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Ashley Massaro, Former WWE Diva and Survivor Contestant, Dies at 39

Ashley Massaro, a former WWE Superstar who also competed on a season of Survivor, died early Thursday morning. She was 39 years old. The aforementioned professional organization confirmed this sad piece of news in a Tweet that reads as follows: We are saddened to learn of the tragic death of former WWE Superstar Ashley Massaro. WWE offers its condolences to Ashley’s family and friends. She performed in WWE from 2005-2008 and was beloved by her fellow Superstars and fans around the world. WWE offers its condolences to Ashley’s family and friends. According to TMZ, Massaro was transported from her home in Suffolk County, New York to a local hospital several hours ago — but few other details are available at this time. The officials who spoke to this celebrity gossip website would not reveal the cause of death, but told TMZ that it’s being classified as “non-criminal. Massaro famously won the WWE’s 2005 Raw Diva Search, earning herself a contract with the company at the time for one year at a $250,000 salary. She went on to become a valet for WWE tag team champions Paul London and Brian Kendrick. She also competed against Melina at Wrestlemania in 2007 and, later that same year, Massaro appeared on the cover of Playboy, an honor that was announced on an episode of Smackdown. Along with starring as a contestant on Survivor: China in 2007, Massaro had small roles on Smallville and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The Blast, meanwhile, has obtained dispatch audio of a call placed to paramedics in which they are told of unconscious female at 5:23 a.m. today. These paramedics proceeded to administer CPR on the way to the hospital. Massaro cut ties with WWE in 2008, although she returned for a stint with a lesser known pro wrestling company in 2017. She leaves behind one daughter. “This is just awful news,” wrote WWE legend Mick Foley upon learning of the news, adding on Twitter: “Ashley Massaro is gone. She was only 39. She lived in the same town as me…I loved seeing her around. She was always so nice…and now she’s gone. #RIPAshleyMassaro.” Added a wrestler named Bull James: This sucks. Ashley just started training at NYWC & was SO excited about wrestling again. Always had a smile on her face & was one of the most down to Earth people you could meet. If you’re going through tough times, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. RIP Ashley Massaro. We’ll update this story as more news breaks. May Ashley Massaro rest in peace. View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2019: In Memoriam

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Ashley Massaro, Former WWE Diva and Survivor Contestant, Dies at 39

Amy Roloff TRASHED by Fans: Just Give Matt an Answer Already!!

On Tuesday night’s episode of Little People, Big World , Amy Roloff felt bullied and pressured by her ex-husband. Matt wants her to make a decision, but Amy wants to weigh all of her options with a major decision like giving up her home. But some fans and viewers have grown impatient, and they’re putting Amy on blast for not making up her mind already. “I just want to make the best decision,” Amy explains of her reluctance to commit to either staying or going. “Moving out of a house that I never really thought I’d move out of years ago …” she says. Amy confesses that “to think about that now is a little daunting.” “It is a little scary,” she notes. “It’s a little intimidating” Amy admits that she feels this way “because I’ve never been on my own before.” Matt was feeling impatient, and even accused Amy of being “selfish.” Unfortunately, some very outspoken fans felt the same way. They took to Amy’s Instagram comments to let her know how they really feel about her dragging her heels on making this major decision. “Keep your house. Not fair to have lived with your kids coming back there until they moved on and now you’re alone and don’t want it. You’re selfish” ” You seem mean and controlling even though you divorced Matt you want to try and control his destiny! .” “Watching tonight and all I can say is make up your dam mind,” one angry fan comments. The viewer writes: “even your kids say the same” “And why should Matt have to give up the side of the farm he’s been on for 3 years?” the comment asks. “He didn’t want the DW but had no choice and after 3 years you wAnt it ?” the fan expresses. The comment concludes: “I’d tell you to go pound sand.” “I think you need to move to someplace else,” suggests another comment. “Or,” the fan speculates. “You have FOMO syndrome.” Amy is very clearly experiencing a degree of fear of missing out . “You ask for the divorce and you start dating,” the follower writes. “You have to move on with you life.” The viewer reassures Amy that “you kids always going to be there no matter where you move.” “And,” the fan admonishes. “Stop playing the victim card.” “I watch the show faithfully and I’m a huge fan,” another comment begins. “But I must say that it’s 5 episodes that Matts been waiting for a response on the farm,” the fan notes. “Just settle it and be done,” the commenter demands. “The poor guys been waiting for over a month on your response,” the follower expresses. “And,” the fan accuses. “I think it’s pretty selfish of you to throw Matt out of his current house so you can move in.” Matt is not as mobile as Amy. That’s a fair point. We have to say that we understand where (most) of the comments are coming from. It can be difficult to watch someone be indecisive, especially when it’s drawn out for so long on television. A lot of fans have already decided that they know what is best for both Roloff grandparents. Others have simply chosen sides. But Amy’s point — that this has been her home for a long time, and that she has never been on her own before — makes a lot of sense. Moving is a huge decision for most people. It’s very fair that she doesn’t like feeling rushed. Eventually, though, she will have to decide. View Slideshow: Matt Roloff and Caryn Chandler Share Special Photo, Spark Engagement Chatter

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Amy Roloff TRASHED by Fans: Just Give Matt an Answer Already!!

Lamar Odom: I Railed 2,000 Women While Addicted to Sex!

Lamar Odom played in 961 games throughout his NBA career, averaging 13.3 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per contest. He even chipped in 3.7 assists on the reg. These are all above average numbers, representative of a perfectly solid 14-year run for four teams. In his new memoir, however, the ex-husband of Khloe Kardashian admits to a far more eye-popping figure, writing in “Darkness to Light” that he has “been obsessed with sex for as long as I can remember.” Odom then reveals that he must have slept with over 2,000 women in his life. “I am a sex addict,” he writes, elaborating on his number of bedroom conquests as follows: “There were too many strippers to count. It wasn’t a big deal, but often I would pay them. I never thought less of them.” Combined with his addiction to drugs and alcohol, Lamar’s need to fornicate eventually doomed his marriage to Kardashian after four years. “I could not handle the lethal cocktail of the spotlight, addiction, a diminishing career and infidelity,” Odom writes in this book, completing this confession with the ultimate quote: “I couldn’t keep my d-ck in my pants or the coke out of my nose.” Khloe stuck by Odom as long as she could. Even after they split in 2013, she talked about Lamar as the love of her life — and she rushed to his hospital bedside after a near-fatal overdose at a Nevada brothel in 2015. Doctors put Odom’s odds of survival at around 50 percent after this incident. Thankfully, Lamar survived. But his relationship with Khloe was killed by his wandering penis and inability to remain loyal. The ex-baller says he cheated on his then-wife and failed to keep the affairs secret. “I was shocked and embarrassed,” Lamar tells People Magazine of his behavior with other women, adding: “I wanted to take it back, but you can’t. [I] wanted to hide it. But that sick sin was hard for me to hide … I had a problem.” Khloe has not yet commented on anything Odom wrote in his book, which will be released on May 28, or on anything he’s said in a recent interview. “Sex was a trigger for me to do drugs,” he adds to People. “Because you double up on [that] good feeling.” View Slideshow: Khloe Kardashian: Who Should She Date Next? How and why did he finally turn his life around? It’s a constant struggle, Odom explains, but nearly dying in a brothel will help one see the light. “That was the wake-up call,” he says. “Like, this can’t happen again.” Odom would love to get back in touch with Khloe and her family and establish some kind of positive relationship… but he’s mostly just focused on his own recovery right now. “I’m still an addict,” he writes in his book. “I still struggle … [But] I will not go into the darkness. Ever again.” View Slideshow: Lamar Odom: A Timeline of Tragedy, Love, Loss … and Redemption?!

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Lamar Odom: I Railed 2,000 Women While Addicted to Sex!

Kelly Ripa: The Bachelorette Is Disgusting and So Are the People Who Watch It!

You know how your Aunt Carol is always flooding your social media feed with memes about made-up holidays devoted to hot dogs or offshore oil rig workers? Well, she dropped the ball in a big way if she failed to inform you that it’s national Hot Takes About the Bachelorette Day! First, we learned that Nick Viall flat-out hates Luke Parker , who appears to be Hannah Brown’s frontrunner at the moment. (Check out our Bachelorette spoilers if you want to see how that plays out.) Now, it appears that Kelly Ripa is equally disdainful of the whole freakin’ franchise! Yes, it may be the creeping apathy that comes with being forced to sit next to Ryan Seacrest every morning, but it seems that Kelly has exactly zero f–ks to give. The woman is creeped out by the whole Bachelor/Bachelorette content machine, and she doesn’t care who knows it! On today’s episode of Live With Kelly and Dude From American Idol Who’s Somehow Still a Thing , Seacrest revealed to Ripa that Hannah Beast herself will be a guest on the show later this week. Not only did Ripa apparently have no idea who Hannah is, she made no qualms about the fact that she is not a member of Bachelorette nation. “Oh, it’s an entirely different person?” she asked after revealing that she thought Colton Underwood’s girlfriend, Cassie Randolph, was the new Bachelorette . “You guys, you know how I feel about the show, it disgusts me,” Ripa told her bemused audience. “I can’t stand the idea of 25 exceptional women fighting over one ordinary fella, in my opinion,” she added. “You know how I feel, ladies, we are too special to be arguing over a guy.” At that point, Ripa unleashed her fury on the studio audience like Daenerys Targaryen at King’s Landing . Or she gently chided them for watching a show she doesn’t like. Same difference.  “Having said that,” she scolded. “All of you women watch that gross, gross show.” Okay, so Kelly doesn’t care for The Bachelor? But how does she feel about The Bachelorette ? Well, apparently, she thinks it’s “it’s all creepy” and she describes The Bachelorette as “just as creepy” as The Bachelor. So it seems that while there might be some feminist beliefs behind Ripa’s distaste for the franchise, ultimately she finds the whole idea of a rabid competition with a human being as the reward to be a bit unseemly. We’re with her — but we long ago learned to just shut off that part of our brains on Monday nights. View Slideshow: The Bachelorette Spoilers: Check Out Hannah Brown’s Final THREE! [UPDATED]

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Kelly Ripa: The Bachelorette Is Disgusting and So Are the People Who Watch It!

Amy Roloff to Matt Roloff: Stop Lying to Me! Stop Bullying Me!

On the personal front, everything is going very well for Amy Roloff and Matt Roloff. How could it not be? Both are involved in very serious romantic relationships… and they just discovered they are gonna be grandparents again! Ineed, in case you haven’t heard, Tori Roloff is pregnant with her second child . Therefore, it should be an exciting time for the parents of four — and yet Tuesday night’s episode of Little People, Big World once again depicted the former spouses coming to verbal blows with one another. They remain as an impasse over the future of their business. On the latest installment of this TLC realty show, Amy returned from her trip to Michigan, still quite unsure about what she wanted to do with Roloff Family Farm. This has been the main topic of debate between her and Matt throughout this latest season of the series. “I just want to make the best decision,” Amy told the camera of why she’s taken so long here to arrive at a conclusion, adding: “Moving out of a house that I never really thought I’d move out of years ago. … to think about that now is a little daunting. It is a little scary, it’s a little intimidating because I’ve never really been on my own before.” Totally understandable, right? This makes it sound as if moving in with boyfriend Chris Marek isn’t on the table. But that’s a question for another day. The focus of this week’s episode was not on Amy’s relationship with Chris, but on the one with her ex-husband instead. When Amy revealed her hesitation to Matt, he once again grew exasperated that there was no movement in her mind, telling her he would be happy with either the buyout or switching sides of the farm. Unlike the mother of his kids, Matt knows he wants to move on from the current state of the farm and his ongoing role in its daily upkeep. Amy, however, thought his flexibility was just another negotiation tactic. “I don’t trust it,” she said in a confessional “This isn’t just a business decision, it’s a little personal for me.” These exes have remained quite amicable since their divorce in 2016, but Matt has become very inpatient with Amy this season. He even said she was holding him and his dreams hostage a few weeks ago. “Matt has a strong personality, and one that I’ve adapted over the years we were together,” Amy continued last night, saying she had learned in the years since their divorce to take the following tact: “Stand your ground and don’t let life push you around, including Matt.” We don’t think Matt is trying to be a bully in any way here. He recently slammed actual bullies who have been giving Amy a hard time on social media. But he does want an answer and does want to know when Amy will give him one. “She’s being a little bit, in my mind, selfish right now,” Matt said in the quote we reference above from an earlier episode of the TLC program last month. “I just don’t want to be held hostage anymore to [her] indecisiveness.” As always, it’s important to remember that what you see each week on Little People, Big World was filmed many months ago. In far more recent interviews together, Matt and Amy have discussed the mutual respect that still exists between them, despite their break-up. “We like to say: There’s no Team Matt and no Team Amy,” Matt told Us Weekly just two weeks ago. “It’s Team Roloff.” Amy agreed. “It’s about our family, it’s about our kids, it’s about our grandkids,” she said, while Matt concluded in this revealing chat: “We still drive each other crazy. But then we respect each other as well.” Little People, Big World airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on TLC. View Slideshow: Little People, Big World: 19 Shocking Scandals… Exposed!

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Amy Roloff to Matt Roloff: Stop Lying to Me! Stop Bullying Me!

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Recap: Will a Lie Detector Vindicate Lisa Vanderpump?!

Lisa Vanderpump has been M.I.A. from many events on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills this season.  The reason for that is that she’s had a severe falling out with her co-stars. She’s on talking terms with new addition, Denise Richards.  Beyond that, she’s kept herself away from the other women following PuppyGate.  Tuesday’s episode found Lisa sharing the screen with Camille Grammer, once again, and the two women chatted about recent events, and a lie detector test came up somewhere in the conversation.  Lisa couldn’t contain her excitement at the size of Camille’s engagement ring, saying that diamonds are sometimes “better friends than your friends.” “You know, those girls can be…” Camille said before Lisa butted in, “Yeah. They’ve been horrible. Horrible. And I don’t want to include you in that at all. Not at all.” The conversation shifted to Camille’s looming wedding.  “If you were to come to my wedding — which, you know that I would love for you to be there — I would want you to feel comfortable within the group,” Camille said. “Of course I want you there, so will you come?” Lisa was at a loss because she did not want to spend any time with the others, and that’s why she had to decline the invitation.  “I’ve always cared about you, you know that,” she said. “I just — I can’t make the wedding.” Camille was not impressed by the decision, but she understood her stance, noting that she would hate for her to feel “all this pressure from the ladies” at an event that be happy.  “Well, you can invite me and cancel everyone else!” Lisa laughed.  “As much as I want to see Camille get married, I’m not gonna put myself in that situation with them all against me,” LVP dished in a confessional. “Let the Real Bitches of Beverly Hills go on their own.” Lisa then realized that Camille was mad with the girls.  “You’re upset with the girls? What do you mean?” LVP quickly asked, prompting Camille to open up about her fraught relationship with Teddi.  “There’s a lot of love between you and a lot of these girls,” Camille added. “Especially Kyle.” Lisa felt like the other ladies planned on making her feel like a “terrible person” and that was not good.  “What am I supposed to do? Take a lie-detector test? Is that what they want me to do?” she wondered. Camille admitted that were something off with Kyle ever since the argument and that they should fix things.  “How she was when she came around here when she said, ‘I believe them and I don’t believe you’re a good friend and I believe you’re more concerned about your image than your friends,’ I was just like, ‘You might as well have hit me around the face,'” Lisa said. “And I was like, ‘Get out,’ but I also actually meant, ‘Get out of my life.'” “I’ve been there,” Camille said in a confessional. “I’ve had to sit there and have people call me delusional, a liar — and maybe I have more strength than she has because she runs away from it.” “Lisa’s never been a victim,” she continued. “She doesn’t live her life like a victim, but she’s behaving like she is one. It’s sad to see. This is not the Lisa that I knew.” “The Lisa that I knew would show up. What she’s doing is she’s running from everybody. It’s almost like this immature girl hiding from the truth. Lisa Vanderpump talks the talk, but I wanna see her walk the walk.” Camille wanted Lisa to remember how strong her connection with Kyle once was.  “I think Kyle Richards just enjoyed throwing me under the bus a little too much, and unless she changed her position and apologized, I’ve got no intention of seeing her again,” Lisa countered. The wild episode concluded with a preview for next week’s episode which showed LVP hooked up to a lie detector to reveal the truth about what happened.  “Have you ever given a story to Radar Online?” the administrator asks as Lisa replies, “This is quite tight, this blood pressure thing, isn’t it?” This is going to be good! RHOBH continues Tuesdays on Bravo.  View Slideshow: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Official Season 9 Portraits!

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The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Recap: Will a Lie Detector Vindicate Lisa Vanderpump?!

Kate Middleton & Prince William Finally Meet Baby Archie!

After nine days in the world, little Archie Harrison got to meet his aunt and uncle — at last!  Kate Middleton and Prince William dropped on over to Frogmore Cottage on Tuesday to officially meet their nephew.  But as for Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis — well, they still have to wait to meet their new baby cousin.   Prince Harry’s brother and sister-in-law were introduced to baby Archie today during a private visit , a palace rep confirmed to People . Earlier in the day, however, Kate, Harry, and William had royal engagements to tend to.  Kate was busy visiting a secret WWII spy base in Bletchley Park, while William spoke at the first United for Wildlife meeting. The couple, who recently celebrated their eight-year wedding anniversary , definitely had a day full of activities — but we are sure their favorite part was meeting Archie. Prince Harry also had an emotional day as he spent the morning visiting the Oxford Children’s Hospital.  Even though royal obligations did not pause for the new dad, Archie was obviously still a big topic of conversation. “He said he’s getting used to the baby and how Archie has fitted into family life,” Ida Scullard, whose son is battling cancer, told the press of their meeting.  “He said he just feels part of the family and he can’t imagine life without his son.” Meghan and Harry, who are about to celebrate their first wedding anniversary in a few days, welcomed their first child last Monday.  “This little thing is absolutely to die for, so I’m just over the moon,” the first-time dad told the press.  Meghan Markle opened up about motherhood as the couple introduced their adorable baby to the world.  (Yes, technically we met Archie before Aunt Kate and Uncle William, NBD.)  “It’s magic. It’s pretty amazing,” Meghan said. “I mean I have the two best guys in the world, so I’m really happy.”  Going into further detail about the new royal baby , the Duchess of Sussex added, “He has the sweetest temperament.”  “He’s really calm… and he’s just been a dream, so it’s been a special couple days.”  Prior to meeting Kate and Prince William, Archie, who is seventh in line to the throne, met his great-grandparents Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.  Meghan’s mom Doria Ragland was also included in the sweet family moment, which was documented in a historic royal photo.  Now that most of the family introductions have been made, we hope George, Charlotte, and Louis get to meet Archie soon!  According to a royal source, they are “dying” to meet the little guy.  “Prince George and Princess Charlotte have already been asking their parents when they can meet their new cousin, they are as excited as anybody,” says one insider. View Slideshow: Royal Baby Photos: Who Wore Their Blanket Best?

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Kate Middleton & Prince William Finally Meet Baby Archie!

Anna Duggar is Trying to Profit From Parenthood, Because She Has Nothing Else Left

Anna Duggar has enough children to field a full starting basketball team. And the figurative sixth man or woman is about to be born, as Anna and husband Josh recently announced another kid is on the way . Despite this experience as a mother, however, the controversial figure admitted to Instagram followers today that she doesn’t always know what she’s doing… … and yet that’s part of the fun at times. “When my first child was born, I guess I had lots of expectations for how things would be,” Duggar says at the outset of a lengthy caption to the photo above, continuing as follows: “Once she arrived, I quickly realized that babies don’t always play by the ‘rules’ and that unpredictability is what makes parenting such a unique responsibility. “When you think you have just got it figured out, things change.” Well, yeah. This doesn’t sound like especially revolutionary thinking here. But maybe Anna’s perspective will help other struggling mothers realize they aren’t alone. “When Mason our youngest arrived, he was diagnosed with a dairy allergy. After talking with the pediatrician, I began searching online and trying to find answers,” Anna wrote, finally getting to the real reason why she has opened up about motherhood like never before: MONEY. “Then I came across @peanut, the social networking app for mothers,” Anna says, explaining: “The app introduces you to women in your neighborhood based on the things you have in common—interests, mutual friends, age/gender of your children, and so much more! “You can meet, chat, join groups and ask questions to a community of like-minded women.” Anna has clearly been paid here to shill for this app. Which is totally and completely fine. We’ve felt awful for this poor woman ever since it was revealed that her husband molested his own sisters . And then it was also revealed that her husband had cheated on her a lot via the website Ashley Madison . Anna is basically stuck in this cult and forced to pump out children at a record rate. The money she’s earning from this Peanut ad is probably going into Josh’s pocket, sadly. Concludes Duggar in this post: Josh and Anna Duggar: We’re Expecting a SIXTH Kid! Connecting with like-minded moms who are walking through the same thing as me has helped me find answers, solutions and support. If you’re like me, you probably find yourself looking for mommy answers on a regular basis. @peanut helps you build your community to connect, grow and learn together. No matter what stage of parenting you’re in right now, I recommend you download the app! It’s a must-have for all mamas! #peanutapp Anna and Josh got married in 2008 and welcomed daughter Mackynzie, 9, in 2009. She became a big sister when Michael, arrived two years later… followed by Marcus, 5, Meredith, 3, and Mason, 20 months. Earlier this month, they couple announced that yet another child was on the way. “We couldn’t be happier to share with the world that our family is growing by one this Fall,” the couple told Us Weekly in an April statement. “We continually stand amazed by God’s love, redemption, grace and blessings in our lives. Our entire little family is ecstatic!” View Slideshow: Josh & Anna Duggar Expecting Again: Their Bizarre Journey to Baby #6 Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar also congratulated the pair, writing back then: We are so happy for Josh & Anna, expecting their 6th child and our 16th grandchild!  Each child is a blessing from God! Anna is one of the most amazing women in the world, she is a Proverbs 31 woman! Anna & Josh are good parents and it is going to be neat to see what God does with each one of their children’s lives. Mackynzie, Michael, Marcus, Meredith and Mason are so excited to have a little sibling on the way! God is at work in their sweet little family! He has blessed them with another child! What a gift! The best days for their family are still ahead! View Slideshow: The Duggars: Who’s Courting? Pregnant? Next In Line? [UPDATED]

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Anna Duggar is Trying to Profit From Parenthood, Because She Has Nothing Else Left

Larissa Lima: Get to Know Her Hot Younger Boyfriend, Eric!

Back in February, we revealed that Larissa Lima was dating a hot, young boy toy . At the time, it had only been about a month since she had gotten out of her horrible, toxic 90 Day Fiance marriage. Three months later, it's clear that this is more than just a rebound relationship. They're really boyfriend and girlfriend. In fact, Larissa and Eric seem crazy about each other. Take a look below and learn all that we know about Erickee . 1. Larissa has a boyfriend! As we reported at the time, Larissa joined Tinder just a few weeks after her marriage to Colt Johnson came to its horrifying conclusion. 2. His name is Eric Eric Foster, or “Erickee” as she sometimes calls him, is a young, hot guy. 3. They’ve been dating for months Larissa joined Tinder, making it clear that she was looking for a real relationship rather than for a hookup. That is how she met Eric. 4. He brings her flowers More than once, Larissa has been sure to illustrate how Eric showers her with affection and love, giving her lots of hugs. And, yes, flowers. 5. It’s meant a lot to her That sounds pretty standard for a romantic relationship, right? Well, Larissa had just been in her disastrous marriage to Colt, so this was like a breath of fresh air. 6. Eric is 27 years old He was 26 when the two of them started dating, and only had his birthday back in April. That makes him several years younger than Larissa. Good for her! View Slideshow

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Larissa Lima: Get to Know Her Hot Younger Boyfriend, Eric!

Game of Thrones: Can the Series Finale Save This Uneven Season?

Well, it finally happened. On Sunday night’s episode of Game of Thrones Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of Her Name and Perpetrator of Plot Twists broke bad and roasted more peasants than a medeival insult comic.  Like many, many others, we long ago predicted that the Khaleesi would make a heel turn and be revealed as the show’s final villain, but if Twitter is any indication, the events of “The Bell” came as a complete shock to many viewers. In one sense, this is hard to understand, as the show has been hinting at a darker side to Dany ever since her very first rants about “laying waste to armies” and taking what’s hers “with fire and blood” way back when her dragons were about the size of pet iguanas. But at the same time, the surprise is quite understandable. After all, prior to this week’s episode, the Khaleesi was arguably the show’s best-loved character, and many considered her ascendancy to the Iron Throne to he a foregone conclusion. As a result, creator’s D.B. Weiss and David Benioff have been accused of prioritizing shock value over organic character development with their decision to have Dany embrace her family’s mercurial nature and unleash unspeakable violence on innocenr civilians and soldiers who had already surrendered. If that were the case — if a character who had been built up as the savior of a people and an incorruptible force for good suddenly embracec wickedness out of nowhere — then these critics would be right to complain. But Dany’s turn was hinted at so often that many speculate it would never happen simply because it would be too predictable for a show that’s always trafficked in surprises. So yes, you have one camp griping that the character’s shift came out of nowhere, and another complaining that it was entirely too obvious. And in that sense, the clash over Dany’s true nature highlights the biggest challenge facing the Game of Thrones as we approach the show’s wildly anticipated finale: It’s nearly impossible for any show to conclude in a way that will leave an audience of millions universally satisfied — and that task is even harder for a series that revels in moral ambiguity and long ago raised the bar in terms of gut-punch surprises. Don’t get us wrong, there were legitimate complaints to be made about “The Bells”: Several major figures behaved in ways that flew in the face of eight seasons’ worth of character development. Some combatants seemed to be shrouded in impenetrable plot armor (We’re looking at you, Arya!) while others met frustratingly anti-climactic fates. (Evil genius Cersei Lannister is felled by freakin’ falling rocks? Really?) But the main issue that many fans seem worried about is the climactic battle for the Iron Throne will likely be fought between Daenerys Targaryen and her conflicted neph-boo Jon Snow. This is a baffling concern, not only becsause the show has been foreshadowing such a conflict for quite some time, but also because Weiss and Benioff insist that they’re staying true to the “broadstrokes” of the ending mapped out by George R.R. Martin’s several years ago. Yes, they’ve made some missteps along the way (The less said about the lighting for the Battle of Winterfell, the better.), but we’ll continue to place our faith that the kings who led us this far will be wise and just in wrapping up TV’s most ambitious story. View Slideshow: Game of Thrones Spoilers: Is This Really How It Ends?

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Game of Thrones: Can the Series Finale Save This Uneven Season?