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Power Couple: Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos

FabSugar — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 08:00:22 PDT

Ever since I saw E's True Hollywood Story: Kelly Ripa I've been noticing her and her hottie hubbie, Mark Consuelos. I never watched the show where they met, starred and fell in love, All My Children, so as an outsider I can testify that this is one hot power couple. Kelly is not big in the fashion scene, nor is Mark, but they have proven that after 11 years of marriage they know how to keep the flame alive and look good doing it - even with three kids.

From Jersey to Spain, these two opposites found love, on the set no less. They have proven to be a healthy, happy couple. What's their secret? Mark says, "Sometimes the key is to have a bit of distance." Amen to that! He also credits the blonde powerhouse to keeping the fire alive, "My wife is extremely spicy." Nice! If you don't believe this is a beautiful power couple, just take a look at them through the ages...

To see the power couple in action,

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"Age of Love" Is Coming!!

Molly — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:04:02 PDT

What would summer be without a salacious new Reality TV Show to watch with all your friends? Well meet this season's guilty pleasure: "Age of Love" premiering tonight at 9/8c on NBC.

The show is hosted by Mark Consuelos and centers around finding love for 30-year-old Australian tennis player Mark Philippoussis. The twist that Philippoussis doesn't know going into it is that he will be choosing between two very different groups of women: experienced women in their 40s (the "Cougars") and wild women in their 20s (the "Kittens").

Faced with this difficult decision and all the beautiful ladies, Mark will have to figure out what exactly he is looking for in the woman he loves.

Thanks to NBC for sponsoring this post.

To check out a preview for the show just

Meet Mark from Age of Love on NBC

PopSugar — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:04:09 PDT

We love us some reality TV and this summer NBC is delivering a new dating show called Age of Love starring Australian tennis player, Mark Philippoussis. The 30 year old pro will be dating one set of women in their 20s and another set in their 40s so we can learn if age really matters in this game of love.

Mark has dated the likes of Paris Hilton and Australian singer Delta Goodrem, but this time the superstar is looking for love and leaving it up to NBC to help him find the woman of his dreams. Oh and did I mention the show's host is Mark Consuelos?!! You know, Kelly Ripa's beautiful and sweet husband. That's reason enough to tune in. A special thanks to NBC for sponsoring this post. Check out the premiere tonight at 9pm on NBC.

To check out scenes from the show just

Bad Idea of the Week: NBC's "Age of Love"

BuzzSugar — Sat, 12 May 2007 14:01:39 PDT

A while back, when NBC first announced its summer schedule, I noticed a listing for a show called "Age of Love." It was a dating show, but NBC hadn't released any other hints about its premise. Now the details are out - and they're awful.

Here's how NBC describes the show, which will premiere June 18:

31-year-old Australian tennis superstar Mark Philippoussis will attempt to find true love among women ranging in age from 21-48 in this unique series based on the current phenomenon of younger men dating older women. Philippoussis will date 13 women from two very different groups - the "Kittens," six fun, enthusiastic women in their 20's, and the "Cougars," seven beautiful, sophisticated women in their 40's.

First of all: Mark Philippoussis? Random! Why would NBC spend its time hooking up a semi-famous tennis pro and not just some average dude? And how on earth did they know Philippoussis was looking for love? Did they come to him? Did he go to them? I'm baffled. Also, now we're probably in for a whole summer of tennis/love puns ("40-love," "mixed doubles," etc.). Greeeat.

As for the setup of the show, well, I just feel icky, so

Here's more from NBC's press release:

The suspense builds in early episodes as Mark - unaware of the concept - is first introduced to the "Cougars." As he meets them one by one, their ages increase much to his surprise. The series takes a dramatic turn when Mark learns there's a second group of much younger women - the "Kittens" - who will also be attempting to vie for his affections. Unaware of each other, the two groups of women meet for the first time taking the competition for Mark's affections to a whole new level. From there, each week the field of women will be narrowed down with the remaining vying for his attention - but only one can win Mark's heart.

When, exactly, did "cougar" become a desirable (or even acceptable) term? I've always thought of it as something close to a slur, not something that would be bandied about on primetime TV. Furthermore, as a woman in my 20s, I'm a little offended to be referred to as a "kitten." (And we worry about "Grey's Anatomy" being bad for women.)

Let's face it: There's no way this poor guy can win. If he dates an older woman, he'll be perceived as a little gross; if he goes with a younger woman, he'll be accused of doing the "classic man" thing - choosing the youngest, prettiest gal in the room. And what exactly are we going to learn - that everyone should date someone 10 years older, or 10 years younger? Yeah, don't think so.

Finally, reality shows where the contestants don't know the twist never seem to end well - anyone remember "Boy Meets Boy"? I'm going to go ahead and guess that Mark and the viewers won't "discover if love is truly ageless," as NBC promises. We're more likely to discover that looking for love on a contrived, offensive reality show is just a really bad idea.

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Men in Black 3: A Return to (Alien Life) Form

Becky Kirsch — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:29:01 PDT

I saw the original Men in Black movie so long ago that my memories of the film might as well have been zapped with a neuralyzer (that's the memory-erasing device the guys use in the movie, for those of you who are also having trouble recalling the original). What I did retain is that the film was funny, fresh, and silly and that it didn't hold up very well for the 2002 sequel. With that in mind, I had low expectations for Men in Black 3, but the newest installment is just as much fun as the original, and it actually benefits from the 15-year time lapse.

The script for the film is one of its biggest assets and truly sets Men in Black 3 apart from its predecessors. The aliens are still alive and ickier than ever now that they're in 3D, but the story is more focused on the friendship between J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) and how it has evolved over the years. We learn early on that K has been keeping a secret from J all these years, and the mystery drives a wedge between the partners. Meanwhile, a treacherous alien named Boris the Animal (played to hilarious perfection by Flight of the Conchords's Jemaine Clement) breaks out of maximum-security prison and goes back in time to get revenge on K, who arrested him back in the '60s. The day that K had Boris locked up is the key to K's secret, so J heads on a mission back in time to save K and learn the truth.

To see why Men in Black 3 is so much fun, just

Will Smith hasn't been in a movie since 2008's Seven Pounds, and I didn't realize I missed him until I found myself giggling all the way through Men in Black 3. His shtick is still the same (he's one-liners still consistent of dialogue like "Where did you come from? Planet damn?"), but you can't help but love Agent J as he bumbles through the '60s, desperately trying to sell his story to people who don't recognize him - or believe him. You can tell that Smith feels completely comfortable in the role, and in the signature suit, which still looks perfect on him, as he hasn't aged a day.

Tommy Lee Jones is ever the reliable curmudgeon, but the film mines extra laughs when J travels to the '60s and meets a much younger version of his partner, played by Josh Brolin. Brolin looks enough like Jones to pass for him, but it's really his studied delivery and mannerisms that sell the performance. We also get some insight into how K has evolved over the years (he's always had a penchant for cowboy music, but he also used to be a bit of a dreamer), giving the film an extra layer to the enjoyable banter between J and K.

I'm not usually one to gush about 3D, but the special effects really come to life in Men in Black 3 in a way they never did in the first two movies. Not only do the aliens look creepier than ever, but the cartoonish feel of the film is taken to the next level with the 3D aspect, especially with the time-travel thrill-ride element. Much like with the 3D movies from my youth, I found myself shrinking in my seat just to avoid being too close to the alien goo, blood, breath, and beyond. Combined with the welcome return of Will Smith, you've got yourself a fun, mindless blockbuster.

Photos courtesy of Sony

Wes Anderson's Guide to Love

Tara Block — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:10:00 PDT

As a self-proclaimed Wes Anderson junkie, I was ecstatic to see his latest film Moonrise Kingdom this week. And considering I was either smiling or tearing up (or both) the entire 94 minutes, I'd say it was a hit. The camp-themed coming-of-age film has all the recognizable Wes Anderson-isms fans of the director love, and the young star-crossed lovers at the center of the sweet story really just melt your heart. Set in the '60s on a New England island, the film follows Suzy and Sam, troubled preteens who write love letters to each other before deciding to run away together. Wes Anderson's films always incorporate a romantic coupling, exes, or love triangle in them, and the characters involved are usually full of witty advice and observations on relationships. So see some of my favorite couples and ex-couples from Wes Anderson movies along with their lines on love's redeeming, disappointing, and confusing qualities.

Moonrise Kingdom: A Retro Delight

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT

Everything about Moonrise Kingdom is unmistakably Wes Anderson: the hazy cinematography, the clever dialogue, and even the use of the director's favorite actors. Indeed, Anderson isn't leaving his comfort zone as a filmmaker, but Moonrise Kingdom is still a pleasure to watch. Set in 1965, the movie tells the story of Sam and Suzy (newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward), preteen pen pals who conspire to run away together. As they set up camp all over an island off the coast of New England, they're being pursued by Sam's scout troop (led by camp counselor Edward Norton), Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), and different authorities (Bruce Willis and Tilda Swinton). Sam and Suzy's experience with young love is sweet and complicated, and made all the more dreamy through Anderson's lens.

The elements might be familiar, but Anderson proves why he's such an admired director with a film like this. It's surprisingly romantic, but there's also a real threat to Sam and Suzy in the wild. Their compelling journey paired with the optical treat of Anderson's style makes Moonrise Kingdom a must-watch for fans of the distinctive director. To find out what else I liked about the film, just keep reading.

Shawn Johnson Talks Weight Loss and Learning to Love Her Body

espnW — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:05:26 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson is blogging for espnW throughout her training for the Olympics in London this summer. Follow hers other Olympic hopefuls' journeys on espnW.com.

Four years ago, I was standing on an Olympic podium, wearing a gold medal, and still thinking to myself how I could have been better. It had nothing to do with my performance - it was all how I looked. Back then, I always felt like I could have been a few pounds lighter. But the irony is, when I look back at the pictures, I look unhealthy and too thin. It's easy to get into a trap as an elite athlete, because you're made to feel that you're never perfect, that you can always be better. That's how you improve in your sport, but it's also tough because you aren't satisfied with yourself ever - it's second nature not to be. I'd always think, "Just get a little stronger, a little lighter," until it was completely ingrained in my mind.

Shawn Johnson takes us inside training camp

It's easy for people to blame gymnastics for this mentality, but I feel like the sport has improved a lot. The horror stories we heard from generations ago (think Joan Ryan's infamous book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes), you don't hear at all anymore. But I do believe it can improve further and that good nutrition could be a key to all of this, if it were only taught at a young age. Many gymnasts go into the elite level at 13 or so, and a 13-year-old isn't going to go to the library to read some book on nutrition! She needs to be given the right information on how to eat well. Otherwise, it's not until she's out of the sport that she realizes the damage she's done to her body by not eating enough over the past 20 years.

Shawn Johnson in the driver's seat

I see all the success we have as a country where the gymnasts aren't 100 percent healthy, and I imagine how amazing we could be if we were doing it in the healthiest way possible. I don't think it's a failure on anybody's part; the education just isn't there right now, and it's just not thought about in our sport. My parents have told me since I was little, "You're given your body for a reason. It's OK to be different. Being unique is a good thing." But I always struggled to believe it. I'm stocky, muscular and short, and I wanted to be thin and flexible so bad! My mom would say, "You're not made that way, and you're not going to become that, so you have to learn to accept and love the body you're in." Well, some people are born with that appreciation, and some people have to work really hard to get there. Put me in that second camp.

Read on for more on what Shawn Johnson has to say about body confidence and how she feels in her gymnastics leotard.

8 Myths About Sex Differences

The Good Men Project — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:00:49 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Agustín Fuentes points out that when it comes to men and women, what "everyone knows" isn’t what science shows.

Everyone knows that men and women are really different. We think differently and act differently because we are wired differently. I mean look at our brains and genitals: they are just plain different. Right?

Wrong.

What if many of the things we assume about the biology of difference are not so different at all? What if it is not our “wiring” but the ways in which our bodies and minds develop and play out in society that makes us seem so unalike? Could it be that men and women are more similar than we think?

I Dumped the Love of My Life and Now She Doesn’t Trust Me

Yes, women give birth and lactate and men do not. And yes, men are, on average, slightly larger than women and usually have greater upper body strength. There are these basic biological differences between the sexes and they are important . . . but why always focus on the differences and not the biological, and behavioral, similarities? Ahh, that would be because of gender.

Gender is a powerful reality; it is the perception and expectation of differences between males and females and it shapes both our bodies and our society. Gender differences are real and important, but they are not hard wired or even static. There is no biological or evolutionary mandate that only women really care for babies and show emotions, or that males are the best at economics and politics and prefer beers and skirt-chasing to domestic bliss. These are patterns of gender roles and expectations that shape the ways we look at our biology and behavior. They influence the way we expect the world to be. It is the strength of the societal myths about sex that fool us into thinking that men and women are so different by nature.

So let’s bust some of those myths.

Gender and sex are the same thing.

Sex and gender are interconnected, but not the same thing. Sex is a biological state that is measured via what chromosomes you have (XX or XY, usually) and aspects of your body and physiology. Gender includes the roles, expectations and perceptions that a given society has for the sexes. Most societies have two genders on a masculinity-femininity continuum. Some have more. We are born with a biological sex, but acquire gender. There is a ton of individual diversity within societies and sexes in regards to how sex and gender play out in behavior and personality.

There is an extensive body of data demonstrating this, but people interested only in specific differences between men and women choose to ignore it.

Male and female genitals are totally different.

Most people think that male and female genitals are about as different as can be: penis=male and vagina=female. But even this basic dichotomy is not quite correct: the genitals emerge from the same mass of embryonic tissue. For the first six weeks of life the tissue masses develop identically. At about 6-7 weeks, depending on whether the fetus has XX or XY chromosomes (usually), the tissues to start to differentiate. One part of the tissues begins to form the clitoris or penis and another forms the labia or scrotum. Another area begins to form into either the testes or the ovaries. This means that physiologically, male and female genitals are made of the same stuff and work in similar ways.

Male and female brains are different.

If there were really deep seated differences between male and female human behavior and biology they should show up in the brain. The genitals start in the same place and end up looking different, the brain does not. Our brains are pretty much the same. Male brains are a bit bigger than females’ (like their bodies) and females’ brains stop growing earlier than males (as with their bodies). However, whatever one may believe about other organs, in the case of healthy brains, size really does NOT matter one iota. There also might be a few differences in a small part of the brain called the straight gyrus (need more testing in this one). Other than these minor aspects there are no consistent and replicated reliable differences in male and female brains; it is a human brain . . . but how we use it is another matter.

Hormones make the difference.

Everyone thinks that males and females have different hormones . . . testosterone for men and estrogen for women. Nope, all the actual hormones in males and females are the same: there are no male-only or female-only hormones. Both men and women can get a flood of testosterone when they get into a fight or take part in an exhilarating sports match. Both men and women can get a flood of oxytocin and prolactin when they pick up a newborn baby. There can be differences in the levels, patterns, and impacts of some of these hormones in male and female bodies, but individual variation is often more important than the variation between the sexes.

Keep reading for the rest.

Spotted, Literally: See How Jessica, Gwen, Diane, and More Perfect Polka Dots

Brittney Stephens — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:08:14 PDT

Polka dots have been around for ages, but recently some of our most-loved chic celebs have (literally) been spotted in the supercute print - and make such a great case for polka dots that you'll be feeling the itch to buy them before this story is even finished. Style setters like Jessica Alba and Emma Roberts showed how just one polka-dot piece can turn a look from humdrum to high fashion in a snap, and Gwen Stefani, Diane Kruger, and Jessica Chastain proved that while cutesy, polka dots can easily go from day to night (and look quite sophisticated in the process). For more dotted inspiration, just click through to see how various stars style up their spots, then shop our editors' picks for yourself.