On tonight's episode of Wild n Out, the topic of Mariah Carey's recent BET Awards performance arose and host Nick Cannon jokingly said,



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This hasn't been officially reported anywhere b/c it just happened. I'm sure Beyoncé & Mariah are reading this on their phones like

It's hard not to love Judy Blume. And thanks to a new wave of interviews the iconic author has been giving to promote "Tiger Eyes," a film based on Judy Blume's 1981 novel of the same name and directed by her son, we have even more reason to adore her.

A month ago, we learned from a Reddit AMA that Blume based her infamous character Margaret from "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" on herself and that writing helped her survive a miserable marriage. In a July 8th interview with Jamia Wilson of Rookie Magazine, Blume opened up more about her past and offered some thoughtful observations about porn and sex.

Sex has changed for young women today, Blume told Wilson:

In my day, the rules were there for us. Back then there was no abortion and no pill, and my friends and I knew that what we called “going all the way” could ruin our lives. It is not that we didn’t have physical sexual longing, but we went out with guys who understood that there were ways to satisfy -- and it wasn’t oral sex. We kind of could be satisfied through touching; we could be physically satisfied with what we called petting. I went out with a lot of guys, and there was an understanding. I was never pushed to go all the way.

Although Blume is generally sex-positive, she told Rookie that young women (and men) may lose out on something in an age where Internet porn is ubiquitous:

I think today’s kids miss out on being sexual without having intercourse. There are a lot of sexual expectations today. Everyone is watching porn now. It turns you on, sure. I’m not saying don’t watch it. But what you see in porn is not what real love and sexuality within a long-term relationship are. Just like kids have to learn that the toy they see on TV is different from different from what it does in real life, I’d like to see the same thing taught about sex. I hate to see girls feeling like they have to emulate what they see in porn, with breast implants and pole dancing ... What would I do if I was 16 now?

But one experience that remains untouched by time and generational differences, according to Blume? Longing:

There are so many kinds of longing. The longing to fit in, the longing to figure it out, the emotional longing for friendship and being accepted -- these are all as important as physical longing. Before all the hormones start raging, it’s the emotional longing that is most important, and boy, you have to learn to figure it out.

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by Wang Qiting | Photographs by Tan Si Bo | Transcript by Fan Jia Qiu

Translated from Chinese by anivad

He doesn't care about his appearance, and he likes philosophy. Approaching his fiftieth year of life, this Hollywood actor of 1/8 Chinese blood has most recently been involved in two films related to the martial arts.





Vagabonds and ragamuffins are but one step away. Over the internet, a photograph circulated of slacker Keanu Reeves: sitting lonely by the road, a full beard around his mouth, eating something. Several netizens were blunt in their comments. "Dirty", they called him.

But that's when Keanu is not filming movies. The moment a movie wraps, he and his beard would leave the set together. Keanu's beard has thus become a sign of his unemployment, a habit that he's said to have kept up for the past few decades.

"On set I couldn't not shave everyday, but once it was over I could let loose and stop caring," Keanu told reporters at the Man of Tai Chi press conference on the 21st of April, having arrived at the Beijing Film Festival with his iconic beard.

A month after, Keanu Reeves was dressed in a white suit, appearing in the role of director at the Cannes Film Festival. For some reason, he had shaved off his beard; but his cheeks were bloated, making him look like a completely different person from the one he was a month ago. Photos soon spread online and broke the hearts of fans - you must know that until 2008, Keanu had enjoyed the reputation of 'immortal pretty boy'.

But in Keanu's world, he's consistently been casual and unconcerned with his appearance. Man of Tai Chi actress Ye Qing rushed to defend Lao Li (Editor's note: Keanu's Chinese nickname). She rebutted these accusations on Weibo: "Lao Li's enthusiasm for his work is greater than that of a tinker (?)! In my heart, he is a thoughtful, good actor, and a resourceful director! Lao Li is hardworking! The most handsome of serious men!"

The brother who's known him for many years, and the star of Man of Tai Chi, Chen Hu also wanted to set the record straight on him: "He's just this guy. You have someone eating something, looking lazy, weary, seemingly depressed, but in reality it's not the case. That's just how he is when he's in a relaxed state. When you're relaxing, are you going to look extremely happy?"

On the fifth of July, Man of Tai Chi opens worldwide. Before that, Keanu Reeves and star Chen Hu are rushing through Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and so on - eight cities in total, including stopovers at 360 headquarters and Dongfang TV's 'Tonight's After 80 Talk Show'.

Keanu Reeves is asked again and again to demonstrate some tai chi, speak Chinese, describe his favourite Chinese dish, answer questions about his weight gain... to the latter, his responses are evasive.

Keanu Reeves is a bit angry. Why is everyone so concerned about his appearance, rather than focusing on Man of Tai Chi itself?

But that's because he's been out of the limelight for so long. In the minds of most Chinese audiences, their impression of him is stuck at Neo, the omnipotent saviour of mankind from The Matrix 14 years ago. Before that, Speed, A Walk in the Clouds, The Devil's Advocate and other movies shot him to fame. And with the conclusion of the Matrix trilogy, it seemed like the peak of his career was over. After that, he participated in a few small independent films, walking on the fringes of Hollywood.

That is, until two years ago. Keanu broke out from the silence and began to show what he was capable of in the film industry. Last year, he worked with Christopher Kenneally to film the documentary Side by Side, in which he served also as producer. In the film, Keanu Reeves' interviewees included George Lucas, James Cameron, Martin Scorcese, Daniel Boyle, David Fincher, Christopher Nolan, and other famous directors, discussing the impact of digital technology on traditional film, and trying to predict the future of the film industry.

And his two most recent acting projects involve 'Eastern' and 'martial arts' themes. The Carl Rinsch directed 47 Ronin reimagines the Japanese legend, wherein Keanu plays a mixed Japanese-English romantic warrior. Man of Tai Chi is focussed on China, and was financed and filmed entirely in China.

More importantly, it's his first time wearing the director's sleeve, and the first time playing the villain. (LIES. There was David Allen Griffin and Donnie Barksdale and Don John. Donaka Mark of MOTC is but the latest in a string of Keanuspawn bad guys whose names start with D. - Ani)

Now, as he approaches his 50th year, prodigal son Keanu Reeves seems to have emerged from his mid-life crisis. In a recent interview, he admitted: "I did indeed go through a mid-life crisis. But I've recovered."

The mixed-blood director's kungfu brotherhood

In the 60s and 70s, Bruce Lee brought Chinese kungfu to America, launching a new genre in Hollywood: kungfu movies. For many American directors, this was the starting point of their understanding of Eastern martial arts.

When he was eight, Keanu Reeves saw the first kungfu movie in his life. He was born in Lebanon in 1964. His father was born in Hawaii. 'Keanu' in Hawaiian means 'Cool breeze over the mountain'. His grandmother was of Chinese, Hawaiian and Portuguese descent, making Keanu 1/8 Chinese.

When he was very young, his father left the home, and his mother had three more marriages. When he was six, his mother remarried Paul Aaron, a Broadway and Hollywood director.

In 1972 in New York, the Jeong Chang-hwa -directed film Five Fingers of Death was released in the US. Eight year old Keanu had yet to know what the word 'director' meant. But the film's fight scenes dazzled his eyes. "In the movies, I saw New York, Times Square. These stories were very interesting, like fairy tales and folk tales, concerning revenge, martial arts brothers and other such topics. Quentin Tarantino can name the director of every kungfu movie. I can't, but I really like them," Keanu said.

He told Bund that he can still remember watching Enter the Dragon with his stepfather Paul Aaron.

That movie, most representative of the global fervour towards 'kungfu', was Bruce Lee's last work, and also Keanu's favourite kungfu movie. "It's sad that Bruce Lee didn't shoot more movies," he said. Bruce Lee became the martial arts star who had a profound impact on Keanu Reeves.

Man of Tai Chi had its beginnings 14 years ago in The Matrix. In that movie, Neo flies over roofs and walks on walls, dodging bullets, engaging in action moves stylistically reminiscent of Chinese martial arts.

At that time, the film's action choreographer was the Hong Kong -famous Yuen Woo Ping. Chen Hu was Keanu's personal action trainer. Through this, the trio became the 'Action Golden Triangle'. When filming The Matrix, Keanu was 33 years old, a hot and popular young actor in Hollywood; Chen Hu was 22, alone in America making his living away from home, working in Chinatown teaching martial arts to foreigners and young Chinese children. He was the first person from China, after Bruce Lee, to be honoured as an American Karate Champion. The Matrix brought together these two men who at first glance had nothing in common, and led to them forging a profound brotherhood.

Several years after The Matrix wrapped, Chen Hu took the initiative to contact Keanu. At that time, they had a script for a kungfu movie in mind, and wanted to invite Keanu to act in it - even if just in a cameo role. "But Keanu was very disatisfied with the script. He felt that there was nothing special on the kungfu side, and he didn't like the story either."

"We found other writers and did quite a few versions, but draft after draft he was not satisfied," Chen Hu recalls. "After that, Keanu got anxious, and said he'd write the script himself! That was around 2006. But he was too busy, and so the script got shelved. In the end we decided that a few of us would write the script together."

This took about five, six years. From the early stages of research, to discussing the script, they perfected their understanding of tai chi over and over again, spending no short amount of time. At the end, about 60% of the script's plot was Keanu's work. "That naturally led to me becoming the director," he said.

In his first time directing, Keanu did not cast well-known martial arts stars with proven box-office appeal, like Jet Li or Donnie Yen; instead, he selected Chen Hu to be the star, and explained: "This is a film that got made because of brothers. Without Chen Hu, there would be no Man of Tai Chi."

A story about the tai chi layman

Keanu Reeves wanted to set the story against a modern day background, and shoot a modern day kungfu film. They shot in more than twenty on-location sets in Beijing and Hong Kong, filming for over 6 months. "Keanu Reeves might be subverting some traditional ideas," said the film's investor, "reimagining tai chi in a more commercialised form."

In its entirety, Man of Tai Chi has 14 fight scenes, totalling about 40 minutes and not lacking in a few gunfights - Karen Mok plays a Hong Kong policewoman. Keanu saw her performance in Go Lala Go! and felt that she was "cute and perfect." He happened to meet her one time in Beijing, gave her the offer, and Karen immediately agreed.

Apart from tai chi, the film also introduces various forms of martial arts from around the world, such as MMA (mixed martial arts) Sanda, a fusion of Brazilian jujitsu and Japanese karate.

Chen Hu says that this time nobody used a stunt double. The fighting is the real deal. According to MMA choreographer Chad Stahleski (Fun fact: this guy was Keanu's stunt double in The Matrix and Constantine. - Ani), they first designed the Sanda action moves in Los Angeles, then integrated Yuen Woo Ping's 'dragon', 'crane' and other such tai chi boxing routines. This has to be the first time in history that MMA and tai chi are put to the fight on screen. The whole film has 3033 scene cuts, with very fast rhythm and pacing.

"The martial arts choreography here is very special," MMA fighter Jeremy Marinas said. "Tai chi is very relaxed: like walking on clouds and flowing with the water. Whereas MMA is very hard, very direct, like dancing. The result is like a ballerina and hip-hop dancer dancing together."

In the film, Chen Linhu (Chen Hu) is a master of spiritual taichi, dressed in white, a pure-hearted 'son of tai chi'. Donaka (Keanu Reeves) is, on the surface, operating a security company in Hong Kong, but in reality is the head of an underground black boxing criminal organisation, as well as Chen Hu's 'dark master'. Via the temptation of big money, he lures Chen Linhu into participating in underground black boxing matches, gradually nurturing his inner savagery and tyranny.

"He's a metaphor, one who seduces your depravity," Keanu said, explaining his character.

At the beginning, Keanu had some reservations. Initially, he thought that 'tai chi' is something done by old people in a park, gentle and feminine, without any substantial confrontative power. In order to convince him, Chen Hu demonstrated 'Tai Chi Pushing Hands" and beckoned (?). The media then describes, "The two of them were standing one metre apart. No matter how hard Keanu pulled, exhausting his brute strength, he couldn't move Chen Hu one bit, and in fact often had to dodge, eventually being flung off into a stumble." From then on, Keanu's views towards tai chi were completely different.

Through Chen Hu's teaching and related lessons from movies and books, Keanu continually deepened his understanding of this profound form of Chinese kungfu. "For this script, the notes he took were half a person high," Chen Hu said.

In traditional Chinese academia, there's the saying "there's no growth (height) by the moon (yin) alone, and no growth (maturing) by the sun (yang) alone. To some degree, the 'yin and yang' philosophy of tai chi perfectly encapsulates the theme of the movie.

In the trailer, Donaka has a line: "We want to see a pure-hearted man of tai chi become a killer", adding at the end: "Kill or be killed!" These all convey the contradictory choices between darkness and light, good and evil. In the movie, tai chi becomes a double-edged sword - it is both the expression of a martial artist's morality and spirituality, as well as turned into a tool of murder. Therefore, unlike the clear split between black and white that makes up the symbol of tai chi, when it comes to one's inner reality, that straightforward division in good vs evil exists only in the mind.

Keanu said, "I remember when Chen Hu and I were filming The Matrix, every morning before we started shooting, we would spend about two hours stretching. When we were sitting together I would ask him a few things about his master, listening to his stories about learning martial arts. One day I asked him: What exactly is the point of kungfu? What use does it have? Chen Hu said, from a physical perspective, you can use it to kill people. But, once you have this kind of power, you will also develop compassion."

Chen Hu started learning martial arts from childhood, and the education and training he received were all of the traditional sort. But he also grew up in modern society, and often felt like a living contradiction. Keanu felt that Chen Hu's character and personality expresses some of that yin and yang quality. "He's very profound, but he's also very naive, very playful, very charming." So, does Keanu have similar qualities? Chen Hu replies: "In the area of personality, we should form our own category of people."

In the 'Tonight's After 80 Talk Show', moderator Wang Zijian secretly asked Chen Hu in Chinese: "As a foreigner, does Keanu really understand tai chi?" Chen Hu replied that Keanu himself prefers philosophical thinking - this actually fits in perfectly with the speculative and philosophical style of the Matrix trilogy. In addition, when it comes to any task, he would give his 100% effort. "While it's unlikely that he'll ever become a tai chi master, among foreigners, he definitely knows a lot."

Director 'Lao Li' is in the studio

The Man of Tai Chi studio is based in the Huairou District of Beijing. On Keanu Reeves' director's chair are the two words 'Lao Li'. This is his Chinese nickname. In times of leisure, everyone loves calling him that.

Every day, Keanu would determine work hours based on the scenes and lighting. Work might start in the morning or at night, but a 10-12 hour workday on average was unavoidable. (In Chinese: 'even the force of thunder could not change it'. In English: 'unavoidable'. - Ani) Chen Hu said, at the beginning, they were still thinking of living in Dongzhimen, going back and forth from the city every day, but after the first day they gave up.

During the shoot, the actors felt that the atmosphere was very serious. However, Keanu evidently had a different impression: "I was very calm, very cooperative. I was very organised, I would also joke around - I wanted everyone to be able to relax."

Going from actor to director, what was the biggest change? Since April, this question has followed Keanu around, and he looks a little tired of it. But he also gamely replied, "For those of us working in film who aren't young any more, but aren't quite old just yet, this is about getting to stand on the other side of things, and it's a process of exploring my own limits."

Also, according to Chen Hu, who has known him since The Matrix was being filmed, Keanu's transition is obvious. "As an actor, he could express himself as he liked, and only concern himself with his own body. But as a director, he needs to control his own emotions and control the whole scene. He himself cannot feel those things."

When filming The Matrix, Keanu was still a stubborn, headstrong young man. Chen Hu shared some embarrassing incidences with this reporter. Once, no matter how hard he tried, Keanu's martial arts moves were not matching up to standard. So he gave up and ran out the door to go have a cup of coffee.

Keanu gave a wry smile. "This time, he left more often than I did. I had to stay in the studio."

Chen Hu added: "This time he could only watch other people go out to drink coffee."

Keanu Reeves said that he "would not easily get angry."

But Chen Hu insists that he did have his angry moments. "You could see it on the set when he wasn't satisfied. But he would endure it and not lose his temper. But then at the end of the day when we were returning to the apartment, he would break out," Chen Hu said. "During the filming process he basically didn't drink alcohol; alcohol would affect his judgement. So he didn't drink, but he was very good at smoking. These are the pressures that he wouldn't make known. Keanu Reeves keeps his mouth shut to the outside world, or only mentions them casually, but Chen Hu could see it in his eyes."

As a new actor, at the end of each scene Chen Hu would ask: Lao Li, how was my acting? Lao Li would encourage him: you weren't bad, and at the same time ask Chen Hu: how was my directing? - these questions, with the film's release, can be left up to the audience to answer.

Actors going behind the scenes to direct, in search of a personal breakthrough, is nothing new. In Hollywood. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and others all beat Keanu Reeves to it (In Chinese: handed in their exam scripts before Keanu did. - Ani). Among them, Ben Affleck's Argo also won this year's Oscar for Best Film.

Director Anthony Minghella shared a theory with Matt Damon, to the effect that every director lives on their own island, and rarely visits other islands.

But it's not the same when it comes to actors who take up directing, because they have seen the landscapes of many other islands and received a lot of experience; such that when it comes to their time to direct, all that comes in handy and makes the job easier.

From 25 years in film (Lies. He's been acting in film since 1985. - Ani), Keanu Reeves has visited no shortage of islands. Gus Van Sant, Richard Linklater, Bernado Bertolucci, the Wachowski elder sister and younger brother (then still known as brothers)... their own styles and charisma all influenced Keanu Reeves, making him a synthesizer of the art of film directing.

"Gus Van Sant especially would let actors freely express themselves. He would rarely interfere, and wouldn't force anything. He would personally select his actors, and give those actors the space to express themselves."

Keanu recalled to Bund, "Bertolucci was also very wonderful. He was full of ideas. He had two modes of working: he would discuss your inner life, talking about the abstract, but he would also talk about external appearances, telling you not to put your hand in your hair. At the same time, he would talk to you about the inner and outer aspects of a person." And if you were to take into account the number of collaborations and time spent working together, the Wachowskis undoubtedly had the most far-reaching effects on Keanu Reeves.

It's said that before deciding to start shooting Man of Tai Chi, Keanu specially paid a visit to these old partners of his to seek their opinions. After having seen the landscapes of so many different islands, Keanu Reeves himself eventually took the step of becoming an excellent guide. "You know, there are times when these directors would give you very specific instructions, like don't do this, and what to do instead, or how about this, how about like that. So I'm trying to learn from that," he said. It's now down to Keanu Reeves to go train actors and tell them what they should do.

"Everyone has an inner demon"

"Man of Tai Chi's star, Chen Hu, plays a courier who's extremely good at tai chi. The film tells the story of how Chen Hu's character defeats his inner demons by virtue of his talent. I think that people's hearts all have these demons. I hope that this film is one that everyone will look forward to and enjoy. The film's concern of 'traditions within modern society' is something that I don't think is limited to China, but is also present in America, and it's something that exists in every culture."

Q: You usually always play good characters, and this might be the first time you're playing a character with a dark side. In your opinion, is this a very big change?

Keanu: It's true, I haven't played that many villains, but I can tell you that it's very fun to play the bad guy. There are a lot of things about them that are very straightforward: they know what they want, and they want more, they want revenge, like a hungry ghost, but on their face you can see they're having fun. You have to spend time researching villains, because there's that mystery.

Q: I see that Karen Mok is holding a gun in the movie. How do you deal with the relationship between traditional kungfu and the background of modern society?

Keanu: In the movie's story, Karen Mok tries to shut down the underground fight club. My character's name is Donaka, and she tries to stop me and rescue Chen Hu's character Chen Linhu. But the two of us never have any face-to-face confrontation.

Q: Regarding traditional Chinese kungfu and modern society, how do you deal with this dramatic conflict?

Keanu: They both appear together in the story, but there's no conflict. Karen Mok plays a policewoman, Chen Hu is a good guy. They're both standing on the same side, but they never come up against each other.

Q: So it seems that the audience won't be able to see anything similar to the classic bullet-dodging scene in The Matrix?

Keanu: Yes. (laughs)

Q: In the trailer, your character said, "We want to see a pure-hearted man of tai chi become a killer." Does this reveal the duality of kungfu - it's a manifestation of morals and character, but at the same time can be used as a tool for killing?

Keanu: Yes. I remember when Chen Hu and I were filming The Matrix, every morning before we started shooting, we would spend about two hours stretching. While sitting together, I would ask him a few things concerning his master, listening to his stories about learning martial arts. One day I asked him: What exactly is the point of kungfu? What use does it have? Chen Hu said, from a physical perspective, you can use it to kill people. But, once you have this kind of power, you will also develop compassion.

Q: Among all the types of Chinese kungfu, why are you specifically fond of tai chi?

Keanu: The inspiration for the movie came from the understanding I have of my hero, Chen Hu. When he was still a kid, he'd already started learning tai chi and participating in contests. We've also talked about his master. His martial arts pervade his body, heart and spirit. To me, Chen Hu is a traditional yet modern person, and in the five years labouring over the script, its story emerged from his own.

Q: From those beginnings, how many years did you spend until the whole movie was finished? Where did you get your inspiration from?

Keanu: More than six years. Chen Hu was the inspiration. After developing the story and spending that much time on that part of it, I decided to fulfill my dream, and make it into a story that I got to tell and direct.

Q: What kind of research did you do in preparation for this film?

Keanu: Because tai chi is very complex, with rich implicit meaning, I didn't want to use specific tai chi moves from the movies. So we came up with a form of 'spiritual tai chi'. I wanted to use some concepts of 'light energy', 'dark energy', and some ideas about controlling your strength, energy transfer, and so on. There's also 'mindfulness'. You need to think about who you are, and what you're doing.

Q: There's a saying, "Kungfu movies are a type of movie that you don't need to understand the language to understand." Do you agree with this? For instance, you don't understand Chinese; do you feel you did a good job directing this kungfu movie?

Keanu: I hope so. I hope people enjoy this movie. I relied on a lot of actors. Building a relationship of trust was extremely important. We also worked together with Chinese writers, and they helped us with translation.

Q: You have some Chinese blood: this seems to give you a natural link to China. Is this a factor in your interest in the East? Will there be some Chinese philosophy in your life?

Keanu: I'm not sure. I have a philosophy of human relations. But as for something specific, I can't say for sure. On the cultural front, certainly, my father had some Chinese blood. My grandmother really likes Chinese paintings.

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Original article in Chinese, with photos: http://www.bundpic.com/2013/07/22511.shtml
In English: http://www.whoaisnotme.net/articles/2013_0703_fro.htm
Previous Chinese-to-English translations (this year's by me, older ones not): http://www.whoaisnotme.net/articles/tag/tags.php?id=lang-chi

Well, that was the longest article I've ever translated. :D
One thing that keeps striking me is how much gets lost in translation: a lot of the imagery and poetry in the original texts rarely convert well to English (puns and wordplay? completely gone), and just end up stripped in favour of more convenient substitutes. So many of these writers are actually really eloquent, intelligent, and witty, with an deftly nuanced grasp of their language of choice... and then their painstaking work so often ends up fed through Google Translate to emerge as this ruthlessly butchered, practically incoherent jumble of words with sentences like: "Keanu Reeves being asked over and over again performing Tai Chi, speak Chinese, describing favorite Chinese dish, its shape changes to accept the reporters questioning - and his response is, that any evasive."

As a writer, I find this really depressing.
(it doesn't help that my webstats show non-English-speakers reading some of my fanfic and other writing via Google Translate. >_> )

It's also made me curious about how much of our impressions of other cultures and people end up subconsciously shaped by bad translations and/or a lack of fluency in the language. I was in China a few years ago on an exchange programme. My spoken Chinese sucks (my written is marginally better), and from that, people seemed to get the impression that I wasn't too bright. It made me wonder about the times I made similar judgements of people who didn't speak English well; for all I know, they might have been geniuses in their native tongues.

and this is why we need Babel Fish.

I love that they attended!



















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Hard to believe that Paris Hilton is signed to the record label that built its empire off street-bred artists like Juvenile, B.G. and Lil Wayne, but in May it was announced that the Hilton heiress has joined Cash Money, and Birdman couldn't be more excited.


"Honestly, I don't think people know how talented Paris is. I just left from her house she was playin' me some music and we were meeting," the Cash Money CEO told MTV News last month, when taking a break from a Los Angeles recording session where he was finalizing his upcoming Rich Gang album.

The "Bling Ring" actress announced the deal back in May and hopes to have her sophomore LP out later this year. Her first album dropped in 2006, but Hilton says that this new LP will be different from her initial pop offering. "It's really going to be house music," she told Showbiz 411.

Birdman certainly has an ear for talent. Not only has he groomed Lil Wayne from a kid rapper to a global rap master, his roster boasts a lineup that includes Nicki Minaj, Drake, Tyga, DJ Khaled, Busta Rhymes and Ace Hood. He absolutely stands by Paris.

"She got a record we're about to come out with and she's very talented. You know she's already somethin' special as an entrepreneur and everything that she do," he said. "But on the music side, I'm super excited. We all — me, Wayne, everybody — we listened to her music and she got some hits."

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Remember just last week when Kate Middleton and Prince William received their first royal baby gift and it was a cardboard box? [What now?] Well, the gifts keep on rollin' in - and this week, they're even crazier! Kate was reportedly given a $15,000 bracelet that doubles as a diaper cream holder. I kid you not, folks - a bracelet that moonlights as a portable diaper cream container. Modern marvels, y'all!

British jeweler Theo Fennell, whose long list of celebrity clientele includes David and Victoria Beckham, Elton John and Madonna, has gifted the royal mum-to-be with his most lavish, over-the-top creation yet! Fennell was commissioned by Sudocrem (an antiseptic healing cream company) to create a jewel-encrusted 18-karat white gold charm bracelet that doubles as a diaper rash cream holder. Worth more than $15,000, the bracelet is designed to keep Kate looking posh and elegant as ever even when she's applying rash cream to the royal baby's bum! The bracelet has a small, jeweled container that the Duchess can use to stash the perfect amount of diaper cream. Even though the gift might seem just a wee bit too much, Fennell is over-the-moon for the chance to work with the royal family. He said, "I am thrilled to make this miniature pot and bracelet for Sudocrem."

He also plans to engrave the royal baby's initials into a charm to be placed alongside the diaper cream charm, so that Kate will never be too far from her little one or her diaper cream. But, here's the twist. Instead of giving the bracelet straight to the parents-to-be, Sudocrem has opted to send the over-the-top gift straight to sale. The bedazzled, sparking bangle won't even touch royal hands before it's on its way to someone else. (Which is a little weird, no? Some stranger will be walking around with a bangle that's engraved with the royal baby's initials?) A spokesperson for the company said, "We have decided to auction this very special bracelet to raise money for one of the Duchess' favorite charities. In the spirit of giving, it's about putting something back." The plan is to auction off the extravagant bangle and donate the proceeds to a charity (or charities) of Kate's choosing, which is probably what the royals would have done, regardless.

In total, Kate and William have received a handful of gifts so far from eager eyes round the globe: a cardboard box from the Finnish government, a knitted kangaroo from Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (which caused quite a bit of controversy) and a crate of baby food presented to Camilla (Princes Charles' wife) by Plum Organics. The baby food (which, by the way, baby can't even touch till about six months from now), was a product of Rhug Estate in England and is one of the nation's leading suppliers of organic food. Even the Kiwi's are excited to get involved! New Zealand-based advocacy group Monarchy New Zealand, plans to light up the sky after the royal baby is born! Over 20 famous landmarks, including Christchurch Airport, Auckland's Sky Tower and Gisborne's Town Clock will light up in blue and pink color's to honor the royal heir.>

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Quite the assortment of gifts there. Curious who will end up buying that bracelet because it seems really silly.

Rihanna has reportedly moved on from Chris Brown by dating her former flame Drake.

The pop star recently called time on her relationship with US singer Chris Brown, after dating him on and off since 2008.

Rihanna is said to have since moved on with her ex-boyfriend, rapper Drake, who she was involved with in 2010 and 2011.

"When she was dating Chris, he banned her from talking to Drake," a source close to Rihanna told the latest edition of UK magazine Look. "She really missed him in that time - yes, they went out years before but he was also a good friend to her - so calling him was one of the first things she did when she realised she was over Chris."

Friends close to Drake say the star anticipated Rihanna and Chris' split. The 26-year-old chart topper allegedly never stopped loving the Barbadian beauty and even sacrificed his happiness in pursuit of her.

"[Drake's been] waiting patiently on the sidelines. Just over a month ago, Drake gave Rihanna an ultimatum. He told her he needed to move on if she wasn't going to commit," an insider explained.

"His love life was paused when Chris and Rihanna reunited, and Drake claims it caused him stress headaches, writer's block and anxiety. He was obviously sick of it, but Rihanna wasn't ready for him. Now Chris and Rihanna are done for good, Drake might finally get his chance."

Rihanna and Drake have been increasing communication with each other over the past few weeks. Sources say Rihanna has even started to think she made the wrong decision courting Chris over Drake.

"Since that first phone call they've been talking again a lot and have such a connection," an insider continued. "She even hinted in one message that she chose the wrong guy."

Since splitting from Rihanna, Chris has rekindled his relationship with former flame Karrueche Tran.

The pair apparently attended the BET Awards after-party at the end of May looking "loved up".

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Source

Keep on ridin' that merry-go-round of dating fails, gurl.  Hopefully he's cleaned off a corner of his Aaliyah shrine to put her picture on.

Source

Justin Bieber is an oblivious, self-important little twit who goes out of his way to make the working man's life miserable -- just watch this video of the singer pissing into a restaurant mop bucket ... and laughing like he's the king of the world.

The clip was shot in NYC earlier this year -- we're told Bieber and his idiotic friends were leaving some nightclub, exiting through a restaurant kitchen, and Bieber decided he needed to take a leak.

But rather than go to a bathroom like a civilized person, Bieber -- wearing pants that should literally be illegal -- whipped out his baby dick and whizzed into a yellow mop bucket used to clean the restaurant's floors ... meaning whoever's job it was to mop the place up had to physically change Bieber's disgusting piss water.

And the worst part ... Bieber's friends act like the restaurant should be HONORED that the singer decided to piss there. It's revolting.

We can't say for sure if the group was drunk, but it sure sounds like they were.

Oh yeah, at the end of the video, Bieber sprays a photo of Bill Clinton with cleaning liquid for some reason ... saying, "Fuck Bill Clinton!"

We don't know what Bill Clinton did to Justin Bieber ... but whatever it was, Bieber probably deserved it. Thank you, Bill. Thank you.

Source

omg i hope someone collected that piss and put it on ebay.

Daft Punk have teamed up with Durex to release a brand of condoms.

The product is aptly named after the French duo's hit single 'Get Lucky' and the packaging features the artwork from the chart-topping track.

As part of the publicity campaign for the condoms, Durex has sent free packs to well known DJs.

American DJ and producer Diplo posted a picture of the open branded packaging on his Facebook page on Monday (July 8), along with the caption: "Thank God I had those Daft Punk condoms last night."

The condoms are said to be hitting shelves in mainland Europe before becoming available in the UK.

X Factor boyband JLS previously joined up with Durex to release their range of Just Love Safe condoms in 2010.

Source: Digital Spy

They say that changing your hair a lot can be a sign of emotional distress. Well, look no further than Amanda Bynes, the Nickeloden star turned train wreck who appeared at a court date Tuesday in a long blue-green wig. From a Britney Spears-circa-2007 shaved head to a variety of insane, unkempt wigs, see Bynes’s hair evolution.



AmandaPlease.com
Amanda Bynes attends Nickelodeon's 17th annual Kids' Choice Awards in 2004, still in her acting-career heyday.



Ombre Pink
In one of her first steps off the deep end, Bynes was arrested for a DUI in April 2012 in West Hollywood; she poses in her mug shot with light pink, dyed hair. Deeming the matter of presidential importance, she tweeted at Barack Obama: "Hey @BarackObama... I don't drink. Please fire the cop who arrested me. I also don't hit and run. The end.”



The Brown Bob
In love with posting pictures of herself on Twitter, Bynes take a selfie in a very Julia Roberts–in–Pretty Woman brunette bob.



All Made Up
Donning a new flowing, curly wig and way too much makeup, Bynes admires her new look..



Blonde Ambition
Bynes, clad in oversize sunglasses, a gray hoodie, and dimple piercings, checks herself out in the reflection of a window, fixing her messy blonde locks as she walks through Times Square.



Cousin It
Bynes looks completely disheveled as she appears in court in New York City for allegedly throwing a bong from her apartment window. She wears the same platinum-blonde wig that was draped over her face, like Cousin It dressed as Malibu Barbie for Halloween, when she was arrested on May 24.



I’m Blue
Bynes channels Nicki Minaj (possibly to win over "true love" Drake?) in Manhattan criminal court on July 9. She faces charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, and criminal possession of marijuana following her arrest in May.



More @ source for you hair inspiration

Meeting your partner's parents for the first time is always a stressful experience.

But Diane Kruger revealed this was especially the case for her boyfriend Joshua Jackson, as her mother used it as an opportunity to quiz him on his 2002 assault arrest.

The German actress said her old dear Maria-Theresa thought it 'would be cute' to pull out his police picture before interrogating him about the incident, where he was accused of scuffling with a security guard at a Carolina Hurricanes ice hockey match.


The 36-year-old told Jimmy Kimmel: 'I thought we were doing so good and my mom says "ah, wait I have something for you."

'She goes into the office and comes back with this folder of internet clippings of Josh with his mugshot.

'She thought it would be cute to go, "so I see you've been arrested in 1997 at a hockey game
Who's fault was it?"

'You can imagine. We were there for three days, we did not speak for two. It was not good.'

When Jimmy suggested she, 'teach mom a lesson and never visit her again,' she admitted, 'it was threatened.'

Ironically everything had been going swimmingly up to this point, with dedicated Joshua even eating her mother's almond cake despite the fact he has a nut allergy.

But the couple managed to work through the awkward meeting, and have now been partners for more than six years.

Joshua's criminal case also had a happy ending, for while he charged with assault affray and being intoxicated and disruptive, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the assault charge. In the end he agreed to attend an alcohol education program and perform 24 hours of community service in order to have the remaining charge dropped.

Diane, who wore a daring floral skirt and polka dot top, admitted the former Dawson's Creek star was not her first celebrity infatuation.

She said: 'I will admit that when I was very young I had a huge crush on Don Johnson and I continue to do so.

'Not for as you would think Miami Vice, but he made an album which you may know.

I only really remember one song because it was my first kiss at 13-years-old at the trailer park that we spent our vacations in.'

And she said she could not control herself when she finally came face-to-face with the 80s hunk after her Inglourious Basterds director Quentin Tarantino introduced them at a Vanity Fair post-Oscars party after she had too much to drink.

She said: 'Quentin goes look who's here and i turn around and its Don Johnson with his wife and I immediately start crying.

'He is so embarrassed and his wife is embarrassed for me and my boyfriend says "you really need to stop talking now."'

And her emotional state at the time was clear when joker Jimmy produced a photograph she had taken at the time with her crush.

She also admitted that her lack of a stereotypical native accent almost cost her a role in the Pulp Fiction favourite's acclaimed film.

Diane said: 'I was trying to get this job and Quentin Tarentino did not believe I was German.

I had to fly myself to Germany to show him my passport and do the German accent. He's a little paranoid.

'Its just so crazy our business you spend years trying to lose an accent and then finally comes the part that is actually naturally your accent and they say, "No, too American."'

scr23






what's your awkward meet the parents story ontd?

It’s the sixth series of MTV reality TV show, Geordie Shore, and the boys and girls have now been posted in Sydney to share their unique brand of carnage in the land down under.

"The Newsroom" Season 2 premieres on July 14 (10 p.m. ET) and in preparation, HBO has released a behind-the-scenes video introducing some of the new characters joining the cast this year.

First, we're introduced to Marcia Gay Harden's Rebecca Halliday, a First Amendment lawyer who has the unenviable task of trying to keep our outspoken characters from saying the wrong thing during a deposition or cross examination. The video also features Jerry Dantana (Hamish Linklater) a veteran of ACN's DC Bureau who has moved to replace Jim (John Gallagher Jr.) while he's away covering the Romney campaign in New Hampshire.

Also involved in Jim's storyline are Hallie Shea (Grace Gummer), a fellow reporter embedded on the bus with Jim on the road, and Taylor Warren (Constance Zimmer) a Romney campaign spokesperson. Hear from the new cast members and executive producers in the video below, and let us know what you're most looking forward to about "The Newsroom" Season 2 in the comments.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/09/the-newsroom-new-characters-season-2_n_3570542.html

NEW YORK -- A diva may be measured not just by how she acts under duress, but how she dresses.

Mariah Carey, who last Sunday injured her shoulder while shooting a music video, turned up Saturday night at Central Park's Great Lawn in a dazzling, form-fitting white gown by Natalia Danilova -- and matching sling. Carey had only recently left the hospital, but she was set to perform as a guest of the New York Philharmonic at the Major League Baseball All-Star Charity Concert, benefiting relief efforts for Hurricane Sandy.












Carey made her first entrance a few minutes late, leaving the Philharmonic and its music director/conductor Alan Gilbert to cool their heels after performing Randy Newman's suite from the 1984 baseball-themed film The Natural. But the singer was gracious, noting what an honor it was to perform with the orchestra.

"I'm not in the best of health here," she said, pointing to her "fanciful" sling: "It was us getting creative." As a finishing touch, she draped it in a feather stole -- by Gucci, no less. "Is this working? Do we like it?" she rhetorically asked the crowd, who roared its approval.

Carey sang two numbers before intermission, a husky, impassioned My All and Looking In. She noted that the latter was a more obscure entry from her 1995 album Daydream: "This requires a bit more stability than I have right now," she said, then started in her airier voice, later encouraging "people who know it" to "sing along."

Ending the mini-set in equally dramatic fashion, she asked her fans to "wait for me. I love you madly. I love you madly."

When she returned, Carey was all in black, sling included. "I'm sorry if I was a little emotional before," she said. "I'm in a tiny bit of pain."

A spokesperson for Carey said that the singer was "actually in a lot of pain," with "bruised ribs, dislocated shoulder, temporary nerve damage in her arm." But she rallied again, delivering her current single #Beautiful in a robust alto embellished with her trademark coloratura high notes near the end.

She again thanked the Philharmonic, and another supporting musician: her longtime colleague and former fellow American Idol judge Randy Jackson, who was playing guitar.

The concert, which fans attended for free -- sponsors provided the funds to Sandy Relief -- also featured a guest appearance by former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, who narrated Casey At the Bat accompanied by the Philharmonic. Other musical selections nodded to baseball and/or New York, among them a sumptuous piece from Leonard Bernstein's On The Town and a suite from the recent Jackie Robinson tribute movie 42.

Carey, a native New Yorker herself, wrapped the concert with a song she said felt appropriate, Hero. "God bless you," she told the crowd and, not to be upstaged, exited before a fireworks display brought the evening to a close.

Source: USA Today
LOOKING IN:http://telly.com/YNCG7N
#beautiful: http://instagram.com/p/bum_YATZra/#
more of #beautiful:http://instagram.com/p/bum_x_Df1Y/#
MY ALL, SLAYING:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wukRjYywl5E
hero:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtzyhrK_TtM

she slayed, there's no denying it. she sang live and her pitch was still really impressive, despite the fact you could tell she really was struggling with her injuries and at one point had to stop and apologize. and she sang a song from the Daydream album live for the first time.this makes up for all the messes she's been giving us lately.

Mariah Carey’s latest album may be her last with Island Def Jam after delays and a lack of promotion and support plagued the project, sources tell Page Six.

Carey, who last night performed with the New York Philharmonic at the MLB All-Star Charity Concert in Central Park benefiting Hurricane Sandy relief, was due to release her latest album, “The Art of Letting Go,” this month. But she announced in late June that she was delaying its release. “I got so immersed in the creative process that I just don’t feel I would be doing it justice to release it on 7/23,” she wrote on Twitter.

Music insiders tell us the album’s first single, “#Beautiful,” was not heavily promoted by IDJ, and Carey was disappointed by the label’s efforts. Later, IDJ released remixes of “#Beautiful,” including a “Spanglish” version called “#Hermosa” and one with Young Jeezy, to attract spins.


Some insiders blame the lack of attention to Carey on the fact that label execs were busy focusing on Kanye West’s album “Yeezus.” Page Six earlier reported that West’s last-minute production changes and legal issues were driving IDJ suits “crazy” as they worked overtime to get the album out.

Now some insiders are speculating the diva will leave IDJ after “The Art of Letting Go” is released.

“No one’s really scrambling to renegotiate her contract or put her music out,” said a source.

But another insider insists there’s no power struggle between Carey and IDJ, describing the working relationship as “all love.”

Carey is recovering from a dislocated shoulder after she fell last week at Avenue during a video shoot for the Young Jeezy “#Beautiful” remix.

A rep for IDJ told us: “We love Mariah and her music and have fully supported her every step of the way here at Island Def Jam. ‘#Beautiful’ had an unprecedented promotional push and has already sold nearly 1 million singles.”

A rep for Carey added: “Mariah couldn’t be happier with the support from the label and is looking forward to finishing and releasing her record.”

Source

Out Magazine talks to the singer-songwriter about his latest video—which also features classic summer Americana—and why it's more of a positive message than Steve Grand's 'All-American Boy'

Out: Young love is an eternal story/message: What do you think the message of "Young Love" is for young gay men?

Eli Lieb: Love is love. I'm just celebrating love and life and to me that transcends, race, gender, sexuality, and any other distinguishing factors. Being gay isn't a gimmick or an issue for me, it's just me. In my music, my persona and this video, I want to represent myself authentically. And I believe everybody should express love how they know it and not be afraid of showing the whole world, including friends and family, how they feel. It was important to me to also show my friends, and represent other people in love (the girl and boy kissing, etc.), to say, "It's just love, let's celebrate it!" I don't feel any shame, and I don't feel self-righteous, I just am who I am, and I'm not afraid of it. On the positive side, I'm happy that being who I am might help others, to see a love like mine represented. Watching this video really makes me feel how I feel when in love. Not specifically gay love, or specifically straight love, just LOVE. And I wanted to show how lucky I am to have love between friends who can accept each other 100% for who they are.



Although Steve Grand said that his recent video hit, "All-American Boy" is positive in the way the straight male still wants to be friends with his gay pal after he kisses him, some could say that it's shame-based while your song/video is more of a celebration. What are your thoughts about that?

Firstly, I think that it's awesome that there is something in the air, that people are feeling the freedom to express their story, whatever it is. The story he tells is much different than mine, so it's so funny we both have a couple similar shots! I guess that fireworks and country rides in a convertible are just classic summer-time images. But I feel incredibly blessed that in my story there are no secrets. Everyone in the video and in my life, including me is happy with who they are. People have different experiences in being gay, and I think both videos give two different, very personal experiences.

Some people can relate to Steve Grand's video, because they are still closeted as is the lead character in the video, but for me, I wanna show the freedom of being who I am. I didn't set out to make a righteous statement with this video. I always live my life completely authentically without any fear of what others might think. I find true happiness comes with that kind of honest acceptance of oneself. It just so happens that one of my many characteristics is that I am gay. When it came time to shoot a video to this love song, I of course had to stay true to who I am in order to tell that story: I didn't flinch for a second. I hope that this video will help other people live their lives to the fullest: never out of fear and always toward love.”

Since your recent video became a viral hit on YouTube have you been surprised by any of the reactions?

I am thrilled with the response. Every new view is a welcomed surprise, and they just keep coming! I have over 10 million views on my YouTube channel now, which is quite the jump since "Place of Paradise" came out! It's been amazing to create this from the ground-up. I don't have a label or a big fancy team; it's all just me with the help of a couple friends, Geoff Boothby (director of "Young Love" and "Place of Paradise") being one of them. I feel extremely grateful and blessed that based off of who I am, authentically without holding back artistically, that I've been met with this kind of support and I truly believe that if everyone functioned from a place free of fear, we could all make our dreams come true.

Any surprises that you have in store for us?

Well, they wouldn't be surprises if I told you! But I am definitely working on a lot of new projects right now, and you guys will be the first to know!



source 1& source 2

Alanna Lynott for The Daily Mail writes:
Some parents take their duties more seriously than others.

And, in her first tweet since giving birth to baby Ace Knute, Jessica Simpson, 33, has revealed that fiance Eric Johnson is taking his responsibilities to the extreme.

The actress and singer shared a photo of her mother Tina, tightly swaddled in a blanket wearing a look of surprise.

Alongside the picture, Jessica tweeted: 'Eric got carried away with his swaddling skills!'

Source