Condolences to a Remarkable First Lady in "Letters to Jackie"

06/18/2013

This November will mark the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. To commemorate the event that shocked a nation -- and really, the world -- TLC will debut the exclusive television event Letters to Jackie.

Letters to Jackie is based on the book "Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation" by Ellen Fitzpatrick. For two months after the President's assassination, the White House received more than 800,000 letters for the first lady, who lost her husband and the father of her children. Letters poured in from all over the United States and from several nations around the world, and the writers represented all ages, races, religions and political persuasions. The writers included a 13-year-old suffering from polio, who wrote words of strength for Jackie; a Peace Corps volunteer who'd heard the news from his post in Ethiopia; and an African-American woman who wrote to tell the first lady how her husband's efforts in the Civil Rights Movement had affected her life.

The letters are read by some of today's most recognizable celebrity voices, including:

Bérénice Bejo
Demián Bichir
Jessica Chastain
Chris Cooper
Viola Davis
Zooey Deschanel
Kirsten Dunst
Anne Hathaway
Allison Janney
John Krasinski
Melissa Leo
Laura Linney
Frances McDormand
Chloë Grace Moretz
Mark Ruffalo
Octavia Spencer
Hailee Steinfeld
Channing Tatum
Betty White
Michelle Williams

Letters to Jackie premieres in November on TLC.

Image courtesy Harper Collins

Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson Takes Home A Gold At The Redneck Olymp-Hicks

06/12/2013

Alana and Jessica at last year's Redneck Olymp-Hicks (Credit: DCL)

Can you believe it's been a whole year since the last Redneck Olymp-Hicks? Oh time, it moves so quickly (sheds tear). Last year, we saw Alana and her family compete in the games, but come up empty-handed. This year Alana was victorious, winning a gold medal for her dancing.

What is the Redneck Olymp-Hicks? Now in its fifth year, the annual Redneck competition takes place in Augusta, Georgia, and is a veritable cornucopia of belches, beer bellies and bobbing for pigs feet (remember when Pumpkin competed in that last year?). Or, as Mama June explains it, "It’s just like the Olympics except for a lot of missing teeth and butt cracks showing."

And Alana wasn't the only winner: Her sister Anna's daughter Kaitlyn won a "cutest redneck baby" contest.

Don't miss the return of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, July 17 at 9/8 c.

Life In The Clouds: 5 Awesome Grown-Up Treehouses

06/10/2013

Imagine living life high up in the sky, your nearest neighbors a bunch of birds and squirrels. For a select few lucky treehouse dwellers, that dream is a reality.

Following, take a look at five of our favorite treehouses, and don't forget to check out even more amazing dwellings Monday night at 10/9 c on Surreal Estate.

 

Flickr

 

The Minister's House

In 1993, minister Horace Burgess had a vision. God spoke to him and told him “If you build me a treehouse, I’ll see you never run out of material.” Burgess immediately began working on a treehouse structure outside of the small town of Crossville, Tennessee, and completed it 14 years later. No mere rickety structure, the Burgess treehouse is 10 stories and nearly a hundred feet tall. The structure includes a worship space and a basketball court, for sky-high dunking.

Click here for more crazy treehouse action.

Meet The Ladies Of "The Good Buy Girls"

06/06/2013

Brook Roberts and Tara Gray are former beauty queens (question: are you ever really a "former" beauty queen?), current best friends and roommates, and the stars of the new show "Good Buy Girls." The two beautiful blondes sell stuff on the Direct Shopping Network (that's DSN to you and me), but are hoping to expand the range of products the channel offers.

The girls offer an inside look into the crazy world of the home shopping industry. And the best part? They really do test everything that they sell on the show -- they're basically their own quality control. If it doesn't meet Brook and Tara's standards, it's not gonna make it on air.

Above, B&T speak with the folks at Right This Minutes about what it's like to be consumer quality control.

And don't miss the next episode of The Good Buy Girls, Wednesdays at 10/9 c.

Pop Culture Inspiration: Our Favorite Famous Nannies

06/04/2013

Jo Frost, the star of Family S.O.S. With Jo Frost, learned a lot about family dynamics from the 17 years she spent working as a nanny. Nannying is no joke -- and can be a crucial person in a child's development, which may be why nannies are such a common pop culture trope. Of course there's Mary Poppins, but we've dug up six other notable nannies from books, TV and films that you might remember.

Catching Up With the Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Clan

05/30/2013

 

If you've been over on the Here Comes Honey Boo Boo show page, you may have already seen the Boo Boo family's recent vacation pics. In May, the family took a road trip to Dollywood, Dolly Parton's amazing amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. There was swimming and rides and oh, well, you should just check out the whole hilarious set of photos. Here's a sneak peek, though:

Is that a sad face or a happy face, Alana?

The Boo Boo crew also want you to know that they're taking part in a very special campaign to end bullying. The family has released official "Honey Boo Boo Child" tees via anti-bullying company The Brand UR.

But wait! There's more!

5 Things To Know About Jo Frost, The Star Of Family S.O.S.

05/28/2013

 

DCL

The new series Family S.O.S. debuts Tuesday night and we've got the inside track on show star Jo Frost. You might recognize Frost from her previous family-rescuing/kid-disciplining work on Supernanny, her hyper-successful parenting show that aired in both the U.S. and Britain. But Frost, who has more than 20 years of childcare experience, is hoping to help even more struggling parents with Family S.O.S.

 

So just who is Jo Frost? We've got the inside track after the jump.

Before Long Island Medium: 5 Famous Psychics In History

05/27/2013

Long Island Medium's Theresa Caputo is one of the most famous psychics and seers alive today. But there's a long tradition of psychics, seers and prophets that have come before her, dating back to ancient times. Back then, people visited oracles that helped divine the future -- and seers are even mentioned in the Bible. Historically, psychics and mediums have enjoyed privileged cultural position in a wide array of societies. 

After the jump, we take a look at some of the most notable psychics, seers and mediums in history.

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Takes Over Britain!

05/23/2013

This week, the British will get their first extra special dose of Boo Boo charm when Here Comes Honey Boo Boo debuts there. Though it's already a huge hit in the United States, the Brits will be seeing Mama June, Sugar Bear and the rest of the family for the first time.

Some cultural critics question whether Boo Boo will make a good impression on the Brits. Whether something more highbrow may have been a more appropriate or impressive import. But Alison Yarrow, culture critic at The Atlantic thinks that Alana and fam make great ambassadors.

The show, says Yarrow, "features among the most real, relatable, unpretentious Americans on television. Viewers return because at its heart, here is a loving, American family that adheres to its own standards. In the words of Mama June: 'You like us or you don't like... we just don't care.'"

Is there any better message than that?

Dr. Oz Takes Us Inside The Mind Of Theresa Caputo -- Literally!

05/21/2013

Last week, Dr. Mehmet Oz had Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo on Dr. Oz to test what happens to Theresa's brain when she's doing a reading. Does brain activity shift when she's talking to Spirit? According to past experiment, the brain does undergo some changes while in the midst of a psychic episode. But why don't we let Dr. Oz explain it. Below is the first of five parts of Theresa's Dr. Oz appearance.

 

After the jump, the remaining for show segments. Is Theresa's brain altered during her readings? Find out!