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  • Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry Giving Relationship Another Go

    Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry are reportedly considering giving their relationship another go. A recent report from The Telegraph says the two reunited last month when Prince Harry was in Africa.

    “Harry still holds a candle for her. Chelsy has his heart,” a source tells the publication. “They saw each other recently. There’s still very much something between them, but Chelsy won’t commit yet because she doesn’t want to lead a life in the spotlight. Harry’s very sensitive to that.”

    “He has never fallen out of love with Chelsy,” the source added of Prince Harry’s affection for the attorney. “She’s not like other girls; she’s strong, independent, and a rule-breaker. She does everything on her own terms.”

    Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry dated off and on for a total of seven years. They met back in 2004. Chelsy Davy was in attendance when Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011.

    Most recently, Prince Harry dated Cressida Bonas–again in an off-and-on relationship lasting about two years. They called it quits for good in April of 2014.

    Do you see a reconciliation in the cards between Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry? Might the young royal be ready to think about settling down?

    It’s time that Prince Harry considered something besides sowing his wild oats. He will turn 31 on September 15th. Chelsy Davy is 29.

    Might there be a future for Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry?

    What would Queen Elizabeth think? Would she approve of his choice if Harry were to propose to Chelsy?

  • Taylor Swift and Spotify Still Have Some Bad Blood

    Vanity Fair has a new interview with Taylor Swift, and the publication previewed it today.

    Let’s just say Taylor Swift is still a little pissed at Spotify, or as she calls it, a “start-up with no cash flow.”

    Here’s what Swift had to say when discussing her now-famous letter to Apple:

    “Apple treated me like I was a voice of a creative community that they actually cared about. And I found it really ironic that the multi-billion-dollar company reacted to criticism with humility, and the start-up with no cash flow reacted to criticism like a corporate machine.”

    Ouch.

    Back in June, Taylor Swift admonished Apple for its plan to not pay artists, producers, or writers during the three-month free trial period that all new subscribers got when the service launched.

    “I say to Apple with all due respect, it’s not too late to change this policy and change the minds of those in the music industry who will be deeply and gravely affected by this. We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation,” she wrote.

    And days later, Apple capitulated.

    Last year, Taylor Swift yanked all her music from Spotify, saying it fails to fairly compensate.

    “[M]usic is changing so quickly, and the landscape of the music industry itself is changing so quickly, that everything new, like Spotify, all feels to me a bit like a grand experiment. And I’m not willing to contribute my life’s work to an experiment that I don’t feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists, and creators of this music. And I just don’t agree with perpetuating the perception that music has no value and should be free,” she said.

    Apparently, Swift is pleased with the way Apple handled things and thinks “no cash flow” Spotify needs to work on its public relations.

    In the interview, which you can find here, Swift explained the impetus behind her letter to Apple.

    “I wrote the letter at around four A.M.,” Swift says. “The contracts had just gone out to my friends, and one of them sent me a screenshot of one of them. I read the term ‘zero percent compensation to rights holders.’ Sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and I’ll write a song and I can’t sleep until I finish it, and it was like that with the letter.”

    Image via GabboT, Wikimedia Commons

  • Linda Hogan: Brooke Hogan Silent On Mom After Hulk’s Rant Goes Public

    Linda Hogan and her daughter Brooke haven’t always been on the best of terms, and now, after audio was released of a conversation that Hulk Hogan had several years ago and has landed him in hot water with the WWE, Brooke seems to be siding with her dad on all counts.

    Linda Hogan was one of Hulk’s targets during the conversation, which he said in a statement took place about eight years ago. He also reportedly made racial and homophobic slurs, and the backlash he received after the audio went public led to him severing ties with the WWE. Linda hasn’t released a statement about the conversation, in which Hogan talked about his fears regarding her taking their mansion after their divorce.

    “Dude, the only thing I will ever ask of you … I don’t know how you will pull this off … is, if I am ever on my death bed, you cannot let Linda come and visit me…If I get divorced, Linda will make me sell it. F**k it. Cecile (Barker) will buy it and give it back to me after the divorce,” Hogan reportedly said on the tape.

    Brooke Hogan took to Facebook after the conversation began to spread around the web, posting a poem she wrote about her dad defending him. However, she hasn’t said much about her mom recently. The two have had a rocky relationship in the past, with Brooke saying in a 2009 interview that she felt like her mom “threw her under the bus”.

    “I look at the things she’s released and said about me and I’m like, how could I ever trust her again? How could I ever look at her and be like, ‘You kind of threw me in front of the bus in front of the whole world,’” Brooke told E! News about Linda Hogan.

  • Lindsey Vonn Admits She Is Still In Contact With Ex Tiger Woods

    Even though Lindsey Vonn and long-time boyfriend Tiger Woods have been broken up since May, the world-famous alpine ski racer admits she and ex are still exchanging text messages.

    Vonn, 30, looked red hot at the 2015 ESPYS on Wednesday, July 15. She stunned the red carpet in a seriously sexy, scarlet, slit dress. In one of her photos during the event, she did her best Angelina Jolie pose.

    The champion skier spoke to an ET red carpet correspondent and opened up about her current relationship with ex-boyfriend, golf legend, Tiger Woods.

    “We have texted a little bit but I haven’t been in touch with him too much,” Vonn said. “He seems like he is doing well.”

    Vonn also admitted that earlier this week, she got up early to watch Woods, 39, compete in the British Open and she helped him out in making the cut.

    Vonn, when asked if she wants to see her ex play, answered.

    “Yeah, I definitely want to. I hope he does well and I will be watching,” Vonn adds. “[His] last tournament was a little better so hopefully things go well for him this week.”

    Unfortunately, things really did not go well for Woods despite his ex’s well wishes. He carded an opening round 4 over par yesterday. This was his worst score at the St. Andrew’s course in Scotland.

    The Olympian dated Woods for three years after meeting at a charity event in 2012. This was his first significant and public relationship since his split from wife, whom he shares 2 kids with, Elin Nordegren.

    In 2010, Nordegren divorced Woods after he admitted to cheating on her with several women. She received $110 million in the divorce settlement.

    Reports say that the real reason of the Woods-Vonn split was that the controversial golfer was been caught cheating again.

  • Camille Cosby, Bill Cosby’s Wife, Sheds Light On Sex, Drugs and Accusations

    Camille Cosby has long stood by her husband despite years of accusations, and while it seems more and more questionable whether Cosby drugged and raped a slew of women who have come forward, the 71-year-old wife the the famous comedian remains just as staunchly adamant that her husband is innocent.

    The New York Post is reporting that Camille Cosby refuses to believe the accusations.

    According to sources close to the couple, Camille, who serves as Bill Cosby’s business manager, called a “crisis team” together to help quiet the persistent bad rumors surrounding her husband.

    “Camille still doesn’t believe that Bill provided drugs and had sex with women without their consent,” a source who works for the couple said.

    “I created him, I knew what I was getting and we’ll fix this,” she told a gathering of public relations specialists and advisers at the couple’s Massachusetts home Tuesday night, according to the source. “They are making him out to be such a bad guy, a monster.”

    Bill Cosby has been under fire after nearly 50 women came forward to allege the actor sexually assaulted them.

    Camille Cosby apparently new of the affairs and believes they were all conceptual. Bill Cosby admitted in 2005 that he secured quaaludes with the intent of giving them to young women with whom he was interested in having sex, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press.

    A source said Camille Cosby knew of the comedians affairs but “stopped being embarrassed” by them long ago.

    “You have to allow for space to let your partner do what he wants,” she told a source close to the family. “I have done that and [Bill] has done that and there’s no jealously, no friction.”

  • Sarah Palin Shuts Down Online Channel, Another Sign Of Her Fading Popularity

    Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin recently announced that she’s closing down her subscriber-based online channel.

    The Sarah Palin Channel, which started last July, allowed Palin to reach viewers without “a media filter” at membership charges of $9.95 every month or $99.95 for the whole year.

    Now, the former Fox News contributor has decided to provide her content for free on her Facebook page and website, SarahPac.com, starting on August 1.

    Palin stated that she’s shutting down the online channel because she preferred to connect to more people so her voice can be heard especially since the 2016 presidential election is approaching fast.

    The former vice-presidential runner further said that she felt privileged to have people subscribed to her channel and that she found it informative to see and reply to comments about current happenings.

    However, the channel shutdown may simply be due to low member subscriptions, says Jason Easley of Politicususa.

    But a spokesperson for TAPP, which Palin’s channel is a part of, has declined to reveal the membership figures of the online channel.

    Nevertheless, the public relations company will issue refunds to those who subscribed for the whole year and wishes Palin well in her endeavours.

    Indeed, Palin’s sparkle as a former conservative superstar is fading fast.

    Her every word made the headlines back in 2010 upon joining Fox News and she became the face of the Tea Party. Her popularity is now in decline and over the years the former Governor’s appearances on the Fox News network has dwindled.

    Last month, Fox News refused to renew Palin’s contract as a contributor, and analysts have concluded that the network has realized that the Republican isn’t worth her huge paycheck (reportedly about $1 million per year), now that she isn’t what she used to be.

  • Amanda Bynes Seen In Public After Three Months, Looks Healthy

    At last! It was touch and go for a while but former child star Amanda Bynes finally seems to be on the right track.

    The 29-year-old thespian was seen grabbing a bite to eat at renowned LA restaurant Craig’s with a woman who was later revealed to be Byne’s life coach.

    Paparazzis were undoubtedly surprised by Byne’s appearance, especially since she appeared healthy and calm, so different from the last time she was out and about.

    The Hairspray actress was dressed very casually in leather trousers, a grey jumper and black heels. She was still sporting long, blonde locks and was rocking some cool designer nails.

    Aside from her very laid-back look, the actress also surprised people by ordering a simple dinner while foregoing the alcohol.

    The quiet, drama-free outing seemed to prove what a close family friend told People Magazine several months ago about the state of Byne’s mental and physical health.

    “Amanda is doing much better from where she was months ago,” the friend described the actress. “She has her own apartment and is much happier.”

    The insider also stated that the star and her parents’ relationship are also better and that “Amanda is clear-headed, more focused and has more independence.”

    That undoubtedly is good news to fans of the fashion designer who went through a very troubling phase where she acted out – shoplifting, getting into fights, changing her looks and posting vitriolic statements against other celebs on Twitter.

    It eventually landed the All That alum in a psychiatric facility to receive treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

    And like another famous child star, Byne’s parents were awarded control over her finances and medical needs.

    At one point, the young star acknowledged her problems and released a statement admitting that she “trusted people who clearly were not my friends” and promised that she was “doing my best to get better.”

    It seems that Bynes is trying to keep that promise.

  • Google Called Upon To Make Self-Driving Car Accident Reports Public

    Google Called Upon To Make Self-Driving Car Accident Reports Public

    Google’s self-driving cars are coming under fire again as the Associated Press reported that four out of forty-eight of the cars Google has driving around California have gotten into accidents since September.

    As has been the case with previously reported accidents, however, none of these were actually the fault of Google’s cars, at least according to the company. According to the report, two accidents occurred when the cars were in control, and the others while humans were controlling them, but according to Google, none of them were actually at fault. Three of the vehicles were Lexus SUVs, and the fourth was a test vehicle of parts supplier Delphi Automotive, the report says, adding that a source claims all were minor accidents which took place at speed of less than 10 mph.

    Consumer Watchdog, a regular critic of many of Google’s endeavors, released a statement on Monday calling on the company to release reports of accidents involving its cars, and to commit to making any such reports public in the future.

    The organization’s privacy director John Simpson wrote a letter to Google CEO Larry Page and executive chairman Eric Schmidt, in which he said, “It is important that the public know what happened. You are testing driverless vehicles on public highways, quite possibly putting other drivers at risk.”

    You can read the full letter here (PDF).

    “Unbelievably Google is planning to offer its robot cars without a steering wheel, brake pedal or accelerator so there would be no way for a person to take control in an emergency,” said Simpson in the statement. “That plan underscores the need for the public to know the full details of all accidents.”

    Google unveiled its “first real build” of its self-driving vehicle prototype in December.

    Simpson’s letter to Page and Schmidt concluded: “Google has engaged in a highly visible public relations campaign extolling the supposed virtues of driverless cars. It is incumbent upon you to be candid about the cars’ failings and shortcomings as well. Your stated mission is ‘to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible.’ Sadly, in practice, you’ve modified this to be ‘to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible – except when it is about Google.’ Please treat yourselves as you would treat everyone else. Release DMV driverless car accident reports and details of your driverless car accidents. Make the autonomous technology disengagement reports public as well.”

    I have to say, I haven’t always agreed with all of Consumer Watchdog’s criticisms of Google, but they make some pretty fair points on this one. This isn’t the only area where Google is criticized over a lack of transparency, but it’s quite possibly one of the most important areas for Google to be transparent in.

    Chris Urmson, the director of Google’s self-driving car program, wrote a post on Medium about how after a million miles, Google hasn’t caused an accident.

    The post is interesting and continues Google’s history of talking about how much safer its cars are than human drivers. It gives various examples of people being stupid drivers, as if anyone needs proof of that. I don’t think anyone is arguing that people aren’t bad at driving.

    The post also talks about the accidents Google’s cars have had. It says:

    Over the 6 years since we started the project, we’ve been involved in 11 minor accidents (light damage, no injuries) during those 1.7 million miles of autonomous and manual driving with our safety drivers behind the wheel, and not once was the self-driving car the cause of the accident.

    Rear-end crashes are the most frequent accidents in America, and often there’s little the driver in front can do to avoid getting hit; we’ve been hit from behind seven times, mainly at traffic lights but also on the freeway. We’ve also been side-swiped a couple of times and hit by a car rolling through a stop sign. And as you might expect, we see more accidents per mile driven on city streets than on freeways; we were hit 8 times in many fewer miles of city driving. All the crazy experiences we’ve had on the road have been really valuable for our project. We have a detailed review process and try to learn something from each incident, even if it hasn’t been our fault.

    Not only are we developing a good understanding of minor accident rates on suburban streets, we’ve also identified patterns of driver behavior (lane-drifting, red-light running) that are leading indicators of significant collisions. Those behaviors don’t ever show up in official statistics, but they create dangerous situations for everyone around them.

    Self-driving cars may very well be much safer than human-driven vehicles. Frankly, I have no doubt about that. I work in a city that was listed in a BBC News top ten list about terrible traffic cities around the world. I see terrible driving every day of my life.

    Elon Musk even thinks human driving could eventually be outlawed.

    Still, I don’t think it’s asking too much for Google to up the transparency level about its accidents. Why shouldn’t we know more about what is happening when these vehicles are involved?

    Image via Google

  • Georgia Fualaau, Audrey Fualaau Not Fazed By Parents’, Mary Kay Latourneau And Vili Fualaau, Relationship

    Georgia Fualaau and Audrey Fualaau, the teenage daughters of Mary Kay Latourneau and Vili Fualaau, seem to think that their childhood was not all that abnormal.

    Even before her interview with the scandal-ridden couple, wherein the world was to meet Georgia Fualaau and Audrey Fualaau, Barbara Walters noticed the air of normalcy amongst the unlikely family.

    She said of Georgia Fualaau and her sister that they seem to think their childhood was pretty normal.

    Even Georgia Fualaau and Audrey Fualaau’s mother, Mary Kay Latourneau, recognizes that growing up, the girls didn’t really notice anything out of the ordinary.

    “There was never a sit-down chat, ‘Now is the time we’re going to talk to our children about this,’ ” Letourneau, now 53, said. “They seemed to already know … because they grew up with it. … There’s just never been a ‘Wow, we better explain.’ ”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clM8yhJ-fkk

    Of course, Mary Kay Latourneau and Vili Fualaau made headlines when their relationship was made public after she became pregnant with their first child. Latourneau, then 34, was a married mother of four and Vili Fualaau was only 13.

    Latourneau had their first child, Audrey Fualaau, after serving a few months in prison for child rape and getting out on parole.

    After her release, Latourneau was caught with Vili Fualaau again, this time landing her in prison for several years.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu-UE-7rIbw

    Mary Kay Latourneau and Vili Fualaau’s second daughter, Georgia Fualaau, was born behind bars shortly after that.

    The couple reunited and wed after Latourneau’s release in 2004.

    Mary Kay Latourneau said, “Probably why I looked so forward to getting married is because I already knew what kind of father he was,” Letourneau told Walters of Fualaau, now 31. “Just knowing his personality and how invested he was in being a father.”

    What kind of life do you think Audrey and Georgia Fualaau really had through all of this?

  • Jay Carney Is Amazon’s New VP of Corporate Affairs

    Former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has spent the last year as a contributor to CNN, but now he’s stepping back into the realm of PR.

    Politico reports that Amazon has tapped Carney to be the new Senior Vice President for Worldwide Corporate Affairs. It’s a new position – one that will put the company’s public relations and public policy divisions under one umbrella.

    From Politico:

    [Current VP of Public Policy] Paul Misener and PR chief Craig Berman will now report to Carney, who in turn will report directly to CEO Jeff Bezos. Carney will give up his post-White House perch as a senior political analyst on CNN to focus full time on Amazon.

    Carney served as Press Secretary for the Obama administration from February 11, 2011, to June 20, 2014. He replaced Robert Gibbs and was succeeded by Josh Earnest. Before heading to the White House, Carney was the Washington Bureau Chief for Time magazine.

    Image via Jay Carney, Twitter

  • Nina Dobrev Dating ‘Vampire Diaries’ Co-Star Chris Wood For Real or Just a Publicity Stunt?

    Nina Dobrev Dating ‘Vampire Diaries’ Co-Star Chris Wood For Real or Just a Publicity Stunt?

    Nina Dobrev is reportedly casually dating her Vampire Diaries co-star Chris Wood, although some reports claim it’s just a publicity stunt to garner ratings for the floundering show.

    According to Hollywood Life, Dobrev, 25, and Wood, who plays Kai on VD, have reportedly been dating, although it’s not serious at this point.

    “They are great friends who have hooked up on the recent times they have been out together but they are not currently looking to start a relationship. They are both very cool about it and it has not ruined working with each other or caused any issues,” a source told the magazine.

    Fans seem to be thrilled that Dobrev has found someone to hang out with, especially following the break-up with another co-star, Ian Somerhalder, after a three-year relationship. They have taken to Twitter to share their excitement, dubbing the new couple “WoodBrev.”

    One has to worry if this new development between Dobrev and Wood, 26, is causing even more tension on the set. There have already been reports that Dobrev has been upset whenever Somerhalder’s new love, Nikki Reed, shows up on set, which has led to feuding between the former couple.

    Things got downright nasty once Somerhalder moved Nikki Reed down to Atlanta, Georgia, with him where The Vampire Diaries is filmed.

    Dobrev, in turn, started dating Ian Somerhalder’s good friend Mark Foster of Foster the People fame.

    A photo posted by Chris Wood (@christophrwood) on

    Inquisitr reported that Dobrev and Somerhalder may be using the media in perpetuating drama to draw publicity for The Vampire Diaries, which is currently in Season Six and losing momentum in the ratings.

    What do you all think? For real or publicity stunt?

  • Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Defends His Right to Call Out Ex-Fiancee’s Abortion

    American boxer and five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is defending his right to call out his ex-fiancée’s abortion on social media.

    Shantel Jackson, who aborted her and Mayweather’s twin children, is suing Mayweather for defamation, assault, and invasion of privacy but the 37-year-old boxer is working to get her lawsuit dismissed.

    Mayweather said that Jackson asked him to help her “become famous” and used his celebrity to build her up. He added that since they both are famous, the public is interested in every aspect of their relationship including the breakup.

    “At age 37 I am an undefeated boxer. I have been the world champion in five different weight divisions,” the boxer claimed in a sworn statement. “After we broke up, there was a lot of media talk about why we broke up. I expressed myself on the breakup and abortion … and posted it on social media.”

    “Both parties are public figures,” he said in a legal document. “Abortion is a public issue. A public figure involved with another public figure in a public relationship can expect publicity, not privacy, about why it ends.”

    This is Mayweather’s defense for calling Jackson out in a series of social media posts including a sonogram picture on Instagram last Spring that read, “The real reason me and Shantel Christine Jackson @missjackson broke up was because she got a abortion, and I’m totally against killing babies. She killed our twin babies.”

    The post has since been deleted.

    Mayweather has seen his share of legal issues. In 2002 he was charged with two counts of domestic violence and one count of misdemeanor battery. Then in 2004 Mayweather was given a one-year suspended jail sentence after being convicted of two counts of misdemeanor battery against two women. In 2010 his former girlfriend, Josie Harris, filed a domestic battery report against him and he was taken into custody on September 10 but was released after posting a $3,000 bail. In December, 2011 a judge sentenced Mayweather to serve 90 days in the county jail, 100 hours of community service, a 12-month domestic violence program, and a fine of $2,500.

    A judge has yet to rule on the recent legal issue regarding Shantel Jackson.

  • Selena Gomez And Justin Bieber Are In A Fake Relationship?

    Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber are one of the hottest couples in Hollywood, but could their relationship just be for show? Kendall Jenner seems to think so, according to a source for OK!

    “Kendall couldn’t care less about Selena and is telling all their mutual friends that Justin never loved her and she wants the word to get back to Selena,” the source said.

    Kendall has caused problems for Selena and Justin in the past and is even rumored to be the reason for their last big breakup. Kendall and her sister Kylie had allegedly been texting Justin, and Selena didn’t approve of it. When Justin refused to break off the friendship with the Jenner sisters, Selena broke up with him.

    Kendall said this isn’t the case and that she wasn’t the reason for the breakup.

    “Kendall thinks the relationship is a publicity arrangement, which is why she doesn’t think she split them up,” the source added.

    According to a source for Hollywood Life, Kendall may not be too far off. The source claimed that Justin was upset over Selena’s performance of her new single, The Heart Wants What It Wants at the 2014 American Music Awards.

    Selena had previously said that the song was about her relationship with Bieber and got very emotional during her performance.

    “Justin thinks Selena was exploiting their relationship by being so dramatic on stage and making it seem like he’s the heartbreaker in all of this,” the source said.

    Another source close to the couple told the Inquisitr that Justin would never say such a thing.

    “As an artist himself, Justin expects Selena to promote her music just as he promotes his own,” the source said. “And as Selena said before, he thinks her new song is ‘beautiful.’”

    “He does not think Ms. Gomez exploited their relationship, and any communications they have are private. There are no sources listening in on them, then running to the press. This is just a malicious lie,” the source added.

    What do you think of the relationship? Is it really love?

  • Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber Relationship Fake? Kendall Jenner Says Yes

    Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber Relationship Fake? Kendall Jenner Says Yes

    Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber never loved each other, and their whole relationship has been fake since day one–at least that’s what Kendall Jenner reportedly says. OK! reports that Kendall is telling this to her friends–some of whom are friends with Selena, too. It sounds like the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star might have an ulterior motive, however.

    “Kendall couldn’t care less about Selena and is telling all their mutual friends that Justin never loved her and she wants the word to get back to Selena,” a source reports.

    There were some rumors a few weeks back about Kendall Jenner and Justin Bieber sneaking around behind Selena Gomez’s back, but Kendall told her friends that Justin and Selena was “all a publicity arrangement, which is why she doesn’t think she split them up.”

    Fans of Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber aren’t buying it, however. They can see how devastated Justin Bieber has been since spending these past few weeks apart from Selena. Justin has spent much of that time in the company of Hillsong Church Pastor Carl Lentz. He is working on refocusing his life on God–something he and Selena Gomez used to do together. The two were big on attending church and Bible study, and praying together. Justin has made several bad choices in the past year or so that not only damaged his image and his career–they caused great strife in his relationship with Selena Gomez, too. It would be difficult for such strife to have been created if said relationship was for publicity purposes only.

    And what about Selena Gomez’s new song, “The Heart Wants What It Wants?” She has admitted this is about Justin Bieber.

    Do you think Kendall Jenner wants to wreck things between Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber once and for all? And if so, is she doing this so she can have Justin all to herself?

  • Kim Kardashian And Kanye West: Is The Marriage Over Already?

    Are Kim Kardashian and Kanye West headed for divorce? According to the rumor mill, that seems to be the case. It’s been reported that the couple has been arguing nonstop since their marriage. A source tells HipHollywood that Kim is unhappy with the marriage. “Kim and Kanye are arguing more than ever,” the source said. “Kim feels like their relationship is more of a business relationship than a real marriage. All they do is talk about business whenever they’re together and it’s stressing Kim out more than it ever has before.”

    Another insider tells Radar that Kim approached her mom Kris Jenner about her marital troubles, but Kris urged Kim to work on it because her career won’t survive another divorce. It’s worth remembering that Kim’s divorce from Kris Humphries after being married for only 72 days, became a public relations nightmare for the reality show star. While Kris is urging Kim to stay married to West, the insider claims that Kris is actually part of the reason why the couple have been fighting.

    “Kanye wanted to take over more of Kim’s career when they got married and he’s started doing that, but Kris won’t allow him to have 100 percent control,” the insider claims. “She wants control and so does he, because he thinks of himself as a visionary and feels like he sees things differently than Kris.”

    The rumors started circulating after Kim was seen meeting with her divorce attorney, Laura Wasser, on November 11. Despite the divorce rumors, the couple still appear publicly and there appears to be no sign of trouble between the two. Kim’s rep also told E! News that there is nothing wrong in the Kimye camp and that the latest divorce gossip is nonsense.

    Kim Kardashian recently appeared on the cover of Paper magazine and the nude pictorial took the internet by storm.

  • Rachel Bilson Seen In Public For The First Time Since Giving Birth

    On Monday, November 24, Rachel Bilson was spotted for the first time since giving birth to her daughter with actor Hayden Christensen. Bilson was seen at a Tender Greens in Los Angeles buying takeout. The new mom dressed down for comfort, wearing a loose black t-shirt and trousers combo with a Zoe Karssen leopard print cardigan and Birkenstock sandals. The former OC star also sported a side-braid and wore dark sunglasses. Last week, it was Bilson’s beau who was spotted out and about. Christensen was photographed when he went to dinner with his friend at Beverly Glen Center in Bel Air.

    Bilson and Christensen welcomed baby Briar Rose on October 29. According to Bilson’s rep, “Both mother and baby are healthy and doing well. They are asking for privacy and subscribe to the No Kids Policy.” Prior to the sighting on Monday, Bilson has been out of the spotlight. She also hasn’t spoken to the press about her new status as a mom. However, in an interview with Health magazine earlier this year, the Hart of Dixie star admitted that she was excited at the thought of being a mother.

    “I’ve always wanted to be a mom,” Bilson told Health. “I have always wanted kids. I can just see this little toddler waddling around the house.”

    Bilson and Christensen met while shooting the film Jumper. They got engaged in 2008, but called it off two years later and broke up. They got back together three months later and they have been inseparable ever since. “I’ve been in my relationship for seven years, so we’ve grown up together in a way,” Bilson told Health. “This is my partner, my support, just there for me no matter what. And vice versa.”

    Bilson currently stars in Hart of Dixie, which will be premiering its fourth season on January 2015.

  • Uncle Poodle Says June Is Lying About Relationship With Sex Offender

    The drama surrounding the Honey Boo Boo scandal continues to grow, and while Uncle Poodle and June have been giving conflicting stories to the media all along, Uncle Poodle recently came out and said that June is simply lying about everything.

    Uncle Poodle has allegedly tried to sell information and stories to the media and he has been taking advantage of all of the attention the scandal has brought him. He recently appeared on the Dr. Phil show, where he shared his side of the story and talked about June.

    “The truth on the whole thing is June is lying,” Poodle told Dr. Phil. “She tells everyone that [she and Mark] haven’t seen each other and that the photos are photoshopped. It’s a big lie.”

    Uncle Poodle even claimed that he was present the first time June met up with the sex offender, but said he didn’t know who the man was at the time.

    “[June] came to me to go look at houses. It was on September 9,” said Poodle. “I drove her up and she said she wanted to meet a friend. I took her to meet Mark. I did not know who Mark was in the beginning. I think it was the first time she had seen him since he got out of prison.”

    Poodle went on to say that during the meeting June’s daughters Pumpkin and Alana were present and that both of the girls and June disappeared with the child molester, Mark McDaniel, at one point during the meeting.

    He also said that June had no problem letting McDaniel around her girls and even said that he saw Alana curled up in bed with McDaniel once.

    McDaniel went to prison for sexually molesting June’s oldest daughter Anna. Anna admitted to being the victim a short time after information about the scandal was released to the public. June has denied that she has a relationship with McDaniel, but there have been photos and witnesses that say otherwise.

    TLC canceled the family’s popular reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo after they learned that there was a possible relationship between June and McDaniel.

  • Dana Brunetti & Kristin Chenoweth End Relationship

    Producer Dana Brunetti and Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth have decided to end their relationship after being together for less than a year.

    According to Us Weekly, the distance between the couple and their grueling schedules played a major part in their mutual decision to call it quits.

    “It was just the distance,” a source told the magazine. “Dana’s career is jetting off right now, and Kristin travelled a lot already, and they just barely had time to see each other.”

    “He’s producing House Of Cards now, speaking at conferences, and has to see his kid as well,” the source added. “Just didn’t make sense for either party to continue.”

    Brunetti and Chenoweth made their first public appearance together at the Golden Globe Awards in January 2014. However, rumors started circulating that Brunetti and Chenoweth were more than friends when they were seen getting cozy together at Matthew Morrison’s Halloween party in 2013, according to E! News.

    The last time that the couple was seen together was in April when they attended the Museum of Moving Image’s event that honored House of Cards star Kevin Spacey.

    Both Brunetti and Chenoweth seem to be taking the split well. On Friday, Chenoweth appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman , where she was all smiles, to promote her new album. Brunetti has already moved on, and is reportedly dating actress Katie Cassidy.

    On November 8, Cassidy posted a picture of her and Brunetti on Instagram with a caption that read: “Just can’t get enough…”

    Sorry @evanlowenstein, you've been replaced. #Repost from @katiecassidy — just can't get enough… @dana_brunetti

    A photo posted by Dana Brunetti ✅ (@dana_brunetti) on

  • Alibaba Releases First Earnings Report As A Public Company

    Alibaba Releases First Earnings Report As A Public Company

    Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which held its IPO here in the United States in September, just released its first earnings report as a public company, and it was a good one. The company beat Wall Street expectations with revenue of $2.74 billion and earnings per share of $0.45.

    Alibaba Group CEO Jonathan Lu had this to say: “We delivered a strong quarter with significant growth across our key operating metrics. Our business continues to perform well, and our results reflect both the strength of our ecosystem and the strong foundation we have for sustainable growth.”

    “On our China retail marketplaces, gross merchandise volume for the quarter increased 49% and annual active buyers increased 52% year on year,” Lu added. “We extended our unrivaled leadership in mobile with 217 million monthly active users on our mobile commerce apps in September and US$95 billion in mobile GMV for the twelve months ended September 2014. We are also encouraged by continued improvement of mobile monetization which demonstrates the strong commercial intent of our users.”

    Stock was up at least 4% in premarket trading. It should be an interesting day for the company that recently launched the biggest tech IPO ever.

    Here’s the earnings release in its entirety:

    HANGZHOU, China–()–Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) today announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2014.

    “Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures”

    “We delivered a strong quarter with significant growth across our key operating metrics,” said Jonathan Lu, chief executive officer of Alibaba Group. “Our business continues to perform well, and our results reflect both the strength of our ecosystem and the strong foundation we have for sustainable growth. On our China retail marketplaces, gross merchandise volume for the quarter increased 49% and annual active buyers increased 52% year on year. We extended our unrivaled leadership in mobile with 217 million monthly active users on our mobile commerce apps in September and US$95 billion in mobile GMV for the twelve months ended September 2014. We are also encouraged by continued improvement of mobile monetization which demonstrates the strong commercial intent of our users.”

    “Our financial performance this quarter was robust, with revenue growing 54% year on year,” said Maggie Wei Wu, chief financial officer of Alibaba Group. “We continue to execute our focused growth strategy, and the fundamental strength of our business gives us the confidence to invest in new initiatives to add new users, improving engagement and customer experience, expand our products and services and drive long-term shareholder value.”

    September Quarter Operational and Financial Highlights

    Operational highlights:

    September 30, June 30, September 30,
    2013 2014 2014 % Change
    RMB RMB RMB US$(1) YoY QoQ
    (in millions, except percentages)
    GMV(2) 373,659 500,916 555,666 90,529 48.7% 10.9%
    Mobile GMV as a percentage of total GMV(2) 14.7% 32.8% 35.8%
    Annual Active Buyers(3) 202 279 307 52.0% 10.0%
    Mobile Monthly Active Users (MAUs)(4) 91 188 217 138.5% 15.4%

    Financial highlights:

    Three months ended September 30,
    2013 2014
    RMB RMB US$(1) YoY % Change
    (in millions, except percentages and per share amounts)
    Revenue 10,950 16,829 2,742 53.7%
    Mobile Revenue 332 3,719 606 1,020.2%
    Income from Operations 5,248 4,345 708 (17.2%)*
    Non-GAAP EBITDA(5) 6,505 8,493 1,384 30.6%
    Non-GAAP EBITDA Margin(5) 59.4% 50.5%
    Net Income 4,937 3,030 494 (38.6%)*
    Non-GAAP Net Income(5) 5,893 6,808 1,109 15.5%
    Diluted Earnings per Share/ADS (EPS) 2.13 1.24 0.20 (41.8%)*
    Non-GAAP Diluted EPS(5) 2.55 2.79 0.45 9.4%

    _______________

    * Decrease primarily due to the significant increase in share-based compensation expense and amortization of intangible assets in the September quarter 2014, as discussed in details below.
    (1) This release contains translation of certain Renminbi (“RMB”) into U.S. dollars (“US$”) for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations of RMB into US$ were made at RMB6.1380 to US$1.00, the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board on September 30, 2014. The percentages stated in this release are calculated based on the RMB amounts.
    (2) For the three months ended on the respective dates. Based on the aggregate value of confirmed orders of products and services on our marketplaces, regardless of how, or whether, the buyer and seller settle the transaction.
    (3) For the twelve months ended on the respective dates. Active buyers are user accounts that confirmed one or more orders on the relevant marketplace in that period, regardless of whether or not the buyer and seller settle the transaction.
    (4) For the month ended on the respective dates. Based on the aggregate mobile MAUs of apps that contribute GMV on our China retail marketplaces.
    (5) See the sections entitled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to within this release.

    GMV – GMV transacted on our China retail marketplaces in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB555,666 million (US$90,529 million), an increase of 48.7% compared to the same quarter of 2013. GMV transacted on Taobao Marketplace in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB379,832 million (US$61,882 million), an increase of 38.2% compared to the same quarter of 2013. GMV transacted on Tmall in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB175,834 million (US$28,647 million), an increase of 77.8% compared to the same quarter of 2013. The growth was primarily driven by an increase in number of active buyers.

    Mobile GMV – Mobile GMV in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB199,054 million (US$32,430 million), or 35.8% of total GMV transacted on our China retail marketplaces in this quarter, compared to 32.8% in the quarter ended June 30, 2014 and 14.7% in the same quarter of 2013. The growth was primarily driven by increases in the monthly active users accessing our platforms through mobile devices.

    Annual active buyers – China retail marketplaces had 307 million annual active buyers in the twelve months ended September 30, 2014, compared to 279 million in the twelve months ended June 30, 2014 and 202 million in the twelve months ended September 30, 2013, representing an increase of 52.0% compared to the same period in 2013.

    Mobile MAUs – Mobile MAUs grew to 217 million in the month ended September 30, 2014, compared to 188 million in the month ended June 30, 2014, representing a net addition of 29 million MAUs in three months, and a 138.5% increase from 91 million in the month ended September 30, 2013.

    Revenue – Revenue increased by 53.7% to RMB16,829 million (US$2,742 million) in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to RMB10,950 million in the same quarter of 2013. Revenue from China commerce retail business increased by 47.7% to RMB12,769 million (US$2,080 million), compared to RMB8,645 million in the same quarter of 2013, mainly driven by the growth in online marketing service revenue and commission revenue. Mobile revenue increased by 1,020.2% to RMB3,719 million (US$606 million) in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to RMB332 million in the same quarter of 2013.

    Income from operations – Income from operations in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB4,345 million (US$708 million), or 25.8% of revenue, a decrease of 17.2% compared to RMB5,248 million in the same quarter of 2013. The decrease was primarily due to share-based compensation charges (see “Share-based compensation expense” below) and an increase in amortization of intangible assets.

    Non-GAAP EBITDA – Non-GAAP EBITDA increased by 30.6% to RMB8,493 million (US$1,384 million) in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to RMB6,505 million in the same quarter of 2013. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was 50.5% in the quarter ended September 30, 2014. This was a decrease from 59.4% in the September quarter of 2013 and from 54.4% in the June quarter of 2014. The decrease in non-GAAP EBITDA margin was primarily due to (i) the consolidation of newly acquired businesses, mainly including UCWeb Inc., or UCWeb, AutoNavi Holding Limited, or AutoNavi, (ii) planned investments in new business initiatives, such as our mobile operating system, local services and digital entertainment, and (iii) increased tactical marketing spending during the September quarter.

    Net income – Our net income in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB3,030 million (US$494 million), a decrease of 38.6% compared to RMB4,937 million in the same quarter of 2013. The decrease was primarily due to the share-based compensation charges and increased amortization expense as discussed above, and an increase in our effective tax rate.

    Non-GAAP net income – Non-GAAP net income increased by 15.5% to RMB6,808 million (US$1,109 million) in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to RMB5,893 million in the same quarter of 2013.

    Diluted EPS and non-GAAP diluted EPS – Diluted EPS in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB1.24 (US$0.20) on 2,438 million diluted shares outstanding, a decrease of 41.8% compared to RMB2.13 on 2,317 million diluted shares outstanding in the same quarter of 2013. Non-GAAP diluted EPS in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB2.79 (US$0.45) on 2,438 million diluted shares outstanding, an increase of 9.4% compared to RMB2.55 on 2,317 million diluted shares outstanding in the same quarter of 2013.

    September Quarter Financial Results

    Revenue – Revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB16,829 million (US$2,742 million), an increase of 53.7% compared to RMB10,950 million in the same quarter of 2013. The increase was mainly driven by the continuing rapid growth of our China commerce retail business.

    • China commerce retail business – Revenue from China commerce retail business in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB12,769 million (US$2,080 million), or 75.9% of total revenue, an increase of 47.7% compared to RMB8,645 million in the same quarter of 2013. The increase was mainly driven by the growth in online marketing services revenue and commission revenue. Commission revenue accounted for 33.5% of China commerce retail revenue in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to 24.8% in the same quarter of 2013. Revenue growth during this period occurred in the context of and reflected an increase of 48.7% in GMV transacted on our China retail marketplaces, which was primarily driven by a 52.0% increase in the number of active buyers. Monetization rate remained stable at 2.30% in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to 2.31% in the same quarter of 2013. Mobile revenue in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB3,719 million (US$606 million), representing 29.1% of China commerce retail business revenue, compared to 19.4% in the quarter ended June 30, 2014 and 3.8% in the same quarter of 2013. Mobile revenue increased as a result of increased mobile GMV and increased mobile monetization rate to 1.87%, up from 1.49% in the quarter ended June 30, 2014 and 0.61% in the same quarter of 2013.
    • China commerce wholesale business – Revenue from our China commerce wholesale business in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB790 million (US$129 million), an increase of 39.1% compared to RMB568 million in the same quarter of 2013. The increase in revenue was due to an increase in paying members and an increase in average revenue from paying members.
    • International commerce retail business – Revenue from our international commerce retail business in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB419 million (US$68 million), nearly doubling from RMB210 million in the same quarter of 2013. The main reason for this increase was an increase in GMV transacted on AliExpress.
    • International commerce wholesale business – Revenue from our international commerce wholesale business in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB1,198 million (US$195 million), an increase of 24.0% compared to RMB966 million in the same quarter of 2013. The main reason for this increase was an increase in the number of paying members.

    Cost of revenue – Cost of revenue in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB5,596 million (US$912 million), or 33.3% of revenue, compared to RMB3,001 million, or 27.4% of revenue, in the same quarter of 2013. The increase was primarily due to (i) an increase in share-based compensation expense caused by the re-measurement at period end to fair value of share-based awards granted to the employees of Zhejiang Ant Small and Micro Financial Services Company, Ltd., or Ant Financial, and (ii) an increase in co-location, bandwidth and depreciation expenses as a result of our investments in Alibaba Cloud Computing and our data platform.

    Product development expenses – Product development expenses in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 were RMB2,581 million (US$421 million), or 15.3% of revenue, compared to RMB1,168 million, or 10.7% of revenue in the same quarter of 2013. The increase was primarily due to an increase in payroll and benefit expense including share-based compensation expense. Our product development headcount increased as we continue to focus on new and existing product development and as a result of our acquisitions of UCWeb and AutoNavi.

    Sales and marketing expenses – Sales and marketing expenses in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 were RMB1,749 million (US$285 million), or 10.4% of revenue, compared to RMB657 million, or 6.0% of revenue in the same quarter of 2013. The increase was primarily due to an increase in tactical advertising and promotional spending mainly to promote our China retail marketplaces during this quarter when intense global interest in Alibaba enhanced the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Additionally, the consolidation of marketing expense in acquired businesses, including UCWeb and AutoNavi, and an increase in promoting new business initiatives (including local services and digital entertainment) also contributed to the increase of sales and marketing expenses in this quarter.

    General and administrative expenses – General and administrative expenses in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 were RMB1,960 million (US$319 million), or 11.6% of revenue, compared to RMB793 million, or 7.2% of revenue in the same quarter of 2013. The increase was primarily due to an increase in share-based compensation expense.

    Share-based compensation expense – Share-based compensation expense included in respective cost or expense items above in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB3,010 million (US$490 million), or 17.9% of revenue, an increase of 248.4% compared to RMB864 million, or 7.9% of revenue, in the same quarter of 2013. Share-based compensation expense as a percentage of revenue increased due to performance-based and retention grants of share-based awards to our employees and members of executive management prior to our initial public offering, with vesting periods ranging from four to six years, as well as the re-measurement charge relating to share-based awards granted to the employees of Ant Financial as described under Cost of Revenue above.

    Amortization of intangible assets – Amortization of intangible assets in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB598 million (US$97 million), a significant increase from RMB39 million in the same quarter of 2013. The increase was primarily related to the strategic acquisitions, including UCWeb and AutoNavi.

    Income from operations – Income from operations in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB4,345 million (US$708 million), or 25.8% of revenue, a decrease of 17.2% compared to RMB5,248 million, or 47.9% of revenue, in the same quarter of 2013. The decrease was primarily due to an increase in share-based compensation expense and an increase in amortization of intangible assets.

    Non-GAAP EBITDA – Non-GAAP EBITDA increased by 30.6% to RMB8,493 million (US$1,384 million) in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to RMB6,505 million in the same quarter of 2013. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was 50.5% in the quarter ended September 30, 2014. This was a decrease from 59.4% in the September quarter of 2013 and from 54.4% in the June quarter of 2014. The decrease in non-GAAP EBITDA margin was primarily due to (i) the consolidation of newly acquired businesses, mainly including UCWeb and AutoNavi, (ii) planned investments in new business initiatives, such as our mobile operating system, local services and digital entertainment, and (iii) increased tactical marketing spending during the September quarter. A reconciliation of income from operations to non-GAAP EBITDA is included at the end of this release.

    Interest and investment income, net – Interest and investment income, net in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB468 million (US$76 million), an increase of 47.2% compared to RMB318 million in the same quarter of 2013. The increase in net interest and investment income was primarily due to a net gain recognized with respect to the revaluation of previously held equity interests relating to the merger of AutoNavi, and an increase in interest income as a result of higher cash balance during the period, partially offset by losses recognized with respect to the revaluation of convertible bonds in connection with our strategic investments in publicly traded entities.

    Interest expense – Interest expense in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB521 million (US$85 million), an increase of 39.3% compared to RMB374 million in the same quarter of 2013. The increase in interest expense was primarily due to an increase in average loan amount outstanding during the period following the drawdown in April 2014 of the remaining US$3.0 billion under a US$8.0 billion credit facility.

    Other income, net – Other income, net in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB378 million (US$62 million), a decrease of 2.8% compared to RMB389 million in the same quarter of 2013. For the quarter ended September 30, 2014, other income, net, primarily included royalty fees and software technology service fees received from Ant Financial which increased to RMB430 million (US$70 million) in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 from RMB204 million in the same quarter of 2013, and RMB195 million of expenses relating to the sale of shares by existing shareholders in our initial public offering.

    Income tax expenses – Income tax expenses in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 were RMB1,339 million (US$218 million), an increase of 110.2% compared to RMB637 million in the same quarter of 2013. The increase was primarily due to the increase in taxable income from our operations in China. Our effective tax rate increased to 28.7% in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 from 11.4% in the same quarter of 2013. Excluding share-based compensation expense which is not deductible for income tax purposes, and gain on revaluation of investments which are not subject to income tax, our effective tax rate would have been 17.6% in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to 9.9% in the same quarter of 2013. Such increase was primarily because the enterprise income tax, or EIT, exemption period of one of our major subsidiaries expired and such subsidiary became subject to an EIT rate of 12.5% (or 50% of the statutory EIT rate) in calendar year 2014.

    Net income and non-GAAP net income – As a result of the foregoing, our net income in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB3,030 million (US$494 million), a decrease of 38.6% compared to RMB4,937 million in the same quarter of 2013. Excluding the effects of share-based compensation expense, amortization of intangible assets and certain other items, non-GAAP net income in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB6,808 million (US$1,109 million), an increase of 15.5% compared to RMB5,893 million in the same quarter of 2013. A reconciliation of net income to non-GAAP net income is included at the end of this release.

    Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders – Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB2,976 million (US$485 million), a decrease of 39.1% compared to RMB4,883 million in the same quarter of 2013.

    Diluted EPS and non-GAAP diluted EPS – Diluted EPS in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB1.24 (US$0.20) on 2,438 million diluted shares outstanding, a decrease of 41.8% compared to RMB2.13 on 2,317 million diluted shares outstanding in the same quarter of 2013. Excluding the effects of share-based compensation expense, amortization of intangible assets and certain other items, non-GAAP diluted EPS in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB2.79 (US$0.45), an increase of 9.4% compared to RMB2.55 in the same quarter of 2013. A reconciliation of diluted EPS to the non-GAAP diluted EPS is included at the end of this release.

    Cash – As of September 30, 2014, cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were RMB109,911 million (US$17,906 million), compared to RMB43,632 million as of March 31, 2014.

    Cash flow from operating activities and free cash flow – Net cash provided by operating activities in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB5,865 million (US$955 million), an increase of 29.6% compared to RMB4,526 million in the same quarter of 2013. Capital expenditures in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 were RMB3,396 million (US$553 million), compared to RMB1,140 million in the same quarter of 2013. Capital expenditures in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 included cash outflow for acquisition of land use rights and construction in progress of RMB1,703 million. Free cash flow, a non-GAAP measurement of liquidity, in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was RMB8,938 million (US$1,456 million), an increase of 33.7% compared to RMB6,683 million in the same quarter of 2013. A reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow, the non-GAAP measure of liquidity, is included at the end of this release.

    Net cash used in investing activities – During the quarter ended September 30, 2014, net cash used in investing activities of RMB32,555 million (US$5,304 million) mainly included disbursements for short-term investments of RMB13,807 million (US$2,249 million), capital expenditure of RMB3,396 million (US$553 million) as well as investment and acquisition activities of RMB15,912 million (US$2,592 million). The cash outflows related to our previously announced investment and acquisition activities included: (i) the merger of AutoNavi, a leading provider of digital map content and navigation and location-based solutions in China, of RMB6,348 million; (ii) investment in Intime Retail (Group) Company Limited, one of China’s leading department store operators, of RMB4,264 million; (iii) investment in Singapore Post Limited, the national postal service provider in Singapore and a leading provider of ecommerce and logistics solutions in the Asia-Pacific region, of RMB1,548 million; and (iv) investment in Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club, China’s first-ever winner of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Cup, of RMB1,200 million.

    Webcast and Conference Call Information

    A live webcast of the earnings conference call, which will be held shortly following the release of this announcement, can be accessed at http://www.alibabagroup.com/en/ir/earnings. An archived webcast will be available through the same link following the call. A replay of the conference call will be available for two weeks (dial-in number: +1 855-859-2056; conference ID: 24286757).

    Please visit Alibaba Group’s Investor Relations website at http://www.alibabagroup.com/en/ir/home on November 4, 2014 to view the earnings release and accompanying slides prior to the conference call.

    About Alibaba Group

    Alibaba Group’s mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere. The company is the largest online and mobile commerce company in the world in terms of gross merchandise volume. Founded in 1999, the company provides the fundamental technology infrastructure and marketing reach to help businesses leverage the power of the Internet to establish an online presence and conduct commerce with hundreds of millions of consumers and other businesses.

    Alibaba Group’s major businesses include:

    • Taobao Marketplace (www.taobao.com), China’s largest online shopping destination
    • Tmall.com (www.tmall.com), China’s largest third-party platform for brands and retailers
    • Juhuasuan (www.juhuasuan.com), China’s most popular online group buying marketplace
    • Alitrip (www.alitrip.com), a leading online travel booking platform
    • AliExpress (www.aliexpress.com), a global online marketplace for consumers to buy directly from China
    • Alibaba.com (www.alibaba.com), China’s largest global online wholesale platform for small businesses
    • 1688.com (www.1688.com), a leading online wholesale marketplace in China
    • Alibaba Cloud Computing (www.aliyun.com), a provider of cloud computing services to businesses and entrepreneurs

    Alibaba Group also provides payment and/or escrow services on its marketplaces through its contractual arrangements with Ant Financial Services Group, a related company of Alibaba Group that operates Alipay (www.alipay.com).

    Through China Smart Logistics (or Zhejiang Cainiao Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd.), a 48%-owned affiliate, Alibaba Group operates a central logistics information system that connects a network of express delivery companies in China.

    Safe Harbor Statements

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” “targets” and similar statements. Among other things, statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Alibaba’s beliefs and expectations, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Alibaba’s strategic and operational plans, are or contain forward-looking statements. Alibaba may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Alibaba’s goals and strategies; Alibaba’s future business development; Alibaba’s ability to maintain the trusted status of its ecosystem, reputation and brand; Alibaba’s ability to retain or increase engagement of buyers, sellers and other participants in its ecosystem and enable new offerings; Alibaba’s ability to successfully monetize traffic on its mobile platform; risks associated with limitation or restriction of services provided by Alipay; risks associated with increased investments in Alibaba’s business; risks associated with acquisitions; privacy and regulatory concerns; competition; security breaches; the continued growth of the e-commerce market in China and globally; and fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and globally and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Alibaba’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release and are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date, and Alibaba does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    To supplement its consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, Alibaba Group uses the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP EBITDA (including non-GAAP EBITDA margin), non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP diluted EPS and free cash flow. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the table captioned “Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures” in this press release.

    Alibaba Group believes that non-GAAP EBITDA, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted EPS help identify underlying trends in its business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of the expenses that Alibaba Group includes in income from operations, net income and diluted EPS. Alibaba Group believes that non-GAAP EBITDA, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted EPS provide useful information about its operating results, enhance the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by our management in its financial and operational decision-making. Alibaba Group considers free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by its business that can be used for strategic corporate transactions, including investing in its new business initiatives, making strategic investments and acquisitions and strengthening its balance sheet. Non-GAAP EBITDA, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP diluted EPS and free cash flow should not be considered in isolation or construed as an alternative to net income, diluted EPS, cash flows or any other measure of performance or as an indicator of Alibaba Group’s operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures to our data.

    Non-GAAP EBITDA represents income from operations (which excludes interest and investment income, net, interest expense, other income, net, income tax expenses and share of results of equity investees) before certain non-cash expenses, consisting of share-based compensation expense, amortization, depreciation and impairment of goodwill and intangible assets that Alibaba Group does not believe are reflective of its core operating performance during the periods presented.

    Non-GAAP net income represents net income before share-based compensation expense, amortization, impairment of goodwill, intangible assets and investments, gain (loss) on deemed disposals/disposals/revaluation of investments, amortization of excess value receivable arising from the restructuring of commercial arrangement with Ant Financial, and a one-time expense item consisting of the expenses relating to the sale of shares by existing shareholders in our initial public offering.

    Non-GAAP diluted EPS represents non-GAAP net income attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the periods on a diluted basis, including accounting for the effects of the assumed conversion of convertible preference shares.

    Free cash flow represents net cash provided by operating activities as presented in Alibaba Group’s consolidated cash flow statement less purchases of property and equipment and intangible assets (excluding acquisition of land use rights and construction in progress) and adjusted for changes in loan receivables relating to micro loans of its SME loan business. Alibaba Group presents the adjustment for changes in loan receivables because such receivables are reflected under cash flow from operating activities, whereas the secured borrowings and other bank borrowings used to finance them are reflected under cash flows from financing activities, and accordingly, the adjustment is made to show cash flows from operating activities net of the effect of changes in loan receivables.

    The tables captioned “Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures” in this press release has more details on the non-GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to GAAP financial measures and the related reconciliations between these financial measures.

    ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED

    UNAUDITED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS

    Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30,
    2013 2014 2013 2014
    RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB US$
    (in millions, except per share data) (in millions, except per share data)
    Revenue 10,950 16,829 2,742 21,728 32,600 5,311
    Cost of revenue (3,001) (5,596) (912) (5,728) (10,181) (1,658)
    Product development expenses (1,168) (2,581) (421) (2,186) (4,533) (739)
    Sales and marketing expenses (657) (1,749) (285) (1,370) (2,961) (482)
    General and administrative expenses (793) (1,960) (319) (1,658) (2,904) (473)
    Amortization of intangible assets (39) (598) (97) (74) (832) (136)
    Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets (44) (44)
    Income from operations 5,248 4,345 708 10,668 11,189 1,823
    Interest and investment income, net 318 468 76 784 7,296 1,189
    Interest expense (374) (521) (85) (1,455) (931) (152)
    Other income, net 389 378 62 630 1,089 177
    Income before income tax and share of results of equity investees 5,581 4,670 761 10,627 18,643 3,037
    Income tax expenses (637) (1,339) (218) (1,228) (2,784) (453)
    Share of results of equity investees (7) (301) (49) (14) (391) (64)
    Net income 4,937 3,030 494 9,385 15,468 2,520
    Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 6 (2) 2 (36) (6)
    Net income attributable to Alibaba Group Holding Limited 4,943 3,028 494 9,387 15,432 2,514
    Accretion of Convertible Preference Shares (8) (7) (1) (16) (15) (2)
    Dividends accrued on Convertible Preference Shares (52) (45) (8) (104) (97) (16)
    Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders 4,883 2,976 485 9,267 15,320 2,496
    Earnings per share attributable to ordinary shareholders
    Basic 2.26 1.33 0.22 4.28 6.91 1.13
    Diluted 2.13 1.24 0.20 4.06 6.40 1.04
    Weighted average number of share used in calculating net income per ordinary share
    Basic 2,165 2,238 2,166 2,218
    Diluted 2,317 2,438 2,311 2,411
    Share-based compensation expense by function:
    Cost of revenue 247 1,155 188 398 1,748 285
    Product development expenses 218 700 114 340 945 154
    Sales and marketing expenses 57 173 28 91 235 38
    General and administrative expenses 342 982 160 431 1,155 188
    Total 864 3,010 490 1,260 4,083 665

    ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED

    REVENUE

    The following table sets forth the principal components of our revenue for the periods indicated:

    Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30,
    2013 2014 2013 2014
    RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB US$
    (in millions) (in millions)
    China commerce
    Retail (i) 8,645 12,769 2,080 17,312 25,408 4,139
    Wholesale (ii) 568 790 129 1,094 1,499 244
    Total China commerce 9,213 13,559 2,209 18,406 26,907 4,383
    International commerce
    Retail (iii) 210 419 68 389 777 127
    Wholesale (iv) 966 1,198 195 1,904 2,309 376
    Total international commerce 1,176 1,617 263 2,293 3,086 503
    Cloud computing and Internet infrastructure (v) 190 285 47 364 521 85
    Others (vi) 371 1,368 223 665 2,086 340
    Total 10,950 16,829 2,742 21,728 32,600 5,311
     
    (i) Revenue from China commerce retail is primarily generated from our China retail marketplaces.
    (ii) Revenue from China commerce wholesale is primarily generated from 1688.com.
    (iii) Revenue from International commerce retail is primarily generated from AliExpress.
    (iv) Revenue from International commerce wholesale is primarily generated from Alibaba.com.
    (v) Revenue from cloud computing and Internet infrastructure is primarily generated from the provision of services, such as data storage, elastic computing, database and large scale computing services, as well as web hosting and domain name registration.
    (vi) Other revenue mainly represents interest income generated from micro loans.

    ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED

    UNAUDITED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

    As of
    March 31, As of September 30,
    2014 2014
    RMB RMB US$
    (in millions)
    Assets
    Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents 33,045 88,089 14,351
    Short-term investments 10,587 21,822 3,555
    Restricted cash and escrow receivables 4,921 2,477 404
    Loan receivables 13,159 19,186 3,126
    Investment securities 1,442 1,896 309
    Prepayments, receivables and other assets 4,679 7,944 1,294
    Total current assets 67,833 141,414 23,039
    Investment in equity investees 17,666 26,076 4,248
    Investment securities 3,023 9,241 1,506
    Prepayments, receivables and other assets 2,087 4,535 739
    Property and equipment, net 5,581 8,561 1,395
    Land use rights 1,660 1,593 259
    Intangible assets 1,906 7,261 1,183
    Goodwill 11,793 33,661 5,484
    Total assets 111,549 232,342 37,853
    Liabilities, Mezzanine Equity and Shareholders’ Equity
    Current liabilities:
    Current bank borrowings 1,100 3,767 614
    Secured borrowings 9,264 10,584 1,724
    Income tax payable 1,267 1,441 235
    Escrow money payable 2,659
    Accrued expenses, accounts payable and other liabilities 11,887 17,398 2,834
    Merchant deposits 4,711 6,738 1,098
    Deferred revenue and customer advances 6,496 7,103 1,157
    Total current liabilities 37,384 47,031 7,662
    Deferred revenue 428 443 72
    Deferred tax liabilities 2,136 3,594 586
    Non-current bank borrowings 30,711 49,542 8,071
    Other liabilities 72 1,948 317
    Total liabilities 70,731 102,558 16,708

    ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED

    UNAUDITED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (CONTINUED)

    As of
    March 31, As of September 30,
    2014 2014
    RMB RMB US$
    (in millions)
    Commitments and contingencies
    Mezzanine equity:
    Convertible Preference Shares 10,284
    Others 117 336 55
    Total mezzanine equity 10,401 336 55
    Alibaba Group Holding Limited shareholders’ equity:
    Ordinary shares, US$0.000025 par value; 2,797,400,000 and 4,000,000,000 shares authorized; 2,226,810,660 and 2,485,687,304 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2014 and September 30, 2014, respectively 1 1
    Additional paid-in capital 27,043 108,132 17,617
    Treasury shares at cost
    Restructuring reserve (1,284) (209)
    Subscription receivables (540) (367) (60)
    Statutory reserves 2,474 2,521 411
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (823) (553) (90)
    Retained earnings 1,183 16,206 2,640
    Total Alibaba Group Holding Limited shareholders’ equity 29,338 124,656 20,309
    Noncontrolling interests 1,079 4,792 781
    Total equity 30,417 129,448 21,090
    Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and equity 111,549 232,342 37,853

    ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED

    UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

    Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30,
    2013 2014 2013 2014
    RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB US$
    (in millions) (in millions)
    Net cash provided by operating activities 4,526 5,865 955 9,657 16,042 2,613
    Net cash used in investing activities (5,724) (32,555) (5,304) (16,652) (42,965) (7,000)
    Net cash provided by financing activities 2,297 62,864 10,242 4,819 81,954 13,352
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (17) 3 1 (101) 13 2
    Increase (Decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 1,082 36,177 5,894 (2,277) 55,044 8,967
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 27,037 51,912 8,457 30,396 33,045 5,384
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 28,119 88,089 14,351 28,119 88,089 14,351

    ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED

    RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO THE NEAREST COMPARABLE GAAP MEASURES

    The table below sets forth a reconciliation of our income from operations to non-GAAP EBITDA for the periods indicated:
    Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30,
    2013 2014 2013 2014
    RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB US$
    (in millions) (in millions)
    Income from operations 5,248 4,345 708 10,668 11,189 1,823
    Add: Share-based compensation expense 864 3,010 490 1,260 4,083 665
    Add: Amortization of intangible assets 39 598 97 74 832 136
    Add: Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment and land use rights 310 540 89 553 963 157
    Add: Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets 44 44
    Non-GAAP EBITDA 6,505 8,493 1,384 12,599 17,067 2,781
    The table below sets forth a reconciliation of our net income to non-GAAP net income for the periods indicated:
    Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30,
    2013 2014 2013 2014
    RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB US$
    (in millions) (in millions)
    Net income 4,937 3,030 494 9,385 15,468 2,520
    Add: Share-based compensation expense 864 3,010 490 1,260 4,083 665
    Add: Amortization of intangible assets 39 598 97 74 832 136
    Add: Impairment of goodwill, intangible assets and investments 53 69
    Add: (Gain) loss on deemed disposals/disposals/ revaluation of investments (60) (9) (312) (6,488) (1,057)
    Add: Amortization of excess value receivable arising from the restructuring of commercial arrangements with Ant Financial 35 6 35 6
    Add: Expenses relating to the sale of shares by existing shareholders in initial public offering 195 31 195 31
    Non-GAAP net income 5,893 6,808 1,109 10,476 14,125 2,301

    ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED

    RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO THE NEAREST COMPARABLE GAAP MEASURES (CONTINUED)

    The table below sets forth a reconciliation of our diluted EPS to non-GAAP diluted EPS for the periods indicated:
    Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30,
    2013 2014 2013 2014
    RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB US$
    (in millions, except per share data) (in millions, except per share data)
    Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders 4,883 2,976 485 9,267 15,320 2,496
    Add: Reversal of accretion upon assumed conversion of Convertible Preference Shares 8 7 1 16 15 2
    Add: Dividend eliminated upon assumed conversion of Convertible Preference Shares 52 45 8 104 97 16
    Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders for computing diluted EPS 4,943 3,028 494 9,387 15,432 2,514
    Add: Non-GAAP adjustments to net income(a) 956 3,778 615 1,091 (1,343) (219)
    Non-GAAP net income attributable to ordinary shareholders for computing non-GAAP diluted EPS 5,899 6,806 1,109 10,478 14,089 2,295
    Weighted average number of shares on a diluted basis 2,317 2,438 2,311 2,411
    Diluted EPS(b) 2.13 1.24 0.20 4.06 6.40 1.04
    Add: Non-GAAP adjustments to net income per share(c) 0.42 1.55 0.25 0.47 (0.56) (0.09)
    Non-GAAP diluted EPS(d) 2.55 2.79 0.45 4.53 5.84 0.95
    (a) See the table above about the reconciliation of net income to non-GAAP net income for more information of these non-GAAP adjustments.
    (b) Diluted EPS is derived from net income attributable to ordinary shareholders for computing diluted EPS divided by weighted average number of shares on a diluted basis.
    (c) Non-GAAP adjustments to net income per share is derived from non-GAAP adjustments to net income divided by weighted average number of shares on a diluted basis.
    (d) Non-GAAP diluted EPS is derived from non-GAAP net income attributable to ordinary shareholders for computing non-GAAP diluted EPS divided by weighted average number of shares on a diluted basis.
    The table below sets forth a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow for the periods indicated:
    Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30,
    2013 2014 2013 2014
    RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB US$
    (in millions) (in millions)
    Net cash provided by operating activities 4,526 5,865 955 9,657 16,042 2,613
    Less: Purchase of property and equipment and intangible assets (excluding land use rights and construction in progress) (996) (1,693) (276) (1,823) (2,848) (464)
    Add: Changes in loan receivables, net 3,153 4,766 777 4,939 6,338 1,033
    Free cash flow 6,683 8,938 1,456 12,773 19,532 3,182

    ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED

    SELECTED OPERATING DATA

    GMV

    The table below sets forth the GMV transacted on our China retail marketplaces and mobile GMV as a percentage of GMV for the periods indicated:
    Three months ended
    Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31, Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31, Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30,
    2012 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014
    (in billions of RMB except percentages)
    GMV
    Taobao Marketplace GMV 167 179 255 223 257 275 346 295 342 380
    Tmall GMV 42 49 91 71 88 99 183 135 159 176
    Total GMV 209 228 346 294 345 374 529 430 501 556
    Mobile GMV (as a percentage of total GMV) 4.6% 5.6% 7.4% 10.7% 12.0% 14.7% 19.7% 27.4% 32.8% 35.8%

    Annual active buyers

    The table below sets forth the number of active buyers on our China retail marketplaces for the periods indicated:
    Twelve months ended
    Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31, Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31, Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30,
    2012 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014
    (in millions)
    Annual active buyers 133 145 160 172 185 202 231 255 279 307

    Mobile

    The table below sets forth information with respect to mobile GMV, mobile revenue and mobile rates of monetization realized in respect of our China retail marketplaces for the periods presented:
    Three months ended
    Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31, Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31, Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30,
    2012 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014
    (in millions of RMB except percentages)
    China retail marketplaces:
    GMV 209,221 228,068 345,696 294,184 345,134 373,659 528,709 430,085 500,916 555,666
    Mobile GMV 9,583 12,703 25,661 31,507 41,299 54,823 104,391 118,001 164,428 199,054
    as a percentage of GMV 4.6% 5.6% 7.4% 10.7% 12.0% 14.7% 19.7% 27.4% 32.8% 35.8%
    Revenue 5,028 5,600 9,588 6,754 8,667 8,645 16,149 9,371 12,639 12,769
    Mobile revenue 42 60 140 147 240 332 1,171 1,162 2,454 3,719
    as a percentage of revenue 0.8% 1.1% 1.5% 2.2% 2.8% 3.8% 7.3% 12.4% 19.4% 29.1%
    Monetization rate 2.40% 2.46% 2.77% 2.30% 2.51% 2.31% 3.05% 2.18% 2.52% 2.30%
    Mobile monetization rate 0.44% 0.47% 0.55% 0.47% 0.58% 0.61% 1.12% 0.98% 1.49% 1.87%

    Image via NYSE

  • Lea Michele & Matthew Paetz Make Public Appearance

    Lea Michele and her boyfriend Matthew Paetz made their first public appearance together during Wednesday’s amfAR Inspiration Gala in Los Angeles, California.

    The Glee star walked the red carpet alone, but was later photographed cuddling up to her new beau.

    The couple reportedly met on the set of Michele’s music video On My Way in April, and as Webpronews previously reported, Michele and Paetz were linked as a couple just a month later in June.

    At the time, it was revealed that Paetz was a former gigolo for a male escort service called Cowboys4Angels. On the service’s website, Paetz went under the alias “Christian,” however his profile has since been removed.

    “He will be great arm candy and he is a very nice guy, and is a lot of fun,” a source said of Paetz and Michele dating. “He is very into being in a relationship and loves being in one. He is the kind of person who will want to be with that person all the time, but in a good way. And he is a good listener.”

    While the relationship may have started as a fling to help Michele cope with the death of her boyfriend and Glee co-star Cory Monteith, it seems as though the relationship has progressed and is now serious.

    According to a source close to Michele, the couple recently took a big step in their relationship and moved in together. “It just made sense for them to move in cause they spend so much time with one another,” a source told Us Weekly. “He treats her like a queen.”

  • Jennifer Aniston Gets Engagement Ring Cleaned, Public Freaks Out

    Friends star Jennifer Aniston has been engaged to actor Justin Theroux since August 2012. Whether this is the reason Aniston stays at the top of entertainment news or not, it is almost always the main focus surrounding the actress.

    Every week there is new speculation as to why the two haven’t set a wedding date. Some say it’s because of Theroux’s wandering eyes. Rumors have flown about the 43-year-old flirting with Girls star Allison Williams during the Emmy Awards and even showing interest in Paula Patton, the ex-wife of singer Robin Thicke.

    Despite all the talk, Aniston continues to deny these rumors.

    “They’re loaded with absolute false information … They like to create the story, because it’s not interesting that we’re just really happy, and in love, and feel like we’re married.”

    As far as a wedding goes, Aniston says that she and Justin like to “live in the moment.”

    “Marriage is a wonderful thing, a relationship is a wonderful thing; it’s a way to discover who you are,” she said. “My life is a happy life. It’s a choice. Justin is probably one of the funniest human beings that I’ve ever encountered.”

    She also adds that she doesn’t pay attention to the pressure that the public pushes on her and that she and Theroux aren’t “on anyone else’s timeframe.”

    However, on Wednesday, the 45-year-old was seen out and about in Los Angeles and she was not wearing her eight-carat radiant cut diamond engagement ring, causing mass panic among fans.

    But never fear. A representative for Aniston spoke out about the lack of bling. “Everyone should calm down – the ring was just being cleaned and is safely back on her hand.”

    Along with talk about her personal relationship, Aniston is being spoke of as a possible Oscar nominee for her role in Cake. In the film Aniston plays a woman suffering from addiction, rage, and suicidal depression who attends a chronic-pain support group. She appears on screen looking very much unlike Jennifer Aniston with greasy hair, scars, and no makeup.

    “I let myself pretty much fall apart physically and that was really important for me, emotionally and physically,” Aniston said.

    More Aniston news to come in the next few weeks. In the meantime, the public can go back to worrying about other things. Like world hunger.