Category: 5. Entertainment

Jennifer Lopez has made a bold statement about celebrities owing their beauty brands.

Even though, the On the Floor hitmaker also owns a brand named “JLo Beauty”, but she still believes celebrity brands aren’t “worth the hype.”

While answering some fan questions about her beauty products, the 55-year-old actor and singer also spoke about how some people are arguably cynical about famous artists lending their names to launch their very own brands.

Jennifer responded to a fan question on Instagram saying, “I tend to think celebrity skincare is not worth the hype.”

The Shotgun Wedding star called celebrity brands as “luxury skincare.”

“Some of it isn’t. It’s luxury skincare that is clinically tested and trust me, I don’t cut corners”, she said.

When asked how some manufacturers are insanely expensive, Lopez simply said that it is all worth it if you can afford it.

“Your skin is something that you have to show up with every single day. So, if there is a little bit of splurge in you, I would say do it on skincare, without a doubt”, said JLo. 

What’s the hardest part about watching family movies? Picking something to watch.

Research shows that Americans spend up to 110 hours a year trying to decide what family movies to watch. With endless choices—and different preferences among family members—agreeing on what to watch can feel impossible. That said, some families have figured out how to choose faster and keep everyone engaged. Below, find some proven strategies and tips that can help make the decision a little easier.

Use the algorithm—don’t let it use you.

Streaming platforms push recommendations all day. While some people find these recommendations limiting, a study by media research firm Magid shows that teens actually like them. The research, commissioned by Verizon, showed that 83% of teens want video services to show them content based on their viewing history. To make the most of the algorithm that recommends those family movies, you need to interact with the streaming service with intent. So give shows a thumbs up or thumbs down. If you like a show, watch it all the way through. If you don’t, skip it ASAP.

Reset the algorithm and make a new playlist.

If you don’t like the family movies your streaming platform recommends, reset its algorithm. How? Some families will simply start a new profile and start saving a list of current favorites so that the new profile’s algorithm will focus on what they really like.

You can strengthen that recommendation algorithm by watching a few of those family movies together. From there, follow the advice above and give a thumbs up or a thumbs down to get more of what you want.

Last year, I became a parent and recently completed what is commonly called the newborn stage. It was filled with rich emotions, a lack of sleep and a total realignment of priorities.

What made it easier was the kindness and generosity of friends and family, who sent us positive messages and occasional gifts. I’ve written gift guides for years, and as a semi-new parent, I am freshly aware of certain gifts that were exceedingly helpful to me and my family in those first few months. I’ve collected personal favorites, NBC Select staff picks, and other bestsellers below.

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Best gifts for new parents in 2025

Newborns grow fast — this clay hand and footprint keepsake can remind them how small their baby was once upon a time. It comes with air-drying clay, letter stamps and a wooden frame with glass cover that leaves room for a few pictures.

Many new parents could use some help catching up on sleep. The Hatch Restore 3 provides several sounds and features to help your giftee unwind. They can select and adjust the audio via the Hatch app and can schedule it to turn on and emit a light anytime in the morning or before bed. NBC Select commerce editor Cory Fernandez has a Hatch alarm clock and wakes up to it everyday. “I love that I can program it to play a gentle harp sound in the morning to help me wake up, rather than a blaring alarm on my phone,” he says. “I also listen to podcasts on the app or rain sounds before bed.”

Sleeping like a baby really means waking up throughout the night, especially in those first few weeks. These Grace & Stella Eye Masks are our favorite eye patches, made with amino acids, hyaluronic acid and sea moss to help brighten and moisturize skin. While they probably won’t help them get more sleep, they may help with inevitable dark under-eye circles.

Everyone wants photos of their new baby, but sharing them can be tricky, especially when you have to start explaining the concept of a shared digital album to grandma. Sharing physical photos can be easier, especially with this portable photo printer. It prints small 2×3-inch photos with peel-and-stick backs straight from your phone — no cords or finicky networking required.

This hand cream is a favorite among NBC Select staff, mainly because it has a pleasant scent and it dries incredibly fast. It isn’t greasy at all and doesn’t leave stains on clothing, according to Fernandez, who bought it after it got a lot of hype on social media. “This lotion keeps my hands moisturized and prevents me from developing calluses, especially after lifting weights at the gym,” he says. “I also love that it doesn’t leave my hands looking shiny.”

One of the hardest parts of the newborn season for me was finding time (and energy) to get groceries and cook. Anyone who sent us a food delivery credit (or better yet, just sent meals straight to our door) was a hero. Not having to worry about food made taking care of baby that much easier. Grubhub was our food delivery app of choice — it has a huge selection of restaurants in New York City.

Getting as much rest and relaxation as possible is the name of the game for new parents, and this cozy bathrobe helped us do just that. The soft, slightly plush, slightly waffle-textured cotton fabric was soothing and relaxing, whether I was post-shower or holding baby in the middle of the night.

Pre-baby, I was content with moving one reusable water bottle around the house as needed. One month into the newborn stage, I realized having a water bottle by the rocking chair, the couch and the bed was not just a matter of convenience but necessary for staying hydrated and not waking the baby to go refill my one water bottle. This 32-ounce Hydro Flask is my bottle of choice—it keeps drinks temperature controlled for hours and holds enough to be convenient but not too heavy.

All that rocking, swaying, bouncing and pacing to get baby to sleep can do a number on your feet, in my experience. Slippers like these have plush memory foam soles that add a layer of cushion and comfort to the mix. They are machine washable and available in men’s and women’s sizes.

Contact naps (holding your baby as they sleep) were pretty much mandatory for our baby to have a good nap during the daytime. To not disturb the baby but keep myself from drifting off to sleep, I wore headphones and listened to a lot of audiobooks. Audible is one of the best places to listen to audiobooks, and its selection of fiction and non-fiction titles kept me awake and entertained while I was otherwise occupied holding and rocking a napping baby.

Our newborn was a light sleeper: little noises around the house were enough to end any nap. Listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts became a headphones-only affair. If they have an iPhone, these AirPods Pro 2 are some of the best wireless earbuds you can give them. They sound clear and detailed, have impressive noise-cancellation and hear-through modes and are great for non-baby activities like work, exercise and travel.

I always needed another bag or tote during the newborn stage, and this one from L.L. Bean is one of our staff favorites. “I’m always surprised by how much it can hold,” says NBC Select commerce editor Lindsay Schneider, who uses the zip-top options as a weekender bag. You can also personalize the tote with a monogram or name up to ten characters long, just plan for extra shipping time.

Fernandez tested out this sleep mask from Ostrichpillow for our Wellness Awards earlier this year, and he said it was his absolute favorite of all the ones he tested. The mask isn’t just a sheet over your eyes — they fit almost like sunglasses so they don’t press on your eyelids in an uncomfortable way, according to Fernandez. “This mask helped me fall asleep fast and didn’t give me a headache,” he says. “I love that it has an adjustable strap and that it’s raised on the eyes. Plus, it completely blocks out all light.”

After becoming a parent, I developed all sorts of new, specific aches and pains, and a massage gun helped me ease them away. This one from Theragun has a triangle-shaped handle that makes it easier to pinpoint hard-to-reach spots like the middle of the back, in my experience using similar models from the brand. It’s also simple to use, with one button to turn it on, off, and control the speed.

Compression socks can help with comfort and blood circulation if the parents do a lot of sitting at home (read: are nap trapped). These socks are from an NBC Select staff-favorite brand and are a Wellness Awards winner. They are made from nylon and spandex, with left and right-foot specific fit.

I thought I had everything needed for the newborn phase, but after the first month, I realized how many little things I needed from Amazon, both for me and the baby. Anytime gift fund balance in my account during checkout made me thankful to the person who sent that Amazon gift card. The gift card is available as a physical card or a digital code.

Coffee can be necessary for a new parent to get less sleep than they are used to. With a subscription like Atlas Coffee Club, they’ll get a new blend sent to their door every month. NBC Select Commerce Editor Jordan Bowman reviewed it and could easily sample international blends from India, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador. You can gift a three- to 12-month subscription of whole, ground or pod-compatible coffee, with surprise beans or emails ahead of time where he can choose his preferences.

A new parent can’t always get to their coffee the moment it’s ready. With the Ember Mug, they can keep their drink warm and return to it later in case of sudden interruptions. The mug can keep beverages between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit and is controlled through the Ember app. It has about 1.5 hours of battery life and charges wirelessly through the included coaster.

A weighted blanket can be a relaxing sleep companion, a comfy couch buddy or fun house decor. This is one of our favorites — it has an open-knit design that lets in air and prevents overheating, says NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin. It is made of a polyester jersey fabric and comes in 10 and 15-pound options.

Baby-wearing a newborn for a long walk in the neighborhood immediately makes you reconsider your choice of footwear. For me, running shoes became a go-to for almost every walk. The Brooks Ghost 16 are excellent walking (and running) shoes that have a comfortable, stable fit, with a shock-absorbing sole and just enough arch support to be helpful and not obtrusive. The shoes come in many colors, and are available in men’s and women’s sizes.

Fitness may be a far-off thought for some new parents, but exercise doesn’t have to mean finding time to get outside or buying an entire home gym machine. Malin has used Bala Bangles as part of her fitness routine for over four years. They act as wrist or ankle weights and come in one, two and three-pound options that add resistance to any type of workout: pilates, barre, yoga, cardio, you name it.

One of our favorite bath mats and an NBC Select Bed & Bath Award winner, this bath mat is great for new parents because it dries fast and is easy to clean. It’s made from diatomaceous stone and recycled paper, and starts drying literally seconds after I step off of it. It’s also easy to clean: just wipe it down or use the included sandpaper circle — no bulky laundry to add to the pile.

Why trust NBC Select?

I’m a reporter and new parent who covers technology and fitness including guides to fitness trackers, wireless earbuds, TV brands and more. For this article, I curated gifts using my first-hand experience with products, NBC Select staff recommendations, previous coverage and top-rated items from major storefronts like Amazon

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Plans to sell a council-owned TV and film studio are on hold after the potential purchase of the site collapsed.

Bristol City Council voted to explore plans to sell the Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove in October 2024.

In a statement, the council has now confirmed that it has “not been possible to conclude an agreement” for the sale of the leasehold of the studios to an unknown buyer.

“This has been a necessarily lengthy process to ensure all possible factors are considered and that an extensive level of due diligence is carried out throughout,” said councillor Tony Dyer, leader and chair of its strategy and resources committee.

“We entered into this process with the objective of securing a sustainable future for the studios and the opportunity to grow into its huge potential,” he added.

“Those aims remain the same, as does our determination to ensure that one of our city’s most successful regeneration projects continues an upward trajectory to deliver more jobs and more investment for Bristol.”

The council said that the sale of the site had been under an exclusivity agreement to the preferred bidder for three months.

This time was to allow for “detailed negotiations and the drawing up of fuller proposals for the potential sale.”

Bottle Yard Studios is the largest film and TV facility in the West of England, with shows such as The Outlaws, Rivals and Boarders filmed there.

The potential sale had drawn criticism from a performing arts and entertainment trade union over concerns around job losses.

“Bristol’s film and TV sector forms a critical part of our local economy, providing a catalyst for new jobs, new investment and bolstering our city’s reputation at home and abroad,” said councillor Ani Townsend, co-chair of the Bristol One City Culture Board.

“I can say with confidence that a key element of the growth seen in the sector over the past decade and a half has been the role played by The Bottle Yard Studios in providing a home for Bristol-based productions,” she added.

The studios will continue to operate as normal but the council said it had not ruled out selling them in the future and that officers would “now assess the various options open to us”.

The film and TV industry was worth approximately £55m to the local economy in 2024, according to Bristol Film Office.

Tom Blyth is lending his voice for an audio romance.

The Hunger Games: Songbirds and Snakes actor will star in The Muse, a three-episode immersive audio romance for audio erotica app Quinn, The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively announce.

The Muse will debut under the Quinn Originals banner, a curated series of elevated, Quinn-produced romances.

Blyth will portray “a disillusioned Regency-era pianist” named William who has “a reputation for brilliance.”

Quinn describes the drama as follows: “When he agrees to tutor Aurelia, the daughter of a wealthy patron, he finds in her a muse who both unnerves and inspires him. Narrated directly to the listener, who steps into the role of Aurelia, The Muse explores the electric tension between teacher and student, the line between discipline and desire, and the transcendent power of artistic connection. This is a story of restraint unraveling — of intimacy, music and mutual obsession, set against the lush, candlelit backdrop of early 19th-century London.”

“Voice acting demands total presence,” Blyth said in a statement. “You have to put everything into your voice: the story, the tension, the intimacy, the movement. William felt like a character with real depth, which you don’t always get in romance.”

“Tom brings a magnetic energy to William,” said Quinn Founder and CEO Caroline Spiegel. “This is one of the most romantic stories we’ve ever produced. We wanted to craft something for every listener who’s ever fallen for the one person they were supposed to stay away from.”

Launching in 2021, Quinn has offered a platform for “ethical, female-first audio erotica.” Quinn Originals—launched in 2022 — features “cinematic storytelling, award-winning voice talent and a signature second-person format that places the listener at the heart of the story.” Other actors who have lent their voices for the app include Jamie Campbell Bower, Victoria Pedretti, Jesse Williams, Thomas Doherty, Andrew Scott and Katherine Moennig.

Blyth is set to star in the highly anticipated adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestseller People We Meet on Vacation with Emily Bader.

The first two episodes of The Muse will premiere July 24, with the final episode dropping July 31.

Barcelona cocktail bar Paradiso, currently ranked tenth in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 ranking, has introduced an immersive cocktail experience inside the Pacha Ibiza nightclub.

A collaboration between The Pacha Group and Group Confiteria, Paradiso Ibiza is led by Giacomo Giannotti.

The 14-signature cocktail menu uses Mediterranean botanicals, tropical fruits, and locally sourced ingredients, with serves including the Paradiso Mule, Tartufo Gin & Tonic, and the Amalfi Spritz. 

Beyond the menu, the experience includes live cocktail performances, seasonal innovations, and guest appearances from globally renowned bartenders.

The bar will operate nightly from 11pm between June to October and is exclusively accessible to Pacha Ibiza ticket holders and patrons.

By Lukas I. Alpert

Paramount has reportedly reached a 5-year, $1.5 billion streaming deal with the show’s creators, after the company’s incoming owners sought to rework an earlier agreement

Looks like they didn’t kill Kenny after all.

Paramount Global (PARA) has reached a five-year, $1.5 billion global streaming deal with the creators of the long-running animated hit “South Park,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

The reported agreement comes after weeks of tension between the two sides that had delayed the premiere of the show’s 27th season. It also comes amid broader unrest at the company as it seeks to close its sale to David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

The deal grants Paramount full streaming rights across the globe for the show, which has aired on the company’s Comedy Central channel since the program launched in 1997, the report said. Previously, U.S. streaming rights for “South Park” were held by Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (WBD), while Paramount held the international streaming rights plus the rights to air the show on Comedy Central.

A new deal with “South Park” signals that at least one bit of chaos around Paramount’s sale has been resolved.

The spat between Paramount and the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began when Skydance balked at a framework for a broader 10-year, $3 billion deal agreed upon by Paramount’s current owners.

That angered Parker and Stone, who accused Paramount of tampering with negotiations with other companies and brought in lawyers. That led to a two-week delay to the premiere of the show’s upcoming season.

Skydance, which is still awaiting regulatory approval to close its $8 billion acquisition of Paramount, has signaled that it has different priorities than the company’s current ownership.

“This merger is a s-show and it’s f-ing up ‘South Park.’ We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow,’” Parker and Stone wrote in a post on X on July 2.

Paramount’s stock rose 0.4% in morning trading. It has run up 25.1% in 2025, while the S&P 500 index SPX has gained 7%.

The Paramount sale has been under heavy political pressure, leading the company to agree to a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump over a lawsuit he filed arguing that Paramount’s CBS news division had deceptively edited an interview with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris during last year’s election.

Legal experts had widely deemed the lawsuit baseless, and the company’s move to reach a settlement angered many at CBS. It also led to the resignation of the head of CBS News and the executive producer of its flagship program “60 Minutes,” both of whom cited corporate tampering as the reason for their departures.

Just last week, Paramount announced it was canceling CBS’s top-rated late-night show, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” just days after its host called the settlement a “big fat bribe.”

Paramount said the cancellation was “purely a financial decision,” but the move led many to speculate that it was driven by politics as well, as Colbert had been a frequent critic of Trump on air.

-Lukas I. Alpert

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