Forget Hugh Hefner! It's All About Kody Brown.

They’ve taken over TLC, PerezHilton.com, and probably the registry at every single Pottery Barn Kids in Utah. But if you still haven’t heard of Sister Wives, you’ve probably fallen off of the face of the Earth. When I first heard of the polygamy-based reality television series, I thought, Is this Girls Next Door all over again minus the palm trees and the breast implants? But I was wrong. Sister Wives, featuring advertising exec Kody Brown and his four wives Meri (the first one), Janelle (the career one, who kind of resembles Mrs. Clause), Christine (the sassy sister), and Robyn (the hot, young wife) is a candid approach to a lifestyle that still exists among approximately 38,000 Americans, most of them Mormon. And minus the fact that they live together in adjoining suites within a giant house, and Kody rotates his time with each of the wives, they all go through the challenges of any other family out there; The teenagers dye their hair crazy colors, they fret over what to make for dinner, the kids fight with one another, and they debate over financial priorities. And they’re not exactly FLDS Prairie-looking women either; While Robyn’s wedding gown was not my first choice, the women dress like modest, career-forward American women.


While polygamy is still very illegal in Utah, Kody has recently be caught under fire, and may even go to jail for his polygamous lifestyle (despite the fact that he’s only legally married to Meri, his first wife). And while the family said that they decided to do the program to show to the rest of America that they were like any other family, they’ve been under fire and big pimpin’ Kody could be locked up forever.

And you know what? While you would NEVER catch me as a sister wife, and would strongly discourage my children from taking part in this lifestyle, I’m a pro-choice girl and feel that this family should be able to live however they’d like. If they’re fostering their children in an environment of love and acceptance (many of the children don’t want to be a polygamist lifestyle when they’re older and speak openly about this), I think that families should be able to live however the hell they want. Why are we locking up Kody Brown when there are plenty of monogamous families out there who embody abuse, addiction, and adultery in their homes? In a country like the United States where we foster the ideals of diversity, I don’t understand why we are so scared to accept an alternative lifestyle on the opposite end of the spectrum.

But whether you believe in it or not, there’s no dying that Sister Wives is an addictive show- or that Kody Brown is the biggest pimp daddy in all of Utah.

Think Pink in DC this Month

A year and a half ago, my Whole Foods-eating, 5K-running, Ralph Lauren-wearing mother got the family together to tell us some crazy news:

"I'll be getting a tummy tuck and breast implants in three months".

I gave her a huge hug, smiled, and congratulated her in finally converting to my world of cosmetic alterations. But when she looked at my brother and I glassy-eyed, I knew that there was more to come. She explained that she was looking into a procedure to have fat removed from her stomach and moved to her breast cavities, since she had been diagnosed with DCIS breast cancer, a rare form of breast cancer that would force her to have both of her breasts removed. I cried, but stayed strong more my mom, because I knew that she would need me for the next year. And she did. It was tough; My dad and I tried to cheer her up, bought her sexy lingerie post-surgery to get her excited for the implants to come, and constantly made all of the "cancer-schmancer" jokes to make whatever light was left to be had of the situation. Though it was a crazy year and a half battle, and she dealt with several surgeries, I'm proud to say that all of the tears payed off- Joan Panichas-Milas is now a cancer survivor, and though she hates all of the "pink ribbon crap" as she puts it, I always remind her that the pink ribbon is there to comfort every tear that's shed for women everywhere who have been plagued by membership to the cancer club.
But there is hope, support, and wonderful stories of trial and tribulation that help breast cancer patients stay strong, and with October being breast cancer awareness month, there are some awesome ways in the District to get involved and help save the ta-ta's everywhere:

• Participate in the Komen 5K Race for the Cure. You'll get exercise, an adorable pink boa, and bond with survivors, supporters, and so many powerful men and women affected by the disease.
• Upload a photo of you in your favorite pink attire to 69-second.org, a site that donates to breast cancer for every picture uploaded
• Check out the Zumbathon and Pink for Pilates at Vida Verizon Center on October 30th! For $25, take part in 2 hours worth of pilates or 2 hours of Zumba, all supporting awareness (while checking out some of the hottest gays at Vida, duh).
• Join GoPinkDC for a line dancing and rowing event on October 23rd downtown. For a small donation, enjoy a day of fun events with these spunky survivors and supporters.  
• Check out the Breastival at the American University Campus on October 17th. With great giveaways and excellent information on site, you'll want every festival to be a breastival from then on!

Know anyone dealing with breast cancer right now? Don't let them give up. If my mom made it through, anyone can, and by supporting these events, you'll providing a shoulder for people in these positions to lean on. So whether you dye your hair Kelly Osborne style or paint your toes Malibu Barbie style, thinking pink is totally in this month. 

Zeno: Hot Spot for Acne

Because there's nothing hot about pimples, let's be honest. And not to sound like Joan Rivers in an infomercial, but this product will truly change your life. Wake up in the morning with a disgusting whitehead on the middle of your face? Well, you'll have to put some cover-up on it and deal with it for the entire day at work and hope that people are talking to you and not staring at your face. But in the evening, use the Zeno, an electronic device that actually kills bacteria while massaging the spot and removing in within hours. The reaction IS extremely red for the time immediately following using the product, which is why it's imperative to avoid using it before you're going out. But, if you use it before bed, wake up the next morning to clear skin- which, I might add, a lot of products promote but don't actually do. And what's more, with Whitney Port's celebrity endorsement on the product's home page? Damn, if one of The Hills' girls are using it, you know I'll buy it faster than you can say O-M-G. But regardless if you Team Lauren or Team Whitney, the Zeno is $40, can be purchased at any drug store, and will miraculously remove your pimps. Because pimples aren't sexy.

Tim Gunn in DC?

I know I'm about a week overdue, but I forgot to mention that one of the most fabulous gays from the entertainment world took to his hometown the past week to raise some money for the GLTS community in DC. And with the recent tragedies in the media surrounding the gay community, there's so better to show that the bigots out there have got to just "make it work" (as Mr. Gunn himself would say on Project Runway). A DC native himself, Tim got behind the bar at one of Logan Circle's finest establishments, Mova (formally known as Halo), as he whipped up some of the best cocktails including delicious banana martinis and strawberry kir royales; He concluded the night even coming up with his own vodka cocktail, known as "Gunning Your Special". And while I'm sure styling and designing is definitely more of his forte, from what I heard, his mixology (and drinking) abilities were a forced to be reckoned with, as well. Don't you just wish that the well-dressed, personable, and rich ones were straight sometimes?

Check out Blade.com, DC's online gay magazine, for an exclusive on-site interview with Tim Gunn at Mova last Monday. http://www.washingtonblade.com/2010/09/28/bravos-tim-gunn-at-mova/

'Catfish' makes my Facebook stalking seem normal...

If you haven't seen Catfish yet, then you're not living. Tonight, my brother who is in town from Philly and I thought we'd steer clear of the typical Halloween slasher movies, and instead, saw the independent documentary flick that still has me in awe. Having gotten positive reviews from Perez, Rolling Stone, and all other relatively credible news sources, this movie has a unique plot twist, eerie scenes, and an end that will make you say OMG. Without giving too much away, the movie is set in 2008, when three New York-based cinematographers document the relationship of their friend and a family that he had been in correspondence with via Facebook for the past year. A sudden turn of events leads the three guys to research the truth in the family's actual existence and crazy things begin to be uncovered.
Now, I can't talk too much smack on the movie's subject, since I probably Facebook stalk way more than I should on a daily basis (ex-boyfriends, beware). But, the entertainment, creativity, and fact that everything in this movie is true will freakin' blow your mind. Bring your boo or your girls, order a huge popcorn, and then be prepared to reconsider what you're doing on Facebook from your cubicle at work every day.