity you can bet the farm on never, ever backing down from a public feud, it's Sinéad O'Connor, who had an interesting response to Arsenio Hall filing a $5 million lawsuit against her for defamation. If you haven't heard, O'Connor recently posted a very long Facebook message in which she called out the actor and television host for reportedly supplying Prince with drugs and even lacing a joint he gave her several years ago at Eddie Murphy's house. Kind of a major deal, considering how the DEA and U.S. Attorney's Office are now investigating possible wrongdoing involving prescription drugs that may have contributed to Prince's death on April 21 at the age of 57.
Hall immediately denied the accusation and followed up by taking legal action. Court documents called out the Irish singer as a "desperate attention-seeker" who has "maliciously published outlandish defamatory lies against Arsenio Hall" and made it clear there is zero truth to her claims.
But a $5 million lawsuit apparently doesn't shake O'Connor, who took to Facebook to again make her feelings known:
In the lawsuit, Hall claims he has had minimal contact with O'Connor, with their most recent meet-up having occurred 25 years ago. He says her "lies" are causing him to be "shunned or avoided" and could cost him employment opportunities.
Aside from her anti-drug stance, it isn't clear why O'Connor feels so strongly about this issue or why her fingers are pointing straight at Hall. True, Prince penned "Nothing Compares 2 U," O'Connor's biggest hit to date, but in a 2014 interview with Norwegian station NRK, she made it sound like there was no love lost between her and Prince. She even went as far as claiming, "I did meet him a couple of times. We didn't get on at all. In fact we had a punch-up. He summoned me to his house after 'Nothing Compares.' I made it without him. I'd never met him. He summoned me to his house — and it's foolish to do this to an Irish woman — he said he didn't like me saying bad words in interviews. So I told him to fuck off."
O'Connor also reportedly said that their meeting turned "violent," that she had to escape his house at 5:00 a.m. and that he "packed a bigger punch" than her. For the record, there's no evidence that these claims are true — this is based on O'Connor's accusations.
I guess, assuming that all happened, it's water under the bridge now for O'Connor because it sounds like she's intent on defending Prince by going full steam ahead with her drug claims against Hall. Time — and the ongoing investigation into Prince's death — will tell whether anything comes from all of this.
If you love comic books, or even if you don't, there's no surprise that there are plenty of awesome names to choose from within their pages. While we don't necessarily advocate naming your baby Batman or Superman, the alter egos of many of our favorite comic book superheroes and supervillains are often traditional names that wouldn't garner a second glance atop a resume — but you'll always know where the name came from.
No, you probably wouldn't choose to name your baby Swamp Thing... but his alter ego Alec? That's a pretty awesome name. Also, you might find inspiration buried within the alter ego names, where a character's middle or last name would work, too. While Clark is a strong boy name, for example, it may be a little too classic for your tastes. But if you love Superman, Kent and even Kal-El are awesome choices (just ask Nicholas Cage, who named one of his sons Kal-El). From the pages of our favorite comic books rise some of the best baby names in the universe, and here are some of our faves.
What goes through your mind when you're getting ready to go to a concert or out to dinner with friends? I bet you are thinking about what to wear and if traffic is heavy. Maybe you are wondering what songs will be performed or what to order for dinner.
I think about those things too, but only in the back of my mind. Instead, I'm focused on worrying about if the person sitting next to me will be sick. I'm trying to stop myself from playing a horror movie of me falling down the arena stairs to my untimely death. I'm wondering if the chef is coughing into my food or tasting something and then sticking the spoon right back in.
People think it's easy having OCD and germaphobia, the two best friends I never wanted in my life. They go hand in hand, and I really can't imagine the germaphobia existing for me without OCD. For me, OCD makes me very observant. This can sometimes be a great thing when I notice mistakes quickly in emails or skim a recipe and know how to make it, but most of the time, it doesn't benefit me in the slightest.
I can hear someone cough from a mile away. I notice if people look pale or even just "off" and convince myself that they are going to contaminate me. I examine food before I put it in my mouth and can spot an irregularity anyone else would not notice. This symptom of OCD has created fear of any and every illness and the ability to detect potential hazards at every turn.
"Oh, I bet your house is so clean," people say to me. While, yes, my house is clean enough, I don't fit the OCD stereotype many people have in their minds. Sure, I have obsessively checked to ensure the stove is off before I leave the house, but not everything is organized and in its proper place and I don't have classic rituals.
My OCD manifests itself almost entirely in the form of germaphobia. Even worse than the stereotypes is that people think germaphobia is a phony fear, when in reality it is just as real as a fear of flying, dogs or spiders. By the way, I am afraid of flying, but not because I don't want to be up in the air or because I think the plane might crash, but because I'm afraid I'll get sick. The same goes for hotels, so I haven't traveled in about fifteen years.
Maybe I was born with OCD and germaphobia, maybe not. All I know for sure is that starting around third grade, I became terrified of getting sick. And when you are in school with a bunch of kids who get sick a lot, life is daily torture. It leaves you not fitting in since you avoid others who are not feeling well, don't want to play games at recess for fear of getting dirty and spend a lot of time hanging around adults.
Wash hands
Wash hands
For a multitude of reasons, the primary ones being fear and failure to assimilate, I began homeschooling in my junior year of high school. I still work at home now, blogging and writing, trying to take the next step in my career.
It can be very isolating. I try very hard to meet people and show that though I am different, I am a caring, compassionate person and will be fiercely loyal to my friends. Despite that, people don't seem to want to be around me. They don't text me back. They turn down any chance to make plans to possibly get to know the real me. They give me dirty looks when I offer an elbow bump instead of a hand shake.
It's OK, really, because I know one day others will accept me. If only because, at this point, I have accepted myself. I wasn't always OK with me, but now I am. Although life is often difficult for me, I have learned the hardest and most important lesson in life: to be me above all else. I have to stand up for me, all of me, even the OCD and germaphobia which are no longer parts of me I wish to hide or run from. I am who I am, and I don't think I'm so bad.
Fist bump
Fist bump
I choose not to shake hands or keep plans with people who are sick not because I am being rude or snobby but because it will cause me so much worry that it will keep me up at night, because I am so afraid of getting sick it has frequently brought me to tears. So the next time someone doesn’t want to shake your hand or acts in another way that you deem odd, think about what you are afraid of and how you would feel in a fearful position. Then instead of judging them, treat them like the kind and caring human being they probably are.
We all have fears, and that's OK. We need to accept each other as we are, and if by opening up I have changed anyone's mind, then it was worth it.
