upworthy

celebrities

Culture

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard open up about being attracted to other people - and why that's OK

For many couples, bringing up such a sensitive topic can cause some major jealousy.

via The Walt Disney Company / Flickr

One of the ways to tell if you're in a healthy relationship is whether you and your partner are free to talk about other people you find attractive. For many couples, bringing up such a sensitive topic can cause some major jealousy.

Of course, there's a healthy way to approach such a potentially dangerous topic.

Telling your partner you find someone else attractive shouldn't be about making them feel jealous. It's probably also best that if you're attracted to a coworker, friend, or their sibling, that you keep it to yourself.

But, being open about your sexual feelings, can be a way to spice things up in the bedroom and to let your partner know what you like.

Actress and mental health advocate Kristen Bell admits that she and her husband, actor Dax Shepard, have learned how to be open about their attraction to other people. The couple believes that being able to talk about such taboo topics without making each other jealous is a great way to preserve their relationship.

"He can tell me someone he finds attractive, female or male, 'cause he pauses the Olympics on a lot of runners, but it doesn't make me feel like he's going to leave me for that person because I'm not allowing my self-esteem to be affected," she explained.

Bell believes that it's completely normal and healthy for people in monogamous relationships to be attracted to other people.

"I know there are people on planet Earth that are more attractive than me, and well, we're not dead. I have to acknowledge we're monkeys," Bell said. As an attractive, famous couple working in Hollywood, there is extra pressure for them to be able to handle their jealousy.

The couple has also done a good job at accepting the fact that Bell is the primary bread-winner in the family. Studies show men have higher levels of stress if their wives earn more than 40% of their home's combined income.

About a third of women in the U.S. make more than their husbands.

While Shepard has had a successful career, acting in films such as "Idiocracy" and "Without a Paddle," Bell has starred in some major hits including, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and the "Bad Moms" films.

She's also made a pretty penny voicing Princess Anna in Disney's "Frozen" franchise.

"I think I've always out-earned him," Bell said about their careers. "I got a lot of opportunity, you're sharing in it, we're able to provide for a ton of our family members who may or may not be struggling," she continued, as if addressing Shepard. "I don't look at it like, 'This is mine and this is yours.' I'm like, 'This is ours. Get over it.'"

Bell believes that the couple's ability to get over petty jealousy is one way to make sure their unique relationship stands the test of time.

"Do you want to be on the porch with someone when you're 80?" Bell asked. "We both want that."


This article originally appeared on 5.6.21

From Your Site Articles
celebrities
Pop Culture

Jon Stewart breaks down in tears announcing the death of his beloved dog, Dipper

"In a world of good boys, he was the best."

The Daily Show/Youtube

Jon Stewart breaks down into tears remembering his late dog, Dipper

Jon Stewart might be best known as a late night show host and political commentator, but he is also a very loving dog dad.

That became evident Monday (26 February), as Stewart, eyes already bloodshot, as though he had been weeping the night before, told “The Daily Show” viewers that his beloved dog Dipper had passed away the day before.

“In a world of good boys, he was the best,” Stewart said, his voice already breaking. “I thought I’d get further.”

Tears kept rolling as he paid an emotional tribute to his late dog, sharing the story of how Dipper came to be part of his family.

Stewart recalled that twelve years ago, his kids wanted to raise money for an animal shelter in New York called Animal Haven. After baking cupcakes to sell just outside Animal Haven, the staff brought out a “one-ish year old brindle pitbull” who had lost his right leg after being hit by a car. After Dipper sat in Stewart’s lap for the first time, all bets were off.

Since that fateful day, Dipper became “part of the OG ‘Daily Show’ dog crew.”

“We’d come to tape this show, and Dipper would wait for me to be done,” he said. “He met actors and authors and presidents and kings. And he did what the Taliban could not do, which is, put a scare into Malala Yousafzai.”

He then ran a clip of Yousafzai getting spooked by Dipper during her guest appearance.

Stewart then delivered the heartbreaking news that “Dipper passed away yesterday. He was ready. He was tired, but I wasn’t. And the family, we were all together.”

“My wish for you is one day you find that dog, that one dog… It’s just… It’s the best,” Stewart concluded.

The segment ended with a moment of silence for Dipper as a video of him happy in the snow played with the credits.

Watch the touching moment below:

The raw video resonated with so many viewers, and even inspired some to share their own tragic losses. One thing became clear: this heartbreak is a feeling shared by parents.

As one Youtube commenter poignantly wrote:

“Anyone who has had a pet will know that grief and loss are a part of that beautiful, goofy, loving, sometimes chaotic package. We know it when we take them on, and yet somehow, when the time comes, it's always the same, heart-wrenching, emptying experience. I am so glad you found your heart-dog, and that he found you and your family.”

Though Dipper will be missed, Stewart is not without animals in his life. Eight years ago, Stewart and his wife traded in their city life to live on a farm, which eventually became the fourth property of Farm Sanctuary, an advocacy group that fights the factory farm industry and cares for abused animals.

From Your Site Articles
celebrities
Pop Culture

Pee-Wee Herman creator Paul Reubens passes away at 70. He left a final 'apology' to fans.

He secretly battled cancer for years.

via Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons and Alan Light/Wikimedia Commons

Paul Reubens, creator of the iconic Pee-Wee Herman character, has passed away at 70.

Actor Paul Reubens, best known for creating the iconic character of Pee-Wee Herman, died on July 30, 2023, at the age of 70. His death shocked many as he kept his six-year battle with cancer a secret.

Pee-Wee Herman ranks among television and film history's most popular and imaginative children’s characters. In a world where many of Hollywood’s ideas are recycled, the Pee-Wee character was unlike any that came before or after.

He had the signature look of a red bow tie, drainpipe pants and a flat-top hairdo. He was part man, part child, and he lived a life of pure whimsy and kindness. But, occasionally, when driven to anger, he could become maniacal, like a kid throwing a tantrum. As we learned in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” never mess with Pee-Wee’s bike.

Entertainment Weekly perfectly summed up the character’s uniqueness and wide appeal.

​“...he was more than a kid-show host, or a pop-culture oddity, or a tongue-in-cheek, time-warped fusion of Pinky Lee and the bratty kid next door. He was all of these at once. Anarchic, creative, obnoxious, and liberating, Pee-wee appealed to all sorts: to kids and to parents; to mainstream stars like David Letterman, and to maverick artists like Batman director Tim Burton and Playhouse designer Gary Panter. Pee-wee struck a chord with any perplexed soul who has ever echoed his famous cry, ‘I know you are, but what am I?’”


Reubens left a final note to fans that was shared on Instagram.

“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years. I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”

The Pee-Wee Herman character began as the star of a show for adults that played at midnight at the Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles in 1981 and later became an HBO special. In the character's first full-length theatrical film, 1985's “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” directed by Tim Burton, Reubens played a kid-friendly version of the character. The surprise hit film would lead to a sequel, “Big Top Pee-Wee” (1988), and a critically acclaimed children’s TV show, “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” which ran from 1986 to 1990.

“Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” earned 22 Emmy awards during that run, with Reubens being nominated for 14.

After an incident at a Sarasota, Florida, adult theater on Friday, July 26, 1991, Reuben’s image as a children’s TV host was tarnished, and CBS pulled all reruns of “Pee-Wee's Playhouse.” However, public opinion was decidedly pro-Reubens, with surveys showing that 9 out of 10 Americans supported him in the scandal.

Reubens reappeared as Pee-Wee at the MTV Movie Awards later that year, where he bravely poked fun at the controversy.


The scandal led Reubens to reinvent himself as a character actor, and he had scene-stealing roles in “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Blow, “ Batman Returns,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “30 Rock.”

He revived the Pee-Wee character for a successful Broadway run in 2010 and a final film, “Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday,” for Netflix in 2016. “Big Holiday” was a success with critics and fans, earning an 80% rating on “Rotten Tomatoes.”

Before his death, Reubens was putting the finishing touches on two new Pee-Wee scripts.

“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer, and producer whose beloved character Pee-Wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” his reps wrote on Instagram. “Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”

From Your Site Articles
celebrities
Pop Culture

If Tom Hanks is ‘America's Dad,’ who would be its ‘Cool Uncle’?

One actor clearly won the debate.

via Kyle Cassidy/Wikimedia Commons, All-Pro Reels/Wikimedia Commons and ToGlenn/Wikimedia Commons

"Weird Al" Yankovic, Matthew McConaughey and Snoop Dogg

Tom Hanks’ wholesome, relatable and reassuring on-screen presence has been said by many to have fatherlike qualities. Over the years, Hanks’ portrayal of genuine, honest characters in films such as “Sleepless in Seattle,” “Saving Private Ryan,” and “Cast Away” has etched him into the heart of many Americans, earning him the endearing title "America's Dad."

Further, Hanks’ off-screen personality closely tracks many of his “everyman” characters, solidifying his reputation as a father figure. And the fact that he’s maintained this reputation in the cutthroat world of Hollywood is a true feat, given the number of years he’s been in the limelight.

So, if Tom Hanks is “America’s Dad,” who in popular culture could take the role of “America’s Cool Uncle”? You know, the guy who gives you your first sip of beer, introduces you to great music and has conversations with you that dad was too embarrassed to discuss.


A Reddit user named Galactic Splurge posed the question to the AskReddit subforum, and over 6,500 people chimed in with their thoughts. “If Tom Hanks is America’s Dad, who would be America’s cool Uncle?” they asked.

So, to determine the winner of the great uncle debate, I looked at the number of upvotes each suggestion received and then ranked the top 15. It’s not the most scientific way of doing things, but it gives us a pretty good idea about who people think should win the award.

The funny thing is that the results weren't even close. Actor and musician Jack Black had around five times the number of upvotes over second place. Who else made the list? Here are the top 15 most popular responses for who should be America’s favorite “Cool Uncle.”

1. Jack Black

"This is the only correct answer." — _HuntressWizard

​2. Matthew McConaughey

​"Like... Uncle Matt is DEFINITELY the guy to set up a bonfire for you when you're 16." — pm_me_your_clippings

3. Jeff Bridges

"That’s just like, your opinion, man." — Downvote4grammar

4. Robin Williams

"He is the fun uncle that you have sweet memories of as a child and teenager but then passed away. But every time someone brings them up, it’s never sad, it’s just 'remember when Uncle Robin used to….' and everyone laughs and smiles." — Sandvich48

5. Danny DeVito

"I was just going to say no he’s more like Nana's new friend we just call Uncle Danny," — sew_u_thnk_ur_a_hero

6. "Weird Al" Yankovic

"'Weird Al' is your mom’s wacky cousin who makes every party a good time." — KiribakuFriend

7. John Candy

"The good uncle who passes when you were little, John Candy." — itsearlyyet

​8. Snoop Dogg

"The uncle that you go on walks with during family get-togethers, same come back all bleary-eyed." — Bonnedraco

9. Keanu Reeves

"Rides motorcycles, plays with weapons, knows martial arts, is humble and genuinely kind. Definitely the cool uncle." — Phil_MyNuts

10. Bill Murray

"He's the uncle who seems really cool when you're a kid but once you're an adult, you realize that he's a drunk and there's a reason why he keeps getting remarried and divorced." — Yellow_Vespa_Is_Black

11. Paul Rudd

"I still feel like Paul Rudd is the corny friend you’ve known since childhood and comes up with weird nicknames like Jobin or City Slicka." — Sandvich48

12. Dave Grohl

"I was watching Dave Grohl interviews one day, my son was 10 at the time and I didn't realize he was paying attention to the TV. He asked me later that day, 'Can we please watch 'the nice man' again?' Dave is forever known as 'The Nice Man' in my house." — Background_Ad5873

13. Woody Harrelson

"I had a dream that he married my aunt and bought me a Nintendo during his ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ era. I’ve called him Uncle Woody ever since. This is the only answer." — DJTrpTrp59

14. Jeff Goldblum

"A lot of the other options here are 'goofy silly uncle who lives one suburb over.' Goldblum is more 'cool uncle who lives in the city and used to hang with rock stars.'" — Pylo_The_Pylon

​15. Danny Trejo

"He's the uncle that everyone thinks is intimidating as hell and maybe a gun-runner or something, but it turns out he runs a soup kitchen and reads to kids in the hospital." — Geminii27

From Your Site Articles
celebrities
Trending Stories