Melania Trump's highly anticipated debut on the Republican National Convention stage has landed her in hot water.
The prospective first lady sought to introduce herself and boost husband, presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, during her short speech to delegates — and viewers across the country — Monday night. But a section of her speech in which she praises her own parents is now under scrutiny for its similarities to first lady Michelle Obama's 2008 convention speech.
Here's a comparison of the paragraphs in question, with similarities highlighted in bold:
Melania Trump's remarks :
"From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life.That your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise. That you treat people with respect. They taught and showed me values and morals in the daily life. That is the lesson that I continue to pass along to our son.
"And we need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow. Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them"
"And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do; t hat you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them, and even if you don't agree with them.
And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values, and to pass them on to the next generation. Because we want our children -- and all children in this nation -- to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them."
The potentially plagiarized passages began circulating on Twitter soon after Trump's primetime speech at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena wrapped up.
As The Hill notes, candidates — and their families — often rely on professional speechwriters for help crafting major remarks for conventions. But Melania Trump told NBC's Matt Lauer that she wrote it "with as little help as possible."
The Trump campaign issued the following statement on the speech early Tuesday morning.
"In writing her beautiful speech, Melania's team of writers took notes on her life’s inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking," Senior Communications Advisor Jason Miller said in a statement. "Melania’s immigrant experience and love for America shone through in her speech, which made it such a success.”
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Ghostbusters has been getting a constant stream of hate because it dares to have a female cast. Now cast-member Leslie Jones reveals that she's been the target of racist vitriol spewed on social media. People: This is why we can't have nice things.
Yesterday the comedian exposed several trolls who have been making racist jokes and nasty asides about her appearance.
Some people on here are fucking disgusting. I'm blocking your filthy ass if retweet that perverted shit. Just know that now bitches!!
Jones went on to post many of the upsetting comments, urging her followers to report the original posters. Way to name and shame, gal. As you can see from the selection below, the tweets are truly offensive.
Ok I have been called Apes, sent pics of their asses,even got a pic with semen on my face. I'm tryin to figure out what human means. I'm out
1. Here At Home: Lt. Brian Rice has been acquitted of all charges connected to the death of Freddie Gray.
Rice had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and misconduct in office. Prosecutors alleged that Rice had caused Gray's death last year by failing to fasten him in a seat belt in the back of the police van, where he suffered severe spinal-cord injuries. (Read More)
2. Major News: Russian athletes could be banned from competing in the 2016 Olympics over a doping cover-up by the Russian government.
The call comes after a Russian involved in the 2014 Sochi Games cover-up came forward to detail how performance-enhancing drug use by the Russian Olympians was concealed. (Read More)
3. World News: Over 100,000 Venezuelans visited Colombia this weekend in search of food and supplies they wouldn't find at home.
The Venezuelan government opened the previously closed border between the two countries for a single Sunday for a second time on July 17. (Read More)
4. Talking Points: Omarosa Manigault, best known as a former contestant on The Apprentice, is now Donald Trump's director of African-American outreach.
She said of the presumptive nominee, "Donald Trump is focused on improving the economic conditions of African-Americans in this country..." (Read More)Photo: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock.
5. Just Wrong: Gov. Mike Pence wrote a review of Mulan in 1999, in which he criticized the idea of women in the military.
Pence suggested the film proved men and women serving in the military together wouldn't be able to resist pursuing romantic relationships, saying, "Moral of story: women in military, bad idea." (Read More)
6. ICYMI: Game of Thrones ' seventh season will premiere in summer 2017.
HBO has announced that in addition to premiering later than it traditionally has, the series' seventh season will contain seven episodes instead of ten. (Read More)
7. A-List: Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson have officially broken up.
Reps for the two actors, who have been together for a decade, said in a statement, "Diane Kruger and Josh Jackson have decided to separate and remain friends." (Read More)
8. On The Trail: A portion of Melania Trump's RNC speech appears to have been plagiarized.
Melania Trump's highly anticipated debut on the Republican National Convention stage has landed her in hot water. A section of her speech in which she praises her own parents is now under scrutiny for its similarities to first lady Michelle Obama's 2008 convention speech. (Read More)
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Update: The dapivirine ring has been found to reduce women's risk of contracting HIV by 56%, according to research presented this week at the AIDS 2016 conference in South Africa. Among women who used the ring most consistently (mostly older women), the risk was cut by 75%. Dr. Zeda Rosenberg of the International Partnership for Microbicides said in a statement that these findings suggest it "could be an important option for women who urgently need new tools to protect themselves from HIV."
This article was originally published on February 23, 2016.
The first HIV prevention tool designed specifically for women got a major vote of confidence this week, after the results of two major studies (one of which is ongoing) were announced yesterday.
The technique in question: a vaginal ring containing antiretroviral drugs designed to stop the spread of HIV at the point of infection. Researchers behind these studies, known as ASPIRE and the Ring Study, were hopeful that this technology, which is already in use to deliver hormonal birth control, would be an easy, effective way for women in Africa to protect themselves from HIV.
The ring itself, the dapivirine ring, was developed by the International Partnership for Microbicides, a nonprofit aimed at preventing HIV through the use of microbicides, or substances that kill viruses on contact. Like the NuvaRing for contraception, the dapivirine ring works for a month at a time, as it slowly releases the antiretroviral drug dapivirine to block HIV from reproducing in healthy cells. A dual-acting ring, which prevents HIV and pregnancy, is also in development.
Both studies worked with female participants, most of whom were young, single, and were considered to be at high risk for HIV — high-risk behavior includes having unprotected sex, sharing needles, and foregoing STI testing. These women were then given either a dapivirine ring or a placebo ring, and all received regular STI and HIV testing, along with free condoms and other advice for preventing HIV.
ASPIRE, the first of the two studies, recruited 2,600 women in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe and found that, compared to the placebo group, 27% fewer women contracted HIV in the dapivirine group. Researchers noted that women who were 25 or older were more likely to be consistent with wearing their rings, which reduced the rate of infection even more dramatically within their age group.
Meanwhile, the Ring Study, which is still ongoing, has so far found that 31% fewer women developed HIV when using the dapivirine ring — among women older than 21, 37% fewer women contracted HIV. These early results, which are based on data from close to 2,000 women, aged 18 to 45 in South Africa and Uganda, were presented yesterday at the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston.
In both studies, however, the researchers saw little to no added protection for women aged 18 to 21, and researchers are still working to figure out whether that has to do with usage or something physiological.
Still, researchers are optimisits that this represents a big step forward for women of all ages. "For the first time, we have two trials demonstrating that a female-controlled HIV prevention method can safely help reduce new HIV infections," said ASPIRE chair Jared Baten, MD, PhD, in a press release. He added that he's "optimistic about what these results might mean for women worldwide," and we have to agree.
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There are an estimated 34 million millennial women eligible to vote in the presidential election this fall. And the question isn't whether they will change the course of history — it's how.
Millennials, defined by the Pew Research Center as people ages 18 to 35, are members of the biggest generation in American history, as well as one of the most educated. Refinery29 explored the issues that matter to millennial women voters this spring with our Vote Your Values poll. Now, we're on the ground at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland to discuss the impact these women will have on the 2016 race.
In partnership with The Atlantic, Refinery29 is hosting a panel entitled "Young Women Rising: America's Next Top Voter?" moderated by Alex Wagner, senior editor at The Atlantic, and Refinery29's Kaelyn Forde. During the panel, we'll explore the latest figures on millennial voter engagement with John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Institute of Politics.
Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images.
To discuss the issues that matter to young women and how politicians can best engage with them, we will be joined by Leah Le'Vell, a college student advisor for the National Diversity Coalition for Trump; Alex Smith, the national chairman of the College Republican National Committee; Kristen Soltis Anderson, cofounder of Echelon Insights and a columnist for the Washington Examiner; Lisa Stickan, president of Greater Cleveland Republican Women, and Elise Jordan, a columnist for Time.
Tune in live on Facebook beginning at 4:45 p.m. EDT, or catch the full program here afterwards. And don't forget to watch on July 26 as we hold another discussion at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
Refinery29’s News team is on the ground covering the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention. Follow along @R29News and check out our full coverage of the 2016 race here.
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“Charlie Bit My Finger ” is one of the earliest viral videos. The iconic clip is of a young boy with a British accent having his finger bit by a baby. The video is nine years old and has been viewed 841.3 million times. That’s insane.
Khloé Kardashian’s nephews Mason and Reign Disick are six and one years old respectively. That means that they are, combined, younger than the viral video. But the pair teamed up to recreate the viral film anyways in an Instagram post that has been viewed a paltry 4.3 million times since it went up late Monday. That’s way fewer than 841.3 million, but it’s still insane.
As far as supermodels go, Karlie Kloss is pretty damn athletic. She might have the ultra-long limbs and lithe proportions that are unofficial prerequisites to being a catwalk regular, but make no mistake: The girl is extremely toned, with an apparently ravenous appetite for muscle-scuplting workouts. Beyond the runway, a number of shoots she's done have put her athletic aptitude on full display. Exhibit A: this SELF cover story. Or, say, working with Nike starting in 2014 (the brand traditionally works with athletes, not models).
Now Kloss has another campaign to her name that combines fashion and fitness. The model has been tapped as the face of Adidas by Stella McCartney's fall 2016 campaign. In a statement from Adidas, Kloss praised the pairing up between the German sportswear behemoth and the proudly vegan luxury label as "the perfect intersection of style and function, resulting in a collection that empowers women to feel strong and confident."
This isn't the first time the model has worked with the sportswear brand. She was featured in Adidas's "I'm Here to Create" video series back in February, and she's also appeared in ads for Adidas proper.
“Karlie is a true Adidas by Stella McCartney woman,” McCartney said in a statement. “She has that unique energy that drives others, whether she is in front of the camera or challenging herself on the gym or on the track, all while expressing her own style."
These images of Kloss in the high-end (and, yes, splurge-ier) workout garb, shot against lush nature backdrops, may or may not actually motivate you to get sweaty. But they certainly further the case for Kloss as one of the sportiest models in the biz these days.
Photo: Courtesy of Adidas.
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Celebrities are racing to take sides in the whole Taylorgate 2016 thing. But don't worry if you find it difficult to keep track of who's on whose team — the internet commenters are doing it for you.
Those who are following the drama have been waiting for Kylie Jenner to speak out, but aside from yesterday's cryptic retweet of a meme that poked fun at when she declared 2016 the year of "realizing things," she's remained quiet. Until — maaaybe — now.
According to Seventeen, some of Jenner's fans believe a photo she posted of her new Lip Kit lip gloss was a thinly veiled attempt to shade Taylor Swift. The evidence? The color name is Exposed. As in, #KimExposedTaylorParty.
A photo posted by Kylie Cosmetics (@kyliecosmetics) on
"Omg I think they posted this because of the Taylor and Kim&Kanye thing," said Instagram user @lexilulu233. "Give it to @taylorswift," said another. But @isthatdanav put it most succinctly: “the shade 😛."
On Twitter, others have suggested that Jenner should create a new green Lip Kit shade entitled "Snake" to throw venom at Swift. (See: Kim's infamous Snake Day tweet.)
Who knows? Jenner's post could have nothing to do with the #KimExposedTaylorParty. Either way, we can count on the people of the internet to debate about it. What do you think? Tell us in the comments.
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Update: The social media exchanges between Kat Von D and Jeffree Star have continued into the evening, but Star's highly anticipated response video has yet to surface. In fact, Star has implied it might not be coming. Below is an update to today’s story with the latest Twitter exchanges.
This article was originally published on July 19, 2016, at 7 p.m.
An ongoing feud between makeup entrepreneurs and former friends Kat Von D and Jeffree Star came to a head today, with Von D releasing an Instagram post and a tell-all video that documents the duo’s one-time friendship and explosive falling-out.
While this came out of nowhere for many fans, it appears as if tensions had been rising for months, according to a nearly 14-minute video posted by Von D. For Von D, the disintegration of her friendship with Star seems to have culminated in a text exchange that went down last week, in which Von D claimed she was working to advocate for a friend who created artwork for Star, but who allegedly never got paid. “I kindly ask you, Jeffree...all I ask is that you do the right thing,” Von D pleads in her video.
So how and when did it all go wrong? Here’s everything we know so far in timeline form, but it’s important to note: Star has not yet posted a detailed rebuttal to the video, nor did he respond to our request for comment at press time. We will update the story with his response — which is expected sometime later tonight — as the situation unfolds.
2006: According to a tweet posted (and seemingly deleted) today by Star, he and Von D became friends about 10 years ago. In the video she posted today, Von D remembers Jeffree during this period as a friend whom she was eager to help. “I can tell you how he started his makeup line. I can tell you because I was there,” she says in the video. She even claims that she “hooked him up” with her factory contacts and an artist friend who could help with logo design.
2014: Jeffree Star launches his namesake makeup line. Von D later details her involvement in her video, saying that she connected Star with an artist, BJ, who she says helped create graphic designs for the Jeffree Star brand. “BJ drew up his logos, and Jeffree went forward with them — and it’s the logos you see now on all the caps on all his lipsticks. [Star] never, never paid BJ. BJ would call him, and Jeffree basically blocked his phone,” she claims.
Later in the video, she shows BJ’s original mock-ups for Jeffree Star packaging and logos and reads a text from BJ in her phone that states, “He didn’t need me anymore after that. He had the artwork already.” Von D alleges that’s when Star stopped taking BJ’s calls and refused to pay him. Von D then says, “I think as far as being an ethical company, it’s really wrong what Jeffree has done. I think he needs to pay BJ.”
June 12, 2016: Beauty blogger Stephanie Nicole posts a 40-plus-minute video in which she reviews new Jeffree Star products and discusses some of the online controversy surrounding the brand.
July 16, 2016: Von D discovers that BJ, the artist she recommended to Star, was supposedly never paid. In her later video, Von D continues, “The minute I found out about that, which was this last Saturday, I texted Jeffree and said, 'Hey Jeffree, can you explain to me why you haven’t paid BJ?' And he basically told me to go fuck myself and then blocked my number.”
July 17, 2016: Von D tweets a heart to @StefNicole, with no additional text. Fans speculate that this is Von D’s way of saluting the vlogger’s video.
July 19, 2016: In the wee hours of the morning, Von D posts a pic and note on Instagram announcing her desire to no longer be associated with Star. Fans and Star note that the photo used in the IG pic is from nine years ago. Star is not tagged. In her later video, Von D explains, “When someone blocks you you can’t [tag them]... The photo I chose was the photo of Jeffree when I knew him. That was, like, the Jeffree I know. The Jeffree that he is now is, like, this monster. This big, like, attention-seeking, fame-desiring, money-driven monster that I want no part of.” Shots. Fired.
July 19, 2016: Star responds to Von D’s Instagram post with a series of tweets, including, “She accused me of something that wasn’t true, so I told her to fuck off, then blocked her number. Not that juicy of a story, sorry.”
Kat and I texted a few days ago after 6 MONTHS of silence. She never supported me or my brand and got distant when I launched mine.
July 19, 2016: As promised, Von D posts a 14-minute follow-up video that she filmed while in Singapore. The testimonial describes the allegations she’s made and her take on the events that have led up to this point. Von D concludes the video by saying, “I don't want anybody to go after Jeffree. I don't want to go and attack or start wars. I think, if anything, we can just, like, send positive vibes his way and hopefully we can make some changes in his life.”
July 19, 2016: Star tweets this response: “There are 2 sides of every story. The truth will come out later today,” followed by a Snapchat video in which he calmly states, “So I woke up to a video that Kat posted this morning full of some really interesting lies and propaganda.”
There are 2 sides to every story. The truth will come out later today.
He continues, “There are two sides to every story, so if you want to believe her, that’s fine. But the truth is going to come out.”
Finally, Star said, “I know you guys are expecting me to pop off and be crazy, but that’s not how I react when something’s not true. Later tonight, I will be addressing the false allegations, the ‘logo drama’ which is already squashed, and everything else she lied about.”
July 19, 2016: Star spoke out again this afternoon, tweeting, “There is no beef with BJ. We worked together in 2014 on an idea and someone else took over. Everyone's been paid. #chillout ”
There is no beef with BJ. We worked together in 2014 on an idea and someone else took over. Everyone's been paid. #chillout
He continued his comment: “If people spent this much time worrying about themselves, instead of sitting online for hours talking about strangers... Like damn.”
If people spent this much time worrying about themselves, instead of sitting online for hours talking about strangers... Like damn
An hour later, Von D responded with an update via Twitter, saying, “Jeffree. Please, do yourself a favor and stop lying. BJ texted me that you reached out w a settlement proposal an hour after I posted video...”
Jeffree. Please,do yourself a favor and stop lying. BJ texted me that you reached out w a settlement proposal an hour after I posted video..
She continued in a follow-up tweet: “...so things are not 'settled' just yet. Would it be so hard to, for once, sincerely just apologize, make things right and move on?”
...so things are not "settled" just yet. Would it be so hard to, for once, sincerely just apologize, make things right and move on?
As of 7 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, no further videos have been posted. But Star retweeted a fan’s comment, suggesting he should not make a video — an idea to which the cosmetics creator added a simple, “Amen.” Shortly thereafter, Star snapped a single shot of what looks like his palate cleanser du jour: mozzarella sticks.
Pokémon Go and Harry Potter would initially not seem to have much in common. Harry Potter is a book and film series about wizards that is continually updated to include whatever pops into J.K. Rowling’s head. Pokémon is a game about capturing cute monsters and then pitting them against each other in cruel combat.
A recent petition wants to combine the two, specifically by creating a Harry Potter augmented reality game.
“The possibilities are endless,” the petition reads. “In a Harry Potter augmented reality game, you could cast spells in real life. Accio Firebolt! And have a wizard duel with your friends, expelliarmus could disable their app for a few seconds!”
This is honestly a really good idea. The core game mechanics would have to change, since there isn’t an easy analogue to Pokémon in the Harry Potterverse. But we could easily see some kind of magical collection game combined with quests. That weird cul-de-sac could become your neighborhood's Diagon Alley. Businesses would drop lures to become wand shops, that sort of thing.
It wouldn't be a political convention without protests.
Of the roughly 50,000 people gathered in Cleveland this week for the Republican National Convention, many are making their voices heard through demonstrations, marches, and rallies.
They represent a wide range of issues and perspectives — everyone from Patriotic Millionaires, who want taxes raised on the rich, to bikers who back Donald Trump, to the Codepink crew who dressed up as pink Lady Libertys while they marched.
Refinery29 is taking you inside the RNC — and the protests the four-day nominating convention sparked — with daily 360-degree videos you can watch in virtual reality. Ahead, those pieces.
Day One: July 18, 2016
Despite the crowds, things were calm.
You've already heard of the potential dangers at the Republican National Convention, but what was it actually like to be there as it kicked off? We're bringing you an immersive, 360-degree view of the thousand-people marches that marked the beginning of the political circus down in Cleveland. Ramped-up security — noticed in prominent swarms of police officers on bikes — proved impactful, following protestors on the parade route and into the public square. There, demonstrators from opposing sides came face-to-face (and megaphone-to-megaphone). Watch the rather peaceful start of the convention's protests and stay tuned for up-to-date footage from the ground.
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CLEVELAND — Donald Trump is officially the Republican Party's nominee for president.
The businessman clinched the GOP nomination during the second night of the party's four-day convention in Cleveland. He hit the required number of delegates before a full roll call of the states was completed.
Delegates from states across the country cast their votes on the floor of the Quicken Loans Arena. Representatives from each state announced the breakdown of their delegation's support.
Trump, who introduced his wife ahead of her primetime speech on Monday, spoke via video after the roll call vote. He is expected to address delegates in person on Thursday.
Such a great honor to be the Republican Nominee for President of the United States. I will work hard and never let you down! AMERICA FIRST!
Two more members of the Trump family took the stage in his absence.
Tiffany Trump, the 22-year-old daughter of the nominee, gave a personal pitch for her dad in a rare public appearance, praising him for his love, backing, and "desire for excellence." The daughter of Trump's second wife, Marla Maples, played up her father's dedication to his family, citing his interest in her report cards as early as kindergarten and emotional support during tough times.
"He always helped me be the best version of myself," the recent college graduate said.
Tiffany Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images.
Later on in the program, the crowd heard a passionate and powerful speech from Donald Trump, Jr. The 38-year-old father of five echoed many of his dad's frequent refrains on the campaign trail as he made a pitch for a trump presidency.
The remarks from the two Trump kids came a day after the nominee's current wife, Melania Trump, delivered a speech that quickly became mired in controversy (and Twitter ridicule) over language that mirrored a 2008 address by Michelle Obama. The Trump campaign says the similarity wasn't plagiarism.
Similarities between the Trump son's speech and an article by the writer F.H. Buckley also raised eyebrows soon after the night wrapped up. But Buckley came to the surrogate's defense, saying he helped write that speech.
Two more Trump children, Eric and Ivanka, are expected to address delegates later this week.
Other notable speakers Tuesday included House Speaker Paul Ryan and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Trump's convention win brings an end to a long and contentious campaign that once saw a field of more than a dozen GOP White House hopefuls. Some delegates dissatisfied with Trump's primary wins tried to force a rule change earlier this week to allow them to vote for someone else, even if their state primary results bound them to support Trump. But that effort failed.
Trump is expected to face presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on the November ballot. Democrats select their nominee at their own convention in Philadelphia next week.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Refinery29’s News team is on the ground covering the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention. Follow along @R29News and check out our full coverage of the 2016 race here.
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A photo posted by Chloe Grace Moretz (@chloegmoretz) on
Chloë Grace Moretz's latest piercing is her most daring one yet. The 19-year-old actress added a chic ear piercing to her growing collection of studded jewels.
She revealed the edgy new piercing on Instagram, where she thanked her piercing artist as well as the custom jeweler who created the bling.
The 5th Wave actress is no stranger to piercings. She currently has four piercings in one ear, including two cartilage piercings, and one near her inner ear. She's also added a bold septum piercing to her collection, according to Teen Vogue.
Apparently, her self-expression is all a part of loving herself. In a recent interview with Elle, Moretz said she is trying to keep her look as natural as possible.
"I try to break barriers," she said. "I try to not post Instagrams where I Facetune my face and I wear a ton of makeup. I want to be as natural as can be. And I want to break it down for young women so they understand that you're not just 'born' like this."
Christine Teigen is one of our most accessible celebs. Her life with husband John Legend and baby Luna is a more-or-less open book, with constant social media posting letting her public think that they’re in on the Chrissy Teigen experience.
Last night was a prime example of what makes her seem like she’s one of our friends. She started out by responding to criticism that she had posted a Rihanna song with a Beyoncé caption, but quickly started just answering whatever odd thoughts were popping into her Twitter followers’ heads.
She talked about how celebs greet each other based on hierarchy.
They do. And whomever is the lesser celebrity giggles and goes "oh I know!!" and the other celeb smirks annoyingly https://t.co/WQMr3M78eI
Pippa Middleton is engaged, and now we're learning funny details about the new family she'll soon be welcomed into.
The Duchess of Cambridge's younger sister is engaged to James Matthews, a hedge fund multimillionaire. And there are some interesting characters in the Matthews family. Spencer Matthews, her future brother-in-law, is a published author, according to New York Magazine.
In that book, titled Confessions of a Chelsea Boy, Matthews confessed to sleeping with over 1,000 women. He also allegedly told The Sun that he's not a sex addict, but does "have an unhealthy appetite for sex."
He also happens to be a reality TV star who once starred on the British version of The Bachelor. He, like many other reality TV stars, kept the ball rolling. Matthews went on to star on Made in Chelsea as well as I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here.
Now, this wild party animal — who has admitted to having multiple orgies — will be six degrees away from the Royal Family. What a time to be alive.
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Six years ago we were graced with the original mystery of Pretty Little Liars — what happened "that night." We all now know that the girls, led by Ali (Sascha Pieterse) accidentally blinded Jenna (Tammin Sursok) in a twisted and misguided revenge plot against Toby (Keegan Allen) gone wrong. Jenna has been a prime A suspect since she first showed up to town in her red hooded leotard, wearing the same Halloween costume as Ali. "That night" only gave her a motive, and guaranteed we'd have a lot of questions for the rest of the show.
Her character always ends up being a red herring and written as a victim instead. It seems likely that will happen again, but there are still a lot of holes in the timeline and theories to go with it. Elliott was Charlotte's (Vanessa Ray) therapist, meaning Archer Dunhill has pretended to be Elliott for over five years. That is a long time for some plan against The Liars. Why? What is worth spending so much time on?
Oh, and the previews promised a surprise proposal, but considering all of the characters are either in turmoil or just recently shacking up again — what couple is misguidedly putting a ring on it? My bet is on my least favorite couple — Ezra (Ian Harding) and Aria (Lucy Hale). I promise, this is not what Beyoncé had in mind.
1. Why isn't Mary Drake (Andrea Parker) even pretending to act normal? Schemes normally work out better when you don't act "demented" (using Ali's words here) from the get-go.
2. Why wasn't Mary Drake around when Charlotte was in rehab?
3. How did Mary go from acting crazy and overprotective to nice and welcoming in less than a minute? Oh yes, she's trying to manipulate Ali. Ali, don't fall for it.
4. How did Elliott get away with pretending to be a doctor for so many years? There is a good amount of schooling and certification involved...
5. Why are the girls still lying to the men in their lives? Those same exact men are actually the reason they survived high school.
6. "Why would Jenna care who killed Charlotte?" Thank you, Emily (Shay Mitchell), for asking the question we all need the answer to.
7. Did that sexual tension between Emily and Ali mean Emison is end game?
8. Did Elliott take all of Ali's money while she was locked up?
9. Is Nicole actually alive?
10. WAIT. Why are the writers trying to make us care about this character that we don't know, and have never cared about, in the show's last season?
11. If A.D. wasn't Archer Dunhill, then who is it?
12. If you have to call your boyfriend's ex girlfriend to find him, then you probably aren't "in love" with him. Spencer (Troian Bellisario), what are you thinking?
13. SPENCER. Why are you now going to your ex-boyfriend to find your boyfriend?
14. Why doesn't Spencer know how relationships or friendships work?
15. Spencer hooked up with a detective investigating Elliott's disappearance and Toby's boss??? Even her random hookups are stupidly complicated.
16. Why are they still trying to make Sara Harvey (Dre Davis) a thing?
17. Remember how Emily bailed on Nicole to hang out with Sara Harvey? If she hadn't then Sara might be gone and this stupid Ezra/Nicole storyline would have never happened.
18. Why are Aria and Emily touching all the evidence?? They didn't listen to my frustration from last week either...
19. Why are Emily and Aria just hanging out in the apartment that at best is evidence the police will find and at worst is a trap set by A?
20. Who is the man that broke Mary Drake's heart? The meaning behind "Little Sparrow" was clearly too personal for her.
21. Of course Elliott did not target the DiLaurentis family for their money. Did no one inform this detective about who Ali is and what happened to her in high school?!
22. Why is someone leading the Elliott trail to Baltimore?
23. Why is Hanna (Ashley Benson) still wearing that stupid, fake engagement ring? Caleb (Tyler Blackburn) is way better than Jordan anyways. Go claim your man!
24. "Your friends gave me your dirty jacket, but I couldn't find a shred of evidence." -A.D." Does that mean that A.D. is actually not fully evil?
25. STOP. EZRA, YOU ARE THE WORST. You were just (rightfully) accused of sexually harassing Aria by inappropriately hooking up with her when she was your underage student (after hooking up with her 15-year-old friend). Why did that encourage you to propose to her?
26. Why would you start a proposal with, "I'm going to talk, and you're going to listen"?
27. All the best characters are coming back! What side is Noel Kahn (Noel Kahn) on this time?
29. Do we get a surprise character from PLL-past every week? I can't wait until we get a scene of Sara, Jason (Drew Van Acker), Melissa (Torrey DeVitto), Wren (Julian Morris), Noel, Maya (Bianca Lawson), Lucas (Brendan Robinson), Jenna, and all the other great red herrings sitting around swapping personal grievances.
28. Did the girls make the same mistake that started this whole thing and bury someone alive?! You would think after being buried alive, Ali would know better. They should all know better!
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Turns out Selena Gomez isn't just getting a lot of likes from her Instagram posts, she's also getting a whole lot of money, too.
According to E!, a study by data company D'Marie Analytics found that Gomez is the most influential media mogul, pulling in around $550,000 from posts on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. This is $300,000 more than what her posts were making back in December.
To earn the top spot on the list, Gomez edged out Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift. Of course, having 180.6 million followers across those three social-media platforms is bound to give you an edge.
Not to mention the fact that Gomez manages to earn an average of 200,000 new followers every 24 hours. When she's not killing her fellow celebrities with kindness, she's clearly murdering them in the social-media game.
Recently, Gomez earned the most-liked post in Instagram history with the photo above, which shows her sipping from a Coke bottle featuring the lyrics to her 2015 song "Me & the Rhythm." It currently has 4.6 million likes.
Ironically, she kind of beat her own record since the previous most-liked photo was Bieber's throwback photo of the pair kissing.
Bow down to the Queen of Instagram.
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A photo posted by Little Brown and Company (@littlebrown) on
Stephenie Meyer is finally ditching vampires and teens to release a book for adults. The acclaimed author of the popular Twilight series will soon release The Chemist, a spy thriller for adults.
CNN obtained a press statement from Little Brown about the upcoming book, which they describe as a "gripping page-turner" centered on a former secret operative being hunted by the government.
"She used to work for the U.S. government, but very few people ever knew that," the press release said. "An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn't even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning."
Vulture is reporting that the novel is being billed as a cross between Jason Bourne and Aaron Cross.
" The Chemist is the love child created from the union of my romantic sensibilities and my obsession with Jason Bourne/Aaron Cross," Meyer said in the press statement. "I very much enjoyed spending time with a different kind of action hero, one whose primary weapon isn’t a gun or a knife or bulging muscles, but rather her brain."
This isn't Meyer's first book for adults. She released The Host, a New York Times bestseller, in 2008.
The Chemist is set to be released on November 15.
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Maisie Williams' reaction to her first-time Emmy nomination already won our hearts. She's up for a supporting actress Emmy for her role as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones and she’s taking her mom to the September ceremony. When you hear the story of how Williams heard about her nomination, you’ll know why.
"I found out in the best way," Williams tells People. "I was away from her last week, and I speak to her every day – so I FaceTimed her ... and a little notification from Twitter came up – a tweet from Game of Thrones. I didn't want to say anything, 'cause Mom was talking at the time, and I was kind of trying to speed up the conversation so I could click off and go look at what this tweet was."
But her mom has Williams’ Twitter on her phone as well, which is actually the most heartwarming example of mother-daughter trust we’ve ever heard. A 19-year-old giving social media passwords to parents… we’re getting choked up just thinking about it.
Williams says she remained "just silent for about 30 seconds," while her mom, who hadn’t told her the news, "just started screaming" on FaceTime. After a reaction like that, how can you not take your mom to the Emmys?
"When I found out I got nominated for an Emmy, I got her a bottle of gin," Williams tells People. "Because it's for her, she's done this for me and I'm just grateful every single day."
Hard to say the most heartwarming part of the story. It’s probably that they share a Twitter account. Be careful if you’re DMing Maisie Williams, her mom is reading.
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Hailey Baldwin has a new title to add to her resumé: fashion designer.
As Vogue UK reported, the model just revealed her capsule collection for Australian label, The Daily Edited, called #theHAILEYedited. No surprise, Baldwin will also be modeling the line as the new face of the luxury label.
The line, available now, also includes accessories such as tote bags, bucket bags, clutches, passport holders and cosmetic cases.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Baldwin said she's "excited" about the line, which she was involved in from the very beginning. She took part in the sketching process and design details such as the leather that would be used, the hardware, and the color palette, which is "neutral mist grey with pale pink trim," black, white and burgundy.
"This is the first time I have ever designed my own capsule collection," she said. "Something I have always wanted to do."
Baldwin says the collection is like her is "simple and practical." She even boasted to The Daily Mail about the backpack she designed that can hold a 13-inch MacBook.
"My life definitely isn't as simple as it used to be — the attention on me personally is a lot more,' she told the paper. "'Now I have to be very responsible, I have a job, I have to travel and I have to take care of myself."
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