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This list of headlines shows that Snapchat is the ultimate tabloid

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snapchat discoverSnapchat Discover, the section of the app where you can catch up on the day’s news, is a certified hit.

Discover has attracted media companies from BuzzFeed to CNN to The Wall Street Journal. And Snapchat has continued to attract new partners like Vogue, which made its Discover debut last month.

Discover has also captured the love of Snapchat’s users. When Business Insider interviewed ESPN’s digital boss John Kosner last month, he shared that ESPN’s Discover channel gets a whopping 18 million unique viewers per month, and 2.3 million per day. That's a huge chunk of viewers. 

Anecdotally, I recently talked to a 20-year-old who said she got her news exclusively from Snapchat Discover and podcasts, which might be terrifying to hear if you work in more traditional forms of media.

But when we talk about Snapchat Discover being a success, it’s worth pointing out one particular thing: Discover is the tabloid rack of the digital world.

That doesn’t mean the production value is poor; in fact, many of the stories are a seamless mashup of GIFs, videos, and text. It's impressive. And it also doesn’t mean that Snapchat hasn’t signed up some more serious partners: WSJ, Vogue, and so on.

Yet still, every time I open the app it feels like I’m waiting in line at the grocery store, perusing the latest and greatest in the world of tabloids. Just glance to the right for a taste. This isn’t Snapchat’s “fault,” since each publication is responsible for choosing its own editorial direction on Snapchat. However, the stories that publications choose for Snapchat are an indication on what they think works on the platform, and that does tend toward a certain sensibility.

But don’t just take my word for it!

I took notes from the past week on which headlines appeared on the first few screens of my Snapchat Discover section. Here is a random sampling of the biggest news in Snapchat world (I trimmed a few off the list that were hard to understand without a picture, but other than that, I didn’t cherry-pick them).

Here’s the list:

  • The untold story of Michael Jordan’s ban
  • Kim flees Paris after $11m heist
  • Zeke and Dak do it again for Dallas
  • Feed the wildlife in Mafia III
  • 10 ways to be beat procrastination
  • Classy AF
  • Is Gaga pregnant with a demon baby?
  • Dez Bryant: ‘I’m America’s most hated’
  • This beauty treatment made my eyebrows fall out
  • The 21 most romantic facts of all time
  • Star: ‘I need weed to survive’
  • 12 hidden features in iOS 10
  • Australia’s biggest football match
  • The secret to hack your own PSL
  • 18 makeout tips you need to try
  • What your sign says about your bathroom habits
  • The one change the Warriors want KD to make
  • September’s biggest beefs
  • Beware of the iPhone 7’s water resistance
  • Holey Moley! Kim slays Paris
  • What the hell just happened in St. Louis
  • 10 things you should never do at a wedding
  • 21 times texting was too real
  • The sex ed they should’ve taught in school
  • Kim K ditches Spanx after attack
  • Is Adventure Time Finn-ished
  • Did Tim Tebow homer on his first pitch? You bet he did
  • Olympians visit the White House
  • 21 times Tumblr was way too real about sexting
  • 6 degrees of star sex
  • 12 sex fears every guy has
  • Caffeination across the nations
  • Rihanna shows us how it’s done
  • Cartman learns about the female anatomy
  • Every time Kim Kardashian has posed nude
  • America is hate-watching this election
  • Gisele & Tom: Shots & bikinis
  • McGregor goes off at UFC 205 press conference
  • New Batman film may be coming soon
  • The 18 most offensive Halloween costumes
  • Drunk History on the Titanic: What could go wrong?
  • Lizzie McGuire is all grown up
  • Political fist fight breaks out on live TV
  • Who will punch Martin Shkreli in the face
  • Bella’s best shoot ever
  • Snapchat’s new smart glasses
  • Don’t believe in love? Read this
  • 9 American foods that are banned in other countries
  • Men tell us why they cheated
  • 19 things only truly gross best friends will understand
  • Why the 2016 election is so terrifying
  • Boy, 3, filmed smoking weed
  • Peace out, Biebs
  • 7 reasons to avoid iOS 10
  • Battle on skates
  • 25 pictures that will change your worldview
  • The lies people told to get laid
  • Would you go on a date in VR?
  • Last-second TD overturned in crazy finish
  • 5 ways hooking up is different for men & women
  • What it’s like to date when you can’t have sex
  • I drink 200 cups of coffee a day
  • The sexual attraction edition
  • KG’s amazing career in his own words
  • It’s 5 o’clock somewhere
  • Adriana Lima & Naomi Campbell slay Versace
  • An iPhone-charging hoodie & more sexy future tech

Snapchat declined to comment.

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The best album of every year since 2000, according to critics

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kanye west

Each year in music, one album stands out from the crowd as the most critically acclaimed work of the year.

Since the turn of the new century, review aggregator Metacritic has compiled an annual list of the year's most well-received albums by assigning scores based on their composite critical reception.

We selected the top album from each year starting with 2000, and the resulting list includes some expected appearances from great artists like Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, and Kanye West, as well as a few lesser-known but incredible LPs. 

Check out the best album of each year in the new century so far:

SEE ALSO: The 50 best-selling albums of all time

2000: Outkast — "Stankonia"

Metacritic score: 95/100

User score: 8.9/10

What critics said: "Stankonia reeks of artful ambition rendered with impeccable skill — or as one song title so concisely has it, 'So Fresh, So Clean.'" — Entertainment Weekly

Notable songs:"So Fresh, So Clean,""Ms. Jackson,""B.O.B."

Buy it here >>



2001: Bob Dylan — "Love and Theft"

Metacritic score: 93/100

User score: 8.8/10

What critics said: "The remarkable achievement of 'Love and Theft' is that Dylan makes the past sound as strange, haunted and alluring as the future." — Rolling Stone

Notable songs:"Mississippi,""Bye and Bye,""High Water (For Charley Patton)"

Buy it here >>



2002: The Streets — "Original Pirate Material"

Metacritic score: 90/100

User score: 8.9/10

What critics said: "'Original Pirate Material' is England's first great hip-hop record mostly because it isn't a hip-hop record. It's hard to say exactly what it is." — Village Voice

Notable songs:"Has It Come To This?,""Let's Push Things Forward,""Weak Become Heros"

Buy it here >>



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'Westworld' just gave HBO its biggest premiere audience since 'True Detective'

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thandie newton rodrigo santoro westworld hbo

Is HBO coming out of its drama dry spell? "Westworld" just banked the pay cable channel's biggest premiere since "True Detective."

"Westworld" was watched by 3.3 million multiplatform viewers on Sunday. That includes both the initial premiere and its repeat airing on TV, as well as streaming viewers on HBO Go and HBO Now, according to Deadline.

That number ties the network's last big drama hit, "True Detective." By comparison, the premiere of "Vinyl" was watched by a sad 1.4 million viewers across the three platforms — far lower than what hopes were for the musical series from Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese, and Terence Winter ("Boardwalk Empire").

HBO was in great need of a new hit. Strong in its first season, "True Detective" fizzled during its sophomore year. And "Game of Thrones" only has two seasons left, both of which will be shorter than the usual 10-episode order.

SEE ALSO: 'Westworld' star Thandie Newton defends her decision to play a brothel madam

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Here's everything we know about 'Westworld' — HBO's mysterious new sci-fi series

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What if you could step into a fantasy world and do anything you desire with no repercussions? That's the basic premise of HBO's new sci-fi series, "Westworld," which centers around a futuristic theme park filled with humanoid robots that interact with guests to play out any sort of storyline you wish. There are plenty of mysteries in the plot to keep you entertained and guessing until the next season of "Game of Thrones." Here are some of the basics we know so far. WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

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Stephen Colbert mocks Donald Trump's tax avoidance by comparing him to Hannibal Lecter

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stephen colbert

Stephen Colbert ridiculed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his campaign on Monday's "Late Show" for their response to the news that Trump may have avoided paying income tax over a period of 18 years.

"Three pages of Donald Trump's 1995 tax return were leaked, revealing that he declared a $916 million loss from his three Atlantic City casinos," Colbert said, citing a recent investigative report by The New York Times.

"But here's the thing," he continued. "As a real estate developer, he was then able to use that loss to wipe out $50 million a year in taxable income over 18 years. Well, when life gives you lemons, don't pay taxes."

The "Late Show" host then knocked former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump surrogate, who recently called Trump a "genius" for his $916 million loss and apparent tax avoidance. 

"Yes, only a genius could lose a billion dollars running a casino," Colbert quipped. 

Colbert then pointed out a tweet from Trump aimed at the "#failing" New York Times for its report, stating, "I know our complex tax laws better than anyone who has ever run for president and am the only one who can fix them."

"Yes, he's the only one who can fix our tax codes, just like Hannibal Lecter is the only one who can catch Buffalo Bill," Colbert joked. "'I'd like to help you fix the tax code, Clarice, but first hand over Hillary Clinton's liver. I'd like to eat it with some fava beans and a nice chianti.'"

Watch the segment below:

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert points out the hypocrisy of 'technically obese' Donald Trump fat-shaming a beauty queen

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The 5 most shocking revelations from Netflix's Amanda Knox documentary

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amanda knox netflix

Amanda Knox opened up about the events that led to her conviction and later acquittal in the murder of her roommate in Italy for a new documentary available on Netflix now.

Simply titled "Amanda Knox," the documentary features Knox carefully describing what she went through as first the police, then the media, and then the entire world debated whether she brutally stabbed her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, to death in their home on November 1, 2007.

Knox's story would've been enough for most, but the film also includes interviews with her codefendant and former lover, Raffaele Sollecito; the attorney for the man believed to have really been behind the deadly attack; and the man who led the Italian investigation.

Here are five things we learned from Netflix's "Amanda Knox":

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The weird moment the investigator first believed Knox killed her roommate.

The murder weapon was still missing. While at Knox's boyfriend's apartment, the police asked Knox to go through his knives in case one of them matched the murder weapon.

Knox began to panic and slap herself around the ears. Italian prosecutor Giuliano Mignini witnessed this and believed that memories of the crime were returning to her. This is when he first suspected that she killed Kercher — even without the kind of evidence you need for proof.



The police told Amanda Knox that she had HIV, even though she didn't.

While it added to Knox's fragile state in prison, the police wanted to get a list of people she had sex with. They hoped it would lead them to more witnesses or suspects. At the time, the theory was that multiple people were involved in the murder.



The media comes out as the real villain.

Not only did media outlets track everyday events during the trial, but they also reported a lot of sensational and untrue stories surrounding the case. Probably the worst defense for that comes when Daily Mail reporter Nick Pisa admits in the documentary to not fact-checking his stories before they were published — all in the name of being first.

"It's not as if I can say, 'Right, hold on a minute. I just wanna double-check that myself in some other way.' I mean, goodness knows how," he said. "And then I let my rival get in there first before me, and then, hey, I've lost a scoop."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Why AMC's struggles with 'The Walking Dead' could be a warning shot for TV

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Walking Dead

AMC has built its recent reputation on high-quality dramas like "Breaking Bad," "Mad Men," and "The Walking Dead."

But that could be its big weakness, according to Pacific Crest analysts Andy Hargreaves and Evan Wingren. The analysts recently spoke with a slew of investors about AMC's prospects, which were largely negative, they wrote in a note released Monday.

"Most believed that near-term estimates are too high, largely due to 'Fear The Walking Dead' underperformance," the analysts wrote. "The explosion in serialized drama production has somewhat commoditized the genre."

AMC pioneered a winning TV genre, but now everyone else has rushed in, and the company could have a hard time maintaining its edge.

The analysts wrote that "Fear the Walking Dead" had "clearly underperformed company expectations" and that advertising woes would follow. Expectations for "The Walking Dead" seem to be in decline as well, though not to the extent of its spin-off, according to Pacific Crest.

But AMC remains committed. "Despite increased competition, AMC believes its focus on high-quality serialized dramas remains the best approach for future success," the analysts wrote, based on conversations with management.

And AMC might not be the only company that struggles moving forward.

"Investors generally held that AMC is the canary in the coal mine for the serialized drama sector, and that margin compression is the most likely outcome for it and its competitors," the analysts wrote.

In plain English: It will be a lot harder to make money off great serialized dramas in the future. You can blame AMC, FX, HBO, Showtime, Netflix, and on and on.

SEE ALSO: Netflix is popping on Disney takeover rumors

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Seth Meyers has a theory for why Donald Trump is hiding his taxes: 'I think you're poor'

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seth meyers donald trump taxes

Donald Trump has doubled down on his refusal to share his tax returns, and Seth Meyers thinks he knows why.

Meyers' theory arrives after Trump found himself in yet another controversy over his taxes. Someone leaked The New York Times Trump tax records from 1995, and the newspaper asked tax experts to evaluate them. What it found was that he reported business losses of about $916 million, which would've provided him a way to skip paying taxes for 18 years.

The report brings into doubt Trump's record of giving back to society, his business acumen, and how much he's worth.

"Here's why this latest revelation is so damning," Meyers said on Monday's "Late Show." "First of all, there's the fact that Trump has consistently sold himself as a brilliant businessman, who could use those skills to fix the economy."

The story showed that investors in Trump's company saw their shares go from $35.50 to just 17 cents, while Trump made $45 million in income.

"Normally to get that screwed, you have to actually go into the casino," Meyers joked. "And at least then, they have the dignity to give you free drinks. So Trump's investors lost more than 90% of their money in a year when the stock market went up. It would have gone better if they just picked stocks at random."

Yet Trump continues to refuse to release his most recent tax returns. Meyers wonders why. What could they contain that's worse than a $916 million loss? That led to him explaining his theory.

“I think you’re poor,” the host said, addressing Trump directly. “I think you pretend to be rich, but you’ve been going town-to-town for months selling cheap hats."

Watch Meyers explain his theory below:

SEE ALSO: Trevor Noah slams Donald Trump for hypocrisy over taxes

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There's an important detail to look for when buying PlayStation 4 games this holiday

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With over 40 million PlayStation 4 game consoles in the wild, and the holiday shopping season fast approaching, customers are about to hit the stores for the dozens of new games arriving on the PS4 in the coming weeks.

Sony is ready for action.

The Japanese hardware company has two new versions of the PlayStation 4 on the market — one slimmer than before, one more powerful (and more expensive) — and a brand new virtual reality headset. The headset — PlayStation VR— is powered by the PlayStation 4. It plays games, it plays movies, it enables you to visit the darkest depths of the deepest oceans and the highest heights of Everest. 

It arrives on October 13, and it costs $400.

E3 Playstation VR E3 2016

If you don't have a PlayStation Camera, which is required to use PlayStation VR, that's another $60 (there's also a $500 bundle that comes with a camera, motion controllers, and a game). 

Alongside the launch of PlayStation VR, which Sony says it's treating like the launch of a new gaming platform, a smattering of new games is arriving. "Approximately 50 titles" are said to arrive, "before the end of 2016." Many of these games will be available on disc, in stores. And that's important for you to know even if you don't plan on buying PlayStation VR: These games won't work without the VR headset. 

As such, Sony's clearly labeling the boxes:

PlayStation VR (boxes)

Do you see it?

Not only is there the "PlayStation VR Game" label on top, but there's the "You'll Need These" label in the lower right.

Here's a more clear illustration:

PlayStation VR (arrows)

Take note! PlayStation 4 game boxes labeled as such are intended for folks who own a PlayStation 4 as well as the new PlayStation VR headset. These games are useless to someone who doesn't own PlayStation VR.

So: If you're looking to buy someone a video game gift this year, and you know they own a PS4, be careful not to snag one of these games by accident.

SEE ALSO: The 20 games you can't miss this holiday

DON'T MISS: The PS4's VR headset is almost out — here's everything you get for $400

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Google kicked off its big event with a new skit from the 'Silicon Valley' guys

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Today's the big day: Google is slated to unveil a slew of new hardware, notably the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, at a widely-publicized event in San Francisco.

Google kicked things off with a new sketch from HBO's "Silicon Valley," with series stars Martin Starr and Kumail Nanjiani reprising their roles to discuss what the search giant might be announcing today. 

Best line: "I heard Larry is going to fire Sergey. Out of a cannon."

This is only the latest sign of Google's appreciation for the satire of "Silicon Valley" — Thomas Middleditch, the show's leading man, appeared in an April Fool's Day video for Google X in 2016.

Earlier, when Google announced that it would create a new holding company called Alphabet in summer 2015, the official press release included a shout-out to HooliXYZAnd Google has even let HBO post fake "Silicon Valley" news to its search results.

SEE ALSO: Everything we expect Google to announce at its biggest product launch in history

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Ben Stiller reveals he was diagnosed with prostate cancer

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Ben Stiller Good Will Hunting

Ben Stiller revealed on "The Howard Stern Show" Tuesday that he was diagnosed with and treated for prostate cancer in 2014.

Stiller said he was diagnosed following some unusual results from a regular physical, TheWrap reports.

“If I hadn’t gotten the test, my doctor started giving it to me at 46, I still wouldn’t know,” the "Zoolander" and "There's Something About Mary" star said. “I wanted to talk about it because of the test, because I feel like the test saved my life.”

Stiller was referring to the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test, which looks for signs of potential prostate cancer.

“The controversy about the test is that once you get treatment for prostate cancer, things can happen: incontinence, impotence,” Stiller said. “It’s the second most deadly cancer, but it’s also one of the most survived cancers, if it’s detected early.”

Stiller also wrote an op-ed about his cancer diagnosis and treatment on Medium published Tuesday. He says he's been cancer-free for two years, and wanted to urge the importance of the test in cases like himself.

"Taking the PSA test saved my life. Literally. That’s why I am writing this now," Stiller wrote.

SEE ALSO: The 5 most shocking revelations from Netflix's Amanda Knox documentary

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Google's got a new virtual reality headset — this is 'Daydream View'

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Google is making a new virtual reality headset. It's called Daydream View, and it's a hybrid device that combines a headset shell with a high-end smartphone, the company revealed on Tuesday in California during an event.

The first phone to work with the Daydream View headset is, naturally, Google's new Pixel phone.

Google's calling the headset a "different take" on VR headsets. To this end, its covered in cloth. It looks more like a pair of fancy sweatpants than a VR headset:

Daydream View

Google says it wasn't "inspired by gadgets" in the design, but instead went after something that's comfortable, breathable, and easy to keep on. "We worked with clothing designers and makers to get the design just right, and the result is something that's soft, and cozy, and feels great to wear," said Clay Bavor, head of Google's VR team, during the announcement on Tuesday.

Daydream View

Without getting into specifics, Bavor said the headset delivers a great VR experience, with a wide field of view and "low latency" tracking (an important spec in delivering comfortable VR). 

He said the device is simple to use: open the latch, drop your phone in, close the latch. There's no physical connection between the device and the phone — it's a comfy set of lenses that holds the phone, which is powering the experience.

The only connection, between the Daydream View's controller and the Pixel phone, is handled wirelessly after you slide your phone into the chamber on the front. 

Here's what the headset looks like being worn:

In addition to the headset, there's a simple motion controller that comes with the headset. It's got two buttons on the outside, and a bunch of motion sensors on the inside:

Daydream View

Google says the remote control can be used for a variety of things. "You can swing it like a bat or wave it like a wand. And it’s so precise that you can draw with it," the product site says.

There's even a little place inside the headset where you can store the remote control when you're not using it:

Daydream View

Beyond Google's Pixel phone, Bavor said a variety of other phones that are "Daydream-ready" will be coming in the coming months. Don't get too ahead of yourself: Daydream View is unlikely to work with Apple's iPhone anytime soon, as the software powering Daydream VR is built into Google's Android 7.0 Nougat operating system.

So, what are you going to do in Google's new VR headset? A whole bunch of stuff, according to Google's Adrienne McAllister:

  • A new experience from "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."
  • A VR version of the fantastic "Star Chart" app.
  • A sequel to EVE: Gunjack" (a space shooter game).
  • Netflix, Hulu, and HBO ("their entire entertainment libraries"), on a massive virtual screen
  • Reporting (in VR) from The New York Times.
  • Google Play movies, YouTube, Google Photos, and Google Maps (Streetview in VR!).

McAllister says over 50 partners are bringing games and apps to Daydream View, with more to come; Google's Twitter account backed that up soon after:

Google's Daydream View headset arrives this November, in a variety of colors, and costs $79.

Daydream View

The full introduction video is right here:

SEE ALSO: Google has a big new idea for bringing VR everywhere

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Google's new headset turns you into a wizard from 'Harry Potter' — wand and all

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Google's new Daydream View virtual reality headset will have one killer, exclusive app right out of the gate:

A new "experience," based on JK Rowling's Wizarding World, to promote the forthcoming Harry Potter prequel "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

In your hands, the Daydream View's controller will turn into a wand, letting you cast spells and levitate objects. Check it out:

google fantastic beasts

Note that Google is calling it an "experience," meaning it's likely to be short and focused, rather than a full-fledged Harry Potter virtual reality game. But, personally, I'm excited to wave my wand around like I just don't care. 

This isn't the first time JK Rowling has experimented with this kind of thing, either. The Sony PlayStation 3 had a game called "Book of Spells," developed in conjunction with Rowling, that let you wave around the PlayStation Move remote and cast spells on the screen.

Join the conversation about this story »

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Police say Kim Kardashian made herself a target for robbery on social media

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Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian West's social-media visibility and flaunting of jewelry online made the reality TV star a target for her recent robbery at a Paris private apartment, police tell CNN

Kardashian West — who has 48 million Twitter followers and another 84 million on Instagram— posted a picture of a huge diamond ring on Instagram and Twitter five days ago, and her online documentation of her whereabouts leading up to the robbery made her an easy target, according to the outlet.

Johanna Primevert, the chief spokeswoman for the Paris police department, explained to CNN how Kardashian West's social-media presence prompted the attack.

"It was really the celebrity who was targeted, with possessions that had been seen and noticed via social media," Primevert said. "And it was these goods that the attackers targeted."

Five armed men dressed as police officers seized a private mansion and stole up to $11 million in jewelry from Kardashian West on Monday morning. They also tied her up in a bathroom during the incident.

Primevert told the Associated Press that such a robbery is "extremely rare" in the French capital and was mainly the result of Kardashian West's celebrity.

"This kind of incident is extremely rare in Paris. This is a star who is famous worldwide," Primevert said. "I think this could have happened abroad just as easily as in Paris." 

The Paris police department's investigation into the robbery and process of estimating the exact worth of the stolen jewelry are reportedly ongoing.

SEE ALSO: How robbers stole $11 million in jewelry from Kim Kardashian West

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The director of 'The Girl on the Train' explains how he dramatically changed the hit book

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The Girl on the Train Univeral

After decades working as a struggling actor, Tate Taylor found his big break in his mid-40s as the director of Oscar winner “The Help.” Now he’s at the helm of the adaptation of the best-selling novel “The Girl on the Train.”

A steamy thriller in the vein of “Gone Girl,” the story centers on Rachel (Emily Blunt), an alcoholic whose divorce to Tom (Justin Theroux) has led her into a deep depression. And things aren’t any better on her Metro-North train commute from Westchester to Manhattan as she passes her old house, where Tom has started a new life with Anna (Rebecca Ferguson, who was in “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation”).

Rachel has also become infatuated with Megan (Haley Bennett, “The Magnificent Seven”), who lives a few doors down from Tom's place and is often standing on her balcony wearing very little clothing. But when Megan goes missing, Rachel must figure out if, in her blackout drunk moments, she may have been involved.

The book, written by British author Paula Hawkins, was an instant hit when it came out in 2015, and Universal quickly snatched up the rights to it. But as with most adaptations, this one sometimes veers away from the source material (it's set in New York City instead of London).

Business Insider talked to Taylor about the challenges of adapting a book that is beloved by many, and looking back at "The Help" in a post-#OscarsSoWhite Hollywood.

Warning: Spoilers ahead if you’ve never read “The Girl on the Train.”

Jason Guerrasio: What's the biggest challenge of adapting a best-selling book?

Tate Taylor: My answer doesn't really come from me solving a problem — it comes from what I knew I wanted to do. When you have a book that everybody has read, and even those who read the book the first time kind of figured out it was Tom, I was like, "Okay, this is a thriller and this is what people want to see and that could be a big, big problem." Because your engine is exposed. But the great solution for that was a natural one. I was drawn to this material because of the character work and how deeply it dove into regret and betrayal and manipulation. I realized if I leaned into that — the sexuality, the violence, the mental abuse — it's not so much that it would district you from who did it, it just fills your brain with so much stuff it's truly a companion to that part versus making one stronger than the other.

Guerrasio: To show what is going on in Rachel's head, was that a jigsaw puzzle to pull off in postproduction?

Taylor: This movie was made in the editing room if ever a movie has been made. I mean, it was both scary and cool.

Tate Taylor John Lamparski GettyGuerrasio: Because I would imagine there's only so much screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson can put on the page to give you some runway.

Taylor: Yeah. I came on board and Erin had done this amazing heavy lifting starting this. But then as a filmmaker I realized that there were big holes, meaning there were things you just don't get to do in a movie. You don't get to say that Rachel suddenly remembers everything. That's when I created the character of Monica [Lisa Kudrow]. I wrote that all out. In the novel [author] Paula [Hawkins] says Rachel remembers so I'm like we don't get to do that or this is going to all unravel. So I went back to the book and Paula had written a brief little blurb in Rachel's narration that "Tom used to tell me I would embarrass him at his work parties," and I went, okay, I'm going to blow that up. And then with Megan's character, she's so sexual and I knew that she would be judged by the audience and not with much favor, so that's when I went back to the book and realized to serve this genre and serve this piece I needed to play out what happened with her baby. So it was really going through with the book as a director and writer saying this read well but this is not going to play well. Where are the holes? Where will people get up and go to the bathroom or roll their eyes?

Guerrasio: But then there's the change of location from London to New York, which could turn off die-hard fans. Was that already decided when you came on to the movie?

Taylor: That predated me by a year.

Guerrasio: Did you walk in nervous about how fans would react to that?

Taylor: To be honest, I made the mistake of checking the online chatter when I signed on to the movie and I saw that there wasn't a huge revolt at all, it was more of a why. But I think wonderful things happened because of that choice. Because of that, the day I met Emily I decided to keep her accent. I told myself, that's only going to add to her loneliness and despair. If she's in America and she has no job and lives on a mattress on a floor, she probably can't afford to go home and she's probably told them back at home the biggest lie ever. She can't go home like this. So that made it exciting for me. But the thing is I shot all these New York beauty shots and really shot the heck out of Grand Central Station, but when I put the movie together they were just kind of shoe leather. I didn't need it. And then I went back to the book and realized that Rachel just talks about London, it's not a character. So it really is universal and doesn't matter because the movie takes place between these women's ears and on a train.

Guerrasio: You guys decided on Metro-North. Did you have other ideas for the commute?

Taylor: We looked at all the lines, frankly I rode them all.

Guerrasio: I will say, I've spent most of my life riding into New York City, and I've never seen a beautiful woman standing outside on a balcony as the train goes by.

Taylor: Yeah, that doesn't happen.

Guerrasio: Movie magic.

Taylor: Yeah. [Laughs]

Guerrasio: What was your biggest fear going into postproduction?

Taylor: I had to trust that people would go with the beginning of the film. I had to trust that if people stayed with me and really got in with these characters and this mood that it would really make the movie satisfying.

Guerrasio: It is unusual how you thrust us right into Rachel's clouded mind from the start.

Taylor: You don't see it enough in movies. You may get one character that you do that, but to have three characters back-to-back? And with “The Help” I had the voices of three women, but this is the other thing that hit me like a ton of bricks: They were in scenes together in “The Help,” these women are not.

The Help dreamworksGuerrasio: You mention “The Help.” I was thinking about this, you made that and right after the James Brown biopic “Get on Up.” Right after that the #OscarsSoWhite debate really made waves in the industry. What was that time like? Finding success with “The Help,” but being a white man telling these stories.

Taylor: First it was "How dare a white guy tell black stories?" And you're going to love this, I got asked the other day, "How can you leave black people out of this movie?" I literally said, "I can't win." [Laughs] I don't know what to say about it, it's a business, man. It makes no sense. There's no rhyme or reason. The best thing from “The Help” was my best friend and roommate of five years [Octavia Spencer] got an Oscar and her life has changed forever. That's fun, that's really cool. And I think that came from pure recognition of an amazing job she did. I don't think that was a political win whatsoever. I think there's moments with the awards season where all the b------t cannot stop something inevitable. I think what “The Help” did, which excites me, is when I was going around with “The Help,” the fear was it's black-themed material, does it do well? Look what came out after “The Help.”

Guerrasio: With all the current circumstances could you, a white director, make “The Help” today?

Taylor: And I was just a nobody?

Guerrasio: Yes.

Taylor: Here's my answer, and it's not the answer you want to hear, the reason “The Help” got made was because Steven Spielberg read my script and he said, “If this guy wrote that, he's already directed the movie — let's do it.” Hopefully, I would like to think that's still in play today. I think it is. I think despite the circumstances, instincts tell you to just do this, it has happened to me on projects I've acquired. I think that will always be around.

Guerrasio: Are you uncomfortable talking about the #OscarsSoWhite phenomenon?

Taylor: I don't talk about it. I mean, you can't help but see, it's so obvious.

“The Girl on the Train” opens in theaters on Friday.

SEE ALSO: Justin Theroux on his intense role in "The Girl on the Train" and his thoughts on Brangelina

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Here are the biggest salaries of TV's top stars

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How much is Hollywood shelling out for its top TV talent? 

In this age of wall-to-wall TV programming, stars have become essential in bringing sizable audiences to shows.

Variety talked to actors, executives, agents, managers, attorneys, and others who are in the know about how much TV stars are making these days and found that the gap between the salaries of main stars and supporting ones has become larger.

Star salaries can range from $1 million an episode for the main players of CBS's "Big Bang Theory" to as small as $20,000 per episode for the actors who play the Lyon kids on Fox's "Empire."

Here's a look at the biggest salaries across comedy, drama, and reality/news/talk series*:

*Salaries are per episode, unless otherwise indicated. Some salaries may include producing fees and profit participation.

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$1,000,000 — Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)



$1,000,000 — Kaley Cuoco, "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)



$1,000,000 — Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A best-selling anonymous author has been unmasked, and people are outraged

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ROME (AP) — Follow the money trail is an adage of investigative journalism. But can that approach reveal the identity of a globally popular author? Some fans of Elena Ferrante's novels think that's going too far.

Claudio Gatti, an investigative journalist for Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, claimed Sunday he has probably discovered the true name of Ferrante, who's popular for her series of novels exploring the lifelong friendship of two girls in Naples.

Gatti wrote that real estate records and revenue and payment details involving Ferrante's publishing house Edizioni e/o indicate that Ferrante is a Rome-based book translator named Anita Raja. His article, also published by The New York Review of Books, says the publisher refused comment. 

Ferrante's quartet series of "Neapolitan" novels has sold over 1.2 million copies collectively in the US, and sales for her books have spiked significantly following Gatti's "unmasking" of her identity.

Many fans and writers on social media were outraged about Gatti's probe, however, saying that it violated the author's privacy. (She chooses to remain anonymous.)

SEE ALSO: The 5 most shocking revelations from Netflix's Amanda Knox documentary

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Everything you need to know about Google's new VR headset (GOOG, GOOGL)

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Google's making a phone! Have you heard?

It's called the Pixel, and it comes in regular (5-inch) and XL (5.5-inch). It's pretty, and powerful, and it's got a great new camera. There's even a headphone jack! 

More than that, the new phone is the first to power a new virtual reality headset from Google arriving this November. That headset is called Daydream View, and it looks like a combination between a Flyknit shoe and a VR headset. Here's everything we know about it.

SEE ALSO: Google's got a new virtual reality headset — this is 'Daydream View'

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This is Google's "Daydream View," the headset component of Google's phone-based VR system.



It's covered in cloth microfiber, intended to make it as comfortable to wear as possible.



"We worked with clothing designers and makers to get the design just right," Google VR head Clay Bavor said of Daydream View during the announcement.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's the first trailer for Netflix's highly anticipated 'A Series of Unfortunate Events'

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Netflix has announced the official release of its adaptation of Lemony Snicket's best-selling "A Series of Unfortunate Events" book series with a new teaser trailer. 

In the trailer, actor Patrick Warbuton plays Lemony Snicket, the series' narrator, as he walks through the show's set. Neither the protagonists, the Baudelaire orphans, nor the antagonist Count Olaf appear in the brief clip.

Neil Patrick Harris will star as Count Olaf in the eight-episode series, which has been in productionsince November 2014. 

Here's a description of the show from a Netflix press release:

"Lemony Snicket's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' recounts the tragic tale of the Baudelaire orphans -- Violet, Klaus, and Sunny – whose evil guardian Count Olaf will stop at nothing to get his hands on their inheritance. The siblings must outsmart Olaf at every turn, foiling his many devious plans and disguises, in order to discover clues to their parents’ mysterious death."

"A Series of Unfortunate Events" will premiere on Netflix on January 13, 2017. 

Watch the teaser trailer below:

SEE ALSO: Everyone’s freaking out about this fantastic fake trailer for a Netflix show

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