Rachel Weisz received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama, and the honor was as big of a surprise to her as it was to everyone else. Weisz appeared in a little-known indie film called Deep Blue Sea. The film opened in August and made a little over $1 million during its lifetime.

"It hadn’t been part of the conversation leading up to this," Weisz told Entertainment Weekly about her nomination, "so it really came out of nowhere."

Weisz opened up to EW about some of her other favorite female performances of the year, and there were some names on the list which were somewhat of a surprise.

"I really loved Helen Hunt in The Sessions," she said. "I thought [she] was really, really impressive."

But she also mentioned another actress who many hadn’t considered, but only because of the subject matter of her film.

"I really loved Cody Horn in Magic Mike," she said. "I know it’s tonally different. It’s not like a serious drama… but I don’t know, I loved her performance."

When Weisz saw the movie, she said she was impressed enough to share with her girlfriends. She felt Horn delivered a very honest performance.

"It’s funny, I called my best friend in England," she told EW. "I was like, 'Have you seen that?' [and] she was blown away. She wasn’t acting. She was real. She was totally real."

Even though Weisz will not be competing with Horn at the Golden Globes, she will still be up for a battle. She is up for the Best Actress award against Helen Mirren for Hitchcock, Naomi Watts for The Impossible, Marion Cotillard for Rust and Bone and Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty.

Sadly, none of the actors in Magic Mike made the list of best actor nominees either.

Photo courtesy WENN.com

Hugh Jackman had a good day. He woke up to the news he had received a Golden Globe nomination for his part in Les Miserables, and just hours later he showed up to accept his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"It's kind of a surreal day," he told E! News. "I'll probably always remember Thursday, December 13 and I think I'm either going straight from here to buy a lottery ticket or to a casino because it just feels like someone is looking down on me in a very nice way at this moment."

His Les Mis co-stars Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried showed up for the ceremony to congratulate him on the honor.

"I'm excited," he said. "The star is right here outside where I got to host the Oscars and if the movie gets nominated , it'll be nice to get up there and show a little bit of the show to everybody."

The actor joked about how he got to this place and said this day would be important to him for a while.

"It was about 29 years ago," he said, "and I said, 'This is the way it's gonna work,' and I signed a deal — I won't tell you who it was with."

Jackman also received a nomination for a Best Actor Screen Actors Guild Award just the day before. He said his good fortune will not be wasted though. He expects the area where his star is to offer some much-needed therapy for kids.

"Ten years from now when they're remembering all the things I did wrong, it's gonna save a fortune in therapy," he told E! "They can come here, graffiti it, stomp on it, spill their soda on it, whatever."

Jackman’s co-star Anne Hathaway was also nominated for a Golden Globe. The show will take place Jan. 13, 2013.

Photo courtesy Apega/WENN

Taylor Swift’s Red is showing its staying power, landing back at number one this week on the Billboard album chart.

Red was number two last week behind Alicia Keys’s new album Girl on Fire, but that album fell all the way to number seven this week, with 77,000 albums sold.

Ke$ha’s new, much-anticipated album, Warrior, debuted with less-than-stellar numbers. For any others singer it would be nothing to write off, but a new album from Ke$ha was expected to come in at number one. The album sold 85,000 albums this week, coming in just ahead of Keys at number six. In comparison, Ke$ha’s first album Animal came in at number one in January 2010, with 152,000 albums sold its first week. But that album may have had some help on its journey to the top.

"Animal's street date took advantage of a wide-open release schedule and an always-slow sales month," said Billboard. "The week Animal debuted at No. 1, the next-highest new entry was way down at No. 27, where Katharine McPhee's Unbroken debuted with 15,000. They were two of only seven debuts on the entire Billboard 200."

Ke$ha’s new album is considered a change in the singer’s sound and it has had some heavy publicity behind it.

Wiz Khalifa’s O.N.I.F.C. came in at number two this week, selling 141,000 albums. The album comes barely a year after releasing his last album, Rolling Papers. That album also came in at number two, but it sold 197,000 in its first week.

Swift’s album has now sold millions and is showing no sign of slowing down any time soon. The singer also celebrated her 23rd birthday Thursday with her new boyfriend, Harry Styles of One Direction. His band was also called MTV’s artist of the year, as well as making the list of Barbara Walters’s most fascinating people.

Photo courtesy WENN.com

One of LeAnn Rimes's friends has died in a plane crash. The shocking news was revealed on Twitter Thursday, although some of the singer's followers failed to react with much compassion.

"Just found out a friend died in a plane crash," LeAnn Rimes tweeted without naming any names, though she did later say the fatal incident occurred in Dallas.

"Life gets put into serious perspective," the wife of Eddie Cibrian went on to say. "It's a very sad day."

E!'s Giuliana Rancic talks divorce with LeAnn Rimes>>

In response to a caring follower who offered her condolences on the loss, LeAnn Rimes went on to share of the deceased friend, "They have 2 young boys 18 months apart. The youngest is 8 months and she, the wife is 27."

Changing the topic of conversation to Wednesday night's nip slip incident, another person tweeted to the singer "It's amazing there are photographers within a few feet of you every second."

The 30-year-old, who had attended the NOH8 event in Hollywood, seemed to not quite understand the message, believing it was in reference to something about her pants! She replied, "You have no idea...ops, so I had to fix my pants, one pic. My friends are dying in plane crashes, I'm focused on other things."

A helpful third party pointed out the difference, noting, "They are talking about your nip slip not you fixing your pants. Still not a big deal though."

Brandi Glanville freaks over LeAnn's laxatives >>

Regardless, the songstress went on to retweet this message, "Life is too short to stress yourself with people who don't even deserve to be an issue in your life."

Life's also too short to cancel travel plans, apparently. LeAnn Rimes went on to write Thursday evening with exclamation mark-speckled enthusiasm, "Headed to VEGAS!!!!"

Our condolences go out to the family of LeAnn Rimes's friend.

Image via WENN

Do Rihanna and Chris Brown ever actually talk in person? Or do they relay their feelings to each other only via passive-aggressive tweets and Instagram photos?

Over the weekend, Rihanna was reportedly ticked off with Brown, who hung out in Paris with ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran. She's a recent ex — Brown just broke up with her in October, reportedly so that he could focus his energies on the woman he famously assaulted four years ago.

In response, Rihanna let loose with a stream of angry tweets, starting over the weekend and continuing right up through today.

Rihanna and Chris Brown reunite in sleazy photo>>

"Goodbye, muthaf***** #takeoff," she wrote, followed by, "You give, you get, then you give it the f*** back."

Wednesday morning, she sent the message, "Never underestimate a man's ability to make you feel guilty for his mistakes" to her 37 million Twitter followers.

Rihanna also posted photos of a plane taking off, an image of herself half-naked by a fireplace holding a glass of wine , and a screen shot of a description of women born under the astrological sign of Pisces that says the Pisces woman is "generous and sweet but don't cross her" that she captioned "I don't wanna give you the wrong impression."

Busy Rihanna posted an additional Instagram image of herself with Chris Brown's disembodied tattooed arm around her, writing, "Damn…….I miss my nigga," and several scans of what appear to be a religious tract, with phrases underlined like, "Jesus wasn't swayed by men's opinions, threats judgments, or criticisms."

Rihanna, what are you trying to say? If you want to send messages only certain people will get, just go ahead and send them to the person in question.

Because "vaguebooking" like a 16-year-old girl who posts "I'm sad!" only to get her friends to ask what's wrong — that should be a little beyond you at 24-about-to-be-25-in February.

Images courtesy WENN.com/Newspix.pl/WENN.com

1) Ted— When John Bennett was a kid, all he wanted was his teddy bear to come to life. Fast-forward a few years and that wish has become a reality, but it's not exactly the childhood fantasy he dreamed of. Ted is a vulgar party animal who stands between John and his girlfriend, Lori . This is a comedy of epic proportions that will have you laughing out loud, though it does get quite raunchy. Whatever you do, take a grain of salt with all of Ted's advice!

Rotten Tomatoes: 69% Fresh

2) Ice Age: Continental Drift— If offensive animals aren't to your taste, we've got a healthy alternative in the form of everyone's favorite prehistoric adventurers. The Ice Age gang is back, featuring the voices of Ray Romano, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah and more. This time they've set sail on a giant ice slab and there's a whole slew of new creatures along the journey. This flick's safe for the whole herd.

Rotten Tomatoes: 37% Splat

3) The Bourne Legacy — Jeremy Renner, Edward Norton and Rachel Weisz take on the next chapter of the Bourne espionage and action franchise. Although Matt Damon really defined the Bourne role, Renner holds his own.

Rotten Tomatoes: 56% Splat

4) Backwards— Athletic ambitions have always caused massive sacrifice in Abi's life. She's put every ounce of energy and passion into pursuing a spot on the Olympic rowing team. But when things don't add up, she's forced to truly reevaluate her life and relationships, namely a lost love with Geoff . Check out this exclusive clip we just aired shining some light on their rekindled relationship!

Rotten Tomatoes: 29% Splat

Photo credit: Universal Pictures

Norman Bates has stepped into the 21st century. A&E has released the first full trailer for the prequel, Bates Motel. It's the predecessor to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Instead of making it a period piece, the show takes place in the present.

Close the curtain! Psycho prequel headed to TV>>

Former child star Freddie Highmore plays an adolescent Norman, while Vera Farmiga stars as his mother, Norma. The series follows their unconventional relationship that veers on obsessive. Viewers will get a front row seat for how Norman went from a mild mannered boy to a methodical serial killer.

Former child star turns into psycho for Bates Motel>>

Bates Motel is executive produced by Carlton Cuse, who's known for his work on ABC's Lost. It also co-stars Nestor Carbonell, who had a recurring role on the island drama. Other cast members include Mike Vogel, Jere Burns, Nicola Peltz, Olivia Cooke and Max Thieriot.

Cuse describes the setting as a "town [that] looks really beautiful on the outside but underneath it is something very dark and malevolent." That's a theme that also runs through the characters. Highmore is able to play Norman as innocent one minute and devilish the next.

Farmiga's Norma appears to be a carefree mother, but there's something brewing beneath the surface. In Psycho, Norman paints her as domineering and emasculating. We're just waiting for that shift to happen!

Here's the first trailer for Bates Motel:

Bates Motel premieres in March 2013 on A&E.

Will you be tuning in next spring?

Photo credit: Andres Otero/WENN

It's been a rocky few seasons for everyone at HankMed. From lifelong love stories crashing and burning and hook-ups with a super-hot male model all the way to the devastating end of a long-distance affair, everyone involved in the Lawsons' lives, including their landlord, has had their fair share of bad luck in romance.

Now, during USA's two-hour movie event, Off-Season Greetings, the HankMed team will finally have a wedding to celebrate. It may not be the wedding they planned for, though.

After a slew of things go wrong, Paige finally loses her cool. Luckily for her, she has Evan by her side to calm her down before she hits bridezilla proportions! Check out this exclusive clip:

If you love Royal Pains, you'll love this royal wedding. We've watched Evan go from playing the field to falling hopelessly in love with the sweet, sensitive Paige . We've watched their romance blossom and now it's time to watch them wed.

There's so much more than just the pretty dress to tune in for, though!

For the first time ever, we're visiting Hank and his friends during the Hamptons' off-season. Instead of sunshine and blue skies, you'll see what the Hamptons looks like under gray clouds and a blanket of snow.

That's not the only first-time experience viewers will have! The movie is filled with flashbacks. When Royal Pains began, we were introduced to a down-on-his-luck Hank in New York City. His giddy and mischievous brother, Evan, convinced him to escape the oppression of the city. Together the two brothers set off for the Hamptons. After watching them bond with each other and create a successful business, we see some of the events leading up to the day Hank decided to move. From Hank's engagement party to Evan's wheeling and dealing, we'll finally understand Evan's enthusiasm to flee Manhattan.

When everything comes out, will Hank forgive Evan or will it ruin the future he worked so hard to create?

Royal Pains' two-hour movie event, Off-Season Greetings premiers Sunday, Dec. 16, at 9/8c.

Images courtesy of NBC

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Homemade gumdrops are the perfect holiday treat and are super simple to make. That's right. This homemade candy is so easy to make you will be wondering why you haven't been making them every year! The best part is they can be customized to give you any color or flavor you want. Our favorite flavor is orange but lemon, mint and even cinnamon are great additions. Plus, just think of the fun you could have customizing the color to fit almost any holiday or celebration bash!

Homemade gumdrop recipe

Adapted from Jen's Favorite Cookies

Yields 50 gumdrops

Ingredients:

• 4 packets unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• Food coloring
• Extract flavoring

Directions:

1. Line two 8 x 8-inch square dishes with foil and spray them with nonstick spray. Set aside until ready to fill.
2. In a small bowl add gelatin and 1/2 cup water. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan add 3/4 cup water and 2 cups sugar. Cook on high till boiling, then turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in gelatin mixture and stir to combine.
4. Add half the mixture to one lined 8 x 8-inch pan and the remaining mixture to the other pan. Add in a few drops of food coloring and a few drops flavored extract. The extract amount will depend on what type and brand you are using. Start with 1/4 teaspoon and go up from there.
5. Let gumdrops sit in the fridge overnight.
6. The next day sprinkle a cutting board with sugar and peel the gumdrops off the foil and onto the sugar-lined cutting board. Sprinkle the top with sugar, cut the gumdrops into rows, then into little even squares. Roll them in sugar and add to bowl.
7. After all the gumdrops are cut and in the bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and keep in the refrigerator for two days to set up and harden a bit. Every day, give them a quick toss in the bowl to keep coated with sugar.

More candy recipes

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With the countdown until Christmas in full swing, your stress levels are likely out of control. But don't let this festive time of year freak you out.

Eliminate last-minute holiday stress

With a little planning and even some downtime, you'll be ready to celebrate the holidays... sans meltdowns!

Be willing to delegate

If you are overwhelmed by the thought of staying up all night on Christmas Eve wrapping gifts for the kids, hire some elves. Surely teens in the neighborhood will want to earn a few bucks helping you out. Don't wait until the last minute to make your lists and check them twice. Meet with your helping hands in advance to see how you can all help one another out... because everyone needs a little help during the holidays.

Consider these other simple shortcuts for busy moms>>

Don't sweat the small stuff

Don't let freaking out over the minutia derail you from focusing on the big picture — and the real reason for the season. Whether you forget to buy a gift for your cousin's new girlfriend or neglect to put out the cranberry sauce for Christmas dinner, it's nothing to stress out about. The holiday season should be about enjoying the company of your family and friends, not worrying about every last detail.

Shop smart

Don't stress over last minute holiday shopping. Keep your gift list with you at all times in case you get a chance to swing by that new boutique in your neighborhood or the toy store across from your office. Don't overextend your budget — that will frazzle you even more. Comparison shop online to find the best deals.

If there's no time left for shopping, take advantage of late-night store hours to get your shopping done. You don't have to purchase something for every single person on your gift list. Combine individual gifts for married couples and families into one group gift instead. You can also create handmade gifts at home rather than buying something. Homemade Christmas ornaments or fresh baked goodies are always appreciated.

Read about these personalized handmade Christmas gifts>>

Simplify entertaining

If you have tons of relatives in town for the holidays, don't feel obligated to go all out with cooking and baking every day. It's easy to treat your family to a holiday meal out without spending a bundle. Try websites like RedPlum.com, Restaurant.com and Groupon.com to find restaurant coupons and gift certificates at discount prices.

Take some "me" time

Take some "me" time throughout the holiday season so you don't end up so stressed out that you start chucking gifts across the room and tearing down decorations on Christmas Eve. Schedule a pedicure or a massage at the salon a few days before Christmas — be sure to book in advance as these services are in-demand during the holidays.

If you can't get away for a splurge, treat yourself every night before bed with a soothing bubble bath or some relaxing yoga poses.

Check out these other stress-busting tips for busy moms>>

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If you want believe OK!Magazine, apparently Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are about to get engaged. The magazine wants us to believe that the on-again/off-again couple is heading to the altar after a rocky 2012.

They are going as far to say Pattinson is designing a simple ring for his gal because, as an insider told OK!, "Kristen is not the type to wear anything too fancy. But Rob wants something that makes a statement, which means he's got his work cut out finding something that will be original and impressive that she will wear!"

The best part is that the insider even knows the type of stones the Twilight actor is using, and it isn't going to be traditional in any way.

The insider said that Rob is "interested in combining rubies and black diamonds.The idea for black diamonds came to him when he was writing a song for Kristen. They are much more rare than regular diamonds, so Rob's really drawn to the symbolism of that because they both feel like their relationship is extremely rare."

Of course, OK! has had KStew and RPatz engaged and pregnant many times over the last year. In fact, Gossip Cop is calling them out on the story saying, "OK! has long had ZERO credibility when it comes to Pattinson and Stewart, and its sources have not gotten any more reliable over time."

The website points out other stories that the entertainment magazine has reported on the couple, and they have all turned out to be false. According to Gossip Cop, the bottom line is simple, "This 'engagement ring' story is just another example of the magazine's speculative, fact-free treatment of the couple."

What we do know is that the couple are back together after a rough summer when Stewart was caught kissing her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders in a park in LA. Besides Stewart having a boyfriend, Sanders was married with two kids. Both guilty parties have reunited with their significant others for now.

In the meantime, don't look for the wedding ring, wedding registry or a wedding at all from Bella and Edward.

Image courtesy of Apega/WENN

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Amanda Bynes' legal troubles have been hard to keep track of, but apparently her attorney has cleared up several of her legal issues. On Friday, the actress had two hit-and-run charges formally dismissed. Both of the charges were considered misdemeanors.

How did the troubled 26-year-old clear up some of this mess? According to Radar Online, she was able to reach a civil agreement in the two separate cases. Back in late September, the actress had her lawyer, Richard Hutton, plead not guilty in both cases.

The first case happened in April, when she rear-ended another vehicle. The second case involved Bynes leaving the scene of a minor fender bender without exchanging information with the other driver. The victim recognized the star and called in the accident to the police.

According to Radar Online's insider, "Amanda Bynes was able to reach a civil compromise in both of her hit-and-run cases. The two separate victims agreed to dismiss the charges after a financial settlement was reached with both. This is routinely done when both sides are able to come to an agreement, and there really is no need to pursue legal charges because damages to their respective vehicles was paid for."

This does not relieve the Easy A star from her DUI and two other counts of driving with a suspended driver's license. That case is still pending and will go in front of a judge next month.

While the settlements may make the accident victims happy, the LA City Attorney's Office is not too happy with this outcome. TMZ is reporting that the office is "infuriated" by the court's decision.

After the loss of her driver's license, Bynes moved to NYC where it is much easier to get around, thanks to public transportation. The drivers in LA are grateful for her East Coast move.

Image courtesy of Ian Wilson/WENN.com

O-M-Blah

I usually drop an "OMG" at some point during a Glee episode, but this one failed to bring the drama. Maybe losing that acronym would be better for the world, who knows.

But what is the holiday season about? Love, peace and actual glee. So I commend the individual who named the episode "Glee Actually," because it ironically made perfect sense.

Brie? Pepper jack? Gouda?

Hope you aren't lactose-intolerant, because this episode was definitely cheesy. I was half-expecting a mirrored version of Love Actually, but this did have originality. For an episode, the Glee cast is transported to a far-off universe where miracles do happen, and new beginnings do exist. Okay, it's not a different universe, it's just the typical holiday episode where everyone decides to play nice. Sorry to kill it. Let's dig in, shall we? The five featured stories were:

1. Artie is actually important

Part of me felt offended on Artie's behalf. Just because you have a disability doesn't mean you should be overlooked in a show. Perhaps they were trying to diminish stereotyping, but Artie isn't really given any intense story lines.

Maybe the producers felt guilty? Wanted to purge their souls? Because the opening plot features Artie, fallen on the ice and unable to get up until some freshman girls help him. Powerless, he's taken to the nurse's office when Finn sees his bruises.

When told to rest, a dream sequence is prompted. It's a black-and-white vision where Artie can walk, and life is different. Rory returns as his guardian angel . This is how the world would have been if Artie never had that pivotal and impairing accident:

• Artie: He's a hottie with a letter jacket. Quite the dancer.
• Rachel : Quiet and shy, works at the office front desk. Never went to NYADA.
• Kurt : Scared and vulnerable, he couldn't graduate on time because he was bullied so much he was home-schooled, and thus delayed.
• Becky : No self-respect, and offers her body up to the most willing party.
• Will : A drunkard, and there is no Glee club. His wife manipulates him into thinking her plastic doll is a newborn, and then takes his money.
• Quinn : Dies in a car accident, but by a broken heart?

In a last-ditch effort to remind them of their cohesion and potential, dream-Artie attempts to reunite the Glee club... via a sewing class. He sings a number hoping it will prompt a favorable response, and instead Puck , in his ignorant but classic style, dubs it "gay."

Dejected yet introspective, Artie returns to his wheelchair. On waking, he looks peaceful, now knowing he is the Glee-glue binding everyone together.

2. Brittany and Sam get married because the world is ending

Cue the most irritating couple known to man . Because of the Mayan calendar prediction, Brittany uses her savings to buy Rolexes, cars and many other extravagant items for her dear ones. Their faces are priceless, but not nearly as dumbfounded as mine.

You'd think Sam would jump in to tell her how outrageously she's behaving, but he ends up affirming her and together they prepare for the last day of the world, Dec. 21. As a result, they end up getting married. When they awake on Dec. 22, they realize how foolish they were. Okay, maybe all they realized is that they lived through the "apocalypse" and that they still were married.

What do you think? Will they stay married? Their marriage ceremony wasn't real, and Coach even verifies this, so will they find a way to make it official?

3. Jake and Puck reunite their catty mothers

Jake visits Puck in California, only to realize his "screenwriting" life is not as glamorous as portrayed . It's probably the first time in a long time that we get to see a more sensitive side to Puck. Embarrassed and a little bit ashamed, Jake tells Puck to come back to Lima with him to try to find a way to reunite their families for Christmas.

What? You want to reunite the women who shared one man? Jake's mom and Puck's mom hate each other, and understandably so. But during a family dinner, the boys make their moms realize they all have one thing in common: The man they all loved walked out on all of them. And rather than hate each other, they should find a way to relate. And they do. It was an impressive story line, one that I found to be very realistic.

In the most adorable brotherly exchange, Puck tells Jake that he intends to move back to Lima so he can go back to pool-cleaning, but also continue writing screenplays. I'm a fan.

4. Kurt gets slapped with bad news, soothed by good news

Kurt is prepared to spend Christmas alone as Rachel goes on a cruise with her family. Then his dad shows up.

It doesn't take a Glee veteran to know that Kurt's dad is a stereotypical macho man: a sports-loving, beer-drinking manly man. And while he seems to accept his son, you'll see interaction in this episode like never before. Over hot chocolate, Kurt's dad reveals he has prostate cancer, but that it was caught early. Kurt handles it relatively okay. When they return home, they exchange gifts — with Kurt's gift being at an address somewhere else.

Kurt goes to the address which leads him to a skating rink. Blaine appears and they have a romantic adventure on the ice. It was a sweet moment, and when they embrace, Kurt's father looks at peace. Blaine had discussed how Kurt's dad had paid for his plane ticket to come visit. On hearing the news of the cancer, Blaine promises Kurt he'll look out for his dad.

In the last few moments of their plot, Blaine also drops that he'll be applying to NYADA, which pleases Kurt. Looks like there's more romance in store for these two, eh?

5. Sue takes a break from being Scrooge

While Sue shows no restraint in verbal annihilation, her Secret Santa name proves to be an opportunity for her to show actual kindness. The name she picks? Mrs. Rose , Marley's mother. I expected her to purchase something mean-spirited, preying on her weight issue. Instead, Sue walks by during an emotional scene where Mrs. Rose discusses how they won't be able to afford Christmas due to the expense of Marley's bulimia therapy. Mrs. Rose's devotion to her daughter, aided by Marley's gratefulness, sparks a responsive chord in Sue's heart.

She sells an expensive pine tree she'd intended to use as a Christmas tree to a "luxury toothpick" company. She then takes the proceeds and leaves presents, a tree and extra cash in the Rose's household. Yes, that also means she broke in. Classy.

When Becky is bribed with candy, Mrs. Rose finds out who the gracious contributor is. Even though Mrs. Rose tries to return the money, saying she couldn't accept it, Sue is adamant she take it. And the Glee club performs a number for her in gratitude .

This story was my pick for the night.

A predictable but good episode

We all need holiday episodes. Cheesy or not, they remind us that there's still hope whether on-screen or offscreen, and that spreading good cheer is contagious. They performed several Christmas carols and holiday songs, so make sure you check those out! Congratulations Glee, you actually managed to put me in a good mood.

What did you think of it?

Image courtesy of FOX

Don't miss a beat! Stay updated with more Glee recaps:

Season 4, Episode 9
Season 4, Episode 8
Season 4, Episode 7

Apparently, the NBC execs and SNL booking people heard the pleas for a funnier Saturday Night Live. It's been years since SNL has been the kind of laugh out loud funny it was during the days of John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd or the more recent cast member, Will Ferrell.

This week, as an early Christmas present, Saturday Night Live is bringing back two oldies, but goodies.

Hosting this week is Martin Short, an actual Saturday Night Live alum. Short, who appeared on the show for eleven seasons between 1984 and 2005, is a pro at sketch comedy and at dealing up consistently unique and hysterical characters. His character, Jiminy Glick, was so funny, whole movies were based around him. There was also the quirky and Wheel of Fortune-obsessed Ed Grimley, who first appeared in the other sketch comedy show, SCTV. Martin's small and spritely build often lends to some nimble physical comedy as well. Check out this clip from back in the day.

Am I the only one who can still enjoy humor that isn't as sexualized or vulgar as "D*** in a Box?"

SNL's musical guest this week is Paul McCartney. Paul performed with the original members of Nirvana earlier this week at the 12.12.12 concert to benefit relief for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Instead of doing a Nirvana cover, they performed an original song that Dave Grohl and McCartney had written the day before. Since only a few days will have passed since the 12.12.12 concert, here's to hoping SNL treats us to another round of Sirvana. Even if that's not the case, McCartney still serves up a little of his own humor in the SNL promos shot earlier this week. They reek of so much attitude, it might be safe to start calling Paul Sir Sass-a-lot.

With this classic pairing, Saturday Night Live ought to be decent. After all, we've got stereotypical British humor to accompany Short's classic SNL chops.

Images courtesy of NBC

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Christmas all year

They aren't finished yet

Because we only cook a huge Christmas feast once a year, we are often left with a whole bunch of kitchen tools and cooking ingredients we don't really need. Are they destined for the trash can or a cabinet until next year? Not anymore. We found ways to use five Christmas necessities year-round.

Kitchen twine

Don't reserve your kitchen twine for the Christmas meat only. You can use that giant roll of twine year-round to create tastier and more moist meat — think chicken, beef and beyond. Heck, you can use twine to enhance the flavor of your soups . Challenge yourself to use twine in cooking meals once a week, and your kitchen flavors will undeniably get better. To use it in other places besides the kitchen, use it to tie up birthday presents, wrap napkins with it as a rustic touch or string it across your yard to use as a clothesline.

More ways to use these ingredients

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Tonight's Dinner: Brown sugar steak

Taylor Swift has been making the news for her music, her boyfriends and now her stalker. On Friday, 24-year-old Jacob Nicholas Kulke thought it would be a good idea to hop on a bus from Wisconsin to Swift's home in Tennessee, climb a fence and stop by for a visit as a birthday surprise.

Instead of meeting the singer, he was charged with trespassing at 1:45 a.m.

Swift turned 23-years-old on Thursday, but she isn't even in the U.S. She is currently overseas in Britain with her new boyfriend, Harry Styles, of the boy band One Direction.

The home that Kulke visited is only linked to the Grammy winner, it has not been confirmed that it is her main residence. According to The City Paper, the home is located in a suburb of Nashville and a trustee who has handled real estate for Swift in the past bought it. Rumors are her parents are using the property.

It was security guards on the property who alerted the authorities and had the trespasser arrested. He is being held on $10,000 bond.

The stalker did have a pocketknife on him, and he told police that he was dating a resident of the house. On her birthday, Kulke tweeted, "Happy Birthday @taylorswift13 !!!! :)," along with a Twitpic of the city of Nashville that said, "Let Your Inner Country Star Sparkle in Nashville."

That was the last tweet on his account until he was arrested on Friday morning. The suspect also has had several run-ins with the law, as uncovered by TMZ. Kulke was convicted of disorderly conduct, drug possession and battery in 2010 in Wisconsin.

NewsChannel5 in Tennessee also discovered an arrest for second-degree burglary in the state of Colorado, along with a warrant for his arrest due to a probation violation. He is due in court next week.

Thankfully, Swift and the rest of her family are safe.

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Marilyn Manson may have nearly lost an ear earlier this week, but he hasn't yet lost his quick wit or sense of humor!

Tweeting a photo of his left ear all bandaged up, the rocker shared, "I was hit by a glass table in a dangerous fight. I was however, the victor but had to have 24 stitches to keep my ear from becoming Van Goth."

Badum-cha!

Fresh out of a "dangerous fight" and a visit to the hospital, and yet still composed enough to toss out a play on words from the annals of the art world. Kudos, Marilyn Manson!

Shortly before the incident, the 43-year-old and Rob Zombie's Twins of Evil tour had landed in Basel, Switzerland. Here's to hoping Saturday night's trip to Ekaterinburg, Russia, doesn't jeopardize any other body parts.

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Little could Marilyn Manson have known at the time that days after his ear injury, his name would hit the press in relation to the Connecticut school shootings.

"Seeing some people blame Obama and also Marilyn Manson again," one Twitter user wrote Friday in reaction to the tragedy. "Stop looking for excuses and stop looking to justify the crime."

Another tweeted the words that Manson, whose controversial music was blamed by many for the 1999 shooting spree at Columbine High School, shared over a decade ago.

When asked if he could talk to the kids at Columbine or the people in that community, what he would say, Manson told filmmaker Michael Moore, "I wouldn't say a single word to them, I would listen to what they have to say, and that's what no one did."

As of Friday evening, Marilyn Manson has not tweeted any reaction to the Connecticut school shootings.

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Gwyneth Paltrow isn't afraid to throw down in the food department when challenged by the men. The svelte actress, known to have once followed a strict macrobiotic diet, recently took part in a game of 'Chubby Bunny.'

For those not in the know about the summer-camp game of choice, it involves each participant taking a turn putting a marshmallow into their mouth without chewing or swallowing, and then saying "chubby bunny."

As the cheeks fill, the challenge ensues, and the first person to tap out is crowned loser.

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Goading her into partaking, the celebrity chef inquired about a time the actress stated she could eat any man under the table. "I embarrassingly tend to eat more than the men I eat with," Paltrow confirmed.

At one point in the stunt, filmed for Jamie Oliver's Jamie & Jimmy's Food Fight Club, Gwyneth Paltrow mutters, "This is gross."

Since Jamie Oliver is such a tease, however, we have yet to find out who won the Chubby Bunny challenge! A clip shared on YouTube cuts out before any of the marshmallow eaters give up.

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Pint-sized trainer Tracy Anderson, seen here next to the goop maven, may have to push her client a little harder in the gym after so many calories were taken in. The 40-year-old actress recently gushed of her trainer's routines to Redbook, "It did such wonders for my life, my confidence, my sex life, everything."

Anderson chimed in, "When you feel your best, you're more confident in bed. It's not lights-out, under-the-covers sex. It's more like, 'Take a look at this!'"

Image via WENN

Congratulations are in order for model Marisa Miller: She and husband Griffin Guess just welcomed their first son, Gavin Lee.

"I'm completely overjoyed by the birth of our son. I feel so blessed to be a mom and am so excited to experience this next part of life," the 34-year-old model told People.

Everything about pregnancy was new for the first-time mother, including the adjustments she made to her beauty routine.

"When I found out I was pregnant, I cut all my hair's breakage off thinking, this is the only time I can have a break and do a little hair boot camp. My stylist was worried I was going to cry, but it was for my hair's health — I didn't care how it looked,"she told Allure earlier this month.

"Once I got into my second trimester, I asked my stylist about a few small highlights around the face, just to break up the color a bit. We used organic dye and to make sure I didn't inhale anything, we even did it outside."

She won't have far to look to get parenting advice, though. Plenty of her Victoria's Secret pals had new babies this year, including Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima. The most recent birth was Gisele Bündchen's daughter, Vivian Lake.

"I'm in trouble!" husband Tom Brady said of his new, first daughter. "I grew up in a house with three sisters. I think it's great for my boys to have a girl in the house, just to understand at least a little bit about what makes a woman tick — not that I can certainly figure that out, because I can't. She's a beautiful little girl."

Image courtesy Brian To/WENN.com

Congratulations to Marisa Miller!