The Grammys take voting online at last

Say what you will about the Grammys and its problems, but at least the Recording Academy has been making an effort to catch up with the times. After making streaming-only albums eligible for awards this year (allowing Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Boo…

Mario Kart VR is Only Landing in Japan… And that’s BS

Bandai Namco is doing something super awesome and super annoying at the same time. It’s opening a VR arcade that will have VR version of Mario Kart complete with little karts you can sit in. The crappy part is that the arcade will only be in Shinjuku Tokyo, leaving out most of the world from enjoying it.

The Mario Kart VR game will seat players behind a standard racing wheel and fits them with sensors allowing them to virtually throw weapons like shells and banana peels using HTC Vive virtual reality goggles and trackers.

The VR Zone Shinjuku arcade will open on July 14. In addition to Mario Kart visitors will also get to play VR content based on Ghost in the Shell, Evangelion, Dragon Ball and more. I wish these cool VR arcade games would come to the US as well. I want to play Mario Kart VR badly.

[via Polygon]

E3 2017: All major announcements from Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, and more

E3 2017 officially kicks off today, but from here on out, big announcements will likely be few and far between. Like every E3 in recent years, major game companies have opted to host press conferences before the event begins, which is where they make all of their big announcements. There were six big press conferences of note this year – … Continue reading

At Least 2 People Reportedly Killed In San Francisco Shooting

SAN FRANCISCO ― At least two people have died after a shooting in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood on Wednesday morning, according to numerous reports

The shooter is “down” and has a self-inflicted wound, local outlet KQED reported, citing a San Francisco Police Department officer.

The incident occurred around 9 a.m. local time at a UPS facility, the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management said. At least one employee recognized the shooter as a fellow UPS worker, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. 

San Francisco police advised residents to avoid the area and shelter in place. They began a search of the building, which takes up an entire city block, around 10:15 a.m. Police declined to provide further details on the incident to HuffPost. 

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center had reported multiple admissions from the shooting, according to San Francisco Chronicle journalist Filipa Ioannou.

Several witnesses shared their accounts of the incident on Twitter: 

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 

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Kim Kardashian Is Launching A Beauty Line To Keep Up With Kylie Jenner

While the rest of us are keeping up with the Kardashians, Kim is just trying to keep up with her sister Kylie Jenner’s growing beauty empire. 

Kardashian announced Tuesday via all of her social media platforms that she’s launching KKW Beauty on June 21. 

“I am launching my own makeup brand,” the 36-year-old said in an interview with ET Online. “We’re launching with a contour kit, so it’s going to be cream contour and highlighters in this collection with great brushes. I’m so excited about it.”

No price points for the products have been announced. 

The website is mostly blank, save for the launch date and a place for fans to enter their email address. Kris Jenner and Kardashian’s longtime makeup artist, Mario Dedivanovic, were over the moon about the news.

“The Glam Queen has arrived… get ready to be SNATCHED,” Dedivanovic wrote on his Instagram account. Jenner wrote, “I am so proud of you @kimkardashian and excited for your beauty line #KKWBEAUTY!!” 

Considering the success of Kardashian’s video game (which raked in over $100 million in the first five quarters), her app, her Kimoji line and recent collab with Kylie Cosmetics, this venture makes all the sense in the world for the savvy businesswoman. 

When talking about her new beauty line, Kardashian made sure to praise sister Kylie and her work ethic. 

“Kylie, we did our lipstick collab together, our lip kit, and she was so amazing to work with. She really works so hard and it was so refreshingly surprising, ‘cause you see things on social media and I’m not there with her 24/7,” Kardashian told ET.

She added, “But you think, ‘Oh, she is coming out with her makeup and it’s so easy and fun.’ [But it’s] so much work and I am so proud of her that she just works so hard.”

We’re sure there’s a KKW Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics collaboration coming our way soon. 

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19 Epic, Endangered Places You Should Visit Before It's Too Late

The world is full of beautiful places, but not all of them will stay that way.

This week, UNESCO released its annual state of conservation reports, which outline which of its famous designated World Heritage Sites are in danger of losing the historic, cultural or natural characteristics that made them World Heritage Sites in the first place.

Places on the “Danger List” face threats like soil erosion, lack of water and poor land management, to name a few. The World Heritage Committee prepares conservation reports for these places so it can discuss ways to better protect and conserve them if needed.

Tourism can harm the world’s wonders, but it can also help them when done responsibly. Below, find 19 places from UNESCO’s conservation reports that warrant a responsible visit. To compile this list, we pulled spots that appear on the Danger List, omitting any that come with travel warnings form the U.S. State Department. While such places are no less important, it’s not recommended that you visit them now, typically because of war, crime, or other dangers. 

Peruse the options below, pack your bags, and check out UNESCO’s reports for more information on why these places are endangered and how you can help.

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194 Thoughts I Had While Watching The 'Harry Potter' Franchise For The First Time

When I was 13, I went to see “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” with my best friend, her mom and her brother. It was 2001, and from what I can vaguely remember, it was a good time.

But for some reason, I never went back to the theater to see the rest of the “Harry Potter” movies, nor did I watch them from the comfort of my couch.Why is that, you say? Well, I don’t know. I tried listening to a bit of J.K. Rowling’s book series on tape, but I eventually gave up on story time in order to save more minutes for karaoke and collecting Spice Girls lollipops. 

Now, at 29 years old, I finally watched the franchise from start to finish, over the course of four days ― and it was freakin’ magical.

WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG??

I similarly watched the original “Star Wars” trilogy for the first time back in 2015. Then, like now, I was chastised for being an entertainment journalist who’s never seen one of the most popular film series of all time. (To be honest, I’ve been too busy rewatching “The Lord of the Rings” extended editions to care about any other fantasy world.)

But you know what? I did the unthinkable, people. And now you get to relive the franchise through my eyes while reading the 194 thoughts I had while watching the “Harry Potter” movies for the first time. You’re welcome.

”Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” 

1. Oh, my God, look at baby Daniel Radcliffe! 

2. This Dursley family sucks. 

3. Why couldn’t we all have gone shopping for school supplies on Diagon Alley before secretly hopping through a wall to take a train to a mysterious and magical castle-like wizarding school? Life isn’t fair.

4. I am so for this Harry, Ron, Hermione friendship/eventual love triangle? 

5. Team Gryffindor is the best, yes. But would have liked to see one of Harry’s pals be selected for a different house. Mix things up, Sorting Hat! 

6. Hagrid for President 2020. 

7. There’s something up with this Snape guy. He knows Harry and he’s either going to try to kill him (too obvious) or he’s his biological father (they don’t really look alike, though).

8. Quidditch looks fun. But why does Harry have to be good at everything

9. Dumbledore is Gandalf. Gandalf is Dumbledore. Life is great.  

10. Fluffy is clearly not a nice dog. 

11. Voldemort. AHHHHHH

12. Neville Longbottom ends up being the unsung hero of this entire franchise, right? 

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” 

13. Dobby is my new favorite character.

14. Flying cars are clearly very convenient.

15. Ginny and Harry definitely have something brewing, right??

16. Fireplace transportation = risky. 

17. Literally every famous Brit is in these movies. (Hey, Kenneth Branagh.)

18. Could you imagine receiving talking telegrams from your mom? Yikes. 

19. Were those sound effects for Harry’s wobbly arm necessary? My takeout is now not sitting as nicely in my stomach. 

20. Still think Snape’s somehow a good guy …

21. Harry speaking snake language = creepy as heck. 

22. MYRTLE!

23. Tom Riddle is a memory preserved in a diary? Sure.

24. Wait. TOM RIDDLE IS VOLDEMORT?!?!

25. This basilisk scene is like watching the raptors chase Laura Dern in “Jurassic Park.”

26. Why is everything so convenient for Harry? A phoenix shows up? And a magical sword just appears for him to use to kill the basilisk? He always wins! 

27. Riddle might be gone but Voldemort is lurking, duh …

28. Hermione is back! Better yet, Hagrid is back!

29. “There’s no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid.” (Crying.)

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” 

30. The Dursleys deserve this Violet-blowing-up-in-”Willy Wonka” scene. Bye, Marge!

31. Knight Bus makes me dizzy. 

32. “That is Sirius Black.” No, my friend, that is Gary Oldman. 

33. Dumbledore looks different.  

34. These Dementors are no joke. They’re like the Ringwraiths from “LOTR.”

35. Professor Trelawney is my spirit animal. (As is Emma Thompson.)

36. Buckbeak did what we all want to do to Draco. 

37. If only we can use the magical wardrobe to turn our fears of the president into something funny …

38. Werewolves are in “Harry Potter”?? 

39. Snape just called Hermione an “insufferable know-it-all.” Now I hate him. 

40. Quidditch never turns out well for Harry these days.

41. The Weasley twins are very underrated.

42. The Marauder’s Map is invasive and cool at the same time. But who’s Peter Pettigrew?

43. Remus Lupin seems to be breaking the so-called curse on Dark Arts professors … for now.

44. Hold up, Lupin is a werewolf?! And he’s bad?!

45. Scabbers is a man? This is wild stuff! 

46. OMG! This time travel switch-up is awesome. Welcome back, Buckbeak!

47. Sirius Black   

“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” 

48. Not diggin’ this long hair on Harry. 

49. Oh hey, Robert Pattinson! 

50. Harry and Ron not being friends in this movie KILLS me. Come on, guys! 

51. Mad-Eye Moody is the man. 

52. This journalist is not as likable. 

53. When dragons show up on screen, it’s always a good thing. 

54. Maggie Smith saying “bambling, bumbling band of baboons” was the highlight of this one. 

55. Awww, Hagrid has a girlfriend!

56. Ron “attempting” to ask Hermione to the dance 

57. Ron’s dress robes 

58. The swim challenge was so intense. 

59. RPatz barely speaks in this movie, what the heck! 

60. And then he dies?! Poor Cedric. 

61. Mini Voldemort will haunt my dreams …

62. … As will the actual Voldemort! Scary doesn’t even cover it. 

63. Ugh, that Cedric death reveal scene is brutal.

64. “This dreadful loss reminds me, reminds us, while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one.” Great note to end on.  

“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” 

65. Dudley Dursley is now known as “Big D,” and that’s fantastic. 

66. Whoa, the Dementors just went all “Hocus Pocus” on us. 

67. Expelled?! What’s “Harry Potter” without Harry at Hogwarts? 

68. Moody and the Order to the rescue! (Also, more famous Brits join in on the fun ― hey, Osha [Natalia Tena] from “Game of Thrones.”)

69. Flying on a broomstick through the city looks so fun. 

70. Of course Hermione and Ron are at Headquarters ― best friends for life. 

71. SERIOUSLY LOVE SIRIUS. 

72. The Ministry of Magic is pretty darn cool. Also, Harry in a suit jacket ― precious.

73. Dumbledore is always there when you need him. Very reliable. 

74. I don’t like Madam Undersecretary. 

75. Luna Lovegood is like the “Harry Potter”-version of Anna Faris, and I’m obsessed with her. 

76. Harry went from fan favorite to Public Enemy No. 1. 

77. Ugh, Madam Undersecretary, aka Dolores Umbridge, is at Hogwarts now??? 

78. Imelda Staunton is brilliant. Creepy never looked so pink. 

79. Still love the Weasley twins. 

80. What are these winged horse skeletons? 

81. That Professor Trelawney scene though …

82. When Hermione says she’s excited to break the rules and create an army my heart was like, “Go, girl!”

83. Not sure if I’m 100 percent into this Cho romance …

84. But Hermione standing up for Cho’s emotions is lovely. 

85. Voldemort and Harry are linked?! OMG, make it stop!

86. Love the wallpaper family tree lesson, Sirius. 

87. Helena Bonham Carter!!!

88. “Full-bodied Patronus.”  

89. Hell yeah, Dumbledore’s got style. 

90. Firework shows are always epic, but this one is A+ work. 

91. Umbridge just slapped Harry! 

92. Giant vs. Dolores ― been waiting for this all movie. 

93. “Sorry, professor, I must not tell lies.” 

94. Bellatrix Lestrange just killed Sirius and I’m devastated. (Also, the last 20 minutes of this movie were phenomenal.)

95. Dumbledore vs. Voldemort is such a good fight. 

96. Come on, Harry. Fight off the possession! (Crying.)

97. This was by far my favorite movie of the series. And, all praise Luna Lovegood. 

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

98. We definitely need “Dumbledore & Harry: The Buddy Cop Drama.”

99. Aw, Horace is an armchair. How delightful.

100. Don’t we all wish cleaning up a house was that easy.

101. Reunions are the best, right? (Ginny and Harry turn up the chemistry!)

102. Of course Snape is with the Dark Side. Ugh. 

103. And he’s going to help Draco complete his dark mission? Bigger ugh. 

104. Love Potion No. 9.

105. Of course Harry finds the most amazing potions textbook ever. (And Hermione is so confused.)

106. Young Tom Riddle deserves his own horror movie. 

107. Ooohhh, Hermione has a thing for Ron! 

108. I want some of that dessert at Slughorn’s dinner party. 

109. Ron on performance-enhancing drugs. 

110. Wait, sad Hermione is not a good Hermione at all. Get it together, Ron! 

111. Hermione crying on Harry’s shoulder has me crying on my own shoulder. 

112: ALERT! Cringey cookie-feeding between Ginny and Harry. ALERT!

113. Nothing good ever happens in a cornfield. 

114. I have nice skin, right guys?!

115. Love-potioned Ron … 

116. Hermione-Lavender fight is giving me life. Her-mi-o-ne. 

117. Draco and Harry finally face off, yes! 

118. Ginny and Harry KISS. (Uneventful, tbh.)

119. Pulling memories from your head is the new thing, apparently. 

120. Yeah, I beg your pardon. A what?? Horcrux??? Slughorn, WHY???

121. This cave does NOT look safe. 

122. Nor does this dirty water-potion Dumbledore is drinking. 

123. OMG, WHAT IS IN THE WATER!!! It’s like the White Walkers from “Game of Thrones,” but in water! 

124. Draco, NO! 

125. Severus, NO!

126. Wait, is Dumbledore dead?! 

127. I hate Snape. 

128. Crying. My. Eyes. Out. For. Dumbledore. 

129. The hunt for the Horcruxes begins.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” 

130. Bill Nighy!

131. We finally meet Hermione’s parents … in the saddest moment ever. 

132. Voldemort’s counsel meetings are clearly black-tie affairs. 

133. Every time Harry, Hermione and Ron reunite, I cry a little. 

134. Domhnall Gleeson!!

135. OMG, multiple Harry Potters = brilliant. 

136. Car chase in “Harry Potter”? I’ll take it. 

137. Mad Eye is dead?? Nooooo.

138. Champagne flutes refill themselves?! Epic wedding. 

139. Spoke too soon …

140. Umbridge is back, ugh. 

141. Hermione and Ron playing piano. 

142. Dobby!!!

143. The trio in disguise is great entertainment. 

144. “And one must not tell lies!” Take that, Umbridge. 

145. Poor Ron got splinched! 

146. This necklace has the same effects as the One Ring from “LOTR.” 

147. Ron’s going nuts, what’s happening?!

148.     

149. Dance parties always help. 

150. What a way to spend Christmas, huh?

151. Get out of this house, Harry!

152. Get out of the icy water, Harry! 

153. RON!!! 

154. Wait, Harry and Hermione kissing is weird AF. 

155. The Tale of Three Brothers. The Deathly Hallows. It all makes sense. Maybe. Kind of. I don’t know what to think. 

156. This movie makes me very paranoid. 

157. Bellatrix is f***ing crazy. 

158. “Dobby has no master! Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends.” I AM HEARTBROKEN.

159. Voldemort has the Elder Wand, so, like, crap.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” 

160. Snape is headmaster???

161. Helena Bonham Carter’s impression of Hermione is dead-on. 

162. Is this bank ride featured at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter? 

163. Never trust a goblin, Potter.

164. Dragons always make for good entertainment. 

165. Whenever the “Harry Potter” theme really kicks in, things feel a bit more hopeful. 

166. McGonagall, I’ve missed you. 

167. “I see dead people.”

168. So happy Neville is here to save the day. 

169. THE KISS WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! (It deserves its own GIF.)

170. Neville & Luna?? Awww. 

171. FIRE. 

172. Hogwarts under attack. 

173. This is a brutal death, even for Snape. Yeesh. 

174. Why did everyone have to die? Oh my God, this is devastating. 

175. I always knew there was something up with Snape, but THIS. What a wonderfully complicated and complex character, who was truly there for Harry this entire time. My mind is blown. And now I’m just heartbroken all over again. 

176. Harry is a Horcrux?! Oh, this is just too much. I can’t handle it all. 

177. Always

178. I. Can’t. Watch. This. S**t. Unfold.

179. Resurrection stone! Oh my, this is lovely. Hi, Mom and Dad. 

180. Voldemort’s profile is just the scariest thing ever. 

181. EW, BLOODIED MINI VOLDEMORT! 

182. Dumbledore, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.

183. Let me take this moment to note how grown-up Daniel Radcliffe looks. 

184. Harry, I know you’re not dead! Come on, wake up!

185. Why didn’t Ralph Fiennes win an Oscar for this performance?

186. Neville!!! 

187. Mrs. Weasley for the win! 

188. The suspense is killing me! Harry, just kill this dude already!

189. Again, Neville!!! Always knew he was a keeper. 

190. Voldemort literally peeled away. Epic.

191. The Elder Wand is Harry’s. YAS.

(Crack. Toss.)

Nevermind. 

192. 19 YEARS LATER? How can we skip all that time?

193. Awww, Potter and Weasley kids! (And a Snape tribute.)

194. A new generation of Hogwarts begins! Chills.

 From June 1 to 30, HuffPost is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the very first “Harry Potter” book by reminiscing about all things Hogwarts. Accio childhood memories.

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The Empowering Fatherlessness Of Wonder Woman

For many women, Father’s Day is awkward at best and simply excruciating at worst. These are the same women who, as girls, shared friends’ dads at father-daughter dances in school, or who called in sick with a stomach ache instead of attending.

There are myriad reasons for a father’s absence in his daughter’s life: some actively choose not to participate in her upbringing while others are removed by active duty or incarceration; some pass away. 

But however a young woman has ended up without the presence of her father, enough has been shown in popular culture to make us feel ashamed of it, that somehow “daddy issues” are our fault. 

Barney Stinson on “How I Met Your Mother” turned the conquest of fucking us into something “legendary,” and a notoriously misogynistic website called Return of Kings even has a list of ways to recognize us (and then instructions on how to fuck us!). In fact, “Classic signs of daddy issues” wields more than 6 million results on Google search. On top the already-existing pain in being rendered “fatherless,” in some capacity, we’ve been rendered by society as dick-hungry, damaged, easy, and crazy. Even worse, this stereotype so deep-seated that many of us actually internalize it, and fear our daddy issues have somehow made us unworthy of healthy relationships. 

And then came Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman.”

A lot has been said about the female-led blockbuster that, two weeks after its release, is still sitting comfortably at the top of the box office. It’s been called stunning and empowering and has also earned criticism, being dragged as white feminism in action

But for me and other girls who’ve had to fill the void left by absent fathers, Wonder Woman was a story of a girl without a dad who didn’t ever think she’d even need one ― and watching her save the world was awesome. 

First, there was the island of Themyscira, an all-woman warrior paradise, in which women are the protectors of all that is good in the world. The Amazons were strong yet loving, loyal yet tough. The Amazon trained to beat her fellow warrior’s ass in one second took a bullet for her in the next. What many critics and viewers have continually lauded is the presence of those powerful women and their strong bodies flaunted on screen, not for the “male gaze,” but for their sheer strength.

What I saw, though, was so much more. It wasn’t just the presence of the women that struck me, or their strength, but the absence of men entirely – the absence of fathers.

When Wonder Woman leaves her mother, Queen Hippolyta, and fellow Amazons behind to save the world with American soldier Steve Trevor, he asks her about her father. Her response was so stunning I might get it tattooed on my forehead.

“I had no father,” she tells him. “My mother sculpted me from clay and I was brought to life by Zeus.”

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, a young girl raised in a world of women without a father. 

I know this feeling. I know the dance parties I had with my mother and grandmother, the adventures in grocery shopping, dressing room bickering, dessert-baking, hiking and playing that we all had. It’s sad that I needed a reminder that my upbringing was more than good enough, but I did.

And “Wonder Woman” gave it to me.

When I walked out of the “Wonder Woman” screening, I sent a text to my mother.

“I had no father,” I told her. “You sculpted me from clay, and Zeus brought me to life.”

She hadn’t seen the movie yet, but she responded immediately.

“Yes,” she said. “That’s exactly what happened.” 

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Kelly Ripa Hints At Eventual 'Live' Exit In Candid Ryan Seacrest Profile

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In a telling profile with The Hollywood Reporter, the negotiations behind Ryan Seacrest’s “Live” gig and his future with “American Idol” are discussed in depth. Apparently, the highly successful and overly booked host is nearing a deal with “Idol” producers, despite some back and forth on his salary. 

Still, those reveals weren’t the juiciest part of the piece. 

Actually, the surprising moment came when Seacrest’s “Live” co-host Kelly Ripa said she’s been eyeing a potential exit from the show. Although she’s the happiest she’s been in a while, Ripa, who’s been hosting “Live” since 2001, told THR, “But at some point, I’d like to wind down. I’m not Ryan, I don’t have his battery. So when I look at him, I see the future of this show.”

She even joked, off the air, about retiring when the topic of sleep came up during a recent segment on the show. 

“I’m working on it,” she laughed after a viewer joked that retirement helps with sleep. “I’m working on it.”

But despite her eventual exit, Ripa is loving being seated next to Seacrest every day. After the surprise departure of her former co-host Michael Strahan last year, the 46-year-old is enjoying the transparency she now receives from ABC when it comes to decisions involving “Live.” Execs even asked her how she felt about Seacrest hosting “Idol” again. (As a fan of the show herself, she’s thrilled.)

“He’s just so seamless,” Ripa said of the 42-year-old mogul, “that people don’t realize that what he does is actually very, very difficult.”

Seacrest, on the other hand, says his success is determined by his confidence in particular areas.

“I’ve figured out what I’m better at and what I’m not so good at, and I’m doing the things that I’m better at. The things that I’m not so good at would make me tired and would make me want to slow down,” Seacrest said, adding of taking on the “Idol” gig again and increasing his load: “I never thought that would be possible.”

Read the full profile over at The Hollywood Reporter

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KFC Launches Chicken Sandwich Into Space Next Week

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It’s one small step for a chicken sandwich, and one giant leap for fast food.

On June 21, KFC plans to launch its Zinger chicken sandwich into a space via a high-altitude solar-powered balloon known as a “stratollite,” a word combining “stratosphere” and “satellite.”

The chicken sandwich will zip up to about 28.5 miles above Earth ― not quite the 62-mile threshold to be considered to be the edge of space, but, as the New York Times notes, it’s cheaper than shooting off an orbiting rocket.

Assuming the launch goes off without a hitch, the balloon and the sandwich will float above Earth for at least four days, while the stratollite records telemetry data to help future launches by World View, the balloon’s manufacturer, according to the Associated Press.

Whether anyone wants to eat the sandwich after that remains a mystery.

KFC is funding the flight of the Zinger, which will mark the balloon’s first multi-day mission, according to Space.com.

World View co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Taber MacCallum told the website that the project will benefit both companies.

“This mission offers edge-of-space access to KFC, allowing them to embark upon a one-of-a-kind marketing experiment, while we get to pursue our maiden multiday Stratollite shakedown cruise and open unprecedented access to the stratosphere,” MacCallum said. “It’s a double win.”

The stratollite launch will be streamed at kfcin.space, a web address that expands to yesweareactuallysendingachickensandwichto.space, according to the Times.

KFC has hatched lots of plans to promote the four-day trip, including dropping a single coupon on the ground.

The information gathered during the trip will help World View perfect future balloons, which are designed to travel long distances or hover over one spot on Earth for long periods like a drone.

The stratollites may soon be used to monitor natural disasters, provide Wi-Fi service in remote areas or other services, World View representatives told Space.com.

MacCallum and his wife and business partner Jane Poynter explain the project in the video below.

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Poynter told reporters on Tuesday she was amused when KFC approached their company.

“We had a good chuckle,” she said, according to Space.com. “We thought it was quite funny. But after we thought about it for a minute, we all decided it was incredibly cool.”

KFC sneak-previewed the voyage last month in a commercial featuring Rob Lowe as Colonel Sanders.

“The time has come to explore beyond our known horizons to push KFC’s spicy, crispy chicken sandwich to new heights,” he said in the ad. “Sure, there’ll be questions. Like, ‘why?’” 

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