Actress Mo’Nique, who won an Oscar for the Lee Daniels film Precious, wants a sit down with the director. The two have been rallying a he-said/she-said media circus for weeks after Mo’Nique accused Daniels of telling her that she’s been blackballed by the industry.

According to Michigan Chronicle, Mo’Nique is challenging Daniels to a sit down to set things straight. When asked what it would take to pick up the phone to give Daniels a call, Mo’Nique admits that she no longer has his phone number, but is open to having a public sit down with him.

“We would have to do it publicly because the one’s we’ve had privately –when you then speak about them — you don’t tell what the real conversation was. When a person is saying, I want to do it publicly, does it sound like a person who has something to hide? I don’t bind to the A-list, I don’t bind to the elite. I’m just a regular folk from Baltimore Maryland, who’s living out her dreams.”

The conversation about Mo’Nique exchanging words with Daniels didn’t stop in her penned feature for the Hollywood Reporter. As the weeks went by Mo’Nique went on to insist that Daniels offered her Oprah’s role in The Butler, and Taraji P. Henson’s role in Empire, but those roles just disappeared without a single word.

Executive producer Danny Strong of Empire denied these claims through Twitter.

As for Lee Daniels he sat down with CNN’s Don Lemon to comment on the use of the word blackballed. “I didn’t say that exactly.” While the two misunderstood each other, Daniels did confirm that he thinks Mo’Nique missed out on a big opportunity.

“During the [Oscar] campaign, she was making unreasonable demands, and I remember thinking ‘this is when reverse racism happens.'”

Mo’Nique went on to say that she thinks Daniels was personally hurt that she didn’t thank him during her Oscar speech. That said, Daniels didn’t seem hurt, but did think she misstepped during her Oscar speech.

“You have to thank the producers of the film, you have to thank the studio, and she didn’t understand that. People aren’t going to respond well.”

It’s sad to see a project like Precious, that was made with such love, be dragged through the mud by selfishness and lies.

— Gabourey Sidibe (@GabbySidibe) March 2, 2015

As for others related to Precious, star Gabourey Sidibe’s tweet defending Lee didn’t seem to ruffle Mo’Nique’s feathers.

@GabbySidibe Hey my sweet sister. Your right that movie was made in love, and we were a part of changing folks heart and mind. Proud of it.

— Mo’Nique Worldwide (@moworldwide) March 2, 2015

During her sit down with Michigan Chronicle she said of her tweet, “I’m not going to assume anything that sister was thinking. That’s why I simply responded back to her the way that I did.”

Do you think Mo’Nique and Lee Daniels will have a sit down?

[Image via Lionsgate]

Mo’Nique Wants A Public Sit Down With ‘Empire’ Creator Lee Daniels is an article from: The Inquisitr News

It may be possible that few in Hollywood are more adept at keeping their private lives private than Ms. Jennifer Lawrence, and that, in itself, is a remarkable feat for one of Tinseltown’s hottest names. Back in January, sources confirmed that Jennifer was dating the Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin, and it had seemed like a moderately serious hook-up at the time, but now, only a couple months later, Martin has been seen in the company of a model. So where does that leave Ms. Lawrence?

Not to be left out in the cold, Jennifer has moved on, as well. Ms. Lawrence has always shared a friendship with her Hunger Games co-star Liam Hemsworth, but it now seems that relationship has blossomed into romance. A source close to the family have also indicated that, while Jennifer’s parents may not have directly arranged for the relationship to develop between the Hunger Games co-stars, they have strongly encouraged it.

“Liam and Jen have always been close — there’s a real bond between them and they turn to each other when they have problems…Her friends and family are desperate for her to ditch Chris — they feel Liam’s a better match and doesn’t carry all the baggage of Gwyneth and children.”

Even before this news, Jennifer’s affection for Liam has always been apparent in her praise of him as both a person and as a professional. Some of the adjectives Ms. Lawrence used to describe Hemsworth — sweet, wonderful, kind, and funny to name a few — indicate that there has at least been the possibility for romance between them. While there is still no official word and, if Ms. Lawrence has anything to say about it, there may never be any confirmation, statements from inside sources suggest the relationship Jennifer shares with her Hunger Games co-star has grown.

“They’ve always had insane chemistry, but they’ve never been single at the same time before. In fact, when they first met on the set of The Hunger Games, Liam’s then-fiancé Miley Cyrus flew out, possibly to keep an eye on them, I think, because she was jealous. Jen and Liam have been friends for years and she’s always confided in him about the drama in her love life.”

Whether or not the rumors are true will remain up to public speculation, since Jennifer is far too busy to concern herself with celebrity gossip. Having just finished filming for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, Jennifer is already filming a new drama entitled Joy, which again teams Ms. Lawrence with her American Hustle co-star Bradley Cooper. Also on the table for Ms. Lawrence is X-Men: Apocalypse and the Steven Spielberg-directed biopic, It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War, in which Jennifer will play the famed photographer Lynsey Addario.

The Loves And Losses Of Jennifer Lawrence is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Jimmy Kimmel thinks Jimmy Fallon looks a whole lot like the United Airlines passenger who disrupted a flight Monday night and rushed the cockpit yelling “Jihad!” The verified Kimmel Twitter account posted a photo of the man, looking blooded and face down on the ground with his face turned towards the camera.

“oh, @JimmyFallon what did you DO?!”

Admittedly, the photo of the man who caused the disturbance looks a lot like Fallon, a man who is often sent in photos from viewers of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, who claim a variety of everyday folks look like the 40-year-old. Oftentimes during those segments, Fallon dons whatever gear his doppelganger happens to be wearing in the photo to appear to look more like that person. One wonders if Jimmy will adopt the face down pose of the United Airlines passenger on the next appearance of his show, or leave the serious subject matter alone.

Either way, Fallon didn’t lose his sense of humor over the comparison. For his reply, Fallon came back at Kimmel on Twitter with the thoughts that the suspect looked a lot more like a famous folk singer instead of a late night talk show host.

“That’s not me. That’s young Bob Dylan doing Caberet.”

“@jimmykimmel: oh, @jimmyfallon what did you DO?! pic.twitter.com/OKBlvY2JiN” That’s not me. That’s young Bob Dylan doing Caberet.

— jimmy fallon (@jimmyfallon) March 17, 2015

Despite the comedians being able to make light of the melee, the United Airlines airlines passengers on the aborted flight probably weren’t laughing Monday evening when their plane had to turn around due to the unruly passenger yelling “Jihad, Jihad” and charging towards the plane’s cockpit, reports CNN.

The United Airlines flight turned back due to the man not complying with flight instructions, and the other passengers had to restrain the man. The “Jihad” screaming passenger at the butt of Kimmel and Fallon’s jokes was captured on cellphone video, reports E! Online‎ — a publication that details that the man has not reportedly been arrested. Other passengers on the plane tried to calm him down while restraining him, telling the man — who allegedly has no terrorist connections — that everything would be all right.

No doubt, Fallon fans will most likely look for Jimmy to address this lookalike comparison on his show. As reported by the Inquisitr, fans of Fallon sent his duets segment with Kelly Clarkson to the top of YouTube’s most popular video list, along with giving plenty of views to Jimmy’s opening SNL 40 number with Justin Timberlake earlier this year.

[Image via Kimmel Twitter]

Jimmy Kimmel To Jimmy Fallon On Twitter About ‘Jihad’ Yelling United Airlines Passenger: ‘What Did You Do?!’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Brandi Glanville may not be watching the season 5 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion show. On Tuesday afternoon, Brandi tweeted the link to the podcast that she did with her Celebrity Apprentice co-star Leeza Gibbons. On the podcast, Brandi admits to Leeza that she’s not proud of how she behaved at the reunion.

“I have post-traumatic reunion syndrome. I don’t think I was on my best behavior. The hardest part is you want to fight the fight. I went in there saying, ‘I’m gonna be quiet the whole time – I’m not giving them anything…’ And then I lost my temper. And it was craziness. Having said that, I have to own what I did and said. Just don’t watch it.”

The day after filming the reunion show in late February, Brandi tweeted that she was still physically and emotionally exhausted from the experience. She also added that she has a sore throat, likely from all the yelling that she did.

Physically mentally exhausted and have a sore throat- going back to bed

— Brandi Glanville (@BrandiGlanville) February 21, 2015

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Brandi reportedly was on the defensive for much of the reunion. A source said that “there was definitely no love lost between her [Brandi] and several cast members. Kim [Richards] sided with her — so did Yolanda [Foster] for a bit.”

On her podcast, Brandi also told Leeza that viewers only see a “a very small sliver” of her on the show and that contrary to how she’s portrayed, she’s not a drunk who fights with everyone. Brandi admitted to Leeza that if she was just a regular viewer of the show, she would just think that she was “a drunk, foul-mouthed gal.”

As for her future on the show, Brandi said that it’s still up in the air. Yet she did say that continuing to do it may not be the most healthy thing for her.

“The only interview I did about that, after my Apprentice firing, I said I didn’t know. I haven’t made that decision yet. All I know is, I don’t know if it’s healthy for me to do it [RHOBH] anymore. I don’t know if I’m coming back. It is what it is, as long as people are talking I guess…”

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, amid rumors that Brandi Glanville was going to be fired from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, executive producer and the reunion’s host, Andy Cohen, said that no decisions have been made regarding Brandi, nor anyone else, for the sixth season.

“We don’t make any decisions about what’s happening with people until the season is well over. And I think it will be a conversation that we have with her about what we want to do.”

[Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images]

Brandi Glanville Regrets Her ‘RHOBH’ Reunion Behavior is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Eminem’s daughter, Hailie Jade Scott Mathers, is all grown, and a new photo of her she posted on her Twitter account didn’t go unnoticed. E! News reports that the 19-year-old blonde has a lot going for her. She graduated last year from high school as an honor student with a 3.9 GPA and was homecoming queen. Eminem — born Marshall Bruce Mathers, III — has sung about his daughter on many of his tracks. She’s was the focus of “Hailie’s Song” and was heard as little girl on the track, “My Dad’s Gone.”

Hailie resembles her mother, Kim Mathers. She wrote a sweet note about her parents in a high school newsletter for “Most Influential During My Lifetime.” Hailie wrote: “My mother and father are because they have pushed me to be the person I am and have given me all the support to achieve what I have.”

Last year, the Inquisitr wrote an article about Hailie Jade Scott Mathers when she graduated from Chippewa Valley High School. Her high school activities involved being in the National Honor Society, art club, key club, volleyball, and student council.

When the then-18-year-old was crowned homecoming queen, Eminem and Kim were there to witness the exciting event. Her dad reportedly managed to stand aside so he wouldn’t cause a scene. He wanted his daughter to have her chance in the spotlight.

Macomb Daily News reports that staff and student body at Chippewa Valley High School described Hailie as “smart, athletic, and a caring young woman.”

Marshall places a high value on being a parent. He said in another interview: “… I’m a father first, before anything. I’m a father before I’m a rapper. So, you know, my daughter comes first no matter what.”

According to the high school newsletter, Eminem’s daughter planned to attend Michigan State University and major in Psychology.

In an interview Eminem gave Rolling Stone in 2011, he told them what it means to him to be a father.

“Just being there. Not missing things. If there’s anything important going on, regardless of what it is, I’m there. Helping them with homework when you can. At the grades my older ones are in, it’s hard. I never even passed ninth grade. They’re already way smarter than me.”

Moreover, it was important to the rapper to provide stability for his growing kids because it was something he didn’t have when he was growing up.

Eminem’s daughter, Hailie, is obviously beautiful and is well on her way to living a successful life.

[Image via Hailie Jade Scott Mathers/Twitter]

Eminem Daughter, Hailie: See Hailie Jade Scott Mathers All Grown Up In New Twitter Photo is an article from: The Inquisitr News

‘Bye, you won’t see us again’ were an elderly couples’ last words to their daughter as they jumped onto a train track, held hands, and waited for the freight train to end their lives.

Peter Smith, 80, and his 78-year-old wife, Betty, of Cherry Willingham, Lincoln in the U.K., were married for more than 50 years and had one child together, 50-year-old Jane.

When Jane moved back in with her parents due to sanitation issues at her home, it put a financial strain on the couple, forcing Peter and his wife Betty to pay $500 per week to support Jane, according to a family friend.

Irish Mirror reported that the elderly couple committed suicide by train just two short months after their daughter moved back in with them.

Peter and Betty stood on the train tracks holding hands as a freight train travelling 45 mph was headed in their direction. The driver of train stated that he sounded his horn, but the elderly couple wouldn’t budge.

Unable to stop, the freight ran over the elderly couple, killing them instantly.

Jane admitted that before her parents committed suicide by train, an argument took place between her and her mother.

She also told reporters what happened the day the elderly couple uttered their last words.

“I had asked if I could store some of my things in the spare room. She did not want me to as it would have made her house untidy.

“Later my father said he wanted to go into town. As they left, my father turned to me and said, ‘Goodbye, you won’t see us again’.”

According to Sgt. Shanie Erwin of British Transport Police, Betty and her husband had been thinking of suicide for quite some time. Sgt. Erwin told reporters that she had got in contact with someone who had spoken to Betty weeks before her train suicide.

“During the conversation she [Betty Smith] was very upset. She described how she had thought about jumping off a railway bridge but persuaded her not to.

“She was complaining that it was costing in the order of £500 a week to feed and look after her daughter.”

Although the couple died on July 9, 2014, the Central Lincolnshire coroner, Stuart Fisher, recently gave his verdict about the incident at hand. He stated as follows.

“This is clearly an immensely tragic case.”

“I have formed the view that looking at this case in the round that it is appropriate that I make a finding that Mr. and Mrs. Smith clearly did form an intention that they were going to take their own lives.”

For more information on suicidal thoughts, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s website here.

[Image courtesy of Denise Rosser/Flickr]

‘Bye, You Won’t See Us Again,’ Elderly Couple Tells Daughter Before Train Suicide is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Raven Symone recently defended a Univision host’s racial remarks that were targeted at first lady Michelle Obama. As the Inquisitr reported, host Rodner Figueroa said Michelle Obama looked like an ape in the Planet of the Apes film.

This caused major outcry and cost Figueroa his job, as the network fired the host after the comments became controversial. Despite Univision trying to backtrack about the comments, it’s still a topic that everyone is talking about, which meant it was in the hot topic discussion on The View.

Actress Raven Symone was part of the panel for the discussion where she defended the Univision host for his racist comments about Michelle Obama. Her response?

“Was he saying it ‘racist-like’? Because [Figueroa] did say he voted for [Michelle] later and I don’t think he was saying it racist.”

The View’s Rosie Perez shot back at the actress, “I am the Latin person here on this table and I would like to tell you that it was racist, period. And the thing is this is a problem in the Latin community that we do not talk about. That we do not address. And it is real and it was revealed by this man’s statement. And you do not disrespect the first lady of our country.”

Prior to Raven’s comments, Perez said that the Latin community, especially the Caribbean, South American, and Central American Latin community don’t want to be seen in the same light as black people.

Symone once again defended the host by saying that Michelle Obama might just look like an ape. “Some people look like animals. I look like a bird. So can I be mad if somebody calls me a Toucan Sam?”

This isn’t the first time Raven Symone said something questionable. During an interview with Oprah, she said she didn’t want to be called an African-American.

“I don’t want to be labeled gay. I want to be labeled a human who loves humans. I’m tired of being labeled. I’m an American. I’m not an African-American — I’m American.”

At the time, a visibly shocked Oprah said that those comments were going to get her in trouble and “set Twitter on fire.” As Oprah predicted, Twitter did lose their minds, and Raven had to further explain her comment.

The actress went on to say, “I never said I wasn’t black. I want to make that very clear. I said, ‘I am not African-American.’ I never expected my personal beliefs and comments to spark such emotion in people… I’m an American. And that’s a colorless person.”

[Image via ABC Studios]

Raven Symone On Michelle Obama: ‘Some People Look Like Animals’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A 29-year-old mom in New York City caught her young sons stealing money out of her purse, so Tyeesha Mobley had an idea. Why not call the police, and see if they’ll send an officer around to help explain why stealing is wrong, and has serious consequences? So that’s what she did. She certainly never expected to be the target of one cop’s racial abuse. And she definitely did not expect to be arrested and lose her children into foster care.

But that is exactly what happened, according to a lawsuit filed by Mobley, and reported by the New York City news site DNAInfo.

In fact, the out-of-control cop called Mobley a “black b***h,” and physically roughed her up before slapping cuffs on her as her two sons, ages nine and four, could do nothing but watch their mom be abused and humiliated by a police officer, as they cried, “Stop, you’re hurting mommy,” according to the lawsuit.

“She was simply trying to make sure her son stayed on the right path,” attorney Philip Sporn told DNAinfo. “This shouldn’t happen to anyone, let alone to a good mom with her kids.”

Here’s what happened, back on April 16 of last year.

After she caught her nine-year-old stealing $10 from her purse, Mobley called the police and asked if an officer could stop by and help teach her children a lesson. The police department were obliging, sending not one, but four officers to meet Mobley and her boys at a nearby gas station.

The meeting started off just fine. The nine-year-old confessed to stealing, and the police let him know that was a bad idea.

“Three officers was joking around with him, telling him, ‘You can’t be stealing; you’ll wind up going in the police car,’ ” Mobley testified at a hearing last October.

But the fourth officer, for whatever reason, resented the assignment and suddenly, he launched into a racist tirade.

“You black bitches don’t know how to take care of your kids,” he said, according to the lawsuit. “Why are you wasting our time?… Why don’t you take your f*****g kid and leave?’ ”

Mobley started doing exactly that, but before she could get out of there, the suit says, the cop told her she was under arrest. When she asked what for, the officer told her, “If you’re going to say another f*****g word, I’m going to knock your teeth down your throat.”

The officer then shoved her against a car, kicked her legs, and put her in cuffs.

But the worst result of what Tyessha Mobley thought was an innocent, well-intentioned call to the police, was that the two boys were taken away and placed in foster care for four months — with a family that spoke no English.

The four-year-old suffered a nasty burn and the older boy experienced several asthma attacks while in foster care.

Did her boys learn a lesson about stealing? That remains unclear, but it seems certain that they learned that calling the police for help can be hazardous to your health.

[Images: Facebook via DNAInfo]

Mom Asks Police To Teach Sons Stealing Is Wrong, Cop Arrests Her, Kids Go To Foster Care is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Nail art is still a major trend on the internet. Just do a search for “incredible nail art” to see an array of amazingly intricate designs, contained on a single fingernail. But a major part of the popularity of nail art is the many failed attempts of people trying to imitate the stunning nails they see online. Nothing is more discouraging than seeing the best pieces of artwork the internet has to offer, especially when you don’t have any outstanding nail art skills. But even without training and techniques, you can still pull off some awesome nail art designs by keeping it simple and expressing yourself.

According to Fashion Times, simple nail art designs are both classy and trendy. So here are few nail art ideas that any amateur can pull off with a little effort and creativity.

Minimal accenting. You don’t have to slather the entire fingernail to make a striking piece of nail art. In fact, the minimal look is often more interesting than something over the top. Pick your favorite colors and add an accent here or there, in whatever pattern you like. Like the photos below, you can try tracing small portions of your nail along the curves or the cuticle, then leave the rest blank. This fresh and simple look is classy and subtle.

Go crazy. If spare and simple isn’t your taste, try going the opposite direction. Instead of making a few careful lines, you could cover the entire nail in colorful chaos. No precision or patience required, just fun. You could try the freestyle squiggles in the photo below, or even a paint splatter effect like a Jackson Pollock painting. This type of nail art is perfect for free spirits or anyone with a wild side.

Odd one out. If you don’t have the time or skill to bedazzle every single finger with beautiful nail art, try painting all of them solid colors except one on each hand. Then you can take the time you need to make that single nail special. Like the photo below, matching colors to the rest of the nails helps a lot–and it takes a fifth of the time as a full set of nail art.

Simple patterns. If you’re into the minimalist look but still have a penchant for images and designs, try dabbing simple patterns onto a solid color nail. The photo below used a basic flower pattern with as few brush strokes as possible, and positioned them in different places on the nail. Pick a pattern you like and try applying it sparsely across your favorite color to create nail art that’s both quaint and bold.

Something new on every nail. If you’re feeling especially ambitious but still lacking in nail art talent, you’ve got ten blank canvases to try out ten different designs. Let your imagination run free and paint each finger uniquely and express every side of yourself. This way, even if you mess one up, you’ve got nine other totally new designs to catch the eye. With such an assortment of colors and ideas, no individual nail will look like a failure. Like the Huffington Post reported, nail art helps you tell a story; and that story should be all about you.

[Images courtesy of Getty Images]

Five Simple But Awesome Nail Art Designs You Can Actually Do Yourself is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Tobi Petrocelli and Rose De Jesus are reportedly in talks to join The Real Housewives of New Jersey for the series’ upcoming seventh season. According to a March 17 report by Rumorfix, Bravo is interested in shaking things up with the franchise’s first ever lesbian couple.

Tobi Petrocelli is said to be a “real estate tycoon,” while her partner Rose De Jesus works as an executive assistant at Petrocelli’s family real estate firm. Tobi Petrocelli reportedly met De Jesus while she was visiting New York City, and after dating long distance for a while, they moved in together.

Tobi Petrocelli and Rose De Jesus are planning to wed later this year.

According to Rumorfix, The Real Housewives of New Jersey‘s seventh season is scheduled to begin filming next month, and producers still haven’t decided on an official cast.

In addition to Tobi Petrocelli and Rose De Jesus, Bravo is reportedly talking to Maria Bach, the ex-wife of Sebastian Bach, and considering bringing back Jacqueline Laurita, as well as twins Nicole Napolitano and Teresa Aprea.

As the Inquisitr reported, Tobi Petrocelli and Rose De Jesus may be joined by the wife of Tiki Barber, Traci Lynn Johnson, who has reportedly also met with producers regarding the upcoming seventh season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

“Yes, the rumor is true. Traci is down the road with the production company. She and Tiki moved to NJ a few years ago,” a source told E! News last week. “They are next door neighbors with Snooki.”

“When producers approached Traci, they told her they were revamping the show. Their goal is to include more well-known names and make New Jersey look more glamorous, like the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

According to the source, The Real Housewives of New Jersey are hoping season seven will be “more fun and more glam” than previous seasons.

“It’s still early in the process. They’re meeting with a lot of women and trying to determine what ensemble will work best for the show. Although Traci isn’t officially locked down yet, it looks like it’s going to happen.”

Although Teresa Giudice has long been a star of the series, she will be in prison until early 2016, so, if Rumorfix is correct about the April start date, she will not be featured on season seven.

Prior to meeting with Tobi Petrocelli, Bravo producers were reportedly turned down by Hala Kerik, the wife of former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, and Amber Sabathia, the wife of Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia.

[Photo via Instagram]

Tobi Petrocelli & Rose De Jesus Join ‘RHONJ’ For Season Seven? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Madonna has never been known as a great vocalist. A lot of fans think that’s unfair, especially since they believe she sings with more feeling than just about any other female singer. After all, this is the same singer who won a Golden Globe for Evita. She has made mostly electronic dance songs since her Evita days, and some of them contain a ridiculous amount of auto-tune.

Wednesday, on Ellen, Madonna showed the world once again just what her voice is made of. She performed a beautiful version of “Joan of Arc” and had Twitter lighting up with compliments.

And yeah, I admit it: #Madonna really needs to focus on such performances as that of Joan Of Arc. Emotional, beautiful, honest and touching

— Victoria K. (@MoscowVicky) March 18, 2015

@Madonna #RebelHeart #JoanOfArc you sound beautiful! honey! Good to see @montepittman with his hat and beard! Amazing performance by U2

— Martin&Danny Owl (@owlandowlet) March 18, 2015

“Joan of Arc” is one of the tracks from Madonna’s latest album, Rebel Heart. Despite selling more copies than any other album in the United States this past week, it came in at No. 2 behind the soundtrack to Empire. Many fans have complained that Madonna was cheated out of the No. 1 position by Billboard‘s new chart methodologies that in no way represent what the public is consuming. Billboard has yet to comment on the accusations. However, Madonna must not be too angry — She will have Empire star Terrance Howard co-star in her next video, according to Noise11.

Madonna might have been pulled off stage at the BRIT awards a couple weeks back, but she thankfully didn’t pull what is commonly known as a “Mariah Carey” with her voice. Madonna’s voice is getting more accolades with age, whereas Mariah’s voice has become the butt of many jokes. In fact, Mariah Carey is even having a difficult time lip-syncing. Gossip Cop recently described a nightmare performance from Mariah Carey in Jamaica.

“It was less like a fantasy and more like a nightmare when Mariah Carey had trouble lip synching ‘Fantasy’ and other tracks during her performance at the 2015 Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica on Friday.”

It’s important to note that Mariah may be getting singing lessons recently. According to the Daily Mail, Mariah Carey wowed audiences at the Human Rights Campaign Gala this past Saturday.

“The 44-year-old songstress rocked the house as she performed at the Human Rights Campaign gala at the JW Marriott in Los Angeles, California on Saturday. She looked stunning wearing a black spaghetti strap floor length mermaid gown while raising awareness for LGBT human rights issues. Taking to the stage to sing her hit Hero, the 16-time Grammy winner looked to be in her element, belting out the tune to a captivated audience.”

What do you think of Madonna’s voice when compared to Mariah’s (recent) voice? Tell us in the comments section.

[Photo Credit: YouTube Screen Capture]

Madonna Sings Beautiful Acoustic Song On Ellen Without Pulling A Mariah Carey is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Pretty damned amazing! Just 10 seconds in and he’s already owning it like a boss!

Dad’s Got The Moves Like Jagger [Video] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Sam Smith has become an expert in taking off the excess pounds. The singer says that he lost 14 pounds in just two weeks, and now he’s revealing the diet details of just how he succeeded, reported ABC News.

At 22, the Grammy Award winner headed to social media to share his weight loss secret. He credits author Amelia Freer, author of a popular diet book, for helping him whittle his waistline.

“Three weeks ago I met a woman who has completely changed my life. Amelia Freer has helped me lose over a stone in 2 weeks and has completely transformed my relationship with food,” he wrote on Instagram.

“Everyone go check out her incredible book, and start to live healthy. It’s not even about weight loss it’s about feeling happy in yourself. Love you Amelia & thank you for making me feel so happy inside and out @ameliafreer #eatnourishglow”

Sam Smith shows off book that helped him lose 14 pounds.

So just what is the diet? It’s a clean eating detox plan, and Sam has been sharing photos of his meals to stay motivated, reported the Gloss.

Smith’s meals include protein such as steak and lots of vegetables, from greens to mushrooms. The book, called Eat. Nourish. Glow., eliminates dairy, refined sugar, and gluten.

In addition to following Freer’s diet plan, Sam headed to the gym. He even shared photos of his workouts on Instagram.

Sam Smith takes off pounds at gym.

“Gym is kicking my a** today,” wrote Smith for his caption.

And Sam isn’t the only celebrity who’s been battling and winning his weight wars.

As the Inquisitr reported, Paula Deen also is turning heads for achieving her weight loss goals quickly. Just like Sam, she eliminated sugar and gluten.

Deen revealed on the Dr. Oz Show that she lost 35 pounds in four months. Previously famous for her fondness for fried foods, Paula was diagnosed with diabetes, which motivated her to kick-start a low-carb diet.

“I went home to my kitchen and I threw out everything that was white: White bread, white rice, white potatoes, white pasta. I did that for four months, y’all! Just four months,” emphasized Deen.

However, in contrast to Smith, Paula still eats dairy. She credits her son Bobby for turning her onto Greek yogurt as a substitute for more fattening mayonnaise and sour cream.

“My son Bobby introduced me to yogurt. It’s got that same richness and consistency that you get from mayonnaise,” revealed Paula. “But a lot, lot better for you. You can switch it out with yogurt, anything that calls for that kind of creaminess.”

What do you think about Sam Smith’s pounds-off plan? Will you try it? Post your comments below.

[Images via Instagram/Sam Smith]

Sam Smith Pounds Off Diet Details: Singer Reveals How He Shed 14 Pounds In 14 Days [Photos] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville may be leaving the show after the currently airing fifth season.

Although Glanville has yet to officially announce what her future with Bravo will be, there’s a real chance she may not return, and on Tuesday night, her former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills co-stars revealed whether they thought her possible exit would be a good or bad thing for the network.

During the March 17 episode of Watch What Happens Live, Camille Grammer, Adrienne Maloof, and Taylor Armstrong returned to Bravo to discuss the latest hot topics of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. After the episode concluded, the ladies took part in the after show, where they were asked what they felt Brandi Glanville brought to the show.

“I think she’s the lighting rod, you know? She’s a lighting rod to the show. That causes it, stirs it up,” Grammer explained to Cohen.

Without the show’s lightning rod, would there be enough drama for the series to continue? It’s hard to tell, but one thing is for sure: If Glanville leaves The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Maloof won’t be missing her.

When asked what she felt Glanville brought to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Maloof wasn’t as positive, slamming her former friend for her out-of-line antics.

“I think we all have had our issue with her at some point. There are social etiquette, and she doesn’t seem to know where to draw the line.”

As the Inquisitr previously reported, Glanville is giving “serious thought” to walking away from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills after four seasons with the show, one as a “friend of the Wives,” and three as an “official housewife.”

In a blog entry for Australia’s NW Magazine, via Reality Tea, Glanville revealed the following.

“It might be time to leave the party. I really have to think about my health – it’s such a mindf**k! At some point, it’s just not fun anymore. I have all the women against me – it’s too much.”

Glanville also spoke of her concerns for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills if she leaves.

“I’m actually very curious to see what they’ll do if they don’t have me to fight with. I’m wondering who will turn into the person they pick on. Or they’ll just sit around watching Lisa getting a puppy and Kyle [Richards] go on vacation. That won’t be fun.”

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo.

[Photo via Twitter]

‘Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills’ Brandi Glanville: What Does She Bring To The Show? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

An 18-year-old teenager, around six to seven months pregnant, became victim to a California shooting at Los Angeles’ Toberman Park. She was rushed to the hospital late Sunday night after being hit by bullets numerous times. NBC reports that the incident seems to be unprovoked.

The young woman, who has yet to be identified, was walking in the Pico-Union district’s Toberman Park at around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday night when the shooting occurred. According to Sgt. Herb Chang of the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Rampart Station, a man approached the teen and began firing off random shots. Witness Jonathan Diaz says that he heard at least six shots fired.

“About six shots and that’s when the cops came in. It’s pretty bad. Pretty sad, too.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that the teen went into emergency surgery on Monday. She is in critical but stable condition. Along with being shot several times in the torso, she also suffers from a broken leg where one of the bullets hit. Miraculously, the unborn baby was not hit, and is said to be doing fine.

Although the L.A.P.D. doesn’t know if the incident was provoked or if the suspect knew the victim, there is indication that it may possibly be gang-related.

“We’re aware that it does become violent at night just like any other city, any city park where gang members congregate.”

Shortly after the shooting, the suspect, described as a Hispanic male wearing a white t-shirt, blue baseball cap, and blue shorts, ran away towards 17th Street. Anyone with information is urged to contact the L.A.P.D.

Toberman Park, located close north of the 10 Freeway in central Los Angeles, has become polluted lately with graffiti and as a hangout area of the Burlington Locos gang. Neighbors indicate that there is often drinking, fighting, and random criminal activities going on at the park, usually at night. Others, however, such as 28-year-old Rosa Martinez, think that the issues in the park are relatively minor.

“It’s calm here. Nothing like this has happened here until now. It takes me by surprise.”

One thing that most neighbors agreed on, however, is that it’s extremely uncommon to hear that the victim of such a heinous crime is a young, pregnant woman, especially since the attack seems, at this point, unprovoked by the victim in any way.

Just days after the incident, another California shooting took place in Stockton. Three people were killed and four were injured in a drive-by shooting. Police are still investigating.

[Photo Courtesy of Onscene.TV]

California Shooting: Pregnant Teen Shot For No Reason is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Authorities have found the body of Erica Crippen. The 26-year-old mother who went missing on New Year’s Eve from New Jersey was found dead in Sykesville, Maryland on Tuesday, Huffington Post reports. Investigators say they found her whereabouts on her husband’s GPS device in his vehicle. As Inquisitr previously reported on the case, Crippen’s husband, Kyle Crosby, is charged with her murder.

An announcement that Crippen’s body was found came from Burlington County Prosecutor, Robert Bernardi, on Wednesday. He says that her hands and feet were bound with electrical cord and her neck was also tied with it. Duct tape was over her face and nose. Crosby’s GPS system led investigators to where the body was dumped.

Crosby’s mother, Jo Crosby, has been charged with hindering and tampering with physical evidence in the Erica Crippen case. She was released after posting bail.

Crippen was the mother of an infant daughter she had with Crosby and a 7-year-old daughter she had from a previous relationship.

CBS Local in Philadelphia reports that Crippen’s were found underneath a pile of branches and limbs wrapped in a fleece blanket. An autopsy will be performed Wednesday in Baltimore.

Erica Crippen was murdered early morning on December 31, investigators say. Her husband was arrested on January 12 at a traffic stop. Brooklawn police officers chased the murder suspect by foot.

Several items of “evidential value” in connection to Crippen’s death was found in the trunk of his car.

Investigators were hampered by the difficult winter conditions while they continued looking for Crippen’s body. Newsmax reports that investigators tried searching for her body three times before locating it, but harsh weather marginalized their efforts.

Mount Laurel Police officers did a wellness check on the 7-year-old when she failed to report to school during the week of January 7. It was that day that Crosby filed a missing person report that stated he hadn’t seen his wife since New Year’s Day. His GPS device showed that he was in Carroll County, Maryland for a while — where Crippen’s body was found. Authorities also say Crosby drove his wife to Maryland soon after she went missing.

Crosby was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child on January 10 because of the low quality of care he was giving his children without his wife.

Investigators reveal that it was that charge which permitted police officers to make a traffic stop and take Crosby into custody.

Kyle Crosby is being held on $1.2 million bail and charged with the murder of Erica Crippen.

[Photo Credit: Facebook/News 10 screenshot]

Erica Crippen: Body Of Missing Mother Found In Maryland is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Hello Kitty has been an iconic bit of pop culture since the ’70s, when the doll was all the rage with little girls everywhere. With the familiar white, oval face emblazoned on everything from stickers to cookware, Hello Kitty has become a name everyone and their grandmother recognizes. Now, a tea house in Japan is betting on some big business using that familiar name.

The recently-opened Tea House Hello Kitty Saryo in Kyoto caters to anyone with a love for the bewhiskered puss, incorporating her face on bowls and in green tea latte foam. And of course, there’s lots of merchandise for visitors who can’t leave without a purse or doll.

The new tea house came about just in time for Hello Kitty’s 40th birthday, which is also being celebrated by the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles until May. The museum is hosting a retrospective focused on the cat and the Sanrio brand called “Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty,” the first of its kind in the U.S.

Hello Kitty made headlines last month when a new theme park in China received some very negative reviews and was called “cheesy” and “boring.” The park, which is located in Anji, cost around $350 million to build and confused some customers by inviting them to a “soft opening,” meaning not all of the rides were open at the time.

“We booked our tickets on the worst website ever made. English is minimal, and you can’t even copy and paste the traffic directions into Google Translate. Not only that, booking a ticket requires a Chinese ID. Then we jumped on the high-speed train to Hangzhou, thinking that a big pink Hello Kitty bus would be there, waiting to take us to the park. We finally arrived, only to learn that the park is in “soft-opening” mode, meaning none of the good rides are open yet. Soft-opening??? This is a 350 million USD theme park, not some tapas bar in Jing’an… This was like that time when Clark Griswold got to Walley World only to discover that the f***ing place was under renovation…” wrote Ian Louisell on Smart Shanghai.

The park was due to be fully operational by the end of February; the Hello Kitty retrospective runs in L.A. through May 31.

[Photo courtesy Tea House Hello Kitty/YouTube]

Hello Kitty Tea House Opens In Japan is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A recently discovered species of catfish has been named after Greedo, the infamous bounty hunter from the original Star Wars, whose brief encounter with Han Solo still sparks a debate among fans of the sci-fi films.

Jonathan Armbruster, a biological sciences professor and curator of fishes at the Auburn University Museum of Natural History, is responsible for the new species’ scientific name, Peckoltia Greedoi, according to Blastr. The catfish shares certain physical traits with the Rodian bounty hunter, not least of which are its widely spaced eyes and distinctive mouth.

Watch out Han, they found a Greedo fish and Jabba isn’t happy. http://t.co/dIR5hOxwwt pic.twitter.com/06IM7171vu

— Sam Tanner (@SamTanner) March 18, 2015

“I think it was the whole package that evoked Greedo, but particularly the eyes and the underslung mouth,” Armbruster noted. “As a seven-year-old kid, I watched Star Wars in the theater, and it was a life-changing experience for me… Greedo has always been a personal favorite of mine.”

The unique fish was actually discovered in 1998, according to Comic Book, though it has taken the course of the intervening years for scientists to properly classify the species. The catfish initially fell under Armbruster’s purview in 2005, when he recovered a specimen from a museum in Porto Alegre. Three years later, he labeled it as Peckolita vittata, another known species of catfish, though he attests that he was never comfortable with the designation.

RT “ChrisPirillo: WOW! Via Philpepe: a fish species named “Greedo” – http://t.co/1omCJ495pp / … pic.twitter.com/Y8ilcgkzyA” — Pirillo Fans (@PirilloFans) March 17, 2015

Examining the fish once again this past September along with his colleagues David Werneke, Milton Tan and Chris Hamilton, Armbruster was able to determine that the fish wasn’t Peckolita vittata, but instead a distinct species of its own. Hamilton, Armbruster noted in a statement, was the first to notice the similarity between the fish and its bounty hunter doppelganger.

“Chris looked at the specimen and said ‘that looks like that guy from Star Wars,'” Armbruster recalled. “After a little prodding, I realized he was talking about Greedo. We then knew what the name had to be. The Peckoltia greedoi does bear a striking resemblance to Greedo.”

A new species of fish has been named after #StarWars bounty hunter, Greedo. #Hanfishshotfirst http://t.co/l21ux9AHgI pic.twitter.com/mk6sZ6zBGi

— GameZone (@GameZoneOnline) March 18, 2015

Star Wars fans have long debated the changes George Lucas wrought on the beloved trilogy when the Special Edition films were released, though possibly none more so than the addition of a laser blast to the short scene between Greedo and Han Solo, as the Inquisitr has previously reported. Longtime fans of the series are quick to point out that Han did indeed shoot first.

In addition to the fish named after Greedo, Armbruster and his colleagues also described two new catfish specimens collected in Brazil and Venezuela.

[Image: Lucasfilm, Ltd./20th Century Fox and Auburn University via Comic Book]

Fish Named Greedo: New Catfish Species Named After ‘Star Wars’ Bounty Hunter is an article from: The Inquisitr News

U.S. Senator Richard “Dick” Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, claims that the GOP wants to send Loretta Lynch to the back of the bus in a reference to civil rights icon Rosa Parks.

President Obama has nominated Lynch, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, to replace Eric Holder as Attorney General.

“Loretta Lynch, the first African-American woman nominated to be attorney general, is asked to sit in the back of the bus when it comes to the Senate calendar,” Durbin declared this morning.

Politicians regardless of party are seldom known for their consistency, but Durbin foes have accused him of race-card hypocrisy in connection with his voting record on minority appointees put forth in past GOP administrations.

What Durbin is referring to is that so far, no up or down confirmation vote has occurred on the Lynch nomination. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has insisted that the Democrats stop blocking an anti-human trafficking bill before the AG nomination gets put to a vote in the chamber.

Both parties typically use parliamentary maneuvers to get bills passed in the Senate.

In addition, some Republicans are dissatisfied with Lynch’s support of Obama’s executive action on illegal immigration. In November 2014, the president unilaterally granted by executive action what amounts to amnesty for five million or more illegal immigrants. The latter action has been put on hold for now by a Texas federal judge. Under Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress — not the Executive Branch — is vested with the power to enact or amend laws relating to immigration, however. Article II, Section 3, requires that [The President] “shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed…”

In February 2005, Durbin voted against Alberto Gonzalez, Bush’s pick for Attorney General.

It also turns out that Durbin also voted against Condoleezza Rice for Secretary of State and the judicial appointment of Janice Rogers Brown, when they were nominated by George W. Bush. He also helped block the Bush federal court nomination of attorney Miguel Estrada.

Responding to Durbin’s complaint, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) rejected any racial basis for the delay of the Lynch vote. “It is helpful to have a long memory and to remember that Durbin voted against Condoleezza Rice during the 40th anniversary of the March [on Selma]. So I think, in context, it’s just offensive that we have folks who are willing to race bait on such an important issue as human trafficking. Sometimes people use race as an issue that is hopefully going to motivate folks for their fight. But what it does, is it infuriates people.”

Durbin had issues with Rice over the Iraq War, which he opposed. In September 2005, he was one of 12 Democrats to vote against the Condi Rice Secretary of State nomination for that reason. Republicans have issues with Lynch over amnesty and perhaps on other policy matters.

Rice, a Republican, was the first African-American woman to serve as National Security Adviser and Secretary of State. She holds a Ph.D in political science and was the former provost of Stanford University where she now teaches. She is an accomplished pianist who also speaks Russian fluently. Rice is also one of the 13 inaugural members of the selection committee for the College Football Playoff system.

Slow-walking presidential nominees is not unheard of. For example, Ed Meese, President Reagan’s Attorney General nominee, waited 13 months for a confirmation vote. Loretta Lynch was tapped for the job in November 2014.

[Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images News]

Senator Accusing GOP Of Racism On Loretta Lynch Nomination Voted Against Condi Rice is an article from: The Inquisitr News

In the last 12 hours, a lot of news on Brock Lesnar and his WWE status has changed drastically. Before Monday’s edition of WWE Raw, it was still assumed by many in the WWE Universe that he was headed for the UFC, along with former-WWE champion, CM Punk. Punk and Lesnar continue to have a relationship that involves the UFC, as Lesnar gave him key advice days ago.

Earlier today, the Inquisitrreported that Lesnar is very close to signing a WWE deal. In fact, he may have already signed one, but the public just doesn’t know about it yet. There’s also a better question: did Lesnar use the UFC to gain a better WWE deal? Lesnar is a great businessman, so I hope he did just that.

As for the updated news, this coming Monday at WWE Raw in Los Angeles will be very key for WWE’s future. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Lesnar hasn’t signed a WWE deal. However, there will be contractual talks this Monday.

The situation with Lesnar and WWE is still the same as it was two weeks ago when he had the heated argument with Vince McMahon and there is no movement with negotiations. WWE will be attempting to get Brock to agree to a new deal this Monday in Los Angeles.

Any reports on Lesnar signing a WWE deal, as of right now, are false. That is also according to the report by Dave Meltzer. It’s unclear whether WWE will announce a deal or not, since it is so public. Normally, a WWE superstar isn’t’ in the public eye as much as Lesnar. Also, another popular company isn’t after the same guy. Perhaps Dana White will break the news if WWE signed Lesnar.

A lot of variables are involved with Lesnar’s situation. He’s the top-commodity in all of combat sports. Nobody is more “over” than the “Beast Incarnate” right now in WWE. Even White wants Lesnar back in the UFC, who left in 2012 for a WWE return. Would Lesnar succeed if he heads back to UFC? That’s a great question, because he is a lot older than he was when he debuted in the UFC.

WWE obviously wants Lesnar to stay. It is because of their need to change the main event of WrestleMania? For the last few months, it’s been their plan to crown Roman Reigns as the new “top guy” in WWE. While John Cena and Daniel Bryan masquerade in the mid-card with championships, Roman Reigns would lead the charge on WWE Raw and their 20-minute opening promo. Is that best for business, or should Brock Lesnar retain his WWE title?

[Image via business2community.com]

WWE News: WWE Reportedly Will Attempt To Sign Brock Lesnar In Los Angeles At ‘WWE Raw?’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News