Hot sauce apparently equals a hot face.
A New Jersey hot-sauce guru claims he's found a ground-breaking wrinkle remedy — the same ingredient that puts the scorch in his sauces, the New York Post reported.
Blair Lazar, who makes the "Blair's Death Sauces" line, has unveiled a new skin-cream, Biocap, whose key ingredient is capsaicin, the element that makes hot foods hot. And he swears the potent product — inspired by a lab accident — works wonders on sagging skin.
"There's nothing like this on the market," he told the Post. "Even Botox doesn't do what this does for skin tone."
Not a novel claim, but a top Manhattan dermatologist, who skeptically gave Biocap a test run at The Post's request, said she was "surprised and impressed" at its effectiveness.
Dr. Laurie Polis, of SoHo Skin & Laser Dermatology in New York, tested it on herself and three others, and says that while one quit when her skin grew irritated, all three others achieved meaningful results.
"I absolutely did see improvement in the texture, tone and clarity of the skin," says Polis. "There was improved hydration and a decrease in wrinkling."
16 Feet and 300 Pounds of Mariah Carey: Sold!
A California man has shelled out $555 for a 16-foot, 300-pound replica of singer Mariah Carey's legs, In Touch magazine reports.
"I had to have them," said L.A. resident Phillip Heier, a 33-year-old memorabilia collector and Mariah fan. "They're over-the-top fantastic. I was blown away by how beautiful they are."
The limbs were created for the Celebrity Legs of a Goddess contest, sponsored by Gillette Venus, with the proceeds benefiting underprivileged kids.
Heier found them on eBay in February and fell in love instantly.
Carey has insured her real legs for $1 billion, In Touch reports.
On the Wings of Love
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — A California man who prosecutors said got a little too friendly with his girlfriend during a flight was convicted Thursday of interfering with flight attendants and crew members.
Carl William Persing and his girlfriend were seen "embracing, kissing and acting in a manner that made other passengers uncomfortable" during the September flight from Los Angeles to Raleigh, according to a criminal complaint.
Persing twice threatened a flight attendant who told the couple to stop and refused to serve them alcohol, prosecutors said. The FBI met the couple when the plane landed in Raleigh.
Persing, 41, will probably serve jail time for the federal felony conviction, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Bowler said. He was convicted after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Wilmington.
Defense attorney Deb Newton said her client will appeal.
"He's devastated," Newton said, adding that he was defending his right to be left alone.
Charges against girlfriend Dawn Elizabeth Sewell, who was accused of assisting Persing, were dropped this week.
Being Governor Not All It's Cracked Up to Be
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A high school student got a little taste of what it's like to be Michigan's governor — and didn't find it too appealing.
A cell phone number Katie Kamar received about five months ago once belonged to Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
The 18-year-old high school senior said she started getting about six calls a day for Granholm. She told the Detroit Free Press her phone would ring for the governor at all hours.
"It would be an honor to be governor, but people want to talk to you 24-7," she said. "This experience hasn't given me any political aspirations."
Kamar now gets one or two calls for the governor and says she will likely stick with the cell number.
Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said Thursday that the governor was told by people trying to reach her that a young woman had her cell number. Granholm called the old number last weekend and left a voicemail, Boyd said.
"The governor apologized for the numerous calls she was receiving," Boyd said. "The governor also thanked her because she heard how courteous the young woman was on the phone."
Boyd said it's not uncommon for Granholm to change her cell number.
Kidney Saves Marriage
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A couple who grew apart and had agreed to split up were reunited by a life-threatening crisis.
After more than 10 years of marriage, Chip and Cindy Altemos agreed about 5 years ago to separate, see other people, and begin divorce proceedings. But when 48-year-old Chip was hospitalized with kidney failure in September, Cindy, 49, offered him one of hers.
The two, of South Whitehall Township, agreed to separate because of "all the woes and troubles" they brought from previous marriages.
But Cindy Altemos, on the verge of being Chip's ex-wife, said this week: "He was still my husband."
As a former phlebotomist who had worked with renal patients, Cindy Altemos said she knew "exactly what he was up against," and had long thought he would eventually need a transplant because he had had juvenile diabetes. When they married she had promised to be a donor.
"There was no way I could walk around with two kidneys and he had none," she said. "It was the right thing to do."
The transplant took place Feb. 21.
Chip Altemos said his wife's gesture put an end to his new relationship and to talk of divorce. The two will be married 17 years in October.
"We're still together," he said. "I guess just being around each other, we slowly fell back in love again."
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