A bullied “Canadian” teen was forced to drop out of school as a result of harassment from teachers who poked cruel fun at his heritage. That’s the accusation being made this week by the family of 15-year-old Noah Kilpatrick, who recently dropped out of the 9th grade at Faith Fellowship Christian School in Watertown, New York.

He will be finishing up the last semester of 9th grade at home.

What’s really whackadoo is that the bullied “Canadian” teen isn’t a Canadian at all. Yes, he was born in Ottawa, but he is a naturalized American citizen who has lived in the United States for ten years.

The National Post noted that Watertown isn’t known for its Canada-bashing. Indeed, a Canadian flag reportedly hangs in one of Faith Fellowship’s windows.

Yet the family said that Noah was endlessly, relentlessly bullied — even by the high school principal Theodore Curinga.

The teen told a local Fox affiliate news station:

“He would make fun of the way I dressed and he’d say, ‘Oh, you’re wearing Canadian colors,’ and I’d be like, ‘Yeah, I am. Thanks, Mr. Curinga.’ He’d say, ‘That wasn’t a compliment.’”

A math teacher also reportedly participated in making fun of  Noah for being Canadian.

His mother Tina Kilpatrick pulled him from school after she couldn’t get any satisfaction from the school’s staff. “In class, Noah would make a comment and the [teacher] would say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s because you’re Canadian,’” she said.

The school had no public comment, so we’re admittedly getting only one side of the story.  Still…

I hate to say that I had teachers like that, who would find some perfectly inoffensive reason to pile on a kid and keep riding him until he cracked.

But I did.

Maybe a lot of us did.

If so-called grown-ups were really engaging in this kind of behavior, they should be ashamed of themselves.

What’s your take on the bullied “Canadian” teen?

[Canada flag photo by Makaristos via Wikimedia Commons]

Bullied ‘Canadian’ Teen Forced To Drop Out, Family Says is a post from: The Inquisitr

More ESPN layoffs and cutbacks have happened this week as part of the network’s ongoing downsizing program. Back in May, staffers began to be shown the door, and estimates are that some 400 jobs could ultimately be slashed hen all is said and done.

Today the Disney-owned ESPN announced that it had cancelled two low-rated shows, UNITE that aired on ESPNU, and Highlight Express on ESPN News, and laid off their staffers. The so-called Worldwide Leader in Sports also pulled the plugged on its 3D cable channel. “An ESPN source said almost all of the firings and cancellations will be completed by the end of this week.”

Because of its demographics, ESPN is able to demand the highest per subscriber rate of any television network. Despite those sizable rates, the company’s expenses continue to rise as cable and broadcast providers continue to fight for a larger chunk of global sports broadcasting rights to major events. The company has about 7,000 employees, 4,000 of whom are based at the mother ship in Bristol, Conn.

Yesterday, ESPN President John Skipper sent out an email that said in part, “On May 21st we initiated a restructuring plan across the company reflecting a changing marketplace and anticipated areas of future growth. This week will see a continuation of that effort with meetings among employees, managers and our HR staff. While I am very confident in the strength of our overall position, our industry is changing and it is critically important that we use our resources to best support our continued growth …”

One of the higher-profile ESPN employees getting the axe this week was research analyst extraordinaire Howie Schwab. You might remember him from the sports trivia game show Stump the Schwab on ESPN 2. He posted the following message on his Facebook page: “After 26 years at ESPN, I am extremely disappointed to say farewell. I have been proud of my association and my work during my tenure. I was a loyal employee, displayed respect for others, worked with numerous charities, represented the company well. I always did everything asked of me and more. What did I get in return today … word that I should get lost. The only thing that mattered was my salary, which in my view was the lone reason I lost my job.”

It’s been previously reported that ESPN may have sought to get rid of older, higher-paid workers while filling new jobs with employees whose salaries are much lower.

The full scope of the ESPN layoffs probably won’t be known until the dust settles a bit and more facts emerge about the scope of the downsizing program at the sports network.

Whaaa? Nuts. No one could Stump the Schwab. True institution RT @bfeldmancbs: Sad Howie Schwab was let go at ESPN. To me he was ESPN.

— Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein) June 12, 2013

Do you think that ESPN has bitten off more than it can chew in terms of rights acquisitions, expansion, and other forms of expensive overhead and therefore was forced to unfortunately downsize long-term employees? Is ESPN the worldwide leader in layoffs?

ESPN Layoffs And Cutbacks Continue This Week is a post from: The Inquisitr

After releasing her x-rated Farrah Abraham video over a month ago, Abraham has now gone under the plastic surgeon’s knife for a fourth time.

Farrah Abraham, the 22-year old Teen Mom turned porn star, has upgraded her C-cup saline implants, in favor of D-cup silicone implants, according to the Daily Mail. Farrah Abraham originally had her first boob job in 2010, going from an A-cup to a C-cup.

The Farrah Abraham boob job came just 3 days after turning 22, the minimum age required by the FDA, in order to receive silicone implants.  To date, Teen Mom Farrah Abraham’s plastic surgeries have cost approximately $30,000, and have included a nose job, chin job and now, two breast implant surgeries.

“I would not get boob implants that were porn-star status,  I’m very realistic about keeping myself looking natural,” said the Backdoor Teen Mom, who famously just released a hardcore anal porn sex tape, featuring porn star James Deen.

So she’s ok with actually being a porn star, but she’s not ok with her breasts looking like porn star breasts, then?

Farrah Abraham is perfectly fine with her decision to have multiple plastic surgeries at a young age, saying that, “I don’t think I’ve done too much surgery at a young age.  If someone wants to walk around with bags under their eyes, that’s fine.  But personally, I want to look my best.  And I’m looking amazing.”

Even though Farrah Abraham looks so amazing and apparently gets hit on “every day,” the Teen Mom seems pretty bummed out that she can’t find a boyfriend.  She says that it especially upsets her to see a hot guy with an ugly girl.

“I’m like, ‘Damn, all that goodness is going to waste.”

Abraham also went on to say that her fourth plastic surgery probably isn’t her last.

Inquisitr readers:  What plastic surgery do you think Farrah Abraham will get next?  Do you see another x-rated Farrah Abraham tape in the future?

Teen Mom Farrah Abraham Gets Second, Bigger Boob Job is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Apple e-Book pricing fixing lawsuit is currently underway and on Thursday morning Vice President for Internet software and services, Eddy Cue, testified about the company’s part in allegedly increasing the cost of e-book sales.

The Department of Justice is suing Apple for what it sees as an antitrust maneuver conducted by the tech giant.

Eddy Cue was responsible for negotiating publisher deals ahead of the Apple iBookstore launch in 2010. The DOJ has accused Apple of colluding with publishers to switch the e-book industry to an agency model.

The Department of Justice specifically claims that Apple forced higher prices on Amazon and other e-book sellers at a time when a standard $10 price point was being observed.

During his Thursday testimony in the Apple e-book price fixing case Eddy Cue admitted that e-book pricing increased immediately after Apple launched the iBookstore platform. Cue claims that pricing increased because publishers ”expressed to us [Apple] that they wanted higher prices.”

When asked if he thought publishers were working together in an attempt to collude over e-book pricing Cue said he wasn’t aware of any collusion.

Eddy Cue then testified that publishers all had problems with different aspects of the proposed iBookstore contract. Cue notes,

“If they talked together, I assumed it would be easier to get the deals done.”

Because of those joint negotiations Apple has been accused of e-book price fixing. Cue insists he “wasn’t trying to negotiate” for the entire e-book market.

Cue also testified to the fact that he wasn’t attempting to fix customer complaints raised against Apple.

What we know at this time is that immediately following the release of the Apple iBookstore prices for e-books quickly rose above the $10 price point, a price level that Amazon had fought hard to protect.

Do you think Apple engaged in e-book price fixing in order to push up the revenues it earns from digital book sales?

Apple E-Book Price Fixing Testimony: Eddy Cue Admits That Prices Increased After iBookstore Debuted is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Brooklyn teacher who pleaded guilty to having sex with the 16-year-old she tutored received no jail time. Instead of spending time locked up, Erin Sayer will serve 10 years probation and must surrender her teaching license.

Assistant District Attorney Serena Horowitz said that the boy and his family are amenable to the offer. ”They stated to me that they don’t want to see the defendant spend time in jail.”

Sayer’s sexual relationship with Kevin Eng was discovered when the high school student’s girlfriend looked through his Facebook account and found out he wrote, ”I love you so much,” to Sayer.

The girl got very angry and turned in the messages to school officials. The 37-year-old exchanged almost 4,000 text messages with the high school boy and had sex with him in classrooms and in her car.

In one late night hookup, Sayer drove to his house and picked him up in her car. According to a report, the two began kissing and then started having sexual intercourse and oral sex inside the car.

Eng reportedly wasn’t too shaken up by the ordeal and even bragged about it on Facebook. He was eventually placed in detention for making a mockery out of the situation.

Sayer isn’t the only teacher who managed to escape jail time for having sex with a student. In April, a New Jersey teacher received a three year suspended sentence for having sex with a 15-year-old student because of her psychiatric condition.

Erica DePalo pleaded guilty to child endangerment in February and admitted that she felt a lot of remorse for her actions. “I apologize to those who were indirectly or directly affected by my conduct,” she said.

Do you think Sayer should have been sentenced to jail time? Do you believe she would have gotten a harsher punishment if she was male?

[Image via Shuttershock]

Brooklyn Teacher Gets No Jail Time For Sex With Teenage Boy is a post from: The Inquisitr

Garth Brooks hasn’t toured in a few years but the country legend will be taking the stage this summer for an Oklahoma benefit concert.

Brooks will join Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, Trisha Yearwood and Ronnie Dunn for a benefit concert on July 6th to raise money for the tornado victims in Oklahoma. The concert will be held at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord Family Stadium at Owen Field.

Tulsa World reports that the devastation in Oklahoma hit too close to home for Toby Keith. The country star grew up in Moore, Oklahoma, and currently lives nearby in Norman.

Brooks said: “Once we got the news that the tornado had hit Toby’s hometown, Miss Yearwood and I told Toby we were at his service for whatever he chose to do … I am amazed at the human spirit the tornado victims have shown. I am humbled by the giving of the volunteers. It is an honor to get to be a part of this healing process.”

Tickets, which will cost $35, will go on sale on June 21. The money raised from the benefit concert will go to the United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund.

Sadly, this isn’t the first time that Keith has had to throw a benefit concert in Oklahoma. The singer played relief shows in 2003 and 1999.

Keith said: “I know these folks and they’re resilient, but we’re going to keep helping them any way we can. I’m proud to get together with some others from around here who are just as committed as I am to supporting these communities.”

Garth Brooks retired from touring in 2000 but he never really packed away his guitar. He’s played shows in Las Vegas and the White House and is rumored to start touring again once his kids go off to school.

[Image Via Featureflash / Shutterstock.com]

Garth Brooks To Play Oklahoma Relief Concert With Toby Keith is a post from: The Inquisitr

Syrian chemical weapon use has been confirmed by officials in the US and Europe. Representatives with The White House have confirmed that their conclusion will be discussed with reporters at a later time. A call is scheduled for this evening with several correspondents.

As reported by USA Today, former President Bill Clinton commented on the growing unrest in Syria earlier today. Clinton endorses increased use of force as President Bashar Assad’s government continues to clash with Syrian rebels. Clinton explains his point of view:

“Some people say, ‘Okay, see what a big mess it is? Stay out!’ I think that’s a big mistake.”

White House press secretary Jay Carney responded to Clinton’s opinion, simply stating that President Obama’s decision to use force will be based solely on “national security interests,” not public opinion.

As reported by The New York Times, the confirmation of Syrian chemical weapon use against rebel forces will only increase the pressure on President Obama.

The president’s administration remains divided on the use of force in Syria. Senior State Department officials have endorsed the use of aggressive military force. Officials have discussed the use of air-strikes to destroy airstrips, which may be used to deploy chemical weapons.

Other White House officials are hesitant to use force. Neither President Obama nor his senior advisers have made a solid decision in the matter. The president previously stated that if chemical weapons were confirmed, he would be more likely to sanction the use of force.

[Warning Disturbing Video]

According to reports, Syria’s use of chemical weapons was confirmed in a governmental memo. The memo stated, in part, “the Assad regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last year.”

More than 90,000 people have lost their lives in the battle. It is estimated that Syrian chemical weapons are to blame for the deaths of up to 150 rebels.

The ultimate decision rests in the hands of President Obama. Syria’s use of chemical weapons has now been confirmed by the US and Europe, underlining the urgency of the situation.

[Image via Wikimedia]

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Syria Chemical Weapon Use Confirmed is a post from: The Inquisitr

Avett Brothers drummer Jacob Edwards has been dropped from the band after confronting guitarist Seth Avett about his infidelity.

Edwards was the lead drummer for the Avett Brothers from January 2010 until December 2012. He was let go after he and his wife confronted Avett about his affair with actress Jennifer Carpenter.

“Jacob and his wife are good friends with Seth’s wife Susan, so they were really upset when they heard that he’d been messing around on her with Jennifer,” an insider told Radar Online. “Seth’s marriage crumbled because of it.  And so did Jacob’s career with The Avett Brothers.”

On December 5, 2012, Edwards announced that he was “suddenly and unexpectedly in the market for a new job.”

“It’s because things with the band got too uncomfortable,” the source said. “They basically let him go, but he didn’t really want to be a part of the band anymore either if it was going to be so awkward with Jennifer and Seth. Jacob and his wife are loyal to Susan.”

Seth Avett and his wife were married in 2008, but Avett has been dating Carpenter since 2011. Avett announced that he and his wife were getting a divorce Tuesday on the band’s website, but made no mention of his relationship with Carpenter. The 33-year-old married to Dexter co-star Michael C. Hall on New Year’s Eve 2008 and by December 2010, the couple announced that they had filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized a year later. That same year, Carpenter and Avett began dating.

“The bottom line is that Jennifer and Seth’s friendship developed into a romantic relationship while he was still married to Susan, and before they separated,” the source said.

Jacob Edwards has since found a new job as a drummer for Son Volt, an alternative country group.

Are you surprised that Jacob Edwards was let go for confronting Seth Avett about his affair?

[Pictured: Seth Avett, photo credit: Mark Runyon / ConcertTour / Flickr]

Avett Brothers Drummer Let Go After Confronting Seth Avett About Affair is a post from: The Inquisitr

How far would you go to look like your idol? Nicholas Ryan, an aspiring actor from New Jersey, dropped $5,000 to look like actor and heartthrob Ryan Gosling.

Just two hours of surgery and a couple thousand dollars later, Nicholas looks (he hopes) more like the Drive star. ”I wanted was more definition in my jaw bone, like Ryan Gosling,” he says.

His plastic surgeon is Dr. Tim Neavin, who specializes in making people look more like celebrities. He said that Nicholas does have some similarities to the Gos, but needs certain areas focused on to take him that much closer to his hero.

“The patient,” he said, “has some deficiencies, so we built those areas out to give him that squared-off jaw Ryan Gosling made famous.”

Though we can’t blame anyone for wanting to look more like Ryan Gosling (the man is, and continues to be, a chiseled and talented god), many have pointed out that Nicholas sort of falls short of his goal.

Andy McDonald of The Huffington Post snarks:

“Yes, it’s interesting to hypothesize where our world would be had actor Ryan Gosling not come forward and introduced us all to the “squared-off jaw.” If you have problems pronouncing it, don’t worry, we’ve only known about it since the the start of Gosling’s career, circa ”The All New Mickey Mouse Club.”

“Kidding aside, this guy really looks nothing like Ryan Gosling. It’s important to invest in your career, but $5,000 on a jaw?”

Still, Nicholas says that he has achieved the desired effect:

“I went to a pool party this week, like we do here in LA, and this girl came up to me and she said, ‘you have a very Ryan Gosling look to you.’ I couldn’t believe it!” he said. “After all the stuff I had gone through, it was amazing.”

He hopes it will help his professional career, too.

“I’m going for roles that demand a more rugged look in a man’s face. My favorite Ryan Gosling movie is Gangster Squad, a role that suits that type of heroic face.”

Dude, Gangster Squad? That’s where you went wrong.

Watch the video and let us know what you think. Does Nicholas Ryan look anything like Ryan Gosling?

[Image via: Eye Opener TV]

Ryan Gosling Plastic Surgery: Man Drops $5K To Look Like The Gos [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Apple CEO Tim Cook has said repeatedly that Apple will not release iPhone’s with bigger screens until better display technology is made available. A new report suggests that Apple may be reversing that course and the tech giant could release its next iPhone model with a larger screen and more color options.

A report from Reuters suggests that the next iPhone may be starkly different than the current iPhone 5 model.

Apple is believed to currently be scouting out larger displays for a smartphone that could be released before the end of 2013.

In terms of color choices Apple is rumored to be going with a plastic body which could allow for simple color changes.

According to the rumor Apple iPhone devices could arrive with 4.7-inch and 5.7-inch displays. In comparison, the current Apple iPhone 5 features a smaller 4-inch display.

Apple as is usually the case with iPhone rumors is refusing to comment on the future of displays on Apple iPhone devices.

In a recent conversation Tim Cook said Apple doesn’t offer a larger display because they come with “a lot of tradeoffs.” Cook then added:

“People do look at the size, but they also look at things like if the photos show the proper color, the white balance, reflectivity, battery life, brightness, the longevity of the display.”

The Reuters report also echoes statements by the Wall Street Journal which claims a $99 low-cost iPhone is in the works.

Tim Cook recently said Apple iPhone devices will only be expanded to include more options if customers demand those options. The real question is whether Apple iPhone users want a cheaper entry level device and if they will pay more for a 4.7-inch iPhone or even a 5.7-inch iPhone.

If you’re hoping for a major size upgrade to occur with the Apple iPhone 5S you are probably out of luck, that device is expected to feature some small tweaks alongside the Apple iOS 7 platform.

Would you pay more for an Apple iPhone with a bigger display?

Apple iPhone’s With Bigger Screens And More Colors May Soon Arrive, $99 Price Suggested is a post from: The Inquisitr

Debenhams, a high-street department store in the UK, claims that they have a moral obligation to ban the use of airbrushing techniques on all lingerie model shots.

The department store says that they “want to help customers feel confident about their figures without bombarding them with unattainable body images,” says Daily Mail.

The use of today’s technology, such as digital photography and airbrushing is creating unrealistic body shapes and flawless skin, which can, and does make men and women of all ages feel insecure about how they look.

Though, some recent research shows that about half of schoolgirls as young as 12-years-old are unhappy with their image and weight, and some are skipping meals in order to look like the airbrushed images that they see on a daily basis.

Debenhams knows they can’t be the change alone, so they are calling on other retailers to follow them in the fight to promote positive body-image through, “’minimal retouching rather than bombarding them with unattainable body images,’ said a spokesperson”

While minimal retouching is at least a start, Debenhams hopes that others will follow suit and ultimately ban airbrushing techniques all together.

Sharon Webb, Head of Lingerie buying and design for Debenhams stated,

“As well as being a positive from a moral point of view, it ticks the economic boxes as well.

‘Millions of pounds a year are spent by organizations retouching perfectly good images,”

Webb goes on to say,

“As a rule we only airbrush minor things like pigmentation or stray hair and rely on the natural beauty of models to make our product look great.”

According to Daily Mail, Debenhams previously ran trials with size 16 mannequins in windows and has worked with disabled models and paralympians and this move furthers the store’s commitment to promoting positive body image and inclusivity.

Debenhams says that their campaign is “all about making omen feel fabulous about themselves rather than crushing their self-esteem by using false comparisons.”

Body image and low self-esteem go hand in hand in today’s society. Do you think other retailers will jump on board with the ban on airbrushing?

Image via Huffington Post]

Debenhams’ Moral Obligation To Ban Airbrushing is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sebastien De La Cruz, the 11-year-old singer who was subjected to racist criticism after game 3 of the NBA Finals, will return to the court in San Antonio to sing the Star Spangled Banner before game 4.

De La Cruz, who was introduced as the “boy with the golden voice,” was wearing a traditional mariachi outfit when he grabbed the microphone on Tuesday night. After his performance, several people took to Twitter to launch racist insults at the 11-year-old singer.

One user wrote: “Can’t believe they had the nerve to have a beaner singing the national anthem of America #smh.”

Another added: “There’s a little Mexican kid singing the national anthem… What has the world come to?”

De La Cruz wasn’t bothered by the comments, however, and he’s ready to take the stage again tonight.

The 11-year-old singer said: “It’s off my shoulders … I just want to thank everybody for their support … My father and my mother told me that you should never judge people by how they look. You should judge them on the inside. And the saying that I go by is never judge a book by its cover.”

Here’s a video of Sebastien De La Cruz singing the National Anthem.

De La Cruz didn’t score any points for the Spurs, he left that to Danny Green and Gary Neal, but the 11-year-old singer could be San Antonio’s good luck charm. The Spurs beat the Heat on Tuesday night by more than 30 points and they are hoping to take another step closer to an NBA Championship tonight.

Sebastien De La Cruz Shrugs Off Racist Comments, Will Sing National Anthem Before Game 4 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Let’s face it, Henry Cavill is one good looking cut of man. Even veteran television journalist Katie Couric seemed to notice when she sat down with the Man of Steel actor on her daytime talk show Katie.

Couric appeared to get a bit flustered when chatting with Cavill, who plays Clark Kent/Superman in Zack Snyder’s reboot of the DC Comics franchise. At one point, she asked him about his “packaging.”

She did unwittingly illustrate her own point. Couric was asking Cavill (and his co-star Amy Adams) if in Hollywood, some stars are helped along the path to celebrity more by their looks than their talent.

“Women sometimes … There is such a thing as being too ‘ridiculously good-looking,’ as they would say in Zoolander,” Couric noted.

Then she asked, “But do you worry at all, Henry, about it getting in the way of your acting and for people … in terms of people taking you seriously for your craft, instead of your … packaging?” she said, visibly searching for the right word and opting for a Freudian slip instead.

The audience laughed, and Couric saw what she did there. “I said packaging! I said packaging, please,” she said to her giggling studio.

Cavill shot an awkward look to the audience while co-star Adams laughed. He recovered, and delivered a truly humble Superman answer.

“It’s all down to the filmmaker, really. How he or she shoots me and how, you know, I interact with the castmates. You can look any way you want, but your director will make you look however he wants you to look.”

Later in the interview, Adams revealed that her 3-year-old daughter has her very first crush on none other than Cavill.

Check out the video of Katie Couric’s sit-down with Henry Cavill and Amy Adams below!

[Image via: Jaguar PS / Shutterstock]

Henry Cavill Gets Katie Couric All Hot And Bothered [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Most teens of the 90s can tell you the first time they saw their own favorite classic  90s “teen” movie. There’s so many that detailed what it means to be an angst-ridden teen, and many of those films would result in high expectations of the high school experience.

Yesterday 20-somethings gathered all over the internet to commemorate the fifteenth year anniversary of the teen flick Can’t Hardly Wait. The film meant a lot to teens during its 1998 theatrical release.

Its lead star Ethan Embry played high school graduate Preston Meyers, (or Prestoooone, as said by a then-unknown Jason Segel).  Embry’s character was a hopeless romantic who was after his one true love Amanda Beckett (Jennifer Love Hewitt), but the actor had his own confession to make about his experience filming Can’t Hardly Wait.  “At the time, when we were shooting that, I was the world’s biggest stoner,” said Embry.  He continued, crushing the dreams of 20-somethings, “I haven’t seen the movie all the way through, and I was stoned. I never read the script. It’s about a party right? Underage kids drinking and smoking and having underage sex, right?” It goes without saying that Ethan Embry’s experience with Can’t Hardly Wait isn’t the same as the teens that sat down to watch the film in 1998.

Let’s take it back a few years. Kids born in the mid 80s could barely remember the romanticized classics like The Breakfast Club, Better Off Dead, and Sixteen Candles. While we caught TBS reruns of the films and borrowed VHS tapes, none of those movies felt like they were ours.  Can’t Hardly Wait was one of our first cult classics, and we knew it even back then.

I remember exactly when I saw Can’t Hardly Wait on the big screen. It was released June 12, 1998, and I remember seeing it the day after its theater debut. All promos screamed that it would be the party of the century. Some geek exclaims during a promo “I can’t feel my legs!” also Sabrina The Teenage Witch (formerly known as Clarissa Explains It All kid) gets thrown into a pool; my excitement for the movie was tenfold. Nothing out of the ordinary happened on that day, but it was a monumental experience for me. It sticks out in my mind because I had turned thirteen a month earlier, and this would be my first legal viewing of a PG-13 film.

Adding to this occasion is that I wasn’t seeing Can’t Hardly Wait with my friends. My big sister was actually taking me to see my first “teen” film. So on a scale from 1 to 10, I was a fifteen on the cool barometer. At the time some of the jokes may have flown over my head, but I do remember laughing, because that’s what you were supposed to do. It was considered the “cool” thing to do while Seth Green’s sex-obsessed wigga-inflected Kenny Fisher was getting ready to find his ‘lucky honey” to be the one to get him laid.

The moment I knew this was the movie of my generation was when 90s it girl Jennifer Love Hewitt made her grand entrance to the night to end all high school parties.  At that moment I realized sitting in a non-stadium seat, that this was MY Pretty In Pink, and it was a calling to my generation. She was the girl all of us young teen girls wanted to be in that moment; she was drooled on by everyone, and by the end of the film, she had so many romantic proclamations that by the time Preston, who claims to be her pop tart soul mate has the nerve to talk to her, she doesn’t see him for the sweet and charismatic guy that he really is.

It was our film that we could thoroughly soak up in the moment.  One that we could quote at lunch the next day, and pretend as if we were all tormented tomboys like Denise Flemming (Lauren Ambrose). It had our music like the ill-fated Smash Mouth hit “Walkin On The Sun”, bombastic hip-hop of the time by Busta Rhymes, and the “broody” “Inside Out” by Eve 6.  The characters were incredibly colorful, all unique with their goals and accomplishments listed in yearbook-style in the opening sequence. It seemed like there was a character for everyone to relate to. The moment the opening credits started, it felt like a special shared experience. For the first time we were invited to the most popular party of the summer, and it was definitely something to remember.

After the experience ended, the film lived on. We clung to the fashion from Kenny’s goggles, to Denise’s short haircut. It became some of our tragic and thankfully temporary staples. It was such a cult classic that it became the running formula for other teen movies to come, and was even spoofed in the 2001 Not Another Teen Movie.

Although it seemed to be the slower part of the film for me back then, Can’t Hardly Wait isn’t without its “sentimental moments.” Fifteen years later when I re-watch it my favorite moment is a very trippy appearance by Jenna Elfman as a glittery stripper angel that guides Preston back to “get the girl” instead of moping around listening to Barry Mannilow in his car. It’s overdramatic, and WTF-worthy, and all sorts of messed up, but those were the 90s, and it was mine.

Ethan Embry’s ‘Can’t Hardly Wait’ Experience Was Not Like Mine is a post from: The Inquisitr

Shannon Richardson, The Walking Dead actress who sent ricin-laced letters to President Obama and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, did it because she wanted to be famous, her husband said. A third letter was also sent to the director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

Retired Army veteran Nathaniel Richardson went on the Today show Thursday morning and revealed that his estranged wife “really wanted to be an actress” and that she “wanted to get her face out there.” 

Richardson, who was initially framed for sending the letters, said he doesn’t feel any sympathy for his wife.

“She has done this to herself,” he said. “She has destroyed my reputation and my life, but there’s a way up from this and if I sit here and focus on anger, I can’t focus on getting on with my life.”

Earlier this month, Shannon Richardson — also known as Shannon Rogers Guess — directed the blame for the ricin letters at her husband, telling police that she found a Tupperware container full of castor beans — which are used to make the poison — in their refrigerator. She also claimed that she found Internet searches related to the president and Mayor Bloomberg, as well as instructions for making ricin.

Nathaniel Richardson said that he was not involved in sending the letters, and had no idea what the poison was called.

“I was calling it licin,” he said.

After several rounds of questioning, police determined that Shannon Richardson, who is currently pregnant with her sixth child, was the one responsible for sending the letters. The letters were all sent from Shreveport, Louisiana, on May 20. Each contained ricin, which has no antidote and can kill a person in 36 hours.

Richardson was arrested on June 7 in Mount Pleasant, Texas, and faces up to 10 years in prison if she is convicted.

You can watch Nathaniel Richardson’s Today interview below.

Shannon Richardson Sent Ricin Letters Because She ‘Wanted Her Face Out There’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Man of Steel is the first Superman movie in seven years and it is on the verge of opening tomorrow in US theaters as well as 24 other overseas markets.

The expectations are high, to say the least. The Wrap is reporting that the Zack Snyder’s film could take it at least $100 million when if flies into 4,207, 80% of which are 3D.

But Warner Bros. and their partner Legendary Pictures are toning down the hype a bit and saying that they expect the movie to take in $85 million in its debut weekend. Lowering expectation in case it doesn’t do as well as they expect it will.

This is a familiar tactic used in the entertainment world, competitors raising expectations while the subject studio keeps things leveled a bit. The tracking predicts that Man of Steel could make up to $95 million while analysts say it will hit the $105 million mark over the three days.

Warner Bros. has gone all out on its marketing campaign to promote what they hope will be their next blockbuster. They have partnered with Walmart, who is offering an early screening in the US tonight, Twizzlers has the superhero’s face as do Gillette razors.

RAM trucks have been running ads on TV and the film was one of the sponsors of the NBA playoffs. There are also action figures of the red caped man. Superman is everywhere.

Considering the film had an estimated $225 million budget, the studio is doing everything in its power to recoup that and then some. The aim is to reach the $1 billion mark, which shouldn’t be impossible to do in face of all the PR going on.

The reviews are good so far and Henry Cavill is making the rounds in talk shows morning and night promoting the film. The world premiere as well as the European premiere took place this week and he is in his home town of Jersey receiving a hero’s welcome.

Everything is set for Man of Steel’s grand opening tomorrow and if all goes well Henry Cavill will not only be playing a hero, but being one for Warner Bros.

‘Man Of Steel’ On Track To Make $100 Million On Opening Weekend is a post from: The Inquisitr

Edgecomb, ME – Lady, a young black Labrador was recently found wandering the Waldoboro, Maine area near Orffs Corner by Waldoboro Animal Control Officer Laurice Ducharme. She was taken to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter for processing.

First glance of the animal showed no obvious signs or evidence of mistreatment. However, a more thorough examination of the Lab later revealed an unimaginable roadmap of otherwise hidden abuse.

X-rays taken of Lady clearly exposed a body riddled with several dozen BBs still lodged in place – scores of them from nose to tail. All told, based on the vet’s best assessment, Lady had been shot with 80 to 100 brass BBs. Amazingly, none of the rounds caused any major damage to the animal’s vasculature or vital organs.

Lady was first transferred to Boothbay to be spayed. Oddities discovered during a routine physical spurred the vet to have x-rays done – noticing something wasn’t quite right when he felt an abnormal bump under the skin of the dog’s nose.

Images revealed the startling truth that Lady’s head alone contained nearly 50 tiny metal rounds. Somehow she managed to not suffer injury to either of her eyes – though the animal’s eyelids, as well as the rest of her body, had scars from the penetrating and glancing BBs.

Maine authorities, with the help of the Lincoln County Animal Control Office, are attempting to track down the perpetrators who obviously intentionally set out to torture the one-year-old dog before abandoning her. Officers are determined to bring anyone responsible for this abuse to justice.

Lady has since been adopted by Peter Blanton, who took her in shortly after having to put his own 8-year-old Lab to sleep. Missing the companionship, Blanton visited the shelter and came upon Lady, who reminded him of his beloved Lab.

Boothbay Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Dean Domeyer, who treated Lady, initially wanted to leave the BBs in place, finding the procedure to excise them more traumatic.

However, concerns of the metal type, whether they are brass or lead, will have to be determined and thereupon a decision will be made to remove the pellets if they are in fact lead and not brass. There are plans to remove a few superficial rounds and have them tested.

[Images via Lincoln County Animal Shelter Facebook]

X-Ray Reveals Unimaginable Abuse Of Shelter Stray is a post from: The Inquisitr

Video footage shows Justin Bieber was not driving his Ferrari through his gated Calabasas, Los Angeles neighborhood on Memorial Day.

A video obtained by L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. Deputies containing footage of the singer’s white Ferrari pulling up outside his Calabasas residence on May 27, shows that Tyler, The Creator, a 22-year-old rapper and friend of the pop star, was behind the wheel.

According to TMZ, law enforcement sources told the website the five-minute clip appears to support Tyler Okonma’s June 1 admission that he was the driver on Memorial Day.

In the video, Bieber is reportedly shown closely following the Ferrari on his motorcycle.

Ex-NFL player Keyshawn Johnson, one of two witnesses claiming to have seen Bieber driving his Ferrari at high speeds, is then seen arriving at the teen star’s home about 30 seconds later.

At that point in the clip, Tyler is seen getting out of the Ferrari and Justin gets into the driver’s seat, in order to maneuver the low slung, luxury vehicle into his garage.

Despite Keyshawn’s Johnson emphatic insistence that he knew the “difference between a black kid driving a car and a white kid driving a car,” it seems he only saw Bieber behind the wheel of the Ferrari at the point when the 19-year-old was about to park it.

The video footage corroborates TMZ’s June 1 report, which stated:

“Keyshawn says he saw Justin behind the wheel of his Ferrari in the driveway of his gated community. We’re told 3 other witnesses also saw Justin behind the wheel.”

“Keyshawn tells TMZ … when he confronted Justin in his garage … Justin said he wasn’t driving during the wild ride and got into the driver’s seat in the driveway to park the car into the garage — which is a tricky maneuver in a low-riding vehicle.”

The Sheriff’s Department report on the case will shortly be sent to the District Attorney’s Office for review.

According to TMZ’s sources, it is “highly unlikely” criminal charges will be filed.

Sheriff’s spokesman, Steve Whitmore, who has confirmed the video exists and that it shows Bieber on a motorcycle, has since stepped back from his previous “definitive” witness statement position, and gave ABC News a wider non-quote saying: ‘regardless of who was behind the wheel, the reckless driving needs to stop.’

As IQ previously observed, the key questions in this investigation were always at what point in the journey the witnesses claimed to have seen Bieber driving and how clearly, given the speed they themselves claimed the Ferrari was traveling at.

Now, thanks to the video, those questions appear to have been answered. But it does beg the question: Having been tried and convicted already in the court of public opinion, would Bieber also have been in a real court without the video?

It’s a sobering note for a country that claims democracy, justice and liberty as its greatest triumphs.

@fucktyler all good buddy. i deal with this everyday. thanks though. the baby aint mine either.

— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 3, 2013

[Image via adidas NEO]

Justin Bieber: Video Unequivocally Shows He Was Not Driving is a post from: The Inquisitr

Amanda Bynes has taken Twitter by storm recently and the majority of the world around us has mixed reviews about her toppling tantrums. From Drake to Cher to Miley Cyrus and back to Drake, the once teen idol has turned into the Simon Cowell of Twitter.

Imagine giving Bynes a shiny desk with a notepad and sending celebrities in front of her before she sends them off the stage by calling them “ugly” or explaining how they don’t compare.

No matter which way you look at it, she’s easily becoming the most popular thing to hit the web of all-time. Her two million plus followers have completely fallen in love with her every thought, though it’s unknown which ones are just having a laugh and who’s actually concerned.

From one celebrity to another, Bynes has called out the best of them and sometimes completely changes her stance within hours or days of her social media bashings. To top it off, she regularly deletes her most critical tweets. What does that prove?

Maybe she’s had a change of heart? Not so likely. Maybe she’s taking over the world of social media and teasing every follower in the process? Sounds more like it.

The 27-year-old grew up acting as cute and innocent characters in the majority of her films and TV spots, though she also came off as ditsy through many of her roles. As she grew out of being a teen idol, her personality and stunning displays on social media have proven there’s no stopping the Twitter diva.

Amanda Bynes has created a long-list of mishaps and lashings over the past few months and here’s a few to hold you over. For starters, she reportedly threw a glass pipe out of her apartment window and ended up in court in May.

Bynes has posted photos on Twitter of herself practically naked and there’s always the never-ending saga of attacking other celebrities. She’s said that Drake is “ugly” but that she still likes him, that Cher is “ugly and a flop,” that Rihanna’s just “not pretty enough,” and of course the feud with Miley Cyrus that’s currently making the rounds. Here’s a breakdown of some of her most notorious attacks on Twitter.

Amanda Bynes Gets Personal With Rihanna

Bynes wasn’t holding anything back when she attacked Rihanna’s personal life with Chris Brown in late May. Her anti-Rihanna tweets became an instant hit, and she went on to say later that, “Rihanna and I met and I’m sure we’ll be in a music video one day.” Can anyone explain how her stance completely changed?

Amanda Bynes Has A Go At Miley Cyrus

This tweet started an all out Twitter war between Bynes and Cyrus that is still working itself out today. The best part about this entire fight is that Bynes never got the disrespectful response she was more than likely looking for from Cyrus. In fact, Cyrus went on to address the issue in an interview with radio host Kane on Hot 99.5.

“I won’t even entertain that thought. I think it’s all so sad and I don’t want to add any fuel to that fire. It’s so sad to me,” she said about Bynes’ attack. “I was rooting for her comeback until she started attacking me, and I just thought it was hilarious that she mentioned my name the moment I was the worldwide trending topic on Twitter.”

Cyrus Speaks Out, Bynes Has A Change Of Heart

If this doesn’t lead to even more confusion that I don’t know what does. Cyrus went from being “ugly” in Bynes’ book to being “one of the prettiest girls!” She also noted that she’d like have her nose “look like yours after my surgeries.” It looks like Miley Cyrus is not only of the most popular singers in the nation, but also an inspiration to Twitter’s newest queen, or at least her nose is.

The One Tweet That Got Everyone’s Attention

This tweet by Amanda Bynes took Twitter by storm, as you can tell by the 55,451 re-tweets and 37,385 favorites. Everything since this gem has spiraled out of control for Ms. Bynes. Her stance on the popular hip-hop artist after the tweet has changed over and over again as she’s called him “ugly” on multiple occasions.

No matter how many ideas come to mind as to the reasoning behind Bynes out-of-this-world tweets, she continues to say she doesn’t do drugs.

“For those asking, I’m voicing my opinion,” she posted. “I’ve been asked if I do drugs, I don’t do drugs for the last time!”

For all we know, she’s sitting back and laughing at us all. Good for you Amanda Bynes, as I finished this post I’m still extremely confused and loving every minute of it.

Amanda Bynes Confusing The World, One Tweet And Delete At A Time is a post from: The Inquisitr

There’s a horrible saying that goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Aside from the obvious offense, Courteney Cox is proving that saying wrong. At 48, which often means dead in Hollywood speak, Cox has decided to better her odds in the industry by turning to the director’s chair.

Courteney Cox will be making her feature directorial debut with her film Hello I Must Be Going. Although she’s known primarily for her roles on F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and Cougar Town, this isn’t the first step Cox has made behind the scenes. Since she retired her role of playing Monica Gellar, Cox has taken control of her career by producing.

As a producer Cox has lent her hand to numerous television series, including Mix It Up, Dirt, and of course her TBS comedy that also sees her as the star in Cougar Town. As for her career change to directing, we’ve already had a small glimpse of what Cox can do, but until now it hasn’t been on a large scale. She’s directed a few episodes of Cougar Town as well as a TV movie, so it’s safe to say that Hello I Must Be Going is her baby and her debut in many ways.

Hello I Must Be Going is penned by screenwriter David Flebotte (Desperate Housewives), and tells a story of a troubled man who returns to his hometown to right his wrongs right before he plans to commit suicide. Courteney Cox has got her work cut out for her, as this film stars A-lister Kate Walsh (Private Practice) and usual funny guy Seann William Scott of American Pie fame. If the title sounds a bit familiar, it’s because this isn’t the only film of its title. Last year there was a film titled Hello I Must Be Going. As of now it’s unknown whether or not Cox will be changing her title.

Her Hello I Must Be Going is set to shoot next month, and will also be produced by Cox and her newly ex-husband David Arquette through their banner Coquette Productions.

Courteney Cox Finds A New Job is a post from: The Inquisitr