The Parkland shooting suspect is getting fan mail, money, and sexual pictures in jail
(Photo: tfund)
Nikolas Cruz, who is charged with 17 counts of murder for the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., is getting fan mail, sexually suggestive photographs of young women, money, and more sent to jail.
According to the Sun Sentinal, which obtained copies of some of the letters, the 19-year-old is âbeing showered with attentionâ while being held at the Broward County jail. Broward County Public Defender Howard Finkelstein estimated that Cruz has received between 100 and 200 pieces in the mail since he arrived in mid-February. âIn my 40 years as public defender, Iâve never seen this many letters to a defendant. Everyone now and then gets a few, but nothing like this,â he told the paper.Â
While the jail, which screens all incoming missives (minus legal documents), has read Cruz some of the religious letters, Finkelstein noted that âwe have not and will not read him the fan letters or share the photos of scantily-clad teenage girls.â
Cruz currently has about $800 in his commissary account, and Finkelstein shared that this has been filled, in part, by his fanbase. To raise funds, some supporters have gone so far as to create merchandise, including a $2 purple bracelet with the words âJustice for Nikâ and T-shirts that read âI stand with Nikolas Cruz.â
(Photo: Ebay)
However for Finkelstein, itâs the letters that shake him up the most because âthey are written by regular, everyday teenage girls from across the nation. ⌠That scares me. Itâs perverted.â Finkelstein added that he worries âeveryday boys and girls are starting to view him in an elevated way, looking up to his fame and notoriety.â
Gaining this celebrity status most likely served as one of Cruzâs motivators for perpetuating the massacre. âThis love for notoriety and the desire to get it by being an anti-hero or villain goes back to Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, and Jack the Ripper,â Sherry Hamby, PhD, a research professor of psychology at Sewanee, the University of the South, and the founding editor of the American Psychological Associationâs journal Psychology of Violence, told Yahoo Lifestyle.
âThere are lots of figures from our past that have gone down in history in this way and proven that itâs a successful way to go down in history,â Hamby explained. âThe desire to have fame in and of itself is not unusual or pathological, but thereâs definitely this subgroup of the population who want to get it any way they can, and violence is not off the table for them.â
The media, Yahoo included, is partly to blame for the accused shooterâs fame. A problem resulting from reporting on mass shootings is, according to Hamby, that the tragedies have been proven to act âlike an infectious disease, and have elements of whatâs known as social contagion.â Unfortunately, one of the side-effects of so much attention is exposure to high-risk, vulnerable youth. And for those who are experiencing a lot of rejection, alienation, and family problems, associating with figures like Cruz can have a âtitillatingâ effect. While most individuals respond to tragedies like the one at Parkland with horror, distress, or frustration, a person psychologically at risk can yield a completely different response.Â
âItâs just hard to even begin to express how different their reaction could be,â Hamby noted. âThey see this, and it looks like power, a way of showing everybody. It may remind them of things theyâve seen in other violent media or video games and is now made real to them, and they might have a very positive response.â
Research is starting to emerge revealing how important it is, even in milder cases, how to disperse information during events like mass shootings, Hamby said, adding, âYou have to be careful in how you talk about this so it doesnât cause some to fantasize and project themselves into the world of the bad guy.â
Additional reporting by Jennifer Gerson Uffalussy.Â
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94-year-old has the sweetest reaction to finding out her granddaughter likes girls: 'What a relief'
If only coming out to family members could be this easy for everyone.
Hayley Kiyoko, whose fans have bestowed her with the nickname âLesbian Jesusâ for her pop anthems celebrating and exploring LGBT relationships, shared an email she received from her grandmother that has the internet feeling all the feels.
An email from my 94 year old Grandma. I guess she finally knows I like girls. What a relief. pic.twitter.com/diK3PjRW2a
â Hayley Kiyoko (@HayleyKiyoko) March 27, 2018
The note, shared via screenshot in a tweet by Kiyoko, read, âSaw your Video of you Pop song it is interesting to see it seems like such a high energy song. Today it seems like this is what the younger generation like. I am so happy for you that you are doing so well and promoting your album. Take care and keep well. Much Love Grandma.â The singer added herself, âAn email from my 94 year old Grandma. I guess she finally knows I like girls. What a relief.â
The email is most likely referencing Kiyokoâs newest music video, which is for the single âCurious,â off her debut album Expectations. In it, a woman shows up to a party to meet a man, but her ex, played by Kiyoko, is there as well. The video ends with Kiyoko and the woman making out in the bathroom, which is how Kiyokoâs grandmother was seemingly tipped off that she likes girls.
People on social media are loving the honest email.
your 94 year old grandma is writing emails?! goals
also, her response: G O A L S
â carla (@carlawaslike) March 27, 2018
Your grandma is so pure I love her pic.twitter.com/jUQOQ0cQiv
â m (@haylesus) March 27, 2018
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL my family could never
â (@ftdtana) March 27, 2018
Damn wish we could all have hit songs it would be so much easier
â Frankie (@stillwaters_) March 27, 2018
So lovely to see. Although open-mindedness and embracing multiculture is growing, there is still a lot of stigma and old fashioned worldviews being held onto in our society, feeling shame and embarrasment of their younger generations choices
â Desi J-V (@DesiJV) March 28, 2018
Kiyoko told Billboard that the âthe whole point of doing the video [for âCuriousâ] was growing up there was no content that was hopeful. Every video or movie that I watched that involved any kind of romantic story between two women ended in suicide. Or made me feel terrible about liking girls. So I felt like I needed to do something that ended on a positive note because there is hope and I need to spread that.â
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Chip Gaines has very controversial opinions about avocado toast
Chip and Joanna Gainesâs new restaurant Magnolia Table opened this week, and on Tuesday, the behind-the-scenes process from conception to construction to finished product was revealed on the penultimate episode of Fixer Upper.
Obviously, the space is classic Chip and Jo. The couple took the oldest restaurant in Waco, Texas, the Elite Cafe, and gave it a modern farmhouse upgrade complete with vaulted ceilings, exposed and restored shiplap, witty metal signs, custom subway tile, extra-long wood tables (designed by Clint Harp, of course), and other design and construction elements the Gainesâs have become famous for.
However, while fans of the show know that Joâs a master baker and Chip is a ham sandwich connoisseur, whether or not the mavens behind the Magnolia empire have a flair for crafting a menu too had yet to be revealed.
Real mean eat #AvocadoToast @chipgaines #FixerUpper pic.twitter.com/LIioxBbTVQ
â HGTV (@hgtv) March 28, 2018
And while discussing what dishes would be featured in the restaurant, Chip and Jo got into a heated debate about the merits of avocado toast. âThatâs disgusting babe nobody wants avocado on their toast,â Chip told Jo, who dismissed his claim with a wave and an âIâm done.â He went on to finish eating his pancakes and eat his wifeâs bacon.
To get the publicâs opinion, Chip commandeered the sign outside of the restaurant to ask passerby to honk once for yes to avocado toast and twice for no.
What's your vote: 1 honk or 2? #FixerUpper #AvocadoToast pic.twitter.com/llCPcjHkQv
â HGTV (@hgtv) March 28, 2018
When the episode aired, many took to social media to weigh in as well.
âIf you want avocado toast youâre not welcome here.â Well said Chip.
â Brecka Moore (@BreckaMoore) March 28, 2018
HONK HONK!!
â Patty Ray (@PattyRay1111) March 28, 2018
I love Chip's use of the marquee sign to ask if people want avocado toast. #FixerUpper âŚI'd vote no.
â Amy (@Amy_blueeyes) March 28, 2018
LOVE avocado toast!! Sorry Chip.
â Ellen Brink (@ellenb33) March 28, 2018
âIf you want avocado on your toast youâre not welcome!â Iâm actually Chip Gaines
â Payt (@paytontaughtyou) March 28, 2018
@joannagaines Thanks. Now I want avocado toast. Tell Chip avocados are the best!
â Isabel Archer (@BlueEMT) March 28, 2018
avocado toast is the bomb, but the avocados have to be mashed on the toast. lox, capers, dill, and even an egg makes it extra delicious! #ishouldknowcuzhubbymakesitforme
â Jodi (@lahockeygirl) March 28, 2018
#AvocadoToast is a food group in heaven.
â Joy Hilley (@AmpersandArtist) March 28, 2018
Obviously, enough people sided with Jo because the dish made the cut. The Magnolia Table version of the popular open-faced sandwich consists of wheat berry toast with garlic aioli, fresh avocado served with red pepper flakes, sea salt, and a lemon wedge on the side. Itâs finished with micro greens tossed with basil oil. Itâs selling for $8 but a poached egg can be added for $1.50.
Team Jo or Team Chip? Tell us in the comments below.
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Don't ignore someone's flirty Instagram messages, bride-to-be warns
The first time Mack Brown saw Jacqueline Laurean Yates, it was on his friendâs Instagram â and he was instantly captivated. So Brown texted their mutual pal and asked for Yateâs number (before he even knew her name).
(GIF: Itâs Love)
While Brownâs dreams were immediately shot down by the mutual friend, that didnât deter him. He started a social media campaign that included liking Yatesâ posts and leaving encouraging comments like âlookinâ good as alwaysâ to get her attention. But when those efforts failed to make an impression, he sent her direct messages asking her to get ice cream in order to make his intentions abundantly clear.
(GIF: Itâs Love)
So Brown and Yates went on their first date at Cold Stone and fittingly enough, the first thing she said to him was pretty chilly. Yates wasnât shy about letting Brown know her first impression of seeing him IRL, saying, âYou look taller on Instagram.â (Side note: Heâs 5Ⲡ8.â)
When you train bae so now she got handsâŚâŚ #betternottrytohitmetho #bodiesbymack1 #fitforlife #fitnessforlife #healthiswealth #instafit #cardio
A post shared by Fitness/lifestyle Coach (@bodiesbymack1) on Jul 11, 2016 at 6:08pm PDT
Despite the shade, they hit it off because of how much they have in common, most notably fitness and kettlebells. And while their shared interests are important to Brown, what really attracted him to Yates was her ambition. The fact that sheâs always âtrying to go further and further in lifeâ inspired Brown to do the same. âJackie was the support system I needed,â Brown says of starting his own personal fitness studio, Bodies by Mack.
And because of the major part Yates played in helping Brown chase his dreams, he proposed to her in his gym and invited all their loved ones to witness it. âI called everyone â mom, aunts, uncles, friends from out of state, co-workers,â he says.
So yesterday went a little something like thisâŚBae told me he wanted me to participate in a fitness shoot at his studio. I thought to myself, âIâm down.âââď¸I went out and bought a cropped @nike sweatshirt and some fresh new leggings. Yesterday, we ran up to the door, and next thing you know, âSURPRISE!â My beloved family, friends and co-workers were all standing before me with phones in hand. Before I knew it, he was down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes, and the rest will be a movie Iâm ready for us to star in! Still in awe! My best friend is now my fiancĂŠ. Real recognize real. I love you @bodiesbymack1 foreva evaaaaa!!!⨠#issafiancĂŠ
A post shared by Jacqueline Laurean Yates (@jacquelinelaurean) on Nov 19, 2017 at 7:01am PST
Yates concedes that Brown âdid a good jobâ when he popped the question. As for Brown, heâs just overjoyed she said yes. âThese past few years have been some of the best years of my life. I got a chance to be engaged to my soulmate and my best friend,â he shares.
(GIF: Itâs Love)
For Yates, she wants her love story to be a cautionary tale: âMy piece of advice for all the ladies out there: do not sleep on anybody sliding into your DMs â it can be your future husband.â
Want more love? Of course you do!
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Do you have a love story to share? Tell us in the comments below, send us an email at
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People are wearing #MSDStrong shirts for nationwide student walkout
Students from James Ferris High School march outside of the school during a student walkout on March 14 in Jersey City, N.J. Students across the country participated in a nationwide walkout Wednesday to protest gun violence, one month after the deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla. (Photo: Julio Cortez/AP)
On Wednesday, a month after 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., thousands of students participated in a nationwide walkout. While the larger purpose of the protest serves to highlight what some perceive as the U.S. governmentâs inaction on preventing gun violence, many participants are making smaller statements of their own through posters, chants, and tweets.
One of the more prominent messages was #MSDStrong, seen emblazoned on maroon T-shirts. So where did everyone get their apparel for a good cause? Following the shooting in February, a group of Marjory Stoneman Douglas students launched an e-commerce platform to sell the T-shirts and sweatshirts, which many saved to wear just for this important occasion.
Our daughters wanted to do something to support the #MSDstrong kids. So they will wear these today at their Academy. All kids want to feel safe, they need to know we support them #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/HbYvO7ucu0
â Ron L Pitts⢠(@RonLPitts) March 14, 2018
In honor of the 1 month anniversary, I take the @ParentsPromise and we wear our #MSDStrong shirts to school & work today.#ParentsPromiseToKids #PPTK#SafetyOverGuns#NeverAgain#NeverAgainMSD#CrazyHairDay
Take note @FLGovScott @marcorubio @SenBillNelson â we aren't going away pic.twitter.com/yLk3MroYbM
â Traci Halky (@TraciHalky) March 14, 2018
#MSDStrong repped Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS today, and although me buying a t-shirt doesnât fix the problem at hand, iâm proud to show my support to the community that has gone through the unimaginable. our generation is the change. pic.twitter.com/srGpxrjAay
â presley (@PresleyWoodbury) March 13, 2018
According to USA Today, the online shop made $175,000 in one week. Profits from the sales of the items â T-shirts are $20 and hoodies are $35 â benefit the Broward Education Foundationâs GoFundMe, which was launched a day after the shooting and has raised $4 million to date.Â
Not only did people wear the official #MSDStrong shirts, they made their own â with a twist. At Clearwater High School, for example, students sported tees with their own mascot, a tornado, and an eagle to represent solidarity with the nearby Florida school.
Students have designed shirts combined Clearwaterâs mascot, the Tornado, with Marjory Stoneman Douglas Highâs mascot, the Eagle. pic.twitter.com/LlmkfPBONO
â Colleen Wright (@Colleen_Wright) March 14, 2018
Clearwater High seniors had these shirt made to show their support of #MarjoryStonemanDouglasHigh and the #Parkland victims @WFLA pic.twitter.com/E2Znocd9hz
â Amanda Ciavarri (@WFLAAmanda) March 14, 2018
At Tulpehocken High School in Pennsylvania, students werenât allowed to participate in the walkout, so members of the student council wore long-sleeved shirts with #DouglasStrong on them instead.
Since Tulpehocken couldnât do the #walkout the student council wore these shirts in support of parkland @PrincipalMSD pic.twitter.com/SxfmJFINqO
â Ari.Ari.A (@Aria64082411) March 14, 2018
Of course, people also purchased shirts through Etsy, Redbubble, Teespring, and other online stores, all profiting from the tragedy instead of donating the funds to victims. However, the people wearing them seem to be doing so for the right reasons â and thatâs what counts.
Today marks one month since the tragedy at Stoneman Douglas, teachers at my school are wearing this shirt in honor of the 17 victims and to raise awareness â¤ď¸ #MSDstrong #NeverAgain pic.twitter.com/tFRgoy8eLS
â Javi (@Perdomus_) March 14, 2018
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Two Jewish mothers played matchmaker at Sweetgreen and got their kids to fall in love
When Jillian Hershman and her parents popped into Sweetgreen, a fast casual salad chain, in New York City to grab a bite to eat after a long day of shopping, she knew sheâd have a great meal â but she never expected to leave with a date.
For Aaron Marcus though, as soon as he saw Jillian walk into the restaurant he was determined to not âlet her leave without talking to her.â And thanks to his Jewish motherâs matchmaking, he was able to do just that.
While Jillian went to the counter to order, her mom saved the family a table. And instead of playing Words With Friends on her phone, she instead talked with Mrs. Marcus about vinaigrette. The conversation quickly shifted away from Guacamole Greens and onto dating. âMy mom said is that your daughter, is she single? She said, this is my single Jewish son,â Aaron remembers.
When Jillian got back to the table to eat, her mom kept elbowing her and winking at her new friend. âI was mortified, refused to look in his direction,â she says of avoiding Aaronâs gaze.
Despite the lack of eye contact, Aaron made a move anyway. âI introduced myself to Jillian, who still didnât really look at me, and then got her phone number.â He adds, âThanks, Mom, who knew youâd be the best wing woman.â
(GIF: Itâs Love)
After parting ways, Aaron basically spent the entire rest of the afternoon attempting to craft the perfect text message to ask Jillian out. Instead, he kept things straight and just asked when she was free that week and they went on their first date a few days later. âA Friday seemed a little bit aggressive for a first date but I just went with my gut and decided to do it,â Jillian says.
They went on their second date two days later and, according to Aaron, âthat was it, we were datingâ from then on â but not Jillian because he waited two and a half months to actually ask her to be his girlfriend. âI didnât know we still had to do that, I was planning on just proposing soon but I guess I had to ask her to be my girlfriend first.â
Cut to three years later, Aaron did just that. âHe brought me to this really awesome restaurant upstate with a farm,â she says. âWe were walking around the farm before dinner and he dropped down to one knee and propped to me. It was a really nice surprise.â
(GIF: Itâs Love)
They got married this past October and you better believe that they still eat Sweetgreen all the time. And while the saying goes âAlcohol: because no great story ever started with someone eating a salad,â Jillian and Aaron prove thatâs far from the truth.
Want more love? Read about how the WWEâs Nattie and T.J. met as kids and have been going strong â literally â ever since. Also check out how Macklemore helped 2 superfans come together and find true love.
Do you have a love story to share? Tell us in the comments below, send us an email at
[email protected], or message us on on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
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Ashley Graham didn't attend the Oscars but her stunning after party look stole the show
Ashley Graham arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 4, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Leave it to Ashley Graham to steal the show â even though she wasnât invited.
While the model didnât score a coveted ticked to the 2018 Oscars ceremony, she did attend the Vanity Fair after party where she wore a metallic gown that made her one of the best dressed of the night.
Ashley Graham arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 4, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
The dress, which gave off the appearance of being made with liquid metal, featured a sweetheart neckline and a ruched bodice. The stunning piece also had a thigh-high slit that showed off her left leg.
Graham was also at the event in 2016 and on Instagram she said the red look she wore was one of her favorite dresses.
Still one of my favorite dress from #VanityFair Oscars 2016 ..looking forward to tonight!!!!!!!!
A post shared by A S H L E Y G R A H A M (@theashleygraham) on Mar 4, 2018 at 9:36pm PST
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Why so many celebrities are wearing white on the Oscars red carpet
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Paris Jackson shows off her tattoos in plunging bodysuit for the 2018 Oscars party
BEVERLY HILLS, CA â MARCH 04: Paris Jackson attends the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 4, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
On Sunday night at the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Paris Jackson wore a green gown that, as many on social media said, gave off major Tinker Bell vibes.
Of course, this comparison would be more fitting if the fictional Peter Pan character could get her hands on Versace and pull off a sparkly bodysuit with attached chiffon train like the 19-year-old. Jacksonâs look also included crystal embellished shoulder pads and the plunging neckline showed off the line of tattoos down her chest. She kept her accessorizing simple and let the ensemble be the centerpiece of her look and pulled her blonde hair up into a messy ponytail.
A post shared by Paris-Michael K. Jackalope (@parisjackson) on Mar 5, 2018 at 4:02am PST
Jacksonâs look was certainly a standout at the event, but her dispatches from inside the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hill, Calif., highlighted others in attendance.
j lawâs bangin
â Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) March 5, 2018
frances mcdormand deserves the world
â Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) March 5, 2018
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Why so many celebrities are wearing white on the Oscars red carpet
Stars show major skin on the Oscars red carpet
Jane Fonda, 80, rocks tight white gown with shoulder pads to the 2018 Oscars
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Accused rapist Kobe Bryant wins Oscar in time of #MeToo
On Sunday night, Kobe Bryant won an Oscar for Best Animated Short for Dear Basketball, which is based on a poem he wrote in 2015 after announcing his retirement from the Los Angeles Lakers.
In his acceptance speech, the five-time NBA championship winner took a dig at Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham: âAs basketball players, weâre really supposed to shut up and dribble. But Iâm glad we do a little bit more than that,â he said.
However, while the athleteâs win and dig is being celebrated by some, many are also noting the fact that it comes at a time when the entertainment industry is empowered by the #MeToo movement and most attendees are wearing Timeâs Up pins. Meanwhile, Bryant was accused of and arrested for sexual assault.
In 2003, a 19-year-old hotel employee in Eagle, Colorado, claimed she was raped by the former NBA player. According to court documents, what started as consensual kissing quickly escalated. âPutting his hands on me, grabbing my butt, my chest. Trying to lift up my skirt. Proceeded to take off his own pants. Trying to grab my hand and make me touch him,â she said.
âHe lifted up my skirt, took off my underwear and, and came inside me,â she told police. âThen he leaned his face toward mine and asked me if I liked it when a guy came on my face, I said no. Then he was like what did you say. Grabbed and like tightened his hold on my neck, I said no. He said he was gonna do it anyway.â
Bryant initially denied any interaction with the victim when he was first questioned by the police. He later was informed that she had submitted to a physical exam, and then he claimed that the encounter was consensual. Bryant continued to deny the sexual assault accusation, though.
The case against Bryant was dismissed after the accuser opted not to testify. A civil case was settled out of court. âAlthough I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did,â Bryant stated through his lawyer. âAfter months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.â
While Bryantâs alleged crimes happened more than a decade ago and have largely been overlooked the past few years â especially when it comes to celebrating his basketball achievements â many on social media couldnât help but notice the inconsistency of the Academy Awards honoring both #MeToo and an accused rapist.
Kobe Bryant winning an oscar is a good reminder that #MeToo is⌠not enough
â (@alyssakeiko) March 5, 2018
Anyway, Kobe Bryant has an Oscar AND a sexual assault allegation.
â Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) March 5, 2018
Hollywood: TIME'S UP
Also Hollywood: Congratulations to Oscar winner Kobe Bryant!!!
â Caroline Framke (@carolineframke) March 5, 2018
Anything inconsistent in Kobe Bryant winning an Oscar in the midst of #MeToo ?
â Scott Simon (@nprscottsimon) March 5, 2018
So Harvey Weinstein gets kicked out of Hollywood and Kobe Bryant gets two jerseys retired and wins an Oscar in the same #metoo year. Simply amazing.
â Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 5, 2018
So we're all just⌠ignoring the whole Kobe rape accusation thing I guess huh?
â Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) March 5, 2018
Hollywood â "Women are important!"
Also Hollywood â "Here's Kobe Bryant, who sexually assaulted a woman!"
On Sunday night, Hollywood sent a powerful message that time was UPâŚ
⌠on Kobe Bryantâs Oscar-less years!
â Todd VanDerWerff (@tvoti) March 5, 2018
The hypocrisy of Bryantâs win â and presence in general â is notable too because men like James Franco, Casey Affleck, Kevin Spacey, and more have been ostracized from Hollywood for their sexual misconduct allegations.
As Los Angeles Times writer Robin Abcarian put it, âWhy are the sexual misdeeds of some men forgivable, while others are not?â
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Disclosure: Verizon, Oathâs parent company (which Yahoo Lifestyle is a part of), distributed the film Dear Basketball.
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Meryl Streep wore one of the most revealing gowns at the Oscars (seriously)
Unlike the Golden Globes, the Oscars on Sunday night did not have a dress code. But, if there was one thing that most attendeesâs looks had in common, it was showing a lot of skin. From Meryl Streepâs low neckline to Nicole Kidmanâs high leg slit, here are the most revealing dresses â and one suit! â of the night.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
â˘Jane Fonda, 80, rocks tight white gown with shoulder pads to the 2018 Oscars
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Meryl Streep in Dior
Meryl Streepâs red Dior gown was pretty simple â but was a stand out thanks to the color and the plunging neckline. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Molly Sims in Naeem Khan
Molly Sims not only wore a sheer dress, but she showed skin thanks to a low neckline and high leg slit too. (Photo: Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Nicole Kidman in Armani Prive
Nicole Kidmanâs front slit and sweetheart neckline made for a stunning and sexy look. (Photo: Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton
Emma Stone proves that you donât need to wear a dress to be a standout on the red carpet. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Gal Gadot in Givenchy
Gal Gadot accessorized her decolletage with a large pendant. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Kate Capshaw
Kate Capshaw covered up her chest with sheer fabric. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Rita Hayek
Lebanese actress Rita Hayek flashed sideboob and side leg in a rainbow dress. (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Lupita Nyongâo in Versace
Nyongâo attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
(Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Taraji P. Henson in Vera Wang
Henson worked a black chiffon gown with a thigh-high leg slit. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Gina Rodriguez
Gina Rodriguez attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Abbie Cornish
Abbie Cornish attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Leslie Bibb
Leslie Bibb attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Samara Weaving
Samara Weaving attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Annie Clark
Annie Clark of St. Vincent attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Kelly Marie Tran
Kelly Marie Tran attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Blanca Blanco
Blanca Blanco attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
Betty Gabriel
Betty Gabriel attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
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Kathy Griffin offers to hire the stylist who accused Ryan Seacrest of sexual misconduct
Kathy Griffin. (Photo: Getty Images)
Kathy Griffin wants to help Suzie Hardy, the stylist who accused Ryan Seacrest of sexual misconduct, because no one did the same for her after she faced public backlash for appearing in a photo shoot in which she held a bloodied severed fake head of President Donald Trump.
âHey Suzie Hardy, I will do for you that which no one did for me after May 30,â the 57-year-old comedienne tweeted on Sunday night. âAfter you were brave enough to speak out Iâm happy to offer you a job as my stylist to dress me this week for Jimmy Kimmel and Real Time & Iâll PAY you. What ya think?â
Hey Suzie Hardy, I will do for you that which no one did for me after May 30. After you were brave enough to speak out Iâm happy to offer you a job as my stylist to dress me this week for Jimmy Kimmel and Real Time & Iâll PAY you. What ya think? KG #Oscars
â Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 5, 2018
While Hardy, who went public with her claims against Seacrest, 43, on Monday saying she was subjected to years of âunwanted sexual aggression,â has yet to respond to Griffinâs offer, many on social media are.
Thanks for using your platform to speak for Suzie Hardy when so many others have been silent.
â Kathy Feeley (@kafeeley) March 5, 2018
Money talksâŚ.
âŚIâ¤ď¸Kathy
â Shanice Goodwin (@ShaniceNinja) March 5, 2018
You are the Queen Bee !!!
â kim young (@kimyoun11732107) March 5, 2018
You are amazing.
â Stephanie Marie (@smsauceda) March 5, 2018
Class act
â Rhonda Lomazow (@rhondareads) March 5, 2018
Griffin has been vocal about the lack of support she received after the Trump scandal in May 2017. At the Writers Guild Awards in February, she said, âI just want to thank all the powerful writers and showrunners in this room for f***ing no support. Where the f*** have you been?âŚI was supposed to thank everyone for their support, and no one [lifted] their finger.â
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:Â
Jane Fonda, 80, rocks tight white gown with shoulder pads to the 2018 Oscars
Adam Ripponâs bondage suit at the Oscars has the internet reacting
Actress Blanca Blanco wears a red gown to the Oscars thatâs basically a âwardrobe malfunction waiting to happenâ
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Jane Fonda, 80, rocks tight white gown with shoulder pads to the 2018 Oscars
Jane Fonda attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo: Getty Images)
Jane Fonda loves a good shoulder pad moment.
The 1980s exercise icon is still a fan of the bygone fashion trend, as evidenced by the white gown she wore to the Oscars on Sunday. The fitted gown featured long sleeves, a short train, and an angular neckline. Most notably, the Balmain number has shoulder pads, a favorite style of Fondaâs over the years.
She wore them to the 2013 Academy Awards.
Jane Fonda at the Oscars on February 24, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo: Getty Images)
The 2016 Grammy Awards.
Jane Fonda attends the 2016 Pre-GRAMMY Gala and Salute to Industry Icons honoring Irving Azoff at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 14, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo: Getty Images)
The 2015 Grammy Awards.
Jane Fonda at the Grammys in 2015 wearing Balmain. (Photo: Getty Images)
And the 2016 Hollywood Film Awards.
Jane Fonda in Balmain at the Hollywood Film Awards in 2016. (Photo: Getty Images)
Fondaâs been wearing shoulder pads for decades, but at 80, sheâs better than ever. And Twitter agrees:
JANE FONDA IS ALWAYS SERVING LOOKS, SHE IS FLAWLESS #Oscars pic.twitter.com/EXKrYKv50d
â âŮ (@nicolskidman) March 4, 2018
jane fonda is an actual goddess, she looks ethereal. she really snapped pic.twitter.com/PFS7HlpuUG
â ellie (@griiffinskane) March 4, 2018
JANE FONDA IN ALL WHITE OHMYGOD #Oscars pic.twitter.com/YF3qpLOP9r
â panchhi (@catexblanchett) March 4, 2018
Hereâs Jane Fonda. Youâre welcome. #oscars pic.twitter.com/IQvblNJG9u
â Rebecca Keegan (@ThatRebecca) March 4, 2018
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:Â
Actress Blanca Blanco wears a red gown to the Oscars thatâs basically a âwardrobe malfunction waiting to happenâ
Pregnant Chrissy Teigen is giving away her Oscar dress so she can eat tacos
SofĂa Vergara complaining about a tight dress and heels is all of us
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
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Actress Blanca Blanco wears a red gown to the Oscars that's basically a 'wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen'
Blanca Blanco attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo: Getty Images)
Blanca Blanco, the actress who made a statement at the Golden Globes by wearing a red dress while a majority of the other attendees opted for black gowns to protest sexual harassment in the entertainment industry, is back with another standout look.
At the Oscars on Sunday, Blanco again walked the red carpet in the standout color from designer Atria Couture. According to Fox News, Blanco helped design the dress. âThe colors I selected were important to me because those colors symbolize equality, new beginnings and passion,â she said.
And while her last look featured cutouts across the front, her number for the Academy Awards similarly revealed a lot of skin but in a different manner. The front of the dress was plunging and dipped to her torso, just right above her bellybutton. The piece also had a high leg slit.
As one person on Twitter put it, the dress was basically a âwardrobe malfunction waiting to happen.â
Blanca Blanco ⌠oh there's a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen⌠eek #oscars pic.twitter.com/ErqxiWomib
â Skinny Doll (@theskinnydoll) March 4, 2018
After being criticized for her sexy look in January, she said that the critique hurt her feelings. âBut I guess itâs part of being in our industry,â she said. âWe have people who appreciate you and others that donât. The designer Atria Couture did an amazing job with my dress and I appreciate them for dressing me. Shaming is part of the problem.â
Blanca Blanco was shamed for not participating in the all-black dress code at the Golden Globes and instead wearing a sexy, red dress. (Photo: Getty Images)
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:Â
Allison Janney, 58, wows in fuchsia on Independent Spirit Awards red carpet
Pregnant Chrissy Teigen is giving away her Oscar dress so she can eat tacos
SofĂa Vergara complaining about a tight dress and heels is all of us
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Why WWE's Nattie and T.J. call their relationship 'unorthodox' and 'non-traditional'
Natalya Neidhart and T.J. Wilson have known each other 27 years since meeting as kids. But theirs isnât your typical girl falls in love with the boy next door and live happily ever after kind of story. âI can remember meeting Nattie at her grandfatherâs house â and about 5 minutes later she told me off,â Wilson fondly recalls of his first interaction with his longtime love.
(Photo: Courtesy of Nattie and T.J.)
While Nattie disputes this account, she doesnât argue with the fact that he âdrove her crazy until I was about 15â and that their relationship is âunorthodoxâ and ânon-traditionalâ (but, as T.J. says, âitâs love nonethelessâ) â which makes sense considering their lives have revolved around wrestling for decades.
(GIF: Itâs Love)
Call Nattie the Kate Middleton of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Her father, Jim âThe Anvilâ Neidhart was a two-time WWE tag-team champion and her uncle Bret âThe Hitmanâ Hart and grandfather Stu Hart are both WWE Hall of Famers. But her royal rumble blood line isnât why T.J. was initially drawn to her when he was 12 and she 10. âWhen I first saw Nattie, it sounds so made up, but I liked her instantly,â he says.
Nattieâs attraction towards T.J. took a little more time though. âFor me, it wasnât love at first sight,â she admits. âIt wasnât until I started learning how to wrestle that there was this connection with T.J. that changed everything. He always would catch me, heâd always put himself on the line to make sure that I was safe and when youâre in the ring and youâre learning how to wrestle, itâs all about trust with your partner.â
(GIF: Itâs Love)
And T.J. agrees:Â âYou become like-minded and understand what the other is possibly going through because youâre probably going through it or have gone through it.â
(Photo: Courtesy of Nattie and T.J.)
Their connection has, in part, fueled their success. In addition to their work with WWE, Nattie is a major player on the reality show Total Divas, which plays a surprisingly important role in their relationship.
Because Nattie and T.J. have been together for so long, T.J. never proposed or asked her parents for permission to do so because they were basically married. They never actually spoke about tying the knot, happy to spend time at home with their families and cats, until producers from E! approached the couple about planning a wedding for them so it could be filmed for the show.
(Photo: Courtesy of Nattie and T.J.)
So, according to Nattie, the network took charge and planned a wedding in 5 weeks for 50 of their closest friends and family surrounded by $20,000 worth of flowers. âMy dad and my cat walked me down the aisle,â she remembers of the big day, noting there was no way she was going to get married without her cat. The cat actually had its own car service to the wedding and a custom bowtie and tuxedo.
And while their life seems extravagant now, Nattie says they âstarted together with absolutely nothing and we built everything together. Now we have such a beautiful life. We built our relationship together and it feels good because we fell in love having nothing. I donât think T.J. had $100 to his name when I fell in love with him and I was working as a waitress. Now it feels so good to share the fruits of our labor when we started with nothing so thatâs why I appreciate it so much. I appreciate every trip to Louis Vuitton.â
Want more love? Read about how Macklemore helped these 2 superfans find each other.
Do you have a love story to share? Tell us in the comments below, send us an email at
[email protected], or message us on on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
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Being an elite athlete is a full-time job â so how do Olympians make money?
(Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)
For two weeks of the year every four years, athletes competing in the Winter Olympics become celebrities. Moments like Chloe Kimâs halfpipe run, Mikaela Shiffrinâs super fast slalom skiing, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidsonâs gold medal-winning penalty shot, Jessie Digginsâs cross-country skiing photo finish, and more lead the nightly news, dominate prime time, and trend on social media.
Despite the adoration and attention Olympians receive during this time period, most arenât making bank like the other famous figures that regularly appear on NBC programming. In fact, elite athletes have to be the best of the best to even qualify for stipends from their respective sportsâs organizing body. âThere are support systems put in place once you reach a certain level so you can minimize costs and focus on training,â Erin Hamlin explains. âI had a part-time job when I needed to buy a car or for personal expenses.â
Hamlin isnât alone when it comes to juggling work with working out. From waitressing to Wanderlust, hereâs what seven Olympians do to make some dough.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, ice hockey player
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)
The last three years, Iâve worked as a strength coach back home. I worked with the University of North Dakotaâs womenâs hockey team and in a facility in Grand Forks coaching adults or high school athletes. I was doing that on top of training.
When we moved to Florida this year for residency to be with the national team full-time, I stopped working. Since Sochi, Iâd been working full-time and also training, so thatâs a lot of balancing. I was trying to rest as much as I could in between.
Sarah Hendrickson, ski jumper
Sarah Hendrickson (Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)
Iâm not in school right now, but I was taking classes part-time, on-and-off for the past couple years. I was kind of making a dent, but not at the current moment. I was working on my general [courses,] and my dream is to go into some kind of medical work. With all my knee surgeries, I was interested in PT. After I retire, thatâs my next path.
Summer Britcher, luger
Summer Britcher (Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)
Right now, I donât have a job. A few years ago, I worked as waitress to save up money, but I had to decide, am I training as well as I could be? Is the stress on my body holding me back? I couldnât have distractions. Iâd be really tired from working. I would get to the restaurant and my coworkers said, âYouâre supposed to be an athlete, how are you tired?â
Erin Hamlin, luger
(Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)
I have had a plethora of part-time jobs over the years, trying to get to the point in my career where my results would qualify me for a stipend. There are support systems put in place once you reach a certain level so you can minimize costs and focus on training. I had a part- time job when I needed to buy a car or for personal expenses. I picked up a sponsor after Sochi, a local bank where Iâm from. So thatâs kind of a job but it makes it easier to not have financial pressure.
Emily Sweeney, luger
(Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)
Iâm in the military. I am part of world class athletes program which is a full army unit based out of Fort Carson in Colorado but they allow us to train, travel, and compete and it partners well with luge. Other than that, which is literally designed to allow us to do this sport, itâs so difficult for women to have jobs at this.
Clare Egan, biathlete
(Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)
This is my full-time job. I make about $14,000 a year which is pretty good for a U.S. Olympic athlete. But thereâs my stipend that comes from U.S. biathalon, which is from private sponsors. Other countries have government support for national elite athletes and are usually employed through the military or a similar system, and they often go into the military after theyâre done with their professional athletic career. Whereas in the U.S. all of our athletes are supported by private sponsors.
Being an athlete at the top of the international field is a full-time job. We train year-round, usually six days a week, usually twice a day, and on the road five months in the winter plus a month or two here and there for training camps, so thereâs not really time in the day or year to be doing another job. The whole lifestyle is also part of the job â Iâm eating and stretching and filling out my training log between those trainings, Iâm resting and eating again, and at night Iâm not going out with my friends, Iâm going on my training log again and maybe doing some practice shooting and going to bed early. I think thatâs pretty typical for an elite athlete.
Faye Guilini, snowboarder
(Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)
Itâs not super lucrative currently. I do odd jobs. Right now I do event stuff like Wanderlust in Tahoe that big yoga event. Iâll go there for a week, make some good money there and then go home. I worked Sturgis, which is a big motorcycle rally, this year. Events where I can go, itâs pretty dense for about 11 days, but then I can come home with a chunk of change. Iâm fortunate enough that all my snowboarding is paid for, my schoolingâs paid for, my health insurance, and I do get money snowboarding, but this way I have a cushion. The money I have from snowboarding is usually from a short contract or prize money so this way I have guaranteed income, $1,000 here, $1,000 there, which is more for security. I could probably get away without working but this offers me some peace of mind.
Additional reporting by Laureen Irat, Kerry Justich, Dana Oliver, Rachel Bender, Alexandra Mondalek, Beth Greenfield, Elise SolĂŠ, and Abby Haglage.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:Â
Meet Maame Biney, the first black woman to compete as a U.S. Olympic speed skater
What 11 Olympians do in the morning to start their days off right
Mirai Nagasu just landed a triple axel at the Olympics. Hereâs how she did it.
This biathlete casually learned how to speak Korean before heading to the Olympics
What 11 Olympians packed to make PyeongChang feel a little more like home
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Is fate real? This husband thinks so: 'I just think the universe had it out for us to meet each other'
In 2013, Macklemore, known for hits âCanât Hold Us,â âThrift Shop,â and âDowntown,â performed at Pier 36 in Manhattan, New York, for a YouTube promotional event. Two of the rapperâs biggest superfans â Carey, originally from Montgomery, N.J., and Ammar, from Mclean, Va. â applied to dance onstage through a Facebook post. And, as fate would have it, both made the cut and met outside the venue while corralled in a holding area.
Image: Itâs Love
Ammar, who had thrown himself a Macklemore-themed 29th birthday party just a few weeks before the concert, dressed for the occasion. âMy roommates and I saw this guy in this cheetah onesie and I just remember thinking that guy is totally crazy and I think Iâm a little bit afraid of him,â Carey said of her first impression of Ammar.
However, because of his jumpsuit, Ammar and his roommate were approached by producers to get a prime spot onstage. Since Carey and her friends, all physical therapy students at Columbia University, just wore ânormalâ clothes, the groups were separated.
Image: Itâs Love
While Ammar thought that was going to be the last time heâd see Carey and her friends, Cupid intervened. As Carey was walking toward the subway station, she heard someone call out, âYo PTs!â â as in âphysical therapistsâ â and âwe turned around and lo and behold: Cheetah Onesie Guy,â she recalled.
The group went to the bar Schillerâs together, and as they were wrapping up, Ammar realized he wanted to stay in touch with his new friends â Carey in particular. âI didnât want to make it awkward, there were five of us, and I just said, âHey, you guys seem pretty awesome, and I donât want to make this weird but can I get one of your numbers?ââ he explained. âAnd at that point, her roommate actually pulled out her phone and gave me her number.â
But that exchange didnât deter Carey from reaching out to Ammar over Facebook shortly thereafter, writing that she was out with a few of her friends and he and his roommate should come hang out.
âI showed up and she was talking to some other guy!â Ammar remembered.
Image: Itâs Love
Once Carey was done with that conversation she turned to Ammar, and from there they hit it off.
Ammar, who was moving to Washington, D.C., for a few months, asked Carey to accompany him on a road trip for their first date. âAnd I said absolutely not because why would any sane person go on a road trip with a guy they just met?!â she said of her response. But then she had a change of heart. âMy mom made me send pictures of his license plate and made me text her like every hour to make sure I was OK,â she said.
And that she was. âI donât know what I was thinking, but it was kind of love from there on,â Carey explained. Two years later, Ammar took Carey back to the bar Schillerâs and proposed. âShe said yes â thankfully,â Ammar joked.
Image: Itâs Love
For their wedding, Macklemore, who brought the couple together, played a major part. Carey walked down the aisle to a piano version of âSame Love.â For their first dance, they had to âreally step it up a notchâ so they choreographed a dance-off to, fittingly enough, Macklemoreâs âDance Off.â
âIt was kind of cool bringing Macklemore back to our wedding, kind of full circle,â Carey said. âMeeting Ammar dancing onstage and then starting this new chapter of our life together again dancing to Macklemore in front of all of our favorite people.â
Image: Itâs Love
But if it wasnât for Macklemore, Ammar believes their paths wouldâve crossed anyway. âI just think the universe had it out for us to meet each other.â
And for the couple to meet Macklemore too. While visiting D.C. recently for an event, the musician, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, walked into the restaurant Bus Boys & Poets, where Carey, whoâs pregnant with her first child, and Ammar were eating. âIt was completely surreal but at the same time, we had so much to thank him for. So we walked up to him and thanked him for his music and for helping guide us to find each other,â Ammar said.
Photo: Courtesy of Carey and Ammar Shallal
âBen was incredible, he was completely engaged, and chatted with us for about 15 minutes. He asked to see our first dance wedding video and was more than happy to take photos with us,â he added. âIt was really a dream encounter with someone who has had such an impact on our relationship.â
Do you have a love story to share? Tell us in the comments below, send us an email at
[email protected], or message us on on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
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Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, and moms are inspiring these Olympians
Olympians might be role models themselves, but the athletes have people they look up to as well. Yahoo Lifestyle asked 13 athletes competing at the 2018 PyeongChang Games who inspires them and the common theme: moms, Michelle Obama, and Serena Williams.
Aja Evans, bobsledder
(Photo: Getty Images)
Serena Williams is a huge inspiration for me. Iâm like really obsessed with her. Sheâs always been one of my favorite athletes â her and Venus Williams â and just to see how she continues to trailblaze and do whatever she wants and just owns it, Iâm just in love with that passion, that drive. No matter what sheâs doing, from being around her kid, going back into tennis, and just sharing that with the world. I really love that about her.
Monique Lamoureux, ice hockey player
I would say Serena Williams. I think sheâs showing women all over the world you can have it all. You can have a family, be married, and still pursue what youâre passionate about. To see debatably one of best athletes of all time doing that and coming back after having a child says a lot about women in this day and age.
For myself and my sister, weâre both hoping to go home and start families after these Olympics are over, and after that I would like to come back and continue to play. I wouldnât say itâs frowned upon, but some wonder if youâll come back and play after kids. Your priority would be kids, they think. But no one would tell a man to pick between his job and passion and kids.
Sarah Hendrickson, ice hockey player
(Photo: Getty Images)
Lindsey Vonn. Sheâs gone through so many injuries. Every year she gets slammed with something because she pushes the limits. So, I have so much respect for those people who come back time after time. For her to keep pushing, to see the dedication and passion for her sport is inspirational.
Jessie Diggins, cross country skier
My mom. And I know that sounds maybe cheesy, but Iâm really, really close with my family. I Skype with them every week. And my mom is just an incredible woman. Sheâs so smart, sheâs witty, sheâs funny. But sheâs so hardworking and so driven, and I really hope that I turn out like her someday. Itâs been really inspiring to me how she always knows exactly what to say if Iâm nervous before a race, or if a race hasnât gone well, she also knows what to say. Which is probably more important.
Kikkan Randall, cross country skier
(Photo: Getty Images)
That is a tough question. Iâve been fortunate to have some pretty amazing role models growing up. My Aunt Betsy was an Olympic skier in 1980, and so growing up I really looked up to her and got to hear her Olympic stories and chased after her Alaska state mile record. Didnât quite get it, her record actually still stands. But she always gave me something to chase, and whatâs been really cool is sheâs been to almost every Olympics that Iâve been to. In fact, I think sheâs been to almost every one. And so sheâs been really supportive of my career and that person whoâs always making sure that Iâm staying happy and just mentally healthy being an athlete. And sheâs also a very successful business woman. Sheâs an executive vice president with Alyeska Pipeline, so sheâs a strong, female leader in the business world and something I aspire to beyond my ski career. So itâs been so cool to have her in my life.
Summer Britcher, luger
Sloane Stephens. She won the U.S. Open. She won something big and she didnât expect to.
Erin Hamlin, luger
Billie Jean King. Sheâs a rock star and I met her at the Womenâs Sport Foundation. Sheâs been amazing for female athletes and for getting girls into sports. Iâm in awe of her and how ballsy she is. And Michelle Obama. Sheâs awesome.
Emily Sweeney, luger
Iâll say sports first: All the females weâre surrounded by at the training center, all the time. There are so many women pushing boundaries in sports every day. Also, I am a sucker for Ellen DeGeneres. She makes me happy and if Iâm in a bad mood, all I have to do is watch an Ellen video. Being able to spread that much positivity.
Jocelyne Lamoureux
(Photo: Getty Images)
After the Golden Globes, I loved all the women who wore black, Oprahâs speech was so inspirational. What our team went through fighting for equitable sport in hockey, but their speeches, it transcends sports.
Itâs important for there to be equality in sports and a safe working environment for women across all professions. Oprahâs speech was incredible. All the women who stood behind her and their speeches as well, that was cool to see.
Iâve personally not had any experience like that [with sexual harassment.] A lot of whatâs coming out today, in sports and in the working world, itâs unfortunate that itâs so common. Iâve personally not had experiences like that, but I hope that the sharing of peopleâs experiences and not being afraid to speak out about any inappropriateness going on, I hope that starts to change the environment for working women.
Itâs unfortunate and sad, but hopefully we can learn and grow from women speaking out. And with men, theyâre the second half of the equation. You need men to equally support this and look at what behaviors that have seemingly become so status quo that need to change.
Maame Biney, short track speed skater
Yeah, I have quite a few. Simone Biles, Serena Williams, Gabby Douglas, Beyonce. All those African American women who have really stood out and really changed the world and how people see them. Thatâs what I aspire to be because then all the little kids who want to be in a sport or something, a winter sport especially, they can really say, âI can also do that because Maame Bineyâs doing it.â
Jessica Smith Kooreman, short track speed skater
Thereâs so many out there doing things. My mom, obviously. Sheâs probably the strongest woman I personally know and have been around. Sheâs my rock, sheâs there for me through thick and thin, tells me what I may not want to hear, but need to hear. Sheâs raised me to be the person that I am. Thereâs a bunch of different women out there who I feel have some sort of empowerment that I can take something away from.
I tend to lean a little bit towards Serena Williams just because I think that sheâs such a powerful athlete. She reminds me of myself because sheâs come through the ranks since she was a kid. Most people donât understand that itâs hard to stay on top. Itâs easy to get there, but itâs hard to stay there. Sheâs done a really great job at staying on top of her game and representing herself well. Sheâs one that I watch and follow to see what sheâs up to. Thereâs so many other women out there that I take something from, and thatâs the best thing. Theyâre doing so well in their lives and in their careers, whether itâs athletes, business, or actresses. Itâs nice to know that there are way more women out there doing more good than not.
Mirai Nagasu, figure skater
(Photo: Getty Images)
I definitely love comedy and comedians, and I feel like life is about laughter. Sheâs not a comedian at all, but I definitely look up to Michelle Obama, just the way she handled stuff as the first lady, and I wish that I was as well-spoken and as well put together as she is.
Jaelin Kauf, freestyle skierÂ
My mom, definitely. She has always been the most inspirational woman to me and still is. I mean, sheâs always pushed the limits and done what people thought was impossible. She was competing in the X-Games when she was 40 â with two kids. I think sheâs still the last U.S. female to podium in ski cross. And she proved herself as a female athlete in ski cross and in moguls. She grew up an alpine racer and after college just decided she wanted to ski moguls and I think at her first competition, she blew her knee. But she fought to come back and had a great career. And sheâs also always been a big promoter of womenâs sports which is something I really admire. I kind of want to be one of those people as well that kind of takes part in growing mogul skiing and encourages young female athletes to be in sports, and I donât know sheâs always just proven â and taught me â that you can do whatever you want, itâs just about working hard and going after what you want.
Additional reporting by Laureen Irat, Kerry Justich, Dana Oliver, Rachel Bender, Alexandra Mondalek, Beth Greenfield, Elise SolĂŠ, and Abby Haglage.
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