FitSugar

Laughter: More Than the Best Medicine

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 03:00:00 PDT

We have all heard that laughter is the best medicine; well some Norwegian researchers think it might just be more than that. Folks that have a sense of humor, especially in the face of cancer, outlive those who don't find life funny. The study tracked 57,000 Norwegians for 7 years and the larger role humor played in participants' daily lives, the greater their chances for surviving. Check out this article at USA Today for more on this study.

Now another recent study, this one British, found laughter acts as a "social lubricant" and can thereby make folks more altruistic as a group. Participants were shown either serious or comic videos in groups and then asked to "invest" money. They could invest either "privately" with a guaranteed return or "communally" with all participants receiving an equal return, but with no guarantee that it would match the amount put into the investment. Yep, you guessed it - the participants that laughed with their investing partners, who they had never met before, were more likely to invest communally. Laughing together makes people feel like they are more connected. The researchers are postulating that laughter could have evolutionary significance in creating group bonding which increases the group's survival in stressful situations.

Well...laugh and the world laughs with you...and you might live longer...and you might invest your money more altruistically which would make you feel warm inside.

Now if you are looking for a laugh, a chuckle or a guffaw...check out my buddy GiggleSugar. I am sure she has something to help you live longer.

Zac Efron Goes Shirtless in Sydney

Katie Henry — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 19:46:08 PDT

Zac Efron caught a late flight out of LAX last night and touched down in Australia today. The actor is in Sydney promoting his upcoming Nicholas Sparks film, The Lucky One. Shirtless Zac hung out at his hotel and relaxed on the balcony before tending to his latest round of press duties.

We recently had the chance to sit down with Zac and his costar Taylor Shilling at the LA junket. The pair dished about working on location in New Orleans and what it was like shooting their love scenes. According to Zac, he and Taylor "kept a good sense of humor" during the film's most intimate moments. We'll have to wait until the movie opens on April 20 to see more of Zac's fit frame, but for now we can admire his toned six-pack!

American Reunion: A Yearbook of Bad Memories

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 03:05:00 PDT

In 1999, a raunchy comedy called American Pie became an instant high school movie classic boasting the tagline "There's something about your first piece." That line feels truer than ever upon the release of American Reunion, the third sequel in the franchise. The film tries to capture the humor and spirit of the original film, but all it does is make you wish the Pie films had quit when they were ahead.

Thirteen years after graduation, we find Jim (Jason Biggs), settled down with former band geek Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Their once-spicy sex life has dwindled following the birth of their first child, and he's mostly lost touch with his former BFFs Oz (Chris Klein), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas). To remedy the situation, the foursome vows to have a boys' weekend back in their hometown for their high school reunion. Of course, the weekend becomes a disaster complete with binge drinking, surprise sexual encounters, awkward moments with former classmates, and a relentless amount of incredibly obnoxious one-liners from Stifler (Seann William Scott).

To find out what else feels stale about American Reunion, just

Getting caught up with Jim and the gang might have been more fun if there hadn't been two more Pie movies between the original and this one; we already have a good sense of where the characters have been and how they've evolved (or haven't, in most cases). Plus, you can garner what's happened to each of them in the first ten minutes, and after that you're just trying to watch a bunch of 30-somethings relive their glory days. We already saw this movie, and it was called Grown Ups.

The Pie movies have always relied on objectifying women for laughs, but American Reunion takes it to a new level. The guys ogle teenage girls at the lake, where they're wearing thong bikinis and making out with each other in front of their friends, because according to the movie, that's what all high school girls are like now. It's not just the teens either: there's a full-on catfight between two of the female leads, and the weight gain of one of Stifler's former hookups is played for gross-out laughs that's not just unfunny; it's downright mean.

The best part about American Reunion is that it incorporates some awesome '90s hits like "My Own Worst Enemy" and "The Freshman," but even that only happens in the final 20 minutes of the film, when you're already so burned out on sight gags that you barely have enough attention span to notice the soundtrack.

The same goes for all the cameos: it's fun to point out the throwbacks to the original, and I appreciated that John Cho (aka "the MILF guy") has a much bigger role this time around, but it's not enough to justify a film that's overlong and over the top. It made me realize that when it comes to the Pie franchise, I've had my fill.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Brian Atwood on Living With His BFF Melissa McCarthy, the Power of the Red Carpet, and What Makes a Woman Sexy

Chi Diem Chau — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:51:13 PDT

Brian Atwood's chic shoes have been spotted on a bevy of stars, like Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Trachtenberg, and, most recently, Jennifer Lawrence at the Hunger Games premiere, to name a few, so we're predicting that his gorgeous new handbag line, only available at Gilt.com, will garner an equally star-studded crowd. Last night, Gilt hosted a beautiful event at The Standard hotel in NYC to celebrate Brian Atwood's new collection, and not only did we get to check out the gorgeous clutch collection in person, but we also got up close and personal with the designer himself and chatted about his new line, his most memorable red-carpet moments, and his best friend, and Oscar nominee, Melissa McCarthy. Read below for all of his fun anecdotes.

FabSugar: What was the inspiration behind your beautiful new handbag collection?
Brian Atwood: It was about being surrounded by amazing women, seeing what their needs were. It was about taking that DNA and excitement from what I put into my shoes into a bag and thinking what would that bag look like, how do we make it cool, gorgeous, and showstopping? It's only the beginning, I'm having so much fun.

FS: What are some of your most memorable red-carpet moments?
BA: The first red carpet I had was with Debra Messing at the 2002 SAG Awards. I had no idea, I think she bought them, and someone told me she was wearing my shoes. That's when you really understand the power of the red carpet; it was pretty amazing. Cameron Diaz also wore [my shoes] at the Oscars with a dress which was short in front and long in back. I thought that was perfect. And now we have the shoe cam, I love the shoe cam!

Brian Atwood on living broke with Melissa McCarthy, what makes a woman sexy, and more.

Jillian Michaels's Secrets to the Strongest You . . . Ever

Health — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:43:51 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

The top trainer and life guru reveals the one question that'll get you to your goal - plus the single best workout to keep you feeling great for life.
By Alison Prato

Jillian Michaels catapulted to fame as the punishing trainer who got results on The Biggest Loser and Losing It With Jillian. But the 38-year-old has always been just as interested in building confidence as she has in sculpting rock-hard abs.

It's no accident that her most recent book is Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life. Everything Jillian tackles - including her recent gig as a life adviser on The Doctors, her DVDs (such as her latest, Jillian Michaels Kickbox FastFix), and her intimate podcast - is meant to help the rest of us claim a healthier, happier life.

Health.com: Get the Body You Crave With Celeb-Inspired Workouts

Sitting high in the hills of Southern California, the woman who calls everybody "buddy" is surprisingly funny and self-deprecating. And as expected, she's incredibly open, talking about her tough tween years, how she stays motivated (and how you can, too), and the dream she's fighting to make a reality.

Read the interview with Jillian after the break.

George Clooney Jokes About Gosling's Globes No Show: "You Know What You Do in Thailand."

Molly Goodson — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:43:39 PST

George Clooney brought his charming smile, sense of humor, and girlfriend Stacy Keibler backstage to the press room after winning best actor in a drama at the Golden Globes in LA this evening. His The Descendants also took home best dramatic picture, so it was a triumphant night for George. In between his typical funny quips and jokes, George chatted about going up against his friend Brad Pitt this award season and what he thinks fellow nominee Ryan Gosling is getting up to in Thailand. Check it out:

On any award season rivalry or wagers with Brad: I’ll tell you quite honestly: the truth of the matter is, Brad is my friend. I've never felt competition with him. I've only felt a great deal of friendship and support from him and for him. We don’t wager. We don’t bet. We just look at each other and slap each other on the back and wish each other the best because he's a friend.

On why people connect to this film: Alexander Payne knows how to tell a story. It's a coming-of-age film for a 50-year-old. A lot of us have dealt with issues or people like that. I have people coming up to me all the time. I think it touches a lot of people like that.

On Ryan Gosling being a no-show: He's in Thailand or something, and you know what you do in Thailand. He wrote me a nice email this morning and I found out that he wasn’t able to be here. It happens, you gotta work. He's gotta make a living, he's a struggling actor.

On adopting dogs: I've always had dogs. I've almost always had them out of the pound. Seems like a good place. They have a lot of them. It brings me a lot of joy to do it and they seem like the happiest dogs in the game. I only have one, but he eats for, like, four.

On the honor of being nominated: Both of these films [The Ides of March and The Descendants] being nominated, was three years of work and three years of things that mattered to me. What I really remember and what I do this for is filmmaking. I love being a part of film. I know film history. In 1976 there was All the President's Men, Bound for Glory, Network, Taxi Driver and there was Rocky, which won. But I remember all five of those films. The acknowledgement is unbelievably nice and complimentary, but that’s not why I do it.

Memorable moments from tonight's Globes: Here’s two moments that really struck me: I am in awe of Sidney Poitier. When he walks out on stage and he’s there to present, and he gets the longest standing ovation, earned, I found that to be very emotional to everyone in the audience. And the other is Jane Fonda in that dress. My god. She looked great, didn’t she?

On Ricky's hosting: I thought he did a great job. I think tonight was a much tougher gig because there's so much build-up to it. It's almost like how rough can you go at that point. I thought he handled tonight like a proper good host, again. It was fun. People were expecting a lot of trash talk. He did what he does, and he does it well. He makes me laugh.

On Mitt Romney's anti-gay stance: Well I’m not much concerned until there is an actual nominee, but I think it’s the wrong side of history. I think everyone understand it's the last leg of the civil rights issue. It's certainly not the wedge issue it was in 2004.

Funny Men Spice Up Critics' Choice

Tara Block — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:12:21 PST

We always love the classic hotties who make the award show rounds, but don't forget about the guys who aren't just good looking, they're hilarious. And let's face it, sometimes what a guy lacks in looks, he makes up for in sense of humor! Comedians Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel are hosting the Critics' Choice Awards tonight, but they aren't the only funnymen hitting the show's red carpet. See the actors who make us laugh, and swoon in the process, now!

Real Talk With TV Broke Girl Beth Behrs

LearnVest — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:59:07 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Since when is being broke funny?

Since CBS released its new sitcom 2 Broke Girls, in which actress Beth Behrs plays a recently humbled heiress, Caroline, who moves to Brooklyn to hide out after her father loses their family fortune in a Ponzi scheme.

Caroline winds up living with her perpetually poor fellow waitress, Max, played by Kat Dennings, and the two hatch a plan to save their wages and start a cupcake business.

Recession-era cupcake businesses have been all the rage lately (see: Bridesmaids), but shows addressing personal finances - or lack thereof - with humor and honesty is something we don’t see very often. Caroline and Max manage to plan for their future while hustling for their present - and survive on a shoestring with admirable grace. We love that these characters live richly, even on a tight salary: After all, that's what LearnVest is all about.

And, of course, any show where the leading ladies discuss interest rates is right up our alley.

Check out our exclusive talk with Behrs on her penny-pinching past, her first pair of Louboutins - and why she still chooses to live with a roommate in real life. It turns out that we can learn something from celebs about money.

LearnVest: As a 26-year-old in Hollywood, how much of Caroline and Max’s financial struggle can you relate to?

Beth Behrs: Literally up until we shot the pilot, I was working as a nanny five days a week and then as a bartender and concierge at The Geffen Playhouse on the weekends. So, I can definitely relate to being broke, right out of college and working tons of odd jobs to just pay the rent.

Real-life waitress stories and more from Behrs.

25 Truly Wacky White Elephant Gifts

BellaSugar — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:00:05 PST

Are you familiar with the "white elephant" gift exchange? It's a veritable tchotchke swap. The premise is that you show up with one totally useless wacky gift, draw numbers to see who goes first, and then let the opening begin. As subsequent participants unwrap their gifts, they can steal away the other's newly acquired goods. (I once obtained one of those sad-looking Charlie Brown Christmas trees this way. Score.) Do you have a white elephant party coming up, or perhaps you merely have friends with goofy senses of humor? Then let the gag gifting begin.

Charlize Theron Talks Stuart, Kristen Stewart, and More in Vogue

Allie Merriam — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:19:24 PST

Charlize Theron wore a stunning silver gown for the cover of December 2011's Vogue, which will be available in the US on Nov. 22. The actress is out and about chatting up her upcoming movie Young Adult, which is the second collaboration from Juno writer and director Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman. Charlize spoke about working with Jason shortly after splitting from her boyfriend of 10 years Stuart Townsend. She reflected on what it's like being single for the first time in her adult life, and how she's now throwing herself back into work. Another of her projects hitting theaters in the coming year is Snow White and the Huntsman with Kristen Stewart, who Charlize raves about as well. Charlize said:

On making Young Adult after her split from Stuart Townsend: "I’d gotten out of a relationship, and I was in this really floaty place. My feet weren’t touching the ground. I just kind of turned to [Jason Reitman] and was like, ‘I feel like me again.’. . . [The relationship] was sinking, and I had to give it a fight. I really wanted to try and make it work. That was the priority. I wouldn’t do it any different way."
On finally being single: "I’ve never been single. This is the first time in my life. From the time I was 19, I’ve been in relationships, literally gone from one to the other within a month. . . . It’s been good for me. I’m a creature who’s really found her comfort zone in relationships. . . . It’s been nice to rediscover myself. I had to make a real conscious effort to do it - it’s hard. It’s much easier to lose yourself in flowers and cigarettes and coffee with somebody else."
On her Snow White costar Kristen Stewart: “She just turned 21. She’s a child. When I think about myself at 21, I had just done The Devil’s Advocate, and Keanu [Reeves] had paparazzi following him and Al Pacino said this thing to me: ‘If I knew that my life would be under this kind of scrutiny, I would have never become an actor.’ ” And I thought, Wow. I couldn’t comprehend it. . . . And Kristen is just living this to the max and still has a sense of humor about it. There’s this really lovely quality about her that just doesn’t give a f*ck. A lot of people say they don’t, but then they go home and cry and pop a Xanax. Kristen actually doesn’t give a f*ck. That’s what’s so refreshing about her. . . . I’m looking forward to killing her and taking her beauty. That’s what happens, right?"