We're broke at home and in the government's coffers, and we're either on fire or sliding down our muddy hillsides. Surf's up...and so is immigration. All in all, life in California is...kinda so-so. Only 39 per cent of people say that the great state of California is still pretty great, and rank it "one of the best places to live," reports the San Francisco Chronicle. The figure comes from a joint UC Berkeley and Field Poll that aims to explore the perceived "Quality of Life" in the Golden State. more ›

Oh, this is good. FOX has landed a deal with talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres to become the newest American Idol judge, replacing Paula Abdul who quit the reality show this summer over salary issues. “I’m thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol,” said DeGeneres in Fox's news release, via The Wrap. ”I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I’ll save from not having to text in my vote.” Har, har, Ellen, har... har. more ›

In spite of the occasionally cringe-worthy dishes on Top Chef and the bumbling and blubbering of Hell's Kitchen, you know you're insanely jealous of those judges. Well, now you have the opportunity to eat like the judges--yes, even the actual recipes they picked apart like bits of carrion on the small screen. more ›

It began with the remains of a woman found stuffed into a suitcase left in a Buena Park dumpster on Saturday. Two days later, authorities made the connection between the corpse and the case of a missing model who had moved here recently from Las Vegas, Jasmine Fiore, a former stripper and current Playboy representative. more ›

In what seems to be yet another case of famous-by-proxy (see: Jewel's husband), the rumor mill is whirring over the latest buzz that puts "shock jock" Howard Stern's blonde bride of less than a year, Beth Ostrosky, as a contender for the coveted Dancing With the Stars prize. The pair hooked up soon after Stern's divorce from his first wife of 20 years, and became engaged on Valentine's Day in 2007. more ›

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