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How to watch the most incredible meteor shower of the year this week

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perseid meteor shower

There's a new moon coming around, which is good news for viewers because it sets the stage for what will be the most spectacular meteor shower of the year: the Perseid meteor shower.

The Perseid meteor shower takes places each year from the end of July through most of August, but there's always a peak time when we can see the most meteors pummeling our atmosphere and lighting up the night sky

That opportune time will happen this week in the wee hours of the morning at 4 am ET on Thursday, Aug. 13, according to Universe Today.

During that time, observers will be treated to between 50 to 100 meteors per hour, or about one to two per minute!

If you're not a morning person — or a night person depending on how you look at it — you can still see at least a handful of meteors between the hours of midnight and dawn on Aug. 11, 12, 13, and 14.

The Perseids are always one of the most stunning annual meteor showers, but this year's show will be especially beautiful because it takes place around the same time as this month's new moon on Aug. 14.

"The nearly moonless sky this year means the viewing will be excellent," Alan MacRobert, a senior editor at Sky & Telescope, wrote. Observers will have an almost completely dark sky with which to spot the Perseid meteors as they trace lines of white light across the night sky.

The best way to watch

The best way to watch any meteor shower is to find the darkest, clearest skies possible. That means getting as far away from city lights as you can. After that, you just need to direct your gaze skyward and enjoy the show — no special observing equipment necessary.

Unfortunately, for some across the US, cloudy conditions will prevent optimal viewing. If that's the case for you, don't worry: You can still watch the shower live.

NASA is offering a live broadcast beginning Aug. 12 at 10 pm ET and running through to 2 am, Aug 13. During the broadcast, NASA experts will discuss the history of the Perseids and take questions on Twitter from anyone who sends their questions to @NASA_Marshall with #askNASA in the tweet. The LiveStream is at the end of this post.

Here's a map showing where the worst and best places in the country will be on Tuesday, Aug. 11, according to AccuWeather.com. But keep an eye out for the weather conditions as they change for your area over the course of the week.

perseids 2015

Origins of the Perseids

Meteor showers typically come from the dusty, icy remains of comets. When a comet travels through the solar system, parts of it are blown off by the wind from the sun and left behind as the comet's dust tail.

As Earth passes through this tail, the tiny remains collide with Earth's atmosphere at about 130,000 mph.

This week's Perseid meteor shower comes from the leftovers of Comet Swift-Tuttle — named for its two co-founders, Lewis Swift and Horace Parnell Tuttle, who found it in 1862.

When Swift-Tuttle's icy bits enter the atmosphere at such tremendous speeds, they rub against molecules in their, generating heat from friction. The heat grows to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and vaporizes the piece of the comet. The light we see in the sky is actually the air around the comet that is so blazing hot that it radiates light.

PerseidThough the comet was only discovered about 150 years ago, our ancestors have been witnessing the Perseid meteor shower for millennia. The first documented sighting is recorded in the Chinese annals dated to 36 AD. The encryption translates to: "more than 100 meteors flew thither in the morning."

Comet Swift-Tuttle is about 16 miles across and takes 133 years to orbit the sun. Each time it makes its way to the inner solar system, it passes close to Earth. In fact, it's the largest object in the solar system that makes repeated close approaches to Earth at dangerously high speeds of over 130,000 mph.

Some have gone so far as to call it the "the single most dangerous object known to humanity," because if it collided with Earth, the results would be catastrophic. But don't worry too much:

Astronomers predict that the next time this comet will pass uncomfortably close — about 2.7 million miles away — will be in the year 4479. And they estimate that the probability of impact is 0.0001%.

Check out the NASA broadcast starting Aug. 12 at 10 pm ET below:

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Here's a look back at the unreleased 1994 'Fantastic Four' movie that has since become a cult classic

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fantastic four 2015

It's hard to believe that in this day and age where comic-book adaptations are making billions of dollars in the movie theaters that there was a time when one of Marvel's flagship comics couldn't get on the big screen.

But that's what happened to "The Fantastic Four" in the 1990s.

Fantastic Four 1994 2With the news of the horrible critical reaction and box-office return for the latest attempt to reboot the comic heroes over the weekend, many are looking back at the franchise’s not-so-impressive backstory, which includes a release in 2005 that starred Chris Evans as Johnny Storm and Jessica Alba as Sue Storm. That at least got a sequel two years later, "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer."

fantastic fourBut 11 years earlier marked the first time the Fantastic Four was to receive the movie treatment.

However, with budget constraints leading to legendary B-movie producer Roger Corman tasked to pull it off, and rumors that there was never even an intention to finish the movie, the 1994 version of "Fantastic Four" would never be released in theaters and has since become a bootleg cult classic.

But the unreleased film still had a trailer. Check out some of the best moments in GIF form:

Dr. Doom is the villain, and he means business.

fantastic four 1994 1
Dr. Reed Richards is there to give a hand.

Fantastic Four 1994 2
And take out the bad guys.

Fantastic Four 1994 4
It's clobberin' time for The Thing.

Fantastic Four 1994 3
Susan Storm makes the bad guys miss.

Fantastic Four 1994 5
Dr. Doom tries to think up a better plan to defeat the "Fantastic Four."

Fantastic Four 1994 6
Needless to say, director Oley Sassone didn't have enough money to make a decent superhero movie. A recent story on "The Fantastic Four" by Vice reports the budget was $1.5 million, which even in the 1990s was extremely low.

As the story goes, German producer Bernd Eichinger obtained the rights to the "Fantastic Four" but couldn’t get a studio to back a big-screen adaptation. With the option on the rights close to expiring in 1992, Eichinger decided to make the movie on the cheap and brought on Corman to produce it.

According to the Vice story, Eichinger's company Neue Constantin never intended to release the film, the only reason it was put into production was so the option on the rights to the "Fantastic Four" would be extended for 10 more years. Eichinger was producer on the 2005 reboot of "Fantastic Four" and its 2007 sequel.

However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, there's another story about why the movie was never released.

Then-Marvel Entertainment executive Avi Arad bought the rights to the film, and when he saw the low-budget quality of the final product he decided not to release it and instead destroyed every print (expect his own, which is what led to it becoming a legendary bootleg must-have).

Regardless of which version of the story you believe, "The Fantastic Four" has gone on to find more acclaim than its 2005 reboot, and likely the 2015 one.

It was a major story arc in season four of "Arrested Development," in which Tobias (David Cross) tried to make a musical version of "Fantastic Four" and the behind-the-scenes drama parodies what happened during the making of the 1994 film.

arrested development fantastic four copyAnd a documentary about the making of the film, titled "Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's 'The Fantastic Four,'" is coming soon to theaters.

SEE ALSO: Angry fans are bombarding the "Fantastic Four" social feeds warning others not to see the movie

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Howard Stern gave a great speech at Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's wedding

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Jennifer Aniston Justin Theroux

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux tied the knot last weekend in a super secret ceremony at their home in Los Angeles.

While tons of celebrities like Howard Stern, Jimmy Kimmel, Ellen DeGeneres, Jason Bateman, Lisa Kudrow, Orlando Bloom, Chelsea Handler, Whitney Cummings, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, and more were in attendance, few details have been revealed about the star-studded ceremony  until now.

On Monday’s "The Howard Stern Show," the shock jock spilled the beans.

Jimmy Kimmel Jennifer Aniston"Jimmy [Kimmel] was the preacher. He did a beautiful job," said Stern, adding, "I didn’t think he’d get through it. Jimmy’s still depressed about that lion getting killed over in Africa… Ellen [DeGeneres] was mad that I made fun of Jimmy for crying."

Stern explained to co-host Robin Quivers that the couple had asked him ahead of time to speak during the reception.

"I’m very friendly with Justin [Theroux]. I like him very much. I like him, I really admire him," said Stern. "I even said in my speech to them that if one of my daughters brought home a guy like Justin, I’d be very pleased. Except for the sh---y tattoos. Cause he’s got some f------ weird ones. And except for the fact that I gave him a journal to draw in and he draws pictures of dead zombie babies with blood dripping out their head on every almost page. I said, those two things might disturb me."

Howard Stern"I talked about some personal stuff, too," added Stern. "I complimented Justin’s mother on raising such a wonderful son. I told Jennifer that she deserved a guy like this."

Stern also told listeners that weddimg-goers thought his speech was especially funny because he complained about the ceremony.

"They had these little tiny chairs. There was a table, and then you sit down and the chairs were like poufs, like little pillow poufs," explained Stern, adding, "I’m 6-foot-f-----g-5! I’m a grown man!"

Stern said he was also annoyed by the couple's no-cell-phone policy, revealing that Theroux's good friend, photographer Terry Richardson, was the only person allowed to have a camera.

"I don’t want to take a picture of you two! I really don’t," Stern joked. "I want my cell phone so after I make this speech I can call my car and get the f--- outta here! People were laughing at my misery."

SEE ALSO: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux got married in a secret ceremony this weekend

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Robin Williams died one year ago today — here are 10 of his best moments on film

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robin williams good will hunting

Actor and comedian Robin Williams died one year ago today, on August 11 2014, at his home in California in an apparent suicide. He was 63.  

Williams, who got his breakout role in the 1978 sitcom "Mork and Mindy," had an incredible range. 

The talented star made us laugh in movies like "Mrs. Doubtfire" and won best supporting actor at the 1998 Oscars for the character he portrayed in the drama "Good Will Hunting."

In memory of Williams, we've compiled some of his best moments on screen that display both his comic and dramatic genius. 

In "Moscow on the Hudson" (1984) Williams plays a Russian sax player who comes to New York City. His comic skills shine in the grocery store scene where his character Vladimir Ivanof is overwhelmed by the variety of coffee selections.

(This video may take a moment to load.) 



Williams demonstrates his range of on-screen personalities starring as a radio D.J. in the film"Good Morning Vietnam" (1987) for which he earned an Academy Award nomination.



Williams' "seize the day" speech in "Dead Poet's Society" (1989) also led to an Oscar nod. In the movie, Williams plays an inspirational English teacher, John Keating, who famously tells his students: “Now in this class you can either call me Mr. Keating, or if you’re slightly more daring, O Captain My Captain.”



See the rest of the story at Business Insider








The 30 most eligible men and women in media and entertainment

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millennials texting phones girls single partying

Who are the most eligible singles working in media and entertainment?

Hinge, a popular dating app that introduces users to friends of friends, says it knows. The app has put together a list of the hottest bachelor and bachelorettes in each of nine major industries.

Hinge works by displaying the profiles of single people in your city. If you like someone's profile, swipe right; if you're not interested, swipe left. But unlike location-based dating apps like Tinder, Hinge shows you only second- and third-degree Facebook connections. These are people you might have heard of, even if you're never met.

SEE ALSO: The 30 most eligible men and women in every major industry

Media & Entertainment



30. Mallory Culbert

Work: Professional Writer and Actress; Works in the Art and Fine Vintage Clothing Worlds

Education: BA, Honors Program at the University of Texas in Austin

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Current Hinge city:Austin/San Antonio

Influence: 125 friends on Hinge



29. George LesBourdais

Work: Stanford University, Ph.D. Candidate in Art History

Education: BA, Middlebury College; MA (History of Art and Architecture ), Williams College; Current PhD Candidate in Art History at Stanford University

Hometown: Harpswell, ME

Current Hinge city:San Francisco

Influence: 172 friends on Hinge



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Discovery's 'Deadliest Catch' captain Tony Lara found dead at age 50

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tony lara deadliest catch

Tony Lara, the crab-fishing captain on Discovery's hit show 'Deadliest Catch,' died on Saturday morning.

He was found in a private residence in Sturgis, South Dakota. The fisherman, who was the captaion of the ship Cornelia Marie, was just 50 years old.

The cause of death is still unknown; autopsy results have not been released yet. 

Here is a bit more about Lara's life, from Discovery's website:

There is probably no one out there more suited to take the helm of the Cornelia Marie than Tony Lara. A crabbing veteran, he has recently been running his own freighting business. Tony worked on the boat for 10 years in the 1990's and ran the Cornelia Marie during salmon tendering. A good friend of Phil's, he also helped build much of the boat when it was originally fitted for crabbing, and he has the engine room memorized. He knows the Cornelia Marie inside and out.

What he may be less familiar with is the dynamic of the crew — he knows Jake and Josh, but hasn't fished with them, and hasn't run a crab boat since 2001. Tony says he wants to provide some "stability" for the Harris brothers, and doesn't see many problems arising in the Cornelia Marie's short Opie season. He just wants to catch come crab and bring them home.

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Stephen Colbert can't wait to mock Donald Trump on the 'Late Show': 'Right now, I'm just dry-Trumping'

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stephen colbert on donald trump getty

Stephen Colbert can't wait to mock Donald Trump.

Colbert told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills on Monday that he chose to debut his "Late Show" on September 8, because he knew that the primary race would be in full swing and would provide him some great fodder for jokes. But, Donald Trump's participation has definitely upped the ante for the new late-night host.

"I want to do jokes on Donald Trump so badly, and I have no venue. So, right now, I'm just dry‑Trumping," Colbert joked, according to a transcript acquired by Business Insider.

Although Colbert did take to digital video in June to mock Trump's announcement that he'd be running, Colbert really hopes the real estate mogul will stay in the race long enough to get his jokes on CBS's "Late Show."

colbert on trump video

"I just want to say that every little boy grows up believing that they could be President of the United States, and I'm so happy that that little boy is Donald Trump," Colbert said.

"I just hope he's taking his vitamins. Please stay healthy until I get on the air," he continued. "Don't do anything dangerous. Don't ride any motorcycles, because every night before I go to bed, I light a candle and pray that he stays in the race, and I also pray that no one puts that candle anywhere near his hair."

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert made Jon Stewart tear up during his 'Daily Show' goodbye speech

MORE: Stephen Colbert faces a hungry Mitt Romney in new 'Late Show' teasers

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Drake now has the first million-selling album in 2015 — here's why that feat is incredible

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drake

Drake's most recent mixtape, "If You're Reading This It's Too Late," finally broke the platinum threshold of selling 1 million copies in the US on Monday since being released in February.

Drake is the first artist who released a record this calendar year and achieved such an accomplishment.

What's more is that it's Drake's fourth record in a row that has received platinum status, which means selling at least 1 million copies.

Drake's mixtape sold over a million copies worldwide earlier this year, but most people look at US sales when referring to certifications.

Even just two or three years ago, many artists sold huge amounts of albums, some even eclipsing the 1 million mark in less than a week. That rarely happens anymore, though. 

The last artist to sell at least 1 million copies of an album was Taylor Swift, with her record "1989," which was released in October of 2014 and went platinum later that year in November.

It's now harder than ever to actually sell music, even at the highest level. The vast emergence of music streaming services has been incredibly detrimental to album sales in the past, and it will only get worse in the future.

Taylor SwiftStreaming services Spotify and Pandora might have led to a decline in album sales, and now the rise of Apple Music might hurt sales even more.

People don't want to buy each song they listen to anymore. They'd rather pay a flat rate and get music from a ton of different artists. It makes sense for consumers, but for artists the news couldn't be worse. It's either adjust or get left behind. Billboard announced in 2014 that it would count album streams toward their charts, but that still doesn't relate to album sales.

Achieving a platinum certification used to be the No. 1 goal of an artist's career. If that were the case today, the majority of artists would be severely disappointed. Before streaming, if you produced a quality album you had a decent chance to go platinum. That's obviously no longer the case.

Last year, no one receive a platinum certification until Swift got hers in November. It's not because people aren't still making brilliant music, but rather that times have changed.

If anyone goes platinum nowadays, it's the elite superstars like Swift, Drake, Katy Perry, Eminem and others. There's no longer space for artists such as 50 cent, Usher, or even Kelly Clarkson — all artists who have had multiple platinum albums in the past.

That's why Drake's feat is so incredible. Platinum albums nowadays are few and far between, which makes for an even heavier "wow" factor when they come around. Though Drake is a polarizing figure, the album speaks for itself. Soon after it was released in February, an astounding 10 songs from the album were on the Billboard hot 100 hip-hop/R&B list.

In September, Drake plans to release "Views from the 6" — possibly his most anticipated album ever.

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This graphic celebrates Robin Williams' most memorable characters

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robin williams

Today marks one year since beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams died at the age of 63.

From the exuberant Genie in "Aladdin," to the iconic Teddy Roosevelt in "Night at the Museum," the many rousing characters he created over his decades-long career have not been forgotten. We created this graphic to celebrate some of his most memorable faces.
 Robin Williams Tribute Infographic

View some of Robin Williams' greatest scenes as these unforgettable characters.

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams died one year ago today — here are 10 of his best moments on film

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Tom Brady and a private jet are now tied to the nanny scandal that's rocking one of Hollywood's most beloved couples

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Ben Affleck Jennifer Garner divorce

One of Hollywood's most beloved couples, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, are getting divorced after 10 years of marriage.

The root of their issues seems to be the couple's 28-year-old former nanny, Christine Ouzounian. US Weekly reported last month that Affleck had been dating the ex-nanny, who was first hired when he and Garner were on a "secret 10-month trial separation."

Affleck has denied any romantic relationship with Ouzounian and stated that he was merely friendly with her.

His rep went so far as to say Affleck is "exploring legal options" about the "garbage" affair story. But on Tuesday, New York Post obtained a photo of Ouzounian that suggests Affleck at the very least pampered her.

In the photo, Ouzounian is reportedly on a private jet with Affleck and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, wearing a bunch of his Super Bowl rings.

The Post claims Ouzounian was invited to fly on the jet by her then-employer, Affleck, and it also suggests Affleck's wife didn't know about the trip or invitation that was extended to Ouzounian. The trio reportedly were headed to Vegas for a poker tournament.

When Garner found out, The Post says she "flipped out," and the couple split just a few days after the photo was taken.

Here's the controversial nanny photo on NY Post:

nypost nanny jet tom brady ben affleck

 

SEE ALSO: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner announce divorce after 10 years of marriage

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The Olsen twins are being sued for allegedly overworking interns without pay

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Olsen twins mary kate ashley intern

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are being sued by a former intern, Shahista Lalani, who claims she was overworked with no pay while working for the twins' licensing and manufacturing company, Dualstar Entertainment Group, in 2012.

"The class-action suit, which alleges wage theft, says the 29-year-old celebs failed to pay about 40 past and present interns who have worked for them," according to the New York Post.

Lalani claims she worked 50 hours a week with no pay, nor did she receive college credit for her time as an intern.

Mary Kate Ashley Olsen twinsIn the suit, Lalani said she reported to the head technical designer for the Olsens' high fashion label, The Row, for five months. The former intern called her boss "very demanding."

"I was doing the work of three interns. I was talking to her all day, all night. E-mails at nighttime for the next day, like 10 p.m. at night," notes Lalani. "It was like 100 degrees outside. I’d just be sweating to death. I probably carried like 50 pounds worth of trench coats."

According to court papers obtained by the Post, Lalani says her other work included "inputting data into spreadsheets, making tech sheets, running personal errands for paid employees, organizing materials, photocopying, sewing, pattern cutting, among other related duties."

"When we weren’t doing something, they’d be like, 'Organize the buttons in the back by color code.' You’re cleaning. You don’t get a set 15-minute break. You just go with their crazy flow. You just [got] caught up in the pressure," added Lalani, who says at one point she was hospitalized for dehydration during her internship.

"You’re like an employee, except you’re not getting paid," she added. "They’re kind of mean to you. Other interns have cried. I’d see a lot of kids crying doing coffee runs, photocopying stuff."

Lalani does, however, admit that she never worked directly for the Olsens, but when she saw them occasionally at meetings they were nothing but pleasant towards her.

"They’re really nice people," said Lalani. "They were never mean to anyone. They’re business people."

olsen twins sunglassesLalani's suit hopes to see other interns paid minimum wage plus overtime because she says they are doing the same duties as paid employees without receiving academic credit.

A spokeswoman for the Olsens’ company told The Post, "Dualstar is not aware of this [the lawsuit]," but declined to comment on the company’s intern policy.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen founded Dualstar Entertainment when they were just six-years-old.

Olsen twins mary kate and ashley olsen"In 2004, on their 18th birthday, the sisters took over as copresidents (they are now co-chief executive officers) of the privately held firm, which has produced movies, TV shows, magazines and video games," according to Women's Wear Daily.

Later, the twins' business efforts also included "clothes, shoes, purses, hats, books, CDs and cassette tapes, fragrances and makeup, magazines, video and board games, dolls, posters, calendars, telephones and CD players."

olsen twins barbies"We were always hard workers as kids,” Mary-Kate told WWD in 2013. "It’s just the way we are, the way we were raised. Our work ethic was everything, and that never left us. We like to work hard, and we like to try to do everything 100 percent. In fact, it’s actually almost impossible for us not to. Sometimes you succeed and sometimes not so much, but it’s learning."

"I always looked at myself, even as a kid, as a businesswoman," added Ashley.

Today, Mary-Kate and Ashley also have their own couture fashion label, "The Row," and a contemporary collection called "Elizabeth & James."

In June, the Olsens were named Womenswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for their brand The Row.

Olsen Twins

SEE ALSO: Celebrity gatekeepers: 7 personal assistants to Hollywood stars explain what their days are like

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The stunningly successful career of Jimmy Iovine, the millionaire record mogul who's shaping Apple’s music business (AAPL)

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jimmy iovine

Jimmy Iovine, the famous record producer and former chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M, became one of Apple's newest executives last May.

In addition to becoming one of the most successful executives in the music industry as the head of Interscope, Iovine ran Beats Electronics with his long-time pal and business partner Dr. Dre. Apple bought Beats for $3 billion last year, bringing both Iovine and Dre into the company.

Iovine has had an insanely successful career so far —he's worked with everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Lady Gaga to Eminem and John Lennon. Everyone who's anyone in the music business has worked with or knows Jimmy Iovine.

Here's a look at his fabulous career so far.  

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Jimmy Iovine was born on March 11, 1953. He was raised in Brooklyn, where it was easy for him to attend shows in New York City. “It worried them [my parents] when I wanted to go to the Village to see Sly and the Family Stone or The Doors,” he told PBS. “They were scared stiff; they couldn’t relate to it.”

Source: PBS



Today Iovine says Bruce Springsteen is one of the biggest influences that drives his career. “My life changed because Bruce Springsteen got on a mic in front of me,” Iovine said to The New York Times. “That continued in my life over and over again, so I get the joke now. Artists have to be represented properly, and paid properly.”

Source: The New York Times



But long before Iovine became a household name in the music industry, he worked as a janitor at a recording studio in the 1970s. “I was able to watch,” Iovine said to The New York Daily News, “And from there I went to another studio. And I had three studio jobs — sort of like custodial, help out, set things up. And then eventually this guy Roy Cicala liked me and he put me in a studio and I kind of got started about 19 years old.”

Source: The New York Daily News



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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'True Detective' ratings end on high, but still can't beat Season 1

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truedetective Lacey Terrell

The ratings for HBO's second season finale of "True Detective" delivered good and bad news.

The good news is that the finale was the no. 1 original series on Sunday night television, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings. It also saw a bump in viewership with 2.73 million viewers tuning in versus last week's 2.18 million viewers.

Michael Lombardo HBO TCA 2015As for the bad news, Season 2 was unable to live up to Season 1's finale viewership. A total of 3.52 million viewers watched last year's finale in March versus Season 2's 2.73 million on Sunday. That represents a huge 22% drop from Season 1.

Nevertheless, ratings are relative. In the end, HBO can be happy with bringing home the top series of the night. That could be enough to justify HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo's desire for a third season.

If ['True Detective' creator Nic Pizzolatto] wants to do another season, I said the door is open, we’d like to do another season of it,” the exec said.

SEE ALSO: Here's how things turned out for the main characters on the 'True Detective' season finale

MORE: HBO chief defends 'True Detective' amid criticism, says viewers should 'watch the entirety of it'

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The next comedy from 'Best in Show' director Christopher Guest will be on Netflix

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christopher guest Bryan Bedder Getty

Netflix announced Tuesday that they will be releasing the next film from comedy director Christopher Guest exclusively in 2016.

Sent from Netflix through a cryptic invitation, the film is titled “Mascots” and will follow a “group of unusual men and women” taking part in the 8th World Mascot Association Championships for the crown of “Best Mascot in the World.”

Guest is known best for making faux documentaries and giving his actors the freedom to improvise on the material they are given. The results have led to some memorable works like “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” and “A Mighty Wind,” to name a few.

Though the Netflix “invite” doesn’t indicate it, “Mascots” will likely be in the same style as Guest’s previous films. He co-wrote those with Eugene Levy (known best from starring in the “American Pie” movies), and had an ensemble cast that included the duo as well as Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey, Fed Willard, Jane Lynch, Larry Miller, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer (the latter two starred with Guest in the legendary comedy "This is Spinal Tap").

This will be Guest’s first feature-length movie since 2009’s “For Your Consideration.” In 2013, he directed eight episodes of the HBO comedy “Family Tree,” starring Chris O’Dowd.

This continues Netflix hiring brand-name talent to fill their original programming.

Adam Sandler signed a four-movie deal with them last October, Cary Fukunaga’s movie “Beats of No Nation,” the follow-up to him directing the first season of “True Detective,” will be released in theaters and Netflix simultaneously later this year, while Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have recently announced they are working on projects that will originate on the streaming service.

Read the invitation Netflix sent out regarding the Guest movie below:

mascot invite netflix

SEE ALSO: Here's what's coming to Netflix in August

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22 lessons from Stephen King on how to be a great writer

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stephen king

Renowned author Stephen King has written over 50 books that have captivated millions of people around the world.

In his memoir, "On Writing," King shares valuable insights into how to be a better writer. And he doesn't sugarcoat it. He writes, "I can't lie and say there are no bad writers. Sorry, but there are lots of bad writers."

Don't want to be one of them? Here are 22 great pieces of advice from King's book on how to be an amazing writer.

This is an update of an article written by Maggie Zhang.

 

SEE ALSO: Here's the secret underlying all good writing

1. Stop watching television. Instead, read as much as possible.

If you're just starting out as a writer, your television should be the first thing to go. It's "poisonous to creativity," he says. Writers need to look into themselves and turn toward the life of the imagination.

To do so, they should read as much as they can. King takes a book with him everywhere he goes, and even reads during meals. "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot," he says. Read widely, and constantly work to refine and redefine your own work as you do so.



2. Prepare for more failure and criticism than you think you can deal with.

King compares writing fiction to crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub, because in both, "there's plenty of opportunity for self-doubt." Not only will you doubt yourself, but other people will doubt you, too. "If you write (or paint or dance or sculpt or sing, I suppose), someone will try to make you feel lousy about it, that's all," writes King.

Oftentimes, you have to continue writing even when you don't feel like it. "Stopping a piece of work just because it's hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea," he writes. And when you fail, King suggests that you remain positive. "Optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to failure." 



3. Don't waste time trying to please people.

According to King, rudeness should be the least of your concerns. "If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered anyway," he writes. King used to be ashamed of what he wrote, especially after receiving angry letters accusing him of being bigoted, homophobic, murderous, and even psychopathic.

By the age of 40, he realized that every decent writer has been accused of being a waste of talent. King has definitely come to terms with it. He writes, "If you disapprove, I can only shrug my shoulders. It's what I have." You can't please all of your readers all the time, so King advises that you stop worrying. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider








Here's the official trailer for 'Billions' — the hot hedge fund show cowritten by Andrew Ross Sorkin

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Showtime has just released the official trailer for the new hedge fund drama "Billions" that debuts next year. 

The 12-episode series stars Damian Lewis, who plays a hedge fund king Bobby "Axe" Axelrod, the CEO of AXE Capital, and Paul Giamatti, who plays US Attorney Chuck Rhoades. The show was written by Brian Koppelman, David Levien, and New York Times editor/CNBC anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin.

It premieres January 17, 2016 at 10pm EST. 

Check out the trailer: 

 

 

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'Next Step Realty NYC' star reveals 3 things you should look for in a real estate broker

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next step realty nyc abc family

ABC Family takes a look at life after college in its new reality series "Next Step Realty NYC."

The show revolves around the executives and staff of real estate brokerage firm (and the show's namesake) Next Step Realty, which specializes in finding homes for new college graduates.

The firm was founded by Blair Brandt, who as a young college graduate working at an upscale Palm Beach, Florida realty brokerage saw inequities in the way that college graduates were treated and charged by New York City brokers.

"My friends are college graduates and are not getting good service," Brandt tells Business Insider. "But, if they did get a lot of service, especially the amenities and the luxury and the concierge feel, I think there would be a certain amount of loyalty that they would have."

As viewers will see from the show, Next Step caters to clients from different cultural backgrounds, budgets, and needs for their home. The one thing they all agreed on was that Next Step would be their broker.

BI asked Brandt to explain the three most important things to consider when choosing a real estate broker. Here's what he said:

1.) What's their reputation like?
next step toast
"Next Up has grown at a tremendous rate because you go to our Facebook page and look at the reviews, every customer has a positive experience and tells their friends," Brandt said. "We’ve primarily grown through word of mouth. So whenever you think about hiring a broker or a brokerage company, make sure you have strong and multiple recommendations.

2.) Can you agree on the fee?

Next step realty shaking hands
"I believe in transparency about the broker fee in advance," the realtor said. "For example, we guarantee 20% off other New York City brokerage fees. We do that transparently from the moment they call us to finalizing the lease. There are no surprises."

3.) Are they working for you?
next step realty nyc abc family on your side

"You want someone willing to show you the market," Brandt said. "We don’t represent listings. We don’t represent landlords. We are customer representatives. We work on behalf of the renters to find them their ideal home. We can show six to 12 apartments in a few hours and give people the piece of mind that they could move forward with the rental. You want to make sure the broker you find is saving you money, saving you time and that they’re going to provide a wide array of options for you."

You'll learn more about the real estate brokerage business from watching Brandt and his colleagues on "Next Step Realty NYC," which premieres Tuesday, August 11 at 9 p.m. on ABC Family.

Watch a teaser for the show below:

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MORE: 5 things 'BattleBots' producers are planning if the show gets another season

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Louis C.K. is completely unrecognizable in this poster for the new Bryan Cranston movie

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The poster for Bryan Cranston's new movie, "Trumbo," was released Tuesday and we found something a bit surprising. 

Along with Cranston, the biopic about famous blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, the film also stars Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, John Goodman, and Louis C.K.

Here's the poster:

trumbo poster final

Did you catch Louis? He's almost unrecognizable:

trumbo poster arrow final

The funnyman will be playing Arlen Hird, a fellow blacklisted scribe who falls on hard times. Here's a closer look of how he looks in the film:

louis ck trumbo

"Trumbo" opens in theaters on November 6.

SEE ALSO: A guest role on "The X-Files" helped Bryan Cranston get his Emmy-winning role on "Breaking Bad"

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The FDA just ordered a company to take down Kim Kardashian's Instagram post

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kim kardashian

It looks like Kim K. is at the center of a government drug regulation scandal.

The TV celebrity, who is pregnant with her second child, took to Instagram to share a glowing testimonial about a morning sickness drug last month. But the FDA has ordered the drug's manufacturer to take the post down.

Kardashian is a spokeswoman for the drug, DICLEGIS, which is made by Duchesnay USA.

"OMG. Have you heard about this? As you guys know my #morningsickness has been pretty bad. [My doctor] prescribed me #Diclegis. I felt a lot better and most importantly, it's been studied and there was no increased risk to the baby," Kardashian wrote to her 42 million Instagram followers. She also tweeted the post to her more than 34 million followers on Twitter.

In a letter dated August 7, the FDA ordered the drug's makers to take the post down.

"The social media post is false or misleading in that it presents efficacy claims for DICLEGIS, but fails to communicate any risk information associated with its use and it omits material facts," the letter reads.

DICLEGIS is intended for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnant women who do not respond to other ways of managing these symptoms. But the drug has not been studied in women with severe morning sickness, or hyperemesis gravidarum, and is not recommended for women taking certain kinds of allergy medications or antidepressants.

The drug also comes with a warning about activities requiring mental alertness, and the most common side effect is drowsiness.

The FDA's letter calls for Duchesnay to "immediately cease misbranding DICLEGIS and/or cease introducing the misbranded drug into interstate commerce," as well as a written response describing how it will spread "truthful, non-misleading, and complete corrective messages about the issues discussed in this letter to the audience(s) that received the violative promotional materials."

Laney Landsman, a spokeswoman for Duchesnay, confirmed that Kardashian's posts had been removed immediately, The Washington Post reported.

Given the fact that you can only convey a certain amount of information in a given space, social media poses a challenge for accuretely communicating information about drug safety. And due to safety disclosure requirements, a lot of companies have steered clear of using it entirely.

But that doesn't stop individuals from spreading questionable information.

"Outside of a promotional context, Kim Kardashian, if she jumped on Twitter and made these statements, and had absolutely no relationship to the company, that would be fine," Kevin Madagan, counsel at Reed Smith, told the Post. However, "You need to be careful about how you go about doing it," he said.

SEE ALSO: The FDA just backed a drug people are calling 'female viagra'

NOW READ: A booming medical industry in the US is almost totally unregulated

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