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Teens stage protest, runway show to call on Teen Vogue Magazine to use 'real images of real girls'

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:20:50 -0400

A group of teenage girls staged a protest and runway show in New York City's Times Square Tuesday to challenge Teen Vogue magazine to publicly commit to using “Photoshop-free, diverse images of real girls.”

Inspired by Seventeen Magazine’s recent public pledge to not alter the faces of bodies of girls in the magazine, Carina Cruz and Emma Stydahar of the girl-fueled Spark Movement organized the protest, which took place in the heart of Manhattan. The impetus for Seventeen’s declaration was an anti-Photoshop campaign led by their friend and fellow Spark member Julia Bluhm.

Holding signs and walking arm-in-arm, the girls marched near the offices of Teen Vogue and handed over a petition to the magazine with more than 20,000 signatures.

“When we saw how many supporters we actually had when we did the Seventeen petition, we really just wanted to start expanding and looking at the leader in fashion magazines right now, which is Teen Vogue,” Cruz, 16, told Fox411.

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“We’re really trying to do the runway show to show what we want to see in these fashion magazines and it starts with us, the reader,” she added. “Being a young woman of color and dealing with body issues and having naturally curly hair, I’ve always struggled finding a role model in these magazines.”

Her friend and fellow Spark-member Britney Franco, 13, agreed.

“I want teen girls to be shown how they are in magazines so that girls in real life won’t have to feel bad about their bodies when they shouldn’t.”

Teen Vogue’s Senior Public Relations Director Erin Kaplan told Fox411 in a statement,

“Teen Vogue makes a conscious and continuous effort to promote a positive body image among our readers. We feature healthy models on the pages of our magazine and shoot dozens of non-models and readers every year and do not retouch them to alter their body size. Teen Vogue pledges to continue this practice.”

But for Stydahar, 17, Teen Vogue’s statement simply isn’t enough.

“We’re glad Teen Vogue says they don’t Photoshop, but we want them to say it where it matters, in the pages of their magazines.”

Dana Edell, Spark Movement’s Executive Director, praised the girls’ efforts.

“Emma and Carina blow my mind. They’ve been so passionate about this from the beginning and really committed to seeing change happen,” she said. “ It’s thrilling to see young women really take action and really care about something and see the impact and know that they can make a change. It’s incredibly inspiring.”

George Wendt Pens Love Letter to Beer in New Book

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:17:54 -0400

Just in case you didn't already know, George Wendt really loves beer.

In fact, the “Cheers” star, now 61, loves it so much that he not only based most of his career playing a guy who lives for his brew, but he also wrote a book about his love affair with his beverage of choice.

“Beer has been very good to me over the years and I felt it was time to give something back,” Wendt tells Foxnews.com. “I could have written a poem or a Barry White love song or something like this, but I opted for the book instead.”

“Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional’s Guide to Beer” is a cross between a love letter to beer and Wendt’s memoir. After years of being approached to write a book, Wendt tells Foxnews.com that decided he wanted to write a beer humor book filled with his “lifetime of research.”

And while both he and Norm loved beer, Wendt says the similarities pretty much end there

SLIDESHOW: Click here to see photos of the cast of 'Cheers' then and now.

“I have a much better relationship with my wife than Norm did,” Wendt said before joking that Norm “had way better writers than I did.”

Since “Cheers” ended, Wendt says he has kept busy writing his book and doing theater, starring in productions like “12 Angry Men” and “Hairspray” on Broadway..

As for the rest of the cast, Wendt says he still keeps in touch with the old gang, although they don’t get together as much as they like. Still, his fond memories of the years starring on the NBC mega-hit endure, no doubt adding to his love for the drink in which his character took so much comfort every night.

“Drinking With George” is available from Simon Spotlight Entertainment.

From 'Rogue' Politician to Best-Selling Author: Defining Sarah Palin's 'It Factor'

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:32:52 -0500

While Sarah Palin is hardly the first politician to release a memoir, in many ways, the enthusiastic response to the former Alaska governor's "Going Rogue: An American Life" boasts a story like no other.

Since the announcement of its impending release months ago, numbers for “Going Rogue” have been remarkable. Harper Collins initially announced a first printing of 1.5 million copies, half a million more than the first printing of Hillary Clinton's long-anticipated memoir, "Living History." But by last Friday, just three days after its release, the publisher announced it would increase those numbers by 1 million.

By Tuesday morning, the Associated Press, which had assigned a whopping 11 reporters to fact-check the book, announced that it had sold 700,000 copies in its first week alone, trailing the first-week sales of Bill Clinton's "My Life" by just 200,000 units. And if sales weren't telling enough, Palin's appearance on "Oprah" in support of "Rogue" earned the talk-show giant her highest ratings in two years.

Indeed, in just a week alone, it seems Palin's already massive celebrity has soared to even greater heights. At just 44 years old, with less than two years in the national political spotlight, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee is the politician of whom America cannot seem to get enough.

So what is it about Palin -- a less-than-one-term former governor from Alaska -- that makes her such a star?

"Sarah Palin is a celebrity by virtue of her meteoric rise to fame," says Fraser Seitel, a public relations professor and managing partner of the communications firm Emerald Partners. "Celebrity sells in this country, and she has the 'it factor' that makes people watch her. She is controversial, and controversy sells. And she is a firebrand; she has many qualities that make her incredibly appealing."

But controversy and strong convictions aren't all that set her apart, says image expert Marian Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide Public Relations. "Sarah Palin's packaging is sublime. Her appearance has had an extraordinary effect on her popularity.

"She is attractive enough to be appealing to both men and women, and she looks likable, even if you disagree with her politics," Salzman says. "She is in great shape, her hair looks great, her clothes are beautiful. All of these things make her the modern embodiment of the American dream."

SLIDESHOW: Click here to see photos of Sarah Palin's style

Salzman says Palin has been a political maverick for her fusion of femininity and politics, taking a divergent path from that of pantsuited politicians like Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. Palin's wardrobe has been full of high heels, tailored skirts, beehive hairstyles and black patent leather boots. According to Salzman, that fashion-meets-politics persona is the definition of a new generation of women in the public eye.

"Hillary Clinton was from a different era," Salzman said. "Palin's generation didn't have any glass ceilings to break through. It was an era of equality and of sexual confidence. Women did not need to be apologetic for being attractive and that is what Palin embodies.

"Why should she put herself in a plain navy pantsuit? She is [an] American woman who takes pride in keeping herself in shape and presenting herself as someone interested in looking good, but never pushing the envelope into the risque. And in that sense, she is the poster girl of that new generation. It doesn't take away from what women of Hillary's generation did, they had to make the transition for the Palins. But that won't be the look that younger people will want to see."

But while Palin will always be a draw due to her appearance, Republican strategist Steve Castleton says she has to further hone her arguments if she wants to be a potent political force.

"What gets her in the door is that she is eye candy," Castleton said. "She is using her appearance to get shows and notoriety, something Hillary didn't have the option to do. Hillary couldn't be on the cover of a magazine in running shorts, but Hillary did have her politics and her comments to stand on, which is what Palin will need if she is going to go on and be successful as a politician.

"People will go see her because she is gorgeous, but they will only vote for her if she has substance. Is she the kind of leader to whom America can turn in the wake of tragedies and wars, or will she be spending too much time on her hair and her outfit? She will need to show that she is prepared and knowledgeable and has a strong team behind her."

And though her closest advisers deny she's eyeing the 2012 presidential campaign, many Palin watchers predict another run for office in her future.

If her book tour stops are any indicator of political aspirations, Palin seems to have her eye on pursuing the Republican presidential nomination. According to the Washington Post, the tour includes 31 stops in 25 states in mostly GOP-friendly areas. Of those 31 county stops, only 11 were carried by Obama.

Still, even if she's sticking to friendly territory, Palin's national star power should not be underestimated, says Politics Daily writer Matt Lewis.

"To her critics who discount her potential," he says, "it's important to keep in mind: You can teach someone foreign policy. You can't teach them the charisma and star power that comes naturally to Sarah Palin."

Pressure to Get Skinny Still the Fashion Norm, Even in the Plus-Sized Model World

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:48:22 -0400

Kate Dillon, a fashion model, received quite a compliment when a top editor at fashion bible Vogue told her she was looking her best ever. The only problem was the praise came after Dillon had been vomiting for 10 days.

“I could have died,” Dillon, 35, says now, looking back at her seven years as an anorexic model. “Had I not gotten help, at the very least, I would have faced severe health problems.”

Like so many other professional models, Dillon’s self-image demons were exacerbated by the constant scrutiny of the industry she was working in. Critics have lambasted the fashion world for its obsession with unnaturally thin physiques, but industry leaders have yet to take any real action to change the dangerous aesthetic.

Fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld recently dubbed Victoria's Secret Model Heidi Klum too fat to be a runway model because of her "too big" bust. A New York Times style writer slammed retailer JCPenney for carrying "obese" mannequins in size 12 and up. Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour slammed the whole state of Minnesota for having women that look like "little houses."

Dillon remembers well the constant drumbeat to get thinner. “I was obsessed with starvation,” she told FOXNews.com. “I would eat an apple as my only meal for a day, make midnight gym runs. I would try to sleep as late as I possibly could to avoid eating. The skinnier I got, the better they said I looked. But nothing was ever good enough.”

PHOTOS: Click here to see photos of Kate Dillon.

Dillon finally decided to get out of an industry she said was “promoting an illusion.”

“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, if this is what it takes to be told I look great, I don’t want to do this anymore,'” she said.

After a two-year hiatus, she returned to fashion at a healthy size 12 and became one of the industry’s most famous "plus" models.

Dillon escaped her issues, but there are scores of girls walking the runways this week at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York with issues similar to the ones she faced.

“People who are attracted to modeling are often doing so because they are looking for outside reinforcement,” says FOXNews.com mental health expert Dr. Keith Ablow. “The need to maintain a level of positive feedback about their looks to keep their self-esteem up results in a built-in occupational hazard in the industry.”

According to Ablow, people who suffer from eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia put every system in their bodies at risk.

“It can potentially affect every aspect of your physiology and can certainly lead to death,” he said.

And while some strides have been made to feature more realistic women in mainstream fashion, such as Glamour magazine’s recent pledge to feature more plus-size models, even the plus industry often promotes difficult standards.

“I had an agent tell me to get plastic surgery or to lose an inch off my arms or 3 off my hips,” plus model Christina Mendez, who is a size 12, told FOXNews.com. “They’ve told me they won’t send me out until I make these changes. I can lose weight, but I can’t pick and choose from where,” she said.

PHOTOS: Click here to photos of successful plus size models.

Even the term “plus size” can be misleading, with models who wear sizes 8 through 12 being dubbed “full-figured,” while the average American woman wears a size 14.

Moreover, the fashion industry is experiencing what Sommer Johnson, the editor of online plus-sized magazine Gemini, calls a “plus size recession.” “I don’t know of any plus-friendly lines that are being shown at New York Fashion Week," Johnson said. "Milan has pulled its plus designers from the fashion week runways. Even stores like Old Navy are gearing up to sell bigger sizes exclusively online.”

“I think it’s a real missed opportunity not to appeal to the mainstream woman,” Dillon says.

But if women want to have more fashion choices for normal body types, plus-size singer Queen Latifah, who promotes healthy living through her work with weight-loss company Jennie Craig, says they have to work to change things themselves.

“We have to depend on ourselves to break ground and move forward on our own," she told FOXNews.com. "Seeing women in magazines never made me want to be a size 2, I just wanted to be me and be healthy.

“If you’re not seeing someone who looks like you at Fashion Week, it’s because you’re trying to be something you’re not. Be yourself and eventually there will be room for all of us."

Tell-All Author Claims Oprah's Influence Led to Media Blackballing

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:07:15 -0400

An unauthorized tell-all biography of media mogul Oprah Winfrey contains details so shocking, the author claims she has been blackballed from appearing on most major media outlets.

Kitty Kelley, famous for her unauthorized biographies of American icons including Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and Nancy Reagan, is back at it again with her book, “Oprah.” And Kelley says the salacious details -- from Winfrey’s "concocted" stories about childhood poverty and abuse to tales of secret lesbian affairs -- could do so much damage to the talk-show host’s image that her high-powered media pals, fearing alienation, don’t want to come anywhere near the author.

In an interview with the New York Times Magazine, Kelley said she has been rejected by nearly everyone in the talk-show circuit.

“In promoting this book, we have already been told by Barbara Walters’ producer, ‘No, you cannot be on ‘The View,’ I cannot disrupt my relationship with Oprah. Joy Behar, the same thing. Charlie Rose. Larry King said, ‘I will not do it, it might upset Oprah. Even David Letterman.”

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the entire ABC network has banned Kelley and any promotion of her book, aside from a news report on its release.

If all of these rejections are true, they beg the question: Why is everyone afraid of Oprah?

“It’s kind of amazing that anybody would write anything about Oprah that wasn’t overly positive,” Tim Molloy, managing editor of TVGuide.com, tells Fox411."You have to admire the author and publisher's gumption to take on someone as powerful as Winfrey."

Indeed, the scope of her influence in the media is astonishing.

According to Time magazine, back in 2006, when Oprah hosted then-Democratic Senator Barack Obama, Internet searches on the still-relatively unknown presidential hopeful went up more than 350 percent.

When it comes to her famous book club, Business Week cites her power to sell a book, saying it is anywhere from 20 to 100 times that of any other media personality.

Just being a guest on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” has turned unknowns like Rachel Ray, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Phil McGraw into talk-show hosts.

"From a public relations standpoint, an appearance on 'Oprah' is the grand prize and always will be," says Peter Shankman, a media and image expert. "No one is going to do anything to anger her."

Another theory is that Oprah simply commands a professional respect among her peers.

“I'm sure other celebrities have a professional relationship with Ms. Winfrey, they wouldn’t want to sour that relationship by being a source of confidential info or unflattering information,” celebrity attorney David Adler tells Fox News. “They themselves are also in the public eye, and I'm sure that they don’t want to do things which they wouldn’t like done to them.”

But Molloy says it goes far beyond just a mutual respect.

“Many talk-show hosts likely see no need to get involved in Kelley’s promotion of the book,” he told Fox411. “There isn’t much potential reward from having Kelley on, but there is a greater chance of backlash from Oprah’s legion of loyal fans.

“To some people, she is like royalty, “ Molloy said. “They don’t want to hear anyone say anything bad about her. If a fan derives strength from Oprah, they might take it as a personal swipe and be turned off from watching something that promotes bringing her down to such a human level.”

If the claims that ABC banned promotion of the book are true, it could also be due to the unfavorable information in the book about one of the network's superstars, Diane Sawyer.

Kelley, citing unnamed sources, says Winfrey and Sawyer were plagued with rumors of a lesbian affair during her years at ABC News, with Winfrey lavishing large bouquets of flowers and a 1-carat diamond toe rings on the newswoman.

On Tuesday’s episode of “The View,” the hosts dismissed any fears of Oprah and said Kelley’s reputation, combined with Winfrey’s candid revelations about her past, make the book simply irrelevant.

“There was nothing that was terribly revealing [in the book],” Walters said. “I don’t dislike Kitty Kelley, let her make her money if she can.”

And it appears she will indeed make money, with 500,000 copies of the book ordered in the first printing. Yahoo tells Fox411 that searches for an Oprah biography Tuesday were up 5000 percent.

Kelley's interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly will be shown later this week on "The O'Reilly Factor."

'Real Housewife' Danielle Staub: 'I Am a Member of the Gay Community'

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:20:22 -0400

Amid rumors about her sexuality, “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Danielle Staub tells FOX411.com that she is a full-fledged member of “the gay community.”

“I haven’t even begun my work in the gay community yet,” Staub said. “I want to go to Senate, I want to pass a bill and get gay marriage legalized. I go to events, I march in rallies. I’ve been a part of the gay community for 30 years.”

Staub said she used Monday's performance with Lori Michaels on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” to raise awareness about the “tortured” feelings of someone in love who wants to express it but feels that they can’t.

“I met Lori a year ago at a gay pride parade. I fell in love with her music, which deals a lot with the issue of equality. It was very organic for me, that performance,” she added.

Staub’s passionate performance on "Watch What Happens" started the rumor mill churning that the divorced mother of two is a lesbian. She described the song to host Andy Cohen as being about “a lotta lady lovin'.”

SLIDESHOW: The Lovely and Talented Danielle Staub

After the performance with Michaels, where she nuzzled her shoulders and stroked her hair, Staub played coy when Cohen asked her if she was in a relationship with the gay songwriter. “We’re not saying anything besides that we’re doing the song, ‘Real Close.’”

She later referred to Michaels as her "gf" on Twitter.

Staub tells FOX411.com that her decision to leave questions about her sexuality open was a calculated one.

“I want that question mark there,” she said. “If I’m suggesting something, people pay attention. A long time ago, I realized the power of my fame and that my work on Bravo has given me a voice. Women are going to talk about me, why not use my fame for awareness.”

With her daughters in tow, Staub told FOX411.com that the gay community has always embraced her and made her feel like family.

“Since birth, my daughters have been a part of the gay community. From teachers to friends, these are the people they are surrounded by. I don’t feel as comfortable around mainstream society as I do around that community," she said. "I don’t feel as comfortable around heterosexual people as I do around gay people.”

Staub, who does not get along with the rest of the "New Jersey Housewives," said she found “comfort” early in her life because gays didn’t care about problems in her past.

“When I got arrested, my dear friends like Tommy (who is gay) were the ones who bailed me out,” Staub said. “Now he is Uncle Tommy to the girls.”

Staub, who appeared with a man in a sex tape recently distributed by Hustler, said she and her daughters will continue to do activist work on behalf of gay rights, but stopped short of confirming she is indeed gay herself.

“I’m not ready to say that one way or the other. Right now my focus is on my kids, but there is room for one more person in my world,” she added coyly. “Hopefully soon the world will see that.”

Madonna's Clothing Line Is 'Underwhelming,' Says Celebrity Stylist Phillip Bloch

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:41:02 -0400

Pop icon Madonna seems to have conquered every possible entertainment industry in her decades-long career, so it's no surprise that she is trying her hand at designing a line for young women. But while she may be known as a music pioneer, experts tell us her talents as a designer leave something to be desired.

Fox411.com spoke with celebrity stylist and author of "The Shopping Diet" Phillip Bloch, who predicted that the line would be commercially successful, but said he was left feeling slightly "underwhelmed" by the designs.

"The name of the line is fantastic and I think it will sell," Bloch, who has dressed Halle Berry, Mariah Carey and Sandra Bullock, told Fox411. "There are some good pieces but it's a bit one-note. She did not give us what we thought we were going to get when the line was announced."

Bloch added that the line, which is available at Macy's this week, is cute casual wear, but does not have a uniquely Madonna feel.

Check out Phillip Bloch's full review of the line here.

"I thought we would see versions of some of her older iconic looks," he said. "I'm surprised Madonna's collection is not more Madonna. It's slightly reminiscent of her "Desperately Seeking Susan" years, but it is very middle of the road, which is interesting for someone who is known for constantly pushing the envelope."

The line, co-designed by her teen daughter Lourdes, features "Gossip Girl" star Taylor Momsen as the celebrity model. But with the target audience appearing to be teenagers, Bloch said the line was very age appropriate and was not overly sexual in any way.

According to Bloch, the target audience was a smart move, since most 30-somethings are past the point of "wanting to dress like Madonna in the Material Girl years."

Still, the line doesn't come without any controversy, with Momsen, 17, coming under fire in recent weeks for talking about sex toys.

But controversy aside, Bloch did say there were a few pieces he liked, including a studded leather jacket. But while he said the line was "good" in it's production value, the design component would have benefited from a more cohesive feel or standout pieces, like T-shirts with some of her famous lyrics.

Bloch's book, "The Shopping Diet: How to Spend Less and Get More" is available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Polanski's 'Botched Prosecution' Could Mean He Will Never Face Punishment, Expert Says

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:12:38 -0400

Switzerland’s decision not to extradite world-renowned director Roman Polanski means the convicted child rapist will most likely never return to California to face punishment for his crime, according to a criminal defense attorney.

“At this point, he is no longer subject to Swiss jurisdiction. There is no reason for them to hold him,” New York City-based criminal defense attorney Robert Rueland, who does not work on Polanski’s case, told Fox411. “The only basis for holding him was because the U.S. wanted him, and now the Swiss government essentially said we have no basis.”

The decision could end the United States' three-decade pursuit of Polanski, unless he travels to another country that is willing to apprehend him and send him to Los Angeles. France, where he has spent much of the last three decades, does not extradite its own citizens, and the public scrutiny over Switzerland's deliberations may dissuade other nations from making such a spectacular arrest.

The Swiss government said it was denied access to confidential testimony given on Jan. 26 by Roger Gunson, the Los Angeles attorney in charge of the original prosecution against Polanski.

"Mr. Polanski can now move freely. Since 12:30 today he's a free man," Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf declared.

Authorities in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. cannot appeal the Swiss decision.

YOU DECIDE: Did the Swiss Government Make the Right Call?

“On the surface, it seems that Switzerland is sticking their finger in the eye of the U.S. government, but it’s more than that. What they’re saying essentially is that the U.S failed to come forward with a sufficient explanation for the underlying charges against him. It boils down to the fact that the Swiss are uncomfortable with the charges, most likely because they are so old,” Reuland said.

The Oscar-winning director of "Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown" and "The Pianist" was accused of plying a 13-year-old girl with champagne and part of a Quaalude during a 1977 modeling shoot and raping her. He was initially indicted on six felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, child molestation and sodomy, but he pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse.

In exchange, the judge agreed to drop the remaining charges and sentence Polanski to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. However, he was released after 42 days by an evaluator who deemed him mentally sound and unlikely to offend again. The judge responded by saying he was going to send Polanski back to jail for the remainder of the 90 days and that afterward he would ask Polanski to agree to a "voluntary deportation." Polanski fled the country on the eve of his Feb. 1, 1978, sentencing, and has not returned since.

He was arrested in Switzerland on Sept. 26 when he arrived in Zurich to accept a lifetime achievement award from a film festival. But while extradition seemed to be the likely scenario, the Swiss government cited “persisting doubts concerning the presentation of the facts of the case."

“The Swiss decision spells bad news for the U.S’ case against Polanski," Reuland said. "While there is no statute of limitations, it seems that California really dropped the ball on the charges. They lay there for 30 years and it appears California didn’t actively pursue it. The Swiss government probably had severe discomfort with that.”

Switzerland handles about 200 extradition requests a year and only about 5 percent are rejected, Widmer-Schlumpf said.

And Reuland says that while California is probably embarrassed by Switzerland’s decision, this could also be the end of their efforts to pursue Polanski, which is probably costing “millions and millions of dollars.”

“At some point, California prosecutors have to decide whether they want to keep at something that is taking so much effort and cost. His public nature plays a big role in why they have pursued it for so long now. But after a certain point, California starts looking like the bad guy in a severely botched case,” he said.

“It’s pretty hard to look like the bad guy in a child rape case, but somehow California managed to do it.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

New Book Teaches Women the Art of Low-Fat Dressing

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:39:08 -0400

Imagine a world where women wouldn’t have to ask their friends and partners, “Do I look fat in this?”

That’s exactly the world that fashion expert Charla Krupp is trying to turn into a reality. The best-selling author of “How Not to Look Old” is back with a second book called “How to Never Look Fat Again” and she is sharing some of her top secrets to dressing thinner with Fox411.com.

A former magazine editor and “Today Show” stylist, Krupp says one of the most important things a woman can do for herself is to shop for the size and shape she is at this second.

“Women tend to put on big baggy clothes to hide their bodies and conceal what they don’t want anyone to see,” Krupp told 411. “But when you wear sizes that are too big for you, you look bigger than you are … You have to wear something that shows your body shape, because you might not drop another pound, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel good.”

Krupp said her main goal was to ensure that women feel good about themselves, even if they aren’t at their ideal weight.

And the biggest thing keeping from real women from feeling their best? That would be arm jiggle, back fat, muffin tops and other frightening terms that plague the majority of us as we shop for jeans, tops and dresses.

A big reason for this, Krupp tells 411, is that the average woman is wearing the wrong underwear. In fact, she says that 50 percent of looking ten pounds thinner is wearing the proper undergarments.

“There’s no way around it,” she said. “A woman MUST go to a store where she can get fitted. You can’t be a mom of four who hasn’t been bra-fitted since your first child. And on that same note, get rid of every pair of underpants that doesn’t do anything for you. You should be wearing things that will smooth you out every single day.”

But aside from investing in underwear, a fat-free wardrobe doesn’t have to cost a fortune. After all, Krupp says even stars like Jennifer Lopez and Charlize Theron make fashion mistakes, like their Oscars dresses.

“Don’t buy a whole new wardrobe because you already probably have everything you need in your closet, it’s just hidden away,” Krupp said. “Keep your closet full of fat-free clothes.”

Krupp even provides readers with a list of the “100 Most Fattening Things You Can Wear,” like down vests, acid-washed jeans and Crocs. “You have to go through your closet and assess each piece. If you have to wonder if you look fat in something, get rid of it.”

EXCLUSIVE: Jerry Lewis Says His Chemistry With Dean Martin Will Never Be Replicated

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:35:36 -0400

Comedy icon Jerry Lewis says his special relationship with Dean Martin, and the specific time in history when they achieved fame, means their comedic chemistry can never be duplicated.

In an exclusive interview with FOX411.com, Lewis, 84, said the commercial success he and Martin enjoyed was a direct result of storming the scene in post-war America.

“Dean and I teamed up in ’46, we were the answer to America’s need for laughter,” Lewis said at the Friar’s Club in New York City, where he was being honored with a lifetime achievement award. “Had it been another time [in history], I don’t know what would have happened. But because of the timing, I said to him the first night that we got things happening ... that we have lightning in a bottle.”

Despite reports to the contrary, Lewis said he and Martin supported each other, even after they parted ways in 1956.

“He was so proud when I made it, “ Lewis said.

And while Lewis praised Martin, Oscar-winner Quentin Tarantino offered praise for Lewis’ career, which has spanned six decades.

“Jerry Lewis has always dealt with genre in his stuff,” Tarantino told FOX411.com when we asked him how Lewis has inspired his own work. “And not necessarily spoofs, taking a set genre and not necessarily spoofing it, but going his own way with it. That’s just another description of what I do, he’s just done it his way.”

See more from Jerry Lewis’ lifetime achievement award ceremony below.

EXCLUSIVE: Email Shows Police Escort on VIP List for Diddy Appearance; Police Deny Their Officers Involved

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:56:03 -0400

Conflicting accounts surfaced Tuesday about whether hip hop mogul P. Diddy was escorted to a club performance in New Jersey Friday by a convoy of on-duty New York City and New Jersey police officers.

The New York Post reported the rapper was escorted to a performance at West Orange’s Club 4 Sixty 6 by a convoy of several police cars, to ensure he would arrive on time from New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom to secure a reported $75,000 payday.

John Mahdessian, who owns a high-end couture dry-cleaning service in New York City, told FOX411 Tuesday that he personally organized the convoy by calling in a few favors for his famous friend.

“At the 12th hour, his helicopter wasn’t approved in West Orange and Diddy needed to get to New Jersey on time to perform,” Mahdessian said. “I said, ‘I can handle this, no problem, and within moments, I secured an Escalade, Bentleys, a police convoy that blared him through the Lincoln Tunnel and into New Jersey.”

When asked about the cost and payment for the convoy, Mahdessian tells FOX 411 that he called in a favor to the city to “take care of it” for Diddy.

“We’ve been in business in this city for 50 years and I never ask for favors, so they called this one in,” he said. “It was on the house, I worked it out. I’ve got a lot of clout in this city.”

But Vincent Carroll, who owns Vegas Style Entertainment, the company that organized the event, tells FOX 411 that Mahdessian is full of hot air, denying any claims of a police convoy.

“I don’t even know who this guy is,” Carroll said. “There was absolutely no police detail. It’s hard for presidents to secure convoys, much less Diddy. It would have cost way too much money. He arrived via a car service, that’s all.”

However, an event attendee tells FOX411 they saw several police cars, with lights on, bring Diddy to the event and later escort his vehicle away from the venue.

More telling was an email obtained by FOX411 requesting that Diddy’s “police escorts” would be placed on the VIP list for the event, where they would rub elbows with film directors, rappers and reality television stars.

The email lists the group as “Diddy’s Police Escorts NY to NJ (NonStop),” and requested the spot in VIP under the name “Jeff. Beri +7”

According to Mahdessian, the convoy consisted of mostly NYPD officers, both on and off duty, and also included some New Jersey State law enforcement.

But the NYPD, New Jersey State Police and the Essex County Sherriff’s Office all tell FOX411 otherwise.

While the NYPD says they were indeed contacted about securing a convoy, Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne tells FOX411 that a sergeant gave an unauthorized direction to a police officer to escort Diddy one block.

"After being repeatedly rebuffed by police officers on the street and a police lieutenant at the station house, a dry cleaner claiming to represent Sean Combs apparently prevailed upon a sergeant to direct a police van driven by a police officer to escort Combs a total of one city block from mid W. 35th St., closer to 9th Ave, across 9th Ave and another half block to Dyer Ave, after which the Combs party drove unescorted ," Browne told FOX411. "Although a distance of just one block, the assistance provided was unauthorized and is under investigation. Assertions that Combs was escorted by the NYPD into New Jersey are false."

As for NJ State Police, Acting Chief Frank Davis tells FOX411, “Our headquarters and the local Troop B have no record of that happening. We do not do those types of escorts and our Troopers are not allowed to do any kind of off-duty security.”

Similarly, the Essex County Sheriff’s department told FOX411 that they were not aware of any kind of police detail traveling through the county Friday night.

A rep for the township of West Orange did confirm that 11 local officers were on duty at the venue, but mostly to direct traffic, and were not involved in escorting Diddy inside.

“We were asked to provide a police escort and we declined,” the rep said. “We are also working on obtaining $3,086.55 in overtime for West Orange Police,” the rep added.

Mahdessian later clarified his earlier statements, saying that “off-duty police officers” escorted Diddy’s car for a total of “maybe 30 seconds” to get them into the tunnel and out of the city.

A rep for Diddy did not immediately respond to comment.

Fashion A-Listers Team Up With Make A Wish Foundation to Make Four Teens' Style Dreams Come True

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:58:36 -0400

As designers around the world show collections the average person could never dream of affording, a few stars of the fashion world decided to give back to a group of teens battling life threatening illnesses.

Partnering with the Make a Wish Foundation, famed celebrity stylist Mary Alice Stephenson and “America’s Next Top Model” photographer Nigel Barker gave four girls a chance to escape the difficulties of their day-to-day struggles to glam up for a fashion makeover and photoshoot.

“The fashion industry has given me so much, and I love it and adore it, but I couldn’t continue in it without the layer of soul, and without the relationships and experiences that Make A Wish has given me,” Stephenson told FOX 411 on the set of the makeovers.

Stephenson, the National Fashion Ambassador for Make A Wish, put together the event along with her team. Calling in a few favors from pals like Barker and Angelina Jolie’s hairstylist Ted Gibson, they got to work on turning Angela, Azia, Shannon and Uniqwa into celebrities for the day.

The girls and their families were flown to New York City, where they toured the city and stayed at a swanky hotel. On set, they were primped by Hollywood’s finest makeup artists and stylists while they gave input on their looks. Racks of couture from the fashion industry’s biggest designers were brought in, including gowns worn by Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry.

Angela Deep, who at 14 is battling a heart defect, connective tissue disorder and Ehler-Danos syndrome, gushed that she would be channeling Jordin Sparks to bring out her inner diva.

“Getting my makeup done was my favorite part,” she told FOX411, adding that it was a nice distraction from the chronic joint pain she suffers from.

“I think she looks great without makeup,” her father Bill Deep joked. “But I’m enjoying watching her have such a great time. To see a smile on her face and all the people fussing over her -- it’s very nice.”

Like Deep, the parents seemed to be enjoying watching their daughters, who all dream of becoming fashion models, laugh and enjoy trading in their doctor chair for a makeup chair for the day.

Aquanetta Davis, whose 17-year-old daughter Azia is battling Lupus, said through tears that her daughter’s dreams and determination keep her inspired.

“I really had to get my relationship right with God to encourage her to keep moving,” she told FOX411. “In the beginning it was hard, seeing your child sick and not being able to relate to her pain. But she encourages me. She has and has always had a positive attitude.”

Azia, who said she was going for an edgy look that channeled Rihanna, was thrilled to get the chance to live out her dreams and experience the power of thinking positively.

“I wanted the wish to be granted for a long time,” she said. “It felt so good to hear that I had been selected. And to get to work with Nigel Barker is so exciting.”

Barker, who jokingly said he would be “cracking the whip to make sure they strike a pose” said it was an honor to work with the girls. Working with Make A Wish since 2004, he told FOX 411 that each time he grants a wish, it is better than the last.

“It’s one of the most touching things a person can do to ask to work with you specifically,” he said. “I’m a father of two young girls myself, and I know if one of them had a wish, I would do everything in my power to grant it for them. So I’m happy to be able to do that for someone else’s child.”

Military Caregivers and Wounded Female Soldiers Get Celebrity Makeovers Ahead of Veterans Day

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:05:29 -0500

Celebrity stylist Mary Alice Stephenson gave a group of wounded female veterans and veteran caregivers a red carpet makeover this week as part of a salute to those who take care of America’s service men and women.

“It’s been such an honor for all of us, I have brought together a world-renowned styling team, all my friends and favorite people in fashion to come surround these women with love,” Mary Alice Stephenson told FOX411.com.

Stephenson teamed up with the Bob Woodruff foundation to provide the women with a makeover for the red carpet at the Stand Up for Heroes event at the Beacon Theater in New York City. The event featured performances by Bruce Springsteen, Ricky Gervais and Jon Stewart.

FOX411 followed Cindy Parsons, who is the spokeswoman for “Warriors Speak” with the Wounded Warrior Project and is also the mother of a wounded veteran ,as she was pampered by the team. Parsons, who helped rehabilitate her son after he sustained a traumatic brain injury and a bilateral amputation, was one of the fifty women who were treated to celebrity-worthy makeovers.

“I was invited along with my son who is a Wounded Warrior,” Parsons told FOX411. “He was nominated to do the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s Stand Up for Heroes and I was asked to do a total makeover and I was totally overwhelmed.”

Stylists picked out a glitzy dress for Parsons from the clothing all donated by Sears and K-Mart, and was also treated to full hair and makeup from the Christian Dior and L’Oreal team.

“Cindy is a star, she is a hero; we are honored to work with her,” Stephenson said. “ All of the sacrifices that she has made, that her son has made fighting for our country, we’re just honored.”

EXCLUSIVE: Denise Richards: 'No One Knows What Goes On Behind Closed Doors'

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:32:30 -0500

In the midst of all the drama that continues to surround her ex-husband Charlie Sheen and their two daughters, Denise Richards defended her family to FOX411, saying people shouldn’t be so quick to judge other people ‘situations.

At Wednesday night’s Heart Truth’s Red Dress Fashion Show in New York City, Richards said, “It’s easy to judge on the outside, no one knows what’s really going on behind closed doors.”

“You never know what’s going on unless you’re in that person’s shoes,” she added.

It’s undoubtedly been a tough few months for Richards, after Sheen was hospitalized last month after a reported drug and booze-filled 36-hour bender.

Since then, Sheen has voluntarily entered rehabilitation treatment at his home. But for those close to him, a great deal of stress over the troubled star’s life choices seems to be a harsh reality.

According to Us magazine, Sheen’s parents Martin and Janet Sheen are reportedly considering filing a conservatorship over his finances, while his bosses at CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” have said they were increasingly worried about him.

But Richards, who is raising their five and six-year-old daughters, is reportedly doing everything in her power to protect the girls from the countless reports in the media about their father. And, as she told FOX411 last night, she herself is trying to stay healthy under a stressful situation.

“People will say what they want," she said."But I’ve learned to ignore it.”

David Letterman Beefs Up Security After Jihadist Threat

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:34:55 -0400

Days after a jihadist had made violent threats against him, late-night comedian David Letterman tightened security at the Manhattan theater where he tapes his “Late Show.”

A source told the New York Post Friday that additional security precautions were taken at the Ed Sullivan Theater after a Muslim extremist called for Letterman's tongue to be cut out on Shumuka al-Islam forum, a popular Internet destination for radical Muslims.

"Is there not among you a Sayyid Nosair al-Mairi ... to cut the tongue of this lowly Jew and shut it forever?" a user identified as Umar Al-Basrawi wrote, referring to El Sayyid Nosair, who was convicted of the 1990 killing of Jewish Defense League founder Meir Kahane. Letterman is not Jewish.

A law enforcement official who asked to remain anonymous told FoxNews.com on Thursday that while the FBI suspects the post was made by a lone wolf, investigators were scrubbing the site where the threat was posted and conducting database searches to see if the individual was already on their radar.

But a longtime television writer and producer told FOX411.com that he was not surprised at the reaction Letterman received from the extremist community.

“I always say, you cannot reason a man out of a concept that he has not been reasoned into,” Jerry Perzigian told FOX411.

According to Perzigian, Letterman’s team of writers is not likely to back down or censor any of their material in light of the recent threats made against him.

“He milked the Sarah Palin joke for days and the same with his sex scandal,” he said. “Today’s comedians will do anything for a laugh. I’m sure they will relish in it.”

Muslim extremists have targeted several media figures.

Last year, Comedy Central was forced to censor episodes of its show “South Park” after extremists made death threats against the show’s creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone over an episode featuring a cartoon depiction of the prophet Muhammad.

Author Salman Rushdie also spent years in hiding after Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini urged he be killed for blasphemy after writing the book "The Satanic Verses."

Filmmaker Theo van Gogh was killed on an Amsterdam street in 2004 by a Dutch Muslim angered by his film "Submission," a fictional study of abused Muslim women.

According to Perzigian, these threats will likely continue and could have an effect on the kind of material that comedians release.

“While political correctness kills comedy, I think people are going to be more and more afraid of radical Islam, more so than other extremist groups,” he said. “These threats are not laughing matters.”

Officials told FoxNews.com Thursday that if there was any reason to believe that the threat would actually be carried out, the FBI would intercede and mitigate the threat.

A rep for Letterman did not respond to request for comment from FOX411.

- FoxNews.com's Jana Winter and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ladies in Red: Hollywood Stars Work the Carpet at the Heart Truth's Red Dress Fashion Show

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:07:59 -0500

To officially kick off Fashion Week in New York City, the Heart Truth’s Red Dress Fashion show brings together some of Hollywood’s biggest stars to work the runway to raise awareness for heart disease.

Wearing stunning red gowns designed by the industry’s biggest names, stars like Denise Richards, Audrina Patridge, Patti LaBelle and Suzanne Somers all walked the catwalk in designs by Matthew Williamson, Badgley Mischka, Zang Toi and Ina Soltani.

The Heart Truth outs on the fashion show twice a year to raise awareness for women about heart disease. The Red Dress was introduced as a national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Singer Patti LaBelle told FOX411 that she suffers from a baby heart murmur, and walked to remind women to “remind themselves to get checked up,” as heart disease is the number one killer of women.

Surgeon General Regina Benjamin revealed that the event was her first real fashion show, but noted that, fun aside, the event’s main priority was prevention.

“We really want to prevent heart attacks and particularly in women, we want to raise awareness that you know what to look for if you have any signs or symptoms and when to call for help. And to have these celebrities here to help us get that message out is so important,” she said.

Actress and fitness/lifestyle author Suzanne Somers spoke of a similar message, urging women to “pay attention to your genetics but also to your diet and lifestyle because every choice you make today will affect your outcome.”

Chris Brown Could Face Charges Following Alleged Violent Outburst at 'Good Morning America'

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:57:46 -0400

Chris Brown could be in trouble with the law once again following an alleged violent outburst at ABC’s “Good Morning America” studios.

Brown, 21, reportedly became enraged Tuesday and smashed a huge plate glass window after being asked questions about his 2009 domestic violence conviction following the brutal assault of his former girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna.

Brown was interviewed by ABC's Robin Roberts, who asked the singer several questions about Rihanna, and about his new number-one album, “FAME,” including what it stood for.

“Forgiving All My Enemies and Fans Are My Everything,” he said.

Roberts asked who those enemies were, and if Brown understood why some people might see him in a negative light following his assault conviction.

“I’ve been focusing on this album,” Brown said, growing visibly annoyed. “So definitely this album is what I want them to talk about, and not what happened in the past, two years ago.”

Following the interview, the singer reportedly stormed into his dressing room and screamed so loudly that other guests and people backstage called security.

During the fit, Brown smashed an exterior window of his dressing room with a chair, according to multiple reports. The damage to the window was extensive, with the ground below cordoned off due to broken glass fragments. A security guard on the scene told FOX411.com he could not comment on the incident, but was told to monitor the sidewalk to make sure pedestrians would not step on any glass and get hurt.

Brown was photographed leaving the building without his shirt on, reportedly confronting a segment producer before employees stepped in to intervene.

The NYPD said no charges or complaints had yet been filed by ABC or anyone else regarding the alleged early-morning incident. But with Brown still on probation from his 2009 assault conviction, an attorney tells FOX411.com that if he was charged and convicted of a crime, Brown could be facing jail time.

“In the state of New York, criminal mischief is described as intentional damage to property,” Criminal Defense Attorney Thomas Kenniff said. “If the damage exceeds $1,000, it’s a felony charge. If it’s less, it’s a misdemeanor. Either one, however, is criminal and punishable by jail time.”

“If he is still on probation and charged with a criminal offense, the violation would spell jail time,” Kenniff added. “You aren’t going to give someone who violates their probation more probation. A judge would likely give him the alternative sentence, which is jail time.”

Sources connected to the production told TMZ that Robin Roberts asked Brown before the interview began if he would be comfortable answering questions about the Rihanna incident, to which he answered yes.

ABC told FOX411.com in a statement, ""As always, we ask questions that are relevant and newsworthy, and that's what we did in this interview with Mr. Brown."

An email to Brown's rep was not immediately returned.

Following the incident, Brown Tweeted, “I’m so over people bring this past s**t up!! Yet we praise Charlie sheen and other celebs for [their] bullsh**t”

Minutes later, he deleted the Tweet, replacing it with “All my fans!!! This album is for you and only you!!! I’m so tired of everyone else!! Honestly!! I love team breezy!!”

Roberts also Tweeted following the incident, writing, "Sure has been an interesting AM @GMA. Still sorting thru everything myself. Just my 2nd day on twitter, wonder what tomorrow will bring?"

FoxNews.com's Joshua Rhett Miller contributed to this report.

'The Middle' Star Patricia Heaton Takes to Twitter to Raise Awareness for Adoption Charity

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 07:22:06 -0400

Television star Patricia Heaton says her involvement with a new charity that aids in the adoption of children with disabilities has been some of her most meaningful work to date.

The former “Everybody Loves Raymond” actress, who now appears on the successful sitcom “The Middle” volunteered to donate $1 for every person who follows charitable ministry Reece’s Rainbow on Twitter up to $10,000 in an effort to raise awareness for the organization’s work.

“ I found out about Reece’s Rainbow online after doing some research on the trouble that children who suffer from Down Syndrome face in being adopted domestically and especially internationally, where many countries institutionalize these children,” Heaton told FOX411. “I just started crying immediately, it was so upsetting to learn about the challenges these children face.”

“The idea that a child could be institutionalized when there are people here willing to adopt them but maybe don’t have the financial means was so upsetting,” she added. “With travel, lawyers and more, it can cost upwards of $30,000.”

“I felt it was a problem I could have some impact on,” she said. “ I had just hit 10,000 followers on Twitter and I said, ‘what better what to commemorate this little milestone but to try to help get this organization some recognition on Twitter. So I said I would donate a dollar for every new follower.”

“As a parent myself, you think about all the ills of social media, but this technology is amazing when you see what it can do to impact a cause like this,” Heaton said.

Heaton added that her goal for using Twitter was to help raise awareness for the organization, which also helps children who are HIV positive and those with special needs.

“A lot of people said, ‘Why don’t you just donate the money?’ Well I wrote a check to the organization the first day we discussed this initiative. But this is a great way to help raise awareness. If just one person makes the decision to learn more about the ministry and adopt a child with Down Syndrome, that’s a life that has just been saved.”

“We want to de-stigmatize Down Syndrome,” she added. “I work in an industry where so much emphasis is placed on how you look or the type of things you have done. That kind of shallow value system has become part of our culture. We have to be a part of changing that way of thinking.”

Matt Lauer spent two years unemployed before he got his big break

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:05 -0400

“Today” anchor Matt Lauer was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2012. But back in the day, the seven-figure salaried talk show host considered giving it all up after spending some serious time on the unemployment line

At the Time 100 Gala, Lauer told Fox411.com that before he was hired at “Today,” he was at his “wit’s end” after being out of work for almost two years.

But when NBC took a chance on him, it changed his life forever. Now he recalls that time as being one of the most influential points in his career.

“I think most people would agree that [a big break] is one person taking a chance, and one person believing in you where others didn’t. I had a person like that in a guy named Bill Bolster, who called me out of the blue one day," Lauer said. "And I had been unemployed for about two years and I was at my wit’s end and he said, ‘I saw a tape from a couple of years ago and I like what I saw. Come talk to me’”

“When you have somebody in a position of power show interest in you after you’ve kind of been down and out, that’s a big boost,” he told Fox411. “And he gave me that and then kind of shepherded me through the process and helped me get this job.”

“The View” creator and legendary journalist Barbara Walters shared a similar experience, saying the most influential moment in her career was her transition from ABC to NBC to be the first female co-anchor of a network news program.

“I was an enormous flop,” she told Fox411.com.“That was pretty influential.”

Check out other stars’ most influential moments at the 100 Most Influential People red carpet.

Fox411 QA: After 32-year search, Oliver North reunited with stolen Marine Corps sword on 'Auction Kings'

Wed, 30 May 2012 08:46:34 -0400

For more than three decades, Fox News' "War Stories" host Oliver North has been actively looking for his stolen dress sword, which was issued to him upon his graduation in 1968 from the U.S Naval Academy, and stolen from him in 1980.

After 32 years and several different "owners," the sword came to the team on Discovery Channel's "Auction Kings." From there, the team embarked on a journey to reunite North with the sword, which carries a strong emotional attachment for him.

In an episode of "Auction Kings," which airs May 31, North was finally reunited with the sword. He took some time to chat with Fox411 about the experience and why the timing of the episode means more to him than ever.

Fox411: Tell me about what the sword meant to you as a soldier.

Oliver North: Well, I think anyone who lost something that was treasured to them can identify with what I went through. The sword was presented to me on the day of my graduation from the Naval Academy in 1968. I cut our wedding cake with it and have worn it in countless ceremonies and moments with my wife and children.

It was stolen in 1980. It wasn’t about the value – I think it cost about $450 or $500 then. But it wasn’t about being expensive, this was something that was a part of who I am and a part of your identity.

Fox411: Take us through what happened when it was stolen in 1980.

ON: I was being transferred from my station in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina to Newport, Rhode Island and they come in and pack everything up for you. One entire wardrobe containing some of my uniforms and my sword didn’t arrive in Newport. It just disappeared somehow off the bus. We filed insurance claims and the necessary paperwork but didn’t have success locating it.

Periodically, I’d hear about it over the years. Someone would write me a note saying they had heard about someone having it. But I never did manage to track it down until it showed up on “Auction Kings.”

Fox411: The “Auction Kings” team initially tried unsuccessfully to reach you last year, when the sword was first brought in, correct?

ON: Yes, the folks at Gallery 63, who appear on “Auction Kings,” had the sword come to them last fall. They went through an authentication process and tried to reach out to me immediately, but I was out of the country. So a collector bid on it and won.

Then a classmate of mine sent me a really funny e-mail when the episode with my sword aired. He joked about my work saying, “I didn’t realize how tough it had gotten for you guys in television.” You know, the kind of jokes that only an old buddy can stick to you.

Well, to make a long story short, the “Auction Kings” and Discovery Channel team said, “let’s see if we can get this reunited with him” and we filmed the process for an upcoming episode.

Fox411: What was it like meeting the man who had bid on your sword?

ON: Oh, he was a nice, decent guy and a collector. No one I have met in this process was anything short of great. Everyone was looking to help me get my sword back, which I really appreciated.

Fox411: How was the moment when you were reunited with the sword?

ON: Well, I’m not so connected to material things, but what I really felt was an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Because it’s not really about the sword, it’s about the sentimental connection to it. Every one of us that graduated that day had our swords measured to fit us in a centuries old tradition. Some of my buddies and my fellow graduates from that class are gone now, so it was good to have it back.

Fox411: And the timing of the episode coincides with a key moment in history?

ON: Yes, the episode airs right after Memorial Day, and this year it coincides with the 50-year Anniversary of the Vietnam War. What’s neat about this story coming out now is that it’s a Vietnam era sword. Every marine that was commissioned that day, 88 of us, on June 6,1968 – everyone had a sword. Some are buried with their swords, some have passed on. It has a very special meaning to all of us, so it’s a great tribute to all those soldiers who served. So between the timing and getting it back to me, the experience has been just great.

“Auction Kings” airs on its new night and time, Thursdays from 9-10 p.m. EDT on Discovery Channel.

Anti-Defamation League slams Urban Outfitters over shirt featuring perceived Holocaust imagery

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:23:46 -0400

The Anti-Defamation League is calling out retailer Urban Outfitters for a shirt the Jewish group claims bears a symbol strikingly similar to the one used by Nazis to identify Jews during the Holocaust.

The sale of the shirt, which comes on the heels of National Holocaust Remembrance Day, is just the latest in a long line of offensive products from Urban Outfitters, the ADL tells FoxNews.com.

The T-shirt, sold by the Philadelphia-based Urbn Inc. but manufactured by Dutch label Wood Wood, is a yellow and features a blue six-pointed star on a breast pocket. But the ADL tells FoxNews.com that it’s far more sinister than just a simple tee -- and is reminiscent of the yellow badges that Jews were forced by the Nazis to wear during the Holocaust.

“It’s a new low in Urban Outfitter’s consistent use of various offensive messages in what appears to be a quest for attention,” Barry Morrison, the Philadelphia regional director of the ADL, told FoxNews.com. “We are very troubled by it.”

“The juxtaposition of the six-pointed star on a yellow shirt brings about associations with the yellow Star of David that the Jews were forced to wear. A symbol marking Jews as subhuman -- setting them apart and ultimately paving the way for their annihilation.”

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Urban Outfitters did not respond to FoxNews.com’s request for comment.

The manufacturer of the shirt, which retails for $100, reached out to the ADL with an apology Monday, assuring that the logo consists of “patchwork and geometric patterns” and that it was not a Star of David. The company added that the shirt was part of the spring/summer collection for Wood Wood, but that the design from the breast pocket was ultimately removed from the final product after concerns were raised over its resemblance to the Holocaust imagery.

ADL National Director Abraham Foxman praised Wood Wood, saying it recognized “early on the shirt’s potentially offensive imagery and changed the design so the six-pointed star-shaped logo would no longer appear.”

The logo, however, can still be seen as the lead image on the Wood Wood website’s clothing collections page.

Moreover, the image of the T-shirt with the design somehow ended up on Urban Outfitters catalog site. Wood Wood, which previously has faced accusations that their products contain war symbolism, blamed Urban Outfitters for the “error” in displaying an earlier sample of the T-shirt.

Morrison told FoxNews.com that ADL was calling upon Urban Outfitters not only to remove the shirt from the site but also to respond to their several attempts to correspond with the company over what they claim is a history of selling blatantly offensive material.

“Urban Outfitters has a long history of putting out products that are problematic. They have offended Jews, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Irish-Americans and Catholics,” Morrison said. “For St. Patrick’s Day, they released a T-shirt with the words, 'Irish I was Drunk.' They have also released products like 'Ghettoopoly' or a Jesus doll on a cross that could be dressed up in different outfits, including a costume of the devil.”

“They have continuously crossed the line into incivility,” he added. “We have asked them in the past to meet with us so we can discuss these issues, but we have never received a reply. There is a way to be successful without offending or belittling people.”

'Safe House' star Denzel Washington says film's waterboarding scene 'disorienting'

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:26:39 -0500

In Denzel Washington’s new thriller "Safe House," the actor and executive producer of the film did his own stunts in a scene where he was waterboarded. Washington and his co-stars tell Fox411 that the experience was quite difficult to film.

“It’s disorienting when you’re put back like that and you try not to breathe,” Washington told Fox411. “I'm a good swimmer, so I relaxed and tried to not take in any water, but you can’t help it.”

“I gave away all the secrets,” he joked.

“It was very nerve-wracking for me because I was worried about Denzel,” Washington’s co-star Robert Patrick, who administered the filmed punishment, told Fox411. “Obviously, it was very arduous for him, he had a difficult time with it, but he got through it. He wanted to do it, so my hat’s off to him. We had stunt guys, we did various takes with and without him. [But] he did it multiple times.”

Patrick added that he and the film’s co-stars were happy to be a part of the film because they are fascinated by the CIA and the armed forces.

“It’s one of the great things about my job,” he said of playing members of the forces.

"Safe House" opens nationwide on Friday.

Hugh Jackman offers Valentine's Day advice, talks Newman-esque food line

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:05:23 -0500

Hugh Jackman says his new line of fair-trade, charitable coffee, tea and chocolate products could make the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your partner this year, provided they aren’t on a diet.

“Well, my wife is on a diet, so chocolate can be thorny to give,” he told Fox411.com. “But I love those products and I eat chocolate every day, so everything in moderation is key.”

“If I have any advice to give, I’d say it’s all about the element of surprise," he added. "If you’ve given something in the past, do something new. If you’ve never given chocolates, then I say go for it, maybe just not 6,000 of them.”

Jackman’s company, called Laughing Man, makes chocolates, coffee and tea in the same philanthropic vein as Paul Newman’s food products. “I was inspired by Newman’s company,” he said. “I had been looking for an opportunity to start a business like that and when I traveled to Ethiopia to work with a coffee farmer out there, the ideas came together.”

All of the profits from the sale of the coffee goes back to the farmers and investors in the company have a chance to give a big part of the return back to charity, Jackman said.

“I wanted to create jobs and opportunities,” he said. “I’m interested in the business end of it for those involved, of course, but it stemmed from a philanthropic impulse.”

And while he does prefer to indulge in his products once in a while, the actor, who recently completed a stint on Broadway, is back in training for his next two films “Les Miserables” and “The Wolverine.” “

"If you could see me right now, you’d be laughing,” he said. “I have a piece of chicken breast on a fork and a plate of green beans here I’m about to dig into. I’m back to being pretty strict right now because my character in ‘Les Miserables’ is in pretty good shape in the beginning of the film. Then, obviously I have to be in great shape for ‘Wolverine.’”

Jackman added that his success on both the stage and in film has come as a surprise to him and that it all stemmed from his fear of being unemployed.

“In Australia, they make about one action film a year, so I had to keep myself open to everything,” he said. “ It’s fair to say I never ever thought I’d have the opportunity to have gone as far as I did.”

Somalian Terror Organization Shabab al Mujahideen Looks to 'Throw the West Into Hell'

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:18:39 -0400

Editor's Note: FoxNews.com originally ran this article in November, 2008 as an in-depth look into the growing threat from the Al-Qaeda-linked terror group.

In the summer of 2007, a 28-year-old father of three from Houston, Texas, shocked his country when he became the first American ever to be convicted of receiving military training at a terrorist camp in Somalia.

Daniel Maldonado, an offbeat, outspoken young man who sported tattoos and dreadlocks, committed himself to wage jihad outside the United States and went to Somalia to receive training. It was there that he mastered the violent “arts” of homicide bombing, building IEDs and engaging in hand-to-hand combat.

Maldonado’s training in jihad came from Shabab al Mujahideen, a group the State Department on Feb. 29, 2008, designated as a highly dangerous foreign terrorist organization.

Shabab al Mujahideen, which espouses radical Islamic rule and has close ties to Al Qaeda, is best known for operating training camps for people seeking a more extreme form of Jihad. It also has been forging relations with Somali pirates who have recently been intercepting and holding for ransom several international shipping vessels. Shabab's ultimate goal, as articulated in an April statement, is to throw the West "into hell.”

Click here for more background on al-Shabah.

The terror organization's main focus, according to the non-profit research group Nine Eleven Finding Answers (NEFA) Foundation, which granted FOX News exclusive access to its detailed reports on the activities of terrorists, is its elaborate network of terror camps that is attracting fundamentalists from around the world.

This trend, NEFA warns, could explode in the near future. The fear is that Shabab's training will give anyone with the desire to attack Western targets the knowledge to act alone.

“We are now seeing a disturbing pattern of lone-wolf style individuals — such as Maldonado — who have been inspired to join Shabab in order to do their part in confronting the newest ‘crusader battlefront,’” NEFA said.

Maldonado left his wife and three young children behind to pursue a life of jihad, beginning with his training at a Shabab camp. Early in 2007, he fled the camp when it was invaded by the Ethiopian military. He was later arrested by Kenyan authorities and transferred to U.S. custody.

After a lengthy interrogation by the FBI and a subsequent trial in Houston, he was convicted of receiving training from a terrorist organization. He was sentenced in July, 2007, to 10 years in federal prison.

Click here to read the criminal complaint against Maldonado.

After the trial, FBI Director Robert Mueller praised the cooperation among international authorities that led to Maldonado's conviction. But the disturbing implications of his case lingered. During his interrogation, Maldonado said Shabab is not only intent upon creating an army of extremists for a crusade against the West, but it also seeks to establish an extremist Islamic network of unrivaled strength.

As the armed wing of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), Shabab was initially packaged and promoted to the people of Somalia as a “law and order” organization. Indeed, the collapse of the Somali government in the 1990s — when clan warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre -- resulted in years of violence and instability. But what began with a promise to bring order to a broken, war-torn African nation rapidly developed into a new — and increasingly deadly — frontier in the war on terror.

Click here for video from the group's training camp.

According to Dr. J. Peter Pham, professor of justice studies and political science at James Madison University in Virginia, Somalia's conflict with Ethiopia destroyed much of Shabab’s original leadership. What has replaced it is a group of cavalier fundamentalists with a desire to create a “Taliban-like” government in the country, similar to what existed in Afghanistan before the September 11 attacks.

Just as disturbing is Shabab's association with the Somali pirates.

While Shabab's original leaders discouraged a connection to the pirates, the new generation appears to be developing a burgeoning relationship with the outlaws. “Right now, the relationship between Shabab and the pirates is one built out of convenience,” Pham said.

“In return for allowing pirates to operate out of ports south of the city of Mogadishu, which are all controlled by Shabaab, it is receiving from the ransom the pirates demand for hijacked ships.” Now analysts are concerned that Shabab will develop a more significant relationship with the pirates, one that could result in an organization with the power to terrorize a struggling global economy.

“There is a real danger that they might see an opportunity for real economic impact,” Pham said, In a worst-case scenario, he said, “Shabaab might say, ‘Individual [homicide] bombers are effective, why not [homicide] tankers?’”

As it is now, the ransom money the pirates share helps fund Shabab's jihadi cause, most likely in the form of weapons for its terror camps. Its efforts in that regard have not gone unnoticed — Shabab has garnered the praise of Usama bin Laden on multiple occasions.

According to NEFA, as early as 2006, bin Laden accused the West of interfering in Somalia’s politics as part of its "crusade" against Islam.

“We promise the almighty Allah that we will fight soldiers on the land of Somalia with his help and power,” bin Laden said. “We also reserve the right to punish them on their own land and in any available place at any time or in any way which is convenient for us.”

As Al Qaeda camps in areas like Pakistan and Afghanistan have come under increasing international scrutiny, NEFA said, Shabab camps have “developed into a cheaper and more readily available alternative for jihadi recruits living in the West and seeking an appropriate venue to obtain expert instruction in the arts of terrorism.” Video footage obtained by NEFA shows young men enduring a grueling preparation for war.

Shabab camps not only provide their fighters with weapons and ammunition, but also offer courses on bomb construction that are taught by Al Qaeda extremists. Click here to see video of one of Shabab's training camps in Somalia. At night, according to Maldonado, members of Shabab gather together to share tales of bin Laden and his exploits.

Indeed, NEFA said, “Shabab has proudly draped itself in the flag of Al Qaeda and the philosophy of global jihad against the U.S.”

The terrorists welcome their placement with "other honorable men" on the State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Both NEFA and Pham caution that the U.S. must take immediate steps to deal with the threat of Shabab beyond giving it a mere designation on a list. “We have fought so hard since 9/11 against terrorism,” Pham said.

“We can’t afford to slip into the tendency of underestimating organizations like Shabab.”

Did 'American Idol' Play Part in Former Contestant's Death?

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:15:18 -0500

When the body of a former “American Idol” contestant who was obsessed with Paula Abdul was found outside the "Idol" judge's home Tuesday, several reports suggested that the woman's harsh rejection during her audition on the show may have sparked the downward spiral that ended in her apparent suicide.

But neither the “Idol” judges nor the show are to blame, a well-known psychiatrist told FOXNews.com.

“Goodspeed’s apparent suicide was certainly not just because of her experience on ‘American Idol’” said Dr. Keith Ablow, a FOX News contributor, pointing to the likelihood that Goodspeed, 30, suffered from several other serious mental health issues that led to her death.

“It’s certainly possible that someone who is emotionally vulnerable could be deeply injured by a perceived failure in the public eye,” Ablow said. “But her apparent suicide was certainly not just because of her experience on the show.”

Click here to see photos of Paula Goodspeed.

During the Season Five auditions in 2006, Goodspeed's rendition of "Proud Mary" was roundly criticized by “Idol” judge Simon Cowell and rejected by Abdul and judge Randy Jackson.

Goodspeed’s appearance, in addition to her performance, was trashed by bloggers and mocked by Cowell. On her MySpace page — which had not been updated since 2007 — she blogged about her experience:

"It's very hard reading such awful things being written about yourself," she wrote. " ... Just because I made the mistake of trying out for a singing competition before I was even ready vocally, emotionally and physically."

Ablow said Goodspeed may have used her "pathologic obsession" with Abdul as a shield against a number of problems — possibly including a feeling of worthlessness. In her blog, Goodspeed had shown signs of loneliness and depression.

“I have to believe there is something good about me,” she wrote.

Goodspeed's Family Led Authorities to Abdul's Home

Capt. Ross Bonifiglio of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Dept. said Goodspeed’s family had indicated that she was unstable and feared that she might overdose when they filed a missing-persons report. They had not seen her since 11 p.m. Monday.

“The caller informed us that Ms. Goodspeed might be in the area of Paula Abdul’s home, and we notified Los Angeles Police,” Bonifiglio told FOXNews.com.

When her vehicle was located at about 6 p.m. Tuesday, police found a photo of Abdul in the mirror. According to published reports, Goodspeed had been spotted outside Abdul’s home several times over the past few weeks.

In June, the department checked on Goodspeed at her home in Thousand Oaks after deputies received a tip from Los Angeles police that she might be at risk of harming herself, Bonfiglio said.

A source close to Abdul told FOXNews.com that Goodspeed had been aggressively stalking Abdul for as many as six years. According to the source, she would park her car and lurk around the house, but never initiated direct contact with Abdul other than at her "Idol" audition.

According to Ablow, her obsession with Abdul could have easily provided an impetus for her to audition for the show, although her MySpace page indicated that she had desired a career in music.

"Someone in Goodspeed's position might possibly place exaagerated importance on experiences like being picked to audition," Ablow said. "She may have interpreted those moments as added validity to her belief that there was a real relationship [between her and Paula Abdul.]"

In a statement yesterday, Abdul said she was, "deeply shocked and saddened at what transpired yesterday" and that her "heart and prayers go out to her family."

Still, according to the source, Goodspeed had caused her "great concern for a long time."

Representatives from "American Idol" did not comment.

Could "American Idol" Have Known About Her Mental State?

"Idol" contestants are required to sign a release form before auditioning. By signing, they agree to allow the show to reveal information that may be “personal, private … embarrassing or unfavorable,” which may expose them to “public ridicule, humiliation or condemnation.”

According to Ablow, it would be very difficult for “Idol” or other reality shows to screen potential contestants for mental instability.

“It is difficult even for psychiatrists to determine whether or not a person is suicidal,” he said.

A screening process could also raise potential ethical and discrimination issues as well, Ablow said.

Former “Idol” winner Carrie Underwood defended the judging process and Simon Cowell in particular in an interview with FOXNews.com earlier this year.

"[Cowell's] role, I guess, is to be the 'bad guy,' so I get angry when I see contestants up there arguing with him," Underwood said.

FOXNews.com's Hollie McKay and The Associated Press contributed to this report.