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Hottest Celebrity Beach Bodies 2013
Some celebs are so hot they should be arrested (from the film Spring Breakers; courtesy of highsnobiety.com)
The time has come again for me to be completely self-serving in terms of my testosterone-fueled heterosexuality. And even though the subject of this post is fairly predictable this time of year—everyone seems to focus on the best beach bodies as the summer approaches—I simply could not resist tossing my hat into the ring, too.
After all, one of my favorite subjects is women. I just love them too much to ignore them for very long on my blog. Call me sexist, chauvinistic, horny or a dirty old man if you like, but please know that only a few of these terms actually apply—the last two, to be exact.
Before we arrive at the slide show, however—which I assure you will keep you interested, especially if you’re a hot-blooded male like me—I would like to add a few disclaimers:
- There is some nudity here, but only one bare boob that I am aware of. The rest comes through wet and often transparent swimsuit material, which I for one appreciate more than you know.
- Some of the women featured here are professional swimsuit models, so it stands to reason why they would end up on my list.
- I focus only on celebrities since (a) there is no shortage of photographs of them online and (b) real women are more apt to sue me for using their image here. Of course, if you’re a woman who would like to share some beach photos—or better yet, would like me to feature them in a future post—please don’t hesitate to send them my way. I assure you that in every case, proper credit will be given.
- Because I feel kind of guilty for superficially focusing on women’s bodies and perhaps objectifying them in some way—albeit unintentionally—most of my captions will include some information about each woman’s career, achievements or other accomplishments. At least that way this won’t be focused completely on my own carnal desires.
- In most cases, I include photographs of celebrities when they were “in their prime,” so to speak. Personally, I think women are great all the time, but I also understand how much emphasis our society places on youth and beauty, which is why I cherry-picked each picture to appeal to the broadest possible audience.
- My list of the best beach bodies brings together more current talents—like Selena Gomez and Kate Upton—as well as some sex symbols from my era of the 1970s and 1980s—like Farrah Fawcett and Bo Derek. I’m confident you will enjoy them all.
With that being said, the time has come to finally delve into my slide show and to see if I know what I’m talking about in terms of the best celebrity beach bodies. I once did a post about my favorite actresses (in terms of attractiveness) and based on some of the comments I received, followed up with a post about the most attractive male actors, too. Never let it be said that I don’t cater to my female readers. So if you enjoy this post and would like me to do the same again—the best celebrity beach bodies with wieners, in a manner of speaking—leave a comment and I will do my best to oblige. Lord knows, I’m secure enough in my masculinity to see beauty in all of its forms. It might be a little more difficult for me to see it in men—meaning the chances of me successfully turning gay are slim—but I love a challenge.
For now, though, let’s bring on the ladies. Here is my take on the best celebrity beach bodies of all time. I hope you enjoy viewing and reading this post as much as I enjoyed putting it all together!
Prom with Kate Upton?
Suave to the last (courtesy of YouTube)
Los Angeles high school senior Jake Davidson may be “Jewish and 5’9″ on a good day”—his words, not mine—but one thing is for certain.
He also has balls the size of church bells.
Last week, the 17-year-old “dreamer” made a hilarious video, posted it to YouTube, sat back and watched it go viral. What was the video about, you ask?
Okay. My title gave it away.
Jake asked Sports Illustrated supermodel and all-around sexpot Kate Upton to his senior prom this May. And let me be the first to tell you that IT IS AWESOME.
See for yourself right here.
Probably the coolest thing about all of this came Monday night, when none other than Kate Upton herself tweeted a response. Check it out.
She actually tweeted him! (courtesy of Twitter/@KateUpton)
Few things warm my heart as much as seeing a celebrity come down to earth long enough to interact with us common folk. And since Kate is supposedly checking her schedule to see if she is available to attend Jake’s prom, all the better. One unselfish act could guarantee an unforgettable evening not only for Jake, but also for every guy who sees them together that night.
Incidentally, anyone interested in making some serious money should load up on Kleenex and hand cream—perhaps some back issues of SI featuring the gorgeous model—set up a stand near the LA high school and charge top dollar to every star struck, boner-laden, prepubescent boy who stumbles out of that chaperoned event.
I predict lots of calluses, cramps and carpal tunnel syndrome in the days following Kate’s appearance.
But there’s more.
Yesterday morning, Jake popped up on The TODAY Show and got an even better surprise: a phone call from Kate! And the 20-year-old bombshell had nothing but good things to say.
“I absolutely love the video,” she told the brave young lad. “It was so hilarious and so creative. Thank you so much for doing that. I really appreciate it.”
And true to form, Jake responded with something just as hilarious as his video, at least to me.
It’s over if Kate does her Cat Daddy dance (courtesy of Terry Richardson)
“I’m telling you it will be a great night, great evening,” he promised his potential date. And this is the part that really cracks me up. “I could even get the curfew extended hopefully by my parents maybe.”
Go on with your bad self, Jake.
Unfortunately, though, my man Jake still didn’t get a straight response. Kate has to check her schedule to see if she’s available. Whether or not she actually makes it, she did end her call with something I found cautiously optimistic. You be the judge.
“You seem like so much fun and if everything works out, I’d love to go with you,” she told our pimply Casanova. “I know we’d have a blast.”
Here’s hoping you get your chance, Jake. You’ve got balls, my friend. And they just might pay off in spades…
The Assman Returns!
Kramer fingers the Assman… sort of (courtesy of Castle Rock Entertainment)
One of my favorite television shows of all time—and arguably one of the best ever—was the hilarious sitcom Seinfeld. For nine seasons and through endless episodes in syndication, I have planted myself in front of the television to enjoy the exploits of Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer (Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards, respectively). Few shows feature such a talented ensemble cast, which made this particular situation comedy so special. Even years later, I still find myself laughing at jokes I must have heard a million times by now.
Perhaps my favorite episode of Seinfeld was “The Fusili Jerry,” which focused on one of my favorite body parts, at least on women: the derriere (or “ass” for lack of a better word). One subplot involves the crazy and quirky Kramer, likely my favorite character on the show. He visits the Department of Motor Vehicles to pick up his vanity license plate, but is mistakenly given one that says “Assman.” Rather than returning it immediately, Kramer decides to slap it on his jalopy and to reap the benefits such a title brings. And for a while there, things go pretty well. People pass him on the street and yell things like “Look out! The Assman’s in town!” He even visits the hospital and parks in a doctor’s spot without getting stopped by a suspicious security guard.
Being the Assman certainly has its advantages.
Later in the episode—and after Kramer gives Jerry a statue of himself made solely from fusilli pasta—George’s father accidentally falls and lands right on top of it. Without being too crude, let’s just say that the statue gets stuck in the one orifice exposed when he falls on his ass. I’m sure you know what I mean. If not, then consider one of Jerry’s comments from the show: “He had to use corkscrew pasta.”
Any questions?
The gang takes George’s father to the hospital, where he is examined by the one doctor most qualified to handle his procedure: a proctologist. As he’s delivering his prognosis to George, Kramer notices a picture of his boat on the wall. Emblazoned across the back is its name: Assman. Kramer asks the doctor if there was a mix-up with his vanity plates recently and he confirms it. “So you’re the Assman?” Kramer asks him. And with a wink, we learn the truth.
Although I’m not a proctologist and can’t really understand why anyone would choose this profession, I do consider myself to be a serious Assman. As I said, nothing is more attractive on a female than a nice rear end, at least to me. Sure, I can appreciate women for lots of different reasons—and can always find beauty in the female form—but nothing makes more of an impression on me than a nice, shapely butt. I don’t even care about the size as long as the right curves are there. And though I hate to admit it, I often find myself fixating on women who have the booty to back it up. Pun intended, of course.
For an Assman like me, trips to the beach and the swimming pool in the summer are probably the best times to appreciate those nice behinds. However, I can always count on the media to cover celebrity rumps, most of which are beautiful thanks to personal trainers, butt implants and other resources these folks can afford. So for today’s post—which I hope doesn’t come off as perverted, demeaning or insulting—I want to turn my attention back to the back, so to speak. Here are the celebrity butts that impress me the most. I won’t label them as “The Best Butts in Hollywood,” but to me, they’re still pretty special. I hope you enjoy these images as much as I do!
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- Pippa Middleton
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- Vida Guerra
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- Kate Hudson
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- Fergie
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- Demi Moore
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- Eva Longoria
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- Aubrey O’Day
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- Blake Lively
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- Anna Kournikova again!
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- Jennifer Nicole Lee
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- Scarlett Johansson
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- Brooklyn Decker
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- Marissa Miller
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- Sofia Vergara
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- Eva Mendes
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- Shakira
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- Charisma Carpenter
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- Beyonce
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- Selena Gomez
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- Jamie Pressley
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- Anna Kournikova
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- Stacey Kiebler
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- Kate Upton
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- Jennifer Lopez
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- Ashley Tisdale
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- Vanessa Hudgens
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- Jessica Alba
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- Halle Berry
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- Kate Middleton
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- Salma Hayek
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- Gisele Bundchen
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- Sara Underwood
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- Jessica Biel
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- Jennifer Aniston
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- Lady Gaga
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- Jessica Alba
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- Katy Perry
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- Melissa Ford
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- Jennifer Hawkins
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- Jennifer Lawrence
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- Rihanna
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- Nicole Scherzinger
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- Charlize Theron
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- Holly Madison
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- Hayden Panettiere
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- Heidi Montag
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- Kim Kardashian
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- Brittany Daniel
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- Kate Beckinsale
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- Miley Cyrus
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- Evangeline Lilly
Way to Go, Seth!
Why is everybody always picking on me? (courtesy of ABC News)
If you missed the Academy Awards last night, then you also missed who I felt was one of the best hosts in recent years: the hilarious and politically incorrect Seth MacFarlane.
For those who don’t know, MacFarlane is the creator of such animated hits as Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show. He also wrote and directed the 2012 Mark Wahlberg comedy Ted, the main character of which is a talking bear that, you guessed it, MacFarlane voiced.
A true Renaissance man, at least in the world of entertainment, MacFarlane’s titles include actor, animator, screenwriter, voice actor, comedian, producer, director, singer and, after last night, awards show host.
Unfortunately, his first Oscar hosting experience may also be his last. It seems that not everyone shares my appreciation of last night’s performance. Go figure.
People who know MacFarlane’s work understand that he is edgy, witty, tactless, chauvinist (at times), energetic, talented, multidimensional, fearless… basically everything you could want in a modern humorist. To him, nothing is “out of bounds” and everyone is a target. But MacFarlane is no hypocrite, mind you. He can take it just as well as he can dish it out.
You just can’t please everyone, though. And his detractors continue to come out of the woodwork to denounce the Academy’s choice. Words like “sexist” and “awkward” have been tossed around all day and, if you ask me, the people using them need to get a life.
I’m sure younger viewers appreciated his humor and his candor. That’s just how we roll these days. And yes, I lumped myself in with young people since in my mind, I’m still one of them. The older folks in the crowd likely know where I’m coming from.
At any rate, criticism of MacFarlane’s performance includes the following, which comes from Slate’s Dana Stevens and focuses on “We Saw Your Boobs,” Seth’s opening number: “It put into relief a recurring theme in last night’s ceremony: A defensive anxiety about the ascendant power of women (emblematized, later on, by the pairing of the statuesque [Charlize] Theron with the wee Dustin Hoffman as awards presenters).”
Later, the Anti-Defamation League laid into MacFarlane for a joke he made through Ted, his talking teddy bear, about Jews controlling Hollywood: “It is sad and disheartening that the Oscars awards show sought to use anti-Jewish stereotypes for laughs.”
Oh, come on.
Is it me, or does anyone else think people in this country are far too sensitive? If all these “complainers” got their way, you wouldn’t be able to say anything in public because everything would be deemed offensive. And what would be the point of that?
Personally, I believe the same thing that Seth MacFarlane probably believes: that humor is a great way to affect positive change. Making light of serious issues, saying what people are thinking but are too afraid to say themselves, poking fun at public figures… it all breaks things down in an irreverent and hilarious way. And if you ask me, it makes people more open-minded and accepting because suddenly, things don’t seem so desperate and serious any more.
MacFarlane as “The Flying Nun” (courtesy of E! Entertainment)
Bear in mind that I rarely get offended or embarrassed, have no internal filter between my mind and my mouth, have been accused of lacking tact, enjoy a sick sense of humor and wrap it all up with a nice, juicy piece of sarcasm. Slap it on a realism biscuit and BAM! There I am.
In other words, Seth and I are cut from the same mold—in a basic sense, at least (he makes more money and is far more successful)—so I absolutely love him. And I thought he was a great Oscar host. The guy can even sing and dance!
Of course, I can understand how some might view his humor as rather tasteless. At one point, MacFarlane referenced the domestic violence of Rihanna and Chris Brown, which drew some gasps from the audience and some harsh words from critics. But given the over-saturation of this annoying couple in the media—as well as Rihanna’s decision to get back with the man who beat the shit out of her not long ag0—I was fine with it.
Someone needed to say it. At least Seth did it with humor.
MacFarlane also dropped a Lincoln joke that many considered inappropriate. And while I admit that it was touchy and a little “out there,” it certainly didn’t bother me. Check it out.
“This is interesting,” MacFarlane told the audience. “Daniel Day-Lewis is not the first actor to be nominated for playing Lincoln. Raymond Massey portrayed him in 1940′s Abe Lincoln in Illinois. This is true. I would argue, however, that the actor who really got inside Lincoln’s head was John Wilkes Booth.”
I can see how some might consider this tasteless and maybe even unpatriotic, but come on. It’s funny! And if you take it literally, MacFarlane is right: no one got further into Lincoln’s head than the man who put a bullet in it.
And I certainly don’t hear Lincoln complaining. The man has been dead for more than a hundred years.
Yes, Seth MacFarlane has a demented and twisted sense of humor, a sharp wit and a questionable delivery system, but that doesn’t make him a bad host. If anything, he injected some life and laughs into a ceremony that has become increasingly dull and long-winded. And I guarantee that he connected with young people, one of whom was the lovely Jennifer Lawrence, who won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Silver Lining’s Playbook.
Jennifer “fell” for MacFarlane (courtesy of Getty Images)
“I loved the boob song,” she said, despite being named in the song (for not showing them yet). “I thought he was great. I thought he was hilarious.”
I couldn’t agree more, Jennifer.
The fact of the matter is this: the new, younger generation of actors, directors and other film professionals are here. And “out with the old, in with the new” can also apply to humor. This generation is simply more open-minded, tolerant and accepting than the last. Fewer things offend them and nothing is sacred, especially where comedy is concerned.
But that’s just my opinion. And so is this: you kicked some serious ass last night, Seth, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. I just hope we get the chance to watch you again next year!
The Anti-Academy Awards
Twilight sweeps the Razzies (courtesy of Yahoo)
On Saturday, the worst films and cinematic performances of the year were “honored” in what can only be described as the anti-Academy Awards: the 33rd annual Golden Raspberry Awards.
Most people just call them the “Razzies.”
Originally conceived by American publicist John Wilson in 1981 and inspired by the comedic act of “blowing a raspberry,” the Razzies precede the Academy Awards and celebrate terrible films rather than great ones. It’s all in good fun and, in most cases, the people being honored are good sports, but that isn’t always the case.
After all, who wants to be known for dropping a bomb at the box office?
The sad fact is that for every awesome, chart-topping film and stellar acting or directing performance, there are dozens of others that stink up the screen and make the producers who “green lighted” them scratch their heads.
And this year was no exception.
At the top of the list of 2012′s worst films is the final installment of the hit teenybopper series Twilight. With seemingly endless nominations in multiple categories, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn–Part 2 more-or-less swept the Razzies. By the end of the night, the vampire love fest was named Worst Film and received awards for Worst Ensemble Cast, Worst Director (Bill Condon), Worst Supporting Actor (Taylor Lautner), Worst Actress (Kristen Stewart) and Worst Onscreen Couple.
Stewart actually split her Worst Actress honor among Twilight and another weak performance, Snow White and the Huntsman.
The coveted award (courtesy of Razzies.com)
“Acting should involve having an expression on your face, and she is blank” Razzies founder John Wilson said of the young actress. “Kristen Stewart is so expressionless she might as well be a brick wall.”
I couldn’t agree more, but at least she’s cute.
Other Razzies went to Rihanna (Worst Supporting Actress for Battleship) and Adam Sandler (Worst Actor for That’s My Boy), who is no stranger to the anti-award. His flop Jack and Jill was last year’s Twilight, sweeping the show with a total of ten Razzies.
In his acceptance speech, Sandler thanked his public school teachers for helping him reach his “dream of making movies that critics all over the planet despise with unreasonable fury but that you, the people, seem to enjoy.”
And that’s what the Razzies are all about: laughing at yourself and accepting that nobody’s perfect, even celebrities. We may place them on pedestals and worship them with the fervor of religious zealots, but at the end of the day, they’re just like you and me.
Only with a lot more money and fame.
Country Star Takes Life
Mindy McCready, dead at 37 (courtesy of USA Today)
On a cold dark cloud with nowhere to fall but down, like a single, naked, unrelenting tear… I’m still here.
These are some of the lyrics from the title track of country star Mindy McCready’s most recent album, “I’m Still Here.” Unfortunately, words that were intended to express resilience and strength now represent tragedy.
The body of the 37-year-old singer was found Sunday on the porch of her Heber Springs, Arkansas home. Authorities report that she died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Oddly enough, her boyfriend David Wilson died the very same way only a month before.
McCready first gained attention in 1996 when she released “Ten Thousand Angels,” her debut album. It sold more than two million copies and launched her career as a chart-topping country star. In all, McCready saw six of her albums and 14 of her songs reach the charts, and she was an inspiration to many artists that followed.
Sadly, McCready’s personal life was far from perfect. For years, she struggled with addiction and mental illness. And thanks to the media, most of her struggles and missteps were broadcast publicly for all the world to see.
In 2004, McCready received three years of probation for fraudulently obtaining the controlled substance Oxycontin. The following year, she was arrested for drunk driving and suffered abuse at the hands of boyfriend Billy McKnight, who was subsequently charged with attempted murder.
As if being choked by her boyfriend weren’t bad enough, 2005 also saw McCready overdose on drugs numerous times, arrested for drug charges, attempting suicide and becoming pregnant with McKnight’s child.
Another suicide attempt followed in 2008, with another drug overdose two years later. As a result, McCready joined the cast of VH1′s “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” in 2010 and, it seemed to many, was poised for both recovery and a comeback.
Unfortunately, that never happened.
2010 also saw Vivid Entertainment release a sex tape entitled “Mindy McCready: Baseball Mistress” that showed the country star having sex with a boyfriend known only as “Peter.” However, it’s not widely known what effect this may have had on the young singer.
The sex tape released by Vivid Video (courtesy of Popcrunch.com)
Life got worse for McCready in 2011 when she fought a very public custody battle for her oldest son Zander. Her mother was given custody of the child and, in response, McCready took the boy and retreated to her Arkansas home. When authorities went to retrieve Zander later, they found him hiding in a closet with his mother.
It’s obvious that McCready didn’t live the life that most people associate with stardom, aside from all the negative exposure in the media, that is. What is even more tragic is the fact that just last year, things seemed to be looking up for her. McCready was planning to release a book about her life and even posted the following message to her official fan website. In retrospect, her words make this latest news even more troubling.
“I haven’t had a hit in almost a decade. I’ve been beaten, sued, robbed, arrested, jailed and evicted,” she wrote. “But I’m still here. With a handful of people that I know and trust, a revived determination, and both middle fingers up in the air, I’m ready. I’ve been here before. I’m a fighter. I’m down, but I’ll never be out.”
If only this were true.
Farewell, Mindy McCready. Here’s hoping you find the peace in death that eluded you in life.
Miley Turns Heads
Let me be the first to say that “Hannah Montana” was a long time ago. And if there was ever any doubt that its star Miley Cyrus outgrew the Disney hit–despite being featured in provocative outfits and more mature situations since leaving the show–they were all obliterated when she recently posed for Cosmopolitan magazine.
20-year-old Cyrus will be featured on the March cover of the famous, ad-filled, advice-giving publication. “Racy” is one way to describe her cover photo, but to me that still seems rather understated. See for yourself.
Miley does Cosmo (courtesy of Matthias Vriens-McGrath)
[I make a sound like a cat purring with pleasure]
Pretty nice, huh? And people said her new hairstyle was bad. I kind of like it, actually. The only downside is that from some angles, it sort of resembles the old Kate Gosselin “doo” from John and Kate Plus 8. I can live with it, though.
A few additional photos of Cyrus appear in the magazine, so take a gander at these and tell me this girl isn’t a woman now.
Ooh la la (courtesy of Matthias Vriens-McGrath)
[Somewhere a car is overheating as a direct result of these images]
Sassy in her suit (courtesy of Matthias Vriens-McGrath)
My, oh my.
I never imagined, in my wildest dreams, that the man responsible for “Achy Breaky Heart” (and for bringing mullets back into the public eye), could produce such a lovely creature.
Nice work, my friend. And smart move on not forcing her to remake your big hit. Her career is better for it.
Oprah and Lance Dance
Lance Armstrong on Oprah (property of Joe Heller/Green Bay Press-Gazette)
Like some of you, I tuned in to the first night of Oprah Winfrey‘s two-part interview with disgraced cycling champion Lance Armstrong. Thanks to the breaking-news-before-it-breaks media, I already knew he had confessed to doping during his celebrated career and seven Tour de France victories, all of which had already been stripped by the sport’s governing body.
I just wanted to hear him say it after a decade of straight-faced lying. And he did, but it was even more anticlimactic than I originally expected.
Oprah opened up with some focused yes-or-no questions: Did you dope? Yes. Did you use EPO? Yes. During all your big wins? Yes.
And honestly, that’s when I should have changed the channel.
For the next hour and a half, Oprah struggled to open up the shamed athlete as he danced around topics, spoke in vague generalities and basically pushed an “everyone was doing it” agenda on her, his accusers and his millions of disappointed fans.
Sure, Lance fessed up to things and tried not to implicate others, but to me it seemed like nothing more than a sad attempt to convince us all that he now accepted full responsibility for his actions. We’re talking about someone who not only lied to his family, friends and fans, but also misled investigators, lawyers and all sorts of other officials. For years!
Lance even called his accusers liars and took them to court, all the while knowing that they were being truthful and he was not. I don’t know all the facts, but I can only assume some of his “targets” ended up paying for this privilege while Lance continued to rake in the cash.
Lance Armstrong Doping (property of Walt Handelsman)
It’s all pretty nauseating when you think about it.
Of course, I know a little about what Lance is going through and even wrote it about it recently in “Armstrong Finally Mans Up.” After you lie repeatedly, it continues to work and no one calls you on it, you start to really believe it. And believing it makes it even easier to lie the next time and the next time. It just snowballs until you either sustain it for life or finally come clean.
I give Lance credit for finally admitting to everything (sort of), but had this new evidence never been released, would he have been as quick to do so? In other words, if no one out there could prove that he doped and his reputation, popularity and bank account continued to grow, do you really think Lance would have said one word about all this?
Me, neither. And I think that’s what bothers me the most.
The second part of Oprah’s interview airs tonight on her OWN network… nice little play on words there… and against my better judgment, I will probably tune in. I’m expecting Lance to give more detail about his cheating and the process his team used all those years. And I’m sure he’ll continue to accept the blame for everything that happened, doing his best to seem emotional, repentant and honest.
But Lance said it for himself last night: there are people out there who won’t believe another word he says despite whether it’s true or not. And to be perfectly honest, I’m starting to feel like I’m one of them.
Long Road Ahead for RG3
Robert Griffin III had surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL (Photo credit: bmward_2000)
As a rabid NFL fan, I find it hard not to report on one of the most dynamic players to enter the league in quite some time: star quarterback Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins.
Although I’m a die-hard Steelers fan, I have pulled for the Redskins for as long as I can remember. Before the Carolina Panthers were added as an expansion team in 1995, most North Carolinians supported one of two teams who played nearby: the Atlanta Falcons or the Washington Redskins.
My family opted for the Redskins, but only when they weren’t playing our beloved Steelers.
For a while, the Redskins were a force to be reckoned with as players like John Riggins and Joe Theismann lit up opposing defenses and helped win the franchise its first Super Bowl in 1983. The Skins have won several more since then, but for the most part, the 21st century has been kind of a bust. There was the 10-6 season and wild card win in 2005, but I don’t really count that because in the divisional round, the Redskins lost to, you guessed it, the Seattle Seahawks.
Then came RGIII.
Joe Theismann before LT snapped his leg (courtesy of Ted Van Pelt/Wikipedia)
Since this talented rookie touched down in our nation’s capital, the Redskins have been markedly better and the fan base has been injected with limitless excitement and something that has been lacking in that city for a long time: hope. And for once, the Skins started winning more games than they lost.
Unfortunately, RGIII was injured in the Skins’ week 14 game against the Baltimore Ravens. To make matters worse, he injured the same knee on which he had ACL reconstructive surgery in college. Backup quarterback Kirk Cousins stepped in and in their very next game, he led his team to victory. Then RGIII shocked everyone and returned to the field. Most fans considered this a godsend, but I found myself fearing for the worst. And last week, my fears were realized.
During the recent wild card playoff game between the Redskins and the rising Seattle Seahawks, whose own rookie quarterback Russell Wilson has been just as dynamic as RGIII, the Skins’ new superstar tweaked his knee in the first half. Instead of sitting out for the remainder of the game and allowing Kirk Cousins to step in yet again, RGIII assured his coach, Mike Shanahan, that he could still perform. Shanahan agreed and put RGIII back in.
Big mistake.
After a great first quarter and a terrible second quarter, the injured winner of the 2011 Heisman Trophy returned to lead his team, but he just wasn’t the same. RGIII had trouble moving around, couldn’t escape the pocket without his lightning-fast speed and barely completed any passes.
Unfortunately for Redskins fans, Russell Wilson didn’t have the same problem and continued moving his offense down the field.
With just over six minutes left in the game and a tough deficit to overcome on the scoreboard, RGIII went back to work. His center snapped the ball low and when the young quarterback bent over to pick it up, his knee buckled and he collapsed on the ground in obvious pain. The poor guy couldn’t even scoop up the fumbled ball, despite having plenty of time to do so. It just laid there on the ground beside him until a Seahawk defender grabbed it.
As I’m sure you know, things didn’t end well for the Redskins. They ended up losing 24-14 and will spend January at home. Oddly enough, they ended their season at 10-6 and once again got knocked from the playoffs by Seattle. Only this time, the Seahawks handled things a round early.
I sure hope we don’t face these guys again next year.
Speaking of next year, early reports of RGIII’s injury and subsequent surgery, which happened earlier today and supposedly went well, were optimistic. Almost everyone was sure that he would be fine in 6-8 months and ready to start the regular season. Now doctors aren’t so sure because RGIII’s injury was so severe, far worse than the torn ACL suffered by record-setting Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson last year.
Fun with ligaments!
“It’s a horrendous injury,” Dr. Richard Kaplan told ESPN recently. “It’s the ACL and the LCL, the outside ligament which is really a tremendous insult to the knee.”
A number of other doctors concur with Dr. Kaplan. Some say this type of injury requires 8-12 months to rehab correctly, which would allow RGIII to play during the 2013 season. But there are others who believe he could be sitting on the bench in the beginning and maybe even for the whole year!
Sorry. The very thought of it made me shudder. I mean, Kirk Cousins is good, but he’s no RGIII. And there’s no guarantee that Cousins will even be in Washington next year. A lot of teams are hurting for quarterbacks and Cousins had a pretty good showing this season, so who the hell knows what kind of replacement we would get. I’m trying my best not to think about it.
For Robert Griffin III, an extremely talented and award-winning football player with mad skills and unlimited potential, the long road to recovery begins today. I certainly wish him well and have but one piece of advice to offer: don’t be a hero. We all saw what happened when you rushed back from injury before and believe me… and I am speaking for all Redskins fans now and feel absolutely no apprehension in making this claim… we would all prefer if you just got some rest this time. Heal up right so you can return to us sharp, healthy and fast.
And so we can start winning again. Go Skins!
Angelina Takes Drastic Action
May 15
Posted by mars6995
Angelina Jolie before her procedures (courtesy of http://www.newsorena,com)
I’ve been away at a conference all day and just heard the latest news from arguably one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood: Angelina Jolie. In an op-ed piece published in Tuesday’s edition of The New York Times—which can be found here—Jolie explained why she decided to do what many found shocking, at least at first.
The 37-year-old actress and mate of Brad Pitt had a double mastectomy.
For those of you unfamiliar with the procedure, a mastectomy involves the removal of all (or sometimes part) of the breast, primarily to remove cancerous cells or as a preventative measure to reduce the likelihood of cancer later.
Jolie opted for the latter and, in a series of procedures that included salvaging nipples, removing breast tissue, replacing tissue with fillers and reconstructing the breasts using implants, she managed to reduce her likelihood of someday developing breast cancer from 87% all the way down to 5%.
“Once I knew this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much as I could,” Jolie said recently of her decision. And I certainly commend her on being so logical and, more importantly, so brave.
Jolie carries a mutation of the gene BRCA1—a breast cancer susceptibility gene known for suppressing tumors when it isn’t mutated—which dramatically increased her risk of developing both ovarian and breast cancer. And what’s worse, her mother Marcheline Bertrand died of ovarian cancer in 2007. She was only 56 years old.
And Jolie wasn’t taking any chances, especially with regard to her kids.
“I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer,” she explained. “And they know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can.”
Now if that isn’t a good mother, I don’t know what is. And as much as I hate for something like this to happen to someone so young—and someone so attractive—at least it proves that where Angelina is concerned, her beauty definitely is not only skin deep.
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Tags: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Breast cancer, Cancer, celebrities, commentary, current-events, entertainment, health, New York Times, news, perspectives