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Here's What Monica Lewinsky Said The First Time She Broke Her Silence — In 1999

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Monica Lewinsky

News broke Tuesday that Monica Lewinsky was writing about her affair with Bill Clinton in Vanity Fair, but the most famous White House intern already opened up to America in 1999.

Lewinsky gave a much-anticipated interview to Barbara Walters of "20/20" in March 1999, the month after Clinton was acquitted of perjury and obstruction of justice charges for lying about his Oval Office tryst.

In the immediate aftermath of the scandal known as Monicagate, Lewinsky was less contrite than she was in her recently previewed Vanity Fair story which stated she "deeply" regrets her affair with the president. When Barbara Walters asked if she would have had the relationship with Clinton again, this was Lewinsky's response, according to a New York Times excerpt of the interview:

There are some days that I regret that the relationship ever started and there are some days that I just regret that I ever confided in Linda Tripp.

That woman Lewinsky confided in, Tripp, was a friend and former Pentagon employee who secretly taped their conversations about the Clinton affair and handed those tapes to special prosecutor Kenneth W. Starr. When Lewinsky learned that Tripp had taped the conversations, she told Walters, she felt "gutted and violated and betrayed. And scared."

Then, Lewinsky described how she felt when she was in a room with Starr and a number of FBI agents.

"Oh, I was, I was petrified. ... I have never been so afraid in my entire life. I wanted to die. I wanted to kill everybody in the room. ... I was just very scared," she said.

Despite all the trauma, Lewinsky made it clear during the "20/20" interview that she still had strong feelings for Clinton, some of which were positive. Here's how she responded when Walters asked if she was still in love with him: "Sometimes I have warm feelings, sometimes I'm proud of him still, and sometimes I hate his guts. And, um, he makes me sick."

Lewinsky struck a more neutral tone in the Vanity Fair preview, writing of the affair, "Sure, my boss took advantage of me, but I will always remain firm on this point: it was a consensual relationship."

SEE ALSO: Where Are They Now: The Stars Of The Clinton Impeachment Scandal

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NBC Had A Chance To Air 'The Walking Dead' And Totally Blew It

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rick grimes walking dead andrew lincoln

"The Walking Dead" is one of the most popular shows on cable TV. 

With all its blood and gore, it's probably difficult to imagine a show like that on network TV, but it nearly happened.

During a recent episode of Sundance's new show “The Writers Room,” creator Robert Kirkman revealed the hit AMC series almost ended up on the peacock network.  

“It almost got made at NBC,” said Kirkman. “It didn’t get made because when the pilot was turned in the famous story is one of the executives said, ‘This is awesome. I really love this. Does it have to have zombies in it?’” 

Anyone familiar with “The Walking Dead” comic or series knows that the entire premise of the work is what would happen if there was a zombie apocalypse. 

Kirkman added there would have been no way they could have done that type of show on network TV. He said AMC made it really easy to decide the cable channel would be the right home for the series. 

“We were very concerned early on what kind of gore we would be able to film, what kind of  boundaries we were going to be able to push with the show," said Kirkman. "AMC has this thing called ‘Fearfest’ and to ease our minds they edited together this four-minute clip of the most horrendous bits of gore that you could see on the network. It was just four solid minutes of … people getting ripped apart and guts going everywhere. We were like, well, if they could show this then, all right, we’re good.” 

The huge success of AMC’s annual Fearfest marathon of horror movies in October convinced the network to go after Kirkman’s zombie series.  

After four seasons, “The Walking Dead” is one of the most-watched shows on television easily demolishing the ratings for other AMC series “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men.” 

More than 16 million viewers tuned in for the season 4 premiere. 

You can watch the full episode here. The conversation takes place around the 6:30 mark.

SEE ALSO: 15 midseason TV shows you should be watching

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The 23 Most Impressive Dynasties In America Today

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The Bush Family, 2005

Whether through money, talent, or just good publicity, certain families dominate American life. 

There are legendary old money dynasties, twentieth century industrial dynasties, entertainment and sports dynasties, and political dynasties that hold a surprising amount of power for a democratic country.

We picked out today's most impressive American dynasties and ranked them, considering historical legacy, current influence, and estimated wealth.

23. The Trump-Kushner Family

Real estate royalty

One of the most powerful real estate tycoons today, Donald Trump started his career as real estate investor and developer at his father’s company. While he battled bankruptcy and SEC charges in the ‘90s, Trump has re-established himself as a successful businessman, and today is probably best known for his reality show, "The Apprentice." 

Trump’s daughter Ivanka is proving to be just as shrewd in business. She acquired The Doral Resort and its Blue Monster golf course in Miami for $150 million, according to Forbes, and is planning to spend $200 million renovating it. She also has a successful jewelry, fragrance, and shoe line.

Ivanka's husband, businessman Jared Kushner, runs his family's real estate development firm, Kushner Properties; is the founder of investment fund Thrive Capital; and owns The New York Observer, which he bought in 2006 for $10 million

Two-year-old Arabella Kushner and six-month-old Joseph Kushner, Ivanka and Jared's kids, have quite the empire to inherit: Donald Trump has an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion, while Ivanka is reportedly worth $150 million. Jared's net worth is around $200 million.



22. The Barrymore Family

Film and stage legends

Dubbed "Hollywood's first family," the Barrymores span the entertainment industry from screen to stage since before the American Revolutionary War. The family started with Maurice Barrymore — his stage name — who gave birth to actors Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore.

John, also known as "The Great Profile" for his aristocratic good looks, was the most acclaimed actor of the early 20th century. John's second wife, Dolores Costello, was also a well-known silent film actress. The two gave birth to John Drew Barrymore who, when his parents divorced, rebelled against his mother's wishes to keep him out of the limelight by signing his first acting contract at age 17.

John Drew's daughter, Drew, the youngest and best-known of the Barrymores, has been acting since the age of three. She's the goddaughter of director Steven Spielberg, who directed the movie in which she had her breakout role, "E.T." Drew went on to star in "Riding in Cars With Boys," "Charlie's Angels," and "The Wedding Singer." Drew, whose net worth alone is an estimated $125 million, gave birth to her first child in 2012 and had her second just last month.



21. The Ford Family

Auto tycoons

Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903, and the Fords have been the first family in American automobiles ever since. His only son, Edsel, took over the company in 1919 at the age of 26 and is credited with the sleek designs that made the brand so popular. 

Edsel's son Henry II took the reigns of Ford Motor Company in 1943 at the age of 25, and he really revived the company after WWII. His brothers held high and powerful positions under him.

Today, the family is still involved in the company: Henry II's son, Edsel II, still sits on the company's board of directors, his granddaughter Elena is a vice president at the company, and William Jr. (a grandson of Edsel Ford) was the Chairman and CEO until 2006 and still remains Executive Chairman at the company.

Today the descendants of Henry Ford control the Ford Motor Company, although they have a minority ownership of 2%. Based on a market cap of $48 billion, the Ford family holds $1.2 billion worth of common stock.



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There Are At Least 3 ‘Star Wars’ Spin-Off Movies In The Works

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carrie fisher mark hamill star warsDuring Disney’s Q2 earnings call, CEO Bob Iger spoke briefly about the future “Star Wars” movies saying there are at least three spin-off films in the works.

“We're in development on spin-off films which we have not gotten specific about,” he added. “But we feel that we've got at least three that we're targeting to go into production. That pipeline is going to be rich certainly through the end of this decade." 

He also hinted that the "Star Wars" saga may not end with episodes VII, VIII, and IX.

“We intend to make at least three of the 'Star Wars' saga, 'VII, VIII, and IX.’” said Iger. "This should be roughly every other year.” 

Previously, Iger would not comment on the number of spin-off films, but has said the standalone pictures will follow individual characters. 

It’s been rumored the movies may follow Yoda, Han Solo, or Boba Fett. 

Last week, Disney and Lucasfilm announced initial cast for the film which will see many of the original cast, including Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, reprise their roles.

“Star Wars: Episode VII” will be released Dec. 18, 2015.

SEE ALSO: Who will star in "Star Wars: Episode VII"

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Tour The New York Filming Locations Of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’

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andrew garfield amazing spiderman 2

Unlike other superheroes, Spider-Man makes his home in a very real place: New York City.

So when the production set out to make the "Amazing Spider-Man 2," it was important to include as much of the Big Apple as possible.

Production of the film ranges from the boroughs of Manhattan to Long Island and upstate in Albany and Rochester.

There may be some mini-spoilers.

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is the first film in the franchise to shoot entirely in New York.

(Source: "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" production notes)



The sequel is also the largest film to ever shoot in the state of New York.

(Source: NY.gov)



Production used all of New York from Manhattan to upstate in Rochester.

(Source: "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" production notes)



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Disney Has Been Hiding A Secret Message In Its Movies For Years

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Woody, Toy Story, number

Pixar has been known for its Easter eggs — hidden messages in films — but one of its best has to do with A113.

A video on Disney Pixar's YouTube page shows A113 can be found in almost all of Pixar's films, from "Toy Story" to "Finding Nemo."

What does it mean?

Pixar's John Lasseter has explained A113 is the number of the animation classroom at the California Institute of the Arts.

Many animators like Lasseter attended school there, and by including the number they are giving a subtle shoutout to their alma mater.

The number has been used for many different things in Pixar films, such as Andy's mom's license plate in 1995's "Toy Story."

Woody, Toy Story, number

It was on a camera in 2003's "Finding Nemo."

finding nemo, number

A113 is the number of a train in 2006's "Cars."

train, cars, number

It can also be found on a box that Flik walks by in 1998's "A Bug's Life."

a bugs life, number

Here's Sully from 2013's "Monsters University" entering a classroom whose number is A113.

monsters university sulley

However, Pixar films aren't the only ones to hide the number in plain sight. Here's Tiana from Disney's 2009 "The Princess and the Frog" jumping on a trolley car marked A113.

Princess and the frog, number

"The Simpsons" used it for Bart Simpson's mug shot.

the simpsons, number

It even shows up on a door in 1987's "The Brave Little Toaster." Joe Ranft, who went on to work on Pixar movies including "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life," and "Monsters, Inc.," and Dan Haskett, a character designer on "Toy Story," worked on the film.

the brave little toaster

You can also notice the number on a chewed-up vehicle in Warner Bros.' 1999 movie "The Iron Giant." The director, Brad Bird, later made Pixar hit "The Incredibles."the iron giant a113

Even live-action films like 2012's "The Avengers" had a file labeled A113.

the avengers, number

Finally, here's a photo of Lasseter and Pixar animators Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter standing outside the famed classroom:

Pixar animators

SEE ALSO: How Napkin Sketches During A Pixar Lunch Meeting Led To Four Of The Studio's Greatest Movies

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Why Disney Bought One Of YouTube's Largest Networks For $500 Million

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mickey minnie disney world

At the end of March, Disney purchased one of YouTube's largest content producers, Maker Studios, for $500 million.

The deal is the largest so far between a studio and YouTube multi-channel network as Disney could pay up to $950 million if Maker meets certain goals. In comparison, DreamWorks Animation previously purchased AwesomenessTV for $33 million in 2013.

The acquisition gives Disney a strong platform to produce online video content. Maker creates content mostly aimed at millennials and reportedly receives 5.5 billion views per month across all of its channels.

During Tuesday’s Q2 earnings call, CEO Bob Iger commented on what Disney plans to do with multi-channel network (MCN). Iger says Maker will be used for distribution of Disney's lucrative brands like "Star Wars" and Marvel.

"We see it first and foremost as a distribution platform and a very successful one, one that not only can command more eyeballs, more consumption, but with that more advertising revenue or revenue in general. We did not believe that we had the ability in the Company near term to distribute as effectively and to sell as effectively. We also thought they had an expertise from a production and a creative perspective on creating short-form video that we didn't think was as deep as it could've been at Disney. So we bought a lot of different capabilities, but mostly distribution."

"As we look at it, we believe that by creating access for the Maker people to some of our big brands and characters and storytelling — Star Wars would be a perfect example of that, Marvel, another one — that we can actually allow the Maker people to substantially improve the distribution or the reach of short-form video using these characters and stories, but also add their expertise on the production side." 

Iger additionally highlighted Maker's access to data and algorithms and that it would take a substantial amount of time for Disney to build that kind of technological expertise to put out potentially successful online videos.

At the least, it sounds like we can plan on seeing many more short-form Marvel and "Star Wars" videos in the near future.

SEE ALSO: There are at least 3 "Star Wars" spin-off movies in the works

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This Deleted 'Amazing Spider-Man 2' End-Credits Scene Gives A Huge Hint At The Next Sequel

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amazing spider man 2 gwen stacy andrew garfield

Apparently, there are a lot of scenes that didn’t make it into "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."

We know Shailene Woodley’s Mary Jane didn’t make the cut, but there was also supposed to be a scene that ran somewhere during the credits alluding to the direction of “The Amazing Spider-Man 3.”

Some spoilers from “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” follow.

If you’ve seen the film, you know Norman Osborn (Chris Cooper) passes away from an incurable illness in the film. It’s that same illness that gets passed along to his son Harry (Dane DeHaan), and leads to his eventual turn as the Green Goblin.

Before the movie’s release, we heard a lot about an anticipated end-credits sequence showing Norman Osborn’s head cryogenically frozen in a jar after his death. We were pretty psyched about it; however, moviegoers will know it’s nowhere in the sequel or afterward in the credits.

Here’s how the scene plays out, according to GeekTyrant:

The “Man in the Shadows” / Gustav Fiers (Michael Massee) we’ve seen in both the first film and second speaking with the Osborns is seen walking up to Norman Osborn’s head and saying “Wake up old friend” before walking away.

norman osborn head amazing spider-man 2Here's a closer look:norman osborn frozen head

It would have been a perfect end-credits sequence showing that the character may still be in play in the future. Also, it’s interesting that we see him in chamber 3. That suggests he’s part of the Sinister Six crew.

As seen in the film, there are, at least, six chambers in Oscorp headquarters storing gear for future Spidey villains.the amazing spider man 2 sinister six

Instead of the Norman Osborn scene, you'll see one from the upcoming "X-Men: Days of Future Past" featuring Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) due to a deal between Sony and Fox.

Check it out below:

SEE ALSO: Here's why you'll see an "X-Men: Days of Future Past" teaser at the end of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"

AND: The future villains hinted at during the "Amazing Spider-Man 2" credits

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Clay Aiken's Primary Opponent Isn't Giving Up Yet

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Clay Aiken

"American Idol" star Clay Aiken hasn't earned the first win of his political career just yet. 

Though official results show Aiken with a 369 vote lead after Tuesday night's Democratic primary in North Carolina's second congressional district, the Associated Press has said the race is too close to call and his opponent, Keith Crisco, isn't giving up.

Crisco issued a statement Wednesday afternoon saying he would wait until officials completed a canvass of the votes Thursday to decide his next move. 

"This election is still very tight. I want the elections' officials to have an opportunity to tally the votes and provide a report on their canvass activities to allow all the campaigns a chance to see the final numbers," Crisco said. "This has been a great campaign and I am very appreciative of my supporters and the hard work that the county boards of elections are doing at this time."

The North Carolina State Board of Elections did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider Wednesday.

Whether Crisco or Aiken survives the Democratic primary, they face an uphill battle. The winner will face off against incumbent Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers in what is a staunchly conservative district

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Here’s Why An ‘X-Men’ Teaser Is Playing At The End Of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’

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spider man jennifer lawrence x men

When you head out to see “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in theaters, stay after the movie for an end-credits scene. 

No, we’re not getting a tease of Spidey, Venom, or any of the web slinger’s Sinister Six crew.  

Instead, fans will see a brief scene for “X-Men: Days of Future Past” featuring Jennifer Lawrence’s character Mystique. 

This is confusing for fans who know that Sony Pictures distributes the Spider-Man films while Fox handles the X-Men franchise. 

What’s going on? Are Spider-Man and the X-Men teaming up in a future movie to take down Disney’s Marvel titan at theaters? 

Not yet, comic fans.

You’ll see Mystique at the end of the film because of a deal between Sony and Fox due to “Amazing Spider-Man” director Marc Webb. 

From Variety: 

“Webb had an existing contract with Fox Searchlight to helm another film following 2009′s “500 (Days) of Summer.” After “The Amazing Spider-Man” in 2012, Webb’s negotiations briefly stalled with Sony as he was caught in a tug-of-war with Fox. Eventually, Fox agreed to allow Webb to direct Sony’s “Spider-Man” sequel, but only if Sony would promote its “X-Men” film for free.”

Yes, Sony agreed to run a promo for "Days of Future Past" after "Spider-Man."

The only problem is that viewers may be confused into believing there’s an X-Men / Spider-Man crossover in the works. 

If you missed the scene in theaters, 20th Century Fox released the bit on YouTube Tuesday.

Check it out:

SEE ALSO: The deleted end-credits scene from "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"

AND: The future villains that get teased in the sequel

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Despite Yahoo Deal, Katie Couric Still Wants To Remain On TV

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Katie Couric Matt LauerKatie Couric may have signed a reported $6 million deal to act as Yahoo's first-ever "Global Anchor," but that doesn't mean the TV vet wants to transition full-time to the web.

The New York Post
 reported this week that Couric "is in preliminary talks" to fill in as co-host alongside Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Today Show" when Savannah Guthrie, who is five months pregnant, goes on maternity leave.
 
A source confirms to Business Insider that Couric is, indeed, having such conversations with the network to return to the morning show she co-anchored with Lauer from 1991-2006.

"The reports are true that they would take her back," our source reveals. "At NBC, they need something stunty/big for that time, which bringing Katie back would be."

"From Katie's side," the source continued, "She would like to maintain a TV presence. With her ABC talk show no longer, that means no ABC, no CBS [where she anchored "Evening News" from 2006-2011], no CNN [which Jeff Zucker left producing her talk show to run] — NBC is one of the only networks left for her."

"Katie would love for an NBC reunion to happen," adds the source. "It's the last place where she was a star, and as strong as the Yahoo deal is, she wants to stay on television."  

Katie Couric Marissa MayerIn a recent Yahoo News promotional video, Couric explains that come June, she will be interviewing "politicians, thought leaders, cultural icons, and tech titans" for the site. But so far, her interviews with former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates have debuted to little fafare and are buried on Yahoo's site.

Yahoo has a partnership with ABC News, but "Couric’s interviews aren’t covered by the deal, raising the question of whether a deal with Couric could also involve her Yahoo work," notes The Post.

Couric’s ABC talk show, “Katie,” syndicated through Disney’s Buena Vista, ends in June, which means her Yahoo interviews would be free to appear on other networks, such as NBC.

If Couric filled in while Guthrie was on maternity leave, it could also act as a test to see if there could turn into a recurring role for her in the future, even after Guthrie returns.

Ironically, Couric initially got her start on "Today" in 1991 when she sat in for Deborah Norville while Norville left for maternity leave and never returned.

And while Guthrie is reportedly cozying up to the idea of Couric temporarily replacing her, even having lunch with Couric recently, "Today" correspondents Natalie Morales and Tamron Hall are feeling slighted by the idea of a newcomer.

“You already have two seasoned pros that are a part of the show, ready, willing, and able to step up for Savannah. Yet, executive producers are considering offering Katie or Meredith Viera the opportunity to fill in for Savannah when she goes out on maternity leave," an insider told RadarOnline.

“It’s really a step backwards for the show,” the source insisted. “'Today' weekend co-hosts Ericka Hill and Jenna Wolfe could also be utilized. Why waste the money when there is already so much talent available that are already getting paid?”

An NBC spokeswoman said in a statement: “With the 'Today' show in a good place, we are blessed with great talent and many options to temporarily fill Savannah’s chair while she’s on leave, but there’s no plan yet. Stay tuned.”

SEE ALSO: There Are Still Big Questions About Yahoo's $6 Million Katie Couric Gamble

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Nintendo Explains Why It Won't Allow Gay Relationships In Its New Simulator Game

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tomodachi1

Nintendo says that it won't allow players to choose gay relationships in "Tomodachi Life," an upcoming 3DS game that's similar to "The Sims" and "Animal Crossing." 

"Nintendo never intended to make any form of social commentary with the launch of 'Tomodachi Life,'" Nintendo of America Inc. said in a statement to the AP. "The relationship options in the game represent a playful alternate world rather than a real-life simulation. We hope that all of our fans will see that 'Tomodachi Life' was intended to be a whimsical and quirky game, and that we were absolutely not trying to provide social commentary."

The game, which was first released in Japan last year, uses Miis (Nintendo's personalized avatars of players). After personalizing the Miis, players can make them go shopping, fall in love, break up, play games, and even meet celebrities, such as Christina Aguilera and Shaquille O'Neal. 

Nintendo says that more than 1.83 million copies of "Tomodachi Life" were sold in Japan as of December 2013.

Last month, a gay 23-year-old Nintendo fan named Tye Marini started a campaign called "#Miiquality" to try to get Nintendo to change how relationships are handled in the North American and European release of the game. It goes on sale June 6. 

"Because the game has such a huge focus on relationships, this is a problem for many LGBTQ gamers," Marini said to gaming site Kotaku in an email. "I believe this is a significant issue that should be resolved or at least acknowledged by Nintendo, so I started a movement in hopes to convince Nintendo to add same-sex relationships to Tomodachi Life via an update, or at least ensure that it is included in a future sequel — the Miiquality movement."

Nintendo addressed the campaign, saying, "We will continue to listen and think about the feedback. We're using this as an opportunity to better understand our consumers and their expectations of us at all levels of the organization."

tomodachi2That could mean that future releases of the game could include same-sex couples, but the company didn't elaborate.

Although the Japanese version of the game does not include same-sex couples, it's not uncommon for game makers to tailor game releases to make them more localized. Same-sex marriage is illegal in Japan, but it's allowed in certain regions of North America and Europe.

In fact, "Tomodachi Life" developers took more than a year to localize the game. Localization changes range from different food items that are more relevant to North American players, to different styles of music, and even tweaks to personality profiles that determine how Miis would behave.

"The personalities will be a huge reason why this game is what it is," Nintendo's Senior Product Marketing Manager Bill Trinen told IGN in an interview last month. "They really are the next evolution of the Mii characters, and the first time that you really see Mii characters who genuinely have a personality. And, of course, they also have a voice."

But whether the Miis can have same-sex relationships was something Nintendo decided not to touch, even though most of the game revolves around relationships with other Miis.

"The ability for same-sex relationships to occur in the game was not part of the original game that launched in Japan, and that game is made up of the same code that was used to localize it for other regions outside of Japan," Nintendo noted in its statement.

When the game was released, there was a glitch that allowed players to marry other players of the same sex. Nintendo has since patched that glitch

"Tomodachi Life" also wouldn't be the first game to include gay characters. As the AP notes:

While many English-language games don't feature gay characters, several role-playing series produced by English-speaking developers, such as "The Sims," ''Fable" and "The Elder Scrolls," have allowed players to create characters that can woo characters of the same sex, as well as marry and have children. Other more narrative-driven games, like "Grand Theft Auto IV," ''The Last of Us" and "Gone Home," have included specific gay, lesbian and bisexual characters. 

SEE ALSO: 14 famous actors hidden in your favorite video games

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Watch Oprah Winfrey's First 1983 Audition Tape

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Before Oprah Winfrey became the $2.9 billion media mogul she is today, the TV personality started her career in local news.

Oprah recently explained her career trajectory, saying, "There have always been patterns in my life  whenever I feel like I've grown enough in one place, I move on."

"I felt that I had grown enough in Nashville...Oprah Winfrey

... so I moved on to Baltimore."

Oprah Winfrey

"I became the co-host of a morning show called 'People Are Talking' and then one day I heard that there was a morning show in Chicago that needed a new host."Oprah Winfrey"So I stayed up all night long with an editor, because I wasn't one of those people who was prepared and keeping track of all my stories. So I sent my tape in and I was obsessed with getting this job. Somehow, after all these years, my staff hunted down my original audition tape."Oprah Winfrey audition tape

Watch the short audition video below, in which the future media mogul reveals where her name comes from:

Within a few months, "AM Chicago" trumped Phil Donahue’s show to become the highest rating talk show in Chicago.

In 1986 it was renamed "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and was broadcast nationally. The rest is history.

SEE ALSO: Despite Yahoo Deal, Katie Couric Is Still 'Desperate To Stay On TV'

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There's A 'Game Of Thrones' Reference Hidden In John Oliver's HBO Show Set

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The set for John Oliver's new HBO show "Last Week Tonight" contains famous landmarks from New York and Egypt to a ficitonal land from another HBO series.

According to Slate, during a Q&A session before a taping of the new satirical news show, Oliver was asked his favorite part of the set.

His answer was an image of a tower from HBO's immensely popular "Game of Thrones" that was tucked away next to an image of the Empire State Building in the cityscape behind his desk.

Check out the cityscape behind Oliver's desk that includes landmarks from all around the world.

John Oliver Last Week Tonight

When zoomed in, we can make out the "Game of Thrones" tower in the background over Oliver's right shoulder.

John Oliver zoomed in

Here's how it looks from the standard view.

John Oliver, game of thrones

But the tower isn't a tower at all. It's actually Dragonstone, a castle from the fantasy series.

Screen Shot 2014 05 07 at 12.52.29 PM

It's not clear why the castle is included in Oliver's brand new set. However, the host did mention "Game of Thrones" was one of the reasons HBO was "way better" than Comedy Central when he left "The Daily Show" back in April.

"Last Week Tonight" airs Sundays at 11 p.m. on HBO.

SEE ALSO: This Deleted 'Amazing Spider-Man 2' End-Credits Scene Gives A Huge Hint At The Next Sequel

MORE: All Of The News Stories John Oliver Mocked In His HBO Show Premiere

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Here's How 'Thor: The Dark World' Looks Without Visual Effects

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thor loki thor the dark worldAlong with top-grossing animated picture "Frozen," "Thor: The Dark World" just helped Disney have its best quarter at the company ever. 

The film has made more than $644.8 million worldwide and continues 

If you've seen the sequel, you know it's filled with visual effects.

It took a series of VFX companies — Blur Studio, The Third Floor, Luma Pictures, Method Studios, and Double Negative— to bring the film to life. 

Many of the studios have released videosbreaking down exactly how the movie was made.

A lot of blue and green doubles for everything from Thor's beautiful home of Asgard to big-action sequences.

London was perfectly safe ...



... when it looked like a ship was tearing it apart.



A lot of the film's dark scenes ...



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New 'Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes' Trailer Shows All-Out War

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dawn of the planet of the apes

20th Century Fox just released the second trailer for "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes."

The film is the sequel to 2011's "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" which starred James Franco.

While Franco will appear via flashback video in this film, Gary Oldman and Jason Clarke ("Zero Dark Thirty") will star along with Keri Russell ("The Americans") continuing the story of Caesar, the ape from the first installment.

Here's the synopsis from Fox:

"A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species."

The film is in theaters July 11.

SEE ALSO: 15 movies you should see this summer

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Fox Brutally Cancels Seth MacFarlane's 'Dads' And 2 Other Comedies

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Dads Fox

Fox cleaned their comedy slate late Wednesday, announcing the cancellations of three freshman series: "Dads,""Enlisted," and "Surviving Jack" — making Andy Samberg's “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” the only comedy from the network's 2013-14 slate to get a renewal.

Enlisted

Considering the brutal reviews of Seth MacFarlane's "Dads," starring Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi, it's not a complete surprise. It is interesting to note, however, that Fox chief Kevin Reilly had seemingly really wanted a second season of "Dads," telling various outlets that he believed in multi-camera comedies and producer Seth MacFarlane’s ability to turn the show around. Looks like he lost all hope, or got outnumbered.

Both "Enlisted" — which drew praise for its portrayal of the pressures on families in the military — and "Surviving Jack" — which won Christopher Meloni acclaim — had okay reviews, but dismal ratings. It didn't help that both shows aired outside of Fox’s Tuesday comedy block.

Christopher Meloni surviving jackFox also didn't pick up three comedy pilots the network had already spent time and money shooting. The already hyped "Fatrick," "Dead Boss," and "No Place Like Home" will all be seeking, well, a new home.

The network is still deciding the fate of comedy pilots "Cabot College" (from Tina Fey) and the Justin Long starrer "Sober Companion."

So far, Fox has given series greenlights to four new comedies: Seth MacFarlane's animated “Bordertown," an ensemble cast show from “SNL” vet John Mulaney, “Weird Loners” about a group of commitment-phobic people who wind up living in the same apartment building, and “Last Man on Earth," starring Will Forte.  

SEE ALSO: There's A 'Game Of Thrones' Reference Hidden In John Oliver's HBO Show Set

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26 Sexist Ads Of The 'Mad Men' Era That Companies Wish We'd Forget

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you mean a woman can open it"Mad Men" is famous for illuminating a bygone era, replete with three-martini lunches, glamorous clothing, and, of course, casual sexism. 

The rampant sexism in "Mad Men" was typical of the 1960s, when the outlook for women in America was just beginning to change. While the "second wave" of feminism began in the '60s, mainstream America was still very much a "man's world."

That attitude carried over into advertising, which did little to advance gender roles and ran ads that implied women were idiots who cared mostly about pleasing their men.

Here are some of advertising's most egregious sexist ads from that era.

1950: The ad begins, "Most husbands, nowadays, have stopped beating their wives ... "



1951: "Show her it's a man's world."



1952: This ad makes light of domestic violence.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






Movie Producer Explains The Complex Relationship Of 'Paid Friends' In Hollywood

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Entourage friends

Hollywood producer Gavin Polone is behind successful TV shows like "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Gilmore Girls" and movies such as "Zombieland."

Gavin Polone Ruben Fleischer

After 15 years in the business, Polone believes that paid friendships are more common in Hollywood than any other industry.

In a new essay on the topic for Vulture, Polone says, "I’ve encountered many big-deal stars and directors with an entourage of assistants and development executives who have crossed the business-­personal line. Some were friends before they were employees. Others drifted the other direction."

Polone lists four reasons why paid friendships work:

1. "It’s isolating being famous or powerful."

2. "Many of the people you would otherwise naturally like are trying to get you to do them a favor, or increase their status through association with you, so it becomes difficult to trust them or enjoy their company."

3. "You fall out of the practice of cultivating friendships; the larger your fame, the smaller your world becomes."

4. "Things are clearer with friends who are on your payroll. From the payee’s perspective, there is the obvious validation about being important to someone who is important."

But a paid friendship can end badly.

Polone tells the story of two anonymous Hollywood assistants who gave up personal ambitions to cater to every whim of their famous or powerful bosses. Both were eventually fired because jealous spouses, male and female, were intimidated by the close working relationships.

Paid friendship was the subject of HBO's "Entourage" and the network's new show, "Doll & Em," about a famous actress who hires her childhood best friend as her assistant.

Polone says it's a tricky situation: "The employee never knows when she’ll be fired, but the employer never knows whether their relationship is ever emotionally real."

The key to a genuine friendship, he says, is a "real friend has to be allowed to confront you with an uncomfortable truth without fearing she’ll lose her job."

Read Polone's full story on Vulture >

SEE ALSO: Polone Explains The 'Inhumane' 17-Hour Work Day Schedules On Film And TV Sets

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Convicted Killer Released From Prison To Live In Famous Movie Director's Garage

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Bernie Tiede

A convicted Texas murderer who inspired a Hollywood movie was released from prison this week with a strange condition — that he live in the film director’s garage apartment, The Los Angeles Times reports.

In 1996, 38-year-old assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede killed an 81-year-old wealthy widow he befriended after handling her husband’s funeral. When Tiede’s close friendship with Marjorie Nugent soured, he shot her four times, hid her body in her own freezer, and spent her riches, according to the LA Times.

The bizarre story became the subject of the 2011 movie “Bernie,” directed by Richard Linklater and starring Jack Black as Tiede. (Linklater has directed a number of other movies, including the Academy Award-nominated "Before Midnight," "Dazed and Confused," and "School of Rock.")

Since "Bernie" came out, Linklater has quietly sought Tiede’s release from prison amid new evidence he was sexually abused as a child. That revelation was also tied to the film, since it was a lawyer and fan of the movie named Jodi Callaway Cole who first discovered sexual abuse self-help books while digging into the case, the New York Times reported.

In light of that new evidence, the original prosecutor (played by Matthew McConaughey in the film) told the Texas judge he thought Tiede’s life prison sentence should be reduced to time already served. The judge agreed and recommended that he be released on $10,000 bond pending the approval of an appellate court. Linklater said in front of the court that he would let Tiede live in his Austin garage apartment, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Along with the judge’s condition that Tiede live in Linklater’s garage, he must also receive counseling for his sexual abuse, stay in the Austin area, and remain employed as a legal clerk for Cole, Entertainment Weekly reported.

SEE ALSO: New FBI 'Most Wanted' Fugitive Has Likely Been Hiding In Plain Sight Since 1976

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