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Playboy Enterprises

For all the men who came of age thanks to Hugh Hefner’s salacious brand, the news that Playboy will no longer feature nudity in its magazines is a shot right into the heart of youthful wistfulness. (Or is it a shot into the crotch? Either way…)

Playboy, though already a bit of a relic by the time the internet spurted into mainstream popularity, was a cultural rite, a strange ritual sneakily passed along through the generations. Although its relevance to pop culture is long gone, it was once an important touchstone, particularly in America, for the non-prudes to discuss around the water cooler. (“Did you see Madonna posed on the cover?” “No, I only read Esquire.” “…Loser.”)

Not quite as raunchy as Penthouse or Hustler but more straightforward with its intentions than Maxim, Playboy was the creme de la creme of nudie pictures, and it attracted a...

The most pampered person on Nicki Minaj's tour is ... her ass, which has very specific needs when it comes to feeding it And wiping it. We got ahold of Nicki's concert rider, and the list of demands -- from her meats to her crapper -- is spectacular.  First, the ins:- 12 pieces of fried chicken-  2 strip steaks (well done)- 4 bottles of Nicki's Myx Fusion Muscato wine- 4 mini-bottles Sutter Home chardonnay Now, the outs. Barbie's...

When Bethenny Frankel and Carole Radziwill, two of the realest Real Housewives out there, get together, anything can happen. Especially if it's imagined! Bethenny returned to The Real Housewives of New York City for the first time since her season three exit and apparently, Carole made quite the impression. "I had a sex dream about you. I touched you inappropriately," Carole tells Bethenny in The Real Housewives of New York clip below. "Did we go Downtown Julie Brown?" Bethenny asks. Um, what?! Of course when we got Carole on the phone we had to ask about what exactly went down between her and the Skinnygirl mogul—imagined or otherwise. "I had this idea that...

It's hard to bet on the future, but of this I'm certain: Three decades from now, I'll still know every lyric to "We Are the World."

Released 30 years ago this week, the chart-topping charity single occupies at least as much space in my brain as my second-grade teacher (who made our class sing it repeatedly) and my first Sony Walkman (purchased around the time of its release).

News: Pop Songs Meant For Other Singers

"We Are the World" wasn't just a pop-culture event; it was a bona fide movement. Inspired by the success of Band Aid's 1984 charity release, Do They Know It's Christmas?, entertainer and activist Harry Belafonte came up with the idea to record an American track for famine relief in Africa.

Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian produced the song, which was penned by two of the biggest musicians at the height of their fame: Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. More than 45 other...

In an all-new episode of the popular series, “Oprah: Where Are They Now?,” multi-platinum hip hop artist T.I. reveals his ‘aha’ moment in prison, and it was not what you think; plus, at home updates with MTV’s Downtown Julie Brown, and “Family Ties” favorite mom Meredith Baxter, airing this Sunday, November 23 at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt on Own: Oprah Winfrey Network.Actress Meredith Baxter played longtime favorite TV mom Elyse Keaton on the hit show “Family Ties.” In a 2011 appearance on the “Oprah” show Meredith opened up about coming out as a lesbian. Now, at home, she talks candidly about […]...

For reasons unknown, we all watched "Sharknado 2: The Second One" on SyFy on Wednesday night, knowing full well that it was going to be a pretty horrible movie.But the flick managed to exceed our extremely low expectations, thanks to a parade of cameos, a badass Vivica A. Fox and one of the most ridiculous endings to a TV movie (or any movie) ever. Was it still bad? Of course, but you knew that already. Here are the 5 craziest things that went down in Ian Ziering and Tara Reid's latest television masterpiece. 1.) Kelly Osbourne gets decapitated It didn't take long for the sharks to start flying and Ozzy Osbourne's daughter was one of the first to go. She got it bad too, playing a flight attendant whose head comes clean off. 2.) Tara Reid Loses An ArmAfter the traumatic plane attack, Tara's left without a limb. "This shark...

I know I've thought it and said it and probably even written it, but there's something vaguely condescending about the notion that the "Sharknado" franchise is somehow review-proof or review-immune or however you'd prefer to view it.  Just because something is designed to be a guilty pleasure doesn't mean that it can't achieve its goals with more or less craft. And just because something isn't necessarily meant to be taken seriously doesn't mean that those aspirations can't be achieved with more or less success. Because the desire to be taken seriously or viewed as legitimate is hardly an argument to be reviewed or acknowledged in the case of utter ineptitude.  For example, look at CBS' "Under the Dome." It has a literary pedigree, some respectable creative auspices, a cast of familiar TV faces, a position of some prominence in CBS' lineup and a reputation as a summertime success, even if...

The first official bit of artwork for Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda has swum ashore, and according to it we're in for a bit of a love story. Read on to get your daily dosage of tentacle pron with teeth! No really... with teeth!

From the eagerly anticipated premiere of Sharknado 2: The Second One, Roger Corman’s Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda, and Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark to the greatest moments in shark film history, Syfy viewers will be swimming with fin-tastic special programming during the channel’s "Sharknado Week."

Highlights Of Syfy’S Sharknado Week (All Times Et/Pt)

Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark – Saturday, July 26, at 9Pm – When the U.S. government creates an exact robotic copy of the original mega shark, this new mecha shark runs wild – with only the original mega shark standing in the way of global destruction. A production of The Asylum, the movie stars Christopher Judge...

Talk show host Conan O'Brien is getting set to make his acting debut in what could be the single most important film to come out this summer... Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda! Check out his announcement and recently purchased promotional Los Angeles billboard right here!

From the eagerly anticipated premiere of Sharknado 2: The Second One, Roger Corman’s Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda, and Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark to the greatest moments in shark film history, Syfy viewers will be swimming with fin-tastic special programming during the channel’s "Sharknado Week."

Highlights Of Syfy’S Sharknado Week (All Times Et/Pt)

Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark – Saturday, July 26, at 9Pm – When the U.S. government creates an exact robotic copy of the original mega shark, this new mecha shark runs wild – with only the original mega shark standing in the way of global destruction. A production of The Asylum, the movie stars...

There's a new trailer for Sharknado 2: The Next One, which you can see below.

If you saw the first Sharknado, then you know what to expect from the sequel. There will be some kind of storm that causes flooding and tornadoes. Sharks will be roaming the subways and sewers of NYC, and D-list celebrities will fight and get eaten.

Ian Ziering returns with Tara Reid in tow. Joining them are Vivica A Fox, Mark McGrath, Kari Wuhrer, Judah Friedlander, Kelly Osbourne, Judd Hursch, Andy Dick,Billy Ray Cyrus, Kurt Angle, Robert Klein, Matt Lauer, Al Roker, Perez Hilton, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, Downtown Julie Brown, Biz Markie and Benjy Bronk of The Howard Stern Show.

Did you ever think you'd see so much acting talent in one place?

You can catch Sharknado 2: The Second One on the Sy-Fy channel July 30th.

Source: YouTube...

Playing as part of Syfy's "Sharknado Week" is the sequel at least 10 people have been waiting for, Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda, and the feisty first clip has made its way online. Check it out!

From the eagerly anticipated premiere of Sharknado 2: The Second One, Roger Corman’s Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda, and Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark to the greatest moments in shark film history, Syfy viewers will be swimming with fin-tastic special programming during the channel’s "Sharknado Week," airing July 26 through August 2.

Highlights Of Syfy’S Sharknado Week (All Times Et/Pt)

Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark – Saturday, July 26, at 9Pm – When the U.S. government creates an exact robotic copy of the original mega shark, this new mecha shark runs wild – with only the original mega shark standing in the way of global destruction. A production of The Asylum, the movie stars Christopher Judge ("Stargate SG1") and Elisabeth Rohm...

Sharks! Sharks! Everywhere... sharks! Syfy has announced that Sharknado 2, premiering July 30, will be surrounded by lots of other toothsome programming during the first ever "Sharknado Week"!

From the eagerly anticipated premiere of Sharknado 2: The Second One, Roger Corman’s Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda, and Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark to the greatest moments in shark film history, Syfy viewers will be swimming with fin-tastic special programming during the channel’s "Sharknado Week," airing July 26 through August 2.

Highlights Of Syfy’S Sharknado Week (All Times Et/Pt)

Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark – Saturday, July 26, at 9Pm – When the U.S. government creates an exact robotic copy of the original mega shark, this new mecha shark runs wild – with only the original mega shark standing in the way of global destruction. A production of The Asylum, the movie stars Christopher Judge ("Stargate SG1") and Elisabeth Rohm (American Hustle).

Sharkmania: The Top 15 Biggest Baddest Bloodiest Bites...

As Tracy Jordan once said on 30 Rock: Live every week like it’s Shark Week.

Syfy seems to be taking that maxim to heart, announcing its own Shark Week of sorts (Sorry, Discovery), pegged to the upcoming release of Sharknado 2: The Second One. Sharknado 2, is, of course, a sequel to last year’s super-buzzy, low-budget television movie, Sharknado.

“Sharknado Week” will air July 26 through August 2; Sharknado 2 premieres Wed. July 30. Also in the programming block? Roger Corman’s Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda (August 2), Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark (July 26), and Sharkmania: The Top 15 Biggest Baddest Bloodiest Bites (July 27).

No...

News

EW reports that Starz has ordered The Chair, a reality series from the producer of Project Greenlight. The competition will follow two first-time directors as they direct their version of the same movie script. A team of mentors — including Zachary Quinto — will oversee the process.

Twilight alum Booboo Stewart has joined the cast of The Descendants, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That’s the Disney Channel movie about the children of villains from classic animated Disney movies. Stewart will play the son of Jafar.

Booboo Stewart

After CBS announced that Stephen Colbert would take over as The Late Show host, the fun was watching the meltdowns on the right wing blogosphere. Rush Lumbaugh responded that CBS “declared war on the heartland of America” while Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro called Colbert’s faux pundit character “political blackface“.

Meanwhile, Colbert’s promotion raises new questions like what will replace The Colbert Report...

What’s next — Downtown Julie Brown moving to CNBC?

Fox Business announced Tuesday that Lisa Kennedy Montgomery — better known as ex-mtv VJ Kennedy, the hipster conservative host of Alternative Nation from 1992 to 1997 — is joining the network as host of a new program called The Independents. The series, which will air Monday through Wednesday and Friday nights at 9 p.m. Et, will feature “a roundtable discussion about the day’s news, with a focus on the protection of economic and civil liberties.”

Montgomery isn’t a new addition to the Fox family — she joined the company’s business network as a...

We wait every year on RuPaul's Drag Race for the return of "Snatch Game," the phenomenally gaudy send-up of Match Game, where the queens parody celebrities, and this year's exhibition was damn loony. Jinkx Monsoon triumphed as Little Edie Bouvier thanks to a dead-on voice performance, and Alaska's strange, but spirited version of Lady Bunny was just as dynamic. However, some queens flailed before guest-judges Julie Brown and Downtown Julie Brown (yes, both MTV legends were present), and one such underachiever was Lineysha Sparx, the Puerto Rican looker who couldn't quite sell her impersonation of Celia Cruz. In a final lip-sync against Detox, Lineysha's sass was no match for Detox's unforgettably bizarre, jaw-quavering take on Cher.

We spoke briefly to Lineysha, a.k.a. 24-year-old Andy Trinidad, about her time on the show and discussed the problems with language barriers and attempting comedy.

AfterElton: I loved your runway presentation in the first challenge.

The Ava Show may have been cancelled, but Up all Night was back and better than ever as Season 2 got under way.

"Friendships and Partnerships" threw the show's two leading ladies into flux and put their friendship to the test, while Chris and newcomer Scott (Luka Jones) formed a solid new bond. 

What can you say about a show that references, Chuck E. Cheese, Porky Pig and Downtown Julie Brown in the same episode, but... ah-mazing! There was no shortage of pop culture references or laughs in the season opener, but even more entertaining was seeing the new shape of the show take form so seamlessly. Aiding in the successful transition was Jones's character Scott, who fit in superbly.

His interactions with his overly critical sister Reagan were totally relatable, as he proved time and again to be a solid offseason acquisition. Amidst such a talent stacked roster of comedic all-stares,...

The 80s were alive and well in New York tonight as generational stars descended onto NYC’s famed Ziegfeld Theater for the premiere of Syfy’s Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid, starring 80s singers Debbie Gibson (“Only in My Dreams”, “Foolish Beat”) and Tiffany (“I Think We’re Alone Now”).

First to arrive on the red carpet was Alan Thicke and Julie McCullough of Growing Pains and everyone’s favorite high school nerd Dustin Diamond, better known as Screech from Saved by the Bell. Downtown Julie Brown also made an appearance looking as downtown and fabulous as ever with her step-daughter Gianna Schuermann. MTV Hosts Julie Alexandria and Kevin Manno showed up to support their 80s icons along with Reichen Lehmkuhl and Derek Saathoff of Logo’s The A List.

Other invited attendees included singer Tommy Page, Taylor Dane and Doug E. Fresh.

See the gallery of 80s stars and friend below:

Mega Python vs.

The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center had the perfect recipe to throw a successful anniversary bash Saturday as its 39th annual gala fundraiser set record attendance and was on pace to raise $600,000 for its programs.

With its Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award going to Glee star Jane Lynch — and being presented by co-star Matthew Morrison (who plays Will Schuester) and creator-writer-director Ryan Murphy — the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel’s California Ballroom was standing room only as entertainers ranging from host Lily Tomlin to Kathy Griffin helped the Center raise funds for programs that support homeless Lgbt youth and those living with AIDS.

Tomlin kicked off the high school-themed evening with an opening monologue that ripped on everything from George W. Bush’s recent book — “that he claims to have written” — to ABC’s gay-friendly Modern Family, about which she joked that the show is among Republicans’ top 10 favorites because...

The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center had the perfect recipe to throw a successful anniversary bash Saturday as its 39th annual gala fundraiser set record attendance and was on pace to raise $600,000 for its programs.

With its Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award going to Glee star Jane Lynch — and being presented by co-star Matthew Morrison (who plays Will Schuester) and creator-writer-director Ryan Murphy — the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel’s California Ballroom was standing room only as entertainers ranging from host Lily Tomlin to Kathy Griffin helped the Center raise funds for programs that support homeless Lgbt youth and those living with AIDS.

Tomlin kicked off the high school-themed evening with an opening monologue that ripped on everything from George W. Bush’s recent book — “that he claims to have written” — to ABC’s gay-friendly Modern Family, about which she joked that the show is among Republicans’ top 10 favorites because...

I’m not sure how you guys are doing, but I’m still coping with Tiffany’s elimination from last week. Why is breaking up so hard to do? Well, for starters, last night proved that there’s very little to like about the remaining four chefs. I’m not talking about their food-making cred — these people are obviously talented. But when you watch a reality competition show, the contestants need to give us something more, a spark that keeps us returning week after week.

And that’s my sob story. But I do still feel the need to throw my favors toward one cheftestant,...

You know how most kids grew up consuming hours upon hours of Sesame Street? Well, that wasn’t me. I was largely raised on MTV, but when whenever Downtown Julie Brown needed a breather, I was self-fed an unhealthy diet of horror films, typically of the black-and-white Universal monster variety. The Wolfman. Dracula. Frankenstein. The Mummy. The Invisible Man. The Creature from the Black Lagoon. They were all heavenly creatures at the time. Still are, in fact. So naturally Fred Dekker’s inamitable The Monster Squad (1987) was a perfect fit; all of those baddies, except for Mr. Invisible Man, were in, and the proagonists were a bunch of kids slightly older than myself. I didn’t get to see it until it landed on VHS, but damn if I wasn’t infatuated. Adored everything about the film, from the cheesy dialogue (“See ya later, bandy-breath!”) to the rather awesome makeup...

As if reviving a failed reality show isn't hard enough, those involved with NBC's new version of I'm Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here now have something unexpected to deal with.

The peacock network announced in April that they were bringing back I'm Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here for a limited run. The show has been running in the UK for years but a Us version didn't find much success on ABC in 2003. Contestants for this version include D-list celebrities like Melissa Rivers, Alana Stewart, Nikki Schieler Ziering, Robin Leach, Bruce Jenner, Downtown Julie Brown, Maria Conchita Alonso, Tyson Beckford, and John Melendez.

NBC's version is scheduled to air four days a week, from June 1st until the 15th. The newest batch of "celebrities" include Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (The Hills), NBA personality John Salley, Janice Dickinson (America's Next Top Model), Sanjaya Malakar (American Idol), Stephen Baldwin (Celebrity Apprentice...

In the networks' fervor to find new reality shows to put on the air, concepts are frequently "borrowed" from the UK airwaves. Imports like American Idol and Dancing With The Stars have become very popular here in the states and NBC execs are hoping that they'll get lucky.

In I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!, a group of celebrities live in a distant jungle together with few comforts of home. They compete in various challenges with the ultimate winner earning a big cash prize for their charity of choice.

In February 2003, ABC tried airing a version with D-list celebrities like Melissa Rivers, Alana Stewart, Nikki Schieler Ziering, Robin Leach, Bruce Jenner, Downtown Julie Brown, Maria Conchita Alonso, Tyson Beckford, and "Stuttering" John Melendez. John Lehr hosted the episodes and Judd won the grand prize to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

ABC ran the series every night for 15 installments. Unlike Survivor,...

Jennifer Lopez's dancer ex-husband Cris Judd is set to propel himself back into the limelight - by appearing as a contestant in a reality TV show. Judd, 33, has been tapped to compete against other lesser-known stars in I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here, TV network ABC's new reality series, which will air live for 15 consecutive nights on American TV screens starting February 19. On the show, Judd, whose divorce from J.Lo was finalized late last month, will compete Survivor-style against Melissa Rivers, Bruce Jenner, Robin Leach and former MTV host 'Downtown' Julie Brown, amongst others, in an Australian rainforest. Judd is also hoping to carve out an acting career, after signing up to play a martial arts instructor on American sitcom Half & Half.

Robert Townsend's "B.A.P.S". is a purported comedy about two best girlfriends from Decatur, Ga., who follow their dreams and end up heading for the twinkling Hills of Beverly.

While some may find the term, "B.A.P". -- an acronym for Black American Princess -- offensive, that's nothing compared with the film itself.

Awkwardly written (by co-star Troy Beyer) and directed (by Townsend), this unfunny production has all the substance and half the laughs of a five-minute sketch.

Halle Berry, determined to shake up her glamorous image, and newcomer Natalie Desselle play the title characters, Nisi and Mickey, respectively. Armed with extreme hair, milelong press-on nails and gold-capped teeth, these "Homegirls in Outer Space" cash in their life savings for two plane tickets to Los Angeles, where there's a talent search for a new Heavy D video that pays $10,000 to the winner.

Hoping to use that money to open the world's first soul-food restaurant/hair salon, Nisi and Mickey instead find themselves in a swank Beverly Hills manse as guests of the nephew (Jonathan Fried) of the kindly but terminally ill Mr. Blakemore (Martin Landau). Nisi is hired to pose as the granddaughter of the forbidden, long-lost love of the elder Blakemore's life -- Lily the housekeeper.

Of course, not everything is what it seems to be, but by the time the girls realize they were pawns in a sinister scheme to take control of the Blakemore fortune, they have become better, spiritually enriched human beings.

Missing comic opportunities by the barrelful, "B.A.P.S". actually generates a few snickers. Unfortunately, that happens once Townsend and Beyer have abruptly switched gears at the halfway mark, turning the picture into an unbelievably maudlin heap of mush. The resulting giggles are purely unintentional.

Berry is willing enough to go there, but her comic chops remain untested by the lame material. The usually effective Landau also appears out of sorts. Only Ian Richardson manages to mine the most from his role as Manley, the sullen butler. Those unfortunate enough to agree to cameos include Dennis Rodman, LL Cool J, Downtown Julie Brown and Heavy D.

On the other side of the camera, those who truly deliver are costume designer Ruth Carter ("Malcolm X") and hair consultant Kimberly Kimble, whose wild assortment of fashion fiascoes and hair-don'ts (Kimble's award-winning helicopter 'do is particularly impressive) are responsible for generating the few laughs to be found.

B.A.P.S.

New Line

An Island Pictures production

A Robert Townsend film

Director Robert Townsend

Screenwriter Troy Beyer

Producers Mark Burg, Loretha Jones

Executive producers Michael De Luca, Jay Stern

Director of photography Bill Dill

Production designer Keith Brian Burns

Editor Patrick Kennedy

Costume designer Ruth Carter

Music Stanley Clarke

Casting Valerie McCaffrey

Color/stereo

Cast:

Nisi Halle Berry

Mr. Blakemore Martin Landau

Mickey Natalie Desselle

Manley Ian Richardson

Isaac Jonathan Fried

Tracy Troy Beyer

Antonio Luigi Amodeo

Running time -- 90 minutes

MPAA rating: PG-13...