When Oprah Winfrey searched for a president for her television network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), she whittled down applicants with a question that made some people very uncomfortable, she says at a recent presentation at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. One woman even burst out crying.

It was: "What is your spiritual practice?"

First of all, the woman who cried was immediately taken out of the running, Winfrey says. But for those who protested that they weren't religious, Winfrey clarified that she wasn't asking about religion, she was asking about their inner relationship with themselves.

She was getting at, "What do you do for yourself? What do you do to keep yourself centered?" she says.

She asks this because she considers her "secret to success" the fact that she is grounded in her own self and looks for others who are, as well. If we know who we are and what we want from life, Winfrey believes, then we can build meaningful relationships with others to make our visions reality.

"Everybody wants to fulfill the highest, truest expression of yourself as a human being," Winfrey says. "And because I understand that, I understand that if you work in a bakery and that's where you want to be, and that may be what you've always wanted to do ... then that's for you. And there's no difference between you and me, except that's your platform, that's your show. So my understanding of that has allowed me to reach everyone."

You can watch the full Stanford video segment below, via Slideshare:

SEE ALSO: Why Richard Branson is so successful

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Hip-hop superstar and part-time fashion designer Kanye West just debuted his first fashion show Thursday night in New York City.

And it was pretty interesting. It also started an hour late.

Titled "Yeezy: Season 1", West finally got to show off what he's been working on the the help of the Adidas Originals design team.

But there was much more to the show than just clothing.

According to the Refinery 29, a recording of West saying "I'm here to crack the pavement and make new ground. There's a lack of creativity in every field … people are afraid to create. I want people to think awesome is possible" played on loop during the show, along with the debut of a song off his upcoming album, "Wolves."

With the collection, West aims to "absolve consumers of dressing's daily stress." The pieces in the collection were designed to be "freely combined in infinite ways," according to Dazeen.

The models lined up in nine rows and as each row came forward one by one to show off their designer threads, the lights went up to "blinding intensity."

As for the clothes themselves, there were a lot of comically oversized top pieces and a healthy amount of artful distressing. Some were clearly inspired by military wear, while others took a tech-wear vibe. Most of it fit pretty slouchy.

Throughout, the color palette remained pretty neutral — mostly grays and muted greens.

Adidas called it "a study in contrasts like street-luxury and vintage-new, the clothing shapes a new modern wardrobe." 

Refinery called it "meh." The line didn't impress critics, who said it was "nothing revolutionary."

A exception was the thick white soled Yeezy Boost sneaker, which has been riding the hype train for quite a while pending its release Saturday. The trainer-style shoe recieved praise for looking better on the foot than in product shots.

Another highlight was an oversized backpack one model wore.

Many of the models wore nude-colored tights, which covered much of their body  — some, even including their hair. The tights were the product of the show's collaboration with contemporary performance artist Vanessa Beecroft, presumably to accentuate the clothing pieces the models were wearing. 

Pretty much every celebrity West has ever been connected to was at the show in support, including Anna Wintour, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Spike Jonze, Alexander Wang, Diddy , Jay Z, and Beyonce.

One harsh critic, West's daughter North, reportedly starting crying when the show started and had to be carried out. 

"Maybe she was just scared for her daddy. She just wanted people to stop being mean to her daddy. Because she knows that her daddy loves the world and just wants to make it a more beautiful place," West said in response.

Check out more of the pieces below.

And check out the video of the full show below.

SEE ALSO: 4 Winter Accessories Every Man Should Own

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You still haven't watched "Breaking Bad"? Even after the Emmys, the national obsession, and the feverish recommendations of anyone you ask? Oh, so you watched the first two episodes and thought they were cool, but the main character was unlikable, and it seemed like a little too much to get into?

Look. If you need to be convinced that AMC's masterpiece is worth starting and sticking with, then just look at the following graph. It comes from the very useful site Graph TV, which lets you plot the IMDB ratings of any show over time.

Site founder Kevin Wu said "Breaking Bad" had one of the most dramatic graphs he has seen. Not only does it get extremely high ratings, but it keeps going up.

"It seems to just get better within each season and season by season," Wu wrote in an email.

SEE ALSO: You should watch 'Better Call Saul'

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NOW WATCH: This Sports Illustrated swimsuit rookie could become the next Kate Upton

In September 2014, Piers Morgan officially left CNN.

He began anchoring the network’s 9 p.m. slot in January 2011, replacing “Larry King Live."

Last February, rumors began swirling that Morgan's time at the news network was coming to a close after the show's ratings plummeted and Chelsea Handler called him a "terrible interviewer."

We may (or may not) be getting a little insight on some of the behind the scenes happenings in a tweet from Morgan on Friday, the day after beloved New York Times columnist, David Carr died.

You see in the tweet that Carr reached out to Morgan to tell him what Morgan likely already knew: the CNN show Morgan headlined – the one in which, sometimes, Morgan himself became the story – was coming to a quick and unceremonious end.

Carr noted in his email to Morgan that it was "partly due to American provincialism" and partly because of Morgan's failure to assimilate. Those sentiments were echoed across many media platforms at the lowest points of Morgan's CNN tenure.

But, Carr being the diligent reporter he was, offered Morgan a chance to speak about it on the record, and he did.

In Carr's article, published almost exactly one year ago, he wrote "There have been times when [Morgan] didn't seem to like America very much and American audiences have been more than willing to return the favor."

Morgan apparently agreed – citing his ratings, which were underwater – and Carr, quite fairly, gave Morgan the benefit of the doubt:

Carr pointed out that the British host could not both entertain and inform Americans while also vilifying them mercilessly. He punctuated that thought with this nugget of wisdom about working on this side of the pond: "if you want to stick out, you first have to work on fitting in."

SEE ALSO: The media world is crushed by the loss of David Carr

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Tuesday, Jon Stewart announced he'll be leaving "The Daily Show" later this year.

When he steps down, Stewart will leave television as the highest-paid late night host after nearly 17 years on Comedy Central.

How does Stewart's paycheck compare to other TV hosts?

Last summer, TV Guide released its annual salary report, a list that rounds up the paychecks of some of television's highest-paid actors and TV personalities.

Note: We originally ran this list late last year.

[TIE] 17. Chelsea Handler: $10 million

Handler reportedly signed a $10 million deal with Netflix consisting of several comedy specials and a talk show for the streaming service. Handler previously made between $8 million and $12 million for her E! show over the past two years.

[TIE] 17. Jimmy Kimmel: $10 million

Kimmel's "Lie Witness News" and "Celebrities Read Mean Tweets" segments have been big hits on the ABC late-night show. His fake feud with Matt Damon is always a rating's winner.

[TIE] 17. Shepard Smith: $10 million

The FOX News anchor's contract was renewed in 2013. Smith was also named both the host of "Shepard Smith Reporting" and the managing editor of the network's new breaking news division.

Sports Illustrated swimsuit models are known for their enviable physiques.

While some, like Irina Shayk, say it's "100% genetic," others work hard to be healthy and toned.

Four of this year's SI swimsuit models tell us the diet and exercise routines it takes to have a bikini model body.

Hannah Ferguson:

"On a good week, I would work out probably five times a week. On a bad week, I probably work out 2-3 times, but it depends on my schedule," Hannah Ferguson told Business Insider on Tuesday at Sports Illustrated's fan festival "Swim City" in Herald Square.

On a typical day, Ferguson says her eating habits are as follows:

In the morning, I’ll usually have scrambled eggs with spinach, and coffee of course. Or fruit and yogurt with some granola. For lunch, I like to have quinoa with chicken or another protein. For dinner, I usually have fish and vegetables. I try to keep my carbs around lunchtime.

But, she warns, "I definitely have a sweet tooth. I’m the kind of girl who, if I have a craving, I’ll indulge."

"Ice cream is hands down my favorite food and I do crave chocolate, but I usually try to eat healthy."

Irina Shayk:

While Sports Illustrated's 2011 cover model, Irina Shayk, may joke that "100%" of her good looks is thanks to genetics, the 29-year-old actually works hard for her physique.

"I love fast food, but you have to try to eat healthy," the Russian model told us during Tuesday's Sports Illustrated fan event in New York City.

Shayk says that the key to maintaining her weight is not eating late at night.

"Try not to eat after 7 pm, try to stay away from heavy food in the night, like hamburgers and chicken nuggets. Eat that stuff in the morning or early afternoon. If you want to eat chocolate or cakes you have to eat it in the morning, for breakfast or lunch — don’t eat it in the night."

Shayk adds that her food intake and workout regimen depends on what city she is in. So, for example, when she's in New York, "it’s very easy to eat healthy because you have a lot of organic stores, you have Juice Press." 

For workouts, Shayk regularly works out with a personal trainer "because I’m super lazy and cannot workout alone."

In the gym, Shayk tells us, "I don’t use any heavy weights, but I do use the weight of my body. I do boxing, pilates, I hate to run but sometimes you have to because it’s good cardio. I hate morning workout, I’m a night person more. But it’s good to work out in the mornings because then you can have all day free."

But it's not always easy to maintain such a perfect body.

"People think 'She’s pretty, she looks good,' but you have to keep it up," says Shayk. "You have to go to the gym everyday. I’m very critical of myself, when I look in the mirror and see cellulite, I have to go workout and get a massage. You have to always push yourself."

Jessica Gomes:Model Jessica Gomes says a typical, healthy day includes:

Usually I’ll wake up, have a smoothie, go exercise, come back and do meetings and have lunch, do a photoshoot, I’ll have dinner and then maybe watch a movie. I just like to keep things moving and keep it different. I love swimming, hiking. I love bar classes, I love boxing.

The 29-year-old Australian model says that her workouts are often dictated by her surroundings: "If I’m in New York, I’ll go to the gym and box, in Los Angeles I’ll go for a hike, in Australia I’ll go for a swim. I love being outdoors, I think nature is very healing and I need that."

For her diet, Gomes says, "I keep to a pretty simple thing. I don’t eat many carbs. I eat protein, vegetables, I love dairy, though. I kind of look at food as fuel. I like green juices, I love salads. I love delicious, colorful, healthy foods. I don’t really drink that much, I’ll just have a glass of wine here and there to celebrate."

She says that "dessert is always a big indulgence for me," but that "it’s important to not be too strict on yourself because when I’m strict on myself that’s when I rebel and that’s not good either."

Gomes, who has appeared in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition for the past eight years, says that the inclusion of a plus-size model in this year's issue is "incredible."

"I’ve been so many different shapes and sizes myself, and SI is so embracing of women and being comfortable in your own skin. I think it’s incredible that we are embracing curvier women, we should be, it shouldn’t even be a topic!"

Kate Bock:

While Sports Illustrated swimsuit models' bodies are important, Kate Bock argues that the models' personalities are equally as important.

"Everyone in the magazine has a different shape from each other, but I think they choose us to be in the magazine based on our personalities, how we speak, how we interact," Bock tells us. "I love SI for choosing girls based on their personality and what they have to offer as well as being a beautiful, beachy, bathing suit, happy person."

SEE ALSO: Here's how Instagram has changed the careers of Sports Illustrated swimsuit models

MORE: People are outraged that this Sports Illustrated model is considered plus-size

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NOW WATCH: Why Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Molly Sims Threw Out Her Scale

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On Tuesday, Brian Williams was suspended for six months as anchor and managing editor of "NBC Nightly News."

The network's announcement comes after Williams was forced to apologize for and recant his story about being on board a helicopter forced down by RPG fire during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Before Williams' news career was called into question last week, the 55-year-old was known as America's most trusted anchor.

Brian Williams' unlikely road to fame >

Until last week, Williams was known as the Emmy-winning anchor and managing editor of "NBC Nightly News." But TV news was initially an industry in which Williams struggled to enter after he dropped out of college.

Recently earning a $10 million annual salary, Williams went bankrupt in his early 20s after "a failed experiment in local news."

It wasn't until a news director in Washington, D.C., took a chance on Williams that he resumed his on-air career years later.

MediabistroTV spoke to Williams about his big break and success after failure.

As Williams grew up in New Jersey, it was "very clear all along that I had to work, I had to support myself. I was working a series of jobs and I had an epiphany [after dropping out of George Washington University] that I had to at least try something that I always wanted to try."

"My late mother always used to say about people on local news in New York, 'I think you could do better than some of these people.' I don't know what she based that on, but I loaded up what few belongings I had and moved to Pittsburg, Kansas."

"I worked at a small television station for 13 months and started making $168 a week for a seven-day work week."

What "Jaws" did for the ocean, "Backcountry" will do for the woods. 

The premise isn't unfamiliar: A couple ventures into the Canadian woods for a weekend getaway, and things don't go exactly as planned. Alex claims to be an expert woodsman, and he does all he can to impress his girlfriend, Jenn, since this is her first camping trip.

"Backcountry" works because of the relationship between Alex and Jenn. When they first arrive at the campsite, it's clear that Jenn has little to no interest in actually being there — she's only there because Alex is so gung-ho about it. She'd rather just stare at her BlackBerry the whole time.

As the trip progresses and things spiral out of control, Jenn's disinterest in the trip becomes toxic, and a whole other level of tension and intensity is thrown into the mix. 

The film is more effective than your average horror movie since the terror comes from real-life situations. There are no ghosts, demons, or creatures from another dimension, just the seemingly never-ending woods with all of nature's horrors contained within.

There are so many elements working to keep the audience on edge and it's never clear which scary set-up will actually get its pay-off. Each new situation brings its own sense of dread to the table, and when the proverbial shit hits the fan, my jaw hit the floor and stayed there for rest of the movie.

Saying any more would likely weaken the experience — I knew literally nothing about the movie going in, so I tense on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to anticipate what would happen next. Every time I thought I knew where it was going, it veered off the path and surprised me with something else that's equally unsettling.  

The single most horrifying moment occurs right up top, when text appears on-screen that reads "based on a true story." "Backcountry" plays like a bizzarro version of Reese Witherspoon's Oscar-nominated "Wild," where literally nothing goes right along the way.

Watch the trailer below (although I recommend going in completely blank if you can hold out):

"Backcountry" opens in limited release on March 20th. 

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NOW WATCH: There's a 'Poltergeist' remake out this summer and the first trailer is absolutely terrifying

Analysts grossly underestimated the allure of "Fifty Shades of Grey" at the box office.

The adaptation of E.L. James' BDSM novel about a naive virgin and a billionaire playboy took in $81.7 million opening weekend.

Analysts expected the movie to open north of $60 million. The movie cost an estimated $40 million to make.

That's the second-largest opening weekend ever in February.

The only movie that made more was 2004's "Passion of the Christ," which debuted to $83.8 million.

That number also makes "Fifty Shades" the fifth-largest opening weekend for an R-rated movie behind "The Matrix Reloaded," "American Sniper," "The Hangover Part II," and "Passion."

By the end of the four-day weekend, "Fifty Shades" is predicted to make at least $90 million, which would easily give it the largest President's Day weekend at the box office. Currently, 2010's "Valentine's Day" holds that record with $63.1 million.

We wouldn't be surprised to see a final higher number for "Fifty Shades" over the four-day weekend.

Not only was the film one of Fandango's top advance ticket sellers of all time, but it was also the ticket service's top February pre-seller and the biggest R-rated ticket-seller for the company.

Overall, the movie has made $239.7 million worldwide so far.

And it wasn't just "Fifty Shades" that had a good weekend.

The other big release this weekend, "Kingsman: The Secret Service" brought in $35 million. Analysts expected the movie to make a smaller haul in the lower $20 millions.

The Fox film starring Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson cost $81 million to produce.

Last weekend's SpongeBob Squarepants movie, "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water," had a strong second week with another $35.6 million. That movie also beat analyst expectations when it opened to $55 million.

SEE ALSO: "Fifty Shades" is nowhere near as sexy as the book

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NOW WATCH: Learn what all the fuss is about — here's the regular guy's guide to 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

This dramatic video captures a group of daredevil photographers taking selfies on top of a Hong Kong skyscraper.

Captured using a specially adapted selfie stick, the sweat-inducing images show the lengths some people will go to for the most extreme self portrait.

Pictured at heights over 360 metres in the air, the nerve-shredding photographs show the group of photographers dangling by one hand and even tip-toeing across tiny ledges.

Seemingly unfazed by the dazzling heights, the barmy bunch ventured around the city of Hong Kong in search of any building that caught their eye.

Despite the fact that one slip would result in the certain death, the fearless friends were determined to capture the sprawling urban landscape as never seen before. Although strict security measures are in place in most of the buildings, the crazy climbers managed to evade capture by simply giving the guards a taster of their stunning images.

Taken by Russian photographer, Alexander Remnov, 19, the intrepid teenager has now added the towering harbour to a list of international cities that he has already had the pleasure of climbing.

Alexander said: "There was one dangerous moment when we tried to get the top of The Centre tower, it became to crowded at the top and there wasn't enough room for three of us so we decided to go back down. We were lucky not to meet any police, but we did have some discussions with guards.

"Once we explained our mission to them and then showed them our cameras, they simply smiled and let us free. Hong Kong is one of the best places I have visited but I think I would need more than a month to visit all the best view points.

"We don't know what city we will visit next but we're certain it's going to be a city with skyscrapers!"

Produced by Devan Joseph. Video courtesy of Carter News and Associated Press.

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Will Smith's last film, "After Earth," was a domestic flop when it debuted in May 2013. 

The $130 million sci-fi flick from director M. Night Shyamalan, made just $60 million domestically. 

While the movie, also starring Smith's son, Jaden, went on to make $243.8 million worldwide, the Sony and Columbia Pictures film received terrible reviews for Smith's wasted talent and references to Scientology that seemed a little too strong in a mostly generic, slow-moving, and boring film.

In a new interview with Esquire, Smith acknowledges that "After Earth" "was the most painful failure" in his career.

Smith says "After Earth" hit him harder than the critically-panned 1999 film "Wild Wild West," because his now 16-year-old son Jaden was in it with him. 

The film's failure led him to go on a hiatus for a year and a half to evaluate the sorts of movies he was putting out and contemplate why it was important for him to have a number-one movie at the box office.

Via Esquire:

Wild Wild West was less painful than After Earth because my son was involved in After Earth and I led him into it. That was excruciating. What I learned from that failure is how you win. I got reinvigorated after the failure of After Earth. I stopped working for a year and a half. I had to dive into why it was so important for me to have number-one movies. And I never would have looked at myself in that way. I was a guy who, when I was fifteen my girlfriend cheated on me, and I decided that if I was number one, no woman would ever cheat on me. All I have to do is make sure that no one's ever better than me and I'll have the love that my heart yearns for. And I never released that and moved into a mature way of looking at the world and my artistry and love until the failure of After Earth, when I had to accept that it's not a good source of creation.

Smith adds that the weekend after "After Earth" came out was a difficult time. Not only did he find out how poorly his film performed at theaters, but he also received bad news about his father.

"I get the box-office numbers on Monday and I was devastated for about twenty-four minutes, and then my phone rang and I found out my father had cancer," said Smith. "That put it in perspective—viciously. And I went right downstairs and got on the treadmill. And I was on the treadmill for about ninety minutes."

"And that Monday started the new phase of my life, a new concept: Only love is going to fill that hole. You can't win enough, you can't have enough money, you can't succeed enough. There is not enough. The only thing that will ever satiate that existential thirst is love. And I just remember that day I made the shift from wanting to be a winner to wanting to have the most powerful, deep, and beautiful relationships I could possibly have." 

Read the full interview at Esquire here.

SEE ALSO: Will Smith turned down 'Django Unchained' because he wouldn't be the lead

Join the conversation about this story »

Will Smith's last film, "After Earth," was a domestic flop when it debuted in May 2013. 

The $130 million sci-fi flick from director M. Night Shyamalan, made just $60 million domestically. 

While the movie, also starring Smith's son, Jaden, went on to make $243.8 million worldwide, the Sony and Columbia Pictures film received terrible reviews for Smith's wasted talent and references to Scientology that seemed a little too strong in a mostly generic, slow-moving, and boring film.

In a new interview with Esquire, Smith acknowledges that "After Earth" "was the most painful failure" in his career.

Smith says "After Earth" hit him harder than the critically-panned 1999 film "Wild Wild West," because his now 16-year-old son Jaden was in it with him. 

The film's failure led him to go on a hiatus for a year and a half to evaluate the sorts of movies he was putting out and contemplate why it was important for him to have a number-one movie at the box office.

Via Esquire:

Wild Wild West was less painful than After Earth because my son was involved in After Earth and I led him into it. That was excruciating. What I learned from that failure is how you win. I got reinvigorated after the failure of After Earth. I stopped working for a year and a half. I had to dive into why it was so important for me to have number-one movies. And I never would have looked at myself in that way. I was a guy who, when I was fifteen my girlfriend cheated on me, and I decided that if I was number one, no woman would ever cheat on me. All I have to do is make sure that no one's ever better than me and I'll have the love that my heart yearns for. And I never released that and moved into a mature way of looking at the world and my artistry and love until the failure of After Earth, when I had to accept that it's not a good source of creation.

Smith adds that the weekend after "After Earth" came out was a difficult time. Not only did he find out how poorly his film performed at theaters, but he also received bad news about his father.

"I get the box-office numbers on Monday and I was devastated for about twenty-four minutes, and then my phone rang and I found out my father had cancer," said Smith. "That put it in perspective—viciously. And I went right downstairs and got on the treadmill. And I was on the treadmill for about ninety minutes."

"And that Monday started the new phase of my life, a new concept: Only love is going to fill that hole. You can't win enough, you can't have enough money, you can't succeed enough. There is not enough. The only thing that will ever satiate that existential thirst is love. And I just remember that day I made the shift from wanting to be a winner to wanting to have the most powerful, deep, and beautiful relationships I could possibly have." 

Read the full interview at Esquire here.

SEE ALSO: Will Smith turned down 'Django Unchained' because he wouldn't be the lead

Join the conversation about this story »

The Mafia detested the administration of John F. Kennedy as Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy raised the number of mob convictions from 35 in 1960 to 288 in 1963.

But there may be a much deeper connection between the Kennedys and the mob, and legendary entertainer Frank Sinatra reportedly served as a key intermediary and whipping boy in one case.

According to "The Dark Side of Camelot" by Seymour Hersh, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (JFK's father) set up a meeting with Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana to obtain Giancana's support for Jack Kennedy's run for the White House — thereby combining the sway of Chicago crime syndicate with that of Mayor Richard J. Daley's Democratic machine.

Hersh also reported, along with others, that Giancana also helped funnel cash to buy votes and endorsements for the West Virginia Democratic primary election in May 1960.

The new book "The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy" by University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato highlights the connection by citing the story that Joseph Kennedy asked for Giancana's help over a dispute with another mobster, Frank Costello, and offered "the president's ear" in return.

Sabato also writes that "when JFK began having an affair with a black-haired beauty named Judith Campbell while he was still a U.S. senator, Giancana slept with her as well, reportedly so that he would eventually have a direct link to the White House."

It turns out, according to Sabato, that Sinatra introduced Senator Kennedy to Judy Campbell and also "served as the go-between for the West Virginia primary shenanigans."

After JFK reached the White House, however, the mob boss was not welcome near the president's ear. And Sinatra was the one that ultimately paid for it.

From "The Kennedy Half-Century":

When the Kennedys turned on Giancana once they were in the White House, Sinatra had to work hard to deflect the mobster's wrath at Sinatra on account of the Kennedys' unfaithfulness. In atonement, the singer played at Giancana's club, the Villa Venice, with his "Rat Pack" of fellow entertainers, for eight nights in a row.

Sabato notes that "Sinatra worked his way back into Giancana's good graces, but the Kennedys never did."

Here's The Rat Pack playing "Chicago" at the Villa Venice in 1962:

SEE ALSO: UVA PROFESSOR: We Cannot Rule Out A Conspiracy To Kill John F. Kennedy

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NOW WATCH: 11 Facts That Show How Different Russia Is From The Rest Of The World

The Mafia detested the administration of John F. Kennedy as Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy raised the number of mob convictions from 35 in 1960 to 288 in 1963.

But there may be a much deeper connection between the Kennedys and the mob, and legendary entertainer Frank Sinatra reportedly served as a key intermediary and whipping boy in one case.

According to "The Dark Side of Camelot" by Seymour Hersh, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (JFK's father) set up a meeting with Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana to obtain Giancana's support for Jack Kennedy's run for the White House — thereby combining the sway of Chicago crime syndicate with that of Mayor Richard J. Daley's Democratic machine.

Hersh also reported, along with others, that Giancana also helped funnel cash to buy votes and endorsements for the West Virginia Democratic primary election in May 1960.

The new book "The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy" by University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato highlights the connection by citing the story that Joseph Kennedy asked for Giancana's help over a dispute with another mobster, Frank Costello, and offered "the president's ear" in return.

Sabato also writes that "when JFK began having an affair with a black-haired beauty named Judith Campbell while he was still a U.S. senator, Giancana slept with her as well, reportedly so that he would eventually have a direct link to the White House."

It turns out, according to Sabato, that Sinatra introduced Senator Kennedy to Judy Campbell and also "served as the go-between for the West Virginia primary shenanigans."

After JFK reached the White House, however, the mob boss was not welcome near the president's ear. And Sinatra was the one that ultimately paid for it.

From "The Kennedy Half-Century":

When the Kennedys turned on Giancana once they were in the White House, Sinatra had to work hard to deflect the mobster's wrath at Sinatra on account of the Kennedys' unfaithfulness. In atonement, the singer played at Giancana's club, the Villa Venice, with his "Rat Pack" of fellow entertainers, for eight nights in a row.

Sabato notes that "Sinatra worked his way back into Giancana's good graces, but the Kennedys never did."

Here's The Rat Pack playing "Chicago" at the Villa Venice in 1962:

SEE ALSO: UVA PROFESSOR: We Cannot Rule Out A Conspiracy To Kill John F. Kennedy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 11 Facts That Show How Different Russia Is From The Rest Of The World

The 2015 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue is on sale now. One of the new faces featured in the magazine is 19 year-old Hailey Clauson, who already has years of experience as a high-fashion runway model.
Clauson reveals her strategy for staying in incredible shape through the combination of a healthy diet and an intense exercise regimen.

Produced by Graham Flanagan 

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Abraham Lincoln books. >

WANT MORE? Winter will be way less miserable with this lamp

SEE ALSO: How to dress like James Bond

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NOW WATCH: What Happened When A Bunch Of Young Boys Were Told To Hit A Girl

On Sunday, "Saturday Night Live" celebrated 40 years on the air with a star-studded, three-hour live television event.

Longtime fans got a rare glimpse into the making of the show with a supercut of the audition tapes featuring dozens of cast members, including Dana Carvey, John Belushi, and Gilda Radner.

A few familiar faces who never made it past the audition — including Zach Galifianakis and Stephen Colbert — also make appearances.

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No matter how bad or good the "Fifty Shades of Grey" movie might be, women might still prefer the book.

The reason? Researchers have found that women prefer to read about sex rather than watch it.

According to TIME Magazine: 

"There’s overwhelming evidence that women prefer erotica to be textual rather than visual," says Ogi Ogas, a neuroscientist and co-author of A Billion Wicked Thoughts, in which he analyzes billions of web searches and millions of erotic sites to quantify what people truly desire. He found that women make just 1 out of every 50 purchases on porn websites, but that they buy 9 out of every 10 romance novels."

Part of the reason this might be the case is that women "leave certain things to the imagination," according to TIME.

In other words, the viewer just has to go with what's presented to her when she's watching a movie. But with a book, the reader can fantasize and use her imagination.

So if you (or a woman you know!) were a little disappointed with the "Fifty Shades of Grey" movie this weekend, maybe check out the original — and let your imagination run wild.

Get the first Fifty Shades of Grey book for $8.97 [44% off].

Or if you're a bit bolder, get the whole trilogy for $28.71 [40% off].

SEE ALSO: Here are the best discounts on luggage this President's Day [everything 60% off or more]

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NOW WATCH: Learn what all the fuss is about — here's the regular guy's guide to 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

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