Zayn Malik’s Debut Solo Single “Pillowtalk” Has Arrived!

IMG_2709It’s the moment all One Direction fans dreaded!  The moment when the 23-year-old would drop his first solo single since leaving One Direction mid-tour in March 2015.

Now, as a woman in her 30’s, I’ve had my share of boy band heartbreaks!  Nsync broke up.  Need I say more?  Ok, maybe I can.  NKOTB split up for years (and got back together so maybe there’s hope for a reunion when they’re in their 40’s Directioners!), Backstreet Boys lost Kevin for a while (and got him back), etc.  It happens, and it stinks, but we saw this happen with Justin Timberlake, didn’t we?  He needed something more than the cookie cutter boy band image, so he went off on his own and he’s done amazingly well!  Don’t get me wrong…I’m still holding out hope for a reunion though…

With Zayn’s debut single, it’s definitely edgier than we’re used to seeing from him.  WAY EDGIER!  I actually really like it…with the exception of knowing that my 11-year-old niece will end up watching it and have a million questions (like why it’s called “Pillowtalk” in the first place lol).  The video was released on January 29, just 2 days after band released their nostalgic video for “History.”  Coincidence?  Quite possibly.

In any case, check out One Direction’s newest video and then check out Zayn’s debut as a solo artist.  Let me know what you think!  Tweet me @kristin0409!

 

 

 

People’s Choice Awards 2016 Podcast Review

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Hey everyone!!

Brancey and I recently got together to discuss the People’s Choice Awards, which aired Live on January 6, 2016 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.  If you missed the show, never fear!  We got you covered!

Listen to our podcast review and let us know what you thought of the crazy moments!  Did you agree with the winners?

OR click the link here: People’s Choice Awards discussion for The VRO!

ZOOMOO, THE WORLD’S FIRST INTERACTIVE KIDS CHANNEL

ZOOMOO, THE WORLD’S FIRST INTERACTIVE KIDS CHANNEL DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO ANIMALS AND NATURE, NOW AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. EXCLUSIVELY ON DIRECTV

DIRECTV’S ONLY CHANNEL IN SPANISH FOR PRESCHOOL-AGE AUDIENCES ALREADY AVAILABLE IN 23 COUNTRIES WITH WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE OF 140+ MILLION

ZOOMOO CHANNEL AND FREE COMPANION ZOOMOO APP OFFER A FULLY INTERACTIVE MULTIPLATFORM EXPERIENCE

January 6 – 2106 – Following its highly successful launches in Mexico and throughout Latin America, ZooMoo, the world’s first children’s channel devoted entirely to animals and nature, is now available in the U.S. exclusively on DIRECTV, now part of the AT&T family. Available to nearly a million homes throughout the country, ZooMoo is now the only channel in Spanish for pre-school age children and their parents available to DIRECTV Spanish base package subscribers on channel 432.

Designed to foster a lifelong love for animals and nature through a safe and unique television experience that is both entertaining and educational for young viewers and parents alike, ZooMoo interweaves puppetry, animation, and the world’s best natural history footage available in HD to tell stories about the animal world.

The channel is complemented by a free downloadable App to provide a one of a kind multiplatform experience that allows ZooMoo channel viewers to automatically collect animals they encounter on the TV screen and bring them to life on their tablet or smart phone with games, music, puzzles and other activities.

Karin Simoncini, ZooMoo’s head of programming and production said, “As a Latina mom of young children I’m personally thrilled that we at ZooMoo are partnering with DIRECTV to bring ZooMoo to Spanish-speaking audiences in the United States, where today, according to Pew Research Center, there are nearly twice as many Hispanic preschoolers as non-Hispanics in the U.S. DIRECTV deserves to be commended for its commitment to offering this audience a fully interactive ‘all animals, all the time’ entertainment experience that will be educational and incredibly engaging.”

“DIRECTV is passionate about offering high quality children’s programming to its Spanish-speaking customers in the U.S.,” said Emma Brackett, vice president of Content and Programming, AT&T. “We’re proud to be the exclusive provider of ZooMoo and a leader in entertainment to audiences of all ages.”

The standalone revolutionary ZooMoo App, which when synced to the channel enhances the interactivity by also turning smartphones and tablets into an extension of the channel, was recognized earlier this year with a Parents’ Choice Approved Award Seal of Approval from the Choice Foundation in the United States. In bestowing the award, the Foundation lauded the ZooMoo App as “a safe, intuitively-designed and entertaining way for young children to learn facts about animals and habitats, as well as the importance of caring for them.” EducationalAppStore.com echoed a similar endorsement in its review calling the ZooMoo app “one the most professionally, thoughtful, intelligent apps out there…deeply engaging…edutainment in its finest form…cannot be recommended highly enough.”

ZooMoo was developed by its CEO and former president of Fox Networks Group, David Haslingden. In 2012 he identified a niche in the market for children’s channels. “ZooMoo was born out of research that indicated that preschool-age children are hardwired to be interested in animals – 80% of their dreams are about animals – and that if early on they don’t develop a sense of respect and caring for the natural environment they are at risk of never developing such attitudes. We saw a tremendous need to show children the wonders of the animal world and seized the opportunity to create a bespoke channel specifically for 3-6 year olds that unlike any other channel provides a foundation for lasting knowledge and growth by fostering the love and caring for animals and nature,” said Haslingden.

Supported by the rich tradition of natural history programming by international producers Beach House Pictures and NHNZ, ZooMoo is brought to life by a creative team personally assembled by Haslingden comprised of 45 producers, animators, graphic artists and computer programmers in dedicated production hubs including Mexico, New Zealand, China (Beijing), Singapore and Brazil.

Already seen in 23 countries with a worldwide audience of more than 140 million, ZooMoo’s programming comprises 7,000+ separate animal stories and more than 500 hours of original content. ZooMoo’s signature, wholly original animal stories have been scheduled into unique one hour blocks under a structure developed in consultation with a team of leading childhood learning specialists from New Zealand’s University of Otago led by Professor Jeff Smith, Ph.D.

ZooMoo’s leading cast consists of funny, furry puppet characters who help young children develop a knowledge and affection for animals, leading to a lifelong love of conservation, including:

· Flash, an engagingly good-natured photographer, dedicated, dependable and very charming, he is a keen adventurer with genial humor and a constant can-do attitude who explores the world and often ends up in unknown places in “Lost” and travels to different habitats to find out what animals are really thinking in “Look Who’s Talking?”

· Piglet, a high-energy blast of boundless, breathless enthusiasm, who invents amazing solutions in her awesome workshop and explores the planet in her “Adventure Machine.”

· Owl, who’s smart, wise, particular and slightly precious, as he guesses which animals Flash has sent him in “Download This!”

· Ninja Gorilla, who uses his astounding ninja super-powers to turn everyday objects into amazing balloon creations in “Ninja Pop.”

· Baby DJ, a little monkey with headphones, bling and a cheeky grin whose mission is to turn the tables on all things animal and get everyone up dancing.

ZooMoo’s U.S. operations are headed by Los Angeles-based General Manager Julio Sobral, a longtime Fox Networks Group executive, alongside Miami-based Marketing Manager Alvaro Krupkin, former director of creative services and production for Telemundo Cable Networks.

The ZooMoo channel made its worldwide debut in Brazil in September 2013. In September 2014, DIRECTV began offering ZooMoo to customers in Argentina, the Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay.

“PITBULL’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION” LIVE THURSDAY, DECEMBER, 31, ON FOX

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PUFF DADDY AND THE FAMILY AND “EMPIRE’S” TIMBALAND, YAZZ AND JUSSIE SMOLLETT TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR ON “PITBULL’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION” LIVE THURSDAY, DECEMBER, 31, ON FOX

TERRY CREWS AND WENDY WILLIAMS TAPPED AS CO-HOSTS

MULTI-PLATINUM ARTIST SHAWN MENDES, CAMILA CABELLO, PRINCE ROYCE, AUSTIN MAHONE, R. CITY, PIA MIA AND THE LEGENDARY EARTH, WIND & FIRE ALSO SET TO PERFORM

METROPCS AND FIAT RETURN AS SPONSORS

 

Featuring an epic performance by Puff Daddy and the Family, PITBULL’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION – airing LIVE from Miami on Thursday, Dec. 31 – will be co-hosted by Terry Crews and Wendy Williams.  In addition to Pitbull performing his chart-topping hits, the celebration will feature EMPIRE’s Timbaland and Yazz – sharing the stage for the first time on television – as well as Jussie Smollett, performing songs from the Golden Globe- and Grammy Award-nominated series. The LIVE event also will feature performances by Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Prince Royce, Austin Mahone, R. City, Pia Mia and the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire.

Shot live from Miami’s Bayfront Park, the show kicks off on New Year’s Eve between 8:00-10:00 PM ET live (MT/PT tape-delayed). Then, following local news, PITBULL’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION returns from 11:00 PM-12:30 AM ET live (CT/MT/PT tape-delayed) for the final countdown to the New Year.

For the second year in a row, MetroPCS will sponsor PITBULL’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION and host behind-the-scenes content from the event via Periscope (https://www.periscope.tv/MetroPCS).

Also joining for a second year, the FIAT brand will partner with PITBULL’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION, with a presence on the main stage at Miami’s Bayfront Park.

Film and television star Terry Crews is perhaps best known for his roles in an impressive resume of film and television work, which includes “Everybody Hates Chris,” “The Expendables,” BROOKLYN NINE-NINE and WORLD’S FUNNIEST. Additionally, Crews stars in the wildly popular series of Old Spice commercials. After several years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, Crews turned his talents to the performing arts, where his hard work, character and dedication have made him one of the most sought out and respected talents in the industry. A devoted father of five, and fan of great food and fitness, Crews is a positive and impressive force in entertainment, business and the community.

Daytime talk show host, media mogul and best-selling author, Wendy Williams is best known for her long- running and nationally syndicated talk show, “The Wendy Williams Show.” Williams also hosted “The Wendy Williams Experience,” which was her top-rated, daily radio show. One of the most popular personalities in radio, Williams was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in November of 2009 – one of only a handful of women with that honor. In 2013, Williams and her husband, Kevin, launched the non-fiction television programming company Wendy Williams Productions (WWP), which works to find, develop and produce original programming, including the Lifetime original movie “Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B.” Williams’ television credits include appearances on “30 Rock,” “One Life to Live,”  “Drop Dead Diva,” Season 12 of “Dancing With The Stars” and host of “Love Triangle.” Williams has also appeared in the major motion pictures, including Steve Harvey’s “Think Like A Man,” and took center stage as “Mama Morton” in the Tony-winning revival of the musical “Chicago.”

Sean Diddy Combs, AKA Puff Daddy, is the definition of a mogul. As director of A&R at Uptown Records, he was integral in launching the careers of Mary J. Blige and Jodeci, and later started his own label, Bad Boy Records, which has fostered talent that includes Mariah Carey, Method Man, Boyz II Men, Lil’ Kim and more. Combs’ solo music career began in 1997 with his first single, “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down,” which shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, quickly followed by a No. 1 debut album that has gone Platinum seven times. This Grammy Award-winning debut was just the start of Combs’ massive career, which has garnered countless No. 1 records, three Grammy Awards and ASCAP’s Songwriter of the Year honor.  Recently, he took the internet by storm with his sonic motion picture, “MMM.” Combs has also become an established actor and executive producer in both film and television, appearing in more than a dozen films, including “A Raisin in the Sun,” for which he won an NAACP Award for Best Actor; partnering on TV series such as “Making the Band II;” and executive-producing the Academy Award-winning documentary “Undefeated” and the Academy Award-nominated “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” In 2013, he launched his own music television network, REVOLT, a driving force in music and culture. Combs will release his next full-length album, “No Way Out 2,” in 2016.

Timbaland is an artist, record producer and songwriter who has had over 20 Grammy nominations and four wins for Beyonce’s “Drunk In Love” and Justin Timberlake’s “Love Stoned,” “Sexy Back” and “Pusher Love Girl.” Timbaland’s production credits include work with Jay-Z, Madonna, Missy Elliott, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato and countless others. As a rapper, he released several albums with Magoo, but later released his debut solo album, “Tim’s Bio,” in 1998. In 2007, Timbaland released “Shock Value,” which was followed by “Shock Value II” in 2009. In 2013, he served as the main producer of Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience,” and also recently produced Beyoncé’s “Grown Woman” and “I Don’t Have To Sleep to Dream” by Cher. Timbaland is currently the music producer for the Golden Globe- and Grammy Award-nominated EMPIRE.

An accomplished musician, Bryshere “Yazz” Gray currently stars as “Hakeem Lyon” on the Golden Globe-nominated series EMPIRE, for which he has received a nomination in the NAACP category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He has performed at Jay-Z’s 2013 Man in America Festival, Sunoco’s Welcome America 4th of July Celebration, the annual Roots Picnic Festival, Philadelphia’s signature annual ODUNDE Celebration and Power 99’s 2013 Powerhouse concert. He also has opened for rappers Fabolous and 2 Chainz. Gray spent last spring on the “YTG Tour” of juvenile facilities to help kids at risk.

Actor, singer and songwriter Jussie Smollett currently stars as “Jamal Lyon” on EMPIRE, and can be heard on the Grammy Award-nominated, Billboard 200, No. 1-selling album, “EMPIRE: Original Soundtrack from Season 1.” He has received NAACP nominations for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” and “Outstanding New Artist,” among others. His film credits include “The Mighty Ducks,” “North,” “Born to Race: Fast Track,” “The Skinny” and more. He also starred with his five real-life siblings in the network comedy “On Our Own,” and has appeared on “Revenge” and “The Mindy Project.”

Singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes has transformed from teen viral sensation to major best-selling artist almost overnight. Mendes’ debut single, “Life Of The Party,” broke records, topping the iTunes Charts and selling more than 150,000 copies in its first week. The song made him the youngest artist ever to break into the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 25 with a debut single. Mendes’ self-titled debut EP also hit the No. 1 spot on iTunes and entered at No. 5 on the Billboard album charts. In April 2015, Mendes released his debut album, “Handwritten,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and includes and includes #1 at Top 40 Radio certified triple platinum single “Stitches” as well as certified platinum single “Life of the Party,” and certified gold “Something Big.” In addition to joining Taylor Swift on her The 1989 World Tour, Mendes has been on his own sold out headlining tour including a sold out shows at LA’s Greek Theatre and Radio City Music Hall.

Camila Cabello got her start as a part of the pop group Fifth Harmony, which has released multiplatinum hit singles “Worth It,” “Bo$$” and “Sledgehammer.” In 2015, Cabello released a collaboration with her friend, multiplatinum-selling artist Shawn Mendes, “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” which is currently Top 20 at Pop Radio. 2016 will see Cabello and Fifth Harmony release their highly anticipated sophomore album, the follow up to 2015’s “Reflection.” The talented vocalist and musician has grown from teen songwriter crafting emotional ballads in her bedroom to arena-rocking, chart-topping pop star.

Prince Royce wowed audiences this summer with the release of his first-ever English language album, “Double Vision,” featuring Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull, Snoop Dogg, Tyga and Kid Ink. He performed his Latin Grammy Award-nominated hit single, “Back It Up,” featuring Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez, at the Latin Grammys, AMERICAN IDOL XIV, Good Morning America, The View and The Talk. “Double Vision” also features Royce’s hit single, “Stuck On A Feeling,” featuring Snoop Dogg, which quickly topped the charts. After an action-packed year, Royce wrapped his first U.S. tour with Ariana Grande in October 2015. His brand new Spanish-language single “Culpa Al Corazón” is out now and quickly climbing the charts.

Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the world’s top-selling musical groups of all-time. Inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, Earth, Wind & Fire has earned eight Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and was presented with the prestigious Soul Train Legend Award. The band has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and is still after five decades one of the world’s top touring bands. The band’s signature sound transcends all musical genres and has a groove as deep as the soul of the planet. In 2014, the band released its 23rd album, “Holiday,” which included classic and new songs for the season. In April 2014, lead singer Philip Bailey released his memoir, “SHINING STAR: Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire.” “Shining Star” is a story of triumph and challenges, chronicling the band’s iconic rise to the top.

Nineteen-year-old singer-songwriter Austin Mahone is back with the funky new single “Dirty Work,” the first track off his upcoming, debut full-length album. The single became a worldwide trending topic, shot Mahone to the top of the Billboard social charts and spawned a music video that racked up more than one million views in its first 24 hours of release, with more than 18 million views to date. Last May, his debut EP, “The Secret,” landed him a Top 5 chart position on the Billboard 200, and his previous hit singles, “What About Love” and “Banga! Banga!,” have collectively garnered more than 200 million views on YouTube. In 2013, he won the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, was named MTV’s “Artist to Watch” and was awarded the MTV Europe Music Awards for “Best Push Artist” and “Artist on The Rise.”

R. City is comprised of St. Thomas-born brothers, Theron and Timothy Thomas. The duo has collaborated with and written hits for artists including Usher, Justin Bieber, and Nicki Minaj, among others. R. City recently released their debut album “What Dreams Are Made Of” featuring their Platinum-selling hit single “Locked Away” which has been downloaded over 1.4 million times, and streamed over 166 million times in the U.S.  The debut single hit #1 on both the Shazam Worldwide Top 200 chart and Billboard’s Pop chart. Their new single “Make Up” is at radio now and already has 2 million streams on Spotify and approximately half a million views on Vevo. Their music, which they dub “Caribbean hip-hop,” embraces cinematic storytelling and their island roots.

Island girl Pia Mia is a recording artist, entrepreneur, songwriter, fashion icon, dancer, actress and Krav Maga instructor. At the age of 17, she formed Wolfpack Entertainment, signing herself as the record label’s first artist, and then signed with Interscope Records. In 2014, Billboard magazine named Mia one of eight “acts who will help define 2014.” That same year, she released her debut EP, “The Gift.” In early 2015, Mia released her first official single, “Do It Again,” which has sold more than 600,000 copies.  The rising star is set to do it again with her second major label single, “Touch.”

PITBULL’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION is a presentation of Endemol Shine North America and Honey I’m Home. “Like” Pitbull at www.facebook.com/pitbull and follow him on Twitter @pitbull. “Like” FOX at www.facebook.com/foxtv and follow FOX @FOXTV.

 

About Endemol Shine North America

Endemol Shine North America delivers world-class content and compelling storytelling to multiple platforms in the U.S. and across the globe. Endemol Shine North America is part of Endemol Shine Group, the newly launched global content creator, producer and distributor with a diverse portfolio of companies in the U.S. that are behind some of the most prominent hit television formats and series in the world. Its Endemol Shine Latino division oversees all Spanish-language sales and development in both the U.S. and Mexico. And subsidiary production companies include Authentic Entertainment, Original Media, True Entertainment and 51 Minds Entertainment. In addition, Endemol Shine North America has a strategic partnership with Ryan Seacrest Productions.

Endemol Shine Group’s companies in North America are behind hit series, including ”Below Deck” (Bravo), ”Big Brother” (CBS), ”The Biggest Loser” (NBC), BULLSEYE (FOX), “Hell on Wheels” (AMC), ”Ink Master” (Spike), ”It Takes a Church” (GSN), “Kingdom” (DirecTV), ”Knife Fight” (Esquire),  MASTERCHEF (FOX), MASTERCHEF JUNIOR (FOX), ”Restaurant Startup” (CNBC), “Swamp People” (History), “The Island” (NBC), ”The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo), ”Steve Harvey” (NBCU),”T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle” (VH1), ”Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge” (CMT) and many more.

 

About Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull)

Armando Christian Perez, known around the world as Pitbull, is an internationally successful musician, performer, business entrepreneur, fashion icon and actor. His rise to popularity exemplifies the American Dream: He began on the streets of Miami and now commands stages around the world. Away from the spotlight, he is also an education advocate. From Mr. 305 to Mr. Worldwide, he transforms challenges into positive experiences and lives by a personal code that balances hard work with enjoying life. Pitbull’s career sales have exceeded six million albums and 70 million singles worldwide. He has scored No. 1 hits in more than 15 countries; his videos have over eight billion views; and his social media reach matches audiences of some television networks. Pitbull continues his ascent in the era of streaming music. On Pandora, his all-time metrics include 3.34 billion streams, 14.5 million stations created and 11.2 million active listeners per month, with “Give Me Everything,” his most streamed song at 368 million. In addition to the United States, his sold-out world concert tours have taken him to North and South America, Europe and the Far East. He has also completed headlining tours in China and Japan. Learn more at www.pitbullmusic.com.

 

About the FIAT Brand

The FIAT brand stands for discovery through passionate self-expression. That philosophy is embodied by the iconic Fiat 500 or Cinquecento – a small car that lives big. Italian at heart and rooted in a rich heritage, the 500 is sold in more than 100 countries around the world and is synonymous with modern, simple design blending form, function, technology and a pride of ownership that is genuine. In North America, the Fiat 500 was introduced in March 2011 and was soon followed by the Fiat 500c (Cabrio), the high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth and Abarth Cabrio, the fully electric Fiat 500e and the five-passenger Fiat 500L. The FIAT brand continues to expand with the introduction of the Fiat 500X, an all-new crossover that combines Italian style with functionality, performance and available all-wheel drive confidence. For more information on the FIAT brand, visit the FIAT Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fiatusa) or Twitter account (www.twitter.com/fiatusa).

The Divergent Series: Allegiant Official Teaser Trailer is here!!!!

The Divergent Series: Allegiant Official Teaser Trailer is here!!!!

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Hey everyone!!

If you’ve been following news about the film releases, you already know that Allegiant was going to be broken down into two parts.  Allegiant was the third and final book of the series, so the fact that we get an extra movie out of the deal is fine by me!  It was announced this week, however, that the next two films will not be titled Allegiant Part One and Allegiant Part Two.  Instead, it will be Allegiant and Ascendant!

In any case, see below for the official teaser trailer for the latest installment of the Divergent Series: Allegiant!  Let me know what you think!

 

Check Out The Upcoming ‘Walking Dead’ Mobile Game, Featuring The Voice Of Norman Reedus

Check Out The Upcoming ‘Walking Dead’ Mobile Game, Featuring The Voice Of Norman Reedus

Niiiiiiice!!!! I’m still holding out hope that Silent Hills will work out somehow though!

Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix | April 10

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Today is the day!

Netflix has released Season One of their new original series, Daredevil.  Season One has 13 episodes that are all available with a free trial or monthly subscription to Netflix (and it’s definitely worth it!).

Meet Matt Murdock. Blinded as a boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, Matt fights injustice by day as a respected lawyer and by night as the masked vigilante known as Daredevil in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. He’ll do anything to make his city a better place, but at what price?

Created By: Drew Goddard

Based OnDaredevil by Stan Lee and Bill Everett

Starring: Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Toby Leonard Moore, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Bob Gunton, Ayelet Zurer, Rosario Dawson and Vincent D’Onofrio

So, get those binge watching pants ready, sign up for a Netflix membership (if you don’t already have one) and check out the series!  Make sure to leave your thoughts and comments! Happy watching!

Nina Dobrev announces exit from ‘The Vampire Diaries’

Well, TVD fans…I come bearing bad (or good) news…depending on which side of the Elena Gilbert fence you stand on.

We recently saw the exit of Steven R. McQueen (Jeremy Gilbert) from the show this season and now we know that Nina Dobrev (Elena Gilbert) will be leaving as well.

After posting a ton of pictures celebrating Easter weekend with some of her friends and castmates, Nina posted the following on her Instagram account:

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Dearest TVD Family,

I’ve just spent the most beautiful weekend on Lake Lanier in Georgia with my own TVD Family, the cast and crew of The Vampire Diaries. I want to be the first to tell you that it wasn’t just a holiday celebration, it was a goodbye party. I always knew I wanted Elena’s story to be a six season adventure, and within those six years I got the journey of a lifetime. I was a human, a vampire, a doppelganger, a crazy immortal, a doppelganger pretending to be human, a human pretending to be a doppelganger. I got kidnapped, killed, resurrected, tortured, cursed, body-snatched, was dead and undead, and there’s still so much more to come before the season finale in May. Elena fell in love not once, but twice, with two epic soulmates, and I myself made some of the best friends I’ll ever know and built an extended family I will love forever.

There’s more to come before we wrap this up, and I promise you’ll get to hear all about my experiences over the next month as we approach the season finale (I have given an exclusive interview for the June issue of SELF Magazine that I am excited for you to see!), but until then I invite you to hop on the roller coaster ride that is Elena Gilbert’s life and join me as I celebrate her and prepare to say goodbye to her — and to my work family — as I move on to the next chapter of my life. I want to share this goodbye with all of you (this weekend’s pictures were just the beginning). You, the wonderful fandom who gave more love, support and passion than anyone could have ever imagined seven years ago, when a young Degrassi girl from Canada showed up in LA to audition for ‘that Twilight TV show.’ 😉 I love you all. Fasten your seatbelts. If you think you know what’s coming, you don’t.

Love, Nina

Now, this might come as a shock to some of you, but if you’ve been to any of the fan conventions, you would know that the cast has been hinting at the show ending soon anyway. This news also comes after we learned that Chris Wood (Kai Parker) has been cast in a new pilot called Cordon. Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood) has also been cast in a new pilot, which means his fate on the show is unknown as well.

With that being said, the cast shouldn’t have to urge fans to continue tuning in to the show. Julie Plec, Kevin Williamson, the writers, cast and crew have done an amazing job keeping this show interesting and clever, so, as a fan, you shouldn’t have to be convinced to keep watching. Be the true fans I know you are and watch how everything pans out! Who knows? Maybe this is all going to end up being a dragged out April Fool’s joke!

If you have any theories as to how Elena will eventually leave the show, feel free to comment on this post!

Either way…The Vampire Diaries airs Thursday nights at 8/7c on The CW, so keep the fandom alive, peeps! 🙂

 

Celebrating Selena

March 31, 2015 will mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Selena Quintanilla Perez.

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Growing up as a half Cuban, half Irish American in a predominantly hispanic community in Florida made it a guarantee that Selena was being played on our radios. I remember getting out our blank cassette tapes and waiting for her songs to come on so we could record them. (Yes, cassette tapes!) When we learned of her death at such a young age, I remember my best friend and I being shocked.

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In 1997, just two years after her death, they released a biographical film dedicated to the fallen star, showing her life as a young girl to the incredible woman she’d become at the time of her death. Jennifer Lopez portrays Selena perfectly in this film and, despite early protests regarding Lopez (Puerto Rican) being cast to play the star (of Mexican descent), many also agree. Some protestors even recanted their statements once they saw the finished film. The film also has Edward James Olmos portraying Selena’s father, Jon Seda as her husband, Chris Perez and Jacob Vargas as her brother, A.B. Quintanilla. It also featured many of Selena’s songs throughout the film.

Feel free to read the following article, found on CNN, regarding Selena

Selena: 20 years after her death

Also, check out the trailer for the film ‘Selena’ below:

Zayn Malik leaves One Direction

I’m pretty certain the internet broke today with the news that Zayn Malik has officially left One Direction. I have a ten year old niece who’s currently on the verge of tears, wondering who will be the one to hit those high notes now.

One would think he’s crazy for leaving such a popular band, but, I mean, can you really blame him? As I said, I have a ten year old niece who I’ve taken to several One Direction shows and they’re actually very good. I love music in general, and I grew up on New Kids on the Block, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, etc. so I understand the appeal these guys have on young girls. After being put together on the X Factor, they were catapulted into stardom and that can’t be easy for everyone to digest so quickly. Going from being a normal, everyday person to someone with millions and millions of fans stalking your every move, using social media to put down your fiance and family, and just not even being able to go to a store without a full security team.

I sure as heck wouldn’t be able to deal with the lack of privacy.

Some people, as with this particular group, are able to handle the fame and lack of privacy easier than others. If you followed One Direction’s history, however, you can tell from the beginning that Zayn wasn’t one who really enjoyed the spotlight. My only question is…what will he be able to do now that he’s left one of the biggest groups in the world at the moment? Go work at a store? How long will his financial savings give him before he really has to figure out a gameplan for the future?

Either way…I strongly suggest steering clear of any pre-teens/teens for the next week or so as they continue to attempt processing this information. I leave you with a picture of one of the most normal guys formerly of One Direction. Now let him live his life in semi-privacy!

Here’s the official announcement from One Direction’s Facebook page:

Zayn leaves 1D

 

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