On Friday, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced steps to ensure that its voting membership would become more diverse in response to this year's acting nominations including only white actors. The response is a result of criticism from fans, the press, and celebrities, most notably Jada Pinkett Smith.

Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs had this to say about the changes:

The Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up. These new measures regarding governance and voting will have an immediate impact and begin the process of significantly changing our membership composition.

Here is the Academy's full statement, which declares its intent to double the number of women and minority members of the Academy by 2020:

In a unanimous vote Thursday night (1/21), the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved a sweeping series of substantive changes designed to make the Academy’s membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members significantly more diverse.  The Board’s goal is to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.

Beginning later this year, each new member’s voting status will last 10 years, and will be renewed if that new member has been active in motion pictures during that decade.  In addition, members will receive lifetime voting rights after three ten-year terms; or if they have won or been nominated for an Academy Award.  We will apply these same standards retroactively to current members.  In other words, if a current member has not been active in the last 10 years they can still qualify by meeting the other criteria.  Those who do not qualify for active status will be moved to emeritus status.  Emeritus members do not pay dues but enjoy all the privileges of membership, except voting.  This will not affect voting for this year’s Oscars.

At the same time, the Academy will supplement the traditional process in which current members sponsor new members by launching an ambitious, global campaign to identify and recruit qualified new members who represent greater diversity.  

In order to immediately increase diversity on the Board of Governors, the Academy will establish three new governor seats that will be nominated by the President for three-year terms and confirmed by the Board.

The Academy will also take immediate action to increase diversity by adding new members who are not Governors to its executive and board committees where key decisions about membership and governance are made. This will allow new members an opportunity to become more active in Academy decision-making and help the organization identify and nurture future leaders.

Along with Boone Isaacs, the Board’s Membership and Administration Committee, chaired by Academy Governor Phil Robinson, led the efforts to enact these initiatives.

If nothing else, this will certainly add some hilarious commentary to Chris Rock's monlogue, in which he'll hopefully make fun of both The Academy and people that chose to boycott The Oscars. At the very least, it will make the extremely long telecast more interesting.

There are now mermaid shirts with the same freaky color-changing effect as the mermaid pillows that blew everyone's minds earlier this month. The effect happens when sequins are flipped over with the brush of a hand. And because apparently some people want their shirts to match the pillows on their couch, here is the mesmerizing mermaid shirt:

Here's one of the pillows in all its shiny glory:

Wearing one of the shirts could be fun, so long as friends, co-workers, and especially strangers understand the rule that it may only be touched with permission. And even if someone allows a friend to touch their back, it will almost certainly result in a vulgar drawing or message. 

Actress Jenna Fischer, who most famously played Pam on The Office, was on an episode of What What Happens Live this week answering fan questions. One caller wanted to know how real the chemistry between her and John "Jim" Krasinski was, and her response sent hearts palpitating across America. After all, Pam and Jim are one of the cutest couples in TV history. Everyone wants that to be real, and Fischer strongly insinuated that it was.

She says:

John and I have real chemistry. There is a real part of me that is Pam, and a real part of him that is Jim, and those parts of us were genuinely in love with one another. But in real life we aren’t totally Pam and totally Jim, so in real life we’re not the perfect match. So it’s a really complicated thing, but he was like a type of spouse that I had for a long time — he was my partner.

So, did they kiss IRL, or what? Fischer probably just means that she and Krasinski pretended to be in love for so many years that they were essentially partners on set. A well-cast couple is usually made up of people who are attracted to each other on some level, but when the cameras are off, they go home to someone else. Oh well. Looks like it's time to rewatch the most romantic and stupid wedding ceremony ever aired on television:

Today it was revealed that billionaire and former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is considering an independent run for president. Jumping into the race as an independent candidate would add yet another whacky element to a contest that still has Donald Trump leading GOP polls. Lots of pundits think it could negatively impact Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, and the electorate has plenty of opinions on yet another billionaire joining the race. Here are the 14 best reactions to the news:

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Tian Tian, a panda at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washtington D.C., woke up to all the snow from Winter Storm Jonah and is rolling around in it like a little kid. This is not an optical illusion of a panda hiding among snowmen; this is a real panda in some real snow having the best day ever. Watch this regal creature enjoy snow more than anything that has ever been enjoyed in this world:

Tian Tian seriously can't handle it. He even inspects his foot in awe of the magical snow. If anyone in the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast regions of the United States complains about the blizzard, show them this video. And if scientists need assistance getting pandas to mate, they should just introduce some snow into the scenario.

Yesterday, Facebook user Amy Saxon White posted a video of someone in a T-Rex costume shoveling snow, and they actually do a pretty good job. It appears that it's her husband, during the first snowfall of Winter Storm Jonas in Kentucky. Considering the T-Rex has vision-based movement, a decent amount of snow gets shoveled. It's almost the same amount of skill that's required to do American Ninja Warrior training in a T-Rex costume. 

Now the only thing left to do with that costume is scare unsuspecting neighbors and kids playing in the snow. Or wear the costume while sledding. Come to think of it, every winter snow activity in a T-Rex costume is hilarious.

The best and possibly only good thing about Sarah Palin's return to politics is that we once again get to gaze upon Tina Fey's impression of the part-time Governor. While Palin's recent endorsement of Donald Trump might have been scary for America's pundits and grammarians, it truly is great for comedy. On Saturday night (appropriately), Tina Fey returned to SNL to take on Palin, and the result isa sketch as hilarious, pointed and glistening as her sweater.

This week's Saturday Night Live jumped straight into the controversy over the Oscars' exclusively white slate of nominees, which has given rise to both the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag and brought Jada Pinkett Smith out of retirement. With an awards show to supposedly honor the best, most dignified performances, the "Screen Guild Awards" nominated the actors who played such transcendent characters as "White Man With A Camera" and "Unseen Voice on Phone." It was, like many nights, a good night to be a white guy:

Mixed Martial Artist Ronda Rousey hosted SNL on Saturday night, and used her skills as an Ultimate Fighting Champion to pull out all the stops and reclaim her glory after her loss to Holly Holm. Including an assist from Kate McKinnon as Justin Bieber, Rousey brought out all the major moves to win the monologue. She deployed a classic Applause Line About New York City, as well as the ultimate finishing stunt: the Song and Dance. Like the best fighters, she used her whole arsenal of moves, and is now the SNL monologue title-holder until the next episode.

Even if you're not a big fan of Japanese animated shows, this version of Star Wars: The Force Awakens created by Kylo Renoir (aka Kylo Ren Is A Punk Bitch) will tickle your Saturday morning cartoon nostalgia bone. All the ingredients of a great serialized adventure show are already there: the young outcast heroes (Rey, Finn and Poe), the grizzled old warrior helping them on their journey (Han Solo), the mystical/technological beast/demons whose nonsensical noises are easily understood by their companions (Chewie and BB-8), and of course the villain whose powers come from negative energy (Kylo Ren). But of course this will never happen, because Star Wars is a Disney property and they would use an American pop song over the exact same montage:

The song used in the video, if you're curious, is 'Colors' by the group Flow. It was used as the opening song for the show Code Geass.

Related: Kylo Ren went on 'Undercover Boss' to see how The First Order really feels about him on 'SNL.'

Writer, comedian, radio host, and former MTV VJ Dave Holmes was leaving the gym on Thursday when he got a voicemail claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service. Aside from the momentary workout-induced moment of gullibility that made him call back, it was immediately clear that it was a scam. But Dave didn't just tell them to go to hell after realizing he was being targeted by grifters—he dragged it out to the point that the crooks got frustrated and bored with him on the phone before flipping the tables. He then told the whole epic tale on Twitter, complete with a dramatic ending and sharing their number with the whole world:

Moral of the story? Don't con people. If you must con people, be polite, don't be dumb, and don't con people who are better than you at it. But mostly, don't con people.

Chris Mark is a veteran of the US Marines, co-founder of the Mark Consulting group, and the writer behind the Global Risk Info blog covering various securiity topics—but today, he's one of the most prominent critics of Sarah Palin's recent decision to blame her son's domestic violence on PTSD and President Obama. Usually, Chris and his wife Dr. Heather Mark weigh in on matters of international security or large news stories about the US military, but the recent story of Sarah Palin's response to her son Track's arrest prompted Chris to write an open letter to the briefly-tenured Alaska governor. Here's Mark's letter to Gov. Palin:

Dear Mrs. Palin,

I am a former US Marine and US Navy Officer with a Combat Action Ribbon as well as service connected disabilities. I am also a Republican.  I have also served with, and am friends with, dozens of combat veterans who suffer daily from various injuries and wounds to include PTSD.  I recently read your comments related to PTSD in which you attempted to excuse your son’s arrest on domestic abuse charges and firearm charges by referencing his supposed PTSD.   Based upon your previous comments I am not surprised that you would choose to use this very serious condition as a political football and, once again, attempt to divert blame from your own family’s abhorrent, violent behavior.

In 2014 your entire family was involved in a late night ‘drunken brawl’ at a party in which Track Palin (the accused domestic abuser) was involved in a bloody fight.  While you publicly stated how proud you were at your children’s violent actions, maybe this should have been a sign that Track has a problem.  It is certainly curious that you did not feel the need to reference his supposed PTSD in this situation and instead stated: “…my kids’ defense of family makes my heart soar!”  Maybe, instead of encouraging Track’s violence, you should have taken the opportunity to get him help.  Maybe, instead of being the result of PTSD, your son was simply trying to uphold the stated Palin family values and “…make your heart soar” by abusing a woman.

PTSD is stigmatized in the media and not well understood by the general public.  An estimated 22 veterans commit suicide every day in the United States.  This is nearly 8,000 veterans who take their lives every year.  Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) stated: “Every day in the United States, 22 veterans succumb to suicide — losing their personal battle to invisible wounds of war.”   Veterans who have willingly given so much in service to their country should not have to bear the burden of being further stigmatized by your ignorant and foolish statements.

While I do not propose to speak for all veterans, I am clearly not alone in my views regarding your unfortunate statements.  They were unfortunate for the many veterans who face further disdain and discrimination based upon your inaccurate and ignorant portrayal of those who suffer with PTSD as well as the causes of the condition.

While I would personally prefer that you simply avoid public life and simply fade away,  if you insist on trying to use your “celebrity status” for a cause, please educate yourself on the facts of PTSD and try to help veterans by using your significant influence in a more productive, and less political manner.  There are a number of veteran’s organizations to which you can donate time, money and energy to make a difference.

Regards,

Chris Mark

In case you missed the story, Sarah Palin's son Track, a former Marine, punched his girlfriend in the eye and threatened himself with an AR-15 before police arrived in response to her 911 calls (video below). In response to the arrest, which took place just hours before Palin endorsed Donald Trump in Iowa, Palin cited what she saw as President Obama's attitude problem:

My son, like so many others, they come back a bit different. They come back hardened. They come back wondering if there is that respect for what their fellow soldiers and airmen and every other member of the military have given so sacrificially to this country, and that starts at the top. It isa shame that our military personnel even have to question, have to wonder if they’re respected anymore. It starts from the top. …[it] comes from our own president where they have to look at him and wonder, ‘Do you know what we go through? Do you know what we’re trying to do to secure America and to secure the freedoms that have been bequeathed us?

She then finished by urging voters to vote for Donald Trump so soldiers could have a leader they respected.

It may not have been an "important" story, but what news channel would pass up the opportunity to get a man-on-the-street interview Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler and his daughter Mia during Winter Storm Jonas coverage? As people who are not from New York might say, "Only in New York!" (No one in New York says this.) The city's streets were shut down to vehicles at 2:30 pm on Saturday, turning the island of Manhattan into a snowy pedestrian wonderland, which is presumably what lured the craggly rocker and his artist daughter outside, where they decided to take part in such classic NYC activities as snow angels and being interviewed by the national news media. The best part of this, though, is when the mega celebrity waves hello to his grandson like a guy who's never been on TV before.

Guess he didn't want to miss a thing about Winter Storm Jonas.

Related: Here are the 17 funniest tweets about Winter Storm Jonas.

Yesterday, Shaquille O'Neal was re-activated as both a basketball player and a Florida police officer to say thank you to a cop who received a lot of favorable Internet attention last week when he responded to a noise complaint about kids playing basketball in the street, only to decide that kids should be allowed to play basketball and joining them in a game. After a pretty tough year for news stories about police interacting with youths, Gainsville officer Bobby White has become the poster-cop for better community policing, even sparking a hashtag, #HoopsNotCrime. Officer White had promised to return eventually with some backup for a rematch, but not even he could predict that the success of his video would recruit the best basketball player who also happens to be a reserve Florida police officer—Shaquille O'Neal. It's hard to say whether White or the kids in his community were more surprised to see the 7'1" Miami reserve officer show up on the court.

He may be the host of half the programs on television, but even Nick Cannon might have been tempted to give into jealousy at the news of his ex-wife Mariah Carey's engagement to Australian billionaire James Packer, complete with a 35-carat diamond wedding ring. To put that in perspective, it's just under twice the size of $5 million, 18-carat ring that Jay-Z put on Beyoncé's once-single finger. But Nick Cannon isn't just the host of everything because he's named Nick Cannon; his recent Instagram post shows that he's also apparently just that friendly (his status as a good ex has been previously confirmed). Nick also finds wisdom in life the same way many of his fans do, by surfing the Internet and reposting things that make him laugh (but at least he left the watermark on):

For more about why Nick Cannon is dying over images of himself in a hospital bed, here's a better look at Mariah's knuckle-armor:

Parents of eighth graders at West Allegheny Middle School in Imperior, PA are upset about inappropriate questions their kids were asked during an anti-bullying "Kindness Workshop," according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The kids were compelled to publicly reveal answers to personal questions about their religion and sexuality, as well as about the financial status, education level, and drug usage of their family members in an attempt to help them "become aware of others' experiences and their role of being supporters to one another," as school officials told WPXI.

West Allegheny parent Marie-Noelle Briggs said of the workshop: “All they did was give the bullies more ammunition.” She also expressed concern that the workshop was given by teachers rather than qualified psychologists. She added, “I would never expect a middle school to ask kids if their parents have been in school, if they’re [the] same sex, if they’re having financial issues. How is that going to affect them?”

The workshop, held January 12 through 14, was created by superintendent Jerri Lynn Lippert as a response to reports of bullying. District officials had sent letters explaining the content of the workshop home with the children on Jan. 4, giving parents an opportunity to have their child opt-out, but they didn't include any information about the types of questions students would be asked. According to Lippert, “There were significant student issues, some of those were definitely intentional acts of bullying, but there were also many unintentional acts... perpetuating common stereotypes on certain groups of students who are traditionally marginalized." Lippert now admits that their "good intentions had some unintended consequences.” 

Lauralee Nuckles, another parent, said her daughter came home from school after the second day of the workshop, upset because an answer she wrote on a notecard meant to be private was accidentally read aloud during the session, right in front of a student who was currently bullying her. 

Some of the parents are rumored to be thinking of bringing a lawsuit against the school, after a meeting held on Tuesday failed to adequately address their concerns. 

While most people, if they went outside at all during winter storm Jonas, were bundled up in about eight layers, a few brave souls dove right into the snow as if it were a swimming pool. Some completed the "snow challenge" in an epic fashion.

These guys thought Jonas was just another swim meet. 

Others had a bit more difficulty making it into the snow.

This guy particularly regretted his decision to jump into the snow half-naked.

It's as if he didn't know the snow was going to be cold. 

Katrina Pierson is Donald Trump's spokeswoman and she frequently goes on TV to defend his hideous views and bizarre statements. Though she seems genuinely committed to Trump's views and policies, even she can't quite pull off a "Make America Great Again" hat:

Because she's in the public eye, someone went scrolling through years and years of her Twitter feed. Many of her tweets are horrible, but this particular one from 2012 has been making the rounds. It's awful, but also unlikely to lose any votes from the kind of people who follow Trump:

However, it did catch the attention of a certain children's book author. J.K. Rowling has commented on the Trump campaign before, when she tweeted in early December that Voldemort, worst fictional villain of all time, is still not as bad as the GOP Oompa Loompa:

Which amused many:

On Sunday, Rowling quoted Pierson's "pure breed" tweet, and called her a Death Eater—they're the evil minions of He Who Shall Not Be Named (Trump):

Though she really sounds like someone else entirely: