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/
The season two premiere of Dance Showdown, a web series that pits popular YouTube acts against each other in a rhythmic showdown for $100,000, boogied its way online Friday. Judges on board this season are former NSYNC member Joey Fatone and Emmy-nominated choreographer Laurieann Gibson. YouTube famous Ryan Higa, Dave Days and Shane Dawson are guest judges. “It gives people an opportunity to be seen by the world,” Fatone, who is also on this fall’s Dancing With the Stars all-star cast, tells Mashable. “I think it’s great and there is a lot of talent out there still to be seen.” Episode one (watch above) introduces viewers to the 12 eclectic contestants, who among other things are YouTube singers, beauty vloggers, comedians and gamers: Alphacat Andrew Garcia BrittaniLouiseTaylor Chester See: Chimneyswift11 ExoticJess meghanrosette Miss Hannah Minx ONLYUSEmeBLADE PrankvsPrank StilaBabe09 Screen Team Viewers also meet the talent’s dance instructors Tessandra Chavez (choreography alum of So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol and X Factor USA), Lauren Froderman (SYTYCD season 7 winner), Mike Song (MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew finalist), Anze Skrube (nine-time gold medalist at the Slovenian National Championship) and Brinn Nicole (dancer on Snoop Dogg’s world tour). The show, from dance entertainment network DanceOn, attracted 10 million views in season one. Viewers can vote for their favorite dancer starting in round two, which will decide who makes it to the finals. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/06/dance-showdown/
Claire Danes finally has something legitimate to cry about — all the terrorists have turned into zombies. Barely Political imagines a world where Homeland and The Walking Dead come together, so that the CIA can search for the most dangerous undead man alive: Abu Nu Zombie. Of course, Rick Grimes is too busy keeping his group alive in a prison cell to really care about terrorists. And Carrie is too busy believing that Brody isn’t a zombie to get anything done. Good thing Mandy Patinkin is around to keep the peace. If you thought these shows were edge-of-your-seat thrillers alone, just imagine the suspense when they team up and start eating each other’s flesh. BONUS: Zombies Invade Classic Movies Classic Movies Remade Zombie Style The Corpse Wars Image courtesy of Matt Busch and Neatoshop The Lord of the Rotten Image courtesy of Matt Busch and Neatoshop Deadward Scissorhands Image courtesy of Matt Busch and Neatoshop Alice from Underland Image courtesy of Matt Busch and Neatoshop Wrecks and the City Image courtesy of Matt Busch and Neatoshop E.T. Image courtesy of Matt Busch and Neatoshop Fight of the Living Dead Club Image courtesy of Matt Busch and Neatoshop The Walking Dead of Oz Image courtesy of Matt Busch and Neatoshop Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/03/18/homeland-walking-dead/
Cord-cutting startup Aereo got an early win Wednesday in its on-going lawsuits with major broadcasters including ABC, NBC and CBS. A federal judge in the Second District of New York denied broadcasters’ request for a preliminary injunction against the New York-based startup. Aereo argued that such an injunction would essentially put it out of business. In his decision, Judge Alison Nathan writes of the litigious broadcasters that, “although [the plaintiffs] have demonstrated that they face irreparable harm, they have not demonstrated that the balance of hardships decidedly tips in their favor. “As such”, Nathan says, “the Court denies Plaintiffs motion for a preliminary injunction.” In a statement, Aereo CEO and Founder Chet Kanojia said: “Today’s decision shows that when you are on the right side of the law, you can stand up, fight the Goliath and win. This isn’t just a win for Aereo, it’s also a significant win for consumers who are demanding more choice and flexibility in the way they watch television. We said from the start that we believed that a full and fair airing of the issues would reveal that Aereo’s groundbreaking technology falls squarely within the law. We are grateful to the court for its thoughtful and measured approach to this matter. Today’s decision should serve as a signal to the public that control and choice are moving back into the hands of the consumer – that’s a powerful statement.” Aereo is a startup that offers users access to over-the-air television from their computers, phones, tablets and connected TV devices. The beauty of Aereo is that it works outside of the house. Users just have to login to the service and they can access live television, as well as any programs they have recorded from a cloud-based DVR. To get around some of the potential legal challenges involved with sharing broadcast signals, Aereo has employed a unique technical solution: each user has access to an individual micro-antenna that acts just like the type of antenna you might put in your own home or apartment. By limiting the antennas to one per user, Aereo has a legal argument against the local and major broadcast networks that want to shut the service down. Still, the broadcasters are suing Aereo. And despite the preliminary injunction, this battle isn’t going to end any time soon. We’re still in the very early stages of this case. What makes the Aereo case important is that it has the potential to get hard answers for a number of important legal issues facing the future of broadcasting. Whether Aereo wins or loses, it’s a case worth following. As a fan (and subscriber) of Aereo’s service (I am also a cable subscriber), I’m relieved that for now I can continue to access live TV from my iPad. Let us know your thoughts on the Aereo lawsuit in the comments. Aereo Ruling Preliminary Injunction Denied Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/07/11/aereo-injunction-denied/
You might not recognize the latest ad in Obama’s presidential campaign as politically charged on first listen. The video features Girls star Lena Dunham comparing her first time voting to losing her virginity. Specifically targeting women, Dunham advises how to make your “first time” special. “You want a guy who cares whether you get health insurance, and specifically whether you get birth control,” says Dunham in the ad, which has stirred controversy for its sexy tone. Dunham has been known to raise eyebrows before, like when she ate cake naked at the 2012 Emmys. The Obama campaign ruffled feathers earlier this election season when it released a video that compared Big Bird to Bernie Madoff. What do you think of the ad? Is this offensive or do critics need to lighten up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/26/obama-lenda-dunham-first-time/
Welcome to America, Miranda Kerr. The Australian supermodel got a lesson in collegiate drinking games from Jimmy Fallon on Thursday’s Tonight Show when the duo played an intense round of “Flip Cup.” ‘Jurassic World’ debuts a dino-packed new trailer at Super Bowl Walter White sells ‘pharmaceuticals’ in Esurance Super Bowl ad ‘We Are The Champions’ as sung by Sam Smith, Christina Aguilera and more ‘SNL’ touts huge celebrity cameos for 40th anniversary special Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/07/18/jimmy-fallon-miranda-kerr-flip-cup/
Apparently the bacon shortage was hogwash, but that doesn’t make a difference to Ron Swanson — he’s prepared. Very prepared. According to the much-beloved Parks and Recreation character, the best way to prepare for the shortage is to “Procure as much bacon as humanly possible and hide it in as many locations as you can.” SEE MORE: Ron Swanson Does a Reddit AMA How many places is Swanson hiding his bacon? 38. Just in his office. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/12/ron-swanson-bacon-shortage/
The time between waiting for your Thanksgiving turkey to cook and sitting down to eat can feel like an eternity. To help pass the time, Netflix created this handy guide that tells you which combination of movies or TV shows to watch based on the weight of your turkey and its cook time. BONUS: 5 Facts About Thanksgiving Food That Will Make You Barf Infographic: Netflix for Mashable; Image: Flickr, rednut Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/11/26/netflix-thanksgiving-turkey-guide-watch-infographic/
When it comes to dynamic duos, Batman and Robin are obviously a classic, but Walt and Jesse are definitely up there. With the upcoming release of The Dark Night Rises and the new season of Breaking Bad, it might be hard to decide where to place your affections. If the choice is proving too difficult, we’ve got a solution for you: Breaking Batman, the only Breaking Bad plus Batman mashup you will ever need. “I am No Man” Doesn’t Cut It: The Story of Eowyn Why All Those Sexist Complaints About The New Ghostbusters Movie Are Garbage Study Says Binge-Watching Is For Lonely & Depressed People & Those Who Lack Self-Control The Pirate Bay Has Returned To the Land Of the Living After Two Months This article originally published at Geekosystem here Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/07/12/breaking-bad-batman-mashup-video/
ABC has set a premiere date for "Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD."Image: Bob D'Amico ABC has set its fall premiere dates. The season start dates for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Scandal, Once Upon a Time and more have been to Mashable’s TV calendar (below). As previously announced, the new season of Once Upon a Time (premiering Sept. 28) will feature characters from hit Disney cartoon, Frozen, played by Fringe alum Scott Michael Foster and Lost alum Elizabeth Mitchell. And though some fans responded to the move with cries of “too soon,” ABC president Paul Lee defended it, assuring critics during the Television Critics Association Press Tour on Tuesday that creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis “always have a twist on a story so you can imagine their take is going to be very different.” Meanwhile, on S.H.I.E.L.D., premiering Sept. 23, Lee said he couldn’t go into specifics about how upcoming Marvel movies would influence Season 2’s storylines, but said the aftermath from Season 1’s Captain America weave-in will continue to be felt. “We had such a strong set of stories that put us through that huge finale at the end. That trigged up a whole lot of storylines that we’re reading at the moment and I’m loving those scripts,” he said. Our full calendar of dates released so far: Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/07/15/abc-sets-premiere-dates-for-agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d-once-upon-a-time-more/
