Yesterday at a large technology conference in Las Vegas, CES, director Michael Bay was supposed to introduce Samsung's curved TV.

But during his presentation, he lost his place on the teleprompter and panicked. He left the stage suddenly saying, "I'm sorry."

Bay has written a brief, very human statement on his personal website about the odd moment.

Wow! I just embarrassed myself at CES – I was about to speak for Samsung for this awesome Curved 105-inch UHD TV. I rarely lend my name to any products, but this one is just stellar. I got so excited to talk, that I skipped over the Exec VP’s intro line and then the teleprompter got lost. Then the prompter went up and down – then I walked off. I guess live shows aren’t my thing.

But I’m doing a special curved screen experience with Samsung and Transformers 4 footage that will be traveling around the world.

Michael

If you missed what happened, check out the video of it here:

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Each year, the online charity auction site Charitybuzz brings together celebrities, luminaries, and brands to benefit a variety of charities — from Sandy Hook Promise to Kenya Education Fund.

In 2013, Charitybuzz raised $30 million by auctioning off close to 12,000 packages. 

In November, the site reached a milestone of raising a total of $100 million for nonprofits since launching.

Charitybuzz shared their list of 2013 celebrity auctions with us.

Here are the expensive celebrity auctions, from least to most expensive:

25. For $26,000, a lucky fan attended the premiere of Lee Daniels’ The Butler, plus met Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Lee Daniels on the red carpet. Proceeds went to La Jolla Playhouse.

24. Someone paid $28,500 to enjoy lunch with Harrison Ford at Ford's Filling Station. Proceeds benefited the Tug McGraw Foundation.

23. It cost $32,500 to spend a day with the founder and executive chairman of GoDaddy Bob Parsons. Proceeds went to the GO Campaign.

22. A person paid $33, 125 to pitch a business idea to Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Proceeds benefited WWE Superstars for Sandy Relief. 

21. For $35,000, a lucky diner had the opportunity to attend a private dinner party with President Clinton, Ben Affleck, and Eddie Vedder. Proceeds went to The Clinton Foundation and the Eastern Congo Initiative.

20. $35,001 earned someone the chance to join Sir Paul McCartney, Tom Hanks, and Rita Wilson on stage with a Simply Shakespeare walk-on role. Proceeds benefited The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles. 

19. Someone paid $36,000 to enjoy a round of golf with Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Proceeds benefited The Humane Society of the United States.

18. It cost $37,500 to join Rosie O’Donnell and Cyndi Lauper to watch Kinky Boots on Broadway. Proceeds benefited Rosie's Theater Kids. 

17. For $40,000, someone joined Julia Roberts for an intimate lunch at the Soho House West Hollywood. Proceeds went to GLSEN. 

16. $40,500 got someone a flight on Virgin America to meet Sir Richard Branson for a bottle of champagne at a secret destination. Proceeds went to Do Something.

15. For $45,000, one lucky person enjoyed a walk-on role in the upcoming Superman/Batman film starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Amy Adams. Proceeds benefited the Dominic M. Aguilar Special Needs Trust.

14. Someone paid $50,000 to tour the SpaceX Center in Los Angeles and have lunch with CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk. Proceeds benefited Children's Hospital Los Angeles. 

13. $52,000 was paid to sit in on The Howard Stern Show and meet Howard Stern and team. Proceeds went to Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. 

12. $57,000 earned someone two tickets to the star-studded 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Afterparty. The proceeds benefited The Windward School. 

11. For $63,000, someone took home a Limited Edition LeBron James Audemars Piguet watch, plus enjoyed dinner with LeBron’s manager Maverick Carter and VIP Heat tickets. Proceeds benefited The LeBron James Family Foundation.

10. A person paid $66,000 to meet Katy Perry at any upcoming show. Proceeds went to Musicians on Call. 

9. Someone dished out $72,5000 to meet Bruce Springsteen with tickets and E Street Lounge passes to two shows. Proceeds benefited The Kristen Ann Carr Fund.

8. For $75,000, someone earned the chance to enjoy coffee with Steve Perry, former lead singer of Journey. Proceeds benefited City of Hope.

7. For $85,000, a person earned the opportunity to sit one-on-one with Harvey Weinstein at a private meeting plus attend The Weinstein Company’s Oscars and Golden Globes Parties. Proceeds benefited The Rose House.

6. A person paid $91,000 to enjoy a power lunch with Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer at Yahoo!'s headquarters. Proceeds went to Aspire East Palo Alto Charter School. 

5. $96,001 earned someone an appearance in American Hustle starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Christian Bale and Amy Adams with a speaking role. Proceeds went to the Kenny Gordon Foundation.

4. Someone paid $110,000 to enjoy dinner for four with President Clinton. Proceeds went to Oceana.

3. It cost $150,000 to score a private tennis lesson with Rafael Nadal. Proceeds benefited The Rafa Nadal Foundation. 

2. For $156,000, someone will enjoy an all-you-can-eat tour of See’s Candy Factory plus meet Warren Buffett. Proceeds benefited Communities in Schools Los Angeles.

1. For $610,000, someone won the opportunity to have coffee with Apple CEO Tim Cook at Apple’s headquarters. Proceeds go to The RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights.

SEE ALSO: Now check out the real names celebrities ditched for fame

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Justin Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, rang in 2014 by proposing to his girlfriend, Yael Cohen, who he has been dating since early 2013.

Cohen, 27, is the South African founder of the nonprofit organization "F--- Cancer," which is "a cancer education organization aiming to activate Gen-Y to engage with their parents about early detection, preventative lifestyles and communication around cancer," according to the website. Cohen launched F-Cancer in 2009 after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Braun, 32, is Justin Bieber's ever-present, longtime manager and friend after the former club promoter discovered the Canadian kid on YouTube and made him into a pop star sensation. Braun now owns two record labels: School Boy Records and Raymond-Braun Media Group, a joint venture with Usher.

Braun has been on vacation since the Christmas Day release of Bieber’s movie "Believe," frequently posting shots of him and Cohen skiing and hitting the beach.

Braun and Cohen hinted at the engagement news on Twitter, but his client Carly Rae Jepsen let the cat out of the bag.

Huge congrats to @scooterbraun and @yael on their engagement! I am so happy for you both! #truelove#yay

— Carly Rae Jepsen (@carlyraejepsen) January 6, 2014

loving 2014. Luckiest guy in the world :)

— Scooter Braun (@scooterbraun) January 6, 2014

2014, I like you.

— Yael Cohen (@yael) January 6, 2014

The couple have also been Instagramming shots from their two-week vacation.

"Time to vacation with this woman. I'm a lucky guy @yael :)"

"Well hello there me lady. Lol"

"Happy New Years! #tradition #newyears"

"That was a great vacation. #blessed and very very#lucky :)"

SEE ALSO: 23 Successful Actors Who Dropped Out Of High School

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Sony Pictures and Marvel rolled out a few new international posters for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" and they're awesome.

Both highlight showdowns between Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) and villain Electro (Jamie Foxx).

First, here's a poster via @movie_maniac_:

What's great about this poster is that it makes the viewer work to see what's really going on in the image. 

It kind of reminds us of this one Disney and Marvel released for "Iron Man 3" — without the worries of our hero in (too much) danger.

The only difference is that in the one below, Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark looks defeated. Above, Spidey looks like he's just getting started.Here's the second poster via Digital Spy which gives a glimpse of the villain from Spider-Man's point of view.

The new international posters follow Sony's recent trend in releasing artwork that breaks the mold from other superhero posters we saw last year.

Here's the first poster Marvel and Sony Pictures released for the film:

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" will be released May 2.

SEE ALSO: Now check out photos from the "Captain America" sequel

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Jimmy Fallon dreamed of being on "Saturday Night Live" ever since he was a teenager.

Fallon would tape each show for review later and insist on watching alone every Saturday night.

"I just didn’t want anyone ruining my experience,” Fallon tells David Kamp in Vanity Fair’s February cover story. “No small talk. I wanted to see the sketches, the new characters, what the angle was.” 

Eventually, Fallon landed a spot on "SNL" at age 24.

Tina Fey, then a writer on the show, recalled the moment Fallon auditioned: "He’s one of two people I’ve ever seen who was completely ready to be on the show. Kristen Wiig is the other one…. And Jimmy was ready­­—like, if there had been a show to do that night.”

Once he got into the swing of things, Fallon tells Vanity Fair that show creator, Lorne Michaels, really became his mentor — on everything from work to his personal life.

“Lorne helped me with everything — with relationships, with me getting famous,” Fallon tells the mag. “I was going through certain steps, and there were certain things I couldn’t talk to my dad about, because he wouldn’t know. Like ‘I have money now. Do I still rent? Do I buy an apartment?’ Or ‘I’m in L.A., and I have to rent a car.’ [“Lorne” voice] ‘You should get a Lexus, because you want to be quiet.’ Or ‘Should I date this actress?’ [“Lorne” voice] ‘You can date her, but you probably shouldn’t marry her.’ And he’d be totally right.”

After Fallon left "SNL" in 2004 to pursue a (lackluster) career on the big screen, it was Michaels who eventually brought him back to TV to host "Late Night."

Come next month, Fallon will take the reigns from Jay Leno at the "Tonight Show," but he insists he will continue his own brand of humor.

“It’s still going to be the same show,” Fallon tells Vanity Fair. “What I can tell you is it will be the best of what we do.”

SEE ALSO: The First Promos For Jimmy Fallon And Seth Meyers' New Late Night Shows

MORE: 'Saturday Night Live' Finally Hires Black Female Cast Member

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"Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" has been one of the most heavily promoted movies in recent memory.

In the weeks leading up to the film's Dec. 18 opening, lead actor Will Ferrell was seen in his Ron Burgundy character just about anywhere you could possibly imagine him to be: on comedy shows like Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show, local news telecasts like this one in North Dakota, and sports broadcasts ranging from the Canadian curling trials to a SportsCenter interview with Peyton Manning.

The movie has been in theaters for several weeks now, but the hype train rolls on. On Friday, the NBA's Dallas Mavericks posted a new video on their YouTube account featuring star forward Dirk Nowitzki dressed up as Burgundy, and five of his teammates dressed up like Burgundy's Channel 4 News Team cohorts.

Watch Nowitzki introduce "The Dallas Mavericks Starting Five News Team":

Despite the "starting five" moniker, the video actually stars six Mavericks, including Vince Carter as "Anchorman" sports correspondent Champ Kind ("Whammy!"), and Spanish point guard José Calderón as the team's "foreign correspondent."

Despite Anchorman 2's incessant promotion, Business Insider reporter Kirsten Acuna actually quite liked the film, writing that "Will Ferrell's return to theaters lives up to everything you want in a sequel and more — it's funny, is chock full of celebrity cameos, and there's an actual meaningful story."

Perhaps the Anchorman team's gusto will rub off on the Mavericks, who are looking to turn things around after losing back-to-back games to the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks.

SEE ALSO: This Boise TV Anchorman's Impersonation Of Ron Burgundy Was So Good He Became Part Of The Movie Promotion

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Last fall, we named "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" among the 13 new television shows worth watching.

Yeah, "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." was over-hyped by like 110%, but we really, really nailed this pick.

The buddy-cop comedy starring Andy Samberg just snagged a Golden Globe nomination for Best Comedy TV Series, with the "SNL" alum scoring a best actor nod in the category.

"Brooklyn" follows the goofy but gifted Detective Jake Peralta (Samberg) and his misfit colleagues at a fictional Brooklyn precinct, who are forced to reel in the antics when the force gets a new captain with something to prove (Andre Braugher).

Despite Seth Rogen's belief that Samberg's first case as a wisecracking detective "will be investigating the disappearance of his new Fox show," Fox has already picked up the freshman series for a full season.

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" returns Tuesday, January 7 at 8:30 p.m. If you're new, here are all the reasons to catch up:

It's created by Daniel Goor and Michael Schur, the gods of the workplace comedy genre.

Schur created "Parks and Recreation," is credited with writing 138 episodes of "Saturday Night Live," and played Dwight Schrute's crazed cousin Mose on "The Office." The Comedy King of the moment has extensive experience in architecting ensembles that work together, and playing to the strengths of each cast member.

Before Goor ventured into situation comedy with "Parks," he was a regular in the late night talk show writers' room. He crafted punchlines for Jon Stewart, Carson Daly, and Conan O'Brien for almost a decade. His quick paced one-liners combine with Schur's cringy sense of humor to produce this tight and bright NBC-sitcom-homage.

Unlike Season 1 of "Parks and Recreation," "Brooklyn" is already good.

Remember when Mark Brendanawicz was Leslie Knope's love interest? Me neither.

The first season of "Parks" was, like the former Pawnee city planner, forgettable. It failed to convince critics it was anything but an "Office" imitation, and ratings slipped through its first six episodes.

But "Brooklyn" gets the formula right immediately. From The Hollywood Reporter's Tim Goodman:

"Few pilots come this polished in that viewers will know what each character is like without having to wait; Goor and Schur achieve that without having to dumb them down or make them ludicrously loud like on, say, CBS' 'The Millers.'"

This isn't "The Andy Samberg Show."

His mug may be front and center on promotional posters, but the greatest strength of "Brooklyn" is the hugely talented and diverse ensemble. The idiosyncrasies of the group's dynamic are what gives the show warmth and an endless supply of running gags.

The always great Terry Crews, of "Everybody Hates Chris," "The Expendables," and Old Spice commercials, plays the squad's leader, Sgt. Terry Jeffords. Following an emotional breakdown in the field, he loses his edge and opts for permanent desk duty, so he can spend time with his wife and baby twin girls. Crews masters a combination of roughness and puppy dog sweetness that serves as a major source of laughs.

Then there's Chelsea Peretti, a likely candidate for The Next Tina Fey or Amy Poehler. The standup comedian, who made appearances on "The Sarah Silverman Show," "Tosh.0," and "Louie," plays the quirky, quick-witted office administrator Gina Linetti, who understands the precinct's personalities and office politics better than anyone.

Melissa Fumero, Stephanie Beatriz, and Joe Lo Truglio also star.

Surprise! Samberg can act. 

Samberg isn't particularly renowned for his acting. The 35-year-old made his mark on "Saturday Night Live" by "flipping flippy-floppys" and inserting his male parts into a box.

But as the shallow crime-solving wunderkind Detective Peralta, he finds his rhythm. He's cool and confident, like his persona in the Lonely Island music videos, while self-effacing and sensitive, like his character in the "Laser Cats" digital shorts.

Award show blogger Matt Noble predicts Samberg will take the Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Series at the Golden Globes — an impressive feat considering the category pins him against Jason Bateman, Don Cheadle, Michael J. Fox, and Jim Parsons. However, it's not unusual for an underdog to scoop the award. GoldDerby.com reports that in the last 12 years, Best Actor in a Comedy TV Series went to a first-time nominee 10 times.

Braugher as the uptight, openly gay new captain deadpans in epic fashion.

Braugher has studied drama his entire life, and is known for his serious roles in the NBC dramas "Homicide: Life on the Street," and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." But his voice-of-God baritone, icy demeanor, and exceedingly flat delivery work wonders in a comedy setting.

His character, Captain Ray Holt, provides a rich background that adds social consciousness to the narrative. The surly commanding officer came out 25 years ago, he tells Detective Peralta and his partner, when "the NYPD was not ready for a gay captain." From The Baltimore Sun's Michael Gold:

"When diversity became advantageous for the force, police brass pushed Holt into a paper-pushing public affairs job where they could trot him out as a token gay while keeping him away from the pavement-pounding police work apparently reserved for real heterosexual men. That kind of misogynistic and heternormative assumption gets challenged a few times in this show's pilot."

Braugher addressed in a NBC press statement he's not playing a gay police captain, but a police captain who happens to be gay.

"The distinction is large in my mind," Braugher said. "The gay police captain is eventually going to be wearing hot pants and singing 'YMCA.' The police captain who happens to be gay is going to be a huge collection of personality characteristics and motivations."

It'll be interesting to see how "Brooklyn" integrates his sexuality into the narrative, and who is cast as Holt's husband.

"Brooklyn" actually offers a legitimately diverse cast but doesn't trumpet it.

Just like Holt’s sexuality, "the cast is incredibly diverse for a network show without belaboring the point that it has a diverse cast," writes the A.V. Club's Molly Eichel. The precinct's leadership consists of two black men — Braugher's Captain Holt and Crews's Sergeant Jeffords — and the two female detectives are played by Latina actresses.

Schur told Splitslider the ensemble is the product of a "race blind casting," and that they wrote parts with generic names and zero physical descriptions.

"If you're gonna set a show in New York City," Schur said, "it would seem silly if everybody was a white dude. That doesn't make any sense to me."

A slew of fantastic guest stars liven up the precinct.

Patton Oswalt, Dean Winters, Andy Richter, Stacy Keach, and up-and-comer Scott Mescudi appeared in just the first 11 episodes. Craig Robinson rounds out the A-list guest star roster on this Tuesday's episode.

The best performance was Oswalt's, as a cocky fire marshall who emotionally and physically antagonizes Detective Peralta in an ongoing rivalry between New York's Bravest and Finest. Here's hoping the two departments overlap again.

The quickly cut flashbacks, à la "30 Rock," reveal new sides of the characters.

Similar to how Tina Fey wove backstory into "30 Rock" through snappy flashbacks, "Brooklyn" leans pretty heavily on the gimmick, for laughs and depth. The scenes add character development in the absence of the documentary-style interviews that appear in "Parks" and "The Office."

Still, the showrunners could lose the obnoxious transition sound effect.

There's no better time to start watching.

Fox awarded its fresh-faced critical darling the coveted post-Super Bowl time slot on February 2, propped up next to "New Girl." Wanting to take advantage of the exposure, Goor and Schur crafted a perfect little introductory episode to reel in new viewers.

"There's some Super Bowl specific stuff, but we really just tried to create a big, bright, funny, juicy comedy story that we're hoping a lot of people [will] check out for the first time, because the entire universe watches the Super Bowl," Schur told E! Online. "We wanted to introduce the characters to a wider audience, [and] just build a couple stories that are really explaining in the funniest way who everyone is."

There will also be huge talent stopping by the precinct, including Adam Sandler, NFL great Joe Theismann, and Samberg's fellow "SNL" alum, Fred Armisen, who had a brief, but buzzy cameo in the pilot.

Still not sold? Watch a preview.

SEE ALSO: The Only 13 New TV Shows Worth Watching This Fall

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The total 2013 sales numbers for the new PlayStation 4 and Xbox One video game consoles are out.

Yesterday, Microsoft announced that as of the end of 2013 it had sold over 3 million Xbox One game consoles in 13 countries around the world.

Its competitor Sony has sold over 4 million consoles as of December 28th, Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Andrew House's noted at this year's Consumer Electronic Show.

While it might sound like Sony has a huge lead right now, the reality is a bit less simple.

Right now, it looks like neither company is able to ship enough units to catch up with demand. In its press release yesterday, Microsoft noted:

"Since our launch, demand for Xbox One has been strong, selling out throughout the holidays at most retailers worldwide. We are continuing to work hard to deliver additional consoles to retailers as fast as possible."

Considering the fact that the PlayStation 4 is being sold in nearly four times as many countries as the Xbox One yet managed to sell only a million more consoles, it stands to reason that Sony could also be selling more consoles if not for limited supply, hence the console not even launching in Japan (its home country!) until February of this year.

And though a 33% unit sales lead may look like a huge advantage now, we're talking about a relatively small number of units given the life spans of game consoles.

Looking back at the past generation, the Xbox 360 launched an entire year before the PlayStation 3 in the United States. Despite that advantage, the difference in their total worldwide sales today is negligible:

With that said, the divergence in the philosophies about what a game console should look like may have a long-term sales impact of which we're only seeing the first evidence.

The PlayStation 4 was designed with gamers in mind, according to Cade Metz's Wired profile of Sony's Mark Cerny, the guy in charge of the PS4's development. To that end, the company went to game developers and asked what they'd like to see in a new console to create better game experiences. That's how the PS4 came to be built with souped-up PC parts that are easy to program for.

The Xbox One, on the other hand, was designed for integrating everything in the living room. It has an input for your cable box so that it can control your TV. It has gesture- and voice-based controls for everything from watching movies to surfing the web. But it's slightly less powerful than the PS4 and costs $100 more thanks in large part to the inclusion of the Kinect, a camera that's fun for games like "Let's Dance" and not for much else.

Either of these philosophies could work. Sony could end up bring in all of the hardcore gamers and making a ton of money from its cut of games sales — the primary money-maker for both companies, who each take a loss on the sale of their respective consoles. Or, Microsoft could find itself with a hit in the form of attracting the potentially larger market of people who kind of like gaming but want a cool way to do that and everything else in the living room setup.

Of the two, Sony is the one who seems to be hedging its gaming bets the most. As The Verge's Sean Hollister reports, Sony is launching a cloud service called "PlayStation Now" that will serve as its own Netflix for gaming. Users will be able to play PlayStation 3 titles — and presumably games built on Sony's multi-platform PlayStation SDK — on a range of devices, from cell phones and tablets to the company's newer consoles and Bravia televisions.

If "PlayStation Now" takes off, Sony might not even need to launch a PlayStation 5 in the next 4-6 years. It could simply offer its platform to publishers and developers and save the losses that it would normally incur with a console.

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In September 2013, Leon Mackie and Lilly Lang realized they had a lot of old cardboard boxes leftover after a series of moves over the last two years — once from Wellington, New Zealand to Melbourne, Australia in 2012, and again from Melbourne to Sydney four months ago.

"We had been living in Melbourne for about a year and our garage was still full of flattened moving boxes," Lang explained to Business Insider. "I wanted to throw them in the recycling bin but Leon was adamant that we'd be able to use them for something."

That time came in September 2013 when the couple decided to take a family picture with their 10-month-old son Orson.

"We decided to do something that showed how messy and sleep-deprived our lives had become now that Orson was at the driver's seat," Lang explains. "That photo was the 'Life Domestic.' People loved it and asked for more. Suddenly we had a use for the boxes. It just went from there."

The family of three now has a website called Cardboard Box Office with its own Twitter and Facebook pages with over 18,000 likes. They try and upload a new scene from a famous film — such as "Star Wars" and "The Dark Knight" — every few weeks with Orson the star of the shoots. As their popularity has grown, they have even started asking fans for movie suggestions.

Lang says it takes her and Mackie three to five hours to set up each scene, depending on their costumes, props, and how staging goes during the week.

They only use common household items like plates, laundry baskets, tape, toys, pots, and those cardboard boxes. Lang said "Wah Wars" (the family's parody of "Star Wars") took the longest due to building the guns, lightsaber, and Mackie's Han Solo equipment belt.

"We choose films that contain either an iconic set, costume, vehicle, or monster," Lang said. "If it doesn't contain at least one of these elements the references in our version of the film won't be obvious enough to work."

"Because of this reason we're having a real struggle coming up with any rom-coms — which doesn't seem to bother Leon in the slightest," she added.

See more of the pair's amazing photography at Cardboard Box Office.

SEE ALSO: A Photographer Mom Turned Her Baby Into Adorable Works Of Art

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Popular telenovela actress and former Miss Venezuela Mónica Spear is dead at 29 after an attempted robbery late Monday night according to police, Globovision reports.

Spear, who lived in Miami, was traveling with her 5-year-old daughter, Maya, and ex-husband, Henry Thomas Berry, 49, when their rented Toyota Corolla broke down on the Puerto Cabello-Valencia highway in Caracas, Venezuela following a minor accident.

Armed men approached the car and the couple locked themselves inside. The assailants then opened fire, killing Spear and Berry, and shooting 5-year-old Maya in the leg.

Spear appeared in several TV soaps, including Telemundo’s “Flor Salvaje” in 2011 and “Pasión Prohibida” last year, according to Variety.

“We are deeply saddened by the horrible crime that affected the beloved actress Monica Spear and her family,” Telemundo said in a statement.  “Monica was not only a great professional as we saw in the two novelas she worked with us – but also an excellent person, always enthusiastic, full of strength and determination.  We wish a quick recovery to her daughter and send our deepest condolences to her family.”

Venezuela had more than 24,000 homicides in 2013, according to E! Online, and the U.S. Department of State rates the criminal threat level in the nation's capital, Caracas, as "critical." 

Spear had been documenting their trip via Instagram prior to being murdered.

SEE ALSO: WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The 22 Most Influential Former Beauty Queens

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Celebrities – they're just like us!

Stars aren't immune to the cold front currently sweeping the country and many have taken to social media to express their feelings on the matter.

"Spring Breakers" actress Vanessa Hudgens posted a video of a pretty cool science experiment turning hot water into snow:

"Science y'all #polarvortex"Emma Roberts bundled up on the set of her show "American Horror Story."

"Freezing day on set #ahs #coven"

But not everyone was so entertained by the cold. A slew of celebs took to Twitter to complain about the frigid temperatures:

A #PolarVortex sounds like something Mr. Freeze would use to destroy Gotham City… or a new flavor of Powerade.

— Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) January 7, 2014

pic.twitter.com/t2zUYyYo92

— Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) January 7, 2014

It is so cold here in New York, this morning while my dog was licking himself, his tongue froze to his crotch.

— Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers) January 7, 2014

I miss NYC @chrisrock

— colinwalker (@thecolinwalker) January 7, 2014

I'd like to apologize for calling Polar Vortex winter. It's actually more of a spring.

— Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) January 7, 2014

@Andy So now your balls are cold? Oh no!

— Kevin (@OnMyMiNd04) January 7, 2014

I want to thank all the peeps that braved the #polarvortex to come to the 1st signing of @TheBodyBook at @BNBuzz I hope you enjoy the it

— Cameron (@CameronDiaz) January 7, 2014

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S FREEZING COLD HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA, I DON'T LIKE THE COLD. LOL BRING BACK THE SUN AND THE FUN.

— Vanilla Ice (@vanillaice) January 7, 2014

#polarvortex also known as #globalwarming

— Pitbull (@pitbull) January 7, 2014

What precisely is the #polarvortex and what is it doing around here? @NASAGoddard gives us a concise overview http://t.co/23qrXx8hX4…

— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) January 7, 2014

Dogs in hats? Dying of adorableness. RT @peoplepets: Ladies and gents, this is how you do #polarvortex. PHOTO: http://t.co/5ZNKJbPqCR

— People magazine (@peoplemag) January 7, 2014

SEE ALSO: The Polar Vortex Looks Terrifying From Space

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"Secrets of the Living Dolls" is a new documentary series on Britain's Channel 4 that follows men who dress as dolls in a phenomenon called "masking."

Some have spent nearly £10,000 (over $16,000) on latex female body suits, masks with permanent makeup, wigs, and other accessories.

Joel, a 28-year old bartender from Essex, explained in the documentary's first episode that he feels a sense of escapism while masking since he is able to let out his inner persona. "Dominique," another masker from the Bronx, also noted feeling more comfortable when she was dressed as a doll.

"When I walk into a place, they see a large black man and think automatically, 'He's going to rob me'," Dominique said in the first episode. "Whereas as a female they're like, 'Oh, she's really sexy, she's really cute, she's really curvy.' I notice that when I'm a sexy female, I get treated completely differently."

Masking has become its own phenomenon, with a special social network called Doll's Pride and an annual convention in Minnesota known as Rubber Doll World Rendezvous.

When the first episode of "Secrets of the Living Dolls" premiered last night in the U.K., an impressive 2.4 million Brits tuned in, according to Digital Spy.

The series is getting a lot of press on the other side of the pond as well. And though American viewers are not able to watch it on TV or online yet, they can get a taste of the show from various clips Channel 4 has posted on its YouTube channel.

Secrets of the Living Dolls highlights Femskin, a family-run company in Florida that developed an ultra-light wearable female body-suit for "maskers."

Men slip into the suits like so:

And then add a mask with the makeup of their choice.

Once dressed, the body suit moves naturally, with only the face remaining frozen like a doll's. The lips of the mask don't move, but there's enough of an opening not to impede speech or breathing.

Some of the maskers opt to only wear the doll mask and get saline injections to temporarily develop natural-looking female breasts.

When they're all dressed up, it's not uncommon for maskers to go out on the town together.

Or they just go about their daily routines.

"Secrets of the Living Dolls" found maskers from all over the world, from the USA and UK to Russia and Japan.

You can watch full clips at Channel 4's YouTube page, or go to the documentary's website to learn more.

SEE ALSO: A Japanese Sex Doll Company Is Now Making Life-Size Lady Gaga Replicas

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Twenty-five years ago, Mick Dodge left the modern world and ventured into the Hoh rain forest. He's been building his life there ever since, sleeping in tree stumps and living off the land.

Dodge is also known as the "barefoot sensei" because he doesn't wear shoes. He runs a program called "Earth Gym" in which he teaches people to work out using the terrain around them instead of traditional gym machines.

The nomad's unusual lifestyle will be the subject of a new television series,"The Legend of Mick Dodge," that airs for the first time on Tuesday night on the National Geographic Channel.

In advance of the premier Dodge did an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit.

We've compiled some of our favorite answers below, which have been edited for clarity.

And for more on Dodge's background and adventures, you should check out this well-done profile by Chris Sailor from the Associated Press. 

How the show's producers found him:

"Yoish! Jenny and Michele of interchange media found me on Whidbey Island living in a tent sharing the Earth Gym practices, and then two years ago I returned to the Hoh River Valley my teacher and set up a Earth Gym for people to come and train. It was the band of women at the Olympic Mountains Earth Wisdom Circle that set up all the modern support to connect me in."

How he connects to the Internet:

"Yoish! I walk my way to my base camp. Turn on the computer and do you what you do. Though we are having a hell of a time trying to figure out how to do this now."

What "Yoish" means:

"Yoish! Yoish, is a word that my sensei taught me in Okinawa. It can mean many things. It helps me focus. If I am going to pick up a heavy stone and lift it. I use the word 'yoish' to focus my attention and effort. Then when I am in the game of life and need to get a grip on the moment. I can say 'YOISH' deep inside me and ground with the moment."

What he eats:

"Yoish! I eat food, some times insects, sometimes pizza. I run three terrains in the Earth Gym and have explored how to eat in all these terrains."

The three items he would recommend bringing to survive in the wild:

"Yoish! Knowledge, skills, and desire. They are the three pillars of training."

The most meaningful experience in his life:

"Yoish! I have them every day how to fit my bare soles into the gated wild and how to fit them into the modern world and finding the balance the middle path and have a good time while doing it."

How long it took him to become accustomed to being barefoot:

"Yoish! It has taken sixty two years. I am still following them. I just follow them and find my own rhythm, endurance, strength, and balance in landing the earth."

How he maintains his free-flowing beard:

"Yoish! Good Hoh Water, living water and not that dead water of the city. The water here is magical, likes to grow things."

On his encounters with modern living:

"Yoish! I having been stepping 'in and out' of modern living and the wild for sixty-two years, all of us have. It is a rhythm 'in and out' and 'out and in.' The key word is the word 'and," which tracks and sounds into the word 'land." So I land my soles in the three terrains, the walls of the city, through the open fenced lands up into the gated wild and back again, seeking middle earth."

On whether he's come close to dying (i.e from weather, hunger, or wild animals):

"Yoish! One of the things that the earth has taught me about hunger, is to run, go on foot and just keep moving, the hunger pains take a back seat. It was amazing how long that I could go on foot and not eat the way that I had learned in domestication."

How he uses fire to heal himself when he gets sick:

"Yoish! One of the ways I use fire is sweats. Another way is to dance with the fire. I often find that when I get a bit weak, run down. That a good dance with the spirit of fire, pulls me back into the "rapture.'"

And finally...in which he clarifies the description for one of the episodes that says he became so desperate for a decent meal that he looked through elk feces hoping to find larvae eggs:

"Yoish! No I was not going to eat elk sh*t. I was trying to get the camera crew to eat it."

You can learn more about Dodge in this short clip below, courtesy of National Geographic:

SEE ALSO: Now hike the 2,000-mile trail that most people never finish

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Elle magazine is in hot water yet again over fat-ist claims.

For its February 2014 Women in TV Issue, the fashion mag staple awarded individual covers to funny ladies Zooey Deschanel, Amy Poehler, Allison Williams, and Mindy Kaling.

But one of these things is not like the other.

Kaling, the creator and star of Fox's sitcom "The Mindy Project," is shown in a closely cropped, black and white photo, while her comedienne peers dazzle in full-color, fully-body shots. 

Jezebel and the Twittersphere are harpooning Elle for its artistic direction, which sends the message, "If you're not white and skinny, smile for your monochrome close-up."

Kaling's been on a meteoric rise to fame since her early days as confident and clueless Kelly Kapoor on "The Office." She wrote a New York Times bestselling memoir, hooked 2.6 million followers on Twitter, and created Fox's sitcom, "The Mindy Project." The sophomore series was snubbed for a Golden Globes nomination, but has secured a cult following, similar to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's diehard fan bases.

This isn't the first time "Elle" has triggered an Internet firestorm for its treatment of curvy women.

In October, it covered up "Bridesmaids" star Melissa McCarthy in an oversized grey trenchcoat. McCarthy later said that she picked the coat out of the fashion closet.

Back in 2010, Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe graced the 25th anniversary of the magazine's October issue. Bloggers accused them of botching her weave and lightening her skin tone in the photo.

Clearly, the brand hasn't learned its lesson.

Here's "Girls" actress, Allison Williams.

And "Parks and Recreation" wonder woman, Amy Poehler.

"Elle" released this statement to E! News:

"Mindy looks sexy, beautiful and chic. We think it is a striking and sophisticated cover and are thrilled to celebrate her in our Women in TV Issue."

Kaling also defended the cover, taking to Twitter on Tuesday:

Some are speculating that, like in the McCarthy incident dubbed "Jacket-Gate," Kaling could have requested these specific art choices. The Gloss's Julia Sonenshein writes:

"For all we know, Kaling directed the whole shoot. Does it matter? The message is still the same: we treat a certain type of woman differently than the other celebrities in her cohort. Kaling is different based on an arbitrary set of rules, so we’ll treat her as such."

Do you think Kaling really stamped it with her seal of approval? 

SEE ALSO: 34-Year-Old Mindy Kaling Has A Hilarious But Totally Honest Explanation For All Her Early Success

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"The Following" is probably one of the best shows on network TV right now. 

Fox just released a new preview teaser for the season 2 return and we were left stumped. The new season begins an entire year after the cliffhanger season 1 finale.

For those who aren't familiar, the show follows retired F.B.I. agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) as he returns to the force to take down serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) who he previously helped lock away. To raise the stakes, Hardy has had a previous affair with Carroll's ex-wife Claire (Natalie Zea) so things are pretty personal between the two.

Skip ahead to present day and Hardy is a changed man, living in New York City and teaching criminology. No signs of love interest Claire or Carroll. After last season, we don't even know if their characters are alive or dead.

Fox is airing a special preview of the series Sunday January 19 before "The Following" officially returns February 20. 

The title of the first episode is "Resurrection," which we imagine has something to do with Hardy's new lifestyle or with this creepy teaser trailer released a few weeks ago regarding a resurfacing of Carroll.

Check out the preview teaser with commentary from Bacon below:

SEE ALSO: 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' is the most underrated show on TV right now

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A recent Quora thread asked the difference between making a movie and music video.  

For one thing, the former averages around 110 minutes give or take and depending on the studio can have a production budget ranging from under $5 million to $200+ million.  

The latter usually averages around 3-5 minutes in length and can cost anywhere from $20,000 (for an Indy label) to upwards of $1.2 million if you're a top pop singer.

Other than the money and length, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" director Francis Lawrence took to Quora to deliver a response suggesting all movies have one thing that most music videos lack: a story.  

Read Quote of Francis Lawrence's answer to Movie Making: What are the key differences between directing a film versus a music video? on Quora

If you're not satisfied with the director's answer, Brand.gineer and film producer Carl Hartman went into more detailed explanation comparing a music video to a commercial for an artist and mentioning movies involve a lot of back and forth with a bonding company. You can read his full response here.

SEE ALSO: The most successful movie studios of 2013

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As the new year begins, we're looking forward to another year of sequels, and superheroes, and a few big reboots.

2013 brought in more than a combined $10.9 billion domestically in theaters. 

While we're unsure whether this year will be as big at the movies, there are plenty of contenders for the next break-out blockbuster.

2014 brings two new Marvel movies, more of Jennifer Lawrence's arrow-slinging heroine, and director Christopher Nolan's return to the screen post-Batman.

We've gone through the many upcoming releases to select the most-anticipated films of the year.

From historical accounts to best-selling adaptations, space adventures and quirky comedies and thrillers, there's something for everyone.

"Her"

Wide Release Date: January 10

Why to see it: Spike Jonze's unusual love story about a man who falls in love with his operating system (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) has been garnering a lot of attention from critics and audiences though it's only been in limited release. 

Amy Adams also stars in the film.

Watch the trailer

"RoboCop"

Release Date: February 7

Why to see it: The original cop film came out in 1987 so it was only a matter of time until a reboot to the franchise was made.

We weren't sure about a remake of the Paul Verhoeven film until seeing the first trailer with Joel Kinnaman ("The Killing"), Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Keaton who's making a return to the big screen in a few films this year. 

Watch the trailer

"The Monuments Men"

Release Date: February 7

Why to see it: It's essentially "Ocean's 11" ... but for art ... during World War II.

The film was originally supposed to come out Dec. 18, before getting pushed back to this year, so we're about ready to see George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, and John Goodman have at it on screen.

Clooney told Deadline he thought there was a better release date than the crowded holiday. They considered moving it up to November but feared not having the film finished in time. Instead, they selected the weekend "Shutter Island" was released in 2010.

Watch the trailer

Warning: There are HUGE spoilers ahead.

After 10 episodes, the "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." midseason return Tuesday night finally gave the answer to the question everyone's been wanting to know since the show began: how did Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) live after being visibly killed off in 2012's "The Avengers"?

Head back unless you've watched last night's episode.

As we figured, Coulson never spent any time recuperating in Tahiti as mentioned throughout the first season.

Turns out Coulson did indeed die at Loki's hands in "The Avengers" — and not just for a few seconds, but for days on end. Nick Fury then sent Coulson's body in for some extensive surgery — seven surgeries to be precise — where the agent endured "ungodly" trauma after Fury "moved heaven and earth" to save him.

Yes, S.H.I.E.L.D. can bring people back from the dead.

It probably would have been more believable if the show just told us he was a clone. 

However, if Coulson was brought back by some sort of alien technology then maybe he could be a bigger concern to the Avengers team down the line. 

Many have speculated the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's resurfacing will result in him ultimately becoming a villain known as Vision who is created by Ultron, who just happens to be the main villain in "The Avengers" sequel out next year.

Here's the scene below of Coulson remembering what happened. It's kind of difficult to watch as Coulson repeatedly asks to be allowed to die while in surgery. We wouldn't be surprised if the agent ever turned against S.H.I.E.L.D. after watching this. 

Here's one more scene of Coulson confronting one of the doctors who operated on him.

SEE ALSO: What movies you should see this year

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Nathane Kahane is a big movie producer in Hollywood, behind hits such as "This Is The End," the "Harold and Kumar" trilogy, and "Juno," among others.

But when Kahane recently moved his production company's offices from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills, something went awry — thanks to his assistant.

While sending out the company's updated address to the A-listers in his boss' Rolodex, the assistant accidentally cc'd— not bcc'd — all the recipients whose initials have an A or B.

The cc'd list included over 200 names, from studio heads such as Disney's Sean Bailey and New Regency's Pam Abdy, to celebrities such as Judd Apatow, Casey Affleck, and Warren Beatty.

Apatow was the first to "reply all."

Gawker, who gets a shout out in Apatow's response, published the funny follow-up emails:

Apatow's response led to many others. Lionsgate executive, Michael Burns, showed he has a sense of humor:

I have a very sweet picture of Nathan on a pony I will send. Best to all . m

Marty Bowen, the producer behind the "Twilight" films, also made a joke:

Nathan, what's your Snapchat account?

We sensed a hint of sarcasm from notoriously moody actor Josh Brolin's response:

You just gave my email to 260 people. Awesome! 8x10s on the way!

Even a family-owned delicatessen in the Valley joined in on the fun!

PS....

You can all come visit us at Art's Deli in Studio City. www.artsdeli.com

And I am expecting Josh's signed photo when he visits!

Thank you for including us in your emails today!

Art's Deli - Studio City

But "Big Fish" and "Charlie's Angels" screenwriter John August was not as amused:

It's the week of "Hey, I got a new job!" and 100 email addresses in the CC field. BCC folks. This is a solved problem.

— John August (@johnaugust) January 7, 2014

Gawker reports the assistant was still answering phones at Kahane's production company yesterday despite the snafu.

NOW WATCH: The 8 Best Career Advice Lines From Woody Allen Movies

SEE ALSO: Read The Scathing Email A Hollywood Agent Sent Her 'B----' Assistant

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A data scientist has created a handy list of the deadliest films of all time.

Randal Olson, a Computer Science PhD student at Michigan State University who also made lists of the deadliest actors and deadliest directors, created the tally based on the database of kill counts from MovieBodyCounts.com.

It looks like it could help settle a few arguments among films fans.

(Note: A larger map of the top 25 is at the end of the post.)

The goal of Olson's project is to find the actors, directors, etc. who are responsible for the most tangible on-screen death in films. The individuals have to die on-screen to count, meaning "implied" deaths — like when Darth Vader blew up the planet of Alderan — do not count.

 A few observations from Olson:

• The movie with the most on-camera deaths, "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King," is rated PG-13.

• Across all of the Lord of the Rings movies, Legolas won the kill contest with Gimli with 57 on-screen kills to Gimli's 25.

• Orlando Bloom is in 4 of the top 8 deadliest films of all time.

• Despite its claim to fame as being the bloodiest film of all time, Hot Shots Part Deux ranked in with only 114 on-screen kills.

Olson told BI that he is almost positive it's the epic Battle of Pelennor Fields in"LOTR: The Return of the King," is the deadliest scene of all time.

Here's the breakdown:

Rohirim killed – 123
Haradrim killed – 32
Denethor – 1
Nazgul killed – 1
Orcs killed – 239
Orcs ridden down by Rohirim – 83

And here's the battle:

Interestingly, most of the films in the top 25 films came out in 2002 or later, including nine of the top ten. There is one from the 70s, two from the 80s, and five from the 90s.

Here's a larger version of the top 25:

SEE ALSO: The 25 Deadliest Actors Of All Time

And: The 25 Deadliest Movie Directors Of All Time

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