Hottest. Beer. Pong. Team. Ever. Stacey Keibler and Michael Phelps didn’t merely attend the same party over the weekend, they teamed up as partners in the classic drinking game, smoking the competition, according to the former’s Tweet. “Dominating. #TeamBaltimore #geometry @M_phelps00 #goodtimes,” wrote Keibler as a caption to the following photo. Both stars hail from Baltimore, but don’t start getting any ideas of a relationship outside beer phone. Keibler is very muchw with George Clooney , although Phelps appears to have split from Megan Rossee . “Things happen for a reason… #notme,” he Tweeted earlier this month.
Move over, Human Barbie . Here comes the Living Doll. At 15, Venus Palermo has grown into her doll obsession … sort of literally. Under the username Venus Angelic, the London teen posts beauty tutorials on YouTube. Living Doll Venus Palermo According to Venus, you too could be a ball-jointed doll (or BJD). Her doll-like appearance has turned her into an Internet star, and a magnet for controversy. Based on her 5 million viewers and a legion of Facebook fans, people take her advice on pupil contacts, plastic-sheen-effect powder, and white eye shadow to heart. But at what cost? The modern BJD is widely popular in Japan, which Venus is obsessed with. “Mommy cooks Japanese, thinks Japanese, goes to Japan with me,” writes Palermo on her blog. ” “Because we like it. Liking something, is soooooo GREAT!” Palermo’s obsession has attracted many a critic. Her videos have been called “bizarre” and “disturbing” in the media; her uncanny appearance is raising red flags. Perverse comments on the 15-year-old’s videos is proof she’s attracting unsavory fans. So is the occasional grown man trolling her Facebook page. But the teen’s mom doesn’t appear to be intervening in her daughter’s risky hobby. Mom serves as host of Q&A chats between teenager and fans. In one video posted last year, she sat by while the teenager chatted with a 24-year-old male who professed his love and then proceeded to belittle her. In text under that video, posted to VenusAngelic’s channel, Palermo refers to her fans as “lovers.” The title of the video is “Insane Guy in Love.” “The case of Venus Angelic is uncomfortably exploitative, as there is clearly a sexual undertone to what she is doing,” says Hilary Levey Friedman, PhD. “In general, young girls on YouTube is a disturbing, growing trend,” she says noting the recent trend of pre-teen girls asking viewers if they’re pretty. In many cases, parents are unaware of their child’s webcam usage, until their uploads go viral. But in other instances, the parents are facilitators. Levey Friedman wonders about Palermo’s mom’s aspirations for her, noting that Justin Bieber’s mom helped get his career get off the ground. The YouTube stage parent is relatively new concept. Most kids rise to viral fame for just being kids, and if a parent profits off of that they’re criticized. The rare performing prodigy, like Bieber, is an exception. Palermo doesn’t fall into either category. She may be bringing a Japanese trend to Western teens, but she’s also attracting a largely unwanted fan-base. What do you think? Harmless fun? Or too much, too soon?
We already know how family members feel about the Kim Kardashian pregnant news: happy and blessed! But what about the rest of the Internet? Putting aside the boring, sincere reactions – such as Demi Lovato gushing over the (“So happy for you @KimKardashian.. Love you SO much and I’m so excited to babysit!!”) announcement – scroll down for the funniest responses from a rapt Twitterverse… Joel McHale : Congrats to @kimkardashian & @kanyewest on their baby. I hope it has Kim’s eyes, Kanye’s smile, & Bruce Jenner’s pterodactyl facial bones. Andy Borowitz : It’s so weird to think that Kim Kardashian has sex even when we’re not watching. Seth Meyers : I hope Kim and Kanye are prepared for the inevitable “Who’s Kimye?” question 5 years from now. #expectfollowups Andrew Kaczynski : We are heading over the fiscal –OH MY GOD KANYE DID WHAT! Andy Levy : well at least we know kim let kanye finish Damien Fahey : I’m excited for Kim Kardashian’s doctor to perform the ultrasound and yell, “Congratulations! It’s a marketing opportunity!” Bill Simmons : Why isn’t “Kim and Kanye are gonna make awesome parents!” trending? Patrick Sandberg : I’m so happy for Kim for finally getting everything she’s pretended she’s always wanted.
Timothy Henry Gray, a homeless man, died under a railroad overpass in Wyoming – just before learning he stood to inherit $19 million from a reclusive New Yorker. Eccentric Huguette Clark (pictured) who died in 2011 and left nothing of her $300 million fortune to her family in her will, but relatives challenged the document. That meant her great-nephew Gray, 60, stood to inherit $19 million. Sadly, children playing on sleds discovered Gray’s body in the snow on Thursday. The former cowboy died of hypothermia in the 10-degree Evanston, Wyoming weather. The death of his 104-year-old relative caused a flurry of media attention because of Clark’s wealth and reclusive nature, which evoked comparisons to Howard Hughes. She hadn’t even been photographed since 1930. Clark was the daughter of United States Senator and industrialist William Andrews Clark, who made a fortune in copper and other ventures. Although she dabbled in art and once exhibited her paintings, Clark distrusted family members and strangers because she feared they were after her money. The fate of her fortune is still unclear.
Tragic movie news to report as we bid farewell to 2012: Oscar-winning sound editor Michael Hopkins has been killed in a fatal rafting accident in his native New Zealand, according to reports. He was only 53 years old. He won Oscars for the The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in 2003 and King Kong in 2006. He also worked on Blade Runner, Superman, Octopussy and Transformers . Hopkins first worked with director Peter Jackson on his 1992 movie Braindead, and was also part of Jackson’s team for Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners . The accident that claimed the life of Hopkins happened in the Waiohine River on New Zealand’s North Island. His two rafting companions both survived. Police Senior Sergeant Carolyn Watson said: “Police would like to thank all those who assisted in the recovery of Mr. Hopkins and the rescue of his companions, particularly the jet boat operator who came to our aid.” “At considerable risk to himself, [he] was able to rescue the female.” “All three were wearing life jackets, wetsuits and helmets at the time and it appears that Mr. Hopkins got into trouble after they were ejected from the raft in a fast flowing eddy.” R.I.P.
On the final day of 2012, the tabloids finally, sort of got it right: Kim Kardashian pregnant is now a fact, not just a headline made up to move magazines. But, for the most part, the In Touch Weekly and Life & Styles of the world were rather… judicious with their topics and covers. Below, we present the most ridiculous tabloid covers of the year and we encourage readers to take note in 2013: Save yourself a few bucks and read THG. We charge nothing for our absurdity!
In news that makes the pregnant Kim Kardashian ‘s marriage to Kris Humphries look long and blissful, Jenelle Evans and Courtland Rogers have parted ways. Just 26 days after they tied the knot. Those of you who had one month in our official pool were pretty much right on the money. Nicely done, THGers. The first signs of trouble for the duo started brewing last week, when a late-night outing for Jenelle led to divorce talk and rumors that she was back on heroin . Rogers accused her ex, Kieffer Delp, of getting her hooked on it, then voiced concern that she was sneaking around doing drugs behind his back. After a change of heart and a few deleted tweets, they were back on as if nothing happened … until last night when Courtland Rogers called it off. Why? “So I just got broke up with because of talkin to my lil girl on the phone last night, finally getting to (hear) her tell me she loves dada! Wow,” he posted. That lil girl is his daughter from a previous relationship. Jenelle, however, felt Courtland was more interested in chatting with his baby mama – his ex, Taylor Lewis – and that was all it took for her to bail. This time, the breakup may actually stick, too. “Jenelle said she was gonna make up charges saying I beat her, and i never did, so let me say (expletive) jenelle for good,” Courtland Rogers added. In a Tweet to Taylor Lewis … of course. As for Jenelle Evans, she ignored that but cranked out several more messages before peacing out of Twitter and declaring herself done with social media. We’re fairly certain she and Twitter will reunite before long. Her future relationships with heroin and/or Courtland Rogers are much less certain.
