SPOILER ALERT: Santa Claus is not real. But this hasn't stopped a handful of racist Internet users from freaking out over the Mall of America in Minnesota daring to feature a Saint Nick played by Larry Jefferson-Gamble. Nevermind the fact that Jefferson-Gamble is a retired U.S. Army veteran. He's black! And the response of idiotic bigots to this fact prompted the Minnesota Star-Tribune to shut down the comments section for a simple profile of the mall’s first black Santa. Elsewhere, a CBS Minnesota report was also bombarded with negative and comments, leading us to wonder what the heck is wrong with a certain segment of the population. Because we want to keep believing that love trumps hate, however, we're here to present only POSITIVE social media reactions to Jefferson-Gamble as Santa. Why let the racists win, right? 1. This is What We’re Up Against Seriously, look at these comments. Talk about depressing… 2. Well Said, George Takei! We wish he wasn’t able to make this point, but history sadly speaks for itself. 3. Kind, Engaging and Thoughtful But… he’s black! 4. Such a Simple Concept Why is this so hard for people to grasp? 5. A Reason to Believe If not in Santa, at least in equality. 6. Wait for Me, Santa! Save me a spot on your lap please! View Slideshow
Khloe Kardashian has always seemed to have a kind of weird relationship with her body. Stars, they’re just like us! In the past year or two, Khloe’s lost a whole lot of weight , and thanks to many, many hours spent at the gym, she’s completely transformed her body. Some might say the transformation came after many hours spent at the neighborhood plastic surgery office , but that’s neither here nor there. The point is that Khloe looks quite a bit different than she used to, and those changes can be hard to get used to. She spoke at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit earlier today — yes, really — and she was open and honest about what it was like to be “the fat Kardashian.” “I’m all for women empowerment,” she said, “and I used to be someone they used to label plus-size.” “F-ck that. I don’t want to be called that — I’m a woman with curves.” It’s a strange little debate, the one about the term “plus-size,” but it’s pretty clear how Khloe feels on the subject. Really, it’s just a term that makes it easier for people of a certain size to find the clothing that fits them, it’s not inherently offensive or anything. Though it probably didn’t help that Khloe was called plus-sized when she definitely was not . “I was what I would say is average size at the time,” she explained. “I was very proud of who I was, and I felt, like, so shamed at the time — to go into boutiques or go denim shopping.” “It was something that was super hard for me.” Poor Khloe even said that she was “embarrassed to go shopping with my sisters, who are petite.” It’s sad, because back in the day, Khloe would make all sorts of appearances with Kim and Kourtney Kardashian — Kim is 5’3″ and Kourtney is 5’0″, so at 5’10”, of course Khloe looks much bigger. Khloe has a much different body type than her sisters, which is fine, obviously, but that’s why people called her plus-sized, and that’s why she had a hard time finding clothes. Tall girls have it rough. But still, Khloe’s always identified as “a chubby girl,” and even though she’s lost weight, things haven’t changed in that department. These days, with her new denim line, Good American, which comes in a variety of sizes up to a 24, Khloe said “I remember the chubby girl in me and I’m fighting for my chubby self.” “It wasn’t about having a new denim line,” she went on. No, it was about “doing something that empowers other women, and something that is really going to break down barriers.” So that’s kind of admirable, right? Now if only Khloe could be more like this, if she could give talks like these instead of just being the most ridiculous girl that ever was , then we’d really be cooking … View Slideshow: Khloe Kardashian Gym Selfies
Ron Glass, a long-time television actor best known for roles on Barney Miller and Firefly, passed away at his home on Friday night. He was 71 years old. According to TMZ insiders, Glass had struggled with a number illnesses of late, while still serving as an active member in the Los Angeles Buddhist community. He had been under the eye of a caretaker when he died. Jeffrey Leavitt, a representative of the former Emmy nominee, confirmed the sad news to TMZ, writing: “Ron passed late last night of respiratory failure. Ron was a private, gentle and caring man. He was an absolute delight to watch on screen. Words cannot adequately express my sorrow.” Glass w inas born 1945 in Evansville, Indiana. He made his small screen debut in the early 1970s with guest appearances on All in the Family, Sanford and Son and Hawaii Five-O, among other hit programs. In 1975, the actor landed the part of Detective Ron Harris on the aforementioned ABC sitcom, Barney Miller. The role earned him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series in 1982, although he lost the trophy went to Taxi’s Christopher Lloyd. Still, Glass earned critical and viewer acclaim for the role. The series wrapped up in 1982, at which time, Glass co-starred in a short-lived Odd Couple remake titled The New Odd Couple. He also made appearances on The Twilight Zone, Star Trek: Voyager and Family Matters. In the 1990s and 2000s, Glass voiced Randy Carmichael on Nickelodeon’s Rugrats and All Grown Up! Nathan Fillion, who appeared opposite Glass on Firefly, honored his late castmate on Saturday with a photo on Instagram and a quote from Glass’ character on the former Fox series. “We love you, Ron Glass. Don’t go far,” Fillion wrote. Samuel L. Jackson, who worked with Glass on 2008’s Lakeview Terrace, added via Twitter: “It was an Honor & a Pleasure to work with the Amazing Ron Glass! RIP, Sir!” View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Passed Away in 2016: Gone, But Not Forgotten Meanwhile, Firefly creator Joss Whedon also had kind words to say about Glass. “He got there with grace, humor & enormous heart,” Whedon Tweeted of the actor. “He was, among so many other things, my Shepherd. Raise, appropriately, a glass. Rest, Ron.” We send our condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Ron Glass. This death marks the second major TV death of the week. On Thursday, Florence Henderson died at the age of 82. Florence Henderson: Dead at 82
Everything is coming up Kelsey Grammer these days. First, the actor was one of the few celebrities who openly championed Donald Trump for President of the United States. And we all know how that election turned out, don’t we? Now, we can confirm that the veteran star recently welcomed his SEVENTH child into the world, with sources reporting that wife Kayte Walsh gave birth to a boy on Monday, November 14. His name is Auden James Ellis. According to Us Weekly, the newborn will go by his middle name, James. He also weighed 7 pounds and measured 21 inches long at birth. Not shabby on either count! “Both mother and son are doing great,” a rep for the star tells Us Weekly. News of Walsh’s pregnancy went viral in mid-September, meaning she was clearly very far along when we first out a child was on the way. In a separate statement, meanwhile, Grammer and Walsh explained that there is a bit significance behind their son’s moniker. “The name was chosen to honor the great poet W.H. Auden, and James is after another great poet and singer, James Taylor — two of our favorites,” Kelsey and Kayte said. That’s sort of interesting. What about Ellis? It is a family name, courtesy of the actor’s great grandfather on his mother’s side. “He was a colorful character, to say the least, and we wanted to give the name a second chance,” the parents explained. The pair, who married in 2011, are also parents to a four-year old named Faith and a two-year old named Gabriel. They met while Walsh was working as a flight attendant… and, according to some rumors, while Grammer was still married to ex-wife Camille Grammer. The former Frasier star is 61 years old also has four other children: Spencer, 33, from his marriage to Doreen Alderman; Greer, 24, from his relationship with Barrie Buckner; and Mason, 15, and Jude, 12, from his marriage to the aforementioned Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member. Those are a lot of mouths to feed! “My dad, he loves little kids,” Greer told Us Weekly this fall, adding: “He always has. He’s a huge little-child fan, and he’s just so good at it. Him and Kayte are such good partners and they parent so well together and they just want this kind of big family. “So now I’m going to be one of seven, which is crazy.” View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Welcomed Babies in 2016 It sure is. But, hey, who are we to judge! We send our best wishes and a note of congratulations to Kayte and Kelsey. Why not go for eight, guys?!?
Amber Heard would like to make something abundantly clear: She is NOT behind the leak of a damning Johnny Depp video that went public late last week. The actress, who is in the middle of a legal dispute with her estranged husband over his alleged abuse of her during their 15-month marriage, has released a statement just one day after ugly footage of Depp went viral. It may very well change your opinion of the veteran star forever. In the video (below), Depp is clearly agitated. He’s upset. He’s angry. He’s pouring himself a large glass of red wine and he’s screaming at Heard. The footage was filmed several months ago and it features Heard trying to understand what has Depp in such a state. They aren’t in the middle of a fight, Heard tells him, asking her husband how much he’s had to drink and wondering what has him going off this way. “Did something happen to you this morning?” Depp responds, while violently shutting cabinet doors and breaking glasses. He seems to be implying that he has every right to be in this mood because something bad happened to him and she just doesn’t understand. This obviously isn’t proof of the abuse alleged by Heard , but it doesn’t paint Depp in a very positive light, either: Johnny Depp Goes OFF on Amber Heard, Breaks Wine Bottle & Glass in Shocking Video There’s no doubt that Heard filmed the encounter. Depp even comes across her cell phone in “Record” mode toward the end of the footage. And this just makes Depp even angrier and more suspicious of his wife. But Heard has now told E! News that she isn’t the only who released this video online. “I am not responsible for the release of the video. It was not what I wanted and I am doing what I can to force the media to take it off the internet,” Heard says . “I underestimated the toll that this difficult few months have taken on me, emotionally and physically, and the efforts made by the media to intimidate and discredit me.” She continued: “It is for that reason, and my desire to make the healthiest choice for myself, and hopefully for Johnny, that I am attempting to resolve this matter in the most private way possible.” Insiders close to Depp have told TMZ that the video in question is “heavily edited,” claiming there are portions where Amber is smiling and “egging [Depp] on.” Earlier this month, Heard said she had proof that Depp hit her, a startling allegation she first made to the world on May 21 of this year. A judge recently postponed a scheduled divorce/domestic violence hearing between the stars until Wednesday in order to allow both sides more time to finish their depositions. If the case does end up going to trial, E! News reports that Heard’s witness list includes seven people, including close pals Raquel Pennington and iO Tillet Wright. Meanwhile, Depp’s list consists of 23 people, including his long-time girlfriend Vanessa Paradis, who is also the mother of his two kids. Heard and Depp met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2011. They got married in February of 2015. While sparks flew immediately between the actress and the actor, a source told People Magazine that there was always something “toxic” about their relationship. On May 27, Heard entered a Los Angeles courthouse with a black eye and filed for a temporary restraining order against the actor. She claimed at the time that he had been both “verbally and physically abusive” to her throughout the “entirety” of their relationship. View Slideshow: Johnny Depp Domestic Abuse Allegations: Stars React The same source mentioned above explained to People that Heard’s independent side and Depp’s insecurities led to jealousy and serious dysfunction during their marriage. “Johnny tends to get moody and difficult and go into himself when things aren’t right in a relationship,” this insider said. “When he gets like that, he can act nasty. It doesn’t made for a good marriage.” That seems to be clear. But did it make for a violent marriage? That’s a different question. And it’s question that may soon be answered once and for all in a court of law. What an ugly situation all around.
UNEXPECTED COUPLE ALERT! UNEXPECTED COUPLE ALERT! A few days after veteran actress Holland Taylor surprised the world by revealing she’s in a same-sex relationship, multiple sources have come out and confirmed that she’s in a same-sex relationship with another veteran actress… … Sarah Paulson! Taylor is 72 years old and Paulson is 40 years old. And, as you can tell by the photos above, they are both women! “It’s the most wonderful, extraordinary thing that could have ever possibly happened in my life,” Holland said earlier this week about her newfound love life on WNYC’s Death, Sex & Money podcast. At the time, the actress refused to discuss her partner’s identity, although she did admit that her love interest is a younger woman and that the pair are talking about marriage. “Given my generation it would not be something that would automatically occur to me,” Taylor explained of gay marriage. “But as a symbol, as a pledge, as a plighting one’s troth, it would be a wonderful thing to do.” Taylor is best known for her long-running role as Evelyn Harper on Two and a Half Men, while Paulson has dazzled us over the years on various versions of American Horror Story . We send this new, VERY unexpected couple nothing but our best wishes! View Slideshow: 29 Bisexual Celebrities
Today, Kensington Palace released two new photos of Princess Charlotte , who is now 6 1/2 months old. The photos were taken by Catherine in mid-November, according to the palace’s social media account, at the family home in Norfolk, England. “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to be able to share two new photographs of Princess Charlotte,” the palace said in a statement. “The Duke and Duchess continue to receive warm messages about Princess Charlotte from all around the world and they hope that everyone enjoys these lovely photos as much as they do.” William and Catherine did the same thing with Prince George last year, as a thank you to the British media for allowing their children to grow up out of the public eye. Those photos were taken at Kensington Palace by photographer Jason Bell, who also shot the young prince’s christening. “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very grateful for the support they have received when it comes to their children and wanted to share these very charming pictures taken by the Duchess,” a royal aide told the Daily Mail . “It is something they intend to continue to do.” Catherine is an amateur photographer, having taken photos of George and Charlotte about a month after the princess’s birth. View Slideshow: Princess Charlotte and Prince George Photos
Ready to feel very, very, very, VERY old, Full House fans? Okay, here we go: Mary-Kate Olsen is now a married woman. The former child star exchanged vows on Friday with long-time boyfriend Oliver Sarkozy. According to multiple outlets, the couple became man and wife during an intimate ceremony in Manhattan. Olsen and Sarkozy – who got engaged in February 2014 – exchanged vows before approximately 50 friends and family members in an outdoor garden at a private residence. Following the ceremony, the celebration moved indoors, where the newlyweds and their guests dined and danced. The 29-year old Olsen is 17 years younger than her new husband. She initially stepped out with him in 2012 and the two been regular in the New York City social scene ever since, often seen sitting courtside at basketball games or walking through the streets together. Sarkozy is the half-brother of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was previously married to Charlotte Bernard, with whom he shares two children. This is the first marriage for Mary-Kate. We send nothing but our best wishes to the newlyweds! View Slideshow: 21 Surprising Celebrity Weddings
Sinead O’Connor has been found alive. But all appears to not be well with the veteran singer. O’Connor, who has a history of mental illness, penned a lengthy note on Facebook today that implied strongly that she was committing suicide. “I have taken an overdose. There is no other way to get respect,” the letter reads. “I am not at home. I’m at a hotel, somewhere in Ireland, under another name.” TMZ, fortunately, reports that O’Connor was found by authorities on Sunday afternoon and is receiving medical attention. The artist has four children (ranging in age from 9 to 28) and is married to Barry Herridge, the therapist she married in Las Vegas after meeting him on the Internet. In her Facebook post, O’Connor references a “horrific set of betrayals” and alleges “appalling cruelty” by Herridge, her kids and even her son’s girlfriend. “There is only so much any woman can be expected to bear,” she says, going on to write how she’s been “punished” since having surgery in late August and adding: “Howling crying for weeks. And been told by them all to go f-ck myself. I’m invisible. I don’t matter a shred to anyone.” View Slideshow: 21 Celebrities Who Died from an Overdose O’Connor made many headlines in October of last year when she got into a feud with Miley Cyrus over the importance of respecting one’s mental health issues. In an open letter to Cyrus, O’Connor mentioned how she had “suicidal compulsion” in the past as a side effect of medication she had taken. In this case, O’Connor concluded her sad post by writing: well done guys, you’ve finally got rid of me. Sorry the penny didn’t drop sooner. I’m an idiot. When you planned to get me away from my babies did you plan for me losing my mind over it? It being the final straw? For how you’re gonna explain why I died? Make sure you tell the truth. BARRY.. THEY WONT. YOURE THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS ME OR THE TRUTH. PLEASE STAND FOR ME AND TELL IT. i can’t play twister. My children don’t care if I live r die anyway. Neither do their dads. Everyone is better off. Never ever do this to a woman again. Let this be your lesson. I survived it when John waters did it.. I can’t survive Jake doing it. We send our thoughts to O’Connor and we hope she finds the help she so clearly needs.
