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Harry Connick, Jr. Knows Who's the Boss in His Female-Dominated Home

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:35:53 PDT

Living in a house full of women has taught Harry Connick, Jr. a thing or two over the years. Most of all, the crooner, actor, and activist has learned to be quiet and listen.

The father of three - Georgia, 15, Sarah Kate, 13, and Charlotte, 9 - is now hoping that others will do the same. He and his middle daughter, Kate, are working with American Girl to introduce the dollmaker's two newest dolls Cécile and Marie-Grace from 1853 New Orleans - and raising money for after-school programming for children at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in NOLA. The father-daughter duo wrote and recorded "A Lot Like Me," based on the message of diversity that streams throughout the new dolls' accompanying books. Each time the song is downloaded, a donation is made to the music center. I recently spoke with the duo about working together and life at home.

LilSugar: Kate, what was it like working with your dad?
Kate Connick: It was great! It’s always fun working with my dad no matter what we do. It was really cool, because we got down to business. And he helped me not only as a dad, but working too.

LS: Harry was it a dream come true working with your daughter?
Harry Connick, Jr.: It's one of those things where before I had kids I would dream about what it was like to have kids and now that I have three girls, it's such a blessing. I never really thought about the prospect of having any of them want to do anything similar to what I do, but Kate's shown interest from early on. To not only have the pleasure of hearing her sing, but to be able to work with her - Kate's very serious and she has a really hard work ethic - it's a joy, I love it!

LS: The books in the new series and the song all celebrate diversity. Harry, you grew up in the diverse world of New Orleans. How do you instill the importance of such diversity in your kids?
Harry Connick, Jr.: We live in Connecticut now, and Connecticut is not as diverse as New Orleans by a long shot. I've told them for a long time that this is kind of a brown world we live in and [where] we live in Connecticut is not by any means representative of the world. So Kate's been to Asia, to Africa. She’s been all over the world, and she sees that this is a diverse world. The music that I play is also very diverse. The musicians that I play with come from different backgrounds, so Kate's pretty steeped in that.

LS: Harry, with three daughters, you're constantly surrounded by women. What's the best part of living in a female-dominated home?
Harry Connick, Jr.: I stay quiet, and I listen. Is that right?
Kate Connick: Oh, yeah.
Harry Connick, Jr.: I mean, who’s the boss of our house?
Kate Connick: Mom
Harry Connick, Jr.: Yeah!.

LS: Kate, do you guys ever gang up on him?
Kate Connick: No, he’s the only guy in the house, so we help him out.

Keep reading to see how Harry works family into his busy schedule, and how he answers our Four Lil Questions.

Thoughts on the Homeless American Girl Doll

babysugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:00:08 PDT

I'm all for exposing my child to the different walks of life. One of the reasons why I believe in the public school system is that children can get a taste of the real world by making friends with different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. Taking kids along to volunteer can open their eyes and show them how good it feels to help those less fortunate. Having said all that, I'm not sure where I stand on the newest addition to the American Girl doll lineup.

As the economy has suffered, more children have become homeless. As a way to teach children about the unfortunate plight of some youngsters, the toy makers created a limited edition "homeless" doll named Gwen. I understand the concept and think it could be a great talking point but it does seem a tad ironic that the pretty lil blonde lass costs $95. While that's the going rate for the highly coveted dolls, it seems the company could have helped the homeless cause even more if they made the proceeds go directly to a homeless cause, say one that might actually help homeless children even. What's your take on the latest American Girl doll?

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:30:46 PDT

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the selections below you can also add to your queue the kid-friendly adventure Journey to the Center of the Earth.

The L Word
Before the fifth season of Showtime's The L Word started this Summer, there were a lot of questions: Is Jenny still going to be so terrible? Is Shane settling down to make a family (uh, for real this time)? Will Alice stay with Tasha when she's shipped back to Iraq? Well, some of you may know the answers to these questions and some may not.

Now you can take home the entire season to catch up or relive the glory this Winter before the sixth and final season airs Sunday, Jan. 18. Special features include "The 2008 Wolfe Women's Party in Tampa" and "The Making of the Subaru Pink Ride."

Two more selections up next so

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
I bet there are a lot of little girls (and OK, big ones, too) that are super excited for the release of this movie, which stars Abigail Breslin as the intrepid budding journalist Kit Kittredge. Interestingly, the Depression-era feel-good flick is actually kind of timely now, given the current climate. Netflix describes the plot as such: "With Kit's father (Chris O'Donnell) away looking for a job, her mother (Julia Ormond) takes in boarders to make ends meet - and when the family savings are stolen during a series of robberies, Kit sets about finding the thief."

You'd think a movie like this one would have a special features bonanza attached to it but as it is, there's just an "American Girl Movie Trailer Gallery" featuring previews for direct-to-DVD American Girl movies.

Death Defying Acts
I noted over the Summer how strange it is that a movie with two big-name actors and an acclaimed director had almost zero publicity around its opening weekend. But that was the situation with Death Defying Acts, a story set in 1926 Britain where Harry Houdini (Guy Pearce) "enters into a passionate affair with a Scottish psychic (Catherine Zeta-Jones). The psychic and her daughter (Saoirse Ronan) attempt to con Houdini during a highly publicized séance to contact his mother whose death has haunted him for many years. However, all does not go to plan."

Despite the red flags, I still think it sounds pretty cool and I love that little Atonement actress so I'm definitely adding this to my list of movies to watch at home. Special features include commentary by director Gillian Armstrong and producer Marian MacGowan, and a making-of featurette.

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Link Time! 10/14

BuzzSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:30:25 PDT

American Girl announced yesterday that it would discontinue all products related to Samantha Parkington?! - Popwatch
Were those a bunch of clues about the future on How I Met Your Mother last night? - The TV Addict
Check out a list of the seven funniest horror movies, and the lowdown on this year's most popular movie-inspired Halloween costumes (Joker, Iron Man, etc.). - Cinematical
Check out Bjork's new single, with backup help from Thom Yorke. - Stereogum
Scrooge McDuck pops up on a list of TV characters you could trust with your money in these tough economic times. - TV Squad
Guillermo del Toro discusses his new take on Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five. - MTV Movies Blog
Practice your Office lingo with this "Addictionary." - Pop Candy
Click here to chat about Rocco DiSpirito's hot pink ruffly number from this week's Dancing With the Stars, and make your official winner predictions. - Watch With Kristin
Celebrating the news of a new Saturday Night Live clip site. - geeksugar

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Did You Ever Get Into the American Girl Series?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:00:37 PDT

I've already declared my love of the American Girl books, which I enjoyed mostly because they incorporated interesting historical stuff into stories about girls who - aside from the differences in time periods - were just girls like me and my friends. Now, even though I'm an adult with no kids, I'm excited to see the adorable Abigail Breslin play Kit Kittredge in the movie adaptation heading to theaters just in time for the 4th of July.

Not only did I love the books, but I was the ecstatic recipient of a Kirsten doll at one point. My friend's mother even sewed us pajamas that matched our dolls (the white nightgown for me and Kirsten, the red-and-white striped two-piece PJs for my friend and her Molly doll). At that time, there were only three girls to learn about: Kirsten, Molly and Samantha. Now there are tons! And customizable dolls, too. It's crazy to think how far the American Girls have come over the years.

Was the American Girl series a part of your childhood, too?

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First American Girl Feature Film: Kit Kittredge

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:34:05 PST

I don't know about you, but before I was all about The Babysitters Club I couldn't get enough of the American Girl book series. Of course, these days there is all sorts of American Girl stuff to accompany the stories, and there are way more than just the basic five or six characters I grew up with.

With fond American Girl memories in mind, I recently watched the trailer for the first American Girl feature film: Kit Kittredge, with Abigail Breslin in the starring role. Kit Kittredge is a Depression-era American Girl with (what else?) a go-getter attitude and a fierce determination to become a great journalist. With a supporting cast that includes Joan Cusack, Stanley Tucci, Chris O'Donnell and Jane Krakowski, I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing this movie.

Kit Kittredge arrives in theaters July 2, so to check out the trailer,

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What's Your Sunglasses Style? Watch Our Video for Inspiration!

FabSugar — Sat, 26 May 2012 07:53:49 PDT

From cat eye to oversize, to printed or clear - every girl needs an arsenal of standout sunnies to stay eternally chic wherever the sun shines. Whether you're looking for edgy, classic, or quirky shades, we've selected a variety of styles to suit every face and every personality. On Allison: American Apparel top

Phillip Phillips Is America's New Idol

Katie Henry — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:30:22 PDT

American Idol closed out its 11th season in LA tonight and crowned Phillip Phillips the winner! The two-hour season finale brought out some of music's biggest stars like Rihanna, Chaka Khan, John Fogerty, and Dream Girls legend Jennifer Holliday, who joined finalist Jessica Sanchez on stage for an unforgettable duet of "And I'm Telling You." The judges also got in on the action. Steven Tyler and Aerosmith performed a medley of songs while Jennifer Lopez flashed her abs in a studded bra and got the crowd on their feet with her latest dance track, "Follow the Leader." The evening was packed with exciting moments, including a marriage proposal. Former contestant Ace Young got down on one knee and popped the question to girlfriend, and Idol's season three runner-up, Diana DeGarmo.

Following the results and Phillips's emotional performance of his first single, "Home," he headed backstage to chat with press about his long road to tonight's finale, and how he's processing the win. Phillip said of his big win, "It's so unreal . . . it hasn't sunk in yet, it's just such a blessing to have." Phillip was humble talking about his own success, but Jessica was quick to compliment her competitor, saying, "When they announced it was Phillip I was so happy. I love him so much; he deserved it. He's been having to keep up with his health issues; he's been through a lot more than us, both mentally and physically." Season 11 was full of excitement for the contestants and the judges. However, we'll have to wait and see if J Lo returns for season 12.

Robert Pattinson to Star in Catching Fire?

Katie Henry — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:55:58 PDT

Will Robert Pattinson star in Catching Fire? - HuffPost Entertainment
Is Diddy trying to be Brad Pitt? - Lainey Gossip
Justin Bieber announces North American Believe tour dates - Us Weekly
Prince Charles tries his hand at being a DJ - People
Alec Baldwin has choice words for Harvey Weinstein - Hollywood Reporter
Will Smith addresses reporter slap on Letterman - TooFab
Tracy Anderson gives birth to a baby girl - Celebitchy
Recap the 10 most memorable twists in Revenge's first season - The Daily Beast
Snooki's having a boy - BuzzFeed
Selena Gomez stars in Fifty Shades of Blue - The Insider
Find out why Orlando Bloom is killing people - Rotten Tomatoes
Jillian Michaels becomes mother of two - Wonderwall
Georgia May Jagger is the new face of Material Girl - Lifeline Live
Who's going to win American Idol season 11? - Zap2It
Peek inside Kourtney Kardashian's baby shower - Your Tango

Your American Girl Doll Stories

Tara Block — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:35:06 PDT

When we read The Hairpin's article about how your American Girl doll shaped your life, we immediately began reminiscing about our own AG dolls. This year American Girl is celebrating its 25-year anniversary, and only a couple of the historical girls we grew up with are still available. But I remember when it was just the classic Molly, Samantha, Felicity, Addy, and Kirsten. I had Samantha first, then Felicity, who I wore matching dresses with while touring colonial Williamsburg. Annie had Samantha as well, and her sister Molly had her glasses-wearing namesake, of course. We asked our Facebook fans which doll you had, and you gals seemed to love your AG dolls as much as we did, with Molly and Felicity being the most popular. And don't worry if you didn't have one, according to The Hairpin that means you are now "financially independent, level-headed, and unspoiled." Click through to read your American Girl doll stories!