3.5 Stars: Perfect for anyone who was obsessed with the trial.

Jeff Ashton is a hotshot Florida prosecutor with an excellent track record. He believes, like many of us, that Casey Anthony murdered her two-year-old daughter Caylee, whose body was found in a nearby swamp. But what Ashton doesn’t know is that for a jury, finding Anthony guilty is going to be incredibly difficult.

Casey Anthony waited 31 days to report her daughter missing, and only admitted it at the panicked urging of her mother, Cindy Anthony , who also told 911 that her daughter’s car smelled like a dead body had been in it.

It was those 31 days that Jeff Ashton thought would convince the jury of Casey’s guilt. He believed that the partying, the wild photos and the lying that transpired would make the case. And then there was Casey's "Bella Vita" tattoo, meaning "the beautiful life."

In the movie, a journalist asks Ashton what he would have asked Casey, had she ever taken the stand. He said he’d ask about the tattoo. "Your daughter is missing or dead for three weeks and you get a tattoo that says Bella Vita? I believe that’s the clearest expression of motive and I would have asked her, 'What does Bella Vita mean to you?' I would have loved to have heard her explanation for that,” says Ashton.

Indeed, we’d all like to hear Casey’s twisted reasoning. To further support Ashton’s hubris is the fact that Casey kept her court-appointed defense attorney Jose Baez , who had less than three years' experience in the courts. Ashton was certain Baez would make rookie mistakes, allowing Ashton to successfully get Casey Anthony the death penalty.

While the legal machinations are fascinating, this story continues to be heartbreaking. During an autopsy, Ashton picks up Caylee’s tiny skull that may have been covered with duct tape. The skull fits in the palm of his hand, demonstrating how young the girl was, how fragile her little body and how tragic her death.

The only good news in this story is the enactment of Caylee’s law: On April 6, 2012, Florida made it a felony to give false statements to law enforcement about a missing child who dies or is badly injured. The movie tells us that under the new law, Casey Anthony may have served 20 years.

Bottom line: Rob Lowe is perfect as the cocky attorney and gives us deeper insight into a twisted, macabre story that seems like it was ripped from an ancient Greek tragedy.

May Caylee Anderson rest in peace.

Prosecuting Casey Anderson premiers on Lifetime on Saturday, Jan. 19.

Photo credits: Lifetime

"Mariah Carey: A Diva Who Loves Her Dogs!"People cheerfully headlines a gallery of shots proving that Mariah Carey was an annoying dog-mom before she was a buyer of kajillion-dollar nurseries for twins Moroccan and Monroe, though her obsession seems to have cooled as of late.

Let's start with the number of dogs, shall we? Five of them. Five. Five dogs small enough to carry in a purse, all Jack Russell terriers.

Next, the names. It's painful to type them. Ready? Cha Cha, Jackie Lambchops, Squeak E. Beans, JJ and Jill E. Beans.

Has anyone informed Carey she's a 42-year-old woman, by any chance? We wonder if she dots the i in her name with a little heart.

Anyhoo, having proved she's still terribly twee in middle age with her dog names, Carey has been hauling around her dogs to inappropriate spots for years.

Back in July, Carey tweeted a photo of Jill E. Beans wearing headphones and facing a monitor, with the caption, "Just finished a long session with jill e beans. She's producing now. Haaaaaa."

Jill E. also appeared in the music video Carey made in 2011 with Justin Bieber, "All I Want for Christmas Is You." And Jill E. has appeared in assorted other tweets, including one in which she jumps for a strawberry in an elegant hotel room and one where Carey jogs with what she calls "dem pups."

Mariah Carey's dogs attended Roc and Roe's birth>>

Carey also brought Jill E. Beans onstage during the September 2012 NFL Kickoff concert at NYC's Rockefeller Plaza, and brought all five to the hospital when she gave birth to Roc and Roe, where they had their own room. Yes, a room specifically for the dogs.

But since having babies, Carey seems to have cooled on her dogs — she hasn't tweeted anything about them in months, and the last time a dog picture appeared on her Instagram feed was October. And Carey's been posting plenty of pictures, most notably a set from the star's Australian holiday, during which Mariah and Nick Cannon found time to ride a miniature train, and um, dress up with the twins like Goldilocks and the three bears.

It's like every other parent who has album after album of dog/cat pictures: once the baby's born, the pet never shows up again.

Image courtesy POP/WENN

Jason Trawick

When Britney Spears started hooking up with her manager, Jason Trawick, in 2009, tongues started wagging that perhaps the considerably older Trawick was just after Brit Brit’s money. After all, most boyfriends don’t become co-conservators of their girlfriend’s finances when they start shacking up. Well, naysayers be damned! After putting in three years with the troubled singer — hanging out with Brit’s boys, spending time with her wackadoo dad, and walking her down red carpets — Trawick cut his losses and called their engagement quits. Clearly, he wasn’t in it for some huge wedding day haul, y’all.

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick are over>>

Jason Hoppy

Viewers may have fallen in love with Bethenny Frankel on The Real Housewives of New York for her sharp sense of humor, but we doubt Jason Hoppy is finding Frankel too funny these days. And while we generally find the sarcastic ex-housewife pretty amusing, even we have to admit her divorce demands are bordering on downright b*tchy. In addition to primary custody of the couple’s little girl, Bryn, soon-to-be former wifey Frankel is reportedly requesting that the handsome Hoppy pay child support, get life insurance that names she and Bryn as beneficiaries, and pony up for both she and Bryn’s health-care expenses. Poor guy — someone pour him a Skinnygirl cocktail, stat!

Bethenny Frankel talks divorce with Ellen DeGeneres>>

Jason Ritter

OK, so we can’t actually find any evidence that Jason Ritter and girlfriend Marianna Palka have parted ways. However, he did just go through a breakup… on TV. As cute as a button high school teacher Mark Cyr on the NBC hit series Parenthood, Ritter — or rather his character — recently split up with fiancée Sarah Braverman, played by Lauren Graham. Here’s the thing… we had a total soft spot for Ritter before he even joined the cast, partly because he reminds us so much of his late dad, TV darling John Ritter, and partly because he maintains a reputation as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood.

Sneak Peek: Parenthood is drama central>>

Jason Mraz

Listening to the lyrics of Jason Mraz’s song “I Won’t Give Up,” it’s hard not to get wrapped up in romantic emotion. One may never guess that Mraz’s own relationship — an engagement to fellow singer/songwriter Tristan Prettyman — ended abruptly in 2011. She says she was blindsided , and that Mraz did, in fact, give up on their love. The lyrics to her song “Glass Jar” make that much clear: And now everything’s as if nothing ever happened/The version of your story isn’t really matching up/You gave up on us. Maybe Mraz will get “lucky” in love again one day.

Take the ultimate love & sex survey, here!>>

Top image courtesy of Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com, all others courtesy of WENN.com

Cookbook review

Recipes anyone will love!

Chef Roberto Martin shares more than 125 delicious vegan recipes that make healthy vegan cooking accessible for everyone. In his cookbook, Vegan Cooking for Carnivores, you'll find recipes you'll want to make and eat, no matter what your lifestyle.

No need for "if onlys"

Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi are both vegans, having made the decision to remove all animal products from their diets about four years ago. Right about now is when you might think to yourself, "I could be a vegan, too, if I had a personal chef to cook vegan meals for me."

And that's where the cookbook, Vegan Cooking for Carnivores: Over 125 Recipes So Tasty You Won't Miss the Meat, can be a huge help if you're interested in making a switch to a vegan diet. Roberto Martin, Ellen and Portia's personal chef and the author of this robust cookbook, wasn't a vegan when he applied for the job with the two stars. He explains that, after starting the job, he learned that "vegan food is no different than any other cuisine." Roberto encourages readers that all you need to do in order to cook and eat vegan is to get a little creative with your substitutions for animal-based products and for swapping in plant-based protein for meat.

Favorites can still be favorites

Portia wrote the foreword for the cookbook and explains that, after she and Ellen made the decision to become vegan, worry set in that they would feel deprived with the options they had for food. She was concerned they wouldn't be able to keep up their vegan diet on tofu and salads.

Roberto eliminated that concern. How? By creating recipes and meals using familiar techniques. Only the ingredients have changed. He says, "I want to make familiar, comforting foods that will make being vegan easy. The food will taste so good that no one will miss the meat!" He recreated his favorite meals to serve to Ellen and Portia and soon recreated theirs as well.

What
you can create

Seen here:
Quinoa and
Cranberry Salad

There are several tips and techniques included in the book to make preparing vegan meals easier, along with large, vibrant photos. In the book, the recipes begin with breakfast and cover everything through desserts, including beverages, condiments and dressings.

Recipes in the book include Tofu Benedict with Chipotle Cream for breakfast; Avocado Reuben for lunch; Roasted Corn Dodgers as an appetizer; and Quinoa and Cranberry Salad with Butter Lettuce and Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette in the salad category.

To purchase a copy of Vegan Cooking for Carnivores visit Hachette Book Group.

Roberto Martin grew up in a Mexican-American family of 15. While in college he worked in a restaurant, fell in love with cooking and attended the Culinary Institute of America. He became a personal chef to celebrities and has focused on nutrition and health. Now he cooks exclusively vegan meals for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi. He appears frequently on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and on the show's website.

More cookbooks to try

Ellie Krieger's Small Changes, Big Results
The Meat Free Monday Cookbook
Fifty Shades of Chicken

Jaw dropper: Ralph has an old flame! Aside from mildly flirting with Katherine , he's shown no interest in women. He's still not over his deceased wife, which apparently was the problem with him and his ex, Barbara.

Barbara came around because her husband got mugged and wanted Ralph to look into the case, and she may have been hoping for a bit more. She's clearly still crazy about Ralph and seems to toy with the idea of leaving her husband for him, but she knows she'd be left to live in the shadow of Ralph's dead wife. Maybe that's the problem between him and Katherine, too? It's sad, but we're holding out hope this guy will find a little romance again. The sooner the better, though. Seriously.

Love confession

The other Lamb brother is having no trouble finding a little romance. Jack just can't pull himself away from the beautiful Mia , and feelings are getting pretty intense. When Mia tells her father that she and Jack are an item, Jack admits to the hot-headed gangster that he's in love. That's very sweet. He may have just ended his own life, but still, it was a very romantic love confession.

Vincent's worst nightmare

Remember when Laura lectured Vincent about not having secrets going forward? Guess she didn't feel that deal worked both ways. Instead, she does the worst thing imaginable in the mob world and becomes a rat. The mob has a code: You don't snitch. And if you do, well… if you've seen Donnie Brasco, you know you're probably not gonna stay in one piece.

Vincent, obviously feeling betrayed, now also has to keep Rizzo from finding out and "taking care of her." So he tells Rizzo Mia's the rat, thinking he won't hurt his own daughter. But then, Vincent says it was all Jack Lamb's idea, so Rizzo heads out to get rid of Jack . Vincent tries to warn Jack, but Jack's too busy consummating his relationship with Mia to answer his phone. Where are text messaging, voice mail, Facebook chat, email, Twitter and Skype when you need them?

We're gonna have to wait until next week to see if Jack makes it out alive, but we do know that Savino's marriage didn't survive. Vincent sent Laura back to Chicago and told her she'd better not be around when he comes to visit the kids. Ouch. At least she's still breathing.

Photo courtesy of CBS

Recommended links: 

Vegas recap: Buried Alive
Vegas recap: Indecent Proposal
Celebrity splits

Creepy daddy, creepy boyfriend and a creepy maniac

That one phrase sums up the entire episode. But unlike "A," I won't leave you guessing. With the Golden Globes having wrapped up, I'm in a generous mood to hand out Pretty Little Liars-associated awards.

Who is creepy daddy?

Byron is officially our new resident social deviant. You know it has to be bad if he's beat out heavyweights like Mona and Toby . I haven't seen a more threatening father since the last Lifetime movie I watched. His character is almost overdone — enough to make me suddenly wonder why I hadn't picked up on it before.

Aria consults with her posse on how she's feeling mysteriously ill , and how she feels the weight of her dad's looming guilt. He did apologize for accusing her of having something to do with Meredith's accident, as they apparently found the culprit. Aria ignores the apology but her anxiety about her father still plagues her. On a hunch, she approaches her wise mother Ella , who then discusses the night of Ali's demise. She claims she and Byron shared a bottle of wine and went to sleep.

Later, while the PLL crew is in Aria's room, they want to retrieve the page from Ali's diary that discussed the extortion that involved Byron, but when Aria goes to the boot she hid it in, she finds it gone.

If an Oscar award could be given for most fearful and maniacal exchange on an ABC show, I would have given it to Byron when he tactfully walks by and mentions "remembering" how Aria's younger brother would hide Halloween candy in his boots — then walks away. At that moment, they all know that he knows what they did.

Aria is in her room one evening when she overhears a fiery exchange between Meredith and Byron. When she opens her door to the noise, she sees her father grab Meredith more aggressively than she'd ever have believed of him. Aria follows her instincts and Meredith, and in their exchange at a coffee shop, finds out that Byron left Ella to be with her the night of Ali's death. In a key and disturbing moment, Aria discovers that her father then left Meredith to go see Ali that night. Meredith also has the pages from the diary . She admits to reading it, and Aria takes back the pages.

They return home and Byron and Meredith talk, while Aria is left to figure out what to make of the situation. Could her dad really have murdered Ali?

Creepy boyfriend is...

In the least surprising reveal, Toby gets the award for most obvious killer boyfriend. I haven't seen such blatant evidence since Passions . He and poor Spencer seem to have something special, but he has mysterious meetings with his "boss," who I can only imagine is "A." It doesn't matter, because he's being revealed as a frightening accomplice no one thinks to suspect.

Emily and Paige want to go to a party, even though Paige reveals she's been too frightened to go anywhere since Halloween. In a sweet attempt to calm her down, Emily takes her on a walk. When they return they find the car tires slashed, and Emily chases a figure down the street; when she loses sight of the person, the camera pans to Toby hiding behind a tree. Surprised? I wasn't. If there's mischief, he's likely the source.

Lifetime achievement award for sickest maniac

Mona. She's not fooling the PLL crew with her sad puppy act. She tries to make friends and save her butt by admitting she saw the guy from the motel play janitor at the school. She walks away, but appears later at Spencer's Decathlon meeting. She decides to run against Spencer for president, remarking she wants to be a different person. In a disturbingly intense quiz-off, Mona actually wins. Later, in an introspective discussion with Hanna , Spencer admits to getting cocky and allowing her ego to get the best of her.

Hanna wasn't going to let Mona enjoy her win — earlier, she had a very intense exchange with Lucas . Mona is pulling the strings and still blackmailing him , and recently tried to kill him . And he plans on leaving the school, which is why he ends up coming clean with Hanna; that includes an earlier confession on how he was the one who ended up trapping Meredith in the shed that caught fire . He sternly warns her that she hasn't changed. In a rage, Hanna confronts Mona at the celebratory party after the quiz-off and leaves Mona fuming. Spencer warns that it wasn't a good idea to do that, as Mona knows their weaknesses and how to attack. Well, we'll see what Mona has planned next — she doesn't seem like the type to give up easily.

What's up next week?

The last scene shows a dark figure burying a porcelain mask and a masquerade mask — wonder why? We'll find out next week!

Photos courtesy of ABC

Looking for a quick and easy lunch? Want to spice up your daily meal? These simple and filling tostadas are sure to fit the bill! Fresh butternut squash is cubed and cooked with spicy chipotle chili powder and sage. Crispy corn tortillas are spread with creamy goat cheese, the spiced butternut squash and cubed avocado. This easy meal is sure to impress!

Butternut squash tostada recipe

Yields 3 tostadas

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups fresh butternut squash, cubed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 small corn tortillas
• 2 tablespoons creamy goat cheese
• 1/2 of an avocado, cubed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Add cubed butternut squash to a small pot, top with water and boil for about 5 minutes. The squash should be slightly soft but not mushy. Drain.
3. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil to a pan and add in drained butternut squash. Sprinkle with chipotle chili powder, ground sage and kosher salt. Cook over medium heat until cooked throughout and slightly browned.
4. While the squash is cooking on the stovetop, spray both sides of the tortillas with olive oil. Add to a baking sheet and add to oven. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until the tortilla is crunchy.
5. Remove the tortillas from the oven, divide goat cheese, squash and avocado equally among the three corn tortillas in the following order: goat cheese, squash and avocado.

More tostada recipes

Shrimp tostadas recipe
Salmon tostadas salad recipe
Grilled tostadas with radish salad recipe

Kelly Ripa is refreshingly honest about her cosmetic enhancements, unlike most celebs that pretend their lines magically retreated thanks to a beach vacation. But as the co-host of Live! explained in an Elle interview, not only does she get BOTOX every few months, she also gets injections into her armpits to avoid sweating.

BOTOX for sweating? Who even knew? BOTOX did, that's who: the website for this type of treatment, botoxseveresweating.com, informs passersby that BOTOX is approved by the FDA to treat the symptoms of severe underarm sweating, a.k.a. severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis.

Gotta love Ripa for not only admitting she has a kinda icky problem that many people have yet few want to talk about, but for being open about how she treats it.

Ripa had previously told In Touch that "I get BOTOX injected right here, right into my forehead, as much as possible!"

The feud Kelly Ripa and Rosie O'Donnell just can't let go of>>

In Elle, she pinned down her BOTOX time frame: "Every seven months or so my eyelid skin rests on my eyelashes," the 42-year-old host and mom told Elle. "So I feel like [BOTOX] makes my makeup artist's life easier, and it makes my eyes look a little more open on TV, which is where I happen to work right now."

Injections spaced seven months apart is actually a pretty conservative schedule — BOTOX claims the injections last an average of three to four months, though some patient claim the wrinkle-smoothage lasts up to six months.

Maybe that's why Ripa doesn't display the arched-eyebrow, evil-seeming "bat-wing" face that certain other female news professionals have been sporting. Though it does seem like her forehead should be showing some kind of expression lines in this image, no? While it's no Nicole Kidman frozen forehead or Billy Crystal big-as-all-outdoors five-head, it sure looks baby's bottom-smooth.

Image source Joseph Marzullo/WENN.com

Another iconic sitcom star from classic television has passed away, leaving behind a generation of viewers who grew up watching his shows. Conrad Bain, best known for his work on Diff'rent Strokes, passed away on Monday at the age of 89.

He passed away from natural causes, and his death "was very peaceful," according to his daughter, Jennifer Bain, who spoke with People.

She continued, "I was able to be with him very close to the end [and] able to put my ear to his heart and sing him songs."

The Canadian actor started out in his field at Ontario's Stratford Shakespeare Festival and continued his studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.

From 1972 to 1978, Bain was familiar to TV audiences for his role as cranky neighbor Dr. Arthur Harmon on Maude, also starring Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan.

However, it is his role on Diff'rent Strokes as the wealthy businessman Phillip Drummond who adopts two sons from Harlem that he's best remembered for. While the series revolved around the kids played by Todd Bridges, Gary Coleman and Dana Plato, Drummond was always the voice of reason as his three children got themselves into sticky situations.

Sadly, Bain outlived two of his young co-stars. Plato died in 1999 after a suicidal overdose of drugs, and Coleman passed away in 2010 from a brain hemorrhage stemming from a fall in his home. Bridges led a troubled life with drug problems in his 20s, but he's managed to clean up his act and return to the entertainment industry.

Bain's daughter spoke about their troubles, telling People, "Dad was proud of his work on that show. And the problems the kids had in their lives later affected him. He felt terrible about it."

The actor is survived by his twin brother, Bonar Bain, in addition to his daughter and three sons. His wife Monica passed away in 2009.

Image courtesy of WENN

This has to be one of Hollywood's best kept secrets because US Weekly exclusively reported on Wednesday that Jeremy Renner is going to be a dad — and soon! The baby is due next month.

An insider overheard Renner talking with Eva Longoria at the Golden Globes last Sunday and leaked the big news to the entertainment magazine. Apparently, Renner told Longoria, "I'm going to fly in when her water breaks."

Eva responded with, "I'm so blown away."US has confirmed with multiple sources that the news is indeed true. Their insider said, "They used to date but it wasn't serious," but his baby's momma is living in his home in Los Angeles.

Who is the mystery woman? It is actress Jess Macallan, whom the actor dated for four years after meeting at a film festival in Florida. Their split came in 2010, after she decided to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. The Bourne Legacy actor has been publicly critical of Macallan in the past.

He told The Hollywood Reporter in an April 2012 interview, "I was going through TheHurt Locker campaign and she's like, 'Where do I get headshots?'"

The criticism couldn't have stung too badly, since it is clear Renner and his ex-girlfriend found time to reunite at least once and create a baby.

Perhaps this news will silence all of the gay rumors that have plagued Renner since he burst onto the scene with The Hurt Locker. In the same April interview with THR, he said, "I want my personal life to be personal, and it's not f*cking true."

Renner gives birth to his next project, Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters, on Jan. 25, just a few weeks before his first baby is born.

Image courtesy of FayesVision/WENN.com

Everybody loves Jennifer Lawrence. She captured our hearts as Katniss in The Hunger Games and has continued to woo us with her performance in Silver Linings Playbook and her always-amusing late-night interviews. She's also been pretty fantastic at recent awards shows, showing what a true movie fan she is by referencing Mean Girls and quoting First Wives Club. Even though her "I beat Meryl Streep" comment got a little bit of a smackdown from some unknowing viewers, it was still a great moment.

She's amazing, right? And oh so funny!

It only makes sense that our semi-favorite sketch comedy show, Saturday Night Live, would scoop her up to host an episode. That's exactly what she'll be doing this Saturday. Joining her in hosting duties is SNL veteran Jason Sudeikis. Hopefully, he'll reprise his role as Vice President Joe Biden in some sort of pre-inaugural skit. Sweet. Maybe his new fiancée, Olivia Wilde, will drop by, too.

Here's a taste of what's in store...

Saturday Night Live will also have a pretty awesome musical guest: The Grammy-nominated band The Lumineers will perform on Saturday. The band is best known for their first single "Ho Hey," but all their songs are awesome, so it'll be exciting to find out their second song choice. The Lumineers are definitely a folksy band, but their full sound is what has helped them translate so well to Top 40 radio.

If you've recently found yourself living under a rock and aren't sure what all the fuss is over Jennifer Lawrence or even The Lumineers, Saturday night will be your chance to find out. Tune in and enjoy.

Image courtesy of WENN

More on Saturday Night Live

SNL's Sandy Hook tribute
Did Samuel L. Jackson drop the F-Bomb on SNL?
Reasons to watch SNL: Paul McCartney and Martin Short

Kelly Ripa

In an interview with Elle magazine, Kelly Ripa admitted that she uses BOTOX in her armpits to control sweating. She also said she figured that since the doctor already had the needle out, she’d take a stab or two in the face once in awhile. We would expect nothing less from the 42-year-old, tell-it-like-it-is daytime personality. Now, if we could just get celebrities to admit that they’ve had a tummy tuck following the delivery of their twins .

Image courtesy Joseph Marzullo/WENN.com

Kim Kardashian

At first this flawless Armenian princess denied having BOTOX, but in a 2010 episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, Kim had BOTOX injections by her eye. She thought she had an allergic reaction, and swore off the stuff. In July of 2012, KK told Now Daily that she did swear off BOTOX — by her eyes, not in her forehead. By September 2012, rumors swirled that Kim had given BOTOX the boot for good, out of respect for boyfriend Kanye West, who lost his mother to plastic surgery complications. According to ABC News, most medical professionals recommend pregnant women avoid BOTOX injections, due to a lack of research on the subject. Something tells us Kim’s image won’t suffer.

Image courtesy WENN.com

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman's fans have noticed a change in her looks over the years, so the revelation that she used BOTOX is no more shocking than if she admitted to getting lip injections. BOTOX gives some users a Barbie forehead, but it makes others look like an ice princess. Nicole fell into the latter category. While using injections, Nicole had a frozen glare than made her look like the Wicked Witch of the West. She’s admitted to trying BOTOX, but told TV Movie that she didn’t like how her forehead felt afterward and that she “doesn’t use it anymore.” That’s not how it looks from where we’re sitting. Nicole’s forehead is either still hopped-up on BOTOX, or she’s just in a really foul mood.

Image courtesy Apega/WENN.com

Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell admitting that he’s had BOTOX certainly helps answer the “What the hell happened to Simon Cowell’s face?” question. Lately it’s hard not to notice that his face has blown up to twice its normal size. So what’s going on here? Is Cowell getting a little trigger-happy with the BOTOX or has he been attacked by bees and is experiencing an allergic reaction? Cowell has said that using BOTOX is “no more unusual than using toothpaste.” Most people use toothpaste morning and night, so that may explain Cowell’s present look.

Image courtesy Lia Toby/WENN.com

Brussels sprouts are notorious for being the most disliked vegetable on the market. But in recent years, the close cousin to green cabbage has developed a strong and loyal following in the culinary community.

4 Ways to prep
brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts, a cruciferous vegetable with numerous health benefits , can be prepared in a variety of ways that make them not only palatable, but drool-worthy, even for the most stubborn dissenter.

Shred your veggies

Brussels sprouts are a surprisingly pleasant addition to many salads, but their round and sometimes tough, crunchy texture makes them difficult to incorporate into your favorite recipes. Shred or finely slice your vegetables using a cheese grater or chef's knife and toss with shredded apples, pecans and gorgonzola cheese.

Braising makes them better

Braising, or slow cooking in liquid on the stove, is a great way to elicit Brussels sprouts' natural, nutty flavor. Brussels sprouts can be a nice addition to braised entrees, such as pork, beef, or chicken and add a hearty dose of nutrition alongside an otherwise fatty cut of meat.

Check out these scrumptious Brussels sprouts recipes>>

Saute

If you're pairing your Brussels sprouts alongside any dish that needs to be baked in the oven, saute them on the stove. Start with a splash of olive oil and add caramelized onions, toasted nuts and halved Brussels sprouts for a simple side dish that lets you enjoy great taste without a helping of guilt.

Slow roast 'em

There are fewer things easier than roasting vegetables, a task that becomes entirely more pleasant each autumn. Toss quartered Brussels sprouts with chopped sweet potatoes, parsnips, or butternut squash in olive oil seasoned with your favorite herb, such as sage or chive. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and let cook in a 450 degree F oven until sprouts are wilted and have begun to brown.

More Brussels sprouts recipes

Brussels sprouts recipes
Balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts
Garlic Brussels sprouts

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences must be big Star Trek fans because on Wednesday, they announced that Zoe Saldana and Chris Pine will host the Scientific and Technical Awards.

The Sci-Tech Awards are not as well known to the public as the official Academy Award presentation, but they are held two weeks before the Oscars. The show "honor[s] the men, women, and companies whose discoveries and innovation have contributed significant, outstanding and lasting ways to use motion pictures," according to The Academy website.

This year, the show will be held at The Beverly Hills Hotel on Feb. 9, where nine awards will be handed out to 25 recipients.

Academy President Hawk Koch said in a statement, "We are thrilled to have Chris and Zoe host the Sci-Tech Awards. Their film experience with the kind of technical advancements these awards honor makes them the perfect pair for the job."

The actors both starred in the 2009 reboot of Star Trek, with Pine taking on the James T. Kirk role and Saldana playing the iconic and sexy Uhura. They will both be reprising their roles this May in the sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness.

Viewers will be able to see portions of the Sci-Tech Awards broadcast during the Oscars ceremony on Feb. 24.

In years past, the Sci-Tech Awards have been hosted by Hollywood celebrities like Milla Jovovich, Jessica Biel, and Scarlett Johansson.

Image courtesy of WENN

Read more on The Oscars

Oscar nominations: The snubs and surprises

The top 5 things you didn't see live at the Oscar nominations

Ben Affleck gets the last laugh

It appears the odds are against Ben Affleck and his film Argo to win best picture at the Oscars this year. Driving Miss Daisy was the last film, in 1989, to win the award without a best director nomination. In fact, only three films have ever earned that honor. But Argo may become the fourth.

It was a surprise when Affleck didn’t get the directing nomination, but it became a talker when he won the same award at the Golden Globes. Still, the actor doesn’t seem too worried about it.

“We got nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture,” Affleck told Melena Ryzik with the New York Times. “If you can’t be happy with that, your prospects for long-term happiness are pretty sad.”

Affleck also reminded his critics where he came from and how he has pulled himself from nothing before, as well as rebounding from times when he made some less-than-wise decisions.

“I was nobody auditioning, and then I was seen as this young, emerging talent, writer, Oscar winner,” he said. “And then I was seen as this blockbuster actor, and then I was seen as this kind of train-wreck actor.”

He overcame the highs of films like Good Will Hunting, then the lows of films like Gigli. But he worked hard to get where he is now, even though it has been a rollercoaster of a ride.

“Then I was seen as this resurgent director,” he said, according to Ryzik. “And now I think I’m kind of seen as just sort of somebody in Hollywood who works.”

The Oscars are more than a month away, but Affleck doesn’t seem too worried about the prospect of winning or losing — he is just enjoying the ride. The seven awards Argo is up for include Best Picture, Writing – Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin.

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Does Al Pacino have a thing for biopics? The Oscar-winning actor has done more than a few "based on a true story" films. But his latest is a real headline grabber: Pacino's set to play the legendary college football coach, Joe Paterno.

Bette Midler teaming up with Al Pacino for HBO's Phil Spector movie>>

According to Deadline, Pacino and director Brian De Palma will join forces for Happy Valley. Edward R. Pressman is producing and has optioned the book Paterno, which was written by Joe Posnanski. It turns out Pacino's been loosely attached to play the coach since last fall.

“Happy Valley reunites the Scarface and Carlito’s Way team of De Palma and Pacino for the third time and I can’t think of a better duo to tell this story of a complex, intensely righteous man who was brought down by his own tragic flaw,” Pressman said.

We're not sure how much of Paterno's life Happy Valley will cover. The site claims that producers are trying to keep a "low profile" regarding the story's focus. Dave McKenna, who previously wrote American History X and Blow, could write the script.

Disgraced Penn State coach Joe Paterno dead at 85 >>

Paterno died in Jan. 2012 from lung cancer, shortly after being fired from his position at Penn State. He was at the center of a sex scandal involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. Sandusky was accused of molesting several minors under the guise of a charity. It was later revealed that Paterno was aware of his behavior, but didn't report it.

What do you think of Pacino as Paterno?

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Khloe Kardashian is fed up with claims she's not really one of the Kardashian sisters by birthright. Refusing to stay quiet about the latest round of reports calling who her real father is into question, the wife of Lamar Odom penned a blog post Wednesday titled, "Enough is Enough."

Unafraid to name names, Khloe Kardashian pointed fingers at the gossip publications that have caused her the most grievance, writing:

"It is disgusting that Life & Style and InTouch magazines continue to print these false stories about my life: the status of my marriage, false reports about a miscarriage, the horrible lie that my dad is not my biological father, jealousy over my sisters’ lives, etc."

O.J. Simpson adds "daughter" Khloe Kardashian to his will?>>

The 28-year-old continued, "It is a complete waste of time to address these reports every time they print these ridiculous and absurd tabloid stories, but not only are these stories untrue, they’re also unfair to the people who buy the magazines expecting to read accurate reports."

"Anyone who pays attention to these things can easily see the incredible bond that everyone in my family shares."

Celebody: Khloe Kardashian says she's "more athletic" than her sisters>>

Insisting life at home with Lamar Odom is nothing short of amazing, the Keeping Up with the Kardashian's regular added, "I'm happily married to a wonderful man and fall in love with him more and more each day, and we'll have a baby when god wants us to and when the time is right. These blatant lies are distasteful and shameless."

Take that, rumor mill!

Are you convinced now that Khloe really is a Kardashian?

Image via WENN

The challenges of finishing a film when a star dies are numerous. It's why Brittany Murphy's last movie, Something Wicked, took an additional three years to complete. Now, River Phoenix's final onscreen appearance, Dark Blood, will make its North American debut at the Miami Film Festival in March.

The storyline follows a widower, played by Phoenix, who is living a hermit-like existence on a nuclear testing site in the desert. He is visited by a Hollywood couple when their car breaks down. Phoenix's character imprisons the young couple because he believes he can start a new and better world with the young woman.

Dark Blood also stars Jonathan Pryce and Judy Davis and it was about 80 percent completed when Phoenix passed away of a drug overdose in 1993. The footage was put into storage in Utah and not thought about again until its Dutch director,George Sluizer, found out the insurance company planned to destroy the film in 1999.

It wasn't until 2008, when Sluizer was diagnosed with an illness, that the director was inspired to finish the film. In a statement on Tuesday, he said, "It was a kind of urgency... You are a craftsman and you want to complete your work. I am a perfectionist. I wanted to finish 'Dark Blood' and I also wanted to preserve the cast and crew's creative work."

The movie was seen last fall at the Dutch Film Festival, but its appearance at the Miami Film Festival will mark the first time U.S. audiences will have a chance to see Phoenix up on the big screen again.

Miami Film Festival executive director Jaie Laplante said, "The tragic loss of River Phoenix's outstanding talent is still profoundly felt 20 years later. We are proud that George Sluizer has honored Miami as the place to finally share his remarkable collaboration with Phoenix and the other great artists involved with 'Dark Blood.'"

However, not everyone is excited about the film being released after 20 years. Phoenix's family spoke with The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday and firmly stated, “Despite George Sluizer’s claim that he has been communicating with River Phoenix’s family in regard to releasing River’s last film, Joaquin Phoenix and his family have not been in communication with the director nor will they participate in any way.”

The 30-year-old film festival runs March 1-10.

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Former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi announced she is expecting her first child with husband Mike McCuddy.

“We are eagerly awaiting the healthy and happy birth of our son Greyson James Carroll McCuddy,” DioGuardi told People.

DioGuardi, 42, and her husband have been trying to get pregnant for years, and are having this baby through a gestational surrogate. DioGuardi hasn’t been shy about her troubles with conceiving, and even talked about her problems in her 2011 memoir, A Helluva High Note.

"I wanted a child and there was no way I could get pregnant under the stress of eighteen-hour work days and live TV," she wrote in the book, according to E! News. "Leaving was painful and there will always be a part of me that wanted to stay. But my desire to be in control of my destiny was larger than my need to be a household name."

McCuddy, a builder, was working on a house next to DioGuardi’s house in Maine when they met. The couple has been married since 2009. According to E! News, DioGuardi also wrote that during her last season on American Idol, she underwent three rounds of IVF, all which were unsuccessful.

The decision to use a surrogate was a personal one for the couple, but one they seem to be happy with.

“We made a personal decision to try with a surrogate. I asked someone we knew, a friend. And on the first try, it worked,” DioGuardi told People. “We’re praying for our surrogate, that she gets through this and that it’s as easy on her as it can possibly be, because she’s been a gem throughout the whole process.”

She added how grateful she is for the sacrifices made by this woman, whose name is unknown.

“I’ve got two people on my mind: her and the baby,” she said. “She’s given us this incredible gift.”

Photo courtesy Kristen Noseda/WENN.com

The SyFy Channel's brought down the hammer on Alphas. Wednesday, the network confirmed that they've canceled the series. The show debuted in July 2011, and aired its final episode last October.

Canceled: The latest shows to say 'bye-bye'>>

According to The Hollywood Reporter, SyFy released an official statement announcing the cancellation.

"We’ve been proud to present this entertaining, high-quality series for two seasons and to work with an incredible ensemble of talented actors, producers and creatives as well as our partners at BermanBraun Television. We’d like to thank the show’s dedicated regular viewers for their tremendous support."

Alphas centered on a group of people with superhuman abilities. They used their physical and mental powers to solve cases the FBI, CIA and Pentagon couldn't. The cast was lead by Oscar-nominee David Strathairn, and featured Ryan Cartwright, Warren Christie, Malik Yoba and Laura Mennell.

Some of the stars went to Twitter to confirmed the news.

"Unfortunately ‪Alphas is cancelled : tweeted, “Like my buddy ‪Ryan Cartwright has reported, unfortunately ‪Alphas has been cancelled. Thanks for tuning in the last couple of years!!”

"Sad to say that ALPHAS will not be returning. What an honor to get to play Rachel for 2years & to work w/ & for the MOST AMAZING PEOPLE EVER," wrote cast member Azita Ghanizada.

Mennell chimed in with, “Thanks for all your love for the past couple of years... Sad to say Alphas won't be coming back. Will miss our lovely crew and cast.”

Alphas series premiere drew 2.5 million viewers, while its second season finale drew just over a million.

Are you sad to see Alphas go?

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