Miss New York Kira Kazantsev walks the runway after she was named Miss America 2015.Image: Mel Evans/Associated Press Miss New York, Kira Kazantsev, took home the title of Miss America during Sunday’s competition, making it the third consecutive year Miss New York has snagged the crown. During the interview portion of the event, Kazantsey was asked what issue she would want female U.S. Senators to advocate for, to which she answered sexual assault in the military. And during the talent competition, Kazantsey performed a cover of Pharrell’s hit song “Happy” and managed to incorporate a bit of Anna Kendrick’s “Cups” routine from the film Pitch Perfect. Kazantsey, a 23-year-old graduate of Hofstra University, is an aspiring lawyer, and was recently accepted to Fordham University’s law school. Although she represented New York, she actually grew up in California. An advocate for domestic violence awareness, Kazantsey takes the crown from last year’s winner, Nina Davuluri. Miss Virginia Courtney Paige Garrett received first runner up. BONUS: 13 Royally Odd Things You Missed at Miss America Miss America Highlights 1. Spelling errors 2. A Ventriloquist puppet that looked oddly like Joan Rivers. 3. Collared evening wear 4. A nod to Pop-Up Video 5. Twirls 6. A pre-show “Hottest Dad” contest 7. A thumb war to decide the winner 8. Cheetah attacks So I guess @Pharrell and I can’t stop collaborating. #MissAmerica #WhatIsHappening?? pic.twitter.com/AhsTA62PJJ — Anna Kendrick (@AnnaKendrick47) September 15, 2014 9. Anna Kendrick tweeting about Miss New York’s “Happy” cups performance 10. A baaaaad goat impression 11. Dramatic turns #Judging pic.twitter.com/cOsVUj9om6 — Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) September 15, 2014 12. Gary Vaynerchuk: Businessman, Wine Guy, Selfie-Snapping Miss America Judge 13. Miss New York winning, giving the state a three-peat Image: AP Photo/Julio Cortez/Associated Press Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/09/14/miss-new-york-miss-america/
Say what you will, Taylor Swift is just going to shake it off. Swift debuted debuted her new music video on Monday via Yahoo Live Stream. The pop star announced an upcoming pop album, titled 1989, and then further surprised fans with a full music video of one of her new songs, “Shake It Off.” While the video was not about a breakup, it did feature twerking, ballerinas dancing, cheerleaders flinging Swift in the air, and striking similarities to those musical Gap commercial. The song is basically about not caring what people say, because she’s Taylor Swift and she does what she wants. Still, haters gonna hate (hate, hate, hate, hate) — on Twitter at least. Taylor Swift Reactions As if today’s news couldn’t get worse, now Taylor Swift REALLY wants to get in on the appropriation game — Sama’an Ashrawi (@SamaanAshrawi) August 18, 2014 ICYMI: Taylor Swift unveiled a new Taylor Swift product in her keynote address at the biannual Taylor Swift Conference — Adam Markovitz (@amrkvtz) August 18, 2014 My Black Swan nightmares have been fully realized. #TaylorSwift http://t.co/mv9W0Z0eGy — Andrea Romano (@theandrearomano) August 18, 2014 o u h8? pic.twitter.com/AfIEJxeMrT — Jeff Petriello (¬‿¬) (@thebeff) August 18, 2014 Theory: Taylor Swift is a very elaborate performance artist. — Kari Paul (@kari_paul) August 18, 2014 Oh @taylorswift13, you shouldn’t have: https://t.co/zwQzGP6exC — SHAKE SHACK (@shakeshack) August 18, 2014 wait taylor swift i thought you weren’t a cheerleader wtf is with these conflicting narratives — pilot?????? (@pilotbacon) August 18, 2014 Taylor Swift needs to relax her eyebrows. — Marvelous Sugar Baby (@DiovanniFrazier) August 18, 2014 The Taylor Swift-Skrillex hybrid is going to kill us all one bad song at a time. http://t.co/yIcoJGvdNQ — Annie Colbert (@anniecolbert) August 18, 2014 I like how you learn everything you need to know about Taylor swift from her album titles ahah — baby donut (@ALEXTVRNR) August 18, 2014 So, according to Taylor Swift’s new music video, she’s going through a mid-life crisis and has no grasp of country anymore. — Rob Ciambra (@RobTheFreshman) August 18, 2014 that Taylor Swift video is a few pairs of khakis away from a Gap commercial. — Jesse David Fox (@JesseDavidFox) August 18, 2014 Taylor Swift is the Frozen of whatever category Taylor Swift falls into. — Michael O’Connell (@mikeylikestv) August 18, 2014 What if Beyonce dropped a new album in the middle of Taylor Swift’s livestream? — Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) August 18, 2014 I will, along with the rest of Twitter, now tweet my feelings on Taylor Swift’s new song — Greg Seals (@GregSeals) August 18, 2014 What many don’t realize is that Taylor Swift makes a cameo in the Nine Inch Nails “Closer” video as a Madagascar roach flailing on its back. — Christian (@csweda) August 18, 2014 Pretty crazy that Taylor Swift dropped a Weird Al style parody video today — Mark Popham (@markpopham) August 18, 2014 I love Taylor Swift’s new version of Happy. — Barb (@BarberaLoyd) August 18, 2014 Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/08/18/taylor-swift-musc-video-twitter-reactions/
Clocking in at 1,178 minutes, or just under 20 hours, the Harry Potter films, while excellent representations of the wonderful books by J.K. Rowling, are simply too long to watch. But fret no more, muggles — we’ve got you covered. In the second episode of our new series, “Too Long; Didn’t Watch,” we tackle the story of the boy who lived. In roughly 0.2% of the time it takes Harry’s story to unfold on screen, we explore the films in their entirety. No themes left unexplored; no characters left unanalyzed. We promise. BONUS: The Lord of the Rings in 90 Seconds Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/07/15/harry-potter-tldw/
Image: Flickr, Camera Eye Photography Authors from all over the world came together last week to celebrate the best and brightest in contemporary literature at the 2014 PEN Literary Awards. The ceremony honors both recently published authors and those whose work has been pivotal in crafting the modern literary scene. Prize-winning books ranged from deep dives into the world of sports medicine to playful children’s stories to enchanting literary fiction. These books are all must-reads, but in case you need more convincing to check out these titles, here are seven reasons why you should be reading this year’s 2014 PEN Literary Award winners. Reasons Why You Should Be Reading This Year’s PEN Literary Award Winners 1. They empower children This year, storyteller Bil Lepp won the PEN/Steven Kroll Award for Picture Book Writing with his children’s book The King of Little Things. By following the King of Little Things and his tiny subjects in their struggle to stop the devious King Normous, readers learn the value of simplicity and the power held by even those who are small. The book is made even more endearing by Lepp’s inspiration for the story — a whimsical playtime misadventure with his own son. Image: leppstorytelling.com 2. They let you travel the world Part of the power of literature is its ability to take you somewhere new. It’s this very virtue that PEN America celebrates with its PEN Award for Poetry in Translation. This year, the award went to The Diaries of Exile by Yannis Ritsos, translated by Karen Emmerich and Edmund Keeley. The Diaries of Exile details the life of a prisoner during the Greek Civil War, transporting readers to 1940s Greece within the bounds of this collection’s diary poems. Image: Archipelago Books 3. They celebrate diversity This year, PEN America awarded two authors — Ruth Ellen Kocher and Nina McConigley — the PEN Open Book Award. Kocher’s poetry collection domina Un/blued is simultaneously tragic and touching as it depicts various forms physical and mental of slavery. Likewise, McConigley’s Cowboys and East Indians addresses diversity and identity by looking at an eclectic cast of characters inhabiting Wyoming and India. Image: theaerogram.com 4. They advocate for social good Every year, PEN America spotlights social good with its PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. The prize is always awarded to an unpublished novel that addresses issues of social justice and comes with $25,000 and a publishing contract with Algonquin Books. This year, Ron Childress won the Bellwether Prize with his manuscript “And West Is West,” which explores corruption in both the military and Wall Street. Image: penamerican.tumblr.com 5. They are confronting violence in the NFL With the recent NFL controversies, much has been said about the brutality found within football, both on and off the field. But in their new book League of Denial, brothers Mark Fainaur-Wada and Steve Fainaru expose another type of violence perpetuated by the NFL — brain injuries incurred by players while playing football and how the NFL sought to cover […]
Universal Pictures released the first trailer for 47 Ronin on Wednesday, starring Keanu Reeves as “The One” — but in a very different setting. In the clip, viewers get a glimpse of Reeves as an outcast, slave and wild samurai warrior. The bearded, blade-wielding protagonist dodges fire face-first and goes head-to-head with a dragon (of sorts). 47 Ronin is based on an 18th-century tale of clan warfare and revenge surrounding a band of 47 loyal samurais, who are seeking vengeance after the murder of their master. The movie, directed by Carl Rinsch, also stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Tadanobu Asano. 47 Ronin premieres on Dec. 25. Watch the trailer above to see Reeves in action and let us know what you think in the comments, below. BONUS: Sad Keanu Reeves in a Helmet Meme Hits the Web Our Favorite Sad Helmet Keanu Photos Sad Keanu Papercraft Courtesy of: F*ck Yeah Albuquerque X-Wing Pilot Keanu Courtesy of: Shopped Sci Fi and Joost5 Speed Racer Keanu Courtesy of Reddit User: SameDifference Star Wars Keanu Courtesy of Reddit User: BenjaminBoba Easy Rider Keanu Courtesy of Reddit User: P_ro Keanu-zilla Courtesy of Reddit User: hoteinokodomo Where’s Keanu? Courtesy of Reddit User: eater_pay Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/07/24/keanu-reeves-47-ronin/
Tension was high Monday night as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg addressed Hurricane Sandy and its approach into the East Coast. For most viewers, though, it wasn’t the mayor’s speech that was most captivating — it was his sign language interpreter. The woman, later identified as Lydia Callis, was an instant hit across the web for her dramatic expressions and theatrical gestures during the speech. A flurry of tweets and a GIF-filled Tumblr quickly went viral as a result of the now pseudo-infamous interpretation. At first, Callis was mistakenly attributed as Lydia “Calas” — a Twitter handle and Tumblr page went up with the incorrect spelling — but a correction was soon brought public. Viewers across social media applauded her not only for her outstanding interpretations, but for giving everyone a reason to smile during a grim, stressful time. Hurricane Sandy will go down as one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, with estimates close to $20 billion. Here’s a bit of what the Twitterverse had to say: My mother-in-law, who is an ASL interpreter says @mikebloomberg‘s signer Lydia Callis is “amazing” and “crystral clear”. Animation helps. — Daniel Bentley (@DJBentley) October 31, 2012 No making fun of Bloomberg’s sign-language translator. Seriously. Only love. She’s doing her job both very well, and with STYLE. — Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) October 29, 2012 I really want Lydia Callis (Bloomberg’s sign language interpreter) next to Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA. Can someone make this happen? — Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) October 31, 2012 Shush, everyone, Lydia Callis is signing. (Also, that Bloomberg guy is talking.) twitter.com/ditzkoff/statu… — Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 30, 2012 Callis even passed the ultimate threshold for solidified Internet fame by getting a parody video dedicated to her shared on YouTube. Watch the video up top and try not to grin, at least a little bit. Did you see Callis in action? Tell us what you thought. More Coverage of Hurricane Sandy The Aftermath of Superstorm Sandy Breezy Point, Queens “Destruction after fire in Breezy Point, Queens.” Via Official New York City Fire Department Breezy Point, Queens “Destruction after fire in Breezy Point, Queens.”Via Official New York City Fire Department Guantanamo Bay, Cuba “Damage being repaired on the roof of the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Arts and Crafts Center after Hurricane Sandy made landfall.” Via Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs/Sgt. Brett Perkins North Carolina Via North Carolina Department of Public Transportation Manhattan “No traffic on the FDR today. This was all under water the night before. It’s amazing how a storm like Sandy can completely shut down an entire city.” Via WanderingtheWorld South Ferry Station, Manhattan A submerged escalator at the South Ferry subway station in Lower Manhattan. Via MTA East Village, Manhattan People bail water from a basement of an East Village business. Via Brennan Cavanaugh West Village, Manhattan “Bleeker Street Pizza: OPEN- The electricity was still out, but they were making pizza anyway, with the help of their gas-fired oven and a few spelunker head […]
Ladies and gentlemen, if we could please have your attention, Cher has something important she’d like to share: She’s still got it. HMMMM…. Seems There’s MORE BUZZ,about the way I Looked,Than the way I Performed !!YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIVE STILL GOT IT !!!!!! — Cher (@cher) June 19, 2013 The 67-year-old pop icon last night showed viewers and attendees of The Voice that age is but a number, flaunting her first appearance on the live stage in a decade. For the NBC show’s season four finale, Cher and an ensemble of back-up dancers performed “Woman’s World,” the first single from the star’s upcoming studio album, Closer to the Truth. In the clip (above), released Tuesday, Cher hits the stage with a faux-hawk and some badass punk garb, strutting and fist-pumping to the beat of the uplifting number, co-produced by DJ Paul Oakenfold and JD Walker. The performance was her first since NBC’s 2003 TV special, Cher: The Farewell Tour. The Voice finale also included performances from Christina Aguilera and Pitbull; Florida Georgia Line and Nelly (above); Bruno Mars; and past contestants to round out the evening. But the belle of the ball was Danielle Bradbery, who took the season four crown and closed the show with Sara Evans’ “Born to Fly” (finals rendition below). The 16-year-old went up against The Swon Brothers and Michelle Chamuel, who also vied for the title. Bradbery’s win notched a three-peat for her coach, Blake Shelton, who won in season two with Jermaine Paul and season three with Cassadee Pope. Did you catch last night’s show? Let us know what you thought about the season-ending extravaganza in the comments below. Image courtesy of YouTube, NBCTheVoice window._msla=window.loadScriptAsync||function(src,id){if(document.getElementById(id))return;var js=document.createElement(‘script’);js.id=id;js.src=src;document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0].parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}; _msla(“//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”,”twitter_jssdk”); Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/06/19/cher-live-womans-world/
Once you see how the sausage is made, they say, you probably won’t want to eat it. A photographer named Peter Augustus created a photo series that shows popular food dishes next to their raw animal counterparts. It’s … eye-opening, to say the least. Elliott gives his take on it in the newest episode of Mashable Minute. Last week, we strongly persuaded you to not have sex with a shark. Check it out: Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/09/08/mashable-minute-food-porn/
YouTube videos exist so they can be shared. And the Internet, as it always does, delivers plenty — but which ones are the best viral videos? Our new pop culture debate show, Monumental, is all about figuring that out (among other things.) Every Tuesday, we’ll sit down with a group of panelists and determine the top four — a.k.a. “Mount Rushmore” — of a familiar pop culture topic. The panelists will be given eight top contenders to choose from, and through rigorous, totally serious debate, they’ll decide who — or what — should be on the final list. In our first episode, above, YouTube legends Shane Dawson and Roman Atwood sit down with host Elliott Morgan to debate which viral videos are the viral-ist(?) of all time. Here are the eight contenders: 1. Gangnam Style Psy’s dance-heavy classic, released over the summer of 2012, became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views in December 2012. “Gangnam fever” soon followed, with notable figures like Barack Obama, David Cameron and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon offering their own interpretations of the dance. 2. Chocolate Rain 3. Rick Astley: “Never Gonna Give You Up” You’ve heard of this one. More appropriately, you’ve fallen victim to this one. English singer-songwriter Rick Astley released the love ballad, “Never Gonna Give You Up,” in 1987. In the early 2000s, it quickly spread as a prank meme: victims would open up a link, supposedly about something completely unrelated, and be surprised with Astley’s video. At least it’s catchy. 4. Sneezing Baby Panda 5. Evolution of Dance Comedian Juddson Laiply (perfectly) performs 12 different popular dances in a row. Enough. Said. 6. Grape Lady Falls 7. Charlie Bit My Finger Maybe it’s their perfect, English-accented diction. Or maybe it’s just because they’re freaking adorable. “Charlie Bit My Finger” hit the web in 2007. At 56 seconds, it’s the most bare-boned video of the bunch — but, come on, it’s a cute kid playfully biting the finger of another cute kid over cute, British-y dialogue. It wins. 8. Leroy Jenkins These are just our top picks. Any you think should have made the cut? Let us know in the comments! Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/08/19/monumental-viral-videos/
Last year, Joss Whedon switched gears from his usual fantasy-fueled projects to tackle a classic. The result was a modern day update of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Whedon packed the film with actors from his hit TV shows and movies, including Amy Acker, Nathan Fillion and Fran Kanz. But two of the actors featured in film were plucked straight off the Internet by the director. Comedians Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, together known as BriTANicK (rhymes with Titanic), have been writing, directing and performing on their own YouTube channel since 2008. While they’ve both dipped their toes into film, both separately and together, Whedon’s project was their first time working on a major studio film project. The duo’s roles might have been small — the characters are simply named First and Second Watchman — but they definitely made a huge impression on the direction and cast. Mashable talked with McElhaney and Kocher about their experience diving into Whedon-verse. The man behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly first connected with the BriTANicK when he linked to their “Academy Award Winning Movie Trailer” video on his blog. “He also said he really loved ‘Team Work‘ and ‘Eagles,’” McElhaney said, referring to another video as well as their short film, “Eagles Are Turning People Into Horses,” that was made as McElhaney’s final thesis at New York University. When asked whether their Shakespearean bits, “A Monologue for Three” and its precursor “A Monologue for Thee” were perhaps a factor, they laughed, “I don’t think anyone would cast us in Shakespeare based on that, but you know, maybe.” Probably not, since they can’t even remember the quintessential lines. The filming for Much Ado took place in Whedon’s expansive Calif. home. The cast stayed in hotels, but McElhaney and Kocher admitted that sometimes it would turn into a “slumber party situation.” “We were really accepted into their family.” McElhaney added, “It was really laid back. It didn’t feel like a set. It was like f*cking around with friends.” They noted that for all of their differences in experience, the rest of the cast never acted like “Hollywood types.” The cast even took a shine to one of the duo’s favorite past times, a game they invented called “Running Flip Cup Charades.” As you can probably guess from the title, it’s a slightly complicated drinking game. They even played the aerobic game on the ensemble’s 24-hour back-and-forth tour bus trip from Los Angeles, Calif. to Austin, Texas, where the film was being shown at SXSW. McElhaney described running around the bus for four hours in the middle of the night as “magical.” They were also encouraged to spend that time on the bus promoting the film on social media, particularly Twitter and Vine. Kocher explained that it sometimes led to awkwardness: “Something cool would happen, and then it would be kind of weird while everyone silently tweeted about it.” BriTANicK “SHIT! We should have called it the ‘Harlem Shake-speare’!” – Joss #muchadosxsw @MuchAdoFilm http://t.co/Acgpp6BAb3 […]
