Jezebel

Elizabeth Smart Living a Normal Life of Exotic Hawaiian Marriages [Dirt Bag]

Doug Barry — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST

In what sounds a little bit like a pagan ritual, Elizabeth Smart married Matthew Gilmour in a Mormon temple on Oahu's North Shore yesterday. Smart, a Utah woman who was kidnapped at age 14 and held captive for nine months by Brian David Mitchell, is now an apparently functioning 24-year-old senior at Brigham Young University and met Gilmour while on a Mormon mission in Aberdeen, Scotland. We can call this a happy ending, yes? Mitchell, a one-time itinerant preacher, was convicted in 2010 of Smart's 2002 kidnapping and is currently serving a life prison sentence. [AP] More »

Live From Jezebel, It's Saturday Night! [Open Thread]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:20:00 EST

Tonight, SNL continues its attempts at indie cred with musical guest Sleigh Bells. But they're bringing back the always delightful Maya Rudolph, too! Enjoy the show. More »

Saturday Night Social [Video]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST

I'm visiting my extended family in Montreal this weekend, so of course my laptop inexplicably shut down a few hours before blogging time. Thankfully, my cousin lent me her computer and my closest Canadian friend sent me the above video to cheer me up. So I'm sharing it with all of you in hopes it starts your night off nicely. Now, I'm going to go buy my friend a bunch of Montreal bagels. (They're the best, IMO.) Please discuss marmosets, Montreal bagels vs. other bagels, and/or anything else below! More »

Rihanna's Back [Snap Judgment]

Dodai Stewart — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST

LONDON - FEBRUARY 18: Rihanna arrives for the Stella McCartney Special Presentation at 13 North Audley Street during London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2012 on February 18, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images) More »

SNL Live Thread Tonight! [Snl]

Dodai Stewart — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST

Come on back later and join us at 11:30 for Saturday Night Live, with host Maya Rudolph and musical guest Sleigh Bells! More »

Kevin Costner Speaks Fondly Of Whitney at Memorial; Bobby Brown Walks Out [Video]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST

You can watch clips of Whitney Houston's memorial here if you didn't catch the entire live stream. Kevin Costner, Dionne Warwick, and Tyler Perry spoke, and R. Kelly, Stevie Wonder, and Alicia Keys performed.

Bobby Brown arrived with 9 people in tow, including his girlfriend Alicia Etheridge, daughter LaPrincia and son Landon, and left shortly after being hassled by security. "We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions," he said in a statement. "I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continue to ask us and no one else to move...In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene." Right, sounds like he's totally drama-free! [Extra TV]
Aretha Franklin said in a statement that she had "every intention" of being at Whitney's funeral but that leg spasms and locked leg muscles following her concert kept her up all night and left her unable to attend. [People]
Will Bobbi Kristina go to rehab soon? According to TMZ, her family wants her to enter a live-in rehab facility to confront her own substance-abuse issues and plans on confronting her shortly after her mother's funeral. [TMZ]
Some people found it odd that the Rev. Al Sharpton was tweeting during Whitney's funeral (He told his followers, "I am at Whitney's funeral. I spoke with Bobby Brown trying to calm him down and not distract from the services. Today is about Whitney!"), but he assured everyone that he had stepped out to tweet. "I am going back in the services," he clarified later. "I did my best out here. Can't tweet from inside the sanctuary, I hope the press will not distort the day." [KiduNot]
The finale of Whitney Houston's funeral was scored to "I Will Always Love You," because we will all always love Whitney. [Gawker]

Thigh There [Thighlights]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST

ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - FEBRUARY 18: Roger Federer of Switzerland attempts the return to Nikolay Davydenko of Russia in the semi final on day 6 of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament on February 18, 2012 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) More »

Climate Change Is Making Birds Sluttier [Birds]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST

We apparently can learn something from the birds and the bees when it comes to human sexuality: new research shows that, just like humans, stressed-out birds are more likely to cheat on their partners. Scientists used to think that the majority of birds were monogamous, but we now know that most "cheat" on their "spouses" and that global warming exacerbates the trend: researchers found that females in unstable climates lay more eggs that lack their spouse's DNA and swap mates more often between breeding. More »

Frieda Pinto Is Bright On Time [Snap Judgment]

Dodai Stewart — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST

Marni At H&M Collection Launch, Los Angeles, February 17. Images via via Getty. More »

Target Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself [Target]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

We're used to paranoia about social networking sites like Facebook gleaning personal information from our "Likes" and "Shares," but this fascinating NYT Magazine piece gives us a look into how companies like Target have been intensely profiling their customers for decades. It's a fine line: if companies go too far snooping on their customers, they risk turning them off, but if they get it right, they make billions. And that possibility is so enticing that almost every major retailer, including investment banks and the U.S. Postal service, has a "predictive analytics" department that employs people like Target statistician Andrew Pole, the focus of the piece, whose job it is to figure out how to sell customers items they don't even know they need without creeping them out. More »

Charlotte Gainsbourg's Shoes Are Punky, Funky [Snap Judgment]

Dodai Stewart — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:53:54 EST

At the Closing Ceremony during day ten of the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival at the Berlinale Palast on February 18, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. Images via Getty. More »

Ridiculous but True: Rick Santorum Thinks Abortion Providers Deserve Jail Time [Video]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

You're probably aware that Rick Santorum is a big fan of zygotes, but did you know how far he'll go to protect them? Buzzfeed dug up this June 2011 Meet the Press interview in which Santorum says he would put doctors who perform abortions behind bars. After reiterating that he's against all abortions, even in the case of rape or incest, Santorum says: More »

Will Don Draper and Joan Holloway Get It On in Season Five? [Notable Quotable]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:33:00 EST

Mad Men fans will remember that Season 4 ended with Don proposing to Megan and Joan secretly pregnant with Roger Sterling's baby. But Jon Hamm let it slip in a recent interview that Don and Joan hook up in the upcoming season — or, at least, he wants you to think that they might! He said: More »

Tragic Trend: Teens Ask YouTube Commenters If They’re Ugly [Video]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:05:00 EST

I thought Formspring was bad, but this disturbing new trend of YouTube videos in which young women (and a few men) ask YouTube commenters whether they're ugly or not might be even worse. More »

Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis Get By With a Little 'Help' From Their Friends [Snap Judgment]

Dodai Stewart — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:49:22 EST

Viola Davis, director Tate Taylor, and Octavia Spencer at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards. Images via Getty.

Marriage is Now a 'Luxury' for Most Women [Marriage]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:18:00 EST

Marriage has become a luxury rather than a necessity for many U.S. women, according to a new study which found that more than half of births under 30 are to single mothers. Liberals blame a lack of marriageable men while conservatives say it's the fault of the sexual revolution and government benefits that favor single parents, but both agree that marriage just ain't what it used to be. More »

Watch as the World Says Goodbye to Whitney Houston [Dirt Bag]

Katie J.M. Baker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:22:00 EST

Whitney Houston's funeral is today, at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. 1,500 guests are expected to attend and a number of celebrities close to the singer will speak or perform, including Clive Davis, Kevin Costner, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, and — oddly — R. Kelly. Aretha Franklin was supposed to sing as well, but it looks like she's too ill to attend. The Houston family decided against a public memorial because they "wanted to do this with dignity," according to New Hope's Pastor Marvin Winans, but the service will stream live online staring at noon EST. Some outlets are already live in front of the Church, where officers recently escorted Houston's silver casket, topped with roses and lilies. Choir members set the tone for the service by whispering, "Whitney, Whitney, Whitney," as they prepared for the service. [AP] [CNN] More »

Robin Thicke Got Arrested for Smoking Pot in His Escalade [Dirt Bag]

Cassie Murdoch — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST

Uh oh. Robin Thicke has gotten himself into a little trouble with the law. The Grammy winner was arrested in New York earlier today for possession of marijuana, after the cops happened upon him smoking a joint in a car. Apparently, he and another person were hanging out and indulging in a Cadillac Escalade that was parked near Third Avenue and East 21st Street. Dude, bro, getting arrested in Gramercy Park is so lame. More »

Yikes, Is Rihanna Referencing Who We Think She's Referencing? [Tweet Beat]

Madeleine Davies — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

On today's Tweet Beat, we dread what Rihanna is talking about, Chilli wants to exercise with us, Patti Stanger keeps it coming with great advice and Zooey Deschanel doesn't know where she fits on The Mary Tyler Moore Show continuum. More »

Man Dances to LMFAO in Speedo, Has A Great Fucking Time [Video]

Madeleine Davies — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:15:00 EST

Meet Spandy Andy. Armed only with a boombox and a sparkly speedo, he dances down the boardwalk of Australia's St. Kilda Beach, enjoying every second of it. You likely will, too. More »

10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week [Video]

Madeleine Davies — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST

In this week's TV roundup, Matthew and Mary finally touch mouths on Downton Abbey, Sophia Grace and Rosie are adorable on the Grammys red carpet, Zooey Deschanel is adorkable (barf) on SNL and Rachel's gay dads are finally revealed. More »

New York Fashion Week Is the Most Diverse in Ages [Fashion]

Jenna Sauers — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:49:00 EST

Every season, we cover New York fashion week — the clothes, the money, the parties, the putative "trends." But we also cover the racial makeup of the casts of models high-profile brands select to walk in their fashion shows. More »

Who Were Fashion Week's Top Non-White Models? [Fashion]

Jenna Sauers — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:47:53 EST

Fashion week may have been heavily white (much like always), but that doesn't mean certain non-white models didn't get plenty of opportunities to work it on the catwalk. Here are the top models of color at the just-ended New York fashion week. More »

The Night Belongs to Paris Hilton's Kinkajou [Video]

Anna North — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:40:00 EST

So, tonight is Paris Hilton's 31st birthday. Since she's already been through self-parody and out the other side, though, I'd like to focus on a member of her entourage: the kinkajou. More »

Indulge Your Crawley Addiction With Downton Abbey-Inspired Stuff From Etsy [Downton Abbey]

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST

If your Downton Abbey obsession has spun out of control, like a scheme dreamed up by Thomas, or a love affair with a chauffeur, you might as well start shopping for stuff to go with your paper dolls. If a £7,900 day tour is a bit steep, here are some more reasonably priced alternatives to get you started. More »

How Do This Year's Oscar Nominated Films Hold Up Against The Bechdel Test? [Video]

Madeleine Davies — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:20:00 EST

What a surprise! They fail remarkably, with only The Help and The Descendents getting a clear pass. Come the fuck on, Hollywood. More »

Dick Cheney Does Something Less Evil than Usual [Dick Cheney]

Erin Gloria Ryan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:10:00 EST

Imagine, for a moment, that we are back in the year 2004. It was a time of daily headaches for people who cringed at the sound of then-President George W. Bush's stupid voice or the sight of then-Vice President Dick Cheney's pure, angry Batman villain evil. But now, it appears that Dick Cheney's quietly advocating for marriage equality in Maryland. What is this new devilry? More »

TGIF! [Snap Judgment]

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:05:00 EST

This is Bailey, a cockapoo puppy. Image via The Daily Puppy. I seem to have run out of reader submissions. If you want to see your pet here, email me with the subject line TGIF. Please don't send vertical images — horizontal only. Thanks! More »

Hearts Can Be Heavy [Stick Figures]

Dana Zemack — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:50:00 EST

Dana Zemack has been making stick figure comics since she was 12. This week, she made one just for us. More »

Toddlers & Tiaras Moms Get Pageant Makeovers, Look Like A Bunch of Clown Hookers [Video]

Madeleine Davies — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:45:00 EST

On today's highly anticipated Anderson, the mothers of Toddlers & Tiaras, in addition to lamely defending their highly questionable parenting choices, were given makeovers modeled after some of their daughters more questionable pageant looks. It was delightful. It was grotesque. It was everything you'd want it to be. The moms, thankfully, looked absolutely ridiculous and— oh! OH! The delight in hearing them say that the outfits that they so proudly dressed their young daughters in felt too revealing once on them— I can't even. More »

Occupy Wall Street Fails to Disrupt Fashion Week [Rag Trade]

Jenna Sauers — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST

Well, Occupy Wall Street's much-hyped protest outside the Calvin Klein show yesterday was a bust. Only five protesters turned up. "We had a bus load of people coming down from Albany, but something happened to the bus," said #OWS spokesperson Jason Stone-Diaz. Though they claimed to have reinforcements inside — "We have 15 activists inside the show and they're going to do something, but we're not sure what" — both the 2 p.m. show and the 3 p.m. show came off without a hitch. The protesters' claims, as reported in the press, were vague; mention was made of the fashion industry's "unemployment problem" and the fact that fashion shows celebrate "riches beyond belief." Strangely, nobody thought to draw attention to Calvin Klein's long history of mono-ethnic runway shows; this season, as per usual, Calvin gave 32 out of its 33 runway looks to white models, making it one of the whitest shows at New York fashion week. Our full report on diversity at NYFW will be published later today. [WWD, The Jane Dough] More »

Meet the 'Inappropriate' Female Witness Barred From Speaking at the Birth Control Hearing [Pill Baby Pill]

Erin Gloria Ryan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:15:00 EST

Yesterday in perhaps one of the most heartbreaking visual representations of how little conservative politicians care about women I've ever seen, California Republican Representative Darrell Issa assembled a panel of 5 men to testify before a Congressional committee about how having insurers pay for birth control for women was violating religious freedom of dudes. Democrats were denied their request to include a pro-birth control woman on the panel on the grounds that she was "unqualified" to discuss the issue. So what was she planning on saying? More »

Oklahoma Senate Passes Personhood Bill; Zygotes Rejoice [Roe V World]

Erin Gloria Ryan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:15:00 EST

Great news, fully realized, super advanced fetuses who are reading this: the Oklahoma Senate today overwhelmingly passed a law that defines a "person" as a human life that begins from the moment of conception. More »

The Painter Who Subverted Gender Norms Before It Was a Thing [Art]

jenn — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST

I'll be honest: I don't know much about visual art. I mean, I've seen it. I've spent time wandering the rooms of the Tate looking thoughtful. And I've done my share of staring at naked saints on Italian mezzanines. I've never cried about that kind of art. But I've come to realise that the times I have had feelings about it have been when I knew a little bit about the person behind it. That's why Vasari wrote The Lives of the Artists, right? Self-Portrait with a Bandaged Ear wouldn't be so great if we didn't know lead-poisoning made Van Gogh sever his ear and give it to a prostitute. And Tracy Emin's sketch of a woman masturbating probably wouldn't have caused so much fuss if we didn't expect to see her staggering around Soho at 4 a.m., with a half-empty bottle of red and her left boob hanging out (that actually happened). More »

Law Forcing Abortion Seekers to Have Vaginal Probe Totally OK Since They've Already Been Penetrated [Roe V World]

Erin Gloria Ryan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:40:00 EST

This week, the Virginia House passed a particularly ugly bit of legislation that would require women seeking a first-trimester abortion in the state to undergo a vaginal ultrasound for no medical reason. Many women are upset because by most definitions, forcing a woman to have something put inside her vagina against her will and for no reason is, uh, rape. But Republicans state legislators don't see what the fuss is about. After all, those sluts already consented to be penetrated— when they got pregnant. Are you fucking kidding me? More »

Texting Makes You Hate Words [Technology]

Anna North — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:20:00 EST

Here's some research that should make Olds feel vindicated: texting a lot apparently makes people less accepting of words they've never heard before. Which is weird because texting is basically a process of sending things that aren't words to people. More »

Introducing Peta Lindsay, Your Young, Black, Female Presidential Candidate [Video]

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST

Peta Lindsay is 27 years old and running for president. She represents the PSL — Party for Socialism and Liberation — and believes that we could experience a socialist revolution right here in Amurrica: "The United States has a long, rich history of struggle," she says. "From the 1930s, there was a strong labor movement, and in the '50s and '60s, there was a movement for civil rights. I feel like this is just a next phase of the movement in the U.S." We're listening. More »

Woman Gets Super Sweet Valentine's Day Note Asking Her Not to Dress Like Such a Whore [Wtf]

Madeleine Davies — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:40:00 EST

Earlier this week on Valentine's Day, Brigham Young University student Brittany Molina was minding her own business on campus when a young man pressed a note into her hand. Note passing on Valentine's Day! So romantic, right? Unfortunately not as the note Brittany received was actually a request. A request for her to stop dressing like such an offensive slut. More »

Stupid Bill Banning Prenatal Racism Passes Out of Committee [Roe V World]

Erin Gloria Ryan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:20:00 EST

In yet another example of all the brilliant job creating the Republican-led Congress has been doing since regaining control of the House, Arizona Representative Trent Franks's "Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act" has made it out of committee— without its terrible name. But even without the absurd implication that women choose abortion because they're racist or hate women, the bill's incredibly dishonest and unnecessary. More »