Paola Mayfield & Russ Mayfield: SLAMMED for Controversial Costumes!

Paola and Russ Mayfield are a 90 Day Fiance couple that keeps on going. They have their controversies, sure, but they love each other and stay together.

Usually, when it comes to Paola and Russ, any disagreements see fans taking sides. Some say that Russ is too jealous or controlling, others say that Paola should quit modeling. That sort of thing.

This time, these two have stirred up a very different sort of controversy.

Paola Mayfield and Russ are an attractive couple.

But are their Halloween costumes problematic and offensive?

The short answer is: yes.

That doesn’t mean that we aren’t still huge Paola fans. In fact, we were rooting for Paola to win Maxim‘s contest, which could be an amazing boost to her modeling career.

But dressing as Native Americans for Halloween is a big no-no. It’s just below blackface and Nazi symbols on the list of what to never, ever wear.

Why? Because of America’s history of genocide against Native Americans, basically. Native Americans are still heavily marginalized, but white Americans love to adopt their symbols as their own.

A general guide to life is: If a marginalized person tells you that what you’re doing is kinda screwed up, don’t get defensive. Just ask how you can change.

Anyway, apparently none of this crossed Russ and Paola’s minds as they donned their couples costumes and got into double trouble.

Paola shared the photos on Instagram, and the backlash in the comments was immediate:

One comment read:

“Not a fan of this costume at all! disgusting. Next year go as ketchup and mustard. Leave the traditional wear to the people that actually!!!! wear it for their cultures! Sickening people still think this is okay. Not a fan of miss @paola_mayfield so much anymore. #dobetter”

We don’t know that one needs to stop being her fan, but that’s every individual’s choice.

Here are some other comments:

“Ummm, cultural appropriation much?”

“Agree! It is disrespectful!! I am disappointed again!!”

“It’s not an issue about sensitivity. It’s an issue of DISRESPECT of a people/culture as well as an APPROPRIATION by the dominant culture who has sought out to eliminate Native American people since the 1400s.”

“Oh honey. No.”

“Wtf?!? Not ok!!!!”

“Tasteless, Native regalia is not a Halloween costume.”

As you can see, some of those commenters tried to explain. Others just expressed their disgust.

A few thought to differentiate between Paola and Russ.

“Ah yes a white guy in native headdress and an over sexualized Native American woman…this is not okay.”

One repeated a helpful motto:

“Its a Culture NOT A COSTUME!!”

Oh, and some of the commenters were Nativa Americans, for whom this issue hits very close to home.

“My culture is not your costume @paola_mayfield .. this is so sad and offensive.”

As you can imagine, there were opposing opinions presented, too.

These were folks from the “who cares if it’s bad, I don’t want to change my behavior or think about how my actions impact others” camp.

And, just like during the 2016 election, these people were out in force.

“You guys look great! Too bad the world is so sensitive these days that even halloween costumes r censored!”

Costumes aren’t censored, that’s not what that word means. But people can and should make wise choices about what they wear.

“And here come the PC offended ….”

People love to misuse “politically correct,” which is a largely meaningless term that’s usually used by people who just aren’t interested in being better people.

“Halloween isn’t about representing a cultures struggle it’s about having fun! People are so worried about hurting feelings that nothing is allowed anymore.”

That commenter, who apparently forgets that Native Americans exist and might have less fun in the face of such a mocking costume, continued.

“I’m from Canada … and there are still indigenous costumes sold and worn. “I think they have beautiful traditional costume and choosing to dress up in one is not disrespectful in anyway. What are people ‘allowed’ to dress up as now a days. Geez! Everything will offend someone.”

It’s worth noting that there are literally thousands of Native American women missing in Canada without any explanation. Our polite neighbors to the north aren’t a better authority on how to treat indigenous folks.

Another commenter added hyperbole:

“People read into way to much now if someone wears a feather in their hat it’s called discrimination I could add so many other examples but it would take me forever get over it people look at it as fun dressing up just love live enjoy #tomuch hate in this world”

There are basically endless costume choices. Don’t dress as an outfit to either ridicule or sexualize a marginalized person. There aren’t many rules, but that’s one of them, and it’s super easy to follow.

“Get over it. Everything has to be an upset and about race these days. Stop being so up tight and sensitive. It’s not a big deal. There are better things to be up in arms about…”

If there’s one thing that minority groups like Native Americans love to hear, it’s “get over it.” That’s right up there with “it’s just a little genocide.”

In case you’re concerned about the state of the world (which, actually, you should be) because these comments are so polarized, know that some commenters understand nuance.

“She probably doesn’t know. She’s from a different culture.”

And that, we think, might be the crux of it.

Russ wasn’t able to predict the backlash, we suppose, because he’s a conservative white guy from Oklahoma.

That’s not an excuse, mind you.

Paola, however, is Columbian. She may have somewhat fair skin, but she is from Central America. She’s not quite.

While that doesn’t make Paola part of any Plains Native American ethnic groups and doesn’t fully excuse the costume, it’s something to keep in mind.

More to the point, as one of the commenters stated, Paola is still adapting to American culture and was almost certainly not aware that this costume would invite backlash.

We can afford to be forgiving, folks.

An apology — especially from Russ — would be appropriate, though.

View Slideshow: Paola Mayfield: 90 Day Fiance Star’s Hottest Photos That Russ Doesn’t Want You to See!

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Terry Richardson: Controversial Photographer Blacklisted Amidst Sex Scandal

The past few weeks have brought a number of surprising allegations against some of the most influential men in Hollywood, most notably, formerly esteemed mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Just kidding, there were actually surpsised that Weinstein is a gross predator who’s been using his power to get away with all manner of despicable things pretty 

In fact, here at THG, we’ve been reporting on harassment allegations against Weinstein for years.

We say that not to pat ourselves on the back, because that would be incredibly gross, but merely to point out that anyone who’s paid attention to Weinstein’s career knows that allegations of sexual misconduct have clung to him like a bad smell.

And if they claim otherwise, they’re full of it. (We’re looking at you, Matt Damon.) 

Hollywood insiders like to throw around the term “open secret” because it’s easier than acknowleding the ugly truth of the situation:

There are certain people in Hollywood who can get away with literally anything, including harassment and rape, and everyone who’s lower than them on the totem pole will ignore it, because they hope to one day be that powerful themselves, and they know that guys like Weinstein hold the keys to the castle.

Of course, this sort of behavior isn’t limited to the movie business.

There are predators in every line of work, and many will happily abuse the smallest modicum of power.

Take, for example, famed photographer Terry Richardson.

Just when you didn’t think it was possible for anyone to be a more obvious perv than Weinstein, along comes the revoltingly-nicknamed “Uncle Terry.”

You may not be surprised by the fact that a man who’s bragged about his talent for convincing reluctant celebrities to take their clothes off has some issues with boundaries, but apparently many of his colleagues were.

Richardson is a household name in the worlds of fashion and photography, and you may know him as the director of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” video and the name is mentioned alongside avery self-consciously “artsy” black-and-white nude photo of a famous person.

Unfortunately for Richardson, it seems that in the wake of the Weinstein allegations, he’s been called out by numerous women who claim he’s guilty of various acts of harassment and abuse.

According to the New York Post, publishing powerhouse Condé Nast has already cut ties with Richardson and ordered that all work of his that’s been commissioned but not yet used should be “killed or substituted with other material.”

Other major media outlets that have used Richardson’s work in the past are expected to follow suit.

Details about the allegations against Richardson are scarce at this time, but it’s telling that none of his current or former colleagues are rushing to the photographer’s defense.

In fact, the biggest question being asked today is–why did take so long for Richardson to be called out?

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Mayim Bialik Tries (Fails?) to Clarify Controversial Rape Remarks

Mayim Bialik, star of The Big Bang Theory, finds herself in big trouble this week.

That’s what happens after you pen an op-ed for The New York Times in which you essentially blame the victims of sexual assault for getting assaulted.

Over the weekend, Bialik really did write a guest article for the aforementioned publication in response to the heinous allegations surrounding Harvey Weinstein.

With dozens of women having come out and accused the film producer of sexual misconduct, Bialik took the pompous stance that women need to think about how they look and act if they wish to avoid… rape.

“As a proud feminist with little desire to diet, get plastic surgery or hire a personal trainer, I have almost no personal experience with men asking me to meetings in their hotel rooms,” Bialik wrote early in her piece, earning immediate scorn.

Just… WHAT?!?

Who says any of these abused women got plastic surgery? Or were obsessed with dieting?

And, even if they did or they were, how does one then claim – in any tiny way, shape or form – that these interests mean a woman deserves to get assaulted or harassed?!?

“If you are beautiful and sexy, terrific,” the actress continued, adding:

“But having others celebrate your physical beauty is not the way to lead a meaningful life.

“And if – like me – you’re not a perfect 10, know that there are people out there who will find you stunning, irresistible and worthy of attention, respect and love.

“The best part is you don’t have to go to a hotel room or a casting couch to find them.”

There’s no way to interpret this stance in any way aside from Bialik saying women are somewhat to blame for getting raped.

Just act uglier and you’ll be ignored, she’s saying.

After getting dragged over the Internet coals for her opinion, Bialik lashed out at the “vicious” critics and said she would address the topic further in a Facebook Live chat on Monday.

In this chat, Bialik made an important distinction.

“There is no way to avoid being a victim of assault by what you wear or the way you behave,” she said, explaining that her comments were only in reference to the “culture of Hollywood” that she’s experienced over the years.

“I was not speaking about assault and rape in general,” she added.

She went on to blame Hollywood instead of the actresses who were assaulted themselves, saying the industry encourages women to “present” themselves in a certain way.

“I feel protected in my industry more when I keep parts of myself private,” she said.

“It gives a feeling of comfort and a layer of protection, but it does not make you immune to assault.”

Bialik also apologized and said she was “deeply, deeply hurt” if any person that is actually has been a victim of assault thought she was blaming them in any way.

Many did. 

Stars such as Patricia Arquette and Gabrielle Union Tweeted in protest of Bialik, sharing their deeply personal stories of rape and assault in order to prove clothing played no role in what happened to them.

So at least the actress has tried here to clarify her comments.

And, look, perhaps there is some kind of column to write about Hollywood’s standards of beauty and how they place stressful burdens on young female stars.

But that issue wasn’t at play in the case of Harvey Weinstein being a grotesque monster.

And it’s certainly not what Mayim Bialik  wrote about in her op-ed.

View Slideshow: #MeToo: Stars Share Stories of Sexual Harassment, Assault

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Paul Caldwell: Newest Duggar In-Law Under Fire For Controversial Views

If you watched the season premiere of Counting On last night, then you witnessed the beginning of the Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell’s courtship.

Joseph and Kendra married last month, but due to the lag in production time, vthe origin of their relationship is just now being documented on the show.

Kendra is considered by many to be a natural fit for Joe due to their similar backgrounds.

Both come from equally pious and strictly conservative backgrounds.

Both share similar views regarding relationships and child-rearing.

And both grew up with the church at the center of their lives.

That being the case, Joseph and Kendra are something of a power couple in their tiny Arkansas hometown.

Joseph’s family carries so much clout in Tontitown, that residents jokingly refer to the area as “Duggarville.”

And Kendra’s family also enjoys a place at the top of the social hierarchy, thanks to her father’s work as a local pastor.

But while Joe and Kendra may appear to be a match made in heaven (literally, in the eyes of their parents), the relationship has not been without its share of controversies.

For starters, there are reports that Kendra courted Jedediah Duggar before shifting her affections to his brother Joe for reasons that remain unclear.

On top of that, Kendra’s father, Paul Caldwell, is something of a divisive figure due to his ultra-conservative views on topics such as homosexuality.

Pastor Caldwell recently became a subject of nationwide criticism as a result of a pamphlet distributed in Tontitown by his church.

“Does God love homosexuals?” the pamphlet rhetorically asked, with Caldwell responding that it’s a “flawed question, [because] there are no such things as homosexuals.”

It’s a teaching that meshes with the Duggars’ homophobic worldview, but there’s been a considerable effort on the part of TLC and the family’s PR team to downplay that aspect of the family’s belief system.

Lately, that’s been an exceedingly difficult task.

On top of Paul Caldwell joining the Duggar ranks, Jill Duggar’s husband, Derick Dillard, recently sparked outrage as a result of his comments about fellow TLC star Jazz Jennings.

Seemingly unprovoked, Derickn attacked Jazz – who is a transgender teen – on Twitter, arguing that “transgender is a myth” and informing her that she stars in a reality show that “features a non-reality.”

All of this comes at a time when the Duggars can scarcely afford another scandal.

Many former fans wrote the family off in the wake of the Josh Duggar sex scandals, and many more are now outraged by the family’s views on the LGBTQ community.

Over the past year, ratings for the family’s reality show have declined steadily, and TLC execs have reportedly begun to wonder if the Duggars have a future on television.

The addition of Pastor Paul seems unlikely to do many favors for the family’s battered reputation amongst moderate and left-leaning viewers.

Watch Counting On online for more from reality TV’s most controversial clan.

View Slideshow: Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell: The Newest Counting On Couple!

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Carl Lentz: Get to Know Justin Bieber"s Controversial Pastor!

Carl Lentz.

It’s a name with which you likely weren’t familiar just a few days ago, but it’s quickly become a name that may have a significant impact on the world of pop culture.

That’s because Carl Lentz is a pastor who has grown very close to Justin Bieber… and who may even be the reason Bieber quits the music business.

As previously documented, Bieber ended his world tour early this week, with insiders claiming the singer is simply exhausted.

But a deeper dive into the situation has alleged that Bieber actually made this decision because he’s grown very close to Lentz and is undergoing some kind of “spiritual awakening.”

Without being told directly by Lentz to cancel the remaining dates on his tour, Justin simply thinks this is the right thing to do at the moment.

It’s unclear exactly why.

However, it seems rather evident at this point that Lentz has a lot of influence on Bieber and also on other stars in Hollywood.

Therefore, this seems like an appropriate time to answer a pressing celebrity gossip question:

WHO IS CARL LENTZ?

– He is pastor of Hillsong NYC, the local branch of the global megachurch that offers a Sunday service at Montclair’s Wellmont Theater in New Jersey.

– The church attracts about 100,000 people per week across the globe and is known for infusing its services with Christian Rock songs.

– Lentz is married to a woman named Laura and has three children.

– He’s been described as the “rock star pastor,” “hipster pastor” and “punk pastor” for his affinity for leather, skinny jeans and tattoos.

– Lentz is a Virginia Beach native who grew up in the Baptist church.

– According to a 2009 newspaper article, he who was playing basketball for N.C. State University when, at the encouragement of his parents, he attended a church service with a contemporary music ministry.

It changed his life forever.

– The Virginian-Pilot went on to write that Lentz attended Virginia Wesleyan University and at a Bible college in Los Angeles and then studied at the Hillsong International Leadership College in Australia.

– This is where he met and married Laura in 2003.

– In 2010, couple moved to New York City, setting down roots in Williamsburg .

– A big basketball fan, Lentz was quickly introduced him to Allan Houston, according to a Bleacher Report profile; he also includes Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Jeremy Lin as his friends.

– A TMZ report claims that Lentz also influenced Kyrie Irving’s recent demand to be traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

– Lentz met a then-14-year-old Justin Bieber in 2008 through another pastor close to artist.

“I remember being involved in this pre-service prayer [backstage] and just looking at him and going, ‘This is going to be a challenge.’ And that day being like, ‘I’m going to pray for this boy to make it,"” Lentz told the New York Post in 2014.

This quote was given back when Bieber was spotted at a brothel in Brazil and seen smoking a lot of marijuana and was receiving negative press up the wazoo.

View Slideshow: Justin Bieber Fans Offer #PrayersForBieber in Wake of Tour Cancelation

So that brings us up to speed on Carl Lentz.

Like Scientology, his church seems cater to celebrities, a charge Lentz has not denied.

“Celebrities deserve a relationship with God. Celebrities deserve a place to pray,” Lentz told Esquire in the past.

A source close to the situation told TMZ this week that Bieber is like the “Tom Cruise” of Hillsong.

We’ll let you interpret that quote and that comparison however you see fit.

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21 Controversial Clothing Items That Were Actually for Sale

SCANDALOUS!

You"d be shocked at how controversial articles of clothing can be.

Just consider the following examples…

1. Teens Do It Better

In 2011, American Apparel drew criticism for its “Teenagers Do It Better” shirt for its suggestive slogan. Get ready for more American Apparel to come.

2. Eat Less Shirt

Yup, it’s Urban Outfitters again. The company stopped selling this “Eat Less” shirt in January 2014 after a lot of uproar and outrage. Way to mock eating disorders, Urban!

3. Yoga Pants and/or Leggings

Yoga pants during yoga? Obviously appropriate? Leggings under a long sweater or jacket? Ditto. But they’ve become a near-constant substitute for regular pants for many women going about their daily lives, which has resulted in much debate.

4. American Apparel Vagina Shirt

This shirt from American Apparel featured a bloody vagina. We wonder why people objected to it.

5. Vintage Kent State Shirt

Urban Outfitters actually put a shirt for sale that it called “vintage” and which recalled a massacre at Kent State in 1970.

6. Zara Nazi Shirt

Zara quickly yanked this children’s shirt off its shelves after complaints that the stripes and six-pronged star made it look like uniforms worn by inmates in Nazi Germany.

View Slideshow
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Kourtney Kardashian UNDER FIRE for Controversial Pic of Her Kids!

More often than not, even the most dedicated mommy-shamers are inclined to give Kourtney a pass. Compared to Scott Disick’s bad behavior, after all, she looks like the best mother in the world.

But after she shared one particular photo of her children recently, her own fans turned on her — questioning her judgment and calling her “sick.”

Here’s the photo, and you won’t have to guess what got people all up-in-arms this time:

So this photo features Mason Disick, who is seven, appearing to kiss his sister Penelope, who is five, on the lips.

We’ve talked before about how the Kardashians are one of those weird kiss-on-the-lips families.

We know and love people who come from those families but it’s really weird.

Interestingly, it’s this particular photo getting people’s ire, and not one of the photos from Kourtney’s recent photoshoot of her kids.

It showed Kourtney kissing Reign on the lips, and showed another kiss between Mason and Penelope.

We guess that maybe it doesn’t concern the mommy-shamers as much if it’s part of a photoshoot and might have been staged?

But they sure as hell didn’t mince words about the above photo — and remember, these are Kourtney’s fans and followers leaving these comments:

“Are they kissing again?”

“Why would you post this?”

“You’re sick!”

“You think it’s okay for Mason to kiss his sister in mouth? Better watch what you teaching them!”

“Inappropriate.”

“No kiss only hugs.”

That last comment may have been left by a concerned, gentle giant or maybe The Hulk, but you get the idea.

Though, clearly, children can kiss.

That’s what cheeks are for.

In fact, baby cheeks are so irresistibly kissable that, honestly, good luck getting your kids to NOT kiss their little siblings on the cheeks.

But kissing on the lips is weird.

We don’t, however, think that Kourtney is raising her kids to become Lannisters or Targaryens or whichever fictional incestuous family from Game of Thrones comes to mind.

She’s not even accidentally grooming them to be inappropriate.

To them, that’s just normal affection.

We have to remember that it doesn’t actually cross any lines.

We also have to remember that, on the other end of the spectrum, there are families that don’t even hug each other.

That’s way more unhealthy than kissing two inches to the right or left of where normal folks do.

This is just, like, a quirk.

Social pressure from friends’ reactions will probably make Mason and Penelope grow out of it in a few years, if anyone’s really that concerned.

As you might recall, mommy-shamers targeted Kim Kardashian recently when they thought that North was dressed inappropriately.

Their family is used to it.

Needless to say, there are some truly bad parents in this world who do horrible things to their children.

Kourtney just doesn’t seem to be one of them.

We wish that we’d see even half as many people and even half as much energy directed at actual abusers as we do 

And, not for nothing, but we don’t know that Mason and Penelope were actually kissing.

Kourtney gave us zero context except to promote one of her app’s posts — about her home’s technology rules for her kids — in the captions.

Hey, with the controversy at all, we guess that even more people than usual saw the caption.

That may have been her goal all along.

View Slideshow: Kourtney Kardashian Gives Us Vacation, Bikini Body Envy in Bahamas

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Jesse Williams Speaks on Controversial Divorce, Takes Haters to Task

Jesse Williams plays a doctor on Grey’s Anatomy.

Which is appropriate.

Because the actor carves his critics up with surgical precision in a new video titled “Footnotes for 4:44.”

The 35-year-old star – who is embroiled in a custody dispute with estranged wife Aryn Drake-Lee – opens up about his divorce in this 11-minute piece of footage, which went viral this week in promotion of Jay-Z’s new album.

Williams is featured in the video with such big-time celebrities as Chris Rock, Will Smith, Kendrick Lamar, Anthony Anderson, Aziz Ansari; all of whom discuss relationships, love and the pressure that comes with being in the public eye.

Although he never refers to Drake-Lee by name, Williams addresses infidelity rumors in the visual piece, telling his side of a painful story and lashing out at haters in the process.

“I was in a relationship 13 years, 13 real years, not 5 years, not 7 years, 13 years and all of a sudden mother f-ckers are writing think-pieces that I somehow threw a 13-year relationship… in the trash because a girl I work with is cute.”

Williams cites his split as “the most painful experience I’ve had in my life like with a person I’ve loved with all of my heart.”

Williams met his estranged wife when he was a teacher.

He explained to USA Today in 2010 that Drake-Lee “stuck with me through thick and thin.”

But this love story did not have a happy ending.

In June, Williams and his lawyer alleged that Aryn has refused his request for more time with the couple’s two kids, Maceo Williams and Sadie Williams.

In court document obtained by E! News, Williams said the following last month:

“Aryn restricts my time with the children and decides when, and for how long I may have them.

“She has rejected, without any reason, each and every request I have made to have the children sleepover at my residence.

“On the few days that I have the children, Aryn has insisted that my time with the children be limited during the week to approximately two and half hours per day, despite my requests for more time, including overnights with the children.”

As a result of his ex-lover’s actions, Williams told a judge he is “requesting a court order for a joint physical custody parenting plan.”

The actor is one of Hollywood’s most outspoken stars.

He received a tremendous amount of praise and made many positive headlines last summer after giving an inspiring speech at the BET Awards.

You can watch his speech in its entirety at the opening of this article.

In response to Williams’ June statement and accusations against Drake-Lee, a lawyer for Aryn told E! News the following:

Protecting the privacy and well-being of their children is of paramount importance to Aryn Drake-Lee Williams.

It is unfortunate that Mr. Williams has chosen to draw public attention to this difficult time and transition for their family.

Aryn is solely interested in the best interests of their children, supporting a healthy relationship with both parents, and protecting the children’s privacy.

Therefore, she will not comment any further on Mr. Williams’ unilateral and unfortunate public allegations.

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Christina El Moussa Flaunts Bikini Body, New Controversial Boyfriend

Forget the bangs made by fireworks on July Fourth.

Christina El Moussa rang in the summer holiday this week by showing off her banging bikini body … while chilling with her shady new boyfriend a luxury boat in Newport, California.

Celebrity gossip outlets such as Entertainment Tonight have shared the sexy photos of El Moussa, who has said very little about her romance with Doug Spedding.

But a few sordid details have leaked out of late about the businessman.

For one thing, he actually dated Christina many years ago, long before she met, fell for and married Tarek El Moussa.

For another thing, the car dealer has been sued on a number of occasions for alleged bad business practices.

According to Orange County court documents, Spedding has not always been so customer friendly, having been accused in 2008, for example, of deceiving customers into purchasing a more expensive vehicle than they had intended to buy.

For a third thing, he may be equally untrustworthy in his personal life.

Some woman named Tracy Johnson-Diaz has come forward and shared text messages that she claims prove she’s been sleeping with Spedding throughout his relationship with El Moussa.

In one text obtained by Radar Online, Spedding comes directly out and asked Tracy if she wants to “f-ck right now.”

To be fair, as you can see above, there’s no way to validate whether these texts were sent by Tracy or Doug or on what date or really anything at all.

This isn’t exactly evidence that would hold up in a court of law.

In the court of public opinion, however, Christina isn’t known for having the best taste in men.

She and Tarek came across like a regular, very happy couple during the early years of Flip or Flop on HGTV.

But they separated in the spring of 2016 and Tarek filed for divorce earlier this year.

Both reality stars have been busy ever since trying to win the PR game, sharing photos of their new and improved bodies on social media, while also gushing over their two little kids.

Christina, meanwhile, dated the family contractor (Gary Anderson) last year, prior to moving on here to Spedding.

In June, an insider told Entertainment Tonight that the relationship was “new,” but exciting and full of potential to be serious.

“Christina and him recently reconnected,” the source said at the time, explaining that the two have known one another for over a decade and adding:

“She dated him before her and Tarek were together.”

As a result, previous reports claimed Tarek was very jealous of the courtship, but he swears this isn’t the case.

View Slideshow: HGTV Shows: RANKED!

“She’ll call me and ask how’s my cancer remission, how are the doctors,” Tarek told E! of Christina recently, insisting that he and his ex-wife are on solid terms.

“I’ll call and ask the same about her, how she’s doing, how she’s feeling. We still deep down care about each other.”

This is a good thing because they’re sort of stuck with each other for awhile.

HGTV has ordered more episodes of Flip or Flop, meaning Tarek and Christina will continue filming for another few months, side by side.

Even more urgently, they are parents to a six-year old daughter and a one-year old son.

Both have emphasized again and again how these kids will always be their priority.

So even if Tarek is fuming that another dude gets to touch the body underneath Christina’s bikini, he’ll have to remain as chill about it as possible.

It’s all about the well-being of his children from here on out.

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Blake Griffin Featured on Controversial LA Clippers T-Shirt with MLK, Lincoln, Gandhi and More

The L.A. Clippers apparently didn’t learn from Kendall and Kylie – using historical images on t-shirts is a dicey game to play … and one that often ends in an L. The Clips just convinced Blake Griffin to re-sign with the team for 5 years…

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Johnny Depp Makes Controversial Joke About an Actor Assassinating the President

Johnny Depp apparently didn’t learn a damn thing from Kathy Griffin … he just went and made a joke about killing President Trump. Depp was speaking to a crowd at the Glastonbury Festival Thursday when he starting talking Trump, saying … “I…

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Chloe Lattanzi: Olivia Newton-John"s Daughter Attacked by Trolls Over Controversial Pic!

Considering that her mother, Olivia Newton John, was recently diagnosed with cancer, you’d think that people would understand that Chloe Lattanzi has enough on her plate and would step off.

Unfortunately, isn’t even the first time since her mother’s cancer diagnosis that Chloe’s been attacked by commenters and “fans.”

This time, the attacks come from body-shamers who raged that an Instagram photo of hers, featured below, looked “unhealthy.”

Chloe Lattanzi posted a photo of herself that, gasp, used a filter. The hate that she received was so bad that she deleted the photo, but she eventually put it back up.

Because screw the hater.

Here are the things that the trolls attacked her for:

-looking too thin, even though her waist looks fine (more on that later)

-“smoking a cigarette” even though she’s smoking a joint

-using a filter for her photos

Yeah, that’s a “damning” list of accusations they’ve got there.

Chloe has struggled in the past with eating disorders, and she’s been very forthright about her experience.

So attacking her for “looking sickly” — she looks thin, but she’s also sucking in her gut like everyone in the world when they get their pictures taken.

The fact that her boobs are decidedly on the large side definitely makes her look slimmer than she is.

And even if she weren’t at a healthy weight, that would be no reason to attack — or unfollow — her.

If she were smoking a cigarette, we’d have to agree that it’s gross.

Cigarettes smell bad and are a plague to everyone around you.

More significantly for Chloe, like, her mom has cancer, cigarettes are a carcinogen … that wouldn’t be a great combination. Bad optics.

But she’s smoking a joint, which is plenty legal in a lot of places and also the opposite of a carcinogen.

In fact, we’re pretty sure that breast cancer is one of the specific types of cancer that marijuana has been shown to reduce the risk of.

And then … somebody attacked her for using filters on her photos?

That is the most random troll attack we’ve seen since the 2016 elections.

That one doesn’t need explaining. It’s a filter. Chill out.

Shortly after her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis was made public, Chloe was attacked over her photos — for living her life.

Specifically, we guess, for smiling.

Chloe just wants to live her life, but apparently some hate-filled commenters think that, since her mom is undergoing cancer treatment, she should either never post to social media … or post nothing but some sort of grief montage.

Those jerks need to chill out.

Everybody grieves in their own way.

But also, Olivia Newton-John has scarcely begun her treatment.

It’s not time to grieve, period.

We think that we know what’s going on with these trolls.

First of all, there’s the regular bullying motive — they see someone who in some way doesn’t fit their expectations or desires.

And they perceive her as vulnerable, so they lash out.

But part of cyberbullying functions just like … have you ever noticed that certain people, whether they’re aggressive soccer moms or bitter retirees, seem to go into grocery stores looking to pick fights. They’ll complain to a manager about an innocuous employee.

It makes them feel like they’ve done something for the day and it makes them feel powerful and reassured about their place in the world.

Ultimately, hateful comments aren’t going away any time soon.

Every time that someone asks Twitter to do something about the harassment problem (or the nazis), they nod and then just change the illustrations for retweets.

Finding a way to ignore them without changing the way that you live your life or post to social media is key.

Chloe Lattanzi’s made her Instagram private, which is better than swearing off social media altogether, and she still has tens of thousands of followers.

Because if your online life is making you suffer in real life on a regular basis, then you need to find a way to keep it from touching you.

And one day, maybe society can fix whatever the hell is so wrong with us that makes people send hateful messages to celebrities in the first place.

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Kickboxer Murthel Groenhart Says He Received Death Threats After Controversial KO

The kickboxer who knocked his opponent OUT COLD while the guy’s back was turned says he’s been getting death threats over the brutal hit … but he’s adamant it was a fair shot. We spoke with Murthel Groenhart about the backlash he’s gotten…

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Katy Perry Slammed for Controversial Statement on Manchester Tragedy

This week, many, many celebrities have taken the time to make statements about what happened Monday night at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.

That night, a man named Salman Abedi set off a bomb in the venue, killing himself and 22 others.

Over 50 people were injured, and countless others were undoubtedly traumatized by the attack. Abedi’s brother has been arrested in connection to the horrific events, and ISIS has taken responsibility.

Details are still coming out about the bombing, but the basics are that at least one man plotted to kill numerous teenagers and children during what should have been a happy event.

The whole thing is just too horrific for words, but still, people are trying.

And Katy Perry is one of those people.

In an interview, Katy said “I think the greatest thing we can do now is unite as people, as fan bases, all of it.”

“Whatever we say behind people’s backs, the Internet can be a little bit ruthless as far as fan bases go but I think the greatest thing we can do is just unite and love on each other.”

“No barriers, no borders,” she said, “we all just need to co-exist.”

It’s a harmless statement, right? Katy obviously means well, and she’s just trying to spread a simple message of love and peace — and she’s specifically talking about fan bases here, too.

But to some people, her words were really and truly offensive.

A writer for The Blaze theorized that with this point of view, Katy is “putting at least some of the blame on the people who were blown up.”

“The terrorist was led to strap on an explosive vest stuffed with nails because the world has failed to ‘unite,"” the article read.

“It was not his own decision and his own wickedness that caused him to massacre kids; it was our society with its borders and its barriers and its intolerance.”

The writer criticizes Katy for talking about unity when she couldn’t even stay united with her former husband, Russell Brand, and for saying “no barriers, no borders” when she hires bodyguards.

Fox & Friends’ Michelle Malkin also commented on Katy’s “bodyguards and security systems,” adding that she has “no sense of reality.”

Katy actually responded to Michelle on Twitter, writing “The media has edited my words out of context, I was talking about online fan culture and how we must unite now.”

Speaking of Twitter, many users have also been slamming Katy for her remarks — one person wrote “Katy Perry lectures that we need to co-exist with ISIS but she can’t manage to co-exist with Taylor Swift.”

Which, to be fair, is pretty good.

But the point is that it doesn’t make any sense that all these people think Katy Perry is going to give a thoughtful, intelligent statement on national security.

She made her statement, which wasn’t even about the world at large, it was about pop stars and their fans, and it didn’t hurt anyone.

Let’s save the outrage, just this once.

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NBA All-Star Game Headed Back To Charlotte After Controversial Bathroom Bill Is Axed

The NBA pulled the ’17 All-Star Game from Charlotte ‘cause of a controversial state law, but today said the ’19 ASG is headed back to the city after the bill was repealed. Here’s the situation … in July, 2016, the league moved the game from…

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Miss USA 2017: And the Controversial Winner Is...

A new Miss USA has been crowned.

But not without the sort of controversy that often accompanies beauty pageants of this nature.

First, however, the facts from Sunday night:

Kára McCullough earned the honor of Miss USA 2017 by defeating 50 other women from across the country, impressing judges with her beauty, talents and intelligence.

A scientist at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, McCullough held off strong challenges from runner-up Meredith Gould (Miss Minnesota) and Chhavi Verg (Miss New Jersey).

McCullough, meanwhile, represented the District of Columbia.

Dancing With the Stars’ veteran Julianne Hough and Terrence J hosted the competition, which aired live from the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on the Las Vegas Strip and which featured performances from Pitbull and country star Brett Eldredge.

Ashley Graham worked backstage as a co-host, while Halima Aden, Carson Kressley, Brooke Lee, Nancy Lublin, Jeannie Mai and Janet Mock chose the winners.

Now, on to the remarks that turned McCullough into a trending topic on Twitter…

With Congress having recently voted to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a plan that would take away health care from millions of Americans, the contestants were asked for their thoughts on this polarizing political subject.

And the eventual winner McCullough sent some heads shaking on Sunday night when she said affordable health care in America is a “privilege” instead of a “right.

“I’m definitely going to say it’s a privilege,” McCullough explained during the question-and-answer segment, expounding as follows:

“As a government employee, I’m granted health care.

“And I see firsthand that for one, to have health care, you need to have jobs, so therefore we need to continue to cultivate this environment so that we’re given the opportunities to have health care as well as jobs for all Americans worldwide.”

In response to this point of view, Twitter users slammed McCullough, saying they hoped she didn’t take home the crown.

“Miss DC was my fav but … not after that answer,” wrote Twitter user Charlsley Carey. “Everyone has a right to health care.”

Added Kathy Lovett: “Well I guess poor people don’t deserve health care because the new Miss USA said it was a privilege.”

But McCullough did have her defenders, and we’re not just talking about the judges who awarded her the grand prize later in the evening.

“Miss USA is beautiful inside and out,” tweeted Politixgal. “Healthcare IS NOT a right. It costs money & someone has to pay. You shd be paying for your own.”

This, of course, is far from the first time that a beauty pageant contestant created a firestorm with politically-charged comments.

Remember the reaction after Carrie Prejean expressed her stance on gay marriage back in 2009?

View Slideshow: 19 Ugly Beauty Pageant Scandals

Clearly hoping to stir up social media, Miss USA organizers also asked the following question of this year’s contestants:

What do you consider feminism to be, and do you consider yourself a feminist?

Replied McCullough:

“As a woman scientist in the government, I’d like to lately transpose the word feminism to equalism. I don’t really want to consider myself – try not to consider myself like this die-hard, you know, like, ‘Oh, I don’t really care about men.’

“But one thing I’m gonna say, though, is women, we are just as equal as men when it comes to opportunity in the workplace…

“And I say firsthand: I have witnessed the impact that women have in leadership in the medical sciences, as well as just in the office environment.

“So as Miss USA, I would hope to promote that type of leadership responsibility globally to so many women worldwide.”

In a video shared on the Miss USA Twitter account after the competition, McCullough cried backstage as she said she was feeling “extremely overwhelmed with joy,” given that she had just entered the pageant for fun.

She concluded:

“I decided to take life as it comes, and if I could encourage anyone else in the world to do that, please – just take your time.

“Understand the process is so much more important to focus on than just looking toward the outcome.”

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Shea Moisture Apologizes for Controversial Ad: We Really F--ked This One Up!

Shea Moisture isn’t often confused with PepsiCo.

But, like the soda giant just a few weeks ago, the beauty brand has been forced to issue an apology in the face of mounting criticism over an ad its long-time customer base finds very distasteful.

First, let’s take a look at the commercial in question:

Shea Moisture Ad

As you can see, the spot opens with an African-American woman who says she was mocked throughout the years for her natural curls.

The video then transitions to a blonde woman who explains that she didn’t “know what to do” with her hair, followed by a redheaded woman complaining about dyeing her locks.

The overall message here is for people to “break free from hair hate.”

Unlike that horrid Kendall Jenner ad, It may be difficult to understand the controversy behind this commercial at first.

A bit of background helps:

The company was founded by Richelieu Dennis, who came to the United States from Liberia and who has always focused on women of color.

As a result, those who have used and followed Shea Moisture for years believe this spot is an example of the company turning its back on its roots in the black community.

Critics think the above commercial is an affront Shea’s core customer.

Others don’t fault Shea for certain aspects of the ad, but believe the company wasn’t really seeing the big picture:

“Seeing Shea Moisture make a campaign trying to expand their brand to white people by getting rid of their target audience is upsetting,” wrote another user.

And these critiques didn’t fall on deaf ears.

In an usual move, not only did the company yank this commercial… it issued a detailed, honest, sort of hilarious mea culpa in response.

“Wow, okay – so guys, listen, we really f–ked this one up,” Shea wrote on Facebook, adding at length:

“Please know that our intention was not – and would never be – to disrespect our community, and as such, we are pulling this piece immediately because it does not represent what we intended to communicate.

“You guys know that we have always stood for inclusion in beauty and have always fought for our community and given them credit for not just building our business but for shifting the beauty landscape.”

The statement concluded:

While this campaign included several different videos showing different ethnicities and hair types to demonstrate the breadth of each individual’s hair journey, we must absolutely ensure moving forward that our community is well-represented in each one so that the women who have led this movement never feel that their hair journey is minimized in any way.

Thank you all, as always, for the honest and candid feedback. We hear you. We’re listening. We appreciate you. We count on you. And we’re always here for you.

Thank you, #SheaFam, for being there for us, even when we make mistakes. Here’s to growing and building together…

Pretty good response, right?

The Facebook post above has been Liked nearly 6,000 times in just a few hours, so it looks as if the company is on the right track.

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