B13 Peer Review

Human Barbie with Barbie (Valeria Lukyanova/Facebook) Of all the stars to be born on the Internet, one of the strangest is surely Valeria Lukyanova, otherwise known as the "Human Barbie." While critiquing the Barbie archetype  and promoting a realistic  body image   has been a popular  trend online  and in digital art lately, Lukyanova has gone the opposite route. The Ukrainian model's physique is her medium, and she's consciously transformed herself into a living doll. When images of Lukyanova first began circulating in 2012, some news outlets called her a fake. But since then, she's done a number of interviews and has been the subject of  a short documentary . In a world overrun with airbrushed images, stick-thin models, a multibillion-dollar cosmetic surgery industry, and distorted ideas about what real women should look like, Human Barbie has touched a cultural nerve. Researcher and artist  Nickolay Lamm  said that discounting Lukya...

This week, the Kids’ Right to Read Project, a group that monitors book censorship, said the number of challenges to books reported to the group increased by 53% in 2013. Project coordinator Acacia O'Connor  told Shelf Awareness  that she could not explain the increase, but that many involved writers of color, including Sherman Alexie, Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. (All three also appear regularly on American Booksellers Assn. lists of challenged books.) “Whether or not patterns like this are the result of coordination between would-be censors across the country is impossible to say,” O’Connor told Shelf Awareness. “But there are moments, when a half-dozen or so challenges regarding race or LGBT content hit within a couple weeks, where you just have to ask, 'What is going on out there?'” The Kids' Right to Read Project is an effort of the National Coalition Against Censorship, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Assn. of Ameri...

Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini CREDIT: SABRA EMBURY Bestselling author, television writer and essayist Ned Vizzini died Thursday,  The Los Angeles Times  reports. The cause of death was suicide. Vizzini was the author of young-adult books "It's Kind of a Funny Story, "The Other Normals," "Be More Chill" and "Teen Angst? Naah..." He also wrote for MTV's "Teen Wolf," the ABC drama series, "Last Resort" and, most recently, for NBC's "Believe," the forthcoming series from J.J. Abrams and Alfonso Cuarón.  He began writing for The New York Press at age 15, and since then his essays and criticism have appeared in the New York Times, the Daily Beast and other publications. He is the coauthor with Chris Columbus of the fantasy-adventure series "House of Secrets." Vizzini suffered from depression, and his  five-day stay at a hospital's psychiatric ward  inspired "It's Kind of a Funny...

Singer/Actor  Ms. Badu’s fluttering vocals have been wooing audiences since her triple-platinum debut album,  Baduizm , was released in 1997. The Dallas-born singer’s music blends R&B and jazz influences with a hip hop sensibility. Her inimitable style and flavor—from towering head-wraps to public nudity as a form of protest—as well as her eccentric thought patterns have made her one of today’s most fascinating performers. The mother of three is also an actress who won acclaim for her performance in the 1998 film  Cider House Rules .

You may know Antonia “Toya” Carter as Lil’ Wayne’s ex-wife and the mother of his eldest child Reginae, but the New Orleans native has never been satisfied with just being the rapper’s “baby mama.” In 2009, Carter co-starred in the hit BET reality series  Tiny and Toya  (along with Tamkea “Tiny” Cottle, who has two children with rapper T.I.) which aired for two seasons. This year she appears on her own BET reality show entitled  Toya: A Family Affair . In 2010, Carter opened Garb, a New Orleans clothing boutique. It is being reported that  Toya Wright  ( Lil Wayne 's ex and  Tiny & Toya  star) has been arrested in Atlanta. The reason has yet to be named by the parties involved, but she was released this morning around 1:30 a.m. We will keep you posted as this develops.

We haven't done this in a long time because of the disappointments in the music industry, both indie and professional. It is rear that I get excited about an artist just from watching videos sent to me. Well this is one young unsigned artist and former contestant of Britain's Got talent has come to my attention. For the first time since Jennifer Hudson , Fantasia Barrino , and Candice Glover I got excited. At, 13 year old singer James Anderson was a talent to look out for! With such a powerful voice, James has wowed many crowds. He has even came in 3rd place on Britain’s Got Talent as a part of a band called New Bounce. Now a solo singer, James continues to let the world hear his talent. Check out the attached video of James singing Whitney Houston’s song I Have Nothing. Follow James on Twitter @OfficialJamesA and subscribe to his videos on YouTube. James Anderson, second from the left,  Climax- Usher (Cover by James Anderson) Royals- By Lorde (...

Waka Flocka Flame says Gucci Mane doesn't exist, while DJ Envy recalls the time Nas pulled a gun on him. This week, Waka Flocka Flame says that former mentor Gucci Mane doesn’t exist, while DJ Envy recounts the time Nas pulled a gun on him. Eminem’s staying power on the Billboard charts also made news. Waka Flocka Flame Says Gucci Mane "Doesn't Exist” To Him Waka Flocka Flame and  Gucci Mane's  run together came to an end last year and the two have been asked about one other frequently since. "Who is that? He don't exist to me,"  Waka Flocka Flame  said during an interview with  Vlad TV . "I don't got time for nobody, my watch stopped on me man.”