ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Kiefer Sutherland's secret girlfriend revealed. Kiefer Sutherland has a secret girlfriend. We're told that the "24" star has been dating actress Cindy Vela "under the radar for years." Sources say that the pair have been together for around three years, but have managed to keep the romance quiet. Vela -- whose most recent movie "It's Gawd" hits Amazon Prime on July 14 -- has recently been traveling on tour with Sutherland and his band in Europe. We're told that Vela and Sutherland -- who divorced Kelly Winn in 2008 -- are now living together. (PageSix)

Former troubled Miss USA Tara Conner is adding more bling to her tiara collection ... she's got herself a sparkly new engagement ring. We're told the lucky guy is writer and acting coach Dan Sanders-Joyce. Dan popped the question over 4th of July weekend while they were vacationing in Hawaii. Tara is most infamously known as the Miss USA who got to keep her crown despite testing positive for cocaine 8 months into her reign. She's been sober for a decade. As for the ring ... it's a 4.83 carat yellow sapphire from INTA Gems & Diamonds. We're told Dan chose yellow since they bonded over their struggles to recovery and the $50k stunner is supposed to symbolize their brightest days together. Mazel. (TMZ)

Inside Billie Lourd's Life Six Months After the Deaths of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. Billie Lourd has spent the last six months "finding the funny" in what must be the most un-funny chapter of her life. Weeks after the 24-year-old actress lost both her mother and grandmother, Hollywood icons Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, within a day last December, Billie took to Instagram with a new mantra to live by. "If my life weren't funny then it would just be true and that is unacceptable," she quoted Carrie as famously saying. "Finding the funny might take a while but I learned from the best and her voice will forever be in my head and in my heart," Billie remarked alongside a photo of the pair from her childhood. And learn from the best, she did. Despite "Abadaba" and "Momby's" -- as Billie lovingly called them -- initial hesitance for her to enter the family business, Billie hasn't let the tragedy dictate her future both professionally and personally. Lourd's breakout role came by way of Fox's comedy-horror series Scream Queens in 2015. This, paired with a minor role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (also one of Fisher's final films), caught TV mastermind Ryan Murphy's eye and led to casting Billie in season 7 of American Horror Story. She'll star alongside Billy Eichner, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters in the presidential election-inspired series due for a fall release. She's also taken on Carrie's role and responsibility within the fiercely loyal Star Wars fandom. Dressed in a custom Tom Ford dress reminiscent of Princess Leia's white frock, Billie joined Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and George Lucas to surprise attendees during April's Star Wars Celebration in Orlando, Fla. Billie addressed Carrie's life-long followers with an emotional message rooted in the legendary star's values. "My mom, like Leia, wasn't ever afraid to speak her mind and say things that might have made most people uncomfortable, but not me and not you," she shared onstage. "That was why she loved you, because you accepted and embraced all of her." Lourd continued, "She loved you. She loved these movies. And she loved this force called Leia. It's not about what you were fighting -- it's how you fought it. How you resisted. In our world, Star Wars became a religion and a way of life. I wanted to be here with you because I know you feel the same way." A surge in work obligations have certainly kept Lourd busy and focused on a forward-moving trajectory, but it's a tight-knit group of friends and her family's A-list circle that have seemingly given the grieving star an extra boost of support. Jamie Lee Curtis, Gwyneth Paltrow, Meg Ryan, Alex Trebek and Meryl Streep were among the 125 guests in attendance at Carrie and Debby's joint memorial service, which preceded a funeral at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills and a public celebration of their lives' held in March and hosted by Todd Fisher. Billie also found a close confidante Scream Queens co-star Taylor Lautner, who rarely strayed from his now ex-girlfriend's side since Carrie and Debbie's passing. Over the past few months, the pair spent plenty of quality time with family and friends both at home in Los Angeles and during getaways to the Caribbean and music festivals. Shortly before E! News confirmed Lourd and Lautner had gone their separate ways in July, her uncle Todd opened up about their relationship. "The truth of the matter is, the guy is pretty spectacular. He's a really deep person, and he has supported her amazingly," he told us. "He's stepped up and acted like a husband would act. Not that that's what's going on, but it's just an amazing support system for her, and I'm glad he's in her life." But through it all, Billie is dedicated first and foremost to keeping her Abadaba and Momby's legacies alive. She didn't let Reynolds' 85th birthday pass without a touching post to the Singin' in the Rain star, and on the first Mother's Day since Carrie's sudden death, Billie reflected on their shared memories. And when Fisher's autopsy revealed drugs in her system, Lourd rushed to her mother's defense with a thoughtful and honest reminder of her life's work. "My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it. She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases. She talked about the shame that torments people and their families confronted by these diseases," Billie told People in a statement. "I know my Mom. She'd want her death to encourage people to be open about their struggles. Seek help, fight for government funding for mental health programs. Shame and those social stigmas are the enemies of progress to solutions and ultimately a cure. Love you, Momby." Court documents obtained by E! News recently revealed Billie to be the beneficiary of Carrie's multi-million dollar estate, the material collection of a life and career her daughter will undoubtedly continue to preserve and immortalize in the years to come. (Eonline)

Ariana Grande one step closer to becoming honorary Manchester citizen. Manchester officials say they are making U.S. pop singer Ariana Grande an honorary citizen of the city because of her response to the deadly concert attack in May. City council leader Richard Leese proposed the move, describing the 23-year-old singer as "a young American woman for whom it would have been understandable if she never wanted to see this place again." He said instead, Grande "brought comfort to thousands and raised millions" for an emergency fund when she returned to headline the One Love Manchester benefit concert in June. Other council officials in the northwest English city voted Wednesday to back the proposal. Bomber Salman Abedi killed 22 people on May 22 when he detonated a bomb at the Manchester Arena at the end of a concert by Grande. (PageSix)

Ryan Phillippe proved he's not just an actor ... he's an actor who can also rap! Although, not necessarily well. Ryan was a guest on "Sway's Universe" Tuesday on SiriusXM, and wrapped up the interview by spitting a few bars. It's something a lot of Sway's guests do -- some better than others. We'll say this ... good on Ryan for stepping up to the mic. He read his lyrics off his phone, and Sway even gave him props for preparing his verses ahead of time. RP's lyrics gave props to Shia LaBeouf -- a previous Sway guest who also rapped. If you weren't impressed by Shia's rhyming skills before ... Ryan might change that. Finally a win for LaBeouf? (TMZ)

Ben Affleck and his new love Lindsay Shookus continue to face accusations that they started their relationship while they were still married to other people. People magazine reported Affleck's ex Jennifer Garner even confronted Shookus about Affleck in 2015. "Lindsay refused to back down or quit the affair," according to the mag, which also claims that Garner broke the news to Shookus' ex Kevin Miller. "She had proof," the source said. Sources close to Affleck maintain that he started dating "SNL" producer Shookus after he divorced Garner. "The romance and relationship they have now did not exist before. Their relationship began after the two had separated," a source told us. Affleck and Shookus have gone public with their romance in LA, and a source told us, "Jen isn't thrilled with this relationship." Reps did not comment. (Page Six)

Madonna welcomed in Malawi as 'daughter of this nation'. Madonna was welcomed in Malawi on Tuesday for the official opening of a hospital children's wing funded by her charity and named after one of the four children the pop star has adopted from the impoverished southern African nation. "You started by adopting four Malawian children, now we are adopting you as the daughter of this nation," President Peter Mutharika declared at the ceremony. "There are so many things I never imagined I will do. I never imagined one day I will build this kind of a hospital," said Madonna, who explained that she grew up without a mother and wanted to give the best to Malawian children. "Never give up on your dreams," she added. The Mercy James Institute for Pediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, located at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in the city of Blantyre, was built in collaboration with Malawi's health ministry. It has already started some activities, and Madonna said last week that the institute had completed its first surgery. The four children she adopted from Malawi are David Banda, Mercy James, Stelle and Estere. The children's wing was named after 11-year-old Mercy. Madonna's charity, Raising Malawi, was founded in 2006 to address the poverty and hardship endured by the country's orphans and other vulnerable children. It has built schools and funded the new pediatric unit, which began construction in 2015 and includes three operating rooms dedicated to children's surgery, a day clinic and a 45-bed ward. Madonna, 58, visited the site last year. "When you look into the eyes of children in need, wherever they may be, a human being wants to do anything and everything they can to help, and on my first visit to Malawi, I made a commitment that I would do just that," Madonna said in a statement to The Associated Press last week. (PageSix)

The wife of "Glee" star Dot Jones needs life-saving surgery after suffering a stroke she was lucky to survive. We've learned the scary episode went down July 4 when Dot and her wife, Bridgette -- along with their daughter -- were home getting ready to go to a Dodgers game. Bridgette suddenly lost feeling in her face, and fell to the floor. They immediately called 911. Paramedics transported Bridgette to a hospital ... which, fortunately, specializes in treating strokes and heart disease. Doctors found out 44-year-old Bridgette has a heart defect called patent foramen ovale -- or a hole in the heart -- which triggered the stroke. Bridgette returned home Friday, but she has to have surgery in a few weeks to close the hole. Doctors expect her to make a full recovery. (TMZ)

Neil Patrick Harris Calls Out James Woods After Insensitive Tweet About 10-Year-Old Boy. Neil Patrick Harris isn't impressed with James Woods' controversial tweet. Over the weekend, the actor took to social media where he shared a picture of a family at the Orange County Pride Parade in Southern California. The photo featured two parents holding individual signs that demonstrated their love for their son. "I love my gender creative son," one poster read. Another added, "My son wears dresses & makeup... get over it." James, who recently starred in Family Guy and Ray Donovan, decided to post the family's picture with an aggressive tweet. "This is sweet," he wrote. "Wait until this poor kid grows up, realizes what you've done, and stuffs both of you dismembered into a freezer in the garage." On Tuesday afternoon, Neil decided not to stay quiet. Instead he shared the controversial tweet with his own message. "Utterly ignorant and classless, Mr. Woods," the How I Met Your Mother star wrote to his followers. "I'm friends with this family. You know not of what you speak, and should be ashamed of yourself." The Human Rights Campaign would also chime in and respond to Neil's message. "Thank you @ActuallyNPH for taking a stand against this vulgar & hateful statement," the civil rights organization shared. "All children should be accepted & loved for who they are." Before becoming a hot topic, the mother in the family photo blogged about her "gender creative son's" first Pride. In her website called Raising My Rainbow, mom Lori Duron detailed the unforgettable experience. "The festival was everything C.J. hoped it would be and then some," she wrote. "My sweet, fabulous, rainbow boy has never received so many compliments. He's used to getting stares and whispers when we're out in public. He's not used to getting the smiles, hugs and encouragement he received at Pride." As for what C.J. loved most about Pride, Lori was happy to share her son's answer. "I liked the vibe. I liked all the colors. But, most of all, I liked all of the people," he explained. "Nobody judges anybody. You can just be who you want to be. There should be Pride every week, because it's so much fun." (Eonline)

Dr. Dre: 'I f–ked up'. Dr. Dre is getting ahead of the story. After the famously private 52-year-old music producer came under fire for "Straight Outta Compton," the biopic about N.W.A. that didn't include any reference to Dre's alleged assaults on women, he's addressing his past in his latest project, HBO's "The Defiant Ones," which details Dre's partnership with Jimmy Iovine. "Any man who puts his hands on a female is a f–king idiot. He's out of his f–king mind, and I was out of my f–king mind at the time," he said in a clip from the docuseries. "I f–ked up. I paid for it. I'm sorry for it, and I apologize for it. I have this dark cloud that follows me, and it's going to be attached to me forever. It's a major blemish on who I am as a man." Dre, whose real name is Andre Romelle Young, was accused of assaulting ex-girlfriend, Michel'le, journalist Dee Barnes and former label mate Tairrie B. Prior. Michel'le, with whom he shares a child, claimed the music producer left her with "black eyes, a cracked rib and scars" during their relationship. She detailed the abuse during an interview with "The Breakfast Club" in 2015. "When he gave me my very first black eye, we laid in the bed and cried," Dre's ex-fiancee said on the morning show. "He was crying and I was crying because I was in shock, hurt and in pain. I don't know why he was crying, but he said 'I'm really sorry.' That was the only time he ever said he was really sorry. And he said, 'I'll never hit you in that eye again, okay?'" Michel'le added that he kept that specific promise but ultimately struck her in other places on her body. "I have scars that are just amazing," she told the show. Prior, however, claimed Dre punched her in the face twice at a 1990 Grammys after-party after he heard a song titled "Ruthless Bitch" in which she insulted him. The track was released on the album "The Power of a Woman," which was part of Eazy-E's (real name Eric Lynn Wright) label Ruthless Records. The alleged incident between Barnes and Dre took place at a 1991 party where he confronted her about a segment about N.W.A that would be appearing on her show "Pump It Up!" He slammed "her face and the right side of her body repeatedly against a wall," according to a statement released at the time. Dre was charged with assault and battery, to which he pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to community service and probation, fined $2,500 and ordered to make a domestic violence P.S.A. A civil suit between Dre and Barnes was settled out of court. Following the backlash surrounding "Straight Outta Compton," Dre gave a statement to the New York Times apologizing for his past. "Twenty-five years ago I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life. However, none of this is an excuse for what I did. I've been married for 19 years and every day I'm working to be a better man for my family, seeking guidance along the way. I'm doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again," he said. "I apologize to the women I've hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives." The article noted that the apology was partially because "the uproar was threatening not only his reputation but also his business dealings." (PageSix)

Rob Kardashian is deeply remorseful for slut shaming Blac Chyna ... at least that's what he told his family. Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... Rob's spoken with all of his sisters and his mom, telling them he has no excuse for posting nude pics of Chyna and her medical information on social media. He said he regrets he didn't deal with the Chyna drama privately and said it wouldn't happen again. One thing Rob did not apologize for ... he flatly denied he ever physically abused Chyna. Rob also acknowledged all of the Kardashian women warned him Chyna was "bad news" and he should stay away ... advice he ignored. He told them they were right. He also said he stayed with Chyna longer than he should have because he grew up in a 2-parent household and wanted the same for Dream. We're told Rob and family have stayed quiet through the ordeal in an effort to stop the back and forth in the best interest of his daughter. We're told the women accepted his apology and are hopeful he'll heed their advice. (TMZ)

Demi Lovato is the latest celeb whose L.A. home was hit ... but this time whatever the criminal was planning was thwarted. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, a man wearing all black clothing and a baseball cap scaled the security gate just before midnight Tuesday at Demi's Hollywood Hills home. We're told the man had a ladder and made it on to the balcony of her home, and that's when the dogs began furiously barking. The house manager sensed something was wrong, walked over to the balcony and saw the man peering through Demi's bedroom window. The live-in house manager ran to the phone, called 911 and left. By the time cops arrived the bad guy was gone. Demi bought the house in September 2016. Demi was in Boston promoting her new song, "Sorry Not Sorry." (TMZ)

James Cromwell headed to jail for plant protest. Oscar-nominated actor James Cromwell is heading to jail in New York for blocking traffic to protest a power plant. A town judge sentenced the 77-year-old Cromwell and two fellow protesters to a week in the Orange County Jail for civil disobedience at the construction site of a 650-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in December 2015. The protesters say the plant in Wawayanda, 60 miles northwest of New York City, threatens the environment. A spokesman for the group Protect Orange County says Cromwell and others will rally at the plant site before reporting to jail Friday afternoon. Cromwell lives in a neighboring town. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including "Babe" and "L.A. Confidential." (PageSix)

An "America's Got Talent" champ was arrested this week for domestic violence after he allegedly attacked his baby mama with a golf club. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. -- who won season 6 of 'AGT' -- was arrested Monday night in Whitman, West Virginia for misdemeanor domestic battery and domestic assault. We're told they got into it when he told her he was leaving her ... which escalated into an argument about who would care for their 6-month-old baby. That's when Landau allegedly started slapping her and then struck her under her left eye with a golf club. The brawl spilled outside, where he allegedly slammed her head on the sidewalk. She was treated at a hospital, and cops later arrested Landau. He was released the same night on a $3,500 bond. As for Landau's side ... his manager says the fight was sparked when the singer came home and found his home trashed -- he claims by the girlfriend. He says she destroyed the house with a golf club ... then attacked him with the club and a knife. He claims he was only defending himself, and apologized for the incident. (TMZ)

When police entered Chris Cornell's Detroit hotel room they found his belongings, his prescriptions ... and the exercise apparatus he used to commit suicide. Detroit PD just released the photos they took of the room during their investigation, and they revealed the bathroom scene where Chris died. The exercise band he rigged on the bathroom door was on the floor, surrounded by a streak of blood. There were 3 prescription bottles -- prednisone (anti-inflammatory), omeprazole (antacid) and lorazepam (anti-anxiety). In the room itself ... one of Chris's guitars was on a chair, and his iconic shades were on the unmade bed. The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Cornell's death a suicide by hanging. (TMZ)

Chelsea Handler Remembers Late Big Brother Who Died at Age 22 in Touching Post. Chelsea Handler wrote a touching tribute on Tuesday, July 11, about her late big brother, Chet Handler, who died at age 22 decades ago. The comedian, 42, shared a throwback photo of her sibling explaining that Chet, the oldest of six kids, passed away 33 years ago this month. "We were never 6 again. Only 5. The number was never the right number again," Handler wrote. "But, because of that day, I learned how to live and love and laugh and to: Show up Stand up Love up Argue Fight Make up Show up again. Go to bat for people. Tell them you love them. Defend your friends. Stand up for yourself. Give away the things you have in excess. Give away the things you love the most. This is the only chance we get. Make it count. Live a little." Chet died after he fell off a cliff in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She opened up about the family tragedy during an interview on The Rosie Show in February 2012. "I don't know what my family dynamic would be with my brothers and sisters if that hadn't happened because we're all so tight because of it," she said at the time. "I don't know that we would have been this close if everything was intact, no, I think you obviously grow together and bond together when you go through something like that." Months later, she added to Katie Couric: "You just don't ever recover from that ... To see your father wake up crying and cry in front of people all the time about his first son being dead, to see that you're like... 'Stop it you're supposed to protect us.' So I think in my way I just got this really tough exterior. Because I'm like, 'OK, I gotta get my act together because these two people [my mom and dad] are kinda falling apart.'" (US Weekly)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Kim Kardashian West Shuts Down Cocaine Accusations with Mom-iest Excuse Ever. Kim Kardashian West does not play when it comes to drug abuse rumors. The 36-year-old reality TV star, who has often spoken out about not drinking or using drugs, immediately shut down a Twitter user's claim that one of the star's recent Snapchats featured cocaine. The user tweeted a photo of the Snapchat video, which showed what appeared to be powder on a counter behind the mom of two. The Twitter user wrote: "Ohhhhhh @KimKardashian caught out with cocaine ... durtayyyy." Kardashian West responded with the most mom-ish excuse ever. "I do not play with rumors like this so I'm gonna shut it down real quick," Kardashian West tweeted. "That's sugar from our candy mess from Dylan's Candy [Bar]." The tweet comes as Kardashian West's brother, Rob, has found himself at the center of a media storm after he shared nude photos of his ex-fiancee Blac Chyna. Blac Chyna 'Is Not Concerned' About Dream Being Around Ex Rob Kardashian Despite Restraining Order, Says Lawyer Chyna appeared at Los Angeles Superior Court with her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, where the reality star was granted temporary restraining orders against Kardashian. Rob, 30, targeted his former love in an Instagram rampage last week, accusing her of infidelity, alcohol abuse and drug use. The situation has consumed national headlines, as 29-year-old Chyna was recently granted temporary restraining orders against Kardashian. (People)

She's a fitness fanatic and he's an NBA player, so there's no better time (or place) for Khloe Kardashian and boyfriend Tristan Thompson to spend quality time together than working out together. The reality star made a date with her shirtless exercise partner on Tuesday morning, as seen on her Instagram and Snapchat. Kardashian, 33, swapped out sisters Kourtney and Kim for Thompson, 26, who regularly works out with Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Lebron James, as the couple broke a sweat in her garage. The youngest Kardashian sister has previously posted a slew of different exercises she takes on daily -- ranging from weighted squat jumps to bear crawls. Though Khloe doesn't need a reason to train (she works out every day), the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star explained, "Because we got taco Tuesday tonight!" Thompson, who's spending his off-season in Calabasas, has been joining his girlfriend's intense endorphin-raising activities as of late. One thing Kardashian recommends to lose weight is to switch-up workouts. "Our bodies are seriously smart. After only a few weeks of repeating the same exercise routine, the body will acclimate and adjust by figuring out how to use less energy and calories to accomplish the same thing," she explained on her app and website. "This means you're working just as hard as you were before but burning less fat. You don't have to work out MORE, necessarily, but you do have to work out SMARTER by always keeping your muscles guessing." (People)

Tamron Hall had a sense of humor about her work circumstances after leaving "Today" at Redbook's MVP Beauty Awards on Monday. When asked by beauty director Victoria Kirby what her fragrance could be called, Texas-born Hall responded, "'Sleeping In?' But seriously, it would probably be 'Texas Kickass.'?" As for her beauty mantra, "There are days when I don't feel like wearing makeup, but I never leave the house without a bit of mascara. I mean, I wake up looking like a black Bart Simpson." (Page Six)

Dana White says he got a call from Donald Trump's camp about the McGregor vs. Mayweather fight -- but says POTUS likely won't attend because he feels like he "ruins events." Of course, Dana and Donald are longtime friends (Dana spoke at the RNC) -- and White has previously told us Trump has an open invitation to attend any UFC event. So, we asked if Trump would be at T-Mobile Arena on August 26 and White replied -- "Funny you say that. They called me yesterday." White says Donald is 100% interested in the fight but feels he'd be too big of a distraction to attend in person. "He feels like he'll ruin events," White said ... "Secret Service is going to have to go through the place, shut down streets and create crazy traffic." On the other hand, White says his good buddy Tom Brady can also get tickets if he wants -- best seats in the house! (TMZ)

The alleged Amelia Earhart photo featured in a new documentary about her disappearance does NOT solve the mystery ... because the pic was taken before she crashed, according to history buffs. "Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence" claimed to have a photo, taken in the Marshall Islands, which showed Amelia sitting on a dock, possibly being held captive. There's a huge problem with that theory though ... according to 2 Japanese history bloggers ... who say they've found the photo in a book published 2 years before Amelia vanished. Amelia crashed in 1937, but the exact image is clearly seen in a book in Japan's National Library -- a book which reportedly came out in 1935. As we first told you ... another Earhart search expert had shot major holes in the photo theory. We've reached out, but no word back from History Channel. Ditto for the experts who appeared in the doc -- which aired last weekend. (PageSix)

South Carolina Couple Welcomes First Girl Into Family in Almost 140 Years: 'She's Getting Spoiled Rotten!' Says Mom. It's a girl! A couple in South Carolina is celebrating the birth of their baby girl -- the first girl to be born into their family in 137 years. "Everybody was a little bit stunned at first!" says Kelen Settle, who welcomed daughter Carter Louise Settle on June 25. Kelen, 36, and her husband Will Settle, 38, had their baby gender reveal at a family Christmas party back home in Atlanta. And when pink and purple balloons popped out of the box, "everybody went crazy," Kelen tells PEOPLE. "We really thought it would be a boy," she continues. "Everybody started freaking out, especially Will's parents." The couple knew a girl hadn't been born into the Settle family in years, but they didn't know just how long it had been until Will's father did a little digging into their family tree and realized it had been 137 years. "It was an absolute wow moment," Kelen says. "I think it's going to be cool for her. It's a little fun fact." And Carter will have no shortage of male figures in her life. Between uncles and cousins, she also has a big brother -- 7-year-old Rowland from Will's previous marriage. "He loves her," Kelen says of Rowland. "He was very adamant that he wanted a brother and thought that a 6-year-old would pop out and he'd have an instant playmate. But the first time he met her he kept saying, 'Aw, she's so cute.' He is smitten." The entire Settle family can't get enough of the sweet new addition. "There's no question she's getting spoiled rotten now!" the proud mom says. Kelen says she and her husband didn't purposefully choose a unisex name for their baby girl, they just "really liked" the name Carter. "We didn't have many girl names to go on from his family, obviously! We just decided to go with something we both liked," says Kelen. "We wanted something strong that would be cute when she was 2 but would also work when she's in the job force." The parents were in for another shock when Will's coworkers surprised them with a billboard announcement of Carter's birth. "Will works for an outdoor advertising company, so when she was born they snagged one of the photos off Facebook and made this billboard," Kelen says. "It is absolutely ridiculous. It was a fun surprise." (People)

One of President Donald's beloved personal helicopters was involved in an accident last month in Manhattan, but the details are being kept strictly under wraps, Page Six has exclusively learned. On June 15, a Trump chopper was involved in a crunch in Manhattan when its tail rotor hit a fence upon landing at the West Side Heliport alongside the Hudson River. Photos seen by Page Six appear to show that the rotor was completely sheared off. Witnesses say damage to the aircraft was enough to completely ground it, and it had to be hauled away for repairs. But first -- and most importantly -- helipad workers taped up the stricken chopper to completely obscure the word "Trump" and avoid embarrassment for the president over his incapacitated copter. One witness said, "This accident was the result of a bad landing. The helicopter's tail rotor hit the fence and came off. It is not believed anyone was hurt. But the first concern was to tape up the helicopter so nobody could see it was Trump's as it was lifted up and out by crane." The president must travel on Air Force One and Marine One, but his family members still use his personal helicopters when he isn't with them. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were initially rumored to have been aboard at the time, but Trump insiders denied they were involved. The Trump Organization did not return repeated calls about the chopper crunch or who was on board. The FAA confirmed it is investigating the accident, but referred all inquiries to the White House, which didn't comment. Trump owns two planes -- a 757 and a corporate jet -- and three helicopters. Two of those are 1989 Sikorsky S-76Bs, while the third, a 1990 Sikorsky S-76B, was purchased in March 2012. While much has been written about Trump's "aging air fleet," he says he likes older aircraft because they've been "tested" and have "been around." Plus, he uses them for marketing as "flying billboards" at his golf courses and Florida club Mar-a-Lago. (Page Six)

Yes, KFC Is Really Releasing A Smartphone. Thankfully, KFC is "finger lickin' good" -- because you'll need clean hands to use the company's new phone. That's right -- the brand synonymous with fried chicken is releasing a smartphone in honor of its 30-year anniversary in China. In collaboration with tech giant Huawei, the fast food chain has designed a limited edition KFC Huawei 7 Plus, which comes in red with a logo of Colonel Sanders embossed on the back along with the year 1987 -- the year the chain first came to China. If you're craving this new tech, the phone has a price tag of 1099 Chinese Yuan or approximately $162. Unfortunately, it's unclear if the phone will be available for purchase in the United States. As an added bonus, the gadget comes pre-installed with the KFC app and an app called K-Music, which lets users pick the song they want to hear on speakers inside one of China's KFC restaurants. No need for a nickel -- the jukebox has gone digital! Unfortunately for die-hard KFC fans, according to The Verge, only 5,000 of the phones will be released. In the meantime, raise your hand if this story made you hungry. (Eonline)

Music

Selena Gomez Teases ''Fetish'' With the First Audio Clip and Her Highly Glossed Lips. Selena Gomez is giving her fans a little bit of a sexy look into her upcoming music video for "Fetish." Taking to Instagram and Twitter, Gomez posted a short clip of the vid, which is due out on Thursday. The teaser focuses solely on Gomez's highly glossed lips as she sings, "Take it or leave it / Baby, take it or leave it / But I know you won't leave it / 'Cause I know that you need it, uh / Look in the mirror / When I look in the mirror / Baby, I see it clearer / Why you want to be nearer." This is the first audio clip we get of the song, which also features Gucci Mane. Over the last week, Gomez has shared several photos of the music video, including her carrying grocery bags in a suburban neighborhood while standing in front of a broken down car. She also shared a behind-the-scenes photo beside a broken glass that was filled with a red beverage and strawberries as well as sitting on the floor of a hallway in what appears to be a family home. It's important to note that she dons different yellow dresses in every scene. Gomez's last video for "Bad Liar" came out in May, paying homage to the '70s as the 24-year-old took on various characters. The video focused on Gomez as a high school girl who watched her father fall for the female gym teacher while her mother dealt with the repercussions at home. All four characters were played by Gomez. Though it's not yet clear what "Fetish" will bring, it's definitely giving us those same, dark vibes as "Bad Liar." What do you think? (Eonline)

A little help from his friends! Ed Sheeran teased additional dates for his upcoming European tour with the help of two furry friends -- his cats. "More stadium dates going up tomorrow in Europe too, as pretty much all of that has gone too. Couldn't find a picture to tweet so here are my cats being sleepy and cute x," the 26-year-old musician wrote of his two cats, who can be seen yawning and stretching in the clip posted to Instagram on Monday, July 10. The "Thinking Out Loud" singer, 26, who is headlining a massive U.K. tour beginning in 2018 announced on Tuesday, July 11, that he would add two additional shows in Ireland. The nearly sold-out tour will commence in Cork, Ireland, on May 4 and Sheeran will tour through Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Germany and Austria before ending in Poland next August. Sheeran is currently in the midst of a tour of the U.S. and Canada that runs through the beginning of October, before he heads to Asia and Australia. As previously reported, the "Shape of You" singer made headlines earlier this month when he announced he was leaving Twitter. In a July 3 interview with The Sun, the "Galway Girl" singer said: "I've actually come off Twitter completely. I can't read it. I go on it and there's nothing but people saying mean things." Sheeran clarified his comments during an appearance on the Today Show on Thursday, July 6, telling Matt Lauer, "I got asked in an interview if I read negative things and I was like, 'I don't even go on Twitter anymore,' but it's not like I've quit it. I still post on Instagram and it goes to Twitter, but I'm just not going to wake up and read something and be like, 'Oh, well that's ruined my day.' I don't want to choose to do that anymore." "I got asked in an interview if I read negative things and I was like, 'I don't even go on Twitter anymore,' but it's not like I've quit it. I still post on Instagram and it goes to Twitter, but I'm just not going to wake up and read something and be like, 'Oh, well that's ruined my day.' I don't want to choose to do that anymore." The hitmaker continued: "There's so much positivity out there. I'm just saying ... as a human being, we always read the one negative one and ignore the others and I don't want to do that. It's just foolish to do when there's so much love out there in the world, to look at the negative stuff. I'm just choosing not to read it." (US Weekly)

How Jay-Z and Beyonce's Coming Clean About Relationship Issues May Have Helped Their Brand. They say art is truth... Beyonce got fierce about "Becky with the good hair" in Lemonade and Jay-Z indirectly admitted to infidelity in his recent 4:44 -- but why did the superstars open up to the world about their marriage problems? The impetus behind sharing their dirty laundry with the masses may have to do with keeping "on brand" for the widely beloved couple. E! News caught up with branding expert Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management and consultant to E! News, to talk about the business of why the power couple may have taken to their music to reveal the messy truth of what went down between the two of them behind closed doors. "Coming clean about Jay-Z and Beyonce's past trouble absolutely helps their brand because millennials demand that the ultimate aspirational brand in 2017 is 100% relatable," revealed the expert. Schiffer added that their audience wants reality, even if involves some ugly truths, instead of a picture-perfect facade. "Millennials are the most sophisticated, media-savvy generation of all time -- they crave authenticity," said Schiffer. "They want their celebrities to be genuine and they reject phony posturing and fake news PR-spin masquerading as the truth." Yesterday, Hova came out with a new visual, Footnotes on 4:44, pegged to album's title track, in which he is joined by slew of celebrities including Chris Rock, Jesse Williams, Will Smith, Kendrick Lamar, Anthony Anderson, Aziz Ansari and more for a candid discussion on relationships, love and the pressure that comes with dating in the public eye. In the visual, Jay reflects on his nearly decade-long marriage to Bey: "This is my real life. I just ran into this place and we built this big, beautiful mansion of a relationship that wasn't totally built on the 100 percent truth and it starts cracking." Meanwhile, in the title track, "4:44," Jay rapped about past wrongdoings: "Look, I apologize, often womanize / Took for my child to be born / See through a woman's eyes / Took for these natural twins to believe in miracles." The confessional lyrics continued, "And if my children knew, I don't even know what I would do /If they ain't look at me the same / I would prob'ly die with all the shame / 'You did what with who?' / What good is a menage à trois when you have a soulmate? / 'You risked that for Blue?'" In his song, "Family Feud," the father of three says, "Yeah, I'll f -- k up a good thing if you let me / Let me alone Becky! / A man who don't take care of his family can't be rich." Whatever motivated their decisions to be public about their private struggles, these two definitely know how to slay their legions of fans. (Eonline)

Costa Rica Releases Man Accused of Ariana Grande Threat. A 22-year-old Colombian man accused of threatening an attack at a concert by pop singer Ariana Grande has been released but is barred from leaving Costa Rica, authorities said Tuesday. A statement from prosecutors said the man was released on parole Sunday night and will be free while the investigation continues. Prosecutors have said the threat was written in Arabic and posted online using a social media account. Officials have released only the man's family names, Caicedo Lopez. The threat came on the heels of a May 22 bombing at a Grande performance in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people and injured dozens more. Grande's performance in Costa Rica went ahead as scheduled Sunday. (Billboard)

South African Jazz Musician Ray Phiri dies at 70. Ray Phiri, a South African jazz musician who founded the band Stimela and became internationally known while performing on Paul Simon's Graceland tour, died of cancer on Wednesday at age 70. Phiri, a vocalist and guitarist known for his versatility in jazz fusion, indigenous South African rhythms and other styles, received many music awards in his home country. His death was met with nationwide tributes. "He was a musical giant. This is indeed a huge loss for South Africa and the music industry as a whole," President Jacob Zuma said in a statement. Political parties also expressed condolences, saying Phiri's songs resonated among many South Africans, particularly during the era of white minority rule that ended in 1994. "An immensely gifted composer, vocalist and guitarist, he breathed consciousness and agitated thoughts of freedom through his music," said the ruling African National Congress party, which was the main movement against apartheid until it took power in the country's first all-race elections. South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said many people grew up with Phiri's music. "In the 1970s, Phiri's music spoke to issues that are still affecting our people today," the party said. Stimela's best-known albums include Fire, Passion and Ecstasy and Look, Listen and Decide, and Phiri contributed as a guitarist to Simon's Graceland album in the 1980s. The album evolved from Simon's interest in indigenous South African music. (Billboard)

Movies

Paris train attack heroes will play themselves in Clint Eastwood film. The three California men who thwarted a terror attack on a French train in 2015 will make the rare move of playing themselves in a Clint Eastwood-directed film about their heroics, a studio announced Tuesday. Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone, Oregon National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos and civilian Anthony Sadler, all childhood friends from California, will star in "The 15:17 to Paris," a film based on the book they co-wrote about taking down a terrorist, Warner Bros. said in a statement. The film, which began production this week, follows the lives of the three friends from childhood to the evening when they helped subdue the man who opened fire inside a train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris. The Sacramento-area men were vacationing in Europe when they tackled Ayoub El-Khazzani, a man who authorities said has ties to radical Islam. El-Khazzani had boarded the Paris-bound train with a Kalashnikov rifle, pistol and box cutter. The film will be the latest of several about real-life heroes that Eastwood has taken on, including 2014's "American Sniper," and 2016's "Sully." But the leads in those films were played by Oscar-nominee Bradley Cooper and Oscar-winner Tom Hanks, respectively, not their actual subjects. It's common to give cameo roles to the subjects of films that don't require more than a line or two, but this case is nearly unprecedented in recent Hollywood history. There are no reports of the men having any acting experience, though Skarlatos appeared on "Dancing With the Stars" soon after the Paris incident. Nearly all who have played themselves on screen were actors to begin with, such as Kumail Nanjiani in the current release "The Big Sick" or John Malkovich in 1999's "Being John Malkovich." The studio's statement did not elaborate on what prompted Eastwood and Warner Bros. to cast the men. (PageSix)

Bryce Dallas Howard Celebrates the Wrap of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom With Chris Pratt. That's a wrap for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom! The sequel to 2015's Jurassic World, and the fifth overall installment of the Jurassic Park series, has recently finished filming. As a result, returning star Bryce Dallas Howard took to Instagram today to express her bittersweet emotions over wrapping the film. "Day #60 and that's a wrap!" she captioned a photo of her hugging co-star Chris Pratt. "Honestly, I ugly cried. Bye, Hawaii! #jurassicworld #jurassicworld2 #JurassicWorldFallenKingdom." Both Howard and Pratt are reprising their Jurassic World roles in the sequel, along with B.D. Wong. The Hollywood actress wasn't the only one involved in the film to celebrate the end of filming on social media. Director Juan Antonio Bayona shared a gif via Twitter on July 8 of Pratt on set writing, This is a wrap for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom! What a journey! Thank you to everyone that made it possible. #JurassicWorldFallenKingdom." Bayona took over the director's chair from Colin Trevorrow, who directed the first Jurassic World film and co-wrote the sequel. In an interview with Screen Rant, Pratt said the sequel will be "a scarier version" of the first film. "A little bit darker and will expand and carry the story forward in a way that is really unexpected and you wouldn't have imagined," he said. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is slated for release on June 22, 2018. (Eonline)

Does this mean J-Law & Amy Schumer have started filming their movie? It's happening and we're SO excited... Call it wishful thinking but Amy Schumer's new Instagram post has us convinced that she and Jennifer Lawrence's long-awaited movie is finally being shot. EEK! Both J-Law and Amy have been teasing us with a possible movie written by and starring the two together (hello, Hollywood dream team) since 2015. And now, the pair seem to be spending time together alongside actor Woody Harrelson - could they be up to something? Two years ago, Lawrence revealed that the pair would play sisters in the feature-length comedy they are working on and we couldn't help but notice that Amy captioned the Instagram picture "sisters". According to the 26-year-old Oscar-winner, Schumer plays the type-A sister, while she is the wild one. "Amy['s character], in this movie, she has it very together," Lawrence revealed in a 2015 interview. "It's her [character's] lifelong dream to be a flight attendant. She works at the airport," Lawrence explained. "And I'm a mess." Ooh, we're getting In Her Shoes vibes right about now... Jennifer also revealed how it all started: "I reached out and everything just happened so quickly," Lawrence explained. "We both have very similar senses of humour, obviously, and aren't afraid, which is a good and bad thing, because I don't know what our movie will be rated. And we're both very blunt. So we've gotten through a really strenuous process without ever fighting, because we're both very straightforward." Asked if there might be parts for her male Hunger Games co-stars, J-Law responded: "No, no, no, no, no. There's not really boys in it." In another interview with Extra, she explained: "There's not really a lot of [male characters] in the story. It's mostly just me and Amy." We can't wait to see this one... (British Glamour)

Showtime Brand Coming to India for First Time in Deal With Streamer Hotstar. The deal gives the streaming service of 21st Century Fox's Star India access to more U.S. programming as it continues to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon. Showtime will make its India debut via an agreement between CBS Corp. and Indian streaming platform Hotstar, owned by 21st Century Fox's Star India. The content licensing and trademark agreement for Showtime will introduce to India such programming as the new Twin Peaks, comedy series Smilf and Escape at Dannemora, starring Benicio Del Torro, Patricia Arquette and Paul Dano, which will be available on the Hotstar Premium service. Also included are shows such as The Affair, Billions, Ray Donovan and I'm Dying Up Here. CBS has inked similar agreements for Showtime content in other international markets, including with Fox Networks Group in other parts of Asia, Canal+ Group in France, Sky in the U.K., Germany and Italy, Bell Canada, Stan Australia and Movistar in Spain. While financial terms were not disclosed, the agreement with CBS builds on Hotstar's previous content pacts with Disney, Fox and HBO. The Indian streaming video market has been heating up since last year following the launch of global competitors, notably Netflix and Amazon. "Over the last year, we have established Hotstar Premium as the most exciting destination for American TV shows and movies in India on demand," Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan said. Hotstar Premium is available for about $3 (199 rupees) per month. CBS Studios International president and CEO Armando Nunez said: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Hotstar to bring critically-acclaimed programming from Showtime to Indian audiences." Hotstar is largely driven by local content from its parent Star India, which includes close to 100,000 hours of television content and Indian movies in multiple languages, in addition to major sports content. (Hollywood Reporter)

China Delays Release of 'Spider-Man: Homecoming,' 'Valerian'. The move suggests that China's media regulators have reinstated their infamous blackout on Hollywood film imports during the lucrative summer movie going season. Spider-Man: Homecoming's worldwide box-office dominance is missing one major piece of the global puzzle: China. So far in 2017, most major Hollywood tentpoles have opened in China day-and-date with North America, or just shortly after their U.S. debut. But sources in Beijing say Sony's Spider-Man: Homecoming has yet to be given an official release date, which means it is unlikely to open in the world's second-largest film market until at least August. The same goes for 20th Century Fox's War for The Planet of the Apes, opening in North America on Friday, and Luc Besson's Valerian, set for a North American debut on July 21. Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, meanwhile, isn't expected to open in China until early September, well after its July 19 U.S. bow. The delays could cost Hollywood millions. In an increasingly integrated -- and still piracy-vulnerable -- global entertainment landscape, late release dates have been known to erode box office significantly. The uncertainty surrounding these much-anticipated tentpoles is the clearest indication yet that Beijing's media regulators intend to reinstate their infamous blackout on foreign film imports during the lucrative summer moviegoing season. Facing a slowdown in box-office growth, regulators cut the blackout season short in 2016, allowing a handful of U.S. studio titles into the market in late July and August. Some had speculated that China might abolish the summer blackout practice altogether this year, since Washington and Beijing trade officials are currently engaged in a high-stakes renegotiation of the U.S. film industry's terms of doing business in China. Allergic to the notion of American pop culture dominance, Beijing employs various means -- including quotas, reduced revenue shares and blackouts -- to limit Hollywood's access to the massive mainland Chinese theatrical market. The United States Trade Representative office, with the MPPA's urging, is understood to be pushing hard for China to give up such practices. For their part, China's movie regulators -- specially, the Film Bureau, within the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television -- find themselves trapped between competing priorities. Upper levels of the Chinese government are understood to demand that Chinese movies maintain at least a 55 percent market share at the national box office. At the same time, they want to see steady overall growth in the marketplace, so that China can overtake North America as the world's largest theatrical market as soon as possible (Pricewaterhouse Coopers currently forecasts China will claim that crown in 2020). Box-office growth remained sluggish in the first half of the year, however, with total revenue climbing just 3.7 percent. And it was Hollywood that saved the Chinese market from an embarrassing loss. With local Chinese movies continuing to underperform, regulators allowed in a record 57 foreign films during the period -- 14 more than last year. As a result, Chinese movies' market share plunged to just 39 percent. To get that number back above 55 percent -- while also escaping a full-year decline and intense global trade heat from U.S. officials -- the Film Bureau will have to execute some regulatory maneuvering that is nothing less than heroic. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Kermit the Frog Is Getting a New Voice After 27 Years. A new chapter has begun for Kermit the Frog. After 27 years, the famous Muppet will be getting a new voice, the Muppets fansite Tough Pigs confirmed. Steve Whitmire has performed as Kermit since 1990, following the show's creator Jim Henson's death, but he's been with the Muppets production since 1978. Other than Kermit, Whitmire also voiced Ernie (Bert's best friend) as well as Rizzo the Rat, Beaker and more. Fortunately, he is set to be replaced by a Muppets veteran, Matt Vogel. Vogel also has quite a bit of experience as he's taken on the roles of Sergeant Floyd Pepper and occasionally Big Bird and Count von Count in the past. Vogel's first go-around voicing the famous amphibian will be for next week's video of "Muppets Thought of the Week," a spokesperson confirmed to Tough Pigs. However, the spokesperson did not comment on the reason for the change. (Eonline)

Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson and China Anne McClain All Out for the Descendants 2 Premiere. Rotten to the core? Hardly. In fact, when the Descendants 2 stars attended the red carpet premiere at Hollywood's ArcLight Cinerama Dome Tuesday, Cameron Boyce, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Mitchell Hope and Booboo Stewart looked good. The actors, reprising their roles from the 2015 TV movie, were joined by newbies China Anne McClain and Dylan Playfair, who play Uma and Gil, respectively. Director Kenny Ortega was on hand, of course. He previously directed the High School Musical series, and a few stars -- Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman and Olesya Rulin -- turned up Tuesday. Last month, Cameron -- who plays Mal -- told E! News the movie is "bigger and better than the first; the music is definitely elevated. It's everything that it was, but just turned up 10 notches." Descendants 2 will simultaneously premiere July 21 at 8 p.m. across six networks: ABC, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime and Lifetime Movies. It will also debut on various apps. (Eonline)

This Rachel Green story might just be the craziest Friends fan theory yet. The One Where It's All A Dream In the 13 years since Friends has ended, people have come up with some pretty crazy fan theories to fill the void. There's the one where people speculated that Seinfeld and Friends were in the same universe and that Chandler died. Way harsh. But this newly emerged story might just be the most out-there so far. It comes after an eagle-eyed fan clocked that Jennifer Aniston is the only character with her eyes open on a cover of season five and asked for theories on why. It didn't take people long to make the huge leap to the conclusion that the entire series could be Rachel's anxiety dream on the eve of marrying Barry. "Here is my theory," a Twitter user wrote. "Rachel Green had a dream on the eve of her wedding day. She didn't want to marry Barry, so she had a major anxiety dream." "She created a fantasy in her mind and the five other Friends characters as a way to escape her spoilt, trapped future life. And also the trauma of her getting married the next day." "This cover is her partially waking up from her dream at 5am on the morning of her wedding day. The whole entire series was her anxiety dream." Ok, so it's actually kind of convincing. Excuse us while we re-watch the entire series to see if it checks out. (British Glamour)

What an anorexia survivor thinks about Netflix's To The Bone. A long overdue look at a devastating mental health condition or a dangerous, potentially triggering how-to guide? One recovering anorexic discusses. To The Bone is the first feature film about anorexia nervosa. Streaming on Netflix and starring Lily Collins as the emaciated protagonist, Ellen, and Keanu Reeves as her doctor, it has garnered allegations that the film glamorizing eating disorders and caused concern that it could trigger anyone vulnerable to the illness. I survived anorexia as a teenager. I spent several years trying to starve myself into a sort-of hiatus on living; a twilight state where I wasn't able to fully participate in my own life. I spent six weeks in an eating disorders clinic in hospital, at the behest of a very stern specialist whose primary strategy seemed to be to terrify her patients into recovery. More than a decade later, I am recovered but vulnerable; my relationship with food and my body is still complicated and I suspect it always will be. That compulsion to disappear, to take up as little space in this world as possible, will always be lurking just beneath the surface of my psyche. Watching To The Bone was confronting and uncomfortable. To see Lily Collins like that - skeletal frame, bruises on her spine from sit ups, hollowed eye sockets, protruding bones and dark circles under her eyes - was like looking at a ghoulish memory of my own. Collins has been very open about her own experience binging and purging-she wrote about it in her memoir-and she says she lost the weight for this role under the strict supervision of medical professionals and her mother (and still, I find it profoundly disturbing that she did). It seems that she was compelled to take on the role because of her own experience, hoping that she could start a much-needed conversation about eating disorders. 'A lot of people feel it's too taboo to talk about, yet we all know someone who's either gone through it or knows someone who has, so it's way more relatable than people assume,' she said. 'There's never been a feature film about eating disorders before and it was a very challenging role. But I felt very strongly about doing it'. Writer/director Marti Noxon also lived through anorexia and bulimia. Both women seem to have taken this project on nobly and with good intentions: to erase some of the shame and mystery around eating disorders that potentially prevent us from treating its sufferers with the dignity and care they deserve. They sought the advice of ED survivors and professionals while making this film, aiming to be responsible in their depiction of the deadliest psychiatric illness known mainly to women [research has found that 20% of anorexia sufferers will die prematurely from their illness]. But ultimately, I'm not convinced that the final product matches their intentions. To The Bone has already inspired some deeply concerning reactions in the 'pro-ana' community online, with people lauding Ellen as a heroine and a role model; someone to be celebrated and copied. Her emaciated body and cavalier attitude towards recovery is, sadly, aspirational to anyone still in the throes of anorexia. Throughout the film, several characters demonstrate tricks to shed weight and deceive people-none of which I will detail here- and therein lies the danger of depicting anorexia in its grittiest realities. If you portray anorexia with any rawness and realism, you flirt perilously with being a tutorial on how to do it successfully. Anorexia nervosa is a deeply maligned, misunderstood illness that takes and savages lives every day. Somehow, someday, someone might find a way to address it responsibly and poignantly in pop culture. This is not that day, and To The Bone is not that film. (British Glamour)

Showtime Brand Coming to India for First Time in Deal With Streamer Hotstar. The deal gives the streaming service of 21st Century Fox's Star India access to more U.S. programming as it continues to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon. Showtime will make its India debut via an agreement between CBS Corp. and Indian streaming platform Hotstar, owned by 21st Century Fox's Star India. The content licensing and trademark agreement for Showtime will introduce to India such programming as the new Twin Peaks, comedy series Smilf and Escape at Dannemora, starring Benicio Del Torro, Patricia Arquette and Paul Dano, which will be available on the Hotstar Premium service. Also included are shows such as The Affair, Billions, Ray Donovan and I'm Dying Up Here. CBS has inked similar agreements for Showtime content in other international markets, including with Fox Networks Group in other parts of Asia, Canal+ Group in France, Sky in the U.K., Germany and Italy, Bell Canada, Stan Australia and Movistar in Spain. While financial terms were not disclosed, the agreement with CBS builds on Hotstar's previous content pacts with Disney, Fox and HBO. The Indian streaming video market has been heating up since last year following the launch of global competitors, notably Netflix and Amazon. "Over the last year, we have established Hotstar Premium as the most exciting destination for American TV shows and movies in India on demand," Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan said. Hotstar Premium is available for about $3 (199 rupees) per month. CBS Studios International president and CEO Armando Nunez said: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Hotstar to bring critically-acclaimed programming from Showtime to Indian audiences." Hotstar is largely driven by local content from its parent Star India, which includes close to 100,000 hours of television content and Indian movies in multiple languages, in addition to major sports content. (Hollywood Reporter)

'The Bruce Lee Project' Competition Series From Keanu Reeves, Shannon Lee Set for India, Middle East. The series will feature training drills and challenges inspired by quotes and philosophies of the late martial arts icon. An original fight competition series called The Bruce Lee Project, produced by a joint venture between the production firms of Keanu Reeves and Lee daughter Shannon, is set to launch in India and the Middle East. With competitors training at The Bruce Lee Center, the series will feature training drills and challenges inspired by quotes and philosophies of the late martial arts icon, the companies said Wednesday. The Bruce Lee Project is presented by So You Think You Know Kung Fu LLC (SYTYKKF), the joint venture between Company Films (co-owned by Reeves and Stephen Hamel), Shannon Lee's Bruce Lee Entertainment LLC, Benaroya Pictures, Metan Global Entertainment Group, which created the series and oversees the global rights and licensing of the format worldwide, and 8K Miles Media Group, a South Asia focused media enterprise headquartered in the U.S. The 13-episode series will be produced by 8K Miles Media Group and distributed for five seasons in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It is targeted to debut in multiple Indian languages across the globe in 2018. Sales and development for the project is handled by E! Entertainment Television founder and Metan president and CEO Larry Namer. The goal of the series is not to find the next Bruce Lee, but to search for male and female "warriors of life" who are physically accomplished, as well as thoughtful and spiritual. The training at the Bruce Lee Center is designed to help competitors prepare and condition their body, mind and spirit. The show will consist of 12 hour-long episodes and a 90 minute live finale. "Bruce Lee has a legacy of inspiration," Reeves said. "It is exciting to see this legacy of inspiration have the opportunity to reach a new generation in The Bruce Lee Project." (Hollywood Reporter)

Has This Been the Best Year for Women on Television? Every year when it comes time for the Emmy nominations it seems like the industry decides that television is really having a moment. That prestige programming has never been better. That network TV is climbing back to the top. That streaming is the future. This year, on the heels of the big announcement, the pattern continues. But there's another pronouncement that's been buzzing around the tongues of everyone in Hollywood: That this year might have been the one to finally put women on top of the game. There are countless problems with representation and diversity in the industry, whether on the big screen or small, and those are issues that aren't news to anyone. There's no Band-Aid cure-all that can be applied here to instantly make television look the way the rest of the country does, and frankly we're not necessarily in the position to tell those in charge what to do (unfortunately). But what we can do is take this opportunity to look back at the past year of TV-watching and decide if it was everything it's cracked up to be, womanly-speaking. It makes sense to start with the program that is still on everyone's hearts and minds and, presumably, in their nightmares as soon as they shut their eyes at night. The Handmaid's Tale is not a new story -- it is, of course, based off of Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name -- but its existence in the pop culture space is still a very big deal. Political commentary regarding the eerie timing of its release and the even eerier correlations between the show's themes and some of the developments of the current administration aside, it's a show whose entire existence is to warn and educate about the subjugation of women. The 10-episode season streamed on Hulu and could easily have been thrust into niche territory. But it bulldozed onto the national spotlight, with rave reviews and a quick greenlight for a second season. It helped to revive the career of one Alexis Bledel after a bit of a hiatus from the industry and ensured that Elisabeth Moss' career would continue its upward trajectory in a post-Mad Men world. The show is a front runner to land a nomination for Best Drama Series and don't be surprised if you see Moss' name on the list as well. When speaking of career revivals it's truly impossible not to bring up Mandy Moore. This past season of television may have been the year of women, it may have been the year of Netflix, but it was without question the year of Mandy Moore. This Is Us is single-handedly shutting down network TV naysayers and Mandy is its best success story (out of many success stories). The family drama is the true definition of a group effort, with Ventimiglia and Sterling K. Brown and Hartley and Chrissy Metz and those freaking adorable kids all chipping in to make America fall in love with the Pearsons, but it seems like everyone is cheering for Mandy the loudest. After countless failed pilots and movies that didn't quite live up to their expectations, 2017 is the year that the Universe is paying her back. A quick glance at the predictions for this year's Emmy nominations points to plenty of other women worth celebrating. Stranger Things was a critical darling and is one of the most anticipated second seasons and its star Millie Bobby Brown was easily the best part of the show. (Sorry, Barb stans.) Anytime a 13-year-old girl shaves her heads, captures the hearts of all of Hollywood and gets launched to stardom is a good time for everyone. The Crown has taken an age-old pop culture tradition of creating content about royal families and centered the story on the matriarch for once. Queen Elizabeth II is a worthy protagonist and puts the overly macho swashbuckling ways of past shows like The Tudors to shame. Claire Foy for President? Totally. Grace and Frankie stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin will likely go toe-to-toe for a nomination in the Best Comedy Actress category, and the fact that they are both well past the age of what is considered "young" in Hollywood and starring in a show that follows the lives of two women who are definitely not young, with humor that is not for the young. What better way to prove the theory of universal appeal? Female-led stalwarts continue to reign, too, with Homeland and How to Get Away With Murder expected to see noms yet again, honoring their heroines who grace our screens with all their complicated, fascinating faults. The reboot of Gilmore Girls might even swoop in under the radar, if nostalgia is worth as much as networks think it is, offering up plenty of programming in which women aren't expected to get by on their looks or romantic story lines but instead are allowed to simply interact with one another for our own enjoyment. A show that may not make it on the hot list of Emmy nominations but still deserves a shoutout, especially when it comes to debating the television landscape for women, is Shameless. Sure, it's not exactly a female-friendly show, in material nor in cast makeup. But it made headlines this season for all the right reasons. Star Emmy Rossum created an all-out salary standoff when she held up negotiations for the show's season eight renewal because of the network's hesitation to give her equal pay. Rossum stars opposite William H. Macy in the off-kilter comedy (or dramedy, rather) and for years had been paid less than her male counterpart. This winter the actress decided to hold out on signing her contract until she received equal pay. Her successful bid for parity not only proved that studios truly have no valid reason for valuing a male star over a female star, but it made people respect the crap out of Emmy. Robin Wright, who plays Claire Underwood on House of Cards, has done the same, threatening to go public with her wage gap unless Netflix matched her salary to Kevin Spacey's. There are very few people who would argue that anyone in Hollywood is underpaid in comparison to the rest of America, but this is definitely a one giant leap for womankind kind of situation. So far all signs point to: Yes, this past year was very good for women on television. Now not to get over-dramatic, but we haven't even graced the surface of what was undoubtedly the best thing to happen to us personally as female television viewers. A program so captivating, so beautiful, so angsty, so full of the most breathtaking seascapes. Television audiences were truly given a gift in Big Little Lies and it won't be surprising if the show is repaid with several nods. There is really no quicker way to ensure that women have a standout year on television than to bring the film industry's legends to the small screen. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz and Shailene Woodley represent the best of the gender and watching Big Little Lies felt like a delightful (and very long) movie that just happened to be on TV. The show was arguably the runaway hit of 2017 and all of its success was thanks to its female characters. And, quite frankly, was no thanks to its male characters. (Except Tom. We love you, Tom.) Even more delightful was that the show itself had a broad appeal and proved that what may seem like petty Mom drama on the outside actually makes for fascinating character studies that everyone enjoys. Plus, it's going to (hopefully) get Reese Witherspoon one step closer to EGOT status. So where does this leave us? It leaves us with the same overwhelming feeling that there is so much work to do, but we can at least take one morning to appreciate what women brought to the screen this year. (Eonline)