French actor Gérard Depardieu capped his recently granted Russian citizenship earlier this year by signing up to become the face of Swiss luxury watch brand CVSTOS’ new “Proud to be Russian” range. 

The first ad starring Depardieu has just been uploaded to YouTube and it’s…quite intimidating (watch it below.)

Depardieu addresses the viewer (“Dear friends. Dear compatriots.”) directly down the camera lens, speaking in Russian throughout. As the dramatic music crescendoes Depardieu becomes more animated before finally hammering home the message by aggressively punching the table.

The final moments of the ad see Depardieu awkwardly pointing at the camera and waving his wrist to show off his brand new expensive watch. They cost anything up to $30,000.

Depardieu was granted a Russian citizenship in 2013 under decree by President Vladimir Putin, who reportedly personally delivered the actor his new passport.

Take a look:

SEE ALSO: Business Insider's 10 Worst Ads Of 2014

Join the conversation about this story »

It's time to start thinking about planning your dream trip next year. So where should you go?

We looked at major developments, cultural trends, and global festivals to find the hottest places to travel around the world in 2015.

From the Philippines to Peru, here are the best places to travel next year.   

Japan will become a bargain destination for travelers.

Tourism in Japan has taken a hit since the 2011 tsunami hit the country's coast and ricocheted into a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Since then, the Japanese government has cleaned up the countryside and launched a massive public-relations campaign encouraging tourists to come visit. Pair that with a sharp decline in the value of the Japanese currency, and you get a country that's ripe for tourism.

Traditionally one of the most expensive countries in the world, Japan is quickly becoming a bargain destination that's luring in travelers looking for a deal.  More than 11 million visitors have traveled to Japan so far this year, with more expected. Most tourists are heading to Tokyo, which is also busy preparing for the 2020 summer Olympics. 

Lima, Peru, will be the foodie capital of South America.

Lima, Peru has been slowly building its reputation as a city for foodies, cementing its status most recently when the Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants Awards gave the coveted top spot to the city's Central restaurant. In total, eight of 50 restaurants on the prestigious list were in Lima.

The Peruvian city is home to everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to hole-in-the-wall cevicherias that will continue to draw in foodies from around the world.

"Frozen" fans will flock to Norway to seek out Elsa and Anna's fictional Arendelle.

"Frozen" has made over $1.2 billion for Disney, and with its increased merchandising and rumors of a sequel, the "Frozen" craze will only continue to grow. Set in Arendelle, a fictional kingdom in Norway, "Frozen" shows a gorgeous landscape of lakes, waterfalls, mountains, and fjords. Fans of the animated film are now seeking out real-life Arendelle in Norway. The country has seen a huge growth in tourism since the release of the film, with tour operators reporting a 40% increase in sales.

Bergen, a city on the west coast, was the inspiration for the film. Voss is also popular with fans for its nearby fjords, glaciers, rivers, and lakes. With its small fishing villages and breathtaking cliffs, the Lofoten Islands will also attract Frozen fans. 

Earlier this month, the British Board of Film Classification started policing paid online pornography as well as DVDs. Following this change, all commercial pornography produced or distributed in Britain will not be able to include sex acts that the organization deems unacceptable.

As reported by The Independent, these acts may include:

• Spanking
• Caning
• Aggressive whipping
• Penetration by any object "associated with violence"
• Physical or verbal abuse (regardless of if consensual)
• Urolagnia (known as "water sports")
• Role-playing as non-adults
• Physical restraint
• Humiliation
• Female ejaculation
• Strangulation
• Facesitting
• Fisting

Murray Perkins of the British Board of Film Classification revealed the thinking behind this ban a few years ago: "Sex work shouldn’t be in breach of the criminal law; participants must be adults; it shouldn’t encourage an interest in sexually abusive activity — rape or child abuse; it should be consensual; there’s limited scope for role play; but it should be non-harmful and there shouldn’t be any infliction of pain beyond mild consensual activity. Strong sexual threats or abuse are unlikely to be acceptable."

But how many people really share these "unacceptable" fantasies? It may be more than the BBFC would like to admit.

A paper published last month in the Journal of Sexual Medicine revealed the frequency of different fantasies as determined by interviewing 1,517 adults in Quebec.

The paper found that 52% of women and 46% of men fantasized about being tied up in order to obtain sexual pleasure. That's about 25 million British adults who won't be able to indulge their fantasy through UK-sanctioned pornography.

A further 36% of women and 29% of men fantasized about being spanking or whipped to obtain sexual pleasure . That's about 17 million British adults whose ability to enjoy these fantasies will be restricted.

Only 4% of women and 10% of men fantasized about a sexual partner urinating on them, but that's still about 3 million British adults whose urolagnial fantasies will be restricted.

Here's how common other fantasies other, including a few others that will be indirectly limited by the British rules:

Brits will still be able to view restricted pornographic content by looking up material online that was produced in other countries.

SEE ALSO: Couple's therapist reveals the key to a good sex life

Join the conversation about this story »

As soon as Andrew McMurray, chief consultant and representative of Zipz Wine, began presenting his company's line of single-serving wines to the "Shark Tank" investors, they started comparing him to the founder of Zipz competitor Copa Di Vino, James Martin, the only entrepreneur to decline a deal on the show in two appearances.

McMurray, however, was more willing to negotiate with the Sharks and was much more comfortable in front of them. He ended up securing the biggest deal in "Shark Tank" history, landing a $2.5 million investment from Kevin O'Leary in return for 10% equity.

"I've never been so excited for a #SharkTank deal!" O'Leary, a wine connoisseur and vineyard owner, tweeted after the deal premiered on national television.

Zipz sells single servings of wine packaged in sealed, durable plastic glasses. The concept has been around for several years, but McMurray tells the Sharks that the Zipz glass is engineered in a way that allows for a much longer shelf life than its competitors' offerings and is also recyclable, resealable, and incredibly durable. The design is patented.

Part of the reason Copa Di Vino's Martin, who's in the same business, is remembered by the Sharks as "obnoxious" and frustrating is that he was unwilling to pursue licensing deals. Zipz Wine, on the other hand, is looking to supplement its own wine offerings with major licensing deals.

In its first 16 months, McMurray tells the investors that Zipz made a $130,000 licensing deal with Fetzer Vineyards to get single servings of the wine in six Major League Baseball stadiums. Zipz is also in talks with three of the world's biggest 10 wine producers, including Yellow Tail.

"In our opinion, our package is going to become to the wine industry what the aluminum can became to the soda industry," McMurray says.

He explains that the company already has $8.5 million invested in it over a pool of 25 investors that are primarily Wall Street types and include three owners of professional sports teams. The company has gotten its products into 1,200 US stores, including Walmart locations, and has sold $650,000 of Zipz brand wine since its inception.

McMurray says that he's now looking to acquire a Shark for the Zipz board and take it to the next level by securing a distribution deal with the likes of Costco.

Eventually, every Shark except for O'Leary declines from making an offer because they don't see eye-to-eye with McMurray about the direction of the company. But O'Leary, the wine expert, has a connection with Costco, the world's largest wine vendor. In 2013, for example, it sold $1.46 billion worth of wine.

O'Leary tells McMurray that he's been in talks with Costco about getting his O'Leary Fine Wines brand into its stores. He said that after first meeting with Costco's wine representative, it took him two years to prove that his name recognition was strong enough to push bottles. But then he needed to determine a way to make the wine more affordable, since 97% of the wine sold in the US is under $10, he explains.

He says that the current price of $2.99 for a glass of Zipz wine is simply too expensive. McMurray says he hasn't run into price objections, but O'Leary insists.

"Everything about selling wine in America is known by their buying team," O'Leary says, referring to Costco. "They know everything. They don't like this price."

If McMurray wants Zipz to do $19 million in annual sales through Costco, he's got to get the retail price down to $1.49, O'Leary says, and then he could get Zipz into the wholesale retailer. McMurray says it's possible to reach that point through some package modification and scaling of manufacturing.

O'Leary says he'll give McMurray the $2.5 million for a 10% equity stake under the condition that he will be able to buy another $2.5 million of the company at a $25 million valuation in the event of an exit. So if a major corporation buys Zipz down the line for $50 million, for example, O'Leary will be able to own 20% of stock valued at $10 million for a total investment of $5 million.

The deal will only go through if O'Leary is able to lock down a contract with Costco.

After a call with Zipz partners and some more convincing from O'Leary, McMurray says he's on board.

As McMurray spoke with Zipz partners outside of the tank, O'Leary affirmed Lori Greiner's assumption that he plans to use Zipz as his way of getting O'Leary Fine Wines into Costco stores at an affordable price.

Following the show's premiere, O'Leary indicated that the Costco deal went through by tweeting this photo of a single serving of O'Leary Cabernet in a Zipz package. While it has yet to be confirmed, the "Shark Tank" deal with Zipz was contingent on a Costco contract.

O'Leary's investment outdoes the last biggest "Shark Tank" deal, Mark Cuban's $2 million investment in live horror entertainment company Ten Thirty One Productions, by $500,000. In a recent Bloomberg "Masters in Business" podcast, Cuban explains that as the popularity of "Shark Tank" has exploded over the past couple seasons, the quality of entries and the frequency of relatively big investments has increased as well.

You can watch the full episode over at Hulu Plus.

SEE ALSO: 'Shark Tank' Investor Kevin O'Leary Explains The Best Investment He Ever Made

Join the conversation about this story »

The "Star Wars: Episode VII" trailer has now been watched over 60 million times and has been parodied numerous times.

But it turns out "Star Wars" creator George Lucas still hasn't watched the 88-second teaser trailer.

Page Six reports when they asked Lucas his thoughts on the trailer recently he said he didn't know anything about it.

"I haven't seen it yet," Lucas said. 

Lucas said he hadn't watched the trailer because "it's not in the movie theater. I like going to the movies and watching the whole thing there."

He added that he would see the movie when it's released next year.

Lucas is serving as a creative consultant on the film, a vague role in which, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy explained, Lucas is essentially the go-to person for any "Star Wars"-related questions.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will be in theaters Dec. 18, 2015. 

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert Explains Why The Controversial New "Star Wars" Lightsaber Is 'Perfect'

AND: George Lucas Told Mark Hamill About "Star Wars" Episode VII In The 1980s

Join the conversation about this story »

Alena Smith, a writer for "The Newsroom," took to Twitter this weekend to share that, in an argument over the latest episode's subplot about sexual assault, Aaron Sorkin yelled at her and threw her out of the room.

On this week's episode of the HBO show, the characters — all whom work in the media — dealt with handling a rape case. TIME reports "critics say head writer Sorkin went too far."

TIME sums up the episode in full here but basically, critics honed in on a line in which ACN producer Don says he's obligated to believe the alleged perpetrator over the rape victim, though he admits he has no credible evidence directing him to that conclusion.

Smith admitted she agreed with those critics. 

Here were her tweets:

As @emilynussbaum points out in her review of tonight's ep, you can't criticize Sorkin without turning into one of his characters.

— Alena Smith (@internetalena) December 8, 2014

So when I tried to argue, in the writers' room, that we maybe skip the storyline where a rape victim gets interrogated by a random man...

— Alena Smith (@internetalena) December 8, 2014

I ended up getting kicked out of the room and screamed at just like Hallie would have for a "bad tweet."

— Alena Smith (@internetalena) December 8, 2014

I found the experience quite boring. I wanted to fight with Aaron about the NSA, not gender. I didn't like getting cast in his outdated role

— Alena Smith (@internetalena) December 8, 2014

Sorkin responded to Smith's tweets after Mediaite inquired about the incident, and he does not deny that Smith was removed from the writer's room.

But Sorkin is aggravated that Smith “casually violated the most important rule of working in a writers room which is confidentiality” after tweeting about what happened. 

Here's Sorkin's full response:

Let me take a moment to say that I understand that the story in last night’s episode (305–”Oh Shenandoah”) about Don trying to persuade a Princeton student named Mary (Sarah Sutherland) not to engage in a “Crossfire”-style segment on his show has catalyzed some passionate debate this morning. I’m happy to hear it.

It catalyzed some passionate debate in our writers room too. Arguments in the writers room at The Newsroom are not only common, they’re encouraged. The staff’s ability to argue with each other and with me about issues ranging from journalistic freedom vs. national security to whether or not Kat Dennings should come back and save the company is one of their greatest assets and something I look for during the hiring process. Ultimately I have to go into a room by myself and write the show but before I do I spend many days listening to, participating in and stoking these arguments. As with any show, I have to create a safe environment where people can disagree and no one fears having their voice drowned out or, worse, mocked.

Alena Smith, a staff writer who joined the show for the third season, had strong objections to the Princeton story and made those objections known to me and to the room. I heard Alena’s objections and there was some healthy back and forth. After a while I needed to move on (there’s a clock ticking) but Alena wasn’t ready to do that yet. I gave her more time but then I really needed to move on. Alena still wouldn’t let me do that so I excused her from the room.

The next day I wrote a new draft of the Princeton scenes–the draft you saw performed last night. Alena gave the new pages her enthusiastic support. So I was surprised to be told this morning that Alena had tweeted out her unhappiness with the story. But I was even more surprised that she had so casually violated the most important rule of working in a writers room which is confidentiality. It was a room in which people felt safe enough to discuss private and intimate details of their lives in the hope of bringing dimension to stories that were being pitched. That’s what happens in writers rooms and while ours was the first one Alena ever worked in, the importance of privacy was made clear to everyone on our first day of work and was reinforced constantly. I’m saddened that she’s broken that trust.

Join the conversation about this story »

Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, the duchess of Cambridge, arrived in the US on Sunday evening for a three-day tour of Manhattan and Washington, DC.

The royals were greeted by crowds of fans and heavy security upon their arrival at the Carlyle Hotel, where they will stay for the duration of their trip.

Shortly after arriving, the couple was whisked away for a fundraising dinner at the Gramercy Park apartment of British advertising legend Sir Martin Sorrell of WPP.

There, the couple raised more than $2 million for their charity, the American Friends of the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

With only two full days in the US, the royals' schedule is jampacked. Here's what the couple has planned for Monday and Tuesday:

On Monday, William met with Obama in Washington, DC, while Kate visited a Harlem children's center with Chirlane McCray, wife of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The duke of Cambridge met with President Obama ahead of William's speech to the World Bank on the illegal wildlife trade. He also joked about the "chaos" of his son George's birth. 

Shortly thereafter, the prince spoke at the World Bank on behalf of United For Wildlife, a group of conservation organizations united to end illegal wildlife trade. 

Meanwhile, Kate visited the Northside Center for Child Development in Harlem alongside Mayor Bill de Blasio's wife — and first lady of New York City — Chirlane McCray.

Kate has repeatedly been compared to the late Princess Diana, who would also meet with children from disadvantaged backgrounds during her visits to New York.

Kate reportedly spent about an hour at the center, wrapping presents and doing arts and crafts with the kids.

Afterwards, Kate attended a luncheon at the residence of the British consul general, where she mingled with members of the successful British business and arts community in New York.

William was scheduled to meet Kate at the British consul general's residence on Monday afternoon, accompanied by Chelsea and Hillary Clinton, for a conservation reception recognizing the work done by various United for Wildlife partners.

On Monday night, the couple will head to Brooklyn to watch the Brooklyn Nets play the Cleveland Cavaliers and mark the launch of a new collaboration between The Royal Foundation, United for Wildlife, and the NBA. 

On Tuesday morning, William and Kate will visit the 9/11 Memorial and travel to the top of the Empire State Building.

Neither Kate nor Will has ever been to New York before, so they are eager to squeeze in some tourist activities while they're here.

Royal aides had originally not planned for Kate to go to the Empire State Building, thinking the pregnant princess would like some down time, but after seeing it was not on her schedule, she reportedly told her staff she would like to go. 

The Empire State Building commemorated the couple's first visit to the Big Apple by changing its lights to red, white, and blue — the colors of the Union Jack flag.

We welcome Their #Royal Highnesses The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge by sparkling in red, white & blue. #RoyalVisitUSApic.twitter.com/o0tr84eKAI

— Empire State Bldg (@EmpireStateBldg) December 7, 2014

Later, the couple will attend a charity dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for St. Andrews University, where they met as undergrads in 2001.

The charity dinner celebrating St. Andrews' 600th anniversary will be held at the museum’s Temple of Dendur exhibit, and will cost attendees a reported £85,000 ($132,991) per table.

Tom Hanks, Mary-Kate Olsen, and William’s cousin Princess Eugenie are all scheduled to attend, the Daily Mail reported. 

Join the conversation about this story »

Art Basel Miami Beach is an international contemporary art fair held each year in Miami Beach.

But since it began in 2002 as an offshoot of the annual art fair in Basel, Switzerland, Art Basel Miami Beach has become as much about the parties as the art.

This year's fair brought out the likes of Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, and many more.

While some actually looked at art, most were just there to party — and we have the pictures to prove it.

Miley Cyrus kicked off the Art Basel festivities Wednesday night with a wild, private concert at the Raleigh Hotel.

The event was hosted by Jeffrey Deitch, Tommy Hilfiger, and V Magazine. Miley's performance was complete with blowup rainbows and mushrooms, and the audience was doused with glitter and bubbles.

Kim Kardashian caused quite a crowd at Paper Magazine's 'Break The Internet' issue release party.

In the latest development of the Sonycyber attack saga, hackers calling themselves Guardians of Peace (GOP) are warning the studio to stop "immediately showing the movie of terrorism which can break the regional peace and cause the war."

In a message posted on GitHub, the group writes:

While the message never specifically names the movie, authorities have been investigating whether the attack is connected to the James Franco and Seth Rogen comedy "The Interview," about two journalists recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as "undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war" in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June.

Sony and security consultants were investigating the possibility that someone acting on behalf of North Korea, possibly from China, was responsible, according to Reuters. A link to North Korea had not been confirmed but also had not been ruled out.

A spokeswoman for Sony said they had no comment. An individual close to the studio said that they have received no demands, according to Variety.

SEE ALSO: LEAKED: Hacked Sony Docs Reveal Top 17 Executives' Multimillion-Dollar Salaries

MORE: 9 Crazy Details About The Unprecedented Sony Hack

Join the conversation about this story »

Last night the TV-watching world held its collective breath as viewers watched the Discovery Channel's 2-hour special, "Eaten Alive," in which naturalist Paul Rosolie approached a 20-foot-long Amazonian green anaconda with — in theory — a plan to be swallowed.

It takes guts to slather yourself in pig's blood and walk up to a snake that literally has enough constricting power to break your bones. But it takes even more guts to call the event off after you've promised the world a show.

So, what made Rosolie call for rescue? Well, the snake was doing what anacondas do best: she was trying to suffocate Rosolie.

"I can tell you that the thing beat the shit out of me and constricted me," Rosolie told Entertainment Weekly in an interview posted before the show aired but after the stunt had already taken place.

At one point, the team removed the crush-proof armor around one of Rosolie's arms, which gave him more mobility but also exposed the arm to the snake's powerful grip.

While some doubt that it was ever Rosolie's intent to go through with the stunt, the encounter sounds terrifying. Even though Rosolie wore a protective, "snake-proof" suit, the anaconda still overwhelmed the 27-year-old man.

The snake initially latched on to Rosolie's arm, at which point she immediately began coiling herself around his body. He could hear ominous sounds as the snake moved her mouth toward his head.

"I felt her jaw on my helmet and I could hear a gurgling and wheezing," Rosolie told AFP.

At first he struggled to move into a more eatable position and to avoid the deadly coils, but the snake was too strong.

"I'm trying to use my legs to get into a better position. I'm actually trying to get away from this snake right now," he said during the encounter.

Rosolie's goal was to be swallowed whole in a special suit designed to help him breath throughout the entire ordeal. He searched for two months for the right snake.

"She nailed me right in the face," he recalled, "and the last thing I saw was her mouth wide open before everything went black. And then she wrapped me and I felt the suit cracking and my arms ripping out of their sockets. It was absolutely terrifying," he told Entertainment Weekly.

Instead of being immediately engulfed, he was slowly constricted to the point where he felt light-headed. "I'm not getting air that well," he said as the snake continued to squeeze.

"Guys, she's really heavy. She's got me pinned here. I'm trying to move, and I can't move at all. I'm just face down in the mud," Rosolie said. He remained wrapped in her clutches for over an hour. It actually looks pretty scary:

"My whole upper body has 200 pounds of snake on it, so everything I'm doing doesn't work, and I can just hear [her] tightening," he said while straining to breath. "She's lifting and moving my body... each time she breathes, I can feel myself going up and down."

A little later, he said: "I'm starting to get a little light headed. I really can't move right now, so I want to see what she does next." Generally, anacondas will constrict their prey for as long as it takes to suffocate the animal. With each breath, the snake tightens its grip a little more.

The team, already worried about the stunt, became really anxious when Rosolie's heart rate began to slow.

"If I wasn't in this suit right now, I'd be dying," Rosolie gasped, shortly before the stunt was cancelled to prevent any serious injury to himself.

"Her crush force was fully on my exposed arm so I just started to feel the blood drain out of my hand and I felt the bone start to flex and when that got to a point when I felt like it was about to snap, I had to tap out," Rosolie told AFP.

Despite outcries that the stunt was cruel to animals, potentially staged, and was a terrible idea, Rosolie insists that he and the team always had the snake's safety in mind, in addition to his own.

"I'm being careful how much I'm saying here, but the plan was once she got to my waist, they'd pull me back out — that's partly for my safety, partly for the snake's. Because once she got past my waist it would be difficult for me to get pulled out," Rosolie told Entertainment Weekly.

In the end, Rosolie was not eaten alive, but he was certainly constricted. He told Entertainment Weekly that it took him months to recover after the encounter, despite reportedly suffering only minor injuries.

Rosolie says this crazy stunt was all for a good cause. Over the last decade, Rosolie has watched thousands of miles of rainforest burnt to the ground, and he hoped to raise awareness and public support to stop this kind of destruction.

"I wanted to do something that would sort of shock people and force a dialogue about what's going on here," he told Entertainment Weekly. But, actually, the internet has responded pretty negatively to the stunt.

Check out the terrifying stunt below:

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

IN DEPTH: Naturalist Plans To Let A Snake Swallow Him, Then Freaks Out Right Before The Stunt

CHECK OUT: EXPERT: New Discovery Show About Man Eaten Alive By A Snake Is 'Nonsense'

Join the conversation about this story »

Sony CEO Michael Lynton sent a company-wide memo to staff on Monday assuring the studio is doing everything it can to protect employees after a series of cyber attacks that revealed their personal information, including Social Security Numbers and addresses.

Lynton, whose $3 million salary was revealed in one of the leaks by hackers, promises staffers the FBI "have dedicated their senior staff to this global investigation" and that "recognized experts are working on this matter and looking out for our security."

To reassure employees, the FBI will be visiting Sony's Culver City studio lot this Wednesday for employee cybersecurity awareness briefings. Additionally, the company will hold an "All Hands" meeting on Friday.

On Monday, a group calling themselves "Guardians of Peace" posted a new message online demanding Sony not release "The Interview," a buddy comedy about two journalists recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as "undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war" in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June.

Ahead of the film's December 25th release, Sony has experienced a series of scary cyber attacks.

Read Lynton's full memo below (via Deadline):

Hello everyone.

Over the weekend, you should have received my note sharing cyber
security expert Kevin Mandia’s thoughts on this unprecedented and
highly sophisticated attack on us. I know it is unsettling that we
have been the target of such an attack, but I want to assure you all
that we have the recognized experts working on this matter and looking
out for our security.

As you know, the FBI is the lead government agency investigating the
cyber-attack on SPE. They have dedicated their senior staff to this
global investigation.

This morning, our senior leadership team met with the lead
investigators, who will keep Sony management informed. In the next day
or so, your leadership teams will be arranging in-person meetings
where they will share the latest developments. Please use this
opportunity to bring up any questions or concerns you have.

Additionally, the FBI will be on-hand on Wednesday, December 10, in
Culver City for employee cybersecurity awareness briefings. Details on
these sessions will be forthcoming.

Furthermore, should you have any relevant information related to the
investigation, or if you think you may be the victim of an additional
personal cybercrime that is related to this attack, the FBI has
established a dedicated email that you can contact:
suspicious@ic.fbi.gov.

Finally, on Friday, we will have an “All Hands” meeting on the Lot in
order to brief everyone. For those of you not in Culver City, we will
make a video of the meeting available to all employees. Details for
the “All Hands” meeting will be forthcoming.

Thank you again for all of your hard work and resourcefulness at this
difficult time.

SEE ALSO: Sony Hackers Post New Message Demanding Studio Pull 'The Interview'

MORE: HACKERS TO SONY STAFF: Do As We Say Or You And Your Family Will Be In Danger

Join the conversation about this story »

Thanks to the huge Sony Pictures hack, we now have a good idea why the company passed on a Steve Jobs biopic based on Walter Isaacson's biography of the Apple cofounder.

Sony's revenue projections for the movie fell by 25% after Leonardo DiCaprio declined the lead role, according to Fusion's Kevin Roose.

DiCaprio announced he wouldn't be playing Jobs in October.

Sony then turned to Christian Bale, but he also dropped out of the role.

At the end of November, Universal Pictures announced it had picked up the screenplay from Sony and cast Michael Fassbender as Jobs. 

A hacking group called the "Guardians of Peace" released troves of Sony's internal documents last week.

SEE ALSO: Here's The New Actor Who Will Play Steve Jobs

Join the conversation about this story »

Natalie Portman, Tom Hanks, Daniel Craig, and other A-list (and B-list) stars are the latest to feel the effects of Sony's hackers.

In new documents obtained by Fusion, aliases that actors used to protect themselves while working on Sony projects have been revealed to the public. 

The documents were leaked by the "Guardians of Peace" hacker group, which earlier Monday posted a message online demanding that Sony pull "The Interview," a James Franco and Seth Rogen comedy about two journalists recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. 

Ahead of the film's Dec. 25 release, Sony has experienced a series of scary cyberattacks.

Check out some of the fake names used by actors below revealed in the latest leak (via Fusion):

Tom Hanks: goes by "Harry Lauder" and "Johnny Madrid" (the former of which was the name of a famous Scottish comedian, and the latter of which may be a reference to a character on "Lancer," a 1960s Western series)

Tobey Maguire: goes by "Neil Deep"

Natalie Portman: goes by "Lauren Brown"

Clive Owen: goes by "Robert Fenton" (his wife's name is Sarah-Jane Fenton)

Rob Schneider: goes by "Nazzo Good" (not so good – get it?)

Jude Law: goes by "Mr. Perry"

Daniel Craig: goes by "Olwen Williams" (an homage to his grandfather, Olwyn Williams)

Jessica Alba: goes by "Cash Money" (her husband's name is Cash Warren)

Ice Cube: goes by “Darius Stone” and “O’Shea Jackson” (the former of which was his character’s name in XXX: State of the Union, and the latter of which is his actual name)

On Monday, Sony CEO Michael Lynton sent a company-wide memo in which he said the studio was doing everything it could to protect employees after a series of cyberattacks that revealed their personal information, including Social Security numbers and addresses.

Lynton, whose $3 million salary was revealed in one of the leaks by hackers, promised staffers the FBI "have dedicated their senior staff to this global investigation" and that "recognized experts are working on this matter and looking out for our security."

NOW WATCH: This Drone Footage Of Desolate Detroit Looks Like Something From 'The Walking Dead'

SEE ALSO: Here's The Internal Security Memo The Sony CEO Just Sent Worried Staffers

MORE: Sony Hackers Post New Message Demanding Studio Pull 'The Interview'

Join the conversation about this story »

President Barack Obama appeared on "The Colbert Report" on Monday night and took over a segment on the show.

He told host Stephen Colbert: "You’ve taken plenty of shots at my job; I'm going to take a shot at yours."

Obama read the prompter for Colbert's "The Word" segment (which Obama changed to "The Decree") while jokes appeared on screen next to him.

Obama joked mostly about Obamacare, his signature healthcare reform that has been a major point of contention during his two terms as president.

Check out some of the jokes that popped up on screen as Obama was giving his "Decree":

When he discussed Obamacare:

He said there were things both parties actually liked about Obamacare:

And he pointed out that children could stay on their parents' policies until they're 26:

And that 7 million people had signed up for Obamacare in the past year:

Then he asked how you stop something that more and more people are starting to like:

He said that even if Republicans repealed Obamacare, they would have to replace it with their own healthcare plan:

He also dropped a joke about Mitch-McConnell-Care:

Obama said there was only one surefire way to kill Obamacare:

He said he would have to make signing up unappealing to young people:

And he acknowledged that Obamacare's website rollout had been "a little bumpy":

But he assured people that the new website worked, and he wondered how to get the message out to young people because they don't watch "real news shows like this one":

He said going on a comedy show was "beneath his dignity":

This was one of Colbert's last episodes before he takes over David Letterman's job on CBS' "Late Show."

The final episode of The Colbert Report is scheduled for Dec. 18.

The full video is below:

Join the conversation about this story »

In the latest issue of Elle, Kim Kardashian West spoke about her body, pregnancy, and being a mom to 18-month-old North and wife to Kanye West.

"I’m an Armenian girl, I have shape, and it turned out people liked that. That makes me feel good about myself and about other women for being so supportive. I am a confident woman, but I didn’t just arrive confident – it has built over the years and that is a big part of who I am now," Kardashian West tells Elle.

She also spoke about her relationship with her father, the late Robert Kardashian, who famously represented OJ Simpson in the 90s.

She said her father wrote her an encouraging letter when she was 13 and upset about her body — she hit puberty earlier than most girls she knew — and she said she's taken that advice with her into her adult life.

Kardashian West also wholeheartedly believes God was behind her pregnancy weight gain.

In Elle, she was quoted saying: "I’d think God was doing this for a reason. He was saying: ‘Kim, you think you’re so hot, but look what I can do to you.'"

Now, Kardashian West says she's way more relaxed about her appearance. 

"Since North, I wear less makeup ... I just wanted to be skin to skin with her, no makeup in the way," she explains, adding, "Kanye loves me more natural. I think all men like less makeup on women. I think it’s sexier."

You can read the full interview in Elle here.

SEE ALSO: Inside All Of This Weekend's Star-Studded Art Basel Parties In Miami

Join the conversation about this story »

YouTube just released its annual video mashup tribute to all the biggest viral hits of 2014. 

You'll see references to big movies like "Guardians of the Galaxy," hot music videos like Katy Perry's "Dark Horse," this year's notable people, like Kid President and John Oliver. It also showcases the biggest YouTube stars like Bethany Mota, Jenna Marbles, and PewDiePie, and tons of cultural and viral meme references, like the video's nod to the Ice Bucket Challenge, the crazy-popular "First Kiss" video, and our obsession with the "Frozen" song "Let It Go."

If you're not up-to-date on your internet trends, the video probably won't make as much sense. 

Check out the video, called "Turn Down For 2014," and see how many references you actually pick up on:

SEE ALSO: The Top 10 YouTube Videos Of The Year

Join the conversation about this story »

Google just released its list of the top 10 YouTube videos of the year, highlighting the clips that got the most views, shares, comments, and likes. 

The ranked selection spans from TV show clips to well-thought out pranks.   

10. The video "10 Hours Of Walking In NYC As A Woman" got people talking about street harassment

9. "Goku vs. Superman" is a particularly hilarious episode of Epic Rap Battles Of History

8. Watch people freak out over this terrifying animatronic newborn in "Devil Baby Attack"

A model who featured in the Fairlife Milk ad campaign that went huge last month after Coca-Cola announced it was to extend its new milk brand nationwide in the US says she feels “deceived, used and frustrated” after claiming the brand never sought her permission to use her image in the ads.

The ads, featuring an array of pin-up girls in sexy positions who appeared to be wearing nothing but splashes of milk, incurred the wrath of several media publications and was criticized by consumers on social media. The Guardian’s Women’s Blog deemed the campaign “unoriginal and tediously sexist,” while the Daily Dot described it as “appallingly gross.” 

Here is the Fairlife ad everyone has been talking about over the past few days:

Brooke Nichole Fleming, a model from New York, told Business Insider the wave of “negative and harsh” comments the campaign has received could even affect possible future work opportunities.

Fleming says that last year she understood she had taken part in a photography workshop, where a skilled photographer hires models for a low fee in order to teach students their skills and techniques. She says she was only paid a rate of around $250 by the photography studio Aurum Light, and although she accepts she signed a “standard modeling release,” she understood she was only agreeing that the photographer, Jarsoslav Wieczorkiewicz, could use the photos for himself. 

She added: “There was absolutely no mention of those photos being used for anything down the line. We were told this was for a workshop and [the photographer] was using the photos for a pinup calendar. I think the rate I got paid was only $250 for a shoot that took over 10 hours to finish. I did it for the art purposes. I loved the photographer’s work."

“Fairlife has not been in touch with me or any other models ... I only know about it [through] friends pointing out that I’m on billboards and ads nationwide.

“The way this ad went global could have been a much larger paycheck. So you can imagine how deceived, used and frustrated we must feel. Along with riding this wave out of negative and harsh comments that may affect possible work opportunities.”

Fleming forwarded Business Insider an email conversation between Aurum Light's Jaroslav Wieczorkiewicz, in which he attached the image of the “Milky Pin Ups” calendar. He added: "Once again thank you for all your hard work and I wish you all the best for the future!" Wieczorkiewicz's work takes photography of real splashing liquids and melds it with photos of models to create the impression that the models are wearing the liquids:

Lan Bui, the producer of the shoot, refutes Nichole’s claims. He told Business Insider Nicole Fleming did give her permission for the image to be used for commercial purposes when she signed her model release form, of which she was also given a copy.

He adds: “As with every shoot, I make it abundantly clear our intentions for the shoot and that our pay rate is to cover all uses of the images for any use in the future. I've been shooting and producing commercial photo and video shoots for years and I know images get taken, used for their intended purpose, and then forgotten about. Every once in a while some images get interest from someone to be used for other reasons, like this case, and that's why I always have our releases cover future possible uses.”

As for for the ad itself, it appears the images may well have reached their sell-by date. In a statement on its website, Fairlife wrote that while the milky pin-ups may have been “eye-catching,” that campaign was retired in June and the brand will be taking “a totally new approach.” 

SEE ALSO: Check Out The Strange, 'Sexy' Ads For Coke's New Milk Product

Join the conversation about this story »

Taylor Swift may be one of the most talked about people of the year, but she doesn't have the most-viewed music video of 2014. 

YouTube released its list of the most-watched music videos of the year. 

Shakira makes the list twice and Enrique Iglesias makes a big comeback with his summer single. Most people couldn't stop playing a Katy Perry song which has racked up more than 700 million views.

Here's the full list:

10. Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda"

Release date: Aug. 19, 2014
Views: 326.7 million

9. Taylor Swift - "Shake It Off"

Release date: Aug. 18, 2014
Views: 356.3 million

8. Meghan Trainor - "All About That Bass"

Release date: June 11, 2014
Views: 362 million

7. Sia - "Chandelier"

Release date: May 6, 2014
Views: 369 million

6. Iggy Azalea - "Fancy" (Explicit)

Release date: March 4, 2014
Views: 386.8 million 

5. Jason Derulo - "Wiggle"

Release date: May 21, 2014
Views: 400 million

4. Shakira - "La La La" 

Release date: May 22, 2014
Views: 418.5 million

3. Shakira - "Can't Remember to Forget You" feat. Rihanna

Release date: Jan. 30, 2014
Views: 442.9 million

2. Enrique Iglesias - "Bailando" (Spanish)

Release date: April 11, 2014
Views: 587.8 million

1. Katy Perry - "Dark Horse"

Release date: Feb. 20, 2014
Views: 715.8 million

SEE ALSO: The top-trending trailers of the year

Join the conversation about this story »

As 2014 comes to a close, hip hop duo Outkast are wrapping up their year-long, 40-festival reunion tour.

The group's first April performance at Coachella marked 20 years since they released their debut album, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" — but if Andre 3000 had his way, the duo never would have gone back on the road.

"Honestly, I didn't wanna do the tour. We hadn't performed in 10 years. It was old songs," the rapper revealed to The Fader. "I'm like, How am I gonna present these songs? I don't have nothing new to say."

In order to keep things interesting, Andre created 47 custom jumpsuits with text across the chest that he wore during performances.

"So I was like, maybe I can start saying new stuff while doing these old songs. It became a theme where I was more excited about this than the actual show. This is fun, running out in these."

The jumpsuits were shown in an exhibit at Art Basel in Miami over the weekend.

Despite feeling like a "sell out" for agreeing to go back on tour, Andre says the decision boiled down to one thing — money.

"I'm 39, I got a 17-year-old kid, and I gotta support certain things. And my partner Big Boi is like, 'This is a great thing for all of us.' So I felt like there was a certain sell-out in a way, because I didn't wanna do it — I knew I was doing it for a reason. So maybe if I'm telling people, 'I am selling out,' then it's not as bad as pretending. It's being honest about it like, 'I did these songs when I was 17 and I'm out here pedaling them now.' But it's the honest thing, that's what it is."

SEE ALSO: Inside All Of This Weekend's Star-Studded Art Basel Parties In Miami

Join the conversation about this story »