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Amazon's Apple TV-Killer Is Coming This Spring

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man watching television death of tv

Amazon's long-rumored Internet TV box might finally be rolling out this March, according to Re/Code. 

The device, which would compete with Roku and Apple TV, will likely run a modified, or "forked" version of Android, just like Amazon's Kindle Fire tablets.

A TV box would be a good move for Amazon, which has started producing its own original shows, and rumor has it that it may even let users play video games, similar to the Ouya console that launched last yer. 

We've seen price estimates as "below $300," which is pretty steep compared to the $99 competition.  

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Here's What Happens When 100,000 People Try To Play A Game Of Pokémon At The Same Time

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Twitch's servers are overloaded thanks to social video game experiment TwitchPlaysPokemon. 

We first saw the news on ArsTechnica

Twitch is a video platform and online gamer community that lets people watch each other play video games via a livestream. It's a very popular service, and accounts for a massive amount of Web traffic in the U.S.

Since last week, millions of people have been collaborating to finish one game of Pokémon Red, the original Pokémon game for Game Boy.

As of Wednesday, Twitch had seen millions of unique viewers and over 100,000 peak concurrent viewers. 

"The unique nature and huge chat participation in the TwitchPlaysPokemon experiment has put enormous (and unforeseen) stress on our chat system," Twitch Director of Customer Experience Jason Maestas wrote on the company blog.

Twitch moved the game to its own dedicated server on Sunday, something it typically does for large online gaming events like League of Legends tournaments. That helped, but there were still some "fundamental issues" with its chat infrastructure. As the experiment goes on, Twitch plans to continue to tweak its system so that it can handle the massive load.

You can watch the action here.  

SEE ALSO: One Of The Geniuses Behind Candy Crush Explains Why Some Levels Are So Tough To Beat

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Microsoft’s Xbox One $25 Remote Control Seems Pretty Pointless

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xbox one remote

Is Microsoft losing faith in its voice-activated Kinect that allows gamers to control the Xbox One with their voices?

This may be a sign. 

Thursday, Microsoft announced via its Xbox Blog it will be releasing a remote control for the Xbox One console next month that will sell for $24.99.

Here’s the release:

For Xbox One owners who want to control their TV and entertainment at the touch of a button via a familiar remote – we introduce you to the Xbox One Media Remote. 

Releasing across Xbox One markets worldwide in early March, the Xbox One Media Remote lets you control video playback for Blu-ray movies and streaming video on Xbox One*. Additionally, there are dedicated Back and OneGuide buttons. The OneGuide button provides one-touch, quick access to your favorite TV shows and movies through the Xbox program guide**. This simple, yet powerful remote is designed to help you listen, watch and switch among experiences instantly.  

The Media Remote can also control TV/Receiver power and volume through Kinect, which uses IR blasting to send signals to your TV and/or receiver. The easy-to-use remote control has a familiar design with a soft, silicone finish that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. As soon as you pick up the remote, the motion-activated backlit buttons illuminate, allowing it to be used in the darkest of rooms while playing games, watching TV shows, movies and more.

It sounds like the only additions of the handheld remote are the “back” and “One Guide” buttons. The One Guide is the Xbox’s version of a cable television guide for anyone who has their cable hooked up to the console.

Gamer responses to the remote have ranged from positive to humorous. Many gamers have made reference to the Kinect.

Others believe Microsoft’s Smart Glass app— which allows users to control an Xbox console from a smart phone or tablet — already serves this function.

Via Reddit:

"This is a nice addition but what I'm really hoping for is better SmartGlass integration with media/tv."

Personally, I’m not really sure who will really buy this. 

Microsoft already has consumers shelling out $500 for the Xbox One — $100 more than Sony’s PS4. 

If you want a second controller for the console that’s another $59.99.

You'll probably want the rechargeable battery for your controller — the Play and Charge Kit — which allows you to recharge your controller while you're playing or not. It's very handy if you don't want to continuously swap out batteries (you don't). That will set you back another $24.99.

Then there’s the entire reason you bought the next-gen console — for the exclusive games. One of the year’s most anticipated titles “Titanfall” will be released March 11. The stand-alone version costs $59.99.

At this point, you have spent well over $650 and that’s without tax. Do you really need another $25 remote?

I already have individual remotes for my television, cable box, and my Blu-Ray player (which I suppose is obsolete now since I can play movies in the Xbox).

There’s nothing wrong with using the Xbox One controller to navigate through the console’s media center. Sure, it’s frustrating if I’m watching something and the remote turns off after a certain amount of time, but it allows me to easily fast-forward, rewind, and access any menus necessary. If I want to turn the volume up and down, I can simply tell the Kinect to do that — and most of the time it works (unless the TV’s up too loud).

The only buttons that are of use on this remote — the One Guide, the back button, and perhaps the volume controls.

However, I haven’t found the Xbox One Guide handy at all up to now. Since I run cable through the console I can simply bring up my own TV guide with the use of my Comcast remote. The same goes for the volume controls. Not everyone uses the console to watch cable especially if they don't have a box that's compatible with the system.

We reached out to Microsoft to ask why they’re releasing a remote. Here’s the response we received from a spokesperson:

“The Xbox One Media Remote works across the entire system and offers another way to control your Xbox One. The Media Remote is optimized for OneGuide, TV, Blu-Ray and media apps. It’s yet another way to control your Xbox One and lets everyone in the family easily control their entertainment. We are still invested in Kinect and voice and motion control and believe both methods can work well together to control your living room.”

An Amazon listing has the remote set for a March 4 release. 

SEE ALSO: "Bioshock" franchise will continue despite closure of game studio

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Lena Dunham Reveals She Was 'Sweetly Fired' From HBO Before 'Girls'

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Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham may be dubbed "The voice of her generation" by many, but before the 27-year-old "Girls" creator, writer, and actress found success on HBO, the network had already fired her.

In 2011, Dunham briefly worked alongside Kate Winslet on HBO’s award-winning miniseries “Mildred Pierce."

“I got fired off of the one day I did on ‘Mildred Pierce’," Dunham told Bill Simmons during an hour-long interview for his “B.S. Report.” “‘Fired’ might be [a] rough [word] but I got sweetly dismissed from the one day I acted. They told me it was a three-day shoot and halfway through the first day, they were like, ‘We got what we needed!’”

Dunham admitted she had a hard time mastering her character’s accent and barely practiced after receiving the script.

"This was pre-'Girls,' post-'Tiny Furniture,'" Dunham explained. "I got called in to audition as a waitress, I didn't get that part but I was given a smaller part as a nurse who is in attendance while Kate Winslet's child dies."

Dunham's one line? "Her fever spiked around 8, we don't know if she's going to make it." And she flubbed it, acting more like herself than a 1930s nurse.

"Their faces dropped. It was a f------ disaster. They sent in a dialogue coach and I just got worse and worse and worse."

The incident haunts Dunham to this day, adding that "the best thing was that this year on 'Girls' we were doing a scene that required English accents and that dialect coach came to our set and I was directing and I saw her and had a full 'PTSD' reaction."

When Simmons tells Dunham she probably wasn't that bad, she assures the host she isn't exaggerating.

“I know I didn’t do well because the producer of ‘Mildred Pierce,’ Ilene Landress, now produces ‘Girls’ and she said to me that she was auditioning extras in the basement to replace me because that’s how bad I was."

Watch the convo at 45:54.

SEE ALSO: Lena Dunham Slams Jezebel As 'Gross' And 'Messed Up' For Publishing Her Un-Retouched Vogue Photos

MORE: 14 People Who Failed Before Becoming Famous

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A Quiet Scandal In ‘House Of Cards’ Could Become A Huge Issue [SPOILERS]

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frank underwood watching porn house of cards season 2Warning: There are some spoilers ahead if you haven't watched season 2 of "House of Cards." 

We need to discuss something huge that happened on the second season of "House of Cards."

I'm not talking about the giant spoiler from episode 1

Near the end of season 2 — in Episode 11 — Vice President Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) engages in a threesome with his wife Claire (Robin Wright) and their Secret Service agent, Edward Meechum (Nathan Darrow).

frank underwood meechum house of cardshouse of cards meechum season 2claire house of cards season 2house of cards threesomehouse of cards frank claire season 2

The scene kind of comes out of nowhere. And as quickly as the subject is broached, it gets swept under the rug as if it never occurred.

I bring it up because it isn't the first time the subject of Frank's sexuality has come up on the series. 

During season 1, Episode 8, it was suggested Frank had a relationship of some sort with a former male college classmate, Tim Corbet, at a military college. While Corbet obviously tries to keep the conversation platonic, an intoxicated Underwood tells his old classmate, "I was so drawn to you. ... You meant something to me."

frank and tim house of cards season 1kevin spacey house of cards season 1house of cards season 1 frank and timhouse of cards season 1 tim and frank

It's probably one of the few genuine, tender moments we ever see between Underwood and another character.

The Guardian perceived it as a one-off that we wouldn't see againSlate suggested it was something that could be used against him in the future.

We couldn't agree more with the latter. 

The question of Frank's sexuality feels like so much more than a tangential plot device. The only reason I can imagine it's being brought up again is that it must have a greater significance in the grand scheme of "House of Cards." 

The series is already very open about sexuality. Between its same-sex (Rachel and new character Lisa) and interracial relationships (Jackie and Remy), the show isn't lacking in sexual diversity.

However, Frank's sexuality feels like something bigger.

As a viewer, you're compelled to believe Underwood's undoing will be his two murders. While he's quite meticulous covering them up, he's only casually discreet about frivolous relationships. Texts with Zoe Barnes carelessly floated around even after Underwood became Vice President. Now, this thing with Meechum could easily turn sour in the long run.

Those who have finished the series know that by the season's end Underwood takes over as president of the United States.

Does "House of Cards" want to broach the topic of a gay (or bisexual) commander in chief? Is this where we're going heading into season 3? It seems so. 

frank underwood president house of cards

SEE ALSO: Meet Margot Robbie: The actress whose career has exploded since starring in "The Wolf of Wall Street"

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Jimmy Kimmel, Olympian Kate Hansen Reveal How They Pulled Off The Sochi Wolf Prank

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U.S. Olympic luger Kate Hansen fooled millions of people Thursday after tweeting a video of a wolf roaming her dorm's hallway in Sochi. 24 hours after it was posted, the YouTube video currently has nearly 2 million hits.

Turns out, prankster Jimmy Kimmel was behind the "Epic #SochiFail."

Kimmel revealed his involvement on last night's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" telling viewers, "Here's the thing: That was not a Russian wolf. That was an American wolf. And I know this because the wolf is backstage right now. We shot the video and Kate Hansen posted it for us from her account and a media frenzy was born."

Kimmel then played the full, un-edited version of the video, in which he later appears in a ski suit, asking, "Garfield? Garfield? Have you seen my wolf?"Jimmy Kimmel ski suit prank

Kimmel then Skyped in his co-conspirator, Kate Hansen, "the girl who tweeted wolf."Kate Hansen Jimmy Kimmel prank

After posting the video, Hansen told viewers "I just kind of laid low but then I heard people talking around the building and security started freaking out because it technically was a breach within athlete safety."

"It kind of went a little crazy over here," she added.

After the late night host asked Hansen if she got in any trouble for the gag, she revealed, "Honestly, there was a little more backlash than I thought there would be ... but it was all worth it in the end."

Kimmel then presented Hansen with the Olympic gold medal for pranking.Jimmy Kimmel medal

As for how the two pulled it off, Hansen sent Kimmel's team a photo of her dorm in Sochi, which they then replicated.

"Our art department took 15 hours to construct an exact replica of Kate's dorm, that's how stupid our jobs are," Kimmel joked.Jimmy Kimmel hallway

Kimmel then explained "we hired a real wolf, not a husky or a dog like everyone on the Internet is saying."

The real wolf is a rescue named "Rugby."Jimmy Kimmel wolf prank

Watch Kimmel explain the stunt below and see the ensuing media clips:

SEE ALSO: Here's What Happened When Jimmy Kimmel Told People On The Street That FDR Died On Monday

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Twitter Came Up With Amazing Casting Suggestions For Viral Hashtag #TrueDetectiveSeason2

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true detective woody harrelson

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson's new HBO series "True Detective" is being touted as "The best new show on television." Even Obama is a huge fan!

Twitter, too, went nuts over the show yesterday when #TrueDetectiveSeason2 became a trending hashtag.

Here's how it works: pair the hashtag with a photo of an unlikely duo and voilá, McConaughey and Harrelson are humorously re-cast as the Olsen twins, Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, or Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito.

Casting directors take note, here are some of our favorite ideas below:

Oprah and Gayle:

Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart:

Former "Today" co-hosts Ann Curry and Matt Lauer:

Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir:

"Twins" co-stars Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger:

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen:

Shaquille O'Neal and Bill Gates:

Michael Jackson and E.T.:

Drake and Toronto "Crack Mayor" Rob Ford:

Cee lo Green and his cat:

Jimmy Kimmel and Justin Timberlake:

Siskel and Ebert:

Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep from "Death Becomes Her":

And finally ... cuddly animals:

SEE ALSO: Why 'True Detective' Is The Best Show On TV Right Now

MORE: Obama Asked HBO Chief For Advanced Episodes Of ‘True Detective’ And ‘Game Of Thrones’

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: New Dad Simon Cowell Lists His Insane Bachelor Pad For $17.9 Million

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Simon Cowell House 15

Simon Cowell has officially listed his Beverly Hills bachelor pad, after quietly looking for a buyer for the home in the fall, according to the Los Angeles Times

The "X Factor" creator and judge was initially looking to get $20 million for the 12,000-square-foot mansion, but ended up putting the property on the market at $17.9 million instead.

The home was built for entertaining with five bedroom suites, a separate guest house, and a gorgeous swimming pool that lights up at night.

Zillow reports that Cowell is looking for a more family friendly home for himself, girlfriend Lauren Silverman, and their new baby.  

Blair Chang at The Agency is handling the sale. 

Simon Cowell's bachelor pad sits on two acres of land in Beverly Hills.

Source: The Agency



The gated estate has parking for up to 10 cars.

Source: The Agency



The main house has five bedroom suites, seven bathrooms, and two powder rooms.

Source: The Agency



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11 Icons Of American Pop Culture Who Are Actually Canadian

A Lot Of People Have Already Binge Watched The Entire Season Of 'House Of Cards'

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Did you spend your Presidents' Weekend glued to Netflix, watching the entire 13-episode second season of "House of Cards?" If you did, you're one of about 670,000.

According to data from the firm Procera, about 2% of U.S. subscribers finished the entire second season by the end of last weekend. That works out to about 668,000 people, since Netflix had about 33.4 million subscribers as of last month

"This was for an hour-long show (compared to the shorter form Arrested Development), so that is a huge number," Procera's Vice President of Global Marketing Cam Cullen said of the firm's findings.

More stats:

  • Between 6% and 10% of U.S. subscribers finished at least one episode of the second season last weekend.
  • In Europe, the numbers were similar. Between 7% and 10% of European subscribers finished an episode, with about 1% finishing the entire second season. 
  • In the U.S., subscribers watched an average of three episodes. In Europe, it was five episodes.
  • Four times as many subscribers binge-watched the entire second season when compared to Season 1. 

SEE ALSO: Some Of China's Top Leaders Are Apparently Obsessed With 'House Of Cards'

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Ted Nugent Apologizes For Calling Obama 'Subhuman Mongrel'

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rick perry ted nugent

Controversial rocker Ted Nugent has finally apologized for calling President Obama a "subhuman mongrel" following a backlash that included a number of Republican politicians, Politico reports.

"On behalf of those professional politicians and those who put their heart and soul into representing we the people so aptly like the gentlemen I just mentioned, I apologize for using the street-fighter of subhuman mongrel instead of just using more understandable language such as violator of his oath, the Constitution, the liar that he is," Nugent told Politico. "I apologize for using the term subhuman mongrel and I will try to elevate my vernacular to the level of those great men that I’m learning from in the world of politics."

The apology comes just one day after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called on him to apologize. Paul was joined by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) who said he disagreed with the phrase and would never use those words, and Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas), who said he had a "problem" with his comments.

Nugent had been defending his comments on Twitter by asking if his words were any more offensive than problems he had with the Obama administration, including "bribing and rewarding bloodsuckers" and a "refusal of accountability."

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This Is What Movies Would Look Like Without Visual Effects

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sandra bullock gravity vfx

While watching a movie at home or in theaters, sometimes we forget the special effects that go into bringing a film to life.

This year, "Gravity," "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," "Iron Man 3," and "Star Trek Into Darkness" are all nominated for visual effects Oscars.

Would you recognize any of those films without their added special effects?

We've gathered together images from visual effects studios Industrial Light & Magic, Framestore, Sony Pictures Imageworks, and Rhythm & Hues along with visual effects software company Imagineer Systems to show what popular movies would look like without added effects.

From Oscar-nominated films to box-office successes see what popular movies would look like without effects.

Visual Effects crew Rhythm & Hues helped make Oscar winner "Life of Pi" go from this ...



... to a boat lost out in the Pacific Ocean with a giant Bengal tiger.



Visual effects helped take Sandra Bullock from earth ...



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Even Genius Mathematicians Get The Monty Hall Problem Wrong

20 Actors Who Started Their Careers As Models

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Cameron Diaz modeling

It's no secret that Hollywood is filled with attractive people.

But some of today's top actors and actresses are so "ridiculously good looking," as Zoolander would say, that before they were on screen, they were walking catwalks or posing for major brands in magazines and commercials.

While a surprising number of Hollywood stars got their start as Abercrombie & Fitch models, others honed their chops in couture.

Can you recognize these catwalk-turned-Hollywood stars? 

By the age of 10, Katherine Heigl was working with Wilhelmina Models posing on the covers of magazines and for Sears and Lord & Taylor catalogs.



A 14-year-old Heigl hit Hollywood in 1992, going on to star in "Grey's Anatomy," "27 Dresses," and "The Ugly Truth."



A 25-year-old Josh Duhamel was named Male Model of the Year at an International Model and Talent Association competition in 1997.

Check out video of Duhamel strutting his stuff here >

 



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Here's What The 'Transformers 4' Dinobots Will Look Like

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transformers 4 optimus prime dinobot

The next "Transformers" movie is out this June.

The fourth installment in the franchise, "Transformers: Age of Extinction," will star Mark Wahlberg as Cade Yeager, a mechanic who gets involved with the "robots in disguise." 

One of the most anticipated aspects of the sequel will be the introduction of "dinobots" — robots that transform into dinosaurs. Earlier this month, we saw a brief look at the dinos when Paramount released the first trailer for the movie during the Super Bowl.

Now, we have a better look at what to expect on screen.

Monday, we were invited to check out Hasbro's lineup of toys for the year at the 2014 Toy Fair. Among the new Transformers were a bunch of the dinobots you'll see in the film.

These will definitely be among the toys your kids will want this year. Check them out below.

Grimlock
This is the T-Rex you see Optimus Prime on in the trailer.
grimlock transformers 4 age of extinction toy fair hasbro

We got a kick out of seeing Hasbro re-enact the scene from the trailer. The cool thing about this larger dinobot was that he easily transformed in one swift action from this ... 
grimlock dinobot transformers 4 age of extinction toy fair hasbro... to this. This toy in particular is the costliest Transformer we saw at $80.grimlock transformers 4 age of extinction toy fair hasbro

Slug (left) and Strafe
Dinobot Slug is the purple and red Autobot triceratops, while Strafe (right) is a pterodactyl.

dinobot slug strafe transformers 4 age of extinction

Two more dinos! Slash and Scorn.dinobots transformers 4 age of extinction

transformers scorn age of extinctiontransformers scorn age of extinction toy

Of course, the movie won't only feature Dinobots. 

Hound, in green, transforms into a military vehicle.
autobot hound grimlock transformers 4 age of extinctionIf you've watched the first three films, you'll recognize Bumblebee who transforms into a Camaro. He'll return in the new movie.bumblebee transformers 4Lockdown (top left) and Crosshairs (green, top right) can be seen here. Grimlock action figures were everywhere we looked (orange).lockdown transformers 4 age of extinctionHere's another photo of a lot of the figures together. The Transformers for the younger age group switch quickly and effortlessly from machine to vehicle (or robot to dino and back). That's good news for parents who otherwise have to try and figure out how to make the change on their own. autobot hound strafe transformers 4 age of extinctionCool thing about this photo: The transformer in the center, Drift, turns into a Bugatti. We hope Michael Bay doesn't blow him up.bumblebee autobot transformers 4 age of extinctionAnd, of course, here's Optimus Prime.optimus prime transformers 4 age of extinction toys

Among all the Transformers we spotted, we also came across one that looks like a big spoiler for the film. If you're big on "Transformers" you may have spotted him above.

Don't scroll anymore if you don't want spoilers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's who you should expect to be the villain in "Age of Extinction":

Galvatron
If you remember the villain from the last series, Megatron, Galvatron is usually known as a bigger, badder version of him reborn.
transformers 4 age of extinction

SEE ALSO: Now check out the first trailer for the film

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Some Of China's Top Leaders Are Apparently Obsessed With 'House Of Cards'

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frank house of cards

The country of China, including some of its top leaders, can't get enough of the Netflix drama "House of Cards," The Washington Post's William Wan reports.

On Sohu, the Chinese equivalent of Netflix, "House of Cards" has been the No. 1-streamed show since the debut of Season 2 last Friday. Streams of both seasons top Sohu's rankings, ahead of "The Big Bang Theory."

And according to Sohu (via the Post), most of China's 24.5 million views of Season 1 of House of Cards came from government-sector employees and residents of Beijing. The state-run Xinhua News Agency wrote last week that "a large number of government and enterprise executives and opinion leaders also strongly recommend" the show.

One top government official who is reportedly a huge fan of the show is Wang Qishan, the Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and considered one of the top seven leaders in China. 

From the Post: 

Wang Qishan, one of the seven most powerful leaders in China, is said to be particularly captivated, according to reports in Chinese media and officials with ties to his department, who asked to speak anonymously.

As head of China’s disciplinary committee, Wang is charged with keeping cadres in line and instilling discipline throughout party ranks — a portfolio somewhat similar to that of Underwood, the majority whip in “House of Cards.”

Much of the second season of "House of Cards" revolves around China-heavy plot lines, featuring tension among Vice President Frank Underwood, President Garrett Walker, the Chinese government, and a corrupt Chinese businessman trying to influence the White House.

SEE ALSO: The Gigantic 'House Of Cards' Spoiler That Everyone Is Talking About [WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS]

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Sony's $100 Million 'Pompeii' Is A Huge Box-Office Bomb

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pompeii Kit Harington"Game of Thrones" star Kit Harington was not a huge box-office draw.

Sony's new release this weekend, "Pompeii," bombed this weekend making $10 million.

The disaster flick cost an estimated $100 million.

Can't say we didn't see this one coming.

The Paul W.S. Anderson ("Resident Evil") film received mostly poor reviews being referred to as "Titanic" meets lava by The Wrap.

The marketing for the film was never that appealing.

It's tough to sell a movie where viewers already know the film's ending from its title. Anyone who knows basic history knows that (spoiler) the Roman city was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

It also didn't help the film was marketed as "Pompeii in 3D" as opposed to simply "Pompeii." No need for the repetitiveness in the title. "Gravity" wasn't called "Gravity in IMAX." 

When a film is marketed as "in 3D" it usually sends across a message to audiences that the film is only available in that more expensive format. 

Instead, "The Lego Movie" easily topped the box office for a third weekend in a row with another $31.5 million bringing its worldwide total to $275.7 million.

SEE ALSO: This is what movies would look like without visual effects

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Erin Andrews Hired As New Host Of 'Dancing With The Stars' After Brooke Burke Fired

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Brooke Burke Tom Bergeron

On Friday, "Dancing With The Stars" host Brooke Burke was shocked to find out she had been fired from the ABC reality competition show.

The former "Dancing" winner, who has hosted the show with Tom Bergeron since 2010, Tweeted"Weird day ... Shocking pre-season elimination #DWTS ... ME. Tom Bergeron didn't even read my name. I won't be returning to the show this season."

The 42-year-old mother-of-four continued in a statement“I’ve seen my fair share of shocking eliminations in the ballroom but this one takes the cake. I have enjoyed seven seasons co-hosting ‘DWTS’ but understand the need for change considering the position of the show at this juncture."

On Sunday, it was revealed that FOX Sports favorite, Erin Andrews, will replace Burke as host.

Erin Andrews Dancing With The StarsAndrews, 35, competed on season 10 of "Dancing with the Stars" with dance partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

The move appears to be part of ABC's attempt to attract younger viewers to the show, as it was also recently announced that the 28-piece band that provides music for the show will be replaced by a small, "electric band" next season.

The shake-up comes less than a month before the fledgling show debuts its 18th season on March 17.

The new cast of the show will be revealed on "Good Morning America" March 4.

SEE ALSO: Sony's $100 Million 'Pompeii' Is A Huge Box-Office Bomb

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There's Going To Be A 'Space Jam' Sequel

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space jam poster

"Space Jam 2" is happening.

Deadline reports Warner Bros. has signed off on a sequel to the 1996 live-action, animated comedy.

Broadcasting veteran Dick Ebersol‘s sons have come on board to develop the sequel to 1996 animated/live-action hit Space Jam as a starring vehicle for [LeBron] James, the studio confirmed. 

Deadline originally reported LeBron James would be in the sequel. 

However, ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst soon reported that "LeBron sources" said he wasn't working on any such movie

Last August James tweeted he'd love to star in a followup film.

Bummer.

Critics can hate on the movie all they want (it has a 35% on Rotten Tomatoes), but at the end of the day, the film made more than $230 million worldwide

According to Deadline, broadcasting veteran Dick Ebersol's two sons, Charlie and Willie Ebersol, will be developing the film. 

Between the two, Charlie has served as executive producer on a few television series including reality shows "Race to the Scene" (REELZChannel) and "The Great Escape" (TNT).

At the least, we hope Bill Murray gets a cameo.

SEE ALSO: 'Pompeii' bombs at the box office

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Alec Baldwin Quits Public Life And NYC While Bashing Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper, Shia LaBeouf, And More

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Alec Baldwin New York Magazine

Alec Baldwin appears on the latest cover of New York magazine with the headline "I Give Up."

Inside the magazine, the actor opens up in a 5,284-word essay, as told to Joe Hagan, about everything he currently hates. And it's a lot.

"This is the last time I’m going to talk about my personal life in an American publication ever again," the 55-year-old states, adding that he plans to move to California. "I've lived this for 30 years, I'm done with it."

Here's everything and everyone Baldwin bashes in his cover story, "Good-bye, Public Life":

The Year 2013:

"I’ve read where a number of people have felt that 2013 was a s----y year. For me, it was actually a great year, because my wife and I had a baby. But, yeah, everything else was pretty awful."

America:

"I think America’s more f----- up now than it’s ever been. People are angry that in the game of musical chairs that is the U.S. economy, there are less seats at the table when the music stops. And at every recession, the music is stopping."

New York City:

"New York has changed ... I’ve lived in New York since 1979. It was a place that they gave you your anonymity. And not just if you were famous ... And now we don’t leave each other alone. Now we live in a digital arena, like some Roman Colosseum, with our thumbs up or thumbs down.

I probably have to move out of New York. I just can’t live in New York anymore. Everything I hated about L.A. I’m beginning to crave. L.A. is a place where you live behind a gate, you get in a car, your interaction with the public is minimal. I used to hate that. But New York has changed. Manhattan is like Beverly Hills. And the soul of New York has moved to Brooklyn, where everything new and exciting seems to be. I have to accept that. I want my newest child to have as normal and decent a life as I can provide. New York doesn’t seem the place for that anymore."

The Media:

"Now I loathe and despise the media in a way I did not think possible. I used to engage with the media knowing that some of it would be adversarial, but now it’s superfluous at best and toxic at its worst."

Paparazzi:

"Paparazzi today are part of a network that includes the Huffington Post and, much to my dismay, even NBC News, in their reliance on tabloid reporting. Photographers today get right up in your face, my wife’s, my baby’s. They are baiting you. You can tell they want to get into it with you. Some bump into me or block the entrance to my apartment."

Harvey Levin, TMZ Founder:

"Harvey Levin exists in his own universe. He’s this kind of cretinous barnacle on the press ... Levin has so little regard for the truth."

Fans With Cameras:

"They take your picture in line for coffee. They’re trying to get a picture of your baby. Everyone’s got a camera. When they’re done, they tweet it. It’s … unnatural ... You’re out there in a world where if you do make a mistake, it echoes in a digital canyon forever."

On Being Fired From His MSNBC Talk Show:

"I never wanted to be on MSNBC ... I watched MSNBC, prior to working there, very sporadically. Once I had signed a contract with them, I wanted to see more of what they were about. It turned out to be the same s--- all day long."

Phil Griffin, Head of MSNBC:

"When I saw that Griffin didn’t have a single piece of paper on his desk, meeting after meeting after meeting, that should have been my first indication there was going to be a problem ... He couldn’t give a flying f--- about content. All he wanted to talk about was Giants tickets, Super Bowl tickets, restaurants, movies."

"Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough:

"Morning Joe was boring. Scarborough is neither eloquent nor funny. And merely cranky doesn’t always work well in the morning."

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow:

"Rachel Maddow was the prime mover in my firing, as she was aghast that I had been hired and viewed me as equivalent to Mel Gibson. Another source told me, 'You know who’s going to get you fired, don’t you? Rachel. Phil will do whatever Rachel tells him to do.' I think Rachel Maddow is quite good at what she does. I also think she’s a phony who doesn’t have the same passion for the truth off-camera that she seems to have on the air."

CNN's Anderson Cooper:

"Anderson Cooper, the self-appointed Jack Valenti of gay media culture, suggested I should be 'vilified,' in his words."

His ill-fated "Orphans" co-star on Broadway, Shia LaBeouf:

"Getting back onstage seemed like a good idea ... Then Shia LaBeouf showed up. There was friction between us from the beginning. He learned all his lines in advance, even emailing me videos in which he read aloud his lines from the entire play ... I, however, do not learn my lines in advance. So he began to sulk because he felt we were slowing him down. You could tell right away he loves to argue. And one day he attacked me in front of everyone. He said, 'You’re slowing me down, and you don’t know your lines. And if you don’t say your lines, I’m just going to keep saying my lines.'

... I said one of us is going to go. I said, 'I’ll tell you what, I’ll go.' I said don’t fire the kid, I’ll quit. They said no, no, no, no, and they fired him. And I think he was shocked."

But there's one thing Alec Baldwin actually likes! His time on "30 Rock":

"I loved 30 Rock. I mean, sometimes you do a show that’s a hit show and you hate it. We had a ball. And everybody was funny. And I’ll never laugh that way again. And I miss that show terribly. I know we all had to move on because it’s Tina Fey’s show and Tina had worked herself to death. She’s a mom with two kids. Eventually, it had to end. But I’ll never have it that good again, professionally."

To read Baldwin's entire essay in New York magazine, click here »

SEE ALSO: The Most Powerful People In Hollywood At Every Age

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