The day after Erika Van Pelt was eliminated from American Idol , she was relatively calm, expressing excitement over this summer’s tour and saying she expected to be in the bottom three. But the first member of the top 10 to be sent packing took a few days to ponder the results of last Thursday and took a different yesterday in an interview with People . Erika Van Pelt – “What About Love” “I definitely felt a little shafted by their decision not to save me,” Van Pelt admitted , referring to the judges’ veto power. “It’s one of those things that, in hindsight, I’m looking at it like they didn’t want to use their save this early.” A year ago, Steven, Randy and J. Lo saved Casey Abrams at the same point in the competition, leaving them helpless weeks later when Pia Toscano was shockingly sent home . Van Pelt believes those results impacted this season’s thinking. “I was not expecting to be the first of the top 10 to go home – certainly. I’m not sure they were expecting it either. But I feel like even if they felt like I didn’t deserve to go home, they just didn’t want to waste that save in case America decided to do something really crazy.” Look back to last week and vote below: did Erika deserve to be eliminated?
Dharun Ravi blames immaturity – not criminal-level hate – for his actions leading up to the tragic suicide of his former Rutgers roommate, Tyler Clementi. “I was 18 … I did do things wrong and I was stupid about a lot of stuff,” he tells ABC News of his 2010 actions. “I was a dumb kid not thinking about it.” Ravi, who many feel indirectly drove Clementi to throw himself off the George Washington bridge, was found guilty of invasion of privacy and hate crimes . He insists he is not homophobic, however. ” I didn’t act out of hate and I wasn’t uncomfortable with Tyler being gay,” Ravi claims in a separate interview with New Jersey’s The Star-Ledger newspaper. “I won’t ever … tell the world that I hated Tyler because he was gay, or tell the world that I was trying to hurt or intimidate him because it’s not true.” In death, Clementi has become a cause celebre of sorts, stirring passions, controversy and heated debate over bullying, particularly of gay youth. Dharun Ravi says he realized his roommate, also 18 at the time, “had bigger problems” that may have contributed to his decision to take his own life. “Before I went to school I thought my roommate would be my best friend and we would hang out all the time,” he tells The Star-Ledger . “But Tyler wasn’t like that.” “He was very quiet and every conversation we had just hit a dead end.” Whatever his intentions, Ravi, who allegedly used a camera to spy on Clementi kissing a man in their dorm room, then publicized that fact online, may face prison time. On Friday, Tyler Clementi’s family released a statement commenting on the jury’s findings against Ravi. Tyler’s father, Joseph Clementi, said: “Our family believes the jury reached a correct verdict. They reached their decision based on the facts shown by the evidence. At the conclusion of [Ravi’s] trial, the defense’s explanation of what happened was simply not believable.” Jane Clementi, Tyler’s mother, said: “We have become all too aware of the consequences suffered by people who are singled out for being different. We’ve learned that LGBT teens, especially, suffer pain, embarrassment and ridicule which is made worse by improper use of electronic media.”
The rumors of Camille Grammer’s departure have been made an official reality: this controversial Bravo star will not return to the franchise for season three. “She’s been in discussions and at the end decided she wasn’t willing to expose her personal life anymore,” a source tells People . “She’s at peace with her decision.”
After speaking to her PR team and being told what to do thinking about the act of violence perpetrated against her on a Los Angeles red carpet last week, Kim Kardashian has decided to press charges against the woman who threw flour all over her . She will reportedly contact law enforcement officials over the next few days and take the appropriate steps. In response to this decision, PETA has gone on the attack against Kardashian. That lame organization denies involvement in the act, but has released a statement that reads: If she presses charges, at least people will be constantly reminded of her selfish, callous disregard for the cruel deaths that she causes by wearing fur. How much better it would be if she decided to evolve and enhance her image by donating her vulgar furs and exotic-animal skins to the homeless. The activist acted from the heart, something Kim doesn’t seem to have. If anything, Kim should get a life, the very thing that she denies animals. What do you think? Should Kardashian press charges against her attacker?
inktalks.com Deepak Chopra shares, for the first time publicly, the true reasons behind his decision to cut off ties with his guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Also, a very interesting fact on how the Maharishi ‘walked into his death’. And finally, why he connects with geniuses like MJ, Lady Gaga and Oprah. http://www.youtube.com/v/PeilORgIxlw?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata The rest is here: Deepak Chopra: An experience of deep silence #INKtalks
Was she wrong? Gabrielle Union has defended her decision to attend Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy Awards party last Saturday just hours after the death of Whitney Houston: “I think if you weren’t there, I could understand [being upset]. We made a judgment call after [P. Diddy] and Clive talked to the family and they said, ‘Please go,’ basically to provide a more balanced view of Whitney’s life.” Gabrielle also revealed that Whitney’s friends and family were angry that focus had been shifted to her drug addiction rather than celebrating her life. Chaka Khan blasted Clive Davis for hosting the party with Whitney’s body in the same building. Was it wrong for Gabrielle and other celebs to attend? Source More On Bossip! Quote Of The Day: Country Singer Miranda Lambert Says Chris Breezy “Needs To Be Put Back In His Place” A Verrrry Special Night: These Celebrities May Possibly Have Been Conceived Righhht Around Valentine’s Day Rosa Acosta And Her Cakes Wish Us All A Lovely Happy Valentine’s Day Hey Big Spender: Studies Show That The Average American Will Spend $126 On Valentines Day, Will You Be One Of Them???
Lucky Guy(s). Kylie Bisutti, a Victoria’s Secret lingerie model, recently quit that job because it conflicted with her hardcore Christian beliefs, and to save her body for her husband. She will still model, but only in ways that honor the Lord. Bisutti, 21, appeared on Good Morning America on Thursday to discuss her decision, why she decided to quit, and how her husband Mike Bisutti feels about it … Kylie Bisutti Interview on Good Morning America “Growing in my relationship with the Lord and my faith… I just became so convicted about wanting to honor my husband with my body and wanting to be a role model for younger women out there that look up to me,” Kylie explained. In 2009, then-19-year-old and newly married Kylie beat out 10,000 other hopefuls in a Victoria’s Secret model search saying: “I have a very sweet personality, but don’t let that exterior fool you. I want this, and I’ll do what it takes to get it.” But Kylie said she had an epiphany one day, and not a good one. With her 8-year-old cousin admiring her physique, she recalls, “I was doing my makeup in the mirror one day and she was watching me… She just looked at me and she was like, ‘I think I want to stop eating so I can look like you.'” “And it just broke my heart, because she looks up to me.” “I didn’t want to be that type of person that she thought she had to do that. Thousands of girls that think beauty is an outer issue, and really it’s a heart issue.” How did her husband feel about this career move? “He was so, so supportive of me and I’m just so thankful that he let me grow and let me come to this decision on my own,” she said, noting that he’s very happy. “I’m definitely going to pursue modeling,” she said. “I just want to be more wholesome and the jobs that I choose are always going to be honoring the Lord.” Guys everywhere just lost out big time, but you gotta respect the girl for putting her convictions ahead of superficiality, money and fame, right? What do you think of Kylie’s decision?
Day after Decemberists withdrew support, breast cancer charity announces it has reinstated funding for PP health centers. By Gil Kaufman Much like Congress rethought its decision after the outpouring of public anger over the anti-piracy SOPA and PIPA (Personal Information Protection Act) acts, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation had a change of heart on Friday (February 3) after intense criticism for its decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood initiatives. Komen, the organization behind the popular pink-ribbon campaign, announced on Tuesday that it would stop funding breast cancer prevention, screening and education at Planned Parenthood health centers — a decision Planned Parenthood claimed was in response to pressure from pro-life groups. Over the past five years, PP centers with Komen program funding have provided nearly 170,000 clinical breast exams out of the more than 4 million exams performed nationwide at PP health centers, as well as more than 6,400 mammogram referrals out of 70,000 total referrals, according to PP. Following the firestorm of controversy over the decision, the founder and CEO of the nation’s largest breast-cancer advocacy group said on Friday that the group would work to change the criteria that sparked the outcry. “We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants,” Nancy G. Brinker said in a statement . “We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives.” Brinker went further, acknowledging that the original decision to pull funding was done for “political reasons, or specifically to penalize Planned Parenthood.” In the wake of the public furor, Komen’s director of community health programs resigned in protest over the decision. In addition, 26 U.S. senators had signed a letter this week asking Komen to reconsider its withdrawal decision. One of the leading artistic voices of dissent over the initial Komen withdrawal from Planned Parenthood were the Decemberists. The band had worked with Komen since the band’s keyboardist, Jenny Conlee, had revealed her breast cancer diagnosis. When news broke on Tuesday that Komen had pulled funding for breast cancer examinations at PP, the Decemberists redirected the funds from their “Team Jenny” T-shirt to PP. On their website , they explained, “The Decemberists are deeply troubled by Komen for the Cure’s recent decision to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood, a vital resource in the battle against breast cancer. Providing cancer screenings to low income women is integral to the prevention and defeat of breast cancer and it is unconscionable that Komen should politicize this very important issue by bowing to the fear campaign being waged against PP by the right.” On Friday, the band added an update to their initial posting, writing, “The Decemberists are pleased that Komen for the Cure reversed their decision.”
Wanna watch the official music video for Nicki Minaj’s latest track, “Stupid Hoe?” You better scroll down and press Play. Because you won’t find it on BET. That network has banned the video, sources confirm to TMZ, and although no statement has been released regarding the decision, it’s clearly based on the explicit nature of both the video (which features Minaj dancing in a cage and wearing a thong, along with other nearly-naked women and a monkey) and the lyrics themselves. Which repeat the words “stupid hoe” about 10 times per chorus. Check out the controversial video now and then vote in our poll. Nicki Minaj – Stupid Hoe (Official Video) Should BET ban this video?
New York-bred rapper French Montana is explaining the motivation behind choosing Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records over Kanye West and his G.O.O.D. Music label. The Moroccan-born artist was embroiled in an alleged bidding war between the two labels, and told Hot 97′s Angie Martinez, that his decision to go with Diddy over Chicago’s finest came down to Yeezy’s lack of availability… Continue
