Melissa Etheridge Weds Linda Wallem

People Exclusive

By K.C. Baker

05/31/2014 at 08:00 PM EDT

Melissa Etheridge (left) and Linda Wallem

David Livingston/Getty

What a great birthday present!

Two days after they both turned 53, Melissa Etheridge and partner Linda Wallem married on Saturday night at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California, at the foot of the Santa Ynez Mountain range.

"They were so happy," says a guest. "It was really beautiful."

In the course of the intimate outdoor ceremony, Etheridge sang Wallem a new song she wrote especially for her and which Etheridge had never performed before – not even to Wallem.

"It was such a magical moment," says the guest, who added that Etheridge wore a grey suit, while Wallem was in a white dress.

All four of Etheridge's children participated in the wedding: Bailey Jean Cypher, 17; Beckett Cypher, 15; and twins Miller Steven Etheridge and Johnnie Rose Etheridge, 7.

Among those also looking on as Etheridge and Wallem exchanged their vows were Jane Lynch, Chelsea Handler, Rosie O’Donnell, Whitney Cummings, Peter Facinelli and recording artist Sia.

"The ceremony was such a beautiful start to the night,” says the guest. "The setting was perfect. It was something Melissa and Linda wanted early on. It was as perfect as they envisioned."

Sunday morning, the newlyweds will leave directly for their honeymoon. Working closely with a personal vacation advisor, Etheridge planned to surprise Wallem at a secret location.

The singer and the Nurse Jackie creator had been friends for more than a decade before they began dating in 2010. Last June, they announced their engagement following the Supreme Court's historic decisions regarding gay rights, with Etheridge calling Wallem "my true love."

"I look forward to exercising my American civil liberties," Etheridge wrote on Twitter after the Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8 were deemed unconstitutional. Those liberties, she added, included "getting fully, completely and legally married."

Earlier this week, Etheridge, whose new solo album comes out Sept. 30, teased that she'd be debuting some new music at the wedding, Tweeting: "Ok, so I might be singing a brand new song that no one has ever heard to someone special at a intimate gathering Saturday…just wanted to share."

Steven Tyler Tries to Leave a Note Under Miley Cyrus's Hotel Room Door (VIDEO)

By K.C. Blumm

05/31/2014 at 06:00 PM EDT

Steven Tyler and (inset) Miley Cyrus

Courtesy Steven Tyler

Okay, we have to admit it. This video is just so odd.

Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler shared a video on Twitter on Saturday that showed him trying to leave a note for Miley Cyrus under her hotel room door in Finland.

In the video, captioned "Room Service in Helsinki," the 66-year-old creeps up towards the "Wrecking Ball" singer's suite.

"Oooooh, I think Miley Cyrus is here," he says in his best Elmer Fudd impersonation. "But Shhhhh – she's very very sleepy."

The former American Idol judge holds up the handwritten note he wants to leave for the singer, who's in Finland on her Bangerz tour, and then tries to slip it under her door.

When that doesn't work, he tries to slide it through the side of the door.

That fails too. "I can't seem to get it in her door," he surmises. "Maybe I oughta bang on it."

But he doesn't and instead folds up the note and sticks it into the keycard slot.

"That's better," he remarks and then turns and walks away.

Cyrus retweeted his video, but so far there's been no sign on social media of whether the pair met up.

Steven Tyler Tries to Leave a Note Under Miley Cyrus's Hotel Room Door (VIDEO)

By K.C. Blumm

05/31/2014 at 06:00 PM EDT

Steven Tyler and (inset) Miley Cyrus

Courtesy Steven Tyler

Okay, we have to admit it. This video is just so odd.

Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler shared a video on Twitter on Saturday that showed him trying to leave a note for Miley Cyrus under her hotel room door in Finland.

In the video, captioned "Room Service in Helsinki," the 66-year-old creeps up towards the "Wrecking Ball" singer's suite.

"Oooooh, I think Miley Cyrus is here," he says in his best Elmer Fudd impersonation. "But Shhhhh – she's very very sleepy."

The former American Idol judge holds up the handwritten note he wants to leave for the singer, who's in Finland on her Bangerz tour, and then tries to slip it under her door.

When that doesn't work, he tries to slide it through the side of the door.

That fails too. "I can't seem to get it in her door," he surmises. "Maybe I oughta bang on it."

But he doesn't and instead folds up the note and sticks it into the keycard slot.

"That's better," he remarks and then turns and walks away.

Cyrus retweeted his video, but so far there's been no sign on social media of whether the pair met up.

Daughter Sends Her Father to Prison for Life

By Jeff Truesdell

05/31/2014 at 03:30 PM EDT

In June 2000 Frank Hertel was charged with sexually assaulting his daughter Heather Orr when she was 14 in Tucson, continuing abuse that began when she was much younger in Ohio.

Before he could go to trial, he vanished with Orr's mother and 9-year-old brother.

For 12 years, Orr searched for them but found few clues.

"She didn't just want to see her dad behind bars," says her husband, Daniel, 39. "She wanted to find her brother. That's what drove her."

Sgt. Gerard Moretz, whose investigation helped send her father to prison in October 2012 and also helped find both parents guilty on civil charges of abuse and neglect, was struck by Orr's courage: "She's a real inspiration."

Orr, 31, a mom of four in Evans, Georgia, tells PEOPLE's Jeff Truesdell she's sharing her story for "myself and other sexual-abuse victims who have borne their pain silently."

Jaime Murray Marries Bernie Cahill

By K.C. Blumm

05/31/2014 at 03:00 PM EDT

Jaime Murray and Bernie Cahill

Ni Lou Ratih

Former Dexter star Jaime Murray tied the knot with fiancé Bernie Cahill in Bali on Monday.

The London-born actress, who plays a pale-skinned alien on the SyFy channel's Defiance, married Cahill, an entertainment industry executive, in a private ceremony at the luxurious Amandari resort in Ubud, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

"It was pretty epic and magical," Murray, 36, tells PEOPLE exclusively.

The Ringer star and her new husband honeymooned at the beach resort of Amankila, which features free-standing stilted guest suites perched on a cliff side overlooking the ocean.

The couple, who've been together almost three years, became engaged in December when Cahill surprised his girlfriend on a flight from Toronto to Los Angeles. With the help of the cabin crew he snuck onto the plane in disguise and surprised her hours later, getting down on one knee.

Ray J Arrested for Battery, Trespassing and Vandalism

By K.C. Blumm

05/31/2014 at 02:25 PM EDT

Ray J was arrested after getting into an altercation at a swanky Beverly Hills hotel on Friday night, according to multiple reports.

Police were called to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel after the singer, best known for making a sex tape in 2007 with Kim Kardashian, allegedly touched a woman inappropriately on the backside, TMZ reports.

Ray J, who was linked to Whitney Houston shortly before her death, was asked to leave the hotel after police spoke to him and the woman and determined that the incident was not a case of sexual battery. But when the 33-year-old got to the valet area, he allegedly acted belligerently and refused to leave.

As police took the brother of singer and actress Brandy into custody, he allegedly kicked out the back window of the police car and spat in an officer's face, according to the Associated Press. He was booked for trespassing, vandalism, resisting arrest and battery on a police officer.

Last U.S. Soldier Held Captive in Afghanistan Is Freed

By Associated Press

05/31/2014 at 02:15 PM EDT

The only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan has been freed from Taliban captivity in exchange for the release of five Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Obama administration officials said Saturday.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was handed over to U.S. special forces by the Taliban Saturday evening, local time, in an area of eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. Officials said the exchange was not violent and the 28-year-old Bergdahl was in good condition and able to walk.

In a statement, President Barack Obama said Bergdahl's recovery "is a reminder of America's unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield."

The handover followed secret and indirect negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban, with the government of Qatar serving as the go-between. Qatar is taking custody of the five Afghan detainees that had been held at Guantanamo Bay.

According to a senior defense official traveling with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Singapore, once Bergdahl climbed onto the noisy helicopter he took a pen and wrote on a paper plate, the "SF?" – asking the troops if they were special operations forces.

They shouted back at him over the roar of the rotors: "Yes, we've been looking for you for a long time."

Then, according to the official, Bergdahl broke down.

Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, is believed to have been held by the Haqqani network since June 30, 2009. Haqqani operates in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and has been one of the deadliest threats to U.S. troops in the war. The network, which the State Department designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2012, claims allegiance to the Afghan Taliban, yet operates with some degree of autonomy.

Officials said Bergdahl was expected to be transferred to Bagram Air Field, the main U.S. base in Afghanistan, for medical evaluations, then on to the United States.

Officials said Obama spoke with Bergdahl's parents Saturday, shortly after their son had been taken into U.S. custody. Bergdahl's family was in Washington on a previously scheduled visit when they received the news.

All the officials insisted on anonymity in order to discuss details of Bergdahl's transfer.

The parents of the freed soldier, Bob and Jani Bergdahl, said in a statement that they were "joyful and relieved."

"We cannot wait to wrap our arms around our only son," they said.

The circumstances surrounding Bergdahl's capture remain something of a mystery. There has been some speculation that he willingly walked away from his unit, raising the question of whether he could be charged with being absent without leave (AWOL) or desertion.

Last U.S. Soldier Held Captive in Afghanistan Is Freed

By Associated Press

05/31/2014 at 02:15 PM EDT

The only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan has been freed from Taliban captivity in exchange for the release of five Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Obama administration officials said Saturday.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was handed over to U.S. special forces by the Taliban Saturday evening, local time, in an area of eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. Officials said the exchange was not violent and the 28-year-old Bergdahl was in good condition and able to walk.

In a statement, President Barack Obama said Bergdahl's recovery "is a reminder of America's unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield."

The handover followed secret and indirect negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban, with the government of Qatar serving as the go-between. Qatar is taking custody of the five Afghan detainees that had been held at Guantanamo Bay.

According to a senior defense official traveling with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Singapore, once Bergdahl climbed onto the noisy helicopter he took a pen and wrote on a paper plate, the "SF?" – asking the troops if they were special operations forces.

They shouted back at him over the roar of the rotors: "Yes, we've been looking for you for a long time."

Then, according to the official, Bergdahl broke down.

Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, is believed to have been held by the Haqqani network since June 30, 2009. Haqqani operates in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and has been one of the deadliest threats to U.S. troops in the war. The network, which the State Department designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2012, claims allegiance to the Afghan Taliban, yet operates with some degree of autonomy.

Officials said Bergdahl was expected to be transferred to Bagram Air Field, the main U.S. base in Afghanistan, for medical evaluations, then on to the United States.

Officials said Obama spoke with Bergdahl's parents Saturday, shortly after their son had been taken into U.S. custody. Bergdahl's family was in Washington on a previously scheduled visit when they received the news.

All the officials insisted on anonymity in order to discuss details of Bergdahl's transfer.

The parents of the freed soldier, Bob and Jani Bergdahl, said in a statement that they were "joyful and relieved."

"We cannot wait to wrap our arms around our only son," they said.

The circumstances surrounding Bergdahl's capture remain something of a mystery. There has been some speculation that he willingly walked away from his unit, raising the question of whether he could be charged with being absent without leave (AWOL) or desertion.

Lauren Scruggs: Engaged To Jason Kennedy After Horrific Plane Accident

Courtesy of Instagram

Now this is how you propose! On May 30, Jason Kennedy proposed to his love Lauren Scruggs in the most adorable way possible. Congrats to the happy couple!

Jason Kennedy’s proposal to Lauren Scruggs has to go down as one of the cutest wedding proposals ever! The E! host and his fiancee shared the happy news and his precious proposal idea on Instagram on May 30. Could these two be any more perfect?

Lauren Scruggs Engaged To Jason Kennedy

The E! host proposed to his lovely lady in Dallas on May 30. Jason posted a photo on his Instagram that showed how he asked “Will you marry me?” to girlfriend Lauren.

He captioned the photo: “Truth is I never flew to New York, I flew to Dallas and asked her if she would spend the rest of her life with me. I love you @laurenscruggs.”

The newly-engaged Lauren posted a reply to her love on Instagram on May 30. “Possibly the best night of my life…I love you beyond,” the LOLO magazine editor captioned a picture of her and Jason. Somebody grab the tissues, because this is just too sweet!

The engagement comes nearly 3 years after Lauren lost her left hand and an eye in a terrifying plane accident. She got a prosthetic arm and eye soon after the accident and has spoken out about her ordeal.

Jason and Lauren first started dating back in July 2013, according to Us Weekly . The two have excelled at the long distance relationship, with Jason living in Los Angeles and Lauren in Dallas.

We’re so happy for Jason and Lauren. We can’t wait for the wedding!

HollywoodLifers, are you happy for Jason and Lauren? Let us know!

– Avery Thompson

More Engagement News:

1. Joseph Morgan: ‘Originals’ Star Engaged To Girlfriend, Persia White


2. Cheryl Hines & Robert F. Kennedy Engaged


3. Zach Roloff: ‘Little People, Big World’ Star Engaged To Girlfriend

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Lauren Scruggs Gives First TV Interview: I'm Learning To Live Without My Eye… Aug09 Lauren Scruggs made her first TV appearance since her horrific… Read Article►→ Lauren Scruggs Getting Prosthetic Arm After Horrific Accident Apr06 Lauren's parents stopped by 'Good Morning America' to give an… Read Article►→ Lauren Scruggs Suing Over Plane Accident Mar27 Lauren Scruggs and her father are suing the insurance company of… Read Article►→ Lauren Scruggs Tweets Photo of Herself After Prosthetic Eye Surgery Feb13 It's been a long road for model Lauren Scruggs, who lost her… Read Article►→ Lauren Scruggs Gets A New Eye Feb02 After her horrific plane propeller accident in December that… Read Article►→ Model Lauren Scruggs Has 'Toughest' Week Of Recovery Yet Jan30 Since being released from the hospital after walking into an… Read Article►→ Lauren Scruggs -- First Photo Since Losing Hand & Eye In Horrific Accident Jan19 Lauren was photographed leaving a rehab center in Dallas and… Read Article►→ Lauren Scruggs Was Warned By Pilot Before Walking Into Propeller Jan17 In a new report from the National Transportation Safety… Read Article►→ Lauren Scruggs Speaks Out For The First Time Since Accident & Says It Was Meant… Jan10 Lauren took to her blog for the first time since her horrific… Read Article►→ Model Lauren Scruggs Makes First Trip Outside Hospital & You'll Never Guess… Jan05 Lauren's mom Cheryl has been blogging about how much pain her… Read Article►→

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A Bicycle Built for Two: Watch a Man and His Goat Cruise the Streets

People Pets

By Kelli Bender

05/31/2014 at 08:30 AM EDT

Going for a leisurely bike ride? Don't leave your goat at home!

If your piggybacks are strong enough, any bicycle can be a tandem for you and your farm animal of choice, as the cyclist in this clip proves.

This delightfully odd video was recently posted online without any back story, not that it needs one. According to The New York Daily News , the fanciful footage was taken by two tourists visiting Ethiopia.

Perhaps the cycling pair were heading to reunite with an old donkey friend or to a rigorous goat gymnastics class. What really matters is that somewhere in this crazy world there is man with a set of hooves wrapped around his waist pedaling towards the horizon.

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All the Details from Kim and Kanye's Wedding Extravaganza

By Michelle Tauber

05/31/2014 at 11:30 AM EDT

The excess would have made Marie Antoinette blanch, the outfit changes could have filled Barbie's Dream Closet – Ken's too! – and there were enough selfies to paper the inside of the Sistine Chapel. (Let's not give anyone ideas.)

There were horse-drawn carriages, fireworks and a pair of historical sites transformed into party venues for more than 200 guests.

But perhaps the biggest surprise during Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's wedding blowout was the groom's emotional reaction.

As the bride, preceded by the couple's almost-1-year-old daughter, North, made her way to the altar at the Forte di Belvedere in Florence on May 24, the famously stoic rapper "looked like he was either going to cry or laugh," says an attendee.

"But when Kim was halfway down the aisle, he broke into an enormous grin."

For much more on Kim and Kanye's wedding, including exclusive photos and details about her dress, the guest list, the bridal party and more, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands now.

Love, Friendship, Hair Extensions: This Week's Most Provocative PEOPLE Stories

By Tim Nudd and Stephen M. Silverman

05/31/2014 at 11:05 AM EDT

Albert DePrisco and Lisa Niemi (left) and Pamela Anderson

Donna Newman; Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Stories about deep connections, human and otherwise, earned the strongest reactions from PEOPLE readers this week. But there was room for some frivolity as well.

And while two sets of honeymooners – one real, and another almost real – earned the lion's share of attention this week, one of the most popular tales involved the devotion of two four-legged friends to one another.

Below, check out the five stories that got the strongest reactions on PEOPLE.com this week. And let us know what you think of every story by clicking on the icons at the bottom.

Patrick Swayze's widow, actress and dancer Lisa Niemi, wed jeweler Albert DePrisco in an intimate ceremony at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, before more than 50 guests – and reader reaction was joyful.

A pal is a pal for life, especially in the animal kingdom, as evidenced in a viral video of a goat who ended his hunger strike after reuniting with his donkey best friend.

Mother of 19 Michelle Duggar wasn't exactly greeted by applause when she opened up about discussions with a fertility doctor about her chances for another baby.

Readers apparently liked the new pixie cut Pamela Anderson was sporting, and expressed disappointment when she ditched it and added long hair extensions.

Well, it was a spoof. Photos of lookalikes posing as newlyweds Kanye West and Kim Kardashian on a camping honeymoon in an RV sure got everybody laughing.

Check back again next week for another must-read roundup. Until then, see what readers are reacting to every day by clicking here.

Cheryl Burke Answers Critics of Her Weight Loss

By Catherine Kast

05/31/2014 at 10:10 AM EDT

In PEOPLE's Most Talked About Bodies issue, Dancing with the Stars pro Cheryl Burke shared some news that she's proud of: She recently dropped 15 lbs.

Her secret? Tweaking her diet and amping up her gym routine with interval training – besides dancing, of course.

But despite the many positive online comments she's received about her fit frame, Burke also has had her share of detractors, who wondered whether the pressures of her business played a role in her weight loss – or even if she needed to shed some pounds to begin with.

Speaking out on her Facebook page about her "public struggle" with her weight, Burke wants her fans to know that she's "thriving."

"My weight fluctuates, just like any other person's does, and there will always be critics," she writes. "You've got to tune out the other people and tune into what's going on inside. Love yourself. Nourish your body. Be kind to one another."

Which Leading Lady Is This Week's Best-Dressed Star?

Stylewatch Style News Now

05/31/2014 at 09:00 AM ET

If you were a) a star and b) promoting a movie this week, then chances are you had a shot at nabbing this week’s Best Dressed title. From Emily Blunt’s whirlwind promotional tour to Charlize Theron and Amanda Seyfried’s A Million Ways to Die in the West premiere looks, there were a lot of great outfits — but only one can take home the prize.

That honor went to Charlize, who appeared at the London premiere of her film wearing a black mini with bell sleeves and ankle-strap heels. She skipped the jewelry and kept her hair in a simple updo, which let her bold red lips (and those toned legs!) take center stage.

Mike Marsland/WireImage

Hot on her heels was costar Amanda, who took the opposite approaching to styling her LBD by adding some fun details, like lots of beading and an exposed horizontal zipper. She also kept her makeup neutral and showed off her long locks in a side-swept do.

RELATED PHOTOS: We found some of the most buzzy celebrity looks for you to shop!


And while both women looked great, we also have to gush over Emily, who attended three movie premieres (for Edge of Tomorrow) on two different continents in a span of only 24 hours — and looked flawless each and every time. Our favorite dress (and trust us, it was tough to choose) was her red peaked-neckline Prada gown, which showed off the new mom’s gorgeous figure. What really pushed this look over the top, however, was the choice of a bright pink lip, which clashed in the most perfect of ways. (Her hair was pretty great, too — click here for the details on how to recreate the updo at home!) And keep in mind this was in N.Y.C., the final stop on her whirlwind tour, and by that point in time we would have been makeup-free and in pajamas, refusing to socialize with others.

Tell us: Which leading lady’s look did you love the most? And do you think Emily Blunt might be superhuman for looking that great after such a long day?

– Whitney Little

Lauren Scruggs and Jason Kennedy Are Engaged

By Stephen M. Silverman

05/31/2014 at 07:30 AM EDT

Jason Kennedy and Lauren Scruggs

Mauricio Ameneyro

Eight months after Jason Kennedy admitted he had fallen hard for fashion blogger and Still Lolo author Lauren Scruggs – "She's amazing," the E! News host told PEOPLE – he has asked her to marry him, reports E! News.

"It's a blur but I can't stop smiling," Kennedy told E! "She told me I couldn't surprise her, but I got her good. This is the best night of my life."

Kennedy also Tweeted, "I flew to Dallas and asked her if she would spend the rest of her life with me. I love you @laurenscruggs."

Clearly, she said yes. No wedding date has been announced.

According to E!, the proposal took place in Scruggs's Texas hometown, before a tiny audience of close friends and relatives. Walking out on a balcony, Scruggs saw a field where candles arranged by Kennedy spelled out the message, "Will you marry me?"

Once she met him downstairs, said E!, he greeted her with a Jennifer Meyer diamond.

In a romance that has been described as heaven-sent, the religious pair were photographed smiling while holding hands at Villa del Palmar on the Islands of Loreto, Mexico, in August 2013, not even two years after Scruggs's miraculous recovery from severe injuries sustained when she walked into a spinning airplane propeller.

"A great week in Loreto," Kennedy Tweeted at the time.