YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Blog Posts by Vera H-C Chan

    • Dog Whisperer reveals suicide attempt, turnaround

      By Vera H-C Chan | Yahoo! TV – Thu, Nov 15, 2012 9:07 PM PST

      Cesar Millan may have been in tune with pup psychology, but the famed dog whisperer suffered a breakdown that led to an attempted suicide back in May 2010.

      Two years later, the animal expert has finalized his divorce and ended his National Geographic show "Dog Whisperer," but he's talking about being on the upswing in his documentary, "Cesar Millan: The Real Story."

      His 2010 overdose had been precipitated by several stressors, among them the death of his pit-bull Daddy, then his wife Ulsion's plans to leave him. Both had been a part of his life for 16 years (Daddy had originally belonged to rapper Redman). The pressure of their loss led him to abusing the antidepressants.

      News of a suicide attempt should come as a shock to any fan ("Dog Whisperer" aired in 110 countries with 38 million viewers), given Millan's constant urging for pet owners to be more attuned not just with their dog's psychology, but their own behavior. He did write to his fans about his depression on his

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    • Where did Honey Boo Boo get her name?

      By Vera H-C Chan | Yahoo! TV – Fri, Oct 19, 2012 1:42 PM PDT

      What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Then again, slather a nickname like Honey Boo Boo on a wee child, and you've just made yourself a pop culture steamroller.

      After all, a name like "Alana Thompson" wouldn't have been enough to generate your own reality TLC show, rack up meme riffs, send TV critics and parenting circles huffing over child exploitation, and inspire a short-lived Halloween costume.

      No, it takes an entirely random term of endearment. That's the story behind the handle of this 7-year-old Georgia pageant princess, whose first-half season of TLC's "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" wrapped up Sept. 26. That's right, "Honey Boo Boo" just came out of nowhere, according to Honey Boo Boo herself. In a hard-hitting investigative interview by Anderson Cooper, she said, "It just came out of the blue. ... Other people call me Honey Boo Boo child, not just me." The exposé:

      OK, let's dig some more, given that anticlimactic explanation. Honey

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    • 'Glee': How Did Lindsay Lohan Do?

      By Vera H-C Chan | Yahoo! TV – Wed, May 16, 2012 10:44 AM PDT

      Lindsay Lohan[Warning: "Glee" spoilers aplenty]

      "Glee," where songs go for revival and former child stars for "image rebranding."

      Lindsay Lohan judged the New Directions on the penultimate season finale episode, along with frenemy Perez Hilton and "Entourage" star Rex Lee, to help rebuild her aura — but did anybody notice? The Twitterverse was largely mum on her cameo, except for one who noted she "chaffed 'The Voice' in the judges' room." That was when Lohan professed outrage that there were no cameras filming her judging a high school national chorus championships.

      'Glee,' Lohan fan reaction
      Searches for "lindsay lohan" on Yahoo! did pop up 132%, and measured more than double the searches for "glee" (That's including the panicky "glee cancelled" queries. The show's not cancelled—just moved to Thursdays). Lohan’s Facebook reminder to watch her on “Glee” received 1,469 likes, but the feedback was sparse: “[S]aw you!!!!!.........really good and hilarious as always. Just hope people wontt give you

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    • Report: Sofia Vergara Breaks Up With Boyfriend

      By Vera H-C Chan | Prime Time In No Time Videos – Wed, May 9, 2012 10:46 AM PDT

      Vergara alone at the Met Gala (Getty)Sofia Vergara may be on the rebound.

      A friend confirmed to Us Weekly that the "Modern Family" looker and her boyfriend of two years, Nick Loeb, have broken up. The New York Post first noted that the actress attended a Monday-night museum gala and after-party solo. The two, who met January 2010 at a Golden Globes party, have had various spats, and the last one was the deal-breaker.

      Who is Nick Loeb? The twosome have certainly been an interesting couple. While Loeb's a red-carpet junkie, the Florida businessman with high-powered family ties has long harbored aspirations for higher office. Loeb, whose father was ambassador to Denmark during the Reagan administration and a UN delegate, lost a 2005 bid for a city commission spot in his town of Delray, cut short a 2009 state Senate campaign because of his divorce, and, after serious consideration, recently decided against launching a U.S. Senate campaign. Loeb blamed the decision on injuries from a serious car crash.

      American old money

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