In this March 4, 2009 file photo, Dr. Phil McGraw arrives for a taping of "The Late Show with David Letterman" in New York.Charles Sykes/The Associated Press
LEGAL BRIEFS
Dr. Phil is in hot water for allegedly exploiting a teenaged guest on his daytime talk show. Married couple Terri and David Myers filed a lawsuit on Monday in Salt Lake City, Utah, on behalf of their 15-year-old daughter claiming that the Dr. Phil Organization is responsible for "fraud, false imprisonment and breach of fiduciary duty." The Myers originally reached out to the show last year after their daughter (referred to as "SM" in the lawsuit) "was caught soliciting sex on the Internet." On a February 2013 episode of Dr. Phil, the TV shrink told Terri Myers that she had failed her daughter "by a country mile" and accused the daughter of "total naivete." The legal action claims the show also facilitated the teen's stay in a treatment center, where, according to the lawsuit, she was subjected to "cruel punishment" by staff that resulted in a broken arm. So far there's been no comment from Dr. Phil on the lawsuit.
Source: Gawker
JERRY'S BACK
Jerry Seinfeld is reportedly working on a secret project that will bring together a few of his former Seinfeld castmates for a semi-reunion. Seinfeld recently responded to queries on why he showed up at Tom's Restaurant in New York with Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza on the nineties sitcom. Seinfeld admitted that he is working on a "shortish-form" project that will involve Alexander and Seinfeld co-creator Larry David. Seinfeld also said the project will be available "very, very soon."
Source: Time
BODY DOUBLE
Have you seen the man who reportedly spent $100,000 on plastic surgery to look like Justin Bieber? This week's season finale of the TLC reality series My Strange Addiction introduced viewers to Toby, a 33-year-old man who willingly underwent several procedures to resemble the Canadian pop star. Apparently, Toby made the decision when he was 28 and "didn't know what to do" about his aging face. Today, Toby spends his days traveling around Los Angeles and asking people, "Do I remind you of anyone?"
Source: Gawker
CARTOON CREATIONS
Who knew that the members of the animated family The Simpsons were based on the series creator Matt Groening's own family? A recently released home video shows a teen version of Groening playing with his sisters Lisa and Maggie (both transferred to Simpsons characters) back in 1969. The kicker: The home movie was filmed by Groening's father, whose first name was, of course, Homer.
Source: Slate
CRACKING DOWN
How serious is the Russian government about its controversial law banning "gay propaganda" in the media? The newspaper Molodai Dalnevostochnik has reportedly become the first media outlet fined under the law signed into effect by Russian president Vladimir Putin last year. The paper's editor-in-chief, Alexander Suturin, says he has been fined 50,000 rubles (about $1,500) for printing an interview with a geography teacher who called homosexuality "normal" and claimed he was assaulted and pressured into quitting his job because he was gay.
Source: Mashable
WHO YOU GONNA CALL?
For the true Ghostbusters fan, Lego has released an official set commemorating the 1984 film's 30th anniversary. The set includes Lego versions of the characters Venkman, Ray, Egon and Winston and a detailed version of The Ectomobile (based, like the original, on a 1959 Cadillac ambulance). Also included in the set is a Lego version of the fan-favourite poltergeist known as Slimer.
Source: Gizmodo