• After 25 Years, Ann Curry Leaving NBC News

    Ann Curry's departure from NBC News has been nearly three years in the making. She has been gut-level unhappy at the network ever since being canned from her "Today" co-anchor spot, a firing that caused tons of backlash and months of controversy. While she was cut from the morning program she had spent 15 years with, she stayed with the network, basically making tons of money to do little. Rather than take the $12 million-a-year paycheck for minimal work, Curry started planning her exit, and on Monday, Jan. 12, it was confirmed that she is leaving the network. Curry will be beginning a new media start-up project that is backed by NBC Universal. She will also now be a free agent when it comes to reporting. She might pop up on NBC in the future, but she can also work for whatever outlet she pleases. "This is about reaching for the edge of the future in journalism, which we know is undergoing an irrevocable transition. In today's world of fragmented media, this is the time to seize the opportunity to improve the way we distribute and even tell stories. I want to expand my drive to give voice to the voiceless to emerging platforms and produce both scripted and non-scripted content, in addition to continuing to report on-air about stories that matter," said Curry in an official statement about her new position.

  • Columbia Journalism Review Names CNN's Don Lemon Worst Reporter of the Year

    It's that point in the year when nearly every publication dishes out their "best and worst" lists and it seems that CNN's Don Lemon's reporting has been particularly noteworthy. According to the Columbia Journalism Review, Lemon has been named the worst reporter of 2014. Maybe it's the way that he manages to discredit victims on camera or perhaps it's how Lemon likes to make himself an active part of the stories that he's covering, in the end the result seems to always be the same — people really just don't like this guy.

  • Sony Faces Backlash After Shelving 'The Interview' Amid Terror Threats

    It seems Sony has found itself in the kind of a situation that offers no easy solution. After weeks of being hacked and embarrassed on an international level, it has finally been confirmed by the U.S. government that North Korea is behind the cyber attack, and the effect has been all but crippling for the movie house. Ultimately, the hackers were working hard to scare Sony into shelving its comedy "The Interview," which was scheduled to hit theaters Christmas Day, and as of now their efforts have worked. The film, a comedy about taking out North Korea's Kim Jong Un, seems to have been put to rest permanently, and much of Hollywood seems furious about it. Aside from having to crawl out from the initial humiliation, not only of actually being hacked but then the mortification that the contents of various emails have been leaked, the company was left with a huge problem on its hands. Within the last week Seth Rogen and James Franco began canceling different media interviews that were intended to promote "The Interview," and as of yesterday both actors had been photographed with bodyguards. The stars connected to the project have feared for their own safety, so it makes sense Sony would proceed with extra caution.

  • U.S. Senate Releases Report on CIA Torture Tactics Post-9/11 as U.S. Fears Retaliation Overseas

    Earlier this morning the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee released a 500-page report that is a summary of the CIA's post-9/11 torture program, which was intended to make prisoners of war give up crucial information. It has been widely reported that the Central Intelligence Agency took extreme measures in order to unsuccessfully make al-Qaida members talk in the years following 9/11. President Barack Obama supported the public release of the five-year investigation in the hopes that the American government will use it as a future example of what not to do. What we are learning from this report is that the people who worked in the "enhanced interrogation program" basically resorted to torture such as waterboarding, mock executions and threatened sexual violence under inhumane conditions for detainees — many of whom were later revealed to have no terrorism ties whatsoever. The U.S. government has confirmed that the program was more horrific than most Americans knew and that it went against our country's code of behavior. Obama quickly banned "enhanced interrogation techniques" once taking office after his 2009 inauguration. Of course, there is a dangerous downside to this full report being made public, and some lawmakers believe it was a "reckless" move because it can ultimately light a fire under those who are already wishing to bring harm to U.S. business at home and overseas. Embassies are under heavy guard and U.S. government buildings are at a heightened security as everyone waits for the international rage and backlash that is inevitably coming.

  • Jessica Alba's Skeletal Frame in New Photo Generates Major Backlash

    Jessica Alba has always stuck to a rigid diet and serious exercise in order to stay in shape. We could talk endlessly about the pressure that Hollywood puts on women especially, to stay itty bitty and over the years, Alba has admitted that sometimes desperate measures were expected . She's also reportedly a real beast in the gym but a recent photo posted on the actresses' Instagram has not only raised eyebrows, but also caused a bit of backlash.

  • CNN's Don Lemon Puts Foot in Mouth Again While Reporting from Ferguson

    CNN's Don Lemon has been having a really rough time lately, and it basically has been his own doing. Last week he caught some major backlash after insinuating to Joan Tarshis, one of Bill Cosby's rape accusers, that she could have bit him to prevent the alleged assault. Now his reporting from Ferguson, Missouri, has also come under fire. Shortly after it was announced that Darren Wilson would not be indicted for fatally shooting 18-year-old Michael Brown, CNN's reporters were taking turns updating viewers at home on what was unfolding in front of them. Lemon and Anderson Cooper were discussing the chaos, and Lemon said that protestors were jumping on cars and he heard gunshots off in the distance. Then after a pause, Lemon followed up that assessment with: "Obviously, there's a smell of marijuana in the air." That detail was not obvious to anyone else, it seemed, as the rest of CNN's crew was too busy running for cover from tear gas and smoke bombs to notice any potential pot in the air. Once again, Twitter lit up with backlash against Lemon because he just cannot seem to keep from making insensitive comments on live television.

  • LeAnn Rimes Still Trying to Convince Everyone That Eddie Cibrian's Her 'Soulmate'

    LeAnn Rimes has been making the media rounds to promote her new Christmas album, but of course the main topic of discussion always ends up being her marriage to Eddie Cibrian. At some point in time, Rimes may choose to simply make peace with the fact that people really do not like them as a couple and get on with her life, but she is not exactly there yet. Remember their reality show on VH1 last summer? The ratings were horrendous and Rimes and Cibrian seemed to think that mocking the press would be their ticket to getting fans back in their back pockets. Obviously, that was an epic fail. So Rimes is back to her more normal approach of praising her husband and hoping that her fans will forget how she has said that she fears he will eventually cheat on her. Remember, these two first hooked up while married to other people and, for whatever reason, it was an indiscretion that fans never accepted. In an interview with Mail on Sunday, Rimes explained: "I was meant to be with Eddie. Fans felt as though I was their daughter or sister making a big mistake when we got together, because they've grown up with me. But we both acted from our hearts and that's impossible to turn around. Trust me, we both tried. Look, I've said 'I'm sorry' and made amends. Eddie is my soulmate — he and I completely get each other. We're opposites — I want to go shopping; he wants to ride dirt bikes — but we bring out the best in each other. Divorce is not an option for us. Obviously, if something horrible happened, I would have to take care of myself, but I don't see that happening."

  • Can Justin Hartley's 'Y&R' Performance Live Up to Gauntlet Thrown Down by Michael Muhney?

    Adam Newman finally returned to "The Young & the Restless" canvas last week by way of Justin Hartley's portrayal. While the character is not fully back in the Genoa City mix, Hartley has had enough interactive scenes to give viewers a feel for what is to come. The actor took over the role, which was recast after Michael Muhney was fired late last year amid a storm of controversy, knowing that he may have a bit of an uphill battle when it comes to winning over fans. Muhney's performance on "Y&R" kept longtime fans glued to their televisions, and after his last scenes finally aired this past January the show's ratings plummeted. Muhney's fans were vocal about how they were not going to support the show once he left it, and then they appeared to back up those words with action. Part of the issue was that Muhney was fired due to allegations of sexual harassment, and then not only were charges not filed, but "Y&R" actually considered rehiring him this past summer, leading many to believe he should never have been cut in the first place.

  • Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson Immediately Allowed to Return to Duty If Cleared in Michael Brown's Death Investigation

    A grand jury in St. Louis County has been hearing testimony for nearly three months now over a case that has grabbed headlines on a daily basis. The account of what happened between Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson and 18-year old Michael Brown on Aug. 9 differs depending on who you happen to be listening to but the case has incited, protests, riots and opened some serious dialog. Some witnesses have claimed that the unarmed Brown had his hands in the air when shot numerous times by Wilson. The officer insists that killing Brown was ultimately an act done in self defense, and the grand jury's final decision on whether or not to indict Wilson is expected any day now.

  • Victoria's Secret Renames 'Perfect Body' Campaign After Backlash

    At first it seemed like more of the same when Victoria's Secret dropped their most recent campaign. There was the typical lineup of thin models posing in the company's latest styles, but something about this was different. The company had decided to scrawl across its newest ads the phrase "The Perfect Body," and that was probably the biggest mistake it has made in decades. Instantly, the company started to face consumer backlash from women who are not a Size 2, according to the "New York Post," and are fine with that. The feeling was that Victoria's Secret was sending the message that if you are not stick-thin, then there is something wrong with you, and it turned into a notion it had to correct — quickly. Three British college students began a petition on change.org that currently has more than 30,000 signatures.

  • 'Y&R' Hopes Charles Pratt Jr. Can Balance Devastation Caused by Showrunner Jill Farren Phelps

    It has been rumored for months now that Charles "Chuck" Pratt Jr. had taken over the head writing duties on "The Young & the Restless," but there was no official confirmation until yesterday, when the show tweeted the news. Pratt is also now taking on the role of executive co-producer, which means he will be working closely with showrunner Jill Farren Phelps. The two have teamed up in the past on other daytime shows, such as "General Hospital" and "Santa Barbara," and while Phelps is technically still in charge, fans are hoping Pratt will balance out some of her harsh decisions. In the last year, "Y&R" has been hit with a boatload of controversy, making what was brewing behind the scenes a whole lot worse than anything they could have written for the fictional town of Genoa City. Phelps came to the show with the reputation of being a "soap killer" and it is more than a little interesting how, more often than not, after she leaves a show it ends up being canceled within a year or two. Phelps has an edgy kind of storytelling that often ignores the history of the characters on whatever show she is connected to, and that never sits well with longtime fans.

  • Amber Vinson, 2nd Dallas Nurse Stricken with Ebola, Slams CDC's Criticism

    Amber Vinson was the second nurse who cared for Thomas Eric Duncan at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital to become infected with the Ebola virus. She raised eyebrows for taking a flight from Dallas to Ohio, and then back again a few days later while supposedly having a low-grade fever. Vinson was finally declared Ebola-free and released from the hospital last week, and while she asked for her privacy, I think many expected to hear from her because the CDC momentarily let her be its fall girl. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had said Vinson should never have flown and that it would have been against its guidelines. But it neglected to mention how nervous the whole situation had actually made her because the nurses who cared for Duncan were never trained until the moment they had to suit up to actively care for him. Vinson told Matt Lauer in an interview this morning on "Today": "The first time that I put on the protective equipment, I was heading in to take care of the patient. We didn't have excessive training where we could don and doff, put on and take off the protective equipment, till we got a level of being comfortable with it. I didn't have that, and I think that's very important for hospitals across the nation, big and small. Once Nina came down with it, my contact at the health department called me and gave me a list of things to look out for, symptoms to look out for and numbers to call if I showed any symptoms. I never had a number to call the CDC directly. I would always call my contact at the health department. And then when I was in Ohio, and I was scheduled to leave, because I was so afraid of what could potentially happen, I did ask them, 'Is there anything that you guys can do to send for me? Do I need to leave earlier?' Because you know, I was worried." Lauer quickly reminded her of how the CDC allowed her to be painted as careless and foolish ,and it was obviously still a sore spot for Vinson, as she explained: "It made me feel terrible, because that's not me. I'm not careless. I'm not reckless. I'm an ICU nurse. I embrace protocol, guidelines and structure. Because in my day-to-day nursing, it is a matter of life and death. And I respect that fact. I would never go outside of guidelines or boundaries or something directly from the CDC telling me that I can't go, I can't fly."

  • Nancy Snyderman Out Of Quarantine But Not Returning To NBC Post Until November As Network Hopes Backlash Will Subside

    There has been a lot of speculation in the last ten days over whether or not Dr. Nancy Snyderman would be returning to her post as chief medical editor on NBC after violating her voluntary Ebola quarantine. Snyderman and her crew spent weeks in Liberia covering the virus when one of the cameramen traveling with them became ill. His diagnosis on October 1 sent the entire crew back to the states where they were supposedly going to quarantine themselves for 21 days. Instead several of them were spotted picking up take out food in New Jersey. After weeks of backlash NBC has decided not to fire Snyderman just yet.

  • NFL May Have to Reinstate Ray Rice in November after Final Appeal Hearing

    It looks like Ray Rice could be back in NFL action within just a few short weeks. Rice was suspended indefinitely at the start of the current season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after that now-infamous elevator security tape was released showing Rice knocking out Janay Palmer with one punch. The general public was outraged to learn Rice was originally punished with just a two-game suspension and Goodell had to act quickly to try and save face, so he threw the proverbial book at Rice. A final appeal hearing is scheduled for mid-November, and it could easily swing in Rice's favor.

  • NBC's Dr. Nancy Snyderman Facing Credibility Issues, May Lose Job After Violating Ebola Self-Quarantine

    Nancy Snyderman's mandatory Ebola quarantine is set to end early this week, but her problems may just be beginning. NBC's chief medical editor was with ABC before hopping over to NBC in 2006, and over the years she had become a trusted voice in educating the public about a variety of medical topics. She and her crew were in Liberia reporting on the Ebola crisis when a cameraman, Ashoko Mukpo, contracted the virus. In response to his diagnosis, Snyderman told viewers she and the rest of her team were returning to the States and would voluntarily quarantine themselves. A week later, they were spotted getting take-out food in New Jersey, a decision that led to a mandatory quarantine and backlash from the general public.
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