Prince Harry 'Thrilled' Over Royal Pregnancy

By Simon Perry

01/21/2013 at 02:40 PM EST

Prince Harry is on his way home from the war zone and says he "can't wait" to become an uncle.

"Obviously I'm thrilled for both of them," Harry, 28, says of his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate, joking, "It's about time."

In an interview in Afghanistan, where he served since September, the prince says he had chatted to the couple – and didn’t text or send them a letter, despite reports he had done so – when their news was released in early December.

"I spoke to my brother and her, and they're both very well and both very happy obviously," he says. "I think it's very unfair that they were forced to publicize it when they were, but that's just the media for you."

The royal couple revealed the pregnancy prematurely because of Kate's hospitalization due to severe morning sickness.

Harry, in charge of the weaponry on his crew's Apache attack helicopter, was interviewed about 10 days after the pregnancy was revealed, but his remarks were kept under wraps for security reasons, released now because he's returning to the U.K.

"I literally am very, very happy for them," he says, "but I just only hope that she and him – but mainly Catherine – hopefully that she gets the necessary protection to allow her as a mother-to-be to enjoy the privacy that that comes with. I seriously hope that's going to be able to happen."

Now that he's back from his tour of duty, is there some pressure on him to follow his brother and find a wife?

"I don't think you can ever be urged to settle down," he says. " If you find the right person and everything feels right, then it takes time, especially for myself and my brother."

But, as he has hinted before, it is hard to find the right kind of woman who isn’t going to be scared off by everything else that goes with being with a royal.

"You ain't ever going to find someone who's going to jump into the position that it would hold," he says. "Simple as that."

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Selena Gomez: It Helps Being Friends with Taylor Swift and Vanessa Hudgens

By Alison Schwartz and Michelle Ward

01/20/2013 at 04:00 PM EST

From left: Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens

Stephen Lovekin/Getty; Bryan Bedder/Getty; Javier Mateo/StarTraks

Boyfriends come and go, but Selena Gomez has a few very special – and very, very famous – faces to depend on.

The starlet, 20, counts Taylor Swift, 23, and Vanessa Hudgens, 24, among her inner circle, and she has plenty of compliments for their support along the way.

"It’s helped having Taylor and Vanessa both be older than me," she told PEOPLE at her New York City acoustic concert benefit for UNICEF, the children's rights organization for which she is a goodwill ambassador. "They’ve kind of experienced a little bit more, and at the same time we’re experiencing the exact same things together."

Her pals are just a call away, and "it's nice just to be able to pick up the phone and be like, 'Ugh, I had this person say this and it's annoying,' and have someone understand and really get what you're going through," adds Justin Bieber's on-again, off-again girlfriend. "I think that's [our] main connection. I just enjoy having people in the business in my life because it helps."

She recently worked with Hudgens on Spring Breakers, a comedy following four college gals that arrives in theaters in March. “I feel like I want to be her," Gomez says of her costar. "She’s been such an incredible person, and she’s fantastic in [Spring Breakers]. "She’s a really good friend.”

And if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, her feelings on Swift – whom she called "one of the most inspirational, positive, good-hearted people that I know" – were clear by an addition to her concert set-list: a cover of the Red singer's hit, "I Knew You Were Trouble." (Yes, she also learned a dance to her friend's tune, just before the two hit the Utah ski slopes in December with their boyfriends at the time.)

“I met [Swift] when she was 18. This is before [Swift's 2008 album] Fearless came out, and it was absolutely incredible to see someone so successful and so humble," she says. "I think she has been a big part of me kind of staying the way I am too."

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Deadly Pills: A National Epidemic

By Kristen Mascia

01/19/2013 at 04:00 PM EST

Jace Uher-Flom's mom dies two weeks after her birth of an overdose of prescription drugs

Grant Delin

Drugs are now the No. 1 accidental killer in the U.S., with the vast majority of deaths caused by prescription meds. A look at how medicines that are now a part of everyday life can also turn families upside down forever.

The statistics are staggering, the medicines powerful and highly addictive: This year more Americans will die of drug over-doses than in any other type of accident – including car crashes. In most cases, those deaths are caused by pills in many people's medicine cabinets given to them by trusted doctors, left over from routine surgeries or prescribed to manage chronic conditions.

"Prescription drug overdoses are a serious nationwide problem," says Dr. Leonard Paulozzi of the C.D.C.'s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, "for which we haven't yet found a solution."

How did we get here? For the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain, heavy-duty painkillers are the wonder drugs that help them lead more comfortable lives. But in the past 20 years, as opiate painkillers have become more routinely prescribed, the number of people dying from them – as a result of misuse or accidentally – has skyrocketed.

Often those deaths are due to bad interactions with other substances: Combined with alcohol some antidepressants can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure, and mixing pain pills with a few drinks "can depress the brain," says Paulozzi, "and lead to death."

It's a problem even the drug industry acknowledges, says Sharon Brigner, of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America: "These medicines can be an important tool – we tell anyone we talk to that medicines save and improve lives every day. But if misused, they can kill."

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7 Stunning Dresses You May Have Missed!

Sure, the Golden Globes fashion was predictably glam, but some of the best gowns that weekend never made it to your TV screen. Check out the looks you may have missed

Credit: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Updated: Thursday Jan 17, 2013 | 01:00 PM EST
By: Alex Apatoff

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Uma Thurman: Why My Daughter Has Five Names

Mom & Babies
Celebrity Baby Blog

01/17/2013 at 11:00 AM ET

What’s in a name? Apparently every last one on Uma Thurman‘s list of favorites!

After the actress and her boyfriend Arpad Busson revealed they had decided on Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence for their baby girl born in July, it was Thurman’s 14-year-old daughter Maya who found reason in their multitude of monikers.

“[Maya] came up with the best excuse, [which] was that I probably wouldn’t get to have any more children, so I just put every name that I liked into [Luna's],” the Playing for Keeps star, 42, said during a Monday appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Joking that there is a bit of logic behind their “crazy” choice — “The last part makes sense, right?” she says of Luna’s surname –  Thurman admits she and Busson couldn’t compromise.

“We couldn’t quite agree on the name,” she shares. “We call her Luna, so she’s lucky that way.”

Lloyd Bishop/NBC

And, in the long run Thurman and Fallon agree that the “full Catholic” 6-month-old will have no problems brainstorming baby names for her future family.

“The rest she can just name her own children all these interesting names,” quips the proud mama. “Proper Catholic, observant!”

– Anya Leon

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Harley Pasternak Blogs About the Benefits of Eating Avocados

01/16/2013 at 04:00 PM EST

Getty. Inset: Lou Rocco/ABC

Every morning I receive an email with the newest scientific studies published in the exercise and nutrition world. Once in a while, a study comes up that makes me excited enough that I have to blog about it. Below is one of these studies.

Researchers from UCLA's Center for Human Nutrition revealed some interesting new information on the health benefits of Hass avocados. The study was divided in to two groups – one ate hamburgers with fresh Hass avocado halves, and one ate them without the avocados. 

Results showed significant heart health advantages when the avocado and the burger were eaten together, rather than the plain burger.

The group that ate the burger with the avocado had lower levels of inflammation indicators (a key risk factor for heart disease), lower triglyceride levels (a type of fat in the bloodstream that can lead to the hardening and narrowing of your arteries) and superior arterial blood flow than those that ate the burger plain.

I've always been a huge fan of avocados. A true superfood, they're high in fiber, vitamin E, cancer-fighting carotenoids, and perhaps most importantly, they're an amazing source of heart healthy monounsaturated fats.  

Much like its healthy-fat containing cousins olives and almonds, avocados are calorically-dense, but they're also nutrient dense. Moderation is key, and you don't need much for your body to reap the benefits.  

I find avocados are a great way to add some "richness" to many of my recipes and make for a healthier alternative to butter (on toast) and cream (in soups).

Below is a delicious tortilla soup recipe my clients really enjoy.  You can also find some great guacamole and smoothie recipes online.

Tortilla Soup with Avocado

Ingredients
4 medium corn tortilla(s) 
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped 
1 clove garlic, minced 
2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 medium yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced length-wise
1 medium serrano or jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced, divided 
Salt (to taste)
½ tsp black pepper 
¼ cup low-fat shredded cheese (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Create a mixture of the garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Dust both sides of each tortilla with the mixture, then cut each into strips, about 1-inch wide. Place on cookie sheet; bake until just crisp, about 9 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Coat a medium pot with a light coat of cooking spray, and add chopped vegetables and sauté until soft – about 5 minutes.
4. Add broth, half the cilantro and salt and pepper and cook about 8 minutes.
5. Ladle soup into 4 bowls. Top each with the cheese, toasted tortilla strips, sliced avocado, and remaining cilantro. Serve hot. Serves 4

How do you like to cook with avocados? Tweet me @harleypasternak – and let me know.

Check back every Wednesday for more insider tips from celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak on Hollywood's hottest bodies – and learn how to get one yourself! Plus: Follow Harley on Twitter at @harleypasternak

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Holly Madison in Doghouse with Homeowners Association

People Pets

01/15/2013 at 03:30 PM EST

Holly Madison and dog Louis

Denise Truscello/WireImag

Holly Madison is having a little trouble getting her neighbors to think pink.

The former Playboy pin-up – and current mom-to-be – is moving out of her home in the Rancho Circle neighborhood of Las Vegas after repeated complaints from the homeowners association over her pink doghouse, which is human-sized and built to accommodate her three pups, Louis, Napoleon and Josephine.

"When I went over it with my contractor, he consulted the HOA on all their restrictions and whatnot," she told Las Vegas Weekly. "He told me it has to match the architecture of the house, so I did that with the roof because … it's possible you could see the roof from the street, but you can't see any of it from the street, actually."

In addition, the structure's creative color has also been a point of conflict for the association, which has repeatedly fined the star over it – not that Madison's taking their actions lying down.

"It's a hundred dollars a month," she said. "I haven't been paying it. I just keep sending them nasty letters."

Luckily for Madison, when the doghouse was constructed, it was designed to be movable.

"Yes, I'm going to bring it," she replied when asked if it will accompany her to her newest home.

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Britney Grabs Coffee Post Split with Jason Trawick

By Dahvi Shira

01/14/2013 at 03:50 PM EST

Britney Spears still believes in "love" – at least when it comes to wearing it.

The pop star, 31 – whose failed engagement to Jason Trawick, 41, was announced on Friday – grabbed coffee in L.A. on Monday, sporting a black and white sweatshirt with the four-letter word displayed in large letters across the front.

The former X Factor judge looked casual, wearing shades and her hair in a ponytail.

Once the split was official, a source told PEOPLE, "Britney had a lot of issues with Jason doing his own thing – in business and seeing his friends. In her perfect world he would have been home with her twenty-four/seven, so that was a point of contention; something they were always working on."

But she didn't seem too bent out of shape when she made her outing and grabbed two drinks to go, as she wore a happy grin the whole time.

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Miss America Mallory Hytes Hagan: Five Things to Know

By Mark Gray

01/13/2013 at 04:00 PM EST

Miss American 2013 Mallory Hytes Hagan

CraigSjodin/ABC

The new Miss America is an Alabama-bred blonde beauty who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., and loves '80s pop music. But Mallory Hytes Hagan is more than just a pretty face who tap-danced her way into the judges' hearts on Saturday. Here are five things to know about the new Miss America:

1. Modern Day Rags to Riches?
At 18, Hagan moved to New York with only $1,000 in her pocket. "I just didn't know that $1,000 wasn't enough money," she told PEOPLE. "I look back at my parents now for letting me do it and I think, 'Are you crazy?' " I genuinely think they thought I'd be there for three weeks and move back. I hit the ground running and had three job offers in first day."

2. She Wants to Jump Out of a Plane!
Hagan claims she's not a risk taker, but she would love to go skydiving because it's "completely out of control" – the opposite of how she usually behaves. "I think it would be amazing," she said. "I'm truly a Capricorn, so I like to plan out what's going to happen. I think it's about the drive. I'd love to go skydiving. Why not?"

3. She's No Longer the 'Bridesmaid'
If it appeared that Hagan was genuinely shocked when her name was announced as the new Miss America it's because she was. "As a teen, I was third, second and first runner-up. In Miss New York, I was first runner-up twice. My thought process was, 'They're going to get another first runner up photo of me.' I'm thrilled to be here but I didn't expect it at all."

4. She Wants to Stop Sexual Abuse of Children

Her platform, Stop It Now! (which works to prevent child sexual abuse), is close to her heart because several of the women (and possibly some of the men) in her family were sexually abused as children, she told reporters in a press conference. "I never was, but it was something I was going through in my teenage years as my family was trying to find peace in that," she says. She thinks mandatory child sexual awareness education would be "an incredible step for America."

5. She Loves Cosmetics
She may not be different than many women with her interest in cosmetics, but Hagan wants to make a career out of it. A student studying advertising, communications and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Hagan's dream job would be the global marketing director for a cosmetic company. As part of her duties as Miss America, Hagan will work with Artistry cosmetics. "This will be a wonderful internship," she said.

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Britney Spears & Jason Trawick Split: What Went Wrong?

By Kevin O'Donnell

01/12/2013 at 04:00 PM EST

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick

Michael Kovac/Getty

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick mutually ended their engagement Friday, just over a year after he popped the question to the pop star in Las Vegas.

So what was behind the pair's decision to call off their engagement? According to a close source, Spears, 31, and Trawick, 41, both wanted "different things."

"There was no third party involved," says the source of the couple, who began dating in 2009. "Things haven't been ideal in their relationship for some time. There was a lot to work on before they could move forward and get married."

One of those things may have been Trawick's desire to maintain a life outside their relationship.

"Britney had a lot of issues with Jason doing his own thing – in business and seeing his friends," another source says. "In her perfect world he would have been home with her twenty-four/seven, so that was a point off contention; something they were always working on."

Though Spears recently purchased an $8.5 million mansion in L.A.'s Thousand Oaks neighborhood to live in with Trawick and her sons Sean, 7, and Jayden, 6, another source says everything wasn't picture perfect. "They've been spending a lot of time apart in the last few months," says the source.

While the pair's relationship had become "frustrating," according to the close source, they've put up a united front. Spears told PEOPLE exclusively in a statement Friday that she and Trawick are committed to remaining "great friends."

After hearing news of the split, a source who saw the couple and her children in recent weeks says, "They both seemed happy. Especially Britney, I could tell that she was in a really great place. She smiled a lot. They were both really at ease with the boys."

As Spears ends her relationship with Trawick – he also resigned as co-conservator over her person, which gave him authority to make decisions about her general well-being – the singer and former X Factor judge will return to doing what she loves: music.

"It's time for me to get back in the studio," she said in a statement Friday. "Watching [The X Factor contestants] all do their thing up on that stage every week made me miss performing so much! I can't wait to get back out there and do what I love most."

• Reporting by JENNIFER GARCIA, RAHA LEWIS and AILI NAHAS

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Poppy Montgomery Expecting Second Child

Mom & Babies
Celebrity Baby Blog

01/11/2013 at 04:00 PM ET

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

There’s a baby on the way for Poppy Montgomery!

The Unforgettable star is expecting her second child this spring, a rep for Montgomery confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.

This will be the actress’ first child with Shawn Sanford, a Microsoft executive Montgomery began dating in late 2011. She’s already mom to son Jackson, 5, from her prior relationship with actor Adam Kaufman.

“Shawn and I are thrilled and Jackson is so excited to be a big brother!” Montgomery, who is also known for her series Without a Trace, tells PEOPLE.

In addition to writing her PEOPLE.com blog, Montgomery will continue work on Unforgettable when it returns to CBS this summer.

RELATED: Poppy Montgomery’s PEOPLE.com Blog Series

– Sarah Michaud

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William & Kate's Future Home: Anmer Hall?

By Simon Perry

01/10/2013 at 04:00 PM EST

Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate

REX USA

It's a house fit for a (future) king.

That's the speculation in Britain, where the magnificent Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate, Queen Elizabeth's retreat in Norfolk, has been mentioned as a possible family home for William and Kate when they leave Wales.

A report in the Sunday Telegraph suggested the house, in the tiny village of Anmer, 120 miles north of London, is being earmarked for the couple. But it is believed the current tenants may stay for a few more years.

Still, royal preparations could already be in the works. The estate reportedly applied in December for a series of planning measures for the home. Details are not being made public, for security reasons, but PEOPLE has confirmed they include rerouting the driveway into the property, extending a garage block and converting woods stores for accommodation.

Building a new "garden room" is also in the plans.

William knows the house well, as his close friends the van Cutsem family rented it for many years. Emilie van Cutsem, the mother of four sons who are close to Princes William and Harry, was seen by some as a surrogate mother to the princes in their teen years, after they lost their mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

Buckingham Palace had no comment, saying the house is a private home on a private estate.

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It's a Girl for Rosie O'Donnell

Mom & Babies
Celebrity Baby Blog

01/09/2013 at 03:30 PM ET

It’s baby number five for Rosie O’Donnell!

The comedian and wife Michelle Rounds welcomed daughter Dakota through adoption on Saturday, Jan. 5, her rep confirms to PEOPLE. Weighing in at 5 lbs., 5 oz., “moms and baby are healthy and happy.”

O’Donnell, 50, Tweeted the happy news Wednesday.

“We [are] thrilled to announce the arrival of [our] daughter Dakota – #withloveandthanks – AMEN,” she writes, sharing a snapshot of herself cuddling with Rounds and their new baby.

O’Donnell is already mom to children Vivienne, 10, Blake, 13, Chelsea, 15, and Parker, 17, with her ex, Kelli Carpenter.

After suffering a heart attack and dealing with Rounds’ desmoid tumors diagnosis last year, O’Donnell tells PEOPLE, “I will gladly stay home. I want to try to work hard at getting myself healthy, on Mich and I getting started and maybe finding a baby.”

Courtesy Rosie O’Donnell

– Sarah Michaud with reporting by Liz McNeil

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Harley Pasternak: How Better Sleep Keeps Your Weight Down

Only on People.com

By Harley Pasternak

01/08/2013 at 03:45 PM EST

Harley Pasternak

Courtesy Harley Pasternak

Sleep well, stay lean!

When I don't get a good night's sleep, I'm exhausted, grumpy and starving! Needless to say, I don't have the energy to do my daily workout, and I eat everything in sight. After a few sleepless nights, I swear I feel myself actually getting a little heavier ... and I probably am!

There are several reasons why not getting enough (quality) sleep can make you gain weight.

The first has to do with your hormones – specifically, ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is an appetite-stimulating hormone produced in your stomach that tells your body when it should eat. Leptin influences energy expenditure and basically tells you when to stop eating. When you don't get enough sleep, your leptin levels decrease, so you feel less satisfied and eat more to compensate. And your ghrelin levels rise, so your appetite increases. Studies have shown that you may eat up to 20 percent more food because of this.

The second factor has to do with how lack of sleep leads not only to poor food choices but to decreased energy expenditure during the day. When we're tired, we're more likely to choose convenience over health when it comes to meals and snacks. We tell ourselves it's easier and faster to stop at the drive-through on the way home rather than prepare a nutritious meal. Also, we're more drawn to sugary sweets for an energy boost, which are just empty calories. Plus, we don't have the energy to go through the normal motions of our day, much less exercise, so we're burning minimal calories.

Finally, the longer you're awake, the more time you have to eat. If you eat dinner at 7 and don't go to bed until 12:30, you're probably going for a late snack. If you go to bed before you get hungry again, you're saving hundreds of calories and getting the rest your brain and body needs.

So let's resolve this year to get more sleep. Here are some tips my clients have shared with me over the years that have helped them get more zzz's.

1. Get ready for bed as soon as you get home.

This stops the "I'm too tired for bed" cycle that many of us know all too well – eating dinner and then watching TV or reading until we're already half asleep. Right when you get home, change in to your comfy clothes, wash your face, take out your contacts, etc. This mentally and physically prepares us for bed.

2. Make your bedroom a tech-free zone.

TVs and iPads and phones give us unnecessary stimulation when we're supposed to be relaxing. Then all night they're chirping and chiming at us – jeopardizing the quality of our sleep, which can be just as harmful as diminished quantity.

3. Be active all day.

Studies show that people who are physically active get more quality sleep than those who aren't. Go for a walk in the morning before work, and after dinner.

4. Have a caffeine cut-off.

As a self-professed coffee addict, this one is the hardest for me. Over years of trial and error, I've found that if I cut off caffeine intake by 2 p.m., I have a more restful night's sleep.

5. Plan ahead for tomorrow.

This one is key for my wife. Every night she lays out what she's going to wear the next day, and packs her lunch and snacks and sticks them in the fridge. She goes to bed knowing she won't have to scramble in the morning, which helps her rest easier.

6. Try sensory deprivation.

Don't laugh, but my wife and I both sleep with earplugs in. We find that by shutting out any and all sounds, we fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Try it. You'll see what I mean.

What are your favorite sleep tips? Tweet me @harleypasternak – and let me know.

Check back every Wednesday for more insider tips from celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak on Hollywood's hottest bodies – and learn how to get one yourself! Plus: Follow Harley on Twitter at @harleypasternak

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Carrie Underwood Tweets Support for Husband Mike Fisher After NHL Lockout Ends

By Maggie Coughlan

01/07/2013 at 03:00 PM EST

Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood

Steve Marcus/Landov

Most hockey fans are thrilled the 113-day NHL lockout is over.

Carrie Underwood? Not so much.

Although Underwood – who has been married to professional hockey player Mike Fisher since 2010 – was quick to celebrate her husband's return to the ice, she couldn't help but joke about it.

"Well, folks, hockey is back!" she Tweeted on Sunday. "I just lost my purse holder but gained cheering on my hot husband as he kicks butt! #GoPreds."

While supportive of Fisher's career, the lighthearted Underwood, 29, is anything but quiet when it comes to voicing her opinion on what comes with being married to a hockey player.

Last April, when Fisher, 32, and his Nashville Predators – he was traded from the Ottawa Senators in February of 2011 – made it to the NHL playoffs, Underwood was thrilled for her husband's success, but not for his impending playoff beard.

"[The players] all grow out their facial hair during the playoffs," she told PEOPLE last year. "So before they started, I told Mike, 'You need to shave close.' He always looks good with a little stubble, but it's probably going to get out of hand soon."

It will come even sooner this season as Fisher points out on his site: "It's nice to finally be able to put this behind us and we can finally start thinking about hockey again ... It's going to go by really quickly, and before you know it the playoffs will be starting."

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Bradley Cooper's Fans Sing 'Happy Birthday' in Palm Springs

Caught in the Act

01/06/2013 at 03:00 PM EST

Bradley Cooper didn't necessarily have the wildest of birthday celebrations, but his special day certainly didn't go unnoticed.

The Silver Linings Playbook star, who turned 38 on Saturday, was greeted by a slew of screaming fans when he arrived on the red carpet at the 24th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala in Palm Springs, Calif.

"Bradley started interacting with his fans and then they broke out into song, chanting 'Happy birthday to you,'" an onlooker tells PEOPLE.

Running late into the event because of the fan holdup, Cooper whisked by many of the reporters, and when asked about his birthday plans, answered with a smile, "I'm here!"

But the birthday surprises didn't end there.

After being honored with a Desert Palm Achievement Award presented by Playbook director David O. Russell, PEOPLE's former Sexiest Man Alive was given a shoutout by event host Mary Hart, who insisted the entire room sing "Happy Birthday" to the actor.

"It seemed very unexpected," the onlooker adds. "He seemed a little shy and embarrassed by it, but while managing to smile still."

– Dahvi Shira

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Was Naomi Watts's Swimsuit the Best of the Break?

Stylewatch
Style News Now

01/04/2013 at 04:00 PM ET

Splash News Online; INF; Splash News Online; FameFlynet

There’s Christmas, there’s New Year’s Eve, and then there’s “every celebrity in the world takes a tropical vacation” week. It really seems that almost every star worth talking about (Jessica! Lea! Julianne!) went on an exotic getaway this week, and we’re jealous — and cold.

But we’re also keeping mental notes on the swimsuits we want to steal for summertime — and these pretty ladies had four of our favorites.

Naomi Watts made a splash while vacationing in St. Barts, choosing a neutral scoop-neck one-piece accessorized with a printed white sarong. Jennifer Aniston opted to show off a few more curves in a black bikini and sheer sarong, a low-key follow-up to her red-hot two-piece from earlier in her visit to Cabo.

Sofia Vergara put her famous assets on display in Miami in a sexy black one-piece and teal skirt that somehow left a lot and very little to the imagination at the same time. And in Hawaii, Ashlee Simpson showed off her fabulous figure in a patterned two-piece that was definitely the most fun of the bunch.

Which bathing suit do you like best? Are you a one-piece or two-piece person? Vote in our poll below, and leave your thoughts in the comments! 

PHOTOS: STARS HOLIDAY IN THE SUN

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Professional Bull Riders: Who Is the Sexiest Cowboy Alive?

TV Watch

By Rennie Dyball

01/04/2013 at 03:45 PM EST

The bulls are back in town – and they're bringing a bunch of strapping cowboys with them.

The Professional Bull Riders kick off their 2013 season Friday at N.Y.C.'s Madison Square Garden with a whole lot of cowboy hats, chaps and swagger.

In the arena, the riders will battle it out atop the toughest bulls in the world, but here on PEOPLE.com, we're pitting them against each other. Get to know a little bit about these top 25 bull riders in the most dangerous eight seconds in sports and let us know who you think is the sexiest of them all. (Scroll through the carousel above for more photos of our top five if you're on a desktop or laptop computer.)

From left: Guilherme Marchi, Luke Snyder, J.B. Mauney, Silvano Alves and Douglas Duncan

Courtesy of PBR and Bull Stock Media

Guilherme Marchi
A former world champion, Marchi (nicknamed "Hollywood" for his movie-star looks) fought and scraped his way through the 2012 season, only to come up just short of another gold buckle. And his year wasn't without distractions: the Brazilian cowboy's wife, Patricia, suffered major injuries in a rodeo accident. She's since recovered, and this 30-year-old family man often gives shout-outs to his two young children on the PBR telecasts.

Luke Snyder
Snyder, 30, won readers' hearts last year when he wed Jen Manna in a rustic, romantic celebration. His bride may sum up the Missouri man's appeal best: "He was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. I couldn't get enough of that hat, that accent!" the new Mrs. Snyder told PEOPLE of first meeting her future husband. "I don't think I'd ever met a cowboy before. But I just thought he was the bee's knees."

J.B. Mauney
Newlywed and new dad Mauney, 25, made history in his sport last year after a broken hand nearly ended his season. Never one to sit out a competition, he did the nearly impossible and switched riding hands (riders use one hand to hold their bull rope while the other hand is raised in the air). PBR co-founder Ty Murray likened the move to a major league pitcher switching his throwing arm. Look for the now-healthy North Carolina cowboy to pick the toughest bulls and swing for the fences all season. "Anytime somebody tells me I can't do something," Mauney has said, "I'm gonna try everything I can to do it."

Silvano Alves
In October, Alves became the first back-to-back PBR World Champion in history. "Every bull rider dreams of winning the world championship. To do it twice is very special," says the 25-year-old Brazilian rider, who took home top honors in 2011 just after being crowned Rookie of the Year. But he's managed to stay humble amid all the records he's broken. "No one's ever done this before and I didn't think I could ever do it," he said last fall. "From when I was little I never would have dreamed I could do this."

Douglas Duncan
After growing up in a ranching family, Duncan says he's into everything about the lifestyle. "I love waking up in the morning, putting on my hat; I love everything about being a cowboy." To keep in shape, the 25-year-old Texan focuses on stretching, core work and riding – both horses and bulls. After hip surgery sidelined him last year, Duncan is hoping to crack the top ranks of the sport.

Runners up: For their classic cowboy names alone, (other than Pistol, these are all their genuine given names), we're granting these guys honorable mentions in the sexy race.

• Stormy Wing: The 23-year-old Texan, ranked 17th in the world, says his parents always planned to name their child Stormy, boy or girl.

• Pistol Robinson: "My dad called me Pistol, and rodeo buddies picked it up," Robinson tells PEOPLE of his longtime nickname (his given name is Caleb). "I lived a double life. Caleb went to school, and Pistol was the bull rider." He broke both legs in a wreck at last year's New York City event, but after a year of grueling rehab, Robinson is eager to compete again.

• Ryan Dirteater: Thanks to his Native American heritage, this aptly named Oklahoma cowboy's nickname is "Cherokee Kid." He's currently ranked 14th going into the 2013 season.

• Chase Outlaw: A rising star in the PBR, 20-year-old Outlaw's style has been likened to that of newly-retired PBR great Chris Shivers.

The Monster Energy Invitational at Madison Square Garden airs Saturday at 10 p.m. ET and Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. View the full event and TV schedule here.

Who do you think is the Sexiest Cowboy Alive?

Guilherme Marchi

Luke Snyder

J.B. Mauney

Silvano Alves

Douglas Duncan

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Check Out This Year's Victoria's Secret Swim Cover Model

Stylewatch
Style News Now

01/03/2013 at 03:00 PM ET

Courtesy Victoria’s Secret

While most of the country is hiding from cold temps, the Victoria’s Secret Angels are heating things up! The ladies star in the 2013 swim catalogue — in mailboxes nationwide today — and South African beauty Candice Swanepoel has the privilege (again) of covering the coveted issue.

“It was such an honor to be picked for the cover,” the model tells PEOPLE. “It is such an iconic catalogue. Before I was a model, I used to see Gisele Bündchen, Tyra Banks and all of those iconic women on it. It is amazing that a little South African girl can get on the cover.”

In her big shot, Swanepoel wears a Very Sexy bandeau top — one Victoria’s Secret’s newest offerings for 2013 (in stores and online today). “I love it — it’s so sexy and gives me amazing cleavage,” the model shares.

For this catalogue, Swanepoel and her Angel pals hit the beaches of Miami and Turks and Caicos, and were shot by famed photographer Russell James. And though there is always pressure to look perfect in pictures, Swanepoel says she was never nervous during her shoot.

“Victoria’s Secret is like a big family,” she explains. “The swim shoots are always really fun, and I love being on the beach. I can’t really complain [about my job] — I feel very lucky!”

This year, the company is offering a little something extra for swim fans in the form of the new Angels & Artists video series, which basically pairs hot songs with hot models in bikinis. The first clip in the series, “Bikinis & Bruno Mars” (below), features Swanepoel and Doutzen Kroes making waves to the tune of Mars’s “Locked Out of Heaven.” Additional videos featuring music and models will be released throughout swimsuit season.

If this catalogue leaves you wanting more, you’re in luck: three more catalogues, shot in Tulum and St. Barth’s, will hit mailboxes throughout the season.

–Kate Hogan

PHOTOS: WANT TO GET BIKINI-READY? SHOP THIS STAR-INSPIRED WORKOUT GEAR!

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Robin Roberts Reunites with Her Dog 100 Days After Bone Marrow Transplant

People Pets

01/02/2013 at 03:30 PM EST

This may have been the best New Year's yet for Robin Roberts.

Exactly 100 days after successfully undergoing a bone marrow transplant, the Good Morning America host was reunited with her beloved dog, KJ, just days before ringing in 2013.

"Look who made it back for my 100 day celebration," she Tweeted on Dec. 29, with a photo of herself and KJ in a cuddly embrace. "We just keep staring at each [other] … can't believe she's finally home."

Roberts, who had the transplant Sept. 20, suffers from a rare blood disorder called myelodysplastic syndrome. The 100-day mark is a criticial milestone in her long recovery and she celebrated it on Twitter earlier that day.

"Every morning I mark the day post my bone marrow transplant. Today I reached a major milestone ... Day 100! Blessings..XO," she wrote.

In November, Roberts said that with each day comes a newfound strength.

"It's a journey that kind of zigzags, and there are complications and things like that, but I feel good. I feel stronger every day," she told her sister and donor, Sally-Ann Roberts, in an interview.

With KJ now by her side, her support system is even larger.

"Couldn't resist sharing one more photo … KJ already feeling right at home," she wrote, with a photo of the dog snoozing on her leg. "So happy to have the lil girlback."

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