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  • The Scandal That Rocked the 19th-Century Art World

    It was the era of the parisienne, the professional French beauty, famous worldwide for her looks. Whole lives were devoted to it. Some went so far as to have their skin painted or enameled, a practice which sometimes led to facial paralysis, blood poisoning and even death. One social observer noted, "In Paris, half the female population lives off fashion, while the other half lives for fashion."

    In the late 1870s a stunningly beautiful parisienne, Amélie Gautreau, dominated the social landscape. Madame Gautreau was born Virginie Amélie Avegno in New Orleans to French Creole parents. After her father was killed in the Battle of Shiloh, Amélie's mother moved her young daughters to live in Paris. Amélie began her ascent into Parisian society after marrying the wealthy Pedro Gautreau in 1878.
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    Amélie captured the imagination of many young aspiring artists, chief among them John Singer Sargent, who became obsessed with the beauty and pursued her relentlessly in hopes of painting her portrait. He knew a successful portrait of Gautreau would result in future commissions from the rich and famous of Parisian society.

    Deborah Davis's 2003 dual biography, Strapless, plots the course of the lives of two people whose stories will be forever woven together in this story of art, celebrity and scandal. The cast of supporting characters includes Richard and Cosima Wagner, Henry James, and Oscar Wilde. Davis vividly paints her own picture of life in nineteenth-century Parisian society and the scandal that rocked that world.

    After getting her to agree to sit for the portrait, Sargent struggled for months with what he called "the unpaintable beauty and hopeless laziness of Madame Gautreau." Eventually:

    ...he condemned Amélie, who hated remaining motionless, to one of the most tortuous poses in art history. He had her stand with her right arm leaning tensely on a table that was just a little too short to be a comfortable source of support. Her face turned sideways to draw attention to her remarkable profile, while her body pointed to the front. The muscles of her neck strained to keep her head at its awkward angle.

    Bill Hader Dishes On 'SNL,' 'South Park,' His Bill Murray Story & More On Bill Simmons Podcast

    Between "Saturday Night Live," "South Park," Adult Swim and his various film roles, chances are Bill Hader had a hand in almost every comedy thing you've liked in recent years. This week on Bill Simmons' B.S. Report podcast, he dished on all of that plus his first encounter with Bill Murray, Jon Hamm's knockout "SNL" debut, and Stefon's secret to success.

    Hader, now in his seventh season on "SNL" (his contract is up after next year) revealed a lot about how the show has shaped his comedic style throughout his life. When he was nine years old, he honed his timing by quoting Phil Hartman's Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer sketches and other bits, like a kid who plays "Stairway To Heaven" over and over again to learn guitar. The John Lovitz and Dana Carvey years were "his cast" but it was really Hartman, the show's best straight-man, who inspired him the most comedically.

    Hader also praised the "SNL" hosts like Justin Timberlake who understand the notion that you don't really "act" on "SNL," you perform. He went on at length about Jon Hamm, who has only hosted three times but has become "Like A Baldwin" on the show. Hader cited his first time hosting on Halloween in 2010 as, "one of the best times I've ever had on the show."

    And Hamm wasn't just fun to work with. According to Hader he was thrown a big curveball between dress rehearsal and showtime when Lorne Michaels was less than pleased with his Dean Martin impression in "Vincent Price's Halloween Special" featuring with Hader. Lorne asked Hamm what other characters he could do, and Hamm said he could do James Mason. That's why in the version that aired, below, Hamm ends up telling Dean Martin jokes with a James Mason accent. The costume and writing stayed the same. Simmons and Hader joked that Mason, who isn't exactly known for being a misogynistic drunk who wets his pants, was probably pretty confused and/or offended by the sketch:

    7 Tech-Savvy Animals Show Off Their Skills

    A huge number of us humans use technology daily, but not many others in the animal kingdom can say the same. That's what makes videos of animals using our gadgets so hilarious, heart-warming and, at times, mind-blowing.

    Take Peter the elephant's video, for example, which shows the big guy flipping through pictures, playing an instrument, and even drawing an elephant friend on Samsung's Galaxy Note. It was posted on YouTube user Technivator's channel on March 26 and has since gone viral, garnering nearly 1.5 million views.

    Of course, there are a handful of apps made specifically for animals -- even games you can play against your four-legged pals -- but it's more entertaining watching pets use people apps. Some of these critters are pretty tech-savvy, too. Flip through the slideshow (below) to see dogs, cats, birds and even a bearded dragon using our much-beloved gadgets just like we do!
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    Which video is your favorite? Do you have any similar ones to share? Let us know in the comments or upload your own video using the participation tool.

    Mega Millions are rich, but not THAT rich

    Congratulations, Mega Millions winners! You've just won the biggest lottery in history! Move over Bill Gates and Warren Buffett!

    Not so fast, Richie Rich.

    There's no doubt that you're now each a member of the 1 percent. A life of comfort and leisure awaits, and managed wisely, it just might await your friends and family for generations to come.

    Let's just not get carried away.

    A luxury box at the stadium you can afford, but forget about buying the franchise and becoming the "No. 1 fan" of your favorite NFL or Major League Baseball team. The Los Angeles Dodgers just sold for $2 billion, besting the NFL record price of $1.1 billion for the Miami Dolphins by nine times your take-home winnings.

    If you'd like to turn the keys at the sweetest pad in New York City — an $88 million apartment at 15 Central Park West — you'll have to spend nearly all of it to close the deal. But don't get into a bidding war: You're sure to lose out to the current owner, the 22-year-old daughter of a Russian billionaire.

    Even if you're looking to become the next great philanthropist, your good deeds can't compete — at least in terms of dollars and cents — with that Gates guy. His foundation has given away close to $26 billion since it was established in 1994.

    So, you've got some catching up to do. Don't worry, you're starting from a good place.

    In the hours before the dramatic Friday night drawing, the jackpot was estimated at $640 million. If you each take the lump-sum payout, the cartoon checks made out to you will be worth about $150 million. Uncle Sam gets his share, and your state might, too.

    All told, you'll each have roughly 100 million reasons to call April 2, 2012, the best Monday morning of your life.

    If you follow the advice of those who know money, you won't splurge on those big-ticket items that you can afford, such as a top-of-the-line Gulfstream G650 jet ($64 million, excluding pilot, maintenance, hanger and fuel costs) and a place to fly it, your own private island (let's call that $25 million even).

    Fashionably Late: Style News You Might Have Missed This Week

    Welcome to Fashionably Late, where we round up the style scraps that didn't make it to our news page this week. Click through and catch up on what else happened this week!

    Jennifer Lawrence graces the cover of Germany's Interview magazine. The starlet ditches her pants and barely there makeup for a sequined bodysuit and smoky eyes. (Courtesy photo)

    Facebook Timeline May Add To Weight Insecurity, Study Finds

    Facebook Timeline may be exacerbating the weight insecurity that many users already feel by making it easier to compare their weights at different points in their lives, a new survey suggests.

    Researchers at the The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore commissioned a public survey of 600 Facebook users age 16 to 40 and discovered that the majority of users with Timeline had used the feature to compare their weights at different points in their lives.

    In addition, 14 percent of users who had switched to Timeline had installed applications that allow users to track and chart their weight loss, and 37 percent said they were interested in trying out the feature in the future.

    But Facebook Timeline or not, the survey found that 75 percent of users on the social network felt unhappy with their current weight, with 51 percent reporting that seeing of pictures of themselves on the site made them more aware of their size. Nearly 1 in 3 users said that when they compared pictures of themselves to pictures of friends, they felt sad.

    "Facebook is making it easier for people to spend more time and energy criticizing their own bodies and wishing they looked like someone else," Dr. Harry Brandt, director of The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt, said in a press release. "In this age of modern technology and constant access to SmartPhones and the internet, it's becoming increasingly difficult for people to remove themselves from images and other triggers that promote negative body image, low self-esteem and may ultimately contribute to eating disorders."

    Steven Crawford, associate director at the Center for Eating Disorders, said that excessively monitoring one's weight can be a contributing factor to eat disorders, and that behavior is now easier than ever thanks to Facebook.

    "People are now constantly aware of their appearance, thanks to Facebook. A common reaction is, 'I need to be thinner' And it's that kind of thinking that can lead to hazardous dieting," Crawford told TechNews Daily.

    "Facebook is an influential factor in developing severe eating disorders," he said.

    According to the National Institute for Mental Health, about 1 percent of women will develop anorexia nervosa in her lifetime, and 3.5 percent of women will develop a binge eating disorder such as bulimia nervosa. Between 1999 to 2006, the rate of hospitalization for eating disorders increased by 18 percent.

    At least one study has linked Facebook use with eating disorders. A survey of 248 female Facebook users age 12-18 found that the more time young women spend on Facebook, the more likely they are to develop an eating disorder.

    2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards

    Never one to shy away from making a fashion statement, Katy Perry showed off a few inches of her midriff in a neon green ensemble with matching peep toe heels on the orange carpet at the Kids' Choice Awards in LA on Saturday. On closer examination, the 27-year-old singer's sports bra-like top looks like it's dripping with slime. Now, that's one way to avoid getting slimed! Paired with her purple and blue ponytail and bubblegum lips, the pop star pulls off the fun, eclectic look to perfection.

    Selena Gomez arrives at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California.

    Kristen Stewart arrives at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California.

    Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield arrive at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California.

    Lindsay Lohan Face Morph Video Shows Actress Age Rapidly

    It's been a banner week for Lindsay Lohan. First, it was confirmed that she'll appear as a guest star on "Glee" this spring. Then came her final court hearing Thursday, where she was taken off formal probation.

    With all of this good news, we wanted to celebrate the triumphant return of Lindsay Lohan by looking back at photos of her over the years, but when we stumbled across this face morph video of the actress, we were at a loss for words.

    The video -- just like the one of Britney Spears that hit the web a few weeks ago -- shows photos of Lohan throughout her 25 years. Her baby photos are cute, followed by images from her "Parent Trap" years, and then things get scary.

    Lohan is no stranger when it comes to being ridiculed about her appearance. Even Blondie singer Debbie Harry, 66, was mistaken for her in New York recently. But thanks to the video, you can actually see Lohan add decades to her appearance in just a few short seconds.

    Kids' Choice Awards: Slime Moments Steal The Show

    Celebrities attending Saturday's 25th annual Kids' Choices Awards should start getting nervous. Really nervous. While awards are presented during the kid-friendly Nickelodeon show, fans really just want to see the slime.

    From Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's double slime to Katy Perry's shocking green surprise, it's always fun to see stars -- especially those always looking their best -- get covered in that bright, sticky, Nickelodeon-signature goo.

    We've rounded up some of our favorite KCA slime moments below to get you ready for tonight's show, which kicks off on Nickelodeon at 8 p.m. WATCH VIDEO

    'Roman Reloaded,' 'Wrath Of The Titans,' 'Brooklyn 11223' And More: The Week In Ouch

    Mirror, mirror on the wall, which one of this week's reviews is the snarkiest of them all? That award might belong to "Mirror Mirror," the romantic comedy based off the "Snow White" fairytale, starring Julia Roberts, Lily Collins and Sean Bean.

    While it may seem like this all-star cast can do no wrong, according to Rolling Stone, the film falls flat. "The script by Marc Klein and Jason Keller is a model of storytelling incoherence and a lot of good actors go down in its swirling drain," wrote critic Peter Travers.

    Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj's new album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded," isn't faring much better in the critics' eyes. According to Billboard, the album is just as schizophrenic as Minaj and her two alter egos -- and that's not a compliment.

    HuffPost Entertainment has rounded up the week's snarkiest reviews just for your enjoyment in this week's installment of our "Week In Ouch" series.

    This week, critics from TV Guide to The New York Times and HitFix were left shaking their heads and sharpening their critiques.

    Let us know which films, albums and TV shows you think deserved the harsh critiques, and which ones you think critics should ease up on in the comments.

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