Know the Place
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Friday, February 23, 2018
My wonderful father has died
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Watch all of the VMA Video of the Year nominees
Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” video is up for the VMAs’ top award.
The five nominees for the top prize at this year's MTV Video Music Awards run the gamut, from simple efforts and themes to big-budget blockbusters. Catch up on them before Sunday’s broadcast.
Beyoncé: 7/11With the help of a selfie stick and some killer dance moves, Beyoncé made the world’s coolest home video.
Ed Sheeran: Thinking Out LoudThe British singer reportedly trained five hours a day during his U.S. tour to prepare for this video, and it shows. Next stop: Dancing With the Stars?
Slideshow: Fearless 2015 VMA Predictions
The almost seven-minute long video, filled with striking images that reference the conflict between African-Americans and the police, ends on a surreal note.
Mark Ronson Ft. Bruno Mars: Uptown Funk
Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars don their ‘80s gear and have a whole lot of fun dancing in the streets. Don’t believe me? Just watch.
Taylor Swift Ft. Kendrick Lamar: Bad Blood
If star power alone merits a win, then Swift has this one in the bag. "Bad Blood" broke Vevo’s 24-hour viewing record with 20.1 million views on its first day and boasts a host of famous faces, including Selena Gomez, Karlie Kloss, Lena Dunham, Cindy Crawford, and more.
HONORABLE MENTION
Nicki Minaj: AnacondaThe bootylicious video was arguably the hottest of 2014, setting the Vevo 24-hour viewing record with 19.6 million views before “Bad Blood” broke it, and Minaj didn’t hide her disappointment at being left out of the VMAs' marquee category. With the following tweet she set off a brief Twitter war with Taylor Swift and sparked a debate about race, beauty, and sexuality in the music industry:
If I was a different "kind" of artist, Anaconda would be nominated for best choreo and vid of the year as well. 😊😊😊
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) July 21, 2015
Nicki Minaj Tweet Sets Off Twitter Skirmish with Taylor Swift
So was Minaj robbed? You be the judge. (explicit)
See More VMAs Content:
Kanye West to Receive VMA Video Vanguard Award
Slideshow: VMAs’ Most Surprising Best New Artist Snubs
Slideshow: Artists Who Have Won Most VMA Awards
—By Pauline Vu
Top 5 moments from Season 20 of ‘DWTS’
Season 20 winner Rumer Willis dances with pro Val Chmerkovskiy.
Dancing With the Stars is back, with an eclectic group of contestants that includes controversial celebrity chef Paula Deen, Steve Irwin’s daughter Bindi, and one of the heroes of the French train attack. Before tuning into the new season on Sept. 14, check out some highlights from Season 20.
5. Riker Lynch channels Captain Jack
Sparrow
During the show’s Disney
Week, the R5 singer (and eventual 2nd place finisher) doubled down
on the drama of his paso doble by dancing in full
pirate costume.
4. Robert Herjavec kisses partner Kym Johnson
The Shark Tank panelist and dancer Kym Johnson said they were in the moment
when they kissed passionately during a routine and denied there was anything more
to it. But the duo later confirmed that they were, indeed, dating (and still are).
3. Awwwww, Noah and Jamie
are in love
Army
veteran and motivational speaker Noah Galloway got a huge surprise when his girlfriend, U.S. Army Reservist Jamie Boyd, got out of Basic Training early to come watch him dance live; later Galloway gave her an even bigger surprise: a marriage proposal.
2. Rumer and Val earn the season’s first perfect
score
Rumer Willis and pro dancer
Val Chmerkovskiy scored big with a sensual rumba that wowed the judges, the
audience, and her cheering mom, Demi Moore. The duo continued to dazzle through
the season and ultimately
took home the Mirror Ball Trophy.
1. Bruno
Toniolli totally disses Charlotte McKinney
The judge isn’t know for
pulling punches, but the sexist digs he threw at the model/actress (known for a risqué
Carl’s Jr. Super Bowl commercial) after a lackluster performance didn’t please the audience or the other judges. McKinney had quite a few things to say the following day about his comments.
Noah Galloway dances an inspirational freestyle
The double-amputee only expected to last a few weeks in the competition, and instead he made it to the finals. This emotional performance captured his difficult journey — and his resilience.
In the middle of the season the show ran its 10th anniversary special, featuring a host of former contestants and dancers performing. Our personal favorite? This paso doble performed by seven former NFL players and contestants to the tune of the Monday Night Football theme song.
See Related Content:
‘Dancing With the Stars,’ Season 21: Official Cast Portraits
Why Peta Murgatroyd Won't Compete on Season 21 of 'DWTS'
How Double-Amputee Noah Galloway Made It Into the ‘DWTS’ Finals — Against All Odds
—By Pauline Vu
SNL’s 5 best Donald Trump skits
Donald Trump is hosting SNL’s Nov. 7 episode. (AP)
GOP presidential candidate and reality TV star Donald Trump hosts Saturday Night Live this weekend (in spite of the backlash against his hosting). But will it live up to his previous entries on the show, both in person and as played by a cast member? We count down his best SNL moments.
5. Trump and his wife clear up some misconceptions (Oct. 4, 2015)Taran Killan is the latest SNL comedian to take on The Donald’s trademark squint and pout. Here, he and wife Melania (played in all her European glory by Cecily Strong) explain Trump’s real views on immigrants and women. For example, on his perceived gibe about Fox News’ Megyn Kelly: “He was worried, she’s bleeding everywhere, she should go to hospital!”
4. Ross Perot interviews Trump and Pat Buchanan (Oct. 2, 1999)
Darrell Hammond hadn’t perfected his impersonation yet, but the skit’s still hilarious as conservative icon Pat Buchanan (Chris Parnell) and Trump compete for control of the Reform Party then helmed by Ross Perot (Cheri Oteri). Not only that, but this version of Trump actually defended illegal immigration … sort of.
3. Trump makes a cameo on Days of Our Lives (Oct. 29, 2005)
By this point Hammond had his Trump impression down pat, and his version of the businessman just won’t listen to instructions. Stay to the end of the sketch to see what the soap opera’s producers had to do to make up for Trump’s obstinacy.
2. Trump goes on Live With Regis and Kelly (April 3, 2004)
But no one does Trump better than The Donald himself. He goes on the morning show (with Hammond playing Regis while Amy Poehler plays Kelly) and brags about all the TV shows that got their “highest ratings ever” because he was on. Considering his effect on debate numbers, he’s not wrong. No wonder Regis and Kelly wouldn’t let him leave.
1. Trump plugs cheeseburger pizza (May 7, 2005)
This hilarious fake commercial, based on an actual ad, showed the hyper-confident mogul repeatedly disregarding instructions (such as the correct way to pronounce “Domino’s”). This was just one of several SNL skits in this vein (check out Trump’s promos for the Halloween- and Christmas-themed episodes of The Apprentice).
Honorable Mention
In his only other hosting appearance, Trump garnered laughs as he urged his doppelgänger (Hammond) to keep saying his trademark “You’re fired” phrase.
—By Pauline Vu
Top 5 moments on Season 21 of ‘Dancing With the Stars’
The season comes down to four finalists. (Good Morning America)
A champion will be announced at the end of Tuesday night’s Dancing With the Stars finale, but for now the Mirror Ball Trophy is still up for grabs. Will the winner be Australian conservationist Bindi Irwin, American hero Alek Skarlatos, former Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, or actor/singer Carlos VegaPena?
Before tuning into the finale, check out some of this season’s highlights.
5. Tamar Braxton
re-creates “Rhythm Nation”
The singer and TV host did a spot-on rendition of Janet Jackson’s iconic music
video, right down to the black-and-white filter. Despite her obvious
talent, though, Braxton won’t be in the finale — she had to drop
out due to blood clots in both her lungs.
4. Alek Skarlatos
dances after tragedy
The National Guardsman shot to prominence after helping to take
down a shooter on a Paris-bound train, but in the middle of the season,
tragedy struck — a mass
shooting at his school, Umpqua Community College, left 10 dead. Skarlatos flew
home to be with his family and friends, and then returned to the show and
performed a paso doble that he dedicated to the grieving Roseburg, Ore.,
community.
3. Bindi Irwin
performs blindfolded
The 17-year-old has routinely wowed the judges, and this
flawless Viennese waltz earned her and pro partner Derek Hough a series of
perfect 10s.
2. An emotional
husband-and-wife elimination
This season featured DWTS’ first-ever married couple, Carlos
and Alexa PenaVega. On the Week 9 episode, the duo found themselves in the
bottom two, and the tears flowed freely when it was announced that Alexa was
eliminated. “I wish it had been me,” Carlos sobbed.
1. Bindi
Irwin pays tribute to her dad
Irwin’s father, beloved wildlife expert Steve Irwin, died in
2006 at age 44 of a stingray attack. Here, Bindi discusses his legacy and its
impact on her.
Her contemporary dance in her father’s honor had the judges holding back tears.
Honorable Mentions
Nick Carter announces
wife’s pregnancy
The former Backstreet Boy announced on the show that his
wife Lauren was expecting the couple’s first child, and then performed a moving
contemporary dance dedicated to her.
Paula Deen flashes
the audience
Well, not really. But her jive got a little frisky.
—By Pauline Vu
Best performances on Season 9 of ‘The Voice’
Jordan Smith is one of the show’s four finalists. (Scripps)
The latest season of NBC’s hit singing competition has come down to the final four: Team Adam’s Jordan Smith, Team Gwen’s Jeffrey Austin, and Emily Ann Roberts and Barrett Baber from Team Blake (Pharell has no singers in the finals). The season has been filled with jaw-dropping performances (along with some behind-the-scenes drama over Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani’s new romance), but here are our picks for the best.
5. Emily Ann Roberts:
“In the Garden”
The country chanteuse’s beautiful take on the classic gospel
hymn during the show’s first Live Playoff round propelled her into the Top 12.
4. Barrett Baber: “Ghost,”
by Halsey
The country singer showed he can also do rock when he opened
the Dec. 7 episode with this passionate performance.
3. Madi Davis: “Girls
Just Want to Have Fun,” by Cyndi Lauper
It’s a shame the 16-year-old, Team Pharrell’s last hope, didn’t make the finals. Her
unique spin on every song she sings was in full force when she turned Cyndi
Lauper’s famous pop song into a haunting ballad about female empowerment.
2. Jeffery Austin: “Make
It Rain,” by Ed Sheeren
Unlike the other three finalists, Austin wasn’t a shoo-in
for the finals; he had to go up against Madi Davis and Zach Seabaugh to win the
show’s final Instant Save. But Austin’s powerful version of Sheeren’s song had
America picking him by a big margin.
1. Jordan Smith: “Somebody
to Love,” by Queen
From his first performance, Smith proved he was the one to
beat, and he got better week after week. His
Queen cover in the semifinals not only received more votes than any other Voice
contestant ever, it knocked Adele from the top of the iTunes chart (which she’d
been leading for five straight weeks).
HONORABLE MENTION
Amy Vachal: “Hotline
Bling,” by Drake
Vachal deserves a nod for her breezy take on Drake’s booty
call classic.
—By Pauline Vu
Monday, September 24, 2012
The White Tiger: a quintessential India book
The street and residents who live around Asha, the place I volunteered. |
Anyway, I wish I’d read it first, because there are also things in the book that would have soothed me on those days when Delhi was driving me mad. This passage had me laughing out loud, and reminded me of the time I got lost looking for a nearby restaurant.
“The truth is that Delhi is a crazy city. See, the rich people live in big housing colonies like Defence Colony or Greater Kailash or Vasant Kunj, and inside their colonies the houses have numbers and letters, but this numbering and lettering system follows no known system of logic. For instance, in the English alphabet, A is next to B, which everyone knows, even people like me who don’t know English. But in a colony, one house is called A 231, and then the next is F 378. So one time Pinky Madam wanted me to take her to Greater Kailash E 231. I tracked down the houses to E 200, and just when I thought we were almost there, E Block vanished completely. The next house was S something.”
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