Who’s to Blame for The Bachelorette’s Slut-Shaming?

I don't think that Nick meant to hit Andi below the belt by saying
why did you make love with me, if you were going to pick the other
guy two days later.  At that point in the game why would Andi sleep
with both of the men if she was going to pick Josh?  If I were Josh,
I would have had second thoughts about the relationship, if I found
out that my future wife slept with another man two days before our
engagement.

Fox News The Five cohost Bob Beckel called The Bachelorette’s
Andi Dorfman a “slut” on his show Tuesday. It’s a demeaning
and infuriating comment that caters to double standards for
women and men, but it’s also the kind that The Bachelorette 
thrives on.

Why did Beckel make the comment about Andi and not the dozens
of women on these shows that have come before her? For those of
you who don’t keep up on reality TV news, a sort of bombshell was
dropped on an otherwise dull season of The Bachelorette Monday:
the runner-up of this season, Nick Viall, broke an unspoken rule on
Monday night: he talked about sex.

Both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette walk a fine line between
 prudishness and salaciousness by implying sex without ever
explicitly discussing it. This tricky balance comes to a head in
the third-to-last episode of each season when that season’s
Bachelor or Bachelorette can opt into sharing the Fantasy Suite
with any or all of the three remaining contestants vying for his or
her heart. The two sleep in the same room (littered with candles and.
 rose petals, though apparently not condoms) overnight, and the
cameras stop filming. Sex is implied, but any footage or discussion
 of it is edited out.

Until Monday, on the show’s live after show. “If you weren’t in love
with me, I’m just not sure why, like, why you made love with me,
” Nick said to Andi on the show, mentioning that their night together
 was, to him, “fiance-type stuff.”

Andi responded that his question was “below the belt” but reassured
him that the feelings she had shared with him were real.

(N.B. Andi shared the Fantasy Suite with two of the remaining three
contestants. Most Bachelors and Bachelorettes will spend the night
 with all three.)

The immediate reaction on Twitter was that Nick was a crazy stalker
who just slut-shamed Andi as revenge. The secondary fallout, however,
has been pointed at Andi. Enter, Fox News.

“She’s a slut!” Bob Beckel said on his show. “I’m not kidding you.
She sleeps with someone else, and then doesn’t tell the guy about it.
This is what America’s come to, this crap.”

Panelist Andrea Tantaros responded with outrage: “Are you kidding
me right now? Excuse me, Bob. You probably sleep with a different
woman every night.”

“I’m not some Bachelor or Bachelorette,” he shot back.

“Those in glass boudoirs, Beckel, those in glass Boudoirs,” she replied.

Even if Nick didn’t intend to slut-shame Andi with his question,
others inevitably picked up on his very public revelation about
their reality TV relationship and did the deed for him.

And I honestly do believe Nick did not intend any harm. Nick’s
entire M.O. this season of The Bachelor has been being skeptical
of the process in the beginning but allowing himself to become
vulnerable enough to fall in love with Andi on his “journey.” The
show also teased that Nick was notoriously bad with breakups
(this one is no exception),  and he was visibly shaking during their
face-to-face conversation.  I would like to (perhaps optimistically)
believe that Nick was truly hurt and trying to be honest about his
 feelings when he asked Andi .that question, and simply disregarded.
the show’s concocted and unspoken rule that one does not talk
about sex.

And if Nick was a woman, this complaint would never be considered
some sort of insult to a male Andi. It wouldn’t reflect poorly on Andi
if she were a man who had had sex with both contestants.
We wouldn’t see complaints on Fox News.

However, Nick’s question has a problematic undertone: he is implying
that Andi ought not sleep with someone unless she is in love with him.

And even though this franchise has aired for 12 years under the same
 premise, we still don’t like to think about the fact that people are having
sex with multiple people on this show.

Correction: we don’t like to think about women having sex on the show.

After all, the men are allowed to be “players.” In the “Men Tell All”
episode before this year’s finale, it was revealed that one of the
contestants failed a lie detector test about the number of women
he has slept with, saying previously that he had slept with less
than 20. The audience laughed. When Nick asked his question,
jaws dropped.

It’s 2014, so Andi has the right—like any other Bachelor or
Bachelorette or human being—to have sex for a myriad of
 reasons besides love. Plus, the show is also constructed to make
her develop feelings for more than one man at a time, so it
shouldn’t be shocking that she kisses or sleeps with or does
whatever with multiple men.

Nick’s question actually reminds me of an incident from the last
 season of The Bachelor in which a contestant named Clare showed
up at Bachelor Juan Pablo’s room at 4 a.m. and invited him for
a swim in the ocean.  They swam—and then some. Again, the show
danced around the sex,
but it was heavily implied.

After the incident, Juan Pablo essentially slut-shamed Clare for having
sex with him—even though he consented at the time. “Maybe it wasn’t
right,” he told her on the show. “I have a daughter, I don’t want her to
see what happens, if she sees it.”

Clare (understandably) was mortified because she believed she was a
consenting adult having sex with another consenting adult. “I knew
when we were in the ocean, that it was a mutual feeling. If he didn’t
think it was right he shouldn’t have done it. I would have respected
that,” she said to the camera as she cried.

Again, the woman is blamed for seducing the man, for having sex,
for not waiting until she is in love. (Juan Pablo uses his daughter
and family as a weapon, contrasting Clare to a motherly figure
for his daughter and essentially calling her a slut.)

So if you’re a woman, it’s best not to enter the Bachelor universe.
Talk of sex is frowned upon, but inevitable. Though the show itself
doesn’t encourage slut-shaming—Juan Pablo did that all on
his own—clearly the audience wants to use the show as a platform
for slut-shaming, as happened with Nick this season. After 12 years,
tacit agreements about avoiding sex talk are breaking down. Will
 anyone try to  “pull a Nick” next season and bring up sex or even
use sex talk as a strategy? Will the producers embrace this brave
new world of candidness? If so, talking heads like Bob
Beckel will be waiting in the weeds, ready to cry “slut.”

James Garner, legendary film and television actor, dies at 86

James Garner, the charming leading man from Oklahoma who made it look easy on NBC's The Rockford Files and in films opposite Doris Day, Julie Andrews and Sally Field during more than a half-century in show business, has died. He was 86.

Garner died Saturday, TMZ reported. Police were dispatched to his Los Angeles home at approximately 8 p.m. No cause of death has been made available. He had a severe stroke in 2008 and rarely was seen in public after that.

The amiable actor was best known for playing the Los Angeles private eye in Rockford, which ran from 1974-80 before knee and back injuries -- many sustained because he did his own stunts -- forced him to quit. "I couldn't take that many beatings any more," he once said. "Every hiatus, I had a knee operation for five straight years, and sometimes for both knees."

Garner was nominated for the Emmy for best actor in a drama series for five consecutive years, winning in 1977. Rockford, produced by Roy Huggins and writer Stephen J. Cannell, racked up three best drama nominations from 1978-80 and took the trophy in 1978.

Garner also toplined the 1957-62 ABC Western-comedy hybrid Maverick, also produced by Huggins, in which he starred as a dapper cardsharp who would just as soon slip out the back door than face down a gunman. "Bravery gets you nothing but hurt," he once said. Both TV series showcased Garner’s sense of humor and expertise in playing the reluctant hero.

The dark-haired star also appeared in dozens of films, including two light romantic comedies from 1963 with Day, The Thrill of It All and Move Over, Darling; two with Andrews (1964’s The Americanization of Emily and 1982’s Victor Victoria); and one with Field, the 1985 romantic comedy Murphy’s Romance, for which he received his lone Oscar nomination.

Whatever his roles, Garner’s acting appeared effortless. Los Angeles Times critic Charles Champlinwrote in 1986 that “James Garner is to the American character what David Niven was to the English character: a lover in preference to a fighter (but capable of heroics), worldly and charming with elements of the vagabond and the debonair rascal, a sort of innocent rogue with an easy way with urbane dialogue.”

Garner was fastidious about the kind of roles and movies in which he performed.

“I don’t want to do movies with a lot of profanity, and I don’t want to take my clothes off,” he once said. “I don’t do horror pictures, or I would take my clothes off. Seriously, I’m simply not an exhibitionist.”

Erin Tomasello Casting Director how to avoid a CASTING SCAM

Gordon Ramsay to End ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ Series in U.S. and U.K. AFTER 10 YEARS

The next batch of U.K. episodes of “Kitchen Nightmares” will be the last for

Gordon Ramsay, who announced the end of  the British and Yank editions 

of the show on his website Monday.  

“I’ve had a phenomenal 10 years making 123 episodes, 12 seasons, shot 

across 2 continents, watched by tens of millions of people and 

sold to over 150 countries. It’s been a blast but it’s time to call it a day,”.  

The cooking reality show premiered in the U.K. in 2004 and the U.S. rendition 

bowed on Fox in 2007, featuring Ramsay’s visits to struggling restaurants. 

The chef would spend one week using his expertise trying to help the owners 

rehabilitate the business.  

The format allowed Ramsay to show off his restaurateur bonafide as well as 

his attempts at family and couples counseling. Last year, the show hit its 

peak of pop culture buzz with an episode revolving around an Scottsdale, 

Ariz. eatery, Amy’s Baking Company, run by an over-the-top couple who 

produced plenty of Internet-friendly viral video moments. 

Ramsay credited “Kitchen Nightmares” for being “the show that really 

propelled my TV career.” The show has been a Friday night staple for Fox, 

with the most recent U.S. episodes airing in April and May. Fox has one 

more “Revisit” episode of “Kitchen Nightmares” in the can.But Fox still 

has plenty of Ramsay on its air, between the competition series “Hell’s 

Kitchen,” airing now, “Hotel Hell” (bowing July 21) and the “Master-chef” 

and “Master-chef Junior” franchises.

At present, Ramsay is filming four final episodes of the U.K. 

“Kitchen Nightmares” for Channel 4.

BREAKING NEWS: President Obama says up to 275 U.S. military troops will deploy to Iraq!

BAGHDAD --

The U.S. is urgently deploying several hundred armed troops in and around Iraq and considering sending an additional contingent of special forces soldiers as Baghdad struggles to repel a rampant insurgency, even as the White House insists anew that America will not be dragged into another war.

President Barack Obama notified Congress Monday that up to 275 troops could be sent to Iraq to provide support and security for U.S. personnel and the American Embassy in Baghdad. About 170 of those forces have already arrived and another 100 soldiers be on standby in a nearby country until they are needed, a U.S. official said.

While Obama has vowed to keep U.S. forces out of combat in Iraq, he said in his notification to Congress that the personnel moving into the region are equipped for direct fighting.

And separately, three U.S. officials said the White House was considering sending a contingent of special forces soldiers to Iraq. Their limited mission - which has not yet been approved - would focus on training and advising beleaguered Iraqi troops, many of whom have fled their posts across the nation's north and west as the al-Qaida-inspired insurgency has advanced in the worst threat to the country since American troops left in 2011.

The moves come at the White House wrestles with an array of options for helping Iraq repel a Sunni Muslim insurgency that has captured large swaths of territory collaring Baghdad, the capital of the Shiite-led government. In a rare move, U.S. officials reached out to Iran Monday to discuss ways the long-time foes might help stop the militants known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

The conversations took place on the sidelines of separate nuclear negotiations taking place in Vienna, Austria. U.S. officials quickly tamped down speculation that the discussion might include military coordination or consultation, though Secretary of State John Kerry said in an interview with Yahoo! News that the U.S. would "not rule out anything that would be constructive."

Kerry stressed that any contacts with Iran would move "step-by-step."

Taken together, the developments suggest a willingness by Obama to send Americans into a collapsing security situation in order to quell the brutal fighting in Iraq before it morphs into outright war.

The White House said the forces authorized for support and security will assist with the temporary relocation of some staff from the Baghdad embassy. The forces are entering Iraq with the consent of that country's government, the White House said.

Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said the troops on standby could "provide airfield management, security, and logistics support, if required." They could work with embassy security teams or operate as a stand-alone force as directed.

Officials would not say where the soldiers would be on standby, but It is likely they would be in Kuwait, which was a major basing ground for U.S. troops during the Iraq war.

If the U.S. were to deploy an additional team of special forces, the mission would almost certainly be small. One U.S. official said it could be up to 100 special forces soldiers. It also could be authorized only as an advising and training mission - meaning the soldiers would work closely with Iraqi forces that are fighting the insurgency but would not officially be considered as combat troops.

It's not clear how quickly the special forces could arrive in Iraq. It's also unknown whether they would remain in Baghdad or be sent to the nation's north, where the Sunni Muslim insurgency has captured large swaths of territory collaring Baghdad, the capital of the Shiite-led government.

The troops would fall under the authority of the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad and would not be authorized to engage in combat, another U.S. official said. Their mission would be "non-operational training" of both regular and counter terrorism units, which the military has in the past interpreted to mean training on military bases, the official said.

However, all U.S. troops are allowed to defend themselves in Iraq if they are under attack. Already, about 100 Marines and Army soldiers have been sent to Baghdad to help with embassy security, according to a U.S. official.

The three U.S. officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the plans by name.

Obama made the end of the war in Iraq one of his signature campaign issues, and has touted the U.S. military withdrawal in December 2011 as one of his top foreign policy successes. But he has been caught over the past week between Iraqi officials pleading for help - as well as Republicans blaming him for the loss of a decade's worth of gains in Iraq - and his anti-war Democratic political base, which is demanding that the U.S. stay out of the fight.

While the White House continues to review its options, Iran's military leaders are starting to step into the beach.

The commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, Gen. Ghasem Soleimani, was in Iraq on Monday and consulting with the government there on how to stave off insurgents' gains. Iraqi security officials said the U.S. government was notified in advance of the visit by Soleimani, whose forces are a secretive branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard that in the past has organized Shiite militias to target U.S. troops in Iraq and, more recently, was involved in helping Syria's President Bashar Assad in his fight against Sunni rebels.

In the short term, the U.S. and Iran both want the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki stabilized and the Sunni-led insurgency stopped. But in the long run, the United States would like to see an inclusive, representative democracy take hold in Iraq, while predominantly Shiite Iran is more focused on protecting Iraq's Shiite population and bolstering its own position as a regional power against powerful Sunni Arab states in the Gulf.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said any discussion with Iran would concern ways that Iran could help press al-Maliki's government to be more inclusive and treat all of Iraq's religious and ethnic groups equally.

Any talks with Iran "would be to discuss the political component here and our interest in encouraging Iraqi leaders to act in a responsible, nonsectarian way," she told reporters. "Certainly a discussion of that is something that we would be open to."

Dancing With The Stars' 2014: Season 18 Celebrity Cast Announced

"Dancing With The Stars" returns for its 18th season and the new crop of celebrity competitors may be the fiercest yet. Fresh off their gold-medal win at the Sochi Olympics, Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the dynamic ice dancing duo, headline the all-star lineup, along with "The Wonder Years" star Danica McKellar, comedian turned game show host Drew Carey, swimming legend Diana Nyad, and acting great Billy Dee Williams. Former "Full House" actress Candace Cameron Bure, "Real Housewives" reality star NeNe Leakes, Australian pop singer Cody Simpson, and "Big Time Rush" actor-singer James Maslow are among the other celebs with their eyes set on the prized mirrorball trophy. In two "Dancing" firsts, double-amputee snowboarding champ Amy Purdy, who lost both of her legs as a teenager and pushed to become a world-champion adaptive snowboarder, will be the first Paralympian to compete. Sean Avery is the first former hockey player in "Dancing" history. The hit ABC show is shaking things up, from the replacement of host Brooke Burke-Charvet with sports host Erin Andrews, to the announcement of an unprecedented format in which viewers can vote to switch celebrities and their pro partners mid-season. The entire celebrity cast was announced live today on "Good Morning America" from Glendale, Calif., ahead of the March 17 premiere. Who are you most excited to see hit the dance floor this season? Tell us what you think in the comments. Click through to learn more about the new cast and see their pro partners. Watch the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," Monday, March 17, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Meet the Season 18 Cast

George Lopez arrested for public intoxication

George Lopez was arrested for public intoxication in a Canadian casino Thursday night after passing out on the floor. The actor/comedian made light of the situation at the Caesars Windsor in a statement to USA TODAY, saying, "Tied one on last night. Not feeling great this morning. I was trying to sleep it off, unfortunately, it was on the casino floor." A photo of Lopez lying on the floor was circulating on social media Friday, and a spokesperson for Windsor police confirmed to People that police officers took a male into custody at 11:25 p.m. "from the OPP Casino Enforcement Unit. The male was subsequently released with no charges." TMZ first reported the arrest.

DR. OZ WELCOMES 'BEAUTIFUL GRANDDAUGHTER!

Daphne Oz is first-time mom, and Dr. Oz is a first-time grandpa! Mehmet Oz's eldest daughter welcomed her first child with husband John Jovanovic on Wednesday, Feb. 26 in New York, her rep confirmed to Us Weekly. PHOTOS: Celebrity pregnancies The 28-year-old Chew host and investment fund analyst Jovanovic, who wed in August 2010, announced they were expecting back in September. Their daughter arrived at 10:03 p.m., weighing 6 lbs, 13 oz., and is 20.5 inches long. Grandpa Oz wasted no time meeting his first grandchild. "My daughter @DaphneOz delivered her first child!" he tweeted Thursday, Feb. 27. "I'm holding my beautiful granddaughter now. Thank you for all the well-wishes & prayers!"

BOBBY'S OSCAR PICKS

The country is in an uproar over who will take home an Academy Award this year. This is the first time I can remember that the Academy did it right with whom they chose to honor. The 86th annual Academy Awards will air at 7 p.m. EST Sunday on ABC. The list of nine Best Picture nominees showcases how impressive the film industry was over the past 12 months. The artistry, subject matter, stories and performances that make up these hopefuls are some of the best ever captured on film. Best Picture nominees include “American Hustle,” “Captain Phillips,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Gravity,” “Her,” “Nebraska,” “Philomena,” “12 Years A Slave” and “The Wolf Of Wall Street.” “12 Years A Slave” illustrates the power of the human spirit. My pick would be 12 Years A Slave Up for Best Actress this year with Bullock are Amy Adams (“American Hustle”), Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”), Judi Dench (“Philomena”) and Meryl Streep (“August: Osage County”). I’m going with Amy Adams for her role in American Hustle, Her body of work could warrant her the win, as Oscar voters tend to look beyond the nominated role when handing out Academy Awards. For Best Actor Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale (“American Hustle”), Bruce Dern (“Nebraska”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Wolf Of Wall Street”) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years A Slave”). Matthew McConaughey has Best Actor in the bag for “Dallas Buyers Club. Best Supporting Actress nominees, including Sally Hawkins (“Blue Jasmine”), Jennifer Lawrence (“American Hustle”), Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years A Slave”), Julia Roberts (“August: Osage County”) and June Squibb (“Nebraska”). Lupita Nyong’o will win. Supporting Actors are Barkhad Abdi (“Captain Phillips”), Bradley Cooper (“American Hustle”), Michael Fastbender (“12 Years A Slave”), Jonah Hill (“The Wolf Of Wall Street”) and Jared Leto (“Dallas Buyers Club”). Leto was amazing, and will win! WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN?

'Friends' Star Lisa Kudrow Loses $1.6 Million Lawsuit

A verdict has been reached in the civil lawsuit filed against Lisa Kudrow by her former manager, who claims he is owed residuals from her days on "Friends." A 10-2 decision was reached in favor of Scott Howard, who was Kudrow's manager from 1991 to 2007, saying the actress was liable for breach of contract, KABC reports. The jury awarded the plaintiff $1.6 million for past and future economic losses. The legal dispute began in 2008, a year after they parted ways, when Howard, sued Kudrow for refusing to pay him more than $50,000 in fees from her earnings. Howard claimed in court last week that in 1991, the two made an oral agreement that Howard would receive a 10 percent cut of Kudrow's income she obtained or performed while he was her manager.. He added that when he and Kudrow split after 16 years of working together, the actress stopped paying him. He argued that Kudrow owes him a percentage of what she earns on "Friends" reruns and other projects. In a statement, Kudrow’s attorney Gerald Sauer said, "The jury’s verdict is merely one step in the legal process. This case ultimately will be resolved at the appellate level. Ms. Kudrow has faith in the judicial system, and she believes that the eventual outcome of this contractual dispute will be in her favor." In a statement of his own, Scott Howard’s attorney Mark Baute countered, "What generally happens now with unsophisticated actress clients is they overpay for filing a frivolous appeal that has no chance for success. The verdict is rock solid, and we look forward to collecting 10 percent, 16,000 dollars a month, in post-judgment interest while their frivolous appeal is pending. We will collect that interest for two years, which is how long it will take for the Court of Appeal to affirm this jury's righteous verdict." In court documents, Kudrow had claimed she had "no obligation to pay Howard" a commission after the two ended their professional partnership. Attorneys for Kudrow countered that Howard was the actress's manager, not her agent, and thus is not entitled to a commission. Kudrow, 50, starred from 1994 through 2004 as Phoebe on "Friends." She began the show as one of the lowest-paid actresses among the show's six stars – earning $13,500 per episode. Starting in 2004, Kudrow earned over $1 million for each of the show's final 18 episodes. ABC News'

X-Factor BOOTED by FOX

It's official. Fox has decided to cancel The X Factor after three seasons. The network announced it's decision on February 7. Though the original X Factor has been a solid hit in the U.K. for years, the show never quite caught on when Simon Cowell tried to make the jump across the pond. All three seasons saw fairly low ratings, with this most recent season's numbers coming in particularly low. "I've had a fantastic time over the last 12 years, both on The X Factor and American Idol," Simon said in a statement. "And apart from being lucky enough to find some amazing talent on the shows, I have always had an incredible welcome from the American public (most of the time!)." Up next, the music mogul is heading back to his homeland. "Last year, for a number of reasons, I had to make a decision to return to the U.K. version of The X Factor in 2014. So for now, I'm back to the U.K. and I want to thank FOX for being an incredible partner and I also want to thank everybody who has supported my shows. America, I’ll see you soon!

Chef Jacquelyn Sowards The Taste Season 2 All The Way

Imagine my surprise seeing Chef Jacquelyn Sowards of Southern California on the second season of The Taste, and ABC cooking show with Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre and Marcus Samuelson as judges. Chef Jacquelyn is on Nigella Lawson's team. Chef Jacquelyn is one of the most sought after chefs in Los Angeles, Hollywood and Beverly Hills to cater that special event. I needed to plan a private dinner event for 50 guests and I had heard of Chef Jacquelyn and wanted to try her out. After speaking with her (She's very friendly), I booked Jacquelyn and I'm so glad that I did! All the guests at the dinner party were raving about the food and service and how perfect the whole night was. The main thing everyone kept taling about was how great the food was! I would highly recommend booking Jacquelyn and her crew because they do an impeccable job and you won't be sorry! Please tune in to The Taste on ABC! Chef Jacquelyn all the way.