Pacific Commander-to-Be Worries About USFK Relocation Costs

The next commander of the U.S. Pacific Command has expressed concerns about the costs of relocating U.S. Forces Korea headquarters further south away from the border.

Harry Harris

In written testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services ahead of a confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Admiral Harry Harris said the relocation costs under the Land Partnership Plan remain a concern given the current fiscal environment.

The U.S. defense budget could suffer further cuts in case the White House is faced with another sequester in the fiscal year 2016.

Under the relocation plan, the USFK is to return a total of 170 million sq.m of land, or 64 percent of all granted areas, to the Korean government. That includes 34 bases measuring 40 million sq.m and three training grounds measuring 130 million sq.m scattered across the country.

Korea will bear the costs of building alternative facilities for the USFK to replace its existing bases that Seoul wants to move, and buy land for them. But the U.S. will bear the construction costs for facilities it wants to relocate.

A new headquarters is already being built in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

But Harris, adding to a growing chorus of second thoughts about the relocation plan from Washington, appeared to suggest that the expense sharing should be renegotiated, signaling trouble for an already monumentally expensive project.

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SOMETHING ABOUT A BEAR

SOMETHING ABOUT A BEAR by Jackie Morris , Jackie Morris | Kirkus HomeMagazineNewsletterEmail Newsletter Your AccountReviews / AssignmentsAuthor DashboardEditorial DashboardIndie Author DashboardYour Pro Page Pro InboxYour Book ListManage SubscriptionsChange PasswordLog outLog inSearch termSearch scopeAllReviewsInterviewsAuthorsListsPublishersPro ConnectLATEST ISSUE OFKirkus ReviewsFeaturing the best 100 fiction and best 110 children's books of 2014.Book Reviews Just Awarded the KIRKUS STAR CATEGORIESBiography & MemoirBusiness & EconomicsChildren's and TeenCurrent AffairsEntertainment & SportsEssays & AnthologiesFiction & LiteratureFood & CookingGraphic Novels & Comic BooksHealth & MedicineHistoryIndieiPad Book AppsMystery & CrimeNature & TravelPsychologyReligionRomanceScience & TechnologyScience Fiction & FantasySocial SciencesThrillersTrue CrimeBEST BOOKSKirkus Stars & RecommendationsBEST OF 2014FictionNonfictionChildren'sTeenIndieBook AppsFEATURED REVIEWSHot ListsVintage ReviewsBest of 2014FICTIONBy CategoryFull ListFeatured AuthorsCHILDREN'SBy CategoryFull ListFeatured Authors & IllustratorsNONFICTIONBy CategoryFull ListFeatured AuthorsTEENBy CategoryFull ListFeatured AuthorsINDIEBy CategoryFull ListFeatured AuthorsBOOK APPSFull ListBestsellersAuthors Featured Author PETER SIS CATEGORIESChildren's Authors & IllustratorsFiction Authors Nonfiction Authors Young Adult Authors Bestselling Author Success StoriesTOP AUTHORSLatest InterviewsBestselling AuthorsKirkus Reviews Cover StoriesAre you an author?Get Your Book ReviewedGet Your Book EditedPromote Your ReviewKirkus TV Coming Soon Andrew Smithauthor of GRASSHOPPER JUNGLEDecember 2, 2014AUTHOR INTERVIEWSShow ScheduleRecent InterviewsBROWSE VIDEOSAllFictionNonfictionLatest InterviewDean Hale and Shannon Haleauthors of THE PRINCESS IN BLACKBlogs Latest From THE BOOK SMUGGLERS CATEGORIESChildren'sMysteries/ThrillersRomanceSci-Fi/FantasyYoung AdultBLOGSSF SignalForever Young AdultThe Book SmugglersSeven Impossible Things Before BreakfastBookshelves of DoomThe Rap SheetBobbi Dumas: Read-A-RomanceATFMBAndrew Liptak Contests The Kirkus Prize Recently Nominated GENERAL INFORMATIONRules & Selection Process2014 Judges2014 Awards CeremonyFAQPress Room2014 WINNERS & FINALISTSFictionNonfictionYoung Readers' Literature2015 NOMINEESFictionNonfictionYoung Readers' LiteratureABOUT THE KIRKUS PRIZEThe Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.Pro Connect This Week's AUTHOR TO WATCH T. MULLEN
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GET YOUR BOOK REVIEWEDHow to Get Your Book ReviewedAbout Kirkus ReviewsFAQContact UsOrder FormHIRE A BOOK EDITORHow to Get Your Book EditedAbout Our EditorsServicesContact UsOrder FormPROMOTE YOUR REVIEWHow to Promote Your ReviewAbout Pro ConnectAbout Kirkus Campaigns MoreAuthorsBlogsKirkus TVContests & GiveawaysThe Kirkus PrizePro ConnectServices for AuthorsMagazineEmail Newsletter (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); SOMETHING ABOUT A BEAR by Jackie Morris, illustrated by Jackie MorrisAge Range: 4 - 9 BUY NOW FROM AMAZON
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With huge, richly detailed pictures(who knew watercolors could make so many different kinds of brown?) and a lucidand near-poetic text, Morris describes the lives and habitats of eight kinds ofbear.

Baby pandas are “soft and small aspeaches” when they are born. Spectacled bear mothers nurse their cubs in thecloud forest canopy. Polar bears are not white! (Their fur is hollow, and theirskin is black.) She packs an amazing amount of information about bears into thetext, and that is supplemented by notes on each animal and a handful of websiteslisted in the backmatter. Even the names of the bears make for evocativereading within the lyrical prose: brown bear, giant panda, sloth bear,spectacled bear, moon bear, polar bear, sun bear, American black bear (and yes,the American black bear comes in many colors, including white). Water,architecture, other plant and animal life, and various indicators of habitatare painted with energy and intensity. Even as she dazzles with the splendid,up-close images and information, Morris does not lose sight of the mostimportant bear of all. Every child will recognize that one.

It is lovely to see natural historyand a sense of eco-awareness combined with many children’s most belovedplaything. (Informational picture book. 4-9)

Pub Date:?Dec. 1st, 2014ISBN:?978-1-84780-516-4Page count:?32ppPublisher:?Frances LincolnReview Posted Online: Nov.?4th,?2014Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov.?15th,?2014



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Yum Jung-ah Breaks New Ground in Film About Social Issues

Yum Jung-ah

Out of Korea's 18.78 million wage earners in Korea, 6 million are non-regular or contract workers. Now the movie "Cart" by director Boo Ji-young which opened in theaters last week, deals with the plight of supermarket contract workers who face being laid off.

The movie touches on a sensitive topic as big businesses seek to minimize labor costs. Contract workers get lower pay than full-time staff, no job security and fewer or no benefits.

Yum Jung-ah, who plays the lead, has been praised for her portrayal of an ordinary woman. "I hope that this is a chance for others to pay attention to the voices of non-regular workers," she said.

Yum quoted Kim Kang-woo, who plays a supporting part, as saying, "This is the first time that I actually cried watching a movie that I was in." Yum added, "I was one of those people who looked at striking contract workers and wondered why they were protesting so loudly. But when I practically became one of them for a few months, I could understand their anger and frustration."

"Now I can see how difficult it is to be treated unfairly while no one wants to listen to your plight," she said. "I started to look at them from a whole new perspective."

Yum, who is usually cast in glamorous parts, said it wasn't very difficult for her to put herself in the shoes of a housewife in a low-paying job.

When asked how she feels about being in a movie that tackles a hot potato, Yum said, "I had no problems with that. It was other people who seemed to worry. I always listen to my husband, and while he doesn't like me being in movies or soaps with a lot of smooching, he was really supportive this time."

She said she was thankful to see the movie drawing so much attention to the issue of contract workers. "My hope is that viewers will feel compelled to take a closer look at the issue. I hope that my choice to be in the movie will pay off."

View the original article here

Yum Jung-ah Breaks New Ground in Film About Social Issues

Yum Jung-ah

Out of Korea's 18.78 million wage earners in Korea, 6 million are non-regular or contract workers. Now the movie "Cart" by director Boo Ji-young which opened in theaters last week, deals with the plight of supermarket contract workers who face being laid off.

The movie touches on a sensitive topic as big businesses seek to minimize labor costs. Contract workers get lower pay than full-time staff, no job security and fewer or no benefits.

Yum Jung-ah, who plays the lead, has been praised for her portrayal of an ordinary woman. "I hope that this is a chance for others to pay attention to the voices of non-regular workers," she said.

Yum quoted Kim Kang-woo, who plays a supporting part, as saying, "This is the first time that I actually cried watching a movie that I was in." Yum added, "I was one of those people who looked at striking contract workers and wondered why they were protesting so loudly. But when I practically became one of them for a few months, I could understand their anger and frustration."

"Now I can see how difficult it is to be treated unfairly while no one wants to listen to your plight," she said. "I started to look at them from a whole new perspective."

Yum, who is usually cast in glamorous parts, said it wasn't very difficult for her to put herself in the shoes of a housewife in a low-paying job.

When asked how she feels about being in a movie that tackles a hot potato, Yum said, "I had no problems with that. It was other people who seemed to worry. I always listen to my husband, and while he doesn't like me being in movies or soaps with a lot of smooching, he was really supportive this time."

She said she was thankful to see the movie drawing so much attention to the issue of contract workers. "My hope is that viewers will feel compelled to take a closer look at the issue. I hope that my choice to be in the movie will pay off."

View the original article here

11 Disturbing Songs About Zombies

Zombie-mania is running as fast and wild as the super-charged infected that ate (almost) everyone in "28 Days Later." Brad Pitt's "World War Z" is rampaging through global box offices while the PS3 zombie apocalypse game "The Last Of Us" is getting some of the best reviews since, well, last year's "The Walking Dead" game, which was based on the 10-year-old zombie comic that also inspired the hit TV show.

You'd basically have to hide out having pointless arguments at a farm in the middle of nowhere for an entire infuriating television season to avoid the pop-cultural undead these days. And that includes not listening to music because zombies have somehow lurched their way in there, too.

So in honor of all of this horrific hoopla, we've compiled a list of the best -- or, at the very least, most disturbing -- songs about zombies. Read on...we dare you!

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While none of the tracks on Dead Man's Bones' self-titled album can match the smooth swooniness of the Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" meme, there's still something oddly charming about the collection of monster love songs that Gosling wrote and recorded with his musical partner, Zach Shields. The most adorably creepy of the bunch is "My Body's a Zombie For You," a tale of lurching devotion that comes complete with an "I'm a Z-O-M-B-I-E. Zombie!" chant-along by the Silverlake Conservatory Children's Choir.

Fictional horror creatures can't compare to the real life monsters that The Cranberries are singing about in this 1994 hit. Infuriated by the IRA bombings of Warrington, England that took the lives of two children in 1993, singer and songwriter Dolores O'Riordan penned this protest song about The Troubles in Northern Ireland. The titular creature here isn't a pile of reanimated and rotting flesh intent on eating your brains, but a human being who is mindlessly controlled by hatred -- which is just as, if not more, disturbing.

Long before The Cranberries hit it big with their anti-conflict hit of the same name in the '90s, afrobeat icon and political provocateur Fela Kuti was already exploring similar zombie-as-thoughtless-killing-machine ground. In Kuti's case, the zombies in question were the soldiers of the Nigerian military. His song and album of the same name became an immediate success among the Nigerian people when released in 1977, but it also made him a target of the Nigerian government. Enraged by the criticism, the government sent the very "zombies" that Kuti had criticized to attack his people, injuring the singer and killing his mother in the process.

Free-falling rock balladeer Tom Petty compares aimless, thrill-seeking freaks to the undead in this track from his 1989 album Full Moon Fever. Not only does he take white lipstick wearers, lunch pail purse owners, and dropouts to task for being easily led and having no goals or ambitions beyond their desires to dance at the Zombie Zoo, he also goes so far as to burn one with the line "you look like Boris Karloff and you don't even care." Apparently Petty doesn't even care that Frankenstein's monster, whom Karloff played in the classic '30s flicks, isn't actually considered a zombie.

Only multiple exclamation points can express Sufjan Stevens' horror in this loquaciously-titled ditty about the looming specter of obsolescence from 2005's Illinois. Invoking the names of dead historical figures from Ulysses S. Grant to Ronald Reagan and referencing the ghost communities that exist in the state of Illinois, the lo-fi singing and songwriting hug magnet delivers a tune every bit as haunting as the punctuation in its name is excitable.

Internet famous singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton makes some very good points in this wry novelty hit. Singing as Bob, a new zombie trying to convince his old coworker, Tom, to give in and join the undead (or, at the very least, feed himself to them), Coulton points out that Tom and everyone else is going to die screaming, anyway, and that spending your whole life in a mall, Dawn of the Dead-style, is a really crappy plan. Besides, he argues: "All we want is to eat your brains/ We're not unreasonable/ I mean, no one's gonna eat your eyes."

You won't find any Walking Dead-style misery or nihilism in this calypso number written by Conrad Eugene Mauge Jr. and popularized by the likes of Harry Belafonte, The Kingston Trio, and Carmen Sandiego-seeking acapella group Rockapella. In this perky little number, the living dead are having a grand old time, singing, dancing and drinking rum in a New York cemetery. "I don't give a damn," the narrator reasons. "I done dead already."

Despite taking his stage name from the undead creatures in question, musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie doesn't actually spend that much time singing about zombies. He seems to spread his love equally among all '70s horror film creatures and cliches, penning tunes about muscle cars, monsters, witches and death. There are a few zombie-specific songs in his oeuvre, though, with the most famous of the bunch being 1998's "Living Dead Girl." Named after French horror filmmaker's 1982 film, La Morte Vivante, the song samples music from the trailer for a Wes Craven film and references a character played for horror icon Vincent Price. The video for the tune was based on the famous expressionist silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which isn't actually about zombies but is awfully creepy nonetheless.

Insane Clown Posse's contribution to the zombie song canon is basically a "Zombie Jamboree" for semi-literates who have probation officers. The gist of the number is that you shouldn't be sad when the narrator dies, because he's going to have a crazy undead party that will include "pop locking" in the casket, "crumpin at a murderous pace," and "fucking up air guitar," all while the police try to shoot and him and his left eyeball hangs out of his face.

If we ever do face a real-life zombie apocalypse, old-timey storytellin' rapper Buck 65's living dead song is the one that we should turn to. Eschewing any drama, self-pity, or grandstanding, Buck prefers to take a practical approach to the undead, filling his song with a plethora of useful facts. Among other things, he points out that "they'll try to bite your body, but don't let 'em," "zombies have the tendency to mobilize in large groups," and "don't try to reason with them -- zombies are irrational." He also reminds us that they're excellent dancers, which is something pop culture really hasn't addressed since the "Thriller" video.

The song itself is really more about spooks and spooky films in general, touching on horror tropes like lurking evil, grabbing hands, monsters and such, but the video's famous zombie dance break earns MJ an honorary nod here. And Vincent Price does mention that "grizzly ghouls from every tomb are closing in to seal your doom" in his spoken word part, so it's not like zombies go completely unrepresented in the text

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About That Time Questlove Was Almost Fired From 'Late Night'

Remember that time Questlove sparked a media firestorm after playing "Lyin' Ass Bitch" as Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann sauntered onstage on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"? It turns out the Roots drummer was nearly fired over the incident.

Questlove describes the episode in his new memoir "Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove," which is excerpted on Salon. In the passage, he expresses his enthusiasm at the initial idea of finding a derisive song with which to serenade Bachmann -- a tradition none too surprising for a band that, according to Questlove, is particularly meticulous in selecting the perfect walk-on tracks for the show's guests.

After months of what Questlove calls Bachmann's "casual relationship with the truth," The Roots declared Fishbone's 1985 song "Lyin' Ass Bitch" the perfect ode. The initial reaction to the November 2011 incident, he says, was tepid -- not many recognized the ska song. It wasn't until the next afternoon, when a Twitter user asked Questlove whether it was indeed that track, that the dissension broke out. First it was conservative bloggers lambasting the band (and Fallon); then it turned into a feminist issue, with some left-wingers siding with the condemnation. "This could be a wrap for us," Questlove's manager told him the day the situation escalated.

Thanks to the news cycle (it was Thanksgiving week) and a gaffe Bachmann made shortly thereafter regarding national security information, the situation was diffused -- after Fallon issued an apology on Twitter and NBC decided it would start approving The Roots' song selections. But "some time after that," Questlove appeared on "Watch What Happens Live" and was asked to name a guest whose "Late Night" appearance he was not looking forward to. His answer was not Bachmann, but another powerful female: Tina Fey, who multiple times had failed to wave to The Roots, a staple of guest entrances, during her walk-on.

"Tina Fey, you are never nice to The Roots," he recalls saying on "Watch What Happens." "We’re from Philadelphia. Be nice to The Roots!” Another firestorm occurred, with Questlove noting in the memoir that his comments landed him on the front page of HuffPost.

Lorne Michaels, executive prodcer of "Late Night," was none too pleased. Questlove writes:

This time, Lorne had a fit. “I want him out of here,” he said. “He’s gone.” I thought he was a little angrier than the incident deserved, but it was only seven months after Bachmann, and things had been building. In fact, I think that I was fired for about an hour, until Jimmy begged for my job back.

Thankfully, Questlove and The Roots are still with "Late Night" today -- by "the skin of our teeth," as the drummer writes. They'll be moving with Fallon to "The Tonight Show" when it premires in 2014.

Watch Bachmann's "Late Night" entrance here:

[Read the full excerpt on Salon.]

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What You May Not Know About Alexis Neiers

Alexis Neiers opens up about her heroin addiction on "Dateline"

When Sofia Coppola's "The Bling Ring" hits movie theaters nationwide this weekend, all eyes will be on Emma Watson, who plays Nicki, one of a group of Los Angeles teens accused of breaking into celebrity houses and stealing upwards of $3 million worth of property.

Watson's character is based on now 21-year-old new mom Alexis Neiers, whose legal trials and tribulations were documented on the 2010 E! reality series "Pretty Wild," which also starred her younger sister Gabby Neiers, her mother Andrea Arlington and their adoptive family member and fellow model Tess Taylor (who inspired the "Bling Ring" character Sam, played by Taissa Farmiga).

The series (and one " target=_hplink>phone call to "Vanity Fair" journalist Nancy Jo Sales, in particular) became the butt of many jokes when it appeared Alexis wasn't taking her situation seriously. But behind the scenes, Alexis was dealing with a very serious addiction to heroin.

In an exclusive clip (above) of her interview with "Dateline," which airs Friday, June 21 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, Alexis opens up about her drug problem and why she really wanted to be connected to Hollywood.

"I was smoking cigarettes already by, like, sixth grade and was already drinking. And it progressed from there. By the time that I was in ninth grade, I was doing acid all the time and cocaine and smoking weed. By the time I was 19, I was a full-blown heroin addict," she admitted, noting that she manipulated and lied to her mother to keep her addiction a secret.

In May, Alexis told Vice that she was high the entire time she was on "Pretty Wild." "People think I was living with my family, but I was living at a Best Western on Franklin and Vine. I was smoking 20 80-mg oxys a day, I was doing tons of cocaine, I was panhandling for drugs," she told the magazine. "I had an over-$10,000-a-week drug habit. What you were seeing on TV was not what was really going on."

Alexis explained to "Dateline" that she "got into the industry doing, like, odd jobs --- modeling, music videos, things like that -- because it sustained [her] drug habit."

Today, Alexis is sober and married to Evan Haines, who she met in AA. The two recently welcomed their first child Harper. "I just really wanna focus today on where I've been going for the last, you know, two and a half years, which is taking this path of sobriety and trying to do my best to help people get sober," she told "Dateline. "I'm really, really passionate about it."

For more from Alexis Neiers, tune into "Dateline" on Friday, June 21 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

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Emma Watson attends a screening of "The Bling Ring" on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actor Israel Broussard attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Claire Julien attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Taissa Farmiga attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actor Israel Broussard (L) and director Sofia Coppola attend 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Katie Chang attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Katie Chang attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Emma Watson attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Director Sofia Coppola attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Claire Julien attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Emma Watson attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Director Sofia Coppola attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Emma Watson attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Actress Emma Watson attends 'The Bling Ring' screening at Paris Theatre on June 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actor Israel Broussard arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actors Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Claire Julien, Emma Watson and Israel Broussard arrive to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Director Sofia Coppola, director Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola arrive to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actors Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Claire Julien, Emma Watson and Israel Broussard arrive to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Emma Watson arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actors Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Claire Julien, director Sofia Coppola, actors Emma Watson and Israel Broussard arrive to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actors Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Claire Julien, Emma Watson and Israel Broussard attend the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Claire Julien and actor Israel Broussard attend the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actors Gavin Rossdale, Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Claire Julien, director Sofia Coppola, actors Emma Watson and Israel Broussard arrive to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actors Emma Watson and Israel Broussard arrive to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Katie Chang attends the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Paris Hilton and River Viiperi attend the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Paris Hilton and River Viiperi attend the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Paris Hilton and model River Viiperi arrive to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Claire Julien arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Claire Julien arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Taissa Farmiga attends the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Katie Chang arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Taissa Farmiga attends the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Director Sofia Coppola attends the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Katie Chang and director Sofia Coppola arrive to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Paris Hilton arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Paris Hilton arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Emma Watson arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Emma Watson arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Emma Watson arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Emma Watson arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Emma Watson arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Emma Watson arrives to the Los Angeles premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at the Directors Guild Theater on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Actress Claire Julien attends the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Paris Hilton attends the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Paris Hilton attends the premiere of A24's 'The Bling Ring' at Directors Guild Of America on June 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

British actress Emma Watson blows kisses as she arrives on May 16, 2013 for the screening of the film 'The Bling Ring' presented in the Un Certain Regard section at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images)

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 16: (L-R) Actresses Claire Julien, Taissa Fariga and Katie Chang, actor Israel Broussard, actress Emma Watson and director Sophia Coppola attend 'The Bling Ring' premiere during The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 16: (L-R) Director Sophia Coppola, actor Israel Broussard and actresses Emma Watson, Katie Chang, Taissa Fariga and Claire Julien attend 'The Bling Ring' premiere during The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

British actress Emma Watson blows kisses as she arrives on May 16, 2013 for the screening of the film 'The Bling Ring' presented in the Un Certain Regard section at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images)

BLACK AND WHITE VERSION British actress Emma Watson poses on May 16, 2013 as she arrives for the screening of the film 'The Bling Ring' presented in the Un Certain Regard section at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT (Photo credit should read ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images)

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So About Michael Jackson's Surgeries ...

The enigma of rock 'n' roll comes with its own brand of myths and legends that permeate through culture and become fixtures in certain artists' lore. From the strange relationship confusion surrounding The White Stripes to Lady Gaga being a rumored hermaphrodite, certain music mythology amplifies the bohemian world of rock. Here's a look at a few of prevalent rock legends.

Gene Simmons' cow tongue

Simmons certainly has an abnormally long tongue, a fact emphasized by his fire-breathing, blood-spitting antics onstage. Fans have long been prompted to question whether it was actually a cow's tongue surgically added to his own, a rumor that's been debunked due to its medical impossibility. A cow's tongue is a typically a foot long, meaning there's no way one to fit even part of one in a human's mouth. Simmons says he simply has a "superlong tongue."

Michael Jackson's surgeries

Michael Jackson famously said he's only had two plastic surgeries -- both nose jobs -- in his lifetime. He told Oprah Winfrey as much in 1992 and Martin Bashir the same thing in 2003. While some diehard fans swear by the King of Pop's claims, most aren't fooled. An associate of Jackson's surgeon told People magazine in 2009 that the singer had "about 10 to 12 surgeries in two years," including cheek implants and an operation on his eyelids. Jackson also famously underwent treatments for vitiligo, a skin condition that lightens brown pigmentation.

Elvis Presley's racism

Some swear Elvis Presley uttered the words "The only thing Negroes can do for me is buy my records and shine my shoes,” despite the fact that no verifiable source can back up the incendiary comment. Furthermore, Presley's influences on black music are widely touted, despite detractors who like to claim he "stole" everything he knew from African-American culture.

Tupac Shakur's pulse

Seventeen years later, camps are still debating the veracity of Tupac Shakur's death. Just this year, former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight told TMZ during an interview that Shakur is "really not dead." The rapper was famously murdered in a drive-by shooting in 1996, but after his estate released new records, rumors were ignited that Shakur was simply in hiding. Voracious fans were quick to point out conspiracy theories via seemingly anachronistic lyrics, including a shoutout to the movie "Armageddon," which had not yet been released. To this day, fans are still holding on to the notion that Shakur is out there somewhere, although obviously there is no proof to this whatsoever.

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A Hint About This 'Following' Star's Future?

With Fox's "The Following" on hiatus, Natalie Zea is headed Under the Dome this summer -- and perhaps beyond. Zea, who plays The Following's Claire Matthews, has been cast in a continuing role in the CBS summer series, which premieres June 24. Just how "continuing" her role is I imagine will depend on Claire's fate.

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