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Author: Pam Wright

  • Duck Dynasty’s Sadie Robertson and DWTS Partner Mark Ballas Share Ridiculously Cute Video

    Duck Dynasty‘s Sadie Robertson is in full rehearsal with her Dancing with the Stars pro partner, Mark Ballas, in preparation for Season 19 of the popular dancing competition.

    It has been a longtime dream of Sadie’s to compete for the coveted mirror ball trophy on the show, and now that her dream is being realized, she is having a blast.

    First order of business for the pair — coming up with a nickname for their team.

    The 17-year-old and her dance partner posted a video on Instagram announcing, “Quack Attack! Be a part of the Quack Pack.”

    Seems appropriate since the budding model rose to fame as the heiress of the Duck Dynasty dynasty on her family’s A&E show, which follows the Robertson clan and their hugely successful Duck Commander duck-call business.

    It wouldn’t be surprising if the dancing duo become fan favorites this season, especially after viewers check out their adorable “quack attack” video.

    Sadie’s dad, Willie Robertson, says he is excited for his daughter, but also a little nervous.

    “She came and asked me could she do it, and I said ‘Yes,’ and she started dancing right there… dancing all around the house. As a parent, you’re nervous… but I love her partner, love her dance partner,” the Duck Commander CEO told Fox & Friends.

    Sadie’s mom, Korie Robertson, must be thrilled as well. Before the cast was announced, she told Us Weekly that her daughter has always wanted to be on the dance reality TV show.

    “I think that our kids are really natural in front of the camera and they have fun with it,” said Korie. “Sadie I think wants to maybe be in a talk show and she wants to be on Dancing with the Stars!”

    Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars premieres 8 p.m. ET Monday on ABC.

  • Janay Rice Blasts Media After Brutal Attack by Husband Ray Rice: ‘We’ll Show You What Real Love Is’

    Janay Rice blasted the media Tuesday, a day after a video of her being knocked out by her husband and former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was released by TMZ Sports.

    Since the release of the video, the country has erupted over the issue of domestic violence and her husband’s career with the NFL has effectively ended.

    In an Instagram post published Tuesday morning, Janay shared her outrage that the media released a video that — from her point of view — shares a painful, private memory with the world.

    Although her Instagram account is private, Rice reportedly told the Baltimore Sun she intended to make a public statement through the post.

    “I woke up this morning feeling like I had a horrible nightmare, feeling like I’m mourning the death of my closest friend. But to have to accept the fact that it’s reality is a nightmare in itself,” she wrote. “No one knows the pain that the media & unwanted options from the public has caused my family.”

    She also expressed her hurt and embarrassment by the public airing of a private moment, and expressed outrage that her husband lost his career over the assault.

    “To take something away from the man I love that he was worked his ass off for all his life just to gain ratings is a horrific,” she wrote. “THIS IS OUR LIFE!”

    After TMZ released the video of the attack captured in an elevator in an Atlantic City casino, the Baltimore Ravens quickly terminated Rice’s contract and the NFL suspended the star indefinitely.

    Ray pleaded not guilty to assault charges back in May when the attack occurred and was allowed to enter a pre-trial intervention program to avoid prosecution. At the time, he was handed-down a two-game suspension from the Ravens.

    “If your intentions were to hurt us, embarrass us, make us feel alone, take all happiness away, you’ve succeeded on so many levels,” Janey wrote in her Instagram post. “Just know that we will continue to grow & show the world what real love is!”

    Here’s hoping that Janay realizes one day that — despite her embarrassment and pain now — the public display of her assault may help others in the future who face the same unimaginable pain and embarrassment associated with domestic violence.

    President Barack Obama said it well in a statement following the incident.

    “The President is the father of two daughters. And like any American, he believes that domestic violence is contemptible and unacceptable in a civilized society. Hitting a woman is not something a real man does, and that’s true whether or not an act of violence happens in the public eye, or, far too often, behind closed doors. Stopping domestic violence is something that’s bigger than football – and all of us have a responsibility to put a stop to it.”

    Here, here!

  • Kelly Ripa Shares Intimate Details of Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka’s Wedding

    Kelly Ripa was one of the lucky few who attended Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka’s top secret wedding over the weekend, and she shared some of the intimate details on Monday’s episode of Live! With Kelly and Michael.

    “I spent the weekend, in Italy,” Ripa told her cohost Michael Strahan. “I went to a destination wedding… the wedding of Neil Patrick Harris and his partner David Burtka.”

    As the room erupted with cheers, Ripa exclaimed, “They got married, yes!”

    Ripa, 43, said the wedding was a “very quiet, very private, family affair.”

    Perhaps she had second thoughts about sharing the details when she remarked, “I’m probably not even supposed to talk about it,” but decided it was alright because “Neil said I could talk about it.”

    “It was a beautiful family affair in Perugia, Italy. They rented a castle — or I think they rented it. I hope we didn’t break into a castle and just stayed there,” Ripa shared. “Sir Elton John performed. There were fireworks. The food was amazing. There were magic tricks, because, you know Neil is way into magic. Their wedding vows were so beautiful.”

    “Their wedding vows were so beautiful,” Ripa gushed. “It was a beautiful wedding. The speeches were very moving. They are such a nice family. They are such a beautify family.”

    According to Ripa, Harris and Burtka’s twins, Gideon and Harper, sorta-kinda stole the show

    “Harper was going to be the flower girl and Gideon was going to be the ring bearer,” Ripa explained.

    Apparently, the couple’s 3-year-old boy wasn’t too thrilled with his role in the wedding.

    “He said, ‘I don’t want to be the ring bearer. I want to be the orange boy,’” Ripa laughed. “And he passed out oranges to everybody as he came down the aisle… he came up with it on his own. He had his little tux and his top hat and he passed out oranges.”

    The adorable-ness didn’t end there. Ripa said she later encountered Gideon on the dance floor and thanked him for the fruit.

    “We were dancing I said to him, ‘Look, Gideon. I saved your orange because I’m gonna keep it forever.’ And he goes, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t. They’re so delicious!’”

    Harris, 41, and Burtka, 39, have been together since 2004, and became engaged in June 2011 when New York legalized same-sex marriages.

  • Elizabeth Banks Dishes on Past, Present and Future Endeavors

    Elizabeth Banks has a lot on her plate these days as an actress, director and mother, but says there are still more challenges ahead that she’d like to tackle.

    Reflecting on her time playing “Effie” in The Hunger Games, Banks said being a part of the franchise was a wonderful experience and she “cherished” her character. However, the last day of shooting proved to be a difficult one for the 40-year-old actress.

    “It was a sad day and I wrapped on a day when no one else did,” she told ABC News. “It was really sort of lonely and depressing.”

    Since that final day on the set, Banks has moved on to a variety of projects.

    One particular project that might not be a huge stretch for the actress is as a judge for a Frito-Lay Super Bowl commercial contest. After all, she plays the judge of an a cappella competition in her film Pitch Perfect and the upcoming Pitch Perfect 2.

    As a Frito-Lay judge, Banks will help determine which filmmaker is the winner of a commercial created for Doritos. It’s a big responsibility since the winner will win a “dream job” with Universal, the studio behind Pitch Perfect 2.

    “Everybody has to start somewhere in this business and what I really love about this contest is that they’re gonna really give somebody their start in the entertainment industry,” she said. “I just felt like it was a really amazing opportunity to be supportive of young filmmakers … who want to submit their material and get seen by industry professionals.”

    Pitch Perfect 2 offers the actress an amazing opportunity of her own — to try her hand at directing.

    “It’s a big responsibility, but I was really excited to take it on and try to do it confidently,” she told ABC News. “[The original] was lightning in a bottle and it was such a surprise to see how the movie was received. The whole ‘Cups’ phenomenon was a surprise to all of us. It came from the authenticity of the movie, and this time around we were really aiming to do that again and be pure in our intention to tell more of the story of these characters that people have fallen in love with.”

    There is still one challenge the versatile actress hopes to tackle in the future — a challenge that will please her sons, Felix, three, and Magnus, one.

    “I need to get on Sesame Street,” she said. “They’ll be my biggest fans!”

  • Melissa Rivers Orchestrated ‘Perfect’ Funeral for Her Mother

    Melissa Rivers was the orchestrator of everything surrounding her mother’s funeral in Manhattan on Sunday, and one of Joan Rivers‘ closest friends, Margie Stern, said Joan would have been very proud of her daughter.

    “Melissa is amazing,” Stern told People magazine. “I told Melissa, ‘Your mother would be so proud of you.’ She handled everything. She did everything exactly as her mother would have wanted.”

    Joan’s funeral was a star-studded affair that drew paparazzi and hundreds of fans to areas outside Emanu-El Temple, where the service took place.

    The funeral itself was attended by dozens of A-list celebrities including David Letterman, Kathy Griffin, Matthew Broderick and wife Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Sawyer, Geraldo Rivera, Donald Trump, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, Rosie O’Donnell, Charlie Rose and Kelly Osbourne.

    Howard Stern provided a sweet and, at times, irreverent eulogy, and Melissa read a letter to her mother.

    “I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for Cooper and me,” Melissa said.

    Film and Broadway star Hugh Jackman — who rode his bicycle to the service— sang a tune from The Boy from Oz.

    “Joan, this is for you,” Jackman said before performing. “But since you asked for it, you already know that.”

    Stern said Melissa attended to every detail of her mother’s funeral and it was perfect.

    “I’m in awe of the way she handled everything,” she said.

    “Every minute of the service was perfect, warm, touching, often slap-your-knee hilarious, and was never as she’d joked, over the top or so filled with A-listers that the importance of the occasion was outshone by idiots posing on a red carpet,” said Joan’s friend, Linda Stasi, in an article for the Daily News.

    The funeral came a little over a week after Rivers was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital in respiratory and cardiac arrest following a routine throat procedure at a nearby medical clinic.

    Melissa and her son, Cooper, immediately flew in from California to be by her mother’s side as she was reportedly placed in a medically induced coma.

    According to Stern, Melissa took great care to be sure her mother spent her final hours in comfort and looking beautiful.

    “That was hard. But she was in a room with flowers and music. It was fragrant. It was amazing,” says Stern, who was at the hospital “all day, every day.”

    “Joan looked beautiful at the end,” said Stern.

    Rivers died on Sept. 4 at the age of 81.

  • Kerry Washington on Her Baby Girl: ‘She’s Awesome’

    Kerry Washington is mad in love with her beautiful baby daughter.

    The Scandal star keeps very private when it comes to her personal life, so the fact that she even mentioned little Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha says so much about the joy she is experiencing as a new mother.

    “My little girl is four months! She’s fantastic,” she gushed to E! News on the 2014 Emmys Red Carpet. “She’s great. She’s awesome!”

    Washington told the Los Angeles Times last month that her life couldn’t be more perfect these days.

    “I feel really blessed,” said the actress. “I know how extraordinary my life is right now, and how the opportunities I have are, so I’m very, very, very grateful.”

    The Scandal star is also looking fantastic just four months after giving birth, and her weight loss secret is not really a big secret.

    “A lot of working out,” she said. “That’s it!”

    Note that girls!

    Washington recently enjoyed the pleasure of meeting President Barack Obama at a fundraiser held at the home of Scandal creator, Shonda Rhimes, and had only good things to say about the Commander-in-Chief.

    “He’s so kind. Shonda Rhimes had a wonderful fundraiser at her home that I cohosted and he was there,” she told E! News. “He was being very kind and thanked us for being supportive of the Democratic Party.”

    The 37-year-old actress also gave a few hints about the upcoming season of Scandal. According to Washington, the relationship between her character, Olivia Pope, and Abby Whelan, played by Darby Stanchfield, will have a lot of surprises.

    “There’s a lot of Abby this season, which is really good because Abby and Olivia Pope have a very complicated relationship,” she told E! News. “That’s going to be yummy.”

    The fourth season of Scandal premieres Sept. 25 on ABC.

  • Matt Lauer Certainly Has a Sweet Ride to Work Every Day — A Helicopter

    Today show cohost Matt Lauer certainly has a sweet ride to work from his residence in the Hamptons to the NBC studios in New York City.

    The network is reportedly so determined to keep Lauer at the Today show that NBC is footing the bill for Lauer to take a helicopter to and from work so he can spend more time with his family.

    In June, Lauer extended his $20 million contract with NBC News through 2016. The new contract came amid speculation that the longtime morning show host would leave the show over the infamous — and ugly — departure of Ann Curry in 2012, according to Page Six.

    As part of the new contract, NBC reportedly agreed to pay for Lauer to take a helicopter to work in Manhattan from his home in the Hamptons. Lauer also has an apartment in Manhattan, but prefers to spend more time with his family.

    “NBC News chiefs want to do everything to keep Matt happy,” a source told Page Six. “They believe ‘Today’ has turned a corner and he is the key to its continuing success. They agreed to pay for his helicopter flights to the Hamptons and back, so he can spend more time with his family.”

    A Today show rep says the report is a little exaggerated.

    “On rare occasions, Matt will fly home, but most of the time you’ll find him stuck in traffic on the Long Island Expressway with everyone else,” the rep reportedly told Page Six.

  • Prince William and Kate Expecting a Sibling for Prince George

    Prince William and wife Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are expecting their second child, royal officials confirmed Tuesday.

    “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their second child,” the statement from the Palace reads. “The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.”

    Kate is nearly 3 months pregnant, according to ABC News.

    The baby is expected in the spring and will be fourth in line to the British throne after grandfather Prince Charles, father Prince William, and big brother Prince George.

    According to Palace officials, Kate is once again suffering from acute morning sickness as she did during her first pregnancy with her one-year-old son, George, and has canceled several upcoming engagements.

    “As with her first pregnancy, The Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Her Royal Highness will no longer accompany The Duke of Cambridge on their planned engagement in Oxford today. The Duchess is being treated by doctors at Kensington Palace,” the Palace said.

    “She is at home being looked after by the surgeon gynecologist to the Queen, Alan Farthing, and the surgeon gynecologist to the royal household, Guy Thorpe-Beeston,” said a Palace rep.

    Kate was due to make her first solo royal engagement in Malta in less than two weeks, but it is unclear whether she will be able to honor her commitment given her morning sickness.

    British Prime Minister David Cameron offered his congratulations to the expectant couple via Twitter.

  • Ohio Walmart Shooting: Father Haunted by Son’s Dying Breaths

    The father of an Ohio Walmart shooting victim says he will forever be haunted by the sounds of his son taking his final breaths over a cellphone.

    John Crawford Jr. recently spoke with the Cincinnati Enquirer about the day his son was shot and killed at a Walmart in the Dayton suburb of Beavercreek.

    On that fateful day of Aug. 5, the victim’s father stopped by his son’s home as was his custom every week, hoping to have dinner with John Crawford III. Upon arrival, the mother of his son’s children was holding the phone and screaming.

    “Mr. John. Mr. John. They shot him. They shot him,” cried LeeCee Johnson, turning on the cellphone speaker so Crawford Jr. could hear.

    “You could hear in the background he was gasping. I’m virtually listening to my kid taking his last breath,” said Crawford Jr.

    John Crawford III and Tasha Thomas, a woman who identified herself as a girlfriend, entered the store and split up to do their own shopping.

    Thomas reported that police began yelling and ordered shoppers to evacuate the store. She tried to find Crawford III, but later learned that he had been shot dead by police.

    The woman reported that Crawford III was unarmed when they arrived at the Ohio Walmart store. His father agrees, and says the shooting was unjustified and based on race.

    “The footage we saw, he didn’t know the officers were in the store,” said Crawford Jr. “There was no reaction (from him) at all by the time the trigger was pulled. We were waiting to see him menacing, waving this thing in a threatening position with women or children. None of that happened from the footage we saw. He wasn’t doing anything. He was just standing there. The final analysis is that my son was murdered. All this nonsense of (them saying) ‘Put the weapon down’ two or three times. There was no reaction from him. There couldn’t have been a cadence given.”

    Johnson was on the phone with Crawford III moments before the shooting and recalled her children’s father’s final moments.

    “We was just talking. He said he was at the video games playing videos and he went over there by the toy section where the toy guns were. And the next thing I know, he said ‘It’s not real,’ and the police start shooting and they said ‘Get on the ground,’ but he was already on the ground because they had shot him,” said Johnson.

    Johnson said she “could hear him just crying and screaming” and recalls him saying they “shot him down like he was not even human.”

    A police report says the officers involved in the shooting realized the man was holding a toy rifle, corroborating Johnson’s claim that she heard Crawford III telling them it “wasn’t real” before they shot him.

    Crawford Jr. believes race played a factor in the shooting and wants murder charges filed against the officer who used excessive force.

    A special prosecutor has been retained in the Ohio Walmart shooting and the investigation is ongoing.

  • Simone Battle, ‘X-Factor’ Finalist and GRL Singer, Dies of Apparent Suicide at 25

    Pop singer Simone Battle of the girl group G.R.L. has died, the victim of an apparent suicide.

    According to the Los Angeles coroners office, the 25-year-old The X-Factor finalist was found dead at her West Hollywood home by her boyfriend Friday morning.

    The singer’s father, Anthony Battle, reportedly told TMZ that he was unaware his daughter was battling depression, but said it was “possible she may have had an invisible disability”.

    Battle’s record company and management team confirmed the singer’s death in a joint statement released on Saturday.

    “We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the loss of Simone Battle of G.R.L.,” said the statement from Reign Deer Entertainment, Kemosabe Records, RCA Records and Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin.

    “Simone was an exceptional young talent and human being and we are all devastated to learn of her passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones at this time.”

    G.R.L. band members took to social media to express their heartbreak over the news of their friend and colleague.

    Battle came into the spotlight as a contestant on The X-Factor in 2011. She was a finalist on the show, making it into the top 17 before being eliminated by her mentor on the show, Simon Cowell.

  • Tom Hanks, Sting and Lily Tomlin to Receive Kennedy Center Honors

    Actor-director Tom Hanks, British singer Sting, comedian Lily Tomlin, R&B singer Al Green and ballerina Patricia McBride are the five recipients of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, the center announced Thursday.

    “The Kennedy Center celebrates five extraordinary individuals who have spent their lives elevating the cultural vibrancy of our nation and the world,” said Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein.

    “Al Green’s iconic voice stirs our souls in a style that is all his own; Tom Hanks has a versatility that ranks him among the greatest actors of any generation; one of the world’s greatest ballerinas, Patricia McBride continues to carry forward her legacy for future generations; Sting’s unique voice and memorable songwriting have entertained audiences for decades; and from the days of her early television and theatrical appearances, Lily Tomlin has made us laugh and continues to amaze us with her acting talent and quick wit,” said Rubenstein.

    The honorees of this year’s gala will be seated with President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, and will “accept the thanks of their peers through performances and tributes.”

    The awards gala, the 37th annual national celebration of the arts, is scheduled to be held Dec. 7 and recorded for broadcast on CBS on Dec. 30.

    According to the Kennedy Center website, the five honorees will be received at the White House prior to the performance and will enjoy a supper dance in the Grand Foyer following the gala evening.

    Last year, the Kennedy Center honored Shirley MacLaine, Carlos Santana, Martina Arroyo, Herbie Hancock and Billy Joel.

  • Taylor Swift Encourages a Bullied Girl With Longest Instagram Comment Ever

    It’s not uncommon for Taylor Swift to leave uplifting comments to her fans on Instagram, but her encouraging comment to a fan named Hannah takes the cake in sweet, loving kindness.

    Swift’s fan, Hannah, apparently struggles with bullying as she begins her high school career.

    “Taylor, why are people at school so mean?” wrote Swift fan, Hannah. “Why do they always try to bring me down? I’m sitting here crying while I write this. I don’t know what to do anymore. No matter what I do, it’s never good enough. There’s always something that I do wrong. I get made fun of for having big dreams or what I wear or things that I like. I just want to know why they do it Taylor. Why do they do this to me? Why do they torture me and hate me so much? I’m starting high school wednesday and I was actually pretty excited but now whenever I think about it I feel sick. I just want to feel wanted for once. I wanna feel like I belong. I just want feel better than I do right now. Taylor please help me I need it desperately. I need a hug. I love you lots. Love, Hannah”

    The big-hearted Swift took some time to write a long, thoughtful response to the girl, reminding her to keep her chin up.

    “Reading this made me so sad because I love seeing you in your videos and photos being so happy and wide eyed, like the world isn’t as harsh and unfair as it actually is,” began Swift. “I hate thinking about your pretty face covered in tears, but I know why you’re crying because I’ve been in your place. This isn’t a high school thing or an age thing. It’s a people thing. A life thing. It doesn’t stop. It doesn’t end or change. People cut other people down for entertainment, amusement, out of jealousy, because of something broken inside them. Or for no reason at all.”

    “It’s just what they do, and you’re a target because you live your life loudly and boldly. You’re bright and joyful and so many people are cynical. They won’t understand you and they won’t understand me. But the only way they win is if your tears turn to stone and make you bitter like them. It’s okay to ask why. It’s okay to wonder how you could try so hard and still get stomped all over. Just don’t let them change you or stop you from singing or dancing around to your favorite song”

    “You’re going into high school this week and this is your chance to push the reset button on how much value you give the opinion of these kids, most of whom have NO idea who they are. I’m so proud of you and protective of you because you DO. If they don’t like you for being yourself, be yourself even more.

    “Every time someone picks on me, I’ll think of you in the hopes that every time someone picks on you, you’ll think of me… and how we have this thread that connects us. Let them keep living in the darkness and we’ll keep walking in the sunlight. Forever on your side, Taylor.”

    Well said, Taylor!

  • Whoopi Goldberg Among Legion of Celebrities Mourning Joan Rivers at Funeral

    Whoopi Goldberg Among Legion of Celebrities Mourning Joan Rivers at Funeral

    There wasn’t the reported red carpet outside New York’s Temple Emanu-El Sunday for the arrival of mourners Sunday, but Joan Rivers’ funeral was very much the star-studded event the legendary comedienne envisioned.

    Whoopi Goldberg, who said “Joan made me laugh harder than anyone I’ve ever known,” joined dozens of A-list celebrities from the worlds of Hollywood, theater, fashion and media.

    Howard Stern delivered the eulogy, while Broadway singer-actress Audra McDonald offered her rendition of the gut-wrenching song, Smile.

    Leading off the service was a men’s choir singing some of Rivers’ favorite Broadway tunes. Hugh Jackman was also expected to sing at the end of the service, according to The Seattle Times.

    They were among the many A-list celebrities who came to mourn the 81-year-old trailblazer who died Thursday, a week after she stopped breathing during a routine throat procedure at a Manhattan medical clinic.

    Other mourners included Rivers’ dear friend Kathy Griffin; colleague and friend Kelly Osbourne; Sarah Jessica Parker; and celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz.

    Theater legends, including Bernadette Peters, Alan Cumming and Tommy Tune, were also in attendance.

    From the music industry, record producer Clive Davis was in attendance; and from the fashion industry, designers Carolina Herrera and Michael Kors paid their respects.

    Television stars Barbara Walters, Geraldo Rivera, Diane Sawyer, Giuliana Rancic, Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, Andy Cohel, and Late Night band leader Paul Shaffer, as well as moguls Barry Diller, Donald Trump and Steve Forbes, were among the many who came to mourn Rivers.

    And as per her wish, a large contingency of paparazzi lined the street across from the temple amongst hundreds of fans from around the world.

    The comedian shared her last wishes in her 2012 book I Hate Everyone … Starting With Me:

    “When I die — and, yes, Melissa, that day will come; and, yes, Melissa, everything’s in your name — I want my funeral to be a huge showbiz affair with lights, cameras, action….I want Craft services, I want paparazzi and I want publicists making a scene! I want it to be Hollywood all the way. I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents. I don’t want a eulogy; I want Bobby Vinton to pick up my head and sing Mr. Lonely. I want to look gorgeous, better dead than I do alive. I want to be buried in a Valentino gown and I want Harry Winston to make me a toe tag. And I want a wind machine so that even in the casket my hair is blowing just like Beyonce’s.”

    Those words were reportedly printed in the funeral program.

  • Molly Glynn, Veteran Actress and ‘Chicago Fire’ Alum, Dies In Tragic Bicycle Accident

    Veteran actress Molly Glynn, whose credits include Chicago Fire, Boss and Early Edition, died Saturday, a day after she was tragically struck by a tree during a bicycle outing in suburban Chicago.

    Glynn, 46, was riding a bicycle with her husband, and fellow actor Joe Foust, on the Forest Preserve Trail in Erickson Woods Friday afternoon when the tree fell and struck her on the head, reports CBS Chicago. She succumbed to her injuries after being transported to Evanston Hospital in Chicago.

    “Friends, this is the darkest day of my life. Things will never be the same. Molly got hit by a falling tree while we were biking. At hospital now. Prognosis is grim,” Foust wrote on his Facebook page following the accident.

    Glynn, 46, has a long list of television and stage credits, including stage roles at the famous Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.

    “She was a loving mother and wife and everyone who met her fell in love with her,” Michael Halberstam, artistic director of Writers Theatre in Chicago, said in a statement. “She possessed a rare combination of talent, heart and beauty in all aspects of her life.”

    Post by Joe Foust.

    Post by Joe Foust.

    Post by Joe Foust.

    A Give Forward campaign was established to raise money for the family and reached its goal of $75,000 in less than a day.

    “Performers give. They give from their heart and their soul; they give of their energy and wit and time and resources just to create a few moments of brilliance that they eagerly share with the world,” the page stated.

  • Martina Navratilova Proposes to Julia Lemigova in Front of US Open Crowd

    Martina Navratilova, 59, proposed Saturday to her longtime girlfriend Julia Lemigova in a very big way — popping the question in front of the U.S. Open crowd via the Jumbotron at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York.

    As her Tennis Channel boss, Ken Solomon, was interviewing her, Navratilova turned toward her girlfriend and said that she had her own question she needed to ask, according to People.

    The Tennis Channel commentator then got down on one knee and presented her girlfriend with an engagement ring, according to New York Daily News.

    After asking the important question, Lemigova said, “Yes!”

    The newly engaged couple then opened a bottle of Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial champagne to celebrate their engagement and future together.

    “I have been waiting for the right time to ask Julia to marry me,” said the newly engaged, 18-time grand-slam-winning champion. “I thought this was the right place and the right time to pop the question, and thankfully I got a yes.”

    Navratilova, a former Dancing With the Stars contestant and breast cancer survivor, came out publicly as gay in 1981.

    This will be the first marriage for Navratilova, who won a history-making 1,442 singles matches.

    The tennis champion and the 42-year-old former Miss USSR have been a couple since 2006 and have two daughters from Lemigova’s previous relationships.

  • Joan Rivers’ Reported Red Carpet Funeral Today in NYC Will Honor Her Last Wishes

    Joan Rivers’ Reported Red Carpet Funeral Today in NYC Will Honor Her Last Wishes

    Joan Rivers reportedly will be getting the red carpet treatment for her funeral today at Temple Emanu-El in New York City.

    The late groundbreaking comedienne and E! Fashion Police host will have a red carpet at her funeral, upon which family and friends will walk as they enter the temple, according to Us Weekly magazine.

    Rivers will be laid to rest at Forrest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles and will reportedly be buried along with the red carpet.

    “A lot of celebrities confirmed,” a source told Us. In addition, only certain individuals will have the honor of rolling it out.

    The 81-year-old comedienne died Thursday, a week after she stopped breathing during a routine outpatient procedure on her vocal cords.

    As tributes continue to emerge from around the world for Rivers, a moving audio clip of Rivers sharing plans for her own funeral has resurfaced. Her plans make the red carpet feature of her funeral completely appropriate and honoring of the queen of the red carpet.

    “When I die — and yes, Melissa, that day will come; and yes, Melissa, everything’s in your name — I want my funeral to be a huge showbiz affair with lights, cameras, action,” Rivers wrote in her 2012 book, I Hate Everyone…Starting with Me, and later recorded for an audio version of the book.

    “I want Craft services, I want paparazzi and I want publicists making a scene! I want it to be Hollywood all the way. I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents,” she continued. “I don’t want a eulogy; I want Bobby Vinton to pick up my head and sing Mr. Lonely. I want to look gorgeous, better dead than I do alive. I want to be buried in a Valentino gown and I want Harry Winston to make me a toe tag. And I want a wind machine so that even in the casket my hair is blowing just like Beyonce’s.”

  • Antonio Banderas Reportedly ‘In Love’ With Young Dutch Banker

    Rumors are swirling around Antonio Banderas and a beautiful young Dutch banker, Nicole Kempel.

    Wife Melanie Griffith filed for divorce from Banderas on June 6, after 18 years of marriage. RadarOnline is reporting that the relationship with the young, Dutch woman may have something to do with the June filing.

    According to a source for Radar, Banderas is not only dating and in love with Kempel, but he was already in a relationship with the statuesque beauty prior to the divorce filing in June.

    The new couple were allegedly first spotted together in Cannes on May 20, dancing the night away at the De Grisogno Fatale party during the film festival. A few days later, they were again spotted enjoying a romantic boat trip together off the coast of the French resort town.

    “He is really in love with her. He comes to France to visit her when he can, and they already went for a ten-day vacation together in secret,” the source told Radar.

    The couple — and Griffith — have been trying desperately to keep the relationship on the low-down as Banderas and Griffith hash out the details of their divorce.

    “Only her closest family and friends knew,” the source said of Griffith. “They were hiding everything from everybody because Melanie got a very good divorce lawyer, and I think he was hoping to keep it under wraps until the end of the divorce.”

    However, Banderas and Kempel couldn’t keep their love secret for long. They were reportedly spotted partying it up together in St. Tropez last month, and later hiking in Ferrat, France, on August 28.

    Other sources told Hola! magazine that Kempel was not the reason for his split from Griffith, but admitted that the Spanish actor “is in love with her.”

  • Woody Allen Talks Mia Farrow, Death and No God

    Acclaimed director Woody Allen had a lot to say recently about Mia Farrow, death and his belief that there is “no God” and “no magic.”

    In an interview with the Times of London‘s Kevin Maher, Allen said his longtime dispute with ex Mia Farrow — including allegations he molested his daughter Dylan Farrow — has little impact on his life today.

    “I don’t agonize over it for a second,” he said.

    Allen, who has always denied Dylan’s claims, said he leads a very simple life.

    “I do have a dull private life . . . ,” said the actor and director. “I lead, in general, a very uneventful, very dull middle-class life.”

    The 78-year-old says he gives little thought to how he will be remembered after his death or whether the dispute with Farrow will be a lasting legacy of his life.

    “That means nothing to me. I’ve never given it a second’s thought, afterward . . . And what do I care, when I shuffle off my coil?” he said. “I don’t really care about anything that happens after my death. I don’t care if they take all of my movies and burn them.”

    Allen became even more morbid while talking about death and the hereafter.

    “There is no God. There is no magic. There is nothing other than the cold hard facts of what you see with your eyes. It begins. It ends. There is no reason for anything,” said Allen.

    To which Maher commented, “I can’t help but feel that some of the gloom of his current worldview has been forged in the base bitterness of this long-running dispute.”

  • Kelly Rowland Dishes on Pregnancy: ‘I’m Getting a Bit Antsy’

    Kelly Rowland will be holding her baby boy in her arms in just a few short months, and the Destiny’s Child singer says she is beginning to get antsy for his arrival.

    “Now it’s getting to the time where I’m getting a bit antsy and I would really, really love to see the baby’s face. I can’t wait,” the expectant Kisses Down Low singer told E! News Thursday during a TW Steel event in Los Angeles to launch the “Kelly Rowland Canteen Bracelet Timepiece.”

    The 33-year-old mama-to-be couldn’t help but gush on the miracle and milestones of pregnancy.

    “It’s like you’re really pregnant when you feel the baby move. You’re thinking to yourself, ‘Whoa!’” Rowland said.

    “Of course you know there’s life before that’s growing inside of you, but then when you actually start feeling these different things happening—the flutters, and kicks and punches—it’s completely…I’m at a loss for words,” she told the magazine. “It’s mind-boggling. It’s pretty amazing.”

    Rowland recently said her pregnancy has been a ”beautiful ride,” but is always surprised at the changes in her body.

    ”The most shocking thing about pregnancy to me is probably the way your body changes — nobody can prepare you for that,” Rowland told People magazine. “Not a book, not anything. You just go through it.”

    Rowland and husband Tim Witherspoon are busily preparing for their new arrival this fall, and she is indulging in every little craving that comes along.

    “Right now I just really love nachos,” she said.

    “Chocolate ice cream and peanut butter mixed together is just glorious,” she also admitted.

  • Giuliana Rancic Pays Tribute to ‘Fashion Police’ Cohost Joan Rivers

    Giuliana Rancic, 40, paid tribute to the late Joan Rivers Thursday in a moving statement that reflected the depths of their relationship.

    “It is almost impossible to describe how much I adored Joan and how much she has meant to me,” Rancic told Us Weekly. “She was not only the funniest woman I have ever met but was incredibly loving, honest, and lived her life with no regrets. Working with her for the last 13 years has been one of the true joys of my life. She could put a smile on your face, instantly, no matter how hard your day was.”

    Rancic also sent her condolences to Rivers’ daughter, Melissa, and grandson, Cooper, via the magazine.

    “My heart goes out to Melissa and Cooper who have lost something that can never be replaced,” Rancic told Us. “My life is so much fuller and happier because I got to share it with this beautiful person, a true genius,” she said. “I woke up today unable to grasp what the world will be like without her and at the same time feel so privileged to have called her my friend.”

    Kelly Osbourne, another Fashion Police co-host, posted several tributes about the woman she called “the only grandmother I ever knew.”

    Osbourne also posted a video of the first time she met Rivers in 1991, when she was only six. It was on Rivers’ short-lived talkshow, The Joan Rivers Show.

    Rivers died Thursday, a week after she stopped breathing during a routine throat procedure in New York City. Funeral services are scheduled for Sunday at New York’s Temple Emanu-El.

  • Heidi Klum: Cooking in the Supermodel’s Home Is a Family Affair

    Heidi Klum loves to cook, and she is imparting that love on all four of the children she had with ex-husband Seal.

    “[My kids] cook everything with me. They barbecue with me, they chop with me. The little one washes,” the Project Runway host told Us Weekly during an event Thursday for the charity organization, God’s Love We Deliver, a non-profit group that provides meals for people who are too sick to cook for themselves.

    “Everyone has their part to do, because I think it’s important they see how food is made, how a dish is made,” said Klum. “A lot of younger people nowadays don’t know how to cook. No one taught them. So I think it’s important to teach that to them.”

    The 41-year-old German model has many other lessons she’s also teaching 10 year-old Leni, eight-year-old Henry, seven-year-old Johan, and four-year-old Lou.

    “My son Henry carved his name into the dining room table,” the America’s Got Talent host told Us. “I said, ‘What’s your favorite sports car?’ He said, ‘A Ferrari.’ So I said, ‘Well, imagine you had a Ferrari and I took a knife and wrote Heidi all over the hood.’ I’m like, ‘Think of all the pieces of furniture in the house as little Ferraris, OK?’ He got it.”

    Klum is also teaching her children about charitable gestures, such as donating unused toys or volunteering, as she does consistently for God’s Love We Deliver.

    “I’ve been helping for the last 10 years, because I think what they do is important,” Klum told Us.

    Joan Rivers was another supporter of the organization.

    “Joan brought love, compassion and humor to every delivery she made and every event she supported,” the organization wrote in a statement on its website. “Joan’s impact on God’s Love will be felt always by our clients, volunteers, staff and community. Rest in peace, Joan. You will forever be in our hearts.”