Some people were surprised when Kurt Sutter cast Courtney Love in a small role on Sons of Anarchy in its final season, as a schoolteacher, no less. But Love, hardcore rocker and widow of Kurt Cobain, first got critical raves for acting in the film, The People vs Larry Flynt alongside Woody Harrelson. Now it looks like the SOA role may not have been a fluke for Courtney, as she’s landed a role in the hot new hip-hop drama, Empire.

Is the Queen of Grunge making an acting comeback in the world of hip-hop?

Courtney Love made her debut last week on Empire as fading rock star Elle Dallas, who made the Empire Entertainment label what it is today as the first artist on the label to achieve commercial success. While playing an artist that Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) is trying to rehabilitate professionally and personally, one could argue Love doesn’t have to make much of a stretch in acting talents. But Courtney has proven herself outside the rock star roles, which she told Hollywood Reporter she has intentionally avoided in the past.

“Back in the day, I wouldn’t play rock stars. I got offered a lot of [those] parts, and I turned them down, but it’s a new time, and it’s a new dawn, and I’m really committed to doing this full-time whether it be theater or television or film.”

Love’s acting skills seem legit. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role in The People vs Larry Flynt, and Empire star Taraji P. Henson heaped praise on Courtney Love in a recent Fox interview.

“I absolutely love working with Courtney. She is a pro. She is so good. She is so available. She is such a team player in a scene. We gave each other great stuff to work off of. We trusted each other. I love her and I can’t wait to play with her again.”

Not only does Love get to immerse herself in acting again, but given she’s playing a rock star, you know she has to perform a few songs, as well. She already covered Al Green’s “Take Me to the River,” but Rolling Stone has posted an exclusive clip of Courtney Love’s next performance on Empire. This time around she performs an original song, “Walk Out on Me,” that will also be featured on the series soundtrack.

Could we see a musical comeback from Courtney Love, as well? The Hole frontwoman is reportedly planning a solo tour with Lana Del Ray this summer.

[Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images]

Courtney Love Making Comeback In Hip-Hop? Lands New ‘Empire’ Role is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The Real Housewives of New York star Ramona Singer has been keeping a low profile since her marriage fell apart last year. Even though Ramona was often bragging about how wonderful her marriage was to Mario Singer, she didn’t realize that Mario wasn’t happy and was looking elsewhere for love and intimacy. He had found himself a mistress, something Ramona was not pleased about.

Ramona Singer dodged Any Cohen’s questions during the previous reunion, which was right after the story broke. Clearly, Singer was not ready to talk about her feelings. But Ramona has revealed that she will now spill the beans as she is writing a tell-all memoir. And this book is not meant as a bashing for her estranged husband. This book will be about her entire life.

According to a new Bravo report, The Real Housewives of New York star Ramona Singer is ready to open up about everything that has happened to her during her lifetime. Of course, Singer never hid the fact that her father was a violent and aggressive man, so one can imagine that she will provide some details from her childhood.

“I’m actually opening up about my whole life,” Ramona Singer has revealed about this new memoir, adding, “You’re really a product of your environment and the trials and tribulations you go through your entire life. I wouldn’t be where I am without it, and I want to inspire women to be strong and have true faith. You can achieve anything you need to and get over the obstacles.”

Fans of The Real Housewives of New York will be eager to hear how Ramona is doing. She has been putting on a tough face throughout this entire ordeal, but one can imagine that she is hurt by everything that has happened.

According to the Inquisitr, Ramona Singer has revealed that she is happy and ready to move on from a scandalous year. Previously, Singer had said that she had tried to make her marriage work by giving Mario many chances to improve his dedication to her. He had moved back into the apartment they shared, but Ramona later learned that he had continued his affair with his mistress.

“I tried to make my marriage work because I have strong values and I believe that people make mistakes,” Singer said back then, adding, “But you reach a point where you realize the other person isn’t putting in as much effort as you are. And I reached my breaking point.”

Would you read Ramona Singer’s memoir about what happened to her?

[Image via Bravo]

Ramona Singer To Talk About Mario’s Cheating In New Tell-All: ‘I’m Opening Up’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Vanessa Lachey just gave birth, but her post-baby body seems to have bounced back into shape in just weeks. Now the wife of Nick Lachey is revealing all her weight loss secrets to E News. And Nick himself has a few relationship revelations to add from the perspective as the ex-husband of Jessica Simpson.

The proud new mom of Brooklyn Elisabeth headed back to the gym just a month after giving birth. Included in that workout are a full range of strength-training products, from weight-lifting bars to dumbbells.

Vanessa Lachey shows how she got that post-baby body.

“Mama’s back!!! Let’s do this G! @selfdiscipline #HeartAndHustle #HealthyMommyIsHappyMommy,” she wrote for her workout selfie caption.

But of course Vanessa isn’t neglecting her son, two-year-old Camden, who is now a big brother.

Nick revealed his own views about having both a daughter and son.

“I get the best of both worlds: I have a son and now I’m going to have the experience of a little daughter, which will be a completely different, mind-blowing moment for dad. On a personal side, things could not be in a better place and I could not be more excited. It’s great.”

Vanessa Lachey and Nick Lachey show family love.

Vanessa revealed her own excitement about her baby daughter, reported Us Weekly.

“Baby girl Lachey is finally HERE and we couldn’t be happier!!! All her sweet little details are on VanessaLachey.com. Thank you for all of the love and support, we are over the moon! Xx,” she posted.

So how does Nick feel about Jessica Simpson, his former wife? He’s expressed his relief that they didn’t have children, reported People. And as shown below, Jessica has emphasized that she’s happy for Nick.

“In our situation, that was probably the best thing that could have ever happened, that we didn’t have kids,” reflected Nick. “All things being equal, it was the best thing probably for both of us, that we went on with our lives.”

As for Jessica herself, as the Inquisitr reported, she’s both succeeded in achieving her post-baby weight loss goals and in being in a loving relationship with husband Eric Johnson.

Simpson and Johnson have two children as well, little two-year-old Maxwell and 19-month-old Ace. And even on date nights, Jessica and Eric can’t stop gushing about their kids.

Date night with my hubby looking at pictures of our kiddos. These 2 are perfect. Crazy individual people we are so proud of….

[Images Via eonline.com and people.com]

Vanessa Lachey Reveals Fabulous Post-Baby Body Secrets, Compared To Nick Lachey’s Ex Jessica Simpson is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Remember when Justin Bieber and Naomi Campbell held hands backstage at the veteran supermodel’s Fashion Relief show last week?

Somewhat inevitably, the ever-unreliable MediaTakeOut conjured up a “source” claiming the 20-year-old singer was dating the 44-year-old catwalk goddess and the rumor mill had a field day.

Shortly after, the watchdog website Gossip Cop busted the nonsense and revealed Naomi had simply been escorting Justin to his front row seat at the fashion show, which was held at the Lincoln Center in New York City on Valentine’s Day to benefit Ebola Relief.

Now, Naomi has shut down the romance rumors herself during an interview with Radio 1’s Breakfast Show host, Nick Grimshaw, on Thursday.

After insisting she thinks Justin is a “nice guy, but not for me,” La Campbell also revealed she had asked the singer to walk the runway in her NYC fashion show but he declined.

(Photo: Naomi Campbell and Justin Bieber held hands backstage at the Lincoln Center)

Unfortunately, for Beliebers, who, no doubt would have loved that, it look like the Canadian singer really meant it when he told host Ellen DeGeneres during a recent appearance on her talk show that he felt “judged” and “nervous” about returning to the spotlight following his turbulent year-plus.

“He was going to walk and then he got nervous. He just felt like he wanted to watch, but I thanked him for his support,” Naomi told Grimshaw.

Pressed by the deejay for more details, the supermodel said of Justin’s state of mind, “He just seemed like he wanted to watch.”

If the Biebs had strutted his stuff he would have joined other celebrity models, including Mary J Blige, Kelly Osbourne, Michelle Rodriguez, Rosario Dawson and Shanina Shaik.

Meanwhile, Naomi is back in her native Britain to host another Fashion Relief show for the Ebola Survival Fund. It is set to take place at London’s Somerset House venue today.

The legendary supermodel launched her Fashion Relief show in 2005 to help survivors of Hurricane Katrina, but has since gone on to use the organization for other worthy causes.

Mail Online reports Naomi has called on her famous friends to walk the catwalk at today’s show, and they will be wearing clothes donated from the world’s most prestigious fashion houses including Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Balmain, Marchesa, Alexander McQueen, Versace.Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy and Azzedine Alaia.

As for Justin, after a whirl of social dates in NYC, the singer has returned to Los Angeles and to work. He let fans know he hit up a recording studio on Wednesday night by posting a picture of himself playing a keyboard, captioned, “Focused I’m focused.”

On Twitter, he directed a tweet to longtime studio engineer Josh Gudwin, writing,

@justinbieber love seeing you writing and focused!!!

— Josh Gudwin (@YeshuaTheGudwin) February 18, 2015

[Images via Shots/Getty Images]

Naomi Campbell Shuts Down Justin Bieber Rumors, Says He Was Too ‘Nervous’ To Walk In Fashion Show is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Each year, we see new WWE Superstars and Divas added to the main roster. Some spend very little time in developmental, like Daniel Bryan. Then you have others who have been in developmental and never once were offered a chance to move up as of yet, such as Tyler Breeze. Breeze has spent 4 years there in fact. Due to the major success of WWE NXT, it is not shocking that WWE is considering the idea of moving some talent up soon.

According to Cageside Seats, WWE plans to bring up quite a number of NXT talent right after WrestleMania 31. A few in mind are of course Sami Zayn, Charlotte, and Adrian Neville. In a bit of a twist, WWE is also considering the idea of bringing up Finn Balor. Balor has only been in developmental since around the summer time. He didn’t appear on an NXT broadcast until the Fall period.

In his time with NXT, he has been impressive to say the very least. The main reason for Finn Balor being called up is mainly due to his age. WWE knows they have a blue chip talent in Balor who could connect to fans in a very unique way. The issue is, he’s 33 years old. Despite how good he may appear and how young he may come across, WWE knows that the time has to be now with Balor. They cannot wait with him.

He has shown that he is more than ready to be on the main roster. On top of this, he has wrestled for large audiences in places like New Japan Pro-Wrestling. So he knows how to connect with big crowds as much as small ones. Age is the reason someone like Alberto Del Rio also spent very little time in developmental. Hideo Itami may also end up seeing the main roster soon for the exact same reason. Many believe Hideo is only in NXT because WWE has nothing for him on the main roster at the moment.

WWE has also considered bringing up Tyler Breeze who many find to be more than ready. Despite being in developmental for a very long time, he is still only 27 years old. So he has plenty of time to make an appearance.

A wildcard we might see is Baron Corbin. He is 30 years old and WWE may take a chance on him and bring him up with Zahra Schreiber as his manager. There is a plan to put the two together in NXT. If she can talk well enough, she could do the talking and the two could have a Rusev/Lana vibe. Although, Baron can speak English just fine he is not a great mic worker. His presence is big though and he is getting great reviews in NXT. So it might happen.

Despite all the thought, WWE may only bring up a couple people. We can almost guarantee Charlotte, Adrian Neville, Finn Balor, and Sami Zayn will be seen. However, any others might be up in the air unless they are coming up as a tag team.

[IMG Credit: DeviantArt-targhanm]

WWE News: Big WWE NXT Names Heading Up To The Main Roster After WrestleMania 31 is an article from: The Inquisitr News

It’s a well known fact that ISIS have some serious recruiting methods, especially when it comes to attracting young western women to their ranks in Syria and Iraq.

But, according to CNN anchorwoman Carol Costello, ISIS are using a new secret weapon in their war against the West, Nutella chocolate spread and cute kittens!

Costello made her remarkable assertions on CNN yesterday, as she proclaimed,

ISIS is talking online about jars of Nutella, pictures of kittens and emojis. They want people to believe their life on the battlefield isn’t so different than yours. They actually eat Nutella, and I guess they have pet kittens.

The Washington Post reported that Costello tweeted video of herself talking about the topic, but that tweet was apparently later deleted.

Nevertheless, Costello does have information to rely on as it has been reported elsewhere that ISIS do indeed use chocolate spread and cute kittens to spread their message, ironic as that may sound.

Back in August 2014 for example, the Daily Mail reported that ISIS were posting pictures on social media with jars of Nutella, and the same report noted that other images showed the terrorists with guns in one hand and adorable kittens in the other.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) also confirmed the ISIS methods of recruitment with Nutella and kittens, as Steven Stalinsky told reporters,

They do have a lot of down time, they are swimming in the ocean, playing soccer, hiking, things like that. Part of the down time is documented. Just like in the West…for their friends and families back home.

It seems like the terrorists of ISIS know no bounds when it comes to irony, as they brutally murder and behead non Muslims by the dozen, while purporting to eat chocolate spread and tend to the needs of innocent young kittens.

ISIS Recruiting Western Women With Nutella And Cute Kittens, Claims CNN Anchorwoman is an article from: The Inquisitr News

An Indiana man is on the run after allegedly killing a man and placing a woman in critical condition after a shooting that occurred on Thursday morning. Brandon Thomas Woody is wanted for questioning regarding the shootings and is considered to be armed and dangerous to anyone that he comes into contact with. Woody is suspected of knowing the man he murdered and the woman that is now in critical condition. Police feel that Woody will be easy to spot, due to his prominent tattoos, but warn that he should not be approached due to his violent history.

WNDU TV reported that the victims, the man previously unnamed until his family was properly notified, were 19 year Joshua Randall from Syracuse, Indiana, and a 23 year old woman named Tara Thornburg. The man was found shot to death in an upstairs bedroom and the woman was found the first floor of the home. Both victims suffered head wounds from the shootings. Police responded to the 911 call within three minutes, but it was too late to save the male victim.

Police feel that the incident is isolated, due to the suspected relationship between Woody and the victims. However, they fear that the call for his arrest may cause him to be violent and unpredictable. According to WSBT TV, Woody has a criminal history that has followed him since he was 16 years old, one incident related to armed robbery. Now 23, his criminal record has grown exponentially.

Although in critical condition, the female victim called police to report the shooting and was able to provide enough detail to identify Woody as the shooter. It is unknown why the shooting took place or how Woody knew the individuals he shot. However, the deceased man and critically injured woman are confirmed to have been in a relationship.

The Syracuse police department is working with the Kosiosko Sheriff’s department and the Indiana State police in hopes of apprehending Woody before more victims are harmed. There is concern that he may flee to another state to hide.

At this time, there is no word on whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the shooting. A third individual that owned the home was at work during the shooting. The victims are known by the local police department from previous calls to the house.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Brandon Thomas Woody is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-342-STOP.

[Photo Courtesy: WSBT TV]

Suspect In Indiana Fatal Shooting At Large, Considered Armed And Dangerous, Local Authorities Asking For Help is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The Vampire Diaries season 6 episode 15, “Let Her Go,” is going to be an emotional hour. It’s time for Sheriff Forbes’ funeral, and the promo alone seems to promise waterworks. As you can see in the video below, Caroline is going to be having a tough time saying goodbye, even as she tries to keep busy.

There is some good news for this Vampire Diaries episode, however. TVGuide.com has shared a video of executive producers Julie Plec and Caroline Dries talking about Bonnie’s return, which is going to come just when the others need her. However, as Dries previewed, Bonnie’s time alone is going to affect her.

“Bonnie obviously is going to come back having the scars of what she went through, being by herself for so long, just the post-traumatic stress of having no one to talk to, and all of a sudden, you’re back and you’re in a party environment where there’s people around and loud music. So she’s going to be dealing with the psychological ramifications, but actually her timing comes at a really good point in the show too for the other characters, so that she kind of shows up right when they need a boost of friend energy.”

Bonnie wasn’t always alone in the prison world, and while she and Damon may have started out hating each other and wishing they weren’t stuck together – the words “own personal hell” have been used – that did change the longer they were stuck together, and Plec has said that their reunion is “beautiful” when it comes on The Vampire Diaries.

“I think the reunion will be really special. She’s built up quite a friendship with Damon over their time together, and I think that in spite of entering the situation pretty much hating each other, and bickering their entire way through, I think they’ve legitimately missed each other, and so to see the two of them come back together again will be pretty beautiful.”

As the Inquisitr previously reported, “Let Her Go” is going to see Stefan and Caroline needing to have a certain conversation about what that kiss meant, what happens next and what their relationship is about exactly. E! Online has posted a Vampire Diaries sneak peek from the episode showing Caroline blurting out what happened to Elena amidst preparing for her mother’s funeral. The clip begins with Elena offering Caroline advice on how to get through what’s coming based on her own experience, and that’s when Caroline tells her she kissed Stefan.

“I want to talk to him about it, but if it’s bad, I feel he won’t be honest, not today,” Caroline admits.

Elena suggests she wait until tomorrow to talk to him then, but Caroline needs to know today.

Candice Accola spoke to E! Online about what’s coming next for Stefan and Caroline, as the moment they shared at the cabin was interrupted when Damon had to bring her mother to the hospital.

“They need to talk and figure out what this is and what’s happening. At this point, Caroline is really focused on the funeral when we begin the episode, but we will see them have a conversation at some point in the future and the result of that conversation is going to say a lot.”

The Vampire Diaries season 6 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

[Image via the CW]

‘The Vampire Diaries’ Spoilers: Bonnie’s Return And Reunion With Damon And Stefan And Caroline Post-Kiss is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Kate Gosselin is making headlines this week due to a story that claims that she was investigated by child protective services for the alleged mistreatment of one of her children. According to Radar Online, a source called authorities after claiming to see Kate abuse her 10-year-old son, Collin. The report states that Kate was quite mean to Collin, and that the other children would cry to their dad, Jon Gosselin, about how their mom treated their brother.

“Someone called and told them that Kate had been both physically and psychologically abusive to one of her sextuplets, Collin… [Kate] seems to single him out.”

Kate Gosselin drama doesn’t seem to end. The reality star has been in the news plenty of times in regard to the way that she treats her kids, and many believe that these stories are over-embellished in order to award someone with a nice payday. Rumors that Kate has “abused” her children have been around for quite some time. The gossip started right after Kate and Jon Gosselin got divorced, and chatter seems to creep up every time Kate’s having some kind of success. Whether she was on Dancing With The Stars or Celebrity Apprentice, the negativity seems to come out at just the “right” time.

Back in June, Mail Online reported that Kate was running a “house of horrors.” Unnamed sources claimed that she was rough with her children, and that she would mistreat her dogs.

Kate Gosselin has done a pretty fine job at letting these stories roll off her back. Chances are, she wouldn’t have a reality show on TLC if there was any real concern for the well being of her children. The network has been very clear about what they allow, and what they stand for, which is why Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was canceled after June Shannon’s relationship with a registered sex offender came to light.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Kate and her ex, Jon, had quite a nasty split. In fact, the two barely speak to each other at this point. Some believe that Jon is the one behind these negative stories.

“I don’t have [a relationship with Jon anymore]. I give the kids… some of the kids visit and some don’t and I keep the peace. That’s what I’ve always done. It’s best for the kids. I wish that things were better for the kids. It’s very clear by now that I’m just trying to preserve what relationship he has with them. I do think it’s best for them, but, you know, divorce is hard, period. But it’s really difficult when one parent is in the sabotaging mode. That’s been difficult,” Kate said last month.

Do you believe the Kate Gosselin rumors? Do you think that she abuses her children in any way?

[Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images]

Kate Gosselin Drama: Did ‘Kate Plus 8’ Star Abuse One Of Her Children? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Sometimes, Advanced Placement talks about the parts of history no one is okay with, but still need to know about.

Fox News is reporting that Oklahoma state representative Dan Fisher (R; Yukon) has authored House Bill 1380, which is asking to ban funding for Advanced Placement history courses. Fisher feels that the AP classes, as they are known, do not deal with history fairly, often failing to teach students “American Exceptionalism.” Fisher states the AP classes focus on the “bad in America.”

Thin move is being seen as a first attempt to remove Advanced Placement from Oklahoma schools. Many lawmakers see Advanced Placement as similar to “Common Core, a nationally standardized schooling program that allows funds to be distributed federally based on acceptance and performance within Common Core.

Oklahoma legislators voted a year ago to move away from Common Core. and then passed a law that allows the state to set and administer its own scholastic standards.

Advanced Placement courses are governed by the College Board, a private entity that also governs the year-end final exam. This allows high school students to receive college credits for college work. College admissions offices tend to favor college applications that include Advanced Placement courses on them. The College Board have labelled claims by Fisher “mythology and not true.”

Think Progress is reporting that House Bill 1380 passed the Oklahoma House Education Committee by an 11-4 vote. All 11 Republicans voted for the bill, while all four Democrats on the Committee voted against the bill.

Fisher is part of a group called the “Black Robe Regiment,” which argues “the church and God himself has been under assault, marginalized, and diminished by the progressives and secularists.” The group attacks the “false wall of separation of church and state.” The Black Robe Regiment claims that a “growing tide of special interest groups indoctrinating our youth at the exclusion of the Christian perspective.”

In August last year, the Republican National Committee blasted the Advanced Placement U.S. History test, claiming it “deliberately distorts and/or edits out important historical events.” The RNC claims a newly adopted framework the exam adopted “reflects a radically revisionist view of American history that emphasizes negative aspects of our nation’s history while omitting or minimizing positive aspects.” The College Board stated that the exam’s framework has not changed since 2012.

Oklahoma is not the first state to try to alter the Advanced Placement program. Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina are all trying to either alter or eliminate the Advanced Placement program altogether.

[Image courtesy of The Lost Ogle]

Oklahoma Representative Not Okay With History Advanced Placement Style is an article from: The Inquisitr News

In an attempt to defend himself against accusations of racism, Rudy Giuliani says his assertion that the president does not love America could not be racist because President Obama was raised by a white mother.

The former mayor of New York set off a media firestorm on Wednesday night when he asserted President Obama does not love America during a fundraising event for Governor Scott Walker.

“I do not believe, and I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America. He doesn’t love you. And he doesn’t love me. He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country.”

On Thursday, Democrats criticized Giuliani for questioning the president’s patriotism, saying his remarks were racist and his criticisms of Obama’s upbringing imply the president’s background makes him different from other Americans. In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, the former mayor dismisses the accusation that is comments were racist, saying he was just explaining President Obama’s worldview.

“Some people thought it was racist — I thought that was a joke, since he was brought up by a white mother, a white grandfather, went to white schools, and most of this he learned from white people. This isn’t racism. This is socialism or possibly anti-colonialism.”

In another interview on Thursday, Rudy Giuliani told the hosts of Fox & Friends he is not questioning the president’s patriotism; however, President Obama does not express his love for country like past Presidents Clinton and Reagan and instead he’s more often heard being critical of the United States, which calls into question the president’s support of the country.

“I do hear him criticize America much more often than other American presidents. And when it’s not in the context of an overwhelming number of statements about the exceptionalism of America, it sounds like he’s more of a critic than he is a supporter.”

In a later interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, she asked the former mayor if he would like to apologize for his inflammatory remarks. “Not at all,” Mr. Giuliani said. “I want to repeat it.”

The White House responded Thursday to the former mayor’s criticisms of the president. The deputy press secretary for the White House says he agrees with Rudy Giuliani in that the remarks “were a horrible thing to say.”

[Image by Rob Kim/Getty Images]

Rudy Giuliani: ‘Obama’s Mother Was White, So I’m Not A Racist’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Dustin Diamond missed his high school reunion, but it turns out it wasn’t the troubled actor’s fault.

Diamond, 38, was noticeably missing from a Saved By The Bell reunion skit that aired on The Tonight Show earlier this month, and apparently Screech was never invited to behind with.

While many assumed that his absence was related to an arrest for a stabbing during a bar fight, Dustin Diamond said he simply wasn’t asked to return to Bayside High School along with his fellow actors.

“It would have been fun, but I don’t see it as a personal insult,” Diamond told Fox 6 News.

Screech wasn’t the only one missing. His on-screen love obsession, Lisa Turtle, was also absent. Actress Lark Voorhies said she was simply too busy to attend.

“Lark would have loved to be part of the Jimmy Fallon skit (as she is a big fan of the show), however due to an intense work schedule she was not available,” her publicist told E! News.

Inviting Dustin Diamond may have been a bit tricky, however. Since leaving the show he has spoken openly about animosity with the other actors, and in a tell-all 2009 book titled Behind The Bell he revealed that the cast and crew slept around and often did drugs.

Dustin Diamond has had a difficult time since leaving the show. He said his parents spent most of the money he made on the show, leaving him with just a few hundred thousand dollars for eight years of work.

In 2006, he tried selling T-shirts to save his home from foreclosure. He was able to sell 20,000 shirts and save the house, but was hit by many complaints from people who said they never got what they ordered.

Later that year Dustin also released a sex tape in a bid to make money, which he now says was “an opportunistic moment when I was young and dumb.”

The problems have continued. On last December 26, Dustin was arrested for allegedly stabbing a man during a fight in a bar.

“Here’s the way I look at it. I walk a very honest and humble path, and I know what kind of person I am. I’m very comfortable where I fit in life,” he said. “I want to have a family. I want to have kids and I want to raise them right. I’m playing comedy clubs. I’m not rich, but I make a living. I’ve tripped and fallen many times in my life. If you don’t, how do you learn?”

Dustin Diamond has also tried mending bridges with his former Saved By The Bell co-stars. In an interview after his book was released he claimed that it was written by a ghostwriter using information from interviews, and that allegations of drug abuse and sex between cast members was overblown.

Dustin Diamond Wasn’t Invited To Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Saved By The Bell’ Reunion is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Has fellow Voice coach and country star Blake Shelton rubbed off on Christina Aguilera? It seems the pop diva is getting in touch with her inner cowgirl as she’s signed on to do a guest role on the country music series, Nashville.

People magazine reports Aguilera has signed on for multiple episodes of Nashville, playing a pop star who wants to go country. While one could argue the lines between pop and country blur more everyday, with artists such as Taylor Swift going from country to pop, and Kelly Clarkson going from pop to country, it might be a bit difficult for fans to imagine Christina Aguilera singing with a southern twang.

Christina will play Jade St. John, a pop sensation who has been on the fast track in that genre a long time, but when she stops in Nashville for a couple of days on her tour, decides it’s time to pursue her dream of recording a country album. But what should be a simple matter for a huge star isn’t so straightforward. Apparently her label isn’t too keen on the idea of messing with a formula that has been such a huge commercial success.

Pop stars taking a turn at acting is nothing new, but the latest twist seems to be genre-bending. Grunge queen Courtney Love is currently doing a guest-starring stint on Empire, which centers around a powerful record label in the world of hip-hop. Love is getting rave reviews, but will Aguilera win over country fans of Nashville and can she even pull off a country-style performance?

Christina Aguilera is no stranger to the world of acting, starring in the feature film Burlesque with Cher, and a cameo in Get Him to the Greek. In addition to the guest starring role on Nashville, Rolling Stone reports Aguilera has a TV series in the works for ABC Family called Hearts and Clubs, which revolves around the lives of Las Vegas entertainers.

With her guest starring role on Nashville, and her series The Voice premiering its eighth season February 23, the new mom has a lot on her plate. Speaking of motherhood, Christina Aguilera and her six month-old daughter, Summer Rain, grace the cover of People magazine this week and it’s apparent her baby girl has inherited her mama’s blue eyes.

The dates that Aguilera’s episodes of Nashville will air haven’t been released yet, but you can catch Christina twice a week on The Voice starting next Monday, February 23.

[Photo by Brian Bowen Smith/NBC]

‘Voice’ Coach Christina Aguilera Headed To ‘Nashville’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The soccer player who fatally punched a referee during a game has received a plea deal which some say is too lenient.

Last July, Bassel Abdul-Amir Saad, a 36 year-old man from Dearborn, Michigan, punched a 44 year-old referee at an adult league match at Mies Park in Livonia, Michigan. The referee, John Bieniewicz, died as a result of the punch leaving behind a wife and two small sons.

According to witnesses, Saad “sucker punched” Bieniewicz after the referee indicated he would eject Saad from the game. At the time, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office released a statement citing what happened.

“It is alleged that Saad became upset and punched the referee in the head.”

Scott Herkes was a player in the soccer game when the incident occurred. Herkes said he was about 30 yards away when Saad punched the referee. “It was terrifying,” he said. “I have never in my life seen something like this.”

The referee died from the punch but was kept on a ventilator until his organs could be harvested and donated through the Gift of Life program. When he wasn’t refereeing soccer matches, Bieniewicz was the lead medical assistant in the Pediatric Chronic Dialysis unit at C.S. Mott Children’s hospital in Ann Arbor.

Murder victim John Bieniewicz with his two sons

Bassel Abdul-Amir Saad was arraigned on a felony second-degree murder charge following Bieniewicz’s death.

Today, a lawyer for Bassel Abdul-Amir Saad says his client has agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors in which he would serve 8-15 years in prison. Saad is expected to enter the guilty plea before Wayne County Circuit Judge Timothy Kenny, according to Wayne County spokeswoman Maria Miller. Saad’s trial was scheduled to begin Monday.

Bieniewicz’s widow, Kris, said earlier this week she hoped Saad “never sees the light of day.”

This is not the first case of a soccer referee dying after being punched during a match. In 2013, a 17 year-old killed a referee by punching him in the face during a youth game in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2012, two fifteen year-olds and a sixteen year-old in the Netherlands beat a 41 year-old linesman during a soccer match. The linesman fell into a coma and died as a result of his injuries.

When referees try to protect themselves, things can get even worse. In 2013, in Brazil, a player attempted to punch a referee during a match. The referee pulled out a knife that he’d been carrying to protect himself from players on the field and stabbed the player who died from the wounds on the way to the hospital. Meanwhile, the player’s friends and family stormed onto the field. They tied up the referee, beat him, stoned him and then quartered him. They then cut off his head and placed it on a pole in the center of the soccer field.

What do you think? Is 8 to 15 years enough of a sentence for a player who lost his temper and fatally sucker punched a ref? What’s the explanation for all the violence in soccer?

[Images via Nicholas Stix Uncensored and DebbieSchussel.com]

Michigan Soccer Player Who Fatally ‘Sucker-Punched’ Referee To Receive Plea Deal – Too Lenient? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Scheana Marie’s boss, Lisa Vanderpump, has come to her defense after a series of nasty comments made by her Vanderpump Rules co-star, Stassi Schroeder.

Since their season two falling out, Marie and Schroeder haven’t gotten along. However, while Marie chose to simply let go of the drama between them and focus on more positive relationships, Schroeder has continued to trash-talk her.

In her latest diss, Schroeder poked fun at Scheana Marie’s wedding dress, a two-piece crop top gown. During Marie’s wedding episode, Schroeder told friend Kristina Kelly that it looked like “a skanky girl’s quinceañera.”

In an interview with In Touch Weekly on February 20, Vanderpump spoke out against Schroeder and her mean girl behavior.

“I didn’t like the negativity from Stassi, that to me says more about the person saying it than the person that’s doing it, and I thought she looked beautiful.”

“Of course, you know, she had the split little dress, the booty-popping dress and whatever, but that’s her, and it was 100 degrees, and it was decent, it wasn’t like she was walking out in like a mini skirt showing her butt or anything, she looked gorgeous, and again, the bitchy comments from Stassi, unnecessary.”

Scheana Marie tied the knot with Mike Shay after three years of dating at Southern California’s Hummingbird Nest Ranch, and while Schroeder was initially asked to be a bridesmaid, she was later removed from the guest list entirely. Still, Vanderpump hoped she would be supportive of the marriage.

“You’ve gotta be happy for somebody, if somebody’s getting married, you know, I’m sure if Stassi was getting married we’d be very happy for her and supportive of her too.”

In the past, Schroeder has expressed interest in getting engaged to boyfriend Patrick Meager, whom she’s been dating for just about one year. However, the couple aren’t yet engaged. So, could Schroeder’s behavior have been the result of jealousy over Marie’s wedding? It may have been.

As the Inquisitr reported, Vanderpump seemed to weigh in on Schroeder’s comments about Scheana Marie’s dress on Twitter. Although the SUR Lounge owner didn’t name Schroeder directly at the time, she certainly made it appear that Schroeder was who she was referring to when she spoke of someone’s jealousy.

Anybody who said one negative thing about that perfect day,gorgeous dress obviously comes from jealousy,all was wonderful.

— Lisa Vanderpump (@LisaVanderpump) February 10, 2015

For more Scheana Marie, tune into Vanderpump Rules every Monday night on Bravo at 9 p.m.

[Photo via Twitter]

Scheana Marie Defended By Lisa Vanderpump Following Stassi Schroeder Diss is an article from: The Inquisitr News

19 Kids and Counting star Jill Duggar Dillard is almost to the finish line in her pregnancy. Jill and Derick Dillard are expecting their baby boy to arrive in late March, and Jill’s baby bump update shows that she’s still full of smiles.

Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard got married last June and as fans saw in the 19 Kids and Counting season premiere this week, they got pregnant very quickly after their wedding day. Viewers will get to follow along with the pregnancy throughout this season of the show, though both Derick and Jill have been sharing a lot of updates via social media over the past few months.

The latest photo from Jill shows her 35-week baby bump. The family’s official Facebook page shares the shot and it shows Jill in her typical baby bump update pose. She’s standing sideways to the camera and holding the chalkboard she updates each week with her progres. In this one, it notes that she is 35 weeks and 1 day along.

The photo was only posted a matter of hours ago, but it already has well over 30,000 “likes” and more than 600 comments. Many 19 Kids fans are commenting on how she is glowing and looks so happy. Though Jill struggled with a lot of nausea early in her pregnancy, she’s been excited and proud throughout and fans love each and every update.

Jill and Derick tell People that the baby has been moving around a lot and they are getting their house ready for a home birth. Derick says they are getting a birthing pool and they already have a crib and bassinet ready.

Jill has done some midwife work in helping other families with their births in the past and now she has a team ready to help her. She adds that her sister Jana will be there, and her other sisters as well as both her mom and Derick’s mom will be running errands as needed.

While for now the Dillards are just referring to the baby as “Baby Dilly,” they have said in the past they will probably use family names for their kids. It won’t be too much longer before 19 Kids fans get to meet Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard’s baby boy and fans are hopeful everything goes smoothly in these last weeks.

New episodes of 19 Kids and Counting air on TLC on Tuesday nights and fans will get to see a lot of Jill’s pregnancy, Jessa’s wedding and Josh and Anna’s fourth pregnancy as well.

[Photo via Duggar family Facebook page]

Jill Duggar Baby Bump: ’19 Kids And Counting’ Star Hits 35-Week Mark In Pregnancy is an article from: The Inquisitr News

John Skelley, a 69-year-old veteran, died of hypothermia in his Michigan home after his gas was turned off.

Skelley was found on February 1, in his home located on West Pearl Street. According to officials, Skelley died of hypothermia and ‘other health issues.’

Gas service at Skelley’s home was disconnected on January 19. According to Consumers Energy, a tag with assistance and reconnection information was left on his door, reports Daily Kos.

Michigan officials now want answers because utility companies are prohibited from turning off heat to homes when residents are 65 or older from November 1 to March 31.

Chief Martin Barner, spokesperson for the Hazel Park Police, said that 69-year-old John Skelley was discovered unresponsive, huddled under blankets in front of a space heater at around 8 a.m. on February. 1.

According to Michigan Public Service Commission the service at Skelley’s home was in another person’s name and they were unaware that Skelley was this person’s roommate.

Deborah Dodd a spokesperson for Consumers Energy told the Detroit Free Press that service at the home had been in the name of Joseph Mixen. Mixen had not kept up with a payment plan to resolve an outstanding $760.28 balance that dated back to March 2012.

“It’s very unfortunate. We had no idea that anyone else was living with him…. We need our customers to let us know if they’re having problems, the sooner the better. We can’t help you if we don’t know you need help,” Dodd said.

Consumer Energy had this to say in a released statement, “This recent Hazel Park death from apparent hypothermia is indeed tragic, and our sympathy goes out to his family, friends and all who’ve been affected by his loss. Following today’s order from the Michigan Public Service Commission, we will file a report about this incident.”

Hangin’ With Heroes, a local veterans group, has stepped up to pay for John Skelley’s funeral. The group is based in metro-Detroit and they have pooled funds together to cover Skelley’s funeral.

The group’s founder Ron Gilmour told local media that Skelley will receive a full military burial. Gilmour added that he has been in touch with Skelley’s family including two of his children.

Tanya Mitchell, Skelley’s daughter, says that her father had been suffering from throat cancer. She added that he had been estranged from most of his family and that they did not know where he was living. Mitchell says that she does not believe that the gas company has any concerns for the elderly they supply heat to.

“I think it might be a front. If you are sorry, why did you shut off the heat for a 69-year-old man? I understand that every business has to be concerned about profit, but they have to be concerned about the customers too. Maybe gas companies should take account of what people earn. That would be helpful,” Mitchell argued.

“I had a friend of mine say, ‘don’t shut people off in the winter, people will freeze.’ We had a problem once with DTE Energy. We went through a payment plan. But for some it is too much, they can’t meet the minimum requirements. It is hard nowadays to keep up with everything,” she added.

State officials have ordered Consumers energy to file a report on the tragedy by March 31.

Photo courtesy of the Detroit Free Press.

69-Year-Old Vet With Cancer Dies Of Hypothermia After Gas Shutoff is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Sam Smith recently opened up about the man who inspired several of his chart-topping songs from his debut album. The man is rumored to be Sam’s manager, music executive Elvin Smith, according to several reports including one from Hello! Daily News.

Smith won four awards at the 2015 Grammys earlier this month. The musician made headlines when he spoke about his unrequited love during his acceptance speech. For Smith’s fans, it’s not entirely shocking to know that his first album was about unrequited love.

The singer accepted his award for Record of the Year. Sam said, “Thank you so much for breaking my heart because now I’ve got four Grammys.”

It’s been rumored the singer revealed to The Sun that he’s moved on from his unrequited love and remains on good terms with his manager. Elvin Smith happens to be straight and didn’t share the musician’s feelings.

“I feel nothing towards him now. I’ll always love him but I’m not in love with him anymore. I definitely don’t crease on the floor in pain anymore.”

Smith admitted that the relationship was all in his head, and it was often one-sided.

“I was the only one in the relationship. It was in my mind and was something I had to get over. I also made the record so that this doesn’t happen again. I don’t want to fall in love again with someone who doesn’t love me back.”

“It’s really tough to explain. But no, he’s not gay. Nothing ever happened between us. I know he loved me too, but not in that way.”

Elvin has continued to support Sam no matter what. The manager recently congratulated the 22-year-old singer and songwriter on his Grammy wins, and he has encouraged his fans to vote for him at the upcoming BRIT Awards.

Sam and Elvin met in 2008 when the singer opened for Adele at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. According to OK! Magazine, Sam kind of teased the manager for supporting Adele.

“I was at an Adele concert, front row, Elvin was supporting her and I heckled him. He’s got a gorgeous voice. He said something like, ‘This song is for someone I love,’ and I said, ‘Ah, thanks!’ It was a nice heckle. Not abuse.”

The pair later reunited years later when Elvin started managing music acts including Sam. He’s said to be responsible for catapulting Sam’s career.

The Inquistr previously reported that Sam Smith’s unrequited love made him one of the biggest breakout stars of 2014. His debut album, In The Lonely Hour, sold 1 million in both the UK and the US. He’s also best known for his hit songs “Latch” and “La La La” with Naughty Boy. Sam Smith has been compared to other singer and songwriters like Adele and Taylor Swift.

[Image: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]

Sam Smith On His Unrequited Love: ‘I Feel Nothing Towards Him’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes may be growing tired of filming the very dramatic reality show, but it sounds like she is even more tired of the women who keep trying to bring her down. NeNe has always said that the ladies try to jump on her bandwagon as a way to get more success, and now, she is done with certain friendships.

In fact, NeNe Leakes has said that she is done with Cynthia Bailey, even though the two were once close friends. There were some ups and downs, but Leakes is questioning whether Bailey is truly her friend. In fact, NeNe doesn’t seem to believe that Bailey has her best interests at heart. Now, Leakes is faced with an ultimatum. NeNe can either ignore Bailey forever, or make peace with her so they can be cordial.

According to a new Bravo report, The Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes may not have gotten a phone call from Bailey, but it sounds like NeNe’s former friend wants to make peace with her. In a recent interview, Cynthia opened up about wanting to make peace with Leakes so they can be cordial again. She isn’t looking to rekindle the friendship to the point where they drink cocktails and gossip.

“I never really did anything to her in the first place,” she says about NeNe, adding, “I’ve never really bashed her.”

Cynthia says that she wants to “coexist and be cordial and respectful to each other in a working environment since we don’t have the luxury of never seeing each other,” adding, “I think as grown women, we should be able to respect each there and say ‘Hello, hi I like your necklace, nice watch,’ and just keep moving.”

NeNe Leakes hasn’t said much about the end of their friendship, as she just wants to move on. While Bailey is optimistic about making peace, NeNe doesn’t seem too eager to pick up the phone and call. Cynthia claims she has no ill-will towards Leakes, and that there is no anger there for her co-star.

There could be some work involved in making peace. According to the Inquisitr, NeNe Leakes recently attended the same fashion show as Cynthia in New York, and the two apparently ignored one another. There were no witnesses who saw them talking and no Instagram pictures of them together were shared. And with the recent burning of the infamous friendship contract, there could be a long way to go.

Do you think NeNe Leakes should make peace with Cynthia?

[Image via Bravo]

‘RHOA’ Star NeNe Leakes Faces Ultimatum: Cynthia Wants To Make Peace is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Three missing British schoolgirls could be on their way to Syria to join ISIS militants. London authorities said Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and an unidentified 15-year-old girl, left their homes early Wednesday morning. They then traveled to Gatwick Airport, where they boarded a plane to Istanbul, Turkey.

Authorities are concerned, as the teens left London without permission and did not tell anyone about their travel plans. Officials with the Scotland Yard Counter Terrorism Command suspect the missing British schoolgirls are on their way to Syria, where they will join ISIS militants.

Kadiza Sultana is a British citizen, who is fluent in English and Bengali. Authorities said she speaks with a London accent. As reported by Mashable, the 16-year-old girl “is described as being 5’6″ tall and of slim build.”

Sulatana was last seen wearing red pants, a grey shirt, a long black hooded jacket, a striped grey scarf, and dark-rimmed glasses. Officials said she was also carrying a black handbag.

Shamima Begum is a British citizen, who speaks English with a London accent. She is also fluent in Bengali. Authorities noted that the 15-year-old may be traveling under the pseudonym Aklima Begum.

Begum was last seen wearing black pants, a red or purple shirt, a dark jacket, a leopard print scarf, dark-rimmed glasses, and a black hijab. She was reportedly carrying a blue handbag with white straps.

Commander Walton: This is not about criminalising people, this is about preventing tragedies. Please contact us on 0800 789 321

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 20, 2015

The third missing British teen was not named at the request of her family. The 15-year-old was last seen wearing black pants, a yellow shirt, a dark green jacket, and a black head scarf.

Officials said the teen was also wearing dark-rimmed glasses and was carrying a “Nike” handbag. Authorities said the teen speaks English and Amharic fluently.

Cmdr Richard Walton SO15 Counter Terrorism Command: Extremely concerned for safety of these three girls – our priority is their safe return

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 20, 2015

During a press conference, authorities confirmed the missing British schoolgirls are students at Bethnal Green Academy, which is currently on break.

Metropolitan Police Commander Richard Walton said it is unclear how or when the teens purchased their flight tickets. As reported by Mirror, he believes all three are currently somewhere in Turkey.

“We are reaching out to the girls using the Turkish media and social media in the hope that Shamima, Kadiza and their friend hear our messages, hear our concerns for their safety and have the courage to return to their families who are so worried about them.”

Authorities hope they can reach the missing British schoolgirls before they make it to Syria.

[Images via Mashable and thomas koch / Shutterstock.com]

Missing British Schoolgirls Were Traveling To Syria To Join ISIS is an article from: The Inquisitr News