Innocent men in Hollywood aren’t getting enough credit

Matt Damon continues to put his foot in his mouth.
                                             

Speaking with Business Insider, the “Downsizing” actor highlighted the takedown of predatory stars in Hollywood as a “watershed moment,” but said that in his experience, “the preponderance of men” in the industry are not sexual predators and thus deserve a pat on the back.

“We’re in this watershed moment, and it’s great, but I think one thing that’s not being talked about is there are a whole [lot] of guys — the preponderance of men I’ve worked with — who don’t do this kind of thing and whose lives aren’t going to be affected,” Damon said.

Additionally, the 47-year-old actor told the publication that the current climate hasn’t changed the way he approaches working with actors, directors or producers with sexual assault and/or harassment allegations against them.

Damon told Business Insider his perspective varies “case by case.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t want to work with somebody who — life’s too short for that. But the question of if somebody had allegations against them, you know, it would be a case-by-case basis. You go, ‘What’s the story here?’”

The actor’s comments come amid backlash from a previous interview he did with ABC News’ Peter Travers, which touched on similar topics.

During their discussion, Damon stated he didn’t feel it was fair to lump all the men accused of sexual harassment and assault together because “there’s a spectrum of behavior.”

The interview elicited a response from both Alyssa Milano and Minnie Driver.

Milano, who participated in the viral #MeToo campaign, tweeted her critique of Damon’s comments, writing that sexual assault and harassment hurt regardless of the magnitude of an incident.

Driver also reacted on Twitter, sharing an article from Vulture about Damon’s comments.

After her initial response, Driver shared an article she penned for The Guardian in which she stated that people like Damon “cannot understand what abuse is like.”

She said in the piece that she “desperately needed to say something,” after seeing a number of tone deaf comments from “good men.”

Damon has not yet responded to the backlash.

Kim Kardashian's Meditation Playlist Is Exactly What You Need To Get Through Holiday Stress

While the holidays are usually a very joyous and happy time of year, they can also be stressful as all hell. TBH, if everyone took a few minutes out of their day to meditate, especially during the holiday season, the world would be a much better place. That's why Kim Kardashian's meditation playlist on Spotify couldn't have come out at a more convenient time.
                                               

On Nov. 20, the 37-year-old reality TV personality tweeted that she recently teamed up with Spotify to launch a brand new "Crystal Meditation" playlist full of good vibes, inspired by her three brand new fragrances for the KKW Beauty brand.

In case you're not quite up to speed with all of the new floral fragrances, which graced us mere mortals on Nov. 15, the perfume line is based on the scent of Kardashian's favorite flowers (gardenias), and the bottles are beautifully shaped like various, iridescent crystals. This is because Kardashian is all about using crystals for healing lately, and she wants to share her passion for these precious gemstones with all of her fans.

During that same episode of KUWTK, Kardashian's younger sister Kendall Jenner joined her in a little meditation session after the 22-year-old opened up about her struggles with sleep paralysis.

As a yoga teacher, I personally make it a point to meditate every single day. I genuinely think it's a great practice for anyone to try, whether you deal with chronic bouts of anxiety or not. And while I tend to prefer silent meditations in my own practice, listening to Kim Kardashian's new playlist while I worked today brought me a sense of serenity and peace that I didn't realize I needed in the midst of my hectic schedule.

Harmony Korine Wants to Show His Matthew McConaughey Stoner Comedy The Beach Bum

Matthew McConaughey and Snoop Dogg's new stoner film The Beach Bum will truly be an experience. That's because director Harmony Korine plans to show it with—bongo drum roll—puffs of marijuana smoke in the air in the theaters. Impressively, the trailblazing auteur has currently secured 30 rooms in which he'll be able to do so. “I would very much like to see the film, when it’s released, be shown in rooms that spread curls of marijuana [smoke]," Korine told Telerama. It is possible in some states, such as California, that have legalized this drug for [medical use]. We already have about thirty rooms that have accepted.”
                                                   

It's likely though that none of those rooms are in Miami, Florida, where The Beach Bum is filming and where recreational marijuana use is not yet legal. Or in Key West, where "the action takes place" as Harmony Korine says, "in the extreme south of Florida." “It’s a comedy with Matthew McConaughey and Snoop Dogg, about somewhat depressive marijuana smokers, in the spirit of Cheech and Chong,” Korine said. Other details that have surfaced about the film include the fact that McConaughey's character will be named Moondog, "a rebellious charmer in this fast-paced, uplifiting and irreverent comedy" as Deadline reports.

No doubt McConaughey will have an easy time slipping into the mindset of that character as the actor famously lived through a somewhat public depressive marijuana smoking episode. Back in 1999, the actor was arrested by Austin police after his neighbors reported him "disturbing the peace," a.k.a. playing the drums naked and dancing around his house. It was the marijuana, bong and pipe, however, that got him into trouble when the cops arrived, who later booked him on suspicion of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting transportation. Nearly two decades later, McConaughey opened up about the incident to Playboy, saying, "What's wrong with beating on your drums in your birthday suit. I have no regrets about the way I got there."

Selena Gomez Is Making More Than $30 Million for Her Puma Collab

The 25-year-old is collaborating with Puma and will appear in the brand's upcoming women's footwear campaign for the Phenom. "Officially a part of the fam @puma #pumapartner," Gomez wrote on Instagram along with a photo of herself in her Puma gear.
                                         

In a press release about the collab, Gomez said that being a part of the brand was "very exciting" for her. "Puma has changed the game when it comes to the mash-up of athletic wear and fashion," she shared. "It's amazing to see this influence on style and culture and I'm excited to be a part of it. I am hoping that we can create something special together. We already have some really cool projects in the works."

After the Puma collab was announced on Monday, a source says Selena is making over $30 million for the deal, which is expected to last around two years.

This news comes one month after Gomez's boyfriend The Weeknd designed sneakers for Puma. As for the couple's relationship, the insider tells us that despite reports, they're "not living together."

Gomez is currently filming a Woody Allen movie in New York City and The Weeknd is on tour. And while the couple does stay together sometimes when he comes back on his breaks, they are not officially living together. They both have their own houses in Los Angeles.

And while the couple isn't sharing a house, it sounds like they are sharing clothes.

"I mean, at this point, my boyfriend and I share closets, and [we're] just kind of throwing different ideas around," Gomez tells Vogue. "Sometimes I'll throw on his Puma stuff and just go out with my shoes. I'll just wear that as a little cute date-night dress or something to the movies. You want to feel confident in it. When you start stressing about it and feel you have to create this image...you shouldn't feel that way."

Lady Gaga's world tour includes classes in 'mental health first aid

Cynthia Germanotta, known to most of the world as Lady Gaga's mom, is sitting in the lobby of a glitzy Sacramento Sheraton hotel. A few hours from now, her daughter will play a sold-out show a mile from here as part of her Joanne world tour.
                                                 

But right now, Germanotta — who's dressed impeccably in a smart blazer, black skirt, and gold hoop earrings — just wants to talk about something called Mental Health First Aid.

The eight-hour training, often described as "CPR for the mind," helps people identify signs of mental illness and addiction in order to offer appropriate support and resources. When Germanotta took the class, she walked away feeling confident she could better spot the symptoms of psychological distress or crisis and shared the experience with her daughter. Together they decided they wanted to provide the same skills and information to as many people as possible.

Born This Way Foundation and National Council for Behavioral Health partnered to bring trainings to every American city on the Joanne tour. Sessions in Sacramento, Omaha, Detroit, and Denver are free and others charge up to $75. The trainings are part of the foundation's "Channel Kindness Tour" that's on the road with Gaga. Some courses will be held on the day of the concert while others are scheduled within a week of a tour stop.

The course is a guide to the risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems. It also rejects the stigma and stereotypes commonly associated with mental illness. Instead, the training gives participants the nonjudgmental language to ask about signs of distress, and the know-how to follow-up with support and resources.

Ariana Grande Is Making Scrunchies Great Again

For all the '90s trends that have found a place once again in our routines and our hearts—chokers, brown lipstick, Steve Madden platforms, Cucumber Melon—there's the scrunchie, the butt of all bad-hair jokes and the last thing I ever thought would touch my head again.
                                                       

You can't exactly blame it for the bad rap it's gotten. It's like if a sock were also a hair tie. But as recently demonstrated by celebrities like Bella Hadid and now Ariana Grande, the scrunchie can actually look...dare I say...cool.

It sounds crazy. I get it. But we all said the same thing about mom jeans and here we are. Given that the cushy fabric is gentler on hair, Ariana might be onto something. Plus, the Heathers references are too good to pass up. So, I'll just let the photos speak for themselves.

This look on Ariana isn't an overly gelled pony of yore (i.e., 1998). This scrunchie is velvet and looped at the end of her loose side braid, which looks very cool-girl-in-the-locker-room (liberally spray said Cucumber Melon for the full experience). Yeah, the space buns might make the whole thing feel dated in a year, but other than that, I can see this having staying power.
So literally shake the dust off the tie shoved in the back of your high school closet, or go pick up a set for $12, because they're sold at Urban Outfitters now (the official arbiters of "this trend is hip again"). While Carrie Bradshaw wasn't wrong when she ranted to Jack Berger that no chic woman on the isle of Manhattan would wear a scrunchie back in 2003, times change. They're decidedly not French, but these days scrunchies have a definite je ne sais quoi.

Leonardo DiCaprio hands over Brando's Oscar

In November 2012, Leonardo DiCaprio — at the time, three months into filming "Wolf of Wall Street," which would later further his legacy of almost-Oscars for a fourth time — received Marlon Brando's best actor statuette for 1954's "On the Waterfront" as a 38th birthday gift.
                                           

The gift-givers were DiCaprio's business associates (and friends) at Red Granite Pictures, the production house behind "Wolf of Wall Street." Now the 42-year-old actor has voluntarily handed over Brando's Academy Award (in addition to several other pricey souvenirs from the Red Granite team) to the U.S. government as part of an ongoing investigation into a $3.5-billion Malaysian money-laundering scheme.

According to last year's federal court filing, the U.S. government also believes that the laundered funds also funded "the co-conspirators' lavish lifestyles, including purchases of artwork and jewelry, the acquisition of luxury real estate and luxury yachts, the payment of gambling expenses, and the hiring of musicians and celebrities to attend parties."

The multimillion-dollar artworks in question include a Picasso painting, a photograph by Diane Arbus and a Jean-Michel Basquiat collage, which were supposedly gifted to DiCaprio by Jho Low, Red Granite's purported financier. The actor had accepted the art with the intention of auctioning off the pieces to raise money for his charitable foundation, his spokesperson said.

Red Granite co-founder Riza Aziz is suspected by the U.S. Department of Justice of helping his stepfather, Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, embezzle $4.5 billion through a political development scheme, a sum which in part was spent on the Scorsese-directed film.

Kendall Jenner stars in La Perla's new 'Land of Oz' campaign

There’s no stopping Kendall Jenner. Despite being one of the youngest members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, she has been taking the fashion world by storm in recent years.
                                                     

                                           
Now the supermodel and reality star looks sizzling as she fronts a new campaign for Italian lingerie brand, La Perla.

Surrounded by gigantic begonias, hibiscus and reimagined tulips, Jenner, 21, is seen in ‘The Kaleidoscopic World of an English Garden’ flaunting her enviable frame in an array of pieces from the La Perla Pre-Fall 2017 collection.

The colourful shoot – designed by La Perla Creative Director, Julia Haart – draws inspiration from the art of Georgia O’Keeffe and Peter Max, forming a fusion of pop-art, modernism and fashion.

Speaking of the ad, the brand said that it chose Kendall to front the campaign as she “exudes the certainty and self-assurance of a true heroine – owning her world through confidence and empowered femininity.”

Among the new pieces featured are a glamorous La Perla Slip Dress, which has a built-in padded bra and sculpted bodice sewn from stretch silk, and a limited-edition cocktail dress adorned with multi-coloured embroidered crystals.

Last week, Desigual posted the summery campaign photos to Instagram, captioning the images with Howard’s body-positive words of wisdom. In one photo, Howard poses in a floral crop top and bikini bottoms against a giant beach ball. The unretouched photo shows off the 26-year-old’s famous curves, and, wonderfully, just a tiny bit of cellulite (yep — models have it, too!). In another, Howard sits in a watermelon pool float wearing a vintage-inspired one-piece swimsuit and matching head wrap, sporting cherry-red lips and nails. She looks every bit the ‘50s-era bombshell with her curves as the focus of the photo. In the photo’s caption, Howard admits,

SEVERAL SPECTACULAR QUALITIES THAT MAKE THE JACK SPARROW ACTOR UNIQUE

Johnny Depp has captured the imaginations of millions of fans for a variety of different reasons, and while not all of them center around Jack Sparrow, the role certainly added another dimension to the public perception of this great actor and musician. Here are 12 good reason Marilyn Manson’s oldest and dearest friend is incredibly special.

1. The genius behind creating Jack Sparrow

Johnny Depp is a creative genius when it comes to developing and portraying characters. Each role is carefully researched for months. The multi-talented actor and musician spent months with Hunter S. Thompson and sought out The Rolling Stones musician Keith Richards to research the role of Jack Sparrow.

2. Johnny Depp won Sexiest Man Alive Twice

Depp’s replication of a Keith Richards persona guaranteed Jack Sparrow’s place as the ultimate sex symbol, and won the actor People‘s Sexiest Man Alive award, not once but twice. Jack Sparrow exudes the sexy rock star image, and his eyes are amazing.

3. Johnny Depp has a vast collection of amazing friends including Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper

Depp fits in comfortably with other creative genius personalities. Not only that, but he also has a way of creating genuine and enduring friendships with people like the late Hunter S. Thompson and controversial rock stars like Marilyn Manson, Patti Smith, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Keith Richards.

4. Johnny Depp is rare and exquisite

The Jack Sparrow actor is a rare bird. Even his blood type is rare. Read more about Johnny Depp’s rare blood type that is often associated with genius on the Inquisitr. Due to his rare blood type, that Jack Sparrow face, Scissorhands soul, and all that brilliant talent cannot be cloned. Of course one hardly has to resort to biochemistry to see that Depp is unusually brilliant, handsome, and charismatic.

5. Johnny Depp is kind, sincere, generous, and a loyal friend.

Depp was recently ridiculed in the media when his financial management company decided to leak Johnny’s private financial business all over the internet. While the information was meant to disgrace the actor, what kind of people would not see the generosity and kindness behind making loans to individuals who could not pay him back, or spending extravagantly on a dear friend’s funeral, or giving money to that friend’s widow.

Several Reasons A KenGi Friendship Means More Than A Taylor Swift Girl Squad

Having an oversized girl squad like Taylor Swift’s can be so fun, especially for certain plans. Nothing beats a beach getaway, bachelorette party or impromptu ski weekend surrounded by your mains. Who run the world? Your CREW. And let’s be honest, who better to dance the night away with on the bar than your main gal pals? Squad-FREAKING-goals met, Tay.

A girl squad is mad fun to call on for special occasions… but when you’re living a real life and planning normal weekend events, it can be a bit girl crazy. It could end up being too much #drama to handle. After all, girls will be girls… and that’s not always a good thing. Most nights, you just want to grab a bottle of wine, bake chocolate chip cookies in the oven and have a chick flick movie marathon with your number one bestie. You’re totally OK not having a crazy night out and missing out on other plans because you’re spending time with the peanut butter to your jelly. Having that one-on-one irreplaceable bond – like Kendall Jenner has with Gigi Hadid – isn’t something many can replicate.

Here’s why a KenGi friendship means more than a Taylor Swift girl squad.

1. In every girl squad, you’ll inevitably have one or more drama types who add extra annoyance and stress to your life. That’s obsolete in a KenGi type of relationship.

2. You won’t have to deal with the jealousy and immaturity that can come with a girl squad.

3. You’ll never have to compete for queen bee status, or have the fear of being overthrown.

4. You dedicate all of your effort into strengthening your close bond with the Gigi to your Kendall.

5. There’s no competition because you both have something different – and equally incredible – to offer your friendship.

6. She’ll always be there to support you, and you’ll always be there to support her. No one can come between the two of you and your support system.

7. Even if you’re miles away, you’ll never grow apart. You actually feel closer because you text and Skype every single day, while members of an oversized girl squad may fade out over time.

8. She’s always there when you need her the most. She’s seen you at your worst, but she comes prepared with the necessities: wine, chocolate and perfect advice.

Max Martin Discusses Prince, Taylor Swift, And Pharrell In Rare Interview

Max Martin doesn’t really do interviews. The pop genius more or less responsible for the past two decades of Top 40 hits only rarely speaks about his work, so it’s always a huge deal whenever he opens his mouth. He recently gave his first extensive magazine interview since 2001 with Sweden’s Di Weekend, and he had a lot to say about his theories behind constructing vocal melodies — his specialty — using Taylor Swift and Prince as examples:

I have lots of theories when it comes to this. If you’ve got a verse with a lot of rhythm, you want to pair it with something that doesn’t. Longer notes. Something that might not start at the same beat. As I say this, I’m afraid it might sound like I’ve got a whole concept figured out…But it’s not like that. The most crucial thing is always how it feels. But the theories are great to have on hand when you get stuck. ’We can’t think of anything, is there anything we could do?’ In those cases, you can bring it in as a tool. If you listen to “Shake It Off” with Taylor Swift (he hums the verse melody). After that segment, you need a few longer notes in order to take it all in, otherwise it’s simply too much information. If there would have been as many rhythm elements in the part right before the chorus … Does what I’m saying make any sense to you at all?

Although Martin never really went anywhere, he had a bit of a low period after his wild success with Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC, and he blames Pharrell’s sick beats:

I’ve learned that things change. The whole boy band thing almost turned into a stock market crash. We folded Cheiron at the right moment. Then, there was a period when we thought that Pharrell (Williams) and the others came and ruined it all for us with their super cool beats. My first thought was: people are idiots for not understanding how great our stuff really is. Then, in the end, I realized: the world has moved on, we’re the ones who’re stuck in one place. So I started listening to other kinds of music. I spent a lot of time in New York and worked with artists who never really got anywhere. Then things took a new turn with Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson). But at the same time, during the Cheiron era, we never really understood what we had achieved down in our basement in Stockholm. Since we never realized how big we were back then, I took that cold period with a shrug of the shoulders.

Why Katy Perry Matters More Than Your Favorite Indie Band

Laugh all you like. Katy Perry is responsible for some of the most colorful, memorable musical moments of the last nine years.
                 

No, she will likely never reap a credibility boost like Ryan Adams covering an entire album (as he did with Taylor Swift’s 1989); Perry is too broad, too kooky, too loveable. But for all the doe-eyed press shots and wacky costumery, she is a grown-ass woman, a real boss lady. Extroverted, flashy, idealistic: The Santa-Barbara-born singer is everything contemporary indie rock is not. For that, we must thank her.

Unlike her ex-friend T. Swift, Perry never enjoyed the ironic embrace of hipsters.

Remember that bombastic video for “Bad Blood”? In it, undercover mean girl Swift assembled her celebrity squad to ice Perry out for the alleged offense of stealing backup dancers. But if living well is the best revenge, Katy Perry won the long game by painting with the boldest colors on the biggest canvases. From playing halftime at the Super Bowl to penning the 2016 Olympic theme, Perry somehow makes careerism and commercialism look charming, innocent even.

Unimaginable as it seems, Katy Perry was once an unknown commodity. Raised in a restrictive Pentecostal home, she completed her GED at age 15. No wonder she performs those self-help sing-a-longs with such absolute conviction. Like fellow religious escapees Kings Of Leon, the stage became her sanctuary. Between record deals, she played The Hotel Café, Hollywood venue of choice for legions of aspiring singer/songwriters. She took her lumps with the other upstarts, but poise and pipes soon separated Perry from the pack.

The Day-Glo blast of Teenage Dream and its accompanying tour may have killed any chance at establishing Katy as a grassroots artist, but the album stands up as a front to back hook-filled delight. Unconcerned with subtlety, nearly every number was an arena-pop lighter anthem. And even a deep cut like “Peacock” was a hell of a lot more memorable than anything Foals or Sleigh Bells put out that year.