AMY SCHUMER GOES AFTER THE KARDASHIANS IN AMAZING SNL OPENING MONOLOGUE

NBC

Comedy superstar Amy Schumer hosted this weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live like a champ.  Not only was the show a hit (with most sketches being downright hilarious), Schumer also treated audiences to a short stand up set as her opening monologue.  The set ranged from everything from Bradley Cooper and Hillary Clinton to her new 18-month-old niece.  However, Schumer took a particular pleasure in hitting out at the Kardashians.

In her bit, Schumer mentioned she was worried about the role models we have for women.  And how she had to be a role model for little girls particularly when talking about body image.

“We have to be a role model for these little girls. Because who do they have? All they have, literally, is the Kardashians,” said Schumer.  “And is that a great message for little girls? A whole family of women who take the faces they were born with as a light suggestion?”

She went on to say: “We used to have Khloé,” and make fun of Khloé Kardashian’s recent surgeries. She also referred to Khloé’s weight loss by saying: “She lost a Kendall.”

While Schumer may not be a paragon, she certainly is a self-made woman who has worked hard to get to her place in comedy.  She is also someone who’s never been too worried about self-image, making fun of herself and the men who don’t considerable “hot enough” in her sketches and standup.

Check out Schumer’s entire monologue here.

OWNER OF BROTHEL WHERE LAMAR ODOM COLLAPSED IS A PUBLICITY HOUND

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After the media barrage covering the collapse and hospitalization of Lamar Odom, there are voices that feel they have something to say about Odom’s tragedy.  Or that there’s some money to be made out of this.  That’s perhaps the reasoning behind Dennis Hof’s interview with Nancy Grace.  Hof, the owner of The Love Ranch, the brothel where Odom collapsed, went on television and started revealing all kinds of information that Odom and his family might have wanted to remain private.

While it’s important to know the truth about what happened to Odom, Hof’s comments to Nancy Grace and Entertainment tonight add nothing to knowing about the pro athlete’s condition.  In fact, he seems eager to disclose how much Odom spent in his business and what services he got for that fee.  That information is unnecessary, and just goes to show the horrible obsession the media has with reality show celebrities.

During his interview with Nancy Grace, Hof comments on how a Kardashian family representative reached out to him to ask him to please not speak to the media while Odom is in hospital.  He then proudly blurts out that he told him to “go to hell.”  Hof is trying to sell the angle of the Kardashians trying to hide the truth and control the narrative of what is out there regarding Odom’s condition. However, this argument means nothing unless Hof actually has something to say about Odom that will help him or the public.   He even spouted more bile about the Kourtney Kardashian by saying: “If she really cared about this man, he wouldn’t be at my place with my girls.”  After seeing Hof’s “tell-all” comments, it’s clear that his only real interest in the matter is publicity.

CLINTON AND SANDERS CONSOLIDATE THEMSELVES AS TOP DEMS AFTER DEBATE

Last night’s democratic debate proved what everyone already knew was true.  The only true candidates in the Dem race are Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.  And out of the two, there was only one clear winner.  Hillary’s guile and poise in answering Anderson Cooper’s questions reminded democrats why she was the clear frontrunner for the nomination (and some would say the presidency) just a few months ago.

Hillary was strong and composed.  Her answers were for the most part clear and to the point.  More importantly, she was there to draw first blood against Bernie Sanders.  She addressed Sanders’ on-the-fence stance against gun control in the past early on in the debate, and Sanders never really recovered from that blow.  In fact, Bernie actually helped Hillary when he said “The American people are sick and tired of hearing about” Hillary’s “damn emails.”  It’s telling when your biggest opponent avoids the weakest point of your campaign.

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In Sanders defense, he was still a strong candidate, despite playing slight catch-up to Hillary.  In fact, the Sanders campaign feels they won the debate, as does Sanders’ internet-driven young fanbase.  However, Hillary’s camp seems to be certain of their own victory.

Unlike the GOP’s two circus roadshow-like debates, filled with insults and ad hominem attacks, the democrats actually tried to answer questions about their policies and the ways they wanted to change the country.  Maybe this is why calling the winner in this debate was a bit harder than in the GOP ones.  In fact, GOP favorite Donald Trump live-tweeted the event and actually criticized the fact that the candidates seemed to know what they were talking about.  What did the Donald want?  For candidates to wing it?  You can almost hear Trump yelling at his TV: “What a bunch of losers.”

LAMAR ODOM: REALITY ROYALTY AT A PRICE

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The tragedy of Lamar Odom’s hospitalization after collapsing in a brothel on Tuesday night once again brings up the question of how much damage reality show fame can bring to the real people behind the shows. As Khloe Kardashian’s husband, Lamar Odom became a regular on Keeping Up With the Kardashians up until their heavily covered and publicized divorce in 2013.

For most viewers of reality television, it is hard to remember that the people they see are playing characters that serve narratives within those shows.  Lamar was to be Khloe’s husband, until the ratings made it necessary for a big “event” to happen in the family.  In an excellent piece for BuzzFeed News, Elle Woodward and Rebecca Hendin showed how Keeping Up With the Kardashians manipulates its viewers into thinking their lives might be just like the eponymous family if they manage to “make it big.” After all, look at Kim and Khloe’s problems – marriage, divorce, motherhood – aren’t they all so relatable?  What has kept Keeping Up With the Kardashians alive is the fact that they use the same narratives that resonate with the majority of the people.  It’s the same technique soap operas and telenovelas have been using for almost their entire existence as television shows.

How can we be so quick to judge reality television if they are just using a method that’s been used thousands of times before?  Because behind the characters of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, 19 Kids and Counting, and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo are real people whose lives are promoted and exposed for entertainment.  Of course, for a while they get to reap the benefits of fame, but the cost of their overly exposed life tends to catch up with them.  We’ve heard these stories before: Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, and more recently Josh Duggar.  We can’t celebrate reality celebrities as we would celebrate fictional characters because while reality stars’ lives may be dramatized, they have real lives behind the cameras.

In Lamar Odom’s case, while he made his name as a pro athlete and a basketball champion, his level of fame and recognition came thanks to Keeping Up With the Kardashians.  It is horrifying to look at the coverage his tragedy is receiving and seeing most of the stories relate to how the “Kardashian klan” has reacted to the tragedy.  Instead of focusing on Lamar’s career or his medical condition, we keep hearing about how Kourtney, Kylie, Kris, and Kim feel about this very sick man’s state.

Lamar Odom is a man fighting with addiction.  Let’s start talking about his condition, what lead him to being in hospital, and not about some silly family’s opinion on him.

Selena Gomez Confirms She Has Lupus And Underwent Chemo!

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Pop idol Selena Gomez confirmed that she was diagnosed with lupus over two years ago, and that she received chemotherapy to treat it.

In 2013, Gomez underwent treatment for the autoimmune disease at Dawn of the Meadows rehab facility.  Tabloids were quick to say she had gone to rehab after her breakup with Justin Bieber.  Gomez’s representatives shot down those rumors immediately, but now Selena herself has confirmed the real reason behind her break:  

“I was diagnosed with lupus, and I’ve been through chemotherapy. That’s what my break was really about. I could’ve had a stroke,” she told Billboard Magazine.

Gomez was assertive towards the tabloids that filled pages about her supposed mental state and addiction:

"I wanted so badly to say: 'You guys have no idea. I'm in chemotherapy. You're assholes'."

She also used the interview to remind the media of her work as a Unicef ambassador:

"I've been working since I was seven. I've been a Unicef ambassador since I was 17. It's so disappointing that I've become a tabloid story.”

ITM covered Selena’s efforts for Unicef in this exclusive interview!

CATHRIONA WHITE WAS MARRIED AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH!

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Last week we reported the unfortunate death of Jim Carrey’s on-and-off Irish girlfriend, Cathriona White.  White, who had been dating Carrey until late September, was found dead in her Los Angeles apartment last week.

The LA Coroner’s Office is still in possession of White’s body, and will not release it until White’s next of kin arrives to reclaim it.  Surprisingly, it has been revealed that White’s next of kin is not a member of her family (who released a statement following Cathriona’s death), but a husband whose identity is yet to be revealed. There is little known about White’s husband, other than the fact that he is not Jim Carrey.

The investigation around White’s death continues.  The LAPD has performed an autopsy and the cause of death has been deferred pending toxicology reports.  They have also confirmed that there were not one but several notes found in White’s apartment at the time of her death – one of them addressed to Jim Carrey.

Jim Carrey's Girlfriend, Cathriona White, Takes Her Life

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A sad story from Hollywood today. Jim Carrey’s on-and-off girlfriend, Irish makeup artist Cathriona White, committed suicide yesterday.  

White’s death has come as a surprise to her family and the people close to her, including Jim Carrey.  The actor released a statement expressing his surprise and concern:

"I am shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of my sweet Cathriona. She was a truly kind and delicate Irish flower, too sensitive for this soil, to whom loving and being loved was all that sparkled. My heart goes out to her family and friends and to everyone who loved and cared about her. We have all been hit with a lightning bolt."

Likewise, White’s family released the following statement to The Irish Independent:

“The family of Cathriona White sincerely regret the untimely passing of their beloved daughter and sister. Cathriona was a shining light in our lives who was loved deeply by her entire family. We will miss her terribly and at this difficult time we ask to be left in private to mourn our loss.”

Zelda Williams, Robin Williams’ daughter and an activist for suicide awareness, tweeted about White’s death, and encouraged people to visit a suicide awareness site.

Heartbroken to continue to watch sweet, kind souls be consumed by darkness. May it never hurt less, so we never grow numb to the loss.

— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) September 30, 2015

In honor of @littleirishcat, please check out http://t.co/C69cSHuWsc. They do great work in her wonderful home country. RIP Cat.

— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) September 30, 2015

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Cathriona had dated the Carrey in 2012, but they had gotten back together this past May. The couple even enjoyed the summer in Carrey’s home nation of Canada. Apparently the couple ended their new relationship on September 24. This seems to have been what moved Cathriona White to take her life. She posted a cryptic tweet that evening to her followers saying goodbye, and yesterday the police found a note, which addressed the breakup, in her LA apartment.

While police are waiting for the autopsy report, it is believed that White took her life with an overdose of prescription pills.  

Pope Francis Visits the US - Celebs React!

Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images News / Getty Images

Pope Francis officially began his first visit to the United States yesterday when he arrived in Washington DC.  Safe to say, the country is in full-on Pope mania!  President Obama met with the High Pontiff yesterday, and Francis is set to speak to Congress today.

Celebrities also had their own reaction to the Pope’s arrival.  Eva Longoria, of Desperate Housewives fame, was at the White House during Pope Francis’ speech!

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Longoria, who is set to star in an upcoming NBC comedy called Telenovela, couldn’t hide her excitement, and celebrated being at the White House with her sister Liza.

Another celebrity who was quick to show his Pope appreciation on Instagram was Batman (or is it Birdman now?) himself, Michael Keaton.  On his post, Keaton supported the Pope’s views on climate change.

And reality show celebrity Omarosa was also on the Instagram scene.

The Pope craze didn’t just affect Catholics.  Kerry Washington, a.k.a Olivia Pope in Scandal, tweeted her support of her somewhat namesake.

And British newscaster Piers Morgan showed his admiration for Francis’ Papal swagger.

Comedians also had their go at the Pope.  Former SNL star and New York local Colin Quinn commented on the timing of the Pope’s visit:

And Jim Gaffigan, who is set to perform in front of the Pope in Philadelphia, had something to say too:

Pope Francis is set to fly into New York on Thursday evening.  He will stay in the city until Saturday stopping to visit Central Park, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the 9/11 Memorial.  On Saturday he will arrive at Philadelphia where he will stay until Sunday, and return to the Holy See.

The Wanna Emmy's Recap!

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images

Last night’s Emmys were dominated by a few great shows in an ocean of good television shows.  In a way, they exemplified the age of “peak TV” we live in.  There’s simply too much good TV for us to watch.  Thankfully, there isn’t a lot of great TV.  That’s the one that pertains the Emmys, and those are the shows that ended up winning last night.  Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Olive Kitteridge, Veep, Orange is the New Black, How to Get Away With Murder, and Transparent were definitely the shows to watch in a year of fantastic TV choices. Those were the shows that were rewarded.  A few nods to longevity and likability might have been appreciated by some (Amy Poehler), but it’s hard to disagree. Simply put, the best shows in TV won.

The 67th Emmy Awards last night were a fantastic show that proved television is definitely living its best moment in terms of diversity.  The show wasn’t for everyone, but right from the get go, Andy Samberg made sure to point out Hollywood’s inequality issues in his opening sketch: “He got the gig because he’s seen all the TV there’s out there… and because he’s a white guy.”

Uzo Aduba and Viola Davis’ wins showed that the academy is watching shows with more representation.  The female acting categories were all very tight, but these women’s victories showed that diverse characters are not just pandering for ratings: they’re genuine, critically-acclaimed roles made for diverse actors.  Davis’ brilliant acceptance speech highlighted the fact that without opportunity, women of color wouldn’t be on TV.  She made a call to keep making these opportunities, and making roles for women and people of color in general.  And if you were taking her speech with a grain of salt, here’s a stat that proves Davis is right: Davis is the first black woman in the Emmys’ 67-year history to win the award for best actress in a leading role.

Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Another surprising win for diversity came with Amazon’s Transparent.  HBO and AMC passed on the series when director Jill Soloway pitched it to them.  Amazon picked it up, and in doing so, they’ve picked up two Golden Globes and two Emmys in just one year.  Jeffrey Tambor was a shoe-in for the Best Comedy Actor category, and he sure as hell got it.

An actor who deserved his award, but had to play the waiting game to get it was the phenomenal actor and professional stud Jon Hamm.  Hamm was nominated for his role as the conflicted and charming ad man, Don Draper, in AMC’s Mad Men a whopping eight times.  He only received the award this year.   Hamm, who also happens to be a fantastic comic talent, tried to joke his way out of receiving his award by saying it was all a mistake.  In all honesty, Hamm had to get the award.  My bet is even the other nominees were rooting for him.

As for Game of Thrones, it seems that Winter has come to Westeros, and it has brought Emmys.  Thrones had received some Emmy love in the past, but never in the “big categories”: Best Writing, Best Directing, and Best Drama.  This year, it won them all.  Not only that, it became the show with the most Emmy wins in a year with an astounding 12 awards.  The previous holder of the title had been The West Wing with nine.  If the past few years were dominated by Breaking Bad and Mad Men, it seems the future is in the hands of HBO.

Lester Cohen/WireImages

The only disappointment in the night was the sad reality that Amy Poehler never won an Emmy for her character in Parks and Rec.  Like Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, Poehler’s Leslie Knope will be in TV’s collective mind, but far from Julia Louis Dreyfuss’ (deserved) Emmy love.

Kevin Winter/Getty

In numbers, the night showed how premium cable still is the critics’ and academy’s favorite.  For HBO, it was their best night in years, taking home 14 awards.  In second place came Comedy Central, which thanks to Jon Stewart and Amy Schumer left with 4.  The networks and Netflix?  Let’s just say this wasn’t their year.  Even Amazon had more awards than the networks!  Among the shows that were completely snubbed were the Breaking Bad prequel/sequel Better Call Saul, Netflix’s crown jewel House of Cards, The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, and hype-machine Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. All good shows. Just, not great shows.

A Strong Fiorina, a Timid Carson, and a Weak Trump: The GOP Debate Recap

CNN

As the race for the Republican nomination heats up, the CNN debate was a welcome sight. After seeing Jeb Bush and Donald Trump appear on late night talk shows, it was time to actually talk policy.

The CNN GOP debate was flawed, but it gave us a clearer view of who is actually prepared to rule the nation. Or at least, who can seriously fight for the chance to do so.   The verdict: while Trump might be leading in the polls, his debating skills leave much to be desired.  For the first time in his campaign, Trump looked to not be in control.  This might have to do with the fact that the other candidates took a more aggressive approach towards Trump this time around.  While tried to take the “high ground” route last debate, this time, they pulled no punches.  As a matter of fact, each of the eleven candidates seemed to take turns to take down Trump.  It wasn’t too hard, as Trump avoided most questions and focused on insulting other candidates (per his usual style). This time, however, both the other candidates and the moderators called him out on it.

Jeb Bush, while lackluster most of the night, called out Trump’s weak immigration policy.  He also took a chance to remind people Trump had disrespected his wife and asked the New York magnate to apologize.  Spoiler alert: he didn’t. It was a sorry show for Jeb.  A man who is clearly prepared, but can’t get to kickstart his campaign after running as an early favorite.

AP

The strongest candidate, unsurprisingly, was Carly Fiorina. Fiorina, who won the last “children’s table” debate, proved that she could make it on the big stage.  Fiorina was eloquent and composed. Her jabs at Trump only came when they were called for.  Fiorina was serious about the debate, and explained most of her policies in a clear, eloquent, and exciting way. Her answer about foreign policy (which was received by cheers) was perhaps the highlight of the night.

Ben Carson, who is second behind Trump in the polls, had a quiet night. His policies seemed reasonable, and he was well-spoken, but he lacked the enthusiasm of Fiorina.  He also avoided any confrontation with Trump, per his campaign strategy.

The clear winner of the debate was Fiorina.  A dark horse at the beginning of the campaign, she is starting to look as a viable candidate.  What the polls and the debates show is that this has been a dark horse campaign.  Trump, Carson and Fiorina have become unexpected favorites.

NBC

Hundreds of miles away, Hillary Clinton was in New York trying to get her campaign started. She appeared on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, and made fun of Trump. Perhaps, she is still unaware that the real threat might not be Trump.  The real threat to Hillary’s campaign might just be another woman.

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani Are Maybe Dating, but Not Really?

NBC

Yesterday, the tabloids went nuts when RadarOnline ran a story saying BLAKE SHELTON and GWEN STEFANI were starting to hang out a little more than normally.  The two “The Voice” judges are recently divorced, and seem to have found new feelings for their co-workers.

According to RadarOnline, the chemistry between Blake and Gwen is palpable, and they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other.  The two have reportedly left tapings together many times in the past few days.  Recently, Blake even invited Gwen to dinner and drinks after a long day of recording.

However, Shelton himself took to Twitter to deny the rumors.  In fact, he seemed to imply he wasn’t seeing anyone, and that everything in the press was completely fabricated.

So is there a love blooming behind the scenes of America’s #1 music competition?  Blake’s tweet could just be a PR spin.  After all, these two guys dating right after their very publicized divorces doesn’t look great.  Maybe it’s too soon for them to go public.

Another possibility is plain and simple: ratings.  The Voice returns to NBC on September 21st, and maybe the network wants to start the buzz, and build some anticipation before the premiere. The rumor makes it pretty clear that “the way that they interact both on-camera and off-camera is undeniably flirty.”  That sounds like a great way to keep eyes on screens watching every single one of their interactions to build a story around it.  And it works perfectly.  Will Blake hearts Gwen be the new story in this season of The Voice?  Are we over Blake and Adam Levine’s faux-feud?  With a rumor this big, who’s gonna resist tuning?  We at ITM, certainly won’t.