9 Things We Learned From Eminem’s Apple Music Interview
Jul02

9 Things We Learned From Eminem’s Apple Music Interview

Eminem made his presence felt today, as the first guest on Zane Lowe’s radio show through Apple Music’s Beats 1 station. The rapper mainly appeared on the program to talk about his involvement with “Southpaw,” a film that’s slated to hit theaters July 24. But the interview also allowed us to hear more about Em’s experience on “8 Mile” and his upcoming music video for “Phenomenal.” Here are nine takeaways from Slim’s Q&A: 1. The ’Phenomenal’ Video Will Be…Different “We’re just trying to do something different,” he said. “Put me in a different scenario, different set-up, different scenery.” 2. Here’s Why Em Isn’t In ’Southpaw’ “The actual movie, the concept, [came about] almost five years ago,” Em explained. “There was a script in the works. The idea, originally, was to have me in it. At the time that they were ready to shoot and everything was coming together, my schedule didn’t work with it.” 3. Jake Gyllenhaal’s Acting In ’Southpaw’ Impressed Slim “Seeing how Jake Gyllenhaal smashed this, it made sense that we still wanted something to do with the project,” he added. “So, we circled back around and said, ’What if we make music for it?’” 4. In Fact, He Thought The Whole Film Was ’Incredible’ “I wouldn’t change a thing about it,” he said. “The way that Jake did it, he smashed it. The movie’s incredibe.” 5. And He’s A ’Sons Of Anarchy’ Fan “Being a huge fan of ’Sons of Anarchy,’ as well, the chance to work […]

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From ‘Bad Blood’ to Britney: Five Highlights from the Billboard Music Awards
May18

From ‘Bad Blood’ to Britney: Five Highlights from the Billboard Music Awards

If anything can compete with the Mad Men finale on television, it’s an award show that finds Kanye West, Britney Spears and an absurdly celebrity-filled Taylor Swift video in one place. So here’s our rundown of the best moments of Sunday night’s Billboard Music Awards. Taylor Swift debuts the “Bad Blood” video Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” video generated more pre-release hype than most artists’ full-length albums, so you could have reasonably gotten sick of it before you even got to see it. But the video, which Swift finally premiered at the beginning of the Billboard Music Awards, lives up to its two promises: It’s high on concept and high on celebrities. Taking cues from Michael Jackson’s Thriller-era videos, the revenge-themed fantasy stars an uncharacteristically combative Swift as the boxing, war-declaring “Catastrophe” alongside fellow stars Selena Gomez, Jessica Alba, Cindy Crawford, Lena Dunham and Kendrick Lamar, who contributes rap verses to this new mix of the 1989 track. Kanye West performs “All Day” and “Black Skinhead,” gets censored Viewers couldn’t see much of Kanye West’s show-closing performance at the Billboard Music Awards—the rapper’s figure was surrounded by bright sparks and pyrotechnics. It was hard to hear him, too. West’s show was heavily censored, with notable periods of silence interrupting the verses. (By Rolling Stone’s count, more than a minute was cut off from the performance in sum.) But you could still catch the intensity in West’s (literally) fiery performance of new track “All Day” and the breathless Yeezus highlight “Black Skinhead.” […]

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7 Sneaky Reasons Springtime Makes Us Feel So Sleepy
Apr15

7 Sneaky Reasons Springtime Makes Us Feel So Sleepy

It’s safe to say that spring has finally sprung! The days are lighter, the breeze is warmer and we feel sleepier than ever. What gives? We anticipate having boundless energy as we leave our semi-hibernative states that protected us so well from the harsh winter, but many of us fall victim to substantial sleepiness as the seasons fluctuate. According to Natalie Dautovich, Ph.D., an environmental scholar with the National Sleep Foundation, much of this drowsiness is due to the fact that our bodies take time to adjust our sleep-wake cycles to match the new season patterns, and that timing is often out of sync with Mother Nature. Pair that biological shift with our subconscious behavioral changes that come along with the changing of the seasons, and you have a solid recipe for sleep deprivation. However, recognizing the elements that are effecting the quality and quantity of your shut-eye can go a long way in turning that spring sleepiness into the steady energy you so desire. Sure, we gained an extra hour of sunlight in the evening last month, but that doesn’t mean we feel ready to jump out of bed when that alarm clock screams at us in the morning. “With Daylight Saving Time, we experience a desynchronization with the daylight cycle, the clock time, and our sleep-wake rhythm,” Dautovich told The Huffington Post. Every person returns to that natural equilibrium at a different pace, and those who do so more slowly tend to really feel its effects as they […]

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Oprah Winfrey to auction contents from Chicago apartment
Mar17

Oprah Winfrey to auction contents from Chicago apartment

(Reuters) – Actress and media magnate Oprah Winfrey is selling antique furniture, paintings, prints, ceramics and memorabilia from her Chicago apartment next month to benefit her education foundation, the auction house running the sale said on Tuesday. The 571 lots in the Chicago sale on April 25 are mostly from her downtown condominium. Leslie Hindman Auctioneers said proceeds from the auction will go to The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation, which supports her education academy for girls in South Africa. “She is an excellent collector, very well educated,” Hindman said about Oprah. “She has lots of different interests and over the years she has collected all sorts of different things.” The top lot in the sale is expected to a painting by American Impressionist artist Richard Miller called “Nude in Red Robe,” which has a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. Various other paintings are expected to sell in the $20,000 to $40,000 range. Estimates for the total one-day sale and the complete catalog were not immediately available. In addition to the in-house auction, potential buyers can also place bids online. Lots from the sale, which will also include china, porcelain, fixtures, clothing and accessories, will be exhibited ahead of the auction from April 16 to 24. Winfrey, 61, is one of the richest and most powerful celebrities in the United States. Forbes magazine estimates her net worth at $3 billion. Earlier this month the former talk show host and philanthropist announced she would be closing Harpo Studios, where she […]

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Fox Lake polar plungers make splash for Special Olympics
Feb23

Fox Lake polar plungers make splash for Special Olympics

Nearly 450 brave and caring souls — not including crowds of families and fans — took a bone-chilling plunge in 11-degree weather Sunday under blue skies in Fox Lake. Forty-eight teams, which included the Vernon Hills Police Department “Frozen Copsicles,” the Stevenson High School “Patriot Plungers” and the Mundelein Police Department “Frozen” group, took turns splashing solo in shallow inflatable pools filled with initially ice-crusted Fox Lake water. “It only hurts for the two minutes after (you hit) the water,” said Trisha Smith, of Libertyville. “But by then, you realize how much money you raised and it’s all worth it.” The ninth annual Fox Lake Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Illinois began at 1 p.m and ended after about 40 minutes of diving in and out of the pools. Warming tents were set up several feet away with accommodations separated for men and women. Some of the folks who lined the observation fence had towels on hand to wrap their pal or loved one in a warming hug moments after plungers emerged from the pools. Some plungers had steam coming off of their backs. And yes, there were many shocked screams to accompany the cheers. “I’m very proud,” said Don Hansen, deputy chief of the Mundelein Police Department, complimenting his staff. “It’s just that sacrifice to be willing to put yourself through those rigors to help the less fortunate.” The day’s fundraising goal was $130,000 and was still being verified as of Sunday afternoon, said Lauren […]

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Brian Williams’ ‘Nightly News’ suffers ratings drop, falls behind ABC’s ‘World News Tonight’
Feb09

Brian Williams’ ‘Nightly News’ suffers ratings drop, falls behind ABC’s ‘World News Tonight’

There’s more writing on Brian Williams’ wall. Two days after the NBC News anchor apologized for lying about dodging danger during the Iraq War, his nightly newscast was beaten in the ratings by rival ABC’s “World News Tonight.” ABC’s broadcast had 8.46 million viewers on Friday while NBC’s “Nightly News” had just under 8 million, the Nielsen company reported. From time to time, ABC has beaten NBC in the daily ratings. On the previous Friday, Jan. 30, ABC outpaced NBC by almost 400,000 viewers. But the latest Nielsen report is troubling for Williams and the Peacock Network because NBC has been consistently winning the ratings war on a week-to-week basis. The new Nielsen numbers came after Williams announced he was temporarily leading the anchor chair for a few days — and after the attention-loving anchorman pulled out of a Thursday appearance on the David Letterman show. Williams’ moves came on the heels of a report by the Daily News that NBC has launched an internal investigation into the his fibbing. The 55-year-old anchor has taking flak for falsely claiming to have been on board a military chopper in Iraq that was forced down by enemy fire in 2003 Williams apologized Wednesday, saying he had made “a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago.” “I said I was traveling in an aircraft that was hit by (enemy) fire,” he said. “Instead, I was in the following aircraft.” But Williams has repeatedly made this “mistake,” most recently in an on-air […]

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