Friday, January 31, 2014
Exclusive: Amanda Knox 'Couldn't Believe What I Was Hearing'
A clearly emotional Amanda Knox said in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America" this morning that she "couldn't believe what I was hearing" as she watched the Italian court declare her guilty of murder and sentence her to more than 28 years in prison.
"It really hit me like a train," she told GMA anchor Robin Roberts. "I did not expect this to happen. I really expected so much better from the Italian justice system. They found me innocent once before."
Knox's voice quavered and she paused at times as she struggled to maintain her composure.
"I will never go willingly back to the place where … I’m going to fight this to the very end. It’s not right and it’s not fair," she said.
Knox spent four years in an Italian prison after being convicted of murdering her English roommate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy, where they were both students in 2007.
She was freed when an appeals court threw out the conviction in 2011, but Italy's supreme court ordered the case retried and an appeals court found her guilty Thursday. The court sentenced Knox to 28 years and six months in prison.
Knox, 26, said she found an Italian television station online to hear the verdict Thursday. She had originally intended to wait until her lawyers gave her the news, but "I couldn't help myself."
"I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My whole family was there and I was listening and I’m the only one who knows Italian and I’m trying to listen and then tell them," she said.
With a shaky voice, Knox said she has gone through "waves of reaction" and it "only on my way here that I got my first cry." She said she spoke with an Italian priest who she met in prison and has kept in touch with.
"No, this is wrong," she said at one point, "and I'm going to do everything I can to prove it."
"This is an experience that I have to testify to, that really horrible things can happen and you have to stand up for yourself," Knox said.
Roberts asked the Seattle woman if she was ready for extradition if Italy seeks to have her sent back.
"I'm not," Knox said firmly. She added, "I will never go willingly back."
Knox said she has sent a letter to her lawyer that is addressed to the family of Meredith Kercher.
"It's in the mail. Mainly I just want them to know that I really understand that this is incredibly difficult, that they’ve also been on this never ending thing and when the case has been messed up so much, like a verdict is no longer consolation for them," she said.
Knox's former Italian boyfriend and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito was also found guilty and sentenced to 25 years. He was found early today at a hotel near the Italian border. Police took him from a hotel to a police station about 1 a.m. to stamp his passport in a way that would prevent him from leaving the country.
Sollecito's lawyer told ABC News that he was not trying to flee the country.
"Sollecito was going to his girlfriend’s house in Treviso," the lawyer said.
Knox said today that one of her first reactions after hearing the verdict was, "Oh my God, Raffaele... He is vulnerable and I don't know what I would do if they imprisoned him. It's maddening."
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Chris Brown - Yo (Excuse Me Miss)
the one and only erica mena from love & hip hop in the video as leading lady
“Good Luck Charlie” introduces Disney Channel’s first lesbian characters
Last night, during the penultimate episode of Good Luck Charlie, The Disney Channel finally introduced its first ever gay characters: a lesbian couple named Susan and Cheryl, and while it was a really big deal for LGBTQ visibility—Susan and Cheryl are the first gay couple on anychild-targeting network—the show handled their sexuality as a complete non-issue. The writers didn’t make any Everybody Loves Raymond-style jokes at the expense of the lesbian characters. There were no Three’s Company-style misunderstandings about the characters’ relationship. It was organic and breezy and revolutionary in its normalcy.
When Amy told Bob she’d set up a play date with one of Charlie’s friends, she dropped the name of the girl’s mom: Susan. Bob says he’s met Taylor’s mom before and he’s pretty sure her name is Cheryl. The confusion is cleared up when both Cheryl and Susan show up at the door with Taylor in tow. Taylor runs into the house to play, while Bob and Amy welcome Cheryl and Susan inside. Bob says, “Ohhh, Taylor has two moms.” And Amy replies, “Wow, nothing gets past you, Bob.” It’s a non-issue to them and it’s a non-issue for Charlier. Some kids have two moms and some kids have two dads and some kids have a mom and a dad. That’s just the shape of the world, kids. No big deal.
The Disney Channel knew the introduction of Susan and Cheryl was going to be a problem with some conservative groups (most loudly, One Million Moms, the hyper-religious group comprised of about 100 moms), so they preempted the complaining with a statement back in July, saying that the episode would be written “under the consultancy of child development experts and community advisers.” Which is ridiculous and hilarious, but they went through with their plans, so I applaud them fervently. Hopefully, Disney Channel’s future will unfold just as the One Million Moms predict: ”If Good Luck Charlie goes through with introducing LGBT content, then the floodgates will be opened for all programs on the Disney Channel–a trend that will be almost impossible to stop.”
That’s actually exactly what happened with ABC Family, and would you get a load of the dozens of queer female characters (and lesbian/gay writers and showrunners and directors) on that network now? They practically run the place! Seriously, here’s hoping Disney (and Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network and the like) hop on board the Children’s Visibility Train. It’s finally leaving the station!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Sarah Palin: 'I won't do Dancing with the Stars'
Sarah Palin has ruled out ever competing on Dancing with the Stars Us version to Strictly come dancing in the UK.
The former Alaska governor's daughter Bristol Palin famously starred on the ABC reality show in 2010, but Sarah has downplayed ever dancing in the ballroom.
The former Alaska governor's daughter Bristol Palin famously starred on the ABC reality show in 2010, but Sarah has downplayed ever dancing in the ballroom.
"Oh, my gosh, that is something you don't want to see," she told Extra.
The politician went on to joke: "I'm no Mario Lopez and I'm no Bristol Palin, I'd be clomping around and falling down all over the dancefloor, man. I wouldn't make it past the judges [on] day one."
Palin did reveal that she has ambitions to host a daytime chat show in the near future.
"That would probably would be a fun opportunity, as long as I got to pick the subject matter and got to talk to more inspiring people out there to help empower others," she said.
Palin is currently a political analyst for Fox News, and will also present the new Sportsman Channel reality show Amazing America.
The politician went on to joke: "I'm no Mario Lopez and I'm no Bristol Palin, I'd be clomping around and falling down all over the dancefloor, man. I wouldn't make it past the judges [on] day one."
Palin did reveal that she has ambitions to host a daytime chat show in the near future.
"That would probably would be a fun opportunity, as long as I got to pick the subject matter and got to talk to more inspiring people out there to help empower others," she said.
Palin is currently a political analyst for Fox News, and will also present the new Sportsman Channel reality show Amazing America.
Wonder Woman TV pilot not going ahead at The CW
The CW's Wonder Woman TV pilot has officially been dropped, network president Mark Pedowitz has confirmed.
An origins tale for the super-heroine - titled Amazon - was commissioned in 2012, though the project was later put on hold.
"We did not go forward with it," Pedowitz told The Hollywood Reporter. "These are iconic characters, so we're going to be very careful with Wonder Woman. You only get one shot before you get bit."
The CW currently airs Arrow - based on DC's Green Arrow comics - and is also developing a spinoff featuring superhero The Flash.
"It all depends on the script," Pedowitz said. "We were very careful with Arrow, and we're being very careful with Flash."NBC previously shot a Wonder Woman pilot starring Adrianne Palicki in 2011, though the project was not picked up to series.
Fast & Furious actress Gal Gadot will portray the character on the big screen in the forthcoming Man of Steel sequel.
An origins tale for the super-heroine - titled Amazon - was commissioned in 2012, though the project was later put on hold.
"We did not go forward with it," Pedowitz told The Hollywood Reporter. "These are iconic characters, so we're going to be very careful with Wonder Woman. You only get one shot before you get bit."
The CW currently airs Arrow - based on DC's Green Arrow comics - and is also developing a spinoff featuring superhero The Flash.
"It all depends on the script," Pedowitz said. "We were very careful with Arrow, and we're being very careful with Flash."NBC previously shot a Wonder Woman pilot starring Adrianne Palicki in 2011, though the project was not picked up to series.
Fast & Furious actress Gal Gadot will portray the character on the big screen in the forthcoming Man of Steel sequel.
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